Confusing Carnations (Klance)

Ch 13: Final Stage

The events of earlier were replaying over and over in my mind: I was really running myself ragged trying to decipher Lance's facial expressions and his sudden leave. Did I make a weird expression? Did he realize my feelings and feel disgusted? What if he never talks to me again? What if he's laughing at me now?

Being distracted by my worrisome thoughts, I had hardly eaten any of the food Lance brought me, instead opting to set the plate on my dresser. I felt a sharp pain in my throat as I tried to swallow and immediately gasped. In shock, I stayed still. This was unlike the burning I had been used to and my mind immediately shut itself off, as if unable to cope any other way. Laying on my back, my body refused to move itself and I just stared at the ceiling. My mind ran a complete blank and I shut my eyes.

I had fallen into a slight daze by the time I heard a knock at my door. I tried to turn my head but the movement sent another sharp pain through my throat so I turned back to look at the ceiling. The knocking persisted but I didn't have the motivation or will to move. 

Pidge began to feel herself fidgeting out of anxiousness when she heard nothing from the other side of the door. Keith had always answered the door or shouted something through it within 30 seconds of knocking. It had been over a minute since she first knocked and began to knock a bit harder. "Keith? Are you okay?" She tried to sound calmer than she was but when she didn't hear anything through the door, her anxiety was morphed into a panic and all her rational thought processing was dissipating. 

She barged in rather ungracefully, and when she saw Keith looking at the ceiling from his bed, she walked over hesitantly, "Keith?"

My face turned to a grimace as I forced myself to sit up. It felt as if my neck and chest were simultaneously being stabbed every time I moved. 

Pidge's voice was shaking, "Keith, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Turning to look at Pidge's face, she looked pale and frightened. I suddenly became mad at myself beyond belief for worrying her. Swallowing, I tried to speak, "I'm fine" but instead, I immediately began to cough as I grabbed at my throat. 

Pidge began to yell, as she tried to grab my shoulders. All I could see was red. 

Lance had since washed himself up and once he had splashed away all the redness in his face, he walked out to meet Hunk in the kitchen, who was just setting up plates. 

"Just in time, you can help me set the table," Hunk spoke as he added garnishing to the food. 

Lance groaned, but did as he was told. Starting to lay down the silverware, he came to a halt as he heard...what sounded like Pidge shrieking? Lance looked up at Hunk to see him frozen. They both made eye contact and without speaking, both began to run to the source of the sound. 

When they had came to Keith's room, Hunk instinctively knew that Keith's condition must be progressing and made a move to stop Lance from entering but he was too late as Lance had already stood at the doorway, taking in the situation. 

Pidge was crying and holding Keith as he coughed up roses and thorns, in a bath of blood. It looked as if Keith were hardly conscious. Hunk, felt himself becoming nauseous as he averted his sights from Keith and moved to his gaze to Pidge. 

As Pidge sobbed and Hunk was trying to think, Lance ran to Keith. Shoving Pidge off him, in a rather harsh manner, he picked up Keith bridal style. Lance immediately broke into a run out of the room. 

Lance had run into the communications room, heaving, "Cryptopod. Now."

Allura and Shiro were focused on planning an attack when they both looked back at Lance. They both gasped at seeing Keith a bloody mess in Lance's arms. Taking action, Allura ran over and brought up a cryptopod and Lance, quickly but gently, set Keith inside. 

Pidge and Hunk had made their way into the communication room as Keith was set in the cryptopod. Once Lance saw the cryptopod power on, he finally felt like he was able to breath. 

"What happened to Keith?" Shiro asked in a worried but strong voice pointed at Lance. 

Lance, trying to catch his breath, half-shouted, "How should I know?!" 

Pidge was completely pale, still shocked after what had happened. She felt like it was her fault for not helping Keith better that it had been allowed to progress this far. 

Looking at Pidge's direction, seeing her unmoving, Hunk sighed and moved forward. At this point, he thought, it's endangering Keith not to tell anyone. "Keith has Hanahaki."

Allura gasped, familiar with the disease. Shiro stayed silent, trying to take it all in, trying to figure out how this could be possible.

In anger, Lance shouted, "What the hell does that mean?! Is he dying?!"

Hunk turned away, feeling like he was betraying Keith, "Hanahaki is a disease rooted from unrequited love."

Lance froze suddenly, unable to respond right away. 

Allura's face suddenly hardened, "Why would you wait til he was at the last stage to say anything?"

Pidge spoke suddenly, "Keith didn't want anyone to know."

In disbelief, Shiro spoke, "Pidge, I would have expected you to be more responsible."

Tears pricked her eyes as she stood with her head down, "I know. I'm sorry," Pidge's voice shook, "Just- will he be okay?"

"Keith should be okay when he gets out of the cryptopod, but at this stage, the treatment won't be able to do much to help." Allura spoke hesitantly, "Who is he in love with?"

Hunk and Pidge immediately clamped their mouths shut and averted their eyes.

"This isn't the time to keep secrets. So, who is it?" Shiro spoke in a firm voice.

Lance was staring agape at the situation. He couldn't believe that being in love could cause something like this. 

Hunk suddenly spoke, hardly above a whisper, but understood clearly by everyone in the room, "Lance."

Okay, I'm really unhappy with this chapter, ha ha. I am super tired and I wrote this after taking two espresso shots. I got a new job that is very physically active and I was not at all prepared for the toll, lol. I kinda like it though. It's still leagues better than being a cashier or someone who has to directly deal with customers, lol. :) I hope this chapter isn't as bad as I think it is. The next chapter is gonna be a fun one, ohoho.