princessences | [IC] Inbox @ deerington

On my way now. Yeah. I'm fine

May I ask who you saw?

[He debates stalling. Waiting until they're face to face and showing her, instead... but...]

One of the launch photos. For the Kerberos mission. Me. Pidge's father. And her brother.

[Maybe he should give it to her...]

[ Ah. A pleasant time, at least, though perhaps far removed from this place. She knows at least there is a happy ending for Pidge's family. ]

I would like to see it. I know that was a momentous occasion, not just for you, but for Earth itself.

[Yeah, there's that. He's heard that much, at least. So it's... nice to know. Even if he doesn't know when he'll see them again.]

It'll be even bigger when we get them back home again.

And we will.

I know it's taken longer than either you or I intended.

Not your fault. It's just hard to get any kind of concrete answer out of... anything here.

It is. And it's as if we are given more questions with each potential answer we find.

Now that we have the town back again, I would like to make that trip to the radio tower. Especially now that we have Pidge here.

I agree -- it's like they're doing everything they can to get in our way. Whoever they are. That's a good idea. Let's talk to her and see when she's up for it.

"Sodder" remains more elusive than ever. I thought the communication would be more open now, but that was clearly being hopeful on my part

I already have, actually. We talked about it while we were camping. Unsurprisingly she is in.

Wouldn't that be nice? We do it a favor and it's... radio silence. We got more thanks on Arus. I'm not surprised either -- but we'll have to be careful. You heard what happens when you break the law here.

Arus...I hadn't thought about them for a while. I do miss the Arusians. That feels so long ago, doesn't it?

I have. Yes.

[ Chloe's situation is...terrible. But was it justice? It's easy to give into anger in the moment. ]

But fear of retaliation is what keeps the masses in check. We cannot let that stop us. If it comes to it, I will take responsibility for the operation as it was my idea.

Right. Like another lifetime ago.

[He's on board with everything she says there. He knows it's true. He knows they have to take risks here. It's the only way they'll get anywhere.]

[But --]

No. You put me in charge. If anything happens, it's my responsibility

I put you in charge of Voltron, but this mission came from me, Shiro. We'll need someone to make sure that Pidge leaves unharmed, should it come to it.

[ And he must realize she will be willing to throw him into the escape pod a second time. ]

And you're just as capable of doing that as I am. We I don't want to see you hold the line again, because I couldn't.

[Yeah, he knows. And it still stings. Even after time has passed.]

This isn't about capability. I know that you're more than capable of holding the line.

I'm taking responsibility for the decision to investigate. You would do the same if you had devised this plan, wouldn't you?

Yes.

[He would. He absolutely would. But... after all that's happened here. All they've come through in so many months. He doesn't know if he could sit by and let it happen again.]

[He's still got to drive back to the house. So he lets the reply sit. One word. Focusing on the bike and keeping it steady enough not to jostle him.]

[ The one word is enough for Allura to garner that he understands, he just doesn't like it. Well, whether he likes it or not, that's how it is. She's also not someone to be told what to do when she thinks otherwise. This is one of those times.

When Shiro gets home, Allura can be found in the large living room area. There isn't much there at the moment other than the couch they took from the apartment, but that's where she's sitting, bundled up in two blankets as she reads a book. ]

[The bike's motor is probably audible as he pulls up. Pausing outside long enough to carefully tap the snow off his boots. One hand tucked up under his coat, pressed against his side for a few heartbeats. Breathe. Steady.]

[Maybe they need a fireplace, or a portable heater. Even he's a little chilled as he steps inside.]

You look freezing.

[ She does hear it--it would be difficult to miss even if she didn't have heightened hearing abilities. The mice are all cuddled up with her as well, but Chuchule makes an effort to pop out from underneath the warmth of the blanket to squeak at Shiro in greeting.

Despite their text conversation, Allura offers a small smile. ]

I am.

[ She puts a bookmark in place and sets it down on the coffee table before pulling the blankets more tightly around her. ]

But I'm making good use of the hand warmers you gave me. I have about ten on me right now.

[ Literally on her. Under her shirt. Like armor. ]

[Chuchule's ears get a little scratch as he approaches. Using his real hand, which is, hopefully, warmer than the metal one, which he's got tucked up under his jacket. Ostensibly to warm it up... rather than, you know. Hold onto the ache in his side.]

I'm sorry there's not more we can do...

[He sits on the edge of the couch. Pulling an ornament out of a pocket and holding it out to her.]

I know you wanted to see the photo, but -- figured I should hand this to you, first. [In case it broke.]

[ Chuchule is happy to receive the attention, but doesn't hesitate to scurry back under the blankets as soon as she can. It is much warmer in there, after all. Allura shakes her head. ]

I've been managing. You have helped.

[ Two sets of blankets, a sweater, warm velvety work-out pants and fluffy socks in slippers are doing what they can. At least the tip of her nose and ears isn't red anymore.

She straightens as he sits, trying to keep the tension out of her face.]

...Yes.

[ Allura accepts the ornament and turns it over slowly in her hands. Almost immediately she feels an overwhelming sense of...comfort. Of happiness. Allura knows better than to trust those feelings in this place, but relief immediately follows--terror and despair have been so common place in waves, that a break from it is a welcome change. Of course, the last time she had a break from it she indulged a little too much.

That's still to be discussed.

At the moment, she's too enraptured by the ornament and holds it close to her heart with a smile.

And then suddenly squeezes it. The glass shatters and the mice all give a muffled squeak of surprise beneath the blankets. Small shattered pieces litter now Allura and the couch, but she ignores them in lieu of what is clear in her hands. ]

Oh...

[ A picture from her past, one that Allura would have never seen on her own. ]

Mother...Father.

[If he could get her some kind of heated coat, he would. There are heated blankets, but he's not sure if they exist in this world. Maybe some more heat pads out of bags of rice...]

[But that's of secondary concern. Once she accepts the ornament into her hands. He sits a little closer, waiting. Sure, he hadn't gotten anything nasty out of his, but who knows? Maybe the city won't be as kind to her. Or... maybe it will. He chews his lip, watching her face.]

[As before, it breaks. As before, it leaves a photo in its wake. And her reaction makes something close around his heart.]

... Is that... you?

[That's probably the gentlest thing he can say about the photo. Not how much she looks like her mother. Or how happy they all look. How much her father looks better, like that. With his family. Not with the weight of the world on his shoulders, as the image in his AI had.]

[ Allura nods gently, unable to tear her eyes away from the photo. That it exists at all...here, in this place should not be as much of a surprise as it is. ]

I was too young to remember this...but...this is clearly a recreation of what actually happened.

[ Platt and Chuchule stick their noses out to see what's going on, and the other two follow shortly after. Chulatt even puts her little paw on the picture. ]

The helm was a gift, back when Altea and Daibazaal were allies and friends.

[ She's hesitant to, but eventually she looks up and offers the photo to Shiro, if he would like a closer look. ]

I had it in my room for many years.

[He almost doesn't want to take it, when she offers. As if touching it is going to hurt it somehow. But... it's important to her. That he does. Otherwise she wouldn't hold it out.]

[When he does take it, it's carefully. Holding the edges of the photo. Studying the faces in it. Listening to her words. This is the world she should have kept, he thinks. Where a helmet is a gift for a baby. Where she has a blood family. Has an entire world... a people...]

You look a lot like your mother. [It's a lame response, but an earnest one. How do you put the rest of what's going through his head into words?] I... wish I could have met them.

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