Chapter Text
Smoke burned Keith’s eyes as he ran through a city, the chaos around him suffocating. This looked like it was supposed to be a routine mission; investigate a distress signal, fight some Galra, and save the day without breaking a sweat. He’s done that countless times, but this was different. This was wrong. Keith didn’t know where he was or how he got there. He had no idea what was happening. Flames licked the buildings around him, the tall structures collapsing, shaking the ground he stood on. The communicator in his helmet crackled to life, and he tried to focus on the voice speaking to him. It’s Pidge.
“Keith, where are you! My lion lost your signal on my map. Do you copy?”
“Yeah, I’m here Pidge,” Keith ducked behind a crushed vehicle, narrowly avoiding being hit by shrapnel from an explosion nearby. “I don’t know where here is though.”
“Yes!” Pidge exclaimed with excitement. “Green got your signal back. Looks like you’re on the west side of the city. I’m with Hunk and Lance up north. We’ve got things covered, but Shiro went south and I lost his signal. He’s not responding to me either. You need to go find him, Keith.”
Keith’s eyes widen. He checks his GPS and begins running south. “I’m on it, Pidge. I’ll let you know if I find him.” A loud bang sounds through Keith’s headset, making him cringe. “Pidge, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I have to go now, good luck.” Pidge muted, leaving Keith alone to find Shiro.
-
The carnage around Keith continues as he tries to ignore the scared and injured civilians crying for help as he runs by. He has to find Shiro. That’s the only thing he can do right now. It’s the only thing keeping him grounded.
He turns a corner and nearly bumps into someone. It’s Shiro.
“Shiro. I’ve been looking for you. Pidge said she lost your location on the map-“ Keith’s interrupted when Shiro yells out,
“Keith, watch out!” Before Keith can register the situation, he’s thrown to the ground by a blast, separating him from the other paladin.
Keith forces the shock away when he comes to, standing on shaky legs. “Shiro! Shiro, where are you!” He begins clawing through the nearby rubble caused by the explosion. His hands are bloodied and scraped and throbbing with pain, but that’s the last thing on his mind.
He pulls up a large piece of sheet metal covered in debris, breath hitched in fear and anticipation. His blood freezes at the sight below him. He found Shiro. He’s covered in blood and dust. The left half of his face is mangled by large chunks of glass embedded deep in his head. His lifeless eyes are wide and staring through Keith.
“No. No, Shiro you can’t do this. Please…” He can’t breathe, his vision blurs with the hot tears sticking to his face, his heartbeat too fast and loud to hear anything else, his ears are ringing. His vision goes dark.