secondnature | open post (general)

open post (general)

general open post. i will always be up on the most recent canon.

All right. We can come up with something on the way over. [Keith considers the fact that it might be a good idea to contact the Blade, but there's the chance that this Shiro actually has no idea who they are. Right now, his cynicism and tendency to distance himself from others is what comes forward. He doesn't even realize that. But it just feels ... like a good idea. He can figure this out himself. Including anyone else in it might be a risk—to them or to Shiro.]

Do you know how much Pidge looked at your ... arm? [He looks down at the hand that was replaced by Galra Tech. Keith hasn't talked about it all that much. There's good reason for that. Sometimes, it's better to acknowledge and say nothing, at least in his book.] If there's any way of telling what's going on, it's gotta be in there.

[After he asks the question, he begins to turn toward the direction of his ship. Time to head back.]

[ Unconsciously, Shiro crosses his arms, almost protectively. He's used to his arm to the point that sometimes he can almost forget it's there, but that's because everyone tends to ignore it and embrace it as normal. Having it directly mentioned just serves to remind how unnatural it really is. ]

There's no way to be sure. We were too focused on the coordinates Ulaz gave me. But there should be a record of my vital signs from the cryopods. I don't know if it will help, but it's worth looking into.

[ An idea is a start. If it's wrong, you move on with the information you have. The problem is, he's not sure if they actually have the time to work systematically. But for now, he walks with Keith. They'll figure it out. The Galra ship getting closer makes him glance back to Keith's uniform, and some of the uneasiness he tried to push down comes bubbling back to the surface. Apparently, he can't quite get used to it after all. ]

You've been working with the Blade of Marmora?

[ He trusts the Blade; that isn't the issue. The problem is that it's Keith in those colors and he's not here with Red. ]

[It's time to disappoint Shiro ... again. Keith's head tilts forward and his expression goes blank as he musters up the strength to explain all of this. Working with the Blade is one thing. Admitting the reason why is another. Some part of him wants to lie about how he got to this place, but it's not like the truth won't come out eventually.

Without looking at Shiro, he says:] Allura's piloting Blue now. [Somewhere in his mind, he knows this may be critical information to an enemy. Should he be saying this? Would it be too much if Shiro is somehow connected to the Galra? Then again, Lotor's generals saw her as a paladin. ... On the other hand, it doesn't seem like Lotor is sharing a whole lot of intel with his parents.

Ugh, this ... is way too complicated.

Keith's eyebrows set.]

Once ... you got back, we had one paladin too many. It was a math problem. [Keith's mind is nowhere near his conversation with Lance from that one day, but the subconscious reminder is there.] Once ... uh, you—he ... was able to pilot Black again, it was clear that it was a good idea for me to step away.

[If it weren't for the matter of "you" and "he" and the complication with that, Keith might have been more intentional with his failing to mention that he piloted Black. But it doesn't even occur to him that he left that out.

Or his failed leadership.]

[ Shiro's brows lift in surprise. Allura's piloting. Okay. That's new. He could wonder where that left everyone else, or at how vague Keith is being, but the fact that he is being a little unclear gives him a guess, and who's piloting who is a secondary concern to the fact that Keith is gone.

It isn't the first time he's seen him do this; Keith mentioned getting kicked out of the Garrsion when Shiro first went back to Earth, and it was just as much of a punch to the gut then as it is now. The difference is, this feels more like a personal failure on Shiro's part. It's his responsibility to hold everyone together, and if Keith feels like he needs to leave, that all falls on him. He knows he can't ask him to come back—that's not Shiro's decision to make. He has to respect Keith's wishes. But he also knows he can't let this stand without saying something. ]

Keith. [ He shifts slightly, pausing in his tracks to grip Keith's shoulder with his human hand. ] You... know there's always a place for you with us, right?

[ There's not much else he can say. This much would have been fine before, but right now, he's honestly worried if he's overstepped his bounds. There's not one too many Paladins anymore, there's two, and as much as Shiro wants to believe he's the one meant to be here, he can't be certain. And according to Keith, the... other him has the Black Lion.

It's funny. He never thought he'd actually want to wake up in a cold sweat and leave to work it off, hoping for the millionth time nobody ever catches on to how strange his hours are. But here they are. ]

[The moment Shiro's hand grasps his shoulder, he stops. He's startled at first, but he looks up, a smile forming. It's not any easier to act like he's okay with this than it was in the first place, but he's still doing his best to help the universe. He's not running away from it. He's not trying to avoid what ... feels hard. He's doing the right thing, right?

Right?

Keith has been asking himself that question constantly.]

I know. Don't worry. [It's just a matter of letting them all down.] But if it's a matter of Allura following in her father's footsteps and the rest of the team wanting to promote what we're doing in the universe ... it's better if I'm not there with them. I can still help this way.

[It's a solid answer, but he's still ... not sure. Not entirely.

After all, he ran away from his responsibilities.]

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