#Shiro washing himself.

[milky-fixx]

toshiro hitsugaya + "beach"

900 words. fluff. adult!toshiro just being a Mom at the beach, but also a simp. idk he’s just sassy.

Toshiro hates the heat, but he likes you. That's how the two of you end up at a beach getaway in the World of the Living. While he had his protests—

(“I have paperwork to catch up on.”

“Let your Lieutenant do it for you!”

“Rangiku? Actually doing her work? Hilarious.”

“You need a break!”)

—you were dead-set on your vacation and had your sales pitch ready.

(“We can eat watermelon shaved ice and build sandcastles, or use your zanpakto to make ice sculptures, or whatever you want! We can walk along the beach when it’s cooler in the evenings."

Not entirely convinced, he opened his mouth to retort when you pulled out your ace card. Your last resort.

“Plus… I may know a way to get Matsumoto to finish her tasks for a few days.”

“…Fine.”)

He was sold.

Truthfully, he did need a vacation. His sense of duty just made him a hardass about accepting one.

Plus... it meant he got to spend more time with you.

Pressing the back of his hand to his brow—it's sticky, with sweat, he notices sourly—he follows just a few paces behind you as you flit about the beach. Despite himself, he feels a smile tug at the corner of his lips at your childlike wonder.

"Look, 'Shiro! It's a crab."

"We should catch one and cook it for dinner."

“Ahh, look how many pretty shells washed ashore.”

They were pretty, but he could think of someone with more beauty.

"Hm. They're nice."

"Do you want to build a sandcastle?”

"You'll get burnt," he says as he eyes your exposed skin.

Of course he slathered on as much sunscreen as he could before stepping onto the beach. Yet you denied his offer to rub some onto you with a wave of your palm, a simple boast of how you simply tan in the sun.

How opposite the two of you are, yet how well you mesh together.

He's been told he’s cold, like the winter personified, like the reiatsu that constantly shrouds him. You're warm, almost burning in intensity, like the summer heat that threatens to melt through him. You're in your element here.

Nonetheless he’s watching you intently to make sure your skin doesn't burn.

Maybe he also just likes looking at you, so carefree. He could just reach out and press his lips against your sun-kissed complexion—

He shakes his head to rid himself of the urge. The heat seems to be seeping into his thoughts. He crouches down, picking up the bucket that you discarded. He takes a moment to note your height difference. Gone are the days when he was considered too young, where you towered over him. Now he can revel in the fact that you have to tip toe just to reach his chin.

"You're doing it wrong," he says as he observes your sand creation. “That kind of castle would never survive the tide."

He helps you, rolling his eyes good-naturedly as you fleck some sand at him in response to his critique. When you look away, he does the same, a sludge of sand slapping your knee. You gasp and he raises a brow.

He used to hate doing things that made him seem too childish, all too aware of how people saw him—as the young, inexperienced prodigy.

Yet with you... he finds your laughter infectious. Whether it's you giggling at the way a crab burrows its way into your castle, or even at how he gripes about the heat.

He finds he doesn’t mind indulging in these juvenile activities. When it’s with you.

You venture towards the shore in search of seashells as Toshiro pats more wet sand onto the base of your castle. It's only when you call his name triumphantly that he looks up.

His eyes widen.

Not because you're proudly holding up a conch, but because the tide is hurtling towards the shore behind you, threatening to engulf you.

You don't seem to notice.

"Watch out!” He’s moving before he can even speak, managing to grab you before water crashes onto the shore.

In a flurry of waves and movement, the both of you fall onto the sand, his arms cradling you to him. Water threatens to invade his nostrils but he exhales roughly. He nearly swallows a mouthful of it before the tide recedes.

And then he’s propped over you, on his hands and knees, water dripping from his hair onto you, the both of you sopping wet. You cough up some seawater, but you're fine. Toshiro's brows furrow.

"What were you thinking?" he says tersely.

You could've died. You worry him sick. He takes his eyes off of you for a few seconds and you nearly die.

"Were you even looking? You could've drowned—”

He's not sure who leaned in first, but the kiss interrupts him. Despite himself, he can't refuse, clutching you closer to him, pressing his lips against yours insistently.

You taste like salt and the sun and he wants you so badly.

But he also wants to keep you safe.

The two of you break apart with flushed cheeks and short breaths, and Toshiro huffs, pressing his forehead against yours.

"You're ridiculous, you know that."

"Yeah, but I'm your type of ridiculous."

Your giggle breaks off into a gasp as another tide washes over your bodies, this time gentler.

"That's it." He grumbles, jerking back his slicked hair as you cough up more water. He gets to his feet, reaching out a hand for you. "We're drying off."

[autisticlancemcclain]

Keith wakes up with terror turning to ice in his veins and his brother’s name clawing its way out of his throat.

He takes a moment, chest heaving, to orient himself. The details of the dream quickly fade, dark caves and towering footsteps, leaving only an impression of fear and the memory of Shiro, falling, crying out for Keith to save him, and Keith being just too late. He peels the sweat-soaked sheets off himself in disgust, tossing them haphazardly on the ground in front of him. Grunting, he forces himself upright, placing his feet on the cold tile floor of his bedroom to force himself fully awake. Sunlight streams through his window, assaulting his bleary eyes, making him grumble as he walks over to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for the day.

Not unusually, his nightmares have woken him hours before he really needs to be awake. He only has one afternoon class, today, and it's frustrating to have one of his few mornings off spoiled so early. As he spits frothy toothpaste into the sink, he tries to rework the whole situation in his mind. Waking up too early sucks, but with the extra time this morning, he’ll have time to wash his sheets. That’s a net neutral, at least.

It doesn’t take him too long to gather up a load of linens and clothes, tossing them into the machine, sipping a coffee as the old thing chugs on. He hangs them to dry once the cycle is over, tossing some overdue marking into his messenger bag and scarfing down a bagel before hopping onto his bike.

His bicycle, that is. He would never take his precious bike to class. The one and only time he had, it had been vandalised by angry students. Never again.

The ride to the school is uneventful, normal, boring. Even the asshole drivers who refuse to give him space on the road, coming within inches of crushing him, are par for the course. He wonders if he looks particularly dead-eyed, or if that’s just how he feels.

“Hey, Pidge,” he says to his lab assistant, nodding at her as he walks into their lab. She shouldn’t even be his lab assistant, really. She’s more brilliant than he’ll ever be, and it’s insulting that she has to answer to him. But she’s only twenty, and whip smart as she is, their field is ripe with rich old white guys who smile condescendingly at her and call her sweetheart. No one will give her a tenured position. So while not ideal, their situation is the best both of them can come up with: Pidge gets total freedom in his lab, any resource that she wants and he can get his hands on, and he’ll publish any finding she discovers with her name as a second on the paper. That way she’ll be credited with dozens of peer-reviewed papers before she even has her doctorate, and once she’s finally got a lab of her own and every intellectual around the globe is interviewing her, she can tell them all where to stuff it and get all the credit she deserves.

“Bad news, Kogane,” Pidge says, glancing up at him with a furrowed brow.

Keith grimaces. If Pidge is looking up from her computer screen, then he’s fucked.

“Is the building on fire?” he says hopefully. That’s a slightly less miserable conclusion than the one he knows is happening.

She huffs sadly, shaking her head. “Nah, check the douchebag waiting in your office.”

Sighing, Keith does. James Griffin, head of the geography department and the resident jackass who’s been trying to shut Keith down for years.

“Keith!” he cries, grinning at him like they’re friends.

Keith doesn’t even pretend to smile at him, staring at him blankly.

“Good to see you, pal,” James continues, either oblivious or uncaring. “Thought I’d drop by and personally deliver the news. I’m getting a new office!”

The absurdity of the sentence makes Keith blink, looking at James in confusion. “Pardon?”

James ignores him, pulling out a tape measure and holding it against the cabinets and counters, barely even making any real effort to measure anything. Keith finally starts to notice the smugness to his department head’s grin, and something like dread builds in his stomach.

“See, progressive volcanology just isn’t what it used to be. Ten years ago it was breakthrough science, today it’s an ancient relic of the past.” He snaps the tape measure closed, turning back to face Keith. He no longer makes any effort to hide his smirk, placing a falsely pitying hand on Keith’s shoulder. Keith shrugs it off immediately. “They’re shuttin’ ya down, bud. I’m taking the space. I’m sure you myriad of adoring students will be devastated, but budget cuts are budget cuts, and this is a decision the department has to make. For the good of the university, you understand.”

Keith knows that pleading is useless. In all likelihood, this decision was made months ago, and he’s only hearing about it now because it’s been finalised. No way would James be so confident otherwise.

But there’s nothing he can do to stop himself from trying.

“You can’t shut us down,” he pleads, throat unfathomably dry. “We’re – we’re on the verge of a breakthrough, James, I can feel it, shutting us down would be spitting in the face of progress –”

“How many of your sensors are even still active?” James interrupts. “One? Two?”

He sounds so smug that Keith can’t bear it. “Three!”

“Right,” James says, snorting. “Three whole sensors.” He turns away, patting one of the overhanging shelves of the wall, crowded from front to back with dozens and dozens of rock samples slowly collecting dust. “It’s not worth the money it takes to keep them going.”

“You can’t do this,” Keith begs, voice quiet and small. He hates himself for his weakness in front of James, of all people in the world, but his hands shake and his blood rushes in his ears and the only thought running through his mind is save the lab save the lab save the lab. “It’s all I have left. Of him.”

To James’ credit, that gives him pause. He’s an asshole, but he’s not a monster.

“It’s been ten years, man,” he says softly. “The lab isn’t going to bring him back.”

Keith says nothing. He stares at him, eyes hard, hatred and pain alike building up in them and spilling over.

Shiro’s sensors. Shiro’s work. Shiro, all over the lab, in every way, the only pieces Keith has of him that are still going, that are not stagnant, and James is taking them away. Whether or not it’s James’ fault directly is irrelevant – Keith hates him for any role he plays.

“I’m sorry, Keith,” James says, and he almost sounds sincere before disappearing out of the lab and down the hall.

Keith sits down heavily in his – in Shiro’s – rickety old office chair as he goes, elbows on the crowded desk, fingers clenched in his hair. Pidge puts a gentle and awkward hand on his shoulder.

It doesn’t matter.

— — —

His classes pass in a blur. None of his students even pretend to pay attention, but that’s not unusual. He can’t remember the last time someone came into his classroom and gave even one eighth of a shit. Hell, the last person in his class to care might have been Pidge.

By the end of the day, he’s exhausted. He dreads the bike ride home, knowing it will take more energy than he has, but he tries to convince himself that the fresh air might make him feel less like the world is collapsing in on itself.

He fails.

By the time he stumbles through the door, late afternoon light spilling over his messy coffee table, he feels like a used battery from 1996. He slides the scattered change he’d found on the road today into one of his near-filled collection bottles and collapses on the couch, face-first, groaning as loud as he can into a scratchy pillow. He blindly flails one arm around until it hits the beeping answering machine, letting it play its onslaught of messages, preparing to delete whatever spam calls have made it through while he was gone.

“Keith, hey. It’s Adam. Just calling to remind you that today’s the day! We just left, we’ll be there around quarter to six? Hopefully. See you soon.”

With a gasp, Keith yanks himself upright with so much force he nearly throws himself off the couch.

Adam.

Adam!

The next message plays automatically. “Hey, got your answering machine again. Getting a little worried. We’re halfway there, and we can’t wait to see you. Right, kiddo?”

A much younger voice mutters something unintelligible, but the tone makes their enthusiasm – or lack thereof – abundantly clear.

Keith sweeps a bunch of junk off his coffee table, frantically searching for his calendar. He finds it under a stack of half-finished books, praying to himself that what he’s hearing is wrong somehow, and today is not the day he thinks it is.

In bold red ben, in the tiny square of the 28th of June, is his niece’s name written in capital letters and underlined no less than five times.

“Hana,” he breathes, and looks in horror at his watch just as the answering machine beeps and plays the newest message.

“Alright, well, we’re ten minutes away, so I hope everything’s okay. Please be ready.”

“Fuck!” Keith shouts, jumping up off the couch and catapulting into action. He can’t believe he forgot! It’s so easy for all the days to blur together, for dates to lose meaning, when everything is so mundane. He’s been thinking that Hana’s visit is ‘months away’ for half a year now, completely forgetting that time is, in fact, linear.

Adam is going to kill him. And worst of all, he is going to be justified.

He starts scooping random shit off end tables and random surfaces, sticking it wherever there’s space. Adam is a neat freak, always has been, and if he looks through that front door and sees the mess he is about to leave his only daughter in for ten whole days he is going to take it out on Keith’s hide. Keith shoves a random stack of cereal bowls into a drawer, stuffs a cabinet full of old newspapers, kicks a pile of discarded sweaters into a corner and throws a blanket over them. His answering machine beeps again, and he whips his head to his clock, watching in horror as the big hand ticks to the 9 – it’s five forty-five on the dot.

“Hope you’re home, Keith, because we’re pulling up to your place.”

A silver car slows to a stop across the street.

“Fuck!”

Keith increases his half-assed cleaning tenfold. He dumps every dish he sees into the sink, hacks up a lung from trying to blow away the accumulated dust, glances in the fridge to see what expired food he needs to toss. Is Adam going to search through his fridge? Probably not.

But there’s a chance.

He sees his brother-in-law approach the front door as he’s holding a stack of greasy car parts and freezes, slowly backing away as the man turns and makes a face at the car. Keith hears the doorbell ring but ignores it, figuring he has about three more rings to panic-clean before Adam gets fed up and picks the lock. He rushes to his bedroom, grabbing the truly gigantic quilt Pidge’s brother had made him, and throws it over his couch, coffee table, and armchair in a half-assed attempt to make the room look less like Keith has not cleaned in several weeks.

It does not work.

The doorbell rings for a third time, followed by rapid knocking.

“Keith? You home?”

Keith takes a deep breath, forcing a smile on his face.

Fine. This is going to be fine.

“Hey, Adam!” he greets, opening the door. Adam glances behind him, taking in the mess, so Keith quickly closes the door as much as he can without squishing himself.

Unfortunately, Adam has always been quick. He raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “You forgot, didn’t you.”

“Forget?” Keith laughs nervously. “Of course I didn’t – I didn’t forget! Been looking forward to this for weeks, counting down the days, just been prepping like you would not believe –”

Adam takes off his glasses, cleaning them slowly while making direct eye contact.

Keith sighs.

“Yeah, I forgot.”

“Come on, Keith,” Adam sighs, sliding his glasses back up his nose. “We planned this months ago. Ten days. That’s all I ask. She’s your niece.”

“Just because I forgot doesn’t mean I wasn’t looking forward to it!” Keith says defensively. “I haven’t seen her since she was what, nine?”

“Seven,” Adam corrects flatly.

Keith winces. “Right. Seven.” He follows his brother-in-law to his car, forcing himself not to drag his feet. He is excited. He is. He loves his niece, and besides, it’s only ten days. What can happen in ten days?

“Hana,” Adam says, knocking on the roof of the car. “Say hi to your uncle.”

“Hi to your uncle,” deadpans a young girl, pulling her beanie further down over her eyes and sinking into her seat. Adam sighs, heading to the trunk to dig out some bags, and Keith has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. He probably shouldn’t laugh when teenagers are being little shits, but that was kind of funny.

“Hey, kid,” Keith says, in the same semi-awkward tone he used to talk to Pidge in until she started decking him every time he did. He inclines his head at the device in her hands. “Whatcha got there? One of those ePod thingies?”

The look she gives him is so dry and judgemental that Keith almost feels the need to both apologise and pull out a fiver to pay for the stupidity of his sentence, which is honestly an insanely powerful look for a thirteen year old to pull off.

Only Adam’s kid, honestly.

“It’s a PSP,” she says, like that’s the most obvious thing in the world and Keith is a dunce for not knowing. “And ePods aren’t a thing. The word you’re looking for is iPod.”

Lordie, this is going to be a tough ten days. Keith should have researched how to make teenagers like him.

Well. Maybe not. That would probably get him on a list somewhere.

“It’s good to see you, Hana,” Keith says, switching gears. He smiles slightly, and it's genuine, because he really is glad to see her. “You wanna head inside? Door’s open, I’ll meet you in a few.”

“Come see me first, baby,” Adam calls.

Hana huffs and walks over to see her dad. He hands her a duffel bag, which she shrugs over her shoulder, and then cups her face tightly, leaning down to kiss her head.

“Ten days, okay?” he murmurs. “Then I’ll meet you in the Ottawa airport.” He squeezes her in a hug, which she returns, if slightly reluctantly. “This move will be good for us.”

“Right,” Hana says, so bitter that Keith actually physically winces. “I am so pumped to leave behind everything I’ve ever known and go live in a new country. Thank you so much for doing this for me.”

Without so much as a backwards glance at her father, she pulls away and stomps inside to Keith’s place.

“Yikes,” Keith says, grimacing at his brother-in-law. Adam isn’t looking at him, gaze following his daughter with an expression Keith can only describe as pained. He doesn’t say anything for several moments, just staring at the house, eyes far-away and deeply sad. Keith’s chest starts to ache, right under his sternum, because he gets that look, too.

“I don’t know what to do,” Adam says softly. “I’m just — I’m just trying to do the right thing for her.” And it’s been months since they’ve talked anything but surface level pleasantries but they will always be the same, Keith thinks, and he reaches over and squeezes Adam’s hand because he will always be family. Adam squeezes back, smiling tightly.

“I’ll take care of her,” Keith promises. He swallows against the sandpaper roughness of his throat and tries to stand up straight, to make up for his crumpled shirt and messy hair. The attemlt makes Adam roll his eyes, which makes Keith grin. Adam can never stay mad at him for long.

“I know you will, brat.” He cups Keith’s cheeks identically to the way he did Hana’s, tipping over to kiss his forehead. Keith’s eyes close and his hands come up to grab Adam’s wrists. “I trust you. I just wish you would take better care of yourself.”

He pulls away and Keith lets him go, watching the easy way in which he composes himself, clearing his throat and straightening his jacket and pushing up his jacket, putting himself back together in front of Keith’s eyes. The process has fascinated him since he was little; the way Adam can always pull himself back to full height.

“Besides,” he adds, pulling his car keys out of his pocket and heading for the passenger side. “You have my daughter to look after, now. If she comes home to me in ten days complaining about doing the dishes because Uncle Keith just eats pasta out of the pot, I will fly back here just to smack you.”

Keith snorts. “Noted. Drive safe, Adam.”

He waves as he shuts the door and starts the car. Keith watches him go, then turns back towards his house, peering through the door, looking for a glimpse of the kid. He doesn’t see her, but he can hear the muted sounds of a video game from outside.

“I have no fucking clue what I’m doing,” he mutters to himself, and walks inside.

[anonymouszephyrus]

Voltron Characters Headcanons, go!

FINALLY! I HAVE.. too many..

Let's start with the original Red & Blue duo:

KEITH (Aka. He isn't emo, just unique)

- Demisexual Homoromantic (Yes.) - He/Him Pronouns - Full Name Headcanon: Keith's full name is “Keith Akira Kogane” and other languages. However, I like to think that Keith's father (whom I've named: Hyeong-Min, Hyeon by itself means “Virtuous or Worthy” and Min means “Sharp-minded” which I think fits someone who is Keith's dad.) His surname in Japan is Kogane, yes. But in Korea, it would be Kim. As both Kim and Kogane mean “Gold” in Korean and Japanese. This does mean that Keith has a Korean name along with his usual one. I'm choosing to go along with the idea that when Hyeong-min's parents left Korea and moved to Texas, they gave him a Korean name but when Hyeong-min and Krolia had Keith, they chose to gave him multiple names depending where he was. TLDR; (Japanese - Akira Kogane; Korean - Ki-Joo or Ki-Joon Kim/Kogane; Common - Keith Akira Kogane.) - Absolute Literature nerd (He spent a shit long time in that cabin. There's no way Adam or Shiro hadn't found him before and given him books or something to occupy himself.) - I love having him as Japanese-Korean + Half-Galra but he was raised in Texas so he's forgotten a lot of his Korean since no one was there to continuously talk to him in the language like his dad did. Shiro talks Japanese with him so that one is still fine. Keith's been trying to relearn Korean but it's hard since he gets sad (and mad) when thinking about his dad. - He wears eyeliner. Shiro taught him to. - He wears too many rings. And whenever he has to wash his hands, he takes them off, and Lance practically faints every time Keith flexes his hands to ensure his rings are in place. - Despite being touch-repulsed, Keith is so fucking touch-starved it's unreal. - Keith only calls Shiro “Takashi” when he's mad or sad. No in-between. One time he did it was when he was younger, Shiro beat him in Mario Kart and he got so mad, he screamed: "I'm disowning myself from you, Takashi!" and Shiro almost cried. - Keith's Galra side only comes out when he's focused, mad, or extremely flustered about something. Lance teased him to no end one time and his skin started turning purple. - After Allura and Keith had their talk, Allura's been trying to make his little Galra situation better. If she sees him slowly turning purple and becoming anxious about it, she'll turn purple too for the remainder of his ordeal. (And then it becomes a “who wears purple the best”) - Keith loves music, he likes to play the keyboard or piano at times, only problem is that he's a bit tone-deaf (which is surprising considering he actually is pretty good at playing those instruments.) - He is lactose-intolerant, only that he doesn't give a shit and does continuously eat or drink dairy products, it doesn't make him sick though because of his Galra genes... but he does, quite literally, destroy the bathroom.

LANCE (Aka. Too many sad shit)

- Bisexual Disaster (with a hint of internalized homophobia) - He/Him Pronouns - Full Name Headcanon: His real name is Leandro Agustín Nuñez Carmen Esposita-McClain, shortened to Lance McClain. Just like @autisticlancemcclain's headcanon, I love it a lot. (Sorry for the ping, if it did) - All his siblings have acronym names along with their mother. Mervin, headcanon McClain papa's name, is the only one without one. - Lance has central heterochromia, meaning the inner ring of his eyes are brown whilst the rest is blue. Kinda like this:

(This is a picture I got off Google, please don't sue me. And yes, I know it's more orange than brown but I couldn't find a good enough reference to show you all, basically it's just like that except the middle is much darker) - He's constantly terrified he'll forget things from Earth. Like his sense of time, the way colors are, the way the light moves, the moon changing every night, everything. Not just because of you know, Voltron and stuff, but because he has memory issues too. - He accidentally forgot the name of his niece and nephew one time and panicked afterward as he scrambled to think of what they were. Now, he has little notes in his pocket that holds all his family members' names. - Lance is a prodigy at playing music, specifically guitars but he doesn't think he's good after the last time he played in a competition, he got absolutely destroyed and insulted by one of the other sour competitors that he never tried to play a guitar again because everytime he tries to, that memory keeps coming back and it's one of the many reasons he has such low self-esteem. - He thought he was sick the first time he had a crush on a guy from the first week of being in the Garrison (it was Keith) and rang up his mother only to be politely told that he wasn't sick. - Lance often tries to write little poems for Keith because he knows how much he likes literature only to throw it allow or out the airlock when he thinks it isn't good enough. It leads to the first poem Keith received from him being the most romantic and elegantly made poem he's ever read... (and he only got it because Lance forgot where he left it when he was planning on throwing it away again) - Despite being a flirt, Lance cannot handle being flirted with. Keith is surprisingly smooth with his comebacks (it's only when he doesn't try). - Keith sometimes accidentally (or purposefully, depending on the situation) initiates physical affection and it flusters Lance to no end. - He prefers wearing gold because Keith told him one time that it suited him. Aka: Keith's opinion of anything Lance wears is what he sticks to as a fashion choice.

I've got more for the other characters! Stay tune for those. Next up: Pidge & Hunk, the lil' nerd duo!

PART: 2 & 3

[ririchanva]

╰※╮▫◕‖ Current ‖ ∴❃∴ ‖ AO3 ‖ ∴❃∴ ‖ Next ‖ ◕▫╰※╮

Summary: Shiro, in the last moments of dying, was sent back to the past to rewrite events that will change for the better. Once he started to change one thing, a lot of other things also went into a butterfly effect. Will he be able to prevent a disastrous future this time around?

A/n: Okay, so welcome to this second crossover story on this account~! This time, we're tackling not just Voltron: Legendary Defender, but we get a lot of Ben 10, Marvel and DC stuff as well. This was one of the other projects I've been working on besides Quirks and Miracles, and hope this one receives the amount of love as much as my other story does. I did try to write this story before, but had to scrap and re-do it for some major changes plot wise. Anyways, here is chapter one, and hope you all enjoy~

Chapter Warning: Mentions of war, violence, blood and major character death(s), but only for this chapter. It is also a Fix-It sort of fic about also an AU crossover that's different from canon events.

Chapter One: The Return of Voltron (Part 1)

 It was supposed to be an easy mission.

Being called out of retirement, Shiro was invited to a peace treaty celebration between some planets that were joining the Galactic Coalition. And of course, it was not only the former Captain of the ATLAS that was told to come.

It was good seeing the team again. With Hunk dressed in his culinary uniform, Pidge maturing over the years, even Keith grew up and calmed down from his “lone wolf” phase…

….the biggest change was Lance.

Shiro softened at watching the once bright eyed sharp shooter ageing faster than Shiro himself, especially since the Cuban no longer smiled or showed any emotions. He almost looked like a shell of his former self, taking Keith’s role into being a wall flower and avoided talking to people. Particularly to his former teammates. Losing Allura took it’s toll on the former Blue turned Red Paladin, to the point that he had retired earlier than Shiro to live in his family’s farm.

It was a shame, but Shiro respected his friend’s decision. 

The reunion was cut short when the party was ambushed by rebel Galras that did not join the Blade of Marmora nor surrendered to the Voltron Alliance. Shiro, being rusty, had tried to fight off the best of his abilities…

….But it wasn’t enough.

And now, the previous Black Paladin was lying on the cold, hard ground…bleeding out and dying.

He couldn’t move. He couldn’t even think straight as he was listening to the blasting of guns, the cries of allies and enemies alike…he even had to close his eyes tight at the shouts of his teammates names. Keith yelling at Lance as a body hit the floor, the screams of both Hunk and Pidge and more thuds. 

Shiro had turned his head with a broken sob at seeing his fallen friends. Hunk being the farthest away, body unrecognisable. Pidge…she was curled up as if hugging herself and unmoving…

Then, there was Keith and Lance. Side by side. Lance on his back with dead eyes and Keith curled up on top of him, as if shielding him. But it looked poetic as Lance looked at peace while Keith looked pained…almost regretful..

Shiro too. He felt regret wash over him.

Tears welled in his eyes at the memories flashing in his mind. He regretted not talking to his friends, his found family, more even when they separated to their own lives after Voltron was no more. He wished he knew where the Lions went, find Black maybe. That he didn’t talk to Keith more about Lance, or even talking to Lance himself as the former Blue Paladin withered away.

Heck, he didn’t even want to admit it…but Shiro regretted marrying Curtis.

Thinking now, as he was dying, he never really loved him. Curtis was a sort of comfort that Shiro accepted. At the time, Shiro thought he had true feelings for the man that helped him in the ATLAS. He deluded himself thinking he was in love with the man, because he couldn’t process that Adam was gone. That Shiro…settled because he thought that was what he wanted, needed, at the time.

‘I am an idiot. I’ve basically strung Curtis along in a lie…and I can’t even tell him because I am here…about to die…’ Shiro thought to himself as the world quieted down around him, signalling that the battle was over. He didn’t even care if his side won or if the rebelled Galra did. 

More memories of his past flashed before his eyes, and he chuckled. Did he deserve to remember? Allura must be scolding me in the stars by now…

Allura.

What would she think about this?

He had to cough a laugh, thinking that Allura would be upset that they lost easily…or that she would be screaming at him to get up, keep fighting…

“I have no more in me to keep fighting…” Shiro admitted to himself while wheezing, staring at the sky about him as he sniffed, “I think…it’s time…”

“You gonna give up so easily?”

Shiro looked at the voice that spoke, seeing a familiar brown haired male sitting on top of him, staring down at him with those hauntingly green eyes. Hallucination or real, Shiro accepted the person with a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

“You of all people would show up as I breathe my last breath.” Shiro murmured weakly, as the person looked down at him sadly, tilting his head.

“You’re not a quitter, Shiro. You’re a fighter, and a stubborn one at that.”

Shiro softened, wanting to reach up and touch the other person’s face. Or even sit up and reach up to hug him, anything. But alas, he didn’t have the strength to do so and then sighed.

 “…You were right, Ben.”

Ben raised a brow at Shiro, who just chuckled then coughed hard, making the brunet concerned.

“Right…about what?”

“Everything. I should’ve listened to you when you said that I was in over my head before Kerberos. I should’ve listened to you when you said you were only looking out for me and not trying to talk down at me because of…of my disease. I know you’re not like Adam, and I just…” Shiro closed his eyes and sighed, his head lolling to the side, “…I should’ve talked to you. O-Or found you when I came back on Earth…hell, I should’ve tried to find you when I came back the first time before finding the Blue Lion…”

Ben stayed silent, and Shiro continued.

“There are many things I should’ve done and wanted to say. And…and I wish I didn’t…”

“…Didn’t what…?”

Shiro opened his eyes again, the light leaving his eyes as he saw nothing in front of him. Hallucination, then. 

Shiro sobbed as he felt alone, his vision slowly fading as he breathed out softly.

“I wish I didn’t go to the Kerberos Mission and followed after you that day…” 

“Is that what you wish for?”

Shiro looked up, expecting the illusion of Ben again, but was surprised seeing a young pale man with almost shaggy dark brown hair and dark brown eyes staring back at him blankly. While he did look on the youthful side, his eyes…it looked almost ancient and staring right into his soul.

“…Who are you?”

“Me? I’m…” The young man paused, tapping on his chin, bobbing his head side to side before speaking again, “You can call me Caspian. It’s the name I prefer actually.”

“Who…?” Shiro closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again as he breathed out tiredly, “What are you? Are you…like, Death?”

“Heh, that’s a good one. Dunno what I am right now, honestly…but I do know I am here to help you~” Caspian had a quirk of an amused smile for a moment before looking seriously at the man before him, “Takashi Shirogane, you are in need to save the universe.”

Save the universe?

Shiro couldn’t help but painfully laugh, which confused Caspian as Shiro shook his head.

“Of course I’d be dragged into once again saving the universe….” Shiro sighed in annoyance, then looked at Caspian, “Why me? Why do I have to do it?” And not someone else for a change?

“Because you wished to fix your mistakes? Is that not what you truly wished for?” Caspian raised a brow at Shiro before tilting his head, “That you wanted to change things and make it right?”

Shiro opened his mouth for a moment, then closed it, sighing. “…Why not ask another person? Someone…not me? Someone else that could maybe change things for the better than I could…”

Something in Caspian softened as a solemn smile appeared on his face, “…The Universe cherishes you, Shiro.”

Shiro snorted, “The Universe has a funny way of showing it.”

“Well, the Lions of Voltron had chosen you.”

“…The Lions are gone. They left when Princess Allura died.” Shiro said miserably, feeling the guilt in his heart.

“And they wish to have their Princess and Paladins back,” Caspian countered, “The Universe needs to be put into balance, and properly this time. So, the Universe thought that you alone should go back and fix everything…save your—what did you call them? Your Space Family.”

Shiro turned his head to where Caspian was looking, his heart clenched at seeing the dead bodies of his friends. Pursing his lips, he turned his head back to the other male, and softened.

“…So, are you taking me now?”

Caspian snorted at his acceptance, and nodded.

“Right where you wished to be…”

A hand reached out to touch over the former Black Paladin’s chest as Shiro felt himself passing out.

“Remember, Takashi Shirogane. Once you make ONE change, everything else will be different than what you remember…”

…

……

………

………… 

“…Shiro?” 

Opening his eyes with a gasp, the Asian male whipped his head around frantically, as if just remembering to breathe.

He…he wasn’t in that planet anymore? He wasn’t dying and lying in his own pool of blood?

Shiro had to pat himself up, down and around his body to see where his gaping wound on his side was, clearly seeing he wasn’t even wearing his ATLAS uniform.

It was a Galaxy Garrison Space Suit.

“Shiro? We’re about to be launch for Kerberos in twenty minutes, are you coming?”

Whipping his head to the source of the voice, he almost dropped his jaws when seeing a very much younger Matt Holt staring at him in concern, fixing his glasses.

“Kerberos…” 

Shiro was at a loss at first, before his mind remembered the day of him, Matt and Sam Holt flying off to space for the first time. He had to look around then saw a reflection of himself, and gasped. He was twenty one again, his face young, full of life and…his hair was all black and he still had his right arm.

He was back.

Soon, he turned around and started running, ignoring the calls of Matt as he was making his way into the Garrison. 

He had to find him. He just had to!

Flashes of a memory formed in Shiro’s head as he ran. Of a brown haired male talking desperately to the young Shiro to not fly to Kerberos and wanted to say something more, almost looking sad and defeated. Flashes of Shiro angrily yelling at him and storming away…and into the very ship that changed his life forever. 

Shiro pushed himself to run faster, hoping he wasn’t too late…

…And smiled in relief at seeing a slouched figure going through the exit of the Garrison gates.

“BEN!”

Back straightened at the sound of the voice, the young man was turning his head questionably, toxic green coloured eyes looked towards him in surprise, and almost slightly red as if he was holding back tears.

“…Shiro?”

Shiro felt his whole body warm at the surprised and breathless tone the other male had and was rushing towards him in top speed, not caring that he looked like a lunatic with arms waving above his head and crying big fat tears. It seemed Ben wasn’t prepared as he was soon feeling strong arms around him, almost falling over if it wasn’t for Shiro pulling him into his chest and sobbing on him.

“S-shiro? What—?”

“Thank god! Thank god, you’re here…” 

Ben Tennyson was never one to be surprised about anything anymore. Ever since he was ten years old, the boy now ageing into a fine young adult, the brunet had been through so many things and met so many walks of life that nothing should ever catch him off guard. So it came to a shock that the summer childhood friend he’s known since he was eleven was now burying his face onto his shoulder, leaving tears and snot trails on his hoodie.

“…Ah, S-shiro…?” Ben asked awkwardly, looking at the bigger male tightening his grip around him, and was relieved when he looked up to see Matt running over to them, “Matt! Thank fuck, do you know what’s got into Shiro?”

“That’s what I would like to know! It wasn’t a few minutes ago that Shiro couldn’t wait to leave this place and go up in space!” Matt huffed, hands on his knees as he was taking a breath from running all the way here, and then looked back up, very miffed, “You got a lot of explaining to do, Shirogane! Do you have any idea how this is going to look?! What will Sanda say when you have begged and pleaded for your case to go on this mission—?”

“Fuck Sanda.”

Ben and Matt both looked horrified at Shiro swearing with a low growl, with Ben having his jaws drop and Matt almost breaking his glasses comically.

“Shiro…?” Ben questioned before Matt screamed out loud.

“THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?! ARE YOU CRAZY!?”

Shiro looked back up at his best friend and narrowed his eyes, and Ben squeaked when he felt the arms tighten around him more. What was going on with him?

“Yes. Tell Sanda to shove it, I changed my mind. I’m not going to Kerberos…”

Calming down, Shiro softened.

“Please tell your dad I’m sorry and thank you for everything, but there’s something important that I’ve gotta do…”

This time, Shiro turned to Ben and breathed out.

“Ben, I’m going to need your help. There’s a lot I wanna say to you, but for now, I think there are much more important things to cover. Will you help me?”

“Yes, of course,” Ben said without hesitation, smiling.

This…this was something that Ben had been waiting a long while for. He wasn’t sure what changed in Shiro at this moment, but it was better than the cold shoulder and violent overacting anger towards him for the past few years. Helping Shiro, whatever it is, was something Ben will do and more.

Matt stared at them for a moment, taking a minute or two to process what was going on and sighed. Rubbing at his head, he turned around and spoke out loud.

“You do realise that this will be seen as an insubordination. The Garrison are not going to be happy you did this…”

“And they’re not gonna be happy on what I’m going to do next~” Shiro smiled, before grabbing Ben’s hand and rushing off, “C’mon, we’re going to find a few people and go somewhere else. Talking here in the Garrison is not safe…”

Matt balked at him while Ben was still reeling at the change of attitude from the Asian male, before Matt started stomping his feet and waving his arms up and down angrily.

“SHIRO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Shiro looked back and gave a happy grin, waving at him, “Fixing stuff. Please give my apologies to your dad and cover for me from Sanda and them! Thanks Matt, you’re the best~”

And with that, Shiro and Ben vanished back inside the Garrison, and Matt felt his heart stop. 

“…I need better friends.”

“Okay, are you going to explain what is going on now, or am I to wait until you stop dragging me to wherever we’re going?”

Shiro paused in his steps as he looked back at the confused look on Ben’s face, and his eyes softened. God…just looking at Ben made his heart flutter. He couldn’t believe he was living and breathing in front of him again. Shaking his head out of the thoughts, Shiro calmly spoke.

“Considering you’re a big hero, and know a lot about space, what I’m about to tell you might be shocking. But before that, I’m going to have to pull some cadets out that might help us out,” He explained, and soon started walking again.

Ben nodded slowly, trying to understand him, but he was sort of distracted as to why Shiro was still holding his hand as they walked together down the Garrison halls. Somehow the gesture sort of made Ben’s cheeks flush for a moment, head spinning. This is so out of character for Shiro…but why do I like it?

Ben was going through his internal monologue, Shiro meanwhile was looking through classrooms by their windows, peering in to look for two certain people. He paused for a second when he spotted Hunk for a moment and then looked unsure.

Should he pull Hunk out and drag him to Voltron again?

Shiro softened as he watched Hunk look out the window and into starry void that was space, the two standing at the central deck of the ATLAS in silence. The war was over, and yet…

“Sometimes…I wished that I didn’t get dragged by Pidge and Lance to space…” Hunk murmured quietly, but then looked to Shiro and looked sheepish, “D-don’t get me wrong! While I do love Yellow, and the team…it’s just…there’s a part of me that missed so much of my families lives, that I was gone for so long…I dunno…it feels complicated now that I’m thinking on it.”

Shiro watched as Hunk was fiddling with what seems to be a cup of Nunvil, staring down at the liquid with ageing eyes.

“If I had a choice to go back? I wished someone else would be the Yellow Paladin and I would stay on Earth…”

Shiro knew that Hunk, despite proving time and time again that he was stronger than he thinks, wasn’t cut out for being in a war. And, as much as he wanted to call out to his friend once more, he has been through hell already once in the past. Maybe someone else could take his place?

Deciding to move on, Shiro looked away from the window and started moving on, giving a mental parting farewell to his old friend. Maybe this time, Hunk can stay with his family and be safe.

Shiro was going through classroom to classroom once more, but then paused when he finally saw two familiar figures. He smiled when he saw Keith, who was very young with no scar on his cheek nor looking like he was haunted by war, and then turned his head to see—

“CAN’T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT, MCCLAIN?!”

Shiro’s smile fell when he spotted Iverson yelling at Lance, who was looking down at the ground and hands fisted on his sides. Right, Shiro remembered that Lance had a hard time in his first years of the Garrison. And Iverson particularly relished scolding Lance and trying to compare him to Keith, who somehow was some sort of secret genius. 

“Yeesh, this guy’s an ass…” Ben murmured to Shiro, and Shiro soon released Ben’s hand from his own and started walking in the room, “Shiro?”

This alerted everyone in the class, including Iverson and Lance, as Shiro was marching over to them.

“Shirogane? I thought you were flying out for the Kerber—“

Before Iverson could say anything, Shiro pulled his arm back and WHAM!

Keith’s eyes widened in surprise while his classmates, including Lance, were gasping and crying out in surprise. Takashi Shirogane, polite and the Golden Boy of the Garrison, just punched a commanding officer! Needless to say, it surprised every cadet in the room. Ben almost had to laugh at the scene, Shiro looking like a raging bull as he stood over Iverson, who was on the ground and holding his bloody nose. 

Shiro was quick to pull the man up by the front of his uniform jacket, and sneered at him, “You think it’s fun talking down on people that are not on the same level as others? You get some sick twisted kicks onto bullying cadets that need more guidance and care? Well, let me tell you something, Iverson…you’re never going to be half the man that Lance McClain is!”

While during his time as Captain of the ATLAS, Shiro remembered how Iverson had been somewhat tolerable when joining the Voltron Coalition, even making apologies to Keith and Lance on how he treated them during their Garrison days. But right now, this Iverson wasn’t the comrade he knew in the ATLAS. Might as well start humbling him while he was still high on his ego trip.

“Shiro?”

Shiro turned to the soft voice, seeing Keith approaching him and touching his arm, violet eyes wide and looking concerned. This caused Shiro to calm down, dropping Iverson to the ground and turning fully to look at his young brother figure. By Quintessence, he looked much like a boy than he remembered. Still looking hopeful and bright…right before Shiro flew in space and captured by the Galra.

This caused Shiro to reach over Keith and hug him, surprising the shorter male with a squeak.

“S-shiro?! What’s got into you?” Keith wiggled out of his hold, looking weirded out, “Aren’t you suppose to be flying to space with the Holts? Why are you here? A-and why did you punch Iverson?”

Somehow despite looking appalled at the thought of his hero punching an officer, Shiro could see the envious glee that someone actually put Iverson in his place. 

“Let’s just say that…there’s something more important that I have to do,” Shiro soon turned to Lance and smiled softly, “Lance, right?”

“I should thank you all for getting me out…Lance, right?”

Shiro remembered the very first time meeting Lance, and almost felt the same as before. Especially with Lance reaching a hand out and hesitating, his eyes looking unsure. But he then smiled, looking up at Shiro with hero-worship and admiration in his eyes, taking his hand and shaking it.

“Yes, sir. Lance McClain, reporting.”

“Ah, just Shiro is fine.” It felt weird for Lance to call him sir out of all things. 

“So, what’s going on?” Keith came in between them, looking at the both of them with narrowed eyes.

“I’ll explain later. But right now I need you two to come with me.” Shiro stated, and noticed that a few cadets had gone out, probably to call another officer while a few others were checking up on Iverson, “We should get out of here. Now.”

Keith didn’t hesitate as he nodded, already grabbing for his backpack and heading to the door while Lance faltered, looking from Iverson and back to Shiro.

Shiro noticed this and softened, “If…if you don’t want to come with, that’s fine. I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want. And I most certainly don’t want you to get into trouble, if that’s what your’e thinking.”

While he had decided to let Hunk be this time around and not bring him along, he’s not gonna lie and say that he was going to do the same for Lance. In fact, he was hoping Lance would come with them, no questions asked. Unlike Hunk, Lance was made to be exploring and fighting in space. He had shown Shiro time and time again how much of a fighter he was, and how he was someone that could be on equal footing to not just Keith, but too Shiro as well. 

Someone who was destined for great things, just like Allura had predicted. 

However, he wasn’t going to push Lance into coming along, as much as it pained him.

Lance looked like he was thinking for a moment, and Shiro’s spirit almost died at the thought that Lance was going to decline him…but was relieved when Lance looked at him in determination and nodded.

“If you say I should come, then I shall follow your lead, Shiro.”

Shiro smiled, nodding his head as he soon turned to rush out the door, Lance right behind him. Ben was talking to Keith quietly when Shiro and Lance approached, the two then glancing up at them. Shiro did wonder why they stopped talking as soon as they approached and what they were talking about, but he suppose he can ask them later. The four of them soon were rushing out of the Garrison quickly, especially when they noticed some officers were now chasing after them. 

“Oh man, it feels like we’re criminals or something!” Lance yelped as he kept on running, Shiro looked sheepish.

Okay, maaaaybe he shouldn’t have decked Iverson like he did just now.

Either way, Ben was reaching towards the Rust Bucket and got in the driver seat, looking at the other guys, “GET IN!”

Keith slipped into the front passenger seat next him, Lance jumping in the back. Shiro was about to go in when he spotted Matt and Sam Holt watching them from afar. Sam looked worried for him, albeit, also puzzled as to why Shiro was leaving and Matt…well, he was glaring at Shiro as if he wanted an explanation to all this. Shiro just gave a small apologetic smile and salute, knowing he’ll explain to Matt what’s going on when things have calmed down. And so, he slipped into the RV and Ben drove off, a few Garrison vehicles coming after them.

Lance had to look back, seeing the Garrison in their wheels and gulped.

 “Man, they do not look happy.” He stated nervously, then he looked to Ben, “Can’t this thing go any faster?”

“Never a dull moment. This is a typical Wednesday for me.” Ben murmured, rolling his eyes as he pressed something onto his steering wheel, and soon picked up speed.

“We could toss some non-essential weight?” Keith suddenly said, and Shiro’s eyes widened for moment at those words.

“Oh right!” Lance looked around for a moment but then frowned, looking over at a cheeky looking Keith as Lance huffed, “Okay, that was an insult, I get it.“

This…never happened, at least not at this moment? Shiro thought with a frown, but then again, a lot of things happened that weren’t like in his past memory. Since when did Keith look playfully at Lance, who looked slightly annoyed. Okay, wait, that was normal of Lance in this timeline…right?

Keith suddenly straightened, looking at the front window and his eyes widened as he pointed out, “Guys! T-that…is that…?”

Shiro and Lance looked over, and their eyes widened at seeing the edge of a cliff. Ben almost smirked at them, giving a wink before accelerating the speed of the RV. The three boys screamed while Ben was laughing as the Rust Bucket took flight in the air, the Garrison trucks and cars stopping at the edge of the cliff. Rolling his eyes at the men screaming in his RV, Ben pressed something on his dashboard as the RV started floating in mid-air. Shiro managed to calm down, looking at Ben staring at him with a smile.

“You think you’re the only one that knows how to fly the skies, Shiro the Hero~?”

Shiro’s eyes softened, letting out a chuckle as he smiled fondly, “You’re amazing.”

This caught Ben off guard for a moment, his face flushed before turning around to face the front, “W-whatever, Shiro, you’re so weird…”

Shiro continued on staring at the mumbling Ben, ignoring how Keith was looking at him in suspicion. 

“Soooooo, where are we going?” Lance finally asked as they were still flying in the air, looking from Ben to Shiro, “I mean, I know I said I’ll follow you, but I would like to know exactly what I’m getting into?”

Shiro knew that he had to eventually tell them what’s going on, but he didn’t know where to start. And would they believe him? The first time around, it was hard to believe anything that happened and what was about to happen in the future. But…what stays the same and what changes? Shiro had already done a lot of things that he didn’t do in the past…how was that going to effect everything from this point forward?

“It’s gonna sound hard to believe…” Shiro started, glancing at the trio with an unsure look.

“Try us.” Keith said, already giving a look that said that he will believe anything he says. Well, that was typical of Keith, who had his whole trust and faith on Shiro ever since the day they met. 

Shiro pursed his lips as he then let out a breath.

“Okay…but first, Keith, do you think we can stop by your house?”

Reaching the Kogane home was something that Shiro didn’t think he’d be seeing again in this lifetime. From what he remembered, Keith had taken him and the Team into a shack. Shiro then remembered Keith saying that the shack was just an old place that his Dad had kept when being a part-time ranger around the dessert. Something about how there were stragglers around the area that wanted to sneak into places that are off limits like the Garrisons secret bases. Shiro believed that was the time when people were hearing rumours about aliens being in the area. Oh how right they were. 

“Keith, was there anything strange going around here that might seem…I dunno, extraterrestrial?” Shiro asked innocently as Ben parked his RV to the side, him and Lance talking while Keith welcomed Shiro inside his house.

Keith raised a brow up at him before fully turning to him with his hands on his hips, “Answer my question first, since when are you and Ben in talking terms again?”

This caught Shiro by surprise, “W-what do you mean?”

“From what I remember, last week you were telling Ben to ‘fuck off and never come into my life again!’ and always kept telling me how much you hated the guy?”

Shiro winced at the words coming from Keith’s mouth.

It was true. A long time ago, Shiro absolutely couldn’t stand Ben. He didn’t hate him, per se, it was more…Shiro was immaturely jealous of him.

Shiro knew Ben ever since they were young. One summer, when he was eleven years old, his grandfather and Max Tennyson introduced him and Ben with one another. Apparently, the two were pilot buddies and eventually ended up in the same Plumber business, becoming good allies and life-long friends. With that, their grandfathers thought that Shiro and Ben could be good friends too.

Young Shiro was hiding behind his grandfather’s leg as he peeked out for a moment at the smiling young Ben, who was giving the biggest grin and waving all friendly like. Their grandfathers looked amused at this interaction, knowing that they made the right decision. 

And it worked for a while…until the news of Ben being a hero came out. 

Fifteen year old Ben blinked when he and sixteen year old Shiro were coming out of Mr. Smoothies one day, and the two were surrounded by paparazzi. A lot of them asking about Ben being a hero and saving the day time and time again, to rumours about being an evil traitor to the human race and expect aliens to invade Earth. Either way, Ben looked annoyed as he grabbed Shiro’s arm and escaped the hounding tabloids.

Shiro looked over at his friend, “Wow, y-you’ve become so popular…”

“Yeah, but it’s getting irritating to the point I can’t even do my job,” Ben murmured as he sipped his smoothie, and Shiro looked away for a moment with a strange look.

Thinking on it now, Shiro always felt that Ben got everything in life too easily. He managed to fly by school despite being the worst student ever, he had friends despite that he never tried interacting with people…but what killed Shiro the most, was that Ben got to go to space. Shiro’s biggest dream…

“You…went to outer space?” A seventeen year old Shiro breathed out one day when he came out, a sixteen year old Ben waiting in his bedroom with a smile.

“Yeah! It was so awesome. Check it out, I got a souvenir for you!” Ben excitedly said as he was holding what looked like a shiny rock, and Shiro frowned.

“You…went to space.” Without me, Shiro would think bitterly. 

Ben looked at Shiro, confused, placing the space rock down and looked over his friend, “Yeah? I told you that already—“

“You knew exploring the stars and planets is my dream!” Shiro said hotly, looking away as he glanced around all the N.A.S.A. memorabilia and posters of planets and stars. 

Ben looked around as well, closing his eyes and sighing, “…It wasn’t like it was a field trip, Shiro. I was on a mission—“

“And yet you come running here to show off, is that it? Rub it in my face?”

Ben looked hurt at the accusation, which came out of nowhere to him, as he stared at Shiro incredulously, “I-I didn’t—”

“Get out.” Shiro pointed to the door with narrowed eyes, “I don’t want to talk to you today.”

Shiro had to mentally face-palm at his younger self, remembering how Ben looked incredibly and reasonably upset that he was shooed away. All because Shiro was jealous. Jealous of a chance that he wanted. And he did eventually get the chance, in the Galaxy Garrison…

…But even then, Ben was involved with that too.

Eighteen year old Shiro’s eyes widened as he looked down at the paper in hand, then looked to a grinning seventeen year old Ben, who was holding a cupcake and party blower.

“What…did you do???”

Ben laughed as he gave a sheepish look, “Surprise~? Thanks to my rep as hero of Earth and the universe, I managed to score you a way in to your dream come true. You said that you would do anything to get into the Galaxy Garrison to train and fly with the best~! And so, I placed a good word for you with them!”

Shiro crumpled the paper in hand and threw it to the ground, looking at Ben angrily, “Do you have any idea what you did?!”

“…Er, this is the part where you say ‘You’re welcome, Ben~ You’re the best, Ben~’ and all that?” Ben said slowly, wondering what had Shiro up in defence now.

Shiro shook his head as he then let out a huff of frustration, “Do you know how this is going to make me look? Thanks to you, they’ll think that I asked you to recommend me into the program, like I need to have you go up to them and beg me to be placed in! Like some desperate yuppy. They’re not going to take me seriously with my skills and knowledge alone. They’ll now think I’m The Great Ben Tennyson’s Charity Case.”

Ben didn’t think of that, and looked almost apologetic, “I didn’t—That’s not my—Shoot, ah, h-hang on! I can fix this—“

“THIS IS ISN’T SOMETHING YOU CAN FIX! AND STOP TRYING TO FIX ME!” Shiro slammed his fist onto a wall, almost scaring Ben for a second as Shiro breathed out heavy and in fury, “You’re sounding like my doctors. You’re sounding like my grandparents. Trying to control my life and tell me what to do with it!”

“I-I wasn’t trying to do that! I swear, Shiro, I just wanted to help you—“

“STOP TRYING TO HELP ME! I’M NOT SOME WEAK LOSER THAT YOU ARE FORCED TO TAKE CARE OF AND BE FRIENDS WITH! I WISH YOU WOULD JUST LEAVE ME ALONE AND OUT OF MY LIFE!”

That was the last time he had ever spoke to Ben like that. There was another time, but it was supposed to be today…when Ben was trying to also stop Shiro from going to the Kerberos mission.

“Shiro?”

The man blinked as he heard Keith’s concerned voice, and was brought back to the present. 

“Ah, s-sorry, what were you saying?”

“You zoned out. Shiro, why did you not go to the Kerberos mission? Are you okay?” Keith asked quietly, looking Shiro over, “Is it the disease? Is it acting up again?”

Shiro felt his heart drop for a moment, and looked down at his wrist, the very one that had the monitor to remind him of his booster medicine for his muscles and maintenance for his weakening body. Right…he was still sick. By not going to space and be captured by the Galra, it would mean that he was still on a ticking time limit before his whole body would fail him…and die.

“…That’s not it. But thank you for reminding me,” Shiro will have to figure out a cure later…because he knew there was one, but not on Earth, “I will explain everything to you, Keith, I promise. But there are some other things that I’ll need before then.”

Keith looked like he wanted to question him more, but decided against it and nodded.

“Okay…so what else do you need?”

Shiro hummed before he looked outside to see Ben and Lance approaching to the front door, and his eyes softened.

“We’re gonna have to call in some people.”

“Call in…who, exactly?” Keith asked curiously, before Ben and Lance stepped into the house and hearing the conversation, “That’s also another thing, why did you want Lance to come with us?”

Shiro looked over at Lance and smiled, “Because he’s going to be important on this mission~”

Lance’s blue eyes widened for a moment, looking flustered at being under the spotlight, rubbing the side of his neck, “I-I’m important…?—Wait, wait, time out. What mission?”

Shiro turned serious, glancing at a curious looking Ben, then to the cadets.

“What I’m about to tell you stays in this house. The reason that I didn’t go onto the Kerberos mission is because there is word that Earth is going to be invaded.“

Lance and Keith gasped, and Ben looked suspiciously at Shiro.

“That’s a big statement, Shiro. What makes you say that?” The Omnitrix wielder inquired, and Shiro knew that Ben was on the know about any alien race coming to invade Earth or not. Which is good, this means he’ll take me seriously. 

“Have you heard about Voltron?”

Ben looked at him for a moment, before raising a brow, “…From what I heard from Grandpa Max, it was an old wives’ tale. A story about five lions turning into one giant man that saves universes. Something to tell kids before bed—Shiro, why do you know about Voltron? Earthlings don’t know about that…well, they do, but they think that’s all anime cartoon and fake for TV entertainment?”

“Because it’s real. And I can prove it—”

Shiro paused for a moment, before looking to Keith.

“…Keith, I know you have some weird shack somewhere around here and you might be drawn to search around the grand canyons that are nearby.”

 Keith looked confused, “…Are you talking about Dad’s shed he uses as a man cave? And all those deserts are just that, deserts. Why would I search around there?”

This caused Shiro to look confused for a moment, but had to mentally slap himself. Duh, that part won’t happen until he disappears during the Kerberos mission. Where Keith got himself expelled from the Garrison and was turned into a hermit searching for the Blue Lion…that all won’t happen until next year. 

“Ah, r-right…” Shiro sweat-dropped before looking over at Ben, “Okay, I have another way to prove it…”

“Oh yeah? How?”

At Ben’s question, Shiro then paused once more, giving himself a slap at his forehead for real this time and almost freaking out Ben, Lance and Keith.

Pidge…

At this time, she would be under the name Katie Holt. She wouldn’t be the same Pidge he remembers because right now she didn’t have a purpose of sneaking into the Garrison, changing her name and looks, going on a mission to find her missing brother and father…that were not missing anymore, thanks to Shiro bailing. 

‘Meaning she won’t have the machine that tracks Blue or hear the message about the Galra and Voltron.’ Shiro felt himself groan inwardly, and as much as he wanted to find Pidge and ask for her help…how can he?

There were two things that could happen. One, was that Pidge would look at him like a crazy person and pretty much would call the police on him…or worse, send Mama Holt to deal with him. Another would be that Pidge might be willing to help in the name of science…although this might alert Matt and get him riled up into thinking Shiro was dragging his baby sister into something dangerous.

‘With Matt and Sam on Earth now and the mission cancelled because of me, there is no reason for her to come to the Garrison at all…or any reason to be part of Voltron.’

With this thought in mind, it would mean Shiro might have to consider that Voltron won’t be complete this time around. If he had things his way, he wouldn’t want to bring Pidge into war again. Right now, she was fourteen going on fifteen. A child. And Shiro wasn’t about to send her into space and get hurt again.

Ben looked at Shiro’s thoughtful face and sighed, “Shiro, I know that you think you know things, but I have to say that there is no way there is an invasion happening—“

“Okay, okay! I know I sound like a lunatic, but I’m telling the truth!” Shiro desperately pleaded as Ben almost backed away when Shiro stepped forward, “Please, I know you have every right to not believe me…”

“No, no! Shiro, I believe you. Really, I do,” Ben breathed out softly, “But I cannot just go running to the Plumbers with just word of mouth alone. We need actually solid evidence that there is going to be some sort of attack that’s going to happen.”

Shiro tried to scratch his brain on ideas, until he landed on one.

“Ben, do you remember the Teen Titans?”

This sort of surprised Ben as he looked at him strangely but then spoke slowly, “Er, yes but…why would ask about them?”

Shiro was confused why Ben’s tone changed, but then it hit him. How could he forget how he reacted in front of people that understood Ben the most. And the very people Shiro felt insecure around the most. Which was also yet another reason why he and Ben drifted apart.

“Guys, this is the friend I was telling you about.”

Sixteen year old Shiro felt nervous as he felt himself dragged along by a fifteen year old Ben towards a group of teens in costumes, the people turning to them with different expressions on their faces. Some of them curious, some of them confused. Either way, Shiro didn’t feel all that comfortable. At least Matt was with them, along with Ben’s cousin, Lucy Mann. 

“This is Shiro. He’s going to be a future explorer to space of the Galaxy Garrison~” Ben boasted with a smile, while Shiro was rubbing the side of his neck sheepishly. 

“I’m Robin, leader of the Teen Titans. Nice to meet you, Ben has told us a lot about you,” A teen in a domino mask spoke with a calm smile, placing his hand out to Shiro, who shook his hand.

“I-I’ve heard of you. Um, big fan?” 

Robin chuckled, having an arm around a tan-skinned girl with red hair and glowing eyes, “And this is Starfire. My, ah, girlfriend…”

“A pleasure to meet you, Friend Shiro. Ben has told us fondly that you wish to see the stars and planets outside of Earth,” She spoke softly, as Shiro felt his cheeks flush. 

Whew, if he wasn’t attracted to men, he would’ve thought Starfire was beautifully gorgeous. Well, she is, but still— 

Ben smiled, watching Matt and Lucy mingle with the other Titans before Shiro leaned over to him once Robin and Starfire left.

“Ben, why did you invite me to this party anyways? Matt, I understand, since he’s Lucy’s plus one. But…?”

“Why wouldn’t I invite you?” Ben looked up at him and tilted his head, “You’re my friend, aaaaand well Julie couldn’t make it. That, and Gwen and Kevin have a date night so, I called you,”

Shiro quirked a brow before looking over at someone calling Ben over. Ben just told Shiro to relax and enjoy the party, before disappearing off. Shiro at first did try to stay away from crowds and just people watch, but eventually thanks to Matt and Lucy, he loosened up. He even got to talking to people like Starfire, to Cyborg, and then to other Honorary Titans. He was about to find Ben when he heard his voice along with two others.

“Guys, c’mon, lay off him! I mean, he’s my friend,” Ben’s voice sounded, and Shiro had to lean back from being seen as it seems Ben was talking to Speedy and Kid Flash, “So he ain’t a super or an alien from another planet with awesome powers, so what? So is Matt.”

“The thing is, at least Holt is a super genius and he’s all buddy-buddy with Princess Sludge over there,” The archer hummed a bit when nodding to Matt and Lucy, sipping his drink, “What? Did you think your friend would be good for the team once he upgrades from cargo pilot? We don’t need another space cadet, Tennyson.”

“No offence, but I don’t see anything special about that guy. He’s…too normal, ya know?” Kid Flash hummed in agreement, “He’s no Robin, who was trained as a kid by THE Batman. Or like Speedy with Green Arrow or—“

Ben sighed in frustration, “You’re judging him already without seeing what he can do…”

“Didn’t you say that he was sick?” Another voice sounded as it was revealed to be Raven, floating over to them and looking at Ben seriously, “It wouldn’t be wise to have an ally that’s already on death’s door. Not to mention cruel to be giving him false hope. Does he even know that you wanted to recruit him as a Titan?”

Shiro felt his heart squeeze for a moment as he closed his eyes. He knew it. 

He left that party that night without telling anyone. He didn’t even answer any calls from Ben, Matt or anybody. Shiro just felt disappointment once more, and he never wanted to be involved with parties with Ben ever again.

“Shiro? Are you okay? You’re spacing out again.”

Shiro snapped out of the memory as Ben said this, and then sighed, “I’m fine, Ben. Really. It’s just, we’re going to need them.” 

Staring at Shiro for a moment longer, Ben then sighed and was grabbing his cellphone from his jacket pocket, “…Fine, there’s someone that I can talk with. Just give me a sec, okay?”

Shiro looked relieved, but then had a thought before asking cautiously, “W-who is it?”

“Ahhh, Starfire actually…”

Shiro had a mental cheer in his head. This is the exact person I need!

“Great! Ahhhh, there’s also someone else we might have to check on first. Where is your cousin, Gwen?”

Ben looked up and blinked, “Err, she’s probably in her Alma Mater considering she’s going for her advance magic masters…we can totally go and visit her if you want?”

Shiro looked thoughtful and then shook his head, “Do you think it’s alright to maybe call her over?”

“I can try and contact her too,” Ben tilted his head, “But why did you want to have her come here?”

“Just…I need her to check on something.”

Shiro had a theory. One that could be possible, but he needed to confirm it with someone that was magical. Turning to Keith and Lance while Ben was talking on the phone, he looked to the two of them and sighed.

“Okay, the next bit…we’re going to have to explore down at the canyons close by.”

“Is there something that we’re supposed to be looking for?” Lance asked curiously, and Shiro smiled a little.

“Yup.”

While it may be a year or so earlier than expected, it was best that they find the Blue Lion now before the Galra does. Which is perfect since at this moment, one of Zarkon’s fleet that was stationed nearby Earth’s atmosphere was not close yet. If they could find Blue first and go to Arus to the Castle of Lions…maybe this time around they’ll have an advantage against them.

“But first, we’re going to need a machine…” Shiro hummed as he was resting a hand under his chin in thought, eyes narrowed, “One that could read Fraunhofer lines. It would give us the exact location…”

Keith folded his arms, looking sort of puzzled, “A frown…who?”

“It’s a number describing a spectrum of an element…” Shiro accidentally murmured, then blinked as he caught the weirded out looks from Lance and Keith, “Er, basically it’s gonna help us find what we’re looking for.”

“Shiro, you didn’t exactly tell us what we’re looking for,” Keith pointed out, now looking annoyed, “This whole being mysterious and not telling us exactly what’s going on is starting to bug me. Not to mention you’ve been acting weird and bailed on the very mission that you thought was your everything…punching Iverson—“

“Kinda had it coming,” Shiro interrupted with a frown, but then shook his head, “I will explain, once we find Blue—“

“Good news and bad news, guys,” Ben came between them with a finger up, glancing at the both of them before speaking cheerfully, “Good news, I managed to contact Starfire and she’s kinda flying her way here.”

“And the bad news?” Shiro raised a brow while Ben looked sheepish.

“Gwen is out world at the moment. Apparently Kevin has dragged her into one of his car shows in another planet and won’t be back for a while,” Ben explained but then tilted his head, “If you tell me what you need Gwen for, maybe it will be better so I can tell her properly why she needs to come back to Earth.”

Shiro sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, before closing his eyes, “I need her magical expertise to check on something.”

“…I might know someone else that might be able to do that for you,” Ben suggested, as he had his hands on his hips and raised a brow at him, “But again, you’re gonna have to tell me why you need magical help? Since if I recall, you never believed in that sort of stuff.”

“…It’s to check if there’s a cure for my disease.”

Keith and Ben’s eyes widened at that, while Lance gasped and placed a hand over his mouth.

“You’re sick?” Lance asked, clearly worried with sympathy in his eyes, which Shiro ignored as he looked at Ben.

Ben sighed, “…Shiro…”

“Please? I have a feeling that there might be something that could.” Shiro pleaded, stepping forward to place a hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“…I’ve tried to tell you this option before. But you had shut me out every time I tried mentioning it, saying that I should stop calling you and meddle in your life.” He took a deep breath, but nodded as Ben turned away and wiped his eyes, “…Okay. Okay, I definitely will call someone that can help. She’s almost the same level as Gwen and might be able to help.”

Shiro’s eyes soften as he smiled, squeezing Ben’s shoulder, “Thank you…”

Lance and Keith looked awkward at the moment the two men shared, and Keith interrupted them with a cough.

“Er…okay, so, is it really that easy that someone could magically cure Shiro?” He asked.

Ben nodded, “Surprisingly there are things magic can spot that human technology and medicine can’t. Anyways, if we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna have to find a big space.”

“Um…why?” Lance wondered out loud with an apprehensive look, growing even more nervous when Ben grinned.

The four young men stood outside of Keith’s home, the sandy winds blowing around them. Ben stepped forward, holding what seems to be a small notebook, and flipping it open. Reading it quietly, he raised a hand up, and spoke softly that the other three had to strain their hearing a bit to understand. 

“Esporow Via Esprolixas Capti Capters Few Sonmow Lenton Oway On Respicklas Lokis Lusses Via Astendus Ocultes Ienwua!”

And with a flash of lights, a very large double door appeared before them, almost looking like an entrance of a spooky castle. Shiro, Lance and Keith looked up in awe while Ben just smiled in satisfaction. While they were distracted, Ben walked over to the door and knocked on it, placing his hand over the door and then called out softly.

“Charmcaster. I know you’re there, and I definitely know the password to your door. So you better come out here unless you want me to barge in—“

“Tennyson, I swear to Legerdomain that you are a pain in my ass sometimes.”

Ben smiled as he looked over to the side to spot a young woman with silvery hair tied up in a high ponytail, light purple-bluish eyes and wearing what seems to be a magenta coat with purple at the ends, tight dark pants that matched with her aesthetic makeup she had on.

“Hey Charmy~” Ben greeted cheekily, before the woman snarled.

“I told you not to call me that,” She looked over at the three other males that were there, then looked back at Ben tiredly, “So, decided to ditch Gwendolyn and her guard dogs and replace them with hot men? What also happened to that handsome alien partner in blue that hung around you?”

“Har, har…and Rook has his own thing going on, so that’s that.” Ben rolled his eyes playfully before looking back at Charmcaster, “I need your help with something.”

“You always need my help with things~” Charmcaster purred as she stepped forward, running a finger down his chest, “Is it that time again—?”

“NOPE! Nope, n-not that,” Ben blushed as he took her hand and placed it down, coughing a bit before letting out a small chuckle, “No, ah, there’s someone I want you to check out.”

“Mmm, checking out people besides you~?”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Tease~ As usual~”

Shiro narrowed his eyes at the two of them for a moment, but then blinked when Ben looked over at him, making Charmcaster look at him too.

“Charmy, this is Shiro. He wanted to have someone magical do a medical diagnosis on him.” Ben explained, and Charmcaster’s eyes sparkled with mischief for a moment, and Ben noticed, “Charmy, no—“

“Shiro~? Is it the very same one that you’ve talked about?” Charmcaster teased, already stepping up towards the taller male, observing him and hummed, “Fitter than Levin, and quite handsome than Rook. I can see why Tennyson is very interested in you~”

“You talk about me?” Shiro questioned, making Ben reach over and smack the witch with a frown.

“Now’s not the time to be playing, Charmcaster. Can you please check on him for me?”

Charmcaster huffed, but nodded as she then stepped back for a moment, raising her hands towards Shiro. Keith wanted to jump in, thinking she was going to attack but Lance stopped him and shook his head. The sorceress hummed as her eyes glowed, murmuring some sort of language as a light surrounded Shiro. To him, it felt warm, like he was being wrapped around blankets and coddled into comfort. After a minute or so, Charmcaster stopped, the light dying down from her hands and around Shiro.

“…Well?” Ben asked as Charmcaster looked over at him, raising a brow.

“…There’s nothing wrong with him?”

All the guys looked puzzled.

“What?” Keith asked suspiciously, before Ben shook his head.

“Um, no? From what I remember, Shiro has a degenerative muscle disease?”

“He’s right,” Shiro said with a serious look, “According to the doctors, with my muscular dystrophy, I only have a few years to go and I wouldn’t be able to pilot or go to space anymore.”

Charmcaster raised a brow at him, and chuckled, “Well, your silly doctors are wrong. There’s no disease in you…”

Shiro looked floored, “Are…are you sure?”

Charmcaster looked offended, “Are you saying my magic is wrong? Then you’re even dumber than I thought,”

“Hey!” Keith growled, before Shiro stopped him from trying to thwart her for that comment. 

“So, what? You’re saying…I’m healthy and have no signs of my disease in my body?”

Charmcaster nodded, “Yes. Maybe someone out there cured you already without you knowing~”

Shiro tried to wrack his brain for a moment, feeling like this didn’t make any sense. But then the memory of him almost dying, the strange man that had brought him back to this time—

“Caspian.”

Charmcaster froze at the name while Ben, Lance and Keith looked confused.

“Who?” Ben asked, as Shiro breathed out, looking towards Charmcaster.

“You know who he is, don’t you?”

“How do you know that name?”

Before Shiro could answer, a shadow casted over them and everyone looked up to see a flying red haired woman in purple landing before them, her glowing green eyes looking at them before smiling.

“Greetings!” She cheerfully said, but once she spotted Ben, she soon swooped in and brought him into a hug, “Friend Ben! How I have missed you!”

“A-ack! G-good to s-see you too S-starfire…” Ben choked out as he wriggled himself free from her, and breathed out softly with a friendly smile, “Ah, glad you found me. Er, sorry for dragging you out here but we need your help.”

“I shall offer my assistance to the best of my abilities~” She said in a voice of positivity, almost looking like an angel the way she smiled and the sun shining down on her figure.

Shiro was waiting for a moment for Lance to say something, but blinked when a minute passed by and heard nothing. He glanced over at the Cuban male for a moment, witnessing Lance looking to the side boredly next to Keith. Isn’t this the part where Lance slides in and flirts with a pretty girl? He would wonder, scratching his head.

Maybe he should say something?

Sliding next to Lance, he nudged him, “Don’t you think Starfire is pretty?”

Lance glanced over at the older male, then looked to Starfire, then back to him and shrugged, “She’s attractive, I guess?”

“You…guess?” Shiro asked in surprise, with Keith tilting his head and looking at him suspiciously.

“Why do you care what Lance thinks about some alien chick’s looks?” He asked slowly, and Shiro smiled sheepishly. 

‘How weird…maybe this is a good thing?’ Shiro thought to himself, glancing at Lance again, who was staring at Keith with a thoughtful gaze.

With Ben and Starfire still talking, the Tamaranian’s eyes then glanced over to Shiro and blinked, but then recognition shone in her eyes as she then softened, “Ah, you are—?”

“U-Um, it’s nice to see you again, Miss Starfire,” Shiro was quick to cut her off, not liking the sympathetic look she was giving him as he placed his hand out to her, “I asked Ben to call you here because I wished to ask you a few questions and help me find something hidden among this canyons.”

Starfire looked at the hand, then shook it kindly with a small smile, “Any friends of Friend Ben is a friend of mine. Tell me, what is it you wish to ask me?”

Shiro smiled a little, and took a deep breath. “Do you know about Voltron and the Galras?”

A gasp left Starfire as she released Shiro’s hand, looking at him appalled, “H-How do you know about—?”

“Let’s just say I have my sources. But it’s good that you might have knowledge about them and know why I’m asking?”

Starfire nodded slowly, “They are an advance alien species that are are known to work in terms of absolutes, with victory or death being a common motto and philosophy. Cruel and relentless, they are a race that you do not wish to go up against. They are even worse than the Gordanians…”

“Don’t…even know what those are?” Keith murmured, and Starfire didn’t look away from Shiro.

“Are you telling me you know the location of Voltron?”

“Yes. And the Galra are looking too. Luckily I might have an idea of where we can start looking before they do, but we’re in need of a machine to find it,” Shiro told her, and Lance raised his hand up, “Yes, Lance?”

“You said you need a machine…but since we have a witch with us—?”

“Hey!”

Lance ignored Charmcaster for now.

“Don’t you think it’s easier to have her track whatever it is you’re looking for?”

Shiro blinked as he stared at the Cuban for a moment longer, before he smiled, “That’s…actually a good idea, Lance. That was really smart of you!”

Lance felt his face flush as he then rubbed the side of his neck bashfully, and Shiro couldn’t help but smile in pride. It was good that he has Lance here, the potential is still there.

Ben tilted his head and looked to the silvery haired girl, “So? Can you?”

“I can use my magic to track a lot of things…but it would be easier if I had some sort of sample of what I’m looking for~” Charmcaster said, placing her hand out as she stared at Shiro for a moment.

Shiro froze as he looked stumped for a moment. Right, how was he going to give something for her to locate the Blue Lion? He would think nervously, glancing around for a moment until his eyes landed on Keith. If he remembered correctly, Keith said that something had lead him to the canyons. Drawings and symbols leading him to where the Blue Lion could be—

Shiro looked back to Charmcaster and smirked, “First, we have to go near the canyons. Then you’ll understand.”

Everyone looked at each other at this, confused and somewhat intrigued. 

“…Okay. I admit it…this is super freaky…” Lance murmured as everyone stood at the edge of a cliff, looking over at the large masses of rocks and mountains before them.

Charmcaster was floating for a moment, eyes glowing pink along with her hands as if being a human sonar. 

“Anything, Charmy?” Ben asked as he watched over her, and the woman breathed out finally after a minute.

“I have a lock on a strange signature. Follow me,” She murmured and floated downwards, and everyone soon followed.

Starfire stayed in the air to keep an eye on the sorceress, Ben also following by using a little power from his Omntrix. According to him, he had an upgrade on his watch, allowing him to borrow some of his aliens’ powers without transforming. It was both impressive and terrifying to Shiro how much Ben could use said powers. Keith and Lance also followed behind him, more cautious than anything, but somehow had faces on that looked like they felt something…familiar. 

Soon, everyone stopped when Charmcaster froze in place, looking down what seems to be an entrance to a cave.

“…We’re going in there?” Ben questioned, and Charmcaster started moving forward once more, and inside the cave, “…Yup, guess we are.”

A sigh escaped Shiro, knowing what was coming next and soon followed after the floating magic user, Ben and the rest behind him. As soon as they entered the cave, amazed sounds of gasping was heard from everyone…everyone except Charmcaster and Shiro.

Shiro, who knows what these were, wasn’t surprised in the least and had a fond smile on his face. Bingo, now all that’s left is for Lance to touch the walls of the Lion carvings…

He turned his head to see Lance already on it, curiously looking at a chipped drawing of a lion and running his hands over the markings. Shiro waited with baited breath for the walls to light up the familiar blue luminous light that would lead them to Blue…but his smile fell when nothing happened. He didn’t understand, wasn’t it Lance that triggered that awakening to Blue?

“Wow, these are…amazing…” Keith murmured, reaching out to brush some sand off one drawing, seeing the drawing of the lion.

It was then that a loud roar was heard, and Keith’s eyes widened when he saw that the drawing started to glow. Standing back, he looked around and saw all the drawings on the walls started lighting up, almost scaring everyone. Shiro had to double take looking at Keith, now even more confused.

‘Keith triggered Blue…?’

And suddenly, the ground shook under them and gave way, each one of them falling down like some sort of waterslide further into the cave. Starfire gasped, flying after them along with Charmcaster to grab them before they hurt themselves. She managed to catch Ben, while Charmcaster caught Shiro…although sadly Lance and Keith fell with a thud into some puddle of water, landing on each other. A groan escaped the two teens before they realised they were entangled with one another and quickly moved away from each other.

Keith slapped his reddening cheeks for a moment, but then his eyes caught sight of what seemed to be a gigantic force field that was holding an EVEN MORE GIANT ROBOT LION!

“Is this it?” Starfire asked, in awe and looking it over with a hint of excitement in her voice, “Is this the Voltron?”

“Part of it…” Shiro murmured, then saw Ben was staring at him and coughed, “T-there seems to be a force field around it. Lance, feel anything weird about it?”

“Huh?” Caught off guard being called out, Lance raised a brow, “Er, nooooo?”

Shiro blinked, looking back up at Blue then looking back at Lance, “You sure? You don’t feel like the eyes are, like, totally following you?”

Lance folded his arms, raising a brow, “No, I didn’t. Why are you asking me that?”

Keith stepped forward as he looked at the lion for a moment, then felt his heart race. For some reason, he felt like the lion was looking at him. The dark haired teen moved himself to the left, then sliding to the right, frowning a bit as he was very much feeling the eyes on him. Going closer to the force field, he hesitated. Then, he raised a fist, taking a deep breath.

“How are we going to get through the barrier?” Ben asked as he stood next to Keith, ignoring how Shiro and Lance were going back and forth behind them.

“M-Maybe we can knock?” Keith said awkwardly, hoping to come out as a joking manner, and even knocked on the force field for a second, “Heh, guess it didn’t work—“

His eyes widened when something shocked his hand, a light coming from the barrier as Keith stepped away. Before Ben could ask if he was alright, his eyes widened as he witnessed the force field melting away and the room light up with magical blue light. Both of them looked down when the ground shook, seeing how strange markings were appearing under them.

Shiro stopped and turned slowly to Keith and Ben, but mostly staring at Keith.

‘Blue…chose Keith? That can’t be right!’

But he then gasped when something was entering his mind, and knew then and there that Blue was communicating with them. 

‘Hello Black Paladin…it is good to see you once more.’

“What…?” Shiro said out loud, staring at the beast and then gulped, “You…recognise me?”

‘You may look young, but your soul is the very same one as before. Before you and the other Paladins sent us away when the Princess died.’

Shiro winced, but then looked confused, “Wait…do…are you from the time in my future?”

The purring is all the answer he needed. And he won’t question it right now. But this means that Yellow and Green are going to be pretty mad that their Paladins are not here this time around. Glancing at the others, he saw that they were slack-jawed and unmoving, almost as if time stopped for them. Blue must be giving the same vision that she did before, explaining who she is and what Voltron is.

Good, this gave him a bit of time.

“Why did you open for Keith and not Lance?” Shiro questioned, raising a brow at Blue, “He’s your paladin, isn’t he?”

‘While Lance is indeed my Chosen, because of you coming back to the past, things have changed. Thus, I have decided to bestow Keith as my new Chosen in this lifetime…’

Shiro didn’t understand, “But…why?”

That, Blue didn’t answer. And it frustrated Shiro so.

“Okay, don’t answer. So, are we going to head to Arus and meet Princess Allura and Coran in the Castle of Lions now?”

‘Yes. All seven of you will go.’

Confusion coloured Shiro’s face. Seven?

He had to count everyone in the room, and pursed his lips.

“Er, Blue? There’s six of us…?”

Suddenly, Blue roared once more and making everyone jump in surprise, including Shiro. It was then there was a sound of a girly shriek was heard somewhere around the cave, then a splash of water. Turning around, he soon found a blonde haired girl in all brown, orange and yellow sitting on the ground, wincing as she rubbed her back and butt with a pout.

‘Who is this?’ Shiro wondered, looking at the girl before a gasp left Keith.

“Terra?”

The girl looked up at the sound of the name, her eyes widened in fear and looked like she was about to run.

“Wait!” Shiro called before Starfire flew past her and tackled the blonde girl to the ground, “Starfire, what—“

“TERRA!” Starfire shouted to her face, but then started crying big fat tears as she wrapped her arms around the freaked out girl, curling around her into a big, tight hug, “OH MY FRIEND, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONE! A-AND FRIEND BEAST BOY SAID THAT YOU LOST YOUR MEMORIES AND, AND, AND—“

“S-star…y-your hugs are a-as suffocating a-as ever…” Terra choked out as she was trying to wriggle her way out of the Tamaranian girl’s arms, and sighed in relief when she was let go.

Keith took one step as his eyes narrowed, and Terra caught the look with a skittish look.

“Terra…is that you?”

“Keith…” The girl breathed out, standing up shakily as she had her hands onto her chest as if shielding herself, “I…I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again…”

“Why are you here?” He asked, looking like he was holding back some anger as he tried to keep calm.

Terra’s eyes saddened, but then looked up at the Lion before looking at everyone seriously, “I-I felt some weird energy level here. It called out to me and I followed it…although I wasn’t expecting to have some company here. Especially you, Keith…”

Shiro felt confused. Was this girl here before they found Blue?

Lance coughed, before speaking out loud, “Did…anyone else see that?” 

Charmcaster raised a brow as she looked at Lance weirdly, “See what?”

“Voltron is a robot!” Ben exclaimed, waving his hands in the air in excitement, “Voltron is a HUGE, HUGE, AWESOME ROBOT!”

"And this is only one part of it!” Terra said out loud, shocking Shiro for a moment as she continued with a hum, “I wonder where the rest of them are?”

‘Did…did Blue show her too?’ Maybe that was why Blue said that the seven of them are going. This just got more interesting, but complicated. 

Starfire frowned, looking somewhat lost, “I did not see anything?”

“Neither did I…?” Charmcaster also spoke up, which had Shiro thinking for a moment.

‘So Starfire and Charmcaster didn’t get shown anything by Blue. Only me, Ben, Lance, Keith…and probably this Terra girl that just showed up.’ He thought with a hum, tapping his chest while his arms are folded. But what did this mean for Voltron now? Were Ben and Terra possible Paladins now?

Shiro decided to leave those thoughts away for now. Right now, they had to leave.

The Blue Lion let out another purring sound, lowering her head in front of Keith. Surprise coloured the shaggy haired male’s face, watching how the robotic feline open her mouth to allow him inside. Keith stared, but then confidently walked in, the others following him inside. This included Terra, who stared at Keith’s back worriedly.

It made Shiro wonder what was her history with Keith?

Walking into the Lion, they noticed the inside looked a lot like a ship’s, and Keith was familiar with that scenery as he enters what seems to be the cockpit when another set of sliding doors opened up for him. He saw the single chair, smirked and took a seat. Suddenly, the seat slid forward, shocking Keith as he soon saw the dashboard light up before him, watching how a lot of holo-screens appeared before his eyes and how the command console activated.

“Wow…” Keith breathed out, seeing how the steering handles for a pilot just appeared before him, “This is so cool…”

“Ooookay, I dunno if I should state the obvious or not: but, is no one in here sort of freaked out that we are inside of a big ass cat’s head?” Terra asked everyone with a weirded out look.

Keith stared at her for a moment before he gasped, feeling warmth all over his head and down to his legs. It was as if he was feeling someone tapping at his mind and picture after picture was being presented before his mental cranium and…a voice talking to him.

“Er, d-did you guys hear that?” Keith asked, and Lance looked over at him strangely.

“Hear…what?” The cuban male asked.

“I-I think it’s talking to me?” Keith murmured, as he looked at the dashboard and then to his steering wheel.

“She. And yes, she is talking to you,” Shiro pointed out helpfully, making Ben stare at him weirdly.

“And how would you know that, exactly?” Ben questioned with narrowed eyes, as Shiro looked sheepish.

Keith didn’t hear them as he continued to stare at his console, then to the front window that was already showing the inside of the cave they are currently in. Humming for a moment, he curiously reached out to the bright keys in front of him, tapping onto it. It was then that Blue suddenly got up, stretching her limps and started making a move. Everyone inside held on with shouts of surprise, and Keith grinned once gripping both his controllers.

“Okay. Got it. Now let’s try this~” He chuckled, soon pushing his arms forward with eyes ablaze, forcing Blue to move as well. 

With a mighty roar, the mechanical lion soon broke free from it’s prison, smashing out of the cavern walls and off into the sky. Giving a small somersault, jet blasters from it’s paws activated, and the Lion soon was flying even higher up in to the sky.  Screams were heard inside of the cockpit, Keith’s eye twitch when both Lance and Terra were hugging around his head and gripping his hair, Starfire and Charmcaster pressed against the walls with their eyes closed and Shiro gripping his arms around Ben protectively while Ben’s eyes were wide and face flushed. 

“K-Keith! Slow down! Th-this isn’t the s-simulatoooOOOOOORRRRR—“ Lance was screaming as Keith kept making loop-de-loops with Blue and suddenly blasting off even faster.

Keith was smirking the whole time as everyone still was yelling for him to stop, in particular Terra expressing she was going to barf, and continued to fly. This was the most fun he’s had in a long time, no way he was going to stop now!

“Isn’t this awesome!?” Keith yelled out with a smile, and Lance had to move his head to the side as if finding a place to blow chunks or two.

“Make it stop! Please, make it the stop!” Starfire cried out with comical tears, as Keith laughed.

“I’m not making it do anything~ It’s mostly on auto-pilot~” Keith teased, as Lance snapped his head up and glared at him.

“Keith, you son of a bi—“

“Oops, can’t hear you, Blue seems to want to fly up again~”

More screams were heard as Blue was soaring high in the sky once more, but then Keith frowned when he looked down at the controllers.

“K-Keith?” Shiro asked, as Blue finally slowed down, but it seems they were not in Earth’s atmosphere anymore, “Keith, what is it?”

“The Blue Lion is telling me something…” He responded, as Lance looked at him in disbelief. 

“The Lion is…talking to you? What exactly is she saying?”

Keith raised a brow at him for a moment and huffed.

“I-It’s not like she’s saying words per se…more like she’s feeding me ideas in my head…”

Shiro looked curious then asked Keith, “What is Blue saying?”

“Blue wants to go home…but where is her home?”

Shiro knew that this was going to happen. As soon as Blue was free, it was only a matter of time that she would want to reunite with the other lions and meet with the Princess and Coran in the Castle of Lions. Thing was, Arus was pretty much a wormhole away at the edge of the solar system, and way past Kerberos. Meaning once they leave, there was no way they could get back to Earth for a long while.

“…Guys, I have a confession to make…” 

Everyone looked to Shiro for a moment, their expressions mixed with curiosity and caution. 

“Where we’re about to go…it’s gonna be even farther than you’ve ever gone.” He was mostly speaking to Ben for this part, but Shiro looked to everyone and sighed, “Before we fly any further, I want you to know that you don’t have to be here. We can easily fly you back down and you can walk away from this. Forget about this all happening and go on with your own lives. Because from here on out…your lives will be at risk.”

Shiro hoped at least Lance and Keith will stay and come with him to Arus, but he wasn’t going to force them if somehow they didn’t want to go to space and leave Earth. Shiro knew in his heart of hearts how Lance valued family above all else, like Hunk. 

He even had to loosen his grip on Ben just to show that he wasn’t holding him back either.

Ben stared up at him for a moment before smiling, “You talk as if I haven’t been far out of the galaxy before. Wherever you’re going, I’m in.”

Relief washed over Shiro at that moment, smiling down at Ben fondly.

Keith gripped his wheels, as he then breathed out, “I’m already in even if you didn’t say all that. You’re my family, Shiro. There’s no point being on Earth if you’re not around. Besides, who else is going to keep me in line when I get into trouble?” He teased, grinning up at the man.

Shiro chuckled, then looked to everyone else, “W-well?”

Starfire clasped her hands together, looking starry eyed as she smiled, “I would be honoured to join this voyage with you all. Besides, it would be good to stop by Tamaran if I can.”

“What about the Titans?” Shiro asked, ignoring the way Terra tensed up, and Starfire looked awkward for a moment.

“The…Titans are disbanded temporarily.”

Shiro decided not to question any further than that. He looked to Lance this time, and he looked worried. Lance was awfully quiet, and he looked like he was contemplating on his choices. Shiro’s heart squeezed, knowing that Lance was thinking of his family in Cuba. Especially with Veronica being in the Garrison, probably looking for him right at this moment.

“Lance, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to…I won’t force you or think any less of you…”

The brown haired male glanced up at his hero, his eyes wide and something flicked in those blue rises of his. Pursing his lips and narrowing his eyes, he soon straightened, huffing a little.

“I’m a Cadet of the Galaxy Garrison. And we do not quit on a mission. As this is my mission and you are my captain, I will follow you without question. I trust you.”

Shiro felt like he heard these words before, and he felt his whole being break remembering those were Lance’s last words to him.

“I’m a Paladin of Voltron, Shiro. We do not give up! Even if you are part of ATLAS, you’re still my leader. I will follow you to even hell and back if I have to. I trust you.”

“S-shiro? A-are you okay?”

Shiro didn’t even realise that his eyes welled up, quickly reaching to wipe his eyes and smiled weakly at the worried Lance, “I-I’m okay. Just…touched that you trust me.”

“W-well yeah! You’re my hero, after all,” Lance then placed a hand over his mouth and flusters, looking embarrassed that he said that out loud.

Keith saw this and rolled his eyes, but kept the Blue Lion steady.

Shiro smiled, but then glanced over at the remaining people and softened, “And you two?”

Charmcaster was immediate.

“I’m gone.”

And with a magical poof, she actually vanished into thin air, leaving a dust of pink behind.

Ben looked amused, “She does this. But she’ll back…when she’s bored, at least.”

Shiro looked unsure, “What makes you say that?”

Ben grinned as he was then holding up what seems to be a small raggedy pouch of some kind, “Because there’s no way she’d leave me with her magical bag full of unwanted secrets with me~”

Terra almost looked impressed, “Snagged it from her while she wasn’t looking?”

Starfire gasped, “Is that not stealing?”

Ben whistled, twirling the bag around his finger with the strings, “Well, it’s not stealing. More like borrowing~”

Ignoring that for now, Shiro looked to Terra, and waited for her answer with a look, “And you?”

Keith snorted, “Don’t bother, Shiro. If she wants to leave, she can leave. It’s all she’s good at anyways.”

Terra looked at him with narrowed eyes, then placed her hands on her hips as she looked at Shiro coolly, “You know what? Not like I have any place to be, so count me in~”

Keith quirked a brow at her, glaring at her with annoyance while Terra turned to him and stuck her tongue out to annoy him further. Lance glanced at the two of them weirdly but looked over to Shiro, who was just watching them in confusion.

“Sooooo…I guess everyone, minus one that left, are all on board,” Lance noted as he looked at the other man, “Shiro, you’re our senior officer here. What’s our next move?”

Everyone looked towards the man as Shiro then took a deep breath, looking out the window. 

“The Blue Lion knows where to go. I say we trust it…but we're a team now. We should decide together.”

Ben smiled, “My vote never changed.”

“Mine either,” Keith agreed, and it seemed Starfire and Terra also agreed along with Lance, “We trust you.”

Shiro nodded, relaxing a little, “Okay…I guess we’re out of here.”

Once he said this, Keith soon pushed his controllers forward, the Lion soon zooming into the skies and out of Earth’s atmosphere. This surprised most of them except Ben and Shiro, the two already used to space (With Ben being a hero and Shiro…well, from the future and all).

“Amazing. It would take a long trip to travel this far off the galaxy,” Starfire pointed out as she saw the planet that was Kerberos passing by them, “But we are here in a tick…”

Shiro caught this and snapped at her, “You…know that word?”

“What is a tick?” Lance asked as Starfire tilted her head.

“I believe in your Earth terms, it is a measurement of time?”

Shiro didn’t like how his stomach turned at that, but focused on Keith’s piloting when he spotted it.  A glowing blue wormhole appeared in front of them, and Shiro knew that this was it. There was no going back after this.

“You ready?” Shiro asked Keith, who smirked.

“Look who you’re talking to~” Keith soon made Blue go forward, the Lion speeding towards the portal and disappeared through it.

After a few rumbles and tumbles from Blue, everyone was holding on tightly in the confined space they were in as they exited the portal. 

Keith breathed out slowly, blinking his eyes as he looked around, “W-wow…that…was…”

A groan and a hurling sound was heard at his left, Keith closing his eyes with a wince as Terra threw up at the side. Everyone else also looked away with a disgusted look, Terra then finishing with a small apology while holding her sides. 

“Surprised she took this long…” Keith murmured before looking out once more to the window and blinked, “Woah…”

“I don’t recognise any of these constellations…” Starfire murmured as she looked around, Ben also looking around and agreeing with her.

“Okay, maybe this is a part of the galaxy I haven’t been yet. Maybe it’s even farther than Revonnah…we must be a long, long way from Earth…”

“I think the Lion wants to go to that planet over there,” Keith pointed out to everyone as he spotted what seems to be a beautiful looking planet that almost looked like Earth, and Blue was speeding over, “I think…I think this is her home.”

Everyone braced themselves as the Blue Lion was hitting past the atmosphere, growing red hot as she never slowed down one bit, as if excited to be coming home to this unknown planet. But Shiro knew. He knew and was smiling brightly as they got closer. Passed the skies and down to look at the land below.

“Guys, personal space,” Keith murmured as everyone seemed squished against him as he piloted the Lion, then glared at Terra close to him, “Terra, your breath is killing me.”

"Um, is it just me or is anyone else having second thoughts about flying through a mysterious wormhole?” The blonde murmured and then narrowed her eyes at Keith, “Why are we listening to a robotic Lion anyway"?

“This Lion happened to take us to her home planet. So I suggest you shut up and stop complaining. You agreed to come with anyways,” Keith argued, and Lance sighed.

“Don’t be mean to her, Keith, she was just asking…case you haven’t noticed, not everyone is used to being inside a strange robot cat taking us to who knows where?”

Keith looked up at him and cocked a brow, “Ohh, you scared?”

“With you in the helm? Terrified.” Lance said coolly.

"All right, knock it off! We all agreed that we do this together and I know that it’s not a happy situation,“ Shiro interjected between them, trying to calm them down, “But we're here now. If we want to get through this, we've got to do it as a team. Okay?“ 

“Sooo, what do we do?” Ben asked curiously.

“First, we are letting Blue lead us to where she needs to go,” The Castle of Lions should be close by…He added in his mind then glanced over at Keith, “Keith? Is Blue saying anything to you?”

“No, she’s pretty quiet right now.” Keith said with a shrug, and Lance hummed a little, but then blinked when he looked up and leaned over Keith, who then blushed and looked up at the Cuban, “W-what are you—?”

“Guys! There’s a Castle up ahead!”

Everyone looked up and indeed, there was a beautiful view of what seemed to be a shining modernised Castle that was perched on top of some mountain that was nearby what seems to be a beautiful seaside. Shiro felt his eyes well up at seeing the view of the Castle of Lions, his heart yearning. We made it. We’re home, he would think to himself as Blue was zooming to land outside of the Castle, carefully placing their paws on the ground. Somehow, with a purr from Blue, the Castle suddenly lit up in bright blue lights, just like back in the cave.

“Wow!” Starfire and Terra were in awe, and Ben whistled.

“Neat trick,” He stated, but then turned serious with a pursed lips, “…Maybe we should keep our guard up?”

Lance looked over at him, “Something wrong?”

“Who knows what lies inside this Castle. Friend, or foe?”

Shiro sighed as he placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder, “I can assure you, they are friends. Let’s get going.”

Ben wanted to question Shiro, but one by one, everyone was getting out of the Blue Lion and staring right in front of some large doors with some sort of symbol on it. Suddenly, Blue straightened up and roared out loud, causing everyone but Shiro to tense up as if readying for a fight. But they soon turned around when the same doors were glowing brightly and soon opened wide for them.

“Ohhh…the door is open,” Terra breathed out before looking over at Blue, “Heh, s-sorry, thought you were going to eat us.”

Shiro soon rushed forward and started making a beeline to where he knew the Princess and Coran were, and Ben couldn’t help but follow after him. This also caused the rest of them to follow, wondering how in the world Shiro knew where to go? 

‘There’s a lot that Shiro isn’t telling us,’ Ben thought in his head, seeing how Shiro skidded to a halt.

It was then a beam of light appeared as the vestibule activates, Shiro remaining calm while the others sort of freaked out.

“Hold for identity scan.”

“W-what is going on?!” Keith exclaimed as he felt himself being scanned, looking around, “Who goes there?What do you want with us?!”

“Keith, calm down. The Castle is just trying to identify us.” Shiro murmured quietly, and then blinked when it finished scanning and started to light up another hallway for them.

“Welcome, Paladins of Voltron.”

Shiro smiled a little, before making his way down the halls, ignoring the look of suspicion from both Ben and Keith. Either way, yhe lights in the hallway started to glow warmly, the team then started to walk down the lit hallway and down a flight of steps. Soon, they ended up in what seems to be a chamber of some sort of strange looking pillars in them.

Shiro was immediate as he went to the centre of the room and looked over some console, while Ben looked around.

“Where are we? Some kind of control room?"

“Princess Allura…” Shiro murmured as he pressed a button on the console, watching two strange pods rise from the ground, “Hope you and Coran had a good sleep…”

“Alright, Shiro, I think I had enough. Tell us what the heck is going on,” Keith finally snapped and walked by Shiro, who looked over in confusion, “It’s like you know all of this. Like, you’ve been here before?”

Shiro softened and was about to say something until he heard a noise and snapped his head to see four more pods rise from the ground. This caused him to frown, as he remembered in the past these ones were empty. But apparently there seem to be people inside them as well. Alteans? Maybe…

“A-are these guys…dead?” Lance squeaked out in fright, but one of the pods started to open.

Shiro expected Allura’s pod to open, but it was one of the new ones as the glass melted away to reveal a blonde girl with a braid dressed in green. She looked…human.

She gasped, her eyes opening to reveal them to be of obsidian coloured, reaching her hand out and yelled, “Wally!”

Ben was quick to move as he opened his arms out and caught her, the young woman falling into his arms. Shiro was alerted for a moment, almost wanting to step forward but the other pods were opening. Soon, another pod opened to reveal a very young Asianboy in a hoodie, stumbling onto his knees and hands as he then was gasping for air. The next pod opened to reveal another blonde haired girl, this time her hair was down past her shoulders and held back by a black hairband, dressed what seems to be a Wonder Woman shirt and red jogging pants. The last pod opened to reveal some red haired rugged man with almost glowing ruby eyes, in a brown trench coat and even stranger clothes underneath.

Shiro…didn’t know any of these people.

“W-what…where am I?” The woman in Ben’s arms murmured, holding her head, “What the heck happened?”

“You’re…in a Castle. In another planet. Um, hi, I’m Ben.” The brunet introduced himself with a small smile, and the blonde looked up with a squint of her eyes.

“…You’re not Wally.”

“No, I am not. May I ask your name?”

“…”

Suddenly, Ben yelped when he found himself in a restraining hold, twisting her arm over his neck and looking at everyone else in the room.

“Stay back! Are you part of The Reach?!“

“The what?!” Lance yelped as he placed his hands up, almost wanting to step forward to stop her, “No! Let him go! W-we’re just passing through! We don’t know anything!”

“Gambit feels like a Sentinel has hit Gambit over the head one too many times,” The strange red haired man spoke in a deep Cajun accent, rubbing his head before looking around with confusion, “…This isn’t Genosha?”

“Artemis!?!” The other blonde girl there squeaked as she flew over and then placed her fists up to stand in front of the girl holding Ben, “Alright, you Reach scum! You’re not taking us or our home planet!”

Keith was already pulling what seems to be a knife from his jacket, and Shiro was also readying for a fight.

The young teenage boy in the hoodie just was rubbing his head before he looked around, before narrowing his eyes, “…I think everyone should calm down for a moment.”

“What’cha say, short stuff?!” The floating blonde girl looked over at him with a glare, while the boy looked up and gave her the stink eye, which made her flinch back with an unsure look.

“I mean, why are you guys going all aggro the moment waking up in…what I believe are Sleep Chambers,” The boy looked back to where he had come out from and then hummed, “Well, never thought I would be abducted by aliens at the age of fourteen. Sort of thought that would happen later on after I finished my brother’s nerd school—“

“Yo-you’re not abducted,” Shiro spoke up as he managed to calm down too, glancing at the one called Artemis holding Ben hostage, “W-what exactly do you remember before waking up…um—?”

“Hiro. Hiro Hamada,” The boy introduced himself as he looked to Shiro, “You seem to be the ring leader for this operation, correct?”

“Uh, I wouldn’t call myself a ring leader per se…” Shiro murmured before Hiro rolled his eyes.

“Anyways, the last thing I was remember was I was in a science fair with my brother and his friends along with my Aunt. I won and was going to go out to celebrate, but I hung back to double check on my invention one last time. I was the last to leave the building that held a lot of upcoming students’ projects but somehow the building was set on fire. Next thing I knew was I was knocked out and ended up here…”

“C-Can you please let me go now?” Ben tapped at the woman’s arm, before he yelped and was dropped to the ground and the blonde raised a brow.

“My name is Artemis. I’m a former protege of Green Arrow and I was supposed to be with the Justice League and The Team behind them to take down an alien race called the Reach…last thing I remember was watching my boyfriend get fried by some weird machine and I rushed in to push him out of the way and…nothing.”

“Wait, Green Arrow has another protege besides Arsenal?” Ben tilted his head, but then yelped when Artemis glared down at him.

“Arsenal? Do you mean Red Arrow or the real Speedy?”

“Who’s Red Arrow? And….real Speedy?”

Artemis shook her head before looking at the other blonde girl and softened, “Cassie, what are you even doing here? Do you remember what happened?”

Cassie looked sheepish for a moment before shaking her head, “I-I dunno. One minute I was with Robin taking down the Reach’s machines and army and then got a message about Kid Flash, Flash and Impulse being in trouble. I was going to fly to their location when I was zapped and…blacked out too…”

“You know of Robin?” Starfire asked curiously before Cassie looked over and nodded.

“He’s…my teammate,” She looked flushed for a second before coughing, then turned serious, “A-anyways, um, who are the rest of you guys? I only know Artemis since we work with the Justice League.”

“There’s no way you work with the Justice League,” Ben pointed out, “I’ve never met you two before.”

Artemis glared at him, “What? We do work with the Justice League. Who are you to say that?”

“I’ve worked with them plenty of times and I’ve never met you nor your Wonder Woman fangirl here,” Ben pointed to Cassie before looking at Artemis with a grin, “I’m Ben Tennyson. Or Ben 10, ya know, saved the universe a billion times~?”

“…Never heard of you.” Artemis huffed as she stared at him, arms folded. 

Suddenly, a whistle sounded and the strange man in the trench reached a hand up, signalling everyone’s attention.

“Ah, je suis tres desole for interrupting. But Gambit thinks that the other pods are opening,” He pointed to one that was already melting the glass away, and soon was making the move, “La tête haute~!”

He had shoved Lance out of the way when a strange mocha color-skinned woman with white hair and in a dress was reaching her hand out with a gasp, whispering out ‘Father!’ with a breathless tone, and Gambit soon caught her in his arms in time before she fell to the ground.

Shiro almost balked at this, knowing that it wasn’t Lance who caught Allura this time around, but a total stranger. Lance groaned as he was rubbing his butt since he fell when pushed away, Keith walking over and looking over at him, asking if he was okay.

"Who are you? Where am I?" The woman in his arms questioned, looking around for a moment before her eyes landed in front of the red head.

 “Remy LeBeau, chérie. But you can call me Gambit~”

The woman narrowed her eyes up at him, then tilted her head, almost confusing Gambit. She was quiet for a moment, but then blinked she looked into his eyes again, and felt her face flush.

“…Goodness, your eyes?”

Gambit chuckled, giving a charming smile, “Gambit knows. Eyes are attractive, non~?”

Suddenly, she soon brought him into a headlock, but somehow she squeaked when he turned it around on her before holding her in a princess carry.

“Ah, ah, ah, Princesse. There’s no need for violence~” Gambit smiled casually as the woman struggled.

"Who are you? Where is King Alfor? What are you doing in my Castle?" She interrogated with a yell, as she tried to break loose from Gambit’s grip.

“Princess Allura calm down!” Shiro approached this time, raising his hands up as he looked to her, “My name is Shiro. Blue brought us here, and we need to find the other lions and quickly before the Galra find out.”

“You know my name—Wait! You have the Blue Lion? What happened to it’s Paladin? What are you all doing here? Unless... How long has it been?" Allura gasped as she looked around then back at the strangers before her, and then felt her heart drop, “No…”

Shiro softened, as he breathed out, “It’s been ten thousand years, Allura. Sorry, but as much as it’s a lot to take in, I’m afraid we don’t have time to explain everything.”

“Oh, I think it’s the perfect time to speak about everything,” Ben spoke up as he looked up at Shiro, “You know more about this than you’re letting on…so start talking.”

Shiro sighed, knowing that Ben was right.

“Alright…I’ll come clean. Let’s…sit down so I can explain everything.”

//So what do you guys think? Do you think I should continue this story? Or should I just stick to writing Quirks and Miracles only? Let me know what you guys think~! Leave a comment below or feel free to message me on questions or anything else of this story. Thank you and have a wonderful rest of your day~!

-Riri-Mun

[soulreapin]

fair warning, this gets kinda heavy.

tldr: keith bends and bends underneath the weight of everything, and finally, he cracks.

this was really cathartic for me to write, so even if you read it here give it a kudos on ao3 just for me.

—

Keith’s mouth tastes like rubbed-away Carmex and ash.

He’s doing okay for himself, on the castle of lions, he goes and he dons his suit and he does his job and he fights with Lance and then he comes “home” and peels his suit off piece by piece and stands underneath the shower with bad water pressure until his skin turns pink and his joints stop clicking together as he walks and then he goes to bed, just to do it all again. Keith says he is doing okay for himself to the people he saves every single day, to the people he lives with every single day, but he doesn’t say it to himself.

To himself, he’s drowning. The words to what he’s feeling warp in his throat and feel caught in a web, choking him out until he can’t breathe. He is floating on the surface of something horrid, and his palm slaps on the surface of the water but there’s nothing for his desperate fingers to cling on to, so Keith slips.

With every day he slips, back and back and back until the stitches holding him together strained against the weight. Then Keith hauls himself forwards, and forwards a little more until there is just enough lessened on the stitches for him to keep going, just a little longer.

It doesn’t feel like anything anymore. The butt of a blaster slammed into his chin three days ago, and his jaw popped out of its place for just a moment on his left side and sometimes he can’t touch those back teeth together, but that doesn’t feel like anything. He took nine space tylenol and called it a day.

Most nights after he gets three horrible hours of sleep, Keith sits on the bow of the ship. He doesn’t know why the bow is so comfortable, but he did know that if he closed his eyes and drifted out far enough, sometimes the rock of the ship felt like the simulator deck at the Galaxy Garrison. He spent hours out there, even when classes had ended. Shiro slipped him into the sim and made him promise not to cause too many problems.

He’s there right now, staring at the empty, pin-pricked abyss that the castle lingered in. The galaxy they’re floating through is close to Olkari, but not close enough to patch through a call.

Keith, at four in the morning, is completely alone out here. No one on his team likes him, his lion is working against him, his bayard wouldn’t get fucking going this morning and cost them precious seconds that could’ve been used to save lives, and his belt loop got stuck on the door.

Nothing else bothered him, he shook off the dislike and let his lion roll of his back like water, Keith made up for his bayard by racing the clock and getting a group of younglings out of a tight spot, but his belt loop yanking on the door handle and keeping him trapped in the doorway of his room was the final straw. He took dinner in his room, because if Lance even looked at him with his stupidly cute face and surprisingly thoughtful words, Keith would start to sob like a child and he cannot have that.

So he sits on the bow.

The bow is quiet, there’s nothing on the bow but him and the built in chairs and the endless, expansive stars.

Keith sighs, a whistle through his throat, and starts to absentmindedly comb his tired fingers through his hair. It sat in a ponytail lately, so he could better wedge his helmet over it, and there was a noticeable dent in his hair from how little time he had to wash it and how often he wore it like that.

Silence envelops him for just a few more minutes before he hears the soft woosh of the automated door open and close. Almost immediately, fight or flight gripping him tight and refusing to let go of him. Keith turns his head and grips his knife, the flat of the blade pressed to his forearm, and watches as Lance edges into the bridge, holding onto a pillow.

Oh.

Fight puts its knife down and flight folds in its wings. Keith lowers his blade and lets it clatter loudly onto the floor, lest Lance assume he’s alone on the bow. Lance looks around wildly for just a second until he sees Keith sitting in front of Red’s chair and relaxes, nodding almost to himself and trudging to the very front of the bow, right in front of the glass.

He watches Lance as he drops his pillow on the floor and tucks his forearms beneath it, turning his chin towards the stars and saying nothing.

But Keith can’t sit in silence like this. He feels like he’s been ripped into a storm and thrown around and around until his head is barely hanging on, so Keith delicately clears his throat and says, “You’re up late.”

“Et tu, Brute?” Lance responds groggily,

Keith laughs slightly, a short bark that comes out a little drier than he intended. “Couldn’t….couldn’t sleep.”

Lance shifts a little so his head is turned to Keith instead of the stars. “Yeah, me too. I didn’t think you came out here. Training deck finally handed you an eviction notice?”

“I like it here.” Keith says defensively; what could he possibly be defending?

“Relax, Red, not here to give you the third degree.” Lance’s eyes slide from open to closed a few times, like he’s fighting sleep.

He doesn’t respond to that, but pulls his knees into his chest and loosely wraps his arms around them, bony kneecaps digging into his collarbone. Keith watches Lance acutely like a predator as this boy, this friend who he flew alongside every day and ate next to and slept in the same hallway as buried his face into the pillow he’d brought with him and his breathing starts to even out.

It comes on like a cold.

Keith sniffs once and coughs and just like that, warm tears bead up in his lower lashline and trickle down his face, bouncing from small freckle to smaller scar and then dripping onto his hand. Slowly, Lance’s head inches upwards, peering at Keith in the low, blue light. His words rattle out of him, “Do you want to talk about it?”

No. Yes. He’d rather kill himself. He’s going to kill himself if he doesn’t. Keith forces all of this down and clears his throat, wiping the tears away from his eyes and coughs again, “I think so. I shouldn’t.”

“You can. If you want. I’ll listen, Keith.” Lance’s voice is low and careful, treating Keith like a scared lioness kept in captivity, and he didn’t mind it.

Keith. It’s always Red, or Mullet, or Rascal Flatts. Never Keith.

He swallows, and trudging every goddamn step of the godforsaken way, Keith tries to articulate what holds him down, night and day.

“I just. I don’t know. I feel like I’m struggling.” He speaks up to the ceiling. “It feels like its climbing up my throat, almost, and I am struggling to keep going with it. I do, I get up every day and do what I have to do as the red paladin, but as Keith Kogane, I am trying so fucking hard, and I cannot keep going like this. I’m going to break and I am fucking scared of it.”

Lance makes a soft, neutral noise.

“And nobody, nobody likes me, I know it, not even you and you’re like, the light of freedom and friendship in this dark fucking hellhole, and I keep failing everything and I want to give up. But if I give up,” Keith pauses very briefly to clear his throat again, because he’s going to sob if he doesn’t, “If I give up, then I’m going to doom the entire universe.”

“That’s..a lot for just one kid.” Lance sounds…worried. “How do you…do it?”

Keith knots his fingers in his hair. A nervous habit. “I just. Do. I guess. Shove it so far down I can’t even think about it and then just keep going, because if I stop, then I’m going to drown.”

“That must have been a lot for you.” Lance says reassuringly, getting up slowly and making his way towards Keith, slumping down against the chair and looking out at the stars right in front of him. “I’m sorry that we put that pressure on you.”

“We–” Keith’s head snaps over to Lance, tracing over the curve of his nose. “Shit. God, this has all happened to you and I’m the only one that’s responding like this because I can’t fucking take it. It’s not fair to you that I’m such a goddamn wreck about it when everyone else has just…figured it out. “

The laugh that spills out of Lance sounds wet. “You think we’ve…figured it out? Keith, we’re all fucking struggling through this together. We’re all hurting.”

Keith presses his lips together and swallows the hurting sob that bangs against his teeth to be let out.

“We thought you’d talk to someone. Shiro, maybe. Keith, you can’t hurt on your own forever. It’ll eat you alive and then chew on the bones until those are gone, too.” Lance’s hand rests on Keith’s elbow, and Keith doesn’t yank it away. He finds a little bit of comfort in the warmth of those fiddler’s fingers.

“You don't know that.” Keith bites out, his fingers digging into his knee.

Lance, to his credit, sighs thoughtfully. “I do. I absolutely do because I lived it. The Garrison was…misery reincarnated. No one liked me. I was almost entirely alone, even with Hunk and Pidge. But I kept moving, every single day until I snapped and started crying in Shiro’s office because he was nice.”

“I remember that day. Shiro came home all emotional because one of his students had trusted him with something so important. Figures it was you.” Keith laughs gently as he recalls the smile on Shiro’s face as he moved around the house making dinner that night.

“Yeah, that was me. I started talking to Veronica after that whenever I could. She got her doctorate in psychiatry and became a therapist, did you know that? I’m so fucking proud of her.” Lance’s voice shifts and it sounds blurry when he brings up his pride in his older sister.

It pulls at some loose string in his soul. Keith’s free hand reaches over and rests gently over the one sitting on his elbow. “She knows. I promise you, she knows that you are proud of her. Even all the way out here.”

“I’m glad you think so, Keith.” Lance looks over at him with a wet shine in his eyes and a weak, fond smile pulling at his lips.

They’re hurt together.

Keith cannot be fixed with just one conversation and a hand on his elbow.

Lance’s longing for his family cannot be mended with a glance at the stars and a hand on top of his.

But while they hurt together, they can start to heal intertwined.

—

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53325874

[sockdooe]

i hope it's ok to ask but what changes you would have done if you were made incharge of vld's canon while it was/before it started airing?

OH ANON SO MANY THINGS

but I shall not get to complicated and just talk about main points !!!! I apologize in advance if stuff stops making sense I’m a little shaky if that makes sense??

1, the show wouldn’t have romance. I’m not saying this to make people mad or say anything against shipping. I’m saying this because I want the focus of the show to be about the paladins relationships towards one another and I don’t want it to be romanticized. I want to represent all the different types of love within the paladins except romantic because I feel as though it’d be really important especially because I want to make them almost like soulmates.

Like yes they’re the paladins of Voltron but they’re meant to be with each other. Like they all can take care of themselves but there’s something so important to their connection to one another that no one else can really understand.

It’s kinda like that one myth that soulmates are born to one body but are separated so they have to find each other to truely be whole. But platonically. (I’m sorry if that doesn’t make sense I’m really bad at explaining)

Like example Lance has a crush on allura but it doesn’t turn into anything. Allura doesn’t feel for Lance the same way and Lance learns that there is value in just having a friend. (I love allurance and have been thinking about it non stop but I’m strong on this)

2, there will be specific episodes dedicated to different characters bonding and creating their own connections. An example is an entire episode dedicated to allura and hunk or Keith and Lance. (Or even trios ((or more)), just any and all bonding forms)

It doesn’t have to be a serious situation like a mission but something to show growth between the characters and have them bounce off each other.

3, similar to 2 but it’s like filler episodes for the WHOLE team. Maybe they do something stupid or have a beach episode. Something to showcase that they’re getting more familiar with each other.

4, having more personal silent moments to themselves. An example is maybe starting off the episode with shiro taking a shower and you see that his scars are becoming more faded and he’s healthier than the start. He has more of a routine now for taking care of himself like washing his face perhaps.

It’s more of a comparison of growth situation.

5, having the paladins visibly age. I know this is hard for animation but I’d love to see their hands get more rough and their body’s change. Maybe they get some gray hairs.

I’d especially love to see more personal changes. Like with hunk and his hair. I feel as though hunk likes to work with his hands and doing his own hair gives him some personal relief and perhaps even doing everyone else’s hair.

6, interacting with aliens more on a personal level. Like the episode with the balmera was 10/10. They got to speak with the people and actually see what they’ve been living through.

I’d even love to see their gratitude in the form of gifts or supplies. Or even teaching them how to collect certain things (clay for beads for hunks hair and such)

Essentially I want them to build community. I want them to be able to provide resources and work with the people of the planets on more personal levels other than just having Voltron show up.

7, I want their elemental power more involved. Not like avatar the last air bender where they have that power but more …. Sound design and affects wise.

Example if keith is feeling absolutely defeated and devasted and is feeling his raw emotions there will be sounds of fire and even fire around him lighting him but not actually there.

Another one is with shiro, you can hear the sounds of wind in his fighting.

And it changes depending on their emotions. If they’re feeling exhausted and just done it’s quiet.

Like lances sound is more of a water droplet dripping slowly.

8, MUSIC!!!!! Everyone has their own instruments that follow with their element (shiro would be a wind instrument like a flute) so that when forming Voltron it becomes a symphony. Or even when it’s one on one or a trio their music blends together.

9, on the topic of music there has to be a musical episode. I liked the episode where they try to gain support by doing a show but it wasn’t nearly enough for me personally.

It’d be a way for them to earn money since even though almost every planet they go to gives them some supplies it’s not enough to fully sustain themselves.

10, touching, like either having a spa day or just having a little sleep over to have some moral and bring comfort to them.

11, the paladins teaching allura and coran human customs or the alteans trying to mimic the paladins.

an example is matching each others vocal patterns (let’s say pidge always says bless me when they sneeze and Lance picks it up)

12, INCLUDING ORHER ALTEANS BUT NOT THE COLONY CAUSE THAT GETS DELETED

I want romelle to be included but as a “it’s been 10,000 years and generations of altean people have been mixed with other species to the point where they’re almost not even altean anymore or look anything like them besides the marks on their eyes” types of deal.

Showing the change of generations.

Also showing normal galra. Galra that have nothing to do with the empire OR the blades cause I feel as though that would be interesting.

13, SENTIENT LIONS AND VOLTRON

The lions can speak (not in English more like purrs) but the paladins can understand. And they will bond with their paladins (think that episode with shiro and black)

Maybe Lance cleans blue after a battle stuff like that. ESPECIALLY THE LIONS PROTECTING THEIR PALAIDNS MMMMMM!!!!

but the thing is the lions sentience is different from Voltron.

Voltron speaks not well but they do. Their voice is Erieand glitchy.

And there’s something that ….lives in Voltron.

14, I want more mystery. Why does it take 10,000 years for Voltron to form again? Are aliens mad and even betrayed by voltrons existence for creating the galra empire? Why is Voltron sentient? What happened to zarkon? What happened to Hagar?

I want more focus on WHY Voltron exists and what it did for it to exist.

15, I want the paladins to be distraught and form trauma that shakes them to their CORE.

I want pidge to experience what it is to be a child solider to see all your friends almost DIE.

I even want them to resent being paladins as well. They deserve to feel upset and curse the universe for taking them here.

16, I do want elements of other reality but in a different way for sure. I want the universe to be sentient if that makes sense?

OK IM GONNA END IT HERE CAUSE THIS IS SO LONG IM SO SORRY JDJFKEKR

Once again these aren’t really explained well cause I’m going to be honest I’m not the best at doing that. I more picture things in my head than words so it’s hard to even like translate my thoughts? If that makes sense!

I apologize that this is long and confusing but I hope this gives some answers to you!! I love Voltron but I’m definitely more found family oriented in my version for sure.

[kismetconstellations]

@sockdooe I refuse to believe this person was talking about the Original Real Seasons One, Two, the tail end of Six, Seven, and Eight Shiro. Even when he's been reduced to "Side-Character Shiro-Bot", thanks to the writers not wanting to have to do anything with him, anymore, there's no way a reasonable human being could sincerely watch this series in good faith and conclude that Takashi Shirogane is "mean" and "selfish".

The man literally died trying to liberate a universe full of people he hadn't even met from tyranny and oppression. Even "Kuron", hard-edged and angry as he could be, wanted to defend the universe, and took doing so very seriously up to the moment his brain was hijacked to force him to fulfill his true purpose.

And, a Keith fan, of all people, arguing that point is absolutely ludicrous.

Keith, who Shiro never gave up on because he knew what Keith was capable of, even after Keith stole his car and racked up disciplinary infractions at the Garrison.

Keith, who Shiro was willing to wholly discard an alliance with the Blade of Marmora over. Not once, but three times.

He had to be physically restrained to prevent him rushing to Keith's aid.

And, still, the first chance he got, he forcibly freed himself and raced to Keith.

He was even willing to use his Galra hand on a member of the Blades- after being the one who was adamant on seeking them out, in the first place- to protect Keith.

Keith, who Shiro accepted and embraced without hesitation, even after learning that Keith shared the blood of the race that abducted, imprisoned, tortured, and experimented on him for a year.

Keith, who was highlighted extensively in Shiro's backstory as the person most important to Shiro, and one of the only people in Shiro's life who refused to write him off due to his illness.

The sole "justification" I've seen a Keith fan offer up for disliking Shiro is that Shiro stood by and said nothing while "Warlord Lohn" insulted Keith to his face. But, Allura and Hunk were also there and likewise did nothing to defend Keith.

Of course, this "justification" was accompanied by a generally hateful tirade against Shiro couched in such "lovely" homophobic language as labeling a near entirely celibate gay man in his late twenties a "washed up old whore", and accusing him of "impaling himself on the closest dick".

[jate-kara]

Horizon | On AO3

Thirty-seven hours.

Andal had told himself he’d stop counting after twenty-four. It was his usual compromise: worry for a while, and then let it go. Focus on your work. Don't get distracted. Do some extra training when you get too restless. This was all familiar agony by now. The field was for his Hunters. The Tower was for the Vanguard.

Traveler, sometimes he wished he’d never accepted that damn Dare.

Andal risked another glance at the clock. Zavala was at the head of the conference table and still deep in conversation with Saladin. He wasn't likely to catch the fourth check in two minutes. Ikora, though - she knew. Andal felt her shoot him a worried side-eye from somewhere to his left. He pretended he didn't notice. His datapad had sat untouched in front of him for so long that the screen had gone dark, so despite the stylus he'd been toying with to at least look sort of busy, it was painfully evident that he was not paying any amount of the requisite attention. Shit.

He clicked the datapad on again, more to avoid Ikora's concern than to actually accomplish anything. His notes were messy and scattered. The notifications were equally cluttered. Mission report submission flags. Memos from scheduled check-ins. Updates from secondary Scouts he'd sent out after the primary Hunter for the mission had dropped off the map for too long. Sometimes, that was just Hunters being Hunters. Other times, that was Hunters being dead. Andal scanned the updates. There was nothing new.

There was nothing that would stop the clock he was supposed to have started ignoring thirteen hours ago.

The meeting ended an hour late. Andal was the first one up. As soon as he rounded the hall corner and was out of the others' immediate sight, he let the Void wash over him. Technically, using the Light to go invisible in the Tower was frowned upon. Only technically. And he had no intentions of getting caught, just like he had no intentions of speaking to anyone between here and his Vanguard office. His head was spinning. He had to remember to breathe. He had no idea what the hell anyone had been talking about for the last three hours.

He needed out of this damn Tower.

He didn't go to his Vanguard office. He climbed up to the highest point of the Tower that he could find and he dangled his legs over the edge and he looked at the City and the world beyond its horizon and he wanted to scream. Shiro and Tevis and Cayde were out there somewhere, each on their own assignments. He'd put them on a special check-in schedule, one that guaranteed he'd be able to talk to them, no matter how briefly. They were supposed to call one after the other: Shiro, then Tevis, then Cayde. But he hadn't heard from any of them in thirty-eight hours. Even meticulous, responsible Shiro had missed the last window; there hadn't been so much as a ping from his Ghost to say he was still alive.

Andal dropped his head into his hands and dragged his fingernails along his scalp. He'd pulled his long hair up into a messy bun a while ago, too distracted to bother with brushing it. Cayde would fuss over him if he saw it - Haven’t taken a break lately, huh? - and then gently undo and untangle it. Andal closed his eyes and imagined it, just for a second. That warmth. That peace.

He'd kill for that right now.

"I'm sure they're fine." Astraea materialized beside him. "They're just…busy.”

I should be there with them. The words died in his throat. He’d made his choice when he’d accepted the Dare. This was his life now, and had been for well over a year. Him, here, with the Vanguard and the bureaucrats, while his most important people in the world were out there. Maybe in danger. Without him. For the rest of eternity, unless some other Hunter stepped up and said they wanted the job. Or he died. In which case it was Cayde's problem.

Andal drove his palms into his eyes. “Get a grip,” he groaned, and was glad Astraea knew him well enough to know when he was talking to himself, and not at her. “Not like any of this is new.”

Astraea bumped his shoulder. Andal patted at her absently. "Thanks," he muttered. "Sorry I'm not the best company right now."

His comm buzzed before she had the chance to respond. Andal scrambled to answer it. He recognized the code immediately. "Shiro, you all right?"

There was a long, weighted pause. "Are you?"

Damn, he really did need to pull it together.  "You missed your check-in," Andal said, instead of explaining the crack in his voice. "I thought-"

"Sorry about that. Ran into some comm interference unexpectedly. I've got the patrol data and I'm making the return trip. So I'll ask you again: what happened to you?"

There was no good way to answer that. "Vanguard stuff," he said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Cayde and Tevis haven't checked in either, have they?" It sounded more like a statement than a question. Shiro really had a way of seeing through bullshit. It was very useful when it was leveled at Cayde or Tevis. Not so much right now.

Andal blew out a breath. "No. Not for a while."

"You know Tevis doesn't check in because he doesn't want to, and Cayde is…Cayde. They're probably fine."

"I know."

Shiro gave a disbelieving huff. "I'll be back at the Tower in a few hours. We can go over the patrol data then, unless you have other obligations."

Shiro didn't need to come all the way back to the Tower to go over data. It was something they could easily manage through a few messages or comm calls. Some of the tightness in Andal's chest eased. "I don't," he said, without checking his schedule. "I'll meet you in my office when you get here."

It turned out maybe he should have checked his schedule, because when he finally made his way back down into the inhabited part of the Tower, Zavala was standing outside his door. Andal came to a slow stop. The Commander wasn't holding a datapad so they probably didn't have a meeting Andal had forgotten about, and he didn't have a severe expression, so Andal probably hadn't done anything to warrant a reprimand.

"Something I can help you with?" Andal asked, crossing his arms and propping a shoulder against the wall.

Zavala watched him with a furrowed brow. He was quiet for a moment, as though he was trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to say. "You seemed - distracted, earlier today. I wanted to-"

"I'm fine." Oh, way to go, Brask. Top points for selling that one.

Zavala studied him. "You've received a great deal of difficult reports in the last week," he said. "If there's anything I can-"

"Look, I appreciate it, but there's nothing to worry about." Andal tried for a smile, and knew it didn't reach his eyes. He pushed himself up off the wall, then moved to access the keypad for his office. Zavala stepped out of the way, but he didn't go any farther. Andal shot him a glance as the door opened. "That all?"

There was a tired defeat in Zavala’s eyes. "Yes," he said quietly. "Goodnight, Andal."

Andal stepped in, swiped the door shut,  and slid down against the wall beside it. He didn't bother turning on the lights. The only source of illumination was the moonbeams streaming through the floor to ceiling windows, and the muted glow of the City below. Andal leaned his head back and let his eyes slip shut.

"He's just trying to help," Astraea said. She sounded disapproving. Andal kept his eyes closed. She nudged his shoulder - once, and then again when he didn't move.

"I know," he allowed.

"He's your friend. So is Ikora. I know you saw her message yesterday."

"I didn't say that I didn't."

"But you didn't answer her."

"She's got enough going on without me adding to it."

"They're worried about you."

"I'm fine."

The lights clicked on. Andal jumped, and was halfway to his feet when the sound of the door opening finally registered, like the information had been caught in a buffer before it hit his brain.

Shiro stared down at him as if he'd just found him half dead in a pit and not slumped pathetically in his office. "'Fine'," he repeated. "Yeah, you sure look fine."

"You're okay," Andal said, like it wasn't obvious.

"Is there some reason you thought I wouldn't be? It was just a patrol, Andal. Very routine."

Almost every one of the dead Hunters' missions had been routine. Andal blinked at him. "Uh. No?"

"If you want me to believe you, don't phrase that like a question." Shiro eased to the floor beside him, close enough that their shoulders were pressed together. Some of the tension strung along Andal's spine released. "You want to tell me what's going on, or do you want me to drag Cayde back here for you?"

"Are those my only two options?"

"Well, I can get Tev, but he'll probably make you buy him a drink before he'll listen."

Andal managed something close to a laugh. "If I pull him off recon to come back to the Tower, you'll need to find another Vanguard. He'll kill me. He hates it here more than I do right-"

He cut himself off too late. Shiro tilted his head at him, and Andal shrugged helplessly. "Forget I said anything," he said, as if that had ever dissuaded Shiro before.

It hadn't. And it didn't this time. Shiro's gaze was considering. "Is it the Tower, or someone in it?"

That look was distinctly Tevis. Andal shoved at Shiro's shoulder, to at least jar him out of it. "It's the Tower. And even if it wasn't, you can't just shoot someone for bothering me."

"Hey, I'd make sure they were a Lightbearer first."

There was no grin in Shiro's voice. Andal wanted to believe it had been a joke. No, he was going to believe it. For his own sanity. He scrubbed at his eyes. Shiro waited.

"It's the Tower," Andal said again. "It's always the damn Tower. I'm up here sending the Hunters out but it's never me getting shot at."

"Ah." Shiro didn't sound surprised, just thoughtful. "Someone took a hit and didn't get back up."

"Three fireteams in the last week." Andal's voice cracked. He felt more than saw Shiro shift, so he was pressed a little closer.

"We all know the risks."

"We had bad information." The words tasted acrid. Like an excuse. "The assignments I gave them went sideways because of it."

"You do what you can with what you have, and so do they."

Andal's heart turned painfully. "One of these times," he whispered, a voice for the fear burning in his chest, "it could be you. Or Tevis. Or Cayde."

"Maybe. But I've always known that, even before you were Vanguard. If anything happened, I wouldn't blame you, Andal. I'd appreciate it if you respected that enough to not blame yourself."

Shiro never did waste time dancing around the point. Andal opened his mouth to argue, but one glance at Shiro's unwavering stare was enough to kill the protest before it started. "All right," he said, and held his hands up in mock surrender. "I get it."

"You don't. But you'll get there."

Andal elbowed him. Shiro was unaffected. "I know you well enough to know this isn't the last time we're going to have this conversation. That's fine. I'll say it as many times as you need me to."

Breathing hurt, suddenly. "Thanks," Andal said, more quietly than he'd meant to.

"You don't have to thank me. Just remember what I said." Shiro's expression shifted, from resolved to concerned. "You've been Vanguard for a while. This isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened. Tell me you've been talking to someone when it does."

Andal didn't answer. 

"Andal."

"...does Astraea count?"

"He doesn't talk to me about it," Astraea interjected. "He just says he's fine and not to worry about him."

Shiro heaved a soul-weary sigh. "I don't know what I expected."

Andal grimaced. "Sorry. I probably owe you a drink after all this."

"You don't owe me anything."

"Pretty sure I was supposed to give you some glimmer at some point."

That earned him a chuckle. "Keep it. I've heard Vanguard pay is terrible."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence. Andal let it be for a moment, and then he broke it. "You know, it'd be easier to see the stars out there if you'd left the lights off."

"So go turn the lights off."

"I didn't turn them on. You do it."

Shiro held up one sparking finger. "Don't fry my office," Andal grumbled, pushing himself to his feet so he could cross the room to the lightswitch. "Damned Bladedancer."

Halfway there, his comm chimed, and his heart leapt into his throat. He barely registered the code as he fumbled to swipe the screen on. "Cayde?"

"I'm sorry," Cayde blurted. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Just realized I missed the last check-in. Sundance reminded me. Fallen were shooting at us. I was shooting back. It was a mess. Glad we made - hey, are you okay?"

"Do I look not okay?"

Cayde made a show of scrutinizing him. "Huh," he said, and nothing else.

Despite the relief flooding his chest, Andal wanted to strangle him. "What do you mean, 'huh'?"

"Just huh," Cayde returned. "How's the Tower?"

"A lot quieter when you're not in it."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"You tell me." Andal's datapad pinged an alert - Tevis sending a short summary of his findings, which usually amounted to about three sentences: Went to the Place. Killed the enemies. Left the Place. This one had an extra few at the end. Shiro told me to check in more. I'm not doing that. ~ T.L.

"Andal?"

"Tevis sent me his report. He was nice enough to leave the location tag on it. He's somewhere in the City. And he missed every check-in."

Cayde tried to stifle his laugh. "Sorry, I know it's not funny," he said, through the palm he'd plastered over his mouth.

"Yeah, I can tell," Andal said dryly. "Don't you have your own report to be writing right about now?"

"No, because right now I'm talking to my beloved Vanguard."

It was far from the sappiest thing Cayde had ever said. It still made Andal's heart melt. "Fine," he said, trying for a measure of sternness and completely and utterly failing. "Do it later."

"He won't," Shiro supplied, exasperated, and Cayde sputtered some kind of protest. Andal barely heard it. He hit the lights, settled down next to Shiro, and listened to them bicker. If he closed his eyes, he was back with the crew, laughing around a campfire under a blanket of stars. The air was crisp and cool and their eyes were shining and no one was dead. He breathed and his chest didn't hurt.

He breathed, and for a while, it felt like peace.

—

Peace did not last long: only until the next morning, actually, when he woke up on his office couch with his neck at a bad angle and his limbs tangled in a survival pack blanket that didn't belong to him but had trim in Shiro's signature yellow. The sun was streaming through the windows, he couldn't move his head more than a few degrees to the left - and someone was banging on his door. Andal blinked blankly at it for a few beats. He didn't have meetings early.

"Good morning!" Astraea chirped, like the world's happiest alarm clock. "It's almost noon."

Andal cast her a sour look as he dug around in search of his datapad. "Hello?" he croaked, and cursed his dry throat.

The banging stopped. Small mercy. Andal untangled himself the rest of the way from the blanket and stumbled from one end of the office to the other until he realized his boots were right next to the couch the whole time. "Could just cloak and go out the window," he muttered, and shuffled over to slam the door release.

Lord Shaxx was not a frequent visitor; he hadn't been even before Twilight Gap had taken him from a position in the old Vanguard to Crucible handler. There were no meetings on Andal's schedule. He hadn't agreed to any Crucible match he could remember. But Shaxx was still here, fully armored, with his hands on his hips.

"Shaxx," Andal said, haltingly. "Something I can help you with?"

"You're alive! Good. Come with me."

Andal jogged to catch up, acutely aware of Astraea's amused hum and his own disheveled appearance. "If I missed a meeting, you have my apologies. But you could just send me a message."

Shaxx gave a booming laugh. "You aren't missing anything," he said, like that made whatever he was talking about obvious. "But you think you are. And I have a solution."

"Your solution to everything is a Crucible match."

"Not quite."

Shaxx led him out of the Tower, and then out of the City, all the way to the outskirts. To the Wall. To the gaping wound in it. Andal slowed to a stop. The wind was just as cutting now as it had been then, but today, there was no fire or smoke or seething ruin. The sky was clear for miles. Flowers had grown over the rubble, and they waved gently in the breeze. No death. No bodies. No blood. Just old scars, and a quiet peace.

Andal turned to Shaxx, stricken. "Why here?"

"Where else?" Shaxx's volume had dropped, but his voice was no less powerful for its softness. He took a few steps forward and rested a hand on the wound in the Wall. "You remember that day as well as I do."

"Everyone in the City remembers Twilight Gap."

"'Everyone', you say, as if you didn't lead a charge off the Wall and into the fray yourself. As if you didn't hunt the Fallen to the end of the pass alone. No ammunition. You'd lost your knife. All you had was your will, and your Light."

"Are you going somewhere with this?"

"Tell me, Brask: do your Hunters follow you of their own free will?"

Andal bit back a sigh. "Do you think there's anyone in the damn world who could get that many Hunters to do something they didn't want to do?"

"No," Shaxx said simply.

Andal dragged a hand through the mess that was his hair. Half of it had come free of the bun when he'd been asleep, and he'd pulled it apart the rest of the way on the walk to the Wall. The wind cutting down through the mountain pass blew it across his face, so instead of answering Shaxx, he focused on tying it back.

Shaxx was still staring at him once he finished. "Zavala thinks you need time. Ikora says to give you space. I think you've had enough of both. What you need is a reminder.

"A reminder?"

"That there is a reason for the Hunters' belief in you. That you would give your life for the City as readily as any of them. That your leadership from the Tower is not cowardice. That there is no shame in your grief, and that it is not weakness to ask another for their strength."

The words rang between them. Shaxx let the echo hang there, and Andal didn't try to dispel it. He didn't want to crack a joke, or bury the ache building in his chest. He wanted to breathe without the crushing weight. He wanted to hear Shiro weave a story again. He wanted to see Tevis give that rare grin. He wanted the warmth of Cayde’s arms around him. He wanted the open air and the faint light of the stars above. But he was caught between the familiar agony and the City's horizon: always reaching for a world he could no longer touch. Always mourning the deaths he couldn't prevent. Always wondering who might be next.

Andal crossed his arms against the wind's chill. "I wish it felt like enough," he said.

Shaxx relaxed his stance: less proud warrior and more gentle giant. "I know," he returned, and what he didn't say, Andal heard anyway. There was a reason it was so hard to find Hunters willing to be the Vanguard: why Tallulah had made that bet with the Ahamkara, why Caliban had lamented his fate when the role fell to him after, and then dropped off the map, and why every successor since had either died or disappeared, too. The Tower wasn't a cage like Cayde seemed to think, but it kept them separate from the Hunters they sought to unite. They could plan and guide and inspire all they wanted: it wouldn't change the fact that they couldn't stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their Scouts. Sooner or later, it drove them to desperate recklessness. Sooner or later, one way or another, it got them killed.

Andal met Shaxx's line of sight, and knew, even through the helmet, that his gaze was steel. "I know what you're trying to do," Andal said, with a rueful shake of the head. "You don't have to. I'm not going to go off the deep end."

Shaxx didn't move, except to square his shoulders. There was a current of tension to his stance that hadn't been there before. "It's a funny thing," he said. "Caliban said something similar to me once. And where is he now?

"I'm not Caliban."

"Neither was Aparajita. Or Kauko Swiftriver."

"I'm not them either," Andal shot back. "I gave my word when I accepted the Dare. I'm Vanguard now. It's my responsibility. That won't change. I just - I wish I could be out there with them."

The words left him like they'd been forced out by a blow to the chest: explosive and desperate. Shaxx considered him for a long moment. He didn't look convinced, not even a little, but he didn't push further. In the distance, the sun was sinking below the mountains. Shaxx turned to that instead, and Andal followed him. They stayed in the quiet of the Gap until the fire of the sunset had faded into twilight. Then, with a thunderous clap to his shoulder, Shaxx left for the City.

Andal propped himself up against some overgrown rubble and dug his datapad out of his pack. He wanted to put it back immediately. Every Hunter he'd dispatched on a mission in the last two months had apparently decided to send in their reports at the same time. His messages were a veritable flood

"Not dealing with that right now," Andal muttered, and scrolled past them. The rest was standard - Vanguard shit, a couple pings from Shiro for no reason besides saying hello, a single line from Tevis's datapad that just said Checking in - from Shiro, Tev is with me - and sixteen missed calls from Cayde. Andal jolted upright, then immediately relaxed. The most recent call had a short note attached: sorry - sat on my datapad. <3

Warmth swelled in Andal's chest, and stayed there all the way back to the Tower. His Vanguard apartment was tucked in the lower levels, far from any hum of activity. It made the chances of running into a Consensus lackey significantly slimmer - which was good, because he didn't have that much patience for them on his best days, and all he wanted to do now was clean up, make some tea, call Cayde, and settle in on the couch to maybe review at least some of the report deluge.

Right after he figured out why the damn door was already unlocked. Andal reached for his knife, called the Void, and slipped inside without a sound. Nothing out of place in the entryway - except an extra pair of boots that most certainly did not belong to him, and a familiar cloak hanging on the hook.

The Void receded in a rush. He heard more than saw Astraea lock the door behind him. "Cayde?" Andal called, sheathing his blade and toeing off his own boots.

A soft noise came from the pile of blankets on the couch. Andal made it to Cayde's side just in time to see him shoot upright and fling the blankets off. "Damn it," Cayde muttered. His shoulders slumped. "I was gonna make you dinner."

This close, Andal could see the telltale signs of exhaustion. Cayde had a particular way of holding himself when he'd gone too long without stopping; that thin strand of tension was corded through his frame as if it was the only thing holding him up. "Sorry," he mumbled, and stifled a yawn. "Got in early, took a shower and thought, hey, what's five minutes. Turns out it was not five minutes."

"Are those my clothes?" Andal asked, amused.

Cayde looked down at himself like it was a surprise. He'd stolen a simple pair of black sweatpants and a soft navy blue jacket that he'd only bothered to zip up a quarter of the way. "Maybe."

"Either they are or they aren't. There's no maybe option."

"Maybe," Cayde said again, with more conviction.

Andal fought the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he kneeled next to the couch. "You look tired," he said, pushing a careful palm against Cayde's exposed chest to ease him into lying down.

Cayde went without resistance or retort. There was a faint, unfocused haze to the glow of his eyes. He covered Andal's hand with one of his own and held it there, pressed to the low thrum of life. "Missed you," he whispered.

Andal's heart turned so sharply his insides ached. "That's supposed to be my line," he managed, leaning forward to lay his cheek against Cayde's chest.

"Hey, Andal?" Cayde's voice wavered. His other arm settled across Andal's back. "You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

Andal hummed an affirmative. It earned him a low chuckle. The fingers tracing lazy circles on his back crept up to tug his hair free, and Andal couldn't help the soft groan when they dragged along his scalp. "I don't mean with just this," Cayde said. "I mean in general."

"Not when you're in the field. I don't want you distracted."

"You know I think about you anyway." There was a spark of mischief in Cayde's tone. "And anyway, I'm not in the field right now."

Andal rolled his eyes and pushed himself to his feet with a huff, heedless of Cayde’s pitiful whine at the loss of contact. "I need to clean up. Then we can go get dinner."

Andal made it halfway to the bedroom before he heard footsteps, and arms wrapped around his waist from behind. "Lemme help," Cayde murmured, a rush of warmth against the back of his neck.

"I actually want to get clean sometime today, Cayde."

"Your hair's a mess."

"I was out in the wind." Andal twisted in his arms so he could look him in the eyes, and his next protest died on his lips. It wasn't often Cayde looked at him with so much raw vulnerability; he cloaked his fear and his grief in dazzling sunlight, so the rest of the world would focus on the flash of his smile and not the cracks in his heart. Andal had learned to see through it a long time ago. But it was different when Cayde stripped it away himself.

"I missed you," Cayde said, and his voice cracked. "I still miss you. And I can't figure out how to get to where you are so I can stop."

Andal brushed his fingers along the sharp line of his jaw. Cayde’s next inhale stuttered, more a sob than a sigh of contentment, and Andal's world collapsed and coalesced until all he could see was Cayde, burning with his own familiar agony and breaking himself apart to cross the horizon between them.

Andal surged forward and wrapped his arms around him and kissed him until the fire in his lungs was because he couldn't breathe, and not because the peace he wanted was out of his reach. Cayde was warm and solid and pressed against him, and that low thrum was strong and sure beneath his fingertips, and Cayde's breath was a soft whisper against his neck.

"I'm here," Cayde said. The words were ragged, strangled by his desperation. "I've got you."

Andal tried to ease a step back, to see his face, and to kiss him again, but Cayde resisted any movement that could put any amount of space between them - like if he let go now, Andal would once more be beyond him. It made Andal's chest ache. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to be here, where there was no death, or loss, or crushing weight. He wanted to lose himself in the steady hum from the heart of Cayde's frame. He wanted to open the windows and gaze at stars while he was wrapped up in Cayde's arms. It felt like peace. Like home. A single word burned in his throat, a plea he could never voice - Stay.

"You wanna tell me what's going on?" Cayde asked, a long time later, and still holding him close.

Andal shook his head.

"Okay," Cayde said. "You wanna go clean up?"

Andal heaved a deep sigh. Cayde laughed softly. "C'mon, it'll help."

"I'm fine here," Andal grumbled, and grasped futilely at Cayde's shoulders when he gently pulled away.

"C'mon," Cayde said again, tangling their fingers together and tugging him toward the bedroom. "I gotcha."

Cayde helped him wash up and slip into a comfortable hooded sweatshirt and loose pants, then set him down on the couch and went to work on his hair. It was still wet from the shower, and gradually less disastrous the longer Cayde spent painstakingly massaging various products into it. The careful rhythm soothed Andal into a warm haze. His head dropped back against Cayde's collar, and he only noticed he'd almost drifted off because those lovely fingers in his hair stopped moving.

"You know you have to sit up more if you want me to finish this."

"Mm."

"Andal." There was fond exasperation there. Cayde tapped his cheek. The quiet ping of a message notification interrupted whatever he was going to say next. He gathered Andal to his chest and planted a quick kiss on his hair, then started to extricate himself from the embrace.

Andal's heart lurched. He closed a tight grip around Cayde's wrist reflexively. "You're leaving?"

Cayde paused his efforts to untangle himself from Andal and also escape the sinking cushions of the couch. He didn't tug at the wrist Andal had in a vice grip. "Just for a minute," Cayde answered slowly. "I asked Tevis to pick us up some food. He's almost here."

Andal made himself let go. "Tevis hates the Tower. He won't come here unless he absolutely has to. Trust me, I've tried."

"Well, he does absolutely have to. He owes me a favor."

"Do I want to know how that happened?"

"Nope," Cayde said, with a little too much enthusiasm, as he finally managed to get back to his feet. He reached down to tilt Andal's chin up with a single digit. "Be right back. Don't go anywhere, beautiful."

Andal swatted at his hand. "Quit flirting and go let Tevis in," he said, despite the warmth blooming under his ribs. "I don't want him to break my door down."

It wasn't Tevis that showed up: it was an uncharacteristically surly Shiro. He handed the bags to Cayde with all the airs of a man who'd just spent too long fighting a losing battle. "I owed him a favor," he muttered. "And he decided that his debt to you was paid when he picked the food up and brought it to me. So I could take it to you."

"I told you he was a cheat," Cayde said, unhelpfully.

"Thanks, Shiro," Andal called, and Shiro studied him intently for a second. Whatever he found swept some of the aggravation away from his stance; he tossed off a cheerful wave as he ducked out.

Cayde was already unpacking the ramen onto the coffee table. Behind him, Sundance closed and locked the door with a sigh. Andal cast her a thankful look as he settled on the floor and propped his back against the couch.

Cayde dropped down next to him. "I was thinking," he said, looping an arm around Andal, "that I'd stick around the City for a couple weeks. Maybe drag you out of the Tower sometimes. Shiro said there're a few local festivals coming up, and-"

He didn't finish, because Andal stole the rest of his words with a searing kiss.

"Didn't know you liked festivals that much." Cayde sounded breathless. His gaze was completely unfocused. "Damn."

Andal tapped his cheek. "You okay in there?"

"I think I shorted something, but yeah." Cayde shook his head, like that would clear the fog. "Do that again."

Andal almost considered it. Almost. But the weariness in his bones felt like a lead weight, and the ramen was steaming, and Cayde was half curled around him. "Later," he said instead, and felt Cayde's chest hum with a soft laugh.

"You got it."

—-

The damn Tower was only ever loud on the rare occasion he wanted it to stay quiet.

Andal heard the hurricane coming before it hit and immediately categorized it as a five, because while there were two pairs of hurried footsteps approaching his office door at battering speed, the only raised voice he could make out was coming from the Speaker, and that always meant serious trouble. Could be an issue with the Consensus. Could be an emergency meeting to address some kind of apocalyptic threat.

Or it could be Tevis Larsen, stalking through the door with the Speaker two steps behind him. He didn't wait for the leader of the entire City's governing body to come through after him; he slammed a fist back into the controls to close and lock it in his face.

Andal shot to his feet. "Tevis, what the hell?"

"He asked me to explain calling out to the Void to him." Tevis looked utterly unperturbed. "I said no. He kept asking. I wasn't gonna say no twenty times."

Andal dragged a hand down his face. Tevis, who hated the Tower, was in the Tower, in Andal's office, with a slighted Speaker standing just outside the door, presumably after having followed Tevis across the entire structure asking about a power that was anything but well understood, which had to do with a branch of the Light that certain vocal fringe groups still considered controversially aligned with the Darkness, despite every writing Ikora Rey had ever produced with evidence to the contrary. Great. He could already see the fifteen new committees this was going to spawn.

"Tevis," Andal said, voice tight, "the Speaker is in charge of the entire Consensus. He runs the City."

"I don't answer to the damned Consensus. And if you weren't on the Vanguard, I wouldn't answer to them either."

Andal closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Fine, then look at it this way: I work with these people. Could you try not to make me look bad?"

"Cayde's been in here all the damn time lately. I don't think their opinions can get any lower."

Andal bit back a retort and reached for the door controls so he could start to smooth the mess out, but Zavala's voice on the other side stopped him. Ah. He was already on it. Andal would have to thank him later. "Okay," he said, turning back to Tevis. "What the hell is going on?"

Tevis's face didn't even twitch. "I can't just visit a friend?"

"Not when you've spent the last week avoiding me."

Tevis shrugged. "Shiro's been on my ass about coming to see you. I got sick of it."

"Shiro's been on your ass about that for a lot longer than the week you've been back in the City. Nice try, though."

A flicker of unease flashed in Tevis's eyes. He tugged at his hood, but didn't lower it, shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and glanced at the door. "Can we talk somewhere else?"

Andal waited until there were no more voices behind his door, then led Tevis outside, away from the Vanguard and the Consensus and the low buzz of their chaos. He only stopped once they made it to his sanctuary at the highest point of the Tower.

"You allowed to be up here? Thought your Vanguard might be kinda uptight about it." Tevis sat down gingerly, like he didn't trust the edge not to crumble by virtue of it being a Vanguard structure, and dangled his legs over the abyss below.

"Don't know. Never asked." Andal eased down too, and leaned back on his hands. In the distance, the sun was just starting to sink toward the horizon. A warm gust of wind caught Tevis's hood and blew it back, and Andal jolted. Tevis's long, dark hair was pulled up and braided into an elaborate coil at the back of his head. It wasn't something he had the inclination to do himself; mostly he just tied it however was quickest.

"Did you finally let Cayde do your hair?" Andal blurted.

He knew the answer before Tevis gave it by the exasperated eyeroll. "One time and one time only," Tevis muttered, but a faint smile still curved the corner of his mouth when he ran a hand over the coil of hair. "He said he wanted to practice it. Looked so happy about it I didn't have the heart to tell him off."

"Looks good on you," Andal said brightly, and earned an elbow to the side of the head. "Ow."

"You get shot and you don't make a damn sound. How the hell is that 'ow'?"

"Most of the time getting shot kills me."

Tevis gave a deep sigh. "Not what I meant." 

"Pretty sure there was something else you came here to talk about anyway." Andal gave him a sidelong glance, and Tevis's shoulders tensed. "Did something happen?"

"No," Tevis ground out. His face went through an impressive array of volatile emotions before settling on blatant discomfort. He opened his mouth to say something else and all that came out was a single cracked syllable.

Andal shifted closer, so their shoulders were pressed together. He didn't say anything and, for a long time, neither did Tevis. He just sat there glaring into the distance with his hands clenched into fists in his lap.

"You're okay here?" Tevis managed at last.

"I'm not sure what that means, Tev."

Tevis scowled. "Being in the Tower all the time isn't killing you?"

Andal tilted his head at him. Tevis avoided his gaze. "It's where I belong now."

Tevis scoffed at that. A thin tremor ran down his spine. "Fucking Dare," he hissed under his breath.

Andal groaned. "Don't start. I get enough of that from Cayde calling the Tower a cage every other week."

"No, I don't mean - " Tevis stopped short. His fists were clenched so tightly his forearms were trembling. He took a ragged breath. "When you left to be Vanguard, I told myself it wasn't that different. You were always the mastermind and the marksman. Who the hell cared if you were on overwatch from the Tower now? You were looking out for us, same as always. But it wasn't the same."

Tevis took a steadying breath, but it didn't stop his arms from shaking. "Wasn't the same," he repeated, like he was forcing the words out. "Didn't know how to deal with it, so I left. Spent a lot of time on my own before I met Cayde and he dragged me into his crazy bullshit. Never thought I'd like being part of a crew. Never thought I'd miss it this much, either."

Andal's chest ached. He nudged Tevis with an elbow. "You know you can still come see me," he said. It came out flat, as if it couldn't mean anything when it was weighed against the gravity of everything else.

Tevis gave him a tired stare, then turned back to the horizon. "It's like there's a barrier," he said, so softly Andal almost missed it. "Between here and out there. Shiro goes back and forth across it like it's nothing. Cayde's a damn disaster about it, but he won't admit it. And you have to stay in the Tower even if half of you's on the other side of that horizon."

"What about you?"

"It's easier to just stay out there." 

Tevis fell silent. Andal let the quiet be until some of the tension in Tevis's shoulders had eased. "Hey, Tev?"

"Hm."

"You know avoiding me because you miss me doesn't make a lot of sense."

"That's what Shiro said."

"Shiro's usually right when it comes to you."

"The hell he is."

"Cayde agrees with me."

"Of course he does. Cayde'll do anything to be a pain in my ass." Beneath the dry delivery, there was a note of undeniable fondness.

Andal huffed a laugh. "Can't really argue with that."

Tevis went quiet again. At first, it looked like he was winding up to bolt. Andal could count on one hand the number of times Tevis Larsen had had an honest conversation about his feelings and not imploded afterwards, and all of them had happened at death's door. But while he had half curled in on himself like he was protecting a wound, Tevis didn't get up, or make a move to throw himself off the Tower to escape. He stayed, and he watched the sun sink into a sea of fire at Andal's side.

"I'll try to be here more," Tevis offered gruffly, once the burning sunset had faded to a cool twilight. "On one condition."

"Anything."

"You check in too."

Andal blinked at him. "Huh?"

"You make a hell of a Vanguard, Andal, but I know it's killing part of you to be up in the Tower. Stop acting like it isn't. You can't talk to Cayde about it because he gets all guilty. Fine. Talk to me or Shiro then."

Tevis offering to talk about emotions on a regular basis: that was a new one. It stunned Andal to brief silence. "Okay," he said, a long moment later, and almost jumped when Tevis dragged him into a rough hug.

"I'll hold you to it," Tevis said, and even though Andal couldn't see his face, he heard the smile in his voice.

Andal tilted his head back to look up at the stars. They cast a faint glow high above the hum of the City, just enough to see the faint outline of the horizon beyond.

Suddenly, it didn't feel so far away.

—-

[imhereformysciencefriends]

Day 1: Fairytales and Myths

Tags: @loturaweek2024 Curses, fairy tale elements, Bearskin (the myth), political marriage but also for love sort of, magic, background Alfor/Melenor, background Keith/Shiro, betrothals, attempted kidnapping, rescue, Lotor’s generals are there

Read on AO3

***

“You are fortunate,” mused the angry and spiteful druid while Lotor snarled up at him, ensnared in glowing purple chains made of magic and aether, “that the same magic you came here to steal from me does not allow me to kill you outright.”

Lotor thought, not for the first time, that it would be significantly more Galra to just put a knife in his gut than rely on their magic for literally everything. But if they were so wrapped up in their world of spells and power that they forgot their own fangs and claws that they were born with, well, Lotor wouldn’t be the one to remind them. This druid in specific seemed particularly filled with his own hubris.

A pelt, some heavy, thick-furred thing thumped down on his shoulders, and he shifted minutely from the weight.

“I curse you,” the druid said, voice going echoey with magic. “You shall not bathe for seven decaphoebes, nor cut your hair nor claws, you shall not cease to wear this pelt, nor sleep under one roof for more than a single night, and no one may travel with you for more than three quintents. Should you break any of these bindings, this curse will kill you.”

“And if I succeed, for seven decaphoebes?” Lotor asked, still snarling, still bearing his (small, Altean) fangs.

The druid was quiet.

“You must include a win-condition, witch. I know your magic’s rules.” He would not have risked infiltrating this place if he did not have a contingency plan for if he was caught, after all.

The druid made a snarling, growling, impatient noise.

“If you should last all seven decaphoebes, then the magic you seek will be yours. Now get out!”

Another rush of magic and Lotor found himself at the mouth of the small cave that hid the entrance to the druid’s lair. He grit his teeth and stood, shaking as though to dislodge the remnants of the purple magic.

Seven years.

More than he’d bargained for, but less than he was willing to pay for his goals. He already grew his hair long, and he was not one to frequently stay in one place for too long. That was doable.

The claws and bathing situation would be the most intolerable, he did not doubt.

Seven years.

He could do this.

In the first year: he could do this. He was centuries old and, if theories on how he aged were to be considered correct, he would have centuries more. Seven years would be nothing. A drop in a bucket. He used it to prepare, especially the first few months, when he smelled more or less tolerable. Any time it rained he spent as much time as he could in the water, knowing that washing in a river or stream would count. Magic was always fickle, and always skewed in favor of the worst. While he could still passably show his face in civilization, he stockpiled supplies enough to last him seven years, or near enough to it he could supplement when the time came.

In the second year: he had to leave Daibazaal. His country of origin was hardly a home, and hadn’t been since he was young and innocent and still so painfully naive. But he did know it, and he knew that all the many flora that thirsted for his blood and fauna that would chew on his bones could smell him for miles in each direction. He knew it intellectually, and he knew it viscerally, blood steaming across the pelt he wore and sliding down the blade he wrested free from the fresh carcass of a beast that wished to eat him. Oh, how he wished for a bath.

In the third year: he couldn’t do this. He could not bear this. He was not even halfway through and his own stench and fatigue were driving him insane. Being so constantly exposed to the elements was killing him, though the pelt was so thick and heavy it kept him plenty warm. And he was lonely. In the third year, Narti finally found him, Kova hissing and prowling just outside the edges of Lotor’s reach, recognizing him but also not. She wanted to help him, as best she could, but he explained the curse to her, the druid putting no binding on his tongue at least. She then offered to go kill the druid for him, and he insisted that she not, not until the witch’s power was his. She stated she would stay with him, despite her nose being even sharper than Lotor’s, and he reminded her that it could be for no more than three quintents, or the magic would kill him (and he doubted it would be instant, or painless).

She left with the promise to tell the others, and to bring back supplies for him. Just to drop off and then leave again. She promised she wouldn’t stay.

In the third year: Ezor found him, always best at finding things, and with her she brought Zethrid and Acxa. It was the best three days of these miserable three years, even with his companions wrinkling their noses at his scent the whole time.

In the fourth year: he left the billowing wilds that existed between Daibazaal, harsh and dangerous but inhabitable, and into Altea, the lush and verdant valleys beneath the billowing wilds’ mountains. Not to say that Altea did not come with its own dangers, no, just that they were more like the mountain creatures, not quite so capable of killing a lone wanderer as Daibazaal’s would have been.

In the fourth year:

Allura tied up her hair and shifted her hands, magic tickling as it turned her palms into suction cups. She descended from her room as only wayward princesses could, and hopped down onto the vibrantly green grass of the lawn with a little thrill of success.

With the tensions between Daibazaal and Altea on the rise once again, and all citizens from both countries feeling like a resumed war was all but a forgone conclusion, her parents had been increasingly strict with her. On a certain level, she understood, she was a princess after all, it was her job to understand.

On the other hand: she’d gone to the little brook with the little waterfall dozens upon dozens upon dozens of times, without any harm nor threat to her person. It was right next to the palace grounds, and she only ever managed to squeeze in an hour or two before her knights quit canoodling and came to find her anyway. She would be fine, just as she’d been fine every time before.

There was nowhere in all of Altea, in Allura’s opinion, that was a better place for magic than that little waterfall. Something about the place seemed almost to glow with magic, every drop of water and blade of grass and rustling leaf full to overflowing with rich mana. It drew her in, excited and comforted her, enthralled her and cleared her mind. Magic poured from her fingers like the water she lifted, guiding it to dance about her in a spiraling river floating suspended around her person, twirling slowly as she dragged the water about in lazy loops.

Even the sunlight here felt different, warm and yellow but not beating down on her, even in summer heat. It sparkled and twisted around her like the water did, slowly spinning and dancing across the shimmering surface, Allura’s skirts shallowly twirling around her calves, and she smiled and let her mind sink into the magic present here, imbuing everything.

It was that magic, present even in the twigs of a bush and the berries crushed underfoot, that alerted her that she was not alone.

She didn’t scream. She didn’t dare try to fight against near a dozen heavy boots. One moment she was smiling serenely, surrounded by glistening spirals of water, the next she was running so fast the water didn’t even have time to hit the ground before she burst through it. Shouts behind her, unmistakably Galra, and heavy footfall followed, but she didn’t dare look. She was fast.

But Galra were faster.

A giant, purple hand clamped over her mouth, a scream wrested from her too late and muffled by the flesh, and she hit the ground with a cry of pain, knees and palms skidding in the dirt.

“Grab her!”

She fought back, because of course she did. Princess trained in the art of diplomacy and regal bearing though she was, Allura was no weak fighter, and she was not one to cow in the face of unfair odds.

But they were unfair. She knocked two briefly unconscious, but she hadn’t brought her staff, not believing she’d need it, and these Galra were armored and armed, one opening a deep gash across the back of her leg, another finally getting his dagger pointed at her throat and compelling her to behave.

“You won’t kill me,” she spat, even as her preservation instincts forced her to obey.

“No. But you don’t need both eyes.”

She screamed a protest—she was submitting!—as he raised the dagger to plunge it into her eye, but then a dagger protruded from his own, sinking much deeper than just the eye. He toppled off her, dead, and the Galra turned on their new aggressor.

A beast, wilder than all imagining, lept from the foliage, its pelt hideous and bloodstained, matted with mud and dried viscera, its claws long as knives and yellow and flaking, silvery lengths of something dragging behind it as it fell upon its victims. The Galra shouted, united now against this beast, and Allura staggered to her feet, or tried to. The gash in her leg made fleeing nearly impossible, and she leaned against the tree as she watched the beast dispatch of the Galra, one by one by one, until there were none left alive to contest it.

Its yellow gaze fell upon her next, and she realized belatedly that she looked at no monster at all.

“You’re Altean!” she gasped, the man before her so deeply dirtied with various filth that she could not see even an inch of skin beneath the horrible mess, but his face was, poking out from the disgusting fur, unmistakably that of, well, a man. An Altean’s proud cheekbones and narrow jaw, eyes yellow as a Galra but silver hair (it was hair!) long and ripe with magic.

The man chuckled at her. “I suppose it only fair that you confused me for a beast.”

“Good sir, anyone would.” Sounds of armor—familiar, Altean—and rushed footfall came from the direction of the palace grounds. “Please, you are my savior, come into my home and be bathed and rewarded for your service.”

“I cannot bathe, princess,” he said, with every reverence of her subjects, “nor did I do this for a reward. I will leave.”

“You saved my life!” Allura insisted as Keith and Shiro burst into the clearing, swords drawn and lips flushed and kiss-bitten, confusion on their brows as they took stock of the dead Galra on the ground and the beast man their charge now argued with. “You would do me a great dishonor by not allowing me to repay you!”

The man seemed visibly to hesitate at that, and then acquiesced. “If for your honor only, princess. But I cannot remain.”

“At least stay the night,” she insisted, now half-frantic to have this strange man remain for any time at all, curiosity burning through her as fervently as the magic had only recently flowed.

“The night,” he agreed, bowing low, the mess of fur and hair and viscera and fresh blood shambling with his motion, “but no longer.”

The man spoke of precious little, despite Allura’s best attempts at interrogation. She learned not even his name. He would not allow any of her staff to bathe or groom him, though she noted that while his hair was dirty, it was remarkably untangled. He was certainly Altean, but his nails were more akin to claws. And of course, the yellow eyes.

At dinner, her parents hosted the man who’d saved their daughter’s life, because of course they did.

“Traditionally,” Queen Melenor remarked, though she was severe and stately in the way Allura knew she held herself when she discussed things she’d rather not, “the reward for saving a princess’s fool life from a band of murderous kidnappers would be that princess’s hand in marriage.”

Allura heard the man’s breath hitch, and for a brief moment, open want lined his filth-obscured features, before he shuttered again to something vaguely polite and unreadable.

“I could never ask for such a thing, being as I am.”

“Being as you are?” Allura said, sounding more accusatory than she’d meant. “A kind stranger who saved my life?”

“You have no proof of any kindness,” the man said, with a low chuckle that made her feel strange and hot.

“Only my life and well-being.”

“You speak as though you would wish to wed me.”

Allura’s mouth opened, then shut.

“Exactly.”

“Perhaps I would!” she said, drawing herself to full height while seated and glowering at the man, challenge in her tone.

“Allura,” her father scolded quietly, as he always did when her temper and stubbornness sent her headlong down paths her good sense would otherwise steer her clear from.

“...Allow me three years, then, princess,” the beast man said slowly, gaze never leaving hers. “I have matters I must attend, and am unable to remain here, nor take you with me. If, in three years, when I return, you still wish to wed me, we might discuss it then.”

Queen Melenor sighed, and Allura winced only briefly at the tone of her mother’s breath. Oh the lecture she’d receive once this man departed would be mighty. “You have more good sense than my daughter, it would seem. Please be made comfortable in our home, and if there is anything you wish for, merely ask it.”

“A grimoire, Your Majesty, if I may be bold enough to request it.”

“You’ve magic?” Allura asked, reaching out to touch the man’s face, where his Altean marks should be beneath the dirt, and rescinding her hand when he flinched from her.

“Call it a future investment.”

“Grimoires we have aplenty,” her father stated, “I’ll have one copied for you by the morrow.”

“My thanks.”

Allura, kept up late by her own desperately curious, gnawing thoughts, had to drag herself, bleary and miserable, from her bed to prevent from missing the stranger’s departure. She witnessed her father hand him a grimoire, and he bowed, first to the sovereign queen, then to the king, and then, lower, slower, with something like heat in his eyes, finally to the princess.

“Damn,” she mumbled when the stranger was gone, but comforted herself that at least, for the next three years, she’d have an easy dismissal of all talk of suitors.

In the fifth year: Lotor was nearly killed by a huntsman mistaking him for a beast.

In the sixth year: Lotor was nearly killed by a team of monster hunters, who he had to persuade with Narti’s coin to leave him be, paying higher than the village who’d hired them. He wandered elsewhere with faster purpose, after that, and committed himself to greater stealth. Narti was unbearably smug when next she delivered supplies, forcing more coin into the hands of a man who had no reliable use for it.

In the seventh year: Nearly killed again, by huntsmen and monster hunters both. But he was on his way out of Altea. On his way through the billowing wilds, climbing and descending that mountain. He’d memorized the grimoire, but kept hold of it, a baffling yet precious memory now tied to its cover and pages.

At the end of the seventh year: he returned to the small cave where he’d first found the druid. His time was up, or near enough to it, and the moment the magic was his he would take vengeance for the seven years of misery he’d suffered. There he found Narti, there he found Ezor, there he found Zethrid, there he found Acxa, still loyal to him after seven years of absence, and he counted such loyalty more precious than all the gold in all the world.

“First, we kill the druid,” he ordered, feeling the curse sizzle along his skin as it warped into a blessing. “Then I take a quiznacking bath.”

At the end of the third year of waiting:

Allura was forced by circumstance to put her curiosity for her betrothed-to-be on hold, as political upheaval shook the land.

Her father’s old ally finally declared war upon her mother’s country, and Altea raised its arms for bloodshed. But as they prepared their weapons and rallied their armies, another missive came: Emperor Zarkon was dead, long live the Emperor.

Lotor, former prince, son of Zarkon who Allura had never met, shame to his family line and whose mother was Altean, had bested his father in ritual combat, according to Galra custom and law, and had seized the throne. Altea continued to rally, not sure if the bastard son would hold the same temperament as his father, but the tension that had built between their lands hung now, most definitely confused in perplexed balance.

Then an official letter from the Emperor, validated by report after report from their scouts: Lotor was coming, not with an army, but with a diplomatic envoy, to speak to the royals of Altea face to face.

Her mother was stern and stately, poised and graceful and elegant, the sovereign of Altea, bearer of the Altean royal line, pride and jewel of their nation, its Queen.

Her father was tense and stiff, militant and grave, leader of their armies and father of the nation, sire of Altea’s heir and husband to their sovereign.

Allura wasn’t quite sure what she was. But she drew herself up, a shadow of her mother’s grace, stiffened her lip and brow, a mimic of her father’s gravity, and lifted her chin, a prideful stubbornness that was all hers.

Whatever the Emperor Lotor came here for, he would find it on Altea’s terms, or he would leave without it. Or, if it might make for a swifter path for peace, she would slaughter him in this very reception hall. She had her staff with her today.

The Galran procession arrived in waves, wargs and beastmasters first, towering Galra broad each as a mountain and bearing heavy shields second, four mismatched women each bearing the new royal crest and colors third, and in their center: Emperor Lotor.

He was the singularly most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Long, plaited, silver hair that nearly dragged the ground, Altean bones and Galran eyes, soft velvety purple fur so short it could pass for skin, pointed ears pierced with glinting gems in silver casings, and on his cheeks, two marks that glowed with powerful magic.

She shivered, feeling less certain of her ability to slaughter him where he stood, should he pose threat. His magic was enough, indeed, to rival her own, and she was famed throughout Altea for her prowess, her own marks pink and luminous.

“My thanks for hosting on such short notice,” the emperor began, seeming perfectly at ease surrounded by distinctly uneasy Altean guardsmen.

“Our thanks for your peaceful arrival. Are we too optimistic in hoping it may bode for a peaceful future between our nations?” Queen Melenor of Altea answered, staring down at him with regal coolness from the dias they three stood on.

“Not at all,” he assured with a smile. “I am as hopeful for such as you are.” A sigh escaped the whole room, tension palpably leaving. Allura was not exempt, tension loosening from her shoulders.

“Though I would start by returning what was borrowed. I know you gave it to me as a gift, but I would return it as a show of good faith.”

That piqued Allura’s curiosity. As far as she knew, her parents had never met the then-prince Lotor any more than she had. But as the emperor of Daibazaal approached, Allura’s breath caught in her throat.

He extended, to Alfor, a grimoire. The same grimoire her father had given her intended three years ago.

“You!” she gasped, rushing forward and grabbing him by the wrist, making his generals tense but ignoring them, staring instead at his yellow eyes.

“Me,” he agreed with a smile, staring at her with that same reverence he’d held three years ago. “I hope my appearance is more agreeable to you, now, than it was then, as I have little desire to return to such a state.”

“More than,” she said with a wild grin. “Please, come in and be hosted by us, I would have my betrothed explain to me how I may find him in such different states as this!”

“Well,” she heard her father murmur to her mother as she beckoned their guests inside, “I suppose a wedding is one way to end all this.”

And so it would be.

But first, they went to dinner.

[rorimoon9597]

If he was known for anything, it would be his emotional maturity. Because when Pidge and Keith both floundered with refugees of all ages, Lance, Allura, Shiro, Coran and Hunk would be going around and offering comfort and a break, however small, from their troubles. It was something that came naturally to him from having such a big family.

So when Keith disappeared for two weeks without any trace after the Kral Zera, he freaked out. It was annoying for his friends, and only Coran was able to listen to his panicked rambling every single time.

Then Keith came back, and he didn't spare the details of his travelling, just that he ended up befriending a wolf that could teleport. They fought Lotor, and found out that Shiro was actually a clone and oh gods, his head hurt from all of that.

So now they were on a planet that Coran suggested they stopped on to recharge as much as possible and to relax. They were going to be heading back to Earth soon, which was exciting. Lance hadn't seen his family in so long. He wanted to introduce them to his boyfriend. He wanted to tell Adam that he finally got a boyfriend. Adam would be so proud!

But they needed to sort something out. Namely, why the hell didn't Keith call?

So Lance stood and stretched. eyes darted to him, including Shiro's eyes that had that fatherly look in them.

"Well, I'm tired. I'm going to go to bed now. Night," he said with a little wave. He walked to Red, who bent down to let him in. He could hear the others behind him, murmuring their goodnights except for Keith.

Lance went about his nightly routine, waiting for Keith to join him. It took a few minutes, in which he washed his face and changed into his pajamas, for the man to show up.

Keith was wearing his own pajamas, the wolf behind him. He walked up to Lance and wrapped his arms around him. The both of them relaxed, melting into each other. The wolf went to explore Red's interior, sniffing at things before moving on.

"I missed you," Keith whispered. His voice was deeper, and it sent shivers down Lance's spine.

"I missed you too... Why didn't you call?" He asked. He was prepared for a fight involving Keith being unable to talk at all.

"The quantum abyss didn't have reception," Keith said. Lance frowned.

"Quantum abyss?" He asked. He turned around to see Keith properly. "What is that?"

"It's where we found the planet that Lotor moved the Alteans to. If you're not careful, you can get pulled apart, atom by atom. It nearly happened to me once. Mom saved me from that." Lance gaped at Keith like a fish.

"You- what?"

"I know it sounds bad, but we were able to get to safety. There were these things that had their own ecosystem. They produced enough oxygen for humans to breathe, so Mom and I stayed on one of those while we were traveling," Keith explained. He rubbed circles into Lance's hips.

"What else happened?" Lance asked.

"There was a time dilation. So... Mom and I spent two years there." That truly made Lance's jaw drop. He looked at his boyfriend again, taking in how Keith's jaw was more defined, how his hair was longer and how he was taller now. He was taller than Lance, which meant that Keith was close to Hunk's height. That man was near six foot.

"Holy shit, you're- you aged two years while you were there?" He said.

"Yeah." Keith was watching him.

"You've changed," Lance observed, his voice soft. Keith's eyes grew... sad, almost.

"I have," he agreed. Lance smiled.

"I like these changes, you know," he said nonchalantly as he ran his hands up and down Keith's arms, feeling the newly developed muscles. They weren't like Shiro's, but they were definitely more prominent than before Keith left for the- what was it, quantum abyss?

"You do?" Keith asked. Lance swallowed. Keith's voice was going to be the death of him.

"I do," he replied. He rested his hands on Keith's chest, letting himself feel the faint thumping of Keith's heart. "You're taller than me, now, for one."

"So you like my height?"

"I like you, so I like everything about you," Lance replied, feeling satisfaction as Keith's skin colored just a bit. "Your voice is deeper as well, you know. It's hot." His arms moved to rest on Keith's shoulders, hand connecting behind black hair. Keith smirked and leaned in close.

"You like my voice, darling?" He asked. The Texas accent that Keith only spoke in when he wanted to came through, sounding better with the deeper voice.

"Shut up," Lance said. He pulled Keith into a kiss that he'd been waiting for since he first saw Keith on that screen. Keith hummed into it.

It was- it was the best kiss, for some reason. Perhaps it was because they hadn't seen each other in two weeks - at least, for Lance it was two weeks. For Keith it was two years.

"Why did you brush me off earlier? At the castle?" Lance asked when he pulled away. Keith's eyes were sad. Like, genuinely sad.

"I'm sorry, Lance. I had a mission, and I had complete the mission or else I probably would have decided to ignore it completely in favor of holding you. I... I knew that I'd do that, and I couldn't, because Allura needed to know and we needed to get revenge for all of those Alteans and stop Lotor," Keith said. Lance nodded, unable to say anything. He pressed another kiss to Keith's lips.

"I understand, cariño. It just threw me off a bit there, y'know?"

"Are you actually okay, Lance?" He paused at the question. Normally, it would take longer for Keith to ask that. Lance studied his boyfriend, ignoring the fact that they were both studying each other.

"I'm better now that you're here," he replied honestly. Keith studied him a bit longer, but eventually smiled.

"I'm glad. The past..."

"Two weeks," Lance supplied helpfully.

"It's only been two weeks for you guys?" Keith asked, surprised.

"Yes. Now, you were saying?" Keith smiled and shook his head.

"The past couple of weeks must have been hard for you, yeah?"

"The two years you spent with only your mom and your cosmic, teleporting wolf must have been hard for you. Hey, that's a good idea!"

"What is?"

"Kosmo!"

"Kos... mo..?" Lance pointed at the wolf, who tilted its head.

"Kosmo!" He said again. Keith blinked at Lance, then at the wolf. Then he turned to face Lance again.

"I guess. We'll have to see if he likes it, though." Lance turned to face the wolf.

"How's that sound, huh? Kosmo?" The wolf wagged its tail, then teleported over to them for pets.

"Alright... I guess his name is Kosmo now," Keith agreed. Lance grinned.

"Yep. And... I've been separated from you for far too long. So... what do you say cariño?" Lance asked, a grin on his face. Keith grinned back at him.

"Sure," he said. Red grumbled in the back of Lance's mind then retreated, leaving the two to their own devices. Kosmo, reading the air of the room, also disappeared.

________

"Do you want to know what I like the best about this newer version of you?" Lance asked. He traced patterns onto Keith's skin.

"What's your favourite thing?" Keith asked. Lance rested his head in the crook of Keith's neck, shivering slightly at the touch of his hand on his back.

"How you've grown emotionally," Lance replied. Keith hummed in response, encouraging Lance to keep going. "I like how you're able to talk about things much better now. The only reason why it took you so long to talk to me this time is because of the fighting, and Shiro too. But you didn't run from talking about things this time, and you apologized without me prompting."

"Mom helped me with that. We bonded a lot during our two years on that creature," Keith replied. Lance listened. He'd always liked the sound of Keith's voice, but he loved it now. The way it rumbled was comforting to Lance.

"I'm glad that you found her," Lance said.

"I'm glad that I found her, too," Keith agreed. "It was weird at first, y'know? How do you talk to a parent that's been absent for most of your life? But I learned about her story, how she met my dad and fell in love with him, how they found Blue and kept her as safe as possible. How Dad had to help Mom give birth which he had experience in. Did you know that he helped deliver babies when the mothers couldn't get to the hospital?"

"He did?"

"Yeah, so he knew what he was doing. Man, that would've been weird to explain. But Mom and I grew closer. We saw visions while we were there, in the quantum abyss."

"What did you see?"

"Us," Keith replied and oh, that was so sweet.

"Tell me," Lance said. And Keith indulged him, telling him of the things he saw. Shiro and Adam getting married and adopting two Altean children. Hunk and Shay getting together, them with a Galra child.

He told him of Matt's future wife and kids, how chaotic they were and how Pidge appeared to be a good aunt. He told Lance about Silvio becoming a cadet at the Garrison.

Then Keith told Lance about the two of them; the girl who looked like them combined that bought crystals that looked like fire and water, about her twin brother who looked like Keith more than Lance but cracked similar jokes to him. About the flying fox creature, about their wedding, how they would rebuild Keith's childhood home for the four of them and visitors.

And Lance listened, letting himself be lulled to sleep by Keith's voice.

When Keith noticed, he smiled. He pressed a kiss to Lance's hair.

"Goodnight, Lance. I love you, so, so much," he whispered.

[silentwillowwhisperer]

This particular galaxy that the paladins are currently in is known particularly for its wide array of animals.

So obviously, when they hear that one of the planets has a zoo on it, they absolutely have to go.

"Whoo! This is gonna be awesome! The whole fam on a trip to the zoo! You know, my nephew Sylvio was always obsessed with lions. Ironic, isn't it?"

Lance chatters steadily about his family, as he usually does. It has become almost comforting because of how often he did it.

They all load into the lions and land safely on the ground. Thankfully, this planet has not been taken over by the Galra, though that may have something to do with the planet's army of man(alien?)-eating birds.

They find the zoo rather easily, as it seems to be advertised in every part of the town possible.

And they are not overrating it. The zoo is gorgeous, with paths shaded by trees similar to willows, but in shades of purple and blue. Dragonfly-like creatures big enough to ride roam around freely. Even the inhabitants of the planet look crystalline, with antennae and glittering eyes.

They wander for about an our before they hear a sharp gasp.

The paladins turn to see Keith with a gleeful look on his face. Of course, they automatically assume that he saw a cool knife, and look around suspiciosly.

Then Keith speaks, "Shiro! Look!"

Shiro follows Keith's gaze to see a small enclosure. Inside, are a bunch of tiny, suspiciously fluffy, hippos. They're all about the size of a German Shepherd, and their colors range from cotton candy pink to sky blue.

Lance is the first to start laughing.

"Really, Keith? You of all people are freaking out over fluffy animals? Doesn't exactly fit with your-"

Before he can finish his sentence, Keith has bolted off. He is right up to the fence in seconds, and he crouches down to coo at the animals. One hippo trots (do hippos trot or waddle?) right up to him and stares up at him with big, glassy eyes.

Keith looks like he might burst into tears. Oh, never mind, there are in fact tears rolling down his face.

The other gape at him. Shiro squats down next to Keith and pats him on the back.

"Alright bud. You'll be fine."

"They were his I favorite, Shiro. He would have loved them."

And then Shiro's eyes well up too.

Lance finally gathers the nerve to join them, and hugs Keith gently. Keith turns to start soaking his shirt in tears.

Yes, Lance is slightly upset that he'll have to actually wash this shirt for once when they get home, (he usually just douses himself in so much cologne that no one could ever tell his clothing is dirty) but Keith is literally having a mental breakdown 5-year-old style right now.

"How 'bout this? I saw a gift shop a little while back, and I've been saving up for a purchase. I was going to buy myself a cool sweatshirt, but I suppose we could buy you a hippo, or Fummi as they they call them here, stuffed animal."

Keith looks up at him with saltwater running down his face, and stars in his eyes. He has never ever looked this adorable, but Lance is living for it. Shiro has already taken the others to go see other specimens, his dad-sense telling him to give the two boys some space.

"Really?"

"Sure, my love." (haHA nicknames)

10 minutes later, they have successfully purchased a 6-foot tall hippo stuffy. In other words, Lance's beanpole genes make him just barely taller than it. Keith is just not, and he looks tiny next to it. This is literally the best purchase Lance has made in years.

Back at the castle, he may or may not find Keith asleep on the floor, using the stuffy as a body pillow/bed.

And it might be possible that Lance pushes Keith over slightly so that he can join him.

And maybe he falls asleep holding Keith.

He's got some explaining to do later.

[fostersffff]

The Big Gundam Watch, Part 15: Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

In my War in the Pocket post, I noted that it and The 08th MS Team make up what are considered to be The Good OVAs. Which, if you haven't read that post, doesn't mean that they're the only good Gundam OVAs, but they're the ones some people like to point to when recommending an entry point to the franchise. This is due to their consistently high production values, relatively short length, and stories that are more "grounded and realistic" than most of the other TV shows, OVAs, and movies in the franchise (which I have since learned is code for "No Newtype Bullshit", rather than implying anything about the believability of the giant robots). The 08th MS Team even sounds like a good compliment to War in the Pocket on paper: one was about the One Year War from an uninvolved child's perspective, and the other is about the same event from an actual military perspective.

Now having seen it for myself: people are not doing this OVA any favors by pairing it with War in the Pocket. I've made multiple passes on trying to soften the impact of that statement, because I don't feel that negatively about The 08th MS Team, but the problem is that I also don't feel that positively about it, either. I don't really feel anything about it, which might be worse!

THE STUFF I LIKED:

The number one thing I liked about The 08th MS Team: the characters have zero reverence for giant robots. And there shouldn't be! This is a story about soldiers almost a full year into a war where mobile suits and mobile armors have become the standard for combat. The Gundams are top-of-the-line equipment, but ultimately, still just equipment, so they don't earn much more that an initial wave of awe. The sole exception is Ginius, whose obsession with the Apsaras is his entire character; Aina and Norris's involvement with that project is largely out of loyalty to him, and to basically everyone else it's considered to be a frivolous waste of resources (which is saying something for Zeon, home of the Big Zam).

The number two thing I liked about The 08th MS Team: the staff had tons of reverence for the giant robots. There are so many little mechanical details to appreciate, but the one I want to call out special is when Shiro is coaching Aina on activating the beam saber to create a hot spring, and you see this intricate sequence revealing that there's a little connector in the hand that locks into another connector in the hilt. It's genuinely my favorite scene in this entire OVA.

This ties into the detail-oriented nature of the production, but I do want to reiterate that this OVA looks fantastic the whole way through. To point to a specific example, Battle Line on the Burning Sand uses a super washed out color palette on everything to emphasize the blinding desert light, even at night.

The extent to which Shiro Amada is a White Meat Babyface Shonen Hero Boy is kind of refreshing. He's a remarkably simple, earnest guy with almost no clumsy awkwardness to his character.

He's also maybe the only character in Gundam thus far to have delivered an actually justifiable Bright Slap (other than the man himself) that didn't feel exclusively like 'MEMBER THE BRIGHT SLAP?????? Considering how much I hate when the Bright Slap is referenced for the sake of reference, I wanted to call attention to when corrections are actually used appropriately.

Norris Packard locks in Best Character, without question. Hard to argue against "Ramba Ral Mk-II with a bigger budget for when he pops off".

Wrote down WAOW BEAUTYFUL 90'S OVA WAMEN multiple times in my notes, but I do want to be slightly more specific and say that the character design for this series falls into my favorite style, which is very... "spiky". Being a 30-something, this style of character design hits the nostalgia center of my brain perfectly, despite the fact that I had never seen this particular series before. Like, if you compare Kou and Nina to Shiro and Aina, the difference in my mind would be described as "spikyness".

I'm actually gonna take an opportunity to punch 0083 and say I really appreciate that Shiro and Aina just a have a normal, adult relationship that doesn't introduce a last minute love triangle that feels as confused as it is tepid. Two good-looking young adults in extreme situations who are still drawn to one another despite being forced apart by circumstances is solid!

ELEDORE AND KAREN DON'T END UP TOGETHER ON SCREEN THANK GOD. I was really fuckin' scared for a bit there when Eledore kept going "MY WOMAN, KAREN, WHO I WILL MARRY" out of fuckin' nowhere. Hey, speaking of that...

THE STUFF I LIKED LESS:

Eledore sucks. He is a black hole of suck. Cowardly shitheels are nothing new- they're an institution, even, dating back to Kai in 0079- but in addition to being a cowardly shitheel who receives no comeuppance for being one, like Beecha in ZZ, he's also poorly written. And what sucks the most about that is the fact that he could've been totally acceptable with a grand total of like three expository lines peppered throughout the series. Even a single line about being drafted- something I don't think has ever been confirmed one way or the other in the Universal Century- would've gone a long way towards explaining why this guy was within 1000 miles of a warzone.

They shouldn't have had that last episode. It was fine, but I think the way The Shuddering Mountain (Part 2) ends is pretty much perfect. I genuinely wondered if it was tagged on years after the original, but it appears to have been planned from the start. Bizarre.

Okay, with those out of the way, I need to address what I feel is the underlying problem for this story: the writing in The 08th MS Team is hollow. I made a post taking a pot shot at the at the fact that this series is touted as being "grounded and realistic" when it does, in fact, have Newtypes, and tagged on the fact that it seems like the writer seemingly didn't understand that swans and swan imagery aren't a Newtype thing, they're a Lalah Sune thing. That wasn't something that actively bugged me in the moment, but the more I thought about the problems I had with this series on the whole, the more I thought about that. It's such a weird, superficial mistake to make... and then I latched onto the word "superficial", and it all came tumbling down from there.

Let's start with the theme. Like a lot of other Gundam stories, it can be boiled down to "War Is Bad", but what things lead to that understanding? We see countless reasons War Is Bad across all the preceding Universal Century TV shows, OVAs, and movies: the destruction of the environment, the devastation of the human population, the institutional disregard for human lives, including lives that are on your side, including the lives of children, the trauma- physical and mental- that haunts you even if you make it out alive, the arbitrary division of people who might otherwise be friends or lovers, how easily bad actors can consolidate power during or even with just the threat of war... all those are just off the top of my head, and I'm sure if pressed more can be listed. The 08th MS Team really only concerns itself with one of these- the arbitrary division of people who might otherwise be friends or lovers- because the main arc for both Shiro and Aina is that they abandon their respective duties because they are star-crossed lovers.

It's a weirder arc for Shiro than it is for Aina. Aina's association with Zeon comes across strictly as a birthright thing: the Sakhalins appear to be minor Zeon nobility, and her being a test pilot is all but stated to be at Ginius's request. So when she has two fateful life-or-death encounters with a quirked up white Japanese boy, she only really has to justify herself to her brother, which turns out to be pretty easy since he's gone off the deep end at that point anyway. The only thing that keeps her at the Zeon base past that point is her kindly nature, compelling her to help as many wounded people escape as she possibly can.

Shiro's break with the Federation, on the other hand, implies that he got so horny his higher brain functions shut down. And I get it! Aina's a Beautyful 90's OVA Wamen, but it's a little weird for him to completely renounce war so soon after we see his flashback where Zeon launched a gas attack inside a colony and he had to watch a man liquefy in front of his very eyes. You'd think that would matter more than just within the context of that one scene in that one episode!

(Also only realizing this as I write it, but like... was Zeon established to have used gas attacks before this OVA? 'Cuz gassing colonies was the Titans favorite move. Unlike the Newtype swans, it's fine for this to be introduced here, but in light of thinking about the Newtypes swans...)

Actually, Shiro's trauma being a non-factor is a great segue into weird out-of-character moments that start to crop up towards the end of the OVA. Not all the characters, and not all the time, but enough that I noticed several, including:

Aina swearing she's going to go sicko mode if Norris dies, only to not go sicko mode at all once Norris sends the signal that he's going to die.

Karen turning into Goku and getting excited about the prospect of fighting an enemy ace when Norris's Gouf Custom shows up, despite never having shown to be that kind of person before then, or afterwards.

Kellerne (the Zeon officer who cancels the Apsaras project) revealing he's actually a Noble Soldier in the episode where Ginius kills him, despite being a big brash shitheel not just in personal interactions, but also by breaking the Antarctic Treaty and using a nuke.

The 08th MS Team- the squad- never really felt like they developed any interpersonal relationships beyond being in a squad together (this is actually actually addressed in the short that was produced for the blu-ray), so the crux of the last episode being "IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US THAT SOMEONE CONFIRMS THE COMMANDER IS STILL ALIVE!!!" is another contributing factor to why that episode just feels wrong.

These strike me as examples of "we need a character who will do x in this scene, but we don't have a character who would do x... well, for this scene, they will", and it colors the entire thing as utilitarian. It's not putting well-defined characters into situations, and then showing how those characters would react to that situation, it's presenting a conclusion and then working your way backwards to present the situation that leads to that conclusion.

And it's not even like this can be explained with the complaint (from people who don't engage with mecha anime) that mecha anime is more concerned with showing cool robots than it is with characters. This story is about the characters! The only particularly cool mecha stuff I have ever seen people point to in this is the Gouf Custom, which I now know is because that's really the only mecha stuff of note in this. Like, if you put a gun to my head to come up with other setpieces of note: the Apsaras blowing a hole clean through the mountain was striking imagery... the underwater fight with Kiki tumbling around the cockpit was fun... Shiro trying to take down the Zeon squad occupying the guerilla village on foot was probably the overall most compelling scene in the OVA.

Mind you, The 08th MS Team not having tons and tons of hyper memorable giant robot fight scenes is by no means a strike against it. I can probably only vaguely recall most action sequences from the Gundams I've watched to date, and that's because the cool giant robot fight scenes aren't really ever the point. But, with everything else being a bland and hollow as it is, the whole OVA just comes across as Things Happening. It's not even particularly interesting Things Happening; by nature of being a One Year War side story, you know nothing that happens here can really matter in the greater canon of the Universal Century, so in the end it really just feels like "All this stuff happened. Moving along!"

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

At least some of my disappointment definitely comes from the fact that the OP writes a check that the OVA never really tries to cash. Based on this thing that plays before every episode and the way I've always heard people talk about it, I don't think it's unreasonable to have expected this to be a military drama!

Oh nooo Michel you got Military Cucked Michel nooo, and judging by the picture (getting married after the baby is born) she must have gotten knocked up like right after she sent that Dear John letter Michel nooo!!!

It's a little weird that the last episode takes care to show that Shiro is lame following their escape, but no attention is called to the fact that Aina's normal suit got melted off. My understanding is that space suits are meant to be ultra heat resistant, so the fact that shit melted must mean she suffered horrible burns, right? Maybe it's working on fictional lava physics, where it's only hot if you're touching it, considering that neither the rest of her body nor Shiro suffer any burns from being that close to the beam.

I understand that the implication is that Shiro and Aina taught the kids how to do it, but doing the "using a beam weapon to turn a frigid body of water into a hot spring" twice cheapened how cool it was the first time.

I was trying to hash out whether it would be worse to be subjected to a court martial or get grilled by your older brother slash superior officer for hooking up with an enemy combatant, but I never considered the dimension of the guards and brass just laughing their asses off at Shiro during the court martial, which makes that infinitely worse.

The blu-ray extra for this was a 9 minute short putting focus on Michel and Sanders, which was actually pretty nice considering how little they interact in the series proper. I'm a little bitter that this got a legit animated short while Cima Garahau got a "picture drama", but this was genuinely a much nicer way for the 08th MS Team to go out than Last Resort was.

IN CONCLUSION:

I re-read my post on the original Mobile Suit Gundam recently, and right at the start I talked about how I was originally only planning on checking out War in the Pocket, Stardust Memory, and this. It's actually kind of difficult to speculate how I would feel about Gundam as a franchise if I had watched those three OVAs in isolation. Maybe I'd like The 08th MS Team more if I didn't have have such a large base of things to compare it to unfavorably, or maybe I'd still wind up unenthusiastic about it, without having the ability to really express why. What I can say with certainty is that I've spent this entire write-up thinking about how the two minute send-off for Duker Iq and Renda- two minor recurring antagonists- in Victory Gundam was significantly more affecting and engaging than anything in The 08th MS Team.

If you'll indulge a food analogy, the experience of watching this really was like eating a sleeve of crackers. They're crackers: there's nothing wrong with them, but rarely if ever will you walk away from eating a sleeve of crackers going "damn, that was great!"

Next up: After War Gundam X! I'm super pumped for this one, because I know almost nothing about it besides the fact that it was the only Gundam TV Series to have been cancelled after 0079. Was it cancelled because of franchise fatigue? Or because it was bad? Possibly some third thing? All or none of the above? I'm excited to find out!

Also it's the source of that funny doctor with a gun meme! You know the one!

[the-demons-within]

Klance angst week: Tuesday

Trigger warning: homophobia, cussing,

(L)

"C'mon Lance," he. Said hyping himself up and slapping his cheeks. "It's just a confession. What's the worst that can happen?"

"He could hate you forever,"

"You'll never be friends again,"

"You know that we are right,"

His mind continued to taunt him endlessly. "Shut up!" He shouted in a whisper. For once, the voices were silent. He got up from his comfortable place on the bed and walked over towards the door, opening it and heading to go get food.

He arrived, grabbing a plate of food and sitting to enjoy, eyes scanning around for a certain someone.

"Hey Lance!" Keith called from a bit over, walking over towards the table Lance was sitting at and placing his food down. He sat down next to Lance and began to ramble about the troubles of today and how he got yelled at my pidge for putting his reds in with the rest of the washing. After 10 minutes of chatting and eating, Lance and Keith head back to Keith's room.

"So, what are we going to do?" Keith asked.

"Well, um, actually... I need to tell you something..." Keith focused on the taller boy, ready to listen to what Lance had to say. "Look... Keith," he took a deep breath." I'm not straight, and I really like you. " he rushed past the last part. It had already taken far too long to say. Lance looked up at Keith with anticipation but was met with a face of pure discust.

"What the fuck!? Ew" he said, scrunching his face up. The pure look of discust of Keith's face would have been enough to shatter Lance, but it continued further as his eyes brimmed with tears, threatening to fall " Your GAY? Why? That's so gross, you are discusting"

"But- it doesn't change anything" Lance sobbed lightly.

"Yes it does, that isn't normal, get a grip on yourself, or someone needs to fix you" Keith continiued to spit at Lance, each insult, each rejection, stuck into Lance, driving a dagger further and further through his already bleeding and shattered heart. As Lance stepped forwards to attempt to make things right and apologise, Keith pushed him away. "Get away from me you fag!" He yelled, pushing Lance violently further towards the door. As a heart broken mess, he looked back one last time at Keith, a violent and descusted look plastered across his face. Lance finally stumbled through the door as a crying, Sobbing and aching mess.

(K)

"He's gay?? And he likes ME. Uugh, is shouldn't have said those things, he may be ... gay... buy he is my friend.

"Oh please you know being gay is wrong, and un natural, and filthy and-" Keith shuddered, sitting down on his bed.

"Oh God... I'm turning into my dad". Keith reluctantly remembered his father, the abuse, trauma, homo and zoo phobia. Worst, he was a paedophile. Him and his sister Sabrina had the scars, although whilst most of Keith's were physical... Sabrina on the other hand...

"Uugh shut up you stupid brain", he scolded himself harshly. "I just need to go over there and apologise, simple." With that out of the way, he got up, making his way to the most likely place that Lance was...

His room

Keith arrived and knocked on the door

"GO away" Lance's voice still sounded dry and croaky.

" Lance I need to apologise" this, seemed to grab Lance's attention, he blew the door open, fury riddled across his tear stained face.

"Oh fuck off." Lance spat at Keith.

Look, dude I know what I did was wrong but I didn't mean-"

" what the actual fuck do you mean "you didn't mean it" he mocked "What makes you think that you can apologise now, what gives you the right?!" Keith opened his mouth to speak. "No, shut the fuck up you homophobic bitch. Why do YOU get to come here and apologise after you broke me, I don't care that you rejected me, I care that you ruled it in and were an over all fucker about it! You don't get to come her to apologise to me just so that you can clear you own guilty conscious!" Shiro came around the corner to see what was going on with Hunk and pidge in tow. "I'm sorry" " doesn't cut it, I need to see results!"

"Hold on, what is going on!?" Shiro demanded

"Shut up shiro" Lance snapped "I need you to have said those awful things in the first place, do you understand me Keith. Just because you had a rough upbringing, doesn't mean that you can take your internalised homophobia out on me! Okay!?..." Keith looked at Lance in awe. Pidge, shiro and Hunk.were simply staring, mouths agape and eyes wide open. Finally, there was a strange silence that hadent been heard for a long while at this point.

"I fucking hate you Keith, get out of my sight." And Lance slammed the door.

[ettuleo]

after baby keith came to live with shiro and adam he was really scared that if he upset either of them that they would kick him out. one night he accidentally wet the bed and started to cry and tried to clean it up himself, scared that if they found it they wouldn’t let him stay with them anymore. he shoved the sheets into the washing machine in hopes to hide it from them. when shiro found it while going to the laundry and asked keith about it, keith broke down and started to apologize profusely saying that he didn’t mean to and not to kick him out. shiro, of course, is shocked and heartbroken over the thought of keith thinking him and adam would hate him for having an accident and tells him that these things happen and that next time just to let them know and they will help clean it up. shiro gets new sheets and brings them into keith’s room where he sees that keith had brought out his duffel bag and had shoved all his clothes into it. shiro asks keith why his duffel is all packed and he explains that he was did it cause he thought he would be kicked out. to which shiro tells him that neither him or adam would ever kick him out and that this is his home and he belongs there with them. he helps keith with unpacking and put on the new sheets before making keith something delicious and comforting

[kotonoba]

ISYT (Jushiro/F!Reader) Ch. 48

So, uh... this is a smut chapter, I wrote it in Jushiro's POV, bc I wanted to paint him as a loving yet obsessive lover. Enjoy!

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The sound of moans filled the air & the space they were confined in, hands exploring all over his wife’s body as if desperately trying to cover up her body with imprints of himself & his scent. Kisses trailed from her lips to the nape of her neck, where he spent the majority of the time kissing, licking, & biting over the mark in desperate lengths to cover up the print that would most likely disappear in a few days. But having it there just rubbed him the wrong way.

Her voice was like the most potent sake he’d ever smelled, clouding his judgment & mind. Initially, it started with her explaining what happened to her before arriving to aid him, but as she continued, the more upset he was not being there to protect her & assure her. It felt like it was his fault that she had to experience something like that, as the man had stated that she probably didn’t feel satisfied with him. 

All of Seireitei had always assumed that because he was too frail & bedridden, he wouldn’t make a good husband & would most likely be cheated on. But his wife had never shown signs of interest in anyone else; the least he could do was satisfy her. 

He didn’t know that she was more than satisfied with him; maybe she didn’t show enough of that side to him—next time. 

Her voice grew ragged as he moved downwards on her, trailing kisses from her neck down to her collarbone, breasts, abdomen, around her sex, towards her inner thighs. As she recounted her experience, the more upset he grew; as he pampered her with kisses, the more obsessed he grew with her. How could someone simply be so perfect? 

He knelt between her legs, a hand lifting her leg to place a gentle kiss on her thighs, chocolate-brown eyes lustfully looking over his exposed lover, where she tried to cover her body embarrassingly. He grinned when he nipped at her thigh, “don’t be shy. You’re beautiful,” he whispered, panting softly. 

“No matter what you say,” she panted softly, “no one can be more beautiful than you, you know, ‘Shiro?” However, what she says is true to whatever poll was run by the Seireitei news. He disagreed with it and couldn’t understand where that information came from. He wished they’d agree that it was his wife, but he’d get more possessive with her if they did. He wanted to be the only person to see her that way, too, so no one would try to steal her from him. But someone did try. 

Not that they succeeded, but they did try. & that idea irked him. So much so that he moved from her thighs to kiss over her sex, licking over her womanhood; he knew that startled her. So much so that not only did a squeak escape her lips, but she tried to close the gap between her legs, & attempted to push him away (weakly). 

He paid her attempts no mind, eyes occasionally peering up to check on how she was doing, & to his surprise, it seemed she enjoyed it more than he initially thought since he thought what the man said about him not being able to satisfy her was real. But from what he was hearing & her weak attempts at pushing him off were futile. 

Her toes curled after not long of him lapping over her womanhood, her back arched towards him; a mewl of her voice before warm washed over her, her nails digging into his scalp a little with a twitch of her body as she came. A grin fell on his lips; he was somewhat satisfied with that, but not enough for him to continue eating her out, slipping his tongue in between her folds to elicit a yelp of surprise from his beloved wife. 

“‘Sh-Shiro, I just came. Hold on, I’m sensitive,” she whined as if pleading for him to give her a rest. His response was a gentle shake of his head before pushing his mouth & tongue further against her sex. He watched her jerk her head backward, & more intoxicating noise escaped her lips. 

They only grew louder when he pressed her legs open, further exposing the bundle of nerves hiding beneath her folds. He felt himself hardening over his actions towards her; seeing how she quickly melted into his touch drove him nearly over the edge. 

He lapped his tongue over her nerves roughly a few times, causing her toes to curl once more, causing her to arch her back upwards again; her face flushed in a darker shade of red when their eyes met. Her eyes filled with pleasure, & he filled with the need to see more of her like this. 

Her body tensed up as she arched her back over his head, a hand covering her mouth when she felt his teeth gently graze over her nerves, tipping her over the edge quickly. 

Only then did he pull back from her sex, wiping over his mouth with his hand, only to lick over his hands again. He watched her pant weakly, twitching from the overstimulation he offered her. But, he was far from finished, exposing himself to her, & checking over her to see if he was okay with continuing. 

She weakly wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her forehead against his, before kissing him gently; a loving smile formed on her face, “please,” she whispered, “please be gentle.”

Something ignited in him, “no guarantees, love,” he whispered as he plunged himself into her womanhood, pulling out a loud gasp from her. It seemed that action tipped her over the edge once more, causing her to wrap her legs around his waist. Mewls of moans escaped her lips as her fingers dug into his back. 

He eased her to the ground, his white hair draped over his shoulders, curtaining over her field of vision, “I’m going to start moving, love,” he whispered in her ears. Without letting her respond, he started with soft in & out thrusts. He felt her walls tighten around him, causing him to groan, stopping him in his endeavors, “relax, I won’t hurt you, love,” he reassured her. 

She nodded softly, tears welling up in her eyes, clouded by lust. She wanted this as much as he did, & that, he could tell. Feeling her relax, he began thrusting again, this time a little faster than last time. Her head tilted backward; her recount of today’s event was no more, only replaced by soft moans, clouding his judgment further. So much so that his thrusts turned rough, her hands shifting from hugging him to trying to push him away as she was tipped towards the edge again. But he gripped her hands with his, another way to reassure her that she was okay. 

Her nails dug into his abdomen as she tightened around him once more. She caused him to tip over the edge with her, forcing a groan out of him with her warmth flushed up against him. Panting loudly, he placed his hands on his leg, lifting them over his shoulders, as he leaned down towards her, pressing further into her, bottoming out in her, “not enough.” 

She glanced at him, like a prey looking up at her hunter. She gripped her attire tightly since the position he put her in was new to her, & it reached new depths she didn’t even know she had. “N-no..” she panted, but he didn’t wait for her to finish before thrusting in & out of her once more, his hands gripping onto her leg, leaving an imprint mark on her leg. Her toes curled again with each thrust.

& with each thrust, her walls tightened around him more. After each warm flood from her, she mustered up what little strength she had left to claw herself away from him to no avail. He pulled her closer to him. A few more thrusts, & that tipped him over the edge, too, during his thrusts, he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips, her eyes tearing at the intense pleasure he was offering her, made him feel things in his stomach. Something told him she was more than satisfied with him, & he let the opinion of nobody affect him. 

A smile formed on his lips during their shared kiss. As he trailed the kiss down to her neck, his thrusts became patternless & fast, but he wasn’t any less spoiling towards his wife. She leaned into their shared kiss before letting her moans fall on her lips as she bared her neck to him. Her eyes shut as she was once again tipped over the edge.

With that last thrust, bottoming out in her, he placed a love bite on her neck as he came into her, heaving against her with his hands gripping her hips, pinning her down against him. He pulled away from the bite after a bit to look over her defeated form, trembling in his touch; he seemed somewhat satisfied with it, leaning down once more to kiss her on the lips & whisper soft ‘I love yous’ in the warm breeze of the end of summer.

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Hey, yeah. So, I changed my alias from Cloudy to Aries, namely because I found out, to my horror, that my friend's minor friend also goes by the name of Cloudy, & that scares me that I'm writing adult themed stuff while sharing a name with them. So, I'm changing it to Aries.

Aries' AO3

[scattered-winter]

tease tidbit tuesday

tagged by @moonlightbuckleys MWAH LOML <33333

Slowly, slowly, Adam’s breathing evened out, and his trembling slowed.

He pulled away, and Shiro let him go. Adam sucked in a breath, scrubbed an arm over his tearstained cheeks.

“Wanna race?” His voice was dry and rough, but Shiro was relieved all the same, because Adam was giving him a small, challenging smirk, and there was a spark of fire in his eyes again.

There he is.

“What? Afraid you’ll lose?” Shiro rolled to his feet and offered Adam a hand up.

He hesitated for a moment, amber eyes bouncing from Shiro’s hand to his face and back. Just as Shiro considered retracting, Adam accepted his hand and pulled himself to his feet.

For a moment, they stood barely a breath apart, hands still entwined. Adam had freckles, Shiro realized, dotting his cheeks like stars in the night sky.

“Never,” Adam said, so close Shiro could feel him say it.

Then Adam stepped back, released Shiro’s hand, and it was like the warmth of the sun had gone with him. Shiro sucked in a breath of cold air, struggling for the semblance of control that was slipping away from him. He was lost at sea without a compass. He didn’t know where to find land.

Adam slipped on his helmet and swung a leg over his bike. He turned to look at Shiro, lifting his chin with a challenge in his eyes.

Sand beneath Shiro’s toes. He stepped to his own bike, letting the familiarity of the action wash over him like the last rays of setting sun. This was something he knew. The competing, the racing, the challenges and insults. This was familiar, grounding in a way that their first real conversation hadn’t been. Like they were standing on solid earth again.

tagging @stigmatacigarettes , @xandromedan , @dauntingday , @soleadita , and anyone else who wants to teehee