Lance walked in a pool of black water, he had made sure that it wasn't blood. He wandered around, black ripples covering the waters surface as he moved.
Lance wondered if he was dead.
He wondered if anyone missed him.
Tears graced his cheeks as he started to cry. He wondered if Hunk moved on; did they find a new Blue Paladin and did Pidge finally find their family.
He opened his eyes just in time to see a tear drop hit the water.
The second the tear hit the water, the world exploded into blue. Blue water, blue sky with clouds.
Blue.
Like his Lion.
"Lance."
He turned around to see a slender and petite but beautiful woman. She had clearly Altean features, sea blue cheek marks gracing aristocratic cheeks. Caramel colour skin shone in the soft blue light but the aristocratic picture was ruined by navy hair that was pulled in a pair of high pigtails and a mischievous smile graced dark blue lips. A light blue Altean dress clung to her but it split on the sides and allowed her legs to show, no tights were underneath. The Altean look was also ruin by the pair of Hunk hand size lion ears and a long tail that brushed the water.
He knew who this was.
"You're Azul," He said as he slow approached. He didn't want to get any closer unless he was sure that she really was Blue.
Her smile grew into a full-blown grin, "Yes Lance, I am Blue."
That was all Lance needed.
He ran towards her and threw himself into her arms; Blue quickly catching him and holding close as Lance held onto her with all he had. She ran her left hand through his hair soothingly, letting him sob on his shoulder.
"Wh-wh-what happened?" He sobbed, "Am I d-d-dead?"
"No sweet sea, you're not dead but you did get hurt badly," Blue soothed the distressed teen.
Lance pulled away from Blue and looked around, "Then where am I?" He asked as he slowly stopped crying.
"Our mindscape."
Lance looked at Blue like she was loco, "What?"
Blue snorted at his confused look, "This was created when you and I bonded. My last Paladin's and I's mindscape was a forest. Yours is much prettier."
"…You lost me…"
Blue started to laugh and Lance soon joined her.
"Ok it's like this; every Paladin has a unique mindscape and we Lions get to share that mindscape. It allows us to communicate with each other," Blue said once she stopped laughing. Lance stopped laughing and looked at her horrified.
"You mean you know every dirty thought I had of Hunk?!" He shrieked.
Blue started to giggle.
"Yep."
Lance placed his hands over his face, "Dios mio, this is embarrassing."
Blue snorted, "That would be the case if I had seen them," Blue giggled at Lance's face.
"YOU LITTLE IMP!" Lance yelled at her, her laughter filling the air as he beat his fists against her shoulder, "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"
"Yes it was," She purred, "But in all seriousness, I don't look at my Paladin's private thoughts as a personal rule. So, every scandalous thought and every dirty idea you have ever had is safe from me."
Lance huffed but chuckled, "Whew, Dios gracias. You are an evil kitty."
"I live to please."
Lance chuckled for a couple more minutes but he slowly grew quiet and Blue started to get concerned. She knew her Paladin better than even Hunk and she knew that quiet was never a good sign for Lance.
"What is wrong sweet sea?" She asked.
"Blue, can I ask a question?"
"Sure Mar dulce. What's up?"
"What is the Blue Paladin? I mean that the Green Paladin is supposed to intelligent and perspective and the Red Paladin is emotional and the Yellow Paladin is compassion. The Black Paladin is calm and collected but what am I?" He asked as tears started to flow down his cheeks all over again. He lowered his head to prevent Blue from seen him cry.
Blue hated it when her Paladin cried.
It broke her heart.
Blue reached out and gently grasped his chin, pulling it up and showing Lance's face to her.
She would never tell Lance this but Lance was beautiful when he cried. His face was streaked with tear stains and only his eyes and nose were red. Lance had somehow managed to chew his lip into a rich scarlet colour too.
He looked honestly beautiful.
No wonder Hunk loved him.
But than again; Blue was also biased.
"The Blue Paladin is unlike the other Paladins. Each of the others must fit a certain criteria for my sisters but for me you only need a few things. A Blue Paladin must be kind, loyal, determined and unstoppable when it comes to helping others and those they love. They are healers of the soul and the body and they often end up as the medic of the team. They must also be a sharp shot, protecting others even when they can't reach them. A Blue Paladin is parental, caring for those under their care. Not all Blue Paladins have these qualities but they are the qualities I seek in a Blue Paladin; a Blue Paladin is the glue and the heart of the Paladin's. There is no other Paladin like the Blue Paladin and there is no Blue Paladin like you. I've never met a Blue Paladin that embodies all of the qualities that I look for," Blue said, hoping that her Paladin could see her conviction.
Lance looked at her quietly for a few minutes, crystalline tears falling down his cheek. He slowly raised a bronze hand and wiped the tears away.
"Thank you Azul," He sniffled, "I needed that."
"You are welcome mi amor," She smiled. Blue pulled him back into a hug; Lance leaning into the touch. They stayed like that for a minute until Lance pulled away again.
"What happened to me?" Lance asked.
Oh, boy.
Blue was afraid that question would come up.
"What do you remember?' Blue asked instead in an attempt to buy time for her to compose herself so she wouldn't break down in front of Lance.
Lance pondered the question for a minute or two, scrunching his face as he thought about it. Blue promptly squashed the urge to coo at the cute expression.
Lance was too adorable for his own good.
Lance spoke softly, "I remember the spar with Keith and talking to you but after that…" He paused for a second, "Nothing. Except a kiss. But nothing after that."
Blue looked at him, that was more than she expected if she was totally honest.
"Well," She started slowly, "What had happened was that something was making your mind go la vida loco. I'm not sure what it was but I am willing to bet my bottom dollar that it was of a Galra design."
"Ok…" Lance said slowly. He knew that Azul wasn't done and he waited for her to continue. He finally got frustrated when she said nothing else.
"Leon Azul…" Lance said slowly with a frown. The frown deepened when she flinched at the Spanish version of her name, "What happened?"
"Ummm… Well…"
"Azul! Stop beating around the agave bush and please tell me what happened!" Lance cried. Blue took a breath.
"Ok, ok; what happened after you left me was that you decided to commit suicide by jumping out of the airlock," Lance got dead quiet, "Shiro and the others tried to stop you but you weren't listening. You were about to push the button when Hunk stopped you," Lance looked at Blue with wide Caribbean blue eyes, "Hunk tried to talk you down but you didn't believe that he was alive so he decided to kiss some sense into you," Lance flushed a pretty crimson, "You calmed down but than the slime decided to act and…" Blue shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself, almost like she was giving herself a hug, "It oozed out of you," It was Lance's turn to shudder, "It oozed out of your eyes, your nose, your mouth; it just… came out of you. You were in so much pain that you just passed out but the thing took your image and boy was Hunk pissed."
Lance just nodded, "Makes sense; he has a ferocious temper when those he loves are hurt in any way."
Blue just gave him a look, "Really…" She said sarcastically.
Lance chuckled and Blue also laughed.
"So, let me get this straight," Lance said once they stopped laughing, "I got possessed by demonic slime and nearly took myself out by the airlock and Hunk decided to snap me out of it by kissing me so the slime kicked my ass."
Blue nodded, "Pretty much but worse than that."
Blue watched as Lance's smile fell off his face and she knew she had to get to the bottom of whatever was upsetting her Pilot.
"How is Hunk and the others? Did I hurt anyone?"
Of course, that was what Lance was worried about. Blue nearly snorted at Lance's behaviour but she was smarter than that and she didn't really want to get her ass kicked by an emotional Mexican,
That was a fate she wanted to avoid at all costs.
She raised her hands in a soothing gesture, "No one was hurt but Keith is probably feeling the ass-kicking you gave him by now."
Lance winced and Blue felt like she had just kicked a puppy, "Sorry. But seriously, no one was hurt and Keith was only battered around," She suddenly gave a devilish smirk, "You my darling have incredible self restraint for a supposed non-hand to hand specialist. You kicked his ass good. I'm so proud of you."
Lance scoffed and looked down at the water that lapped at his calves, "I nearly killed him, how is that something to be proud of?"
"Because you showed restraint," Lance looked up with shock in his eyes, "You had been placed in a moment where you were under the things control and you still restrained yourself. I am proud of you Lance."
Lance gave his Lion a watery smile, "Thanks Azul. I needed that."
Blue smiled back, "You're welcome but it's time for you to go back to reality."
Lance looked at her with soft eyes, "Yea, Hunk has gotta be flipping out by now," He gave a low chuckle, "Shiro and Coran must have their hands full."
Blue chuckled with him, "That's all Black has been complaining since you lost conscious."
Blue pulled Lance into a bone-crushing hug and she was pleased when Lance wrapped his arms around
"Will I see you again?" Lance asked as he leaned into Blue.
"Yes Lance, you'll see me again but you can talk to me anytime you want to. I am in your head after all," She teased. Lance laughed and smiled at Blue than he turned to look around.
Blue waited with a smirk.
Lance groaned.
"Blue, how do I get out?"
"Just close your eyes el amor."
Lance closed his eyes and knew no more.
