*peeks behind corner* Uh, hi everyone!
Before you guys feed me to the lions, let me just say this: I'M SOOOOO SORRY!
I had every intention of uploading the next chapter before the end of Pride Month to close it out, but that week I took my first shot of the vaccine and my arm became a brick, so I was pretty much incapacitated. I kept on trying to finish here and there for the remainder of July but I went through my routine procrastination. Then as of a good week ago, I got my second shot and got incapacitated AGAIN and THEN I had to start packing for a family vacation I'm having, so by the time you're reading this, I'm currently in my hotel room on a comfy bed watching the Olympics.
I also have to apologize to you guys because this chapter is long and I mean, LONG. This is probably the longest chapter of the series so far. (But something tells me you guys might like that.)
But with that out of the way, thank you guys so much once again for keeping up with the story and thank you for your patience and understanding. And don't forget to follow my Twitter and Tumblr at makorragal312 for fic updates or if you just want to talk about Klance or just other fandom/ship stuff in general.
Well, I'll let you guys get to the chapter and I'll drink my orange juice!
Onto the chapter! 3
The last time Lance was outside of his room, he didn't remember the ceiling's fluorescent lighting being so painful on his eyes. When he first stepped out of his bedroom, he felt as though his eyes were screaming from the sheer brightness of the light's piercing gaze. He couldn't help but to squint as he roamed the semi-empty hallway in an attempt to spare his sight.
In all honesty, he already knew deep down that withdrawing himself from the outside world for a good week and a half was partially responsible, but he honestly couldn't bring himself to care. Not when he's going through so much, specifically with a certain Altean, along with a group of friends. He still couldn't wrap his head around everything that has been happening:
The woman he loves...
...Loved kissed Lotor. And then she kissed him.
And it honestly made him sick.
It took him a few seconds to register the metallic taste that made its place on his tongue. Lance stopped in his tracks as he released his lip from his upper teeth, dabbing a finger on the area and seeing the small smacks of blood that were drawn. Apparently, just thinking about the princess was enough for him to bite his lip and break the skin. Lance could only groan heavily as he moved his hand into his hair and gripped it tightly, hoping the pain would make him forget the situation, at least momentarily. It seemed to have work a little as small spikes of pain on his head, throbbing lightly. Satisfied, Lance continued his slow trek down the hallway, staying silent as he walked past unfamiliar faces. He couldn't help but to feel smaller each time he passed someone in the hall, feeling the gaze of nonexistent eyes. Unconsciously, he gripped his paladin helmet.
Did they know?
Did they know that his heart was broken?
How many?
Were they giving him looks of pity?
Was it obvious?
Is it funny to them?
The young paladin wanted nothing more than to retreat back to his room, away from everything and everyone. To take off his paladin armor and go back into his sweats. He was ready and willing to go back into his little bubble of melancholy if it meant not feeling like the world was having a front row seat to his heartbreak. But he knew that wasn't going to happen, not when he had already promised not to go back.
"Lance, come on."
"Vee, this Clear Day thing has nothing to do with me." Lance said in a monotone voice. Veronica placed her hand on her hip as she sent her brother a mild yet irritated glare.
"Um, this has everything to do with you." Veronica retorted. "For starters, Voltron has to go down there to serve as security detail for the festival."
"The team can handle themselves. They probably won't even notice-" Lance started to respond before Veronica interjected, not wanting to hear a single word of his self-deprecating talk.
"AND you can't stay holed up in here when you're not fighting." Lance scoffed inwardly. He brought one of his legs up against his chest as he laid his arms across his knee.
"I can try." the red paladin muttered. Veronica sighed gently. She walked over to her brother, aiming to sit next to him on his bed as she placed her hands on the edge of the bed. She sat in silence, knowing that he would talk eventually once he felt more comfortable. Veronica shifted her gaze to her brother, making note of his downcast eyes and hunched posture. Almost as if he thought that making himself smaller would make it easier for him to stay on this bed.
"Look." Veronica started, reaching out to grab Lance's hand. "I know that whatever happened to you messed you up pretty bad, but the last thing anyone wants is for you to isolate yourself."
The Cuban boy's lip wobbled.
"I just...I just don't want to see anyone. I don't want to talk to anyone. If I do, it just makes everything hurt worse." he choked out. gripping the fabric of his pants as he did so. Veronica turned her body towards her brother, looking at him with pity as she let go of his shaky hand to wrap her arm around his shoulders.
"It probably will, hermanito. But the longer you stay in this room, that pain you're scared of feeling when you see everyone is going to be excruciating. A little pain now is better than a bunch of pain later." the young woman finished. Finally, Lance turned his head, meeting his sister's eyes.
"I-I don't know." Lance replied, his voice emphasizing how conflicted he felt. Veronica thought for a moment before giving him a small smile.
"Okay, hear me out: just walk around. You don't have to do anything with anybody. You don't even have to do anything with me, just walk around the festival. Feel the breeze on your face, taste the food in your mouth. Please, for me." Veronica suggested, a glimmer of hope shining in her blue eyes. The red paladin lowered his gaze to his knees in contemplation. The idea of him being around everyone was already something he wasn't looking forward to, especially now that everything with Allura was out in the open. He didn't want to deal with Pidge or Hunk's constant questions or Allura's persistence. And as much as he appreciated it, he didn't want to waste anymore of Shiro's time with his issues, even though he already knew Shiro would tell him to toss that thought out of his head. Hell, he didn't even want to know what Keith thought! All of those interactions were something he wanted to actively avoid. But deep down, he knew that Veronica meant well. And as much he wanted to stay in his room, he knew that his mama would kill him if she knew he wasn't getting some sunlight.
That and his skin would haunt him to hell...
Lance sighed as he looked back to his older sister.
"I guess I'll go. But only if it's for a little bit." he surrendered. Veronica's face brightened as her smile grew wide, glee and relief filling her bones. She grabbed her brother and pulled him into a soul-crushing hug as she ruffled his hair, much to his protest. After a few moments of enjoying her brother's struggle for oxygen, she released him before raising from his bed.
"Great! I'll let Shiro know you're coming and tell him your terms and conditions." Veronica stated happily. Lance raised an eyebrow at her choice of words.
"Terms and conditions?" he questioned.
"Hey, you were the one who set them." she quipped. Lance rolled his eyes tiredly. Noticing, the officer ended things quickly as to not upset him. As she made her way to the door as it opened for her, she turned back to her young brother, that same soft smile gracing her features.
"Trust me. You won't regret this." she said confidently. And with that, the door closed behind her, leaving Lance alone once again. He exhaled heavily as he fell back against his bed, opting to stare at the ceiling.
"I hope you're right."
"Lance?"
Lance was snapped out of his flashback by the voice he had hoped not to hear, his eyes wide and mouth agape like a fish out of water. He focused his eyes on the person in front of him, those feelings of sadness, anger, and betrayal bubbling up in his core. Her eyes held her surprise, almost as if she didn't expect to see him. Her bright blue pupils then slowly shifted into that of nervousness, as if she didn't know what to do next. Lance had grown to despise just how expressive her eyes could be. How she could have the straightest face imaginable and yet her eyes could hold the truth that her mouth refused to vocalize.
After all, that's how he knew that she knew of his feelings. And that was all he needed to know that she was someone his heart couldn't stand to be close to. So he decided to make some quick talk so he could end this. He looked down at her and noticed she was still in her Garrison uniform, a stark contrast from how he was wearing his paladin armor as he was on his way to his lion.
"Not going down?" Lance asked, his voice showing disinterest in her answer. Allura rubbed her arm anxiously.
"Oh, no. I'm staying behind to rest a little bit." she replied, her eyes holding a bit of hope of actually having a conversation with the young paladin. However, Lance only let out a "hmm" in acknowledgement before making his way past her. The Altean's heart sped up, not wanting him to leave.
"Lance! Lance, please!" Allura begged, reaching out and grabbing Lance's arm. "Let's just talk about this!" Lance kept his gaze forward, not bothering to look at the Altean.
"There's nothing to talk about." he replied, his voice monotone.
"Lance, I understand that I must've hurt you terribly. But if you would just let me explain-" Allura started to plead, but she didn't get very far as Lance whipped his head towards, his face full of irritation and hurt.
"What's there to explain?" Lance raised his voice, not caring who heard them. "You used me! Played me!" The princess' heart clenched at his accusations.
"It's not like that!" she cried. "It's nothing like that!" The red paladin felt tears starting to come up, but he blinked them away before she could see any of them.
"Then tell me, princess. What was it like? What was it like using me as a replacement for him? What was it like looking at me and imagining it was him instead? What was it like kissing me instead of him?" Lance seethed, trying to ignore the bile that was in his throat as he recounted everything he spent the last week and a half trying to forget.
The princess shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. Not wanting to believe what she was hearing. All she wanted was for him to understand, but he wants nothing to do with her. Allura, however, was persistent. She needed to make him stay and realize how much she cared for hm. How much she never intended to hurt him.
"Lance, you must know I would never mean to hurt you." Allura stated, a hint of determination trying to make itself known in her voice. Lance felt his fist clench at her words.
"I don't know anything anymore!" Lance cried, his anger increasing. "I didn't know you were capable of stringing me along, but you are. I didn't know you would get upset if I didn't agree with you, but you did. I never knew you would be the kind of person to use the feelings I had for you to get me to stay with you, but..." The Cuban boy halted on his sentence, All he could do was stare at Allura. The woman he used to have feelings for. The person responsible for all of his pain. Here she was standing before him and all she could do was lie to his face. Say that she never meant to hurt him when all she had to do was tell the truth. When all she had to do was accept things the way they were. But she didn't.
"Just let me go, Allura." he spoke finally, defeated. The Altean's voice caught in her throat, his words ringing a scary familiarity within her.
"You'll have to do it without me."
She gripped his arm tighter.
"N-No, Lance!" she pleaded shakily. "Just let me expla-!"
"I SAID LET GO!" Lance all but screeched, violently yanking his arm away from Allura's grasp as he stumbled backwards, quickly regaining his footing. As he breathed heavily, he didn't miss the petrified look on Allura's face. The way her hand that once gripped his arm was now tightly against her chest, shaking as it did so. The way she was now a good few feet away from him out of fear of what he would do next. Even so, she looked as though she had more to say.
And Lance could honestly care less. So with that, he turned on his heel, walked, and left her alone.
Again.
It hadn't even been five doboshes since he left his room, and Lance was already regretting it.
He knew that his sister had the best of intentions when she asked him to come to Drazan to partake in the Clear Day festivities so he could be part of the outside world again, but now his need to not go near anyone was at an all-time high. It would've been entirely one thing if he made a seamless transition to his lion, flew his way down, and let himself ease into things naturally on his own. But after his run-in with Allura earlier, his mood immediately soured and it would take a miracle for him to enjoy remotely anything at this festival.
The red paladin looked around at the various activities that happened before him. His blue pupils taking in the jubilant atmosphere of the festivities. The way aliens of all different species conversed with each other happily. How all of them were gathered at different booths whether it be to play games, collect souvenirs, or to eat the planet's festival delicacies. He also didn't miss how some of the Garrison officers were quick to hop aboard some of the rides or enter some of the attractions while others were still taking in the liveliness of the festival.
"Lance!" a voice called out. He turned his head and a small bit of relief washed over him. It was only Shiro, standing near one of the booths and waving him over with a small smile on his face. As the red paladin walked towards the Atlas captain, he made note of how the rest of team were further away from him, talking with Coran. Once he finally approached his friend, he couldn't help but to rub his arm awkwardly.
"Hey, I'm glad you could make it down." said Shiro, a comforting smile on his face. Lance gave him a quick hint of a smile in response.
"Hi." Lance greeted quietly, his face showing guilt. "Sorry I've been kinda...distant." Shiro immediately shook his head, putting his human hand on Lance's shoulder.
"You don't have to apologize to me, I get it." he said comfortingly. Lance couldn't help but to sigh in relief. Thank God for Shiro being so understanding and empathetic. If it were anyone else, he would have to go into lengthy conversations and answer a million questions, something he already didn't want to go through with his current state of mind. He couldn't help but to grip his arm, unaware that Shiro was looking at him with a concerned expression etched on his face.
"What's wrong?" The former paladin asked. Lance shifted awkwardly before he responded.
"I ran into Allura. It was bad." Shiro's brows furrowed sadly. He wrapped his arm around Lance's shoulders into a gentle side-hug where the red paladin could push him away if he wanted to.
"I'm sorry." Lance could only shrug his shoulders.
"It's fine. I honestly just want to get this day over with." He deadpanned. Before he could walk away, Shiro held him place by the shoulder. He then took the red paladin's hand and opened it before placing a few tokens in his open palm. Lance glanced at the golden coins before looking back up at Shiro, a puzzled expression on his face. The former paladin couldn't help but to chuckle at his expression.
"Clear Day currency." Shiro specified. "Coran was able to get ten tokens for each of us. You can use them for games, food, rides, pretty much anything."
"Ah." Lance replied, nodding his head in understanding. "Well, thanks. I'll just walk around."
"Okay. If something happens, message me or your sister, alright?" Shiro asked. The Cuban boy nodded before giving a small wave to Shiro before walking away. Shiro sighed and crossed his arms. Just from that small conversation, he could tell that Lance wasn't well. And while he was glad he came to Clear Day, he couldn't help but to worry about the festival possible overwhelming him.
"Shiro!" The aforementioned captain was snapped out of his thought as someone called his name. He turned his head and saw Pidge and Hunk running towards him, Coran trailing behind the both of them.
"Was that Lance just now? Is he okay?" Hunk asked urgently. Shiro nodded in response.
"Yes, he's fine."
"Why didn't he say anything to us?" Shiro held his hands up.
"Don't take it personally, you guys. He's probably still adjusting to being around everyone." Pidge lowered her gaze to the ground.
"Even from us?"
"What's going on?"
The group turned their heads to see Keith, walking towards them.
"Seems as though Lance has made a reappearance, but is keeping his distance." Coran answered, clearly puzzled at the situation. Keith raised his brows subtly at the statement. The last time he saw Lance, he was devastated and heartbroken, barely able to utter a word to him. So the fact that he actually showed up to the festival was surprising, even for the half Galran.
"He's here?" The black paladin inquired.
"Yup. And on that note, where's Allura?" Pidge asked around to the group, suddenly curious about the princess' whereabouts. Keith made a tight fist as felt his eye twitch, a small action that didn't go unnoticed by Shiro.
"She decided she wanted to rest today." Shiro responded quickly. Luckily, Pidge seemed to buy his white lie.
"Aww, bummer." Pidge whined slightly. "Maybe we can get something back for her." Hunk immediately grinned at the idea, jumping up and down slightly as he did so.
"Oh, I'll help, too!" he said excitedly. Suddenly, a sharp exhale pierced the air.
"Let's remember why we came here in the first place: to provide security for the event." Keith interjected, a slight annoyed expression plaguing his face. There was a deafening silence as the team looked at Keith, surprised at his sudden intrusion into the conversation. After a good minute of awkward silence, Pidge finally spoke.
"Right. Well, I better go find the arcade and make sure it's safe, yeah!" she said in a obvious mock serious voice before running away from the group.
"Uh, me, too!" Hunk added on, running after Pidge. That only left Coran, who was looking between Shiro and Keith tentatively.
"Uh, wait for me!" he said, before tip-toeing after the pair. Keith rolled his eyes before groaning, running his hand through his hair as he walked a few steps away from where the group first stood. Shiro walked over and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Keith, relax. What's going on?" Shiro asked, concern evident in his voice. The black paladin crossing his arms, groaning once more.
"I'm fine. But we can't just be focused on having fun." Keith replied. "If we're not here for protection, then what are we doing here?" Shiro raised his brow skeptically.
"Keith, you and I both know that's not the issue. And not to speculate or anything, but I feel like Allura has something to do with it." Keith looked towards the ground pensively.
"You're not wrong." Keith cringed. "I don't really want to get into details. I'm gonna go ask around and see if there's been some suspicious activity." Shiro wanted to press the subject, but he knew to let Keith blow off some steam and let him say things in his own time.
"Alright. But try to loosen up, alright?" Keith nodded and with that, he finally walked away.
It had only been at least a varga and Lance still wasn't feeling any better. He had spent most of his time walking aimlessly, observing all of the lively booths that surrounded him. There had to been at least hundreds of booth, and for the most part almost none of them had peeked his interest enough for him to actually feel anything other than numb. He had, however, gone to a couple of the food vendors in the festival. But every time he ate something, he always found himself not being able to finish it, no matter how delicious it tasted or how good it smelt. Luckily for him, in a strange turn of events, he would be approached by children who recognized him and if they wanted to, the red paladin allowed them to take what he couldn't finish. Unsurprisingly for him, the children would be ecstatic, having collected delicacies touched by the red paladin himself.
Once that was over, he continued to walk around the festival grounds and decided to just be a casual observer should he find a particular booth that did catch his eye. But that in and of itself proved to be a challenge because whenever he stopped at one, it would only take a couple of seconds to feel those nonexistent eyes watching him. It also wouldn't help matters that whenever a person from the Garrison passed him, he's automatically think that he was being observed and/or pitied and he would be seconds away from having an anxiety attack.
As he strolled further, his eyes noticed a booth a few feet away from him. He noticed that the booth was filled to the brim with plush likenesses of the Voltron lions. He watched as the owner leaned down to give a Draznite child one of those toy lions much to their delight. The child squealed as they hugged their...purple lion close to their chest before they ran away, a big smile etched on their face. Now, Lance will be the first to admit that he's currently depressed beyond comprehension. But he knew damn well that Voltron didn't have a purple lion. He slowly made his way closer to the booth as he met eyes with the booth's operator, whom was currently replenishing his section of yellow lions.
"So, um..." Lance started awkwardly. "What's the deal here?"
"Oh this? I'm giving away Voltron lion plushies! One lion for two tokens! What do you think?" the operator asked, trying to entice Lance into a sale. The red lion's paladin, however, wasn't fazed.
"Right. Well, I'm actually a paladin of Voltron and we don't have any purple lions, so..." Lance trailed off, not really knowing what to say next without the possibility of getting throttled looming over his head. The alien's eyes's widened, not expecting an actual Voltron paladin to be in his presence.
"Really? Well, why didn't you say so?" he said excitedly. "Tell you what: how about you buy one lion, but you get another one free? What do you say?" Lance held out his hand in a "stop" gesture.
"Woah, woah. I'm not really looking to buy anything. I'm just observing. But if I were to buy something, what do you suggest I get?" the paladin inquired, feigning intrigue. The four-armed operator grinned widely before going under his booth, audibly rummaging around to find what he wanted. It had only been a good minute before Lance heard him yell "Aha!" as he reemerged from under the deck, slamming the product onto the deck in front of them.
"Have a look at this! It's a collector's edition! What do you think?" the operator asked excitedly. Once Lance finally looked down at the product before him, his eyes widened and his stomach churned. He once again felt the bile rising up in his throat as he felt a new onslaught of tears attempting to make their way to his eyes. Everything in him wanted to look away from it, but he couldn't.
A blue lion.
Her lion.
"Uh, l-let me get back to you real quick!" Lance stammered out before pacing away from the booth.
"Well, hurry back! I'll hold it for ya!" The operator yelled back at him, but Lance didn't bother to hear it. Almost in an instance, he felt as though everything was closing in on him. Suddenly, the rows of people at every booth were inching closer and closer towards him, so it didn't take long for the red paladin to start running. Lance felt stares in every corner and every direction. It felt as though he was in a crowded room and the further he went, the smaller his breathing room became.
He couldn't tell if it was from the wind in his face or his heightened emotions, but he felt the burning sensation from behind his eyes and he knew he wasn't about to let anybody see him like this. So after what felt like forever, he stopped his running and stopped at the back of a food vendor, leaning against the corresponding wall and breathing heavily. He just couldn't seem to stop his body from shaking with every inhale and exhale he took, trying to conceal his whimpers and sniffles from any eavesdropping ears that passed him. He wiped his eyes before looking around to make sure no one was looking. Fortunately, he was in the clear. He could only breathe a slight sigh of relief as he leaned his head against the wall, shaking it slightly. He knows he made Veronica a promise, but he was starting to think that he overstayed his welcome. Even in a festival on a distant planet, he couldn't escape her. Almost as if he's being haunted, and he couldn't take it, not giving a damn if anyone saw him breakdown or not.
I can't do this.
"Look, guys. I just wanna know if you've seen anything suspicious."
Lance whipped his head around to the familiar voice, his heart stopping. His eyes landed on Keith, whom was only a good booth away from where he was standing and in front of a couple of Drazanians. By the looks of things, he seemed to be inquiring some information from them in classic Keith fashion, which would've been somewhat entertaining if he was in any mood to be entertained. After a second, one of the Drazanians responded.
"Well, there is one weirdo who's going around and bothering people about if they've seen anything suspicious."
"Okay, that's a start. Did you get a good look at...?" He saw Keith pause as he looked up in contemplation. If Lance had to guess, he was witnessing Keith realize that he just got played.
"It's me, isn't it?" Keith asked in defeat, making a face of irritation as the pair of Drazanians ran away in laughter. Lance couldn't seem to break his gaze as he stared at the black paladin, observing the way he shut his eyes and sighed before looking ahead. He raised his hand as he gripped his stomach. While seeing his leader didn't make him freak out, it only served to raise his anxiety a little, making the red paladin shut his eyes as he attempted to control his breathing. As far as he could remember, everyone in the team had some knowledge about the current situation and made an acknowledgement of it in some capacity. Keith, however, did not. So that begged the question:
Did he even know?
Did he not know?
Did he find out somehow?
Did Shiro tell him?
Lance shook his head, trying to shake off the negative thoughts before they consumed him any further. When he opened his eyes, he was immediately met with purple. It took him a second for his eyes to focus before he realized that Keith was looking at him, his face etched with worry. The red paladin felt his breathing pick up as he continued to be held by his stare, his hands and soul shaking. He didn't know what expression was painted on his face, but he did feel himself walking backwards on his trembling feet and next thing he knew, he was running away from him. Lance had no idea where he was going, but he just knew he had to put some distance between him and Keith. The last thing he wanted to do was run away from him, but not running away would subject Keith to dealing with his overwhelming issues.
"Lance!" he heard Keith shout after him. "Lance, wait!"
Lance felt the throbbing of his heart in his ears. He didn't even think he was going this fast when he thought he had heard her voice. And he wasn't exactly keeping track of all the times he nearly cried today, but he was starting to get sick of the tears. Tears that he didn't want anybody to see. Not even-
"Lance!"
The young Cuban was immediately halted in his tracks by the firm grip of a hand, holding his arm firmly. Lance knew he had been caught, but he couldn't bring himself to look behind him, knowing that the second he did he was going to be met with those purple eyes. The purple eyes that he could get lost in so easily and just reveal every emotion sewn within his soul. He could hear him trying to catch his breath as the hold on his arm stayed the same. The two of them stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, paying no mind to the festivities and species passing them by until one of them broke the silence.
"What's wrong?" Keith finally asked, still somewhat gasping for air. Lance's eyes grew to saucers instantly. He just made this guy run for how many minutes trying to chase him down in a crowded festival and he still wants to make sure that he's okay? That made Lance want to turn around right there, but he decided to restrain himself. He slowly shook his head.
"Lance, I know something's up. You looked like you were haunted. What happened?" Keith asked urgently. Lance's expression turned confused. Did he really look haunted?
"Next!"
The two paladins were snapped out of their conversation when they turned to look at the source of the voice. It just so happened to be someone who spared a slight resemblance to the plushie operator Lance was talking to earlier.
"Come on! You're holding up the line! Hurry it up!" he said, irritated. Keith and Lance shared a dumbfounded look with each other before looking back at him.
"Line?" they both asked in unison. The operator pointed in front of him, making the pair look behind them to see a line of people waiting to enter the ride he was controlling, all of them looking at the two of them anxiously. Almost as if they were waiting for something dramatic to happen. Something told Keith to look down as he locked his gaze to the ground, looking at his and Lance's feet. It was then he noticed: They were NOWHERE on this guy's line.
"I don't know if you realize this, but we're not on your line." The black paladin deadpanned, already fed up with the situation. The ride operator crossed his arms (both sets of them) as he looked at the two impatiently.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm aware." he replied. Lance raised a brow in confusion. He spared a glance at Keith before turning back to the operator.
"Then how the hell are we holding up the line?" he asked, annoyance building up.
"Because they're so caught up in your lovers' quarrel that no one wants to move!" Lance's breath hitched in his throat as Keith's eyes widened.
"What? T-this isn't a lovers' quarrel!" Keith exclaimed. The ride operator gave the paladin a teasing smirk.
"Don't worry. If you can't work it out out here, then maybe you can work things out in there!" he replied before grabbing the two paladins by their necks and shoving them into the nearest cart, locking them in place. Keith, having recovered quickly from the initial grab and shove, was furious.
"This isn't a lovers' quarrel! We weren't even fighting!" he shouted. The operator, on the other hand, couldn't give less of a shit.
"Likely story. Keep your hands and feet in the mouth at all times. You use 'em, you lose 'em. Have a blissfully burrowful time." And before Keith had a chance to curse him out, the cart began to move. As they began to enter the dark tunnel, Lance attempted to lift up the bar holding them in place, but to no avail. So he gave up just as quickly, with Keith reluctantly following suit as they were approaching the light. So just this once, Lance was willing to be somewhat optimistic.
What could go wrong?
As soon as they reached the light, he got his answer.
We burrow every day!
Underground is where we stay, waiting for the time to say, Clear Day, Clear Day!
Apparently, Lance had spoken too soon as he and Keith were soon met with animatronics of the Drazanians working and building, complete with horrendous song. Lance was quick to shove his head in his hands while Keith just looked at the entire scene with utter disgust, regretting every single choice that led him to this very moment. Lance decided to make a mental note to never let Veronica persuade him into doing things like this ever again. Screw good intentions, he was staying in his room from now on till they returned to Earth.
"Joder, mátame," Lance muttered to himself. Keith caught the statement, giving Lance a puzzled look.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Out of nowhere, a large clank could be heard throughout the area as the cart jolted into a stop, forcing the two boys forward and crashing them into the metallic bar before they were jolted back into the seats. The two of them shared another look.
"What the hell was that?" Keith asked aloud.
"Sorry for the inconvenience. We'll get this thing up and running in a tick." The operator reported over the intercom, his voice bellowing throughout the room. "In the meantime, stay in your burrow buggy. And remember, have a blissfully burrowful time." Alarmed, Keith and Lance looked straight ahead, taking note of all the annoying animatronics they had to pass through in order to make some sort of leeway through this godforsaken ride. Keith gripped the bar tightly.
"I gotta get out of here." he squeaked out. He inhaled deeply as he leaned back and crossed his arms, closing his eyes as he attempted to tune out the annoying song. Lance couldn't help but to follow his lead, opting to just lean back and fold his hands in his lap. He snuck a peek out the corner of his eye at Keith before sighing. As bad as this situation was, Lance tried to stay positive. Usually, rides like this are just a straight shot. There weren't any random curves or random speed-ups or even loops like your regular rollercoaster. He knew that once the cart was up and running again, he and Keith could bounce and they could pretend that everything that happened before never existed. And as annoying as the music was, having that be stuck in his head was better than her. So with that, Lance allowed himself to relax.
But the moment Lance closed his eyes, the music stopped.
He flew forward in his seat, his resolve crumbling just as quickly. He looked around the room, hoping to find the source of the song's rather abrupt ending, but to no avail. He could feel the rapid beating in his chest as he felt his anxiety rising minute by minute. It wasn't long before he felt Keith shift next to him as he sat up as well, probably looking around the room.
"Well, at least it's off." he shrugged, leaning over to raise his arms across the safety bar. Any more of that dreadful music and he was going to stab himself with his blade right then and there. Honestly, it was taking everything in the black paladin to not just leave the ride and slice through everything in the room until he reached the exit, but he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it from Shiro if he destroyed anything, especially when they owed the planet a favor in bringing Voltron AND were supposed to serve as security. He had already been on edge after his confrontation with Allura a few days prior and this whole situation wasn't making things better. The most he could do was shut his eyes as he took a deep breath and sighed. Yes, he was stuck in a stupid buggy surrounded by a bunch of annoying animatronics, but he decided to look on the bright side. He was with Lance and despite the red paladin's current state, Keith would be lying if he said that Lance being next to him didn't give him a small bit of comfort. And to add on to that, he no longer had to deal with the horrid music. So for the most part, everything seemed to be fine.
And then the lights turned off.
The once gleaming room filled with light and jubilance was now plagued in darkness, the entire room cast in shadow and silence. And Keith couldn't stand it. Frustrated, he resorted to inhaling deeply through his nostrils, aiming to yell his frustrations out. But right before he could open his mouth to yell, he was cut off by what he could only describe as a strained cry. He whipped his head to the side and immediately felt his heart shatter as his features contorted to that of concern. His purple orbs focused in on Lance, currently hunched over the safety bar as his hand covered his face, trying to shield the onslaught of tears that made their way down his cheeks. Keith could hear the light taps each teardrop made as it hit the metal, splattering away into minuscule droplets. He didn't miss the way Lance's shoulders shook with every sob that spilled out of his mouth. The black paladin felt like shit, having been so caught up in his own plight and discomfort that he didn't register the suffering of the man sitting next to him.
Oh no...
Keith outstretched his hand slowly towards Lance's shoulder, wanting to give him time to push him away if he so chose to before he touched him.
"Lance, I-" Keith started, but the aforementioned paladin beat him to the punch.
"I'm sorry." Lance whimpered. "I-I didn't mean to break down like this. But I can't...I just can't-" he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as he broke down into more sobs. Choosing to no longer hesitate, Keith placed his hand on his shoulder, gripping it tightly. He didn't know if Lance had any more to say, but in the off chance that he did he chose to remain silent and let him get his thoughts together if he had any.
"I tried, Keith. I really did." Lance whimpered, turning his head slightly away from Keith's gaze. "I did everything I could t-to get through this festival. But it's-it's impossible! No matter where I go, I'm always reminded of her and I can't take it, Keith! I-I just c-can't take it!"
Keith extended his arm to wrap it around Lance's shoulders as he pulled the sobbing paladin close to him, tucking his head into his neck as he felt the tears land on his skin. The more Lance cried, the more awful he felt. He'd give anything to take away his pain so he could go back to the Lance he was before this mess. The Lance whose bright smile could erase anyone's depression and whose vibrant eyes matched the ocean that surrounded him where he grew up. Keith wanted nothing more than to just scoop him up and carry him out of this hellhole, away from this festival and into his lion so he can fly him out of here. But something told him that Lance wouldn't appreciate the attention he would receive if anybody saw him being carried out by his fellow paladin in tears.
"I'm sorry, Keith. For dumping all this on you." Lance sniffled, his sobs slowly subsiding. Keith rubbed his hand on Lance's arm comfortingly.
"The apologies aren't necessary. You've been going through a lot. What I don't get is why you were trying to force yourself through the day." Keith replied softly. He felt the red paladin let out a sigh of exhaustion.
"Veronica talked me into coming out of my room. She said I should at least walk around and look at everything going on." Lance let out a humorless chuckle. "And look where that got me." To Lance's surprise, Keith let out his own chuckle.
"I know. We're literally stuck in a dark room with dead robots."
"Yeah. If this were a movie, they would come to life and try to kill us right about now. When I think about it, it doesn't really sound so bad." Lance shrugged. Keith twisted his head to look down at him, his concern growing. As much as he wanted to not push Lance to another breakdown, he was growing more and more desperate to have Lance talk to him.
"Lance, please. Talk to me." Keith requested gently. A long pause drifted between the two paladins before Lance slowly sat up, raising his head from Keith's neck as he became upright. Keith opted to remove his arm from around him as to not make him uncomfortable.
"Before I came down here, I ran into Allura." Lance spoke somberly. Keith widened his eyes, turning his body towards him urgently as he was started to listen more intently.
"Was it bad?" Keith asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer. Lance once again found himself hunched over as his arms laid crossed upon the safety bar.
"It was awful." Lance replied, cringing as he did so. "I don't really want to get into it, but ever since I got here, it's like everywhere I turn I feel like she's there. In my ears. In my head. Just...everywhere. And everywhere I go, there's always something that reminds me of her. And then when I see it, I'm only reminded of the lie she told...and the things she did." Keith couldn't help but to raise a brow.
"Things?" he asked. Lance shifted his gaze to the black paladin, confused at his question.
"You don't know?" he inquired. Keith tilted his head, clearly vexed.
"Am I supposed to know?"
"That depends. What do you know?
"Probably whatever you know." Lance sat up, turning his body to the black paladin.
"So you might not know?"
"What? No."
"So you will know?"
"Know what?"
"What you- Nevermind!" Lance exclaimed, holding his hands up in the air as a sign for the black paladin to stop talking. "Let's try this again. In terms of my 'issue,' how much do you know?" Keith contorted his face to one of quick contemplation before opening his mouth to speak.
"You mean as of recently?" he adjured. Lance simply nodded. Keith tweaked his eyebrows up quickly before his face returned to that of a neutral expression.
"Well, I know that you have feelings for Allura and she knew. And she went ahead and kissed Lotor while she knew." he explained. "Are you saying there's more to this?" Lance sighed heavily, dreading this part of the conversation.
"Technically." he replied. "This whole situation is bad, but something happened before I found out that makes this so much worse." The red paladin clasped his hands within his lap, gripping them tightly. Keith was quick to notice the quick action and immediately felt like he had crossed the line.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. Clearly I'm overstepping and I-" Keith began to apologize, but Lance immediately stopped him.
"No, no. You're not overstepping anything. I...want to tell you." Lance reassured. Keith let out a light exhale as he stayed silent, waiting for Lance to gather his bearings before he spoke.
"Okay, remember when I had to stay in the medical bay after the whole thing on the volcano planet?" Lance inquired. Keith nodded, prompting the young paladin to continue.
"Well, the day that I got released, Allura came to see me. Mainly to talk about what was going on between us. I...was trying to let her go."
"What do you mean?" Keith implored.
"Well, for awhile, my feelings for Allura have been...kinda complicated, y'know? One second I'm head over heels in love with her, and then the next second I'm not really thinking about her like that. And in between the Castle being destroyed and us going against Sendak's forces and almost dying, my feelings for her have been going back and forth non-stop. It was actually pretty intense for awhile. But everything came to a head during our date."
"You mean when you didn't want to kiss her?"
"Exactly." Lance confirmed. "You already know how freaked out and scared I was afterwards. And I still was for a little bit. But it wasn't until I ended up in a hospital bed recovering from smoke inhalation and almost losing a lung that I realized something I was too scared and confused to admit: Allura is who I wanted, but she's not who I need." Keith couldn't help but to widen his eyes, shocked at Lance's revelation. On one hand, he wasn't really surprised at this turn of events. Considering the tension that stood between his partner and the princess, he had a feeling that whatever was between them wasn't going to last much longer at this rate. But on the other hand, he was still surprised that Lance actually said what he said. Sure, he didn't say verbatim he wasn't in love with Allura anymore, but he could read between the lines. For so long, Lance did anything and everything to get Allura to notice him so that he could be with her. So to hear him saying that he decided to let her go, Keith could only imagine how hard it was for Lance to come to that conclusion. And as sad as he felt for the red paladin, he couldn't have been more proud. And even with all of that, all he could say was:
"Wow."
"Yeah." Lance shrugged, raising one of his legs onto the seat as he clasped his hands over his knee, focusing his blue orbs on the thumbs that stroked his armor. "So I told her straight up that being with her was out of the question and she got pretty upset. That's when she..." Lance trailed off, his hands becoming numb from how tightly he kept them clasped. Alarmed, Keith scooted closer to the Cuban boy, raising himself up from his seat as he placed his foot underneath him, his arm perched on the back of the seat as he looked at Lance intently.
"When she what? Lance, what did she do?" Keith implored. Lance raised his gaze from his knee to meet Keith's eyes momentarily, his vibrant purple eyes piercing into his now dull blue eyes with a mixture of concern and seriousness. The red paladin took a deep breath and exhaled.
"She kissed me." Lance confessed. Keith's mouth went agape, gobsmacked at the words he just heard.
"What?!" he asked incredulously.
"Yeah. I ended up pushing her away. That was when I found out that she knew my feelings." Lance let out a light, humorless scoff. "Because she thought that kissing me would make me change my mind about everything."
"And I'm guessing finding out about her kiss with Lotor made you more upset?"
"Here's my thing: At this point, I was already falling out of love with Allura, so if she had told me that she didn't feel the same way, it would be no skin off my back. Now, as for the whole kiss with Lotor, it would've stung a bit. But again, I would've been able to move on. But it's like she won't let me. I tell her that I'm not in love with her anymore and she decides to kiss me instead. Then I found out she kissed Lotor and everything was clear. She could never love me the way she loved him and she knew this. And either she didn't accept it or she didn't care and she thought being with me would change things."
"And that's why you lashed out the way you did. Not only because of how you found out things, but because she keeps making the pain you feel letting her go worst." Keith concluded. He felt his heart ache as he watched Lance scrunch up his face, new tears cascading down his face from his tightly shut eyes. Keith reached out his hand to Lance's eyes, wiping away oncoming tears with the side of his hand.
"I'm so sorry, Lance." he whispered, his only response being Lance's sniffles. "I wish there was something I could do." Lance let out a shaky breath, trying to keep himself from sobbing again.
"It's not like you can just walk up and talk to her." he choked. Keith felt his breath hitch in his throat, his gaze averted to the floor of the buggy as dread filled his bones. Lance noticed Keith's silence on the matter and looked up at him, noticing the uncomfortable look on his face.
"Keith?" Lance asked, confused at his sudden shift. The black paladin could only shift awkwardly in his seat. As much as he wanted to evade the question and change the subject, the last thing that Lance needed was another lie.
"I..might have confronted Allura." he admitted nervously. This time, it was Lance's turn to widen his eyes.
"WHAT?!" Lance exclaimed, his shout bellowing throughout the room. "WHEN?!"
Keith groaned, running his free hand through his obsidian locks.
"It was a couple of days after me and Romelle saw the two of you in the hallway. But just to be clear, I wasn't looking for a fight. I was actually heading back to my room when I bumped into her. And I don't know, everything just came out." he conceded. Lance couldn't help but to pinch the bridge of his nose as he sighed. He knew deep down Keith probably had good intentions, but now this just made things worse for him.
"Keith-" Lance moaned, but Keith interjected.
"I know, I know. I shouldn't have said anything. I just-I just hate seeing you like this. I hate seeing you walk around the Garrison or just seeing you on my screen whenever we're on a mission and you look so stressed and confused and sad. This might sound completely out of my character for you, but...I hate seeing you in pain." Keith lamented, his gaze now focused in his lap in embarrassment at such a confession. Lance felt his face heat up, mouth slightly ajar in shock. However, that didn't stop a slight pang of guilt from shooting out within his chest. Did he really make Keith feel like empathy was something he was incapable of? If anything, this whole situation with Allura proved just how empathetic he actually was and that alone was enough to make him that more grateful that Keith was here with him. Lance didn't think he would ever be able to have such an intense conversation like this about everything with anyone else other than Shiro (even though a part of him knew he wouldn't just to save him the trouble of being a therapist again).
"But," Keith started again, ripping Lance from his thoughts. "The more I think about it, I have no right to talk considering that I hurt you, too." he finished, his voice riddled with guilt. Lance leaned forward towards his leader, his face contorted in confusion as he lowered his raised leg and bent it onto his seat, sitting atop of it.
"What do you mean?" Lance questioned.
"Well, prior to me leaving the team, I wasn't exactly the best teammate. Even when I came back, I was a jerk." The red paladin exhaled through his nose, sending Keith a look of sympathy.
"Even so, there's no way you would ever hurt me like this. Right?" Lance asked, somewhat hesitantly. Keith instantly whipped his head towards him, his eyes meeting his once again.
"Of course not!" Keith blurted out, immediately regretting how desperate he sounded. Lance proceeded to rub his arm nervously.
"Right. Sorry for asking." Lance apologized. Keith immediately shook his head and reached out, placing his hand atop of Lance's.
"What did I say apologizing?" Keith scolded lightly, his voice holding a teasing tone. "I don't blame you for being cautious, Lance. You just gotta trust that no matter what, I'm gonna be there for you."
Lance felt his heartbeat pick up slowly.
"Even when I get upset and lose my head?" he asked shyly. Keith let out a small smile at the question, already knowing the answer.
"Especially when you lose your head." Keith chuckled. And for the first time in weeks, Lance smiled. It wasn't one of those quick, empty smiles that he flashed at his team or during his video calls with his family to avoid questioning and to pass off as perfectly okay and not at all heartbroken. It was one of his genuine, tiny smiles: the ones he would pull whenever he would catch his niece and nephew doing something silly and adorable when they thought he wasn't looking or when he got the smallest bit of praise from his parents for the most minuscule things. And now, he was smiling one of those smiles because of him. Because of Keith. He removed his hand from underneath Keith's, aiming to put it on top of his hand instead as he gripped it lightly. He never took his eyes of off Keith for a second, letting himself being encompassed by his warm stare, a warmth that he hadn't felt for the duration of his issues with Allura. An unfamiliar yet comforting aura that contrasted from the blistering, cold vacuum of betrayal, anger, and sadness that plagued him and did everything in its power to consume him. And while those feelings still held firm within him, it was a breath of fresh air to feel something so light and pure. Something that at this point only the black paladin could give him, aside from his soft purple eyes and teasing smile that Lance felt was reserved for him. The smile that Keith flashed at him before busting into laughter in his chair while he whined from his hospital bed.
A smile that Lance was so lost in that he almost didn't register the light returning to the room.
The two paladins jumped slightly at the sudden intrusion of light, making their buggy rock slightly. Once they realized they were in no immediate danger, they relaxed and sighed, turning their bodies back towards the safety bar and feet planted back on the buggy's floor. Keith leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and crossing his arms as he had gotten used to the previous darkness.
"You doing good?" Lance asked.
"I'm fine." Keith replied. "Just fine." As soon as the words left his lips, a voice rang out through the intercom.
"Looks like everything is in order. We apologize for the delay. Again, have a blissfully burrowful time." the operator croaked out, still sounding as disinterested in his job as ever. Lance made a mental note to inform Shiro about how that guy operates because if this was a horror movie, he and Keith would pretty much be decapitated and eaten alive and the only thing anyone would find would be their bones.
"Finally." Keith sighed, a hint of relief evident in his voice.
Relief that only lasted for a good five ticks.
We burrow every day!
Underground is where we stay, waiting for-
"That's it!" Keith exclaimed, his once calm voice now riddled with irritation. Within a flash, he summoned his bayard and raised it above his head. And just as quickly, he brought it down fast and hard, slicing the safety bar in half effortlessly. He then arose from his seat as he looked ahead for an exit, Lance rising slowly behind him as he tried to process what just transpired.
"What the heck are you doing?" Lance gaped, still in disbelief. Keith extended his arm as he grabbed Lance's wrist.
"Getting us out of here." Keith replied before pulling Lance with him out of the buggy and onto the track. "Let's go."
And with that, he let go of Lance's wrist as they both started to make their run out of the room. All of the animatronics beside them became blurs as they zoomed past them, the awful music above them now being drowned out by their rapid heartbeats. After what felt like forever, they reached the room's exit and entered a tunnel, the obnoxious noise finally behind them. Lance didn't know if it was him or if it was because he was running, but the heat that he felt within his face was unbearable. He could still feel Keith's grip on his wrist as he pressed further, running side by side with aforementioned paladin. He turned his head to look at Keith, whom was still focused on the path ahead of him. Even with the look of determination on his face, Lance couldn't deny how attractive he looked. He honestly wouldn't be surprised if he was the cause for his random peak of heat. But he didn't get a chance to double check as Keith stopped in his tracks, causing Lance to do the same.
"This ride is endless." Keith grunted. "I don't see an exit anywhere." Lance thought for a moment before placing his eyes on the wall beside him. He took a few steps closer towards it as he registered the sound of voices on the other side.
Bingo.
"Maybe we don't have to reach the exit." Lance assessed, turning around to face Keith as he pointed at the wall. "See if you can slice through." Keith looked at him for a second before walking past him, placing his hand on the wall. After a second, he summoned his bayard and sliced the wall. Just as ge expected, the wall proved to be nothing more than a thin layer separating them from the festival. Keith looked back at Lance at the pair shared a quick triumphant smile. After a couple more slices, the two paladins were met with the burning gaze of the Drazan sun. As much as the pair were glad to be out and way from the ride, the natural light was absolutely painful on their eyes as they raised their hands to shield their pupils.
"Well, we're out of there." Keith sighed, attempting to share a glance with Lance with a small smile. "I guess I owe you."
Lance let out a short chuckle.
"Yeah, yeah. You can thank me once we figure out where the heck we are." he quipped lightly. Keith couldn't help but to squint, still somewhat blinded by the natural light.
"Kinda hard to do when you're damn near blind."
"Hey! Blue paladin, over here!"
Lance whipped his head around at the voice and saw the plushie operator, waving his arms excitedly at him as he tried to call him over. Lance was relieved and petrified: relieved that he and Keith weren't as lost as he thought they were, but petrified after his episode earlier. Nevertheless, he grabbed Keith's arm as he gestured for the black paladin to follow him as they made their way to the stand.
"I had a feeling you would come back! Have you thought about my offer?" the operator inquired. Keith raised an eyebrow at the random question.
"Offer?" he questioned. The alien looked Keith over for a second before his eyes became wide with glee and smile became big with suppressed excitement.
"Are you a paladin, too?" he asked. Keith merely blinked before he nodded hesitantly, not sure of where the alien was getting at.
"Then you're in luck! I was just telling your friend that since he's a paladin of Voltron, he can buy one lion plushie and get another one free. And since you're a paladin yourself, you get to have the same deal!" The operator beamed. "Go ahead and take your pick!"
Keith looked down at the stand before him, observing the plethora of lions. He saw the usuals like the reds, yellows, and a large abundance of greens. He also made note of the small amount of black and lions and-
"Wait a minute." Keith interjected. "Voltron doesn't have any purple lions. And where are all of the blue lions?" The owner of the stand scratched his head awkwardly, a sheepish smile overtaking his face.
"I just needed something to fill the stand." they admitted. "And the blue lions were actually so popular that they sold out. However, I do have this." He reached underneath his stand and pulled out a blue lion plushie, which for some reason looked more expensive than the other lions on the stand. It was riddled with thinner stitching and even the fabric looked different from the other lions, but these were things that anyone else wouldn't be able to notice. He turned his head towards Lance, about to ask him if he noticed the lion until he noticed his face. Lance was looking away from him and the stand altogether, his brows furrowed and his bottom lip between his teeth. All it took was a quick back and forth between him and the blue lion for him to connect the dots, letting out a hushed "hmmm" in acknowledgement. He finally turned back to the booth.
"So what do you say? One blue lion for your friend and a black one for you?" Keith shook his head.
"I think I can do you one better."
"So, how are you feeling?"
"Tired." At this point, Lance was forcing himself to walk as he walked through the Atlas hallway. Clear Day had finally ended and any sense of animosity that Drazan had for Voltron's broken promises seemed to have vanished. Everyone had had their fun eating treats and winning prizes, but the time finally came for everyone to get back to work. Right now, he and Shiro were walking behind the team and the rest of the Garrison.
"You must've had quite the day if you're that exhausted." said Shiro. Lance let out a light scoff.
"You're one to talk considering you spent the entire day in an arm wrestling competition." he teased. Shiro could only chuckle as he placed his face in his hand before he turned back to Lance.
"Touche." Shiro gave a brief smile before he noticed the purple bag between Lance's fingers. "I'm guessing you got yourself something?" Lance shrugged.
"Meh, it's nothing big."
"Are you sure? Because the only other person who has a purple bag is right in front of us." The Atlas captain observed. Lance felt his heartbeat pick up at Shiro's observation. He looked ahead and laid his eyes on the black paladin in front of him. He was having some sort of conversation with Romelle and seemed to be the listener as the Altean talked his ear off, something Lance knew that Keith didn't mind. And now that Shiro mentioned it, he didn't miss the purple bag that was between his fingers. Once again, he felt himself burning up.
"Lance?" Shiro's voice rang out, breaking Lance out of his trance and making him turn his head to face him. "You okay?"
"Yeah." Lance replied. "It's just...things have never been so clearer and yet so complicated."
"Do you mean with yourself or everything else?" Shiro inquired. Lance sighed heavily as he gripped his bag tighter, feeling some of the material tear at his tightened grip.
"Everything else. And all because I was stuck in a freakin tunnel for what felt like ten quintants." Lance admitted. "If anything, it cemented things." Shiro couldn't help but to look at Lance with wide eyes, shocked that the red paladin just nonchalantly mentioned being trapped in a ride's tunnel as if it was another Tuesday. That surprising fact aside, he decided to focus on everything else other than that.
"Well, what did it cement?" The former paladin implored.
"That Allura and I didn't have a chance." Lance stated. Shiro nodded his head, processing his response. He thought of his next words carefully as to not stress him out further.
"So where does that leave Keith?" The red paladin took a deep breath to answer, but was interrupted by a panicked shout.
"Paladins!"
Lance and Shiro looked ahead and saw Sam Holt running towards them, his face riddled with fear and panic. The red paladin couldn't help but to feel anxious as Pidge approached her father.
"Dad? Are you okay?" Pidge questioned, searching her father for any injuries.
"Don't worry, Katie. I'm alright." Sam replied, placing his hands on his daughter's shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. Shiro placed a hand on Lance's shoulder as brought them closer to the circle that had formed around the senior officer with the other paladins, all of them sharing a look of confusion and concern.
"Sam, what happened?"
Out of nowhere, Lance couldn't help but feel a sense of dread fill his being. He knew that whatever Mr. Holt had to say was going to be bad, but he couldn't help but feel anxiety over what was going to be said next. As soon as he saw Mr. Holt speak his next words, Lance felt himself drop the bag, its precious contents making contact with the floor. He heard voices swarming around him and hands gripping his arms, but the rest of him felt numb. But the numbness in his body did nothing to quell the shock, anger, and fear that solidified in his bones.
"It's Allura. She collapsed."