2019 Voltron Whumptober Collection

7 Isolation

Word Count: 1,131

Keith hated the dark.

He didn't like how tight it felt, how the shadows seemed to close in on him, reaching for him with their cold hands, invisible fingers grasping at his neck, making it hard to breathe, no matter how hard he fought to convince himself that they weren't real. It was suffocating.

It was suffocating him with how dark it was.

But he didn't mean to say it, he swears he didn't mean to.

But, of course, he had to slip up and say it, admit that he could outfly anyone, and it was still true, no matter how hard they beat him afterward for it, Keith was at least truthful, he never boasted about himself, never said anything unless it was a hard fact.

The other cadets didn't like that about him.

They didn't like that at all.

James was leading the pack as they cornered him one day after classes, taking the stuff from his bag and dumping it all over the floor, taunting him by then stuffing the now empty bag in a left-open locker and slamming the door, locking it, then proceeding to kick and beat him until he was curled up on the cold cement floor, bruises blooming on his chest and cheeks, hoping and praying they'd just leave him alone.

There weren't any teachers in that section of the building, there never were, and they all knew it, there was no one to hear him crying out for help, that's why they chose that spot in the first place.

Keith remembered when he had questioned why, Shiro explained to him that it was meant to teach the kids independence, that they were in charge of themselves when they were there, it would help to mature them into making smart decisions.

Keith couldn't disagree more about it now that he was here.

He knew he shouldn't have taken that hall in the first place, he had a feeling, but he was in an off mood for the day and it was the fastest way to get to his room so he could curl up on his bed and try to forget the day ever happened, try to imagine his Pop was still with him as he sobbed into his pillow, trying to muffle the sounds so no one would yell at him for the noise-

But instead, he took the shortcut and ended up getting cornered instead.

It wasn't his fault a pack of kids were waiting for him to turn the corner, a murderous look in their eyes as they wasted no time pushing him to the ground, most of the students there having a bone to pick for how they were being treated in class because of him.

All because of him.

But it wasn't his fault.

He was trying to keep his mouth shut, he swore he was, but it always seemed to get him in the worst kind of trouble anyway.

No matter what school he went to, it always ended the same way.

So he tried to take it at first, the kicks, the punches, the snide remarks that his parents were gone and he wasn't even supposed to be here.

This was normal by now, they'd- they'd go away soon enough, and Keith would just have to suck it up, pick himself back off the floor and continue on, making sure to keep the news of the fight from reaching Shiro until the bruises faded away and everyone forgot about what happened.

But, he was already feeling as if he were going to break and after awhile he did something he never meant to do.

He snapped, yelling into his arm to leave him alone.

He wanted to be left alone.

Please.

Of course, they were all too happy to oblige.

They had one of the bigger kids grab him, hoisting him up in such a way to keep him from yelling as they snuck back into the main building, looking around each corner before sneaking forward again, finding a nearby janitor closet before proceeding to shove him into the small room against his pleas, the door locking with a deafening sound as it slammed closed.

It was dark.

Someone laughed on the other side of the door.

His heart jumped to his throat as he caught sight of the pitch blackness surrounding him, the shadows closing in, the light under the door just a small crack in the vastness of darkness engulfing him as he found it harder and harder to breathe-

He didn't like small spaces.

He didn't like the dark.

He wanted out.

He pounded his fists on the door as soon as they'd locked him in, he kicked, he screamed, he cried, by the time he'd stopped to listen if anyone was coming, it was complete and utter silence on the other side.

No one was coming.

He'd groped the wall for a light switch after that, drying tears on his cheeks, the fear falling away to panic as he blindly searched for a source of light, a- a flashlight, a chain hanging from the ceiling, anything, but there was nothing because he couldn't see.

So he sat on the cold floor instead, knees curled up, hugging his legs tight against his chest, rocking back and forth as he tried to fight off the demons closing in around him, the memories that would never go away, the dark thick and suffocating, the small spaces reaching for his throat-

Be quiet you ungrateful little brat-

What do we do when we want to make a noise-

This should teach you to respect your authorities-

A day in here ought to shut you up-

Keith muffled the sobs with his hand, he couldn't make a sound, if he made a noise, he'd be hurt-

No Shiro here to protect you now-

Is that was mommy and daddy said before they left-

You're nothing but a good-for-nothing, cocky orphan brat-

You want to be alone? Fine then, we'll leave you alone-

No, no just stop it-

Another muffled sob.

He swore a shadow in the back corner moved and Keith's heart jumped to his throat and he couldn't breathe.

It was too dark.

Shiro, he- more tears and he buried his face in his knees, the tears wet against his skin as they soaked through the fabric of his Garrison uniform -he wanted Shiro-

But his phone had been in his backpack when he'd been caught, Shiro would have no idea where he was in the first place even if he did want to bother the man, he-

Shiny eyes widen in realization.

Keith was alone.

He- he was all alone.

It seems no matter where he goes, what people he'd meet, it'll always be that way.