saints and soldiers » klance

34: Cat and Mouse

You said, you said that you would die for me...
You must live for me too...

(Lance)

Keith was propped listlessly against the wall, forearms resting on his knees as he twisted his fingers around each other. They hadn't persuaded him down to the dining hall yet, but at least they had gotten him to eat today- some rice and a few slices of an apple. Not much, but at least it was a start. It was better than the last several weeks, anyway.

They had gotten him to wander the halls with them- aimless and totally without purpose, but at least he was out and moving. It had actually been going well- Keith looking up more and more from his bare feet against the wood floors to give them brief almost-smiles- before Allura intercepted them. With one of her piercing stares, she had given the clearly non-negotiable order to follow her to her office. Exchanging glances, they had followed. Keith didn't look up.

Shiro had been inside for fifteen minutes already. Lance had begun to chew on his nails out of nervousness- old habit- only to have his hands slapped away from his mouth by Pidge, repeatedly and not very gently. Pouting at her, he relented, dropping them to his sides. Jerking her chin toward Keith, she hissed under her breath, "Don't make him nervous." Glancing over at Keith, Lance started to nod.

They all froze as Keith said, "I can hear you, you know. No need for kid gloves. He can chew his nails if he wants to."

Lance turned around slowly. Keith's voice was crackly and harsh from disuse, but that was the largest number of words he'd strung together in, well, weeks. He was almost afraid to scare Keith off- like he was an illusion, made of smoke or light, that would disintegrate if Lance moved too quickly or reached out to touch it.

Pidge recovered first, huffing irritably. "Well then he shouldn't chew them because it's a bad habit." Despite her gruff, irascible tone, she couldn't disguise the glimmer of happiness in her eyes. Lance knew that, for all she acted at being unshakeable, she'd grown to care a lot about Keith- enough that the struggle of the last few weeks had been hurting her nearly as badly as it had Lance. She hadn't quite been able to hide the defeated slump of her shoulders, or the bleak look in her eyes. Just like she hadn't been able to hide her smile when Keith agreed to leave his room. She was softer than she let on.

Keith didn't look up, but the sudden silence was broken by the sound of the door opening. Shiro exited, looking carefully blank. It set Lance instantly on edge. The only times Shiro wore that expression were the times when he didn't want to alarm anyone. It had the opposite of its intended effect; Hunk and Pidge had picked up on it too, he could tell. The tension filling the air was palpable as Allura crooked a finger at Lance, silently ordering him into the office as Shiro left it.

He went reluctantly, casting a "help me" glance back at the others. Pidge shrugged helplessly as Hunk mouthed "good luck." Allura closed the door on their image.

"What's up?" Lance asked to break the silence as she found her way back to her chair, trying to sound nonchalant. His voice was too tight and squeaky for that, but he was hoping she would ignore that.

No such luck. "Sit down, Lance," she said tiredly. "And try to stay calm."

He didn't like the sound of that, even a little bit. His nerves frayed just that small bit further as he sank slowly into a chair- as if by moving at a snail's pace, he could delay the inevitable.

She let the silence stretch for several moments. He wondered briefly if she was doing it on purpose, building the suspense, letting the anxiety accumulate, but she wouldn't be that cruel. She wasn't like that.

He couldn't take it anymore. "Just rip off the band-aid," he said, squeezing his eyes shut tight like someone was actually pulling adhesive from his skin. His hand jerked spastically as he did, miming the motion, as if she didn't know what it was.