Where are you now? (Keith x Reader) [discontinued]

15|| Jared

I flew back to Lotor, where he took the vial that was Jared's soul.

"Very good Jade. Ezor is very skilled with living creatures and spiritual practice, so I'm sure she'll be able to give your friend a new host," Lotor said. I nodded and found Ezor, who gladly took the vial and left me.

A few hours later, I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in!" I yelled. The door opened, and I looked up. There, in an aviator jacket, ripped black jeans, and a small smile was Jared. He actually looked substantial this time, whereas when I talked to him before he looked like a ghost or hologram. I got up and ran into his arms for a big hug.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," I said, voice muffled because of his jacket.

"Missed you too Jade," Jared said. "I definitely feel more stable now, but I don't feel... right. Like part of me is missing."

"It's okay though, you're alive and here with me!" I said, hoping he wasn't annoyed at being alive. Jared looked down surprised.

"Oh! I don't mean that I'm not happy to be here with you, it's just.." he trailed off.

"It feels like waking up in the wrong place." he nodded. I let go of him, and realized he was also a giant, dwarfing me in size. "Goddamnit! Why is everyone taller than me?"

Jared barked a laugh. Pun intended. "I'm a werewolf Jade, you know this."

"So am I!" I said exasperatedly.

"Not a pure one."

"Oh whatever."

"Besides, you're not that short."

"Fine, I'm of average height. Happy?" 

"Yes," Jared said, smiling, "Thanks Jade."

I put my arms around his neck. "Anything for you," I said, and kissed his cheek, making him blush. When I first met Jared, he was never the touchy type, back then I was, but was too shy to ever be affectionate towards him. I wanted to help both of us ease out of that habit, to be a little more normal in our crazy, upside down world.

"Jade, I've been thinking," Jared stopped.

"Mmm hmm?" 

"I- I think I like you, at least, I want to give it a chance. Would you be my girlfriend?"

I tensed up, I knew Jared could feel it too. My mind flashed back to my silent encounter with Keith earlier, and now, I couldn't say yes immediately. On top of all of this, we were at war. Love would get in the way. I had to chose: Keith or Jared? Jared let go of me.

"I- I understand if you say no," Jared said nervously, obviously he had never asked out anyone before, seeing as we were both still very young and... busy. I shook my head.

"Jared, I'm going to be honest. I do like you, I really do, but I don't think now is the best time, especially because we are at war. Besides, if I did accept and you died, I'd never be able to forgive myself. I guess I just don't want to be too close to anyone right now," I said, choosing my words carefully. If I mentioned Keith, Jared would be fixed on killing him, since we were technically enemies. If I lost either of them, I would probably go insane.

"I understand," Jared nodded, "when this is all over, would you consider?"

"Maybe," I said. Unfortunately for me, Jared saw through me.

"You still like Keith, don't you?" Jared asked suspiciously.

"Well, oh fuck it, yes. But I'm not dating anyone until we are all back on Earth and safe," I said stubbornly, and Jared nodded, a hard look on his face. He was definitely plotting ways of killing Keith.

"JADE, JARED. YOU MAY WANT TO COME TO THE BRIDGE NOW," I heard Axca's voice say. "IT'S CONCERNING YOUR SAF-"

Her message was cut off by a much, much louder one.

"CITIZENS OF THE GALRA AND VOLTRON. AS OF THIS MOMENT, PRINCE LOTOR IS TO BE KILLED ON SIGHT," Zarkon's voice boomed. 

"Damnit," I cursed. Lotor came running in.

"Jade, we need to get to Voltron now!" He exclaimed. "Can you message them?"

"Why? We're all fugitives and they're still the enemy," I said.

"They are the only ones who won't kill us on sight!" Lotor yelled. It only just now occurred to me how stressed Lotor looked. His hair was a mess, he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and he became more and more insane as time passed.

"Alright, I'll get a message to them," I said. "Just get some rest, you look terrible."

Lotor sighed. "Fine. You three! You are to follow Jade's command for now!"

Zethrid chuckled. "Excuse me? We work for the Galra empire now. If we turn you in, we'll be granted honor and forgiveness. Come on."

Lotor looked at them all in shock. I stepped in front of him. "No."

Lotor pulled me back. "It's fine, Jade. Let them take me," he said, and right away I understood he had a plan. "You can take me, but not them, understood? My father does not know about them, so it will not matter to him if they're alive or dead. Besides, one person is easier than three."

"Fine," Axca said, pushing us aside to get to Lotor. "Narti, take them to a pod. I don't care where the hell they go."

Narti nodded and grabbed ahold of us in each arm. Jared tried to fight her but she wrapped her tail around his neck dangerously, so he stopped. She threw us both in a pod, waiting for us to leave in case we tried to take Lotor back.

I closed the pod once Jared was in, and took off.

"Jade, we aren't going back for him?" Jared asked, confused.

"No," I said, a little annoyed.

"After all he did for you? Why did you just leave him there?!" Jared yelled. I winced, I had forgotten how loyal he was, karma was a big deal for him.

"Trust me, Jared, Lotor will be fine. If we had stayed to fight, we had the chance of all getting captured, which meant Lotor would have to figure out how to save us all. He can save himself" I said.

"But what if he can't?" Jared asked, angry with me.

"Then he'll go down knowing that he had done everything he could. If there's anything he hates, it's Zarkon, and he definitely wants the end to his reign. Besides, I know Lotor won't die. You could see it in his eyes that he had a plan, and if Lotor has a plan, he's going to go through with it. The thing is, Lotor knew from the start of his life that only he was going to look out for himself, so that's what he's doing now."

Jared leaned back. "I guess so, but it just doesn't feel right."

"It was harder for me than it was you," I simply said, and we rode away from the generals in silence.