Taking A Chance

Allura's Nasty

A few days later Allura turned the corner and almost walked into Keith.
'Oh, it's you,' she sneered.
'Princess,' Keith muttered and moved out of her way.
As he passed, she turned to him.
'You should have died,' she said.
'What?' said Keith turning to her, his face blanching.
'You heard,' she said stepping closer. 'You should have died on that ship so we could be rid of you and find a new red paladin. You are not welcome here hybrid, do us all a favour and put us out of our misery.'
She turned on her heel and strode.
Keith shook as he hurried down the corridor in the opposite direction. He knew she hated him, but not to the point of wanting him dead.
An hour later when the team gathered for dinner, Lance frowned when Keith didn't join them.
'Anyone seen Keith?' he asked.
'He's probably training,' Pidge said.
'No, I just came past there,' Shiro said.
Lance's worry increased at the apprehension in Shiro's eyes.
'Hopefully doing us all a favour,' Allura muttered.
'What's that supposed to mean?' asked Lance.
Allura lent back in her seat. 'The sooner we can get a new red paladin the better.' They all stared at her. 'I'm just saying what we're all thinking.'.
Lance sprang to his feet. 'No-one is thinking that,' he said. 'Did you say that to him.'
She shrugged.
Lance slammed his hands on the table causing everyone to jump.
'DID YOU SAY THAT TO HIM,' he yelled.
Her eyes narrowed and she shot to her feet. 'Yes, I did. I told him he wasn't welcome here. I told him he should have died on that ship.'
'You bitch,' Lance hissed.
Shiro shot to his feet and ran out the door. Lance followed alarmed at the fear in his eyes.
Shiro ran to Keith's room and burst in with Lance on his heeIs.
The room was empty, and Lance was about to leave when he heard a sob come from the bathroom.
'Keith?' he said hurrying in.
'Lance, wait, don't,' Shiro said trying to stop him.
Lance felt like he had been gut punched when he walked in. There was a knife in Keith's hand blood, pooling on the floor from cuts on his wrists. Keith's shirt was also soaked from where he tried to cut his throat.
'No, no, no, no,' Lance said, dropping to his knees next to Keith.
'Shit,' Shiro said.
'Keith, give me the knife,' Lance said.
Keith shook his head and moved it back to his wrist.
'No, please don't do this,' said Lance as tears rolled down his cheeks. Lance reached out and brushed his fingers against Keith's arm. 'Please don't leave me.'
Keith began to sob again. He's hand shook as he tried to push down
'I love you,' Lance said. Keith shook his head. 'Yes, I do. You know that. Please.'
With a heart wrenching sob, the knife fell to the floor and Keith reached out to Lance.
Scooting closer, ignoring the blood on the floor, Lance pulled him into his arms and held him.
Lance looked up at Shiro, then at Pidge and Hunk standing behind him.
Shiro turned, surprised to find them there. He grabbed their arms and pushed them towards the door.
'Go get a healing pod ready.'
Nodding, they hurried away.
Shiro returned to the bathroom. His heart thudded as the colour drained from Keith's face and he went limp in Lance's arms.
'We need to get him to a heating pod, now,' Shiro said.
With Shiro's help, Lance lifted Keith from the floor and hurried from the room.
'Hold on, Keith,' muttered Lance, 'don't you leave me.' Hot tears rolled down Lance's cheeks.
Coran met them on the way to the pods and looked at the young man cradled in Lance's arms.
'This is terrible,' said Coran, 'get him into the pod.'
Pidge and Hunk waited near the pod, their eyes wide as Lance and Shiro put Keith into the pod.
The pod closed and they all stood back.
'Why?' ask Pidge in a small voice. She looked up at Shiro.
'The other scars on his arms are from him doing this?' asked Lance.
'Yes,' said Shiro.
'Why did he start?' asked Pidge.
Shiro sighed. 'When Keith was 8, he came home from school to find his father had packed up the house and left. He left a note to say he never wanted him and how much Keith had ruined his life. Adam and I fostered him when he was almost 9. He started cutting on the first anniversary of his father leaving.'
'You fostered him?' asked Pidge.
'Then adopted him when he was 12,' Shiro said. He knew it was time the others know as well. If Keith were to get through this, he would need everyone's understanding. 'He's going to need you when he comes out of the pod, he may still be in a bad place.' He looked at Lance when he said this.
'I'll take care of him,' Lance said.
'Just don't leave him alone,' Shiro muttered.
This made Lance's stomach clench.