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"You ran away." Lance said, bitterly. He knew there was more to it, a distinct undertone of hurt that anyone would have been blind to miss.
It hadn't always been like that, though. No, when Keith left, Lance had been pissed. He'd been so angry that their so-called leader would just walk away from them. More than that, that their so-called friend could walk away without so much as a glance back. It hadn't been easy for Lance, accepting Keith into his life as someone to respect, someone to trust. Evidently, it had been that easy for Keith to throw it away.
'Who am I gonna make fun of?' he had said, meekly, when he shared the news. He hadn't thought it was going to be his last words to the boy for six months. Two years, for Keith. Those doors closed behind his back, and Keith may as well have ejected himself straight off the ship, because Lance didn't see him again.
In fact, he didn't see much of anyone on the ship after that.
Logically, Lance's position as right hand of voltron should have been stronger than ever. There were no more complicated extras, they each had a role that was entirely their own. Five paladins for five lions. Yet, somehow, he felt more out of place than ever. They each broke off into their pairs and little groups, and Lance became distinctly aware of the hole at his side with nobody to fill.
He told himself, resolutely, that it wasn't Keith he was missing, but he had never been all that good at lying.
Days, weeks, dragged on and it became clear that Shiro didn't respect him.
Keith had.
It became clear that Pidge didn't trust him.
Keith had.
It became clear that Allura wouldn't listen to him.
Keith had.
It became clear that Lance was lonely.
Keith wasn't around to deal with that. He didn't call, didn't visit, didn't acknowledge their existence. It stung, more than Lance cared to admit.
When Keith came back, Lance hadn't even realised he had gotten his hopes up until he was brushed aside and the embarrassment came crashing down. He wasn't entirely sure what he had expected, for Keith to smile, look him in the eye and admit he'd missed him, despite everything. No, that wasn't Keith. Lance had thought, for a minute, that it could be, but it wasn't.
Pretty soon, it was obvious the Keith that had been his friend was buried. The trust, the respect was still there, but any sense of comraderie was gone. Keith would put his faith in Lance for missions with a new icyness, an almost clinical efficiency in the way he led them.
That, more than anything, had been what cut the deepest.
At least while Keith was gone, Lance could imagine that their newfound friendship would slot right back into place when they were reunited. He could remember what it was like to be part of a pair. A good team. Now, Keith's fire had been replaced with bruising stone.
It hurt. Lance was hurt, and angry, and disappointed, and more than anything he wanted his Keith back. The old Keith. For all he knew, it was a Keith that had never existed. He could be entirely invented inside Lance's mind, a product of loneliness and desperation. Whatever it was, it was easier than this.
"Maybe you should have just stayed away."