The New Paladin

11: Pressure

Lance flinched back when the yellow eyes glowed and focused fully on him.

"Lance?" Hunk said as he gently placed a hand on Lance's shoulder.

The touch was meant to be comforting, Lance knew that. But he flinched more as he backed away from the giant creature.

"No, no, no, no." Lance mumbled under his breath over and over.

"Lance." Shiro said a little firmer catching his arm as he stepped between Lance and the blue lion. "Talk to us."

"The blue lion has chosen a new paladin." Allura informed when Lance didn't answer. "She has chosen Lance."

The silence that followed was deafening.

"No, nope this is not happening, no. I say no." Lance stated pulling from Shiro's grip to run his hands through his hair. "That's not happening nope, choose someone else, not me."

"It is a great privilege to be chosen as a paladin." Allura snapped sharply. "Why are you not jumping at the chance?"

"Cause I want out of this war." Lance replied sharply. "I don't want anything to do with it, I don't want to be leading the main attack."

"You don't really have a choice." Keith frowned.

"I do, I say no." Lance growled.

"Lance." Hunk said gently turning him to face him. "It's okay."

"No it's not." Lance said pulling from his grasp. "I'm not hanging around here, so see ya."

He went to move back away from the castle when the blue lion shifted placing her paw in his way.

Lance looked up meeting her glowing yellow gaze. "Move." He warned sharply.

The lion ignored him and when he went to move she lifted her paw gently nudging him backwards.

"I think she wants you to stay with us." Hunk said awkwardly.

"No." Lance said defiantly. "I'm not doing it, you stupid lion."

The responding purr sounding more amused then angry and it made Lance scowl.

"This is ridiculous." Lance huffed.

"Lance, you can either keep fighting it or we can discuss this inside." Shiro offered gesturing to the castle. "It's your call."

Lance stared up at the lion longer before he wordlessly turned on his heels heading straight towards the castle.

The castle was tense, they had all the lions back, but the black lion was still trapped, held deep within the castle and out of reach of Shiro.

"Why won't it open?" Shiro asked glancing to Allura.

"I don't know." Allura frowned. "Perhaps my father changed the way to open it."

"Or maybe there is a simpler explanation." Coran said with a small frown. "When the black lion was sealed away the paladins of the remaining lions were present."

"But all the paladins are here." Pidge pointed out.

"Yes, but Lance has not accepted the bond." Coran reminded gesturing to Lance who was sat cross-legged on the castle floor looking as if he would rather be anywhere else right now.

"It's not happening." Lance replied, still glaring at the floor.

"Lance please." Shiro said his feelings of desperation beginning to seep into his words. "I need my lion."

"And I need my sanity." Lance snapped back crossing his arms. "I'm not letting that thing in my head."

"That 'thing' as you call it is a lion, a Voltron lion and she has feelings." Allura replied sharply. "How can you have so little respect for a living creature?"

Lance looked towards the metal lion with a giant frown. "Fine, I don't like it prodding in my head."

"Lance my boy, couldn't you just allow it temporarily?" Coran suggested. "While we get the black lion free?"

Lance's frown dropped as he met Coran's gaze.

Shiro felt a hopeful spark, he really wanted to see his lion again and he needed Lance to cooperate, at least for a moment or so.

Lance's whole body seemed to slump before he pushed himself to his feet. "Fine." He mumbled before the blue lion roared loudly.

Lance flinched at the action a hand coming up to grasp the side of his head but it worked.

The floor opened lifting the black lion from her resting place.

A bright smile made its way onto Shiro's face and relief filled him.

"Black." He said as he bowed his head to her. "Welcome back."

The black lion let out a gentle rumble before she leaned forwards nudging her giant nose towards Shiro who rested his forehead against her cool metal.

She was back.

Shiro instantly felt the click of the solid bond in the back of his mind. It was pained and Shiro knew why.

He knew the past they shared, the pain she felt was to take some from him.

"I know." He said quietly smoothing his organic hand against her nose. "It's okay."

"We have the five lions." Allura said happily before there was a soft thud.

Shiro whirled around to see Lance on his knees gripping his hair. "Lance?"

"Get it out of my head." Lance breathed tugging at his own hair. "Please."

Sensing his distress the lions all seemed to become restless before the black lion roared loudly making everything even their minds fall silent.

Lance gasped with the silence eyes opened as his grip loosened.

"Hey? You okay?" Keith asked with a heavy frown.

Lance gave a weak nod before he looked at Shiro. "Thanks."

"Well, we have a lot to talk about don't we." Allura said nervously.

"You can say that again." Hunk nodded.