Fragile | klance

10. Keith / Lance

Keith woke up the next morning sweating and in pain. His whole body felt like it was on fire. But not like he was sick, he knew what that felt like. His head felt like it was going to implode with all of the throbbing it was doing. 

He began to pant, beads of sweat sliding down from his forehead into his hair. The pain spiked suddenly and Keith fell off of the bed as he tried to physically get away from the pain. And just like that, it was gone. Leaving no trace of it behind. From across the room, Keith could see the mirror that was nailed to the wall and took a sharp intake of breath. No. No, this can't be happening. Not now, not ever. He whimpered softly and then again when the ears flicked forwards at the noise. His skin wasn't purple. He was just imagining things. Terrible things.

His thoughts returned to the time he used galra technology, or when his hand turned slightly off colored when he was burned, or the Blade trials. A scream ripped it's way out of his throat. He stood up and walked towards the mirror, staring at it in horror. Another noise came from him, but this time a growl as he punched the mirror, cutting himself in the process.

Someone banged on his door and his crazed turned towards it. No. Please leave. "Keith!?" Wait- he, he recognizes that voice. "..Lance?" he asks tentatively. "Phew. You're okay, right? I, uh, heard you scream and then a crash. I came as quick as I could." Lance told him. Oh. "No I am fine." He answered quickly, whimpering again at how his ears flopped at the sudden louder noise.

"Keith, I'm coming in, okay?" He head Lance say from the other side of the door. "What? No, please, don-" His panic was quickly interrupted when Lance opened the door and took a glance inside. Lance gasped at the sight of him, and took a step forward, causing Keith to take one back. Panic flared once again and he started to hyperventilate. 

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, but you guys would've hated me because I am part enemy and I would've gotten kicked off of Team Voltron, and you guys are the only family I have! I have no where else to go! Please don't make me leave, I promise-" Warm arms were wrapped wound his shoulders and he instantly stiffened.

"Keith, hey. Start from the beginning. You say you're part galra?" Lance asked softly as he led him to his bed. "I mean, yeah? I think my mom was part galra. When I went to the Blade, my dagger changed, which only happens if you have galra blood. And I didn't tell you because, well, you already know." He shrunk under Lance's stare.

It was silent for a moment. Oh no he hates me now. "Welp. Alright." Lance shrugged and smiled. "Wait, what? You don't care?" Keith asked incredulously. "No. You are a paladin of Voltron, and have proven to us that we could trust you. On multiple occasions, too. Red chose you for a reason. Anyways, you can't just 'turn galra'. You'd have to be galra already, so just knowing that you are glara doesn't change who you are as a person. Or a galra." Lance shrugged again, and Keith couldn't help the fond smile that graced his lips.

"Sure. Yeah, but what about the others? I can't exactly keep this" He pointed to his fuzzy ears, "from them." His shoulders slumped again. "Does it matter what they think? If they don't like it then they'll just have to deal with it. Although, I was headed for breakfast, so they are probably wondering where we are." He stood up and held his hand out to Keith, who gratefully took it.

The whole way there, Keith was mentally preparing himself for rejection. No type of preparing could've stopped his heart from breaking at the reactions he got. Allura stared at him with a look of pure hatred and disgust before storming off. Coran didn't really have a reaction, but followed him anyways. Pidge looked defensive, like someone who just found out one of their friends were telling off their secrets, and Hunk looked terrified. They all knew what it meant.

Shiro was different. He didn't have any specific emotions once he layed eyes on Keith. At first he looked like he was about to charge him, then looked scared (Keith didn't blame him. He was held captive by the galra for a year.), before settling on betrayal. And while he did not leave the room, Keith was positive that he wanted to.

"Don't." Lance said sternly, before sitting down. Keith however did not sit. He stood frozen in place. No, god, no. Stop looking at me like that. Please. I didn't have a choice I swear. I don't want to leave, please. Lance stood up and made another bowl of food goo and grabbed Keith's arm, dragging him out, on his way out.

They went to Lance's room this time, and one inside, Lance silently handed Keith a bowl. "Hey man, I'm sorry. I didn't think they would react like that. Everyone has suffered at the hands of the galra. Especially Allura, you just need to give them time." He placed a shoulder on his shoulder. "Yeah" Keith answered numbly. The one thing he feared. Rejection.

Over the next week, the paladins did come around, which Keith was grateful for. Allura, however, did not. The paladins apologized again and again on her behalf. 'She just needed more time' they told him. Yeah. Okay. At dinner, Allura refused to look at him. They were talking about the next planet they were going to liberate.

But once he made a comment, Allura froze before looking up and glaring him, causing him to flinch slightly. "I do not," she paused, "want nor need your opinion in the matter, Galra." She hissed at him. It was his turn to freeze this time. He felt his ears pin themselves to his head and he fled the room.

Everyone stared wide eyed at the princess, but no one dare question her authority. Everyone except Lance. "Guys? Can you leave for a moment? I want to talk to the princess. Alone." He pointed out the room. Hunk and Pidge left immediately, but Shiro and Coran stayed behind, hesitant. "Lance, I don't think-" "NOW." Lance spat out, cutting off Shiro. They left the room.

"What the hell was that Allura!?" He yelled at her. "What do you mean 'what was that?' that was me putting a galra in it's place." She replied curty. "That is Keith, Allura! The same Keith that ran away with you. The same Keith that has fought against the galra every day. The same Keith that is a part of this family!" He roared.

"I don't care what Keith it is! He is galra! The galra destroyed my planet, Lance!" She cried out. Lance shook his head in disbelief. "Shut the quiznak up and let me talk." He told her. Her eyes widened at him. "You don't use that language with me. I am the princess of Alt-, "ALTEA IS DEAD!" Lance yelled and Allura flinched. "Altea is gone, Allura. You need to get over that already." He seethed.

"Did you know humans have war? Yeah. People kill other people for the fun of it sometimes. Stupid fights between countries turn into wars that kill thousands of innocent people. But that doesn't mean all humans are bad! You don't hate Pidge, Hunk, or Shiro because they're human? You know, my father joined the war. He never fucking came back either. We got a letter saying that he died during war. They never even found his body." He whispered the last part.

"So yeah. There are bad humans. But there is good in us too. The same goes to the galra! Just because they are bad doesn't mean that all galra are! Think of the blade. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for justice. To fight for what they believe in. Keith does the same damn thing. Every. Single. Day. And what kind of thanks does he get when he goes through a little trouble? You reject him."

"Allura, he has no where else to go. He has no family. This is it." He waved around them. "This is all he has. And you will not keep him from this family. Our family. He doesn't deserve that. And right now? You are going to apologize." He looked her in the eyes before storming off.

What's this? An on time update?