Take Over

Chapter 24

Third Person P.O.V.

As soon as the paladins landed in the hangar of the castle it was chaos. Hunk and Lance brought the injured paladins to the med bay, Shiro running to find Allura or Coran. Lance brushed Keith's bangs out of his eyes after he set him on the med bay table. Tears filled his eyes and he pulled a chair beside Keith's still body, laying his head on the boy's thigh.

A small whimper sounded and Lance shot up, teary eyes watching as a pained expression marred Keith's face. Lance furrowed his eyebrows before moving closer to Keith. He sobbed and hugged Keith tightly as he woke, apologizing when he made Keith whimper in pain again.

"I missed you," Lance smiled as he rubbed his thumb on Keith's knuckle.

"I missed you too," Keith whispered, closing his eyes as a comfortable silence fell upon them.

Shiro walked into the med bay, a flustered Coran and worried Allura trailing not far behind. Keith opened his eyes, meeting Allura's for a fleeting second before he hastily closed them again. He didn't want to hear any cold truths she, or any of the others, had to tell him, he just wanted to hide under his red comforter and tell himself everything was alright when it so clearly wasn't.

Keith let his gaze fall on Pidge and he gulped. Blood covered her uniform, basically drowning out the white plates that once shone brightly but were now covered in the iron red of her blood. His stomach clenched when his eyes raked over her numerous injuries, injuries he inflicted. He watched as her still body lay on the identical med bay bed, her small frame rising and falling serenely. Guilt smothered him and he felt hot tears fall down his cheeks before landing softly on the thin blanket.

"Get her into the healing pod," Coran ordered before turning to Keith, "Do you need to go in too?" Keith shook his head, ignoring Lance's look. He didn't want to go in the small pod, even if it would heal his injuries faster he didn't know if he could get through it without hyperventilating.

"I just need new gauze and ace bandages," Keith mumbled as he watched Hunk gently place Pidge in the healing pod. Coran nodded and moved around the small room, successfully dodging the large boy as he exited the room wringing his hands in worry. Keith bit his lip, Hunk was probably worried about Pidge and it was his fault she was hurt. He would stress bake until Pidge woke up and it was all his fault. Keith wiped his eyes to stop the unshed tears, wincing when his brace scratched against his skin.

Coran handed Lance the medical supplies as he turned to Keith, "I'll be back to test you." Keith nodded and Coran left the room leaving the two boys alone. Keith was completely still as Lance set down the supplies, avoiding his gaze as he clenched his fists.

"I can fix my wounds myself, you can go, Lance," Keith mumbled as he reached for the needed supplies. His leg was throbbing and he hoped it wasn't starting to bleed. Lance smacked his hand away with a serious expression. Keith recoiled, folding in on himself as memories of the Galra flashed in front of his eyes.

Lance bit his lip as he helped Keith calm down, reassuring him he was at the castle with Lance and not back with the Galra. Lance gave him an apologetic smile and lifted the gauze off the table, "I'll do it, just relax."

"But-"

"I'm not leaving you ever again and that's final, Keith, stop being so stubborn," Lance said, his voice dripping with concern and annoyance.

"A-Alright," Keith mumbled as he got off the bed.

"Where are you-" Lance asked before his cheeks exploded and he turned away. Keith unzipped the black and purple body suit he was wearing, throwing it into the pile his armor was in, leaving him only in some shorts as he rolled up the right side to reveal the bandage. Keith sighed when he noticed a growing spot of red on the bandage, raising his head to see the back of Lance's head.