Hunk took one look at her and said no.

"But why not?" Pidge crossed her arms across her chest and pouted, the heavy backpack weighing down her shoulders. Her (much larger) friend chose to roll his eyes instead of answer.

"Because," Lance piped up from where he sat on the couch beside Hunk. He was upside down, his head hanging off the edge of the cushion and blocked from Pidge's vision by the coffee table between them. "The last time you went cryptid hunting you wound up stuck in a ditch for three hours before we could come save you."

"That was one time."

"Or the time before that, when you tumbled off a cliff." Hunk supplied with a sharp look.

"It was a small cliff."

Lance let himself tumble off of the couch with a groan. Pidge scowled at him and pushed her glasses up her nose.

"Besides, there aren't any ditches or cliffs in the forest."

"You shouldn't go in the forest." Pidge looked to her right, where the fourth member of their group lounged on the other sofa. They'd all been watching some movie or another before Pidge had wandered in with her backpack, but now she had his full attention.

"Why not?" She asked again. His expression faltered for a moment in a way she hadn't known him long enough to decipher.

"There's… wolves. And bears. It's not safe."

Pidge quirked an eyebrow. "No wolves live in this part of the country. And the town is so close to it, if there were bears we'd know."

Keith crossed his arms stubbornly in a mirror of her earlier gesture. "Look, it doesn't matter, just don't go."

"Looks like you're out voted Pidge." said Hunk, gaze already drifting back to the TV. Pidge huffed, dropped her backpack to the floor, and sat down on Keith's sofa- right on top of his legs. He kicked her off easily and without a blink, then looked down at her worriedly, as though she might be angry at his flippancy. Pidge only smiled back at him.

The three of them- Hunk, Lance, and Pidge- had been friends for as long as any of them could remember, but Keith was a more recent addition. They'd met the teenager a few months before when he'd wandered into town, claiming to be from the next one over and in search of something interesting to do. Pidge couldn't promise hanging out with them was that interesting, but Keith had stuck around anyway.

Lance scooted around the coffee table to sit beside her.

"So, why do you wanna go to the forest?"

Pidge smirked, glad to have attracted at least one person's attention. Still, she didn't have as much info as she would like to.

"I'm not totally sure yet, but Matt said he saw a fairy ring behind the school yesterday."

"A fairy what now?" Apparently Hunk had still been listening.

"A fairy ring is something found in nature." she said, reciting perfectly from the Wikipedia article. "Usually a perfect circle, most often formed from mushrooms, but sometimes also dead grass or rocks."

"So you want to go poking around the forest because your older brother saw some mushrooms?" questioned Hunk, the tone of his voice telling her he very much did not approve.

"Fairies?" Lance asked, pulling Pidge's gaze back to him. His eyes sparkled with amusement. "You've really downgraded Pidge. Last time it was a chupacabra."

"I'll have you know that fairies, also known as fae or the fair folk, are cunning and vicious and are very much capable of killing a clueless human."

The three of them fell into a very passionate argument about whether or not a fairy was scary or dangerous or even worth looking for, and Keith said nothing.

The forest was cool and quiet, and only getting more so as the sun descended below the horizon. The shade of the leaves was a welcome change from the unblocked heat of the sun in the town. Keith knew he was probably safe enough now that he was among the trees, but he held back anyway. Just a little further.

About 500 feet from the tree line he stepped over a line of toadstools nestled in the grass, and only then did he allow himself to relax. He sighed in relief when the glamour slipped off of him. It always started off comfortable, but tended to get itchy after a few hours.

The magic shedded bit by bit. Black hair lightened until it was white, almost blending in with pale skin where it fell over his neck. Indigo eyes changed to violet. Black, human styled clothes transformed into his normal red tunic and leggings, the texture much softer than the jeans he'd been wearing before. The tips of his ears elongated until they came to points. Finally, the crowning detail, translucent red wings unfurled from his shoulder blades.

He rolled his shoulders, stretching them out after they'd been held in for so long. They were long and thin, made for quick flying and sharp turns, and they fluttered a little without his permission- urging him to do something with them. But he shook off the impulse and kept his feet on the ground, very mindful of the fact that he shouldn't be out here in the first place and flying would only attract unwanted attention.

Thankfully he made it home unmolested; home being a small clearing a fair distance into the forest. It was in the perfect place in his opinion- halfway between the human town and the fae settlement. He smiled when he caught sight of the small wooden house, only to wince and glance away guilty when he saw the figure waiting by the front door.

It was his brother (or the closest thing he had to a brother), waiting for him and probably wondering where he'd been all day. Keith swallowed back bile while preparing himself to lie, just like he always did.

But Shiro didn't say anything. Just looked at him for a long moment, grey eyes heavy between the fluff of white hair over his forehead and the scar over his nose, and twitched his purple wings. A gesture of irritation.

"Sorry I'm late." Keith mumbled. He paused before the older fae and stared at his feet. He didn't offer any explanation; Shiro sighed.

"Keith, you know what'll happen if the Galra catch you out after curfew."

The red markings on Keith's cheekbones flashed a bit. "If they catch me."

"Keith-"

"You wanted me to find something to do during the day so that I wouldn't get in trouble," Keith interrupted petulantly. "That's what I'm doing."

Shiro sighed again, shook his head, and Keith felt a pang of guilt. Shiro put up with a lot for him, and from him, for no reason other than the fact that he was kind. They weren't even related- Shiro had found him after a major battle, little more than a child, searching through the corpses for one with a familiar face. He'd found it, and then Shiro had gone to the king, begging for permission to leave the army and take care of the war orphan he'd found. The king- former king- had reluctantly agreed. Probably only because Shiro had been injured and would probably have died anyway.

"Shiro-"

"I don't want to have this argument right now, Keith."

Keith felt himself wilt under the harsh reprimand. There was a moment of silence, and when Shiro spoke again, his voice was softer.

"Hey, come here."

Keith shuffled forward, pulling his wings back to make room for Shiro's arm when he hugged him.

"I'm not angry." Shiro continued. "I just get worried. I never know where you are or what you're doing."

Keith tightened his grip around Shiro's middle. "You don't need to be worried." he mumbled into the cloth of his tunic. "I'm safe, I swear."

"Then why won't you tell me where you're going?"

Because you wouldn't approve. Because you don't understand.

He chose to remain silent.

"Alright." Shiro's voice was tight in the way that Keith knew meant he was tired and angry but trying not to show it. "Let's just go to bed."

Keith followed him into their small, cozy home and tried to ignore the guilt roiling in his stomach.

Worry seemed to be Shiro's permanent state of being- and for good reason. Things had been tense and dangerous ever since the Galra had taken over five years before. It'd been messy. King Alfor publicly executed by General (now Emperor) Zarkon himself. Rebels put down swiftly and without mercy. People punished harshly for the slightest infraction.

The Galra had a lot of rules. Who could go where and when and what they could do once they got there. The punishment for being out after curfew was public whipping. Being caught in a restricted area could get your wings cut off.

The human town was very much a restricted area. Technically Keith wasn't even allowed to step outside the fairy ring that looped around the settlement. But it was the better option if he was honest with himself. Galra guards are touchy; they'd haul off if you looked at them wrong. It was better for him to be as far away as possible, even if he was breaking like three different laws while he did it.

So he kept going. Shiro shot him sharp looks and uneasy glances, but didn't say anything else about it.

The humans were completely oblivious. Or at least, most of them were. Pidge and her brother were being a real pain in the ass; Pidge hadn't stopped hankering about going into the forest for a month now. Keith had been able to deter her so far, but Lance and Hunk were starting to think they should go just to shut her up. This, obviously, would be a complete disaster for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, Keith was something of a disaster magnet.

It was the height of summer. Keith and his three human companions were in Pidge's back yard, Lance and him lounging in the shade of the house while she and Hunk worked on… something. The two of them always seemed to be working on something, usually tech gadgets that completely escaped Keith's comprehension. Lance didn't understand any better than he did, so the two of them were often left to their own devices. Most of the time they found something to bicker about, but it was far too hot for that today, so they just sat quietly in the grass.

Keith ran his fingers through the green strands next to him, mind far away and remembering things he tried not to think about. Brown, dead grass trampled under thousands of feet and stained with blood after, mixing into the dug up dirt to make mud.

Lance was tearing the grass out at it's roots and sprinkling the strands down before repeating. He'd seen Pidge and Hunk do the same thing and vaguely wondered if it was a human thing- an inborn need to destroy.

His searching fingers brushed up against something in the grass. A half second later he was yanking his hand away with a sharp cry, the burn a bright red line across the tip of his middle finger.

"Keith, you ok?" That was Lance, sounding concerned. His yell had attracted Pidge and Hunk's attention as well, who were now looking at him from across the yard with worried eyes. Keith cradled his hand against his chest and gave a sullen nod. Iron burns sucked- really sucked- but he couldn't let on. They couldn't know.

Keith's response was apparently not adequate for Lance, who leaned over him to search the grass for whatever had made him leap away. He wound up with a frown, a furrowed brow, and a small rusty nail in the palm of his hand.

"That can't be right." he muttered to himself, and looked back at Keith. The other boy shrank away, which only made Lance's frown deepen. "Did something sting you?"

Panic was starting to take over and Keith didn't trust himself to speak. He nodded again.

"Lemme see your hand."

"Lance, is everything ok?" Hunk called over. Pidge was already on her feet, and Hunk joined her when Lance didn't answer, preoccupied with trying to get Keith to uncurl his hand from his chest.

"I'm fine." Keith said, the words coming out more sharply than he'd intended. "Lance-"

Lance wrenched him by the wrist, forcing him to either give up his arm or fall over. He admitted defeat and hunched his shoulders, hoping against hope that he'd dismiss it and move on.

Lance shook his head in bafflement. "Dude, it looks like something burned you, but the only metal thing around is this nail and it's not nearly hot enough to do something like that."

"I'm fine." Keith repeated, looking away as Pidge and Hunk knelt in front of them. "Really."

"It looks really red." Hunk said, gently taking Keith's hand and looking at the burn sympathetically. "You could probably use some aloe or something."

"No, I'm fine." Keith curled his fingers into a fist and took his arm back from Hunk. It hurt more where it pressed against his palm but he held back from showing it.

Lance was watching him with narrowed eyes. Before Keith could move away or react, he was moving forward and pressing the nail against the back of his hand. His cry of pain came out strangled and he jerked away so suddenly he toppled onto his side in the grass. The world was swimming behind his watery eyes and Hunk and Pidge's yells of protest sounded far away.

Iron really fucking sucks.

"Ha, I knew it!" Lance proclaimed. "It's iron! He must be allergic or something."

"Way to go, Lance." hissed Pidge. "Congrats, you figured it out. Asshole."

"What?"

"Look at him." Hunk's voice was softer than Pidge's, and they all fell silent. Apparently Keith looked pitiful, which he absolutely could not stand for. He pushed himself back upright with a certain amount of anger, returning to his previous position- just slightly further from Lance this time.

"Shit, man, I'm sorry, I didn't think it would hurt you that bad." Lance sounded genuinely sorry, which only made Keith feel worse. He reached up to wipe his tears away, only to hiss when the burn on the back of his hand made skin contact.

Distracted by the pain, Keith felt his glamour slip. He slammed it back in place with a surge of panic, but it was too little, too late. The humans were already staring at him, blinking owlishly in confusion.

"Uh…" Lance said eloquently. "Am I seeing things, or did Keith's hair turn white for a second there?"

Keith opened his mouth to deny it, but Hunk beat him to it.

"I saw it, too." he tilted his head a bit. "Trick of the light?"

"Iron burns…" murmured Pidge, and the glint in her eye told Keith beyond a doubt that he was totally screwed. He felt himself shrink, coiling into a ball with his knees to his chest under the weight of their searching eyes. For a moment he considered running, but he had to dismiss that idea almost immediately. Even if he got away this would just convince Pidge to go search the forest, and that would get all of them killed.

Pidge's small hand latched onto his wrist. He unwillingly flinched at the contact.

"Keith." Pidge's voice was hard, daring him to acknowledge what she already suspected was true.

He was a black hole. Despair crashed down around him like tidal waves, sucking him under and filling his lungs. He couldn't breathe.

He could never go home. He would never see Shiro again. He could already see the idea's blooming in Pidge's scientist brain. She was going to stick him in a cage, run tests and experiments, poke and prod; once she's found out everything she could, maybe she'd show him off to the rest of the world. She didn't have a choice, it was human nature to learn even if it was cruel. And he was going to let her. To protect them. So with sickness in his heart and something bitter coating his tongue, he let his glamour melt away.

Hunk screamed and scampered away from him. Lance had been struck dumb, staring with his jaw gaping open like a fish. But Pidge only grinned wildly.

"I knew it!" she cried with a triumphant squeeze of his wrist. "I knew fae were real!"

Keith looked at the ground and said nothing. Lance was the first to notice that he was shaking.

"Hey, Keith, are you ok?" he stammered, hand hovering as though he wanted to touch but wasn't sure if he should.

Keith's response was a laugh- a chuckle so dark and bitter it made Pidge recoil. He pulled his burned hand back; it throbbed in time with his heart.

"Let's just get it over with." he said, voice dripping with loathing. It was for himself- they didn't know that. "What's your first test, Pidge? Blood samples, probably."

Pidge's eyes widened behind her glasses. She almost looked hurt.

"Keith, no, I'm not- I wouldn't- you're my friend."

"Don't lie to me." he snapped in a surge of anger. "I know you want to know everything."

"Well yeah, but not against your will."

He closed in on himself more. Denying it only made him feel worse. Pidge drew in a shuddering breath as Hunk dared to creep forward again, fear of the unknown belied by his natural instinct to help others.

"Ok, let's just breathe for a second." Lance counseled, still sounding unsettled. "No one's going to hurt you, Keith."

Keith's trembling only increased.

"I'll tell you whatever you want." he choked out, feeling more tears pricking at his eyes. He had to keep them safe, he had to keep all of them safe, and he could only do that if he had something they wanted. "Just… just…"

"Just what?" Hunk finally spoke in his gentle voice. He looked more concerned than afraid now.

"Just promise me you won't go in the forest."

That drew out Pidge's curiosity again.

"Why not?"

His wings twitched close to his back, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Lance jump.

"There was a war." he began in a low voice. The three humans paid close attention to every word. "My side lost. Five years ago. And the fae who took over don't like humans. They'd kill you if you wander too close. Then they'll kill me, and my- my family."

"Jesus." Pidge breathed.

"You can't tell anyone about this. Please."

"We won't." said Lance, quick to notice and deter the return of Keith's panic. "Look, why don't we go inside, ok?"

Suddenly realizing just how exposed they were out here, Keith pulled his glamour back on.

"How do you do that?" Pidge asked as Hunk pulled him to his feet.

"It's called a glamour." Keith murmured. His head was spinning a bit. "Lets me change how I look."

Once they were inside Lance bustled off in search of something to put on Keith's burns.

"And iron burns you?"

Keith shifted in his position on the couch. Pidge was in full scientist mode now.

"Yeah. Hurts like a bitch."

"Can you fly?"

"Yes."

Pidge continued to ask questions rapid-fire until Hunk made her stop. Lance put soothing gel and bandages on his burns and apologized for being the cause of one of them. Hunk gave him a crushing hug and swore they would never hurt him.

And when the sun went down, they let him go home.

Surprisingly, things didn't change that much afterwards. Lance still poked fun at him and got into arguments with him. Pidge asked more questions, but never pressed too hard. Hunk was the same gentle giant he'd always been. And Pidge dropped all mention of cryptid hunting in the woods. For a time life was good, better even now that he wasn't hiding who he was under the glamour.

Until life took a turn for the complicated.

It started with Shiro waking him up earlier than usual, when it was still dark outside.

Keith groaned and rolled away from his open bedroom door.

"Shiro, go 'way, too early." he slurred from underneath his blanket. Purple light danced across the room when Shiro's markings flashed.

"Do you remember what day it is, Keith?"

"Uh-uh."

The floorboards creaked as Shiro approached.

"It's the anniversary."

For a long moment Keith's tired brain didn't comprehend. Then it hit him like a lightning bolt, and he sprang upright, greeted by Shiro's grim expression.

It was the anniversary of King Alfor's death. Which meant his daughter Allura would be mourning, and Keith and Shiro, her oldest (still living) friends had to be there to comfort her, the way they were every year.

Keith muttered a vile curse as he scrambled out of bed. It was a decent trek to the settlement where Allura lived; they would have to leave soon to make it by the time the sun rose, and Keith had set them back.

"Sorry, sorry Shiro." he mumbled, but his brother waved the apologies away and watched him with amused eyes as he flitted about his room in frantic attempts to make himself look presentable for the former princess.

A few minutes later they were leaving the house, leaving neon trails behind them as they flew north into the depths of the forest.

The last of Keith's sleepiness fell away with flight. It had been several months since he'd indulged himself in a good flight and his wings stretched delightfully along with the muscles under his shoulder blades. He twisted into a fancy loop, dodged between a few tree trunks, and dared to climb above the treetops before dive bombing back down. The sky was painted lavender and mauve, the sun just barely threatening to rise. For the first time since the war the twilight of the forest felt genuinely safe, and a laugh of pure euphoria bubbled out of Keith's chest.

Shiro watched with a gentle smile.

They made good time to the small settlement. The townspeople were still asleep, the square was empty except for one person who was hammering an announcement onto the board on the far side of the courtyard. Shiro wanted to go directly to Allura's, but Keith hung back, curious as to what the sign said. As soon as the man finished his job and left, Keith fluttered over.

Attention Residents-

His Royal Highness Prince Lotor, son and heir to His Imperial Highness Emperor Zarkon, will be visiting the township of Arus for the next fortnight. Citizens are expected to show His Royal Highness their utmost respect and to comply with his every command, under pain of exile or death. Signs of rebellion or unrest will not be tolerated.

Vrepit sa.

Keith felt his stomach turn over, and he set off to catch up with Shiro, previous feeling of safety replaced with the sensation of a monster breathing down his neck. Prince Lotor was famous, and not only for being the only son of the Emperor.

It was common knowledge that the Prince was a bit of a spoiled brat, and Zarkon didn't want him anywhere near anything important. So his father allowed him to travel their domain, and once a year was permitted to chose one fae to take as his prisoner. As his plaything, something to keep him busy. None of the fae the Prince had chosen had ever been seen again. That purpose was the only reason the Prince would be coming to a town as small and insignificant as Arus.

Cold chills ran down his spine, and he pushed himself to reach Shiro just as he was knocking on the door of Allura's quaint little cottage.

When the graceful fae answered the door, her eyes were already red-rimmed with tears. Still she smiled at the sight of her friends and held the door open wider in welcome.

"Hello, Shiro, Keith." she said with courteous nods. She was keeping up appearances, but the moment that door closed she would drop the act and break down the way she really wanted to. The twitch of her large, butterfly shaped pink wings betrayed her true emotions.

Keith followed Shiro inside, listening to the door click shut and waiting for the downpour. Instead he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Allura regarding him with concern. Her pink face markings glowed softly.

"Are you alright, Keith? You look uneasy."

He fidgeted, toying with the edge of his tunic. He didn't want to be selfish or hog the attention on a day that was supposed to be about Allura, but he couldn't help voicing his anxiety.

He kept his voice low, despite the relative safety of being indoors.

"Did you know the prince was visiting?"

Allura's wings fluttered in alarm, stirring her long silver hair.

"No, I didn't." She clasped her hands before her as her eyes turned stormy. "How did you-"

"There was a man putting up an announcement." Keith interrupted, jerking his head towards the door. "They didn't tell you?"

Allura's frown told him everything he needed to know. The Galra had been fairly respectful of Allura's position as the former princess up until now; this was an intentional slight. Her cheeks colored a bit in anger, but she takes a breath and holds it in.

"Perhaps you two should return home before he arrives." she said, throwing an anxious look at Shiro. "I don't want either of you to get hurt if you catch his attention."

"No." Shiro said firmly with a set jaw. "We're not leaving you alone, not today. We'll just stay inside and be careful when we leave."

Keith shifted from foot to foot. Being around Galra in general made him uneasy; his temper and penchant for getting into trouble made him an easy target. And if he caught the attention of the prince…

But Shiro was right. Allura needed them, just this one day out of the whole year, and they couldn't abandon her. So they stayed, but Keith kept finding himself in front of the window, looking out onto the square.

The Prince's entourage arrived two hours after sunrise. Keith peered out from behind Allura's curtains and watched as the metal plated guards erected a tent made of deep purple cloth. A man who could only be the prince sat beneath it on an ornate throne, leaning a thin cheek against an even thinner hand. White hair flowed over his shoulders in waves. His yellow eyes followed the towns people as they shuffled by him; all looking away and trying to hide their faces. His gaze wandered, never captured by one person for too long. He was searching.

The prince's eyes flicked upwards, and Keith barely ducked behind the wall in time to keep from being seen.

After that he avoided the windows.

Allura spent the day kneeling in front of the shrine she had dedicated to her father, surrounded by the glow of the many lit candles. There were some tears, but the number had been steadily decreasing every year since his death. Maybe one day there wouldn't be any at all.

Shiro stayed with her- a comforting presence. Keith never went in the room with the shrine. He hadn't known King Alfor and he wasn't any good at comforting people; sometimes he wondered why Allura wanted him here in the first place. He just wandered the house, taking in every creak and groan of the wood settling and making sure no one bothered Allura on her day of grief.

She'd once called him a guardian. Maybe that was it.

Today his movements were more harried. His wings twitched anxiously and took him off his feet if he wasn't paying attention. He flitted from room to room, moving in tight circles as he avoided the windows.

Keith both yearned for and dreaded sunset. When it came they could leave, but it also meant having to run the gauntlet across the Prince's line of sight and hoping they didn't catch his attention.

When it was finally time he felt like he was about to be fed to wolves. Shiro smiled when he gave his final reassurances to Allura, but his grip on Keith's shoulder was made of iron. Prince Lotor was infamous for his cruelty- they could only imagine what he did to the person he 'chose'. Shiro held Keith close to him when they finally exited the house onto the square.

The Prince was still there. Sitting under his amethyst tent on his throne and watching the people with those sickening yellow eyes. Shiro and Keith bowed their heads and tried to follow the edge of the wall out of the settlement.

They were almost out of dodge when Keith's skin began to crawl. The hair on the back of his neck stood up; he could feel the weight of someone's gaze on him. They were almost there.

Don't look back, don't look back, don't look back.

At the last second, he glanced over his shoulder.

The Prince was looking at him. It wasn't a passing glance like he'd been doing all day. His eyes didn't flit away after a beat, instead they held Keith's and made him feel sick in reaction to the strange glimmer he saw there. Then he and Shiro were in the forest, and he couldn't see Lotor any longer.

Keith could feel himself shaking.

"Shiro," he said between chattering teeth, "He looked at me."

"I know." Shiro answered, pulling him closer and draping his arm over his shoulders. Keith let himself huddle against Shiro's side and tried to get a hold of himself.

Ok, so he looked at you. Big deal. He's going to be there for two weeks, maybe when I don't come back he'll find somebody else.

They walked- the journey took much longer this way, and the atmosphere was immensely heavy and solemn. Keith felt Shiro's worry despite his best attempts to hide it, and Shiro could see Keith's fear behind his impassive mask.

"It'll be fine." Shiro tried to say, but his voice shook. They broke through the trees, back into the clearing. Suddenly their home didn't feel as safe as it used to and Keith hated the feeling. He balked in front of the door.

"Maybe I should go." he mumbled, toying with the hem of his tunic. "Find somewhere to hide until he goes away."

Shiro's grip on him tightened. He clearly didn't like the idea, but he didn't protest right away.

"Where would you go?"

"I… there's some people I can talk to." He still couldn't bring himself to tell Shiro the truth. Besides, it might be better for him if he didn't know. Safer.

Shiro just sighed and led him into the house. Keith felt the acidic guilt burning away in his gut.

"Alright, just… just tell me, if you figure something out. Don't just disappear on me."

"I won't. Promise."

He didn't sleep well that night. He wanted to head for the human town the moment the sun came up, but remembered Shiro's request and waited to tell him.

"I'll be back today." he said to Shiro's tired, blank expression. "Before sunset."

Shiro took a deep breath. He was worried- no, terrified.

"Ok." he said in a trembling voice. "Be careful."

"I will."

Even the human town didn't feel safe. Keith was far from the forest, far from the Galra, and firmly covered by his glamour. Still he felt eyes watching him like spiders crawling over his skin and he found himself speed walking towards Pidge's house.

It was early, too early, and he knew that. He knew it and felt bad when Pidge opened the door with messy hair and rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Keith?" she mumbled right before a massive yawn. "What's up? It's early."

He shuffled his feet.

"I… uh… kind of need your help."

"Ok." she sleepily waved for him to follow as she turned away from the door. "Come on in. Just be quiet, my family is still asleep."

Keith followed her into the kitchen, wings twitching under his glamour anxiously. Pidge's house felt different in the morning. Fragile. Like any loud noise would shatter everything.

Pidge didn't seem to notice this fragility. She punched a few buttons on the coffee maker and slumped into a chair at the kitchen table.

Keith nervously copied her, fingers flexing as he tried to figure out how he was going to ask her.

"So what do you need?" asked Pidge, leaning her cheek on her hand. Her eyes were still tired but beginning to light with curiosity.

"I…" he fidgeted. "I kinda need a place to hide."

She blinked slooooooowly.

"To hide." she repeated. Keith nodded. "How long?"

"Couple of weeks. Maybe less. Depends."

Pidge sucked in a breath and straightened up, rubbing her eyes.

"Ok." she said when she was done collecting herself. "What are you hiding from?"

Keith played with his fingers, not meeting her eyes.

"It's a long story."

Pidge's expression was deadpan. "It's like 7am dude. I've got time."

"Ok." Keith sighed. "You know how I said there was a war?"

Pidge nodded. The coffee maker dinged behind her and she didn't react.

"Well the new ruler has a son. And he likes to… I don't know, choose people?"

She raised a questioning eyebrow. "Choose people?"

"Yeah, every so often he picks someone and they have to go back to his palace with him. Nobody knows what happens to them, but the rumors aren't good."

"Couldn't you ask them? When they come out?"

"They don't."

Pidge cracked her knuckles- one of her nervous stims. "And what does this have to do with you?" Something in her voice said she'd already guessed. She was smart that way.

"Yesterday I was in town, and he was there looking for someone to choose and he… kinda noticed me."

Pidge straightened up a little more, ran her fingers through her hair, tried to crack her knuckles again but no sound came out.

"That doesn't sound good."

Keith almost laughed at the massive understatement.

"Yeah, so I just need somewhere to lie low until he chooses someone else and goes away."

"Yeah. Yeah, ok, you can stay here. We'll have to hide you from my parents but that's ok. I'll text Hunk and Lance and we'll figure something out."

He let out a shaky breath. "Thank you."

Pidge finally got up to go get her coffee, and Keith continued speaking to her back.

"I need to go back, tell my br- my family. Can I come back tomorrow? Early?"

"Yes. Do whatever you need to do. I've got your back."

"Thank you, Pidge."

"How will you know to come home?"

Keith glanced over his shoulder to where Shiro was standing in the doorway, watching him pack. His markings flickered with his anxiety.

"He's only supposed to be here for a fortnight, right? So I'll come back then." Keith flitted across the room to his dresser, but Shiro wasn't content with his answer.

"What if he hasn't found anyone else and stays longer?" he questioned. He took a step into the room. "Keith, this is really risky."

"Why are you asking me?" Keith hadn't meant to snap, but it came out that way despite his efforts. But still. Shiro was older, the more experienced one, he was supposed to be the one coming up with a plan, not Keith.

A red sparkle on his dresser caught his eye.

"Here." he said, snatching up the ceramic lion statuette from its resting place. The little scarlet figurine had been a gift from Allura and was no bigger than his palm, covered in dust after months of sitting in the same place. He crossed the room with a single beat of his wings and planted the statue into Shiro's hand.

"You pay attention to what's going on. When Lotor finds someone else, leave this on the southern side of the ring. I'll see it and come home."

Shiro stared down at the offering blankly. "The ring? You're leaving the forest? Keith-"

"Just trust me, alright? It'll be fine."

Shiro's face darkened. He was scared, but they didn't have any other choice.

"Alright."

Pidge was up before dawn the next morning, too riddled with butterflies to sleep. By the time Lance and Hunk showed up at her front door she was on her third cup of coffee and not planning on slowing down. The boys tried to reassure her in their own ways, but it didn't help her feel any better. There had been something on Keith's face the day before; something that made it impossible for her to take this anything but seriously.

The trio waited in the living room as the sun rose ever higher in the sky. She waved off her parents and her older brother as they all left the house in pursuit of their own plans and the three of them continued to wait. Hours ticked by. First one, then two, then three, until it was 10:30 in the morning and there was still no sign of Keith.

"Something's wrong." she said at 10:45 with a nervous crack of her knuckles. "He said he'd be here early."

Lance shrugged belligerently and leaned back on the couch.

"Maybe the spooky prince went away." His tone clearly said that he didn't think this was a big deal. Pidge thought differently.

"Something's wrong." she insisted. She turned around on the sofa and sat up on her knees, peering out the window and looking down both sides of the street. No sign of Keith.

"We need to go look for him." she suddenly decided, hopping down from the couch. Lance blinked at her and Hunk wrung his hands.

"Pidge, I'm sure it's fine, he's just late-"

"It's not fine. Guys, he was terrified, he wouldn't have asked for help from us if it wasn't serious. And if you're not gonna help I'm gonna go by myself."

"Wait, Pidge," that was Lance, voice an octave higher than usual. "Where would you even start looking?"

"The forest." snapped Pidge in response, already tying on her sneakers. "Fucking duh."

"Didn't Keith tell us specifically to not do that?" squeaked Hunk. Pidge shrugged and stood, turning towards the door.

The two boys wound up following her, though Lance grumbled and whined the whole way to the tree line. Pidge had kept up a brutal, determined pace during their entire walk, but once she got to the forest she faltered, unsure of what to do. At a loss, she tentatively led the other two into the trees.

"Uh, Pidge?" Lance paused and pointed to the ground at their feet. They were only a bit of the way in where the town was still visible behind them. Pidge followed the line of his finger and bit back a gasp.

There before them was an actual, bonafide, no shit fairy ring. The brown and white speckled toadstools stretched in an orderly line in either direction as far as they could see. If she squinted a little Pidge could see the slight curve at the far end where the line changed directions.

"A fairy ring." she said in way of explanation. She lightly tapped the top of one of the fungi with her shoe, but then thought better of it and withdrew her foot.

"What's wrong?" asked Hunk from behind her.

"You're not supposed to cross fairy rings." Pidge frowned and glanced about, then furrowed her brow.

"KEITH!"

"Woah, woah!" Lance exclaimed in reaction to her loud cry, dashing forward to smack a hand over her mouth. She wrenched it away and glared, but he wasn't done talking.

"You were the one who said this shit was dangerous!" he hissed. "Don't you think we should be a little stealthier about this?"

"You have any better ideas?" she snarked back. Hunk started to step forward to play mediator, but at that moment a new voice joined the conversation.

"How do you know Keith?"

All three of them nearly leapt out of their skin and whirled to face the intruder. There was a man standing in the shadows of the trees, behind the fairy ring which did not escape Pidge's notice, regarding them with eyes narrowed in suspicion. He looked fairly normal, well muscled with a fluff of black hair over his forehead. Pidge wasn't fooled.

"We're friends of his." she said, the first one to recover her voice. "He was supposed to meet us earlier, but he never showed."

She visibly hesitated and exchanged glances with first Lance, then Hunk. Lance tried his best to convey Don't you fucking dare to her. Hunk looked worried, though not just for them. Mind made up, she turned back to the man and squared her shoulders.

"You can take your glamour off." she declared as bravely as she could. "We know he's a fae."

The man's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, and sure enough the magic shrouding his appearance flickered before vanishing completely. That little puff of hair turned white, purple stripes appeared on his cheeks, and translucent wings unfurled from his back.

"Jesus." murmured Lance. "That never gets any less trippy."

"You guys were his plan?" The man's previously harsh voice was much softened with anxiety now. "Humans?" He buried his face in one of his hands. "By all the stars, Keith…"

Suddenly he jerked his eyes back up to them. "Wait, you said he didn't show up?"

Pidge nodded and cracked her knuckles. "He said he'd show up at my house early this morning, but we still haven't seen him. Have you?"

"He left before dawn. It shouldn't have taken him this long."

"So… what does that mean?" Hunk was speaking up for the first time with this inquiry, and the man's gaze flickered over to him momentarily before staring off into space. The three watched as he went several shades paler and the stripes on his face began to flicker, scattering freckles of light across the trees.

"It means something's wrong." he said, and Pidge clenched her fists. His eyes hardened. "You all stay right here, I'll be back." Before they could say anything else he'd turned and literally taken off into the forest, his wings leaving traces of violet in the air.

"Woah." mumbled Hunk.

"That's an understatement." Pidge answered with a bite of her lip. They didn't know this guy, this new Fae, didn't even know his damn name. But he looked just as concerned for Keith as they were- maybe more. So…

"I guess we wait."

Shiro flew faster than he'd ever flown in his life. His mind was spinning, positively tumbling with terrified thoughts.

I shouldn't have let him go, Lotor got him, he's gone, it's all my fault, go go go, find him, find him, find him-

The flight to Allura's settlement was much faster with such urgency backing him. At this point he wasn't even processing the fact that Keith had been making friends with humans (and worse, revealing his secret to them because what the literal hell, Keith?!) his only thought was how he was going to fix this whole situation.

He dashed up to Allura's cottage, ignoring the people he knocked to the side as he crossed the now prince-deprived square and banged frantically on her front door. The whole thing rattled on its hinges. It only took a moment for her to open it, but for Shiro it felt like an eternity.

"Alright, alright, what is- Shiro?" Her irritated expression immediately softened when she saw his fear. "What's wrong?"

"The prince." he gasped out, lungs struggling for air. "Where did he go?"

"I'm sure I don't know." she answered, eyebrows drawing together in bafflement. "Why-"

"He's got Keith." Shiro's voice cracked. Saying it outloud had finally cemented the fear in his gut. "Gods, Allura, he's got Keith."

Allura immediately latched on to Shiro's arm and pulled him into the house, closing and locking the door behind him.

"Alright Shiro, start again, slowly."

Shiro did his best to babble out the story, alternatively clutching at her arm and his hair. He was aware of the moments slipping by. Who knew how much Lotor could have done to him by now?

"I need you to do a locating spell." he mumbled, fingers scrabbling at Allura's wrist in a loose grip. "Please, I know it's taxing and it'll get you in trouble with the Galra if you help me and they find out but please I can't just let him have him."

"You don't need to beg me, Shiro." Allura said calmly. "My only condition is you let me come on your rescue mission."

That was the easiest deal Shiro had ever made.

Unlike himself, Allura was talented and well practiced with fae magic, and she quickly bustled around her house to collect the ingredients needed for her tracking spell. Shiro found himself pacing much like Keith had a few days prior, anxiously tearing at his nails with his teeth while he waited for her.

Eventually she was ready and called him to join her in the kitchen. There she'd combined the ingredients in a large cauldron, and together they formed a silvery mixture with a reflective surface not unlike a mirror.

Allura beckoned him closer with a serious expression.

"Think carefully about Keith," she instructed. "About your connection to him. Then touch the liquid, and an image of his location should appear on the surface."

Shiro nodded and bent to his task. In his mind's eye he called up the first thing that occurred to him- how they'd met.

He'd been listlessly wandering the battlefield after it was all over, numb and unseeing, not noticing the blood and gore and the countless corpses covering the grass. The generals had called it a victory; it didn't look like much of one from this angle.

From the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of movement and whirled, ready for an ambush from a wounded enemy. But instead he'd seen the thin face of a child, eyes wide and lips pressed into pale determination as he struggled to turn over a body.

"What are you doing here?" The sudden words had made the child flinch away for a moment before he looked up at Shiro between his white bangs. For a second he seemed like he wasn't going to answer.

"Looking for my father." he'd said finally, and Shiro's heart had shattered in his chest.

"It's worked." Allura's voice brought him back to reality and it wasn't until then he realized his eyes were closed. When he opened them again he was looking at an image instead of just a silver sheen.

The dark, foreboding castle was almost brand new. None of the stones were weathered or chipped, the trees around it were practically pristine, and a river flowed underneath the right side, probably leading to some indoor cavern. The sparkling waters were a distinct juxtaposition to the vile aura that emanated from the building itself.

"I know where that is." Shiro said, already beginning to turn away from the cauldron. "It's in the western part of the forest."

"Shiro, wait!" Allura cried. "We can't just walk in through the front door! We need a plan!"

"And I have one. Just follow me."

Lance paced as they waited for the fae to return. Never able to keep still under the best of times, he'd grown more and more fidgety and tense the longer they'd waited. At least he was finally seeming to take the situation seriously.

Pidge sat against a nearby tree trunk and made her knuckle cracking motion over and over. It hurt a little when you press over recently cracked knuckles that don't want to crack again, but she didn't really mind. It was distracting.

Hunk just hovered between the two of them. He didn't like this, taking risks and possibly putting themselves in danger, but the look on the man's face when they told him Keith hadn't met them made him anxious for his friend.

Finally the mysterious fae returned, and he wasn't alone. Lance whistled low when he caught sight of the silver haired fairy behind the first, and Pidge couldn't blame him. She was gorgeous and distinctly feminine with her long silver hair and butterfly shaped pink wings. But then wasn't the time to be ogling pretty girls, so she sharply elbowed her companion and turned her attention back to the man.

"We know where Keith is." he was saying. He'd regained some of his composure during his absence, but his nerves were betrayed in his twitching wings. "And I have a plan to get him out. But it's some distance away, and it will be dangerous."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Lance with a ridiculous amount of bravado (that Pidge knew meant he was scared shitless). He made to take a step forward, over the fairy ring, but the female fae shot out a hand and stopped him in his tracks.

"A human stepping over the barrier will alert the Galra to your presence." she said in an imperious British accent. "We must travel on your side or risk discovery."

"Maybe we shouldn't go along then." murmured Hunk. "Since it would 'risk discovery' and all."

The man shook his head before Pidge could protest. "No, it's going to help us later. In fact, I'm counting on it."

He turned to flit away to their left and the other fae followed, leaving the three humans in stunned silence for a long moment.

"Shiro!" she was calling after him. "Shiro, what on Earth are you thinking?"

"They can be a distraction." he bit back, then cast a glance over his shoulder. "So are you coming or not?"

Pidge's stomach roiled, but she didn't say anything and ran to catch up with the two winged ones. Lance was next to join them, and then Hunk. Together the humans traveled with and put their trust in the fae, which if Pidge was remembering her folklore correctly, was a very bad mistake.

"You three will step over the barrier here." Shiro murmured to them. "And wait for the soldiers to come out of the castle and give chase. Then Allura and I will slip inside and find Keith."

Pidge turned, studying the parapets of the castle rising above the nearby treetops with narrowed eyes.

"That'll never work." Lance said with a derisive snort. "There's no way they'll leave the entrance completely unguarded just because of a few humans."

"You have a better idea?" Shiro's voice was even, but there was a glint in his eye.

"Actually, I do." Lance glanced pointedly at the river that ran nearby and into the castle.

"Lance, no." Pidge and Hunk said in unison, earning themselves baffled looks from the fae.

"What?" asked Allura. "What is he going to do?"

"Lance thinks he's some sort of merman." Pidge spat. Her nerves were beyond frayed at this point and she didn't have time for Lance's attempts at glory, goddamnit.

"I'm an excellent swimmer and I can hold my breath a long time." Lance countered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "What are the chances they'll be guarding the river? You guys give me ten minutes to get in and find Keith, cause a distraction, and I can grab him and get out. No one will even know I was there."

"That's really risky, Lance." Hunk tittered, but his friend was already stripping his jacket off.

"So was coming here in the first place." He balanced on one leg to strip off a shoe and sock, followed by the next.

"How is this any different from Shiro's plan?" demanded Pidge with hands on her hips.

"They wanted to go in the front door." Lance pulled his shirt over his head. "I'm taking the road less traveled."

Shiro and Allura were silent, and it took a long moment for Lance to realize they were staring at him. Once he did he flushed bright red.

They weren't surprised that he was stripping. Instead their attention was captured by the numerous blueish gray smudges that littered his brown skin. Vaguely arrow shaped, they ran in a line down the curve of his spine from his neck to the small of his back. More lines split off to trace the back of his arms, over his elbows to the wrist.

The fae stared at him for several seconds, then glanced at each other. Lance's shoulders hitched up around his ears.

"They're birthmarks." he barked out. "Are we doing this or not?"

The water was cool, but not cold, which Lance was very appreciative of. He was still wearing his jeans and the wet denim was rough against his legs whenever the current brushed against them. He kept his head above the water until he got nearer the castle (which for the record looks a hell of a lot bigger up close) and discovered that the river funneled into a tunnel made of the same dark stone as the rest of the building.

He took the biggest breath he possibly could and dove under.

The current was faster here, carrying him along the dark tube. Light emerged at the end quicker than he'd expected, which was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because he could breathe, a curse because it meant actually doing what he'd come here to do. Which was breaking out a prisoner from an actual freaking castle wearing nothing but jeans and sopping wet.

Why the hell had he suggested this, again?

He kept his gasp for air soft when he came up from the tunnel. And he's glad, because the room he came out into is fucking massive and the sound definitely would have echoed.

The vaulted ceiling must have been at least thirty feet above him. The river shallowed out and spread into a pool that took up this entire side of the chamber with soft sand covering the bottom. Lance digs his toes into it to stop his forward movement, sticking close to the entrance of the tunnel, and carefully peers over the edge of the stone floor.

The only word to describe the chamber is lavish. Plush carpets covered with intricate designs cover the floor. Curtains and trophies and paintings are arranged artfully on the walls to make the best out of the vast amounts of empty space. A huge kingly bed was pushed against the far wall and for a second Lance is afraid he'd find Keith there but the cushions are empty.

And absolutely everything is in varying shades of purple. He kinda feels like he never wants to see purple again after being in this room.

For a moment Lance thinks the room is empty and he's going to have to try and sneak through the castle while dripping water everywhere- and then he catches sight of two figures. They're up against the same wall the tunnel emerges from and Lance sinks back, barely keeping his head high enough to still see over the floor.

He's not that familiar with Keith's 'real' appearance. He rarely takes off his glamour. But he still knows the shape of his face, the profile, and if he's not mistaken that's Keith chained up against the wall.

Then he spits a vile curse at the other figure and Lance has heard that enough times to know it's definitely Keith. He lets himself feel relieved for a moment before he catches sight of the burns, and then he feels sick.

His chest had been bared, and now his pale skin was criss crossed with bright red, blistering burns. They looked the same as the time he'd been burned by the nail in Pidge's backyard, and remembering his reactions then Lance wasn't at all surprised by the tears running down Keith's face.

The other figure stepped closer, finally forcing Lance to give some modicum of attention to him. He was taller than Keith by several inches and used it to his advantage, leaning over Keith as though he was trying to intimidate him. Long white hair flowed down to his hips but did nothing to obscure the violet armor he was wearing. Black gloves covered his hands, one of which held an actual flippin' sword.

The intent of the gloves became clear when the other figure (presumably the infamous prince) let the flat of the blade rest on Keith's right shoulder. The edge didn't even touch him, there was no cut or blood, but Keith still threw his head back and howled.

Aw, fuck.

The prince lifted the sword away after a few agonizing moments, leaving Keith slumped in his restraints. He'd pulled his elbows in to cover his face like he was trying not to cry.

"Go on," said the Prince, and his voice was taunting and oily. "Make that defiant face again. I dare you."

Lance shifted on his feet, trying not to make too much noise in the water. Not moving was making the temperature plummet and goosebumps were breaking out over his arms.

Keith slowly raised his head to give the Prince a watery glare, which he returned with a laugh.

"There it is." said the Prince tauntingly, and barely tapped Keith with the sword again. "You're so much less boring than the last one."

He pressed the sword against Keith's ribs and listened to the scream for a moment before sighing.

"And I'm always so bored."

"Not enjoying your exile?" Keith's voice was thin, words garbled and slightly slurred, but defiant enough to make the Prince scowl at him.

"I'm not in exile." For just a moment there was a power shift. For just a moment, Keith was the one in control.

"Your father built you a castle on the edge of the forest as far away as he could get you." he fired back. "Everybody knows- Prince Lotor is a spoiled brat who shouldn't be let anywhere near the throne, even the Emperor says so-"

Keith is cut off by the echoing clatter of the Prince's sword hitting the floor. That same sound startles Lance, makes him jump and the water slosh around him, but the Prince doesn't notice. He's pressed close to Keith, yanking on his hair with one hand while the other draws an obsidian knife from his belt.

Anytime now, guys.

The Prince is hissing something at his prisoner that Lance can't hear, and Keith's jaw clenched expression doesn't tell him anything. But he looks tired and worn down, all tear streaks and blistered burns.

The door across the room slams open, and Lotor whirls on the intruding guard with a snarl.

"I asked not to be disturbed!"

Keith is slumped back against the wall, taking deep heaving breaths.

"My apologies, sire." said the guard with a head bowed in submission. "But two humans have been reported nearby. They crossed the barrier only two minutes ago."

There is silence, and Lance doesn't need to see the Prince's face to know he's probably wearing a creepy smile.

"How exciting." he murmured, and turned to retrieve his sword. "I do love a good hunt."

Lance's stomach clenched.

Lotor threw Keith a glance and smirked. "Don't go anywhere."

Then he's gone, and the door is slamming shut, and Lance has to try and pull himself together enough to do something.

He pulls his body from the water.

Keith has gone slack in his restraints, letting the chains hold him up. Lance crosses the room, wet footsteps muffled by the plush carpets, and Keith doesn't seem to notice his presence until he's right in front of him.

"Keith, hey, buddy, you with me?" His hands hover, droplets dripping from his fingertips, unsure of if he should touch or not and trying to figure out how to get him free of the wall.

Keith leaned his head against his arm.

"Lance?" He frowned. "Great, I'm hallucinating already."

He wants to laugh but it sticks in his throat.

"You're not." he says in a croak. "Do these have keys?"

"Yes." Keith said with a pained hiss of a breath. "By the door, I think."

Lance went to investigate, and sure enough a set of dainty golden keys hung near the door. He snatched them up and rushed back to Keith, very much aware of his time slipping away.

"This isn't real." the other boy was murmuring, even as Lance unlocked the metal cuffs around his wrists. "I'm dreaming."

Lance helped him lower his arms- he was wincing as though it pained him and Lance had to wonder how long he'd been in the same position.

"It's real." he tried to reassure. "I promise. Come on, we gotta go."

The now loose chains clanked against the wall, way too loud as Lance pulled Keith's left arm over his shoulders. He wanted to wrap his arm around his torso, help him just that little bit more, but there were so many burns and they looked so awful up close and Lance could almost feel the heat coming off of them- all over his torso, so he kept his hands to himself and led them towards the water.

Keith blinked blearily at their destination. His legs were weak, tears were still forcing their way out of his eyes, and the way his teeth dug into his lip said he was holding in cries of pain.

"Definitely a dream." he mumbled when Lance stepped into the water.

"Dream or not, I need you to hold onto me and take a deep breath when I say."

Keith let out a pitiful little whimper when they sank deeper into the water and one of the burns dipped beneath the surface. Lance couldn't tell if it was a sound of relief or further pain but he really didn't have time to worry about it. The Prince could be back any moment once he lost track of Hunk and Pidge (and Shiro had assured him they wouldn't get caught) and they really needed the head start.

They were at the entrance of the tunnel now. Keeping hold of Keith while hauling both of them against the current was going to suck.

He had to ignore Keith's cry and shudder when he wrapped his arm around his waist, definitely brushing up against wounds- this was the only way to keep his grip.

"Deep breath."

Shiro and the others wait nervously on the banks of the river. It had taken them longer than expected to shake off the Prince's pursuit, but there was still no sign of Lance- with or without Keith.

The poor humans were a wreck after their chase. Pidge seemed unable to shake the excess adrenaline, pacing back and forth and in circles, face streaked with dirt and torn clothes from wayward branches and scraped palms and knees. She kept cracking her knuckles, or trying and wincing when they wouldn't.

The moment they were safe Hunk had doubled over and vomited. He was still pale now but stood off to the side. Just waiting. Probably praying.

Shiro had sunk into his old soldier mindset. It was a little scary how easily it came back to him but the panic was barely comprehensible. A far away buzz that he'd ignore until later.

"Look." Allura's voice was low but caught everyone's attention when she pointed. There, being carried ever closer by the current of the river, was a clump of brown hair. And a mop of white.

For a moment Shiro's entire body felt like jelly before he caught himself. Then he was moving forward, going to his knees to help Hunk haul the two of them out of the water.

Lance was fine. A little cold and out of breath, but fine, and Hunk had him in a hug in two seconds flat despite him being soaked.

Keith was very much a different story. He was shaking, coughing up water, and Shiro felt his soldier facade slip when he went to put a hand on his back and Keith choked on an anguished cry. He saw the burns and his vision clouded.

Keith wasn't saying anything, but he was reaching for Shiro, so some part of him must have recognized that he was safe now.

"We have to go." Allura was saying. "Quickly, before Lotor realizes."

"We can hide at my house." said Pidge. "But you guys will need glamours or something."

"Shiro can manage something for him and Keith."

Shiro was barely listening, but he knew they had to get moving, so he reached out to lift Keith.

There was no way to pick him up without touching a burn and Keith couldn't help but scream. Once he was up he buried his teeth into Shiro's tunic and screamed and screamed until the pain finally made everything go black. They were halfway to the human town when Keith went slack in Shiro's arms and he had to bite his tongue.

King Alfor had outlawed iron early in his reign, especially in the form of weapons. The burns were agonising and debilitating; even the slightest touch could be torture. So they weren't prepared for the Galra when they came with iron weapons and special armor to protect them from it. He'd had his fair share of iron burns during the war and he'd never wish it on anyone. Especially not Keith. Never Keith.

"We're about to leave the forest." Pidge called back, and Shiro had to reach past his panic and despair to keep them from being discovered.

The spell is weak compared to a glamour. It didn't change how they look, it only made people not want to look. Their eyes would just slide over them, unnoticing the strangeness of what they saw. But it was straining to keep it on himself and Keith, and sweat started beading his brow almost immediately. His arms trembled from where he'd been carrying Keith, but when Hunk volunteered to help he'd just shot him a look and turned away.

He couldn't trust anyone else with his brother.

Pidge's house was larger than his and Keith's, but somehow still maintained that feeling of closeness. It looked lived in, with wear and tear that spoke to activity rather than abandonment. Pidge, after reassuring the fae that her family wasn't home, led them inside. Shiro let the spell slip away.

"Follow me." Pidge was saying, already heading down a hallway. "We can put him in my room."

The room in question was messy and disorganized- it reminded Shiro of Keith's room at home. The girl had to pick her way across the floor to the bed, avoiding various metal bits and things tangled with wires, and then shoved a pile of laundry off of the bed.

Shiro moved forward, hearing one of the humans kicking things out of the way behind him to make a path back to the door. Keith was still unconscious when Shiro laid him on Pidge's bed, white hair practically blending into the pillow. Shiro sank to his knees next to him and grappled for his hand.

There is silence in the room.

"I should make something for his burns." Allura says eventually, choking like she'd swallowed a frog. "I'll need herbs from the forest-"

"I might have some in the kitchen." said Pidge. "Check here before you risk going back. The Galra will be looking for you."

Allura murmured her assent and the two women left the room.

"I'm going to track down some gauze." mutters Lance. He'd put his jacket and shoes back on, but carried his shirt and socks in a little bundle. Now Shiro heard the soft thump of cloth as he tossed that bundle into a corner before leaving.

Hunk didn't feel the need to give an excuse. He just left without a word, and Shiro was alone.

All of the discussion had gone right over his head. He was consumed by what was in front of him- pale skin that was too red in too many places, a purple bruise blooming on a temple, tear streaks carved like canyons into cheekbones, teeth marks scabbing over on the lower lip, a body that was far too still. Keith was never stationary, even when he slept he would toss and turn but now there was nothing besides the stuttering rise and fall of his chest.

He lifts a hand to brush Keith's hair off of his forehead and he stirs with a groan. Shiro's heart lodges itself in his throat.

Keith's eyes are already teary when they blink open, and when he turns his head they spill.

"Shiro-" his voice shatters- glass against a wall. "Is this real?"

"Yes, Keith, it's real, I promise." Shiro has to fight to keep from crying. Keith needs him to be strong now, for both of them, and he won't fail him again.

A whine tears itself from Keith's throat. He's trying, he's trying so hard not to let the pain show.

"It's alright, Keith."

"Hurts."

"I know. Allura is making something that will help, you just have to wait a little longer."

His eyelids flutter in surprise.

" 'Lura's here?"

"Yes. She's going to make it better."

His head lolls, he looks away until Shiro gently turns him back. He can't take not seeing him right now.

"She's gonna get in trouble. You're- you're both gonna get in trouble."

More tears squeeze out and run down to melt into the pillow. Shiro's eyes burn.

"Don't worry about us."

Keith's entire body shudders and Shiro presses as close as he can without hurting him. It's starting to catch up with him, Shiro knows the signs, the adrenaline and the numb is wearing off and the storm comes next.

"Shiro."

Keith turns towards him, his other hand coming up to tangle into Shiro's tunic. He says his name again, barely comprehensible. Shiro sits him up and embraces him and Keith doesn't flinch despite the fact that it must have hurt. He's shaking.

"Shhhhhhh."

"H-he was g-gonna-"

"You're safe."

"He was gonna… c-c-cut…"

He couldn't even say it.

"I've got you."

Keith buries a curse into Shiro's chest. "It hurts so bad, Shiro."

"I know. Allura will be done soon."

"Are the others ok?"

Shiro's lips twitched. Keith, always worried about people other than himself.

"Yes, everyone's alright."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about them. I'm so sorry."

"We'll talk about all of that later. I'm just glad you're alive."

Keith moved, tried to curl up into a ball against Shiro, but the burns hurt him too much and he sobbed in pain and frustration.

There's a knock on the door behind him (that Shiro hadn't even realized was closed) and someone stepped in so lightly it couldn't have been anyone but Allura.

"I finished the salve." she said softly, and then realized Keith was awake and took another step into the room. He peeked over Shiro's shoulder at her.

"Hey, 'Lura." he tried not to sound too wrecked. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, Keith, I'm fine." She knelt down next to Shiro, and he realized she had a roll of gauze as well as the salve she made. Lance must've tracked it down like he said.

"Are you ready? It may hurt a bit."

"Yeah, let's just get it over with."

Lance paced the hallway in front of Pidge's room, hands shoved in his jacket pockets. He could hear voices coming from behind the door but couldn't make out what they were saying and that only drove him more crazy. Pidge was somewhere in the living room, talking to Hunk, but they'd find their way back down here soon.

Sure enough only a few minutes passed before the two of them joined him, forcing him to stop his pacing. He dug his toes into the soft carpeting instead, remembering the feel of those plush rugs and hating the memory.

"You ok, bud?" Hunk asked, lightly touching his shoulder. Lance leaned into it.

"Yeah. It was just scary is all."

Who knows how long they sat in silence after that statement. But someone had to speak eventually, and it didn't surprise any of them when it was Lance.

"So… what now?"

(A/N Hey sorry this is a day late, I got kidnapped by my friends and didn't get home until like 1:30 in the morning but here ya go.

UNF-

Silence)