Lance knew he was the weakest link on the team.

He couldn't help it though, no matter how hard the poor boy tried the worst he seemed to get.

Besides even if he did manage to do something

minorly impressive Keith would outshine him. Lance had always thought- no wait- knew he did it on purpose. The minute Lance had some spotlight Keith wanted it back, he wanted Shiro's attention and Keith thought it was his and his alone.

Lance had started eating less but to no ones surprise none of the team had noticed... except Hunk.

Hunk was the best of the team but Lance still hadn't wanted to add into his stress and anxiety so when Hunk had come to him to talk about it he had lied.

"Hey Lance" Hunk had come to him last night to see if everything was okay.

"Hey buddy" Lance threw on a smile.

"I wanted to ask you something" Hunk looked down nervously "are..." he paused but for a moment before continuing on "are you okay?".

Lance simply chuckled "what? Better than ever dude! Just a but tired from the battle today is all. Why do you ask?" He tilt his head the side, his forced smile grew larger.

Sure he felt bad about lying to his best friend but it was for Hunk's wellbeing. At least that's what he told himself.

Hunk frowned as if he didn't believe him but let it go "alright if you're sure..." he still seemed hesitant.

Lance acted fast "if I'm sure I'm ready for bed? Heck yeah I am buddy! See you in the morning" He shone him a quick smile before disappeared around a corner quickly leaving Hunk standing there a bit concerned and confused.

Lance made his way back to his room with tears in his eyes. Only this time it was tears of happiness. Someone actually cared.

He smiled falling asleep though his peaceful slumber wouldn't last long.

The alarms blared loudly throughout the sleeping castle.

Lance sat up right and scrambled to get his armour on.

Soon he met with the rest of the team, who were also dressed into their armour as well, in the control room.

Allura stepped up "Paladins! We have just received a distress signal from the planet axrycaz, they have already informed Coran and I the number of ships there. This fight will not be easy! Lance and Keith go attack the ships on the north and east side of the planet, Shiro and Hunk go work on the south and west side, pidge you will be on the ground helping the axrycans get to safety. Now get to your lions!" She turned around and started steering the castle towards the planet that was currently under attack.

Lance raced to blue eager to start fighting, maybe he could prove he was essential.

All lions soon made it down to the planet and began defending the citizens.

"Lance focus! Stop being so useless will you?? Those ships aren't important!" Lance could here Keith yelling over the coms.

"But Keith if we don't take out these they end up hurt-" Keith cut the other boy off "just shut up and get over here" Keith seemed stressed, maybe Lance would try to calm him down later.

Soon both the red and blue lions were fighting side by side. But after a while the two drifted apart again.

Lance turned blue to face a ship, he saw the ion cannon charging up to hit Keith. The Cuban knew there would be no time to warn him or freeze the ion cannon so he had two options.

Try to warn Keith to move but have Keith still getting hit or lance taking the hit.

Lance took a deep breath before racing towards the red lion at full speed.

Lance could here blue's pleas for him to just stop and try to warn Keith but he pushed her to the back of his mind.

Blue connected with Keith's lion instantly shoving him aside.

"Lance what the heck are you-" Keith stopped as he saw the ion cannon hit the blue lion. Keith felt tears prick the corners of his eyes "Lance no!".

Blue started falling towards the ground. Keith took out the last ship and nose dived down towards Lance's lion.

Unfortunately the red lion was smaller than the blue lion so he wouldn't be able to catch the others lion.

Blue hit the ground with a deafening thud. Keith could here Shiro calling to Keith and asking him what happened, Keith could here pidge yelling, Keith could here Hunk worriedly asking if everything was okay.

Keith landed red into the ground before running towards the other.

Blue opened up for him and Keith raced inside.

He wished he could unsee what he saw. Blood.. so much blood, it was everywhere, his eyes drifted down to the ground where he saw a bloodied and unconscious Lance.

The red paladin checked his pulse sighing in relief when he felt a heartbeat, slow but still there. Carefully he picked him up and stoop upright.

"G-guys we need a healing pod" he finally said.

"What? Why what happened?!" Pidge asked/yelled.

"It's Lance.. he-he got hit with the ion cannon and I don't know how much longer he'll last" Keith looked down.

"Hold on a tick!" Allura spoke to corns quickly and quietly "okay Coran is getting a healing pod ready!".

"I'll come and pick up blue and bring her back to the castle, Hunk and pidge stay here, Hunk you defend and pidge you keep getting the axrycans to safer grounds, Keith take lance back in the red lion" Shiro commanded.

Keith ran out of blue and into his own lion. He carefully set Lance down leaning against a wall before sitting in his own seat and steering the red lion towards the castle.

Keith landed red in his hanger fire picking Lance back up in his arms and running to the infirmary.

Clean assured him Lance would be fine before placing him in the healing pod.

Keith left out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and leaned against the wall next to Lance's pod.