Lance was on his first solo mission. Usually, they were in pairs or groups, but this time they needed him for a specific task. Lance was quietly muttering to himself while checking the holograms, keeping an eye out for any Galra soldiers headed his way.
As he rounded a corner, he paused to look at some of the data on the screen. Then, he felt something move behind him, and his helmet flew off, causing him to turn around and stop when he felt a blade press close to his neck.
"My my, what do we have here?" A purple man with long white hair asked. He looked Galra.
"Who the hell are you?!" Lance asked, startled and gun poised at him.
"Well, now that's no way to greet a prince. The name's Lotor." He smiled, his yellow eyes flashing a glow in the dark hallway.
He could hear his teammates talking on the comms, but he didn't bother to answer in favor of not loosing his head. Instead, he focused on the knife. Luckily for him, Lotor lost his grip on the knife for a long enough moment for him to escape, backing up several steps and keeping his gun on target. Lotor laughed, seemingly content with his escape. Lotor walked up to him, backing him into a wall, and kissed him.
Surprised, Lance jumped, and stiffened in his grasp. Then, Lotor backed up and smiled, but it wasn't soft. It was cruel and demanding.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll get back at you one day. I'll rule this universe before zarkon gets the chance." Lotor said, smirking, before he made his escape.
Lance narrowed his eyes, confused at what just happened. Then, lowering his gun, he picked up his helmet and put it on. Immediately, his team was yelling his name into the comms.
"Lance?! Answer us!" Keith called. His voice was loud in the comms.
"..Yeah I'm- I'm here." Lance said, fingers lingering where Lotor kissed him before remembering that he tried to off his head.
"Why didn't you answer? What's your status?!" Keith asked now.
"Was busy. I'm almost there now." Lance said, sighing as he continued his task. He could hear them scoff, before giving up and quieting.
…
It was a week before he saw Lotor again. He had almost forgotten about it. Lance had heard talking in the control room, so he went to check it out. Inside, he found all of his teammates, plus Allura and Coran, gathered in front of… Lotor?!
Lance stopped, his heart dropping as he stared in fear. It only took them a moment to realize he was standing there, though. And Lotor looked super creepy when he smiled at Lance.
"Oh, Lance! This is Lotor, he will be an ally for fighting Zarkon with us from now on." Allura said, a smile on her face like she is triumphant. All of his other teammates looked over to him with a slight smirk.
"Pleased to meet you, Lance. My name is Lotor." He said, walking close to him and bowing.
Lance didn't say anything; he simply glared at him. Lotor stood up, and he crossed his arms and turned away, not missing the manipulative smile he threw his way.
"Lance, don't be rude." Shiro said, in a kind matter, but firm enough.
"Sorry, Shiro." Lance sighed. He'd have to play along with this Galra if he wanted to tell the others he was bad. "I apologize, Prince Lotor, it is a pleasure to meet you." He forced a smile. He hated the way he felt slightly scared of him, and how he hated to call him a Prince.
Lotor smiled back, seemingly innocent as he turned back to him but he knew deep down that smile meant no good.
Shiro thanked Lance, and before anyone could say anything else, he walked out of the door. He headed to the training room for a bit. And when it got darker in the castle, signaling nighttime, Lance sat down on his bed in his room.
And it wasn't long before it began. Lotor entered his room, seemingly innocent like. But as soon as the doors closed, he cornered Lance against the wall where he was backed into. There, he strongly took a grip out of Lance's upper arm, where he could feel would form a bruise later.
"Now, Lance. Let me set some rules for you. You will not expose me to anyone else, nor will you try to tell them what is going on. If I find out that you do, I will make sure of it that you watch all of your friends die, painfully and slowly. You will obey to me, and you will not show pain when I put you in line. And, you will not speak about this interaction with me whatsoever, got it?" Lotor said, and Lance whimpered, nodding.
Then, Lotor smirked, grabbing both wrists with one hand and holding him in place on the wall. He couldn't move, he was frozen in fear. He was completely helpless against this monster, and now it's going to be his fault when his team is led into a trap.
"Oh, and last but not least, you will not resist." He whispered, forcing his hips against his, smirking at the helpless paladin. Lance shivered in fear.
Then, Lotor kissed him, again. It was rough and demanding, so Lance tried to turn his head and get away from it. Lotor got angry and pinched his side, using his fingernails to make it hurt more. Lance whimpered after his breath hitched and he gasped. Lotor smirked before he spoke.
"I said, you will not resist. Got it?" Lotor asked, and Lance nodded in shame.
Lotor turn his head back towards him, forcing him into another kiss. His fingers on his free hand moved to his side, a tight grip as if he would punch should Lance disobey. Lotor smiled, aiming to get his tongue in Lance's mouth. He had it closed, trying to prevent it, but Lotor rightened the grip on his side and pinched the spot he'd already pinched, causing Lance's breath to hitch, and opened his mouth. Lotor used this opportunity to slide in his tongue and make the kiss rougher.
Lance shed a tear, feeling totally helpless as Lotor kissed him with no remorse. After a while, he assumed he had enough because Lotor left the kiss, backing off a bit and smirking at the Paladin who was trying to catch his breath. Then, Lotor used his free hand to cup his crotch and squeeze before he laughed, walking away.
"Don't forget your rules, Lance." Lotor said, walking out of the room baring his teeth with a cruel smile.
Lance slid down on the wall, breaking down and crying after the door closed. He didn't want this to happen, especially not to anyone else. If it were just him, he will deal with it. Anyone else, and he'd have to intervene somehow.
…
It only got worse from there. Lance noticed that he didn't do it to anyone else, which was good, but Lotor would purposely place himself next to Lance. From there, he would pinch him or grab him enough to make a bruise when no one was watching. It was easier for Lotor during dinner, because he could do it to Lance's leg as much without getting caught. Lance forced himself to keep a straight face, not giving it away for fear of Lotor's threat to his family.
He knows he should tell someone, he knows it's not okay, but he also knows he has to protect his second family, here out in space. Even if they think little of him compared to how he thinks big of them. He will not ever leave behind or give up his space family without a fight.
So for now, he will have to endure Lotor's abuse until he finds a way to fix this.
…
Lance got out of the shower with a sigh. He took a look at just his shoulders, and… yeah, it looks bad. He sighed, putting on his clothes and his hoodie to cover up the marks. Good thing is that Lotor never touched him where his skin couldn't be hidden. Bad thing is the fact that he's doing it to him in the first place.
So, just as he's walking out of his room, he notices Lotor standing there waiting for him. He looks away in shame and fear. Lotor looked angrier than usual. It must have been something he did or Lotor did, because he takes his blame out on Lance. Lotor used him as his own punching bag, pretty much. So, as Lotor approached him, he didn't dare move. He only stiffened his muscles. And...
He felt the blow before he saw it. Lotor smacked him, causing him to fall back and on his ass. He hissed in pain, bringing his right hand to the cheek where he was slapped and widened his eyes in fear. Tears were already brimming at his face, and Lotor did nothing but look angrier at him. He prepared for another hit…
...but did not receive one. He shakily looked up from his arm to find Shiro in front of him, and he looked livid.
"Don't. You. Dare. Touch. Him." Shiro growled, his arm raised defensively in front of Lance, and his protective instincts radiating off of him and wrapping Lance in a security burrito.
He saw Lotor's eyes widen as Shiro said that before he ran away. Shiro let him go with a low growl and a huff. He then turned to Lance and crouched down to his level, his posture soft and reassuring.
"Hey, it's alright. C'mere, bud." Shiro said, coaxing him gently.
Lance carefully came closer, surprised when Shiro wrapped him in a tight hug. Shiro held him tight and secure, and Lance broke down crying into the older's shirt. Shiro comforted him, whispering calm things and rubbing his back as he hugged him close.
They stayed like that for a while, Lance crying into Shiro's shoulder while the leader gently comforted him. Then, when he reduced his cries to sniffles and hiccups, Shiro carefully lifted up part of his hoodie to look at how bad it was. Lance his further into him, afraid of the reaction and squirming closer into his safety.
He heard Shiro growl and mutter something along the lines of 'I'm going to kill him' before going back to securely holding Lance and keeping him safe while he coaxed him into a peaceful slumber. But when Shiro finally got him to fall asleep and went to put him in the bed, Lance whimpered when Shiro was almost out of his touch.
Shiro's face fell, worried for the boy who even in his sleep didn't want to be alone. So, Shiro sighed, deciding it can wait. An hour or so later, Lance woke up, feeling much better than he had earlier. Shiro smiled, and carefully got Lance to follow him since he didn't want to be alone. Shiro got to the control room where Allura was, Lance right behind him. Lotor was there, too. Shiro snarled before he got their attention by taking two steps in the room. Lance slowly followed.
"Lotor. I want you out of this castle. Now." Shiro said, coldly. Anyone who hurts his family has to answer to him, which is why he's throwing Lotor out.
"I'm sorry, what did I do?" Lotor asked, seemingly innocent.
"Shiro, what happened? Everything alright?" Allura asked, confused.
"Lotor isn't who you think he is. Not only is he lying to all of you, but he is working with the Galra empire and hurting one of our own. I will not stand for this." Shiro said, protectively curling his hand behind him to Lance, who latched onto it carefully. He'd watched the security footage while Lance was asleep. How no one noticed this he didn't know, but he does know he will make it up to him.
"Work for the Galra?! I would never—" Lotor started, but Shiro snarled and pulled up the security footage.
Lance hid close behind Shiro while they watched, who pressed himself close to the boy in a silent comfort. The footage showed his calls with Haggar, and his sneaking around in the middle of the night and downloading information from the castle into a hard drive and laughing.
"Lotor, how could you?" Allura asked when the footage ended.
"That isn't the only reason I want him gone." Shiro said, and he rubbed Lance's back before gently pulling him to his side. "Lotor… has been hurting Lance." He said, finding that there was no easy way to put it. Lance ducked his head in fear of their reactions and in shame. Shiro continued to comfort him, being careful of the spots that Lotor had touched him on.
"Get out." Allura told Lotor.
"But, princess—" Lotor started, but was interrupted by Allura.
"Get out. Now." Allura said, firmly. Lotor snarled, glaring at Lance on the way out, who was hiding behind Shiro. They all saw him leave in the ship he came in a moment later.
Then, it only took a moment before Lance started to cry again. His shivers alerted Shiro, who quickly turned around and hugged him tight. Allura came over and rubbed his arm gently, offering the most comfort she knew how to give. Lance calmed down after a few minutes, unlike last time when it took an hour. But Shiro didn't mind, he would go to hell and back for his family. Shiro has never seen Lance this way, and he never wants to see it again. Nor will he see this for any of them.
After that, things seemed to go pretty normally. Most of Lance's scars from Lotor had healed up, and he was more active with his team, always happy to help out someone in one way or another. Shiro smiled fondly as he watched his team interact.
He was glad to have met this family, despite the circumstances. And, like he'd said before, he'd to to hell and back for this family.