I'm a Mess (Klance)

17

Keith's POV

I jolt awake, my breathing coming out in short rasps. It's dark. Why is it so dark? Where am I?

My vision begins to focus and I find myself still in the prison cell. Memories start flooding back to me about last night.

Suddenly a woman screams down the hall, at least I think it's a woman. I run to the bars of my cell and look in the direction it came from. My heart drops. It's that woman I have my food to. Sentries are taking away her children.

Before I can shout out a loud ringing takes over my hearing. I clamp my hands over my ears and yell out. "STOP, PLEASE!" I curl up, trying anything I can to make the ringing quiet down. Someone bangs metal against the door to the cell, causing me to flinch and curl tighter into myself.

"Get up," a sharp voice commands. Their voice sounds like fingernails against a chalkboard. I curl in tighter. "I said get up!" They're mad now.

I get up, albeit reluctantly. I go to the door of the cell. The Galra that has been commanding me opens the door, letting me out before grabbing my arms and pinning them behind my back. I can hear every little noise: breathing of prisoners, dripping of liquid that I really hope isn't blood, my own heartbeat.

I'm led into a dark room. The lights turn on to reveal the same room as my past experiences. My eyes widen. I start thrashing in the Galra's arms. "Let me go! Didn't they do enough to me?! Let go!"

The door closes behind us. I'm strapped back onto the table with struggle considering I'm kicking and trying to get away. I tire out, my breathing heavy when a woman approaches the table.

Haggar.

My breath catches in my throat.

"Hello, hybrid. Your fellow Paladins seem to have taken you before we finished with you."

"What else could you possibly want from me? I already l-...look like this," I say, trying and failing to keep my voice steady.

"It takes more than just looking like a Galra to land among the ranks. It takes the mind of a Galra as well," she answers.

"So you're going to try to brainwash me," I think aloud.

"Not 'going to', I am brainwashing you. The process has already been started."

"The injection last night," I whisper. Of course it wasn't just to sedate me. It was for something even worse!

"Indeed," Haggar says. She walks around me to a cart. A cart that looks completely identical to the cart from last time. "Let's see, is your body still adapted to it?" She holds up the scalpel. "I am going to ask you questions. If you do not answer honestly, you'll be punished in a way that is much worse than this tiny tool."

I nod. She smiles under her hood.

"What is your name, red paladin?"

"..."

"Answer!"

"...Keith," I mumble reluctantly.

"Good."

That's how it continues. Question, followed by a reluctant answer. Sometimes the answers are incorrect and I'm given an injection. They burn worse than the last injections. Eventually, I'm thrown back in my cell where I stay curled up on the floor, writhing in pain.

Lance's POV

"Pidge, Pidge please tell me you found something!" I whine.

"I found something. That something is the end of my patience. Get out!" Pidge shouts. I'm pushed out of their lab and left to sulk in the hallways.

I turn a corner and run into Shiro. "Captain! How's it going?"

"Uh, fine. Are you coming from Pidge's?" He seems distracted. I guess the Keith stuff has really taken a toll on him too.

"Yeah, actually. They're kinda mad right now though so I don't think you should go in there."

"Oh, did they find anything?"

"Oh yeah, they found something. That something was the end of their patience," I mumble with my arms crossed and a pout on my lips. "I was kinda bothering them all day."

Shiro ruffles my hair. "Keep up that look and you'll turn into Keith. I think one is enough...if we find him."

"Shiro, when we find him."

"Right, sorry. I've gotta go." And just like that, Shiro's gone. I sigh and head toward the kitchen area. Hunk is probably stress baking.

I walk in and- ding ding ding! I was right! "Hey buddy," I say with a bright smile.

"Oh, hey!" Hunk says, briefly looking up from whatever he's cooking. He's distracted.

"So...whatcha making?"

"Uh, a space quiche? I think? I've been trying all day but it won't work," he looks defeated.

"How about you take a break and we just hang out? We could have a spa day! I had one with Allura and it was so fun. We should see if she wants to join us!"

"Okay, yeah that sounds fun," he smiles.

I smile. "Good, now let's go."