heartofalioness | Empatheias IC Contact

It was code. I noticed it was all gloomy around your room.

[He tilts his head, looking over at her.]

You can vent to me about it, you know.

There's not much to vent about, Lance, not that you don't already know. Pidge, Thace, Minako, and Rei are home now, not to mention a couple other friends of Snow White and Usagi.

[She tries to keep her tone neutral, even a bit casual, but that aura only strengths and grips her a little tighter.]

[He knew Pidge and Thace were gone, of course. Minako and Rei... He doesn't recall meeting them, but he's definitely heard the princess talk about them before.]

Yeah, but it doesn't mean you're not pulling a Shiro and trying to hold everything in. Have you actually talked to anyone about it? You know, how you're feeling?

A bit, with Snow White and Usagi.

[By which she means she said "I know how you feel" and then promptly went back to focusing on how THEY were feeling, and one of the mice might be poking out to shake its head "no" for Lance.]

I'll be fine, Lance, it's not as if it's the worse thing in the universe, being sent back. And at least Rei and Minako will be safe back home. Pidge as well, at least up to my point in time.

It's not, not objectively, but it doesn't mean it doesn't affect us anyway.

[Look. Lance has had plenty of experience at big brothering (even to his older sis), and even if he's not that great at helping himself, he's always prided himself on his ability to help others through their issues.

He's not a leg for nothing.]

We're still going to miss them something fierce.

We will. And... [a frustrated sound] this would all be a little easier if could just keep our memories. Rei and Minako, they were good friends, and of course we'll see Pidge at home but I just started feeling like we can actually connect on a personal level and she disappears. And Thace? [She huffs out a bitter laugh.] Don't get me started on Thace, I CAN'T get started on Thace...

[She doesn't realize that she's venting until about halfway through, right about when some tears start welling at the corners of her eyes and the damp air breaks into cloudless rain.]

[He won't pry about Thace, although he's suspecting what the issue might be there. They're all at war, after all.

Despite the rain, Lance scoots closer and wraps an arm around Allura's shoulder. It isn't meant in any sort of flirtatious manner, of course. Just a friend tugging in another friend for a hug.

He's quiet for now, letting her get out how she's feeling.]

[She freezes a bit as Lance puts his arm around her, but then she starts crying again.]

It's not fair, and it's stupid and childish of me to WANT it to be fair, especially when I'm not the only one hurting...

[Especially when her life's already proven itself over and over again to be far from fair.

After a second she straightens her posture and pulls out a handkerchief.]

I-I'm sorry, Lance, I just--

[He's wet from both the this little poof of rain and her tears, but he doesn't care. Just keeps her close, starting to rub comforting circles on her back.]

Don't apologize, okay? You're allowed to be stupid and childish and selfish sometimes. You're only human--okay, well, you're not human, but it's a phrase we use to say that we're all flawed creatures. No one's perfect, and no one's going to stay a rock solid wall no matter what's thrown at them. It's when you don't let yourself feel that you crack.

[Trust him, he knows.]

Easier said than done... Even before Zarkon's betrayal, I would've had to become Altea's queen someday, and head of the Voltron Alliance. Being a "rock solid wall"? It's not something I can just set down that easily, especially not with others' well-beings at stake.

You don't have to always be that, though. At least...don't force yourself to be all of the time. You can let your guard down sometimes.

[He pauses.]

Remember when you talked to me, around when you first got here, when I just came back from being tossed back to our world? And you helped me, you said I didn't have to always hold everything in, that I wasn't just being stupid for having feelings I thought were pointless to have. I want to help you now too, Allura.

[A soft, slightly bitter hum of a laugh.]

Defeated by my own advice it seems.

[She sighs, leaning against him a bit.]

But... I suppose I can try a little harder. Since you insist.

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