Okay, So I Know Matt Coming Into The Team And Being Super Talented Is Good For The Langst, But What If

Okay, so I know Matt coming into the team and being super talented is good for the Langst, but what if it was good for the Langst?

 Lance has another of his insecure jealousy laden rants at Matt, and Matt, who has interacted with humans as a normal person, not a cryptid hunting knife boy recognizes what is happening.  So he just very calmly asks why he thinks the team is looking for a replacement. Not in a smug way, but as a genuine ‘what makes you think that’ way. 

And Lance spills his insecurities about not having a thing while they’re all amazing at something, and just being a tag along no really likes or needs. 

Which leads to Matt countering that Katie thinks he’s a very welcoming, fun person who helped her buy a silly console to feel better, and stood up for her in the garrison despite her self-inflicted distance. 

That Hunk proudly calls Lance his best friend, savior of an oceanic world, his best and most-reliable taste tester, and confidant. 

He especially talks of how highly Shiro praised his skills as a shooter, and how selfless, and dedicated Lance could be. 

Of the stories, he’d heard of the charismatic blue paladin of Voltron, who helped lighten the atmospheres of newly saved planets. 

Matt sheepishly admitting that Keith’s a little hard to talk to, but at the very least he’s never seen someone put so much effort into a friendship they felt they weren’t getting anything from. Because Keith is real bad at socializing, but he sure seems to try with, and for the team. Lance in particular. 

He also points out that he’s only known Lance for a short time, but he sees the good points in him that he’s heard of quite clearly, even if Lance can’t. And that no one can replace anyone because we’re all us, and no one else. 

Lance is probably crying a little (or a lot) by now, but Matt knows they’re not sad tears, and even through Lance’s denials assures him he’ll believe it someday. 

The next day Matt tells Shiro they need to Talk, and Shiro has never so much wished for death than in that moment with Matt Gunderson giving him a stern look, and the knowledge of an oncoming lecture. No one even tries to save him.

The lecture is on the emotional well-being of his team, and how none of them should be breaking down in terrified jealousy because they think they’re nothing.