Lotor walked into his quarters and let out a sigh tiredly sitting at his desk and began to look at different plans to defend his empire but also other plans that where safer not to be discussed with anyone other than those he deeply trusted.

He glanced back remembering the blue paladin and saw him sleeping on the bed, curled in a ball, as he noticed the altean was wearing a robes that he must've found. He could tell he took a shower or bathed himself due to how he looked cleaner and more relaxed but also there where red marks on his face near the altean markings. He knew. He must've tried scratching them off.

Lotor sighed tiredly as he hasn't slept in days again but tried looking at his work but his eyes drifted from the boring papering and they begged him to sleep as much as his mind did. He rested his head down on the desk that was basically all he slept on and shut his eyes to rest.

---

Lance heard a sound and bolted quickly in fear of being taken but his eyes where immediately on Lotor and saw him snoring softly with his head down on his folded arms while his shoulders moved with his back as he breathed.

He hugged his chest tightly sitting on the bed and took a deep breath getting up, as he walked towards Lotor he sucked in his bottom lip hoping for answers.

Lances hand barely touched him but in a flash Lance let out a fearful scream when he was pinned to the desk and Lotor had his sword on his throat with blinding defensive rage in his eyes and his hair was in his face a little. He blinked more awake and saw Lance shaking in fear under his grip staring at Lotor.

"Blue? I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you," Lotor let go putting the sword down and took a deep breath rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes.

"I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean too..." Lance got off the desk as he pulled his robe back to normal and sat back on the bed.

"Why did you attack me?" Lance breathed holding his trembling hands.

"I didn't know it was you, my apologies for that," he pulled his hair back and smoothed it out.

"Who did you think it was? There's literally no one here," Lance glared now irritated at him.

"No one," Lotor rolled his eyes.

"Liar," the altean scoffed.

"Quiznax I didn't realize I slept for so long," Lotor looked at the time as he stretched his shoulders out to the sides.

"How long?" Lance tilted his head to the side.

"Long enough that I lashed out," he looked back at Lance.

"Was... Was that PTSD?" Lance fiddled with his fingers awkwardly.

Lotor stayed silent as he grabbed his sword and put it back in its holster on his hip. Ignoring the question.

"Shiro has it too, our leader, from the galra when he was a prisoner, I know that look in your eyes when you attacked me, he had something similar," he rubbed his arms with a small shiver that caught Lotors attention.

"Are you cold?" The prince asked quickly which Lance was caught off by.

"No just little goose bumps," Lance frowned confused.

"Can I ask you some questions then? About me not your issues," Lance sighed slightly annoyed.

"Alright,"

"How the fuck am I altean?" He asked harshly.

"I believe your adopted," Lotor shrugged leaning against his desk.

"No I was born by my mother on earth and have siblings from earth," Lance glared.

"No, your mother is Zelra and your father is Diarz, zarkon executed them long ago... Apparently your mother sent you away so you wouldn't be apart of this war," Lotor explained sharply and lances eyes widen.

"Why where they executed?" Lance whispered.

"Diarz is the prince of altea, Alfors younger brother, Zelra was a Druid and as powerful as Hagar, she posed as a threat to zarkon," Lotor nodded as Lance took in the truth.

"Then why are my eyes gold? Allura's isn't," he gulped.

"It's not the royal families blood, that is because of your mother, I just believe it's genetics," Lotor looked at him and Lance looked back with sad eyes.

"How come it's taken so long then?" Lance whispered.

"The quintessences, they bond with your DNA well but the witch proceeded with her experiments on you, that is why your lion defended you with your element in hope to safe you from the pain possibly," Lotor stood up as he walked to Lance who processed the information with wide eyes.

"Blue wanted to kill me?" He breathed.

"You began transforming to your altean form with hagars ways of how she tried stopping the lion but wanted to process her interrogation on you, when we thought it was to late to save you we brought you to a pool of quintessences," Lotor stood near him but kept his distance.

"I died?" Lances head snapped up at him.

"That is unclear, it took a moment but you reacted to the quintessents and I guess that's what confirmed your transformation fully," he looked down at him as Lance touched his markings.

"Take them back, turn me back to normal," Lance snapped at him.

"It could kill you, quintessents is what's keeping you alive blue," Lotor narrowed his eyes.

"Let me die then!" Lance screamed but covered his mouth.

"Why do you find yourself to unvalued? You give yourself up to the galra, you have so much self doubt," Lotor sat next to him concerned.

"Are you blind?" He whispered looking at Lance.

"Your an asshole," Lance looked at him with tears in his eyes.

"I don't understand, even Hagar sees your potential, she's threatened by it," Lotor kept his eyes on him.

"Just because Zelra was powerful doesn't mean I am, I'm still a seventh wheel to my team," Lance wiped away tears with his palms.

"Your team isn't here," Lotor said flatly. "You have no one to hold you back here, not anymore, is it so hard to see your incredible?"

"Fuck off," Lance turned away. "Stop manipulating me,"

"I'm stating facts, my opinion doesn't matter though, I know that," Lotor said slowly.

"Then why bother? It's useless, your people are terrible monsters, after everything why do you still bother trying to corrupt me," Lance snapped.

"Why me out of all of my team?! Why am I so special? No one has come for me and no one will! You wasted your damn evil plan on me! No one wants me! I don't even want me! Look at me! I'm not even myself anymore! I hate this, I hate how I look! Why would anyone want me?!" He yelled raising his voice with tears in his eyes as he leaned to Lotor with rage in his voice.

"Maybe that's something we have in common,"

Lances eyes widen and sat back down and put his hands in his lap looking down as Lotor kept his face calm but true hurt was in his eyes looking ahead.

"I'm sorry for yelling..."

"I'm use to it,"

Lance looked back at him with guilt suffocating his chest.

"So your not lying about it, aren't you?" Lance whispered and Lotor smiled gently at him.

"Isn't there an earth saying? Takes one to know one?" Lotor offered and Lance looked at him with surprise but a smile crawled onto his face with a small laugh.