where Lance used to work for Zarkon, was personally trained by him and was one of his most trusted agents. He was Zarkon’s pet project, his prodigy and suddenly, he was gone. Eventually he joins team Voltron to fight Zarkon, but doesn’t tell anyone about who he is or where he trained. He’s quiet and keeps to himself. Keith admires Lance’s skill. There’s an art to how quickly and easily he finishes a hit, like he learned to kill before he even learned to breathe. Then one mission, they mess up. Lance had voiced his misgivings about it but had been brushed off. He was the only one to get away. Keith, Shiro, Hunk, Allura, and Pidge all held captive by their last mark, Sendak.
“You won’t get away with this, you missed one, and he’ll come for you.” Keith growled, having the utmost faith in Lance’s abilities.
“I’m counting on it.” Sendak grins. “Lance, be a dear and come out before one of your little "friends” gets hurt. I thought we taught you better than that. Attachment is weakness.“ He calls, not even turning to look behind him as Lance slowly walks out, a gun pointed right at Sendak’s head. "Put that down or I’ll be sure their deaths are slow and painful.”
To everyone’s surprise, Lance complies. “Leave them alone Sendak.”
“You look well, even though your time away has made you soft.” Sendak practically purrs, rounding on him, holding Lance by his shoulders and leaning down to watch the captured assassins squirm and shout at Lance to kill him. Brushing aside some of Lance’s hair from his ear he smirks. “Come home little Blue, Zarkon misses his favorite puppy. If you do, I might be convinced to let this pathetic lot live.”
“You said that last time too, and yet there wasn’t even enough left of my sister to bury.” Lance grinds out, his eyes hard. The team is quiet. They don’t know what’s going on but they can clearly tell that they shouldn’t interrupt. Sendak chuckles, hands squeezing Lance’s shoulders.
“My hands were tied kid, orders from above for a botched job. Maybe next time you won’t take pity on a target and then join their ranks as a stupid apology. You were supposed to kill them both. Now, I’ll give you one chance to fix it.” He turns his face to press against Lance’s neck. “Finish your job and I won’t have to take away your cute little brother as well.”
Lance clenched his fist around his gun, his eyes slipping shut. “Careful Sendak, one of these days you’re going to run out of bargaining chips to use against me. And then you’ll be at the top of my list.” He answers cooly, walking up to Allura and dropping to his knees in front of her, pulling her to him in a hug as he whispers a broken; “I’m so sorry.” Before bringing his signature silver and royal blue pistol up to press into her stomach. “I tried to spare you.” Are the last words she hears before the gun goes off and her eyes widen from confusion to shocked betrayal. As she slumped against his chest, blood bloomed forth from her new wound, staining both them and the cold ground they sat on. The others are too shocked to even speak as they watch Allura die. “But I can’t lose another one.” Lance whispers, more for himself than for the dying woman in his arms as he lays her down gently and gets up to leave the room silently with Sendak. Zarkon owned him. He was a fool for ever thinking he could escape his grasp even for a second. Death followed him like a plague.
He would do anything to keep that plague away from his family. Even if it meant burning the bridge of friendship he had worked so hard to build. Even if it meant pledging his life to a monster. Even if it damned him to hell.
Title: untitled
Characters: Lance, Zarkon, Shiro
Relationships: Zance/Larkon
TWs: I’m bad at trigger warnings bc I’m very desensitized by most things, so if anyone sees something they think I should tag it with, I will do so! But the day kind of is a TW in its own.
Day 2 - Corruption.
Note: Follow up of Day 1 :)
They had wanted to save Lance, that had been the mission, but that hadn’t panned out the way they had planned - not at all. When Keith had been captured, it had been a hard blow - not only could they not form Voltron without a Red paladin, but Red was obstinate and would not allow just anyone to pilot her - even if they could manage Coran in Blue, Red would not accept Allura. It would take time for that and time wasn’t something they had.
But when the Galra lion had showed up, roaring that unsettling shrill sound, they knew they were in trouble - even more so when the Galra lion managed to capture Shiro. But Shiro had a plan. He would allow himself to be captured to save not only Keith but Lance as well. He could do this. He knew Galra ships like the back of his hand, he would be able to find his teammates and he would break free with them.
Every thing would work out fine.
---
The black paladin wasn’t resisting, he was simply letting him and Black be transported.
The Galra paladin wasn’t sure what the man had planned, but whatever. It didn’t matter. What mattered was Lord Zarkon would be pleased with him. He’d praise his Galra paladin.
A smile stretched against lips, excitement charting through his veins.
He couldn’t wait for his reward.
---
The moment Shiro stepped out of Black, the hairs on his arm and back of his neck stood - the familiar sight of a Galra ship always did that to him, memories still so vivid that it made him want to hurl. But he pressed on, he had to - he had to find Keith and Lance, get them out of here. He didn’t want them to face the things he had to face while in Galra captivity.
He had expected to be thrown into a jail cell, he had expected he’d have to wait for a time he could break out.
But instead, he found himself watching the large Galra lion’s mouth open and its pilot stepping out. A large wire connected to his spine, connecting them to their lion. It released with a hiss, but the paladin appeared to be unaffected by it, instead they approached Shiro. Their helmet glinted - hiding their features. They moved fluidly and quick - taking hold of Shiro’s arms, binding them at the wrists. Shiro frowned at the paladin, at their height and frame. A strange prickle ran down his spine as he allowed himself to be lead by this short Galra. Well, shorter than most Galra he’d met.
A foreboding feeling filled him as he was lead to where Zarkon was, forced to his knees by Galra soldiers. He watched as the paladin damn near skipped to Zarkon, falling to his knees before the Galra Emperor.
“I have brought you the black paladin, and his lion, my lord emperor.”
That voice.
Shiro felt sweat accumulate and dry cold on his now pale face.
No…. No!
“You please me, my paladin.”
The paladin removed his helmet, brown hair - longer than what Shiro remembered, cascaded down. The Galra paladin preened as Zarkon gripped those strands - not hard, but commanding, bringing the paladin up into his lap. Shiro’s stomach bottomed out at the sight of Zarkon pulling Lance into his lap, the old blue paladin pliant and willing against him.
Zarkon turned him over, making him sit in his lap, but face toward Shiro. Shiro felt his eyes sting at the sight of Lance. A part of him was of course relieved to see him alive, but the sight of those glowing purple eyes - the sight of that crooked grin, those bruises… oh god, Lance… he could have saved him from this earlier, they could have fought harder to find him rather than just allow Allura to pilot the Blue lion.
Shiro yelled.
---
How noisy, thought the Galra paladin, leaning into his lord emperor’s touch, watching the black paladin thrash against the soldiers.
The black paladin appeared to be very upset, it was kind of comical, really. Why fight? He was before the lord emperor - there was no need to fight. If he’d just give in, just listen - he’d find out just how rewarding it could be, just how gracious Lord Emperor Zarkon could be.
The Galra paladin moaned, grinning at the feel of blood welling on his shoulder where his Lord Emperor had bit into him, gracing him with his marks.
Just give in and let yourself fall, Black paladin.