The Rowan (Winged Shance)

Chapter One

Lance watched his teammate's fly around the nest he was laying in. They set up the nest in the hanger's rafters so they could easily go up there after missions and still have plenty of room to fly around when they were traveling through space. He found it funny; when he first met each of them in the Garrison he was puzzled by their wings but now that they were in space, it all made sense. Shiro soared above him, his black and white speckled wings stretched out to either side of him. Unlike usual, he looked completely relaxed as the air blew through his fringe.

He dodged neatly to the side when Keith shot up from underneath him, trying to knock him off course. They laughed and circled each other in mock fight formation. The red, yellow, and orange wing beat wildly trying to make up for the sheer size that Shiro's wings had over his own. He laid his head on his arms to look over the side of the nest when they fell into a nosedive towards the floor.

Hunk and Pidge both shriek and dove out of the way, Hunk's chocolate brown and golden wing instinctually covered Pidge even though they were already standing on the ground. She huffed and pushed the limb off as Hunk gave sheepish apologies. She only gave him a fond grin but looked up at Shiro and Keith with an annoyed glare, which they didn't notice as they were still chasing each other around the hanger. Her emerald green wings snapped up and she gave chase, surprising the two at her speed. Hunk laughed and gave a powerful beat and was gliding alongside the others. Lance looked on with a smile, he loved seeing his friends fly. They were able to forget about where they were and what they were meant to do and just became kids again.

'Maybe it's time to tell them the truth,' Lance thought with a small frown. It had been months since they came to the Castle and they had undoubtedly bonded as not only a team but closer to a family. He heard the sound of soft flapping and looked behind him to see his team with ruffled feathers and carefree smiles on their faces.

'No time like the present, I guess,' he turned to them with a smile.

"How come you didn't join us?" Shiro asked curiously trying to stroke his feathers into place. Lance looked down with a nervous gulp and started wringing his hands together.

"I was actually thinking of that right now," he said. Looking up he saw that he had every paladin's attention. He pressed his hands together to try and stop them from trembling.

"What is it?" Hunk asked. His forehead was creased in worry as he looked at his best friend. Not even he had seen Lance's wings and he had known him the longest out of everyone. Not by much, they met the first year of the Garrison but still.

"I-um," he mumbled trying to work up the courage. It wasn't supposed to be this hard, he trusted them and he wanted them to know.

"It's okay Lance, we'll understand," Shiro said encouragingly with a small grin on his face.

"I- I'm wingless," he finally blurted out.

'Shit,' he thought. He cautiously looked up at his teammates and almost cringed at the pity that was plan on their faces. They all rushed forward, engulfing him in a hug and began chirping and cooing at him in comfort. He sighed into the group and after a while ducked down out of it. Although being wingless wasn't uncommon, they still felt guilty that they had been flying around carelessly while he was grounded.

"Lance... I am so sorry," Shiro said after a moment of silence. The others nodded in agreement looking heartbroken at Lance. He gave them a single shrug and slightly turned away from them.

"It's alright I guess, I've lived with it my entire life," he stated softly. He walked to the edge of the nest and made to get out.

"Where are you going?" Keith asked. Lance turned to them and gestured to the door at ground floor.