Accidental Intentions

45 • Support

Lance didn't know exactly what to expect, but this wasn't it.

The others had cleared out to give them privacy. However, Shiro had other plans. "Have you been to the roof?"

"We have a roof?" Lance asked, caught off-guard.

Shiro slowly rolled his eyes up at the ceiling, "I mean--actually, just follow me."

So Lance followed Shiro to the center of the castle where a great pillar spiraled up into the windowed ceiling. He had been there before, but he had never noticed the door in the pillar. Shiro opened it, revealing a staircase.

"What? No fancy elevator?" Lance joked.

Shiro shook his head. "No. You'll understand when we get up there."

"'Up there'? How far up, exactly?" Lance was not a fan of heights. Or stairs.

Shiro smiled. "Why don't we find out?"

Lance stepped forward hesitantly at the invitation. He did not like tight spaces, it made him nervous. And the stairs were set on a tight spiral. It was more difficult than he felt it should have been to keep his bearings as he followed the senior officer up. And up. And up.

How long does this go on?! He felt the panic start to stir in his stomach. There were no windows, for all he knew they were hardly a quarter of the way up. Lance was not a big believer in climbing stairs for the purpose of achieving great heights. Not that he couldn't appreciate a good view. But at what cost?

After what felt like an hour Shiro came to a sudden halt, causing Lance to crash into his back. For a brief second, Lance experienced a weird déjà vu wash through him. He felt like he knew this back, but he couldn't say why.

"Please tell me we are there!" Lance tried to keep the edge out of his voice because he didn't want Shiro to know how much this tiny space bothered him.

"We're here," Shiro assured him, his tone communicating to Lance that he caught on to his panic. He opened the door, and at first Lance was blinded by the sudden brightness. Shiro gently guided him through the doorway.

After a moment Lance was finally able to see. And was it stunning. He was used to the grandeur of fantastic views of planets from the ship. But he had never seen the ship like this. The windowed ceiling gave him clear access to the room below.

Afraid at first, Lance finally gathered the courage to look down. They were much higher up than it looked from the ground. But after the initial wave of fear, Lance forced it down so he could take in the details.

It was beautiful. The design and tech clearly above everything he had known back on earth. Never before had he considered the ship as something alive. But from here he could see it all working together, breathing like a living organism. Allura had parked the castle next to a river, and the ship was replenishing their water stores. Lance's lip turned upwards as he noticed the ship looked like she was drinking.

Overwhelmed by the grandeur, Lance glanced over at Shiro, who was focused on taking in the scene, eyes bright with wonder. It hit Lance how young Shiro was. He really wasn't that much older than him. He had been a junior instructor before the Kerboros mission and though Lance had not had much direct contact with him, Lance had seen him around the Garrison. He could easily picture what he looked like beneath the scar, white hair and premature lines on his face. Lance wondered what this man had gone through exactly at the hands of the Galra to have such an effect on his body. That one year he was missing seemed to age him ten.

"Humbling, isn't it?" Shiro said quietly as if he was afraid speaking any louder would ruin the scene.

Lance had to agree. Space in general had a way of belittling your problems by its shear vastness if one took the time to slow down to look and wonder.

"Have you ever taken an art class?" Shiro asked out of nowhere.

"Um, I used to watercolor when I was a kid, but I've never taken a formal class," Lance stuttered, as images of his work passed through his mind. He wondered if his mother had kept those.

Shiro's eyes were still focused on the scene below. "I took a painting class once. The professor said something once that I've always kept with me. He said, 'you focus so much on the detail that the whole painting runs to shit. Learn to take a step back and look at the big picture before you waste all your energy on a shitty composition."

"Sounds like a real winner," Lance commented.

The corner of Shiro's mouth teased upwards. "Hm. Actually he was a terrible man and poor teacher. I hated him to be honest. But he talked so much that chances were that something brilliant would fall out of his mouth at some point.

"I guess the point I'm trying to make is that we are all a part of something bigger now. We can't afford to get caught up in the little things. Not to say they are not important, just be wise about which battles you choose. Our lives are not really our own anymore. And it's not fair. None of us asked for this, but whether by fate or destiny this is the hand we've been dealt. We can't control the circumstances, but we can control what we do about it, and that is more than enough responsibility. But it also means that sometimes sacrifices have to be made. And this is not something you should have to deal with. You should be on Earth, studying to become a fighter pilot, not defending the universe. But this is where you are. And honestly, I wouldn't have anyone else in your place. Not only are you a skilled pilot and an excellent shot, you have a good heart and exhibit selfless courage in the face of danger. Realistically, I don't know how much of a shot we have against an empire that has been growing over ten thousand years, but I feel better fighting with you by my side. I believe in you, Lance. I believe you can do this."

Lance tried to control his emotions as they wreaked havoc across his face. He had expected to be reprimanded, but instead he was shown faith and support? Shiro was truly a gifted leader -- getting his point across in the most loving, empathetic way. Lance tried not to cry. But failed.

"Come here, champ," Shiro opened his arms, inviting.

Lance lost no time in falling into them.

It was not as good as one of Hunk's hugs, because it was frankly impossible to top that. But Shiro came pretty damn close. Lance wanted to ask something, but waited until his voice was steady enough that no sob would escape.

"Where's Keith?"