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As Color Fades Away
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Hunk was in a hurry to get back to Lance. However, he had a few stops to make before that.
He'd eaten as much food goo as he could manage and washed it down with another cup of tea, before he'd retreated from the rest of the group and headed for his room to take a shower.
He had to admit, the shower was very nice. His under armor had been prickling uncomfortably for a while now as it dried to his skin, not to mention the blood that had soaked into the fibers from holding Lance to him for so long. Coran had instructed all of the Paladins to place their dirty clothes and armor outside their rooms in a hamper and he'd take care of it later.
The hot water had been just what he'd needed and although it couldn't wash away all of the stress, it did go a ways into easing it. Hunk felt much more refreshed after he was clean and dressed in a mixture of casual and sleep wear; his customary yellow shirt but paired with Altean sleep pants in forest green. He figured if he was going to sleep he may as well be comfortable. The customary orange headband went right back on though.
After that was taken care of, Hunk gathered up some bedding items and headed for his first stop: Lance's room.
He spent a quick moment watering the plants – the days were blurring together but he was pretty sure they were past due for some – and then he grabbed a few clothing items; a fresh pair of boxer shorts, sleep pants that matched his own just in navy and a tacky t-shirt Lance had spotted in the space mall that had a picture of Voltron drawn sort of Picasso style. Maybe it'd bring a smile to his face. Hunk hoped so.
After a moment's debate he grabbed Lance's shampoo and the coffee smelling soap bar that Lance had gotten from who knew where and his wash cloth and towel. He knew that taking a shower was probably very, very low on Lance's list of things he wanted to do, but walking around covered in dried blood couldn't be much better. Maybe he'd be okay with at least wiping it off.
He put his haul into a duffel Lance had in his closet and quietly exited the room, en route to his second stop.
He entered the great hall near silent, slippered feet making almost no sound on the polished floors, but Blue sensed him anyway and turned her large head towards him. Behind her the other Lions seemed to be in various stages of rest, but Hunk felt Yellow brush his mind with a ray of comfort and love and he sent back the same.
My Paladin? Blue intoned, and despite the severity of the situation Hunk could not help the feeling of awe from hearing a Lion actually speak. He could feel her worry though, so he didn't remain silent for long, even though it was much more intimidating this time around by himself, rather than with Lance in his arms and Shiro and Coran behind him. "He's… he's in a healing pod. Coran said he'd be in it for about a day… uh, quintant."
He felt her purr of contentment at that. But he felt concern poke at him. Yellow's Paladin still upset.
"Yeah," he said, ducking his head, unable to meet those large yellow eyes. "Lance is… he's really, hurt, Blue. The pod should fix his injuries, but… there's a lot more than physical wounds."
Lion knows. Lion felt it.
"Do you… do you know what it is they did?" Hunk asked, picking his head up. "You don't have to tell me," he added quickly. "But Lance… Lance has this really terrible habit of not wanting to burden others. I think – no, I know – that he isn't going to want to talk about it. Or as little as possible. But that won't help him and I'm really worried, Blue."
Lion knows little Blue admitted, thinking herself of the quick flashes she'd had of water and shame. But not Lion's place.
"I know," Hunk sighed, knowing what a breach of privacy that would be. And if the Blue Lion was Lance's chosen confidant he would never want to cast any shadow on that.
Yellow's Paladin wise. And kind. Blue told him. Yellow's Paladin will help my Paladin.
"Of course. I'd do anything for Lance."
He could almost feel her smile and a sudden warmth, similar to Yellow's but more playful in nature, swept through him. Yellow's Paladin my Paladin's brother. It was a statement, not a question, but Hunk felt he should answer it.
"Yes," Hunk whispered, tears pricking his eyes.
Yellow's Paladin has great heart. He help my Paladin when Lion cannot. My Paladin is strong. Lion believes in him. Lion believes in Yellow's Paladin also.
Hunk wiped his eyes and managed a watery smile. "Thank you, Blue. That… that means a lot. I won't let you down. You or Lance. I've gotta go now, but I'll keep you updated, okay?"
Thank you Blue rumbled.
Hunk gave a quick wave, sent a good bye to Yellow that was returned with a wave of sleepy contentment, and hurried to his final stop: the infirmary.
His feet were heavy as he approached, a weight in his stomach despite Blue's assurances. This wasn't something that could be so easily fixed with hugs and warm words and Hunk was no therapist. None of them were. The only thing he knew was what his mom always told him after he tried to hide the hurt from being bullied: "We can only bottle up our feelings for so long. Some day that bottle will crack and what we tried to keep in will explode and only create more harm."
So despite how weak it made him feel, Hunk spoke about his feelings and troubles. He didn't share everything, but he shared enough to ease that ache inside him.
Lance though… Lance was the opposite. He was the kind of person who would keep everything inside, suffer his hurts quietly because he would rather be in pain than harm those around him. Hunk wasn't sure when it had started; but before he'd even met Lance, surely.
He'd watched his friend take the blame for a sibling, seen the anguish in his eyes when he was scolded unfairly by a teacher or the hurt as fellow kids teased him over his butchered English when he was still learning. He would just paste on a sunny smile, assure Hunk (and himself) that he was fine. He never wanted to talk about it, would brush off concerns with a wave of his hand.
It had gotten worse at the Garrison. Constantly being told off by the instructors, compared to the other students and then especially to Keith… Through it all Lance had smiled, insisted he was fine, and made everyone believe so as well. He'd tell Hunk there was no point in dwelling on past mistakes; onwards and upwards!
But it wasn't so simple. The instrcutors could be cruel and the students worse. Hunk had found Lance curled up in bed on more than one occasion, tear tracks on his face and pillow clutched to his chest. He still insisted he was fine.
Hunk would just sit with him, rubbing his back, sometimes pulling him into a hug. Lance craved the physical affection and although Hunk knew it didn't make it all better, he knew it helped. Sometimes, when Lance was at his lowest, he'd get a whispered confession of what had happened, but more often than not Lance was silent as he cried.
Hunk knew that Lance's coping wasn't healthy, but there was little he could do about it. It was just embedded in Lance. And despite his worries, he couldn't change that. His concerns were only eased by the fact that Lance really was as optimistic as he portrayed himself. Even when he was down, he didn't stay there for long. He wanted to be happy. He wanted to laugh and have others laugh with him. And Hunk knew that if it ever got bad, really bad, Lance would come to him.
And then they got shot into space and everything changed again. Out in space Lance didn't need instructors to point out the differences between him and his teammates. He did that all on his own. Allura too, unknowingly, had been a harsh taskmaster and the first time in training that she'd yelled at Lance to "be more like Keith" Hunk had seen the sheen of hurt before it was hidden beneath a cheeky grin.
He should have said something to Allura sooner. She wasn't like the instructors. While she was a princess and was used to giving orders and being obeyed, she also sincerely did care and she didn't make the comparison to be cruel. She would have listened.
But he hadn't. And who knows if it would have really made a difference. Lance's harshest critic had always been himself. Which was why this whole situation sucked all the more. It didn't matter how much they told Lance that none of this was his fault, that he was strong and that he was a valued member of the team. None of it would make a difference if Lance did not believe it himself.
And Haggar, Hunk's fist clenched at his side, had preyed upon those fears. She'd made Lance feel weak, put him in scenarios where no matter what choice he made it was the wrong one, if he even got a choice at all. He thought of the cuts on Lance's wrists and felt such a fury that his vision blurred. Not at Lance. Never at Lance. But at Haggar and the Galrans that had forced Lance into making such a decision.
He wasn't blind. He'd head Lance's pleas in the infirmary when the table had been revealed. He knew that they'd tortured him for information and as they'd seen Lance had resisted. It was as Allura had feared; he would do anything to protect them. And at some point Lance had decided that their safety outweighed his own life.
He had no idea how to fix this. All he could do was provide what comfort Lance would allow him and let him know he was there for him. And hopefully, somewhere down the line, Lance would accept their words as truth and not whatever Haggar and his self-doubt fed him.
Hunk prayed that was sooner than later. He wanted his best friend back.
He entered the infirmary a moment later, surprised to find himself there already. Allura had done some re-arranging since he'd last been in; the cot was pulled off the wall and was resting just a few feet from Lance's pod and she'd brought in a low table and couch that she'd placed directly in front of the disguised exam table.
She was sitting on the couch, a few books piled on the table and the space mice all curled up together on one large pillow. They perked up and chirped as Hunk entered and Allura turned her attention from the datapad she'd been looking at.
"You are looking refreshed," she commented.
"The shower helped," Hunk said, dumping his items on the cot before heading to Lance. The frost had cleared from the glass although the light was still low inside the pod so he could still not make out Lance's form all that clearly. As the healing process commenced the lights would glow brighter and the opaquness would fade until they were that unique teal-green that indicated the subject was almost ready to come out.
Next pod over Keith's was already a brighter shade, although still rather dark. The timer indicated he still had about two varga to go.
Hunk placed a hand up against the glass, the shock of cold not enough to get him to pull away. His thumb traced around Lance's face, making a heart with the condensation. He finally pulled away when his hand began to burn from the cold.
Allura graced him with a small smile and patted the couch next to her.
"How are you holding up?" she asked gently as he sat back with a thump, the mice immediately skittering up his arms to rest on his shoulder and Plachu wrapped herself with his bandana tails.
"Been better," he admitted. "I just... I'm not sure how we're going to fix all of this, Allura. And I'm really worried now too about Haggar coming back. Lance can't go the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for her."
"I know," she said grimly. "I have been thinking about that. I have an idea, but I am not sure how plausible it is."
"To… to kill her?" His stomach clenched at the thought of how shaken Pidge had been. He didn't think he could have done it, had he been in her place. No, he knew he couldn't have. And he prayed that he was never in such a position where it came down to something like that.
She shook her head. "Although that course of action would solve many problems, I cannot fathom any real way to kill Haggar so easily and she will be on guard for any further holographic projections. Druids are tricky and her knowledge of quintessence and spells would outweigh any technology we have here. Perhaps if I or Coran were more skilled in alchemy, like my father, we may have something that could hold her, but as it stands now outside of surprising her and being able to cut her down immediately we do not have much chance. Believe me," and her voice grew dark, "If I had the means to kill Haggar I would do so. But magic is the best offense against a Druid and none of us have that skill."
"But you do," Hunk said. "Remember when you healed the Balmera? Wasn't that magic?"
"It was quintessence, a mutual transfer," she explained. "Which is my idea, actually. If we cannot physically stop Haggar, then we must make it so she cannot actually take Lance's quintessence."
"How?"
"I have not gotten that far," she said with a wry grin. "Quintessence is not a topic I am well versed in. I am hoping Coran might have some ideas. But I admit I have not the faintest clue on how that would even be done or if it even can be."
"It's a good idea," Hunk said. "I think you should bring it up to Coran once he's up and about. He does seem to know a lot."
And it was the only one they had at this point. Hunk had no practical knowledge on how to stop a Druid or anything about quintessence other than what he'd learned from Coran and Allura.
"You did not come down here to think on such things," Allura reminded him. "Sleep, please. There will be plenty of time to strategize later."
At her words the exhaustion Hunk had been holding back came roaring ot the front. The hour nap he'd squeezed in had done almost nothing for him and suddenly the narrow cot looked like the most comfortable thing in the world.
He spread out his blankets and pillow and clambered on, relieved when other than a slight creak the bed held. Allura got up from the couch as well and spread another blanket over him, smoothing it down in a way that strongly reminded Hunk of his mom and he blinked away the sudden homesickness.
"Sleep," Allura mumured, placing a chaste kiss on his forehead. "I'll be here when you wake."
He needed no second urging. Turning so he could look at Lance's pod he let his eyes droop closed. Moments later he was sound asleep.
Allura gave him a fond look and retreated back to the couch and picked up the datapad, scrolling though for the hundreth time to make sure all Castle defenses were operating at full capacity.
She was tired too, but Alteans did not require as much sleep. The hour she had gotten would be enough to sustain her until Coran could relieve her in six varga, although she had a feeling her advisor would be down sooner than that.
Her gaze drifted between Keith and Lance's pods. She had brought down several books to read to keep her entertained, but her heart was not in them. Sighing, she tucked her legs up underneath her in a way that would have scandalized the ladies of the court and invited the mice into her lap.
"Perhaps you can tell me a story?" she murmured, petting Chuchule's head with a finger. "I could use the distraction."
The mice all looked at one another and got into a huddle, little chirps and squeaks breaking the quiet of the infirmary. A dobash later they broke out of their circle with little grins. All of them save Platt scurred off of Allura's lap and the large mouse gave a little bow.
Allura leaned back against the couch and smiled in amusement as the performance began, allowing hermind to be whisked away to a happier place.
But still she kept the tablet running with the defense diagnostics. Just in case.
xxx
Upstairs, Shiro hauled in a second round of blankets after Pidge insisted they did not have enough. The girl had claimed one of the large round chairs and she had curled up in it with a nest of blankets surrunding her. All of the blankets, Shiro realized upon an inspection of the room.
He gave her a look, but she just snugled deeper into her collection and he hadn't the heart to even steal his own back. Instead he handed off one of the new ones to Coran and plopped a second on the couch he was claiming.
The Altean excused himself a moment later, claiming he had forgotten his favorite pillow, and Shiro gratefully recognized it for what it was. He scooted Pidge over a bit so he could sit on her blanket throne.
She looked every bit the kid she was, he thought, her hair mused and slightly damp from her shower and clothed in an over-large shirt that fit more like a dress in green and white stripes while a pair of what looked like leggings went to her ankle. Her glasses were set safely on one of the tables along with her tablet, which she had not tried to smuggle into her bed out of respect for Shiro's wishes and because she honestly did want to sleep.
"Have enough blankets?" Shiro teased, pulling one up to cover her more fully.
"I still see some," she grinned back.
"Tough luck, kiddo. I'm not giving up another one so easily."
Her lips quirked up again but it did not reach her eyes.
Shiro sighed, his own smirk slipping. "You doing okay? I know a lot has happened in the last few hours."
"I'm fine."
"And that's a Keith answer," Shiro retorted, earning a ghost of a smile. "How are you, Katie?"
"I'm… I'm okay," she whispered. "But..." She lifted her hands and pressed them against her chest. "Right here. There's like an ache, Shiro. It won't go away."
"I know," he murmured. "My heart hurts too." He had always thought heartbroken was an expression, but no, it was a real thing. And seeing his team, his family, so hurt was picking his own apart. Yet being with them was also holding it together.
"How do you make it stop?"
"You don't," he said simply, and her face fell.
"Others do," he continued, "like this." And he lifted his own hand, placing it on her head, warm and heavy, and carded it through her hair. "We just have to be there for each other," he said, continuing the soothing gesture as her eyes closed in contentment and the frown eased from her face. "Loving and caring for others is the greatest gift we can share. That's what gets us through times like these."
"Really?" And there was desperation there, a desire to believe that such a simple kindness was the answer.
"Mmm. And Lance is going to need all of us. His heart is hurting the most. But I know we can all help him heal. To do that though we first need to take care of ourselves. So get some sleep, all right?"
Pidge gave a sleepy mumble, already near lulled to sleep. Shiro smiled and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the short locks before he rose to head back to his own bed. He applauded himself for not starting when he saw Coran standing in the doorway, a rather fond expression on the Altean's face.
"That was beautiful, Shiro," he said, stepping fully into the common room with a gaudy orange and pink pillow in hand.
Shiro's hand went to the back of his head, embarrassed.
"Sit with me," Coran said, not quite an order although it was clear he wouldn't take no for an answer. Not that Shiro would refuse.
He joined Coran on the couch the Altean had claimed, hunching forward with his hands clasped between his knees and Coran mimicked him.
"How are you holding up, lad?"
"When I'm not having flashbacks? Peachy," Shiro sighed, knowing he sounded bitter but tired enough that he couldn't take it back.
"You went through a traumatic experience yourself at the hands of the Galrans," Coran said carefully, touching on the near taboo subject that was never brought up unless Shiro did it first. "It is not surprising that you would have such a reaction."
"I broke down on the Galra ship," Shiro admitted, giving voice to the recollection. "I saw a table with tools and blood and had a flashback. If Keith hadn't been there… well, the Galrans might have two Paladins in their custody."
"But Keith was there," Coran countered. "And he was able to assist you when you needed it."
"I'm the team leader," Shiro said bitterly. "I shouldn't have to put them in that position."
"Ah," Coran murmured, "the heart of the problem."
Shiro turned to look at him. "What?"
"Shiro, pardon my bluntness, but if you truly believe what you have just said then you are a terrible hypocrite."
Shiro gaped.
"You are focusing only upon one word in your role of Voltron," Coran said gently. "'Leader.' The word you should be focused on is 'team.' Voltron is a team effort, Shiro. The head, although in the top position, cannot exist without the arms and legs. It is the same with its Paladins. Yes, they need a leader to guide them, but the Paladins are a team; a point that I hear you stress near daily during training.
"I have worked with many Paladins over my years," Coran continued. "Each Paladin brings a different set of strengths and then on the opposite side, weaknesses to the team. Being the leader does not mean you must be immune to any sort of weakness, but rather have the strength to acknowledge them and rely on your team for support."
Shiro opened his mouth and then closed it with a sigh, guilt swirling with resignation. He knew Coran spoke the truth. It didn't make it any easier to swallow.
"You're right. I know you are. But…"
"You feel responsible for them."
Shiro huffed out a laugh that was anything but humorous. "Of course I do. They're kids, Coran. They got caught up in all of this because of me. They should be safe at the Garrison, their biggest fear a test score. Instead they're fighting in a war that isn't even theirs. They're getting hurt in ways that no one, and especially a child, should ever have to experience. I… I failed them. I failed Lance."
"You are being too hard on yourself. You forgot that you too are but a child." Coran held up a hand. "I know that you are several years older than them, but to us you are all younglings. You do not have to bear that responsibility on your own, Shiro. Both myself and Allura will share in that burden and will do all we can to keep both you and the other Paladins safe. We are a team, a family. We will overcome this challenge as we do all of them: together."
Coran settled an arm about Shiro's shoulders, drawing him close in a way that no one had done since he'd been a child and undoing a knot that hadn't been prodded since long before the failed Kerebos mission. "You do not have to be strong all the time," Coran whispered.
Shiro felt a tear trek down his face, followed quickly by another. He didn't try to wipe them away either, merely leaning his head to rest on Coran's shoulder. He didn't cry like he had with Pidge, shoulders shaking. It was a slow, quiet drip while Coran held him secure.
"Better?" Coran asked softly as the stream came to a stop some minutes later. Shiro nodded and even the flush of embarrassment that normally heated his face from such an action was absent.
They remained in a comfortable silence before Shiro sat up, knowing from his own experience that Coran's arm must be pins and needles at this point.
"Thank you," he murmured.
"Think nothing of it, my boy. Just know that we are all here for you whenever you need us. No one here will ever judge you."
It was what Allura had said after his fainting spell, but hearing it again really drove it home. He could almost hear Black's exasperated sigh that that was what she had been trying to tell him all along.
"Coran?" he asked quietly. "Can I ask you something?"
"Ask away."
"How are you holding up?"
"I have been better," the Altean said honestly. "I have seen many things in my years, but the cruelty of Haggar escapes even my understanding. What she has done to Lance is a sin that can never be forgiven." A fire burned in his jewel eyes and Shiro was reminded not for the first time that this had begun that Coran wasn't just the light-hearted jokester that he portrayed. Like Lance. No wonder the two had clicked so well.
"But I believe in Lance," Coran continued. "I can see that despite all he has endured he still has hope. Trust. The ability to love. They could not take those from him no matter how hard they tried, and it is those things that give me hope that that precious, precious boy will come back to us. I can imagine no other alternative and so I will not."
He fixed his bright gaze on Shiro. "I am also incredibly tired, as I am sure you must be. Let us take the advice you gave Number Five and get some shut-eye, hmm?"
"Sounds like an excellent piece of advice," Shiro said, standing with some difficulty as his body protested getting up from the couch. "Good night, Coran."
"Good night, Number One. Pleasant dreams."
Shiro stumbled over to his own couch. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
xxx
Allura glanced up from her datapad as a soft beep echoed about the infirmary.
A soft smile graced her lips. Keith was just about done. She bit back the grin at how the Red Paladin would react to her sudden image of a plate of cookies beeping in the oven and its comparison to him emerging from the pod with a little ding.
It had been just about three varga now and when she had last checked twenty dobashes ago the pod had turned teal and Keith was clearly visible. The beep indicated she had a couple of dobashes to get over there so she could help lower him from the pod when it released.
She really ought to see if Coran could adjust that so the subjects didn't tip out. Perhaps they could lean back just slightly so gravity would not pull them forward? Something to be addressed later. Right now she was just grateful that one of her Paladins was healed.
She glanced to Lance's pod, still very dark. As she had been doing during her entire vigil, Allura sent another silent prayer to the Altean Gods that Lance would emerge fully healed and whole.
Hunk was still sound asleep, his deep snores a welcome sound to the otherwise quiet room. He slept like a rock, she thought, just as she imagined the Paladin of the Guardian of Land would. He needed it though. She had seen how Lance clung to him, drew strength from Hunk's own. He would need to be fully recuperated himself to handle the flood of emotions that Lance was bound to have, so she was glad he slept soundly. She hoped he may even make it past the six varga. She hoped they all did.
Gathering up a blanket, she approached Keith's pod, the counter indicating she had about thirty ticks now until it would open. She positioned herself in a stance she had seen Shiro take while retrieving the falling Paladins, feeling a bit foolish but knowing that they did not always tilt perfectly straight. Why, one time Pidge had gone near sideways and it was a near miss that she didn't crack her head on the floor thanks only to Hunk's lunge.
With a final beep the glass slid up and Keith tipped out, accompanied by a wave of frigid air. Allura caught him neatly, wrapping the blanket up about him in one motion. Keith came to within a tick of his feet touching the floor and he stumbled upright against Allura, even though a haze of confusion and sleepiness filled his eyes.
"'llura?" he slurred, hands instinctively clutching the blanket tighter and Allura ran her palms up and down his arms to warm him. Alaaran, he was cold!
"Good to see you, Keith," she said, continuing her vigorous rub. "How are you feeling?"
Awareness was returning now and he blinked slowly at her, to her relief not retreating from her close presence as she had seen him do time and time before with the others. Instead he rolled one shoulder back and then the other, a tiny smile quirking his lips up. "No pain," he said softly. And then, quickly, "How's Lance?"
Allura inclined her chin towards the matching pod. "Still healing. The numbers are stable though, so that is a good sign."
Keith walked over to see for himself. He didn't touch the glass like Hunk, but his gaze was laser-focused on the figure inside, still only barely illuminated. "How much longer?"
"At least twenty varga," Allura answered. "In the interim though, we are all resting ourselves. I shall give you the same orders I have the others; eat something, take a shower and then to sleep. And do not say you are not tired," she said, raising a hand.
Keith ducked his head, a faint flush highlighting his cheeks at the easy way she had picked him apart.
Allura though knew from her own observations that most of Keith's reluctance to sleep was a fear of nightmares from all that had happened. She understood that all too well; if it wasn't for the mice she doubted she'd have gotten any sleep at all the last few quintants as Lance's screams and Haggar's grin surfaced all too easily in dreams.
"Everyone else is sleeping in the common room together. A sleep over, I believe it is referred to," she smiled. "Perhaps you would like to join them?"
He nodded and she could see the relief in the way his shoulders slumped. "Yeah. I'll go do that."
Before he could take a step towards the door, Keith found himself swept into a tight hug that had him stiffening at first, before he very slowly relaxed into the embrace, tentatively returning it.
"I am truly glad you are all right," Allura said, breath and long tresses tickling his ear. She gave him one last squeeze and released him. "Now go. Get some rest."
He nodded again, murmured a quiet "thanks" and left the infirmary.
The last year on his own in the desert had taught him the luxury of water, so Keith's shower was quick and efficient, as was the food goo he robotically shoveled in his mouth. Once he was certain he'd eaten as much as he could, he headed for the common room.
Coran was snoring loudly, sounding like he imagined a hibernating bear would, but it did not seem to be disturbing the other two occupants at all. Pidge looked like a little bird in her nest – and was that his blanket he spotted in there? – and Shiro was sprawled out on the other long couch, prosthetic hand tucked inside the cushions.
Sitting by Shiro's feet was a familiar pillow and Keith's entire demeanor softened as he realized Shiro had left the spot for him. The couches were long, certainly big enough for two people if he squeezed his feet up alongside Shiro's legs.
There was another blanket on his end of the couch too and he gratefully took it, still cold even with the one from the infirmary wrapped about him and dressed head to toe in long sleeves and sweats. He hated cryo-pods. He appreciated their healing properties, but loathed how cold he always felt for hours afterwards.
He maneuvered himself into the leftover space, having to shove Shiro's feet over a bit with a grunt, and settled in. Shiro, as light a sleeper as he was, did not even stir.
Coran's snores provided a backdrop to the otherwise dim and quiet room and Keith let the sound wash over him. It was soothing, after he got used to the jarringness of it.
And eyes drooping, Keith joined the rest of his family in the land of dreams.
Author's Notes:
This is probably the closest thing I imagine to a quiet chapter that Color should get, but hopefully you all still enjoyed it. I know I for one am actually rather sleepy now since everyone else is doing it. *yawn* Pardon me, think I'm going to go take a little lion nap now. The chapter turned a little more introspective to Lance than planned, but I think it was good in the end. Lance is just the type of person to think his own problems aren't as significant as anyone else's and therefore not worth talking about. It's something I wanted to show that he's bottled up his entire life.
Also, I've been wanting a Shiro and Coran chat for a while. I think outside of Black, Coran would be the person Shiro might actually open up some of his fears to. I mean, he was the advisor to a king; his opinion is pretty highly valued.
And for the inevitable season four talk. Here's my take while trying to remain vague because of spoilers. (still, possible spoiler alert! don't read this paragraph if you haven't seen season four!) Overall I was not impressed with this season. I am all for plot but NOT when it sacrifices character development and boy, did this season fail on that front. Outside of a few moments the characters were less characters for me and more of mouthpieces to move the plot along. I did not like it. Episode two was by far my favorite, but even that left a lot of holes and the reunion later with the team was severely lacking. There were some good moments, sure, but a lot of it felt rushed because of how much plot they tried to squeeze in in just six episodes. I'm also super disappointed that there wasn't a hint of clone theory and I'm still bothered by it now days later xD I'm hoping season five takes its time and tries to remember that we love this show so much because of its characters and not for the explosions and battles. Fingers crossed. And if all else fails... well, at least I've got fanfiction. :p
Love and hugs to the fabulous reviewers: Sirrius The Moonblade, jam2014, WhiteTails, guest, dragoscilvio, Oliviadbell, llamamoose23, Supergurkan, Jennyfish26, Berrybanana05, Wolf of the Demise, wingedflower, Alexa, Adrianna Agray, Fireflame159, Pfeh, IceAurora, Eeveecat1248, LishaChan, JustADamFrenchFry, TheTheoryofFangirling, Justanangryfangirl, Egg rolls, Stargirl720, noel, White Space Lion, Lasagna, DoctorMerlinReid, StrawberryFever3, QuestionablyCapableGhoul, Shadow Gray, Rookblonkorules, Ralyssene118, imagine forevermore, Jadegem02, HetaRosFangirl, PaintedWings45, Pheonixwarrior123, Saumya, This-Lil'-Fan-Girl, Ghost000Writer, scones, catlover2976 and Merlin's Knight!
As always I love and appreciate your comments! If you're not sure what to say I love hearing what your favorite part of the chapter was or a quote or a line and what resonated with you. Thank you guys so much!