Warmth (Klance Warmth series Book 1 of +4)

18: Ignited Doubt

A/N: The sequel is titled 'Chill' and will be posted later tonight. It and all the subsequent stories in the 'Warmth' series will be rated MATURE. Just FYI. The next chapter/part (19) , will be a sneak peak of Chill.

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Dinner was a very awkward affair to be sure.

"Um, what is this?" Hunk asked, pointing at the suspiciously radioactive green goop that currently covered his plate.

"It's a proper, nutritious Altean meal," Coran declared proudly. "It's got lots of the vitamins and nutrition you young paladins will need for what's ahead."

"I'm not sure I like what you're implying," Hunk said, feeling a growing sense of dread settle in the pit of his stomach.

"Tomorrow you'll start a strict training regimen," Coran said, clapping his hands in excitement. "We need to test the Castle's defenses now that we have everything up and running again. We're still not at full power unfortunately, but we'll get there." He winked and flipped his mustache. "Besides, I think Allura had plans to greet the local Arusians; if there are any that is."

"We have to train?" Pidge whined. His head thunked unceremoniously on the dining table. "I am so sleeping in tomorrow."

"It shouldn't be too hard," Shiro said with an encouraging smile. "We need to get used to fighting with our bayards."

"I don't think you need a bayard, Shiro," Pidge said astutely. "I think your arm is a weapon."

"Yeah," Hunk said around a mouthful of the food goo. "It lit up like a glow stick."

"I..." Shiro held up his mechanical arm and studied it with trepidation. "I think it is a weapon," he agreed. "I'm just not sure how to use it."

"What do you mean you don't know how to use it?" Keith said suddenly, startling everyone at the table. The halfbreed looked up and stared Shiro in the eye. "I saw you. I saw you fight in the arena. You used that thing to cut your enemies down like they were nothing. I watched you cut your challengers in half! What the frell do you mean you don't know how to use it?"

Shiro's eye grew wide in horror. The other paladins and even Coran looked slightly disturbed by Keith's declaration. The black paladin visibly shrunk in on himself, his shoulders hunching over and his eyes dropping to stare at his Galra arm like he was afraid it would suddenly activate and bite him.

"I... I'm..." Shiro sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "I don't remember," he said slowly. "Not really. I remember snatches, images, sensations, that kind of thing. But nothing useful." He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze to Keith's. "I was captured while on a scientific mission to Kerberos. We had no weapons, just scientific equipment and a total of three crewmembers, myself included. I don't even know what happened to the other two of my crew."

Keith sat back and looked away. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Thank you," Shiro nodded gratefully. "I'm sorry I can't remember anything useful."

"It's not your fault," Hunk said while Pidge slumped in his seat. "You went through a lot. No one's expecting you to be Superman." He thought for a moment. "Except maybe you," he added after a moment.

Shiro huffed a laugh, smiling weakly at the yellow paladin. "Thanks, Hunk," he said gratefully.

"Don't mention it," Hunk replied with a big smile. "We're all in this together."

"If you even think about singing that song, I will fucking murder you," Pidge warned his companion with a dark glare.

Hunk laughed awkwardly and held up his hands to stave off the green paladin's terrifying glare. "I wouldn't dream of it."