The flying Paladin

Chapter 4

"Pidge?!!?" I cried, curling my wings up in surprise."What are you doing here?!?!?!" 

Pidge only stared at me, well she stared at my wings, and gawked. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide, like she couldn't figure out if she was hallucinating or not. Finally she seemed to comprehend my question because she snapped out of whatever daze she was in. 

"I was going to look at the stars," Pidge said, staring at me. At least her mouth is closed, I thought grimly. "But then you were here and you were....."

"Flying, Pidge," I said after an excessively long silence. Pidge nodded.

"Yeah, that," Pidge said. "You have wings?"

I raised an eyebrow as I spread out my wings to size. "No Pidge, I have fins."

"Asshole," Pidge said, not even bothering to look at me, her gaze directed at my wings. "Why didn't tell us?"

"I....I was afraid," I admitted, rubbing my hand awkwardly against the back of my neck. "I didn't know how you'd react....and I just was afraid that history would repeat itself." 

This seemed to snap Pidge out of her head as she turned her head and looked at me suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," I said hurriedly. I didn't want her to know about everything I'd been through. It's not something I like to bring up and I definitely  don't want her pity. "I just.......I was afraid okay? You know how people with wings are treated on Earth...."

Pidge's eyes filled with sadness, unshed tears glinting in the starlight. "Yeah...I do." she slowly walked towards me, her hand reaching out to gently cup my cheek. "Are you.....were you.......are you okay?" she asked. I scoffed, avoiding the question.

"When am I not okay?" I boasted. Pidge's eyes hardened with a foreign expression.

"Lance," she said, pulling my head lightly so she could meet my eyes easier. "I may prefer robots to humans but I can still tell when you're lying. I......" Pidge turned away from me, her tears falling freely now. "I lost Matt....and I didn't get to say a lot of things and I didn't get to help him and I have so many regrets.......I'm not making the same mistake ever again."

I almost cried. Pidge was being vulnerable with me. That's something she doesn't do often and every moment she did was precious to me. I grasped her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, her tears dampening my shirt but I didn't care. 

"You're right," I said after a while. "I'm not okay......everything that I've been through.......I can't sleep at night because of it." Pidge stiffened in my grip and wrapped her arms around me tighter. "I have nightmares and I have to rush to Hunk just so I can make sure that it's over....that she can hurt me anymore............I'm still scared of her, Pidge.......I haven't seen her in almost five years and the very thought of her sends me into a panic attack.....................I'm so afraid."

I broke down on her back, crying into her arms. "I'm so sorry you were hurt, Lance." Pidge says softly, the barely concealed rage in her voice making me feel slightly better. "I'm going to commit homicide, if you don't mind. If you just wanna be my alibi, that'd be great." 

"Did you..." I laughed. "Pidge Holt, did you just quote a meme in my presence?"

"I figured the meme-king would like some homage," she shrugged. I laughed. 

"You figured right," I said before my eyes softening. "Thank you Pidge, I'm so glad that you're apart of my space family."

Pidge sobered at that and smiled softly. "Thanks for accepting me." she said. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Yeah," I said after a while. I stood up, gathered blankets and went to the window seat. I then motioned for Pidge to sit in my lap. She scoffed but crawled into my lap nonetheless. I wrapped my wings around her and she smiled, grazing my feathers lightly with her finger tips. I preened. 

"Was that why you were so afraid?" she asked suddenly, surprising me. "When I played that prank on you?"

"Yeah," I said, staring at a distant nebula. "You reminded me of the dogs..."

"What dogs?"

"Sometimes....I'd try to escape........and she'd sick the dogs on me," I said, ignoring Pidge's gasp of horror. "And when you jumped at me....you looked just like buttercup. Don't let the name fool you, she was the one who gave me this...." I rolled up the sleeve of my jacket, revealing the jagged claw marks on my arms.

"Oh...Lance..." Pidge said, tracing my scars. "I'm so sorry." I shrugged.

"It's in the past."

"It's still affecting you," she countered.

"Can't argue there." I said. "How about we go to sleep? I'm tired."

"Yeah...me too," Pidge said, snuggling closer to my chest. I smiled. "Goodnight.....big bro."

"Good night sis," I said, a tear falling down my cheek at the thought of gaining another sister. I couldn't ask for a better one.

==================

"Pet," she called. I eased myself off the floor, ignoring the pain in my arm as I moved. I was by her side in an instant, knowing if I wasted her time I'd be punished. She smiled and patted the top of my head in fake sympathy. Or maybe it was real sympathy in her own sick, twisted way. "I'm sorry you're injured but you have to understand, you belong to me.....and if you misbehave I have to punish you."

"Yes, Master," I said softly. She smiled a sick smile.

"Good pet," she said, tracing my jaw bone. "Such a good pet."

"LANCE!!!" I jolted awake to Pidge shaking my shoulders roughly. I looked at her in confusion until I understood what was happening. It was light in the castle which meant everyone was up and my wings were out...anyone could just waltz in and see them. 

"Good morning Pidge," I said with a yawn. I curled my wings into my back, wincing as the discomfort grew. I covered my wings with a jacket and leaned back against the wall. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," she said. "How did you?"

I turned my head before smiling. "Great!"

"Don't pull that bull with me," Pidge snarled. "I could hear you screaming in your sleep, did you have a nightmare?"

"I.........it's fine." I said after a long silence. 

"Lance.....please don't keep this to yourself. I don't want you to get any more hurt--"

"Lance is hurt?" Shiro asked, his tail flicking up and down in concern. "What happened?"

"Nothing Shiro," I said, glaring at Pidge for talking so loudly. "Pidge is just paranoid because I stubbed my toe."

"Oh," Shiro said, his face softening when he realized that I was fine. "I'm glad you're okay. C'mon, breakfast is ready." and with that he left the room. Pidge glared at me.

"You can't keep this a secret forever." she said.

I sighed. "I know."