victory_road | [Closed] Girl, Put Your Records On, Tell Me Your Favorite Song

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[Closed] Girl, Put Your Records On, Tell Me Your Favorite Song

Who: Lance, Princess Allura, Rainer Michelle, Romelle, and Keith
Where: Cherrygrove City Spa
When: Sometime in early February
Summary: A few friends mourn a loss through self-care
Rating: PG to PG-13 (thanks, Lance), will warn as necessary

Hearing that Jaskier had been sent home was… quite a blow among the Voltrons. He’d been a good friend to all of them, especially to Shiro, and of course poor Geralt and Kiri were left behind… And honestly, Allura was starting to miss her friends back at the house, at least in person. Shiro and Pidge and Sasha chose to sit this out, but Allura decided to invite a few of her friends who knew Jaskier to do something in his memory, and Lance came up with the idea of a mini-spa retreat in Cherrygrove City. Mud baths, massages with hot stones and scrubs and aromatherapy, hair and nail salons, the works. And thanks to working part-time jobs almost the whole time she’s been here, especially in Violet City, Allura actually has quite a bit saved up to chip in for the small group to stay a full weekend. So kick back, chat over manicures and herb-infused drinks, and enjoy.

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[Well, Lance hopes Jaskier is back to barding and not doing whatever people who accompany Witchers do (die?) and he'd just like to stick on the side of positive thinking.

Speaking of positive thinking, Lance smiles at Allura's question, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. As long as she hasn't learned to read mind, she won't know his answer ain't the full answer.]

They've been pretty good. Just relaxing, training my Pokemon, thinking about putting Staryutube channel on hiatus and going back to the badge hunt.

[Boy, if you don't stop fucking lying... it's been shit.]

How's life here treating you?

[Maybe not minds... but she's seen Lance smile enough times by now, heard him happy, that she's able to tell something's not quite right.]

It's been well. Keith and I have been training in Violet until we both have the Zephyr Badge, and working jobs in town to earn a bit of extra money.

[By now, Lance may or may not have heard that Keith's first attempt didn't go so well.]

Is everything all right? Besides Jaskier, I mean?

[He did hear, but he hasn't really found a need to bring it up to Keith. He's not in a one-sided competition with Keith anymore (or as much, let's be real, Lance just needs that one opportunity that spurs him on) and in truth, he lacks all but one of the badges. Keith is winning already.

But enough about him. Lance raises his eyebrows as Allura's questioning that seems a bit more like an interrogation, and starts chugging his champagne.]

Yeah, everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?

[Maybe it's the way he's downing that booze to throw her off the scent of PTSD, perhaps.]

Edited 2022-02-17 01:15 (UTC)

[Aaaand now her suspicions are confirmed. Still, instead of going sardonic, Allura just looks more worried, maybe even a bit pleading.]

Well, normally you'd be more excited talking about that. I know this is a large blow, but...

I said I'm fine, Allura, geez. Nothing's wrong.

[Everything is wrong, but he's not about to say that. Not even to a therapist, something the entire house could use at this point.]

Do I have to be excited about everything? You guys always tell me to calm down and when I am calm, now it's a problem.

[That comes out a little snappier than Lance planned on it. But she's pushing buttons she doesn't even know she's pushing and he's really trying not to talk about his issues. Not to her, not at all.]

[Great... For a long moment Allura looks at him, wonder if she should say something but... honestly looking scared to do so. She's never been as good at this as she wants to be. Try to get Pidge to chat with her about being the first girl friend she's had in ten thousand years? Prompt the Green Paladin to declare that she's leaving, and rub in all her failures of being unable to save her family. Try to convince Keith to stay with the Paladins? He leaves them for the Blades. And the last thing she wants is to ruin this outing, or her friendship with Lance, so...

The good news is Lance gets a better view of her beautiful, silky smooth calves. The bad news, it's because she's pulling her legs up to gently hug, them, trying and failing to smile as she looks again.]

Apologies...

[Fuck. He didn't want to hurt Allura's feelings because he knows she's just concerned and cares for him. But Lance really does not want to talk about things he doesn't quite know how to put into words. At least words that make sense and tell her what happens in the future to his home, his family, to Earth...

Lance sighs, running a wet hand over his face before groaning a bit.]

Look, I'm sorry, but whatever you think is wrong, it's not. There's nothing going on. I'm just here to get pampered and relax and maybe get drunk off this champagne. When I say things are fine, things are fine.

[Ah, Shiro taught him well. Deny everything, admit nothing. Besides, Lance really is in no mood to get lectured by Allura in a hot tub about how he needs to watch what he says and make him feel like defending himself against Steven and Thace was a crime instead. This is not the time, nor if Lance has his way, will there ever be the time. He tried to apolgoize, Grant didn't want it, so it's over. The End. El fin.

Or is it?]

[Lance, haven't you gotten marriage counseling or advice before? Never put a "but" on an apology. And Allura clearly doesn't buy it, only hearing that Lance doesn't want to talk to her.]

If you say so...

[Now it's her turn to try and nail a smile back on her face, a mask Lance should know too well from after a rough mission. Especially destroying her father's AI, or the incident with the other reality.]

[Bold of you to assume the couple who went and eloped and never had a proper ceremony has had marriage counseling. And his habit of putting "but" in apologies is exactly why Grant rejected his apology. It's not that he doesn't want to talk to her specifically; he just doesn't want to talk to anyone about this. Not when he's absolutely convinced they'll make him the villain for daring to have feelings.]

I'm saying so, so stop worrying.

[And he's far too familiar with that kind of smile, both from her and from on his own face. But if he didn't want to be called out, he's not going to call her out. Instead, he holds out the bottle of champagne to her.]

Here, have a drink.

Mm... [She hems for a just a second...] Thank you.

[Although the swig she takes barely touches her lips, and she's quick to hand it back with that same false smile.]

Actually... I think I might be starting to get overheated. [Which is princess for "I really don't want to start crying in a semi-public area."] Enjoy the rest of your soak, Lance.

Edited 2022-02-17 03:05 (UTC)

[Lance can tell she faked that sip and now she's mad because he won't open up. That's kind of hypocritical of her, isn't it? Suddenly holding back because he is? The idea makes him frown at her fake grin.]

If you don't want to hang out with me for some weird reason, just say so. I'm a big boy. I can take it.

[He won't take it well, but he'll take it. Especially when it means he doesn't take to talk about his feelings while in a hot tub.]

[She lets out a harsh sigh through her nose at the accusation, a few tears slipping out even as she tries to keep her voice low and firm.]

Lance, I do want to hang out with you. I want it very much. You are the one holding me at arm's length. You were one of my best friends in our reality, even among our team, but then I come here and find you are now years older than me, married, and picking random fights with the man who died to save Keith and his circle, and refusing to apologize for your part in it. And on top of all that, a good friend of ours just left. So forgive me for being more than a little upset for being pushed away by someone I considered a dear friend when I try to ask him what's wrong when he is obviously hurting. Or for not wishing to make a scene it in a semi-public place and bring down the mood of the group. If you don't wish to talk to me, fine, I am already attempting to respect your boundaries. But I have no idea what the quiznak you do want from me anymore.

Edited 2022-04-17 01:34 (UTC)

[When he pushed her to say something, Lance didn't expect that to come out of her mouth. That's far more than he expected her to know; who told her? He's guessing Thace opened his big trap. Could it have been Steven? Probably. In Lance's eyes, Steven seemed like the type that would be salty enough to tell all of Lance's associates how much of an asshole he is, just to make him look bad.

But no matter who told her, the words tumbling out of her mouth makes him fall silent for a moment before he mumbles out a reply.]

It wasn't a random fight. And I have my reasons for not apologizing to him.

[They're not the type of reasons he'd want to spill in a spa, so he's still holding onto that thin thread of stubbornness that's threatening to snap. Her tears don't help.]

It's nothing against you. I promise you. It's just between me and Thace and his two buddies. There's really no need for you to get involved here.

Yes there is. [Her voice is already softer, the anger evaporating at Lance conceding a little.] Maybe I don't need to be wholly involved, but I'm worried about you, Lance. I know what you look like when you really smile. I know what it's like to bottle things up inside for whatever reason. I did it all the time when we first worked together, because I thought that's what the mission required, but...

[But she thought she didn't have to do that anymore, especially not with Lance... She takes a soft swallow as she hastily wipes at tears finally starting to fall.]

I want to help you with whatever's troubling you, but I don't even know if my trying will just make things worse and push you farther way...

Allura, I get it. You want to help. But I'm telling you, there's nothing to help with. There's nothing you can do. I tried apologizing, Grant didn't want it unless I kissed ass and it'll be a cold day in Hell the day I kiss Galran ass, so fuck it. It's done. It's over. We don't all have to be friends here.

[Which is not quite the truth as far as the ass kissing part is concerned, but to Lance, Grant might as well have said that when it comes to Thace and Steven.

But in all truth, he doesn't want Allura involved in that mess. She's too good for that and deep down, Lance is afraid she'll take their side like it feels everybody else did (and maybe he knows it too.) Better to just avoid telling her anything at all.]

Stop crying, please. You know I hate to see girls cry.

[That and his mother's chancla is probably making its way towards him for that crime.]

[Okay, the fact that Lance is opening up at all is calming her down. But... something makes her squint in confusion.]

What do you mean, Galra ass?

[Last she checked, she was the one who had the strongest bias against the Galra, not Lance.]

[Lance squints right back in similar confusion, thinking Allura's not quite getting Earth slang again. He's pretty sure he's taught her all the curse words, or at least tried to, but maybe this one has slipped her mind since then.]

The ass? Their butt? The roundest part of their body?

I gathered that part. [SHE KNOWS WHAT ASS MEANS.] What I mean is why the Galra part is what you have issue with. You were always willing to work with our Blade allies in our world, especially after Zarkon's first defeat.

[Especially since... there's something far too familiar about it. Something awful Allura had banished from her own heart, and it's chilling even thinking of seeing it in a heart as bright as Lance's.]

[Lance shifts in the water, turning away to grab the bottle of champange. He doesn't need a refill, just a distraction so he doesn't have to look Allura in the eye as she pushes.]

Yeah, well, that was before.

[Before the Galrans destroyed everything he held dear and made the lines between friend and foe too blurry. Why bother working through the trauma to clear the air when it's so much easier to ignore it? It's been working fine for him so far!]

Things are different now and that's that. Thace and I don't get along and we won't be getting along, so let's just move onto another subject.

[Is he really ignoring it, though?]

Lance... [Her voice is soft as she makes her way over to sit next to him, eyes hurting but also hoping for more trust.] This is about more than the auction, isn't it? What happened? Please?

[He's trying to, but SOMEONE keeps poking the sleeping bear of unhealed wounds.]

Allura...

[Her name is both tinged in wariness of holding this weight for so long and a warning that she's dipping too close to sore spot. Whether she takes this to tread lightly or to back off, that's up to her. Lance is just tired.]

It doesn't matter. What's done is done and again, we're not gonna be friends. You're free to be friends with him all you want, no skin off my nose.

[Because no matter what the Blades did for Voltron behind the scenes, Lance can't seem to shake evil poisoning the good just yet.]

If it's bothering you this much, it matters to me.

[And clearly to him, but she feels she's pushed far enough. A pause... and then a slow nod.]

But you are right. We don't need to discuss this all at once. I just... want you to know that I am here to listen if you wish. [A bittersweet smile.] And I've missed talking with you in general.

[He thinks they don't need to discuss it at all, but for a rare moment, Lance keeps his mouth shut and doesn't say that out loud. Last thing he wants is her crying again.]

Yeah, I know.

[He does know. He's just not at a place where he feels free to without fear of being lectured on how he should know better, as if he can never have the freedom to just be angry sometimes, if only for a little while. As if their situations are exactly the same so he should resolve his issues the same way she did hers. Nothing's worse than the thought of him feeling invalidated. Lance might be the dummy of the group, but even he would like have room to brood.]

I just want to relax now, okay? It's a spa, not a psych's office.

[Ha ha... sigh. If only it was.]

Agreed. And Lance? Thank you... for sharing that much with me.

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[Closed] Girl, Put Your Records On, Tell Me Your Favorite Song

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