He has the same hair color, eye color, and skin color. I want it to be him. I silently believe it's him. "What truth?" The heavy built man exits the room. He's a little taller than me. He's kind of hot too.
"Private conversation Keith."
"So you know him?" I wrap a bandage around my fist and arms. I bring out the punching bag.
"I do, yes." Coran gets up. He mumbles something, but I can only make out half the words. "-knows you too." I ponder on those three words. What could that mean? Does that guy like me? That wouldn't be so bad. An image of Lance pops in my head.
I start punching the bag. I do this to be ready. For who I have to kill to get to him. For making sure I can protect him when he's back. I want be there for him. The punches echo in the background of my mind as I reminisce on the times before his disappearance. If it weren't for Lance's rash thinking we wouldn't be here today.
"Keith, your crying." Pidge pops her head into the room. She has her hair in a ponytail. I continue punching the bag. I don't bother to wipe away my tears. "Stop being angry with yourself and sit down." She pats the seat next to her. I head over and start unwrapping my hands. When I'm done I lay my head on her lap and cry.
She strokes my now long hair. "We'll find him," I say between sniffles. She just runs her hand through my hair trying to calm me down.
"I know we will. It's okay." She's looking towards the ceiling. Probably thinking. I love that she never loses hope. It's her best trait. When I'm done crying she tells me to look her in the eye. "We will find him. Knowing Lance he's probably joking around with some new friends he's made."
I smile to myself and laugh a little. She's probably right. It's hard to imagine Lance being sad. If he was he wouldn't stay sad for long. Thinking of him being happy reminds me of his laugh. I feel like I can still hear it.
^^^
I laugh loudly as the prisoners break into singing in the dining hall. We sing this one slave song the we made when we were bored. I remember one day when the guards were passing by they were singing it. It's a catchy song.
"Bring the rum 'round!
Take another bow!
Cause last time 'round!
We didn't a chance!
So join me in this dance!
As we toast to the crown!"
The song was cheery. I would dance around with everyone. We were hopping around dancing, singing, and laughing.
"Cursed to see another day!
Much to my dismay!
I'll drink another down!
And make another toast to the crown!"
Our shouts were probably heard through the whole castle. I see Coran in the corner laughing and I see Hunk watching. He seems like he wants to join. I walk over to them.
"Come on you two! We're not celebrating by ourselves now are we!" Coran shakes his head and gets in the party. Hunk is still reluctant. "Oh, come one!" I pull his arm and bring up on the table. "State your name please kind sir."
"Um, Hunk, my name is Hunk." I give him a big pat on the back.
"Well, Hunk! Sing what you have on your mind!" Everyone shouts and cheers.
"B-but I don't know what to say."
"Say what's on your mind. You see that guy over there in the orange hair. He singing his soul out." We look over to where Coran is.
Everyone's clapping out the beat.
"Who's a jolly ol' fellow!
Handsome and brave and free!
He'll be your hero!
It's Coran Coran the gorgeous man!
It's Coran Coran the gorgeous man!"
Hunk is laughing at Coran's improv. "So what do ya' say?" Hunk thinks for a second.
"I've been here so long.
I have no idea what to do.
Especially since I miss you.
So I'll carry on.
With my chin held high.
I'll carry on.
I won't cry." He holds out the last note.
"1! 2! 3!"
"So bottoms up!
All around!
Trash this dump!
With new friends found!
And when it's all done!
We'll carry on!
So let's jump! Let's move around!
And toast to the gooood oolll' crooooowwwwnn!"
There was laughing, there was drinking (non-alcoholic obviously). There was dancing, there was singing. I laugh alongside fellow prisonmates. Keith and Pidge finally enter the hall. "Look who finally decided to join us!"
"What's all this?" Pidge seems to fit right in. She left Keith to dance with some of the others.
"It's exactly what it looks like. A celebration!" Keith laughs. Loudly. It's the first time I've ever really heard him laugh. He seems to have let go of all his cares. "Wanna have some fun?" I extend my hand. He just stares at it thinking.
"Sure." As soon as his hand is in mine I pull him to the middle of dance floor. We dance wildly. Letting ourselves go. That's all everyone did. Shiro and Allura joined later. We all celebrate the night away.
On the way back to my room I'm talking to S about the importance of this. "Everybody here has been held captive for too long. Now that they have the chance to let loose they are going to parrr-tay!" His robotic laughter sounded sarcastic, but I knew it was real. Gurk was already in the room. "Get some sleep you guys. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."
"Where are you going?"
"My old room." Gurk nodded and turned over in his bed. S powered down to recharge. I head for my old room. When I get there I make sure nobody's around. "The coast is clear." I turn to see Coran behind me all of a sudden.
"Where did you come from?"
"That's not the point. The point is the coast is clear." I thank him and enter the room. I look around. Nothing has changed. At all. My face masks are still in the drawer. My bed is just as neat as the day I left it. Messy. I chuckle to myself.
I exit the room, tears in my eyes. Coran hugs me and comforts me. "Lane!" Keith comes from around the corner. "What's wrong?"
"He's fine," Coran says holding me. I'm a real mess. "Here." Coran hands me to Keith. "Take him to his room or yours. It doesn't matter. Just be there for him okay." Coran walks away.
"Lane. Let's head to my room. It's close." I wipe my nose on my shirt.
"Sure." When we make it to his room he sits me on his bed. He brings me a cup of water and sits next to me. I watch him fiddle his fingers while I drink. When I'm done with it he takes the cup and goes back awkwardly to just sitting there. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." He does the awkward laugh. I can tell he wants to ask me something.
"You can ask."
"What are you talking about?" I lean closer.
"What do you want to ask me?" I move back to my spot. He's completely flustered, but maybe it'll give him the confidence to ask. Honestly I'm surprised at this behavior from Keith.
"I wanted to ask you what was wrong?"
"That's all?" He nodded. I sigh. "Four years. That's how long I was there."
"The Galra ship." I nod.
"I had already given up hope of leaving that place. I was literally done. I didn't care about getting saved." I look towards the ceiling. "Can we go see the stars outside?" He nods and takes my hand. He leads me to his lion. "Put this on." He hands me a helmet and space suit. I put it on and get inside the lion.
He takes off into the vacuum of space. He lands on a nearby asteroid and let's me out. I sit down and look at the stars. I pat the spot next to me so he can come and look at them with me. "Have you ever wondered where your place is in this world?"
"Many times," he says. His answer surprises me. What does Keith have to worry about?
"Same. I always wonder if I'm meeting others' expectations. You know, back there, in the castle, that's the most free I've ever felt. EVER." He nodded. We stare into the vast starry sky. "Keith, hypothetically speaking, if you were captured and your friends couldn't find you for a long time how would that make you feel?"
"I would probably feel lonely. I would feel afraid and I would wonder if they forgot about me."
"And if they finally found you would want to tell them immediately or test them."
"I think I would test them. If my absence was important I think I would like to know. If it wasn't then why would coming back matter." He looked down from spectacular scene. "You know," he starts. "A friend of mine was captured. 4 years ago." He nervously chuckles. "I made a vow to never give up looking. That's exactly what I plan to do. If you want you can help. We have to get all the prisoners back home. After I'm done with my set you can help me for a bit and then we can take you home."
"I don't need to go back to Earth actually." That was a huge lie, but not bigger than the one next to him. "I don't have anybody back home. Only child." I nervously chuckle.
"Great that means you can help out more. And your friends too. I don't know about the robot though."
"Don't worry he's good. We made special connection with him while he guarded our cell for the first months. Or years." His head lowers again. "Hard to tell time from a prison cell." I laugh it off. "Let's get back. Oh, and, thanks for cheering me up."
His face was written with confusion. I laugh and call him back to the lion. When we get back I head to my room immediately. "Gurk," I whisper yell. He's startled, but calms down.
"What do you want so late?"
"I have a plan, but I need you to help me. Can you do that?"
"Lance, I'll do anything for you and you know that." I nod.
"Okay. Well we have to wake up early, so go back to sleep. I'll explain tomorrow." Gurk goes back to sleep and I head to my. And for the first time in a long time I go to sleep happy.