Keith had seen himself in many positions in the past.

When he lived with his dad he had had dreams of being a ranger. Roughing it in the wilderness like he had with his father so many times before.

At the garrison he hoped to be the pilot of a mission. One of the first people to reach the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

As a paladin all Keith had wanted was to help people. Help shake off the chains that trapped so many planets in slavery. Placed there by, what he later learned were, his mother's people.

What he had never imagined, never wanted, was to be a leader.

Despite being top of his class, and one of the best close combat fighters on the castleship, Keith had never seen himself as someone worthy of commanding respect. Leadership was something that fit other people.

People who'd worked for it, like Commander Iverson. Or people who were raised for it, like the Princess. And the people who just seemed naturally deserving of it.

Like Shiro.

But Shiro wasn't around anymore. He'd disappeared.

And before he'd disappeared he'd left Keith in charge.

"Why would you do this?" He stood before the Black Lion, bayard in hand. "I don't understand."

Keith pressed his forehead against the ships black metal. It and the black bayard were the only two things left that reminded him of his old friend.

It was just unfortunate that it reminded him of his newfound responsibility as well.

"I know you said you thought you knew what I was capable of. A-and you know I'd trust you with anything but…" Keith closed his eyes in defeat. "But I think you're wrong about me."

"No he wasn't." Lance's quiet voice was enough to make Keith jump in surprie and whip out his bayard ready to a fight.

The blue paladin fell back with a fearful yelp, just barely managing to regain his balance.

"Dude! What. The. Hell?!"

Keith glanced down at the weapon in shame before quickly retracting it.

"Y-You snuck on me!"

"So you tried to take my head off?!"

"Yes-no-maybe, I don't know!" Keith backed away from the blue paladin, putting as much distance between them as he dared. "Look we just… we just got out of a fight. I-I'm still on edge. So don't come up behind me like that."

The battle in question had been a success. Technically.

If you counted success as getting from point A to be point B without blowing everyone up.

Things had gone fine at first, but then the galra had pulled some kind of trick and thrown the team for a loop. Keith barely had time to get his bearings. If the castleship hadn't intervened when it did, the whole affair would have ended in failure.

And as the current leader of the team it would have been Keith's fault.

"We're all on edge man. But you don't see me taking pot shots at the mice every time they scurry through the corner of my room."

Keith didn't reply.

"Look man if it's about what happened earlier-"

"It's not!"

It was.

"It is!" Lance grasped Keith's shoulders and held his gaze. "Stop trying to deny it!"

Keith tried to meet Lance's gaze with a glare but faltered.

"S-so what?" he asked trying to keep his voice from breaking.

"So everything! I-We're sick and tired of you always going off by yourself to mope whenever a mission doesn't go exactly as planned!"

Keith flinched. He hadn't thought it had been noticeable.

"This time you nearly gave everyone a heart attack when we couldn't find you in any of the usual places!" Lance's grip on Keith's loosened and fell away. His gaze fell as he moved forward and embraced the other. "We… I thought you might've run off."

Tentatively, Keith wrapped his own arms around Lance's torso.

"I'm sorry." he whispered quietly into the others ear. "I-I just… I don't want to let any of you down. I-If I screw up again…"

"You won't" Lance said sternly. "You're too stubborn for that."

"But if I do," Keith insisted. "Somebody might not make it. You might not make it."

Lance snorted. "What? Me? You think you can get rid of me that easily?"

"N-no I-"

Lance tightened his embrace.

"I'm not going anywhere." he whispered as he buried his face into the other's neck. "So.. stay here. Please. I need you here with me. I know you can't do it alone. I can't do it alone either. But we're not alone. We've got Hunk and Pidge. The princess and Coran too. And we've got each other."

Keith's vision blurred as his hands balled the fabric of Lance's jacket into his fists.

"So please don't give up on yourself. Don't give up on us. Don't give up on me."

Keith took a shaky breath before quietly sobbing into Lance's shoulder.

"I-I promise I won't. I swear to god, I promise."

Lance smiled as he felt the others bodies rack with sobs.