#nolance

who’s nolan? click here!  

short answer: he’s one of the cadets shown in the voltron preview and i gave him a name and suddenly a crack ship of him and lance and now there’s no going back!!!!!

ANYWAY it all starts when nolan’s 13 and lance is 14 and they’re both new to the garrison and nolan was a little shy, had no idea what was going on, lance gave him a bright smile and said, “isn’t this the coolest thing? you look freaked now, but i promise this is gonna be amazing.”

nolan had to agree. it’s hard not to with a smile like that. after that, it became a little easier to breathe. 

nolan and lance are actually in a similar circle for the first couple years of flight school. they were all wannabe pilots running simulation drills until their hands cramped. 

lance was loud and funny and liked to have eyes on him as long as they were good. it didn’t help that lance had the looks 

(and that’s when you know you have a crush, when you liked them through their middle school/freshman year haircuts) 

they’ve partnered up a couple times and it was fun. nolan realized lance had the smarts to back up the talk, and maybe he gave a few smart allick remarks here and there.

lance: i’m gonna be the best in this class. no offense, buddy, but i got this in the bag. nolan: funny, considering i’m the one who had it in the bag in the first place. lance, grinning: oh someone’s got jokes now, huh???

they drift apart once nolan moves onto fighter class when lance doesn’t. they were acquaintances before, so it’s not like it’s unexpected. 

his heart still beats a little faster when he sees lance in the halls. he’s still got the garrison’s top 3 cutest students in his book (lance, julia, gerald)

when the garrison trio disappears, nolan’s grieving with the rest of the school

he may not have been the closest to lance, hunk or pidge but he did consider them friends and it still hurt to know they were missing with no clue to where they could’ve been

when lance comes back, nolan is awestruck by how handsome and hot he is. it doesn’t help when he comes back with an air of confidence and self assurance nolan can’t remember him having back when they were younger.

during calmer moments, lance takes a moment to catch up. the way his eyes lit up when he recognized nolan sent a wave of warmth through him

(he will not have a crush on lance again. he will not have a crush on lance again. he will not have a crush on lance again—)

lance: nolan, is that you, buddy!? holy crow it’s been a while! you look good! how are you man??? nolan: big lion... i mean... LION?! lance, smirks: oh yeah, i upgraded from fighter class 

(crap. he may have a crush again.)

they end up hanging out and nolan’s the one who takes it upon himself to update the paladins on everything going on with the garrison, earth, and the castle rebuilding process

he ends up liking his duties waaaay too much. especially when he comes to learn lance is very touchy in his affections.

lance tells him about everything that happened since he went into space after nolan gives up his info. nolan’s hooked on every word. 

when lance offers nolan a ride in red, how could he refuse?

nolan ends up clutching lance tight as lance shows off to him with fast maneuvers and tricks he remembers he used to pull in the simulator. it’s exhilarating, sends bumps rising along his skin, laughing his lungs out the faster they go

they land on the moon. the actual moon when lance turns to him with a glint in his eye and a proud smile on his face.

lance: having fun? nolan, grinning: no way. the laughing fest i’ve got going on is because i’m having the most horrible time. you couldn’t have taken me to mars instead? lance: aw, gotta keep that in mind for next time. almost thought i’d nailed it.  nolan: yeah? nail what? lance: wooing you.

and that takes the air out of his lungs, because holy shit he was not expecting that. at all. 

of course, the pause makes lance panic.

lance: oh crud. crap. sorry. that was so lame and i was thinking we were having fun and kinda like? on the same page? you can just forget i said that and we can go back to hanging out and i really could take you to mars if that’s what you really want—

nolan takes this into his hands. literally. 

he cups lance’s cheeks and smiles at him.

nolan: you’ve succeeded, you big goof.  lance, relieved: oh thank god. what was it? the tour around the world? my amazing jokes? how cuuute i am? nolan: the first day of school. you made me feel better without even trying. i was freaking out and you made it okay again.  lance, blushing a bit: you remember that? nolan: i do. [smiles] can i kiss you? lance: please do.

YES I CAN !!!!

lance flirts with nolan and nolan is like. okay. i got this. i can be just as flirty back. it’ll be good.

lance: hey good looking. are you tired? because youve been running around my mind all day. nolan: i DID just get back from my run!!!lance: :o)nolan: i mean aww that’s so sweetlance: :D

nolan’s the one who asks lance out on a date. he knows lance is a romantic so he spends all day trying to figure out what would be perfect.

something that’s earth bound because he doesn’t have a badass lion BUT...

he ends up setting up something on the roof of the garrison. brings in the sand from outside, buys some sea shells from the craft store and scatters them around, and hooks up his ipod to play the sound of ocean waves for them when he finds out lance loves the beach

they have dinner and lance is absolutely floored. like jaw dropped he doesn’t even respond when nolan asks “how’d i do?” he just goes straight in his arms for the embrace

lance: i [kiss] love [kiss] this [kiss] so [kiss] much [KISS]

lance reintroduces nolan to the gang again even though nolan’s already talked to them when they first arrived back on earth

nolan: wait, i already know everyone though?lance: yeah, but they met you as nolan, badass pilot on our side at the garrison. now i’m reintroducing you as nolan, badass pilot at the garrison who’s also the guy i’m smooching and romancingnolan: [laughing and gives him a kiss] you’re so cute

nolan takes lance to his own lil  garden he’s got rented in the little greenhouse the garrison has. they have little picnics there while nolan takes care of his plants

Out of the entire Garrison team, Kinkade is the last person Lance expected to see arms crossed, leaning his weight against the doorway entrance to the room the Garrison had provided. Considering the past several days of fighting off an entire alien invasion, a friend waiting for him shouldn’t be that big of a surprise, shouldn’t alert his senses that something’s different.  

Still, Lance can’t help if his stomach flips at the sight of him.

“Kinkade, buddy, my man,” Lance greets, nudging the other gently in the side despite the pull in his arm utterly against the motion. He tilts his head, beckoning the other to come inside instead of awkwardly in the hall. “To what do I owe the pleasure? Would’ve thought you and your team would be taking a much needed vacay right about now.”

Kinkade huffs out an almost-laugh. It’s more of an amused exhale from his nose, but it’s a start. “If the paladins of Voltron aren’t getting a vacation, our little team is far from it.” He stills in the middle of the room, eyes glancing from wall to wall despite the fact they’re bare. If he’s looking for something, he won’t find it here. “So this is where you’re staying?”

“Garrison issued room, yup. My family gets the rest of the rooms in the hall. We all wanted to stick together, y’know?” Lance situates himself on his bed. It reminds him of when he was a cadet in these same halls, which feels like a lifetime ago. “Although I have a feeling you didn’t come here to hear about my living situation.”

“Smart and perceptive. A double threat,” says Kinkade, “I came here to ask for a favor.”

Heat flushes through Lance’s, burning, and it takes him an embarrassing couple of seconds to recover from the praise to remind himself he actually has to answer Kinkade’s question.

“Uh, yeah! Sure, I can help with whatever you need,” Lance answers, brow quirking curiously. “What exactly do you need?”

“You’re one of the best snipers I’ve ever seen. Not just from the Garrison, but in general. Period.” Out of everything he expected Kinkade to say, that was not one of them. Lance opens his mouth, to thank him or to protest, unsure of what exactly he’d say to that, Kinkade cuts him off, “No, I’m serious. I’ve never seen anyone with your kind of skill and talent, and I was hoping you’d teach me everything you know. It’d mean a lot to me if you would.”

For a moment, Lance is left blinking blankly at the other. The words are stuck to his throat, mouth dry, and not for the first time in this very short meeting with the other, he’s left feeling utterly flustered at a simple compliment.

It’s true what everyone says: Lance is weak for a pretty boy who so much looks at his general direction.

Although can anyone really blame him when Kinkade’s dark, piercing eyes are looking at him instead of through him?

“Not that I wouldn’t love to hand over a few tricks I’ve picked up here and there, I’m just here wondering… Why do you need to know?” Lance sits up a little straighter, despite the ache in his ribs screaming against it. “I mean, we won, right? Wouldn’t you be trying to find your family now?”

“We won against the Galra, but the drones and patrols are still out there. We still have to liberate Galra camps. If I’m going to look for my family, we gotta be prepared to deal with those too,” Kinkade answers. “And I know you found your family, so I wouldn’t expect you to help now that you have, but if you could teach me, I’d greatly appreciate it.”

Lance doesn’t even hesitate.

“I can do you one better,” Lance says, “I can teach you everything I know and I’ll help you and your team with liberating the earth as soon as I’m patched up.”

Kinkade’s eyes widen. “You don’t have to…”

“I want to,” Lance insists, sharply, and is the one to stop Kinkade in his tracks this time. “As soon as I’m in tip-top shape, better be prepared to sign me up, Kinkade.”

“It’s Ryan,” he says. “Kinkade’s my last name. My friends call me Ryan.”

“Nolan Kinkade,” Lance repeats, testing the name out on his tongue. “I like it.”

Nolan gives another huff of a laugh, one that could’ve been a full-fledged thing a few years ago. It brightens his face, makes him appear younger and with less worry, and Lance is itching to see what a real smile on his face would look like.

Lucky for him, he doesn’t have to wait too long.

“Don’t let the other paladins know,” Nolan says as he walks backwards out of Lance’s room, the corners of his lips twitching upwards. It’s mesmerizing. “But you’re my favorite.”

Then he’s gone, the doors sliding behind him and leaving Lance sat upon his bed, face on fire and heart pounding after a boy with one of the most beautiful smiles he’s ever seen.