Chapter Text
———
The planet they had landed on seemed safe. Occupied by a low intelligence species that didn’t appear to pose a threat towards the paladins. Lance had suggested they go exploring and, due to boredom and being stuck in the confines of a lion for a couple weeks on end, the group agreed.
It was a couple hours in when they first encountered the Yinkas. Small creatures that resembled skunks came into view and everyone had peeled up. Some out of excitement, Keith and Hunk out of an anxious fear. Allura approached diplomatically to introduce theme selves, which looking back Hunk thought was quite silly. The rodent-like creatures just stared back.
Each paladin soon was surrounded by these small animals. They rubbed against all of their legs bbshed the Yinkas away and had gone off somewhere else. No one was bothered as they were all occupied by the cat/skunks. Hunk chuckled a little thinking of them as skats and chunks.
As soon as he giggle left his lips these creatures showed their true colors. They sprayed a purple gas and all the Paladins shouted simultaneously. Hunk felt woozy and couldn’t help but fall to the ground unconscious.
———
Hunk had woken up chained to a luxurious bed. Though the pillows and sheets were silk the handcuffs were rough metal. A stark contrast that sent a chill through Hunks body. Soon after one of the skat-cunks showed up this time walking on two legs. It was jarring. But the more shocking part was when it bowed at the foot of Hunks bed.
This had to be some dream or hallucination.
It spoke low and deep.
“We honor your plentifulness. May you grace those with your majesty.”
Hunks eyebrows shot up.
“What are you talking about man?”
The creature kept its eyes down.
“Is there anything I can do for you your majesty?”
“Where are my friends?”
“They’re being held in this facility.”
“Let me see them.”
“I’ll bring them to you your majesty.”
“Ok.”
And the Yinka did. It took about an hour but time seemed to pass slowly in the too soft bed and too tight cuffs. It could have been 15 minutes.
The animal from before opened the door and startled Hunk from his trance, “I’ve told them to treat you respectfully but some of your friends are stubborn. I apologize for any of their crude behavior your majesty.”
“Just let me see them.”
Hunk grew to regret that because he started to cry at their distressed state. They all had their hands bound togethor and their ankles tethered. Collars of steel locked around their necks and as if they were dogs. The Yinka held their chains.
“You need to let them go.”
“Your majesty it is in your best interest that you be separated from these people.”
“Please.”
His voice broke and Hunk could see Lance begin to crumble in on himself. Carefully keeping quiet which concerned him to no end.
“If not that then just give me time alone with them.”
“You can have half of an Earth hour.”
And the door closed.
They sat in silence for a second. The only noises were the quiet breaths of Pidge, Shiro, and Allura, the crying of Lance and Hunk, and Keith’s labored breaths. Heavy with pain.p
“What are they doing to you?”
“They dragged us to some cell and asked us questions. If we didn’t give them the answer they wanted, well...”
Pudge trailed off glancing sideways at Keith who was still doubled over. He had bruises forming all over his torso.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know why they chose me. We can figure out a way to fix this.”
This time it was Short who spoke out. He too had a bruise forming on his face and a cut just above his eyebrow.
“We’re working on it. The security up here is pretty top notch but down below it shouldn’t take us long to figure out how to dismantle it. You just work on staying alive while we figure out the rest.”
The room returned to silence. Lance had stopped crying and Keith’s breathing cane slightly easier.
“Will you guys be ok?”
Alluras eyes rise to meet his and she exudes confidence, however forces it may be, “We will be. Plus if we don’t find a way to escape then Coran will surely help break us free or bargain for our release.”
Keith scoffed, “I don’t know , they seem to be obsessed with Hunk.”
“Yeah did that guy call you your majesty?” Lance added in.
Hunk only nodded and cursed himself silently. Wishing it had been him receive in the punishment not his friends. It get to see them suffer.
The alien returned and pulled all his friends collars taut, “Times up your majesty. It may be a while before you may see your friends again.”
Hunk held eye contact with each of them for as long as possible before nodding. His friends were lead away.
———
It had been roughly two weeks since then and Hunk hadn’t heard or seen anything from the other Paladins. He was fed and cleaned and worshipped. Dressed in fine clothes and lead to dining halls filled to the brim with Skunk people.
Hunk was not to be touched. The Yinkas made sure of that. He was too holy and they were too unworthy. On one occasion one of the animals had touched his arm accidentally and looked around in fear. No one had seen him do it but Hunk had felt it. He could also feel the fear that now radiated off of the creature.
Touching became very bad.
Hunk had reached out to tap some creatures shoulder to ask for more water and as soon as his skin made contact with fur the Yinka was being led away. Arms held tightly by two other guards. His screams echoed in the dining hall.
It was on this day, two weeks since his last normal contact, that Hunk finally got word on the Paladins.
“I have no clue why they’re even alive. I might just go down and kill them myself. They’re so annoying.”
Someone hummed in agreement, “Especially the dark dumb one. Sometimes I just want to-“
There conversation was interrupted but Hunk wasn’t content. What did they want to do to Lance.
What did they want to do to his friends.
———
“We don’t want to keep your friends anymore. They’ll be executed tonight.”
The Yinka who had personally attended to his needs became less and less friendly. His formality slipping like a Halloween mask. The real monster was beneath.
“No you can’t do that!”
Hunk didn’t realize he was screaming. It sounded like he was hearing it from a distance.
“They are a liability. If you wish to see their execution then you may come.”
Hunk didn’t have a choice in the end. He was dragged down hallway after hallway. Legs atrophied from weeks sitting on a bed. He couldn’t walk on his own.
Hunk was sat on a throne with straps on the arms and legs. Like an electric chair.
Apparently the style of execution believed in by the Skunk Cats was lethal injection. Hunk would have thought it strange that multiple cultures would have come to the same conclusion or end result had his friends not been strapped to chairs. Needles rested on tables beside them.
Tears began to fall freely down Hunks face. The order of chairs went Allura, Shiro, Pidge, Lance and Keith. Laura remained stoic but tracks of tears fell down her face. Shiro looked like soldier, blank. Pushed curled appeared to already be sedated and had scratch marks on her arms. Lance and Keith were both crying and faced each other. Hunk couldn’t hear what they’re were saying.
Each injection made Hunk more and more numb.
He watched as slowly his friends stopped breathing one after another.
When Keith was the only one left still breathing he openly sobbed. It was heart breaking. He probably didn’t know that Hunk could see him but even if he did, holding Lances hand as it went cold and lifeless was sure to bring out Keith’s fear and agony.
Hunk couldn’t watch but he heard as Keith’s heart stopped beating, his ugly sobs turned silent.
Hunk had just watched his only friends die. A row of corpses layed out on tables before him.
His pack of lions had just gone quiet.
———
Hunk made himself numb to the world. He made himself pliable at the hands of those who murdered his friends. What was the point. There was no reason for him to fight this if there was no one to fight for.
They played him tape of his friends in the cells. Then they played the video of their executions. Over and over again. Their abuse and their deaths. It was torture and Hunks heart grew too full and too heavy to function.
Keith took most of the abuse in the cell he put himself between the guards and other paladins but when he was beaten unconscious there was no one to stop the sadists from turning their fists and claws to his other friends.
Everyone took hits and everyone felt the flick of a blade. No one was going to come out unscathed but they were supposed to survive. They were supposed to make it to he lions and make an escape plan. Or they were supposed to leave. Find a paladin who didn’t attract trouble or cults of evil skunks.
They were supposed to leave the walls of this compound.
They were supposed to make it.
———
Hunk must’ve been hallucinating. The sounds of fun shots and fighting filled his ears. They were dim and far away. Like Hunk had dreamt it.
When someone pulled on his chains and called his name it sounded far away, like he was underwater.
A slap was a gasp of air.
Hunks eyes shot open and in front of him was a dead man.
“You can’t be here!”
Lance put his hands up in a defensive stance.
“Hunk calm down, we’re here to rescue you.”
These words seemed unregistered by the paladin who was currently pacing. This action was restrained by a wall and a chain so he only got a few steps before turning around again. Lance got dizzy watching him.
“You’re supposed to be dead!”
Hunk screamed because it made no sense and he had seen Lances chest stop moving.
“But I’m not, I’m right here.”
Hunks gaze flitted to Lance momentarily before he continued to walk back and forth and chew on his fingernails. To think, Lance mused in his head, only a week ago they were in blue on a safe planet and Lance had chastised him for the habit. It was a good memory but what Hunk said next chilled Lance to the core.
“They’ll kill us.”
Lance made to respond but Hunk cut him off, “They’ll find us and kill you and make me watch and I can’t watch you die Lance. Not again.”
“They never killed me.”
Hunk didn’t know what to say so it was convenient that another living corpse rushed in. He yelled something and swiftly cut the chain around Hunks ankles.
Red and Blue supported him out of the confines of the building. They passed Yinka dead and struggling with life. Hunk prayed their death would come swiftly as he walked out into the light.
No one deserved to live alongside their own death, no matter how long it may be.
Fresh air was like nothing Hunk had ever felt or tasted or smelt before. He leaned on Blue and Red and Yellow nearly collapsed when smooth stone ground was traded out for grass. Hunk only now realized he was safe. They were all safe.
He was finally free.
———