Two Shadows Went Ch. 19
Lance was thrust back over the bridge’s controls, the slightly raised platform cutting into his side.
“Move the castle back,” Shiro's voice was the flattest Lance had ever heard it.
Lance groaned as he placed his hands over the smooth floor, trying to think of anything he could say then. Around him were men in black uniforms. Keith and Pidge stood at either side of Shiro and— on her knees, hunched over and still bleeding, Allura was nearly crumpled on the floor. Gagged and hands bound before her— there wasn’t anything she could do.
There wasn’t anything Lance could do even as he watched her. So close to a crown--and she’d been reduced to this.
“I hate you,” Is all that came to mind. He shook his head. “And I’ll never do as you ask.”
“You will,” Shiro said assured. “Now move the castle back.”
Allura raised her head up then, looking at Lance.
From Lance’s hunched position, he could barely make out the way his sister shook her head to him.
“Lance,” Shiro said as he loomed over him.
Lance stayed silent for a moment. Before he looked up to Shiro. “I hope you rot in hell.”
Shiro’s impassive face didn’t change before he tilted his head back to the side. “Keith,”
Keith tapped the control button at the side of Allura’s muzzle, and it flashed back and away from her mouth.
“Move it,” Shiro repeated to Lance.
Lance just stared up from where he was sprawled on the floor of the ship’s bridge.
“He can’t,” Allura suddenly spoke. “He’s not the heir, he can’t move anything, he’s useless.”
This time Shiro actually looked back at her. His expression widened Lance’s eyes. He was disgusted, like he had to answer to a cockroach. His eyes flashed to Keith, and he gave a small nod.
Keith’s strike across Allura’s face made Lance wince.
“Don’t say stupid things,” Shiro sighed, as if dealing with Lance’s sister was the most downright exasperating thing.
The creak of Shiro’s armor told him that he was looking back down at Lance. “Darling—“ His voice was flat and collected—and completely devoid of any kindness. “Move the castle back to the palace. There are things still to be dealt with.”
Lance swallowed as he considered. “I can’t.” His eyes flicked up. He pulled his face in to the most serene state of —innocence, and hurt and just a bit of fear as he looked up to Shiro. “Allura is right, I can’t. I’m not the heir. I don’t know how.”
There was a chance they didn’t know. There was a chance Lance could survive and if he could survive he could get his sister out of this—
Lance kept going, “I was never my father’s favorite, he never told me how. I can’t move anything. I have no idea what you expect me to do.”
The tilt of Shiro’s head down to him in that moment, sparked real fear in Lance. He shook his head just slightly as if he was in disbelief--at how stupid Lance was being. If there was ever a moment Lance could point out irritation, it was then as Shiro looked at him.
“I just said—don’t say stupid things,” His voice was thick like he thought it a crime to have to repeat himself. He nearly rolled his eyes as he turned and strode back to where Pidge and Keith stood over Allura.
He didn’t give Lance another second before that Galra hand closed around Allura’s neck as he lifted her into the air.
The gasping sound of his sister losing breath had Lance’s eyes going wide.
“Lance,” Shiro spoke again.
Lance didn’t answer. His sister's eyes were on him and even as she gasped she shook her head again to him.
Each death Lance had seen from his lover flashed in his mind. All of them had been devoid of emotion, like he was just performing a routine chore. This was--there was nothing on his lovers face, just irritation at Lance, just the look of a man who cared so little about the life of those under him…
That’s when Lance saw it though, the runes and intricate marks alighted across Shiro’s hand slowly moving from his forearm down to his finger tips.
He— Lance had seen that hand slice a gladiator bot in half—he’d seen it sear off the flesh of men, he’d— he couldn’t—
Shiro still steadily looked at Lance as his fingertips sparked—
“I’ll do it!” Lance gasped, lunging on the floor.
“La—nce,”Allura managed.
“Please,” Lance stayed on his knees, his eyes frantic over Shiro’s face. “I’ll do what you ask.”
Shiro didn’t say anything as the bright runes faded and he unceremoniously opened his hand— and let Allura’s limp body drop to the floor.
Lance winced as she landed, hearing the pained groan she gave as she crumpled over the metal floor. But he still looked up to Shiro.
Shiro approached in a steady gate.
“Well?” He said as he stepped over Lance.
Swallowing, Lance gave a nod, before he turned and pushed himself up to his feet. His legs and body ached, his face ached, but he still trudged up, before stepping up on to the platform, his hands out at either of the two controls.
The brilliant teal in the room lit across the controls and the holograms appeared before Lance.
Frowning, Lance carefully held out his hands, before instructing the ship to descend .
The tension in the room seemed to dissipate as men around Lance took up stations at the other controls, all taking over once the ship was given direction.
Lance could feel the heat as Shiro stepped up to the platform.
Lance’s narrow shoulders were held tight to himself, as he looked over one to Shiro. He tried--he tried not to look scared. But he felt it. His limbs trembled and the best he could do was try to look expressionless. Any mask he’d crafted before just wouldn’t raise to his lips. Was that what true fear was?
Shiro’s gaze was on him as he approached, steady, unreadable.
“I did as you asked,” Lance murmured. Hopeful, that Shiro’s expressionless face wasn’t there to inflict pain on Lance, to raise that hand to his face again.
Shiro reached out to Lance then standing on the platform, just the slightest bit taller than him for possibly the first time.
Shiro smiled before taking Lance’s chin. Lance shivered at the cold touch of his metal fingers. Shiro noticed but only gripped lance more firmly and pressing in a small kiss to the peak of Lance’s eye marking.
“Good boy,” Shiro whispered to him before he turned away and led back around to the Black Paladin’s Station at the helm of the ship.