Chapter Text
They had finally defeated the Galra and Voltron was no longer needed - at least for now. As soon as everyone had gotten back to the ship and were getting out of their lions, Allura had kissed Shiro in celebration, thanking him, and everyone else, for helping to defeat the evil. Shiro had looked...well, surprised, but also very happy. And that pissed Lance right the fuck off.
He and Shiro had gotten pretty close the last couple months. The whole team had, what with bonding over trying to take down Zarkon, but especially Lance and Shiro. Which was surprising to the blue paladin, because for the longest time he had thought Shiro hated him. But now they were almost as close as Shiro and Keith. Oh, and Lance was also completely head over heels in love with the guy. Which is why it pissed him off that he wasn't the one that got to kiss Shiro in celebration.
"So... Allura, huh?" he'd asked Shiro later when the two of them were walking back to their rooms after their celebratory dinner. Allura had asked for Shiro to sit by her and they had had their own conversation all evening. Lance hadn't been able to get a word in edge-wise.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Heh, I guess she was just very excited about our victory."
"Looked like a little more than that if you ask me," Lance said, his jealousy definitely not obvious in his voice.
"I doubt it really means anything. She's our leader and is just happy that it's all finally over. It'll probably be forgotten by tomorrow."
"Well, she didn't kiss anyone else but you. And you're our leader and you didn't kiss any of us," not that Lance had noticed or cared, "so it probably means something. And if you want it to mean something, I think you should go for it. I mean, it's Allura, for quiznak's sake."
"You're right. However, considering we're all gonna be back on Earth soon, I don't think that long distance of a relationship would be very healthy. Besides, she's not really my type."
Lance was both confused and relieved. He didn't understand how someone like Shiro could turn down someone like Allura. ...But also he was very glad to know that Shiro was going to turn down Allura. And it might have been a bit selfish, but Lance couldn't help himself.
"Speaking of Earth," Lance said, with a swift change of subject, "we're all still going to keep in touch right? Even though we're from different parts of the world?"
"Of course! There's no way I'm losing touch with my favorite sharpshooter," Shiro said and ruffled Lance's hair. Lance was glad Shiro couldn't see his face when he did, because he had started blushing.
They had made it to the hallway that everyone's rooms were in and were about to part ways when Shiro pulled Lance in for a hug.
"I'm glad I met you, Lance. It makes me proud to have served alongside you. I'm so happy that we're all safe. I'm happy you're safe."
Lance was frozen in shock. Shiro had never hugged him before. He'd never said anything like that to him either. The Galra defeated and Shiro telling him he was happy he specifically was safe? Lance could have died happy right then and there. He suddenly realized he hadn't responded to the words or the hug and quickly wrapped his arms around Shiro in return.
"I feel the same, Shiro. Thank you. I'm glad to have had you as my leader all this time."
Shiro squeezed him tighter for a second before letting go. He then smiled, nodded his head once, and walked to his room.
Lance ran to his own room once his feet had started working again and shut his door, slumping against it. He clutched his chest where his heart felt like it was going to beat out of it and smiled. Zarkon who?
--
"I don't know, I just feel like...I've been out here for so long. What if I don't exactly...fit in back on Earth?"
It was a few days before they were set to make it back to Earth and Shiro was laying upside down on Lance's bed, the bed's owner laying the other way next to him. They were both in their pajamas, feeling comfortable in the vulnerability of it. This was a usual position for them, whoever's bed they were on. Lance had started the trend one night when he'd just needed to talk. He came into Shiro's room unannounced and laid upside down on his bed, Shiro following suit the opposite direction. It was actually something that had helped their friendship grow stronger. They'd started having these talks whenever one of them was feeling down, but it had slowly evolved into a more frequent occurrence of whenever they felt like it.
"You have a metal arm, of course you're not gonna 'fit in' back on Earth," Lance said, trying to stay light hearted as always.
"That's exactly it. I have a metal killing machine for an arm, scars all over my body, and I mean, I haven't talked to anyone but you guys for the past few years. Not to mention my family still thinks I'm dead. What if they saw me like this? What would that do to them?"
"My family probably thinks I'm dead too. But hey, just think of how happy they will be just to know you're alive!"
"What if they've already moved on, though? They thought I was dead a whole year before we even started this."
"Hey," Lance said, sitting up and nudging for Shiro to sit up as well.
Shiro did as he was asked, the two boys now facing in each other's direction. He immediately brought his knees to his chest and looked down at the bed.
"Look at me," Lance said softly, more of a suggestion than a demand.
The soon-to-be ex-black paladin looked up at Lance. His grey eyes shone with sadness and fear, though his face posed a question.
"You listen to me, Takashi Shirogane. Your family would be absolutely thrilled to see you alive and well. It doesn't matter that you've got some bumps and bruises. It doesn't matter that you're changed both inside and out. Your family loves you and misses you every day. And as for not fitting in, we just saved the entire goddamn universe. Who cares if you fit in? You're a hero. All of us are. And we'll be right there with you, whenever you need us."
"Thank you Lance," Shiro smiled softly.
He put his hand down on top of Lance's, which was resting on the bed. It was his Galra hand though, which Shiro realized only after, and he moved it back on the bed, his metal fingers retracting from Lance's hand. Without hesitation, Lance moved his own hand forward and laced his human fingers with Shiro's metal ones. He looked at Shiro, who was staring at their hands like it was a lifeline, and maybe it was.
When Shiro finally looked back up at Lance, Lance's heart swelled. Shiro's eyes still showed sadness and fear, but it was lighter, a new emotion shining through. He knew the emotion well, but he also knew it probably wasn't meant in the same way that he'd looked at Shiro so many times before. It was love. Shiro loved him, platonically or otherwise, and it warmed his entire body. And when Shiro smiled at him, well that was just the icing on the cake.
"I'm glad we're friends, Lance. I don't know what I'd do without you."
And there it was. "Friends." The word Lance both hated and loved. He was glad to be friends with Shiro, of course, but he wanted more than anything to be something greater than that. But he knew that could never happen. Shiro wasn't interested in him, or guys at all for all he knew. It was worth it, though. To be close with Shiro, to be able to talk with him like this, to hear Shiro say such nice things to him, it was worth it.
"You'd probably have less headaches, that's for sure," he joked.
Shiro laughed and shook his head. Their hands were still entwined and neither boy seemed like they were ready to let go just yet.
"We wouldn't have been able to form Voltron without you. We would all take ourselves too seriously without you. I wouldn't have anyone to whine to about missing home without you."
"Are you sure about that last one? Keith could probably-"
"It's different. With Keith. I don't know, it's just...different. You're important to me, Lance. Just as much as Keith or anyone else for that matter. Stop trying to downplay that."
"I'm sorry. I..." His mouth opened and closed soundlessly, unable to voice what he was feeling until he settled on repeating Shiro's sentiments. "You're important to me, too, Shiro."
They smiled at each other, both enjoying the other's company and friendship in that moment. Lance really wanted to kiss Shiro right then, and if their situation was different, he would have.
"I think I need to start heading back to my room to get some rest," Shiro said as he stood up, his hand lingering in Lance's before he took it back. "Thank you for talking with me."
"Of course! Have a good night."
"You too, Lance."
And then he was gone, leaving Lance alone, sitting up in his bed, smile falling slowly due to the ache in his heart. As he climbed into bed, he cursed himself for falling for a straight boy.