Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defenders. That is proudly owned by Dreamworks and it's lovely creators behind the masterpiece~!

"...Hey, er, guys? I know that you're doing the whole looking into the sunset coolly thing we do. B-But...could someone help me up? Please?"

Keith yelped as he was looking down at the now white haired Shiro looking deadpanned up at the other with an unamused look, as Keith had the decency to look sheepish and the rest laughed a little. Allura was kneeling down and gently picking him up easily in her arms, thanks to her Altean strength. Normally, this would've gotten Lance impressed, but...there was still one factor that still bothered him.

"I-I'm sorry!...I'm so sorry..."

The thing was, Lance wasn't just apologizing to Shiro before.

He was apologizing to the Shiro before him.

His Shiro.

Yes, it was sort of...strange, that Lance had a secret relationship. A relationship with the Black Paladin, himself, Takashi Shirogane (even though that was just a clone of him). Sure, the Cuban male had looked up to him when he started out in the Garrison. But in space together for a while? Lance knew that hero worship turned into fondness and something else. However, the then Blue Paladin didn't do anything at the time, thinking that there was something going on with Keith and Shiro that looked 'more than brotherly' to him, despite the protests from Pidge and the assurance of Hunk that there was nothing going on.

Then, Shiro disappeared again after the first defeat of Zarkon.

And Lance somehow felt hopeless, but he stayed strong...because someone had to. He had to make sure he kept Keith sane, make sure Pidge didn't overwork themselves, to make sure Hunk was calm and Allura not stressed out and Coran to not feel down. Lance had to somehow keep everyone together, even when he himself was falling apart.

And then Shiro came back...and Shiro was once again different.

The now Red Paladin didn't think that he would feel a whiplash of how many sides Lance has seen Shiro, especially the one where he was loudly expressing anger towards him. Sure, Lance knew that at times he got under Shiro's skin with his loud, obnoxious self; but he didn't think he would be warranted into being screamed at for calmly suggesting a few things.

And then...the moment that changed everything.

"Lance...l-let me ask you something,"

Lance tilted his head as he looked back at the unsure Black Paladin for a moment, and raised a brow to signal for Shiro to continue.

"Do you remember on Olkarion, a-and...how you asked me about..." He took a deep breath, looking down at his feet with troubled eyes, "T-talking to you inside from inside Voltron?"

"Yeah?" Lance breathed out, nodding his head as he stepped closer to Shiro.

The salt 'n pepper haired Japanese pursed his lips, then sighed, "What happened there? I can't remember any of it..."

"Well...we were all in some kind of mystical Voltron mindspace," The brunet started to explain slowly, "And you...you were yelling something, but I couldn't hear you...are you okay?" Lance finally asked as he looked up at his leader with worried eyes.

Shiro sighed once more, as he averted his eyes away, making Lance step closer to him.

"I...I don't know," He then closed his eyes, his voice trembling a little, "My head...I'm just...Haa, I'm feeling so confused...I-It's like..."

"Like what?" Lance tilted his head, wishing to reach out and hold the other's hand...or hold him in general.

Shiro kept his eyes away but soon was looking back at Lance with a foreboding yet mysterious look, "...Like I'm not myself..."

Silence followed after that for just a minute, as Lance's eyes softened. He could understand that. After what Shiro has been through, twice might he add, Lance knew that probably there was a lot going on Shiro's head and the stress of the plans with Lotor and now the rest of some other leader Galrans wanting to take Zarkon's place wanting to destroy them and the coalition was taking it's toll on the Black Paladin.

Feeling braver, Lance reached out to touch Shiro's arm, staring into his eyes, "It's just probably lack of oxygen," He reassured lightly with a soft smile, trying to ease the tension in the air, "You should sit down. We'll get through this,"

Soon the Red Paladin was urging Shiro to sit leaning against the hallway walls of the Castle, and once Shiro was sitting, Lance joined him. They sat in silence, but this time the silence was one of comfort.

"Lance?"

"Yes?" Lance piped up and let his blue eyes glance over.

"...I'm really sorry,"

This surprised the Cuban, "What? What for?"

"For everything. For shouting at you, in front of the others...for belitting you when I know you're trying your best to keeping the team steady and calm. I know that you have the team's best interest at heart. It's just...I wish you could trust me a little more," Shiro looked over at him and softened, "I know that some of my actions lately seem...rash, to say the least; and I know you don't trust Lotor. But you have to remember that Lotor is our best lead. It's best that we keep him at bay on our side so that he doesn't try anything funny by himself if we don't keep an eye on him. It's weird thinking, kinda using him like a pawn if he was ruler of the Galra Empire; but when we're at war, we gotta use every asset we can,"

"I know that," Lance sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, "I just...I want the whole team to be included into the decision making; not just you and Lotor. I get it, you are wanting to be on top of everything but you have to remember that you have us. Allura, Coran, Hunk, Pidge...me?" Lance tried to ignore his heart skipping a beat, "We just want to help in any way we can to keep the peace and save everyone from the evil Galra. We trust you...but do you trust us?"

Shiro turned his body so that he was facing Lance, and soon was tilting Lance's chin up, making the blue eyed Cuabn stare up at him with wide eyes, "Of course I trust you guys. Especially you, Sharpshooter,"

Lance almost gasped at the nickname, feeling his face flush.

"I just...I don't want anyone else hurt after the whole Keith almost killing himself by crashing Haggar's ship," Shiro explained, and Lance felt himself freeze at the mention of Keith but relaxed after a second, "And I clearly remembered when Keith was still with the Black Lion and wasn't here for you guys and was instead with the Blade, I...I felt helpless before...All I want is to protect you guys. Want to protect my family...wanting to protect you,"

If he thought he wasn't blushing before, he was now. Lance wanted to cover his face with his hands but Shiro prevented him from doing so by catching his gloved hands. Lacing their fingers together, Shiro leaned his head forward, and Lance felt himself closing his eyes.

Lance came back to reality as Hunk was calling out his name.

"Hey Lance, we're about to head back inside the Lions and get going," The yellow Paladin smiled happily and stretched, "Hey, maybe we could find the nearest space mall on the way and get some space road trip food~"

"Sounds like a plan," Lance bounced back with a smile up, knowing how to place his mask up easily without worrying anyone and causing suspicion.

As the two were walking to their lions, there was one person that wasn't fooled.

"Keith, did you want Shiro to ride with you and Krolia in Black or should he ride with me in Blue? Romelle doesn't mind going in either or..." Allura spoke up as she walked behind her returned leader, and the raven haired paladin tilted his head to her.

"I think Shiro can stay with me and Mom. I know you and Romelle are bonding lately,"

Allura pouted a bit, noticing that Keith looked...teasing. It was something she wasn't used to from her usually broody paladin member.

"W-well alright then. But are you alright? We could always rest here for the night if anything and travel in the morning. With what you and Shiro has been through, and most certainly all the rest of us, we've been through quite a lot,"

"Yeah, but I don't want a chance that maybe a scouting Galran ship might catch us off guard. No, we'll wait until we go to a planet that has civilisation and especially not under the Empire's control," Keith explained as he was then leading Allura to Black and hoping inside, "Besides, we might have to get more supplies up either way anyways. So it's best that we keep on moving,"

"Well that does sound like a good idea," Allura nodded and placed Shiro down in the make-shift cot at the side then softened, "But...are you truly alright?"

Keith raised a brow, then softened, "I should be asking you that, Princess. Er, from what I gathered from Pidge and Hunk, you and Lotor were—"

"Yes, w-well, that's all behind me now," Allura cut off with a stern cold look, but softened again, looking apologetic, "Sorry I...I'm not...comfortable talking about that yet. Maybe some other time when I'm ready,"

"Understood," Keith approached her and then placed a hand onto her shoulder, "I'm always willing to listen when you ever want to talk about it or anything else,"

"Leave the math to Pidge,"

Keith winced inwardly at remembering his words to Lance and would wish he would've said the same thing back then too. Maybe if he was a bit more understanding back then, would it have changed things?

Allura smiled weakly and reached out to hug him, squeezing him tight then chuckled almost wetly, "My goodness, you and Lance both have matured so much now,"

"Lance? Mature?" Keith tried to joke as he pulled back from her.

"It's strange but...while you were away, Lance has been so...so amazing," She breathed out, a soft look in her eyes that made Keith slightly suspicious and Allura must've caught because she laughed, "N-not in the way you think. It's just, it scary that he's more and more acting like my father,"

Keith looked confused, and Allura continued with a wistful look.

"Not only is he physically getting better in fighting shape and becoming a great strategist for the team; he's...very caring to everyone's well being. Even being Shiro's right hand man," She then gave a look to Keith, "But then again, he was a better right hand man when you were in charge back then too,"

Keith scratched his non-cut cheek for a moment.

"Anyways," Allura sighed, "Everytime I felt...scared, confused and mostly like I was gonna break down from stress and many frustrations; Lance was just...always there and knowing just what to say. Even when Lotor was around, Lance was always somewhat my support in everything, even when he had some concerns trusting in Lotor...he still trusted me. It was like being with my father all over again,"

"Allura..." The half Galran breathed out and Allura sniffled, shaking her head.

"I should've listened to him,"

Keith shook his head, "It's not your fault,"

"Allura, it wasn't just you who trusted Lotor. We all did," Lance spoke up with soft determined eyes, as he stepped closer to the Princess, "I had more reason than anyone not to trust him, but he did everything right. He didn't just fool you. He fooled us all,"

Tearing up, Allura reached out and hugged Lance tightly and soon the other Paladin wrapped his arms around her gently, comforting her and closing his eyes.

"Let me tell you, as someone who's made a million mistakes...all you can do is get up and try to make it right," Lance whispered, as he stroked her back gently, "You can't doubt yourself now. We need you. The universe needs you."

"...T-thank you, Lance,"

"...Funny," Allura hummed, "Lance somewhat said something like that too,"

Keith looked at her funny but the Altean royal waved her hand, as she was hearing the comms beeping.

"We should get going, the other's are ready to take off,"

Nodding his head, the now Black Paladin turned to his pilot seat as Allura was stepping out to go to Blue. Sighing, Keith was rubbing his temple at the thought of the blue eyed boy and smiled weakly, eyes fond.

'You and I have to definitely talk when we get the chance,' Keith thought with a deep breath out.

"Well, it seems that you have a lot on your mind,"

"Mom?" Keith glanced up and then blinked, "...How long have you been standing there?"

"The whole time," Krolia shrugged and hummed, "You've always talked and thought about this Lance and yet I never got the chance to talk to him properly,"

"Mom..." Keith groaned, remembering how she had seen everything thought and memory of Lance when they were back in those stupid dark star time loop thing.

"I'm just saying. I want to meet the boy that has caught my son's eyes as mate potential," The woman said again bluntly as Keith turned to glare at her, but she rivalled back her own glare, but sighed, "Fine, fine. I guess I can have a chat with him on our next stop," She soon turned to check on Yorak the Space Wolf and Shiro, leaving Keith alone for now.

Trying not to pout, Keith turned back to face the front and turned on the comms, "Alright team, we ready to go?"

"Yeah!" The rest of the Paladins plus Coran and Romelle cheered, and soon they were taking off into the skies.

Keith relaxed himself once they were soaring through the planets and stars, leaning back as he was letting Black take over for now and glanced back to see Shiro resting in one corner, while Krolia and Yorak were resting on the other side. Although he should be piloting his Lion, he could feel Black's aura telling him he can rest for now, since it's been a long day. Leaning back some more, he soon was closing his eyes and feeling himself drift, already dreaming of a certain Paladin with ocean like eyes sparkling with happiness and pride.

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