My Escape From This Darkness

Fading Memories*

*Edited 

Keith POV

I walk around the white iron-plated walls. Aimlessly pulling myself in different directions. I never realized how huge this place was. It was always filled with something. Alarm bells when there was an attack. A sense of tiredness after long days of training. Annoyance when a certain Blue Paladin rambled on about something. The Blue Paladin. Lance. He always filled these white walls. His voice would echo and bicker. His laugh stuck and seeped its way in making everything a little less, cynical. We were trapped in a warship, millions of miles away from home. Or what was left of it? These days flew by slowly. Depressingly so.

The towel on my shoulder weighed me down a little. Where was I going? Spend another day in the training room. Sweating and fighting my way at a robot. Instead, I should be fighting those who have taken him away from us. I sighed letting my feet come to a pause. Looking around at the white walls that seemed brighter than usual. A lack of comfort. A lack of Lance. I look at the door in front of me. Tilting my head, stepping forward. My forehead rested against it. Bringing up my hands, my fingertips brushing against the blue door. Palms fully planted. I closed my eyes. The metal felt cold against my forehead. The same way I felt inside. Cold. I could hear his voice. The static of it before he went silent. I gritted my teeth. The way his voice trembled; he was so afraid. I wanted to bang my fist against the door. Yell for Lance to come out. Stop playing this game and come out of his room. Tell him how sorry I was. Tell him I didn't mean to be so menacing. To tell him that I was just scared! To tell him that...I loved him.

I pushed myself away from his door. Heading away from the Blue Paladin Hall. It felt so empty. Vacant. Like nobody had lived there, but he did. He was there! Just a few days ago. He kept himself so hidden. I thought I knew him. Held his heart on his sleeves. Lance, the goofster. I run a hand through my growing hair. Frowning a little at its length. It wasn't that long a few days ago. Would Lance make fun of it? Make fun of my growing Mullet? I smiled a little, trying to come up with some punchlines. In the end, I couldn't. He was so clever; I'd give him that. He made me so angry. I sigh walking down the hallway, away from the Paladin wings. I pushed myself through the lounge door. It was empty. It had been for several days. Hunk stress baking. Pidge is on her computer trying to find both Matt and Sam, plus Lance now. Shiro with Allura looking through the map and mapping out where he might be. Coran trying to find things to fix for the thousandth time. Then me.

I look down at the mini robot gadget watch Pidge had cooked up for us. It was her newest invention. I remember her giving it out a day or so ago. Everyone did a little to boost morale. She passed out the watches, each had a swirling matching Paladin color around the screen of the watch. It was giggles and fun. A bunch of praises and thanks for the smart Green Paladin. We were all chatting until we noticed one unclaimed watch. One with blue swirling around in a circle, hovering about the screen. It went quiet after that. We all parted ways, and it repeated. Hunk would bake something delicious. One desert would remain. Shiro would be debriefing, one Paladin seat would remain empty. Allura would induce us to team training, a place would be missing. One would always be missing.

I sighed as I broke from my thoughts. I stared at my watch, and around midnight the clock read. Everyone is asleep except me. I walk to the window inside the Lounge. Sitting close to it, pressing the side of my head against the, and looked at the stars. It's like they know where he is and send me little messages of him. I smile as they shine. Was Lance looking at the same stars as I was? Was he in the same Milky Way? I bring my knees closer. Wrapping my arms around them. I start to close my eyes until I hear a loud noise coming from the hangers. I charge to the hangers. The door opened fast with a 'woosh.' I whip my head around to see if there were any intruders. Ready to fight. My head stops and a gasp leaves my body. Blue there, in her hanger stop. Why was Lance's lion here? I ran toward the lion, praying Lance was in there. She leaned down as I got closer, opening her mouth and letting me inside. I barge in. Running to the Paladin seat. Thinking of what to say to him. Tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I missed him. Tell him I love him!