Hi!
Did I really just start an entirely new fic in the middle of another?
Yes. Yes I did.
Did I spend over a month working on it?
Yes.
Whoops?
I don't know how to write angst well. You all know this. But I'm trying. So, uh, here:)
I don't own anything you recognize.
Enjoy!
Present
Lance
Ow.
Ow.
Ow ow owowowowowowowowOW-
SHIT!
What was going on?! What- wh- what was this?!
Why did everything hurt?
Where were the others?
What was that smell- Dios it smelled like food goo after it went bad (that had been a hilarious experiment- Coran was sooo mad at Pidge and Lance- it was terrifying-)
Focus, McClain. Shiro taught you what to do in a situation like this. Don't panic, don't lose focus.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lance could hear Shiro calling out the questions just like he had when Allura assigned the training. Lance almost smiled at the familiar memory's clarity, ignoring the seriousness of the occasion. The training was needed, despite how pessimistic the preparation was. They all knew that it was too dangerous for the Paladins of Voltron to not have anything to fall back on if (when) they were captured.
Oh Dios, he'd been captured. By the Galra. Probably.
What do I do, Shiro?
Take stock. Lance's eyebrows hit his hairline, surprised at the actually helpful answer. You know, he'd been making a joke with that one, but if the universe was willing to give him this, this one time where his memory was apparently better than good, then Lance was definitely not going to complain.
Okay. Okay, I can do that. Where do I start?
Do you remember how you got here? Lance racked his brain, desperately trying to figure what could have happened. No.
Do you have your armor? No. I only have the black under-suit.
Can you reach your Lion? Lance thought hard for a moment, searching manically for any hint of Blue within reach. No.
Injuries? Several.
Can you pinpoint the worst ones? Lance thought for another moment, trying to see past the blinding agony making his muscles tense and his knees shake. No.
Start small. Wiggle your toes. One broken, two jammed.
Are you wearing your shoes? No. My feet are bare. Lance shifted one foot, noting with distant concern at the sluggish reaction in the cold air. It's cold.
Shiro sounded more concerned suddenly. Funny. Shiro hadn't sounded like this in Lance's memory of when he taught the Paladins what to do in an emergency. Lance huffed wryly- figures that the one thing to improve since arriving in space would be his imagination. What about your legs? Uh. They hurt.
Anything more specific? Lance fought a smile at how exasperated Imaginary-Shiro sounded. No.
Can you see any damage? No- it's dark in here. Or I'm blindfolded. I don't know. Ah. Hello darkness my old friend indeed.
Except, you know, only bad things happen in the dark. Murder. Theft. Betrayals. Possessed Castles Coercing Unsuspecting But Very Dashing Paladins Into Rigged Airlocks And Leaving Them To Be Saved By Someone With A Mullet Of All Things.
Yeah. The dark was great.
Amazing.
Lance was completely calm.
Entirely calm.
Cool as a cucumber.
ShitshitshitshitDiosshitshitshit-
Stay calm, Lance. You're doing great. Can you feel anything on your torso? Aww: Imaginary Shiro knew that positive affirmation was the way to this sensitive Paladin's heart. Ribs are busted. There's something wrong with my side.
Are you bleeding? I might be.
Can you reach the wound? Uh… no. No my hands… I can't move them. They- they won't-
Dammit, he'd been doing so well. Lance had stayed cool. Stayed respectable. Stayed the Paladin he was supposed to be. But all too suddenly, the darkness was suffocating, the silence breaking through every defensive wall he had, every pretense of calm Lance could possibly muster.
Lance? Lance! Lance, stay with me, buddy.
I- I- I don't thi-think that I can- help-
Lance didn't have the mental energy to begin contemplating how pathetic he was- talking to his imaginary, and very nice, Shiro and begging for help.
Jeez.
Lance! Lance, breathe! Shiro sounded panicked- that couldn't be right… Shiro never panicked. Lance did. Lance panicked. Lance was panicking right now. Lance's world faded, the pain filling his senses and sending Lance to fall back beneath the primal urge of run run get away this is wrong no-
LANCE! Shiro cried, sounding so out of character and desperate that Lance's thoughts stuttered to a sudden stop.
Lance fixated on the voice in his head, knowing that he was probably going crazy (because your imagination could, in fact, be too good. He'd seen enough crime shows to know this). Inhale for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight. Breathe with me, buddy.
So Lance did. He inhaled with the weird whooshing sound that didn't sound like a breath, but he wasn't about to call Brain-Shiro out on it. His imagination was trying its best. It took eight reps before he was able to focus on the world around him. Still silent. Still dark. Still stinky.
Lance gave himself bonus points for apparently remembering what the heck the procedure was for staving panic.
Lance's head flew up as the sound of metal shrieking into place, face screwing up as his ears were assaulted with the harsh sound. He couldn't see anything. Blindfolded then. ("Is this a game? I hate games!") Heavy footsteps sounded accompanied by harsh breathing. The schiiink of a knife leaving its sheath. A growl.
This wasn't a game.
What-!?
"Paladin," a gravelly voice murmured. It was masculine. Rough. Kind of Batman-esque if Lance thought about it. Something sharp suddenly appeared below his chin and he stiffened, barely biting back a confused whimper.
Dios- get it together. You're a Paladin.
You're doing great, Lance.
Why was Shiro still here? Lance had gotten through everything Shiro had taught him.
You're not alone. Don't forget that.
What the quiznak?
"A-Asshole," Lance greeted in turn, wincing internally at the stammer. "I'd love to say that it's nice to see you but, ah, clearly that's going to be an issue."
Don't antagonize him.
Sucks to suck, Brain-Shiro. Lance needed some semblance of control.
And what better way to gain control than antagonistic conversation?
Batman seemed to have other ideas. The blade beneath his chin jerked angrily, ripping a pained gasp from Lance.
"Watch your tongue, Paladin, or you may just lose it." Lance's eyes widened beneath the blindfold he apparently had on.
Don't fuck with the guy with a knife. Got it.
What do you mean? Who has a knife?
Of course Keith would enter the conversation the moment someone mentioned a knife.
Wait- why was Keith here?!
That's different.
Don't worry about it. What's going on?
I'll let you know when I do.
Brain-Keith gave a muffled curse before falling silent. Lance quirked a smirk at the familiar behavior.
Batman didn't like that. He didn't say anything, though.
No, Lance knew that Batman didn't like that because there was the sound of something small flying through the air and sudden blinding pain in the left gap above Lance's collarbone.
A desperate, shocked scream filled the space. Tears poured down Lance's face, escaping beneath the blindfold the teen trying desperately to get a hold of himself between the sobbing gasps lighting his chest on fire.
SHIT! What the- I- FUCK-
Lance?! Talk to me, buddy!
Oh, Brain Shiro was back. Lance wasn't sure when he switched from Imaginary Shiro to Brain Shiro, but he was a-okay with the transition. Brain Shiro just… just fit. It sounded more like the Shiro Lance knew. The strong and brave Shiro. Shiro the hero. Lance could really use his strength right now. He wouldn't be crying right now.
"Have you learned your lesson?"
"I don't," Lance panted, "even know who you are. I don't know what the fuck is going on. I could give a shit about your lessons," he spat, hoping that he hit the accusing asshat. An outraged roar clued him in that he got close, and the subsequent hit to the gut that sent Lance swinging from the chains wrapped around his wrists let him know that he hit Batman dead on.
Suck it.
Lance what is going on?!
Shiro didn't know? Wasn't he… here?
Lance was unable to respond as he swung back and forth, wheezing all the while and trying desperately to breathe dammit-
Pidge where are we with that tracker?! Lance!
Pidge? Why would Brain-Shiro be asking for Pidge? There wasn't a Brain-Pidge yet.
...was there?
"Holy shit," he breathed.
That wasn't Brain-Shiro.
"Problem, Paladin?" Batman hissed, hot breath washing over Lance's face. He turned away with a grimace, but sudden claws on his cheeks held the terrified sharpshooter fast.
"Yeah. Your breath." Thank goodness Lance had finally gotten ahold of himself- that line was golden. 10/10
Shiro how are you- are you actually-?
Yeah. Yeah, buddy. I don't have time to explain how; just know that we're coming. Don't do anything dangerous, okay-
Don't do anything I would do, Lance, Keith interrupted, sounding near-panic. Lance had never heard him like that before. We're coming! We're coming, just hang on-
"You will treat me with respect, filthy wretch! You are on a Galran cruiser. Your friends can't help you. No one is coming for you."
That's not true! Don't listen to him! We're coming, just stay safe!
I will.
"What? Don't believe me, Paladin? Why, because you hear their voices in your head? Are they telling you I'm wrong?" Lance sucked in a gasp.
What in quiznak?
"Yo-you're w-wrong. They're f-fi-fine." Lance's head was starting to spin, nausea rolling through his gut. His hands were shaking above his head, pins and needles running through them as his wrists were rubbed raw. Blood trickled down his arms, dripping annoyingly on his head.
Ugh, that was going to be murder to clean.
Bigger fish, Sharpshooter, Keith reminded him.
Yeah, Lance agreed. Why does he know about you guys?!
I… I don't know, Shiro admitted.
Awesome.
"You know that it's not them, right?" Lance stiffened, and Batman hummed with devious interest.
"Haggar really outdid herself this time, didn't she?" one of the other guards noted blithely from the doorway. Well, Lance was guessing- he couldn't really tell.
Haggar?!
Lance licked his lips. "What are you saying?"
Lance, no- this isn't a trick! Don't listen to him!
"Your team isn't coming for you. We left their corpses rotting in that mess of rubble when you killed them a movement ago."
What.
He'd… he'd what?!
Lance had a sudden, horrifying image of a blinding light- an explosion?- and pain and screams.
Oh, Dios had he blown up his friends?!
It's not true, Lance! We're fine, I promise we're fine- you saved us! It's only been two quintants since it… since it happened. And now we're going to save you. Please, believe me, Keith begged. You aren't alone!
Lance's jaw opened reflexively, a pained hum making his throat burn as Batman's claws dug into his checks, adding to the sticky wetness dripping down his face and puddling in his clavicle.
Lance, we're coming! I promise you we're coming! I've almost got your coordinates! Pidge's voice filled Lance's head.
"Do you still hear them, Paladin?" Batman asked. "Do their empty reassurances help you?" He released his grip on Lance's face, and the Paladin gasped quietly at the freedom. "They can't help you because they aren't real." There was a pause. New footsteps entered the room (there wasn't any sound of a door opening- was he really that little of a threat that they didn't need to bother closing the door to his cell?). They were clinical and light, perfectly in rhythm as they came to a neat halt.
"You sent for me, sir?" a younger Galran voice asked. Must be a new recruit.
"Yes. Tell the witch to quit her games. It's time we brought the prisoner to her. It's time he saw sense."
"Right away, sir."
There was the sound of a communicator activating, then Galran gibberish. Lance panicked.
Guys. Guys? Guys what's going on?!
No one answered.
Don't leave me.
Three Quintants Ago
Lance
"We picked up a distress signal in the upper quadrant of Blevintus Prime," Allura explained, hands moving through the star charts with practiced ease until she located the system she was looking for.
It looked like… like a space system. Lance didn't know. There were stars and large round planets and a striking and lovely meteor belt. Very fashionable. Much wow.
It wasn't like Lance wasn't excited to explore a new planet and save more lives from the Galran empire… he just… was sort of in a funk today. He'd been up all night going through all the photos he had on his phone, wallowing in his homesickness and reminiscing about his family.
He missed them.
But it wasn't like he could really share it- what right did he have? Shiro and Keith never spoke of their families. Lance had a sneaking suspicion that they were all the other had. Shiro mentioned a guy named Adam (his boyfriend, oh-ho?), but no one else. Lance wasn't going to flaunt his family in front of them, no sir. Hunk had left a family just as close, if not more so, than Lance's The guy had to be a wreck; no way could Lance dump this on him. Allura and Coran had lost their entire planet. What was he going to say to them? "Oh no, I'm really sad about my living family. Any thoughts on your end?" Yeah right.
And Pidge… Pidge didn't even know if her family was alive. She'd come to space to find them, for quiznak's sake! He couldn't do that to her- it wasn't fair.
So, he wallowed instead for the night.
It wasn't healthy, but really, none of this was. They were in space- Lance had seen the documentaries on how dangerous space was for humans. He knew how risky them being out here was, especially for as long as they had been.
And that was disregarding the ugly purple furry disasters they fought every quintant.
Lance figured his coping mechanisms were the least of his worries.
"Alright team," Shiro said, pulling Lance back into the conversation. "Here's the plan: Lance, Hunk, you two will be in charge of keeping the skies clear with the Castle. Pidge, Keith, and I will go planetside to infiltrate the base and take it down. Are we clear?"
"Sir yes sir!" Lance said, knowing that he sounded overly-chipper, but also knowing that the others wouldn't think twice about it. Enthusiasm was his thing.
He pointedly avoided Hunk's probing gaze. He'd be fine in a few varga. A mission would do him good.
It would all be fine.
So Lance maybe spoke too soon.
The Galra knew they were coming: it was an ambush.
And they walked right into it.
Shiro, Keith, and Pidge were pinned on the planet, barely keeping ahead of the seemingly endless waves of soldiers that poured from the base. They were tiring quickly, Lance knew. But he and Hunk couldn't do anything to help- several Galran cruisers appeared out of nowhere and were giving the duo a hell of a run for their money. Fighter jets poured out in waves, keeping Lance and Hunk from getting close to the cruisers. Lance grunted as Blue took a hit to her side.
You ok?!
Lion is fine, My Paladin.
Good. Let's go, Gorgeous.
"Guys!" Hunk called out, "We need a new plan!"
"We're working on one right now, Paladins!" Coran assured frantically.
"Can't we just wormhole out of here?" Lance yelped, barely dodging an ion blast. "These things have ions- if Hunk or I get hit we're done for!"
"There's no way to get everyone up here and away from the Galra to prevent them from following us," Allura explained. Lance frowned worriedly at the strain of her voice. The Castleship was taking too much damage.
"Hunk, buddy, how you doing over there?" Lance asked, opening a separate channel.
"Yellow's taking heavy fire."
"Fall back," Lance said firmly. "The Castle is taking more hits than Allura and Coran are letting on."
"You noticed that too?" Hunk mused. "But what about you and Blue?"
"Blue is faster than Yellow- we'll be of more use out in the thick of things. Plus, if things go south on the planet, the others will need backup and we can't leave the castle undefended."
"You got it," Hunk confirmed. "Be careful, Lance."
"Always am."
Lance reopened his comms, hearing the audible click when Hunk did the same. "Allura, Coran," Hunk called, "I'm coming your way."
"What- why?" Coran chirped, going for nonchalance and failing epically. "We're fine over here."
"Coran, you know that you're a horrible liar. Accept the help and stay in one piece," Lance said fondly.
"Lance, are you okay on your own up there? I'm not sure you and Hunk should be splitting up," Shiro said, concern breaking through his Leader Voice™. Lance huffed a laugh.
"Don't really have much of a choice here, bossman. But yeah, I'll be f-shit!" Lance yanked down on Blue's controls, going into a nosedive to avoid the wide ion beam that barely grazed Blue's side.
Six voices screamed his name. Lance needed a breath before responding.
"I'm fine! Sorry about that!"
"What happened?!" Keith growled.
"Miscalculated move," Lance lied. Pidge wasn't buying it.
"Like hell it was!" she refuted.
"Pidge," Lance urged, "leave it. I'm fine. Focus on getting to the base and taking it down."
"Lance is right," Shiro asserted, preventing any arguments from breaking out. "Lance, be careful. Don't do anything dangerous."
"Or stupid," Keith muttered, obviously grumpy about being brushed off after expressing concern. Lance felt a twinge of guilt at how dismissive he'd been. He would have to apologize once they all got back to the Castle.
"We can do this, team!"
"Shiro, what's your status?" Allura asked worriedly. Lance growled, firing a blast at one of the cruisers. These were a tougher branch of cruisers than Lance was used to: none of the usual attacks were capable of downing one. He'd had to get a bit more reckless, swooping in and swiping Blue's jaw blade across the side of a cruiser before pivoting on a dime to freeze a nearby one and then getting the hell out of dodge. A trail of fighter pilots always followed behind, no matter how many Blue eliminated with her tail laser.
It wasn't smart, he knew that. Even with the protection Blue gave him, Lance was taking a beating. He turned his comms off, still making sure that he could hear the others because he wasn't stupid, thank you very much. He just didn't want them worrying about the noises he made when he was tossed around the cockpit, or when Blue took a hard blast.
" We should be done and in our Lions in under ten doboshes," Pidge reported.
"What happened to Shiro?" Hunk asked cheekily. Pidge huffed a laugh.
"He and Keith will be done soon."
"Make some friends?"
"As only they can."
Lance chuckled, knowing that they couldn't hear him, but taking comfort in the action no less.
Things weren't going well.
The fight may have been slowing down on the planet, but the Galra were redoubling their efforts in the sky and Lance was running out of steam. Fighters flew around Lance, ramming into him kamikaze style, and throwing the Blue Lion off-balance to leave her open for the cruisers to take advantage of. From what he could tell, the Castle was out of danger with Hunk there.
Now that he thought about it, the only person who was still in peril was himself.
Whoops.
"Lance?" Hunk asked, suddenly realizing that his friend had been quiet for a while. Lance huffed grimly to himself, reaching to turn his comms back on.
Well, he tried to.
Lance took his eyes away from the hostiles all around him for one second. One stupid, fatal, moronic, short, infinite, second. As if sensing his momentary distraction, the cruisers around Lance fired synchronized shots at the vulnerable Lion. Lance was knocked out of his seat, flying up and slamming his helmet into the ceiling of the cockpit. He fell in a heap next to the piloting seat.
"Lance! What's your status?" Shiro called. Lance groaned, hauling himself back into the pilot's seat.
My Paladin! Blue cried. Incoming!
"Fabulous," Lance muttered and sent Blue into evasive maneuvers. "Blue, why can't I turn my comms on?!"
Systems damaged! Need time!
"Alright, Gorgeous. Any way you can reach out to your sisters? Let them know that our comms are down?" Lance suggested around gritted teeth. He swerved to the left, an ion blast skimming Blue's right side and throwing her through space into heavy laser spray from a second cruiser nearby. Lance growled as Blue was pelted with the quick blasts, throwing her below and away.
"Lance's comms are down!" Shiro reported. "The Blue Lion just told Black." That news didn't have the comforting effect Lance had been going for.
"Does anyone have eyes on Lance?!" Keith yelled breathlessly. Lance hoped with all his being that Pidge's ten dobosh timeline was correct. It had been seven, by his count.
Awesome.
The sooner they got their butts up here and to the Castle, the sooner Lance could get his butt to the Castle and/or get some help with this mess he's found himself in.
"No! I lost sight of him a few ticks ago!" Hunk panicked. "He disappeared when the reinforcements came in-"
"What reinforcements?" Pidge shrilled. "How many cruisers are you dealing with up there?!"
"Uhhh… I can see like five," Hunk estimated. Lance scoffed. There were at least twelve cruisers; these guys didn't mess around. Lance hadn't even realized that they had this many cruisers to dispatch. "Lance, buddy, please tell me that you aren't in there right now!"
In there?
Lance spun Blue around, firing an icy blast and taking out seven of the fight pilots tailing them. On all sides, he could only see purple. He groaned when a tractor beam latched around Blue.
Oh, Dios- I'm being beamed up! he thought half-hysterically.
Wrong.
A second tractor beam made its presence known as the Blue lion shook, Lance grimacing in pain with it.
A third joined.
A fourth, then a fifth.
They were boxing him in, holding Blue fast with the tractor beams that made her joints quake and creak. They were going to pull her apart- and there was nothing Lance could do trapped as he was. "In there" indeed.
Whoops.
This wasn't an ambush; this was an execution. They designed this whole scenario so that they could separate the Paladins from one another. All of Voltron knew they were best when they were together- that was kind of their entire team dynamic. They relied on one another, protected one another.
The Galra knew this. How could they not with all of the battles they'd lost to a united team Voltron? So they'd crafted this entire scheme to get the Paladins at their lowest.
The worst part was that it was working.
Lance frantically slammed his hand against the comms button on his dashboard. "Blue, where are you with the comms?!" he shrieked, simultaneously spiraling in place, unable to do anything but fire desperately at ships holding him like an egg in an Egg Drop Contest.
It's not working, My Paladin!
"Keep trying!" Lance racked his brain, trying to think of some other way to get to his friends. He couldn't leave them like this- they needed to know, dammit-
The Paladin bond!
What if Lance could tap into that?! What if he could warn them of the Galran's plan without needing his comms?
Please please please please please please- Lance put all his focus into the single word, even as he tried to get out of the ring of Galran cruisers he'd found himself in. It didn't work- he was pinned, barely able to keep ahead of all of the fighter jets milling about. They continued to rain down their wrath upon him, prone as he was.
Cheating bastards.
Time for some cheating of his own. Lance slowed his breathing, cognizant of the chaos around him, but unable to do anything about it at this time. This was their only chance. If Lance couldn't reach them, then it would all be over.
What was it that Shiro was always tossing at Keith?
Slowness means success?
Rations are bogus?
Poodles yeet frogs?
Uh.
Oh!
Patience yields focus!
Alright, focus then.
Fffffoooocussss.
Wait. Wasn't he supposed to wait for the focus to come to him?
Whatever. This worked just fine.
Deep breaths.
You can do this.
Your team needs you.
Please reach them.
Think of them. Think of Shiro's strength. Think of Keith's passion. Think of Pidge's resourcefulness. Think of Hunk's loyalty. Think of your team. Think of how much you need them to hear you. Open your mind to theirs, like Coran and Shiro and Allura taught you.
Shiro. Keith. Pidge. Hunk. Please. Please hear me. Save them.
Nothing.
Shiro. Keith. Pidge. Hunk.
Come on...
Please please please reach them please hear me guys I'm begging you-
"Do you-" Shiro gasped suddenly. Lance's eyes widened. They heard him.
"What?!" Keith roared, the sound of battle heavy in his ears. They'd sent another wave of soldiers.
They were going to force his team apart.
Please please please please TRAP it's a trap get to your lions now please please please-
"No, wait," Pidge interrupted. "I feel it too."
Please please please get out run away get out NOW GET OUT PLEASE-
"Lance?" Hunk breathed.
They wanted this to happen- get away it's too late get away- It had dawned on Lance that there was no way for the others to reach him. He was on his own.
"We're not leaving you, Lance!" Shiro said fiercely. "Just hold on buddy. Hold on- we're coming."
-there's no time please GO get away-
"We're almost to the Lions!" Keith hollered. "Does anyone have eyes on Lance?!"
Don't worry about me get out now please get out retreat run hurry please please please please-
"You don't get to make that kind of decision, asshat!" Pidge hissed. "We're coming!"
No, no they want that please they'll get you stay away I'll be fine-
Lance was thrown out of his seat, his helmet flying off as his chin collided with the dashboard in front of him. White flecked his vision, at war with the dark spots he'd been trying to blink back. Something warm dripped down his face from his nose, but Lance didn't recall breaking his nose.
Must be from the exertion then.
Good to know.
"We're coming, Lance, end of discussion," Shiro growled. The others confirmed.
Please don't
"Why not?" Keith snapped.
I can't lose you all please leave me and be safe I'll be fine please-
"Lance, we are a team!" Hunk said tearfully. "I'm coming to get you now!"
No, no Hunk couldn't do that. He was the closest one- the Galra would have a field day with the Yellow Lion. He wouldn't have any backup- no no no Hunk no I'm begging you-
"As much as I hate to admit it," Allura said heavily and Lance could have kissed her for her Altean Royalty Practicality™, "you shouldn't go in with no backup. The others will be there soon. Lance, stay alive until we can get to you."
"We can't just leave him there-" Pidge protested angrily. Lance interrupted.
I'll be fine please be safe thank you I love you all stay safe-
"Lance what are you doing?!" Hunk questioned nervously.
Protect protect protect be safe please forgive me please please please-
"LANCE!"
"Blue! You know what I'm thinking?!" It was stupid. It was dangerous. It probably wouldn't even work.
But it was all Lance could think of. It was the best chance he could give the others.
He wasn't going to pretend that it would end well for him. Maybe it would. He couldn't find the excess worry to care.
No, My Paladin! It's too dangerous!
"The others are going to be here any tick! They'll be killed!"
My Paladin will be killed!
"Blue, please! If we wait any longer, you'll be pulled apart by these tractor beams and I'll die anyway. Please. Help me save them."
No!
"We're almost there, Lance! Please just hang on." Lance winced at the hope in Hunk's voice. He still didn't understand. There was no way for them to get to him in time.
The Galrans were counting on it. They were counting on all of Voltron converging desperately to Lance's aid, only to be blasted out of existence by an ion blast. Why couldn't they see that?!
Run run please run no danger danger danger RUN don't come back trust me-
"Blue we're out of time!"
Don't!
Sorry I'm so sorry please leave don't turn back it's a trap I'm sorry-
"Sorry, gorgeous," he breathed. "I can't give you a choice in this."
Blue roared angrily.
"What's going on?!" Keith yelled. "Lance what are you doing?!"
"No," Allura whispered. "Lance, no! We're almost there!"
"Don't give up on us!" Pidge pleaded. "Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't!"
"Hermano, don't do this! Please, buddy! Let us get to you- don't make this choice for us!" Hunk sobbed.
And if that didn't hurt like a Hijo de puta.
Sorry sorry sorry sorry please forgive me love love love I love you all love sorry please-
"Lance please!" Lance had never heard Shiro like this. He'd never heard any of them like this before now.
He hated it. He knew they'd never forgive him.
But he knew that he'd rather they lived to hate him than die pointlessly; than die trying to save him.
"Sorry Blue. I'm so sorry."
"I see the cruisers! Lance, we made it!" Pidge cried.
No.
I'm sorry.
Lance screamed as he rammed his bayard into the slot in Blue's control panel. Power surged through him as he forcibly took over Blue's programming. He hated it. Hated feeling her try to stop him.
"I can save you, Blue! I can save them! I'm sorry!"
STOP! It will kill My Paladin!
"Pleas-ARGH!"
"LANCE?!"
His comms were back on.
Dios, they were going to hear this.
"BLUE TURN THOSE COMMS BACK OFF!"
NO!
"You're only going to hurt them!"
Don't care! My Paladin won't be alone in this!
Lance couldn't answer as he twisted his bayard, feeling hot, stabbing agony travel through his veins. His vision greyed in the corners as a guttural scream crawled from behind clenched teeth.
Ow ow ow ow
The others were screaming, too. They were pleading, begging, sobbing Lance's name as they heard his suffering.
Tears poured down Lance's face uncontrollably, and he forced himself to stay conscious. He couldn't be weak now. The universe depended on it. His family depended on it.
He couldn't fail them.
With a final burst of energy, Lance fired everything Blue had on her. A ring of powerful sonar energy rocked the ships around him, ice spikes piercing any and all nearby fighter pilots still plowing into the Blue Lion. Blue's tail laser fired at full power, something usually only available after a five dobosh charge up. Now, though, it fired in a long , wide beam, from both the Blue Lion's tail, and from her jaw with a thrumming, pulsating power that had the entire cockpit shaking. Blue light danced around the cockpit as Lance forced the Lion's energy to pass through him to the enemies outside.
There was sudden, deafening silence for less than a tick.
"I'm sorry," Lance sobbed, knowing what was coming. He sent a final wave of love and gratitude over the Paladin Bond- all the love he could possibly throw at his family.
Then Lance's world exploded in light and pain.
Hunk
Everything had gone so wrong.
So, so horribly wrong.
This plan was supposed to be quick, in and out. They were supposed to be back at the castle by now, joking and laughing and celebrating their easy. Victory.
Why did this always happen to them- no, not them: Lance?
These things always happened to Lance. Laughing, cheerful, joking, happy, stalwart, charismatic, buoyant, Lance. They all relied on him. They all needed him to remind them how to go on. Without Lance… there was no team. There was no Voltron.
Why couldn't Hunk get that through Lance's thick skull?
It was too late for that now.
Hunk could barely see the Blue Lion, and it wasn't just because of the wall of Galran cruisers. Large, fat tears rolled down Hunk's face as he realized what Lance was apologizing for. It wasn't for needing rescue. Not this time.
Amid the pleas and apologies, there was love and grief and clarity and, worst of all, resignation.
Lance was going to die. He knew it. He was ready to.
Lance knew that the others weren't going to be able to get to him. Not without getting themselves caught in the crossfire. Lance wasn't going to let that happen. Not if he thought that he could keep them safe. Not if he could sacrifice himself to save them.
God, Lance, no.
"Hermano, don't do this! Please, buddy! Let us get to you- don't make this choice for us!" Lance couldn't do this to them. Please, no.
Hunk prayed to every deity he could think of. Don't let this happen, please!
A wave of love and apologies swept through the Paladin Bond once more. Hunk choked on a sob.
"Lance, please!" Shiro pleaded brokenly. Hunk bit his lip, debating saying a rare "fuck it" and going in for his best friend anyways.
But Lance would never forgive himself if Hunk got hurt. That's just how Lance was. Hunk couldn't do that to his hermano. Not now.
Instead, he took out his anger and despair on any and all fighter jets he could find, blasting them to smithereens before the Castle could even think about firing. It was a little selfish on his part- he knew that Coran and Allura had to be falling apart from worry. But he couldn't find it in him to care.
Hunk's heart leapt into his throat at Pidge's cry of "I see the cruisers! Lance, we made it!"
Finally. Now they could get Lance. A relieved smile adorned Hunk's face as he prepared to leap into action.
They celebrated too soon.
Every shred of hope that had begun to come to life in Hunk's chest, every bit of joy Hunk could sense from the other occupants of the bond, froze at two very clear thoughts.
No.
I'm sorry.
"What?!" Hunk wailed, panicking when suddenly Lance's connection went silent. He could feel the others pull back in shock at the spontaneous combustion of their link with Lance.
"What did he just do?!" Keith asked, sounding more panicked than Hunk had ever heard.
"He-" Shiro started quietly.
"Paladins!" Allura interrupted, unable to stop her voice from wavering, "You need to get out of there right now!"
"Like hell!" Pidge hissed. Everyone knew she wasn't actually mad at Allura- there was no missing the thickness to her voice, even through a comms channel. "We need to get Lance out of there before he does something stupid!"
"Uh, guys?" Hunk asked, horror making his blurry eyes dry. "What is that?"
Bright blue lights were sparking and fizzing in the center of the deadly circle, the Paladins just able to see it from where they'd converged. It grew brighter and higher by the second.
"Is that-?" Keith asked in disbelief.
"It's the Blue Lion," Allura confirmed gravely. "And it's only going to get more dangerous if Lance does what I think he is."
"What exactly does that mean?"
"It means that you all need to get back. Now."
Keith
Where did Lance get off pulling something like this?! Was that idiot so... so… so idiotic that he couldn't see that he had a family in space? A family that loved and cared about him? A family that would be destroyed if they lost him?!
Rage burned in Keith's chest, nearly suffocating the panic rising equally as strong.
Nearly.
God it was happening again. He let himself get close to someone, and now they were leaving him by choice not again please he couldn't do this again!
Lance had no right to pull this. No right to be this dumb, this… this stupid, this moronic, this…
This selfless.
Keith knew his thoughts were wrong. He was projecting. He did that when he couldn't deal with memories or emotions that he'd rather forget.
That's what Shiro said, anyway. Keith was beginning to wonder if he was right.
Lance was doing this for his family. To keep Keith from losing all of them. To keep them all from losing each other.
Keith's eyes were burning with barely-controlled emotion as wave after wave of pain and apologies and love crashed over him.
Lance couldn't even talk to his family through all this. All the other four Paladins could do was beg him to hold on, to stay with them please, Lance.
Keith lost all pretense of composure the moment he felt Lance's resignation harden.
No.
I'm sorry.
And then he was gone. Keith trembled as horror and worry crashed into him. He gasped at the pain of Lance's sudden absence.
Fuck no, please no.
"What?!" Hunk sobbed. Keith gripped the controls of the Red Lion as tight as he could, knuckles turning white with his attempts to ground himself.
"What did he just do?!
Shiro sounded more lost, more broken, than Keith had ever heard him before. "He-"
"Paladins! You need to get out of there right now!" Allura sounded so desperate, voice wavering with emotion rarely seen from the princess.
Keith could feel everyone bristle. Pidge beat him to a reply.
"Like hell! We need to get Lance out of there before he does something stupid!"
As though summoned by her words, a sudden bright light blazed between the Galran cruisers where they all knew Lance was. It crackled and jumped like lightning. The familiar blue made Keith's chest ache with ample hope and despair.
On the one hand, Lance was still there. They hadn't lost him.
On the other hand, Lance was still in there. They were going to lose him if something didn't change, and fast.
"Uh, guys?" Hunk asked, horror making his blurry eyes dry. "What is that?"
Keith needed someone to confirm his thoughts. To assure him that all wasn't entirely lost. "Is that-?"
"It's the Blue Lion," Allura confirmed. "And it's only going to get more dangerous if Lance does what I think he is."
"What exactly does that mean?" Hunk asked.
"It means that you all need to get back. Now."
"We don't have time for this, Allura!" Keith cried, knowing that she was right, but also unable to stop himself. Lance was in there.
"Do you think I enjoy giving this order?!" she snapped back wetly. "You need to get out of there now before you're caught in the… in the attack."
There was a second of silence filled by a heavy sniff from Hunk.
"- save you, Blue! I can save them! I'm sorry!" No one dared to even breathe when the panicked voice suddenly came back online.
It was Lance.
He was okay.
He wasn't alone.
A tear spilled down Keith's cheek.
"Pleas-ARGH!" Another one fell, this one bitter and salty with terror and anger.
"LANCE?!" everyone cried. He didn't respond.
The light was getting brighter.
"BLUE TURN THOSE COMMS BACK OFF!"
"Don't you dare!" Pidge threatened. Luckily, the Blue Lion seemed to have a similar train of thought.
"You're only going to hurt them!" There was no thought to himself. This stupid, wonderful, sacrificial asshole.
If he died Keith was going to kill him.
How dare he pull this shit.
"Don't even think about it, Lance!" Keith growled, wiping away a third- now purely angry- tear. "You don't get to leave like this!"
There was the sound of a control switching. Keith realized with a start that it was Lance's bayard in the Blue Paladin's control panel.
What was he doing?!
"Lance!" Allura screamed, not sounding anything like her normal, composed self. "Stop! We can find another way, please! This will kill you!"
"Allura, what is going on?!" Shiro inquired heatedly. He wasn't angry. They knew that. He was scared. He was terrified- they all were.
"The Blue Lion is fighting him- she knows what is going on," Allura began quickly. "He's acting as a conduit- he's going to destroy himself in the process!"
Pidge
No no no no no
Not again.
She couldn't do this again.
She couldn't lose another brother.
Not again not again not again not again think Katie dammit what's the point of being the team genius if you can't even keep your goddamn family safe?!
She couldn't think of anything. There was no way to get to Lance. Not without putting him in more danger, or getting the rest of the team killed in the process.
She couldn't save him.
She couldn't save Lance.
Couldn't save Matt.
Couldn't save her father.
Couldn't save anybody.
Angry tears hit her legs as she fought a sob that was crawling its way up her throat. She couldn't fall apart now- she had to save Lance.
Come on! Please! Anything- do something! Fucking- shit- please! Please, don't do this, Lance!
All she could do was stare in shock as the bright blue energy, as Lance, got more unstable and more dangerous. Allura said he was acting as a conduit, but didn't elaborate. Green, tentatively and gravely, explained quietly that Blue didn't want to try it, so Lance was forcing her hand. He was forcing her essence through himself, harnessing the energy and creating an attack that the Galran cruisers wouldn't be able to block or survive.
Pidge didn't miss the unspoken fact that Lance wouldn't be able to either.
At least his comms were on. At least Lance couldn't take this all on his own. He had to let his friends be with him. He couldn't hide this one.
Pidge wasn't going to let him.
Her friends, the rest of her family, were pleading with Lance to stop please stop.
No one said what they all knew: it was already too late.
Green how long does he have?
Don't know. Not long.
Tell me that there's a way to get to him.
Green didn't answer.
"There has to be another way!" Keith begged. Pidge was going to echo the sentiments- maybe one of the others had an idea.
But that's when Lance started screaming.
Pidge screamed with him.
Allura cried "SHIELDS UP, PALADINS! GET AWAY!"
Pidge finally saw why.
A massive sonic wave thundered from within the execution ring Lance was trapped in. It fired through the Galrun cruisers, hitting the desperate observers and sending them tumbling through space for the briefest dobosh before they got their collective bearings.
"What-" Pidge gasped.
A second wave poured out. Lance roared in agony with it. This one was different. The sonic wave was impossibly stronger, carrying with it devastating ice shards that skewered the width of every Galran cruiser surrounding the Blue Paladin. The Lions, wiser this time, managed to ride out the sonic wave, not needing to dodge any of the ice now embedded in the hostile ships. There was light pulsing angrily, cutting through the ring with a power none of the Lions had ever been capable of.
"EVASIVE MANEUVERS!" Shiro commanded, the others reacting just before the laser beam came their way.
All that came through the comms was Lance's gasping breaths. Pidge, eyes wide, didn't dare breathe.
Was it done?
Was he safe?
She fought a relieved grin as the rest of her team seemed to have similar thoughts, surging forward as a unit to get their brother.
"I'm sorry," Lance sobbed quietly.
A wave of love and gratitude and Lance was their only warning before everything went to shit.