The New Paladin

30: Missed Opportunities

"This is..." Hunk said quietly as he stared at Lance's leg.

"Hunk?" Shiro prompted.

"I don't even know where to start." Hunk admitted quietly.

Lance stared at him for a second before he reached forwards his hand stopping just above his knee he pushed a button which clicked before the leg came completely free.

Hunk managed to catch it before he stared at Lance with a sort of awe in his eyes.

"You don't seem terribly anxious about this." Hunk admitted as he placed the metal leg on the bed next to Lance.

"Because I'm not." Lance frowned. "I've had that thing for years now."

"Years?"

"Deca-pheobs or how ever you say it."

Shiro looking down at his hand with confusion in his eyes. "And you're used to it?"

Lance shrugged. "No, I've just learned that I can't get my leg back, I'm stuck with it, so I just make do."

Shiro blinked at him before he looked down at his hand again.

Lance watched him out of the corner of his eye, he could see the frown, Lance knew the look. It was one he had worn for a while.

"This one is different to yours Shiro." Pidge said as she stood next to Hunk. "Not so well made."

"Yeah I broke it a few times." Lance admitted quietly.

"Does it hurt to wear it?" Keith asked leaning over Pidge's shoulder to see as she picked at it.

Lance shrugged rolling his touser leg up to show where the dock of the leg was grafted into his skin.

It again didn't look very well made and Shiro almost shuddered. He could imagine the pain Lance had been through when recieving it.

He could sort of sympathise with the boy.

Coran was then in front of him holding his hands up to inspect them one more time before he set about cleaning the cuts up.

Lance sat silently, even when Coran explained that was worried about his other hand seeing as the blood was beginning to seep through the bandage.

"Wouldn't a pod work?" Keith asked.

"Yes but-"

"I'll fall over without a leg, you dufus." Lance grumbled sending a small smile towards Keith.

Keith blinked at him.

Pidge sniggered giving Keith a playful shove. "He's got a point."

"What does dufus mean?" Keith asked looking to Shiro who was trying to hold back his own smile.

He shrugged. He wasn't sure but the smile on Lance's face and the tone of his voice removed some of the tension in the room.

"That will have to do for now, until we can get you in a pod." Coran sighed as he squeezed Lance's shoulder. "Is that alright?"

"Yeah." Lance nodded.

"Okay, Lance." Shiro said walking forwards. "We need to talk."

Lance let out a heavy sigh running his hands through his hair. "I know, I'm sorry, it's just I've never been very good at this... Team stuff." He admitted gesturing vaguely.

"Yeah, we noticed." Keith grumbled.

"Keith." Hunk said nudging him.

"It's okay Lance." Pidge said as she hopped up next to him. "It took us a while to get used to it too."

"Yeah but you guys actually know what you're doing." Lance said quietly as he looked down at his hands. "I don't even understand what Blue is saying."

"Then that's where we'll start." Allura decided with a smile. "Work on your bond with Blue, once it gets stronger I know you'll understand her."

"And with that it will be easier for us to make the link for Voltron." Pidge added.

"Does it all have to be about Voltron?" Lance asked with a frown. "Like I get it, it's important and yeah, it's probably going to save the universe," Lance explained slowly, "but just because you can form a giant war machine doesn't mean people are gonna like it."

"Voltron is a symbol of hope." Allura said with her own frown. "People will come around."

Lance looked away. Shiro could tell, he wasn't so sure.

"What's on your mind Lance?"

"So many people have died." Lance whispered drumming his fingers against his knee. "So many innocent people w-who- sorry."

The choke in Lance's voice and the way his eyes clouded over told Shiro there were emotions that ran deep in this, this wasn't something he had just thought about.

"We're sorry we weren't there." Hunk said placing his hand on Lance's. "I can't imagine what it must have been like, living in a univers where Zarkon only ever took, we want to help people, we want to help you."

Lance nodded wordlessly.

"I'm sorry." He whispered after a few minuets. "I'm not used to having a team or... Friends really, never really had them as a kid either."

Pidge leaned more into his side as she shot a glance at Shiro.

"Do you mind if we become your friends?" Shiro asked curiously as he stepped closer.

Lance tilted his head looking up at him. "I don't know anything about you guys."

"Well, we don't really know anything about you either." Shiro reminded with a smile. "Can we change that?"

Lance gave a small smile. It seemed almost sad as he nodded. "You sound like my dad."

"You know what, you are a bit like a father figure sometimes Shiro." Pidge nodded with a smile.

Shiro rolled his eyes, but he was glad Lance's smile was still there.

"So friends?" Pidge asked looking up at him. "Right?"

Lance smiled back. "Sure."

"Do you know what." Hunk said as he reconnected Lance's leg for him. "Once we've saved the Balmera I'm going to make you a new leg, one that is comfy and functional."

Lance gave a soft chuckle. "I'll hold you to that."

"Now there's someone we need to go and save." Allura smiled. "Right Hunk?"

Hunk grinned as he helped Lance to his feet. "Yep."

"Let's do this then." Lance agreed sending them all a bright smile.