#and Lance started out as a PTSD service dog

[purplesaline]

I was getting frustrated with my video game so Lance came and flopped on top of me

"Get squished"

[shopboughtchaos]

CamberlyRamblings - Character study: Aubrey Roberts - Chapter 2

Part two of who knows of this "short" character study that's growing so many various limbs. Anyway, more of the same PTSD related CW's as chapter one. But now with added: (failing to) process a death, and has all the "oh yeah, this is a rambly first draft mess" to contend with. So, with no further ado:

Lance-corporal George Vickers died a week later; heart attack. The doctors gave some guff about a weak heart exasperated by his night terrors, but Roberts didn’t need medical pontificating to know Vickers’ demons won that fight. The news had come as a shock. Vickers had seemed to be making good progress over the last few days, since the hermit’s gift. Roberts had taken that little sprig of dog-rose in during those days between Vickers’ death and the clearing of his room to make way for the next broken solider, even before the funeral, damn them.

The blasted thing had started sprouting roots and would soon be ready for soil, that bud slowly opening as it grew and thrived in its little jug of water on the windowsill. No wonder it grew everywhere here, if it would vie for life, even once severed, in so short a span of time. Maybe that sort of thought had been a comfort to Vickers by the end, if one were to be so romantically inclined. Though he clung to that more optimistic thinking, taking all its false edges and shaping it until it almost fit in place of despair, Roberts could not quite convince himself he was that romantic in nature. Correlation could not be relied on to be indicative of anything more than random chance - and perhaps the reminder hadn’t been the any extrapolated metaphor from the flower itself, but the knowledge that it signified that someone had heard Vickers, and cared, and wished to show it - even in a trite manner. Wished to give some proof that Vickers wasn’t alone. Lord knew feeling alone was the worst of it. It was better than the alternative. After all, if Vickers with his improvements could loose to his devils after all, what hope had any of the other men here? The other men agreed - with both the hope and the despair - when they dared to discuss it, just shy of Matron’s hearing. Pertleigh, a square-looking fellow, as if God made him entirely out of cubes, with a back that looked strong enough to squash Robert’s face between his shoulder-blades - if ever it was likely Pertleigh would let another man get that close - had become more animated in Vicker’s absence. “I can’t abide the sound of men screaming,” he’d said one night. “It reminds me of… of, well - you know. It sets a man’s own nerves on edge, doesn’t it?” Perhaps, without that most inescapable nightly reminder, Pertleigh would recover enough to leave this place and find his own quiet spot to retire in. Find himself a wife, maybe start a family - learn the shrieks of children that come from laughter instead. It was a bold dream. And a lie. The army didn’t care one whit about the soldiers for their own sake or their dreams of retirement. The army didn’t care enough to fix something it could not use. These men had signed up to serve the country and after the deficit of men only twenty years before, none of these soldiers would be so easily let go. They were to be fixed enough to return to war, and anyone who believed otherwise was deluded. Hell, even Pertleigh knew it. But every man here had to hold to a delusion as an anchor against the weight of the truth. Roberts wasn’t about to dismantle this one when it did so little harm. There was harm enough to go round, in little ways, already. Vickers’ family couldn’t travel to collect his body, and so his belongings were posted off north to his mother and the man himself was laid to rest without much pomp or ceremony in the local churchyard. The small service was full of well rehearsed platitudes from strangers for a man they’d never known. Marched down to the church with the rest of the patients like boys on a school trip, Matron at the front with the doctor, Nurse Bridget walking demurely towards the back of the group to keep any of the men from straying.

Even the other patients hadn’t known Vickers well enough to really add a few words. It was a lonely send off, with a demoralising effect on too many of the men. Some few villagers showed up too, mostly those that worked at Camberly House itself in some fashion, including the hermit, Loval. Roberts caught sight of him oh his march back to the House after the service. The hermit stood by the remains of the churchyard fence, the iron stripped away for the war effort to leave odd waist height walls full of divots in the stone. He stood alone, looking into the graveyard, a black umbrella keeping the summer rain from him. He wore all black; slim trousers and a black woollen coat - double breasted - that came to his knees. His bowler hat dipped with his bowed head, obscuring his face. So much so that for a moment, Roberts wondered if he was hallucinating Vickers’ black devil figure. Then the hermit looked up and there was no mistaking that long face, even from a distance, not on that frame. He nodded at the party before wandering into town. He did not have to attend, and perhaps that was why he had stayed at the edges, not even crossing the church boundary, but Mr. Loval had come to see Vickers laid to rest all the same. Yes, at least Vickers had reason not to feel alone at the end. Lord truly knew that feeling alone was the worst of it. If he followed Vickers, Roberts’ parents would not collect him - even if they could travel - but the churchyard here was pleasant enough; the graves well tended with some almost artfully overgrown with that Camberly rose. And he didn’t need anyone to say much about him, anyway. It could be a pleasant rest, when the time came. Not that Roberts intended to let his devils take him without a fight, even if the battle was doomed. It wasn’t often anyone called Roberts stubborn - except his father, once - but he was broken, not despondent. The devils in his head could wait their turn. To their credit, the nurses were doing their best delay the inevitable. Without Vickers’ extreme terrors to take most of their attention, they had more time for chasing up their other patients, meaning Roberts’ chances at freedom of his own choosing were harder to take, and the four walls of his room - of the house - were beginning to close in on him. That made other things much harder to fight, waking in the morning covered in bruises from the furniture in his way - his nails worn down to the quick, and long marks against the locked door and the wooden walls. They’d boarded over his windows in case he went for the glass in his sleep and bled out. They removed mirrors entirely at lights-out, only returning them to let him wash and shave with some dignity in the mornings. It didn’t take much to worm out that the betting pool between the men had odds on him being next in line. A sobering thought, and all the more reason to prove the bastards wrong and push back against his urge to keep running. All he needed was some fresh air and space to think, or not. No, he needed the choice between fresh air and imprisonment, for there was still much comfort to be taken in being left alone in his room, as long as it was choice to be there. Without that choice, he was a true prisoner, and that was what made the sense of constraint all the harder to bear. He took his chance two weeks after Vickers’ funeral, when the nurses were busy prepping for the new arrival, and Matron herself had left the house to greet him. Getting to the roof was easier this time, from both his own experience and having watched the hermit make it look effortless. Roberts had always been a fast learner. The sun was tempered by the hazy grey clouds of an English summer, as if the light had been warned not to be so dazzling again. That steadfast commitment to bleakness. Perhaps this time, it would not cause such a distraction by giving the trees more presence than they deserved.

Pigeons took flight around him, their wings whistling as something began banging from behind him, metal on metal, rhythm but not melodic. Roberts turned, pressed against his piece of roof to look over the crest. The roof ran into a gully where the hermit was on his hands and knees, bowler hat tossed aside and his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing sparse dark hair on his forearms. The light, such as it was, caught on nails he carried in his mouth as he struck at the tiles with a hammer, securing loose ones back down, tapping the lead plate into place. Roberts sunk back to his precarious nook. He should sneak back inside before the hermit reported his transgression to Matron. Better not to risk souring that tolerance that had allowed him here once before. Better not to risk being locked down any more than he already was. “Private Roberts, I thought that was you.” Roberts looked up, Loval was leaning over from his side of the roof. He shielded his face from the light, so it was hard to tell his expression, but he lounged as if at ease. “I was fairly certain I locked that balconette behind me,” Loval said, shifting to show he didn’t look irked, at least. “I should be more careful. No idea what other doors might suddenly spring open.” “You did say this house was open for us,” Roberts said. “I did, Which is why I count this as a pleasant surprise,” Loval said, easing himself backwards slightly. “I’d been wondering how you were getting on after the death of your companion. Terrible business.” “Yes, it was,” Roberts said, unsure what else he was meant to add. “I’m sorry, none of us knew Vickers very well.” Loval pulled a face Roberts couldn’t quite read. “Ah, I had thought it was a different kind of set up. Alice has always made it sound like you’re a rather tight knit group.” “Alice?” “Your Matron. How long have you been here, Private Roberts?” “Almost four months now, I believe.” “And you don’t know the names of the people looking after you?” The hermit kept his tone neutral, if anything, appearing almost quizzical, as if the idea needed examining from all sides. Roberts held his ground. “I tend to keep to my own company, Mr. Loval. One should think you are familiar with the concept.” It was sharper than intended, and for what, because the man had asked a question? Had pointed out a flaw in Roberts character? “I mean no disrespect - quite the opposite - I know people have been calling me The Hermit for many years. But, I choose to live by myself, not live alone. The thought of not knowing who is around me is an odd one to consider.” “And meaning no disrespect, I don’t know any man in this place everyone pretends is a hospital has a story he wishes to share, and so, what is the point of asking after them, or any one else? As Vickers proves, we’re all on borrowed time here. There is nothing noble in spreading pain around - be that stories or giving someone something to miss when the demons win.” Roberts was on his feet and trembling, the pale echo of a cold night-sweat brewing as he realised his voice was carrying far louder than civil conversation required. Mr. Loval stayed frozen in place until Roberts began to un-clench and relax. Tonight would be bad, now even that was out the threadbare bag that held his emotions, no getting it back in. The pointlessness of it all. “I’m sorry, Mr. Loval. I did not mean to disturb you from your work.” The hermit brushed the apology off. “No, I’ve disturbed you. Though I regret the roof can’t wait. Say, if you don’t mind lending a hand, I can be out of your way sooner?” “I’m not a roofer.” “Neither am I, but the roof only cares that someone stops it leaking and there’s no one else but me here now, and I could use a hand, if one is willing.” It beat dwelling in his own mind, Roberts had come here to escape that, after all. He shrugged, and clambered over the crest of the roof, sliding into the gully. Mr Loval steadied him and offered him the chance to hold, or beat things into place.

Roberts took the hammer and, under brief guidance; Loval’s thin fingers pointing where to strike - and how hard - began to fix the roof. The work wasn’t hard of itself, any man without injury could swing a hammer, but the repetition and the awkward angles he held to get the best angles, and the summer heat, even without the direct sunlight, left him exhausted in only a few short hours - long enough for the sound of Matron’s car making its way up the twisty, narrow, road back to Camberly House to echo around the quiet grounds. “Ah, shit,” Roberts said, leaning back to wipe the sweat from his face. “I should get back before Matron notices I’m missing. I’m pretty sure a woman like that could summon Satan and have him on his best behaviour with little more than a glance.” Loval snorted. “That’s just the face she puts on to get the job done. Stay out her as long as you like, Private Roberts. Alice may be formidable but if she gives you any grief tell her I requested help for the upkeep of the house. It’s in their contract that the ministry of defence will provide people to maintain the place while they rent it out.” Roberts stretched out his back, and watched a bird hop between the chimney pots atop the breast, throwing twigs down before flying away to find more. “Really?” Loval nodded, following what Roberts was looking at, and pulled out a little notebook and pencil, noting something down. Probably that he’d need a sweep next. Unless he did it himself, he was thin enough to go up the chute, surely. The thought of the lean Mr. Loval covered in soot - and where the patches of skin might be when he stripped to bathe it off came unbidden, and unwanted, and Roberts closed his eyes against the thought. Four months in a house full of lonely men, and so carefully guarded he daren’t even fantasise, that thoughts were now creeping in from all sides about any man, even scrawny beanpoles like Loval. “Somehow we’re just a little too out of the way to ever get anyone.” Loval said, bringing Roberts back to reality with a welcome crash. “Bullshit really, the system’s rigged. It’s why they keep telling everyone to make do and stand alone. Don’t trust your neighbours, barely even trust yourself - and somehow that’ll see you right, chaps. Still, I’ll fight alone to keep this old girl standing as long as I live.” “Ah,” Roberts said. “You’re a pacifist. That’s why you aren’t enlisted.” At that, Loval laughed - a deep, rich, thing that echoed from the rooftops and startled more birds from their hiding places amidst the chimneys. It was a nice laugh, even if it came from a coward. “Oh, that is a loaded word, Private Roberts,” he said once he calmed down. “And I know what you mean by it in all ways. But, I will admit the imperial war machine has never made much sense to me, and in that regard I will claim pacifism, but not the subtext of cowardice. I recognise why we fight, despite smelling the propaganda all the way from London. Evil actions perpetrated by evil people - from our own as much as from any designated Other - should always be resisted by whatever measures they make necessary, as long as they are resisted.” It made little point in arguing why the hermit lacked nuance. The army greens Roberts wore spoke enough of the truth - and this civilian had never seen the things Roberts had - the reasons why he had been shipped to nowhere to recover. Evil actions perpetrated by evil people should always be resisted, and sometimes that resistance was not something one man alone could cope with. At least Roberts had done something more than Loval had. But, he was also too exhausted to make a fuss of it now - he had not been this involved in anything for too many months and all he wanted was a hot bath and a brandy and some music on the old record player and the hope to slip into a dreamless sleep until the morning.

“Then if it is not a deficit of courage, why didn’t you enlist?” “I’m medically exempt. I have a condition - a weakness around blood. Entirely embarrassing, I faint clean away at the sight of it. Apparently that is something of an occupational hazard around battlefields. So, I don’t impede the Home Guard if they’re in the area, and count that as my contribution instead. As is my offering Camberly House to men like you, Private.” “A strange contribution.” “Perhaps,” Loval said. “I have my reasoning, but I suspect it will sound ridiculous, and risk being poorly received, and I have already caused enough insult today.” “Well then, allow me to get the full measure of your mind, and use it to determine if continued insult means this should perhaps be our last meeting.” “Because they have been planned so elegantly,” Loval said, but he smiled as he said it, and coward or not, it was easy to see where that lively laugh had come from. And he did seem to want to talk to Roberts and hear what the solider had to say. Would indulging that truly be a poor thing? “As you said earlier, there is no point in spreading pain around. If offering my home could aid even just one person after the experiences they are subjected to, I have to make the attempt. Perhaps that is as much a weakness as my fragility around blood, but I am at as much a loss to be rid of it as the other.” That sprig of rose for Vickers, a man Loval had never met - just because the man screamed, and the way Loval had turned up for the service after Vickers died. Loval truly believed what he said, and acted on those beliefs. Roberts leaned against the tiles, feeling the warmth through his damp shirt and sighed. “Mr. Loval, I have the sinking feeling that you are a both an insufferable optimist and an indefatigable idealist.” Loval gave another of those rich laughs and Roberts felt the corners of his own mouth rise as if to match. “Private Roberts, it has been a long time since anyone has paid me a compliment like that, let alone two in such rapid succession. A man so starved for recognition as I am may take such things as a sign of impending friendship.” “Good lord, man. That might be taking optimism and idealism too far. We’re English, after all.” This time, when Loval laughed again, Roberts joined in.

[puppyexpressions]

10 Things You May Not Know About Military Dogs

1. Dogs have been in combat with US soldiers during every major conflict, but they were not officially recognized until WWII.

Sergeant Stubby of the 102nd Infantry, Yankee Division went from mascot to hero during WWI after being smuggled into battle by Private J. Robert Conway. Stubby went on to detect enemy gas, bark out warnings when rival troops were near and locate the wounded on the battlefield. By the start of WWII, the military had recognized the value canine soldiers could bring and began using them primarily for recon. Stubby forged the way for all canine soldiers who followed and remains a symbol of military bravery and heroism to this day.

Check out Stubby’s full story at fallendogs.com

2. They are trained in bomb, weapon and drug detection, tracking, and to attack the enemy.

Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX has been training sentry dogs since 1958.  Today, more than 1,000 dogs are trained at any given time by a staff of 125 from all branches of military service. The complex training techniques are designed to utilize the dogs’ natural gifts for focus and aggression to their advantage. German Shepherds and Labradors can detect weapons, bombs, gases and drugs more accurately than any available military equipment.

3. There are about 2500 dogs in active service today and about 700 deployed overseas.

Military dogs play an integral role in the current overseas conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. These dogs are among our most effective counter measures against terrorists and explosives.

4. 85% of military working dogs are purchased from Germany and the Netherlands.

The 2013 article “Canines in Combat” from San Antonio Magazine notes that the bloodlines of these dogs go back hundreds of years, making these pups literally “born for the job.” The Air Force Security Center, Army Veterinary Corps, and the 341st Training Squadron are combining their efforts here in the States to breed suitable dogs for military service. Currently the other 15% of working dogs are USA born and bred, and the military hopes to increase this number.

5. They are extremely valuable, and not just for their service.

A fully trained bomb detection dog is likely worth over $150,000. But really, these animals are priceless. With an average of 98% accuracy in their detection skills, the peace of mind they provide to the troops is immeasurable.

6. Only about 50% make it through training.

Military working dogs are not just chosen for their breeding or the keenness of their sense of smell, they must possess several other qualities. They must be free of physical issues like hip dysplasia and be highly reward motivated. Trainers use mostly toys like Kongs that can be hidden to represent bombs, but treats are also utilized. Suitable dogs for military service must also be able to attack on command. Pups have actually been dropped from the program due to extreme stress at having to bite a human. Military dogs must have just the right level of aggression and excitability.

7. They aren’t all German Shepherds.

When we think about military dogs, muscular German Shepherds tend to come to mind. But several different breeds have shown patriotic heroism over the years. Many branches use the highly trainable Labrador Retriever. The elite US Navy SEALS use the Belgian Malinois, a breed similar to the German Shepherd, but smaller. These dogs are incredibly compact and fast with a sense of smell 40 times greater than that of a human. Their small stature make them ideal for parachuting and repelling missions with their handlers. The SEALS were accompanied by a Belgian Malinois named Cairo during their raid on Osama Bin Laden in 2013.

8. They can get PTSD.

Just like their human brothers and sisters in arms, pup soldiers are susceptible to the horrors of PTSD. War dogs experience severe emotional trauma during deployment, and for some it becomes too much. Gunner, a Marine bomb sniffing dog became so skittish and unpredictable during active duty that he was declared “surplus” by the military and released from service. Gunner was adopted by the family of Corporal Jason Dunham who was killed near the Syrian border in 2004. He and the Dunhams are working on healing together.

9. They mourn the loss of their handler and vice versa.

In Rebecca Frankel’s book, War Dogs she explores the remarkable bond that develops between service dog and handler. One such pair was Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Ashley and “Sirius”. They were the number one team during training at Yuma military base, but tragically Josh was killed by an IED just two months after deploying to Afghanistan. “Sirius” at first refused to take commands from his new handler and showed significant signs of agitation at the loss of his partner. Such stories are all too common among canine and handler teams.

If a dog of war is lost in combat, he or she is honored by the entire squad. Feeding dishes are symbolically placed upside down and a poem called Guardians of the Night is read in their honor.

10. Until November 2000, military dogs were euthanized or abandoned after retirement.

Before this time service dogs were considered “military surplus equipment” and deemed unfit to adjust to civilian life. These heroes were thrown away or put down instead of honored. President Clinton passed “Robby’s Law” in 2000 which allows handlers and their families first dibs at adopting military animals at the end of their useful service. The dogs are next offered to law enforcement, then adoptive families. Organizations like Saveavet.org place these retired heroes with suitable families and ensure they are given the honorable discharge they deserve. There are currently long waiting lists of civilians who want to give these veterans a loving home in which to retire.

[kiritwink]

neurodivergent klance headcanons

so me, @spaceklace and a few others from our server (if you want to be tagged here lmk!) were coming up with some headcanons for autistic!keith and adhd!lance that we thought we'd share.

there's also some mentions of other characters being nd too so keep an eye out for those!

some time after the series has finished keith gets a cat named after red who is perfect for sensory related things. listening to him purr is a great auditory stim, plus his fur is super soft and relaxing to touch. it also doesn't shed because it's long and keith likes to rest his head on his stomach for a while. he also likes to lie on keith when he's in his bed and the feeling of being crushed is nice. it's a match made in heaven as keith gets tons of ways to stim with his feline friend and red gets constant affection from his owner.

lance also has one named after blue, though he has her for less stim-related things and more because he just loves cats, and owning two named after the lions of voltron is nice for reminiscing about their time in space together. owning two cats is also great for keith because if there's ever a point when red just wants to do his own thing then blue will be more than happy to cuddle keith in his place.

shiro owns a service dog to help him cope with his ptsd so when he comes to visit it lets keith and lance touch its soft fur.

hunk, looking for lance: "hey shiro have you seen lance anywhere?"

lance, crushed from underneath a dog, two cats and keith: "sup"

guess you could quite literally call it a dog pile

keith is definitely a happy flapper! and it gets better when lance lets him wear his jacket as it's too big for so the sleeves end up being longer than his arms, which is great for flapping!! he likes putting the hood up too because it simulates the feeling of getting hugged by lance and makes keith feel safe.

because of the mystery surrounding his blade of marmora knife, keith has a lowkey special interest in knives. he likes the cold, smooth surface of stainless steel and he loves the holographic knives that shine in rainbow colours.

another special interest is on motorbikes. he definitely learned to build that one he rides in the pilot episode by himself.

keith is really happy when he learns that pidge is also autistic (even though her traits affect her a lot less than his does). they both share an interest on cryptids and conspiracies.

LANCE, KEITH AND PIDGE ALL SHARE A HUGE SPECIAL INTEREST/HYPERFIXIATION ON SPACE! they all originally joined the garrison because of their similar interests, though with the disappearance of shiro and his crew keith and pidge's goals changed slightly.

on nights when he has too much energy and can't sleep, lance likes to look up any facts for space that he doesn't already know.

lance, slam dunking into keith's room at 3 am: KEITH DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU BREACH A BLACK HOLE YOU GO THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED SPAGHETTIFICATION

keith: lance ily but pls go to bed

they start up a conspiracy that bii boh bi could survive going through a black hole.

lance: we need to throw bii boh bi into the void

keith: lance no

lance has a hyperfixiation on video gaymes and they're great for his adhd as they give him something to do with his hands. keith doesn't really understand but loves hearing lance infodump about his favourite games.

lance likes to wear strong cologne because the smells are gud, but when he learned that some of them are too strong for keith he switched over to a weaker type that still smells nice.

hunk has anxiety and fidget toys help to keep him calm so keith and lance both share their toys with him and they play with them together as a group.

a hunk hug™ is the best. lov the crush.

keith: hunk i need you to fucking crush me right now

hunk: woah buddy, are you sure? i don't want to end up accidentally hurting you or anything

keith: pls

hugs from shiro and allura have similar effects.

lance loves playing with hair so he can move his hands. his mom owned a salon on the sidewalk in veradero that would let him braid the hair of tourists and he became really skilled at it. he then started to broaden his horizons and experiment with different hairstyles.

sometimes tourists would revisit him just so he can do their hair again.

since he can't really do that up in space anymore, allura lets him braid her hair. keith sometimes likes to help out because it's soft and fluffy.

keith's father isn't perfect but he tries his best with raising an autistic son. he believes that his son is incredible in his own right and wants to curb stomp all of the 'autism parents' that want to cure keith.

being a single father living in the middle of fucking nowhere is hard but he makes do until he disappears.

if anybody wants to add anymore headcanons then feel free to!!

[zheawshomeprussia]

Voltron animal shelter au

So I was thinking about the lions and cats and this just popped into my brain cave so here we go Imagine if Voltron was the product of a child's imagination. The child's mom is this awesome veterinarian and she takes him to work sometimes to keep an eye on him because she is a single mother, so to occupy his time he imagines the volunteers at the shelter as the paladins. Each of the paladins have a cat that follows them around for some reason, no one knows why these cats got attached to them specifically, but the paladins and the kid rolls with it and that was his idea for the lions. SHIRO Shiro is a war veteran with PTSD and a prosthetic arm that he got after his arm was blown off due to a grenade, and in order to cope Shiro's therapist recommended that he volunteer at an animal shelter to add routine in his life and to calm him down. It worked so now every day after work and on days off he spends all of his time at the shelter. He is the main volunteer for the dog rooms, but he can sometimes be seen in the cat rooms so that Shadow can play with other cats Shiro's cat is a black cat who's name is shadow and has been at the shelter since birth. Shadow is calm and is commonly seen breaking up cat fights between Lance and Keith's cats. Shadow first became interested in Shiro on his first day and they immediately bonded. The child looks up to Shiro as a father figure because Shiro has been volunteering at the shelter ever since the kid was a baby. Shiro loves the kid back like his own son because he also calms Shiro down, and the child keeps morale up in the office. KEITH Keith has anger issues and goes to group therapy for it, and one day after a session the therapist gave Keith a brochure for the animal shelter and told him that they were looking for volunteers. Keith didn't think that it was a good idea but decided to try it once, and he stayed because he noticed that he didn't get angry while he was there, until Lance joined the crew. Keith and Lance fought sometimes, but after a while they started to get along really well to the point where they both have crushes on each other. Their cats try to get them together but they fail every time. Keith works with the reptiles because they remind him of his home in Texas, but will go in the cat room to talk to Shiro. Keith's cat is named Kindling but Keith just calls her Kin. Kindling is a blonde cat who is new to the shelter, she was a stray so she takes time warming up to people. When Keith became a volunteer he was given a tour, so when he went to the cat room he tried to pick up Kin and she scratched him, but after that Kin started to pour and rub against his leg which shocked Shiro because Kin has never acted like that towards anyone in the shelter. The child sees Keith as a mean older brother of sorts so he'll try to stay out of his way, but will gladly prank him with Lance when he has the chance. LANCE Lance started to volunteer around the same time as Keith but for a really different reason. Lance started to volunteer for community service hours for school. Lance needs about fifty hours to graduate and he put it off until his senior year, so when he went to his guidance counselor about it, he told Lance that the only way to get enough hours is to volunteer at the shelter daily, so he did, but after Lance got all of his hours he just kept coming back. It turns out that Lance really likes it there and has made a great group of friends from it, including his cat Lake. Lance works with all of the fish and amphibians that they get, which is not much, but Lance loves them because they remind him of Cuba Lake was named after where she was found, which was in a lake. Lake almost drowned but she warmed up to her saviors very easily. When Keith started to volunteer, Lake hung around him a few times until Lance started and they became best friends. Lake is a brown cat with a white belly, paws, and mouth, but she has the most striking blue eyes just like Lance. The child sees Lance as a cool older brother, and he normally hangs out with him because Lance tells the best jokes and pulls the best pranks. PIDGE Pidge started to volunteer at the shelter to study their tech. Pidge wants to design new machines that will help animals just like her brother and father, so what better way to do that than to volunteer at a shelter. Pidge came in as the fourth person to the team and they found her skinny arms very useful in the rodent room when one of the rodents would escape and get stuck behind a shelf, so that's where they put her. During slow times in the rodent room, Pidge explores and studies the different tech that the shelter has, she even upgraded their security system and made machines that helps Shiro take care of the dogs. Pidge's cat is a white cat with striking green eyes named Petunia because she loves to be outside and to roll around in the grass. Pidge first met Petunia when she was carrying parts around and dropped a few things, but Petunia helped to pick them up and brought them to Pidge's work station, and they haven't been apart since. Petunia will help Pidge with her work but every one in a while she will nudge Pidge until she takes her outside because Petunia knows that sometimes Pidge needs a break and to enjoy nature. The child sees Pidge as an older sister. Pidge built a robot for his birthday once and he has loved her ever since. HUNK Hunk started to volunteer at the shelter because ever since he was a kid he has dreamed of opening up a restaurant for people and their animals, so he figured if he volunteered, then he would get to see if the animals liked his food, which they do. Hunk likes to have a quiet place to think about his recipes, so he works in the cat rooms for that reason, and the fact that all of the cats love him and like to cuddle with him. Hunk makes food for the other volunteers and staff as well because he wants to see if humans will like his creations too. Hunk's cat is named Honey because he is blonde and is very fat like a honey pot. Honey is one of the nicest cats in the cat room, and he became drawn to Hunk because he would always have a snack and will wait for him to catch up unlike the other humans and cats. Honey is always the first to taste test Hunk's food and she always loves it. The child loves Hunk and he will always go to him for snacks whenever hungry. Hunk has the kid be his first human to taste any of his food because kids a brutally honest and Hunk knows that the kid won't sugar coat anything. ALLURA Allura is the head veterinarian at the shelter and is the mother to the child (bet you didn't see that one coming). Allura's husband left her when she was pregnant for another woman, and with her father gone, when she took over the shelter she had to bring her child in because a baby sitter just didn't fit into the equation. Allura relies on the secretary Coran though to keep an eye on her kid because he has been their for her ever since she was her kids age. Coran always called Alfor the king of animals so the kid always saw her as a princess, and she has the paladins help her with the animals. CORAN Coran has worked at the shelter for years, ever since it opened in fact. He was the first employee and he helped Alfor everyday with the people and the animals. He always had a smile on his face when a family would take home a new pet, but when Alfor died suddenly in a car crash, the shelter lost business until Allura started to pick up where her father left off and business was up again. Coran looks after the kid and the paladins like a grandfather figure, always making sure they're alright and are fed, and making sure that the animals aren't giving them a hard time, and when they do, Coran will tell the paladin to take a break and Coran watches them, and when the paladin comes back, all or their animals are calm and none of them can figure out why, but they don't ask questions because Coran won't tell them how anyway

[lordofthebigtimesupernatural]

I don't know if you accept prompts her or just on your ao3 account but I love your story so much it gives me so much feels!!! I saw the thing where Shiro didn't want Keith to come home broken like he was and how Keith had more scars on his chest with the dog tags. Could you do a chapter where Keith is trying to hide his PTSD and isn't being honest. Lance and shiro are of course worried. At some point Keith explodes or something happens and there's a confrontation from them both. Thankyou so much

Ah again, I’m sorry this took so long! But this prompt was so awesome! I take prompts here or on AO3 so I am glad you find me. I’m assuming you wanted Keith and Lance in the AU where they are in a relationship so I continued that with this ask! This is set after the one-shot where Lance proposed to Keith in the airport when he returned home. Ugh, this was so hard to write and so angsty but of course I put some fluff in and I loved it. Thank YOU so much for asking and enjoying this verse. I love you guys. Enjoy!

x.V.x

              Keithhad been home for almost six months now.

              Lifeshould be perfect. He was home at twenty-three. He didn’t lose any limbs likehis father had. He was engaged to agorgeous man. He was well loved and he had a new dog after Red’s sad passinglast year. That was a surprise that Keith had cried through when Lancepresented the German shepherd puppy with big floppy ears and a tongue lollingout of his mouth. The two of them named the puppy Apollo and the dog wasmassive now.

              Stilllife should be perfect for Keith.

              Exceptit wasn’t.

              Keithhad scars. Lots of them. On his face. His neck and especially on his chest.Sometimes he went to be with a shirt on while Lance went shirtless, not becausehe was embarrassed by them but because of what they reminded Keith. Of the horrors, he’d faced while in the army.

              Keithwould never regret his decision to enlist and would always be proud to haveserved his home but that didn’t mean he came out unscathed. He’d watchedfriends, brothers die in his arms oralone. He’d been wounded. He’d killed people. He’d seen people – innocent peopledie. Children. Mothers. Fathers.

              Keithdidn’t sleep much anymore because of the nightmares. He always faked fallingasleep when he and Lance went to bed but usually would lie awake for hoursuntil dawn and only then could he catch a couple hours of sleep and still be upbefore Lance. He told Lance that his body was still in the military and keptwaking up early. Lance believed him.

              Keith’sdad had tried to see his son as often as he could and they usually went tolunch or dinner once a week, sometimes more if Lance joined them. Shiro wascareful to avoid any topics involving his enlistment but his eyes would lingeron the scars poking out from Keith’s collar and his eyes would get sad. Keithalways tried to cheer up his dad by asking about his service dog program andsoon enough the two of them would be talking about what dogs to pair up withVeterans they both knew.

              But itwas more than just the nightmares.

              Keithhad sold his car just after his enlistment, claiming that Lance or Shiro coulddrive him around whenever he was in town since it was a short time frame. AfterKeith, had returned home, Lance had offered to help Keith buy a car togetherand get him a new one.

              Keith didn’thave the heart to tell him that he felt claustrophobic in cars now, that he wasterrified a missile was going to tip the car over and explode. He didn’t havethe heart to tell Lance that he didn’t like trucks either because sometimes theengine sounded like explosions and Keith would feel as if he were back there.

              InsteadKeith lied and said they should be focusing on money for the wedding and thathe was fine taking the bus for a while.

              Keithnever took the bus. He walked everywhere.

              Keithhated going to crowded places and had to hide in the bathroom for an hour whenhe and his family had gone to a midnight premier movie where the theater was packed with people. He’d told Hunk thatit was something he ate and immediately everyone went home with him.

              Keithdidn’t want to keep his friends from having a good time or going out and soonenough he found himself going out less and less, in fear that he would makethem want to go home because he wanted to go home. He didn’t want to feel likea burden to anyone. This would all pass in due time. He would be fine.

              Look athis dad. His dad was amazing.

              Whyshould he be so weak?

              Keithfelt like a ticking tomb bomb and even he wasn’t aware of when it would finallygo off. He just hoped that he would be alone when it did happen.

x.V.x.

              Thingsnever work out the way we hope though, do they?

              The dayhad been just like any other. Keith and Lance were visiting Shiro at hisshelter to discuss dates for their wedding. Keith and Lance had finally settledon a date in January, close to their anniversary and in Lance’s favorite timeof the year. Hunk and Pidge were coming to meet up with them along with Pidge’solder brother Matt.

              Keithwas on edge all day. He was exhausted from not getting enough sleep. He wasjittery from reoccurring nightmares when he did sleep and he was starting tohave some trouble differing between reality and his memories. He’d pulled ablack baseball cap over his head, and tried to cover his face as much aspossible while still happily engaging in a conversation with his dad and fiancé.But he was struggling to keep up after a while and was resorting to one wordanswers.

              “Keith,are you feeling alright?” Shiro finally asked when his son had said no morethan three words in an hour, even though he knewthat Keith was thrilled to get married. Even Lance was noticing something offwith his fiancé. Shiro had a better idea of what could be bothering Keith,judging from his poster, his dull eyes(god this was what Shiro had been terrified about; how can he help his baby?).

              Lanceput the back of hand to Keith’s forehead and Shiro caught the slight flinch. “Youfeel a little warm babe. Do you wanna go home?”

              “No!”Keith said quickly, pulling his hand down further over his face and rubbing hisarms. Lance had grabbed one of Keith’s hand, which had more scars than hisother hand and slowly traced each one of the scars. Normally, Keith would calmdown at this but he seemed to only be winding up tighter and tighter. “No, wejust got here and I want to spend time with you and my dad!”

              “Keith,honey, it’s okay.” Shiro said softly. Despite growing up, Keith was neverbothered that Shiro would still give him nicknames. “If you’re not feelingokay, you should go home and rest.”

              “I’mfine dad.” Keith snapped at Shiro much to everyone’s surprise. “Stop babyingme.”

              “No oneis babying you.” Lance frowned. “If you’re not feeling well we can go home, soyou can get better! We can see Shiro tomorrow or any day.”

              “I wantto see you guys now.” Keith hissed.

              “Keith,don’t be a baby. Let’s go.” Lance argued hotly and Keith’s eyes narrowed.

              “Quit fuckingbossing me around Lance. You’re not in charge of me.” Keith rolled his eyes andignored Lance’s reply.

              “Keith,stop it. Don’t talk to Lance like that.” Shiro scolded and could see that thesituation was escalating. He’d seen firsthand how soldiers who didn’t deal withtheir PTSD acted and Shiro was ashamed that he hadn’t seen this sooner. He hadjust prayed that Keith wouldn’t have to suffer like he had. Keith’s entire bodywas vibrating and he squeezed his hands into fists on his lap.

              Just ashe was about to shout at his dad and fiancé, a body slammed into Keith frombehind and he was jolted into the counted. Just as the stranger was about toapologize, Keith shoved himself off the counter and snatched the guys armbefore twisting it behind his back. The young man cried out and apologized overand over while Keith shoved him to the ground.

              “Getdown! Get down!” Keith commanded, hat falling off his face and Shiro’s heartsunk.

              “Keith!Stop it! What are you doing?!” Lance cried hysterically and tried to grabKeith, only to be stopped by Shiro.

              “Stop.He’s not here anymore.” Shiro whispered.

              Lancegawked. “What do you mean?! He’s right there.”

              “No Imean, he’s not here. He’s back at war.” Shiro said hoarsely and Lance’s eyeswidened. The stranger cried out again and Lance could see a crowd beginning togather around the shelter and his heart began hammering in his chest.

              Beforeanyone could move, Shiro had grabbed both of Keith’s arm and pulled Keith backagainst his chest. Shiro was bigger in size, but Keith was taller and had themost recent training. Still, even with Keith’s strength, Shiro managed to pullhis son off the stranger and did the one thing that he had hoped he would never do to another person.

              Especiallyhis son.

              He pulledKeith to the ground and straddled over him, forcing Keith to the ground.

              “Let mego, you fuck! Let me go. My team is coming, they’ll be here for me!” Keith’seyes were crazy wild and darting all around the room, unseeing in the present.Sweat was building on his pale face and Shiro’s heart cracked.

              “Lance,get everyone out of here. Now!” Shiro yelled over his shoulder, grunting whenone of Keith’s boots hit him in the chest. He scrambled to keep himself on topof Keith when Keith tried to buck out of his grip. Lance was stunned for amoment, but jumped into action after a loud shout from Keith.

              Heshoved the poor stranger out of the shelter and ushered everyone else outbefore locking the main door and closing any blinds.

              “Keith,calm down! It’s July 26. You’re home. You’re in my service dog shelter withLance. My name is Takashi Shirogane and I’m your father.” Shiro pleaded whenLance stood beside them still shaking. Lance couldn’t believe that Keith wasstill fighting so desperately against his own father.

              “Youstay away from my dad!” Keith hissed eyes still unfocused.

              “Keith!It is me, your dad! And Lance is here too. You remember your fiancé, right?”Shiro asked softly.

              “Keithplease come back to us. Please.” Lance’s voice cracked with tears and he almostfeel to his knees.

              “Youkeep him out of this! He has nothing to do with his worry! If you touch him, I’llkill you!” Keith screamed and slammed his entire body back against the ground.Shiro struggled tiredly against his son, unsure of how much longer he couldhold his son done. Physically and mentally.

              “Youleave them out of this. Leave them alone. Leave them – please. Don’t hurt them.”Shiro and Lance were both stunned when Keith’s struggles slowed down and hebegan to sob. His body went limp in Shiro’s arm as tears rolled down his faceand Shiro was quicker than lightning to get off Keith. Carefully he began tostroke Keith’s cheek as Keith leaned into the touch.

              “Keith,please come back. Your dad is safe. I’m safe.” Lance begged and placed Keith’shead in his lap. It took a few more long, long minutes of Keith sobbing andspeaking incoherent sentences before he finally opened his eyes again and looked.

              “Lance?Dad?”

              “OhKeith!” Lance burst into tears and even Shiro felt a few tears trail down hischeeks. Keith frowned tiredly and blinked a few times as he tried to get hisbearings. It was a feeling that Shiro was all too familiar with, so he pushedKeith down gently when he tried to sit up.

              “Staydown. It’s okay. You must be exhausted.” Shiro said softly as he continued tostroke Keith’s cheek, smiling weakly when Keith leaned into the touch.

              “You’recrying? Why?” Keith asked tiredly.

              “Whydidn’t you tell us it was so bad?” Lance croaked and Keith frowned inconfusion. “Your PTSD.” At this, Keith could put two and two together and he washorrified to think that his dad and his love had just seen him fall apart. Atthis, he could feel new tears pooling behind his eyes and his throat was slowlytightening. How could he let this happen?

              “I’msorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Keith said, bursting into new tears, unashamed ashe cried like he had when he was no more than a baby. He felt his dad and Lancesit him upright before they both engulfed him in a hug and Keith clung to them desperately.“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

              “NoKeith, we’re sorry. We’re sorry you’ve been struggling all alone.” Lancewhispered softly and found his own tears drying.

              “But youdon’t have to be alone anymore. We are here to help you. Through the good andthe bad.” Shiro said softly. “Please don’t hide it anymore. It only gets worse.Believe me.” Keith continued to cry but Lance and Shiro weren’t worried aboutit. This was what Keith needed; in order to heal.

              Heneeded to cry and he needed to let go.

              You’re not alone Keith. You never were.