[KLANCE] Impulse Control

Impulse Control

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Hard to say." Coran responded to Keith, twisting his mustache between his fingers. "It doesn't look painful, at least."

"What even is that thing?" Hunk squinted at the healing pod, moving around it in a wide circle to figure it out.

Allura clapped her hands together, a bright look forming on her face. "Ah, Coran! It's from the Altean story!"

Coran twisted around to look at the Princess, a perplexed look taking over his features, before finally they snapped to realization. "Ah, the Moving Limbs! I see, I see."

They all glanced at Coran, worried sick, except for Pidge, who merely looked intrigued.

"The Moving Limbs? What's that?" Their voice was full of wonder.

"Ah, it's an old Altean tale told to children to keep them in line." Coran explained. "It's said that if one misbehaves, there's a chance they can grow slimy limbs from their body. It terrified Princess Allura as a child."

Hunk took a closer look at the healing pod. "So... like... tentacles?"

"Oh my god." Keith exasperated as soon as Pidge let loose with laughter.

"Holy shit!! He's so right!"

"Pidge, watch your language." Shiro glared at them before turning back to Allura. "Is it dangerous?"

"Not at all, actually." She smiled. "The limbs— er , tentacles, as you call them— merely act on the host's interest. The reason it's a horror story is because Altea was most strict with their schooling system. If a child didn't want to be in a particular class, the limbs would simply move it out of there."

"So," Hunk summarized. "It acts on impulse?"

"Exactly."

Keith glanced back over at the healing pod. The tentacles weren't moving right now, but he had no doubt they would cause a frenzy once Lance woke up.

Something Keith had a hard time understanding was Lance's desire to constantly move. He was usually tapping on the counter or bouncing his leg, and sometimes he would run around the castle to get unused energy out of his system. It was perfect when they trained against gladiators, but exhausting everywhere else.

If the tentacles really did act on impulse, Lance would be flying around the room.

They were about the size of Lance's body, maybe minus his head, and were curled around his body while inside the healing pod. They were a deep saturated blue, but unlike octopus tentacles, they were completely smooth. Keith wondered how they could get around without surface tension, but nothing else in his life was normal, so why would this apply?

"Well," Shiro spoke up, drawing Keith's attention back to the group. "He should be out soon. Keith, why don't you stay and watch the healing pod."

Keith gave him a quick thumbs up before people started to move out of the room. Pidge and Hunk were walking slowly while whispering to each other, smirks covering their faces, while Keith sat next to Lance.

He wasn't sure how long he had to wait, but he was getting pretty bored, and soon he found his eyes closing, and sleep taking control of him.

.

He woke up to the feeling of slime dripping down his cheek. It woke him up with a startling jolt, but his body eased only slightly when he saw Lance crouched in front of him.

His eyes were dark lidded, his usual smile replaced by sometime much more serious as his tentacle limb ran its way across Keith's face, tracing his cheek and pushing back his hair.