#martek

“Unfortunately, sir.” Martek sets his data pad down on top of the nearest console as he approaches. “This is completely inappropriate–”“Martek,” Fighan starts, sighing and frowning. “I am-”“Out of line!” Martek snaps. “And I said as much to you last night when you were discussing this nonsense at the end of the meeting!”“Oh this was a planned thing?” Matt muses. “Fun. Cool. I still don’t really get what’s happening.”“Commander Holt-”“I am making my intent, sir,” Fighan says, speaking over Martek, not even glancing his way. “I am utilizing the purpose of the Solstice and–” Matt holds up a hand, silencing him.“Do you think I’m stupid? I got that.” Matt rolls his eyes. “I mean, why is it happening, when you know I’m taken? That goes against some of the basic fundamentals of the Solstice Day, doesn’t it?”A beat of silence. Fighan’s confidence falters for the first time, the flower going a little slack between his fingers. “Sir?” Oh. Oh clearly he definitely didn’t know. Ah shit.“This is what I said last night!” Martek hisses. “But you did not want to listen!”“Be easy, Martek.” Matt keeps his gaze on Fighan. “I’m taken. Bonded. I’ve got a boyfriend.” He loosens his arms and lets them fall to his sides. “To the Black Paladin? That’s… kind of why he’s here without the rest of Voltron right now? Do people seriously not know this about me?”Martek sighs. “Commander–”“I thought I was being pretty obvious,” Matt muses idly, shrugging. “Apparently not. Gonna have to do something about that. Martek, remind me to do something about it later.” Fighan looks… crushed. Fucking hell. “Ah jeez.”“I–” Fighan starts before his cheeks color quickly and he whips the wildflower behind his back. “I’m sorry, Commander. I didn’t– I don’t….” His pointed ears droop just a bit at the tips. “My apologies sir. I overstepped my bounds. I had been sure that…” he shakes his head. “I am sorry.”“It’s… fine?” Matt blinks. What was fucking happening? “I’m… I’m good with pretending this didn’t happen, and seeing you in training tomorrow. Okay?”Fighan swallows and nods. “Yes sir. Thank you, Commander.”Matt nods. “Right. So… you’re dismissed, Fighan. See you, uh, later.” Martek steps aside so he can let the embarassed Alpha fighter slip past and hurry from the otherwise empty Hub. Thank God it was empty… Matt waits until the door hisses shut behind him before sighing. “What the fuck,” he breathes, carding a hand through his hair. “Did that just fucking happen?”“Yes,” Martek supplies. “I told him he should not advance on this ridiculous endeavor, sir.”Matt closes his eyes and sighs. “Yeah. I got that. Thanks… I think.” “Of course, Commander.” Martek pauses. “I do not know if now is the time, but… Shiro asked me to come find you. Your comm is still on silent and he has been trying to reach you.” Matt sighs once more, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll call him.” Shiro was going to have a field day with this.

“Are you alright?” Martek asks, eyes sharp with concern. “I’m fine.” Matt holds up a hand, closing his eyes, hand gripping tight to the edge of the console. He can feel the gazes of his Alphas from across the hangar, silent and sharp and vigilant. “Took a few rough hits getting out of there, that’s all. I’m just a little sore.”“Sir–”“Leave it.” It’s an order, but there’s no teeth behind it. Matt’s tired, he wants a shower, he wants his kin, and then a bed. To get any of that he needs to get out of the hangar and he’s sure as shit not gonna accomplish that if Martek starts in on motherhenning him over a few scrapes and bruises. “I’m gonna head out.”“Commander-”“Get the drive to Jion and some of the new coders. Let him run the breakdown, but double check the processing.” Matt pushes off the console and starts for the door. “He’s good at teaching, but he lets minor mistakes slip through in his work while he’s busy checking over theirs. But don’t tell him.”“Commander Holt-”Matt keeps going, talking and walking on his path. Get it all out now and then just get out. “It’ll just make him feel bad, and undermine how comfortable he’s gotten since you got back from Shi’or. I’d like to do anything to prevent that from–”“Matt!!” The snap of his first name rings through the air and stops him in his tracks. Martek never uses his first name anymore. Matt turns to face him slowly, the scrape of the metal soles of his feet the only thing to pierce the air. He expects to see annoyance or frustration on his second’s face, but instead finds… fear? What?Before he can ask what’s up, Martek steps closer to him pad and drive hugged tight against his chest. “You’re bleeding,’ he says, quickening his pace.Matt blinks. “…Didn’t we just do this? Coming out of the pod, we did this, right? Or did I hallucinate all that?” “Not your head.” Martek is at his side now, and he’s not looking at Matt, not looking up to meet his eyes, his gaze trained somewhere low on his torso. “Your side.”His side? What?” Matt follows Martek’s gaze and twists as gently as he can manage to try and get a hand over where Martek’s intense gaze rests. If there’s blood there, it’s gotta just be a stain… but it’s warm and sticky to the touch.He looks down and there’s a tear in his suit between two plates of the flexible body armor he wears, nothing big, barely more than a fingers width of space, and the black material is definitely wet. The spot doesn’t hurt, not anymore than the rest of his entire body, in fact, it’s almost numb to his touch.He pulls his hand away and stares down at the blood that’s now there. “Oh,” he breathes, new pain spreading through him, hot and fast, a sharp contrast to the icy haze that seems to trip down his spine, like someone threw cold water over his head. “Shit.”