Today is a very bad day for me with some very bad memories. Writing has always been therapeutic for me and I do admit this isn't much of a plot as it is me releasing my emotions through fictional characters. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.
It was the first year of not being needed to fight as Voltron and it was usually a nice feeling to get used to but at the same time, it was also the first year Black really felt the sting of something she hadn't had the chance to think of. Partly because of all the fighting and partly because Keith had always been there with her. It was today. The day Zarkon had betrayed her and everyone, the day he had dismissed her as nothing more than something he could use and throw out. The other lions were all playing, and she watched them but this time, she couldn't bring herself to join them.
'It's been over 10,000 years, why does it hurt so much now?' Black thought to herself. Was it because she never had the time to think about the hurt before or because Keith had always been there? His kindness had made her forget everything Zarkon had put her through for a moment.
"You could call him here, you know," Red interrupted her thoughts and Black looked up at her friend, noting that all the other lions were now surrounding her. Had they noticed something off about her?
Black bowed her head. "He has his own life. I don't need to burden him with this. Zarkon is my darkest memory, after all. I'm the one who trusted him, didn't I?" She knew Red had been hurt about that for a long time, given what it had led them to suffering, especially Red.
"It wasn't your fault," Yellow was the one to speak up now. "He manipulated you and made you think he cared for you, but he just wanted to use you. Isn't that right, Red?"
Red was quiet and Black found herself watching her friend. Would he agree with Yellow or was that something he was still upset with her about?
"None of us are perfect, Black," Red said. "Maybe you made an error in trusting Zarkon, but he is the one who hurt you and all of us. I think you should call Keith here. He can help you build some new memories of this day and replace the bad ones somewhat. Connect with him, call him."
Somehow, hearing this from Red made some of Black's insecurity disappear. It didn't take the pain away from what Zarkon had done to her – the beating, the yelling, the belittling – memories, which were as clear as day. Things she had never really even talked to the other lions about because it hurt too much to communicate. She was okay pushing that down and she hadn't thought about it in so long but today, it felt as if everything had only happened yesterday. She felt a phantom pain that hadn't really existed before. Maybe she should at least ask Keith if he was willing to visit her. Even if he couldn't erase the pain, his presence might help her get through it more than she was on her own.
Keith had just finished lunch and was headed to his room to look at some Blade work, when he heard a familiar voice inside his head.
'Keith, I'm sorry to bother you, are you busy?' Black's almost hesitant voice spoke in his mind.
Keith blinked. Black had not contacted him in a few weeks and he had been thinking of connecting with her to see how she was doing but was glad she had done so instead. 'No, of course not and you're not a bother. Is everything ok?' There was silence on the other end, and something twisted in his stomach. He didn't know but he felt as if something was wrong – like something was bothering Black but he couldn't pick up on what it was.
'It's kind of stupid' Black admitted, and Keith felt his palms clam up, realising it was coming from her, but he didn't speak. He could sense her hesitance and wanted to give her the space to express what she needed to.
'Today was the day Zarkon killed King Alfor and tried to take me back' Black continued in his mind. 'I guess, with all the fighting, it never stung me because I didn't have the time to dwell but today, it feels like too much. It's okay if you're busy but I…I guess I didn't want to be alone right now.'
"That's not stupid," Keith spoke out loud. "I'm glad you told me." He paused for a moment. "Can you pick me up from the Garrison? We can fly together for a while and go to places that will help us create new memories for this day."
'I'll be there' Black replied, and Keith smiled. He could drive but given how fast Black could get there in comparison to Earth cars, he had a quicker method. He walked back to the kitchen where Curtis was playing with Kosmo and called the space wolf to him who came running and licked his face.
"Keith, is everything ok?" Shiro asked as Keith pet the space wolf gently.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Keith said, shaking his head. "I just want to go hang out with Black for a bit. She's picking me up from the Garrison, so Kosmo, can you take me there? It'll be a lot quicker than driving."
Kosmo shifted in closer and Keith wrapped his arms around the space wolf's neck because he was a lot bigger now and they were zapped to the Garrison, just as Black arrived.
"Do you want to come with us, boy?" Keith asked gently. 'Black, is that ok?' He wanted to make sure his lion was okay with it too.
'Yeah, of course' Black replied, the hesitance from earlier completely gone, something that was nice to see to be honest. He had been a little concerned, seeing her so hesitant, especially with him even if he did kind of understand the why. As Black opened her mouth to let them both in, Keith settled into the pilot seat, Kosmo climbing in beside him and they took off.
'Are you okay, Black?' Keith asked her via their telepathic link. Sure, they never talked a whole lot in flights, but she was a little too almost eerily quiet.
'Keith? You said to Zarkon once that he never deserved me. But aren't I the one who never stood up to him?' Black asked. 'He would beat me, belittle me, call me names and yell all the time but I would just listen and let him, with the hope that he would change one day, with the hope that he would get better, but it never happened. Wasn't I the one who was wrong?'
Keith stayed quiet for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to put what he was thinking into words as well as push down the surge of anger that had risen up within him at Zarkon. "Before Shiro adopted me, I was passed around different foster homes. Some foster parents were okay and not so bad, even being kind to me but some of them acted as if I didn't exist. I'd get left-over foods and I was almost always considered invisible. The school I went to dismissed me as a discipline case because I was too much trouble to actually look into why I lashed out. Shiro was really the first person to try and understand. I thought the same as you, Black, that maybe something was wrong with me because no one seemed to care before Shiro, and I just wanted someone to care. But Shiro said they were wrong and that he would never give up on me, but I couldn't give up on myself. Learning about everything that happened with you and Zarkon, you kind of reminded me of how I used to be. You trusted Zarkon, Black, just like I trusted Shiro. It's not your fault Zarkon didn't turn out as good of a person for you as Shiro did for you. He didn't deserve you – you don't deserve to belittled or hurt. What he did to you was wrong – you did nothing wrong." He exhaled a little. "I know it's not so easy to believe that, but I want to be for you what Shiro was for me. Zarkon was wrong and even if today is painful, let's make it less painful together, ok?"
He heard Black roar, feeling her calm down as they flew into the distance. He knew helping Black heal from the pain wouldn't be something that happened in a day – but he would stay with her through the bad times, no matter how long it took.