Star's Aligned

Aqua-phobia

I DONT KNOW HOW LONG THIS IS GONNA BE OR ANYTHING IM JUST RUNNING WITH THIS
YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW I DONT OWN VOLTRON

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Hand's grabbing his hair and dragging him up the stairs, small hands and a pleading voice, begging to let go and be left alone.
A harsh laugh, and a kick to his ribs. "Naughty boy's get punished." Keith sobbed, body going limp as the fight drained out off him. The 9 year old was pushed into the bathroom and onto his knees. The tight grip on his hair became tighter, if possible, and Keith whimpered in pain. Then his head was forced into the water, Keith struggling to get his head back out, to actually breathe, but Paul wasn't letting him. He panicked and struggled more, only for Paul to lean against him, trapping him between the man's weight and the bathtub. The air was slowly, painfully forced out of his lungs and in his desperation inhaled a mouthful of water. He managed to lift his head up enough to take a deep breath before he was plunged back in and the struggling begins again. His vision began going hazy and he couldn't breath. He gelt himself start to stop struggling.

Maybe it's best to give up and drift away he thought drowsily. He gasped when he was pulled out of the water, shaking and coughing up water. He was too weak to fight Paul as the foster parent shoved his head back under.

9 Years Later

Keith shook in Red's cockpit as he took in the view before him. Water. Everywhere. He was tempted to turn Red around and fly her straight back to the castle, or a desert planet. That would be better than the water planet he was now scowling it.

He blinked when Shiro's face popped up over their private connection.

"Are you ok with going to this planet?" The elder asked quietly and Keith nodded slightly.

"I can't let my fear of water control me. It was nine years ago after all, I should be over it." Keith muttered, eyes fixed ahead of him. He jumped when Red growled in disagreement.

"My Paladin, your fear is justified, you have every right to not take part in this battle." The lion said and Keith swallowed. "The others will not think you are weak, if the black paladin tell's them they will understand." She continued.

Keith remained silent, perhaps he should tell the others, even if they would laugh and make fun off him.

"Keith, we both know the doctor told you too 'face your fears', but he meant using baby steps, like, having a glass of water occasionally. Not going too massive planets who are 89% water. That's the quickest way to trigger your aquaphobia. You know that." Shiro said gently unaware of what Red had said. (A/N: Ha! I rhymed!!) Keith gritted his teeth when Shiro mentioned his least favourite word. He hated it. He hated this, the fear, the overwhelming need to escape a situation, the fear, the flashbacks of his hands held behind his back and his head held underwater until he was sure he was going to die. His breathing hitched and his pulse jumped up. He could hear it in his head, so, so similar too when Paul was punishing him, pushing his head under the water and laughing as he slowly stopped struggling.

Suddenly he was nine years old and he was drowning again.

"Breathe cub, there is no need to be scared, not while I am with you." Red's mind wrapped around his own, soothing his fractured thoughts. She used her own memories to help him remember where he was and Keith eventually calmed down, stopped hyperventilating and opened his eyes.

"...Keith..?" Shiro, that was Shiro. He looked up through his fringe at the older man, feeling slightly guilty at the thought of making Shiro look that worried.

" I'm fine." He said hoarsely, inwardly cringing at the sound of his own voice.

"... Are you..?" Shiro asked, concern lingering in the steel gray. Keith nodded slowly, making sure to keep eye contact with him so Shiro could see the resolve in his eyes.

He could do this.

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He can't do this.

'This' being a walk over thin ice, that could easily give way at any given moment. It was already cracked from the other's walking across it. They were now waiting on solid land for him, each doing something while waiting for him to get his shit together. Pidge was messing with some tech thing, occasionally glancing at him and huffing, rolling her eyes and just generally showing displeasure at him taking so long. Hunk was eating, trying out Gyranian food and making a pile of stuff he liked and didn't like. Hunk wasn't even looking at him. Lance was hurling insults across the ice, each word making Keith want to walk in the other direction, hide in Red's cockpit where he'd be safe, away from the water.

Away from the danger.

Shiro was the only one who wasn't getting angry. The black paladin was watching him with concern, and looked ready to run back across to him.

"Keith, it's safe. I promise." He said, voice carrying over the ice. Steel met indigo and Shiro dipped his head, leaving Keith with the hidden meaning. The 'you can do this' echoing mentally. He allowed himself to breathe for a minute or two, deep calming breaths that beat the anxiety and fear back down his throat.

He stepped onto the ice, took another step, then another, and another, all while forcing himself not to listen to the horrible cracking sound. That's when the ice below him cracked and he fell into the frozen water under it. The water was cold, and he immediately started shivering, even though it was just his legs in the water, he'd managed to grab another bit of ice too stop himself falling in, but he didn't have the strength too pull himself up. Blood was rushing through his head, and he could barely hear the other paladin's. He could only try too hold on and hope that someone would rescue him.

One of his hands slipped and Keith sobbed. He didn't have time to brace himself as he lost his grip entirely, falling into the icy water.