#i didn’t like when he insulted lance | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

maybe-moonchild · 3 months ago

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CH3 𓆣 James Potter x Slytherin reader summary: seventh year begins, James drives you nuts sometimes but he makes up for it. WC: 5.0k ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

You turned James and his idea down on the Hogwarts express.

The more you thought about it, giving Kaston a reason to stick a target on your back, it sounded like a horrible idea. His humiliation would lead to nothing more than your own suffering. He wouldn’t take kindly to your involvement with the rival team and he would make sure you knew that.

Much to your surprise, the start of the year had been going well.

Your new found and budding friendship with the marauders almost created a shield, one that Kaston was less likely to try and infiltrate. The occasional insult still made it to your ears but Kaston seemed to be watching himself, trying to avoid becoming a victim to a prank thrown by the infamous Marauders.

At least it was going well until the evening of the 13th day of school led to you knocking on the door to the Seventh year Gryffindor boys dorm, blood soaking into the sleeve of your sweater.

You’d thanked Marlene and Lily extensively as they let you in the portraits, their concern making you suddenly embarrassed. They continued to scrutinize and question you as they walked you up the stairs, barely believing your dismissive answers but eventually dropping the subject. It was clear their hesitance to leave you alone was out of kindness and they continued to glance back at you as they retreated.

You didn’t hesitate to use your elbow to bang weakly on the door. The metallic tang of blood was nauseating, practically overwhelming your other senses considering it was still dripping from your nose. You doubted that it was actually broken but it certainly

There was a quiet inside the room that almost made you panic no one was even around. The sound of rustling and footsteps reassured you, the sound drawing closer. It was James that opened the door, his expression changing immediately at the sight of you. He quickly ushered you in, a look of concern on his face as he closed the door behind him.

"Merlin, what happened?" James said, his tone filled with worry as he hurried to guide you inside the room. You let him, more preoccupied with keeping your head tipped back and sleeve pressed against your nose.

He hardly looked surprised when you grumbled out a “Kaston.”

Without a second thought, James helped you settle on the edge of his bed, the covers haphazardly made from the morning. He kneeled next to you and gently pried your hand from your face. You winced, him wincing in return but knowing that he needed to inspect the damage.

He made sure to be gentle when he tilted your chin back, his touch light and gentle. It was an immense contrast to the way he grit his teeth in anger. Being an asshole was one thing, violence, especially towards a girl, made him want to put Kaston right into his grave.

Your hand returned to your face, fingers tacky with blood as he pushed up and to the little trunk under Remus’s bed. It was for… monthly emergencies… but it would work for this too. .

“Charmed a book right into my face when we passed each other in the hall,” you continued while he collected a washcloth and wet it with his wand. “I had my guard down, that was foolish. Things have just been so quiet recently and… well, I knew if I ran into Keith in our common room, he would Kaston in his own bed. But, if I came here and ran into Lance, he would just tell Keith so he would still murder Kaston in his bed.”

By the time you were finishing your rambling, James had returned to your side. He was uncharacteristically quiet- even more uncharacteristically irritated looking.

You didn’t entirely know why you had shown up here of all places. You’d told yourself that going to Lance was a safer option but… you also had a very strong feeling that he was going to be in the library with Keith.

"You should've come here right away," James replied firmly. "I wouldn't have let him get away with it. I won't."

Never before had Jaames looked so serious in your eyes. You were just as shocked that he was entirely unflinching at the sight of blood, how it stained the front of your sweater, clung to your fingers and now his own skin as he removed your hand again.

You let him work in silence, eyes angled up at the ceiling to not make him uncomfortable if you were staring at him this close up. Okay, so maybe it was more because you were more uncomfortable from his proximity but that was beside the point.

Point was, you let James take over.

“I did come here right away. I think I just realized I needed to.”

"Are you sure you don't need to go to the infirmary?" James asked in a concerned tone, his gaze flickering down to your nose, which looked even more battered under the fire's light.

“I just- no. I… I don’t need to go to the infirmary. I came here.”

“Do you want me to track down Lance? I can get him to take over if you would be more comfortable.” He asked quietly, half paying attention as he focused on trying to fix you up. With the same softness of his voice, he held your face with one hand and slowly worked on wiping away the crime scene on your chin.

“No,” you frowned, tilting your head at him before he directed it back in place.

"How bad is the pain?"

You shrugged dismissively, starting to get frustrated that he wouldn’t let you finish. “Sore. Fine. That’s not my point though.”

“What point?” James asked, some of his irritation slipping away to confusion.

“I want to help Gryffindor demolish Slytherin this year in quidditch. Kaston got my spot as captain and Keith quit with me. They only have two open spots on their team. That means I’m more than knowledgeable of the five other players' styles, drills, weaknesses- I know it all.”

He looked a bit taken aback when you blurted out the words, an attempt to get him to stop interrupting you.

After a long moment, James’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm, a smile spreading across his face. "Really? You'll do it?" You nodded and his enthusiasm only grew as he scooted closer. "So you're in? Like in-in? You’ll help us take down Kaston and the rest of the snakes?”

You nodded which only made him light up more. His excitement was soothing, filling you with a hum that only intensified when his hands found your shoulders. It solidified your belief that you were doing the right thing.

Fear had dictated your every move and decision over the past six years. You had watched your mouth when you wanted to do nothing but scream, kept your head down to shy away from an opportunity to be targeted.

You should’ve kicked Kaston and Alder and everyone else off the Slytherin quidditch team at the start of last year. You should’ve said fuck it and not cared that your team would have been demolished every game, filled with second years while being a total joke. At least then it would have been a team you could be proud of.

Your mind was already racing with the possibilities, his own ideas to win this year's match almost making him bounce in his seat.

“On one condition,” I added, scooting closer to emphasize my point “I want him to know. I want him to know what’s happening so when he loses, it’s even worse for him.”

"Absolutely," he said with a wicked grin. "We'll make sure Kaston knows exactly who's responsible for his downfall. He'll be begging for mercy by the end of the match, and everyone will know you're the one who helped us do it."

Somehow, he managed to glow even brighter as he leaned in closer to you, the spark of triumph in his expression clear. "I promise. So we have a deal? You’ll do it?”

“Yeah, it's a deal. The only record I want him to break as captain is for getting his ass kicked.”

When the two of you shook hands, it almost felt like a blood oath given the situation.

Your smile grew with his but it just made you wince in pain, hand reaching up to tentatively feel your nose. James grimaced before resuming his work at playing nurse.

"Sorry," he murmured as he finished cleaning the dried blood. "I'm almost done, I promise. Got a bit distracted.”

Plotting Kaston and the rest of the Slytherin team's downfall was exciting.

The plan was to keep your involvement a secret until a future time, to prevent anyone from figuring out where James was getting his information from and keeping Kaston from switching practice tactics. Aside from the Marauders, Lance and Keith, your involvement was on a need to know basis.

It would make Kaston’s discovery of that fact so much better after he had at least lost one game to their rivals.

If the Gryffindor players wondered why you and Keith were hanging in the stands during their practice, it was because you were waiting for Lance. If anyone found the amount of time you, James and Sirius spent whispering at tables in the library, pouring over open books, it was because you were helping him with Muggle Studies.

Most of the time you would meet James in the Gryffindor dorms, spread out on the floor in front of the fire or his bed, surrounded by papers and books. There was the occasional library or kitchen meet up as well.

If anyone wondered why you would suddenly scribble something on a scrap of parchment and lean back in your chair during potions, subtly slipping it into his palm, then… well you weren’t sure what anyone would think of that so you didn’t dwell on that.

Regardless, sneaking around and plotting was fun.

Most of the time.

“Alder’s fake out on his left is significantly worse than his right. If you and McKinnon focus on his right- forcing him left then you can easily duck around him and intercept. Getting back to our side without getting nailed by a bludger is a bit tricky, but I think if we place Sirius on the wings then you can- Can you please focus?”

James didn’t hear you, his eyes tracking the red head who’d made a stop at Dorcas and McKinnons table on her way out of the library. He’d been leaning back in his chair, idly staring off into space as he let his mind wander.

This was not an uncommon occurrence, his attention being stolen away the moment he caught a flash of her red hair. Recently, he seemed to be studying her intensely whenever she passed, eyes narrowed and brows furrowed as the only sign he was deep in thought.

You snapped your fingers in front of his face which abruptly snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing his attention back to you. James sat up straighter in his seat, raising his hands in surrender at the sight of your frown.

"I know, I know," he sighed, "But you saw her. How can you expect me to pay attention when Evans is walking by.”

You blinked hard.

There was no amusement in your tone when you threw up a hand. “You’re right James. How could I forget that drooling over her clearly takes precedence over the first match of the year.”

At least he had the decency to make his smile look sheepish. You did not find it amusing, your flat expression unwavering as you stared back at him from over the table.

“Oh come on,” he nudged your foot with his under the table, “It’s a month away. Five minutes staring at Evans won’t cost us the match. Besides, I normally dedicate much more of the year to doing it.”

His joke didn’t even make you smile. You weren’t trying to be so uptight or irritable, but the closer the match got, the more worried you were. If Gryffindor lost, you would feel like a failure.

If Gryffindor lost and Kaston found out that you had been feeding the Gryffindor team's captain information… you would never live that down… and maybe not survive the rest of the year. So you were on edge, painfully nervous about pulling this off when you had very little control over the outcome with your influence.

You shook your head but opted not to bite his head off. It wasn’t like he was doing anything wrong besides being annoying with his attention span of a niffler when it came to his infatuation with Lily Evans. He’d already bailed on your plans to discuss what you had managed to learn about Slytherins new seeker, opting to work on a prank on Filch.

That had been in retaliation for the three days of detention he had last week for getting caught trying to sneak into the potions classroom late at night with Remus. So he had missed another playbook session while he helped Professor Sprout with the chomping cabbages.

“Then why don’t we wait until you can go more than five minutes without getting distracted because I have better things to do,” you huffed, slumping back into his seat and no longer wanting to look at him.

Say what you want about James and his ability to push the limit, but he at least knew when to concede. His face softened into a frown at your irritation.

"Hey," he protested, reaching over to rest his hand on top of your closed fist. It was really hard not to concede to turn in his direction. "I'm sorry, alright? I'm paying attention. I am."

The touch made you grimace, the taste of guilt for being snappy tasting bitter on your tongue. You met his eye and made a point to make sure he was aware of your skepticality, waiting for him to glance in Lily’s direction again to ensure she was gone. He didn’t.

"I'm listening," he insisted, leaning forward in his seat to emphasize his empathy. "Tell me about Alder and McKinnon again. I promise I'll focus this time."

You were quiet for a long moment, bottom lip saddled between your teeth in worry. James probably thought you were trying to make a point when, in reality, you were shoving down the urge to panic. You’d been forcing down the feeling since you agreed but it just seemed to be pressing on your spine and shooting through your nerves.

Your prolonged quiet just made his frown deepen.

“Hey,” James tried again, giving your hand a little squeeze. “What is it? What’s wrong? Did Kaston do something?”

Eventually, you gave in, finding it impossible to actually be cross with him when he was looking at you like a wounded puppy.

You turned to face him in your seat with a sigh. “No, he hasn’t done anything. Sorry, that was a bit harsher than I intended to be.”

He nodded earnestly and gave your hand a gentle squeeze. "Sorry for getting distracted. It won't happen again."

Damn him. Why couldn’t he just be foul? That would make staying annoyed at him so much easier.

Both of you relaxed as the discomfort in the air eased. Even though you tried really hard to make pulling your hand from his look as casual as possible, he seemed hurt. It was strange so you took a breath to try and brighten.

“It’s fine, seriously.”

“Is it though?”

“Yes,” you grunted and reached for the paper beside him that was covered in notes about Alder and his playing. James was quick to snatch it out of reach, holding it hostage behind his head so you had to look at him.

"Is that all that's bothering you? That I’m annoying.”

“Never said that.” You made a reach for it but he quickly pulled it back. You were not impressed as you let your hand hang in the air between the two of you.

James didn’t miss a beat when adding, “Of course you didn’t, I’m a delight.” His eyebrow raised a little higher, waiting to see if you snapped again, a sign that you were more upset than you were letting on. “So what has you in a mood.”

“I’m not in a mood.”

“You seem pretty moody to me,” he said with feigned nonchalance, looking around the room innocently.

You scowled and dropped your hand into your lap.

“You know what, I take it back; now I actually am saying that you’re annoying.”

He raised a hand to his chest, mouth hanging open like he’d truly been scorned. The moment he saw the twitch of your mouth, an indication that you were fighting a smile, his eyes lit up. James was more emotionally intelligent that you had given him credit for. His ability to lighten the mood, to chase away someone's frustration or stress was just another talent he possessed.

“Now, that is just rude,” he scoffed before pretending to be sympathetic. “I think my charm might’ve gotten under your skin. It’s only natural for women to fall at the sight of my beautiful face.”

“Oh for the love of god…”

“That’s the thing about you, though. There is clearly something wrong with you.”

You just shook your head. “Have I ever told you that you’re a drama queen?”

“Yes,” he deadpanned, “Many times.”

That did it, earning a laugh out of you as your hands pressed against your face. Laughter bubbled out of him too, the sound quiet as his facade broke and he had successfully cheered you up. The paper you’d been reaching for slid in your direction, catching your attention as you accepted it.

“Then I won’t beat a dead horse,” was all you could get out before he was speaking again, more intently and seriously than prior.

“We can do this, you know," he reassured you, his tone filled with confidence. "We've been working on this for weeks. We're going to win. I'll make sure of that. We're going to kick Kaston's arse and show him what a real quidditch team can do."

You didn’t look convinced for a long moment, mulling over the idea. Something flickered on his face, his lips pursing like he was now mulling over something conflicting in his head. It was gone as quickly as it appeared when he composed himself, leaning back in his chair and focusing back on the notes spread out across the table.

"We'll crush Kaston and the rest of Slytherin in the most devastating defeat they've ever experienced," James declared with a wide grin. "They won't know what hit them."

The pep talk worked.

For a moment, you’d almost been worried he was flirting with you.

“I’m saying cut around after looping the goals twice,” you explained, tracing the drawing with your finger.

“That’s what I’m saying too.”

“No, you’re saying cut through after looping the goals twice.”

“That is the exact same thing.”

“James, no it isn’t.”

“Um actually, yes it is.”

You groaned, using your sleeve to wipe the diagram away so you could explain the play again while drawing it out. Neither of you were frustrated at each other at least, more frustrated with how difficult it was to explain things on the occasion that words didn’t transfer well.

“No, see; you’re saying through, going straight here,” you explained as you drew a dashed line, “but I am saying go around, so you can duck between their chasers and get open for the quaffle while having an open shot.”

You turned to James, watching him slowly nod as he studied the board. The little crease was there, always settled between his brows when he was deep in thought, mouth twisted up to the side. Your shoulders sagged with relief as you set the chalk back down.

“Yeah, that still sounds like the exact same thing.”

“James.”

“I’m sorry,” he chuckled, the sound hesitant to keep from irritating you too much. He’d been much more focused since that day in the library, not cracking less jokes but being more conscientious of their timing. “Around. Through. I’m not seeing a difference.”

Thankfully the locker room was thick with warmth given it was the end of October. In one week, the first Saturday of November would hold the first match of the year. Gryffindor would play Slytherin with you sitting in the stands rather than being in the air.

Your anxieties had only been growing each day, the prospect of not pulling off the win was increasing your stress little by little. You’d at least hoped that your nerves would overwhelm the disappointment you’d been harboring at the prospect of not playing.

It didn’t. In fact, it felt like your dismay grew in tangent. For the first time since your first year, you would be a spectator to something that you loved.

Shrugging it off, you turned away to drop down on the bench and scribble a note on a piece of parchment. You didn’t want to wrongfully project your frustration onto him when he was only trying to help. James followed, still clad in his practice jersey and raking his hair off his forehead.

“Lance will get it,” you sighed but still gave him a reassuring look to ensure he knew you weren’t upset. “I’ll have him show it to you at tomorrow's practice.”

“Then just show it to me now.”

“I can’t show it to you now. I didn’t bring my broom this year.” Saying that outloud seemed to make your disappointment feel even heavier in your chest. You could’ve brought it with you but you preferred to not look like you were wallowing in your decision to quit the team, flying around the pitch pathetically like you were reliving your glory days.

James was not deterred.

“So?”

You raised an eyebrow at him as you packed up your bag. “So? So I can’t show you without a broom.”

James made a face when it wasn’t obvious.

“What?” You threw your shoulders up when he didn’t respond, waiting for you to put it together. When it was clear you weren’t going to, he sighed dramatically.

“Up, come now.” With an ease that easily contributed to the solidness of his arms (that you certainly had not noticed), he had you on hauled to your feet, tugging you towards the exit with one hand and his broom clutched in the other. While you didn’t actually resist, you certainly were a bit too caught off guard to stop him.

“What?”

Cold bit at your skin the moment you stepped into the quiet of the pitch. It was dark out, the moon settled high in the sky and casting a silver light onto the dark of his hair. Damn it, he still looked like the stupid sun even when it was nowhere to be seen.

“Just show me now,” he repeated with a shrug. “My one, and only, weakness is patience. I won’t be able to sleep until I get it. So just show me or I’ll be up all night, pacing and sighing until the sun is up. Then, I’ll have to sit through all of breakfast- the entire school day in agony. Each waking moment-

“Alright, alright,” you conceded. He grinned and earned an eye roll in return.

A new found buzz filled your veins in the face of flying again, the open sky, wind whipping your hair around your head and the familiar feeling of your stomach dropping during a quick descent.

But then James got on the broom- No. Then James got on the broom and gestured to in front of him-

Hold on, James got on his broom and gestured for you to occupy the spot between his legs, on his broom, so you could show him the play while you were both simultaneously on the broom.

You stared at him in disbelief, his expression completely undisturbed in the face of your confusion.

“No. Why? Can’t you just…” you whined. There was no reason for the thought of being on a broom together to set off warning bells in your head. Especially when you were more likely to shove him off mid flight than the other way around.

Clearly James didn’t share this concern when he threw his head back and groaned. “Merlin, come on already. I’m starving to death. Show me so I can go eat dinner.”

When you opened your mouth to protest again, he reached forward to tug you forward, hand grasping the crook of your elbow. Once James had his mind set on something, there was no changing it.

“Why can’t Lance just show you?”

“Broom. On. Now.”

“You know I do not enjoy being bossed around.”

“I’m aware, so hurry up and decide for yourself to get on. I’ll be absolutely beside myself if I show up to dinner and the rolls are all gone.”

“Fine!”

With a huff, because you really did not want to climb on with him, you did anyway. His hand found your lower back to rest there while you threw your leg over the handle. You held your breath and hoped he couldn’t feel how tense your body was when he scooted closer. His chest was warm and hard against your back, the feel making you nearly suck in a sharp breath.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He leaned forward even more to wrap his hands around the handle in front of you, his arms caging you in. You followed suit and placed your hands below his. Each time exhaled, you could feel it on the back of your neck, making you want to jump off even when he began to ascend into the air.

You quickly forgot about his proximity as the ground disappeared beneath your feet.

Being back on a broom was both liberating and soul crushing. You were shocked that the weight of your grief of giving up what you loved didn’t keep you both rooted to the ground. Instead, felt alive again; like you had a piece of you missing since your return to Hogwarts and didn’t even notice. Now, you would be forever aware of its presence.

“Don’t drop me.”

James smirked, “As if. My track record of not dropping people in flight is immaculate. Nearly one hundred percent.”

When he circled one of the goals, the both of you barely lurching to the side, you laughed. The sound bubbled from your lips before you could think about it, all breathless and relieved at the same time. A wide smile broke out on his face too and he watched you for a moment, drinking in the scene.

You looked completely and utterly at peace with the world.

“What?” He asked softly from behind your shoulder, eyes flicking around the side of your face as he slowed to stop. “What is it you find so funny?”

Your heart was beating so fast in your chest, exhilaration pumping through your veins hard enough that you wondered if he could feel it.

You shrugged and half turned around to smirk, “I don't know. I guess I had just thought you were better on a broom.”

At your friendly jab, his eyes lit up with competitiveness. Maybe something had been missing for him too this year. James had become so used to your friendly competition over the past six years that it had felt as much a part of playing quidditch as catching the quaffle.

He missed watching you play.

James missed playing against you.

“Oh, is that so?” With a nudge of the handle, you both seemed to forget the reasoning behind your flight as he took you up a bit higher. “Me? Not good at flying?”

You turned back around to face the front when he pressed closer. His hands found themselves directly above yours, his skin barely brushing your knuckles, in an effort to make sure you're better boxed in between his arms.

“You can’t honestly believe that. Clearly you aren’t thinking straight if that's what's in that pretty little head of yours.”

If either of you noticed his use of the adjective to describe you, you didn’t show it. Not when you’re too busy laughing as he takes a dive towards the grass.

And it was fun.

It was so horribly fun it nearly feels sinful. Your hair is a tangled mess but you don’t bother to ask him to stop so you can pull it back. That would mean you would have to stop and you think you might die if the moment ends.

James doesn’t hold back, making loops and nosedives, weaving in and out of the goals so you have to duck your head. Having the best of the best, his broom is fast. So fast that there are a few times you both nearly lurch right off before he throws his arms around your waist.

At some point, he just left his arm there, tightly wrapped around your middle to keep you securely to his chest. Neither of you seemed to remember the need to eat or mind the rapidly dropping temperature.

James didn’t walk you back to your common room until it was long past curfew and you couldn’t feel your fingers.

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autisticlancemcclain · 1 year ago

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Lance knows he talks way too fucking much.

He started talking at seven months old. He never stopped. It was his older brother Marco, he thinks, who first called him Motormouth, but honestly he doesn’t remember. He’s been called that and Lancito Lorito longer than he can remember.

He loved the nickname, when he was little. His brothers or sisters or cousins or parents would groan, playfully, when they saw the look in his eyes, but always indulged his constant lectures and ideas and rambling. Motormouth meant you talk a lot but I like to listen. Motormouth meant I know you enough to have a trait I associate with you. Motormouth meant fondness and teasing and care. He loved that name.

When he was seven years old, one of his friends tugged her older sister over to where Lance was colouring with sidewalk chalk on the pavement.

“Look,” she’d said, gesturing to Lance but not talking to him. Lance had looked up from his chalk and smiled at her, opening his mouth to say hello but was interrupted by the subtle elbow she’s jammed into her sister’s side, and her muttered, “Watch this.”

“Hey, Motormouth,” she’d said, and Lance grinned, feeling something warm bloom in his stomach at her use of the nickname, oblivious to the choked-back laughter of the sister. “What was that thing you were talking about earlier? About the comet?”

If at all possible, Lance had brightened further, dropping the chalk and dusting off his hands as he’d launched into an explanation about the comet he’d been tracking with his dad. It was supposed to be visible for the first time in thousands of years that month, and he’d been buzzing with excitement about it. He talked about it to everyone who even appeared like they were maybe going to ask him about it. He’s rambled about it to the cashier at the grocery store the evening before.

“Just look at him,” his friend’s sister had said, something almost like awe in her voice, but not quite. Lance faltered, trailing off mid-sentence. “You were right. He’s like a wind-up toy.”

“Mo-tor-mouth,” his friend had said, in a distinct, sing-songy voice. “I told you I could make him do it on command.”

The girls burst into giggles. Lance had looked around, hesitantly, and found a number of his classmates giggling to themselves, at him or not he didn’t know, but he did know that he felt, distinctly, like he was in a zoo, and his friend was not his friend but a keeper who’d brought spectators to observe him and his freakish oddness.

Motormouth had felt, for the first time, like the insult he didn’t know it had always been. He felt trapped.

He’s grown since then. He’s no longer seven years old and oblivious to the fact that some people are quietly cruel. He knows the warning signs, now, of when someone is mocking him, of when he’s being treated like a pet, like an amusing little weirdo to cart around and show off. He knows the difference now between amusement and endearment.

But that feeling, that realization. The brick-to-the-face understanding that he was wrong about how other people cared about him the whole time he loved them.

He has never been able to un-know that.

———

He and Keith have a system. Lance starts work earlier, and is home earlier too, so he makes dinner for them. Keith cleans up after, crawling into bed next to a half-asleep Lance if they eat late enough. Sometimes, though, Keith gets home early, finished a repair faster than he’d anticipated, and decides he wants to make them supper for a change. Today Lance sits on the counter, kicking his legs and eating half the vegetables Keith has cut, grinning every time Keith lets him get away with it.

“…And there was this one woman who came on the trails today, babe, I swear to God, she’s the same nightmare lady you had to deal with a couple months ago. You remember that?”

Keith hums, hiking up one shoulder.

“The cooking oil lady. Who threw her baby’s rattle at your head because you told her you couldn’t put canola oil in her engine to make things cheaper.”

Keith snorts. “Oh, that nightmare.”

“Yeah!” Lance says, muffled by the four slices of bell pepper he’s shoved in his mouth at once. Keith stares flatly at him and smacks his hand, but the corner of his mouth twitches, and he walks over to the fridge to grab a new pepper without a word of admonishment. Loser.

Lance doesn’t say anything for a moment, following a new, bell-pepper related thought, and startled slightly when Keith clears his throat slightly and prompts, “You met cooking oil lady?”

“Oh yeah! On the trails today. We had to shut down one of them because Selena — remember the red wolf I told you about? The one who sings the loudest in her pack and has the reddest fur? I named her Selena after the singer, yeah, you remember — had her cubs the other day! So she’s super duper extra protective of the whole area, basically, and so is the rest of the pack, so humans going near their area is going to freak them out and that’s not fair to anybody. Hey, did you know red wolves are monogamous? Most wolf species are but red wolves especially show a really strong family unit. It’s really cute, actually, Selena her mate always go on wolf dates and stuff and terrorize the park-goers —”

“Trail,” Keith redirects gently, turning off the burner and scooping their food into two plates. He grabs them both, flicking Lance’s hand away, and sets them at the kitchen island, arranging the plates so they’re sat next to each other instead of across.

“Right, trail,” Lance says. As soon as he sits down and starts to eat, one of Keith’s hands comes to rest on his thigh, palm curving around the inner flesh and fingertips resting gently on the ankle tucked under it. He moves his thumb back and forth slowly, not to instigate, just to touch. Lance leans against him without even thinking about it.

“So. Trial closed. Not even that busy of a trail, honestly. One of the least popular ones. But this lady shows up, stroller in camo and packed to the nines like a fuckin, tactical mom, or something, and starts just hauling ass down the trail, breezing past the closed sign. And I’m like.” He points his fork in Keith’s direction, so he can Get The Vibe. His boyfriend smiles into his stir fry. “I mean, I didn’t want to be the one to handle her. But no one else did, either, and let me tell you she was hauling fucking ass down that trail, and I didn’t want her to actually disturb Selena or anything, so I had be like ma’am. Please. The sign very clearly says closed. And she ignored me, so I just stopped in front of her, and then she started screaming at me! All about how she has been to this trail all the time and she’s a loyal park-goer and it’s a public park, as if that means anything. I seriously thought she was never going to stop.”

He hears the irony as soon as he says it. I thought she was never going to stop. He’s like a wind-up toy. He manages to stop himself from tensing, barely, diverting into something like a twitch. He’s aware suddenly that he has been talking nonstop from essentially the second he walked in the front door and was delighted to find Keith’s boots already at the door, hear the quiet clanking of him in the kitchen. He can’t even remember if he’d bothered saying hello, or if he’d just launched right into whatever word salad was on his mind. God, did he even start with a full sentence? He does that sometimes, he just starts from the middle of his own thoughts like anyone would have any idea what he’s talking about, he’s honestly just kind of obsessed with the sound of his own voice, he thinks, he must be, because he just never stops, does he —

“I hope I die first.”

Lance blinks. He looks over at his boyfriend, wondering if he spaced out long enough that his brain just made something the fuck up to get him back on track (wouldn’t be the first time).

“…Pardon?”

Keith continues to eat, unbothered, casual. He’s not even feigning casualness, either — he tends to half-lid his eyes when he’s pretending something doesn’t bother him. He’s completely at ease, right now, hand still warm and heavy on Lance’s thigh.

“Sometimes I just think about how there’s a possibility that you’ll die before me, I guess.” He turns to Lance, finally, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry. That was emo. I just…you go silent, sometimes, and I’m worried I’ll have to miss every time you spoke.”

Lance doesn’t know what to say. For once, his revving engines are completely silent. He sits there, frozen, staring almost blankly at his plate. Keith is humming quietly to himself, something ridiculous and made-up. They’re still in each other’s spaces, the two of them, and so Lance knows Keith feels it when he shudders, slightly, as a lump grows in his throat, as he desperately blinks away the tears in his eyes.

Keith turns his head slightly to press a kiss to Lance’s hair. He holds his face there, lips pressed to Lance’s skin, soft exhales blowing strands of Lance’s curls.

“What’s wrong, Motormouth?” Keith murmurs. The concern is evident in his voice, and maybe some panic, too, like he’s worried he’s the reason Lance is upset.

Lance smiles. A tear escapes from the corner of his eye an burns a trail down his cheek. He wipes it, quickly, swiping a hand across his face before resting it on the hand that Keith still holds on his leg. Keith flips his hand palm-side up so he can interlock their fingers together. If he feels the wetness of the wiped tears, he doesn’t say anything, only their squeezes their hands together three times in quick succession.

There is no mistaking the fondness bleeding from Keith’s voice. There is no mistaking amusement for endearment, here.

Lance can be annoying. He knows he can. And he no doubt has moments where he annoys Keith, even. But he’s not seven, anymore. He knows to watch for the signs. And for whatever he can’t catch — he’ll just have to trust.

“Nothing,” he whispers, turning his head to catch Keith’s mouth against his. “It’s just nice to…know, I guess, that you love me.”

Keith hums, kissing back, reaching his free hand up to curl around Lance’s cheek, holding him gently. “Good. Don’t forget.”

———

based on this post

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shatterinseconds · 6 months ago

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julance '24 week 2 : fire

Lance strikes the makeshift flint and sparks catch the tinder, igniting into a nice roaring fire by the time he’s done feeding it. Pleased, Lance sits back on his heels and grins at Keith.

“I know you didn’t learn that in Boy Scouts,” is all Keith says, staring blankly at the fire that will certainly help keep them alive until their teammates rescue them from the forest moon they are currently stranded on. A little gratitude would be nice.

“That’s insulting; I feel very insulted right now.” Lance forces his face to fall in mock outrage. “How do you know I’m not a boy scout? Don’t think I have what it takes?”

“Please,” Keith mutters. “You’d probably be too distracted trying to climb a tree or something.”

“Eh” —Lance considers Keith’s reasoning— “I guess that’s accurate. Still, next time start your critiques with, ‘thank you for saving us, Lance.’”

Keith shakes his head, though the corner of his mouth twitches—slight but present. “‘Thank you for saving us, Lance.’”

“Perfect.”

Lance returns to tending the fire, working to make sure it will remain stable for the next few hours, as they set up their camp in silence. They gather all the necessary supplies from the crashed Altean pod—emergency rations and a couple blankets—preparing to wait hours for a rescue and hopefully not days. Though, their team has to realize they’re missing first. But when Lance can no longer ignore Keith’s curious gaze boring into him, he sighs.

“One of my uncles is a survival nut,” Lance explains, giving into Keith’s silent version of excessive questioning. “I went on way too many camping trips with my siblings.” But he whips around, pointing at Keith. “I just don’t understand why Mr. Lone Wolf who lived in a freakin’ desert for a year doesn’t know how to start a fire.”

“I always had matches.” Keith shrugs. He’s at least made himself useful by gathering logs for firewood and clearing out a space on the forest floor for them to sleep. “And there was a convenience store a couple dozen miles away that I could get gas at.”

“Oh my god. Your impressive meter has just dropped like a good five levels.”

Keith raises a single eyebrow that disappears behind his bangs. “You’re impressed by me?”

“No,” Lance quickly corrects his mistake. His cheeks heat. “I just think you’re too good at too many things for your own damn good. Be human for once.”

“I’m half Galra.”

Lance rolls his eyes. “Be half human, half alien for once, my god.”

“I have no issues saying that I’m impressed by you,” Keith comments as he tugs his hair into a stubby ponytail—not that it makes his hair any less mullet shaped.

“Oh really?” Lance suddenly brightens, changing his whole demeanor. He lays on his side; his arm props up his head as he bats his eyes. “Tell me more. I love hearing how clever and handsome you think I am.”

Scowling, Keith lifts his leg and gently shoves Lance off balance with the toe of his boot. “I only said you're impressive.”

“I can read between the lines.” Unperturbed, Lance flashes him another grin, even though leaves and dirt tangle in his hair now as he sprawls out beside his hand-made fire, where no help was needed, thank you very much. Yeah, he is impressive. “Got a B+ in Literature once.”

“That’s just so hot,” Keith deadpans, and Lance cracks into a gut-wrenching roll of laughter.

The next few hours are going to be fun.

#klance #voltron #vld #voltron legendary defender #julance #julance 2024 #klance fic #keith x lance #my writing

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babiebom · 10 months ago

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Where they fall in omegaverse Dynamics (stardew edition)

A/N: no i don’t know what’s wrong with me but now we all get to experience the inner workings of my mind :) enjoy OBVIOUSLY KIDS ARE NOT INCLUDED I was gonna do everyone but decided I didn’t know enough about a lot of the characters so only people I know :)this is hella old btw

Tw: sexual mentions, cursing, some insults to certain characters but like that’s not new here.

Genre: shitpost, headcanons

Masterlist

Alpha- top of the hierarchy. Dominant, and usually in charge. Hot heads and breeders.

Abigail- i think she would be an alpha that acts like a beta or omega. No one would actually know she’s an alpha until she loses her temper or goes off scent blockers or something.

Alex- typical dudebro and will be doing the breeding thank you. I feel like he would be a stereotypical alpha like this is a given.

Sebastian- DONT KILL ME PLS this is kinda biased because I know for a fact that I am literally Penny but an actual person and he is the one I am attracted to so naturally I want to put him here. I am probably delusional but I also think he could take charge so hmph.

Shane- can’t see him being bred bc i think he would be doing the breeding. When he takes control of his insecurities and stuff I think he could be super confident and leader like. Just needs to not be depressed.

Pierre- it’s his personality tbh. Like while I desperately do not want him to be in this category based on how much I dislike him, he would go into this category purely because of how he acts. He wants the most money, he’a the “man of the house” and provider, he has a temper he would just be an annoying alpha.

Kent- sexy hawt military man is obviously an alpha. There is no way he is being bred, there is no way he is going to be the homemaker, being an alpha is literally the only thing that makes sense for him.

Mr.Qi - he gives off alpha vibes, no omega or beta could be this confident and mysterious for absolutely no reason other than just being that way idk.

Evelyn - she gives off the vibes that when she and George were younger they were the “it’s fine/HE ASKED FOR NO PICKLES” couple. I think she could whoop somebody’s ass back in the day.

Robin- she is the woman with a business, she is providing, she is building, she is alpha no question about it.

Gunther- it’s the way he tips his hat idk. Also the way he’s just like “oh you don’t have any cool artifacts? Get out of my face then.” Maybe not that mean but like vibes.

Sandy- HAVE YOU SEEN HER? she is alpha, the would never be a beta or omega that is not her style at all sorry.

Marlon- man kills monsters for a living. Like no omega is going to waste time on that or even do that if I’m honest. Leave monster killing to the people who don’t have other things to do.

Pam- she gives off alpha that had their omega leave them vibes and that’s why she’s a crappy mother because it was not supposed to be her job.

Lance- literally a fighter/adventurer. The man protects and attacks he has to be an alpha, there is no way an omega can do this, and due to him being an active adventurer, and him being protective makes him more alpha than beta.

Olivia- an alpha mother that wants her beta son(spoiler) to be more like her. She active in getting money, or at least I think she has stocks. And she’s more ambitious than I think an omega or beta would be.

Andy-is this because he gives off asshole vibes? Mayhaps. He just seems like he’s an alpha whose family left him so he’s bitter at the world. A corpo slave to so where else would he go?

Suki- boss bitch that actually sneaks into the capital(or whatever it is) and steals and gets other people to give her contraband so she can sell it to bitches at a high price for her risking her life. Would never bow down to anyone.

Beta- in the middle simply because they are neither dominant nor submissive. They do not give off smells nor do they have heats or ruts. Basic people tbh.

Emily- she is just vibes. No amount of sex or heats or ruts or pheromones will bother her. She is above that and is too busy making clothes for birds.

Leah- I think she would literally just be middle ground because she gives off those vibes. Also because I think she could possibly end up with either an alpha or omega, it literally doesn’t matter to her.

Maru- she is literally just science. I am sorry but there is no time for breeding and going feral because of heats, she needs to make this robot and she needs to make it now.

Harvey- I also would’ve put him in Omega but since he is a doctor I feel like that means he is a beta. Like I don’t think alpha or omegas would be able to have this job since instincts and stuff are a major part in how they act. Betas would be able to ignore everything else and just work idk.

Clint- doesn’t give omega vibes but definitely is not an alpha. Like not to jump on the Clint hate train, but he gives off angry beta vibes that wishes he was an alpha. He doesn’t have confidence, and he seems like a loser tbh. He probably wishes he was an alpha to get Emily, or even any girl that he likes, but doesn’t realize that she and maybe even the rest don’t really care if he’s an alpha or not so he’s mad for nothing.

Morris- he is literally just a worker bee. No sex, no love, just working and getting to the top and having money. The man is only ruled by money, no amount of good smelling things and sexy prospects will entice him.

Willy- a man who just wants to fish. He also gives off alpha vibes, but I think he is too comfortable to be around and too chill and level headed to be an alpha. Love him.

Magnus- I think he just magically made himself a beta in order to not have any distractions. Was married once, it was a mistake, he impregnated a person that lives in Pelican Town (*cough* Caroline *cough*) and she went back to her husband so he doesn’t want any other distractions. It’s only time for magic and protecting the town.

Linus- cannot be an alpha or omega and be comfortable living alone in a tent. He is just a nature man and it would not make any sense for him to be anything but a beta.

Demetrius- like father like daughter, the only thing that matters is science he just somehow ended up with a hot wife. She is happy being a provider and he is happy doing his science.

Grandpa- I have no idea I refuse to put him under either because it’s either admitting he is fuckable and submissive or dominant and a fucker. Absolutely not.

Lewis- hate him he has baby balls with how he treats Marnie, yeah he’s a leader being mayor, but no true alpha would act like this. He’s an asshole that is making himself seem like an even bigger asshole in an attempt to seem like an alpha.

Victor- is only ambitious about things he cares about, which is similar to the others on this list. Doesn’t wish to really do anything with his life other than what he is passionate about, like bridges.

Susan- all she wants to do is be on her farm as far as I know. I would’ve put her in alpha but she doesn’t give off those vibes she just seems normal? Like she’s able to take charge but won’t if she doesn’t have to?

Omega - definition of submissive and breedable. At the bottom of the hierarchy and their main purpose is to breed and serve the alphas. Sadge.

PENNY- the literal definition of submissive and breedable. Like yes? This is her actual dream? She would love this.

Haley- has the personality of an Alpha but is not one. Just extremely bratty. The right person will make her submit naturally and not just because of her status.

Sam- sweet boy Sam is deffo an omega. Maybe not super submissive but I think that underneath the childishness he would be a good homemaker. Like I think that his relationship with his younger brother shows that he is on the more nurturing side rather than the I have to provide side.

Elliott- Elliott stans don’t hate me. But he gives off worshiper vibes and not the person being worshipped. Maybe it’s his love notes and letters but I think he would do good with an alpha he could serenade all day.

Caroline- I feel like only an omega could deal with Pierre. She always complains about him working all the time and how he behaves but she never does anything about it. Omega behavior.

Jodi- an omega that hates being an omega. She is in charge of child rearing, and is the homemaker but hates it. Wishes she could be a beta and wishes she could’ve waited to get married and have kids. She is so unhappy this is her biology.

George- Evelyn’s bitch. I’m sorry. But like we all know that George is Evelyn’s sub. Idc.

Marnie- the most obvious out of the villagers that isn’t a bachelorette. Like yearns for a family and marriage and romance. She wants it, she needs it, unfortunately attached herself to an asshole.

Gus- yes he is a business man, but all he cares about is feeding everyone and providing a place for them to Hang out. He is an omega that found his calling in serving people instead of having kids and we love him for it.

Sophia- this girl isn’t Alpha at all. Like bffr she’s depressed, shy, and quiet. And her hobby is cosplay. Girl is one hundred percent an omega. Even though she owns her parents company, I think she isn’t like business motivated, only is happy that it’s this company specifically and allows her to garden idk.

Claire- she is different from the others on this list. Because she is motivated, she wants to be an actress and does work and provide for herself. I think though if she met the right person that would provide while she chases her dreams she would like it. Even her hobbies seem soft to me (reading, ballet. )

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takenbypeter · 7 months ago

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Could you write about toad(x men evo) telling everyone about his hot date, but no one believes him their juts like "yeha that's neat bud" and goes back to whatever they were doing. But then toad leaves for a bit and later comes back with this mega hottie his arm around her waist and he introduces her to them. Their slack-jawd at how toad managed to pull reader. But reader is low key kinda rude and flirty, but like in a slay kinda way. Like she'll insult you and then blow you a kiss kinda slay.

Toad’s Girl

Todd Tolansky x female reader

Words: 892

Authors note: I almost—ALMOST, deleted this request cause I got it when I said I was only writing for poindexter and anything else would be deleted but then I couldn’t get the idea out of my head and I love toad sooooo I basically had to write it

“Oh god, if I have to hear one more story about this chick, I swear I’ll rip my own head off,” said the silver haired boy after zooming to the couch to join the others.

“Who?” Asked Lance shutting the fridge door from the other room.

“That girl Toads been talking about all week. He’s going on a date with her tonight.”

“Woah, someone actually agreed to that,” chimed in Fred.

“Does she know it’s a date?” Asked Lance again, but before Pietro could answer, down came Toad practically hopping off of the walls.

“Guys be honest is this too much?” He stood up wearing a black button down which honestly they didn’t even know how or who he got it from. “I think it’s too much, I gotta go change,” and just like that off he went back upstairs.

“Not like I love the little guy but I sort of feel bad for him,” said Fred as soon as Toad seemed out of earshot.

“I know poor guys gonna get stood up tonight,” muttered Pietro clicking his tongue against his teeth making a little clicking noise.

Lance opened the cabinets surveying his snack options, “or maybe he made the whole thing up.”

“You think?”

“Oh yeah! The way they met sounds sort of familiar.”

“Yeah from like one of those chick flicks.”

Their conversation got cut short as down Toad came again this time wearing a black shirt with a jacket and jeans.

“Do I look good? Or do I look good?” He asked doing a little spin.

The group takes one look at the boy, tilting their heads at the moderate outfit he chose.

He glanced at the clock that hung on the wall before letting out a quick gasp, “oh man, I’m gonna be late!” Passing by the others he shot them a final, “don’t wait up,” before slamming the door behind him.

“Guys gonna get his heart broken…again.”

Without any plans for the other three, they stayed at the house, practically bored out of their minds as the night progressed. In all honesty they expected, Toad to come back about forty minutes after he left. They figured if he didn’t get stood up, either the girl would wake up and realize the mistake she made, or Toad would do something to disgust her, either way they figured he was coming home soon.

But it actually ended up being three hours later when they heard voices approaching the door.

“Let me warn you, the guys are a little…” His sentence cut off as he know doubt didn’t know exactly how to describe them. Pietro grabbed the remote lowering the volume to get a better listen as Toad continued.

“But if at all you wanna bounce just let me know, we will be outta there.”

“Don’t worry about it Todd. I can handle myself.”

They watch the silhouette of the door as they see one figure lean close to the other for a second before leaning back away, “but thank you for being my knight if I need one.”

Positioned almost in the exact same places that they were when Toad had left they shared the same strange look, with raised eyebrows at each other as the door opened.

In came Toad, practically beaming while you followed behind him hand in hand.

One look at you and all their jaws dropped, because first, not only were you real, but you were stunning.

Placing one arm around your waist and holding his other out, Toad gestures around the room, “this is Lance, Pietro, and Fred.”

The group’s actually too shocked to say anything and it isn’t until Toad mutters a little, “guys?” That causes Lance snap out of it, “it’s, uh, really nice to meet you.”

“Toad’s told us so much about you,” added Fred. Toad turned to you offering to get you some water to which you accepted causing him to head off towards the kitchen.

“You’re the chick?” Pietro mumbled gaining your attention. At his question your eyebrows knit together before you compose your expression as the silver haired boy continues, “how’d Toadisnky manage someone like you? Are you visually impaired? Do you and some friends have some bet going on?”

Unable to believe the words coming out of his so called friend’s mouth you let out a single scoff before stepping a little closer to the couch where they all sat, “yeah we do have a bet going on. It’s actually about who can find the biggest douchebag of the night,” you pause raising a brow at the boy before looking him down then back up, “—oop, looks like I won.”

The silver haired boy’s face scrunched up as his surrounding friends have a one-eighty reaction, with smiles appearing on their faces as Toad returned with a bottle in hand. “We’re all out of clean cups so this is all we had, I hope that’s okay.”

Grateful you take it shooting him a thankful smile and another kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you.,” you say before turning to the group again, “now this has been so much fun meeting you all but I think it’s time for me to say goodnight. Toddy, walk me to the car?”

He nods following right after you.

As soon as he shuts the door, Pietro’s the first to speak.

“What the hell!?”

#toad fanfic #toad x reader #toad imagine #toad fanfiction #x men evolution toad #marvel x reader #marvel imagine #marvel fanfiction #marvel fanfic #xmen imagine #xmen fanfiction #xmen fanfic #xmen x reader #x men x reader #x men evolution fanfiction #x men imagine #x men fanfic

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intern-seraph · 1 year ago

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hush my darling, don't fear my darling

After an incident in Alchemy, you flee to the Botanical Gardens to have a breakdown in private. Of course, things don't go quite as you expected — but that's not always a bad thing.

i started this fic when i was in a pretty shit place emotionally+self-esteem-wise. finished it in a similar state. so this is literally just leoyuu hurt/comfort bc i needed another clinically depressed person 2 cuddle me. intended as romantic, but can easily be read as platonic as well :) read beneath the cut!

Originally posted on Ao3

CWs: some gross medical metaphors, low self-esteem, nameless nrc students being nrc students (rude assholes)

You hate it when you get like this. After 5 overblots, you should be tougher. Tougher than this, tougher than breaking down over some stupid comment from an asshole classmate. But, well, you can’t really stop the tears once they start, so all you want to do right now is find an isolated place to hide and cry it out. Showing weakness in front of your classmates is a no-go. You’ve only recently managed to earn the rest of the school’s respect. That would put you back at square one.

“Why did the Headmage let a useless, magicless klutz like you in?”

It’s not even the meanest thing you’ve been called in your time here in Twisted Wonderland. But something about the venom in your classmate’s words as you sat sprawled out in a sea of broken glass just made you crack. You let Professor Crewel chew out the boy after helping you up and checking you for any injuries and fled the room. Ace and Deuce and Grim didn’t have any chance to follow you.

He ran into you! It wasn’t even your fault! You scold yourself again for taking his insult so personally, but that only brings you closer to the brink of tears. Angrily, you mash the heel of your palm into your eyes to get rid of the tears threatening to finally slip free. With your free hand, you reach out and open the door to the botanical garden. There’s nobody here at this time of day, not unless Professor Crewel needs someone to grab ingredients.

Well, nobody save for one person. But Leona is probably outside napping in a patch of sunlight (like the big kitty cat he is); at least, you hope he is. You don’t want him to see you like this. You don’t want him to see how pathetic you really are.

You duck under a mass of large, broad leaves. Your breath lodges in your chest, a hard lump of hurt that oozes out of you in quick bursts like fluid from a lanced cyst. Nobody’s here. You can cry now. The sobs you’ve been holding back make your body shake. Sharp, painful gulps of breath punctuate the thrum of your pulse in your ears. Clutching your uniform blouse, you fold in on yourself.

“... Hey, Herbivore.”

It sounds like you’re underwater. You move with the same sluggishness as you look up to meet Leona’s eyes. His face appears in blurry smears, though his frown manages to pierce through your tears.

“Oi. Hey. Quit crying,” he mutters, reaching out one hesitant hand while the other runs through his hair. “Look at me. Breathe.”

All you can do is wail even louder. He winces. Then, he seems to toss aside his reservations and touches your shoulder. In one sharp, jerky motion, you lurch into his arms. Leona hisses, but catches you nonetheless. Your trembling hands clutch at his vest as you cry into his chest.

“H-hey, whoa.” His hands fumble for only a moment before he wraps his arms around you more firmly. He pats your head with a distinct discomfort. “You’re getting snot all over me,” he says without malice. In one smooth motion, he scoops you up and cradles you like you’re made of porcelain. You let him carry you over to the shade of one of the larger plants and seat you on his lap. His touch grows more confident as he rubs your back and rocks you from side to side. “Breathe for me, Herbivore. Nice ‘n slow. I’ll do it with you, even. In… and out.”

You hiccup, but manage to mimic his slow, deep breaths. He scratches your scalp as a reward, the gentle scrape of his blunt nails helping to ground you.

“That’s better, yeah?” Without looking up, you nod. A slow sigh hisses through his teeth. “I hate seein’ you cry like that.”

“Sorry,” you mumble into his clothes.

“‘S not your fault. What the hell happened to make you cry like that?” He keeps scratching. You melt, sniffling but no longer sobbing. It takes a moment to put your thoughts together.

“It’s stupid.”

“So?”

“I-It’s really, really stupid. You’ll laugh.”

“Try me.”

You hesitate. With a slow, halting breath, you say, “There was an accident in Alchemy. One of my classmates yelled at me.” You don’t let him respond before you continue, “See? I told you it’s stupid.”

“An accident? Are you hurt?” Leona pushes you back so he can look you over. You bat at his hands and chest in protest.

“I’m not hurt! I swear! The only thing hurt is my pride…” You try to laugh, but it comes out as more of a croak. He scowls at you. “Don’t look at me like that!”

“You —” he yanks you into his chest, hand curling around the back of your head and keeping you firmly in place “— are such a pain in the ass. How about you let someone else worry about you for once in your life?”

“Didn’t think you cared.”

He scoffs. “Idiot,” he mutters as he squeezes you. “You’re part of my pride. ‘Course I care.” A gentle rumble builds in his chest as he flops onto his back, bringing you with him. He buries his face in your hair, ignoring the way you squirm. “Quit moving.”

“Leona, I’m fine now!”

“So?” He rolls you both onto your sides. Peering over his shoulder, you can see his tail flick with contentment. “You interrupted my nap, so I’m keeping you until I’m done with this one. ‘Sides, aren’t you all tuckered out from all that crying?”

That kills any argument. Because you are tired. Exhausted, even. After all, you ran all the way here from the alchemy lab, and you cried so hard…

With a sigh, you relent and wriggle closer. You don’t miss his quiet, triumphant chuckle, nor the subtle press of his lips to your scalp. “Fine,” you mumble, “but only for an hour or two.”

“Sure, Herbivore.”

Several hours later, you wake up drenched in dew, but warm and safe in the arms of a slumbering lion.

#leona kingsholar x reader #leona kingscholar #twst #twst x reader #twst fic #twisted wonderland #seraph speaks #my writing

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purplemoonabove · 4 months ago

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You Shouldn’t But Did, A Klance One-shot

One chapter only

Ship: Klance; Keith Kogane and Lance McClain from Voltron: Legendary Defenders

I personally have been thinking about this particular idea, and I’m using Klance as an excuse to finally bring it to life. You’ll know what exactly I’m talking about once it sinks in.

Thanks for voting! Hope you’ll enjoy!

Next up was Keith, and Lance felt the excitement bubbling inside.

To be honest, having such feelings months ago since first attending the private high school would be considered far-fetched with how they first started out. Friendship definitely was not placed on the table. Enemies were a close bet, but surprisingly was also not on the table as one would think in the beginning. At least, what Lance would consider by the mistreatment. A rivalry had to be the chosen winning card — constant conflict, random arguments, heated experiences that would lead to a close battle of fists and kicks if weren’t for faculty or the occasional teacher in passing that would immediately cool them down. Keith had enough exposure to suspension already, and having at least one was the last thing Lance ever planned during his first month at the school.

But now, there was a turning point between them: conflict led to teases. Sneers led to smirks. Insults led to playful banters.

Rivalry was removed, and friendship was its replacement. And Lance was pretty grateful on that. It may have been irritating to other people when they argued, but not as much as Lance did, and surprisingly confessed by Keith in feeling the same way. The rivalry — or the one-sided argument Lance came up with that Keith actually had no acknowledgement of creating, just Lance bursting it out all the time — was all for nothing, just over a misunderstanding and lack of communication skills from Keith’s part. School may be a pain at times, but with performing opportunities in this school has teamwork and partnership be a suitable compromise between the pair, leading to a comfortable friendship made to act on rivalry and form a strong bond.

Right now, such rivalry was on pause tonight. Tonight was a performing event outside of the school yard where students chose to perform their own original pieces to the crowd, and Keith just so happened to be one of them. If someone were to tell him long ago that Keith bore such a skill in general performing, Lance would have find it far fetched. With the number of knives he got in his collection — something he still wonders how the school allowed him to expose such, especially with the suspensions he owned on his records — Lance had a belief for him to be a future assassin or a current spy attending the school for a matter unknown to the public eye, strictly following the government’s orders.

But, no! Lance was a witness and, at times, a participant towards sharing his own skills with Keith and he would say that the mullet-owning (“Seriously, how could you own that hairstyle for so long?!”), knife-collecting, hotheaded emo got skills under that shadowed exterior. Definitely earned his right in attending the school, despite acting at times like he doesn’t want to be like those highly-skilled people who got it, but just don’t see it as their everyday need in their personal lives.

Such irony, his mind joked as he took a sip of his punch, chilling near a post and decorated table as he stood behind the audience, waiting as the current act comes to an end. He found himself bobbing his head a few times; they can open for Green Day or Panic! At the Disco if given the chance.

“Hey!”

Perking up, his blue eyes were brought to his left, and a smile came upon his face. “Hey~!” He teased, being the ‘handsome charmer’ that he claimed to be. The guy didn’t mind, standing next to him with his hands in his pockets.

“Sooo,” he dragged out, then waited.

The guy looked towards him, chuckling with a shrug at the shoulders. “What?”

Lance playfully scoffed. “Don’t ‘what’ me! How are things with you and… ?”

“Oh.” The guy stared towards the stage, his expression blank. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? C’mon, man! I gave you guys the hookup and this is all I get?! You’re making my job a lot harder than I can manage right now.”

“Your job?”

“Yes: Lance McClain, Matchmaker Royale! Free of charge, LGBTQ+ friendly, and expects given feedback as his reviews. No less than four, thank you.”

Eyes rolled, the humor coming and fading from the other. “I’ll give you the five stars for the opportunity… but it’s not going to last.”

What?

Lance’s own humor dropped. “What? Why?! I thought you liked him!”

“Ehhh, not so much.”

If anymore shocked, Lance’s drink would fall at the ground. “Am I missing something here? Didn’t you want to go out with him in the first place?”

Another shrug was given, and Lance could have called him out for the lack of response if it weren’t being a good use of communication. The band finally came to their end, leading to an outbreak from the audience, Lance half-heartedly giving part of his attention to them with claps.

“He wasn’t my type.” Lance blinked, realizing the continuation. “He was just… too… soft.”

Lance went silent, a rarity someone would comment on but can be used as a wait for further explanation.

“… Doesn’t his mom own a cupcake shop?” Lance then brought out.

“Yeah, and I’m already feeling the five resting in my stomach. But, the cupcakes are not really the drive towards him, you know? He just wasn’t who I wanted. I want someone who’s edgy—”

An image of a motorcycle, running on park before turning off came in mind.

“—someone who takes on without backing down—”

Bruises, cuts, and bandages on pale skin came after.

“—a guy who’s… I don’t know, like a secret to figure out.”

Violet eyes, cold as ice.

Then warm as a fresh pastry when sharing contact with—

Lance hid the effect of his heart by taking another sip, calming down. He didn’t like how his hands were feeling sweaty under the cool weather.

“… Okay,” he then spoke, grateful to not hear it be vulnerable. “Then…”

He hoped his eyes didn’t show concern when sharing contact again.

Why should they be?

“Who do you want to be with?”

“Alright, alright, alright!” The sound of his best friend that owned the yellow color broke the conversation, speaking with a brave and happy smile towards the audience on the microphone. “Let’s now give it up to our next act: Keith Kogane!”

The audience cheered loud as the last act, Lance giving a bright smile as said emo came upon the stage in black leather with red outbreaks for his clothes, not just full black as he was used to wearing. The guitar started off, and Keith’s baritone filled the speakers.

“You think you know me

But you don’t know me…”

Lance thought acting was the only talent Keith was good at, but was wrong when having to attend the school’s production of Beauty and the Beast. It took Lance every fiber of his being to not laugh at the irony of the emo portraying the unfortunate and hotheaded cursed prince of a beast — let alone see him in all that light brown mock fur. It was almost seeing him play himself, but in a different setting of reality. However, hearing him sing those solos was, again, a game changer. How powerful yet controlled he was at the emotions, how he could project the lyrics without overpowering his throat, how the emotions are felt equally on his face and in his throat, coming straight from his heart and soul as he put his all for one show but gave a feel as though on Broadway in the opening premiere.

There were even a few girls that went teary-eyed during such. Lance, however, only fought a severe case of a cold before it was miraculously defeated by the end of the show, as what he told Hunk.

But talented as he was during the musical, the pop punk genre was his best taste. You are what you sing the most, after all.

Just as the other band, he went all out as though living it up back in the 2000’s when such genre was going all out, taking up the stage and would either get people bobbing their heads or practically shouting along with the lyrics, if they knew them. The cheers and claps went on and on, Keith taking it all in his (“Of course he would wear them”, he muttered) fingerless gloved hands, hardly losing breath or breaking a sweat under the stage lights.

When the feel of the ending coming up, it was there those violet eyes came over the crowd and towards the back.

Towards Lance. Almost as though…

“And I don’t have to

I think you know me.”

Why is my heart racing so much today? His own cheers and claps weren’t loud enough to overpower the thought and action inside his chest, but even with a low standard of acting exposure, his face kept from revealing his inner thoughts and more on focusing the outer exterior of support. Keeping his eyes on the emo, who placed the microphone back on the stand and left without a glance towards the cheering audience. Hunk came back a second after, clapping and smiling along while asking the audience another cheer towards the departed singer.

Lance then blinked, glancing at his left. When did he left during it?

Nevertheless, his attention caught on to the incoming presence of such singer, walking or marching or something that was going on his mind, as though about to go find someone he’s expected to fight against.

“Keith!”

For a slight moment, he noticed his voice blended with another with a distance far behind his back. But that didn’t stop Lance on bringing out his arms when the emo was getting closer. And closer.

His charm brought out the familiarity of his smile, ready as the emo was definitely coming towards him.

“Keith, my man! Got to say: that was quite a p—”

His mind shut down a second after spotting the gloved hands reaching up, and his face got real close than ever.

Arms still stretched out, eyes widened, reality around him as a haze under imaginary fog.

Frozen to hardly hear the sudden exclaim of his best friend on the mic —

“OH MY GOD!”

— along with the sudden gasps and mutters from the people all around him. As well the hard slams of his heart at his ribcage, acting as though he was going through a marathon.

It was by the pull back the mind was rebooted: hands gripped at his cheeks now hovered over his skin. Lips warm and slightly chapped left his own. Eyelids a natural paleness were shot open, the violet eyes gazing at his blue as lasers. Trapping him in place.

He almost miss the guilt in them before bowing his head.

“Sorry.”

Low for only Lance to hear over the crowd, their surprise back up in volume when Keith went past him in a run, his boots fading at the further distance.

Kiss.

He blinked, the reality coming back to him fast.

Kissed…me.

…He kissed me. Keith… kissed me. Keith kissed me. Keith, he—

“Lance?”

A cold wash came over him. The hand was gentle, but felt of a boulder that he was going to have to deal with the weight by standing in place.

“Are you alright?”

Was he? He went through a conversation with someone who wants to get back together with their ex. Only for such ex to come on over and planted a big one on Lance instead of the ex before running off.

He can’t turn around, not to face those concerned - and disappointed eyes. But he couldn’t stand hearing the crowd speaking, muttering, gossiping on what just happened. This attention… He wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t used to this kind of moment unless it was in those Spanish soap operas his nana loved so much.

His heart was racing up again, anxiousness taking over.

Get out.

“Lance, can you hear me?”

Get out!

Memory came back to his legs, the wind whipping at his clothes as he went further and further away from the wandering eyes. Opposite of where his perpetrator went.

Away from everyone before they could catch the glowing pink at his cheeks, his hand touching the ghost of the kiss as he ran.

I miss Jori. The boys can be them so well

#ya’ll should know the reference!#victorious #jori #jade west #tori vega #victorious!au #klance #keith kogane #lance mcclain #voltron #vld #yeah that _guy_ was obviously not important if i didn’t bother to give him a name #definitely beck but also not beck you know?#what could have been if the show held more of drama than comedy #thanks again for voting!#little fanfic #fanfiction

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atomsminecraft · 7 months ago

Text

Summer has started for me and so I decided to try and write more

Couldn’t have made this as good without the help of @wistfulwanderingone and their amazing writing advice, so thank you Wistful for helping me!

Too late to say I’m sorry

The furniture was all around the room, knocked over and broken. Blood and small pieces of cloth could be seen around the room. The eerie silence was suffocating, something that was never good to hear.

They were all too late.

Lou was too late.

Lou stared at the scene before him, horror across his face. What had he done? Why didn’t he come earlier?

MC, Christoph, and the other Vanum people who should have been there were gone. Everyone was gone.

Nedhi shouldn’t have left with them until the morning. They should have been able to save them.

Lou felt his throat tighten as he forced himself not to cry. He lost her, after all these years he finally got her back, and yet he let her get away. He let MC get taken, and he aided in her kidnapping.

The broken arm of a chair was thrown at Lou’s head. “Look what you’ve done!” Dia yelled, the anger in his voice evident. Everyone looked away, not wanting to face Dia’s frustration, instead they all looked for anything that might show any sign of life.

As everyone else looked around, it was Toa who found something. A hair clip. MC’s hair clip. Toa looked at the bobet for a few minutes before someone called his name. He looked up to see Lynt staring at him. “What did you find?” Lynt asked. Toa showed Lynt the hair clip and Lynt’s eyes widened.

“That’s….” Lynt couldn’t finish the sentence. Toa could only nod. He carefully put the hair clip into his pocket, almost like he found a priceless treasure.

Meanwhile, Dia was still berating Lou.

Lou couldn’t seem to get a hold of his thoughts. He’d always known just what to do, what to say, but now, all he could think about was MC and that he was too late. “I-I… I’m so sor-“

“Don’t! Don’t you dare apologize! That won’t bring her back!” Dia continued to lash out, insulting Lou with all the anger he had. “She TRUSTED you! She trusted that you would keep her safe! And look what you did! You betrayed her! You let her be taken!” Lou had nothing to say in response. All he could do was look at the ground in sorrow.

Seiketopia. Nedhi took them to Seikitopia. An underground civilization that housed Vanum people that Iritium controlled.

Dozens of thoughts filled Lou’s head. Plans, ideas, options, insults of himself, images of what MC could be possibly going through at the moment, he was thinking of them all. Seiketopia wouldn’t be easily broken into. He especially couldn’t do it alone, even if he tried.

“Seiketopia…” Lou croaked out. “They…. They took them to Seiketopia…” The room went quiet as everyone froze in their tracks. “I know the location, however iritium won’t give up so easily.”

The plan was simple. For the next few weeks, Lou would assist in training them all on colde. The princes would do damage control in their own kingdoms to make sure no one found out how much worse things had become, and when the time was right, they would all come back to help get MC and all the other Vanum people out.

“Even with that plan, how do you intend for us to come back? We are unable to teleport and I doubt our kingdoms will allow us to leave once we come back,” Roy asked.

“I can show you once we go back to the academy,” Lou replied. Everyone agreed and followed the headmaster back to the academy and to his office. In their mind they all were ready to out the headmaster to the other kingdoms for what he had done if the plan was a failure.

Lou took out an old wooden box from his desk and with a flick of his hand a light came from the box and the lid flew open. Inside was a singular key.

Lance spoke up first. “How in creators name is a key supposed to bring us back?”

“I will show you presently.” Lou picked up the key. With a small bit of magic, the key turned into several other keys. Each unique in shape. “Now, repeat after me. Grant me salvation.” And with a bright light, Lou disappeared. After the initial surprise of everyone in the room wore off, they all repeated the three words. With a bright light, they all disappeared from Lou’s office.

A stone room with some furniture greeted them. “Welcome to Salvation.”

#court of darkness #court of darkness voltage #court of darkness fanfiction #court of darkness fanfic

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shsy7573 · 1 year ago

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Quiet

Part two, by shsy7573

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next time they saw Lance was 12:00 the next day. He dragged himself from his room after much prompting from the team that it was really time for him to wake up.

He didn’t look like he’d slept for seven hours. In fact, he looked like he’d barely even slept one. But when they asked him if he was feeling alright he smiled and insisted he was fine.

Because he was. Totally and completely fine. He’d gotten out of bed, and he was only feeling slightly weighed down by the quiet that followed every sound. That roared in his ears every time he stopped to take a breath.

And sure, it’d taken him three hours to pull himself out of bed. But he was still feeling just fine.

They didn’t have to worry about him. He never wanted them to worry about him. These were Lance’ problems and he could deal with them on his own.

He was fine. Even though he could only stomach two mouthfuls of food goo. Even though he could barely focus during team training. Even though his body willed him to do anything but be a contributing member of society. Even as he felt the quiet creeping up, and up, and up through his veins. He was fine.

He was always fine.

It was 15:30 when Lance went in search of something to drown out the quiet. He made the usual rounds.

First Hunk. But Hunk was busy, and Lance didn’t want to bother him. He didn’t even ask.

Then Pidge. But Pidge was crabby and he didn’t want to annoy her. He slipped out as she cursed insults at her game.

Then he found Coran and Allura. But they were reminiscing about Altea and Lance didn’t want to intrude.

Then he spotted Shiro and Keith. They were having one of their teaching, bonding, brotherly moments. Lance didn’t even announce his presence.

And through it all Blue called out to him. Begging him to talk to her. To let her in. To tell someone about the heaviness, the despair, the loneliness. To talk to her about the quiet.

But Lance refused. It was one thing to find others to distract him from it. It was another to tell them about it. To spread it to them like a disease. To bring them down with his own stupid bullshit.

And Blue would have it even worse, because they shared a mind.

So he refused, and he retreated back to bed.

The next day came by fast. Probably because he slept through the rest of the last one.

His mind woke up at 6:00. Lance couldn’t drag his body out of bed until 10:30.

He put on some moisturiser. Threw on some clothes, and left his room. With his hands in his pockets, he walked down to the lounging area, where everyone was already in full conversation about something. He watched for a few moments, not quite feeling up to joining in on the antics.

And then someone noticed him.

“Lance!” Hunk rejoiced, “you’re awake! We missed you at breakfast again, buddy.”

“And dinner.” Pidge added grumpily

And Lance did what he always did. He smiled. He smiled and waved as he stepped into the realm of socialisation.

“Yeah, sorry. I must be coming down with something, I keep falling asleep,” he lied.

“Well hopefully it’s not too serious. We’ve got that big infiltration mission coming up soon,” Shiro proclaimed, walking over and pressing a hand to Lance’s forehead.

“I’m fine, Shiro,” Lance said, batting the hand away, “I promise.”

The Black Paladin furrowed his brow, “if you say so.”

“Just don’t get the rest of us sick,” Pidge muttered.

Lance lifted his hands in surrender, “I’ll try my best, Pidgeon.”

Shouldn’t be that hard considering I’m not really sick.

But that seemed to be the end of the conversation, and Lance was thankful for that.

Until another one started. “Have you eaten yet today?” Shiro asked.

Suddenly a ping of hunger stabbed Lance in the gut, and he was painfully aware of the fact that he hadn’t eaten much at all in the last give or take 48 hours. Let alone this morning. He just didn’t have the stomach for it.

He shoved his hands in his pocket. They were shaking.

“I… yes?” He lied. It didn’t sound very convincing. He’d blame it on the weariness of hunger.

“Lance, you need to eat.” Shiro said. Lance sighed, looking at his feet.

“Why don’t you come with me buddy. I’ll make you something really good. I know that goo stuff isn’t the best when you’re sick,” Hunk placated. Wrapping an arm around Lance’s shoulder and leading him away.

“K,” was all Lance was able to reply. As they walked the quiet thickened. As Hunk sat him down the quiet thickened. As he left to prepare the food the quiet roared, suffocating him. Choking him with its intoxicating will to just give in.

His hands were quivering badly now, and he felt himself sweating cold. Forgoing food for so long may not have been the best idea.

When Hunk presented him his dish, Lance forced himself to eat it semi-normally. He didn’t want Hunk to think he didn’t like it. He did. He loved it. And he was hungry. He just didn’t feel like eating.

But he did. And he told Hunk it was good, which it was. And he felt some of his strength returning.

When he stood up he didn’t feel as wobbly, and he smiled at Hunk as they went to locate the others again.

But still, between every footstep and every heartbeat and every inhale or exhale of breath it was there. It was too much. And Lance pushed onwards, spurring Hunk into a ramble about his culinary genius. The way Hunk’s eyes lit up as he explained his passion for food made the quiet duller. Its grip is weaker. Its edge duller.

And Lance smiled more warmly.

He carried on through the day with a cloud shrouding his view of the world. And he tried his best to ignore the quiet. To focus on the small sounds. To not let it consume him entirely.

He forced himself to train.

He forced himself to do castle chores so that he didn’t sit with idle hands. Alone with his thoughts.

He forced himself to stay up and eat with the team, before retiring to his bedroom for the rest of the night.

The next morning, he pried himself out of bed at 8:00. Going to breakfast and shovelling food into his mouth.

The team split up, and Lance found himself once again in search of companionship.

It went about as well as the last time he tried.

He barely made it to lunch before retreating to his room.

He barely managed to force himself out of bed to eat supper.

He didn’t stay awake long enough to partake in the team’s movie night.

The next few days felt pretty much the same. Some days he’d get up early and face the day with a smog over his brain. Some days he’d hide away as long as possible before he felt he’d worried the team enough. Some days he’d train. Some days he’d seek out others. Some days he’d show up to evening meals with the team, and some days he’d go to bed in the afternoon and not emerge again until morning.

And then the day of the mission came up, and he forced himself out of bed at 5:00. They were supposed to leave at 7:30, so he had two hours to get his shit together.

He splashed water on his face, performed his skincare routine, threw on his Paladin uniform and headed downstairs for breakfast with the team.

He forced lumps of food goo down his throat. Put on the same old act of cocky, goofy, slightly irritating, humorous Lance.

He got into Blue, insisting over and over again to his Lion that he was fine.

And at 7:30, they set off, and Lance's brain snapped into mission mode. The quiet receded to the outskirts of his mind. Still there, but not enough to cloud his judgement.

They approached the Galra base from its blind spot. Sneaking up in the cover of the blinding rays of a nearby star.

They’d planned this out for weeks. They knew exactly what to do. They landed on the rings of the planet next to the base. Keeping their lions in the blindspot of the sun. Then, they all piled into the Green Lion, and snuck right up close to the ship.

Pidge dropped off the Paladins, along with some BLIP tech and Galra scanners before flying back to the planet’s rings to monitor the Paladin’s progress from a safe distance.

Hunk and Shiro tackled the first floor, aiming to find the base’s prisoners and set them free. Meanwhile, Lance and Keith made their way as stealthily as possible to the control room.

They were proceeding cautiously through a long, empty corridor when Keith turned to Lance, both their mic’s off, and started talking.

“Has there been something going on with you lately?” He asked. Looking over his shoulder, before lowering his voice even more from the mutter it was at.

“No,” Lance replied, lying through his teeth, “why?”

“I just… you’re not around as often. You don’t talk as much. You just seem less… yourself.”

Lance rolled his eyes, “I told you all I was getting sick didn’t I?” He questioned. Suddenly grateful for that lie. “I just gotta wait for it to pass. You don’t have to worry. I’m not gonna compromise the mission.”

“That’s not what I—“

“You guys have incoming!” Pidge whispered through coms, and the two Paladins both ducked behind the pillars on each side of the wall.

They listened as marching footsteps slowly approached from the direction they’d been coming from.

Lance listened to the sound, holding up his fingers and slowly, silently counting down from three.

When his last finger fell, he and Keith both jumped out from behind their cover, catching the sentries by surprise and disabling their control panels before they could scream for help. Not that they could, really. They were robots.

Keith and Lance continued on, locating the control room not long after that.

“Okay,” Keith whispered in his ear, “you take out the two on the right, I’ve got the big one on the left.”

“Copy,” Lance responded. He manoeuvred himself into position, waiting for Keith to signal their go.

That went as well as the altercation before. They incapacitated their opponents easily —or, as easy as it was to fight the Galra— and Keith walked over and inserted a small flash drive-esk thing into the panel. Pidge talked Keith through the process of downloading Galra data while Lance kept watch.

And as he stood near the entrance, coast supposedly clear, he began to feel heavy again as quiet surrounded him.

His shoulders slumped and his eyes scanned the hallway lazily. Nothing. No footsteps. No eyes. No lights. Nothing to focus on.

He couldn’t turn his microphone back on. He knew he’d get distracted by what was happening. He had to stay focused. He couldn’t give in to the need for an out right now.

But as it turned out, the quiet was just as distracting as the others, because he didn’t even realise the blast heading for him until Pidge called over the coms.

“LANCE WATCH OUT—“

A beam collided directly with Lance’s shoulder, and he was sent careening backwards. He landed on his ass, and lifted his bayard to shoot down the hallway at the figures approaching.

“Lance? You good?!” Keith asked, turning around.

The Blue Paladin forced his way-too-heavy-for-the-motivation-he-had-right-now body to its feet, and continued shooting at their oppressors.

“Yeah, I’m good. Keep doing your computer-y thingy” He hissed, but in reality he could feel pain radiating through his shoulder.

He ignored it, sending more beams of blue energy towards the Galran centuries.

One good thing about this base: the entirety of its population were robots. The only biometric signatures on the ship were that of the prisoners.

A couple more well aimed shots and the robots were deactivated. Lance breathed heavily, lifting his free hand up to press his shoulder. He winced, biting back a yelp. Probably dislocated. He could deal with that later.

“You guys alright up there?” Asked Shiro over coms.

“We’re fine,” Lance replied, though his breathy voice wasn’t super convincing. “Just got into a little spat. How’s the prison break going?”

“Good.” Shiro reported. “We’re just loading the last of them onto the escape pods now.”

As if having perfect timing, Keith turned around, holding a disconnected chip in his hand. “Good, then we’ll all meet at our exit point at the same time.”

And they did.

As they all swarmed back into the hull of the Green Lion, Lance was aware of the quiet. Nobody spoke, concentrating on evading the many Galran ships that were now patrolling the base.

He couldn’t take it.

“So… that was close, huh?”

“Lance, shut up! I’m trying to focus!” Pidge spat as she veered out of the path of an energy beam.

His mood sank again, “right… sor- AGH!” he exclaimed in pain as they made a harsh turn, and his bad shoulder was rammed into Keith’s elbow.

Light danced on the edge of his vision as white hot pain radiated from the area.

“Lance?! Are you okay?” Kieth asked.

Lance nodded. Gritting his teeth against the pain as he raised a shaky, unstable finger to his lips, before pointing at Pidge.

Keith gave him an exasperated look, but was forced to stay silent as the lion veered right again and he fought to keep his footing.

“Just a couple more minutes guys! Then I can turn the cloaking back on!” Pidge said as she dodged out of the way of another ship.

The entire hull shook as the Green Lion was hit. Hunk gripped tightly onto the wall, grabbing Shiro with his other hand before they could be thrown forward. Keith caught himself on the back of Pidge’s chair.

Lance was not so lucky. He was sent sailing over the top of Pidge’s chair and right on top of her lap. This many people in a Lion’s cockpit was definitely not safe.

“Lance!” Pidge screamed, kicking at him as she struggled to keep Green under control. “Get the hell off me!”

Her foot shoved him to the ground, and he couldn’t help the scream that escaped as he landed on his dislocated shoulder.

“My Cub! Hurt!” Blue fretted. He could hear her concern.

No, Blue, it’s fine I— “FUCK!”

He screamed in pain again as the ship lurched back and his shoulder was sent ramming into the bottom of Pidge’s chair.

He was trying to get up, but with only one hand and the ship being jostled around like crazy he didn’t think he could.

“Danger! I will protect!”

Blue, no! Stay— he couldn’t keep a proper train of thought Pidge kicked him away again. He’d managed to stand up, but fell on top of her again as the ship barrel rolled.

“Lance, stay off me!” She spat as she steered the ship sideways.

Lance’s back slammed into the side of the cockpit. He felt dizzy and disoriented. He wasn’t even sure where he was.

“My Cub! I’m here!”

“Blue no!” He shouted, voice raw with pain. But it was too late. Blue raced past the Green Lion, blasting ice at the surrounding ships.

But there were too many of them. Too many for a pilotless lion to take on her own. Sure maybe if he had time to concentrate and guide her, but he could barely get out two words before being flown across the length of the Green Lion’s cockpit!

“What’s the Blue Lion doing here, Lance?! This wasn’t part of the plan!” Keith exclaimed. Very much panicking.

But Lance’s mind was fogged with pain and he couldn’t hear anything over the sound of Blue’s cries as she tried desperately to save them.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Pidge exclaimed as now she was not only fighting to defend them, but Blue as well.

“Dammit! Blue! Get out of here, I’m fine!”

“No! Cub always say that! Not fine!”

“This time I am Blue, please! I promise! You’re just hurting yourself!”

“My Cub is hurt! I will protect! Hurt with you!”

“BLUE, DAMMIT I DON’T NEED—“

“LANCE, WHAT THE HELL’S GOING ON?!”

“There’s more of them!”

“We’re getting swarmed!”

“I can cloak now, but we need to get the Blue Lion out of here!”

“FUCKING HELL!” Lance screamed. He turned on his jet pack and finally, finally was able to right himself. Pain screamed down his entire arm and his head was pounding and despite all the yelling his head still felt so goddamn quiet!

“Pidge, line me up! I’m gonna eject over there and fly her myself!”

“You can’t! It’s too dangerous to go out there Lionless!”

“You got a better idea!”

“No, but that one’s stupid.”

“Well I am fucking stupid, so I don’t give a shit. Just do it!” Lance yelled. He didn’t leave much room for arguing as he made his way towards the ejection pad.

“Lance, I’m not doing it!”

“Pidge is right, it’s too dangerous!” Hunk agreed

“Lance, get your ass back here!” Keith demanded.

Lance hovered his hand over the eject button. “I’m gonna fucking press this, so if you want me to have a chance at surviving you’re gonna fucking line me up!”

Pidge let out a yell of anger, but she had no choice. She looped Green around, then aimed her towards the Blue Lion’s mouth.

Lance watched, waiting for the exact right moment.

“See you guys on the other side!” He yelled, ramming his hand down on the button and feeling his body being shot out into space.

For a couple, terrifying moments, he was surrounded by nothing but stars, Galra ship, and space lions. And then, Blue, in her desperation to save him, opened her mouth and collected him into her safe embrace. Sheltering him from the battle and from the screams of his friends who were 100% still arguing his decision despite it already being made.

Gritting his teeth as his shoulder pain intensified tenfold, he ran to his pilot chair, sat down, and began trying to get control of Blue.

“I made it!” He called over intercoms, barely caring to hear the response as he commanded Blue to action.

“Lance! Oh my god! When we get back to the ship I swear I am gonna fucking kill you!” Pidge screamed in his ear.

“Yeah well, let’s focus on getting back to the ship first, alright?!” Lance suggested, trying his best to dodge the fire of the Galra ships.

Pidge was screaming over coms, “how do you suggest we do that?!”

“You get cloaked and go to the other lions!”

“And leave you behind?!”

“I’ll be fine! I can evade long enough for everyone to get to their own lions and provide support! But none of us are gonna get out of here if you don’t hurry the fuck up!”

As if to reiterate his point, another shot landed on the Green Lion’s side.

Pidge growled in irritation, before responding. “Fine! Just don’t fucking die while I’m gone!”

And then the Green Lion disappeared, and Lance was all alone. It was just him, Blue, and the quiet.

And, of course, an entire Galra fighter fleet, but that's besides the point.

Lance was just starting to doubt that his plan would actually get him out of here alive when the rest of the Paladins returned with their lions.

He’d never been so happy to see the giant, metal, multicoloured lions in his life.

“Lance! Get out of there!” Keith yelled as he shot a fire beam towards some of the ships flanking Lance.

They fought together, and with all five of them, they managed to escape only slightly banged up and, by some miracle of the universe, alive.

Soon, the Galra base, as well as the ships, were out of sight.

And as they journeyed back to the castle, the quiet crept in once more. It settled over the static on the coms. Its presence the same as all the other times it had reared its ugly head. It was always the same. The same heavy feeling. The same unbearable silence. The same feeling of swimming through a river of molasses. Limbs heavy as the ocean.

“Lance.” Said someone over the coms as the Castle came into view. The tone was small, quiet. Lance wasn’t quite sure who it was, until they continued speaking and he recognised the familiar rasp of Keith’s voice. “That was… incredibly stupid.”

Lance didn’t reply for a moment. The quiet in the hull felt almost too difficult to penetrate with his own voice.

“I know.”

“You could have been killed.” Kieth continued.

“I know.”

Lance flew through the suffocating silence. His hands were definitely not shaking.

“Is your shoulder alright?”

“It’s fine.”

That was a lie. It hurt like hell, actually. But he wasn’t going to make the team worry any more. He hated it when they worried.

They returned to their hangars, and Lance forced himself out of the pilot seat. Slowly dragging himself down and out of Blue’s mouth onto the floor of the large room.

He commanded his feet to carry him towards the med bay. And was met halfway by the rest of the team. The very worried, very pissed off team.

He stopped as they appeared in the hallway before him, leaning on the wall as they made no move to let him by.

Pidge stalked forward first, face contorted was a mixture of concern, fear and anger. She punched him in the gut.

“What the hell was that! Fucking throwing yourself into space in the middle of a battle! Do you know how fucking idiotic that was!?! No- you know what- of course you do! You just get a kick out of giving us all a fucking heart attack, don’t you?! Fucking—“

And then she was hugging him. Wrapping her small arms around his body so tightly that he struggled to breath.

Lance couldn’t force himself to find humour in her fit, though. He was too strung out. His shoulder hurt, his brain felt like mush, the adrenaline of battle had subsided and, most importantly, he had fucking fucked up again. He had worried all of them so much. He had compromised the mission by not being able to keep his shit together, and tell Blue to stay the fuck where she was.

He couldn’t even bring himself to smile.

Shiro stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Lance’s very much shaking body.

“Why don’t we get you to a healing pod. We can talk about… all this after.”

Lance nodded mutely, and allowed himself to be guided silently to the med bay. The quiet clung to him like a wet blanket. No matter how many ways he twisted his mind, he just couldn’t pry it off him. He didn’t have the energy to try.

So, as he changed into the appropriate clothing for the healing pod, and stepped himself inside, Lance stopped fighting. He was going to be medically unconscious for at least half a varga, so he figured the quiet could have its way until then.

For now, Lance would let the quiet win.

Just until he had the energy to fight again.

Lance tipped forward as the healing pod slid open.

For a moment, he was free falling, and he didn’t have the energy nor the care to catch himself.

But then something else kept him upright.

The Blue Paladin looked up to see himself limp in the arms of Keith Kogane. For a moment, his mind didn’t register it. Didn’t register the vulnerability he was in. Didn’t care to do anything but stay there. Limp. Unmoving. Cold.

Quiet.

But then his senses caught up with him, and his face flushed, and he found his own feet supporting him as he pulled away.

“Keith?” He questioned, shocked.

And then he remembered.

“You—“ he looked behind Keith to the rest of the team, “you waited?”

“Of course we waited, Lance. We wanted to make sure you were okay.” Hunk said, coming forward and bringing Lance into his embrace.

“Oh… well, I’m fine.” Lance supplied, hugging Hunk back before pulling away again. The bitter cold fatigue of the healing pod coupled with the viper grip of the quiet as it coiled around him made him eager to push past whatever conversation they wanted to have and get to his room.

“Look, I know what I did was stupid, but there weren't a whole lot of options and I couldn’t get Blue under control until I was able to actually be in control. I’m sorry I scared you guys, but I knew what I was doing… mostly.”

His voice was flat. Monotone. Exhausted. It wasn’t Lance. Not like they were used to.

Shiro sighed, “It’s okay, Lance. I can tell you’re tired, and I’d rather not get into a whole lecture. How about we just let it go and move on, okay? I think that’s what’s best for everyone at this point.”

Lance nodded, very grateful despite his inability to express it. He couldn’t express anything right now. He was too cold. Too tired. Too numb.

He brushed past everyone, walking in a slow, mechanical gate all the way up to his room. He collapsed onto his bed, and curled up tightly in his assortment of blankets. Twisting his whole body between them until he felt every pocket of cool air snuffed out by their warm embrace.

The quiet made itself at home in the familiar confines of Lance’s bedroom. Lance didn’t give a shit.

He closed his eyes, ready to sleep off the events of the day, and move on with his life.

Sadly, he was aware that his brain wouldn’t allow him to just forget about it.

For now, though, it was nice to pretend that it could.

He got up at 8:30. And by up I mean up, out of bed, dressed. Lance was feeling stubborn today. Stubborn, and slightly terrified. He didn’t want to spend another day holed up in his room, with nothing but the quiet to keep him company. Because he hated the quiet. And even though moving through it was hard. Even though breathing in it seemed near impossible. He felt like he had to.

After yesterday, he had expected hostility. Irritation. Didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Every time he said something, or made a joke, or tried to participate, the others would look at him disdainfully. They would barely allow him to interact. Their worry from the day before morphing into anger now that he was for sure okay.

But Lance was feeling stubborn today. So when mealtime ended he stayed with Hunk, who went to the engine room to tinker.

The clacking of metal and scraps comforted Lance. He picked up a small, miniscule object and began rolling it between his fingers.

“Hey Hunk, what is this? It’s kinda squishy.” Lance asked, and to demonstrate he squeezed his fingers a bit to feel the compression of the material.

“Lance don’t—!”

The ball exploded in a brilliant ray of multi-coloured paint. Splattering the stuff all over him, Hunk, and the workspace.

Lance sat there for a moment, then smiled. “Paint bomb! Cool!”

Apparently Hunk didn’t think it was cool. At least, not when it was… everywhere. “Listen, Lance. Maybe you can— I don’t know, go do something else.”

His voice wasn’t… aggresive, but it was curt. Sharp. On edge.

And Lance felt heavy again. His shoulders sagged, and he got to his feet. “Oh… yeah, sure thing, buddy.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out of the engine room. The quiet lulled around him. Thick and suffocating, like the smell of ax body spray. Lance shook his head. He pushed through it. Trying to force it to let up, but it stayed. In all it’s soul consuming glory, it stayed.

So he ignored it instead. It weighed him down, but he pretended it didn’t.

He found Pidge next. He was nervous to talk to her. She was scary when she was pissed. But his fear of the quiet outweighed his fear of being yelled at.

Yelling was better than silence.

Anything was better that the quiet.

“Hey, Pidge?” he questioned, walking over as she preformed a roundhouse kick on the video game they’d got from the space small.

“Not now, Lance. I’m busy. Whatever you need help with, get someone else to do it.”

Lance shook his head. “I don’t need and help. I was just… I was just wondering if I could chill with you for a bit.”

His voice was casual, but hopeful. He begged her to say yes. He needed her to say yes.

“I— I’m not really in the mood right now.” Pidge stated, he saw the movements on her controller falter.

“Oh…”

Pidge paused the game, turning around to apologise. To say she just wanted some alone time after yesterday. She didn’t mean to be snippy with him. She was still more worried than irritated. But Lance was already walking away. His posture slumped. Defeated. Dejected.

Pidge stared for a moment, then hesitantly went back to her game.

Lance found Coran next, but he was running a high intensity diagnostics test.

“Sorry, I just don’t think you’re, uh… skillset is required for this. I’m afraid you’ll only get in the way.”

Lance sighed, his eyes downcast. He knew what Coran really meant. That he was too stupid. Too much of a fuck up to be anything useful.

“K.” He murmured, before leaving the Altean to his work.

He missed the man’s guilty, worrisome gaze as Lance walked away.

With every rejection the quiet grew stronger. Like it was a butter churn, and each person who turned Lance away sent another stroke through the substance. Letting the silence cake in his lungs.

Then he found Shiro and Allura. They were talking in the control room. He walked in, straightening ever so slightly, but not making any more effort to conceal his misery.

He couldn’t.

“Hey guys.”

They didn’t even look at him.

“Feeling better, Lance?” Allura asked, though her voice was curt. Like she wanted to reprimand him instead.

“Mhm,” he hummed, but didn’t do much more.

“We’re just working on the castle’s defense systems. Trying to find ways to improve them. Coran is downstairs right now running a diagnostics test.” Shiro explained. Though Lance could guess he wanted to be able to focus.

Lance looked back down, dropping his shoulders again. “I just saw him. Suppose my skillset isn’t required here either.”

“Afraid not. Not to worry Lance, we’ve got this under control.” Allura assured, though she wasn’t paying much attention.

Lance figured he’d find no escape from the quiet here. In fact, this room felt more clogged with the stuff than the rest of the Castle. So, Lance hummed, turned, and left the team leaders to their business.

As he walked he found the mounting emptiness grow heavier, and heavier still. Lance struggled to breathe. He felt his eyes watering, but there was no outward emotion behind them. No screwing of the face. No sobs. Just misted eyes and he hauled himself down the Castle hallways.

He needed an escape. He couldn’t let himself be taken over. He didn’t want to. He hated this feeling. He hated the quiet. He didn’t want it!

So, when he found himself knocking on Keith’s door, I guess he shouldn’t have been so surprised. Normally he wouldn’t bother the Red Paladin if he was alone in his room. He hardly bothered anyone when they were alone in their rooms. But especially not Keith.

Lance needed some noise, though. He needed the quiet gone.

So he knocked.

And he heard Keith yell. Not hostile. Just prompting. “What?!”

Lance stood there for a moment or two, leaning on the wall beside the door, bracing himself against it. Then, finally, he managed to fight the quiet. Just enough to utter one word.

“Keith?”

His voice was dry. Exhaustion seeping through as he stared at the door.

Behind the door the Red Paladin sighed, “what do you want, Lance?!”

Lance didn’t have a concrete answer. He just needed a distraction. He needed to be away from the quiet. He needed something.

But he couldn’t tell that to Keith. And Lance was done with the lying. He couldn’t lie, and pretend he was fine. Not today.

He just didn’t have the energy.

So he didn’t answer. Instead, he diverted. Asking, “what’re you doing?”

“Why is that any of your buisness?!” Keith snapped. Lance could tell he hadn’t come any closer to the door.

Lance sighed, leaning his head against the wall. More tears filled his eyes, and in that moment, he was just…

Done.

He couldn’t do it anymore.

He could tell he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Keith and he was so tired of trying.

Of fighting.

Of pretending.

So he shoved himself off the wall and started walking away. He made the short trip to his room (and by short trip I really mean short. Like a metre or two), tears slipping from his eyes as he began to walk inside.

He heard the tell tale sign of a door opening behind him, but he didn’t care anymore. He didn’t even look back as he walked into his room and closed the door behind him.

The Blue Paladin flopped onto his bed and yanked his comforter around him.

He couldn’t do it anymore.

He was so sick of fighting.

The quiet was too much. He couldn’t get away from it. He never would.

Lance gave up. He was too tired. He fucking gave up.

And the quiet lunged in. Taking the hopelessness in his soul and milking it for everything it was worth.

Keith regretted his response immediately. He’d been in the middle of a good book. And I mean, a really good fucking book.

But even as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He didn’t want to snap at Lance, it just… sort of happened.

Guilt churned in his gut as he heard Lance sigh. It was a heart wrenching sound. So full of despair, and Keith couldn’t stand it.

He shoved a bookmark between the pages before tossing the book aside. The Red Paladin stood up and hurried to the door.

He opened the door just in time to see Lance retreating into his bedroom.

“Lance?” He asked. But the door to the boy’s room was already closed.

Keith didn’t know what to do for a moment. He stood there, feeling awkward. Out of place. Of all the people on the team, Keith was pretty sure he was the least equipped to deal with social situations like this.

On the other hand, Lance had seemed so… defeated. So resigned. So sad. Keith hated it. He wanted to do nothing more than burst into Lance’s room and demand he be happy because dammit if anyone deserved it, Lance did!

Lance was their happiness. Their ray of sunshine. He was their shelter against all the threats this war faced. He was the roof over their heads. Shielding them from the rain and snow. Protecting them when the elements became too much to bare head on.

He mattered so much to Keith. So fucking much.

So Keith took a deep breath, bracing himself, and strode into the Blue Paladin’s bedroom.

What he saw was… shocking to say the least.

Lance was laid on his bed, wrapping his comforter around him burrito style as he stared blankly at the room. Tears slipped down his face, and he breathed slowly, but other than that he did not move.

Keith paused. The atmosphere in Lance’s room was heavy. Extremely heavy. And quiet. Way, way too quiet for the boy Keith hand grown to love.

No- not love.

…

Actually, yes. Love.

Fuck! Not now brain! Keith scolded himself, pushing past his momentary gay panic to the situation at hand. Even though he had no idea what to do.

“Lance?” He asked. The boy twitched, and he turned his bloodshot, teary eyes to Keith. But he didn’t say anything. He didn’t get up. He didn’t move. Not the way Lance would move.

Keith began walking towards the bed, and Lance made no effort to stop him. “What’s… what’s going on?”

The Blue Paladin didn’t respond. He just looked away, turning his face ever so slightly away. Keith could see shame in his eyes, and he felt himself moving on autopilot.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here. You… can talk to me if you want,” Keith soothed, stepping toward and laying a hand on Lance’s shoulder. The boy looked back up at him with sad, pleading blue eyes. Keith could see it, the struggle twisted across his face as he tried to put some semblance of energy into speaking. But alas the boy seemed to not be able to find the strength, and Keith felt his heart breaking even more.

Keith knew that Lance was the type of person who found great comfort in physical contact. He was a hugger. The type of person to wrap his arms around somebody or lean against them as they sat next to each other. He was the type of person to show his affection by brushing hands as you passed them in the hallway, or placing a hand on your shoulder when someone seemed distressed.

So, that’s probably why Keith found himself crawling beneath Lance in his blanket burrito. He manoeuvred the comforter so that it still stayed tight around Lance, but allowed room for himself as well. Keith propped his body up against a pillow, and pulled Lance close against his chest.

The Blue Paladin turned his head into the warmth of Keith’s chest, his hands letting go of the blanket in favour of clutching the Red Paladin’s shirt. Keith found that he did not mind. It felt a little uncomfortable at first, but as Lance cried into his chest, the overwhelming need to comfort him overtook any other sensation Keith was feeling. The Half-Galra ran his hands through the team sharpshooter’s brunette hair in slow, soothing motions.

Lance seemed to relax as well. His whole body shuddered in, what Keith hoped, was relief as strong arms held him tight and close. Sheltering him from whatever had been weighing on his mind.

They stayed like that, silently drinking each other in, for a couple of minutes before Kieth heard Lance murmur softly into Keith’s shirt.

“Talk.” He pleaded. Gripping Keith tighter. As if he were afraid that the words would make Keith pull away.

Even though that was not Keith’s intentions, at all, he was still a little confused. “Talk? About?” He asked, keeping his voice quiet and soft.

“Anything.” Lance breathed. After a few moments he added in a much more desperate tone, “please?”

“Okay… why… don’t I tell you about the book I’m reading?” He asked. It was a question, he wasn’t sure if Lance would be interested in a topic like that.

But, Lance nodded slightly, not even making a jab at Keith for being a nerd. Keith took it as a yes. Whatever was bothering Lance, it must be pretty bad if he wasn’t even trying to make fun of Keith.

So Keith started talking.

“That’s what I was doing when you came by, you know. I kinda lose track of stuff when I’m reading sometimes.” He explained, before pushing on. “Anyways, it’s about this kid. He’s always been different from other kids. He’s got ADHD and dyslexia, and weird things always seem to happen that get him kicked out of schools. He’s got this cool mom and this deadbeat dad. But then his mom dies and he’s taken to this camp where he finds out his teacher is a centaur, the Greek gods are real and he is a demigod…”

Keith was sure he was being boring. Uninteresting. He was sure Lance didn’t care and he’d want Keith to talk about something else.

But, when Keith looked down he saw Lance peeking out from where his head was buried, just a little bit, to look up at Keith. He had relaxed even more now, and Keith took it as a good sign.

So he kept talking. Even when he was sure Lance was bored out of mind he kept talking. Because for whatever his rambling was worth, it seemed to help.

So he kept talking. Pushing away the silence with his words of grandeur, fantasy and adventure.

As he spoke, Lance’s presence seemed to become lighter. Happier. More like the Lance that Kieth had grown to love. The Lance, he realised, that he hadn’t seen much of in a long time.

That made Keith happy.

The more Keith spoke. The longer he laid there, running his long fingers through Lance’s hair, the farther away the quiet fled. Lance knew he had no idea how much he was helping, but the sharpshooter was grateful for him nonetheless.

When Keith’s narration of the novel he was reading came to an end, Lance was able to pull himself up, and drag himself off Keith’s lap. He unwrapped the comforter, and repositioned himself so that he was sitting beside Keith. His cheeks flushed a bit at the proximity, both now and previously. But he supposed he was kind of past the point of pulling away now.

He leaned against his companion’s shoulder as he spoke, “thank you, Keith. I…I needed that.”

Keith turned his head to him, and Lance felt sweat on his brow as the Red Paladin asked, “do you… wanna talk about it? You seemed… really upset.”

Lance wasn’t sure he wanted to. But… Keith was here. He’d seen Lance wrapped deep in the claws of the quiet… and he hadn’t run away. It hadn’t plagued him too. In fact, he’d made it go away.

So… maybe…

“You don’t have to. But you can… if you want.” Keith added as Lance pondered. The Red Paladin took Lance’s hand in his own. Lance wasn’t sure when Keith became so keen on physical contact, but he liked it. “I promise I’ll listen.”

Lance smiled, and apparently that was all the reassurance he needed.

He took a deep breath, resting his head on Keith’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure why, but it felt right. Being this close to Keith just felt… safe. Homey. Like he belonged there. “I… I don’t know how to explain it. I just… sometimes it’s just quiet. Too quiet. And heavy.”

He didn’t think he was making sense. But Keith listened regardless.

“And it’s like… it’s hard to do things. Like talk. Or move. Or just… function. And lately it’s been… I don’t know, it’s just been so much. And I just—“ his voice broke as tears filled his vision, but he carried on, “I keep trying to find people. Because hanging out with people usually makes it go away. But I haven’t been— it hasn’t— and then today I tried and…”

He whisked his tears away as Keith moved his arm around Lance and pulled him closer.

The Blue Paladin took a deep breath before continuing. “Today nobody wanted me around. And I just- I really needed— I didn’t want to be alone again. I didn’t want it to be quiet. I just needed someone but… but everyone kept telling me to go away and that made it so much worse.”

Lance was aware that he was shaking now. Keit’s grip tightened.

“And I just couldn’t… do it anymore. I was just so tired of pretending that I was okay. Of fighting to keep going despite how much I just wanted to stop. And I just couldn’t— I just wanted to give up and I couldn’t—“

He sobbed, and turned his head so that his face was buried in the soft, pale skin of Keith’s neck.

The hand returned in his hair, and Keith cooed at him softly.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here now. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

Lance sobbed harder, and Keith let him.

He didn’t cry long. Most of his tears had already been spent, and also he just… didn’t need to. Having Keith here, it helped. He didn’t feel so alone in his mind. The world didn’t feel as chokingly silent.

It made the tears dry faster than they ever had before.

“Thank you Keith. For listening and… and for being here. I really didn’t… didn’t want to be alone anymore.”

“Of course. I’ll always be here for you, Lance. We all will. But…” he paused, unsure if this was the right thing to say. He shook off the hesitation, he had to know, “why didn’t you just tell us what was going on in the first place? You never had to be alone. We could have helped you.”

Lance shrugged, keeping his body situated comfortably against the Red Paladin. “I… I thought I could deal with my own problems. I didn’t want you guys to worry. I didn’t want to be a… a burden.”

Keith shook his head, “Lance, if you’re hurting, I want to be able to help. And I know the rest of the team feels the same. You can’t, — fuck— you can’t let yourself suffer all alone. Knowing that you’ve been struggling and I didn’t even know. I— it— it fucking hurts man.”

Lance sighed, but he didn’t reply. He wasn’t sure there was anything that needed to be said.

Keith sighed as well, letting his head lean against Lance’s.

“Just… promise me you’ll tell me when you’re feeling all… gloomy. No matter what I’m doing, I’ll help. And— and when you’re ready, I think you should tell the rest of the team. If I’m not here I want to know you’re gonna be okay.”

“I’d be okay.”

“No, Lance, I mean really okay! Not ‘I’m pushing through it and ignoring it so I’m fine’ okay!”

Lance wasn’t sure what to say to that.

“Promise me?” Keith pleaded, squeezing Lance’s hand tighter.

Wow, Keith begging was new. Lance didn’t think he could say no to it. So, feeling like he didn’t have much of a choice, he surrendered.

“Okay. I promise.”

“Thank you,” Keith breathed, his grip tightening again.

Lance, for the first time in a while, completely forgot what it was like for the world to be quiet. Lance relished the feeling. This feeling of complete and utter contempt. He knew it wouldn’t stay forever. He knew the quiet would return and he’d return to the daily battle of just existing in his own brain.

But the task didn’t feel as daunting anymore. Because Lance wasn’t fighting alone anymore. Laying in his bed, wrapped up in Keith’s warm embrace…

It was the farthest from the quiet than Lance had ever been.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Note: Did I shamelessly plug Percy Jackson into this fic? Yes. Do I also feel like it’s in character for Keith to relate to a book about kids not knowing who they are and feeling different their whole life only to find out they are NOT completely human? Also yes!)

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greenflamedwriter · 8 months ago

Text

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.

#Season 8 #season #8 #fanfiction #fanfic-fix-it #fix #it #fan #fic #Voltron #VLD #voltron legendary defender #Voltron 2018 #2018

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adobedragon · 6 months ago

Text

Thirty minutes into the flight from Onlar to the nearest teleduv, the smell of feces grew too overpowering to ignore. Lance had been ignoring the faint whiffs of shit because he suspected the cause was somewhere in the cockpit and something he should deal with immediately. Not just immediately, but lethally.

But Lance was in a great mood. In just a few hours, after a week away from home, he’d be back on Mars, back in the little apartment he shared with Pidge and Keith, getting some much-needed cuddles with his favorite people in the universe. He didn’t want blood on his hands, even if said blood was purple and belonged to a glorified space rat. Or several of them. Holy shit, what if there's more than one?

He slumped forward in the pilot’s seat, elbows on the control panel, and rested his forehead on the palms of his hand. Maybe he could just keep ignoring the stench. Maybe all he needed was a snack. Sitting up, he reached for the gear box, which, in addition to containing the usual tools for emergency repairs, contained his stash of garlic knots. Made by his mom and shipped to Mars, they were now a little on the hard-tack side of stale, but comfort food was comfort food, even if it took a jaw-breaking amount of chewing.

With a tap to the glowing purple lock switch—like everything on the Blade of Marmora ship, the cockpit was a dreary shade of gray with bright motes of purple lighting—and the box’s main drawer slid open.

“Holy crow!” His hand, already reaching into the box, jerked back in surprise. A small pair of yellow eyes stared back at him. “Shit!” Lance stared at the chabbit, the source of the reek. “Shit, shit, shit.”

This one was tiny and fortunately alone. A baby.

“Shit.” The expletive was also a descriptor as the infant varmint had done just that; shit prolifically in the box, with the added insult of piss. It had also devoured the garlic knots.

Blade of Marmora policy was clear: “Any chabbit found on board a Blade vessel shall be eliminated by any means necessary.” Chabbits, native to the Galra homeworld of Daibazaal, were warm-blood reptilian rodents. Fully grown, they were the size of a very small cat, had two short tusks that delivered a mildly venomous bits, ate absolutely anything and had opposable thumbs. In just a few short years since the restoration of the Galra homeland, they had managed to spread throughout the universe and were a reviled pest species.

The Blade of Marmora flight manual also included instructions for the most efficient and safe ways to dispatch of the creatures. Lance, however, had always made himself scarce when his parents slaughtered a chicken or some other livestock on the farm. Though he’d done more than his share of killing as a Paladin of Voltron, chucking a helpless living thing out of an airlock (Option A) or snapping its neck (Option B) was more than he could bear.

Lance stared at the little animal. It stared back.

He shut the drawer.

Long minutes passed. Through the cockpit window, the faint cyan glow of the approaching teleduv facility grew larger, a spot of color in the otherwise black with a net of stars, chiaroscuro expanse of space.

Lance’s stomach rumbled.

He stabbed angrily at the purple door latch and as the drawer opened, snarled, “Why’d you have to eat my garlic knots? Why?”

The chabbit cocked its tiny rectangular head and chirped.

“Yeah, well, I’m hungry too. And I’m the one flying this boat. If the captain ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” He glared at the creature. “I have to kill you. It’s nothing personal. Well, yes, it is. You ate my garlic knots.”

The chabbit, who’d been huddled against the back of the drawer, chirped again and hopped toward the front of the rectangular space. With another hopeful chirp, it rose, wobbly on rabbit-like haunches, and grasped the edge of the drawer with its four fingered hands.

Lance leaned back, eyed the creature for a second and then closed his eyes. “You’ve got two seconds to escape. I didn’t see you. Shoo.”

The sound of claws scrabbling on metal and bits and bobs of tools followed, then silence. Lance opened his eyes expecting to find the varmint gone. Instead, it was cleaning itself, purple tongue lapping at a foreleg. And it was still in the drawer.

Steeling himself, he reached out his (fortunately gloved) hand and grabbed it firmly behind the neck and yanked it from the box. This was supposed to be the safe way to catch a chabbit as it prevented the animal from biting. It didn’t stop it from frantically clawing at his hand and arm with sharp little claws. His armor protected him from that, but it did nothing to shut out the piteous noise coming from the baby. Although this chabbit was no bigger than his hand, its wails were filling the cockpit.

Desperate to end the heartrending racket, he dropped the thing. It fell in his lap, and Lance made no move to catch it, hoping it would flee.

Falling onto its side, it slid between his thighs, wiggled about and righted itself. With an indignant chirp, the tiny chabbit turned a baleful eye on him.

“Do you have a death-wish? Go!” He waved at it. “Otherwise, it’s lights out.” He drew a finger across his throat for emphasis.

The chirp turned sad, and yellow eyes filled with reproach.

Lance lifted his gaze at the teleduv. According to the instrument panel, they would reach it in thirty doboshes, a little over thirty minutes, Earth time.

At the next chabbity chirp, Lance scooped the beastie off his lap, this time gently. The chabbit didn’t resist and nestled happily in the palm of his hand.

Lance’s heart melted. Not the most unlikely event as his heart was probably composed of something like wax and he was a notorious softy. But this was a chabbit, an illegal alien species on Mars and elsewhere. Not the mention, he was breaking Blade of Marmora regs by not killing it. (Though on that count, he had an out as he was extra cozy with one of the Blade’s head honchos.) He grimaced. “Keith’s not gonna like this.” Pidge probably wouldn’t be amused either. Their other roomie, Kosmo, Keith’s cosmic wolf would probably eat this little critter.

As though sensing his indecision, the chabbit chirped. Lance grasped it carefully, flipping it over to study its underbelly. It was hard to tell, but it seemed to be male. “You look like a Rogelio.”

Upright and back on Lance’s palm, Rogelio eyed Lance worriedly.

“Shit,” said Lance as he stroked a finger over Rogelio’s bony eyes ridges.

Rogelio purred and rubbed his snout on Lance’s finger.

“It’s okay, buddy. We’ll work this out.” Just the act of petting the little chabbit made him feel calm inside. “It’s okay. You’re with me now. Safe and sound.”

(Backstory for Three Paladins, a Wolf and a Chabbit)

#lance #rogelio #oc #lance & OC #chabbit #pet adoption #alien pet #art #fanart #my art #people are still hard to draw #fanfiction #drabble #mentioned kidgeance #krita #vld #julance

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fe-fictions · 2 years ago

Note

As one of the people who asked for a Virion reupload, I am glad that you have uncovered the "shocking" amount of saved stories. Like, I knew where to find them, but that goodness needs to shared with the about 3 other people that like him and also bring it to the masses here for others. As it stands, only two Viri fics on wayback are reduced to initial few sentence previews: newborn Morgan fluff and Morgan unthinkingly speaking French. If we all sat down one day to obsessively catalouge the fic of our faves, the wayback would be a very full place.

(I totally agree!! So for now, here's Virion finding out Robin has feelings for him...!!!!)

Virion had always been impressed by you, and always admired your quick wit and adaptive intelligence. Yet even you could be prone to the occasional human mistake, which he enjoyed almost as much as your otherwise perfect demeanor.

Such was his joy when he saw you stumble, having been surprised when he called out to you in greeting. He cringed slightly, feeling bad that he startled you by calling “Good morning!” to you without your suspecting it.

“My, my, it appears our petite tacticienne is a bit unbalanced this morning, non?” He mused, walking up to you and stooping to retrieve the lances that clattered to the ground.

“S-sorry, Virion. You really did give me a scare! I wasn’t expecting your greeting.”

“If I knew you were so unsettled by my presence, I would never have done such a thing. You must forgive me, as offended as I am.” Virion said jokingly, pressing a hand to his chest. Your face lit up in a bright blush, clutching the laces tighter.

“O-oh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you. I was just…surprised. Pleasantly surprised! I just didn’t know what to do, so…yes. Sorry.”

“Please, mon cher, you needn’t apologize so profusely. I simply jest.” He grinned at you, placing a hand on your shoulder in a reassuring manner. Yet even that seemed to catch you off-guard, your whole body tensing under his touch.

He furrowed his brow ever so slightly, but didn’t get a chance to ask why you were so tense. Lissa called out to him, waving frantically for him to join her.

“It appears I am needed elsewhere, mon ange. I shall reconvene with you, later.”

“Please do.” You smiled at him politely, recovering yourself enough to not make too much more f f a fool of yourself. “O-oh, and we’ll be playing chess tonight, right?”

“But of course.” He grinned at you, which basically shot an arrow through your heart.

How one man was so ruthlessly charming, you didn’t know.

“Princess, how may I be of service?” VIrion asked Lissa as he approached, leaving you to try and gather your wits while the young princess grinned cheekily at him .

“You know exactly what I want, Virion- you’ve harassed Robin enough for one morning!”

“I haven’t done any such thing!” Virion replied with an amused smile, “What would give you that idea?”

“You know full well that Robin fancies you! Yet there you go, teasing her like you couldn’t care less.”

“What?” Virion’s eyebrows rose, “Please. You are as much the joker as I am; Robin hardly fancies me. Why should she, when so many eligible bachelors gaze at her so longingly?”

“I’m not joking, Virion! Robin seriously has a crush on you. Just think about it, okay? Watch Robin’s interactions with others and then think about how she acts around you. She’s totally going You should know better than anyone how a lovestruck fool behaves!”

“I suppose I do have more experience than others do, and- hey!”

Lissa scampered off before he could get another word in, but she had made her point. He shook his head in disbelief., hands on his hips.

“Mon dieu…what am I going to do with that troublesome little girl?” He asked himself, returning his attention to the tactician.

He watched as you carefully stocked the lances, storing them properly and not dropping them as you had before.

He tilted his head some, humming thoughtfully.

Perhaps Lissa was onto something…or perhaps she was simply full of it, as usual.

———————————————

As the days wore on, Lissa’s message began to ring true.

Virion had begun to observe Robin more carefully. She seemed to grow so quiet around him, yet was so boisterous with the other men. You joked with Chrom and Vaike would with him, as if you were the best of friends.

Yet when he played chess with you, he realized you were nearly dead silent, save for the occasional red cheeks and frustrated groans when he bested you yet again.

He found this both intriguing and perplexing. What if Lissa was wrong about you fancying him? What if you behaved this way because you did not wish to be around him?

Yet the way you tensed in his presence was like that of a crushing school girl. He recognized the symptoms all too well. Yet oddly enough, it was even more adorable than it was when other women acted this way.

How you tensed up and fidgeted, looking at your feet and playing with your hands as you tried your best to form a coherent sentence…my, how charming it was.

Virion kept this to himself, of course. He didn’t wish to make more of it than he thought, and didn’t wish to scare you away.

He would be tactful about handling the tactician.

It felt as though he was the only person doing so.

“When are you going to confess to her?”

An impatient taguel’s voice sounded beneath him, the huntress he had been allowed to ride into the woods asking him in a distorted, impatient tone.

“Whatever do you mean, my dear Panne?”

“I speak of the tactician. Don’t be coy, human; we both know how you feel about her.”

“You must elaborate, I’m afraid. Though perhaps we ought to wait until after we’ve secured the army’s dinner?”

“Don’t be foolish. I can take a bear down without your help. You’re simply a lookout.”

“You need one, with ears like those?”

“You test me.”

“I apologize.” Virion laughed, nocking an arrow as he spotted a blur of animal hair a few yards away. “Please, do tell me what you mean.”

“I mean,” Panne launched forwards, pouncing on an unsuspecting deer and allowing Virion the finishing blow, “That Robin wishes to be your mate. You seem to feel similarly, do you not?”

“My dear Panne, I do not know how familiar you are with human relations, but…it is not uncommon for me to feel romantic emotions towards most women. You’re included, you know.”

“I would rather be skinned alive before I entertained those feelings.” She said in such a cold tone, he felt threatened. He shivered involuntarily, preparing another shot. “I can hear how your heartbeat quickens in her presence. I see the change of your movements, and how you tease her relentlessly.”

“I wouldn’t say relentless-”

“You make it a personal mission to see her blushing before she can even react to your presence. You are far worse than that insufferable Vaike or Gaius could ever be.”

“I suppose you have a point…” He agreed with a grin, motioning her towards the bear lumbering around several meters out. “And so your solution to this is to have me confess to her?”

“We both know she would want that.”

“Would she, really…?” Virion hummed in thought, “Yet I am not entirely certain my feelings are as passionate as you’d suggest.”

“I’ve seen you flirt with other female Archer. I know what it looks like for a man to try, and for a man to simply chase an open tail.”

“You needn’t be so vulgar…”

“You have hard my thoughts on this matter. Make a decision soon. It is annoying to deatry and have a conversation with Robin where she does not trail off because she is drooling over you.”

“She is mesmerized by me, you say?” Virion was way too happy about this. “You know, I’m starting to think you had me accompany you so you could tell me all these things.

“You are an insufferable human.” Panne muttered as she dragged the carcasses along, prompting a chuckle from the archer.

“What can I say?”

“You can say that you’ll start pursuing one particular female a little more seriously.” She told him dubiously, and Virion just laughed.

“But of course, mon cher lapin. I will do all I can to ensure your warnings are not wasted.”

“Hmph.” She grumbled, “I don’t know what she sees in you, at all…yet she insists on babbling about how great this strange nobleman Virion is…”

Virion smiled to himself, pleasantly surprised by her quiet admissions. Perhaps this Robin thing was running a little deeper than he first thought.

———————————————

Maybe it was because he realized you liked him.

That might be why he was struggling with this sudden change of his. There was a new feeling in his heart, whenever he spotted you. That adorable expression of frustration when you lost another chess game seemed to be even more precious than before.

The way your hair was always so soft and carefully styled, how your skin was so soft and smooth…my how he longed to touch you. He couldn’t quite understand where it was coming from.

He hadn’t felt this way about someone in years… He shook his head as he headed out on his errand, looking to fetch something of particular importance he thought you might enjoy.

A ring, meticulously picked out, and lavish in its payment. It was expensive, and precious, but it was simple in its construction. Virion had been spending so much time with you. Never once did he think you were the type to want an elaborate or overly expensive ring.

Yet the more thought about it, the more he wanted to simply drown you in lavish things. He would need to control himself; after all, who was to say all of this would work out?

Perhaps it was all an elaborate prank…ah, well. He dismissed the thought, reminding himself that it was high time he considered marriage, anyways. Gallivanting around only had so much appeal.

Although…he did enjoy the idea of gallivanting around with you.

So he returned to camp with just the slightest skip in his step, and went about his business to try and hunt you down. He needed to get ahold of you, figure out the plan and where he would be able to go and take you romantically, to win your heart over once and for all.

Of this, he was sure; months of spending time with you, fighting beside you, and realizing that now you might care for him as much as the others said, it was perfect.

Virion couldn’t fight the smile on his lips, nor the excitement in his heart; you were the one.

“For the last time, Ricken! He doesn’t think about me that way and you mustn’t try and force anything out of anyone!” “But he does, Robin!! Panne and Lissa said so, and I guarantee he does! That archer doesn’t look at anyone the way he looks at you!!”

Virion tilted his head, curious about whatever it was he’d just walked into. You were marching away in the campsite, clearly displeased with Ricken, who practically nipped at your heels.

You seemed to be in need of rescue, he thought to himself, moving to meet with you.

“You gotta believe me, Robin- if you just talk to him then I’m sure-!”

“Who do you think we’re talking about? He’d never feel that way! Why won’t you people just leave me in peace? Leave us alone for a second, won’t you?”

“If you’d quit being so hard-headed you’d see that you’re wrong, for once!”

“Non, Ricken, she’s right.” Virion’s entrance into the conversation made you both gasp. You earned a pleasant smile with that shocked expression on your face, and an embarrassed look from Ricken. “It is none of your business, meddling in other people’s affairs.”

“But-!” Ricken was interrupted when Virion took the boy’s arm, guiding him away from you.

“You do not know what Robin wants or thinks, nor myself. What if she’s right? For all you know this could all be nonsense! You must not push so hard for things you think are true.” Virion scolded him. He didn’t hear the soft gasp behind him, but Ricken seemed to notice.

“Virion, I…”

“Now, now, Ricken. I admire your desire to help your friends as much as anyone, but there is great value in minding your own business, as well. I mean that in the kindest terms, mon ami.”

“N-no, Virion, I…I think you made it worse.”

Virion’s brow furrowed, and he turned to follow the man’s concerned gaze, only to find that you had disappeared. He caught the tail-end of your coat, as if you had hurried away from the both of them without letting Virion finish.

“…Oh, dear.”

“I can’t believe this- you’re worse than she is!” Ricken cried, “Why would you say that? I know how you feel about her!”

“Merde- Ricken, you…are such a strange little man.” Virion sighed to himself, “I did not say you were wrong, I said that you might be- why does no one give me a chance to finish anything in this camp…”

Virion released the boy and turned on his heel, pausing only to point back at him.

“Do not involve yourself further, understand? I will fix this mess!”

He knew people liked to get involved with other people, but this was too much. He sped up, the ring in his pocket heavier than before. He chased after you, pursuing you until you reached a place he could not freely enter. You latched onto your tent shut, and he paused, waiting for just a moment before continuing the chase.

“Robin? Mon cher, are you all right?”

“Fine!”

“Oh hon, now I know you lie. You never respond so coldly to me. Can’t I come in?”

“I don’t think that’s s-such a good idea.” Your voice hitched, and at that moment he knew he had made a critical error. His heart crumbled ever so slightly, and he swallowed thickly. He fidgeted with the ring in his hand, wishing he could be running it through that lovely hair instead of suffering through this strange situation.

“…Please, Robin?”

There was silence for a few moments, and then the sound of canvas being shifted, allowing him into your tent. He breathed a sigh of relief, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to make it more lovely than usual, and then he entered.

“I wish to speak to you about many things, but…most importantly, what you heard me say to Ricken. Please, do not think that I hold no affection for you, that is not what I meant in the slightest!”

You were standing before him, yet your arms were crossed, and you looked incredibly sad. You looked so very lost…oh, how it hurt him.

He knew he loved you, in that moment, because he never wanted to see such a sorrowful expression on your face, ever again. He wanted to be the one to make it go away.

He steeled his resolve; he would be the one to make it disappear.

“I know it wasn’t true, Virion. It just…made me realize that I was wrong. I’m sure you’ve heard all about how I hold feelings for you of some sort or another…but it was my mistake to tell them about it. They took it upon themselves to try and put us together.”

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing, cher.”

“I didn’t, either. But it wasn’t their place, and in turn it puts a lot of pressure on you when I don’t even know if you feel a modicum of what I do. It’s just a silly crush, Virion. You don’t have to entertain it if you don’t want to. I’m just upset that you had to find out about it through everyone else but me. It’s so embarrassing…” You trailed off, burying your face in your hands.

Virion chuckled at your bashfulness, and stepped forward, taking your wrists gently in his hands and lowering them from your face.

“Now, now, mon amour…you needn’t be embarrassed. It’s quite charming, really. Besides, I’d rather not discuss things like this, here. There is somewhere else I would very much like to take you.” He replied mysteriously, and you quirked an eyebrow, unsure if you could swallow your pride long enough to let him take you anywhere.

Slowly, you conceded, letting him lead you from the camp and up into the forest beyond. There were a great number of hills outside of the set up, and you were surprised to find how lovely the wooded terrain could be in the glow of sunset.

You didn’t have enough time to appreciate it, you guessed, though being there with Virion likely had a large impact in how you looked at it, as well.

“I have so much I wish to say to you, Robin. I simply wonder if there will be enough time to…or I will be able to find the words. We have such wonderful conversations, and yet here I am, struggling to tell you everything I can.”

“We have plenty of time to chat, now, don’t we?” You pointed out, “Though I’m not sure what all there is…tactics, chess, war…there’s not much we haven’t talked about in terms of things we have in common.”

“And what of the feelings we hold for each other?”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about that now.” You said, uneasy. Virion chuckled as he took your hand, helping you up through a thicker part of the brush before it opened up into a lovely view of the camp far below.

“I did not wish to talk about it in your tent. I wished to speak to you somewhere more…idyllic. Will this suffice?”

“Well…it’s certainly beautiful.” You breathed as you stared out at the open expanse beneath you, gazing at the warm glow that the world was bathed in.

Yet even as you enjoyed the view and your company to the highest degree, you weren’t sure you wanted to deal with what was supposed to come next.

“Robin, if I may…” Virion began, and you audibly gulped. “We both know that I can be a bit…generous in my advances, more so than others. It has always been my behavior since before I can recall. It is unlike me to feel anything more than simple attraction, and nothing deeper.”

“I know.” You confirmed with a sadness in your voice. Another thing to wipe away.

“Yet I have found myself, over the past few days, coming to the realization that perhaps the time has come for more. That I ought to open myself up, if only a little bit, to the prospect of letting another person closer to me than simply a physical sense. I wish to be with someone who I can trust, and talk to about anything.”

“Didn’t we already go over the few things we discuss?” You joked, to which he smirked.

“We talk about far more than those simple things, mon ange. You just haven’t noticed because of how easily we lose time when we are together.”

“I suppose…” You replied as if you were unconvinced. He turned to face you, taking your hands in his.

“I speak the truth, Robin. You see…all of those things that I speak of…I feel as though there is a person I need to settle down with. And the last few days, the last few conversations with our friends…they made me realize that you are that person, to me.”

“You…come again?” Your mouth fell open, your cheeks alight with a blush that he found positively delightful. “W-what do you…you’re not doing this out of pity, are you?”

“Pity? Non, non, amour, never. Never would I play with a woman’s emotions in such a way, let alone yours. I am being entirely sincere, Robin. You are the one I hold dear in my heart.”

“I-I…would like to believe that…but if it’s only come of Lissa’s or Panne’s or Ricken’s harassment…I mean…it’s not sincere, is it?”

“If I were not sincere I would not have done this.” He said as he got down on one knee, and produced the ring. You clapped a hand over your mouth, trying to cover the gasp of shock when you saw the beautiful, glittery jewelry he held.

“Virion…!!”

“I have never felt more strongly about someone until I met you, Robin. I am simply sorry that I had to be given so many hints before I realized it, myself. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I-I…I can…if you promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“You stay with me, always, and…you never take a hint from our nosy friends, ever again.”

“Heh- here I am, down on one knee…yet you’re the one proposing to me. How appropriate.” He laughed to himself, but he nodded all the same, sliding the ring onto your finger with a happy sigh. “I will do everything you ask of me and more, mon tacticienne…everything and more.”

#virion #robin #fe 13 #fire emblem awakening #fe awakening #virion x robin #fe fictions #fe-fictions #f!robin #fem!robin #f!mu #fluff #just a TON of fluff ok #a sweet sweet commission that i found in the archive!!!!

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autisticlancemcclain · 1 year ago

Text

“You want us to what.”

Lance doesn’t give a flying fuck how angry he sounds. Potential diplomatic crises be damned. Hell, he wants to cause a crisis. Wants to raise some hell.

The dignitary sniffs derisively. “The beast is a dangerous pest, Blue Paladin.”

“Not the blue paladin,” Lance growls, because he isn’t, “and I am not murdering an animal in cold blood just because you can’t deal with it properly.”

“Lance,” Allura hisses, but he has no problem ignoring her.

“Can’t deal with it properly — do you hear your paladin!” the dignitary sputters, waving an angry hand in Lance’s direction.

Shiro closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, before plastering on a tight smile and visibly trying to salvage the situation. Now, usually, Lance would hate to cause Shiro any stress at all, and would do whatever he could to reduce that stress.

This time, Lance is going to dig his heels in. He is not going to let a living being be needlessly exterminated. Lance isn’t anti-animal death, or anything — he has no problem with others eating meat, or using animal products. He thinks using animals as gifts and not letting any part of them go to waste is very wise, and he has a lot of respect for people who manage to do so successfully. Sport hunters, on the other hand, or people who kill without good reason? Therein lies his problem, and he’s beyond happy to make a big stink of it.

“Could you describe the beast?” Shiro asks.

“Happily,” the dignitary grumps. “I’m eager to describe its horror to you, Oh Great Leader of Voltron.”

Shiro visibly tries very hard not to roll his eyes. Lance refuses to take any joy in the reaction, even though he would usually laugh.

“The beast is as large as half our royal castle. Its teeth are larger than our tallest soldier, and sharper than a luxite blade. Its fur is rough and coarse, enough to sand the paint clean off the walls it brushes by. Its roar shakes the very foundations of our city. It walks on four legs but stands on two, right before it rears up to smash our buildings to dust. It is a menace, a pest, and a danger besides!”

“So you have a grizzly bear problem,” Lance snaps. “Close your garbage cans at night and quit complaining.”

“Lance, please,” Hunk mutters, but Lance will not back down. Not when a life is at stake.

“Has it actually…hurt anyone?” Keith asks.

Lance shoots a grateful look at Keith.

At least someone is on his side.

“Yes!” the dignitary cries.

Keith shoots a look back at Lance — a well, I tried if Lance has ever seen one — but that is not good enough. Lance glares at him.

Traitor.

“Explain,” Lance demands.

The dignitary frowns, looking down his nose at Lance and shaking their head. “I’m not talking to you.”

“Would you mind explaining,” Pidge deadpans, barely refraining from rolling her eyes.

Lance knows Pidge well enough to know that she’s not on his side, exactly — she threw a bolt at him when he started insulting the dignitary initially — but there’s nothing that pisses her off more than someone talking down to her family. Even if she doesn’t agree with said family. She’s loyal, like that.

“Fine, since you asked so nicely,” the dignitary says, cutting a look to Lance, who makes a very crude gesture with his hands in response and ignores the four (4) tired sighs from assorted teammates and co around him.

“The beast easily and ruthlessly took down several of our soldiers as soon as they opened fire on it. And it further still injured many of our knights when we sent them to its cave! It is a mindless, killing machine, and must be exterminated immediately.”

Lance throws his hands up in exasperation. “No shit it’s defending itself! What do you expect it to do, stand there while you shoot at it?”

“If it didn’t want to be shot it shouldn’t have ventured into the city in the first place!”

“It’s an animal! How the hell is it supposed to understand city limits and boundaries?”

“That’s not my problem,” the dignitary says coldly. “It has posed a threat to our people, and so it must die. And if Voltron wishes for our signature in the Coalition, you will come to our aid, or else you can count yourself down one planet’s alliance.”

Allura stiffens. “You would really risk your people’s protection over a difference in opinion?”

“Your blue paladin —”

“I am not the blue paladin, you brainless amoeba —”

“Your blue paladin,” the dignitary repeats, pointedly and icily, “has insulted us greatly. The situation is no longer up for debate. If you wish to sign an alliance, the paladin must handle the problem himself. That is our final stipulation.”

With that, the dignitary ends the call, cutting off Shiro’s pleas for him to wait.

All eyes turn to Lance.

“I am not killing an innocent animal,” Lance snaps. “Forget it.”

Keith sighs. “Lance —”

“No.” Lance clenches his fists, glaring at his team, chin raised and shoulders set. Beside him, Mr. Snuggles spreads his fangs and hisses. The mice — currently resting on his head — scramble to their feet, presumably also tensing up. Ivy — a venomous vine he picked up on a planet a few missions back — winds up his arms. “I am not just being ridiculous. You heard that idiot. They’re provoking it. It’s not doing anything wrong.”

“Lance —” Keith tries again, but Lance is not willing to hear it.

“I will not take an innocent life to buy an alliance. And if you do, I swear to God, I will never forgive you.”

With that he stomps out of the bridge, ignoring the dozens of calls of his name and pleas to “wait a goddamn second, Lance, c’mon.”

Lance stomps all the way to his room, muttering about stupid careless dignitaries and team members who won’t listen to him and how everyone is going to make him grey early and he is not Shiro, lord above, so he can’t pull that garbage off. Ugh.

He slams his door behind him and flops on the bed, and is marginally surprised to find his tears stinging his eyes.

“This is a stupid reason to cry,” he announces to no one, voice muffled in his pillow. “Why must I cry about stupid things. Why can’t I cry about regular things. This is dumb.”

There’s a clicking sound accompanying a gentle bump to the leg hanging off his bed. He drags his head off the pillow, sniffling, to see Mr. Snuggles sitting to the side of his bed, fangs clicking. The mice sit on his head, as they are wont to do (which, understandably considering the natural predator of mice, used to scare the shit out of Allura. But Mr. Snuggles has never been anything but gentle with them, even when they roughhouse on his back or play tag under his leg and accidentally trip him. He seems to be quite protective of them, actually. It’s very sweet. Lance thinks it might be a microhylid frog-giant tarantula situation, even though Mr. Snuggles can’t lay eggs, and it amuses him greatly). Ivy uncoils from his bed frame, wrapping a vine around his ankle and tugging carefully. Blue and Red both loudly mother him in the back of his mind.

It’s nice.

Lance sighs, wiping his tears and sitting up against his headboard.

“This sucks,” he says to his assortment of companions, all who seem to agree with him. Mr. Snuggles and the mice crawl up the leg of the bed to sit in front of him, and Ivy makes her way around his shoulders.

None of them can talk to him, obviously — how fucking cool would that be, though — but each one of them is an excellent listener (even the mice, who like to gossip, but Lance preemptively forgives them).

“It’s just —” Lance huffs, frustrated. “I get that the planet is probably tired of being lightly terrorized by a giant beast, sure, but is murder really the answer? Plus, have they even tried talking to it? Maybe it’s very reasonable! I’m sure I —”

Lance shoots up, startling poor Ivy, but holy shit.

Holy shit!

“That’s it!” he shouts, grin nearly splitting his face in two. He leans over, just barely managing to grab his holopad, and starts sketching out the plans.

“Now if I just — and it shouldn’t be too hard — I’ve done more in less time — hell yeah!”

He’s startled out of his fervour by urgent squeaks, and when he looks up, he sees the mice waving to get his attention.

“Yes?”

At his acknowledgement, they scurry into formation, laying together to make a question mark with their little bodies.

Lance snorts. He may not be able to speak their language, but they have no problems making themselves clear.

“I can’t tell you,” he scolds, “you’re going to snitch to Allura.”

They mice squeak sadly, but Lance knows better. Last time he gave in to them, Allura knew within the minute.

“I’ll be back soon, okay? Don’t wait up for me. Platt, Chulatt, Plachu, Chuchule — there’s some of that fancy grain you like in the cupboard. Mr. Snuggles — here.” He opens up space youtube, quickly opening up a horror movie reaction compilation for the fear demon. “That’ll keep you fed for a bit.” He props the holopad up on his pillow, scrambling to his feet and heading to the door. On the way out, he pulls the string on his special blue sun lamp — “That’s for you, Ivy!” — and then he’s out the door, plans in hand, to find Coran.

Luckily for Lance, he runs straight into him.

“Lance, dear, I was just coming to look for you,” Coran says, right outside his door.

Lance grins. “I can see that.”

Coran narrows his eyes. “You’re… remarkably chipper, Number Four.”

“Mhm.”

He holds up a hand for Coran to pause. He strains his ears, and smirks as he just barely picks up on the sound of near-silent footsteps behind a closed door. He makes pointed eye contact with the advisor, then inclines his head at Keith’s door.

Coran gets the point.

“Well, if you’re really feeling so much better,” Coran says loudly — too loudly, but Lance doesn’t have much in the subtlety department either, so he can’t complain — “would you mind helping me recalibrate the fabricator?”

“Absolutely,” Lance says, dragging the advisor by the hand in the opposite direction of the fabricator.

“Will you speak plainly, now?” Coran asks, once they’ve put some distance between them and Keith’s eavesdropping ass. (That is, however, probably an unfair reaction. Keith was likely listening in to try and find a way to help, in his own awkward way. If Lance wasn’t currently feeling just a smidge betrayed, he would feel touched.)

“Okay, so. I have a Plan.” Lance puts emphasis on the word so Coran knows it’s Capitalized, because this isn’t just a regular plan. This is a rescue mission. It’s espionage. A heist, even.

“Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes!”

Coran sighs, dragging a hand down his face.

“Lance,” he says warningly, but Lance won’t hear it.

“C’mon, Coran! You trust me, right?”

“That is a manipulative question —”

“You trust me! You said so yourself!”

“Fine, child. Yes, I trust you.”

Lance claps his hands together. “Excellent! So. I refuse to be a murderer, as you may have heard.”

“That would have been very hard for me to miss,” Coran says drily.

Lance gracefully ignores the comment. “And since I will also go apeshit if anyone else becomes a murderer, I have come up with a plan!”

“Lance. Number Four. My dear. Time is not our current luxury. Please share your plan.”

“Right. Okay.” Lance rocks back on his heels, shooting Coran a guileless smile. “How well do you think you can imitate my mannerisms?”

———

part two

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