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Fire erupt across the sky above him, a surge of heat and pressure that he could feel through the very atmosphere of the planet. Spitting out a mouthful of dirt and blood, he clawed himself from the fire hot wreckage around him, hair sticking to his face with sweat and blood. It had been years ago that he came to terms with the fact that sometimes? There are no-win situations. Sometimes all you could do was make it out alive. As he rolled onto his back, chest heaving, body fighting with the atmosphere of the planet, he watched as circles of explosion flashed across the sky thousands of miles above him. Each flash of color dying out quickly, just as whoever was inside of the ship that had met its end.

There were no words for the hopelessness he felt, staring up at a war that was devouring the universe worse than before.

A losing war on all sides.

He wished that when he came back, it was with power, not just knowledge. That he were some sort of messiah, an avenging angel who could end the war and save them all. But he was only a man. A man who had seen this war before and wondered if he had only made it worse with his actions. Hot hears mixed with the other wetness on his face as the rage built up inside of him.

Fists slamming into hard dirt, he pried himself up from the ground, stumbling on his feet as he became aware of his injuries. For now, however, they didn’t matter. Long hair cascaded down his shoulders and back, over his torn uniform stinging as it caught lines of torn flesh and stuck to clotting blood. His uniform was destroyed, his ship and all communications rubble around him in the desert, it all looked like there was no hope for him to get off the planet.

He would remain a specter, watching an empire either rise or fall above him, not knowing what side the most recent death was on. If he had just lost a friend or enemy.

As rubble broke the atmosphere and burst into bright lights of fire as they hurtled down from the sky, Keith Kogane felt like he had nothing to do but reflect on his failures. He had let everyone down. People were dying and it was his fault.

It was all his fault.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shiro let out a long breath, absolutely not sighing nor sulking. It had been… months since he had seen Keith last, not that he hadn’t been kept busy in that time. He looked down to the ever blipping line on his screen, the only comfort he had left. It was a numb comfort, the rising and falling of Keith’s life support line, but it was a reminder that somewhere out there Keith was alive. Breathing.

They had been making leaps and bounds of progress with the forming of the Voltron Coalition with Lotor at their side, and with all of the work for the Coalition and Pidge’s ever ongoing search for her brother Shiro was not left with a lot of time for longing. It didn’t stop him from longing for the man who was no longer at his side. They had lost tracking on him mere days after his departure and Shiro had been on edge each moment after, looking to the codes Keith had given him in a moment of intimacy and trust.

So much for trust though. Every second Shiro wondered what Keith was doing. If he were safe. With a sigh, Shiro dropped his head against the back of his chair and let his eyes close. Too long without Keith hadn’t been good for his psyche when he had gone on the Kerberos mission let alone now. So much had changed.

Now he was worried about Keith’s survival more than his own.

“You’re thinking of him again, aren’t you?” Lotor’s voice wasn’t uncommon on the Castle now, but Shiro wasn’t completely sure if it were welcome. Especially now.

“I’m always thinking of him, Lotor.” Shiro’s tone was close to scolding, and as the words left his mouth Keith worried that he had been a little too brisk. Rude. Maybe Lotor just never had the chance to feel that sort of way for anyone. Maybe he had and it’s just been so long. Lotor was older than Shiro could imagine, sometimes thinking about the lifespans of the Galra and Alteans left him downright baffled, sometimes humbled.

He wondered if Keith would outlive him and by how long.

He wondered if Keith would make it back from wherever he is now alive.

“You’re a million miles away again.” Lotor’s tone was just as scolding as Shiro’s had been. “You run the risk of becoming a liability with distractions like this. We cannot wait much longer for him.”

Shiro knew Lotor was right, he knew it, but he didn’t like it. Keith had been gone for months, the Galra were restless and everyone was waiting for his call. Again Black Paladin and head of the Voltron Coalition as well as Voltron itself. Resting his elbows up on the console, Shiro looked out into the viewport, giving himself a moment to wallow in the weight on his shoulders. If Keith were here he’d take Shiro’s hand like he always had and support him through it.

But Keith was in the farthest reaches of space and even Lotor admitted to that fact.

He was far beyond their reach now.

“You’re right.” Shiro’s answer was reluctant and he still refused to meet Lotor’s eyes. “We can’t wait anymore.”

Lotor’s noise of surprise was worth it he supposed, but Shiro didn’t bask in it. He had more to worry about. Keith had told him to follow through if he were gone for too long, and Shiro supposed he had little other choice. “Gather your generals, Lotor. We’ll prepare for the Kral Zera.”
 
Keith struggled against the ship’s controls, frown deep on his face as they fought hard against him.

Things had been different, very different this time around. Krolia already worked at her station, and her discovery of her son? It had gone very much like the first time around. Until she discovered his knowledge that is. A cursed messenger, she had so much sympathy for him.

And she had hardly begun to understand just how severe the circumstances truly were.

Then they crashed again, spent months on the back of that behemoth in space. Each second Keith waited for Kosmo’s appearance.

When the light flashed across the stars and crashed into the beast, Keith should have known better. The time was different. It was too early.

As he stood above the crater that had formed and stared down at the black form with it’s glowing purple eyes, Keith knew he would never see Kosmo again. This beast?

He supposed it needed a friend as much as Kosmo had.

Lotor had been true to his word. The Altean colony was still just that, a single colony with more living Alteans than Keith had really believed were alive in the universe. He sought out Romelle like the nostalgic fool he was and felt an odd ache in his chest when he found her… happy. With her family.

It had been all he had ever wanted for the girl who became like a sister to him.

He just didn’t understand why it hurt so much.

But as Keith, the wolf, and Romelle’s family turned their eyes back to the universe at large, problems began to arise.
 
Which is what lead him to fighting the controls of one of Lotor’s new ships that had been left at the colony as it tried it’s best to burn it’s way into the atmosphere above the Kral Zerah. “Bank left. Left, Keith!”

“Krolia, I love you, but stop back seat piloting or I will nosedive directly into the pillar and have absolutely no regrets!” Keith barked out as he did just that. Bank left. Hard.

“Are we going to make it out of here alive!?” Romelle cried from the back of the ship over the clang and clatter of her attempt to grab onto something and promptly fall instead.

“Keith look out for the-”

“I fucking see it!” Keith barked out, tucking the ship into a quick spiral and dip, burning off speed and playing with the thought of touching the ship down. “Everyone hold on to something. We’re landing.”
 
“There is a serious difference between simply bringing down an empire and leaving a catastrophic fall out that the universe will struggle in and likely never recover from.” Keith honestly didn’t appreciate the trek he was forced to make up to the pyre of the Kral Zera, mother at his side, but it was enough to let him explain his intentions. “Yes, the thought of taking down all of these corrupt generals of Zarkon’s empire is tempting, however if we can unite them under one banner that strives for the better of the universe, it will be a much shorter end to the war, with a much lower body count.”

“It’s idealistic, but the question is it realistic?” Krolia asked, brows drawn down both in effort from their climb and from suspicion. “I want to believe that we can trust Lotor, but I have seen what you’ve seen. I don’t trust him, regardless of the Alteans.”

Keith only hummed in answer, too distracted by the closeness of the set stage. The great production that was the Kral Zera being performed so close. “Right now our goal is to keep Lotor alive and seemingly innocent of any possible interference from the Blades. We haven’t been able to reach anyone, so I don’t know if Kolivan has chosen to move forward with an attack on the Kral Zera or not.”

Krolia’s blazing eyes met his, and Keith stilled. “Keith. Do you really think this will work?”

Keith was quiet, and he knew that did little to comfort Krolia’s concerns, but she was also patient. Understanding. Did he have his doubts? A sinking, twisting fear in his gut that Lotor would once again betray them as he had in the life he lived before? Absolutely.

But this was uncharted territory, and Keith would have to keep a hopeful outlook, otherwise he risked falling into despair. “There’s only one way to find out.” If Lotor were to betray them? Then it was his sword that the Galra prince would die on, no other’s.

Let Honerva hate him in this life as well.

“Our New Ruler must ascend the steps of Destiny and relight the Kral Zera!” The Archivist’s voice carried, and as the disputed began, Keith and Krolia moved, circling the platform and trying to locate Lotor, and possibly even the Paladins as well, no matter how foolish the move would be for them to be present.

Then again, Keith was there, white Paladin armor scorched and dirty from the crash and climb, but he did not dare dawn the Blade uniform. Not here. Not now.

Behind the great stair, Keith froze at the sound of the sickeningly familiar voice. Honerva. He wasn’t sure if this were her first appearance since her husband’s death, but even so she had moved forward with Sendak. No matter how much he hated the Galra, Honerva was right about his tenacity and downright refusal to die.

Honerva still seemed to have her effect over him, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. As the sounds of fighting filled the air, Keith tried to regulate his breathing. It was almost like he could feel her. A sick, wet feeling probing the edges of his mind like a slime that would feed on him. It made him sick, his heart hammering away in his throat, pushing up bile and terror combined. “Keith… Keith!”

Only Krolia’s strong grip on his arm pulled Keith from his blind panic, eyes focusing on his mother’s concerned expression. She knew of his fear of Honerva, yes, but it had been unspoken. Here? Now? It was in the way of progress. He was frozen in place and hindering their progress.

“Keith, Kit are you alright?” Krolia pressed the back of her large hand to her son’s sweaty forehead, lines forming on her own brow. “Just breathe with me, Kit. Breathe.”

Breathe? He couldn’t breathe! There was no oxygen in the atmosphere, his lungs were contracting and spasming and he was going to die! His knees wobbled and back collided with the cool stone behind him, eyes wide and darting between Krolia’s face and the dark sky behind her. “Keith- Keith!”

He wasn’t sure how she was still talking. He was suffocating! There was no air! How could she-

His thoughts disconnected, a solid short circuit when he saw the Black Lion break the atmosphere behind Krolia. It was as if the Lion were a needle, popping a bubble around him. Suddenly he could breathe again, and the sound of fight and struggle above him finally reached his ears again as the repulsors of the lion roared above his heads.

Shiro.

The very thought of the man’s presence calmed him, snapped him from his ball of panic enough for a new one to form. He wanted to keep Shiro and Honerva galaxies away from each other.

“Halt! Your true Emperor has arrived!”

Lotor’s words made Keith stop, blink, and snort slightly. Looking up to Krolia, a small, shaky smile formed on his face, but she didn’t mirror the expression. Keith could read her upset and concern like the words were spelled across her face in every language known to Keith. As Lotor and Sendak debated behind them, Keith wrapped his hand around Krolia’s wrist and gave it a gentile squeeze. “Let’s make sure this place isn’t going to blow at any moment.”
 
Shiro had felt since the beginning that bringing the Black Lion had been a bad call, but Lotor had insisted. Stated it had been part of his big plan, but as Shiro watched Lotor below him, stating that he had brought the Black Lion back to the Galra, he felt his stomach turn. “The Black Lion was never a possession of the Galras, but one of the entire Universe!”

Shiro recognized that voice, and he was sure he made even Black move with how quickly he turned to look to where he heard the voice. Keith stood tall, taller than he had been before he left if Shiro was right. His hair was longer, plaited into a braid that caught the wind created a vision. He was two steps up from Lotor, looking down on him in white armor and blazing eyes. “If you intend to lead these people, do not do it with deceit. Let them know that one of the Black Paladins is half-Galra, just as you are. And my claim would be as valid as yours.”

“What!?” Shiro was shaken, disbelief stricken. “Keith you can’t- You don’t-”

“You have no intentions of ascending the throne, White Lion.” Lotor said, but his brows were drawn down in irritation, blade now turned at Keith.

Keith smiled, all teeth and dark eyes. “No. But I’ve fought by your side on these steps before, and I will do so again before I see the Galra turn on each other.”

“What does he speak!? Does Voltron have a prophet amongst them?” Haggar cried, and Shiro hoped he was the only one to notice the way Keith flinched at her voice. “Archivist! Did you know of this?!”

“It doesn’t matter. They will both die!” Sendak’s voice was gravel as he darted forward, catching Keith’s blade as the Paladin was already in front of Lotor.

“You will light that pyre and begin your reign as Emperor. Then we get out of here before the whole damn place is blown sky high!” Keith hissed back at Lotor only to be caught across the ribs by Sendak’s flesh arm.

Like a cat, Keith landed on his feet in a crouch and looked up through long bangs. “I’ve killed you once, I will gladly do it again.”

Shiro felt… well he felt useless, watching the fighting unfold below him, Keith like a well controlled fire as he darted around, covering Lotor’s back and taking hits he shouldn’t have to. “Shiro!” Keith’s voice came through the comms, and Shiro felt his heart flip into his throat. Yes, hearing his voice and seeing Keith alive was one thing, but Keith was talking to him now.

“Keith! Keith it’s good to see you.”

“Even though I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing is right? Okay, all that can wait, I need you to circle the perimeter and find our crash site. It’s not far, and about twelve meters from there is a cave with a gaggle of Alteans. Tell Romelle I sent you and get them to the Castle.” Keith’s voice was ragged, panting, deeper than Shiro remembered. It seemed like in those short months Keith had been away he had aged years.

Not only was Keith older in spirit, his body was now nearly the age of Shiro’s, and a small, weak part of him couldn’t help but be enamored with the thought. “Alteans? To the Castle? Keith, I can’t leave you here!”

“Yes you can.” Keith grit out, pushing back against Sendak’s artificial arm. “I have people here as well, and I have a feeling that Axca’s presence is more for Lotor than for Haggar. Shit- how did he even let them out of his sight?”

“Lotor was spending more time with us than with his own generals.” Shiro explained, eyes sliding to where Axca stood near Haggar. She did seem rather distant to the witch, but Haggar seemed more irate than she had been before.

“Didn’t I-”

“Enough talking!” Sendak roared, gripping Keith by his neck and lifting him from the stair, long legs kicking as he was raised. “I’m sick of your interference, child!”

Just as Shiro had Black aimed, a different shot rang out, and while it didn’t take Sendak down, it had him release Keith, who fell firmly on his backside. Eyes turned to the form of a Galra woman, her face slender and filled with well controlled rage. “Silence, Sendak!” She roared, lowering her blaster. “Fate has decided the outcome already, look to the pyre.”

All eyes shifted up to where Lotor stood, torch in hand and raised. “No!” Sendak roared, but his protests were for naught as Lotor pressed the torch to the pyre, light igniting and casting a purple glow across the scene.

Silence fell, but slowly, respect was shared. Keith was the first to his knees, hand over his chest. The motion was quickly mirrored by the other Galra who stood below him, until even Black shifted around Shiro, giving her own form of bowing respect before raising her head high and letting out a roar.

It seemed that the Black Lion approved. At least for now.
 
“Lotor!” Bandor cried out, stars in his eyes as the newly crowned Emperor approached them, Keith at his side. Shiro had been speaking with Romelle as they waited for Lotor, Axca, Krolia and Keith to return to the Castle, and what she had to tell him?

It made his eyes lock onto Keith even more than they would have to begin with.

His head was high and had been in deep conversation with Krolia, until he heard Bandor’s voice. Razor sharp purple eyes shot over to Lotor, watching the Galra’s expression as the Alteans approached. “Bandor, correct?” Lotor asked, a smile on his face, and Shiro had a feeling that Lotor hadn’t truly remembered. He had a feeling that Keith had briefed Lotor on their names, but the reaction it yielded in the young Altean had been worth it.

Finally Keith looked to him, though, and Shiro felt his mouth go dry. From a distance had been one thing, but this? This was something else all together. It was like all the air in the Castle had been sucked away and he was left floating, Keith’s slow smile the only thing anchoring him from floating away. “Shiro.” He said, voice almost too quiet, and Shiro was sure he was choking and making a fool of himself. “I’d like to introduce Krolia. She’s a member of the Blade of Marmora, also… she’s my mother.”

Shiro dragged his eyes reluctantly from Keith’s face to look at the Galra at his side. He could see the similarities between them now. The slender jaw, large eyes, even their noses were the same. They also both had that same deadly air Shiro couldn’t deny aroused him more than worried him, but seeing it radiate from the woman who birthed Keith? That worried him. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.” He said, thankful that his voice was steady as he reached out a hand.

Krolia only smiled, like she knew more about him than he could imagine, and pulled him into a hug. “I’d like to have some words with you later, Captain.” She said, and Shiro felt like his head was spinning at the title. Captain? Looking over to Keith, he saw the man resting his face in his hands, and he understood.

Somehow, while they were away, Krolia had seen some of what Keith had lived.

“Yes ma’am.”

He could hear the other Paladins approaching, but honestly? Shiro spared a glance over to Keith again, and it had been a mistake. All he could think about was pulling that man into his arms and smothering him with the emotions of months distant. It was almost like Keith could read his thoughts, that or Shiro had been staring, as the Paladin looked down, a small smile playing at his lips. A playful look, something that made Shiro’s heart pound hard in his chest. He had to get to him before the other paladins did.

He took two steps and pulled Keith into his arms, ignoring the giggles from Romelle and small gasp from Keith.

Having Keith in his arms again? It felt something like being complete. Like something was back supporting the cave in in his heart and he could breathe again. Keith’s shoulders shook with soft laughter as the man wrapped his own arms around Shiro, nosing at the taller man’s jaw. “I missed you.” Shiro breathed out into Keith’s bangs, refusing to let the other man go. “What happened?”

“Time’s a little different where I’ve been.” Keith said, a hand reaching up and cupping Shiro’s jaw, prying himself away enough to look at him closer. “Fuck, I’ve missed you.” He breathed out, their noses brushing together.

Shiro couldn’t help but grin, hands reaching up to cup Keith’s cheeks as well, squishing his face and making him laugh. “You’re so handsome.”

As their lips met, a sound of protest came from the door behind Shiro, but he wouldn’t let it ruin this. Not yet at least. This moment was theirs.
 
“So Haggar knows that Keith’s a messenger now.” Shiro said, standing around the map with his jaw cupped in his hand. “Called him a prophet, actually.”

“Are you ready to talk about that yet?” Krolia chimed in, turning to Keith with a serious expression that made Keith wish he hadn't come out of his shower yet. A few more hours soaking wouldn’t have too many negative effects, would it have?

He heaved a sigh, leaning against the back of the Black Paladin’s seat and crossed his arms. “No but I guess I have to. It’s the second time it’s happened so it needs to be addressed, I’m just not sure how to fix it.”

“Fix what?”

Hunk’s voice was surprisingly soothing, someone who’s opinion he hadn’t heard in… years again. He was still young, but he was also still the caring man Keith knew, and somehow he found he could meet Hunk’s eyes, but not Shiro’s.

He felt weak.

“It’s Haggar. It seems I… I’m terrified of her apparently. It’s like I can’t breathe and I just know I’m going to die whenever I hear her voice. Being in her presence for any amount of time just…” Keith sighed and shook his head. “I’ll figure something out. She’s as misguided as Zarkon was, but it’s more… complicated than that. I don’t want to kill her if we don’t have to, but right now I can’t stand to be within a hundred yards of her it seems.”

The bridge was silent for a long moment before Krolia spoke up. “You had a panic attack, Keith.”

Her words were like nails in a coffin.

“It’s not surprising considering what I saw in the Quantum Abyss. Honestly, I’m surprised you don’t have more triggers, but Haggar seems to be the worst.” She continued, shaking her head as well, and as Keith watched he understood where he got the habit. “It won’t be an easy or short path to recover from that sort of trauma, but we will with time. In the meantime we’ve taken away her best resource in the Alteans and we’re already very much ahead of her initial plans. Clearly, they will change, but we already have an advantage here. We have time.”

Keith was silent, eyes boring down at the floor. He would rather not wait, never wait, but he knew better. He wanted this war over more than anyone, but… Patience Yields Focus. “We also have more resources than we expected.” Pidge’s voice was a damn blessing, and as Keith looked at her, she offered him a small smile.

“The Olkari are making huge strides and already I’m intercepting some frequencies where Lotor is the new hot topic, and in a good way for once.” She continued, leaning back in the Green Paladin’s chair. “It seems that whatever Keith said helped, a paladin of Voltron fighting at the side of someone trying to claim the crown was… not the best of ideas for getting support from the Galra, but it was actually Haggar who got them to support you. The announcement of you being a prophet or messenger or whatever she wants to call you made them think about it more.

“The Coalition has grown immensely since you’ve been gone, and we’re still gaining members. I’ve even picked up some leads on Matt. Dad says he wants to head back to Earth as soon as we find him and get Earth on our side as well.”

Keith hummed and nodded, taking in the information. “Sam is going to need a lot of support on our end. The Garrison won’t want to get into a war that they think doesn’t already involve them. Regardless of the proof he’s going to bring them. I hope he’ll be prepared for that. We may not hear from him for a while.”

“He was afraid of that, but I think we all expected it.” Pidge admitted, crossing her arms and frowning. “What is our next course of action, then?”

Keith wasn’t ready for the way they looked to him, not after the admission of his panic attack. He expected them to just… gently push him aside and look to Shiro to lead, like they had in the beginning. But looking at Pidge’s large green eyes and the way she was unwavering in her surety that he would have an answer for her?

“For now we continue to build our strength. We let Lotor build loyalty in the Galra ranks, and then we will be making an official meeting between the Emperor of the Galra and Voltron, deciding on peace for the Galaxy.” Keith explained, crossing his arms and cupping his chin. “We need to plan together, decide if we still want to create the Galaxy Coalition, form a republic across the universe that is intent on peace and unity. Figure out if it’s feasible, and the steps we’ll need to take for it to come to fruition.”

“Not to like… offend anyone.” Lance spoke up, eyes narrowed and directed at Lotor. “But are we sure we can trust him?”

“Of course we can trust Lotor!” Bandor spoke up from Romelle’s side, and it was almost like he had just appeared. Keith hadn’t noticed him there to begin with. Any of the Alteans actually.

“Bandor, hush.” Romelle spoke, her eyes set on Lotor as well.

At least that hadn’t changed. While Bandor and her parents still lived, it didn’t mean that Romelle trusted Lotor. He couldn’t help but take comfort from that.

“There is a lot of information to still verify.” Keith spoke up, looking from the Alteans to Lance. “But I have faith in Lotor. If he betrays that faith? He already knows how that will end.”

“When will Sam be leaving for Earth?” Keith was quick to change the subject, looking over to Pidge again.

“A few days. He wants to wait until we find Matt, but I don’t think that will be possible.” Pidge admitted, looking down. “I told him to just set a date and I’ll see what I can do before then.”

Keith approached the green Paladin’s station and rest a hand on Pidge’s shoulder. “Then see what you can do. If you need anything from us in finding Matt, you know we’ll help. Just remember that he is you brother. No matter what, it’s that connection that will help you find him.”

“While this is all very touching.” Lotor’s voice cut through the room like a knife, making Keith scowl. “There is work we need to be doing.”

Keith turned narrowed eyes to Lotor and nodded. “True. Let’s move on.”
 
Dobashes had passed before Keith finally retired to his quarters. They were… smaller than he remembered, but he supposed he was bigger than he had been. Pulling his chest plate off, he heaved a sigh and placed it on the table near his bed. He didn’t even know what time it was, but running fingers through his bangs, he knew it was too late.

A knock sounded on his door, but before he could even speak, it opened. “Can I come in?”

Shiro’s voice was soft, deep. It ran shivers down his spine and calmed him all at once. “Of course you can.” Keith answered, smiling and bending down to remove his thigh plates.

The door closed with a soft thump and Keith couldn’t stop the racing of his heart. He was an old man in all but his body, but being around Shiro? It made him feel so young. He paused and stood up straight, looking over to where Shiro leaned back so casually against the wall, a smile on his lips. “Don’t stop on my account.”

“Shiro you ass.” Keith sputtered, grabbing his glove and throwing it at the other man who laughed in kind.

It made Keith grin and finish removing his armor as quickly as possible. “What’s up, Takashi?”

Only after the armor was fully removed did Keith get an answer. Shiro’s warm body slotted against his back and pressed his face into the braided pleats of his hair. “I missed you so much, Keith.” He breathed against the skin there, and Keith’s heart hammered in his chest even harder. He could hardly breathe and it was amazing.

“Help me out of this.” Was all Keith said, pulling his hair around to expose the zipper of his suit. The gentile tug of the zipper made Keith close his eyes and decide in that moment that it was time to be brave.

Cool air met his skin as that zipper slid so slowly down his back and curved over his backside. Warm fingers slid their way over goosebump raised flesh, pushing the skin tight suit from broad shoulders and supple hips. Warm breath ghosted across slender neck and raised the small hairs at the back of Keith’s neck, his own breath coming out in a trembling exhale, head half turned to Shiro.

Words died on his tongue as he caught a glimpse of Shiro’s expression. His eyes were dark, brows drawn and lips parted, and all Keith could think of were those lips on his. So he sought them out.

Surging forward, Keith collided with Shiro, their lips finally together. It felt like Shiro were devouring him whole, sucking Keith’s soul out when he caught his bottom lip between blunt teeth and wrapping strong arms around his hips. Keith’s fingers found their home in Shiro’s hair and let himself get lost in the feeling of their hearts colliding in that small room, galaxies away from where they met and once called home.

Once upon a time a young boy sat in his first room to himself in years and had a fantasy about this moment. He would never expected the situation itself, however.

Keith’s romantically wandering mind was silenced when a moan slipped from his throat and into Shiro’s mouth. The man devoured it and a hotter fire was stoked within him. “Fuck… Keith.”

“Shiro…” Metal fingers were in his hair, tugging his head back and those lips! Gods all around them those lips on his neck… “Shiro!”

“God, Keith baby…” Shiro breathed against the juncture of Keith’s neck, nipping the skin there so lightly. “I want to… Keith I want to-”

“Fucking do it already.” Keith growled out, grabbing at the fabric on Shiro’s shoulder’s and tugging uselessly. “I’m so wet, Shiro please I need you.” No matter how sexual Keith tried to be, his voice still broke and he wavered. “I need you, Takashi.”

“I’m here, baby.” Shiro whispered, pressing a kiss just below Keith’s ear, slowly retreating his hands and unzipping his vest.

As soon as that solid expanse of skin was visible, Keith’s hands were on it. He had taken the chance presented by Shiro’s busied hands and tugged the top of his undersuit down off his arms and let it hang at his hips. Shiro laughed, a gentle rumbling sound that Keith could feel under his fingertips. The vest found it’s way to the floor in a single drop and those hands were on him again, tracing scars old and new. His thumbs curved up over the scars on his breastbone, hands cupping Keith’s ribs and pulling him forward as Shiro walked backward to seat himself on the bed.

With open legs, Shiro pulled Keith to stand before him, face level with the hardened muscle of the man’s stomach. “Let me see you, baby.” He whispered against that skin, hands sliding down Keith’s sides and tugging at that tight fabric, looking up to Keith’s face before moving again.

Keith wasn’t sure what Shiro found there, but all he could feel for the man below him was love. His heart was swollen and he ran the risk of positively bursting with the emotion. Over his lifetimes he had sex with many people and species and never regret a single one. This however? Shiro? This was a first that he had waited all those lifetimes for. Shiro smiled at him and he swore the man before him was the thing at the end of the Universe. That beautiful thing that drives even the strongest man mad.

He surely had driven Keith mad.

Whatever it was Shiro found in Keith’s face, it was the right thing, because those hands slid even lower, tugging down the skinsuit and revealing too hot skin. Shiro turned his face down and pressed it against Keith’s stomach, peppering kisses down the expanse of skin, teasing down to his mound, hands sliding down to cup Keith’s ass and pull him closer, Keith’s undersuit now forgotten on the floor. “Leg up, baby. Let me taste you.”

“Jesus, Takashi.” Keith laughed. He’d never had imagined that Shiro would talk like that, but at the same time? Shiro was so much closer to the young man Keith first fell in love with now, and he supposed the Shiro of the Garrison likely had a mouth like this on him. As Keith raised his leg to place his foot at Shiro’s hip and Shiro lapped between his folds, he had no doubts about the sort of mouth Takashi Shirogane had on him.

Keith’s head fell back, mouth agape to let out each guttural moan Shiro pulled from him with skilled tongue and lips, his hands gripping mismatched hair. He was sensitive… too sensitive. Had this body ever known to touch of another man? He doubted it. His legs were trembling with each swipe of Shiro’s tongue, strong hands cupping shaking thighs and pulling Keith closer to his face. “Gods- Fuck Takashi I’m- Ah!”

Nails digging into Shiro’s scalp, Keith came, back arching and wetness spreading across Shiro’s chin. Shiro pulled back with a laugh, wet face grinning up at Keith’s flushed face. “Don’t think I’m done with you just yet, sweetheart.”

Keith laughed in answer, tugging his leg down and pressing his lips to Shiro’s damp ones. “I sure hope not.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Keith knew they would be docking soon, and the knowledge only kept him running more than he would admit. It was progress, yes. Serious progress, but he couldn’t help but feel there was too much cost.

Maybe he was being selfish. It was only his sacrifice. Or… it felt that way.

Whatever it was he said during the Kral Zera seemed to have made him famous. He had made himself known as some sort of neutral party despite his clear Voltron uniform. Color or none, it was unmistakable.

And suddenly he was famous. Unmistakable to any Galra, good or not it didn’t seem to matter. They knew his face, they knew his words. Some wanted to kill him with their bare hands, others, more it seemed, agreed with him in at least some way.

Shadow skulked behind him, red knowing eyes darting from Keith to the walls around them. It was their third time through this hallway, and Keith knew if the wolf could speak, he would have some words for Keith. Especially since it was the second time in his life he let Lance choose the name of his wolf.

Part of him wondered if Kosmo had run off after his death, or if the poor wolf curled up on his gravestone and missed him as much as Keith found he missed his first wolf. Men and their dogs he supposed. Each time he got too pulled into his thoughts that freezing cold nose nudged into the spot on his thigh that was covered only by the undersuit. The Wolf seemed to have no hesitation to bat a paw at him when Keith didn’t respond with a pet between the ears.

Finally, Keith stopped and looked at Shadow, brows knitting together. “What is it?” He asked, crossing his arms and boring down at the wolf.

Shadow didn’t flinch away, in fact if he could puff out his chest, he likely was. Those eyes were accusing, however, in a way that Cosmo’s never could have been. Something about it reminded Keith of how it felt to pilot Red. The wolf remained a sill, silent form and Keith sighed, kneeling down to get closer to him. “What is it, boy?”

Shadow didn’t move, eyes only had shifted to follow Keith’s movements, he was so still Keith would be nervous if he hadn’t raised Shadow from a pup, just as he had with Kosmo. While Kosmo had the gift of teleportation… Shadow’s skills were different. He supposed the cosmos found humor in how it cursed him with irony, especially as Shadow slowly moved to press his snout to Keith’s forehead.
 
Shiro honestly had no idea where his boyfriend was, but if he were honest it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. They were all so busy with what Pidge had brought to their attention that it was like they hardly had time to even think; let alone rest or spend time with each other. Krolia and Kolivan were pulled off to return to the Blade of Marmora, Keith grew more involved with Lotor’s movement to reconnect the Galra Empire, though Shiro was sure they both had motives that conflicted with each others. Pidge herself had left in the Green Lion, stating she had a lead on Matt and not to wait up.

Allura and Coran wrapped themselves in recovering the Altean colony, which left Shiro with Hunk and Lance and no real direction to move in.

That was until Keith barreled down on them with wild eyes and his sleep clothes. “We need to go to Lotor. Immediately.”

They didn’t ask, only acted, but as Shiro spent his nights with a restlessly sleeping Keith sharing his bed, waking every time Keith pulled himself from the bed to walk the halls in the middle of the night cycle, his side of the bed wet with sweat, Shiro couldn’t help but feel the need to ask.

Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Shiro again felt the need to ask as he found Keith sitting against the wall, Shadow on his lap, both looking exhausted. “Keith?”

Keith turned his head, and Shiro’s heart ached at the empty look he received. “How far out are we?”

Shiro sighed, kneeling down next to the man and pushing back the long strands of hair from his face. “Not too long. A few hours.” He said, hand gently traveling across Keith’s temple to cup his cheek. “You need to rest, Keith.”

“Can’t.” Keith said simply, and Shiro knew all too well the truth there. He had no doubts that Keith couldn’t properly rest. He had no idea how he continued to function, but he remembered the adjustment after he was forced to acknowledge the trauma he had himself.

Especially after Sendak triggered it that first time.

Shadow sturred, looking back at Shrio and sticking his pink tongue out just enough to make Shiro smile and scratch under his chin. “Come on, boys. Let’s at least get you all to the bridge, okay?”

Keith smiled and nodded, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Whatever they were going to meet Lotor for… he was left concerned.
 
“Welcome, friends!” Lotor greeted the Paladins and Alteans with wide arms and a wider smile that never failed to make Keith’s stomach turn. Had he really treated them this way before the betrayal? No wonder Allura had been so heartbroken. The way she gravitated to him even now, made something his Keith’s heart ache. The way Lance seemed to grow irritated as Lotor immediately stole all of her attention had Keith sighing.

But what Hunk of his time had told him held true. A much older Galra woman approached with an expression that could curdle milk. If there was anyone who could help push him past his own panic… it would be Dayak and her firm belief in Palen Bol. Would she think he weak due to his half heritage? His trauma reactions?

Part of him hoped so.

He needed someone to doubt him. He needed the spite to fuel him.

“Lady Dayak.” Keith spoke up over Lotor and the Paladins conversation, not flinching at the sour expression she gave him.

Curdled milk indeed.

“I wish for you to assist me with something, if the Blood Emperor allows.” Keith continued, approaching and giving a small nod to Lotor. Lotor who frowned as Keith was sure he slowly put together what was happening.

Lotor was silent for a moment, and Keith suddenly worried that Lotor would refuse if for no other reason than pettiness. After the moment passed, Lotor nodded and motioned for them to go. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, White Lion. Vrepit Sa.”

Keith saluted, though there was lethargy to the motion. “Vrepit S-” He saw the riding crop coming before it hit, his hand darting to grab it as it hurtled home.

“So you’re not too slow after all, just disrespectful.” Dayak spoke. “I had higher expectations for you with your using Emperor Lotor’s proper title, but it seems you’re just as disrespectful as the others.”

Keith only smiled, his expression near feral. “Then I will certainly be a challenge student, can you handle it?”

“Keith.” Shiro sighed behind him, and Keith couldn’t not turn to look at him. The expression on Shiro’s face was one that Keith had to admit he missed. Longsuffering but fond. It was the same look he had gotten many times in the Garrison.

The snap of crop to the crown of his head made Keith flinch. “Palen Bol! If you’re a student of mine your education has already begun! Come, we have much to do.”
 
They had been going at it for hours, and Keith was sure that Dayak was more irritated with him than if he truly were a bad student. He responded the way she wanted him to. He dodged each time she went to hit him. He even took her down in a physical fight while stating facts about the current political climate.

“What are you really here for?” Dayak growled through gritted teeth. “I am no trifle for you to play with, you know what I have to teach, why are you here?”

Keith looked up from his boots, and he didn’t know what it was in his face that brought out the suddenly silent and reserved expression on Dayak’s face. “I’m supposed to help lead Voltron to a victory against the worst adversary we will ever face. Someone who will burn down not just this reality, but all of them if we do not stop her.

“But every time I hear her voice I freeze. I panic each time I see her face. I can’t move and I can’t breathe. It’s like I’m dying and she hadn’t even looked at me.”

Understanding dawned on Dayak’s face, but it was still a hard look. “I cannot beat trauma from you, Lion.” She said, crossing her arms. “I can’t help you unlearn things, but I can help you learn new reactions. Is that what you want?”

Keith nodded, watching as she nodded and looked down with a sigh.

“Who is our subject?”

“Honerva of Altea. Or even more well known as Haggar, Zarkon’s Witch.” Keith expected more of a reaction from Dayak at that information, but instead she only sighed.

“I always knew that damned Altean would lead the Galra to our demise.” She growled out. “How do you know of the facts you speak?”

Keith let out a sigh, wishing he could sit down. “You recall the legends of the Messengers?”
 
Shiro paced in a circle in the hanger, hands clasped tightly behind his back as he did so. They had received the hail from Pidge a short time ago, and Sam had already arrived to meet her. The other Paladins were already in the hanger, awaiting the arrival of Green, but one person was missing. Shiro fought back irritation at Keith’s lateness, it was unlike him. He was one of the most compassionate of them all, and for him to miss the return of Matt Holt?

The sound of beating feet filled the hanger as Keith ran into the hanger and toward the group. He was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and pale, but there was more fire in his eyes than there had been in the pas days. The sight stopped Shiro in his tracks and he smiled.

He wanted to be ashamed of his doubts, but even then the hanger doors opened. The release of pressure pushed back Keith’s bangs as he drew closer, and Shiro was brought back to the moment. The reunion of the Holt Family.

The Green Lion landed and slowly it’s head was lowered and the maw opened. Two forms walked down the ramp, brilliant matching smiles made Shiro nearly choke. Matt was back. The boy who he sacrificed himself for was finally with them again, and it was all worth it. Matt had grown taller, broader, his hair long. The clothes of the rebels fit well next to his sister in her Paladin armor.

Sam was crying as he ran to his children, throwing his arms around his eldest son. Matt held him for a long time, and Shiro couldn’t help but think of his own family on Earth. His grandparents still in Japan, parents in their small home by the sea. At least he hoped they lived up to the promise they made to him when he had faced down that knowledge that he wouldn’t stay in his prime for even another year.

Sparing a glance to his metal arm, he supposed he should have known it wouldn't end up that way. Whatever that Galra had done when they took and replaced his arm they had cured him… or so it seemed. He never had the pain, the muscle fatigue. He wasn’t dying anymore, his muscles weren’t atrophying. He was stronger than ever, and he never wanted to thank the Galra for what happened, but at least he could stand and fight to protect Matt when he had to. He could stand there now and watch as he finally came… well not home. But back to safety.

A hand wrapped itself gently around his wrist and squeezed, Shiro turning his head to see Keith giving him a knowing smile. They had only brought it up once, he hadn’t been comfortable talking about it, but he supposed that he owed Keith it now. The man was facing down his trauma every day, he supposed he could do the same. Offer some sort of support.

“Shiro?” Matt’s voice wat wet, but as he approached, Shiro saw the wide grin that formed on his lips.

Suddenly, his arms were full of a shaking Matt, the boy- no. Matt was a whole Man now. A whole man who was hitting him very solidly on the chest. “You idiot! You absolute buffoon!”

Keith snorted next to him, and Shiro couldn’t even scold him for it. He just held Matt so tightly, so glad he was back with them.

So glad he wasn’t lost.

After Matt calmed down and pulled back, those large almond eyes were turned on Keith, and suddenly with a predatory air. “Keith?”

Keith smiled, holding his arms open to the other man. “Matt.”

“What the hell happened to you, Kitten?” The pet name came out of Matt’s mouth and it made Shiro grit his teeth.

“Just a whole lotta trauma and some weird space stuff.” Keith said with a shrug before he was pulled into Matt’s arms, laughing.

“Well the O.G. Garrison trio is back together again!” Matt cheered, clearly trying to lift Keith and frowning when he found himself unable to do so.

“Don’t tell me I’m too big for you to pick up, Daddy?” Keith purred quietly enough for only Shiro and Matt to hear.

Over the sound of Matt laughing, Shiro roared. “Absolutely not this is not going to happen again.”

“Oh come on, Takashi. Flirting is proven to be beneficial to mental health.” Keith said, tilting his head and winking.

“Woah. Woah wait.” Matt pulled back, looking between Keith and Shiro, and as the realization dawned, Shiro couldn’t help but grin. “Are you two… Finally?”

Finally? Instead of letting that settle in his mind, Shiro just nodded, unable to stop the shit eating grin on his face. He was… happy. Even through everything, with how exhausted they were, Matt was able to come and lift them up, give them all energy and euphoria with the reunion.

Matt tugged Shiro into the embrace, laughing in excitement. “I’m so stupid happy, I don’t have to watch you two do all that stupid that you used to do back in the Garrison. You’re two whole grown men I’m so proud.”
 
Keith hadn’t gone back to Dayak after Matt returned. He found the room Lotor had designated for Shiro and himself, glad the man had chosen to keep them together, and took the time to rub off the grime from working with the Galra toward his selfish goal. Out there in the Galaxy Honerva hurtled toward whatever goal she had. He just hoped the timeline difference and lack of a true loss of Lotor kept her from truly snapping.

Sighing, he stepped out from the bathroom to find Shiro laying on the bed, Shadow across his lap. Something about the domesticity warmed him. Leaning against the doorway, Keith looked over the scene as Shiro slowly looked up to him as well. “Not spending time with Matt?”

“I wanted to let him, Pidge, and Sam have some time together.” Shiro said, putting down the pad he held. “How was… training with Dayak?”

Keith toweled at his hair, approaching the bed and sitting next to Shiro. “We’re working at it. We’re trying to train new reactions into my body, but we know it won’t be enough. I need to work with coming to terms with things, but this is a good start. I feel like it’s… productive.”

“Does it help? Truly help?” Shiro asked, brows together in concern as Keith looked away.

“I don’t know yet. I don’t… really want to do trigger therapy, but it seems to be working so far.” Keith admitted, slowly looking back to Shiro. “How do you approach your triggers so you don’t freeze?”

Shiro swallowed, and Keith knew the answer before Shiro spoke. “I don’t.” Shiro admitted, reaching out and taking Keith’s hand. “I push through because I don’t have a choice, but you know as well as I do that it isn’t a real fix. I’ve been focusing more on you, and our friends. I know that if anything should happen you’ll be able to push on without me, and that you and them will both help lift me up when I fall.” He continued. “It’s working for now, but I should work on my own trauma too.”

Keith smiled, knowing the difficulty in that admission, and the path before them. He just hoped it would help before things got out of hand. Before they no longer had the upper hand.
 
“Kitten.” Matt purred, slowly and with an underlying rumble that made it difficult for Keith not to snort. “Are you telling me you moved on before I was even cold in my grave?”

“Matt you weren’t dead, not even close to it.” Keith said, cup of Galran caff in his hand and hair tied up in a messy bun. It was early, late enough for even Matt to be awake but not so late as to cause Dayak to hunt for him. Keith found that he had truly missed the Galra’s equivalent of coffee, but even so it was nothing like what he got to enjoy on Daibazaal. It was a close replica, but not exact. As of right now, those beans were long extinct, and it was possible that in this universe? They would never be seen again. Not if it meant they would lose Allura again.

Keith wouldn’t agree with that, even for all the Galra coffee in every reality. Not for anything. Glancing over to where Allura sat next to Lotor, enjoying a humble breakfast and private conversation. “Oi. Keith. Great, he’s ignoring me now. Shiro, how do you deal with this?” Keith heard Matt’s voice again and smiled. He had been lightyears away.

“You get used to old men and their moments of quiet, pensive reflection.” Shiro teased, and as Keith turned cold eyes to him, Shiro only grinned wider. “Oh, he’s back.”

“Get your chin off your hand like you’re all innocent, Shirogane.” Keith threatened, but his lips were tugging up in a smile. “Matt, don’t you have a long lost family to annoy?”

“Why Kitten, that’s what I’m doing. Though I still don’t know how I feel about not being able to return to my rightful place in your bed.” Matt feigned, still grinning.

“We’ll see if Takashi is amiable.” Keith answered with a cool sarcasm, long missing this banter.

After their inevitable win, Keith and Matt did have their fair share of rolls in the sack, but it was never anything more. They both knew someone else held his heart, but Matt would never speak of it seriously. He would tease and jest, but never risk actually hurting Keith.

What he missed most was the way Shiro’s face would go red and sputter, and looking to the man now, he couldn’t help but grin. “What, Shiro? You’re not up for sharing with Daddy?” Even as the words came from his mouth, Matt couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“You’re both terrible. Have neither of you grown up?” Shiro asked, but he smiled.

“Being grown up sucks.” Matt said, tilting his head. “Making you make that face is the opposite of sucking.”

“No that’s the face he makes when I’m sucking too.” Keith drawled easily, grinning at the indignant squawk that Shiro made.

The snap of a riding crop filled the air before Keith even reacted. Slowly, he raised his hand to his head, already feeling a welt appear beneath his hair. “Time to begin!” Dayak’s voice cracked through the eating room the same as her riding crop had.
 
Keith was shaking, his muscles pulled tight and aching as he faced Dayak when the doors slammed open. “Keith! We depart soon, the White Lion must accompany us.” Lotor’s voice boomed across the room.

As Keith turned, Lotor paused but nodded. “The Castle departs for Oriande.”

“Oriande?” Keith asked, brows drawn down. He remembered the name, but couldn’t place its importance. All he knew was that it was important. “I will be in the hanger shortly.”

Dayak held him for a few more minutes, face sincere and tone surprisingly quiet. There was compassion in his tone and face, something she buried under the facade of a serious tutor who saw only her chosen task.

“Stay for a few moments, Paladin. I would like some words with you.” Keith had never heard her speak in such a tone. It was quiet, pained even.

Keith paused, turning to her and guarding his reaction. He had seen this expression on his mother’s face before, pained with what she knew was not good news.

She wore that face when she told him of Shiro’s engagement a lifetime ago.

“Lotor was a bright child, but a hurt one. You wear that same sort of pain in your eyes at times, I feel you understand. I want you to know that I loved that boy like he were my own son as Haggar and Zarkon did not. He is very dear to me, though I do not show it the same way humans do. A way you may find more familiar.

“But I fear what this venture to Oriande may wield for him. He is all that is good of us Galra, holds those parts in him that you do as well. Do not let him corrupt himself with greed and foolish endeavors.”

Keith was silent for a moment before nodding. “I do not know what had once happened with him on Oriande, but I do know that he believes he could change the course of the Empire with knowledge he gains there.”

“Keith. That is not what I asked.” Dayak’s tone was sharp. “The original prophecy of the Messengers said they would bring about the fall of the Galra Empire. I am a proud Galra, dedicated to my Emperor. I should have struck you down as first I saw you… but seeing you, and the respect Lotor has for you… I believe that you may bring about something much greater than the Galra Empire could ever be.

“I only ask that you keep Lotor on a path that means he will be able to partake in that greatness.”
 
Keith still shivered at the memory of Dayak’s words. They left something akin to a pit in his stomach. Shiro stood waiting for him at the entrance to the Castle Ship, head high and gentle smile on his face. “I’ve already packed all of your things.” Shiro said, reaching out and gently clasping Keith’s elbow. “We’re ready to depart when you are.”

“Keep him on a path  that means he will be able to partake in that greatness.”

Over Shiro’s shoulder, Keith could see Lotor’s cool eyes on them. “Let’s head out then.”
 
Near the end of their trip, the Paladins said goodbye to Sam Holt, departing for Earth to warn them of the possible, impending threat. Too many whispers came about regarding Zarkon’s Generals planning to fight for the throne despite the Kral Zera.

Others of threats to destroy Voltron, hitting them where it would hurt the most, and Sam had believed that meant Earth.

Keith hadn’t wanted to confirm these worries, too much had happened and changed, there were too many possible changes… and he hadn’t wanted to worry them. Sam had requested they all make videos to send to Earth, something for the Garrison and their families to see.

He sat in the side of the larger room he and Shiro had chosen to move to in the castle, trying not to listen in as Shiro recorded his own message to his family. His grandparents had long moved on with the knowledge and belief that Shiro was dead, and Keith had insisted he take this chance to correct them. Maybe even send something to Adam.

The latter thought, however, Keith had chosen to use. His father was long gone, he knew it would be foolish to send something to the MFE’s, who still had yet to earn that title now. Adam, however? Adam had been a friend, even despite their strained relationship. Standing, Keith decided to record his own message in Black, and leave Shiro to his. Standing, however, seemed to only gain Shiro’s attention.

“Baby? Where are you going?” Shiro asked, giving him a smile that Keith couldn’t resist.

Stepping into Shiro’s space, Keith smiled and pressed a kiss to the man’s forehead. “I’m going to start on mine now. I’ll be back soon.”

Shiro smiled in answer and tugged Keith down into a proper kiss. “I won’t be too much longer, I promise.”

Keith smiled and looked into the floating camera. “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Shirogane.” He said with a wave before pressing a kiss to the top of Shiro’s head and retreating from the room.
 
The hallways leading to the hanger were silent, nothing but his echoing footsteps and Shadow as his constant, silent… well, shadow. He reached the Black Lion without interruption and as he settled into the cockpit, he was reminded of his first attempt at journaling his life. It was so long ago now, so long since he had tried to record something, anything here.

Bringing up the recording options, he managed to start a video just to stare into it silently for a long minute.

“I’m not sure how to start this if I’m honest. Sam wanted us to make something for him to take, but I didn’t really have anyone to send it to. Dad’s dead, Shiro was really the only person I would have considered home on Earth, but he’s out here with me… So I’m sending this for you, Adam.” He swallowed hard, looking down. “I know that the last time we spoke it was hard for us both… but I always considered you like a big annoying elder brother. You’re still like family to me, and if there’s anyone I want to share this with, it’s you. I want you to know that we’re alive. We’re so alive. Shiro is here with me, being amazing, but it has its own price.

“I died, Adam. I fell in the Red Lion and didn’t make it. I came back somehow… I’ve seen so much in that death. A whole life I lived in that death, and I’ve seen so many things that came true even now, and there are things I’ve tried to stop. This is my last ditch effort… if we fail now.” Keith took a deep breath and sat forward.

“Earth will be attacked, I believe that Sendak is still alive. The Galara Empire is changing, we’re trying to solve all of this peacefully, but I have reason to believe this will not be successful. If Emperor Lotor falls all will be lost. The Universe will be baptized in blood and fire and only from those ashes will the Voltron Coalition rise again and restore all that we’ve lost, but it will be at such a great cost.

“Earth needs to be ready. Sam Holt is a brilliant man, the things he will bring to life will change the course of Earth’s future, and there are so many amazing things that we humans can do by working together, but it’s so important that we work together.”

Keith bowed his head for a moment and breathed for a moment before looking to the camera again. “And now I address the Galaxy Garrison. This war is already coming for us, Voltron is piloted almost in its entirety by humans. We are a face to the Universe that we will not tolerate a dictatorship that focuses on blood and power and the death of innocents in the name of that power. We have taken our stand on behalf of Humanity and fought against this.

“This is a call to arm for all humans, all those who call Earth home. All who call this Universe home. We will not allow ourselves to be enslaved, murdered as an example."

Keith took another long breath, looking down to where Shadow lay curled at his feet. “There was a quote once, written by a human so many years ago… “Don't kill if you can wound, don't wound if you can subdue, don't subdue if you can pacify, and don't raise your hand at all until you've extended it.” It is this method that we are building our coalition upon, however... If Earth is touched by Sendak… those words will mean nothing. We have tried all we can, we are building a new Universe where the lines of race do not matter, Galra and Human and Altean and Balmeran and Olkari, we stand together in the face of tyrany. We will not let Earth fall due to rogue Galra and their supporters who want to watch the Universe burn. This threat is real.”

“To all citizens of Earth. Voltron will be there to defend you, but you must also be able to defend yourself. Heed the words of Samuel Holt. We will bring peace to the universe, but it will take time and contribution from all of us.”

Keith didn’t know how he looked. He didn’t know if he looked as dedicated and sure as he wanted to, but he tried his best to project those feelings. “The Galactic Coalition will one day combine all of the Universe and lead us into a time of peace. A time where we will all thrive and work together, but we must first Defend ourselves against tyranny…

“It’s the most important topic in the Universe: peace. What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Daibazzal enforced on the Universe by Galra weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life in this Universe worth living, the kind that enables planets and people to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children — not merely peace for humans but peace for all — not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.”

Keith paused, feeling all too suddenly that he was a machine, creating some sort of propaganda. "There will come a day where the Lions of Voltron will fly off, knowing there is no more war to be fought, no more need to defend in the wake of a Universe at peace, and I want you all to be there with me on that day. I do not wish that we lose a single human life to this war.

"I do not want to lay flowers at the graves of any of my friends or family. I have seen too much death, faced too much fighting, and dreamed too much change for us to turn our backs on our neighbors believing this fight is not ours."

"I dream of a Universe United. I hope for a life of peace, a time I never have to see another battle, but I can't do it alone. Voltron needs your help." The siren roared over the hanger, red flashing into the viewport of the Black Lion and casting brilliant shadows across his face.

"Paladins! We're receiving a distress signal!" Coran's voice was clear but pressing. "Report to the bridge immediately!"

Keith was already standing, rushing to the door l, not ending the recording. Shadow peeked his head up to the console and letting out a bark before bringing his paw down on a button, ending the recording.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It had been… years since Keith had seen the Calypso. It was said that she was lost on her maiden voyage and the crew had somehow made it back to Earth mostly unharmed. Keith had never known what happened, never really thought to ask… but now, standing on the Bridge of the Castle of Lions and looking on at the Calypso’s back end sticking out of the wormhole, he understood why.

The closer they got to the wormhole the more a budding headache grew behind Keith’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but feel it had to do with their destination. The distress call had been familiar, something Keith had originally thought had belonged to the ATLAS, but they were so far from the ATLAS existing…

But CALYPSO was always ATLAS’ daughter, and their codes had been near identical despite how different CALYPSO had been.

“IGF CALYPSO?” Lance read, looking across the ship’s backside with drawn brows.

Keith chewed his bottom lip, eyes following those sleek lines of blue and green accent on her hull. “We’ll have to check for survivors.” He said, looking to where Lotor had clear protests. “The CALYPSO was a Garrison ship. There may be humans on board we need to assist.”

“Wait, a Garrison ship? Nothing was ever sent out this far, we don’t have ships capable of that yet.” Pidge asked, rushing closer to the viewport, trying to ge a better look. “How did she get out here?”

Keith weighed his options. He could keep the truth to himself, but he knew the Captain of the CALPYSO. Knew him well, and while Ryan Kinkade had never told him what happened, he knew it had to have been because he had asked him not to. “The IGF CALYPSO was the second of her kind, sent out on an exploratory mission. Information about what happened to her was all classified, I never found out what happened…”

Keith was already turning, heading to the doors from the bridge. He had to go. He understood now that he had already been there in his own time, he had no other choice. “Guess I do now.”
 
Black’s cockpit was… tight with everyone crammed inside. Shadow curled around Keith’s feet, tail flicking at Pidge’s boots as she leaned into Keith’s view to get a better look at the ship. “What do you think happened?”

“It’s entirely possible that the wormhole opened right on top of them.” Allura stated, and in the viewport he could track her reflection turning to Lance. “Sometimes time anomalies can cause this sort of thing, and… well, Keith himself is a time anomaly. If our realities touched when he came here there’s more than enough reason to believe that they’ve touched at other times as well.”

“Will we be able to safely board then?” Shiro asked, and something about his calm voice set Keith at ease. It was so different from the first time he had gone to a ship caught in a wormhole, but how close it came to home was more than enough to distress him.

“There shouldn’t be much of an issue, but I can tell you right now we wont get any reading from this side. In this time? The CALYPSO has no passengers. Technically she doesn’t even exist yet, which might mean it’s starting to fall apart inside.” Keith said with a shrug. “We have to head through the portal, it’s those on the other side who are in danger, and there are families on board of the CALYPSO. Civilian families with children.”

“Keith I don’t think that’s a good idea!” Coran’s voice started to clip out as Keith accelerated Black toward the wormhole, feeling Hunk and Shiro grip the back of his piloting chair before they pushed through.
 
Something about the dim white walls of the CALYPSO felt all too familiar to him. Keith had never been on the CALYPSO, but her outline was so similar to ATLAS it was nearly haunting. He had never seen the ATLAS’ halls this quiet. This empty. “We stay together. It would be too hard to explain why any one of us is here, we will have to present a united front.” Keith said, looking to the paladins around him and feeling his head pound even harder.

No one was supposed to exist twice in the same reality it seemed, and it felt like something in his head was trying to shred it’s way out. He supposed this must have been the time he had been grounded from missions due to migraines that made his vision go. Hopefully things wouldn’t progress to that point now. They needed to get the civilians off the ship and back to their reality as soon as possible.

Back home.

Shadow’s nose nudged Keith’s thigh, making him shamefully aware of the fact he had been caught up in his thoughts and missed the paladin’s answers… if they had answered him at all. The dim emergency lights hid his flush of shame as he trod forward to find the areas of the ship that would have held the most oxygen.

He knew with certainty that the Bridge ran on it’s own backup generator that was designed to hold Oxygen longer than any other space on the ship, and the Keith felt he could always find his way to the bridge of the ATLAS from anywhere on the ship, no matter if he had been trying to or not. The CALYPSO should be no different.

It was only fitting Ryan found them first.

“Halt!” Ryan’s voice was clear, unshaken, and Keith hadn’t thought to how he might react to seeing Ryan Kinkade again. The man was handsome as ever, even rugged with a month in wildspace.

Keith’s hands were immediately in the air, facing down the Captain’s blaster. “At ease, Captain.”

“Admiral Kogane?”  Ryan paused, nearly lowering his weapon before taking aim again. “You’re on a mission three systems away, you can’t be here.”

“Yet I am.” Keith said simply. “It’s weird, Ryan, don’t make me try to explain it. Just know that we came through that wormhole you’re stuck in and we’re trying to get everyone out alive.”

“Prove it.”

Keith blinked twice, glancing over to Allura. “Allura… you should have enough oxygen right now, take your helmet off and show him who you are.”

“What?!” Lance hissed, but Allura was already acting, nodding to Keith and slowly reaching up to unlatch her helmet and pull it from her head.

Ryan’s gasp was harsh, something that hurt for Keith to hear.

He had felt the same when he had woken and seen her again. “Allura?”

“She doesn’t know you yet, Ryan, but she will.” Keith said, slowly lowering his arms. “I’m displaced too. I’m from this reality, but many years in the future.”

Ryan looked to him incredulously, but Keith had never been one to mince words or downright lie, and they all knew that. Ryan sighed and finally lowered his weapon. “Your life is so fucking weird, Keith.”

“You have no idea.” Keith agreed, smiling as Ryan reached out a hand that Keith clasped and let himself be pulled into the larger man’s arms.

“I haven’t seen you since the wedding.” Ryan said, turning and expecting them to follow. “Not in person at least. I got your message before we took CALYPSO out…” Keith watched as Ryan rest a flat hand on the ship’s cool wall. “She’s not going to make it out of this, is she?”

Keith rest a supporting hand on Ryan’s shoulder, unable to imagine what Ryan felt in this moment. “You can feel it, Ryan. She’s already gone, she’s just holding together to keep you all alive now.”

Ryan nodded, leading them the rest of the way to the bridge in silence.

The bridge doors opened and revealed a very Human bridge, blankets laying over consoles and people of all species huddled together in small groups. Shiro watched as Ryan Kinkade and Keith split off from the group, but he could hear the whispers that circled the bridge. “Captain Shirogane?”

Shiro turned, looking to the boy who had said his name. If Krolia hadn’t used that title for him before he would have been confused, but it was confirmed. This was the reality Keith had come from. “Hey there.” Shiro said, smiling and taking his helmet off.

The boy looked over Shiro with narrowed eyes and lowered brows. “You’re not Captain Shirogane…”

“Miles, don’t be like that. You know odd things happen out here.” A woman spoke up, coming up behind the boy and smiling to Shiro. “I’m sorry about my son, we weren’t originally supposed to be on the CALYPSO’s maiden voyage, but we won the lottery and I don’t think he actually read up on everything that happens out here.”

Shiro smiled down at the couple, tugging his helmet off and tucking it under his arm. “Space can be a little weird like that.” Shiro agreed with a smile.

“Especially after all the timelines were reformed.” The woman teased her son with a smile, whereas the boy, Miles, only seemed to roll his eyes.

“Mum I know the story.” Miles grumbled, crossing his arms. “It’s just we-” The boy cut off, eyes growing wide when he saw something behind Shiro.

Shiro turned, looking to where Allura was quickly being circled by the survivors of the CALYPSO. “Princess Allura?” The amazement in their voices were more than enough to make Shiro remember.

In this timeline, they had all watched Allura die.

Keith had watched his dear friend die. Shiro looked over to his lover, seeing how the man made a clear point to avoid looking at the scene before them, and how Captain Kinkade seemed to understand and helped to steer Keith away from the forming crowd.

It took a minute of watching Keith’s disappearing back before Shiro realized Hunk was next to him. “If we’re in his time… does that mean that we’re going to meet ourselves?” Hunk’s voice was quiet, surprisingly gentle. Shiro always knew Hunk was the most compassionate of them, but now he understood the way Keith would look at the young man. Shiro could see an inking of who Hunk would become… Keith had already seen it. Had grown with him, and every time Shiro thought about it, his stomach dropped. The reality of what Keith lived… he was quite literally standing in it.

“I don’t know.” Shiro admitted, but something about the idea soured his stomach. The Shiro of this universe had done something to Keith… and while he never asked, he could see it in the way Keith looked at him sometimes. He couldn’t imagine what it was, or how he could ever begin to make up for actions he had never taken.

He didn’t know how he would handle meeting an alternate version of himself.

“Shiro? Shirooooooo?” Hunk drawled, large hand passing in front of his face twice before Shiro caught Hunk’s wrist and raised a brow at him.

“Yes Hunk?”

“You were lightyears away, dude, sorry.” He said, smiling. “Come on, let’s go save Lance from the kids.”
 
“Attention everyone!” Ryan spoke loudly, arms aloft to grab attention. “We’ve successfully contacted Earth! We will be using the Black Lion to shuttle us all back to the Garrison. We will need to take two trips due, but Altea has also been notified and will open a Teladuv for us. We will all be home by cycles end.”

Cheers filled the Bridge, and Keith finally stepped up to Ryan’s side, looking between the man and those he had commanded, lead into what they had all believed would be a true expansion. A knowledge gaining adventure.

“We will need volunteers to stay here with the Paladins. We will need one-hundred to stay until we return able to reload passengers into the Lion.” Keith spoke up, looking across the bridge. “We are not looking to separate families. Staff are expected to remain to prepare the remaining civilians for departure and say final goodbyes to the CALYPSO. Salvage as much tech as possible to be returned to the Galactic Coalition with the hopes that it can be reused for another ship.”

“We will begin loading into the Black Lion in ten dobashes.” Ryan continued, hands now clasped behind his back. “We expect the decisions to have been made by then.”
 
The ten dobosh span they were given went quickly, but when Shiro watched the Black Lion fly away, he knew that no matter how long it would actually take for Keith to return would feel much longer than it truly was. Something about being inside of this ship had felt… familiar. The distance Keith kept from them even more painful than he wanted to admit. There was something weighing on Keith that he wouldn’t approach, and all it made Shiro think of was Keith trying to shoulder his way through his trauma with Dayak.

All those years of living a life in this reality and Keith still didn’t know how to approach his own trauma… Not that Shiro did any better.

Keith’s insistence that Sendak had likely crawled out of the Kral Zera still alive still gave Shiro shivers and small heart palpitations. Recovery wasn’t a one-off thing that could be cured in the span of days simply by wishing it to happen. It would take years, and Shiro was sure that neither of them would be the same as they had been before Kerberos.

“Captain Shirogane.” Ryan Kinkade’s voice was quiet, strong behind him, and it reminded him of the kid that he had one known of Kinkade. A cadet with a sharp mind and gentle hand, much like Hunk. Looking to him now, however, there was little of that child left.

Kinkade had grown into a man, one who had clearly faced war and come out strong, but scarred. They all had. A mark down his jaw had never healed properly, leaving a line of twisted flesh where hair would not grow, leaving his space-roughened and bearded look a much harder line. “Captain Kinkade.” Shiro responded in kind, taking in the soft look in the man’s eyes. “How can I help you?”

“It’s nothing like that, Shiro.” Ryan said, smiling and shrugging. “We worked together for years now in this reality, and I know it might be weird for you, but I would appreciate it if you would allow me to be candid with you.”

Something about those words made Shiro feel… suspect. “Of course, Ryan.” Shiro tested, relaxing slightly as Ryan smiled. It wasn’t often Shiro felt cowed by anyone, let alone someone he had once helped to teach, but something about Ryan’s protective demeanor threw Shiro off.

“Come, let’s talk.” Ryan said, already turning and trodding down a hallway.

Shiro glanced back to where the Paladins had all sat with the remaining children on board, all wrapped up in talking and entertaining that they hadn’t noticed Shiro’s distraction. They wouldn’t notice his absence either, and for that he was thankful.

Shiro followed Ryan to a small observation deck, the spotted light of distant stars illuminating the dark room. The radiation from the portal shimmered across the floor and danced around the shadows they cast as Ryan Kinkade lead them to a small seating area, but instead of sitting, Kinkade just stood in the shadows and looked out into the universe. “I have a lot to tell you, Shiro. A lot about Keith, and a lot about this universe we’re in.” Ryan paused, staring out at the stars before them. He was silent for a long moment before he opened his mouth again.

“The Shiro of this universe made choices that honestly… shocked most of us. While it shocked us, it crushed Keith. He threw himself into turning the Blade of Marmora into a humanitarian group right after the we-” Ryan paused again, looking to the ground and shaking his head. “When we were cadets, I hardly knew Keith. We were the same age group, yes, and I wasn’t exactly close with James, but I certainly didn’t stop him when he picked fights with Keith. None of us did, but after the war we managed to become friends. Axca and Veronica’s relationship was almost exclusively responsible for that. We took leaves together, the MFE’s and Keith and Matt. We all became close, and then your-” Ryan caught himself and shook his head.

Finally, Ryan looked to Shiro and continued. “The Shiro of this universe released an announcement and everything changed. Keith started pulling back, dedicating himself to his work more and more, and we all saw it, but there was nothing we could do. You were always the most important thing to him.”

“What did I do?” Shiro asked, quietly. He wanted answers, wanted to understand the distance Keith was putting between them. They both knew better, that what the Shiro of this Universe did wasn’t him… but Shiro wanted to understand.

“I won’t tell you.” Ryan said simply, shrugging. “You’ll find out when you make it to Earth. The situation was explained to the Holts and everyone is coming together to see Allura again. We’ve already warned her about it, but I want to warn you too. I can see how you look at Keith, and we once thought

he

looked at Keith that way too. Make sure Keith knows that just because you and he are both Takashi Shirogane, you are not the same.”

Shiro swallowed, the words radiating a protectiveness that nearly took him off guard. Once Shiro would have thought himself the only one that close to Keith, but he supposed he understood. Whatever choice this Shiro had made… it had basically removed him from Keith’s life.
 
When the Black Lion landed atop the CALYPSO, the whole ship creaked, and it were like a bubble popped. There was a rush to get everything completed, items and people loaded into the lion, but the pilot seemed the slowest. Shiro tracked Keith down to a dark hallway, Shadow trailing behind him and blotting out part of the brilliant white armor. “Keith?”

Keith paused, turning slowly to look at Shiro. Something in his face was tight, almost pained, and more than enough to get Shiro to his side. Hands cupped Keith’s cheeks, thumb dragging across those high cheekbones and soft skin. “Baby what happened?”

Slender fingers wrapped around Shiro’s wrists, a small smile finding its way to pink lips and the weight that felt that it were about to crush Shiro’s chest since they landed on the ship lifted. “Takashi.” Keith spoke, and something about the way he said it seemed like he said it just to feel the name on his lips.

“Keith.” Shiro said in answer, brushing their noses together.

It was Keith who initiated the kiss, and Shiro could feel the man’s shoulders relaxing at the act. The kiss grew in heat as Keith wrapped arms around Shiro’s neck and pressed himself against him. The want was overwhelming, and all Shiro wanted to do was push Keith up against that wall and assure him just how much he was loved.

Taking a step to do just that, a solid object pressed into Shiro’s backside to keep him moving, and like that the wall gave way to their movements. Blinking, startled, Shiro looked around the room they were now in before looking down to the Space Wolf who trotted out from behind him and into what appeared to be an engine room. “What.” All the energy to be shocked seemed drained at the utter impossibility of what had just happened.

Keith laughed, looking down to his wolf and shook his head. “We were going that way.” He assured the haughty wolf as it left them.

“What just happened?” Shiro asked, unable to keep from smiling at how relaxed Keith had grown.

“Shadow’s name is what it is not because of his color, but because of his gift.” Keith explained, approaching a cylinder in the center of the room. “Shadow Walking in the ability to walk through shadows. Not exactly as amazing as Kosmo’s ability to straight up teleport, but incredible in it’s own way.” Keith explained, pressing a small screen on the column and typing in code after code it requested of him.

It seemed only now to register. The title everyone kept insisting on using for him had been “Captain”. Ryan had called Keith “Admiral”. Keith was ranks above him in this universe, leagues ahead of him again, and for a moment Shiro was upset. There was no way he hadn’t progressed in the Coalition to a role that Keith shared. Something was… off about it. “Kinkade called you Admiral.” He chose to say, hands on his hips and smiling. “That’s one hell of a title, Keith. I’m proud of you.”

“Admiral Kogane of the Grand Army of the Galactic Coalition. It’s a technically retired title as there hasn’t been need of an Army for years. Ryan likes to tease me with it.” Keith explained, gripping the handle atop the cylinder and pulling it up to reveal a crystal floating in stasis. “But it gives me rights on all Galactic Coalition ships and access codes to all the important parts.”

“Like this.” Shiro pointed out as Keith wrapped his hand around the crystal and the backup lights dimmed and the constant quiet hum of the CALYPSO silenced forever.

Keith looked down to the crystal in his hands, small like the one that ran the ATLAS, but different. There was no collapsed Castle of Lions in this crystal, only an equal amount of energy generated on Altea. He would take the liberty of keeping this particular crystal. “Like this.” Keith echoed in agreement.

He had no intention of allowing the Castle of Lions to fall, but the ATLAS had to run on something.

Two lead ships for the Coalition… it could change the course of the war if Sendak chose to attack Earth…

“Let’s get to Black before we lose oxygen.” Keith said, clutching the crystal tight and looking to Shiro with a determined smile.
 
The comm call with Earth had been odd enough for Shiro to witness, but seeing an elder Pidge with shoulder length hair and lab coat at the bottom of the Black Lion’s ramp was… a little distressing. She looked up to them like they were the most interesting science experiment, but when they reached the bottom of the ramp she bypassed all of them directly to Keith and sticking her stylus in his face. “How are your symptoms? Headache? Dizzyness? Discorporation?”

“Fuck, Pidge.” Keith jolted, grabbing the stylus from her hand and narrowing his eyes. “You should be grilling the survivors like this, not me.”

“Well they’re not existing twice in the same timeline. Your quintessence has to be fluctuating like crazy between your two bodies.” Pidge protested, hands going to her hips.

“And we can get that solved once this is all over, okay? So we should get…” Keith sighed, and Shiro was finally able to see it, the hardly controlled concern in Pidge’s face. He had never seen it like this, but he supposed he hadn’t seen this Pidge before. Didn’t know how life had changed her. “I’m fine, Pidge.” Keith’s tone was soft, just for her to pull him into a hug.

“We haven’t seen you in months, Keith… Where are you right now?” Pidge asked into his armor, and Shiro felt like he was watching a moment that should be private, but at least he wasn’t the only spectator.

“I’m fine, Pidge. I promise.” Keith nearly whispered, cupping the back of his friend’s head. “I’m on Crydor freezing my ass off. I won’t be back to Earth for a few more Phoebs, but you’ll see me before then.” He promised, pulling back from Pidge with a smile. “You’re so young.”

“Me young!?” Pidge barked out, cuffing Keith on the head and frowning. “You’re a goddamn infant! You look like you did before the battle for Earth!”

“I heard Keith was up to some more weird Space shit?” Shiro recognized that voice, turning to see Matt approaching, short hair and facial scar Shiro was only beginning to recognize on the boy’s face. Only the boy was very much a man now, marching up to Keith with a significant purpose. “Keith-y Kitten what have you gotten yourself into now?”

“Well, I’ve just lived my whole life here, died, and woke up as a Paladin again and most recently I brought all the Paladins through a portal that landed my ass on the Calypso and back here twice over in the same timeline.” Keith said, hands on his hips and smile on his face.

“Sexy.” Matt said, pulling the man into his arms as well and planting a kiss on his lips. “When do I get to see you next?”

Keith cleared his throat, looking over to Shiro with a bashful expression and red cheeks. “Not too long. You catch me on my way back from Crydor with- Wait this is probably why. Matt you sneaky bastard.” Keith rambled, shoving the man who only laughed harder.

“I’m already making plans.” Matt said with a wink, and Shiro had to turn away and look to the approaching group to calm down.

So Keith and Matt

had

slept together. Something about that knowledge made him feel… jealous. He knew there was no point in feeling jealousy over past partners, but that green devil reared its ugly head nonetheless. “Weird.” He heard Lance’s voice say, but it was older. Deeper.

While Shiro was so caught up in watching Keith’s interactions, he hadn’t paid attention to the Paladins as they paired off with their older counterparts. It was hard not to notice the blue Altean markings on Lance’s face and how much more sure of himself Hunk was. “Where’s Shiro?” Their Lance spoke up, looking around just to notice how tense the air grew in regards to that topic.

“He’s on his way.” Matt said with surety, eyes drifting to Shiro for a moment. “He just had to wait for someone.”

Shiro had seen the way Keith looked away when his name was mentioned, the pain just barely hidden in his face, and twined their fingers together and given his hand a small squeeze. “Oh.” Matt spoke up, clearly watching the action. “Sorry Shiro.” He said with a wide smile.

“It’s no problem, Matt. I’m just not going to be able to look at you when I get home.” Shiro said with a small smile.

“Hey, he hasn’t done anything! Keith and I only started hooking up casually in the last few phoebs.” Matt said with a laugh that Shiro couldn’t match.

“Sorry we’re late!”

It was… weird hearing his own voice. It was higher than he heard it himself, but the way Keith reacted made his heart drop. That squeeze of his hand made Shiro want to take him away, hold him in their bed and never leave it. But he had to know.

Looking across the docking bay, Shiro saw himself approach, hand in hand with a man Shiro had never met. Or had yet to meet. His hair was completely white and metal arm hovering at his side, not connected. The man holding his hand was dark skinned and slender, just a few inches taller than himself. “Oh.” Shiro said quietly, the heat of anger bubbling up in his chest.

How could he?

How could he settle for anyone but Keith after all Keith had done for him? He loved Keith… but it seemed this Shiro didn’t.

Keith began turning, ignoring the other Shiro’s call of his name, and Shiro couldn’t let go of his lover’s hand. He followed Keith up the ramp, and felt a small victory at the realization that Keith wasn’t running away. “You still want to do this ‘Llura?” Keith asked, looking to where the Altean sat just inside the mouth of the Black Lion.

Allura looked up to him with emotions clearly mixed on her face. “Are you sure it won’t hurt them more than anything?” She asked, wringing her hands. “I’m not their Allura, she’s never coming back…”

“It probably will, but it’s what they want.” Keith said, and Shiro could feel the way the man’s grip on his hand tightened.

Allura nodded and stood. “Then I will go. I just hope… it won’t hurt them too much.”
 
Keith watched Allura exit down the ramp, the sound of his friends pained surprise at the sight of her reaching his ears and shattering his heart. “Keith.” Shiro’s voice was soft next to him, quiet and so close.

It hurt. Hurt seeing Shiro with Curtis even as he had Shiro at his side. It was… an odd situation. Foolish for that to upset him, but it still did. Looking over he saw Shiro looking to him in concern.

His

Shiro. It no longer mattered what reality they had come from… They had found each other and loved each other. That was all that mattered.

Part of him wanted to march down those steps and pull this Shiro into his arms and show the Shiro of his time everything he missed out on… but he supposed that would only make things harder for the him who was on Crydor. Or maybe it was why Shiro never spoke to him outside of their yearly gathering on Altea. “Keith, baby, come back to me.” Shiro’s hand was on his cheek and that soft smile that always tempted Keith to kiss him silly on his lips. “You were lightyears away.”

“It’s… hard.” Was all he could manage to articulate. Stupid. But Shiro smiled like he understood and pulled Keith into the circle of his arms.

“I can promise you, Keith. I will never leave you.” Shiro promised, words whispered into the crown of his head. “We’ll end the war and go off together to explore the Galaxies.”

Keith couldn’t help but let out a wet laugh and squeeze Shiro tightly. “Promise.”

“I promise.” Shiro answered, only pulling away to look down at Keith’s face in a way that nearly made Keith’s heart stop.

“Keith!” Lance’s voice filled the hanger and Keith looked down to the group for the first time since he had gone up to find Allura.

Lance grinned up at him, his Altean markings glowing with his large grin. “Get your ass down here, Kogane I haven’t seen you in phoebs and now you’re running away after making me

cry

like an ass!”

Something about the crassness of Lance made Keith laugh, and it was like something new filled his chest. Energy and an odd feeling of… accomplishment. “Come on.” Shiro whispered, arm snaking around Keith’s waist and giving him a small squeeze before practically pulling Keith down the ramp.

Keith was pulled into Lance’s arms the minute his boots met the steel of the hanger and he could feel the wetness of Lance’s face against his neck. “Thank you… for letting me see her again.”

Keith let out a heavy sigh, crushing Lance around him. “Idiot.” He whispered, shaking his head. “She’s always with you, you’re the one who taught me that.”

Lance’s shoulders shook, and he refused to let go of Keith for another minute. “When do I get to see you again? Pidge explained everything…”

“A few more phoebs. I’ll visit you on the farm. I crash with you for a few days before heading off on another mission.” He said, pulling out of Lance’s grip and squeezing his shoulders.

“And you’re a pain in my ass the whole time?”

“Excuse you Lance McClain I make myself one damn good cowboy.” Keith protested with a smile. “You’ll see.”

“If you help Kaltinecker deliver her calf I’ll shit myself.” Lance said, crossing his arms and smiling.

“I cannot confirm or deny anything.”

“Cowboy Kogane? That’s something I’d like to see.” Curtis’ voice was steady, friendly, but it felt like scraping metal to Keith.

Turining his head to Curtis, Keith smiled, about to speak when he heard Shiro’s voice. “Sounds about right, actually.”

Shiro stood behind him with a smile. “I can just see you now, all proud of yourself, fully capable in a pair of jeans and a flannel.”

Keith had once fantasized about being between two Shiros, but it was never like this, and the events of the Cloning Facility had changed his mind in a way that felt finite. Now? It felt almost as tense as the cloning facility had.

Looking back to his Shiro, standing tall with missmatched hair and Galra Arm, Keith smiled. “Had a hat and everything. Lance insisted.”

“I sure as hell am going to now. I need to go buy a black cowboy hat for your emo ass as soon as I leave.” Lance supplied, hands on his hips and grinning.

“All I can think of are bad jokes about riding now.” Matt supplied only to be elbowed by both Pidges. “Oh absolutely not I can’t heal with two of you like this.”

Keith grinned at his friends, hardly noticing the warm feeling of Shiro’s hand at his back.

“So, about when are you…” Shiro asked, and Keith finally had to look at him. Civilian clothes and those damn glasses.

“Things are different. Very different. I’m trying to change things, save people we lost in this time.” Keith said, diplomatically.

“If there’s anyone who could do that, Keith, it would be you.”

Shiro’s support only felt like a twisting knife, but the hand at his back slid around his waist as his Shiro stepped closer. “Not alone.” Shiro supplied, looking down the few inches between them in height. “We all know he’s amazing, but he should never have to carry that burden alone. We won’t let him.”

“Can’t let Keith take all the glory.” Lance… the younger Lance chimed in, and like that an invisible line formed between the groups.

“Last time we let him run off into a battle he had to get a ride back to us from Lotor.” Pidge spoke up, gently punching Keith’s arm. “Even if it brought Dad back to us.”

“Acting like he’s the only one who can keep us safe. We’re all here for each other. We’re a team, a family.” Hunk chimed in, and if they didn’t all shut up Keith was about to start crying or something stupid.

Allura smiled at him as she slid up to Shiro’s other side. “We’ve all been lifted up by one another, and we will continue to do so until the very end. We learn from each other’s actions and I can see that Keith was given to us for a reason, and we were brought to find the Calypso for a reason. We know he’s not the same Keith that we lost when Red fell… But he’s our Keith, and he’s just as dear to us. We don’t want to lay the responsibility of ending the war strictly on his shoulders, it is a weight we all carry, and he can guide us as the leader he’s shown us that he is. He’s amazing, and I hope all of you have realized this about him yourselves as well.”

Keith blinked between his team with a tight expression, one he was sure showed too many of his emotions. “Did you all just give yourselves a shovel talk?”

That was enough to bring a laugh out of each team. All but two members.

“Keith just…” Shiro, the Shiro he had brought back to life and sacrificed everything for all those years ago, spoke up, looking at him with eyes full of concern. Of regret. “You’re not… You shouldn’t have to fight the war twice. Shouldn’t have to but I know that you can bring peace there too.”

Keith was silent for a moment, feeling too many things at once, but before he could open his mouth and say something stupid, Shiro pressed his lips against his temple, properly shutting off the connection from Keith’s brain to his mouth. “We’ll be there to help him the whole way. To let him rest when he needs it and pick him up when he needs lifted.” Shiro said, an oddly protective feeling radiating over Keith’s shoulder.

“We should probably get going.” Pidge spoke up, looking to where Rover hovered. “We’re running out of time before the portal between our timelines collapses, and we can’t risk being stuck on this side of the portal.”

Keith would be eternally grateful for Pidge and her timing. Too much attention on him and all of it so personal, he was absolutely on edge. Embarrassed and uncomfortable while knowing there was no cause to be.

“Yes. Lets.” Shiro agreed over Keith’s head, giving Keith a moment to compose himself before turning to the Black Lion.

“Shiro. I would like it if you could Pilot Black.” Keith requested quietly, too much in his mind to even find comfort in flight. His mind was muddled, the headache he had been fighting since seeing the wormhole cresting to its most intense.

“Of course, baby.” Shiro assured, giving him a small squeeze before releasing him and moving ahead of them to the cockpit.

Keith paused for a moment, looking back down the ramp to his friends. The ones he had watched grow into who they were in that moment, who he had known after this moment had passed with no knowledge of this encounter.

To where Pidge stood with her brother, a proud yet sad smile on both their faces. Lance and Hunk who were both teary eyed, both unashamed as they watched Allura disappear into the Black Lion. Shiro, a closed off expression on his face as he stood next to his chosen life partner. His emotions were mixed, unexpected. He didn’t feel eager to leave, nor did he feel an urge to stay. It felt… cathartic. A sort of closure he hadn’t known he needed.

His lives had lead him to this point, and while he knew he would never forget nor move on from the life he lived in this Universe, it felt like the ending of a chapter in his life. A new understanding for what had happened in his life and why.

He turned from his past and stepped forward to his future. To his team who awaited him with a better understanding of him than they had in another life. To his friends and found family.
 
“You did all of that on the other side of the wormhole?” Coran asked, eyes large and darting between the paladins. “You were hardly gone a few clicks!”

Keith couldn’t help but smile from where he sat, hands wrapping cord and metal with distracted fingers. “Time’s different when wormholes are concerned. We could have returned in what was twelve years for you and it would have been the same things we did on the other side.” He said with a shrug, looking up to Shiro and nodding him over.

“Are you going to show me what you’ve been working on this whole time?” Shiro asked, standing over Keith with hands on his hips and a smile on his lips.

“I want you to keep ahold of this.” Keith said, holding up the crystal from the CALYPSO, now crudely wrapped in metal and on a simple cord.

Shiro took it from Keith’s hands with a raised brow. “This is what powered the CALYPSO, right?”

“Yep. I have a feeling you might need it.”

Shiro only smiled in answer, looking down as light danced through the crystal in his hand.

“Friends. We near our destination.” Lotor’s voice pulled them from their reprieve, all eyes shifting to the viewport.

Oriande. While they couldn’t see it, they knew that soon they would part with Allura and Lotor as they reached their destination in their quest for knowledge. Keith couldn’t help but look to Lotor, an ill feeling growing in his chest. He didn’t know what it was Lotor would see on Oriande, but he knew whatever it was he would see there would decide his future.

Still, all Keith could think of were Dayak’s words.

“Keep him on a path that means he will be able to partake in that greatness.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Keith wished that Allura had shared more information with him about her trip to Oriande, especially in this moment. His headache from the trip to his previous reality was nothing in comparison to the headache that pounded behind his eyes now as Lotor and Allura stood together, Altean marks glowing on their face. The White Lion was what Lotor called him… but he had never shared the dreams he had of that exact Lion’s face they had just seen protecting Oriande.

It felt like the Lion was growling lowly in his mind even now, differently than how Black always felt like a warm presence curled in the back of his mind. A housecat laying in a ray of sunlight and a wildcat dragging claws through flesh. He could hardly process Lotor’s words as he spoke of The Mark of the Chosen.

“Allura and I must enter the White Hole alone.”

The arguing in answer didn’t help Keith’s headache, reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose, he let out a long breath. A warm, heavy hand rest on his shoulder, and looking over to Shiro he smiled. “I’m fi-”

“Keith?” Shiro’s brows rocketed to his hairline, voice lost to the others in their upset of Allura and Lotor’s plan.

“Hn?”

“Keith your eyes.” Shiro cupped Keith’s face, thumbs just below his lower lashes. “Are you in pain?”

“Is my Galra showing?”

“It must have been from the blasts we took in the White Hole.” Shiro said, frowning. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Shiro. Just a headache.”

“Coran! Please don’t tell me you’re going to cave in on this!” Lance’s voice was like a knife between the eyes that brought Keith to speak and turn again to the Paladins.

“Lance enough.” He growled out. “She’s right. We won’t be able to get out of here unless Allura can get power back to the ship. Lotor. I need to speak with you before you depart.”
 
Oriande was… beautiful. There was no other way Lotor could describe it. Blue and pinks reflecting against white stone, and for a moment he could only feel a deep sense of foreboding. Once he had dark plans for what he could discover on Oriande… but now, holding a title and an ideal with no true path of execution, he could only follow what he had been dedicated towards and a passion lit in the Princess beside him.

“From here we are on our own.” He said, unsure if he had voiced his doubts before he realized his mouth was moving. The mountains seemed so high, but something about the company calmed him.

As they climbed, they shared stories, Allura wondering if her father had climbed the same mountain, spoke of Alfor’s adventures that she had been privy to, things Coran had told her, and in turn he shared his story of ruling over a planet and mining quintessence. His doubts and her solid strength, there was something warm about the role reversal, but Lotor couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t press on with the tools on hand.

His hands were sore, muscles in his thighs and shoulders aching from the climb and walk, only relieved in the smallest bit by the glowing light of their destination. They could get closer and closer, but it still felt miles away.
 
Keith knew he was no use here, still pinching the bridge of his nose as Pidge, Hunk, and Coran all worked to restore power to the Castle, but he would rather be there than not. Lance rambled his worries, interrupting at the most inopportune times and making Keith’s head pound more. “Keith, I think you should go lay down.” Shiro pressed, a hand gently squeezing Keith’s elbow. “I can tell you’re in pain. There’s not much we can do now but wait and we need to be at our best if anything should happen.”

Keith sighed, knowing without a single doubt that Shiro was right… but it felt wrong to leave the team while they worried and worked. He had been too distant lately to begin with. “Please.”

“Fine.
 
“Shiro can you please take Lance out of here!?” Pidge barked just as the door closed behind Keith.

Blinking over in surprise at the sudden call of his name, Shiro gave the young man a soft smile and nodded. “Come on, Lance. I’m sure we can find something else to do that isn’t aggravate the rest of the team.”

Lance let out a long, heavy sigh and lead the way from the room, Shiro following with an understanding smile. Only once the door closed behind them did Lance speak. “How do you do it, Shiro?”

“Do what?” Was Shiro’s only response, even though he fully understood the question. Lance needed to say the words in his head, not just think them. Not just worry. He needed the chance to reach out to the only one of them that truly understood.

“How do you watch Keith do all the amazing things he does and not freak out every time? How did you not panic when he was gone for so long?” Lance asked, looking up to Shiro with eyes full of pain.

Shiro was sure that he wore that same expression not too long ago.

“I did panic.” He admitted, shrugging and taking a few more steps to keep the pace open. The last thing he wanted was for Lance to shut him out when the boy so rarely reached out to anyone in seriousness. He knew, ultimately, that Lance had just as much sadness in him as Keih. The two of them were just experts at hiding it in their own ways.

“Every time I watch him throw himself headlong into danger I think my heart just stops. It’s like the pit of my stomach just drops out and I think I’m going to be sick. Every time.” Shiro assured, glancing down at the hispanic boy and smiling to himself. “But I also trust him more than anything else. I know he’ll always try his best to make it back to me because he always has.”

Lance was silent for a long moment, shaking his head. “It’s… different I guess. You two are… well, you’re a thing now.”

“Now we are, yes.” Shiro agreed with a shrug, looking back to the white hallway around them. “But it was just the same before. Words can’t describe the way I felt when I watched Red go down. Thinking that I never got to tell him how I felt? I know you won’t have to go through that, Lance. You know why? Because Allura is amazing, just like Keith. Despite the odds, I know she’ll always come back to us somehow. If the universe meant for us to be brought to her and Voltron, if Keith was meant to come back to us the way he did… then there’s no way we’ll lose Allura.”

“But we did.” Lance hissed, turning to Shiro, brows knitted together in distress. “In the universe Keith’s from we lost Allura for good!”

Shiro hadn’t wanted to think of that reality, and for more than the loss of Allura. She was one of his dearest friends, an amazing woman who he would adore for the rest of his life, but he hadn’t lived that reality. Hadn’t felt that loss so directly, but he saw how it fractured the team rather than pulled them together.

Lance’s heartbroken expression, too old for his body, Pidge’s firm station in the Garrison, Hunk’s decision to only follow his culinary passion when they all know his other greatest love and skill was engineering. Shiro’s… marriage.

Keith’s distance and where had Coran been? How had the Altean handled Allura’s death? Had he been there to say his final farewells? Why had he not been there? It was all too sour, something that simply churned his stomach to think of. “This is not that reality, Lance.” Shiro said, voice a little too firm than he had intended.

“We might lose them in a different way in this one.” Lance whispered, voice a harsh hiss.

“Lance, stop.” Shiro reached out, giving a gentile squeeze to Lance’s shoulders. “We have to trust that Allura is strong enough to come back, no matter what she’s facing.” Shiro had to stop before the thought stuck too strongly in his mind.

Who she might be facing.
 
The door to the great structure on Oriande was open, a low rumble reaching Lotor from their distance. It was then he could see it. The White Lion. He had heard legends of the White Lion… from both his research on Altean alchemy, but also the Galran legends of a great White Lion that watched over life and time, escorting the Greats of the Galra into the afterlife.

There was a reason he had called Keith such, and as he saw the lion now… he felt something in him assured at his choice. It was something in the markings around the Lion’s eyes that reminded him of the half Galra they left aboard the Castle of Lions. It was then he felt the lion’s eyes fixed on him intently, and then he turned and departed.

“Look at these ancient markings! They’re beautiful!” Allura’s voice pulled Lotor from his thoughts, looking around to the markings around them.

“The temple of the Alchemists.” He was nearly breathless, the gaze the Lion had laid on him and realization that he had truly made it this far taking the breath out of him. “The answers we seek must be here.”

The growl of the lion seemed to agree with him, but it also took too much of his attention. Something about the beast simply sat him on edge. As most things he couldn’t control did. That did not mean he didn’t know that he must follow the beast where it would lead them.

They continued through the halls to a path lined with great statues. They loomed over them with sightless eyes, only making Lotor’s skin crawl more. Allura seemed to hold none of his reservations as she removed her helmet, awe in her eyes, coloring her face in a light that he could not deny was beautiful. “The Sages of Oriande!” She was breathless with wonder, a smile shaping her lips as she looked at the huge statues. “My father told me of their exploits, but I had always assumed they were children’s stories.”

“The life givers.” Lotor said, taking off his own helmet and finding it difficult to look at the statues, only to the only real source of light in the room. Allura. “The first Alteans to unlock the secrets of Oriande.” The stories finally came to his mind, tugging his eyes from the Princess at his side and looking to the statues now that they nearly surrounded him. “The beginning of Altean Alchemy.”

He couldn’t help but look to her again, mouth forming her name when a great rumbling filled the air. The statues were moving, raising their scepters and moving to attack. He lept between the part in their stalves, rolling to stand, but Allura was the first to react. She held the stone that had brought them here aloft, the point of the weapon stilled nearly inches from the stone. “Great protectors!” Allura’s voice was strong, though Lotor could see her shoulders tremble. “We seek passage through your land.”

Lotor found that Allura would always surprise him, kneeling to the great statue and triggering the hologram. “We bring you this gift.”

What else was there for him to do but kneel as well?

The great statue reached out, not touching Allura or the stone, but the hologram disengaged, and Lotor could hear the statues behind them move.

Their way was open once again, and they moved to approach what looked like a teleduv operation spire, the Lion formed again. “Now what?”

Lotor thought he might be falling in love. Impatience colored her voice, and honestly? He felt those words in the deepest parts of himself. “I don’t know, but be prepared. We may yet have to prove that we’re worthy to be here” He answered, eyes forward at that Lion.

“Am I crazy or does he look like-”

“The White Paladin?” Lotor asked, the assurance to his own thoughts were a comfort. “Yes. I think so as well.”

The Lion took that moment to disappear, leaving Lotor and Allura in silence as the door dropped solidly behind them. “We’re trapped!” Allura barked, looking back to where the Lion once stood, brows drawn together.

Trapped was all too accurate as the ceiling shook and began descending. “Perfect.” Lotor grumbled to himself, looking around the room for a solution.

“There! A teleduv!” Allura barked, running across the room and placing her hands on the proper spires, eyes closing. It seemed to take a moment, but the room began to tremble and glow. It’s light so brilliant and blinding that Lotor had to close his eyes. 
 
Keith sat on his bed, head in hands. Sleep eluded him, escaping at the exact moment he felt it within his grasp. His head pounded with each beat of his heart, a low rumble in the back of his mind at every constant. Part of him wanted to chase that rumble, find it’s source and rip it out like a rogue hair, but he knew better. Some things were better left alone; but as each moment passed and the throbbing in his head became more insistent, he felt no other choice but to rip the sheets off of him and throw himself toward the door.

He couldn’t stay still, and if he couldn’t find the source of the blue eyes in his mind, he would follow the only other feeling that was similar. He would go to the Black Lion.

Keith sat heavily in her cockpit, eyes drifting shut against the pain in his mind. The pain was… familiar now that he thought hard enough about it. It had been lifetimes ago, but this was how he felt when he first started to feel the Blue Lion back on Earth. So many years had passed now, but he could feel Black purring in his mind in agreement.

He was somehow sensitive to quintessence. At least enough to be affected by the Blue Lion on Earth, to connect to Black while she had another Paladin. To see those blazing blue eyes in his mind. “Please… show me what’s going on…”

And he felt the pull. The same sort of pull as when he fell into the Black Lion’s mind. The pounding ache in his mind eased, eyes opening to the swirling black and purple of her mind. Looking around, he saw nothing… but it felt crowded. More crowded than when he and Shiro sought Zarkon within Black’s mind.

A thrumming power seemed to press against his back, and turning he saw them. Two lions, one silk black and the other brilliant white. They circled each other, Black pressing her face into the mane of the White Lion. They purred, growing accustomed to each other, and Keith could feel the absolute… love that radiated from them both.

“It was you.” Keith said, voice hoarse and rumbling.

He forgot that within Black’s mind, he was all his age and earned years. Here he showed the age that he felt each passing moment.

The White Lion turned those piercing blue eyes to him and nodded, his growl deep and rumbling.

“You brought me back.” The realization made him breathless, a deep pain in his chest. “You brought me here… why?”

The Lions both approached him, a sight that he supposed should have stoked fear within him.

“Why?”

The White Lion was large, larger than Black, and the markings on his face were all too like Kosmo’s. The tips of his ears and shadowed cheeks… the piercing blue eyes… “You were there… you were Kosmo.”

The lion nodded, pressing his large face into Keith’s chest, causing the man to raise his arms in surprise. It was only after a moment that he ran his fingers through thick mane. “You brought me back to you…” He supposed that… partially answered the question as to what happened with Kosmo after his death, but he wasn’t even sure if that were a whole.

What happened to the White Lion that caused him to become the Space Wolf? What was it that connected the two? And if Kosmo had originally been the White Lion of Oriande then what was Shadow? Where had that wolf come from and what did he mean for them? For Keith in particular…

“Your thoughts are too heavy.” The voice was soft, a rumble that filled his mind and made the very ground around him tremble. “Too many questions that have answers you will never find.”

“That’s a comfort.” Keith retorted, dryly. In fact that was the exact opposite of the answer he wanted.

“You cannot know all that another believes, what guides their hand and makes up their mind. You can never know the cause of every action.” The Lion’s voice was a comfort, a reality that he had never expected. It was nearly like Alfor’s when he had been in Honerva’s mind in his reality. “All you can do is move forward. Place one foot in front of another and act as you feel your hand guided.”

“Is it you who guides my hand?”

“Only you guide your actions, Keith.” The Lion blinked slowly at him, mouth not moving as that voice filled Keith’s mind. “I can only show you the path. It is your choice to walk down it.”

“I had no choice to wake up here!” Keith snapped, arms wide and stepping back. “That choice was made for me! You took my consciousness and brought it here to this reality! I never asked for this! I never had a choice! You never showed me this path you put me here!”

The lion’s lips parted to growl. “Your tone should be watched, Paladin. You know not of what you speak.”

“I don’t know? I don’t know that I woke up in a body that wasn’t really mine? That I was ready to die, to finally rest and then you wake me up to live it all over again!?”

“We did only what you asked!” The Lion roared, the energy that radiated from him pushing Keith back.

When Keith opened his eyes again he saw Black between him and the White Lion, hair raised on her back and teeth showing. There was a protectiveness that felt all too… motherly. A feeling he recognized from Krolia, and it changed Keith’s view of the Lions all too suddenly. Like a flash of light, the figures of Lions shifted to bipedal forms.

They were not human, nor Altean or Galra. They were like no form Keith had ever seen. The forms before Keith were monstrous but beautiful. Beings from the old regions of Earth were the closest thing he could compare them to.

Black had flesh like a human, not furred or textured, but black as the infinity of space. She was a void of being, a true absence of light in her being. Even the light that radiated from the form to her side was simply absorbed, not reflected. The only part of her that reflected any light were the long hairs that fell from her head and encompassed her as Allura’s locks did. She was incredibly tall, and her legs were nearly the height of Keith himself. Arms equally as long, accentuated when she knelt down to bring her large face to Keith’s view, lengthy hand cupping the side of his head, and Keith wanted to be afraid. The very core of his being struggled to comprehend the giant violet eyes in front of him.

The skin on his face was soft and he could feel the long fingers curl around the back of his head, fingertips visible in his opposite peripheral vision. Being touched by such a figure made him feel a certainty he hadn’t felt in many years. A surety that his life was going to end.

“Be calm, Paladin mine.” Black’s voice was smooth, feminine and motherly. “My other half has a temper like yours, brilliant and burning. You two are ever alike, and we both adore you with all that we are and are not.” Keith watched that mouth move, but there was no mouth, only brilliant teeth that caught the light cast from the form the White Lion had taken.

“What… are you?”

“Energy.” The White Lion’s voice nearly shook the mindscape Keith was in. He tried to look to what had been the White Lion, but he was forced to look away. The light was brilliant white and Keith could make out no features. “We are but Quintessence taking form and sentience, nothing more.”

Keith tried to look again, seeing the vague outline of a figure built quite similar to Black before him. This figure was even more terrifying in it’s own way, a form of nothing but light. Nothing could be hidden here, all things laid bare in the light of the White Lion. “But we are ever ancient. We’ve watched the Universe expand and collapse over and over, we are infinite and never ending. The forms we can take are many, but my Own has chosen to bind herself to a form of the Voltron Lion you pilot.”

Keith looked again to Black, grateful for a chance to let his eyes rest. She stood again, immense and Keith could understand why it so often felt like she were all around him. “The five of us agreed to assist Alfor of Altea once my Own had chosen him as worthy. Koski has always had a bias to Alteans, but it is the Galra, my chosen people, he guides to the afterlife.

“It was my hand you held when he and I gave you the choice. Your soul is beautiful, Keith, but it was wrought with so much pain. So many regrets, so much guilt for things that were not your burdens to carry. We gave you a choice.”

“We offered you a life again.” The White Lion… Koski spoke. Keith looked to him, ignoring the pain it brought his eyes to look at that brilliant white form. The longer he looked, the more of those blue eyes he could see. “We offered you a chance to be at His side again, a chance to see Her again. A chance to do all the things you dreamed of. And you took it.”

“I don’t…”

“Remember?” Black asked, grabbing Keith’s attention again. “No. We didn’t want you to. The secrets of Death must remain just that.”

Keith looked over her face before closing his eyes. “Why are you telling me now? If it has to be a secret?”

Silence met his question before Koski’s rumbling voice broke through and shattered Keith’s heart with his words. “Because I have missed you, Keith.”

The noise that came out of Keith was an embarrassing whimper, eyes opening and suddenly brimming with wetness. Something about that voice sounded so much like his father in his memories… “I have grown attached to many before their deaths, but you… You showed me kindness unlike any other. You welcomed me not as a beast, but as a being with a mind and understanding. I watched you run selflessly to the aid of others, those you cared about and sacrificed all you were. I began to view you as one of my own.

“I could hardly bare with leading you to the afterlife. And finally you were so near to the realm I guard… I couldn’t ignore this chance to see you again… Paladin Mine.”

Keith swallowed hard as he was claimed Paladin by the being before him. “I’m… I’m not special. There are so many others more amazing than I am. Shiro-”

“Is extraordinary, yes.” Black chimed in, a smile on her face, or the nearest thing to a smile. “That is why he was chosen by one so much greater than either of us.”

It was then that everything clicked. ATLAS. “What… What is the ATLAS?”

His question was met with laughter, the forms blurring and swirling toward each other. It was then that the fear filled Keith’s chest again. Heart pounding in his chest as he felt himself pulled toward the swirling of darkness and light, feet sliding against the ground beneath his feet. “She is greater than us all, a being of such Quintessence… a being of Love itself.”

Keith covered his face against the wind that whipped around him, arms raised. “What’s happening!? Koski!? Black!?” The wind stilled and as Keith lowered his arms he saw nothing but the calm emptiness of the Black Lion’s mindscape. There was nothing… until he heard Shiro’s voice. “Keith…”

“...Keith…. Keith!” Keith snapped his eyes open to see Shiro leaning over him, eyes lined with panic. “Keith oh thank God.” Shiro breathed out, dropping his head to Keith’s shoulder.

“Wh… What?” Keith forced out, too breathless to put anything together. Still shaken by what he had seen in the mind of the Black Lion.

“Keith… we have to get to the bridge. We’re losing too much Oxygen in the Castle.” Shiro explained, and yes… that made sense. Keith nodded, letting Shiro help him stand. 
 
Lotor looked around in surprise at the world around him, frowning at his displacement. His internal complaints silenced at the sound of growling behind him, turning quickly and glaring at the form of a White Lion. “So… here we are.” He said, looking over the growling Lion. “What do you want from me?”

As the Lion knelt down to pounce, something in those blue eyes flashed nearly purple, taking Lotor off guard. The White Lion… The White Lion’s Paladin.

Lotor hardly rolled out of the way of the attack, brows drawing down. “I will not yield!” He barked out, but stilled as he remembered Keith’s words when the Paladin had pulled him aside before he departed to Oriande.

“This is not a test to see how Galra you are… It’s a test to your Altean roots and the Altean in you. Remember that.”

But what was Altean? They had been wiped out so long ago all Lotor truly knew of Alteans were from the colony and Allura… Allura who knelt down in surrender to the large guards, offering the map to them.

Allura who always offered kindness first. Allura who extended her hand to even those she was told not to trust. Allura who wanted to learn what her father knew to better the Universe. Allura who was not sure, but would stand tall in her lack of knowledge and allow herself to be educated.

Looking up again, the Lion was pouncing again, nearly above him and Lotor opened his arms weakly. “Teach me.”
 
When Allura opened her eyes, she couldn’t stop the grin that formed on her lips. “Hello there.” She said, looking at Lotor’s face as he looked around them in awe.

“Where are we?”

“We’re within the Universe, Lotor.” Allura reached out, taking his hand and squeezing it. “We’ve done it…”

“Let us embrace you…”

Keith sat at Shiro’s side, an oxygen mask on his face as Allura and Lotor dart fingers across the control panels. There was something… different about them both, but he couldn’t place it. “So I guess you two were su-”

“Lance put that mask back on before I glue it to your face!” Pidge barked from under her own mask, glaring at him.

“Keith.” Allura’s voice was soft, but laden with surprise and worry. “We have a coded message from the Blade of Marmora…”

Keith was immediately on his feet, Shiro moving just as quickly to remain at his side. He remained silent as he approached the console and eyes scanning over the code. It was the… same that Krolia had been able to decode. A little more obvious, but still subtle enough for it to slide under the radar of most. It was unmistakably for the Paladins, however.

Fingers tapping in an equalizing code, audio filled the bridge. “This message is for the Blade Member and Paladin Keith. Keith, Haggar’s Druids have begun attacks against the Blade of Marmora bases. They are leaving no survivors but those to generate distress calls. Do not, I repeat, do not answer any distress signals from Marmora bases. We are falling back in the face of our current losses to regroup. You will know where to rendezvous with us.”

There was silence, enough that Keith would almost believe the transmission over, but he knew it wasn’t. He felt a sickening feeling in his stomach that there was more. “And Keith… They have taken Krolia.”

Keith’s grip on the console was so hard a loud snap echoed through the bridge. “Keith…”
Head bowed, Keith tore the oxygen mask from his face and turned, marching through the bridge. “Keith! Keith!” He didn’t stop. Fists clenched at his sides, he marched to the loading dock where Black sat, looming above him. He could hear the footsteps of the Paladins behind him, but he didn’t stop as he marched toward Black.
“Keith stop!” Shiro reached out, grabbing Keith’s arm, making Keith turn, but whatever he saw in Keith’s hand loosened his grip. “Keith?”

He turned again, boarding black and shooting out of the hull as soon as he sat in her cockpit. Shiro and Allura’s faces flashed onto his screen as they called him from Blue. “Keith! Keith you can’t go after her now you don’t kno-”

“Allura look.” Shiro’s voice was shocked as he took in where Keith was headed. “Keith  what are you doing!?”

Keith only gripped the controls of Black tighter and pushed through into the White Hole. His communications with Allura and Shiro cut out and slowly Koski’s face formed in the White Hole. Comms flicked to life again as the other Paladins broke through into the White Hole, but he ignored them, standing in the cockpit of the Black Lion.

“Where is she!?” He roared, voice sounding nearly doubled. It almost sounded like he were in Black’s mindscape again and while he could hear the Paladins calling his name, it hardly processed.

“Where is she Koski I know that you know!” He yelled again, sounding so old now, pointing at the White Lion’s head.

Koski looked… sad, but did not move. Didn’t answer. It only made Keith shake harder. “Have you taken her yet…?” He asked finally, unsure what he wanted the answer to be. He didn’t want to know if Krolia had been escorted to the afterlife yet, but he still glared at the large Lion’s head so far above him.

Slowly the head shook, and Keith felt his knees buckle and give below him.

Krolia was still alive. His mother was still alive.

The White Lion roared, but Keith could hardly hear it over the blood running through his ears. It sounded nearly mournful, and while he didn’t control her, he felt the Black Lion move around him as she turned from her mate and exited the White Hole.

He heard a whisper in his mind as Black brought him out of the White Hole, a whisper and nothing more. A name that made rage burn hotter within Keith’s chest.

“Sendak”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sam Holt honestly wasn’t sure what he expected when he landed on Earth. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he expected better than… this. Even Keith warned him that it was likely not going to be easy or pleasant once he returned to Earth… but he’d expected common decency. He supposed that were too high a bar considering how Shiro had been treated when he crash landed on Earth those years ago after escaping from the Galra. Sam had his wife at his side and his chance to explain to the Garrison council the situation.

Then again he didn’t have Keith breaking him out of quarantine as soon as he landed and he was sure that had something to do with the situation as well.

As he explained everything to the council he was realizing more and more the things he alone had lived through, let alone the Paladins themselves. Admiral Sanda, however, remained unimpressed as he continued to argue.

He didn’t know what to expect as he waited for a response as he called the Paladins, but fear continued to mount until the comm clicked. “Sam! Good to hear your voice!” A familiar voice answered, but it wasn’t one of the Paladins… It wasn’t Katie’s. “I think you have lousy reception from Earth, I’ll patch you through to the Voltron channel and you should have Pidge’s attention pretty quick.”

“Thanks, Sondar.”

“Just doin’ my job. Patchin’ ya through now.”

Sam waited a few heartbeats before speaking again, knowing Sondar was more than good at his job. “Calling the Paladins of Voltron, this is Sam Holt.”

There was only a moment before he heard Katie’s voice. “Dad! You got to Earth!”

He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face at her voice. “Yeah sweetheart, I’m here wi-”

“Hold on, give me a tic and I can get a video feed set up. Coran, move real quick.” And she was right, it was only a moment before the Holo was a full view of the Castle of Lion’s bridge. “There you are.” She said grinning and letting it falter. “Wait… this is an official call with everyone in the Garrison Council isn’t it.”

“Yes it is, Katie.” Sam said, sparing a glance to Colleen as her face shifted from pained happiness to anger. “But I think your mother might have a few words for you.”

“No offence to you, Mrs. Holt.” Shiro spoke up, stepping toward the center of the screen. “But there is some important information to be shared. We’ve been waiting to hear from you Sam. A lot has happened on your trip to Earth and you need to be updated.”

It was then that Sam noticed the clear lack of a very important member of the Voltron party. “Shiro… where’s Keith?”

“That’s what we need to brief about.” Allura spoke up, stepping to Shiro’s side. “It’s been a few phoebs since you left The Castle of Lions for Earth and we departed to Oriande. After our return from Oriande we received a message from the Blade of Marmora. Haggar’s Druids are launching attacks against discovered Blade bases. Keith has gone to assist Kolivan in this matter, but also... “ Allura paused and something sank in Sam’s stomach. “Krolia is missing. Keith has been following multiple leads to try and locate his mother but so far each lead has gone dry or been false.”

Sam nodded, looking to Shiro. “Have there been any issues with Voltron without Keith?”

Shiro shook his head, each jerk clearly pained and forced professionalism. “In the Phoebs you’ve been gone we’ve liberated nearly twelve Planets from Rogue Galra occupation. The Galra seem to have slowly gathered either under the Galactic Coalition banner or under Sendak’s. As of now it seems to be a pretty even split.”

“Have there been sightings of Haggar in light of her Druid’s attacks?”

“We’ve certainly been trying to track her.” Allura spoke, arms crossed as she shook her head. “While we can find a few Druids to direct the Blades towards we haven’t been able to pick up any of her tracks. It’s most likely that she’s still working with Sendak considering that she more or less sponsored him at the Kral Zera.”

“Until Keith showed up with Krolia to fight him more than Lotor did.” Lance spoke up with a small snort. “What sort of support can we expect from Earth?”

“It’s not support we need.” The voice caught Sam off guard, yet it seemed to startle the Paladins even more.

Keith stepped into view, Blade wrap fixed tightly as he and Kolivan stepped up to Allura’s side. Sam wasn’t sure, but the wrap looked… different and he had a sneaking suspicion that Keith had been awarded a hard won and painful promotion. “We need to make sure that Earth is capable of defending itself when Sendak turns his attention to our home.”

“So you believe that there will be an attack, is that correct?” Admiral Sonda’s voice made Keith pause, blinking before an unreadable expression settled onto his face.

“I am fully convinced that Sendak will attack Earth, but he will not do it for its resources. He will do it for our attention. For the past phoebs we’ve been skirting around Sendak’s growing power, being pulled in too many directions by the Witch’s druids. She’s been trying to spread our resources thin, and she’s been successful in that regard. The Blade of Marmora are losing members rapidly and the Rebel Fighters are stuck on cleanup duty more often than not with small skirmishes that we can’t spare our resources for. We’re trying to build support and militia within the Coalition, trying to help planets help themselves and remain free of Galara Reign and we’re expecting Earth to do the same.”

“You stated he would come for your attention.” The General to Sam’s left spoke up, arms crossed and brows drawn. “It sounds like it could be easily avoided then.”

The smile that spread across Keith’s face was more animalistic than Sam had expected. Sure, he hadn’t expected the question to be taken well, but he hadn’t expected the level of animosity the statement had been met with. “I mean, if you would like for us to surrender the Universe’s only defense against a new, worse Galra Empire. Then sure, he would go to Earth to simply rub our faces in defeat and have us all watch as our home Planet is burned to ash. He will not stop in an act of goodwill, Sendak had no understanding of goodwill. He only knows to conquer and cause as much pain as possible.”

“This is what I expect of Sendak as of the information currently at my disposal.” Keith opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Allura.

“Is this anything you’ve chosen not to tell us before due to the circumstances of your… knowledge?” She asked, looking him over with concern, no suspicion which helped calm Sam. Whatever he missed, at least it wasn’t a fracture of Voltron’s trust in each other.

Keith paused, but nodded. “Sendak will slowly move his campaign in another direction as his own ship moves closer and closer to Earth. While we’re too caught up on the other side of the Galaxy he’ll swarm Earth when it’s least expected. With the resources you currently have there will be little resistance and a high casualty list. Standard bullets and bombs will do nothing against the attacks of the Galra.

“Once Earth is subdued, he will begin using slave labor of humans to build Zaiforge Canons directly into the planet’s surface to use our own home planet as a weapon for us to have to fight against when we do manage to come to Earth’s aid.”

“And how do you know this?” Sonda asked, brows drawn in anger.

Keith seemed to pause, face pained, and Sam couldn’t imagine what Keith felt in that moment. Having to explain his life once lived to the last person who would believe him. “Space is… weird to say the least. Sometimes the impossible happens. It’s the impossible I’m hoping for, and it’s the possibility that we can actually keep Earth defending itself until Voltron can arrive that I hope for.”

The meeting room was silent for a moment before Sonda opened her mouth to speak. “We still cannot simply alert the whole Plan-”

A siren wailed on the other end of the comm, drawing eyes to the Paladins and Blade Members on screen. “Two Galra Cruisers incoming, Sendak’s division design.” Coran said, gripping the control panel. “Raising shields now.”

“Paladins.” Keith and Shiro spoke at the same time, pausing to look at each other, small, soft smiles settling on their faces before Keith nodded to let Shiro lead.

“Paladins to your Lions. Keith, will you offer us support from your ship?”

Keith smiled in answer, nodding. “Yes Sir.”

“No flirting on the bridge!” Lance yelled as the Paladins left screen.

“We will contact you with updates, Sam. Any and all other information sharing will be directed to your from the Rebel base nearest to Earth’s Solar System.” Coran spoke up, the ship rocking with a barrage of fire against their shields.

“Good luck, Paladins.” Sam spoke, a sinking feeling in his chest that came every time he knew his daughter went off to battle. They were children… they should never have to see a war like this.

Looking up to the council, he was even more sure now. No child of Earth should have to die because they weren’t prepared.
 
      Adam sat in silence, two screens in front of him and an odd sinking feeling in his stomach. “You’re addressed in both of them, they’re from Shiro and Keith. You’re the only one who’s addressed in any of these who is actually able to view them so I... “ Sam cleared his throat and smiled. “Yeah. That’s that I guess.”

Adam looked up at the older man, the man who he’d hated for years after Shiro disappeared. He couldn’t do anything but blame Sam for pushing Shiro to join the Kerberos mission. He knew that it was stupid, that it wasn’t really any of their faults… but now with all the information? Adam didn’t know how to feel. About anything. He’d tried to move on, but now Shiro was alive? Keith had found him and now they’re fighting an interstellar war? It was… almost too much to process. “You’ve watched them already?”

“Yeah I… they didn’t tell me who they were addressed to and I needed to know that much at least.” Sam swallowed hard and looked around himself awkwardly. “I’ll… I’ll leave you be then. I’ll let you watch them.”

Adam watched Sam exit before turning his attention to the screens in front of him. He clicked play, a frown already forming on his face as Shiro appeared. He was in quarters, a soft white light washing over his features and making the stark white of his bangs show even more. The scar across his nose made Adam’s chest clench, but Shiro smiled that charming smile that always made Adam weak. “So… Sam wanted us to make these videos to send to everyone on Earth so who better than to send it to you all? First I’ll talk to Gram and Gramps.”

Shiro’s smile wavered, but he still smiled. “I’m… I’m sorry about what happened. I know I had no control over it but I’m still sorry. I went on the Kerberos mission expecting to just get to be in space like I always wanted to, I couldn’t have dreamed up what happened next. I never dreamed that I’d be abducted and everything that happened after…”

Shadows formed in Shiro’s eyes, but he didn’t bring them up. He continued to talk to his grandparents, and Adam felt like he was invading something that wasn’t meant for him, at least until Shiro looked off screen and smiled “Baby? Where are you going?”

Adam felt his heart stop in his chest at the word. Baby.

Lightyears away in space and Shiro found a boyfriend. Giving him a smile that Adam wasn’t sure he had ever been on the receiving end of. The face that came onto screen only made Adam’s stomach twist in the most painful way. Keith had aged much more than he reasonably should have, but it was still unmistakably Keith. There were small lines around his eyes and a scar twisting it’s way up across the boy’s cheek as he leaned down to press his lips to Shiro’s forehead. “I’m going to work on my own now. I’ll be back soon.” Even Keith’s voice was older, the way he smiled at Shiro too fond.

Shiro only reached up to pull Keith’s face down and kiss him properly, and Adam wasn’t sure if he could watch any more. Sure, he had been the one to break things off with Shiro, but it still… hurt. “I’ll be done soon, I promise.”

Keith waved at the screen after Shiro spoke, a grin on his face. “Hi Mr and Mrs Shirogane.”

Shiro watched Keith go on screen for a moment even after the door closed, he didn’t move.

“I didn’t want to move on to the part for you like this, Adam, but it’s too late now.” The way Shiro said his name made Adam choke out Shiro’s. “When I left for Kerberos I wasn’t in… the best of mental states. We had just broken up and I wasn’t sure how much longer I had to do the things I dreamed to do. I want to say though, no matter the things that happened because I was on Kerberos… I don’t regret it at all.

“I’m part of something great now, helping to lead an amazing team, and no matter what it cost me I will never regret getting to see space the way I can now. Meet the people I’ve met and see the amazing things I’ve seen...

“I want you to know that I forgive you. I know what you said was because you were worried about me. You wanted me to be able to have more time, but what mattered to me was what I did with the time I had.

“We were both selfish, Adam. But neither of us were wrong either.” Shiro continued with a small smile. “And I know you saw. Keith and I… yeah. We’re together. Before you go on about me cradle robbing you know he’s not that much younger than us. I can’t help that I thought he was younger because he was a malnourished little brat.” The smile that spread across Shiro’s lips was fond, almost adoring.

“Some of my favorite memories will always be the four of us, you and me, Matt and Keith arguing over something stupid. They helped to remind us that just because we’re adults doesn’t mean we have to act old. We’re still so young Adam. We have so many years still ahead of us, and I hope that in the years I was gone you found something else to love and push and that helps push you the way you love.”

Shiro’s face grew somber for a moment, silent as he looked into the camera. “But something has happened. Beyond the war… shit, beyond space and time.”

“Adam. Keith died. I carried his lifeless body in my arms and it took that for me to realize that I was in love with him.”

Adam couldn’t breathe. Keith died? But he was just on the fucking screen! “That makes no-”

“I know it doesn’t make sense, but Keith’s extraordinary. He’s not even fully human, Adam. Keith is part Galra, his mother came to Earth to protect it from Zarkon’s discovery and fell in love with a human on Earth. It’s his Galra heritage we think that saved him.

“Well. Saved is a loose term. We managed to revive his body, or… I thought we did. Maybe we never even had control of that. He was on life support and his body just… it changed. He started getting wounds and they just… healed. When he finally woke up… he was different.

“He lived his whole life, and came back to me.”

“Jesus.” Adam swallowed, a sense of foreboding blooming in his chest.

“He lived the war, Adam. He’s… Christ he’s so old.” Shiro let out a wet laugh. “And you can see it sometimes. It… hurts to see. He leads like he’s been doing it for years, shit even the way he talks sometimes is just… so old.” Shiro let out a sigh and looked around himself.

“I don’t… think there’s much else for me to say. Nothing I can’t tell you when I get back. Keith seems sure we’ll be back to Earth sooner than later, but he doesn’t say it with a smile. Stay safe, Adam. Listen to Sam, he has some great ideas and I don’t want any bad blood from Kerberos to be in the way of progress. I know you, I know you’ll value the progress and put your personal feelings aside. You are a Leo after all.”

Adam let out a laugh as Shiro waved and the video ended.

Looking to the other screen, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to watch Keith’s video. But no matter what Shiro was right. Adam wanted all the information, no matter how much the realization hurt.
 
Sam wasn’t going to let them do nothing. No matter what he said, what Shiro said, what Allura said. Sonda said they weren’t ready, and Sam couldn’t let that stand. Her faith in humanity was so lacking it enraged him. It wasn’t Adam who he expected to stand guard as they broadcasted, however. He stood firm, handing over a plast with a solid expression. “Show this last. Just the end, I’ve already edited it for you.”

Sam looked between the plast and Adam’s face. “It’s Keith’s video, isn’t it?”

Adam just nodded, a small smile forming on his face. “The little shit sure is good at propaganda, I’ll give him that.”

Sam laughed, clasping his hands over Adam’s as he took the plast. “Thank you, Adam.”

“Get in there and start.”
 
Claire looked up from her phone to the screen in the breakroom of her office, smile falling from her face as the dumb gameshow stopped and a face she hardly recognized filled the screen. Colleen Holt had been pulled into multiple interviews after her husband and son had been casualties on the Kerberos Mission a little over a year ago. She had cut her hair, but as she spoke there was no doubt.

“Citizens of Earth, my name is Colleen Holt.”

“Do you remember her?” Claire’s coworker stepped up, looking to the screen, arms crossed. “She swore that her husband couldn’t be dead.”

“That’s what they’re talking about.” Claire snapped, looking between the man and the screen. As the evidence flashed on the screen, Claire clenched her fists. She had always believed Colleen, even though she never met the woman. As Sam came onto the screen, more information coming, she felt herself breathless.

“It’s… all true.”

The video of the Galra ships, Voltron itself, all of it made Claire feel so small. So insignificant. Who was she in the face of… all of this?

“Man I can’t wait to get home.” A young man with brown skin and a round jaw spoke on the screen, he was smiling and it just made everything… better somehow. “I don’t really know when that will be, but when I get there I really want Uncle Filo to make some of his amazing pork lau lau.”

“Hi Mom, hi dad. It’s me, Lance. I’m here in outer space somewhere. I um, uh… Don’t really know what to say.” This boy nearly looked like Claire’s brother, slender face and dark Latino skin. It was nearly like looking into a mirror. Someone, just like her, a Paladin of Voltron. A human out in space, defending Earth from a distance. “I miss you guys, I miss you guys a lot.”

“Mom, I’m so sorry I left without saying goodbye.”

“She’s so young.” Claire breathed out, hand over her mouth as she watched the youngest Holt speak up into the camera.

“I think of you every day.”

The film switched again, revealing a very… different Takashi Shirogane. She recognized him from all the Kerberos coverage as well. “I’m part of something great now, helping to lead an amazing team, and no matter what it cost me I will never regret getting to see space the way I can now. Meet the people I’ve met and see the amazing things I’ve seen.”

“Earth needs to be ready. Sam Holt is a brilliant man, the things he will bring to life will change the course of Earth’s future, and there are so many amazing things that we humans can do by working together, but it’s so important that we work together.” This last man was… different from the rest, but Claire couldn’t really tell how. Something in his bearing was different, much more serious.

This was the real message, something that felt the same way that Sam and Colleen did at the beginning of the broadcast.

“And now I address the Galaxy Garrison. This war is already coming for us, Voltron is piloted almost in its entirety by humans. We are a face to the Universe that we will not tolerate a dictatorship that focuses on blood and power and the death of innocents in the name of that power. We have taken our stand on behalf of Humanity and fought against this.
 
“This is a call to arm for all humans, all those who call Earth home. All who call this Universe home. We will not allow ourselves to be enslaved, murdered as an example."

The words made Claire tremble, it was a war. A real war like they hadn’t seen in centuries. Like nothing they had ever seen before. And these humans were already fighting in it. Seeing things she couldn’t imagine.

“There was a quote once, written by a human so many years ago… “Don't kill if you can wound, don't wound if you can subdue, don't subdue if you can pacify, and don't raise your hand at all until you've extended it.” It is this method that we are building our coalition upon, however... If Earth is touched by Sendak… those words will mean nothing. We have tried all we can, we are building a new Universe where the lines of race do not matter, Galra and Human and Altean and Balmeran and Olkari, we stand together in the face of tyrany. We will not let Earth fall due to rogue Galra and their supporters who want to watch the Universe burn. This threat is real.”

“To all citizens of Earth. Voltron will be there to defend you, but you must also be able to defend yourself. Heed the words of Samuel Holt. We will bring peace to the universe, but it will take time and contribution from all of us.”

He looked so sure. So strong and dedicated and it made hope bloom in Claire’s chest. It was like nothing she had ever seen. Someone standing solid and convinced that there was not just the possibility of success, but the inevitability of success.

“The Galactic Coalition will one day combine all of the Universe and lead us into a time of peace. A time where we will all thrive and work together, but we must first Defend ourselves against tyranny…

“It’s the most important topic in the Universe: peace. What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Daibazzal enforced on the Universe by Galra weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life in this Universe worth living, the kind that enables planets and people to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children — not merely peace for humans but peace for all — not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.” When he stopped, there was pain in his eyes, something that pressed more silence on them than his words did.

"There will come a day where the Lions of Voltron will fly off, knowing there is no more war to be fought, no more need to defend in the wake of a Universe at peace, and I want you all to be there with me on that day. I do not wish that we lose a single human life to this war.

"I do not want to lay flowers at the graves of any of my friends or family. I have seen too much death, faced too much fighting, and dreamed too much change for us to turn our backs on our neighbors believing this fight is not ours."

"I dream of a Universe United. I hope for a life of peace, a time I never have to see another battle, but I can't do it alone. Voltron needs your help."

A noise blared from the video making every person in the break room jump, eyes wide as the man looked upward, unphased. “Paladins! We’re receiving a distress signal!” And the man was standing, turning as the announcement continued. “Report to the bridge immediately!”

A dark, wet nose appeared on the screen, a… very large dog’s face coming into view and barking before the transmission ended revealing Colleen and Sam Holt’s faces.

“This is the situation at hand and it’s very real. Here at the Galaxy Garrison we are already building weapons and ships to support Voltron and the members of what’s now being called the Galactic Coalition, but we need your support. Volunteers, funding, we need all the help the citizens of Earth can provide.”

The door behind the Holts slid open, a brown man coming into view with his hands behind his back, but smiling. Three people in Garrison uniforms with dark expressions flanking him. “This transmission is over.” The older woman spoke, venom in her voice before the transmission clicked out.

But it was too late.

They had seen it. They knew, and Claire couldn’t help but smile. She was scared… terrified, but she wouldn’t run. Not when Voltron needed her. Not when the Galactic Coalition needed her.
 
“Our preparations for Earth’s Defence are nearly complete. The amount of volunteers we’ve gotten from all over the planet have helped to speed up our progress significantly.” Sam explained to the two seperate screens in front of him. Keith was still separated from the team, but from the reports Sam had been following it looked more and more like Krolia’s location was confirmed. She was still alive, but something in the way Keith held himself even now reeked of vengeance and pain.

“There’s still something keeping things from completion, isn’t there?” Keith asked, eyes lowered and hand cupping his jaw. There seemed to be more on Keith’s mind than what was in front of him, but Sam was getting used to that look. He had seen the Generals walking around with that same expression.

Sam nodded, sighing. “Yes. There’s nothing we have that generates enough power to get the ATLAS running. We need at least one Earth Flagship, but if we can’t get her off the ground all we have are the MFEs.”

Keith nodded, looking to his other screen. “While the MFEs are good, the ATLAS is essential. I think we have what you need. Or, at least, Voltron does.”

“Well, the Castle runs on Balmeran crystal, maybe a Balmera?” Hunk chimed in before Shiro shook his head in realization.

“No. I think I have what he’s talking about.” He said, reaching into the collar of his uniform and pulling out a necklace with a crystal hanging from it.

Keith nodded, crossing his arms and raising his chin. “I think it’s time Voltron heads toward Earth. Like any other Coalition planet Voltron needs to make themselves present, and if we go before Sendak decides to try and lure us all there then it’s a possibility that Earth will be less valuable in his eyes.”

“That would require all of Voltron coming to Earth.” Allura spoke up, hands clasped in front of her. “It’s been Phoebs since we’ve seen you, Keith. If we return to Earth, we return together.”

There was silence over the channels before Keith nodded. “We will plan exact details when Kolivan returns from his current mission. We will send exact entry plans once they’re made for our Entry into Earth’s Atmosphere.”

Lance let out a cheer, fists in the air and grin on his face. “Yeah baby! We’re going home!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Keith wasn’t sure what he expected his reentry to Earth to be like. Part of him felt nostalgic, other parts bitter. He tried his best to return to the Castle of Lions before they departed for Earth, but it wasn’t possible. He didn’t want to believe that Kolivan was putting it off, but it certainly wasn’t easy. Just as it was difficult to convince the Galra to search for Krolia. Keith gripped his controls tighter at the thought of arguing with Kolivan, both with fangs out and haunches raised as they questioned each other’s loyalties.

But Keith was too blinded by his rage and desire to return his mother to them to truly be affected by the words spat between them. It certainly made their relationship chafe, but as they worked, Keith found himself stepping into a role he had held for years. It wasn’t that he disregarded Kolivan’s leadership, but he also had lead the Blade of Marmora. Once the chafe had been eased, the two made a fantastic leadership team, Keith pushing where Kolivan needed it and Kolivan smoothing things out while Keith was too hot headed.

Still, Keith had a responsibility to Voltron, even though he was no longer the Black Paladin. He could feel Black purring in his mind the moment he broke into the Solar System and it only grew louder as he breached atmosphere.

Having announced his imminent arrival a few planets back, Keith had donned his white Paladin armor and set aside his Blade of Marmora responsibility. Kolivan was the representative of the Blade of Marmora again, it’s leader who promised to continue in the search for Krolia. While it pained him to step back from the search… Keith was relieved to be heading to the Paladins again. He had missed them, how Pidge and Hunk grounded him. Lance’s grating commentary and Allura and Coran’s soft but understanding demeanor.

He missed Shiro.

They had parted on tense terms, and while Keith knew his pain over Krolia was understandable, he knew his immediate actions were shameful. He had ran, turning his back on his team and swung at the Universe in his pain and thirst for vengeance.

Even now, some leader he was.

Landing on the designated pad, Keith gathered his immediate things, cupping his helmet under his arm he walked out of the ship, head ducked under the low clearance ramp. He blinked up at the bright brilliant desert sun, blinking when he saw the hanger focus. There was a… crowd. Larger than just the Paladins, but they were there as well.

Pidge stood between her parents, Lance and Hunk in the crowded groups that Keith recognized as their families. Romelle, Coran, and Allura stood together next to Shiro and Adam, but behind all of them? The MFEs, faces he didn’t recognize and brass that he did. There were civilians as well, faces he didn’t know. Had they died in his reality? Had he been unable to save them too?

“Commander Kogane. Welcome home.” Iverson spoke up, a smile blooming on his face.

Watching Adam smile at him was the true breaking point. His eyes brimmed with tears as he faced those he’d lost at different points in his lifetime, but he couldn’t break now. “It’s good to be home.”

He hadn’t expected to be swarmed. Adam beating everyone to him, smothering him in a tight hug and rambling words. “You idiot. You absolute idiot.” Adam rambled against him, only getting squeezed tighter as the paladins threw their arms around them.

“We’ll find her, Keith. I promise.”

“We already have new leads and everything we’re so glad you’re here.”

Adam breathed into his ear, the words making Keith’s chest twist. “Thank you for bringing him back.” The words made Keith look up to where Shiro held them both, seeing the way he smiled made a brick settle in his stomach.

Keith swallowed hard, looking away from Shiro and fixing his eyes on Iverson’s, feeling a sheet of ice settle over his heart. There was work to do. “Brief me.”
 
It was almost immediate, Keith pulling himself from the group hug and walking at Iverson’s side, hands clasped behind his back. It was like a switch was flipped and that emotional man they had hugged was gone. Left was only the Admiral of the Grand Army of the Coalition. The thought spoiled in Shiro’s stomach, but he followed Keith and Iverson nonetheless. “How go the preparations for the ATLAS?” Keith asked, looking to Iverson with a leaders gaze, one Iverson did not struggle to meet.

“They’re going well, I think. Holt won’t tell us anything. I think he hit a snag though.”

Keith hummed, a small smile teasing his lips. “What makes you think that?”

“Well, Sam had no issue keeping us updated, he told us almost too much, I didn’t understand half of it, but then suddenly radio silence.” Iverson griped, but Keith only smiled, pausing and looking to Shiro.

“Shiro. Go to Sam. Give him what you have from the CALYPSO.” He said, and while he smiled, there was pain in his eyes. While he was physically there, it was clear his mind was still on his mother.

“The crystal?”

“It’s most likely that Sam has just realized he made a ship too big to run on most power sources. Even a Balmeran crystal powerful enough to power the ATLAS would have to be the size of the ship itself. And she’s big enough to put Voltron in her pocket.” There was mirth in Keith’s tone, but no real emotion. He was guarded, and Shiro swore to himself, as soon as they had time, he would talk to Keith. Comfort him. Assure him that they were still looking for Krolia. She wasn’t gone. Not yet.
 
“Oh absolutely not. There is no way I’m letting a drop out cadet make these calls.” Sonda snapped, standing to try and tower over Keith, but he didn’t flinch. Didn’t move an inch in the face of her rage. “You’re the one bringing this war to us, there is no way I’m letting you have one more inch.”

“I think you misunderstand, Admiral.” Keith’s tone was calm, low. “I was not requesting your consent, only your cooperation. As commander of the Blade of Marmora and one of the Black Paladins of Voltron I am more than qualified and have already been granted the clearances from all other relevant sources. If you choose not to grant me access to the resources of the Garrison then I will simply base elsewhere. As will the Paladins of Voltron and the other members of the Coalition.”

“You’re suggesting that we just… bring our enemy here!” Sonda barked, baring her teeth at him in rage, and something about her face reminded Keith of Dayak. He was sure that if fates ever decided that they were to meet, they would either get along famously, or the planet they were on would burn.

“They will come regardless. I merely suggest that we be ready and plant a trap for them.” Keith gave a small shrug. “We have the resources to use the entirety of the Earth Solar System to our advantage, and no one knows these stars like the members of the Garrison. You would be our greatest advantage. All you need to do is sign the paper and everything will be taken care of.”

Sonda clenched her fists and raised her chin. “You’re very different from how you were when we last spoke. You kicked, screamed, begged that we send out a search for Shirogane. Now you expect me to believe that you’re suddenly so much more responsible in such a short time?”

A small twitch at the edge of Keith’s eye was the only tell of his frustration. “Do you not remember the first time you saw battle, Admiral? The first time you watched a friend die? Watched and fought as hard as you could?”

Sonda’s eyes narrowed. Keith knew well she remembered. There was no way to forget the last World War. It had nearly decimated the whole planet, and it was through that war that she rapidly ascended ranks. She knew war better than everyone. “Think of that on a much larger scale. Weapons you hardly understand, space and magic you’d only ever passed off as bedtime stories. Time running differently. Trials of pain, taking your deepest fears and putting them in front of you to face or fail.

“Knowing you can’t fail or others will die.”

Sonda locked eyes with him, eyes older than the face they were in. “I don’t want to lose any more than I already have. Even after this battle, the war will still rage until everything is over, but if Earth doesn’t make our stand now? Then we will be under rogue Galra occupation until they decide to destroy the planet. There is no way to stay under the radar for any longer. They will come, and if we don’t fight back, we will all die.”

The two remained in a stalemate, expressions unwavering until Sonda slowly sat. “I need exact details, and I choose who to deploy where.”

Keith nodded, pulling a communivator from his belt and setting it on the desk, the purple hologram that lit across the desk a detailed map of the Solar System. “There are two possible directions of entry for Sendak.”
 
Shiro stood on the dark bridge of the ATLAS, Sam on one side of him, Allura and Coran on the other. “So what was this about a CALYPSO?” Sam asked, manually connecting wires in an attempt to get the crystal casing to rise from the control panel.

“We found a ship caught in a wormhole from Keith’s previous reality.” Shiro explained, tugging the necklace from under his uniform and looking at the gently glowing crystal. Might need it indeed. It was like everything Keith ever did was with clear intent for a later action. Things he didn’t understand would connect, Keith had already connected. “The IGF-CALYPSO, daughter of the ATLAS. Second of her kind. There was no saving the ship, but Keith had us recover the crystal that powered her. It should be able to power the ATLAS as well.”

“That tiny crystal must have as much power as a star in supernova.” Coran breathed, eyes tracking the crystal as it moved. “I wonder how they managed to capture that much power.”

“I’m sure working with Sam you’ll figure it out, Coran.” Shiro said with a smile, the tube finally popping up and nearly sucking the crystal from Shiro’s fingers. As it settled into the pod, the wire wrapping the crystal disintegrated, disappearing in the gradual glowing light that flowed into the ATLAS.

It was like a birth in Shiro’s mind. A bright light of connection as the ATLAS hummed to life, a soft buzzing in the corner of his mind where his connection with the Black Lion lived. “It worked! It worked!” Sam jumped in excitement. Part of Shiro, the part that found happiness and humor even in the things he disliked, wished Slav were there to watch the birth of this new machine. This ship that hummed like a Lion and nearly breathed with Shiro.

He understood now why Keith had him keep the crystal for the ATLAS. She was his. It was a comfort in it’s own way. His own ship… it would mean Keith had Black. Keith would lead Voltron, and ATLAS? She allowed him to provide support. Allowed him to let Keith lead, not holding him back. It tied Keith to Voltron so he couldn’t fly off and leave them behind again...

“Shiro?” Allura said his name like she had already said it multiple times already. Her hand was on his flesh arm and gave him a gentle squeeze. “Are you well?”

Shiro smiled back to her and nodded. “Of course, Princess. It’s just ATLAS.” He said, smile widening. No matter the sadness of his thoughts, the feeling of that newborn energy in his mind brought a giddiness with it. “I can feel her in my mind. Like the lions. She’s full of quintessence.”

“That’s… that’s amazing!” Allura grinned, looking to him with wide, excited eyes. 
 
“With the connection between the ATLAS and Pilot Takashi Shirogane, there’s a promotion in order.” Sam stood in the meeting room, a wide smile on his face. “The ATLAS is now under his command. Congratulations, Captain Shirogane.”

There was a circle of applause before Sam turned, giving a small nod. “Now I’ll turn this over to Keith, representing both the Blade of Marmora and Team Voltron with our next steps.”

Keith stood and circled the meeting table to stand at Sam’s side before the man sat again. “After a lot of conversation, a plan has finally been chosen for our line of defense against Sendak.” He said, placing a communicator on the table and watching as the purple map flickered to life.

“We’re going to create a network of off planet bases through the system. The closest base we’re planning will be on the moon Titan, it has mostly tolerable climate for humans, but those based there will also be accompanied by a team of Rebels whos biology is suitable for that climate.” Keith pinched a zoom to the moon, it spinning and orbiting the Gas Giant flickering on Keith’s gloved hand. “The Blade of Marmora and Rebellion are already en route to Titan with supplies to begin the build.

“We’re also expanding from the solar system as well. With multiple locations of the Blade bases compromised we’ve already been building in the areas we need. The plan is to have multiple bases as a front line. The first warning for Sendak’s arrival, or the arrival of any hostile Galra presence.” Keith clasp his hands behind his back, eyes tracking across the room. “We need volunteers from Earth to dispatch to these bases. Not just Garrison personnel, but others with appropriate skills. Engineers, programmers, anyone who joined with the Garrison for the first wave of preparation before our return.”

“Those in this room, however, have their own posts. The ATLAS is to remain grounded as Earth’s primary command ship. She will be run through the paces and properly tested, however she will remain strictly within Earth’s solar system.” Something about the way Keith laid out those commands rang as upset. It was likely, Shiro thought, that Keith had wanted Atlas patrolling. Honestly, Shiro would rather be out in space doing just that, but he supposed he understood. It was their last line of defense. Voltron and ATLAS.

“The MFEs will also stay grounded within the Solar System. Your skills and these ships are critical to Earth’s defense and a victory.

“The Castle of Lions is to meet with Lotor’s armada. The Castle will be fully staffed for the first time in a thousand years with staff of your choosing, Coran.” Keith looked to Coran with a smile that spoke of more pride than they could truly understand. Shiro remembered now, that Keith had mentioned the destruction of the Castle in his past life. This was another moment of something completely new. A change that Keith took pride in. “Lotor has also recovered the entire colony, you are welcome to choose your staff from the Alteans there as well.”

“The Blade of Marmora are to arrive in one Earth week. Upon their arrival there will be another briefing and then the plan will be set into motion. We have one week.”
 
Adam caught Shiro on his way out of the conference room, tugging him down a side hallway and cornering him against the door to someone’s office. “Okay, Taka. Talk. What was all of that? I know you said the boy had potential way back when you snagged him out of that school but what the fuck was that?”

Shiro blinked at Adam before letting out a small laugh. “I have no fucking idea, Adam.” He admitted, the smile from his laugh fading. “I’ve never seen him quite so… That.”

“Eloquent as always, Takashi what the fuck. He told me some of it one the recording everyone sent with Sam but that? How bad are things?” Adam asked, brows drawn. “And don’t lie to me. I’m not your boyfriend and I’m not your subordinate. I’m your friend and Keith’s friend.”

Shiro’s face pinched, looking to his boots. “It’s… It’s not nice. Shit, Adam he died and woke up having lived a whole life. We ended up visiting that damn timeline, he was an Admiral. Admiral of an Army I don’t think we can even comprehend yet. Zarkon’s army? It was immense. We have enemies none of us have even seen yet, Generals who have been at the edges of wildspace who all they know is that Zarkon is dead and Lotor has sided with Voltron.”

Adam reached out, cupping Shiro’s cheeks and raising his brows. “Takashi. Breathe. I can feel how on edge you are. Just breathe.”

“Adam I could lose him again. I could lose you, I could lose everyone. It’s so fucking big.” Shiro rambled. “The things I saw in the arena? On the battlefield in the Lions? It’s all so big, Adam.”

Adam pulled Shiro into his arms, giving him a tight squeeze. “Let me guess, you haven’t really spoken to anyone about your fear or PTSD from all of this, huh?” Shiro’s silence was clearly answer in of itself as Adam just sighed and lightly tapped the back of his head. “We’re getting you a therapist you idiot. Your boyfriend one too. We can’t have two of our fearless leaders so… not fearless.”
 
Those words startled a laugh out of Shiro, nodding against Adam’s chest. “Thanks Adam. You were always a great mom.”

“I swear to god Takashi Shirogane I’m going to beat you and hang you from the Garrison flag pole by your underwear.”

“Oh. Kinky.”
 
“Keith?” Allura poked her head into a room that Keith had turned into a makeshift office, and something told Allura it was the closest thing he would get to a real place to plan. Not that she felt he needed one. Maybe he wanted a space away from the Castle? Something… separate.

Keith perked his head up from the datapad he had his nose in. He gave her a small smile, but she could see the bags under his eyes and exhaustion lining his body. “How can I help you, Allura?”

“This isn’t official business, Keith.” She said, stepping in with a smile and closing her door behind her. “I want your opinion on something.”

Keith put down the datapad and leaned back in his chair, nodding to Allura. “How about we take a walk then? I feel like my ass is going to attach to this seat if I stay here any longer.”

That made her smile grow wider. That was the Keith she knew. “Absolutely.”

They walked together through the Garrison, through hallways Allura hadn’t been in before, mostly in silence until Allura realized he was waiting for her to start. He didn’t push for her to speak, nor had he forgotten why they were walking. “It’s… about Lotor.” She admitted, cheeks heating. “And I’m not asking you as someone who saw him in a different world. I’m asking you as a friend who also knows love.”

The way Keith smiled sat wrong in her chest. It was… crooked. Pained more than a real smile. Perhaps she was a fool… “I hardly knew Lotor.” Keith admitted. “In the life I lived, you liked him, absolutely. You told me once that had things been different you could have fallen for him, but things had been the way they were. If you’re asking me if it’s a good idea I can’t really answer that. I don’t know him like you do. You spent more time with him than I ever did.”

Allura paused, mulling over his words. “He sees something in you, Keith.”

“Everyone does anymore.” Keith retorted almost bitterly. “How about instead of looking to me, people look to themselves. I’m not a great leader, I only got a title after the war was actually over. I don’t have insight into people I’ve hardly spoken to. All I can do is be a friend when someone comes to me and tells me what they see themselves.”

Keith stopped walking, the dry desert breeze washing over them as they stood outside on the garrison grounds, cadets and pilots doing laps around them. The sun was brilliant and bright, washing over them and causing her hair and Keith’s skin to nearly glow. “What do you see, Allura?”

She looked over him for a moment, and instead of the young man in front of her she could almost see the man she knew hid behind those knowing eyes. There was something about the situation that felt so private, that reminded her of Oriande, no matter how clearly Earthbound they were. She had to look inward and use her friends as a “sounding board” as Pidge had said, and she had been so right to choose Keith it seemed. “On Oriande we… Transcended. Became one with Space and Time and each other. It felt like coming home, like being embraced by the Universe and seeing how everything was connected. It felt him more like light and energy than like a body… Have you ever experienced something like that?”

She watched Keith swallow, and suddenly she knew. “You have.”

“Have you ever gone into the Blue Lion’s consciousness? Into his mindscape and just feel?” Allura shook her head as Keith spoke, eyes to the blue sky above them. “It’s much the same. I suggest you do it, sit and let that connection you have grow stronger. It’s an amazing experience. It can break you down to your very core, and if Oriande was anything like that then you and Lotor shared only your truest selves.

“You will always feel like a burning star against all of us humans. Lotor is lucky to have ever gotten to feel how you burn at your core. If you came out of that a little too fond of the new Galra Emperor, I can’t imagine what he’s feeling right now.”

The words made Allura stare at Keith for a moment, all the words processing before she smiled, cheeks growing hot. “I… do you really think?”

“Allura, you’ll have to ask him yourself when you have your next communication with him.” Keith teased, resting his hand on her shoulder.

“I suppose you’re right.” She said, looking to the sky, her smile taking a more dedicated turn. “But now we’re turning in regards to your team.”

Keith let out a sigh, clearly recognizing the tone. “Don’t sigh at me Paladin!” She protested, grinning still. “You need to plan something to bring the team back together now after you’ve been gone for so long. Better start thinking before we struggle to form Voltron now that Shiro has ATLAS.”

Keith’s smile wavered again but he nodded. “That’s true, but we still need to include Shiro too. He’s still part of Team Voltron, even if ATLAS is her own ship. We need to remind him that’s he’s important to us too, not to leave us behind.”

That got Allura’s attention. “Leave us behind?” She asked, raising her brows. “I don’t think that will happen, Keith.”

“Not if I can help it.” He gave her a smile that spoke of heartbreak. She knew what they had seen in the other reality was odd, Shiro with another man on his arm, but now? Now it left an even more sour taste in her mouth. Had the rift been that bad?

“Of course. So what are you thinking?”
 
When Shiro saw the bikes he couldn’t stop his smile. When he received the missive to report to the hanger bay for Paladin Training, casual clothes required, he hadn’t expected this, but he supposed he should have. Keith was standing with Allura, laughing as she spoke, braiding her hair. “I feel like I should have seen this coming.” Shiro spoke up as he approached.

Keith gave him a look that made that low fire in him burn brighter. Through messy bangs, those vibrant eyes locked on his and a brow raised in challenge. The worries that clearly plagued him seemed lifted for a moment with the prospect of riding so close. “Of course you should have, Takashi.” He teased. “In all seriousness though, this isn’t a joyride. This is a team exercise. It’s trust, understanding our expectations in each other and ourselves. We will not have comms for this ride.” Keith looked across as the Paladins circled them. “This is about pushing and pulling, trust, and most of all? Fun. We’ve been training so much physically that we need to actually have fun and do it together.”

“Last time we were on one of these things it was all of us, Shiro was unconscious, and you took us over a cliff.” Hunk reminded, eyeing the bikes suspiciously.

“Do you remember how well we worked together though, Hunk?” Keith asked, leaning his butt against the bike, arms crossed in front of him. “You all helped keep us balanced and moving and not getting arrested for breaking him out of quarantine.”

“But Keith… cliff.” Hunk repeated, crossing his own arms and trying not to smile in the face of Keith’s own smile.

“Like I said, expectations in each other and ourselves. You will not have to take any of those jumps, only if you feel you’re ready and trust yourself to do that will it be necessary.” He repeated, smiling and looking across to everyone. “Does everyone have a helmet?”

“I see that you don’t.” A voice came from behind Shiro, making him turn and smile.

“Adam.”

“Your leading style “do as I say, not as I do”?” Adam teased, crossing his arms and faux scowling at Keith.

If the rub against if Keith could lead affected him, it didn’t show. “Adam, look at me, I’d have horrible helmet hair.”

“Keith you wear a helmet as a paladin.” Lance chimed in, but it only made Keith smirk.

“You still act like you’re twelve.”

“You never knew me when I was twelve.” Keith outright laughed at this point, smiling openly at Adam, though there were lines of stress between his brows.

“Yeah, I forgot, you were fifteen when you stole Takashi’s car.”

“Sixteen, I already knew how to drive.”

“You sTOLE HIS CAR!?” Lance interjected, but Shiro honestly didn’t mind. Seeing the banter made him relax. It wasn’t like it had been all those years ago, it was worlds different, but it still made him feel… at home.

“Enough of me heckling children, I came here to get my boyfriend.” Adam said, pursing his lips and looking to Shiro. “I would ask you to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid, but you taught him how to do those damn jumps and also make some of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Ow. Hey.” Shiro protested, crossing his arms.

“They are pretty dumb decisions sometimes.” Keith chimed in, a smirk on his face as he betrayed Shiro in broad daylight-

“That’s why I dumped him.”

“Hey!”

“Nice.” Keith responded, giving Adam a high-five, and honestly? Shiro couldn’t be mad about it. In the last year before he left for Kerberos this was how they had become, a few angry pranks and bitter words about the breakup aside. “Who’s the new boo now, by the way?”

“Oh, that’s him there.” Adam pointed, and Keith turned to look. Shiro almost looked away to the man in question himself, but he caught the expression Keith made first. Eyes wide, smile awkward and uncomfortable. Now if there were anything that would pique his curiosity, he hadn’t encountered it yet. Following Keith’s gaze, he felt his own eyes widen.

“OH. MY. GOD.” Hunk couldn’t stop himself, it seemed, but from the tone, Lance had also said it.

“This makes nothing better.” Keith said, trying not to laugh, clearly ignoring Adam’s questioning look. “This actually makes everything worse.”
“What?” “You’re telling me you’re dating Curtis. Please tell me how long you’ve been dating Curtis.” Keith said, turning to Adam with a red face and pursed lips. 
“It’s been almost six months, why? What?” Adam reached out, grabbing Keith’s shoulders. “What do you know you brat?”

“It’s nothing to do with you!” Keith said, already laughing. “It just means Shiro’s a horrible person!”

“I am NOT a horrible person!” Shiro protested, trying not to laugh himself. He couldn’t, in a million years, imagine ever marrying someone who dated his ex, let alone in the odd order it must have been. Adam leaves Shiro, dates Curtis, dies, Shiro and Curtis get together? Outrageous.

“No not you but other Shiro!” Keith, at this point, was laughing himself to the brink of tears. “Oh god I’m going to throw up.”

“What is going on?” Adam pleaded, looking to a giggling Allura for answers.

“Alternate realities we’ve visited is all.”

“This makes everything worse!” Keith cried again, laughing and coughing in turn.

Adam finally let go of Keith just to turn eyes to Shiro. “What did you do?”

“Make terrible life decisions.” Keith supplied through his fit of laughter. “Oh god I haven’t laughed like this since Matt did a Chilly Willy.”

“A what?” Pidge chimed in, and if there were a time for Shiro to just, ascend from the situation, he wished he could do it then.

“There seems to be a lot of fun going on over here.” A new voice provided, and Shiro wanted to scream. Keith was already getting onto his bike, muttering that he had to leave, and Shiro had to look at Curtis as he slid up to Adam’s side.

“I honestly have no idea what’s going on anymore.” Adam said, looking to Curtis, but he smiled at the man and pressed a kiss to his cheek, more than he had done in public with Shiro.

Absurdity aside, they seemed good for each other, and that’s all Shiro could really ask for. “Alright, on bikes people, before our Black Paladin passes out or leaves without us.” Shiro said, clapping for attention and grinning. “Let’s hit those hills.”
 
It was honestly kind of gross watching how Shiro and Keith were when they didn’t realize anyone was watching. Or realized what was going on. They were like an extension of each other and honestly? Lance was jealous. Maybe it was stupid, having dreamed of something like that since he was a kid, but it was something he wanted. Had always wanted.

The circumstances? He wasn’t so jealous of. War? Pain? Death and trauma and the only thing keeping them afloat being each other wasn’t exactly ideal, but it was… something. Allura’s bike kept close to his for a good chunk of their ride, but eventually she passed him too, chasing up after Keith and Shiro, who had been competing neck and neck since they tore out of the hanger bay.

Neither of them wore helmets, Keith’s hair had torn it’s way out of the loose ponytail he had it tied in a while ago, and honestly? Maybe he had a crush on the man a few years ago, but when he woke up after Red’s fall? He would never be ready for the truths that hid in those eyes.

And against Takashi Shirogane? He didn’t think anyone stood a chance, especially to Keith.

They were all leagues ahead of him, and Lance didn’t know if he could ever keep up.

The sudden roar of another bike engine startled him, looking up as a bike dropped down to fly next to him, Keith grinning widely, hair wild and whipping around him like a halo. “Come on, Hot Shot.” Keith cried to be heard over the bikes. “Show me what you got!”

Lance knew he should shut his mouth, rise up to the challenge, but something about how the light shone against all that wild dark hair and the sky reflected in his goggles was nearly ethereal. It wasn’t long before the other bikes joined them, Pidge and Hunk cheering and revving, Allura’s laugh loud and twinkling. Shiro brought his bike up next to Keith’s, nothing but unfiltered support in his face.

Leagues ahead of him? Maybe. But it wasn’t the first time they reminded him that they’ll always be there to push him, to take his hand and help him over his hurdles. Revving his own bike, he peeled away, letting out his own cry of excitement.

The Team was like a family in more than one way. At one point he thought of it with Allura and Shiro as Mom and Dad, but things had changed so much since then. Maybe they didn’t fit any sort of family stereotype, and that was okay. There was a difference between biological family and found family, and it could be a wild rowdy group of people finding happiness and reprieve in each other in the face of war, a bunch of misfits who maybe didn’t choose each other at first, but would choose each other again and again now.

Lance pulled to a stop at the top of a small hill, the garrison in the distance, wind blowing around him as the Paladins all pulled to a stop and engines were cut.

They all had their history and shared jokes and experiences in shreds of the group, but this? All of them together? Lance wouldn’t trade it for the world.