Chapter Text
A hissing sound startles Keith awake. He opens his eyes to see rounded glass surrounding him on all sides. There is only a brief moment of panic before Keith relaxes. It is a healing pod. He is in a healing pod and not dead or chained up in some Galran prison. He feels a rush of gratitude and happiness. He eagerly stumbles out, imagining the welcoming arms that would greet him. Literally anyone from the Castle would be like seeing an angel right now.
There are no arms to receive him though and he stumbles onto his knees, blinking his eyes rapidly. He quickly realizes that he is not in the Castle or at least not in any part of the Castle that he recognizes. He considers that maybe they stuck him in a pod in a different room, but then he remembers.
In a rush, it all comes back. Pushing Lance, seeing the back of his head before he shut the door. He remembers the blood on his hands and falling backwards into Lotor’s arms.
He isn’t sure why he thought that the Alteans and the Castle would be the only place that would have healing pods.
He swallows and struggles to his feet. Something is still wrong with him. He puts his hand to his stomach and doesn’t feel any blood or even a wound. But, he feels weak and tired. Even with the adrenaline rush of realizing that he is in danger, he feels like he could lay down and sleep.
He battles against it though and carefully examines his surroundings.
He is in a large bedroom he doesn’t recognize with three doors. It is a simple though nice room decorated in mostly white, but accents of pale blue for color. It reminds Keith of a nice hotel room. The floors that aren’t covered in large rugs and walls let him know that he is likely on a ship of some sort. There is no one in the room that he can see.
Keith cautiously makes his way to the middle of the room. A figure appears before him and he jumps, clenching his fist and ready to hit it. Then he recognizes himself, pale, shaking, and glaring at himself. There is a full length mirror near the door that he assumes leads to a bathroom. He is wearing a simple black bodysuit similar to the ones that they wore in the healing pods at the Castle. The mirror fills him with dread.
He knows who is fond of mirrors in their living space as well as clean, modern aesthetics.
There is also a large vanity with a cushioned seat and another mirror near the bathroom as well. Keith moves over to the vanity, looking at a few of the items sitting there.
There is a hairbrush, a silver decorative one and Keith brushes his fingers against it.
“How many times a day do you brush your hair?”
“Only a few times. And then before bed. It would do wonders for your hair, Keith.”
“That will be the day that you catch me brushing my hair at night when no one will see it. I have never seen a brush this nice either.”
“It is specially made from the mane of a Kizi. A gift actually, from my generals. I have difficult hair because it is very thick, but also fine. It tangles easily and is harder to brush than you would think.”
Keith laughs. “You could just run your fingers through it instead.”
“Some of us aren’t slobs, Keith. Ok, we can go now.” Lotor stands up and flicks his hair behind his back, walking ahead of Keith.
Keith shakes his head, smiling as he watches Lotor from behind. Not for the first time, he imagines running his fingers through it, thinking maybe the decorative brush is worth it if it makes his hair look that soft and inviting, like it would feel like silk as his fingers
clench into a fist. Keith jerks away from the hairbrush, slamming the memory down.
He looks around, wondering if there are cameras on him and formulating a plan.
A quick scan of the room turns up no weapons. Keith is going to try to run for it, but not before finding some type of weapon. The room only has sparse belongings in it though. He goes through the vanity and only finds some creams and lotions, a few hair ties, some other random grooming stuff like some tweezers.
The dresser has some clothing. He finds pajamas, robes, random other undergarments and then some pants and shirts. As he digs through them, he freezes when he comes to the third drawer. His black pants and shirt are in there along with a few other shirts and pants that are similar and his size. With a slow shudder, he backs away from the dresser.
Too bad my belt wasn’t in here, he thinks, desperate for any type of weapon. There is another door located closer to where the pod is situated in the corner. He opens it and sees a large walk-in closet. Unfortunately, there is almost nothing in there.
He then confirms his suspicion about the door near the mirror being the bathroom. There are two sinks situated almost immediately when he enters. There is nothing underneath the sinks and only bare toiletries scattered around the room including a variety of soaps and shampoos situated near the huge bathing area that is almost more like a pool than a bath tub.
Still feeling groggy, he walks back over to the sink to splash water on his face. With a sick feeling, he freezes when he sees a certain item sitting next to one of the sinks.
“I bought you another present.”
“You buy me too much stuff. Now isn’t the time anyway…”
Lotor holds up a toothbrush. It is white with purple accents.
“I already have a toothbrush?”
“You don’t have one at my place.”
“Oh…”
“I don’t mean to pressure you. I know you have an important role with Voltron and that things are tense right now with what happened to Kolivan. But we will figure everything out and maybe you can spend the night sometimes. Maybe eventually, even move in…”
Keith jerks his head up, eyes widened. He hadn’t really thought of the future before, of maybe one day living with someone like that, living with Lotor…
“I don’t mean right away. Or even soon. Our lives are complicated. But, someday, I can dream about us not having to just visit with one another. Can’t I?”
“Yes, you can.”
Lotor leans forward and kisses him, gently, Keith sighs into it and
with a sneer, Keith throws the toothbrush into the trash can next to the toilet, shaking his head. He is furious that it is even here, that someone placed it there as some sort of sick joke. He ignores the other toothbrush sitting at the other sink that is white with an orange strip.
There is nothing that Keith sees that would help him in a fight, no real weapons, especially not against who he assumes to be on the ship with him. He exits the bathroom and tries to think. He knows that stealth would be better anyway. He still doesn’t feel right. He is shaking slightly and feels exhausted. He wouldn’t be much of a match even for lesser enemies, not to mention Lotor or any of the girls.
Then, he has an idea.
He walks back into the main living area and places the mirror on the ground. Then, he puts a towel from the bathroom over it. He takes the heavy hairbrush and slams it against the mirror. With a muffled crack, he feels it break underneath him. Smiling, he moves the towel and finds a good sized shard of glass.
It isn’t much, but it makes him feel better. Using a small, silky washcloth he finds in the vanity, he wraps a hair band around it until it makes for a makeshift handle to protect his hand just a little bit.
Then, he takes a deep breath, steadies his knees, and tries to open the largest and most decorative door located on the furthest wall from the healing pod. He is shocked when it slides open. He had half-expected to be locked in the room.
He enters a foyer of sorts outside of the room. It is so big and long that he supposes it is more like a hallway. He creeps slowly down the hallway until there is another door. It is completely silent and he still doesn’t see anyone. The lights are dim. He hopes that maybe everyone is asleep and he will somehow get lucky sneaking out.
This door leads to an actual hallway that is clearly a ship. He listens closely, slowly moving forward and around a corner into another hallway. Then, there is a sudden noise as a door suddenly slides open only 10 or so feet in front of him.
“I mean, are you sure you can’t find it? I feel like the mall should have it…did you try Splencers?”
It is Ezor. She comes out of the door and immediately turns so her back is facing him. She is on the phone, tapping her foot impatiently.
Keith has to make a decision and quick. He could hope she walks away, distracted by her conversation. Or he could make his way back down the hallway and choose another way to walk. Or, maybe he should try to get into a vent system or something.
Keith’s head is muddled and foggy and he curses himself, curses his body for failing him right now. He starts to back away when Ezor whips around, eyes falling on him and gasping.
Keith grips the shard of glass tightly, gritting his teeth. Maybe he can get a lucky shot at her. Maybe she wouldn’t expect him to be armed. Maybe he could even take her hostage.
“Keith!” she cries out, obviously surprised. Then she walks quickly over to him, turning off the phone without even saying goodbye.
Keith grips the glass tighter, trying to square himself, desperate to feel strong and like himself again. He has to be patient though, hope she lets her guard down, hope she doesn’t see that he even has a weapon. He would wait for her to get close and then…
She approaches him quickly and reaches her hands out for him. He wonders if she is going to strangle him since he caught her unarmed. She reaches past his neck though and then Keith feels her arms tighten around him.
“Keith, we were so worried! Are you ok? You should probably be in bed.”
Keith freezes, unable to process as Ezor holds him close.
“I am so glad you are awake. It was terrible seeing you in a pod.”
Keith isn’t sure what is happening, but he nevertheless tightens his grip again on the glass shard. He brings it behind her back, then to her side. She isn’t wearing armor and he could most likely angle his strike into the soft part of her side. Closer to her stomach and he could hit deep enough to immobilize her. Higher up, and he could possibly kill her, get close to where he can hear her heart beating right now as she clutches him to her chest.
“I am so sorry we weren’t there when you woke up. We thought it would be another 8 hours, but our timing may have been off since, you know, you have weird human in you or whatever. How do you feel? Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
Keith sits at the booth, pulling his neon blue drink that tastes sort of like coke close to him. Ezor leans over and sticks her straw into his drink, smirking, before bringing it to her mouth.
“Hey!”
“C’mon K-Dawg, I have to make sure it isn’t poisoned. You never know who might want to hurt a paladin.”
“Whatever. You always eat my food.”
“She always eats everyone’s food,” Lotor points out.
Keith smiles. “So are you the type of person who says they don’t want fries and then you eat everyone else’s?”
“What are fries?”
“Like, little…things…food. Do you know what a potato is? A type of small food that you order to go with a meal.”
“Oh, then yes. Except I order my own food and then also eat everyone else’s.”
Acxa rolls her eyes. “I have stopped fighting it.”
Lotor leans forward with his head on his hands. “I have come to like it. I always get to sample double the menu now with Ezor.”
“She doesn’t steal from me or Narti.”
“No, Zethrid and Narti are off-limits. I would pull back a half an arm if I tried to take their food.”
Everyone laughs. When their actual meals come, Keith leans back, rolling his eyes but also giving access to Ezor as she grabs one of the sort of chips on his plate. With a smile, he reaches forward and
His hand relaxes. The shard slips to the ground and he eases into the hug. He doesn’t have any strength left and he isn’t even sure he will be able to walk.
He can’t do it.
“I don’t feel right.”
“I am not sure our pods were really set for someone like you. You aren’t injured anymore, but you are probably really weak right now. Let me help you.”
Keith finds himself leaning against Ezor as she helps him back to the room. She takes him immediately to the bed, pulling the sheets back for him. Keith collapses on the bed, panting, suddenly realizing just how weak he feels, how much just searching the room and walking down a hallway overexerted him.
“Hold on,” she says and disappears before coming back. She has a drink and some small cookies when she returns.
“Do you need help eating? It is fine, don’t look at me like that. You are going to owe me though,” she smirks and punches his arm softly.
Keith drinks and eats one of the cookies while she watches. Then, he shakes his head.
“Why am I not in chains right now?”
“Chains?”
“In a cell. Chained up.”
She laughs.
“Your head must still be a bit fuzzy.”
“Ezor…”
“You aren’t a prisoner. Why would you be chained up in a cell?”
“I am not a prisoner?”
“No, stupid.”
“Then I can leave? Right now? You will let me leave and go back to the Castle?”
“I mean, sure you can eventually go back to the Castle, but right now you can barely stand. Also, you really do need to at least talk to Lotor.”
“He stabbed me.”
Ezor laughs again and waves his hand at him flippantly.
“He has a temper sometimes, doesn’t he?”
He stares at her.
“I mean, who here hasn’t been stabbed by Lotor?”
“Are you being for real right now…”
“Ok, I am exaggerating. He hasn’t stabbed any of us. But he just overreacted because he felt betrayed, Keith.”
“He felt betrayed? Excuse me?”
“He felt like you chose Lance over him. You really hurt his feelings. You guys need to talk. Just be honest with one another.”
Keith gapes at her. She was acting like they just had a little tiff or something.
“He betrayed me. He used me.”
“Lotor would never use or betray you.” Keith battles to keep his eyes open, exhausted, but not wanting to be helpless or unconscious in this situation.
“K-dawg, look, Lotor. Loves. You.” With each word, she boops his nose. “It is just a misunderstanding, just like I know you didn’t really choose Lance over him. You just need to rest, clear your head, and then we can all talk.”
The bed is so comfortable and he can feel sleep tugging at him. He struggles against it, struggles to understand the situation.
“He…you guys were going to…you used Voltron…This isn’t really about Lance…”
“Keith, you need to sleep. You are confused right now. I promise, just relax and sleep and you will feel better when you wake up. Just like your old self.”
Keith is losing the battle, eyes flitting shut, and the last thing he sees is Ezor laying a hand on his forehead and smiling warmly at him.
********
Consciousness slowly returns to Keith. He feels comfortable and warm. He even tricks himself into feeling safe for the moment. He lets himself slowly slip out of his sleep.
Part of him wants to stay in the bed forever with his eyes closed. He hadn’t really been given time to feel anything since the fallout of realizing Lotor really is the villain Lance told him he was.
He feels sad. Embarrassed and angry too. But also sad, a sadness that seeps into his very bones. He had spent months slowly learning to trust and love Lotor. He thought of the generals as a second family now to Pidge, Hunk, Lance, Allura, Coran, and Shiro. He thought his number of loved ones had doubled in the world. He was starting to imagine an actual future with Lotor. It had been a brief moment of happiness before shattering. When he pushed Lance out that door, he feels like he lost two families. The one that had betrayed him. And the one that he lost when he decided to trust Lotor. He wonders if they hate him now. He wonders if it is his fault Kolivan is dead. He wonders if Lance even escaped. He wonders if it really is him that is the issue because he loses everyone eventually.
He feels alone again, aching to be back at the Castle.
He lets himself feel sorry for himself, curled up in Lotor’s bed, the one that smells like his lotion. He only indulges for the moment. Then, he rallies. He isn’t dead yet. He hasn’t lost anyone at the Castle, not yet. He would fight his way out of this. He would make his way back. He would fix his mistakes.
As he wakes up more, he realizes that something is pressed against his back. Shifting slightly, horrified, he realizes it is a body.
“Are you awake? How are you feeling?”
The voice chills him. His eyes snap open and he tenses.
“Hey, baby, relax. It is ok. I have you.” Lotor strokes his hair soothingly.
Keith still feels weak, but not shaky or foggy anymore. He briefly debates playing into whatever game Lotor is playing and then attacking him when his guard is down, but Lotor leans down and kisses the nape of his neck and Keith. Just. Snaps.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” he cries out, struggling to jump out of the bed.
Lotor lets him, watching carefully as Keith staggers as soon as he tries to stand. Suddenly trying to stand makes him dizzy.
“I know you are mad at me and I am sorry. But, right now you are still weak from the treatment. Please do not hurt yourself. I will leave so you can rest by yourself.”
Keith struggles, still tangled up in the sheets, angry tears pricking his eyes at the fact that he still doesn’t feel like himself, still doesn’t feel like he can throw a punch and have it mean something.
And he so dearly wants to punch Lotor in the face.
Lotor stands up, holding his hands out.
“Please, I know I have upset you…”
“Upset me? You tried to kill me.”
“I purposefully did not hit any vital organs and you were thirty seconds from a pod. Your life was never in danger.”
“You used me. You terrible, fucking, monster.” Keith is so angry he could pull his hair out. Or maybe pull Lotor’s out. He is horrified by how wet his eyes feel right now, like he might actually cry. He knows how weak he must look, in front of the bad guy, the person they would need to defeat along with Zarkon.
“We can talk later. I think there have been some misunderstandings and you sound confused right now…Keith!!”
Keith feels faint and he nearly collapses as Lotor speaks. He feels strong hands grab him and gently place him back in the bed. A second later, he feels the sheets pulled up over him.
“We can talk later, baby.”
Keith squirms, still furious. Lotor strokes his hair again, shushing him quietly. Keith feels a warm sense of calm come over him suddenly. His body relaxes and the anger disappears. Lotor leans close to his head, moving to whisper right next to Keith’s ear.
“Know that I love you and that I will always love you.”
With that, Keith hears footsteps before the lights turn off and the door opens and then shuts.
Keith trembles in the bed for a few minutes before lurching to his feet. He just wants to splash water on his face in an effort to clear his head. Then he can figure something out.
He staggers to the bathroom, using the wall to support himself. He flicks on the light and approaches the sink when he stops cold in his tracks.
Sitting beside the sink is the toothbrush. The white and purple toothbrush, back in the same place it was before Keith threw it in the trash.
Keith grips the edge of the mirror, looking at his wild-eyed reflection before sinking down to the ground with a whimper. It would almost be easier if he was chained up in some cell, he thinks, resting his head against the sink.
He rests for a while before making his way back to the bed, still using the wall for support. He keeps thinking that all he needs is a nap and then he can wake up, come up with a plan, and figure everything out. Just one more nap.
He has barely curled up in the bed when he falls back into the sweet release of sleep.