Down Memory Lane - Voltron

Chapter 16 - Back to the Castle

/* Still got a ways to go, getting into the klangst :) */

Keith's POV

Coran meets them in the bridge asking about the mission.

"Great job, Paladins! How was the mission? Is that a Turian Pearl?" Coran congratulates them in his nasally voice.

"Yes, we got it from the caverns," Allura explains.

"Well, I'll take it off your hands, Keith," Coran says. He takes the Pearl from Keith's arms, and Keith has to control the sudden terror gripping his heart as the orb leaves his arms.

"There was a purple octopus who played with our pasts and fears to test us," Lance explains.

"What is an octopus?" Coran wonders.

"It was the Entity, Coran," Allura clarifies. Coran's eyes widen hilariously.

"You met the Entity of the Mountain? I thought he was just a myth. That is so exciting!" Coran fanboys. Keith can't take much more, so he grumbles some excuse about training to no one in particular and tries to slip away quietly. Tries is the keyword.

"Keith? Where are you going?" Shiro stops him. Damn.

"Training," he answers not stopping, keeping his eyes trained ahead of him on escape.

"No. We should talk about what happened," Lance picks up. Who asked him?

"Why? It's in the past; it doesn't matter anymore," Keith argues, anger rising in his chest. He doesn't want to talk to them about his past; the wound was too recently opened.

"If it didn't matter, then it wouldn't bother you as much as it seems to," Lance argues back. Seriously, why does he care?

"Because we care about you, stupid," Lance bites. Oops, he must have said that last part out loud. Keith rolls his eyes at Lance's response though. Honestly no one has truly cared about him ever. There's always strings attached.

"Keith, please. It would help if we talk about it," Shiro continues when Keith doesn't say anything. Keith huffs out a loud sigh.

"No, sorry. I need to go train," he says.

"You don't have to talk to us right now, and we are here for you when you need us. But you are forbidden from training today. Get a shower and rest; you need it," Shiro replies. Keith groans, but Shiro had pulled out his Dad voice, so he nods grudgingly. Finally, Keith leaves the bridge.

Shiro is right; he wants a shower, so he heads to his room to grab a nice hot one. He takes a lot longer than he expected; the water was soothing on his aching muscles. He changes into his gear intending on sneaking to the training room despite Shiro's order. He wants to fight until his thoughts are gone. Only when he fights do his dark thoughts disappear. And when he is with a certain blue-eyed paladin, but Keith doesn't want to face any of them right now.

His stomach grumbles pitifully as he picks his way to the training room. He ignores it for the moment. He would get something from the kitchen, but someone is probably in there. Like Hunk or Pidge or Lance. Keith's heart pings at the last name, but no, Keith doesn't want to see the pity in his favorite eyes.

Keith makes it to the training room, and he scrutinizes the halls around him and the large room in front of him. Just to be sure Shiro isn't lurking in the shadows waiting for Keith to disobey him. The coast seems clear, so Keith enters the room, and starts stretching.

"Bad, Mullet," a familiar voice tsks behind him. Keith spins to see Lance leaning against the door of the gym. "Shiro told you not to train today. Pidge caught you on camera heading here, so Shiro sent me to stop you."

Keith rolls his eyes, turning to stare at one of the cameras on the wall. He flicks off whoever may be watching him. Lance huffs out a short chuckle.

"Seriously, dude, what are you doing? We had a long day. Why are you still training?"

"Because I need to be better, Lance," Keith retorts.

"You are an amazing fighter, but if you keep pushing yourself too hard, you're gonna break down," Lance answers softly.

"You don't understand. You're fucking perfect at everything," Keith growls, eyes furrowing in anger. Lance looks surprised by that.

"What? I'm not perfect at anything. You're the one who was best pilot at the Garrison; you became the Black Paladin. You are perfect how you are. Why can't you see that?" Lance replies. Why is Lance being so nice to him? Tears prick at Keith's eyes, but he is not going to cry again today.

"You saw my life. How can you think I am anything good?" Keith asks. Lance steps closer.

"Because I know you, Keith. You are always protecting me and the rest of the team. Let us help you," Lance says, his voice dripping with kindness. Lance wraps Keith in a hug, holding up the broken boy.

Keith's stomach takes that moment to make an obnoxiously loud grumble. Keith groans as Lance chuckles.

"Your stomach agrees with me," Lance jokes. Then his eyes turn serious, "When was the last time you ate?"

"Umm. I think I had dinner last night," Keith answers.

"No, you didn't. You forgot to come down. Oh my God, Keith, you haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday, have you? We're going to the kitchen, no but's. Hunk is cooking tonight," Lance says. Keith lets the charming boy tug him out of the training room.