Stolen Stars

Red Letter

The roaring of engines was the only thing that was keeping Keith company. With Lance having knocked himself out, Keith was left to his own thoughts. Once the escape pod was on its way to the Blade's base Keith had done his best to make Lance comfortable. He knelt by Lance; propped up into the seat and buckled him in tight enough to keep him safe but not tight enough to cause any further injury.

He'd knelt by the seat, his hand resting on Lance's thigh. Keith restrained himself from pressing his nails into Lance's skin. Just to hold him, just to know he was there. He looked up at Lance's face, watching and waiting for any sign of pain. Keith became distracted by the peacefulness Lance's closed eyelids provided and watched the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

Keith had been staring for too long. He shuffled backwards until he hit the wall of the pod. The air was knocked from his lungs but his breathing hadn't been stable to begin with. He bought his knees up to his chin and sat there, in the corner of the pod, rocking in unison with Lance in his unconscious state as the pod shook and jolted. He found his hands clutching either side of his head beneath the hood his armour provided. Unconscious in his own subconscious.

The feeling in Keith's heart could only be described as acidic. Shaken to his core, burning him from the inside out. It was as if someone had stuck a hand through his chest and latched onto the pulsing organ. He felt as though there was crimson waterfalls spilling down his chest, fragments of ribs shattered and displaced. He felt completely and totally wrong.

His eyes locked onto the gritty floor of the escape pod but there was a scene playing over and over before his eyes: Lance slapping him away and screaming that he didn't know who Keith was. Something about that single split second where Lance's eyes were the eyes of a stranger. There was vacancy there, as if someone else was using them to absorb the world.

"Don't touch me, I don't know who you are!"

It just echoed over and over along with that word. That name. Kage . It meant nothing to Keith but it had clearly meant something to Lance. He'd said it so many times with so much meaning. Internally Keith kept returning to the question: who was Kage?

Keith had been so distracted that he had nearly missed the base. He landed the pod without any serious consideration. Pressing of buttons, pulling of levers, flicking of switches; no care. He stared at the control panel for a mere minute, until he became aware of a gathering crowd in front of the pod. Slowly, he turned to stare at Lance's limp posture. Keith bit down on his lip. He'd been so worried about Lance he'd forgotten to worry about the consequences he was about to face.

The pod door began to drop as Keith started to free Lance from the chair.

"Kage..?" His head rolled as he tried to angle it up to look Keith in the eyes. Keith watched his mumbling lips, split and torn and caked in blood.
"No, I'm not...." Keith took a sharp breath before biting down on his tongue and falling silent. Lance tried to blink his eyes furiously. Keith's eyes, that had been trailing his injuries, met his.

Lance's hand crawled up Keith's chest until he could move it to around his shoulders. He felt his nails dig into his skin, his other hand moving to grasp at Keith's collar. Keith picked him up so no blood would spill and was sure not to agitate the wounds further. As he lifted Lance from the chair, his hands tightened around Keith's collar. He pulled himself closer to Keith, lips by Keith's ear.
"I have to get back..." his words trailed off as his head slumped, his grip still tight but falling looser with every passing second. Keith looked up to the three standing by the door as it finally lowered to the ground. Kolivan, Krolia and Ilun stood expectantly. Keith could see Kolivan's eyes narrow and before Krolia could speak, Keith did.
"Before I explain we need to get him to medical."
"We will do no such thing." Ilun stepped forward, Krolia's hand shot out,
"Let him speak." She glared the Blade down, speaking through gritted teeth.