closed;

[juniberries]

CHARACTERS: Allura, Keith, & Lance
DATE: 4/9
WARNINGS: none
SUMMARY: it's time for vld s5 spoilers.

[She's at the door to Keith's room in a matter of eight dobashes after briefly talking to Lance. And as she waits for Lance to arrive, Allura busies herself by fiddling with the hood of her uniform, pulling it up and over her head for a few ticks, and then back down for another few, mentally going over just how she will debrief both Lance and Keith as to what has happened back home.

So much has happened. She keeps saying that, but it's true, to where she thinks not only to Keith leaving the team for the Blades and Zarkon's death, but to even the quiznaking Voltron Show.]

Is that even important to mention?

[She's not muttering to herself. Chulatt has decided to accompany her for emotional support, and the small mouse shakes its head.]

No, you're right. I'll skip that bit.

[And after another tick or so, regardless of whether she sees Lance rounding the corner, she knocks on Keith's door.]

Comments

[ceruleo]

[ Lance sighs in tandem with her; all he can offer is a shrug. ]

Better both of us than just--cornering him alone, I guess. At least I could— [ He makes a vague aborted hand gesture back the way they came. ] Try to...sort him out, I guess. [ Grumbled: ] Not that it did much.

[juniberries]

I believe it did help. [She offers him a small, reassuring smile. Regardless of how Keith responded, Lance is a mitigating presence for the team. Even if it is just the three of them for now.] Keith does need time to sort things out, but I know he looks to you as a friend. He...may remain angry, but I believe if there's anyone he'd turn to, it would be you.

You are the Red Paladin of Voltron. To both Keith, and, where I am from, to Shiro. It remains a part of you, even here.

[And what she means by that is he's a leader in his own right, like what her father had been to the team of old. He's friendlier, more considering of others despite his showboat behavior, and even if Lance still lacks the maturity she remembers of her father, she knows deep in her heart there's a reason for Red choosing him when Keith was chosen to pilot the Black Lion.]

But how are you faring, after everything I told you?

[ceruleo]

[ Hearing those words of affirmation from Allura sends a spark of joy up Lance's spine; once it would have made him flush, but all he feels now is a soft warmth settle in his chest. He huffs out a breath that's almost a laugh. ]

I feel like middle management. If Voltron even has middle management. [ That probably sailed over Allura's head...he just keeps going. ] Keith'll come around. He's just dealing with a lot, and that's not your fault. I don't want you to feel bad about trusting us, y'know?

[juniberries]

[It does sail over her head, but she does take a moment to consider it as...something. The tone of how he says it, and the combination of the words don't exactly make it impossible to understand.

That's...what Coran is. Isn't it?

...no matter.]

I kept it from him for awhile. He had finally seemed so...settled in knowing he was the Black Paladin of Voltron.

It's not that I feel bad about trusting both of you with this information, it's that I wonder if I should have spoken of Keith leaving the team sooner.

[ceruleo]

[ Lance shakes his head. ]

It's not you--I mean, it's not just this that's got him on edge. I'm pretty sure it's a bunch of things coming up all at once.

[ Leaving the team despite how hard he's working towards developing leadership skills. Lotor's arrival. Shiro's arrival. ]

Try not to worry about it too much. It's not up to you to manage Keith's feelings. You know him, he'll bounce back.

[juniberries]

[You know him... Does she though?

She's quiet for a bit, continuing to walk towards...well, maybe her room, but maybe elsewhere, she's not quite sure where she's headed but she knows she doesn't want to be alone to ruminate just yet.

But while Keith here is, as far as she can tell, vastly different in many ways than the Keith she left behind back home, she has to wonder if Keith is truly the sort to bounce back, or if he's someone like her who will sit on these feelings while trying to save face.]

I...hope you're right.