#kuron

— "Boobs"

— Я не... Uhh, I can't do 18+ контент, let's do something else

These days, it feels like Lance is constantly pretending. To the team, he’s the same old Lance from before Keith’s stint in leadership. He cracks inappropriate jokes, welcomes any chance he can get in the spotlight. Any distraction.

It’s a thin veneer. In reality, he’s never felt more detached from the team. After Keith left, Lance began to notice some… changes in the newly-returned Shiro. Which, of course, would be reasonable. If not for the strange way he’d been acting.

Before, Lance never disagreed with Shiro. Ever. Shiro was a shining beacon of intellect and wisdom to rookie Lance, above all criticism. Now that he feels brave enough to enter leader discussions, though, he tries to give his two cents on strategy. He’s really become fond of sitting at the small table with Allura and Keith or swiping quickly over star charts while they listened to his ideas. For all his flaws as a leader, when Keith leaned forward and unblinkingly watched Lance, he really knew how to make him feel heard.

It doesn’t go that way with Shiro.

“Lance, why are you here?”

The simple utterance knocks a crack in his newly-forged armor. He clears his throat. “As red paladin, I usually helped out during pre-battle discussions with Allura and Keith.”

Allura nods, pleasantly gesturing for Lance to join them at the table. Reluctantly, the red paladin sits by her, keeping a careful eye on Shiro. “Lance has truly stepped up in your absence alongside Keith in a way we couldn’t have ever predicted. Keith and I trusted his counsel often, and usually that resulted in great success.”

“Wow. Thanks, Princess,” Lance replies honestly. Warmth blooms behind his ribs, relieved to have some support.

“Alright,” Shiro agrees, hands stiff on the table.

The meeting is a disaster. Shiro shares a plan that Lance really can’t get behind, with formations that place them inside civilian centers rather than at the edges of them. He listens thoughtfully as the older man explains his rationale: Galra troops have been known to invade from all angles, and according to Shiro, it’s simpler if they form a circle and let the Galra come to them at the center. Politely, Lance shares a gentle objection; he’s concerned that the civilians won’t all be able to evacuate in time, and that the formation will cause increased public damage.

“Soldier, I don’t recall asking for your approval.”

His words are sharp. They leave no room for doubt. And yet, Lance can’t help but pushing, confused at the strangeness of his words.

“I just think—“

“You’re not the person we turn to for thinking, are you?”

It’s colder than Lance has ever heard Shiro. Wrong. His gut twists, rejection stinging like a physical blow. Even Allura looks aghast.

“Sorry, Shiro.” He plasters on a respectful expression and slightly inclines his head.

He doesn’t return to leadership meetings after. Lance isn’t like Keith, stubborn and demanding in face of dismissal. Especially not from Shiro, the man from his posters, who made him believe in heroes.

Then comes The Voltron Show. In all his memory, Lance cannot remember hating a stage as much as he hates this one. Traveling across the galaxy, riding on their universe-saving fame while doing nothing for it, he feels like an utter joke. Because he is one. Loverboy Lance! Come see him spin and flirt and drink up attention like it’s ambrosia, powerful enough to save him until it burns him up from the inside out, makes him golden and rotten just for you! It’s all so fake that it makes him actually vomit, one night.

An alien had asked for his signature. Lance scribbled it with a paintbrush they handed him, but in reality, he was entirely not there. His hands tingled and his body and brain almost felt as if they were splitting apart, as though he’d watched the scene from above.

“Thank you so much for all you do!” the alien chirped.

What does he do? Lance doesn’t strategize, doesn’t even fire so much as a warning shot, lately. He’s just a face. A symbol, and a boring one at that.

He smiles, thanks them, and rushes back to his bathroom to grab at his toilet. At 17, Lance would have killed to have this much fame. Convinced that fame was an achievement, he sought it desperately, believing that being known meant he was worthy.

Now, a year later, he’s all too aware of how cheap fame can be. Fame means nothing after seeing blood and heartbreak and war. Being known by millions is worth so much less when the people who matter people aren’t looking.

Hunk and Pidge don’t note his change in mood. It’s not their faults, really. Coran is running them all ragged with routine prep, and Hunk and Pidge have the extra awful task of coordinating special effects. They’re both practically dead on their feet whenever they cross paths with Lance.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that he gets closer with Allura. Who else does he have? Both of them are distantly moored without ports. Coran is far too distracted to notice her, and Lance… he’s missing some people, too. They discuss everything with each other. Lance missed having someone to confide in, but Allura is perfect for the job, kind and judgmental in an easy balance. Allura admits that she hates playing Keith, how she just wants to be herself. Lance has to agree— it’s incredibly awkward to witness her trying to play a part so obviously at odds with her and with Keith alike. She’s become a facsimile of herself. It’s a sentiment Lance can relate to, and he shares as much, relieved at her understanding.

Show after show after show. Faux grin after false flirtation after ostentatious lies. Lance plays his part and plays it well.

He wonders if Keith is making a difference with the Blade. Finally, he went somewhere Lance couldn’t chase him to. Bitterly, Lance wonders if that was the point, and tries to put him out of his mind entirely.

As far as anyone watching in the universe will know, Lance is doing wonderfully. He’s Loverboy Lance! Flashy. Dazzling. Shiny.

Based on the last few fics I've posted it does look like my time in the VLD fandom is at last coming to an end. I'm forever grateful to the readers who have engaged with my works, supported me, and left such lovely comments, it has been a pleasure 🧡 I don't think at this point I'll be posting all of the remaining fanfictions I have, but did want to commit to at least one, hopefully two, more on AO3.

Below are all the one-shot titles I have left (sorted alphabetically!) for the VLD fandom. Please feel free to comment with up to two you'd be most interested in reading and I'll do my best to post the two most requested :) (If posting those fics gets good responses I may be inclined to post more, but a lot of these are Keith-centric and those don't do well for me xD). If you have any questions about a title feel free to ask before casting your vote!

A Brilliant Idea

Summary: Coran and Lance team up to retrieve a gemstone in a multi-part activity to enter into a new alliance. While climbing the tower and its near endless stairs to reach their assigned gem is exhausting, everything is going well, including Lance’s brilliant idea on how to reach the gemstone when they discover it isn’t as accessible as they believed it to be. 

Until it isn’t.

And Lance can only look on in horror as the floor gives out and Coran and the gemstone plummet into the abyss.

Bonus tags: protective Lance, claustrophobic Lance, hurt Coran

A Good Hurt

Summary: The mission was simple: Keith would go undercover in the fighting ring that was specifically seeking Galrans courtesy of Shiro and Lance acting as slave traders, who would then infiltrate using Keith as their bait and decoy. Keith knew it would be violent — the event was being billed as ‘Bloodbath’ — but he felt confident in his abilities to hold his own. Except what he discovers after making it inside is the call for Galrans wasn’t to watch them fight. It’s to watch them be tortured and bleed.

Bonus tags: Keith whump, Keith angst, protective Shiro

Always Alone

Summary: Keith doesn’t know who has taken him. He doesn’t know for what purpose. All he knows is the space within his small cage, of the feeling of eyes always watching, of the bloodied tally marks he draws on the floor, and the needle marks littering his arm and the strange, metallic taste always in his mouth.

And he knows one more thing with a certainty that grows more and more as the days pass by.

He knows he’s going to die alone because there is no one coming to save him.

Bonus tags: Keith angst, hurt Keith, protective Matt

Bubbles and Blood

Summary: When Shiro goes overboard during a fight Lance immediately dives in after him because as they all just terrifyingly learned Shiro cannot swim with his prosthetic. And that should have been the finale of the close call, but the enemy has a gun and Lance and Shiro are sitting ducks in the water.

Bonus tags: hurt Lance, Shiro angst, protective Shiro and Lance

Crimson Shard

Summary: The trip outside the Garrison was equal parts research project for Shiro’s new prosthetic arm and a brief escape from the responsibilities and duties Shiro has had thrust upon him since returning to Earth and he’s beyond grateful to Matt and Pidge for instigating both. He’s not looking forward to having to go back to meetings and he’d do almost anything to put it off.

But not… not this. 

Not their vehicle striking a hidden landmine. Not Matt being violently ejected out the front window. Not the blood splattered and shattered glass covered ground. Not Shiro pinned, Pidge trapped and Matt lying so so still.

Bonus tags: hurt Matt, protective Shiro, Shiro angst

Don't Be Scared (It's Just Pain)

Summary: Keith just has to stall the Galran so Lance could complete the mission. He knows there’s going to be pain but pain is nothing to be scared of; it’s fleeting, it’s temporary and it’ll be over soon. Except when the torture comes to an end the endless darkness Keith cannot see beyond doesn’t seem to be so temporary after all.

Bonus tags: hurt Keith, Keith angst, protective Lance

Find Your Way Back to Us

Summary: Lance’s heart skipped a beat as his eyes landed on the tip of an arrow poking out of the foliage.

An arrow that was pointed at the back of Shiro’s head. 

Lance was moving before he even gave his feet permission, Shiro’s name tearing out of his throat in a warning that would come too late and Dios, Shiro was going to die, he was going to die just like Allura would have at Omega Shield unless… 

Unless…

Unless Lance once more intercepts the shot.

Bonus tags: protective Lance, hurt Lance, protective team

It's Not Personal (It Isn't)

Summary: “I wish to see you prove to me, Black Paladin Keith, half-Galran, if you are what Voltron has proclaimed itself to be,” the king spoke. “You will remain here and join in our alliance discussions. However, out of respect to my queen and my people, I must insist that you are cleansed of your Galran stench that reeks of death and darkness.”

Or; A budding Voltron alliance goes sideways when the aliens take literal offense to Keith’s presence. Keith agrees to their request of a bath in the best attempt to smooth things over, but embarrassment turns to shame when he’s treated as something instead of someone and now the heritage he’s still trying to come to terms with is forcibly on display for all to see.

Bonus tags: Keith angst, emotional hurt Keith, protective Lance

It Was an Accident

Summary: It had been an accident. Lance clearly hadn’t meant to leave the freezer door open and waste months worth of food for impoverished planets, but he had and he accepts the responsibility and has no problem cleaning it up as Shiro told him to, even though Lance knows it’ll take several days and he’s running on fumes between the battles and Coalition meetings.

Except Shiro doesn’t just want Lance to take responsibility, he wants him to understand the loss of what that food will mean for so many first hand. No eating, Shiro orders, until everything is cleaned up. 

And Lance has no choice but to stumble his way through the task turned punishment, feeling weaker and sicker with every hour.

Bonus tags: Lance angst, Kuron!Shiro, hurt no comfort

Let Me Save Someone

Summary: Lance’s gloves were slick with his own blood as he desperately tried to grasp the too smooth spear impaled through his middle that was pinning him to the wall, feeling his vision starting to tunnel and the pain go from white-hot agony to almost a dull, thudding pulse.

A gasping sob tore out of his throat as Lance’s attempts faded alongside his strength. He was stuck. And, and unless Keith managed to find him in time, to save him…

He was going to die.

Bonus tags: hurt Lance, protective Keith, Keith angst

Promise I'll Be Okay

Summary: Hunk and Lance have two options following their attempted “theft”: a whipping followed by the loss of their hands or a foray into the Pit of Doom where if they escape alive they’ll be allowed to leave. Neither option though gives them a chance to save the two child slaves that desperately need their help. So Lance proposes a new option: himself, all alone, facing down the dangers and traps while suffering the effects of a deadly poison and if he succeeds they all go free. And Hunk can only watch as the one-sided game to the death begins.  

Or, where Lance plays a game of dungeons and dragons. Literally.

Bonus tags: hurt Lance, protective Hunk, poison

Raindrops on a Window Pane

Summary: Keith knows he has a lot to learn about being a good leader and one thing he really needs to learn about is the newest member of Team Voltron. Allura is still a princess but she’s a Paladin now too and Keith has to figure out how her skillset will integrate with the team, particularly on the mission side. But what starts off as a friendly test of skills goes sideways as besides learning about his teammate Keith learns that some of the abuse he suffered in the foster system isn’t quite as buried as he thought.

Bonus tags: hurt Keith, Keith angst, protective Allura/Allura and Keith friendship

Waking Nightmare, Living Dream

Summary: It wasn’t supposed to be like this. This couldn’t be how it ended. And yet there’s nothing Hunk can do as Lance’s body, overrun by fever and blood dripping from his lips as the poison destroys him from the inside, dies in his arms.

Bonus tags: hurt Lance, sick Lance, protective Hunk

What You Deserve

Summary: One minute Shiro is sitting on the edge of the lake, enjoying the warm sunshine and listening to Lance’s happy shrieks as he splashes in the water while Hunk preps a picnic behind them. The next he’s somehow back in the Arena with jeering crowds, overbright lights and an opponent charging at him. It doesn’t make sense, but Shiro has no time to figure it out as it’s kill or be killed in the Arena and he refuses to be the one that dies.

Bonus tags: hurt Lance, Shiro angst, BAMF Hunk

Where/What/Who You’re Meant to Be

Summary: Pidge knows all too well there are some beyond sick, twisted people out in the universe who will do inhumane things in the name of science and think the end justifies the means. Now Pidge is about to see that depravity firsthand as she’s specifically targeted for an experiment that aims to transform her from a human into some sort of alien hybrid. And as a first time experiment, there’s no knowing what the outcome will be…