princessences | [IC] Inbox @ deerington

Shiro...

[ She frowns, pointedly turning her attention away from the Lion and properly to her friend. Her best friend. ]

Keith did act as the Black Paladin and leader of Voltron, as you asked. But you returned to us and then Keith left for the Blade. You are the Paladin of the Black Lion.

Lance... said differently.

[Which is difficult to accept. Because he trusts them both. He trusts them with all his heart. But when they give him conflicting answers --]

[We don't need you anymore]

[Breathe.]

Maybe she is here for both of us. And that's all right.

Lance did?

[ That causes her frown to deepen. That's certainly not something Lance would just say without reason. ]

What exactly did he say?

That Keith took over. After the Blades. It sounded like something that happened after what you described...

[The actual problem statement, though, the one that's haunted him... He has to phrase it right. He can't just tell her what's been running on loop. Because it's not fair to Lance.]

[He's leaning more against the Lion.]

... that you guys didn't need me to be the leader, he'd done it. It's not -- he meant it to help. Take something off my shoulders.

Something after...?

[ So...Lance may be from the future or a different timeline entirely.

She needs to ask him about this as soon as possible. But her priority, right now, is Shiro. Allura closes the distance between them fully and cups her hand at his cheek, forcing him to look at her.

The burden of responsibility is a heavy one...but she's also coming to understand just...how important this is to him. ]

Shiro. I don't know what Lance is talking about, but we need you. I need you. That will never change. You always have a place in this team and at my side.

Yeah. He told me the Holts were alive, Sam was back on Earth... [Things Allura hadn't told him, but things he wasn't holding against her for not knowing. He hadn't asked, after all.] I didn't get a lot of details. It was back in October.

[Needless to say, they'd all had a lot more important things to worry about that month than those sorts of details.]

I -- [He doesn't get another word out. Because her hand is on his face. Because she's saying words that feel as if they're boring straight into his heart. I need you - we need you - we don't need you anymore - that will never change.]

[The difference between her words and what he'd taken from Lance's is striking. Is numbing. His voice has a tremor in it, not entirely due to the flu.]

Thank you... Princess.

We did see him off a while ago...

[ Though she gets the impression that Lance has more information than a few assumptions. This seems important, doesn't it? Wouldn't Pidge want to know? Does she already know?

More questions that need to be answered.

But Shiro comes first.

Allura smiles, albeit sadly, and ushers him into her arms so she can hug him properly. ]

If there is any point to take from what Lance has said, it's that you don't carry the burden of the team alone. We all support one another. That also won't change.

[ She exhales slowly, rubbing his upper back. ]

I know that I have not been feeling myself of late, but I want you to know that you are more than a Paladin--you're a good person. A good man. From the moment we met you have offered me your support and your loyalty without question. There is nothing in this universe or any other universe that can alter my gratitude. And as you have fought for me, I will fight for you.

I know he's okay. Lance promised me... and so did Pidge.

[But that's not really the issue, is it? It's good they're both safe. Good they managed to come out of those horrors intact -- alive. One small weight off his shoulders.]

[The issue remains, he doesn't know how to reconcile the Lion, her words, and the future the others had implied. How he could go from being what he'd taken so deeply to heart, to... something else. That rightness the day in the very beginning, letting himself click so easily with the Lion -- how could he lose that? What did he do wrong?]

[Allura's arms are around him. And all thought of failure derails. Her words cut it off at the roots. Maybe it's the flu, maybe it's the stress of losing them, of letting people so dear and important to him slip away.]

[But her reassurance makes his eyes sting sharply. As it had back in the fog, so many months ago. His arms loop around her in return. Tightly. Gratefully.]

You always will. You'll always have it. [She's earned it, dozens of times over. And here, all over again.] I'm the one who should be grateful. So...

Thank you.

[ Allura shakes her head. There are no thanks, she believes, after everything he's done for her--both back home and in Deerington. He will always have her love and gratitude. She's learned some troubling things and her mood hasn't been great recently, but she can put all that aside for the moment. She hopes he believes what she says. ]

For now...let's just be glad that we have the Black Lion with us. It's a good sign, isn't it? And she did come to you.

[ To you, Shiro. ]

She came to me.

[He repeats it, again, in the hopes it sticks in his head, finally. Settles in long enough for him to accept. He knows she believes it. And doesn't doubt her trust or her support -- not for a second.]

[For now, maybe that will be enough.]

We'll just have to figure out how to unlock their abilities again. And maybe they can help us get out of here.

[ Allura nods. ]

Yes. To you.

[ And she pulls back, trying to encourage something of a smile on his face. They're both not in peak condition, but that is still something to be grateful for, isn't it? ]

You were the first Paladin to truly bond with your Lion. I am sure that you can lead us in this endeavor s well.

[Well, if she was trying to encourage it, that works. The memory is still so clear. Still so fresh -- even after all this time. And it's a good one, at that. One of the best.]

[So he nods.]

I'll do my best. Going to be hard to do trust falls with them this size... but. We'll figure something out.

[ She smiles softly at the memory. ]

I don't know, Keith and Lance might still take you up on that.

You think?

Do you really want them to crash without being in the cockpit?

"Want" isn't exactly how I would put it...

[ But she can't argue that's likely how it would go. ]

... but you're expecting it to happen just as much as I am.

[They're both expecting it.]

[ She's not going to deny it. ]

Yes. Yes I am.

[ She loves her all her boys, but...yes.

She knows them.

But this is about Shiro and his relationship with the Black Lion and with the team. ]

Perhaps instead you and Black would like to accompany Blue and I on a stroll?

I guess we need to alert the local doctors...

[Since there won't be a pod to put them in, or restraints or cockpits. Or anything.]

[He smiles at her, nodding.]

Yeah. I'd like that. Long as I'm allowed to ride if need be. [If the fatigue of the flu gets to be too much.]

[ She's pleased by the response. Of course his health comes first, but she knows that this is a bit of the health of the mind and heart that needs to be tended to right now. ]

Wonderful.

[ And on cue, Blue strolls out from the back of the house and purrs as she approaches, bowing slightly to Black with her butt up in the air and tail swishing. ]

[For a few moments, the Black Lion stands still as ever. Perfectly rigid like a statue. It's only when Shiro steps away slightly, to make room for Blue, that anything happens.]

Looks like they agree --

[What happens is the Black Lion just straight up pouncing on Blue.]

[ Allura rightfully jumps at that. ]

Ack!

[ Blue roars and rolls. It's...it's playing. It's two giant robot lions playing.

Well, miniature giant robot lions. It's like Jumbo Shrimp. ]

[She jumps. Shiro backs up further, falling into line with her. And just... Watching. It's not every day you get to watch two horse and pony sized robots play like actual lions.]

[He's a little impressed the wings on Black don't get caught on anything.]

Or... maybe we stand here and let them have a playdate.

Yes...that seems to be their preference.

[ She settles after a moment when the Lions manage not to knock their Paladins over, or the trees, or the house. No, they just seem like they're having fun getting reacquainted. ]

They must have missed each other. It is kind of sweet.

I can't blame them. I felt the same way when you guys showed up.

[Elated. Excited. Relieved not to be alone. Who's to say the Lions didn't feel some of that, too? Maybe they had a sense of separation, when no one else in Deerington did.]

[Black is doing her best to pin the other Lion, in typical cat playing fashion...]

I've never seen them act like this.

[ She places her hand on Shiro's shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze.

Black is clearly the one in charge, but Blue is going to give her a run for her money. ]

Neither have I. Perhaps they understand the oddities of this place as well, and how important it is for them to meet.

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