Book of One-Sh!ts

[Voltron: Legendary Defender] Happy Birthday, Lance.

"I guess, I really am just the comic relief," Lance held his head in his hands and started to sob. It seemed as if everyone on the team had completely forgotten about his birthday. He'd told them day after day a whole month in advance. No one had heard a word he said. They all told him to buzz off. He had to admit that he was annoying, stupid, and not very helpful. But, he was still a member to the team, right? That didn't change. 

"Heh," Lance began to cry, "I want to go home," he sobbed. "At least on Earth I know there is a slice of cake waiting for me," his voice cracked and he couldn't hold the tears back any longer. He just wanted a break. He wanted to feel important for once but the dream wouldn't come true. He'd helped save the universe. He'd fought aliens dozens of times. He'd flown in a giant robot lion and formed an ultimate mecha. But, no one seemed to care. He wasn't the main character in some TV show. He wasn't the protagonist to a movie. He was just Lance. Boring ol' Lance. He could crack jokes but it only covered up the empty pit nonexistent self-esteem that he had. 

"I'm such a wuss," Lance sniffled and wiped his tears and snot on his sleeve, "I'm supposed to be the one that's always happy, right? I can't be failing at the only thing I'm here for. I gotta leave the moodiness to Mr. Grumpy Gills," Lance forced a laugh. He tried to smile. It wasn't working. Pidge had found her family. Hunk had learned how to sympathize with the Galra. Keith had found his mother and a cool kickass cosmic wolf. Shiro was back. The real Shiro and he had some badass hair now. Lance had no special power-ups. He hadn't been doing anything special. He wasn't even really the Voltron sharp shooter. He was so incredibly average. Coran and Allura were alien geniuses. How was he supposed to compete against that? 

Lance sighed. This was the worst birthday ever. "I wonder if there is some space pod I can hijack," he though aloud. "Maybe I can leave piloting Blue to Allura and just head for good ol' home," Lance shook his head. He couldn't do that. He didn't know the first thing about how to navigate this far out. What if something broke? He wasn't smart like Pidge or Hunk. He'd get stranded in space and forgotten about. Then again, that wasn't much different from being here. The people he'd called his friends had forgotten about him by now. They probably weren't even looking for him. Did they even care?

He stood up and walked out of his tent. The team had set up camp on a planet. Lance wasn't paying attention to the details at the time so he didn't even know why they were here. Something about the castle being destroyed and this looked like a safe spot? That was probably it. Or maybe there was a mission and Lance had just neglected to remember. Great. He was already failing at life. The one thing he was supposed to do, defend the universe, and he was screwing it up. "Should've stayed on Earth," he mumbled and walked towards the campfire. No one was here, but there was a fire? That's strange. 

"Surprise!" Lance nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Shiro, Hunk, Keith, and Pidge jump out of hiding spots and throw makeshift confetti on him. 

"What?" Lance stared at them confused. Coran and Allura came out holding a cake that read 'Happy Birthday to Team Voltron's Sharp Shooter!'

"I found a plant that is shockingly similar to saccharum officinarum, or sugarcane. We had to figure out a way to sneak you out here without spilling the beans. But, with that and Kaltenecker we were able to make an ice cream cake for you!" Pidge explained. "Happy Birthday, Lance! Hopefully it doesn't taste strange. You have to get a piece quick or Hunk will eat it all."

"You remembered?" Lance felt the tears coming.

"How could we forget?" Keith rolled his eyes. "You were only talking about it all the time."

"I just," Lance sniffled, "didn't think anyone would actually remember..." 

"Keith, apologize, you made him cry," Allura frowned.

"Huh? I didn't mean to...it wasn't supposed to, argh," Keith scrambled to try and fix whatever he had done but he wasn't sure why Lance wasn't responding with a retort like usual. Keith was just being his normal angsty emo teen self. What was Lance getting all emotional for? His cosmic wolf understood the issue immediately and jumped on Lance to save the day. The wolf promptly started licking the tears away. This backfired, however, and Lance only cried more. 

"I'm not crying, you're crying," Lance sobbed. "I wasn't expecting you guys to do anything like this. I'm not that important to the team so I figured everyone would just ignore it," Lance wasn't intending to say that, it just slipped out. He was emotional. Things happen when you're emotional. Particularly more emotional things.

"What do you mean you aren't important to the team?!" Shiro asked. "You've been through all of these crazy experiences just like everyone else here! If it weren't for you cheering us up all the time we probably would've never gotten anything accomplished."

"Of course you're important, Lance," Keith sat down beside him, "I wouldn't have been able to lead the team when Shiro was gone without you. You're my right-hand man."

"Each and every one of us is valuable to this team," Allura spoke. "Without even a single piece the puzzle wouldn't be complete."

"No one can replace you," Pidge smiled.

"Uhm, guys, I know this is incredibly nice and all but the cake is going to melt if we keep this conversation going any longer," Hunk said. He was eyeing the cake with a passion. "Sorry man, I know it's your birthday but I would really like to celebrate it more than all of us by eating this cake."

"Happy Birthday, Lance," they all said in unison. 

"Thanks guys," he smiled. He was an important member, even if he didn't realize it. He didn't have to be a genius, alien, chef, or kickbutt fighter. He just had to keep being himself. One day at a time. And he would. For as long as the days kept coming.