#corangst

By your side

Allura desperately missed her father. He had a calming presence that she could only wish to emulate. Since her release from the cryopod she’d only really had contact from Coran, and that was when she was emotionally devastated from the loss of her father after the little time she had with him. She’d gotten some small touches from the paladins but she was a princess. She needed to be a leader.

Shiro wasn’t a fan of being touched. At least not by those he didn’t trust. Keith was okay, they had known each other for a long time and were practically brothers at this point.He used to be really affectionate, but the experiments done on him were traumatizing at best.

Keith didn’t have an opinion on being touched. He hadn’t ever really been touched and he was okay with that. Lacking touch from anyone significant wasn’t a big deal for him, because he never had it. He wasn’t adverse to it, but he also didn’t need it.

Lance hated being in space. It was so big and everything was so spread out. He grew up in a home where walking up or down the stairs meant brushing against at least one person if not three. The castle could fit his entire extended family from both sides and still not be filled. It was too quiet and too empty and there was too much space and Lance didn’t like it.

Hunk enjoyed being affectionate. He’s used to giving out high fives and hugs left and right. He loved showing his love to everyone. That being said its only with two people, and even then he’s only really with one person. Pidge was so small and easy to give affection to she didn’t seem to like it, so Lance was really the only one he gave affection to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ethereal blue of the Castle illuminated the Cuban’s gentle smile. He stared out into the twinkling twilight. The stars danced to the music that played behind him. The music was muffled by the closed doors, but Lance needed to step away.

He gave himself another glance. What once was a suit he felt proud of, now dressed him in shame. He felt so… underwhelming. Shiro, Hunk, and Keith had all been dressed in similar suits each fitting of their color, but somehow, they all wore it better than Lance.

Surely, there were more important things, but the dull pang in his chest only confirmed the feeling that maybe he didn’t belong here. He wasn’t on their level. They were all brave, heroic, smart, handsome…Lance could go on.

Lance frowned at his reflection. The stars behind the glass turning fuzzy as he focused in on his sharp complexion. While he wasn’t unattractive, he certainly was not to be sung about. Lance could hear the faint ballad of “Hunk the Courageous” playing under the sounds of the recently rescued planet’s merriment.

Lance didn’t even hear the soft clicking of heels that approached behind him. He only took notice when a second figure was reflected in the glass. The bright orange mustache a tell tale sign of who his companion was.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Coran smiled.

Lance gave Coran a cautionary side glance. The smile that graced his face hadn’t quite reached his eyes. It was almost a comfort, to know that he wasn’t the only one who seemed to lose himself staring out into the universe.

Coran gave a soft chuckle. “I used to come out here with my family.”

Lance smiled softly. He remembered not long ago when their roles were reversed. Lance didn’t take his eyes off of Coran’s reflection when he asked, “What were they like?”

Coran’s posture seemed to stiffen momentarily before relaxing into something gentle. “Beautiful, more beautiful than the Stars.” His voice grew wistful. Lance could hear the aching, the longing, in it.

Lance looked away, Coran’s gaze into the glass too intense. “I’m so sorry.”

Coran turned from the glass to face Lance for the first time during their conversation. He frowned and his well combed eyebrows furrowed on his forehead. “Whatever for, boy?”

Lance cradled his arms to his chest. “I’m not…” He sighed and turned to face Coran. “They’re gone, Coran. And..you can never see them again. And all I do is talk about my own family, and I’m not enough for this, and-”

Coran’s eyes widened and he placed his hands on Lance’s shoulders. “Lance!” He frowned. Lance felt the floor being pulled out from under him, but somehow grounded at the comforting warmth.

Coran looked to Lance, and whatever he saw there softened his gaze. “You remind me of him, sometimes.”

Lance could feel his heart settling back into it’s usual canter. “What?” He whispered.

Coran smiled and it fully reached his eyes this time. “He was just like you. Funny, clever, kind…just..” Coran’s voice gave way for the lone tear that escaped, “..just a beautiful person.”

Lance blinked away the shock. “But, I’m not-”

Coran’s gaze steeled. “You are every bit deserving of the title, son.” He stated, somehow firm but gentle. Lance supposed it was something to do with some sort of paternal reassurance.

“Despite everything, despite every corner of the universe, it is you here, Lance. You’re here and you’re doing amazing; you’ll continue to be amazing.”

Lance gave a watery smile. “Thanks.” He wiped at his face with his jacket sleeve. “It’s a good thing I’m not wearing any make-up.” He joked.

Coran cracked a smile. “Well, I don’t have any of that, but I do have something.”

Lance raised an eyebrow as he watched Coran take a small flower from his own blue jacket and pin it to his own. The gentle, pearl colored petals were a stark contrast to the deep blue of his formal jacket.

Coran smiled gently. “A pretty flower for a pretty boy, son. Isn’t that how the phrase works?”

Lance has been given a flower once. His father had plucked it from his own suit vest at his sister’s wedding. He ruffled his hair and told him he was a handsome young man.

Somehow, Lance knew this was that same feeling. That feeling that someone thought he mattered. That someone wanted to see him grow into more, but knew how much he already was.

“Oh my friends, my friends forgive me That I live and you are gone.”

So I watch IT last night and I couldn’t help but think, what if something like that happened to the characters of Voltron? 

> Allura

- Allura was the first to get affected by the thing, she saw what she never wanted to relive. 

- Altea was falling, again.

- She couldn’t help anyone, she was frozen in a cryopod as she pounded on the shield screaming for her father. 

- She bursted into tears as she saw her father fall before her eyes, her voice falling on useless ears.

> Coran 

- Coran was next, he was cleaning the cryopods when it happened. 

- He saw the family that he couldn’t save. 

- He had to relive their screams as he ran away from where they were trapped 

- He ran away from his son, attempting to block out the fearful look he gave him as Coran promised to come back. 

> Shiro 

- Shiro was training in his room, pushing through the burn that consumed his muscles, falling on the floor after a few ticks.

- Shiro was put back in the ring, one of the Galran prisoners. 

- He relived the worst battle he had ever fought, the one were the scar on his nose came from

- He also saw Matt fighting, he saw him wide eyed as the centuries pushed him into the ring. 

- Shiro shook violently on the floor, repeating apologies to no one. 

> Keith 

- Keith was sitting in his bed, twirling his knife in his hands, dropping it quickly when he heard his dad's voice. 

- Keith was always scared that he would never fit in, that he would never find his place in the world. 

- His father told him how he was different from the others and how he would never be accepted because he was a freak. 

- Keith felt bile move up his throat as he bolted from his room. 

> Pidge 

- Pidge was typing on her computer, nearly breaking her neck when she heard her name.

- Pidge saw her brother, but he was different. He had yellow eyes and his smile wasn’t the same, it wasn’t homey. 

- He was charging towards Pidge and she couldn’t bring her arms to move, simply letting Matt slam into her, her equipment breaking under his feet. 

- Only lasting a few seconds before he disappeared from the room. 

> Hunk

- Hunk was sleeping in his room, only waking up to the sounds of children screaming, taunting someone. 

- They were his bullies, from elementary school. Picking on him because he was different from the others. 

- He felt the punches and the kicks from them and he fought back the tears.

- Hunk squeezed his eyes, trying to block out their little torments.

> Lance

- He was in the shower, letting the hot water fall over his tan skin. He nearly fell to his knees as his mind filled with unwanted ideas. 

- He would never see his family again, he was lost in space forever.  

- Nobody knew if he was dead or alive or where he went.  

- He saw the ocean and smelt the garlic knots that he knew he would never experience again. 

- Visions of his funeral filled his head and Lance shook his head side to side, mumbling incoherent words to himself, begging for it to stop.