His Dystopia || {Klance AU}

Chapter 1

The boy ran through the dark streets, stumbling on cracked concrete and age old rubble as his protective mask fogged up, completely obscuring his vision.

His footprints echoed loudly through abandoned houses and cracked glass, gutter children peered up from the sides of the road to see what the noise was as he ran past. They soon just ignored him though, nobody wanted to do anything to aggravate the Galra, and these children knew worse than most what the Galra were capable of.

All were orphans, most lost their parents in the bombings, several others had parents who had attempted to stand up to the Galra, they suffered even worse in their deaths.

The dark figure continued to run through the streets, his scarf flapping in the wind behind him. Ducking into an allyway, he swung his pack off his back. He retrieved a vial from one of the pockets of his jacket. He held the small glass container up to his goggles to try and see but his vision was too steamed up from his sweat and his heavy breaths in his mask.

He quickly stuffed the small object into his backpack, messing around with the contents until he was sure it was secure and invisible from sight.

Only a couple of streets left until he reached the secret base though. And even though he couldn't read the signs through his goggles, the purple, glowing monstrosity of a tower that marked the centre of the Galra empire was landmark enough to navigate by.

When the boy was younger his grandfather had used to tell him stories of how they used to navigate by the stars but a thick smoke hid the night sky from view, noone has been able to see the stars in years. He turned another corner now ceasing to run and searching for the correct doorway, sticking to the shadows for fear of Galra patrols that roam these parts of the city.

Number 55 South Avenue greeted him warmly; the faded, peeling red door a beacon of hope for all those who knew of The Operation. The panting boy knocked his fist on the doorway; 7 knocks; long short long, pause, long long short long. He recited the pattern in his head as he did every single time he arrived here

The door creaked open ever so slowly, revealing a beautiful, elfin looking girl of about 17. He knew her as Allura, she was the eldest daughter of the family who originally owned the house. She beckoned him inside with a single finger, and locked the door tightly shut behind her; first the deadbolt at the top, then the one at the bottom, two keys were turned in their respective keyholes before being hung back on a chain around her neck, and finally a metal bar slotted through too iron loops.

The boy slid down against the plaster wall, exhaling a deep breath as he unstrapped his goggles and mask from his head revealing a pointed, somewhat gaunt, pale face with an almost invisible sprinkling of freckles over his nose. He ruffled his ebony hair back into its usual messy style after being flattened by his headgear all day. His eyes were a stormy grey but held far too much pain and tiredness for a normal eighteen year old.

Allura nodded towards him and addressed him directly, "Keith," she said matter of factly, "shouldn't you go through to HQ now?"

The dark haired boy simply shook his head and brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them close. His head drooped low. "Not yet," he whispered softly. Keith wasn't quite ready to face his allies quite yet, he needed a couple of moments of peace.

"Do you want some water? I think I might have a few rations left if you're hungry," Allura asked slowly, her voice quiet; aware of how the young man must feel.

"I'm fine," Keith said simply, tilting his head back against the cold wall, sweat and grime dripping down the sides of his face and his neck curdling with blood at his collarbone. After inhaling deeply he stood back up, wincing slightly and clutching at his side. Allura watched the crimson of blood blossom through the dark leather he wore.