Perdóname (Klance Angst)

6

Keith stood in the front of the lounge, Lance to his left and behind him about five feet. Keith stood with his arms crossed, watching the rest of the team file into the room. Lance had his eyes glued to his feet, his hands shoved into the pockets of Keith's jacket. Keith felt his heart pang at how distressed he looked. Sure, they had teased each other endlessly and they got on each other's nerves but now, with Lance breaking down and talking about all of his insecurities, Keith had seen an entirely different person from the confident, cocky Lance he knew; he saw a Lance that was destructive and self-deprecating.

Keith ran over the information in his head Lance had briefed him on a few minutes ago about what happened with Sendak and what he had said to Lance. His blood had ran cold when Lance had recited word for word what Sendak had said and told him about the fight he had. Keith had demanded he show him his arm where he had been cut but Lance pushed him off, promising to show him later.

"Is everyone here?" Shiro asked. Keith looked around the room and nodded. The entire team, including Krolia, Romelle, and Coran, was now in front of him and Lance. Keith started immediately.

"We have a new mission, even if the Castle of Lions isn't finished" Keith started. "Sendak is trying to weaken us by attacking our families, making us vulnerable so he can take over the lions and Voltron as a bargaining piece to become emperor of the Galra Empire. We need to protect our families but we also need to find and capture Sendak before he can hurt anyone else." The team was slightly appalled at this. Pidge spoke up.

"You said 'anyone else.' Are you implying something has already happened?" She asked.

"Uh-uh-I" Keith stuttered. He looked at Lance, asking for approval. Lance met his gaze warily then looked down again, letting out a soft sigh. That was his signal.

"He's already targeted someone and successfully hit that target,"  Keith added quickly, choosing his words carefully as he looked out at the team again.

"Who was the target?" Hunk asked, oblivious. Keith felt his ears turn red from frustration. How were they so stupid? How could they not know?

"I was" Lance said softly. All eyes turned to him.

"Lance," Keith muttered worriedly under his breath, inaudible. Lance somehow heard him and side glanced his way, comforting him slightly by signalling he had it under control. Keith knew that look. To the others, Lance would have looked annoyed. He quickly returned his gaze to his feet.

"I was the first target," Lance continued, his voice low and unsteady. "Sendak targeted my family and killed them all. He tried to kill me too but he escaped before I had the chance to inflict him further." Silence filled the room for a few seconds. They were shocked at what Lance had just revealed.

"Lance, we had no clue" Allura said, breaking the silence.

"You have no clue because no one cared to ask" Lance shot back, his voice the same as before. Again, silence fell over the room.

Keith held back. The rest of the team needed to have a glimpse of how Lance felt since they were so ignorant.

"We're sorry about what hap-" Shiro started but Lance cut him off, raising his voice and meeting their eyes for the first time.

"Don't say you're sorry when you're not" he said, his voice close to yelling but keeping his voice steady now. "You guys haven't cared the entire time. I've been the most homesick out of everyone and no matter who I've talked to, you guys brush me off. We're supposed to be a team and when I've gone to any of you for comfort that I've remotely trusted, I get brushed off. Yet, I'm everyone's crying shoulder. I don't mind helping you guys but even when I remotely ask for comfort or attention, I get turned down consistently. That's why I've stopped trying. That's why I've stopped talking. And now, when something like this happens, where I've lost my entire family, some of which I never had the chance to meet because we were in space, you decide to say you're sorry when I have a 'good reason' to be in pain. We've all been in pain this entire time but I've been screaming for help when everyone else was getting help from me and yet, no one has noticed, no matter how blunt I am. I don't want your fake pity" He paused for a second, lowering his gaze and clenching his fists. Keith could sense Lance's panic rising, assuming that he was running the trauma through his head again. "Finding your family's dead bodies and realising you're alone is the most painful thing you can ever experience. What has happened to me is not something I want any one of you guys to deal with." Lance turned on his heel and walked out of the room, the rest of the room silent. Their expressions were a mix of shock and guilt.