The New Paladin

55: Roles

The coalition meeting was well underway and Keith would honestly admit that he had high hopes for this gathering.

Allura was ready with her speeches and flattering talk and the other paladins were ready to show off their skills if necessary.

The only one yet to show up was Shiro.

And that was slightly disconcerting.

"I'm going to go and find Shiro." Keith informed Hunk as he headed towards the door.

"Probably a good idea seeing as Allura wants to start soon." Hunk nodded.

It didn't take Keith long to find him.

The Galran hybrid was in his lions hangar holding his metal hand in a vice grip.

"You're going to break it if you're not careful." Keith warned stepping next to him.

Shiro flinched but didn't back away. "Sorry, just um... Lost in thought."

"I can see." Keith nodded.

"Do you ever wonder what went wrong?" Shiro asked as he twisted his metal hand around.

"They got greedy." Keith said quietly. "They lost a part of themselves."

"But why?" Shiro asked, meeting Keith's gaze. "What made them take that path?"

Keith looked up at the back lion and sighed. "I don't think we're ever going to find out."

Shiro frowned. "Keith I... I have something important to tell you."

"Okay."

"Zarkon chose me to be his successor as a paladin quite early on, we talked about what it would be like and I built a bond with the black lion before I really understood the role I was potentially going to take on."

"That's why you're one of the best." Keith nodded.

"We don't know how this war is going to go, things might get rough."

"They always do." Keith replied quietly. "What are you getting at?"

"You're my right hand man, my best friend." Shiro admitted. "I want to know you'll be ready to step up and take my place if I'm not around."

"No."

"Keith-"

"We're not doing this Shiro." Keith said firmly. "You're not going anywhere."

"What if I get hurt, and I have to miss a battle?" Shiro prompted. "Would you step in for me then?"

Keith stayed quiet glaring off at the far wall.

"Keith, I would never purposefully leave you." Shiro promised as he placed his hand on Keith's shoulder. "But I can't control everything."

"I'm not ready."

"You are more than ready." Shiro assured turning Keith to face him. "You have always had a leaders spirit."

"I'm not like you."

"That doesn't matter." Shiro smiled. "In the heat of the moment you're cool and level headed. You can think up strategies at a moment's notice and you never give up."

"I'm not a leader."

"Not yet, but I can imagine you being an amazing leader one day."

Keith sighed heavily. "Alright."

"Promise?"

Keith nodded. "Sure."

A weight seemed to lift from Shiro and an easy smile came to his face. "Thank you."

"Hey! There you two are." Lance called as he entered the hangar. "Meetings starting."

"Is that why you came to find me?"

Keith shrugged. "You know no one can rush you when you're in a weird mindset."

"Shut up."

The meeting actually went quite well.

Lance was quiet, which was strange but Keith understood considering the way the conversation had turned.

"The Galra are still taking slaves for their labour camps, how do you hope to combat this?" The leader of Puig asked with a frown.

"We're going to do everything in our power to stop them." Allura said gently. "Our plan is to stop all transports and to release the ones captured."

"It doesn't work that way." The Krellion frowned. "They find other ways to capture slaves."

"None of you can understand the pain that slaves face." The Puigian grumbled crossing his arms.

"Actually we can." Lance cut in making the table fall quiet, his shoulders were hunched and his eyes locked onto the table in front of him. "I was forced into a mining cell for nearly 8 years."

"Years?"

"Deca-pheobs." Pidge chipped in.

Lance leaned forward finally lifting his gaze. "So trust me, I understand what they do to slaves and we're going to stop it."

He then leaned back in his chair crossing his arms with a frown.

"Thank you Lance." Allura said quietly. "Now I know that slavery is one of the main issues in the universe, but we will soon have a plan to start destroying the Galran's resource areas."

"This will help us to end this war too." Hunk added. "Once the Galra run out of resources we can limit their fleets."

"It is indeed a plan." The puig leader nodded, he then glanced to Lance and bowed his head slightly. "I am sorry for my assumption."

Lance gave a weak nod.

The moment the meeting was over Keith went after Lance who had quickly departed.

"You're not usually one to run." Keith pointed out as he found Lance in the kitchen.

"Who says I'm running?" Lance grumbled.

"You came somewhere isolated and you're being defensive." Keith pointed out.

Lance sighed dropping his head onto the table. "Sorry."

Keith moved to sit next to him. "You don't need to be sorry."

"It's just that..." Lance hesitated as he turned his head to meet Keith's gaze. "There's a lot of things I've never really accepted, I... A lot of things I failed to stop and- maybe if things were different I could tell you about it."

"What do you mean?"

"I respect you." Lance shrugged. "And I'm pretty sure you've never made stupid mistakes."

Keith frowned. "I'm sure I have."

Lance gave a weak laugh as he sat up. "Right."

"You can tell me." Keith added quietly. "We are a team you know."

"Yeah." Lance nodded. "I had some friends in the mines, I left them behind... I should have gone back but-"

Keith waited but Lance wasn't going to finish. "You feel guilty."

Lance gave a shrug. "I don't even know if they're alive."

Keith sighed softly. "That's not your fault."

"Maybe it is."

"Lance-"

"I know, we can't save everyone but... There are some people who don't stand a chance in this war." Lance whispered.

"We're going to help them." Keith promised. "We've got the rebels and the Blades now too. There's more of us to help out now."

"Yeah... I guess." Lance nodded. "Thanks Keith."

"You should get some rest," Keith said as he got to his feet, "you look like you need it."

"Thanks." Lance scoffed rolling his eyes, but there was a faint smile there.