Through This Together

Lance looked out into the galaxy in front of him and wondered what his mother was doing back home. Was she cooking? Was she cleaning? Was she spending time with his father by the sea talking about when he'll be coming home? The thought of her anxiously waiting for his return made his heart ache.

Would he survive the war with Emperor Zarkon with his friends? Would he be able to taste her home cooking again with his family? The numerous questions that raced through Lance's mind made him regret ever joining the Garrison and meeting everyone.

And he hated himself for thinking that way.

His team WAS his family now. He had to make sure they got home to their families as well and he couldn't allow himself to think such repulsive thoughts about their friendship. Not after everything they've been through together.

But did that erase the hole in his heart that longed for his family? No. He still longed to hug his mother, he still longed to laugh with his father. And most of all: he longed to hear his family sing together again.

Every other week, they would set up a campfire by the beach and his mother would bring out her guitar. They would take turns singing and at the end of it all, they would close with a cheesy campfire song that made them all howl with laughter. He wondered if they were having one of those campfires right now.

"You OK Lance? You've been quiet for a while over there." Pidge asked as she looked up from her screen. They had been in the control room where you could hear a pin drop from the inactivity. Everyone else was sleeping and even Coran was out and about making repairs on the other parts of the ship with Shiro. Pidge had offered to stay with Lance to keep an eye out for any Galra warships in the area.

But the silence must've tipped Pidge off that something was wrong. "This isn't like you Lance. Normally you'd be talking my ear off, but right now you're as silent as a statue."

"Do you ever wonder what your mother must be doing back home?" Lance asked softly. Not daring to turn his head around to look her in the eye.

The question must've caught Pidge completely off guard because he could hear her voice quiver a bit as she replied, "Sometimes..."

"Our parents must be losing their minds back home. Wondering if we're dead or alive...I know I shouldn't be talking this way, but I can't help it. I miss them and I miss Earth." Lance stated with a quiver in his own voice. Now he REALLY didn't want to look at Pidge because of his own growing tears in his eyes.

He heard Pidge get up from her seat and walk towards him. What was she going to do? Was she going to slap him upside the head and call him an idiot for talking like he was? Was she going to tell him to suck it up?

None of the above.

Instead he felt her arms wrap around his waist as she hugged him from behind. She buried her face in his back and he could've sworn she was shaking. Her hands felt warm and clammy when he covered them with his own. They were silent for a while until Pidge finally whispered, "We'll get through this right?"

"I don't know Pidge. I honestly don't know." Lance replied, stroking his thumb across her hand gently.

Pidge maneuvered herself so she was now in front of him in a tight embrace. She was crying. Did his question about her mother tear down her steel walls? Wow. That made him feel like a insensitive jerk.

"I'm sorry if my question about your mom made you start crying. I'm just really homesick and I should've thought about your feelings before asking that." Lance apologized as he gently rubbed her back .

Pidge shook her head, "That's not why I'm crying idiot."

"Then why're you crying?"

"Because...a certain blue egomaniac is making me worry about him. I'm worried that he'll start blaming himself for things he can't control and it makes me feel like he'll start shutting us out. I can't lose the happy-go-lucky moron I've grown to care about so much to depression...not while I'm facing that darkness myself." Pidge stated as she looked up from his chest and met his wide gaze with puffy red eyes from her silent tears.

Lance lifted his hand from her waist and cupped her cheek. He stroked away a tear from her skin and felt how wet her face was. She was crying because she was worrying about him.

"You know...I think that egomaniac is regretting the fact he can't handle his own emotions. And he's starting to see that he needs to stay strong for his friends and for you too." Lance replied softly.

Pidge smiled at him gently and even gave a small giggle. "Listen to yourself. You're starting to sound more like a knight in shining armor."

"More like an honorable Paladin." Lance smiled back. "I think this war is changing me in ways I couldn't imagine. It's kinda freaky."

Pidge leaned her head back onto his chest with a sigh. "I just hope we'll be ready for the big battle when it comes."

"You and me both."

"Do you think we stand a chance?"

"Individually? No. Together though? Absolutely."

Lance felt Pidge shake a little but he didn't bring it up. He didn't want her whipping out her Bayard and shocking him out of embarrassment.

"Don't make me worry about you. Alright egomaniac?"

"Alright smalls. I won't."

They stayed like that for a while. With Pidge giving him the warmest hug since he left Earth and the encouragement he needed to face his intrusive thoughts. They were going to beat Zarkon. They were going to go home safe and sound. And they would get through this together.