The Rules Of Robotics (And Love)

Chapter 24

She can only hope that his explanations don't worry her further, especially if they...if they magically reach the third round.

Slowly, slowly, Pidge looks up at Lance, whose expression has greatly shifted to one that seems more determined, focused as a whole. Pidge isn't exactly sure of what he's thinking.

When did this happen? When did the boy that she thought she knew perfectly become such a mystery to her?

The thought that she maybe never really knew Lance in the way she always wanted to strikes a bolt of pain in Pidge's heart. Ouch.

"Lance..." Pidge trails off when she sees Lance turning away, waving goodbye to her. And he stops, yet again. Because Lance always waits for her, will always wait for her.

"Yeah?"

"Please..." Pidge bites her bottom lip, eyes trailing down again. "Just please don't hurt me again."

Before she can see Lance's reaction, Pidge strides off to Beezer, disappearing from view.

~~~

Okay, so maybe the robot thing isn't so bad right now, Lance thinks. They'll get through this. Team Voltron can do anything! Anything!

Who the fuck is he even kidding?!

Team Voltron, decked out in their (terribly designed) team uniforms, sit nervously and sweating heavily in their designated special room hidden away from the rest of the audience.

Yes.

There is an audience.

Something that Shiro again had not mentioned. Or maybe he didn't know. Either way, WHAT THE FUCK?!

As the per the university's capabilities (which seemed pretty damn amazing, what the hell?), they had decided to hold the autonomous second round in one of the massive lecture rooms, where a small select audience (stripped of all communication devices, to prevent information leaks) were there to (in a way) judge the effectiveness of the robot.

The robot is to be put through a series of challenges and quests that it must complete without controlling. Autonomous, obviously.

Lance glances at Pidge, sitting a little far from him. Chewing her bottom lip nervously, which still stands as an action that really gets to him, Pidge stares with laser-focus at the screen that shows how Voltron is doing.

So far, not that bad...Voltron managed to navigate itself through a series of obstacles and escape through a ring designed as a portal, entering the Castle, where it's supposed to:

1) Find the Princess of the Castle, who's very carefully hidden within the course,

2) Try not to get demolished by even more droids in the process,

3) Make it out of there before the 'portal' closes again.

Lance starts to think about the time he and Lance were programming Voltron for this part of the competition...and he flashes back before he even realises it.

"Lance!" Pidge laughs, wiggling a little and trying to escape from Lance's lap, the blanket covering the both of them shifting drastically. Lance loved it, you know? Having Pidge so close to him, her comfort, the two of them just...together.

Together.

"Lance!"

Pidge's voice is now sharp, commanding...nothing like what he was remembering.

How can he fix this?

He'll fix it tonight. He wants to fix it tonight.

"W-what? Sorry?" Lance blubbers, waking up. Pidge scowls.