They couldn't form voltron. Like that was anything new. Honestly, Lance was amazed Allura had managed to get through all these treaty meetings and somehow avoid the fact that they couldn't form the rebellions main symbol of freedom.
That took some real dancing around the truth, if you asked him. More or less blatant lying too, especially since they got most of their allies by telling everyone "They could form voltron".
But of course they didn't tell anyone they couldn't actually do that for obvious reasons. That would be horrible for morale. He figured the Blade of Marmora were catching on. They were smart, and considering the team attempted to use Voltron in every fight normally, it would seem odd they hadn't in the last few weeks.
So their time was wildly spent with physical training and bonding. At least, as much as they could considering the circumstances for the break in their bond.
For now, they couldn't worry about anyone finding out. They just had to work on fixing it. Which was easier said than done;
Keith was mad at Shiro,
Shiro was feeling guilty.
Pidge and Hunk were mad at Shiro, but more spiteful to Allura.
Allura was on some vow of silence, not saying a word either against or for their relationship. She simply went to Coalition meets and that was it.
Lance just wanted them to get along again, like they used to.
And now, Keith was being called to talk alone with Allura? It worried him. Those two tended to be similar to bombs when around each other. Especially if there was no middle man to try and find the peace between them
Lance just hoped things would get better soon. It was slowly, in it's own way.
The only plus side was that because of the team's strife against each other, he was able to see Keith as long as he pleased. No one else in the team tried to stop them anyone, and Shiro knew that if he ever tried again that Keith would deck him.
Lance had a feeling Shiro was done trying anyway.
To busy himself while Keith was talking with Allura, he was given the task to bring Lotor and his comrades their meal. He had basically been avoiding the guy since his capture, but if he was really going to be trying to work with the Prince like he claimed he would at the Coalition meeting, Lance would need to spend some time with him.
One elevator ride later and he was standing before the Galran Prince himself. His Generals sat beside him, all confined to one cell.
They had requested the move a few days ago, insisting they wouldn't try anything so long as they could keep each other company. The team doubled the security on them when agreeing.
The whole group was very… friendly, to each other.
The generals looked to Lotor like their leader, yes, but also a friend. They talked fondly of him, laughing and making jokes at times. He laughed in return.
They were family.
Despite how different each of them were they found a connection within each other. This alone is probably what convinced Lance most that Lotor wasn't like his Father. Zarkon didn't even have a bond with his own family, let alone someone who wasn't connected to him my blood.
"Well, if it isn't the Blue paladin." Exor sneered, flipping towards the screen to look at him.
"Exor." he says simply, holding the weightless tray containing several plates of food. "I've brought you your meals."
"Strange to see you down here." Axca says, "Usually it is one of the other paladins."
"Well everyone else is busy," Lance explains, nearly jumping out of his skin when the larger Galra of the five slammed against the see-through wall separating them.
"Did the yellow paladin make those?" she demanded. Zethrid was her name, if Lance recalled.
"Yes." he frowned, "How did you know?"
The five inhale slowly, the growls of their stomach resonating a second later. "It smells good," they explain simply.
Lance tilted his head, "Well… yeah, Hunk is a genius in the kitchen. I wouldn't exactly call you prisoners if I was getting the food you were getting. He spoils you."
"Makes us all the more inclined to just relax where we are." Lotor mused. "Tell me, the Princess spoke of a meeting but has not come down with the details of it. Has anything been decided?"
Lance pressed the button to open the wall panel, slipping the food inside. "Oh, you hadn't heard yet?" he asked. "A decision was made."
The five galra paused as the plates slipped into their hands. They glanced to their leader, who frowned, "And what was that decision?" Lotor spoke, his voice deep and resonating.
Lance met his eyes, speaking, "A chance."
"What does that mean?" Zethrid frowned, pressing between Lance and Lotor protectively, despite a wall still between them all. Like he could make it past that behemoth of a woman anyway.
"The Coalition wants to give you a chance. We don't trust you, Lotor. Not yet. But if what you say is true and you can help us stop Zarkon, then we're willing to hear you out."
Lotor's facial expression didn't change, the perfect mask to hide whatever emotions he had. He simply nodded, grabbed his spoon and began to eat.
"Truly a delight. In all my time I spent with my Father and his supposed "Royal chefs" I have never had a meal quite as delicious."
"You don't seem very surprised by the news." Lance frowned, noting that Lotor didn't even comment on it. Like he expected this…
The Prince chuckled, "The coalition is smart. They won't miss an opportunity to learn what I know." he says simply. "Besides, a chance to be judged for my actions over who my Father is, well, that is exactly what I wanted in the first place." he offered a smile, waving his fork to Lance.
"Hm." Lance folded his arms, "I see…" standing there for a moment he eventually asked, "Then, can I ask you a question. Since you agreed to give information…?"
"Certainly."
Before Lance could ask what had been on his mind for weeks now, Lotor's general beat him to the punch, "If it's about Lotor's sock size, he has small feet. So get small socks." Ezor says with a smile.
"..." Lotor slowly looked at her, his expression tightened. "He didn't ask that. And you most definitely didn't need to tell him about my sock size."
"Prince Lotor likes stargazing, and walks, and- and fluffy things." Zethrid listed with her fingers
"Why are you even telling him that…?" Lotor's frown worsened.
"He is a strong leader and a smart tactician," Axca says confidently. "But he has a weakness for a pretty face."
Lotor gawked at her, his calm demeanor breaking for the first time that day. If that wasn't enough, something else seemed to set him off. Lance didn't hear whatever was said, but suddenly Lotor whipped around to Narti, the Galra who had been injured. Her spoon is still hanging from her mouth, her tail swinging idly behind her.
"Narti!" Lotor says as Zethrid and Exor fell over laughing. Axca covered her mouth, nearly choking.
"What vulgar language." she giggled at whatever Narti had said.
"What?" Lance leaned closer, confused. "She didn't say anything."
Lotor reached towards Narti with trembling hands, barely controlling himself from lunging at her. Whatever she said, it must have been a real hard hitter.
"She… doesn't not speak with her voice." he growled through gritted teeth. "Instead, she talks with you with her mind. A telepathic link."
"She can…?" Lance was amazed. "None of us knew that…!"
"Well now you do~" Exor giggled. "And man, you should have heard what Narti said just now~"
"No. No, he doesn't." Lotor jabbed a finger at her.
The multi-colored Galra snickered, leaning back into Zethird. They both grinned mischievously at their leader, intertwining their fingers together.
Lance had noticed the two seemed to be, close. Always next to one another whenever the chance was given. He even heard them finish each other's sentences more times than could be a coincidence.
"Are you two…" he cut himself off, not wanting to insinuate. They seemed to understand what he was trying to say anyway and smiled.
"We are." Zethrid wrapped an arm around Exor with pride. "Swept me right off my feet, this little lady."
"Here we go again." Axca leaned back, pursing her lips with annoyance.
"Oh no no, you won me over~" Ezor cooed, nuzzling Zethrid's face. "With those big muscles~ Oh, I can remember the first day I saw you take out that Plazinum Guard just with a body slam~"
Zethrid cooed, which was something Lance never thought he would hear, "That was nothing compared to that time you won us that battlecruiser by taking the captain hostage without anyone even realizing you were there~"
"Ah…" Lance frowned, not liking the sound of that. Of any of this, actually.
"Sir." Axca pleaded her leader, hoping he could stop this. "They'll be like this for hours now…"
"Probably." Lotor nodded, taking another bite of his food. He made sure to say pointedly to Lance, "We aren't perfect, but at least we are not on Zarkon's side."
"I can see that." Lance shakes his head. "Well, I don't think we'll be confining you to this cell for much longer. They want to keep Blade of Marmora guards with you for a while, so once they set up that system they'll let you out." he explains. "So probably only one more day in here."
"Oh sweet!" Exor stood, stretching her arms above her head, "It's so cramped in here. Barely any room to move."
"You didn't all have to be in the same cell, you know." Lance says simply. "You each had your own."
"But that would have been lonely," Exor says simply.
Lance blinked. They'd rather be squished together then free to move alone. It was kind of sweet.
With that thought, he took their plates and made a move to leave.
"Blue Paladin." Lotor called.
Lance paused, looking over his shoulder, "I go by Lance."
"Lance." Lotor corrects himself. "You came here to ask me a question, yet you forgot to ask it."
"Oh! You're right, I did…"
"What was your question?"
He turned around, rubbing the back of his neck uncertainty. " Why did you… save me?"
"Save you?"
"Back at the crystal mines. We weren't allies back then. You didn't have too…"
"If I hadn't, Voltron would have lost their blue paladin. The Coalition would have lost a vital key in defeating Zarkon." Lotor answers without skipping a beat.
"But were you thinking all that when you tackled me out of the way…?"
Lotor was quiet for a short time before answering, "No. Nothing of the sort. I simply didn't wish to see you crushed. There was no bigger meaning to it other than I felt you deserved to live. That is all."
"Narti also wishes to add " Plus you have a cute face " to Lotor's statement." Axca speaks with a smile.
Lotor's foot swung out to catch Narti in the stomach, barely missing her when she leaned back. She made a hissing noise with her tongue, yet it surprisingly sounded playful to Lance's ears. It must have been with the way the other generals laughed.
"You can go now, Lance." Lotor insisted, more eager to get Lance out of there before his general decided to make more jokes and teases at his expense.
"O..Okay.." Lance blinked. "Well, see you. And.. Thanks for saving me back then." he says over his shoulder before heading to the elevator. As he left, he saw Ezor nudge Lotor playfully.
He replied by flipping her towards Zethrid, making the two crash onto the ground. Yet the two laughed.
What a strange group...
"Ugh, that looks ugly." untactful, Pidge pointed to the bruise on Shiro's cheek. "Nasty looking."
"Let me see." Hunk huddled behind her to look at their leader. "Ooof, yeah. Did Keith give you that?"
"How did you guess?" Shiro inquired.
"It looks like a Keith punch. We've seen a lot of other Galra to know." they snicker
Shiro nodded, wincing when he tried to smile and stopping when he realized it hurt. "This is going to sting for a while."
"Probably. He must have really put his back into it." Hunk says, moving back to his computer to do some work.
"By that point you gotta ask yourself, Did I deserve this…?" Pidge mused, teasing.
Shiro rubbed his cheek, taking the tease more seriously than Pidge intended. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "Do you think I did?"
"Hmm?"
"Deserve this?"
Pidge's fingers stopped from their constant typing, pushing up her glasses to give her leader a long look. "That's hard for me to decide on my own." she admits.
Shiro's voice is soft, "You can be honest with me."
The green paladin nodded, looking over to Hunk to see his opinion. He nodded for her to continue. "Well… kind of. Yes." she says. "I don't know what you two argued about before Keith gave you that, but considering what has happened that last few weeks, we all deserve a good punch in the face."
"Agreed." Hunk says with a weary sigh.
Shiro felt a heavy feeling in his heart, "I was just trying to make sure they didn't get hurt." he says softly.
Hunk gives their leader an understanding look, "I know. But we all took it too far. The only problem is, you still haven't learned like Pidge and I have."
"You are being pretty stupid about this." Pidge bluntly tells their leader.
"I thought you both agreed with me about this." Shiro sighs, tired.
"Because you had a point then, Shiro," Hunk tells him. "Before they left, Keith and Lance hated each other. So it made sense to think that they only cared about each other because of the isolation. But then… then I realized something."
"What?" Shiro asked
"They're different." Hunk smiles, "They aren't the same people they were before they left. And I know you've noticed this too,"
Shiro had. They all had.
"Keith is… jeez, Keith is open for once. He comes up and talks to me all the time now, Shiro. He's warmer," Pidge isn't sure how to describe it, "He isn't so somber or stoic anymore. He laughs and jokes…. Lance broke down whatever wall he had up,"
Shiro looks at his feet. He had been so thrilled to see Keith's change lately. He had never managed to get Keith so open with the others beside himself before.
Perhaps then… it wasn't so much of just worry for the two, but a kind of jealousy? Jealous that Lance had done what he could not in such a short time.
He could be overthinking it, but maybe he wasn't looking at this from a completely objective kind of standpoint like he claimed to be doing this entire time.
"Lance has changed Keith for the better." he agreed.
Hunk grinned, "Yeah! And Lance is so… different!",
"He's grown," The black paladin nods quietly
"Yes. He has. And we all know why he has," Pidge gives their leader a pointed look, "They made each other better, Shiro. Maybe before it wouldn't make sense for them to love each other, but now it does, because they aren't the same people they once were."
It was hard to think that the little boy he had met might be a grown man now. Heavy on his heart he asked to be excused.
He needed to figure out how to make this right...
Keith couldn't deny he wasn't exactly thrilled to have this talk with Allura. It was something that needed to be done, but he wished it could be avoided.
As he wandered over to the railing towards the side of the room he looked downward to the large drop. You could see most of the other floors from there. Coran had warned them to be careful around this area, simply because at the bottom was the drop to the thrust engines. Definitely wouldn't want to fall in there if the Castle was on the move. Good thing it was currently parked.
Hunk almost fell into this once when he slipped too close to the edge. And during a wormhole jump no less.
There was so much screaming that day you couldn't tell who was who.
"Keith." the Princess' voice caught him by surprise. He turned to find her standing there, dressed casually for once. She looked terrible, exhausted and like something heavy was troubling her.
"You… okay?" he asked automatically.
Her eyes wavered, not expecting him to be concerned. This then turned to anger.
"I'm fine." she says quickly, folding her arms. Keith had seen this type of behavior before. Mostly from his own past self. It was easier to hide your worries from others with anger. No one would know how alone or scared you were this way.
"Is there a reason you called me up here..?" he decided to get right to the point, not wanting to prolong this.
"I wished to talk." Allura says. "I'm assuming you know of what."
"I do, but my answer is still the same."
The Princess exhaled, closing her eyes to rub her temples. "I suppose Lance would be the same then."
His voice is clear and confident, "Yes."
"Of course it would be for you." she mumbled, "Considering your DNA. I assume Shiro has spoken to you about this?"
"Didn't get too detailed on it, but yeah."
"I see…" Keith straightened when Allura stormed towards him. For some reason, he expected her to slap him. He hadn't necessarily done anything wrong, today anyway, so he wasn't sure what she was mad about. Unless it was about his resolve just a moment ago, then yeah, maybe she would be pissed.
When she got into arms distance, instead of reaching up to bruise his face, she grabbed his hand. Holding his wrist tightly in her palm, she lifted it upward.
Keith didn't sense a threat from this action, not even sure what her end game was.
Then he felt it.
The slip of something precious from his finger.
His Equivalent band.
Keith barely had time to react before Allura was stepping back, holding the ring between her fingers like it was the most disgusting thing she had ever held. "This," she growls, holding it up high when he moved to retrieve it.
Keith froze, eyeing the ring frantically. "Give it back," he commands, his voice dark. "Allura, give that back to me right now."
"This represents, as you say, Equivalents on that planet Lance and you were on, yes?" Allura twirls the ring, mocking him. Keith feels that it is cruel.
He doesn't answer her, and instead extends on his palm, "Give it back," he repeats. "That's mine."
"Lance gave this to you," it wasn't a question, but he answered like it was.
"Yes, he did, now give it back. It's important to me," Keith steps forward and Allura steps back. Keith starts to panic when Allura's calculated stare, void of its normal shine, extended her palm over the railing, threatening to drop the band. His mind runs into overtime, words bubbling from his mouth, "Allura dont! D-Dont! Please!"
"I don't know how many times I have to inform you of this Keith before you understand… Lovers, romance, equivalents, are forbidden between paladins." She spoke the same thing she had been saying for weeks. But, if she wondered what good would it do?
She had acted without thinking, taking the ring and using it to put a threat over Keith's head. But why? Why was she doing this? She didn't want to, yet her body moved on its own. She came to talk to Keith about… what was it about anyway? Why did she summon him here? She already knew what was going to happen.
Coran had made it very clear, there was no going back for Keith when it came to Lance. The signs were everywhere, and after her own research, she had come to agree with what Coran had concluded. Keith's genes connected him to Lance. If separated from him, he would surely die. So what was she even doing right now?
She hadn't planned this when coming up here, yet here she was anyway.
"The code…" she felt herself say, the words bubbling up from her chest. The code was irrelevant to a genetic bond. It was irrelevant….
Her mind focused on Keith again.
"Allura!' he screams, "T-That isn't- please!" he almost crumbles to his knees, never so desperate in his life. "I'll do anything you ask just- don't let that go!"
"Keith…" she watched him crumble as easily as sand at her feet. All over a simple ring. Was it really so precious to him? Would her own Father be this way for the ring he wore on his finger from her mother?
Her father never spoke of her mother, having lost her when Allura was young. In an accident…
Her mother never came back. Her father had changed, grown colder. A new law was suddenly added to the paladin code and nothing was ever the same.
"I want us all to go back to how we were before you both went missing," she says wistfully, but knows it will never be. "I have to follow the rules set by my Father. If I don't-" her eyebrows narrow in distress. The past would repeat itself, right? Her father would be angry with her. Her father would get so angry…
Flashes of her past came back, threatening to overwhelm her. It was painful, mirroring the agony bearing down in Keith's gaze.
"If I don't things will go bad." she stammered. "People will die and Father will be angry. I'll lose everyone…."
"I don't know what you are talking about," Keith says weakly, his voice quiet, his eyes flickering from her to the ring she held over the side. "I can't let go of, Lance. I can't, Allura!"
Keith wondered what had happened? What horrible thing occurred that would form this rule in the first place? What made Allura stand there, quivering in place like she was staring at the scariest thing her life?
"Allura please just-" his voice cracks and her resolve wavers. "That is important to me, please. Please please,"
Allura had never heard Keith beg. Had never seen him so desperate for anything in his life. In that moment, Allura realized something terrifying.
Keith shared her Father's eyes.
She had seen this look before, over 10,000 years ago when her Father had reached out to Zarkon one final time before he had begun his attack on the Universe. He pleaded with him to stop, hoping that their friendship would be enough to convince him not to do this.
Zarkon didn't listen and in her Father's heart, they had truly said goodbye, friends no more.
In Keith's eyes, she was… she was Zarkon.
Stumbling back, his feet wobbly, Allura felt like sobbing. When had things come to this? When had her mind grown so clouded with some code? All her childhood, it had been drilled into her mind by her Father- who's gaze was distant, a deep regret seeped into his voice.
He had threatened her with death over this code. Her, the fragile age of seven, told by her parent that if she dared disobey this simple code, all would be lost.
She believed him, like all children believed their parents, and carried that belief all the way till now. Some part of her felt if she went against it, her Father would never forgive her. She would lose everything like he said she would.
But wasn't she already losing the people she cared about by following it?
Nothing had been so important to Alfor than this code, using it as a shield to fight against the past. But maybe that was a lie to shield himself from his own heartbreak…
"I… Quiznack.." Allura's back pressed to the railing, "I'm sorry," she whispered. Keith eyes her cautiously, his breathing coming out choppy as he eyes her hand. She follows his gaze, admiring the ring in her palm. Now that she properly looked at it, she realized it was beautiful.
"Here," she extends her hand out to him, hoping to give it back to him.
He bolts forward to retrieve it. Once he has it in his hands he backs away, clutching it to his heart. He kept his eyes on her, his guard on high alert.
Allura stood still, slowly staring at her hands in horror before turning and fleeing out of sight. It was over now. In his mind, he knew Allura had just given up this fight with the code. She would never bring it up against them again. He should have felt happy… but he didn't.
He made no move to stop her from running away. Instead he still clutched his ring tight at his chest, shielding it from any other things that dare harm it.
Unable to think of anything else to do, he ran down the hall.
He barrelled down the steps, through doors, rushing into the training room where the others were waiting for him. It was awfully quiet inside, mostly awkward until he arrived. No one knew what to say with how tight things had gotten between Shiro and Keith.
"Keith." Shiro says. "Good, I'm glad you're here. Listen, I wanted to apologize for-"
Whatever he had been about to say it was cut off when Keith flung himself into Lance. Tackled to the ground, Lance gagged in shock.
"Keith…?"
The red paladin trembled, burying his face into Lance's shoulder to shield it from view. "K-Keith?" Lance's voice softened. "Hey. Hey, what happened?"
The others rushed around him, but Keith couldn't mouth a single word. So he clung to Lance with all his might.
Despite their best efforts, he never told them what happened. To him, this moment with Allura was something he wanted to keep to himself. He wasn't even sure why he would bother keeping something so big a secret.
He just felt like it should be.
Something that only the two of them should remember for the rest of their lives. Both her threat, her realization, and her broken apology.
It was strange, he could see regret in her eyes the moment she had taken the ring from him. As if she didn't even believe in what she was doing anymore, she just didn't know how to stop it.
It was only because of that did he decide he didn't hate her.
He just… he needed time. When he returned to his room with Lance, he asked to be alone for a while. Lance was startled, but was understanding. His smile was kind, and lips soft against Keith's forehead when he gave it a kiss.
"I'm not far when you need me, okay."
Keith nodded, stepping into his room to be alone.
Zaheen has spent the last 24 hours convincing himself that just because Lotor was in the area, it shouldn't change any of his schedule. He just needed to work as he always did and focus on aiding the coalition.
It didn't matter if Lotor was just a few floors above. Lotor has his place and Zaheen had his. Their roles to play in this war were vastly different. They were vastly different.
So someone explain to him why he's been rolling his wheelchair in circles around the Voltron castle in hopes of seeing a glimpse of the prince in question?!
He was still in holding, so obviously he wouldn't. Plus, his actions contradict his words just a moment ago.
What in the world was he hoping for? Some… tearful reunion? Even just a semblance of recognition from Lotor to show that he remembered him, even just a little?
He had to stop giving himself false hope. Nothing would change even if by chance Lotor recalled him.
Sighing, he rolled himself forward, parking his wheelchair to look out to the sunset. Its orange hue warmed his skin, a prickling shiver running down his spine. He rubbed his arms, leaning back to relax for the first time in a few days.
Of all the times to take his first break it was to pointlessly stake out Voltron's castle. You better at least make some use of it.
"Ah~! Zaheen!"
An all too familiar voice called to him from afar. He recognized it immediately, regretting all the choices of stepping out of his safe hole underground. No sun there yeah, but there was also no Slav.
"Slav." he turned his wheelchair, attempting a friendly smile. "I didn't think you'd still be here."
"Official Coalition member." Slav says, "You think I'd go out there when that maniac still aims for my head?" he scoffed.
Assuming he meant Zarkon, Zaheen shrugged, "Well, I'm sure the coalition is happy to have you to help. I noticed a few of your improvements around the city. Even our systems for supply transportation seems to have improved."
"Ah yes, quite easy." he nods his head, slithering his body over to examine Zaheen. "You, however, my friend, not so much."
"What do you mean?"
"Your legs. 2 metal legs! More than 1! It increases your chances of survival through this war by 80%! Yet, your lack of using said legs decreases it by 90%!" he wailed.
"Not much I can do about that, Slav." Zaheen reminded him. "It's not as though we have any containers of spare quintessence laying around."
"Sadly, no." the genius agreed. He gives Zaheen a long and pointed look, "Perhaps we could increase those chances without it."
Zaheen jabbed a finger in his direction, "Oh no no, I can see that look in your eye. I'm not letting you touch them." he turned his body, and more specifically, his legs, out of view. "I'm done with people trying to improve my body. I'm fine being in this chair, thank you."
"Are you really?' Slav's eyes widened. "Stuck in that wheeled sitting contraption all day. Craning your neck during every conversation with someone." he rubbed his neck at the thought. "Sounds terrible. And with this tacky design too." he moved the blanket to motion to the simplistic look the legs had. "Ugh, so 10 years ago." he shook his head.
Zaheen swatted his hands away. "Go away, Slav."
"Alright fine. Just know your chances of neck cramps are 98% more likely stuck in that chair! Yet only 2% likely in another reality where you agree to get out of that chair..!" he warned, scampering off
Watching the crazed little alien runoff, Zaheen was surprised in himself for considering his words. The Blade didn't exactly have the equipment, time, or full knowledge on the matter to give him a different pair of legs over the ones Haggar made.
Slav did, however. Could he… give him new legs?
Zaheen was in no way eager to get back onto an operating table after what he went through. But if he could get new legs, ones perhaps no operated by quintessence… or even used his own, perhaps he could walk again…?
It was a heavy thought that he couldn't seem to just cast aside.
If he did ever see Lotor again… he would want to be standing before him. He wouldn't want to be in this chair.