Klance Oneshots

The Next Level

Weeks of sleepless nights took their toll. Dark, sunken eyes with no light flicked across the table. Lance didn't like the silent attention he was receiving.

He couldn't tell if it was the fact he had been on time to breakfast, already in his armor, or his cut lip, that had everyone at the table starring at him. Or maybe they could see the lack of sleep building in his face. Then it occurred to him, maybe it was a combination of them all.

So what if he'd gotten roughly an hour to three hours of sleep every night for the past week. And what's it to them if he spent his nights fighting and training until his legs could barely stand to take him to his room.

Lance wanted to get some rest. More than anything! But whenever he laid down, he couldn't fall asleep; he'd find himself drowning in countless thoughts that he didn't want to hear. Training helped distract him. The split decisions he has to make during battle leave no room for intrusive thoughts.

His thoughts were what ripped at him the most. No matter how beaten he is walking out of the training rooms at four in the morning every night, it isn't as bad as what he has to hear on a daily basis. Lance has always struggled with it. He'd found ways to relax them, mainly through his family, to which is no longer around.

At first, the thoughts, they were manageable. Telling himself that we wasn't good enough, that we was worth nothing. That no one actually likes him, that they all wish he'd just go away. It didn't take long before he finally exploded. His family had quickly aided him in getting better. Ridding the thoughts and becoming more positive about himself.

But they are gone now. Who knows if he'll ever get to see them again.

The thoughts slowly began to return. He was strong at first. Untouchable. He stood by his family's words and clung to them for dear life. But now, they were slipping from his mind. Each night, Lance became more and more convinced of everyone's hatred of him.

"Lance are you...?" Shiro began sounding serious.

"Hungry? Yes." Lance smiled helping himself to an omelet.

"What happened to your lip?" Hunk asked.

Lance reached up and his fingertips brushed the scabbed cut. "I'm a klutz, what can I say?"

"Lance you look... tired," Allura observed.

"Gee thanks," Lance spoke playfully sarcastic. "What is this? An interrogation?"

"Lance, we just want to know you're okay. Is there something you want to talk about?" Shiro's stare was jabbing holes in Lances soul.

Lance in response took a quick bite of the omelet as Shiro spoke. A way to buy him more time. "Yes actually," Lance murmured, "it's how amazing this omelet is. Nice work Hunk." He gave a smile to his friend.

The paladins gave up and continued on with their meal. Lance was a tough egg to crack, he wouldn't tell them if something was wrong outright. Not without their complete trust. It broke their hearts to think Lance didn't fully trust them.

They all finished up and headed their separate ways. After a few hours they met on the training deck. "Alright! Training bots today!" Shiro announced.

Lance immediately walked over to a panel ready to start. The others did the same with their own a little slower.

"We will all start at level one and we won't move on to the next until everyone finishes up. Alright, go!" Shiro announced.

The paladins all quickly activated level one bots.

They all quickly finished, the last to be done was Hunk.

Level two: The last was Hunk again.

Level three: Pidge was the last.