riverview | audio | un:blacklion

[Yeah, he went there]

I'd be surprised if you didn't. You've been around me how long?

[Keith managed a chuckle.]

No, you're right. I should have.

[He brought Shiro his part of the lunch he'd been working on. If anything, having only one arm at the moment had been a pretty good way at keeping Shiro out of the kitchen...]

So, do you think anyone out there can help? I mean, Ed and Cisco are gone... and I'm not sure if there's anyone else. Maybe Bucky. But, I'm not sure what he does about his arm if it breaks.

[It did have that benefit. Keeping Shiro away from the kitchen. But this wasn't any easier in the mean time]

I hope so. I was kind of hoping someone here in Quarantine. I have to though, I'll see if one of the locals can help with it.

[It's not the option he prefers though]

[Keith nodded as he sat down.]

Yeah... Fingers crossed, right?

[He gave Shiro a weak smile, what had happened between them still weighing a bit heavy on his conscience.]

Yeah, fingers crossed.

[He smiled back]

You only did what you had to do.

[Keith nodded a little, looking down at his sandwich.]

I know. [He sighed.] I just... I keep second guessing everything, wondering what could have been done differently, if there was something that happened that could have been avoided... anything.

There wasn't really anything else. [Shiro said, balancing the plate so he could pick up his food] The clone... he had everyone fooled. And then once activated it was hard to stop him. Taking off the arm was the only option to save your own life... and mine.

Yeah. [Keith sighed. He was definitely still struggling with things, but slowly coming to terms with them.] I know. [Logically, he knew. And he was okay with that. But there was still that little nagging part of his brain that wished there had been a better way.]

I don't blame you, Keith. Really. I don't. [He knows you are overthinking this, but he doesn't want you too. It's been... interesting trying to cope with it, but he didn't feel it was Keith's fault at all]

It's hard. I just keep... rethinking it... maybe... if I hadn't been off with the Blades all that time... or if I'd come back sooner... or, I don't know. [Keith sighed.] I know it was what I had to do at the time. I've accepted that much.

I just really hate that I had to hurt you at all.

Well, the others had been around and they didn't either. Also... it doesn't seem that the clone was too welcoming to you even if it didn't realize what it was doing.

[He could reply some of the conversations in his head and they were going all wrong in his opinion]

Mm... I guess.

[Keith shrugged.]

He wasn't exactly wrong. I wasn't doing so great of a job as a leader...

[Even knowing the clone was a clone, Keith did still take a lot of the criticism to heart... and it stayed there. He knew he was better now, and he knew he still had some growing to do, but he definitely wasn't proud of some of the things he did when he first started off before leaving to go to the Blades.]

I made a lot of mistakes.

No, you were still learning that is true. But part of being a leader is helping others learn how to be leaders as well. Things that were said... it was done wrong. When I think back on them, my instincts tell me it was wrong. You shouldn't have been berated in front of the team when you were the leader. You should have been supported in your decisions in order to help build their confidence and yours. I shouldn't have objected so harshly over it.

But- [Keith sighed.] Before you- before I found the clone... I made mistakes. I could have gotten us in a lot of trouble. I did get us in a lot of trouble. It wasn't just him. We couldn't form Voltron, and we weren't ready with me and Lance being in different Lions and Allura having never been in one before. And I stupidly followed Lotor right into a trap.

.....

I could have gotten them all killed. He wasn't exactly wrong. I wasn't ready to lead the team.

Everyone makes mistakes. Part of being a leader comes from experience, both good and bad. I haven't always made the best decisions.

But that doesn't explain it. The clone didn't know about that. He was talking about something else when he did that. He reduced your opinion of your abilities and the team's opinions in public and then said praise in private. That's not a good way to do it.

[The clone hadn't exactly had to push too hard to lower Keith's opinions of his own ability to lead a team. He already had been pretty sure at the time that he couldn't, regardless of any input from a fake Shiro.

But, he sighed a little. That was past them. And he'd taken the lead in recovering Shiro and fighting against Lotor, and they had a very long journey ahead of them. Keith was still nervous, but he didn't have as much doubt anymore. He knew it was kind of silly to keep dwelling on what happened between himself and the clone.]

I guess. [He looked at Shiro for a moment, and then managed a weak smile.] We're okay now, though, right? I mean, you're really you again. And I figured out a lot about myself while I with my mom, so... I think... I think we're gonna be okay. It's going to take a long time, but we'll get back to Earth. I know we will. We're a good team.

Yeah, we're okay. [He smiled] I'm me, in a body again. And I'm guessing you're you, but its hard to tell sometimes.

[He's trying to make a joke out of it]

I'm glad you figured things out. We'll all make a great team together.

Yeah... I'm still me. [Just... two years older and somewhat less temperamental, but he was still Keith. He nodded.]

We do.

[He reached over and put his hand on Keith's arm. Granted he only had one arm to do that at the moment, but he was still going to]

Thanks for all the help you've been giving me.

[Keith gave Shiro a small smile in return.]

Of course.

[Like he wouldn't have...]

[Yeah he knows Keith would have anyway, but he felt he should properly thank him]

You and Black have been a big help through all of this... and you too Youta.

[He added when the dog poked his head over the side of the couch]

[Keith smiled at the dog and then gave a small shrug.]

It's the least I can do. I'm just glad Black's been able to help, too.

[He had been worried that, after Allura had to pull that piece of Shiro's soul from the Black Lion, that the connection would have been broken.]

[The bond was weak, but Shiro could still tell the lion was there. Also it was pretty clear the lion was being protective, placing himself near Shiro to keep him extra safe]

No, the least would be to give me a bread box and say good luck.

[He's teasing!]

[Keith looked confused.]

What would you do with a bread box?

Well if it has bread in it, I can eat the bread without much trouble. If it doesn't, I can try to learn one handed juggling.

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