Don't drown me

Chapter two

Lance stepped out of the pod to darkness, his memory was hazy, and he couldn't see very well. Where was he again? Oh right, the castle. Lance would have killed to wake up in his own bedroom again, with his family, one last hug from his mom would even be enough; but lance loved his space family too, he loved hunk, he loved Pidge, he loved Shiro, he loved Keith (he wouldn't admit it though.), he loved Coran and Allura, and he loved blue.
     "Lance!" The lights flickered on and Keith stood in the doorway to the infirmary, a smile plastered on his face. Lance looked up, drowsy and confused. "Hm? What?" Keith rushed towards him and helped him up, making sure he didn't hurt the frail blue paladin. Unbeknownst to Lance, if the team saw Keith right now, they'd be shocked. This was the most alive anyone has seen Keith, ever. Keith helped him into the dining area and sat him down in a chair, bringing him some water and food goo, or, to the best of Keith's abilities. "I'm gonna go get the others, uh, stay here." Keith dashed out of the room, leaving lance alone to eat.
     "Lance!" A chorus of voices shouted at once. Lance winced and faced the source of the sounds. He smiled a bit when he saw Allura, Shiro, Hunk, Coran, Pidge and Keith all standing there, some had smiles, while others had shocked looks on their faces. Pidge rushed forward and enveloped lance in a tight embrace, almost crushing lance with the most love the green gremlin could administer at once. The rest of the team joined in an lance just cried, he cried because he knew this was his family, he felt safe. It wasn't the same as his mothers hugs but still, it was something. Lance didn't want them to let go, he just wanted to be safe forever.
     "Lance, are you okay? Why are you crying?" Keith backed up and looked really concerned, but lance just sobbed even more. The rest of the team let go and lance sobbed even more, he cried for their touch, their comfort, their safety. He hugged himself, hoping he could feel anything like the safety he had seconds prior. His sobs grew louder, his tears flowed stronger, and he grew more scared with every passing second. Suddenly a little sensation of safety and warmth came back to lance. Pidge had hugged him again, and he was going to cherish it. Lance wrapped his arms around the small green figure and his crying grew less, as Hunk joined in, lance felt safer, warmer, better. Everyone was hugging lance now, he felt safe again. His storm of hurt being reduced down to only small sniffles.
     "Lance, is it best if we give you some space?" Shiro's concerned dad voice spoke up. Lance quickly shook his head no, "anything but that, I've had enough space." He truly had enough of space, of the galra, of this stupid war. He missed his family, he had family here, he knows, but it just wasn't the same. "Then can you tell us what happened?" Shiro asked again, backing up with everyone else. Lance nodded, "yes, but can we move somewhere else?" Lance wiped his tears. "And can I change?" The rest of the team nodded and hunk got lances normal clothes, while the rest of the team brought him to the training deck. Lance changed, and thanked hunk quietly before returning to the training deck.
     "Remember lance, you don't have to do this." Shiro reminded him for the seventh time, "I know Shiro, you can stop going dad mode." Lance chuckled, feeling better. Shiro nodded and lance began, long story short, he was kidnapped, he escaped, and blue helped save him. By the end of his story everyone looked guilty, lance didn't like it when his team was sad. "Hey, what's with the gloom? I'm okay! Remember?" Keith looked up and spoke, "because we had no idea, you were there a long time before we even knew you were hurt." Lance frowned, was Keith seriously blaming himself? "Actually, blue communicated to Shiro, and you guys saved me!" Everyone looked away, leaving lance confused. "Shiro was the only one who bothered to look for you." Hunk said, the guilt and anxiety showing in his face. Lance stayed quiet, he didn't want the team to blame himself, but how could he convince them? He couldn't! I guess he'd just have to wing it, "no. Nu-uh. Not a chance." Everyone looked confused, and Shiro looked a little hurt. "There is no way I'm letting you guys blame yourself. Except Keith." "What did I do!?" "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" Lance saved himself before he was about to get slapped, and Keith returned to his spot on the floor. Lance smiled at him, and Keith smirked back, calming down. "Anyways, I can't thank you guys enough for saving me." "It's our duty as your teammates." Allura spoke, smiling at lance. "Let's do something! Like play a game!" Lance smiled, he loved playing games with hunk, so he agreed. "Yeah, let's do it except lance." Keith said, lance snapped his head towards Keith about to argue but Keith cut him off first. "I'm just joking lance!" It's was a mocking tone, but lance couldn't help but laugh.
     "Lance!" Keith's voice rant throughout the training deck, in an annoyed, panicked manner. Lance snickered and pressed his back even more into Keith, they were playing with a makeshift twister board, Shiro was spinning and Pidge was on the board with them. "Get a room!" Hunk called from beside Shiro, giggling as Keith looked at him mortified and lance looked genuinely surprised. "You're just jealous you don't have your rock girlfriend!" Lance retorted, leaning more into Keith, getting an annoyed yell. This time it was hunks turn to look mortified/surprised, he stuttered and mumbled something about shay not being his girlfriend. To both Keith and lances surprise, a foot knocked Keith off balance, taking lance with him. "That... was your fault" Keith said, under the pressure of lances weight, "wha- no way! Pidge cheated!" Pidge had a knowing look, and stood up to declare victory.
     "Okay guys settle down," Shiro's voice interrupted their bicker, "no Shiro," lance raised a hand, "I got this. Let's settle this my way." Keith narrowed his eyes, "what?" "Let's settle this my way, or, my families way." Lance smirked, hunk gasped and smiled. Keith was lost, "what do you mean?" Lance sighed, "cmon Keith you're taking the cool from that statement." Hunk snorted and pidge spoke up, "nothing was cool about that statement lance." Pidge giggled and lance pouted dramatically, "anyways. Play fighting!" Shiro went into dad mode, "No, you guys are-" "you're on." Keith's voice cut through Shiro's. Lance grinned, "you're challenging a master." Keith tackled lance, and they went at it. Keith pinned lance to the ground, and lance flipped him, then layed across him, pinning him with his weight. Keith wiggled himself out, and Lance tried grabbing his leg, but Keith had a triumphant foot on top of his back already. Lance scoffed, really? He thought that would work on a master! Hah! Lance got up, knocking Keith off balance and sending him toppling. Shiro got up to catch Keith but lance had fast reflexes, and caught Keith. Keith stared up at lance, surprised that lance caught him, and lance flashed a cheesy grin before letting him fall into Shiros arms.
     "Pidge?" Hunk had a hand on pidges shoulder, she looked deathly pale. Lance came over quick, and held her arms. Shiro and Keith were soon to join the group while pidge stared wide eyed at lance, her small frail body shaking, and only then had lance realized how much pidge had lost weight. His heart ached for her, he spoke to pidge in a soft tone "pidge?" Pidge's eyes seemed to spring to life, but in a bad way, her eyes seemed desperate, and terrified. Pidge pushed lance away and ran out of the training deck. The team stayed in shock before Shiro ran after her, telling the team to stay there. Lance looked down, what happened to pidge? Are they okay? He felt guilty, but he didn't have much time to think. Hunk placed a hand on his shoulder, a typical hunk thing to do. He explained that pidge was the first person to find lance, and that they hadn't been okay since. Lance understood, he wished pidge didn't have to have seen him. He wished that he could've just, not run off, or just have fixed himself; but the damage had already been done, to both the team and him. He didn't want to let his mind drift, in fear of being dragged back to the nightmare to before he was discovered.
     "It's not your fault, lance." Keith's voice shook him out of his thoughts, he looked up and Keith was gazing at him, in a weird way. He hadn't seen Keith like this before, it was weird. Lance nodded, but he couldn't say anything before the castle doors opened and they revealed pidge. She swayed before hitting the ground, everyone yelled her name but couldn't reach her before the small frame fell upon the cold alien floor.