Can I have 5 more minutes
A few days had passed since Voltron had returned home, everyone had met new people and made new friends. Including Lance, although he had new family members. Dalia. She was Veronica's daughter. A year after Lance had unwillingly left earth Veronica had fallen pregnant as a result of a not so nice boyfriend. Before Veronica had passed she taught Dalia about Lance and his personality. Veronica talked about her brother so much Dalia felt like she knew him before she had even met him. The first meeting between the two was… emotional. Lance was still grieving his sister and Dalia looks almost identical to Veronica. "Tio Lance?" Dalia asked when she first saw Lance. "Hmm?" Lance turned to see a small girl, no older than 4 looking at him. Lance looked at his older brother who stood next to Dalia. "Lance, meet Dalia. Your… god-child…" Lance's brother spoke gently, Lance faltered. "Me? A god-father? Why?" Lance was baffled, "It was what Veronica wished for in her will. She wrote, 'I hand over guardianship to Lance McClain upon his return. He shall protect her." Lance's brother spoke a little too robotically. His brother's words sent him back to the white abyss, he had seen Veronica. She had told him to protect someone, she was talking about Dalia. Lance knelt down to look at Dalia, tears stinging his eyes. "Hey, how are you?" Lance asked gently, Dalia came rushing towards him and embraced him tightly. "Tio Lance!" The girl cried, "You look like my mama." Dalia spoke. Lance laughed, tears straining his eyes "That's because I'm your Mama's twin." Dalia looked up at Lance and giggled. "You're taller!" Dalia smiled, it was so similar to Veronica's smile it made Lance's heart hurt. "Can I call you Papi?" Dalia asked without a second thought, "I see my sister was teaching you Spanish… Of course you can call me that. I'm going to take care of you from now on." Lance smiled and ruffled Dalia's hair.
"Hey Lance, we need to- oh." Keith walked up to Lance while looking at a stack of paper, "Hey Keith, what's up?" Lance stood and moved closer to Keith, their arms touching. "Who, uh, who's this?" Keith asked cautiously, "He's my protector!" Dalia called out happily, Keith tilted his head in confusion. "She's my sister's daughter but because of… well you know. I'm a god-father now. Keith meet Dalia. Dalia meet the Black paladin of Voltron, Keith." Lance gently pulled Dalia forward. "I like your hair." Dalia smiled as she pointed at Keith's hair, his slightly longer than shoulder length hair sat messily yet somehow gracefully. Keith giggled and knelt down. "And I like your hair, it's very pretty." Keith smiled and pointed to the braid that sat on Dalia's shoulder. "Thank you! Ooo, wait here." Dalia said happily as she walked away, "Dalia! Don't just walk away, that's dangerous!" Lance called out as he quickly scuffled to Dalia. "Look!" Dalia smiled and pointed to a bright blooming flower, Dalia picked the flower and looked to Lance hoping to get picked up. "You want me to carry you?" Lance asked, he was surprised. This was his first time meeting his god-child and she already trusted him so much. Dalia nodded. Lance walked back to Keith with Dalia held in his arms resting against his hip. "There, now you're even more pretty!" Dalia giggled, Keith smiled. Dalia had tucked the flower she picked behind Keith's ear, Lance snickered. "Excuse me." Keith raised an eyebrow, "I got the flower not you, guess I’m the pretty one." Keith teased. "Anyway… what were your trying to say before?" Lance changed the subject, "oh right, the blades are planning to send me on a mission soon. I just wanted to go through the plan with you." Keith said as he looked at Lance holding his now legal child. She just looked so familiar and not because she kind of looked like Lance, like he had seen her somewhere before. "Why me? I'm not a member of the blades?" Lance glanced at the documents in Keith's hands.
"I know that, but Pidge is busy and you are the next best strategist." Keith said pointedly. "I'm flattered." Lance placed his free hand on his chest and smiled, Dalia copied. It made both Keith and Lance laugh a little. "You gonna help or not?" Keith started to walk backwards slowly and teasingly, Lance laughed. "I'm comin' geez." Lance quickly caught up with Keith. "Is Dalia allowed to come with?" Lance asked, Keith shrugged. "I guess, we could probably find some colouring in for her to do I guess." Keith wasn't sure how to deal with kids. Although that's not very surprising. "Does that sound good to you? Drawing?" Lance turned to Dalia who was still resting against Lance's hip. Dalia nodded quickly with a smile. The trio found an empty office like room, Keith sat in the spinny chair that was at the front. Lance sat Dalia in a chair that didn't spin, just as a precaution. Keith started speaking while Lance was still fussing about trying to accommodate Dalia. It didn't bother Keith, they often had to talk in the middle of a commotion so Lance walking around wasn't a big deal. Keith and Lance talked about the mission for about an hour and a half before Dalia stopped drawing and wanted a hug from Lance. Lance lifted Dalia up and she cuddled against his torso, eventually falling asleep. Lance gently caressed Dalia's head as she slept, "you have a natural talent with kids." Keith said off-handedly. "Not really." Lance giggled, “but I was one of the oldest kids so when my parents were out. Which was quite often, I would take care of them. Veronica and myself were practically my younger siblings' parents." Lance laughed, but it was a pained laugh. He had never really wanted kids, but as he got older he became more responsible for his siblings. His parents were at fault, they became more absent as Lance got older. Despite not really wanting kids, Lance found a love for taking care of his siblings. He could feel that love starting to bloom with Dalia, despite not knowing her that long.
A few weeks later, just before Keith was supposed to leave for his blades mission, Lance lay in his bed exhausted. Feeling like something was wrong he slowly got dressed and went outside where he heard frantic and panicked yelling, “Hunk buddy what's going on?” Lance turned to survey the surrounding area of the garrison and before Hunk could intervene Lance was sprinting. “Get off her! Off! I said get off!” Lance was furious. Lance was close to his target but crashed into two security guards who struggled to restrain him. “Let her go! Please~” Lance struggled against the grip of the guards holding him to his knees. “Papi! Please don’t let them take me! I don’t want to leave!” Dalia called out between sobs, Lance's mouth opened and closed but no words formed he seemed defeated so quickly. “No. Lance Fight. Fight for her. Fight for Veronica. Fight for what you love!” Lance didn’t have to turn to know who was calling out to him, but he did. Keith stood restrained by Shiro with tears drying against his face. “Dalia. I'm not letting you leave with them.” Lance laughed quietly, and Keith soon joined. Keith took advantage of Shiro’s concern and broke free of his hold, “Go to her, she needs you.” Keith said as he punched a guard that held Lance back, and with a forceful kick to the shin the second guard let go. Dalia yelled a high-pitched scream that made the several guards holding her flinch.
Dalia saw Lance only a hundred metres away and knew he wouldn’t let them take her no matter what. With another scream Dalia bit the closest guard's arm and almost pierced the skin. Yelping in pain the guard let go of Dalia, having watched Keith attack the guards she copied the action of kicking a guard in the shins, with only one guard left and Lance only a few metres away Dalia punched the last guard in his privates. Finally, free Lance slid on his knees and embraced his godchild tightly. Tears flowing freely, “Lance let go, she’s going.” Lance pulled out of the embrace and slowly stood to face a random garrison officer. “You can fuck right off!” Lance didn't yell but his voice was filled with venom and pure hatred, “You have been deemed unfit to work and take care of a kid in your line of duty.” The officer reached for Dalia but stopped when he felt a blade next to his chest. “Feisty, and where did this come from?” the officer glanced between Lance and the blade, “That’s for me to know, and a sign for you to fuck right off.” Lance smirked, thankful he had taken the advice from Keith to always keep a knife with him. “Papi? I’m scared.” Dalia held Lance close, Lance sliced the officers uniform as a warning before he bent down and cradled Dalia’s face in his hands. “Officer, I’m delighted to inform you that you are no longer welcome in the Garrison.” Commander Iverson handcuffed the officer before he could turn around.
“Lance, Dalia! Are you ok?” Keith ran beside the pair and quickly looked for any surface wounds. “Fuck.” Keith whispered under his breath, thankful no wounds were visible, “Thank you, Keith.” Lance’s voice was barely a whisper. “Thank you so much. I owe you my life.” Lance hugged Keith desperately, he needed Keith to know how thankful he truly was. Lance hadn't seen Keith try to help Dalia but he could tell by the tears on his face and his heavy breathing. “We may not be blood-related but you and all the paladins are family. Family protects each other.” Keith whispered, Lance began to cry once more, Lance fell to his knees, and Keith and Dalia were quick to follow. “Family…” Lance thought as he was embraced. “Papi?” Dalia whispered, “Yes, sweetheart what’s up?” Lance looked at Dalia with a tear-stained face but a happy smile. “Can we have take-out tonight?” Dalia asked innocently, Keith huffed out a laugh. “She’s definitely a McClain.” Keith stood up and ruffled Dalia’s already messy hair, “Yeah, she definitely is. But yeah, I think we deserve a bit of take-out.” Dalia smiled and hugged Lance. Keith smiled at the small family before him. “Can papa Keith join?” Dalia now clung to Keith’s leg and looked at him with a similar smile she reserved for Lance.
Lance looked at Keith with a genuine smile and nodded, “Keith is family, and family is always welcome.” A faint blush appeared on Lance’s cheeks, “Come on let's get home.” Dalia skipped ahead of Lance but never too far away. Lanced scoffed, “How did you shimmy yourself into the role of ‘papa Keith’?” Lance leaned slightly against Keith as they walked, “If I’m being honest, I have no fucking clue.” Keith kept watching Dalia as he spoke. “Actually, Yeah that might be my fault. I watch the videos of our battles and try to find patterns or weak points that we can manipulate, so yeah she’s seen you quite a bit but through a screen. "So she likes me because I'm always saving your dumbass?" Keith laughed, "Considering she's related to me it's highly likely, even I can't deny that you look pretty attractive while fighting. Or maybe it's because of your half-gala?" Lance shrugged with a chuckle. "By the sounds of things you just have a thing for aliens. Frikin weirdo." Keith playfully punched Lance's arm and ran ahead, "I do not!" Lance shouted and began chasing Keith. Lance had always been a faster runner than Keith because of his long legs and quickly caught up catching him in an embrace. Dalia saw Lance and Keith chase each other and wanted to join. "Papa Keith! Catch me if you can!" Dalia yelled with excitement, with a smile Keith started to slowly chase Dalia. He made sure she wasn't caught as soon as he started chasing her, Dalia ran and hid behind Hunk, “Come get me now Papa Keith.” Dalia laughed and stuck her tongue out. Keith Laughed and sidestepped around Hunk but Dalia did the same, managing to narrowly escape Keith’s embrace. “Oh no, you don’t Keith. I the yellow paladin shall protect the queen Dalia of earth.” Hunk had caught onto their game and acted as if he was pledging allegiance.
Dalia laughed loudly, Hunk picked up Dalia and held her up as if she was in a rocket ship. “Let me- let me down!” Dalia stuttered between her laughing. “It makes you proud doesn’t it?” Lance turned to the familiar voice, and with a small laugh, “It does. I remember when I told him to ‘shut his quiznak’. I told him to shut his fuck, I mean what was I thinking.” Lance laughed before turning back to watch Keith and Hunk playing with his godchild. “You were interesting, to say the least when we all started. You have no idea how much you have changed yourself.” Shiro placed a soft hand on Lance’s shoulder, “How have I changed? Other than me now having a kid.” Lance didn’t look at Shiro and continued to watch Dalia, Hunk and Keith, “Well for starters, you do have a kid now. However, that's not the biggest change that I see. You always try to help those in need, and you’ve learnt so much in so many aspects. You could barely hold a sword a few months back and now it’s practically your first choice.” Lance laughed, “Yeah Keith was pretty bossy during training. He did, however, improve my skills dramatically.” Shiro laughed, “That’s what I mean. You would have never listened to Keith in the beginning. Now, look at you both. Your kid calls him papa. I’ve seen Keith grow up and not once have I seen him this happy around a child.” Shiro turned to Lance with a smile. “Papi! Uncle Hunk killed papa Keith!” Dalia dramatically pulled Lance away from Shiro to where they had previously been playing. Lance pretended to cry and fell to his knees, slapping a fist onto Keith’s chest. “No~ Not papa Keith! I must save him! I, the paladin of the red lion call upon the healing abilities that I somehow now have.” Lance raised his hands and started speaking Spanish gibberish that meant nothing, Lance then placed his hand on Keith’s chest and started poking him. “Ah- Hey no poking!” Keith started laughing when Lance tickled him, “Tickle pile!” Dalia flopped herself heavily onto Keith's stomach. Lance laughed and watched Keith laugh until he winced from a previous injury.
“Dalia, come on be careful. He’s still recovering.” Lance gently lifted Dalia off Keith and allowed him to stand, “Papa Keith? Am I allowed to call you that? I never asked and I know you two aren’t together but I still want you to be my papa.” Keith smiled and ruffled Dalia’s hair, “Of course it’s ok, plus who else is going to keep him in line?” Keith punched Lance gently in the arm, “Hey! I’m not that bad, you are worse. I mean do you even remember when you became the black paladin the first time, you listened to no one.” Lance laughed, “You can’t blame me! My brother fuuuuuuding died.” Lance laughed at Keith’s attempt to not swear in front of Dalia. “But you don’t have a brother. Do you?” Dalia asked, “No not biologically, but I was orphaned around your age. Shiro over there took me in and well, I didn’t see him as a father figure but more of a brother. Therefore I call him my brother.” Dalia was still confused. “But Shiro is there, how is he dead?” Dalia looked at Lance, “To put it simply, clones and magic are real and you do not want to come in contact with them.” Lance’s tone was firm and warning, “But Shiro is nice, you can trust him.” Lance laughed, Dalia smiled, “I would hope you could trust me.” Shiro appeared behind Lance with a laugh, “Clone? Is that why you have a robot arm?” Shiro was taken aback by the abruptness of the question. “Uh- Well technically yes but also- You know what I’ll explain when you're older.” Shiro sighed, Dalia held Lance's hand and smiled, agreeing with the deal.