Gone and Mute

Chapter 15

Keith stayed with Lance that night, and no one bothered them until morning, when Allura called everyone for a meeting in the bridge. They arrived together and, while maybe earning a knowing look from Shiro, raised no questions.

Allura stood at the controls, looking at the Paladins a bit solemnly, which caused Lance's stomach to drop. He was starting to hate that look.

"Shiro and I wanted to talk to you about the... current situation."

Hunk glanced at Lance, while Pidge looked at Allura coolly. "Which one, Allura."

Allura swallowed. "I am starting to grow concerned by how permanent my place on the team seems to be."

"Allura and I want to make a decision- right here and now- about whether Lance will come back onto the team, or if Allura will take over the Blue Lion indefinitely."

Keith looked at Lance, who was expressionless. Keith reached out and nudged Lance's hand softly, but all he got in response was the faint twitch of Lance's fingers.

"... Personally, I want Lance back on the team," Hunk said, breaking the silence.

Lance clenched his fists at his sides and Keith glanced at him.

"I think his skills would be valuable," Pidge said carefully, pushing her glasses further up her nose and glancing at Lance's taut expression.

They only care about my skills, he thought. What skills? I don't have any skills.

"Allura?" Shiro asked, clearly wanting to hear everyone's thoughts on it before coming to a consensus.

Allura blinked and looked at the floor, furrowing her brows. "I.." She was silent. Lance looked ready to leave. "I want to know what Lance thinks about the decision."

Everyone turned to Lance, and his tense expression melted into a deeply set scowl.

"I don't want my position back."

"But-" Hunk started.

"The amount of distance you have forced between my lion is too great. Blue has handed all control over to Allura. I mean nothing to her anymore."

Allura bit the inside of her cheek, tears welling in her eyes. She didn't want this. Lance didn't exactly want this either, but it had happened regardless.

"I have no skills to offer anymore. Whether it be because I'm out of practice, or because I didn't mean anything in the first place, I have no idea how to tell. But I watched every day as you guys completed each training session as if I was never there to hinder your progress."

"Lance..." Hunk murmured.

"I don't need my place back. I don't want it. I don't deserve it. I don't know how else to tell you this. I'm simply... it's not where I'm meant to be anymore. I'm not sure if it ever was."

Allura let a sob escape her lips and she pressed her hand to her mouth. Hunk looked away, and Keith looked at Lance. His lip wavered slightly, and Keith could tell he wanted to cry, to take this all back and undo all that had happened and everything that he'd said.

But he couldn't. Lance was right. He'd been replaced, and no one could take it back. Allura leaned against the controls, her legs weak. Shiro looked almost disappointed. Hunk and Pidge stared at the ground, avoiding Lance's gaze and his logic.

Lance turned on his heel suddenly and Keith lunged, grabbing Lance's jacket sleeve. Lance scowled at him and yanked his arm out of his jacket, shedding it quickly as he walked unobstructed out of the bridge. Keith was left clutching the piece of clothing in a shaking fist, eyes wide as he watched the doors close behind him.

The team was left shocked into silence, until Keith growled, agitated, and stormed out of the room after Lance, still holding tight to his jacket.

"Lance!" Keith roared when he saw Lance stalking down the hallways towards the bedrooms. Lance stopped and stood with his back to Keith, keeping his face hidden. Keith reached out and grabbed Lance's shoulder, whipping him around to face the angry Paladin. Lance glared at Keith with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Keith faltered, but for only a moment, before his gaze got hard again. "I don't approve of your decision."

Lance glowered and stubbornly wiped his face on his arm. "I don't think I need your permission to say what's on my mind."

"Yeah? Well I think you need my permission to outright refuse a second chance."

"Keith?"

"What."

"Shut up."

"You know what? No. I am... I am sick of trying to help you only to have you throw it in my face. I have been trying to get you to see the good in yourself, and you just... denied everything. I want to offer to train with you, so maybe we can help you get your abilities back. But right now, I'm actually not sure I want to help you anymore."

Lance stared at Keith with wide eyes, and Keith was suddenly very aware of what exactly he was saying, and whether it was really a good idea or not. But he couldn't stop.

"I want you to go apologize for what you said, and offer to try again, because I don't think I've seen Allura cry this much since her AI father died. And if you don't, so help me Lance, I will.."

He faltered

"You'll what, Keith. Hit me?"

"I'll break up with you."

The hallways fell silent. Keith's mind was running a mile a minute as it tried to splay out every single way this could go wrong, telling him just how badly he screwed up. He didn't listen to any of it.

All he could pay attention to was the sudden sob that left Lance's lips. Keith moved forward slightly, hands extended, but Lance pulled away. Despite the tears running down his face, Lance was... smiling.

Keith let out a noise akin to confusion, and Lance looked up at him.

"... I-I'm sorry, I-I've just never had s-someone I liked actually confess their love to me..."

Keith paused before scowling. "That wasn't exactly a confession, you idiot."

Lance laughed slightly, sniffing and wiping his face on the neck of his shirt. "It was if you look at it correctly."

Keith rolled his eyes. "So... Will you apologize?"

"... yeah. I think I will."