Work Text:
Lance’s birthday wish
Lance really wished he was just about anywhere else as he ran down yet another hall in the dark and dusty caves that made up the planet. He wished he was back at the castle with the other paladins, or even better back on earth with his family. But he could settle on somewhere where he wasn’t being shot at or chased after or getting caught up in a planet’s civil war.
Lance coughed painfully as he ran, the dust his feet kicked up in the rapid pace getting to his lungs. Usually, he would have taken a break or at the very least slowed his pace a bit. However, the blue paladin could still hear his chasers running closely behind him, which made it impossible to do either of the options.
Lance mentally cursed at Allura, she had reassured him that this was a peaceful planet and an easy diplomatic mission. It was supposed to last two days at its longest, not three quiznaking weeks.
Apparently, the planet was split between two tribes, one very much against the galran empire and one that supported the galras, something no one on the castle was aware of when they got contacted by one of the tribes.
They had all been under the impression that it was one big tribe that wanted to join Voltron in the fight against the galras, not that it was only half the planet that wanted that nor that sending a paladin would set the pending civil war in motion.
Lance was sent alone, no backup, no nothing.
The first day had gone by like any other diplomatic mission, with a lot of meetings and introductions. Lance was then woken up in the middle of of the night by a bomb exploding half of the government building Lance had been sleeping in. Fortunately, no one had been killed or seriously injured, but it had been the start of the war Lance was now caught in.
Lance felt involuntary tears fill his eyes as he ran, this wasn’t how he had wanted this day to be like. He had wanted to be woken up by his team, eating a delicious breakfast Hunk had made especially for him, and then spend the rest of the day watching movies with his space family.
He had wanted a normal birthday.
Lance tried to get the tears to stop, but the dam had broken, and there was no way to stop it now. He knew crying about it wouldn’t change a thing, he would still be in this war with no way to get to his teammates, if anything crying would only make his escape harder. He still couldn’t stop the tears.
Lance kept going pushing himself to the limit, choking down sobs as well as gulps of air and dust. He had no idea where he was going, he was utterly lost in the underground tunnel network, so when he reached a dead-end, he was that surprised.
Dread filled Lance as he heard the opposing tribe getting closer, knowing he had no way to escape. He was trapped, his back pushed flat up against the dirt wall, he didn’t even have his bayard as Allura had insisted he left it behind since there were no signs of danger.
When the first ones came into sight, Lance braced himself for the pain that would soon come, and maybe even death. No pain came though, as the walls, ground and ceiling suddenly shook and collapsed around Lance, effectively trapping him in a little dark cave that was barely big enough for Lance to sit comfortably.
Lance fumbled through his pockets finding a gift one of the councilmembers had given him, a little self-igniting candle. He quickly lit the candle, suing the soft light to search for an exit, but came up empty-handed.
Blue eyes fixated on the yellow flame, softly singing himself a little birthday song as tears drifted slowly down his dirt covered face, leaving visible trails down the cheeks.
Lance slowly let his eyes close, stilling humming to himself, as the candle burnt out, wishing someone would just save him.
As the last strings of light disappeared, leaving the birthday boy alone in the cold darkness, Lance had no hope left.
The sad birthday song continued until his conscious drifted off and into the darkness. Still, it only stopped entirely as a muffled yell of his name said by a familiar voice reached the boy’s ears.
Lance knew he was saved.