#Shiro is my son and I would die for him

[tender-rosiey]

more husband!gojo x reader pls😩😩✨✨

breakfast — gojo satoru x f!reader

a/n: I added a bit of dad!gojo, hope you don’t mind <33 @mhsofe

“y/n.”

“yes, satoru?”

“do you love me?”

“hmm, I don’t know; what do you think?”

your husband whines and dramatically collapses face-first on the bed, “don’t be so mean! you’re supposed to say ‘oh satoru! you’re the love of my life who I can never get tired of!’ and fangirl about my charm!”

you merely stare at him before deadpanning, “satoru, I pushed three kids out of my vagina for you.”

he clicks his tongue, “pretty girl, you shouldn’t use such vulgar words! what if the kids hear you?”

you roll your eyes and nudge his side with your foot, “get over here, you loser.”

he complains, “such a bully,” but still moves to lay on top of you. you feel him smile through your shirt and he sighs deeply (and happily like a SIMP) before speaking up, “I missed you.”

your eyes soften as your fingers card through his hair, something that he will never get tired of you doing, “me too, ‘toru; how’s everything at jujutsu tech, now?”

“same old same old,” he huffs and you can’t help but chuckle.

satoru rolls his eyes, affectionately, before asking, “where are the kids by the way?”

you look around and shrug, “I don’t know, but it’s eerily quiet today so maybe they went out with the first years.”

“so I have you all to myself?” your husband chuckles and looks up at you with his captivating blue eyes, “then how about I make you breakfast today?”

he presses a kiss to your stomach, “it will be a five star kind of meal that you will never forget.”

suddenly, you hear a bunch footsteps rushing to your door.

you also hear the screams of your three children combined.

yuto, the eldest, kicks the door open, “NO DAD! DON’T KILL MOM!”

the middle one, mio, nods with teary eyes, hiding behind her older brother.

meanwhile, the youngest one, shiro, just jumps around screaming continuously ‘DON’T DIE MOMMY!’

looking confused, satoru pouts but gets off the bed, nonetheless, “what are you kids on about?”

satoru picks up shiro, who clings to him quickly, and wipes the tears off his face, “I wasn’t going to hurt mommy, not in a million years.”

he looks at them with a confident grin, “I was only going to make her breakfast!”

“EXACTLY!”

it takes satoru a few seconds to register what they all said.

“OH YOU BRATS! MY COOKING ISN’T THAT BAD!” he finally says and they all shake their head, albeit with fear, except your oldest son.

yuto looks at him, with sass he most definitely acquired from you, “dad, you nearly sent mio to the hospital when you made her a birthday cake.”

“I did not!” he hurriedly looks at your daughter, “you liked the cake that daddy made, right, mio?”

your daughter just walks towards you, completely avoiding her dad’s question, and instead just cuddles up to you.

satoru gasps and yuto rolls his eyes before patting his father’s back, “just don’t cook for mom, please.”

shiro jumps off his father’s arms and nods at him slowly, “yes please! we love her too much to have you do that!”

satoru falls to the ground and clutches his chest, “betrayed by my own children.”

he then looks at you, who’s now being hugged by all three, and whines, “wifeyyy! do something!”

you blow him a kiss and even in his ‘suffering’ state, he catches it.

you would think that this meant that you will have mercy on his oh so broken heart, but said heart drops to his stomach at your next words.

“let’s make daddy a pretty princess with horns!”

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[kotonoba]

ISYT (Jushiro/F!Reader) EPILOGUE Ch. 57

A weird switch between Jushiro & Reader's POV

---------------------------------------------

After the fight ended, everyone made peace with those who had passed except for Jushiro; he was a shell of his former self, unable to move on from losing his wife. He attended the Konso Reisai of his former comrades but didn’t have the heart to participate in much else. As he had stated prior, he recommended Rukia as the captain and locked himself in his Ugendo, rejecting anyone who wanted to visit him. 

While cleaning out the Ugendo as a way to cope with the loss of his partner, he comes across a neatly kept journal that he recognizes to be his wife’s handwriting. Opening it, the first page said, “If you’re reading this, ‘Shiro, I’ve probably passed. This journal was kept in case you couldn’t find closure before you’re eager to follow me. I’d like you to do everything in this journal before you consider following me. I don’t suppose dying is your wish, anyways.” As he flipped to the next page, it was outlined repeatedly, a title that was made sure that he couldn’t miss: Before I die, I will…

Jushiro left a note on the table where he sat with his wife to dine with every night for Shunsui to find. The note said, “Don’t look for me; I’m okay.” 

-`♡´-

Jushiro had requested a Gigai from Kisuke to stay off the radar. Getting money was the hard part of his whole idea. But he managed. The Ukitake clan isn’t just a noble for no reason. He had to find a way to get what he wanted as the eldest son without anyone knowing. And that he did. He spent his days sightseeing with a Polaroid and a journal. 

“‘Before I die, I will…’” Jushiro read aloud, taking a beautiful sunset of a tulip field in Amsterdam; the flowery fragrant washed over him as the soft spring breeze blew past his white locks. He combed through his hair with his hand as he smiled at the small windmill spinning slowly from the breeze. He took the Polaroid picture & pinned it to the first page of the journal. “Lush greenery with spotted pinks, yellows, and reds decorates the fields of Amsterdam, and I can see why you wanted to visit my love; the sunset paired with the spring breeze; I can see you in a white dress and hat, twirling in the fields. You would have loved this place,” Jushiro wrote in the journal. Every night, he had hoped he saw his wife in his dreams, but he didn’t. When he visits the locations in her journal, he can almost hear her laughter as he arrives. 

As he turned away, he could feel a warm breeze embrace him, asking him not to go, but he always shook his head, “I’ve got places to go for my wife.” 

It used to be that whenever he did anything physical, his body would always bail out on him & cause a coughing fit. His wife popped her bankai, gave him her life & took away his illness, too. The only thing that changed was his eye colors. Everyone commented that he had pretty green eyes. But he could never bring himself to look at himself in the mirror. As he hiked the mountains of Colorado, he thought about how his wife always had so much energy. She was always running around for him, running errands, collecting medicine for him; she was never tired afterward. Even after a long day at work, she would be home cooking and cleaning for him to give him the best he deserves. Thinking back, he regretted not telling her that she was doing great. As he reached the summit, he couldn’t be more grateful for his lungs working well. He took a picture from the summit of the mountains, “Before I die, I will hike Colorado. I see why you thought this place was beautiful. The air is fresh, and I feel free & on top of the world. It would have been perfect if I could take a picture of you in your hiking gear, reaching the summit with me.” He wrote down with the polaroid before pinning it to the journal again. 

The cool mountain breeze wiped the sweat off his forehead this time, asking him to stay. But, he shook his head again, “I’ve got places to go for my wife.” 

His wife always told him about the books she had read while she was in the human world, and there was a series she had come across that had been turned into a set of movies. Although she never brought the books back, now that he’s visiting the set of castles in Romania, he couldn’t help but wonder what the books described. He put those books on his reading list as he snapped a picture of the foggy scenery; the heavy fog placed a heavy feeling of mystery in the air. “Before I die, I will see Dracula’s castle in Romania; the condensed water vapor in the humid air gave a sense of mystery as the skies clouded with worry above the pointed roof decorations. The many windows faced towards me, & I can’t help but wonder, ‘did I see someone walking in the hallways of the ancient castle?’” Jushiro wrote down in the journal with the picture pinned in it. 

Forest-green eyes squinted at a window from afar, and a shadowy figure waved in his wife's figure. He rubbed his eyes to refocus, but it was his grief playing tricks on him. A coat hanger around her height stood in one of the rooms. A saddened smile on his face as he whispered, “She would have loved this place, too. But I’ve got places to see for my wife.” 

The smell of a summer breeze tickled his senses as he arrived in Washington state, up a hiking trail to reach the beautiful scenery before him. The reflection of the blue skies on the water with the reflection of sunlight illuminating the crest of the water. The fishes swim around, yet he fails to see a pair of carp. It left him with a smile. As he took a picture, a pair of ducks were swimming side by side. He pinned the image on the journal & wrote, “As I closed my eyes, I can feel my nerves calm by the splashing of the water; with my eyes opened, I can see a pair of ducks swimming side by side. Oh, how I wish that were us, side-by-side, holding hands, as we reach each destination.” 

As he turned away, songbirds flew above him, singing a melody oh so beautiful, but, in his grieving heart, it sounded like a melody of yearning. He shook his head as his mind wondered if he should stay longer, “no, I’ve got places to go for my wife.” 

A massive jump in scenery, from the clear skies of Washington state to the gloomy ones in Edinburgh, Scotland, reflects his crying heart. The urge to step out from underneath his umbrella & to be pelted by the skies. The smell of rain that his wife always said gave her mixed feelings. Sometimes, it reflected the sadness in her heart; other times, it reflected the coming of a new season. “Before I die, I will visit Edinburgh; I heard from the locals that they call it the ‘Athens of the North,’ though I can’t say I’ve been in the human world during that period. But, seeing this scenery, I’m sure it was a place of wonder. The rain makes the roads sparkle with street lights illuminating, kids smiling & laughing, running around joyously without care. Would our family have liked this place if you were by my side?” Jushiro hummed a little, pinning the picture to the journal. 

A few raindrops fell onto his shoulders as he headed to his hotel. It reminded him of the days you were playful, tapping him on the shoulder but acting like it wasn’t you. He laughed a little at the memory, “I can’t stay for long; I’ve got places to go for you, my love.” 

The warmth of the Blue Lagoon shocked Jushiro. The writing in the journal from his wife couldn’t explain what he was saying; it was fogging from the steam of the lagoon. A view that should have been freezing thawed the ice surrounding his heart after his wife had passed away. He snapped a video and a picture on the Polaroid before writing down, “The ice that surrounds my fragile heart thawed at the sight of the lagoon, the warmth charging at me with a warm embrace. I wish I could have visited this place with you when you were still alive.” 

As he turned away, the ripples of the lagoon beckoned him to stay. As much as he wanted to, all he could do was shake his head and respond quietly, “My wife is waiting for me.” 

There were a few more places to go, but he had to rearrange the order of some of the ones on the list, as seasons don’t pass in the order of how it was organized. Jushiro went to a desert in Morocco, traveling with a group of travelers who were there to check off a list as well. But he kept to himself as he rode on the camel’s back. The sand, once smooth, was now thoroughly plowed through by the camel. He took a few pictures of the sand and the line before him. He writes down awkwardly in his journal, “The sand plowed through by the journey ahead of us. I’m grateful that my journey was filled with you. I wish for more, but you must take a step first.” He smiled, realizing that most of the writing before was just him describing the scenery he saw before him. But he wasn’t sure who would read it if he were to follow after his wife. It’s not like they had kids together, and he wasn’t sure anyone else in Gotei 13 would be comfortable reading through these. At one point, the writing turned into desperate pleas for his wife to return to his side. Just because the ice had thawed, it didn’t change how much he still wanted to be by her side. 

As he boarded a flight out of Morocco, the golden sand beckoned where he stayed. But he shook his head once more, “I might be back, I might not. Let’s see where my wife awaits me.” 

When he arrived back in Japan to pick up a few items from Urahara’s store, he was greeted by the shopkeeper, who asked where he was going. It was rare for Kisuke to attempt to converse with him; he’s kept to himself ever since his wife’s passing. Surprised, Jushiro smiled a little, pointing at your handwriting in the journal. “Go to Paris in the Fall. My wife thinks the theme there is romantic, so that’ll be where I’m headed.” 

“What are your plans after you’ve visited everywhere your wife wanted to go?” 

Jushiro blinked a few times, humming thoughtfully, “I haven’t decided. She says, "If at the end of the trip, I still wanted to be with her, then she couldn’t stop me from following her.” He intended to die as well, something that was out of everyone’s control. Jushiro offered a sad smile, “don’t tell anyone, please don’t try to stop me either.” 

Kisuke huffed, nodding at his request. As he turned away to leave, he had to squeeze out one more sentence, “Be careful, and there have been sightings of the Gate to Hell repeatedly opening in Karakura town and the town over; it’s been frequent. But the spiritual pressure near it has been too strong, and it’s nearly impossible to tell what’s happening. The Gotei 13 is worried for you.” 

Jushiro understood the implications; it was because he had died only to be pulled back. Perhaps they were trying to take him back, “Thank you for your warning. I’ll be careful,” with that, he left the shopkeeper. Although what he said did bother him, he didn’t think much about it as he was ready to book a flight and head to the airport, a sudden spike of spiritual pressure-charged at him. 

When Kisuke said it was strong, he didn’t think it would suffocate; it was far more substantial than a captain’s spiritual pressure. He took a few steps before collapsing at the intersection. From the corner of his eye, he recognized a familiar figure with a taller figure, speaking as if the pressure was not affecting them. As he crawled a little closer to confirm his suspicion, he was right. 

The familiar spiritual pressure, although suffocating, was that of his wife. You were standing there, leaning against the wall, dressed in black, talking to the taller man before you. The two of you had a solemn look. As much as he wanted to run up to you and hug you, his body defied his orders. All he could do was watch from afar. He was doing his best to hear what you two were talking about. For all he knew, he was sure you had died in his arms. Why you were in Karakura town with a suffocating amount of spiritual pressure is beyond him. 

“We have to wipe your memory,” the taller man spoke, crossing his arms, “just because you’re a gatekeeper doesn’t mean you can jump in and out of Hell to seek out your husband. He could have moved on for all we know, and you wouldn’t know.” Jushiro wanted to object, and he would never move on from you. He gritted his teeth but could do nothing about it. 

“I think you forgot,” just hearing your voice calmed Jushiro down. It made his feelings of following after your death and waiting for so long all the worth. “This body,” he watched you point to yourself near accusingly, “was forcibly given to me. I cannot permanently stay in Hell; it rots away. It ages far too fast.” As you explained the facts, the man nodded, “Yes, I miss my husband. But, I cannot go against the wishes of the previous owner, who requested that I live for her and find her biological parents. Just because she was young back then doesn’t make it any less of a sin if I went against her wishes now.” Jushiro heard of possession, but he thought that was a thing of the myths. Soul reapers cannot possess a body, yet he didn’t know members of Hell could. 

“We’re still wiping your memory; that way, it would keep your powers in check,” the man said, placing his hand on your forehead. " Do you have any last words?” 

As you were about to talk, Jushiro managed to call your name, enough to catch both your and the man’s attention. "Shiro? Why are you? Your spiritual pressure is too strong, King of Hell,” you responded annoyingly.

The man shook his head lightly. " No, that’s you. I suppressed it before coming here to meet you. That’s why I said we need to wipe your memory. It’s also suffocating to those around you, not that you know it.” 

“Would I–” 

“Yes, you can get your memory back,” the man glanced at Jushiro, who stood back up after a bit. If he can trigger them correctly, you can remember. You’re mighty strong. I was looking forward to you joining the ranks in Hell; I didn’t know she would join in your place instead.” As you were ready to object, and Jushiro was prepared to respond, the King of Hell ended up wiping your memory, leaving the memory of when you came into possession of the body. “Oops, it’s not like you weren’t strong; you just ended up in Soul Society instead of Hell during your first death; that was my bad. The least I can do now is give you a life back in the world of living as you deserve.” 

As your body collapsed from the memory wipe, Jushiro rushed to your side; his embrace around your body was to check if you were alive. Which you were, just passed out from the sudden surge. 

“I’ll be taking her back to her home. Give her a few years. In the meantime, she’s still trying to get her degree. I do recommend you go back to Gotei 13. It would be nice not to be investigated since we have rules. " That gave Jushiro something to do while he waited for you. He nodded, reluctant to let you go, but at the end of the day, his heart calmed down, and he did. 

Watching the man leave with your limp body, he memorized your spiritual pressure and the way you were dressed, all just to find you in the future—his plans of following you after your death were erased. 

“I guess Halloween truly is the day of the dead,” Jushiro spoke quietly, recalling what he had picked up from travelers as he visited places you requested.

---------------------------------------------

Happy Halloween! I originally wrote something else as a show of power, but this would be better for the spooky season. The sequel will be posted tomorrow, but do know that the story is based on a reader who doesn’t remember Jushiro. Or any knowledge of Soul Society or Hell. It’ll be explained slowly as the story progresses. Think of it as a slow burn.

Aries' AO3

[localfanbaselurker]

Watching Voltron: Legendary Defender for the first time and recording my thoughts

S1-2 | S3 | S4 | you are here! | S6 | S7 | S8 |

_________________________________________

This one is not as long because I literally finished it like two days ago as I write this so the thoughts are still simmering down but I need to remember them before I watch s6

Pre-S5 thoughts

-> I hope we get Keith back, his near sacrifice really scared me at the end of S4. I want my son back.

-> pLEASE let that poor girl get her father back. Oh my lord. Give him back. Pls. I can’t wait anymore. Will the real Sam Holt please stand up? Please stand up?

-> FRICK Lotor I know they’re probably gonna give him some backstory or whatever on him being a good guy but I DOOOOONNNNNNT CAAAAARRRREEEEEEEEE. I do NOT like him and they can never make me. he is EVIL and you cannot tell me otherwise.

->^“but laura-” idc. I don’t trust him. His voice is too American-Psyco-y. He is a little scheming cunty little elf. He’s onto something. He wants something out of this.

->^I will miss his team of lesbians tho. They ate.

->There seems to be a lot of hints towards allurance! I hope they get a good arc. They are very sweet!

-> I hope we see more of Matt! It’s like that one quote from Brooklyn 99. “I’ve only had [Matt] for [an episode and a half] but if anything were to happen to him, I’d kill everyone in this room, and then myself”

—~—~—~—~—~—///////|||||\\\\\\\—~—~—~—~—~—

Post-S5 Thoughts

-> my suspicions of Shiro grew bigger and bigger as this season progressed. I think I have it figured out by now. 🔍🧐☕️

->^Lotor low key ate her up with this

->^i think that’s her main arc: she needs to let go of the thought that all galra are evil (which she has fair reason to do so), as it is a war, and things aren’t all black and white. As much as I hate to admit it, I feel like having Lotor around this season will help her character development.

->^I wrote that at the beginning of s5, I was right, it did help a little (though then they brought up the fact that Lotor was half altean so maybe she just thinks he’s good because of that—let’s hope not)

->They did not, in fact, bring Keith back. Very upsetting.

->WE GOT SAM HOLT BACK!! THE HOLTS ARE BACK!!! THEY HAVE FOUND THEIR FATHER!!!!

->^That was an emotional episode for me. I cried when they didn’t find him in the “prison” thing and I cried again when Pidge ran into the hologram thing. They make me feel so weak. I was so happy when they got him back fr.

-> And then I cried again at the end of episode 3 cus he was like “I decided im leaving, good luck out there, kids”. Bawling.

->Speaking of episode 3… 🔍🧐

->^and episode 4…and episode 6… 🧐🧐🧐🧐

->^🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐

->^me rn vs. you guys probably.

->^He’s 1) been listening to everything Lotor says, ignoring the team and going behind their back/without consulting them. And 2) Being uncharacteristically hostile to everyone. I swear I felt like I was reading a really OOC fanfic nearly the whole season.

->^Yes, Shiro is leader-y, but he also (s1-2) tended to listen to his team and have unserious moments. I feel like he’s lost all of that. And I think that last picture is all I need to know.

->(moving on)There seems to be a big focus on Lance this season (yay!) I really hope it’s not for the usual reasons characters get extra screen time (because I would die). I feel like they have been leading him to be the black paladin with how leader-y he has been this season but even if that’s not the case I do still feel they are going to do something really important with him for the next season and I am so excited to see what they are going to do with him! 😊

-> if Keith doesn’t leave the Backyard of Malnutrition next season im going to make myself go inside the show and personally take him out

->/j/j/j…or is it? ☕️🧐 (someone needs to take this emoji away from me it’s made me too powerful)

->WE GOT KEITHS MOM!!!!

->^I was so shocked I literally slammed my computer shut (not that hard, im not a psycho dw)

->^HE GOT HIS MOM BACK!!! I cried after that episode because can you imagine? He just got her back and he thought she was dead/abandoned him for like his entire life. And now he has her back and oh my god I need to open ao3 where are those “first time calling <someone> mom/dad” one shots.

->^AND KROLIA. SHE JUST GOT HER BABY BACK!! Stop im fr crying as i type this. guys. Fuck. I genuinely can’t handle family-related stuff in shows like I will cry so hard. It doesn’t even have to happen on screen my brain just makes the scenarios for me and I obey and bawl my eyes out.

->They are trying to make me like Lotor and Allura together…it is almost working. Almost. I still don’t trust him. And I like allurance better.

->^i just KNOW she was internally kicking her feet and giggling at this. “Then you’re…🤔😯 Half altean 🤭🤭😍😍😍”

->^speaking of that ep, I was sooooo happy for Allura because she finally found a way to still be connected with her dad/culture after having to lose him in s1 and not being able to pilot red in s3, absolutely overjoyed for my best girl!! 🤍🩷🤍

->I absolutely LOVED episode five’s subplots. We have: A-plot) Keith+ his mom going on a mission together, B) Lotor +Allura finding altean stuff in Haggar’s lair, and C) my personal favorite, The garrison trio getting up to shenanigans with a galra robot thing.

->^Later Pala-dudes is my hero, too, lance

->^^Look at those dorks. I love them so much.

->^See this is proof that Lotor is actually Evil™️ and Not Good™️ because he immediately went to violence and trying to fight to greedily get what he wanted while Allura saw the right path and allowed the secrets to be shared with her willingly in this essay I will-

->When is Lotor gonna find out his mom is haggar?? Hopefully s6 cus I can’t take this anymore. the evidence is RIGHT THERE, bucko. Figure it out already.

->If they want me to like Lotor they better work extra hard next season. I’m beginning, BEGINNING, to actually, kinda-sorta-maybe actually like him. BEGINNING! And it is a rough start at that. But im defrosting my built-up dislike for him. It’s a burn slower than 300k words but it’s getting there. They’re gonna hold hands any chapter now.

These are thoughts I’ve been compiling for a while. I will continue to post my thoughts on the tag “laura’s first vld”

I finished Season 5 on 07/13/24. I have not yet started season 6. Stay tuned!

[alluraaaa]

decided to expand on the tags of my other post and talk about how shiro should have gotten a healing arc instead of the clone plot. here’s how i would’ve done it (under the cut because it got Long):

at the end of season two shiro uses his and zarkon's mutual connection to the black lion to kick absolute ass. however, shiro ends up stuck in the astral plane

he doesn’t know that though. he’s just in a starlit void with no prosthetic arm and is like “0_0 where am i”

“fancy types call it the astral plane,” a guy says. shiro turns to look at this guy and it really is just some guy. like he's just in jeans and shit, looks like he's about to go grab coffee before running errands

and shiro's like “????? what??? where’s zarkon?”

the guy explains that the astral plane is the halfway point between life and death. it’s where spirits go to move on before fully embracing the afterlife. zarkon is fully dead, thanks to shiro. and shiro himself is here because he has a chance to take a second and relax before making a decision. he can either come back to the land of the living, or he can fully move on and join the afterlife

as shiro's processing this the guy is like “y’know kid, you're young, you gotta lotta life ahead of you. your team and your family would love to see you again. but after what you've been through, i don't blame you for wanting to call it quits early. i mean, you did it, you beat the bad guy, and the others are able to keep going without you, you pushed ‘em in the right direction. you can... hit the hay, as it were. but don't let me tell you what to do. it's your choice, son.”

shiro's like “that's a big decision. i can't just… pick one so easily.” because yeah, he loves being a paladin and of course wants to see his loved ones again, but god. he's so tired. knowing that the team will be able to continue without him fills him with relief and the sudden desire to rest

the guy says, “i get it. we can wait, you can think. we don't gotta talk.” so they both sit there and think, watching the stars of the astral plane twinkle around them.

shiro takes a moment, then asks, “are you dead?” the guy says, “yeah. died a few years back.” he doesn’t elaborate and shiro doesn’t press. instead he asks, “did you have a choice?”

guy says, “nah. you’re lucky as hell. wish i coulda stayed. but… i know that everything is working out without me, y’know?”

shiro’s like “i get it. i really wanna go back but… i also wanna take a break. i mean, we all die, right? everyone i wanna see… we’ll all end up dead together in the end, right?”

guy: “yeah. and when you’re on the other side, you can watch over ‘em.”

shiro: “am i selfish for wanting that? i mean, i can still help, i can save the universe, but part of me just wants to roll over and die.”

the guy chuckles. “boy, you’re not selfish for wanting a break. you’ve been fighting like hell for years, even before the space nonsense. it’s okay to want somethin’ that’s just for you. and if you help you, you’re still helping the universe, y’know? we’re all in this together.”

shiro doesn’t say anything, and the two of them fall into silence again

for the first time in years, there’s no rush. when he was a student, he was working hard towards good grades and graduation. when he was at the garrison, he was working hard towards teaching and reaching the stars. in space, he was working hard to just survive. and then with voltron, he had the entire universe on his shoulders. he was the leader, he had to be ready for anything.

but here, he wasn’t ready for here. and it’s turning out… okay? he has time to make a decision, and he isn’t being rushed, there doesn’t seem to be a deadline.

he wishes so bad that he had this more often when he was alive: time to breathe

but he’s still alive, isn’t he? he’s half alive, able to go back out there. if he can get through this war, he can be alive with his friends, his family, and they can all breathe together.

“i want to live,” he says.

the guy smiles, and stands. “i figured you would. you don’t seem like the type to sit and watch. here.” and he reaches out a hand to help shiro stand.

shiro takes it, and rises to his feet. “i, uh, never got your name.”

“ryou kogane,” the guy says, and shiro now knows why he felt so familiar. “i’ve been watching you since you met my boy, and i’m so happy he’s had someone like you there for him when i couldn’t be. thank you.”

and shiro’s about to burst into tears, so he pulls ryou into a hug. ryou hugs back, laughing.

“tell him i love him. and that he’s doing great, because he is. i couldn’t be more proud of that kid. he’s just like his momma.”

“i will. and thank you, for everything.”

“of course, son. now go, you got a life to live. i’ll see you when you’re done.”

and so shiro goes. when he comes back to the land of the living, he’s in the black lion. it’s because of her that he was able to come back, she was his tether to life. and he learns this in the calm purring in his mind.

he puts his hand on the dashboard and whispers, “thank you. it’s good to be back.”

meanwhile, in the castle, allura feels something’s off. she’s been trying to get closer to the black lion as it’s replacement paladin, and it would normally excite her to feel something shift in their bond from all the way in the dining hall, so far from the hangers. it would, but she’s more worried about what’s happening. when she suddenly stands up and starts to leave for the hangers, the others follow her

in the hanger, they all stand in front of the black lion, watching allura. something in her doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want to interrupt.

it clicks when the black lion bows and lowers its jaw, opening the ramp for shiro to come down the plank.

he looks different. his arm is gone, his hair is all white, and he’s calm.

keith reacts first, sprinting at his brother with a shout of his name, diving into a tight bear hug.

the others follow not far behind. it’s a happy, tearful reunion at the feet of the black lion.

shiro has moments alone with all of them after that, telling them how proud he is of them for keeping up the fight without him. of how they’ve all grown into better fighters and, more importantly: better people.

but keith is the only one who learns about what shiro did in the astral plane, and who he was with. shiro relays everything his dad said, and hugs keith when he breaks into tears

in the future, he and allura lead voltron side by side. they take turns as the black paladin, giving each other well needed breaks from the fight because neither of them would step down completely

when it’s shiro’s turn to fight, he wonders how. he doesn’t have his prosthetic, so no weapon. (“so… you’re unarmed?” lance asks.)

the answer comes when allura gives him the black bayard. he activates it, and it replaces his old prosthetic. proof of his connection to his lion. he beams.

and farther in the future, when they’re all safe at home on earth, shiro gets his wish: he’s with his loved ones, happily married to adam and surrounded by the kids more or less adopted as his own years ago. they’re all safe, all here, and they’re all breathing

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

Umm the usual assortment of lance allura and kuron for that ask thingy <33(can be all three or just one if you dont feel like it!!!) scurries away

Thank you for asking bestie ❤❤❤. Ngl my brain is baked these days so I'll be only one this time

Kuron-

three facts about them from my personal headcanons-

Huge ass nerd. Especially about classic lit but he's also this pic about it-

2. Enters 'Shiro look-a-like Cosplay' competition specifically to do the Worst Most Awful impression of Shiro, he also got the scar on the wrong side through makeup (its a coping mechanism leave him alone) If he and Shiro had a better relationship (and Shiro stopped being a bitch about the clone thing) they both would enter that competition and Kuron will win while Shiro will get last and Kuron doesn't know whether to laugh or cry or curl up in a corner and die

3. Fighting for his life anytime he gets a headache or a migraine. Constantly swinging between "it's just a headache! Haggar's dead! It's just a headache! Haggar's dead! It's just-" And "I am going to die"

a reason they suck-

Babygirl I know you are going Through it but you got to stop going behind your teams back and yell at them, Lotor was so not worth it.

Also is just so focused on being The Leader he forgot being Team Member

a reason they are great-

He's just trying so much???!?! Like he is doomed no matter what happened and he didn't even know it but he was still trying his best and he fought and tried to survive till his very last breath 🥺🥺🥺🥺 my boy he deserved better

a reason I relate to them-

I kinda don't? Relatability of a character isn't really my priority as much as studying them in a microscope is. If I had to I guess our tendency to not communicate well and be a bit snappish when stressed? The feeling of not being in control about anything in your life? Otherwise I can't think of any

(what I consider to be) the top tier otp/ot3 for that character-

I still think about toxic yaoi Kuron/Lotor that would never work and destroy them both btw if you even care

But also like screw romance give him as many friends as he wants

five things that never happened to that character that I believe should have happened-

Him getting to live

Him getting to live as his own person

Him getting to live as his own person in his own body

Him getting to live as his own person in his own body and not treated as Evil Shiro clone but a friend

Shiro fucking apologises to him (I know there are others who have done far FAR worse things to Kuron and Shiro has his own trauma and I like Shiro! But also listening to him being mean to my son no. 1 WHILE being mean about my tragic son no. 2 and all I could think of was, "Shut the fuck up forever actually bitch")

five people that character never fell in love with and why-

Again do I really have to answer this one?? Like can't we ignore all shipping fandom? Ugh fine

Haggar (for obvious reasons)

Zarkon (stated as above and in fact these two can be interchanged)

Sendak (sure Kuron hasn't actually met Sendak but he does have Shiro's memories and he sucks in all of them)

Iverson (because fuck him)

Slav (I don't hate Slav but I have to agree with people when they say that Slav and Shiro trigger each other's anxieties and trauma and this applies to Kuron as well)

[autisticlancemcclain]

Hii i was wondering if you have some mermaid lance fics recs? I have no idea how is the tag in ao3

yes! i haven't checked the mer lance tag in a while so i'm gonna put it here in case y'all want to take a look. but i have 12 works specifically that i can rec for y'all!

amazing plotlines:

Starsong by @tomminowrites

The paladins are crewmates aboard a mercenary space vessel, sent to the outer reaches of the system to investigate the recent disappearance of Empire ships. Keith discovers that the ship's captain, Sendak, has actually been hired to capture a different prize: mermaids.

With siren calls that interfere with ship scanners and songs that mimic the distress beacons of friendly crafts, astral mermaids are a threat commonly believed to be myth among most spacefarers. But when lives are at stake, the crew is soon to discover that one among them is not quite as human as he appears to be...

this story had me GAGGED. genuinely i was in awe. pirate au?? witih mermaids?? in SPACE?? like holy shit!! insanely cool storyline, felt like a movie. highly recommend!!

2. Rest Stop by @flaming-potato-arson

Lance wasn't like the rest of the world.

And he had never had a loving mother tell him it made him stronger for it. So he told himself, gathering up his courage and grit to face a world of winged humanity, when he, in fact, has no wings and turns into a mermaid instead.

A world that wants him to die.

So he'd keep this secret like a knife in his boot, a sharp weapon until he died on his own terms. Not because of who he was.

Except, Team Voltron isn't so sure why Lance is all rough edges and sharp points about showing off his wings. Or acting like a member of the Flock in general. It's clear he cares for them, but he's never shown an intimate part of him.

Until he has to.

this is an older fic!! baby me was in awe. this was the first wing fic i ever read, and i loved the entire concept here. insanely cool. the worldbuilding was dope and lance's guilt and self-loathing just made so much sense, you really get wrapped up in the emotions of the story.

3. True Affection Floats by @somethingaboutwriting

Under the sea, Lance dreams of living in the human world, disobeying his sister Allura's rules left and right. On land, Keith is tired of his royal life in which nothing ever happens. That is, until his ship wrecks and he is rescued by a mysterious boy with white hair and bright blue eyes.

A fluffy little(ish) fic about two hopelessly oblivious boys falling in love in a Disney universe. What could go wrong?

ARIEL AU ARIEL AU ARIEL AU. sometimes u just have to take a disney movie and make it gay. sometimes u just need that in ur life

4. Son of the (Very Alien) Sea by @phoenixyfriend

In which everything is the same, except Lance was born on the mermaid planet.

(And Blue was left there, too.)

i'm obsessed with this one. it's my fave of the bunch. the entire concept is so cool, and you can tell how much thought went into the fic! i would read seven novels in this universe, the entire premise fascinates me. also, if i remember correctly, this is in hunk's pov and as per usual hunk's pov is elite. oh AND its got like trans everyone, its great!! first thing u should read on this list fr.

cute pieces:

5. it's not enchanted without you by @adelfie

He rolls his shoulders back and shifts into his wolf form. He’s all dark fur and lupine when he raises his head again. Like this, he can match Lance’s height — head to tail. Not that it’s a competition. But still.

-- In an enchanted forest, wolf shifter Keith and merperson Lance are best friends. They're not supposed to be.

(Or, a cute kid fic in which Keith and Lance both have swishy tails and Shiro is Strict™)

okay this fic will rot ur teeth its so cute and sweet. yes its a little sad, especially at the end, but mostly u just want to squish their cheeks. the little wagon just as a concept was ADORABLE.

6. Part of Your World by @floranna

Keith sat at the dock, glaring at the water, wearing only his speedos. It was a bright, warm, and sunny day, with slight enough of a breeze to keep the worst of the heat away. Not like Keith cared or anything like that, of course, but…

Everything spelled that it should have been a beautiful, wonderful day, full of wonderful memories, if only that sharp-toothed half fish would actually show up!

all hail monstertron! i love mer fics where the mer is like. not human at all. pleases me greatly. this one is short and fluffy and most importantly lance has very sharp teeth

everything is the same except lance is secretly a mermaid:

7. Space Bears Aren't Cool by @angstyzebra

When one of his team members is in danger, Lance might have to give up his secret to save them.

He really should have thought this through more.

i will always always always be obsessed with fics where everything is the same except lance is secretly a mermaid. theres just something so chefs kiss about it. its always so fun and dramatic

8. sullen as a sunken ship (and twice as cold) by heyhoneybird

In which Lance Mclain is a merperson, and he'd really like to keep that fact under wraps, thanks.

He's not going to, obviously.

my dumb dumb self read this before i realised it was abandoned and got super invested lol so im inflicting it on u all. come suffer with me and be sad that it is no more

9. Just Keep Swimming by @sevansa

Shiro thinks Lance is hiding something big, he was right. Except, it really wasn't what he expected it to be. // Or the one in which Shiro worries and Lance is totally not a fish.

lance and shiro fic!! im always a hound for fics that explore their relationship, and this one does p well! this is a very early vld fic as well if i recall correctly

spicy:

10. Catch of the Day by @caeseria-k [EXPLICIT]

Keith returns from a hunting trip with a courting gift for his lover, Lance. Instead of the greeting he expected, he finds Lance asleep in his hammock, in human form, laid out like an unsuspecting but extremely desirable feast. Keith figures he might as well get a taste...

[a.k.a. the one where Keith sucks Lance's cock while he's lying in a hammock, and then fucks him with his mer cock on the beach ;) ]

caeseria is always a fun read, and this fic in particular is so descriptive that u cant not imagine it lol. definitely an interesting read!!

11. Courting, Kidnapping, Same Difference by GemmaRose [EXPLICIT]

Lance stared for another second, then two, then dropped his head and slammed his forehead into the floor, breaking the ice there. “Why is this my life.” he groaned.

“I’m- sorry?” the dragon stepped closer, and Lance tilted his head to actually get a proper look at it.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” he sighed, lifting his head to rest in the palm of one hand. “Just, figures that out of everyone I know, I’m the one who gets hit on by a dumbass dragon.”

despite what the title may imply, this one is hilarious. to sum it up with my bookmark notes: lance is so funny he gets kidnapped and two minutes later is like “hey. wanna fuck” truly a bisexual icon

12. Waves by @sanazyung [EXPLICIT]

“I haven’t seen you in a week, I’m stuck with my stupid family while you’re off at your friend’s beach volleyball tournament, you leave me after the most amazing dirty talk I’ve ever heard in my life and all you can talk about when you see me again is my fucking face?”

Hunk winced, smiling sheepishly as he took a hand from Lance’s back to run it through his own hair.

“I’m sorry,” he made puppy-dog eyes at Lance. “Forgive me? Your face is just so pretty manamea.”

Lance felt red dust his cheeks once again, and tried to shake himself out of it. It wasn’t fair that he was the hottest piece of tail under the sea but in Hunk’s arms he turned to mush.

hance! lowkey miss when hance was more popular in the fandom, bc its a lot of fun. best friends to lovers, babey. always hits. this fic in partocular is established relatioship and smutty banter :))

shameless self-plug:

13. Land or Sea, I've Got the Power (If I Just Believe) by me :DD

“You’re a fish,” Keith breathes after several minutes of stunned silence. Lance can’t help the haughty snoot, as ridiculous as he knows he’s being. “Half fish,” he corrects. “I am still very much half god of sexy. You know what, I don’t even have this thing —” he flips his tail, causing Keith to jump, which makes Lance smirk despite himself and the situation — “all the time, so technically I’m only a quarter fish. An eighth, maybe.” “Why the fuck are you a fish?!” --- OR: When Lance touches water, he turns into a mermaid. He does everything he can to keep that to himself -- it's just easier for everyone. What happens when Keith finds out?

im real proud of this one!! it features my fave trope (everything is the same except lance is secretly a mermaid) and dumbass klance banter. enjoy!!

okay i hope that was enough mer lance recs for u!! send any particular trope requests my way bc organising shit like this tickles my brain like u would not believe. its the big girl equivalent of sorting blades of grass by length and colour at recess

[littleshysheep-at-da]

Hello, I like your art can you share some Sasajima Kyouya/Wrath headcanons? He’s my favourite character.

OHMYGOSH THANK YOU SO MUCH???

*cracks knuckles* YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. Honestly he’s my Favorite too! A decent of my Headcanons for him revolve around my OT3 or the Demon Army Family so here we go!

This may contain vague Spoilers and I may edit this for grammar or to add more details…

Honestly consider this part 1 because if you ask again later I’d probably have even more written down lol.

(I’m ripping this from my KumoDesu Fanfic ideas Doc so if some of the wording is wonky that’s why btw THERE’S A LOT)

To start I’ve def said this before here: Things to note I’m obsessed with my headcannon of Shun x Katia x Kyouya as an OT3 and there is zero content but I have a million ideas but no energy. Also you can rip the headcannon of the demon army as family with Ariel x Shiraoi as the parents to Mera, Sophia, and Kyouya (and YES I have a long winded modern and other AUs shut up) from my cold dead hands.

Shiro and Kyouya Mother-Son: The Labyrinth and the Mountains are probably the 2 harshest environments in the world. So I like to think that because of growing up in these environments Shiro and Kyouya both have some weird but similar values. I’ve always kinda seen them very much as Mother and Son. The Labyrinth was harsher so she has some more insane survival methods and he sort of looks up to it. (Side note: I know some people Ship them and I never want to throw discourse, you’re allowed to ship whatever you want so don’t want to say much, but personally I hate it very much I could go into why but it’s mostly my character reads and taste). Ariel and Shiro give off so many Mom vibes when it comes to Mera, Kyouya, and Sophia to me lol (and yes they would be siblings in that order I don’t remember where but I think the LN said Goblins have shorter pregnancies so Kyouya is slightly older than Sophia lol). Sophia especially with Kyouya reads as the “no one is allowed to bully my Brother but me” vibes and I love it. Her and Kyouya also both definitely look up to Mera as someone who’s well put together.

For the hair of the non-human reincarnations: Shiro’s hair feels like silk. Fei’s hair feels like feathers. And Kyouya’s hair feels like soft animal down. I bet Katia asks to play with Kyouya’s hair and then has a flied day with how soft it is. I also like to think she tries to convince him to let her do his nails lol.

For lifespan: So Shiroai is immortal, I’m assuming Ariel has a long life span close to that (ignoring the end of the novel with Ariel spoilers), and Mera and Sophia are somewhere in the same boat or close to that… How long is Kyouya’s lifespan??? For most angst is he gonna outlive his human friends but die before his demon family???

Goblins are just Hamsters: The Goblins look like they’re based on Hamster so you can not take away from me the Headcanon they’re language is just Hamster noises. I like to think Kyouya teaches it to the others so they can use it as code. (The Demon Army can communicate purely with inhuman noises lol). I like to think Kyouya purrs instead or snores because of this as well. I also like to think because he grew up around the Goblins he just sees them as people and doesn’t get what everyone thinks they look like.

Kyouya’s height: Kyouya was a manlet before reincarnation it's cannon I’m living. Okay and technically speaking he probably is after reincarnation as well. Like they are in a European Fantasy setting and he’s only “considerably taller than he used to be” which was considerably short for a Japanese High Schooler. Also in Ex2 we see him standing next to a Puppet Taratect (which are all short af) yet they come up to his shoulder.

Housewife vibes: I think what Kyouya wants in life is to be a Housewife ngl. Like he was most satisfied working to support people he was close to both in his past life online game and the goblin village. Plus I think though he did that by making weapons he would prefer not to have to fight. What if he makes good knives and just starts cooking for people. Like I don’t have more words right now so this is short but I could go off here.

My OT3 Agenda: Background: I’m just saying Kyouya is really depressed and probably doesn’t have any plans for after the war but I could see Ariel having in him work in the human area with Shun and Katia (probably cause she feels a bit sad about him losing friends) because he’s in their upper ranks and unlike Sophia can actually deal with people. But I feel like Shun and Katia feel bad that they had each other and he had to grow up all alone so they try and reconnect. Shun, because he really clings to the connections he does have and because they were so close in their past lives, desperately wants to rebuild that. Katia because she seems similarly attached to people she considers friends she’s afraid of losing that and probably feels bad for writing Kyoua off as maybe an enemy and not being there for him like she was for Shun. Kyouya is just deeply confused that they still want anything to do with him and feels undeserving but is really happy. Confession: I think Katia knows about her feelings first but doesn’t say anything due to self esteem issues (except some flirting to test the waters). I think Kyouya has a realization ™ and feels unsure of what to do (also self esteem issues). But ends up visibly being a little off which Shun notices and brings up to Katia (she sorta noticed as well) so she confronts him which ends in a mutual confession between the two as they then decide how to tell Shun. Shun meanwhile worried what’s going irks Fei who decides to inform him of his very obvious (to everyone but him) crushes. Now realizing his feelings he’s very awkward about it until Katia and Kyouya confront him and confession ensues. Now realizing they all love each other: OT3 successful.

Taking this outta the tags: Not even kidding answering asks about KumoDesu because I’ve sort of come to be know as a KumoDesu blog is like,,, I’m living my dream right now. I haven’t even posted my Kumoko Cosplay or that much Art yet but people just wanna hear my opinion???? Literally these asks give me so much dopamine feel free to keep them coming.

[discordiansamba]

spitballing some more about the Mer AU because I can. it's my blog and I make the rules.

I like to imagine that before Hunk and Lance can even like, consistently communicate with each other, they've already established a tradition I would like to call 'bring the other the coolest thing they can find and show them off'. Show and tell but it's a human and a merman.

Hunk introduces Lance to human cuisine. Lance brings Hunk fish in return, which Hunk brings to his parents. He got them from his friend Lance! :)

Hunk's mom, unsuspecting: Oh, Hunk must have befriended a fisherman's son.

The town of Plaht City is actually relatively close knit, so when Keith goes missing after his father's death, everyone goes looking for him. No one thinks to look in the ocean.

Heath was originally from out of town. He's a marine researcher who lives on a remote piece of property on the beach, complete with a recovery pool for injured marine life housed in a shack he built on the water. The townsfolk hear rumors that he has a partner, but no one ever meets her. One day he comes into town with a son.

I think Mer actually lay like. the mer equivalent of fish eggs but they can also get pregnant in the human sense in their human forms. This means every other Mer but Keith was hatched from a fish egg (and also probably part of the reason why Keith prefers the surface).

When Keith abruptly turns back up again after going missing for a year and a half, it's huge news at the time but things have calmed down now. He's taken in by Shiro's parents after some debate over who should look after him.

When Shiro's parents die, Keith just sort of assumes he'll be on his own from now. Shiro catches him halfway out the window with a bag of his stuff and has to explicitly tell him he can stay before he gets the message.

Keith just sort of aimlessly drifts though life. He's not really sure what he wants, or even sometimes where he belongs. He's never met another half-Mer, or even any other Galra Mers. All the Mers in Plaht City are Altean Mers.

Lotor is a highly successful businessman who invests a lot of his money into the town's infrastructure. He's generally well liked, except by Keith, who can't stand his face. The feeling is mutual.

Even in human form, Keith's lung capacity is well above average. He can open his eyes underwater with no ill effects.

Allura is eager to befriend Keith, despite his strange, surface-dwelling ways. Lance is also not totally hiding from Allura because he knows if she seems him and Hunk hanging out together, she'll put two and two together and realize that Hunk knows what he is and then he'll get in trouble.

Romelle and Allura are childhood friends. She's heard her talk on a few occasions about the strange mute Galra Mer she befriend that she calls 'Red', but she doesn't have any reason to connect him to Keith.

Mers can send and receive thoughts in human form as well... except for Keith of course, who can't even receive thoughts in human form. Lance thinks he's just being rude, Allura thinks he just prefers verbal communication. Only Coran has correctly deduced the truth.

(Shiro can send and receive thoughts just fine once he's freed from Haggar's control, which is... an adjustment for him.)

Keith's the only Mer who knows how to swim as a human. If you toss Lance into a pool and tell him to swim, he's just gonna drown. Keith thinks this is incredibly funny.

[blueblueberryjam]

Excerpt from Chapter 7 of Lost and Found: A Broganes Story

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shiro clenched his hands around the steering wheel and relaxed them. "I know you don't know Adam very well, but if I die, would you be okay with him being your guardian? If you're not, I have a couple of other people I could introduce you to." Actually, he pretty much just had Sam and Colleen, but he knew they would take in Keith if he asked.

Keith clenched his fists in his lap. "First of all, you're not allowed to die. If you die I'm walking to wherever dead people go and dragging you home. Second of all... can I think about it?" 

Against himself, Shiro chuckled. "Deal," he said. "Of course you can think about it, but I'd prefer to get this done as soon as you make your decision. If Owen's will had named a guardian, things would have been easier." He paused. "Let me know if you want to meet the other people I have in mind."

"Who are they?" Keith asked. 

"Sam and Colleen Holt," Shiro said. "Sam was with me on the last mission I took. His son, Matt, is one of my best friends. They have another daughter, Katie, so they're pretty experienced with kids." 

He should ask Sam for advice. He should ask Sam for so much advice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Read more on AO3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/51238453/chapters/130702834

[vesselrae]

For the edgy oc ask meme..... 9 !

oouuughh this activates the neurons VERY HARD this will Not be a simple answer fkgfgkjh MORE UNDER CUT-

this was also probably gonna be longer but i only now just got my computer set up im so sleepyyy

THIS GONNA BE FOR VEL'RYN my stinky critter, im writin little things for some of em, some are like... if i wasss maybe to do a little comic thingy or story maybe i would give context to that more? idk i dont wanna write too much ahha but also a lot of these have association HEAVILY due to head amvs and INTENSE vibes??

Sleep Token - Alkaline 'Not acid nor alkaline Caught between black and white Not quite either day or night She's perfectly misaligned' The whole song is VERY vel'ryn, esp fray'ryn ship considering the whole esteem thing (which in my lore is more separated and has a little bit of a difference just a bit? i think its a common difference tho),

but on the face value of the song it really captures them really close lol- their visuals, their changes over the course of their story, how it effects everyone else the more dynamisticly radiated they are, let alone the MENTAL.

the Buttress- brutus 'Something wicked this way comes And as I set to face it, I'm unsure should I embrace it, should I run? What motivates me? Hatred? Is it love? What's more wrong, that I too wish to be great Or my mother wished she'd had a son? And even if I can't be the one Maybe I could at least help make way for him Until the day that he comes Maybe my name could also be known That I helped return good to the people And restored greatness to Rome' -and also- 'My name is Brutus and my name means heavy So with a heavy heart I'll guide this dagger into the heart of my enemy'

another one where the whole song is kind of an outline for vel!!! this one leaning into both verses vel is in differently; ffxiv being a literal sibling-type beat, and seele-verse being more of a paranoid thought system that were basically hereditary.

spirit box - hysteria 'What I've created as violent delights in my head Will have a violent end A broken violent end

And I feel fear disintegrate Axis annihilate In crystal clarity Tension pulling me in the shadows'

Shiro Sagisu - Keep your head above the mayhem 'Showing flashes of bravado In a torrent of destruction Keep your head above the mayhem Clarity will be your weapon As the blinded falter and die'

Brand of Sacrifice - Animal 'Don't let go of what's left of your humanity Blood must flow I will not allow myself to be an animal All I know is I must subdue the beast Hatred grows and so does the temptation to release'

very 'in battle' moment, because vel is SOOO dynamis heavy. they can absorb aether a little more than normal sure but dynamis is strooong and they can use it like aether (mostly against their will and only in battle or in complete mania, which can happen anyyytime with usss) and it acts sort of like spiritual pressure (like bleach!), so the more its used the more their brain fries the more they spiral... its a cycle thats VERY slippery-

theres a lot more, ill link the playlist i have for vel! always updating it tbh, but when i make playlists i take every part of a song literally and its gotta fit a vibe somehow yknow?? the rhythms, the riffs, the sounds and vocals- !!!

however, other songs that have relating lyrics include; Frozen- celldweller (social kid remix) Magdalena- a perfect circle Love me- counter parts Грустная Сука- ic3peak Granite- Sleep token (as well as Atlantic) which is REAAALLY heavily paired with @rohandydandy 's wol rohir kjbfkjh (atlantic is also a frayryn song, but its really well paired either way!!)

Songs without lyrics are also important!! i think riffs say what words cant! Meshuggah- They move below (beginning looped)

Jason richardson(luke holland)- Sparrow

Aequilibrium- Andrey Vinogradov

Augury - richaadeb

and so on ::} Full character playlist

[bosstoaster]

OKAY I talk too much for the post comment character limit so bringing it back to your inbox: GOSH see so since you mentioned this, it is something SO INTERESTING TO ME that I think about every time I am thinking of this fic (so hearing you say that is lighting up every neuron in my brain atm. I could literally discuss this fic for years, I have so many questions and SO MUCH INTEREST) but re: the Ryou genuinely not caring thing. Is his not caring about it a lack of self-worth or at least what he thinks of as a lack of entitlement? Is he able to comfort/distance himself from it a bit bc tho he remembers it at his own experience, he knows rationally that it wasn't he - Ryou - who had made that choice because he literally didn't exist yet? It was Shiro, and he just got implanted with the experiences of another man? Or does it actually make it even harder on him, because he doesn't feel entitled to struggle with these awful memories because they aren't really "his"? Or is it a combination of both? One of the things that I find so fascinating about any Shiro and Kuro story that is and could have been is this struggle. Part of me feels like it would be so easy for them to hate each other, with so much Shiro self-loathing to go around, but equally easy to sympathize with each other because of how empathetic and generally nice guy he and they are. My Shiro stan heart forever ruminating on this. You have another fic that sticks with me a lot, where the Ryou verse boys meet the canon boys post S6, and they get so angry at everyone for letting Kuro die to save Shiro like he didn't matter, and I can't remember the exact quote, but someone questioning whether Kuro still is alive in Shiro or if Shiro just has his memories, and Shiro (exhausted and untethered and raw and recently back from an eternity alone, practical to a fault canon!Shiro) being like "Is there a difference?" and no one could say anything.

Ahem, sorry for rambling, your Shiro fic is forever among some of my favorite stuff in the fandom, I could fawn over it and discuss it for days.

Okay, so first of all: thank you SO MUCH for a chance to talk about my favorite thing to explain, which is Ryou Shirogane, my boy, my scrungly creature, my actual son.

Okay, so, Ryou's lack of caring on the subject of what Shiro did in the arena. Under the cut b/c this is long

So, Ryou remembers all of it perfectly. Better than perfectly, even. The memories were implanted into his brain through the nervous system connection in his arm. They're permanently etched.

But Ryou has a few advantages here. First and foremost is that Ryou did a lot of work in his own head to separate him from Shiro. A big part of that was the acceptance that the Black Lion was never going to accept him. He was never and would never be the team's leader - or, at that point, he didn't even think he could be a paladin.

That was a blow, because being Black Paladin was what Shiro used to separate himself from what he'd done in the arena. He's a good guy, he fights the very obviously evil bad guys who do evil bad guy things, the lion of being Responsible and Leaderly thinks he's worthy.

Ryou is not.

So at that point, Ryou said 'fuck it, if I'm not the leader, if I'm not a paladin, why hold myself to these ridiculous standards of perfection that Shiro expects of himself?' And he cut it out. He essentially literally took a hack job to his own personality. Fuck it. If he can't be a leader, he won't act leaderly. He won't care about the big picture, only about his people. The universe is full of terrible shit and pain and disappointments, but he has a family and he's going to protect them.

THAT is the start of the Yellow Paladin personality, actually: These are my people they are mine and no one can hurt them, because that's all I have in the universe. No role, no greater purpose, because I wholeheartedly reject the thing I was literally made to do.

From there, Ryou and Shiro did not expect to like each other. And honestly, my goal wasn't even to make them! Just to get Shiro comfortable enough with Ryou's existence to keep them from being at each other's throats. Because it IS easy for Shiro to hate Ryou. He's a physical manifestation of how he was abused by the Galra, and he represents everything Shiro tries to hide about himself: the damage, the parts that aren't nice, aren't leaderly, aren't buttoned up and perfect.

Except Ryou refused to feel the same way. He looked at Shiro and went 'literally no one understands you like I do, and I don't give a shit about your posturing. You're suffering. I remember how you're suffering. You need help. I am going to help you.'

And thus, Shiro became one of Ryou's People. It's only later that Shiro met him at that same place.

But that's why Ryou doesn't care. Because it's sad that the kid died, but it's not actually Shiro's fault. He knows how Shiro feels, he knows why Shiro feels that way, but he can also see him from the outside. And Ryou doesn't care because Shiro is more important. That kid would have died no matter what. Shiro was being abused and starved. He survived. Nothing else matters to Ryou. Shiro could slaughter whoever he wanted if it meant he came home.

Ryou loves Shiro.

Ryou protects Shiro.

That's all that matters to him, at the end of the day.

[localfanbaselurker]

Watching Voltron:Legendary Defender for the First Time and Recording my Thoughts

S1-2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | you are here! | S7 | S8

<this debrief/review is pretty rant heavy because of how the season personally impacted me, but fret not! i (hopefully) made it to be still enjoyable/fun to read! just a heads up tho!!>

You get to see the “Pre” thoughts before the read more this time! As a treat <3

Pre-S6 Thoughts

->for the most part I think I understand what’s going on with shiro, but I want to really make sure. jussssst in case.

->they gave lance a big focus in season five so hopefully “we” get to see what that’s culminating to. Super excited about that!

->I don’t fw Lotor all that much despite him being the blorbo by proxy (oomf’s fav) but hopefully this season can change that. I’m just beginning to like him (beginning!) and it’s a 400k slowburn melting an ice berg of hate at that. but it’s getting there. soon they’ll hold hands.

->despite my personal enjoyment of allurance, I would be okay with lotura if Lotor got fully redeemed (in the show and in my heart)

-> PLEASE MAKE KEITH COME BACK!! AND WITH HIS MOM!! I’M BEGGING.

->I’ve noticed a sort of pattern where the characters get a specific episode(s) dedicated to them each season (shiro s1, keith s2, keith+allura s3, pidge s4, and lance s5) So hopefully hunk gets his focus episode this season

->I NEED to see what happened after keith found out about krolia

->hopefully more haggar/honerva lore, maybe even lotor lore to redeem him using Tragic Backstory™ points

Post-Season Six

-> what the actual frick.

-> what WAS this season bro.

-> This season had me getting punched,kicked and tortured left and right and up and down and everywhere. the plot twists and dramatic turns and cries and gasps just kept coming

-> this season left me like lance at the climax of a langst fanfic (yk like right b4 they save him and he’s all fucked over)

-> there are lots of things i liked and also SO MUCH i didn’t like this season

-> so pros and cons basically that’s it that’s the “review”

->WE GOT HUNK APPRECIATION!!! HE GOT TO BE THE ENGINEER AND BE SUPER HELPFUL AND ACTUALLY USE ONE OF HIS SKILLS ABDUWBDJSN IM SO HAPPY FOR MY BOY. MY SON. AAAAHHH.

->^LITERALLY LOOK AT HIM!!! HE GOT SOLID CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TOO!! He reacted much calmer than his s1/2 self would have in a far less stressful situation!!! He grew up!!! HE GREW UPPPP!!

->^He looks like he’s itching to make a gay joke

->why did lance “die” in the first ep?? It was so random and literally served no purpose?? like it was never talked about in the other episodes and was literally just randomly put in the episode’s run time. it had nothing to do with the shield or whatever was going on with Shiro or lotor either

->does it get talked about in the next seasons or?? like it was literally just a throwaway scene

->KEITH AND HIS MOM!!! THEYRE BONDING!!! KEITH MAKES GOOD RELATIONSHIPS!!!!

->the whole “two years” thing is a little difficult to comprehend on all of its layers but I like to think of it positively because that means Keith and krolia got to spend time building upon their relationship and everything that krolia missed, more than just those flashbacks were “memory shared” between them, and keith resolved some of his internal conflicts.

->however it is probably going to make Keith be even more distant with the team because in his mind two years passed while in theirs only like 2-3 months passed from seeing him in person (if you don’t count 5x04 but they barely saw him there) so the relationships that he was building with them have fallen back a little on his part but the others still feel super close to him, so I hope that also gets resolved in s7

-> LANCE IS CUBAN!!! I got super excited you guys don’t understand. maybe you do considering the notes on my post where I said that. But still. I actually squealed so loud when he said it.

-> The mock DnD episode was super fun!! the calm before the storm though I guess

->i looooved the fact that keith came back to the team but that episode pissed me off SOOOOO FREAKING BAD BRO.

->^“we need to attack Lotor when he comes back” OMFGGGGGG NOOOOOOOO THATS literally so STUPID. make a PLAN first you freaking IDIOTS.

->^Literally if they had just played it cool when lotura came back and then told Allura about everything privately THEN stage an intervention/interrogation with Lotor like in Season 5, NONE OF THAT WOULD’VE HAPPENED.

->^but nooooooo we have to be STUPID and ATTACK IMMEDIATELY because PLOT REASONS. istg. don’t get me started this isn’t even the beginning of that rant. I just… *long suffering sigh*

->^and the way they immediately took the altean girl’s word and turned on Lotor? Y’all some fake ass bitches fr didn’t even let the man defend himself. it could’ve been a misunderstanding but okay. damn.

->^WHY ARE YOU INCRIMINATING YOURSELF BRO. OH MY GODDDDDD. every time i told myself that this episode couldn’t get any worse,, it. got. FUCKING. WORSE.

->^low key get the altean girl’s frustration tho because that shit was traumatizing. literally my live reaction right there

-> the only good things that happened that episode were lance calling keith hot and the team meeting krolia. maybe the lotura kiss. (I would’ve enjoyed it more if it wasn’t for the knowledge that they were straight up gonna beat Lotor’s ass when they got inside the castle)

->I guess I have to suffer for the absolute SQUEAL I gave when Kieth went up to the black lion and said “FORM VOLTRON” making them do the thing where they’re divided into 5 frames like a comic

->^that bitch ass clone better be ready to catch these hands. you do NOT say that to my boy.

->I got so excited when keith went all galra! ultimately yeah he did it because he was incredibly stressed but still it was super cool!

-> I was actually a little sad that Lotor didn’t get a real redemption. Like yeah I saw it from a mile away by the way he talked about quintessence and overall attitude but idk,, like him and allura actually seemed in love. even if he was just doing it for the quintessence you could tell he actually ended up genuinely falling in love with her. maybe it’s just me, but i think it would’ve been nice.

-> maybe keith and him could’ve bonded about being half-galra, and keith would finally get some solidarity with someone who knows exactly how he feels? idk it’s just a lot of missed opportunity there.

-> and then they just…kill him off…wow. that was a lot to take in. I had to actually take a moment. I mean it wasn’t even his fault, really. the quintessence got to him just like his parents. it’s actually super tragic now that I think about it. reminds me of family jewels by MARINA.

->I will say though that final battle was absolutely amazing. Beautifully animated and the action was great. I loved getting to see all the lions powers in the quintessence field. And the flaming sword?? that was literally awesome.

-> my hopes of allurance died but i think this is actually a really good step, Allura still felt bad for lotor when she didn’t wanna leave him in the quintessence field because she still loved him and after the conversation she had with the mice it was obvious she doesn’t (and won’t) like lance back, (she could’ve began to in s4/5) and lance seems to accept this as well, (seeing how he handles it when allura confides in him) which would be good for their relationship. so im happy about that 😊

->ngl if they ended it here it could’ve been pretty good, solid ending. Like, leave the rest up to interpretation sort of thing. (Yes I know there are some strings to be tied yet but yk what I mean) The ending was really satisfactory and if they just fixed a couple plot holes it would’ve been the perfect way to end the show tbh. Idk tho I still need to watch the last two seasons so I’ll see if I still keep my opinion then

->lance’s s5 focus didn’t really culminate to all that much, but he got to be taken seriously when he cried about shiro, so there’s that.

-> the clone!shiro vs keith fight was literally beautiful too omg. The emotions were perfectly captured and the flashbacks were just so perfectly timed it was incredible. the way you could just feel exactly everything keith felt as he fought what looked identical to the man who practically raised him was just. wow.

->^literally gorgeous. look at that, man. beautiful.

-> Don’t get me started on “you’re my brother, I love you” because I will start crying immediately

-> So. yeah. This season was a mess. I laughed. I cried (a lot) I got super pissed in the middle. But it was really super enjoyable otherwise. Bittersweet, really.

-> Hopefully Season Seven doesn’t disappoint! I really hope there’s more Keith+Shiro lore. Just. In general all their family lore.

These are thoughts I’ve been compiling for a while. I will continue to post my thoughts on the tag “Laura’s first VLD”

Please Remember that I am just a person with a life and responsibilities and try to be patient about updates.

Thank you 💞

[museaway]

Trick or treat! 👻

friend, hello! I know VLD isn't your fandom anymore, but you are receiving this scene that I'm very fond of from an unfinished sequel.

untitled

Excerpt from the sequel to the incomprehensible vastness of space. This draft is 23k and largely written, but I lost steam and burned out on the ship. I think about finishing it sometimes, but the day has never come. In TIVOS, Shiro remained as a gladiator and worked as a spy for the Blade. Keith eventually rescued him. The following scene is a conversation between Shiro and a Galran who turns out to be related to someone he knows. This is from a first draft so please excuse any quirks. VLD / sheith (referenced). 1,080 words

Seven of the eight Galra in the hold were refusing food and water. The only one that had accepted was the same one who had answered Shiro’s question about how many of them were left. Six were asleep. One, the man with the scar, sat facing the door of his cell with his arms crossed, eyes forward and determined but not focused on anything.

He was the one Shiro had come to see. He was sure he’d met him before. He’d encountered hundreds of Galra in his time in the pits—handlers, medics, others fighters like him. Could he have been part of Sendak’s circle?

The Galran wouldn’t even look at him as he approached the cell.  

“What do they call you?” Shiro asked, not expecting an answer. 

The Galran only stiffened his posture. Shiro sighed. 

“You know, where I come from, people say thanks when you save their life.”

“It was my desire to die.”

“Would you have let one of your own save you?”

The Galran took a deep breath. “You fought in the pits? Which facility?”

“I don’t know the name of the first one. The second was the arena planet. Did I meet you at one of Sendak’s parties?”

“I have never set foot on that planet.” 

There was bitterness in his words, but his disdain seemed to be more for the sport itself than for Shiro. He’d never heard of Galra who disapproved of arena fighting. Of course, what he knew of the culture came from avid fans. People who attended the matches. But it made sense that there would be people who found the sport barbaric. Maybe this Galran had lost a family member to the pits. Maybe he’d been forced to fight once himself. He’d never asked, but Shiro had always suspected that was how Jumi had lost her leg. 

At the recollection of her name, he did a double-take and looked at the Galran’s face more carefully. Although his features were rougher, a blending of genetics, Shiro thought he could see some of her in him. 

“Your mother,” he said. “What was her name?”

The Galran laughed humorlessly. “Since you are asking that, I assume you already know.”

“You’re her son?”

“Was.” The Galran looked up. “I was her son before she betrayed the empire. She was discovered working with a group of traitors. They were stealing ship parts that belonged to the Empire, with the intention of selling them on the black market. She agreed to provide information in order to spare our lives. I was fourteen. We lived as outcasts. She fought to put food on the table. But she was alive because she had betrayed not only the Empire but the people she had worked with. She was dishonorable. As soon as I had an opportunity to enlist, I joined the army.”

“I’m sure she did what she had to in order to protect you,” Shiro said.

“Did you know she was an operative for the Blade of Marmora?”

With Jumi already dead, Shiro figured there wasn’t any harm in confirming it. “Yes.”

“I learned that after her death. She’d been recruited by them before I was born. The rest had been a front to protect them.” He closed his eyes. “Such loyalty.”

Shiro wasn’t sure what he should say. The Galran’s words didn’t match his expression. Although his posture was rigid and he spoke bitterly, his face was a child’s longing for his mother.

“Jumi talked about you,” Shiro said and the Galran flinched. 

“She was ashamed of me.”

“That’s not the impression I got. She missed you. She wanted to see you again after the war.”

“You were close with her?”

Shiro crossed his arms and smiled lightly. “Close probably isn’t the right word. She took care of me. She’s the reason I got out of there.”

“What a waste of a life,” said the Galran. “She spent it in the pits like a commoner.”

“She was pretty accomplished with biotech. Made a lot of modifications to this arm.” 

He held it out. The Galran gave it a cursory look, trying not to seem impressed, although his eyes gave him away. He must not have known that about her. Twice, he cleared his throat before continuing. 

“How did she die?”

“I’m not sure,” Shiro said. “One day she just stopped coming.”

The Galran nodded and inclined his head. “Sendak was not kind to traitors.”

Sendak had not been kind at all. Shiro could still feel the searing liquor at the back of his throat, hear the low rumble of his laughter. He shuddered at the memory of that crooked smile backlit by the light from his arm.

“The Blade of Marmora doesn’t support putting Lotor on the throne,” Shiro said. That wasn’t information he should be sharing with outsiders but he felt it was something this Galran needed to hear. The Galran looked up suddenly. 

“How do you know this?”

“We work with them,” Shiro said. “Listen. We’re on course for Central Command right now. There’s no guarantee Zarkon will ever retake the throne. We are about to hand you over to Lotor unless you can give me a reason not to.”

The Galran’s eyes widened. “You would let us go?”

Shiro lowered his voice. “I could hand you over to the Blade instead. My partner’s one of their leaders. I can call him right now.”

“The human?”

“That’s right. His mom’s also a member. She probably knew your mother.”

“What’s her name?”

“Krolia,” Shiro said. 

The Galran squinted like he was trying to remember something from a long time ago.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen to you once we turn you over to Lotor,” Shiro said. “But the Blade won’t harm you. You might not have the same end goal, but right now you’re working toward the same thing.”

After a few seconds, the Galra said, “What about my team?”

“You can all leave together.” 

“Your Princess would allow it?”

“I’ll speak with her,” Shiro said. “The Blade will probably insist because you’re a legacy.”

Almost a minute passed. Eventually, the Galran took a deep breath. “I request you contact the Blade.”

Shiro nodded. “Sit tight. I’ll be back.”

“Brin.”

“Excuse me?” Shiro said.

“My name.” Brin didn’t smile, but his eyes didn’t hold as much malice. Shiro walked out of the hold and tapped his watch.

“Allura, I just spoke with one of the Galrans in captivity. There’s been a change of plans.”

[autisticlancemcclain]

When Shiro woke, everything was dark, and the stone was cold under his hands, and the flickering flame of torches cast a thousand shadows on Adam’s terrified face.

He scrambled to his feet with a gasp, scraping his knees on the rough stone, thin sandals digging into his feet. The dampness was suffocating, a blanket of wet air filling his lungs until he was drowning. He reached out to Adam, to touch and hold him, finally, finally, finally, but his hands would not obey, nor would his arms stretch out. Instead he only stood paralyzed and looked at him, watched as the shadows danced across his face. He wasn’t wearing his glasses. Where were his glasses? Adam couldn’t see. He needed to see.

“Son of the Skies, Grand Master of the Lyre and the Silver Tongue,” boomed a voice, not loud, but strong, strong enough that the pebbles on the ground shook in fear and the water rushing behind the walls of the cave froze. Shiro looked up, terror making his movements jerky, fragmented, and saw for the first time in front of him a throne grander than any he’d ever seen, woven together with bones and skulls and ash, studded with gold and diamond. The flames of the torches soared, burning brightly, blinding white in the blackness of the cave, illuminating on the throne skin of bleached bone, eyes of crimson rubies, and a crown of blood and marrow, dripping in rivulets down his face.

Hades.

Shiro did not know how he knew the god, from where the certainty came, but he was sure: in front of him, giant in stature and horrifying in posture, the god of death and dying and riches sit before him.

“Orpheus,” Hades thundered, more final than before.

Shiro knew that Hades spoke to him. He was Orpheus. He knew also, somehow, that he was the one who had demanded an audience, he was the one who stood trembling in front of the King and asked a task impossible, implored the mercy of the god for whom mercy was a slight, an insult.

“Do you understand the gravity of what you ask? I am moved by your plea, by your song. But what you demand is an imbalance. A disruption of the natural order. Your lover died of no unnatural means. To send him back to the living would be to risk the delicate balance of life itself, for no gain for anyone but you and your love. And still you ask me?”

Sweat dripped into Shiro’s eyes, even as he shivered from the cold. He looked over to Adam — to Eurydice — who stood frozen beside Hades’ throne, black tendrils of poison still lining his skin from the venom of the snake that befell him; the lines of betrayal because Shiro could not save him, because Shiro left him behind.

To die.

He would not leave Adam behind again. Not at his own behest, not at Hades’, and most certainly not at the world’s. He would choose Adam, this time. This time he would choose to be selfish.

He turned to the god, resolve hardening his jaw, straightening his spine, even as terror churned in his belly, trembled his hands.

“I understand that gravity of my request. And I make it again — I beg you, Lord of the Underworld, for the return of my love’s soul.”

This time, he would choose Adam.

The god stared at him for several minutes, unmoving, unspeaking, endlessly. He looked silently ahead for long enough that Shiro felt as if his would skin wrinkle and his hair would grey. He feared he would be trapped in this cave until he perished, and he and Adam would never be free.

“I will grant you his freedom,” Hades said finally. “Your performance and bravery are admirable, boy. You have nearly won your prize.”

Shiro swallowed. “Nearly?”

Hades’ gaze grew cold. “My domain is large, and treacherous. You have played waylaid your way into it, and now you must find your way out. Your love may follow you, and once you are both in the land of the living, there you shall both stay until the sands of time finally return you to me.”

“Thank you,” Shiro gasped out, hunched over in his relief. “Thank you, my lord —”

Hades held up his hand for silence, and Shiro’s tongue grew heavy in his mouth.

“But,” he warned, “Eurydice shall walk behind you. And if you look back, even once, he will remain here for eternity, and he shall never be with you again. These are my terms.”

“I accept,” Shiro said hastily. Immediately. Hades could have suggested any sacrifice and he would have made it. This would be easy; a sacrifice only of faith.

“Go, then,” said Hades.

Shiro hesitated. “Adam, call out to me, so I know —”

“Go now, boy!” Hades boomed, coming to his feet, and the weight of him shifted the walls and shook the ceilings, a rain of rock falling from the sky. “Do not look back!”

Shiro turn and fled. He ran from the cave, from the throne of bone and blood and the flames that stank of rot and the god that held the souls of everything that had ever lived in his palms. He ran past the weeping poplar trees, silver in the eternal night of the underworld. He ran until his sandals ripped and his feet bled on the unforgiving ground, skin cracked and torn. He collapsed finally to the ground, heavy breathing the only sound in the heavy stillness of the Underworld.

“Adam?” he called softly, once he had his breath again. “Adam, are you behind me?”

He heard nothing, even when he held his own breaths. Not the quiet uptick of an inhale, nor the steady sigh of an exhale; not the shifting of clothes and skin, not the shuffling footsteps of a man waiting. Not even a faint heartbeat. There was no sound but the near-silent rustling of the poplar leaves, and the slow movement of the river Lethe.

“Please,” he begged. “Just — even a click of your fingers. Please let me know you’ve followed me.”

When no sound made known the presence of his love, he pressed the heels of his hands to his red and aching eyes, holding back a sob. He had to have faith. He had made the selfish choice, and now he was paying the price. He would stave forward, eyes steady, until they were both securely back to the land of the living, and then they would both live their lives.

Onward he trekked, much slower this time. He limped and pushed his way over the uneven ground, careful of fragments of forgotten bones and shattered glass, of spilled dreams and broken promises. He walked along the bank of the Lethe until the temptation of its waters grew to strong, and then he followed the bends of the Phlegethon, occasionally plunging his hands into the searing flames of it to drink when the exhaustion grew too great for him to continue.

For weeks he stumbled on the floor of the Underworld, crying out for any hint of his love’s faith, of him following, only to receive stony silence in return. On some days the hopelessness grew too great for him to ignore, and he would collapse in a heap, forcing his head down so as to not look behind him, and weep. He did not know where he was going, nor how long it would take to finally escape. Or even if he ever would. All he wanted was the barest glimpse, the smallest assurance that Adam had even been allowed to follow him from Hades’ throne. What if he had not? Hades was not known for his mercy. For him to allow Shiro an audience at all had been a miracle. He had sworn no oath, made no promise. For all that was certain, he had simply said what Shiro wanted to hear to get him away from the throne room, and Adam was still trapped, soul severed and alone, hopeless.

But there was some hope. Shiro could not hear him, could not see him, could not even catch the barest hint of his scent — peppermint and evergreen — but he trusted Adam. Even when they fought, even in anger, he trusted Adam. Even when they tore themselves apart Shiro trusted him. He had to trust that Adam would fight to follow him, and that he was right behind him.

After months at least of travel, although no time passed in the barren fields of the unloved and unliving, his hope was finally in sights. A bright light shined from the side of a mountain — too warm to be from the endless night of this barren hellscape. Shiro knew in his heart that once he reached that door, once he clawed his way up the mountain and through to the light, he would be free. He and Adam both — please let Adam be behind me, please, please make a noise or a sound or even the barest huff of air, please, I need to know you’re here with me that you’re behind me that you followed me that you want to live with me that you want to be with me that you want to live Adam please please please — would be free.

He stumbled finally through the light, out of the frozen and uncaring darkness and into the gentle warmth of the sun on his skin, the scent of the grass in the air, the packed earth under his cheek and his hands.

The land of the living.

Finally.

With relief more palpable than he had ever felt, he turned finally behind him, praying to any gods that would listen that he would find Adam behind him, sandals on the ground, chestnut hair glowing golden in the sunlight, gentle smile rivalling the brightest stars.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

When he gathered his courage to open his eyes, slowly, too afraid to go quickly, he saw finally the face of his love. Adam stood tall behind him, long and lean and beautiful, one step into the warm beauty of the world.

Only one foot was still behind him, mid-step, toes of his sandal barely brushing the rough stone of the Underworld.

“No,” Shiro moaned. A freezing dread rose slowly from the soles of his feet up his legs and arms and froze over his heart. “No!”

“Shiro,” Adam whispered, quiet and crackly and desperate. “Shiro —”

As if a thousand hands had grabbed onto his tunic he was suddenly yanked backwards, pulled back into the depths of the unknown.

“Shiro! Help me! Please!”

“No! No! We made it! We were on land!”

Shiro lunged forward, desperate to grab him, to finally wrap his arms around him after days weeks months years of stumbling through the barren wasteland without any indication that Adam was following and he couldn’t lose him now, not now, please, they were so close, they were on land! Their feet were on the soil! They were so close, please, no, no —

He reached forward as far as he could, fingers brushing Adam’s, before he was pulled away with a final cry of Shiro’s name and the stone was shut behind him.

“Adam!”

Shiro gasps awake with his hand still outstretched, reaching for a soul that had already disappeared from his life. Everything is dark, but this time there is no cold stone under his hands, only soft blankets. And the flickering of light doesn’t come from dimly lit torches, but the strange glow of the Altean crystals that power the castle.

There is no Hades. No underworld. No desperate bid for Adam’s soul.

Shiro buries his face in his hand and cries.

On reflex he tries to touch the gold of his engagement ring, something he’s done to self-soothe for ages, but the stark reminder of why he can’t do that anymore only makes him cry harder. The metal of his left hand is cool against his heated skin, unforgiving.

Why couldn’t he have been selfish? Or maybe he was selfish, choosing the Kerberos mission. Maybe Adam was selfish, to try to keep him from it. He doesn’t know. He’s thought about it — spent hours and days agonizing over it, locked in a Galran prison cell — and there’s never a clear winner, in his mind. He knows Adam cares about him. Cared. He still feels the open wounds in his chest, the feeling that his heart was ripped open and bared to the world when Adam slipped through his fingers. It haunts him. He dreams about it often, every single night, in a myriad of different ways. It’s always painful.

The Greek mythology allegory is new, though. He has to hand it to his subconscious — it never runs out of new ways to torture him.

He forces himself to take a deep breath, pressing his fingertips into his eyes until it hurts.

“You don’t have time for this,” he whispers to himself. “You have a mission tomorrow. You need to sleep.”

He forces himself to lie back onto his pillows, untangling the blankets and dragging them up to his chin. He slows his breathing, steady inhale, steady exhale, trying to lull himself into a deep slumber.

He lies awake until the alarm sounds in the morning.

[theblxckpaladin]

Okay. Real talk? V*ltron's writing was garbage. All of it. Not just the last 2 seasons. A LOT of seemingly important things brought up for plot convenience and then never mentioned again. (Shapeshifting anyone?)

I mean, I still enjoyed it. There's nothing wrong with enjoying something imperfect. I just wish people would stop acting like the show was perfect until the end, because it wasn't.

[dearmrsawyer]

Complete and utter offense in as many ways as possible but my FULL. HEART. to my weird emo alien son whom I LOVE UNRELENTINGLY and BELIEVE in and SUPPORT and who I WILL love for the rest of my life no matter WHAT because it's my DESTINY !!!!!