Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prom.

There were so many things that Lance adored about Prom night.  As corny as it had sounded on the posters that littered the school halls, he had to agree that tonight was truly a night to remember.  Hunk, Shay, Pidge, Keith and he had all met up at Pidge's place, helping out each other for any last-minute fashion adjustments.  And honestly?  They looked absolutely amazing, not that Lance was biased or anything.  

Shay was wearing a gorgeous yellow over-the-shoulder gown, the bottom trailing after her with a high slit at the front.  Her hair curled upwards and outwards above her shoulders as the bangs swooped perfectly to frame her face.  She looked like she came straight out of a fairy tale, just missing her fairy godmother and tiara.  Lance couldn't help but be dramatic and bow, announcing for the whole house to hear 'Princess Shay has arrived.'  The best part?  Hunk had a matching suit jacket, Shiro helping him with his bowtie that matched his black suit pants.  He wasn't wearing the usual bandanna either, so his hair floofed out a little, Lance making sure to help keep its shape.  

"The chef grows distracted by the princess' beauty." He had teased, catching Hunk staring at Shay while he was fixing his best friend's hair.  He laughed when Hunk responded with an embarrassed 'Well... yeah...'

Pidge went with wearing a high-low dress with a green wrap around the middle, a little green bowtie to match.  They also stole one of their older brother's suit jacket as a nice finishing touch to make them feel more comfortable.  It was a good look, especially when they came in with an undercut and a fresh pair of double piercings on both sides of their ears.  

Lance was pleased with his own outfit too, going for a nice blue button-up that practically matched the sky and a nice pair of navy blue suit pants.  He couldn't help but appreciate the way it sat on him, showing off his curves without making him look gangly.  He even got his hair to do mostly what he wanted, save for a few rebellious curls at the back of his neck. A nice little red rose clipped into his hair, sitting just above his ear was the nice finishing touch he had gotten before they got to Pidge's.  He couldn't help but occasionally touch it, afraid he would lose the flower Keith had given him.

And Keith.  

Keith was practically matching him, his button-up red, his suit pants black.  He looked good in a suit.  It should be illegal at this point, especially when it posed a threat to his heart.  He tried not to stare, keeping himself busy with helping the others with their hair, Shay with her makeup.  But he couldn't help but linger every time he did look towards Keith, catching the little blue rose that sat perfectly clipped to his tie.  He did not watch Keith touch it like it was the most important thing, and he did not flush when they made eye contact.  Definitely not.

Eventually, they were all coerced into gathering near the front of the house, Pidge's mom insisting they posed in front of her garden for photos.  No one argued of course, it was a beautiful area, and after a million and a half pictures, they were finally able to drag themselves away.  With as much grace as they could, they piled into Hunk's SUV, blasting music, having their own little party before they got to the venue. 

The food was okay, the presentations blurring by as they joked with one another instead of paying attention.  Eventually, the music changed from soft and relaxing, to more upbeat and dance-inducing.  Pidge had slipped away shortly before it all went down, Lance spotting them at the DJ’s setup.  Soon after the lights washed over the crowd of dancers, coordinating with the beat of the songs as the DJ entertained the crowd.  

Hunk and Shay eventually got over their nerves, both of them awkwardly, but very cutely, getting up at the same time to ask the other to dance.  After a pause, both of them laughed, before making their way over to the dance floor.  Lance couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at the sight, watching them before they fully disappeared into the crowd.  

Then it was just Lance and Keith.

“Oh my god, their dress is gorgeous!” Lance cooed as they watched Turnip, a classmate from his math class, walk by.  He’d probably said that for the fifth hundredth time, but Keith didn’t seem to mind as he nodded a little.

To his delight, even when the music became louder, Keith shifted closer to hear him, leaning into his space as their legs pressed together.  He could feel the warmth that radiated off of him, his arm resting on the back of his chair and brushing lightly against his back.  When he spoke, Keith would lean in, breath tickling his ear, but he never strayed too far when he was done.  And Lance?  He couldn’t help but be grateful for the dim lights and colorful strobes because he was sure he was red in the face.  He did his best to ignore the fact that his heart felt like it was going to jump right out of his chest and began talking about anything and everything, pausing on occasion when a song he loved came on. 

Lance opened his mouth to say something as a Beyonce song came to an end, turning to Keith when he felt the warmth pull away.  He refrained from frowning as he watched Keith get up, stretching a little before he held his hand out to him.  

“Keith?” 

“Want to go dance?” He asked, eyes soft.  Lance couldn’t hold his excitement as he practically jumped out of his seat.  He took Keith’s hand, their fingers interlacing, before Lance took over and led them to the dance floor.  He couldn’t help but look back on occasion, making sure that, yes, Keith Kogane himself, had asked Lance to go dance at a social gathering.  

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dance Kogane?” Lance mused, but they both knew he was teasing.  Lance had seen him dance before, and it was filed under ‘Things to Improve on’.  

“That’s because I don’t, McClain.” Keith chuckled, shaking his head.

They found themselves a small place near the crowd's edge, Lance already swaying and singing as they pushed their way through.  By the time they were settled on a spot, Lance was already in his element, body practically moving on its own.  Keith, as expected, was stiff as he moved, tensing up every time someone bumped into him and sending a glare in response.  Lance couldn’t help but roll his eyes, reaching out and taking Keith’s hands again.  He didn’t say it out loud, giving him a look that said ‘focus on me’ before he pulled them closer.  The task didn’t seem difficult, Keith staring back at Lance as he started to loosen up, Lance moving their arms so that they were dancing again.  He was delighted as he watched the tension slowly melt away, and Keith was even starting to smile a little.  

“Hey~!  Looking good!” Lance heard, looking to see that Hunk and Shay had made their way over.  They merged and were now in their own little world, Shay giggling as Lance spun her, Hunk bumping hips with Keith.  At some point Pidge had made their way over, finding themselves dancing as awkwardly as Keith.  

It was silly.  But it was so much fun.  Lance could lose himself in the joy and warmth surrounding him. 

“Lance.” 

The call of his name made him falter, like he had heard it from someone who was walking up to him.  But looking around, nobody was that close, and the music was still playing loudly.  It threw him off, the feeling of anxiety rolling over his shoulders as something unpleasant sat in his gut.  Something cold pressed against the back of his neck, but when he reached back, he couldn’t feel anything besides the pressure.  When he looked back at his friends, it was then he noticed that Keith was gone.  

“Lance.” 

The voice was clearer now, and what was unnerving was that it was starting to sound like Keith’s voice the more it spoke.  But he wasn’t with them anymore, and Lance couldn’t find him in the crowd no matter how hard he looked.  He swallowed his urge to scream, the music slowing down, the words becoming muffled as the pitch lowered.  As he turned once more to look, the lights passed over his eyes directly, blinding him momentarily with pinks and greens.  Faces blurred, people’s movements seemed to pause, like the world was moving too fast and too slow at the same time.  

Panic started to fill his chest.  

Where were his friends?  Where did everyone go?  Why was the world changing?  Was it just him?  Where did Keith go?  Where…  Where was he ? 

“Lance…” 

Finally- finally , when he looked towards where he thought it was coming from, did he see Keith in the distance, standing in front of the door that they had walked in through earlier.  He took a few steps forward, but something grabbed his hand, gentle, but firm in its hold.  He didn't look back though, staring at Keith because this wasn’t the Keith he was with moments ago.  This Keith looked heartbroken.  

He wasn’t wearing his suit anymore, his hair was ruffled and longer than he remembered.  He was wearing loose cargo pants that were tucked into hiking boots, and a dark red jacket over one of his typical tight black shirts.  But he looked like he’d been in the woods for months, dirt smudged across his cheeks, some stuck in his hair which was tied back haphazardly.  There were bandages wrapped around one of his hands, and he was holding something in the other that was hidden behind his thigh due to the way he was angled.  He also looked… bigger.

“Keith!” He took another step forward, but whatever was holding him started to pull him back, something strong wrapping around his waist.  He tried to keep pulling, ignoring the way panic started to clog his throat.  They were going to take him again.  They were going to take him, and he wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing .  Something wrapped around his chest, another around his ankle, another gripping the back of his clothing.  He kept pulling.  

“Keith please!” He reached out, unsure if he was desperate to save or be saved by the other, eyes locking with painfully familiar eyes.   But no matter how much he pulled, no matter how much he reached out, he was still being pulled backwards.  He looked down at what was holding him in place, trapping him, to see that it was arms, long and purple, sickly pale in color.  They didn’t seem to lead to any bodies as he looked back, only seeing the dance floor warped and darkened by whatever twisted the plane behind him.  He looked back to Keith again, a new set of hands wrapping around his neck.

“Why!?”  He wasn’t sure what possessed him to ask, and though he knew it was his own voice, felt it burn his throat as he sobbed, he wasn't even sure it was him.  

“Because I don’t want to lose you.” Keith said softly, voice pained as he began to turn away.  Hands covered his mouth, muffling his protests.

“You won’t ever lose me Keith.” It was his voice again, but this time he knew it wasn't him.  Tears burned at the corners of his eyes as he watched one of his best friends walk away, the world crumbling around him like disheveled sand.

The hands, or arms, or whatever they were, violently yanked him backwards, making him lose his balance.  It was like he was being plucked from the world as darkness surrounded him in an instant.

…

Lance’s eyes snapped open, a force shoving him violently forward.  Something was grabbing him, wrapping around him tightly as they pulled him back from bolting out of his spot.  He couldn’t tell until he took a breath in, throat raw and aching, that he had been screaming, choking sobs warping whatever words he had been trying to say.  

They were going to take him again.  They were back and they were going to take him aga -.

“Lance!” He couldn’t help but flinch at his name, eyes darting to the source.  Familiar brown eyes looked back at him, smaller, golden specs glowing slightly in the moonlight.  He tried to take a deep breath, feeling his body tremble as he reached out to gently touch his friend’s cheeks.  

He was real.  This was real.

“Hey buddy.  Hey, I’m right here.” Came a hushed voice, the words immediately washing over his anxiety.  "Can you look at me Lance?  It's me, Hunk."

“Hunk?” He asked, voice barely above a whisper, terrified that he would suddenly vanish into smoke.  

“That’s right Lance.  It’s me Hunk, your best friend and roommate.  You’re safe here.  We are safe here.  I got you, okay?  We're in our apartment by our school, by Altea University.  We're in your room right now, on your bed.” 

That's right.  They were in college now, going into their fourth and last year.  They were older now.  And Hunk was here, sitting in front of him giving him time to process, grounding him.  He took him in, noting that his hair had gotten longer since Prom.  He had a little stubble growing in at the bottom of his chin, and he had definitely gained more muscle.  His brain also supplied that Hunk had also gotten taller too, sitting nearly a whole head taller than him now.

He leaned into Hunk, the other shifting them a little so that Lance was now cradled in his lap.  Hunk’s back was to the rest of the world, Lance finding himself relaxing into the warmth and protectiveness of one of his best friends.  He could still feel the hands ghosting over his body, but as Hunk rubbed small circles into his back and arms, they started to fade away.  Hunk’s hands, while holding their own dangers, were always so gentle.  Hunk would never hurt him intentionally, and Lance knew that for a fact.  

“I trust you.” Lance finally murmured, taking a deep breath.  Hunk continued to rub his back, humming a little and letting the rumble in his chest help soothe him.  Lance gently took hold of the crystal that hung around his neck, letting his fingers run over the cold surface.

He was safe.

…

The two of them had to get up not too long after Lance had fully calmed down, their alarms going off in their respective rooms.  Lance had already tried to apologize for waking his friend up, but Hunk just leveled him with a look, almost daring him to.  Lance sighed and hugged his best friend again instead.  

As he went through his typical morning routine, he couldn’t help but scrub his skin a little harder than normal.  Even though Hunk had seemed to make the feeling of the hands go away, now that he was alone, it felt like they were back, creeping along his skin.  

When Lance had looked in the mirror, he almost expected to see bruises in their shape, indents where the nails had dug in, but instead, there were just the usual scars.  Scars that weren't there for Prom...  

He stared at his reflection, taking in the differences from now and his dream, a partial memory.  He'd grown only a little taller since then, filling into his body more comfortably.  His hair seemed to curl more, Lance letting it grow out for a little so that rested more over his forehead.  Freckles were more noticeable from the summer, two little crescent-shaped markings sitting beneath his eyes.  He stared at them longer than he wanted to, taking a deep breath before moving on to cover them up.

It wasn’t just the dream that made his skin crawl though, but the reminder of that night happening.

Not a day went by where he hadn't wished he could forget.  

As Lance finished up, he took his time buttoning his white shirt, making sure his necklace sat around the collar securely.   He couldn’t help but hesitate by his closet a little, keeping his gaze down.  He opened it and grabbed the packed bag that sat inside, double-checking that his spare clothes were there before closing it again.

He didn’t move like he wanted to, eyes glancing up to the calendar that hung on the door.  It was like the sight of a scraggly red circle on tomorrow’s date had frozen his legs in place, the calendar just a mere piece of paper and yet felt so much more.  He reached up, pressing his fingers on the day as if it could do something, revealing the truth he had been desperate for.  But instead of feeling any sort of relief or excitement, the heaviness in his chest just grew deeper.  Exhaustion seemed to seep into his bones as he blinked back tears.  He took a shaky breath, throwing his bag over his shoulder and forcing himself to walk away.

Two years…  it had been two years.

“Idiot.” He mumbled before leaving his room.

…

“You okay?” Hunk asked as they climbed into his car, wearing most of his chef's uniform.

Lance didn’t answer right away, instead taking in the morning.  The sun was starting to peek over the horizon, coloring the sky with pinks, oranges and reds as white clouds slowly drifted across them.  He found the sight pretty.  

But then there was that pressure on the back of his neck, something he felt in dreams and oftentimes when something was wrong.  He scanned their surroundings, noting that most of their neighbors were either still sleeping or just getting up.  Something was off though.  Something felt off.  It made him frown, fingers brushing over the crystal for a moment before he started picking at his lips.  Maybe it was just him?  

“Do you feel it?” He asked, completely ignoring the earlier question.  Though for Hunk, that was probably answer enough.  

“... Yeah.  I was hoping it was just me.” He sighed, starting the car.  Lance looked over, noting the tight grip Hunk had on the wheel, eyes alert and analyzing as he looked around over and over again.  

"What do you think?" 

"It feels like we're being watched." Hearing Hunk say it didn't make him feel any better, safety-wise.   But it was also nice to hear he wasn't the only one, that he wasn't just being paranoid.

“Let’s talk with Adam and Pidge later, yeah?  They might have seen or heard something we haven’t.  It could be what we were looking into to.”  Lance suggested, sitting up a little and placing a hand on the other’s shoulder.  The tension he felt lessened as Hunk relaxed into the touch.

“Yeah.  Yeah, that sounds good.” With that, Hunk pulled from their driveway.  But Lance could tell that Hunk was still checking the area out, trying to pick up on anything that could hint at who, or what, if anything, could be watching them.

They sat in silence for a while, Lance watching the world blur by.  He didn’t want to go to work, and normally, it was for more mundane or playfully dramatic reasons.  But now it was because it felt like he hadn’t slept in days, being pulled so thin it was a wonder he hadn't snapped.  The lingering anxiety from the nightmare-twisted memory and the paranoia of potentially being watched wasn’t helping.  Everything just felt so… raw.  

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hunk asked.  

“No.” Lance didn’t bother pretending, but he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet either.  It could mean nothing.  It could mean anything.  But it was just one dream, one nightmare, one memory .  He rubbed the back of his neck for a moment, trying to rub pressure away.  “Not yet.” 

“Okay.” 

Lance appreciated that his friend didn’t push, but he also knew that Hunk wasn’t going to just let it go either.  It just meant he would be keeping an eye on him.  Lance would have to worry about it later though, the diner just a few blocks away now.  Maybe…  Maybe work would distract him enough.

… 

“Okay!  I’ve got a Beach Cheeseburger with a side of onion rings, an Onion Cheeseburger with a side of seasoned fries, and an order of Dino Nuggets with a side of grapes for the Queen of Dinoland!” Lance announced as he sat the dishes down, the little girl’s delighted giggles making him grin wider.  “Can I get you guys anything else?”

“I think we’re all set for now.” The father said, chuckling a bit as he watched his daughter and son immediately dig in.  "Thank you!"

“Perfect!  Now I will be leaving shortly so my lovely friend Nyma here will be taking over.” Lance added, motioning to the woman who came up beside him.  Nyma greeted them with a bright smile, playing along as she did a small curtsy for the little girl.  Her blonde hair was done in four braids, decorated beautifully with blue and gold beads, and tied back for work.  She stood taller than him, pinkish-brown eyes sparking with amusement as they popped out against her almond skin.

"Go on Lance.  Go get some rest or I'll kick your ass." She whispered with a wink.  Lance couldn't help but laugh a little, knowing full well she would keep her promise.  She was super sweet, but man would he hate to make her mad.  He rolled his eyes but formed a heart with his hands, smiling wide with appreciation before walking away.

Work at the White Lion Diner had blurred by for Lance.  Between the morning rush, students who were just getting back to campus, and one of his co-workers calling out, he had been too busy to even think.  

But even so, as he pushed through the double doors to get into the kitchen, he couldn’t help but notice the difference in how he felt.  He took a glance over his shoulder, finding nothing that lifted a red flag, but he still couldn’t shake it.  It felt like someone had been watching him while he was in the dining area more closely than when they were in the car. He tried not to spiral over it as he slipped his blue apron off, rolling it up before tossing it near his bag when he walked into the back room.  He'd be with the group soon, and they would figure it out. 

“Hey Lance!” He jumped as Rolo surprised him, the chef leaning against the door frame while his heart ran a mile a minute.  He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when his brain finally registered it was just him and no one else, smiling easily as he turned to his friend.

Rolo was someone who reminded Lance of his older brother, carefree and relaxed.  He made a mean falafel and was a wizard when it came to a car.  He was taller than both him and Hunk, but his skin was a tad lighter than Lance's.  His hair was dyed white, a piece seemingly always in the middle of his eyes unless he was cooking while the rest framed his face.

“What’s up?” He asked, forcing a small laugh to cover his embarrassment.  

“You mind taking the trash out before you leave?  Got a family of eight that I gotta get started with.” The other mumbled, shouting something back into the kitchen before looking to Lance again.

“Yeah, sure.” Lance expected Rolo to leave then, but the older chef was eyeing him.  Lance glanced away nervously.  

“You okay?” The question threw him off, but only for a second.

“I’m fine.”

Apparently it was a second too long.  They both stood in silence, staring at one another.  Lance felt like it was a trap then, like Rolo was analyzing him, or trying to work something out, but he just wanted to get things done, grab Hunk, and then leave.  A single raise of a brow nearly had him crumble.  

“It’s fine.  Just… had a rough morning.” He offered, not lying but not telling the whole truth either.  

“Alright...  Take it easy man.  Weathers suppose to get bad tonight so get home early and get some rest.” Rolo said, reaching out and ruffling his hair in an older brotherly manner.  It made Lance forget, just for a second, that anxiety was eating at him as he took comfort from the affection and laughed. 

“Don’t worry.  Hunk will keep us safe.” He reassured, waving his hand away before attempting to fix his curls back into place.   

“Good.” With one more smile, Rolo saluted a goodbye and left Lance to finish getting his stuff together.  

As he threw his red sweater on, he suddenly felt a shiver go down his back, a frown tugging at his lips.  He didn’t hesitate though, quickly moving out of the room with his bag and apron.  He spotted the trash bags by the door, placing his stuff on one of the cleaner counters, before grabbing them and nudging the door open.  

Stepping outside made his stomach curl, the pressure on the back of his neck coming back as cold tension washed over his shoulders.  It felt like something, or someone, was watching him again.  It didn’t help as the autumn air blew in his face, almost like the outside world was daring him to run back inside.  

Biting his lip nervously, he forced his legs to work again, quickly going to the dumpster and tossing the trash in.  He didn’t bother checking to see if they went in, turning on his heel and nearly bolting back to the diner.  But a sudden noise from the left startled him, his head whipping towards the sound and catching the last tumble of a rock that had been disturbed.  His skin started to grow cold, coming from his core and flowing slowly to his fingers as he waited for something to pop out.  He held his breath, lifting his hands carefully as he readied and-

“Lance!” The buzzing under his skin vanished, as he looked to the door, Hunk standing in the frame.  He was frowning, eyes focused on where Lance had been staring at.  Two seconds.  A breath.  Warmth came back.

“Let’s get out of here.  Adam and Pidge  are waiting for us.” Lance mumbled, pushing his way past Hunk to grab his backpack.  

“Are you okay?” Hunk asked, gently grabbing him by the elbow.

“Yeah.  Yeah, I’m just antsy.” He offered, glancing back outside before looking back to Hunk.  

“Lance-”

“Can we go now?  Please?” He asked, two seconds away from begging.  

“Okay.  Okay, let’s go.” Hunk sighed after a moment, offering a small smile.  Lance relaxed a little, letting Hunk take the lead as they finally left for the evening.  

Everything was fine.  Nothing was wrong.

… 

“Something is definitely wrong.” Pidge grumbled, settling into their usual place on the small couch. 

Lance wanted to smack whatever entity encouraged those specific words to be used.  

They were currently sitting in the attic of Pidge's family home, once used for movie nights and sleepovers but now as a place of meeting and safety.  It had everything they could need, a small kitchen to the side, a set of comfortable furniture that gathered around a TV, and a table for a meal or for game planning.  Not to mention the total privacy they had, backed by their's and Pidge's parent's extra precautions to help 

Pidge was sitting on the love seat angled on the side, laptop sitting on their lap as chocolate brown eyes glared at whatever information was showing on the screen.  Lance took a moment to take them in, his dream still fresh at the back of his mind.  They still had an undercut that was similar to Prom, but their bangs were on the longer side, and they now had designs etched in, lines like the wiring they’ve used in their robotics and inventions.  The glasses were different frames, little smaller than the wide, round ones from before.  Pidge was also a little taller, but he wouldn’t say it out loud if only to keep teasing them.  

Different.  Things were different now, and the dream was just a one-off nightmare.  That’s all…  

“What do you mean?” Hunk asked, both of them sitting on the sectional, Lance curling up in the corner and Hunk beside him.  On the one hand, it was nice to know that maybe they weren’t being paranoid this morning.  On the other, they would have to figure it out and deal with it.  

“Well, you know those weird rumors we were looking into?” Adam asked.  He stood by the window, arms crossed as he surveyed the neighborhood like he was preparing for someone to approach the house.  They just might.  

Lance didn’t miss the bags under his brown eyes, the right lighter than the left, as they tried to hide behind rectangular glasses,  Or the way his hair seemed to be wilder than usual, their older friend usually more ‘presentable’.  He was a little shorter than Hunk, and though not built like a tank, he packed on more muscle than Lance did.  Well, usually, Lance just couldn’t tell if he’d been losing weight or not…  He hadn’t meant to stare, eyes lingering on the burn scar that curved up his neck and over his right cheek. 

When Adam looked at him, Lance quickly ducked his head, making a mental note to check in with him later.  But being with him brought comfort, silly as it was.  Adam wasn’t at Prom, hadn’t joined their friend group until college.  He was proof enough that he was here .  

“The ones we’ve been looking into?  Yeah, we haven’t really found much.” Lance sighed, forcing himself to participate.

“We just found something this morning.  Here, take a look.” Pidge said, turing their laptop around and offering it over to them.  Hunk, bless his soul, got up and grabbed it, bringing it back so they could both look at the screen.

“That’s not good…” Hunk mumbled nervously. 

On the screen was an article from a local post, dated for the night before.

…

Returning Students Narrowly Avoid Attack in Alleged ‘Empty’ Forest. 

Garrison Police Department Encourages Public to Refrain from Entering the Cuevas Grade Forest

On the night of August 27th, 10:32 PM, three students reportedly called into emergency services when they were attacked by wildlife.  Officials responded to the call immediately with animal control, but upon arrival, the animal had fled.

The students sustained minor injuries, able to escape by climbing into the trees and waving their flashlights.  At this time, it is unclear what could have attacked the students but authorities suspect that it was a bobcat or mountain lion that roamed further down the mountain.

“We couldn’t see anything, even with our flashlights.  It was like it knew we were looking for it and was too fast for us to see.  I thought we were done for.” Says one of the students.  “We were just wanting to camp, you know?  Wanted to keep exploring more since the moon was out.”

“We didn’t know what to do.  We just climbed the nearest tree as fast as we could.  My friend who made it to the top first called the cops while me and our other friend tried to get up.  I was scared it was going to climb right after us, especially since it had nearly pulled our friend down before she made it up too far.” Another said, visibly shaken from the event.

“I didn’t think to look back to see what was scratching me.  I just knew if I did, I was going to die.  Or at least I thought so.” Says the last student who was nearly pulled down.  “It scared the sh** out of me, don’t get me wrong.  But it let me go.  It had me, and let go.  I wasn’t going to test it though, and we stayed up there till the cops showed up.”

The Cuevas Grande Forest is popular among students this time of year, as a place to camp and enjoy the last days of summer before returning to school.  The Garrison Police Department asks that campers remain on campgrounds at night to avoid danger and that Park Rangers remain alert as they monitor the area.

If there are any concerns or sightings, please do not hesitate to call the Rangers at (XXX) XXX-XXXX.  The plan is to  find and relocate this animal back to a more appropriate feeding ground

…

“It doesn’t sound like wildlife.” Lance mumbled, knowing full well it wasn’t.  Hunk passed the laptop back over.  “Maybe a shifter, but they could be anything.” 

“Whatever they are, they’re risking the safety of our community.  And exposing us.” Adam sighed, looking away from the window and back at them.  “This might be connected to all of the other rumors we’ve been hearing about, it might not.  Either way, we’ll have to figure it out, and soon.” 

“We’ve got a week, if that, before the campus is full of students.  You think we’d be able to find whoever they are before then?” Pidge asked.  Adam made a face that told all of them he doubted it.  

Lance frowned and sat up a little, going over the details they’d been working with for almost a month now to see if anything might have changed.  He ignored the way his friends all seemed to watch him, Adam taking a seat in front of him.

Rumors had been floating through the diner, old and young customers talking about it.  A weird flickering light coming from the denser part of the forest, weird tracks that looked to be brushed, and even some weird noises that were animal like but not quite distinguishable.  All typical rumors one would hear from a forest, but not ones they've ever encountered.  What made it harder was there was never a specific location discussed, and with the size of the forest, it was nearly impossible to track anything on their own.  They swept the areas that were mentioned, but that didn’t mean that their ‘friend’ didn’t go the opposite way and missed them.  A thought did occur to him, one that made his stomach open into a pit.

“Pidge, where was the attack?” He asked, focusing on his own breathing.  

“Lance?” He heard Hunk, but he kept his eyes on the other.

“It’s Northwest, about thirty miles from the closest campground.” Pidge mumbled, typing something before turning the screen back to them.  It was hard at first, but Lance spotted the red circle towards the top left of the screen.  Further up was the jagged image that represented the series of caves, once believed to be empty.  A quick glance around the room confirmed that they all were thinking it, but no one wanted to say it, not to him.  

“That’s a little far for the students to be hiking.” Hunk commented, quietly comforting Lance as he rubbed his back.  

“Right?  But this is where the police found them in the trees.” Pidge mumbled, closing the laptop and hugging it.  The floor was made of glass, cracked and chipped away.  

He broke it.

“We’ll check it out tomorrow.” He said, as casually he could as he gently shrugged Hunk’s hand off.  He could be overthinking it.  He could be wrong.  But he wouldn’t know if he just sat back and did nothing.  

“ We can check it out.  Sit this one out kid.” Adam said softly, placing a hand on his knee.  He smiled, though it felt more like a wince as he patted his hand.  

“No.  We should all go, as a group.”  

“Lance you don’t have to-” 

“Just in case there’s actually more than one.” He felt bad for cutting Hunk off, but the shocked silence started to eat at him.

“You think there’s more than one?” Adam asked, more of an encouragement to run with the thought, not questioning him on it.  He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, noticing that Pidge had at some point opened their laptop again and started typing.  Research probably.  

“Well… I mean it’s possible right?  Like,” He paused, gathering his thoughts, “Say they are posting up in one of the caves, it would make sense to try to blend in as local fauna.  When an animal comes to a new hunting ground, it establishes its area and scares off potential competition, maybe even takes them out.  But they’re not.  It’s possible that whoever they are, came out of the caves for something, and just so happened to bump into those students.  They couldn’t leave and risk being followed, but they also couldn’t stick around and risk the rangers or police.  They’d lay low, wait till the story dies down, maybe cause rumors coming from areas away from the caves.” He started, waiting for someone to comment, maybe even add their own musings.  No one did, so he kept going. 

“If they were coming into the forest, and possibly getting resources and running into people, Hunk and Pidge would have been able to pick up a scent, or at least a trace of dead animals traveling.  But they haven’t been able to pick up anything .  If we’re working with a shifter, there isn’t a way for them to cover their tracks, scent, or marks.  Not unless they have someone who can, working with them, the same way you and I do with our group.” He pointed out.  And something must have clicked because then Pidge cursed under their breath.

He was overthinking it.  Had to have been if they found something.  Maybe they were able to narrow it down.  Maybe it was something entirely different- 

“What is it?” Hunk asked.

“I started piecing all of the places we’ve checked, everything that might have been a clue.  Lance is right, whatever we’ve been trying to track has been sporadic, a distraction.  The places we’ve sweeped and narrowed down have been on the complete opposite side of the caves.” They explained.  

He had been right.

“We’ve been looking for all of the wrong things because that’s what we’ve been finding.” Adam mused, nodding a little.  He watched a small grin form, and before he could react, the other was ruffling his hair.  “Nice thinking Lance!” 

He couldn’t hold the laugh that seemed to bubble from him, comforted by the affection as he playfully smacked the hand away.  “Hey, I know I’ve got the looks, but I also got some brains!” 

“Nerd.” Pidge teased, shooting something small at him.  It bounced off his arm and disappeared to who knows where.  He rolled his eyes. 

“You looking in a mirror, Pigeon?” He teased back.  He leaned back, something cold brushing down his arm as he waited for a response.  Pidge was ready for one, but Hunk spoke first. 

“Now that we know what we should be looking for, what’s the plan?” 

“We’ll check the outskirts of the caves first, see if Lance or I can pick up anything.  It’s best if we go in the morning, use the sunlight to our advantage since our friends seem to enjoy coming out at night.  Pidge, you st ll go . tho… ma…” 

Lance stopped listening, the caves bringing back a warmth that held no comfort.  He could still hear them, could still see in front of him, but nothing registered as he sat in his thoughts.  His hands were doing something, pulling at a string on his jeans maybe?  Everything just… blurred together.  Like moving and hearing were one in the same.  Like wading through water or floating in dense air.  

“Lance?” He felt a touch on his shoulder and somehow it felt like he was shoved back in place.  He blinked a few times, shaking the lingering feeling away as he turned to his best friend. 

“What’s up?” 

“We’re thinking about doing a movie night, stick together tonight before tomorrow.  What do you think?” A careful question, but a choice.  Go home and take some time to sort through what happened this morning, or join them, be in their presence.  

“Oh, I am so down for a movie night.  We doing snacks?” 

“The whole shebang.  I think I have stuff for pizza at home I can bring.” Hunk hummed, the tension in his shoulders seeming to ease.  

“I have popcorn and some other stuff!” Pidge jumped in.  

“Would Shay be able to come?” Adam asked. 

“She hasn’t moved back in yet.  Her and her brother are taking a road trip up.” 

They all started talking more about plans, Pidge and Hunk debating on if they wanted to bake or not.  Lance took a moment to lean towards Adam, shifting a little so that he could nudge him.  

“Hey.” 

“Hey.” 

They sat contently, laughing a little as their other friends kept going.  

“Everything okay?” 

Adam seemed to hesitate, or maybe he was actually thinking about it.  He couldn’t tell, not when Adam was good at hiding behind a mask. Not that he could talk, but he knew something was wrong.  Between his appearance, the way he seemed more focused on their task, the growing worry line between his eyebrows, Lance could feel something wrong.  

“I miss him.  I miss both of them.” He said softly.  Lance gently took his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.  He swallowed down the tightness in his chest.  Two years.  It’s been two years.

“When does he come back?” He asked, a mask of cold calm washing over him.  

“I don’t know.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe next week.  He hasn’t told me.” He sighed.  For a moment, Adam looked older, sadder.  He blinked and he was calm again.  

“Do you want to stay with us?” He watched as Hunk and Pidge got up, going to the kitchen.  He caught a look they shared and knew they were being given privacy.  

“I want to be there when he gets home.  In case…” Lance didn’t want to follow that trail of thought, but last night flashed through his mind, the sadness clawing at his chest.  He took a deep breath and nodded.  

“Do you want me to stay with you?” 

“In their house?” 

“Sleeping inside is preferable to the streets.  But hey, I mean we can kill two birds with one stone and go camping.” He joked.  Adam snorted.  

“Fair enough.  But…  I wouldn’t mind the company.” He confessed, leaning against him a little.  

“Then tomorrow I’ll be there.” 

“Thank you, Lance.” 

…

  Pidge and Hunk came up with a list of things they needed for the sleepover while he and Adam were talking, the roommates tasked with picking stuff up after they stopped by their place to grab some clothes.  Lance had made a show of complaining about it, but they all knew he was being dramatic to waft out the tension.  The floor may have been shattered, but everyone’s walls still held strong, blocking something they all didn’t want to talk about.  

Lance couldn’t blame any of them.

“Sugar Cubes.” Hunk huffed, patting his pockets a few times, going as far as to empty them out.   

“What’s up bud?” Lance called over the car, hand already reaching for the handle.

“I left the keys upstairs.  Let me go grab them real quick.” 

“I keep telling you to get a clip man!  They’re the last thing you check for!” He called after him, giving him a teasing smile as Hunk rolled his eyes.  

The second the door clicked shut, truly alone out in the street, dread pooled into his stomach.  The feeling was back, like every movement was being noted as he dropped his hand to his side.  Should he run inside, run after Hunk?  Or was he just being paranoid?  The ghost of hands pressing against his skin as a reminder of what happened, of what could happen again.  He swallowed his panic and casually leaned against the car, eyes scanning the area as something cold pressed against his chest, clawing like it wanted to be freed.

Pidge’s house had felt so safe .  A safe haven, a literal shield to keep the dangers out.  But he was outside now, and he had forgotten.  He’d forgotten and the others hadn’t known.  Hunk would be too focused on finding the keys to mention anything, and he’d forgotten .  

He shifted from foot to foot, the epitome of an impatient young man, but anxiety was clawing at his throat to scream, to beg that someone would come out of the house.  The tension in his spine grew, the early autumn breeze brushing his cheeks like a tease, the same tease from before.  The pressure from his chest continued to grow, but he couldn’t tell from what in particular, the reasonings mixing.  

Something to the left sounded, his attention snapping to it, his chest nearly exploding.  His mouth opened, hands flexing and- 

His whole body stiffened as a hand wrapped around his mouth, an arm hooking both of his arms and pinning them in one swift move.  He tried to move, but their hold on him tightened and he was stuck.

They found him.  They found him and they're going to take him again.  No one would know.  No one was here and no one would know.  

They spoke, voice cutting through his panic with a calm he’s heard before, a calm that made him want to fall into a void and never come out.  

“Hey Lance.  Did you miss me?”

Chapter Text

He had changed a lot.  

Keith knew that already, of course.  But it was hard not to acknowledge it every time he caught his reflection staring back at him.  It was rare to not have anything covering his features, to not be hiding who he was given the circumstances.  He couldn’t remember the last time they had been out and about like this, freely, but still on alert.  

Cold eyes that weren’t quite blue, but weren’t quite gray either stared back at him, curious, assessing.  His black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, his bangs wildly in his face to where he had to brush them out of his eyes.  His hand stopped when he felt rough and sunken skin, taking in the pink of the new scar that decorated his cheek.  It curved from a few inches under the corner of his right eye, widening down towards the back of his jaw and even down his neck.  This whole time he could feel the shape of it, like he could feel the layers of skin missing.  

This was the first time he actually saw it, but even then it wasn’t as clear as if he had been looking in a mirror.  But even so, he could see how it stuck out against his pale skin, definitely paler than usual, from the lack of sun.  It made his stomach turn a little.  

He took a deep breath.  

“Keith?”  Another reflection joined his, the voice nearly making him jump.

A woman who stood maybe an inch taller than him was looking at him with violet eyes, alert and searching, but he could see the concern underneath.  Below were twin markings on either side of her face, similar to his scar, but held a different type of meaning.  Her hair was similar to his, having a more purple-ish tone to it under the light and longer than how she would keep it as it fell past her jaw.  Her bangs were pinned back, framing her face as they usually would if they hadn’t outgrown her usual style.  

Then there was the tension she wore like it was a second skin, like the world had shattered her body and she came back stronger, made to carry it.  He was beginning to understand that pressure, beginning to feel it.

"I'm fine." He mumbled, going back to what he was originally trying to do.  He reached out and carefully pulled on the string beside the window, watching his reflection disappear under the blinds.  

"Here." Krolia said, placing a coffee in front of him as they sat down.  He welcomed the warmth as he brought it to his lips, feeling the way it trickled into his stomach and spread through his body.  Has he been cold this whole time?  

“Thank you.  Are they on their way?” He asked, taking another sip as he surveyed the cafe they were in.  

In one of the booths that was tucked against the corner was an older individual on a laptop, glasses low on his nose as he took note of whatever was on screen.  There was a couple that sat closer to the center of the cafe, empty tables surrounding them as they nervously talked.  Probably a first or second date if Keith had to guess.  The barista seemed to keep herself busy as she moved around behind the counter, exhaustion clear on her face.  

He also took note of the way the sun seemed to add a glow to the orange and yellow theme of the cafe, fairy lights being the primary source of light as they twisted around the exposed beams of the ceiling.  The smell of baked goods and coffee wafted pleasantly through, the fans creating a nice breeze to combat the lingering summer heat from outside.  It was cozy, but it didn’t provide any sort of comfort for him like it once would have.

“They should be here soon.” She said softly, still watching him carefully. 

They fell into a conversation that had no meaning, comments on the weather, the way the seasons were beginning to change again.  He wasn’t fully paying attention, and neither was she for that matter, but the facade wasn’t for each other.  

It was for whoever may be listening.  

Ding

The chime caught his attention, eyes darting over to the entrance.  Krolia kept her gaze on him, her back to the door.   He almost wished they had sat in reverse.

But the warmth that filled his chest as he watched the group come in made it hard to look away, the chorus of laughter filling the once quiet cafe.  For a moment, he forgot everything. 

At the front was a young woman, her long white hair pulled up in a high ponytail as her bangs parted down the middle and swooped so that they were tucked behind her ears.  Her skin was a warm russet, reddish-brown, beauty marks scattering across her skin.  She walked,  leading the group in, with confidence and grace, her head held high.  But there was warmth with her strength, greeting the barista happily with familiarity.  Keith watched as she took her time asking how the employee was, questions of people in particular that both surprised and impressed the other.  After catching up, she gave reassurance that they were in no rush, commenting on something that made the two men directly behind her laugh.

One of them stood taller than both of them, gray eyes bright despite the rough scar that crossed his face.  He carried himself proudly, like the weight on what caused the bags under his eyes was worth it, defeated it maybe.  His creamy skin had a healthy pink glow to it, something that was welcoming as it was new.  His hair was shaved at the sides, black with a shock of white as his bangs.  He said something, a sly smile on his face as the other two groaned, probably a dad joke, a bad pun.  But despite it all, despite what darkness lingered, he was happy.  Purely happy as he caught the eye of his partner, warm, relaxed, in love.

His partner leaned on him, tired eyes hiding behind dark brown frames as they ducked ever so slightly.  He looked like he was trying to hide his smile, shoulders shaking a little as he held in a laugh when his partner made yet another joke.  He had a lighter skin tone than the woman, his eyes reminding him of how sunlight would bleed between the trees, highlighting the hazel specs in them.  His hair was a light brown, cut short and neat as it tapered at the end, bangs hanging just above his eyes.  Pink dusted his cheeks as he finally broke out in laughter, the sound echoing through the cafe, like it physically added warmth.

The feeling in his chest dissipated.  It turned into a cold and uneasy reminder, a slap to his face of everything.  He took a deep breath, trying, and failing, to keep the conversation with Krolia going.  She may have noticed, may have picked up more of the talking, but he couldn’t tell, couldn’t hear as if he was frozen in place but floating away at the same time.  

Ding.

Two more came in, both so enthralled with the conversation they were having, they nearly ran into the others.  

The shorter one, who was the shortest of the group, was holding a laptop, inputting something before showing the other and pointing something out.  It looked like they were trying for an undercut, but it had grown more into a pixie cut, bangs falling forward, over their forehead and ears.  It almost covered their brown eyes behind round frames, tired but determined as a new flame of inspiration filled them.  Silver bands with small designs in place decorated their ear, the piercings well taken care of.  What he can only assume was oil that smudged their lightly tanned skin, a shade away from being red at how they easily burned.  He could see the gears turning, could see their mind taking apart their problem.  A moment, it had only been a moment.  Then.  Something clicked, had to have,  because they were now grinning, excitement blossoming on their face.

The other stood the tallest of them all, shoulders wide, like he was ready to carry the world..  He was considerate though, leaning down so he could see the screen better, a hand floating behind his friend to prevent either of them from bumping into the chairs behind them.  He spoke with more consideration but also seemed as determined to solve whatever they were working on, pointing something out on the screen with pride.  His dark brown hair was shaved on the sides, a bandanna holding his bangs in place as they parted down the middle and fell right at the cheekbones.  His olive skin was covered in just as many oil smudges as the other, the two clearly working on something big.  A fist bump was shared before the taller of the two seemed to realize that their group had been separated, opening the door and calling out to their friends.  

His hands gripped the coffee cup like a lifeline.  He should look away, go back to keeping an eye out and ignore the way the ache pulled at him to get up.  He took a deep breath, trying hard to keep it together when all his body wanted to do was run.  Get up and leave.  Get up, get up, get up, get u-

His mind screeched into silence, eyes widening a little.  

The last of their group stumbled in, a laugh bubbling into the air as one of them pulled the other.  A large smile was plastered on his face, eyes closed from the absolute delight they were feeling.  Freckles were sunkissed across his cheeks, skin tone a golden brown, and his hair was a chocolate brown, ruffled and cut short, the ends curling a little at the ends.  He was on the taller side, but still growing into his limbs as he clumsily dragged them along.  There was so much warmth, like his presence was the sun bathing them in evening light.  He couldn’t see his face as the other turned to the last person, Keith following his line of sight.  

An unrelenting and nauseating heat stirred in his gut.  It was awful.  It was hateful.  

It took so long, too long for him to settle back, to mask his glare with indifference, to remind himself that it was undeserving.  The young man that came in was a complete stranger, someone he’d never met and yet…  There was a familiarity that lashed out, that screamed with anger and frustration, that teased the nauseating heat to spread, to take over, to fight .  Because when he looked at him, it was almost like looking in a window, one that let him see his younger self.  This kid was everything he was before, before, the summer that changed his life two years ago.  It was only two years, and yet so much was different. 

So much so, that it shattered whatever picture he had given himself when green eyes were looking at him.  Not the crystal clear blue, so blue that it reminded him of the sky and the ocean, that he desperately missed.  The woman who led their group didn’t have striking white hair, but a shiny blonde.  The one with the laptop didn’t wear glasses, their hair that was similar to a raven’s.  The couple at the front were younger, still in the early stages of their relationship.  The tallest was thinner, shoulders curling inwards instead of relaxed.  

Keith blinked.  The group that he had sworn was familiar, sworn was so real, was now a group of strangers.  Their lives were not intertwined.  They held no worries, no scars he could see, no alertness about the things that lied in the silence that sat at the edge of peace.  

It wasn’t them and it hurt .

“You’re thinking about them again, aren’t you?” His mother’s voice was soft, no longer rambling.  He awkwardly waved to the green eyed stranger, feigning that he knew him from somewhere.  It seemed like it worked when he got one back, a friendly smile in return.  

“I am.” He admitted, finally tearing his eyes away and looking down at his coffee.  Upon seeing his reflection, it was more like he was glaring at it, at himself.  

“You miss them.”  A statement, not a question. 

“I do.  They’re going to be starting their Senior year at University on Monday.” 

“You should be with them.” He didn’t respond, refraining from huffing as he scanned the cafe again.  They sat in silence, but Keith knew well enough that his mother wasn’t going to let it go when he heard her sigh.  

“Keith…” 

“I know, I know.  But I can’t go back, not yet.” He huffed, finding interest in anything that wasn’t Krolia’s disappointed face. 

Ding . 

The older individual had packed up while Keith was lingering on ghosts, leaving the cafe in a slight hurry.  Possibly done with his lunch break, or maybe on a way to a meeting.  

“It’s been two years Keith.” 

Keith felt his jaw tightened.

He was well aware that it had been two years, kind of hard not to.  Every time he looked down at his phone, the number long deactivated, the date popped out to him, a notification he couldn’t bring himself to swipe away.  He never deleted the photos, the old texts, never disabled the notifications for recurring events like birthdays, anniversaries, and he saw them all, saw them every time .  It made him want to throw his phone off a bridge, into traffic, have it crushed and unrepairable.  There wasn’t a single scratch on the device though. 

“I want to go back.” He admitted with a sigh, “But…  What if…?”  

What if?  So many questions tangled itself in his mind, out of anger, out of fear, out of weakness.    

Would his friends, his family , be angry?  Would they feel betrayed?  Would they be hurt even more once he told him what he had done, what he had been doing instead of coming home?  For all he knew, they had been mourning him, had been haunted by the possibilities of what may have happened.  Keith left them no closure.  Hadn’t left a message, a note, not a call to ease any of their anxieties.  He’d just left, vanished into thin air.

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.” Krolia answered, the reply bringing a sort of comfort.  She would know… wouldn’t she?  

Ding.  

He hated the way his body snapped back into attention, eyes darting towards the door as he sat up.  A group of older women was walking into the cafe, speaking on the louder side as they seemed to argue on who would be covering the bill this week.  They lingered by the door before one of them strode forward, her smile mischievous as she simply handed her card to the barista, motioning for everyone to proceed to order.  

“Tell me about them.” Krolia asked, coming to the same conclusion as he had when they turned back towards one another.  They posed no threat.  He relaxed a little.

“I’ve told you about them before.” He pointed out, raising a brow.  

“Tell me again.”

Keith studied her, noting the sharp curiosity in her eyes.  He’d spent enough time with Krolia to know that look meant she was digging for information, formulating a plan.  He knew it would involve him, but what was she planning?  He wouldn’t really know until she told him.  

Reluctantly, he sighed and agreed.

“Hunk is an engineering student, incredibly smart both in his field and out.  He’s also an amazing cook.  I don’t think I’ve ever tried something I didn’t like when he made something, even when some of it had mushrooms in it.  He’s also the literal definition of a gentle giant, always minding others and making sure to take care of us.  But despite him being a big softie, he can also come off as pretty scary if he’s worried about his friends” He chuckled, thinking back on some of their soccer practices.  

Hunk had noticed that James had been going out of his way to clash with Keith on the field, noticed how he always tried to pick a fight.  So he decided to do the same.  Keith can still distinctly remember when Hunk first body-checked James during a middle of a match, the bully being sent flying on his ass.  He had gone red in the face, and Hunk?  Hunk full on spewed apologies, feigning innocence as he held his own laughter.  Keith was really glad he never got on Hunk’s bad side

Krolia seemed pleased so he kept going.  

“Pidge is the spunky mad scientist of our group, currently working in robotics.  They’re also incredibly smart and when Hunk and them get together for a project, don’t even bother trying to understand what they’re saying.” He sighed, rolling his eyes and enjoying the way his Mother laughed.  “Besides being an evil genius, don’t let them convince you otherwise, they are evil, they’re also the video game champ.  Put a game in front of them and they’ll ace it and then proceed to kick our asses. They’re confident in their own skills and will use them in all sorts of schemes, pranks, and revenge.  But they always do it with good intentions.  They’re blunt, and even though they never want to hurt our feelings, sometimes they give us a much-needed reality check when we need it.” He smiled a little, missing his childhood friend.  While he had Matt and Shiro, Pidge was more like his little sibling, the two of them getting into all sorts of trouble.

Ding . 

A mother with her child walked in, the little one jumping with excitement beside her.  They were probably regulars with the way the barista smiled, addressing them both with more than just proper work etiquette. 

“Allura is probably the only reason we’ve made it as far as we did if I’m honest.  She’s not only the friend group’s mom, but she was also the one who took over coaching our soccer team when the coach suddenly quit.  She’s wiped out our entire team, and could kick our ass if she needed to.  She was always our voice of reason too, always finding a solution when something came up, and I think she’s going to do great when she starts working internationally.”  He paused, watching as the child clapped their hands gleefully before taking the hot cocoa for them.  

 “It’s weird, we didn’t really get along at first, and we often butted heads on how to handle certain situations, but we always knew that we were working towards the same goal, albeit doing it differently.  It was nice when we finally got it together, finding that we had a lot more in common than we had thought.” He didn’t go into more detail out loud, not wanting to make Krolia feel guilty.  But it was true.  Allura was an orphan, like him, who only had one person who could take them in.  They lost their family, and though it was a little different since he had found his mom, and she found a dad in Coran, they grew up with a lot of feelings and not a lot of explanation.  

“She sounds like a good leader.” Krolia mused, sipping her drink. 

“Went to nationals and won.  Couldn’t do that without her.”

“Congratulations.” She said, seeming very proud, and if that made Keith’s chest swell with it, he didn’t comment on it.

“I didn’t know Adam as well as I would have liked.  He came into our group our freshman year at university, so I only knew him for a little under a year.  He was pretty relaxed, and he made Shiro happy, so he was good in my book.  Shiro had a huge crush on him, so I hope…  I hope he told him.  La-” His voice stopped, the name still on his tongue as he felt his whole body stiffen.  He cleared his throat, refusing to see whatever reaction Krolia had as he pushed forward before she could comment.  

“You know Shiro.” He said, trying to find what he hadn’t told her yet.  

“I don’t think I’ve met him, no.” Krolia responded, chuckling a bit when Keith huffed.

“He may look like a guy who’s all grace and wisdom, but he’s actually a huge dork who has awful dad puns and is a danger to society every time he steps into a kitchen.  I can’t tell you how many times he’s almost made us homeless just from making Mac n Cheese or something.  But he’s great with kids.  I think he’s a teacher now, or at least a TA while he’s working on his graduates.  It was what he wanted to do last we talked so…” He trailed off, sipping his coffee to push the guilt back.  “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to show how grateful I am for him.  He always seemed to know the right thing to say when I needed it, even when I didn’t think I did.  He was always patient with me, and…  once he’s got you in his care, Shiro’s the type to never give up on you.” He could feel his eyes begin to burn, clearing his throat again.  He missed him.  He missed all of them.  

Ding .

“Then there was… Lance.” Saying his name was difficult on most days.  Keith felt like he was dramatic for it, but he was genuinely the hardest person to start talking about.  But once he started… he was the easiest.  There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about Lance.  Some days it hurt, the guilt eating at his insides as he was painstakingly ripped apart.  Other days, he was the only thing that kept him going, a light of hope at the end of a torturous tunnel.  

“You don’t talk about him.” Krolia pointed out.  “Are you two not close?” 

“Close?” He chuckled, shaking his head.  “He was my best friend.  Where do I even start?”

“Perhaps the beginning.  If you are willing.” She offered.  

Di-

“I met Lance when we were in elementary school, but we didn’t become friends until the end of middle school.  Before Dad died, he had tried to be my friend, but I thought he was kind of annoying so I mostly ignored him.  After though…  I was so angry, so upset, that when he tried, I pushed him away.” He paused, taking a deep breath before smiling a little.  

“He never gave up though.  If you think I’m stubborn, you should’ve seen him when he put his mind to something.  He stopped trying for a while, and I thought that was it.  But one day, in gym class, he climbed to the top of the bleachers and yelled in front of the whole class ‘Listen Up Mullet!  You’re going to be my rival and that’s final!’.” Keith laughed at the memory.  To save his friend’s pride, he wouldn’t tell Krolia that he had been shaking, his fear of heights making him nearly sob while trying to get down.  But even so, Lance still climbed the bleachers, still yelled to the world like it meant something.  

“After that, he would challenge me in everything we did.  Sports, academics, we even competed in who could eat their lunch the fastest.  It was stupid but…  He just wouldn’t leave me alone.  We were rivals through and through.” 

“What changed?” 

“I found him at my usual place at this diner Dad used to take me.  I was annoyed at first because I thought he was just doing it to mess with me, maybe another challenge in our ‘rivalry’.  But he was crying.  I’ve never seen him that upset before, and when I asked him what was wrong, he got defensive.  He’s never really fought back, brushed off a lot of things I’ve said to him, so it was a surprise when he was actually ‘mean’ back.  Found out that he had been bullied by some of our classmates for some time.  I didn’t know what to do, but I did know I wanted to help, and I did something right that day when I got him to laugh before we went home.” 

“What of the bullies?” 

“Well, I got upset knowing that Lance was being bullied, especially since most of the kids seemed to like him.  So I started following him home, or at least trying to.  He was usually with Hunk, sometimes Pidge, so he was fine for the most part.  But I remember one day seeing the two of them after school late for some club they were in, and heard that Lance had gone home alone.  I found him about a block out, the bullies picking on him, pulling his hair, shoving him around.  Next thing I knew, I was fighting them.  Lance fought too after one of them called me an ‘orphan’.  I think since then, we’ve been pretty inseparable.”

“Sounds like you two made a good team.” Krolia chuckled.

“We did.” Keith agreed, unable to hide his smile.  “He was stupidly selfless when it came to others, finding some way to help, no matter how small it was.  He would even go out of his way at times, even for those who might not even deserve it.  Lance…  He just had this weird ability to also know exactly what to say, when to say it.  A joke here to loosen up the tension, some supportive words there for when people weren’t all that confident, didn’t hesitate to call us out when we were being jackasses, he just always knew.  Even when hurtful things were thrown his way, he would still try, would still care.”

“He sounds like a wonderful person.” Krolia commented, and Keith couldn’t deny that she was already fond of him with the way she was smiling.  And it only just proved to Keith that Lance just had that effect on people, making them smile even though they had never met.  

“He was.” 

Keith felt the guilt slam back into him as he sipped his coffee.  While Lance was amazing at helping others, he always struggled with reaching out for help for himself.  He always hid behind beauty routines and practiced smiles, never once showing how upset or exhausted he might be.  It took Keith a long time before he realized that Lance, as bright and happy as he liked to come off, had his own demons.  It took even longer to learn what the signs were that it had gotten bad, that it was going to get bad.  He knew their friends would be there to love and support him, it was the fact that he wasn’t there to be one of them that ate at him.  

“You speak as if he is already dead.”

“I used to try to convince myself that he was.” He admitted, sighing a little.

Her laugh startled him, mostly because he hadn't expected the reaction.  She shook her head a little, sipping her tea as she settled down.  

"What?" 

"The more we speak, the more I see myself in you." She smiled again, but he could see sadness in her eyes as she reached out.  He took her hand and held it gently.  

"Yeah?" His Dad had always told him stories of her, saying that he took on after her and was always quick to agree.  It was nice to hear it from Krolia directly.

“Yes.” She confirmed, smiling warmly.  But then she became more serious, holding his hands more firmly.  

“I do not live with many regrets, my son.  But there is one that sits heavy with me every day.” She confessed.  “When I left you and your father, it was by far the hardest thing I have ever done.  There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think of you both.”

“But you left-”

“I left to protect you, yes.  I wanted to give you a chance to live a life without fear, without danger, to give your father a chance to find peace.” She smiled sadly.  “You have to understand though, that leaving you both was not what I regret.”

“What?” Keith asked, the word slipping before he could think.  He was grateful that Krolia only chuckled before continuing.  

“Did you know that there were days when I thought of going back?  Of abandoning the mission?  It would have been so easy to just grab my things and leave.  There were nights I almost did.” She paused, unshed tears shining as she looked at him.  “In the end it was impossible.  I was so desperate to see you two, to be with your father again, that I left the pack.  When I made it back though…” She trailed off, squeezing his hands like she was making sure that he was real.  

“You didn’t know…” He mumbled, squeezing her hands back.  

“No.  But I still regret not coming back sooner.” 

The pause sat heavily on Keith, the deeper meaning behind Krolia’s words weighing on his mind.  He was essentially doing the same thing, wasn’t he?  But he understood why she did it now, forgave her for leaving  But…  

“Don’t make the same mistake I did, Keith.” 

Keith looked back to her,  jaw tightening as her words fully sank in.  He didn’t leave with the intention of never coming back, in fact, his original plan was to come home early from the summer for a variety of reasons.  But he stumbled into something dangerous, his mother of all people, being in the middle of it all.  He stayed.  For answers, for time with her, and to learn more about what was out there.  He also stayed to avoid bringing that danger home .  He didn’t want to lose his family, not again. 

But…  wouldn’t he end up losing them in the end anyway? At least when Krolia had left she told his father, gave him a reason, closure .  Keith hadn’t.

He abandoned them.

The thought made his stomach curl, guilt crashing over him like a violent wave.  He was sitting still, but he couldn’t help but feel like things were spinning around him, teetering into dizziness.  Anxiety started to spike up his arms and shoulders as memories and choices he had made filled his mind; in future scenarios and reactions that were impossible yet possible to predict. 

Keith opened his mouth to say something, words catching in his throat because he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say but-

Ding.  

He couldn’t remember when the last time the door was opened, completely distracted by the conversation at hand.  He looked over, sitting up a little in his chair as he recognized the two people who walked in.  

“They’re here.” Krolia softly confirmed, sitting back and letting go of his hand.  They shared a look, one that said they would talk more about this later.  Keith was already set on what he wanted to do though, no more convincing needed.  

Krolia raised her hand for their attention, a wide grin spreading on her face as they made their way over.  

“Krolia, Keith, it’s so good to see you two again.” Kolivan said, smiling a little.  Krolia stood and they shared a tight hug, no doubt the two of them sharing a breath of relief knowing that they lived another day.  Keith stood, opting for a handshake instead.  Thace and Krolia shared a hug next, just as tight as the first.  

“How are you both?” Krolia asked as they all took their seats again.  Keith couldn’t help but eye the computer bag Thace was carrying, noting that he sat the furthest from the other customers.  He took in the other two next, making sure there weren’t any apparent signs of stress or injury.  The only thing he could see were the dark bags under their eyes and the tension in their shoulders.  This was probably the first time they weren’t surrounded by their enemy, and even then, there wasn’t a guarantee.  

There was a shift, one that would be difficult to pick out unless you’d been with them long enough.  Keith would have to pay full attention now, though it would only look like old friends were catching up, it was really a debriefing on their last mission.  

"We're doing well.  Our time away from our work is greatly appreciated." Thace chuckled.  Keith offered a sympathetic nod, picking up the actual meaning of his words.  They had been deep undercover in a pack that was suspected of being part of a nasty plan, and it had been a couple of months since they’ve had contact, let alone seen them in person.  Keith remembered seeing his mother near tears when she read an encrypted message a couple of days ago, her relief putting her at ease as they continued scouting on their end.

“I can only imagine.  I hope the two of you aren’t working too hard.  I understand the pressure to continue your research for the school, but your health is just as important.” Krolia reminded them.  Both men chuckled, shaking their heads before sharing a look.  Something about it made Keith shift slightly, knowing full well how they felt.  

“Our research could save lives though.  It’s far too valuable to let go.” Thace said.  Nothing much could be said, mainly because the three of them felt, in their minds, like it was true.  If their death, their sacrifice to the cause, meant they could save multiple lives, then it was worth it.  Keith… Always felt conflicted about the mindset of Krolia’s pack, but it was one they all had.  It was one of the reasons he hadn’t officially joined them, not the main one, but still a reason all the same.  If he could, he'd keep them safe and save lives, but nothing was ever that easy.

“Our trip did go well though, so there is always a potential for a conclusion.” Kolivan added, his tone shifting to a more serious one.  

“Yeah?  Tell us more?” Keith asked, reminding himself that he should probably participate.  It seemed to surprise them though, and the smile Kolivan sent his way reminded him of Shiro.  It was with… pride. 

“I’d be delighted to!  Thace, could you pull up some of the photos we took?” 

Thace nodded, pulling a laptop out and setting it on the table.  As it booted up, Thace pulled out a handful of USB Flash Drives, setting them next to it.  Blue, yellow, and purple tape ran around the ends, color-coordinating them with information.  Thace plugged the purple one in first, setting the other two to the side.  

“We were able to find some old records and discovered some new information on the old civilizations we had been interested in.  They were hidden in the back of the library, something about treasure hunters attempting to steal them, so we had some difficulty.  But we met a kind librarian who was willing to assist us, which we are extremely grateful for.” Kolivan explained, Thace passing Krolia the laptop.  Keith leaned over, double-checking that the blinds were still lowered, before taking in what was on the screen.  

There were scanned documents of what looked like glyphs.  He didn’t recognize most of them, but there were a few he did, and they were primarily used in summoning spells.  Whoever they were able to find, seemed to be a great insider seeing as Kolivan and Thace had the opportunity to not only look at the glyphs, but also scan and record them.  Summonings were new though, and it was probably going to be used for nothing good.  

“The civilization we were looking into, known for their vast explorations, but also their cruelty, seemed to have been working towards a different way of gaining power.  While they were known for waging wars against others, they were also known for their scientific progression and their openness to the unknown.  It’s hard to tell, but these were signs that lead to summoning the power of purgatory and hell.  Now, there is no written record of the summoning succeeding, but there are records of the experimentation of recreating creatures close to them.  Not only that, but we suspect that they wanted to integrate other civilizations into their own as well, even if it meant working with and doing the impossible.” Thace explained.  

The Galra, or the pack that’s been suspected of the disappearance of both human and supernatural creatures alike, sat at the core of their mission.  By the sounds of Thace and Kolivan’s investigation, they were not only experimenting on the humans and creatures they were kidnapping, but they were also trying to find a way to involve creatures from purgatory and hell too.  That was… certainly something.  Keith knew that demons existed, and had his fair share of encounters in the last two years.  He’s heard stories of hellhounds, devils, imps, and the like, but it was still hard to wrap his head around since he’d never encountered any of them, at least not yet.  The idea that the Galra wanted to use them as experiments was laughable if it weren’t for the fact that he’s seen what they’ve done in the past.  It wasn’t pretty.  

“Seems ambitious.” Keith commented, but… Given what they already knew, things were starting to make more sense.  You can’t experiment without test subjects….  The thought made his stomach churn.

“Indeed.  Though, what was more concerning at the time was that they had certain civilizations listed as potential candidates to create this increase in power.  Even ones that were believed to be wiped out by previous wars.  If our civilization was considered a lost one to us now, then these ‘candidates’ were mere legends.  Myth.  It was possible that the sheer mystery might have been what was so attractive about them.  Find the legend’s last bloodline, and the advantage could be endless in their eyes.  

“How intriguing!  I wonder which civilizations they were planning on finding first?” Krolia mused, sipping her tea.  

“Well, we’re glad you asked!  We actually found some of their lists!” Kolivan said, clapping his hands with excitement.  It was weird to see, watching one of their most intimidating members be so casual.  It made Keith chuckle.

“I will say that some of the translations may be off, the documents were unfortunately deteriorating from poor handling, so we missed a word here and there.” Thace offered, switching out the USB drives, replacing the yellow one with a purple one.  When he turned the computer back to them, the screen was split.  On the left was the list still in Galran, their language unique to keep communication among the pack only.  On the left was what the two had managed to translate before they ran out of time.  Keith and Krolia shared a look before they read through the list.  

For a moment, Keith felt numb, eyes scanning the translation once, then twice, then finally a third time before it registered, his blood running cold.  

It wasn’t that the list ran long, or the fact that there had been more people, more packs or groups, than they had initially anticipated that bothered him the most.  It was the fact that he recognized some of the names that were listed.  

The Ancients :   

Altean - Priority S

• Note: There are rumors that there are still those who carry the Altean blood.  The Galra want to find the last of them and use them as a source.  No experiments will be placed on them to keep their blood pure.  Do not kill upon capturing.  

Allura and Coran came to mind, knowing that Altea was the name of the coven their ancestors had been part of.  The note also confirmed that there were active targets on his friends’ backs.  He’d always known that his friends were unique, if not from how different they practiced their magic from other witches he’d met, but from how they first encountered them.  But to be on the Galra’s radar?  

“I’ve heard about this one.  Pretty sure I read about them for school.” Keith said quietly, taking a deep breath when he realized that his nails were starting to dig into the table.  

“You’ve heard about them?  Where?” Thace asked.  “It could benefit our research if we could find a good source.” 

“Hard to remember where the ‘source’ is, but an old friend of mine at school had shown me a book they were reading with the info.  I think they were just fascinated and wanted to keep the legend alive but I don’t think they knew just how rare the information was.” He offered, carefully pulling his nails free.  He frowned at the new indents he left behind and silently apologized to the cafe workers who’d have to deal with it.  

“To hear that there is someone who is as passionate as we are is a comfort.  How fortunate that you were able to meet a friend like that.” Kolivan hummed.  Keith supposed he was right, even if Kolivan didn’t know the full story.  Meeting them was a sort of miracle, for both parties. 

It was another summer break for him and Shiro, the two deciding to spend it in the Rocky Mountain National Park that year.  They were just exploring when they stumbled across the smell of heavy dust and fresh blood, a sharp contrast to what they had been used to.  Shiro was cautious, having his fair share of missteps with hunters.  But they still ended up following the trail, wanting to make sure there wasn’t anyone who needed help.  What they ended up finding was Coran, the older man cradling Allura in his arms.  

Their clothes had looked out of place, almost like they were actors from a historical reenactment, or a movie set in the early 1800s.  But their clothes had holes from wear, and the dust that covered them was on their skin as well.  They just watched, trying to figure out what was happening.  It wasn’t until Coran had picked them out with a glance, an order to reveal themselves as a light orange glow emitted from his eyes, that they actually went to them.  

It was a strange encounter, one Keith would never forget.

“Do you think that they may know about any of the other civilizations given their involvement?” Kolivan asked, snapping Keith from his thoughts.  He frowned and looked at the list again.  

Arusian, Mer, Olkari, Krelian, Puigan, Unilu, Taujeerian and so many more were names he didn’t recognize.  But then, to his surprise and horror, there was another he did.  

Balmera - Priority A

• Note: These powerful beings were as strong as they were kind, living passively as they roamed the earth.  Their magic was entangled with crystals, used as a source of power, protection, and healing.  There is no data on how many existed, but they are sought to be studied.  They could amplify the results of other experiments.

Shay.  

One of the sweetest people he’s met, one who was just starting to join their little friend group only a few months before he left.  She had told stories before, stories passed down by family to keep the culture alive.  Keith just didn’t realize that her culture was also part of his world.  Which also meant Hunk had no idea that he was dating someone from a world he never thought was real …

He needed to go home.  He needed to leave now and make sure that his friends were okay, to make sure Allura, Shay and Coran were okay.  They were listed, they were being hunted for merely being blood-related to their ancestors.  

“They mentioned this one too, but it was a more recent find so they didn’t have too much information, just surface-level knowledge.”  He added, swallowing his panic.  If he stormed out now, it could cause suspicion.  

“I see.  Perhaps we should speak with your friend some time.  Even if we know the same thing, it would be nice to speak with someone as interested in the research as we are.  Sharing knowledge and gaining friends never hurt either." Thace mused.  

“I’ll be visiting them soon.” Keith quickly said.  Whether or not it was the next step for them, it was Keith’s already, and they weren’t going to sway him on that one. 

“If you wouldn’t mind the company, we’d like to join you.” Kolivan said, and Keith didn’t know why, but the look he gave him was… comforting.  He relaxed.  

“What else can you tell me about them?”

“The people of the Juniberry civilization were known, or more likely, accused of practicing and performing olden witchcraft.  During the time of their existence, it was almost proven that most had been wiped out during the witch hunts.  Their history had nearly vanished with them, but there are rumors that some artifacts may be in existence.  Now, it’s nothing solidified, but these photos have been circulating among researchers for study and identification.” Thace said, rambling like he was fascinated with a study and not talking about people in danger.  If he hadn’t been doing this for a while, he’d find it jarring, he definitely did his first couple months.  

Thace once again switched the USB drives, plugging in the last blue one in.  He spotted Kolivan ‘casually’ stretching out as he continued to monitor the lobby, making a sweep.  Keith couldn’t help a small shiver as he felt a distant chill running over him, the other patrons having similar reactions.  Kolivan nodded.

Cleared.

Then all eyes were on him, which only made him feel more anxious to review the photos.  But without a word, he looked at the screen.

It was exactly what he was afraid of.  There were several photos of Allura and Coran, the two never noticing, or at least never showing, that they were aware of someone watching.  Some were professional, some were gritty on CCTV.  He frowned.  There was another woman as well, blonde hair tied in two ponytails that fell past her hips.  Given the background, Keith took a guess that she wasn’t in the same location, but he couldn’t help but feel both grateful and disappointed by that.  Allura would probably be excited to know that there may have been someone else who was one of her own.  But if they were together, it would have been easier to find and grab all of them before they even knew they were in danger.

“Keith?  Have you seen these before?” Krolia asked, reaching out and gently wrapping her hand around his wrist.  It grounded him a little, but he was itching, restless, and something in his chest was threatening to rip out.  

“I have.  I recognize some of the signs on these two, but not on the third artifact.” He sighed, leg bouncing.

“Fascinating.” Thace murmured, taking a small notebook out and jotting some notes down.  No doubt they were encrypted as well.

“This artifact is accompanied by some unknown pieces as well.  We’re not sure if they’re part of the history of these civilizations or another, but they were found on the same site.  They’ve caught interest, the mystery enticing other researchers.” Kolivan said, but the way he said it made Keith itch again, his shoulders tensing even more if it was possible.  Following Thace’s instructions, he pulled up a different file and immediately wished that he hadn’t been looking at it.  His fear, his anger, it felt like they were meeting their limits, battling it out with whatever was keeping them from exploding.  He felt his mother give his wrist a squeeze, and he took a deep breath.

The first picture he saw was Hunk, smiling brightly as he worked at a grill, beaming at those around him, those he also recognized.  His hair was a little longer than what he had remembered, and he also seemed to grow into some muscles.  He was pretty sure he saw stubble on his chin, but it was hard to tell given the angle.  He clicked through the files quickly, Hunk having a decent amount.

 Then there was Pidge, most of them were blurry, but he’d recognize their hair anywhere.  They seemed to have a similar amount, but he wasn’t too sure since some of them were unclear and the file names were just the generic ‘IMG_123.png’ so there wasn’t a distinction either.  

Next was Shiro and Adam.  They were together in nearly every photo that was taken, maybe two or three being on their own.  He wished that he was looking at these in a different context, on his friends’ cell phones rather than a folder that was showing targets.  Shiro’s hair turned fully white, his brother probably giving up on re-dyeing his hair as often.  Adam looked almost the same, his hair a bit shorter, and his glasses looked newer.  They had a bit more photos, but considering that they were two, it made sense. 

Then there was Lance.  

He paused at the first photo, long enough that the others noticed.  But he continued clicking, trying his best not to linger too long, but…  Lance looked… sad.  His hood was up, shielding his face, and he always seemed to be looking around his surroundings.  There were some that he was smiling in but…  they were forced, eyes closed, shoulders hiked up like he was uncomfortable in his own skin.  Keith knew that sometimes he was.

“You’ll definitely want to talk with my friend.  They could tell you more than I can.” Keith said, trying his best not to rush his words. 

“Well.  We do have some vacation time.” Thace reminded Kolivan, the two sharing another look.  

“Some time off would be nice.” Kolivan nodded.  “We’ll let you know once we figure out what days we can take off.” 

“Oh, how exciting!” Krolia clapped, forcing a wide smile. 

“We’ll head down first, get things set up so you have a place to stay.” Keith said, knee bouncing faster than before.  

“Sounds like a plan.” 

Keith was going home.  He just hoped it wasn’t already too late.

Chapter Text

“Hey Lance.  Did you miss me?”

Her voice.  Her voice.  

Lance felt a chill run down his spine, body tensing under her hold.  He had to fight to keep himself upright, locking his knees as they nearly buckled under panic and anxiety.  He tried to wiggle again, trying to see if there were any weak spots in her hold.  But she wouldn’t budge, her nails digging into his skin as if to show how little he was actually doing.  He tried to move his head back, but the hand stayed clamped over his mouth too, a force preventing him from even letting a muffled scream from escaping.  

“Behave.” She growled beside his ear, making him shiver again. 

Behave.   His body wasn’t his own the moment she commanded him, freezing in place.  His brain seemed to numb, floating off as he fully relaxed in her hold.  Distinctly, he could hear her speaking again, but nothing was registering.  Behave.  That’s all he had to do.  Behave and they wouldn’t hurt his family.  Behave and they wouldn’t hurt his friends.  Behave and they wouldn’t kill anyone innocent.  It’s all he had to do.  He swallowed, glancing back to the house.  Hunk would be back. 

“You know, you’re a hard person to get alone Lance.  I might as well make it worth my while don’t you think?  Maybe I’ll get my re-match with that giant fleabag, maybe even hang his head when I kill him this time.” The threat seemed to snap him out of whatever dazed state he was in, anger boiling deep in his stomach.  

He yanked himself forward then, just enough that his mouth was free.  Instead of screaming though, he took the meat of her hand and bit down, hard.  He tried not to think about her screaming, or the way her blood tasted as he tried to wrestle his arms free. He twisted himself, with his teeth, until she finally let go, clutching her hand.

“You fuck!” She growled.  Lance couldn’t help but feel a sick twisted feeling of satisfaction as he spat her blood out, letting out a breath of cold air.  He heard her approach quickly, his arm posed to swing.  One second he was standing on solid ground.  The next he felt his heart drop as he was ripped against gravity, staring up at the sky that was so blue, it felt like a joke.  Something jabbed him, most likely his opponent, in the neck as he slammed back to the ground.  

Then it was black.  

…

It was cold.

It was so cold.

That was the first thing Lance noticed, his body trembling under the freezing temperatures.  He let out a shaky breath, the air stinging his nose as he tried to take a deep breath.  It took a lot of effort to not let his teeth chatter, his sweater and jeans doing little to keep the sharp breeze at bay.  

The next he noticed was how rough the surface he was laying on was, scratching him under his clothes as he tried to curl up to preserve what little heat he had.  The movement made him wince, small, jagged pieces digging uncomfortably into his side.  The back of his head, neck, and back ached, likely forming bruises.  Everything was also so heavy, like he had been running for hours and had finally collapsed in exhaustion.  

What happened?

It took a while, longer than Lance would have liked, to remember that he was in the middle of fighting off his captor.  

Hunk! 

He groaned as he shoved himself up, finally taking in his surroundings.  

Ice.

He was encased in a dome made of ice, the walls so thick he couldn’t see through it.  He stumbled slightly, his knees wobbly with pins and needles.  When he was stable enough, he reached up, touching the top of the dome that was only a few inches above him, and cursed.  Ice only seemed to grow with beautiful patterns where he touched, like reinforcing the protection of it when really he was trying to leave.  

“That’s not ideal.” 

Lance turned to the woman who spoke, eyes narrowing a moment.  

“Axca.”

“Lance.” 

They stared for a moment, just assessing each other.  Lance was sure he looked like shit.  

Now that he didn’t feel like he was about to die, dramatics and all, he noted that Acxa looked more worried than he was used to seeing.  She didn’t have her glamour as usual either, the whites of her eyes turned yellow as the dark blue color remained.  Her skin went from a pale, almost opal tone, to a bluish-purple, little markings doting across her arms like freckles.  Her two horns curled back, poking out of her blue hair that was pulled back into a small ponytail, the side fringe seeming longer.  As usual, her eyeliner was as sharp as her fighting skills, lips decorated with a dark blue that suited her.  With her outfit, Lance could almost mistake her as just another student attending his school, tattered jeans and a faded band shirt that was probably stolen.  Somehow, she didn’t seem bothered by the cold, resting her arms loosely on her knees.  

“You’ve gotten stronger.” She commented, knocking against the sloped wall she was semi-leaning on.  

“Not strong enough.” He mumbled, rubbing the back of his head carefully.  Yeah, definitely going to bruise. 

“You’ll get there.” 

“Mhmm.” He didn’t comment on that, “You or me?” He asked, pointing towards the ice.

“You.  Definitely you.”  Great. 

“How’s your hand?” Lance asked, already moving to sit across from her.  He held his hands out for her, cupped as an offer.  Now that he knew it was Acxa, he kind of felt bad. 

“It’s not healing.  I think your barrier is putting a limit to the magic inside.” She explained, letting him have at it.  

“I’d feel super bad if it weren’t the fact you went with the whole kidnapping routine.  Seriously?  You didn’t think that was gonna backfire?” He asked, raising a brow.  He pulled a small bundle of bandages from the inside pocket of his jacket, unraveling a bit and gently wrapping it.  He’d try to wash it out, but his magic was too unstable to trust when it came to skin.

“I had to make sure it was believable if we had an audience.” She explained with a shrug.  Then she raised a brow.  “You just carry that with you?” 

“Have you met my friends?” Lance chuckled, tying it off.  He didn’t let go of her hand yet, gently squeezing her wrist.  “Did we have one?” 

“I don’t think so.  They would have tried to get in by now if we did.” 

“Fair.” He looked up at the dome again, sighing.  

“You and your friends haven’t found a solution.” It wasn’t a question, more of a statement really.  

“No.” He confirmed it anyway.  A pause, Lance doing his best not to let the burning in his eyes grow. 

“I can look into it.  See if Lo-” 

“It’s not worth the danger.  We’ll figure it out though, not a thing Pidge hasn’t been able to crack, don’t think this little curse will be any different.” He said, waving it off.  

“I’m sorry.” 

“You didn’t do it.” 

“I’m still sorry for the part I played in it.” Acxa sighed, shifting her hand to hold his wrist back.  It wasn’t the first time she'd apologized, it probably wouldn’t be the last, but he still felt grateful for her honesty, in her change of heart.  He wasn’t sure what caused it, he was just glad to be part of the outcome.

“So.  I’m guessing you didn’t come out to just bond with little ol’ me.  What’s going on Acxa?” He asked.  Might as well use the magic limiting prison to their advantage while they were in here.  

“Lotor is after the creature that was reported in yesterday’s article.” She reported.  “He’s narrowed it down to the Northern region of the forest, more eastward than west.” 

“Wait, why?” He asked.  The caverns were North West.  Lotor wasn’t stupid, as much as he hated to acknowledge it, so it felt like maybe their theory was wrong.  That or he was planning something, knew something that they didn’t.  

“The… caverns,” Acxa said carefully, watching him, “Are still under his hold.  The creature shouldn’t be able to enter them, which could push them to the outskirts, closer to the lake.” Acxa explained.  That makes sense.  Unless…

“He thinks there’s only one creature out there?” He asked.

“Yes.  You think otherwise.” Again, not a question.  

“We do.  We’re heading to the caverns tomorrow, think you can keep Lotor off our tails?” He asked, smirking a little.  He was smart, but he was also full of himself and didn’t take into account that maybe there was someone out there with stronger magic.  While that worked in their favor, it also meant that whoever they were tracking could potentially be dangerous.  

“I’ll do my best.” Axca offered.  

“Acxa, darling, your best is elite.” He complimented, enjoying the way she rolled her eyes. 

“Good to see you haven’t lost your charm.” She chuckled.

“With a face like this, charm is only natural.” He winked and this time she actually laughed a little, shaking her head.  

“How can you flirt and flaunt while we’re trapped in ice?” She asked. 

“Well if I’m going to die, I might as well enjoy it with a beautiful woman, no?  There are worse ways to go.” 

“Ridiculous.” 

“And yet you’re still friends with me.” 

Another moment of silence. 

“Lotor is… planning something.  But he’s not telling us.” She confessed.  Lance mirrored her look of concern.  

“Like, at all?” 

“No.  He has always confided in the four of us and has always been very clear in his intentions.  But…  He’s been distant.”  

“Do you think he knows?  That you’ve been helping us?” 

“It’s possible.  But if that were the case, I’m sure the others would also know and have changes in their behavior.  But it is only Lotor, and he’s been rather dismissive of any curiosities.  What I do know is that his strength has increased immensely without us noticing, as if it happened overnight.” 

“Well, shit.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair.  Lotor was already bad enough, now he was stronger?   “So if we do run into you guys out there, run like hell.” 

“That would probably be the best.  Unless you’d like to revisit our time together a year ago.” 

“Very funny.” He said, making sure it dripped with as much sarcasm as possible.  “Anything else I should be worried about?” 

“There is one other thing-” 

“I was kidding-!”

“-but it is nothing to be concerned about.” Acxa sighed.

“That just makes me more worried but okay.  Hit me.” 

“I have a contact coming into town, duration unclear since it seems serious.  They’re friendly, but they could use a little help if your pack can spare some time.” She started, gauging his reaction.  

“It’s kind of what we do.” He teased, smirking a little as she rolled her eyes.  

“This is serious Lance.  Whatever their mission is, it’s bigger than just your pack helping out rogues that stumbled across your area, and dangerous.  If you accept this, there’s no telling what you and your friends get into, and there’s no backing out.” She said, her hold on his wrist tightening.  He couldn’t help but swallow nervously, the idea of accidentally putting his friends, his family, in danger sat heavy on him.  

“I need to talk about it with the others, they deserve to have a choice in this.” He settled with.  Acxa nodded, pulling something from her back pocket.  

It looked like a small device made for navigating, small enough to hold in her hand, but the screen big and clear enough for her to see the information she needed.  Instead of showing him the screen though, she flipped the device over, slipping something from its place on the back.  She pressed something on the front, watched the screen before seeming to finish up whatever she was setting up. 

“Here.  If your pack accepts or you accept, this will identify you as one of us.” She said, knowing Lance well enough that if he was asked alone, he would help, he would say yes.  He took what seemed like a small metallic card from her, smooth to the touch but had some weight to it.  He flipped it, spotting a symbol etched in, curved and sharp, almost like it was a blade of a sword.  

“This seems… irresponsible of a pack that is so ‘serious’ and ‘big’ to be used as identification.” He mused, slipping it into the inside of his jacket and zipping it.  He could feel its weight as he left it to fall over his chest, resting rather closely to his heart.  

“There are precautions in place.  It’s connected to each member, designed to not only be used as identification by their devices but as a beacon to easily find each other on the field if needed.  But it’s only like having the key, but not the door to unlock.” 

“And what would the door be then?” 

“Blue.” 

“Blue?” 

“They’ll know what I mean.” That was the only explanation she gave.  

“Hold on, hold on!” He waved his arms around dramatically,  “‘They’ll know’, and that’s it.  That’s all you’re giving me?” He said, making air quotes

“Yes.” 

“Yes.” He mocked before shaking his head, “No.  Nope.  I need more than just an ominous suggestion of a color and the idea of some randos casually having my location.  Need I remind you of the whole kidnapping thing!?” 

“Don’t be dramatic.” 

“I bit you.” That seemed to click in her head and she started hitting more buttons on her device. 

“I have it set up for you to meet them at the library in four days.  You or your pack show up, you’re agreeing to help.  You don’t, I’ll find my way to you and grab the I.D. back.” She explained, smiling a little.  

“Thank you!  Should have started with that.” He huffed.  

“But watching you squirm is funny.” 

…

The ice around them seemed to warm, Lance no longer finding himself losing feeling in his hands and feet.  It helped that he and Acxa had come together for warmth, but he also knew the source of heat was coming from a warped, yellowish light that seemed to surround the small dome.  

“Think your Light friend will try to burn me to a crisp again?” She asked, standing up and stretching her limbs.  

“Depends.  Hunk or Pidge might try to go for your eyes if they’re faster.” He tried to joke.  But once the words left him, he realized that it was entirely possible all things considered.  

“They know though.  So maybe less murderous?” 

“Depends on how you want to play this.” 

“Instincts, right.” 

“You’d do the same for your pack.” He reminded, ruffling up his shirt a bit.  She didn’t respond, sighing a little as she did the same, her hair luckily mused from their brief fight.  

“Threatening and outnumbered.” She said then, standing tall in the middle.  

“My favorite.” He cooed sarcastically, getting up and taking a few steps.  As usual, she read his mind and gave him a harsh shove to the ground, Lance cursing quietly under his breath when he landed on his elbow and hip.  She sent an apologetic look before her character took over, eyes hardening as she sneered down at him.  He just gave her a lazy smile, taking a deep breath and letting the coldness surround him again.  

As the ice began to crack and melt around them, Acxa gained her glamour back, her features dulling to a simple college girl in small flickers.  They stared at each other, Lance blowing out a puff of cold air before lifting his arm, eyes narrowed.  Acxa caught on, a distinct click echoing around him.  He tried not to stare at the gun that was now aiming at him, the tips of his fingers frosting over. 

“Don’t make me shoot you.” She warned, knowing full well that his friends would be able to hear them now.  

“Again?” He asked sarcastically, keeping his hand in place.  He refrained from rubbing at his thigh, a dull ache that worsened when it rained.  The crease in her brow was from guilt, despite both of them knowing she didn’t have a choice.  He didn’t say anything though, simply letting the magic flow under his skin.  Nothing outwardly changed, not like it should have, and he could feel exhaustion threatening to take over, but he still pressed, still pushed.  

It’s my magic.  My magic alone.

The last of the ice seemed to melt, darting to his arm and swirling around it before it reformed into ice once again.  A weapon, twinkling like snowflakes but as sharp as blades danced around him.  It would have been beautiful to Lance once, appreciated, but it wasn’t exactly what he had wanted.  

“Lance!” He felt more than heard Hunk when he called for him, his friend coming to kneel at his side with a deep growl rumbling.  Adam carefully moved around to Lance’s other side, sunlight still dancing in his hand as he stared Acxa down.

“I just wanted to talk.” She said, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. 

“Clearly.” Adam commented, glancing at the gun.  

“It’s only a matter of time until you come to your senses.  Lotor can save you!” She huffed.

“Lotor is a psychotic asshole who’s just using you to make him stronger!” Pidge snapped, surprising Lance when he spotted them standing behind him.  Acxa narrowed her eyes, looking at all of them like she was ‘weighing her options.’  

“You’re all fools.” She said calmly, slowly stepping back.  He only got a glimpse of it, the light that radiated from the back of her right glove, but it made him shiver.  Borrowed Magic, he thought, not for the first time wondering who or what the power could have come from.   She faded into the shadows, with magic that wasn’t her own, and was gone.  

“I hate her.” Pidge grumbled. 

Lance let the frost that had formed on his fingers sharpen before it flowed together, forming small spheres of ice that floated before them.  He dropped his arm finally, dropped his magic, and they fell and shattered against the concrete.  

“Well, that was eventful.” Lance sighed, completely relaxing his body and collapsing backward.  

“Lance.” Pidge mumbled, worry clear in their voice as they leaned over him.

“I mean it!  Like seriously, who tries to kidnap someone in broad daylight?  Where’s the pizzazz?  The drama?  I mean, it did involve me, so I suppose that was my role, but come on!  Put some creativity in!” 

“Lance.” Adam warned gently, he kept going though. 

“You would think Lotor would-” 

“Lance!” Hunk snapped, and this time Lance stopped talking, swallowing a lump of emotions he wanted to bury, was going to bury.  

“I’m fine.” 

They all knew that it was a lie, despite their agreement with Acxa, and his friendship with her.  The fear still lingered, the memories still pushed to drown him.  He could feel his walls crumbling, feel the cold that still racked his body with dread.  He covered his eyes, feeling Hunk gently place a hand on his arm.  

“It’s okay if you’re not.” He reminded and gods did that make Lance want to burst into tears.

“I know.  But I am fine, really.” He lied again, sitting up and rolling his shoulders back.  “Can we go home now?  I really need a nap after all of that.” That wasn’t a lie.  His body ached, both from his little scrap with Acxa and using his magic.

“Yeah buddy.  We can go.” Hunk said softly.  

… 

The drive home was slightly awkward, to say the least.  Adam and Pidge decided to join them and he could feel their eyes on him as he stared out the window.  But he didn’t have the energy to wave off their concerns, focusing on staying awake while watching the world blur by.  

When they did finally get to their place, Lance was tempted to ask Hunk to carry him inside, his body feeling so heavy as he stumbled out of the car.  He stuffed his hands in his pockets, grateful that his friend had already unlocked the door for them.  

It wasn’t much, the living room was set up in what you’d expect of two college students.  On the wall next to their front door was their TV stand, game stations, DVDs, and CDs organized in a collective agreement between the two.  Across from it were two couches angled slightly, some hand-me-downs they were lucky to get from some of their kitchen staff.  It had some tears, and the one on the left had sunk in near the middle, but otherwise were comfortable.  The coffee table that sat in the middle had several of their game controllers on it, Lance’s water bottle still sitting on the corner from the night before.  There was a bean bag sitting a little bit away from the table too, Pidge often taking over the spot like they were doing now.  

He decided to plop down on the sunken couch, curling into the dip comfortably 

“You don’t want to go to your bed?” Adam asked, chuckling a bit. 

“He can stay on the couch.” Hunk mumbled, and Lance looked up in time to see him wringing his hands.  He walked into the kitchen before anyone could say anything, Adam and Pidge settling in the living room with him. 

“Adam, how much do you love me?” Lance asked, looking over to him with wide, pitiful eyes.

“A lot?” Adam said carefully.

“Enough to go get me a blanket and pillow from my room?” 

“Sure, kid.” He snorted, ruffling his hair playfully before heading up the stairs.  

“Pidge, if you want to go up with him, my switch is charged.” Lance offered, glancing from them to the stairs in a subtle ask.  

“Oh hell yeah!  I gotta beat your score in Mario Party!” They said, luckily taking the hint. Or maybe they really were trying to beat his high scores.  Either way.

He waited a minute, hearing their footsteps get quieter until he knew they were in his room, before pushing himself up and heading into the kitchen.  

They didn’t have as big of a kitchen as they would have liked, but they made do.  They had counters on both sides of the room, looking more like a hallway with the laundry set up at the end, separated by a metallic door.  The fridge sat on the right, the stove sitting between the counter space that separated the appliances.  The microwave and toaster sat on the left, the blender, kettle, and utensil holder on the right.  The sink was placed directly across from the oven, their dishrack on the right and some more of their appliances on the left.  The pantry was across from the fridge, Hunk fidgeting with one of the seasonings he had picked up.

“Hunk?” 

His friend was staring into the pantry, one hand gripping the pantry door firmly, the other coming to rest on one of the shelves.  His eyes didn’t move though, unfocused and staring past what lay before him.  Lance waited, hopping on the counter by the sink and letting the quiet fall over them. 

“I’m sorry.” Hunk said softly, finally turning to him. 

“For what?” He asked, frowning a little.  

“I shouldn’t have left you.  Not after what happened, not with what we were feeling this morning.  I knew it was a bad idea, felt it the second I was in the house.  But Pidge was already calling down that they had my keys and…” He trailed off, more thoughts flicking through his eyes.  Fear, anger, guilt.  

“Hunk-” 

“What if I was too late, Lance?” It was heavy, the way that sentence sat between them.  Lance tried, oh he tried , to not think about if it wasn’t Acxa, if it was one of the others.  Or worse, it was Acxa and everything had been another twisted plan, a gain to be had and a betrayal of his trust.  Just strung along, weak and pathe -.  He shoved the thoughts back, knowing he’d be revisiting them later that night.  

“You weren’t.” He reminded, refraining from hugging himself.    

“I know that, but I knew better, I know better.” Hunk ran a hand through his hair, sighing a bit.  He looked so… defeated.  Haunted.

“Hunk, I’m here and I am still safe.” He said firmly, jumping off the counter.  

“I promised.” The voice was so quiet, if Lance hadn’t been listening intently, he’d have missed it. 

“What?” 

Lance studied Hunk.  Hunk seemed to be doing the same to him, the both of them staring at each other looking for something.  Lance could see something in Hunk’s eyes he couldn’t quite interpret, lost on how to comfort his friend.  But then Hunk seemed to stand taller, taking a deep breath before offering a smile.  Lance relaxed a little, smiling back and opening his arms.  Hunk obliged and came closer, wrapping his arms around his middle as Lance pulled him in tightly.  

“I’m okay Hunk.  I’m here.” He said again, rubbing his back.  

…

At some point, it was agreed that maybe they could just stay here in Hunk and Lance’s shared apartment for the movie night, Hunk already working on the pizza they had talked about.  

They shoved the couches back, laying out as many blankets and comforters they could spare on the ground, Lance curling up in the middle as he obnoxiously suggested movies he knew would make his friends laugh.  There was still a slight tension around them, but the more he joked, the easier it got.  

He was content and finally relaxed.  

At least he was before he fell asleep. 

…

“You got everything?” 

Lance took a quick look in the trunk to make sure nothing fell out, his backpack and suitcase sitting on the sidewalk already.  He went through a mental checklist then, ticking things off and ignoring the amused look Keith seemed to have.  He also ignored the small laugh as he pulled his phone, wallet, passport, keys and plane ticket from his pockets, making sure he had all of them.  Satisfied, he stood back and turned to his so-called ‘friend’ with a huff.  

“Yes.  But!  If I did leave anything, you’ll just have to mail it to me.” He decided, snickering a little when Keith rolled his eyes.    

“Or I’ll just leave it in my apartment until you get back.” He chuckled, shutting the trunk of his brother’s car.  Lance knew it was coming, but the slam still made him jump, pouting when Keith snorted. 

“Really?  You’d make me wait all summer for something that is very important to me?  Cruel and unusual punishment Kogane.” He said dramatically, going as far as to pout.

“If it was that important, you wouldn’t have forgotten it.” Keith laughed, Lance’s act dropping as he watched the other. 

Keith always seemed to laugh with his eyes closed, his nose scrunched up with lips parted to show off some of his teeth.  It would then melt into a smile that was so fond, so warm, that it made Lance’s heart stutter. He could feel his chest swell with warmth, so pleased by the fact that he was the reason.  He turned away as he felt a stupid smile form on his own face.

“Lance.” Hearing his own name shouldn’t have made his cheeks warm, but it did.  He looked back in time to see a smile that almost seemed sad, the warmth he had been feeling quickly dissipating into a smoke of concern.   

“What’s wrong?” He asked, stepping closer to him.  The question seemed to surprise the other, but it settled into a frown, replacing the faint smile he had tried to hold.  It was the same face he made when they were talking in the forest, when he struggled to tell Lance what had been going on in his head.

‘I don’t want to lose you’ He had said then, sounding so frustrated with a situation that Lance was blind to.  He hadn’t pushed Keith then, waiting patiently for the time when he was able to open up. When Keith was ready, he would be there to listen.  

“I’m fine.  I just…” He looked hesitant, a hand coming up to run through his bangs.  He didn’t mean to, but he flinched when Keith suddenly stepped into Lance’s personal space, quickly looking between their shoes to avoid embarrassing himself.  He was standing so close that he could smell the shampoo Keith had used. It reminded him of when they would go camping together, hiking through beautiful woods while the wind danced around them, ripping the leaves from their branches and letting them flutter down.  They were always brushing against each other, taking every opportunity to touch when there was so much space to use.  

“Keith…?”  He could feel his heartbeat pick up, feeling as if it would pop out of his chest at any second.  

“Hold your hand out.” When Lance looked up, Keith wasn’t looking at him, hands in his pocket.  

He swallowed a bit but did as he was told, holding a hand up as he watched the other pull something from his pocket. Keith didn’t place the object in his hand right away though, instead holding out a fist at a good distance above. Lance raised a brow before he felt his heart drop, quickly lifting his other hand as the object began to fall.  It never landed in his hands though, Lance blinking in confusion.  A crystal swayed above his hand, attached to the chain still held in Keith’s hand.  It was clear, but with the sunlight hitting it, it looked like soft colors danced at the edges.  He couldn’t help but stare at it.  

“It’s…  It’s beautiful.” He whispered.  A shiver ran up his spine as Keith laid it in his hands.  It was cold and smooth to the touch, Lance letting his fingers run over the surface for a moment.  It also seemed to hum in his hand, a layer of comfort wrapping around him.

“I can’t remember the name of the crystal, but it’s meant for protection.  I… I thought you’d like it.” Keith explained, a hand raising to rub at his neck awkwardly.  Had Keith stumble across- He shook the thought from his head, promising to look into it later.  But for now.

“I love it.  Thank you.” He smiled wide, resisting the urge to lean over and kiss him in thanks. He couldn’t stop touching it, brushing his fingers over the surface a few more times before eventually putting it on.  He wasn’t sure if it was because Keith had given it to him, or that there was something else, but the crystal actually made him feel safer.  He opened his mouth to say something, but an announcement rang through the airport drop-off area, a courteous reminder that cut through their moment.  

“You should probably get going before you miss your flight.” Keith said, clearing his throat a bit.

“Yeah.  Yeah probably.  I don’t think my family or bank account would appreciate it if I missed it.” He grumbled.  

“I don’t think so either.  Come on.” 

He didn’t have to, and Lance wasn’t going to complain, but Keith walked him inside, helping him bring his suitcase in.  He stayed in line with him, the two talking about nothing in particular.  Somehow, Lance managed to convince Keith to take a selfie with him for Snapchat, sneakily saving the photo.  All too soon though, he was checking his bags in and being sent off towards security, Keith following him until they stopped near the line.  

Lance looked at the line, his excitement now dulling when he looked back at Keith.  He was close again, but this time it felt like he was still too far.  

“I’m going to miss you Lance.” Keith practically whispered, Lance nearly missing it over the noises of the airport.  Normally, he’d tease Keith, remind him that he was only going to be gone for two months before he was back for their second year at school.  But Keith said it in a way that made his heart sink and anxiety rise.  It made him want to cancel his whole trip, to try to get his bags back despite it being too late.  It was almost like he was leaving for good, like saying a final goodbye even though he was coming back.

He didn’t know why it felt that way...

“I’m going to miss you too.” He said softly, looping his arms around his neck and pulling him in close.  He relaxed into Keith’s hold, pressing his face into his shoulder in an effort to hide his own sadness. He could feel Keith squeeze him, holding him as tight as Lance was holding onto him. It felt like… If they were to let go, the other would cease to exist.

It scared him. 

It felt like they were there for hours, but at the same time it felt like seconds, time seemingly warping around him. He could feel the burn in the back of his eyes grow as he pulled back, feeling the way Keith seemed to linger a bit longer before doing the same.

They shared one more smile before Lance got in line, something compelling him to look back every few minutes to see if Keith was still there.  And he was. He stayed.  When it started to look like he wouldn’t be able to see Keith anymore, he gave a small wave, not caring if the other could or couldn’t see him through the crowd.  But somehow he did, his hand waving back before Lance had gone through.  

For a moment, Lance swore Keith looked different.  His hair was longer, more ruffled, and in serious need of a haircut.  He was still wearing his typical jeans and black shirt, but he seemed bigger, taller maybe?  And the scar, curved and harsh on his cheek.  He frowned, ready to make his way back down, but there he was, the same old Keith with a sad smile and wave.  

He made his way to the gate, confirming its place and time before nearly running to the nearest bathroom.  He kept it together as he bypassed strangers, offering small smiles before finally getting into a stall and locking it.  As soon as he was in, he felt the tears come, his anxiety buzzing in almost a dizzying way as he took uneven breaths.  What was going on?  Was he hallucinating?  Why had Keith looked so sad?  Was something else happening that he didn’t know about?  Did Shiro know?  Did Adam?  What if-?

He jumped when he felt his phone buzz, quickly pulling it out as he wiped furiously at his eyes, clearing his vision the best he could.  

Keef: Breathe.

He swallowed, unable to hold the small laugh as he quickly typed a reply. 

LanceyLance: I don’t know what you’re talking about.  

Keef: Sure you don’t.  

Keef: Stay safe okay?  

LanceyLance: You too. 

LanceyLance: You better come back from your hiking trip safe or I’m gonna kick your ass 

Keef: I’ll be back  

Keef: I promise

Lance took a deep breath, wiping at his eyes.  It was just for the summer, no need to be dramatic!  

He left the stall, taking a moment to wash his face and hands.  He was set to fly, set to see his family.  But he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, that he should run back out, back to Keith, to stop whatever stupid thing he was about to do.  

“Stupid Mullet.” He grumbled. 

He hadn’t noticed it, at least not initially, how quiet the bathroom had gotten.  Something felt off as he grabbed a paper towel, drying his hands off with his back to the wall.  When had it gotten empty?  It was an airport, the bathrooms were never this empty.  

He moved to leave, tossing his trash when the room suddenly heated up.  The shift made him pause like his shoes had melted in place, as he took a breath.  He jumped slightly when the lights started flickering, the one by the door growing brighter and brighter before the bulb burst and fizzled out.  He flinched, avoiding the glass as the next light shattered. 

“Who's there!?” He called, watching as the end of the bathroom seemed to ripple, a fountain of darkness coming from the vent above consuming the exit, his escape.   For a moment it just swirled there, Lance getting the distinct feeling it was watching, waiting.  He just didn't know what it was waiting for. 

He took a steadying breath, nibbling on the inside of his cheek nervously.   

Then it lunged.  

He flinched back again, unable to hold in a yell as he slammed into the hand dryer behind him as he threw his arms up to cover him.  But nothing impacted him, and there was a quiet, but definitely pissed, hiss that seemed to come from his attacker.   Looking back, it looked like it was pressed against a clear wall, slithering against it, trying to find some sort of opening.  The way it was smacking against whatever barrier was between them, it was getting frustrated.  

He hesitated, but took a step toward the sinks, surprised to see the creature be pushed back.  It hissed more aggressively, slamming its body over and over against the wall.  Lance tried not to retreat, finding himself holding on to the crystal tightly.  The warmth, the light hum it gave off, grounded him, reminded him that there was someone out there he had to get back to.  

He kept his eyes on his new ‘friend’, blindly reaching behind him to get one of the sinks on.  He nearly dropped, breath seizing when the creature suddenly screeched, the noise echoing off the walls.  He let his necklace go, covering his ears as he curled forward, squeezing his eyes shut.  The pitch shifted higher, and before Lance could think of it, the glass on the mirrors shattered, glass flying.  

Something grabbed his arm.  

“Let go!” He yelled, head whipping to see what it was.  Fear clung to him again, digging in like the blunt nails of the purple arm that stuck from the darkness that had grown behind him.   He tried to pull away again, but it just held tight, another slowly emerging next to it.  He reached out, tried to see if he could grab the wall, the stall.  But the other hand kept coming, kept growing into one that was longer and grotesque.   

He hadn't realized it yet, not until the hand had already wrapped around the crystal and YANKED.  He screamed, the chain digging into his skin harshly before it snapped.  Why hadn’t he used his magic?  Why wasn’t his magic not responding?  

The crystal fell away, as did the warmth it had surrounded him.  

As did the wall that was protecting him.  

“NO!” 

Darkness swallowed him. 

…

Lance nearly screamed, sitting up so quickly it made himself dizzy.  He kept his hand over his mouth as he curled inwards, closing his eyes to try to stabilize himself.  He had to keep it together, forcing himself to take deep breaths so he wouldn’t start panicking.  

But… 

“They’re not nightmares.” He mumbled to himself, looking down at his hands.  Nausea rolled through his stomach, anxiety hot on his shoulders.  

He looked around him, looking at his sleeping friends as something ugly curled around his mind.

Adam was to his left, a hand reached out to where he had been holding onto his at some point.  Hunk was splayed out on his back to his right, closer to the door.  His hand occasionally twitched, like it was the first thing Hunk would transform if there was danger.  Pidge was sprawled out on the bean bag that was near his feet, not wanting to be pressed close to anyone, but still close.  

They weren’t nightmares.

Nightmares weren’t memories.

Memories weren’t dreams.

Visions.

He nearly broke down then,  running a hand through his hair and gently pulling at his sweat.  He winced when it instantly froze as soon as his magic touched it, flicking it to the sink to melt there.   He hated it.   Hated how his magic was forced to constantly be at an extreme that exhausted him.  Just doing that made him sag a little, the opposite of what he was trying to do.  

He could feel sleep clawing at him, wanting to drag him under.  

But…  He didn't want any more visions.  The ones he had were already giving him anxiety, thoughts and feelings being dug up after being buried for over a year.   He took a deep breath, curling around Hunk's arm more as he pressed his hands against his face.  It was uncomfortable.  

It would keep him awake.  

Two memories, so vivid it was almost like he was reliving them.  Both involving Keith, both the same weird change to his appearance.  He hadn't seen him since freshman year though, so either the new appearance was what he imagined he'd look like, or somehow reality.   But why show him that?   Did it mean he was returning?   It couldn't be as simple as that, could it?  

Hope blossomed in his chest, gripping the front of his shirt as he thought more about it.   Keith was coming back.  

But what of the other stuff?   He kept being swallowed by darkness, cold and almost slimy which left him feeling vulnerable, exposed.   Something about it was almost familiar, like….  

Lance jolted from his spot, hand covering his mouth as he rushed to the bathroom.   Briefly, he could hear his friend’s grumblings, but he was already retching into the toilet, the pizza and snacks coming up.  It burned, his body shaking violently as he practically sobbed while he emptied the contents of his stomach.

“Lance?”

“Nightmare.” He managed, voice watery and choked, before another roll of nausea smacked him, causing him to heave until more contents seemed to empty itself.  Tears were already forming at the corners of his eyes, freezing the second it began to fall.  The way he heard it clink against the toilet seat just made him sob, frustration and disgust slamming into him.  He hated it. 

HE HATED IT.  

He screamed. 

… 

Chapter Text

He screamed.

Something sharp and loud crackled through the bathroom then, the temperature dropping drastically.  He went to see what it could have been but paused when he felt his stomach churn.  He blinked, arms raising slightly.  As if on autopilot, his body forced him back towards the toilet, gagging when the smell of bile smacked him.  Whatever was left of his dinner followed suit, tears mixing with the contents as his body violently shook, this time not from the cold.  Even after he was sure nothing was left in his stomach, nausea kept him dry heaving.  

After a while, too long for comfort, he was able to pull away enough to not be directly facing his mess.  He couldn’t help but make a face as he grabbed toilet paper to wipe at his mouth, tossing it in once he was done.  Blindly, he slapped around until he could close the toilet seat, not wanting to trigger another dry heaving just from seeing it.  He flushed it next.

It was disgusting.

He groaned as he let himself sit back, leaning against the bathtub.  He wanted to hug his knees but thought against it when his stomach protested the movement.  He took a deep breath, grimacing when he could still taste the bile on his tongue.  He really needed to brush his teeth, ASAP.  But moving was out of the question, and with the way his head was pounding, he didn’t feel like moving.  His throat felt like someone had taken a sandblaster against it, scratchy and dry.  He hadn’t realized that his eyes were still closed until he opened them, hating the way they lagged as he tried to look around.  He closed them again, letting himself lean too far and plopping against the floor.  It was cold, even with the mat that sat against the tub.  

Despite the discomfort, he wanted to scream again.  He opted for curling up, ever so slightly, and letting his eyes water.  He hugged himself loosely, giving himself a moment.  Whether it was a few minutes, or hours, it didn’t matter.  He just wanted the world to stop spinning, just long enough to let him get it together.  

Maybe he should sneak out the window once he has enough energy, run off to the woods or something for the night.  Maybe he could just run .  

Yeah, no, that wasn’t really an option.  He opened his eyes, appreciating that nothing seemed to tip or dizzy.  But, then, of course, that was when he finally noticed that he had frozen the door in the midst of his… freak out?  Yeah, he could consider this a freak-out.  Well, in any case, he was stuck.  Maybe he should scream again.  His throat would probably hate that.  It would also probably bother the rest of the apartment.  

Shit. 

He had screamed though, and just down the hall were his friends who were sleeping in the living room.  Or at least they had been before he screamed .  Did they hear him?  Or did his magic, somehow in a funny turn of events, prevent the sound from reaching them?  That would be preferable if he were honest.  Pidge and Hunk’s hearing was top-notch with the capital ‘™’.  It’d be his luck that one or both would still hear him through the ice.  On the bright side, he wouldn’t be stuck.  On the flip side, he would have woken them up in the middle of the night.  Hopefully, nobody needed the bathroom anytime soon.

He’d apologize either way, pick up their favorite coffee, and get some breakfast.  

“What a mess.” He mumbled, wincing at his own voice.  It sounded like he had thrown it into the blender to tear it into chunks.  

He curled up tighter, ignoring the sharp cramp in his stomach as he let his fingers dig into his scalp.  

For a moment, Lance swore Keith looked different.  His hair was longer, more ruffled, and in serious need of a haircut.  He was still wearing his typical jeans and black shirt, but he seemed bigger, taller maybe?  And the scar, curved and harsh on his cheek. 

Why?  Why did he look different in his dream last night?  Come to think of it…

He wasn’t wearing his suit anymore, his hair was ruffled and longer than he remembered.  He was wearing loose cargo pants that were tucked into hiking boots, and a dark red jacket over one of his typical tight black shirts.  But he looked like he’d been in the woods for months, dirt smudged across his cheeks, some stuck in his hair which was tied back haphazardly.  There were bandages wrapped around one of his hands, and he was holding something in the other that was hidden behind his thigh due to the way he was angled.  He also looked… bigger.

In both dreams, it felt like he was catching a glimpse of a Keith he’d never known.  Keith who looked older.  

Lance sat up, eyes widening and eyebrows pinching together.  If that was the case…  That meant…  

“Keith is alive.” He whispered.  He pressed a hand against his mouth, muffling the sobs that wracked through his body.  That dumb ass was alive .  

…

The cold, funnily enough, was what snapped him out of the blubbering mess he had become.  In an anxiety-inducing clarity, he realized that the ice had grown with his sobbing, said tears freezing as they fell from his cheeks.  He took a deep breath, watching it float in front of him, before wiping at his face to avoid the tear tracks from freezing too.  

Okay…  Lance already knew that when he panicked, the ‘I’m going to die’ panic, his magic, usually in the form of water, freezes around him as a defense mechanism.  At least that was what their theory was for the time being.  The only thing that they couldn’t account for, was why it always ended up trapping the source with him.  But Lance, who didn’t say it out loud because he knew the response he would get, thought it was better for it.  

He supposed that the nightmare, or vision he should call it now, caused him to panic.  Which explains why the inside of the bathroom was surrounded by ice.  But why did it grow when he started sobbing in relief?  His magic was usually so in tune with his emotions, especially before he was cursed, so it almost felt backwards somehow.  It also seemed to be getting stronger, his control over it feeling almost non-existent these days.

Lance flinched when the ice felt like it grew closer around him.  He huffed, taking another deep breath, even when the cold stung his nose.  He had to stay calm, at least until he got out of his own trap.  

Did his magic think he was a danger?  

Well…

He shook his head before he could delve into it, eyeing the ice.  Stay chill Lance.  

“Really?” He snorted, rolling his eyes at his own pun.  Shiro would have found it funny. 

The bathroom wasn’t the biggest, but it was enough for him and Hunk to be comfortable.  He couldn’t help but feel claustrophobic with the added ice walls though.  The window they used to let the steam out was completely sealed off, and half the tub was covered.  The door was also sealed off, as was their towel rack that hung beside it.  He was glad he didn’t feel nauseous anymore too, noting that the part where the lever was to flush was now also covered in ice.  

Given that he was only wearing a shirt and a pair of sweats, he dug out their guest towels from below the sink, grateful that he could still open the cabinet door.  He settled in the middle, wrapping a towel around his feet and ankles.  He wrapped another around his legs, using the last to wrap around his shoulders.  It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.  He was probably going to get sick.

Lance couldn’t help but stare at the door, his eyes losing their focus after a while.  Everything seemed to pause around him then, a silent hum floating around him.  Floating.  It always felt like he was kind of floating when this happened, but he didn’t give much thought to it, his mind already moving on.

Moving back to Keith.  

He was alive, but he still wasn’t home .  Obviously, there was a reason for it, had to be.  It was just one Lance, or his friends, wasn’t aware of.  It would have been nice to know though, get a text, or a call.  Hell, even a note would have sufficed, a little ‘Hey.  Life-changing stuff happening, won’t be back for a long while.'  It would have eased their group, spared them the fear of the unknown.  

Keith’s disappearance was hard on their friend group.  

For Lance… 

Lance was in love with him.  Even after their stupid rivalry in middle school, even with the rough, serious arguments and awkward patches in high school.  He had tried to move on.  Short flings here, a girlfriend for a time there.  But no one made him feel the way Keith did.  

There was something between them.  Whether that changed on Keith’s end over the last two years, Lance could still say that there had been something.  They just weren’t… ready.

His attention seemed to crumble back to the present, Lance sighing and running a hand through his hair.  Yeah.  He was going to kick Keith’s ass when he finally decided to show up.  Or kiss him.  Or both.  

Back to the actual matter at hand.  How the hell was he going to get out?  

He reached out and placed a hand on the ice, concentrating on the magic that hovered around his hand.  He forced his hand to stay pressed, took a deep breath, and let it flow.  Not two seconds later did he snatch his hand away, bits of ice falling from his hand.  Okay, so he couldn’t melt it.  Fuck, that was frustrating.

He always thought his anger would make him hot, ‘boil him from the inside’ as some would describe it.  But it felt like he was on the opposite side of that.  It felt almost cryogenic, frosting over his insides before the arctic front took over his body.  It made his core sharp and jagged, a quiet calm taking over his mind.  

It made the curse feel like a mockery, playing off of his lack of control.  

“Stupid.” He grumbled, running his hands through his hair again.  He could see his warped reflection, curls wildly sticking out.  He looked as crazy as he felt. 

He was about to see if there was anything in the bathroom cabinet he could use to escape when he noticed the door handle jiggle, ever so slightly. 

“He-” He cleared his throat, wincing at the discomfort.  “Hey!  Hey, I’m stuck in here!” He called.  Was it Hunk?  Pidge or Adam?  A few minutes passed by and he could feel a puddle start to form by his feet.  Then a soft glow came through.

“Adam?” 

“Lance?”

“Yeah, I’m in here.” He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, blinking back tears as he felt the warmth of Adam’s magic press against his skin.  The soft, golden glow filled the room slowly, ribbons of it curling around him protectively.  He let his eyes slip close, pulling his knees up and resting his forehead against them.  Finally .  

“How long have you been in here?” 

“An hour?  I couldn’t tell, I left my phone in the living room.” He explained.  

Lance would always be impressed by Adam’s magic, the way it fluttered beautifully around when he allowed it to be visible.  Ribbons, orbs, and sparkles were made of the orange shades of the sunrises and candlelight.  It was the perfect aesthetic for summer in his mind, the delicate balance of keeping him pleasantly warm while chasing away the winter with more heat.  

When the door fully opened, Adam didn't hesitate to come in, already checking Lance's skin. 

“How are your fingers?” He asked.  

“Still moving.” Lance wiggled them just to prove it.  

“Toes?”

“Numb from me sitting here, but I can still move them.” He pulled the towels off to also show him.   “I didn't see any signs of frostbite.” 

“I don't see anything either, so that's good.  Let me take your temperature real quick?” 

“Sure.” 

While Adam stepped out to look for a thermometer, Lance stretched, being extra observant on how his body responded.  It felt heavy and sluggish, like he had just woken up on day two after a swim meet.  Adam's magic didn't go away, so he was confident that he was in the all-clear in terms of self-magical entrapment.  

“Open up.” 

“Take me to dinner first.” Lance snorted, trying not to laugh as Adam rolled his eyes and shoved the thermometer into his mouth.  

“Alright Lover boy, tell me how you’re feeling.  All of it.” Adam huffed, ruffling his hair.  

“My throat and stomach hurts a little from throwing up a couple of times earlier.  I got nauseous after waking up from a nightmare.  Ish.” 

“Ish?” 

“I’ll explain later.” He offered, taking the thermometer out when it started beeping.  “97.8.” 

“Pretty normal for you.” Adam smiled, looking relieved.  Guilt nibbled at the back of his head, but he offered a smile back.  “What else?”

“Uh, my head doesn’t hurt anymore, which is nice.  My magic isn’t listening to me, per usual, so that kind of sucks.  It feels like it’s getting worse.  I'm also stupid tired, and kind of ready to hibernate for like, ever.” He admitted.  “And there's all these thoughts in my brain!  I just can't stop thinking about…” 

“Everything?” 

“Yeah.   Everything .” He sighed, sitting on the toilet seat and covering his face.  “There’s so much going on, Adam.  I don’t know what to do about it, where do I even start?” 

“Ask.” Adam said.  Lance removed his hands, slightly surprised to see Adam kneeling in front of him.  It made him think of his older brother.  

“What?”

“Ask us, Lance.  You can ask me, Hunk, Pidge- hell even Shiro once we open up about all of this.” Adam motioned the remnants of their magic.  

“But-”

“Nope.  No Buts.” Adam said firmly, narrowing his eyes. “You carry all this pressure, all this responsibility on yourself, even when it wasn't yours to begin with, and it's appreciated, don't get me wrong.  But when is it too much?  When do you look at everything and ask, "Do I need help?” 

“It's not that easy.” He admitted.  

“I know it's not, and I'm not asking you to suddenly be able to do it.  I am asking you to try .   I want you to try to be selfish, even if it's asking me to get you a cup of water.” Adam nudged his knee.  He couldn’t help but smile as Adam held a cup up, seemingly producing it out of nowhere.  He took it and sighed contently.

“I am selfish though.” Lance argued. 

“Not selfish enough.” 

“Totally am.” He did not whine.  

“Let me ask you this, Lance,” Oh no, here it comes, “What did you do when you found out Hunk had been injured, and was hiding it from you?” Real-life examples .  He knew he made a face when Adam raised a brow, motioning him to answer.  

“I got pissed.” He grumbled reluctantly, hugging himself.  

Lance couldn’t remember a time he had ever yelled at Hunk with such anger, their arguments quietly talked through, oftentimes with slight sarcasm and eye rolls, but never with raised voices.  Until the day Lance found out Hunk had gotten hurt after one of their ‘sidequests’.  It was a run-in with a skinwalker, scary tall, and ugly mean.  Lance hadn’t been there when Hunk fought it off or in the aftermath.  He’d been sneaking out a banshee and her friend, a ‘Spark’ she’d called him.  The two had stumbled into their ghastly friend when they were searching for a werewolf, a spell gone wrong the man had joked.  

So color him surprise when a few days later, when he came back from getting the duo to safety, he found Hunk with a scratch on his forearm, looking yellow.  When he’d ask about it, Hunk merely shrugged, saying he barely felt it most of the time.  Of course, given Lance’s self-assigned role of playing patch-up medic, he knew it had been infected, and Hunk was too focused on something he wouldn’t tell Lance about.  

The argument was ugly.  Lance tended to the scratch in silence and glares, and Hunk grunted his appreciation before stalking off to Gods knows where.  They made up quickly after a different incident occurred, Lance being thrown into the lake by an explosion and nearly drowning.  

Lance never found out what happened, but Hunk now asked for injuries to be looked at, asked if it was okay because he knew Lance would worry otherwise.  Lance should feel like he could do the same with his problems, especially since Hunk always worried about him, especially after Lance had been kidnapped for a time.  

“What did you do when you found out Pidge worked themselves so hard, they fainted from the burnout on the field?” 

“I freaked.” Lance laughed, not finding it funny, but it was all he could do when he thought about it. 

They were lucky, they all were.  Adam, Pidge, and Lance had traveled out to California, a forest with unique readings and resources popping up on their research.  Pidge went further into the forest while Adam and Lance snooped around the locals, curious if there had been any rumors.  They tried checking in with Pidge an hour later, but there was no response.  They tried again after fifteen minutes, making their way to the forest to actually look for them.  

After another hour or so of hiking through the forest, they stumbled across a house that looked halfway burned down.  One moment, they were alone.  The next they were surrounded.  It looked like a bunch of teenagers, maybe college students, but Lance could sense something from them that made his magic stir.  He tried to charm them a little, but apparently, they could tell that he and Adam were different too, and maybe, a threat.   

 But then the two friends they had made stumbled in, Lance mirroring the grin that was thrown his way.  He wished he could have talked to them more, especially the guy they called a ‘Spark’.  But their ‘Alpha’ showed up and looked rather… grumpy.  

Long story short, they were being scolded because one of their pack was passed out and alone in the middle of the forest.  It could have ended worse, had it not been their territory.  Lance didn’t really hear the rest of his speech though, too busy fussing over Pidge who looked as guilty as they were anxious.  He started checking for any signs of illness, feeling their forehead, checking for sunburns, even ticks.   In the end, Lance believed it won him over the Alpha’s respect, even if he glared the whole time.  

They left very quickly after that, Lance taking a deep breath before going on his own lecture.  

“You know they’d do the same to you.  Scold you, maybe huff and give you the silent treatment for a while, but they’d be pretty pissed too if they found you in here suffering on your own.” Adam mused, “But then they’d also remind you that it’s okay to lean on them too.” 

“It’s different.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but it was hard not to be open when Adam had him cornered.  

“How?  Because they’re more important?”

“I…” 

“More important than you?” 

“Aren’t they?!” 

There was a pause, and he hated how sad Adam looked, how concerned he was.  There was a shine in his eyes, and Lance could feel his own start to water. 

“Lance.” Adam took a deep breath.  “To you, they may be more important.  But I promise you, that you are just as important as the rest of us.  I guarantee you that if I went out there, right now, and asked Pidge and Hunk if they found you as important as I or them, they would say yes.”

Lance swallowed, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.  It didn’t last very long as Adam held his arms out, his own tears spilling over.  He practically crumbled, holding onto his friend tightly.  He would always appreciate Adam, the way he combatted ongoing dark thoughts with real examples and direct validation.    

“I got you bud.”

“Thank you.”

…

“You look like shit.” 

“Pidge.” Adam scolded, ruffling their hair as he walked by.

“You’re one to talk squirt.” Lance teased, also ruffling their hair to be a menace.  “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” 

“Cut it out!  And I was, but then I woke up.” They shrugged, “Noticed you and Adam were missing so…” 

Lance refrained from reacting with guilt, simply nodding.  He could feel Hunk watching him, clearly worried but respecting his space.  

“What time is it?” He asked.  He watched Hunk hesitate before pulling his phone out to check.

“3:43.” 

“Yikes.” 

“Not the worst we’ve done.” Pidge pointed out.  Lance snorted.

“Well, how’s everyone feeling?  We can either go back to sleep or get a snack.” Adam offered, coming back to Lance and taking his cup.  He was about to say something when Adam just pointed to his spot on the floor, a silent command to settle in.  

“Snack.” Hunk mumbled, Pidge grunting in agreement.  

“Okay.  Get comfortable, we’ve got some stuff to go over.” 

…

Lance wanted to laugh at how silly things felt.  Pidge was sitting in their spot with a blanket over their head and a steaming cup of coffee causing their glasses to fog over.  A plate of peanut butter cookies sat beside them.  Adam sat on the couch, blanket resting over his lap with a sweater that made him look like such a grandpa.  He also had a cup of coffee and a bowl of fruit.  Hunk and he had settled on their makeshift floor bed, Lance happily leaning against him.  He was practically a furnace, and given he was just a popsicle in a freezer, it was comforting.  He had a cup of hot chocolate with apple slices because Hunk insisted, and Hunk also had a cup of coffee.

Lance was not allowed to drink coffee, a silent rule among his friends that he did not appreciate at the current moment.  

“You guys are such dorks.” He grumbled.  Hunk just rubbed his back a little, but he didn’t miss the way the other snorted.  

They sat in silence, crunching on snacks and sips aside.  Then-

“I’m having visions again.” Lance blurted, staring down at his drink.  The crunching and sips stopped.  The silence was going to kill him.  Even the universe seemed to quiet down, the streets empty of cars and the wind and crickets pausing their dance and song to listen in.  He knew they were waiting for him to continue, wanting to give him his own time.  He almost wished they didn’t, that they reacted with chaotic surprise and questions like they used to.  

“I’ve had two.” He mumbled, keeping up the nonchalant act.  “I didn’t know they were visions until like an hour ago though, when the second followed the same pattern.” 

“Memories or Glimpses?” Adam asked. 

 The thing about Lance’s visions that were so interesting was that they came in two forms. as Adam pointed out.  

Memories were visions pulled directly from his experience, twisting it just enough that when he woke up, either because it was more nightmare than a dream, or confused and bleary-eyed, he knew it didn’t match up.  It was always something that made him feel ‘off’ while in it because he had practically re-lived the moments and fortunately, it was easy for him to pick out.  These visions always came to him in his sleep without fail and without warning.  

Glimpses were visions from the perspective of someone else entirely.  Sometimes, given the surroundings or even characteristics of that person, he could guess whose eyes he was seeing through.  Sometimes he couldn’t.  For whatever reason, those made him feel out of breath every time he came back.  Because, unlike Memories, Glimpses can happen at any given point while he is awake.  It felt like he was being shoved back into his own body, a thought that bothered him.

Visions of Memories were of the past.  Visions of Glimpses were of the future.  Usually.  Sometimes he could get both, but he could never tell when he would get them, or why.  Not within the first few of them at least.  

“Memories.” Lance answered, popping an apple slice into his mouth.  

“What’s the pattern this time?” Hunk asked.  Lance had to take a deep breath for that one, deciding to eat another apple slice before diving into it.  

“So far, two things were common in both Memories.  Keith, and these… shadow creatures.” He felt Hunk tense behind him, glancing over to see his eyebrows pinched together in concern.  

“Does that mean-”

“Keith is alive.” He said before Pidge could finish their question.  

“How can you tell?” Adam asked carefully.  

“In the first vision from yesterday, er, from before?” The morning when Hunk pulled him from the nightmare, “We were at Prom.  It was the usual, Hunk flirting with Shay, Pidge taking over the DJ Booth, Keith and I talking off to the side.  But then he looked different, just for a moment.  Same thing happened when I was leaving for Cuba.  I looked back while taking the escalator up, and again he looked different.  I don’t know how I know, I just know that It was like seeing him from a time I wasn’t there for.” 

“That’s… good.” Adam said, breathing a sigh of relief.  But it didn’t shake the concern, probably wouldn’t until they actually saw their friend in person again.  

“What about the Shadow creatures?” Pidge asked after some time, looking puzzled.  Lance bit the inside of his lip, thinking back to both occasions.  

“Well, at the end of the first one, right where it feels like… we’re moving on?  Kind of like a scene change in a movie!  I felt… off.” He paused, trying to find the right words to describe what happened next.  “It felt like… everything slowed down.  The noise, the people, even you guys.  No one could react to what I was saying or doing, and no one reacted when something seemed to grow from a swirly dark spot.” 

“Swirly dark spot?” 

“Bear with me Pidgeon, it’s hard to explain.” He huffed before continuing.  “In the second one, I was being cornered in the bathroom.  Again, it seemed to grow from nowhere, this dark mist, shadow thing that had some serious attitude problems.  It couldn’t touch me for whatever reason, which was fine.   But then, and this happened in the first one too, these crazy long, purple arms started grabbing at me.  It was scary as shit, and it made me feel like… like…” 

“Like you were being kidnapped again?” Hunk asked.  

“Yeah…  Yeah.  How’d you know?” 

“Because Lance.  That’s what happened.” His friend’s voice came out as a whisper, which thankfully Lance was able to pick up considering how close they were.  But it did make him stiffen, panic and confusion making him shake a little.  

“...What?” 

“That’s how they took you.”

Oh.  Lance wasn’t sure how to react, or maybe not reacting was his way of reacting.  But…  It felt numbing.  Why was he getting visions of what kidnapped him?  Why was it in the same space as Keith?  How did they connect?  Were they connected or was this just the universe fucking with him because for some reason he was it’s favorite toy.  

“Lance.” His eyes snapped to Adam, their older friend kneeling in front of him.  He just stared, unsure what words would tumble out of his mouth.  

“You’re here.  In your apartment right now.” 

Yeah.  Yeah, he knew that, sure.  

“Our wards are still in place, and Pidge is currently running security scans, physical and magical.” 

That’s good. 

“Hunk and I are here too.”

Which meant Pidge and Lance didn’t have to worry.  They were protected.

“You’re safe here.” 

He knew that.  He wasn’t worried about himself, at least not at the moment.  Because he was here, protected and surrounded by his pack. 

But what about Keith?  

“Tell me.” He said, turning to Hunk fully determined to learn all that he could.  

“Lance I don’t think-”

“Tell me, Hunk.” 

Lance had never known fully what happened when he had been initially kidnapped.  He knew that it lasted over a month, knew that it didn’t feel like it.  It felt longer .  He knew what happened while he was held captive, remembered most days even as they blurred together.  He remembered being rescued, the day he felt the sun again after being held in the dark for so long. 

He could never remember how it all started, and that scared him.  Hunk knew that too.  

“Okay.” 

…

It was just another ‘normal’ day for them. 

It was the beginning of winter break, most students taking the time to go home for the holidays.  Lance and Hunk had decided to stay for the break, save some money while also working a few cases they had stumbled across.  But staying back also meant their manager asked that they kept up with their usual shifts and them being them… they agreed.  

Granted, their shifts had been relatively chill since it was, again, winter break.  

Hunk was elbow-deep in dishwater when he saw Lance walk in, the swinging doors settling a moment later.  He couldn’t help but smile a little as his friend dramatically yawned as he placed the mop and bucket away, grumbling something in Spanish.  His fond amusement shifted to concern though, watching as Lance leaned against the wall, rubbing at his eyes.  

Hunk didn’t need his sense of smell to tell that Lance hadn’t been sleeping again, but he could smell his exhaustion and it was mixed with sadness, anxiety, and something else he couldn’t quite determine.  Lance had probably tried to hide it under his lotion, the beach scent mingling with the smell of the diner, but it wasn’t strong enough.  Hunk’s plan was to ask Lance to join him for a movie night, sweeten the deal with their favorite take-out food, and maybe ask about it.  

He was probably thinking about the case they resolved a few days ago, the missing kids hitting a little too close to home for Lance.  He hadn’t been able to sleep for weeks when they first found out, Hunk often finding him hunched over maps and books for research. 

Or maybe it was Keith again, given that their semester had just ended.  Shiro had already left to continue his search, and Pidge was monitoring as much as they could for any sign.  Hunk often found Lance sitting with them too, even while Pidge slept.  Once he found Lance calling, and the dial tone went on and on and on.  

Hunk jumped slightly when Lance plopped himself onto the counter, knocking over a cup of utensils.

“All done?” Hunk asked, setting the plates to the side.  

“Yeah, just gotta grab my stuff.  You?” Lance asked, cleaning up his mess.

“Got a few more dishes, and then I gotta grab the trash, but then we’re golden!” 

“I’ll get the trash.” Lance decided, slipping off the counter and into the office.  He came back shortly after, his bag and jacket in hand.

“You don’t have to bud.  You already cleaned the lobby.” 

“The sooner we’re done, the sooner we go home though.  And I am SO ready to be out of these clothes.  I swear, I look like a block.” Lance groused, hands dramatically flipping. 

“You look fine.” 

“You’re biased as my friend, so it doesn’t count.  Love you though!” 

Hunk laughed and simply rolled his eyes.  Lance began singing lyrics to a song they both knew as he sat his stuff down, Hunk humming along happily.  It got quiet once Lance left with the trash, but Hunk continued on anyway.

Once he was finally done, he dried his hands and arms off, tossing the towel into the laundry bin before hanging his apron on.  He didn’t think much of it as he went back to the office to grab his own things, pausing by the back door to see it still propped open.  He could hear music in the distance, a few dogs barking from a nearby park, and even a few people talking as they walked by drift in.  He couldn’t hear Lance though.

It wasn't abnormal per se.  Lance had gotten into the habit of hiding his presence when a stray pixie caught wind of them back in middle school.  But usually, he could hear his heart, or even his shoes shuffling in the gravel so that it wouldn’t come off as odd to others capable of detecting his magic.  It made him frown but…  he was just being paranoid.  Right?  

He grabbed his stuff from the office, slipping his jacket on, before spotting the full garbage can beside the desk.   Cornelius probably forgot to empty it again, gods know that the poor man was constantly working.  He took the bag out, tied it off, and replaced it before leaving.

“Lance?” He called, heading towards the door.  Had he come back in yet?   He didn't hear him.  He didn't respond either.  His earlier paranoia seemed to spike at that.  

He stepped outside, feeling it fully take over.

“Lance!”  Horror seeped into his body, eyes widening.  

Lance was staring at him, wide eyes as tears poured down his cheeks.  But there wasn't any sign of recognition, or relief, just pure terror that Hunk had never seen before.  His mouth was being covered by a pale, purple hand, fingers digging into his cheek.  More were wrapped around his wrists, his ankles, some grabbing at his thighs, his arms, his clothing, anything within reach.   An arm was wrapped around his waist and chest, another around his knees, and all of it was pulling him backwards in only what he could describe as darkness, a sort of smoke circling him like a shark to prey.  

Lance still fought, pulled, and twisted, but he only managed to free a hand, reaching out desperately.  

“Lance!” Hunk could feel his skin ripple, could feel his teeth grow too many, too big, for his mouth as he rushed closer.  He went to grab his hand, to pull him out but he never touched Lance.  His hand slammed into a wall he couldn't see, a gap that was too big for his liking between them.  “No, no, no, no!”

He didn't care, didn't bother to check if someone was around or not, he let go.  Skin stretched and ripped, fur growing in its place as he dropped to all fours.  

He wasn't going to let him get taken, he promised he'd keep Lance safe.  He couldn't help but scream, his vocal cords twisting and changing mid-way as a roar echoed through the neighborhood.   Large paws slammed into the invisible field, claws scratching against it and making an awful noise like it was a chalkboard instead.  He didn't stop though, throwing his weight into it, clawing, even trying to bite at it.  Anything that would get him to Lance.  

“Hunk?” It was muffled, and if Hunk wasn’t as close as he was, he probably would have missed the broken sob.  But he didn’t, and he stared pathetically at Lance, who had managed to get the hand away from his mouth.  It wrapped around his neck instead but Lance kept yelling, kept wailing .  But Hunk could barely hear.  He couldn’t do anything.

His fur melted away into a flurry of leaves, his muscles and bones shifting again.  

“Lance!  I’m here!  I’m here and I’ll find you!  I’ll find you and get you back!” He cried, fist pounding against the barrier.  “Lance!” 

“Hunk please !” Lance begged.  Hunk’s world felt shattered, his own tears pooling over as the shadows slowly consumed his best friend, almost like it was teasing with how much time it took. 

“I can’t.  I can’t get through!  I SWEAR I’m trying!” He kept trying, his voice strained because he wasn’t sure if Lance could even hear him.  He continued to try to break his way through, even when his arms started to ache, even when his shoulders threatened to give out, he still tried.  

“Don’t leave me.” Was the last thing he heard before it was just his arm that was visible.  All Hunk could do was stare.  

Then Lance was gone.  

Whatever had been holding him back suddenly vanished and he fell to his knees, unable to stop from digging at where the other had been.  He knew he was crying pathetically, snot and tears falling to the gravel below him.  He was sure he was still shouting, still calling for Lance.  

But nothing changed.  

He promised .  

What was he going to tell Keith?  

…

Lance sat on the steps in front of his apartment, a mug of tea that had long gotten cold in his hands.  He didn’t know what to make of it, any of it.  He had been snatched from the world, plucked like an herb to be used.  

But how did that connect back to Keith?  Would Keith be Lotor’s next target?  But Keith was a human, so that didn’t make sense.

He sighed, setting the mug down and rubbing at his eyes.  He was tired, he was so.  God.  Damn.  Tired.  

But the sun was starting to peak over the horizon, the fog of the cool morning fading and they had work to do.  

…

They never did go back to sleep, which kind of sucked, but they didn’t have time.  With this mysterious pack coming in to ask them for help, Lotor on the hunt for the rogues, and his Ice Age curse, they had to get going on something .

So Lance didn’t complain like he normally would as they stepped out of Hunk’s car, the forest sitting pleasantly before them.  It was comforting, how inviting it had been.  He could see the sunlight dancing through the trees, the wind rustling a few of them and making them flutter to the ground.  The sign was faded, but he could still make out the map that was posted, forgotten.  There weren’t any maps left, and probably wouldn’t be re-stocked until the park rangers found the ‘dangerous animals’ that were roaming.  

He pulled his hoodie tighter around himself, taking a deep breath and appreciating the cool morning.  

“Ready to go?” Hunk asked, stepping up beside him.  He didn’t miss the wary look Hunk was giving him.  

“I was born ready.” He joked, sticking his tongue out.  The shadow in his friend’s eyes didn’t leave, even when he snorted.  Lance hesitated, but then reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze.  

“I’ll be okay.” 

“You don’t have to do this.  You can sit this one out and let us take care of it, you know?” 

“And let you have all the fun?  Please, Hunk, nothing is worse than sitting back at home knowing that the rest of my pack is skipping through the forest.” He said, wanting to keep the conversation lighthearted.  He was anxious, nearly panicked even.  But he wasn’t going to keep running away.  

“Lance.”

“I’m serious Hunk.  I’m okay.  Scared, sure.  But I’m always scared whenever we get involved in the lives of beings we know little about.  They could be hostile, they could be friendly, but we’re never going to know if we don’t try, right?” 

“What about-”

“I won’t keep hiding Hunk.  I can’t.” 

They stared at each other for a moment, Hunk looking for something Lance didn’t know and Lance standing his ground.  He loved his best friend, appreciated him caring.  But he needed this.  

Maybe Hunk needed this too.

“I just want to make sure that it’s okay if you need to step back.  It’s a lot, and we just want to help.” Hunk reminded.  Lance sighed, nodding a little.  

“I know.” He squeezed his hand one more time before letting go.

“Alright, you dorks.  Let’s go.” Adam butted in suddenly, causing both of them to jump slightly.  Lance was attacked further when his hair was being aggressively ruffled.   

“MY HAIR!” He whined, patting it down like it was going to tame the wild curls on his head.  “And who are you calling a dork!?” 

“No one’s going to care about your hair, dork .” Pidge threw in, just barely dodging Lance as he tried to grab them. 

“My future partner will!  What if it’s time?  What if they’re the one?” He cooed, following after them.  

“Oh yeah, this rogue is the one .” Pidge teased, putting up air quotes as they all headed down the first path.  “Dude, this is like the hundredth one we’ve met.” 

“The others don’t count, obviously.” 

“Obviously.” Adam repeated, grinning wide when Lance turned to look back at him.  

“Listen, not all of us stumbled upon their prince charming during a presentation after making a complete dork of themselves.” Lance teased, grinning in return when Adam’s face flushed. 

“You will never let me live that down, will you?” Adam asked, dragging a hand down his face. 

“Dude, it was literally meant to be.  Shiro wasn’t even supposed to be in that class, let alone watch.” Hunk laughed, Pidge and Lance joining when Adam scowled, hurrying his pace to try to hide.  

They continued their banter for a few more minutes before eventually, Pidge took the lead, Adam close by with a ribbon of light fluttering above.  Lance settled in the middle, occasionally pausing to summon his magic, not to fully create anything, but just enough to see if anything would reach back.  Hunk hung back, occasionally sniffing the air, monitoring their surroundings more intently.  

When the wind blew in their direction, gently caressing his curls like someone was running their fingers through them, he couldn’t help but relax. 

Then the air shifted.

Chapter Text

Keith was going home. 

He was going home .  

The single thought sat heavy in his brain for hours, loosening and suffocating him simultaneously.  It was a miracle he hadn’t gone crazy, or sped across the country by now.  

He was going to go home.  But it wasn’t just to reunite with his friends.  The very reason why he stayed away still seemed to find its way to those he cared about, still threatening them despite his trying to avoid such a situation.  He shouldn’t have been surprised, not with how big the Galra’s pack seemed to be.  

Still… he couldn’t help but at least hope they would be safe.   

They’d grown.  He did too, as expected from two years going by, but his friends…  He couldn’t get over how different everyone seemed in the photos, how he-... Lance … looked different.  It ate at him, prodding him with spiked guilt every time he thought about it.  

He shouldn’t have, but Keith couldn’t stop himself from pulling his old phone out when they returned to their safehouse, deactivated, but not wiped clean.  It held everything still, text messages, voicemails, photos, and videos.  He’d gone through some of them, studied them, compared them to the ones Thace had gathered.  

He hadn’t slept very well afterward.  

Keith sighed, physically shaking his head as if he could get the thoughts out.  He couldn’t let it distract him right now, couldn’t afford to let his focus wane as he stared down at the warehouse in front of him.  It was tempting, to abandon all the responsibility he agreed to, but people needed him, his current team needed him.  

…But so did his friends. 

A quiet whine beside him snapped him out of his ongoing spiral, a cold nose pressing against his face.  

“I’m okay.” He said softly, looking down at what he was pretty sure was a Husky and German Shepard mix.  The pup didn’t look fully convinced for a moment, resting his head on his knee with a heavy huff.  Keith sighed and scratched behind his ear, quietly mumbling a thanks.  That seemed to ease the pup’s anxiety.  

If someone had told him that he was going to have a companion on his missions that had four legs and was covered in fur, he wouldn't have been surprised and assumed they were talking about one of their packmates.  There were plenty of times he’d worked with Shifters and Weres before.  He was a Shifter himself, his preferred form a large wolf, so it wasn’t uncommon.  What he hadn’t anticipated was coming across a puppy during a reconnaissance mission.  

They didn’t have a place they could call home, not with the constant relocation.  But it felt like a home when he would come back to a safe house in a city he couldn’t be bothered to remember and be greeted by the little one.  He made it easier.  The anxiety, the loneliness, the nights he couldn't help but stare at old pictures and messages and ache from the memories.  

A small huff brought Keith's attention back to the present, almost like his dog was reminding him, again , that he needed to focus.  

Right.  He took a moment to recheck his gear, allowing himself to fall into the routine and ensuring everything was still in place.

Keith’s suit was an array of black, the material blending into his surroundings effectively.  While tight, the fabric was light in weight and breathable, allowing his movements to be more flexible.  It became more durable in more vulnerable parts of his body, layered with a tougher material he couldn’t remember the name of.  It hadn’t mattered, not when he was too busy being impressed when he avoided a stab wound to the kidney because of it.  A belt looped around his middle, two daggers sheathed at the back with a few loops in case he picked up any extra weapons.  His top had a built-in face cover and hood, the sleeves cut off at the shoulders.  To add to it all, he wore a pair of black arm guards, sleek and molded to perfection that hid a deadly surprise.  Out of everything that was customized and given to him by his Mom’s Pack, these had to be his favorite.  

He flicked both of his wrists up and knuckles back, watching as two blades slid into place, the steel singing at its release.  With another flick, this time out and downwards, they slid back in place.  A gamble, to have these as a favored weapon, but they saved him more than he could count.

He took a deep breath, adjusting his mask, before tugging his hood a little further down.  His dog grumbled again.  ‘ Are you focused now?’ He seemed to convey in those golden eyes.  It made him snort a little.  

“Sorry boy.” He whispered, giving him another scratch behind his ear before looking back to the warehouse he was monitoring.  He shifted further into the shadows, pulling up his Navigator, and decided to review the information again to get his mind back on track.  

The warehouse he had been watching wasn’t actually a warehouse at all, as they discovered, but rather a lab that was hidden in plain sight.  The location was given to them in the form of two lines scribbled down on a sticky note, shoved into Kolivan’s hands.

It came from a higher-up they had befriended by chance, one who had access to information that held no home in encrypted documents but merely passed along with whispers.  He didn't know how Kolivan and Thace managed to become his friends, b ut what he did know was that the sticky note, as bland as it was, was said to be a ‘grand opportunity’ for them to take.  It sounded threatening to the world.  It sounded promising for their investigation.  

At the time, Kolivan had declined, stating that he wanted to earn his place and impress the others with a display of ‘elegance’ as Thace had described.  He slipped the sticky note into the trash, distracting the recruiter with an invitation to lunch as he placed it on the edge.  The recruiter was none the wiser, and they were already gone by the time Thace showed up, throwing random trash he had found out while grabbing the note.  He walked the opposite way.

Now they were here, the coordinates leading them to the outskirts of a city that was buzzing, even at night.  They were at a harbor, the water thrashing against the walls as if it too sensed something wrong close by.  

 On the street, a mile west was a large van parked that appeared busted and rusted on the outside.  An old logo from whatever business had occupied the land before was faded and peeling off the side, the hub caps missing, and he was pretty sure the bumper was missing.  Abandoned and unable to run.  At least that’s what they had wanted any passerby to think when they saw it, the inside anything but.  A team of four, led by Kolivan, sat inside monitoring the TV feeds of surveillance cameras they had placed and hacked into.  They were their eyes and ears on the electric grid that blanketed them, keeping Comm links open and exit routes clear.  

He stood atop the building next door, using the crates that had been haphazardly placed on top as cover.  He and his dog were on standby, poised to drop into the building at a second’s notice if anything were to go wrong.  He was also monitoring the physical land itself, pointing out potential blind spots and making sure there wasn’t a being that was hidden.  He confirmed what the Visual Team was seeing, noting the ones that didn’t appear on their radar and tagging them with specific characteristics.  He also kept an eye on anything that could potentially come from further than their electric grid, eyes scanning the skies and water to ensure no surprises were to join them.  

Lastly, Krolia and Thace had infiltrated the building itself under the magic of his mother’s shadows.  It blanketed them, the light flickering before it became a reflection of their surroundings, completely hiding them from visual detection.  Thace hid their magical and scent-based presence with a twist of his own magic, one that wasn’t wind or air, but something akin to it as he manipulated the plane most magic laid in.  Had they not been wearing their Navigators, Keith and the rest wouldn’t have been able to follow their movements, ghosts to the world they traveled through.  They were a dangerous duo on missions.

Keith did one more scan of the area, finding that nothing had changed in the last five minutes.  It unsettled him some, but he pushed his anxiety aside.  He lifted his Navigator from where it had laid on his lap, watching their signals on the map that was slowly being drawn out.  Purple and Yellow moved, Silver staying to the west while his own Red dot sat like a hidden beacon above him.  He listened carefully to the information being fed to them, feeling something in his gut stir.  

The first floor opened to an open lobby, a desk placed in the middle with a wall that hid the rest of the floor behind it.  It wasn’t an open floor plan, not like most warehouses would be, but rather one like a common office space.  Behind the desk was a hallway, four, large, conference rooms lining both sides with a wooden wall to separate them from each other, and only a glass wall to separate them from the hallway.  Each room had a long table with leather chairs pushed under, a cart set up with a TV, desktop, speakers, and a microphone placed in the corner, ready to be used.  There was also a camera at the ends of the tables, the whole setup accommodating those who were joining virtually and providing visuals of those physically present.  The projector that hung from the ceiling also indicated that presentations were held, the window blinds being closed in one of them hinting that there had been one recently.  

There was an employee break room at the end, connected to a large kitchen that stored fresh food by the looks of it.  It seemed that the guests that joined may have stayed long enough for several meals, a few cooks spotted with lists of preparation for the next day.  Keith didn’t think there would be anyone to feed, or a place for that matter if he and his team followed their usual pattern for these things.  

It just felt wrong .  Everything about this place felt wrong .  Why would there be an office space marked as a ‘higher opportunity’ held here of all places?  

During their initial scan, they mentioned nothing about cameras.  When the Visual Team asked if they had spotted any, the surprise in Thace’s voice when he said ‘no’ nearly sent him in.  Why?  Why had there not been cameras?  

After a pause, Kolivan instructed them to continue.  Keith bit the inside of his cheek so hard, he could taste copper.  

The second floor, it seems, was not office space that they had assumed based on their observation of the first floor.  Instead, it was designed to copy that of a dormitory.  The hallway was a large ‘U’, doors lining the halls with different images, symbols, on each door.  Krolia or Thace couldn’t discern what any of them meant, snapping a picture of a few and sending it over for analysis.  They ventured carefully, pausing at the stairs to listen for any movement.  Again, no one was present, no cameras to be seen, nothing that was proof that anyone had been there recently other than the conditions of the rooms themselves.  Every room carried the same furniture, a standard twin-sized bed, a dark stained nightstand that reached just above the bed, a matching Armoire with four doors and four drawers placed at the bottom, and a light-colored, L-shape desk.  Each room was also connected to a bathroom, sink, toilet, and shower placed in a line, likely to ensure space would remain minimal.  

The first room they looked into was organized, the furniture was placed like the occupant had genuinely thought about the way the room felt.  According to Thace, it felt lived in, and the person’s scent lingered like they had been inside yesterday.  But there was also something else Thace picked up.  Scratches by the door, likely created out of desperation as the occupant was dragged away.  

The second room they looked in was chaos.  There were burn marks scattered across the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and even in the bathroom.  The desk had splintered down the middle, like someone had taken it and snapped it in half.  The nightstand had looked nearly consumed by flames, the mattress in a similar state.  The occupant had been destructive, and when Krolia reported spotting a teddy bear sitting in the corner, completely unharmed by the battle that took place, Keith tried not to linger on what could have happened.  Who it could have happened to…  

 If the second room hadn’t been concerning enough, then the last one they decided to check sounded the alarms.  The door itself looked like it was falling off its hinges, wood splintering at the corners like it had been slammed with heavy force.  Something brown caked the doorknob, flaking when Thace carefully used his magic to twist it.  

Inside…  It had to be horrific if it rendered both Krolia and Thace silent, both gasping so quietly, he’d have missed it if he hadn’t been listening so intently.  It made his anxiety buzz, his instincts screaming for him to go, to join them, to see what dangers lie ahead.  Then Krolia, with her voice tight and near shaking, from anger or fear, he didn’t know, began to describe the scene before them.  

There was blood, so much blood that Keith could hear the carpet squelch under their feet when they stepped in it.  The fight, the bloodshed, had to have occurred the night before, had to , according to Thace.  There were entrails scattered across the floor, the smell of the decaying body already welcoming maggots and flies to crawl through it.  Krolia reported that there was a hand that lay at the foot of the bed, a collection of teeth beside the window, and an eyeball on the table.  

“ Carved”. She whispered.  The parts looked like they had been carved out.  

There was more, much more than Krolia and Thace was describing, and to push them to continue would be cruel.  So Kolivan ordered them out, not to investigate the other rooms.  They were to re-group while they thought about the next steps.  

Before they could though, movement caught the Visual Team’s attention.  Keith signaled his dog to stay in place against the wall, carefully inching towards the ledge.

“Incoming vehicle.” Kolivan reported.  Keith carefully peeked over the ledge, spotting a black car pulling up the front of the building.  He couldn’t spot a plate, and he noted that the lights had remained off.  It was an electric vehicle, based on the odd hum that emitted from it.  

The occupants seemed to be talking, the car remaining in place for nearly five minutes before the door swung open.  Someone stepped out, their steps light and careful as they emerged.  There was pride in the way they stood, elegance in how they moved, and caution as they scanned the area carefully.  Something about it was… familiar somehow.  

They stood tall, probably taller than him if he were to guess, their face concealed by a helmet of silver, with a purple accent lining at the edges in a decorative pattern that resembled the Galra’s pack symbol.  The visor didn’t appear to be able to open, and was likely tinted to prevent anyone from even guessing the person’s eye color.  Their suit was similar in design, properly fitted to give them movement, but thick to protect what was fatal if wounded.  If he had to guess, it looked like it was made of the same material as theirs, or at least similar as he watched them move.  Smooth and sure, like the confidence came from experience rather than arrogance.  

It nagged him.  

If they were graceful, their escort was uncoordinated, stumbling out of the vehicle and nearly face-planting into the concrete with a panicked yell.

He was a shaking mess, eyes darting around the area as he paused before the being.  For a moment he just stared at them, confusion setting on his face before realization smacked him.  He again nearly tripped over himself as he took the lead, beckoning awkwardly for the being to follow.

“Two individuals entering the main lobby now.  One appears skilled, the other not.” He warned.  Then went still as the masked being took a moment to look around again.  He didn’t dare breathe as they passed his direction without a pause.  When they finally walked towards the doors again, Keith sighed.  

“They’re not heading upstairs, or to the conference rooms.” Thace reported moments later, sounding worried.  That could mean…

“There’s an area that we hadn’t been able to discover.” Krolia murmured as if reading his thoughts.  

“Microphones?” Kolivan asked.

“Placed.” 

“Turn them on.” 

Keith winced as new audio filtered into his ears, quickly turning the volume down to avoid blowing his ears drums out.  

“You… uh… you’re an Overseer?” Came a squeaky voice, likely belonging to the shaking man they’d seen earlier.  

“Why does that concern you?” The voice was soft, words slow and robotic, almost like the being wasn't alive at all.

“I mean, can you blame me for being curious?  I’ve never met one with your title and… well you’re as intimidating as the tales entailed.” He said.  Keith found it bold to be so openly curious.  It worked in their favor, he supposed.  

“If you are curious, you are welcome to come down below.” The voice was different, sickeningly sweet, and lower in pitch.  It made the hair on the back of his neck stand.  

“Ah!  Ha ha, I appreciate the offer.  Truly, Overseer.  I just, uh, don’t think I’m worthy of such an opportunity.” He stuttered, clearly afraid of whatever was ‘down below’.  

“Kolivan, did anything pick up a basement in the building?” Keith asked, frowning a little.  

“No.” 

Meaning the occupants of the basement had created a barrier to keep from any outside eyes, technological or supernatural based, from seeing.  Based on the coward’s reaction, it was nothing good, that was for sure.  

“A shame.  Perhaps we could have built a spine for you.” This time the being’s voice was strikingly familiar.  Accent that made most people swoon, her voice strong and smooth.  It made his heart sink.  

“Ha ha….  Right…  Humor wasn’t mentioned in any of the stories.” He grumbled.  

“You believe the truth in stories, even though words can be twisted into lies so easily?  I could tell you I was born from stars, light years away.  Would you believe me?” This time the voice was rough and gravelly, voice so deep, he could feel it in his bones, even through the mic.  

“I mean… I wouldn’t… not believe you..?” 

“You earthly beings fascinate me.” A voice of whispers this time, airy and light, as if they were listening to the wind itself speak.  

Keith knew this pattern, knew these voices.  It couldn’t be.  He didn’t want it to be.  He felt himself twitch forward, but a familiar warmth pushed against his hand.  He turned to find his dog staring at him.  He took a deep breath then, reminding himself of the breathing exercises Shiro had once taught him to help when he struggled with impatience caused by anxiety.  

Inhale for four seconds.  Hold your breath for another four.  Then slowly breathe out .  Keep going.  

“Gods this place gives me the creeps.” The man said. 

“They’re approaching the wall behind the front desk.” Krolia reported.  

“The quicker you let me in, the quicker you can leave.” The being reminded, voice a deep rumble from the chest, like they were pleased.

“Right, right.  Okay, so to leave is the same way to go in, you’ll have to just draw a rune, like this.” Keith hated that he couldn’t actually see anything that was happening, but a picture was sent to his Navigator not too long after.  It was simple, just one for opening, but it appeared attuned to the language their pack used, long ago.  

“Such a simple key.” The being commented, monotone, similar to the first voice they heard.

“Yeah, well, for us anyways.  The door’s lock is spelled to reject anyone who doesn’t carry the blood of the Galra.  Obviously, our higher court knows that you’re here, so we have arranged for someone to assist you once you’ve uh… fulfilled your tasks.  But if you try to leave before the time we’ve been informed, it’ll reject you, and an alarm will sound.  So, please don’t hesitate to seek assistance.”

“Very well.” The voice sounded small, coming from a child, rather than an adult.  

“I'm sending my dog to the Visual Team, we have an artifact among us.” Keith informed once there was a long enough pause.   He stood, not waiting for a response as he prepared his dog.   

“Elaborate.” Thace instructed, knowing better to argue with Keith on his decisions.  Keith wouldn't have listened even if he had.   

“The Overseer” He answered simply.  The response was a curse under his mother's breath, which would have made him snort had the circumstances been different.  

…

Keith slipped into the building without notice, the task itself easy enough.  He made his way over to the others, a shiver running down his spine as he stepped into Thace’s magic.  The air around them was warmer, comfortable, like stepping out of the sun and feeling the residue heat still.  

Thace and Krolia wore their own suits provided by the Marmora pack, adjusted and customized to their own styles and needs. 

Krolia’s was in the form of armor, dark blue and purple with the pack’s emblem built into the design.  The main pieces covered her shoulders, chest and abdomen, reinforced over vitals that would be the first to be aimed at.  Her legs were more exposed, the material similar to the one of his own to protect wounds from a blade, but that allowed her to tuck and roll when needed, needing more speed than defense.  She preferred a dual set of pistols that matched her armor, a small one hidden and strapped right above her ankle.  

Thace’s suit was closer to Keith’s but looser, accommodating the movements of his own fighting style as he preferred more hand to hand combat.  He had smaller blades hidden at his sides, his stealth as his weapon.  Underneath was where his armor hid, a thin sheet of metal stitched over fatal spots to deflect swords and bullets if he were to be caught unaware.  Keith has yet to see anyone do it though, something he was grateful for.  He didn’t have a hood like Keith did, but he did have a mask built into the collar.  He was in a half shift for the mission,  fur-covered ears flicking ever so often.  Soft, yellow glowing eyes monitored their surroundings, a hint of relief filling them when they landed on Keith as he approached.  Very… Cat like.    

“Get ready.  As soon as the guide returns, we go in.” Thace warned, Krolia taking a deep breath.  

Keith began to double-check his weapons, again , but paused as his mother began murmuring under her breath.  The air around them seemed to flicker and tilt, a whisper of cold air brushing past.  Krolia’s magic, her affinity for light and dark.  It was fascinating to watch, the way the colors twisted, reflecting outwards.  They were invisible again, Krolia’s magic mirroring their surroundings.  Illusionary distortion.  Incredibly useful in their line of work. 

They waited with bated breath.  

The runes glowed brightly before the doors opened again, the guide nervously walking out.  

Krolia took the lead, motioning them to follow as she pressed against the wall.  Carefully, they approached the doors and slipped inside, mindful of the sound of their steps.  

Keith, last to cross the threshold, felt his body go rigid.  A pressure, dark and nearly suffocating fell over them in an instant, the cold air wrapping around his spine like a threat.  He couldn’t move, his instincts screaming that if he did, he would surely die .  Somehow, Krolia and Thace turned towards him, their movements stiff.  That itself was concerning enough, but when he saw their eyes, wide and filled with fear as they stared behind him, he couldn’t help but feel his heart drop.

A familiar sound of bone snapping echoed around them suddenly, the sound making all three of them flinch even though they had all seen their fair share of things.  He tried to move, his body made of lead.  It took an exhausting amount of effort, but Keith looked back to see the guide’s body crumpled on the floor, his head lying at an impossible angle.  

“There is no room for sniveling cowards.” A woman said, voice raspy and chilling.  Keith couldn’t find her, couldn’t smell her as he scanned the area.  

“Your majesty.” Keith couldn’t help but jump, a familiar voice approaching them.  The Overseer from before was waiting patiently at the end of the hall, a stairwell just behind them.  They were not there when they stepped through.

“My pet~.  I’m surprised you are not down in the lab yet.” The voice spoke.  Keith swallowed his terror as a woman stepped in between them, Krolia’s magic retreating tightly around them to avoid being detected.  

Her eyes had no pupil, just a pool of yellow that gave off a glow.  Her skin was pale, dark blue, and discolored with age or something wicked, he couldn’t tell.  Symmetrical markings laid on either side of her face, red, like someone had taken a blade and etched the angular lines from her cheekbones, down and through the corners of her lips, almost to her chin.  Her hair was left unbound, pieces falling over her shoulders and past her chest, white as clouds.  She did not stand straight, instead slumped over, her mouth twisting into a pleased smile.  She remained mostly hidden under a cloak, small, but Keith could practically feel the magic, the power, that came from her.  It felt like the universe found her just as wrong as he did.

Then her scent hit him.

She smelled of something ancient and rotten, his eyes watering as the feeling of devastation slammed into him.  Death walked by her side, hand in hand as if she was married to it.  Or maybe she was Death itself.  How many wars clung to her tattered cloak?  How much blood soaked her hands?  

“I could feel your presence approaching.  I am at your whim, your service.  It would be dishonorable of me if I did not make myself present if I could be of use.” The Overseer said, in awe.  Keith always thought her acting was more a weapon than a career choice.  

“You delight me so, my dear.” The ‘Queen’ purred.  What sort of Hiarchy does this imply for the Galra pack?  Were they working as a Monarchy?  Either way, watching as the woman moved her hand to hover over the ‘Overseer’ plunged his body into horror.  She killed one of her own with no hesitation.  They couldn’t even state they witnessed it.  His neck was snapped and this woman stepped into the room like she had always been there.  Did the Visual team detect her?  When?  When he and his team did?  After?  Had they detected her at all?

His mind silenced the moment the woman began laughing softly, her hand patting the ‘Overseer’s’ head like they were truly a pet, a cute dog rolling over.  No matter, the feeling of danger never left, insinuating the complete opposite of how she presented.  

“Go on and do your tasks.  I will play with you soon, I promise.” She said, voice soft like she was speaking to her child.  But something slithered along his spine again in a warning.  ‘Play’ seemed like a lie.  She took two steps and was gone again, so ghost-like, Keith would think he’d been seeing things had the ‘Overseer’ not then turned in their direction.

“I know you are there.  Your tricks are that of children.  Reveal yourselves.” The ‘Overseer’ demanded, hands raising in preparation.  The feeling of danger dissipated, his shoulders relaxing a little.  Krolia and he shared a look then.  Keith nodded and the magic parted.  

“What is your purpose here?” They demanded, a glitter of light floating from her hands.

“I could ask you the same, Allura.” He said, pulling his hood and mask down.  It was a gamble, one depending on his gut and trust.  One he won as the ‘Overseer’ ripped their mask off to reveal a familiar face.  The flurry of emotions that flickered through her eyes made his stomach turn.  

“You’re… alive.” She whispered, a hand hovering in between them.  With the confirmation that Allura was indeed in the middle of enemy territory, by herself no less, his anxiety twisted into frustration and anger.  

“What are you doing here Allura?” He demanded, instantly regretting the accusatory tone as her relief and shock were slapped away by anger.

“Me?  What am I doing here?  You’re gone for two years, not a word, not a message, not a single consideration for those you left behind and you have the gall to ask me why I am here? ” Her voice is deadly calm, one he’d heard plenty of times directed toward their soccer team.  It wasn’t just anger.  It was pure disappointment.   He flinched at the realization, winced when he felt her finger jab against his chest.  

“Allura I-” 

“You haven’t changed at all!  You hot-headed, stubborn, self-sacrificing foolish, stupid boy!” She snapped, her frustration flustering her as she continued to jab him in the chest with each name.  But he could see her crumbling, see the shine in her eyes. 

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled, holding his arms out in an offering.  She huffed again, but she caved, wrapping her arms around him.

“You’re an idiot.” She huffed, wiping at her face angrily.  

“I know.” He held her tightly.

…

“A lot has happened in these last two years, hasn’t it?” Allura asked after they had settled.  Keith had tried to apologize again, but Allura waved him off.  She knew where it came from, knew his worry by now.  Still, Keith held onto the guilt, knowing more was to come later.

“More than I can explain here.” He replied honestly

“I suspected as much.  You stumbling into trouble, that is.  It was that or that you were…” She trailed off, waving into the air.  She looked ashamed, but Keith couldn’t blame her for thinking he was dead for so long.  He’d gone AWOL.  

“More like trouble found him.” Krolia commented, voice even.  Keith studied her, finding it interesting that she was approaching Allura with caution.  He wasn’t sure why at the moment.   

“I can’t say that I am surprised.  Keith and trouble were as close as he and-” She cut herself short, eyes studying him this time.   

“Lance.” He finished for her, snorting a little.  

“Um.” Allura was never one to hesitate, or flustered easily, so to hear her speak with pause was…  odd.  “My name is Allura, as you heard.  Please to meet you.” 

“Thace, from the Blade of Marmora.” Thace bowed a little, smiled politely but tight.  

“Krolia from the same pack.  I am also Keith’s mother.” She introduced.  The moment Allura tensed, Keith pieced together the puzzle. 

Krolia wasn’t being cautious because she was finally meeting his friends and wanted to make a good impression.  She was cautious because she was thinking of how they would react to the woman who left her son and husband when he was a baby.  The woman who never came back, even after his father had died.  The woman who was just now coming back into his life. 

Keith may have forgiven her, but that didn’t mean his friends did, or ever will if the angry look flashing across Allura’s face was any indication.  It was only emphasized when she stepped towards him as if she was going to stand between him and Krolia.  He wasn’t the only one that picked up on the action, both Thace and Krolia shifting slightly.  Keith knew it was her being protective, unaware of the ‘why’ Krolia had left in the first place.   

“Blade of Marmora.  Your pack sounds like a military unit.” She commented, inching closer to Keith.  Thace stiffened, eyes narrowing slightly.  

“We fight like one, but we are still a pack.” Thace said, defensive.  Keith resisted the urge to bare his teeth, not liking his tone.  

“Their pack is huge, but they’re good people.  Helped me a lot these last two years.” Keith explained, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.  Allura looked like she wanted to ask something else, but she shook her head a little, clearing her thoughts. 

“Why does your pack need to fight like a military unit?  What is your involvement here?” She asked, crossing her arms.  She was going into ‘Coach’ mode, an overview of all the information being mapped out in her head.  

“I hardly find now an appropriate time to be discussing this.”

“Thace is right.  We’re in the middle of enemy territory, and time is not on our side.” Krolia added.

“Allura,” Keith started, waiting till she turned to him, “I’ll explain everything once we’re out of here.  We’re scouting this operation to determine the threat level, if we need to shut it down asap, or if we should plant some of our members to further investigate.” He explained, ignoring Thace’s clear displeasure.  They didn’t have time for them to bond and learn to trust each other right now, not when Allura was on a list of targets, not when the others could be in danger as well.  

“I see.” She mused, eyes flitting towards the stairs.  

“What are you doing here?” He asked, frowning a little.  She seemed to hesitate again, searching for the right words, or predicting his reaction.  Either way, his gut started to stir.  

“This area…  I-... Shiro-” His heart dropped, “went missing two weeks ago.  This was his last known location, and where Coran’s magic led us.  When he didn’t check in, we grew concerned.  Coran and I have been monitoring this facility for patterns and clues.  Just three nights ago I was able to take out one of the ‘Overseers’, terrible creatures, and assume their identity.  I’ve been elsewhere, learning just what Shiro had gotten himself into and well…  Keith, it isn’t pretty.” She warned, hiding her fear.  But he could smell it, coiling up like smoke.  

“What happened to my brother, Allura?  What’s going on here?” 

“This is a lab for the experimentation of both creatures and humans.” She said, biting the inside of her lip.  

Keith’s anxiety and anger burned .  It felt like his entire core was having a meltdown, gradually raising the temperature until he was being boiled alive.  It felt like his insides were molten lava, thick and nauseating as it threatened to implode.  Hot air clawed at his throat as he breathed, slicing layer by layer and incinerating it.  

It was odd.  Most grew cold, hands freezing, shaking like they were in the middle of winter.  Keith shook like he’d been walking in the desert for a week straight.

“Keith...” Krolia warned.  He tried to ease his breathing, trying to keep his skin from crawling as panic laid just beneath the surface.

“Keith, I know you’re worried, but I have a plan.  I’m here to save Shiro.  He’s alive, Keith.  That’s why I am here.” Allura said softly, hand placed on his shoulder.  It grounded him, the coolness of her hand and the reassurance that they weren’t too late, that he wasn’t too late.  

“What’s the plan?” He asked, flexing his hands.  Focus.  He needed to focus on something before he lost it.  Patience yields focus, a voice whispered, sounding a lot like his brother.  

“He’s being held in a cell at the back of the lab, along with others.  Coran is monitoring the magic around the building itself to ensure no surprises.  The woman earlier, the High Witch, she’s here to attend a conference with the scientists and lab technicians.  They’ll all be returning up here soon, if she’s not already set up in one.  I have explosives, planted and set to go off when I deem fit to be used as a distraction.  With the threat being unknown and large, the priority and focus will all be on getting her out, but she is powerful.  The explosions will only keep them busy for a short time” Allura explained, being clear and concise.  She took her time on purpose, giving Keith more time to calm down.  

“A rogue Shifter would be a pretty big threat.  Could buy us more time.” He offered.  

“And if you’re caught?” Thace challenged.

“I won’t be.” He said confidently, even if his nerves and anxiety boiled.  “You said there were others, right?” 

“Yes.” Allura confirmed.  

“We can’t leave them here.  If I start running loose in their lab, they’ll come check on it before she can find out, save themselves the emberrasment if she’s as important as she sounds..  If a fight breaks out, they’ll get the High Witch out because I’ll be perceived as a danger.” He explained. 

“Or she comes and kills you herself.  She snapped a young man’s neck without so much of a glance.” Krolia reminded, clearly displeased.

“We use the planted bombs to distract her.”  His plan was risky, he knew that.  Their window was short.  But the longer they were here, the higher the likelihood the others would be discovered, or worse, taken like Shiro had been.

“While dangerous, it could work.  My uncle, he can protect Keith from the High Witche’s magic long enough to for us to get everyone out.  He’s attuned to him already, and to set something up for you two would take too long.” Allura reasoned.  She didn’t like it, but there wasn’t a lot of options for them at the moment.  

Krolia looked conflicted, but with a look shared with Thace, Keith knew they had already swayed them.  

“Fine.  On two conditions.” Thace said.  “You do not engage with the High Witch and if you are compromised, you make your escape, regardless of our status.” 

Keith couldn’t promise anything, especially not the second condition.  But he didn’t argue. 

“I’ll do my best.” He said with a shrug.  He could tell it annoyed them, but he wasn’t going to lie. 

“Keith…” Allura looked hesitant, “Be careful, alright?” She said, leveling him with a serious look. 

“I’m coming home Allura.” That was a promise he could keep.  It eased the tension in her shoulders a little, and she smiled. 

“I’ll drag you there myself if I have to.”

…

Keith didn’t bother with being discreet as he barged into the laboratory, slamming his body into the nearest cluster of machinery.  It toppled over with a satisfying crash, wires and sparks scattering across the floors.  He wasn’t sure what it had been testing, what it was storing, but with the way there were panicked screams in response, it was something important. 

Of course, they could be screaming because there was now a large wolf bumbling around their lab.  He always felt like he was too big, too destructive when he shifted into his wolf form, but right now, it was working to his advantage as he continued his ‘rampage’.

The chemicals of the lab stung his nose, but it only urged him onward, jumping into a fridge and knocking it over.  Test tubes filled with blood and liquids shattered and spilled across the floors, the action satisfying even if it made the lab smell worse.  They wouldn’t be able to use any of it, not with it contaminated.  

It was only an assumption that all the scientists and lab techs would be upstairs, but now that he was seeing the small group scattered about, it made sense that some of the assistants, newer recruits, were left below to continue the work.  He bared his teeth at them, growling in warning.  

One pulled out a small knife, likely used to split their experiments or cut into a subject, but she was shaking so hard that it hardly felt like a threat.  Still, he lunged at her, the rest of the team scrambling towards the exit.  To the scientist's credit, she flinched back but held her ground, screaming as she began waving the weapon in hopes it would catch him.  

He ended up catching her arm in his mouth, biting down hard enough to break skin.  It caused her to drop the knife, instead using her free hand to pound against his head.  He pulled harshly, practically tossing her into a table, the contents of it spilling over the side and shattering.  

“Years…  We’ve worked on this for years !” She sobbed, staring at their ruined work.   

He took a step before his hackles suddenly rose, the same sense of danger slamming into him.  He turned to take a look around but the woman, the High Witch as Allura had called her, was standing at the center of the lab in front of him.  Her eyes were wide, staring in a way that felt invasive.  

“My…  what a sight you are.” She said softly, marveling like she found treasure.  Keith couldn’t help but step back, growling loudly in warning despite the difference in their skill, their strength . 

Do not engage the High Witch .  

But she was here.  No Overseers, no guards, no attempt to cover the fact someone had successfully broken in and was destroying everything.  She wasn’t supposed to come down, not yet, not with his team mere rooms away gathering the captured.  

“My Queen,  you grace us with your protection!” A man cried, crumbling to the floor before her and holding onto the ends of her cloak.  The rest of the team followed suit, all but the woman who had attempted to fight him.

“You believe you are worthy of my protection?” The Hight Witch asked, finally tearing her eyes away.  Her soft gaze turned harsh, a sneer forming as she glared down at the scientists.  “There is no room for cowards and weaklings in the Galran Empire.” 

The thought of helping the scientists came to Keith a second too late, his instincts already screaming for him to run.   One moment the man who spoke looked betrayed, the next, he was nothing more than a mist of blood that puddled onto the floor.   

“No.   No please-” The second scientist screamed before she began to twist painfully, her flesh ripping as bones snapped.  The lump that was left of her was unrecognizable.

She killed them, one by one, and Keith couldn't do a damn thing but watch in horror.  The woman he had attacked, still holding onto her inured arm, simply watched with dissappointment   

When the High Witch turned back to him, she softened, raising a hand.   Keith jumped away, nearly crashing into another fridge.  But she wasn’t aiming for him,  the last scientist being lifted and brought to her feet.  

“You have accepted death.” She hummed, placing a hand on her head. 

“I tried to fight back, tried to protect your dream.  I was too weak.  I ask for forgiveness, for hope that I am reborn to be more of use to your cause my Queen.  I will receive any punishment you see fit.” She said softly, just above a whisper.  Her breath was ragged, in pain and rattled with fear.  But not of her, no, of her own uselessness.  

Keith felt sick.  

“My child, you are the future.  No punishment is to fall upon you.” The ‘Queen’ said softly. 

“You are too kind.”

Keith should kill her.  

“Let’s see what you are.” 

Keith startled back, pressing against the wall he had unintentionally cornered himself in.  The High Witch stood before him, analyzing him.  Her smile only grew as she found something to her amusement.  She grabbed him by the neck, slamming him onto the floor with strength he couldn’t anticipate.  

“You.  You are going to be a fascinating specimen.” She cooed.  She brought a hand up, looking at the blood that coated her fingers.  He hadn’t noticed, hadn’t felt the cut across his side, until now, until he was already seeing his own blood.  He gritted his teeth, the pain making his eyes water.  

Keith needed to kill her. 

“What an interesting friend you have protecting you.  I’ll have to meet them too.” She purred.  Coran.  She was sensing his magic.  

Fuck .  

Keith lashed out then, teeth just barely missing her face but catching strands of hair.  He shoved himself back onto his feet, lunging forward only to be thrown to the side.  He crashed to the glass wall, knocking into more equipment and nearly whining at the way some of it dug into him.  

“Have an Overseer come and take-” Her sentence was cut off by a large ‘BOOM’, the building shaking violently. 

“What?” She hissed.  

“My Queen!” 

Keith struggled to get back on his feet, feeling drained.  Likely the blood loss, or whatever else that witch had done when trying to figure him out.  He didn’t even want to know what she found. 

He didn’t hear what was being said, another explosion wracking the building and causing even the High Witch to stumble.  He looked at her one last time, watched the frustration in her eyes grow before she turned away, hand on the scientist she hadn’t slain.  

"I'll come find you again." She whispered, speaking it into existence.

He blinked and they were gone.  

That was his cue he supposed. 

…