#I think I messed up the lighting with Shiro

[sukisheadlights]

hey there!!! could you make headcanons for all the Voltron guys for when they realize that (she/her) reader is like actually someone they could date/ end up with? like they get turned on by something she did or something like that? you don't have to but thanks for reading anyway </3

Voltron Paladins realizing Reader is someone they could end up with!

req: yes words: 873 pairing: voltron x reader content: fluff a/n: I was actually planning on writing something similar so thanks for the ask anon! <3

Keith

Keith isn’t interested in love (until he realizes he can date you) BUT FOR THE MOMENT HE’S NOT!

Both of you are still determining when you got close as well. You protected him once in battle, and since then, you’ve just stuck together.

And he of course protects you when he can because he's grateful you saved his life.

So you guys became friends,,, that was news to Lance btw.

Slowly you let each other into your lives, and now you train together often.

You were never ‘better’ than him at fighting (you actually just made yourself lose sometimes) and Keith sometimes ‘lost’ to make you just a little happy (little did he know hehe)

But today? Oh, you weren’t playing that’s for sure. He was super confused at first, then he was impressed, and then he was turned on. Which is fair because you looked straight out of a magazine, the ‘hot’ sweaty and perfectly messy hair.

When did you get so hot?

And boom. He felt he was on earth again because realization hit him like a TRAIN.

You were his age, and you were hot, and you could totally be a thing. And wtf is wrong with Keith? He's never thought of you like this.

Yeah, so that’s that.

And then he gets all awkward around you, and you guys haven't had a training session together since then. He always conveniently has something to do when you try to ask him.

Goddamnit.

Lance

You’ve been friends with him since the good old garrison days.

You grew to like the dork’s presence

You’ve always known he’s flirty, that’s just Lance.

Getting you flowers (sometimes), flirting with you in the hallways, and even when you’re fighting with the galra.

You always rolled your eyes, scoffed at him, or brushed him off but today?

Violence

You were so ready to mess with him too

You woke up with mischief on your mind

And mischief you created

BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE

OK SO

Lance was flirting with you while fighting the galra

And he expected you to react normally but nooooo

You flirted back

AND THEN YOU WINK AT HIM

SHOOT A GALRA SOLDIER

AND LEAVE !???!!?!!!?!?!?!!?!?

Lance MALFUNCTIONS

Like lance.exe has STOPPED working

DECEASED

Keith’s snickering in the background! (And Shiro too but he won’t admit that, for Lance’s sake)

“Shut it.” is all Lance says for like 10 minutes

You’re hot, He’s hot, and you guys could end up together

You’re a woman now

And you could have him ENTIRELY at his knees.

Hunk

Hunk misses earth

So much

He stops talking as much and wanders around the castle

He didn't think anyone noticed

But you did

And you felt SO bad for him

So when you stop at the mall to get teleduv lenses you seek away

And get the closest possible ingredients to make his favorite treat

Ice cream sandwiches (real)

You’re testing weird white heavy cream adjacent substances and so much more all for him

You might get sick

Oh well

You sneak back and he gives you a weird “Where were you?” look,

But you just ignore

And then you slave away in the kitchen and finally end up with something that’s ice cream sandwich adjacent 

“What’re you making?”

“Ice cream sandwiches”

“Oh for the team? You should have let me help”

“No”

Confused hunk

“It’s just for us” and you hold up an ice cream sandwich for him

His face LIGHTS up and he gladly accepts it

Then you guys sit on the floor and just talk about life and how both of you feel

All night.

It's freaking adorable

He realises how much he adores you, and how he absolutely loves you and all of your little quirks

It doesn’t even matter when the ice cream starts melting, he’d much rather focus on you and talk. Only occasionally taking bites when you do

Pidge

Pidge always knew you were datable

And an amazing person

But she started falling for you when the paladins were trying to tell her to not go find Matt

You stepped in a stood up for her, gaining Shiro’s support.

And then when she was ready to leave she saw you putting your stuff into your lion

“You don’t think I’ll leave you alone, do you?”

She knows it’s because someone will need to be there for her in case Matt is gone

But she doesn’t complain

It’s a silent brewing of love and appreciation

And she’s so grateful to have you in her life

Shiro

When Keith was confused and stuck without Shiro, you stepped up and found him

He was surprised at first

But you took care of him and helped him out as he got better

You were there for him to lean on. Always.

Literally and figuratively 

His appreciation turned into adoration and then his adoration turned into pure, genuine love

Once he was fully healthy again

He’d try to pay it back to you

By protecting you when you went against any threats

ESPECIALLY when you were out of your lion

And then it just becomes a thing where you protect each other

It’s adorable

He loves you and he protects you

And vice versa

Adorable, I say.

[bluemantics]

Keith felt bruises behind his eyes as he stared up at the hologram. No matter how many times he ran the battle simulation, BOOM. He watched for the 100th time as the planet that Voltron was simulated to defend exploded in fiery death-ray style.

The black paladin rubbed at his face and sighed.

“End simulation.”

Keith whipped around at the surprise voice, spotting Lance entering the dimly lit room, blue holographic light shining across his freckled skin.

“What was that for?” Keith huffed. He knew he wasn’t fooling Lance with the whole “respect your leader” act, that his voice was too weary.

“You’re going to kill yourself over this stupid sim,” Lance told him, forcing a warm cup into Keith’s hands. He turned toward the blue light, reaching a hand up and gently over the planet debris, still frozen in time. With a flick of his wrist, Lance dispelled the image.

“I just can’t figure out what’s wrong with our formations,” Keith started as the light changed to a glowing yellow. He took a sip of the cup. It was warm and sweet, not quite tea, but likely one of Hunk’s comforting creations. Still, it couldn’t settle the writhing mess in his ribs.

“Why don’t you let Allura or Pidge help? Or… me?” Lance asked. “I’m your right hand guy for a reason.” Keith dismissively waved a hand through the air, ignoring Lance’s look of offense.

“I have to do this on my own, Lance,” he told him sharply. “I’m the black paladin. Shiro did this a million times. Sure, sometimes with Allura, but he also did it alone.” Keith’s hands hovered over the buttons, but Lance stepped in front of them, forcing Keith to take a step back.

“Hey. You don’t have anything to prove here,” Lance said, tone full of caution. “You’re not Shiro, Keith, you can have a different strategy. Just because he isn’t here doesn’t mean you have to fill any hole he left behind.” Keith felt something burn inside him and he clenched his fists.

“I’m not trying to be Shiro, okay? I know I won’t live up to that.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know—“

“I just have to do this without distractions. I’m the fucking leader, now. You just have to trust my decisions here.” Keith looked Lance in the eye with a challenge. He knew he was too tired for this, but he didn’t back down even as Lance straightened to his full height and jabbed a finger at him.

“Fuck you,” Lance hissed. “I’m your second. I get to challenge you, talk shit through with you, and tell you when I think you’re acting like an ass. Breaking news, Keith! This is peak asshole behavior.” Keith rolled his eyes.

“You aren’t needed here, Lance, and if you can’t let go of your insecurity for the sake of the team and let me figure this out, then this will be on you.” He gestured to the empty air where the battle sim had been, anger clouding his words.

Lance paused. He took a step back, his legs hitting the console table.

“You’re right, you’re not like Shiro,” he responded, voice cold, eyes sparking with something hidden. “Shiro wouldn’t dismiss me like this, especially if he knew I was right.” With that, he shoved past Keith and stormed back out of the room.

“Computer off.”

Bright yellow light faded to a dim, barely lit red, as if to taunt him.

[kayssweetdreams]

The Perfect Finale Ch73

Yin groaned as he struggled to his feet, anger in his eyes "Y-YOU THINK THAT SOME SILLY SONG CAN DEFEAT ME! I'M A MAESTRO!" He yelled, trying to summon up a ball of his own power...only for nothing to appear. Everyone now shared a collective smirk. "Just admit it Yin. It's over, and you lost. Your plan is finished, no matter the cost." Kaylo said as she peered over Yin. The red maestro glared, when two balls of light, one bright yellow, and one bright purple floated out of his chest.

The balls of light then flew to the inside of Yin's now crumbling floating building, and into Balan and Lance. The two of them closed their eyes as they let the light envelope them before they shot out of the building, and onto the ground. Everyone shared a smile as they saw the maestros back to their normal selves. "Our powers have returned! We're maestros again at last! And Yin lost his own power. That was fast." Lance said, as he glared at Yin.

Yin now struggled to get to his feet, but he felt to weak to do so. Yang's now fading form then floated down to the maestros. "Well done everyone! I knew you could do it! The danger has passed and both worlds are safe." She said with a smile. Balan and Lance's eyes widened at the spectral Yang, as did the Negabosses. Balan took a cautious step to the former maestro "Who is this you brang? Is this...Is this truly Yang?" He asked. Yang gave Balan a playful smile "It's truly me! The former positive maestro see!" She said in rhyme.

Lance's jaw dropped at the splendor that Yang gave off. She also saw that a few Tims and Negati, including Kuro and Shiro hopped over to them, Yang gave a chuckle as she kneeled down to their level. Almost immediately, Shiro jumped on top of Yang's hair, while Kuro hopped on her shoulder. She gave the two of them gentle pats on the head as she gazed at them with loving eyes. "Aww. I can see that it has been a confusing time for everyone in Wonderworld...including you two." She said, pulling out rainbow drops, and letting the two of them eat.

Yuri raised her hand "Um...Not to be rude, and a adorable moment I don't want to intrude, But just a question, something I feel should be needed: What do we do with Yin, now that he's defeated?" She asked. Everyone turned to the depowered Yin. "You do have a point. Yin can't roam free. Should he try to enact his plan times 3..." Sana said "And don't forget, Prim was involved too. Yin used her to imitate you." Lora Jade said. Yang narrowed her eyes at Yin. As much trouble as Yin caused for everyone, and as much as he had a lust for power...she couldn't bring herself to hurt him.

"While I'm not one to lean into violence...Yin does still need to be punished for the mess he caused." Yang said. "But what punishment will suffice? It's gotta be good so he pays the price." Mei said. Jett's eyes turned purple "Why don't you let me have him. Let him suffer the ULTIMATE Price." He said with a small tinge of sadism towards Yin. But Yang shook her head. "No dear Jett...I cannot find it in me to harm Yin...but he does need a proper punishment." She said.

That's when Aria had an idea. "Yang? A word if you please? I have an idea that should bring your mind at ease." She said. Yang tilted her head, but she leaned down so that Aria could whisper to her. And her eyes began to get brighter with the idea. "Aria, that is a genuis idea I must say! And it's the perfect punishment for both Prim AND Yin."

Mei, Kuro and Shiro belongs to @sundove88

Rebecca belongs to @thehyperrequiem

Aria belongs to @shadowqueen402

Jett belongs to @jettthespeeddemon

Lora Jade belongs to @alex-frostwalker

[bengiyo]

Our Dining Table Ep 3 Stray Thoughts

Last time, Yutaka was excited to see the Ueda boys again, but Tane got too excited and made himself sick. They took care of Tane, and Yutaka got to understand Minoru more. The dad is definitely excited to see his son happy about a new person. It also seems like Yutaka's coworker is happy to see him brightening up.

I'm already smiling. Yutaka is having his normal lunch and thinking about Minoru telling him that he's enough.

Yes! A zoo date!

"I'm not noisy. You're bad for not making it for me." I love Tane.

If Yutaka suffered food neglect I'm going to lose it.

One of my favorite things Japanese dramas like this do is have just a little bit of love open people to the other relationships in their lives. I love Hozumi approaching his coworker to ask about her bento

I love characters like Ohata. She's just so happy to share something with Hozumi and pours her enthusiasm into it in an approachable way for him.

So, Shiro in WDYEY is older and very competent. I like that Hozumi is still a novice and learning. I like that we see him practicing and getting feedback. You will mess up when you're trying new recipes! It's okay!

That's right, Udea-san, you tease him for smiling at his texts.

He got it right! Is Ohata going to be our Kayoko of this show??

Aww, Tane's disappointment got me when he saw the rain.

The open displays of fondness between Minoru and Yutaka are so endearing.

I totally get Yutaka. Seeing people enjoy the food you worked really hard on is special.

Aw, I love what Iijima did as Minoru when Yutaka said he needed to say something. He was relating for him to say that this is all too much and he was going to move on. He was steeling himself for disappointment. How many relationships have fallen away for this young man?

Okay, that was an amazing lighting trick to have the image brighten as Minoru began to fall harder for Yutaka.

Gosh this is such a lovely show to follow the day after The Eighth Sense. What a gentle way to spend the evening. Every time I rewatch an episode of this I'm just like:

[justsomevoltronstuff]

Hello! :D I know it’s a silly question..but i was playing sims(as one does) and I wondered if you had any hcs of the paladins interior style? Like what colors (not only their signature I guess)and type of furniture? What type of home/apartment?I’d appreciate the help! Have a nice day!

okay absolutely have not had mental capability for like anything creative but I’ve also started a job in real estate so interior design make me go brrrrrrrr lately-

Shiro I feel like is either really plain and like necessities only or really homely. Like he either has the most basic cheap couches and tables and chairs and like, the plain white plates you can by at Walmart for like 10 bucks (you know the ones) and all the walls are just whatever color the previous owners/renters had them as so he has a random light pink room, a green room, etc. OR OR OR you walk in and get smacked in the face by comfort, like he has knick knacks and pictures and random antiques littering every surface, he has a china cabinet with the fancy dishes, he has a cabinet dedicated to coffee mugs and like only two of them match cause the rest of that set broke ages ago, all the other Paladins have their own designated mug, like it’s never specified but like, you KNOW the teal one with the cow that god knows where came from is Kieths, and that’s just how it works. I don’t think he has a specific color pallet bc it’d depend on like what the house looks like, and it’s either minimalistic or the vibe of the house.

Kieth has an apartment, his bed is on the floor, the only reason he has a couch is because Lance and Hunk just showed up with it one day and left it there. His cabinets are boxed Mac and cheese and canned beans, he uses paper plates/bowls and plastic cups/silverware, and there’s only like two pictures in the whole place, one of him and the other Paladins (and Allura and Coran) and one of him, his mom, and Kosmo. He’s not much of a stay in one place type so he doesn’t have a lot BUT if he were to decide to settle and make a home it’d have a garage, a huge backyard, and enough space for any and all of the Paladins to visit, and let’s face it, Lance probs did most of the decorating, as long as Keith has a place to sleep he doesn’t really care much what it looks like.

Lance is Aesthetic™️ and you can’t change my mind. He’s full on redecorating his house for every single holiday, his attic is a maze of shit only he knows how to navigate. His kitchen is probs black and white with a pretty accent color and his dishes all match the kitchen color scheme, like the fancy ones with the swooshy designs, ya know? So. Many. Throw pillows. Lol. Has pictures of his family and the paladins everywhere, along with various pieces of art. Walking in is like stepping in a magazine but at the same time feels so comforting.

Hunk plants everywhere. I don’t know how to explain it, but he’s a total plant dad. His kitchen is immaculate, the kind of place you love to hang out in, also has mismatched mugs bc he likes to collect them from places he’s gone and it’s a go to gift for him. I think he has a bunch of books on everything from How To guides to the entire Riordanverse. Tools scattered everywhere and various projects littering almost every surface. Has a blanket his grandmother knitted him draped over his couch. Random Voltron merch everywhere bc he can’t help himself when he sees it.

Pidge is either a clean freak with a perfectly put together house (as long as you don’t open those drawers) or it’s a fuckin mess and a half with a walking trail from one room to the next but otherwise there’s no way in hell. Also has projects literally everywhere, collections of random space tech, we’re not gonna question it. Probs a fairly monotonous place, lots of whites and greys, has an entire bookshelf for family pictures and sentimental things but aside from that, it’s the house of a scientist. Has a plush green lion on her couch. Has two perfectly cleared out mostly untouched guest bedrooms in case her family or any of the paladins visit.

~Admin Rori💜

[mike----wazowski]

ok hello @overdevelopedglasses tagged me in the sunday six writing thing (thank you!!) i am currently neckdeep in yakuza writing brainrot so it's great timing lol, we'll ignore the fact i messed this up the first time

im currently Thinking Hard about a daigo fic where kiryu invites daigo to okinawa for a break as he knows daigo is stressed and depressed,,, and daigo meets the kids. heres my extract :)

There were nine small children in front of Daigo. Somehow that was more intimidating than thirty thousand Tojo men.

"These are my kids," Kiryu said, one hand resting on the smallest girl's shoulder, and the other on Haruka's. "There's Taichi, Riona, Mitsuo, Eri, Izumi, Shiro, Koji and Ayako. Obviously, you've met Haruka."

"Hi, Daigo-san!" Haruka beamed at him as though he were the embodiment of light itself. The other kids, however, had a reaction he thought was more appropriate- they frowned, skeptical of the pale, gloomy man in front of them.

"Say hello, kids," Kiryu encouraged them.

"... hello, Daigo-san." They were shy. Hesitant.

"... hey, kids." Daigo was much the same.

"You look like you need some sun, mister," one of the boys- Taichi- said. "Good thing you came to Okinawa!"

"Taichi!"

[saratogaroadwrites]

Vow

Vow | saratogaroad rating:G wordcount:  865 characters: Shiro, Reader (GN-OC) relationships: Shiro/Reader other tags: Mentions of other Voltron Paladins warnings: None

"Hey..." He holds you to him, voice rumbling through your bones, "I'm here. I won't leave you again."

You know better than to believe that. Still...

"Do--do you promise?" You hiccup, tears blurring out the stars behind him as he pulls away just enough to cradle your head in both hands. He smiles, leaning forward to kiss your forehead, your nose. Then, he leans against you.

"I promise."

-

(Shiro left someone behind before Kerberos. Now, he's come back. Things will never be the same again.) [Written at the end of Season 2, before we knew Adam existed. Sequel to Promise]

=

Sunrise comes in a wash of colors and warmth, light restored to the world. To your world. In the dawn light that filters through Keith's tiny bathroom window, Shiro's even more of a mess than before, sharp lines and tired eyes that drink in the sight of empty scrub desert and messy shack. It's like watching a blind man see for the first time, finally understanding what everyone takes for granted.

He's thinner, too. Covered in scars that speak of months of fights. Claw marks, ragged wounds healed improperly. The thin marks that can only be from a scalpel or something like that. Small, perfect holes that speak of projectile weaponry. You catalogue each one, mind going end over end as you snip and shave his hair, Keith bark and bluster just outside the bathroom door.

A lot can happen in a year, you think to yourself, but this is...something else entirely.

"What happened?" You finally get the nerve to ask, the fine strands of his hair clinging to your fingers as you finish up. He's tense, metal and flesh hands grasping at his knees, dressed in his own clothes that Keith had stored here. He stares at the floor, but his eyes are distant, staring into a space where you can never stand, and perhaps...never understand.

"I don't remember." His voice is soft, barely a whisper. "I don't...there's this..." He takes a breath, in through his nose, out through his mouth. He looks up at you through the mirror, through the shock of white hair you weren't sure how to cut. The morning sun casts odd shadows on his face. Your stomach churns again. "There's this black hole in my memory. I remember leaving the Garrison, the launch, getting to Kerberos, but after..." He closes his eyes. "Just...flashes. Nothing I can put together."

Trauma, supplies the bookish part of your brain. This time you don't shush it, taking in the lines of his starved body, the scars on his flesh. Your stomach churns, and you swallow it down. Maybe it's better he can't remember.

"Well." You say, then have to clear your throat. You reach down for his hands, flesh and metal alike. The temperature difference is stark, but his grip is gentle as he closes his fingers around yours. "What really matters is you're home. We can figure out the rest as we go."

He smiles at you, kissing your palm.

"Business as usual, huh?"

"Business as usual."

---- Except it's not. It's really not. Things go to hell in a handbasket faster than you can say your own name.

What happens after...well. Half the time you're still not quite sure. --- Half-sentient, ancient battle lions. One of whom has been sitting, on Earth, for ten thousand years.

Actual aliens. Actual talking, walking, breathing aliens. Spaceships. A corrupting empire spreading across the stars like a plague.

Pidge, Lance, Hunk. Keith. Shiro. Destined to fight it in a legendary space robot like something out of a mecha anime, even if half the time they can all barely get along. Maybe that's half the point, you think to yourself, standing on the Arusian hillside just outside the Castle. Unfamiliar stars whirl overhead, not a single constellation marked in the clear skies.

You never did end up finding Mars that night. Now, you wouldn't have a single clue where to look.

"You know," Shiro says, causing you to turn around to see him walking up the hill behind you., "I was thinking about it, and..."

"Yeah?"

"I kept my promise." He smiles. "I came back."

You can't help it. You laugh. His smile only widens as he comes to stand beside you, shoulder warm beneath your arm as you have to reach out for support. Laughter shakes your sides, your shoulder, your throat. Slowly, it gives way to tears. The grief of the past year clogs your throat, burns your eyes.

For a year he was gone. Dead. His name is carved on a memorial for Progress into the stars, stars humanity will never understand are so much bigger than they ever could have imagined. For a year, you mourned him, mourned the color pulled out of your life with Shiro, and now...

Now he is back, the color has returned, and it hurts. You can't breathe for the pain of it, the heaving sobs that wrack your body and bring you both to your knees. He pulls you in to a hug, cradling your head against his shoulder, warm and so very alive.

"Hey..." He holds you to him, voice rumbling through your bones, "I'm here. I won't leave you again."

You know better than to believe that. Still...

"Do--do you promise?" You hiccup, tears blurring out the stars behind him as he pulls away just enough to cradle your head in both hands. He smiles, leaning forward to kiss your forehead, your nose. Then, he leans against you.

"I promise."

You should know better than to believe that. Still, as he holds you to his chest and lets you learn that he's alive again, you find yourself believing it anyway.

Maybe that's what makes what comes after so much harder.

[kidge-planet]

Kidge summer event

Day 2: Pool

Characters: Pidge/Katie holt, Keith Kogane, Hunk Garret, Lance Mcclain, Takashi/Shiro Shirogane

Pairing: pidge and keith : kidge

post season 8/ canon AU

TW: light "pining" and sexualizing.

The paladins had brinted a summer vacation house and obviously, they were all excited about the pool! Everyone, except Pidge...

"I can't wait to go refresh in the pool! It's like a 100 degrees out here..."

Hunk said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Im with you big guy... If it keeps going, I think that you might be able to do tonight's BBQ on my head..."

Lance leaned on Hunk shoulder.

The car where they were all siting for houres finally stoped in front of a huge house.

"we're there!"

Space dad sang from his sit. Everyone was now looking through the window in amazement.

"Wooow... Shiro, that house is huge!"

Pidge exclaimed herself.

"Pffff... modest rich child..."

Lance whispered to Hunk as a jole to piss pidge off.

"At least I don't use all my money to buy a car that I can't drive..."

Pidge whisperered to Keith, they both had a smirk on their faces.

"WHA-?! Well that car was my dream car, ok?! AND, I'll have my driver license soon!"

"Ok y'all, let's head inside."

Shiro interupted the fight, he knew they were just playing around but he knew that their little fights could end up pretty badly. If only he knew...

They entered the house with their suitcases and it was, like Pidge had previously said, a huge house... I better call it a villa.

When they were all done settling down, they all headed to the pool... Except Pidge. I mean, she sat in front of the pool under an umbrella with a book and a drink.

She was in bra but still had a skirt on.

Keith saw her as he walked toward the pool and decided to go talk to her. Without lying, he thought that it was cute to see her chilling there with her book.

"Hey, there."

He sat next to her

"Ho- hi!... what's up?"

She answered. He obviously surprised her ever since she wasn't expecting anyone to come and bother her nice alone time. But it was Keith and even if she doesn't say it out loud, she really enjoy his presence.

"Nothing much, I was heading to the pool. What about you, what are you doing?"

"Well... Just relaxing and reading..."

"I didn't know you liked to read, I thought you would have brought your compputer here or something."

"Bringing my computer here?! No way! You guys would splash water on it..."

Keith giggled.

"true... So what are you reading?"

" It's called 'Outlander', It's basically a novel that happens during world war two but the best part of it is the romantic part! I really like the relationship between the characters... It's romantic and very-

Pidge finally took a small moment to take a closer to Keith. Her eyes went from his naked torso to his abs AND, finally take a quick glance.... Well, down there...

"Hot..."

She continued with a small blush, not even noticing what she had said.

THEN, she realized what she had just said and blushed hardly...

" HAA!! I MEANT... VERY SWEET! NOT HOT!"

Keith looked at her with confusion and then bursted into laugher:

"Don't worry, no need to get so red! Besides, you're right, it IS pretty hot out here."

He blinked at her teasingly, causing her to blusuh a mess and hide behind her book.

"Just go to the pool already..."

She said, hiding behind her book.

After laughing at her again, Keith smiled at how cute she was being and then spoke:

"You're not joining us?"

Pidge looked down.

"I, huh, don't feel like it... Don' you worry about it."

Keith looked at her with a sence of worry.

"Is everything ok?"

He asked.

"Sure. Now, are you done asking me questions? Just go have fun!"

She smiled reasuringly at him and pushed him off the sit.

"Heyyyy... OK...ok... I'll make sure you're ok later, if this is what you want. Don't get burned by the sun by the way."

He said as he walked towards the pool that was no far from Pidge's sit.

She smiled at him before to get her head back in her book.

While all this happened, Lance had a plan in mind:

he wanted his revenge against Pidge. That was very childish, but at the end of the day, he though that pidge might find it funny. If only he knew...

He silently apprauched her sit from behind and when he was close enough, he grabed her tightly in his amrs and jump in the pool.

In the water, he gets his arms off her to let her swim back to the surface. When he joined her off the water, he was surprised to see her expression. He expected her to be annoyed but not MAD. When he saw the frown on her face, he knew he had messed up.

"LANCE? WHAT THE QUIZNAK?!"

"Ho, hum... I thought it would have been funny?.. "

"HOW CAN THAT BE FUNNY?!"

"Ho come on, you're the one that is not getting it. it's freakin' funny, you're just too stuck to understand."

Keith approached pidge in the water, giving a death stare at Lance. He sure didn't wanted the two to fight more.

"Come on, let's go inside... I'll lend you my towel..."

He helped her to go out of the water and gave her his towel.

"...Thanks..."

"Of course, let's get you some clothes, you angry green bean."

She smiled lightly before to follow him inside.

Pidge was now inside the bathroom as Keith was waiting outside.

"Sooooooo... Should I ask... Why did you get so mad at Lance? I mean, knowing you, those types of stuffs doesn't bother you. In fact, I also thought you would have laughed even if you would have been a little annoyed... But that mad?

He said for her to hear through the door. She took a moment before to answere.

"That's... complicated."

"Should I be worried?"

"No."

"That doesn't sound very convincing. If you don't want to open up to me, I get it. but at least be real when I ask you if you are ok so when you don't feel good, I actually know that I shouldn't bother you OR that I have to be there for you, that even if I don't know why you feel that way. But you know, some times, it feels nice to open up. It took me time to understand that it was pretty important, but I swear that it feels nice. So, what do you say?"

Pidge stayed silent again.

"You promise you wont tell anyone?..."

"I promise."

"Well, I feel pretty insecure about myself. That's it."

Keith raised an eyebrow, understanding that what she had to say was pretty important. He then sat against the door, ready to listen to what she had to tell him.

"What do you mean?"

"That's very embarrassing..."

"No it's not. No worries."

"Physically."

"Wha- Why? Idon't see anything wrong with you."

Pidge sighed behind the door.

"It's... more complicatetd then that. I just don't feel confortable when my body is exposed so when he dropped me in the water... Well... Anyways, I don't really want to talk about it yet but thanks for worrying."

"All right. But if one day you need to talk about it, you can call me anytime."

She softely smiled. He didn't see it because she was behind the door, but it was like he felt it.

Then, the door opened:

"All right, now, it's my turn to get my revenge with Lance."

She said with a mischievous smile.

"Ho no... are you two going to fight all these vacations for that little argument?.."

"Only if he doesn't apologize."

"All right, but you better be careful."

"Ho, I can take care of myself"

Keith smiled at her words.

"I know you can."

A/N: I feel like that one fic is very bad, sorry abt it 💥

[vnyverse]

Her bright eyes were trained on the screen before her, and one would think her intense staring into the screen would translate into skills of some sort in the racing game she was playing, but what betrayed her expression was the large “insert credits to continue” that was displayed. This triggered the furrow of her brows while she turned to you and looked at what was left of all the tokens she had already wasted on the racing game. It wasn’t a waste though, looking at how she looked so intent on winning 500 tokens to exchange it for a teddy to impress you was endearing. Of course in the time she took to play her racing game, you had already won 500 tickets from other machines, unbeknownst to her. You weren’t her pick for nothing.

“The game must be rigged or something, let’s play something else.”

You didn’t know whether to coo at her adorable pout, or to poke fun at her downright horrendous driving skills in the moment as you caught her prolonged stare at the very claw machine next to her.

“Which one do you like?”

“Are you looking down on me? I’ll prove you wrong right now, just you watch!”

You didn’t look down on her, of course not. It’s just that love was a little strange at times, it makes you want to do so much for her you find yourself overbearing, but even then you could not distinguish whether or not she understood that you were not in fact looking down on her or teasing her, but it’s just you wanted to be the reason she smiles. So you simply rolled up her sleeves neatly, not missing the way she instinctively looked at her feet, and you swear you saw a smile on her face, but you waved it off as wishful thinking as she could’ve just been excited for the claw machine game. Taking a seat beside her, you just watched as her many futile attempts to catch the akita plushie.

“It’s all your fault for being so distracting! I didn’t manage to catch any, and I was so close!”

“As much as I would take all the blame for all the little misfortunes that happen, this is simply a skill problem shiro.”

“You…. You did not just!”

Throwing little punches at your arm, her little fit was one to behold. Dimples on full display, sweater paws cushioning her so called “punches”, while she adorably glared at you. You chuckled at her antics, while zipping up her jacket.

“Let me show you how it’s done.” Putting your hand over hers, you guided her hand onto the joystick, and confidently pressed onto the red button beside, winning her the plush she’s been wanting. Thank the gods she didn’t see the sure win button light up, you thought to yourself, as she’d unknowingly spent so many tokens on the game it had reached sure win.

Needless to say, mashiro was a blushing mess when her members teased her for posting a picture of her with a hug akita plush on Kepler’s instagram, and you were one content girlfriend.

A/n: @writers-ex finally found my account, go show her some love y’all she’s the reason why I started this blog to write. Hope you enjoyed it though I’m not familiar with Kepler. I’m internally cringing now that @writers-ex has found my account and is probably going to see this. Adios :)

[theworldoffandoming]

17, 20, 29 for oc qs

😳 I did not expect such a speedy response to this. Okay here goes!

17. Favorite character: he's spoiler 3X but his non-spoiler version is Korosa. c:

20. Eriol's pet Shiro.

Shiro is a cattish doggish creature that I've thought of making kind of vine-themed to better fit into Eriol's planet. His species is also plant-themed so yeah. Shiro used to be a Kitonya back when JI and Aliens were the same universe, but now that they're two different ones, I want to try and find a design that better fits the vibe.

Quick pic for those who don't know who Eriol is:

He's a little guy, about 3 and a half feet I think, with light green skin that's sort of silky but also tough and plant-like. His face and hands (?) are more of a palish yellow with a softer skin texture, and his feet are sort of tree root-like. He has a sort of bark shard stump on his head and brown hair and dark, beady eyes. At one point he had hooves for feet instead but I decided tree root-like fit better thematically. He also used to have dot hands but I decided thin, root-like hands would fit him better.

Anyways XD back on topic here.

29. Yes! Aliens main story has a sort of Wonderful Life/deaths reversal AU where many of the characters who died before the story live but their counterpart dies in their stead, a la Sz'nami had died instead of Tsunne, Tsuname is killed shortly before the AU starts, Korosa doesn't exist or died a stillborn (or possibly died in the invasion when he was young?) but his brother wasn't killed shortly before the canon starts, Naru and Shiido are a lot more maimed than they are in canon and the villain succeeded even more in militarizing Naru's race. I can't give away too much more, but I haven't really touched the idea in a long time due to being unsure how to sort of link it up as an alternative canon thread. But, I guess that's why it's AU! I actually made a short comic about that AU as well as some art for it, but since it involves some pretty heavy spoilers I'm not too comfortable sharing most of it here. But! It does exist! Even if I haven't developed it in years it's there. Here’s some of the art I can show though of non-spoilers. Touched these up, the originals were from like 2013, haha. Some scribbles of messed up NaS/ideas for their alt designs. There’s probably still a lot more to consider for the story and how it would bear on their personalities, but I guess that’s the trouble drawing over old stuff.

[astralscrivener]

For the Ao3 Year In Review Ask Meme: #13, #19, and #22 <333 I'm really curious about the theme one and I wanna give you the chance to hype yourself up ^u^ <3333 Love you!

WAH my #1 hypeperson...i love you too !!!!!!!!!!!!

13. what's a fic you think should have gotten more attention?

everybody (on twt, at least) is always so excited about my vague tweets about my "the blades ruined keith's mental health" fics, but then i do not get that same engagement on the fic!!! anyway

bad luck charm (twist the knife again)

and also at skyfall. always at skyfall. you guys want protective lance? you guys want empathy link jewelry? you guys want shiro and keith having the worst times of their lives? you want adam in space????

please. please. on my hands and knees begging pathetically

19. any new themes popping up in your work? or are there old themes resurfacing?

it took me this long to realize just how deeply lonely keith is and just how much his galra side effects him. i have also renewed my focus on his inner anger and rage and how much that side of himself scares him (versus how necessary it is on the front lines of a war, if he wants to keep his loved ones safe), but the loneliness that comes with that is something i haven't explored since like...2018 maybe? 2019? my fic output went down since 2019 so that could be one reason why i haven't explored as much of it but also just. i think with the distance from the show between 2019 and now i lost sight of some of the characters a little bit, and i feel like i'm finally finding my footing again

also renewing my focus on survival. how far are you willing to go to survive? to keep your loved ones safe? how do you grapple with the price of that, knowing your actions to save one person may hurt countless others? or, how do you look your loved one in the eye and tell them that one life does not outweigh infinite others, even if it is their life, specifically? wough. i missed this a lot

22. share a deleted scene, if you have one

i have so many deleted scenes all the time always. anyway i've tried and failed to rewrite the next chapter of stealing our own place in the sun so many times. vague spoilers ahead but a dozen different versions of this got scrapped:

Shiro wished he had a hangover. He woke to the sound of clapping and groaned, squinting against a bright light. Everything ached, but especially his head and his arms. When he tried to move them, he realized that his hands were bound behind him, and everything jerked into sharper focus as instinct kicked in. “Oh, good, you’re awake! No need to panic!” Shiro whipped his head around, ignoring the pain in his neck and shoulders. He was bound to a chair in what could only be called a dressing room—there was a lighted mirror behind him. In another corner, there was a chair where his suitcase had been tossed haphazardly, Paladin armor spilling over the sides of it. Beside him stood a random alien wearing a headset, who looked more than a little terrified at whatever expression Shiro wore. Then, in front of him, a small green alien in a trenchcoat who was smiling far too broadly for the situation. “Hi, Shiro!” said the alien, whose name Shiro didn’t know. Shiro blinked and bit down on every question that bubbled up inside of him. He knew better than to just give information away. Then again, biting his tongue in the bar had done him no good, because the grifter alien was really a bounty hunter who knew exactly what and who he was. Or something like that. This alien didn’t look the part of a bounty hunter, but really, Shiro had no idea at this point. “Oh,” the alien said when Shiro didn’t answer. He cocked his head. “We didn’t mess you up too badly with that stun gun, did we?” Before Shiro could react, the alien raised one of his four arms and slapped Shiro across the face.

ao3 year in review!

[rainset]

Story Practice (10/22/22)— Part XI DOG

At the end of the day, they lay out in the back. There’s grass, a nice soft patch among Rosalina’s jungle of organic food.

They lay there, arms spread out and looking up. Together they share an old, small, tablet, and they share a pair of ear buds. Listening to songs loaded into the ancient phone.

Looking up as slowly they come into view.

Each spark twinkles in the distance.

Shiro lifts to her lap and drags her book from the side. She flips through the pages which is revealed- to glow in the dark.

She holds it up to Jeremy’s left. He looks. Then grins.

“That’s them isn’t it? The… ‘capulet’?”

Shiro laughs and lays back, slapping the book closed on landing. “Yup! Here it is!” She points up.

To Jeremy, it’s just an arrangement of dots. If he draws a line it makes a weird stick figure. His brows jolt a moment. What’s a capulet?

Shiro responds: “I dunno, it’s a old poetic thing that’s super, super old.” She rubs her eye. “Kinda like back in Milky times.”

Jeremy’s eyes widen a little. “…I didn’t ask anything.”

She kicks her feet and grins. “I asked what a capulet was too. I thought you might’ve too! Right?” She turns her head to him. Grinning.

He looks down at her, taking in her features at night. A odd shimmer to her white hairs, and that rare eye contact he hasn’t made in a few days.

He breathes a sigh of relief.

Shiro blinks. “You gonna go home?”

His eyes lower, looking down. “..maybe. I dunno.. maybe? I-“ he starts to shift and turn his head straight. “-I don’t think anything will change.”

“No?”

Jeremy shakes his head.

“No.”

It didn’t.

Jeremy went home, walked home by Shiro and Rosalina, because she doesn’t want Shiro wondering at night. And Shiro didn’t want Jeremy to be alone.

He thought it was strange. Because Treas is safe, safer than Alderado. He never understood why his parents risked going there.

But here they are. Rosalina gives him a small wave, and Shiro does too.

Jeremy returns it with a small smile and begins to walk around the trash pile-

-but stops.

Shiro is hugging him from behind. He’s kinda frozen, his chest leaping, then relaxing when he sees her.

He shifts his shoulders up and down, wiggling free. He waves her away, having enough for one day.

But before he passes behind that Hothian trash mound, he looks back.

They stand there under LED white light from the street lights.

Shiro standing there, short and insignificant. Rosalina behind her to his right, a shadow and towering over her.

He smiles, then disappears into the mound.

Climbing through his unchanging tunnels, dropping into his room.

His blockade is gone.

His pictures on the wall are on the ground.

The ‘organization’ he had, was now as messy as the things that make this place.

Something in him.. sinks. That night, he tried to repair the mess they made. Moving around his things back in order.

Then he silent steps into their joint kitchen and living room, completely pitch save the street lights peering in. He looks into their room.

They sleep soundly on a mattress, with clean sheets and a nice comforter. The walls are disguised with drywall that’s white. There’s antique shelves besides their bed, and a clear, clean, walk way.

Jeremy realizes something.

This is the first time he’s ever seen their room. Even looked in. He doesn’t remember any other time that their door is open, and he never grew curious enough to look. He closes their door, a sliding door.

He plops into their broken couch. He wonders where their money has gone and where it’s going. Because if that’s what they can get for themselves, then why would they need his?

He closes his eyes and lean on a cushion, torn.

It’s silent, beautifully quite. Stars shine and some crickets chirp. There’s still life among the waste and decay.

He’s tired and returns. There’s no more door to his room, if there ever was one. Blockade was the closest thing.

He first, places his latest sketch on the wall, his dream.

Then to his springy mattress.

Closing his eyes.

———

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

**Cultivating Love**5**

Panting and bloodied, Lance couldn’t hold himself up any longer. The first rays of dawn were filtering through the morning world of grey. His skin felt like ice, limbs exhausted and stiffened. He’d held the line the best he could. His storm clearing under the light of the sun… and Lance wasn’t sure there was a time that he’d ever felt so tired. As his knees folded, his eyes rolled back. Blue Fang falling from his grasp to embed itself blade first in the mud.

*

Waking, Lance came to yelling Keith’s name as he sat up, pain shooting through his midsection as he did. Sunlight was streaming through the open window, and a gentle breeze left a pleasant ruffling of leaves on the air. By some miracle he seemed to be alive. Poorly healed but alive.

“You’re awake. You certainly took your time. Blah blah blah, you’re safe for now”

Gingerly Lance examined his bandages hands. He’d lost his cool towards the end… Looking to Matt, Matt was reading some scroll, not seeming bothered by the fact he’d yelled for Keith, or that he’d “finally” awoken

“What happened?”

“You did. What were you thinking? Let me guess, you weren’t? I rode for the boar clan when the matrix fell. Pidge and Hunk are also okay. You’ve been asleep the past three days”

Three days?! He’d missed three days. Lance snatched up his tail, both annoyed and relieved to find someone had taken the time to make sure it was clean. Wait…

“The boar clan came?”

Matt nodded his head before tossing the scroll aside

“As dawn rose. They refused to come before the first rays. You were a fine mess. And yelling Keith’s name like that… No. No. I’m thankful you protected Pidge, but… What in the world has happened to you, Lance?”

From the sound of it he’d very nearly had his arse thoroughly kicked and now owed a favour to the boar clan

“I might have been a bit desperate”

Matt groaned deeply at him

“A bit? You scared the very cultivators you were helping. Never mind Pidge and Hunk. And what’s this about Shiro and Keith?!”

Lance ran his fingers through the fur of his tail. Pidge and Hunk would have told Matt everything by now

“I wasn’t trying to die”

“I’m not saying you were. But did you need to leave the barrier alone?”

“It was failing… I had to lessen the load on the outside…”

“Yes, well, I’m mad at you, but I’m more relieved you survived. Now Keith? You have left him and Shiro from what Pidge has told me. I have known Shiro for many years now, and I didn’t see this coming. Please don’t be mad, but Pidge has informed me about your last heat…”

Lance’s face flushed in embarrassment. Matt was his friend, not his brother, Pidge was lucky she wasn’t there. He felt so queasy from his throbbing body, and the unknown scents of those who’d tended to him itched and irritated his nose

“It’s fine… they’re busy. Please, how many survived?”

“12 survived. The fallen have already been burdened to stop the spread of disease. And I can see you clearly changing the topic”

Getting up, Matt moved to sit next to Lance on the edge of the bed. Lance attempting not to look Matt in the eyes. If 12 survived then 18 had fallen. He’d been sure there were more than the 12 that’d been in the barrier… He’d failed them. Had they not indulged his whim to help, they’d have arrived sooner. Reaching out, Matt placed his hand on Lance’s

“Don’t let it get to you. The failure of the matrix was sudden. With the help of the boar clan a new matrix is in place, one that will stand until a new treaty with the boar clan and the expansion of their territory has been agreed upon with the Emperor. I’ve sent word to Shiro of what has happened, and as per Pidge’s request I left your involvement out”

Lance felt guilty. Matt was Shiro’s closest friend. The two like brothers

“I didn’t intend to make things awkward…”

“Then please be honest with me. You were unhappy at the palace, weren’t you?”

Tears started forming. Lance had realised he really had been unhappy. He didn’t feel he belonged on a battlefield, yet he also felt immense relief to have been of use

“I’m no longer loved by my mates. To quote Keith, I am useless and I stink… I have barely been away from there for two weeks now and I see how it all much clearer now. Keith broke my heart… and Shiro had no words other than to go to bed with him. So why was it that my heart aches for them to be there with me? And why do I feel cheated to wake to find them not here? Can I stay here for the time being?”

Matt nodded, the male spirit beast turning Lance’s hand over as he cupped it been his

“You may stay as long as you like. You have been a hot topic of debate here. The residents of the shrine all want to know about the cultivator who fought alone”

“I wasn’t alone. Without help…”

Matt rolled his eyes at him

“You do know how rumours spread. They’ll be saying you slayed giants next alone and unarmed. I’m on duty outside the matrix tonight so I must take my leave. You are welcome on these grounds, please use them well. Herbal medicines have been made into a tea for you. You’d do best to drink before leaving the room. Though you’ve excellent spiritual reserves, your healing had been slow and the physician is at a loss as to why”

The end of Matt’s words felt like a direct dig at him. Lance taking his hand back quickly

“I’ve been working on a thought matrix as I cultivate towards the next level. Most of my energy reserve has been for that. I’m surprised any remained. I guess maybe some of my energy bolstered my own?”

“Lance… No, we’ll talk later. I’m relieved you’re awake”

Lance managed a smile

“Thank you, Matt. And please don’t let Keith and Shiro know I’m here. I’m not so much running away as I’m using this time away to think seriously about things”

“Don’t think too hard. Also, don’t be worried if you run into Rolo and Nyma here. Time has passed and they have changed”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Be safe”

“I will”

Leaving him, Lance laid back down. Hearing footsteps on the roof, it was a matter of moments before Pidge was curling up at his side. It seemed to Lance that he wasn’t going to get his wish of time alone to think

“You idiot! Why do you always have to make me worry!”

Thumping his abdomen to drive home her point, Lance let out an “oof” at the pain Pidge caused. He wasn’t sure which was more shocking, Pidge curling into him, or to find she was crying

“Go gentle on me, please”

“No, I’m mad! Your soul… your soul and you didn’t even tell us! Who did this to you?! I swear I’m going to kill them!”

Lance sucked in a sharp breath. He’d thought he was in trouble over the battle… Now his head was spinning. He wasn’t planning on his secret escaping so soon, nor was he awake mentally enough for the conversation, though it did explain Matt’s softness with him

“What… what do you mean? Pidge, what do you mean?”

Pidge went to smack him again, Lance catching her hand and laying it against his chest. She couldn’t hit him if she couldn’t move her hand

“Don’t you dare play dumb! The healer told us! How long has this been going on?”

Healer. Right. He’d probably been taken straight to a healer along with the other cultivators…

“Pidge…”

“No, I waited three days for you to wake. I don’t care if you need your rest”

Sighing. Lance looked over Pidge, Hunk was standing near the foot of the bed, tears in his eyes, Lance lowering his gaze back to Pidge as he mumbled

“You’d best sit. It seems I can’t keep anything to myself”

Pidge went to move her hand, Lance squeezing it

“Don’t hit me again. I’m very very tender”

“But I’m mad at you”

“I acknowledge that… I don’t suppose I stand any chance of sleeping?”

“How can you…”

Hunk cleared his throat

“Pidge, Lance did just wake up. Let me make some tea, then we can discuss this?”

Thank the heavens for Hunk. Lance nodded carefully, feeling more and more pained by the moment

“Please, if you wouldn’t mind. I feel as if a mountain collapsed on top of me”

“Don’t even joke about that. You were bleeding from… we weren’t sure how you were still alive when covered in so much blood”

“To be fair, most of it wasn’t mine. I’m going to miss those robes. Pidge, as much as I appreciate your fear and concern, can you please sit up for me? Everything hurts”

Pidge sniffled as she shook her head

“I’m afraid to let you go. You’re such an idiot. I swear the gods of heaven had something wrong with them the day they made you”

Lance pushed aside his mild offence. He wasn’t that bad… at least not as bad as Keith and Shiro. He’d sat at their bedsides after battles more than he’d like to remember

“Aw, Pidge… I’m not going anywhere. I physically can’t right now, and where would I go if I could? Now wipe those eyes, I much prefer my Pidge smiling”

Repositioning themselves, Hunk brought the tea over on a tray table which now sat over Lance’s legs. The tea was good, and the medicinal herbs were taking away the disgusting taste in his mouth. Giving him long enough to take a few small sips, Hunk broke the silence

“Dude, how did it happen?”

Lance knew if he played it down as a joke he’d only make both his friends more upset

“It happened that night. I took a hit meant for Allura and she used part of her soul. Keith and Shiro were both so worried in the aftermath that… that I didn’t want to tell them”

“You mean they don’t know?!”

Lance winced at Pidge’s yelling, Hunk placing his hand on her shoulder

“We should let Lance explain. Lance, that was…”

“I know. Five years have passed. That’s not exactly an extraordinary amount of time for us. But that night changed something in Keith and Shiro. They became so protective that as much as it annoyed me, I felt special too to have their attentions. As I wasn’t going out to battles, I didn’t know how bad it’d gotten until I used fang. I know I should have told them, but it didn’t affect my day to day life”

Hunk let out a measured breath. No one was yelling, which Lance’s head appreciated

“I don’t understand. How did Shiro and Keith not know?”

“Because I was careful. I cultivated my energy alone. I worked a very menial job at the palace… and Keith and Shiro were always happy enough to display their power in the tournaments. Honestly, until I heard their words… I thought things were strained but not not fixable. Shiro’s heats mostly involved medicine, and Keith and I weren’t like that…”

Hunk drew his brow

“I remember the first heat you spent with them as your mates. You said Keith was all over you while Shiro needed medicine… surely you haven’t gone this long ignoring your heat”

Lance tried to think. He and Keith had touched… trying to remember more, he couldn’t find the memories

“I… I was probably making it up”

“No. You had the marks. And Keith was so proud… Do you perhaps not remember?”

Lance shook his head

“No. It seems I don’t. Anyway, I wasn’t using my divine weapon…”

Something popped into his head… something murky about his weapon… he couldn’t catch that thought either. Worrying his bottom lip, he stopped when he tasted blood, not meaning to cut through it with his left canine

“It seems my head is more of a mess than I thought…”

Pidge and Hunk exchanged a look. Lance sure he wasn’t about to like what was coming

“What? What is it?”

Pidge continued leaving the talking to Hunk

“Do you think… do you think maybe you’ve lost some of your memories?”

“No…? I remember who you guys are”

Hunk sighed

“That’s not what I meant. Sometimes you seemed distant at the palace, or would suddenly do something else. You spent your last heat alone, but you go into heat twice a year… what happened during the one before that?”

Hunk was taxing Lance’s brain there. Lance feeling panicked

“I don’t remember… Hunk… I don’t remember”

Was his memory going? The world seemed to swim, Pidge taking his tea from him. Pain flared in his chest, Lance clutching at it

“Whoa… Lance? Hey, what’s happening?”

“I can’t… I can’t remember my heats… they… they must have come… they must have… I didn’t spend them alone… did I? Did I spend them alone?!”

Things felt hazy, Hunk’s face suddenly too close to his

“Lance, you need to calm down. Your chi is out of control…”

“But I can’t remember. I can’t remember… Why? Alfor… he gave me divine weapon… or was it the emperor?! It… it hurts…”

Pidge’s eyes widened as Lance paled, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth that wasn’t from his bloodied lip

“What have I been…”

Hunk interrupted, his hands cupping Lance’s face

“Lance, take a deep breath. Breathe with me… You need to calm yourself down… breathe with me”

“I thought my soul… I thought… Keith… Keith…”

“I know, but you’re freaking me out here. Deep breaths for me. Pidge, can you take the tray away. Come on, Lance…”

*

Coaxing Lance to lay down, Hunk held his best friend’s hand. He could feel Pidge hovering, not knowing what to do. Lance rarely got this agitated anymore. Not since he’d settled into his position as Keith’s and Shiro’s mate. He felt utterly helpless and hurt. Helpless seeing he couldn’t fix Lance’s soul and hurt that Lance had hidden it from them all.

“Hunk, what’s was that?”

That was Lance freaking the hell out. Hunk had been against telling Lance they knew his secret immediately, but Pidge was so worried she was barely being herself

“Lance was overwhelmed”

“Is he okay now?”

“He’s passed out. I’m going to heal him slowly, but for now I think we both need to back off. I’m so angry that I’m not sure I can hold my tongue”

Pidge’s voice sounded so small

“At me?”

“No. Yes and no. How could he not tell us, and how could his mates not notice?!”

Pidge let out a long groan, plopping herself on the end of the bed and taking her tail in her hands

“I’m so mad at them. They always went off and left him behind. He seemed okay with it… because, you know, this is him. But how could they be so close to Lance and not know about any of this?! And his heat…”

Hunk let his energy slowly start seeping into Lance. There were so many blockages in his energy… his best friend had pushed himself too hard

“Did you know his heats had become irregular? I overheard the maids discussing it and thought them wrong at the time. I thought… I thought Shiro and Keith loved him the way he loves them… but now we can’t even trust the words he says”

“Who? Keith or Shiro?”

“Lance. His memory… I think he must have lost part of that when he lost part of his soul. He couldn’t remember the blessing of the Emperor, or that his divine weapon was gifted upon him for his service to the realm. I fear that the cause is his soul and I don’t know how to fix that”

“I don’t know either. Do we not tell him? But how can we help if we don’t?”

Hunk didn’t know, but he did remember something Lance said that had stuck in his brain

“Lance said he’d been stuck on a matrix, I think perhaps that was on a way to remove what lingers of Allura within him. Remember he told us”

“Lance is always working on something… either he’s looking after the kids or cultivating, or collecting herbs”

Hunk knew that Pidge was including Keith and Shiro in the “kids”. Trying to recall the last time Lance had his heat before the last one, he found he didn’t remember either. When he really thought about it, it’d been years since Lance mentioned it..

“He isn’t well known for his ability to sit still. What I’m saying is that we may not be staying here. If Lance had any ideas on how to start healing his soul, then I want to go with him. He can’t be alone and suffer these episodes alone”

“What about those two idiots? Love can heal wounds”

“I suspect that their love only weighed heavily in the past year. Especially hiding all of this from Keith and Shiro. Then again, they’ve clearly neglected him far more than we thought. I’m in firm mind of writing them an exceptionally strongly worded letter”

“Why stop at a letter? I want to shoot both of them. They acted like they loved him so much, and now I think of it, of late I’ve only seen Keith and Shiro acting affectionately towards each other in public. To me it seems clear that they’ve decided to bring this three way relationship to an end, without bringing themselves to tell Lance. He’s wounded and the first person he calls for is Keith. It makes me sick. I refused to acknowledge or accept they care anymore”

There’d been a time when the three of them had been the power throuple of the palace. Lance never far behind Keith and Shiro, either wolf with their hand in his. The way they’d looked at Lance, as if he’d been a truly precious gift was what Hunk had hope for for his best friend. They’d taken that gift and ground it into the mud. They’d hurt Lance, lied, bad mouthed and plainly painfully neglected Lance on even the most basic of levels. Hunk knew that wolves these days looked on sex during a heat as merely as helping their own through it, whereas Lance believed in true love.

Biting back agreeing, Hunk closed his eyes as he replied

“Lance also let things slide and no I am not blaming him. Shiro and Keith were both so devastated that I can understand not telling them initially… Foxes are sly and cunning by nature, Lance would say so himself. He said he’s using his time away to figure out what he wants to do. If he chooses them that his choice, and I highly doubt he won’t choose them without serious consideration, even if he loves them both. He can see how their relationship has changed and he feels no longer equal, so I doubt simple apologies will solve their relationship issues. To each of us taking a mate means something different”

Pidge sighed heavily as her tail flicked in the middle

“I’m not happy”

“No, but it is Lance’s life. He’s as stubborn and as reckless as ever. I didn’t even thank him for his hard work on the battle field”

“He killed a lot of beast demons… Gods above, he is such an idiot. I felt so helpless…”

“Lance trusted us to keep the barrier. We played our part. Matt will continue to meet with the boar clan and we are all safe for now. You should rest too. I’ll rest once my energy is in place”

“I’m staying here. I can sleep at the end of the bed”

“Pidge, Lance…”

“Don’t. He’s like my brother. My super dumb brother and I’m not taking my eyes off of him. Don’t act like you’d be returning to your room either when we both know you won’t”

Pidge had him there. Matt had insisted on letting the healers work without them there. The shrine was small, but the spiritual energy was good and clean. Lance really should have been more healed than he was

“Fine, we’ll call it a sleep over, but if we’re sleeping over we’re going to need our blankets”

“I’ll get them then. If he wakes up while I’m gone, knock him out again. That idiot is getting his rest whether he likes it or not”

“Yes, ma’am”

[misskieshakate]

Me: So who’s ready for some Shance?

Also me: But kiesh, don’t you have a lot of unfinished stuff, why the hell do you start another one?

Me: I don’t know man, blame Shance 

So uhhh... consider this: Shance Singer!AU

-Shiro is a pretty well known indie-rock artist that dapples into other people’s music. He’s well known for his love songs be it all lovey dovey or heart wrenching. 

-In this AU, he still has a scar on his nose but instead of a mechanical arm, he has a tattoo sleeve on his right arm-covering his scars. 

-He has two kids: Keith (5) and Katie (3), that’s why his nails are colored that way, he let them paint his nails :D. 

-Keith and Katie’s mother walked away from them when Shiro came back from the military with PTSD.  

-Shiro revisited his hobby of playing the guitar to put his kids to sleep.

-He sometimes play at bars, restaurants and even busks in the streets to earn some extra cash.

-Allura sometimes babysit the kids and was the one who convinced Shiro to give her a sample of him singing in her company’s studio.

-Allura later on became his manager and his first hit single was about his ex wife- I Fall Apart by Post Malone

-When Lance first heard Shiro’s song, he was overcome with emotion because he just broke up with his girlfriend- Nyma.

-He was an up and coming pop singer with Hunk as his manager/best friend.

-Lance wanted to do more serious stuff with his songs but his contract says otherwise. So he sings and dance whatever the hell the composers write for him. 

-He easily becomes one of the famous pop stars in the industry and that meant acting gigs too.

-Lance signed an acting gig to do a commercial for some kids’ food and was surprised to see Shiro. Turns out, Keith and Katie were the stars of the commercial.

-Lance freaked out and had to run back to his car to grab Shiro’s first album and ask Shiro to sign it.

-They were both nominated for awards in a show and had to perform. 

-While Shiro was walking around the practice studio, he saw Lance practicing. Shiro secretly watched and was surprised to hear Lance do a rendition of his song.

-Shiro took a video of it along with Lance’s other covers of songs. Shiro, later on, revealed himself and asked if Lance was ok with him recording. Lance was a blushing mess but took no offense of it.

-The video was posted to Shiro’s multiple social media accounts via Katie who has been fiddling with Shiro’s phone. Shiro plays the video to his kids and they somehow love it. Katie wanted to transfer the video to her ipad but posted it on the web instead.

-Lance’s fans loved it and asked more of that kind of music from him...

TBC because my head is throbbing like nobody’s business hahaha    

[autisticlancemcclain]

I Hope Some Day I'll Make It Out Of Here (Even If It Takes All Night Or A Hundred Years)

Lance & Team Voltron (Voltron), Angst, Hurt/Comfort, 4.7k Words

Part of Langst Week 2022 (@langstron) – Day 1 (Isolation/Secrets)

Summary: The airlock incident may have fucked Lance up more than he’s willing to admit. Unfortunately, he does something about it. 

Content warning for severe description of a panic attack.

---

“If you check your messages, you’ll find an Excel file – yes Keith, I know it’s not actually an Excel file, please hold the commentary – of our chore lists. They rotate every week, around our schedules. Look through them, and if there’s a problem, be sure to let me know.”

Lance turns on his holopad, opening his messages, and – yep! There it is. To Shiro’s credit, it really does look like an Excel file. He scrolls down his section, seeing he’s got laundry duty today, kitchen tomorrow, and – he tenses. 

Pod duty. 

Okay. Okay! This is fine. He can get around this. Scrolling through the file as a whole, brain whirring, he sees that the pods need to be cleaned every week for maintenance, and again after every use. He’s cleaning them first, then Hunk, then Keith, all the way to Allura herself. He thinks back to scattered conversations he’s had with the rest of the paladins. He knows Hunk cannot stand doing laundry. Pidge hates anything to do with vacuuming. Keith loathes doing dishes of any kind, and Lance has heard Adam complain enough to know Shiro cannot cook for the life of him. He’s not sure about Coran and Allura, but with a couple trades and a few strategic illnesses, Lance is certain he can get away with never going near those death traps again. 

Not that anyone can know. He’s not… afraid of them, per se. He’s just logically avoidant! The clammy hands and laboured breathing when he thinks of the pods isn’t a terrorized trauma response, it’s just his hippocampus recognising danger and producing the proper chemicals to steer his body away from the potential life-threatening scenario!

Yeah, okay, maybe the haunted castle incident messed him up more than he’s willing to admit. Whatever. It won’t affect his life, he doesn’t need to tell anyone. He can for sure just avoid the damn things until the fear goes away. Right?

Right. 

—

Luckily for Lance, he’s not the only person on this ship who grew up with siblings. Everyone here knows the art of chore trading. 

He catches Hunk in the morning, holding a laundry hamper far away from his body and scowling at it. 

“Hunk! Buddy, pal, light of my life!” he calls, forcing himself to sound cheerful and possibly even mischievous. He cannot sound desperate, that’s Negotiation 101.

Hunk squints at him suspiciously. “You only call me ‘light of your life’ when you want something,” he accuses. 

Lance clutches his hand to his chest. “You wound me!” he gasps dramatically. “I am heartbroken! The disdain, the accusations – baseless, if I may add – maim me so! My heart! My feelings! My delicate composition –”

“What do you need, Lance,” Hunk interrupts, but he’s grinning. 

Ha! Lance’s dramatics do come in handy, thank you ever so much. He made a grumpy Hunk smile. 

“I have actually come to offer you something, from the generosity of my own heart,” Lance says. “You see, my dearest friend, my love, the man after my own heart –” Hunk rolls his eyes, but doesn’t stop Lance’s theatrics – “I know you despise laundry with every part of your soul. So I, the gracious do-gooder that I am, am offering a trade. A switcheroo, if you will. I’ll take your horrible laundry duty today, and you get to do the slightly less horrible job of cleaning the pods.”

Hunk raises an eyebrow, but he thankfully looks like he’s considering the offer. “What’s in it for you?”

Not having a panic attack, Lance thinks, but he obviously doesn’t say this. “You not telling Shiro we switched so I can safely and subtly snoop through Keith’s shit and he thinks it’s you,” Lance says instead.

He came up with this lie last night, and he’s pretty proud of it. It’s not even fully a lie, either – he’d love to snoop around Keith’s room a little, and he knows Keith will expect Hunk to do it, so he’ll expect his stuff to be messed up a little, and Lance will gain information to give him the upper hand in future bantering. Also, this way, no one else knows Lance is switching, so no one will get suspicious about his lack of pod-cleaning time. 

Hunk ponders this for a moment, but seems to decide that he’s down, because he nods, nudging the laundry hamper over to Lance. 

“Deal, but if you get caught with the laundry hamper, I’m not coming up with a lie, and you’re on your own.”

“Sure!” Lance agrees, picking up the laundry hamper and turning away. “You’re welcome, Hunk!”

—

The rest of the negotiations are much of the same. Lance comes up with subtle and believable little white lies to convince everyone to both switch chores with him and keep quiet about it. So far, it’s been seven months of being in space, and he’s only been back into the MedBay a handful of times (each time for minor injuries that he was luckily able to hide from the team. Although the injuries weren’t hugely disabling, or anything, they were big enough to land him in a pod if they’d been noticed – think broken ankles, deeper cuts that would need stitches on Earth, light concussions – which would have been disastrous, because Lance can’t get within one metre of a pod without feeling his vision blur and hands start to shake. The only other times he’s been near a pod have been after a deadly mission when he’d been unconscious or delirious – if someone tried to force him into one of those death traps while he’s fully aware of his surroundings, he knows he would have skipped right into the panic attack of the century and the ruse would be over).

Honestly, Lance is starting to feel a little guilty about it. Since he’s switching chores with people, he’s technically doing the same amount of work as anyone else, but he still feels like he’s been getting special treatment. Sometimes, someone will start a conversation about chores, and inevitably, someone will complain about the pods, leading to a group session of moaning and whining about the dreaded chore. Lance feels his soul weigh heavier every time he joins in with a false laugh and a fake story.

He is a fraud, and he needs to fix this. 

The next time his turn to clean the pods rolls around, Lance takes a deep breath, and he doesn’t go to anyone else. He doesn’t fake a migraine, he doesn’t cajole Pidge into switching around their schedules, nada. He waits until everyone’s busy and won’t come find him (no one can know how bad he’s let himself get), grabs some cleaning solution and a couple rags, and marches to the MedBay. 

As soon as the door closes behind him, he feels like the room gets smaller. His vision begins to narrow, and his palms start to sweat. 

Shit. Usually he can go a lot farther than this. Just yesterday, he very nearly touched a pod before he started hyperventilating. He feels like he’s destroyed all his progress. 

Fuck, maybe he should have waited a few more months. He still can’t touch the pods without visions of suffocating to death where no one can hear him scream. 

He shakes his head violently, desperately attempting to force himself to get over it. 

It’s a fucking pod. A machine. Shiro was tortured by Zarkon and his goons for a year and still manages to wake up and fight him every day, so what audacity does Lance have to be so batshit terrified of a stupid piece of glass and metal?

He grits his teeth, grabs a rag, and forces himself to walk over to the nearest pod. He blinks the tears from his eyes, wrenching his unwilling arms to move. He reaches out, touching the glass of the front and –

He gasps, doubling over. Fuck. He can feel his breaths coming shorter and shorter, can feel the cold sweat plastering his hair to his forehead. 

Okay. Okay. This is fine. Twenty more seconds of panic, and then he’s going to get the fuck up and continue cleaning. 

He desperately tries to slow his breathing, counting slowly to twenty, then pushes himself to move back over to the pod. He sprays the glass and starts scrubbing, hands trembling. Every couple of minutes, he has to remind himself to breathe, gulping in air with shuddering breaths. He can feel tears dripping down his face, and he gives up trying to hold them back. He’s too busy forcing himself to stay put. 

After the entirety of the exterior has been scrubbed as much as he can (and he knows he’s done a shoddy job. There are probably streak marks everywhere, and he’s most likely missed several areas. But he can barely see through his tears anymore, and he’s only done one fucking pod – not even – so he’s going to cut himself some slack), he collapses to the floor, dropping the rag.

He presses his forehead to his knees, gasping for breath. 

Okay. This is not great. He’s having a genuine, real-life panic attack, blurry eyes and all. He stays there, choking and wheezing, terror coursing through his veins, for who knows how long. This panic he’s feeling right now is a hundred times worse than any mission. A thousand times, even, and he hates himself for it. He faces horrible things everyday, getting shot at and fighting and everything, but cleaning one measly pod is his downfall? This is what will bring the Blue Paladin to his knees? A chore?

An indeterminate amount of time later, Lance manages to calm himself down enough to breathe a little better, although he can still see black spots dancing in front of his eyes and his limbs are still trembling. He shakily reaches out, grabbing the rag from the ground (which has almost completely dried up, yikes, how long has he been crying) and squares himself in front of the pod. 

Okay, now the inside. Crawl inside, scrub it quickly, crawl back out. No more than five minutes. In, out, next few pods, then you can go to your room and cry for a few hours, Lance reassures himself. Everything will be okay. 

He takes a shaky breath, squeezes his eyes shut, and quickly crawls in. He grips the rag, feeling his hands touch the inside of the pod when the texture of the floor changes. He forces his eyes open and starts scrubbing the floor of the pod, rapid-fire. He is so past caring if the pod is cleaned well. 

Once he’s given the floor a cursory wipe-down, he takes one more deep breath and wrenches himself upright before he loses his nerve. He turns around, now fully in the pod, and begins wiping down the wall. He’s barely looking, washing blindly. He reaches up, meaning to scrub the ceiling, and his heart drops to his feet when he hears a soft ‘beep’.

He whips around, mute with horror, just in time to see the glass of the pod close around him. 

Any earlier panic pales in comparison to what he’s feeling now. 

He screams, at the top of his lungs, as loud as he can, but he knows it’s futile. He knows how the pod mutes noises, how it creates its own silent environment. He pounds on the glass, kicking and slamming and shoulder-checking it until he’s bruised to hell, but he can’t feel anything but the terror and panic clouding every one of his senses. He scratches at the seams of the door, pulling until his fingernails crack and bleed, to no avail. 

He screams, and screams and screams and screams, but there’s no point. He’s alone. He’s going to die. 

And no one is coming to save him. 

–

It’s been a relatively normal day, so far. She’s organised a few Coalition meetings, drawn up some training simulations with Shiro, and finished her chores. All Allura has left to do now is meet with the rest of the paladins for dinner, and then she’s free for the evening. 

As she enters the dining hall, she notices fairly quickly that everyone is present except for Lance. That’s… unusual. He is usually among the first to be here. He tends to be on the early side of punctual, uncomfortable with making others wait for him. His tardiness is a step outside the norm. 

She shakes her head, dismissing her worries. He mentioned he was going to try and do some individual training, today, so he has likely simply lost track of time. 

She greets the paladins (and Coran!) as she walks in, grabbing a bowl of goo and sitting down next to Pidge. 

There’s a lull in the conversation as she joins them, so she starts it back up again. “How was everyone’s day?”

There are several comments, ranging from ‘meh’ (Pidge) to ‘super duper awesome!’ (Hunk), but Allura is pleased to note that no one has had a bad day at least. 

“I managed to beat level twelve in the sim,” Keith shares. There’s a chorus of congratulations, and Allura smiles brightly at him. 

“That’s wonderful!” she praises. “Oh, also, did you happen to see what Lance was doing while you were in the training room? I haven’t seen him in several vargas, and it’s unlike him to be so late.” 

“Lance wasn’t in the training room,” Keith says slowly. “At least, not that I saw, and I’ve been in there for the past few hours.”

Allura frowns. “That’s strange. He told me he was doing individual training during this morning’s briefing, and I haven’t seen him since.”

“That is odd,” Shiro agrees. “Has anyone else seen him?” 

Everyone shakes their heads, and an air of worry permeates the room. Usually, Lance makes a point of seeing everyone a few times a day. Out of all of them, except maybe Coran, he is the best at keeping a schedule and usually shoulders the responsibility of keeping everyone else on task. He does, occasionally, get caught up on a project, but he can often see that coming and will make sure people knows where he is beforehand. 

“Okay, I’m kind of freaking,” Hunk says, wringing his hands. “Maybe we should go look for –”

Just then, there’s a powerful roar, so loud it shakes the very foundations of the ship. Allura whips her head to the door, eyes wide. “That was the Blue Lion,” she says, standing up. “Something is wrong.”

The six of them swiftly make their way to the bridge, tense. As soon as they arrive, Podge pulls up the castle’s systems, flicking through the cameras. 

“When was the last time anyone has seen Lance?” Shiro asks. 

“I saw him at the briefing, and that was it,” Hunk says. Keith nods in agreement. 

“I’m loading the BLIP program now,” Pidge interjects.

Shiro nods at her, opening his mouth to ask another question, but Coran speaks up before he has the chance. 

“I saw Lance briefly in the hallways a few vargas ago. He was carrying some cleaning supplies.” 

Before anyone else can comment, Pidge jumps up from her seat. “He’s in the MedBay!” she yells. Everyone runs to the door, wondering what the hell is wrong and unwilling to wait.

Allura, shifting her legs to be longer, is the first through the doors, Coran and Keith right behind her. What she sees makes her gasp, panicked, and she sprints for the pod on the far left, where Lance is trapped and panicking. She veers to the side, seeing Hunk run to the pod out of the corner of her eye, and punches in the pod’s release sequence as fast as she possibly can. The glass door swishes open, and Lance collapses forward, sobbing into Hunk’s arms. 

Hunk doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around his best friend, holding on to his waist and gently cupping one of his large hands around the back of Lance’s head. Lance is gripping onto Hunk’s shirt so tightly his knuckles have gone completely white, and Allura inhales sharply when she sees the blood smeared around his hands.

“Hunk, can you please take Lance to his room? Stay with him until he’s calmed down, message us as soon as he’s okay. We’ll join you.” 

Hunk nods at her, and then scoops  the rest of Lance up, holding him with the utmost gentleness. As soon as the MedBay doors close behind them, Allura turns to Pidge, who has tear tracks down her face and is picking her nails the way she does when she’s overwhelmed. 

“Pidge,” Allura says softly, “can you access the MedBay cameras? I want to see if we can figure out what happened, so we can help Lance later.”

Pidge nods, sitting on the floor and pulling her laptop out of her bag. 

As she types, everyone else sits in tense silence, wondering what the hell happened. 

“That seemed… really severe,” Keith says quietly after several moments. “Do you think he’s claustrophobic or something?”

“You can’t be claustrophobic and qualify for the Garrison,” Shiro reminds him, equally as subdued. 

“Yeah, but there was that airlock incident. I’d be kind of freaked in tight spaces if that happened to me.”

“The airlock incident?” Allura questions.

Keith tilts his head at you. “Yeah? When Lance got locked in the airlock and it was going to eject him, remember?”

Shiro, Coran, and Allura all give him a horrified look. 

“What?!” they exclaim simultaneously. 

“When the hell did that happen?” Shiro demands.

“During the haunted castle! Didn’t Lance tell you guys?”

“Lance very rarely tells anyone anything,” Coran says gravely. 

“If he has developed claustrophobia – and I’m nearly certain now that he has – I can’t imagine the strength it would take him to clean the pods every few weeks,” Allura comments. 

“I – I don’t think he has been,” Pidge says in a small voice. “You guys should probably see this.”

Exchanging wary looks, everyone crowds around Pidge’s laptop, which shows a paused video of Lance entering the MedBay. Hesitantly, she moves her mouse, clicking ‘play’, and everyone watches with bated breath. 

Horrified does not begin to cover what Allura feels when she watches that video. Every part of her wishes she had never seen it, and is simultaneously relieved she has, if only so Lance doesn’t have to suffer through explaining it to them. Pidge could not even bear to watch, turning away when Lance really started to hyperventilate. 

“How did we miss this? How did I miss this? I rescued him from the goddamn airlock! I should’ve known! I should’ve –” Shiro places a heavy hand on Keith’s shoulder, silencing him. 

“We all should have been paying closer attention, but we know now. We’ll figure out how to help him, so he never goes through… that, again.”

Allura closes her eyes, breathing deeply, but nothing stops the images of Lance desperately scratching at the door, fingernails chipping off, screaming desperately for help. She knows the fear in his eyes as he slammed his body into the door over and over again will haunt her nightmares. 

“It’s been half a varga,” Coran says gently, after a moment. “I think now would be the time to check on Lance and Hunk, make sure they’re alright, considering. We can make plans after.”

There are nods of agreement, and then everyone makes their way to Lance’s room, solemn and silent. They gather at his door, pausing, and then Shiro quietly pushes open the door, peeking in. 

“Can we come in?” he whispers. 

Allura doesn’t hear a response, but presumably Hunk says yes, because Shiro steps back, allowing everyone to make their way in. 

“One at a time, so we don’t let in too much light. He’s asleep.”

They file in, gathering at the foot of Lance’s bed. He’s in a restless sleep, cradled carefully and protectively in Hunk’s arms. Hunk is rocking, slowly, petting Lance’s hair. Every few seconds, Lance lets out the shuddering breath, leftover from a long period of tears and panic. 

“He only conked out a few minutes ago,” Hunk says quietly. “He could barely even get any words out. Just kept begging me to stay with him, kept sobbing. I –” Hunk chokes on his own sob – “I’ve never seen him like this. Never. He’s never been so afraid. I must’ve reassured him hundreds of times, but it hardly did anything. He wasn’t really aware. I don’t even think he fell asleep, I think he couldn’t handle it anymore and passed out.”

There’s another period of silence, broken only by Pidge and Hunk’s tears, as everyone absorbs this information. Eventually, Keith takes it upon himself to explain the situation to Hunk.

“He tried to force himself to clean the pods, even though he’s traumatised by the airlock incident – he got locked and almost killed in the airlock when the castle got haunted, sorry for not telling you, I thought Lance already did – and had a pretty major panic attack. He accidentally pressed the close button from the inside and locked himself in, which obviously made it a million times worse. We think he’s been trading off and avoiding the chore, but I don’t know why he decided to force himself to do it today.”

Hunk closes his eyes, exhaling deeply. He looks forlornly at his best friend. “Why do you do this to yourself?” he whispers. He turns back to everyone else, eyes sad and hurting. “I think that’s a conversation for tomorrow. He needs rest.”

“Of course,” Shiro agrees. “We’ll wormhole somewhere remote, make sure we’re not going to get attacked, and we’ll make a plan to talk to him about this. Are you going to stay with him?”

Hunk nods. “I’m not going anywhere. Even if he wasn’t sleeping on me, I don’t want to let him out of my sight.”

“Good. I don’t really want him to be alone, either.”

“If I may interrupt,” Coran says. Shiro nods at him, gesturing for him to continue. “I noticed Number Four’s hands were pretty torn up. I think it may be prudent to go get some supplies to dress the wounds.”

“Good idea, Coran. We should get them clean before they get infected. Keith, you want to go with him?” 

Keith nods, and the two of them quietly make their way out. 

“I think the rest of us should make our leave as well,” Allura suggests. “I need Pidge to help me recoordinate for the wormhole, and perhaps you have some ideas to discuss with Lance tomorrow, Shiro. After that, I think we should all get some rest. Tomorrow will most certainly take a toll on us all, and today has also been difficult.”

The rest of the team says a quick good-bye to Hunk, going off to complete their tasks before bed. 

As she sets up the wormhole, Allura sends a wave of gratitude to the Blue Lion. As horrible as today has been, she’s beyond relieved they were at least able to help Lance before it was too late. 

—

As the castle’s morning light filters through Lance’s room, Hunk wakes from his doze. Although he knows it would have likely been best to rest up appropriately for the heavy conversation that’s bound to happen today, Hunk couldn’t bring himself to leave Lance fully, wishing to remain available whenever he needed the reassurance that he was safe. And he did need the reassurance, frequently at that – Lance must have woken in a panic over a dozen times over the night cycle. Thankfully, Hunk was able to calm him back to sleep every time, but it wasn’t a truly restful night for either of them. 

After about a varga, Lance jerks awake, wide-eyed and panicked. Hunk presses a kiss to his forehead, rubbing his hand along Lance’s back, silently proving to him he’s out of the pod, he’s safe, and Hunk’s protecting him. Lance calms down considerably, but is still pretty tense. 

“Morning,” he rasps. 

Hunk winces. Lance’s voice is wrecked, and no wonder. “Morning,” he whispers back. “You wanna get up and get dressed? Getting these dirty clothes off might make you feel better.”

Lance nods, and Hunk helps him dress, because he’s too shaky to do it on his own. After, Hunk offers to go grab him a bowl of food goo, but Lance looks terrified at the prospect of being alone, so Hunk wraps a careful arm around his waist and helps him make his way to the dining hall. 

When they arrive, the rest of the team is already gathered. They all face the door at the same time, expressions a mix of relief and sorrow. 

“Hey, Lance,” Keith greets quietly. 

Lance shoots him a small smile, carefully sitting down next to him. 

“Hi.”

Once he’s seated, Hunk makes his way to the kitchen, quickly grabbing two bowls of goo and hurrying back to Lance. Lance takes the bowl gratefully, and starts to eat, although slowly to work with his trembling hands. 

The room is silent, tense. Some people are eating, but mostly everyone is just waiting for the right time to bring up the elephant in the room. 

Shockingly, it’s Lance that speaks up first. 

“I’m sorry for freaking out,” he says, and Hunk watches as everyone visibly tries not to lose their shit, himself included. 

“None of us are angry with you,” Allura reassures. “We’re just… very worried.”

“And a little confused,” Shiro adds. “If you’re up for it, we’d like to know why you forced yourself to try and do something you knew was going to hurt you. Again, not mad, just worried.”

Lance sets his spork on the table, pushing his bowl away. He’s silent for a while. 

“I got tired of being a deadweight fraud,” he admits. 

Everyone blinks, shocked and obviously not expecting that, but Hunk recognises it for the insecurity spiral that it is. 

“Why do you think you’re a deadweight fraud?” he asks before Keith can say something. Hunk knows the Red Paladin is only indignant on Lance’s behalf, but if Lance feels like he’s in trouble, he’ll clam right up and the situation will only get worse. 

“My whole… thing, with the pods, is dumb. Everyone has worse things to be afraid of, like real traumas and fears, and I’m terrified of a fucking piece of glass and metal. It’s stupid. Also, it’s not fair that I keep tricking everyone into doing the pod cleaning for me.”

“...Okay,” Hunk accepts, because he knows dismissing Lance will only make him upset. “I see where you’re coming from. Objectively, I know a year in captivity, or losing your whole family, may seem like worse trauma. But you very nearly were suffocated in an airlock, Lance; alone, where no one could help you. That’s also terrifying. That’s a near death experience. Remember what that psychologist said? About the drowning?” 

Hunk is beyond relieved to see a hint of understanding dawn on Lance’s face. “‘Whether it’s in a puddle or an ocean, you’re just as dead if you’re drowning,’” he recites dutifully. “Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’,” Keith says. “You had a real reason to be upset. Even if you didn’t have a reason, it would still be okay for you to have trouble with something. You don’t have try and force yourself to not feel pain. It’ll only make it worse.”

Lance is silent for a moment, before bursting into tears. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out. “I didn’t want to be useless. I don’t want to get left behind.” 

Before Hunk has the chance, Keith wraps his arms around Lance’s shoulder, pulling him into a tight side hug. 

“No one is leaving you behind, you doofus. Come to us if you need help. Especially me – I knew you had that issue with tight spaces. I would’ve switched chores with you any day, okay? Promise you’ll come to me if you have an issue again.”

“You can come to any of us,” Shiro adds. 

Pidge nods frantically. “Yeah! We all want to help!”

Lance nods, sniffling. He wipes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Okay. Okay. I promise. I’ll ask for help if I need it.”

Hunk lets out a sigh of relief, because he can see Lance is being honest. He believes them, believes they’ll help him.

He knows he’s not alone anymore.

[erithel]

What makes the drawing of Keith holding the Race sign even worse in context of Lotor’s treatment is that the showrunners inadvertently made the white/human passing character the “good” biracial character while the non-white/human passing character is portrayed as the “bad” biracial character (and don’t get me started on Lance and Shiro’s sign Shiro’s boyfriend straight up dies and Lance might as well be straight with him only ever being shown hitting on girls show wise)

I read this at first and my brain went "what are you talking about, Keith is Korean" and then I stopped and remembered that no, that's just what the fandom decided.

But this is actually a good point.

Keith was good because he looked human.

Lotor was bad because he looked Galra.

I legitimately wonder if they never made Keith turn Galra (after the hint of it shown in his fight with Shiro) because of this. Because then he could no longer have passed as "good."

Little side track, but I actually wrote this as, like, a throwaway at the beginning of a fic I was working on a while back. The basic idea was that post canon, Keith was sent out to functions as the Blade's representative – and the only reason he was the rep was because he was Galra but didn't look Galra, so he was "the safe option." And it's messed up, of course, but I also feel like it's something that would happen.

For shows – and a thousand times more for shows that are targeted at kids and teens – there should not be any kind of subliminal racism or anything that can be interpreted as such.

Of course, there are many instances where fans will go way out of their way and twist things in a way that fits their own narrative, even though to anyone else it's obviously and deliberately reaching.

But when you have one light-skinned biracial character who is the hero, and one literally colored skinned biracial character who is the villain –

I would very much like to think that this was completely unintentional. But these are things you have to consider in storytelling. These are things you have to pay attention to because half of it is how the story is perceived by your audience.