2 | 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒 , pidge gunderson

₈

AMAL waved at Janiorce as she approached him, doing her best to attempt a smile. The alien boy smiled widely, before his eyes caught sight of the inflamed and wounded raised hand. Amal dropped it quickly, shoving it behind her back.

"Hey, bud!"

After the horrifying events on Galantis, the team had made their way back to the castle. It was now a week later, and with everyone rested up and a plan in motions, they were ready to strike The Shadow at their very center. Tomorrow was the day.

Every time Amal moved, she could feel the crystal bones that had replaced her calcium ones in such a violent manner. Every time she took a step she felt as if she was being dragged down. If she jumped on Pidge's bed too hard, the frame underneath would crack.

In general terms, the crystals were a burden, and in turn, she felt like one too.

It was almost time to turn in for the night, but before that Hunk had claimed that Janiorce's ship needed some fixing-up. The orphan had been slightly offended at first, but decided to oblige when he found out that it meant spending some time with the Yellow Paladin.

They were doing as much as they could, for the craft would be the one most likely taking all of the hits.

"Cap'n!" Janiorce cheered. His eight wonderful eyes lit up in a soft yellow, and he grabbed at her arm cheerfully. Amal tried to keep the scarred hand out of his sight, but the child grabbed it and wrenched her fingers open so that he could see the tore flesh.

When Coran first looked at the hand from which the crystal had entered Amal's body, he had advised her not to let the skin close up and heal. It would only cause for more pain on the day of their battle, so the teen had been practicing.

Every day in the training room, with Keith by her side, Amal would force a pillar of sharpened crystals to rise from her bone. It never hurt any less than the last time.

She really didn't want the ten year old to see her in pain. She wanted him to know her as the strong girl who had led him through armies of darkness, but she knew that wouldn't always be the case. By midday tomorrow they would be fighting in full force, and Janiorce would have to watch the dreaded crystal tear through her palm.

The fluttering feeling of a light kiss on her hand gained her attention, and Amal watched as Janiorce pecked the wound before dragging her over to Hunk's working figure.

"Lesley!" Hunk greeted, pulling his goggles onto his head. "What's up?"

"Hey, how's the ship coming?" Amal peered over the Samoan boy's shoulder, staring at the wires before her as if they were the most disgusting things in the universe. She wasn't exactly into mechanical things, like Hunk or Janiorce.

"I just have to implement a few more mechanisms, and then this baby can shoot lasers!" Hunk exclaimed, highfiving the smaller child in excitement.

"Lasers?" Amal trailed off, confused.

"Isn't it rad?" Janiorce snickered.

"Rad?" The old Earthen word made her even more confused.

"Oh..." Hunk cringed. "I may have given this ten year old boy's ship lasers, but I would never teach him 80's slang."

"Lance did! He also taught me tubular, groovy, and—"

"Nope, that's enough!" Amal cried. "I'm gonna get some rest, we have a big day tomorrow. I want you to bed in 30 dobashes." Janiorce's nose crinkled in dissatisfaction, but nonetheless, he nodded and accepted Amal's kiss to the forehead.

"Goodnight!" The two called as she walked away. She heard the same good wishes from Allura and Shiro as she passed them in one of the castle's many corridors, before she finally made it to Pidge's room.

Inside, the Green Paladin was focused at her desk, twiddling with a tray of various compounds and elements. "Hey, dude."

"Hi, Katie," Amal sighed, plopping down on the bed. She winced as she heard a snap, but ultimately decided she was too tired to fret over it. She pulled her dark hair out of its messy bun, sighing in relief as she felt the locks cascade over her shoulders.

Pidge swirled around in her chair, looking at Amal with a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong."

"What isn't?"

"Okay, then why did you call me Katie?"

It was Amal's turn to raise an eyebrow, and she looked over at Pidge incredulously. "Because that's your name?"

"You only call me Katie when you're mad at me, or worried about me, or–"

"I do?" Amal's voice rose, and two stared at one another for a moment. "... is it annoying?"

"No, of course not!" Pidge denied, scoffing as if her girlfriend had just claimed H2O and H2O2 were the same thing. What was annoying to her was how Amal began twirling her hair as she did when she got nervous, so she carried on the conversation to other subjects. "Anyways, I think I've almost perfected this formula?"

"For the pain gas?"

"Yeah! If I did it right, then you take a whiff everything will become numb. It's not great for during a fight, but instead it's some insta relief for after."

"Thank you, Katie." Amal immediately clamped a hand over her mouth, tears springing to her eyes.

"Seriously, babe?" Pidge stood up, and walked over to the other teen. "Look, every time you say my name my hearts flutters, but I'm worried about you."

"I'm just so scared... and tired," Amal whispered. Pidge sat next to her on the bed, swiping her hair from her face in one fluid motion. "I'm tired of not being able to move my legs when I wake up. I'm scared for what's gonna happen. I don't want Janiorce to get hurt– not after all he's been through."

"Amal—"

"I can't lose you again, Katie!" Amal finally stopped, breathing deeply and holding tightly onto Pidge's arm.

"Jesus, Amal, that was the most cliché thing you've said yet," Pidge tried chuckling, but it didn't work. "We're all scared. And we're all gonna get roughed up tomorrow. But, guess what? I know this girl. She's gorgeous, and little bit taller than me. Don't tell her, but I kinda like how she can pick me up. And... she's the strongest girl I know. She's gonna save the universe tomorrow, and then I'm gonna pamper her for a month straight."

"Stop," Amal said softly, blushing.

"Get some sleep, Smart Cookie."

Pidge kissed Amal softly, before the two turned in for the night.

〖 soRRY I HAVENT UPDATED FOR FIVE MONTHS AOSNJINSIJSOUIOAJOISOJNSIJSOUSOUJAOJSUINISJNIUSJOUAJOJJA

I GOT MY SHIT TOGETHER NOW THO, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO WRAP THIS UP.〗