The Secrets Within Ourselves (KLANCE)

42: Bonds

Song Of The Chapter:
Howl - Jake Houlsby

"Keith, i'm Kuron."

Keith stopped dead in his tracks.
"Wh-What?"
To prove it, Shiro closed his eyes and, using his powers, created two clones of himself.
Keith felt faint.
"Why? What? How?"
Lance shifted. "Holy shit."
Keith brought a hand to his head.
"I'm so confused right now..."
"I am too," Shiro said with uncertainty, looking at Keith's purple ears and yellow eyes.
"You're Slate?"
"And YOU'RE Kuron!"
Shiro burst out laughing.
"Oh my God this isn't how I was expecting the day to go."
Keith chuckled in agreement, but then the smile fell.
"Where were you all this time?"

Shiro looked away, clutching his metal arm.
"After a battle, someone took me back to some base. I don't even think they are fully apart of the military, though they act and dress like it."
"Mr. Z?" Lance asked suddenly, and Shiro looked at him.
"You know him?!"
Lance's face was grim. "He's been trying to track me down. He ran a lot of experiments on me while I was in prison. Something about him... He doesn't seem to be exactly going alongside the law. And it seems he is working against heroes like Keith."
"Or me," Shiro nodded.
"But why are you here now?" Keith asked, eyeing Shiro suspiciously.
"I was... originally here to try to capture Lance...Frost. Bring him back."
"To Mr. Z?"
"Yes."
Lance looked uneasy. "Do you still plan to do that?"
Shiro hesitated. "No..." He said slowly. "I don't think I am going to go back there. It's risky, but it feels wrong being there."
"Risky," Keith repeated the word. "Why?"
Shiro gripped his arm again. "This. They can use it against me. They already have, once."
Keith came over, examining it.
"Maybe we can take you back to the Garrison. They could try to replace it."
Shiro looked thoughtful. "That could work. Quite well, actually."
Lance stood awkwardly, watching as the two talked.
"Uhm..." He intervened. "Are we good now? You're not going to attack me again, right? I uh... Don't wanna be attacked again."
Shiro laughed and came over. "Yeah..." He said, but then turned to Keith again.
"Why are you two so close, anyways? Aren't you two supposed to be some sort of rivals? Lance is a villain, after all."
Keith shook his head. "Ex-villain. The Garrison took him in."
Shiro nodded, then held out his hand.
"Let's restart, Lance. I promise not attack you again, as long as you promise the same."
"Of course," Lance nodded, shaking Shiro's hand.
"We should go back to the Garrison, then," Keith said.
Lance shifted. "I'm going to continue shopping. It seems like you two need some catching up to do, anyways."
Keith looked at Lance.
"Really? You're sure you don't want to come?"
Lance nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I'll be fine."
Keith looked to Shiro, then to Lance.
"Okay. I will see you in a while, alright?"
Keith came forward, hugging Lance. It surprised the brunette slightly, but he returned it.
"Get bandaged up," Keith said, and then he and the older male left.

-

"So, you weren't allowed to interact with me?" Keith asked as they walked.
"They didn't want me to share anything with anyone else. Especially you. It was like they were... are trying to hide me."
Keith shook his head. "I don't like it. I feel like we might need to investigate into Mr. Z more. He might not be as good as he says he is."
"Good idea."
Keith smiled lightly. "I missed you."
Shiro fluffed Keith's hair. "Me too. It was strange not seeing my little rebel around."
"I'm not a kid," Keith groaned, trying to fix his hair.

Shiro, Kuron, was the one who took Keith in. Keith had been somewhat of a trouble case, mostly because of his genes. Keith was like an apprentice, following Shiro around during missions, until he was older, turning into more of a sidekick than an apprentice.
It was a brotherly relationship. Keith looked up to Shiro, and he was devastated hearing he went missing.

Shiro took a deep breath when they walked in the door to the Garrison.
"I wonder what everyone will think if I just walk in..."
"They all missed you," Keith reassured.