#While the paladin is living by fake it till you make it right now

[ante--meridiem]

The really funny thing about religion being an intelligence check in dnd is that it means my artificer who has never worshipped anything in her life tends to do decently on it, while my actual paladin is out here getting 0s on it.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Domestic life; Ben Hardy x reader

*Author’s note*

Here is a cute little drabble request I got from my Wattpad account, I had hoped to have also posted this yesterday but oh well (I mean the fic doesn’t really revolve around Valentine’s day but it’s still fluffy enough to be counted as such). So enjoy this sweet little drabble. 

Warnings: Fluffy till your teeth rot. Lockdowns due to COVID (BUT THAT’S IT. Just the word and mention of just lockdowns in general).

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@queensdivas

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@queen-paladin

@wormzteef

@geek-and-proud​

@queendeakyy​

__________________________________________________________

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, even though I didn’t want to.  My arms raised over my head as I let out a tired groan and stretched myself out and let out a soft yawn.  I then looked over to my left and saw the man of life sleeping right beside me.  His golden locks looked like a halo under the rare chance we had a sunny day in London.

His tattoos exposed from his nightshirt, my favorite of course being his lion nose and mouth tattoo.  Those soft cute snores that came off his lips (even though he tries to deny it), and his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath he took. I raised my hand up and couldn’t help but lightly stroke the shape of his tattoo, very faintly tracing the curve of the nose, sliding my finger down the straight line before swaying across the bottom curve of the mouth.

“You know we could get you a matching set.” Ben’s sleepy baritone voice spoke up.  I looked up at him and said.

“If we did it’d have to be washable. You know how I am around needles.” He chuckled softly and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in closer.  “Did you sleep good?”

“I slept great. You?”

“Like a rockfish.” He placed a kiss to my forehead and we just looked into each other’s eyes.  “So what shall it be today?”

“Well you know WandaVision premieres today so wanna check it out?”

“I still can’t believe you made me binge the entire MCU movies during our lockdown.”

“And you loved it admit it. Hell Benny boy you were in the Marvel Universe. Granted it was solely owned by Sony before Disney bought the rights but it’s still the Marvel fandom.”

“So after that, then what shall we do?”

“Well we really can’t go anywhere so……wanna just have a lazy day in? No work out day, order take out for our three meals and maybe—fool around?” I teased with a wink.

“You are a cheeky mix.” He then captured my lips with his.

“Yes but—you did asked me to marry you. Which I’m surprised by the way.”

“What do you mean?” he asked as he began to kiss down my neck.

“Don’t act stupid Ben. I know about that affair with Joe and your little side hustle with Gwil. I swear it’s like I married 3 men instead of 1.”

“You knew what you were getting yourself into when you agreed to marry me.” He said as he hovered over me.

“Yes I know.” He chuckled as he pecked my lips. Then again, and again and again. I giggled and playfully pushed him off of me and said. “Alright you human golden retriever.”

“You know that if I were going to be a dog, I’d be a beagle like Frankie.”

“Nah you’re a golden retriever. Silly, goofy, and loving all the way.” I bopped his nose before getting up and headed downstairs to let Frankie out into the backyard to go pee.

As soon as she saw me, she got out from her bed and I greeted her with a ruffle and scratch on her head.

“Hey there baby girl, ready for breakfast?” her head cocked to the side as her tail began wagging softly. “Come on let’s have breakfast.” She got out of her bed and trailed me to the kitchen.  I reached in and grabbed her dog food and dumbed a good amount into her dog bowl and she immediately started scarfing it down.

I began preparing breakfast and as I cracked the last egg, I felt Ben’s arms wrap around me and felt a kiss at my temple.

“You make the best omelets ever.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” I teased him.

“Who says I’m trying to flatter you? I’m stating pure fact.” I smiled at him.

“Well how about you give me a hand here instead of just standing there looking pretty.” He chuckled softly and saluted to me.

“Just tell me what to do Captain.” I then told him what to give me next and I proceeded to finish making the omelets.

Once they were done, Ben and I went over to the living room and I started up Disney+ to play the first 2 episodes of WandaVision.

“Okay so remind me again, is this before or after Endgame?” asked Ben.

“I wanna say this is after Endgame. Again I’ve been a little confused as to the timeline or what exactly is the time period here. All I know is that it’s like a sitcom now. And I can see that they’ve definitely gotten the exact cinematography down. You see how it’s a full screen and them using a single camera.”

“God I love it when you talk cinematography like that.”

“Sorry if I come across as annoying while we watch this.”

“No, no, no, no, no it’s fine. Really. It means you’ve got a good eye for camera angels. Remember when Dexter allowed you to film us when we were doing the We will rock you scene?”

“It was only for 10 minutes while he went to talk with the costuming department and to get him his 10th cup of coffee.”

“Still, he was amazed at the fact you helped with blocking and what you had already filmed. So much so we had it in the film.” I softly smiled and we continued to watch the episode, then watched the second one.

As the day went on, Ben and I kept watching various films as well as taking Frankie out for her walks.  The sun was just starting to set and Ben said.

“Alright one last movie of the day, I feel like if I keep eating more popcorn I won’t be able to fit into these sweats anymore.”

“I wouldn’t mind that. Whether you have a 6 pack or a bit of a pooh bear tummy, I’d love you either way.” He blushed at my compliment and scrunched himself into a ball as I poked his tummy.

“Alright so what shall our last movie be tonight?”

“Well, how about we do Gwil’s movie Top End Wedding?” Ben pondered before saying.

“Okay. Any reason why?”

“Well I—he and I may have talked about that shortly after it came out and I might have told him I’d already seen it when actually I didn’t.” I wearily said.

“Oh I see so you-you lied to my best mate about a movie he was in and wanted your opinion on.”

“Oh coming from you Mr. Oh yes I’ve drummed since I was 12!” I sassed back at him.  He shushed me and covered my mouth with his hand.  I pushed his hand away from my mouth and said. “So can we watch it? I’ve been busy and you know it.”

“Yeah I know love, you know I was just teasing.” He wrapped his arm over my shoulder and switched over to Hulu now and we found Gwil’s movie.  I’ll admit it took me by surprise (I mean based off the trailers I’ve seen it pretty much told the whole story) but the humor and message it sent out really spoke volumes that no other romcom has ever done before.

Plus the aerial shots were just amazing.  The way the cameras would pan over the river or the ridges, you can’t fake that breathtaking view with CGI.  After the movie was over, I let out a soft yawn.

“You tired?” questioned Ben.  I nodded, barely able to keep my eyes open any longer. “Alright, come on then you. Let’s get you into bed.” I moaned softly and held my arms out.

“Carry me.” I heard him chuckle but I felt him lift me up in his arms bridal style and he carried me all the way to our bedroom.

He set me down on the bed and cuddled up close to me before putting the duvet over us.  I automatically placed my head over his chest and placed my arm over his stomach while his arms came around me.

“I had fun today.” I said as I nuzzled into his chest.

“Me too. It’s nice to just kick back and relax for the day. Thank you babe.”

“Anything for my handsome boy.” He kissed the top of my head and soon the two of us cuddled closer (even though I don’t know how much closer we could be at this point) to one another till finally we fell fast asleep.

[anonplusultra-blog]

@galpaladinsoftherealm

In the night

“She should be fine, it just takes time for her blood to filter the venom. You should take her somewhere more comfortable, somewhere we can talk.”

“I guess we have to go to my hide out on the Elven forest, we are half way there and, it will give us privacy.”

“So we would keep going down this same road then, I’m fine with that snowflake”.

They both shared a look, as if another conversation was taking place between the lines. Maybe if the poison was not affecting me, I might had picked up on said subtext.

They lift me up, my legs were weak, but I could stand on my own, I had to try, Skye kept her arm around me to help me keep my balance. Evie prepared her staff to fly, Skye had a raised brow and her usual panache, “We won’t fit on the broom if you sit like ‘that’”, she pointed at the elemental’s behind, “We have to do it...”, she guided my body as a dance instructor would making me lift my leg with her own and her arm, “the fun way.”

So we ended up the three of us mounted on the broom the way I first thought was the right way, one leg on each side. I knew this way was not wrong as Evie made it seem.

The broom commenced its flight. The usual vibration caused by magic flowing through the metallic body of the staff were now...more notorious. I could felt every single grain of magic vibrate also thru me, entering my skin by my… I guess this is why she was not so adamant about me riding the broom like this, this was addictive.

My body tightly pressed between the winter witch and the voluptuous assassin made things better somehow. It was not just feeling their bodies brushing against mine, nor Skye’s breasts softly resting on me, it was maybe that same feeling you get when you hold your breath for a bit too long or wrap yourself on a sheet to become a pastry cone, or, simply being inside a box.

The energy vibrations were not enough to get me to that ecstasy Evie had driven me last night, but it was very pleasant, no wonder the assassin was calling it the fun way. Its interesting how such a small part of one body, smaller than the brain, can have so much power over one self control. Last time we rode on the broom, my eyes were admiring the landscape from above; now, all I wanted to see was Evie’s face enjoying this as much I was, yet all I could grasp of her was her lips and that low breathing calm rhythm. I dared also to look back at Skye, her dark skin, elven features, those lips, her breasts firmly against the back of my neck.

Was this heat normal, was it common for people to desire a stranger as much as I wanted Skye? Is it still love if its for more than one person?

But the pleasure was accumulating on me, building up as we fly thru the night. All I can think of is Skye’s hands on my rib cage, hugging me tight, so close to touching my breast and temping me to force her hands lower to where my aching want was wetting me. I wished to have more room and to be able to maneuver and kiss Evie...or Skye. I waned to be touched by them, by both.

I remembered how casual the two women were a few moments ago and my aroused mind could only imagine them sharing intimate kisses, touching each others beautiful bodies, driven each other to a pleasure beyond words could explain...and then- We touched the ground, my eyes were open again, the broom stopped vibrating, I felt frustrated, I wanted it to happen, I need this now.

Maybe it was the excitement of the chase or the fact that we might have prevented a war, but I felt so energetic, a bit tired because of the poison but, I it was almost off my system now.

I got off the broom, no need for help, observed my surroundings, high mountains on the horizon, the biggest trees I had ever seen their tops blocking the moonlight, a smell of grass and life very distinct and unique, enormous mushrooms growing as tall as men on the trees and rocks; truly an enchanted forest.

“Oh my, Evie, look at your kitty cat, her trousers are a mess” a fake gasp and a mockery to pretend shock from the purple haired woman. My trousers were indeed wet on the crotch and it was all her fault. “I think this calls for a hot bath” again the two taller women shared a look, there had to be something else going on here.

We got in the hide out, a stone walled house, a lot less welcoming that the farms but still enough comfort to live in. Furniture made from old magic trees with intricate designs, a stove, bookshelves containing old books in a language I do not know the name of, a room full of food in form of magic paper.

I kept exploring the place while Evie prepared a bath for me, I took off my clothes and put on a bath robe just to avoid getting a cold, or that is what Skye said it was for, she was wearing one as well, although, it barely covered her body the intended way yet she looked like she was comfortable in it.

Evie called from down the hall, the bath was ready. The water was hot, it made my skin turn pink, I kinda like this feeling, its an unusual feeling, most of the time I bathe on cold water except on winter. The soapy water did the usual cleansing and relaxed my tired body. Until this moment of solitude I realized just how much stress I had gone thru today: the long travel on broom to the Magistrate district, packing up to travel away, chasing the assassin and the poison. My eyes got watery and heavy, I could fallen a sleep right there if I wasn’t afraid of drowning.

I got out of the water, got as dry as I could with the towels Evie had prepared for me, they were warm and puffy. I kept my hair dry, I don’t enjoy sleeping with my hair dam on a pillow.

Out of the bath room I could hear Evie and Skye having a conversation, but I was too tired to join them at the kitchen. Instead I found my way to the master bedroom...well the room with the bed, it was quite humble looking, no window, no door, just a bed big enough for two on a wooden base. Still enough comfort for my weary being at the time.

I was awoken by the sound of boots stomping on the floor followed by a body heavily and ungracefully collapsing next to me. I instinctively jumped off the bed with a shriek, uncalled it seemed when I saw it was Evie. She was wearing her black and blue outfit, except the boots that were tossed some where in the room.

“Not, so, loud please, my head is killing me kitty cat.”

“You are the one who pulled me off slumber by surprise in the middle of the night!” I was moody, and how not be?

“It is past noon you sloth”

“What do you…? It’s dark still...”

“Well there are no windows in this hideout”

“I-I… it’s not my fault I was poisoned by your friend, y-you should be glad I didn’t sleep ‘till death!” And then I realized it, Evie went out all night, with her, where? “Speaking of which, where is Skye?”

“Oh, she is back at the Citadel delivering the woman to her client we-”

“No, what? Why?!”

“Please not so loud, I told you my head is about to explode,” she massaged her skull a bit theatrical, “well, last night we talk about a plan to comprise both sides, I would cover up the breach in security and she would deliver her alive to her client. We wanted to take you with us but you sleep like a rock. Oh kitty you should have seen it, espionage, infiltration, violence, red eyes glowing in the dark…oh if only there was a chronicler to write down those events”.

“Why didn’t you woke me up? I could have helped you it it means it will aid stopping the war”

“Oh but we did, we called your name, we tickled your feet,...” a smile as she pouts, “we even tried to woke you as a fabled princess by a kiss, but you just smiled, eyes closed, still in the land of dreams”.

“Both of you?”

“Yes, of course. Not at the same time, one a time. Maybe tonight when she is back from the citadel we could have some more fun with her, you know, before we head back to the farm, Skye really likes you Maeve.”

I blushed. She said that so nonchalantly, as if it was normal. I only heard of royals from the desert having more than one spouse… Am I the prince or the princess?

“Well we don’t have to, it can be just the two of us kitty. Sorry if I misread your emotions, I just felt as...”

I crawled back on the bed to her.

“Only if this time you are the princesses...”

Author’s note: jebaited no frick fracking.  I made so many versions of this chapter, this was the most vanilla one, but I also felt it worked better. Next up is Prompt seven: Au

“But… what about promt six?”

>→ get out

[theycallmethetailor-blog]

An Impossible Choice

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

    An Impossible Choice 

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Lance (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron), Coran (Voltron) Additional Tags: Torture, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Psychological Torture, Angst, Langst Summary:

When Lance and Pidge are captured, Pidge is forced to make an impossible choice: help the Galrans murder millions or watch Lance suffer.

----

What I woke to was not ideal, I’ll be honest, but it was much better than what I’d been expecting. First of all, I was alive, so that was a plus in my book. I mean, me being alive was a plus in anyone’s book, right? Secondly, aside from a splitting headache and a few scrapes and bruises, I was fine. I wasn’t bleeding out on the desolate desert landscape from my most recent memory, which would’ve sucked. So yeah, all in all, even though I was strapped to a hard metal chair in complete darkness without a clue where I was, things could be a lot suckier.

“Ugh,” I groaned, voice scraping like sand from my throat. And not the fine beach sand from my home. More like the rough, grating sand from the desert. I could really go for a drink right then. Like maybe some coconut water straight out of the coconut. Or, and I couldn’t believe I was even considering this, some nunvill. Anything to relieve the burning thirst in my throat. My organs were literally turning to dust as I sat there. The thought of dust and dry things turned my thoughts to my confused memories. I vaguely remembered a battle of some kind. And I definitely remembered Pidge at my side.

I started. That was right. Pidge and I had gone down planetside while the rest of the team kept the Galra occupied. We’d been trying to stop something awful. As in, millions of innocent lives on the line awful. A weapon of some kind...had we done it? What if we failed?

Another horrible thought occurred to me. “Pidge? You there?”

I was hit with a confusing mix of dread of possibly hearing a reply and desperate hope that I wouldn’t. My heart sped up in my chest when there was no answer. Maybe Pidge had escaped, I thought, trying to keep my breath even. She’d be on her way back with the rest of the team to get me out of wherever the hell this was. Only I wasn’t sure how they’d do that, because even I didn’t even know where I was, and I was where I was.

I shook my head, trying to steady my thoughts. Concentrate, I urged myself, Okay, try to think. What would Shiro do right now? I considered for a moment. He would take stock of his situation, right? I squinted into the darkness, willing my eyes to see something, anything I could use to figure out where I was. It didn’t take long to figure out that was a dead end. The most I could sense was a sterile hospital smell that I could most definitely do without.

I squirmed in my restraints, which were flexible but thick and rough against my skin. It felt like some sort of synthetic fabric or kevlar-essque material, but it was impossible to tell exactly what it was. I focused on pinpointing how exactly I was held down through touch alone. With a little more wiggling around, I could tell that my arms and legs were held down at the joints, with another strap around my chest and waist. I could wiggle my hands and feet, just barely, and could only arch my back by a few centimeters. I could move my head freely, but unless my method of escape was within biting distance, I wasn’t sure how much good that was going to do me.

The sound of sudden movement in front of me sent an electric bolt of fear up my spine and I stiffened. If I was prone to superstition - which of course I’m not - the whole pitch black factor of my current situation might’ve had me freaking out a little. Luckily I’m not easily spooked, or my body might’ve shook a little more. I mean, not that I was shaking, of course. I spent several taut moments waiting, heart pounding loudly in my ears, but I didn’t hear anything else. I had just began to relax slightly when I heard a voice groaning from the same direction I’d heard the first sound. A shudder ran through me. “Pidge?” I said again, and my voice didn’t shake at all. “Is that you?”

“Lance?” came Pidge’s disembodied voice in the darkness.

“Oh man, am I glad to see you!” I said, feeling a little light headed with relief. “Well, hear you at least.”

“Ugh, where are we?” Pidge asked, sounding as confused as I’d been a moment before.

“Um, not sure,” I said, “But now that you’re awake, we can figure a way out of this together. Any ideas? I was thinking something along the lines of Black Widow moves.”

There was a shuffling noise in front of me before Pidge responded, sounding anxious, “Lance, I don’t have my armor.”

I paused and did some of my own awkward shuffling. “Crap. Me too. Feels like it’s just the body suit.”

Before Pidge could respond, the whole room was lit up with a searingly bright light. Both Pidge and I shouted in surprise and I slammed my eyes shut against the spike of pain it sent through my already aching head. “What the hell?” I grumbled. I chanced a squinting view of our surroundings, squeezing my eyes back shut against the too bright space.

“Paladins of Voltron,” a low voice greeted us, coming from my side, “I see you are finally awake. And just in time, too.” I forced myself to open my eyes ever so slightly against the painfully bright light and kind of wished I hadn’t.

Across from me, I could see that Pidge was strapped to a metal chair, struggling against her own bonds. The space around us looked like some kind of medical lab, or maybe even a coroner’s workspace. Or maybe a place for horrible experiments I didn't want to consider. It was a small room with smooth metal walls and purple lighting that only reinforced the mad science lab feel. The floor was also made of metal that was slanted down toward what looked suspiciously like a drain in the center. I swallowed. Okay, I thought, So the Galra have shitty taste in design. I was not going to think too hard about what that drain might mean.

A tall Galra woman stood in the doorway, flanked by two armed guards and another slender Galra with a metal case in his hands. Something about that box screamed Not Good. All capitalized and everything.

“You know us,” I said, forcing myself to sound casual even though my heart was trying to beat its way out of my chest, “We’re practically experts at the heroic last minute timing thing.” I smiled winningly up at her. Most people don’t know this about be, but I’m a big fan of the “fake it till you make it” way of doing things.

The woman, some high ranking officer of some kind, smiled down at me from her standing position, which was pretty high considering how freakishly tall she was, even for a Galra. Her eyes were stone cold, sizing me up without a shred of emotion. I’m not short by any means, but I suddenly felt very, very small under her gaze. The two other soldiers remained at the only entrance to the room: a heavy metal door I don’t think Pidge and I would be knocking down action hero style any time soon. She turned to the slender Galra, who had set the metal box on a table between Pidge and I. “This one is the pilot of the Blue Lion, I presume?” she asked him, like I wasn’t even there.

“That’s me,” I said, flashing the commanding officer my most dazzling smile, “Nice to know you’ve heard of me. The vids just don’t do me justice, do they?” The tech or whatever he was just ignored me.

“Yes ma’am, he is,” he replied to the officer, voice business-like, “The other is the pilot of the Green Lion.”

The Galra officer turned to Pidge, and I didn’t like the way her eyes lit up like a kid who’d just been handed a bag of free candy, “This is the one responsible for disabling our missile?” At her words, the jumbled mishmash of my memories came into focus. That’s what we’d come here for. There’d been a missile set to launch at a heavily populated planet to force Team Voltron into “negotiations” with the Galra. The rest of the team had been sent to pretend to comply with the Galrans’ demands, while Pidge and I went in secret to disable the missile.

Well, I mean, Pidge was sent to disable the missile. I’d been sent to cover her while she did it. And apparently she’d held up on her end, but I’d failed miserably on mine. I struggled to catch my breath. I’d screwed up royally, and now Pidge was going to pay the price.

I blinked, trying to focus. I couldn’t panic now. I had to pay attention. There was a way out of this. There had to be. I wasn’t about to make this worse than I already had by falling apart.

The Galran officer was still speaking. “...one is much smaller than I expected.”

Pidge glared, straining against her bonds, “‘This one’ took out five of your own before you sucker punched her, and I’ll take out five more once I get out of here.” I’m pretty sure when Pidge was made, someone had to make room for all her awesome tech savvy and obsessive determination, and there just wasn’t enough room left to fit a healthy amount of self preserving fear when they were done.

“Oh, I’m quite aware of how destructive you can be,” the Galra officer said, lip curling and eyes narrowing. The look spoke volumes. Despite her professional soldier act, she clearly had a serious, borderline homicidal grudge against Pidge. This was personal for her. Her hateful look twisted into a smile. “Which is why I’m going to turn your destructive capabilities towards ends more aligned with my own.”

“Yeah?” Pidge said, skeptical as ever, “I’d like to see you try.”

The Galra officer’s smile widened and she nodded to the slender Galran beside her. He proceeded to open the metal box, cool as a cucumber, like he wasn’t revealing a disturbing array of sharp and blunt objects with glowing purple edges. It made my skin prickle. “So, uh, what’s that for?” I asked, words leaving my mouth in a nervous rush, “I’m usually a fan of surprises, but more like the birthday kind, you know? But my birthday’s not for a few months.” I paused, “Well, actually...I’m not sure what month it is exactly.” Good grief, what was I even saying? I felt like I was going to be sick.

The Galran officer just ignored me and walked up to the open tool box. Ugh, tool box? I’d have to think of better ways to name things in my head. “I’m going to make this simple,” she said, hand hovering over several instruments before settling almost lovingly on a simple looking blade. “If you give me what I want, you’ll be rewarded. If not…” She approached Pidge and, without any warning whatsoever, cut through the fabric of Pidge’s shoulder and into her skin with a flick of her blade. Pidge let out a hiss of pain before clamping her mouth shut, her entire body rigid.

“Hey!” I shouted as I threw myself against my restraints. “Leave her alone! You didn’t even tell her what you wanted!” The blade made a hissing noise and a sizzling puff of steam rose from its surface where Pidge’s blood was quickly burned away.

Pidge just continued to glare at the officer, the wound on her arm inflamed and angry but not bleeding. It’d been cauterized even as it tore into her skin. I swallowed bile at the sight. Pidge’s eyes just hardened and I could see in the way her shoulders set and her jaw clenched that she was coming to some kind of resolution. With Pidge, once she was decided on one course of action, there was no changing her mind, and I had an awful feeling I knew what she’d decided. “It doesn’t matter what she wants,” Pidge said to me, not taking her eyes off the officer, “Because I’m not giving it to her. So she might as well kill me now.”

I have never been more proud and terrified in my entire life. “Um, maybe cool it on the killing thing?” I said, “We can definitely talk this out.”

“Listen to your friend, Green Paladin,” The officer said, completely unfazed by Pidge’s lack of fear. If anything, she looked even more excited at the prospect of Pidge’s continued defiance. “You haven’t even heard my demands yet.”

“I’m not stupid. I can connect the dots. You want me to re-enable the missile.” She shook her head in disgust. My insides curdled. This was even worse than I’d thought. “And I’m not about to do anything to help you hurt people.” And she wouldn’t. Stupid, brave Pidge would die before she’d give in out of sheer spite.

The officer stared at Pidge, that same calculating stare from before that had made me feel like an insect under a microscope. Finally, she nodded, as if she’d confirmed some foregone conclusion. “Yes, it is good to know that the one responsible for my sister’s execution is not easily cowed.”

There was a flicker in Pidge’s expression, there and gone again in an instant, but I saw her eyes waver. “So that’s what this is really about?” Pidge said, “Some sick revenge for your sister?”

The officer looked offended at the suggestion. “Oh no, Green Paladin,” she said, “My sister failed in her duties to keep our data systems secure from any breeches. Death by Zarkon’s hands was her just reward. I simply plan on cleaning up her mistakes.”

“Whoah, hold on,” I said, reaching blindly for anything that would pull her attention to me, “Zarkon killed your sister just because Pidge was able to hack into your systems? I think you’re mad at the wrong person here.”

Again, the officer seemed to only have eyes for Pidge. She leaned forward, her face mere inches from Pidge’s. “You are going to fix my missile, or else I will make you. And believe me when I tell you, I am not picky which way you choose. Either way, you’ll do what I want in the end.”

Pidge met her eyes, stare for stare, and opened her mouth to say something. Probably something that would piss off this Galra lady and make her hurt her again. White hot panic spurred me to action.

“Why bother?” I asked loudly to try and cover up whatever Pidge was about to say, “Because you’re going to be executed for your own failure after this.”

If she heard me, the Galran woman showed no sign. Then, suicidal inspiration struck, and I lowered my voice and narrowed my eyes, “Just like your sister.”

The officer threw me a death glare and growled, “Someone shut this one up.”

“Yes, Commander Beris,” one of the soldiers at the door said, and stepped toward me.

“Wait a second,” I pleaded, heart racing, even as I felt a surge of hope now that her attention was finally on me. “It’s not a problem. I can shut myself up. See? I-” I was cut off by a large, sledgehammer of a fist ramming into the side of my face. The force of the impact threw my head sideways and I would’ve come crashing to the floor if not for the bonds on my arms and chest holding me upright. I blinked, dazed and tasting coppery blood in my mouth. My jaw throbbed painfully.

Pidge looked ready to murder someone. Her whole body twisted against her bonds and I could see them biting into her skin. It was probably agony with her injured arm. “Keep your hands off him!” She shouted furiously. Under her anger, her panic was clear as day. I just hoped I was the only one who could see it.

Commander Beris, as the punch-happy soldier that had clobbered me called her, raised an eyebrow at Pidge. Then she turned her studying gaze on me. I hate to admit it, but I wished I could hide behind my chair under her stare. I forced myself to meet her eyes though. I might’ve ruined everything, but there was no way in hell I was going be a chicken on top of that. After a moment, she turned back to Pidge, smile returning to her face. My heart sank. “The demands are mine to be made,” Commander Beris said, walking back over to her tool box, “And mine are simple. All you need to do is fix what you’ve done to our missile.”

Pidge’s reaction was instant, “Hell no.”

The Commander pulled out a baton with a glowing purple tip. It hummed with dangerous energy.

“Now, hold on,” I said, my stupid voice going high with alarm, “Commander Beris, buddy. Pal. Let’s just slow down and think about this.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, addressing Pidge, “You really won’t help me fix what you broke?”

Pidge just straightened in her chair and stared back at Beris, daring the commander to do her worst.

“Pidge-” I started, not liking where this was going. Not that I could think of anything that would help. Pidge’s choice was impossible. The death of millions or her own safety. Selfishly, I willed her to choose herself, but I knew she never would.

“So be it,” Beris shrugged, then, instead of moving back toward Pidge like I’d expected, she stepped toward me. My brain had one horrifying moment to realize what was going to happen to me before the glowing tip connected with my stomach.

I couldn’t help it. I screamed.

Blinding, searing pain ripped through me at the point of contact, flooding my veins with acid and seizing my muscles in a vice. Every inch of my body was on fire, from my toes to the tips of my hair. All thought was incinerated in an inferno that burned hungrily under my skin. Inescapable no matter how hard I struggled. I wasn't sure how long it lasted, something like hours, I think. When I was finally released from the agony, all I could do was sag bonelessly against my restraints. I sucked in deep lungfuls of air. I hadn't even realized I'd stopped breathing.

Several aftershocks of energy spasmed through my limbs and I gasped, more out of the expectation of the far greater agony of the baton than any real pain. I became blearily aware of Pidge shouting my name right across from me.

“Lance?” she said, voice strained and worried. I forced myself to look up and make eye contact with her. “Lance!” she said when I did, and at any other time I might've basked in the way her features crumpled in relief. So she did care. As things were, though, it took all my energy just to keep my head from lolling to the side.

“I'm alright,” I said, and I hated the way my voice shook. “Just a little shocked.” I chuckled weakly at my own joke. Pidge didn’t laugh.

Neither did Beris.

She did smile, though, but I don’t think she was appreciating my sparkling sense of humor. “That was merely a taste of what I am capable of,” she said, talking to Pidge again, eyes alight with a manic energy even though the rest of her face remained coldly professional.

“You sick bastard!” Pidge growled, more shaken than I’d ever seen her. “He doesn’t know how to fix your stupid missile! Leave him out of this!”

“Oh, but you do,” Beris said, not quite managing to keep the glee from her voice. “And all you have to do to stop me is do just that.”

If I thought I felt sick before, it was nothing compared to the way my stomach lurched with guilt and shame as my pain addled mind finally understood just how horribly screwed we were. Not only had I failed, but Beris was going to use me to make Pidge fail too. Even as my limbs started to tremble, I felt a hard leaden resolve settle deep in my chest. “Is that really your plan?” I asked, “Pidge is the smartest Paladin. She’s not about to help you kill millions of people just to save me,” I locked eyes with Pidge and willed her to understand. “Even if I am the best looking Paladin.”

Her eyes were wide with a fear I hadn’t seen when she’d been the one facing torture, and for the first time since I’d known her, Pidge looked completely lost.

“Don’t be so sure, Blue Paladin” Beris said, fear rippling through me at her eager, assured tones, “What will it be, Green Paladin? Will you do what I ask?”

Pidge’s face was whiter than I’d ever seen it, eyes haunted and pleading. She was frozen with indecision, I realized. Forcing stiff muscles to work, I shook my head at Pidge, not trusting myself to speak.

“Well?” Beris said, sounding irritated, “I’m growing impatient.”

Eyes fixed on mine, skin pallid and face grim, Pidge finally shook her own head. Her gesture was a small echo of my own. “No,” she whispered hoarsely, like she hoped Beris wouldn’t hear her answer.

I was so focused on Pidge’s face that I didn’t see the baton coming again.

It felt longer this time, more all-consuming, and it took everything I had just to cling to consciousness. At the end of it, I was gasping, the edges of my vision hazy.  My useless muscles juddered, rattling my bones and making my teeth chatter. When I was finally able to lift my head up, it felt like the last gruelling rep at the end of one of Keith’s killer workout sessions.

I looked toward Pidge but quickly let my gaze drop. I couldn’t quite meet her eyes anymore. I was terrified of the anguish and fear I saw reflected in them. Anguish and fear for me.

I’d screamed again, even though I’d told myself I wouldn’t. I couldn’t bear the pain in silence the way she had when she’d been cut. I could survive this, though. At least I thought I could. As long as I didn’t see how this was hurting her.

More than all of that, though, I was afraid of what she would do if she was able to see what showed in my own eyes.

“I’m...alright,” I panted, almost by rote.

I swallowed hard against a fresh wave of fear when Beris spoke again. I couldn’t exactly bring myself to focus on the individual sounds she was making, but I knew what she was asking, and I knew what would follow.

Pidge’s response was even weaker this time, barely audible, but I heard it anyway. “No.” My muscles were already stiffening in expectation of more pain, but it didn’t come.

“What was that?” Beris asked for what I realized was not the first time, and I finally forced myself to look up again. She held Pidge’s chin roughly in one hand, “I’m afraid I couldn’t hear you.”

Pidge tried to yank her jaw away, but Beris’s hold was too strong. With escape from her grip apparently not an option, Pidge growled and spat at her. Beris backhanded her, hard and fast, and I yelped like I’d been the one who’d been struck. Beris had hit her so hard I was afraid her neck broke. I could’ve cried with relief when Pidge brought her head back up. She looked out of it and the side of her face was a red, rapidly bruising mess, but she still managed to school her features into a scowl.

Fury and fear tore through me, giving me a second wind, and I pulled at my restraints with every ounce of strength I had in me. Even still, it was a pathetically weak attempt. Beris jerked Pidge’s face up and looked ready to strike with her other hand. I knew I had to do something, and even though just breathing hurt at this point, I straightened in my chair. “She said,” I told Beris through heavy breaths, “‘No.’” My voice sounded like I’d run it through a wood chipper. It kind of felt like it, too.

Beris stilled, letting go of Pidge’s face and turning back toward me. There was murder in her eyes. Oh god oh god oh god, my thoughts screamed as she approached me. Somehow, though, I kept my gaze level. Although I think the tremors that ran through every inch of me gave me away. At the last moment before the baton set fire to my nerves, I squeezed my eyes shut.

I think I really must’ve lost consciousness this time, because next thing I knew, rough hands were grabbing me by the hair and forcing my head up. The stinging tug at my scalp was just one more almost gentle point of discomfort among my now numerous aches and pains. I groaned and blinked open my eyes.

Pidge’s expression struck me like a physical blow. I tugged weakly against the grip on my hair. My tormentor only yanked my head up even higher so that now some of my body weight was supported by my neck.

“Look at what you're doing to him,” Beris said from beside me. Her voice dripped with false concern. I realized with a crawling sensation that she was the one who held my hair, putting me on display for Pidge. I tried to smother any expression of fear or pain, but I'd never been very good at hiding my feelings, and the muscles in my face weren’t being very helpful. If the stricken look on Pidge’s face was anything to go by, I failed miserably.

“He's in so much pain.” Beris drew out each word, emphasizing the last with a vicious jerk of my head. The motion made my world spin and I thought I was going to be sick. If this was how Hunk had felt every time I flew the simulations, I thought vaguely, I owed him a major apology. Not that I didn’t owe everyone that and more for how badly I’d screwed up this time. If we even made it out of this alive.

“Just stop!” Pidge shouted, voice breaking, and I willed myself to speak - to say something that would reassure her, but my body had decided it was taking a break from doing pretty much everything at the moment.

Beris moved the baton so that now it hovered inches from my skin and my stomach clenched. I barely managed to swallow the whimper that bubbled up my throat. “I'd be happy to,” Beris said, “Just say the word.”

There was a moment of tense silence, but no response from Pidge. Her silence was its own answer now. When I felt the baton pressed into my stomach again, I almost welcomed the near senselessness it brought with the pain.

I was jolted back to awareness by something pumping my veins full of ice and a pinch at my shoulder. I gasped like I’d just come up from several minutes under water, eyes wide and my heart pumping out an erratic beat behind my ribs. I shivered, sweat-drenched skin frozen in the climate controlled air. The tech guy from before removed a needle from my arm, swabbing the area with a damp pad and stepping away for the commander to take his place at my side again. I could’ve laughed. How thoughtful of them. Wouldn’t want an infection or anything.

As the chill slowly seeped out through my muscles, feeling returned like needles in my pores in its wake. Whatever they’d pumped me full of had given me enough strength to keep my head up, but it also felt like every painful sensation had been amplified tenfold.

My breath caught in my throat at the sight of the new tool in the commander’s hand. It was a gleaming, monster of a blade, larger than a butcher’s knife with a paper thin edge that oozed a purple glow. My eyes flickered to Pidge, who sat stock still, eyes locked on the knife. It was like someone had drained her body of life and left this stiff, brittle husk behind. I made myself look up at the commander, horrified to find out that she was looking back down at me.

“So glad to have you back with us, Paladin,” she said, “We wouldn’t want you to miss out on anything. I was just explaining to your friend here that, in the interest of saving time, we were going to move things right along here.”

I swallowed down the terror clawing at my throat. “So we’re...skipping to the part where you let us go?” I croaked.

“Unfortunately, that’s not an option,” she said, “No, we’re going to do something different here.” She hefted the knife with one of her massive hands, then, ever so particular, held its edge just above my exposed wrist.

“N-now hold on,” I said, mind blanking,  “Wait a sec.”

“I will give you to the count of three, Green Paladin,” the commander said, “This blade is specifically designed to cut straight through flesh and bone. One flick of my wrist and this will cut straight through his wrist.”

I dragged my eyes away from my wrist and the wicked looking knife held suspended just above it. I could feel the heat of the energized edge singing the hairs of my skin. Jaw clamped tightly, I looked at Pidge, who finally pulled up her eyes to meet mine. Her was chest rising and falling with rapid breaths, and even though she tried to hide it, I could tell she was beyond even her limits now. Her eyes were red rimmed and her already fair skin was completely sapped of any color.

“One….” the commander started.

My own heartbeat filled my ears, chest tightening. Pidge’s eyes flickered from mine to the knife and back again.

“Two…”

I didn’t dare move my wrist with the knife so close, but I wanted to yank my hand away with every cell in my body.

“Three…”

Like a moth drawn to a flame, my eyes were pulled back toward my wrist.

The commander shrugged, “Well,” she sighed, “Just remember, Green Paladín, you did this to him.”

The blade seemed to lift in slow motion, and my eyes followed, pulled by an invisible string. Then it came crashing down.

When I didn’t feel my muscles and tendons get separated right away, I risked a peek through slitted eyes. And when I saw that the blade was stopped, inches above my wrist yet again, I didn’t know if I could trust my own senses. But then I realized I’d heard Pidge’s voice just as the commander had brought the blade down.

“Wait,” Pidge repeated, quieter this time. “I’ll do it.”

The commander grinned, eyes glittering in triumph. “Do what?”

“I’ll fix the missile,” she said, voice like acid, eyes fixed on the ground, “I’ll do it. Just...please, stop hurting him.”

“PIdge, no.” I said, the shock finally wearing off and quickly replaced by a whole new rush of panic, “You can't do this. Not for-” I hesitated, unable to finish. Not for me.

Pidge’s eye stayed fixed on the ground. The commander didn’t remove the knife from it’s uncomfortable position above my wrist. “Hallen, Raggen, release the Green Paladin’s upper restraints and bring the portable access port.”

“Pidge, please, don’t,” I pleaded. My voice came out desperate and broken.

The same soldier who’d smashed his fist into my face earlier pressed a button on a panel fixed to the wall and the restraints on Pidge’s arms and chest slithered snake like into the recesses of the chair. “Oh,” the commander said conversationally, “And just in case you get any stupid ideas…”

The knife moved faster than my dazed eyes could follow. Pidge’s scream was deafening in my ears. One minute, all my fingers were whole and attached to my hand where they belonged. The next, I was staring down at my armrest, my brain unwilling to process what was right in front of it. The whole scene had suddenly taken on a suspended, surreal feel. I was underwater, all sound sluggish and unintelligible under the sound of my own rapidly beating heart. This wasn’t happening - couldn’t be real.

I was only vaguely aware of my own screaming because of the way it rattled my throat. The chill of the air on my sweat soaked skin felt like it came from somewhere far away, unconnected to my own body.  My voice choked off in a strangled gurgle as my lungs seized, scrabbling for oxygen. I thrashed uselessly, helpless to do anything to escape the horrible misshapen mess my hand had become. There, a perfectly straight line separated the tips of my fingers from what were now stumps. Flesh and bone hadn’t even stood a chance against the inhumanly sharp blade.

Through it all, one stupid, jarring thought kept slithering, pervasive and unavoidable through my mind: If I ever even had been, I was no sharpshooter anymore.

----

When I woke some time later, my whole world was a hazy swirl of pain and confusion. My head hurt. My bones throbbed. Even my freaking eyes felt swollen and aching. Above it all though, was a deep, bone wrenching pain radiating up through the tips of my fingers on my right hand.

One time, back when I was young and stupid, I’d gone to explore a sea cave near my home with some friends. I’d slipped and fallen and messed up my arm pretty bad. I’d had to walk home feeling like an idiot with my arm hurting like crazy the whole way back. I thought my mom was going to break my other arm when I walked through the door that day. At the time, I’d been in the worst pain of my life.

That god awful experience didn’t even come close to what I was feeling right now.

I was doing my best not to think about why exactly my hand hurt. Any time I got even close to considering it - to wrapping my mind around it - my fractured thoughts dissolved into a gibbering mess until I managed to corral them into something coherent again.

“I’m doing the best I can,” Pidge’s familiar terse tones finally broke through the fog in my mind and wrenched my eyes open. “The program I used before corrupted everything to the point that it’s not salvageable. I have to rewrite everything from scratch.”

Oh god, that was right. I was still strapped to a chair. One of the Galran soldiers stood by my side, unnervingly close, and all I could think was that I was relieved it wasn’t Beris.

Then the devil herself spoke, and I broke out in a cold sweat. “Your excuses will mean very little to your friend when I cut off the rest of his hand.”

It was like some switch in my brain had been flipped on and blaring alarms went off in my head. My hand. My fingers. Beris had...My whole body convulsed with dry heaves as the horror finally settled in.

No, I wanted to sob, No no no no no. Please, no....

Out loud I could only retch.

Breathe, a voice in the back of my head urged in calm tones that reminded me of Shiro, You need to breathe.

And somehow, after several false starts, I was able to get a handle on my breathing and my stomach settled from its violent churning into a slow rolling nausea. I didn’t have the strength for much else. All the energy I had was spent keeping my eyes carefully fixed to my left, staring down at the blank metal wall. Away from my throbbing fingers.

It was right about then that I started to hallucinate.

A vaguely familiar sword sliced through the wall in a wide curve, sparks flying and metal screeching in protest. It continued until it had cut an arch about as tall as a human person through the wall. I blinked, and reflexively lifted my hand to rub my eyes. Even the tiny, abortive movement  stopped by my restraint sent white hot pain slicing up through my hand. I hissed, the edges of my vision going dark. The cut in the wall was smashed inward by an explosion that rattled my teeth.

I knew for sure I was seeing things that weren’t there when Keith burst through the door, Shiro at his heels. I knew for sure for sure when Coran burst through after them, dressed in ancient Altean armor I’d never seen him in before. His helmet looked like something out of an old sci fi flick. The visor was red with a thin blue slit for him to see through, its forehead decorated with sharp gold wings extending like antennas above his head. He had a massive energy gun in both hands and world’s most magnificent red cape blowing wildly behind him. He looked like some sort of medieval sci fi Rambo.

We’d been in Galran hands less than a day and I’d already lost it.

I watched, entranced by my brain’s ability to magic up what was probably the least likely turn of events given our current situation. I had to hand it to my imagination, though, the vision was almost awe inspiring.

Keith came in like a wrecking ball, hard, fast, and destructive. The soldier at my side didn't stand a chance against him. His sword cut through the the Galran’s armor like it wasn’t even there. The Galran managed to get one shot off, but it went wide and didn’t hurt anything, except maybe the far wall which now had a new scorch mark.

Shiro, meanwhile, had run straight at Beris. Beris managed to dodge the first swipe of his sharp glowing arm, and its tip only grazed her stomach. Her face contorted in rage. “No!” she shouted, “You can’t do this!”

She rolled to the side, then flung herself at Shiro with all the strength her bunched up leg muscles could give her, that awful knife from before in her hand. I gasped, throat tight with fear, even though I knew this was all in my head. True to his reputation as the Champion, though, Shiro knocked her knife hand off course with his left forearm, then brought his prosthetic one up in a fist to her midsection. The commander let out a pained grunt, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth, then slid to the floor.

Coran let out a furious war cry, swung his gun in my direction, and fired. I couldn’t move, frozen and terrified. I felt the heat of the blast on my shoulder and face as it flew past and struck something behind me. There was a pained cry then the sound of a body hitting the ground. My eyes were locked on Coran as he ran toward me and flung his gun to the ground. I couldn’t have moved even if I wasn’t tied down, too shocked to react.

He knelt down at my side and pressed a button on the side of his helmet that made the visor slide up to reveal his face. His eyebrows were furrowed, his mouth a grim line under his mustache. He opened his mouth to say something when Pidge let out a cry behind him.

We both jerked in surprise and looked up to find the tech who’d brought in the metal box stooped over Pidge’s chair from behind. He’d grabbed Beris’s fallen knife and held it at Pidge’s throat, his other arm pinning her by the chest to her chair. “Don’t move or-” The tech was cut off when Keith’s sword struck his shoulder, sending him careening to the floor and the knife clattering from his hand to Pidge’s lap. In the most predictably unpredictable Keith move ever, our Red Paladin had flung his sword right at the tech.

The rest of us watched, open mouthed as Keith hurried over to Pidge, apparently unconcerned about everyone’s reactions to his alternative sword technique. “Are you okay?” He asked her, pulling out a knife to start cutting through her bonds.

“I’m fine,” she said shakily, She didn’t look even close to fine. She pointed to me, “Help Lance. He’s…He’s hurt bad.” Her voice grew small and very un-Pidge like at the end, and my gut clenched.

In front of me, Coran shook himself, seeming to recover from his own surprise, and turned back to me now that the danger to Pidge had passed. His eyes slid to my right hand, and his eyes widened, all the color leaving his face. Even his markings looked a little duller.

His eyes hardened and the lines on his face looked more pronounced than ever. “Those bastards.” He growled. I’d never seen Coran look so...dark.

“I’m fine,” I said, “I am A-okay.” Or at least I tried to, but my words came out in a muffled garble that I wasn’t sure Coran could understand.

He reached over to the strap at my right hand and pulled out a knife from a holster at his waist. Cold terror gave me new life. Why couldn’t this hallucination have ended at the good part? I couldn’t understand why my mind would do this to me. Maybe whatever they’d injected me with had messed with my head. I writhed against my straps, my whole body screaming painfully, a stream of protests leaving my mouth. “Please, no,” I kept saying, “Please.”

Shiro came to my side and gripped my arm with strong hands so that I couldn’t move it at all. My face was wet with tears and I couldn’t understand whatever it was Shiro was trying to say in soothing tones. It made me feel sick again. Something bumped my hand, sending a crippling wave of pain through me. I tried to stay awake, to fight, but it had all suddenly become too much.

I collapsed into darkness.

[starpiper3]

Chapter 2: Food Fights

Chapter 1: All the Little Children

Chapter 2: Food Fights

It had been a few days since the food goo incident...

What was meant to be just a harmless prank turned violent, causing a fight to break out between Luana and Keith.

Luana laughed so hard she thought her heart was going to stop.

“Y-y-you guys should s-s-see your f-f-faces!!” She howled holding her stomach while reeling back in her chair. The paladins, minus Shiro, and Coran, had green food goo all over their faces and outfits. With a little help of science and what ever she could find in the kitchen, she managed to make their food explode with just a little bit of pressure put on the food. It was one of her best pranks she had done in space, along with one of her first.

The four of them stood up suddenly in disgust and alarm.

“Are you kidding me?! Another food prank? How classic.” Lance fumed as he began wiping the access goo off of his hoodie and shirt.

“First the salad bugs, then the nausea soda, then the Mac and cheese horror! Now this?! Oh god please when will it end,” Hunk cried as he stood there paralyzed, “I just want to be able to eat in piece,” he whined not wanting to touch the goo.

“I don’t see how this is funny,” Coran said as he was the only victim that was still sitting, “I think this is most efficient!” He announced as he stood, “You see, instead of wasting time using utensils...” he muttered as he talked to himself. He had gotten to the point where no one was listening anymore. It only seemed to give Pidge the opportunity to speak. 

“Oh you're just lucky I’m not wearing any of my electronics today. I left them all back in my room just for this purpose. You're too predicable now, and not even close to funny,” Pidge grumbled as he wiped his glasses off with the white napkin that was on the table, “what a nuisance,” his shoulders sagged as he looked at her.

“Oh come on you guys! It was supposed to be funny! Just like old times sake! You know,” her eyes narrowed, “your favorite prankster.”

Shiro and Allura looked at each other with concerned faces, unsure of what to say or do to make the situation any better. On one hand, Shiro wanted to go along with the joke, as it was a tad entertaining to him, but on the other hand, he knew a little bit of common sense would be needed in the situation. For Allura, it was only the same, yet she decided to give it a gentle scolding a shot anyways.

“Luana, that was quite-”

Allura was interrupted by Keith slamming his hands on to the table. His body shook with rage and his jaw was clamped together by an unimaginable force. Goo was dripping from his hair onto his face, and from his chin onto the table. His nose was scrunched up, allowing his brows to be brought so close together it was if they were mine as well kissing. 

“You think... that this... is funny?” he hissed leaning closer to her, “What about this seems to be any type of funny?”

There was a hard pause between the two before Luana decided to stand up and  lean her hands against the table to get even closer to him. Shiro and Allura both stood seconds ager her, ready to interfere if anything were to happen. Luana smirked. Her long deep amber side bangs covered a small portion of her face allowing her to look a bit on the menacing side, yet, it was not enough to harass Keith. 

“I find it funny that you guys think it’s ok to talk trash about me behind my back and expect it to not some how find a way back to me, Keith. I think it’s funny that it’s ok for a boy much older than me, to think that it is ok to bully such a small girl like me.”

“The only thing funny here is that the bully here isn't me, it’s you.”

Luana gritted her teeth and bared her teeth at him. Her arms shook from anger as she was ready to pounce at any second.

“You worthless, no good, little Rat,” Keith snarked, but Luana decided to hit him where it would hurt the most.

“Awww, is the drop out angry?” She said trying to hold her cool, “such a shame you turned out to be such a failure.”

“Dont, say that!!” He yelled as he quickly grabbed her hair, giving her no time to react to what was going on. Shiro and Allura launched themselves to Keith’s side of the table. They watched him drag her closer to him before shoving her off the other end of the table. Pidge, Hunk and Lance all stood back, cheering Keith on, allowing him to do his worst.

He jumped over the table and landed right in front of Luana who held her arms up for defense. Keith swung, she dodged it and continued to circle around each other. It wasn't long before Keith lunged in and pushed Luana to the ground catching her off guard. This allowed him to pin her to the ground. Reeling back to land a hard blow to her face, Luana brought her hands up to shield her face. It was only enough to block the first hit, the second punch he threw landed  and land a hard punch to her face. Struggling to get off of the ground, she kept fighting to break free. Grunting to keep her motivation up, she bore her teeth in pain and continued to defend herself.

Allura was beside Luana in seconds while Shiro yanked Keith off of her.

“I don't want to see you here in this dinning hall ever again! You hear?!” Keith yelled at Luana.

“Oh no... um...” Allura’s voice faded off as she looked down at the small girl who was squirming on the ground in attempt to get off of the floor. 

“What exactly is your problem Keith?!” Shiro yelled getting into his personal space.

“She deserved it!” He yelled.

“No one deserved to be attacked like that! Especially one of your team mates!”

“You don't even know half of the things she does Shiro, why are you always so concerned about her? Can’t you see that she’s awful?!��� Keith yelled as he pointed to Luana. She held the side of her face with one hand while using her other hand to stand up in preparations to scurry away. Shiro’s face scrunched up in anger.

“You, stay right here,” he said poking his chest, turning to Luana, he knelt down to the ground, “Luana are you okay-” Shiro whispered, but she was already on the run for the nearest exit, “Hey! Wait!” He called out, but he was too late, she was already gone. Clenching his teeth, he stood and glared at Keith who glared back.

“We will talk about this later, and I expect a better explanation other than ‘she deserved it’.”

As Shiro left the dining room, Keith looked at the five pairs of eyes that were staring at him. He snarled and glowered at all of them.

“What are you all looking at.”

“Oh uh, we were just on our way out. We’re not really hungry anymore, are we.” Hunk asked looking at Pidge and Lance who muttered agreements. The three of them left quietly in an awkward silence.

“Keith, I expect this won't happen again.” Allura said with a demeaning face.

“No promises princess.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiro knocked on Luana’s bedroom door. Begrudgingly, Allura freed up a small closet and turned it into a bedroom for Luana. Even though the room wasn't what all the paladins had received, Luana seemed to be thankful none the less, “Luana?” He paused, “Are you ok?” He jiggled the door handle in hopes that it was miraculously unlocked, only he had no luck.

“I’m not going to apologize, I didn't even swing.” She muttered, loud enough for Shiro to hear through the door.

“Well, you're right about that part, and I’m not going to ask you to apologize-”

“Then what do you want.” She raised her voice. He froze where he stood, unable to form a comprehensive sentence in his head.

“I’m here for you, I hope you know that. I know I was gone for a while but-”

“I’m fine Shiro, just.... leave me alone... I’m not a baby anymore, I can take care of myself.” 

He hung his head and leaned against the frame of her door. Getting her back to her old self would be tougher than he thought. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Since then, Luana helped herself to private dinners in her room. Not wanting to spread the team further out onto thin ice, she thought it was the best option for all of them. Until she no longer butted heads with Keith she decided to live on her own terms. Only today she had been personally messaged by Allura, saying that her dinner plate would be in the dinning hall as a wish for her to join her and Shiro for a nice meal. 

Getting the message really lifted up her spirits. There was no form of acceptance or love from the four paladins. It was just an unreal cruelty. She thought about it long and hard. Was this just a trap to get her to eat dinner with the group? Or was this merely just a kind gesturer. 

She hopped off her bed and walked over to the small mirror she had on the back of the door of her room along with the small backpack she had packed for the ‘short’ trip. Her black eye hadn't gotten much better. What would Shiro do to Keith if he saw the real damage he had dealt to her? Maybe she’d be better off skipping a meal, she didn't feel like talking anyways. Then again, it was in a couple hours, her mind could always change.

Sighing as she flopped back onto her bed, memories of her life back at the Galaxy Garrson flashed through her mind. How things were so much simpler. Her life as a prankster kept her alive. It was never the life she intended to have, but as the sayings always went, she had to fake it till she made it. But to where? Here? In space? In an alien like castle? It didn't seem real, nor did it seem right. 

“God, why can't I just be myself again.” She mumbled to herself as she turned on her side to fall asleep, clutching her prized stuffed animal close to her. It’s going to be interesting to see how things pan out later. She thought to herself as she drifted off into a light slumber. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Putting her hand on the door that lead to the dining hall, she took a deep breath. She didn't know if she was mentally prepared for what was going to be on the other side of the door. Closing her eyess, she pushed the door open slowly. Before her sat the paladins and Allura. Slumping her shoulders and keeping her gaze down, she advanced towards the table. She could feel everyone’s stare on her, some with smiles and some without. In all honesty, she just wanted her food. 

Luana picked up her plate with a glum look on her pale face. Her black eye was still present and not looking any better, as noted by everyone in the room. It was clear that she hadn't seen any sort of natural light in days, let alone any social activity. While the others glared at her, Allura presented a warm smile.

“Luana, how wonderful it is to see you today-”

“Thanks for making my plate princess.” She mumbled as she began to walk away. Allura and Shiro looked at each other not knowing what to do or say next. They couldn't force her to stay and eat with them, although doing so would lead to an even further back track on the progress they had made.

“Oh Luana, would you please join us?” She asked once more, hoping it would change her mind. Pausing where she stood, she took a second to think about what to do. Glancing back at the table, she noticed that there were a couple chairs open, but all of the paladins had put their legs up on the empty chairs.

“Sorry, these seats are taken,” Lance said as he started to eat his meal. 

“As are these,” Pidge said pretentiously eating his meal. Keith stayed silent as he continued to eat.

“Yeah, you mine as well leave,” Hunk muttered with food in his mouth. 

“Sorry princess, but it looks like the table is full,” Luana said as she continued to head towards the exit. Just when she got a couple feet from the door, Keith spoke up.

“That’s right, keep walking. You don't belong here.” 

Her plate cracked. A couple loose pieces fell to the ground making a high pitched clattering sound. She spun around and threw the broken pieces towards Keith. They landed just behind his chair. He glanced back and looked at the pieces before looking at her while he was drinking from his glass. He put the glass down and pushed his chair out before getting up and walking towards her. Getting up close and personal, he looked down at her.

“If it’s another fight you're looking for, why don’t you throw the first punch.”

Gritting her teeth hard, she clenched her fists and willed herself to walk away

“Speak for yourself, lackie,” She spat as she exited the dining hall. Shiro ran after her hoping to catch her before she disappeared into her room. Allura looked over at Keith. 

“You really do need to shape up Keith. That was uncalled for, unexpected, most of all, it was plain disrespectful!” She shouted at Keith.

“Please tell me this princess, for all the times she’s been rude to you? Does she not deserve it. She’ll never be a part of this time. I refuse to let that happen.”

“She doesn't,” the rest of the paladins looked at her, “for all I know, we had a rough start. Sure there was yelling and anger and a lot of disrespect, but you have to earn her respect, as Shiro has informed me. I changed, I started respecting her and she treats me right. I will not stand by and watch the paladin of the red lion treat someone so poorly.” She stood up and walked out of the room in hopes of finding Shiro and Luana.

“Do you think she’s right?” Pidge asked Keith. He glanced over at him and leaned back in his chair putting his feat up onto the table. 

“Pidge, if you knew what was good for you, you should listen to me and stick to not taking to her, let alone being around her. None of them know what they are talking about. This is our chance to make the team right.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the sound of foot steps coming from behind, her short gait slowly turned into a full on sprint for her room. God, why won't he just leave me alone?!

“Luana wait!” Shiro yelled as she darted around the next corner. He was so close to catching her yet so far. The sound of feet hitting the floor echoed through the corridors as they raced each other to her room. Only the race came to a hard stop as Luana turned a corner too hard and came crashing down onto the hard floor. She could feel her skin burn and tear open as she slid across the floor, only they didn't effect her that much. This was nothing compared to what the boys and girls used to do to her back at the Garrson. 

Popping back up from the ground, she continued to bound towards her door. Shiro wasn't too far behind. He knew she was fast as a little girl, but now she seemed even faster than before. All of her training must have worked off, that is if she continued to train after I had left. Shiro thought to himself. 

“Luana please! Can we just talk?” He shouted at her.

“Just leave me alone!” She yelled, although it sounded more like a wail to Shiro. Turning the last corner, they reached her room. She opened the door and slammed it shut before Shiro could stop her. He slammed his fist against the door in frustration. No matter what he tried, he couldn't understand what the big deal was. Why she wouldn't talk to him, why she wasn't herself, had he lost what he had with her, was he really gone for that long? There were too many questions not to ask. 

“Luana open the door this instant!” He yelled demandingly, slowly losing his cool.

“No! You can't tell me what to do!” She screamed back.

“Luana Renee!” He seethed. A muffled scream came from her small body as she proceeded to stuff her face into a pillow. To Shiro, it sounded half angry and half upset. He had finally realized that he had crossed the line. Biting his lip, he took a deep breath to calm himself before attempting to do anything. 

“Please, can I talk to you,” he said calmly. Only unsurprisingly, there was no response, “I know it’s been difficult, and I’m sorry that most of it is my fault. I really did want to take you on the Kurberos mission with me, I swear I did, but the Commander said no. There wasn't much that I could do. We both knew that we couldn't leave you alone. But I don't blame him for saying no. The mission got compromised and everything went down hill from there,” he paused hoping there would be some sort of communication from her, but there was nothing.

Resting his head against the door, the only other thing he could think of to prove himself was to stay with her. He slowly sat down on the ground with his back to the door.  It wouldn't be the first time he had done something like this, and if he was right, it definitely wouldn’t be the last. Back at the Garrson, it was the only thing that seemed to work. After what seemed like forever, the door finally creaked open. 

“Why are you still here?” Her small broken voice asked. Shiro looked up at her from his seated position and slowly stood up. 

“Because I care about you Luana, you know I do. Can we just talk?”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Well there’s actually lots to talk about.”

“Yeah? Like what exactly.”

“Well, we could talk about how the stars shine, how cool the castle actually is, or even what’s on your mind-”

“Yeah that trick doesn't work on me anymore and you know it.”

“Ok ok I’m sorry, but my point is that I just want to talk, hang out and you know, be there for you.”

“Sorry but the last time I checked, only team members were allowed to hang out and have fun, so sorry but I am no longer available.”

“No wait!” Shiro said reaching out, only he was too late, the door was already closed.

“Only paladins and royal members are allowed to be on the team! I don't have a lion nor do I fit in the royal category! I don't know why you keep on trying!”

“Because I am supposed to take care of you Luana! You are my responsibility!” He said in a raised voice.

“Mama and daddy did not leave you in charge of me! And I know it!,” she screamed, “They would’ve told m-m-me.... or... they...” She started to choke on her own words. Her breathing became irrational and her eyes filled with tears. He could hear her change in demeanor, feeling awful for her. The pain she must be in... 

“Hey hey hey... It’s going to be ok, I promise,” there was yet again, no response. He then thought of an idea that was almost guaranteed to work, or so he hoped. I just have to word this right.

“Hey, you may not be a part of the entire team, but would you like to be a part of mine?” Silence followed, “But, to be on my team, you have to do an extremely big task.” He paused, “I don't know if the other paladins would be up to the task, but I know you have a big big big amount of potential in that little head of yours.”

The door inched open once more. Her puffy eyes looked up at him. She sniffled and made sure to keep her face hidden, yet, her eyes were full of curiosity.

“You don't really mean that, do you?”

“Of course I do, so what do you say?” He knelt down to be eye to eye with her, "You think you can handle this extreme adventure?”

She looked down in thought before looking back up. Nodding her head, she allowed him to continue.

“What do I gotta do?” her small voice squeaked.

“You gotta take a ride with me....” He looked around all cautious before finishing, “in the black lion.”

Her eyes grew wide with awe and determination. “Noooo,” she said stunned.

“Oh yes.” smiling at her he extended his hand, “so what do you say? Wanna go for a ride?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allo peeps. 

OK, so this semester has actually been a piece of shit. I’m busy basically 24/7 and I think I am cursed. I get pestered by a number of annoying people everyday and I get so close to losing it every day.

Anyways. 

Here’s chapter two. Not the best, and not really what I want, but editing comes later now, I guess. I dunno. I’m also so sorry that its so terribly short. I just, these were the only two scenes that were supposed to be in chapter two so.. Wellp. 

The song for this chapter is below

And as always, I'm always open for messages and feed back and honestly anything at this point.

Also, on a side note. I will be getting back into Mercy76 soon, as well as a story based on my relationship with my sister. We just went through a really tough conversation that lasted like. Three hours. With lots and lots of tears. So if you see something thats not fanfic related in the future, jut know that I am trying to also write about us. 

Until next time space riders.

~Starpiper3

[idiotbrainjuice]

Talking comes in Handy

Read on Ao3

He knows he rambles when he’s hurt, he knows it’s annoying just till he knows his team is ok then he can ask for a hand.

He comes to with a gasp and a pained groan. Something was wrong, something was very very wrong.  “Whoo boy that was a rough landing am I right? But guess who stuck the landing, your ace pilot Lance” His heart is thudding in his chest, face sticky with what he knows isn’t sweat. And his arm… “Hold your applause, I know how good I am” He’s rambling but if he stops talking...

 “Hunk, hey buddy you good? C’mon let me hear your voice babe” 

“-ance.” Hunk’s voice crackles in his ear and he lets out a sigh of relief only to be cut short by a sharp pain. 

“There he is, Looks like i’m not the only Ace Pilot Pidge over here is probably on our heels isn’t that right Pidge.” There’s silence  and a cold fear cuts through him. 

“-hut up Lance.” His body goes boneless with relief “There she is, And Keith my main man how are you holding up?” “Shut the fuck up Lance”

 “Nice to hear your voice buddy. Now I know that you’re all ok, I really need help-” “Shiro’s hurt!”

His“Are you sure did he say anything?” “I don’t know, we think we heard a scream and we haven’t heard anything since you started talking.”  Lance ignores the last of what he says “Pidge did you land near anyone?” “Hunk and I landed near each other I’m not sure where Keith and Shiro are.”  “I can see Shiro but his lion is on its side.”Keith pipes up.

Lance had a dilemma on his hands. He needed immediate care but without Shiro they were all sitting ducks. “I can send up some flares to signal you guys.” Keith voiced 

“No! We don’t know if whatever knocked us down is still be around. Hunk see if you can contact Allura we need a healing pod if he’s hurt.” He’s trying to think through the pain and there’s something he’s forgetting.  “Pidge, knowing you, you’ve got a tracker on all our lions right?” “Something is messing with our internal radars but I do have something.” A compass comes up on his hud. 

“I’ll meet up with Hunk and we’ll head over to Shiro.”She relays  A bit of tension leaves Lance the sooner they group, the sooner everything will be ok. “What about you?”  “What about me?” “You’ve been here doling out orders what are you going to do.”  He’s too tired to argue. “Keith just focus on Shiro, I’ll meet you all there.”

He turns off his comms “Hey Blue, you good girl?” he feels her quiet comforting presence, she’s worried. “I’ll be ok, we just need to get to Shiro don’t worry about me.” She’s not convinced and conveys that if she moves he’s going to hurt more than he already does. “Please, I need you to do this.”  She stands and it shifts. His whole world is centered around this God awful pain. When it fades enough he’s breathing hard his other hand fisted in pain. She’s still going though God bless her for that even so her guilt flooded him.

“We’ll be alright I promise.”

With the remaining strength he has he turns his comms back on and is met with near chaos. Or maybe chaos isn’t the right word for it “We thought you were hurt.” They were talking over each other in relief. “He’s Ok?” Lance breathed. None of them acknowledge him. “I’m ok guys,” Shiro’s voice sounds strong “how are you all holding up” The other paladins voice their minor injuries the worst of the 3 was a split lip. “Lance?” 

He’s been trying to speak up but everytime he opened his mouth he was talked over like he wasn’t even there. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to speak, whatever knocked into him probably broke his ribs. “I’m glad to hear you guys aren’t hurt but I don’t I’ll be able to fly out of here.” They don’t hear him. His eyes water tears threatening to fall. There has to be a reason. As Blue slows to a stop he looks through her eyes in a last ditch effort to see the other Paladins talking. They don’t have their helmets, they can’t hear him. “Fuck.”

The other paladins glance at the Blue lion as she reaches them laying down with a resounding thud and jaw opening. They continue talking waiting till Lance leaves his lion but moments pass and the Blue Paladin is nowhere to be seen. “What’s taking him so long?” There’s a bite to Keith’s words still smarting from the slight reprimand he received earlier. To the side Hunk slips on his headset and his face pales. Keith frowns at the abrupt change. “Why what’s wrong.” Hunk “He’s hurt” is the only answer he gives before sprinting to the Lion’s open maw. The other paladin’s follow behind him. Keith shoves on his helmet wanting to offer some comfort but Lance’s harsh breathing and he’s apologizing? To his family for not making it back. 

“Lance!”  The Red paladin can’t breathe It feels like hours before he reaches the cockpit. He doesn’t see Lance at first only Hunk struggling with some huge machinery that must have fallen out of blue at some point. But when he takes a step he nearly slips on the blood pooling out from under it. Hunk’s head whips around tears in his eyes. “Help me!”

 Keith can’t move, Lance’s arm is stuck underneath the hunk of metal and all he can do is be jostled to the side as Shiro pushes past him to help Hunk. Pidge, he can’t even see her behind it but he knows she’s by his side trying to keep him awake. “Princess,” Keith clears his throat. “We’re still going to need that healing pod, Lance is hurt.”

He doesn’t hear her reply only the creak of metal lifting off Lance’s arm, or what’s left of it. Shiro’s already taking off his shirt to make a bandage but his arm is already mangled beyond repair. They’re silent, “The healing pod can’t fix that.” She was right the journey over had caused the machine to grind against his arm leaving a bloody pulpy mess that was barely hanging on. “We have to amputate to bandage it correctly.” Shiro grits his teeth and crouches to do so but Hunk grabs his shoulder. “You can’t we have to try the pod!” “We’re running out of time, He’s running out of time!”  ‘It’s his fucking arm we have to try at least!”

~

Days had passed since they placed Lance in the healing pod. The list of injuries he had before he went in were quite extensive. Broken ribs, a concussion and a terrible laceration on his head. At some point or another the Paladins all come to see his progress and with morbid curiosity his arm. It had healed seemingly fine, the skin unblemished . So all they had left to do was wait.

It might just be his perpetual bad luck but as the doors to the pod opens there’s nobody in the medbay. On unsteady legs he steps out of the pod. He laughs because he knows he’s not going to live this down. Only he would get hurt inside his own lion. His laughter gives way into crying as realizes he didn’t come out unscathed. Initially he thought he was ok that the numbness in his arm was just a side effect from being in the healing pod but it’s not moving. Hes clenching his fist but he can’t feel it. And that’s how the rest of the Paladins find him.  Its unsettling the way he tries to tell them he’s fine. “Call me noodle” he says through the tears swinging his limp arm.

They give him space to come to terms with his loss. But it’s like it doesn’t even bother him. “Keith, Keith! How do you get a one armed man down from a tree?” Keith groans “Lance, please.” “You wave at him”  Shiro doesn’t seem to find it funny “Lance focus, you said you wanted to get better with your new bayard but all you’ve been doing is telling jokes”  He shrugs a muscle twitching in his jaw. “I’m making the best of my situation. Also pistols aren’t fun.” They were on the training deck each focusing on improvement. Since the accident, Lance’s bayard had changed to a light pistol. Part of him was elated, it was like he was a cowboy from the wild wild west. But now he had this gun because he couldn’t very well hold a rifle now could he. From his place where he sat he watched Pidge take out two gladiators,  Hunk rather than firing using his for close combat, Keith and Shiro needed no practice but there they were mowing down gladiator after gladiator. He was done for the day but there was no way he can leave unnoticed. He just wants to be alone for a bit. He’s tired of faking fine.

Another hour passes and finally Shiro calls for them to hit the showers. As the water hits his back he looks down at the stump that is left of his right arm. He decided he wanted it amputated and if you didn’t think he made jokes about it the whole time you’re wrong. Still this had been a major life changing event and he knows he gave them a reason not to worry about him, still trying to be the Lance he was before the accident but he was still human. Which is why he finds himself in the upper levels of the castle ship stargazing. It hadn’t even been a month yet but they had moved on because he pretended he moved on. He still feels the pain from his time under the machine, the hurt that hurts so deep it’s in your spine. He doesn’t want to tell anyone but he knows they heard him in his room when the nightmares get too real which is why he doesn’t get to sleep by himself anymore, a different paladin each night claiming “Sleepover!” He wants to show them that he’s better he doesn’t want their pity but he wants to hurt, even if it’s just for a little bit. “Lance, everyone’s been looking for you, I can’t keep covering for you when you come up here.”  He doesn’t move when Keith starts talking he doesn’t feel like doing anything right now. “I just want to be alone for a while.” Keith stares at him a weight settling in his stomach “Are you alright?” Lance doesn’t answer. When Keith walks up beside him he’s not surprised to see tears cascading down his face. He sits besides him grasping his hand. “You didn’t have to pretend Lance it’s ok to just hurt for a while.” Lance turns to him a watery smile on his face before turning back to the stars.