#commander shiro

[princessallura052]

Black Paladin Keith (detailed analysis)

Okay, so I did promise you guys an analysis. I did not expect to get this done so quickly but this moron who wanted validation on the mini-meta did made me angry enough to put this out there because *shrilly Angelica from Rugrats voice* Omg Keith and Black were such dicks to Shiro, aren’t they just horrible beings? Yeah, you guys just saw my petty side which I normally only show to close friends but to the sane VLD fans out there, I feel sorry for us having a fandom like this, we deserve better. So whether you agree with all this analysis or not, don’t be a toxic jerk. You can hate Keith all you want - I’m not a huge fan of Lance and don’t support LGBT stuff (unless canon and there are some exceptions too) but I’m not going to turn into Angelica from Rugrats on anyone who disagrees with me. 

So, the first screenshot is from Season 2 episode 1. Shiro is being attacked by giant lizards and Red is out of commission. Keith is not the Black Lion’s Paladin but the way he respects her is shown in the two screenshots below.

The way Keith speaks to Black despite his tone is so respectful. He’s not sure if Black will accept him because at this point, she’s not his lion but he talks to her and he waits for her. Also, some people may not consider this a huge deal but this is season 2 Keith. The Keith who literally blows up at everything - not calling him out, he is my favourite but unlike certain character fangirls, I won’t deny he has flaws because it makes him even more awesome.

Now, we’re going to jump onto s3. I know what some people are going to think. Keith was impatient with Black when he became her Paladin at first but like, give the kid a break. He’s just lost Shiro and been forced into a position he never asked for. Not to mention, Black isn’t as fast as Red is and that takes some getting used to.

So I’m going to go onto another episode after clone Shiro returns because this to me, highlights how quickly they bonded. Angelica from Rugrats also mentioned that Black Lion knew the clone wasn’t the real Shiro because she was in communication with the real Shiro. She knew it was not the real Shiro but saying she was in communication with him, I don’t know were we really ever given proof that lions retaining the essence of their Paladin was a voluntary thing?

Not to mention, how do we know Haggar didn’t give clone Shiro some ability to trick Black? Alfor made the lions from Altean alchemy but Haggar is also Altean. However, those are theories for another time. I would like to bring your thoughts to this conversation in season 3 episode 6 of Tailing the Comet.

Okay, so the reason I am giving these screenshots one by one is so I can explain myself a bit better. I may have to split this meta into a few parts too. Okay, so basically in this scene, clone Shiro who we believe to be Shiro at this time is trying to remember what happened. Keith tells him the last thing that happened was he had unlocked Black’s ability to teleport and the first thing he thinks is that Black was trying to protect Shiro. It’s the first suggestion he offers. This is the lion he didn’t even want to bond with because he was replacing Shiro but it took what? 4 episodes and he’s bonded with her and thinks so positively of her. And the scene isn’t over yet but I will mention a potential trigger warning here that there is victim blaming and victim shaming in the continuation of this scene. So please take care of yourself and do not hurt yourself to read this meta if you are triggered by that.

Clone Shiro in this scene tries to put all the blame onto the Black Lion. Angelica back there may argue that Keith was being a dick here though because this fandom sadly is toxic enough to be okay with victim blaming if Shiro is the one doing the victim blaming, clone or not. Sorry guys! I don’t hate Shiro, he’s actually one of my favourite characters believe it or not. But I hate what fans have turned such a wonderful character into and you can tell I’m still mad at this moron.

Ok, but look Keith is defending her. Keith is defending his lion from who he thinks is his brother - still think they’re not the perfect partners? Not to worry, I have one more evidence and this time, it’s not from Keith’s end either. It’s from the Black Lion’s because it’s at but the good news? I won’t have to do a second part because I should be able to fit this all into one meta. Ok, so this next scene is still from Tailing the Comet. 

Keith did not like the the slight competition between himself and Shiro. It put him in a position of choosing between Shiro and Black and although he ultimately chooses Shiro, it is a mistake and he acknowledges this in a later episode. But you saw earlier that Keith defended Black but the relationship is not one-sided. Black takes a stand for him too in that ‘no, I want Keith’ to the point that Keith basically has to remove himself completely, not just stepping aside for a singular battle because he doesn’t want conflict with Shiro and at this stage, he’s weak and honestly, a little codependent. It makes sense given his childhood that he would be but I never realised he was before. 

Now, we could argue that Keith and Red had a very mutual relationship too. I do not deny this - Keith has a beautiful relationship with both his lions as Keith is a character that loves very deeply. Red responded to that by being loudly protective while Black is more a quiet protective where you will not see her coming. I think I will do a two-parter to this. S6-8 do not have too much for them so it’ll be a shorter part than this but there are moments showing their bond.

I have given my screenshots as evidence for you but Keith and Black are healers for each other. Black was abused by Zarkon and Shiro was abused by Haggar, so the two had this in common but that was the only thing they had in common. Keith, once he gains confidence in himself is exactly like the kind of leader Black is. He’s emotional but he also thinks. I know a lot of Shiro fans are like: are you calling Shiro a bad leader? No, I’m just saying Keith is a better leader of Voltron. Shiro is a great leader - he helped them build alliances but Keith being the leader of Voltron and Shiro being the leader of the Atlas was a very smart choice. When Shiro was the leader of Voltron, he always was stressed and wanted to be the protector, making some bad decisions because he took much onto himself. There are a few examples of this too such as him taking all of Voltron to save Allura - they could have come with a better plan. Or continuing to shoot at cube monster despite Pidge trying to warn him and it nearly getting them all killed for not listening to her. Pidge is always right, Shiro. Have you learnt nothing? But compare this to how Shiro is when being the commander of the Atlas. He’s still a leader and he’s the one who gives orders but he doesn’t have a responsibility to protect them because they’re younger. 

But just to wrap by what I mean by Keith thinks. As most of you know I’m a Kallura fan, so Keith saying they shouldn’t go to save Allura in s1 did break the heart of this Kallura fan. But Keith had no idea how to people then - if he did, he was basically saying let’s not form Voltron and go save her head-on but he worded that very poorly.

This is just one example, of course from early on. Has he made hot-headed decisions as the leader of Voltron? Of course, he’s a flawed character but he grows to be the kind of leader Black is. Quiet and commanding but never overtaking anyone else. I think I’m going to ask you guys - do you want meta of Keith and Black from s6-8 or is this enough to make you think? 

Also, if you are toxic or a jerk, I will not reply to your comment. You are entitled to your opinion - I firmly believe you can express that opinion in a civil and humane manner. If you can’t, I will block you.

[kismetconstellations]

Non-Paladin Completely Legal Adult Characters With Whom Shiro Has More Chemistry Than His "Future Husband":

-Ulaz

-Slav

-Coran

-Sam Holt

-Kolivan

-Commander Iverson

-And, The Former Warden of Beta-Traz

[discordiansamba]

Krolia: As you know, the Galra take adoptive familial bonds very seriously.

Shiro: I have heard this, yes.

Krolia: Now, it would not matter as much if you were not also Galra now. However, since you are, and since you have claimed Keith as your brother, that now makes me your mother.

Shiro: ...I am still wrapping my head around that idea, but I guess that tracks with everything I've learned?

Krolia: Excellent. Which is why you are also grounded Shiro.

(Adam is trying very hard not to laugh in the background. Keith is not even trying to hide it, even though he is also extremely grounded.)

[keepofkandrakar]

it should not have taken me three watches and several years to realize that Voltron is just very gay Power Rangers 

[telestoapologist]

Cayde: ❝ Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to answer an age-old question. ❞

Shaxx: ❝ Right. What is Mara Sov's deal? Is she single? ❞

Cayde: ❝ What- no. She's dating Sjur, come on. The question is: ❛ Who here does the best impression of Commander Zavala? ❜ You will be judged on voice, body language, and overall lack of flair. Everyone will perform the same scenario: ❛ Commander Zavala eating a marshmallow for the very first time ❜. Let the Zaval-off begin! ❞

Amanda, in her best Zavala voice: ❝ What is this glutinous monstrosity before me? ❞

Shiro-4, calmly yet skeptically: ❝ The sugar in this is quite sweet. ❞

Drifter: (gleeful, goofy giggling)

Cayde: ❝ That's your Zavala impression? ❞

Drifter, casually: ❝ What? I can hear ol' blue doin' it. ❞

Ghost, also in his best Zavala voice: ❝ Looks like a sticky pillow... ❞

Cayde: ❝ I don't care for it... Classical music. ❞

(everyone laughs)

Zavala: ❝ What's going on in here? What are you all doing? ❞

Cayde: ❝ Commander! Hey! Nothing, just- eatin' some marshmallows. Care for one? ❞ (slowly pushes him the bag while everyone watches with baited breath)

Zavala: ❝ Marsht-mellow... ❞ (eats one, begins giggling with delight at the taste)

Drifter, grinning in smug pride: ❝ Ha! I knew it. ❞

[uniquecellest]

More Adashi AU

- Adam talks to Shiro while Shiro pilots the Atlas, Adam says some words that feel like a goodbye and Shiro calls out to him. He thinks Adam is dead (Adam was able to evacuate his plane before it crashed with the Galra)

- Upon hearing that the Galra are coming, Shiro and Adam argue over Adam being involved

- Once the quartet of Matt, Adam, Shiro, and Keith are reunited Matt and Keith hound Shiro like annoying brothers for leaving Adam and Keith behind

- Adam saying the words "we're going to get you to the medbay and once you're all healed up we're going to have a sparring match where I throw you around like a rag doll" / "don't ever worry me like that again. I don't know if I can ever take a loss like that again"

-Adam infiltrates Galra forces and travels with them in space. Shiro can't believe what he sees when he thinks Adam is willingly working with Galra

-with Kerberos being considered a bust bc of "pilot error" The Garrison wants to send others into space to retrieve the Kerberos crew. Voltron crew finds Adam's ship just floating in space with no life force seeming to be inside. They investigate to find Adam on the floor and alone. Turns out there's barely enough oxygen for even a new born let alone a grown adult (bonus if Adam's ship was hit with quintessence); Shiro refuses to leaves Adam's side while he's in the healing pod

-Adam somehow being used to help power the Galras main ship that attacked earth like some Alteans were

-They never confessed their feelings so when Shiro is determined to go on Kerberos Adam just sits with his feelings and waits; both thinking they've missed their chance with the other (cue Matt, Keith and Pidge trying to get them together when they reunite)

-Soulmate/soul marks AU where Shiro and Adam do not meet until Shiro comes back from space

- (shout to Chibi-pix for this one) Adam is like a brother figure to Pidge which results in Keith and Pidge being siblings causing Iverson to lose his mind bc Keith and Pidge are Matt and Shiro 2.0s (Lord help him when an Adam 2.0 enters the picture); Adam and Shiro are blissfully aware of their siblings antics but act like they aren't

-Kuron goes to Earth and kidnaps Adam

-Shiro is forced to choose between Keith and Adam

- They start off as a one-sided rivalry until an incident forces them together and they start to get to know each other

-more patient Adam and reckless Shiro

-Adam joins the Blade of Marmora where he runs into Keith (Adam still thinks Shiro is dead) Adam is with him in the two years in the Abyss and reunites with Shiro when Keith returns to the Paladins

-Eros!Adam and Psyche!Shiro

-Teen Titans AU where Shiro is Cyborg and Adam is Bumblebee (points for Kuron being Brother Blood)

-Camp Half-Blood demigod Shiro and Camp Jupiter Half-Blood Adam

-Adam and Matt get buried alive and Shiro is a reck trying to find them (Adam) so they don't die

-Baker/Cook Adam and Shiro who can't boil water without setting it on fire

-Adam and Shiro swap roles (neither are dead though)

-Shiro and Adam meeting once when they were kids but not meeting again until they are older. Both remember but Adam acts like he doesn't recall it at all

-Both are cadets and one has a significant other while the other is pining hard (s/a with the significant other doesn't last long, significant other also happens to be mutuals with Adam and Shiro)

-Shiro trains and gets a bad bruise on his neck that everyone thinks is a hickey until Adam returns from a trip (cue Keith defending Shiro but the other Paladins and co think maybe Shiro cheated)

-Shiro confesses to Adam one night but acts like he doesn't remember it then he and Adam spiral in their feelings

[galraluver]

Just a lil thing I made while watching Fairy Tail after getting inspiration from this particular soundtrack

[baddieladdie]

Finding Thane at the Hospital

[poorlytunedukulele]

Azra repressed the urge to fidget, letting her eyes flit back around the circle. She was out of her element in the worst way. Speeches? Storytelling? The weight of all of the attention was suffocating. But unless she wanted to have this conversation a dozen different times with a dozen different people, this was the best option. No matter how much it made her itch to sit here with everyone staring at her.

She took a deep breath. "I think I finally put together what's happened." She looked at Ikora, at Praedyth and Shaxx. "It's more than you think."

"Start from the beginning," Ikora said soothingly.

In an earlier time, Azra would have leaned back and started cheekily regaling them the story of the birth of the Universe. Now, she hunched and rested her elbows on her knees. The beginning? "June fourth, twenty-nine sixty," she decided. 

[sendak-n-shiro]

How did they become roommates?

[hattr]

The foreshadowing that Shiro was going to fight Sendak was crazy. They just had to make them both lose an arm and get a magic floating one instead

[vincentpchriswolf]

Shiro-chin from the title screen of the game , love this guy

[discordiansamba]

cosmic dust has 420 (public) bookmarks. it's what keith and pidge would want.

[atiianeishaunted]

blue writing is lance's notes fyi anyway uhh character bios below !! long ass writing warning but worth it i promise chat pspsp | no notes version AND the transparent PNGS down at the end!

character bios:

Allura [???] | A lone princess who is burnt out and stressed out her mind, her only solace/stress relief being the garden she has where she can have peace and quiet, shutting her brain off while she does the tasks of tending to her precious plants and bugs. She tries her best to remain as friendly and optimistic as possible, if not for her own sanity, however thanks to the stress and pressure put on her, she has a tendency to lose her cool and sometimes shut down entirely. She has a passion for commanding and loves honing her fighting skills as that was one of the ways she bonded with her father. She more often than not can be seen in comfortable clothes, she doesnt mind dresses and does enjoy dressing up but will only do it when shes going out the castle or theres a meeting. | this gal couldve been an burnt out autistic queen DREAMWORKS, YOU COUDLVE MADE HER ICONIC .... let her be a dorky nerd whos a hater sometimes, pretty please

Takashi Shirogane | A garrison commander (no one is really sure of his job title to be honest with you..) who's insanely passionate about his job, to the point where hes willing to sacrifice it all if the garrison wills it. Anything to serve. He tries his best to fit in and be hip with the kids, he tries to come across as the 'chill' teacher, but students of his have reported that after a few months, any amount of chillness is thrown out the window. If not that, hes often not even in class, too busy doing missions he wasnt assigned to. He's intense. Very intense. Knows his way around words though for the most part, can be very convincing and a bit maniuplative, very goal driven. He means well though? Thats what he says. He always throws a quick sorry if someone brings it up with him, so that must mean something. | sorry in advance if you follow along with Sonder's story... unrelated but dreamworks wrote a banger antagonist without even realizing!

"Keith" Kogane / "Morse" | Unknown origins. He was a talented garrison pilot who could practically fly with his eyes closed, a jack of all trades, short tempered and prone to losing it but all things considered, the perfect cadet for the garrison's goals, he came out of nowhere practically, just poofed in like a ghost and wiped the floor with everyone. He really just needed a good guiding hand. No one is quite sure what gender he is, his androgynous appearance and tendency to respond to anything besides being called a girl have people baffled to say the least. He's very clearly not all there in the head either which goes hand in hand with his odd bursts of ego and then odd bursts of whining, these bursts often include talks that could only be described as cult-ish. People have their theories. Beyond those bursts, hes mostly very deadpan and quiet. But despite his strength and that intense feeling of fear and dread people get when they're around him, he's.. popular, somehow. Admired greatly for his devilish good looks. A universal appeal if you will. He doesn't seem to notice. Or perhaps doesnt care. Either way he's far too busy following Shiro around and treating him like the second coming of god to really indulge in romance for now. Lance's self proclaimed rival, Keith is also unaware of this. | also sorry in advance for this one if you follow sonder's storyline Lance McClain | A former Garrison cargo pilot who moved up in rank when Keith got kicked out. Keith is his rival and also all that Lance can talk about, even after the guy got kicked out and left for dead (Lance overheard some things while sneaking out past the teacher's lounge). He has a very noticable personality and loves to be the center of attention, hes still finding his footing and figuring out what he wants to do with his life and who he wants to be. Despite his many claims, hes not all that popular. He can't really flirt with girls all too well. His general goal is to be so well known so he won't ever be forgotten, hence why he begged his mom to let him dye his hair and get piercings (if he used Keith as an argument, thats none of your business.) (he saw keith dying his hair once or twice and instantly wanted to copy, its a bad habit.). He loves LOVES taking care of his appearance and is fairly vain, he has extensive routines and will freak out if he can't follow them. His ego and overbearing confidence is all to drown out his deep insecurities and fears. He tries his best to come across as a suave, cool, charming, awesome, any positive adjective really, person but in all reality he's a mama's boy, a dork, a loser if you will who has a love for the retro and is a huge gamer. If he must admit, he and Keith'd get along great actually, Keith ticks alot of boxes and honestly Lance deeply admires him and wants to be like him. | dreamworks dropped that lance was a gamer and loved retro stuff and then never talked about it again. sigh. Hunk Garrett | Hunk has many passions, mainly inspired by parents, he mainly specializes in cooking and mechanics, he enjoys tinkering with things, taking them apart to see how they work and working from there to see if he can rebuild it with 0 instruction, hes gotten good at it. He's Lance's childhood best friend, they're extremely close and are often seen constantly poking fun at eachother. Its all in good fun though. Hunk struggles extremely with anxiety and has a service dog back home that he left at home when heading to the Garrison as he worried he couldn't take care of it while studying. Despite his anxiety, he quite enjoys talking to people and sharing things he enjoys with them, he often tries to get over his fears by branching out and | I looked up his name from the old show because he deserves an 'actual' name, free my boy, he was done so dirty, also i remember when we all thought hunk had two moms (or was that just me ..) and i live by it tbh, two moms and a dad whos still active in his life, 3 whole parents for the greatest fella ever

Pidge Holt | Not much can be said about Pidge, they keep to themselves and don't share much about themselves. Just like Keith, their gender is often up to debate and when asked, Pidge will never give a consistent answer. They're a major tech wiz and with their talents, they're a complete menace. Pidge is prone to being mischevious and pranking others, often taking jokes a bit too far. They're egotistical and find that robots are their preferred companions in comparison to humans. | loser chronically online 13 year old who would tell you to kys, matt probably has to take away their electronics all the time LMFAO purposely made their outfit look a bit strange bc , theyre a kid whos a NERD /aff let them dress a bit stupid and let them cringe at it 5 years later ty

No notes version and PNGS below :-)

im insane about this reboot!! please reblog and im willing to elaborate if anyone wants me to <333 hrgfhrfg i really want this to take off bwaa

[idkfitememate]

Shiro Enjoyer here,

Hear me out, a dog/cat creator but because of the games mechanics, they can't pet them, pick them up etc., and can only watch on in horror at the chaos they commit

Inazuma Encounter

૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა Pairings : Canine Bushin!Reader x Inazuma

૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა W.K. :

໒꒰ྀིᵔ ᵕ ᵔ ꒱ྀི১ Tags/CW&TW : Crack

Aether had seen all the dog breeds across the world of Teyvat. He honestly didn’t even think about all the diffrent dog breeds he’d see on the way, the puppies becoming after thoughts in his mind as he traveled.

Sure, he desperately wanted to pet them from time to time, but it was as though the universe itself hated his guts because for some unthinkable reason, he couldn’t pet them. He could get as close as he wanted, but no petting.

Right now, however, Aether did not want to pet a dog. He needed to restrain a dog.

The Traveler had come back to Inazuma to drop off a couple things for a couple different people, say hi to some friends, the usual. But instead, he found himself watching a dog the size of a bear, donned with one the largest broadswords he’d ever seen with a catalyst floating ominously behind it.

It swung violently at Fatui members on the harbor, next to what he could only assume to be a Fatui ship. The grunts were moving large crates both on and off the boat, the dog guarding the passage. The dog sat on its haunches, tail entirely still as the broadsword sat loosely in its maw. Its sharp gaze ran over every grunt in the vicinity, and even as Aether hid further inland, he was 99.9999% sure the dog had noticed him.

“You’re suspicious of that dog as well?” Aether jumped, looking over to find Gorou crouched beside him, ears twitching angrily.

Aether nodded and Gorou huffed. The two were silent while watching the large dog order about the Fatui members with loud, commanding barks that echoed.

“I’ve been watched them for a few days,” Gorou muttered suddenly, “they haven’t done anything per se… but it’s still suspicious, right??” He whispered urgently. Aether nodded, taking his eyes off the dog to look Gorou in the eyes.

The Inu’s ears twitched, and his head shot back into position, finding that the large Fatui dog… was gone.

“HUH?!-“ he exclaimed, jumping up and stringing his bow, hands steady as he looked around, fangs bared. Aether jumped up as well, summoning his sword.

Silence surrounded them, save for the confused shoutings of the Fatui members down below. The two stood back to back, breathing steadily, looking aware warily.

It was sudden, the way you dropped from the sky, broadsword stuck deep within the earth between them. Aether and Gorou jumped away, both aiming their own attacks. Gorou launched a barrage of Geo infused arrows while Aether leapt forward to strike with an Electro infused blade.

You looked up from your blade, eyes steadily taking in both attacks for what they were worth. You could feel their piercing gazes.

You could feel those gazes turn to shock and maybe even fear when Anemo swirled around you violently, allowing for you to take flight. Subsequently, all attacks missed, but now the duo watched as your blade wretched itself from the earth below and flew up to you, hovering ominously beside you.

Aether watched, jaw clenched, as a hat flew from over by the ship with a little emblem stamped on its front, and now that he was really looking, also on your collar.

You set yourself down gently, the air crackling with Electro and storming with Anemo. A strong gust kept both Aether and Gorou confined inside a quickly formed arena. The hat was laid on your head, ears poking through holes at the top. Finally, the emblems upon your form had the chance to shine.

The sign of a Fatui Harbinger.

You growled, and Fatui dressed like the Samuri of the land slowly creeped in from the shadows, holding swords of their own. A particularly large one stood tall and spoke.

“BOW TO THEY: NUMBER SIX, OF THE FATUI HARBINGERS - THE RUGANTINO!”

໒꒰ྀི˶˙Ⱉ˙˶꒱ྀིა Author’s note: Eating steak rn hbu

[mothmanavenue]

In conjuntion with this art piece here

...

The war doesn’t end with a crash or a bang. Nothing explodes in a fiery shower the way he’d read about in books as a kid. There's no rocking of the ground as the world shifts under their feet, and a curling anxiety in his gut as he desperately reaches out in the link for a glimmer of one just one of his teammates, his family, his lover.

There’s just the dead drop of a falling lion as a ceasefire is called. It’s just the feeling of his fingers relaxing from a white knuckled grip on Red’s controls and his head falling back with a dull thud against the headrest of the pilot’s chair. It’s the unwinding of his spine as he slumps, all his strength and exhaustion collapsing in on him as he surrenders flight back to his lion, her battle roar softening to a gentle rumble in the back of his mind. It’s the gasps of relief and whispered gratitude of his family echoing in his ears, letting him know they’re safe, they’ve made it, it’s finally done.

Keith is completely unsurprised to note which one he prefers. 

Red’s purr is a constant source of comfort in his mind as he curls his legs toward his chest, eyes squinted in lazy, bone deep weariness, brain barely processing Shiro and Allura from their respective command stations outlining the conditions of ceasefire. He can barely think about anything outside the cramping in his fingers and the bleariness of his eyes from entire successive days spent raising Voltron’s sword, pouring his energy and willpower into convincing the strongest weapons in the universe to bend to his will.  

It’s ok if he misses something. The team will catch him up. They always have, when the tiredness consumes him, and he checks out of conversations and discussion, slumping against the nearest comforting shoulder. 

Allura’s voice is as sharp and clear as the crown that adorns her head; the queen of Altea in all her glory commands her troops from the midst of battle. Keith’s attention had been laser focused on ensuring Voltron’s continued presence, but nothing in the world could keep him from watching for Allura’s flashing blue light as she approached Haggar, now withered and raging, and knelt in front of her. Keith missed what was said, the words exchanged. But he saw the tightening of his Queen, his sister’s, shoulders, and the hand wrapping tight around the witch’s neck. 

It’s been a long eight days on this earth of his.

His brain clocks out in that moment, and he rides the warm haze he’s in, letting the satisfaction of success settle into his bones. It’s not time for celebration just yet. It will come later once the dead is counted and the shrouds are laid. Keith knows better than most the toll of war, and he dreads the time that will come when the lists of the dead will be handed to them, and he will need hours, days, weeks, to grieve people he did and didn’t know and names he’s cherished and ones he’s never heard, and each loss will still hit like a blow to the ribs. After that, the celebration will come. The ballrooms of the castle will glow with life and Hunk will dress in gold, Shiro’s white hair will gleam in the light, and Pidge will protest that she just won a war, she deserves a drink. Allura will stand regal at their side, and her shoulders will be light, free from the burden of an avenger, and she will turn to them with a gleaming grin and they won’t have any choice but to smile back at her. 

And lance.

Lance will be so handsome in his blue suit, golden and silver threaded in painstaking embroidery in the bed of deep sky. His hair will fall loose and natural in his eyes, heavenly blues, and earthy brown under the string set of his eyebrows, and he’ll gleam like a freshly lit candle. 

He’ll take Keith’s breath away and Keith will never want it back. 

But that comes after.

Right now, here, Red lands on dusty earth and grumbles in his head about doing all the work. He’s sure none of the other lions give their other halves this much shit. He loves her so fiercely it burns his throat and eyes. He can’t believe he ever spent a day outside of her. Can’t believe he wasn’t raised alongside this wonderful, temperamental, protective, grouchy cat, who bossed him and fussed him, and purred and cooed when he screamed in his dreams. Can’t believe there ever was a time he resigned himself to not having this. What a fool he was. 

The wave of emotion fills the cockpit in a lilting hum, and she lights up around him, Voltron blue piercing through the chunks in his armour. Red is as alive as a blaze and warm as a hearth in his head. 

Her mouth drops open with one final swell of affection, as she releases her paladin to his home ground. 

Keith murmurs a breathy thank you i love you you’re everything to me, as he stumbles out, hand grasping the cool metal as he comes to a rest on the shifting sands. The sand is warm from fire and fighting and it hits him all at one.

He crouches down, head hanging as he pants and gasps for breath. The emotion of the past few days shutter his eyesight till all he sees in the grains of sand sticking to his gauntlets. His head spins and his hair is falling out of the ponytail he’d tied it back in, and his breath is coming hard now. 

Something is missing. Somethings not quite right.

The swords have fallen, the helmets tossed to the side, red looms protective behind him. The shields are down the guards are dropped and he can feel the press of the Voltron bond that lets him know his team is landing nearby, drawn together with a gravitational pull.

He draws in breath, cool and refreshing and tinged with the scent of burning. Around him the sand is interspersed with freshly formed glass. 

He raises his head, expecting to see the heavens above him. He wants to take in the freshly healed scar of the newly collapsed Rigel star system. Wants to know how the blazing lights of thousands of planets worth of warfare look set against the familiar earth sky. He think he might look at the constellations, like he did not far from here a hundred years ago, tucked into his dad's strong, solid arms, the scratch of a stubbly chin accompanying a moving mouth as it named Orion, Cassiopeia, Gemini. 

He looks up expecting to see stars, and instead, he sees the sun.

Lance's smile is crooked, and his breath comes fast, like he ran, as he hovers over him. Their faces are so close he can count each individual freckle on this boy’s face, as precious to him as the gleam of moonlight cutting paths across the castle hallways. Oh this boy, this absolute death of him. 

“Hey lover,” the words leave Lance’s mouth with ease and anticipation, years of pent-up adoration spilling out with every vowel, “we did it.”

Keith feels his own smile steal across his face, “yeah, we did.” 

If possible, Lance's smile grows wider, crinkling the already forming smile lines at his eyes. Keith thinks of the products that line the counter of his bathroom sink, just waiting for a pretty bronzed hand to pick them up when the separation hits, and their resolves are softened by the press of late hours and long silence. 

A silly waste. Keith likes this look on Lance.

Aging.

What a wonderful thing he never thought he’d get to have. 

“You know what that means?” 

Lance's voice is smooth, the tremble that only a practiced ear could pick out masked by the sincerity and anticipation that has dogged their every conversation since that night on the dais. 

“We’ll wait.”

“Until when, Keith?”

“Until it’s done. When it’s done then we can have this. We can’t lose everyone for each other.”

“I’m yours?”

“When it’s done then. And when it’s done, I’m bringing you home with me. I’m putting a ring on your finger and I’m never letting you go. You’re it for me, Keith.”

“I’m not asking you to wait, that’s not fair-“

“I followed you into space Keith. I followed you to the point of no return. You aren’t asking me anything and that’s a damn shame. I’d give you anything you asked for.”

“When it’s done lance, when it’s done, I’ll ask you anything you want me to. I’ll come home with you, I’ll share a bed with you. I’ll be yours as long as you’ll have me.”

“Don’t joke, honey,”

“I’m not. You’re mine, lance”

“And-“

“you’re mine.”

The words reverberate in his head, and oh. This is what it was. The smooth slot of this thing that’s been so long coming.

Lance drops to his knees in front of him, one warm hand coming to rest on his cheek. Keith leans his head into it. He’s too tired for restraint, or shame, or any other useless emotion that would’ve held a younger him back. He’s got nothing to lose. He’s won. There’s no reason left to hold back. What a novel idea. It coats him and leaves him shivering at the feel of a gloved thumb running gently over his cheekbones.

His eyes fall back open from their unconscious close, and Lance is so close.

Honest, sweet, honourable lance. The sandpaper to all his rough edges. The iron that absorbed his burning heat. The shore that meets his rocking tide. 

Keith can hear the thunder of Pidge’s feet as they run across the uneven terrain. Hunk is following after her, his voice a cacophony of relief and joy. Shiro’s laughter is warm and thick as honey, coming easier than it has since aliens were a late-night story. Allura is giggling, high and bright, and a little hysterical. It’s ok. She’ll pull herself back together and they’ll be there to fill the cracks with liquid gold.

(Or glitter. She’d like glitter.)

Lance is watching him, and Keith’s eyes drift back to him. Lance hasn’t looked away in years. Something, some last resistance hidden away so deep he didn’t even know to search for a cure, falls away. 

He leans in and closes the gap.

...

posted on ao3 here