Beyond

Moving

"So what's on the agenda today?" Lance beamed as he practically danced into the lounge.

"What?" Clint frowned as he slowly lowered the box he was carrying. "You okay kid?"

"Me? I'm amazing." Lance stared his grin never faltering. "I feel great."

"I don't think we believe you." Natasha admitted kicking another box into the room.

"What are you doing?" Lance asked still smiling as he crossed his arms.

"We're packing up and moving."

Lance's smile melted. "M-moving?"

"Yeah all of us." Natasha nodded. "Tony has cleared out and refurbished an old warehouse, he's turned it into a new campus."

"Why?"

"Because living in New York brings its own challenges, like civilians." Tony explained as he appeared behind him. "So we're moving somewhere quieter so if anyone attacks there won't be others getting hurt."

"Smart move." Lance smiled.

"Lance!" Hunk beamed crushing him in a hug from behind. "What did the doctor say?"

"That I'm an enigma and that I should be more positive about things."

"Oh, so that was what you were doing." Clint chuckled. "I get it now."

"Don't laugh at me." Lance pouted but the hint of a smile failed the delivery. "I'm trying here."

"I know you are kiddo." Clint smiled ruffling his hair. "You might wanna pack your stuff up."

"You mean the 5 jumpers, 6 t-shirts, 4 pairs of jeans and... I can't remember how many socks or boxers I have." Lance frowned.

"That was very specific." Hunk noted shaking his head. "Your friend Tony and Bruce took us shopping to get things, it was nice."

Lance grinned. "Good, enjoy being here while it lasts."

"What are you talking about?" Pidge frowned appearing from nowhere.

Lance flinched eyes snapping to her. "Man you're sneaky."

"Well we went undercover for two years." Pidge shrugged. "What were you talking about?"

"Going shopping." Lance shrugged. "You can't get earth stuff anymore since earth was destroyed and all."

"What?!" Hunk, Keith and Shiro all asked.

"Earth?" Lance frowned. "Okay what do I not know?"

"The Galra have not been able to take your home planet." Allura explained tilting her head as she looked at him. "Humans are the most resilient aliens I know."

"It's..." Lance felt his legs buckle as he slowly sank to the floor.

"Easy buddy." Hunk encouraged kneeling next to him.

Pidge took ahold of his hand and offered a squeeze. "We're not lying Lance."

"I thought..." Lance couldn't get his head around it.

"I thought we were ment to be keeping him calm." Bruce's voice sounding confused and concerned.

"He just found out his version of earth is alive. Let him be." Natasha scolded.

Lance glanced to Pidge and held her gaze firmly. "Say it again." He whispered.

She smiled faintly at him. "Earth is safe."

Lance felt the laugh before it escaped him he dropped his head into her shoulder and he wasn't sure if he was laughing or crying.

Maybe both.

"Mum and dad." He breathed as Pidge hugged him.

"Yeah, they're alive." Pidge assured. "So you gotta hold for them, you're gonna see them again, all of them."

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank us."

"No," Lance shook his head refusing to stop hugging Pidge, "thank you for being okay."

~~~

"Your designs are okay." Pidge shrugged while Coran scowled next to her. "I mean they're useful in the sense that they form quicker, no more struggling to get your armour on, but..."

"It's not Altean." Coran grumbled.

Tony frowned. "I wasn't trying to take the... Altean-ness away from it. I just wanted Lance to be able to have his armour at any moment."

"Practically, it's good." Coran admitted. "But the undersuit is too ridged, it restricts movement and can slow the paladins down, also the suit has to be adaptable to any kind of paladin."

"You guys switch armours?" Steve asked glancing to Lance who was spinning on one of Tony's computer chairs.

"No, but my armour was worn by someone called Blaytz." Lance grinned as he kicked off the wall. "Haha."

"Are you feeling alright kid?" Tony frowned.

"Come on! Am I not allowed to have fun?" Lance smirked.

"No it's not that."

"Urgh, fine I'll be boring." Lance groaned and dragged himself to their table to examine his armour that was laid out next to Pidge's. "What are we talking about?"

"Don't act dumb." Pidge frowned.

"Coran here is a master of fabrics." Lance explained gesturing to the Altean. "He could help you get it right?"

"That would be amazing." Tony admitted his face lighting up. "The new lab at the compound is bigger than this one and you can teach me about your Altean tech."

Coran glanced to Lance.

"He's being genuine." Lance smiled.

"Well, I would be happy to work along with you, anything you can teach me about earth culture would be fascinating too."

Lance glanced to Pidge. "Wanna go do something?"

"Like what?"

Lance frowned. "I have no idea."

Natasha appeared in the lab. "Steve, he's popped back up."

"Who?"

"Barnes." Tony explained.

"Wait- Bucky?"

"Yeah." Steve nodded as he collected his shield.

"Can I help?"

"You should be resting." Tony and Natasha both reminded.

"Bucky's my friend, I wanna help." Lance said firmer as he stood up.

Steve glanced to Natasha then back at Lance. "Okay, but not alone."

"Pidge is coming."

"Hang on." Pidge said knocking his arm. "Did you just sign me up for a mission?"

"Yep." Lance grinned.

Pidge matched his smile. "Let's go."