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[bigbrained]

[Being core members of the Voltron coalition meant that sometimes the team had to spread their forces thin in order to take care of everything that required their attention. Sure, they had other allies who could hold their own -the Blade of Mamora for example- but it had a little more impact if the paladins themselves saved a colony or planet, as opposed to more Galra.

In other words: politics.]

I mean, I understand what Coran was saying but I still think it's kinda dumb, right Keith? [Undeterred by Keith's noncommital 'uh huh's and 'yeah's, Hunk continues on as he follows Keith's lead and slows down his approach. They're going to have to try and sneak up on this installation or risk the Galra retaliating against the captured techs for calling for help.] They've been around way longer than we have, and fighting for way longer too! It kinda feels like we're shoving them out of the way to get all the glory. Not that that's what we're doing, but it sure feels like that's what we're doing. I guess in the end it doesn't really matter who gets the job done so long as the people are saved, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Right? Do you have a bad taste in your mouth too, Keith?

Comments

[whatsacactus]

But it was funny, huh?

[He cracks a little grin himself, watching because this is better. Hunk's better when he's not panicked and anxious. But Keith still has eyes so he reaches for his arm.]

Hey- What else is wrong?

[bigbrained]

Aahh, [Hunk sighs, rolling his left shoulder a little and wincing before clipping the kit shut.] It's just my side, I just think I banged it. It's fine, it's not bleeding. [Probably just a bruise, right? And he's overreacting, it can't hurt that much, he's just wired and everything.

Of course, now they gotta figure out what to do. But...with Keith with that leg and him with this concussion, the best thing might actually be rest.] I think...even though the Galra forces are probably gonna come looking for us, I think we should try and close up Yellow and get some rest here.

[whatsacactus]

[He still worries, but he knows Hunk isn't one to downplay problems. He'd know if it was life threatening.

Keith sighs and just. Casually rests a hand over his side trying to get a feel of what happened to his chest; pretty sure that's a cracked or bruised rib. Hunk hasn't caught that yet so he'll keep it to himself until he can get something to support it later. His friend's done enough for him already.

He leans back, closes his eyes.]

...Rest might not be a bad idea. You're right. Do you need help?

[bigbrained]

I got it. [He's already dragged his feet with the important stuff, he can at least get the doors himself. And that he does, straining a little bit to go easy on his side but managing to pull the doors mostly shut and throwing them into darkness, minus the ghostly blue lights on their armor.]

Jeez...who thought a jungle could be so cold? Never missed controlled climate as much as I do now. [Hunk rubs his arms as he comes back over to Keith's side, situating himself so his back is against the wall with his legs open and his knees bent.] Okay, well, you better get over here.

[whatsacactus]

[He hates not being able to do something. Hunk's done so much already.

But he watches him sit there and blinks slowly.]

... What?

[bigbrained]

[what 'what'] Get over here. Can you sit up? [Hunk thumps his chest a couple times with an open hand.] It's cold, you're suffering blood loss and honestly I could use a hug, so get over here.

[whatsacactus]

Oh.

[... Blood loss? Is that why he's always cold after he does something stupid? Huh, go figure.

He keeps his bad leg straight out and shifts over to him to lean against his side. Enough space Hunk can shove him off if he gets tired of it.]

[bigbrained]

[keith omfg]

That's- no. We're sharing body heat, not a park bench. You gotta have more contact than that. [First of all his side hurts, second of all no, that's worthless. So Hunk just sighs and manhandles Keith until he's between his knees and leaning back against his chest. Maybe if he weren't so tired he would be more embarrassed about this- no actually, he wouldn't. It's all his friends that get weird about hugs and cuddles like it's proposing or something.

Hunk wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him back until he's leaning back against Keith's chest.]

[whatsacactus]

Wha- [And now he's being manhandled! Is this how the Red Paladin, Pilot of the Black Lion falls in battle? Being...cuddled to death.

Actually it's not bad. Keith is only ever weird because other people make it weird, Lance, and honestly? It is comfortable. And it's a lot warmer than sitting over by himself. So good on Hunk, getting through that thick head of his by not using words. At least someone on the team besides Shiro was learning.

He only readjusts a little for his ribs but beyond that? Yeah, it's. Nice.]

... I didn't get a good look at outside, but it probably won't take them long to find us. [He just assumes Yellow left a nice big neon sign of "this is where we crashed" through the debris.]

[bigbrained]

Yeah... [Hunk sniffs a bit as he settles down; he definitely doesn't get cold easily, and he can feel Keith warming up against him so he wraps his arms loosely around Keith's shoulders to make sure he's getting maximum contact.

Keith's not wrong, they're probably searching them out right now, but something's bothering him...] Hey, what kind of soldiers did you find inside the facility? Was it all foot soldiers?

[whatsacactus]

[While Hunk settles in, Keith carefully works to get his helmet off and set it next to them. His hair's a nasty mess underneath it but in this shitty lighting, who could tell, really.]

Hm? Uh. Drones, those big robots. [He doesn't immediately see the problem with that. They've fought a lot of them before.]

[bigbrained]

So nobody actually alive. [That confirms it.] That pulse was definitely a trap, but at least I don't think anybody'll come after us for a while. They must've been unsure about whether or not that generator thingy would blow up the whole facility and didn't want to risk losing any soldiers. I think we'll be okay until they come nosing around the system to see if it worked, and hopefully by that time Allura and everybody will be on their way without our check-in.

[whatsacactus]

Hopefully.

[With the combination of no check in and Yellow falling off the radar, that's sure to send up red flags and bring them down. Hopefully not by that generator.]

We gotta find a way to let them know not to get near that thing. If it could take out a Lion, it can definitely do damage to the castle too.

[He's slowly losing track of the conversation; Hunk is almost too warm and not having his helmet blocking him from what is probably the best pillow he's ever rest his head on, it's hard staying awake now. He didn't realize how tired he'd gotten until this second.]

...If we'd had some dry wood I could've built a fire...

[bigbrained]

[Yeah that's it, lean back and sleep.] Let's work on that tomorrow, Davy Crockett. I'm so tired I don't think I could get back up even if we had to. [And now that he's stationary, it's true; his head is heavy, and he's ninety percent sure that the thing about people with concussions having to stay awake is a Hollywood trope and not actually true, and his side aches but thankfully not enough to keep him up. And Keith is warm and his hair is soft under Hunk's chin and even with a busted leg, Hunk's confident that Keith can take care of anything that would try to come after them.

Hey, if they're lucky, when they wake up Yellow will be back.

-

It's still pitch dark when Hunk finally wakes up, and as he sits still and listens for the sound of intruders and comes up with nothing. Looks like they're still in the clear.

Keith is thankfully breathing, still against him (and that was part of the reason why Hunk wanted him right there anyway, just to make sure he didn't stop during the night), so Hunk doesn't move much, just letting his head fall back against the wall as he closes his eyes and dozes.

-

When he wakes again it's because he'd shifted and the movement sent a stab of pain through his side so blinding that he jolts awake with a gasp, jostling Keith as he grabs for his side.] OW ow ow ow, ow, ow-

[whatsacactus]

[He sleeps easy, heavy. Probably some of the best sleep he's had in a long time, though whether that's from the sheer exhaustion or sleeping against Hunk, he can't guess. Keith only rouses a little when Hunk shifts the first time, not even fully waking and settling again. He mostly just has those same dreams where he's looking for Shiro, risks losing the family he's found. Fun stuff. Things he's never going to bother the others with.

It's not until his foundation is moving and there's noise and--]

Wha? [God, he slept hard. He doesn't remember where he is for a minute, reaching to stand and immediately regretting it in his leg but he hears Hunk and that's the first solid thought that breaks through the jolt of pain.]

Hunk- hey, what is it! [Shit shit shit did Hunk get hurt worse than they thought, did something else happen, did he do something and doesn't know it yet, what what]

[bigbrained]

I'm fine, [Hunk wheezes, sounding anything but fine, half-doubled over and clutching his side. Geez, who knew a bruise could hurt so bad?] Just...p-pulled my side. Must've gotten stiff. [See look he can get u- oh owowowowow no he can't, he cannot get up right now,] Okay so maybe a little less fine than previously anticipated...

[whatsacactus]

Wha- Hunk. Pulled your side?

[Yeah, he sounds less than pleased about that. Christ, and here he's been sleeping on it. He moves as best he can to the side Hunk is reaching for and even if he can't see anything with the armor on, he tries to guess at it, just. Gently pressing his hands to different parts.]

You should've said something, or made me get up. [The head between the knees thing doesn't work for this. He thinks. So there's gotta be something else he can do to help.]

[bigbrained]

I thought it was just a bruise! It didn't hurt like this when we went to sleep.
[Hunk hisses and flinches as Keith pokes at him, but doesn't pull away. He's a little scared too, honestly; if Keith can't run and he can't even get up, they're done for.

His side feels swollen and puffy, so Hunk starts to painstakingly unlatch his chestpiece and shoulder pauldron to try and work the bodysuit down his arm and chest to get a good look at-

Holy shit. A bruise so dark and big that its mottled purple-brown surface stretches across almost his entire left side.] Uhhh...shhh, ow, yeah...probably shoulda iced that, huh?

[whatsacactus]

[Oh shit. He didn't have to try and guess where the bruise was. It was just everywhere. He's genuinely worried now. If it weren't dark, he'd try to look for something he could use.]

Does your lion have ice even? God, the one time we really need Lance here. [His Lion could just shoot some ice somewhere and they could scrape off what they need.He doesn't know what to do. This is arguably one of the less ideal situations he's been in and he doesn't know what to do. He has to keep it together, not panic in front of Hunk.

Which means something he probably doesn't want to think about but he's gotta do.]

[bigbrained]

Yeah, ah, not so much. [Okay, so, next best thing,] Uh, kit. The kit...painkillers and- anti-inflammatory stuff. Be good with those.

[whatsacactus]

... Got it.

[Way better plan than what he was starting to put together.

Okay, he can do this, just get the kit and bring it back. He takes a breath and rests one hand on Hunk's shoulder to help get him up to his good leg.]

Don't. Move.

[Don't even flail, buddy. He starts limping to go find where Hunk put the kit back to and it's real slow going. Once he's out of immediate sight, he stops to lean against the wall holding his side to breathe because okay, he probably needs some of that too.

He's back later, tries to ease himself back down with the kit and opens it up. He... has no idea what any of this stuff is.]

...I don't know which is which. It's all in Altean. [No shit, Keith.]

[bigbrained]

[God...Keith's leg must be real bad for him to be so hunched like that. They're both gonna have to be careful.]

S'fine, I- had Allura show me some stuff after Lance got hurt. [Realizing that none of them could even read medicine bottles was a scary experience, one that Hunk immediately wanted to rectify.

He holds out a hand, the other gingerly cradling his side.] There should be one with blue stripes along the bottom, and another one with red letters.

[whatsacactus]

[He nods, starts picking up bottles and holding them in his suit's little lights to find the ones Hunk is talking about. For calling human medical practices barbaric, the Alteans matched it pretty closely in a lot of this smaller stuff. But he'd give a lot for them both to have a week in a healing pod.]

Okay this looks like one. [He holds out one bottle, red letters he thinks. Hard to tell with his vision blurring a little.]

[bigbrained]

[Hunk takes it, squints at the bottle as well before cracking it open and shaking out three little iridescent pills.] Here, you take one too.

[whatsacactus]

[He looks at the bottle in his hand, then the pills Hunk holds out to him. honestly? he trusts hunk with this kind of stuff entirely.He would just as soon make sure the bleeding stops and call it a day. so he grabs the pills and hands him the other bottle.]

Which is this that I'm taking?