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Fanfic / Ghost of You (MildCookie44)

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Ghost of You is a Voltron: Legendary Defender time travel fix-it fic by MildCookie44. After seven years the events of Voltron Season 8 Lance falls asleep one day and wakes up back in the Garrison. From there Lance decides to make some changes to improve their lives.

It can be read on AO3.

Tropes include:

  • Actually Pretty Funny: Lance's comments to Keith when he returns from the Trials of Mamora to reassure him are this for Keith. In fact Lance has a tendency of doing this to Keith.
    Lance: Do we need to reenact that Twilight scene where Bella finds out Edward’s a vampire, or…?
    [Keith gives a startled laugh]
    Keith: How do you always know what to say?
    • When Pidge mentions that Shiro might try and throw Slav out the airlock when he wakes up. Lance can't help but smile.
    Pidge: "Yeah, he might try and shoot him out of the airlock again,”
  • Affectionate Nickname: Shiro often calls Lance "kiddo." It comes up especially in tough situations and when Shiro is trying to comfort him.
  • Alone Among the Couples: Keith in the original timeline bemoans the fact at how quick and seemingly easy Shay and Hunk had it compared to himself who is understandably frustrated that his own progress with his own relationships has been slow and gradual.
  • Altar the Speed: Shiro does this much to Lance's surprise who hasn't said or done anything to suggest anything about Adam's fate to him. It establishes firmly how while the other Paladins don't remember they have strong feelings and instincts about the upcoming Kerberos Mission, with Shiro hurrying the wedding.
  • Ambiguous Situation: Lance in telling the others about the original timeline is this. There are times when Lance wants to tell his friends about it but almost physically can't or doesn't due to Lance perceiving the universe is hinting to Lance not to do so. For instance when Coran who figured out Lance was a time traveller and suspected something was going to happen to one of their team members Coran tries to encourage Lance to tell him who it was. Lance hesitated and was nearly about to tell until Shiro walked in. Which Lance understandably doesn't want to discuss his possible death in front of him. But it's unknown whether how much is really the universe or Lance's hesitation.
  • Amnesiac Resonance: Apart from Lance and later Coran none of the Paladins remember the original timeline. However they do have instincts and reactions to certain events in the timeline and they do seem to get deja vu at times. Pidge when meeting the Olkari was in a trance, both Hunk and Keith had bad feelings about the Kerberos mission. Keith knew Lance's gestures on the Balmera when originally he had no clue and many other instances.
  • Amusing Injuries: Lance in the new timeline has sustained a lot more injuries compared the the original timeline. To list only a few. Lance hit his head in the simulator, tripped several times on the way to rescue Shiro, nearly fell off Keith's speeder several times, still getting electrocuted by Pidge's bayard despite trying not to and sustaining worse injuries in the explosion needing an entire week to recuperate. That is just to list a few. These get less amusing when you consider, as Clotho puts it, is punishment from the universe for Lance changing things. Such as befriending Keith a lot earlier for instance. Lance isn't the only one victim to this. Kolivan notes that both Antok and Ulaz who died in the original timeline and who are currently still alive, have gotten more injuries when out on missions with the Blades.
  • Anger Born of Worry: Hunk towards Lance. Hunk snapped at Lance after he tried to console Hunk after Shay got injured despite being injured the most. As one of his oldest friends, it frustrates Hunk seeing Lance getting hurt so often in the new timeline and act like its nothing. Veronica is also this to Lance and has the tendency to be quite blunt with her words despite their harshness.
  • Anything but That!: Played for Drama and really Justified considering the situation. When Lance is considering about who remembers or even knows about the original timeline he can deal with his friends knowing but not Haggar or Zarkon. What's worse Lance knows that someone in the Galran ranks is aware on some level with the change to the timeline, considering that Operation Kuron seems to be replaced with Operation Tenyo but he is hoping they don't know the full story.
  • Appearance Angst:
    • Lance suffered this due to the Altean marks left on his face which had unintended consequences as a sour reminder of his relationship with Allura. Most telling when he wakes up in the new timeline without them. His main reaction is sheer relief and his reaction when he first is reunited with Shiro in his dreams is disappointment that he has them.
    • Lance has one relating to his age in Chapter 32, his hair and the new burgandy shirt he got. He doesn't feel like himself and doesn't feel like he looks seventeen or even twenty five his original age, and wonders if he is rapid aging as consequences for time travelling. However it is implied part of this is his interaction with Allura the previous evening and the years Lance spent not even looking at himself in the mirror, hating himself.
  • Arc Words: "I had a feeling." It comes a lot in the equivalent of the third season. It comes into play regarding future events but even past experiences like Lance refusing to confess to Keith because he has a feeling it wouldn't work out.
  • Awesome by Analysis: Veronica, fittingly who is an analyst for a living is the main person to verbalise and express Lance's true emotional state realising it was not just Allura's death and their relationship that reduced Lance to what he was at the start of the fic. Rather other factors contributed to it,
    • Lance was understandably also anxious about visiting his family before setting out in Blue on fears that the women in his family would tell something was wrong with him and possibly figure out he was a time traveller.
    • Pidge and Hunk. Hunk has already figured something is up with Lance but has come to the wrong conclusion with Lance being a "bodysnatcher". Not to mention Pidge, who has already got several hints that things have already occurred at the Mall, Lance's friendship with Kolvian and Slav. Along with the fact that Lance has a crush on Keith and trying to get over it.
  • Back to the Early Installment: The premise of the fic. Lance goes back several years before the events of canon. As do many aliens, Kolivan and members of the Blade of Mamora Word of God has confirmed as well that several humans remember the events of canon as well but it is currently unknown who does.
  • Beneath the Mask: The original mask is tossed aside because Lance can't be bothered even putting it on any more. After Allura's death, Lance's depression and problems he was potentially supressing for years unloaded and remained for literal years. Addiitonally in the orignal timeline is Lance's flirty persona which he delibrately put on as a means of protecting himself. In the new one, it's most Lance trying to still hide these issues and how much he knows about the timeline to varying degrees of sucess. However compared to his original mask and how Hunk has already pegged him a bodysnatcher. Several people caught on that Lance is a bit emotionally distressed.
  • Big Brother Mentor: When on his road trip with Marco, Marco talks about his own loss and relationship with Carlos. Their relationship sounds remarkably like Keith and Lance's however Carlos died in an accident and it left Marco reeling for years. He is more understanding of Lance's plight than Veronica who is a bit more blunt about the situation. Plus It's downright implied Marco knows that Lance is in love with Keith and advises Lance to get his head out of his ass once he stops denying it.
  • Big Sister Instinct: Veronica to Lance is the most prominent example as she in the original timeline was the most vocal and active in trying to help Lance move past his grief. In fact she calls out after discovering the reason why Allura really dated him and is furious on his behalf that he was a rebound and that he is even stuck grieving Allura for it. She even calls out she knows his current state was more than just her death and suspects other factors involved in Lance's state. From there Marco intervenes to take Lance on a road trip.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Keith saves Lance just before Sendak was about to kill him.
  • Big "WHAT?!": The Blue Lion's discovery is essentially this when Lance revealed he died in the original timeline at the Omega Shield and was revived by Allura. No one else even knew Lance died that day but himself, Red and Allura.
  • Birds of a Feather: Lance connects a lot more with Shiro and while Lance has not made his issues explicit. It is implied Shiro has been able to pick some out due to Lance giving out advice when he can't sleep and other insights.
    • Lance is also this with Clotho who saw themself in Lance and his grief and reverting time to help him.
  • Blessed with Suck: Lance with his Altean Marks given to him by Allura. Which Lance hated and is not sad to see them go when he discovers he has time travelled.
  • Bonding over Missing Parents: Both Allura and Lance do this in the new timeline with their fathers who are already deceased. Both of them note their differences but also the things they loved about them. It's also when Allura mentions the original paladins and Lance subtly suggest the possibility surrounding Zarkon never losing his bayard and maintaining his connection with the Black Lion.
  • Boom, Headshot!: Sendak's fate. But Lance is a sharpshooter this troop comes into play quite a bit.
  • Break the Cutie: Lance mainly but it is also implied the other paladins have their own unresolved issues from canon as well.
  • Broken Bird: Lance. Lance. Lance. Season 8 did not do him any favours in its conclusion. In the fic alone, Lance is heavily implied to be chronically depressed, insecure, having severe commitment issues, suffering from burnout and PTSD from the events of Voltron and has spend years to no avail trying to recover.
  • Broken Pedestal: Allura to Lance. Especially in the context of their relationship. Lance at some point realised he was a rebound to Lotor in the original timeline, coupled with major insecurities and doubts about himself and the way it originally ended, destroyed any possibility of their "romantic" relationship ever re-emerging. Even more so when it is considered the main reason Lance doesn't want to put someone else through the same pain and grief he went through of being the rebound.
  • Brutal Honesty: Veronica does to Lance and accuratly explains and nails the truth of Lance's mental state and how his mental state is not soley just because of Allura's death but also because of deeper insecurities over being the rebound in their relationship and other long lasting mental illnesses such as his chronic depression, unresolved trauma, stress and anxiety.
    Veronica: “I wanted to know why you loved her so much. What about her made you become the person you are today? And from all the stuff Hunk told me, I just don’t see it. I met her, Lance. She was a beautiful person with a beautiful heart who died for the greater good of the universe, but I just don’t see it. From everything Hunk said, I just don’t see how her death reduced you down to this. Because you wanna know what I think? I think she saw you as a rebound. Her second choice. How could you mourn the death of a woman who saw you that way, Lance? There are people out there who see you as more than that, and instead, you’re mourning someone who saw you in the worst way.”
  • Butterfly of Doom: Lance even has a dream that pushes his worries about this trope with the Butterfly in question. Lance is constantly aware of this and when he does try to make changes to the timeline does minor ones to his team's advantage. It was why he has an internal battle over killing Sendak. It doesn't help that the universe punishes Lance with amassing injuries for these changes either and when discussing with Kolivan. Lance urges caution when making changes that could potentially make the situation worse and of the consequences, the universe may dole out on them. Both Lance and Kolivan are willing to risk it to save people and the wider universe but both acknowledge this dilemma.
  • Bullied into Depression: Downplayed and not intentional . But part of Lance's issues on some level were due to people brushing off or ignoring the issues he had. Lance was originally quite insecure in his abilties and while some of the teasing was not malicious in nature for Lance it already dammaged his sense of self and assuming he was who he presented himself as. Part of this deals with Lance with not telling others for instance when he died at the Omega Shield but other parts of it deal with being a rebound, being told he wasn't wanted after being humilated on a gameshow, being teased for his crush, assumed to be flirting away and other assumptions. In the original timeline Lance even calls Pidge and Hunk out for finding his misery funny on his birthday after a botched prank. However considering Lance is no longer bothering with the mask, people are more aware that Lance is not okay including his closest friends and have done more of an effort to help him.
  • Butt-Monkey: If there was a chew toy in the universe it would almost certainly be Lance. It's deconstructed to show the impact of Lance being the butt of the joke, compounded with a lot of his issues and as well showing the serious nature of the constant extent of Lance's many injuries.
  • Call-Back: Played for Drama. When Lance jokingly tells Hunk he's glad his misery is such a laughing matter. Hunk gets a thousand yard stare at the familiarity with the sentence but unable to place it. The first time Lance said it was in the original timeline after a minor Prank Gone Too Far at his birthday and getting gooed by Pidge and for throwing a birthday party he didn't want.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: In several different ways. For Keith it is a Justified trope in the original timeline concerning Lance's mental well-being and prior issues with relationships Lance discussed with Keith he didn't feel ready at the time to pursue and another one paired with Lance's Selective Obliviousness to Keith's attempts of dating with him in the first place. In the new timeline it's less so and more to do with bad timing and Lance's Selective Obliviousness yet again, despite how obvious Keith is, even Lance himself, but who chooses ignores it and even when Lance does accept his crush. He refuses to tell, expecting rejection and knowing the timing is poor.
    • On a nonromantic example. Lance also has a hard time admitting about the original timeline to non-time travellers. Even with Coran Lance finds a hard time admitting to due to the headaches he gets whenever it is brought up. Lance usually keeps events about the timeline vague, in part because Lance has instinctual feelings that the team is not ready to cope with the information and the universe is conspiring against him telling others. Case in point with the situation with Shiro, just before Lance was about to admit the situation. Shiro walked in. Still it is not clear if it is Lance's doubts or the universe genuinely taking action. Though considering what Clotho has told Lance and the general life threating experiences Lance undergos when he does tell someone, it is probably the later.
  • Cerebus Retcon: The fic provides despite from Lance's perspective and his treatment during the show is reviewed and how it took a major impact on Lance's psyche and wellbeing.
  • Claimed by the Supernatural: Lance's Altean marks courtesy of Allura before she died. However for Lance they are a sour reminder of his relationship with Allura and the way it ended. He is unable to look in mirrors at times and almost wants to rip them off. When he wakes up in the new timeline without them. He is relieved.
  • Commitment Issues: Justified completely with Lance and why he is Oblivious to Love. Lance's relationship with Allura was left unaddressed and with no closure, with who Lance was essentially a rebound from Lotor and was formed on shaky foundations to begin with and then left on an incredibly bittersweet note. It clearly damaged whatever perception Lance had of himself even further but also makes Lance scared of inflicting it on someone else. Which he discusses with Keith in the original timeline about who understands.
  • Consolation Backfire: When Lance tries to console Hunk after Shay gets injured on the Balmera. Hunk snaps that Lance is the last person who should say such a thing, considering the sheer frequency of injuries Lance has endured in the current timeline, with Hunk helpless to do anything about it. They do eventually reconcile.
  • Cold-Blooded Torture: Lance and Shiro are subject to this by Sendak when he takes over the castle and both him and Haxus take great pleasure in seeing them suffer It is also done to a child no less in Alpha Zarys.
  • Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: All the Paladins are colour coded to represent their Lion and it even applies after the Lion Swap. The Lion Swap in the original series didn't change the colours of the other's suits. Here it was explained when Lance originally asked Keith about it he refused to take Shiro's suit and killed that. However, considering the circumstances have changed Keith has accepted to switch colours.
  • Cool Big Sis: Veronica despite only currently showing in flashbacks and her attempts to support Lance and her role as an analyst at the Garrison
  • Cradle of Loneliness: Lance does this with his dead dad's jacket that he found at the space mall.
  • Crush Blush: Keith does this quite a bit around Lance and later when Lance acknowledges his crush on Keith, he also starts doing this.
  • Cursed with Awesome: Lance and everyone else who remembers the original timeline. The reason it can be considered a curse is because the universe punishes changes to the timeline by inflicting injuries of varying degrees on people. With Clotho themself who is responsible for the new timeline, the first time they did so their loved one forgot about them but gained the ability to manipulate time and help others. Lance's many injuries are a result of this but things do seem to improve as a result such as friendships and some situations. Antok's and Ulaz also sustain injuries in exchange for surviving their canon fates.
    • When Lance is near death he reunites with the Paladins from his original timeline. On his first occasion he met Shiro. On his second he met Hunk.
    • Lance eventually figures out how to make Coran remember, who already was aware of the original timeline, remember fully.
  • Dead Sparks: Heavily implied to be the case with Lance and Allura if they ever existed at all. Especially in the new timeline where most of Lance's interactions with Allura has mostly ranged from incredibly bittersweet and purely platonic.
  • Death Glare: For the one dignatary guy who said “On our planet, if they aren’t walking around and earning their keep, they’re as good as dead," once Shiro was in a coma got this courtesy from everyone in the room.
  • Demonic Possession: Played for Laughs to an extent early in the fic Hunk accuses Lance of being a Bodysnatcher or being possessed due to his strange decisions and actions and while Lance is able to dissuade Hunk. Hunk has caught onto the fact that Lance's behaviour is not like his usual self.
  • Didn't See That Coming: Lance didn't predict that Shiro would prematurely get married to Adam. Considering the prior timeline they were only engaged and broke off before Shiro went to Kerberos. What's more Lance gave no hint or indication of this to Shiro or Adam. Additionally, the fact that Shiro from the original timeline interacting with Lance in a dream is this to Clotho and the implication Lance got from Shiro was that if Lance were to have another near-death experience he could possibly interact and reunite with the rest of his friends from his original timeline.
  • Did You Think I Can't Feel?: Lance is a major subject of this and the fic explores it. In the original timeline the Prank Gone Too Far at his party in which Lance suspected was to get a rise or make him angry. But Lance is also on the receiving end of this from Hunk who is frustrated with seeing Lance getting hurt all the time and seemingly cope with ease.
    Lance: “I’m glad you find me being miserable to be such a laughing matter.”
  • Disappeared Dad: Applies to most of the Paladins honestly. Lance's father in this fic died when he was nine. Keith's also died when he was young. Allura's father Alfor died in the war and Pidge's dad Sam is still currently missing.
  • Don't You Dare Pity Me!: While Lance doesn't explicitly say this he doesn't want to express his true emotions in front of his family and friends due to fears of their judgement and his own insecurities and depression.
  • Downer Beginning: The start of the fic explores the consequences of canon's ending. While the universe was saved and Keith, Pidge, Hunk and Shiro managed to find happiness in their own rights. Lots of people died, including Allura. Lance whom the story focuses on is clearly depressed pushing away his friends and family due to being stuck in a rut in trying to move on from his many issues to no avail.
  • Dramatic Irony: Shiro bemoans if he were able time travel he would help save Lance from the explosion that Lance saved him from. Unbeknownst to Shiro, Lance is a time traveller and is all too aware of the irony of his statement. Lance tried to prevent this scenario, but with Shiro being the outlier who unwittingly made it worse with his arrival. Lance additionally knows he would not hesitate to do so again for Shiro and has to restrain himself from saying so to ease Shiro's concerns.
  • Dreaming of Times Gone By: Considering the story is a time travel fic. This is hinted to be the case with the other Paladins who while don't recall the events of canon, they do have a lot of instinctual feelings and emotions connecting with them. It comes up, especially near the end of the story's equivalent of Season 2 with Shiro having nightmares about Adam dying in the Galran invasion on Earth and Allura changing plans to ensure the team is kept together due to an upcoming attack she had nightmares over.
  • Driven to Suicide: Thankfully Averted. However while it's cut off but it is heavily implied Lance had sucideal ideations in the year after Allura died.
    Lance "Back during the first year, during his darkest days when he couldn’t look at himself in the mirror, didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t want to li–"
  • Drowning My Sorrows: Keith does this when Shiro disappears from the Kerberos mission despite being underaged. Lance, Hunk and Adam work hard trying to snap out of it which Keith does eventually.
  • Dude, Not Funny!: Lance doesn't find a lot of jokes at his expense to be funny. Notably at an unwanted birthday party, when he was still miserable, he was was sprayed with goo. He retorts to Hunk and Pidge.
    Lance: “I’m glad you find me being miserable to be such a laughing matter.”
  • Dying Dream: How Lance reunited with Shiro from his original timeline is on the brink of death after an explosion. Shiro also says that Lance can possibly for a brief time reunite from his old friends from the original timeline this way. When Lance recovers he discovers his injuries were a lot worse than originally with his breathing even stopped at one point. It comes up again when Lance once again nearly dies and his heart stops for about 33 seconds. He meets Hunk.
  • Establishing Character Moment: Lance's is with his sister Veronica telling him how concerned his friends will be for him refusing to go to the yearly Reunion, due to Lance sick of pretending he is ok, shaking off his sister's pleas and acknowledging that while everyone else has moved on with their lives he has not. He lives on a planet that makes him miserable but due to its relative isolation and safety lives there and spends the rest of his interaction with Veronica on pushing his friends away on the one day all of them can make time together. Establishing Lance's depression and all his frustrations with it. And in wanting to isolate and push away his friends but also not being able to acknowledge or process his emotions.
  • Everyone Can See It: While in the original timeline, Keith was a lot more subtler when he was younger. As they got older Keith began to be less obvious and more explicit with his affections. Unfortunately, due Lance's many issues, which Keith understands and is willing to be patient for. In the new timeline, it has become almost an inside joke with the other paladins on Keith's crush on Lance which everyone can see BUT Lance. Even when Lance finally accepted his own feelings towards Keith he refuses to act upon them, though understandably so.
  • Excessive Mourning: Lance is most annoyed over this as he wishes to move on from his grief but can't. Keith discusses how complicated it can be. Subverted when it is revealed Lance's issues are a lot more complicated than just Allura's death. Allura's death was implied to be the catalyst for everything Lance was already struggling with to breakdown completely.
  • For Want Of A Nail: Several changes have already been made. Notably, in this new timeline, Keith and Lance became friends much earlier due to Lance switching to Aviation theory instead of Flying Class and engages in a semi-rivalry with James Griffin. Shiro and Adam get married, much to Lance's shock. Lance also kills Sendak to help save the earth and due to Sendak remembering events which made him too dangerous to be kept alive. Due to numerous other aliens remembering as well. Puig, Olkarion and Taujeer liberate themselves three years earlier and the Blades are much more mobilised and active due to Kolivan recalling, changing their base and the co-ordinates they gave Shiro originally which allows Ulaz to live.
  • Guile Hero: Lance on account to being much older but due to his knowledge of events, he makes subtle suggestions, comments and moves to improve his friends' lives and the timeline. Upon "hearing of Zarkon being the Black Paladin for the first time," Lance suggests the plausible and believable possibility he never lost his bayard. And since he was once a paladin of Voltron he could be using the Black Lion's connection to track them. Upon connecting with Kolivan, Kolivan agrees along with Blades to use their connections, provided they are on the same page and makes suggestions Lance is unable to outright say, such as a shield for Voltron to help save Shiro.
  • Healing Hands: Allura per her canon abilities. She uses it even earlier to heal Lance after a bad scuffle with the Gladiator.
  • Heel Realization: After gathering some courage to talk about his issues to Clotho, another time traveller. She tells Lance he probably has PTSD which stuns Lance completely.
  • His Own Worst Enemy: Lance. Lance has many many issues in the fic and while he is incredible competent and resourceful, his own self doubts, depression, guilt and other problems mentioned prevent him from reaching his full potential and from pursuing other passions, loves and interests.
  • Hope Spot: Just when Lance thinks he and Coran got away from preventing the explosion, that left him debilitated and vulnerable to Sendak's attack. Shiro walks in. Things do not improve as a result.
    • It happens again with the Season 2 finale with Lance, Kolivan and Slav working together to save Shiro manage to conceive a shield and while Shiro is saved. He is incapacitated in a coma.
  • If I Do Not Return: Both Hunk and Keith try to pull this off before they head out to the Weblum. Lance cuts them both off by reassuring they will get through it.
  • If We Get Through This…: Keith tells Lance just before their fight with Zarkon wants to tell Lance something incredibly important. It's heavily hinted to be a Love Confession.
  • I Just Knew: Justified completely considering the original timeline and while the other Paladins don't recall they do have innate feelings about events and people. Hunk even discusses in one chapter wanting to leave and return to Earth because a feeling he had that Voltron will win the war and they will make it out okay. On a serious note Lance even tells Coran there is no point telling him who died because he knows Coran already knows. The words "I had a feeling." seem to come up a bit almost like arc words.
  • I Knew It!: Slav says this line word for word and is incredibly smug when he discovered Lance remembers the original timeline.
  • I Know You Know I Know: Upon meeting Kolivan in the new timeline. Both Kolivan and Lance instinctually know the other remembers the original timeline.
  • I'm Having Soul Pains: Lance starts having this after Shiro gets in a coma, due to the upcoming Lion Swap and due to Lance unconsciously rejecting Red.
  • Improbable Aiming Skills: Lance per his canon abilities. He even helps Kolivan take down a Druid by calculating and analysing the Druid's movements and actions in trying to kill Kolivan. Lance realising the Druid's teleportations had clear patterns and predicted where the Druid was going to end up and shot them the second they appeared.
  • Innate Night Vision: Alteans have this ability like Coran as he mentions, as do Galran and while Keith has made no mention whether or not he does have it, Coran theorises if he currently doesn't he will most likely develop it.
  • I Never Told You My Name: While Lance usually does introduce himself. Quite a good few aliens who remember call Lance the Red Paladin before the Lion Swap.
  • Insecure Love Interest: Lance is this to Keith.
  • In Spite of a Nail: A few things remain. Keith still leaves when Shiro goes missing on Kerberos and Lance still gets injured in the explosion and when escaping the Space Mall. It's also implied the Lion Swap will still occur to some extent.
  • Internal Reveal: Chapter 26. Lance finally acknowledges that he loves Keith. It doesn't really help Lance but at least he is starting to acknowledge it.
  • Iron Woobie: In the original timeline Lance tried to move on but was unable to due to never really acknowledging the full extent of his problems. In spite of his issues. Lance tries to be this in the new timeline thanks being his second chance at fixing things and moving past his issues... Gradually.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Keith with Lance. One of the main reasons he never confessed explicitly in the original timeline, despite it being obvious was he never wanted to push Lance's boundaries or make him uncomfortable.
  • I Will Wait for You: Keith again. He says it in Chapter 20 in the original timeline.
    Keith: Whenever you’re ready, whether it be a year from now or ten more,”
    [ Keith said, moving a piece of hair out of Lance’s face. ]
    Keith: “I’ll be waiting right there for you, for the time that you’re ready to give someone a chance.”
  • Last of His Kind: Clotho the last Ataraxian is this.
  • Leave Me Alone!: Lance at the start of the fic and in the original timeline after Allura's death has this down big time. Overlaps with Lance's Don't You Dare Pity Me!
  • Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Kolivan after being drenched in flour after making cookies with Coran and Lance.
  • Lipstick Lesbian: Veronica who has a crush on Axca.
  • Loner-Turned-Friend: Keith becomes friends with both Hunk and Lance a lot earlier in canon thanks to Lance and Keith bonding over hating James Griffin.
  • Love Hurts: Upon realising his feelings for Keith, Lance describes the nausea, guilt and high pressure attained and makes up excuses that it won't work and tries to suppress these feelings to no avail. He is kept up at night wondering how he is even going to handle them and strikingly Lance mentions he never had these feelings or reactions for Allura. He is also worried about the teasing and unreciprocated feelings he would get even he would confess. Little does he know...
  • Love Transcends Spacetime: In both romantic and platonic senses. It's heavily implied the current Keith's feelings for Lance have also been derived from his older original timeline self along with the improved relationship in the current timeline. For Shiro, there was an unexpected urgency to rush his wedding with Adam. The paladins' friendships have also remained intact and at times, resemble old dynamics in the prior timeline. Like Hunk and Keith's at the Garrison. Even the lions still retain their old bonds with their paladins and feel proud of them. It's Averted with Lance and Allura but it was already implied the romantic relationship between them was doomed to fail. In the friendship sense, it applies.
  • Madden Into Misanthropy: Downplayed in that Lance still had some social networks but is implied to some extent to be the case with Lance at the start of the fic. Previously a social butterfly Lance in the original timeline stopped interacting with most people beyond his initial friends group and even then he mainly isolated himself from them and going to most social events. Lance really only goes to social outings with the encouragement of his sister Veronica or Keith and Hunk. The fic even opens with Lance saying he doesn't want to go to the Yearly Reunion and deal with the complicated emotions that come with it.
  • Major Injury Underreaction: To Shiro's horror and amazement Lance's main reaction to nearly dying and waking up in sheer agony with shards of crystal in his back was sheer annoyance at Sendak. Played for Drama with Hunk and Lance. With Hunk being upset at the sheer frequency Lance gets injured in the new timeline and seems to be nonplussed about it and yet tries to comfort Hunk about seeing Shay get hurt.
  • Mass Teleportation: As it turns out Lance is not the sole person who recalls the previous timeline. Many people on different planets, like of Puig, Tanjuur, Olkarion and the entire planet's inhabitants of Zestrora and organisations like the Blade of Mamora also recall the past. While it's averted that most villains don't remember. Sendak did and so did Varkon, the Space Mall Cop. It's also shown that while the other paladins don't remember, they have vague feelings and strong emotions about certain events and people and are possibly capable of remembering the past.
  • Meaningful Echo: "Can I Hug You?" Lance says this to Shiro after both of them wake up from nightmares and Shiro opens up about his trauma and Lance not knowing what else to say or do opts to hug Shiro which is appreciated. In the same chapter after Alpha Zarys and Lance unable to save a little girl and is covered in her blood, mourning the fact he couldn't save her. Shiro asks this same question to Lance, hugs him and comforts him.
  • Meaningful Rename: While it is not their original name as they have had hundreds of aliases. Clotho is the person turned back time in the first place. Clotho is also the name of one of the Greek Morai/ Fates. Clotho in particular was the Morai who span the thread of life and who allocated major decisions, controlling life and death. Much like how the Clotho in this fic can control time and who can and can't remember events to an extent.
  • Mutual Masquerade: Attempted by Lance and the Blades and later Coran when he fully remembers but there are simply too many aliens who remember the original timeline to make it a compltely mutual masquerade when they barely understand what is happening or why time have turned back in the first place. Case in point the Puigians who kept calling Lance the Red Paladin before the Lion Swap even occured. Lance mentions that many are reliving the worse moments in their lives, sometimes alone and scared to completely keep it up and turn to the Paladins for reassurance.
  • Not So Stoic: Mainly Down Played but upon remeeting Kolivan who is known to be The Stoic and subtle on matters, but when interacting with Lance he constantly makes not so subtle side glances towards and comments explictly in relation to the changed timeline. Played for Drama in Alpha Zarys where upon learning the Druids were torturing children Kolivan is visibly furious and growling.
    • Shiro went through three water fountains with Pidge for some GAC.
    • Kolivan helps Lance and Coran make cookies and got drenched in flour
  • Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Lance and the Blades of Mamora in the aftermath of Shiro's coma have for three months been liberating planets nonstop. It is worth noting from what Lance suggests they were ALL successful. By the time Pidge joins up again, they liberate two planets with help from the Blades.
  • Oblivious to His Own Description: When Lance is considering matchmaking Keith with someone together else, he asks Pidge and Hunk who do they think Keith's ideal type is. Pidge without hesitation describes Lance's exact characteristics. Unfortunately, Lance thinks of another person who fits that role. Cue Facepalm.
    Pidge: “Tan skin and blue eyes,”
    Lance: “Allura?”
  • Odd Friendship: Lance and Kolivan. Both connect in particular over remembering the previous timeline and in dedicating in trying to change things for the better in the universe. It's also telling when Kolivan is telling Lance to remain positive about matters. They also work smoothly and efficiently together in Alpha Zarys and later on in the story This friendship is even noted by Pidge In-Universe as odd and slightly suspicious
  • Paper-Thin Disguise: Clotho's disguise in the Space Mall is a fedora and trenchcoat which is Lampshaded by Lance. Clotho admits they were inspired by several earth films.
  • Patient Childhood Love Interest: Lance and Keith have known each other for a long time, though Keith is a slightly older example when he really began to know Lance. In the original timeline he was willing to wait years if he needed to if Lance ever decided to love again, knowing full well of his past issues with relationships and Lance's concerns over accidentally treating someone as a rebound like he was.
  • Please, Don't Leave Me: Lance with Keith. Lance despite knowing it is necessary for Keith to leave still wishes for him to stay and is even surprised at himself for his actions. Blue outright tells Lance he has abandonment issues and is one of the main reasons why he will be able to connect with Red.
  • Prank Gone Too Far: For Lance's birthday Hunk and Pidge had planned to shoot goo at Lance. Lance already in a miserable state and didn't even want a party upon being gooed is to call out them for finding his misery funny.
  • Properly Paranoid: Lance has become this at times much to the other paladins' concerns. However, considering Lance recalls critical events from the original timeline, he has all the reason to be paranoid. This example is prominent during when the Castle was malfunctioning and Lance tried to keep everyone together and prevent Keith from practising with the training exercise or Hunk going to the kitchen. They chide him for thinking of the worst-case scenario, unbeknownst that those were the original timeline events and Lance was being incredibly realistic.
  • Punny Name: Lance pranks James Griffin with this just before they leave the Garrison. With Lance telling Jame's partner is "Jenny Talia". Say it fast and you'll understand.
  • Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: Lance never lost his memories of the events of Canon, but the rest of the team have and don't remember. However, Hunk and Keith, in particular, have noted instances of deja vu and Shiro went ahead and married Adam, without Lance doing anything. On the villains side of things Sendak too also had this applied but apart from him, Clotho, deliberately made sure that most of Voltron's enemies including Zarkon, Haggar, Lotor and the Druids don't remember the events of canon. In fact along with Clotho, Lance, Kolivan and various alien species from all across the universe remember and Clotho has stated the other Paladins could have the capacity to remember but due to Lance's instinct warning against this he refrains from telling them for now.
  • Romantic False Lead: Allura to Lance. The fic explores the consequences of this on Lance's psyche as he was essentially chosen as a rebound from Lotor and heavy legacy she left behind when she died before both of them could evaluate their relationship together.
  • Recovered Addict: Keith. Keith used to drink frequently at parties and after Shiro's disappearance he has been sober for well over a year.
  • Repression Never Ends Well: An ongoing example with Lance whose unintentional repression of his true emotions and mental state has prevented him from truly moving on.
  • Rule of Symbolism:
    • ''Flowers'': In particular, the flowers planted around New Altea and Earth in the original timeline represent the truth behind Lance's relationship with both Allura and Keith. With Juniberry flowers heavily associated with Allura and to an extent, represent Lance's relationship with Allura by how Lance views Juniberries. They are established to be an invasive species and the small batch Lance initially grew surrounded the entire field, much like how Allura's death still affects Lance's life. Lance is shown to hate them but also can't get of them due to their association with Allura. Lance thinks about putting one in a pot or crushing it and instinctively crushing it.
    • Additionally, every year the other paladins will bring flowers to New Altea and see if it will create a batch of its own and can stand against the Juniberries. The flower that does and Lance finds soothing and peace with is Verbena bonariensis, a flower with five petals that almost look like hearts and is purple. Fittingly Keith planted it and mentioned that they represent healing, protection and romance and hints heavily he planted it for Lance. The Verbena Bonariensis also seem to overtake the Juniberries in the hundreds in under two years and they are also on the legs of a new bench Lance frequents to, a bench that is also heavily implied to be Keith's doing after seeing Lance go to the area on a regular basis.
    The bench was made of stone, which means it was really cold to the touch. It also had Keith’s flowers growing vines around its legs, which Lance had found funny and oddly fitting. The flowers were just like Keith; whether you wanted him to or not, he would find a way to grab a good hold of you and never let go.
    • The Red and Blue Lions: Both represent Lance's sexuality in some sense with Lance piloting Blue who is female and Red who is male. In fact Lance tries to push or convince himself that Allura should pilot The Red Lion and additionally is trying to matchmake Allura and Keith together. The Red Lion in particular is noted with similar characteristics to Keith and in choosing Lance. Of being kind and fair yet persistent and Lance's unintentional rejection of him is fueled mainly by his insecurities about being worthy and disappointing them.
    However, Red can be just as kind and just as fair as this other person. In fact, Red might have a little too much in common with this other person. Maybe that’s why Lance has been pushing Red away. He might be worried about disappointing this person, worried that he might upset them and bait them into thinking he’s someone he’s not.
  • Running Gag: Hunk mentioning that Lance is a bodysnatcher
    • Allura running drills and no one seems to have their uniforms on them when the run in.
  • Sad Clown: Lance. Lance has incredibly low self-esteem due to his perception of the team seeing his as a joke at times. Lance has mostly dropped the clown aspect but has kept the sad aspect big time.
  • Scars Are Forever: Kind of. It seems that Keith's original scar that he got on his right cheek whilst dueling with the clone Shiro is trying to make a return after fighting with the Gladiator in Chapter 32. Lance notes how uncanny the scar is to his original one.
  • Secret-Keeper: Coran might not remember the events of canon but he catches on incredibly quickly that Lance does due to his past friendship with Clotho. It causes a bit of tension later on. He becomes a full on Keeper and part of the secret when he is made to remember by Lance and is the first one Lance tells about his crush about Keith.
  • Selective Obliviousness: It is implied that Lance is fully aware that he was rebound to Allura but he also is oblivious to his true mental state and Keith's feelings for him. There are times when Lance for a second might acknowledge it but goes back to ignoring it. In part due to his own self-esteem and past relationship experiences in believing he is unworthy of Keith's love. He refuses to accept Keith as anything beyond a good friend in fear of dealing with such emotions. Despite how obvious Keith makes it.
  • Set Right What Once Went Wrong: The premise of the fic, essentially.
  • Shower of Angst: Lance has an anxiety attack when Zarkon arrives early in detecting Voltron and after the battle goes the shower fully clothed to try and snap out it with cold water.
  • Skewed Priorities: When having an allergic reaction after eating Altean snacks and nearly dying from anaphylaxis. Lance's reaction to seeing the Lata-Needle (Altean epi-pen equivalent) is this as he refuses to let Coran use it on him and only recovers after he passes out during which Coran used the Lata-Needle.
    • Keith doesn't mind getting a scar but as Lance mentions trying to heal the scar Keith got mentions that the backstory for getting it would be lame after getting it on the Gladiator Level 9.
  • Sleep Walking: Lance has started doing this on the Castle in the new timeline much to his and everyone else' confusion. It's also foreshadowing of the extent of his stress, anxiety and chronic depression.
  • Spanner in the Works: Early on in the story just when Lance thought he was about to escape the explosion, Shiro walks into the room.
    • Kolivan also discusses this as one of the reasons why they don't talk about the original timeline to the other paladins but also the high possibility of one of the countless people who remember on different planets to mention something.
    Kolivan: "All it takes is one person to say something. One person who remembers can completely unravel the plan we’ve worked so tirelessly to achieve. I’m not saying the others wouldn’t be understanding, but it would complicate things."
  • Spotting the Thread: Lance knows this is inevitable but he is still worried that the other Paladins will catch onto the whole time travel especially after he learns it's not just him who has done so and some of them won't shut up about it. It's only a matter of time before they do. If the other Paladins even catch onto the fact time travel is involved like Pidge after the Space Mall after Varkon's words about trying to catch the Paladins again and noticing Kolivan's and Lance's friendship.
  • Stepford Smiler: Lance to an extent while he does have his fun moments the underlying weight of his implied depression and self-doubts is only at the surface. It's become a problem for Lance as Hunk frustration with Lance after getting hurt nearly all the time is seemingly without a care, unbeknownst of Lance's inner turmoil.
  • Stoic Woobie: Lance tries to be this but it is unwittingly making his problems stagnant by not acknowledging them which only grows to Lance's frustrations. While his friends and family acknowledge Lance's surrounding grief over Allura's death. Lance's chronic depression and other issues are misunderstood mainly due to Lance not verbalising or properly processing his feelings. And in part due to Lance's attempts to push his friends away, isolating himself from most contact apart from insistent family and friends and his own denial of the situation.
  • Sure, Let's Go with That: Justified. When originally confronting Lance it was hinted Keith had other motivations for talking to him and Lance understandably Lance up the suggestion that Keith believes Zarkon might be tracking them through him considering Keith drastic actions in the original timeline. Keith pursues that train of thought instead since it was another thing on his mind.
  • Super-Hearing: Implied to be the case with Keith who mentioned once he could hear the mice, who were on the other of the castle.
  • Sympathy for the Devil: Mostly Averted. Lance considers the whole stupid reason why the war going on for over ten thousand years is even occuring the first place is Haggar/Honerva and Zarkon messing with quintessence. Even before Lance summarises that the quintessence poisoning must've been occuring for years and did nothing and that not only was Zarkon a evil dictator but also a bad husband. Yet he can't help but feel a little bad with their curoisty turned to tragedy then to war. He wonders if the Quintessence just brought out the dark side they always had or would they be disgusted with themselves for waht they became.
  • Tempting Fate: Sendak to Lance declares he will not let Lance shoot him. Five seconds later enter Keith from stage right. With that Lance kills Sendak for good.
    Sendak: I remember when you shot me last time, maggot. It hurt quite a bit. I won’t let it happen again.
  • That Liar Lies: Lance refers to himself as this when Pidge asks whether he knows what is on the other side of the wormhole. Lance does but lies and deflects from the question.
  • The First Cut Is the Deepest: Lance with Allura big time. So much so that it put off Lance in engaging in other relationships as he doesn't want anyone else to go through the same hurt he went through or unwittingly inflict it.
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: Slav. Which hasn't changed in either timeline but whom the team are annoyed by his inane ramblings about timelines and probabilities.
  • The Friends Who Never Hang: Lance mentions this to Blue when they crash land as being the reason he never really opened up with his issues such as his own death at the Omega Shield with anyone but himself, Red and Allura. As the war continued and made it difficult to discuss those matters with far more urgent ones to address.
    Lance: “I hate to say it, Blue. But Voltron wasn’t as close-knit as it could’ve been in the last timeline. We all felt like co-workers most of the time more than friends. At least, I think that’s how they saw it,”
    Lance same chapter: " “I guess I didn’t really bond with Red as well as I thought I did. I find that that’s the case with almost everybody, really,”
  • The Heart: Lance is evidently this considering his role in comforting others especially in the new timeline, though this could also be seen in the original timeline. However Lance's own self depreciation and depression has Lance doubting his role and capabilities.
  • The Matchmaker: Lance. He discourages Luis, one of his siblings from a potential fiancee purely because she didn't like dogs, oh and because she was cheating on him. He helped match the same brother and his current wife. Helped Hunk and Shay get together in the original timeline and encouraged Adam to choose what was best for him after having doubts about marrying Shiro so soon in the new timeline. While Lance is usually good at it his plans in the new timeline to matchmake Keith and Allura together. Not so much. With Keith, in particular, crushing on Lance and Allura never showing much interest in Keith.
  • The Obstructive Love Interest: Lance in the original timeline, unintentionally sabotages Keith's efforts of dating him through misunderstanding his actions and words and in general being Oblivious to Love. Though its Justified when considering Lance's mental state and prior relationship, which Keith acknowledges much to his own dismay that Lance doesn't think he is worthy of love.
    Keith: “That’s the problem, Lance. I tell them literally every time I see them. But guess what? Either they’re too adorably dense to pick up what I’m putting down, or they just don’t believe that they’re worthy of any love. And I don’t know which option is worse.”
  • There Are No Therapists: Justified There are no therapists in Space when you are in war fighting the Galra and presumably Earth was still recovering from Sendak's invasion. However Subverted with Lance's issues never got resolved in the years after Allura death and he evidently didn't go to one in that period.
  • This Is Gonna Suck: Lance when he realises he is not going to painfully crash land on the mermaid planet and instead a completely unknown one without Hunk.
  • Thrown Out the Airlock: Keith recalls that Shiro threatened to do this to Slav.
  • Too Unhappy to Be Hungry: Lance since Shiro's coma has only been eating one meal a day. He feels nauseous if he eats any more. Even when he starts to recover he tries to eat some food goo only to get incredibly sick much to Kolvian's and Coran's concern.
  • Total Party Kill: Kolivan learns several of his squads perished completely in the Atalockian quadrant trying to learn about Operation Tenyo.
  • Tragic Keepsake: In the Space Mall, Lance finds his deceased father's jacket which he regards as a treasure. It gets even more heartbreaking when Lance finds the pictures of his grandparents, mother, siblings and other relatives and a ring his father intended to give his mother.
  • Tranquil Fury: At his birthday and being subjected to a party he didn't want and an unintentional cruel joke. Lance's reaction is not to scream or yell but calmly responds to his friends that he's glad his misery is such a laughing matter.
  • Trauma Conga Line: Applies to Shiro for obvious reasons but also Lance in the original timeline as while Allura was what triggered his ongoing mental breakdown, it was not the sole factor or reason for it.
  • Unreliable Narrator: The story mostly follows Lance's perspective but it has already demonstrated Lance as unreliable at times, especially over Keith and his true feelings for Lance.
  • Unwanted Assistance: Played for Laughs with Slav trying to help Lance after hurting his head which Lance vehemently refuses despite Slav's insistence. Lance ends up tripping over and busting his nose for his troubles.
  • Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Just when Lance and Coran were about the leave the room and escape the room from the explosion. Shiro appears.
  • Would Hurt a Child: In Alpha Zarys, Kolivan and Lance discover some Druids torturing Galran children for unknown reasons. Unfortunately despite their best efforts Shyza, dies from blood loss sustained by the Druids.
  • Wham Episode:
  • Wham Line:
    • End of Season One has this which signals the start of major changes being made to the timeline with Lance decidedly not being involved with the mermaid planet.
    "Lance says under his breath and feels himself being pulled through the side of the wormhole. Away from the Castleship and the others. And away from Hunk. "
    Osculs [An Unilu on Zestrora] : “You’re Lance, the Red Paladin of Voltron, right?”
    • Chapter 19 has a long but incredibly important one from Veronica that nails what several readers had already suspected that there was more to Lance's mental state than he let on.
    Veronica: “I wanted to know why you loved her so much. What about her made you become the person you are today? And from all the stuff Hunk told me, I just don’t see it. I met her, Lance. She was a beautiful person with a beautiful heart who died for the greater good of the universe, but I just don’t see it. From everything Hunk said, I just don’t see how her death reduced you down to this. Because you wanna know what I think? I think she saw you as a rebound. Her second choice. How could you mourn the death of a woman who saw you that way, Lance? There are people out there who see you as more than that, and instead, you’re mourning someone who saw you in the worst way.”
    • 'Chapter 22 gives us this. While Shiro's survived the attack by Zarkon, something is wrong.
    Lance: “He’s not waking up.”
    • Chapter 26 is not one that is a surprise to the reader but marks a turning point as an Internal Reveal.
    Lance " No, because I might just have a crush on you. And that’s terrible because I still don’t know for sure what that means.
  • You Are Not Ready: The main reason why Lance keeps the truth about the future a secret. Lance does want to tell his friends about the future but he instinctively knows that telling them too early is a BAD idea. Hell even after he told Coran he went in a Cryopod for a week and his heart stopped. And when Coran fully remembered later on, Lance once again faced yet another near death experience.
  • You Can't Fight Fate: While Lance is able to change things he still can't prevent events like the explosion where he nearly died and the Lion Swap from occurring and becoming the Red Paladin.
  • You Can't Go Home Again: Getting back to the old timeline is a long shot now along with the people Lance came to knew are gone. Yet the Original Timeline Shiro implies there are ways for him and Lance's friends from the original timeline to reunite for a brief bit. Lance just has to be near death and unconscious to do so. In fact after going near death yet again he meets Hunk.
  • You Did Everything You Could: Shiro comforts Lance with this sentiment after Lance helps save several prisoners from Alpha Zarys with Kolivan with unfortunately one dying. after the mission.

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