Just a Week // Langst

Chapter Five : Lance

I woke to the sound of soft voices discussing something I couldn't quite make out. I kept my eyes shut for a while, unwilling to open them and face the world again. I had really thought my plan was going to work, until Hunk turned up and knocked me unconscious before I had time to react.

I knew they were all there. All gathered round me. I could imagine their disappointed faces and I didn't want to see them looking at me in fear. I kept my breathing regular, like I was still sleeping, and hoped they hadn't noticed I was now conscious.

I felt a slight pricking sensation in my arm and my eyes shot open. Coran and Pidge towered over me, a syringe in the older alien's hand.

"Guys? What the? What's that?" I could feel the effects of the drug he'd given me almost straight away. My body went slack and numb, my eyes trying to focus on my friends.

I had expected disappointment and fear. Instead, I saw concern and love. They were all staring at me, sitting expectantly and waiting for me to say something else.

"We could tell when you woke up. Good effort with the breathing though. If we weren't trapped with you in space for years, we would have never known you were awake." Keith put a hand on my arm, and I tried to move away from the contact, but found myself unable to move.

A paralysing agent. Great...

"The Galra. Danger."

Keith patted my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We called in some help. They are on this planet so they came here fast. The specialists."

I felt so confused.

They were all sitting around and watching me intensely. What specialists?

Shiro joined the conversation, "All of them were quite upset to find out you were in such a bad way. I think they were going to make sure the Galra won't come after us for a long time."

"Who? Specialists? Who?" I was becoming more confused by the second. I would have given anything for a straight answer. My words seemed slurred and unsteady. I hated the tremble in my voice. I felt ashamed by my own weakness.

Allura smiled. She seemed calm, more peaceful. As if the weight of battle had been lifted from her shoulders. Coran and Shiro seemed calm too. The whole thing was starting to freak me out a little. Someone was fighting our battles for us? I didn't like that one bit.

"My Paladin, The Blades of Marmora has learned of our situation and has intervened personally." Allura was watching me carefully. "They is visiting with the Galra at this very moment. They are has already assured us that we are now free of this burden. I am not sure how The Blades will accomplish this, but I know they would never promise such a feat unless he could ensure it."

The Blades of Marmora?

My head was reeling. I felt a low throbbing in my head and closed my eyes. That meant they would be focusing on me. Just on me. What could I say to diffuse the situation? I knew that Keith, especially, would be sitting close to me anticipating my next move. I braved a peek and saw the red Paladin standing to my right side behind the couch, his hand gently rubbing my back. Behind him, Pidge sat on a chair quietly. Shiro and Coran was sitting directly to my left with Hunk and Allura behind them. Hunk was smiling at me reassuringly, and I felt my eyes close once again in disappointment.

Why couldn't Hunk have just let me go?

"It's okay, Lance. We're all here. You can talk or just stay silent. Whatever you want to do." Hunk seemed oddly confident, and I felt his hand squeeze my almost numb arm.

I weighed my options carefully. I felt incapable of bringing a swift end to myself in this environment; being unable to move really limited my chances of success. I could try biting off my own tongue, but everything felt languid and slow. I couldn't concentrate on my plan. Besides, Keith would be on me in a second, forcing my mouth open and inserting something to stop me chomping down. I couldn't do it with them all looking at me expectantly. The pain it would bring them all to see me die in front of them is something I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy. My plan relied on them not realising I was dead, leaving them with the hope that I might return in the future. I couldn't do it now as they would be left with this horrible memory for the rest of their lives.