Klance
Altean!Lance AU
Can I really say Galran!Keith anymore?
He is Galran.
But I love that picture
Cred to whoever drew that

It's beautiful

Screams and wails of agony cut through the bustling of the birthing facility. The Altean druid had tears streaking down her dark cheeks, along her red markings.

"Just once more, madam Haggar!" One of the nurses encouraged with a grin.

Haggar gnashed her teeth together, then pushed with all the strength she had left. She screamed with effort, then slumped onto the mattress.

Shrill cries and screams replaced Haggar's as a nurse bundled the squirming being. The nurse cradled the bundle as she carried it to the other side of the room to gently clean it.

Another nurse helped Haggar sit up. "It's finally over, Madame." She congratulated, fixing the exhausted Altean's hair back into its holding.

"Wha-what is it?" She asked, keeping her eyes over to where her baby was taken.

"A little boy." The nurse smiled.

"A healthy little boy. Loud, too." The nurse that had taken him away came back.

Haggar eagerly reached out to the squirming, crying bundle that was her son. She relaxed and smiled once her baby was cradled against her chest. His cries devolved into whimpers as he looked up at his mother. Haggar stroked his cheek, then pet back the little fluff of hair a top his head. "My darling little cub." She mused, raising him up enough to kiss his forehead. "You're beautiful. Simply beautiful."

The newborn Altean cooed as he looked up to her, his stormy blue eyes curious.

"Oh, your eyes." She sighed softly. "Your eyes are wonderful... Destine. That's what I'll name you. After your wonderful destiny."

~

"Small."

Haggar rolled her eyes, but proudly held up her baby. "No Altean child will ever be born as overly large as Galran children, Zarkon." She mused.

The Galran emperor shrugged, but kept his focus on the tiny Altean child. "Well, now that this one has finally been born, are you okay to start back on our plan?"

The druid glared at him. "No! He was only just born! I'm still weak! It'll take a decaphebe or so for me to return to my whole state."

Zarkon growled lowly. "Sacrifices for a mere child."

"My child, emperor. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must lay Destine down."

The baby cooed, head resting on his mother's shoulder. His blue markings shown brightly in the florescent light of Haggar's home. Zarkon couldn't help the tiny smile on his face as he waved to the baby. Destine squeaked back with a small raise of his hand before the door closed.

~

Zarkon placed Destine in a small pod, built for a child. Destine settled and hummed, sucking on his pacifier. Zarkon closed the pod and the baby settled into a steady slumber set in by the pod. He raised the pod up and handled it over to his officer.

The Galran took it. "Far away where Haggar will never find him." The Galran nodded before his emperor could speak.

The emperor chuckled. "Good. Very far."

"Of course, emperor. Vrepit sa."

~

The Galran officer grunted, avoiding as many shots as he could as he fought the blue lion of Voltron. He shouted as his ship jostled, then went barreling towards the ground. "Oh, quiznak." He grumbled just before his ship crashed.

The blue paladin landed his lion, then jumped out. He trotted over to the ship, then pulled out his blade from it's sheath on his hip. With the daggar, he pried open the door and was glad he didn't deactivate his helmet.

He climbed in, trying to see through the smoke. He looked down as he kicked something. The paladin hissed and picked up the small pod. "Quiznak. An Altean baby." He climbed back out, more carefully. He observed the pod and the child inside.

"Nothing seems broken or hurt." He sighed softly. "You poor thing."

"Lash! Lash, can you hear me?"

"Ah!" Lash looked up, securing the small pod in hair before dashing back to his lion. "King Alfor! I can hear you!"

"Lash, change of plans. We need to get the lions away."

Lash skidded to a halt in the mouth of his lion. "Away? How far away? Where do we regroup?"

King Alfor sighed. "No regrouping. We need the lions spread out from from each other."

The blue paladin looked down to the baby in the pod. "Alfor... I have a child with me. What do I do with him?"

"Take him with you. Our planet is too dangerous for him to return to right now. He'll surely be killed."

Lash licked his lips. "Alright. I'll pilot Blue as far as possible."

~

Lash panted, dropping the rock he had used to carve into the walls of the cave. He dragged himself back to his lion to grab the pod carrying the baby. "You poor thing. Can't be more than a few quintants old..."

He touched the pod and channeled the little bit of magic he had learned and the little bit of strength he had left to change the child's appearance. "To blend in..."

He carried the pod out of the cave. The night air was cool and relaxing. Lash limped until the sun came up. He made his way into another cave, head light.

"Just got to rest a little bit, little one." He murmured, setting the pod down before slowly sitting beside it. "Just for a little while... No one will... Find us... This deep in..."

~

Rosa stormed out of her house, furious. She loved her children very much, but they were sometimes so infuriating. Same thing with her wonderful, idiotic husband.

"I'll be out for a few hours!"

Good thing they lived out in the desert. Nice and quiet, cool at night.

Rosa kept her head low as she shuffled through the sand. She walked until her legs were sore, and kept walking.

A low beeping echoing nearby caught her attention. Rosa raised her head and looked around. She started searching until she found a wall of rocks. "It's... Coming from behind this..."

Rosa studied the rocks, then grabbed one. She pulled on it, then gasped and scrambled back as the rocks crumbled and began to avalanche. She dashed a little way to the side to avoid the boulders and smaller rocks until they settled.

Once it was over, she maneuvered through and into the cave. She pulled out her flashlight and smacked it a couple times after flicking the button to turn it on.

Rosa traveled farther down into the cave, closer the the beeping. She could see a bright blue glow further down with a small red light flashing in time with the noises.

The woman shrieked and dropped her flashlight the moment she spotted a skull. It didn't help that when the flashlight stopped spinning, the light had shown directly onto the skeleton in strange armor. Extravagent, high-tech armor.

Rosa forced herself to look away, but then she saw the little pod. She blinked and slowly made her way closer. "Oh..." She relaxed and knelt beside the pod. "A baby... How has it survived- what is this thing?"

She touched the surface of the blue, glowing sheen over the child and gasped as it dissolved. The light went away, as well as the beeping. Rosa gulped, the baby beginning to squirm.

The baby whimpered, then began to sob. Rosa hurriedly gathered the baby in her arms, tucking the blue blanket tighter around it. "Shh, shh shh. Hey, it's okay... You're okay, sweetie..." He calmed down and relaxed, opening his blue, blue eyes. Rosa smiled, stroking his round cheek with the pad of her thumb. "You precious little thing. How on Earth did you end up in here?"

He cooed softly, chubby little fingers curling into the fabric of her shirt. Rosa kissed his forehead. "It's alright now. I'll bring you home."

~

The blue paladin yawned and stretched, rolling onto his stomach.

"Really, Lance?"

"Hm?" Lance turned his head, then grinned as Keith walked in. "What? At least I made the effort to come to the training deck."

Keith rolled his eyes with a low groan. "How do you ever expect to get stronger if you don't train yourself?"

Lance pouted and sat up. "What? Like you?"

"Yes, like me." Keith huffed, activating the black bayard. Lance briefly glanced and winced. Keith noticed, but brushed it off. "Come on. I'll train with you."

"Okay." Lance pushed himself to his feet.

~

Haggar stood beside Zarkon's death bed, staring at him. "Lotor is taking your place in the fight with the paladins, emperor... I wish this pleases you..."

She turned and lowered her head. "We never did find Destine's captor, Zarkon... Though, I suppose... After ten thousand years, I should... Forget my child... My only cub..."

The druid closed her eyes and shook her head. "I will defeat the paladins for you, my emperor. For my little one."

~

"You know, I've never seen Haggar." Lance mused, kicked back on the sofa with his head in Pidge's lap.

"You don't wanna. She's scary." Hunk sank into the couch. "I think Allura said she's Altean, which makes her kinda scarier. She helped Zarkon destroy her own race."

Keith sighed. "Why did the subject suddenly switch to Zarkon's right hand bitch?"

Lance shrugged. "Dunno. I'm kinda curious about her. I mean, I wanna know her backstory. Why she turned against her own civilization."

Pidge sniggered. "I didn't know you knew words that big, Lance." He stuck his tongue out and sat up. "But, same. I wanna know more about this witch."

"Druid." Allura corrected as she entered the room. "Haggar is a druid. That's what we called Alteans like her and I."

"Ooh." Lance nodded. "That's cool. Hey, she have kids? That may have triggered her."

"I don't know." Allura shook her head. "I didn't know any druids. Most druids didn't have children, so it's unlikely."

Keith chuffed. "Besides. She doesn't seem like she'd want or ever have children. Working with Zarkon could prevent a mother from wanting to be near him with their children. He doesn't seem very child friendly."

Lance slumped back. "Man, don't we know it. We're still kids, ourselves."

~

Lance shook as he pushed himself off the floor. Hunk and Pidge lay on the ground not far from him, Hunk unconscious. Keith still struggled with a Galran General while Allura battled the robotic sentries.

"Enough!"

The Galran General snagged Keith and held him up. Allura gasped and grunted as she was thrown to the ground.

Lance looked up once he got to his knees, eyes landing on whom he could only assume to be Haggar. His grip tightened on his bayard.

Haggar's gaze raked across the room before returning to Lance. She lowered her hood as she advanced to the blue paladin. Lance forced himself to his feet and squared his shoulder. She snapped her fingers and she was instantly in front of him.

The blue paladin gasped and faltered, flinching as she grabbed his face. Lance froze as she stared up into his eyes, almost searching.

Suddenly, her eyes widened and she reeled back. "Impossible!" She cried, startling everyone in the room. "You- you were taken! You should have died ten thousand years ago!" Haggar wailed in anguish, taking Lance's face in both her hands.

Keith stopped struggling as Lance's eyes also widened.

"... Huh?" Was all Lance could manage.

Her thin fingers carded through his hair, her thumb stroked just under his eye. She pinched his ear and caressed his cheek. "You... You've grown... And they changed you!" Haggar snapped, narrowing her furious eyes, tears slipping down her sunken cheeks.

"Again... Huh?"

"Get away from him!" Keith shouted, thrashing in the General's hold.

"Your body would reject your true form after being like this for so long!" Haggar hissed, ignoring Keith. "And you're a paladin, No less!"

"Lance!"

"Get away from him!"

Pidge struggled to push herself up. "Lance, shoot her!"

Lance trembled, wincing at a small, sharp pain in his head. "A-ah..."

Haggar's expression softed, cupping his face. "It'll be okay, my cub. You'll return to your true self, and you can be with me forever."

The pain abruptly flared and spread throughout Lance's body, causing him to scream and collapse to the floor. Lance writhed on the floor, gripping his head.

"No!" The other cried, Keith lashing out with both his bayards. He swung back, forcing one of his blades up into the General's armor.

The Galran gagged, his blood gushing up from his throat and spilling from his lips. Keith tore out the blade and dashed forward. "Get away from Lance!" He snapped, raising the bloodied blade.

Haggar growled and vanished.

"Keith!" Allura shouted, and he pivoted to parry an attack from the druid.

"That wretched name! His name is Destine, and I will be taking him with me!"

"No, you're not!" Keith lounged at Haggar for her to vanish yet again.

Haggar reappeared beside Lance, but she then shrieked and vanished again, little bolts of green lightning sparking around her.

Pidge helped Hunk to his feet as the yellow paladin woke, Allura finishing off the sentries as Keith hurried to Lance's side.

Lance clenched his teeth, tears squeezing through his tightly closed eyelids. He strained and squirmed, grunts and weak cries escaping through his teeth.

Keith quickly gathering the paladin in his arms. "It's okay, Lance, it's okay! Allura! We need to get them to the pods!" Keith held Lance close, Lance curling into him.

~

Allura, Coran and Keith all stared into Lance's pod, eyes wide and limbs frozen.

"Lance is... Altean." Coran muttered, observing the long, dark blue markings on the paladin's face. "Haggar's son, you said?"

"I don't believe it." Keith muttered. "Not for one second. Haggar did something to him to make him look Altean and said that shit to confuse us-"

Allura placed her hand on Keith's arm. "No, Keith... Lance is very Altean. If he was human, Haggar wouldn't have been able to transform him like this, regardless of her abilities. This is his true form."

Keith shook his head. "Then- how? How was he human?"

Coran gulped. "The previous blue paladin... The child he found..." Allura looked over at Coran as well as Keith. "Alfor contacted Lash, the previous blue paladin, to tell him to find a place far away for the blue lion. Lash told him that he had found a child. Lance must have been that child. Lash was learning magic. He was curious about a book he had found on the magic of secrets. One of those was to cover one's true form to blend in with the local population in a more permanent way than an Altean's chameleon abilities. It was the only copy and Lash had it with him always. Haggar must have found out about it somehow to have been able to reverse the spell. Much easier to reverse than to set, may I add. Takes years of practice to get it right, especially for it to last such a long time."

Keith stepped forward with a gesture to Lance. "How is he not dead, then?"

Allura bit her lip. "There... There were small, portable pods built for small children. Maybe he was stuck in it for nearly ten thousand years like Coran and I. It'd be impossible to ask Lance. He wouldn't know. For all we know, he could have just been born when he was put in the pod and taken to Earth."

The acting black paladin groaned, leaning on the pod holding Lance. "So... He's really Haggar's son? He's the enemy's son. Like me."

"Not like you." Allura tried to gain eye contact. "You were born to someone from the resistance, Keith."

"Is that supposed to me me feel better!?" Keith snapped, pulling away. "Is that going to make Lance feel better when he wakes up and finds out his mom is the wicked witch from the west!?" Coran and Allura both shared a confused glance. "Whatever. I'll stay in here and send Pidge to help you with repairs when she gets out."

~

Keith lay on the floor, eyes on the ceiling. His fingers strummed on his blade, counting the ticks down.

The young paladin hadn't slept since before their last battle. Weariness hung over him, but he refused to sleep until Lance was out of the pod.

As the final pod whirred, signalling its deactivation, Keith scrambled to his feet and over to the pod. He caught Lance just in time.

Lance groaned, loosely curling his arms around Keith. "This stupid suit is riding up my ass-crack."

Keith chuckled. "Then let's get you in some real clothes, hm?"

"Yeah."

~

"So... I'm Altean." Lance muttered, slouched back on the sofa. "More specifically... Evil druid's son, Altean... And I'm ten thousand years old."

Allura sat beside him and placed her hand on his knee. "I don't... It's difficult to take in, I know..."

Lance didn't look up. "Holy shit... I'm the bad guy's kid... I-I didn't even know I was adopted!" Tears built up in his eyes as he shot to his feet. "S-sorry, I-... I need- I need some time alone."

The princess hesitated, but then nodded. "That's okay, Lance. We understand."

The paladin tilted his head as if going to glance at Keith, but stopped and hurried out.

Pidge fidgetted beside Hunk and Coran. "We just... Leaving him alone?"

Keith lowered his head. "No." He then dashed out of the room. Keith looked from side to side, then bolted towards the bridge.

He was right. Lance stared at the holographic map of the milky way.

"Lance?"

"My whole life has been a lie, Keith. At least your dad was your dad and you're partially human. I'm whole alien. I was never even told I was adopted." Lance lowered himself to sit on the steps leading up to Allura's pedestal. "I'm... I just... I don't know how to... To really..."

Keith swallowed and bit his lip. "Lance... This doesn't change who you are." He took a hesitant step closer. "I know... It's hard. At least you didn't fight dozens of trained aliens to figure it out."

This cracked a small smile from Lance. Keith relaxed a little at this, making it a little easier for him to walk closer until he stood beside Lance. "You're a great person, whether or not you're Altean or Human. What you are, who your parents are doesn't define who you are." Keith sat beside Lance as the blue paladin made room. "It'll be okay. At least Allura isn't rejecting you."

Lance chuckled. "Yeah. I know. Are you... Are you glad that you found out your real heritage?"

Keith hummed, leaning closer to Lance. "I guess... It depends on how I look at it. I have an idea as to why I never knew my mom, and I know that she's apart of the resistance against Zarkon. In some ways, I'm glad. Other ways, I'm confused. Then I can get pretty... Angry about it, I suppose."

Lance shuffled, then leaned on Keith. "Thanks... For following me and talking to me."

"I'm your teammate." Keith murmured as he looked up, letting Lance lean on him. "I'll always be here for you."

~

Lance pouted, tugging on his ears. "They feel weird."

"That's because your body got used to strange human ears." Allura muttered, dusting off her dress. Lance stuck his tongue out at her.

"The marks are weird, too." Lance huffed, lifting up his shirt to see the designs curling over his dark skin. "Is it like this on you, too?"

Allura hummed, looking as he turned. "Well, sort of. Only royalty and druids have so much markings, and every Altean has different marks."

The blue paladin raised his shirt more, then just yanked it off over his head. "Are they on my back, too!?"

The princess laughed, but looked. "Yes, Lance." She mused. "Your markings are quite beautiful, Lance."

"Yeah?" He tried peeking over his shoulder. "You think so?"

Allura hummed, fingers tracing a mark that ran down his spine. Lance shuddered. "Well, being an Altean can't be too bad, can it?"

Lance shrugged, grabbing his shirt. "I don't really... Feel different. Did you feel different when you found out you had a druid's abilities?"

"No... No, I didn't." Allura's eyes followed the designs on Lance's bicep. She reached up and touched the marks. "These... Marks are really... Very irrisitable." She murmured, Lance's gaze on her.

They both gasped and jumped as someone cleared their throat.

Lance struggled to tug his shirt back on as Allura made some distance between them.

"Oh, Keith! I didn't hear you come in!"

"Clearly." Keith grumbled.

Lance fixed his shirt, tugging on the hem and his sleeves as he embarrassingly turned to face the other paladin. "So, uhm... Something you need?"

Keith's jaw visibly clenched. "Time for more training."

~

Haggar paced back and forth, one arm tucked into her chest, her other hand propped under her chin.

"And I wonder what in the name of my mighty and powerful father has gotten the strongest druid in the universe so anxious?" Lotor strut into the room, one of his general's behind him.

The druid paused, then looked up at him. "And what has you invading my privacy when you should be destroying Voltron?"

Lotor chuckled. "It's hard without you, druid." He mused. "Tell me... What's on your mind?"

Haggar sighed, turning away. "My son."

The Galran Prince raised a brow. "Your son? I thought he was only a story."

"No. He's very much real." She stepped closer to the wall. "He was born when Altea still thrived. When he was only twenty quintants old, he was stolen from me. Zarkon promised to help me find his captor, but... He was never found. I had thought Destine to be dead all this time, but..."

Lotor took a few steps closer. "But?" He encouraged.

She sighed, turning back to Lotor. "He's very alive, and very much the blue paladin of Voltron."

A large grin broke across the prince's face, eyes gleaming. "You mean, you've been fighting against your own son this whole time since Voltron returned!? Ha! That's quite-" He stopped himself and cleared his throat at the poisonous glare the druid shot at him. "Awful. Terrible. Wow, your life is horrible."

~

Lance let himself collapse to the floor, panting and sweating hard. "Okay! I'm done!" He gasped, tossing his bayard. "I'm dead. I can't go on. No more. It's too much."

Pidge rolled her eyes, but sat down on the floor beside him. "Same. I'm pooped."

Hunk whined as he sank to the floor. "I'm just so tired." He whined.

Keith groaned. "Guys! We haven't even trained for two hours, yet!"

"Two hours is a lot!" Lance waved his hand. "But it's nothing compared the six hours of hell you put us through yesterday, then the day before, and the day before that."

"Even I'm not this cruel." Allura spoke up with a water in her hand. She handed it over to Lance when he waved and whined to her.

"So you're just giving up!?" Keith shouted with a wild gesture. He flinched as his arm throbbed. "Shit..."

Pidge stole the water from Lance after he took a few sips. "See? Even you are sore and tired. You just refuse to admit it." She sipped and shoved Lance away before handing the water over to Hunk.

The yellow paladin graciously took the water and drank the little that was left. "Yeah, Keith." He tossed the pouch. "We kind of deserve a break. It's a little hard to fight when you're all sore, let alone training while sore."

Keith sighed. "Fine." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright. I guess... If we're not attacked, we can take the rest of today and tomorrow off from training."

The four on the floor weakly cheered.

~

Keith looked up as his door opened. Lance blinked, hand up ad if he was going to knock. "Uh, right... I forget these doors kinda just... Open."

The smaller paladin smiled and sat up straight. "Come in, stupid."

Lance tucked his hands in the pockets of his jeans and stepped into Keith's room. Keith noted how good Lance's arms looked with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "I just... I wanted to know what's up." He shrugged, gaze elsewhere in Keith's room.

Keith tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"All the training." Lance muttered, scuffing his shoe against the floor. "I mean... You're being kinda hard on us. Harder than usual. Also, I see those weird looks you give Allura."

"What weird looks?"

"Like you're mad or something." Lance raised his shoulders. "I don't know. I just... I wanna know what's going on. Does it weird you out that I'm Altean?"

"What!?" Keith shot to his feet, startled. Lance flinched. "No! Why would that weird me out? Lance, I-" Keith cut himself off, looking away. "You don't. It's got nothing to do with you being Altean, Lance."

The blue paladin relaxed with a slow sigh. "Okay. It's just- sometimes, how you act confuses me. Like, sometimes, I get it. I understand. Other times, I got no fuckin' clue. Like now. I don't understand. So... Will you talk to me? Will you tell me? If you don't want to, I get it."

Keith shook his head. "No, I... I want to talk."

Lance raised his head and smiled at Keith. "Mkay."

The shorter paladin gestured to his bed. Lance hesitantly sat down, Keith sitting beside him. Lance pinched the sheets, looking down. "I still freak out every time I look in a mirror. I still think it's some sort of fun house mirror, but then I remember we're in the castle, so..."

Keith sighed softly. "It takes a while... I know."

"At least..." Lance held his hand up. "At least you don't have to see it. You're not reminded every time you look in a mirror that you're not what you thought you were your whole life. It... It really sucks."

"Lance..." The Galran hybrid murmured, shuffling closer. He took Lance's hand. Lance tilted his head slightly towards Keith. "You'll get through it. You will. We'll fight the Galra, like always, then we return back home. Back to Earth."

"They're not my real family, Keith." Lance whispered, eyes big as he looked up at him.

Keith squeezed Lance's hand. "Yes they are. They may not be related to you by blood, but they've been there for you your whole life." Keith tilted his head. "Lance... They're waiting for you to return home to them."

Lance didn't let the tears that built up fall. He nodded, looking back to his lap.

Keith's gaze flickered down to Lance's lips. Keith licked his own, dry lips as he hesitantly leaned forward. "And... We're your family, too..." He murmured, placing his other hand on Lance's leg.

The blue paladin glanced back to Keith, noticing the closing distance between them. Lance gulped, but then closed the gap himself.

Both had chapped lips, but neither minded.

Lance smiled as they broke apart. "Thanks, Keith."

The red paladin blinked, slightly dazed. "Y-yeah... No problem..."

~

Haggar hesitated. She hesitated, and it cost them the battle against the Voltron paladins.

"My father bragged about your abilities, but all I've seen is you letting them go!" Lotor snapped.

The druid bowed her head. "I apologize, my Prince. However-"

Lotor sneered. "Don't you dare use your 'son' as an excuse!" Haggar clenched her jaw. "You help me, you I'll slit his throat in front of you."

Haggar flinched at this. "I'll help you, your majesty. This mistake will never happen again."

The Prince nodded. "Good. You'll only have so many chances."

~

"I am beat!" Lance shouted as he struggled with his armor. Keith chuckled, slouching back on a bench. "I'm surprized. We weren't attacked by magic."

Keith nodded. "I noticed. It is kind od weird. But... I guess... If Haggar know who you are now..."

Lance paused, fingers curled into the fabric of the suit. "Right... No good mother wants to hurt her son."

"You don't know if Haggar would have been a good mother." Keith stood and stepped closer to Lance. Lance lowered his head. Keith reached up and cupped Lance's face. "I don't know what happened. I can't tell you if she left you, if you were taken from her... I don't know... I just know that... I just know that she's on the wrong side and you're here, fighting against her."

"I'm fighting my own mother..." Lance muttered.

"Lance, I..." Keith's voice trailed, then he looked away. He bit his lip. "I don't know what else to say."

Lance clenched his jaw, then threw his arms around Keith. The shorter paladin gasped and froze up, eyes widening. "Then... Don't say anything..."

Keith slowly returned the embrace. He gripped Lance tightly, burying his face into Lance's shoulder. "I really care about you, Lance... I really do."

The blue paladin nodded. "Me too... And, we'll find Shiro. No matter what."

Keith smiled, closing his eyes. "I know."

~

Lance stared across the room, reluctant to get up.

Keith snugly fit in Lance's arms, curled up against his chest. He was just... Adorable when he slept. Lance looked down at Keith, then smiled softly. He gently kissed Keith's forehead, then shuffled around.

The blue paladin cautiously crawled out of the bed, trying to not wake the sleeping paladin. Lance tucked Keith back in, then silently left the room.

Without a sound, Lance made his way to the armory and changed into his armor. He dashed down to the hangars and to his lion.

"Hey, buddy." Lance murmured as the lion lowered its head. "I just want to know the truth... And I'd feel better if someone came with me."

Blue purred, opening its jaw for the young paladin to come in.

Lance smiled. "Thanks, buddy."

~

Once he landed, Lance patted the dash. "Thanks... I promise I won't go far."

Blue purred as the paladin exited and trotted forward a few paces before stopping. Lance breathed deeply. "Hopefully she'll come..." Lance murmured, tapping nervously on his gauntlet.

Lance started to pace back and forth, glancing every which direction occationally. He chewed on his lip for a moment, then took off his helmet. Lance set it down,on a rock, then sat beside it.

Nervously, Lance ran over rehearsed lines, tapping patterns into the rock as he's stared at the ground.

"I hope I'm not late."

Lance gasped and shot to his feet. He pivoted sharply, eyes wide. "Haggar!" He yelped, instinctively reaching for his bayard. Lance mentally cursed himself for purposely leaving his bayard in his lion.

Haggar stepped around the rock Lance had just been sitting on while she lowered her hood. "Oh my..."

The paladin gulped, but stood still as she reached up to him. A soft smile curled the druid's lips as she traced Lance's marks with the pads of her thumbs. "Your markings are as beautiful as I remember. You look so much like your father, too."

She carded his fingers through his hair, even faintly brushed her fingers over the pointed tips of his ears. Haggar hummed, running her thumb over his eye. "Your eyes as well... Still the most beautiful I have ever seen."

Lance gulped. "So... You really... You're really my mother?" He murmured.

"Yes, Destine." Haggar caressed his cheek. "Though, I knew you wouldn't remember me... You were taken from me when you were only twenty quintants... You were so small... I never saw your first smile or your first steps. I never heard your first words."

The blue paladin took a shaky step back as she took her hands away. "So... I'm really not human... I'm really Altean..."

"And you're my son." Haggar reached for him again, but Lance flinched away. Haggar paused. "Destine... Are you really scared of me?"

"Uh, yeah? You kinda tried to kill me and my friends, so..." Lance avoided looking at her. "And then, suddenly... Suddenly, I'm not who I thought I was... My whole life has been a lie. This whole thing is freaking me out!"

Haggar took his face in her hands again. "Come with me." She whispered. "Destine, please."

Lance trembled. "I-I can't... Voltron... My family... Earth..."

"I can bring you to Earth." Lance's eyes widened and he looked up at her. Haggar nodded. "If that is where you feel comfortable. If that planet feels like home, I'll bring you there."

"Really?" Lance's voice shook, eyes watering. "You'd really... Really bring me back home?"

"I'm your mother." She gently brought him down to kiss his forehead. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, Destine."

"Th-then..." Lance gulped. "Can, uh... Can you look less Galra?"

Haggar chuckled, her skin fading from dark violet to the same tone as his skin. "Better, my cub?" She asked, stroking his hair back. Lance nodded.

Sudden shots from above startled both druid and paladin. Haggar changed back as she ushered Lance toward Blue.

"Return to the castle! I will find you again!"

"But-!" Lance gasped as she hit his chest with his helmet.

"No time, Destine." She kissed his cheek. "I will see you soon, cub. For now, I suppose you are safe in the castle."

Lance clenched his jaw, then nodded. "Okay."

Haggar smiled, stepping back as the blue lion closed its jaw.

~

"Where the hell did you go!?" Keith snapped the moment Lance stepped into the bridge.

"I just went out." Lance muttered with a shrug, rubbing the back of his neck. "I needed to clear my head. Bad idea. I got attacked by a couple drones."

"Damn right, it was a bad idea." Keith crossed his arms, glowering at the blue paladin. "You didn't tell anyone where you were going, or even that you were leaving. What if we needed Voltron?"

"You did it once." Lance grumbled, looking away. "You and the princess both. So, I don't see why you of all people should be lecturing me."

Keith opened his mouth again to snap, by Allura held her hand out to him. Keith pivoted and slumped. Allura turned to Lance. "Just... Please don't do that again. We were worried."

Lance nodded. "I know princess. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

Allura nodded. "Good. Now, I have found a civilization that I believe will be a good ally if we can convince them to fight with us."

~

Lance leaning on a wall in the bridge, gaze on the hovering solar system in front of him.

"Where did you go?"

The Altean gulped as Keith slowly approached him. "I just... I went out."

Keith stepped in front of Lance. "But where? What were you doing? Why didn't you respond when we tried contacting you,"

"I cut off my link." He murmured, not removing his stare. "And I was just out clearing my head."

"I thought we were getting through this, Lance." Keith's voice dropped to a gentler tone as he reached forward and took Lance's hand. "I know it's hard, but... I thought I... I thought that I was distraction enough from everything in your head."

Startled, Lance jerked his head up to look at the blushing paladin in front of him. Keith bit his lip, trying hard to keep eye contact.

Lance swallowed hard, chest tight. "Keith..."

"I love you, Lance." Keith stepped forward, right into the solar system Lance was so longingly gazing at moments before. "I really... I do love you, and it-it hurts to see you hurting, so... I-I'll do anything!" Keith proclaimed, face getting redder as he squeezed Lance's hand.

Keith searched Lance's eyes. "Say... Say something..."

Lance hesitantly reached forward with his other hand. "I love you, too." He murmured, tears in his eyes.

That was all it took for Keith to grab Lance's head and yank him down for a hard, passionate kiss.

The blue paladin grabbed Keith's waist and pulled him closer, then pinned him to the wall. Keith gasped, and Lance took the opportunity to let his tongue dive in. Keith tugged on Lance's hair. Lance trailed his hands down Keith as he also tilted his head and ducked down to Keith's neck.

"Lance!" Keith shuddered as said paladin kissed and nibbled on his neck, sucking as he found the more sensitive spots. Keith bit back moans, only gasping when his thighs were grabbed and he was lifted up. The red paladin tightly wrapped his legs around Lance's hips, fingers curling into Lance's shirt. "Lance..."

Lance slowly sunk to his knees, keeping Keith against the wall as he marked up and down Keith's neck, fingers hiking up Keith's shirt.

Keith choked back a whimper as Lance reached into his pants and squeezed his erection. He clenched his jaw, arching his back as Lance caressed and pumped his length until he was completely hard.

"Feel good?" Lance hummed, reaching behind him to pull Keith's boots and socks off. Keith just nodded rapidly, biting down hard on his lip. "Good."

His thumb traced Keith's lip, gently tugging it from Keith's teeth. Keith looked up into Lance's hazy eyes. He opened his mouth, inviting Lance's fingers in.

~

Keith held Lance's hand under the table, unable to keep the happy smile off his face as he ate and listened to Pidge and Hunk bicker about how a piece of technology was supposed to work.

Even as he piloted the black lion to rescue another planet in distress. That smile couldn't seem to leave. Neither could that excitement of hearing Lance's voice again and again.

Keith was just happy, despite everything else wrong. He found something right. He and Lance were right. Keith could feel it.

~

Lance was the only one left standing.

The others were held down by sentries or generals.

All of them struggled in their grasp, shouting for Lance. Lance couldn't get his bayard. It was tossed on the other side of the wall of Galran soldiers.

Lance gulped, then jumped at the familiar voice of his birth mother.

"Destine. You came to me." She lowered her hood and shifted to her Altean form. Haggar smiled and reached out to him as Lance turned to face her. "You are so beautiful, cub."

"Get away from him!" Keith snapped, trying to yank himself out of a Galran general's grasp. "Get away from Lance! He'll never go with you."

Lance flinched at that last statement, Haggar never looking away from him. "Are you ready to go, darling?" The others froze. "We can go now."

The blue paladin breathed deeply and shakily. "Only if... You let them go."

Haggar blinked, but then nodded as she took his hands. "You're so strong and brave. I knew you would be."

Keith slowly pushed himself to his feet as he was released. "Lance? What does she mean?" Lance turned away. "Lance? Lance, answer me!" Confused, furious tears built up in Keith's eyes as Lance refused to look at him. "Lance, what are you doing!?"

"I'm going home with my mom." He answered with a slight tilt of his head towards Keith. "I'm going home..."

"You're abandoning us?" Allura whispered, taking a small step closer. "You're abandoning us to go with her!?"

"I'm his mother!" Haggar snapped, ushering Lance behind him. "I'm his mother and I'm bringing him home! This is a war my son should have never fought! He doesn't deserve this! He doesn't deserve you!"

Hunk moved closer, but shied away as Haggar glared at him. "Lance? Why? Why are you leaving? Tell me, buddy. I thought you told me everything?"

"I couldn't..." Lance turned his back to them. "You guys will be better without me."

"No we won't!" Pidge shouted. "We need you, Lance!"

"That's not his name!" Haggar sneered, then turned to her son. "Destine." She took his hand and began to lead him away. "Don't worry about them. They'll be escorted out and back to the castle."

"Promise?"

"I promise, cub."

Keith shook his head as he watched Lance vanish with Haggar around a corner. He couldn't bring it up in himself to fight as he was pulled along with the others back to their ship.

~

Keith sat in the middle of the training deck, tracing the edge of his blade with his thumb.

"Thinking about Lance?"

Keith didn't have to look up to know who it was. "Yeah. It's been six months since he left us, Shiro."

The returned black paladin hummed and sat beside Keith. "What he went through was stressful. I'm not going to say that what you went through wasn't stressful as well, but... Lance is more sensitive and he feels like he had more taken from him. He feels lied to. He feels weak and scared." Shiro murmured, wrapping an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Well, maybe felt that way. I'm not sure about now."

The red paladin rubbed at his face. "I just... I thought I was... I thought he..." He voice broke, so he stopped before he could break down.

Shiro nodded, rubbing Keith's arm. "I know, buddy."

"Paladins! Prepare for entering the atmosphere and landing!"

Shiro nudged Keith. "Come on. Time to suit up and save lives."

~

Pidge huffed as she trekked behind Hunk. "So, supposedly, the signal comes from... We should be arriving in, like, two minutes. Maybe five."

Hunk sniggered. "That's kind of a wide frame of time, Pidge. For walking, that is."

The green paladin rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out.

"Play nice, you two." Shiro mused from The back of the line.

"Yeah, Hunk. Play nice." She teased, receiving a nudge from Keith. She elbowed back at him.

Hunk suddenly paused. "Look, a field."

They all peaked around him. "So? Why'd you stop?" Keith muttered.

The yellow paladin pointed to the other side. "Someone's there."

"Think that's the person setting off the beacon?" Shiro asked.

Pidge looked down at the screen hovering above her wrist. "It's gotta be. I don't see who else it could be."

Hunk pulled up his bayard and trodded forward. "Come on. We should be quiet. We don't know if they're good or bad. It could be some kind of trap."

"You feel it in your gut?" Pidge mused, poking Hunk's side as she walked behind him.

He swatted at her. "No! It's just in case!"

She rolled her eyes, but kept her hand on her bayard.

All of them slowly made their way across the field, silent.

A tall, horse-like animal grazed on the yellow grass, its six legs holding it up. "Because four back legs was a good design choice." Pidge muttered under her breath as she leaned back to Keith. Keith just nudged her.

The horse-like animal was a pale blue color, and the ears were extremely long. It had no mane, but the tail was long and white. When it raised its head, they could see it also had no eyes, but the head shape of a horse.

It flicked its tall ears, then turned its head in their direction. Hunk and Pidge shuddered, weirded out. Its head tilted as it chuffed. It raised a... Paw? That's a paw. It's a pawed horse. Anyway, it raised a paw, then nudged the person laying beside it.

They groaned and rolled onto their stomach, still facing away from the paladins. "Stob it..." He muttered, voice muffled by the blanket he used as a pillow and by sleep. The creature nudged him again. "No, Zar." He raised his head and pushed its muzzle away. The paladins froze. "A little more sleep."

Shiro cleared his throat.

The man on the ground gasped and flung himself up, grabbing for the blaster beside him. He blinked, then gasped, dropping the blaster. "Guys!?"

"Lance?" Hunk murmured, taking a hesitant step closer.

Lance grinned. "Hunk!"

Hunk burst into tears and crashed into the Altean. "Lance! I missed you so much!" He then yanked back. "But you went to Earth!?"

Lance's smile wavered, then he gulped and stepped back. "Actually... I was here this whole time..."

"You what?" Shiro stepped around the younger paladins. Lance grinned sheepishly and waved. "You've been here for six months?"

"U-uh... Yeah... I have." Lance bit his lip and looked down. "Mom-... Haggar said she needed to make a stop here, and..."

"She abandoned you!?" Pidge shouted, throwing her arms out. "After making a huge deal about you being her son and how you needed to go with her!?"

Lance lowered his head. "No... I found out the atmosphere here stunts a druid's magic." They all blinked owlishly. "This planet imprisons evil druids like her."

Keith finally stepped forward. "So you locked her up." He concluded.

The blue paladin hesitantly looked up to Keith. "Y-yeah... I did..."

"Was that your plan all along? To lock away one of the biggest threats to the universe?" Keith asked, hopeful.

His hope was burnt out when Lance flinched and looked down. "No... It wasn't... I was really going to Earth with her..."

Keith clenched his jaw and curled his fists. "Bastard!" He snapped, swinging his fist straight up hooking Lance's jaw.

"Keith!" The other three shouted as Lance stumbled back, Keith's vision blurred by tears and anger.

"You asshole! How could you abandon us!?" Keith shook.

Lance held his hand up to his jaw, gaze flickering elsewhere. "I didn't know what else to do."

Keith stepped forward. Shiro grabbed him. "You could have stayed with us!" Keith screamed, struggling. "Let me go, damn it! You selfish, ass! I believed in you! I loved you, and you left me!"

"I didn't want to burden you." Lance sunk to his knees, hands falling to his lap. "I was tired of dragging you down. You deserve better than me." Keith settled down, tears freely streaking his cheeks as he stared at Lance. "I... I wanted to go somewhere... Out of your way... Because you're better. You're stronger... I really was going to go to Earth... But m-... Haggar is still dangerous. She's still a threat, whether she's with me on Earth or out here.

"So I stayed here. I stayed here to take care of her and to give you space until you came." Lance gulped, rubbing at his eyes. "I couldn't kill her, because... Because she's still my mom. She's still a person." His voice cracked. "So, I-... I stayed. I didn't go to Earth..."

They all stood there, all staring at Lance. Lance stayed on the ground, gaze focused in front of him.

Keith abruptly broke free of Shiro's grasp and bolted to Lance. He sobbed, throwing his arms around the blue paladin. "You fucking ass! I hate you so fucking much!" He shouted, burying his face in Lance's shoulder.

Lance quickly returned the embrace, holding on to Keith so tightly. He was almost afraid that if he'd let go, he'd never see Keith again.

"I hate you!" Keith gripped on Lance. "I hate you with every damned fiber of my being!"

Lance nodded, closing his eyes. "I know... I love you, though... I always have."

-----

7861 words

Fuck yeah

Lance's birthday in three days.

Voltron s3 next week

Fuck yeah