Family We Protect

Nightmares and Midnight Talks

Shiro jolted awake when something smacked him in the side. He almost activated his arm before stopping short when he realized his assailant was Keith and that the younger hadn't intended to wake him.

The Red Paladin was still asleep, tossing and turning with a pained expression.

"Keith." Shiro said softly, shifting and propping himself up on his flesh arm. When he got no reaction, he repeated the name, "Keith."

Keith still didn't stir.

"Keith, come on. Wake up." Tentatively, Shiro shook Keith's shoulder. Finally waking, the younger bolted up into a sitting position with a gasp and Shiro quickly followed, wrapping his arms around the younger, who simply slumped into him, trembling.

"I-I'm sorry..." Keith whimpered and Shiro held him tighter.

"Don't be, it's alright." The Black Paladin murmured soothingly, holding Keith impossibly closer.

"I-It's not Shiro. You shouldn't have to tell me it was just a dream." Keith argued back but it was feeble.

"You're fine Keith. I can't count the number of times I've woken up from a nightmare. You don't have to do this alone."

Keith chuckled dryly, "It sure seems like the universe has a different idea on that." He said bitterly.

Shiro glared at the top of his head for a moment, but his voice was gentle when he spoke, "I don't care what the universe or anyone else thinks Keith, I'm here for you."

Keith let out a breath, pressing closer, "I didn't mean to wake you." He murmured.

Shiro shrugged, "Doesn't matter, it'll be okay." He promised.

Silence settled over them before Shiro spoke again, feeling Keith still trembling against him slightly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Keith sighed, holding his metal arm out so that in the darkness they could see it - or at least the outline, most of the details were lost in the low light. "They didn't even give me a choice, I just woke up and it was there. A permanent part of me. A-And I don't even know what they wanted from me! Or why they took me! Or anything! I-I just ran!"

Shiro rubbed his back gently, taking Keith's metal hand with his own prosthetic, entwining their fingers. It was odd. The way the Galra attached the fake limbs, the two could feel the metal - almost as if it was their real arm.

"I know." The older murmured, surprising the younger. Despite how well he knew Shiro, Keith had expected sympathy like he'd gotten from the aliens that had helped him, or pity, or... He didn't really know but it wasn't that.

"I guess you didn't get a choice either." He murmured quietly.

Shiro chuckled, "No, I didn't."

Keith let out a breath, "I don't think I'd be here without you. There were so many times it would have been so easy just to stop fighting and let my injuries take me, or I could have just stayed with those Galra and taken whatever they had in store for me. I came so close to giving up on recovering, even with the help the aliens gave me. But then I'd think about you, and how you promised to always come back for me and I-I knew I had to do the same." Keith admitted.

Shiro smiled, remembering the memory like it was yesterday instead of years ago,

Shiro sighed, shoulders slumping slightly as he leaned on the hover-bike he'd previously been cleaning. Before Keith confronted him. Suddenly the bracelet he'd been wearing for ages and could almost ignore now weighed a thousand pounds. "I'm going on the mission." He said softly.