Voltron: Simmering Feelings (ABANDONED)

Prologue

Keith's POV

"Damnit!" I curse. We had been waiting almost ten precious minutes for Lance while a planet dies. Why don't we just leave without him?!

"Why don't we just leave without him?" Pidge asks. Finally! "I mean, it's not like there's any sign he's coming sometime soon. We should just do this one without him."

Shiro looked like he was going to scold her for wanting to leave him behind, but after a few seconds he seemingly changed his mind. "Alright, but after this we do every mission as a team. Besides... I'm worried about Lance. He's been rather reclusive lately. That isn't like him." He put his chin in his hand for a moment before drawing them back and leaning both on his hips. "Alright, to your lions."

With that, all of us go into our hangars and to our lions. We leave soon after, not thinking much of what would ultimately be our last chance to see the pure, lover-boy Lance we all know and love.

Lance's POV

I wake up after a nightmare. I sit up in a puddle of my own sweat, shaking. It was the same memory that keeps on replaying in my head, over and over again.

"Oh c'mon, Lance. You know no one will believe you even if you tell. It's best you just let me do my thing~" Uncle Rogelio whispered into my ear. He tugged at my shorts, pulling them down and-

"Shut up!" I say aloud to nobody in particular. I just need these... flashbacks to stop!

Feeling phantom hands trailing across my body, leaving me feeling disgusting, I get up to shower.

"All paladins to the hangar right away!" Allura's voice booms over the loud speaker.

At this point I could care less, just wanting to scrub my skin raw.

I grab a change of clothes and a towel, heading to the personal bathroom connected to my room. I quickly turn the shower as hot at it goes, and strip. I see the scars on my thighs, only reminding me even more of him.

I get in and immediately start scrubbing. I pile the Altean equivalent of body wash from its container onto my hand. I scrub, first with my hand and then with a loofah. I scrub until my skin is a darker shade of light pink and I'm almost down to blood.

After that, my mind trails back to him. It's like i can't get him out of my head! I can still feel every touch, every movement, every...

"Shit!!" I yelp as the water goes from boiling to ice cold. However, after standing in it for a few seconds, it starts to feel nice. It slightly burned my skin where i had rubbed, but it shocked me out of my thoughts and brought me back to reality.

Knocks suddenly pound at my bathroom door. "Lance! You missed the mission because of your stupid shower! How long have you been in there anyways...?" Keith's voice booms, becoming slightly twinged with concern towards the end. "If you don't hurry, I'm coming in to make sure you're okay. Not that I want to! Shiro is making me."

It's kind of cute when his tsundere-ness shows through. Wait— WHAT?! How long have I been in here?! What does he mean he'll come in?! That means he'll see my scars! And the rawness! And, and—

"I'm serious, Lance. I will break down this door if I need to." He speaks once again, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"A-ah, yes! I'm getting out now!" I yell out, shutting off the water flow. However, on my way out, I trip over the side of the tub. Shit!

Keith winces at the other end of the door. "I'm definitely coming in now!" The door flawlessly clocks open. "That sounded like a nasty—"

Keith's POV

I open the door, only to see Lance sprawled our on the floor, giggling nervously. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly flustered by the position he managed to land himself in, and it seems he is thinking the same way.

My thoughts are cut short, however, by the utter rawness and pinkish tint of his skin. Not only that, but it seemed like he had scars all over his thighs, white and raised. The thing was, I couldn't tell whether he had made them or not. That thought was even more terrifying.

"Well? Are you gonna help me up or just stare at my naked ass all day?" Lance asks. Suddenly, a smirk engulfs his face. "Or maybe you like what you see~?" He says suggestively, winking in the process.

My face becomes beat red, all the blood rushing immediately there. "Shut... shut up!! I'm coming over..."

I help him up, and sit him on the toilet. "Looks like you've got a nasty bruise there." I look over his almost completely black bruise that emerged right under his kneecap.

"Eh, just another battle scar!" He chuckled, trying a little too hard to hide the pain.

It made me feel so bad for him. I mean, it's obvious he doesn't want me to worry. But why? It's only natural as a fellow Paladin, right? It's not like I like him or anything, right? Right?!

I try to shake my teenage thoughts out of my head as I grab a rag, wetting it with cold water and gently placing it over the bruise. He hisses slightly under due to the temperature. "It's no ice pack, but it'll work for now." For the next words, I look him directly in the eye.

Lance's POV

How fucking embarrassing! Not only do I completely suck in battle, being a seventh wheel, but I also mess up something as simple as a shower! I'm so pathetic...

"Hiss!" I shudder under the cold rag being placed right on my bruise. Not only was it even colder than my already impossibly icy shower, but it was also firm on my tender skin.

Keith suddenly speaks, his voice monotone and his face blank. "It's no ice pack, but it'll work for now." His muscular body suddenly tenses up, and he looks me straight in the eyes.

"Answer honestly. I'll know if you're lying." I only nod in response, unable to muster anything besides that with my dry throat and clammy hands. "Where did those scars come from? And why is your skin raw?"