A Light in the Dark -Klance-

10.

Keith POV

I was sitting with my back against the door listening to Lance talking. Hearing his familiar voice made me think of my friend. His smile and his laugh and how his face would light up when he talked about something he cared about. I missed it all so much. When I remembered the happy days filled with jokes and laughter, the memories of that day seemed to creep up from the back of my mind. I would never forget the blood on my hands and the hate in his eyes. Right before they glossed over and stared blankly at the ceiling. I shuddered and closed my eyes.

I stayed that way until a while later when he suddenly stopped talking. He was quite for a moment before spoke again.

"Hey, I get that you don't want to talk right now, but maybe you could at least respond in some way. I want you to be able to tell me if I should stop talking or if I'm annoying you or something." he said in a soft voice before pausing for a moment. "Do you remember Morse-code?"

I almost snorted, how could I forget? It had been one of the mandatory lessons for fighter pilots, and I couldn't forget a singel one of them. No matter how hard I tried. And I had tried.

"−·−− · ···" [Yes]

"Good to see you're alive!" he said cheerfully and then in a quite voice. "I just have to ask, I'm not annoying you am I? Cause in that case I'll stop talking. It's just so good to have you back, and I've missed you a lot. Like seriously a lot. And now you don't want to speak to me, did I do something? If I did, I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you."

"−·−− −−− ··− // ···· ·− ···− · −· ·−−−−· − // ···· ··− ·−· − // −− · " [You haven't hurt me]

"·− −· −·· // −·−− −−− ··− // ·− ·−· · // −· −−− − // ·− −· −· −−− −·−− ·· −· −−·" [And you are not annoying]

" ·· // ·−−· ·−· −−− −− ·· ··· ·" [I promise]

"·· // ·−·· −−− ···− · // ···· · ·− ·−· ·· −· −−· // −·−− −−− ··− // − ·− ·−·· −·−" [I love hearing you talk]

"·−− ···· · −· // −·−− −−− ··− // −·· −−−" [When you do] 

I paused for a moment.

"·· − // ·− ·−·· −− −−− ··· − // ··−· · · ·−·· // ·−· · ·− ·−··" [It almost feels real]

The rhythmic tapping brought me back to reality.

"Good, was a bit worried there... And what do you mean "Almost real"?

This time I didn't answer and just started into space, I shouldn't have said anything in the first place. Whatever this was, it wasn't real and if I didn't interact with them they might get to live a few moments longer. Because I was always the cause of their death, every single time.

"Hey, don't stop talking to me now!" we sat in silence for a second before he spoke again, "Can't you just come out?" when I didn't answer he sighed, "I have food...?"

"−· −−− // − ···· ·− −· −·− ···" [No thanks]

"Come on Keith. You need to eat!"

"−· −−−" [No]

"Yes. And if you don't open the door, I'm going to get Pidge to unlock it for me."

I paused for a moment, rethinking what I was about to do before I reached up and pressed the unlock button. The door swung open I almost fell out into the corridor, I steadied myself as Lance stepped into my room. The door closed, and he sat down beside me and gave me a bowl of food. I took a spoonful. I hadn't realized how hungry I was before then and I ate the whole thing in silence. When I was finished, I put the bowl down and looked at him questioningly.

"Why are you here?" my voice sounded raspy and sore, I hadn't spoken more than a few words in a long time.

"I was worried, I thought you knew that." he sounded hurt. "I really care about you, you know. You're one of the best friends I've ever had."

I couldn't think of something to say and before I knew it he leaned over and hugged me. I just sat there for a moment before hugging him back. Tears started to fill my eyes and I had to remind myself that this wasn't the real Lance. This was just another imitation of my friend.

When he drew back my hand touched, his arm and he flinched. "What happened?"

"Nothing, just surprised, that's all." he smiled.

"Are you sure? Because it didn't look that way"

"Of course I am."

"Give me your hand." I said.

"No."

"Why?"

"Nothing... I just-"

I took his hand and pulled the sleeve up. His arm was covered rows and rows of wounds. They were all in different stages of healing, some fresh and some only visible as pale lines. I stared at them in horror before he yanked his hand from my grip and ran out the door. 

"Lance wait!" I yelled after him but he didn't return. And I didn't follow.