Chapter Text
Everyone was looking at her.
Allura was used to looks. She was the Princess of Altea, after all. No matter where she went on Altea, people looked. They were curious, she supposed. She was their hope, their future. She was the enigmatic princess, a diplomat in training. Her mother always tried to keep her prim and proper because of the attention; “Head high, Allura,” she said. “Shoulders back, stand straight. And for the love of juniberries, try not to step on your skirts.”
Her father would always laugh at this. “Melanor, let her be. She’s still a child.”
And Allura would huff, indignant. She remembered grabbing fistfulls of her skirts and sauntering through the halls, throwing glares over her shoulder at her father. “I am not a child!” she grumbled. Her parents would chortle, amused, and the castle servants always cast soft smiles at her young, unbridled determination.
This was different.
These stares weren’t filled with the same awes of her people. These stares were curious, sometimes hostile. And they were always accompanied by the whispers.
Allura was certain the people had no idea she could hear them. Those hushed tones echoing the halls. The way people huddled, their gazes wandering her way, only to skirt back once they met hers. She shrank back, trying to hide amid the paladins. Of course Allura was aware she’d garner some attention. As the surviving princess of old Altea, founder of the coalition, and paladin of the blue lion, she was aware she’d arouse some curiosity.
She supposed it didn’t help that she was a literal alien.
Lance had explained about the whole ‘aliens are new’ concept to her. How the various Earthen governments had kept the knowledge under wraps, and how the paladins themselves hadn’t realized that aliens like herself existed until Shiro crash landed back at the Garrison. Still, it was unusual, and Allura was unused to how children and adults alike pointed at her marks and her ears.
Her hand squeezed Lance’s, and she found herself pressing closer to his side.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice a soft murmur. Allura hesitated.
“They’re all...staring,” she said. Lance frowned, his face creasing as he tossed a glance over his shoulder. He freed his hand from her grasp and wound his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close. Allura’s heart hammered in her chest, her cheeks warming from the proximity. His touch, though it had butterflies fluttering like mad in her stomach, was like a security blanket. Allura sighed, leaning into him.
“I guess they’re just in awe of you,” he said. His lips were pulled into a smile, and Allura thought she saw a twinkle in his eyes. “You are a princess, after all.”
Allura scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Perhaps, but you know that isn’t what I mean.” She peeked over his arm, worrying her lip with her teeth. “Some of them don’t seem very friendly.”
Lance’s grip tightened, pulling her closer. “Well, they can buzz off then.”
“Hey, lovebirds, come on!” Pidge’s voice echoed in the hall, her scowl diminished by the amusement lighting her features. “We have to get back to the meeting. Hurry up!” She whirled around and hurried down the corridor, catching up to Hunk and Keith ahead of them, her boots clicking against the floor. Lance scoffed, and Allura stifled a giggle at his eye roll.
“Meetings, meetings, meetings,” he grumbled.
Ever since they arrived at the Garrison, they’ve been locked away in a stuffy boardroom, going over everything they’ve seen up until now, as well as battle strategies for defeating Sendak and his forces. It was a lot of politics and arguing, and the very thought of walking back into the room made Allura want to drop and curl into a ball on the floor. She hooked an arm around Lance’s waste. “I know, I hate this too,” she murmured. “I wish you people weren’t so...stubborn.”
Lance snorted. “You and me both.” He turned and pressed a fleeting kiss to her forehead, just below her tiara. As brief as it was, Allura still felt breathless, as if her knees would just give out if Lance’s arm wasn’t braced on her shoulders. She felt weightless, like she’d float free of this atmosphere and out among the stars if Lance let her.
His grip was firm, though; reassuring. Allura didn’t ever want him to let go.
“You know,” he said, his breath tickling her ear, “you should meet my family sometime. Maybe for dinner?”
Allura’s breath hitched. She forced out an awkward laugh. “Haven’t I already met your sister?” Her mind went to the image of the fierce woman with short, dark hair and piercing eyes behind wide rimmed glasses, thrusting her hand in front of Allura as per human custom.
Lance shot her a look. “Veronica doesn’t count.” He looked away, his face growing pink. “I want you to erm, meet everyone. Officially.”
Everyone.
Her mind’s eye brought the image of Lance leaping out of their car with a shout to the forefront. Allura’s head whipped around, her gaze locked on his back as he ran into the arms of what seemed to be an entire crowd .
“Tío Lance!”
“Mama! Papa!”
“Lance!”
Allura smiled, despite how her heart squeezed. He’d never get to meet her family… Nevertheless, a spark of excitement jolted through her. “I’d love to, Lance,” she said. “I’d love to.”
Lance’s face lit up, and Allura felt those butterflies pick up the frenzy in her stomach. Oh, what she would do to keep him smiling like that…
~#~#~#~
Ten...
“I just came by to say…”
Lance thumbed the controls, his limbs shaking. Sweat dripped into his eyes and his fingers twitched, but he resisted the urge to tear off his helmet and swipe it away. Time was now a valuable resource; every miniscule second that ticked by precious, like metaphysical flecks of gold, slipping right through their grasp. Hell, they barely had the time to break past Earth’s atmosphere with this stupid robobeast-turned-bomb, let alone chuck it out into the Milkyway and escape to safety.
There was no escape, this time.
Nine…
“Come on, give it all you’ve got!”
Keith’s voice pounded in his ears to the tune of his heartbeat. Lance growled, slamming at Red’s controls, willing her forward. His focus was solely on the mission, on his lion. Nothing else mattered. Each breath, each pulse, and their bond thrummed in harmony under his skin.
Eight...
“We’re not going to make it!”
“Yes we will, just a little bit farther…”
“We have to get out of Earth’s radius!”
“Just keep going!”
Seven…
The chatter in his ear was nothing more than a buzz. He could feel, somewhere amidst the adrenaline and focused haze, the all consuming terror of what was to come. Lance bit his lip hard enough to taste blood, trying to not think about it. There was so much more to focus on, like the sensation of punching Red’s controls, or his team’s desperate cries in his ear, or the determined hum of Red herself, deep in his bones.
“Lance?”
Allura’s voice was like a flood of warmth, and Lance felt his heart skitter in his chest. “I’m here, princess,” he said. “We’ve got this.”
Four other voices chimed in over the comms; “Yeah!”
Six…
Finally, the last shudders of Earth’s atmosphere gave away, and they were truly into space. With a collective chout, every single paladin hit their lions’ thrusters, propelling them out into the galaxy at full speed. Lance’s heart was in his throat; there was nothing but him, Red, and the stars blanketed out before him.
Five…
He thought of his mama. A tear sprung loose, sliding down his cheek. “I love you, mama,” he whispered, too low for the others to hear. Lance remembered her beaming smile when she first pulled him into her arms after four years in space. Her face was wet with tears and her hug had been the most comforting thing in the world.
He hoped she didn’t miss him too much.
Four…
There was a moment where Lance nearly forgot himself. He almost forgot the impending doom leering over them all, the shadow of their destruction obscuring everything in its wake. For a brief moment, this was just another mission. Just another time to follow orders and rely on instinct alone; no thoughts, no feelings, just actions and reactions.
And then he heard the fear in his team, his friends, and felt the shudder of the robobeast draped across his lion, and a wrench yanked at his gut and he remembered it all.
Three…
Red’s bond was like fire in his veins; potent and live and oh so hot. Sure, Red had let him in, but they’d never been close. Not like now. Lance tried to ignore the regret brimming in his heart. If only they had bonded like this sooner. If he had known that this was what it felt like… It was almost too much. His skin crawled with an energy unlike one Lance had felt before. Everything was bright and hot and vivid. The reds around him seemed to glow. Red’s rumble drowned everything else out, and for the first time ever, Lance felt at home in her pilot chair.
Two…
Despite the haze of the mission, a bubble of regret burst through to the surface. Allura . His chest hurt at the realization that he’d never get to see her in white, arm in arm with Coran… He thought of the ring on her finger, of the promise it represented, and swore to himself that if by some goddamn miracle, they made it out of this alive, he’d keep that promise.
“...stay safe out there.”
“You too, Allura.”
One…
Lance took a breath. And the universe exploded.
His breath was torn from his chest as the impact slammed him backwards, into the pilot chair. Everything was bathed in a blinding white light; it burned his eyes. Lance tried to scream, but nothing came. Red bounced about, everything was flashing, and there was absolutely nothing he could do.
He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t fly. He was trapped in a tin can and being tossed about like a plaything.
They were spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning. Lance’s stomach lurched, and he nearly got sick. By the time the universe righted itself, he realized Red was offline, and no amount of prodding, punching or screaming would bring her back. She was fizzled out, sailing for somewhere, and Lance was forced along for the ride. He breathed once. Twice. His chest hurt, and he almost felt as though they were still spinning.
“Allura,” he croaked, and everything around him shuddered. He reached out pawing at the controls. “C’mon, girl,” he pleaded. His voice cracked as he spoke. “Please.” There was a flicker, a faint wisp of a flame murmuring in his chest, but it was snuffed the moment it flared to life.
Lance glanced out the windshield, gaze unfocused, and he could see the swath of tan rearing towards them. Was it Earth? Everything jolted, and Lance was tossed back into his seat. He had time to suck in another breath, and scream Allura’s name before everything went dark.
“Allura!”
~#~#~#~
“Lance? There you are.” Luis’s voice was warm, and Lance jerked to meet his gaze. His brother, relaxed, was leaning with ease against the doorframe, his tux jacket nowhere to be found and his vest unbuttoned. His hair, which earlier was styled with so much gel just to keep it in place, it had appeared crusty, was now mussed. Lance guessed he knew how that happened, and his gaze slid briefly over Luis’s head and back into the ballroom, to the swirl of white amid the laughter.
“Oh, hey, man,” he laughed, “running away from the bride already?”
Luis rolled his eyes. “Oh, flaquito ,” he muttered. His voice was playful, but Lance still scoffed at the nickname. He let his back thump against the brick wall, and fixed a half-hearted glare out into the night. The venue’s gardens were quiet, save for the typical noises of the local fauna; the chirrup of crickets and occasional twang of a bird. Quite the contrast to the thumping music inside.
There was a rustle, and Lance blinked when Luis sat beside him on the bench. “How come you’re out here? I figured you’d be showing off your dance moves,” Luis joked. Lance shrugged.
“I just wanted some fresh air.”
This was true, in some regard. Despite the joyous atmosphere, everything was just a bit too stuffy for Lance’s tastes. He wanted a chance to breathe, and his feet had led him out the doors and into the night.
“I can’t believe you’re married,” he blurted. Luis snorted a laugh. He ruffled Lance’s hair, much to Lance’s disdain, and stared off into the garden, a smitten look crossing his features. That same smitten look Lance had grown quite accustomed to in the passing years.
“Yeah…”
Lance fidgeted in place. So much was changing, so fast. He snuck a glance at his brother, and the words left his lips, “How did you know?”
Luis tilted his head, giving him a puzzled look. “How did I know what?”
Face burning, Lance fixed his stare on the ground. Stupid mouth , he thought. He had a habit of talking first and thinking later, and it had certainly landed him in pickles before. Lance struggled to find the words, to explain the weird cocktail of emotions brewing in his gut. “I-I mean…” He trailed off, flailing for answers. What exactly, did he mean? Lance didn’t know. He just knew he saw so many changes, and felt oh so afraid. He glared at his polished shoes and wished fervently the ground would open up and swallow him whole.
A hand clasped his shoulder, and Lance dared to meet his brother’s gaze. Luis smiled, his brown eyes glowing with warmth and bemusement. “You’ll get it one day,” he said. “Even if life has to hit you over the head with it.”
Lance snorted. “Yeah, okay.”
“Come on, let’s get back inside. I need to kick your ass on the dancefloor.”
He laughed and gave Luis a shove. “As if!” Lance followed Luis, the warmth of the ballroom tickling his skin. He tossed one last look over his shoulder, his brows furrowing as his brother’s words danced in his mind.
You’ll get it one day…
A peal of laughter rang in his ears. Warmth rose in his cheeks, but Lance was laughing too. Small hands clasped his own, their fingers slender and smooth against his own calloused palms. Eyes with stars glinted with such affection, Lance thought he might swoon. His breath caught when her lips grazed his cheek.
“Lance…”
~#~#~#~
The first thing Allura registered was just how painfully bright everything was. She screwed up her face, blinking. Her head pounded; it felt as though someone was nailing spikes into her skull. She groaned, twisting and grumbling at the sheets that caught her legs. Allura pawed at said sheets, pausing to squint at the bright fabric. They weren’t silken, like her bedsheets. Allura struggled to sit up, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to adjust to the light. Where…?
Allura glanced about her. The walls were bright, almost blinding. Light poured into the space from a single window, which, given how the curtains were billowing about, was wide open. The space was otherwise very simple; tile floor, a few chairs, a door leading to what Allura hoped was a bathroom, and a monitor with a bunch of wires hooked up to her arms. A bolt of panic lit in her stomach. This wasn’t the castle. So where exactly was she?
A glance down revealed a shirt with a jolting and hideous shade of orange, and that sparked recognition in Allura’s muddled mind. The Garrison. Of course. She let her head drop back onto the pillow with a sigh. Her mind was still a maelstrom of fuzz and pain, but at least she was somewhere safe. Allura tried to think. How exactly did she end up in the Garrison’s med bay, anyway? Her memories were nothing but static, and she grumbled in frustration.
She turned, her gaze landing on a little bedside table. On the table rested a gorgeous bouquet of flowers; Allura had no idea what the kind was, but they vaguely resembled juniberries and the realization alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Next to the flowers was a little handmade card, with a stick figure drawn onto it. Based on the scribble of blue crayon and the brown, unruly hair, it reminded Allura of Lance. She grinned, her chest feeling warm. Oh, Lance, of course he’d draw her a card.
Oh, Lance.
Allura bolted upright, gasping. Lance! The fog in her mind cleared, and the mission came roaring back to the forefront of her thoughts. The robobeast, the explosion. Oh, quiznack, was Lance alright?
“Allura! You’re awake!”
Before Allura could protest, gentle hands were on her shoulders, pushing her back down onto the bed. Romelle’s beaming face appeared in her line of vision. “Relax, you’re safe now.” Her words did little to soothe Allura, and in her frantic haste, she batted Romelle’s hands away.
“Where’s Lance?”
Romelle sat back and blinked. “Huh?”
“Lance!” Allura snapped. “Where is he? Is he alright?” She attempted once more to claw her way out of the covers, huffing when Romelle snatched her wrists and forced her to still.
“Allura, please,” Romelle said. “You’re still very hurt, and need to take it easy.” She sighed, shaking her head. “If it’ll help calm you, Lance is fine. I promise. Okay?”
She breathed in. And out. “You promise?”
Romelle’s shoulders fell, and she heaved a sigh. “Yes, I promise.”
Breathe in, breathe out. Allura’s gaze shifted to the card and flowers. The knots in her chest loosened, and she felt herself relax ever so slightly. Lance was okay. She was okay. They were okay, alive, still here. Allura’s lips twitched, and she found herself smiling. She scrubbed at her face with her hand, biting back a laugh.
“Sorry, I just-” Allura paused. She blinked. Ever so haltingly, Allura raised her hand, blocking out the overhead lights as she stared. It was her left hand. Her fingers were the same; long and slender, with callouses she still wasn’t quite used to. But...something was missing. Allura’s eyes widened. Her ring!
Her gaze snapped to Romelle, who wore a questioning expression. “My ring!” Allura gasped. “Where is it?”
Romelle tilted her head. “Huh?” Recognition flickered in her eyes, and her mouth dropped into a little ‘oh’. “Oh! Yeah! Coran has it. They took it off for their medical procedure-thingies.” She waved her hand as she spoke, uttering a soft laugh. “Humans have some pretty simplistic medical practices.”
At this, Allura couldn’t help but snort. “Indeed, they do. The paladins were very... alarmed when they first learned of the healing pods.” It was true. The very first time they ever had to use one was when Lance got blown up during the castle’s invasion; he was horribly wounded, and Allura and Coran had ushered everyone to the pods.
She remembered the rest of the paladins’ apprehension like it was yesterday.
“So...that’s supposed to heal him?” Pidge said. Her head was tilted to the side, her brows furrowed and a frown tugging at her lips. “I thought those were the things you guys were sleeping in…”
“They are!” Coran chirped. He pat the side of the waiting pod, his moustache twitching as he grinned. “These puppies perform a wide range of functions; they track a person’s vital signs and can slow or freeze bodily functions, cryogenically freezing you, or they can help speed up the healing process!”
“Uh huh…” Hunk tapped his chin, peering at the pod. “So you say...how do we know these are compatible with people?”
Keith rolled his eyes, groaning. “There’s no time to argue about this! Let’s just get Lance in there, already, before he dies or something!”
Twelve vargas later, and Lance was as good as new.
If only they had the pods now. Allura sighed. How annoying. She closed her eyes, stifling a yawn. “Mmh, well please tell Coran to swing by and return my ring,” she murmured. Allura felt a warm pat on her leg, and she cracked an eye open to see Romelle standing.
“Of course! I’ll let you get some rest, now.”
Romelle turned on her heels, practically skipping out of the room. Allura forced herself to breathe. In, and out. In, and out. She waited, peering towards the doorway. One dobash. And then two. And then three and four and five. Still, she was alone.
Good .
Allura sucked in a breath, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. The movement sent the world tilting around her. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. Quiznack, her head hurt.
Breathe in, breathe out .
She opened her eyes, steeling herself. One little push, and her toes touched the ground. Allura hissed. The tile was cold. She grit her teeth. Her heart hammered in her chest, her palms sweat, and her head was pounding relentlessly. Still, Allura was determined. She pushed herself off the bed, pausing to catch her breath. Everything spun around her, and she had to squeeze her eyes shut, lest she hurl. Allura reached for the i.v. pole and clung to it with a death grip.
“Okay, I’ve got this,” she said. One foot in front of the other. One at a time, and Allura was slowly shuffling towards her door. Almost there…
It felt like eons by the time she reached it. Allura leaned her head against the cool surface, letting out a sigh. Ugh. She was sore and dizzy and oh so tired. Perhaps she should just get back to bed… Allura cast a glance over her shoulder. Her gaze landed on the little card at her bedside, and her heart squeezed in her chest. No.
She had to do this.
Allura yanked the door open, her face set with determination. She poked her head out into the hall, her muscles tense. Luckily, the hall was empty. Allura felt the tension melt from her, and she sagged against the doorframe. Thank the stars. She leaned against the i.v. pole for support, shuffling forward.
Now, which way?
Her brow furrowed, and Allura closed her eyes.
Lance …
There was a tug. Allura turned, eyes still closed, and shuffled in the direction her heart led her. The dizziness was reduced thanks to the blissful darkness, but Allura still felt as though the world was tilting around her. Her legs trembled beneath her, threatening to buckle and collapse. It took all her willpower to remain upright.
Just one more step , she told herself. Just one more .
When Allura opened her eyes, she was nearly to the end of the hall. Her heart hammered in her chest. Almost there.
“...patients. Just check their vitals.”
Her heart leaped to her throat. Footsteps accompanied the voices, growing louder by the tick. Allura whipped her head around, panicking. Where was his room? Where was it? Her breath caught in her throat and she lurched forward, tripping on her own two feet. Allura squeaked, arms flailing as she tried to steady herself. She stumbled into a door, splaying her palms against the smooth surface. Allura gulped. Her gaze slid up to the window. Inside, she could just make out the bed. There was someone in it, someone sleeping. Her brows furrowed.
Someone familiar.
Allura gasped.
“Lance!”