@bladeburnd said: his brows furrowed at the other's words, and he turns his head to meet the piercing, pale yellow gaze of the half-galra. part of him was curious as to why the other cared ; what he's seen so far of the other was quick getaways before being completely blown out of existence during a battle, unlike the paladins, who stuck together through thick and thin, stayed put through some of the most difficult moments the universe had ever seen. guilt prickled under his skin as he remembered when he left, though, going on his galra soul-searching trip, as pidge called it ... but he had to do that, had to figure out who he was. everyone else around him was so secure in their lives, in their identities, in their own skin ... he desperately wanted to know what that felt like, even if it meant reaching out and coming so close to trapping it in his hand before it slipped away.
❝ ... i don't really see why you care, ❞ he responded, coming out as somewhat of a sneer. ❝ if looking right in the face of death and letting it swallow me whole is what it takes to save the universe, then so be it. ... not like you'd know what that feels like. ❞
Lotor had admittedly made his remark in a dry, matter of fact tone. It was just an observation, but he made it out of some semblance of concern. He had seen the signs a million times. More. Galra throwing their lives away impulsively, foolishly. Nobly? Sometimes. But more often than not it was simply a tragic waste.
He’d expected pushback. But Keith’s response was still... unexpected.
Lotor’s eyes widened almost imperatively, staring at something far away for a moment. Another time, and place, when he’d had the opportunity Keith spoke of. The chance to, as he put it, allow death to swallow him, and save the universe by doing so.
His failure in that moment still stung, all these millennia later. He lowered his gaze, wincing at the memories, fresh as if they’d happened yesterday.
“You...” He took a deep, shaky breath and met Keith’s gaze again, his eyes holding an ancient, yet ferocious fire. “You have no conception of what I do or do not know."