[Open]

[padadin]

Who: Shiro and you
Broadcast: Yes
Action: If you want, he's on the Blameless
When: Saturday evening

[Text closed to Keith - Friday night]

We've arrived to the new system. How are you feeling?

[He doesn't know about the planet bringing back the sensations of the dreams yet, but he worries.]

-----

[Video - Saturday evening]

[When the feed starts, an armor wearing Shiro is sitting down and taking off his helmet as the light blue lights of his suit go off.]

This is Shiro, co-captain of S.S. Blameless.

[His face is serious, and his tone of voice means business.]

Last month, certain members of the fleet had visions about the planet we were visiting and the incident that happened after. But there are certain dreams that didn't find their match there, and it seems this new system has brought those sensations back. So early today, I went down with a teammate that had those dreams to investigate. [He frowns a bit, obviously not pleased with the result.] There are some small towns, inhabited by the orange-skinned people we usually encounter. They're heavily armed, too, because of a group called the Vieziri. They're dangerous, deadly hunters that have made the locals live in constant fear.

[His hold on his helmet tightens - it's frustrating, not having his lion, being limited in what he can help with. But he continues, the natural leader in him shining through.]

I know we can't stay in our ships forever. So if you go down there, please, don't do it alone. The bigger the group, the better. Bring a weapon with you, if you aren't the powered or magical kind. The locals are willing to sell theirs, too. Keep your communicators safe and close at all times, check the GPS function that our fellow fleet members were offering some time ago. Captains, it would be wise of you to know where your crew is at all times.

[He pauses. There isn't much more he can say other than be careful. So how to end such a feed?]

If a situation like Lyuku's must happen again, I can only hope we're better prepared this time. [ #famouslastwords ]

Comments

[padadin]

[The thud and yelping just becomes part of the noises in his nightmare, where he's the one causing them too. He's back on the ring, forced to fight, and among the bodies of innocent aliens, there's the occasional familiar face from the castle.

Shiro keeps thrashing about, begging for mercy, asking invisible people not to make him do this.]

[tempredmental]

[Keith eased himself up, almost cautiously, as he attempted to figure out what to do next. He moved next to the bed, and then called to Shiro, hoping to get through to him.]

Shiro! Hey, wake up! You're on the Blameless. It's me, Keith. You're having a nightmare!

[padadin]

[There's movement next to him, taunting him - no, he can't allow them to take him from a blind spot. One mistake and is over, over, over... His metal arm reaches for the attacker's neck, and he's torn between squeezing or turning his hand on so he looks at the alien more closely to decide according to their kind of alien anatomy and--

Eyes finally open and they widen. Regret, shame, fear: all of it quickly appears all over Shiro's face.]

...Keith.

[He pulls his hand back, hiding it behind him as he moves back too, pressing hist body against the wall as far away from Keith as possible. He's breathing heavily and his eyes are still a bit unfocused, his mind needing a moment to return to reality but... he knows enough to be able to tell what happened.]

I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...

[tempredmental]

[Keith's words got cut off by the sudden lack of air, and he grabbed Shiro's arm at the wrist in reflex. He grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut as the realization hit him.

A robot arm didn't have a pressure point.

He had nothing to push on to get Shiro to pull back.

He was stuck like this until Shiro came to his senses.

Granted, he would have been either way, but, at least, if he'd been able to press on that tender spot in the wrist enough to wake him up, he could have freed himself. But this... There was no chance. Keith started to panic, but, oddly enough, it was more for Shiro than himself. He didn't want Shiro to feel bad about this, because he knew what was going on. He was stuck in the throes of a flashback, a nightmare, and wasn't consciously attacking Keith. To him, Keith was likely a faceless enemy. He just needed to find a way to get through to him while still-...

He opened his eyes a little just in time to see the realization kick in. Shiro had woken up. And those were not the emotions Keith had wanted to see on that face.

he involuntarily dropped backwards to the floor as Shiro let go, coughing and gasping for air and fighting off the black spots around his vision. Rolling to his side, Keith pushed himself up on all fours for a moment, catching his breath before finally settling into a seated position on the floor. When he could speak again, his voice was raspy.]

Shiro?

[Ugh... it hurt to talk.]

Are- are you okay?

[padadin]

[Watching Keith makes him feel worse and worse about what happened. The coughing, the gasping, the catching his breath, the raspy voice... he did that. Are there going to be bruises in the morning? Oh quiznak, he'll wake up to a purple neck, won't he...

Shiro's eyes are finally focused again, but he's still panting, his face pale as it can be. And his expression... shame and guilt, couldn't be anything less.]

You're asking me? Are you okay? I-- I hurt you.

[tempredmental]

[Yeah... there'd be bruises, and probably for a while, but Keith could handle bruises. He was a tough kid.]

Shiro...

[He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of how scratchy he sounded.]

You didn't know it was me. I could tell. You thought I was someone else. You didn't hurt me.

[padadin]

[He looks away, not being able to look at Keith in the eye.]

No. Just because I didn't know it doesn't make it not-you. Are you in pain? Do you need a doctor?

[tempredmental]

[Don't... don't do that. Don't look away.

Keith moved closer, putting himself right in front of Shiro.]

I'll be okay.

[He frowned a bit.]

Who did you see? Before you saw it was me, who were you attacking?

[padadin]

[Getting in front of him only makes him more stubborn in looking at the mattress. Look! Sheets! How amazing are they?]

I-I'm not sure. My nightmares are never clear. It's a mess of memories and dreams, they can get blurry and- [His shame gets worse.] I think-- you moved and I thought I was being attacked so I had to defend myself.

[tempredmental]

You were already in a nightmare. I was trying to wake you up.

[Keith frowned that Shiro wouldn't look at him. He looked down for a moment, and then reached out slowly, gently taking Shiro's hand in his own... the metal one.]

[padadin]

[Shiro has a vague sense of touch on that hand, so he immediately tenses when Keith grabs it, his eyes widening but still not looking up. In fact, he closes them, hunching over as metal fingers gently squeeze Keith's.]

And I thought... no, I wasn't really thinking, only reacting... I'm sorry, I'm really are...

[He takes a deep breath.]

Maybe you should go back to your own bedroom... for your sake.

[tempredmental]

[Keith frowned. He didn't want to just grab Shiro right now with the state he was in because it might set him off again, but...]

I'm going to give you a hug.

[That was the only warning, and Keith's tone said he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

He shifted to get close enough, and then pulled Shiro towards him, wrapping both arms around Shiro's shoulders.]

[padadin]

[Those aren't words he expects to hear from Keith, and before he knows it he's being hugged. He returns the gesture of course, but it's different from usual - more clinging from Shiro's part, sinking in this comfort. He's still shaking a little.]

...I was supposed to be comforting you tonight.

[tempredmental]

[Expected or not, Keith knew Shiro well enough that he knew that this was needed. His feelings about it were confirmed with Shiro's return hug felt almost desperate, the older pilot trembling against him. Keith closed his eyes, resting his head against Shiro's.]

Things don't always work out the way we expect them to. [Or want them to... but he kept that to himself. It was better not to think about it. Instead, he'd just hold Shiro as long as he needed it.]

It's okay. You've comforted me a lot already. Now you need it from me.

[padadin]

Let me stop you right there before you make a competition out of this too.

[Just trying to lighten the mood! He returns the gesture with his own, feeling his breathing slowly come back to normal, the shaking gradually disappearing.]

Thanks for staying, Keith.

[tempredmental]

[Keith huffed a small chuckle in response and just shook his head. This was something he was okay not being competitive about. He was glad that Shiro was feeling steadier, though... and steady enough to actually tell small jokes.]

Of course.

[He was definitely going to have a handprint bruise around his throat later, so he'd go find someone to help with that because he didn't want Shiro to have to face it, but he wasn't going to leave him like this.]

You're important to me, Shiro. What kind of brother would I be if I left you?

[He knew how it felt to be left behind, and it felt like his heart had been ripped out. He wasn't about to do that to someone else. He wasn't going to let Shiro feel abandoned, unwanted, and hated. No one deserved to feel that. It was a horrible way to feel.]

[padadin]

[After taking a deep breath, he finally pulls back, guilt still written all over his face but managing a small, honest smile. How can he not, when Keith says such touching things?]

One caring for his own safety? [Again: just trying to lighten the mood. He ruffles Keith's hair.] You're important to me too, buddy. So it means a lot to me that you stay even after what I did. But in the future, if something goes wrong- if something goes worse- I want you to promise me that you'll tell me. And stop me if necessary. I don't want to hurt you again.

[tempredmental]

Hey... [Keith reached up and pushed the hand away from his hair, but he was smiling a little all the same.] I'm not a kid anymore, remember?

[He got up, but paused at hearing Shiro's words. Please... no... Keith didn't want that burden. He looked down, his jaw tightening a bit as his hands clenched closed.]

I... I don't know, Shiro. I don't want to hurt you, either.

[padadin]

But you're still my little brother. Sorry, part of the rules.

[If Keith thinks Shiro will ever stop ruffling that mullet, he's going to be disappointed. Both of Shiro's hands fall of Keith's shoulders, and he looks pretty serious at Kieth, his tone firm and his eyes full of trust.]

It would be worse if you let me go on - for those I can hurt, and for myself too. You wouldn't be hurting me. You would be helping me.

[tempredmental]

[Keith gave Shiro a weak smile at the rules comment.

But the rest of that? No... no no no... he didn't want to think about this. Shiro, please.

He shook his head.]

I don't know if I can. Shiro, I... [He looked to the side, one arm crossed over his body to grasp the other in a show of discomfort.] You're asking a lot of me.

[padadin]

I know, and I'm sorry. But I'm asking you because you know me best. You know how to choose what's best for the team when you want to. [Like leaving Allura behind, which wasn't the best, but Shiro wants to that logic applied to him.] You wouldn't doubt it if it wasn't me. You have a family now, Keith. Friends that also need protection. There will come a time where choosing me isn't the best option.

[He knows he's disappeared at home. Hopefully Keith will know to carry on when the time comes...]

[tempredmental]

[That got a tiny gasp in response and Keith snapped his head up to look at Shiro sharply.]

No! You're my friend, too. You're my brother! How can choosing you ever not be the best option? You're the leader of Voltron! The Black Paladin! Shiro... [Keith's voice trailed off a bit as he tried to reconcile this in his head.] I can't...

[His expression hardened, his voice firm.]

I'm not giving up on you. You're the only person who never gave up on me. I'm not. I'm just not going to do that. I won't.

[padadin]

You know the answer to that question, Keith.

[He's quite firm when he speaks, trying to get his point across. Because yes, he believes Keith totally knows the answer. If it comes down to choosing between the universe and him, he needs to choose the universe.]

It's alright not to give up - Pidge hasn't given up on her family. But just like her, you need to keep your priorities straight when we go back and I'm not there. And don't forget what started this discussion - me possibly hurting someone, like I just hurt you. Out of control, I could be very dangerous, Keith. In cases like that, you need to stop me, not pity me. One second too late could mean someone's life.

[tempredmental]

[Oh, Keith knew... he didn't want to admit it. He knew exactly what Shiro wanted, and he knew why. But he was scared.]

I don't- I don't think I can...

[He looked down. Sure... he might be one of the few on the team that could come close to taking Shiro in a fight if it came down to it. Allura, too, really, considering how strong she was. But to actually do it in reality was a whole different ballgame. Shiro had to realize just how tall of an order this was for Keith.]

[padadin]

I know what I'm asking for is really hard. [He tries for a softer tone, trying not to make Keith more nervous, but his eyes and body language are still firm.] Be honest with me - would you really let someone else do it?