Fly Away From Your Troubles (Klance AU)

14- Stressed Out

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF SELF HARM. I will put a warning before and mark where the scene ends.

~Lance's POV~

I stood alone outside. It had begun snowing. A moment ago I wasn't alone, but now they were gone. That man— Zarkon— he had dragged Keith away the moment he fell unconscious. And I just stood there. I did nothing. Why did I not do anything to stop him? I still had Keith's knife, or sword, or whatever it was. None of this made any sense. Less than an hour ago Keith and I had been talking, and it never could have crossed my mind that he was a.... I didn't want to say monster. I really didn't. But what else could I say? Was he an alien?

Did anyone else even know about this? He told me to tell Shiro, so clearly Shiro didn't know. Did Hunk or Pidge know? It sure didn't seem like it. But they are his closest friends, I think. There was that one guy from Keith's studio, could he know? Or did Keith really keep this big of a secret from everyone. My mind moved back to what he had told me last. 'Tell Shiro. Tell anyone. I don't care.' How on Earth would I tell anyone? Especially Shiro... Keith and him were so close, I don't know how he'd take it. I didn't feel like it was my place to tell anyone either. This was Keith's secret... and although he told me to tell people... I didn't feel it was right. But I guess I'd have to, if I wanted to save him. And I did. I really did. My stomach began to feel sick, both thinking about telling the people he loved, and about Keith getting hurt. I was worried for him.

If I did tell Shiro, how would I tell him? How would I prove it was true? Would he even believe me? What would they think... I didn't even know what I thought about it, and I wasn't even that close to Keith. Would they help after knowing this? Will I? What was I saying? Of course I'll help him. He's still Keith... I think. He had to be. He still had the same face... same purple eyes that showed so many emotions. Same awful mullet. I smiled for a moment.

I didn't really know what to do. Even when I did tell Shiro, what would we do after that? How would we even find Keith? I came to realize that I was still standing outside in the cold. My hand clenched, and I saw that I was still holding Keith's blade. His weird, alien blade that... transformed into a bigger one. As soon as he threw it to me, though, it turned back. I'd have to figure out how that was possible too. How any of this was possible. I put the blade in my bag, then started walking home. I needed to think somewhere that didn't look like a crime scene. When I entered Hunk looked at me strangely.

"Dude, everything alright? You look like you just saw a ghost." I walked past him.

"Don't worry. I'm fine. Honestly," I lied. Then went upstairs. I sat down on my bed and pulled out the knife. The strange symbol on the handle still glowed. This was just all so confusing. And stressful.

**Mention of self harm ahead. It's not a huge part, but I don't want anyone getting angry with me for not putting a warning. **

My heart was thumping fast, my hands were shaking, and my stomach felt sick. Mierda. I thought I could be done with anxiety. Well, hoped. Of course it never left after last year. I opened my eyes. I had to find something to distract myself. I glanced down at the scars on my wrist. No. I couldn't let that happen again.

**Warning over.**

I looked around the room. My eyes landed on many things. First the posters with photos of the ocean, and home. Next the guitar rested against the wall. The soccer ball on the floor. The stars I had stuck to the roof to make it seem more like home. My vision trailed to the desk. I landed on the photo Keith had given me. I leaned over and picked it up. I looked at Keith. I saw my friend; or at least I hoped so. I noticed something about his eyes in the photo. There was something there that didn't show now. There was a certain... sparkle in that photo that wasn't there anymore. I smiled. I wanted to see Keith happy like that again. And that would mean having to tell Shiro, and rescue him.