CONTACT POST.

[secondnature]

username: keith

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(credit for pic)

Comments

[secondnature]

We made this mess.

[forcevisions]

We did.
But you're needed back in your world, too.

[secondnature]

Well, what if I don't want to be needed?

[forcevisions]

then ... i'd understand

there's a mission i have to go home to finish. someone i have to find, who can help change everything. i know that i should go back, that i should bring him back.

and there are reasons that i want to, too. finn is still recovering. this person i'm looking for, he can teach me about my abilities. help me understand this thing that's inside of me.

but kisuke-san can teach me too. and there are people here that i don't want to leave behind. and the work that alastair is doing, it's worth doing too.

the galaxy is bigger than i thought it was. the universe is. it's hard to decide where we're needed most. so maybe the better choice is to just ... go where we want to be, and do the most good we can there.

[secondnature]

You sound like you have it more figured out than me.

We'll have to go back eventually.

It's just been a lot easier knowing that if I mess up, someone else will step up to take my place here. The Doctor and that Bruce guy stepped up and made sure that all parts of the taraxa mission were handled when I couldn't see a way around some of it.

Voltron works together. But Voltron needs a strong pilot. Not someone who doesn't want to do it.

Not me.

[forcevisions]

i think you're plenty strong.

but maybe it's not such a bad idea, staying until you can see it too.

[secondnature]

I'm a great pilot. And fighter.

[This would be a thing he could be checked on, but Keith knows what he's good at.

It's just—]

That doesn't make me a leader.

[forcevisions]

do you remember perdition's rest?

[secondnature]

Obviously.

[forcevisions]

then you remember what i did, and what you said to me after.
i don't think it's your skills that make you strong, keith. anyone can be a good fighter or a good pilot with enough practice. your strength is that you make other people feel capable too. feel good.

[secondnature]

I do?

I usually just ... tell people to do stuff. You can't make something happen if you aren't doing it.

[forcevisions]

yes you can. there's all sorts of ways to get stuff done. and all sorts of things that people would never do if no one ever believed they could. if no one pushed them.

[secondnature]

If you say so.

[Is telling people forcefully to do a thing belief? Keith hasn't really thought too hard about it beyond feeling like he's not good at the feelingsy part of things.]

[forcevisions]

i do.
it's why i'm glad you're staying. if you weren't. or if kisuke wasn't ... i don't know that i could.

[secondnature]

What if it turns out we never want to go home, though?

Just because we know things will wait for us.

Eventually ... it's gonna be strange if we do go back.

[forcevisions]

i know we'll have to, eventually. but ...

it's selfish of me. i'm just not ready yet. there's too much for me here.

[secondnature]

I guess there is for me, too.

It's not like I can come back once I leave.

Neither of us can.

[forcevisions]

i know.

[ sooner or later they'll have to say goodbye. there's no other version of this. but ... she's not ready to. not just yet. ]

[secondnature]

Then we stick around until we're both ready to go.

That means you can't go and get transferred again.

[forcevisions]

i'll do my best.

[secondnature]

Just your best?

I guess I'll take it.

[forcevisions]

I won't leave you, Keith. Not as long as I can help it. Not until we're both ready.

[secondnature]

[Keith would point out here that he was ribbing her—that he's actually capable of joking, but it doesn't seem like the time.

Instead:]

I won't leave either.

Thanks for wanting to stay.

[Because it means a lot to him.]

[forcevisions]

You're important to me.

[ The possibility of losing him thrust that into her stark awareness. ]

[secondnature]

You're important to me, too.

[Hard to say without provocation, but it feels important to say it back.]