[ in another time, in another world, this scene had played out differently. there had been more going on, more happening underneath. years of working as a team, of learning to stomach then respect then finally understand each other — years of growing and growing together — that when it all came to a head, when all those dirty secrets were revealed... it had hurt. a lot.
and betrayal is such an ugly feeling, one that is all-consuming and blinding. it swallowed that lance whole, made it hard for him to see keith, his teammate, his rival, his friend. all he could see was the black and red of hurt, to know that all that had been said and done between them had been nothing more than a lie.
this lance, though. this lance doesn't have any of that to fall back on. he doesn't have the experience, doesn't have the memories. he doesn't have the fond feelings and strengthened bond that might have made this moment like a sucker punch to the gut, stealing all of his air and senses. instead, he has only his eyes, and his wit, and how neither seem to make the connection with what he's seeing, and what he knows.
"keith" rushes past him, makes the mistake of pausing long enough to speak, to knock lance out of his stunned reverie. there is a moment's pause, and then lance suddenly surges forward, grabbing keith's arm—
but that's about as far as he gets before there is suddenly a shrieking in the near distance, and suddenly lance's entire body is thrown forward, knocking against the other, as one of those time bugs bullrushes into them both. he hits the ground hard, twisting something in his shoulder, but the pain is but a dim sensation as the rest of his body hastens to react. his bayard is summoned at his hand, and he rolls onto his back just in time to deliver a shot right into the bellow of the beast, its entrails exploding all around them. its mate screeches loudly in despair, charging towards them before it, too, gets blown into bits. nothing remains of its top half, and its bottom falls to the ground with a squelching thud. lances shoots at it again, and again, and once more for good measure.
"we're not doing this here." like heck they won't!! ]
That's why guns will always be better than your stupid sword!
[ allow him a moment to gracelessly climb back to his feet and gather his bearings again. though clearly a good amount of his agitation had been taken out on those poor bugs. rip. ]
no subject
and betrayal is such an ugly feeling, one that is all-consuming and blinding. it swallowed that lance whole, made it hard for him to see keith, his teammate, his rival, his friend. all he could see was the black and red of hurt, to know that all that had been said and done between them had been nothing more than a lie.
this lance, though. this lance doesn't have any of that to fall back on. he doesn't have the experience, doesn't have the memories. he doesn't have the fond feelings and strengthened bond that might have made this moment like a sucker punch to the gut, stealing all of his air and senses. instead, he has only his eyes, and his wit, and how neither seem to make the connection with what he's seeing, and what he knows.
"keith" rushes past him, makes the mistake of pausing long enough to speak, to knock lance out of his stunned reverie. there is a moment's pause, and then lance suddenly surges forward, grabbing keith's arm—
but that's about as far as he gets before there is suddenly a shrieking in the near distance, and suddenly lance's entire body is thrown forward, knocking against the other, as one of those time bugs bullrushes into them both. he hits the ground hard, twisting something in his shoulder, but the pain is but a dim sensation as the rest of his body hastens to react. his bayard is summoned at his hand, and he rolls onto his back just in time to deliver a shot right into the bellow of the beast, its entrails exploding all around them. its mate screeches loudly in despair, charging towards them before it, too, gets blown into bits. nothing remains of its top half, and its bottom falls to the ground with a squelching thud. lances shoots at it again, and again, and once more for good measure.
"we're not doing this here." like heck they won't!! ]
That's why guns will always be better than your stupid sword!
[ allow him a moment to gracelessly climb back to his feet and gather his bearings again. though clearly a good amount of his agitation had been taken out on those poor bugs. rip. ]