Chapter Text
Lance clutched the sleeping child to his chest. He used his other hand to hold onto the metal railing as another blast rocked the ship. He whispered a prayer and was thankful that Lotor didn’t wake. The sleep-inducing medicine in the child’s system was still in effect. He did not want young Lotor waking in the middle of their escape afraid and panicked. If this plan worked out Lotor would awaken to a life better than the one they knew. And if it didn’t work...well, not waking was better than staying with Zarkon.
“Hold on we’re almost there. Just hold on,” Shiro said from the pilot's chair.
“No pressure. Just, um, try to make it in one piece okay?” Lance let out a nervous laugh. Zarkon’s champion had been their salvation. Lance knew the risk of setting the man free, he’d seen the brutality of his strength every time he fought in the arena but he’d hoped that in their shared hatred he’d find an ally.
So far his gamble had worked out. Lance only hoped that they lived long enough to be able to enjoy their new found freedom. He touched his hand to the side of his neck where is scent glands lay. For the first time since his second gender had shown up, he was free of his alpha’s mark. Lance remembered the way Shiro’s metal arm pierced through Zarkon’s center and the look of complete surprise on the Galra’s face. If he were a proper omega he would have felt sadness over his alpha’s death but wasn’t Zarkon the one who was always telling him what a terrible omega he was?
Lance was aware of all of his failings as an omega. Too tall, thin, and mouthy, but the inability to fill sorrow over the alpha who forced his mark on him was not something he would allow himself to feel bad about. In his arms, he cradled the only thing worth having that Zarkon had ever given him.
“Here we go!” Shiro called just as the ship began to shake violently. Lance’s whole body vibrated with the ship and lights flashed from the intercom. He squeezed his eyes shut and did not open them even after the shaking had stopped. He held tightly to his son as his heart pounded in his chest.
Shiro let out a sigh and walked over to Lance. His hand touched his shoulder. Lance flinched back, not because he was afraid but because his body had become so unaccustomed to comforting touches from another alpha.
“...It’s okay, Lance. Everything is going to be okay now.” Shiro release a wave of soothing pheromones that Lance only slightly resisted. “The hyperdrive got us out of there in time. They won’t be able to track us.”
Lance slowly peeled his eyes open. Shiro stood in front of him, a glorious sight that even Lance could admit to. He was taller than Lance and more muscular, the prefect alpha but not without his scars. Lance didn’t mind that but it was his eyes more than anything that drew him in. Shiro’s irises were dark gray storm clouds that were intensely focused during battle and yet every now and then he’d caught glimpse of softness.
That, more than anything had drawn Lance to him. The galra empire was known for stopping out anything soft and good especially amongst their alpha’s. Shiro being able to hold onto a piece of who he was even inside of the arena gave Lance.
“Look outside,” Shiro said with a soft smile.
Lance stood up. His legs still shook from the ordeal but he turned his head towards the ship window. There were stars all around them and in the distance glittered the pink and green galaxy he’d never seen before. Most importantly there was no sign of any other galra ships. Tears swelled inside of his blue eyes and he held Lotor closer. “We did it,” Lance breathed before turning back to Shiro, “you did it. You saved us.”
Shiro looked back at him. He raised a hand but hesitated probably remember the way Lance had flinched back before. Lance reached out and gently took his hand in his. “Thank you.”
“You saved me first.”
“Not much of a save if I couldn’t get us out of there,” said with another awkward laugh before shift Lotor in his other arm. At two years old Lotor was already taller than most kids his age but Lance thought he had the sweetest sleeping face any father had ever laid eyes on. His galra heritage was undeniable in the color of his purple skin but Lance liked to think his good looks came from him.
“We wouldn’t be here without you, Lance. Don’t forget that because I won't,” Shiro said.
Lance looked back up at Shiro. “So what now?”
Lance’s plan had consisted of one goal and that was to escape. He didn’t have much idea of what was supposed to happen after. Even with Zarkon dead his empire still had all the weapons and manpower to hunt them down. He’d fled with the prince of the empire in his arms. There were going to be people after him whether they wanted to bring Lotor back to the throne or to make sure the boy never grew into a threat.
Shiro looked away from him for the first time and walked back over to the control panel. He hit a few buttons before a map appeared. “Now we go home. My home. Princess Allura and the other members of Voltron will be able to keep you both safe.”
Lance had overheard mention of the princess and the other members of Voltron on more than one occasion. His late alpha had been more than a little obsessed. He always referred to them as foolish and naive idealist yet it amused Lance to no end how they always seemed to evade his capture. Lance was careful to keep his laughter to himself. Allowing a giggle to slip was the reason his pinky still did not bend all the way when he made a fist.
“Will they have us?” Lance asked. He wasn’t a galra but he hadn’t done much to fight against the empire until now. Even that had been motivated by selfish desires. There was no real reason for them to trust him now.
Shiro glanced back at him. “Of course they will. Voltron is here to help.”
Lance smiled but it was more for Shiro’s benefit than his own. He still held his doubts but at least it was something. If he could give his son a chance to be happy then that would be enough.
“How long will it take us to reach them?” Lance asked.
“Not long. I’ll send a message so hopefully, they will meet us halfway.”
Lance could see the desire to be returned to his people bright inside of Shiro’s eyes. He envied the older man for it. All that Lance had inside of this world was inside of this ship. There was life before the galra but part of being taken by them meant having his memory stolen. Even if he did have a home or a family they would not want him the way he was now. The only path for Lance was forward.
“You’re going to love them, Lance. You could search a thousand solar systems and never find anyone like them. Allura, Coran, Pidge, Hunk...Keith.” Shiro spoke the last name with so much affection that it was not hard for Lance to figure out which of those names his mark belonged to. Jealousy was a sharp knife to his heart but he had no right to feel it.
Lance shifted Lotor in his arms again and the movement refocused Shiro’s attention back onto him.
“But I guess I don’t need to talk too much about them since you’ll be meeting them yourself. You should lay Prince Lotor down in the back.”
“Just Lotor,” Lance corrected. He wanted his son to have freedom and even titles could be binding.
“Lotor,” Shiro amended. “It might even do you good to get a little sleep yourself.”
Lance nodded before heading to the ship cabin. There were larger ships they could have taken but Lance figured a smaller target would be harder to hit. It worked out but there was only one bed inside of the ship. They would need to work something out once Shiro got tired but for now, Lance laid down next to his son. Lotor curled up close to his chest and sucked on his thumb. Before Zarkon had yelled at him for not breaking the child of the embarrassing habit. Now Lance shifted closer and buried his nose in child’s fluffy white locks.
“We’re going to find a new home,” Lance promised. Whether it was with Shiro or someplace else Lance couldn’t be sure but for once his future seemed a little brighter.