His Rival

No Going Back

Hello everyone, Jess here!

Now that I've had a break from my studies, I'm back with a longer chapter (29.2 pages/ 10,118 words). So be sure to take breaks as needed.

If you have any questions or comments about this chapter, let me know; I'd like to hear from you!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

*Trigger Warning: Continuing Themes of Sexual Assault*

Your head spun as you knocked on Allura's door, each pant slicing through your throat. Within the next moment, she had slid open the door, dusty pink nightgown swaying with the breeze.

"Allura, could I borrow one of your uniforms and change in your bathroom?" Her brows upturned at the tremors in your voice, the liquid pain oozing from the corners of your eyes.

"Of course (Y/n), did you and Keith just have a fight?" Not even a second after the door closed behind you, her eyes widened with alarm, pointing out the darkening hickey on your neck "What's that? Don't tell me he..." Your throat closed up at how her face blanched, swiftly tossing your head.

"No, Keith would never, I was the one that asked for this last night." Her forehead creased at that, sharp edges of her narrowed eyes melting away.

"Then why are you crying like that?" With just one look, she could tell that something deeper was going on, azure irises darkening. Before long, you found yourself curled up into a ball on her bed, sobbing relentlessly in her warm embrace. Your head just wouldn't stop pounding, every feeble explanation tearing your wounds raw. It hurt to even breathe, realizing what must be done.

"I hate to say it (Y/n), but you and Keith have tried everything except putting space between you both." You inhaled sharply as she caught onto the same train of thought, wiping your tears on the hem of your shirt.

"As much as the thought of that breaks my heart, you're right." This wasn't the first time you had been faced with such an impossible decision, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Saying goodbye to Keith after Griffin's ultimatum had torn you to shreds, but now you actually had to go through with it!

It was a notion you could hardly bear, but what other choice did you have if you wanted to keep Keith safe? You had made that part of it adamantly clear to him already, now all that was left was to find some way to leave and put distance between you both.

"Krolia, how are you managing?" Sam began, wrinkles of his face pronouncing as he spared her a glance across the table. "I know it's not the greatest news to hear upon your return, but you deserved to know."

Your teammates and the usual horde of Garrison officials had gathered in the high-security briefing room, the atmosphere so thick that you could cut it with a knife as everyone looked to Keith's mother. Her reforged navy and black armor only made her ever the more formidable, emphasizing her status as Kolivan's counterpart. But the dark creases under her hollow eyes told a different story, a rare glimpse at the sorrows that brewed beneath her tough exterior.

"It'll just take time for me to wrap my head around it" she professed, words hanging heavy in the air. "After all these decaphoebs of searching, I killed her, my only sister. I don't regret it, but still."

"It was hard on all of us Mom" Keith offered, sharing a look with her before giving you the side eye. Your hand fell to your elbow at that, averting his scathing stare. Right, his whole world had been torn asunder by the same truth bomb, by the knowledge that James had been his own flesh and blood all this time. When was the last time you had consoled him on that matter, that you ever bothered to care about what he was going through?