A/N: Happy Friday! Here's the next chapter. I'm currently working on the next one so hopefully I can update weekly, but with a 4 month old it's all going to be unpredictable I'm sure. Anyway, enjoy. There is a bit of torture in this chapter so if I am supposed to put a warning or anything someone let me know. :3
Keith's eyes flew open when he heard a metallic noise from the other side of the room. The door was opening.
He jumped up, forgetting about the sleeping boy on his body. Lance yelped as he tumbled to the hard floor, but Keith had no time to feel sorry. The door was opening. This was their chance.
As the first Galra came into view, Keith launched himself at his gun, desperate to grab a weapon as quickly as possible. The soldier was prepared, however, and Keith was flung into the wall like a rag doll. He struggled to his feet, noting how the lack of food and water was already affecting his body. His movements were weakened, slow, and clumsy, but he still raised his fists in combat stance and prepared for an attack. The attack, however, never came.
Because in the time it had taken him to get back to his feet, a Galra soldier now had a knife to Lance's throat.
God damnit, NO.
Lance still looked pale, and groggy despite the desperate situation. Keith realized that ifhewas feeling dehydration, Lance would be faring much worse due to the lack of blood in his system. Keith wasn't used to caring about others; especially in a battle situation, but he realized with a sinking feeling in his gut that when he attacked, he left his injured teammate completely defenseless. Stupid. He slowly raised his hands in defeat.
"You," one of the drones said, jabbing a finger at Keith, "Come." Keith gritted his teeth at Lance's wide eyed expression, fear and anger mixed into blue eyes. He seemed to find some energy, and while the soldier holding the knife was distracted, he brought his arm up and punched the soldier right in the throat. The knife dropped, and Lance grabbed it without missing a beat, thrusting it into the chest of the sentry. The lights in his helmet dimmed, flickered, and went out.
Keith closed his jaw at the unexpected turn of events and leapt at the Galra that had already raised his gun, knocking him off his feet and struggling to get the gun out of armored hands. Lance was ducking and dodging shots from the soldiers that were filing into the cell at the sound of the commotion; Keith realized without a doubt that even with both bayards, these boys were trapped and outnumbered. And the Galra looked like they were in no mood, and Lance was going to end up dead.
"Alright!" Keith yelled, jumping in front of the soldiers and throwing his hands in the air. "Wait. I'll go with you."
"Keith, no!" His heart lurched at the panic in the voice of the boy behind him. But the Galra had stopped shooting, and one was motioning for him to come over to them. Lance was beside him in an instant, and Keith turned to face him with a small smile on his face.
"Hey, just try and rest. I'll be back, don't worry about me," he said, placing his hand on the paladin's cheek. Lance leaned into the touch.
"You promise?"
"I promise."
And with one last look, Keith gathered his courage and allowed himself to be marched out of the cell. The door slammed shut as the blue paladin of Voltron fell to his knees.
Now that Keith was out of sight of his friend, his nerves fully surfaced. He didn't have as much bravado when he wasn't trying to make Lance feel safer. He was marched down the winding hallways in silence, trying to map out the prison in his head but finally giving up. His heart felt like it would leap out of his chest, but he tried to breath deeply and ready himself for whatever was coming.
He was brought to an interrogation room, where he was strapped to a chair. Soldiers crowded around him.
"We're going to ask you a few questions," One man said, "It is in your best interest to answer them."
Keith spat on the ground.
"Where is the rest of Voltron?" A Galra drone asked. Keith snorted.
"I'm on your ship. You seriously think I know where they are?" he said sarcastically. The Galra drone nodded. Keith was surprised it wasn't going to push that subject any further—
Purple sparks of electricity shot out of the chair and enveloped his body. Keith couldn't even scream before the air rushed out of his lungs at the sudden shock. It only lasted for a moment, but when the pain subsided the red paladin was slumped over, wheezing for breath. He eventually raised his head again, to where the soldier was waiting for him.
"Where is Voltron?"
"I don't know!"
Shock.
"How can we track the Lions?"
"I'm not a tech person, I don't know."
Shock.
"How can we take down the Castle of Lions?"
"Like I'd ever tell you."
Shock.
The pain went on until Keith's vision was blurry and dotted with stars. His whole body ached and tingled, and he barely even felt the restraints on his arms and legs being taken off. Even if he had wanted to fight, he didn't think it was possible. He was practically dragged in between two soldiers down the purple hallways, the floor coming in and out of focus as he drifted in and out of consciousness. When he finally heard a door opening, he blinked furiously to clear his head just as he was tossed haphazardly into the darkness ahead of him. However, rather than landing on a hard surface, he was pleasantly surprised that something soft had broken his fall. A cushion? A bed perhaps? Keith just wanted to sleep.
The cushion yelped.
"Lance!" Keith cried, realizing he had landed on the Cuban in a tangled mess of limbs. He rolled off him quickly, the motion making his head continue to spin even after he sat still. He saw Lance's worried face inches away from his own, trying to get him to focus.
"…eith? Can you hear me buddy?" He was saying, snapping his fingers in front of the purple-grey eyed boy. Keith smiled.
"Oh boy. You're smiling. Now I know they broke you," Lance said, half joking but still full of concern. Keith willed himself to focus on the tanned skin in front of him.
"Hey," he said, trying to make his mouth work again. Lance smiled.
"Are you alright? What happened?" Lance asked, visibly furrowing his brows. Keith realized that no, the room wasn't swaying… he himself was swaying. He tried to sit still. Lance's strong hands gently grasped his arms, and Keith was grateful for the assistance.
"They want information," he mumbled, "And they have some sort of electric chair. Really sucks."
"Did you tell them anything?" Lance asked cautiously, not wanting to offend the boy but needing to assess the situation. Keith was too groggy to be offended.
"No," he said, "We can't tell them anything. No matter what they do, we have to hold out and keep the others safe." Keith finished his sentence with grim certainty, raising his head and staring into the blue eyes in front of him. Lance's expression reflected his own; they knew what they had to do.
"I understand," Lance finally said, sighing. "Whatever they do to us, we have to endure it. Until we are rescued of course."
"Of course." Keith smiled. The world had stopped spinning finally, and he felt a bit better. Whether being in Lance's presence had helped or not, he didn't know. He didn't really care. They were both safe for the moment. At least he thought, until Lance's smile faded and his eyes rolled back in his head.
"Lance?!" Keith cried as he lunged forward to catch the paladin from smashing his head off the cold floor. Lance was still hot to the touch.
Of course.
His wound.
How the hell did Keith forget about that?
IDIOT.
Keith lay the brown haired boy gingerly onto the ground, hearing his erratic breaths hitching in his throat. He had obviously passed out from blood loss, but when Keith checked the makeshift bindings, he found they had successfully stopped the bleeding. I guess I have no idea how long we were both unconscious when they first brought us here,he thought, he could have bled out for hours with no medical help.The red paladin ground his teeth in frustration. They needed water, or food. Something to clean the gaping hole in Lance's shoulder with before it became infected.
They needed help.
