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Lance breathed deep, tilting his head back slightly as the breeze ruffled his hair. The breeze smelled slightly off, and the sea-birds definitely didn’t sound like the gulls he was used to, and the sound of waves on the rocks at the base of the cliff was rather different from waves on a sandy beach, but all together it was still enough to fill Lance with a strange, almost melancholy sense of comfort. Maybe he’d suggest they go swimming tomorrow. Or after they went back to the more beachy spot where they’d parked the Lions, but with the chilly breeze and the sun already sinking over the ocean he doubted it would be a comfortable swimming temperature by the time they got there. They probably wouldn’t turn around for another tock at least, unless they found whatever they were here to look for.
Honestly, he hadn’t been paying that much attention after Allura said they would be doing the search on foot. It had been ages since they got to spend time on such an Earth-like planet, and running a glorified fetch-quest for the locals was far from the most tedious thing they’d had to do as Paladins. And hell, given the weather, it was basically a vacation! He tucked his hands behind his head, pinning his hair to the base of his skull. It was getting shaggy, almost long enough to start curling at the ends. Another month or two and it would be actively impossible to get his hair to lie flat.
The wind died down, and he cocked his head slightly at a strange sound. Up at the front of the line Hunk had come to a complete halt, and something about it made Lance uneasy. The sound reminded him of birdsong, and absurdly his next thought was of mockingjays. He could almost hear words in the music, indecipherable but still beautiful. It reminded him of the psalms they’d sung in temple, and he felt a sharp pang of longing. He’d opted out of going to services as often as his moms would let him, but he would gladly sit through one on the hottest day of the year if his family was there with him.
“Helmets on!” Shiro snapped, jarring Lance from his thoughts. Shiro only used that tone of voice if it was serious, so he could ask about it in a minute. He jammed his helmet on, swore when he realized it was backwards, and yanked it off again. He was turning it around when he spotted Hunk up ahead, arms at his sides and helmet hanging loosely from one hand.
“Hunk!” he yelled, sprinting forwards. His friend’s shoulders jerked, and then he was lifting his arms up to put his helmet on but Lance could hear the music getting louder, could see something with bright colours winging their way, and he just knew that this thing was an enemy. Hunk got his helmet halfway on, and then it stuck like it always did. “I got you.” he said, skidding to a stop next to Hunk and jumping up to grab the upper half of the helmet.
With the added force it slid down to fully cover his head, automatically connecting to the flight suit in an airtight seal, and Lance spun to face the incoming enemy. His hands were empty, which meant he must’ve dropped his helmet somewhere as he ran to Hunk, and he summoned his bayard as the alien landed. It, she, was beautiful. Instead of arms she had massive wings, with feathers in every colour of the rainbow. The smaller feathers which covered everywhere but her face shimmered red-gold in the light of the setting sun, hiding nothing of her figure. Her legs were jointed oddly, and ended in bird-like talons, but he barely spared them a glance.
It was her face which commanded his attention, pretty as any model and shimmering gold everywhere but her lips and eyelids, which were jet black. She smiled, and the unease permeating his body melted away. Then she opened her mouth, and the most beautiful song came out. A song just as beautiful as her face, which wrapped around him like a cocoon and washed away any doubts he’d had about her. She was a friend, beautiful and wanting to help.
He stepped forwards, and a large hand closed around his wrist. Hunk, he realized after a second. Right, Hunk had his helmet on, he probably couldn’t hear her. That was alright, Lance would just show him. He pulled free, and started towards her again. She wanted to help, wanted to make them happy. Hunk grabbed both his wrists, and Lance found that he couldn’t just pull free this time. The lady pouted for a second, and then her song changed. She wanted him. Wanted him to help her, to shoot down those who sought to harm her. The others could come along if they wanted, but she didn’t need them. She needed him, his skills, and what kind of Paladin would he be if he turned down a request for aid?
“Of course.” he grinned, but when he tried to step forward Hunk was still holding his wrists. Why was he doing that?
The alien frowned, and her song gained a note of urgency. She needed him. Needed the skills his teammates obviously didn’t appreciate. And once he helped her, once he saved her roost, he could stay with them. She wanted him to stay, and her sisters would as well. He would become part of their community, a cherished protector. Somebody looked to with admiration, respect, longing. Hunks hands shifted, pulling his forearms against each other and pinning them behind his back.
“Hunk, let go.” Lance said, pulling with all his strength. Her song was growing faster. She needed him now, quickly, they had to leave or her roost would be destroyed and he would have nowhere to go, nowhere to belong. “Hunk, please.” his voice might’ve cracked as he jerked his shoulders forwards, straining against his friend’s iron grip. The song was getting harsher, truths firing at him like bullets. “You don’t want me!” he cried, feet digging at the grassy ground as he tried to pull free. “She wants me!”
Hunk yanks sharply on his arms, and his shoulders screamed in protest but Lance threw himself forwards again anyways. “Hunk, please.” he begged, and he could feel his voice shaking, could feel tears budding in his eyes and a sob building in his throat, but she was backing away, taking his chance with her. “They want me there. I’m useful there!”
Her eyes widened slightly, and she smiled as her song changed again, becoming light and full of hope, a promise of better things to come. Her people had ways of travel beyond the comprehension of outsiders. If he chose, he could use it. The implication hit him like a sledgehammer, and he choked on a sob. “Hunk, please!” he wailed, pulling with his whole body, with every last muscle he had. “I want to go home!”
Hunk’s hands tightened on his arms, and anger flashed through Lance like white hot fire. Hunk knew how badly he missed his family, how much he would give to go home even for just one day, one hour. If he wasn’t letting go, then he wasn’t Hunk. Lance stepped back, and brought his heel down hard on the insole of the person holding him. The hands loosened, and he ripped his arms free. He jerked his arm back, elbow high, and struck something soft. The figure behind him staggered back, and he ran.
She was smiling now, a pair of arms lifting up from under the beautiful feathers of her wings and reaching out to him. She was going to bring him home. He could see his family again, tell them he was alive and well and fighting to protect people. Her hands felt delicate in his until she returned his grip, claws biting into the fabric of his suit. “Thank y-”
There was a flash of red, then a spray of sickly green and she was screaming, staggering back, lifting the handless stumps of her arms to guard against the red and white armoured figure raising its sword to strike again.
“Don’t touch her!” Lance yelled, but before his bayard could even materialise the sword had swung again and her scream cut off in a gurgle. The figure kicked her in the chest, and Lance lunged. He had first aid stuff in the hip pouches on his belt. He could still save her. She could still take him home. A red white and black fist collided with his face, and he staggered backwards a few steps before falling on his ass. Keith. That was Keith. Keith had just punched him. Keith had killed-
Keith’s hand slid between the lower edge of his breastplate and the flight suit underneath, and Lance staggered as he was hauled unceremoniously to his feet. “Are you completely stupid?!” the Red Paladin yelled, brandishing his deactivated bayard in Lance’s face. Green blood decorated one side of the grip. “Hunk already had his helmet halfway on! We would’ve been fine if you’d stopped to think for a second before throwing your helmet away like a total fuckwit!”
“He was-”
“Completely fine!” Keith shouted, releasing Lance’s breastplate and shoving him in the chest hard enough that he had to take a few steps back. “Pidge could’ve knocked him over the head to pop his helmet in place. You were just being an idiot, again.”
“I mean, it’s not surprising.” Pidge shrugged, walking up with his helmet in hand. “Pretty girl so much as glances your way, you start thinking with your dick.”
“Language.” Shiro said sternly, and Pidge rolled their eyes.
“What? It’s true. Doesn’t matter that the only ones who’ll give him the time of day want to kill or kidnap him. Lover-boy here’s so girl-crazy, he just got seduced by a literal siren that was going to eat him!”
The alien’s song rang in his head, an echo of her beautiful voice whispering poisonous truths which had driven him to attack his own best friend. “Yeah, that’s me.” Lance forced a grin and a chuckle as he accepted his helmet back from Pidge. “Lover-boy Lance.”