Langst One-Shots

To Blood and Bone (Part I)

This notice will be up for a few days as it has been rewritten. If you've already read this part, you're welcome to continue. If you came back from the newest part, welcome back!!!

Lance sighed, rubbing his temples. Yet another morning of his teammates flat out ignoring him. For a while, the Paladins laughed at his jokes. Then it turned into pitying laughter and rolling eyes, then continued into scolding, and now, ignoring him. Let's just say, this did nothing to help Lance's already low self esteem.

The Paladins stopped by a space mall, the day free of any alerts and alarms and they were all so very tired from the busy week they just had. Pidge had somehow managed to drag the whole team across the entire mall and into a bookstore. She flipped through a few books in the non-fiction and sci-fi sections, while Shiro and Keith chatted it up in the back. Lance performed an impromptu dance routine in the middle of the non-fiction section, to which Hunk snorted at before promptly being distracted by a few cooking books.

Lance let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as Hunk walked away. Lance's ears were ringing and they wouldn't stop. It had grown louder after his daily scolding session from Shiro (who, Lance thought to himself, was one of his least favorite people right now), and Lance wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone. He felt incredibly fragile- more so than he had all his life- and one sentence would make him snap and reveal all his secrets. Lance pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed in and out for a minute, leaning his body against one of the bookshelves.

As Lance finally pushed himself and started to wander off, wanting to head to the bathroom, when he heard Keith mutter something to Shiro: "He's probably off to find some pretty girls. Honestly, does he do anything else?"

Lance knew that Shiro would scold Keith for saying that, albeit halfheartedly and definitely agreeing with Keith, but Lance didn't stay around to listen.

Lance ended up not heading to the bathroom and instead wandering aimlessly through the library isles, head filled with thoughts. His eyes welled up when he went over what Keith said in his head. Lance didn't understand- he didn't understand at all. Why was he reduced to a player? He merely flirted, and couldn't they see that Lance's heart wasn't in it? That he didn't really enjoy the looks all the girls shot him when he tried and failed to make them fall? And yet Lance couldn't blame them. If Hunk had flirted as much as Lance did Lance probably wouldn't enjoy being in his company as much. Lance stopped suddenly when the voice in his head- Lance named it "Geoffrey," of course, being Lance- started to speak.

You're such a baby. Crying over nothing? Remember those cuts you gave yourself?

Lance's fingers instinctively brushed over his jacket sleeve.

You deserved them. And you deserved what Keith said. Now, what will your teammates say when they catch you crying in the biography section?

Lance, ready to burst, suddenly stiffened his face. He found that he rarely smiled anymore. He knew his teammates didn't notice (well, Coran, being the amazing person he is noticed, and he helped Lance sometimes, much to Lance's chagrin) and Lance didn't want them to notice. A permanent smile was always on his face when talking to his teammates, but Lance didn't hang around them as much anymore. He felt like a robot, just going through the motions of being alive.

Suddenly, Lance tripped over a book on the ground and Lance swore, getting looks. He inhaled sharply and moved his foot around a little. Not broken, but he could tell he would have some bad carpet burn later. Who the quiznak places a random book on the ground? Lance twisted his torso to see what he tripped over.

"Que," Lance muttered aloud as he shifted his feet, wincing. Lance pushed himself up onto his feet and dusted himself off, before leaning down and picking the heavy novel off the ground.

"The Art of Self Defense" the title read.

Lance frowned, thinking. He could become useful to his team with these tips. He checked the back of the book and was surprised to see the book wasn't that expensive. He should have enough...