The flying Paladin

Chapter 5

Very important authors note at the end of this!!!! LIKE SUPER IMPORTANT!!!

Breakfast was very quiet.

I stared with interest as Hunk glared at Keith who glared right back at him. Shiro seemed to be trying to keep a cool head and stop a fight from happening but I was just confused. Hunk never gets angry, so why was he pissed?

"Anybody care to fill us in?" I asked. 

"Yeah," Hunk huffed. "Go on Keith, tell them what you told me."

"All I said was that I think Lance should take a break from piloting," Keith said. My heart stopped as I stared at him. I didn't even bother to put up a mask to hide my feelings. My hurt was on display for everyone to see.

"What?!" I cried. "Why? Do you....do you think I'm a bad paladin?"

Hunk actually growled at Keith and stood up to give me a hug. Pidge snarled at Keith and moved to attack when Shiro stopped her.

"No! I don't....I don't think you're a bad paladin...I just...UGH!" Keith sighed and covered his face with his hands. "The other day you seemed so secretive...you know..about what was on your arms...I just thought that if you can't trust us.,...why should we trust you?"

I blanched. Only two people on my team were aware of my predicament. And that was Hunk and Pidge. Keith didn't know what my scars were or how I got them and Shiro didn't even know I had scars. Shiro looked at me with sudden interest.

"What was on your arms?" he asked. I stiffened.

"It was literally nothing," I said, crossing my arms in a defensive position.

"You covered it with your hand and ran away," Keith pointed out. "That doesn't sound like nothing."

"It was just a scar," I yell. "It's none of your business!"

"Yeah Keith," Pidge hissed. "Take offense to this, but I think you overreacted! And it's not like you tell us all of your big bad secrets so why should Lance?"

"So you admit it's a secret," Keith pressed. Pidge threw up her hands in aggravation.

"Just drop it Keith," Hunk said in a hushed anger.

"Fine." 

"Fine."

"Good."

Relax both of you," Shiro demanded. "Hunk, calm down and Keith, they're right. It's none of our business what Lance is hiding from us... unless it's an immediate danger to you or the rest of us."

"Which it's not!"

"Then we're all good." Shiro said. "Keith, apologize to Lance."

"What? But I--"

"Apologize."

"Sorry Lance," Keith said, looking anywhere but my eyes. "I didn't mean to pry but I was genuinely concerned."

"Aw, it's okay Keithy boy," I said happily. "Good to know you care!" 

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

"Oh look, breakfast is ready!"

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

I cleaned the pod with vigor, listening to Coran idly as he described politics and laws of Altea. "And homosexuals on Altea were given more freedom in the law because they were able to find partners easier. They were also gifted more money to pay for foster care and adoptions and they tended to be more level headed than heterosexuals so they tended to be our lawyers and politicians." (people were asking me what I meant by gay people have more rights in Altea from my one shots. This is why) 

"Mhmm," I said. "That's pretty cool. It's like the complete opposite on Earth."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, back on Earth, gay people aren't treated fairly. Some people treat them equally but most don't. Intolerance is just more common," I explained. "It's gotten much better but intolerance is still very much there." 

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Coran shook his head ruefully. "I believe that everyone is equal no matter their race, social standing, gender or sexuality."

"That's a good moral point to have." I said. Coran smiled at me before launching off into another story, this time about the different flowers on Altea.

We were still cleaning, in fact, when Keith raced in red faced and panting. "You'll never believe what I found!" he wheezed.

"What did you find that made you run all the way over here to tell me?" I teased.

He then raised something that made my heart go silent in my chest. 

"A feather."

Hey guys! Author here! So I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't tagged a ship yet. Well that's because *surprise* I'm letting you guys choose!!!!!!!!! Just comment which ship you want this story to be about and the one with the most comments will be the ship I write with. That's it. I love you all. Comment, Vote and follow!!!