Being Lance was frustrating.
Watching your friends develop, while your self is stuck in this weird bubble of denial and pretend, was exhausting. Especially, whenever he looked at Keith and Pidge.

Previously, Lance had seen Keith as the perfect guy everybody looked up to and saw as their idol.
Perhaps that was where his own hatred came from.
Now, Lance had grown to understand that Keith had never asked for this and pulled away before people started to reject him, instead of bathing in their attention.
If Lance was being honest, he might have hacked the V-log Keith had recorded. Though, the realization had come way earlier.
It was obvious in the way Keith was always busy. Though there was never a need for him to train as much as he did, Keith spend most of his time at the training deck.
His room, however, was empty.
No. Lance had stopped viewing Keith as someone extraordinary who just tried to show of all the time. (Quite ironic, Lance thought, whenever his mirror self showed him his own wicked grin.)

Still. It was so unfair that someone like Keith, despite being perfect, was seen as an idol. Instead of a threat that is.

Like Pidge, for example. She was just like Lance, smart, intelligent and just so extra in everything, despite her age.
Lance could basically hear the laughing whispers that haunted her every night.
Pidge had told him once that all she had was her family. Potential friends in her high school had always distanced themselves from her.
She had been the "nerd". Nobody wanted to hang out with the kid that outsmarted even the teacher.
Lance understood that this was one of the reasons why she was so obsessed with finding her brother.
The only guy who had always been at her side. Lance only had his mother.

Yeah, Lance understood very well. More so than he would ever dare to admit.
Because Lance, too, had been the smart kid once. Heck, he still would be, if he didn't fail on purpose.
Lance grew up in a giant family. His idol had always been his older brother. The guy had been as smart as Hunk and Pidge combined and Lance strove to become just as smart as him.
Well. That was one of the reasons why he understood his classmates, whenever they punched him or demolished his belongings, just because he nailed another test.
Being the second best was never a nice feeling.
But when others didn't know you faced someone better than you like all the time, they obviously couldn't understand. They definitely wouldn't hold themselves back.

Maybe that was the reason he never called them out. But Lance always needed positive attention. Always.
The Garrison had great hopes for him, as they saw all his test results. He was more than just a genius, he had to be a gym ace, too.
He could read at a speed that made it troublesome not to see it as just skipping through multiple chapters at once.
He also remembered every single word he ever heard or saw in whatever way.
His perfect memory made it hard to forget all the insults he'd received.
He had many reasons to wish to start anew as a normal teenager.
Start over at a new school.
And that was exactly what he did, when he met Hunk.

Hunk was the purest and most kindhearted person Lance had ever met in his entire life.
Still, Lance was afraid to show him his skills. Though Hunk made it easier to adapt to his new persona.
Hunk was the type of person who never tried to take the initiative. Lance decided then and there, this was the perfect timing for him to shine.
He made sure, that he stayed a good few levels underneath Hunk's intelligence, since the guy was considered a genius handyman in the whole prefecture.

The first time Lance failed a test, was probably the best in his life.
He knew, he had outdone himself and made more mistakes than necessary, but suddenly people started being supportive.
They seemed to understand how it felt scoring only a few points.
Hunk was the nicest of them all and promised to help Lance study. From then on, Lance decided that he would continue this way. In all the classes. Even gym. Or the flight simulator.

Somehow he found a way to get average grades. Barely enough to survive the Garrison. But he knew he could still achieve his goal.
So he kept that mask on. The mask of being a stupid idiot. While he experienced with that mask, he even started fake flirting with girls in order to entertain those people around him.
He had never been happier in his life.

Until Iversion called him out the first time. For being a cargo pilot. "We had great hopes for you!
If you don't even make it a fighter pilot, we will cancel your scholarship!"
This was the very moment Lance realized that his own happiness came with a prize.
He did not have the money to stay at this school and obtain his mask.
But if suddenly, he made it to fighter pilot without any issues that would rise suspicion in the small group of friends he had finally gathered.

So, Lance looked up whatever was needed for him to make it to fighter class.
He decided that it was best if he made it in as the very last choice. So he studied, in order to barely make it. To fail most of the tasks.
But in the end, it wasn't enough. Or perhaps, too much. Lance made one mistake too many.
His scholarship would be canceled, he was sure of it. The worst of it was that Lance now would be the top of the cargo class.
A spot he didn't want either. His classmates would start harassing him again, he feared. Because he would be the only one who could have made it to fighter class. While the rest, didn't.

His friends didn't even know how Lance felt. And Lance didn't want to confide in any of them but Hunk.
Though, how do you tell your best friend that your friendship was based on a lie?
Especially since Lance failing had motivated Hunk to study even more? For Hunk to become even smarter?
Lance failing motivated others to fight to be better than him. When Lance first noticed that, he started to dare people to become better. He showed them he was on their level, so they would get out of their lazy holes to get better grades than him.
They did it subconsciously, but each of Lance's friends rose up at least about one grade.

When Keith Kogane dropped out of the fighter class, Lance wanted to cry.
Not because he pitied him. Not because he was glad Keith had left. Maybe slightly because he had wanted him to stay. No.
Lance had made it.
He would keep his scholarship. As barely as he had dreamed. The only thing that ruined his very day, as always, was Iversion who called him out again.
Only to tell him how lucky he was. And that he should not ruin it. That he needed to step up again. Since, after all, Iversion knew what he was capable of.

--------------------------------

"LANCE! CONCENTRATE!", Allura yelled over the coms. Lance tried not to roll his eyes.
"I'm sorry, you are just so distracting!", Lance halfheartedly wiggled his eyebrows at her annoyed posture.
They were hiding in a corner, trying to protect themselves from attacking soldiers.
This, Lance recalled, was supposed to be training. She was way to serious for his taste, but he understood, obviously.
Any minute, there could be another distress signal.
Any minute, Voltron could be needed and he wasn't even concentrating. At least the way she saw it.
In fact, Lance was concentrating very hard at being the worst of them all.
He nailed that part, already, but restricting himself was never an easy task.
Especially, when you piloted the red lion. The one that wanted you to go freely and fast.
Actually, with Keith gone, Lance felt kind of useless as a mere replacement.

Allura's groaned into the coms, causing Lance to grin his fake smile.

Actually, he was still hurt that Blue had left him. Not because he didn't like Red or anything.
But, she had forced him out. Kicked him out.
With black it had been different. Everyone had a chance to step up and to be honest, Lance knew his skills.
He had been so sure it would be him.

But for once, he was reminded of the times when his brother had not hated him.
When Lance hadn't managed to become as smart as him.
It was like the time when his family hadn't been completely broken. Lance's consciousness was torn between relieve and disappointment.
This could have been his time to shine. But he also wasn't the best choice for something. And that was something he had not experienced in a long time.

Well, here he was. Getting emotional all over again.

"Lance! Concentrate! This is not the time for flirting!", Pidge reminded him over the fake sound of attacking lasers.
"What?! You mean flying in a simulator, fighting as a hero and pulling good stunts is too much to attract the ladies?
Or do you mean my natural charm doesn't need no flirting?!"
Lance laughed and he heard Hunk join in. Him and the green paladin were stationed at the other end of the field, while Keith ended up fighting all on his own. Like usual.
Pidge, as Lance imagined, mimicked Allura's former reaction and groaned into the coms.

"Guy's! Watch out!", Keith's voice suddenly interrupted. But it was too late. A soldier, moreover one of the many gladiators, must have made out his position somehow.
Thanks to Pidge, as Lance recalled, the robots were now able to listen. More than the average human, so to speak.
And that one particular sneaked up behind Lance.
If Lance had not been so focused on responding to his friends, perhaps he would have reminded himself not to react.
But the gladiator managed to startle him.
Lance didn't think, as he was still talking to Allura. Who, in exactly this moment turned around to Lance. Probably to shut him off for good.

It was only one blink of a second as Lance noticed the movement behind him and moved.
Furthermore, his upper body twisted, as he grabbed the gladiator by the arm and swung him over his shoulder.

He blinked. Allura gasped in surprise and then?
Lance saved himself. "OMG, Allura?! Did you just see that?! I totally wrecked that guy! This is amazing. Holy crow!"

Exaggeration had saved him many times. Whenever he had fucked up his persona. People didn't take you serious when you did that.
They never suspected his actions for anything but luck.

"Wow, Lance. You are right, that was great! Finally the training seems to pay off!", Allura beamed at him.
Lance did not like that implication, but it was his own fault.
"What? Wait, what happened?!", Pidge asked in confusion. "I totally destroyed that gladiator, duh! What did you expect?!"

Another gladiator had turned up, but this time Lance noticed him.
One slam and the simulation was over. Lance laying on the ground, disappointed sounds coming from his teammates.

"Lance! We almost made it! Can't you ever take anything serious!", Keith growled as he stomped towards Lance's beaten figure.
"Keith, don't be so harsh. In his defense, he really took down one of the gladiators. Without shooting at him, even!", Allura tried to stop Keith.
After all, times like this, when she saw Lance make some progress, were rare.

"So what?! He had to boast about it?", Keith faced her directly and his voice had a bite to it that said: "don't you dare help him out of this one."
"Lance, do you have any idea how important this job is to us?! To the world! In a real fight, we would have been dead! Just once! Only once! Take this serious, got it?!"

Lance didn't respond. Usually he would have. Only to relieve some of the tension in the room. But he recognized that fire in Keith's eyes.
It was a mix of anger and disappointment. A combination only fueled by any more jokes.
Lance trusted Keith. He had learned to do so over the past months.
Especially after Blue had kicked him out and Lance had nowhere to relieve his fears.

This was what he always wanted to be. A pilot, a fighter, a hero. But despite all of his potential, the lions had continued to reject him.
He didn't want Keith do the same. "Keith. I am being serious.", well, technically this wasn't a lie. Lance was serious in being a fuck up. Still, it felt like a lie to him.
Plus, the pain was real.
"But this wasn't a real fight. Okay? Nobody was hurt and I improved. Isn't that something that counts?"
"I'm glad that you are improving. But it distracts everyone on doing their jobs!
Do not do that on the battle field. Got that?!", Keith continued growling, but his gaze had softened a bit.
Bonding moments had that kind of effect. If he had known this sooner, who knows. Perhaps he wouldn't have denied the first one.
Perhaps he would not have been afraid to show that he really cared what other people did.

Actually, since they had come to space, Lance had been a lot more honest about most things.
Still, he was afraid to show his true skills. His true feelings. His true self.
What if they hated him? Not necessarily for being smart or whatever, but for lying to them?

Could he really give up on his persona?

"You got it, boss.", Lance sighed. Too tired to make a pun. Too tired to actually continue his many thoughts. But not too tired to wink at Keith.
Lance watched him leave as Allura put her hand on Lance's shoulder.
In his peripheral vision he could see her serious, worried look that she fixated on him.

"Lance? I know you are euphoric about your victory just now, but Keith is right. You should not let this get to your head, alright? That could be very dangerous."

Lance sighed internally. On the outside he just smiled. He won't remember the pun later. Or what his fingerguns were supposed to be for.
He was just. Tired.
It had been a long time since the way he felt on the inside didn't match up to his mask anymore.
He really was happy most of the time.
But when he thought about it...

-------------------------------------

Lance's thoughts didn't stop this night. Keeping him awake. Ironic, actually. Usually his confusing thoughts guided him to sleep.
Tonight was special, Lance guessed.

Should he stick to his persona in this circumstances? Really?
Lance stared at the ceiling. He liked this mask. It had helped him through a lot. It got him friends. A new home. Family.
But the things he was so used to hide, were not that bad either.
In fact, for some people they were too good.

The thoughts kept coming.

He was in space. Parted from his mother, the only person he ever trusted completely. Now he was considering to trust others just as much.
How would they react?

'Screw that thought. That was a pathetic one. One that screamed for attention.', Lance reminded himself. But that didn't stop his brain.

If for some reason they would find out about it and Lance would turn out just as smart or even smarter than them, would they be able to forgive him?

Hours passed. Or at least, an amount of time Lance guessed as hours. The alarm started ringing.
He would have to stand up now, didn't he?
Everybody had to.

For Lance these days were especially hard. Because he was struggling with the fear and the wish to finally reveal what he was capable of.
If only to sleep lighter again. Each time, Lance would need twenty minutes alone to tell himself that it was alright to just stay this guy he created himself.
(He secretly named his persona tailor. When he felt up to it, he used the name in his jokes.)
He would stand up, brush his teeth, put on his make up, his clothes and then go to the control room to be shouted at for being late.

Today was different.
It wasn't anything special that changed Lance's routine. It wasn't anything he saw or heard or felt or anything.
It was just one thought. One question.
How long was he supposed to play this game?

Lance's eyes widened at the question. When he had first started being the tailor, he had used him to escape his fears. He had been supposed to guide him through the garrison.
But Lance was in space now.
Should the tailor guide him through this adventure? But that could be the rest of his whole life!
Lance felt the tears starting to swell at the corner of his eyes.
Why would he cry about that?
The tailor was not Lance. Lance would never be himself, if he kept this going. And he was already tired.

When Lance stood up about one second later, he did it with determination. Though the moment he stood, he was already reconsidering his decision, but he shook the thoughts away.
He had made his decision.
Lance hurried to the mirror in his personal small bath room. He stared at all the beauty products.
Grabbed all of them at once and put them were they truly belonged.
The trash.
Your honest self does not need no make up.

-------------------------------

"Good morning guys.", Lance said. His voice felt weird. Not hoarse or whatever. Just normal.
Which to Lance, was weird already. The sound was not different, but it felt different to talk without all the extra bravado behind each word.
"Good morning Lance. Wow, you sure are early.", Allura looked around to find only Keith and shortly returned Shiro behind her. Lance just shrugged his shoulders.
For some reason, the mere thought of not continuing with the tailor made Lance relax already.
He felt less tense, to be honest.

Perhaps Allura expected a joke or an explanation, the way she stared at Lance, but Lance just smiled gently at her. "I didn't sleep well.", he said.
It was the first time ever, that he had admitted something like that. Usually he would have said something like "well, I went to bed early to be able to see you sooner today, milady.", but that was the tailor. Not Lance.
"Oh?", Allura blinked in surprise at Lance's smile.
"You do look tired. Did you always have those bags under your eyes?"
So she had noticed. "Could be.", he answered. Unsure about his response.

"Should we check your vitals?", Keith asked with a raised brow. Lance almost laughed. Friends were always worried at such random details.
"No, don't worry. I haven't really slept in ages.", he said and realized too late that this made Keith and Allura worry even more.
"Sorry, sorry. That was a joke. I'm fine. I just skipped my beauty routine this morning."
Another wrong thing to say, actually.
"Why did you skip your beauty routine?!"

Lance didn't know how to answer this question. Was he really ready to tell them the truth? It wasn't like they wouldn't find out eventually, right?
That was the whole plan after all. But would they believe him? Would they want to test him? Pressure him into proving his talents?
What if they would call him crazy? What if they would laugh at the fact that he was someone else now?

"I just didn't feel like make up today.", Lance knew they would not understand. He knew they would take it exactly how he said it.
To him, however, it felt like a confession.

"Yeah, sure.", Shiro suspiciously raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, don't worry. Let's get some breakfast. I am starving.", Lance breathed into his smile.
Never in ever since they came here, he had been looking forward to breakfast this much. Not because of his persona. Food goo just – tasted really bad.

Perhaps, today was an exception? Obviously it tasted the same, but Lance just couldn't bring himself to care.
Hunk and Pidge turned in last. Still yawning. Already regretting the allnighter they spend on reprogramming the castles defenses.
"You guys do realize we still have to train today, right?!", Lance asked in worry.
Pidge just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but we also have to defend ourselves in case someone attacks us again.
The longer the shield is down, the higher the chances that it's going to happen."

Lance gulped down another bite of food goo. "That's true, but do you really have to work on it together all night? I mean, can't you just split up and switch turns now and then?
You can't think on an empty stomach and you can't focus without sleep."

Pidge just looked at him. "Says the guy who got bags under his eyes twice the size of alaska.
Still you seem a lot more concentrated than usual. What's the odds?"
"Hey, you aren't wearing any make up? Is today some special occasion or am I just tired?", Hunk interfered.
"To your information, I do not plan on wearing that stuff any longer."
"Are you sick?"
"No. Just tired." Lance replied with a sigh. This was more attention than he had expected.
"Hey, how about I'll help you with the system later?", Lance asked, knowing their reaction even before they processed his question.
"You want to- help us?", Pidge exchanged a glance with Hunk. "Don't you usually help Coran cleaning the castle?", she asked.
"Don't get us wrong, we could need all the help we can get. But you do have your duties too, don't you?!"

"Well, actually, Coran only got me on cleaning duty because I wasn't doing anything else.
I wanna do some math for once.", Lance smiled at them.
"Okay, if you want to. Though, if you are only going to distract us with one of your silly games, you have to leave us, got that?!", Hunk sighed and it warmed Lance's insides.
This was why he loved Hunk so much. The guy didn't say you weren't smart enough to help. He would always give you a chance. Even if it was only to teach somebody something.
"Thank you, buddy."
Pidge, on the other hand, frowned a little. "You have to be quiet, alright?! I do not want to be bored with questions all the time, while we have to hurry and concentrate, got it?!"
Lance nodded. Well, obviously the indication did hurt a little, but Lance made himself look dumb right from the get go. Especially in front of Pidge.
Plus, he knew how it felt to be questioned random stuff, while others requested something at the same time you had to concentrate on an important task.
It was exhausting.

----------------------------------

"Lance, concentrate! There is someone on your-", Keith was being cut off by the sound of a laser gun. "Dude! What the hell?!"
"Sorry, buddy! You were so distracted by the gladiator in front of me that you missed the one behind you.", Lance told him.
In front of Lance lay a bunch of gladiators. Each of them shot through their heads, their guts or something else.
Others were beaten up by either himself of Allura who couldn't stop staring at Lance.
"That was – actually really good Lance.", she heaved. Lance rubbed his arm. "I- ah, thanks I guess?!"
Lance rarely received genuine compliments. So he didn't really know how to answer her.
"Lance! Behind you!", Allura shouted, but Lance already reacted.
He was bending forwards, sticking out his right leg and kicking the gladiator off of his own feet. When he stood up again, he shot him into his head.
"This is war.", he thought. "Allura is right, I have to be serious about this. Even the training."
He never noticed he said that out loud.

"I guess, we can end the training for today? Good job everyone. Good job Lance?!", Keith announced the end of the day.
"Hey, Lance, can I talk to you for a second?!", he said, as he grabbed Lance's arm.
"Yeah sure, I was about to go join Pidge and Hunk now, but I guess I have a minute or two.

Keith didn't ask twice, as he shoved Lance into the nearest room available.
"What is going on today?! First you show up early, because you didn't sleep well. Then you didn't even bother to do your beauty routine.
You even enjoyed the food goo you love to complain about! But didn't even attempt to flirt with Allura!
Your fighting skills just now were amazing and now you are going to help Pidge and Hunk with the defense system of the castle?!
I don't buy it! Who are you and what did you do to our Lance!", with each sentence he poked into Lance's chest with his pointy finger, his face turning into a suspicious, yet playful frown.
"Geez, Keith. Relax. I am just doing what you told me to do. Turns out not boasting about my skills actually boasts my skills."
Alright, the joke was lame, but Lance still thought it was funny.
However, Keith stared at him in shock. It took Lance a second to understand why. Keith must be thinking that Lance was repressing his personality because of what Keith had said the other day.
"Keith, wait. That came out wrong."
"No, Lance, I got it. I'm sorry, I should not have said those mean things! I-"
"Ssh, I said don't worry, Keith. I am alright. I didn't do this to spite you or anything. It's- it's hard to explain, you know?!
Just, just know it's not because of anything you said, alright? Besides, it did work, didn't it?"

Way to make it worse, Lance thought. Keith stared at him in worry and confusion.
"Lance I-"
"Keith. Please. Don't look at me as though you did something to me. I am fine. Great, actually. I don't think I have ever felt better in my entire life."
Keith did not believe him. And Lance? Lance knew he sounded strained. But he didn't know what to say. He felt uncomfortable procrastinating the explanation he had yet to give.
"Don't worry, alright?! I just have a lot of stuff to think about. As soon as I figured it out, I'll come to you first, alright?!"
This seemed to lift the tension of Keith's shoulders. And Lance was finally able to breathe again.
"Alright, Lance. But let me know if you need help alright?!
I just hope it's not math again.", Keith chuckled and the sound calmed Lance's anxiety.
"I sure will. If you'd excuse me now, Pidge and Hunk are waiting."

-------------------------------------------------

"No Hunk, you don't get it. The energy source is the crystal, Allura is just activating it through her mind connection with the ship.
It's not like there are numbers like in computers on earth. Especially since it's an undefined energy source!", Pidge just explained as Lance arrived.
Hunk seemed annoyed already, as though they've had the same argument about a thousands of times already.
"And I am telling you that we could translate the energy the same way we did with the blue lion! "
"That is not going to work, Hunk! The blue lion is special, because their energy source is coming from an unknown source somewhere in between realities! We cannot read it the same way!"

"Hey guys. I thought you were trying to strengthen the castles defenses?!", Lance greeted them with a confused expression.
"Yeah, we are! But our giant cook here thinks that we could just simply increase the energy from the magic crystal.
But that is not possible, since each time that happens, Allura has to increase the level of energy she has to focus on the crystal and that simply would be too much for her!
Plus, it is almost impossible for us to redirect the crystals energy, since we do not know how exactly the energy works! If we could -", Pidge stopped her rant with a sigh.
"Sorry, Lance. I didn't mean to confuse you so soon already. Forget it."

"Actually, Pidge. I think Hunk has a point.", Lance said with a stern expression.
"I do? I mean, sure I do.", Hunk interrupted, surprised to hear this from Lance.
"What you probably thought was, we needed to increase the magic provided by the crystal. But since the energy is simply stored into it from the Balmera, it would be dangerous to waste all of it at once.
What we need to do is increase the efficiency. I imagine the energy coming from the crystal must be kind of similar to electricity. After all, the Altean's were able to use it with their technology.
So this means they must have been able to translate the energy into numbers.
Or in this case, as I believe, in letters. Altean letters to be precise.
Anyway. What I am saying is that I believe that a great amount of energy get's wasted due to the glowing we always see whenever the crystal is activated.
The magic get's turned into light, instead of usable energy. So basically we need to stop the crystal from glowing."

Hunk's mouth opened to say something, but he didn't know what to say. Pidge just blinked a few times. "That's – actually a good idea. But how?"
Lance smiled at that. "I think I know how."

---------------------------------

Lance went to bed early. Leaving his friends alone in the common room.
All of them were talking. The topic was obvious. Hunk and Pidge had managed to increase the stability of the castles defenses to the 15th of it's original strength. According to Lance they were only missing a few "ingredients" to increase it even more.
(To a 76th of it's original strength, as he stated.)
Allura couldn't stop talking about the way Lance had fought and Keith? Keith was still worried.
Coran was playing around with his mustache, while Shiro didn't say a thing.

"No, I am serious. What the hell happened to Lance? Is he a clone or what it going on? Did anyone notice anything?!", Pidge laughed, as she enjoyed the way Lance seemed to have progressed.
But as soon as she made that joke, Shiro seemed to perk up at that.
"Could that be?", he asked, finally showing the amount of time he had spend on trying to figure that out.
"Well, technically, I guess. That would not make sense, though. I mean, why would he help us stabilize our shield then?"
"Oh, I don't know? To create holes into it? To create an opening for the Galra?", Shiro answered in a serious tone of voice.
The group went silent. "Shiro, please don't joke about this. We are talking about Lance here. Wouldn't it be too suspicious, if they made him change like that?", Keith hesitated.
"And what if they knew you would say that? This is war Keith. We need to trust our instincts. And there is definitely something off about this Lance. I can feel it.", Shiro answered, eyes narrowed.

Keith didn't say that he didn't have that kind of feeling about Lance.
That he just simply knew that this must be Lance. That it didn't feel like there was something off about Lance.
Because to Keith it had always seemed like there was something off about him. This something that had corrupted his mind every time he tried to sleep.
It was gone.

It had always confused him. Made him suspicious of every action Lance took. But Lance seemed so much more – like himself?
Did this make sense?

But everyone else seemed to think that Shiro was right. "Oh my gosh. This is so weird. What do we do now?
Were is the real Lance than? Or did they brainwash him? How are we going to find out?
What are we going to do?", Hunk panicked.

Keith stayed back as they talked. Listened to their plans. He felt the tension, but could not bring himself to share their antics.
For some reason his mind repeated his one private conversation with Lance over and over again.
And surprisingly, he trusted Lance.

"I think there is a way to prove if he is our Lance.", Allura suddenly suggested.
"How?", Pidge immediately launched onto it. "When you first entered the castle, the ships system scanned each of you individually.
It checked onto your memories, feelings, DNA, etc. If you and Hunk can update the system, you might be able to spot a difference?"

In the end, they settled on that idea. Plus, it was set out to be a secret mission for only Pidge and Hunk.
The upcoming days did not bring any further changes.
Except for Lance's behavior, of course.

He had stopped flirting with Allura, spend his time checking up on the lions, the castle's systems or the training deck.
He joined each of them with their activities, like he had done before. But for the first time in ever, he beat them.
When he fought against Keith, he won. When he played chess with Pidge, she crumbled in defeat. The only thing he still lost at, were Hunk's cooking skills.
(Not surprising, really.)

The first thing Keith noticed when he fought with Lance was that the guy didn't seem confident in his skills.
Not that he didn't know how to use them or anything. Lance seemed as though he was afraid to show of his potential.
Whenever he won, he looked at Keith like he wanted to apologize.
Plus, he never once held it over their heads.

Which was something Keith already recalled in Lance's persona. Before, Lance would always boast about things he actually managed to do. But when others really earned something, he would also be the first to praise.
When others were hurt or afraid or had other psychical need, he would always take them serious.
He would always try to help.
The Lance Keith saw right now was no different from that.
And the more he came in contact with this smarter and more talented Lance, the more similarities he saw.

Lance was still joking about the most random of things. He would still join them for silly adventures.
The only thing that changed was his beauty routine. Lance did not care less about his appearance. But he was way more open, the way Keith saw it.
And after a while he got the feeling that Lance indeed, was only beginning to remove his make up.
Honestly, Keith did not want to wait to see more of that.

--------------------------------------

"Guys, this is stupid. I doubt we need this.", Keith announced the day, Pidge and Hunk had finally finished their little project.
"What do you mean?! Of course we need it! What if this Lance is an imposter?!"
"I highly doubt that. Also, Lance just build a system to make it impossible for Galra radar to track us, even if we are not invisible.
Are you telling me that he is some kind of shapeshifter with an evil masterplan? He's still – Lance."
Keith pouted at the end of his speech.

"Keith. I understand that you are upset. But this is important. We need to know if this Lance is the same guy we came to the castle with.", Shiro tried to reason with him.
"Nope. No. I- I don't even want to be here when you do your thing. I'm going to go and talk to him.
I would know if he lied."

Pidge and Hunk exchanged glances as Keith left the room.
Allura as well seemed a little confused. But she was ready to begin the process. "Alright. Pidge, Hunk, activate your device.
I will use my connection to the castle to read the information on all of us. I mean, it could also be some bug or something.
Who knows, if perhaps we are infected ourselves as well?"

"Alright, princess. Tell us, when you are ready."

-------------------------------------

"Lance? Can we talk?", as Keith walked up to Lance, he could see how his eyes started to glow just a tiny bit brighter.
How his smile seemed fonder. More honest. Keith did not know what to think of that. But he guessed he liked it.
"Sure! Let me show you something, too! I managed to update the com's on our lions. That way we can read our vital data and stuff.
Imagine someone gets hurt on a mission and pretends like it's nothing so the others can continue fighting. That way we can always be assured the others are fine.
I mean, obviously in such a situation you would be totally distraught by the fact that you can not lie yourself through a fight, but-
I mean. We are supposed to be alive too, right? Only one of us down and Voltron is done for.
I'll create a portable healing pod next. I'll integrate it into the lions. Those will be of good use one day.", Lance was already talking.
Keith smiled at that. How could this not be Lance?
"That's awesome, Lance. But, I had actually wanted to ask you something."

Lance perked up at that. Stopping his rant immediately. "A few days ago you said you were going through something. And that you would talk to me as soon as you are ready.
I- I don't want to push you, but I was wondering, if-"
"Yeah, you are right. I almost forgot about that one.", Lance's smile fell as he scratched his neck.
"I bet you guys must be totally confused why I changed so much, right?"
Keith nodded, unsure what else to say. It appears that Lance really had thought about it a lot all the time.
"Yeah. I mean, people don't become genius over night, right?", Keith tried to lift the mood.

"Well. About that. I got into the Garrison on a scholarship. I was involved in inventing the hydraulic system that made the kerberos mission possible.
But you know how children are. They don't like it when one kid their age is smarter than them.
Being bullied makes you do some weird things. Especially when your family falls apart because of you.
You start hiding parts of your personality, creating habits, only to make others laugh and – yeah.
That is basically it, I guess. Sounds cheap, I know."

Keith's mouth went dry at this confession. Lance seemed really uncomfortable right now.
"Why'd you stop then?", was all he could ask, as headcanons flooded his head.
He imagined a beaten up young Lance. Fighting parents, angry siblings. Random kids punching this poor being.
Not that Keith knew much about healthy families to begin with, but he could imagine how Lance must have felt.
Went through some things as well in his childhood.

"I don't know, it was more of a spontaneous choice, I guess. The thought of keeping up a lie for my whole life. If I am not me while I am here, who lived my life then?, I thought.
Also, we are fighting in a war. I cannot pretend to be stupid and helpless all the time, when the whole universe depends on us.
Perhaps I wanted to be honest to you guys too. But you noticed the change right from the get go and that frightened me. I was still testing the waters, so-
I think I am fine now."

Keith nodded again. Believing every single word Lance said.

That was until a shriek interrupted their little talk.

"No! That, that cannot be true? That does not make sense?", Pidge was ranting though the information she was reading on her little computer as Lance and Keith ran into her lab.
Allura was still empowering the small thing with her magic, eyes wide in confusion.
Hunk was stupidly staring at Shiro.
"What? Guys, whats wrong?", Lance asked, but Keith only sighed. "They suspected you were a clone or brainwashed or something. So they wanted to be certain about your 'changes'.", Keith waved it off.
"I bet they are just surprised to find out their was no clone here."

"Oh, you don't know how wrong you are about that one.", Pidge laughed. It was no happy laugh. It was more like a disbelieving cough at the very beginning of that sentence.
"What?", Keith uncrossed his arms, confused as hell. A shocked glance sliding towards Lance. But Lance raised his hands in defense.
"But these readings say it is not Lance.", she continued, causing Lance and Keith to turn towards her once again.
As she didn't say anything, Lance bend over curiously. Only for his eyes to widen in surprise, as he looked back at Keith. A serious expression was matched with a serious tone of voice, as he spoke.
"Those readings say the clone is Shiro?!"