Outlier

A/N:Hello all! So after watching season 4, I am on board with a lot of you; not enough Keith and defiantly not enough KL interaction. How could they just send Keith off like that? I get it on a character perspective. Keith is still trying to find his place. But still, I don't like it. It's painful to watch lol. However, it spurred my muse, finally, and the whole situation was the inspiration for this story. It started off as a one shot, but once the characters got a hold of it apparently wanted more story to be told.

Big thanks to Harmony who took the time to quickly beta for me!

Hope you enjoy it and please feel free to leave feed back of any kind. I love hearing from my readers and inspires me to continue on.

Sit back and enjoy!

Cheers, Mel!

Outlier: something that lies outside of the group that they are part of. I think this fits Keith, don't you?

Chapter 1

"Keith! Hey, Keith! I think we need to talk!"

Keith cringed as the angry voice of his fellow Paladin filled the hallway. He raised the hood to his Blade of Marmora uniform and ducked his head, picking up his pace as he headed towards his quarters.

Not now, Lance. You are the last person I want to talk to. This is hard enough as it is.

A nasty sense of helplessness engulfed Keith, as he realized the footsteps were closing in quickly.

"You stop right there! I know you hear me!"

Keith could hear the indignation in Lance's voice. Ignoring him, Keith kept moving forward, his sight locked on to the door just a few steps away. He raised his hand to hit the button to open the door but Lance stopped short. Lance caught up to him with cat like speed and detained him by physical force, grabbing his wrist in a grip of iron. Keith quickly looked up, meeting Lance's gaze. His hair was disheveled, his cheeks were a curdled red, and a flame of rebellion smoldered in his eyes. He knew what was coming, why Lance had hunted him down. And he did not want to face the unavoidable storm that was about to unleash.

"What is it, Lance?" he questioned, trying to maintain an aire of detachment..

"You and me. We need to talk," was the response, eyes locked on Keith's. "And I am not leaving until we do."

"Well you will have a long wait outside my room then, won't you," Keith deadpanned. He struggled to free himself, but Lance would not give him the ghost of a chance to get away.

"Na-ah. No way. I'm not letting you go past that door."

Lance's face gleamed with perspiration and Keith at once noted his eyes were more hallow and sunken than they'd been two days ago. A scorch of shame descended on Keith.

I did this to him. I owe him...something.

"Fine," Keith relented. "What is so important that you need to talk about?"

"You need to ask? Seriously? We need to talk about this Blade business."

"Yeah? And? What about it?"

"It is none of yours."

"Lance, please. What I do is none of your concern. I think I can do what I like."

"Even if it means abandoning your team? The team that you lead?"

"That Shiro leads," Keith quickly corrected. He made another attempt to free himself from Lance, and from the soul trespass he was trying to commit. Freeing himself from the teen's physically and emotionally was the hardest thing he ever had to do. And, doubtless, it was the most necessary.

"Only because he had to. If he hadn't come when we were in trouble fighting Zarkons soldiers, it would have ended badly. He didn't have a choice."

"He is back, and gained Black's trust again. You don't need me as the leader." Keith struggled to maintain his facade of calm and speak rationally. "I don't have role to play here anymore. Now that's settled, I need to go to my room."

With one quick fluid movement, he finally managed to pull away from Lance's hold. Keith reached for the door and once more Lance interrupted him. This time Lance grabbed him by one shoulder in a conflagration of revolt, and spun him around, pushing him hard against the wall with both hands.

Keith turned pale with fury. "What the hell do you think your doing, Lance?"

"I told you. You aren't leaving until we are done. Now, for once in your life you are going to do as you're told, you pompous ass." Lance clutched the black material at Keith's shoulders until Keith could hear the fabric giving way. "You are making a huge mistake. You belong here, in the castle with the rest of us. Not off the BOM." Lance rolled his blue eyes and snorted. "BOM," he scoffed. "Should be called POS."

Keith couldn't bear the pain in Lance's voice, and yet the hostility in his words angered him.

"You...are headed on treacherous territory, Lance. You realize I am part Galra, right? You insult the Blade of Marmora, then you insult me."

"You are also human as well," Lance countered. "How can you turn your back on your own?"

"Lance. I haven't turned my back on you. In fact I am helping you. Helping everyone. We have an important mission to do. One that can save countless lives if everything goes as planned. Why can't you see that?"

"You can do the same thing flying Black, forming Voltron. That lion choose you for a reason. You know how they operate. If he didn't deem you worthy he would never opened up to you as it's paladin. They know more than you or I would ever know."

"Black also reopened to Shiro. Don't forget that. This is who I am, Lance. I need to train with Kolivan. I need to complete the task that has been laid upon me."

"Damn it, Keith. What can I say to make you change your mind? I always could talk you out of your spontaneous dumb ideas. Why not now?"

The anguish in Lance's voice caused Keith to fall silent for a long time, and stop fighting against the other paladin. Finally he said, quietly, "Because what matters to you and what matters to me are two different things now. Things have changed, Lance. I have changed. It's about time you accept that."

Lance made a sound of disbelief and anguish. For a moment the torture in Lance's eyes was so readily apparent, Keith wanted to do nothing but pull him into his arms, tell him everything was okay and he would stay with the team. He didn't want to hurt him. Ever. And the fact that he had made everything inside twist.

However, he knew he couldn't let Lance know how he truly felt. If he showed one ounce of weakness, gave Lance one sliver of insight to the truth, he knew he was done for. He swallowed thickly, as he hardened himself, refusing to let Lance know how exhausting his inner struggle had been.

"We all have changed, Keith," Lance countered. "We all came here a hot mess and look at us. Flying magical lions, forming Voltron, and defending the universe. The changes don't mean I'll accept you leaving. I never will."

Keith felt Lance's hands begin to tremble and against the fabric he still clutched. Against his better judgment, Keith looked up and the pain and heartbreak in Lance's face made his own heart thud against his rib cage. Unexpectedly, Lance opened his clenched fists, and rested his hands lightly on Keith's shoulders. Then he leaned forward, his forehead meeting Keith's. A quiet sob escaped him.

"Please. What do I have to do to make you stay?" Lance whispered.

Keith felt an answering sting of tears in his eyes.

Not here. Not now.

"Nothing, Lance," he replied, struggling to keep his voice from cracking. "There is nothing you can say, nothing you can do. Things are set in place."

"But...but what about me? We won't be Keith and Lance, neck and neck anymore. We wont..."Lance's voice trailed momentarily, then he confessed with decided frankness. "Actually-it isn't about Allura, Coran, the lions or the others and you know it. They need you for Voltron. I just need you."

Lance's hand came up and touched his cheek. Despite himself, Keith leaned into Lance's touch.

"Please," Keith pleaded, struggling against a pent up flood of emotion. "I...You know I can't do this. I gotta go. I have to meet Kolivan first thing in the morning. He doesn't approve of having to wait. I need rest."

Abruptly, Keith pulled away, and this time, Lance didn't even attempt to stop him. Once inside with the door closed and secured, he leaned his back against the cold metal of the door and dropped his head backward. He closed his eyes as he heard Lance call his name once more.

"Fine. Be that way. You made your choice."

At last, Keith heard Lance's footsteps fade into the distance.

He's the best thing that ever happened to me, and he hates me. I wish I knew how to make him understand I am doing all this for us.

Keith slid along the door until he was sitting in a crumpled mess on the floor. He brought his knees close to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs where he managed to muffle his sobs against his knees. He would spend the rest of his life discontented, thwarted and alone. A fate inescapable. Why didn't lance understand he needed to salvage what was left and do his part with Kolivan and the Blade of Marmora?

Lance. I'm so sorry.