#i think Lotor would be the more permissive parent of the two after the end of his arc ngl

[imhereformysciencefriends]

@loturaweek2023 day 5: Runaways from Royal Nannies!

Melenor (named after her grandmother, in honor), Garrett (named by Coran, with a sadness Lotor now knew the man well enough to place), and Oria (a family name on Allura’s side) were supposed to be with their governess, right then.

As three small children ran giggling into Lotor’s legs, lifting his skirt cape around their shoulders so as to hide beneath it, he let out a huff of fond exasperation.

“And what, perchance, are you three doing here?” he asked them, the dignitary he stood speaking with giving an amused and knowing smile as he put their discussion of sewage on hold.

“Shhhshshsh!” Melenor urged, Garrett copying her and Oria copying them both with her chubby fingers.

“Oh?” Lotor arched his eyebrow. “What’s this? Are you hiding? Is that what you’re doing?”

The shushing redoubled, all three of them hissing at him louder than he’d spoken, and the dignitary lifted their pad to their lips to hide their smile.

A harried Altean woman with large muscles and hair pulled messily back in a bun rounded the corner, the sash at her hips fluttering with her rush. “Your Majesty,” she greeted, sounding somewhere between tired and defeated.

“Governess,” he returned politely. “I hope all is well, and the children are behaving themselves?”

More shushing from beneath his skirt cape, quieter now.

“About as well as they typically do, Your Majesty.”

“And where are my children, now?”

A tittering of giggles rose from beneath his skirt cape, all three pairs of tiny feet clearly visible, which the poor woman’s eyes landed on with something approaching exasperated fondness (heavier on exasperation, at that junction).

“I’m afraid I don’t know, my lord.”

“Unfortunate. But I’m sure they could not have gotten far. Perhaps they’ve gone to the kitchen again, I’ve heard there’s much to drink and snack on, there,” he gently prodded. He could look after the three of them for a bit. She looked like she could use a drink. And maybe a nunvill, but that wasn’t allowed while she was on the clock.

“A fine idea, Your Majesty, I’ll try there.”

She stalked off, swiping flyaways out of her face and leggings making a soft swishing sound as the legs brushed together, and Lotor waited until she was out of sight to lift his skirt cape to reveal the giggling children beneath it.

“You know, you really must stop causing her trouble,” he urged mildly, already fully aware that his children were unlikely to heed such words.

“We’re not!” Melenor insisted, “We just want to be with you!”

And quiznack it all if the little mite didn’t know she had her daddy wrapped around her finger. He sighed.

“I can’t imagine why. I’m not going to be very interesting, I have to talk about sewers, and pipes, and water decontamination, for hours. You’ll get bored.”

“Nuh uh!”

“Very well then, you may stay, but you must let me work,” he said firmly.

“Oh Lotor, you’re spoiling them again!”

Lotor and his children all looked up to see a miffed Allura approaching, and squeals of “Mama!” rang out as Lotor’s legs were swiftly abandoned for additional parental clinging.

“Me? My dear wife, never.”

“Always,” she accused, lifting Oria onto one hip and knocking a fist against the other. “You’re too indulgent.”

“But look at them,” he said, kneeling down and pulling Garrett and Melenor against his sides, squishing his face between theirs, “How can you say no to such faces, Allura?”

“Easily,” she said, giving him a flatly unimpressed look.

Lotor sighed. “Your mother is cruel, children. She is preparing you for the harshness of this world.”

“Where is your nanny?” she asked, ignoring his antics, and Lotor pouted.

“Papa sent her to the kitchen.”

“Then that is where we shall go. Come along, you three, your father has work to do right now,” she said pointedly, taking Garrett’s hand in the one not holding Oria and ushering Melenor forth.

He stooped to steal a kiss, which she indulged, and then continued herding them off while he stared after her fondly.

It was still such a joy, for him. To be a husband, a father, a caretaker. Someone whose children were not scared of him, not even at all. He would never have dreamed of running off from his Dayak and causing her the trouble these three caused their governess, and he would have never run to his father to hide from her. It felt good, that that was different for them. It felt right.

The dignitary cleared their throat and Lotor returned his attention to the subject at hand, putting thoughts of his children aside for the moment. He’d have plenty opportunity to indulge them all later.

[snake-house]

Galran!Shiro X Altean!Male!Reader - first sight. [1]

Galran!Shiro X Altean!Male!Reader warnings: mentions of mpreg he/him pronouns used for reader (i dont put [Male Name] because my name is gender neutral so it weirds me out, so i just put [Name]) *complete au from series ahhh **i am sorry if anyone is too ooc & female pronouns used for pidge ***contains lance x keith and allura x lotor, sorry not sorry lol (also started before season7 sooooooooo) ___ Here is everyone’s species: Allura: Altean Shiro: Galran Keith: Galran/Human (like canon so he looks mostly human) Lance: Altean & Allura’s little brother Hunk: Balmeran Pidge: Altean/Human Matt: Altean/Human [Reader]: Altean ___

word count: 1,770

___

"Welcome to Altea," Allura beamed as her old friends Shiro and Keith walked off the ship, "How was your mission?" She asked immediately, ignoring Keith's wandering eye, already knowing he was looking for her brother. "It went well," Shiro started, sighing and nudging Keith to pay attention, "Nothing unexpected, we were simply sent to scout the rogue planet. It hasn't seemed to slow down since it was ejected from its solar system, so we are still watching it. There still hasn't had any civilian life been detected from it, but there are still signs of life, we are getting ready to send some probes to investigate more thoroughly before it decides to collide with something, but such a thing is far in the future." Allura nodded, Shiro already noticing the traces of deep thought on the Princess's face and smiled softly.

"How have you been since we have been gone? Any word on the marriage contract?" He asked gently, knowing the subject was rather touchy with her. "I've been well, Lance has been a wonderful distraction. He and I are training a boy who has shown quite a connection with Quintessence and wants to go into healing. Since my father has been distracted by that rogue planet, I have started his training along with Lance, though Lance doesn't show half the potential [Name] does. It's quite amazing too." She said with a smile, "I need to introduce you to him, he is becoming a wonderful friend, and Lance is quite taken with him," Keith's eyes narrowed at the words, "As in very protective, [Name] is a bearer." Allura fiddled with the sleeve of her dress, "As for that marriage proposal, I have ignored it as it is not the time to think of such things, but I am only barely into my second century, I have time." Shiro grinned at the princess, watching her straighten and her eyes turn determined. Even though she was younger than him, she always seemed to be able to hold herself in such a way that made her seem so much older and refined. He knew of her current distaste for such a thing, but he was curious. He had been gone for almost two months after all. "Let us find Lance and I will introduce you to [Name]. I am sure you'll like him, he is a sweetheart." She smiled brightly and led the way to the castle. The older Galran let his mind wander to the mistery Altean Allura was talking about. He was certainly a new development in the last two months, and he wanted to know more. They eventually found Lance in his room with Hunk and Pidge, and a smaller boy with [color] hair that neither Keith or Shiro recognized. "Hey, guys!" Lance brightened when he saw the two Galrans and stood up quickly to pull them into a hug, "How have you been? Did you just get back from the scouting mission? How was it?" Lance bombarded the two with questions. Allura pouted at being ignored by her brother. "It went well, we are going to send some probes to confirm there are no lifeforms on the planet, and when that comes back, then we will see what the next phase is," Keith explained easily, "How have you been?" "Great! Hunk and Pidge have been keeping me company, as well as [Name], who you guys need to meet!" The prince exclaimed and quickly motioned for the fourth and previously unknown person in the room to stand. "This is [Name]?" Shiro asked Allura with slightly wide eyes as the boy stood up and approached him. You were sitting on the settee by the window before you were called over, and the sun effectively shadowing your face. You stood rather short compared to Shiro, coming up just below Shiro's sternum. The smooth expanse of your skin really gave way to your Altean markings, making the stand out proudly against your skin. The sickle-shaped markings that sat under your [color] eyes were [preferred color], as well as the diamond shape that stood between your eyebrows and the other dainty markings beside it. (here is what reader's altean markings look like and ignore the bad art i haven’t drawn in ages but i thought you guys would like a visual) (and btw the marks are only pink so you could see them

Allura's smile lit up as she nodded, "He's beautiful, isn't he?" She teased as she noticed her longest friend staring at the boy. Before Shiro could respond to the tease, you spoke up. "It's nice to meet you," You said meekly, looking at the two Galra soldiers and giving them a slight bow of your head. "Likewise," Keith said, "I'm Keith Kogane." He held his hand out to shake yours, which you easily took and shook. When you reached your hand out to Shiro, Shiro couldn't help but eagerly grab your hand and shake softly, just barely restraining himself from bringing the hand to his lips, "I'm Takashi Shirogane, I hear you're sensitive to Quintessence?" He asked, wanting to further the conversation with the smaller male past just an awkward introduction. You smiled slightly at the question and nodded, ignoring the fact that Shiro still held your hand, "I am, a prodigy according to Allura." "What do you plan on doing with such a gift once you are fully trained?" Shiro asked curiously, only now realizing that he still held your hand and tried not to make it awkward as he let go. "I wish to go into healing," You said, looking away from the taller male as you blushed at his action, "But that is still a long way away, and I have other duties to tend to along with my lessons." "How old are you? If you don't mind me asking," Shiro quickly added. A small smile tugged at your lips at his question, "I don't mind, I'll be 94 before the year ends," You replied simply, "Meaning I still have many more years before I can use my gift to help people." A bell sounded from your being. Shiro watched as you pulled out a small blinking blue screen. "Allura," You said looking away from the device to the princess, "Your father has requested me to do a lesson with him today. He has asked for you and Lance to come along too." "Oh shoot, I forgot what time it was," She started, pulling a reluctant Lance away from the smaller Galran soldier, "We'll catch up later?" Allura asked turning towards Shiro. When she got a nod from him, she gave the Pidge and Hunk a farewell and left Lance's room with you trailing behind them with your own round of goodbye's to the group. Shiro watched you leave with a slight hint of disappointment, he wished to talk with you longer. He only looked away from the door when he felt eyes on him, and he met the smug look of his brother in all but blood. "What?" He snapped hastily. "You're already smitten," Hunk chimed with an equally as smug look on his face, "[Name] has a habit of making people fall for him." "What do you mean?" Shiro asked again. "Oh don't worry," Pidge started, "You don't have any competition towards him, but Matt has already sworn himself in as [Name]'s protective older brother so you'll have to go through him if you want to pursue him." She added with a grin. "Who would have thought one of the best soldiers and commanders of the Galran Empire would fall for a small Altean bearer," Keith said smiling brightly, "If Allura's and Lotor's arranged marriage doesn't bring our empires together, your union definitely would." Shiro flushed, ignoring the deep purple hue that must have taken over his features, "Isn't that a bit much to assume we are going to get married? We've just met today." "Yeah, but with the way you looked at him when you walked in," Hunk said with a wide grin. “If you’re going to court him, you’ll have to first get his parent’s permission first, they’re super traditional," Pidge started in again, pulling out her mini com to start taking notes for him, "And once you get their permission, you'll have to ask him with a hand-made gift. My dad made my mom a circlet, with her favorite Earth gemstone in it." She prattled, fingers tapping quickly across the soft blue light. "Whoa-Whoa," Shiro said waving his hands in front of him, "We've only just met!" He repeated, feeling himself heat up at the confrontation. "Courtship does not mean you have to get married, it's just like dating, but in a more traditional way," Keith said, as he already knew all about Altean courtship rules and guidelines. "Either of you can end it whenever you wish." "At least let me get to know him before you all start throwing courtship rules at me," Shiro groaned, "Anyways, Keith, we need to report back and finish relaying what we found about that planet." The younger Galran nodded and gave Lance one last longing look before he followed Shiro out of the room. The two walked in silence back to their ship. They would be meeting with Alfor and Zarkon soon to talk about their mission and needed to regroup with the rest of their team before the meeting. They had already briefly filled Zarkon in when they arrived, but they were given some time to cool down from the intense mission before they would be grilled with every detail so they could work on their next move. "If you do wish to pursue [Name]," Keith started as they walked up to the ship, "I would support you, no matter what." Shiro understood the underlying meaning to his words. Keith was and has always been his little brother in all but blood, and knowing that there was always some risk to social stigma for dating or courting someone outside their own race, Keith would be there for him for he was in a similar situation. This what why it was important to Zarkon and Alfor that their heirs married. "Thank you," Shiro said genuinely, "I'll be there for you too, whenever the two of you decide to go public." It gave Shiro immense pleasure to see the younger light up red at his statement, he always knew how to catch Keith off guard. "Right, thanks," Keith said blandly, cheeks still painted pink.

Shiro grinned and ruffled the younger’s hair before letting the silence wash over them, both deep in their thoughts.

[stuffandnosense]

All Of Us - Plangst - Chpt 2

** Thank you so much for the interest in chapter 1! Here’s chapter two, and I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think! I appreciate it. :) **

I don’t really notice I’m clinging to Shiro’s hand until I feel something. A movement under my fingers. It isn’t the first time there have been small involuntary movements, but this is different.

This isn’t a twitch or a tick. It’s like his fingers are trying to curl around mine. It’s enough to stop my tears in their tracks. “Shiro…?”

When I glance up at his face, I think...I think he’s moved. His head has tilted toward me. I don’t know much about comas - and even if I did, it might not help, since the doctors here tell us his state is a little different than anything they’ve ever seen on earth - but I know what just happened is more than we’ve gotten out of him in the five years since we found him.

“Shiro?” I ask again. I hold my breath and squeeze his hand, waiting for any sign of reaction.

Nothing. But the doctors need to know. Surely it means something? I almost knock my chair over trying to get out of the room, scrambling to find anyone who will listen to me. “Hey! Something happened…!”

An hour later, no one can tell me anything definitive. There’s no sign of change in his condition according to their tests. Whatever happened doesn’t happen again. As everyone leaves and I’m alone with Shiro again, my first instinct is to call Lance. I pull out my tablet and get as far as punching up his name in my frequent contacts.

My thumb is hovering over the call button on the orange screen before I remember that maybe calling Lance right now isn’t the best idea ever. But because it’s Shiro - and only because it’s Shiro, I tell myself - I press the button anyway.

It takes a while for him to answer, but I guess I expected that. “Pidge? Are you okay?”

“I…” The fact that’s the first thing he asks feels like a knife in my chest. “Yeah…”

“Oh...good. Uhm...look, really, you can call any time, and I mean it, but right this second...I’d really kind of rather...not do this.”

I swallow. “Lance, this isn’t about...that. Shiro moved.”

I can almost hear him switching gears - putting our personal problems behind him for now. It’s an ability he didn’t have when I met him. “He what?”

He’s come so far. I knew that before, but it’s like it’s all hitting me so hard right now. Like I’m noticing it all again for the first time.

“He moved,” I repeat. “As in...more than we’ve seen before. It was different; I know something is different, Lance. He tried to hold my hand, and he tried to turn toward me. He’s never done either of those things before.”

“I’ll be right there.”

That isn’t exactly what I expected, and I don’t have time to protest. He’s already hung up, and all I can do is wait.

I really, really hope this isn’t all in my head.

When Lance arrives he hesitates in the doorway of Shiro’s room, as if he didn’t really think this through, like he thinks he needs permission to come in or something because I’m there and yesterday happened. I wave him in from my station by the bed. I’ve just been sitting here, watching Shiro, because I didn’t know what else to do.

“What’d they say?” Lance asks.

I shrug. “Not much...they’re saying nothing is different but...it is. I know it is.”

Lance tilts his head and squints his eyes, in purposefully over-exaggerated movements. Maybe he’s trying to get a laugh to cut the tension. “Huh...yeah, his face looks different than it did last night.”

“You were here last night?”

The playfulness fades and he winces, looking away. “Yeah.”

Was he here for the same reason I came? To have someone to talk to? “Oh…”

Lance shrugs and clears his throat. “Anyway, if he reacted to you, maybe there’s more of a chance with two of us.” He makes a beeline for the other side of the bed and takes Shiro’s other hand. “Come on, man…”

We don’t really expect anything to happen...at least I don’t think we do. But we stay like that for a while, just sitting on either side of him, and the room is quiet except for the soft beeping of the machines.

“Everyone’s going to be here in a few days,” I say after a while. “Allura will bring the castle; the lions will be here...I think we should try pulling him out.”

Lance makes a face, sympathetic but skeptical. “I want Shiro to wake up as much as anyone, Pidge, but we tried that. Twice.”

“Years ago. After we found him. He’s been safe since then. Taken care of. He’s healthier than he was then, and he may be closer to the surface, or something. Maybe it’ll work.”

We found Shiro after the war ended. We came home, to Earth, just for a little while, but we went back after that for more than a year. The universe still needed Voltron to help free remaining worlds from straggling Galra warlords and jumpstart efforts to continue rebuilding intergalactic civilization. Voltron was the symbol of the free alliance. Lotor was still called emperor and Allura became his empress, but it’s more reverence and tradition than power. It doesn’t really mean anything anymore.

Shiro had been squirreled away in a backwater Galra prison on a tiny moon at the back end of the edge of the known universe. Forgotten because they didn’t need him anymore...they’d already produced a clone, brainwashed it, and let it find us. Granted, that didn’t entirely work out for them in the end; Haggar’s biggest plot was her undoing...but even when not-Shiro overcame his programming and died taking out the witch who created him, that still didn’t leave us any closer to finding the original.

We’d almost given up hope when we finally found him, and even then, he was already like this when we liberated the prison. Comatose. Unresponsive. No reunions. We still don’t know if the Galra put him in this state forcefully or if he just...ended up this way as some kind of self-defense mechanism.

“Maybe…” Lance trails. “But...you can’t get your hopes up. I mean, not to be a downer...”

“I know what you mean. I know what they said.”

That Shiro will probably never wake up. Because he was part of the team that helped liberate the universe, the Garrison still pays for all of this...his care, even physical therapy so his limbs don’t waste away. Just in case. But the doctors have always said any change is very unlikely.

I’ve just never believed them.

“I’m still behind you,” Lance says. “Always. We should try...I’m just saying.”

Lance is trying to protect me. I know that. We tried everything when we found Shiro. Allura and her burgeoning Altean Alchemy skills, Lotor offered the best of Galra medicine and technology...nothing worked. Our last-ditch effort was to try pulling him out, waking him up, using Voltron. Because Lance had been convinced that on Olkari when we all used our bayards to go into the force that connected us to Voltron...to some other plain...that it had been the real Shiro we’d somehow connected to. That Shiro tried to speak to him.

So we did it again. We formed Voltron, and we went in. There wasn’t an empty space for Shiro inside, not in the black paladin’s place - Keith was there - but as if Voltron knew who we were trying to reach out to, there was a new space in the middle...our life forces flowing into it, reaching out. For a moment a form flickered there, but then it was gone. That was as far as we got both times we tried.

“But you’ll be with me to talk to the others about it?” I ask.

“Of course.”

I think I want to say something else, even though I’m not sure what, but I don’t get the chance. Someone knocks on the open door of the room.

“Katie? I thought you’d be here.”

It’s Dad. He still doesn’t know what happened yesterday, and he smiles at Lance as if everything is normal. “I heard there was some excitement?”

“I messaged you?” I honestly don’t remember.

“I did,” Lance says. He grins at me like he does, like for a moment everything is normal after all. “I know how you are when you’re excited; I thought you might not have have remembered to.”

We fill Dad in on the not-really-news-but-it-might-be. He stands there with that guilty look on his face he still gets sometimes. I wish I could make it not happen, but I think he feels guilty, sometimes, that he came home to Earth when he did. That he was relatively safe here for most of the war, even if the Garrison did need to know what was going on out there. Even if he did just as much if not more here than he could have out there.

“Well there is nothing wrong with hoping,” Dad says. “It would be wonderful if it were possible.”

“We’re going to try,” Lance says. “We have to.”

Dad nods again, before he shifts his focus to me. “Katie, your mother’s here with me. We were going to see Matt, if you’d like to join us. Lance, you’re certainly welcome too.”

Lance shrugs. “That’s okay, Mr. H. You guys can go; I think I’m gonna stay here for a while.” But his eyes shift to me, asking if that’s all right. If I’ll be okay if he doesn’t come. I shrug, as small as I can.

It’s okay. Stay here. Keep an eye on Shiro. I guess I have to get used to doing things without Lance now, anyway.

I let dad go on ahead, hanging back a moment in the room. “Lance...what about you?”

“What about me?” He’s trying to smile again, put me off guard, make me think he’s fine.

“Are you…? How are you?”

The facade falters, just a little. “Oh, you know...the usual. Kicking around ideas about my next big career move. My brother Marco did make a very interesting offer a while back involving something about chickens. Or maybe it was rabbits. Though if all else fails I can hijack Red and we can restart that rope-dancing gig. That was a hit.”

“Or you could stay here. You love assisting the instructors at the Garrison.”

Lance shrugs. “There are flight schools everywhere…”

So he’s determined to leave? But in recent months he’d been talking about going back to school. College. Getting certified to really teach, not just flight instructing. What happened to that?

“I guess.”

He looks at me for a moment, his eyes shifting briefly to the door where my dad disappeared. “You haven’t said anything to your parents, have you?” he asks quietly.

“No...didn’t really know how to.”

“Yeah. Me either.”

We don’t say anything else, and standing there is unbearably awkward. “Anyway...thanks for coming,” I tell him.

I don’t wait for an answer because I don’t think I could take him trying to smile at me one more time today. Not when it’s my fault we’re in this mess.

***

Six and a Half Years Ago

That night is still a recurring nightmare. Allura said something before it all happened - something about Shiro. Late one night when most of us were in the kitchen. About him not being himself. That was when we all found out we’d had similar suspicions. We were worried.

But key members of the coalition were coming to the castle later that same week for a meeting, and we didn’t want to think it was serious enough to need immediate attention. There was more than one explanation, surely.

Maybe if we had done something then...but we didn’t. And we thought something was wrong with him, but I don’t think we ever really thought…definitely nothing near the truth. How could we have?

One moment everything was fine, and the next the castle’s power was out - not everything, not the gravity and air; we were in space after all - but everything else important. Communications, lights, weapons, all down.

Hangars were sealed; there was no way out. We were fish in a barrel. Fish who could fight, but fish just the same. None of us knew what was happening until something started cutting people down in the dark.

Maybe he knew we suspected, overheard our conversation maybe, and that’s why his programming really kicked in. Or maybe Haggar knew.

The Blades that were there herded everyone into the dining room to keep them together, safer, while Keith, who knew the castle better like the rest of us, joined us splitting up in the corridors to search for what we thought was an intruder.

I split up with Matt. We had the lights in my armour’s helmet and and he had one small light, but it’s not like we had time to go searching for more. It wasn’t enough.

“I thought the castle had some kind of emergency lighting system?” Matt said at one point.

“It does…”

“The power isn’t all out, so it’s not the crystal. Shouldn’t those emergency lights be on as long as the crystal is intact?”

I swallowed, and my mouth was dry. “Unless someone knew they were there and that they needed to purposefully route around them.”

An uneasy silence followed. “I don’t like this,” he said.

There was no warning, after that. Barely a sound. We made a cautious turn into a new corridor, Matt first, me covering our backs. There was a faint flash of purple, that glow I should have recognized, but I didn’t have time to before I was slammed back against the wall, pinned, Matt’s body covering mine.

A strangled sound. Matt. I could barely see around him, and I was dazed from the impact, but when my vision cleared…

Shiro, pinning us. But his eyes were yellow. And half of the hand of his Galra arm was buried in my brother’s side.

“NOO!”

Even as I heard myself screaming, I was coming to a conclusion. Not Shiro. Not Shiro at all. Shiro wouldn't attack us. Shiro wouldn’t stab my brother, his friend, yank his Galra hand out with a twist on purpose, just to hear Matt scream, and toss him halfway across the corridor like a sack of potatoes.

Shiro wouldn’t be smiling while he did that.

My bayard was ready. When I could move my arms I sliced up, screaming without words, cutting a swath across not-Shiro’s chest. I think it only made him angry, but I didn’t care then. At least it made him fall back a step and gave me room to shoot out with the bayard’s grappling and wrap the electrified cord around him.

The shock didn’t stop him. Not fast enough. I might have died anyway, if Lance hadn’t shown up and shot from behind when he did. That dropped him, finally, and after one more solid shock he was unconscious.

I heard Lance’s confusion and disbelief. I heard the others barreling around the corner and everything they said, but it was like they were far away.

“Matt!” I scrambled to him. “MATT!” He was breathing, but barely. His eyes were wild until I leaned over him and grabbed his hand, until he had me to focus on. He wasn’t bleeding as badly as I was afraid of. The heat of the Galra arm had practically cauterized the wound. “Hang on, hang on…”

“Th-that...that’s not Shiro,” Hunk was saying.

“It can’t be.” Keith said. “He wouldn’t…”

“Guys, HELP!” I shouted.

Lance was already at my shoulder. “We have to get him to a pod!”

***

Now

When I find my parents in the parking lot, they don’t think it’s strange that I’m silent on the short ride, and I’m grateful they’re not prying. They usually don’t when we come here. Sometimes it’s easier - sometimes we’re red-faced from laughing so hard, telling favorite stories - but sometimes there are still days like today, when none of us say much.

The sun is starting to set when we make it to the small churchyard, casting orange light across the grass. Orange like Garrison uniforms and the resistance. Shades of color that remind me of Matt.

And there’s the small church we grew up in off to the right, making trouble Sunday mornings because we couldn’t stop giggling at each other, and off to the left at the entrance to the cemetery is the stone bench under a tree where Matt sat with me after our grandmother died. I was six and funerals were confusing ad there were too many people. He just stayed there with me, comforting me and keeping everyone else away.

I sit on that bench now, to give my parents some time alone with him. I’ve spent a lot of time on this bench since we buried Matt here, I think.

“Matt...I did something really stupid,” I say with a sigh.

Actually, now that I think about it, I guess I’ve spent a lot of time in the last few years talking to people who can’t answer me - Matt, Shiro...then again, before Voltron, I was just the girl who spent more time with machines and books than people, so in a way it’s not really a stretch. More of a reversion. Lance just kept me from sinking too deep.

I can almost hear Matt answering, though - after he laughs at me.

What have you done now, Pidge?

“I screwed things up with Lance...probably because I was overthinking things again. I’m always doing that…but what if I was right the first time? What if he doesn’t really—?” I stop. “I’m doing it again.”

Don’t look at me; I do it, too.

“Yeah, I know you always did it too...some help you are.” I swallow.

So what’s the other thing you do? You fix things. Fix this.

[sage-nebula]

There is an outdated tradition in western cultures in which a man who intends to marry a woman asks her parents (her father, typically) for her hand. Nowadays it’s less a “requirement” and more . . . well, outdated and oft frowned upon tradition, but it’s something that used to (and I guess perhaps sometimes still does) happen nonetheless.

Galra culture is different. Galra culture is obviously different given that they are an alien race from several galaxies away, but in this specific case they are different because they don’t have any such tradition. At least, not exactly. In Galra culture, regardless of the genders of the two getting married (Galra have always had rather open minds about sexual orientation and gender; their bigotry was tied up more in class and race), it is customary for one of the potential spouses to challenge one of their parents-in-law to a duel upon the announcement of their marriage intent. This duel is not a duel for the hand, per se, as it is more a duel for the two to truly get to know one another in the most honest sense. Galra believe that you can tell a lot about a person by sparring with them. People reveal their true selves on the battlefield, and while sparring is not life-or-death as the battlefield is, it still reveals much of the same. For the parent-in-law, they get to see how genuine and strong this person’s desire to marry their child is, as well as truly get to judge how well they will fit into the family. For the one with the intent to marry, they not only have this chance to “prove” themselves, per se, but also have a chance to square off against a future in-law to, well, see how well they will fit into the family. Again, it must be stressed that this is not a permission duel, and outcome of the match isn’t strictly important. It isn’t about what the result is in terms of who wins the duel, but more about what the result is in terms of what they learn throughout it.

Nonetheless, this is the tradition. It’s a tradition that has not always been followed by all Galra, but which is still around and kicking in the present day. For the vast majority of his life, Keith has not been aware of this tradition. He was not, after all, raised in Galra culture, and in fact he didn’t even know that he was Galra for sure until he passed the Trials of Marmora and awakened his sword. Nonetheless, he learns more and more about Galra culture from Kolivan and others, and eventually he does learn of this particular pre-marriage tradition. And when he does, he realizes that he has a little problem.

You see, the person he wants to marry is Lotor. Lotor’s parents are Zarkon and Haggar (Honerva). Fighting one or both (preferably both) of them is not the issue. Keith plans to do that anyway, and in fact has already tried on several occasions. He fought Zarkon by himself all the way back shortly after he entered the war. Yeah, it didn’t end very well---it was a tough fight---but that doesn’t change the fact that he did it, and he’ll do it again, and again, and again, as many times as it takes to take them out and win the war for good. “Defeat Zarkon and his witch Haggar” is an item on his To-Do List and has been since he first got involved in the war. That’s not the issue.

The issue is that, well . . . he already has plans to defeat them in order to end the war.

See, that’s the thing: The customary pre-marriage duels are not duels to the death. That said, Keith is pretty damn certain that having a fight that is not to the death with Zarkon is out of the question, and same goes for Haggar. In fairness, he has not discussed this with Zarkon. However, he has already fought Zarkon once, and if Galra use combat as a means for learning about one another, then Keith learned all he needed to know about the fact that the next time he gets into a one-on-one fight with Zarkon, only one of them is walking away from that fight, and Keith has no intention of dying. And really, that’s not even the real issue. The real issue is that Zarkon has oppressed the universe for ten thousand years. Zarkon has slaughtered countless billions. Zarkon is going to meet his end one way or another, and that is final. Zarkon is no longer in a position where he gets mercy, and Keith decided that a long damn time ago.

But that being said, that still creates a little problem, and that little problem is that telling Zarkon that they need to have the customary pre-marriage duel conflicts with the fact that he also needs to take Zarkon down and out for good for the sake of everyone in the known universe, himself and Lotor included.

There’s no real easy solution to this problem, not really. In honesty, Keith doesn’t care too much about the tradition. It’s a tradition, a custom, whatever. He will marry Lotor regardless. If nothing else, Keith figures that maybe Lotor’s generals can step up to act as his family. They’re on good terms again now. He’s reasonably sure Acxa wouldn’t mind dueling him. He’s one hundred percent positive that Zethrid would literally jump at the opportunity as she swung her fist toward his face.

But either way, the time comes. Through a series of circumstances involving war strategy and tactical maneuvering, Keith finds himself face-to-face with Zarkon. They are going to fight. It is going to be bloody. Keith has every intention of leaving this fight alive so that he can live the life he now has allowed himself to dare to hope he can have.

So as he’s face-to-face with Zarkon, as he prepares to start this fight, as he thinks about the life he could have and remembers the custom, he looks Zarkon dead in the eyes and says, “By the way, I’m gonna marry Lotor.”

Zarkon’s eyes widen, but he hardly has time to say, “What---?” before Keith initiates their fight by swinging his sword straight at Zarkon’s face. 

[brittysaucefanfic]

The Serpent and The Dragon

Chapter 5

(First)(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

Keith frowns as his thoughts drift back to McClain.

All week he's been distracted, worrying about someone he's not even close to personally. The thoughts keep him awake at night, make his training ineffective at working his muscles, they even make eating hard to accomplish in a timely manner. Keith scowls so hard his eyebrows twitch.

He didn't mean to set his ship on fire.

Robbing McClain was the only goal, no death, no damage, just thievery. And it's not like he has a grudge against McClain either. He just happens to be in the right place at the wrong time. A lot.

That magical display was impressive though to say the least.

Keith himself has never seen a display of power of such magnitude, and it's not even from anger. Just a desire to save his ship. All it was was an ice dome, but it was a big one. Spanning all the way from port to starboard, from top deck to keep, from bow to aft. McClain held such a massive, thick dome for far longer than necessary, almost killing himself from the effort.

Keith can remember the feeling of dread in his gut when McClain's face twisted in agony as his magic cracked. The power was so great even his eyes and hands were glowing blue from the magic. The fear he felt when McClain collapsed, his magic extended so much he needed a physical line from his hands frozen to the deck, to the dome he had created.

And that awful shattering as Keith walked away.

He had feared the worst, that McClain had died from over extending his magic. Keith had been half way across the plank to his ship when it happened and he had almost raced back to the Serpent Lion. The only thing keeping him from doing so was the small smile across McClain's face.

He sees why he deserves his moniker as the Serpent.

The Dragon and the Serpent, forever intertwined in a fight for power. Sky and sea. Fire and water. Captain versus Captain. Pirate versus Pirate. Keith wonders who will take power in the end or if the two of them are destined to circle around each other like Yin and Yang.

"Captain. We have docked." His First Mate, Krolia, also known as his own mother, says, interrupting his inner thoughts while he pummels a punching bag with his fists. The whole mother-son topic is a sore spot for Keith for reasons he doesn't want to, and sometimes can't explain.

"Thank you, I will be down soon so that we may convene with the Emperor." Keith says formally, not wanting to dive into the mess that is his parental relationship. Why she even bothered to board his ship in the first place is beyond him.

"Of course, I'll prepare you a bath." She says. As she walks away the purple tips of her black hair fly up off her shoulder. Keith watches after her for a moment, his shirt half way over his arms. He shakes himself of the emotions in his chest. When facing the Emperor, it is best to be as solid in oneself as possible. The court has this way of ripping confidence to shreds.

He hates dealing with the court.

Keith does bathe, though he does so quickly and without washing his hair. He dons his finest of coats, the deepest of blood reds with black trim and no wrinkles. He smooths his hair back with a comb, though he really shouldn't bother. The strong winds of Daibazalee winters will surely mess his hair up all over again. Just another reason for that chilling look of disdain he gets from the Prince.

Keith files off his ship with his First Mate and his strongest warrior to carry in the trophies of the last trips haul. The only reason he steals is because the Emperor gives him no choice. All of the loot goes to the Emperor himself.

The winds outside are harsh and cold.

Keith is lucky, with his powerful fire magic, he knows how to keep his body temperature at an even rate when in cold. Doesn't work quite as well for the heat though. Keith marches down the straight line from the dock Keith uses to the side of the castle, a hand locked tight on the hilt of his sword. Fire magic tests at his fingertips as he gets closer to the castle walls.

As doors are shut behind him the howling of the wind is replaced by the harsh whispers of court. Keith doesn't miss a step, face even and emotionless. Krolia follows behind him, exactly one step behind and one step right. His strongest of men, who carries the chest full of gold and valuables, walks exactly three steps behind Keith.

They march in time as if to the beat of a drum, uniform, synced.

Keith marches to the raised dais, then sinks to his knees in a timely manner. Krolia follows suit, while his crew member steps forward, presents the loot, and then falls back to behind Keith in a kneel. Keith tightens his grip on his sword in hopes that this would be satisfaction enough.

So maybe Keith will get to see him, if only for a moment.

"Is this all of it pirate?" Zarkon sneers, saying pirate like a slur. Keith fights the scowl he so desperately wants to show. Have to be good though or he won't get to see Shiro, his brother at heart.

"Yes your Majesty." Keith says evenly. He doesn't dare look up without permission, or speak out of turn. There's a line of laughter and jeers in the rest of the court but Keith tunes them out. He just needs to see Shiro. Just for a moment.

He just has to be good, for Shiro's sake.

"Well, that's disappointing. I expected more from you pirate. How do you expect to rectify this mistake?" Zarkon asks with a drawl of indifference, an underlying tone of cruelty.

Keith knows better than to answer that.

"I say give him a day in the arena." Prince Lotor says with a smile even in his tone. A shiver of fear and dread reach the pit of his stomach. God Keith hates this place.

"Hm, no he has Shirogane for that." Zarkon drawls once again. He starts tapping his clawed nails on the chair he sits in and every tap sends a rush of terror through Keith's veins.

Terror and hate.

"What has become of your better, McClain was it?" Zarkon asks rhetorically. Keith swallows thickly as the enemy pirate's name is brought into conversation.

"I don't understand the question your Majesty." Keith says to buy himself time to figure out what's going to happen. There's more jeers and laughter.

"I have heard rumors, so I know that you and McClain are fairly close." Zarkon says, but Keith just loses the conversation completely. Close? Keith just robbed and nearly got him killed, how is that close? "Say, I think I would like to meet this McClain. Fetch him for me and I'll let you see the Champion." Zarkon offers, or commands.

Bring McClain here? The lion's den itself?

"Of course if you don't do as I say the Champion will be forced to work off his debt on his own." Zarkon says. Keith’s breath sucks in harshly.

"I'll do as you wish your Majesty." Keith says. He sits in tension as he waits for Zarkon to dismiss him or ask something else or anything. Anything but the silence.

"Very well. Dismissed." Zarkon says and Keith stands to attention almost faster than he should. Krolia is the next to stand with the crew member standing last as Keith and Krolia pass, falling into step. They march out of the throne room and back to the ship. Keith doesn't release his grip on his sword until the sails are loosed and they are on the water.

As a fire mage, water isn't his calling. He doesn't crave the ocean like a water mage does. He craves the deserts of southern Altea. He craves the blazing sun and warm air, not this cold wind that often brings slush across the top deck when too close to land.

But Keith craves the sea in a way no one else ever has.

He craves the dangers in the depths. He craves the separation from civilization. The release of tension. The freedom of the open waters. Keith doesn't let go of his sword hilt until that is all that's left in view, water.

Keith’s breaths rush into his chest all at once, and he's hyperventilating. He's panting. His magic licking up his arms with fire. He holds it in for as long as he can. Until his chest is on fire and his breaths come out in steam. Until the tips of his hair catch on fire. Until flames even seep out from the sides of his eyes. He lets this happen without ever looking from the direction of the kingdom he so despises.

Keith feels the ship rock with the collective steps away from him right when he 'blows his top', as Shiro used to call it. Keith draws back in his magic like stuffing a pile of clothes into a drawer they refuse to fit inside. Then he holds it in his chest, lets his lungs singe, his breath steam.

Keith steps up onto the railing and then races across the bowsprit at the bow of the ship, only practice keeping him on the thinning piece of wood. He reaches all the way to the end before his magic bursts free and he screams it all away.

There are many reasons Keith is nicknamed The Dragon.

Fire breath is the number one on that list.

Keith lets out a burst of fire magic so powerful it sends the clouds evaporating. It rises from his chest, and out his mouth. Like a true Dragon, Keith breathes out the fire in his veins until his blood stops simmering.

When the magic fades, Keith catches his breath and pivots on the thin wood. He rushes back to his place at his mother's side as her Captain. She looks at him with sorrowful violet eyes that match his own. Keith ignores it.

"Set course for Altea. We have a Serpent to capture." Keith commands his mother.

"Yes," Krolia pauses shortly. "Captain." Keith watches as she stalks to the wheel, sending the ship into a ninety degree right, the abrasive movement tipping the ship sideways. Keith doesn't give it any more thought, other than that he'll deal with his mother and her sudden urge to be a mother later.

After Keith breaks his brother out of the Arena.

He stalks to his quarters, locking the door behind him and swiping the cloth off of his war desk. Underneath lies a map only Keith has laid eyes on, a map dedicated to the whereabouts and routines of the Serpent himself. He had planned on one day hiring him and his crew as backup for the prison break, but it seems that day may never come.

"I'm coming for you McClain. And this time my cargo is you." Keith swears under his breath, and in the silence of his room, his tone is sorrowful.

******

(First)(Previous)(Next)(AO3)

[sage-nebula]

Have you fallen down the Keith/Lotor hole as well? I'm shipping it myself and I'm so excited to see other people interested in it. The both of them are so complex! (Also I hope you had a good day.)

Listen, Iwane Masaaki-san (one of the animators on the PokéAni) created and posted this gorgeous animation of Alan today, so regardless of anything else that happened, my day was #blessed from the moment I laid eyes on that. Hardly anything could bring my day down after something so glorious and beautiful.

But that aside—YEAH, MAN!

I’ve been interested in the two of them interacting since S3, admittedly—and really, since even before S3. Ever since I saw the teaser trailers for Lotor (and in particular the one where he gave his rousing speech in the arena) I was interested in the two of them meeting, because I had a feeling that they would have a dynamic similar to one of my all-time favorite foetps, and let me tell you something: I love a good foetp.

… Though, I guess I should take a moment to explain that, shouldn’t I? Okay, brief pause: You’ve probably noticed, but I used four different ship tags on my blog depeding on how I ship the characters in question. The intensity of the ship doesn’t matter; it’s all about the type of relationship I see them having. Those tags are:

otp: romantic

qpp: queerplatonic

brotp: platonic

foetp: enemy

These are all distinct things. Sometimes they can overlap, and in those cases I’ll include both (e.g. “otp or brotp: [phrase]”), but each type of relationship here is different. So when I say “foetp”, a term I came up with years, and years, and years ago because I wanted a tag for enemy ships and felt like I was being clever with the rhyme, I’m talking about hateships. These characters hate each other, and not only do they hate each other, but they have a specific, targeted hatred for each other. They are archenemies. And their relationship might be a little more complicated than that, maybe there was some twisted, complicated form of “friendship” somewhere along the line in there, but at the end of the day, the reason why I am invested in this relationship is because I want to throw these two against each other again, and again, and again. I’m invested in the angst and the enmity. There may be obsession, but it is not healthy, nor is it positive. We go darker yet darker, and potentially more and more vicious.

So to that end, throughout season three I was mostly interested in seeing how Keith and Lotor’s relationship could devleop along foetp lines. Even back in S3 they already had a lot of interesting parallels between them, and in my mind there was so much potential for them to be like another beloved foetp of mine (as mentioned) due to some personality similarities, as well as strong likelihood of Lotor wanting Keith to join the ranks of his generals. (The other foetp I mentioned involves the villain of the pair dearly wanting to make the hero of the pair his right-hand.) Unfortunately, the two didn’t directly interact at all in S3, so I was left without any real basis to call them a foetp just yet. I could enjoy speculative fanart, but that was it.

However …

We’ve still yet to see them directly interact in S4, since although I’d love to say otherwise, I don’t think Lotor knew who he was saving when he saved Keith’s life. I mean, it’s possible he did, but I don’t see how he could have known. (Then again, how did he know that Team Voltron was changing their plan in 3x06? I mean, he could have been spying through Shireplica then, but there is no proof of that yet, so …) But although we’ve yet to see them interact, not only have we stacked on more parallels, but we’re in a position right now where I think that there is a real likelihood that they’re going to become allies. Maybe it’s a false allyship and Lotor will betray them in the future (likely), maybe it’ll be tense, maybe it’ll be unwilling, maybe they won’t even interact directly with each other—who knows. But right now there is potential, there is real potential for the two of them to team up, and god, that’s exciting.

Because there really are a lot of parallels between them at the moment. There were already some given their backgrounds alone, but this season in particular really made it a point to drive Lotor and Keith into the same exact position. To list:

They’re both part-Galra (Lotor is specifically half, and we don’t know how much Galra Keith has in him)

They were both forsaken by their parents (willingly or otherwise)

They were both ostracized by most everyone for most of their lives (Lotor was in exile; Keith only had Shiro)

They are both extremely skilled swordsman

They are both ambidextrous (I think—I’ll need to double-check for Lotor)

They are both extremely skilled pilots

They are both very decisive, and also determined as all hell; neither likes to give up once they’ve decided on something, no matter the risks

They are both natural leaders who usually don’t have trouble getting others to follow them, particularly in the midst of battle (no one better “but Team Voltron” me, that’s a whole separate issue that a.) didn’t exist in seasons one or two, and b.) isn’t Keith’s fault, as shown with Matt and the other rebels in 4x06)

Points seven and eight point to the fact that the Black Lion would likely favor both of them, which could very well be why Lotor was exiled in the first place (because we all know how Zarkon feels about sharing his Lion)

Both were given leadership at the behest of others (Haggar summoned Lotor; Shiro named Keith as his successor and the Black Lion was like “fuckin’ finally”), yet were doubted and criticized almost relentlessly the moment they took up the mantle

Both see through their own projects and goals, even if those goals seemingly run off the course of the main team’s goals (Lotor with his quintessence / other reality experiments, Keith with his very important Marmora missions), and this ends up turning their respective teams (Galra Empire and Team Voltron) against them

Both have those they hoped / believed would never turn against them do just that (Keith says, “Shiro is the only one who never gave up on me …” in S3, only for Shireplica to have his back to him and be glaring at him in 4x01, and not even try to argue against him leaving when he said he had to; Lotor was shot at point blank range by Acxa, and both Zethrid and Ezor tried to help her turn him over to the Empire)

Both were eventually ousted from the leadership positions they were given because the person they took up the mantle from (seemingly) returned (Shireplica came back and took the Black Lion back from Keith, and Zarkon returned to take the Empire back from Lotor, and while I’d have to double-check, iirc the language used when Zarkon declares he’s taking charge again mirrors what was used when Shireplica took control from Keith once and for all, so it was a deliberate parallel)

Neither wants to die, but both are extraordinarily reckless with their own lives (Lotor flying into the sun, Keith flying to crash his ship into the barrier)

And so on and so forth, I could go on and on. Both Keith and Lotor have been isolated from their closest companions as a result of their actions not being understood, accepted, or both. While Keith does have the Blade of Marmora (bless the Blade of Marmora), I still feel that he’s in a position right now where he could end up working with Lotor. Lotor has information about the Galra Empire that is valuable. Given Team Voltron’s reputation, it’s highly unlikely that they will want to listen to him (the real Shiro would, but Shireplica? Hmmm, #doubt). Keith, however, has not only been trying to track Lotor down for ages, but he has shown in the past that he is willing to listen to Galra who are willing to help them. All of his work with the Blade of Marmora aside, remember that he is the reason why Acxa is out of the Weblum right now. He consistently readjusted his judgment of her based on her actions, because that is how he is: He judges people based on what they do, not who they are. Lotor saved his life, and on top of that, he’s Public Enemy #1 of the Galra Empire right now. That would give Keith pause, and give him cause to listen, particularly since (again) Lotor has valuable information (and a comet ship) and Keith knows it. The fact that he is not a Paladin of Voltron at the moment means that he wouldn’t have to “get permission” from Shireplica or anyone else to give Lotor a shot and a listening ear, and while he would probably need to talk things over with Kolivan, we know Keith well enough to know that he will leave the Blades if he feels that doing so is the right thing to do, and it’s possible that Kolivan might suggest that Lotor take the Trials of Marmora to prove his loyalty (which Keith, I feel, would agree with). The Blade of Marmora doesn’t take chances, but it isn’t as if the Trials are easy. Keith nearly died. If nothing else, kicking the shit out of Zarkon’s son for a while might give some of them a catharsis.

But all of that aside, Keith is in a position right now where he would have not only the willingness to listen to Lotor if Lotor has informatoin that can help them fight Zarkon, but the opportunity given that he’s not a Paladin of Voltron. (But make no mistake, he has the same sense of honor that he had when he told Hunk, “We’re Paladins of Voltron. We can’t leave people to die, even if they’re Galra.” Even though he’s not a Paladin anymore, that sense of honor is still deeply ingrained in him. It’s a moral code he lives by.) Given all of that, and the fact that I think it’s extremely doubtful Team Voltron will want to even listen to Lotor, much less team up with him, I think there’s a high probability for a Lotor and Keith team up.

And I’m so, so excited for it, because as I outlined above they already have so much in common, and I feel that their personalities could potentially jive as well. Lotor is more cunning than Keith, absolutely; he has more of a silver tongue, he’s more manipulative. He’s not really trustworthy, but then, Keith is not trusting. Even if Keith is willing to listen to Lotor, that doesn’t mean he will drop his guards around him, that doesn’t mean he necessarily trusts him. He was a Paladin of Voltron for three seasons before he left, and his relationships with everyone except for the real Shiro are still terrible (and make no mistake, that is not entirely his fault considering that certain members of Team Voltron never even tried to bond with him, either, but that’s an argument for another time). So I’m not saying they’d be best buddies right away, but I think they’d work very well together if they had the same goal. They’re both smart, skilled, quick on their feet, and determined as all hell. That combination of traits makes for a force to be reckoned with in one person, much less two. And if … well, actually, I want to write a canon divergence from the end of 4x06 that goes down this path, so I can’t say too much more on that particular train of thought. All I can say is that I see a lot of potential in a partnership, and, well … Lotor’s ship has space for a copilot. He’s all out of generals, and Keith has no confidence in his leadership ability right now (but he wants to help defend and save the universe in any way that he can). Might Lotor find a new general in Keith? Hmm … it’s possible. It’s possible. And I hope we get something good out of it in season five.