shining like the stars

30

"Oh my god," Pidge said, one hand covering the bottom half of her face. "I thought it was Hunk who had the motion sickness."

It wasn't really as bad as Pidge was making it out to be, Lance knew, but it was still a little bit gross. It's not like the lions came equipped with barf bags, after all. "Okay, you try riding your lion down with all external systems out and internal compensation shot with full G-forces and spin, and see how smug you are then."

"No thank you," Pidge said, as she climbed around and imposed on Lance's space in the pilot's chair. "Let's get your lion rebooted so that we can get a full diagnostic going. If you're grounded we're going to have to figure out a way to take on a full Galra battleship without Voltron." She was matter-of-fact about it, but to Lance it felt like a targeted attack.

"Yeah, sure," he said as she touched a few buttons on the virtual display. "Whatever."

Pidge hesitated, leaning over his lap. "You risked yourself to save me and the Clawomians," she said. The way she was tilted Lance couldn't see Pidge's face.

"No need to thank me," Lance said with a light tone, puffing out his chest a bit.

Pidge tilted back and smacked Lance with a closed fist in the arm. "You can't just sacrifice yourself like that, you have to think about the team!"

Lance blinked a little at that. "I was thinking about the team," he said truthfully.

Pidge stared at him hard through the visor of her helmet, brows pulled together in a thoughtful frown. Then she looked away and tapped the side of her helmet as if that helped hear Allura's voice easier. "We're both in the cockpit," she reported. "Lance barfed all over the controls but I think we can still make things work."

He couldn't hear Allura's response, as his helmet was sitting on the floor in need of a cleaning. "Barfed," Pidge repeated. "He vomited all over the controls. Yes, ew." Pidge looked back at Lance and grinned. "Yes, he'll wash the blue lion out from stem to stern when we get back to the ship. After a very long shower. Yeah, okay."

Lance folded his arms in the seat as Pidge leaned over him again and started pressing buttons. Hunk climbed in to the cockpit behind them. "How's it going in here – whoa," he said.

"I don't want to hear it," Lance leaned back and looked at Hunk. "Especially not from you. You threw up in the simulator."

"Yeah, but not in my lion," Hunk was aghast. He too had removed his helmet, the long tails of his bandanna flipped forward over his shoulder. "Shiro wanted to see you for a moment, if you aren't needed."

"He's not going anywhere for a bit," Pidge said. "Lance, try to talk to your lion."

"Right now?" Lance said, and Pidge pressed two buttons at the same time and nodded. "Out loud?"

"Lance," Pidge said, sounding quite frustrated.

"Okay, okay," Lance said, and cleared his throat. "Um, hi, girl," he said awkwardly, and Hunk rolled his eyes and snorted. "What, do you think you could do better?" Lance snapped, looked up at him.

"Talk to the lion like you talk to Keith," Hunk suggested and grinned when Lance rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, because that won't end with all of us ejected into the ocean," Lance retorted.

"Not like that," Pidge said, and grinned a grin that could only be described as malicious. "How do you talk to him when it's just you two? You know. Alone."

Lance snorted. "I don't need you to tell me how to talk to my lion. I'm just nervous with you guys hanging here and making fun of me." He inhaled and closed his eyes. He remembered that beat, that single beat of a moment during training where he connected with his lion before he lost that connection, and tried to pull at it again. "C'mon, buddy," he said softly, eyes still closed tight and hands resting on the flight controls. "Talk to me..."