#black paladin keith au

[yanderes-galore]

Yandere rivals Lance vs Keith ~ (platonic/ romantic vibes for both if that makes sense ?) with a paladin in training ?

I haven't finished the show but I did do some research. If things seem wrong or out of character that's why. I got impatient and really wanted go write this also it's been in my drafts for a bit :( I may rewrite this in the future if it makes no sense.

(AU where Darling is trained to be the Blue Paladin by Lance and Keith-)

Edit: I actually want to flesh this out at some point, I can make this AU work with more tweaking lol.

Yandere! Lance vs Keith

Ft. Paladin-In-Training! Darling

Potential Voltron: Legendary Defender Spoilers/Black Paladin! Keith AU

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic - Rivalry

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Jealousy, Dubious companionship, I'm going against canon plot intentionally for once in my life, Manipulation, Leans platonic but either works, Possible OOC characters I apologize in advance, Overprotective behavior, Controlling behavior, Mature language at one point, Slight violence, This is mostly just them being competitive.

There's two ways I could tackle this.

I could've written this with Black Paladin! Keith and Red Paladin! Lance but I also could've done a more general version with them still as their previous colors.

For this I'll base it sometime after Keith gains the Black Lion and Lance swaps to the Red Lion with research I did but in an AU. (I'm sorry if things seem off due to this :()

When the Blue Lion lacks a Paladin after Shiro's connection got severed from the Black Lion, something needed to be done.

A Paladin is needed for the Blue Lion... and you were chosen.

How you meet Lance and Keith is through your training.

Zarkon is still a threat and you can't form Voltron without the Blue Lion.

Essentially the gist of this is Lance and Keith act as teachers towards you, that was the idea in my head even if it doesn't make sense in canon.

Let's bend canon a bit as much as I hate to.

Obviously Lance is going to want the job of teaching you.

He knows the Blue Lion better than anyone, right?

Meanwhile Keith wants the job as he thinks if you connect with him it'll help connect to your Lion faster.

Lance is still a bit teasing and playfully flirty with you but is mature.

Keith still has to keep him in line yet it's easier than when they were beginner Paladins.

Keeping this general they both mostly have a mentor role with you.

Hunk and Pidge help you with training at times but Keith and Lance are your main teachers.

Lance sometimes brags about being your main mentor due to his past connection with the Blue Lion.

Keith shuts him down by reminding him that he's still leader.

They're both protective yet stubborn.

There's times they'd fight as they've been rivals with each other even before their new roles (according to Lance for the most part).

In terms of who you'd be the closest with... it depends.

You could be close to Lance, due to how often you train together and how playful he is towards you.

Learning to be a Paladin can be stressful and he wants you to stay in a good mood with him!

He teaches you how to use your Bayard, which appears to give you a preferred weapon you'd use.

He even teaches you how to properly use your Lion, you need to truly connect, after all.

Lance loves to praise you... he thinks you're a good fit for the Lion he used to use.

Keith is more serious and protective with training.

As the Black Paladin he feels it is his duty to teach you bravery in battle and how to use your given weapon in battle.

It's mostly Lance giving you Lion training and Keith giving you battle training.

Depending on which training you like more is who you're closest to.

This kind of rivalry isn't entirely violent it's more just competitive.

Their obsession just starts as who can train you better.

When you get closer to them that's when it swaps to something a bit more than competitive.

The two trust each other but they get jealous.

Lance gets more jealous than Keith.

Keith didn't have to step in...

He could've taught you battle tactics and Lion techniques alone!

Keith thinks Lance is being petty as usual, but secretly wishes he could train you alone too.

Paladins need constant training, when the two do train together it's harsher than normal.

It's like they're trying to one-up each other and it's almost always Lance instigating it.

Lance tries to make the whole rivalry all about impressing you.

Keith hates that you make Lance give into past behavior and wishes the Red Paladin would get ahold of himself around you.

Keith's much calmer as a leader, more stoic even.

He gives into his protective behavior when you're threatened.

In fact, your safety is the one thing that makes them work together and drop the rivalry momentarily.

What kind of teacher would either of them be if they allowed you to be hurt?

In this scenario they aren't really the kidnapping type of yandere.

They are sometimes violent but keep their composure around you.

Pidge and Hunk admit they fight and are competitive with your attention, but tell you they mean well.

They both care for you, platonic or romantic.

They'll work together when they need to.

They'd both be controlling at times, unfortunately.

Lance manipulates you into staying with him longer by using training as an excuse.

Keith is... uh... busy! So, Lance needs to train you in battle now!

Keith finds this irritating.

Keith uses his role of leader to get payback by giving Lance another task instead of training, allowing Keith to help you with your Lion.

Which pisses off Lance.

They may fight but they can work together when it's needed.

They applaud you when you're able to form Voltron for the first time with them

They both know with their training, you'll be a good edition to Team Voltron and defend the universe alongside them both.

Even if they do fight over your attention behind the scenes.

[torveiglyart]

What if Black opened for Lance instead?

[k1ance-a-lot]

[autisticlancemcclain]

part one

———

They’re not careless.

But they’re not careful, either.

They’ve never bothered discussing whether or not they’re trying to be discreet. It was always just the natural way they went about things. Their friends already have so much to worry about, so much to reckon with. It’s a waste of their limited time to sit them down and announce to them that they’re — what, sleeping together?

This is what Keith tells himself.

He sees the hurt in Lance’s eyes, when he flinches away from his touch. He knows it’s worse still because he is an instigator, because he is so fucking incapable of keeping his hands to himself. His palm will find the small of Lance’s back like a magnet to steel, his shoulder will soften itself so Lance can rest his head. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, half the time, doesn’t notice the way he seeks out Lance’s hand or crowds too close to him until he catches someone’s eye, watching them, and springs apart, flings Lance’s away from him like he’s been burned.

I love you.

Isn’t that reason enough?

In the morning Keith wakes up sweltering. In the back of his mind, as it always does, burns the skin-crawling feeling of being watched. There’s no one in the bedroom and he knows it, but shame runs down his spine anyway. Suddenly the blankets twisting his and Lance’s legs together are binding, and the press of their sweat-slick skin tigger is revolting, sticky. The nausea that churns lowly in his belly at all times bubbles infinitely more aggressively than usual, and Keith knows if he doesn’t extract himself immediately he’ll explode; chunks of him will hit the walls and his blood will paint the tile floor. He inches under his skin, bile coats the back of his throat, heart pounding so fast it’s a him.

A low, quiet quiet groaning noise startled the hell out of him. He looks over and Lance is shifting, sliding his arms out from under the pillow and turning slightly, so he’s facing Keith instead of the wall, hands curled into his chest and under his chin.

There’s a pillow crease steamed across his cheek, and his face is smushed by the pillow, forcing his lips to pucker.

Keith smiles.

The roaring in his head quiets somewhat. Without thinking he reaches out his hand, fingertips tracing the creased skin of Lance’s cheek so lightly he hardly touches with anything more than his callouses. His skin is warm to the touch, but not overly so.

Keith lets out a long, hard breath. His heart rate slows. He traces the pucker of Lance’s lip, feeling the curve of his cupid’s bow, noting the tiny scars from where Lance picks the skin when he’s bored or nervous.

Slowly, as if a string is pulling them together, Keith leans down. Somewhere between his pillow and Lance’s his eyes close, and the press of their lips is that much softer.

It should be gross. They both have morning breath, and minutes ago the thought of their bare skin touching made Keith want to throw up, but now the press of Lance’s chapped lips to his is addicting and calming and electrifying.

“Mmf.”

Lance stirs, groggy and half awake, but it’s — this is not the first time he’s woken to Keith’s closeness.

It takes him a few seconds to boot up, for his brain to catch up with the way his hands are already sliding up the back of Keith’s neck, tangling in his hair. Keith knows he’s awake when he feels the flutter of Lance’s absurdly long eyelashes against his cheekbones, when his mouth stretches into a grin too wide to kiss properly.

“Hi,” he mumbles happily. He keeps one hand on the base of Keith’s skull, letting the other one slide coyly down the curve of his shoulder, the dip of his chest, the line of hair under his navel, resting cheekily on the top of his waistband. Every brush of his fingers washes away the burn shame still lingering. “You’re touchy this morning.”

Keith hums. He presses his lips to the corner of Lance’s mouth, to his cheek, to his jaw, down his neck. His stubble must be too light on Lance’s skin because he laughs, airy, smacking his palm on Keith’s scapula. Keith snickers, rubbing his cheek harder along his neck just to make him shriek, revelling in the way Lance wraps his legs around his hips to try and flip him but can’t, the way he shoves and pinches but lets up the second Keith starts to suck a bruise on his collarbone.

He’s so easy.

“Keith,” Lance whines, but it’s breathy and Keith wants to swallow to sound. “Keith, we’re disgusting. Your breath stinks and if I don’t shower I’m going to hurt somebody. Probably you. Do you want me to hurt you?”

Keith reaches up, pressing Lance’s fingers deeper into the flesh of his shoulder, and lets his silence speak for him.

Lance snorts, and Keith knows he has him because he melts visibly. “You dog.”

The hand in Keith’s hair starts to move, combing through the tangled strands, scratching gently at his scalp. Keith doesn’t let up, but he softens in kind, letting his lips on Lance’s skin morph into something softer, more chaste.

“We can screw in the shower?” he offers, voice hopeful. “That’s a good compromise.”

It is a good compromise, but Keith is feeling bold (i love you isn’t that reason enough it’s physical you have ruined everyone you ever loved it’s physical it’s physical it’s physical), so he sets out to guarantee Lance will bend.

He pulls away from Lance’s neck, just slightly, and looks up from under his lashes, widening his eyes just so.

And watched with great pleasure as Lance crumbles.

He shoves Keith’s face away, red-cheeked and huffy, throwing off the covers and stomping to the ensuite. He grumbles all the way there, much of it too low for Keith to hear but much more of it loud and pointed and intentional (Keith knows what zorra means, thanks.)

“I want to actually shower,” Lance says sternly, water droplets flicking off his wagging finger and landing on Keith’s nose.

Keith nods sagely. “We will.”

“In decent time, Akira.”

“Of course.”

“I have stuff to do today.”

“Me too.”

“Minimal shenanigans.”

“Minute.”

The shower lasts well over an hour.

“Wipe the smirk off your face,” Lance demands, but his lips are twitching, too,

Keith grabs him by the waist and dips him, laughing, kissing him soundly and wholly and he wonders what the fuck is his problem. He wonders why he has to be so goddamn resistant to things, why he works himself up so bad, why any of that shit matters. Why can’t he have this? Why can’t he have — one good thing, the one; why can’t he have Lance’s gun-calloused palms on his cheeks and smile pressed to his and deep dark brown eyes warm and pretty and happy and pointed at him? Why can’t he have that? Why can’t things be good and simple, why can’t this be something he can fall into?

I love you.

Isn’t that reason enough?

He’s not careless. He can’t afford to be.

But he’s — loosened. His guard is down. They get dressed and ready for the day and Keith follows Lance out their door and he’s laughing, and his hand is curled around the curve of his waist, and they smell of the same shampoo.

“Does it amuse you to make me late for things, you jackass — oh! Hunk!”

Keith inhales sharp and short. He yanks his hand away like it hurts to keep it there for a second longer, stumbling backwards.

“Hey, guys.”

Something tight and painful coils in his stomach, and his blood turns to lead. Hunk’s expression is carefully, carefully pleasant; soft, even, as he returns Lance’s hug and greeting.

But the pinprick at the back of his neck is back. The shame, hot, crawls down his spine, blooms heavy in the hollow of his chest.

“I’m gonna go — train,” he chokes out, hyperaware of the bruise on Lance’s neck, of the cobweb in the corner of his room, the braid in Keith’s hair; hyperaware of Hunk’s eye on them.

“Aw,” Lance pouts. “You sure?”

Keith can’t manage a verbal response. His throat has closed, aching, dry, desolate. He barely manages a nod.

“We’ll see you at dinner?” Hunk asks, only there’s no request in his voice, and Keith doesn’t miss how his body has curved, slightly; just barely nudging Lance behind him, as if he is to be protected, as if he is to be protected from Keith.

I love you.

You have ruined everything you have ever loved.

Isn’t that reason enough?

Physical, physical, physical.

Keith turns and flees.

[discordiansamba]

"Okay, show of hands. How many of us are half-human, half-Galra?"

A lot of hands go up, but surprisingly, not everyone's does. One version of himself, a Galra with red and purple markings wearing Blade armor just looks confused.

"Wait," he says, "-you guys are only half Galra?"

"See, I'm just completely human," one version of himself with gray eyes says, "-but I guess I was raised by Galra? So technically I'm still an alien."

"Wait," a puzzled version of himself wearing a more fantasy version of Blade armor tilts his head, "-what's an alien? I mean, I'm half Galra, but-"

"-actually yeah, same question," a version of himself with golden eyes wearing a cloak asks, "-what's an alien? also what's a Galra? I'm human also. By the way. Definitely human."

"That feels like a really obvious denial," another version of himself that's purple but is wearing more Altean style clothing says, "-also I'm half-Galra, half-Altean."

"I am also half-Galra, half-Altean," a version of himself that definitely looks a little too much like Lotor raises his hand.

"Half-human, Half-Altean," another version of himself wearing even fancier Altean clothing says.

"Full Altean," says another version of himself, "-it's a recent and complicated development. Don't ask."

"Y'all are aliens?" A version of himself that looks mostly human asks, arching a brow. "Huh. Guess that... might explain some stuff about me."

"You guys aren't Shifters?" A deeply confused version of himself asks. "Like? You can't change your shape? That's so weird."

"I can," one version of himself says, and demonstrates by turning themselves Galra in the blink of an eye, "-you mean y'all can't do this?"

"I wish I could do that," says an extremely tall, very Galra version of himself wearing Lotor's armor, "-but no."

"I'm... a lot of things," says a version of himself who does, in fact, look like a lot of things, "-but originally I was just half-human, half-Galra."

"...why do so many of you guys have aliens in your universe?" one version of himself asks, "-because I don't. I mean, I may be a genetically modified superhuman, but-"

"Actually being part-Galra would explain some stuff," a version of himself with visible Galra features says, "-I just thought the changes were because I'm infected with a zombie virus."

"Wait. What the fuck."

[oliveden]

googled matt's age for a fic and found out there isn't an official number, just that he's around 20-21 or a 2-3 years older than keith.

this resulted in what if they were the same age/keith was a couple years older?

matt and keith, roommates at the garrison. an absolute nightmare to all faculty except matt hasn't requested to switch rooms like keith's past six roommates, so at least there's a silver lining.

it's the two of them that get adam and shiro to stop pining over each other like idiots and actually get together. it's the four of them that end up forming what consists of the garrison's headache and also ace pilots (except for matt, who is ace engineer.)

matt and shiro still take the kerberos mission. they're still captured. but when shiro crash-lands on earth, it's not keith + lance, hunk, pidge who find him, but keith and adam, and it's adam who pilots the lion onto planet arus.

[fanart-ftw]

Line of Succession pts. 1-4

Here's the whole thing 😊

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

how will keith react when lance eventually shows up in a cowboy hat, flanked by a shiro doppleganger and also his child who he didnt even know existed? thats gonna be one hell of a conversation lmao....... UNLESS kid goes apeshit and kicks him in the face before anyone can start explaining anything. thats a real possibility in this situation i think

Oh it is definately the latter just this-

And everyone else is like, What The Fuck?!? And Kuron is running in and dragging Lance with him and is like "Sorry! Sorry! We did talk to her about this. Though to be fair this was funny though, amirite hahaha 😅😅😅?" Which gets even more What The FUCK??? Cause Shiro? Shiro Not Shiro? Second Shiro? Cowboy Shiro? What is goin-LANCE?!?!? IS THAT YOU???

And things going to be so fucking awkward after this, cause apparently Keith has A DAUGHTER(!!!!!!!!!!!!) with a partner whom he ghosted(😒😒) and tried to tell him about it but couldnt REACH HIM(!!) And Shiro has a CLONE(!!!!!!!!!) And apparently the Galran were CLONING SHIRO(!!!!!!!!!!!!) ALSO LANCE IS STILL ALIVE(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and didnt want to see any of them(🥺😡🥺😡🥺😡🥺) [Also why are all of them cowboys????)

[foolinafable]

time

Keith Kogane x Fem!Reader Synopsis: The mission was simple. All Keith had to do was find the rebel's undercover operative and get them out of Haggar's ship before the coalition attacked it. He didn’t expect you to have no idea and fight back. But that was fine, or it was until he tried to stab you with a sleeping injection only for him to not be able to touch you with it. No this wasn't simple at all. Word Count: 1.5K Tags: Soulmate au

Soulmates are few and far between on earth. When you're younger you might go around pinching people to see if it hurts them but as you get older and realise how many people are on this planet you slowly give up and settle for someone else. Rarely would you ever see someone going around and hurting others in order to find their soulmate? Or even people hurting others accidentally and that person actually being their soulmate- it’s not really the culture. 

Keith never cared for it anyway, preferring to believe that he was destined to be forever alone because nobody could ever be the other half of him. His views are largely different to Lance's, who dreams about the day he would meet “the love of his life,” always daydreaming about someone he may never meet. 

Keith thought it was ridiculous but then again Lance’s parents were soulmates so maybe that instilled a false self of hope in the Cuban who rather than be worried he may never meet his soulmate especially now they were in space was now excited at the prospect that they could be in an entirely different galaxy- a thought that would make others like Keith feel hopeless. No matter how many times Keith tried to tell the boy not to get his hopes up this seemed to be one thing that Lance wouldn't let go of especially after Hunk found his soulmate Shay. 

When he was younger, Keith like many others loved the idea that there was somebody out there destined for you, a person who would always be there for you. The thought comforted him for a time before he decided that soulmates were a stupid idea and that even if he did have one it would be just his luck that he would never find them- not like he was one for romance anyway. 

Keith was glad he had a mission so he could get away from Lance and his whining after he had another dream about meeting his soulmate. It was exhausting hearing Lance talk about someone he was likely never going to meet and Keith was at the end of his tether, so being sent on a solo rescue mission was just what he needed to blow off some steam. He was glad that the rebels trusted him to do this. But, he was feeling even more pressure to prove himself to the coalition now Shiro was gone and he had taken up the mantle of the black paladin, leader of Voltron. 

It was a simple mission, the rebels had sent one of their operatives undercover on Haggar's ship where they had been gathering intel and now they needed to be extracted before the coalition launched its attack on the ship hoping that they could not only gather more intel from the ship on galra plans but also on Shiro's location. 

Hiding the Black lion behind an asteroid near the ship he jetpacked the rest of the way there. He could hear Pidge Talking to him via the comms on where to land and how to get into the ship undetected. Following her directions without a hitch, he quickly found himself inside the galran cruiser making his way towards where the operatives living quarters he put in the door code in that they had supplied the rebels with and was deflated to find nobody in the room. He quickly stepped inside, closing the door when he heard the sound of steps coming his way, deciding it would be better to just stay here until they came back. He tapped his feet on the ground in annoyance wanting to get this done quickly in hopes that they may have intel on Shiro or local prisoner ships at the least. He quickly hid on the wall of the door when he heard someone come up to it, sword drawn in case it wasn't the operative but before he could even see how it was a dagger was being shoved into his neck as he was backed up against the wall, his sword falling to the ground.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my room?” you spoke venom in your voice digging the dagger further into the boy's neck as it struggled to answer

“You're the operative?” Keith questioned before saying your name causing you to lose your hold on the dagger “I’m here to extract you, The rebels sent me” he tried to explain shocked that you had been able to catch him off guard

“That’s not true and I don’t work with the rebels, I work for Haggar” You haven't heard anything from the rebels so this must be a trap

“I don’t have time for this” Keith snapped as he pulled a syringe out of his pocket going to stab you in the hand when a force stopped it from even touching your hand.

You were having a similar predicament as when you tried to cut his hand off with your dagger it instead stopped as if an invisible force was blocking you. The two of you stared at each other in shock clearly knowing what this meant 

“I really don’t have time for this either” Keith grabbed your hand and dragged you out of your room once again following Pidge's directions getting out of the ship and into the Black lion with such ease it made him wonder why they didn’t infiltrate bases more often.

The journey back to the castle of lions was awkward, to say the least. After Keith had shown you that you in fact weren't getting kidnapped by a paladin of Voltron it finally hit you what had happened. You couldn't hurt him and he couldn't hurt you- which meant you were soulmates. It was a thought that would have made you excited if you didn't remember his reaction. He clearly didn’t want a soulmate claiming he didn't have the time. Waited all your life to meet your soulmate and they don’t even want you- just your luck you guess.       

Princess Allura had graciously decided to host you for a few days as all of the rebels' resources were going towards their invasion of Haggar's ship which meant they wouldn't be able to come and take you back to base for a full debrief straight away much to your annoyance. You would feel bad if your supposed soulmate didn’t want to give you the time of day. Honestly, you just felt sad. All your life is supposed to lead up to finding this one person and that is all you get? Your thoughts were quickly halted by the sounds of voices coming down the corridor 

“Why are you acting so angsty Keith, I thought you were over this whole emo boy stuff” you heard unfamiliar voice call out  

“Shut up Lance” Keith, you assumed, replied annoyed 

“Hey! It’s not my fault you’ve had a stick up your arse since you returned from your little rescue mission” Lance defended “What is she your soulmate or something” he queried in a joking manner somewhat laughing at his own words but his laughter quickly dies down at the lack of response from the other boy “Your joking?” Lance cried out clearly surprised “You're not joking” he quickly realised

“I’m not” is all the other boy said almost as if he still didn’t believe it but as quickly as their voices appeared in the corridor they also left before you could hear anything else.

Just great you thought as you dropped onto the bed deciding to take a nap in hopes it will give you some respite from this hell.  

It wasn’t until the second day of your three-day stay that he came up to you, he had clearly sought you out as nobody the whole day had entered the common room and he seemed relieved to see you in the room he quickly sat opposite you but sat in silence as you read another page from a book you had found in your room.

“Can I help you?” you asked as it seemed he was never going to cut to the chase 

“Oh- um yes.” he started clearly not accepting you to say anything “I just thought we could talk about-” he began

“Us being soulmates? What is there to talk about, you clearly don't want this,” you responded wanting this awkward conversation to be done already

“It’s not- I mean I guess.” Keith stuttered from the bluntness of your words “I just don’t have the time” he reiterated his earlier words

“Time doesn't stop for anyone, but I get it. It’s a time of war and you're right at the centre of it” is all you said getting up from your seat and leaving the room leaving no room for argument. 

On the third day, you were told it was your final, a rebel ship would be coming to pick you up that day. You quickly gathered any belongings you had while thanking Allura for her hospitality it was only when she left you in the hanging dock that Keith came running in

“I was thinking about what you said” He began “It’s not that I don't want this, because I think I do but I also don’t want to put you in danger” he admitted “But I also don’t want you to go and this be it”       

“Time isn't going to stop for us” you reminded him

“I know,” he confessed. “That’s why I want to make time for us. If you would like that”

“I would.”

[badsongpetey]

Lance McClain: Crown prince of Altea, thought dead by his family and kingdom when his personal guard and secret love saved him from assassination, only to be cursed and forever separated from all he loves. Once a child of the sun, he wanders the night, a ghost accompanied by a massive, black wolf who never leaves his side.

Ladyhawke AU:

[k1ance-a-lot]

Black Paladin Klance au revival…with kisses

[autisticlancemcclain]

previous chapter

———

Coran’s final word rings through the ancient room. For a moment everyone stays frozen, relaying Coran’s haunting story in their heads, reeling from the severity of all they’ve learned.

Then that moment turns into another.

And another.

“Okay,” Hunk says, when it’s clear that Coran is not giving any further instructions. “How do we go about this…search?” He looks pointedly at the various floating balls of light around the giant room, impossibly high shelves, and incorporeal artefacts and literature. “Is there some sort of ancient Altean database search?”

There’s a poorly faked cough from beside Keith, Lance rapidly looking away to hide his grin at Hunk’s dry comment. Coran looks at the two of them judgementally, eyebrows raised, before answering.

“Of course not,” he chides, as if its obvious. “The Lions were the first piece of technology to successfully work alongside concentrated quintessence. This place has been around long before that.”

“Right,” Hunk says, throwing his hands up in exaggeration. “Of course. How stupid of me to ask.”

The sarcasm flies right over Coran’s head, who looks pleased at Hunk’s concession. Despite his situation, and the time limit he’s sure he’s on, Keith has to fight down laughter.

“I think what Hunk is looking for is instructions,” Shiro says diplomatically when Coran once again lapses into silence. “The specific kind, if you don’t mind. Reminder that when the castle first started construction there was only single-celled life on Earth, so we’re a little behind.”

Coran snorts. “No need to exaggerate, Number One, I’m happy to explain.”

The humans make brief eye contact with each other, visibly and wordlessly communicating, before simultaneously deciding to drop it.

“Everything here, as you can observe, is related to quintessence,” Coran begins to explain. Finally. (Keith loves the man, seriously, but he’s not known as one to get to the point.) “As, of course,” he nods at Keith, “is your problem. To solve a problem relating to quintessence, you need to use it.”

“So it’s a fight fire with fire situation,” Lance surmises.

Coran nods. “More or less. Now, join hands and close your eyes.”

Pidge grabs Keith’s left hand and squeezes, smiling, which along with making him feel especially supported and loved — Pidge is most definitely very affectionate, but rarely is her affection so unmasked, it means a great deal to Keith that she knows he needs it and she’s being so brazen with it now — reminds him quite ardently that Lance’s hand is still tangled with his. He smiles wider.

“Pay attention, now,” Coran says, snapping Keith out of his thoughts. “All of you must sink into each other the same way you do when you’re forming Voltron. When you do so, your quintessence will be entwined as one, and your desires will no longer be of one individual person but instead of many presences, as one.”

“That makes no sense,” Hunk mutters.

“Your face makes no sense,” Lance shoots back.

“Shut up, goober.”

Allura laughs. Shiro shushes the lot of them, but Keith knows he’s holding back a smile himself.

Adept at dealing with the lot of them — they are, objectively, annoying — Coran continues right on. “All that raw energy in one place is attractive to all other energy in the area. If you were all to hone your energy on one specific desire, one specific type of quintessence, it would be easier to attract. So after I finish speaking, all of you are going to focus as intently as you can, on yourselves and each other, as you are used to doing, and then together you are going to search for what will become clear.”

As usual with anything to do with quintessence, the instructions are vague, contradictory. But more pressing than any frustrations at unclarity is Keith’s fear — that this will fail, that his quintessence will remain warped, that he will lose Lance again and again and again, that there will be nothing he can do to stop it. The fear eats at him; angry almost at being held at bay for as long as he’s held onto Lance, bubbling right under his skin. His breathing picks up, chest rising and falling rapidly, and his gloves become slick with sweat. Memories of Lance flash through his mind, rapidly, never lasting even one full second; Lance, face down on the floor of an Empire warship, hole through his head, Lance, covered in spatters of blood in the training room, skin torn and ripped, Lance, incinerated into nothing. Bile rises in his throat as images of Lance, dead and injured and dying, are all he can see; copper floods his mouth as he remembers the scent of iron in the air, blaster fire rings in his ears, his heart rate skyrockets —

You are your own worst enemy, a voice chides, and then something cool and crackly and something else Keith can’t put a name too envelops his mind, cutting off the string of memory, filling his senses with the smell of lavender and sunshine and the sound of constant humming.

Lance.

Lance is barely established as a chiding presence in Keith’s mind before five more surges of energy come rushing in: the most familiar to him, strong and steady and goofy , a smaller, sparky surge of energy, a buzzing energy that gives the impression of an old, impossibly huge Redwood, an energy that feels like the first bite of a warm cookie, and one that Keith can only describe as hot pink.

Shiro. Pidge. Coran. Hunk. Allura.

His family.

The six of them encircle him, crowding his mindscape, forcing out the strangling memories of his deepest fears. They entangle themselves with him, strung up like a wired earbuds left in a pocket; their quintessence, entwined as one, no longer one individual person but many presences, as one.

It feels like strength. It feels like hope. It feels like family.

It feels like Voltron.

There’s not so much a verbal or mental command so much as there’s a universal desire for one thing. Outside of their mortal bodies, outside of a physical realm, they’re capable of more than is possible, and suddenly sifting through all the quintessence in the massive, ancient room is no longer an impossibility but simply a reality. In a way that Keith can’t quite process but is aware that he is doing, they surge their energy forward, in some way, comparing it instantly which every other ball of potential in the area, searching for what they’re looking for.

The Answer is at the near ceiling of the cave; dark, heavy, not much a presence so much as a lack of one. It’s foreboding, not as bright as everything else nor as dark as maligned energy feels. Something separate, something they have never felt before.

Instantly they wrap around it, pulling it back down, to where they stand. They pull back away from each other, gently untangling and sinking back into themselves. It’s extremely disorienting, like walking up tangled in bedsheets and trying to pull yourself free while only half awake. Keith’s vision is blurry when he’s finally home in his own body again, and it takes him several blinks too clear it.

Floating in between them, still and unmoving, is the fix to his clusterfuck.

———

next chapter

[discordiansamba]

the thing I've never mentioned about the raised undercover in the Empire AU yet is that Shiro meets Keith in his Champion days in the arena. Because everyone knows the red paladin is half-human, so Zarkon is quite amused by the idea of sending his half-human paladin out to fight the human Champion.

Imagine Shiro's shock at seeing a human face wearing Galra armor. One that is challenging him in the name of Emperor Zarkon. And Shiro loses. The only reason that he doesn't get killed there is because Keith would rather not, so he quickly invents the excuse that if he killed him now, he wouldn't get to fight him again later.

And the citizenry of the Galra Empire kind of goes nuts for that excuse. Having the half-human paladin fight the human Champion becomes a semi-regular thing. The matches are wildly popular. Everyone treats it like a sport- and as far as Shiro can tell, so does Keith.

let's just say their relationship is off to a much rockier start in this AU.

[oliveden]

haggar realizes at some point that the prince's quintessence is strangely familiar.

it reminds her oddly of her own, and of the emperor's. the first time she acknowledges this, she ignores it, assuming genetics to be the reason - of course two alteans would have similar quintessence, of course a son and a father would have similar traits - but it doesn't make sense.

there is deep, powerful quintessence entwined around zarkon. slivers of it can be found around the edges of haggar. oddly enough, lotor has the same type of quintessence flickering around him as well.

the answer comes to her later than it should've: it's voltron's quintessence. as its paladin, zarkon holds part of it. as someone exposed to voltron, and more so to one of its paladins, the slightest amount of the black lion's quintessence has seeped into haggar's.

it isn't logical, however, for lotor to have that same quintessence.

perhaps that is inaccurate - although strangely enough she can sense the smallest amount of the black lion, what haggar can see is not black.

it's red.

lotor is born with red altean markings beneath his eyes that he knows are an identical copy of his mother's.

with them comes a new talent for altean alchemy. his quintessence is far stronger than they'd expected and haggar recognizes his potential in an instant.

so she mentors him, teaching him what she knows of alchemy and quintessence manipulation. he is raised on stories of magic and haggar instills within him a healthy respect for alteans, one that occasionally wars with galra history, but wins out nonetheless.

(she does not quite know why she chose to teach him, but it felt right. it's easy to rationalize it as a way of ensuring the empire's strength.)

decaphoebs later, lotor may not be as respected as his pureblooded galra counterparts - but the witch-prince is feared nonetheless.

[soulreapin]

FIC! REC! FRIDAY!

hey folks you already know the name of this game: its friday and i recommend some fanfictions to you that ive read this week or some other week and you go show their authors some love!

1. i love you in the morning when the blood runs to your cheeks by lelex (15k, general audiences, klance)

FARMERS MARKET AU. keith runs a small knife sharpeners business and is roped into running a market stall by shiro, who already works there. lance works at his mother’s bakery, which also has a stall.

ive read this one like three times because its so damn cute and i love how they wrote keith. if this author has a tumblr please send them my way 😁

2. if i say jump, you just say “how high?” (i think you might love me to death) by negativefouriq/autisticlancemcclain (9k, teen&up, klance)

canonverse fic where somehow somewhere keith has it in his head him and lance are lovers. lance cannot find it in himself to say otherwise. this one shoots me in the foot everytime i read it because keith is SO attentive and knows lance down to the letter. get me a man like that.

3. never judge a book by nostalgicish (3k, teen&up, klance)

modern au where lance and hunk are library assistants at their local college. they like to kin assign people books and genres to pass the time, but when a strange, gruff looking dude walks in to pick up pride and prejudice…shit happens.

GUYS this one is so cute i beta-read it and stal is a very good friend of mine So. everyone should partake in classical romance reader keith.

4. speak for the stars by speaks (ao3 account required! 49k, teen&up, klance)

canonverse fix-it with black paladin lance! guys this is one of my absolute favorites. this is the klance bible to me. this is how voltron ended, this is canon, and no one can tell me otherwise. make an ao3 account if you dont have one and read it.

5. would you like fries with that? by deerstalkerdeathfrisbee

modern au where keith is a minimum wage employee at a burger king and lance comes in recreationally to cry and get french fries.

this one is SO cute and so silly. i too would break down in a burger king drive through if the worker asked for my order.

happy friday, yall, enjoy your reading material and tell your author friends you love them xoxo soulreapin

[iifoundjoy]

Paladin of Voltron AU - which lions do you think the gang would wield? so far ive got... ashlyn as the black paladin - the black lion typically looks for a natural leader, someone who won't hesitate to make hard decisions and brings people together, someone who will stand their ground. ash fits these traits in a lot of ways, shown in how she took charge to keep them safe in the phantom dimension from the very start and continues to give her all in protecting everybody and getting them out.

tyler as the red paladin - the red lion tends to choose those that push their limits, stubborn and prideful, sometimes even aggressive. her paladins are usually the most likely to act on their own and react on impulse, the right hand of the black lion.

tyler is shown to be stubborn and hot-headed most of the time, and while he doesn't tend to stray from the plan- he does voice his opinions very loudly when he thinks there are any flaws in ashlyns plans. and as a duo, i think tyler would make a pretty great right hand to rely on for ashlyn once they've gotten to know each other and warm up.

aiden as the blue paladin - was sort of tough to place, he was fighting real hard for the red lion but ultimately i put him with blue. if we go into a soft dive for blue, you can tell she likes paladins that are open, willing to follow along and adapt, and humorous. while aiden isnt the first to start a group therapy circle, he isn't outright against it either, he just is never quite given the chance to really open up about his own past. but he does follow right along after ash, ready to move whenever a situation changes out of their favor and is no stranger to trying to keep the mood light.

logan as the green paladin - i think green looks for a curious mind of sorts, someone who looks at a puzzle with sheer determination instead of blinking and turning right around. logan is smart, that much is obvious, but he is also the one who figured out most of what they know of the phantom dimension. he was scared yes, but he still figured out so much despite his fear, he felt more than to leave it well enough alone.

and ben as the yellow paladin - yellow is the hufflepuff of the lions i think, it isn't too picky about who pilots it, but they do look for someone reliable in almost any situation. someone stable, almost predictable in a way? the foundation of a group. ben shows this in many ways, one particular moment that comes to mind is at the arcade when things started getting sticky with logan. he was the very first to get up and start throwing hands because that's his friend and he won't watch him go through the same thing he did.

and finally, taylor as allura - this girl was fighting teeth and nail for blue lion but i caved in because aiden and tyler as the dynamic blue/red duo could NOT be missed. i do have this little idea that the twins would be half altaen bastards who were seperated at birth. i think this could also pose conflict when they try to make alliances with other planets because she isn't true royalty. + for a bit of angst throw in their dad saving her when the planet was destroyed. EDIT: another idea for the twins, they were seperated when the planet was destroyed, and when they were about to be put into a cyropod and everything, maybe tylers launched on accident and landed on earth? he wakes up with zero memories of who he was but enrolls into the space garrison because he for some reason knows so much about space and the need to go up there because something is missing but he doesn't know what.

honorable mentions! ashlyn as the red paladin (i thought it could be a sort of keith and shiro situation where she doesn't want it but she ends up with black anyway, i just don't know who would be in shiro's stead, mike?) aiden as the red paladin taylor as the blue paladin and aiden as allura (think about the potential ash and aiden could have here, PLEASE! just switch the flirting dynamic lance always coming on allura but with aiden jokingly flirting with ashlyn all the time) i ultimately chose these pairings because everyone ends up where i want them to be..sort of, except for ashlyn. aiden would eventually become the red paladin, taylor as blue, and i was trying to work out ashlyn going from red to black, but again, i don't know who she would be replacing. to make this work i was thinking maybe the twins were both woken up from their slumber by the team, both fully altaen.