#and the way keith needed the support of someone like lance to get it settled in his mind

[callmelyc]

I'll just never get over how despite wanting to be the leader himself, Lance still helped Keith be a Leader and see he was capable of doing so after being stuck in his own grief.

And it's canon like?!?!?

They work so well together when it's time to be genuine I'm so ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ

It always makes me so sad when ppl erase or leave out that part of their journey. That Lance helped. Bc it's just so important to Keiths character.

It doesn't make Keith weaker or less capable that he needed it but he needed someone to get through to him/support him and Lance did just that without even being asked.

It showed their growth and maturity, it's so pivotal and not even from a shipper standpoint.

For Keith to be able to admit he messed up/was stressed?

HUGE

For Lance to listen? HUGE

"This is all my fault. I followed him right into this trap. Everyone warned me, but I didn't listen. I put the entire team in jeopardy."

"Yeah, you kinda did. But now we gotta fix it."

That "we" is so important bc it's not even referencing just them two but the whole team coming together bc Keith was acting too radical he missed they were all there for him if allowed to be. They may have looked towards Lance to approach Keith (though Lance didn't notice nor need it he did so voluntarily) but they followed Keith as a leader from the start.

They were all willing to follow him, they all trusted him.

Lances voice was just loud enough and persistent enough to get through to him bc lance knew without shiro someone needed to try. Lance was so insanely supportive and so insanely important to Keiths rise to true leadership.

Keith accepting the help, the role, as himself and not as a replacement for shiro bc of that is always so powerful. He finally realized he didn't have to stand on a pedestal to be a leader, he could use his team as his pillars just as they could use him as one too.

"You're right. Let's go."

He's no Shiro but that doesn't mean he can't be their leader too.

Screaming

Then later it's Keith reassuring Lance he's more than a replacement or a placeholder. They grow so much bc of that initial support being built up the trust they have in one another is immeasurable.

They understand eachothers positions more than anyone else could bc they're in similar shoes.

Two ppl taken from their lions to another.

Two ppl changing rank in ways they didn't want.

And that unyielding support for eachother is just so so satisfying. This is why I adore their bp Keith and red lance dynamic. Ok it's not as popular but it really shows how they grow as a unit and I wish they'd utilized that so much more.

[greenflamedwriter]

Voltron Season 8 Fix-it-Fic

Voltron Season 7/8 re-write of of how I wanted Voltron to add + The Ship that I knew would never happen but I took creative liberties. Summary: When Keith joins Voltron and they go back to Earth to defend against the Galra, the castle still remained as well as Voltron- But the garrison confiscates the Lions and only THEIR best and brightest can pilot the lions. Lance/Shiro. Lance leaves Voltron to be a teacher. Adam and Shiro get that fight we were promised.

He was gone.

The others were talking amongst themselves, with Allura supporting shiro- Keith and Hunk discussing where they should go to next and talking rations while Pidge and coral were charting a course to earth that wouldn’t take much time, coasting to earth would be dangerous especially with no healing pods to fall back on.

And Lance was trying everything he could to not break down.

It was surprisingly easy, he knew his body and his mind. He figured once he was alone and they settled on a plan he could cry over the fact that Shiro.

His shiro was gone.

Keith may have matured with his two years absence, but Lance was here from day one and knew that right now they were wasting time.

“Allura can get us there, there’s no need to chart a course.”

That had everyone’s attention, of course Pidge’s face scrunched up about to respond.

“We didn’t have Allura open up a wormhole to Arus  when we all got in the blue lion from earth. We jumped from keeboras to arus with a wormhole. The lion created it once, it could probably do it again, Allura went to oriande and knows more about the lions and is the blue paladin.” 

Allura looked unsure “I don’t know if I can…”

“Allura you made wormholes all the time, and you just saved Shiro, you can do anything you set your mind too. I know you can do it princess.” Lance winked and Allura flushed ducking her head.

“You can bond with blue and while she figures that out, we’ll all go and gather rations, someone should stay here with Shiro- Keith would you?”

Keith nodded “Yeah, but why not Coran?”

“Coran knows this planet better than us, he can tell us what the look out for in case we’re in trouble. We’ll go in pairs, even tho it’s a safe planet we have to be on guard.” 

The others nodded packing up their things.

Keith moved over “I uh, thanks. You Uh, you’re really good at this.”

The blue paladin gave him a scathing look.

“Unlike some people I didn’t have two years to mature then come back when you felt like it. Some of us had to stay and fight and deal with it ourselves.”

Keith’s mouth fell open as Lance glared his way “Are you done running away now?” Keith clenched his fists “Lance, I had to leave it was better-“

“What almost getting yourself killed?” Lance pushed back “Because I saw that. I heard from kolivan how you would recklessly throw your life away and for what? You could’ve died in space and we wouldn’t even know about it. So don’t come back here as if you magically fixed everything and all’s forgiven.” Lance turned around almost following after the others until he heard Keith mumble behind him.

“I wasn’t running away.” 

Lance turned back “Might want to elaborate on that buddy?” 

“We’re not friends and we can’t pick and choose where we stay. we’re soldiers it made sense for me to go with the blade rather than you being dead weight.”

It showed how how little Lance cared that he barely felt any emotion.

“Oh so you did me a favour when I could’ve went back to earth to help Sam and Matt.” Lance crossed his arms.

“If you were here, Keith. Maybe you would’ve realised that Shiro was a clone.” Keith took a physical step back.

“Whatever you say to make yourself feel better that you didn’t figure it out yourself.”

“Puh-lease. You think your insulting me but Pidge and Hunk never realised either. No if your taking over as the black paladin now you need to step up. Fighting is easy,” Lance gestured “What happens when the fighting stops? Or you think your not needed? Going to run away again?”

Keith looked away and Lance scowled grabbing his chest plate and slamming his head against Keith’s making him look at him.

“If your going to be here then fucking act like a leader!” Lance shoved him away and turned back towards the group.

The others remained silent, Lance partnered up with Hunk and they split up to get provisions.

“Lance, that was really harsh.”

“I’m not going to beat around the bush, Hunk. Keith is the black paladin, and everything that’s happened was blind luck, finding his mom, Romelle? And getting some fucking cosmic insight that Shiro wasn’t shiro?” Lance growled then decided to hack a tree and Hunk only watched sadly.

“He left us, Hunk!” Lance swung down harshly “So no!  he doesn’t get to waltz back in here and act like everything is fine.” Hunk sighed “Lance…this is Keith we’re talking about, he’s not really great with people and you yelling at him is only going to push him away.” 

Lance sighed shutting his eyes “Hunk. We sent him off with a hug and farewell to be nice. It couldn’t have been a worse send off “Oh yeah we don’t need you just go to the galra. You heard kolivan, Keith almost killed himself for us and I just I thought-“ Lance hacked another tree making Hunk flinch.

“Look once we get back to earth, he’s going to do the same thing. Leave us for the garrison with Kroila because he found his real family now and we mean Jack shit.”

Lance turned to Hunk “What Keith did isn’t okay, Hunk. But you and the others won’t say anything because your all too scared to rock the boat. But these things need to be said, or nothings going to get better.”

Hunk only watched as Lance kept hacking at the trees, they should’ve been looking for food but…he’ll give Lance a minute to cool down.

Although Hunk resented being called a coward, was there anything wrong with not wanting to make things worse? 

Not everyone can speak their mind…

Allura sat in the cockpit of the blue lion, her hands shaking.

She couldn’t do this.

She almost lost everything- in just one moment. She could’ve lost Voltron and Coran, her home.

And yet-

She grit her teeth wrapping her arms around herself.

And yet her mind couldn’t help but play over Lotor words. 

Was he sincere?

No!

She clenched her eyes shut, her lip trembling he was a liar! He lied to her and yet she missed him a small part wondered if maybe they were wrong- maybe if Lotor explained himself.

She shook her head.

Scrubbing away her tears.

No. The others counted on her, they needed this wormhole. The blue lion can make one.

And…they wouldn’t understand, Allura exhaled a shaky breath.

She glanced out the window watching the others sort out her supplies.

Her eyes trailed over Lance, he was always a constant.

But none of them would understand what it was like…to lose someone, someone who you were vulnerable with, someone who could’ve been…more.

Allura grasped the controls taking one last look before shutting her eyes tight.

“Please.”

She thought of them all, her new family, Pidge, actually interested in Altean  culture and took to it exceptionally, and Hunk creating delicious foods and even gave her biscuits when she was low. Keith always saying the right thing, who she can trust to be honest with her, they were birds of a feather after all. Coran her advisor but more than that. A father, the caretaker of the team to keep them sane even though he’s hurting himself.

And Lance, he said Allura was the blue paladin because she was the heart of the team, but that’s not true.

Lance was there for the team and could be serious whenever they needed him. He believed in all of them and made them better.

He was the true heart and Allura wanted him to be right, that he placed his trust in the right person.

She can do this. 

Above their heads high in the sky, flickered a dark orb until a wormhole sputtered to life above them.

Pidge gaped “Holy crow!”

“Way to go Allura!”

Allura slumped back exhausted “If you guys can get ready I suggest we do it now, I don’t know how long it’ll hold.”

Lance beamed “You heard her, grab everything and get into your lions! Romelle, honey you and Coran go with Allura, I’m sure you have a lot to discuss.”

“Kroila, Shiro Keith you all go together.”

“Pidge you take the storage and Hunk, the provisions since you’ll be cooking anyway.”

Although Lance put food in all of their lions just in case.

Lance sighed “And I’ll take Kaltenecker, hopefully it won’t be a long ride.”

The others nodded and began to make way.

Lance made it to his lion settling into his chair as the hatch closed.

This was it, he was going home.

He raised his hand clasping it around the chain around his neck.

He knew it was impossible to be in war without losing something, but he didn’t think it’s be such a huge loss.

“Lance? Come on man, it’s closing!”

“Coming!”

He leapt into the air after the others making it into the wormhole just in time.

They opened up at Kerberos.

Maybe Allura jumped here because Shiro spoke about the moon a lot around them leading up to his excitement of the mission but avoiding the galra attack, he was aware it happened but wanted to focus on the positives.

Still, it shouldn’t take long to get to earth- oh shit.

“Uh- Guys what are we going to say so the united force’s and the rest of earth so they don’t nuke us on arrival?”

“…”

He heard Shiro sigh over the video feed “Leave it to me.”

Shiro directed at Pidge “Pidge can you radio in to Sam Holt?”

“Uh, yeah.” 

And just like that Shiro and Pidge were able to get on call with Sam to clear the runway so to speak.

“So how long will you guys be?” Sam asked, and Shiro responded “A few minutes.”

Sam chocked on his drink “A few minutes- for gods sake Shiro,” he stood up from his chair “Some forewarning will be nice.”

“We can orbit around Mars for a bit if that suits you-“

“Don’t be a wise ass, hold on. We already prepared for you to land we just have to speed up the process.”

“Thanks Sam.”

“Don’t thank me yet, we have some…issues.”

“With what?”

“The…senate, don’t feel comfortable with a ton of dropouts and aliens piloting a weapon.”

“They didn’t.”

“Yeah, it’s the typical they want it in government hands. Shiro, they’re going to try to take Voltron from you. They already have pilots lined up, the best and brightest.”

“Don’t they realise we’re in an intergalactic war that’s ranged on for thousands of years?”

“Yes and you’ll love this, some senators want to bark out peace with the Galra.”

“They want to give up before they’re even here!?”

Lance flinched eyes wide in surprise, guess ‘Shiro’ losing his temper wasn’t a new development with the clone. Then he shook his head, he couldn’t keep comparing them, they weren’t alike at all.

“That’s what I’ve been saying! Shiro you have to help me here if we don’t do something this could end up like the pandemic of 2020!”

“Dad for the last time, you and your generation keep saying that but I bet it wasn’t even that bad!”

Sams answering silence was enough “On second thought. Orbit Mars for a few Thebes.”

“Dad!?”

“You know I’m kidding and…done, now we’re ready for ya kiddo.”

He clicked off and the others deterred to Shiro, even he seemed surprised that they still saw him as a leader.

“Alright team, let’s go home.”

“And give them a show while we’re at it!” Lance grinned thrusting downwards as the lions began to make their descent.

When they landed at the garrison with the familiar uniforms glaring up at them, Lance breathed in.

“Ah gone sweet home.” 

So many unimpressed faces, how did Lance survive without them.

The lions opened up and the others excited, Pidge instantly sighted her family and sprinted towards them, Shiro along with Kroila and Keith were more subdued as they began to make their way towards Iverson.

Lance stayed beside Hunk and Romelle, their family won’t be here, Lance had no way of knowing if the garrison their dissapearence a secret or not.

Lance and Hunk holt at the sudden commotion as Iverson begins barking at Shiro, but surprisingly Shiro yells back getting in his face, and then some garrison punk decides to intervene.

“Show some respect to your commanding officer, Captain Shiro.” Lance instantly recognises him.

James…something. He forgot his last name. Oh whatever, Lance had to get in there.

Lance strutted up saluting.

“Commander Iverson.” The man nodded back “Cadet McLain.”

Oh god dammit he didn’t graduate but come on! He was in space, he could see James smirking and instantly smoothed down his metaphorical feathers.

“Commander, we have just landed from being in space for god knows how long so I apologise if our captain is being teachy,” He could feel Shiro glaring at him “What seems to be the problem.”

“I simply requested we confiscate the…lions, as the Garrison has the right to take inventory of them. The blue lion was originally on this planet near this location and that means we have jurisdiction of it. And if what Captain Shirogane says is true then the current pilots must disband and let real professionals take over.”

You could almost hear a penny drop, and Lance knew both Keith and Shiro- and Pidge by the look of it were about to have another shouting match.

“Which candidates did you have in mind?” Lance asked and Iverson nodded at James and his team behind him.

“James Griffen“

Griffen! That was his name!

“Ina Leifsdottir, Nadia Rizavi and Ryan Kinkade.”

Honestly they looked impressive.

“Of course, sure they can have Voltron no problem.”

“Lance!?”

Lance was gazing at Iverson and knew he was surprised, Lance was childish and wanted to keep his toys and never let anyone have them. But that was a long time ago.

“Well, good Cadet, we’ll get everyone prepared and to load the lions into-“

“Ah, hold on, before we do any of that, sir.” Lance spoke nodding towards the lions.

“They have to try to pilot them first.”

“…excuse me?”

Shiro catching on, smirked, “Of course. The lions are sentient and won’t let anyone pilot them. If your team can access the lion and pilot it then we’ll say nothing more.” 

It was hilarious to say the least seeing all the pilots bounce if the lions as the barrier appeared to block them from even trying.

It stopped being funny when Red barrier didn’t come up.

The cock-put opened up. And The eyes glowed yellow, the red lion had accepted her pilot.

Lance and the others as well as most of the faculty watching had matching stunned faces. 

James exits the walk down path with a cocky look, and Lance could only sigh.

“Well,” James started “Not so smug now are ya?”

“Now hang on just a minute!” Pidge started about to intervene Shiro grabbed their shoulder.

Lance glanced at the others, to James then to saw Iverson murmuring something to another Lecturer.

Lance looked up at red recalling when he first piloted Blue how it felt as if her eyes were watching him. But in this moment he couldn’t feel anything from Red at all.

He never realised how much of a spare part he’s been.

Others always told him he would amount to nothing more than a cargo pilot time to face the music.

Lance beamed taking a step forward with his hand outstretched his eyes serious.

“Congratulations.”

Pidge still yelling paused as well as many others.

James for once looked unsure “Uh…”

“You shake, dude.”

James took his hand and both shook once. With that out the way Lance easily moved over wrapping his arm around his shoulder.

“Okay, so you realised that the lion is nothing like earth ships, so your going to have to adjust to that and everything’s in altean, but just remember that the lion is connected to you mentally-“

“Uh-“

“And if you pilot her as you would pilot any other craft she’ll accommodate you, so relax and don’t get too hung up on it being an alien ship and you should be fine.”

“Uh okay.” Lance slapped his back good naturally “Good, take care of my team Griffen.”

He could feel the others eyes burning holes into his back.

 Lance realised that he was only here because Keith had to step down, as a fighter pilot leaving the garrison, the Red Paladin in Voltron and leaving Voltron so Lance could stay.

Lance was sick of having things handed to him and they didn’t have time for that, the galra were coming. And the couldn’t afford to hold people back just because of Lance’s ego?

No he was so over that.

“If you have questions, my team will teach you the ropes. You’ll have to refer to Keith as he’s the black paladin.”

“Why I’m higher rank than drop out over there.”

Lance crossed his arms.

“In Voltron that Dropout pilots the black lion.”

“And that’s important because?” Lance sighed “Voltron combines into a huge mecha robot and the black lion is in charge of cohesively  moving said parts, yes he outranks you.”

“Lance you can’t be serious-“

“James is clearly green he has no idea what he’s doing!”

“I’m not green I’m red.”

Lance bit his lip, James was just like Keith,

“The lions pick the pilots, I can’t help that and look-“ just to prove his point he reached out and the barrier appeared and Lance’s palm met resistance.

“She won’t let me in. It’s settled, come on guys you act as if we never lion hopped before.”

They didn’t look happy, Hunk even spoke up “Well yeah but it’s different now.”

Lance sighed “Guys it’s fine, Iverson and Shiro are talking about it now- it’s cool.”

“No it’s different because- you piloted blue! You were there from the start- it’s just wrong!” Lance hesitated at Hunks outburst.

“Hunk it’s okay, you and Pidge are still piloting the same lions nothing has changed that much.”

Hunk looked down and Lance had no idea what to say, “Listen I need to talk to Iverson- be two ticks.”

He glanced over and saw his window.

“Commander Iverson?”

Iverson was almost about to leave but turned his lip pulled in his familiar sneer.

“Yes, cadet.”

Good god does Lance need to graduate.

“Sir, did Captain Shiro let you know if the situation.”

“Yes, in great detail.”

Lance nodded “Since my position in Voltron has now terminated it doesn’t change the fact that I’m the only one with hands on experience who has squires so much free time. I have background experience, and so much intel and can act as a liaison between Voltron and the Garrison.”

“Captain Shirogane will act as liaison.”

“Oh so he has time to show you guys around the Altean castle, weblums, balmara’s, space swaps, and quintessence?”

“Cadet mcclain if you can stop wasting my time with made up-“

“It’s not, we need weblums for sculatrite to create wormholes.” Allura spoke up “And Balmarian crystals to power the Castle,” Pidge added.

Shiro even intervened “I can talk about the Galra and get us combat ready, but there’s so much you guys need to know-“

“And we’re already behind.” 

Iverson stared at Lance “Fine. I expect a module to teach the cadets on everything they need to know, the faculty lecturers will oversee it and approve it if it meets our standards.”

“Sure, I’ll even give you guys the tour of the castle the more your informed the easier it’ll be.”

Iverson moved towards his colleges to go over the plans and Shiro moved up beside Lance talking low so the others won’t hear.

“Are you sure Lance? Voltron is stronger with you here. training James might make it harder to fight the galra.”

Lance gave him an easy smile not looking him in the eye “Shiro this works out, we need a pilot from the garrison to be here. By military standards a former pilot, some dropouts have no weight or loyalty, they want to make sure Voltron is on their side first.”

“Of course we are!” Shiro hissed “We want to protect earth-“

“But not become dictators like Zarkon. Think of this as the accords from civil war, look it’ll work out once they see what you can do.”

And the fact that the country will assume Voltron was some terrorist weapon so yeah they needed to show they had control of Voltron.

“What we can do?” Shiro looked perturbed “Lance, you’re a part of this team too.” Lance finally looked him in the eye and for the first time, relaxed.

Maybe, Shiro didn’t remember him…but maybe he might or he could probably try again to recreate what he and Shiro once had?

This easy commadry was what sparked them in the first place.

“I know, which is why it’s better to be on the sidelines. The garrison know nothing about the Galra, Altean tech and the things they need to make them stronger. Earth wasn’t ready to leave their solar system and now they have to deal with a thousand year intergalactic war on their front door step? They won’t understand a word that Coran is saying and Allura is stuck with Voltron since she’s a new member. She and James can learn together- this works out! I can help things speed along!”

Pidge finally heard that still fuming that she was exchanging one brash idiot for another worse brash idiot “What about Shiro? He can do that stuff,” she bit out.

Lance shook his head, even tho Shiro was nodding along with her.

“Shiro is a senior officer, and would be working with Iverson and the other instructors and even head of state- he’ll have his hands full trying to make sure the freakin army won’t us Voltron as some sort of weapon against other country’s! we can’t afford infighting with other continents when freakin actual aliens might come out of nowhere and kill us. Two pair of hands are better, guys…trust me, I know what I’m doing.”

“Are you really okay with this?” Lance glanced up surprised at the pure venom in Keith’s voice and realised as their eyes locked he was thinking of that conversation in Keith’s room.

“That’s six pilots one too many, I know we need a red paladin and we should have our best soldiers out there.”

“You’re just running away! Classic Keith.”

Lance smiled, who’s the hypocrite now. It did seem like he was running away.

But unlike him, Keith was actually needed.

“Of course. No use beating around the bush, I wasn’t meant to be a fighter pilot. I should accept my loses while I can.”

-return to earth. Adam and shiro get back together and Lance is gutted.

-Lance becomes a lecturer describing in depth materials and what they do. Students ignore him so he asks Pidge/hunk to back up what he’s saying and they soon realise that Lance is t dumb.

-Adam drags Lance to talk to Shiro.

“Lance McClain, right?”

Lance paused gathering his notes and glanced up, standing in the door way with his arms crossed and a permanent scowl on his face was non other than Adam Montgomery.

Lance honestly had no clue why Adam was here and why he was glaring at him as if Lance insulted his mother.

“Uh, yeah. What can I do for you?”

Adam smiled, and somehow that was worse.

“I was wondering if you had lunch yet?”

“I’m, no?”

“Great, I wanted to talk about one of your lecturers about the healing pods?”

Oh that was a surprise, Lance almost told Adam to just read his PowerPoint.

But Lieutenant Adam might be busy and would probably prefer direct cliff notes first.

“Uh sure.” 

On their way towards the food court, Adam casually placed his arm around Lance’s and begun his discussion.

“I most of my students won’t stop talking about your wormhole thesis.”

“Uh, yeah?”

“So I read it myself, it’s really detailed most assume that Katie holt was the co-writer, or mostly wrote 80% of it.”

“Uh you could say that, I mean she explained it to me.”

“Pidge didn’t input anything on that paper. I confirmed it myself, your academic grades are off the charts you were always second in class but what you had theory failed in practical.” 

Lance had no idea what Adam wanted from him, until they rounded the corner and began to walk towards a lunch table.

With Shiro occupying it.

Adam must of know Lance was about to run, his hand digging into his shoulder.

Almost like a marshal shoving a delinquiet towards a squad car.

“I know your smarter than what people give you credit for.”

He pushed Lance in his seat and even shoved a tray of food towards him.

“Your favourite.” Adam smiled and sat down beside shiro.

Lance could only stare at his tray still steaming hot.

Shiro looked awkward and Adam was watching him like a hawk.

“Why are you avoiding Shiro, Lance?” Lance almost chocked on his food. Adam wasn’t above beating around the bush.

“Which yeah I get why Shiro wasn’t close to me or tried, we have nothing in common and any of us could’ve died at any point. And shiro did so it hurt less those months after when he was gone, Keith had the worse of it.” Lance began to eat avoiding Shiro’s glare.

Adam stared at Shiro “You died?”

Lance glanced up from eating “Oh is this not common knowledge?”

Shiro glare was fixated on him “It was not.”

Lance leaned back “Oh I’m sorry I wasn’t aware that you were keeping secrets from your fiancé.”

Adam narrowed his eyes “Your lying, the others told me you and Shiro were close. Shiro…remembers things of you two being friends.”

Lance mouth fell open he glanced at Shiro “I- since when- what about?” 

Panic, no don’t panic everything’s fine.

“Just you being there, when I needed someone to talk to- we played dnd.”

Lance eyes watered, he couldn’t he couldn’t  remember.

“Lance, I can’t help but feel as if there’s something your not telling me.”

Lance swallowed.

There were tons of things he never told Shiro.

He narrowed his eyes, mentally pulling himself back.

“Nothing happened, you were just killing time as the others were busy.” 

“Bullshit.” Adam infuriated and Lance glanced his way, he had to say, he respected Adam and seemed to want the best for Shiro.

But he was being such a pain in the neck about it.

“I’m sorry but both of you here started this interrogation with me first, I’m not going to sit here and play nice when I could’ve had lunch with Hunk or kinkade.”

“Your being awfully defensive for someone who didn’t do anything wrong.” Adam crossed his arms looking as if he gained the upper hand. Lance clenched his fists.

“Yeah? Well if I’m lying to Shiro, we’re both withholding information. But at least I don’t gain anything from it.” Lance looked Adam up and down.

Adams stared, his hands clenching.

“Gained? What do you mean?”

Lance continued to stare at Adam his eyes narrowed.

“Where’s your engagement ring, Adam?” He asked innocently.

Adams face slackened with shock then darkened, his eyes narrowing into slits. Lance stood up “I’ll let you guys sort this out amongst yourselfs.”

“Also, Adam. You tell Shiro why you don’t have his engagement ring then I’ll talk about why I’m avoiding both of you.”

“Adam and Shiro are having a lovers spat.”

“Crow Lance, what did you say to them?”

“Yeah adams cool.”

“He’s a liar.”

“What.”

“He’s lying to Shiro, they broke up two weeks before Kerberos.”

“And how would you know.”

“Because he told me.” 

The others didn’t look believing so he directed the next question at Keith “Seriously Keith why would he only take you to see the ship to Kerberos, Katie you were there two. You would think Adam would’ve accompanied you.”

Both looked silent recalling that time, all staff had a break, there was no reason for Adam to not be present.

“Why would he tell you?”

“We we’re alone in space what else could we have talked about, Katie and Hunk were busy with their navigations map and colour coding it and Allura and Lotor were two busy making out. We both paired of and talked since there was nothing left to do.”

It was one month, one month later and once lance’s duties were over and he no longer had anything else to do. They were ready for any galra attack.

Lance stay at his desk staring at the photo there, it had been one month since his shiro died.

He exhaled a shaky breath, he never forgot in every moment when he was with his friends he would think.

“Shiros died.” 

In his classroom he would begin the lesson until a blunt thought “Shiro is gone.”

For months small words would repeat disrupting any moment he had.

And now, now it all came crashing down.

He took the photo, the only one of Shiro with his arm around LanceMs shoulder.

He removed the picture and placed the frame straight down.

He couldn’t do this.

He stood up marching towards the door, he thought he could wait until the war ended but from past experiences he might never get the chance, there was a lull now so he might as well take this opportunity.

“Where’s Lance?”

Iverson glanced towards Shiro “Oh, he’s gone out for a bit.”

“But what if the Galra attacked?”

“That boy has been working non stop, and he’s not out of bounds from the garrison. He’s just taking a breathing before anything happens. By god does he need it.”

Shiro pressed his lips together “Is he going to be alone?”

“I think so? He’s going by Green river, he’s not that far out.”

“I’ll go out, I don’t think we should separate at this point in time.”

“Take care.”

And that’s how Shiro found him, he exited the garrison rover and tread carefully towards Lance, he saw he was sitting on a log illuminated by the fire he was in front off.

Shiro peered over his shoulder and his mouth fell open to see the photo in Lance’s hands.

It was the two of them, and they looked…close.

Lance was lost in thought and didn’t appear to notice Shiro was there.

Shiro cleared his throat and Lance jumped turning instantly eyes flashed in panic.

And shiro soon realised this was a mistake. Lance’s eyes were red rimmed and his face tear strained.

“Shiro- I what are you doing here?” Lance quickly looked away scrubbing his face. Shiro walked over tentatively and sat on Lance’s left.

“I heard you went out, none of us should be left alone right now.”

He stared at Lance then the photo, he had no clue if he should bring it up. But he was deadly curious.

“Lance…you told Adam you were both lying to me. But that you had a good reason, the others wouldn’t fill me in on what the clone was doing, there’s…gaps in the story and things I remember that doesn’t make sense.”

Lance was slowly hunching in on his shoulders.

“Lance I don’t know what’s going on…and I can’t help but feel like I’ve hurt you- did- did the clone do something?”

No! No god no he didn’t…

…Lance talk to me here, I want to help.

Lance clenches the photo and exhales.

He raised his hand and removes the chain around his neck. The chain he’s always fiddling with.

And there dangling from the chain, was the ring of Mordor.

Or Shiro hoped it was or rather wished it to be since it was none other than Adams engagement ring.

Shiros throat ran dry “Why- why do you have that.”

“You and Adam separated two weeks before the Kerberos mission.”

Lance began his tone devoid of emotion his eyes staring at the fire.

“You kept it in the arena. The one thing giving you hope, it pushed you to work out, memorise the patterns of guards planning your escape you kept it with you until that last fight with Zarkon. Your body disappeared and this remained in the cockpit, you see we needed a new paladin and we all went in to see if she woupd respond. On my way out, I saw the ring on the floor.

I planned on giving it to Keith at the right time when he…when he wasn’t as hurt about you being gone. But then you came back- but it wasn’t you and I thought it was.

 I gave him the ring and he said “Keep it, you seem to be the only constant here,” since y’know Keith left, Pidge went to find her brother, Hunk was cooking all sorts into his food. You thought I’d keep it safe.”

He passed it over and Shiro took it, his hand clasping around the chain still warm from Lance’s neck.

“And that’s it.”

“Your lying.”

Lance looked shocked as Shiro looked up “You wouldn’t be here, and keep this from me from so long of that was it.”

Lance opened his mouth and shut it’s looked away fiddling with his hands, unable to fidget with anything back. Shiro almost gave Lance back the chain out of pity.

“He promised me it.”

“What?”

“The clone. He said- as soon as we get to earth I’m going to put that ring on your finger.”

The silence stretched on, only disrupted by the occasional snap from the fire and embers spitting from the flames.

Shiro took a long breath then exhaled.

“All this time- you didn’t say anything?”

“How could I? You did Amy remember, I was going to wait to see if you figured it out on your own but- then you saw Adam. And you forgot about the break-up and you- god Shiro you were so happy. After everything you’ve been through almost dying facing the Galra. How could I ruin that?”

“But what about you- were you never going to say anything? Stay silent while Adam and you lied behind my back.”

Lance sighed “I gave him a two week notice Shiro- we had Voltron and the atlas, none of us had time to deal with distractions.”

“But you would’ve been fine?” Shiro almost growled out beyond pissed at Adam, Lance but himself- for letting it drag out this long, for not confronting Lance that very first day.

“Shiro how can you even say for certain that what the clone was feeling was even you? What if it was a trick by the galra to get closer to the team? In what circumstance would you and I even…-“

Lance choked off covering his face, Shiro flinched alarmed as Lance began to sob, his shoulders shaking.

“How can I mourn you- when I see your face every day- and you just, you see right through me. I’m just Lance just someone who works with you from Voltron.”

Shiro reached out placing a hand on Lance’s shoulder.

“Lance, the others would’ve understood if you talked to them.”

Lance shook his head “Don’t you think I tried, they think the clone and you are separate that the clone was evil, and wasn’t a person.” Lance glanced down at the bag beside him.

“He doesn’t even have a grave.” 

Lance leaned back wiping his face his throat dry “That’s why I brought this stuff, to burn. I wanted to bury something to have some sort of closure.”

Shiro hated to think that Lance was going through this alone, that no one knew.

“I do have some memories of that time, but not- it’s as if those ones that you and he had together is gone, or I can’t access them.”

“Maybe it’s because you're both too different. It’s not something you would’ve done.”

Lance talks about the objects Kuro got him, souvenirs from other planets a flute that sounds awful etc. 

Lance turned the corner already dreading this, it was a flight test, if he failed to pass it then he wouldn’t qualify as a fighter pilot and work as an instructor.

Okay- breathe.

Lance gazed up at the flight craft. He crashed tons at the simulators. What if he crashes another time?

He could even hear Iverson talk to the others “Bear witness that no matter how bad you think you are you will never be as terrible as the demonstration we are about to see today.”

All of Lance’s nerves evaporated replaced with rage.

Okay-he can do this.

Lance stepped in the craft listening to the instructors asking the standard questions.

“Okay rescue mission for the Kerberos crew?” Lance glanced at Iverson “To be fair didnt I already do that by piloting the blue lion I came back with my team with Sam, Matt and Shiro respectfully.” 

He couldn’t help the tease.

He turned on the thrusters and heard the thrum of the craft.

It was so…clunky. He had no idea how advanced Altean ships were till now.

It was like playing on a PlayStation 5 and then going back to a PlayStation 2 with the old games.

Lance called of his flight pattern hitting the buttons and then…zones out.

It wasn’t until after when he landed the ship, as he stepped out the simulator and saw all the stunned faces. Lance smirked.

He was a fighter pilot afterall.

__________________________________________________________

What I wanted from Voltron; -Bayard Upgrades/Voltron upgrades.

Zarkon in season one showed what it could be and how advanced (and how pathetically weak Voltron was) in comparison the only reason they won is blind luck and Zarkon being blind-sided by the black lion.

-Lotor being the moriarty to Keiths Sherlock's talent BUT since he's not blind-sided is able to pinpoint Voltrons weakness. Without Shiro Keith is a good pilot but not a good thinker, Lance is able to help.

-An Altean flashback, showing Allura tinkering with machines along with Alfor and Corans father who helped build the lions. And so it would make sense that she could create more things after going to the Oriande planet but learning more about Altea, flowers, food, cuisine, and seeing the absolute scale of it lost?

-Lotor's wishy washy villain/morally grey arc. So the planet with all the alteans he used as batteries? Wasn't a thing. The Alteans were dying, and Lotor was trying to cure them by getting close to Allura a pure altean and using her body to cure his people. Then he fell in love didn't have the heart to ask her and decided another way to help his people oriande was the ticket he needed but after he failed he clung tighter to Allura as she was the only way to save them.

-Have the rift that was open leaking out monsters the one in season seven who was invisible- the dragon hypnotising the mermaids- the black ghibli beast that the OG paladins took down-and keith mentioning how something was consuming planets was unnatural. Hagger wanted to control the beasts herself the very things that possesed her- the mermaid queen being controlled by something would've been the perfect foreshadowing that HAGGER was possesed by the anti-quintescenece that made her/Zarkon evil.

-The Druids SHOULD'VE been Alteans who had betrayed their own kind to stand with the Galrans, Romelle should've been a druid who betrayed Haggar and joined Zarkon but she and Kuron [Shiro's clone] would've worked together.

-Keith should've had a bonding moment with his mother. Not have a magical comment downloading her memories in his head convient-like.

-Keith should have been there on the castle- OR someone should've had a moment when they realised Kuron WASN'T Shiro. Just something he said that would make them realise it was defiently not him. And Keith should have figured it out for himself not have the SAME comet download that information in his brain...like just tell him everything else hell- The BIFUR Shiro hated should have exposed Shiro!

Just a "Hi, Slav had a good day, want to ride in the Black Lion with me?"

"...He's being nice to me- that's an imposter!"

"Yeah Shiro couldn't STAND SLAV he goes out of his way to avoid him!"

-Have it where Voltron since it came from the rift would have to be sacrificed and since Allura's life-force is tied to the lions has a little jumpscare when she gets hurt. The same medicine they used to save the alteans research by Lotor and Allura is what saves her in the end.

-Why are the Alteans sick? They are sensitive to cosmic energies the rift is polluting and affecting the Alteans as well as their own planet being cut off. Yes the are a good source for batteries BUT it would be interesting if Galrans were used as well hence why a failure of that kind turns them into robo-beasts.

-Have Lance be an instructor, with Voltron gone [a statue in it's place] theirs no need for the Paladins, Keith continues with the Blade of Mamoura, while Hunk and Pidge and Allura experiment and get Humans up to speed for intergalactic etc-

-Lotor sacrifices himself, he pilots Voltron alone into the rift, truthfully he wasn't supposed to be alive, Hagger manipulated quintescenece for his birth but both his parents lost sight of that as the years went by [Which hold up, Allura was like we've been asleep for THOUSANDS of years how is Lotor even alive? was he conveieved only twenty years ago? What happened to Zarkon/Hagger in those twenty years the frick?]

-Have Shiro/Kurons memories meld together and Shiro is kinda losing his mind not knowing what is/isn't real. Hence the flashbacks of Adam on earth.

-Adam and Shiro don't get together, it would've been a refreshing take that not all relationships work out. Adam is upset because well Shiro went out there and got abducted by aliens. He told him so. Adam doesn't die he just focuses on his MFE pilots, while Shiro deals with his.

-Since Hunk/Pidge/Allura are busy, and Keith and Shiro work with Iverson, he joins the MFE pilots along with Kinkade and then introduces THEM to all the alien jargon they have to learn like Bulmaras, crystals, how Altean crafts work, what it was like fighting the galra. It'd be better if Lance went back on his simulations/training and improved leaps and bounds- only for Iverson to say if the worst Pilot in the world can defeat the Galra this will be easy!

-Ever since Keith left Voltron it went downhill. The guy was supposed to be the main character and yet he was just on the sidelines other than action scenes and the blind luck parts, nothing was planned or done on purpose. It's like he wasn't even there.

-How can Pidge have more development/plot when they are only one character of Voltron, meanwhile Shiro, Lance, Allura, Hunk and sometimes even KEITH's plotlines were just ignored or rushed it felt like PIDGE LEGENDARY DEFENDER more than Voltron.

-To this day i STILL don't get what bonding with Lions mean. At this point in time with the lion swap/a clone of Shiro anyone can pilot it if they think hard enough.

-The fact that more multi-verse arcs didn't happen is a crime. We get ONE Sven and pff nothing else.

-The Bulmera Episode with Hunk and the Mermaid Episode with Lance was the only times both characters had moments to shine but never had that ever again which sucked as that was the reason I kept watching.

-Re-watching Voltron and realising it wasn't a found family, but a group of work collegues who were just dying to clock out at the end of the shift and go home and never speak to each other ever again -_-

_____________________________________________________________

...It's 2024 and I'm still salty.

[autisticlancemcclain]

parts 1 2 3 4

———

The distress signal they get is from a planet so like Earth that Lance aches with it. Of course, it’s not Earth, and it’s obvious if you spend more than three seconds looking at it, but it’s big and blue and teeming with life and Lance can’t help the broken gasp he lets out when he sees it. He’s not the only one looking a little homesick, but Keith puts a gentle hand on his arm anyway. Lance shoots him a watery smile. He’s grateful for the support.

“It’s a time-sensitive mission, as we discussed during the briefing,” Allura says. She, too, notices the sudden pain visible within each of the paladins, her own empathy for them making her voice shake and shoulders tense. “It is also a mission of stealth, for as long as possible. Remember to use the lion cloaks as long as you can, communicate clearly, and when the fleet discovers you, destroy them quickly.”

“Got it, Allura.” All of them speak in unison, but Hunk takes it a step further. He reaches forward, grabbing her hand, and squeezes it tightly three times in succession.

“We’ll come back, Allura.”

Allura sighs, deep and long, squeezing back. Lance understands her fear. The fleet… it’s huge. Beyond huge. It big and scary and insanely well-armed. And with all of this planet’s similarities to both Earth and Altea, and the plain terror in the distress call… they’re all a little tense. A little skittish.

But they have a job to do. All of them.

So Lance hurries with everyone else, running to Blue’s hangar and flying through the zipline. “Let’s go, beautiful,” he says as soon as he’s settled into her cockpit, and off they fly.

Flying cloaked is always strange — since he and Blue are connected by their very quintessence, flying with her essentially melds her body to his. He becomes a giant metal flying lion, and she becomes her pilot. They’re one and the same. So there’s always a sort of cognitive dissonance, flying invisible, of looking down and expecting see his limbs and seeing empty space instead. It’s something he’s not yet used to, and not sure he ever will be. (It does make his job even easier, though. Sniping always carries an element of pseudo-invisibility, being the one who is felt but not seen or heard, so quietly taking out Empire warships and fighters is as familiar as it is foreign.)

“Check in, everybody,” comes Shiro’s voice from the comms.

One by one they all sound off, confirming their positions.

“Okay, good. Remember — stay cloaked as long as you can. Do some damage and move away, until you’re in a position where stealth is no longer an option, and then just go ham. End goal is the drive this fleet away from the planet, we don’t need to eliminate every fighter. Check in with each other, keep yourselves updated. Most importantly: stay safe. Love you guys. Be careful.”

“Love you too, Dad,” Lance teases, to try and lighten the mood, and it must work because Shiro snorts as everyone else repeats it.

“Yeah, yeah, you little twerps. Get moving.”

They do. Lance takes a deep, meditative breath, melding with Blue until he’s sitting heavily on the astral plane. It’s a new thing they’ve been working on — the astral plane is, obviously, very different from the physical plane. He can sense where everyone else is, even with their cloaking on, and can even sense the ships of the Galran fleet that are dishing the most damage. This way, he can keep tabs on everyone else, on top of dealing as much damage as he can from the background. It’s an excellent strategy. It’s also, unfortunately, incredibly draining, pulling energy directly from his quintessence at extreme rates. He’ll only be able to hold it for so long. Hopefully, by then, they’ll cut the cloaking and get right to demolishing every bit of this fleet, so this planet — the one that looks so much like home — will be safe.

“Oh — fuck,” someone curses, and Lance blinks back into the physical plane with a gasp.

That sounded bad.

“What’s going on?”

“I think I — double fuck,” Pidge says. “I’ve been running my scanners while I was attacking and I have some news.”

“Good news first?” Hunk tries.

“It’s unfortunately bad news and worse news, buddy.”

Keith snorts. “Wish I could say I was surprised.”

“Mhm. Bad news is that we’re going to have to drop the cloaks — scanners were running and I got sloppy. My bad. They know we’re here now. Worse news is that they’ve got an ion cannon charged and ready on the ship in the middle.”

“Could these bitches get any more crusty,” Shiro mutters, and he’s the first to drop his cloak so the fighters he’s facing can feel proper fear before Black just fucking eats the ship.

“That was kinda hot,” Lance says, and he can feel Keith scowling at him as Shiro laughs.

“Why, thank you, Lance,” Shiro says.

“How about we focus on the fucking mission,” Keith snaps, voice all gruff, and he’s the next to uncloak, shooting a harmless laser in Black directly before demolishing his own fighter.

“Hey!”

“Shut up, Shiro.”

“Someone’s moody,” Pidge teases. Lance grins, shaking his head as he drops his own cloaking. God, he loves his team. Everyone is such a loser. It’s great.

(Because, of course, his brain is mean to him and has a personal problem every time he feels even one iota of joy, a traitorous voice in the back of his mind asks him how he thinks the team will feel once Lance finally comes clean about who he is. How betrayed, it whispers, do you think they will feel when they find out you’ve kept such a big secret from them?

Lance scowls and tells the voice to shut the fuck up. He’s busy, and has no time for negativity right now.)

The team spends the next several minutes — or longer, time gets kinda iffy mid-battle — shooting the shit out of several dozen fighter jets, before the big game starts: the giant commander ship slowly turns to face Yellow, ion canon aiming right for the lion.

“Team, to Hunk and Yellow now! They won’t be able to deflect an ion blast on their own. Form Voltron!”

Wordlessly, they all fly full-speed to follow orders, seamlessly falling into formation, Pidge holding up their shield mere seconds before the massive ion blast hits them. The blast deflects off the shield and right back to the commanding ship, but the force of the blast sends them spinning.

“Is it just me, or did that feel more powerful than usual?” Hunk asks.

“Why can’t even one thing go right,” Lance laments, because Hunk’s right. There’s definitely something special about this cannon, because of course there is.

“Let’s try to take the ship out before the canon recharges,” Keith suggests.

“Good plan. Pull up the sword, we’ll get closer and see just how many pieces we can hack the ship into.”

Gleefully — and that’s a fact, Lance can feel his emotions directly when they’re formed like this — Keith does, and they carve into the ship like a goddamn thanksgiving turkey.

(Not that Lance would know a damn thing about thanksgiving turkeys. Thanksgiving is a shitty holiday, and turkey tastes like napkins. The McClains have sopa marinera instead, like cool people. But still. Metaphors, and all that.)

A good chunk into their attack, however, the stupid cannon does recharge, because of course it does. This time, Voltron is much closer to the business end of the beefed-up cannon, which is not ideal for their health and well-being.

“I’ve had better plans,” Keith comments.

“Have you?” Pidge snarks, because of who she is as a person.

“I didn’t hear you coming up with anything better!”

“I never said I was the plan-person!”

“Then cool it with the comments!”

“Um, guys, if we’re about to die via canon evisceration, could we maybe stop bickering?”

“No one is going to die,” Shiro assures. “But, uh, I did not foresee an extra-strong canon, and I’m short on alternative plans. Any ideas?”

Lance does, in fact, have an idea, although it’s not one of his best.

“In terms of great plans, this would not be one of them.”

“Anything you have is better than what we’re currently doing, Lance.”

“Alrighty, then. Hunk, you remember that shoulder-canon thing you summoned a while ago?”

“Yeah, but it’s not as strong as an ion cannon.”

“No, but I imagine it would do some pretty catastrophic damage if you were to shoot it directly at the barrel of the cannon, right as the ion cannon charges up to shoot. I imagine that would make a lovely explosion.”

“…You imagine correctly. Shiro?”

“Good job, Lance. It is risky, though. Timing will be rough. We might get hit by an ion blast anyway.”

Before they have the chance to come up with anything better, the ion cannon glows purple, charged and ready to blast.

“No time for better planning! Hunk, cannon!”

“Aye aye!”

Hunk slams his bayard into his port, and they shoot off a blast the exact same second the ion cannon shoots at them.

As expected, the second their blast touches the ion cannon, the whole ship explodes.

Also as expected, the ion blast hits Voltron square in the chest, knocking the power out of the lions and forcing them apart. Completely powerless and reeling from the force of the blast, the lions go hurtling towards the planet. Lance desperately tries to wake Blue up, get the comms going, but it’s futile — she’s completely offline, and so is everyone else.

He forces himself to take a deep breath, and hurriedly engages the emergency controls — he won’t be able to stop himself from crash landing, but he can maybe make it a little less violent, and maybe not die on impact.

He hopes everyone else will be okay, too.

[voltrons-legendary-defender]

The Lions and their Paladins

I'm indifferent towards the lion switching, but I do have some concerns about how the lions and paladins connect, even before the swap.

Green Lion

Nature is its element. The green lion requires a paladin that's inquisitive and adventurous.

Pidge....She's definitely inquisitive although she seems to know more than ever ask questions. She isn't shown to be adventurous, brave certainly. But because her plot involves her family those traits aren't shown.

When she meets the Olkaerion she makes it clear she hates nature too. Like damn. I'm not really sure if she's a perfect fit for the Green lion because of this. Either that, or the description of the Green lion needs to change.

Not that she has to be a perfect description of what the Green lion seeks in a pilot. But, why does Pidge deserve to be a paladin of Voltron?

I assume it's her unrelenting loyalty towards her family. Even if in the first season Pidge is wanting to walk away from being a paladin, it 100% makes sense as why she felt that way.

Nature spiritually means balance, and Pidge is just a 15 year old girl, I don't expect her to learn what it means to have balance. Again, because her character is consumed mostly by her family plot I can't say much about her, other than she's intelligent.... As for the lion, I can't find a description of its personality online...

Red lion

Fire is its element. The lion requires a paladin that's instinctive.

Keith is pretty much perfect for the lion. The red lion also has takes the highest damage, but it can maneuver quickly. I feel like that describes Keith perfectly.

However I can see Keith struggling with the lion, considering it's also the most temperamental.Like Keith though, it's protective.

As for Lance...Um...I'm not really sure if he fits any description for the Red Lion. It could be personal, considering the Red Lion is the right hand man. (Buuuut the Blue Lion fits Lance so well)

Perhaps the Red Lion really should've gone to Alllura, especially since her father was a former pilot. (They would share the same traits) The Red Lion is described to be volatile too, and Allura has had such a significant impact in her life....She literally had to adjust to a 10,000 year difference.

Allura isn't temperamental, but neither was her father. Perhaps, the temper can be interpreted differently between paladins.

Blue Lion

Water is its element. The lion requires a paladin that is confident.

The Blue Lion is apparently the most friendliest, and Lance (aside from Hunk) seems the most sociable. The Blue Lion really is perfect for Lance, but Lance is definitely not perfect for the red lion.

From fighting style to personality, the red lion needs someone who can think quicker, in my opinion. Not calling Lance dumb, but he doesn't have fighting smarts. Not in the way Allura and Keith do.

What about the Blue Lion for Allura? I already explained why the Red Lion suits Allura more. Aesthetically it looks nice but it's at the cost of Lance getting a Lion that's he's a little too much for.

Yellow Lion

Earth is its element. This Lion requires a pilot that is kind and caring.

You already know Hunk fits the description well. But, if he were to swap with another Lion it could easily be Lance.

Allegedly Acxa was going to replace Hunk, I'm not sure how? Acxa does put her needs above her own (somewhat) She had higher moral standards, and seems to be a team player. But, I still can't say if she fits the description.

And I'm just going off Hunk here who is able to connect with others easily, but he's not afraid of setting boundaries either.

There's a difference between being support and being backup. Acxa is backup. It would be also cool to see Hunk, an engineer add more details/upgrades on his Lion.

Black Lion

Sky is its element. Although I'd settle for Aether. It requires a pilot that is skilled and has a lot of energy.

Again, Shiro is perfect for the Black Lion. I feel like he understands his Lion the most, same way around.

I find it interesting that the Black Lion found traits similar in Keith from Shiro. Just because of that, I find the Black Lion to be the most inquisitive (sorry Green) She also has a hard time letting go of her pilots, I'm sure Keith could relate....And with her showing Shiro her backstory. Like....The Black Lion is very spiritual.

If anyone else would be a leader I'd pick Allura, yes I know very controversial. She has the most similar qualities to the Lion oddly enough.

Other notes

The show doesn't go into how bonds are established, its also hard to tell the personalities of the Lions...Whenever they're speaking to the paladins, I'm just like "boy I wish I could understand what they're saying right now."

The Lions obviously don't need someone who's specific to what they need to a T, they're all flexible. But, I find it interesting how the Lions don't have any moral sides, their roles are completely held in the pilots attitudes.

Voltron, the Lions are alive are alive and that's scary to think about sometimes. They are their own being, with their own anatomy and it seems their concious is the Astral plane. Whatever that is, why does Voltron have it? I don't know?

I'm no good at character analysis, but worldbuilding analysis...I have very strong opinions on Voltron.

[anchoredtetherart]

Speak no evil. See no evil. Do no evil. Hear no evil.

Honerva gives the Paladins exactly what they think they want, but in turn it destroys them. There is a chuck load of symbolism here for my Galra AU and it is giving me Feelings(tm). I will delve into the meta of this under the cut.

LANCE

In canon we see that Lance wants glory - he wants to be important and recognized as a hero. He craves attention and he wants to be fawned over by the ladies. Honerva gives him exactly this when she gives him power. Through his poison immunity and rigorous training, Lance becomes one of the most intimidatingly powerful galra within the Empire. He becomes the “super soldier” and in turn gets the attention of all the ladies. 

In the end, he absolutely hates it. Probably likes it at first but he now feels trapped, constantly having to live up to this standard of the hero lest he disappoint everyone and stuck in this cycle of seeing girls he doesn't want to be with. Because of his poison he fears he can’t ever truly settle down with someone.

Speak no evil fits Lance for a number of reasons. His mouth is his most dangerous weapon due to his venom. He is the first to learn the truth and tell the other Paladins they were once human. Due to his many interactions courting women, he knows numerous secrets, even damning secrets of the Empire. And we all know Lance to be a talker...

PIDGE

A curious mind, Pidge has always wanted to know how things work. Especially at the young age of 10 where the story begins, she wants to learn and be as smart as her older brother and parents. When Honerva presents her with unlimited knowledge, of course she dives in with little doubt. But such knowledge comes with a price, and that price is the side effects of druidcraft. 

Pidge gets all the knowledge she could possibly want when she learns druidcraft and with her high status she's left to her own devices. But over time she realizes how it alienates her from everyone else, that no one can understand her or even like her because everyone fears her, and she starts to feel very lonely. Pidge yearns to be loved. But due to her delving in druidcraft, she knows she is only feared by everyone within the Empire, and the negative side effects have made her unsightly.

See no evil fits Pidge because Honerva helps her to literally see the future, but never the bits that would destroy the lies she’s woven together. With her seer abilities she will also be able to look into the past and confirm Lance’s revelation is true, at least the part where they were once human.  

HUNK

Hunk struggles with fear and anxiety and he doesn’t want to be a coward. He wants to be strong. Honerva promises him that with strength, he will have no need to be fearful anymore. Hunk cannot handle the carnage of war and becomes an engineer, designing ships for the Empire instead of fighting and conquering like the other Paladins.

But Hunk's strength comes in uniting people and supporting them and he doesn't get that when he's stuck in a lab all day. Like Pidge, he's lonely and feels very unfulfilled despite getting what he thought he wanted. Though he is physically strong, Hunk isn’t fighting any battles when he’s left alone tinkering on ships, and has no opportunities to grow. 

Do no evil fits Hunk because he is the one who cannot bring himself to pull the trigger. While the others are transformed in more than appearance to become killers, Hunk stays true to his desire to do no harm to others. Even after learning the truth he will have a hard time fighting against his Empire.

KEITH

An outsider, an orphan, an odd one at best, Keith has never felt like he belonged somewhere. Losing his parents at a young age, he doesn’t know the meaning of family and yearns to have a home and people who love him. When he’s abducted and learns he was actually half galra all along, he finally feels like he’s where he’s meant to be. Honerva gives him the family he never had, the family he’s always wanted.

And ironically enough, becoming fully galra and being with a galra family is still not meeting his needs. He feels like he's just a disposable pawn despite being a favored Paladin. He needs genuine bonds, and even though he feels that with Lance, Pidge, and Hunk, he needs them under Voltron instead of the guise of a fake family. He’s given what he wants, but in a way that doesn’t satisfy his needs.

Hear no evil fits Keith because he is the least objectionable to Honerva’s plans in the beginning. He believes they were meant to become galra, that all of this was meant to happen. He is the one who fights against Lance the hardest when they learn the truth. He is complacent to be galra and remain a soldier for the Empire, but he has to find it in himself to be the leader of Voltron and fight against that which he called home...

[messy-voltron]

Hcs for some little moments that made the paladins realize how much they love their s/o and want to live with them for the rest of their lives? (they go like, "OMG... I'm so in love with them...") you know, some cute moments xD

OMG this make me so soft!! Alright let’s get it lads (also thank you for your submission!)

I do swear a little bit in this one just as a warning

Shiro

Let’s be real folks Shiro is a very simple home body, but it’s hard to open himself to someone else to share that home with

So it’s no surprise that he realizes his love at home, you curled up in his bed, safe in his arms in the early morning where the world is still asleep

The soldier himself hardly gets sleep, and he tries not to do it too much, but he can’t help himself and watch you when his mind is too restless and oh my stars you just look so peaceful curled up in his arms

The love rises to crescendo in his heart, hits him like a train, and leaves him painless and warm because he loves you so much he never imagined love could be like this yet it fits so perfectly Shiro loves you So. Much.

He won’t say it yet. He shows it in his home later

In the way he remembers how you like your tea or coffee, making sure you’re favorite mug is within reach, remembering which blankets and hoodies you like and what movies you like to watch on what days

It’s no surprise when he tells you of this love, much later, in the safety that is this home and he can’t wait to share it with you side by side for the rest of his life

Keith

To start off I would like to add in my own personal headcanon: Keith is not good at parties

Sure he can be civil, he has to attend a lot of them because being a paladin of voltron also kinda makes you a nice little star at a political event and you gotta keep up formalities if you want them to know you’re on their side and you’re willing to protect yadda yadda

And so Keith goes to them, but there just gets a point where there’s so many people he doesn’t know, so man people who want to talk to him, it’s just so overwhelming

He tries to hide it as best he can, not wanting to make a scene, but he just can’t help it

As his s/o, you notice. He knows you notice. Keith doesn’t want to get in the way of you having a good time, but you stay right by his side. Giving him space when he needs it, asking coded questions to see if he needs to leave, offering support when he wants it. You do it without question because it’s so clear that you care

It’s so hard for Keith to open up to people and ask for help, but it’s in a moment like this that it really smacks him in the face of how much he appreciates you and how it’s so obvious you love him the same way

He catches himself. Love. He thought love. But as he looks at you in your formal attire, giving him a gentle reassuring smile, how beautiful you look in the evening lights, he can’t help but feel how right that word fits with you. He truly is in love with you and you best bet that he will never leave you

Lance

Since this man is so dramatic, it only seems right that his declaration of love would also have a bit of theatrics to it

To set the scene: you and Lance were set out on a small rescue mission to scope out a distress signal on a nearby planet. Coran assured you two that it was a small planet inhabited by some very friendly aliens so it shouldn’t be a big deal. It became a big deal real fast. You guys were very much not informed that that planet had been taken over by the Galra and sensing that Voltron as near, set this up to be a trap to catch at least one of the lions to use as bait

Wasting no time, you and Lance have to fight your way through Galra troops to safely get back to his lion but god there’s just so many of them they’re coming in from left to right oh god why did you have to be the one to get caught in the cross fire-

The two of you manage to find a safe clearing and just as he’s about to catch his breath, you grab him suddenly and pull him to the ground as your blaster goes off. Once he gets together his bearings, you’re on top of him with a galra droid now blown to bits and you have the most badass look on your face

He doesn’t mean to say I love you, it just sorta tumbles out of his mouth. Maybe it’s the adrenaline, maybe it’s because you look really nice, but regardless he has felt this way for a while, he just never thought he’d be saying it like this

Because it’s true there’s no one else in this entire galaxy he wants by his side through thick and thin he knows you have his back and he just thinks he’s the luckiest person in the world

You, however, have a shit eating grin on your face and in a classic Han Solo style, just tell him, “I know,” which translates to I love you too and you and Lance will be able to be mushy and lovey once your lives aren’t at stake

Hunk

Hunk is a very lovable person to begin with, he loves people platonically so hard and so fast, so when he realizes his romantic love for you, he almost stumbles into it on accident

It’s classic; you’re tasting a recipe he’s been working on and he’s so nervous to hear your opinion on what you have to say. He watches every movement, every facial feature just praying that you like this

And you do. You give him praise where he excelled, gave a pointer or two on where he struggled, but ended it with a smile and a thank you for sharing because you know how much cooking means to him

And it makes him so happy that you care and understand him and that’s why he loves you and-

He has to stop himself. He brushes it aside, continues on with the evening, but when you two part he can’t help himself but to think about those events over and over again because maybe he was just getting in over his head sure he cares about you but love? Is it too soon? Is he being too emotional?

In the end Hunk comes to the conclusion he’s known since the beginning. He does love you, he wants you in his life for as long as you’ll have him, and he admits this to you the next day as gracefully as he can

For the record, it wasn’t that graceful, but that’s what makes him so perfect

Pidge

Pidges would be perfectly mundane where it’s so simple yet it just fits perfectly into their heart

The two of you are just...talking. That’s it. You guys are spitballing ideas and future projects and being reminded of old memories that make you smile

These conversations go on late into the night, both of you equally admitting that it’s getting late and it’s time to turn in to bed, but then one of you says something and it gets delayed by at least 15 minutes

Pidge has never been the most social person, it often makes them more stressed out than anything, but they can’t help but notice the way their heart settles so calmly and full of love when they’re with you

They won’t admit it yet, but they know they’re in love with you this kid is such a simp but it’ll take them a while before they actually say it (that and you might have to say it first but that’s just cause Pidge is so nervous)

[musicanddancingthroughlife]

I Lived

I finished it! So this is really all I had planned for this particular au, though I might include a bonus chapter or oneshot or whatever, depending on how you guys feel about this. It’s not really my favorite, and I’m realizing that a lot of my fics have a lot of holes in them but whatever, it’s good practice still haha. Anyway, this is the sequel to “I Died,” which should actually be probably the last story I posted on here. It’s been a very long time since I posted anything fic-wise, and for that I apologize! This guy’s a little longer to make up for that!

In other news, my life has finally got to a point where it’s calmed down and I have real time to be writing, so now all I need to push through is my motivation issues, which I can make no promises for, but I do promise I’m working hard to overcome it and make this more of a daily habit so that we can have more fanfics! Anyway, hope you enjoy the story!

-----------------------------------------

So. Apparently sharing it now was not okay. What was he supposed to do when even Pidge was crying? Seriously, it had been so easy to cheer her up when they were in space, but no matter what he tried to say to convince her he was fine, she just kept tearing up again.

And sure, Lance had known that his friends cared, that they genuinely liked him and probably wouldn’t be happy if he died, but he really thought that had been more because. He was necessary.

He was a paladin, even if it did seem a little too much like he was a spare. Even spares were useful! Voltron was able to continue even after Keith left to find answers about his past, and Lance was half the reason that was possible! So obviously, he was useful.

But with that logic, the way that they all seemed upset and devastated so long after the fact didn’t make sense. And Lance appreciated it, he did. But it also… Just didn’t matter anymore. Obviously he’s fine, and he’s living life. And yet….

“Why didn’t Allura say anything?” Keith demanded again. Although it was probably the fourth or fifth time he had done so, Shiro just gave the same response.

“Keith, we don’t know how it affected her, too, maybe she was too shocked to say anything. From the sounds of it, that could’ve been her. It’s fair to assume she didn’t know how to handle it.”

“Or maybe she forgot,” Hunk muttered mutinously. Keith nodded quickly in agreement. Lance gaped.

“Who the hell are you and what happened to Hunk?” he asked. Hunk glared back, and it was so unexpected that Lance nearly flinched back before remembering this was his oldest friend. They may not have seen much of each other in the last year, but there was still no one that Lance trusted more.

“Lance, none of that is okay. You were really struggling, and the fact that Allura knew about even a portion of that and didn’t say anything to the rest of us…”

“It’s irresponsible. Even if she couldn’t personally handle it, she should’ve told us so we could’ve stepped up in her place. Instead, she left you alone to suffer. That’s not how a leader should behave.” Shiro glanced at Keith, and ran his knuckles against the back of Lance’s neck. Lance startled at the action, but before he could speak up, he felt Keith’s hands settle on his shoulders, kneading and massaging at the muscles there. He couldn’t tell if it was a tactic to show support, or if it was meant to relax him, but truthfully? Keith’s and Shiro’s hands were warm and it felt like it had been ages since Lance had been touched so deliberately. So even though he wanted to speak up and ask what they were doing or why, he instead felt himself melt further in his chair, brain turning to mush at the warmth soaking through his jacket.

Keith spoke up before Lance could fight the fuzzy feelings invading his brain. “Did Allura ever bring it up to you again? While you were… dating?”

Lance ignored the hesitation, far too used to it (and he tried to ignore the pang in his chest at the disbelief that always colored questions or comments on their relationship). “Ummm… We didn’t really… get a chance to?”

Keith’s hands stopped froze. “What?”

“I mean, it just never came up.”

“You almost died, and it never came up while you were together?”

“Hey! We were busy, we were all distracted back then…”

Hunk spoke up, “Didn’t we literally play Coran’s game like. Not even a week later?”

“Wait, you guys had time to play board games but Allura couldn’t talk to Lance about his death?” Even Shiro looked guilty at that, which just wasn’t fair!

“Come on, Keith, they didn’t know!”

“And you!” Lance tried not to shiver when those fierce, fiery eyes were focused on him. “Why didn’t you say something about it?”

“I thought they knew,” even as he said it Lance knew it was feeble and weak. Ugh and now Pidge and Hunk were tearing up again.

“And what, you assumed we just didn’t care?”

“We were busy! I told you that already, we were already distracted!”

“Pidge and I were playing with robots!” Hunk roared. Lance had been half standing by that point, but as soon as Hunk stood he found himself all but slamming himself back into his seat. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his friend look so imposing. Honestly, it was probably never. It was really hard to get Hunk this heated. “And there is nothing that should be more important than my friends, than my family. And I thought that’s what we were out there.” He glared at everyone, as if daring them to contradict him. Predictably, no one did.

“Okay, but that doesn’t answer why Allura never said anything, what happened there? What did you guys do when you were together?”

Lance shifted uncomfortably, moving as if to stand again, but Keith’s hands grew firm again, continuing to hold him in place.

When the silence stretched on, Shiro finally murmured a quiet, “Lance.”

“She was hung up on Lotor. I think.”

No one said anything for a minute. “You think?” Pidge finally ventured.

“I mean, she was distracted with the war and everything else that was going on, the magic, Haggar, all of it. But I know that she was spending lots of time with him planning missions and everything.”

“She was ignoring you,” Hunk realized.

“No, she wasn’t!” Lance protested immediately. “Lotor just had better ideas and strategies, so she didn’t really… want my help.”

Hunk looked like he wanted to continue that argument, but Keith spoke first.

“Okay, but like, what about when you guys had down time? What did you do to relax and just spend time together? Outside of battle planning?”

Lance wracked his brain, but couldn’t think of anything other than Monsters and Manna that might count, but did it count? It was in a group setting… “You’re one to talk, Mullet, did you ever willingly leave the training rooms?” His voice broke, and Lance winced.

Rather than rise to the bait, Keith simply moved to stroking against the nape of Lance’s neck. Shiro’s hands felt a little tight around the base of his skull, but rather than being uncomfortable, Lance found it comforting. They were still there. They weren’t ignoring the situation. As painful as it was, it was nice to have all of this in the open. Lance relented.

“We played that game with everyone. Coran and Shiro and everyone.”

Another pause and then, “Lance…”

“That’s it, okay? I can’t remember anything else we did, except for maybe dinner with my family. We talked a bit when it was the two of us, but… It never seemed like I had all of her attention. There was never a chance to talk about what happened.”

“Lance,” Keith started, but he was interrupted. Lance’s phone was ringing again, and this time Lance was ready to take it. He shrugged off the hands that had been holding him steady, and stood so quickly his chair toppled. He moved a short distance away, ignoring how his friends’ concerned eyes followed.

 Shiro and Keith were heartbroken. How could they have known that their friend had been suffering so much for so long? Especially this friend? They had had such hopes for this reunion, had spent hours across weeks discussing how they might invite Lance to travel with them, how they would reveal their feelings for him. Instead, they find that not only are they not even worthy of his attention (what kind of friends or lovers wouldn’t notice something like that???), but that their plans were now going to take a lot more work to prove successful.

Because they weren’t going to give up. If anything else, this proved to them that Lance needed someone who could and would take the time for them, who would work to make him happy and make him feel loved and wanted.

And if their small talk about Lance’s death and relationship with Allura hadn’t proved that to them, then this phone call would.

Keith couldn’t keep himself from glaring over in Lance’s direction. Shiro’s hand had snuck into his own. Every time Keith snarled or growled at the conversation he could overhear, Shiro’s hand would squeeze just that little bit tighter. It was a nice sentiment, but Keith was done. He tugged Shiro over to the other end of the table, leaving Pidge and Hunk to fall into their own conversation.

“He’s not happy here, Shiro.”

Shiro gave Keith a disappointed look. “You can’t decide that for him, Keith.”

Keith growled, “I’m not, okay? He’s on the phone with his sister or mom or something and from the sounds of it, Lance has really been missing space and the missions and us.”

At that, Shiro perked up. “He’s been missing us? Really?”

Keith blushed. “Well, he’s been missing the team at least. And we’re on the team, so…”

Shiro chuckled, but Keith could see that the back of his neck was flushed, too. “Not exactly what I meant or what we wanted, but all right. So you think he would say yes if we asked?”

Keith thought for a minute, which Shiro appreciated. This was too important to ruin by rushing it.

“I think there’s a very good choice he will.”

 After the phone call ended, it took Lance a few minutes to regain control of himself. He hadn’t realized his whole family had been so aware of the fact that Lance had debated asking to go to space again. He’d been going back and forth on the whole thing for a while, because yes he missed his friends and the adventures, but really, would his friends even need him? What help would he be, what could he offer them? Nothing, plus he felt it was wrong of him to spend all of the war missing Earth and his family, but then ditch them just because now he missed space. He’d thought that maybe he would use this dinner to gauge if he could still fit with the team, but now he wasn’t sure where he stood with them. Were they mad that he had (inadvertently) kept secrets from them? Were they going to be worried that he would be a liability? Or would they love to have him back because they’d missed him? Well, probably not the last one, but maybe…

Lance sighed and used his sleeve to carefully wipe away the tears from his face, hoping desperately that his eyes weren’t so puffy that everyone would know he had been crying. But when he turned to rejoin his friends, he could tell that they knew anyway. The sympathy and concern in their eyes made his own water again. He gave them a wobbly smile.

“Lance?”

Lance rubbed his mouth, then tried to subtly swipe at his eyes again, “Yeah?”

“I know that we… we failed you. And honestly, I’m not sure that I could forgive that in your place, but we were wondering…” Keith faltered, looking to Shiro for help. Pidge and Hunk watched on in curiosity.

“Would you come with us this time?” Shiro asked smoothly.

Lance stared. “What?” he felt numb. Before he could even formulate another thought, Hunk gasped in excitement.

“Yes, Lance you should totally come out with them! Pidge and I are going out again, too, and we were going to meet them on one of the planets the Blade is working with right now, it would be so fun to have everyone together again and --!” Hunk broke off with a yelp. Pidge must’ve kicked Hunk to get him to stop rambling. Hunk glared at her halfheartedly.

No way in hell was one of his real life heroes actually asking him to come with them on a space mission. Sure, he’d completed several missions by now, but this wasn’t even just a personal hero! It was one of his crushes! And his other crush was asking the same thing? In what universe would something like that happen to Lance? Was this just because it was a group thing? In that case, he should say no, shouldn’t he? He’d spent all of the war being a 7th wheel, was he really now considering putting himself in that position again? Before his thoughts could spiral anymore, Shiro took his hand, settling himself in the chair next to his own.

“We’ve missed you, very much. And even though we don’t really travel in a group much anymore, Keith and I would love to have you come with us.”

“But… why?”

“Why not?” Keith asked.

“Well, what would you want me to do? I can’t do the tech stuff, or the engineering stuff, and Keith plays such a big role as is…”

Shiro shook his head. “We just want you, Lance. We’ve missed you. You make missions more fun, you always forced us to take breaks, you always knew when we needed a laugh or when we needed to talk, and you made sure you were there to help us with that. We don’t need you to do or be anything more than who you are. And if you really feel like you want to do more, we would love to have your help in planning the missions. You’ve always been good at strategizing, even if most of us weren’t able to see or acknowledge that at the time.”

Lance hesitated still, “What about Allura? Shouldn’t you be asking her about this first?”

Keith snarled, but when Lance jerked at the sound, his voice softened. “Let us worry about that. She’s actually been trying to plan her maternity leave for her baby, so she was going to be taking a step back, and she hadn’t decided on how long yet. Besides, Shiro is the captain of Atlas, not Allura.”

Shiro nodded, eyes warm.

And even though this was something Lance had been dreaming of, he still wasn’t sure that he was ready for it. It felt daunting, almost like… Almost like driving a mecha lion through a wormhole with a group of people he barely knew. It felt like a beginning, an adventure.

And who was Lance to turn down adventure?

[willadisastercry]

More than ‘just a little tired’: the aftermath part 2

tw: lil bit of gore described, burn wounds, collapsing, lots of pain described, muscle relaxer used and effects described, slight paralysis ensues, emotionally heavy towards end.

Keith finally let’s his friends help him but his adrenaline is fading rapidly and everyone is still focused on fussing over Pidge. Lance is distraught with how cold Shiro is being, he doesn’t understand why no one is listening to him while he’s literally supporting Keith with his own body as he crashes. Hunk needs to look at something other than the blood and gore so he tries to find Coran’s magic cream and is just proud he only threw up once.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

“Woah, Hunk! He’s going down!”

Lance dropped to his knee as he struggled to keep Keith from falling further out of his grasp, his face now deathly pale and pressed against his shoulder as he took in large, shuddering breaths to try remain conscious.

“We’ve gotcha bud,” Hunk’s hand snaked around his waist then as Lance righted himself and they brought him back onto unsteady legs, his right not even strong enough now to put much weight on without buckling.

“C’mon we gotta go...”

With his arms slung over either boy’s shoulders and their hands hoisting his hips up by the supply pack on his utility belt, they made their way to the med bay relatively quickly, a feat of which was only possible because at some point Keith had stopped trying to keep up and allowing himself to be dragged was surprisingly a lot faster.

The whooshing of the med bay doors after what felt like an enternity was what startled Keith into opening his eyes again.

“Oh, hey guys...” Shiro said, sparing only a partial glance their way before continuing to pour over Pidge with Coran and Allura. She was awake and fighting the helping hands.

No one seemed to notice Keith’s prone form held up entirely by his friends who stood frozen in the doorway, a bit at a loss for how to proceed.

“I think I’m fine, guys! Seriously. All that’s left is already half healed and not nearly deep enough to warrant a freaking pod!”

“Maybe, but you still lost a lot of blood that will need to be repelenished...” Coran pointed, his mustache twitching as he attempted to convey the necessity of the percaution and failed.

Keith’s legs hadn’t been contributing much to the effort of keeping him standing but admittedly had some part in it because the longer they remained where they stood the more they seemed to melt into jelly.

The adrenaline had almost entirely worn off by then, leaving his body buzzing as the pain slowly intensified.

“G-guys...” Keith whispered weakly, his voice was barely audible.

“What’s—“

“Need to sit... like now...” he managed before his legs were wobbling dangerously, suddenly devoid of all the strength that remained in them.

“Alright, that’s okay. Over there, Lance,” Hunk assured, his injured leg completely useless as he transferred even more of Keith’s weight onto his hip to make up the difference while they ushered him towards one of the chairs across the room.

“Uhhhh, how much longer you guys gonna be with Pidge?” Lance questioned nervously once they’d settled Keith down, his heart clenching with fear for how grey his face had gotten, his hands never leaving his drawn up shoulders out of fear of what would happen if he did.

Hunk was already across the room tearing apart medicine cabinets for the burn cream he’d mentioned and Keith was finding it increasingly difficult to support his own body weight.

“Woah! Okkay—that’s okay, just lean against me,” Lance offered when Keith couldn’t keep himself from swaying as he narrowly avoided leaning back against the chair, nearly tilting out of it before Lance righted him and guided his head to lean against his hip.

“We’ll be done as soon as Pidge stops being difficult... why?” Shiro asked, his eyes still scanning the partially mended slash across the smaller girl’s stomach.

“Just uh, Keith is sort of not doing so well.”

Lance wasn’t entirely sure he understood why everyone was being so curt and dismissive, not tearing their eyes away from a clearly fine Pidge, who yes, at one point had been not fine at all, but was now.

And Keith wasn’t.

The blasts on his back were... bad.

Bad enough for him to be in so much pain he was forced to accept his friend’s help. Lance also figured the haunting glaze of exhaustion in his eyes and purple bruises beneath them had a good deal to do with lowering his defenses, the realization of just how tired he was sending another jab to his chest.

The material of his suit looked like it had melted into his skin, lining the edges of the puffy burns with a smokey black. Some were larger than others but there were at least a dozen and they were all bleeding steadily, the constant rise and fall of his chest making it impossible for any of them to clot.

“I’ll come check him out once—“

The burns were so deep, like little caverns carved into his skin and Lance was suddenly concerned about how zapped the nerves must be that he didn’t even realize he’d been injured this severely.

They looked so painful.

Breathing looked painful. And sitting, and talking and the way moving air brushed against them.

Shit, Keith.

“No, Shiro...”

The words came from deep in his throat, his voice low and serious, a stark derision from his usually charming vibrato.

“I think someone needs to check him out now. We’re talking about Keith here! You should know better than anyone that when he’s says he’s not okay, he means it.”

Shiro’s shoulders dropped as he straightened up, Lance couldn’t even find it in himself to worry about getting told off for his tone with how angry he was, his irritation justifying itself as he watched Keith’s breathing devolve into something more and more erratic.

The room seemed to silence all at once after he’d raised his voice. The inflection of it, shrill with fear and frustration is what got Shiro to finally look their way, his already weary expression falling further at the horror of how Keith looked against Lance. Slumped and panting, his features tight in anguish as blood dripped steadily from somewhere and collected in a now sizeable puddle on the floor.

Pidge was being forced to lay back down when surging up to see what was wrong had her keening and clutching her middle, Allura remaining at her side while Shiro and Coran raced over to the boys.

“What the fuck happened?!” Shiro demanded, his eyes grey pinpoints that bored into Lance with a sort of accusation until the two men reached the pair, both gasping simultaneously when they got close enough to take in the sight of Keith’s back.

“I don’t-I don’t understand, you said you were tired Keith!”

“Plasma blast burns... most of them 2nd degree it looks like...” Coran offered, his eyes flicking wildly as they scanned the burnt and bloody skin.

“He is tired...” Lance assured, turning his gaze back to Keith’s shaking shoulders. His trembles seemed more like spasms then, each jerk prompting a fresh gush of red from the wounds.

“He’s fucking exhausted but was too stubborn to tell anyone he was hurt...” he continued as Coran left muttering to himself in search of supplies, joining Hunk in his endeavor of locating more than just the burn cream now.

“S-sorry... really thought it was just one...” Keith explained before Shiro shushed him, crouching down to run his hand through his hair even though it was slightly damp with sweat.

His eyes weren’t open so he tensed when the hand first fell into place but soon softened under Shiro’s touch, the cold weight of the galra metal oddly comforting.

“It’s not on you, bud. I should’ve checked in more thoroughly, looked you over myself...”

Lance seethed at that, Keith was feeling guilty when Shiro was the one who had fucked up by ignoring him. He didn’t even sound sorry.

“Damn right you sh—“

“What’s that?” Shiro entreated, cutting him off and lifting his head to face the younger boy with something so fierce in his eyes that Lance had to force himself to look elsewhere.

As much as he wanted to tell Shiro how royally he’d fuck up he knew it wouldn’t be productive. Knew full well that the last thing anyone needed was more chaos.

But before Lance had to take actual precautions to contain his anger, Keith made a noise as if he wanted to respond but all that came out was a defeated whine as his chest stuttered which pulled even more at the mess of his back, sending him into a fit of flinching and hissing.

“Hey, you’re alright—“ Lance cooed, the additional hand on Keith’s neck centering him while he tried to ride out the pain without causing more “—that’s it, just take a second to calm down...”

But Keith couldn’t calm his breathing in time to avoid the waves of agony that followed such harsh breaths, eventually becoming desperate enough to clamp his lips shut and hold his breath until his heart let up with its incessant pounding.

This admittedly made the general haze clouding his mind so much worse, sending black dots dancing across the floor as he stared at it against Lance. He hadn’t realized when his hands had traveled up to clutch at Lance’s stomach but they were there now, clawing at the unwavering material stuck to his torso like glue for something to hold onto.

There were so many hands on him but he couldn’t feel much of anything other than the heat on his back and strain in his lungs as he continued to restrict his breathing. It had come to hurt so badly he was afraid to even try to breath normally again.

“-ith!”

Voices sounded so weird and distant then, like they were calling to him from across a noisy room.

“KEITH!”

It wasn’t until someone was knelt down next to him and nearly screaming in his ear that he could understand anything.

“Stop doing that, you have to take deeper breaths or you’ll pass out...”

But he couldn’t manage anything other than short and rapid inhales that weren’t nearly enough. He didn’t care if he passed out. It wouldn’t hurt so bad if he were unconscious and it had gotten to a point where he sort of wished for that kind of relief.

Coran was speaking to Shiro over them then, of which Keith had only ascertained from the way Shiro’s hand left the base of his skull to rest more on the crown of his head just as a dull and disordered humming began.

His hearing had abandoned him again once Shiro left his position, reducing the conversation to unintelligible murmurs drowned out by the rumbling in his eardrums. The static spotting his vision not letting up as the blast wounds burned relentlessly on his back. It felt like there were literal flames licking up at even the slightest movement and marring deep as the fire only seemed to spread.

The entire expanse of his upper body had gone numb with it, his arms slack at his sides and his neck weak under the weight of his head as he put all of his concentration into slowing his breathing and keeping it as controlled as possible. He didn’t even feel the hands slipping under his armpits or fingers tugging at his supply belt, only the scorching stretch of his body straightening as he was pulled to his feet.

Lance and Shiro shifted around him with care, Shiro guiding his head to rest on his shoulder when it rolled limply, Coran hovering anxiously as they struggled to lift him to his feet without jarring his injuries. In reality, it was entirely unavoidable but hey, it’s the thought that counts.

Keith really tried to hold his own weight this time, but as soon as he was upright, his back lit with a new fury that had his vision whiting. Soon he couldn’t even be certain his feet were still on the ground as his body went lax and the darkness that had been teasing him descended quicker than he could process.

He assumed he had screamed bloody murder since his stinging throat was the only pain he could pinpoint as he lost consciousness, but by then he wouldn’t have been able to hear his own voice if he spoke so he wasn’t be sure. All he knew was that he’d pitched into a slew of arms like his bones had spontaneously emulsified, blissfully unaware as to how the whole room seemed to cry out when he did.

Pidge was near tears with Allura struggling to assure her that Keith would be fine, and Hunk was so startled by the commotion that he had nearly flung the supplies he was organizing on a sterile tray.

“Let’s get him settled comfortably before he comes to,” Coran ordered, his voice sharp and anguished as he motioned towards where Hunk was stood.

Together and with considerable effort the three dragged Keith’s limp body to the other side of the room, careful to keep his torso straight and his injured leg from bending so they didn’t inflame his wounds further, depositing his lifeless weight onto the table on his stomach where all of his injuries could be tended to.

“We have to get as much of the suit off as possible... some of it will of course take a little more effort,” Coran sighed as he poked at one of the darker blast marks with a wider radius than most of the other. There was a ring of molten black around it that looked like it had dripped into the pit of missing flesh from where the material of the suit had melted off. The sentry that shot him there must have been only a few feet away.

“Alaran...” Allura gasped out as she made her way to the group once Pidge had calmed down enough to be left alone.

“These are going to need extensive cleaning before we can put him into a pod.”

“I know, Princess. Let’s get started, maybe we can get the bulk of it finished while he’s still uncioncious,” Coran postured, distributing the supplies Hunk had gathered to everyone.

The task was harrowing and had everyone slightly queasy, but the urgency to complete the process before Keith woke up prevailed everyone’s gag reflexes, even Hunk’s.

Being enveloped by the black that had teased him so long wasn’t as bad as Keith had imagined it would be. It was warm like this, more absent of cold than possesing a distinguishable heat. Pleasant. Peaceful even. A more than welcomed improvement to the inferno he was slowly being consumed by when he was awake and alert.

Sounds started coming back to him slowly as his body recovered from the shock of his plummet in blood pressure. His friends’ words sharpening gradually to where he could almost make out what they were saying.

“...suction... yes, that bit has to go as well...”

He still felt floaty and numb from the pain but knew he was laying on his front and could feel a sensation of tugging and pulling on his back.

“...keeps moving... waking up...”

It wasn’t so much painful as it was uncomfortable in his state of semi-consciousness.

“...dangerous to... sedative before a prolonged stay in the pod...”

His brain was just too fuzzy, still replenishing the blood supply to his brain.

“...looks like he’s in pain...”

Each moment he remained in limbo he grew more restless.

“...Coran I can’t... this piece... tearing the skin...”

The in and out of everything was making him anxious, he’d rather just be entirely out or entirely conscious.

“...should will help with any discomfort...”

Whatever was meant to help wasn’t. He was aware he’d probably been given some sort of drug or medicine but still he couldn’t relax.

It didn’t matter that he was utterly exhausted, his body was reacting to the anxiety bubbling in his stomach whether he had the energy to support such a reaction or not.

“...easy Keith...”

That’s the thing, he couldn’t take it easy. His mind was wired and his body was going into shock once again as things clarified and he woke up more.

“You’re alright number four... steady now, just breathe...”

If he thought it was hard to breathe before it seemed like it was absolutely impossible now.

“-us? Keith...? Keith, can you hear us?”

He could. He could hear everything now. It was all so loud and piercing, everyone’s voices, the tools clicking, his heart beating, the tear of medical supplies packages. Everything was so crisp and right there, the smallest noises sending tingles down his spine that made him want to cringe and he struggled to surpress the urge to.

“Quiznak! Coran I’m gonna hurt him if he keeps squirming!”

He was panting now, his mouth hung open against the towel folded under his face that was catching the blood still leaking from the wound under his eye. A hand came down on the back of his neck and he jumped.

That did it for the pain that seemed to have been numbed, not gone, just too far away for him to register. It was just as close as all of the sounds were now.

Hands clutched at his shoulders and forearms and hips as he wailed, pushing him flat so his flailing didn’t make it worse. He sobbed loudly and unabashedly as the pain surged its way back to the forefront of his awareness, a strange warmth similar to the one he’d felt when he had passed out taking the edge off but not staving it much.

“Keith! Listen to me, you have to relax. I know this is torture, but you’re only going to make it worse if you keep struggling,” Shiro urged, his voice the closest.

Shiro was right, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t in control of his movements anymore, because if he was he would listen. He didn’t want to hurt anymore but his body didn’t seem to give a shit.

“Coran,” Allura said sadly, her eyes looking at him with a sort of heart breaking resolution.

“Okay, Princess,” he agreed, his expression falling dejectedly.

“What-what is it? What just happened?!” Lance asked worriedly, knowing something had seemingly been decided but no idea as to what.

“We’re going to have to give him a muscle relaxer to keep him still, but it won’t take away his pain. We simply cannot risk putting him in a pod while medically sedated, we couldn’t be sure he would ever wake again if we did.”

For the second time that evening a collective silence fell over the room, one filled with such aching and regret and fear that it was as if it wasn’t silent at all.

“Do whatever you have to,” Shiro advocated, handing the tools he’d been using to Hunk.

“But he’ll be in pain Shiro?!” Lance noted desperately, his indignation back in full force.

Shiro just looked at him sadly and moved to drag a stool over to the other end of the table where Keith’s head was, his face twisted up as his sounds of pain continued.

“How can you be so heartless? It wouldn’t be so painful if Allura had partially healed him too! If you had given enough of a shit to notice sooner! To notice at all!”

The sound of Lance yelling bore into Keith’s skull sickeningly, his body unable to contain the shiver that overtook his muscles at how bone deep the sound irked his now oversentive ears.

“Lance—“

“No, Allura. He’s right, this is my fault. I was too focused on the fact that Pidge was hurt to notice that he was too and now he’s worse off because of it. I didn’t listen to him when I should’ve. Administer whatever you have to Coran, I’ll help him through this, it’s the least I can do right now...”

Coran didn’t have to be told twice, skillfully pulling liquid from a vile with a syringe that he poked gently into Keith’s neck.

Hunk nudged Lance’s arm to break his death glare at Shiro and get back to freeing one of the wider wounds on his shoulder as the medicine took affect almost immediately.

“Sh-sh-shir-Shiro...”

“I’m right here, shhhh, don’t speak. Just relax, I’ve got you,” Shiro soothed, grasping Keith’s hand tightly as he took shuddering breaths that grew more and more shallow as whatever control he had left over his body slipped away from him.

With some last few twitches he sagged completely into the table. The hand clutching Shiro’s released its grip and the older boy started to thumb assuring circles into the limp appendage since he could still feel it.

“This is gonna suck, but just focus on me okay?”

Keith couldn’t nod, couldn’t move his exhausted body at all now, so he sighed instead. The tears that had welled at his eyes falling defeatedly and mixing with the blood staining his right cheek to make a slightly pinker mess on the towel beneath him.

“Just focus on me...”

[echodrops]

Home and a Half Pidge Headcanons

An ask I got yesterday reminded me that I never posted the HaaH headcanons for Pidge like I promised, so here they are! (I’ll answer the actual ask as soon as I can with some new material instead of headcanons I already had written... oops...)

Anyway, without further ado, some headcanons for Pidge related to my fic Home and a Half!

Pidge:

- Grew up in the picture of the nuclear family: mom, dad, two kids, dog, nice upper-middle-class house in a quiet neighborhood, dinner on the table at 7:30pm on the dot… Of all the paladins, Pidge had the most stable and “average” childhood… at least on paper.

 - In reality, there is not a single person in the Holt family who isn’t eccentric as fuck. Grandma Holt? May or may not still be an active intelligence agent for MI6. The dog? Woofs in Morse code. Auntie Ariana? Has actually seen the Jersey Devil. Colleen Holt? Has killed a man. If you ask Pidge, she’ll say that her upbringing was perfectly normal and she’ll genuinely mean it, but this is a consequence Pidge having no idea what “normal” even means.

 Rest under the read more to save your dash:

- Not actually a girly-girl when she was young. Although they’re eight years apart and thus unlikely to be mistaken for one another, very early on Pidge got frustrated by how similar she and Matt look, and she definitely did not want to wear his tacky hand-me-down clothes, so she pitched a royal fit and insisted on wearing dresses and hairbands so that her family would have to buy Pidge all her own things. (They probably would have bought them anyway if she’d just asked calmly, but Pidge was three at the time, and they were all very impressed by her grasp of cause and effect.)

 - Of course, when Matt disappeared on the ill-fated Kerberos trip, those tacky hand-me-downs ended up being some of the most important items in Pidge’s life. Even outside of infiltrating Garrison, wearing Matt’s old clothes was one of the few comforts Pidge would allow herself—when she cut her hair and put on his baggy shirts, for a second, looking in a mirror, she could almost convince herself he was still there—

 - Pidge has no intention of changing the way she dresses or styles her appearance until she’s reunited with Matt and her father. After that? Well, they may not be the coolest looking things ever, but Matt does have a point that baggy t-shirts are very comfy…

 - And okay, because I’m sure everyone expected this headcanon first: Pidge and gender is a surprisingly uncomplicated subject. Side note before I go further: I’m sure everyone has their own headcanons for this and none of what I say here should be taken as rejecting or invalidating any other fan’s views on Pidge. The only thing invalid in the Voltron fandom is canon. Anyway, I personally like to imagine that Pidge is very ambivalent on gender. There is so much else going on—the war, Sam and Matt being missing, freaking giant robot space cats—that sitting down and sorting out the question of “Do I identify as male, female, nonbinary, or anything else?” is just really, really low on Pidge’s to do list. Pidge thinks of Pidge as “Pidge” and even that’s rare because Pidge doesn’t sit around thinking about herself or what other people think of her.

 - In fact, what strangers think is, in general, extremely low on Pidge’s radar. Although she used to be more self-conscious due to bullying from both classmates and her teachers, the combination of her parents’ consistent support and Matt’s… extreme tactics (“I’m telling you Pigeon, nanobots in their lunches will solve all your problems.” “That’s illegal, Matt.” “Nothing is illegal until you get caught.”) Pidge (mostly) overcame the phase of being affected by other people’s opinions. Who cares what strangers think? Absolutely none of them will ever be even close to as smart and talented as her family anyway. (My IQ is three times yours, your argument about my gender is literally invalid.)

 - By the way, I’m using “her” simply because that’s what I’m used to seeing in the fandom and to keep the fic and headcanons consistent, but in the functional world of HaaH, Pidge answers to any pronouns and doesn’t have a preference for any set in particular over others. In fact, Pidge is used to going by different sets of pronouns coming from different people, and might be “he” to one person, “she” to another, and “they” to yet someone else. Pidge is just… Pidge.

 - Again, with the war and Voltron and missing family and literally everything else going on--and the fact Pidge is far more practical than all of the rest of her fellow Team Voltron members combined--she isn’t wasting time and energy doing something as troublesome as falling in love with an alien. (“Keith, can’t your melodrama wait until after we win the war?” “My drama waits for no man.” “Then please explain how you and Lance manage to engage in synchronized dumb-fuckery at least three times a week.”) Eventually, after life has settled down and Pidge has had some time to think about it, she’ll realize that the reason she somehow managed to avoid any romantic entanglements in space isn’t because she’s just much more mature than her teammates (although this might be true)—it’s that she’s just not really interested in romantic engagements with anybody, period. 

 - Pidge’s one true love is discovery; she feels far more passionate about knowledge and learning new things, encountering new puzzles, and grasping new concepts than she does about anything else. In between all her creations and codes and experiments and observations, it just doesn’t feel like there’s room—or that there needs to be room—for a romantic relationship with a real person.

 - Pidge will make room for friends though, if and when they insist on worming their ways into her life. She tends to be a fairly private person who has never really had a large friend group (back on Earth, before Garrison, there wasn’t anyone but Matt and her parents who really understood her, and she didn’t have much in common to discuss with children her own age), but once someone earns Pidge’s trust, she does open up and form close bonds and she will give her all to help and be there for her few, but close, friends.

 - Meeting Hunk at Garrison was a huge revelation. Up to that point in Pidge’s life she had never really met any young person outside her own family with a soaring genius-level IQ that was a match for her own. Although she and Hunk bicker frequently because their approaches to science are extremely different, she’s still over-the-moon to have someone who doesn’t stare at her like she’s talking gibberish whenever she goes off on one of her tangents.

 - If you ask Pidge, she will violently swear up and down that Lance never and in. no. way. reminds her of Matt, fills in for Matt in the lame-older-brother role, or helps her miss her brother just a little bit less. That did not happen, never had a chance of happening, what are you even talking about—

 - But if you ask about Shiro, she will be flat-out honest and admit she totally thinks of him as Space Dad. It’s not her fault. Shiro literally hero worships Sam Holt (still to this day!!) and may or may not have taken on more of his mentor’s mannerisms in order to fill the leadership role for Team Voltron. Sometimes Shiro will say or do something and Pidge will be absolutely dumb-struck because he got that from my dad is an actual thing she has to deal with.

- “Pidge” is actually a derivative of “Pigeon.” Everyone in the Holt family has a bird-based code name. Mr. Holt is Eagle Two.

 - People often get the impression that Pidge is scatterbrained because she can talk about ten different things at once and pounces on leaps in her own logic that other people just can’t follow, but her thoughts and speech are very organized. It’s not her fault you couldn’t understand her system of organization if you tried.

 - Put Pidge on the spot on a subject she doesn’t know, though, and watch the awkward jump right out. (“Oh, you meant the pop band Galileo, not the person. You know, that’s really an easy mistake to make. You can hardly blame me when you stop to consider all the similarities between modern chord progression and the trajectory of supermassive objects like—”)

 - And if it’s not awkward, it’s defensive. Pidge may be hyper-intelligent, but she’s still very, very young, and it’s hard not to get snappish when challenged by people whose opinions she really does care about. She has a far quicker temper than Matt (who is a “revenge is a dish best served cold” champion), a trait she shares with their mother. Colleen, in turn, blames it on her having been born in New Jersey. Pidge has flipped so many tables on the Castleship that Coran and Lance eventually went around and bolted them all down.

 - Do not even so much as hint that Sam and Matt Holt might be dead instead of just missing in space. Keith is still scared after his last attempt at reasoning with Pidge about her family’s fate.

 - Has a bad hoarding habit. Back on Earth she had her parents there to insist she clean her room at least once a week, but in space, things are getting a bit crazy. The Castleship closets and cabinets can hyper-condense their contents and she’s STILL running out of room for all the neat doodads and parts and scientific wonders she finds on their adventures across the galaxy. Is definitely in the “Look, there’s still a mostly clear path to the door; it’s fineee” category. It’s not like she finds it hard to let things go once she’s gotten attached to them or anything. Nope. Definitely not.

 - Pidge’s mess is absolutely of the “everything has a proper place” type though. Move anything with her name on it and you will feel her wrath.

- As the only one of the Earth paladins to have technology on her when they were unexpectedly swept off to war, everyone on the ship relies on Pidge’s laptop for their monthly dose of Earth nostalgia. Good thing for them Pidge and Matt’s pirating skills put Pirate Bay to shame, and she’s got basically every Earth movie from 1980 to the present. She even has every episode of the timeless classic F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (Keith hates that show with a burning passion that even he cannot explain.)

 - Speaking of technology Pidge had on Earth—every single person in the Holt family is (and has been for decades) aware of the existence of aliens. Pidge’s family tree has been involved in communications, radio wave technology, and interpreting space observations since those fields were first invented. When Earth first identified patterns of waves that obviously corresponded to alien communications going on outside Earth’s galaxy, Pidge’s great- great- grandfather was there. When world governments covered up the discovery, he was the loudest voice of dissent. Since then, the Holt family has been deeply involved in military and space operations across several countries, operating from within an oppressive system they fundamentally disagree with, using their positions of authority to monitor the Milky Way and beyond, keeping tabs on what the aliens might be saying—and what messages Earth might be inadvertently sending back.

 - Of course this is top secret work—secret even from the Garrison and government where the Holts were employed. Other kids learn how to play piano and soccer; Pidge and Matt learned how to hack virtually impenetrable military databases and hide their data behind uncrackable ciphers instead.

 - But the Kerberos Mission was supposed to be safe. They’d all monitored the chatter so closely—there hadn’t been anything hostile anywhere even near Earth’s galaxy, no sign at all of any technologically advanced race like the Galra in years and nothing about one little Earth mission that would disturb any other intergalactic travelers anyway… Why would they...

 - Pidge is surprisingly athletic for a self-professed nerd. With youthful energy to burn and a family to save, Pidge took to Allura and Coran’s intense Altean training like a duck to water, and while she’s not quite Shiro or Keith when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, she can definitely holds up better than Hunk or Lance.

 - Favorite color is actually yellow, and if Green wasn’t totally The Coolest™ lion, she’d be sort of salty about Hunk getting the Yellow Lion instead.

 - Absolutely capable of cursing up a blue storm, and hasn’t been friends with Hunk quite long enough yet to remember to censor herself around him all the time like Lance does with his “Holy crow!”s. She’s trying, dammit!

 - Big on pets. Gets attached to pet-shaped creatures (whether living or robotic) very easily. 110% kept the space caterpillars, who live happily free-roaming the piles of space junk in her bedroom. The space caterpillars and the space mice do not get along, however, as the space mice do not take well to having their status as the favored fuzzy team mascot squad threatened. In their micro-Cold War, which is occurring without any of the ship’s humanoid occupants being aware, the space caterpillars are currently winning.

 - The caterpillars’ names are Copernicus, Kepler, and Newton.

 - Remember that one post about Lance drawing angry brows on the space caterpillar and siccing it on Keith? I very much accept that as canon. Pidge was Not Happy™ when she found out what Lance had done and she is NOT letting anyone else near her caterpillars again any time soon. Is very, very careful not to let Niresh see the space caterpillars so that they don’t end up stolen right from under her nose.

 - Speaking of the kids, Pidge is super awkward with them and skedaddles at the first sign of tears. Next to Allura, there is probably not any member of the team worse suited to babysitting duty. That said, as someone who has lost members of her family in the war, Pidge is probably the member of the team who most directly understands Dulsara’s anger and the children’s loss. That doesn’t mean she’s really ready to let herself sympathize with the Galra though, at least not until she finds her own family first.

- Pulls all the most bullshit moves in Monsters and Mana. Whenever the team reminiscences on the truly legendary moments from their campaigns, somehow Pidge is the star in all of them.

And that’s all I’ve got for now!

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 170

170

Lance lavished Keith with extra attention as they got ready for the day ahead. Today was finally the day that Curtis was freed from his curse. Waking feeling ill, Lance kept it to himself. Keith was fighting his own dose of anxiety, coupled with lingering pain from bottoming though that had been a good 15 hours ago now. Making extra coffee, Lance had cooked a few of Curtis’s favourite foods, and comfort food for Shiro, assuming being an anchor for his boyfriend’s soul would be quite taxing on their friend. They weren’t allowed on the same floor as their friends, so Pidge and Hunk were coming with them to Platt, told by Coran to be a few hours late.

When Hunk picked them up, Lance was glad he was the one driving. Keith had hit that angry stage of anxiety, a little snappy and overly apologetic. Lance unable to keep from thinking about the house and Curtis on the drive. Hunk trying to cheer them up as he and Pidge talked tech. The house was clearly an unsaid no go topic for the day. Plans shifting to making the most of the road trip down to see Keith’s father once Curtis was up for it. Keith barely contributed. Lance ignoring safety in favour of sitting in the middle back seat with just a lap belt to be able to hold Keith close to him. Honestly having so much in his head distracted from the discomfort in his belly. A growing feeling something was wrong left him teary, though he knew he’d done everything he was supposed to be doing to keep the pregnancy progressing smoothly.

Parking in the staff parking under Pidge’s direction, Lance was hit with vertigo as he climbed from Hunk’s car, resulting in him tripping on his own feet as his left ankle rolled. Something felt very wrong. Again, he knew it was his anxiety blowing things out of proportion... Embarrassingly, Lance found himself on all fours throwing up. Keith yelling his name as if he’d been shot or stabbed, and not something as damn common as him falling over. Grabbing him around the shoulders, Lance hacked, spitting in his puddle of mess with his nose scrunched up

“Babe?!”

“I’m okay...”

“You collapsed. Do you have a fever?”

Keith smacked him in the head as he tried to check. Lance sighing heavily

“I’m fine. I tripped...”

“You...”

“I tripped. I’m okay”

Ugh. Stupid ankles. It didn’t matter how fast and how strong you were, ankles would get you every time

“We should get Coran to check you”

“Babe, I’m okay... help me up”

Keith hovered. Hunk hovered. Pidge had a bounce in her step as she led them to her office. Everything within VOLTRON was running smoothly. People going about their jobs. No blaring alarms. No one was hurt. No big bad jumped out them. He was being stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The only thing around to fear was Lance and his paranoia... and his paranoid anger loaf who’d made Hunk carry the picnic basket, then started “helping” him along as if he was old and decrepit, reducing him to shuffling along. Thank god no one else was there to fuss, his anxiety hadn’t settled as it was, now it’d decided to kick into overdrive there’d be no settling it until Keith finally stopped fussing and they could see their friends again.

*

Keith couldn’t stop thinking about Shiro. He hadn’t called him. He hadn’t wished him good luck today. He’d said nothing to his brother and he hoped his brother took it to mean he trusted things to go smoothly, and not that he was giving up before things had started.

Settling in in Pidge’s office, she shared her space with three other technicians. Keith would have gotten lost if he hadn’t been following her as she confidently led them to the lab. With his arm around Lance, he found himself torn between who to fret over more. His boyfriend who’d fallen over and then promptly thrown up, or Shiro who would acting as Curtis’s anchor right about now. Thank fuck that the fellow lab techs weren’t in at the moment, because he wasn’t sure he could keep his damn temper in check over the situation. He didn’t blame Lance for throwing up. It’d been a while since it’d happened outside... His boyfriend had spent the morning trying his hardest to be reassuring, but when his rock started crumbling, Keith didn’t know what to do. Lance kept him grounded. Lance had to be okay. Plus Lance had totally nailed him the night before and he worried the slip of his ego had somehow upset the twins. Keith had been swept up in Lance’s scent and the way his boyfriend’s body moved. He’d rushed in, over sensitised and flipped some kind of switch inside Lance. He didn’t regret it. Even with his vampire side showing, Lance hadn’t hurt him. His grip firm, without being painful, pleasure pounded into him until he had to touch himself for relief.

Now Lance was sitting in a chair Pidge stole from another technicians desk, his boyfriend rubbing his stomach as their little gremlin grabbed a case for him to rest his feet on. Keith had seen plenty of those cases before. Normally they contained things that someone shouldn’t be putting their feet on. “Dusting” her hands off, Pidge beamed

“Okie dokie, guys. Lance has decided he needed the royal treatment, but do you guys want to see my lab?”

Pidge and Hunk had showed they were they’re for them, by being physically there for them. Pidge was keeping them smiling, as she’d done at the house, using her “gremlin powers” as a force for good. Going to the house had been a sobering experience for them, and Keith had let his duties as the cool mature older friend slide by providing very little comfort to her, despite the fact both her brother and father had been held there. Leaning back in his chair, Lance nominated him

“Keith would love to. I’m going to chill here and be pregnant. Maybe think about breaking into the locker room and appropriating some toothpaste... the options are endless”

Pidge poked Lance in the back of the head, Lance swatting at her hand. How could the pair of them act so normal? Hunk seemed the only one worried outwardly. Lance letting Pidge tease him only served to annoy Keith. His boyfriend might be clumsy, yet he felt there was more going on with Lance that what met the eye

“If you’re feeling that much better, you can come on the tour too”

“I’m busy growing two humans at the moment...”

“You’re on a roller chair. Hunk can drive you”

“Piiiiidge, I promise I’ll listen, but I’m not feeling great. Show Keith and Hunk around, brag about your job. You deserve it”

There was no one there that Keith trusted Lance’s health too. Allura helping in the summoning ritual, and Keith now realising he hadn’t been worried about the two faes. He should be worried. A demon against Coran and Allura... That wasn’t as simple as a werewolf with a cavity. They could be seriously hurt if the summoning went wrong. Catching him staring, Lance held his hand out of him, Keith moving to automatically grip it

“I’m going to be okay. You’re not leaving me. You’re not leaving the room. It’s all psychosomatic from what I can tell”

“So something is wrong...”

He’d known it. He fucking knew it. Now Lance was admitting it so it had to be true

“Just a little pain in my stomach, and a little bit of dizziness. I’m fine now I’m sitting”

“You should have told me”

“I know. But I’m in the best place I can be and I’m like pretty sure that maybe it’s because I’m worrying about our friends. They’re going to be okay. Coran knows what he’s doing. They’re going to be okay and we’re all going to in relief once it’s over, you’ll see”

“But what if something’s wrong?”

“The most important thing we can do is be calm. Go check out the tech. I packed my phone, so maybe Pidge can play with that?”

Keith had forgotten about Lance’s phone. His head felt foggy from the moment he’d woken up. Too many thoughts were taxing his brain power. Crossing her arms, Pidge huffed

“I do not play. You guys should appreciate my genius”

“Trust me, Pidgeon, we do. Hunk, Bud. It’s all going to be okay. You’re allowed to be here, so you don’t have to be nervous. Kolivan isn’t here to kidnap you guys, and Coran loves you. I’m sure that engineering side of you is dying to tinker. You’ve already signed a non-disclosure, and as your amazing legal advisor I’m telling you it’s totally fine to relax”

Hunk worried his pointer fingers together

“I’m worried about you. Oh, man. I said it. Dude, are you sure you’re okay being here... You’re pregnant and pregnant people should be resting and we went to the house and you didn’t look very well then and...”

Lance gently interrupted Hunk

“Sunshine of my life, all bromo and no homo, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry. I’m older than you, remember, plus I’m a vampire. A little trip isn’t going to hurt the babies. My stomach didn’t even touch the ground. Go forth and tinker. Maybe you can swipe something useful?”

Lance liked to think he was magically easing everyone, but Keith could tell differently. He felt it, that Lance wasn’t being completely honest, yet Lance did like to stress and worry too much... He felt kind of weird being in the labs without being at work. He’d start back tomorrow, provided everything went well today. Lance had probably already thought about that too. His boyfriend being so thoroughly himself by trying his hardest to support him. Leaning down, Keith kissed the top of Lance’s head. He was being silly. He was letting his anxieties blow things out of proportion

“I’m sorry. I’m not handling this very well”

“Babe, none of us are. But we’re all not handling it well together. We’re a pack remember, it’s natural we’re worried for our family. Now, give me a kiss...”

Keith did as he was told, Lance smiling at him toothily, before continuing

“... and don’t go touching anything”

“Why not? You said Hunk could”

“Because Hunk could probably rebuild anything he broke. We have to face it, babe, we’re a little bit dumb when compared to these two. Not that you are dumb. I have no doubt you could rebuild any weapon you get your hands on, I’m just saying there’s no way I could fix a microscope if I broke it”

Keith got it. He was no wiz when it came to tech

“That’s true. We’ll be... somewhere in here, if you need me call me”

Lance slowly rubbed the underside of his swell

“You know I will. Me and our cupcakes are just going to chill”

*

Not knowing how long the summoning would take, the wait dragged on. Keith had taken to borrowing a roller chair, keeping himself preoccupied as Pidge worked on Lance’s phone with Hunk. Rolling over to his boyfriend, Lance raised his leg, pushing lightly and sending him rolling across the room. Yeah. They’d hit level of boredom. “Running” back across the room on his tip toes, Pidge pushed her chair back to stop him

“If you two keep this up, I’m going to evict you”

Lance sighed at Pidge, pulling himself up in his chair

“Don’t get snappy at him”

“Then don’t get mad when your phone explodes!”

Lance rolled his eyes, not phased by an angry Pidge

“Is it just me, or does our gremlin sound like she needs another dose of coffee?”

Coffee sounded great. Plus it’d give him something to do with hands

“I’ll go!”

Pidge huffed at Keith’s enthusiasm at leaving. He could have brought Kosmo and taken him for a walk while they waited

“Say how you really feel. You’re supposed to be helping me with the interface”

“I can’t help you until we get there”

Lance wheeled himself over to Hunk

“Hunk, the coffee nerds are fighting. Want to come get the coffee with me?”

Hunk nodded, playing along as he whispered loudly

“They’re scary when they fight”

“I know. I’m surprised Pidge hasn’t invented a Roomba that knives ankles when someone gets between her and coffee”

“Man, don’t go giving her ideas!”

Pidge pushed her chair back, crashing lightly into Lance and Hunk

“You two suck. I hope you both know that”

Lance raised his hand to ruffle her hair

“So Pidgeon doesn’t want a coffee? I guess I shouldn’t get cookies either”

“If you dare come back without cookies, I will end you”

“Many have tried. I’m having cupcakes with the last hunter who came to do just that. You might be a gremlin, but you’re facing a creature of the night”

Pidge sighed at Lance

“You’re a dramatic arsehole, you know that, right?”

“I have been told my arsehole is very dramatic and I don’t even know what that was. Hunk, do you want to come for the walk?”

“Sure... are you up for walking? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I’ve rested and I need to pee. Besides, Keith is cranky. He needs sugar and caffeine”

Keith scowled at the pair of them. He should be the one going for coffee, not his pregnant lover

“Why don’t I get to go?”

“Because Pidge might need your help. We’ll be back soon, babe”

Wheeling herself back to her desk, Pidge mocked him

“Yeah, babe. He’ll be back soon, babe. Don’t worry, babe”

Pidge could pull off being a summoned demon with ease. Keith glad she was using her powers for good instead of running a top class criminal racket

“You’re evil”

“I know”

“Guys, we’re all family and we all love each other. We’ll be back soon. Babe, it’s okay. I love you and I promise I’ll get your order right”

“I know you will. Love you, too. Make sure Hunk doesn’t get lost”

What the heck was that? “Make sure Hunk doesn’t get lost”? What a time to be awkward... Lance snorted

“Pfft. I’ll make him hold my hand and look both ways before crossing the road”

Hunk groaned at them

“Why am I being treated like a kid?”

Lance smiled happily at Hunk

“Because you’re our Hunk and we love you. Pidge, do you want any real food?”

“Nope. I’ve got my own fridge with adult food and everything. You two losers go get the coffee already”

“Ma’am, yes, Ma’am”

Lance shot Pidge a sloppy salute, Pidge over exaggerating rolling her eyes at him

“Go already! Keith, why do you put up with him?”

“Because I love him”

“Acceptable answer. Okay, come over here and pretend to make yourself useful”

*

The bad feeling Lance had hadn’t left. Leaving VOLTRON the world felt warmer. The sunshine and busy streets distracting with their overness. So many people were talking he couldn’t narrow in on one particular sound. With each step away from the building, he felt better. The pains in his stomach hadn’t abated at all. Yet if something was wrong, all he could do was wait for Coran as it was. Noticing his distracted mood, Hunk held his hand, Lance smiling and he shook his head when it first slipped into his.

Unable to stop from over ordering, Hunk was on coffee carrying duty, as Lance carried the two bags from the bakery back. The pain now starting to get to the point when he had to slow down, and rest every few metres. Reminding himself he only had to make back to the next block, he tried his hardest to ignore it. It’d pass. It’d pass and the twins would be okay. He didn’t so much care for himself, he’d heal, but them... He couldn’t lose them. He’d give himself an hour. If things hadn’t improved in an hour he’d head down to the infirmary and let them poke at him.

Hunk noticed the stops, the big man slowing to a snails pace to match his. Making their way through the bookshop and into the elevator, Lance dropped the bags as he grunted, staggering into the elevator wall. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong. These... this felt like... his fake contractions but a hundred times worse

“Lance!”

“Call... Keith...”

Gripping his stomach with one hand, Lance held himself up, bent over with his hand against the elevator walls. A second wave of pain made him moan in misery

“Fuck, okay, okay, okay. It’s only a little further...”

Wetness trickled down his legs, Lance immediately panicking at the warmth

“Call Keith!”

Behind him Hunk had hit the button down to the labs, the elevator doors sliding shut. They’d only just started moving when elevator shuddered, some kind of barely audible boom causing it to shudder around them as it came to a stop. Shit. This couldn’t be good

“I can’t get through to Keith. The call won’t connect!”

“What do you mean you can’t reach... agh!”

Gripping his stomach, Lance’s knees bent, nearly buckling under the pain. A wave of something evil seemed to tear through the air, the hairs on his skin standing upright as his body erupted into goosebumps

“It says no signal! What do I do?!”

Hunk was freaking out. Lance was freaking out. He hated being trapped. He hated elevators but knew the doors would open, so ignored the discomfort of being in one. Above the lights flickered, red replacing bright white light as an alarm started ringing. Something had gone wrong. Something had gone wrong with the summoning. That was the only thing Lance could think of... fuck... fuck it hurt... it hurt so much his head dropped as he swore violently in time with the wave of pain

“Fuuuuuck!”

This couldn’t be happening. He’d done everything right. Every demand placed on him, he’d done it. He’d stabbed himself over and over with those damn injections. He’d drunk Keith’s blood. He’d eaten until he started to hate food.

Coming to his side, Hunk had set the tray of coffees down. Placing his hand on Lance’s lower back, he leaned around him

“Lance? What do I do?”

“Hunk, I need... need you to check... if I’m bleeding...”

“Wha...”

“Just put your hand on my arse and tell me if you see blood”

Hunk moved, his moved hesitant as he pulled down the back of Lance’s pants exposing his underwear. Thank god for elastic maternity pants

“N-no...”

Okay. Okay. That was good. Forcing down a deep lungful of air through his nose Lance released it slowly through his mouth

“I think I’m in labour. The summoning’s gone wrong... I need you to check the elevator doors. See if you can get them open”

It didn’t matter what floor they were on. Coran had built the place with a labyrinth of hidden stairs. If they could get out, they could get help. He could send Hunk through the car park to call Krolia, Matt and Rieva

“On it... Dude, do you want to sit? I don’t know what to do...”

Poor Hunk. Lance had to keep strong for him, but fuck... He needed Coran, like right now!

“No... no... standing... is better... fuck... fucking fuckery fuck...”

[harley-style]

kallura + langst

keith and allura became a thing in the middle of a heated battle

they kick ass and actually talk things out because theyre both straightforward people.

keith raises concerns about lance's "crush" towards allura, and admits he'll be very much jealous. allura assures him she will talk to lance.

when lance finds out he gives them both a bright thumbs up and both sigh in relief.

lance is screaming inside. not because of allura.

because during keith's stint as the black paladin, lance started getting confused over whether he liked allura or was developing feelings for keith.

eventually, he concluded that while he was infatuated with allura (seriously she was a Woman) he considered the connection between him and keith to be deeper and more meaningful. thus, he loved keith more than he liked allura.

he tried denying it which is why the conversation between hunk and pidge teasing him about allura happens, but the boy loves keith and kept it a secret. during shiro's return and them going back to earth lance comes to terms with his feelings and tries to talk to keith and fails

and then kallura.

kallura's affections are very much real aand are very strong which is why lance doesnt truly resent the two about it. he's never seen keith so settled and happy, so he steps aside.

keith confronts lance about his assumed feelings for allura and lance just coldly ends it with "you dont know me well enough to assume I was in love with allura, keith."

keith is confused, allura is too. shiro suspects but respects lance's wishes to stay silent.

meanwhile, lance is dying inside. it turns out keith only cares about him in a distant, team family sort of way.

he ends up confessing to red, who kind of grows protective over lance, who's heart burns like the hearth of a home. and kind of snubs keith for a hot second before lance gets red under control.

when they get to earth and lance spends some time with his family, he gets the hanahaki disease.

rachel is the only one who gets an answer out of lance and is immediately wary of keith but lance snaps her out of it

NONE of the paladins are aware of lance's feelings for keith except shiro

shiro definitely does cknfront lance about his sickness but the moment he sees petals fall out of lance's mouth he puts two and two together and is promptly horrified

shiro keeps making glances at lance and kallura and its pissing keith off

lance tells shiro off. "I know you're worried Shiro, but the last thing Keith and Allura need is for me to get in between them. Drop. It." "But Lance, you–" "Don't you GET IT? I DON'T MATTER SHIRO. NOT TO THEM. Please...just...leave me be. I'll last till the end."

keith and allura, eavesdropping, wonder what that was all about but cant make heads or tails off of it.

at one point post battle. lance ends up coughing flowers right after the battle, and though he cleans it up, a little blood is left in the corner of his lips.

allura sees this and brings attention to this. shiro tries his best to play it off for lance's sake and lance catches on quickly, but keith isnt having it and has coran check him.

lance feels light headed and escapes to the bathroom

there he pukes a lot of blood and flowers, collapsing but not unconscious.

this is how allura finds him. she rushes him to a pod and NONE of the paladins can figure out what was wrong with lance other than "he's got persistent flower seeds in his lungs"

keith shouts at shiro who visibly flinches but gives in and explains.

the team is horrified.

but they still think lance is in love with allura.

in thus universe the hanahaki is still just that obscure angst trope so theres no known medical record of curing it other than shiro's words of "only if his love is reciprocated"

keith and allura "take a break" from the relationship to try and convince lance that allura loves him

it goes about as well as you could expect. lance sees through the bullshit.

allura tries, she really does. shes so so so so so very scared of losing anyone else she loves so if pretending to love someone she doesnt is what it takes to save lance, then she's damn well going to do it.

as for keith, yeah, he admits he and lance didnt really get on with each other in the start, but dammit, lance has been part of keith's small circle and damn if he was letting anyone else he loved get away from him

nothing allura does works. keith storms shiro's room, who had just assisted lance (who was in the bathroom at the time). keith confronts him and asks why lance isnt cured yet.

shiro stalls and shifts around the issue, uncomfortabel with revealing a secret that isnt his to tell. other than him, lance is the only one with homosexual tendencies.

"Why the fuck isn't Lance cured?"

"Maybe it's because you're using the wrong person, asshole."

Lance has never been more intimidating while standing half naked with only a towel around his waist.

"For fuck's sake, I love you, Keith Kogane. Not Allura. This whole pretending to reciprocarte my feelings plan was never going to work."

"But...you've always been in love with her!"

"I was never in love with Allura! I loved the idea of being her boyfriend!"

"But why Keith?"

"You're his girlfriend. You tell me."

"I think they can't understand why you went from hating Keith to loving him."

"Oh my god. You really thought I hated you? EVEN AFTER SHIRO'S DISAPPEARANCE? I was you literal RIGHT HAND Keith, and your biggest supporter! Just...forget it." Lance leaves the room and cries in his own room. Oops.

From then on Keith and Allura spend the rest of Lance's life left apologizing and just generally beibg a better friend after talking with Shiro. Keith spends time with Lance while Allura fruitlessly spends hours with Pidge and Coran researching for a cure that doesnt involve reciprocation. She fails, but Lance appreciates her efforts.

Some angsty fluff happens with everyone and tears are shed.

Finally, at the end, it isn't Allura who sacrifices herself to the cosmos, but Lance, who, even without Quintessence to spare, went on a separare mission to enact a ritual that enables him to act as the sacrifice instead of Allura. This puts the Hanahaki disease on hold, but he keeps the fact that he paid a higher price to exchange it with another curse a secret. He just ends up coughing the remaining petals

He hugs Allura tight and kisses her cheek. He gives everyone else a tight, heartfelt hug. Hunk hugs him the longest, and Shiro's is the most desperate one.

To Keith, he cups his jaws, Keith grips Lance's waist tight (this is purely platonic, remember that Keith has only NOW found a family worth fighting for and cannot fathom the idea of losing any of them. Read: Shiro.) and doesn't want to let go. Lance looks at him fondly, before dropping two rings in Keith's palm. His final blessing for Keith and Allura.

Keith is full on crying, begging Lance not to go, he can't leave them like this, not like this, there has to be another way. Lance smiles sadly, tells Keith not to worry about it. Allura hugs them both tightly, which prompts everyone else to pile around him as well.

As Lance fades away, he gives Keith one last gift. A flower that falls as soon as Lance's lips land on Keith's forehead.

Afterwards, after a funeral for Lance, Lance's mother gives Keith and Allura their share of his belongings that were divided according to his will. In that box, they find a photo album, Lance's phone, and two letters, addressed to each of them.

[keiththespacekitty]

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

Trans Klance fic.

Tw: dysphoria, fear of rejection, Lance deadnames himself because he feels comfortable to do so.

It had been in his head for a while now- ever since it happened. Keith wasn't the type to get anxious, so the ball in the pit of his stomach was unfamiliar to him. He was pacing around, going for jogs around the castle, punching a punchbag, anything he could to satisfy his fight or flight response long enough to manage to put down some food without nausea rearing its ugly head. The words kept repeating over and over in his head- however benign they may have been, they still filled him with panic. 

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

It wasn't aimed at him- it was aimed at Pidge. But the idea that she'd kept her agab disclosed and had explicitly been using he/him pronouns, and still was seen as a girl, made Keith feel like everything was futile. The years of confusion and self discovery and finally gaining the confidence to start identifying as he truly felt- they all felt unravelled with that single sentence. It didn't matter who he was or what he did or how he felt. She, she, she. It was like a mantra in Keith's head, a constant intrusive misgendering. 

Keith felt sick and trapped. He felt like everybody was waiting for him to reveal he was a girl- that no matter what, that's how they would always see him, like it would have been easier to give up on himself. He didn't want to give up his identity. He was trapped in space and trapped in an awkward void of identity versus perceived identity.

He avoided everyone for the next few days. He couldn't bare it. Couldn't bare knowing everyone saw him as strikingly female. That no matter how much he would bind, no matter how many times he'd stabbed himself with a needle, no matter how much he let some stubble grow or how deep his voice was, all people would see him as was a walking womb- because that's exactly how the world saw women. He was a feminist- of course he was. He wasn't transitioning because he thought ill of womanhood- he was doing it because womanhood simply wasn't his to grow into and he loved himself enough to be honest about his identity. 

He knew that people found that hard to understand. He knew people found it hard to accept. He knew that everyone saw him differently, that everyone was waiting to bombard him with personal questions about what's in his pants, if he's had "the surgery" (which one? There's loads), how people like him have sex or kids. Everyone was always waiting like vultures to cross his boundaries and ask him questions and chastise him for "mutilating" his body and "ruining" his beauty and his chances at love. 

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

Keith couldn't get the words out of his head. 

And they weren't even aimed at him.

Pathetic. He thought of himself as pathetic. Lying in his bed with his face pressed into his pillow fighting back tears. This wasn't just pain. This was existential pain. This was his entire identity and he felt like his world was crumbling away. He knew who he was, and he was screaming out, but it wasn't right, his body wasn't right, the way people saw him wasn't right, because it didn't match. It didn't feel like his. Objectively he knew his body was great. It would be amazing on someone else. Except it wasn't on someone else. It was on him and his skin was crawling and writhing with the ghosts of expectations and the tendrils of dysphoria and incongruence that gripped him tightly and made a home under his skin. 

He read the Map Woman. Sure, the poem was about a woman, about her origins staying with her, but he could relate. He could relate to feeling like your past was branding you, he could relate to the urge to cover and shed it, but he also knew that it shaped him, painted him- his past was a part of him that he couldn't erase and it was important that he make peace with who he was and where he comes from in order for his skin to settle. He knew that his journey was important, and it was home- his past and his future didn't need to be at odds. They weren't two parallel lives- they were a map of who he was, the experiences that shaped him and his identity- his past and his present would shape his future, where new valleys and roads would embed themselves onto him. His past would remain deep within his bones so that his future could thrive beneath his skin. The old gives way to the new. Identity was a tower. You couldn't take away the deep roots of your past without the top collapsing down. His past, his pain, his journey- was important to him. Even if painful, it was significant because of that pain. He couldn't erase where he came from, when it led him to where he was now. 

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

Yes.

It was as simple as yes.

Yes, they were supposed to think he was a boy, because he was a boy, and only he got to decide his gender. They didn't get to force him into a box that wasn't his to sit in. 

He was allowed to put his foot down. He was allowed to set boundaries. Of course, he understood that people were allowed to be curious and confused, but he was still allowed to define his own identity and have it respected. He was allowed to fight for himself.

It was scary. 

Gods, it was so scary. But Keith knew that if he wanted to control his identity, he had to face the source of his insecurity. He had to leave his room.

He found himself on the training deck first- fight or flight, to quell the anxiety. He knew he'd be alone, so he could train safely without his binder trying to suffocate him for his stupidity. He managed to get in a good hour or so of training, before letting his feet carry him to the one place he knew everyone would be- at lunch.

He knew that lunch was the best time to rejoin the group. Hunk would immediately greet him with a "welcome back, buddy," and an extra large helping of food goo, and he could focus on eating and keep his head down and over the next few meals Hunk would gently coax him out of his shell and encourage others to engage too until it was no longer awkward. Hunk was good at understanding Keith's anxiety. 

So Keith did his best to work through the deep churning feeling, the unsettling writhing in his gut when the tendrils of anxiety gripped him tight and settled there. He walked in, and avoided eye contact, and sat down at the table. But Hunk didn't welcome him back in a casual tone.

"Keith?"

"Hunk."

Hunk gently set his food in front of him. "I saved you the best bits," he said, but he lingered.

"What?"

"Keith, buddy, we're all worried about you."

"I'm fine," Keith said, but he immediately regretted it. No, he was not fine, and he was screaming out for help inside, trapped behind the prison of his fear. 

"Keith, we both know that was a lie here. This isn't you."

"Isolating myself isn't me?"

"Well I mean- fair point. But we all know something's wrong, Keith. And it's okay if you aren't ready to trust us with what yet, but if there's anything that we can do to help or support you through this, we want to know. We're here for you."

The words swirled around in his mind again. 

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

He couldn't push them away.

"I need you to-... remind me who I am, again," Keith forced out quickly, "I need you to tell me how you see me. I just… I need to know."

"Keith," Hunk began firmly, "what's going on?"

"Nothing, I just-" Keith sighed awkwardly. He wanted to say, he needed to. But his fear stopped him. He sat there, tense, trying to keep his breathing steady and trying to push down the lump in his throat. Keith didn't cry. Not like this. Not for himself. Never for himself. Especially- especially not in front of a crowd.

"Keith, buddy?" Lance was looking at him in a way Keith couldn't recognise- at least, not on Lance's face. Lance looked like he hadn't slept out of concern. Keith had never seen him like this before. He felt guilty for causing it.

"It's just- it's hard," Keith managed. Of course, Lance's face lit up with mischief- he'd always try to lighten the mood.

"It's hard, huh, am I that attractive that my mere presence-"

"I'M NOT SOME GIRL YOU CAN FLIRT WITH, LANCE!"

Keith regretted snapping almost immediately. Lance was shocked, scared even, and Keith hadn't even realised he'd stood up and balled his fists. Lance finally began to stammer out an apology. "I- I'm sorry, I- I won't-"

"Look, I get that you might not wanna be flirted with," Pidge began firmly, "but maybe you could have worded that better."

"I'm not a girl, I'm not like you," Keith practically growled out. He realised too late why Pidge seemed angry- it wasn't because they thought he was a girl. It was because they didn't know. They didn't know he was trans. And Lance was flirting with him anyways. And it sounded like Keith was implying that Lance should only flirt with girls.

"If you don't wanna be flirted with, that's fine, we understand, but if you have a problem with Lance liking guys then get out of my sight!"

"Pidge, that isn't what I-"

The words haunted him yet again. 

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

But this time Keith felt ready to confront them. 

"Pidge, I'm not-"

"Not what?!"

"I'm not homophobic. I- I reacted the way I did because-"

"Because why?"

"Because I didn't realise Lance was gay. So I thought he was flirting with me because he saw me as a girl."

"That doesn't even make any sense!" Pidge countered. 

The fear gripped Keith again. He was afraid of hearing those words again. 

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

But he needed to scream out his truth.

"I'm trans." Keith was met with silence. "That's what I meant by I'm not like you. And that's what I meant when I snapped at Lance. Because I thought he saw me as a girl. And- that's why I've been hiding in my room, since… since you revealed your agab. Because- because Coran said- 'We were supposed to think you were a boy?'. Like- you- you hadn't given us your deadname, Pidge, you hadn't- you hadn't stopped using he/him pronouns. You were outwardly identifying as fully male. And yes, you aren't, and it really was just a disguise for you, so it probably didn't hurt you to be told you weren't very convincing as a boy."

Keith glanced around the room. They were silent, but it seemed to be because they were genuinely listening. 

"But it hurt me," Keith continued, "because it felt like those words applied to me too. That- everyone somehow knew, and that everyone was secretly seeing me as female. That people felt like I was just faking it. That in everyone's heads was 'oh that weird girl still thinks we see her as a boy'. That everyone could see right through me. That everyone saw me as a ruse, and an unconvincing one at that. And I'm not. I'm not- I'm not like you, Pidge. I'm not pretending to be a guy to sneak into school. It doesn't fill me with relief to hear people knew how I was born like it did with you. I'm trans. And I'm scared. I'm scared because my agab follows me around and I feel like I can't escape it. I felt like you all saw me as a girl, like you were all waiting for me to come clean. And I couldn't stand it anymore, so… yeah."

He looked around the room again.

"You were supposed to think I was a boy."

Keith finally took a deep breath, attempting to relax his body, but it immediately clenched up again. He felt so stupid. He must have been passing excellently and now he'd just outed himself and now they really would think he was a girl. He took a shaky breath, fighting the tears. He didn't want to cry, not like this. He froze up when Lance stood too.

"Keith, buddy…"

Keith forced out a breath that was threatening to spill tears, but the breath came out all too fast and all too shaky. 

"I'm sorry I made you so uncomfortable with my flirting. I guess I- I never felt a need to come out. I mean I know you've seen me flirting with Allura and Nyma and… a lot of alien chicks, but I'm actually bi. I didn't realise that you didn't know I was flirting with you because I'm actually bi and into dudes too. I didn't know that you thought I only liked girls and that you'd think I saw you as a girl, otherwise I would have clarified. I've just always been open about it, you know? I haven't exactly tried to hide it, I just genuinely thought that everybody already knew. And I know that it isn't my fault, before you say that, I know you don't blame me and I know I'm not at fault. I'm just apologising for the way you got hurt."

"Why would you even flirt with me," Keith asked brokenly, "why now?"

"I've kinda been flirting with you since the garrison, Keith," Lance began awkwardly. Keith heard a crunch- Pidge had fucking popcorn for this. 

"I didn't know you at the garrison-"

"Taylor."

"What?"

"You remember Taylor, right?"

"I mean yeah, she was always behind me in class with some stupid rivalr- ooohhhh."

"I started transitioning just after you left. So everyone here already knows I'm trans and knows my deadname. I assumed you did too. When I met you again I kinda assumed you'd recognise me so I brought up our rivalry and my name in the hope you'd like. Not call me my deadname not realising I was a guy. Then you didn't recognise me so a part of me was really glad but the other part was kinda disappointed. So yeah… I'm also trans and I may have a teensy crush on you."

"You have a what now?"

"I mean I'm kinda relieved you're trans too because like I was scared that- well I'm sure you understand the fear of dating as a trans person with the whole people seeing you as your agab thing or the very very tiny possibility of someone being attracted to you-"

"Lance."

"What?"

"You said you have a crush on me."

"I very suddenly have training to do-"

Keith grabbed Lance's arm before he could leave, and Lance flamed bright red. Keith wasn't one to confront his feelings, at all, but he was upfront and he wanted answers. "Lance."

"Okay, fine, yes, I happen to think you're very attractive and somehow I like your dumb personality too! I've been trying to flirt with you but you're oblivious and I'm scared and I know you're Keith and you don't feel things other than 'Keith smash face with sword' so I know you don't feel the same about a nobody like me-"

"Shut up, Lance!" Lance immediately shut up. "I don't mean like- don't talk about your feelings. I do want to listen to you and address these insecurities. But I need you to be quiet and I need you to push those aside for a moment because I need you to be direct with me here. When you say you have a crush on me, do you mean from a distance, or do you mean you'd pursue a relationship with me if you thought you had a chance?"

"My answer depends on if- on a scale of one to ten; one being a stab in the face and ten being decapitating me and slicing me into cat food sized chunks, how violently will you stab me if I say yes to the second one?"

"Lance…" Keith sighed, and lowered his hand on Lance's arm until he was holding his hand gently. He didn't know what to say- but Keith was impulsive and brash, so he didn't- he grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed him as hard as he could. He would have regretted it if he didn't know Lance felt the same way. When he pulled back, Lance was puce across his cheekbones and to the tips of his ears. Keith only registered where he was when he heard the crunch of popcorn from Pidge. And then Keith turned scarlet. 

He was suddenly very aware of his surroundings and the audience, and very aware of the fact he'd just kissed Lance. "Gross," Keith protested, "do it again."

"Kiss me yourself you lazy quiznack," Lance protested. 

"Well I'm not kissing you again until you kiss me first!"

"Fine! Well I'm not kissing you until you kiss me, whoever caves first owes the other a week of laundry and I haven't done my laundry since we first arrived here!"

"That's gross, Lance," Keith said, "and you're on. I haven't done my laundry in a month." 

"Oh quiznack, you guys are gonna be so annoying," Pidge sighed. 

"Can we eat now that's all sorted," Hunk asked awkwardly, "because the sooner we eat the sooner I can bake like- a huge cake to celebrate you guys-"

"Hunk, no," Pidge sighed. 

"Hunk yes, because love is beautiful and love deserves good food to commemorate it- hey where'd Lance and Keith go?" That was the last thing Keith heard from the kitchen as he pulled Lance towards the training deck.

The words repeated one more time in his head.

"We were supposed to think you were a boy?"

Except this time, they didn't bother him. 

[loveafterthefact]

Love After the Fact Chapter 31: Reunion Part 1

Lance and Allura get a moment alone.

First  Previous  Next

The royal family stands on the landing pad, watching a dark-metaled ship settle on one of the numbered spaces. It's freezing, breath rising in white plumes on every exhalation. Lance is practically vibrating in place, not only cold, but also eager to see Allura and Romelle again, excited to goof off with Lotor. Next to him, Keith almost suppresses a soft sound in the back of his throat. Shiro’s on this ship.

Lance settles a hand on the small of Keith’s back. Keith’s tail wraps snugly around his ankle. He’s grateful he has someone to support him. Sure, he has Coran and Adam, but Keith’s of a whole different caliber. The Galra has been by his side the entire movement, working with him and Adam to alter legislation to be enacted upon the first thaw. Even while fighting to learn legal jargon until their eyes bleed, Lance has been able to count on his spouse to stick with him. It’s a very nice feeling.

Shiro steps out first, dressed in fine armor, the swooping sigil of the Imperial Guard on his chest, cloak trailing the white tile beneath his feet. Keith’s tail tightens, and Lance slips his hand around his waist, thumb slipping beneath his vest to draw comforting circles into his side.

The captain places a fist over his breast, taking a knee in front of Alfor and Coran. Behind him, Lance hears Adam’s feet shuffle as Shiro’s gray eyes dart their way momentarily. The kings nod, and Alfor tells Shiro to rise. Shiro does as he’s told, gestures to the ramp of the ship, rattles off names and titles, and finally, after a small eternity, Allura, Lotor, and Romelle descend the ramp.

Standing between her husband and lover, Allura is hand-in-hand with Lotor, her arm around Romelle’s waist. The waif-like blonde leans into her slightly. She’s still fragile, Lance can tell, but it seems like there’s more of her now than last time he saw her.

Allura is beaming, practically alight. Lance smiles; she’s as happy to be home as he is to see her. Next to him, Keith jolts, eyes widening momentarily. Lance wonders vaguely what it’s about, but doesn’t have much time to think on it before it’s time for formalities.

“Welcome, Prince Lotor,” Alfor says, holding out his arm in greeting.

Lotor clasps it just below the elbow in traditional greeting. “Thank you for having us. I was surprised and flattered when I received Crown Prince Lancel’s invitation.” Lance smiles, bows his head graciously. Lotor responds in turn as he greets him and Coran.

“Nonsense.” Alfor waves a hand, pretending it was his idea all along. “We are family now, after all.” Lance can feel Keith rolling his eyes, imagines his ears falling back with the motion. He bites his lip to keep from laughing. He assumes his imagination is in fact reality when Keith elbows him in the side. He bites harder. “Now, where are my girls?”

“Hello, Father.” Allura hands Romelle off to Lotor, who keeps a gentle hand between her shoulders. She throws her arms around her fathers. “Hi, Dad. I missed you both. Good to see you, Adam. My brother running you ragged?”

“Into the ground, your Majesty.” Adam smiles, bowing deeply.

“I expect nothing less. Hi!” Allura throws her arms around Lance. Lance squeezes back, basking in his sister’s warmth.

“Hey. I missed you. It’s not home without you here.”

“I know. I missed you too.” Allura squeezes him tight. Lance can feel Keith watching, eyes never leaving Allura. After a long moment, Allura gives Keith a hug too, kisses his cheek. Lance sees him whisper something in her ear, sees a wide grin break over her face.

“Now then!” Coran chirps, exceptionally chipper when facing an evening with his entire family in the same room. Coran is the glue that holds them together. “Shall we continue this inside before we all freeze to death?”

Lance glances to Keith and Shiro, who had stepped away for a greeting over their own, rubbing their cheeks together. There’s a particular smile Keith has, one that he saves just for his family. Lance can’t help but feel the slightest bit jealous. He’s not part of Keith’s family.

That's not his part to play.

He turns to his fathers. “Yes, please.”

It’s not his place to be Keith’s family. That’s not his job.

Instead of dwelling on his ruined concept of family and community, Lance throws an arm over his sister’s shoulders. He wants to say hi to Romelle, but knows she needs to settle before she can handle very much.

Allura tugs on his sleeve. “Have you got a minute?”

Lance turns back to his spouse. “Will you be alright for a bit?”

“Yes.” Keith nods. He’s got a new spring in his step. “I’ll be fine. But it’s time for lunch…”

“We’ll catch up. We only need a few minutes,” Allura promises, smiling at her brother-in-law. She pulls Lance into a spare sitting room off the main hall. The moment the door is closed, Lance throws his arms around his sister again. “I missed you. I miss you both,” he says.

“We missed you, too. Romelle talks about you sometimes these days. She talks more in general. Yesterday, she asked if we could go look at the moons.”

“That’s great! Will she be okay with just Lotor?”

Allura draws back, hands slipping down to his. “Of course. They’ve grown much closer.”

“Romantically?”

“Not quite, but definitely loving. Our arrangement is working better than we expected.” Allura’s smiling so brightly. Lance is so happy to see her happy. He remembers her fear when the conditions of the alliance were placed before them. Truthfully, Allura had so much more to lose. If not for Lotor’s understanding, she would have lost Romelle. “There’s something I must tell you.”

Lance frowns, immediately thinking of war rooms and assassins. “Is everything okay? Are you alright? Are you in danger?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. But… And understand I haven’t even told our fathers… I am pregnant.”

Lance blinks, mouth agape. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Seriously?” Lance sniffles, eyes watering, so delighted for his sister. Allura will make a wonderful mother.

“Yes, Lance. Seriously.” Allura beams, body vibrating from whatever multiple emotions are coursing through her veins. Lance tethers their quintessence together, lets their excitement blend, swirl in the space between them.

“Oh, Ancients! Allura!” Lance throws his arms around his sister again, holds her close. Allura laughs into his chest, squeezing him tight. Lance knows he’s crying, but he can’t help it. He loves his sister, loves Romelle, and, in an increasingly familial way, loves Lotor.

It’s his nature to love, his primal instinct. He was born with this, with blue scales painting his body.

“I told Lotor you’d cry,” Allura laughs.

“Shut up! My kids are gonna be cuter than yours, so we'll see who's laughing then!”

“I told him you’d say that, too. Before you ask, he’s delighted.”

“Good. It’s hard to get a read on him.”

“Oh, goodness, yes. For our first few phoebs, I had to be connected to him to get even an idea of how he was feeling.” Allura draws back, ever the responsible one. “We should go. I need to eat, and we both need to change.”

“Lotor wearing his armor?”

Allura rolls her eyes, ushers her brother out of the room. “I swear he lives in it. I blame his father. Heathens, the both of them.”

“Hm. I buy that. You'd think Honerva would have taught them better...”

“Say, how are things going with Keith?”

“It’s, uh.” Lance blushes beneath his scales. “It’s going. He’s doing well and, uh. It’s…”

Allura snickers. “I see. Well, I’m excited to witness how well it’s going tonight.”

The blush deepens beneath his scales as he glares at his sister. He relents after only a few seconds. “Well, if you’re going to watch, will you make sure to tell him he’s doing a good job?”

“Of course, but why the request?”

“Just… He seems to have a lot of anxieties. I think he fears himself to be inadequate.”

“Well, he’s not ideal, to be sure. But he is cute if nothing else-”

“He’s talented and smart. Calling him cute is so…”

“Inadequate?” Allura supplies, smirk unrelenting.

Lance rolls his eyes, tempted to start shoving and messing around like the old days. But things are different now. They’re grown, and the days of messing around are over. They’re both married, Allura is pregnant, and they must behave as befits their-

Allura shoves him into the wall with a smirk. Maybe some things can stay the same.

[otterknowbynow]

Gotcha Day (3/3)

The catalyst for Team Voltron adopting a dog might be an offhand demand from Lance, but let’s be real: several of them are very much on board with this plan.

Written as part of Gentron Week 2020 as a combination of the prompts “Adopting a Pet Together” and “Cultural Exchange”, in two three parts.

Part 1 Here | Part 2 Here | Also on ao3

Keith sleeps terribly, of course. She’s warm, for one thing, so temperature regulation is next to impossible. And any time he moves she moves too -- at one point ending up draped over his legs, which would maybe be fine, if it didn’t mean they were trapped. When she starts whining around fourth varga, he supposes he must have fallen asleep at some point, since that’s the only explanation for the groggy way he’s dragging himself into consciousness now. 

“Yeah, alright,” he grumbles when she steps her front paws onto his back and sticks a very cold nose against his ear to whine directly into it. “I get it.” He carefully extracts himself from under her, moving her to the side of his bunk that’s against the wall, and sits up, scrubbing at sleep-heavy eyes. Folding his legs under him, he turns to look back at her. “I guess you probably need to pee, huh.” As if in answer, the hyrassie leaps over his lap and to the door to his quarters, whining again. Before she can escalate to anywhere near the shrieking sound they had to contend with last night, he makes a gesture at the control panel so the door will slide open, and she dashes out. “Oh, shit,” he mutters -- right. A leash would have probably been a good idea. 

He follows the faint sound of whining and catches up to her at the entrance to her deck -- thankfully on the same level of the castle as the paladins’ quarters; they made a good choice there -- where she’s scratching at the door with two hoofed feet and the whining is threatening to grow again. 

“Shh, shh,” Keith mutters at her, and activates the panel to let her in, grateful that she came straight here when the entire castle could theoretically have been accessible. The first thing he does once he follows her into the deck -- Turnip practically flying to the patch of grass -- is go to the chest of essentials they’ve set up by the door and stick a lead in his pocket. Sure, he can probably just carry her to the lounge to hang out until the others get up, but if there’s any hope of not being stuck there until someone comes to take over, he should probably try to get a leash on her. Keith is musing over the harness and collar options that Coran seems to have dug up from the castle’s recesses when he hears the door swish open again and looks up to see Shiro standing in it, looking a little too casually curious. 

“How’s she doing?” he asks immediately, and not at all casually.

“See for yourself,” Keith says with a shrug, trying to work out how the straps of the harness he’s holding are supposed to go around a six-legged animal. He may as well have not said anything, though, since Shiro is already halfway across the room and kneeling on the ground, with both hands outstretched. Turnip, seeing him and having apparently taken care of any business she needed to attend to, races over joyfully, before stopping abruptly and jerking her head back slightly from his right arm. Slowly, she moves her nose closer to it, investigating. Shiro waits, not moving, whispering reassurances to her until her tails give a low wag, and then scratching her under the chin with his hand. She tentatively licks at the metal fingers of it, and he grins down at her. Keith is surprised to find he’s grinning, also, given how crappy he feels overall. 

--

They try keeping her in Shiro’s quarters that night. He’s adamant that they should crate train her -- everything he’s read says it’s best practice, apparently, and Keith can’t help but support that option given the uncomfortable sleepless hours when she was on his bed. He’s a bit surprised that Lance doesn’t demand she stay with him, but apparently even just hearing about the fit she threw in the middle of the night is enough to deter him. He does volunteer to go with Coran to find something suitable for the pup to sleep in, though, which Keith hopes means he feels at least a bit responsible. 

“Looks like we’re all set,” Shiro says as Coran clicks the last support of the crate into place. It looks remarkably like an ordinary dog crate, to Keith at least, and they’ve put one of the cushions in it to try to make it more homey.

“Sure hope so,” he says, shooting Coran a look he hopes will be interpreted correctly as a reminder that he’s not going to take sole responsibility for the hyrassie pup overnight again. The Altean gives him the tiniest of nods in response and stands, dusting off his hands and looking over at Shiro. 

“It should be just fine, I think, especially if you give her a couple of those treats Hunk whipped up this afternoon -- the boy’s a wizard in the kitchen, especially with baking -- reminds me of my cousin Ira.” Lance, who Keith would normally expect to be annoyed at too much commentary from Coran, just smiles instead. 

“He sure is,” he says, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jacket and leaning against the wall by the door back out to the hallway. “You know he’s this close to figuring out sourdough biscuits? Like, perfect ones, I mean, since obviously even the quote-unquote failed attempts --” he’s mercifully cut off from continuing by a tone announcing there’s someone at the door. 

“That’ll be him and Pidge,” says Shiro, gesturing at the door panel to let them in, one sleepy hyrassie pup in tow. They coax her toward the crate, Hunk pulling out a couple of crunchy-looking treats that smell good enough that Keith almost wants to eat them himself. Almost. Luckily, they seem to smell even better to Turnip since she extends her head as far as she can to sniff at them as Hunk moves them toward her crate. When she walks in, she settles down almost immediately to demolish the treats, which sound as crunchy as they look, Keith lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, and Shiro grins at all of them. 

“Well, that’s settled,” he says, waving them toward the door. “Goodnight, everyone.” 

And Keith is relieved to find himself in his quarters with no wriggly puppy and no shrieking, just peace and quiet. He climbs into bed, grateful that at least if his sleep is disturbed tonight, it’ll be by the usual suspects, rather than an all-too-present animal. 

Or so he thinks. Instead, he nearly knocks his head against the wall next to his bunk when he’s awakened again by that same shrieking sound. Looking at the timekeeper by his bed, he sees that at least it’s a bit after fourth varga instead of first, but he’s still not exactly thrilled. Where is Shiro that he’s not already handling this? Keith shoves his face into his pillow, pulling his blankets up around his head to block out the noise as best he can. Shiro will take care of it, he thinks. He probably got woken up just now, also, so it’ll just take him a second to get the crate open and get Turnip to her deck...but the sound keeps going on, and when he can’t take it anymore, he rolls out of bed, grabs his jacket from its hook, and shakes his head a bit to clear it before heading down the hall to Shiro’s quarters. 

Weirdly, he’s the only one of the paladins who seems to have noticed the sound. He can understand how it happened the first night -- since his room is closest to the deck they’ve set up for Turnip, with the Alteans’ quarters on the other side -- but shouldn’t at least Pidge have heard something? When he gets to Shiro’s door, he pokes a hand at the panel irritably. She’s still just keening away in there, which -- he notes as the door slides open -- doesn’t seem like something Shiro would just let continue. 

“Keith, what’s up?” Shiro’s voice comes from his bunk, where -- Keith can see from the light spilling in from the hallway -- he’s still at least half-asleep. 

“What do you mean, what’s up?” he asks, frowning. “Can I -- please --” he doesn’t wait for an answer, going straight to the crate in the corner of the room and opening it to release a highly relieved puppy. He picks her up quickly, before she can dart out of the room or -- worse -- pee on the floor. “She’s been screaming for like, ten minutes.” 

“She has?” 

“Did you not...did you not hear her?” 

“I haven’t heard anything.” Shiro sits up, picking up the timekeeper next to his bed and squinting at it, frowning in the dim light. “I’d be up in like half a varga anyway, but..” He trails off, and Keith is still a bit too stunned by a new realization to say anything for a moment. It’s just his luck that the new puppy -- a puppy he did not ask for, important to note -- apparently cries at some frequency full humans can’t hear. 

“Just another joy of being part-galra, I guess,” he mutters, as Turnip happily nuzzles at his hand before licking it. He grimaces, wishing he’d grabbed his gloves. “I’m gonna take her to her deck.” 

“Yeah, go for it -- I’ll meet you there in a couple minutes -- dobashes -- whatever.” 

She’ll have to sleep in his room, Keith realizes as he walks her down to the door to her deck. Allura has the mice, and Coran has already said no once. He draws a bit of comfort from knowing that at least she’ll be in a crate from now on, even if it does mean he’ll be getting up a couple vargas earlier than he usually would. 

“You’re lucky you’re this cute,” he mutters as he gestures the door open and lets her down to race over to the miniature Altean field. 

--

Lance helps him move the crate later that morning, once the rest of the castle residents are up. They don’t bother folding it up again, carrying it between the two of them down the hallway. It’s awkward and heavy, and Keith is grateful for his gloves keeping it from digging into his hands too uncomfortably. 

“Can’t believe you’re stealing my puppy,” Lance says, a hint of a whine creeping into his voice. Keith can see the corners of his mouth twitching too, though, and he lets out a small huff of amusement. 

“Stealing, my ass,” he says. He gestures at the control panel as they approach his door, and adds, “I didn’t ask for any of this.” 

“Stealing her right out from under me,” Lance continues dramatically as they put the crate down in the corner of the room. He opens the door to it and resettles the cushion inside. “Like some kind of...puppy-smuggler. Thief.” 

“You didn’t even like her when we brought her back,” Keith says, trying to keep his amusement out of his voice. It’s creeping in anyway, though, he can hear it. 

“So my judgment slipped for, like, a second!” Lance stands up, dusting off his hands so he can prop them on his hips indignantly. “That’s no reason to steal a man’s dog!” 

“I can’t even steal her long-term, not if I’m getting back to Blades training next week -- movement -- whatever.” He hopes that will settle it. Can’t steal something if you’re not here to keep it. 

“What’s gonna stop you from just taking off to the Blades, puppy in tow, huh? I bet that guy --- Kolivan -- would be all for having a deer-puppy-shark on the team. You’ll raise her up to be her own canine special ops unit, and then where will I be? Puppyless! A broken shell of a man!” 

“God, you’re ridiculous,” Keith says, rolling his eyes as he heads back out into the hallway and starts walking away. “You coming to the lounge to see your dog one last time before I steal her away forever?” He hears Lance slide the door shut behind him, and he catches up a few seconds later. 

“Keith, seriously, you better not monopolize her time now. Like, I was joking back there, you know I was joking, but you can’t just take over, like, she’s all of ours, you know that, right? Just because she’s sleeping in your room doesn’t mean she’s more yours than the rest of us, and --” They’ve reached the lounge, and as he gestures the door open, Keith is incredibly relieved that the rest of Lance’s words are drowned out by a gleefully yipping puppy, who is decidedly not going to be his sole responsibility from now on, as if that would even be a desirable outcome. 

--

“I’m not sure we’re ever going to be able to just give her free run of the castle,” Hunk is saying later that afternoon as he gathers up the pieces of yet another chew toy Turnip has shredded mercilessly with her razor teeth. “Not if this level of destruction is any indication.” 

“I mean, she is a puppy,” Shiro says, grinning from where he’s sitting on the floor against the couch, Turnip curled up napping in his lap. Her middle set of legs jerks every once in a while, and she’s growled at least three times in her sleep so far. Katie wonders idly if there’s a reason it’s the middle set of legs, or if it’s just that the back ones are folded under her and too squished to be a part of it. “She might grow out of some of it.” 

“I don’t know about that.” Hunk shakes his head a little, dropping the pieces in a waste chute at the corner of the lounge and dusting off his hands. “They’re supposed to keep needing to chew, like, forever. And a lot.” 

“It seems like if we give her enough alternatives, we should at least be able to keep the important machinery and stuff safe,” says Katie, grabbing her tablet from beside the couch she’s sitting on and opening a note. “Do we have any toys she hasn’t destroyed?” 

“Uh, a few, but a lot of those even are hanging on by a thread.” Hunk wrinkles his nose, sitting down on the couch next to her so he can see the tablet screen. “Like, the one ring seems like it’s holding up mostly okay, but even that’s got some divots starting from her teeth.” 

“Seems like we should figure out what that’s made of and go from there,” Katie says. “You good here, Shiro? Hunk and I should probably go down to the lab.” 

“Yeah, we’re good,” Shiro says in a tone that suggests it’s a bit absurd to think they’d be anything but. He scratches behind Turnip’s ears gently. “Besides, Lance at least said he’d stop by once they’re done on the training deck. By all means, go do some R&D.” 

--

By the time Keith gets the call from Kolivan that he needs to start a new phase of training, they’ve fallen into a routine. Turnip sleeps through nearly to fifth varga before she starts whining, and he manages to get enough shuteye that that’s not the nightmare it could be. He doesn’t need all that much, anyway, as long as it’s relatively peaceful. 

They’re never alone on her deck for long. Even if he can’t hear Turnip wake up, Shiro can certainly hear Keith, and he usually shows up just as Turnip is finished relieving herself and ready to play, which works out well for everyone involved, especially with the nigh-indestructible toys Hunk and Pidge manage to produce. It’s just a few at first -- a rope toy of extra-strong fibers, a ring with some give in it that she somehow can’t rip through -- but pretty soon it becomes a game of who can come up with and produce the best designs that are also functional. 

One evening, the night before Keith is going to rejoin the Blades for a while, Hunk comes into the lounge holding a nondescript bag. Everyone’s off-duty at the same time, for once, since the bridge is automatically retuning its maintenance protocols, and he stands in front of them looking utterly triumphant. 

“Gotta say, I’m particularly proud of this one,” he says, then makes a dramatic fanfare sound with his mouth as he pulls something out of the bag. 

“Was that supposed to be a trumpet?” Keith asks.

“It’s clearly not a trumpet, Keith. It’s a cow.” Lance manages to sound both dismissive and slightly awestruck at the same time. 

“That’s a pretty incredible likeness, Hunk,” says Shiro, still holding the other end of a rope Turnip is pulling at enthusiastically, seemingly unaware that any conversation they’re having has anything to do with her. 

“Isn’t this a toy for her to chew on?” Allura sounds somewhat baffled. 

“I mean, yeah,” says Hunk, frowning at the cow in his hands. “That’s the idea. I used a new polymer we developed that’s firmer than the first one -- less give, more for dental care than general play -- that’s why there’s this texturing for her teeth.”  He indicates one of the legs of the cow, where he’s shaped ridges and spikes that do seem to approximate a toothbrush. If a toothbrush also kind of resembled a medieval morningstar.

“And it’s made to look like another living creature? One we ideally...don’t want her chewing on? Wasn’t the idea that they might be friends?” 

“Oh, I forgot about that,” says Lance. 

“You forgot you got us all into this by claiming you were some kind of cow-whisperer?” Pidge sounds as amazed by Lance’s lack of recall as Keith is. 

“I never said cow-whisperer!” Lance objects. “I said she needed a puppy friend. All cows need a puppy friend; it’s a fact of life.” 

“Shall we go introduce her to our fair lady Kaltenecker, then?” Coran slaps his knees twice and stands up, stretching. As if in answer, Turnip races over to Hunk and leaps toward the cow toy, snatching it out of his hand and giving it an emphatic shake when she lands back on the ground, growling. 

“Maybe we wait until she’s slightly less puppy,” says Hunk, inspecting his hand carefully for injury. “Maybe what Kaltenecker really needs is a calm adult dog friend.” 

[thespacenico]

haven’t posted here in a while, so here’s a short klance drabble commissioned by @helloklancee!

twitter | instagram | klancemas zine!

·:*:·ﾟ★ sweet spot ★ﾟ·:*:· - 2.1k word oneshot - getting together - college au

“Keith, I swear to god if you make me kill my boba—” 

“I’m not! I’m just, moving it around a little—stop peeking!” 

“I’m not!” 

“Lance, I can literally see your eyeball right now.” 

Lance closes his eyes and covers them fully with his hand for the second time, heaving an unnecessarily long and overly dramatic sigh. “Why can’t we just drink our bobas! Like normal people. What if I smash the side of “Then I’ll just buy you a new one,” Keith snorts, clearly amused by Lance’s antics. A moment of haphazard shuffling as he adjusts the position of Lance’s cup on the table, and then it stops. “Okay. Go.” 

“This is a terrible idea,” Lance mutters, blindly lifting the straw in his other hand. He hovers uncertainly for a moment, arm fully extended over the table as he relocates it to where he hopes Keith has moved his cup, then swings downward. 

There’s a loud pop! and when Lance doesn’t feel anything spilling over his hand and into his lap, he cautiously peels his hand away from his face, opening one eye to see that his straw has gone straight through the center of his cup’s lid. 

“Ha!” he crows, pumping one fist in the air and laughing gleefully at the incredulous look on Keith’s face. “Nailed it! I told you, they don’t call me ‘Sharpshooter’ for nothing.” 

“No way,” Keith shakes his head, crossing his hands in a time-out motion. “There’s no way—you cheated! You peeked again, didn’t you?” 

Lance sputters. “Wha—no! I did that all by myself, fair and square! Can’t you just appreciate my awesomeness for once?” 

Keith chooses not to respond, instead picking up his own cup and watching Lance through narrowed eyes as he takes a sip. Lance follows suit, squinting as he props his elbows against the table, takes a sip, and promptly chokes on a boba pearl. 

It’s worth it to hear the way that Keith laughs, bright and unabashed throughout the quiet of the shop. 

They’re in the midst of finals week, and technically they should be studying right now, but it’s always nice to get off campus and breathe every once in a while. It’s not unusual for them to go out together; in fact, it’s a pretty regular thing. 

Lance is Keith’s go-to, Keith is Lance’s go-to, meaning that outside of classes and routine schoolwork, they take up almost all of each other’s time. Keith had texted Lance about needing a study break, Lance had mentioned that he’d been craving boba for the past eighteen hours, and the rest is history.

That’s often how it goes. It’s just a little bit infuriating. 

Infuriating, in the sense that Lance has had a big fat crush on Keith since the first semester of their freshman year, and nearly a full year later he still can’t bring himself to make a move. It’s kind of ridiculous, because honestly, what would really change if they were to start dating? 

They’re like a package deal, together nearly every moment that they’re able to be. They go the the cafeteria together, they do homework together, they let each other crash in their dorm rooms—quiznak, they even alternate paying for off-campus outings, considering that they happen so often. 

“People don’t do all that with just anyone,” Hunk has told Lance, time and time and time again. 

Maybe not, but Lance doesn’t take this stuff lightly. He’s not sure he wants to risk what they already have.

They spend a while at the boba shop—longer than they should have—complaining about their professors, giggling through several card games, snapping a few very unflattering pictures of each other sipping on their boba. Lance snags an extra straw from the front counter and sticks one in each nostril, and Keith laughs so hard that he nearly falls out of his chair, which only makes him laugh even harder. 

The trip back to campus is no less lively. They sing their lungs out to A-ha’s “Take On Me,” as is tradition for them, and by the time that Lance is pulling into the parking lot outside Keith’s dorm, his cheeks are flushed with warmth and mouth smiling as they both climb out onto the pavement into the cold. Part of him wishes their night didn’t have to end here, but they both have a lot to do, and together they tend to distract each other, so. It’s probably for the best.

The sun set hours ago, but the moon is bright and full in the sky, the winter air crisp and inviting. Lance shoves his hands in his jacket pockets as Keith slips out of the passenger seat and walks around to the other side, shivering as he zips up his coat. “How are you not freezing? I feel cold just looking at you.” 

“You’re just cold-blooded,” Lance shrugs, and yelps when Keith pokes him sharply in the side, snickering at Lance’s half-hearted pout. “Hey! No one’s keeping you here, just hurry up and go inside if you’re so cold!” 

He can’t tell if he only imagines it or not, but if he didn’t know any better he’d say that Keith’s smile seems to falter slightly, as if the thought of parting with each other bothers him as much as it bothers Lance. “I… yeah,” Keith nods, and Lance finds his own smile wavering when he lowers his gaze to the ground, kicking at a pebble on the sidewalk. “I guess I should get back to studying.”

Lance mentally kicks himself, although he doesn’t even know what he’s kicking himself for. Keith sounds disappointed. Why does he sound disappointed? What has Lance done. What did he do. What was there to be done.

He opens his mouth. Closes it, as he searches for the right words. “Um, yeah. I probably should, too.”

It’s unclear if he’s made things better or worse from the expression that Keith wears when he looks up again, shifting restlessly from one foot to the other. There’s something almost shy about his posture, nervous energy radiating off him in waves as he takes a breath as if to say something, then pauses. He seems anxious, and that makes Lance anxious, because he doesn’t like the thought of being someone who makes Keith anxious.

“Hey, are you okay?” Lance pulls his hands from his pockets but they only hover uselessly at his sides, uncertain. Keith shuffles in place, silent and mostly avoiding eye contact, which is odd and rather concerning since hardly a moment ago everything seemed to be totally normal. Lance’s brow furrows. “Seriously, what’s wrong? You seem kind of—” The rest of his words die on his tongue before he has the chance to utter them, because then Keith quickly steps forward, leans in, and kisses his cheek. 

Lance’s brain sputters. Chokes and fizzles out, just like the new fizzy drink on the boba menu that he had earlier considered and ultimately decided against. He stands very still, frozen to the spot as Keith pulls away just as quickly, cheeks visibly flushed despite only the moonlight and streetlamps to make it out. 

He clears his throat, reaching up to brush a piece of hair behind his ear. “Just, um. Thanks for tonight. I really needed it.” Lance stares at him, speechless, face burning as Keith takes a step back, mumbling. “Good luck with studying. And I’ll—see you tomorrow, I guess.” Then just like that, he turns and starts toward the front doors of the dorm building, leaving Lance standing rigid and flabbergasted on the sidewalk wondering exactly what the heck was in his drink. 

At least, he tried to. Lance doesn’t let him get very far. “What—Keith, wait.” 

Keith stops in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder at where Lance’s fingers have closed around his wrist, then up at Lance. Lance blinks back at him, almost as surprised by himself as Keith seems to be, but he doesn’t back down. For a moment they’re both silent, a thick, heavy tension settling over them. The air is electric, prickling at Lance’s skin and sending a shiver down his spine that he’s barely able to suppress. 

Lance’s heart is racing, beating painfully behind his ribcage as he searches Keith’s face. His gaze is more open and vulnerable than Lance has ever seen it, his expression an apprehensive mix of uncertainty and anticipation, like he’s waiting to see what happens next but is afraid of what that might be. Lance opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out, especially when Keith’s eyes widen ever so slightly, almost too hopeful for Lance’s poor heart to bear.

He makes a split second decision. 

Lance pulls a willing, albeit puzzled Keith back toward him, and kisses him. It takes a rather mortifying, agonizing moment for Keith to kiss back, but when he does, Lance can’t believe they took so long to make this happen. 

Once they get started, Lance can’t imagine ever wanting to stop. Keith’s hands slide up to rest on his shoulder and cup the back of his neck, eagerly pressing against him when Lance gently tugs him closer by the waist. And either Lance moves back or Keith moves forward, because hardly a second later Lance is backed against his car door and gratefully leaning against it, desperate for some kind of support considering how easily his legs have turned to jello.

Keith tastes sweet, which Lance can’t help but think is entirely fitting. It reminds him of all Keith’s favorite drinks, of the coffee he takes to class every morning with too much sugar mixed in, of the candies he always asks Lance to bring back from the store when he gets held up at dinner with his brother. Lance shifts slightly and Keith follows, voicing zero protest as Lance slowly turns them around so it’s Keith backed up against the car instead, fingers tangled in Lance’s hair. 

Every time one of them pulls away the other only drags them back in, noses brushing with every tilt of their jaw, blinking butterfly kisses against each other’s cheeks from the sheer proximity. Lance practically melts at Keith’s touch, humming when he brushes a thumb over his cheekbone, wanting to be closer and closer even though they’re already as close as they can be.

If he wasn’t cold before, then he certainly isn’t cold now. At some point Keith’s arms wind around his neck, one hand pressing between his shoulder blades, and Lance feels like he’s burning but not unpleasantly. 

His hands hover near Keith’s waist, slipping underneath his coat, playing with the hem of his shirt before pressing underneath that as well, settling his fingers over bare skin. And maybe it’s instinctive, or habitual, but Lance finds himself rubbing a single, gentle circle against his hips with his thumbs without thinking, causing Keith to make a small sound in the back of his throat.

He abruptly breaks apart, breath catching in his throat, and Lance immediately withdraws his hands from underneath Keith’s shirt. “Sorry, I—I’m sorry, was that—”

“It’s fine,” Keith rasps, breath hot on Lance’s mouth. He swallows, eyelids fluttering and hands gripping Lance’s shoulders tightly to steady himself. “Just… trying to—process.”

Lance relaxes, shoulders loosening as he slips back underneath his shirt and settles his fingers there. He’s quiet for a moment, eyes fixed on Keith as he tries to catch his breath, letting himself admire everything he’d tried so hard to ignore, way back when: the slope of his nose, the dip of his chin, the faded mark on his cheek from an accident when he was sixteen, even the place at the corner of his mouth where he knows a dimple would be if he were smiling. 

Having Keith this close to him, eyes heavy and cheeks flushed and breathing hotly against his mouth—it hardly feels real, after all this time.  

He lifts one hand to rest against Keith’s cheek without remembering when he ever told it to move. It makes Keith look up at him though, and he finds himself smiling when their eyes meet, tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear. “You know, now that we got the hard part out of the way, I think now is a pretty good time to tell you that I have a big fat crush on you.” 

Keith laughs breathlessly, gripping the collar of Lance’s jacket. “I should hope so. I have a big fat crush on you, too.”

“How long?” Lance asks, with very thinly veiled curiosity. 

“God, I don’t know. First semester of freshman year?” 

Lance stares at him. “We’re both idiots.” 

Keith doesn’t ask why, only laughs again in agreement and leans forward to kiss him again, a gentle press of his lips against the corner of his mouth. “That’s okay with me.” 

(Needless to say, Lance doesn’t get much studying done that night. And that’s just fine with him.)

[fandom-smut-shots]

Keith Kogane - Pocky Game

Pocky Game – Keith Kogane

A/N: Male!reader.

Words: 1,967

           As an MFE fighter pilot, you’d gotten to know the young paladins of Voltron upon their return to Earth alongside your comrades. James had told you stories of the one named Keith, about his sharp wit and snarky personality, and it made you want to meet him. Anyone that could put James in his place was someone you could get along with.

         You became quick friends with the four of them. Pidge’s inventions were inspiring. Hunk’s cooking was heavenly. Lance was an adorable flirt. And Keith… Keith awoke feelings inside you that you hadn’t felt in a long time.

         You realized, with a deep sigh and a palm to your forehead, that you were attracted to the red-turned-black paladin.

         You’d confided in Nadia, your closest friend, about your new discovery. Her reaction had been overly supportive and entirely mischievous.

           “Hey, we should have a party,” she stated one day during lunch break. “The older officers and lieutenants are doing their own thing – we should have a party to celebrate everyone’s success.”

         You couldn’t deny that it was a good idea, but you knew she had ulterior motives.

         “Yeah!” Lance eagerly agreed.

         “And where would we have a party?” James inquired, raising a brow.

         Everyone was quiet for a moment.

         With a sigh, you raised your hand, pointedly ignoring Nadia’s grinning face beside you.

         “I have an apartment about twenty minutes away,” you offered.

         “Atta boy!” Nadia praised, and you lightly shoved her shoulder with your own.

         “It’s settled, then!” Lance grinned. “Party at (y/n)’s!”

         “When?” Keith sighed, knowing better than to try and excuse himself.

         “Tomorrow night?” Nadia suggested. “It’s Friday. We can meet at (y/n)’s place when we’re done here.”

         The rest of the group agreed, and you chewed the inside of your lip. What in the hell had you just agreed to?

           The next evening, your stomach was flipping over on itself. Nadia had been the first to arrive, rushing to your apartment as soon as she had changed out of her uniform so that she could help you get ready. You’d insisted that you didn’t need her assistance, but she was annoyingly persistent. She helped you set out drinks and snacks before whisking you away to your own bedroom where she rummaged through your closet, assuring you that Keith wouldn’t be able to tear his gaze from your form by the time she was done.

         Knocks sounded upon your front door, and you hoped that the arrival of your colleagues would weasel you out of whatever “date night” ensemble Nadia had selected.

         No such luck.

         Nadia threw the chosen outfit at you, demanding that you put it on before returning to your front room, or she’d blab your crush on Keith to the entire team. You really didn’t want to cross her, so you picked up each article of clothing and shyly pulled it on.

         You really looked quite amazing, but you weren’t going to admit that to her.

         Dressed and just as nervous as you’d been before they arrived, you headed out to the kitchen in search of a drink. The only alcohol Nadia could get her hands on was a few six packs of wine coolers, but it was better than nothing. And, really, you didn’t want this party getting out of hand, especially if the goal was to prompt you to finally admit your feelings to the black paladin.

         A whistle from the entryway of the kitchen caught your attention, and you glanced up to find Lance standing there in search of a drink. He offered you a smirk and one of his signature finger guns.

         “You look great, (y/n),” he complimented. “Trying to impress a certain mullet?”

         A blush dusted your cheeks, and you nearly dropped the bottle you were attempting to open. “I don’t- what do you-“ You sighed, your voice lowering shyly. “Did Nadia tell you?”

         The Cuban laughed harmlessly. “Nah, man. Nobody told me. I can just tell. The way you stare at him during training kinda gives it away.”

         With a groan, you lifted a hand to slam it into your own face. “Does everyone know?”

         “Everyone besides Keith,” Lance shrugged, twisting off the top to his own beverage. “He’s a badass fighter and an awesome pilot, but the dude couldn’t take a hint if it chopped off his bangs.”

         You sighed again, offering Lance the sincerest expression you could manage. “Nadia suggested this party to try and get us together. I keep telling her that it’s pointless – he doesn’t see me that way.”

         The brunet was quiet before chuckling softly. “Dude, you’re just as blind as he is.”

         Your brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

         Lance placed a hand on your shoulder. “He probably hasn’t figured it out himself, but Keith is totally into you. He watches every second that you’re in the flight simulator, and I think it turns him on.”

         Your blush returned with a vengeance, and you nearly choked on the swallow you’d just taken of your drink. Lance grinned cheekily at you.

         “You… you’re just screwing with me, right?”

         “I promise, dude,” Lance smiled softly. “Besides, I’m the loverboy of the team. I can get you two together by the end of the night.”

         Before you could insist that you really didn’t want his brand of help, he had already disappeared to discuss schemes with Nadia.

           As the evening progressed, the group ended up lounging about on the various pieces of furniture in your living room. Nadia called for them all to form a circle on the floor, and with an expected amount of whining and protesting, they made their way downward, you included. You ended up sandwiched between Keith and Lance, the latter deciding to “accidentally” bump your side and nudge you closer to Keith, nearly landing you in his lap. You countered by shoving Lance to the other side, pressing him into Kinkade, who blushed a delightful shade of magenta at the contact.

         “Let’s play the Pocky Game!” Nadia grinned, holding up a hand to reveal several boxes of Pocky in various flavors. You stared, slack-jawed at the girl you wondered why you called your best friend.

         “What’s the Pocky Game?” Hunk inquired, and you were glad you weren’t the only one who hadn’t heard of it.

         The dark grin on Nadia’s lips made you want to run for the door. Looking to the side, you found a matching expression on Lance’s face, and you knew you were going to regret ever hosting a party.

         “It’s where two people take each end of the Pocky stick into their mouth,” Nadia explained, “and you chew on it until you meet in the middle. The idea is to break apart before your lips meet, and whoever eats more of the Pocky wins.”

         “But if you end up playing with someone you like, it’s a great way to sneak in a kiss,” Lance smirked, and you stifled a wince.

         “How are we going to determine who plays?” James questioned.

         Nadia plucked one of the empty wine coolers from the floor and placed it in the center of the circle. “With some good, old-fashioned Spin the Bottle.”

         “I think (y/n) should go first,” the Cuban beside you stated, and you turned to send him a glare. He simply winked at you. “It’s his party, after all.”

         “Hey, now,” you protested. “Both the party and the game were Nadia’s idea.”

         “And I say you’re going first,” Nadia countered. She tossed a box of Pocky in your direction, and you fumbled before catching it. With shaking hands, you reached for the bottle, twisting your wrist to spin it. Your heart pounded in your chest as you willed the bottle to land on literally anyone besides Keith.

         It landed on Lance, and you stifled an exhale of relief. You pulled a Pocky stick from the box and stuck in your mouth, turning to face the brunet. He took the other end, slowly nibbling until you met in the middle. He ducked his head, breaking the Pocky before your mouths got too close.

         “Sorry, (y/n),” he began with a wink, “I’m saving my Pocky kiss for someone special.”

         Pidge snorted something that sounded very much like “Kinkade,” and you turned to grin at her.

         “My turn!” Lance clapped, reaching forward and excitedly spinning the bottle. It rounded the circle a few times before stopping, the neck pointed directly at Kinkade. The blush on Lance’s face was worth the entire game as he stuck a Pocky stick in his mouth and turned to the dark-skinned boy.

         Everyone watched with bated breath as they met in the middle. Before Lance could decide whether to press on or pull away, Kinkade’s hand came to rest on the back of his neck. Lance shrieked as he was pulled into a kiss, lead completely by the other boy. Cheers sounded throughout the circle, and applause erupted as soon as the two parted.

         The rest of the turns were uneventful, ending in either broken Pocky or tentative pecks of lips. When it finally came to Keith, you couldn’t help but watch the bottle as it spun.

         And aimed itself at you.

         You pointedly ignored Nadia’s grin from across the circle, turning to face Keith as he prepared a Pocky stick. You knew you’d get chewed out by both Lance and Nadia if you backed out, but you couldn’t help the insecurities rising in your chest. What if Keith didn’t like you? What if he pulled away first? What if-

         The rest of your worries were put to rest as you ran out of Pocky, and your lips were met with the soft, warm ones of one Keith Kogane. Before you could think to kiss back, he pulled away, staring intently down at his lap. Warmth flooded your core as you continued on with the game, ending up paired with Pidge, Hunk, and Nadia by the time everyone ran out of Pocky.

           The day grew late, and you informed your friends that they were welcome to crash on the various pieces of furniture in your living room if they didn’t wish to return home. Lance thanked you for your offer, but claimed he had other plans as Kinkade took his hand and dragged him out the door. Nadia accepted eagerly until Pidge nudged her side, jerked her head towards Keith, and led Nadia outside. The rest of your friends bid their goodnights and left, leaving you alone with the red-turned-black paladin.

         “Are you leaving too?” you questioned softly.

         Keith met your hesitant gaze. “Do you want me to?”

��        “Honestly?” you countered, feeling a surge of confidence.

         He nodded.

         “I… I kind of want to talk about the game,” you stated, slowly padding into the living room and sitting on the couch. “And, perhaps… continue where we left off.”

         Keith was quiet for a moment, and you worried that you’d said something wrong. He sat beside you, taking your hands in his. Damn, you liked the way his gloves felt on your fingertips.

         He leaned in, pressing his lips tenderly to yours. You couldn’t stifle the gasp that followed, but before he could pull away, you leaned closer, returning the kiss like you’d wanted to earlier. His lips molded perfectly against yours, parting and reconnecting a dozen times before the two of you required a proper breath. His forehead rested on yours, his grip tightening on your hands.

         “I didn’t think that you felt the same,” you admitted softly, shyly glancing up to meet his eyes.

         “I didn’t think you did either,” he smirked. “Lance swore that you did, but… I didn’t believe him.”

         You exhaled a chuckle. “I didn’t believe him either.”

         He kissed you again, and the rest of the night was spent sharing lips and soft words, cuddles and caresses.