The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[40] He's gone

"Down there!" Pidge cried, indicating a ravine on the planet's surface, and Keith grunted.

"I see it." he said flatly "No need to point out the obvious."

"And there's no need for you to be so rude, yet here we are." She retorted.

"Guys, you been like this since we left the Castle, can you please stop?" Hunk complained, rolling his eyes. He and Allura were trailing behind in Yellow, having agreed that they should have another Lion.

"Hunk is right," Allura said, leaning closer to the screen. "We are here to save Shiro, not create a rift between us."

Keith huffed, urging Red on just a little faster. The movement didn't quite seem natural, causing Pidge to furrow her brow.

"Approach with caution, Paladins," Coran's voice sounded in her ear, and Pidge shook her head, focusing on him instead of Keith. "You don't know what you will find down there!"

"Yes we do." Keith said through grit teeth. "Shiro."

Pidge frowned again, hand gripping the back of Keith's seat. She stared at the side of his head for a moment, tapping her toe as she thought.

"So, uh Keith..." she said quietly, muting their channel so the others couldn't hear. He grunted in response, not even turning to glance at her. "What's the problem between you and Red?"

Keith tensed.

"Nothing." he muttered, clicking the channel open again. Pidge huffed, turning it off and glaring at him.

"Keith. You and Red aren't working as well as you normally do, so much so that Yellow is able to keep up with no effort."

"Maybe I'm just holding back so he can."

"Don't pull that with me Keith, I can tell something's up."

"Can we just open comms again? They're probably discussing something important."

"Don't avoid the question!" Pidge snapped, before she immediately softened. "Sorry. That's not helping."

Keith didn't reply for a while, instead focusing on the ravine ahead.

"... I got angry." He said quietly. "Remember when Lance's signal was glitching out?"

Pidge nodded. Of course she remembered, it wasn't like anything that was unfolding ahead of them was making her forget it.

"Well..." He still wasn't looking at Pidge. "I-" he gave a dry laugh. "It sounds so stupid now, like an argument that a kid would have in school."

"What is it?"

"I hit Red. I mean- I know it's not her fault, but I just got angry and the signal was jumpy and- and I-" he broke off. "I don't know, Red's been silent ever since."

"Did you apologise?" Pidge found it kind of funny that you could apologise to a gigantic robot cat and it would actually have an effect, but Keith just gave her an unreadable look.

"Didn't change anything."

"Well... Did you-"

Keith clicked the comms open, signifying the end of the conversation.

"--ysers seem to be all over the place, kinda like a minefield." Hunk was saying. "I've done a quick scan, and I think they're set off by pressure on the surface."

"So how do we land?" Pidge leaned into frame, already immediately switching to Paladin mode. The conversation she had had with Keith still lingered in her mind, but there were more important things ahead.