Saving Him

He Would Never... Would He?

      Despite Matt's attempts, Keith continued disappearing. Matt refused to tell anyone where Keith had been going. He was grieving and he deserved time to cope alone if that's what he wanted. However, duty calls.
"I get it, you want to preserve his time alone, but can you please go get him?" Katie pleaded, "Shiro's just trying to get us all together. Some sort of mission, I guess."
Matt looked at her skeptically before she sighed.
"I swear I won't follow you. Just get him please." She turned away, lazily waving her hand in the air as she spoke.
Matt let out a huff of amusement, before doing as he was told.

—

Keith was standing when he got there. And smiling. Smiling at Adam's plaque, like someone had just made the best joke in the entire world.
"Feeling good today?" Matt asked lightheartedly, while approaching him.
Keith looked over his shoulder, "Yeah. Definitely."
Matt took a step back. He wasn't just smiling.
"I thought I could do it today," Keith laughed, "I thought I could go one day without winding up here. I really tried, I mean I promised him! But I just can't!"
He was spiraling. His eyes were wild and his hands were expressive, much more so than usual. Tears were holding tight to his eyes, threatening to fall.
"You know it's hilarious! I mean nobody's supposed to see me like this, and here you are! Right in front of me! They make jokes about this all the time, I know you hear them, 'I bet Keith has never felt a day in his life.' Oh! Oh! And here's a really good one, 'How many times was this kid dropped on his head? Maybe he cried so much they thought dropping him would make him stop!'" He was caving in on himself, laughing sporadically, letting tears fall to the ground beneath him.
Matt stood in shock. He had never been like this before. This was new. God he wished he could make his pain stop.
"Keith, man, I need you to breathe, okay?" Matt tried, testing the waters.
His head shook violently, arms wrapping around himself, "I can't- I can't do- I can't-"
He was hyperventilating now. Breathing so shallow and so fast, Matt wasn't sure how long he would hold his consciousness.
Then he remembered. Colors. Colors helped Katie whenever she had an attack. It was a common practice, and Matt prayed that Keith could understand.
"Keith? Rainbow, dude. Look for the colors." Matt spoke as calmly as he could, slowly inching his way closer.
Keith didn't process the instruction at first, too busy losing air and his vision. But after a few repetitions, the words reached his ears. And he listened.
Matt watched as he wrenched his gaze off of the ground, flitting his eyes from the ground, to the clouds, to the Garrison building. He could see his lips moving, mouthing something incomprehensible.
Matt was watching helplessly, hoping, praying that he would breathe again. He realized he couldn't just watch anymore; he had to do something.
His face flushed as he slowly approached the shaking boy, reaching his arms around him. Keith stilled for a moment, too shocked to move. As the initial surprise wore off, he reciprocated the action. The two boys stood in silence. Keith hid his face in Matt's shoulder and cried silently. Matt placed his head atop the smaller boy's, and took in every second. He rubbed small circles on Keith's back, and he let him. Matt didn't know how to feel.
As Keith's tears slowed, Matt held his shoulders, and looked into his eyes.
"I was told to come find you. There's a mission Shiro wants you on, but I'll cover for you if you don't want-"
Keith interrupts before he can finish, "No. I need- I have to go. But- I..."
He trailed off, refusing to look Matt in the eyes. Matt knew what he needed.
"I'll come with you."
Keith doesn't respond, but his eyes flickered with a semblance of happiness. Matt took that as a success.

——

Matt walked side by side with Keith to the control room. His heart beat so loud that he was afraid Keith could hear it. He'd never been this nervous in his life, standing next to someone he held so dear.
When they arrived, it was clear the others were waiting.
"Could you two have taken any longer?" Lance groaned.
"Sorry! Took me a while to find him today," Matt lied through his teeth as he felt Keith tense beside him.
His sister stared at him, clearly not believing his story. Keith and Matt joined the others at the table, and the eyes fell to Keith, waiting for an explanation.
"It won't happen again" Keith spoke clearly, contradicting his body language.
"Keith, this is not the first time you've said that. You need to tell us where you've been going. It's distracting you from your work" Allura spoke sternly.
Keith's shaking hand found its way into Matt's. Matt gave him the support he needed with a light squeeze.
"It's not important, and frankly none of your business. I'm here now. Get on with the meeting." His voice hadn't been that strong in a long time. Matt couldn't help but smile.
Allura looked taken aback, but Shiro continued anyway.
"As I've told the rest, another Galran base has been located not far from here. Its capacity is unknown. We have to get there soon."
"Okay. What's the plan?"
Matt didn't register who said that. His fingers laced through Keith's, and Keith didn't resist. In fact, he held tighter. He expected to feel embarrassed, but if anything, he'd never felt more certain of anything in his life. Keith was more than just his friend, Keith was his.
Keith's hand slipped from Matt's, bringing the boy back to the present. Matt expected to find the other snapping back to reality, a look of disgust on his face. Instead, Keith stood away from the table, beckoning Matt to follow. The rest of the team had headed off to their lions, so Keith was waiting for him.
His sister snuck up behind him, causing him to jump when she put a hand on his shoulder.
Before he could respond, she whispered, "Go get him, loverboy."
Matt swatted her away, and she laughed. Keith stood in the same place, waiting, with a smile on his face. God, was he beautiful.
Keith led him to his hangar. Red purred as they entered.
"She likes you" Keith expressed, gratefully.
"Well, tell her that I like her too," He replied.

——

Keith's whole world was rocked. Matt was his only constant, the only thing he'd been able to rely on. He couldn't ruin that. But he looked so nice. God, was he beautiful.
Keith was trying to learn how to stop being selfish, but at that moment, he couldn't stop himself. He rolled up onto his toes, and kissed him. He kissed him. He kissed Matthew Holt.
He backed up immediately, hand covering his mouth. He was beating himself internally, knowing that this was the end. No more peaceful moments, sitting in mutual silence, admiring Matt's beauty. This was it.

——

Matt froze. All he could do was stare. Keith kissed him. He kissed him. He was kissed by Keith Kogane.
He rushed forward, taking the most handsome being in the entire universe into his arms. Matt held Keith's head, and kissed him. He ran his hands through his jet-black hair, and felt the warmth of Keith's lips seep into him. He had his whole world in his arms, and he never wanted to let go.
Muffled voices broke out over the comms playing from Keith's helmet. Keith broke the kiss, but the smile on his face made up for it.
"Fucking cock-block," Matt muttered under his breath.
Keith laughed as he picked up his helmet, placing it on his head.
"Keith, do you copy?" Shiro spoke.
"Yeah. We're coming out now" Keith responded.
"Do you guys have to take forever to do everything?" Lance expressed his frustration loudly, gaining a barking laughter from Pidge.
"Shut up Katie!" Matt yelled, which only made her laugh harder.

——

Hi!
It's been an obscenely long time since I've updated this, but once again I've succumbed to my monthly Voltron brainrot. I have this chapter and the next chapter done, but after that, I make no promises lol. I hope to be back in less than a year this time.
All the best,
      Your Author