The New Champion

Chapter 22

Lance woke with a startled jump. Something in his dreams had scared him awake but he couldn't remember what. His blue eyes scanned the dark room noting the hand made clock Pidge gave him said 2:15.

(It's early) Lance thought to himself as he swung his leg out of the bed sitting up. Shiro was curled up facing the wall cuddled into the blanket like child. Seeing it made Lance smile as he silently pushed himself out of bed with his crutches and made his way out of the bedroom.

The door slid shut quietly behind him as he exited into the chilly dimly lit hall. Moving his gaze both ways Lance looked down to the shut doors of his team mates then quietly crutched his way to the med bay.

Lights clicked on, illuminating the large room when lance made his way inside. The brightness making his squint to adjust his eyes from the sudden intrusion.

Making his way over to one of the healing pods, he gave the screen a few experimental taps, trying to remember the buttons he saw Coran use. Lance has recalled one time when Coran used to pod to just do a sort of x-ray, so instead of using all the healing fluid, it just scanned someone's body.

Third time was a charm and Lance smiled inwardly at himself for remembering.

Tapping a few more buttons, the boy set a timer for the scan and made his way over to the open pod. Setting his crutches down Lance pulled himself up into the pod and let the door shut. Spinning around with a hop he faced out to see the screen he had turned towards himself. The timer counted down and he stood still, arms out to his side slightly as the pod began to scan.

It was an uncomfortable few tics but, wasn't terrible in his opinion. Once the scans we're complete the door opened and He hopped out carefully. Grabbing his crutches back up he made his way to the desk and plopped himself in the chair to look through the images the scan took.

The blue paladin began scanning each body scan of himself and jotting down notes. Got up for the occasional book, then sat back down and flipped through till he found what he was looking for.

This went on for hours, unbeknownst to the boy himself though. It wasn't until the castle's morning alarm went off did he realize what time it was.

"8:00, I've been in here for six hours?" He questioned himself as he slouched back into the chair and rubbed his bloodshot eyes.

Deciding to take a break Lance got up from the chair and crutched his way to the dining hall to meet everyone for breakfast. But in his way slammed into a very hurried, and very worried Shiro.

Lance fell to the ground, hitting his head against the floor. Making his vision blurr, his crutches sliding away from the force. He lay on the ground, dazed and confused and can't see straight. Then all of a sudden there are big hands holding onto the sides of his face.

Thinking he was going to be attacked and choked again, Lance panicked and swung at his "assailant".

"G-Get away from me!" The boy yelled as his fist made contact with whom ever was on top of him and pushed himself back against the wall. Heart racing and head aching as his vision slowly started to settle back into place. Giving a few blinks Lance realized that his "assailant" wasn't an attacker. And more like a worried and concerned boyfriend.

Time skip:

The team sat silently at breakfast, everyone had noticed Shiro's black eye and lance's bruised hand. But no one had the guts to ask what happened. Instead it was awkward sounds of spoons hitting bowls and slurps of food goo.

Lance wasn't that hungry because he felt absolutely guilty for hitting Shiro. Sliding his bowl away he rested his elbows on the table and pushed his face into his hands.

From under the table he felt a gentle hand rest against his knee, which then gave a reassuring squeeze that everything was alright. Lance slid his hand down under the table and rested it on top of Shiro and held onto it.

Soon breakfast was over and everything was cleaned up. And everyone quickly went their separate ways to let the couple talk privately.

Lance was about to cruch back to the med bay when he felt gentle arms wrap around his waist and a chin rest on his right shoulder.

"I'm sorry I startled you earlier love. I was just super worried because you weren't in bed when I got up. I panicked. I should have ben watching where I was walking, and because I wasn't you got hurt." While Shiro spoke softly into Lance's ear he lifted his chin from his shoulder and kissed the back of Lance's head.

Reaching down the shorter boy held onto the arms that were wrapped around him, rubbing small circles into the back of his hand.

"No Shiro I'm sorry. I just woke up early and you were sleeping so good I didn't want to disturb you. I should have told you where I was. And I'm so sorry for hitting you. I just got startled and couldn't see anything. I got scared and reacted badly so that's on me." Lance sighed and lowered his head as he spoke.

The arms that were wrapped around him carefully pulled away until they returned from in front. Shiro now standing in front of Lance, pulling him in for a hug.

He felt the taller man's chest rise in and unsteady pattern as he pressed his head against his chest. Shiro was chuckling softly to himself.

" It was a good punch. Knocked me on my ass. I didn't know you could punch like that...." Lance lifted his head and gazed into the grey smiling orbs in front of him.

"So are we okay?" Lance asked sheepishly. His eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"Of course Lance. Now though. Can you show me what you were doing in the medical bay? Are you alright?" Shiro immediately switched into over protective mode as he stepped back and scanned over Lance's figure. Whom was still weart a Shiro shirt and boxers. His brown hair sticking up on the sides from his sleep.

"Oh yeah, I was getting a game plan on my leg started. I figured while I couldn't sleep might as well be productive, keep my mind busy." Lance used his crutches and with Shiro following like a lost puppy the two made their way to the Medical bay.

As they door slid open and they entered Lance spotted Coran standing by the desk he was working at. Going through the notes he had taken.

"Coran Coran the gorgeous man. What are you up too?" Lance called out to the gingered mustache man. Upon hearing the blue Paladin's voice the older fellow dropped to the floor and pretended to be picking somet off of the floor.

"I'm just looking for this writing thingy!" Coran called back, trying to make it look like he wasn't snooping as he stood up with Lance's pen in hand. " I forgiwhat you earthlings call it !"

Lance crutches his way over and sat down in the chair. Shiro following behind and standing beside the desk, who glanced over at the contents strewn about the surface.

"Coran it's fine I was going to ask you to go through this anyway. I couldn't sleep so I came here and took a few scans of my body so I can figure out the best way to attach a new leg and get this Galran stump off of it. Who knows if there's a tracking device in it or what. I want no part of galra tech... Besides Shiro."

Lance explained everything to the two, as he showed them the body scans of his amputated leg.

The Galran had woven his muscles, in what was left of his thigh, with wire that would connect to the leg and signify movement. But doing so there was a metal end cap that would make for easy attachment of a difference prosthetic. He wanted that gone.

"I have a desiifor a new leg drawn out, I wanted to talk to Pidge and make that with her but I wanted to get a start with getting this off first if that okay with you Coran." The blue paladin looked up from the screen to the ginger Altean for any critiques and what not.

" I do have one concern my boy. I would not be able to remove the wires that are in your thigh currently but would be able to attach them to a new leg adapter if that is what you want." Coran massaged his mustache as he spoke, his eyes squinted and starting at the screen of Lance's scan.

From behind him Lance heard a cough, and turned to look at Shiro.

"Well what do you think Shiro?" Coran spoke to the black paladin.

"If that's what Lance wants and we can give it to him.  Then lance is getting it" He spoke firmly as his handreache dout and rested gently on lance's shoulder.