absolutely devastating after reading sunrise on the reaping when Haymitch threatens Katniss after disobeying him, to have an earpiece installed her head so she can hear him constantly like sir how can you say that after what happened to Lou Lou???
So I went to Stockholm with @oddwriter to see Interactive Introverts and it was super fun. I, of course, ended up buying merch and even though it's the smallest size jacket, it still looks like I stole it from somebody else.
This was supposed to be a fic for Klangst Week (death/injury) but I never finished it, but now I have ! Yay! Enjoy the angst! Do tell me what you think.
“Where is he?! Shiro, where is he?!” Lance’s voice shrieked through the castle halls. Shiro held him back with a firm grip, before he could enter the medcenter where Coran and Pidge were attending a wounded Keith on a stretcher.
“Please, let me through, Shiro.”
“You know I can’t let you.”
“This is my fault, p-please let me tell him that I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--, you know I didn’t mean to do this, right Shiro?” he begged as if his life depended on it. “Shiro, of all people you should understand what it would mean, what it would feel like to-- no, no-no-no! Shiro, no! Shiro, put me down, let me go! Keith!!! Keith I’m sorry!” Shiro exhaled and used all the force he could muster to drag Lance away from the medcenter. Of course he could imagine what Lance was going through, he had been in a very likely situation back at the Gladiator Camps, but this time he was not going to jeopardize the situation of life and death of one he loved, not again.
Lance fought like a slippery animal, fighting for his life for Shiro to let go, but it did not happen.
Shiro forced Lance into the nearest navigation center a few halls away and locked the door. He pushed Lance down in the seat by the window. “Please Shiro, let me just go see if he’s alright.”
“Lance, I’m not gonna let you put his life in more peril than he’s already in, not even if it means you’re gonna hate me for it.”
Lance balled his fists punching the air behind him “That’s not what it’s about-- I need to see him!” He expected Shiro to cross his arms like he would do in such a situation, but he did not. Instead his arms were hanging down his side.
“I know how you feel, Lance.”
“Then why won’t you let me see him.”
“Because I fear it will only cause you even more pain. One paladin down is better than two.” his voice were uncomfortably calm, yet slightly shaky.
“How can you even say that!” Lance hissed back.
Shiro took a moment “It’s a long story.” then he looked away from Lance.
“Whatever you might have felt this is different, because I’m not you Shiro!” He lunged at Shiro knocking him to the ground, making his way for the locked door with a high speed. He ran as fast as he could back to the medcenter.
“Lance is going for the medcenter! Repeat, Lance is not contained!” He heard Shiro through the speakers in the castle. It didn’t matter, if he could escape Shiro he could escape any of the paladins.
“Someone get Lance, before he gets to the medcenter!” He heard his name as an echo, sending him back to when he was looking for Keith in the prison facility on Crixus. He’d been gone for a week, no, 9 days, and for each day had Lance become more anxious for his fellow paladin. He knocked out two sentries guarding Keith’s cell before he blasted the door open.
“Keith!” he gasped, when he saw Keith in a corner covered by only a holed rag, weakened and lifeless. Lance put his bayard back in the belt and kneeled next to his friend. “Keith, it’s me, Lance.” There was little to no movement from him.
“L-Lance . . .” it was merely a whisper.
“Yes, it’s me. Don’t worry we’re gonna get you outta here in no time. Shiro, I found Keith, Pidge I need you to guide us through the corridors without getting spotted by the sentries.”
“Copy that, Hunk I’m sending you Lance’s coordinates” Pidge replied.
“No.”
“No? I’m sorry, what am I gonna do, you guys are confusing.” Hunk added confused.
“Hunk I need you, but as a distraction so they won’t come after me and Keith. Give us as much time as you can get us, Pidge guide him.”
“Wait what? Lance, what’s Keith status?” Pidge asked.
The rag covering Keith’s shaking shoulders was spotted with what seemed to be dry red blood, possibly Keith’s blood. He took a glance up and down Keith's shaky scarred body to get an idea of his state. “Severe injuries, I doubt he can walk.” Keith flinched by the mere touch of Lance touching his hand. It sent a shiver through Lance. What had they done to him?
“Lan. . . ce-- . . .” Keith whispered again this time a little clearer.
“Save your breath buddy, I’m getting you outta here in no time.” Lance grabbed around Keith’s shoulder and under his knees. Pidge which way?” Keith’s head tilted like a ragdoll would, onto Lance’s shoulder.
Carefully as they could they snuck through the corridors away from the sentries’ gaze and galra guards’ claws, right until Pidge ordered them to stop.
“A band of guards are coming your way. There’s a maintenance cupboard to your right, wait there until I tell what to do.”
“Lance . . .” Lance ignored Keith and placed him on the ground to better open the door. His teeth were clenched together, while Pidge hurried him in his ear.
Finally the door sprung open. He grabbed Keith with a blink of an eye and slammed the door after them. Silence was deafening. The sentries’ heavy metallic footsteps ran past their hiding spot. Keith exhaled heavily and collapsed in Lance’s arms.
“No-no-no-no, Keith stay awake.” Lance said in his quietest voice. “Keith, stay with me. Please.” The darkness seemed spinning and confusing. Lance cupped Keith’s face. He was still warm, he was shaking, or was it himself? He couldn’t tell the difference. “Don’t you die on me, Keith!” his voice was shaking too. He didn’t know what to do, every thought was going a hundred miles an hour. “Keith you gotta stay awake, you hear me? Please . . . nod, move your hand, anything, if you can hear me.” He waited for a moment. A little squeaky inhale was audible. It felt like a rock had fallen from his heart.
“Lance . . .” His voice was clearer now, “thank . . . you . . .”
“Don’t thank me just yet, we’re not safe for long.” he tried sassing, but it was clear he was concerned.
“Okay Lance, coast is clear. Just a little farther and you’re safe.”
“Seems like luck is on our side today, huh.” Lance picked up Keith with great ease and left their hiding spot. Just a little farther, he kept telling himself and then they would be back at the castle.
Finally, the door to the storage room they had arrived in! “We’re almost there Keith. Stay with me. Pidge open up I’m at the storage.” The door swiped open with a swoosh. The pod’s door was closed shut. “Pidge open up I’m outside the pod.”
“Lan. . . ce. . .” He turned his head to Keith. His eyes were shut, his head tilted all the way back showing his adam’s apple so distinctively it frightened him.
“Keith?” no reaction. His heart started to beat faster. “Keith!” he kneed the ground. He put Keith’s light body on the ground, holding only his head in a gentle grasp. “Keith, wake up man, you can’t leave me like this, don’t you even dare.”
The pod-door opened slowly.
Shouting sounded through the corridors.
When Shiro came out of the pod he found Lance with his arms around Keith, rocking back and forth, whimpering him to wake up. Hunk came running into the storage as fast as he could.
“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”
Shiro took a hold of Lance “Get into the pod, I’ll take Keith!” Tears streamed down Lance’s face. “Hunk ready a stretcher!” He commanded at the same time the first laser shot hid the wall. “Let’s go!”
“You think I was kidding?”
“Not now, Hunk!” Shiro strapped Keith to the stretcher while Hunk fastened Lance to the seat in front of Keith. The pod was off. Lance was unable to take his eyes off of Keith, lying there behind him. He could not pinpoint if he was shaking or if it was the pod dodging the lasers. When finally the pod stopped moving he unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped straight to his friend. He held his breath. There was no movement for a very long time.
“. . . we . . . safe. . .?” he suddenly heard him say.
“Yes, yes, we’re safe.”
“. . . good . . .” he smiled very faintly. Lance took a closer look at Keith’s state. Beneath the rag, scars across his torso and arms had opened up and started bleeding ever so slightly.
“I did this.” he muttered. Then a little louder. Shock sent him back against the wall in the pod. Time stood still for Lance, when suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, it was Shiro. He seemed taller than usual but that only felt like that as Lance had fallen to the ground in shock.
Lance shook his head. He was back running, through the castle halls looking for Keith. He had to know he was alright. That he wasn’t death. It wasn’t until he ran towards Coran that he actually stopped.
“I know you’re upset, Lance. But you must calm down. Keith is in a severe condition, so please have patience with him.” He was completely calm towards him. No hidden aggression, just sympathy.
“You don’t understand Coran, I did this, I tore open his wounds because I wasn’t careful enough on the mission, it’s my fault he is dying! Please, I need to tell him I’m sorry!” He clenched his hands to tight fists.
“I understand Lance. But give us some time so Keith can at least hear you say it to him.”
It was like all air had been punched out of his body. “He's still unconscious?” Coran nodded and moved closer. His throat tightened, he couldn't keep his tears back. Coran placed his hand on his shoulder.
“We’re gonna do whatever we can, so will you promise me to be patient and not do anything rash?”
The lump in his throat apprehended him from speaking, no matter the sound it hurt his throat like knives. Lance focused at Coran and nodded. He had to wait. Why. Why couldn't he just have been more careful with Keith’s wounds!
“I'm glad. You know, you're like the son I could've had, Lance, so trust me when I say, I will do whatever is in our power to help Keith.” Coran’s voice shook at the mention of Lance’s name, he cleared his throat, “I’ll let you know if there's anything you can do, you have my word.” Coran turned his heel and went back into the medcenter leaving Lance with a heavy heart, empty of words.
He waited. He waited. And he waited.
A day later, Coran fetched Lance when there was only a few ticks left before Keith’s cryotube would open up. Lance felt his heart pound in his chest. He caught himself clenching his fist tightly. The tube opened up with a swoosh, Coran stood ready to avoid Keith colliding with the floor.
An exhausted groan escaped Keith as he landed in Coran’s arms, while Lance’s chest felt overheated with questions he needed answered.
Shakily he turned his head. The previously bloody wounds around his neck and face had vanished leaving thin white lines crossing scar upon scar. He felt sick to his stomach when his eyes jumped from scar to scar.
“Lance--” Keith smiled at him, still leaning on Coran. He did this, he could’ve stopped this if he had just been quicker, cleverer to find Keith’s position in Galran claws. Keith still held onto Coran in an almost clingy sense. “What’s wrong? You look pale.”
“Keith, can you lift your leg?” Coran asked. His leg? Lance thought. Keith looked down and started to shake. “It’s allright. It takes time.”
Lance took a step back “I--I--I’m sorry . . . this is my fau--. . . .” both Coran and Keith looked at him, with tears in his eyes, leaving the medcenter in haste. The other paladins, Allura following close by, arrived the medcenter the second Lance left, surprised how fast he ran past them.
“Is there something wrong?” Allura asked concerned.
“I’m afraid so.” Coran suggesting to Keith’s current state. “Sadly the cryotube hasn’t worked as efficient as it should’ve.” there was silence for a moment. “But I’m sure we can get you back on your legs Keith. With some rehabilitation, your legs will be as good as new.” Even though Coran said so with a hope optimism Keith did not feel flooded with hope more than he felt grief and exhaustion. Shiro gave Coran a hand carrying Keith.
“Get me out of here, Shiro.” Keith begged quietly, with his head bowed, hoping Coran would not hear him, if he did he did well in pretending not to have heard anything.
“All right, let’s give Keith some space and time to recover.”
“Right,” the others agreed before leaving the medcenter.
When the other respectfully left them alone Shiro sat down Keith on the steps in front of him. Both of them were silent. Shiro felt it would be wrong to break the silence, but also he wanted to encourage his friend. Make him believe everything would turn out fine, but maybe it was a little quick and overwhelming for the moment.
He put his hand on his hand on Keith’s shoulder “How are you feeling?” he sympathized.
“Why did he run Shiro?” Shiro shrugged not knowing what to say as a comfort.
Lance avoided Keith at that point every time. He avoided every dinner, didn’t look at Keith at the meetings, turned the other way when Keith called him out in the hall. The other paladins knew they had to interfere, but whenever they tried confronting Lance seemed to avoid even them.
“Lance, you have to talk to Keith.” Shiro would say but Lance left him before he could say more. It wasn’t until Keith cut him off in the hall to his room.
“Lance please talk to me!” He turned around to leave, when Keith grabbed his arm. “Lance! Why won’t you talk to me?” Lance still avoided his gaze by looking the other way. “I miss you, you’re not with me anymore, I can’t--” his throat tightened. “You’re not being fair to me!”
“Fair to you?” Lance turned his head. To Keith’s surprise tears were streaming down his cheeks. “It’s my fault you can’t walk without that--” he gestured at the crutch in Keith’s other hand. “It’s my fault you almost died, why would you even be with someone who almost got you killed?”
“But you didn’t. You’re the reason that I’m still alive. You came for me when I was back at the prison. Don’t you understand how grateful I am? You saved my life. So what if I have to walk this, you’ll find a new paladin, the most important is that you saved me!” Keith hurt his throat.
Lance wiped his tears away “But if I had come sooner, i-i-i-if I had come sooner they wouldn’t have hurt you, you would still be able to use you bayard, that is all my fall.” He tried to get out of Keith’s grip.
Keith swallowed “You can’t blame yourself for every little thing. It doesn’t matter, like I said you’ll find a new one to fly Red and fight with you. I don’t blame you for anything so stop blaming yourself for what happened to me.” he was easy in his voice, yet it only made Lance tear up even more. Carefully Keith moved a little closer and planted a gentle kiss on Lance’s cheek. “Do not blame yourself for these minor injuries . . . not when you saved my life.”
Stripped of Piltover, of war, and of everything they were, Jayce and Viktor wake in a place that asks nothing of them. They take it as a second chance, one that must be earned through memory, grief, and the slow work of building a life together in the mountains.
They survive the battlefield, but not unchanged, and maybe the future will be gentler to them.
A story about isolation, healing, and choosing each other when there is nothing left to save.
Viktor has a nasty fall at work and is admitted to the hospital with the terrible diagnosis of damaged nerves at the spine. He slips into pessimism, fear, doubting he'll ever walk again despite rehabilitation. Ever the hopeful optimist, Jayce tries his hardest to convince Viktor to do the doctor's recommended rehabilitation. They have a fight.
