Voltron Oneshots

Rings

High school AU. Lance and Keith are the school power couple, btw! This is kinda inspired by The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton!

~Lance's POV~

I was walking home one day, alone. Usually, Keith, my boyfriend, and I walk together with our friends, but they had to stay behind at school. They told me to go ahead, that they'd eventually catch up. Hesitantly, I did. The town we live in isn't the safest place; people are constantly being robbed, jumped, etc. Like most people, I never thought any of those situations would happen to me, though.
As I was walking, an expensive looking car stopped in front of me, blocking my path. 4, big looking guys stepped out. All of them were wearing big, metal rings on both of their hands.
My face paled. These guys were the town's most feared criminals. Everybody knew them. Only they wear rings like that. Only they wear that many rings. Apparently, they pay the cops not to arrest them? I dunno, all I know is that they aren't in jail. But they deserve to be. They've been convicted of countless murders; they rob every store in the town; and they always jump kids after school, causing kids to walk in big groups.
"Hey, Kid, why ain't you walking with no one else?" The biggest guy, AKA: the leader, asked. None of them had the best vocabulary; they're all high school dropouts.
"I-I.. uh.." I stammered, walking backwards. I failed to notice one of the guys standing behind me, causing me to bump into him. He shoved me roughly.
"Hey, I don' like it when nobody runs into me!" The man yelled, his words slurring together slightly. The other three started to circle me.
"P-Please.. I-I-" I begged. But I didn't have time to say anything before they jumped me. All four of them kept punching me at the same time, their rings digging into my skin, cutting me. Pain erupted throughout my body as I felt blood pour out of me. I could already feel bruises forming.
They kept punching, kicking me for what seemed like eternities. I was trying my best to deflect their blows; I was curled into a semi-ball, my arms were covering my head, but that didn't keep them away. One of them grabbed my arms, and pinned them on the ground, allowing free access to my face. Before, they were only hitting my arms, legs, back, and torso, but now they were hitting me as hard as they could in my face. All I could feel was pain. Their stupid rings kept tearing my skin. I was screaming as loud as I could, which wasn't that loud apparently. Maybe it was, I don't know. Nobody came out to help, though. With each hit, punch, or kick they would yell profanities at me. With each hit, they would yell hurtful sneers.
After awhile, they finally decided to stop. They all laughed, "Next time, Kid, walk with yo' friends!" The leader yelled, kicking me one last time. The leader then snickered and turned me upside down, making it so I can no longer see my surroundings. I heard them walk to their car, slam the doors, and speed away. I didn't have the strength to move.
I don't know how long I laid on the sidewalk in a pool of my own crimson blood. Pain and fear was taking over my body. I was shaking violently. I couldn't see if they would come back. What if they did come back? What if they decided to come back and kill me? Even though I was in immense pain and fear was taking over my body, I, for some reason, wasn't crying. While I was laying there, I heard cars pass by. I heard people talking, whispering about how they think I'm dead. But I'm not! They didn't even bother to come check, to see if I'm okay! If they looked close enough, they would see I'm shaking, indicating I'm still alive.
Eventually, I heard a loud gasp, followed by footsteps running towards me, "Lance?!" Somebody yelled. Keith yelled. I heard more footsteps. Maybe everybody else was with him? Gently, somebody turned me over. Keith was looking down at me, his eyes filled with worry.
"Lance?" He asked softly, pushing my hair back. I was too weak to move any of my limbs, but I could still talk.
"T-They came o-out of no w-where.. t-the
r-r-rings.. I-I was s-so s-scared, K-Keith.." I rambled, trying my best to grab onto something. Anything.
"Hey, Hey, calm down.. it'll all be okay.. you're safe now, Lance.." He said softly. Tears started to stream down my face, no matter how hard I tried to stop them. The tears soon turned into sobs. Keith desperately tried to calm me down, but nothing he did would work. I heard somebody calling an ambulance; it sounded like Hunk.
Eventually, an ambulance pulled up. They rushed out and put me on a stretcher, but the paramedics terrified me, "N-No.." I whispered when they tried to touch me, "D-Don't t-touch m-m-me.." I begged, trying my best to move away from them. My voice was filled with fear.
"Sir, we're here to help you!" One said desperately.
Without thinking, I started rambling again, "R-Rings.." I stuttered. One of the paramedics was wearing a ring. The paramedic looked startled, suddenly realizing what I meant. They hurriedly took their ring off. After that, I let them put me on the stretcher.
"We'll meet y'all at the hospital!" I heard Shiro call. Keith then climbed into the ambulance next to me, taking my hand into his.
"Okay.." He called back, worry laced into his voice. I then heard 3 pairs of footsteps start to run.
"T-They j-just started b-beating m-me.. I d-didn't d-do a-a-anything.." I mumbled, more tears streaming down my face. I was still shaking violently. I kept trying to look over my shoulder, see if they were going to come back, but I wasn't strong enough.
"Shh.. it's okay, Lance.. You're safe now," Keith whispered.
"R-Rings.." I mumbled, my voice filled with fear.
"They won't hurt you again.." Keith whispered to me.

The rest of the ambulance ride was a blur. All I remember is being scared out of my mind. Afterwards, I had to get several stitches in several places. Many of my bones were broken, especially my ribs. The doctors said I would forever have a scar running from my right temple to my left dimple; it barely missed my eye, which would have caused me to be blind in one eye.
I was sitting in a white bed with white sheets, my back leaning on the white, metal backboard. I was in a room with white walls, white floors, white everything. I was terrified out of my mind. Shadows scared me now. Shadows were easy to see in such a white, plain room. The room wasn't even lit well..
Somebody suddenly opened the door, making me jump out of my skin, "S-Sorry, Babe.." Keith apologized, sitting next to my bed, "How're you doing?" He asked.
"Fine.." I replied in a quiet voice. More people walked into the room: Pidge, Shiro, and Hunk.
"Hey, Lance.." Shiro said softly. I didn't reply; I was staring into my bedsheets.
Voices of the men who jumped me replayed in my head. The memory of the rings imprinted in my mind.
I didn't realize I was crying until Keith softly wiped my tears, "What's wrong, Lance?" He asked in a soft, worried, and concerned voice.
"Voices.. r-rings.. They came out of nowhere.. What did I do w-wrong?" I cried to myself, still staring into the sheets.
Keith gently moved my hair off my forehead, pecked my lips, and tried his best to hug me without hurting me, "You didn't do anything wrong, Lance.." He said softly. I simply sat there as stiff as a board.
After awhile of everyone trying to cheer me up, the nurse walked in, "Lance, your mother is here to see you." My mother.. The mother who ignores me.. The mother who'll fight with Papa nonstop.. The mother who never cared about me.. Why is she here?
I could see everyone stiffen. The air was filled with a tense silence, "I.. don't want to see her.." I said quietly. My breath quickened a bit. She's just gonna complain about how her and Papa have to pay for all of this; how this is all my fault.
"But, Lance, she's your mother," The nurse said.
"N-No.." I whispered.
"He doesn't want to see her.." Keith said in a low, threatening voice, causing me to panic. They had low, threatening voices..
  "S-Scary voices.. r-rings.." I said like a broken record. Keith looked mortified.
  "Lance, I'm sorry! I didn't mean.." He apologized, but what did he do? I'm just messed up in the head now.
  I chuckled, "What the heck is wrong with me..?" I said to myself.
"There's nothing wrong with you!" Keith responded, "You're.. just in shock."
I did't respond; I simply laid down, my back facing Keith; my ribs were broken on his side, so I couldn't face him; I tried my best to curl up into a ball; and I closed my eyes, trying to sleep. I heard the nurse shuffle out of the room, followed by angry shouts from my mother. I started trembling. If she was this mad at home, it would normally mean Papa was drunk; if she was this mad at home, it normally meant I was about to get hit, beat. I attempted to raise my arms, trying to protect my head, but my ribs screamed in pain. After a minute, Pidge spoke up.
"He's really traumatized, isn't he?" She said slowly, quietly. They must have thought I was asleep at this point.
"It hurts to see him like this.." Keith said, his voice wavering. He was about to cry.. "I wasn't there to p-protect him.." He continued, moving my hair out of my face.
"It's not your fault, if that's what you're thinking, Keith.." Shiro said.
"I-I should have been there.." Keith said. I felt a single tear fall on my scalp.
"If you were there, then you'd both be in hospital beds," Shiro said. His voice was closer, so I'm assuming his hand was on Keith's back.
"I would rather it be me than him! H-He already deals with s-so much at home, Shiro.." Keith replied.
"Yeah, but then Mom and Dad would be worried out of their minds if it was you," Shiro replied.
"H-He's so traumatized.. He'll have s-scars for his entire life.." Keith mumbled.
They continued their conversation, but I wasn't listening. I drifted off into sleep..
I woke up, screaming, crying. I shot up, causing me to gasp in pain.
"Hey, hey, it's okay, Lance.." Keith said, rubbing my back softly.
I slowly turned to face him, tears dripping down my face, "D-Did I-I ma-ake y-you c-cry?" I asked, my voice laced with guilt and fear. He looked shocked.
"What..?" He asked.
"I-I h-heard some o-of y-your conversation.. i-it sounded l-like y-you were c-c-crying.." I responded, stumbling over my words like there was no tomorrow.
  "I-I did cry, yes.. It's not your fault though! I'm just really worried about you, Babe.." Keith responded.
  "I-I'm sorry.." I apologized, feeling guilty.
  "What? Why?" He asked, shocked.
  "I-I don't w-want to w-worry you.." I responded, my head bowed.
  He gently put a finger under my chin, trying not to hurt me, and lifted my head. He was smiling at me sadly, "It's my job to worry about you.." I gave him a small, forced smiled; I don't want him to worry.
  "I love you, Lance."
  "I-I love y-you too.."

Ehh? Idk how I feel about this. \_( •~• )_/
  Word Count: 2028