the White Lion (Voltron x reader) •^•

chapter 6

Keith's P.O.V.

They can't remember their own name? Odd...

My train of thought was broken by Hunk's nervous laugh.

"W-what do you mean that's your name?" he stuttered, "Pretty weird name."

"It's all I can remember ever being called. That, and 'new champion'," the stranger, Weaponized Project Cyanizak, responded.

We really need something better to call them.

"Well, it is possible that the Galra altered or removed their memory," Pidge piped up, adjusting her glasses, "We know they would do that based on what Shiro has been through. No offense."

"None taken," Shiro responded, shrugging, "I'm just starting to regain my memory of what happened on that ship, and I was only there for a year. We don't know who this is or how long they were there, it's highly possible that they could have severe amnesia. It's hard to keep track of time while being a prisoner."

"I don't know, their story seems more like a cover to me," I interrupted. I heard a huff and looked over to see the helmeted figure leaning against the wall for support after exiting the healing pod, their arms crossed.

"I'm still right here, you know. You don't have to talk about me like I'm not here," they announced, a hint of sarcasm to their robotically altered voice.

"Sorry," the other paladins said bashfully, but I continued.

"Oh, come on! It would just be oddly convenient that they can't remember anything and are in a fancy Galran suit and not a spy! I can't be the only one who's suspicious," I accused, narrowing my eyes at the concealed figure leaning against the wall. I saw them stiffen up slightly, legs instinctively bracing as if someone was lunging at them, head turning ever so slightly to look at me. It didn't matter that they were wearing a helmet; I could feel their eyes glaring at me through the tinted glass visor.

"Keith does actually have a point," Allura stated, agreeing with me as she took a step forward, "their clothing is different than those of the other prisoners'." The other paladins and Coran looked at Allura and I in shock.

"I thought as paladins our first mission was supposed to be to spread dip-something or whatever!" Lance exclaimed, confused by Allura's sudden change in character.

"Diplomacy?" Pidge corrected Lance.

Lance nodded, "Yeah, that!"

"While that is usually true, it's a little hard not to be suspicious in this situation. What if they're a Galra under that helmet?" Allura bickered.

"She and Keith do have a point," Coran added thoughtfully, twisting the ends of his mustache.

"Really Coran? You too?" Hunk questioned, disbelieving.

"Well, yes," Coran responded, "the more I think about it, the more it makes sense." He turned to Lance, "Don't you remember how insistent WPC, I'm using an acronym for Weaponized Project Cyanizak, okay, was on not revealing their face?"

"Obviously, they attacked me! But what does that prove?" Lance replied heatedly, "Allura did the same thing when I caught her after she woke up from her 10,000 year nap!"

"Alright! Everyone needs to calm down," Shiro intercepted calmly, "arguing won't get us anywhere. Allura, I understand that you don't trust the Galra. But we don't even know who or what this person is, you can't go around assuming they're an enemy just because they want some privacy. Prisoners of Zarkon go through awful ordeals, I know this. You have to give them some time to adjust that they are no longer in constant danger and can trust us."

"Then why are they making such a big deal of not taking off their helmet! What does it matter?!" I said, losing my temper.

"IS THAT REALLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS?!" The mysterious person still leaning against the wall suddenly burst out angrily, yelling. My eyes widened and I took a step back, noticing that the other paladins and Allura and Coran did the same . "YOU'RE ALL ARGUING JUST BECAUSE I WON'T TAKE OFF A DAMN HELMET?!" I tensed up, grabbing my bayard. They noticed and growled slightly.

"For a bunch of humans, you seem to lack humanity," they said, in a normal tone of voice, but their rage still dripped from every word.

"Oh no, I'm sorry," they corrected, letting out a humorless chuckle, "It's obviously all my fault. Like always. Of course I'm not allowed to be a little insecure after being trapped in a tortuous ship for who knows how long. I apologize, I stopped counting after I reached 5 years." We all didn't bother trying to stop them, stunned into silence. They pushed themselves off the wall, stumbling a bit before taking a few steps forward towards us. Towards me. I got that eerie feeling again that they were staring directly at me again, despite the fact that their eyes were concealed. Finally someone spoke. It was Pidge.

"You... you were there for over 5 years?" she nearly whispered, eyes wide with disbelief. Their hard gaze finally slid off of me to acknowledge Pidge, and I instantly let out an inward sigh of relief. The stranger nodded.

"I was trapped there for at least 5 years, left to be tortured, experimented on, and to use as a toy," they replied, looking at the entire team, "thank you for rescuing me, but I would appreciate if you stopped treating me like a mutt of the Galra Empire. I don't want pity, I don't want hostility. All I ask for is some decency and respect. I don't expect you to trust me, because I can tell you this isn't some fairytale and I sure as hell don't trust any of you yet, even if you did save me. As for those of you who may or may not believe my story, but still act kindly towards me" they glanced at Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, and Lance, "thank you. And as for those of you who are obviously suspicious about me and not trying to conceal it," their eyes quickly scanned over Allura, Coran, and I, stopping on me with a glare that I could feel, "put yourself in my position and she how you would feel." Then, in a move that none of us could have predicted, they quickly stepped forward, shoving me against the wall. They were a little shorter than me, but strong as hell. I dropped my bayard, defenseless.

"Hey! What the-!" I yelled, startled by the sudden attack as I struggled against their hold.

What the hell are they doing?!

"You thought I was a Galran spy?" They whispered so that only I could hear, the other paladins turning quickly to look at us with confusion and worry, "Well here's proof that I'm not, dumbass." They tapped the side of their helmet, the visor that covered their eyes evaporating.

What I saw next, shocked me.