I need you //klance

Part 39

The alarm had only gone off for a few minutes but they were all already tense. This would be Keith's first time in combat with the Black lion- they'd be crazy if they weren't worried. Lance could hear Allura encouraging Keith over the comms while Pidge and Hunk got into their lions.

He couldn't shove down the knot of worry solidifying in his gut and heart. The others were already outside and he couldn't even get into his lion. That calming beat he'd come to associate with Blue had gone quiet. It felt muffled- like there was a barrier between the two of them. 

"Lance, where are you?" Keith definitely sounded more authoritive than usual- it didn't exactly help his bubbling nerves.

Lance almost growled his response, "My lions not responding to me." He was half glad it came out whiny, he didn't want Keith to think he was mad at him.

"Well, figure it out and catch up with us as soon as you can." Scratch that, he sounded mad. He knew it was probably the stress but it didn't stop it stinging.

He paced around a bit in front of Blue, even attempting the knocking trick he had when they'd first met. He froze to a holt when he heard Lotor's transmission.

It was a trap. The others were caught in a trap when Keith- their best pilot and fighter- had a new lion which he'd never used in combat before and he was stuck here having a one side negotiation with a giant mechanical lion who wouldn't let him in or even explain why.

He could hear Keith trying to take control and give out orders but they seemed frantic and rushed. The three of them were calling out warnings to each other only to yell out because they hadn't had anyone watching their back.

He was scared and lost and angry. Blue had always been the first one to support him and now she was shutting him out. He'd even tried some of Blue's favourite pickup lines and she was still silent.

Did she just not want him anymore?

No. She probably never wanted him and was just forced to take him as her paladin for lack of a better option. Maybe now she had found her real paladin and was just tossing out the spare.

No. That wouldn't make sense either. Blue wouldn't abandon people in a fight, it wasn't in her nature. Maybe she just didn't think he should be in this battle. Did she think he was a liability? Did she think he would mess this all up? 

She was probably right.

He was so useless.

"Lance! Get out here now!" See. Keith hates him. Why would he ever like him? He just needed comfort and Lance was the closest thing.

"Lance? What's wrong?" Allura padded up to him, stopping about a foot away.

She hates him too. She knows how useless he was and couldn't stand it.

"I don't know. Blue's shutting me out." Maybe Blue wanted Allura instead. Surely she'd do better. "Maybe Pidge was right. I am just the goofball." He was mumbling now. His head was screaming at him to shut up and just carry on like nothing was wrong while part of him desperately needed something to vent to, even if they'd brush it all off later and assume he was fine.

"Not only am I not meant to be the leader, I guess... I guess now I'm not even meant to be a Paladin."

He felt an abrupt warm and protective surge burning through what remained of his bond with Blue and filling it with an energised passion. 

"It's the Red lion. You must go to it."

"No way. Keith probably trained it to bite my head off." There's no way Red would want him- no way he'd be good enough for her.