Star Crossed (Keith/Lotor fic)

Chapter Eight

 It must have been the adrenaline and fear that kept him going, because the moment Lance got him on to Red he passed out, feeling comfortable and safe for the first time in a while. Lance had to lay him across his lap in order to be able to pilot correctly but also make sure his condition wasn't getting any worse.

  Lance couldn't stop glancing back at Keith, at the damage the gag had done. His lips were nearly shredded, it must've been hell inside his mouth. Blood was smeared all around his mouth and down his chin and neck. He could hardly believe Keith actually managed to survive all that blood loss. Even though he was unconscious now, he still looked like he was in indescribable pain.

  They all arrived back at pretty much the same time and Lance had to carry Keith off red. The others were equally shocked when they saw his condition, and no one wanted to say it but they knew they had to get that gag out of his mouth, and it was best to do it now when he wasn't conscious to feel anything. Lance carried him to the infirmary and had to lie him down, letting Coran, Allura, and Shiro take over as they discussed the best way to do so without causing more harm. He didn't want to stick around and see how this ended so he left the room, just hoping that Keith was going to be alright.

 ***

 Coran told them it would be about three days before Keith would be out of the pod, and shiro spent most of those three days in the infirmary just watching him, worried to death about him. He was felt nothing but rage seeing the pain that had been inflicted on someone he cared so much about. 

  There were countless lash marks and welts all over his chest and back, Shiro knew they could've only come from a whip. Then there were burn marks, marks that spread and scarred his body like lightning bolts. He couldn't even see if his mouth had gotten any better, they'd had to bandage the lower half of his face after they removed the gag and just hope that the pod helped him. It hurt to see him this way, but he was so thankful that they had him back now. 

***

 The first thing Keith became aware of was how cold he was. He was stiff and cold and uncomfortable and he just wanted it to stop. When the pod finally opened he weakly stumbled out, and it was Shiro who caught him, strong arms holding him up against his chest so he wouldn't fall. He tiredly gazed at the others as they crowded around him. 

  "Keith, are you feeling better?" Allura asked. Keith nodded slowly in response and tried to open his mouth to say something but realized something was wrong. He reached up and felt along his jaw and brushed his fingers over his bandaged mouth, seeming confused and frustrated.

  "That... thing they had in your mouth really tore it up..." Hunk told him. He nodded again, seeming frustrated with this. He reached up and started pulling the bandages off, he didn't care how bad his mouth still looked he needed it off. They stepped back and let him, each hoping that the pod had helped. Once he removed the bandages he moved his mouth awkwardly, flicking his tongue out since it felt weird. Around his mouth things had healed, his lips were scarred but at least back to normal, and pushing his tongue against the roof of his mouth didn't send him into headsplitting pain. Over all, he felt ten times better. Once he established it wouldn't kill him to speak, he looked at them.

"Where's Lotor?" He asked immediately, the worry clear on his face. The last time he remembered seeing him was as Lance carried him away. "Did he get off that ship okay?"

  "No- maybe- I don't know, we left him there." He said. "We haven't heard from him or anything so we aren't sure."

  "Have you tried contacting him? Or his generals at least?" He was starting to get visibly worried.