Voltron OneShots

The Truth Hurts

"Team meeting!" Shiro called at breakfast. Everyone groaned. I glanced sideways at him for a second, wondering his motives. He was never one to really want to coordinate anything. After a breakfast of food goo, the usual, we all made our way to the lounge, where most of our lectures were held.
Team meeting usually meant celebrating Shiro, me, Pidge, Allura or Coran, occasionally Hunk. Other times it was us being scolded on our laziness or impulsiveness by Allura or Shiro. I sat on the far end of one couch by Hunk. Shiro stood up in front of us.
"Paladins," he said, in a way that I could've guessed meant he'd been rehearsing this with Allura, "Tensions have been high and everything in threatening to blow up in our faces. You know what I mean? We've all been cold or angry with each other as of late. So I challenge you all to be honest with each other, and help each other. I'm not forcing anything on you, it's just for the best." We all were very quiet for a minute. We all knew it was true. The power friends, Lance, Hunk and Pidge, hardly ever hung out. Shiro constantly ignored me. Allura was constantly lecturing at least one of us on what we could do better. "Meeting dismissed."
We all slowly stood up. I walked out first, wanting to avoid any awkwardness. Anything I'd kept secret, well, most of it, had been exposed. I didn't owe the team any of my other secrets.
"Hey, Keith." Lance jogged up to my side.
"Hey," I said, not stopping to face him.
"I need to tell you something," he said.
"What?" I slowed.
"I- oh God, this was a mistake." He took off.
"Lance!" I shouted. He stopped, maybe fifty feet away.
"I'm sorry, Keith. Just forget that happened," he said, continuing to walk away with.
"Lance!" I yelled angrily. "Shiro told us to be honest! You're doing the opposite of that." I paced towards him. He looked genuinely scared. When I was face to face with him, I stopped, then took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I'm sorry. I kind of blew up."
He scratched the back of his neck, "It's- it's okay. I'm sorry I ran off like that."
"You don't have to tell me," I said, looking at me feet.
"I will, just, here." He grabbed my sleeve and pulled me into the empty kitchen. I sat on the counter, which Shiro would've yelled at me about, and Lance sat next to me.
"So," I prompted.
"So," Lance responded. "Oh, Jesus. I'm actually nervous."
"I'm not that scary, am I?" I joked, trying to ease off the twisting pain in my stomach.
He laughed lightly, as if it was just to be polite. "No, you're not," he smiled quickly at me. "Okay, I got this. I- oof- being your 'rival' was a decoy to hide the fact I have a huge crush on you." He blurted the last sentence.
I started laughing hysterically. He frowned at me. "I'm- not- making- fun- of-you," I managed to wheeze out.
"Then why are you laughing?"
I took a deep breath and sat up. "It's just funny! I've been playing along with your rival thing to hide the fact that I have a huge crush on you." He blushed and smiled a bit.
"Keith, you're laughing, should I be concerned?" Shiro called from the hallway.
"No!" I looked at Lance. "I'll catch up with you later, okay?" He nodded as I hopped off the counter and joined Shiro in the Hall.
"What was so funny?" Shiro asked.
"Just, Lance," I responded.
"Oh." He wiggled his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes.
"Shut up."
"You're not denying anything." He poked my shoulder.
"You told us to be honest," I smirked.
He gasped. "No, you didn't. You didn't! Oh my god, Keith!" He seemed excited for me. I smiled and didn't answer.

Lance and I hung out for a bit, watching low budget Altean dramas. Over the next few days, Lance and I became very close. Lance, Hunk and Pidge made up and Shiro finally stopped ignoring me. Allura and I ended up having a few conversations with apologies about giving into the stigma of my race. Everyone seemed a lot happier, even after just a few days.
Everything was calm for a week. A few distress calls, but no big battles. Then, eight days after Lance and I's exchange, a Galra fleet showed up at one distress call. We were cornered without our lions. The troops raided the building we took cover in. They finally found us. We all fled in separate directions. We'd never make it back if we were split up. After they passed my hiding spot (a hidden broom closet), I set out to find someone else. I popped into a bedroom in the building. I prowled around. Underneath the bed was Lance. A look of relief flashed over his eyes as he crawled out. He flung his arms around me. I spoke quietly into my com.
"Everyone meet us at room seventy six," I said. They all replied quietly. Then, the door whooshed open. Lance threw his bayard at the light switch and the lights went out. It was the Galra troops. They shot blindly. Lance fell on top of me.
"Both dead," a Galra soldier said. They left and the door closed. I threw my bayard at the light switch and the lights went on again. I pushed Lance off of me. There was blood on my armor. I didn't seem hurt. I knelt over Lance. He had a weak smile on his face and his hand was crossed over his stomach.
"Hey," He said.
"Lance!" I hissed. I took his hand and moved it. A bullet had penetrated through his armor. His blood was on me. I put pressure on the wound and disassembled his armor.
"Eager much, Kogane?" Lance laugh weakly.
"Don't talk," I said through clenched teeth. I ripped off a large band from my undersuit. I wrapped it tightly around Lance's torso. He groaned. I kept my hand over the wound and turned back to Lance's face. I brushed his hair back from his sweaty face.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "At least you're okay."
"Lance, shut up. You're going to be fine," I hissed.
"Whatever you say." He let his face touch the ground.
"No, look at me Lance." I turned his face back to me. "I will never forgive you if you let go, Lance. Not ever." I realized my tears were falling on his face.
"Never ever?" He murmured.
I smiled softly. "Never ever." Then I put my helmet back on. "We need help! Guys!"
"We're almost there!" Allura responded.
"I'm not doing so hot," Pidge groaned.
"Pidge, where are you?" Hunk asked.
"Room fifty four. I can't go any further," she said with heavy breaths.
"I'm on my way," Hunk said.
"Shiro!" I shouted.
"I'm coming, hold on," he said. It sounded like he was running.
Allura and Shiro got there at the same time. Allura set to work trying to heal Lance while Shiro pulled me away from him. We sat in the farthest corner of the room. I was leaning against Shiro. He shifted.
"Ow," I said as pain shot down my arm.
"What?" He said. He grabbed my arm. There was a hole in my armor at my shoulder. "Geez, Keith."
"I didn't notice," I frowned. "It's not too bad, though."
"No, you'll be fine," Shiro nodded.
Hunk and Pidge came in.
"Lance!" They both said. With Hunk's help, Pidge hobbled over to Lance.
"Guys, let Allura do her thing," Shiro said. They silently resigned and hobbled over to us. Shiro wrapped Pidge's leg. She'd taken a few bullets to the thigh.