Fifty-Two

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Lance groaned softly, head bobbing upwards. He was cold and stiff, arms aching.

He cracked his heavy eyelids open, vision blurry. He snapped his head up as the door slid open and someone rushed in.

The blue paladin gasped, eyes watering up. "Keith!" He crooked, jerking against his binding.

Keith looked up to him, then his shoulders stiffened. "Lance!" He cried, running forward. "You're alive! You're alive- I thought you were dead!" Tears built up in his dark eyes as he cupped Lance's face.

Lance choked on a small sob, eye stinging. "How-how'd you break through?"

"I found a weak point in the shield and broke through. I had to come get you and bring you home." He gently pet back Lance's hair. "Back to me... Back to Rosályn."

Lance nodded, watching as Keith stepped aside and started to pry through the cuff keeping Lance against the upright surface. "Keith... Keith, I love you."

Keith smiled. "I love you, too-" He gasped and jerked, halting his movements.

Lance started to shake and he looked up. His once relieved tears spilled from his eyes, chest tight. He looked back at Keith. "No... No, no! Keith!"

Red slipped out from the corner of Keith's lips as he looked up at Lance. "Lance..."

Lance thrashed in his binding as Keith collapsed, screaming. "No! No, please!"

The blue paladin paused as the body glitched. He blinked a couple times, then gasped as Keith glitched and vanished. He looked up to the soldier in the door, then jerked as he also vanished with a glitch.

"What...?"

"Not bad for a druid's first day on the field."

Lance sucked in a suddering, sharp breath. "A-an... Illusion?"

Two figures stepped in, both dressed in druid's clothing.

The young human gulped, but raised his chin and clenched his fists. "What do you want with me?"

The taller druid stepped forward, head tilting as he inspected the paladin. "I don't want anything. The Prince, however, gave me orders and I am following them. My little druid in training has completed your first trial, paladin."

"Trial?"

Lance couldn't see it, but he could feel the smirk both druids had on their faces. "Trials. You will go through trials to see how much you can take. Physically, mentally- all of the above. For what, I have no idea and I don't care. I just hope you suffer more than I want you to."

Lance clenched his jaw narrowing his eyes in a glare. "Get fucked."

The druid hummed, then placed his hand on his apprentice's back and lead him out.

The door shut and the lock clicked.

Immediately, Lance felt sick to his stomach. He choked and gagged, but his stomach was empty. Lance wheezed and sobbed, body trembling from the cold and from a sudden, sinking feeling of fear.

~

After however many hours of sleep, Kolivan was dreary and sluggish when he woke. He stared at the ceiling, the room cold and dark.

He glanced around, then his chest tightened as he remembered that the young paladin wasn't with him.

Kolivan growled softly, forcing himself to his feet. He blinked his heavy eyes a few times, clenching his jaw.

Slowly, Kolivan dragged himself to the cell door, then pressed his ear and palms flat to the cool surface.

Nothing.

Silence.

Kolivan rolled his neck and shoulders, groaning lowly. "Quiznak..."

~

"Keith, wake up... Come on, buddy..."

The red paladin hummed, gently tightening his hold on the two little beings curled up in his arms. One whined tiredly, nuzzling into him.

"Keith, come on." A large, gentle hand ran over his hair and softly patted his cheek. "You can't sleep on the sofa like this."

"I can..." Keith sighed, cracking his eyes open for a moment before closing them again.

The man waking him chuckled. "Keith... At least let me take Pike and Rosie to bed?"

Keith shook his head, burying his nose further into soft, curly hair. "Nn-nn... Don' take 'em..."

"Alright, I won't take them... But you need to get in a real bed. You can't sleep on the sofa."

The red paladin breathed deeply, forcing his eyelids open. His eyelids fluttered and he blinked a few times, lifting his head.

"Shiro?"

The black paladin hummed. "Let's get you to bed."

Keith nodded, uncurling sluggishly. Shiro carefully took Rosályn and stood. He held out his hand for Keith and the younger accepted his help.

Pike whimpered and squirmed from the movement, but settled once Keith was standing. Rosályn lay limp on Shiro's chest and shoulder. She sniffed and rubbed her runny nose onto his shoulder. Shiro didn't pay any mind as he kept his attention on Keith.

Keith's eyelids drooped as he dragged himself beside Shiro, arms wrapped tightly around Pike. Once they reached Keith's room, Shiro lay Rosályn down in the middle and helped Keith into bed.

The red paladin refused to set Pike down.

Shiro carefully tucked them all in, smiling as Keith fell right back asleep.

Silently, Shiro left the room to let them all rest, despite it being about the afternoon.

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848 words

Space dad is good space dad.

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