Begining
@klance-microfics-2026 word count: 675
“Come on Lance, you just have to start! That’s the hardest part.” Shiro coached him patiently, but Lance was almost out of patience himself at this point.
“Pretty sure the hardest part is holding my entire dead weight in the air for several minutes.”
Pidge snorted and Hunk winced, recognizing Lance’s ‘I'm tired of this shit’ tone of voice. It was just so frustrating; it was a stupid pull up! He had done so much physical training since they had first formed Voltron, three weeks ago he could do a dozen of these and barely break a sweat. Now all because of some poorly choreographed collision with a Galran sentry his shoulder had forgotten how to function, and he was right back at the beginning. He could barely do one without collapsing back on the mat.
“Don’t push yourself too hard yet, Allura said it would take a while for your shoulder to gain its strength back, even after the desolation was healed." Shrio reminded him and Lance resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He definitely remembered the advice Allura had given him about his shoulder, but Shiro was just trying to help. “Just try to get your chin above the bar and then come back down, slow and controlled. Focus on your form, not the duration. You can do this!”
Lance took a deep breath and reached above himself again, grabbing the bar with a small jump and pulling himself up. His left arm was so much stronger than his right, which threw him off balance, and he hardly got his nose above the bar before he was sinking back down.
“I really don’t think I can.” He huffed. Shiro studied him while he breathed for a second, no doubt trying to figure out how to inspire Lance into doing a pullup, which left just enough silence for him to hear Keith scoff.
“Got something to say, Mullet?” Lance asked, temper short and embarrassed by his obvious failure. Keith hesitated, but did finally speak from his spot at the punching bags across the training floor.
“You’re over thinking it.” Lance glared at him.
“You can’t over think a pull up, Keith, no thinking required.” Keith crossed his sweaty arms and rolled his eyes in his signature way.
“Exaclty. Stop thinking about it and do it.” Lance swallowed, recognized the dare for what it was and immediately reached for the bar. Grabbing it with one hand he hesitated, looking at Shiro who was watching with a flat expression. Lance wasn’t sure if he actually believed in him, or if he was just saying what he thought he was supposed to. A pull up was such a simple thing, if Lance couldn’t do one, what would that mean for his place on the team? What if the next mission required him to pull himself out of some hole? Would the team help him, would they even bother?
“Stop thinking and do it, McClain!” Keith’s voice cut through the spiral of his thoughts and no way would he embarrass himself in front of Keith like this, he would not back down from him. Immediately Lance pulled with both arms, his shoulder starting to remember what it was supposed to do; nose then chin above the bar until he was smirking at Keith over it.
“Ha! Take that, mullet!” He called, and Keith rolled his eyes, muttering something Lance couldn’t hear. Steadily he lowered himself back down to his feet and Shiro clapped him on the shoulder. Pidge grinned and shoved him out of the way for her turn at the bar, and Hunk raised his hand for a high five.
“Nice going buddy!” He said encouragingly and Lance slapped his hand against his, “Good to know if you’re ever lacking motivation we just need to sick Keith on you.” He was teasing, but Lance felt himself blush a little looking past Hunk to where Keith and resumed his boxing. Keith’s words had definitely gotten to him this time, but that was just a coincidence, right?
Right?
