#Shiro can't swim himself...but who needs to swim when you can control water?

[the-kittens-of-vol-tron]

Another Langst prompt : Lance has a panic attack mid-battle and is helpless to stop it. He can't do what he's supposed to do, autopilot engaged, and gets chewed out by the team when his mic is off. He can still hear them as they go from annoyed to concerned to panicking when he doesn't answer. His lion's barrier is up when they return to the castle and no one can get in. What gets Lance to open up? Who gets him to come out? And why did he have a panic attack in the first place? Thanks!

Okay!

Mentions of Panic Attacks!!!!

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Lance froze, his fingers shaking as he attempted to keep his grip the controls of the Blue lion. He couldn’t breath and anxiety quickly filled his veins as his heart pounded in his ears. His limbs felt like they were weighed down by lead, and it dragged him down, making him feel like gravity had gotten stronger. 

His chest felt heavy as if the yellow lion itself had curled up on it and took a nap. He struggled to fill his lungs, his windpipe feeling crush and he coughed slightly as his throat squeezed around the dry air of Blue’s cockpit. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, colors swimming around his closed lids and he hung his head forward. Everything felt tight, his clothes seemed to choke him and his skin felt as though it didn’t belong to him. 

He could vaguely hear the familiar hum from Blue as his teammates began to question why he was no longer in formation. 

“Lance?! Why aren’t you here? You’re ruining the plan!” Pidge’s voice sounded strained and she screamed when something shot at the Green lion. 

“Is everything alright?” Hunk ask, turning yellow around to check on his best friend. 

Lance couldn’t understand what his friends were saying, they sounded muffled, like they were on a beach and he was twelve feet under water, trying to have a conversation with them. 

Lance attempted to fill his lungs, falling forward slightly has his body rejected what he needed most. I can’t breath, why can’t I breath?! What is happening to me? Am I dying? He opened his eyes again, trying to recognise any of the unfamiliar symbols that were written on Blue. Everything began to swim and Lance released a small groan as he placed his head on the dashboard. 

He knew he was hyperventilating, he knew that Blue was scratching at the barrier that he had put up around his mind, he couldn’t let anyone know what was happening. 

“Guys…Blue isn’t moving,” Keith stopped his lion, his eyes scanning to the only unmoving lion on the entire battle field. 

“What do you mean?” Shiro swung his lion around, his eyes going wide at the paralyzed looking robotic cat. Shiro tapped his helmet, “Lance? Are you okay?” 

Silence filled the coms and everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats, anticipating when Lance would laugh out loud, yelling something about being tricked, but that never came.  

“Co-come on Lance…stop-p-p messing around,” Hunk sounded panicky and he fly his lion around Blue a few times, trying to get his friend to react. Still nothing. 

“Lance, this isn’t the time for this! Please just say that you’re alright.” Pidge closed her eyes, praying her friend was okay. 

Nothing happened for awhile but eventually Blue started to move, right back to the castle, not stopping for anything. Everyone shouted with joy at the lion’s movements, believing that their paladin was better, not knowing how their friend was really doing inside the cockpit. 

He still couldn’t breath, his insecurities fell on him like waves, crashing on top of him one after the other. He felt worthless and no matter what he did to try and stop it, he just couldn’t seem to bring oxygen into his system. He shook like a leaf in fall and he gripped at his sweaty hair. Please, make it stop. He didn’t know who or what he was talking to but he wish they would help. 

He knew that his lion was moving, he could fele her purrs of concern as she started towards the castle. No, no, no, no, he attempted to pull himself up onto his chair, I can’t let the team see me like this. He rubbed his arms, his chest throbbing in pain. 

Then Blue landed and a few ticks later the team was in the hanger, lucky Blue had put her barrier up and the were forced to wait outside. Blue started to sne positive vibes to her paladin, showing Lance the concern faces of his teammates. 

Lance closed his eyes, sucking in a few breathes before counting in his head, hearing his mother’s voice in the back of his mind. In four, hold seven, out eight. In four, hold seven, out eight.In four, hold seven, out eight. After what felt like an eternity Lance had managed to calm himself down enough to think straight. 

He slowly stood from his place on the floor, shaking out his arms as he stretched his back, I need to face them. He placed his hand on Blue’s dash, giving her a small thanks before exiting his lion. 

Everyone stared at Lance for a few moments, their eyes filled with curiosity, Keith opened his mouth to speak but Lance raised his hand to silence him. “Look, I’m sorry about that, I guess I just kinda freaked out? I’m not really sure to be one hundred percent honest. But I promise it won’t happen again.” He scratched at his head nervously, his eyes avoiding his teammates, a wave of exhausting rushing over him.  

Everyone’s faces fell as they listened to their friend, no one really knowing what to say. Except Hunk knew what to do, he slowly approached Lance and wrapped his arms around his best friend. “Don’t apologize, we don’t blame you, sometimes we all freak out.” 

Lance nodded and soon more arms wrapped around him, everyone showing their support for their leg of Voltron.

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Hugs can fix so many things

I hope you like it!

Sorry it took so long!

Thank you!