VOLTRON ONE-SHOTS

Keith - Static and Sound pt. 1

He- he wasn't gonna back down with that at stake (no matter how much he wanted to-), and to be honest with himself here, Keith wasn't comfortable with the idea of losing sight of Shiro. He'd spent a year shouldering that grief, and now that he had him back Keith had no intention of letting him go.

Not right now anyway.

((Never again-))

"Entering atmosphere now," Coran's voice echoed around in his brain, the low shuddering of the castle floor under his feet was enough to bring him out of his thoughts, eyes landing on the screen in front of them, arms crossing even tighter over his chest as he caught sight of the looming teal jungle they were about to descend upon.

Keith was already too wired up from the thoughts swirling around his head, he wasn't ashamed to admit jumping at the touch on his shoulder, eyes flicking wildly to meet Shiro's far-too-concerned-to-be-healthy gaze.

Dark brows deepened towards the teen's reaction, "You okay?"

Obviously no, all because they were going to this fucking party and he already fucking said he didn't want to go but he couldn't just fucking get over himself and take it for the team and he swears he isn't about to fucking cry in fucking frustration like a fucking four-year-old- "I'm fine."

Shiro's expression said otherwise.

Dammit, why did he have to be so good at reading him?

With a barely contained grimace Keith shrugged the man's hand off, arms still crossed and looking to the floor as he fought to keep his screaming insides in check, numbing the panic in the greater favor of not wanting to be a bother to everyone else-

He hated parties.

"Just remember I'll be here the whole time," Shiro's voice was low to avoid the rest of the team from overhearing, tone still gentle enough to prod at the mound of knots buried in his chest, "I promise, I won't let anything happen that you don't feel comfortable with and you can leave awhile if you absolutely need to but-"

"I should stay for the alliance, I know," Keith muttered, fingers clenching the Altean jacket-clad over his arms, the unfamiliar feeling under his fingertips doing next to nothing to calm him.

Shiro's frown only deepened at his hardened tone, but for both their sakes he didn't say more, just giving one last look of encouragement in his direction before turning to follow the rest of the team filing down to the castle entrance, the massive spaceship now firmly planted on the ground.

Against his better judgment, Keith took a moment or two on the silent bridge, drawing the small amount of strength he could from being alone.

It didn't stop his eyes from glimpsing view of the bare clearing ahead though, the pale lights strung in the trees swaying in an unseen breeze, the sight of the familiar beings dressed in elegance and grace already walking in, fully prepared for the evening ahead while the glittering lights of their city sat not too far in the distance-

The rest of the team would already be to the ground by now-

His stomach tightened.

Maybe now was a good time to turn around and follow.

With clenched fists, he forced himself to turn, sucking in another breath in an attempt to calm himself before heading towards the doors, the fit of the Altean suit unfamiliar and uncomfortable around his legs as he walked, and everything was beginning to feel so wrong, he wanted to get out of here-

"There you are."

His head shot up at the voice, heart hammering a little softer in his chest once he recognized it to be Shiro walking towards him.