For once, he won.
Lance's childhood dream was entering the garrison academy and becoming an ace piolet like his childhood here, Takashi Shirogane. While his older brothers idolized sports heroes he idolized the piolet who broke many academy records, but he planned on breaking records as well. Instead of breaking records he found Keith standing in his way, for the person breaking Shiro's records was in fact, Keith. The attention of Takashi "Shiro" Shirogane was also directed undividedly towards Lance's "rival".
Even after becoming paladins of Voltron Keith kept winning everything. Keith was after all the first chosen as pilot of the ultra-fast red lion. Lance's "rival" was also Takashi Shirogane's choice for becoming a leader, but the black lion outright rejected Lance as an option for the leader position on the team. Lance's one strength – sharp shooting – remained underutilized compared to the skills of the other paladins, but Keith out shown everyone.
For once, though, he won.
He won Allura.
Allura chooses him over Keith, but Keith conceded defeat. Lance got the first date with their fellow paladin. He also – if one didn't count Lotor – got the first kiss. He solidified her as a part of his family, but he planned out his and Allura's entire future. With a girlfriend and eventual fiancé as beautiful as Allura and someone as handsome as himself, there was no way their future children would be ugly, yet he finally gained a position at the adult table among his family.
For once, he won...
... but lost everything.
She sacrificed herself so the universe might survive. The happiness Lance found was ripped from his grasp and smashed into a million pieces leaving him with nothing. Gone was the dream wedding. Gone was the dream honeymoon. Gone was the blissful dream of coming home from work for a home cooked meal, a kiss from the most beautiful wife in the entire universe, and warm hugs from the children. Gone was his chance at the perfect life he'd always dreamed of.
For the most part, things returned to normal. Despite everyone treating the paladins as heroes, there was now no Voltron to be paladins of. Everything which made Lance special was gone and he found himself left with the empty feeling. Hunk had cooking, Pidge her science stuff, Shiro the Atlas and Keith...
Keith was looking for Allura.
Lance felt angry. Allura was his, but if she were out there waiting for someone to rescue her the person would be Lance and not Keith. Lance was sure she would call out to him. After all, she was able to communicate with the Space Mice telepathically, but he was the one she choose; that meant he was her soulmate. His face was even adorned by Altean marks proving Allura was his.
"He did this when Shiro disappeared." Lance held his trey in front of him as he and Hunk moved through the line. "And what happened?"
"He found Shiro?"
"No, I found Shiro. Sure, I didn't realize Shiro's soul was stuck in the black lion's inner world, but I found Shiro. Keith found his clone. So no. No way Keith is going to find Allura. What he's doing is absolutely pointless."
"It's not pointless to Keith."
Lance followed Hunk over towards one of the tables where Pidge sat. Her mouth pressed into a frown. "Is it just the three of us today?"
"Keith's an idiot." Lance slammed his tray onto the mess hall table.
"Yea, but what about Shiro, Coran, and Romelle?"
"Coran and Romelle are busy trying to rebuild Altea by themselves and Shiro..." Lance rolled his eyes. "Shiro is waiting for Keith to get back. I can't believe he's actually letting Keith do whatever he wants, but then again that's normal. I don't see why neither of them sees what Keith is doing won't do anything."
Hunk turned his head slightly. After swallowing his food he spoke up. "This is Keith's way of grieving. You know it is, right?"
"Yeah. Try to be more understanding." Pidge piped up.
"What I understand is there is no way Keith or anybody else could possibly be as torn up about all of this as much I am, yet he's being stupid."
"Wow." Pride stood up with her tray of food. "Could you be even more conceited? All of us were hurt by her death, not just you Lance."
"What's her problem?" Lance muttered. He didn't see one of Hunk's eyebrows go up and instead stabbed his food with his eating utensils in an irritated manner. He found himself not eating any of the food and instead glared at the trey the entire time. Eventually, his best friend stood up and took his trey to the collection bins and Lance followed pursuit. He shoved his hands into his pockets while walking, but continued sulking until Nadia Rizavi rushed passed him in excitement. He turned in the direction she headed. "What's going on?'
"Keith found Allura." The dark-skinned female continued hurtling down the corridor in the direction of the medical bay.
Lance felt his stomach drop. "Wait..."
"Allura's alive?"
Hunk's voice made Lance turn. The larger paladin's eyes were widened and slightly damp, but Lance registered the look of hope in Hunk's eyes. "Hold on Hunk. Remember what I said earlier?"
"What?" Hunk started and looked at his friend in confusion.
"About Keith finding Allura?"
"But he did! He did just like he found Shiro." Hunk took off running, but his caramel colored cheeks puffed out in excitement.
Lance continued standing there watching his friend move faster than people would expect someone of Hunk's size to move. When Hunk was out of sight, he found himself taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Except he didn't find Shiro. He found Shiro's clone. There's a big difference there."
Nobody heard what Lance said, yet the nagging feeling in the back of his head meant he couldn't leave the situation well enough alone. When he arrived at the infirmary, he saw Pidge and Hunk just outside the door including Hunk and Pidge. Lance walked into the room without asking anyone if Allura was yet allowed visitors in while the other two watched.
His breath drew in deeply upon seeing Allura sleeping on the infirmary bed. In the very least the person looked like her with the same white hair and pointed ears. Allura's normally dark skin looked sickly pale, yet she didn't at all stir from the place she sat. Out of the corner of his eye, Lance saw Shiro standing against the wall smiling while they looked upon the comrade who they thought they would never see again.
Lance also saw Keith.
Keith sat in a chair with his chin against his chest. A soft snore indicated Keith fell asleep in the chair, yet Lance wanted his rival gone from the room. His shoulders tensed up. "Keith..."
Shiro's head turned slightly while Lance started towards the spot Keith sat in order to wake up his fellow paladin and demand he leaves the bedside of his girlfriend, but Shiro moved faster. The captain of the Atlas turned him around and nudged him out of the infirmary while Lance's blue eyes widened in surprise.
"Shiro, what are you doing? Allura's my girlfriend."
"Keith needs his rest. He's not slept well since..."
"What about Allura?" Lance hated the fact Shiro yet again favored Keith.
"She's not woken up so far. We don't know if she'll wake up. We'll let everyone know if there is a change."
He watched Shiro turn around and head back into the infirmary. The door swished shut behind the captain of the Atlas and Lance felt his mouth twist into a slight scowl. He turned towards his best friend. "That's not fair."
Hunk's eyes widened while Pidge pushed up her glasses. She spoke in a sarcastic manner "Of course it's not fair. After all, you're her boyfriend so you should get special treatment in seeing her while everyone else waits for who knows how long."
"Well, yeah. Why is it Keith's getting the special treatment? He always gets the special treatment. Why couldn't I have been the one to find her?"
"You weren't looking for her like Keith was."
Lance swallowed upon hearing Hunk's words but felt slightly betrayed. He turned away slightly. "I think I'll head back to my quarters now."
He walked away without looking either of his fellow paladins in the eye. Lance shoved his hands into his pockets as he continued scowling at the ground. Eventually, he arrived at the quarters assigned to him on the Atlas and flopped onto the bed. "It's so not fair!"
Soon, Lance found himself dozing off.