( considering that keith had left... something of an impression on arjuna, he figured it'd only be polite to confirm his present condition. a lot of things have transpired since their initial meeting, and hence, he's here. he's heard that texts are less invasive, and so he opts on falling back to it. )
Hello, Defender of the Galaxy.
Or did you prefer Goo's caretaker? Forgive me, if I mixed up any of your titles. But, putting those matters aside, how have you been adjusting? I look forward to your prompt reply. ( um, is that somehow kind of pa??? look, arjuna tries, but he's still.... himself, basically. )
Hello, Defender of the Galaxy.
Or did you prefer Goo's caretaker? Forgive me, if I mixed up any of your titles. But, putting those matters aside, how have you been adjusting? I look forward to your prompt reply. ( um, is that somehow kind of pa??? look, arjuna tries, but he's still.... himself, basically. )
[The good thing for both Arjuna and Keith is that Keith probably wouldn't be able to read something as passive aggressive if it hit him in the face and said, "Here, I'm being passive aggressive." Subtle nuances in tone aren't his strong suit.
At least in text, the tone things are understandable. And uh, maybe worse? Who knows! Time will tell.]
Well, make that Galaxy into Universe, and I can go by that. Keith might be fine, too. I think people will know who you're talking about that way. [Though maybe he should introduce himself that way. That's a thought!]
I had a bad run in with the bugs around Oska. What about you? Still yourself? Still yourself the entire time?
At least in text, the tone things are understandable. And uh, maybe worse? Who knows! Time will tell.]
Well, make that Galaxy into Universe, and I can go by that. Keith might be fine, too. I think people will know who you're talking about that way. [Though maybe he should introduce himself that way. That's a thought!]
I had a bad run in with the bugs around Oska. What about you? Still yourself? Still yourself the entire time?
[ the second morning after the "campfire incident", keith will roll over to find a card left beside his head. fighting with someone you kind of sort of technically share a tent with is pretty awkward, and somehow lance and keith have managed to co-exist in each other's space as if nothing had happened at all, but it's been grating on lance since it happened and now he's finally been able to do something about it.
actually taking to heart most of the things mentioned in his chat with pidge, lance had managed to procure himself enough supplies the next day to fashion this meager card, the inside of which simply reads: ]
actually taking to heart most of the things mentioned in his chat with pidge, lance had managed to procure himself enough supplies the next day to fashion this meager card, the inside of which simply reads: ]
i know you're not a hobo.[ and wouldn't you know it, lance just so happens to be OUT WALKING BELORE THIS MORNING, what avcoinkydink. ]
thanks for being nice to me. i'll try to be a lot nicer to you.
- L
[Keith stares at the card for a long, long moment. Lance actually apologized to him? Even if they did get over this, the last thing Keith would've expected would be an apology. He sits with it in his hands, passing it back and forth while he considers what the heck he's supposed to do with it. A card? An apology card? Who put Lance up to this?
But since Lance isn't there to answer that question—and the reason itself is immediately apparent, as Belore is missing, too—he gets up out of the tent, clutching the card still in his hand. He holds it close to him, just in case he runs into someone else and they're curious about what's going on.
It doesn't take him long to find Lance, and he awkwardly holds up the card in front of him to show that he has it.]
Uhhhh. [Being the bluntest guy on the team doesn't mean he's particularly good with words. On the contrary, that's part of why he stumbles most of the time.] Did someone make you do this?
But since Lance isn't there to answer that question—and the reason itself is immediately apparent, as Belore is missing, too—he gets up out of the tent, clutching the card still in his hand. He holds it close to him, just in case he runs into someone else and they're curious about what's going on.
It doesn't take him long to find Lance, and he awkwardly holds up the card in front of him to show that he has it.]
Uhhhh. [Being the bluntest guy on the team doesn't mean he's particularly good with words. On the contrary, that's part of why he stumbles most of the time.] Did someone make you do this?
Oh, yeah—of course, Shiro.
[There isn't a lot that Keith wouldn't do for Shiro if he was asked.]
[There isn't a lot that Keith wouldn't do for Shiro if he was asked.]
Hey.
I'm sorry about having to cut out, earlier.
[Over the network.]
I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about, y'know... What you saw. It's okay if you'd rather wait until after the mission, there's a lot goin' on right now.
I'm sorry about having to cut out, earlier.
[Over the network.]
I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about, y'know... What you saw. It's okay if you'd rather wait until after the mission, there's a lot goin' on right now.
The dungeon? [Given that his Galra self wanted to use it to protect a child, it occurs to him that maybe he should have a problem with it.
Unfortunately, Keith still thinks that was a pretty solid plan.]
It's not like I've studied the thing, but what do you wanna know?
Unfortunately, Keith still thinks that was a pretty solid plan.]
It's not like I've studied the thing, but what do you wanna know?
[First thing in the morning, Keith may hear a soft knock on his door. Whenever he opens it, he'll find one knitted pouch waiting for him. It's clearly handmade, with the ALASTAIR emblem patterned on the bottom of it, and comes with a tag which reads:
To: Keith
From: Haise
Happy Holidays!
The pouch is stuffed with individually wrapped cookies of assorted varieties. It's obvious that effort and care went into each recipe, and the cookies are flavorful regardless of which type he may sample]
To: Keith
From: Haise
Happy Holidays!
The pouch is stuffed with individually wrapped cookies of assorted varieties. It's obvious that effort and care went into each recipe, and the cookies are flavorful regardless of which type he may sample]
[ this call, unfortunately (but not unexpectedly), is not as easy to make as the other. ]
Put aside the fact that you can't stand me for two seconds so we can have an actual productive conversation here—
You ever heard of anyone here blipping back home for an extended amount of time only to come back here like no time has passed at all?
Put aside the fact that you can't stand me for two seconds so we can have an actual productive conversation here—
You ever heard of anyone here blipping back home for an extended amount of time only to come back here like no time has passed at all?
You're the one who can't stand me. [His voice is tired, but between the trip back home and this, he doesn't feel entirely connected to their last conversation. If anything, he's ... beginning to get the weight of what Lance had told him.
Though he hasn't entirely processed it yet. It's weird to be back here, but it's normal, too, like it was a trip that had to happen.]
Though he hasn't entirely processed it yet. It's weird to be back here, but it's normal, too, like it was a trip that had to happen.]
Yeah, so far so good. Lance came to help me out of my only scrape that was a bit too much for me.
How about you?
How about you?
[ there's a chinese restaurant two blocks away from keith and shiro's apartment that lance likes to frequent, in part because they always give him extra fortune cookies, but mostly because they are among one of the few restaurants stubbornly refusing to close their doors. that day, he'd pedaled straight from the hospital to the restaurant to order up almost the entire left-hand side of their menu, then pedaled the short distance to keith's to surprise him with it. it's pretty late for a lunch date, but he kind of figured the other boy wouldn't have remembered about lunch anyway, not when he's going as hard as he is on this mission. it only takes them only about an hour to get through it all, because they're still growing young men even when they're incredibly distracted.
slowly, lance sets his glass of water down, hoping each next gulp will somehow finally convince his body he's full.
nope.
pointedly, he keeps his glass on his side of the table, just as he'd done with anything else that had touched his mouth. spread out between them are a number of emptied take out cartons (majority of them emptied thanks entirely to lance himself), occupying a good portion of the kitchen table that's still somehow made to feel quite empty... likely because of the obvious lack of shiro's presence. he waits until keith has set his chopsticks down and leaned back in his seat before lance dares to broach the subject. ]
So I think I might be infected.
[ and by "broaching," i mean "taking a leaf out of keith's book and diving head-first into it." ]
slowly, lance sets his glass of water down, hoping each next gulp will somehow finally convince his body he's full.
nope.
pointedly, he keeps his glass on his side of the table, just as he'd done with anything else that had touched his mouth. spread out between them are a number of emptied take out cartons (majority of them emptied thanks entirely to lance himself), occupying a good portion of the kitchen table that's still somehow made to feel quite empty... likely because of the obvious lack of shiro's presence. he waits until keith has set his chopsticks down and leaned back in his seat before lance dares to broach the subject. ]
So I think I might be infected.
[ and by "broaching," i mean "taking a leaf out of keith's book and diving head-first into it." ]
[The thing about having boxes full of food in front of him is that he can take another bite of noodles and shove them into his mouth. Keith hadn't had any reason to regret this decision, only Lance has just given him one. His jaw stops moving with his chewing, and he looks like he's on the verge of choking.
Which ... given circumstances, would be complicated. Keith continues to look a little ill with full cheeks until he forces is mouth engine to get moving again, forcing the noodles down his throat. The fork in his hand begins to bend, holding all of the tension that begins to run through his body.]
So ... you too, [he finally manages, because he's been trying to stave off the anxiety and fear of possibly losing Shiro in this mission. Or in general. And now Lance? Now, after everything?
He knows that his response isn't the most ... dramatic, but everything about his body language indicates that his flight instincts are in place.]
Which ... given circumstances, would be complicated. Keith continues to look a little ill with full cheeks until he forces is mouth engine to get moving again, forcing the noodles down his throat. The fork in his hand begins to bend, holding all of the tension that begins to run through his body.]
So ... you too, [he finally manages, because he's been trying to stave off the anxiety and fear of possibly losing Shiro in this mission. Or in general. And now Lance? Now, after everything?
He knows that his response isn't the most ... dramatic, but everything about his body language indicates that his flight instincts are in place.]
Out trying to stock up on supplies.
What is it?
What is it?
[ with any medicinal marvel, there are bound to be side effects. frankly, given how far gone lance had been, and how much further down he was nearing on the phases, he's quite thankful all he has to suffer through coming out of all this are a few weeks' worth of sleepless nights. (or so he hopes it'll just be a few weeks, anyway.) granted, he hadn't been sleeping all that well towards the end anyway, so it's all starting to kind of pile up on top of each other... but he's not sick anymore. he can be around his friends now without having to worry about being a danger to them. sleep seems pretty minuscule in comparison.
still, insomnia and his innate restlessness doesn't make for a very good combination. so after some futile tossing and turning on shiro, keith, and aang's couch, he climbs out and walks himself over to start pilfering through their kitchen again... thankfully not out of ravenous hunger this time, but mostly out of boredom. the apartment itself is pretty barren, and he can't quite tell if it's because a third of its inhabitants hadn't really been living here for the past month or so... or if it's just the way they all live. (he kind of thinks it's maybe that's just the way they all live.)
he winds up finding a box of expired alphabet cereal, which he takes over to the table and starts shaking out. nothing like a quiet game of individual cereal scrabble... amirite... ]
still, insomnia and his innate restlessness doesn't make for a very good combination. so after some futile tossing and turning on shiro, keith, and aang's couch, he climbs out and walks himself over to start pilfering through their kitchen again... thankfully not out of ravenous hunger this time, but mostly out of boredom. the apartment itself is pretty barren, and he can't quite tell if it's because a third of its inhabitants hadn't really been living here for the past month or so... or if it's just the way they all live. (he kind of thinks it's maybe that's just the way they all live.)
he winds up finding a box of expired alphabet cereal, which he takes over to the table and starts shaking out. nothing like a quiet game of individual cereal scrabble... amirite... ]
[Part of the reason why the kitchen is so barren is because Keith's been hit with that same hunger since he took the vaccine. While he's done what he can to keep an eye on ensuring that the meatless food remains available for Aang, he spends a lot of his time munching on crackers between vaccinating people (or carting them off to be vaccinated) and curing them. While Keith has always had the appetite of a teenage boy, he's definitely amped it up a few notches lately.
Thanks, inoculation.
The good thing is that it isn't hunger that wakes up Keith—it's his natural tendency to sleep lightly. The moment he hears a mild creak of the floor outside, he stirs, and it's the realization that the movement must belong to Lance that draws him out of bed. ... He grabs a pack of saltines on his way out, as he's had a box in his room for convenience (and easy hunger stymieing).
He drops into the chair next to Lance, eyes on the various letters.]
You know we have paper, right?
Thanks, inoculation.
The good thing is that it isn't hunger that wakes up Keith—it's his natural tendency to sleep lightly. The moment he hears a mild creak of the floor outside, he stirs, and it's the realization that the movement must belong to Lance that draws him out of bed. ... He grabs a pack of saltines on his way out, as he's had a box in his room for convenience (and easy hunger stymieing).
He drops into the chair next to Lance, eyes on the various letters.]
You know we have paper, right?
[ on the morning of april 1st, keith will wake up to find a hand-made card waiting for him by his bed.
inside reads: ]
inside reads: ]
APRIL FOOLS!![ within the card is a smaller postcard with a photo of the lights display that they'd visited here, during what lance has dubbed their "first official date." ]
i'm not sorry at all
for liking you i mean
because i do!
happy one mission anniversary
- L
Edited 2017-04-01 19:18 (UTC)
[Keith will promptly add this to his collection of Lance Cards.]
Maybe you were right about not being able to get sick.
I'm fine.
[Keith doesn't ask the same question in return because ... if she's never gotten sick, that answers a lot.]
I'm fine.
[Keith doesn't ask the same question in return because ... if she's never gotten sick, that answers a lot.]
( it's a few days after his cure, and probably later than it should have gone without being addressed, but late or not, he's here anyway. )
hey, keith
you doing okay?
( he'll get to the apologies in a minute, he's more concerned about that at the moment. )
hey, keith
you doing okay?
( he'll get to the apologies in a minute, he's more concerned about that at the moment. )
Why does everyone keep asking that? I'm fine.
[Because that's what normal people ask, Keith.]
[Because that's what normal people ask, Keith.]
[Losing Shiro without getting an idea where Shiro had disappeared to back home is hard. Having to explain it is even harder. Somehow, he worries less about Pidge than Shiro. But then, is that really so surprising?]
I'll be fine.
They'll both somewhere, right? Somewhere tangible?
It could be worse.
[He is trying to convince himself to some degree, but still.]
I'll be fine.
They'll both somewhere, right? Somewhere tangible?
It could be worse.
[He is trying to convince himself to some degree, but still.]
Edited 2017-05-17 20:56 (UTC)
[ sure, he could have just responded there on the network... but given the last time he tried to talk to Keith about anything even remotely personal on the network and how it went, Stiles opts for messaging him directly. ]
hey. I saw your response, everything you said about... yourself, I guess. are you, uh, doing okay? how long have you not been talking about that? [ because seriously, Keith. seriously.pot, kettle ]
hey. I saw your response, everything you said about... yourself, I guess. are you, uh, doing okay? how long have you not been talking about that? [ because seriously, Keith. seriously.
[Ah, so there's someone talking about it. He doesn't know what to say.]
Right before the mission.
[That's a short answer.]
Why does it matter? I said something, didn't I?
Right before the mission.
[That's a short answer.]
Why does it matter? I said something, didn't I?
out of all the icons i somehow manage to pick the same one twice in a row smh
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
figureitout
- 2017-06-20 17:13 (UTC) - Expand[ he gets the notice a couple of hours after they return, and he makes his way to keith's room some thirty minutes later. he spent the half-hour in relative silence, letting it all just sink in. by the time he's knocking gently on keith's door, he's already gone through the words over a dozen times in his head... doing his best to prepare.
he never has been very good at these kind of good-byes. ]
he never has been very good at these kind of good-byes. ]
[Keith is glad to be out of the labyrinth and back here, at least so that he can begin to dedicate his energy to something else. Plus, he ... should probably see if he can get a message to Shiro. Shiros? The plurality of it all is something he still needs to clarify. (Before, Keith had figured that Shiro's lack of memory about his previous time had something to do with trauma.)
When the knock comes, he sets aside his magitek necklace on his side table and stands up. The moment he sees Lance, he just casually opens the door, assuming he'll walk in. It's Lance, after all.]
When the knock comes, he sets aside his magitek necklace on his side table and stands up. The moment he sees Lance, he just casually opens the door, assuming he'll walk in. It's Lance, after all.]
Greetings, Keith.
I am being returned to my own timeline, apparently stability there is being altered without my presence. I wanted to message you before I left, as a goodbye.
I am still very impressed with your progress in your meditation. I remember that it was not so long ago that you were having such issues with patience and balance, and I can tell now that it is not so foreign to you. It is truly a pleasure to see how far you have come, and I hope that you will continue to grow with time. I can tell that it will not be easy, and the path you have ahead of you will be difficult. Please remember, "as an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure."
Thank you, Keith.
I am being returned to my own timeline, apparently stability there is being altered without my presence. I wanted to message you before I left, as a goodbye.
I am still very impressed with your progress in your meditation. I remember that it was not so long ago that you were having such issues with patience and balance, and I can tell now that it is not so foreign to you. It is truly a pleasure to see how far you have come, and I hope that you will continue to grow with time. I can tell that it will not be easy, and the path you have ahead of you will be difficult. Please remember, "as an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure."
Thank you, Keith.
[It's sad to read this, but he's at least glad that Zenyatta gets to go home. He doesn't know about his feelings on the matter, or whether that's a thing he particularly wants, but he can accept it as a good thing.]
Hey.
Thanks for the message.
I'll do my best to remember everything you taught me.
I didn't tell you before. I was still adjusting to it, but I became the leader of Voltron. The lead lion chose me.
Everything you taught me will help me with that.
[Even if it's hard ... even if it's terrifying. He can't forget Zenyatta's belief in him.]
Hey.
Thanks for the message.
I'll do my best to remember everything you taught me.
I didn't tell you before. I was still adjusting to it, but I became the leader of Voltron. The lead lion chose me.
Everything you taught me will help me with that.
[Even if it's hard ... even if it's terrifying. He can't forget Zenyatta's belief in him.]
you'll be leaving soon, i assume. to lead voltron.
[ despite his thorough explanations, her understanding of how All That Works where he comes from is limited at best, and here it is an almost defensive irreverence to the task because she cannot stand spending extra time on the thought that he will (for good reason, she reminds herself) undoubtedly be leaving her behind. it is not fair to anyone at all to be upset about it, so she does not express it, but there's a wistfulness about her whenever it comes up, and she knows she'll have to confront it eventually. ]
[ despite his thorough explanations, her understanding of how All That Works where he comes from is limited at best, and here it is an almost defensive irreverence to the task because she cannot stand spending extra time on the thought that he will (for good reason, she reminds herself) undoubtedly be leaving her behind. it is not fair to anyone at all to be upset about it, so she does not express it, but there's a wistfulness about her whenever it comes up, and she knows she'll have to confront it eventually. ]
[Her words cut deep. Keith knows that she doesn't mean them that way. There's no way that anyone could mean them that way. But they hurt. His lips twist sharply at her words, and he almost debates not replying.
Because he doesn't plan on leaving.
That's part of the problem. And he knows it.]
I wasn't planning on it.
[Simple. To the point. No explanations.]
Because he doesn't plan on leaving.
That's part of the problem. And he knows it.]
I wasn't planning on it.
[Simple. To the point. No explanations.]
You went to the Celestial Mountains, right?
[ Without the preamble of a hello, because Keith isn't the sort to bother with them, anyway. ]
[ Without the preamble of a hello, because Keith isn't the sort to bother with them, anyway. ]
Yeah. Though I don't think we expected what we found upon showing up.
[ They've been incredibly lucky that Doro took such a shine to them, though Lance supposes they've more than earned it by now. The castle has plenty of rooms for them to bunk in, and after checking Keith's location, Lance scoops up Belore and goes to meet him.
The lynx doesn't need to be carried, but since she got injured in the fighting he's been inclined to baby her. Her dizziness and bouts of moodiness have subsided, thankfully, and Lance is left to enjoy the warmth of her against his front and the springtime sunset at his back.
You don't really knock on a shoji door, but Lance taps the frame with one knuckle to announce himself before sliding it open. Belore slips from his arms to go meet Keith and Lion, Lance following on bare, tired feet. ]
The lynx doesn't need to be carried, but since she got injured in the fighting he's been inclined to baby her. Her dizziness and bouts of moodiness have subsided, thankfully, and Lance is left to enjoy the warmth of her against his front and the springtime sunset at his back.
You don't really knock on a shoji door, but Lance taps the frame with one knuckle to announce himself before sliding it open. Belore slips from his arms to go meet Keith and Lion, Lance following on bare, tired feet. ]
[Did they really only just get back? It's only lying on his current sleeping arrangements that he only begins to process that. Everything at the Celestial Mountain had been stressful, to say the least. But then he got back and ended up walking in on drama that he hadn't expected. Hadn't really calculated for. Couldn't calculate for.
Oddly enough, the bruising on Keith's neck and body don't come from the Mountain Clan rebels but from Kylo Ren. He got out of one altercation almost unscathed, only to walk into another. He looks up in the direction of the "doorway," only to see Lance step inside after Belore.
If Keith looks worse for wear, it's because ... he looks worse for wear. He definitely looks like he could use some time in the Castle Ship's healing pods. Too bad those aren't here.]
... Thanks for bringing her back around. [Sensing Keith's discomfort, Belore climbs onto his bed mat with him, nuzzling close.]
Oddly enough, the bruising on Keith's neck and body don't come from the Mountain Clan rebels but from Kylo Ren. He got out of one altercation almost unscathed, only to walk into another. He looks up in the direction of the "doorway," only to see Lance step inside after Belore.
If Keith looks worse for wear, it's because ... he looks worse for wear. He definitely looks like he could use some time in the Castle Ship's healing pods. Too bad those aren't here.]
... Thanks for bringing her back around. [Sensing Keith's discomfort, Belore climbs onto his bed mat with him, nuzzling close.]
[ it's already early afternoon on the day after kylo ren tried to murder him when she reaches out to him, a sign of her all-nighter and the short stint of sleep she'd sought following. ]
Let me know when you want to talk.
[ That will hopefully make it sound like she's not demanding it, but rather offering it. If he'd rather never talk to her again, honestly, she'd understand. Cry herself to sleep at night for ten years, but understand. ]
Let me know when you want to talk.
[ That will hopefully make it sound like she's not demanding it, but rather offering it. If he'd rather never talk to her again, honestly, she'd understand. Cry herself to sleep at night for ten years, but understand. ]
Not yet. But soon.
Yesterday was a really long day.
[He isn't putting it off. He just knows that he has his limits, and he needs to respect his own at least for the moment.]
Yesterday was a really long day.
[He isn't putting it off. He just knows that he has his limits, and he needs to respect his own at least for the moment.]
Hey, I'd like your opinion on something.
In Hanabira I tended to regret not taking my weapon with me more. Especially after our sparring match and then dealing with all of the various skirmishes and attacks.
Unfortunately, I don't think it will blend in as well for our next mission. And I know the next mission is going to be about staying under the radar.
Should I just leave it here or try to get creative with how to disguise it?
In Hanabira I tended to regret not taking my weapon with me more. Especially after our sparring match and then dealing with all of the various skirmishes and attacks.
Unfortunately, I don't think it will blend in as well for our next mission. And I know the next mission is going to be about staying under the radar.
Should I just leave it here or try to get creative with how to disguise it?
Something tells me that not having it would be a bigger problem.
You can't make it any smaller, right? It's just a sword or a javelin?
You can't make it any smaller, right? It's just a sword or a javelin?
Page 1 of 2