Chapter Text
Frozen, his feet moved automatically, walking as Hunk led him down one of the Garrison hallways away from Allura and Romelle. His mind raced at a speed of a million miles a second, but at the same time his thoughts felt sluggish as they floated aimlessly through his brain, unable to be harnessed and sorted through. He had tuned out Hunk’s voice from beside him, but when it became too difficult to try to organize his thought process, he returned his focus to the world around him
“...nd I know you’ve been dreaming of this for so long, Lance. I’m so happy for you, buddy!” Hunk was saying and Lance stopped dead in his tracks. Hunk stopped a few steps later, turning back to his friend. “Uh, Lance?’
“I– I finally asked her out,” Lance said, sounding dumbfounded. “And… and she said yes!”
He looked up to meet Hunk’s eyes, a giddiness threatening to crawl its way up his throat and leak into a smile, but he held it in. That is, until Lance was met with Hunk’s warm smile when he said “Yeah, man. She did.”
“She said yes!” He breathed, and then he felt the widest grin spread over his face, the bubbly giddiness that had been welling up inside him finally spilling out. Lance reached out and gripped tightly to Hunk’s shoulder, shaking his best friend back and forth in his excitement. Because he just got himself a date. A date with Allura; The woman of his dreams. He had been dreaming of this moment from the first day he met her, all those years ago in the Castle of Lions. It felt like so long ago, but now all of the memories he had of her were coming to the surface as a voice in his head wouldn’t stop screaming “She said yes!”
“Holy shit I’ve got a date with Allura!” Lance squawked, having gone from shaking Hunk’s arm to slapping it, unable to contain his joy. Allura would be coming over for dinner with his family. He just knows they’re all going to love her. What would it be like, on a date with her? She seemed so out of his league, but she had agreed to this date! He was over the moon. He needed to find something nice to wear, something classy. What would she wear? He’d only really seen Allura in her formal Altean wear, her paladin suit, and the uniform issued to her by the garrison. It really wouldn’t matter. She looked absolutely stunning in just about anything.
“Ha, yeah– ah!” Hunk winced as one of Lance’s hands came down too hard on his arm.
“Woops, sorry man.” Lance apologized, patting the guy’s arm.
“It’s no biggie. Hey, how about we get some celebratory milkshakes?” He suggested.
“I’m down!” Lance said, already striding down the hallway with his fingers laced behind his neck and elbows in the air, practically oozing confidence. This was going to be a wonderful day.
***
With minds half frozen from the milkshakes, he and Hunk ran into Pidge, who they caught walking towards them down the hallway, a tablet in hand, eyes glued to the screen.
“Pidge!” Lance calls, his voice echoing through the corridor. At the sound of his voice, Pidge looks up only seconds before Lance jogged up to them, slinging an arm around their shoulders and ruffling their hair. “There you are!”
Pidge yelped as their tablet threatened to fall from their grasp. They got a firm hold of it before looking quizzically up at Lance. He must have had a stupid grin on his face – he could feel it lifting his cheeks – but he couldn't help it.
“Were you looking for me?” they asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not particularly,” Lance said, expression becoming thoughtful, but then his smile returned and he ruffled Pidge’s hair again, “But I’m happy to see you!”
This evoked a laugh out of them. The little paladin looked up at Hunk. “What’s with him?” They ask, gesturing to Lance.
“He’s got a date with Allura tonight.” Hunk explained.
Pidge looked up at Lance and smirks. “What? No way!” they hum, almost sarcastically, wiggling their eyebrows at him. They ducked out from under his arm and moved to stand beside Hunk. “Loverboy finally got himself a date now, did he?”
“That’s right!” He proclaims, putting on one of his best winning smiles and striking a pose. “Who can say no to this face?”
“Lance, I say this in the nicest way possible, but I’ve seen you get turned down across the entire universe,” Pidge deadpanned. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
Lance stuck his tongue out at them. Okay, so maybe he had gotten turned down a couple hundred times, but he hadn’t been really serious about any of the aliens he had flirted with. His attraction to Allura, this incredible feeling inside his chest had been there since almost the first day they met her on Arus, and it had only gotten stronger over the years. Lance had waited so long for this. He couldn’t even process half of the excitement and anticipation humming through his veins.
The three of them began to walk down the hall, Hunk and Lance trailing Pidge as they headed to the indoor gardens where their mother worked. She needed Pidge for something, it seemed. Turning a corner, they almost ran head first into Shiro.
“Where are you three headed?” He asked, waving to them from a few paces ahead.
“Mom needs my help.” Pidge replied, tapping a few more things into their tablet before looking up at Shiro. “I don’t normally see you around this area.”
“Yeah, I needed to get up and walk around. I’m making my way back to the conference room now.” He said, visibly wincing as if it were the worst possible fate and the thought alone caused him physical pain. Lance could relate. He hated having to sit through all of the meetings and debriefs that always took way longer than they should have.
Shiro turned to Hunk and Lance. “And where are you two headed?”
“We’re just accompanying Pidge for now. We’re not really going anywhere.” Hunk said.
“Lance is going on a date with Allura tonight,” Pidge smirked. At that, Shiro’s eyebrows raised in surprise. He looked at Lance and smiled.
“Wow. Congratulations, Lance.” He said, a warm smile spreading over his face. “I’m sure you’re looking forward to it.”
“Yeah I am!” Lance beamed, “This has been, like, my dream! I can’t wait.”
“Well, good luck,” Shiro wished him, resting a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll be great.”
Lance smiled at him. “Thanks.”
“Well, I’ll see you guys around. Say hi to your mother for me, Pidge.” Shiro called, already continuing his walk. He raised his hand in a parting wave before turning a corner and disappearing into the labyrinth of hallways once again. The three of them kept walking in the direction of the gardens, and when they got there, Pidge was greeted by Beezer, the little robot giving a squeak and whir of excitement as it rolled away back towards the rows of plants.
“Unless you guys want to stick around, I’ll see you guys later!” Pidge called over their shoulder, already pulling up holo-screens and checking numerous charts. Lance and Hunk waved as the door slid shut, leaving the two of them to wander the halls once more.
“Hey,” Hunk said, breaking the silence, “Do you think you should talk to Coran about the date?”
Lance raised an eyebrow, turning to look at his best friend. “Coran? Why?”
“Well,” Hunk pondered, fiddling with the cuff of his uniform. “They’re both Altean, and royalty at that. Don’t you think he can give you some pointers?”
Lance could feel his eyes go wide. How could he not have thought of that? Of course Alteans wouldn’t have dates exactly like the ones on Earth. What were dates like in their culture? Especially dates with royalty. “Hunk, that’s a brilliant idea!” Lance shouted, “I’ll figure out how to incorporate Altean customs into our date, and maybe it’ll impress Allura!”
“I mean, I was just going to suggest clothes or food, but–”
“Sorry buddy, gotta run! I’ll see you later Hunk!” Lance dashed off down the hall to find the man with the mustache. If anyone could give him advice on Allura, it would be him.
***
As it turned out, asking Coran for dating advice almost made him wish he didn't have a date. Almost. Because Lance would endure much worse to make Allura happy. There were just so many customs and rules about courting Altean royalty, and Lance would be lucky to remember a quarter of it all. He wandered through the halls of the Garrison, adorned in what Coran deemed to be a substitute for proper Altean courting attire, which meant he was now strolling around with a large pot on his head, skillets strapped to his shoulders, and a chain of sausage links wrapped around his neck. Two table cloths trailed behind him, one from each shoulder, and a thick belt sat around his waist, sporting a frying pan.
If this even loosely resembled Altean dress, then Lance would say that they seem like a very cooking-oriented society. Lance was pretty sure Coran ransacked the kitchen for all of this. To say the least, Lance had gotten some peculiar looks from the generals and cadets alike he passed in the halls, and it did nothing to quell the nervous energy starting to hum through his veins. He hadn’t had a chance to actually see himself, but he thought he probably looked like an idiot. What would Allura think? He had been so sure of himself earlier, but as the sun started to set outside and the time drew nearer, a growing sense of dread began to weigh on him. What if he didn’t have this whole date under control? It would screw up everything.
He stopped and stared at the metal doors as they slid open, revealing the outside tarmac where SUV’s were temporarily parked, taking a break from transporting people around all day. The whole place had been buzzing with activity, preparing for the IFG-ATLAS’s launch tomorrow. Tonight marked the last night he and the rest of them would be spending on Earth for who knows how long. The sky was beginning to glow with the first hints of sunset, kissing the flat lands and small mountains of the desert with a warm orange glow, turning the shadows a dark red.
Red…
Lance scanned the area, and upon finding no one, he turned and made his way back through the base. He checked the dining hall, the conference room, the barracks, looking for a familiar mop of black hair. Everytime he started to doubt himself, Lance always ended up turning to the same person. It was a wonder why Lance always sought out someone famously known for being bad with words, but something about the black paladin calmed Lance’s nerves and silenced the critical voices in his head with little more than some encouragement and a smile.
Lance knew he and Keith hadn’t always gotten along, but ever since Keith came back from the Blade of Marmora, Lance realized that he appreciated the guy more than he thought. Sure, they still got into friendly spats or disagreements from time to time. That stayed the same. They were friends now. They could fully rely on each other, open up about weaknesses, and have each others’ backs.
And now, Lance could really use a confidence boost. Coran had him scared that he would somehow royally fuck up this date if he didn’t get the customs right, but how would he manage to do that when he couldn’t even remember a fraction of them? He found himself standing out on one of the Garrison’s observation decks, looking out over the desert. He hadn’t seen any sign of Keith around the facility, but he had to be here somewhere. He knew for a fact that Keith didn’t have anywhere else he would go so soon before the Launch. Lance just had to find him…
There, atop a small hill not too far from the buildings, facing into the setting sun, sat the black lion, as regal as ever.He felt a soft smile curve his lips. Bingo! With an amused sigh, he turned back inside yet again, hoping that he’d be able to catch Keith before he left.
***
Lance was absolutely winded by the time he reached the top of Black’s head, breathing hard with his hands on his knees. Not only did he have to walk across almost the entire Garrison, but then climb a giant robot lion? He might have been in good shape, but that bordered on pushing his ability a little. Not to mention he still had all of the cookware on him.
“Man,” He grunted as he climbed over Black’s ear and walked over to where Keith sat above one of the lion’s eyes, staring off at the setting sun with Kosmo laying beside him, “You can be a real hard guy to find when you want to be.”
He stepped up next to Keith, standing there and still trying to catch his breath. Keith glanced over at him briefly, already greeting him when he did a massive double take..
“Hey lan– Woah!” He stared at Lance, bewildered. “What… are you wearing?”
Lance sighed, taking a seat beside Keith on Black’s head. He told Keith about how he landed a date with Allura, taking the pot off his head in the process. He smiled when Keith congratulated him, and although it felt good, the pressure still weighed down on him.
“It’s our first date, but it also may be our last.” Lance sighed. “I can’t keep all these Altean customs straight.” Allura was a princess – royalty – and Lance was just… Lance. He could tell by the way Coran tried to teach him the customs of their people that every little thing mattered, yet here he was, sitting on top of the Black lion, covered in cooking supplies and sausages. Why did she agree to go out with someone like him?
“Listen,” Keith’s voice snapped Lance out of his spiral, but he didn't look up, “If she’s going out with you, it’s because she likes you. The annoying, stupid, Earth version of you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Lance could see Keith’s lips quirk upwards, and he himself couldn’t help but laugh, too. He had basically been insulted, but the way Keith said it made it feel like a compliment. He lifted his eyes to Keith, who’s own were gazing out at the setting sun. After a moment, Lance copied him. The sight filled Lance with a sort of reverence. It hadn’t occurred to him just how special sunsets were until he could no longer watch them over the desert or from the beach with his family. Some of the planets they had visited had sunsets similar to Earth’s, but none of them seemed to compare. Earth could be special, too, Lance mused as the two of them sat there, staring at the golden light being cast over the land. He hadn’t seen anything as perfect as this anywhere else.
“Watching the sun set?” Lance asked.
“Yeah. It might be a while before we get to see it again.” He answered, and Lance’s heart clenched in his chest. He – he had made it home. They all had. Now they’re leaving again.
“Man, I’m really gonna miss this place,” Lance sighed, hoping that his lilting tone would ease the suffocating feeling inside of him.
“That’s why we’ve gotta end this war.” Keith declared, jaw set with determination. “And we’re going to do that with the Lance that’s the paladin of the red lion,” the lines in his face relaxed, softening his features, “The Lance that’s always got my back,” his eyes fell shut as he breathed deeply, “And the Lance who knows exactly who he is, and what he’s got to offer.”
When Keith opened his eyes, they were trained on Lance; warm and powerful, deep and dark and consuming. He smiled, freezing Lance in place with his sincerity. He would always be weak to Keith’s kindness, Lance thought. In his experience, Keith had never tried to sugarcoat his words or weave them into something flowery or beautiful. He said what he thought, always honestly, and oftentimes it was only honesty that Lance needed to dig himself out of a pit.
He still had so much to stress over, but right here, watching the sun start to creep below the mountains, Lance felt as if all of his worries had slipped away, leaving him to simply enjoy the moment. He wouldn’t get to see another sunset on Earth for a while, and right now Lance couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.
He and Keith sat there in silence until the last molten rays of sun disappeared, leaving the sky rust colored as night started to take its hold. With a sigh, Lance got to his feet, picking up the large pot that he had set beside him.
“Well, I’ve gotta get going.” He said, arching his back until it cracked, “Don’t want to be late for my own date, y’know.”
Keith turned to face him, looking a bit startled, along with Kosmo, who’s tail gives a small wag. “Right,” He confirms, getting to his feet.
“Man, I’m still so nervous.” Lance slumped forward, dragging his hands down his face.
“Hey,” Keith said, setting a hand on Lance's shoulder, “Don’t worry about it. It’s going to work out fine.”
Lance looked up at him from between his fingers. He had been telling himself the same thing all day, repeating it like a mantra in his head while Coran droned on and on about royalty and courting and dress and blah blah blah. He had been trying to reassure himself that it would all go smoothly, but to no avail. Hearing someone else say it, especially Keith, with his no-nonsense tone of voice, Lance could almost believe that this date wouldn’t be a total disaster.
“Yeah?” He breathed, standing up straighter, “Yeah, okay.” A smile spread across his face.
Keith’s eyes crinkled at the edges with a smile of his own, though not as big as Lances. Lance made a show of brushing down his uniform before holding a hand out. “Thanks, Keith,” He said, and Keith took it, clasping it tight.
“No problem. Good luck, Sharpshooter.”
If Lance wasn’t filled to the brim with nervous energy, he would’ve thought Keith’s words sounded strained, but he paid it no mind as he waved over his shoulder before descending the black lion. He had a date with the most beautiful girl in the universe and he won’t be late.
***
He heard the doorbell ring from upstairs, where he stood in front of the mirror, trying to decide if he looked nice enough for a date with a princess. Having abandoned the pots and pans, Lance had decided on a grey and white raglan shirt over a light blue button up with a collar. He had on simple black pants and even borrowed some of his brother’s cologne because, despite the fact that Lance knows that he’s joking when he says it, Keith’s comments about the way he smells had wormed their way into his subconscious. He stared at his reflection, trying to figure out if his hair looked okay the way it was, chestnut brown framing his tan face. He decided it was as good as it’s going to get and hurried down the stairs, already hearing his mother’s warm welcome to Allura.
Allura looked more stunning than he could’ve ever imagined. She was beautiful when she dressed in her traditional Altean clothing, but she stood before him now wearing a white cocktail dress with three-quarter sleeves and white heels. A thin belt is cinched around her waist, making her outfit look even more refined. Her hair was down and Lance had forgotten how pretty it was that way.
When she noticed him standing on the stairs, her face lit up and Lance felt like the luckiest man in the universe.
“You look… amazing,” Lance breathed, which earned him a bashful smile from Allura.
“Thank you,” she replied. Lance stepped down the last few stairs. “You look nice, too.”
He let out a nervous chuckle, and after a few more pleasantries, Lance turned to show Allura to the dining room only to find the rest of his family standing there watching them.
“Oh,” Lance faltered, nerves beginning to rise again. He quickly introduced each of his family members, and once they were all acquainted, everyone made their way to sit around the table that was laid out with a feast fitting of his and Allura’s last day on Earth.
The night was lively, and Lance could hardly take his eyes off of Allura. The way her eyes crinkled and her musical laugh sent butterflies through his stomach. His family loved her, and that made him happier than he could express.
Unfortunately for Lance, his family began to tell stories as dinner progressed. They weren't funny stories, either. They were the most embarrassing childhood stories of him told at his expense. The more that were spread around the table, the more irritated Lance got. How many times was a man expected to laugh about that time when he drank dirt and water believing it to be chocolate milk?
So Lance was sulking, staring down at his plate as Allura laughed along with his family. At least she got a kick out of hearing about Lance’s childhood. It did fill him with a small sense of satisfaction when his brother mentioned that Lance’s date with Allura was the only reason that he was sitting at the table with the adults. While that fact alone was humiliating, it would have been even more so if he was sitting at the small table behind him with his twin sister Rachel and his niece and nephew. He loved them, but he would be eternally glad that he didn’t have to sit at the kids table while Allura sat with the adults.
“Hey, speaking of dates,” Veronica said from her seat next to him. Lance glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Maybe you could put in a good word for me with that long haired friend of yours?”
Lance’s mind seemed to short circuit, unable to process Veronica’s request at first before its meaning crashed down on him all at once. He nearly jumped out of his seat.
“What— KEITH!?” He shrieked, eyebrows shooting up as his eyes widened in shock. Keith!? His sister was asking him to see her up with Keith!? “NO! Nononononono no. No way!” He spluttered, waving his hands in front of him. There was no way.
“Oh, why not?” Veronica pressed, a smirk on her lips.
Lance searched for an answer. What was he supposed to say to that? He tried to picture the two of them together in his mind, and, to his surprise, it was incredibly easy to do so. They both had very straightforward personalities. Lance could picture them exchanging smirks, determination glinting in their eyes as they led the ATLAS crew or something similar on a mission. He pictured Keith smiling softly at Veronica, the type of smile that made Lance feel reassured and understood. He pictured the two of them sitting side by side, arms around each other as they watched the sun set over the desert, heads leaning together…
“Just… no, alright?” Lance stammered, feeling his face grow warm for some reason. “That would be weird. You’re my sister and he’s my—” Lance flustered. His… what? Teammate? Co-worker? Friend? Keith was definitely one of Lance’s best friends. They were partners. Keith and Lance, Lance and Keith.
To his relief, Veronica simply shrugged, swirling her champagne. “Whatever,” she drawled, not even a few seconds later getting to her feet and raising her glass. “A toast,” she declared, drawing the room’s attention, “To family. Though we may be apart after tomorrow, we will always remain close at heart. Family is forever.”
The rest of the table raised their classes and a chorus of ‘to family!’ rang throughout the room. Lance smiled fondly around the table, reminded of just how much he loved his family. He may be leaving, but they would be here for him when he got back. He would come back to them.
He turned to Allura to share the sentiment, but the smile fell away from his face when he saw her sitting there, eyes unfocused and staring off into space as her fingers held loosely on to her champagne flute. He felt a pang of guilt, wondering, not for the first time, what it would feel like to be in Allura’s position. It seemed extremely lonely, and Lance couldn’t help but feel bad. He cast his eyes down, trying to think of anything he could do to make Allura feel better. He knew he could never fill the void of her lost family, but any happiness he could provide her with he would gladly give.
***
After dinner, Lance led Allura out of the house and along a familiar footpath that Lance loved to walk when he was younger. Walking along it now, the path lined with dying trees on either side, Lance couldn’t help but feel like the home of his childhood was slipping out of his reach. He felt his mood drop even further when they reached a point in the path where a large tree sprouted from its center, surrounded by a large circle of cobblestone. Its branches, once alive with an abundance of leaves and filled with the chirps and rustling of small birds, we’re now bare, devoid of any life.
“It used to be so beautiful,” Lance sighed. To his surprise, Allura sighed as well. He glanced over at her to see her staring up at the tree like he had been.
“It’s all my fault that the Galra did this to your home.” She muttered, her voice full of regret.
“What? No! Allura, that isn’t your fault.” Lance protested, “Plus, meeting you was the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
He watched as Allura made her way over to the large tree, her heels clicking against the stone in the quiet of the night. She reached out her hand, placing it against the rough bark. He wasn’t sure what she was doing, but within a matter of seconds an ethereal blue glow emanated from her hand, spreading throughout the tree and through its branches. Lance gasped as the blue light spread beyond the branches, breaking off into leaves until the outline of a tree was illuminated in the darkness, small motes of light floating through the air.
When the light faded, a full and alive tree stood before them, fireflies blinking all around them and casting the path in a warm, cozy light. Flowering bushes bloomed around them, and Lance couldn’t help but acknowledge that this was an incredibly romantic spot and he was glad he brought Allura here. He saw Allura lower her head before lifting it again to gaze up at the revived tree.
“When we were out there, fighting against the galra,” Allura spoke, her voice wistful, “I somehow felt like… like we were a family. Each of us was alone, but we were alone together.”
Lance felt his heart ache for her, because he knew exactly what she was talking about. Countless times while they were in space he had felt incredibly alone, but the thing that kept him hopeful through most of it was that he wasn’t the only one there. He had his best friend Hunk, who had been with him since the Garrison; Pidge with her sarcastic attitude; Keith, who he had come to appreciate throughout their time together; all of them. And Allura, whom he now couldn’t imagine his life without. They were all alone, but they had each other.
“But now here on Earth,” Allura continued, “I see that everyone already has a family and a home to return to once the war is over. Everyone except me.” She bowed her head. “For the first time, I feel uncertain about what my future holds. It’s silly, I used to think that the team relied on me, that I needed to be strong for everyone else, but now I see that it was I that needed all of you.” She turned them to face Lance, her multicolored eyes dancing in the dim light with so much sorrow that it broke Lance’s heart.
“Allura, you are not alone,” Lance said, “And if I have anything to say about it, you never will be. I—” He felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew what he wanted to say, was more sure of it than anything he had ever done before, and he desperately hoped that his feelings would be accepted. “I don’t care that this is only our first date, but…” he took a few steps towards her, taking a deep breath, blue eyes meeting hers, “Allura, I love you. I have for a long time. I want to be your family.” He began to build confidence in his words as he went, “Earth could be your home! Or… or anywhere you wanted to go! I will follow you across the universe.”
Allura looked stunned, eyes wide and lips parted ever so slightly. “You really feel this way?” She asked, and Lance couldn’t fathom how he could feel any differently. He reached out and took her hand, holding it against his chest.
“With all my heart,” he said, and the smile that spread across Allura’s face, small and full of something, only enhanced his love for her. Then, as if by some unknown cue, the two leaned in close, eyes locked on each other until there was no space left between them. When Allura’s lips met his in a sweet, tender kiss, Lance felt like he could fly. Her lips were soft and sweet, and Lance wrapped his arms around her waist, never wanting to let her go.
The robotic beeping of machinery caught Lance’s attention and he reluctantly broke away from Allura, though he kept her encircled in his arms. Out of the bushes came Beezer, his screen displaying a green exclamation point when he spotted the two of them. Both Lance and Allura watched the little robot roll closer to them, making little whirring noises all the while. When he stopped, he made a chirping sound and Lance felt like he knew what the robot wanted.
“Uh, I think he wants us to smile,” he said, turning so that both he and Allura were facing Beezer. The two of them smiled, and a bright flash went off, momentarily blinding him. When Lance blinked away the blind spots, Beezer had printed out a picture for Lance to grab. He held it out for both him and Allura to see, and he felt warmth spread through his chest. The two of them looked good together; happy. This would be the first of many photos of the two of them to come. He looked sideways at Allura to see the soft smile on her face as she studied the photo. He would be her family. He would be her home.
***
The next couple of months were stressful to say the least, and everyone had a lot on their mind with all of Honerva’s schemes that always seemed to blindsight them. Despite it all, Lance found comfort whenever he was with Allura, and he could tell that she felt the same. It was time that they spent together, just the two of them, that kept Lance optimistic about their future. At times, winning the war seemed like a daunting task that was more imagination than a possibility, but he held out hope.
It was still a shock to Lance when they entered the universe’s consciousness, or whatever it was called. With Honerva kneeling before the six of them, Lance knew that this was the end. Whatever happened here would end the war, for better or for worse. It was almost pitiful to see the Altean kneeling there, trying to explain her actions. The universe was not the perfect place that she was craving, and therefore she wanted to destroy it all.
“There is beauty in flaws,” Allura said, stepping forward towards the witch. “I lost my father, my mother, my planet to this war. But I have gained a new family, and a purpose stronger than any I could have imagined.”
Lance felt a wave of pride watching her, a sense of belonging that tied them, all of them, together. Regardless of who they were before, they were brought together through Voltron. Voltron made them a family, and Lance wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“Humans began very flawed,” Pidge added, “There were wars, hate, but with each mistake, they learned and grew.”
“And now we reach out to other worlds to pass on those same lessons and spread them across the entire universe, like your people once did,” Shiro continued.
“And with every new world touched,” Hunk added, “Our message grows.”
“Every world, every reality,” came Keith’s voice from where he stood next to Lance, “We wouldn’t exist without the others.”
“Our differences are what make us stronger,” Lance said lastly, thinking of how each paladin of Voltron is unique, and it’s what binds them together.
“You think your words mean anything to me?” Honerva sneered, glaring up at Allura. “I have lived multiple lifetimes, all of them filled with pain and loss. If I cannot experience the simple joys of life, then why should anyone else?”
Lance frowned and could see the rest of the team do the same. This woman was going to destroy the universe simply because she was not happy. Allura stepped closer, though, reaching out her hands until her fingers were pressed against Honerva’s temples. The witch seemed to freeze and the angry red markings on her cheeks began to glow a pale blue, and then suddenly images were playing against the endless white of their surroundings. With a start, Lance realized that they were memories of when Honerva was younger. When she was simply a woman who loved alchemy and learning about the unknown. The woman in the memories was so drastically different from the haggard woman before them that Lance had difficulty believing that they were the same person.
As the images faded, the marks on Honerva’s face shifted, receding from her cheeks and becoming the standard markings of an Altean. She looked shell shocked, as if she had forgotten about her life when she was younger. After that, new images appeared. To Lance’s displeasure, they depicted moments between Allura and Lotor, whom Lance still despised.
“You tried to help him,” Honerva said, staring longingly at the image of her son, “He deserved better. Better than I could give.”
“Lotor may have been misguided, but he ultimately wanted to preserve life,” Allura said, “Honor your son. Help me change this.”
“I’m sorry,” Honerva said, looking down at her hands that rested on her knees, “But the damage is done. There’s nothing left to save.”
Lance felt a thread of hopelessness, for the first time considering the possibility that they couldn’t save the day this time. That was until Allura spoke up again, never wavering in her confidence.
“I can change the quintessence within your vessel,” she said, “Your son helped me learn how to transform it from a destructive force into a life giving force.” She held out her hand towards the witch. “But I cannot do it alone.”
“But,” Honerva looked from Allura’s outstretched hand to her eyes, confusion clear on her face, “That would require…”
“I know the risks,” was all Allura said, determined as always. Lance felt his heart stutter in his chest. What risks?
Honerva reached up and clasped Allura’s hand, rising to her feet. The two of them just looked at each other for a moment, then Allura turned to face the rest of them. “I’m afraid this is where we part ways.”
Lance’s eyes widened and he could feel the shift throughout the team. Murmurs of confusion and shock broke out as the five of them just stared at her, not quite believing. Allura walked towards them, not quite meeting their eyes, but Lance couldn’t look away from her. What was happening? “It is our only chance to undo what has been done; To save all of existence. I have to take it.” She did look up at them then, but Lance could barely hear what she was saying. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be losing her now.
He watched as she went from paladin to paladin, saying goodbye to first Hunk, then Pidge. Shiro was next, then Keith, who thanked Allura for accepting him for who he was. It was all very heartwarming, but Lance felt like his turn came all too soon. He didn’t want to have to say goodbye. It was all too soon. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. They were all supposed to make it. She couldn’t leave.
“There… there has to be another way,” Lance said, voice rough as Allura held his hands in hers. He lifted his eyes to meet her’s, aware that this was probably the last time he would ever see their multifractal depths, glistening with tears.
“There is no other way,” she said regretfully, lifting her eyes as well, “This is all we have.”
Lance felt tears well up in his eyes, a tremor in his lip as he choked out his words. “You’re… you’re too important to the cause, Allura. You’re too… too important to me.” Tears were running down both their faces now, and Allura bowed her head.
“I’ll always be with you, Lance,” She said, and Lance felt his heart breaking, “And I’ll always love you.”
Then she reached up to cup his cheek and their lips met in a tender kiss, and Lance couldn’t stand it. He poured all he was, all he felt for her into that kiss. Her lips were soft against his and tasted of salt from their shed tears. When she pulled away, his cheeks felt cold in the absence of her hands. He loved her, loved her so much that it hurt, but he had to let her go. He had to put the fate of the universe above his personal wants. He would be strong for her.
A light caught his attention and he looked past Allura through watery eyes. In the distance stood six figures, at first only silhouettes but then Lance recognized them as the first paladins of Voltron as well as Lotor, who stood with his father. Lance clenched his fists tightly at his sides as Allura walked side by side with Honerva towards the figures. At least she was back with her father, Lance thought, although he couldn’t feel happy about that in the slightest. She was leaving. Leaving for good.
A hand fell on his shoulder and Lance startled, head whipping around to see Keith standing beside him, eyes wet with tears and a sad smile on his lips. Lance felt like falling apart, unable to return the sentiment. He just stared at Keith until the black paladin turned back to where Allura had now disappeared into the light along with the others. As he watched the light grow brighter, the weight of Keith’s hand on his shoulder kept Lance grounded. Soon enough, the light was so bright that it drowned out everything else for a painful few moments, and then Lance opened his eyes to see the inside of the red lion again.
“Is this… our reality?” Keith’s voice crackled over the comms.
“Yeah. It is," came Pudge’s reply.
“She did it,” Lance said, his voice breaking, “She saved us all.”
“I don’t remember that planet being there before.”
Lance looked up at Hunk’s comment and almost immediately his breath left him in a gasp. “It’s…” he breathed, “It’s Altea.”