Survival of the Innocent (A Voltron fanfic) (Book 1 of Fates Entwined)

Entertaining Entrancement Part 1

In the Castle of Lions, Keith is sleeping inside a pod within the Sleep Chamber as his team watches, except Coran who is at the console.

"I can't tell if he looks healthy... or not," Hunk worries.

"I think he's breathing weird," Pidge panics slightly.

"Oh, come on!" Lance yells, frustrated.

Lance tries tapping on the pod, but Allura stops him, "Not yet! A few more ticks."

"How much better do you think he's gonna get in a few more ticks?" Lance argues.

"And what exactly is a tick?" Pidge questions, taking everyone's mind off of Keith for a moment.

"You know, a time-slice," Allura tells them.

"What, like a second?" Shiro joins the conversations, but remains distracted by Keith.

"What is a... "second"?" Allura wonders aloud.

Pidge takes out a clock counting seconds to show Allura, "Like this."

"I'm not sure. I think ticks are bigger. Coran, do you have a ticker?" Allura asks Coran.

"Right here, Princess," Coran takes out a ticker counting ticks to compare.

"I think ticks are a little slower," Hunk adds his two cents.

"I can't tell. We have to start them at the same time," Pidge decides.

"Okay. Ready, go!" Coran starts.

Both counters start together and everyone huddles around to watch (even Shiro comes closer to watch).

"Yes! I think we're winning," Hunk celebrates.

"Winning what? The intergalactic time-measuring competition?" Lance sasses.

"Yes."

Unbeknownst to the team, Keith exits the Sleep Pod and stumbles over. Shiro notices and moves to steady him, heaving Keith's arm over his shoulder to support him whilst he recovers from his time in the pod.

"You guys having a clock party?" Keith jokes, snapping everyone out of their stupor.

"Aw, Keith, you just ruined it. Uh—Hey, Keith!" Hunk suddenly realises and hugs Keith, causing him to splutter and laugh at the bear hug, relishing in the rare affection he has received over his short lifespan.

"What happened?" Keith asked.

"We can tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Are you able to walk?" Allura asks.

"Talking? Eating? Are you asking him out on a date?" Lance jokes, but Allura is unimpressed, like most of the team.

Keith moves from next to Shiro and Hunk to Lance and slaps him over the top of his head, anger displayed in his frowning face.

"Hey!"

"Yep. There he is," Pidge grins brightly.

"Yep, he's okay," Shiro smiles softly, resting a hand on Keith's shoulder.

"Classic," Coran wipes a fake tear from his cheek.

The team moves to the Dining Hall while Keith eats food goo with the Altean Mice.

"You'd be Sendak's prisoner right now, if not for Pidge," Allura explains.

"Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Hunk and Coran hadn't gotten a new Crystal," Pidge adds.

"Wow. Thanks, everybody. Sounds like the mice did more than you, though," Keith says to Lance.

"I shot Sendak!" Lance retaliates.