𝔻𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 🄻🄰🄽🄶🅂🅃

Coran's promised intervention

Reminder: _in chapter "tell you my secrets" when Coran left Lance's room he reassured him that when he woke up everything would be solved. Now Coran tries to intervene, keeping his promise_

~Flashback to when Coran left Lance's room after comforting him~

3rd person P.O.V

As the door slid closed, Coran looked over his shoulder with a melancholic look on his face.
He felt pity for the blue Paladin.
Seeing such a, normally, happy soul in distress was simply depressing for Coran.

He started walking towards the kitchen, still deep in thought.

Lance had always been a pure joy to be around, as he normally emanated positivity and spread hope among the team and anyone that met him would agree.

Coran turned a corner, distracted by his pensive mood. So he kept thinking.

With Lance's silly puns and overall friendly and jolly behaviour, the people around him, no matter the situation, could always find comfort in his presence.
And although the situation in that moment (with Zarkon and all that jazz) was grave and definitely worrisome for anyone who was aware if it, Lance would find something to be happy about and ways to make the best out of a bad situation, or someway to light up everyone's spirits. Little did everyone know that was simply his coping mechanism, as Coran had previously figured out.

Coran had always been a smart man, and although he had a natural talent (he would say) with machinery and Altean technology, he had a special place in his heart for social psychology.

It might not seem like it, but he was highly intelligent in identifying creature's behaviours, and one of the things that he was almost certain of, was the fact that the whole team would find a kind of distraction in teasing Lance... without really thinking of the other's feelings.

Coran could see this in different occasions and even tried to talk about it with Lance to see if it really affected him negatively, but Lance just shrugged off the concern with a "don't worry Coran! It doesn't really bother me, if it helps them cope than I won't care".

He lies.

Coran knew he lied. He could clearly see the affect the remarks had on Lance. He could now see the real impact it was having on him, and how much of a burden it was becoming. But he had decided to give Lance the benefit of doubt when they confronted, that day. Now Coran felt a burden, as he felt responsible for not offering more support or not pushing the subject on more.

Coran had the feeling that this would someday rip lance apart. Telling yourself that something doesn't affect you doesn't make the uncomfort disappear.

Like procrastinating. You start to avoid your work and ignore the feeling of responsibility and the emotional harm it's starting to cause you. Other activities invade the free time and time that was supposed to be spent on being productive, and yet, even though it bothers you, the urge to complete the certain task or tasks does not cross your mind.
After ignoring everything for so long, no matter what it is, it all comes back to you.
It collapses on you, and all the anxiety and worry that was hidden from your own sight and slowly building up, reaching the peak, with your attempt to conceal and secrete it, it will surely endulge you entirely.

If the Paladins and Allura did not quit contributing to the stress and self hate Lance was feeling, he would most certainly break and give in to his self destructive behaviour and habits. Coran was aware of this.
He knew he had to do something about it.

Coran arrived at the kitchen and took a seat in the chair that was closest to the door.
Then he grabbed some purple fruit from the bowl near him and took a bite, nonchalantly.