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Chapter Text

Lance POV

         If anyone asked me, I'd say the most important people on team Voltron would be Shiro and Keith. Someone would have to be extremely dense to think I hold any value even remotely similar in weight to the Black and Red paladins. Notoriously their lions are known to be difficult to handle and are very choosy. Blue means well when she encourages me, but she is already the most trusting of the lions, she had only chosen me to get the ball moving on the whole saving the galaxies thing. All I am is some sort of quick pick that would shove the other, more resourceful paladins. I feel so much like a let down, even though she tells me through our mindlink that I am important, but I can't see it, everyone else is better than me, and I need to keep up or they'll surely kick me out.

           Perhaps it has to do with being in the middle child with three other siblings Veronica, Marco, and Luis, I doubt I was by any means mamas favorite child. Ive always had to measure up my siblings, at least set a good example for my younger brother. Even at the Garrison when I flopped out of the fighter class and ended right into the cargo pilot classes, I was walked over, let go like I was unworthy of being there, which I wasn't. I lost myself somewhere along the line, masking himself to try and be at least somewhat noticeable as a confident person.

          To combat is disappointment in myself, I began goofing off more freely, keeping my insecurities in a tight mask held firmly on face, so tight even hunk couldn't get it to come loose with his crowbar of friendship. In fact it only cemented it further, I did not want to worry sweet, beautiful, easily queasy Hunk. Especially not after the poor boy had been launched into space with me, the garrisons poster boy (and crush honestly who doesn't like him/inspiration )Shiro, rival Keith, and the little gremlin like creature named Pidge.

Hunk was already a wreck during their normal training simulations, now he was in space, and aliens existed! Hunk definitely didn't need a self deprecating best friend on top of it all, now did he? No, I'd much rather keep that mask as tight as possible thank you very much.

           Fact of the matter was, no one on the team needs me to screw anything up but no matter what happened I always seem to feel worse, feeling like I don't have a right to show my insecurities and homesickness. When Pidge was revealed to be missing her brother and father at the hands of the Galra, I felt guilty even missing my own family. I had a solid idea where my family was at that moment, probably mourning me and burying an empty casket, but this girl who had spent a good while fooling the freaking military school into thinking she was a boy...quite frankly didn't know where her family was at all. She spent long hours through the night searching away at her computer. Just to find a single trace of where her brother and father might be. All I'd been able to do for her at those times were bring her food goo, tell her to sleep, get snarked at, but she'd eventually rest. I feel guilty I wasn't able to do more.

          While I had been doing all of this, it was also heavy on my mind that while I had a perfectly fine family back at Earth, Allura and Coran did not. They had a whole civilization of their people one conscious second, then the next they were completely gone, and they were 10,000 years past their deaths.

         All that aside, the two people that I've gravitated towards the most, Keith and Shiro only had each other. They'd had history back before the Kerberos mission that sent Shiro into space with Pidge's brother and father, only for them not to return, and only Shiro when he crash landed in the desert that fateful night.

Keith had been beside himself the time Shiro was missing, I figured since the man was an inspiration to everyone, everyone felt a little grief at the loss of such a man. Keith though, he took it extremely hard, harder than anyone else did. He began fighting more often even if he was already a pain in the neck before. He fought and got in trouble more than any rising star should have been getting into, risking his whole position in the fighter class. Eventually it did, and they'd not seen hide or tail of him since. Not until the cabin in the desert.

          After their great destiny was revealed, they'd fought against each other verbally, and then alongside each other as one unit. Or so the others on my team thought. Even with the training exercises and actual battles, after the bonding moments, the long talks, i still feel more like an outcast than ever. I've never felt more alone than with a room full of people i want more than anything in the world to be connected to.  Even if Keith had irritated me, and I felt the same urge with my family to rise up to his level, I also fell hopelessly in love with him. The way he moved while fighting the bots in the training deck, the way his stupid mullet stuck perfectly to his neck in his sweat, even the way he bantered back and forth with me and my antics of trying to rile up the red paladin.

Shiro, sweet Shiro, was also at the forefront of my affections, again who couldn't be attracted to him? He was perfect, despite his obvious hardships and scars, emotional and physical. He'd changed so much while he was fighting in the Galra arena, but even as he took up the black lion, he was almost the same. He was handsome, like a Greek god might be, he worked hard, and fought bravely, sure he had his moments where flashbacks of the arena would get to him, but he was the embodiment of perfect. He and Keith together. Oh yeah, and weren't they together alright.

          It hadn't been more than a month on the castleship when the two decided secrets weren't going to help anything in this war. They came out as a couple, apparently I hadn't mistaken the way Keith acted after his disappearance.

           "We have been together since we were reunited after Kerberos failed." Shiro had explained to the team after the initial shock had worn off. " We want to be accepted by you, seeing as we are a team and family now." Of course it had been followed by a chorus of " of course we accept you" or "congratulations ", even from me, I was happy for them, but I wanted what they had. The universe at this point has to be messing with me. They didn't want me, they had each other, they wouldn't even want stupid me if they weren't together. Still, I couldn't be angry at them, right? I wouldn't use the world jealous, I loved them both after all. No, jealous wasn't the word anyone could use to describe how I feel . Is there even a word for how he felt for them?

            I've trained hard these last few months since that day. Harder and further than i pushed myself on Earth. I put it upon myself to at least be a little useful. I want to be  as strong as Keith. I've especially been working on sniping skills on little flying versions of the gladiator bots Coran had programmed specifically for me, bless the gorgeous man. In fact that's where I am, how long have I been thinking about my failures?

           "You're in here already?" Keith asked, as the door whooshed closed behind him and he walked onto the training deck. I was still firing at the little bots, not paying much attention to the Red paladin. No attention at all really. So in order to get my attention, Keith grunted, dropping his training gear on the ground. " End Simulation."

            That got my attention real fast and i lowered my gun and snapped my head to look at Keith. One of the last people I really wanted to see, but couldn't help the feeling of my heart swell the dark slightly purple eyes where on him. "Oh, sorry Keith, didn't see you there. I was kinda in my zone." I explained  and gestured to the piles of robotic parts Coran would have to fix up later. "I see that. You been in here long?" Holy crow his voice. I shrugged and looked around. "I guess a couple hours now." Keith grunted and smirked. "You just got here I bet. You don't train a lot with everyone, you're slacking." At the accusation I felt heat rise to my neck and face, Keith didn't think I was training. Ive only been training my butt off for months now, although my scores were slowly improving sure, but that was only because when I did train with the others, they took down the bots before I could! I'm Im not lazy! And to think the guy who desperately needed a haircut was telling me he was being lazy?

              My cheerful greeting face was suddenly a darkened scowl. I gripped the gun tightly, knuckles turning white from the lack of circulating blood to my poor phalanges.  "What did you say, mullet?" I couldn't help but let seethe out and Keith looked at me dully, without thinking anything of his own words to me. "Well, your scores are barely going up, and I'm pretty sure you've been in the healing pod several times these last months. All I'm saying is you should train with us. It would be good for you and the rest of us," with that Keith looked at the bag of gear." You should go help Coran with cleaning the pods, since you seem to keep dirtying them." I flinched at his cruel sounding words and just dropped the gun to run out of the training deck. I didn't stop running until I reached my paladin room, and then promptly shoved my face into the thin pillow on the bed. There I sobbed, thinking over everything one of the people I dearly loved just said to me. Was I really bringing the team down more by trying so hard to become stronger? True, the extra training had been wearing away at sleep, I would stay up late to train and sometimes never got to bed depending on if the alarm went off to get them to their lions for an attack. Sometimes it rang only because the princess wanted to keep them on their toes. Toes that it was harder not to trip over in this state of exhaustion.

I could do better, I will train better, be stronger. I'll find a way. I'll show him.

Chapter Text

Keith POV

              Everyone has been getting along so well recently, and while I've never felt like I had a family before, this is what I would imagine one would be like. Shiro has taught me so much when it comes to doing activities with my fellow paladins. He worries for me, and I know he knows I'm trying. I've been working on encouraging the others with helpful words or actions like helping Pidge dodge attacks, even if she was doing well with that anyway. I try to do these activities with the others as much as I possibly can. It might help me discover how I can connect in "less combative ways" as Shiro had told him. I guess other people don't bond the way I do.

             During group training sessions in or outside the lions, I feel a certain peace in being connected to my team. I'm slowly associating them with family more and more each time, which makes Shiro happy. Seeing  as he is my partner, the term 'boyfriend' seems a little too...mushy, and leader, I want him to be happy and pleased with my actions. The more we connect as a group, the more I can trust and feel things I normally don't with people other than Shiro. The more this happens the easier it'll be to form Voltron.

          
            "Shiro he did it again, he hasn't said a single snarky thing to me all day!" I complained to my lover as we cuddled on the couch in the lounge room. It wasn't really something we did in the more public space, but today it just happened to be where they met after training with the lions outside the castleship. Another group training session Lance failed to show up to. Shiro huffed amusedly in response to my complaint. Curse this man for all his calm and collected mind! Shouldn't he also be upset?

             "Keith, he's probably just been busy, his whole day does not consist of him purposefully seeking you out to snark or joke with you." Shiro said with a little gravelly sound coming out near the end. He was tired. "Well don't you think it's suspicious he didn't want to train with his lion?" I asked rubbing a curly with my thumb into the base of my lovers neck. "No not particularly, Ive seen his logged hours in the computer, he's been training." At this I frown and my eyebrows crease together in thought. "You're not worried about him are you Keith?" Shiro asked with a knowing smirk, the bastard. I clocked my tongue and I shook my head. " No, he's not training with us, and I don't know, I just want to connect with him like I can with you, Hunk, and Pidge! For Voltrons sake." I clarified, puffing out a frustrated sigh which makes Shiro chuckle.

              One person, the only person, I have not been connecting to as well is Lance. I know he still sees me as some sort of rival, proclaimed solely by his mind you! However, his childish actions are only going to hurt Voltron and the team. He's honestly not as bad as I thought he was originally, but he still irks me to no end. Why does he think insulting my hairstyle, or getting butt-hurt every time I beat him during training is helping anything? Sure sometimes he is funny and sweet, keeping Pidge in check with sleeping, helping Hunk when he's freaking out about food, even when he tells Shiro to rest when Shiro is running on empty and overworking himself?

             "Well if it's any consolation Keith, I think we are going to stop on a planet soon, if it's calm enough we may be able to...have a talk with him." Shiro said with a look of concern, I must have been thinking for a while and left him in silence. "Yeah, but how do we know he will accept to come with us, on his own? Yeah he would go with you, but me? I don't even think he likes me in any way Shiro." I admitted, although a little muffled because I've shifted to put my face in the crook of his neck. "I think he's still adjusting." Shiro said, but I couldn't help but feel even more frustrated.

             Lance never really does anything to help me. Is it because he hates me? Maybe he's jealous of me and Shiro? That would make sense, Lance isn't exactly good at hiding the way he looks at Shiro. Sometimes I think he's looking at me too, which only gets shattered when all I receive is a snarky greeting. Still, it pains me quite a bit to see. We are all bonding and becoming one force, but Lance just feels so out of reach to me, and all I want to do is reach out and grab him, force him to train with me or Shiro, or both.

              Shiro and I have talked about Lance in detail, especially on days where his avoiding me is at its peak, or when he's been taunting me more than usual. We both thought it was odd he could seem so caring, yet so distant. It was why he and Shiro had also considered and been contemplating asking Lance out on a date when we get off on the next friendly planet. We had both admitted to having feelings for the Cuban boy, even if my feelings were fueled with annoyance, he was still undeniably beautiful inside and out. Hell the boy knew it himself, calling himself the 'sharpshooter' and flirting with pretty much any attractive thing within a ten foot radius of him.

              "Well, I'll bet he's been in the training room since we left for our training. Maybe you can go to the training deck and coax him to rest for a bit? Maybe even ask him to train with us later. Just you me and him." Shiro said all this with a raised brow, my silence after him trying to make me feel better probably made him realize I was still overthinking it. He was right I should go and just take the first steps. Maybe if I show him I care, it could open up some room for growth, at this point, he's avoided me so long this week, I just want something. Anything.

                                                             *** Time Skip***

                    When I find lance it is twenty minutes after I left Shiro and is cuddling spot on the couch. I went to the training deck with my gear bag in hand, and as I get close to the door I hear the sound of Lance's gun firing. I reach up and put my hand on the touch pad and the door opens. I step inside and smile just for a split second. There he is, Lance our beloved sniper, standing almost knee deep in malfunctioning and destroyed robotic parts and limbs. He really has been practicing and is shows, let me tell you. I clear my throat. "You're in here already?" I ask loud enough for him to hear.

                    His long legs are locked, his thin frame taut and well on its way forming firm muscles along his arms, back, and his thighs. The same thighs resting on those beautiful long legs that he just can't seem to get over, even Shiro had admitted staring just a little too long at them. He was something. That annoying, bratty, too full of himself, something. A true wonder of the universe, but unfortunately, said wonder didn't even know he came in the room.

                  I dropped my bag down with a soft thud, and raised my voice,"end simulation." When he heard my voice and knew I was there he lowered his gun to look at me, a friendly, although somewhat tired, smile stretched on his face in greeting. "Oh, sorry Keith, didn't see you there. I was kinda in my zone." He said, and I nodded in understanding as he gestured around him and I pretended I hadn't noticed them. "I see that. You been in here long?" I asked, knowing the answer already. "I guess a couple hours now." I let outa strangled sound but it came out more like a garbled grunt, I smirked, maybe I could play around and rile him up like he usually does to me? "You just got here I bet. You don't train a lot with everyone, you're slacking." Okay, that came out a lot harsher than I intended it to, but it was meant to be a challenge, he likes challenges. "What did you say, mullet?" I was wrong.

Immediately his cheerful demeanor dissipated and I noticed his vice like grip on his gun . I noticed his scowl and was instantly confused. Why was he upset? Wasn't this how they bantered normally? "Well, your scores are barely going up, and I'm pretty sure you've been in the healing pod several times these last months. All I'm saying is you should train with us. It would be good for you and the rest of us," I looked at the bag of gear to avoid looking at his hurt face, I just wanted him to know we wanted him there! Why couldn't Shiro have come with me? "You should go help Coran with cleaning the pods, since you seem to keep dirtying them." Shit why is he running?

Immediately my heart started racing, did I do something? Did I say something wrong? I was trying to help! I quickly am down the hall after him, bag still discarded on the floor, it was less important now. When I stopped running I realized I was outside his door, I was knocking frantically, trying to get an answer. I could hear heartbreaking sobs on the other side of the door, and my own heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. I'd made Lance, sharpshooter, confident flirt....cry. I sighed and leaned my forehead against the door crack and let out a long sigh. Realization hit me and I tried to think of what to say. "Lance....Lance please open the door."

I heard shuffling and the sound of footsteps but the door remained just as closed as it had the second I asked for it to open. I knew he was close to the door though, I could hear his uneven breaths trying to catch up to him. "No." He said and I almost choked on my own tongue at that point because, well, his voice had cracked and he sounded so broken. Had I not known?

"Lance please." I choked a bit, having a hard time saying the words, "I'm sorry, I went too far." I heard a soft sniffle on the other side and then a wet chuckle. The door slid open and I was face to face with blue, puffy eyes, a damp face, and messy sweaty hair. "....is Keith "I don't apologize for my actions" Kogane, apologizing?" Lance said, just loud enough for me to realize he didn't have that same bite of sarcasm, it was almost genuine. It was genuine. "To me?" Lance finished, and boy did that hurt.

I immediately felt the urge to grab him, cradle him in my arms as tightly as I could, kiss the tear streaks on his face away. As lovely as that thought is, I also know I'd been the reason for those tears, or I think so. "Yes, Lance, isn't that what I just said?" I said dryly and good there was some resembling a smile on lances face at his oblivious comment. "....Lance I...want you to train with me. Me and Shiro. Only us. Us three together." Lance looked skeptical but then nodded a little, still looking hesitant. "Okay, samurai, but why?" I smiled at the nickname which made him look almost shocked.

"Because I want to get to know our sharpshooter."

Chapter Text

Shiro POV

They're taking so long. I suppose sending Keith to rope Lance into spending time with us may have been a bad choice. Don't get me wrong, Keith is a great guy, but after being alone so long in his life, he can be blunt and not so eloquently spoken. Especially since Lance tends to be emotional almost to an extreme when it comes to Keith. I'm not sure exactly what happened at the Garrison between them, Keith doesn't seem to know either, considering when I asked him, he simply told me he didn't know why the blue paladin is so keen on beating Keith in everything. I really missed a lot during my time away.

                 After I was launched into space for the Kerberos mission, I never expected to come back alive. When the Galra abducted me and forced me to fight in their arena against those horrible creatures, I was just like the creatures I fought, horrible. They'd removed my right arm, replaced it with their tech, forced me to fight and be a brutal monster. A monster who woke up in a desert cabin, staring at a very familiar, Keith, who instantly made me feel relieved and human all at once. Something I didn't feel at all during captivity

I'd had feelings for Keith in a different way before the mission, he was like a lost puppy, hungry for interaction, but starved so long he didn't know how to be social. Something I realized, after we became paladins of Voltron, that I had helped him with on earth. Suddenly that complex of being a mentor fell away after a few months. This Keith was older, still starving, loyal to a fault to those he cared about, and sometimes so blunt it was ugly. That feeling of nothing more than someone Keith had to look up to, fell away and I was suddenly very smitten.

Keith was too young then, and I....well I hadn't looked at him that way at all. Now I have him to thank for my recovery, he soothes my nightmares and flashbacks with wordless cuddles and holds me so close that I just feel so much more human. On the nights he doesn't wake up to help with an episode, or I can't sleep, I've discovered something else, or someone else who makes me feel just as human as Keith does. Lance.

                I decided enough was enough and quickly made my way over to the training room. When the door slid open I came face to face with a pile of metal parts, some still flickering with electricity. Coran was gonna have his hands full later on. However, Keith nor Lance were anywhere to be seen. Keith's bag was on the ground, he must have been here. Running a hand through my hair I breath out as thoughts race through my head. Keith probably said something and Lance got offended, wouldn't be the first or last time.

            Walking out of the training room, and down the hall towards the bedchambers I heard voices, Keith and Lance, it's unmistakable. I get closer and I noticed immediately Lance had red streaks running down his face, he had been crying. I looked over to Keith and let out a sigh. My hand found it's way to Keith's shoulder to alert him I was there and Lance looked up at me, while he had cried earlier, he was smiling now, cheeks dusted pink. I glanced at Keith, quirking a thick brow questioningly, but didn't say anything otherwise. "What's going on here." I asked to no one in particular, just in case Lance wanted to be the one to speak.

             Instead of Lance, Keith spoke up. "Lance agreed to train with us, but not tonight. I think he's trained enough for one day." At that comment, Lances face seemed to contort into a look of absolute confusion, his eyebrows were raised and his lips parted. It was a very cute look for their blue paladin, one I wouldn't mind seeing again. Lance was going to say something at first but his mouth closed and he smiled ever so slightly. Another good look, a genuine smile no matter how big or small from Lance was contagious.

               "Then tomorrow we can train before breakfast?" I asked looking into those icy blue eyes I've found myself and Keith talking about on a daily basis. Icy blues in which widened in shock, and he squawked out a contest. "Before breakfast! Shiro I know you like the military discipline but jeez that's early my man!" Keith chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Then you'd better get to sleep, I know how you feel about your beauty sleep." I snorted at Keith's words which earned a huff of annoyance, but a smirk upon Lances face. "So you admit I'm beautiful, oh no no, don't say anything, I'll just have to make sure I'm extra beautiful for tomorrow's training, where I'll kick McMullets butt!" And with that the door slid closed and Keith snickered a bit behind his hand.

              "You made him cry?" I asked and Keith froze immediately, looking guiltily at the ground. "I did yeah, didn't mean to." My hand reached out again to grab his and I pulled him down the hard to our room at a gentle pace. "It's okay, whatever you did afterwards obviously settled the matter. He's going to spend time with us, and hopefully we can see how he feels about us." I felt him relax and he nodded. "I wanted to hug him back there, take care of him like he does everyone. It's hard, Shiro. I don't do well with this! Feelings suck." He huffed and I chuckled pulling him closer and kissed his forehead.

       I don't even think Lance knows how much he helps when he sits with me on the observation deck, staring up at the countless constellations, ones not discovered by Earth quite yet. He doesn't even do much, just talk about things from home, his siblings, him mom, even the Garrison though with less enthusiasm. Everyone appreciates his support, I doubt he even knows he is helping or means to, it looks so natural when he puts Pidge down, the girl overworking herself sometimes smiled on days she got rest. Hunk also liked to have his friend around to taste test or even clean with him. I guess Lance naturally gravitates towards others, comes from his large family.

                 So why, wasn't he training with us? It feels like he avoids us sometimes, but for what reason?

               "Yeah, feelings suck." I whispered to Keith as the door to our room closed. "He's worth it though. Did you see the way he looked at us? He was smiling, Shiro! He smiled and he teased back." Keith practically flung his arms around in exasperation and yet he was blushing very clearly. I sat down on our bed and shrugged off my vest, then ruffled a hand through the white bangs of my hair. "Yeah,  it was beautiful, but why are you so uptight my love?" I asked and beckoned him over, which he responded by stalking over and sat down down next to me. He crossed his arms over his chest then grunted as he leaned over against my shoulder. My prosthetic arms came up and rubbed the raven haired boys scalp, going slow in smooth circles.

               "I'm frustrated because I just need him. I need to know he's okay, he doesn't treat me like the others, he doesn't hang out with me like you, Pidge, and Hunk. He even flirts with the princess and helps Coran more than he interacts with me. Why does he hate me? He's got it in his head that we are some sort of rivals, but truth is I never did anything to him!" Keith ranted and ground his teeth and I sighed softly. "He doesn't hate you, I'm sure he has his reasons, Keith. He probably thinks the same about you. Maybe when we get to know him more he will come out of his shell and you can ask him. Don't do it until he is comfortable though, don't want a repeat of earlier." Keith visibly relaxed after his words and he nodded.

                "You're always the voice of reason, Shiro. What would I do without you?" I chuckle at that and ruffle his hair, further messing it up. "Probably still be a little punk starting fights cause he can't control his temper." Keith let out an indignant huff and yet curled into my side further. "I'm here though. You've grown so much, I'm very proud of you. Also, you landed us a date with Lance." Keith smiled a bit cockily at that. "I learned from the best, even if that best can't tell when he's being flirted with."

            Keith's words were definitely true, Lance didn't know flirting unless he was dishing it out. I hope we can be clear enough without making him uncomfortable. However, I really hope we aren't wrong when we feel connected to him. He is definitely something I can't imagine losing, right up there with Keith. I know Keith feels the same.

Chapter Text

**Lance POV**

              Shiro figured I should start off sparring with Keith. Something about him being closer to my build and weight, which is absolute bull at this point. The dude has way more power than someone his size should have! He's been circling me for the past minute, like he had the last two rounds we sparred, waiting for me to strike first. I made that mistake twice now, not this time. His eyes are always searching, and his body is poised to strike at me the instant I let my guard down. My teeth grind in concentration as I circle him, this is getting torturous. I've lost up until now and another 'pep' talk from Shiro is going to drive me crazy. Even if he's easy on the eyes, there's only so much listening I can do.

               "Will you two stop circling and begin already?" Shiro breaths out, clearly very annoyed with how Keith is still trying to bait me into the first move. Speak of the devil, it's at this moment Keith lunges forward and grabs the front of my training top, successfully grappling me, but before he can throw me, I sweep a leg hard against one of his ankles, and he lets go only to regain balance, but he's not quite back to reality. I take this chance and yank his fist from my shirt and twist his arm behind his back forcefully, and shove it down, locking his elbow in an arm-bar. Shiro covers his mouth to hide the snicker at the string of curses from the red paladin, but I beam proudly towards the larger male, which unfortunately Keith notices and steps on my foot. I shrieked, not a very manly sound I'll admit. Keith shoves me to the ground and pins my hands above my head. He breaths hard, sweat glistening down the strands of his raven colored locks. I squirm to shrimp my way out of his grasp, but quickly realize he has me by the hips, using his knees to keep me there.

                 He smirks at me and I can't help but gulp. Having Keith looking down at me while in this kind of position while his boyfriend is standing not four feet away should scare anybody! This is really beginning to feel like one of those cliche scenes in a movie, except instead of the hulk of a boyfriend interfering, he just stands there with a grin, as he fondly watches his significant other. Whom, by the way, has thighs so strong and attractive it should be illegal.

                 It feels like an eternity but I'd bet only a minute has gone by, when Keith pushes himself up fluidly, and I'm finally out of my daze enough to realize the presence of a strong, calloused left hand in front of my face. Oh. Shiro's asking me if I need help up.

                                                                **Shiro POV**

                   "Hey, need help getting up, Lance?" I ask him with a brow raised curiously. He's been staring at Keith for a while not saying anything, maybe his head was hit during the last move? I place my left hand in front of him, open, palm up to invite him to take it. 

                      He's so pretty. His hair, though short is tousled in one of the most beautiful ways, his lips are soft, thin, but panting all the same from their training. His eyes, oh his eyes. They're far different than Keith's or mine, they're blue, deep and dark, and yet full of life, like an ocean, not in color, but the way there might as well be schools of fish swimming about in them.

                      I'm so distracted by his beauty that I am shocked with the way his palm kneads into mine as he attempts to hoist himself up and off the floor, but he fails mostly due to me forgetting how to function and do my part in pulling him up. He falls and I hear a small "oof" ghost out of his lips. He tries again and this time I'm competent enough to pull him to his feet.

                       He seems equally distracted as I have to steady him with my hands on his shoulder to keep him upright a moment. I don't move away, neither does he in fact, so I take the time to really admire our sharpshooter. His skin is so soft, I feel it with my left pinky as it grazes where his sleeve ends, he really does take care of his skin more than I've ever seen anyone do before. It's amazing really, how soft it feels against my calloused digit, and I can feel him shiver, so I pull back.

                      "Great job you two. Lance, I must say I'm impressed with how you've improved today." I say as I admire them both with the same amount of pride. They're really amazing fighters in their own ways, and I know as a leader it's important to praise when praise is due. "You're an excellent gunman, but I'd like to see your practice with Keith and I more often. Being able to handle long distance fighting is important, but defending yourself against up close enemies is just as important."

                      Lances face lights up with what I can assume is joy, his cheeks are flushed red as well, which I find no small amount of pride in. I've had my suspicions that Lance has had somewhat of a crush on me, if not for the reason I want, he definitely admires me as a leader. It's also fairly obvious Lance might feel left out at times, I would if Hunk and Pidge were my best friends, and they hung out more because of their love of engineering and mechanics. Keith and I also tend to spend more time together, but I'm hoping with this training we can really get him into the circle. Everyone has been improving as a team, but Lance hasn't made an effort, I can't help but feel it's because he doesn't think he's good enough.

                    "Hey, uh, Shiro, you're kinda spacing out man." I hear Lance say, has he been talking this whole time? "Oh, right, sorry Lance did you say something?" Lance looks at me with a kind of worried look as he nods softly. "Yeah, I was just wondering if it's okay if we go get some lunch now? We've been training for hours and I'm starving! Hunk said he might be able to whip up something that resembles pasta and I really don't wanna miss out!" Keith chuckles behind me and I bet we are both thinking similar things. Cute.

                        "Yes, we should all head to lunch and fuel up. Oh and Lance?" I ask and the brunette turns around to look at me as he had already been turning to leave. "I would really like it if you came to spar again tomorrow." I said and left it open for him to accept or decline himself. I want him to realize that I want him there. The sooner we get him comfortable away from home and part as the group, the sooner Keith and I can court him.

                        "Oh! Yeah, sure Shiro! I'll be there."

Chapter Text

Hello everyone! Wow, I haven't posted since last year!
Okay the joke is overrated, please don't stop reading because of it!

Enjoy some angst my lovelies!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                            ***Shiro POV***

                 Lance has been training exclusively with Keith and I for about a week now. A week is not enough time to develop expertise in hand to hand combat, but he has been improving quickly.  He seems to be coming out of of his hardened shell, at least around us two. He has returned to his lawful banter with Keith, which is better than this self proclaimed rivalry of his, but there is still some tension whenever he is alone with me. I've spoken with Hunk about how he behaved in the Garrison before all this mess. Hunk has told me that back then he was flirtatious, loud, and energetic. Sure, he's been all of those things but during this year especially he's grown in all the good ways, maturing in some aspects, and physically taller.

               There are some negative changes I've noticed, he's become jumpy when he wasn't before, he's grown quiet when he would normally have made a really badly timed joke, and an even more jarring difference has been his lack of socializing. The war must really be getting to him more than we thought, added on top of his already somewhat crippling self doubt. Somehow though, whether it's our training and spending time with him or not, he's been getting better day by day.

               I was just walking down the hallway when I noticed distinct laughter coming from the ship kitchen, and upon further inspection I see Lance sitting on the floor with Hunk doubled over the counter shaking with laughter. It must have been Hunk I heard. Lance was sitting, cross legged on the floor surrounded by what I can only assume is the space equivalent of Earth flour only, it's color was grey instead of white. It's everywhere! There is flour in his brown locks, his nightshirt, his legs are covered with the stuff, even Hunk was splashed by a sea of grey powder.

                "See Lance, that's why we wipe up liquid on the floor! You're covered, man!" Hunk managed to rasp out, voice rough from wheezing so much. "Yeah yeah, I didn't notice I was covered in flour, Hunk, totally didn't even cross my mind whatsoever. I thought this was just clothing glitter." I roll my eyes at Lance's sarcasm it my mouth can't be stopped from quirking upwards in the corners. It's a good sight to see Lance with Hunk again, they used to cook together all the time after Coran let Hunk start making more pleasant foods than the alternative, disgusting food goo.

                   I chuckle as I enter the kitchen, heading towards the mess with arms crossed, I can't help but lean down and help him up off the ground. When he stands a grey dust cloud rolls over him and into the air, he coughs and waves a hand to dispel the cloud. When it clears I also apparently can't help but stare. In front of me is a beautifully tanned Cuban, with smudges of grey along his cheek, it's such a large contrast to his skin ton that it sticks out. Without thinking, my thumb wipes the residue off, only to crinkle my nose in disgust when I realize it stuck to him because of some unseen substance.

                The sound of laughter invade the space and he smiles at me. "Space butter." Is all he says before I can't help but burst into laughter right alongside Hunk who has started again. Sure, I've laughed before, but the look Lance gives me is of pure pride, like he's proud to have been the one to make me laugh. Once I calm down I smile down at him, he's only a few inches shorter than me, it feels natural. I reach my hand up to his face and click my tongue. "You're a mess, you should go shower."

               That's when I notice something change drastically, from happy to suddenly almost brooding, the Cubans smile looks almost fake, like he's struggling to keep it up, has he been waiting to bolt all this time? He steps away from me like he's been burned and nods his head too fast. He looks like he's unsure of what to say, was it something I said? Did I sound condescending?

           "Yes sir, I'll get right on that, then I'll clean up the flour." With that, he bolted like if he didn't do it fast enough he would be in trouble. I frown and look over to Hunk who looks just as shocked as I did, our eyes meeting with the same kind of concern. I was about to say something when I hear faint cursing down the direction Lance ran, so naturally I started jogging down the hallway.

            As I get closer to the paladin bedrooms, I notice Keith sitting on the floor looking dumbfounded, and also fairly angry. "What the hell Lance! Where are you even going that you need to bull doze your way through people?" He yelled as his face was bright red, mostly from confusion and embarrassment of being shoved to the floor in the first place. I know Keith, he doesn't realize or know what to actually say or do so he resorts to raising his voice.

            "Keith not now, go to the kitchen and help Hunk clean, I have to do something." I say after lifting him up and pointing the ravenette towards the kitchen despite him knowing where to go. I want him to get the point he shouldn't be here and he nods, seeming to understand there's a problem.

          I look towards the blue paladins doorway, which has just whooshed closed, he probably stopped to make sure Keith wasn't hurt before hurrying inside. I run my hands over my face to try and calm myself before I slowly walk up to the door and knock. The door slides open, and I'm face to face with a puffy eyed Lance. He hasn't cried, but it looks like he is about to, he has a vice like grip on his arm, turning sun kissed skin white around his knuckles and where said hand is gripping. I can see that he's visibly trembling and it's heart breaking to say the least.

        Just as I'm about to reach out and pull him closer to me I'm stopped by one of those fake smiles, he's trying so hard to keep himself composed, why? Was it really what I said? "Lance, are you okay?" I whisper to him, finally making good on my motion and placed two firm hands on his shoulders, locking him into place in case he tries to bolt again. He seems to relax at my words, which is a scary thought, has he been worried I was angry at him? What could I possibly be upset at him for right now?

         "Can I be alone now, Shiro?" He whispered back and all I wanted to do was hold him closely. "I don't think that's a good idea, Lance." I say, bringing a hand up to wipe at the tear that finally made it down to the apple of his cheek. "I think you've been alone for long enough." At my words he snaps his eyes up to mine, trying to read what is inside, he must not have found what he was looking for, because he started pushing my away.

         "Shiro I'm tired, I'll come out to train in a little bit, promise, but I want to be alone now. You don't have to stay with me, I'm an adult. Go find Keith or something I don't know what you do when you're not being all leaders, just to do it, I'm fine, just, please?" He pleaded with me, fisting my shirt as he tried to physically move me from the doorway. I frown deeply and try again to reach for him. " Lance I want to help, let me help. It's not good for you to be alone so much, we need each other, we need to bond with each other, this is a family now, Lance, and we want you so badly to be in it!" I say, whining mentally, my voice raising more than I really want it to in this moment.

         "Yeah, I know that already, okay? I know I'm supposed to get closer or whatever to everyone else, how else are we going to form Voltron, right? I'm trying Shiro! I'm trying to be better, trying the fight better for you already! What more do you want from me? Family is it? We have no family, Shiro, not you,  or Keith, Pidge lost her dad and brother, and Hunk and I? Our families probably think we are dead, Shiro! I don't need you to come in here, and demand I bond with everyone, why does it matter if I'm not good enough for anyone anyway!" My eyes widen as he physically shoves me from the room, and slams him hand against the console, sealing the door shut in front of me.

          I stare at the closed door, all I can see are the tears streaming down his face as he screams these hurtful things into my face. I knew he was having a hard time believing he wasn't good enough, and sure, he and Hunk and Pidge were all liable to get homesick, but to this degree? Where had I as a leader screwed up so badly?

          It wasn't training to form Voltron, I just wanted Lance back, I didn't have a chance to know him before. Now he thinks Keith and I were just trying to strengthen Voltron? I sigh defeatedly and walk back to my room, where Keith is sitting on the end of the bed looking up at me. His eyes are wide, and he looks just as empty as I feel. "I, well I heard, it was hard not to hear it." Keith said and I nodded in understanding, surely everyone heard the outburst, sound travels well in an empty castle.

          "God, Keith, where did this all go so wrong?" I say, shoulders shaking but I refuse to let myself cry right now, I need to figure out what to do to help our beloved blue paladin. "He's just. Well you heard him, Shiro. He just doesn't realize what we are doing, he doesn't realize that we want him, and I don't mean just you and me because yes Shiro I would love to have him, but I know everyone wants him back. We all miss him. Before we can even dream of having him like that, he has to know we all love him." Keith said, rubbing his arms like it was chilly in here, I go and sit next to him, and he and I embrace, quiet and deep in thought.

         "When did you become so wise, Keith?" I chuckle wryly and he chuckles against my ear. "About the time I let you in. We just have to all get in." Keith finished and I nodded, kissing his temple. "He just has to see the truth."

Chapter Text

  *HunkPOV*

        Since the incident with Shiro and Lance the other day, I've noticed a massive change in the dynamics of our team. This totally sucks because I was so sure Lance and Keith we're getting along. Even if that did mean they beat the living snot out of each other in the training room. Luckily Shiro has been around to play mediator every time he gets a chance. They're way too intense for me to even try to keep things civil.

        Lance was doing so well, hanging out and eating with us again, but I guess something must have happened. He hasn't said anything to me, and I doubt he's said anything to Pidge. He's still of really talking to Shiro, and Keith, well, that's not a very good situation either. Which is weird because it feels like it's entirely Lance doing the separating. Keith and Shiro keep orbiting around him like he's the sun on a hot day in Cuba, that's a phrase Lance once used. Speaking of Lance, I've decided a little 'R&R' would be totally refreshing, not only for him, man! All these training exercises and actual battles are grueling.

       "Hunk, my man, my big beautiful man, what is that amazing smell?" I chuckle in the back of my throat, watching as the sweaty Cuban comes waltzing into the dining room. He must have been training, he's got a towel over his head, cheeks flushed still despite his best efforts to cool down. "Smells like Christmas!" He exclaims and suddenly abandoned the towel on the tile floor to probably be forgotten until someone slips and falls on it.

        "Yeah, I was trying out something new. While it's still food goo, I've tinkered with the system to add some ingredients from the last planet!" I chirp cheerfully, holding out the sludge with little specks of fruit floating around inside the gelatinous mound on the dinner saucer. Lance pokes a spoon at the eerie sight, suspicious of the ingredients. Still it must have smelled good enough because once he popped the spoonful in his mouth his eyes lit up. "Is that what I think it is?" He asked incredibly excited, a nice change in scenery as of late.

        I reply with a gin and quick nod, " it sure is, mashed potatoes and stuffing...or well, what I could find that somewhat resembled the flavor, I don't think it's possible to make the real thing without really cracking down on figuring out what's toxic and not. So I guess we have to get used to wonky textures." Lance just stares at me and chuckles lightly to himself. "You're insane, genius boy. This tastes amazing! What's the occasion?" He asks and takes another greedy spoonful. "Well, I mean, everyone's working so dang hard recently. Sure Shiro has a good pep talk up his sleeve, but I figured a nice home cooked meal would be helpful, while it's only food goo, herbs I think, and spices."

        "Dude! It's so good, everyone's gonna love it, 'only food goo, herbs, and spices'. Yeah right, it's totally amazing bro. You're so talented." Lance said with a faint smile and I couldn't help but have to turn away bashfully. Lance may be blind to his own talents, but praise from him feels so genuine. Everyone could probably agree, even the resident gremlin.  I look back at him and give him a friendly wink and punch on the arm, not hard enough to hurt, but just enough to send him back a bit. "I didn't figure out how to make a meal, but I do know that these weird space potato things from the last planet can make decent potato chips. You know the planet with the fish bird people." I say, and Lance looks at me confused. "Hunk, buddy, that was the last planet we went to, I'm pretty sure I'd remember. It's still fresh." I rolled my eyes at the comment before grinning mischievously toward the blue paladin.

        "Oh, are you sure you don't remember the planet because that one fish bird lady tried to feed you her already processed lunch?" Lance looked absolutely scandalized, gasping and pointing at me. "You're one to talk, you had to stop half way through dinner to throw up in Keith's helmet!" He returned, and I groaned at the memory.

"Well it was gross, Lance!"
"Well why did you bring it up?"
"Lover boy Lance almost got fed mouth to mouth by a weird alien lady!"
"Hey! I'll have you know she was very attractive according to her culture!"

        Our playful bickering carried on all through the process of making our space chips. They were bright green, rivaling the color of Pidge shirt, but looked edible enough. Lance sprinkled on the last of the salt like crystals when the rest of the group showed up for dinner. Lance and I set the table for everyone, and I couldn't help but smile at the way Lance hopped on one foot when I was going around the corner of the table. He looked much better than he had the days before, and I noticed a certain couple of paladins eyeing the show as well. Yuck, bedroom eyes.

         Pidge was the last to arrive, looking disheveled as always, glasses in her hand, she must have just woken up for dinner. She stopped in her tracks, eyes not focused as she just put her glasses on. She looked around the room and looked at me, squinting. She sniffed the air, and a bright smile appeared, looks like my hunch on a palette change was correct. She sniffed the air over and over again as she took a seat, and Keith hummed as he looked before him at the chips, Shiro however looked at the food goo, which Coran complained wasn't the same as his original. Shiro turned to Lance who sat beside him and smiled softly at him. I've only seen this a handful of times towards Lance or Keith, or when one of the others, myself included did something exceptionally good. The black paladin exhaled looking at Lance with that smile, and grabbed Keith's hand on his other side.

"Smells like Christmas."

Chapter Text

  *PidgePOV*

        Hunk asked me a couple of hours ago to spend some alone time with Lance. I haven't really noticed how much this war was affecting him until he started deteriorating before our eyes. I'm not sure if he even knows how much he's changed. Sure, we weren't exactly close at the Garrison, but I've grown to call him a friend, a good friend. He's always watching out for me, when I won't sleep he comes in and stays with me until I do. Which is annoying as all heck because I'm trying to keep an eye out on the universe for more sounds and information on where the Galra are. Also, Matt.

        I've lost one brother, I won't lose another one.

        Lance and I used to play this fun game a while back, but now we haven't had as much time for goofing off. I invited him to lay the Mario Kart like game after dinner and he agreed. So I've set it up in the lounge room, where Coran helped me figure out how to fix up the display screen to work with our games. The game isn't exactly like our Earth counterpart, but the close enough and we still get just as competitive.

         "Ha! Eat that Pigeon!" Lance yelled triumphantly as his character shot mine with some kind of ball, knocking me behind him on the board. I grunt in response and whoop right back at him when he slips in a puddle, putting him back a few vehicles. Lance groans out loud and keeps playing. My tongue is sticking out in thought and when the game is finished we both lost to the CPU. "Well, I still came in before you so, that makes me the winner." I trail off whatever else I was going to say when I noticed his eyes were downcast and he was staring at his remote. I put mine down and scoot closer, taking my blanket with me. "Lance?" I ask softly, growing concerned, what happened, we were having fun just seconds ago? Is it because he lost? Couldn't be, I lost too.

        Lance slowly met my eyes and he huffed a small smile, that's different. "Everyone's been so nice to me recently." As he said this I frowned and pressed up against his side. "Why wouldn't we be? We're a family now." He nods thought, his smooth tan hand both dainty and calloused grabs onto my smaller one. He speaks gently as he replies, "Shiro said the same thing not too long ago. Up until now, I've felt real lonely. My family back home was all I had growing up. All I needed was right there in front of me, and while I feel honored and terrified to be in this war, all that familiarity was ripped away."

        "Lance, you say you feel honored to be a part of this, but you seem so unsure of yourself. You're doing you're best, we will make it home and you'll see your family again." I paused and he frowned squeezing the hand he still had captured. "You'll get to be with your brother and parents too, on Earth." Lance said, it sounded like a firm promise, but also like he was avoiding my first comment. "I'll try harder for the team, to be stronger." He said and I grunted pulling him into a hug. He tended up for a second, but melted into my body. "You are really good at being dumb. You're doing great already, stop trying to ignore yourself. You're my brother too." I say, trying to hold back my tears, but they eventually just spill anyway, gross.

        "I have a feeling none of you guys are gonna let up. First Keith, Shiro, Hunk, and now you? You all seem so much stronger than me, and closer to each other." He sighed, looking defeated but not so much in a bad way. "At first I thought it was to improve our tactics, but it's hard to feel bitter when being close to you guys really feels good. I'm sorry you guys have been focusing on me so much." I laugh wetly at that and pull away to look at him better. "You're a goofball sure, reckless sometimes, but you're a really talented member of this team, I'm younger than all of you so I understand feeling like you're not as good as everyone else. We all bring something to the team, and you're the self sacrificing idiot that we all love. Stop pulling away, we need you. I need you."

        He looks shocked and his lip quivers as he wipes a newly damp eye. " I want this. To be able to talk to you, and the others if they want me to," lance replied and I nodded, smiling as I wipe my face of the wetness there. " We do want you, Lance. You'd better talk to Keith and Shiro by the way, I'm sick of the stupid lost puppy looks on their faces, how you all can be so freaking dense is beyond me." The older boy chuckles and stands to his feet, he turns to the door and opens it. "I'll go do that now. Thanks Pidgey."

"Oh, and Lance?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell anyone about this snot fest and tears, there are no laws of murder floating in this void."
"Gotcha"
___________________________

                                                                       *LancePOV*

        I make my way down the hallway towards Keiths room. While Shiro is more calm, he's still larger than life to me, and I'm a little more than intimidated. Keith seems like a safer choice even if he is emotionally constipated. As I near his room I think about what exactly I want to say, I feel bad that I may have misunderstood their intentions. I knock on the door and within seconds it is opening, revealing a sweaty post workout mullet head.

         "Oh, Keith, I just wanted to talk. Do you have a minute?" I ask, nervously wringing my hands in front of me. Keith looks at me confused, but smiles and moves aside so I can enter his room. I sit down on his bed and he stands in front of me, arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow raised. "Well?"

         "I wanted to apologize I guess. Y'know, I've been a bit self absorbed and trying to be better that I think I might have gotten mixed messages. I thought you and Shiro wanted me to train so we could bond and form Voltron easier." I say all this, still nervously fidgeting with my hands, that's when I notice him kneel in front of me, hands grasping mine, as he looks at me with concern. "Lance no, we wouldn't. We just, you haven't, what I'm trying to say is we want to get to know you. Me and Shiro, we want to be around you because you're important to us. Shiro made me promise not to say anything for now, but I want you to know we are here for you, though Shiro is a lot better at feelings and talking than I am." Keith blushed a little at the end of his statement, and honestly that's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

        "I want to try to get to know you guys too. I want to be closer to everyone, I just don't see myself as good as you guys. I shouldn't see myself that way but I'm getting better, I'm gonna try. I just came to apologize, I may have said some things to Shiro." Keith nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "I heard, you should talk to him about it though, he would like to clear himself up too I think.

"Thanks Keith, I'll do that later. For now, thanks for listening to me.

"Anytime, sharpshooter."

Chapter Text

                                                                  *LancePOV*

        I got up early come morning to meet up with Keith and Shiro in the training room. It's been a few days since Keith and I had our little chat, and I haven't gotten a chance to be with Shiro alone. Not that I haven't tried, the dude is just really busy. I suppose it has to do with the Princess needing him to discuss strategies or some leader stuff like that. Point is, I haven't gotten to make it up to him yet, so I made up my mind to pull him aside before training.

        "Hey, guys! Before we start, would it be okay if I talked to Shiro alone for a few?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck as a distraction from my nerves. My hands are really clammy, which is gross, and totally uncool, but can you blame me? The man is a sight to behold. I notice Keith look at me, a wave and a nod is what I receive from him. Never mind the slight smirk on his lips, guess he figured out what I needed to say to his boyfriend, which is good I guess. I can finally clear everything with Shiro, not that Keith was sworn to secrecy or anything. Knowing him though, he finds my lack of poise amusing so he probably intentionally didn't say anything to the duel haired man.

        "Oh, sure Lance," Shiro replied and walked past me and into the hall. I followed him pretty close behind, trying to figure out the exact wording I could use. I guess an apology would be best right off the bat.

        "Listen, I wanna say sorry for what happened the other day. It was uncalled for, you were just trying to look out for me. I guess I just got spooked or something. I guess it's not a secret I'm not the most confident person out there." I say all this in practically one go, wringing my hands in front of me. "And well, I apologized to Keith too, and he may have said that you guys actually wanted to be around me. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I'm trying so hard to be a good paladin, but I like the thought of teammates. " Shiro held up a hand and I clamped my mouth shut, eyes looking at him for any sign of a misstep. "Lance." His eyes were so soft the way he said my name. It warmed my chest in a good way, making me feel soothed with the deep rumble. 

        "I should say I'm sorry too, because I rushed into it playing Superman, and I'm sorry. I got so happy you were hanging out with Hunk, and what you guys did together in the kitchen the other day, that was special. You're a beautiful and vital part of our team even if you don't realize it. I should have helped you see it sooner. You're like the adhesive that pulls everyone together. Without you Pidge would probably never sleep and rest, and Hunk would be a nervous wreck. Well, I know Keith really likes the way you push his buttons and egg him on." Shiro's gaze followed my hand movement and I soon felt warm fingers envelope mine as he held them. "To me, you're human and you smile and laugh so much. Especially when the time would not call for laughter, you make things just a little brighter. It's what the universe needs, what Voltron needs, and what I, me and Keith, need. "

        I choked on a sob I didn't know was coming, I took a hand away from him to wipe my eyes and I groan bitterly. "Hey stop that. I forgive you guys, you didn't know what was going on. I've been too scared to tell people I was feeling so worthless. Now I'm ugly crying, mullet brain is gonna laugh at me." Shiro bursts out into laughter from that comment. It's a nice sound, one that isn't heard nearly enough, not in this war at least. He laughs, clutching his side, hits prosthetic finger comes up to wipe a tear from his eye. "Figured you'd make a big deal about that, Lance. But, I forgive you too. I think we have a lot to learn from each other. Speaking of, let's go and train with Keith, then I think the three of us have a conversation to have."

        "Yes, sir," I say with a salute, earning a beaming smile from the man who has been my hero for years now. We both enter the training room, Keith is up against the wall next to the door. He's twirling his Marmora blade in his hand smirking softly. "I wouldn't make fun of you for crying, Lance. I already have plenty to tease you about," Keith laughed, and I sent him a playful glare. "Hey! Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop?" A glance at Shiro revealed a chuckling mess, shoulder shaking as he tried to contain the sounds with a hand.

        "No obviously not," Keith replied, "I have a mullet brain, remember?" This causes Shiro to lean against the wall, wheezing out what sounded like 'we need to train'. "Whatever, Samurai, lets get training. I wanna eat!" As we finally calm down, we head to the middle of the floor for our usual training routine. It feels different now though, it feels new, calm, and also exciting. Something I've never felt towards training before, but with them, my new family, it feels good.  If Shiro grabbed on a little too long, or if Keith brushed against my skin more noticeably, no one said a thing, we didn't have to. That was for later, to figure things out. For now, though, we will let our feelings take over.

       Everything seems too good to be true.

Chapter Text

We never had a chance to even finish our training. The alarms sounded, ones specifically designed to blare throughout the ship to warn of approaching Galra. Keith, Shiro, and I bolted down the hall and immediately headed to get changed. My Paladin armor was left in my room, so I watched briefly while the Black and Red Paladins ran down the hall together. While we all were practiced when it came to slipping our armor on, I was still the last to arrive to the hangars. Everyone was already in their respective lions, Allura still hadn't commend in to tell us what was happening, but the hangar doors were already opening, meaning it was urgent enough to have immediate action.

         The sound of individual communicators started to buzz into my ears, and soon enough Shiro was barking out orders to start flying. The sounds of metal claws bounding off the floor was nearly deafening every time, but I hardly noticed it this time around. It was strange that Allura hadn't started speaking yet, normally she or Coran would give us some sort of debriefing, or tell us what we were putting ourselves into. However, all we could hear for the time being was the sound of Shiro telling us to go, Hunk whimpering, and Pidge doing nothing but breathing, though I could tell she was deep in thought. I think we all were.

         Keith was the first to vocalize what everyone else was thinking, "Allura, what's going on?" All I heard was static, our individual breaths, and nothing all at once. There was no Allura, no Coran, just a faint buzzing and crackling. That's when we all started to panic, we could see the outline of a Galra ship, probably one of many since it wasn't a main vessel. We noticed nothing else, however, so naturally we began to move, confronting the enemy head on.

           "It's alone, for now anyway," Shiro responded when no one else did," if we form Voltron now it might be a waste of energy." That was true, forming Voltron against a single vessel wasn't really necessary, very overkill, and if they weren't the only ship around we would need to form Voltron then. Still, there was no reply from Allura,  or Coran, and that alone was unsettling. What was even more unsettling was how the Galra ship was not moving. There was no sign of attack, or that anyone on board knew of our presence. That would be impossible, we are in giant robotic space lions, the sworn enemy of the Galra, they'd surely noticed us.

             "There's no one on board that vessel," Allura's voice suddenly broke through the silence we'd been getting from her. "That is an ancient war ship, from thousands of years ago. It's empty, but it might still be connected to their main ships. If we can get on board and find the black box, we may be able to find out more about their tactics," that was Coran, I could picture him twirling the ends of his mustache as he spoke, thoughtful expression upon his face.

               "Alright, everyone prepare to breach the ship, Hunk, do you think you could pry open the hatch." Shiro is always so clear headed, it's comforting. Hunk agreed, and already started to move towards the ancient battle cruiser. Suddenly this deep purple lightning like currents surrounded the Galra vessel. The yellow lion, jolting and rattling as she was caught by the currents, then was promptly shoved back a few meters. Yellows eyes powered down, leaving the yellow paladin in darkness. "Hunk!" I screamed, eyes wide and body suddenly shaking with shock. My best friend didn't respond immediately, everyone was shouting choruses of panicky "Hunk"'s and "Say something"'s. My lips admittedly spoke more than anyone else. My palms were sweaty as I gripped the control panel and made a move to push Yellow back into the hangar bay, but was stopped by a flash of red, and big yellow eyes staring at me through the screen. Keith came between us, making me growl in anger.

                "Keith! Let me get to him!" I demanded, slamming a fist on the panel in my rage. Blue purred into my mind, trying to calm me, but all I saw was red, and not that of the color of our paladin. My best friend, before all of this space none sense was not responding, had probably been electrocuted, and Keith of all people was standing in my way. "We don't know if the current is still active, don't you know anything about electricity?" Keith hissed out, but I could hear the worry in his voice.

             "He should be fine so long as Yellow isn't touching the force field around the ship anymore," Pidge spoke up and that lead to Keith clearing his throat but he didn't move away from me. "Lance, Keith, Pidge go back to the castle for now. I'll get Hunk taken care of. Coran, prepare a healing pod just in case. Allura, I'm sure you already know, we need to regroup and approach this a different way when we know what we're dealing with." I flinch as Keith goes to push my lion with his, towards the hangars, wanting to escape him and go to Hunk. In the end, I ended up at the hangar, sitting in Blue's seat, staring blankly at the floor.

              Blue tried to reassure me, it was hard to think about how Hunk might not be okay, what if he was seriously injure, or worse? No one heard anything from the Black or Yellow Paladin after Shiro's orders. Orders I didn't want to obey, but I know I couldn't be hurt too. We would be sitting ducks, that's for sure, with two paladins down. I'm always the one injured, I'm used to this, but Hunk, sweet loving Hunk isn't the one who usually is injured. Shiro, I wonder what he's feeling. He was the one to give the orders, any good leader might feel responsible and in a way he was. He was responsible for a bunch of inexperienced soldiers, when he himself was the same, this isn't fair.

            I'm disrupted from my thoughts when a voice calls up to me, I can't really hear what they're saying, but I know it's Shiro. I don't want to leave Blue, but I know they might have some information about Hunk. I sigh, and stand up, remove the helmet from my head and leave the safety of my lion. Keith is here too, not surprising, though he looks uncomfortable with his arms crossed, and head angled away from me. I wonder what he's thinking.

           "Hey guys, is Hunk alright?" I try to smile, though it's a little wobbly, and my voice is a little hoarse from the yelling I'd done earlier. This probably is what got Keith's attention as he finally looks up at me. He looks, well, constipated like he usually does when he's not sure what to do in emotional situation. It's an endearing quality once you've gotten to know the guy. Shiro looks exhausted, but otherwise not in distress which probably means Hunk is not in the worst case scenario.

             "Hunk is resting, he's not exactly injured just extremely tired from being shocked. According to Coran, Yellow absorbed most of the damage and needs repairs. Hunks probably gonna be out for the night though. If you want, we can go see him, Pidge is in his room already." Shiro places his hand on my shoulder and I can't help but relax visibly. "Good, I wish, I wanted to help more. If I'd have been faster-" but I was cut off. It happened extremely fast, one minute I'm talking to Shiro, the next I'm being pressed firmly against a black shirt, with black gloves hands gripping the back of my armor. Oh, I'm the only one still wearing armor. Wait, what? Keith was pressing me against him, my face shoved into the crook of his neck, which meant my legs were a little bent because I'm just slightly taller than him, but he'd pulled me down into an embrace so hard I couldn't fight it.

                "Hunk's fine, you self sacrificing idiot. You better be grateful I saved your ass. If you got hurt too, I'd kill you myself." I could tell he was serious, because he gripped me tighter at the end. He's hugging me. Keith Kogane is hugging me right now. I still haven't wrapped my mind around it, when I feel cool metal fingers in my hair, ruffling my short brown locks just slightly. Shiro's here too. "What Keith is trying to say is, it wasn't preventable, one of us would have ran into it, it just happened to be Hunk. If anyone's to blame it's me, I sent him there, but even then our ship didn't detect a field." Shiro spoke softly still, running his hands in my hair, and Keith, well, Keith hadn't let go.

                   It's then that I felt the pent up tears finally drip down onto the apples of my cheeks, Keith still didn't move and Shiro used his flesh hand to wipe some of them off. Nobody said anything, and for once I let myself just be in the moment. There I was, being cradled by Keith, while his boyfriend, our amazing leader, wiped my tears away and comforted me. Hunk was okay, and nobody got seriously hurt this time around. We could regroup and try again later, and next time we will be stronger.

            "I wanna go see Hunk." That's all I had to say before Keith the human octopus let me go and together we walked out of the hangars and towards our rooms. We didn't say anything else, not until we got to the door we were looking for, then Shiro stopped me just as I went to enter. "Keith and I are going to rest, we would like to see you when you're ready, we have some important things to ask you. We will be in my room." That's when they walked away, and I smiled as Keith waved at me.

Sighing, I opened the door to Hunks room, and sure enough there Hunk was, laying on his stomach and snoring as loudly as I could remember. His neutral colored blanket draped not on his body, but wrapped around the little leech on the floor next to him. Pidge was hunched over typing away at her laptop, glasses sliding down her nose. I smile at the sight and wordlessly sit next to her. I lay my head down on the end of his bed, and there I stayed, being lulled to sleep with the sounds of Hunks snoring, and the tip tap of a busy keyboard.

Chapter Text

*Lance POV*

It wasn't very long until Pidge woke me up in order to let Hunk rest, which was fine by me seeing how the floor was only comfortable for so long. My rear end was sore, and my feet had some fuzzy sensations running through them. So I stood up, without the help of Pidge, rude, and made my way to my room. There I changed into some soft sweatpants I had, and a clean blue shirt. This shirt was one we had picked up on some planet with a mall, the inside was lined with soft material, made from some sort of silk worm I had never seen before, but it rivaled the softness of his sister's chinchilla.

I miss them. My family has always been a massive part of my life, and having them so far away was extremely hard. Then again, it's good none of them got stuck up here instead of me, I wouldn't be able to handle that situation, I wonder if the Garrison ever told them I went missing. Pidge seemed convinced they wanted to keep things under wraps, they had after all hidden things from everyone concerning Shiro, and of course Mr.Holt and Matt. They'd just been written off as dead, so did the Garrison tell anyone we were dead? I wonder what the food at my funeral was like, did they have a joint one?

If they had, Shiro wouldn't have been grouped with us, and for some reason that thought really really hurts. He's our leader, my leader, he's a very important part of my life now too. Oh right, Shiro and Keith want to talk to me.

I grab the thin comforter off my bed and wrap it around me burrito style, and promptly hit the door to open. I step out into the hallway, pads of my feet making a sticky kind of 'tad' sound against the floor as I make my way to Shiro's room. I've been here before, a few times to hang out. Keith and Shiro have been trying to spend more time with me, which is nice. Everyone has, Pidge, Hunk, Keith, Shiro, even the Alteans! Keith and Shiro's time has been more enjoyable though, they train me and push me, but it makes me feel equal for once. Training with them has helped me understand that I'm not the only one who is struggling. Sometimes Keith doesn't know how to handle situations, Shiro can also get overwhelmed, we complete and compete with each other so well. Sometimes Shiro seeks me out to nap with him ever since he opened up about his PTSD. Keith usually joins us, and if he thought it was weird his boyfriend cradled me a little too tight, he didn't say anything.

So I'm not nervous, behind this door are two of my best friends, two people I can trust with my everything and more, there's no room for nerves. I open their door and it slides with a swoosh and there reading something on a holopad is Shiro, leaning comfortably on the bed. Keith is sitting on the single chair in the room, sliding a sharpening stone he found in a market on one of the many planets against a sword I hadn't seen yet. Must be a new one.

Both of them stop what they're doing, and abandon their projects in order to smile and beckon me in, which I happily oblige in doing. The door shuts behind me with an identical swoosh, and I plop myself on Shiro's bed between where he is leaning, and where Keith is sitting in the chair. "You wanted to talk to me about something?" I ask and briefly wonder if it had to do with my little breakdown in Blue. Keith grins and nods looking at Shiro. That's a different look so see on the samurai. He looks boyish and damn cute like that. "Right, well first is Hunk still holding up good?" Keith asked, and I can't help but smile. "Yeah, it's goin' good, he's still sleeping, but my butt hurts from sitting on the ground so long," I complained with a pout on my lips. Shiro chuckles, slightly making the small bed rock in rhythm with it. "Well maybe you shouldn't have stayed so long. To answer your earlier question we do have something to talk to you about." Shiro spoke the end of that more softly than I'd ever heard. I snap my head over to look at him, eyes wide as the blush spreads up his cheeks. Is Shiro blushing, and then I notice Keith in the corner of my eye standing to scoot the chair closer to him.

"Shiro and I are dating." Keith just suddenly blurred out, and I blink dumbly at him. "No shit, Sherlock. You already told everybody," I say flatly, and he grunts, clearly unamused. Shiro takes this opportunity to scoot himself closer too, and he sighed out loud. "Lance, he didn't mean it like that. What he wants to say is, we are together, but there's more. Keith, do you want me to continue or do you want to finish?" Keith sighed, thinking hard for a minute, before looking at me. "Me and Shiro are dating, but I want to date you too." Keith said that with such a determined face and voice, I didn't quite catch what he said. "Wait, what? Date me too?" I say with a confused blink and suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder. "I want to date you too, Lance. He wants to date me and you, while I date him and you, while you date he and I," Shiro, the one who's much better at speaking, clarified and I just stared at them.

"Wait, are you asking me if I want to date both of you?" My head is spinning, but there's so much more happiness swelling inside of me, I feel like bursting with excitement. They both make eye contact with each other, silently communicating before looking at me and nodding. "We are asking if you'll date us," Keith said and looked almost worried. As if I'd say no.

"So, are we a couple now-er-trio?" Shiro snorts and Keith jumped up and pulled me closer."Is that a yes?" Keith seemed so happy asking, as he held me closer. "Of course, Keith, I can't say no to that mullet after all, which is gross to hear coming out of my own mouth," I say fake gagging, earning a huff from Keith but nothing more. I look over at Shiro who is looking fondly at us. "Hey, does that mean I can kiss the mullet?"

"Lance."

Everything seemed perfect.

Chapter Text

*Lance POV*

Things have been going extremely well on my part. I've been spending more time with each of the other paladins. Pidge sometimes wants company while building whatever it is she's building. So occasionally I'll be with her just silently observing. It may be an excuse to take a nap sometimes.

Now, Hunk on the other hand being my best friend for a really long time was never truly hard to get along with. We only recently started drifting apart and now I've been hanging out with him a lot more. We "cook" together and clean up together. It's the same dynamic duo as it always has been.

The Alteans still have been busy but I've stuck around them asking questions. Coran thinks my antics are funny for the most part but Allura still hasn't completely warmed up to me. I think that finger guns might be an insult in Altean culture and she's too proper to tell me.

As for Keith and Shiro, it's been a little more rocky than I thought. Turns out in a polyamorous relationship there's twice the amount of communication. Keith, as everyone who has ever met the faux leather gloves wearing freak of a ninja would know, is exceptionally terrible at communication. This should not have surprised me, considering how long we have spent being rivals. However, it did and that's probably on me, the not expecting things part, not his lack of communication, that's all on him.

I think it frustrates Shiro more than it does me, we have been fighting a lot more recently but it's about really dumb things. Keith wanted me to move all of my stuff out of my room to room with him and Shiro. This wouldn't be a problem if we were on Earth because if there was too little space we could find a bigger apartment or house even, but on a ship in outer space there's very very limited real estate options. Keith got nippy with me, much like a puppy being scolded for the first time when I said no. I like my space, even in outer space saving the universe.

So this leads us to what happened today. I was helping Hunk in the kitchen, more like I watched him and Pidge fix the goo machine, when the mullet head barged in practically knocking me off my seat. I was quick to retaliate, because first of all rude. "Excuse you, Keith, but I was sitting there!" He sneered and got up in my face seemingly ready to rip me a new one like always but he bit his lip, looking into my eyes, "I'm....sorry." I was baffled, he walked away and I stared after him. Hunk and Pidge even stopped their nerdfest to watch the black haired rage ball just walk away like a cool collected citizen.

"Pinch me, Pidge, I think I'm having a stro- OUCH! I didn't mean to actually pinch me." Pidge cackled as Lance rubbed his sore elbow giving her a stink eye. "No seriously, bro that was weird, Keith didn't even yell." Hunk somehow looked terrified and impressed at the same time. "yeah I know, he usually wants to rip my head off if I breath in his direction, its kind of our thing, but that was weird....I'm kind of hurt actually."

I was worried, probably more worried about it than I should have been, he usually was a firecracker, when it wasn't mean it was because we clashed in some fun ways too, but now this was just plain scary. I began thinking what I could have possibly done to deserve such treatment. An apology wasn't uncommon nowadays but it definitely was not the first thing out of my boyfriends mouth. There wasn't a 'well you shouldn't have been there' or even a 'you're in the way'. There wasn't anything. Normally I guess people would be happy but that was very not Keith and I like Keith to be Keith.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna be back..."

"Okay dude, good luck"

I went in the direction of Keith, watching him know I was following him, He'd peak over his shoulder as he went around a corner, like he was waiting for me to follow him. It was unsettling, like he was leading me to my doom, which he just might with that attitude. "Keith! Come on man!" I ran after him. "Lance leave me alone." I was taken aback by that a little." Why? Because I was in your way?" I caught up to him and he leaned against a wall arms crossed and face away from me, we are outside of our, well their room.

"It has nothing to do with that at all." I squint at his face, is that a smirk? "Listen you cocky bastard....what was all this about?" He uncrossed his arms, "you're naïve, so so clueless...." "Okay that hurts a little." I may have healed a lot but I certainly still have my weak moments, and comments like this always sting a little. "Well, Lance, I'm sorry. It's a special occasion."

Special oc-" I didn't have time to finish the statement before hulking arms pulled me from behind and tugged me backwards into the room behind me, I didn't even hear the door swoosh open. I was blinded by bright lights dancing around in multiple colors and directions, the sound of laughter echoing around the room.

As I finally had my eyes reset, I looked on with awe, the whole room was decorated with bright colored streams of paper, lights, there was a table with objects piled on to it, and most of all my entire space family. Pidge and Hunk who were previously in the kitchen had probably made a dash for this room while I was distracted. Allura and Coran where chit chatting before he came in and were now smiling at him. Keith strolled lazily inside and kept smirking to himself.

The pair of huge arms were still there and he looked behind him to see the smiling face of Shiro, holding him close. "Happy Birthday, Lance."

That's when I knew for a fact that home is where the heart is, and this home had stolen mine.