So this is a small birthday drabble for the amazing @wildixia!!! She’s the most amazing person and so wonderful and talented and sweet and BEAUTIFUL inside and out - and also has AMAZING DREAMS!? This is actually based off of a dream that she had that she told me about, so I hope this does it a small justice :P Anyway, hope you enjoy some Sheithy angst! :D
“WHERE IS HE!?”
“Keith!” A smattering collection of his name filled the room, surprised eyes and a few concerned blinks registered in the paladin’s mind, but his attention was fully fixated on the white-haired Altean he was currently stomping towards.
“Keith! - you’re back? - ack -!”
A rough shoulder plunging into another sent Lance grunting loudly as he stumbled to the side, a whine followed the gesture but Keith was far too engulfed in the flames consuming him from the inside to care.
“Dude - what’s your problem!?”
Keith didn’t pass a glance over his shoulder, but the hushed whispers coming from Pidge was likely all the answer Lance needed. Keith’s eyes blazed as Allura’s expression hardened further as he charged towards her, he felt his lip twitch as her eyes narrowed, arms folding in front of her in a defensive gesture.
She knew what he was doing here, all right.
“Keith, you need to be more careful - the castle wasn’t prepared for you to board -”
SLAM
Allura’s lecture was cut short as the loud sound of Keith’s fist connecting with the white wall reverberated through the room - the accompanying noise was nothing but the huffing from the brunet as he stared directly in front of him, eyes as sharp as daggers as they pierced into Allura’s eyes.
“Where. Is. Shiro.”
Blue orbs flashed in light concern for only a moment, but they returned to a stoic glare as Allura straightened her posture and crossed her arms. “He’s been contained for the time being, Keith.”
“Whatt’do you mean contained? The hell does that even mean!?”
“Exactly what I said, Keith.”
“Youlocked him up!” The paladin’s voice nearly cracked as his hands flew out on either side of him, his voice an echo around the glowing blue devices. “Like a prisoner!That’s not containment!”
“Technically he’s in a containment unit - so really he is -”
“HUNK!”
Keith was saved his breath as Pidge and Lance’s united shout filled the room to silence Hunk, the only sound now the panting, angry breaths that kept Keith from shouting again.
Allura’s eyes dropped after a long pause, a hand coming up to rub her temple. He could see the dark rings under her eyes clearly then, and for a moment Keith almost felt bad for raising his voice to her.
Almost.
“He’s being kept in the isolated oubliette in the East wing of the castle, but Keith -”
Allura hadn’t a chance to finish her sentence before Keith had already spun on his feet, and Lance was quick to remove himself from Keith’s path this time as he dashed passed them, leaving the four in the room staring after his afterimage as the door swished closed behind him.
“…he’s not gonna…do anything is he?”
Lance’s voice broke the silence as he turned towards Allura, the white-haired Altean’s brows furrowed as she stared at the closed door.
“I don’t think so. He knows enough by now to know that Shiro…” She swallowed hard before she turned, shaking her head before she continued. “To know that Shiro is a danger to us.”
“What if he releases him?” Hunk’s eyes flashed to the side, nervously twitching his fingers as he looked around.
“He won’t do that.” Pidge defended a second later. “We’d know right away if he tried anything.”
“Uuuhh,” Lance sang nervously, scratching at his head. “maybe I should go with him just in case - he’s really impulsive -”
“-No.” Allura rose a hand, shaking her head again. “Leave him alone.” Blue eyes dropped as she sighed, turning back around to face the projected screens in front of her. “He deserves that much.”
~
“Shiro!” Keith’s call echoed loudly in the vast space. The light blue thrumming of energy that danced along the dark walls in neat rectangles cast the space in an eerie glow, and the only sound that could be heard were the pounding of Keith’s footsteps as he dashed along the narrow pathway.
His voice immediately reached the small unit on the other end, the person inside instantly sitting up to spin around at the sound of his name. Deep chocolate eyes widened in surprise the moment they set their sight upon the source of the noise.
Shiro.
Keith felt a prickle in the corner of his eyes, the strange mix of frustration and happiness of seeing Shiro’s face again was almost overwhelming as he jogged faster, and he clenched his jaw hard to keep the tears from spilling over his cheeks.
This was so wrong.
“Shiro -” Keith’s voice cracked as what felt a lifetime passed before he finally reached the unit, skidding to a halt just before he slammed full force into the thick glass barrier. Words were lost to him as he stared up at the man before him, panting heavily as he balled his hands into fists in anger.
Tired eyes met blazing purple, and the ragged appearance of the older man’s face melted away just slightly as a small, weary smile tipped his lips. “Keith.” The relief in the black paladin’s voice made Keith weak in the knees, and the familiar feeling of nausea mixed with the urge to scream twisted Keith’s expression into bitter grimace.
No. This was wrong.
Keith dug his nails into his palms, squeezing his eyes shut as he attempted to reign in his overflowing emotions. “Why…” His voice wavered with barely the strength to utter the word, and the amount of effort it took not scream out his anger was physically painful.
“Keith…listen to me.” Shiro began slowly, his radio-compressed voice a gentle lull in the space around them. “It’s going to be okay -”
“WHAT!?” Keith’s head shot up, eyes blazing with unspilled tears as he glared harshly up at the other paladin. “How can you say that!? They’ve locked you up! Like a traitor! Or an enemy! How can they possibly think that -!”
“Keith.”
He recognized that tone all too well, it was a deep, soft tonality that Keith had only heard used between the two of them. In the past it had soothed him into thinking straight, like a small nudge, a tender hand on his shoulder, or a gentle brush of air passing over his ear in a whisper…
It was more than he could take.
Keith’s legs gave out under him, and he pounded a fist against the glass as he slid to the ground to his knees. His angry sobs echoed in the large space, the hot, frustrated tears spilled like streams over his cheeks. His shoulders shook with the effort of spilling emotions.
“Keith…I’m sorry.”
Shiro’s voice was soft, far too soft in such a large room…
“I’m sorry I…let you down again…whatever the Witch has done to me…” A loud sigh followed the tired words, and Keith felt a small vibration run through the surface when Shiro’s forehead fell against the wall between them. “It’s not their fault, Keith…”
“Itis their fault!” Keith’s voice cracked as he shouted, head shooting upwards to lock his gaze with Shiro’s. “If they’d been watching you - if they’d have seen -” He clenched his jaw as he stopped abruptly. His lip trembled as he watched while Shiro’s gaze slowly fell, and the paladin could do nothing but drop his hand against the glass barrier once again.
He was angry with the team. He was angry with Allura. He was angry with the Galra. But most of all he was angry with himself.
He hadn’t been there to stop this.
“It’s…not fair.” The smaller brunet’s voice was frail, and he angrily swiped his hands across his face, the moist droplets on his skin sparkling like gems in the luminescent blue. “Why do these things keep happening to you? They’ve already hurt you enough - it’s -” his voice dropped off as another wave of tears spilled over his cheeks.
Silence filled the space, neither one knowing what to say.
“I need you to stay strong, okay?” Shiro’s voice broke the small silence, and Keith’s eyes flashed up to his, the deep chocolate brown stared down at him, wise and understanding, but clearly tired and worn. “Voltron still needs you, and if I can’t - if I don’t -”
“Don’t.” Keith harshly interrupted, slamming his hand against the glass. “This isn’t gonna last forever.”
Shiro’s eyes remained locked with his for a moment longer before they fell again, but a moment later a gloved hand raised against the glass where Keith’s hand was, keeping in there as he slowly gazed back up at him.
“I’m going to get you out of here.” Keith curved his fingers against the glass, for a moment imagining how it would feel to intertwine his fingers with Shiro’s - and it fueled his motivation more than he thought possible when Shiro’s lips turned in a small smile.
A small huff followed the response, and Shiro’s dark eyes glistened with nostalgia when Keith met his gaze with his. “…how many times, Keith?”
Keith took in a deep breath, letting a small amount of peace settle over him as determination washed over him, and he leaned his forehead against the glass, closing his eyes when he felt Shiro do the same on the other side.
“As many times as it takes.”
Happy birthday again to the lovely @wildixia!! Hope it’s an amazing day!! :D :D :D
NIA, YOU’RE AMAZING. This is a million times better than the dream I had, thank you for giving this so much life. THE ENDING, MY GOD. It’s perfect.
A quiet respite as rain falls onto the Grove: Kotallo unfurls beneath the devotion that Aloy learns to give.
Kotallo squares his frame and sets his jaw, duty thrumming through his body and settling against his tattooed skin like armour. It’s as though he’s placed an invisible line in the sand, and she is his Commander once more.
