Don't Ask About My Demons

Monster

Hagne stepped into the hanger, resting her eyes on the back of the Red Paladin as he crouched over the pieces of the Red lion. "Hello," she said politely.

Keith said nothing, his eyes glued to his work.

Hagne sat beside him with her legs folded neatly beneath her. She smoothed down the edges of her cloak and watched him work.

"You're in my light," he said without looking up.

Hagne shifted her position to allow a dim light to reflect off the ball joints and rods in the Red lion's neck. She watched Keith's delicate work for a few minutes more before speaking. "So this is your lion."

"Yes." He flipped the piece over to work on the other side.

"Interesting. And you never switch? You always pilot the same one?"

"Why would we need to?" Keith asked without sparing Hagne a glance. "Hand me that screwdriver, will you?" He held out a hand just long enough for the exchange to be made.

"You still need to train. Do the others allow you to borrow their lion for such occasions? Have you ever tried piloting the Black Lion?"

Keith glanced at her, violet eyes boring into hers. "You're asking an awful lot of questions," he said suspiciously.

"I didn't mean to offend you." Her bright eyes twinkled and, for a moment, Keith felt a strange sensation come over him. He wanted to tell her everything he knew. He wanted to spill every secret he knew about Voltron--no. Keith blinked and shook the thought away. He noticed her frown for a split second before she smiled again. "It was a simple question. But if you don't have what it takes to fly the black lion then I guess you're just like any other pilot in the galaxy." She sighed. "It's a shame, really."

The screw squeaked as he turned it too tight. Keith looked down at what he was doing and corrected it. "...I flew the black lion... once." He wasn't sure why he brought that up. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have to impress anyone, especially nosy strangers.

"Then you can."

"But Shiro pilots it." Keith paused, dropping the screwdriver. "He--they've bonded."

"My dear, the black lion has bonded with many over the years."

He looked to her with curiosity. "How do you know so much about Voltron?"

"I'm older than I look, boy."

"How old?"

"Now, now, we don't ask a lady her age. Haven't your parents taught you anything?"

He shrugged. His gaze dropped to the floor. "Well... no."

"Ah." She nodded. "Orphan, eh?"

"I prefer not to talk about it."

"You aren't alone. War has made many an orphan," she replied distantly.

"You were--"

"Shh... yes, dear. But I was young. I hardly remember them now."

"I didn't know."

"Few do. And few understand what it's like to be truly alone."

"Yeah... I understand that."

"But you have your team now."

"They're pretty great..."

"But they're not your family. Not by blood, anyway."

"Yeah, but they're still family."

"Mhmm..." she hummed in agreement. "And what about the blue Paladin? More than just family? Perhaps... a lover?"