Brighter Than the Stars: A Voltron Fanfic (Keith X OC)

Chapter 1

Allura found Lance where he always was, in the infirmary. He'd been there more than usual recently - two, maybe three times a day, staring at the cryo-pod. Allura knew his grief was still fresh, given that he'd been close to Violet, but he'd been handling it well.

He didn't turn when she entered the room, his gaze focused on Violet. She hadn't moved, hadn't stirred, since the day four months ago when she'd been thrown under the teludav by Narti - well, Narti's cat, Kova. She should've died, but at the last second Violet had brought up her hands, protecting her head from being crushed. In doing so, over half the bones in her hands had been shattered. Allura still had nightmares about what she'd looked like after they'd pulled her out form the teludav - arms twisted at an odd angle, wrists mangled and broken. Even if she recovered fully, she'd never use her hands the same again.

Hunk, when sad, took to baking. Allura had pretended to like countless batches of earthen cookies for him so she wouldn't hurt his feelings, not when his round face was so scrunched up with hope. Hope that if he could make perfect cookies, then everyone would be happy and Violet would wake up. A feeble belief, but Allura let him hang on to it.

Pidge had, in wake of her grief, devoted all her time to searching for her family. Allura assumed the loss had driven her to look harder. Shiro was the least affected out of the group, because he couldn't be. He was the one who held the team together.

Allura spent the first few nights crying in her room. She couldn't help but feel that it was partly her fault Violet had come so close to death. If she had only been more careful, if she had fought harder or moved quicker... but she knew she couldn't let herself think like that. Lance had borne her grief with her, and sometimes she'd join him in those silent periods of time where they watched Violet's sleeping form.

And Keith ... old fury fluttered in Allura's chest every time she thought his name. He'd distanced himself from the rest of the paladins, utterly disregarding his role as leader. She'd come to accept him being Galra, and part of the Blade of Marmora, but he was also Voltron's leader and the pilot of the black lion. He was grieving, so she did her best to have pity, but he couldn't turn away from them for any longer. Soon he'd have to choose.

Lance gave a tiny jump when he noticed Allura. "Oh, hey, Allura."

"Hello, Lance."

After a second, Lance said quietly, "Do you think she's ... getting better?"

Sadly, Allura shook her head. "I'm sorry I cannot give you more happy news. But Violet's body suffered blunt trauma. Even now her bones are still mending."

Lance nodded, already expecting the answer. "I just hope she'll be back soon. We need her."

There was nothing else to say. The two stood in silence, until Coran called them to the bridge to set course for Reiphod, a planet where Voltron was going to lead a parade.

However, Kolivan interrupted with news that the Blades had discovered a supply ship in a strange part of the galaxy, and wanted to sneak on. Keith immediately volunteered to go on the mission, leaving the paladins to go to Reiphod without Voltron.

It was a disaster. The people wanted to be able to hope, and to do that, they wanted Voltron. But without the black lion, there was nothing to do but spin half-heartedly around in the four lions.

After the show, Allura passed Keith on his way back from the mission. He said, before she could speak, "I Know you're annoyed, Allura, but I'd really like you to not lecture me right now."

"I was going to ask if you're alright," said Allura. "Kolivan told me that Regris didn't make it." 

He didn't look up. "I'm fine."