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“That’s not true, Shiro!” Keith screamed, his face bright red and his fists closed.
Shiro laughed, raising his hands in apologies, but he wasn’t making fun of Keith.
“Ok, ok, but you must admit that you fell hard. And Lance won easily. He’s good with his gun”
Arms crossed and a pout on his face, Keith sighed, looking down at the nice green grass that was caressing his boots. Shiro was right, as usual, but he won’t say a nice word on the Blue Paladin.
“He was lucky.”
The older raised an eyebrow, still smiling, and placed his arms spread behind him, head up to face the pale blue sky
“If you say so…”
The sunlight was warm, the birds were flying and chirping at each other, and Keith felt relaxed. He didn’t get much time to be with Shiro or to talk to him like this about anything.
He liked these moments, their moments.
But he needed them for a reason.
“…I feel stressed. These days are draining my energy. The missions, the team and everything…” arms crossed on his knees, Keith sighed, closing his eyes.
Shiro could help him, Shiro always helped him.
“I know” Shiro smile faded a little as he turned his head to look at the Paladin, silent for some moments. “But you can do this, Keith. You are stronger than you were, you all are, and you can face any mission you’re needed to.”
Keith knew those were the right words. The words Shiro would always say, reassuring and strong as he always was.
“…but what if I’m not strong enough? I-…I might screw something up, someone could get hurt or worse…I’m not as good as you think” Keith’s voice went lower and lower, the weight of everything he hid in the past weeks feeling heavy on his shoulders, almost asking to be told to Shiro.
The silence that followed worried Keith; it wasn’t something he expected from the other.
He raised his eyes, meeting Shiro’s ones looking at him with a sad but firm expression in them.
“You are good, Keith. I can see your fire burning bright even now when you’re not in the middle of a battle. You’re good, you’re what Voltron needs, what everyone needs. You know what I think about you, what the boys think about you. You are good, you was and always will be.”
Again, nothing but soft bird tweets filled the air, and Keith found himself smiling. Shiro trusted him. Why, Keith would never figure out.
“…I’ll try. I’ll try to be as good as you paint me. But I can’t assure you I will succeed” Keith's eyes went at the white clouds running on the wind, the weight on his heart now lighter than before.
“Or that I won’t hit Lance.”
Shiro smile was bright again, his head tilted as he watched the same fluffy spots in the sky.
“You two better learn how to get along, one day or another.”
He was beautiful. He was a leader. He was everything Keith ever wanted to be.
Looking at his distracted face, the younger Paladin was so sure about this he felt his heart ache, his fists clenching hard to stop himself from hugging Shiro.
He needed Shiro’s voice, Shiro’s smile and bright eyes.
He needed everything about him.
“…see you later, then” the older Paladin was looking at him again, relaxed and smiling, and Keith could do nothing but nod, the knot in his throat growing again.
He closed his eyes, letting the warm light disappear, and held back the tears he felt burning inside of his eyelids.
When he opened them again, the room was dark and silent.
He breathed deep, rubbing his palms on his face, and got up on his feet, staring at the now silent AI pod.
“See you later” a whisper, a sad, broken whisper.
He needed Shiro, he needed him so bad.
“I miss you, Takashi.”