The Monster in the Sky. Klance AU

Chapter 34: Isolation

Since the battle with the alien ship, Lotor was being kept inside a locked room inside the basement of the Garrison. No one had bothered him, except to give him the food and water he needed in order to survive. It was Lance who was convinced to interrogate him after Shiro decided he was the 'talker' of Voltron. Keith was best in combat, Shiro in decision-making, Pidge in science, Hunk in kindness and acceptance but Lance was best at comforting and convincing.

"Lotor," Lance began as he stepped into the small cell. Two guards were behind him but Lance ushered them back out of the room so Lotor would be more comfortable to speak. "I'm Lance."

"I know: we've met before." Lotor stated, pulling himself up onto his feet. The chain around his right food jingled but he didn't seem at all phased. He stalked towards Lance, eyes thin as he circled him like a bird of prey would circle its lunch.

"I think we should cut straight to the chase. How did you escape the rift between realities? We thought you'd been killed." Lance folded his arms and hardened his stare but Lotor didn't seem bothered. Lotor threw his head back and laughed as if the world being in danger was a sick kind of joke.

"You underestimate me, paladin. I got out. It wasn't easy but here I am to tell the tale."

"Why invade Earth? Why not accept your loss against Voltron?"

"Because you ruined my plans," Lotor jabbed a single finger into Lance's chest, harshly enough to push him backwards. "I could have gotten quintessence and become all powerful but you got in my way. I needed to avenge myself but, here you are, in my way again. Now I must dispose of you and the rest of Voltron."

"Well you can't. You're stuck here."

Lotor went silent as he slumped back into a sitting position against the wall. He pulled his legs to his chest and hugged them, staring up at the ceiling in deep thought. Lance observed him for a moment to drink in his suspicious contemplative expression. "I know you know as much as I do about what it's like to feel isolated."

"Lotor, I'm not here to chit chat. I just want to get information."

"Come on, paladin, isolation is crippling, don't you think? When you're surrounded by people who are supposed to love you but still look at you as if you're insane..." Lance glared at his feet; that was what reassured Lotor that he was succeeding in bothering him. "When you think people care for you but they stab you in the back so you can't trust them anymore."

"You aren't going to convince me to turn on anyone. I'm not that dumb."

Lotor snorted. "I'm not trying to. I'm simply telling you the truth. I've been isolated all of my life and I know you've felt like that too. I suppose it's something we can bond over."

"I will not bond with a criminal. You tried to destroy my home planet. Do you have others working with you? Are they going to try and pull a rescue mission?"

"Nope. I worked with the Alkafans that were on my ship and that was all."

"Why work with the Alkafans?"

"We had common goals... we have people and plans to avenge. We were stronger together."

"But, still, not strong enough." Lance leant against the wall and folded his arms, feeling like he had achieved the upper hand. Lotor's lips spread into a mischievous grin that resulted in a drop in Lance's confidence all over again. He wished he could have read the Galran's mind to make sense of the situation and to find valid information to report back to Shiro but he couldn't.

"Indeed..."

Lance's watch began to release a high-pitched beep on his wrist, telling him it was time to give up and go back to Shiro. He forced a smile for the prisoner, mumbling, "I'll be back tomorrow."

Lotor nodded because he was going to be waiting for Lance. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go.

-

Despite having been released from the hospital, James still appeared to be under the weather. He hardly spoke and barely left the safety of his room, insisting that Keith stayed with him most of the time. It was like he had lost his independence and personality after having to be admitted to hospital.

It was one of the bad days where James was rendered a trembling mess from where he was cuddled up next to Keith. He had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his fists were clutching Keith's jacket, not daring to let go. After a moment of Keith just whispering soft words into his ear and rubbing his back, James murmured, "I think I'm going to be sick."

"I'll get a..." Keith started but trailed off once James was sick all over his front. Tears began to stream down his cheeks as his teeth chattered and his body continued to shake. "Okay, we're going to have to clean you up."

With a mixture of a sob and a retch, James hunched over. His face was a ghostly white that made him appear more like a corpse than a living human being. He couldn't help but feel pathetic, like a small baby relying on their mother to relieve their most basic needs. After everything that had happened, he could hardly look after himself. Keith was his mother, wiping his face with a napkin and giving him a bottle to feed from.

"Do you think you're up for a shower?"

James tried to look up to meet Keith's eyes but soon looked down in shame. He ended up shaking his head. "I'm going to get you a fresh shirt then, okay? And something to be sick in so you aren't constantly covered in your own vomit."

After James hummed, Keith pulled himself up and began to sift through James's wardrobe. It was a mess with most of the clothes sat in a pile on the bottom of the cupboard as opposed to being hung up as they were supposed to be. Keith chose the first shirt his hand touched- a black band t-shirt- and helped James get out of the soiled one he was currently wearing. Once it was off, Keith pulled the other one over his head.

"I'm going to run and get a bowl. Stay here."

"It's not like I have much of a choice..." James whispered so quietly that the words didn't register in Keith's brain. Keith rushed down the hall as if he was part of a race until he reached the shared kitchen. One of the other people on James's floor was sat at the table, typing on her phone as a pot of pasta boiled on the stove. Knowing James didn't talk to anyone on his floor, Keith ignored her and picked out the first bowl he came across. He brought it back to his sick boyfriend and handed it to him. Once James was clutching onto it, he couldn't stop the tears from escaping. "I'm so pathetic, aren't I?"

"No, no, don't say that," Keith rubbed James's back in a way that had almost become a reflex for him. "You're strong. You can get through this."

"But I can't... I- I need-"

"You don't need any more pills. You'll be alright."

"You don't understand!" James yelled but he sounded so weak and broken. He knocked the bowl to the ground and hit his clenched fists against Keith's chest. "I have to-" He pulled himself up onto his feet, legs shaking but not quite giving in on him. He managed a few steps forward before Keith grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.

"I know I don't understand but you can't get more pills. The doctor said it could kill you."

"I don't care, Keith. I- I... Let me die!" James started to heave again but, luckily, Keith was quick enough in getting the bowl to him so he didn't throw up over himself again. When he next spoke, his voice was much calmer but was laced with an intense kind of hopelessness. "I feel like shit."

"I know you do but death is not the answer. I don't even want you to joke about it because you have had enough near death experiences for one lifetime." James didn't say anything as he sunk back onto the bed. He hunched over and pulled his legs up onto the bed so he could hug them. "Do you want to watch a movie together or something?" James nodded. He let Keith pull him closer, mumbling soft words, mumbling soft words along the lines of, "you're going to be okay" every few seconds. He used the arm that wasn't around James to reach for the remote and turn on James's TV.