Fiery Energy - Keith X Reader Voltron Legendary Defender

Chapter 12

"Oh, Lion Goddess, I, King of the Arusians, formally beg your forgiveness. Please have mercy on us and accept our traditional Dance of Apology as atonement for our wrongdoings." The Arusian King clapped and another Aruisan began to dance. You knew it was going to be something very unnecessary right from the word 'Oh' but like Allura you remained quite, even if the dance (only 0.3 seconds in) was boring you. Once your father had attempted to take yo to the royal ballet when you where 6, needless to say your father had enjoyed it more than you had. "Commence Dance of Apology! Hoorah!"

"Please, there's no need for this." Finally Allura broke, her usually calm demeanor having evaporated after the dance had continued for over 3 seconds. Weren't Alteans meant to be diplomatic?

 "Moontow, halt!" Startled the small Arusian girl stopped her dance, her leg up in the air.

"The Goddess has refused the apology. Start the sacrificial fire. We must throw ourselves in." A fire not 10 meters away burst into flames as they placed one of their own upon a stake. These guys are hardcore, you thought with some horror. They were going to throw themselves in. Keith huffed in disapproval as he shifted on his feet. He obviously wasn't liking both the dance and the prospect of someone throwing themselves in the fire, even if the Arusian tied didn't look like he was willing or throwing himself, more like he was being put in himself. 

"These guys are hardcore." LAnce mumbled into your ear. You made a face at him. 

"I'd hate to be unwilling to go into the flames."

Allura gasped. "No! No sacrifices!"

"So, we may proceed with the dance?" Allura nodded clearly flustered as he smiled through a pained expression. 

"That's a better alternative." Allura breathed, clearly relieved that they were willing to stop whatever they were about to do, and so began the remainder of the dance. Then they were all bowing, all of whom seemed to be following Moontow as she bowed after her dance. 

"Oh, my! Please, please, rise. Thank you for that, but I am not a great being worthy of your worship. I accidentally put you all in danger. It is I who should be apologizing to you. I am Princess Allura and these are the Voltron Paladins. Although we originally came from different worlds... and have very, very, very different traditions, we wish to live alongside you as friends." Allura explained, 

"But the mighty robotic angel... has it not come to destroy us because of our immoral ways?" What was so immoral that they thought that Voltron wanted to destroy them?

"Voltron? No. In fact, that mighty robot is here to protect you. Let it be known that Voltron will protect every innocent being throughout the universe!" A cheer rung up as the celebrations began. Keith made a sound as he turned to leave, dodging whatever was about to come to you, you made your way over to Lance and Hunk. Not before you saw an Arusian cling to Keith, preventing him from leaving. 

"I don't... usually hug strangers, but, uh... Man, you are cuddly." A laugh burst from you as you turned to Keith. He was patting the Arusian timidly on the head, his lips twisted into an uncomfortable expression. The Arusian smiled at him, and with a voice so deep that it shocked you the Arusian said:

"Thank you." Keith's eyes widened as he looked at you in mild, contained shock. If it weren't out of sheer politeness Keith might have squirmed. 

"You look uncomfortable." You commented, now distracted on Keith from going to your friends. He shrugged. 

"I don't do this." He gestured around him after the Arusian let him go. 

"Celebrations?" 

"Why do you?" He asked, clearly challenging you. You shrugged. 

"I use to. Back when I was in school."

"You don't go to-" Keith's eyes narrowed, obviously not seeing the point that dropping out had been a solution. Right then and there you wanted to tell him that he was expelled from the school because of his poor behaviour. At least you could keep a job. You made yourself breath, Keith really wasn't worth the hassle of arguing with, anyway he came off as a guy that what he did was right and that was that. 

"No. I work instead. Once I use to be popular for being popular. But then all my friends just... vanished so I stopped being a party girl." 

"Why did you stop school?" 

"I didn't like it and it didn't like me. I guess I'm more hands on." You crossed your arms as his face twisted into a frown. 

"So working at the local market is hands on?" Keith asked. You frowned at him. "You were wearing the uniform so I only thought that you worked there."Cheeky bastard. 

"You were correct. Although how did you know what the market unifor-"

"Shiro. You should know that your plastic bags have the market symbol on it and so did your uniform." Your mouth opened and then closed. 

"Shiro gave you food?" It seemed fair that Shiro was nice enough to give Keith food, assuming that he Keith had always lived at the shack and went to the Garrison, but why was Shiro buying his food then? The Garrison, you knew, had meals three times a day and always had food out to feed anyone who was hungry in between meals. 

"So what?" Keith's eyes narrowed as he turned. "Let's just get this over and done with." He halted as voices filled his ear. 

 "Shiro?" Allura asked, she waited for a reply. 

"What's going on?" Keith asked as a reply came, his voice husky from concern. THe ground began to shake underneath your feet, and from above a spacecraft entered the atmosphere of Aus. "Oh, no. We gotta get to our Lions!" The Arusians were running now, your legs wobbled with adrenaline. Not that you would be doing much. But unlike what others would do, take a hold of the situation and help, you where frozen with fear, you adrenaline trapped inside you. 

"Everyone get inside and stay down!" Allura commanded as she began to frantically gesture to the Arusians around her. 

"I'm on it!" Hunk commented as he scotted ahead, among the Arusians.  A sound escaped Allura as she caught on to the fact one of her paladins were escaping with the Arusians. Keith grabbed ahold of Hunk's collar dragging him back. 

"Not you!" Keith scolded as he dragged a heavy Hunk behind him. Finally you were moving, racing to the castle before anyone else. Hoping that maybe you would get a glimpse on what was happening and not a small portion of information that you were making out yourself. Galra, that was obvious, and obviously they were attacking but what was it and why now? The Paladins weren't even a team that worked well together, but like everyone you knew it was an advantage to the enemy and it only made it easier for the Galra to attack and win. You didn't know where you were going, only that it wasn't the right way. While in your panic you had just raced through the castle, forgetting where to go, and forgetting the mental map you had put in your head over the past few days.  This was why no one trusted you. 

On Earth you had panicked often. At the mention of your future. Possible increasing taxes. Rent. Meeting new people that could offer better opportunities. And just like now, you had forgotten anything and everything you had learned or knew. This had cost the loss of future jobs, boyfriends, friends and even possible rental homes that had been rented to another person while you had panicked in the background. 

You stopped, your heart beating at a stupid rate. Slowing your breaths. Counting your heartbeats. Remembering that something was happening and that they needed you to be calm. You had to remember where you were. 1 minute stretched onto 5, and still your brain couldn't comprehend where you were and where you had been. You were lost. Utterly and totally lost, and so you moved forward searching for anything familiar.