RELATIVE DISCLAIMERS: Voltron and its characters belong to WEP.
Another Robot Lion Secret
Keith slowly made his way to the launch pad.
He was bothered by his so-called 'nightmare'. He hadn't really dreamed it; it was just something he had thought of in passing, wide-awake, several times in the past. It was just too horrible to comprehend, that he had completely blocked it out of his mind; or so he thought he did.
He stopped walking when he had reached his destination, and found who he was looking for.
Ever since she discovered the extra-ordinary mental capabilities of the robot lions, Allura spent most of her free time with them; trying to find any possible secrets that they still had. Keith stepped on the platform, took a deep breath, and resumed walking. He first passed Black Lion, beside it, sat Red Lion, next Green, Yellow, and lastly, sat Blue Lion, with its head stooped down to the stature of its pilot.
"Allura?"
The princess of Arus turned to face him. "Keith. I'm surprised to see you here. Don't you and Amalgamus have some things to discuss?"
"We finished early." He answered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I was wondering if you wanted some company."
Allura smiled and once again turned her attention to her lion. "Keith wants to join us. What do you say to that?"
The Blue Lion lifted its head and roared its approval then lowered its head again.
"We don't have to use our minds to talk to them. And I've found out that they can understand and respond to our questions." She said as she looked back at him, amused by the look of astonishment on his face.
"You really love them, don't you? I mean, you always spend so much time with them."
"Of course I do. If it weren't for them, Arus would be no more. Lotor and Zarkon would have conquered us long ago."
"Then I suppose that your nightmare was about losing them."
Allura arched an eyebrow. "Nightmare?"
"When Haggar's Spider Robeast bit you, a few days back. On the phony Castle Doom."
"Yes it was." Allura answered, wondering why Keith suddenly looked disappointed. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." He answered almost immediately, as he looked away.
"What was your nightmare about?"
Keith snapped his head back to meet her gaze. "My, my, uh, nightmare? I, uh, uhm, ah…"
It was Allura's turn to wear the surprised expression on her face. Keith was never lost for words before. Unless…
"Keith, are you keeping something from me?"
"Keeping something?" he echoed, looking everywhere but at her.
"Keith…"
"I, uh, think I'd better head back to the castle." He interrupted. "I should inform the team about what Amalgamus and I discussed earlier about inter-planetary fortification." He said, already taking backward steps away from her.
Allura wanted to stop him, but she couldn't; he had already turned heel and had started jogging. She looked-up and found herself under the seemingly curious gaze of her Blue Lion. "I wonder what that was all about." She pondered aloud. "Too bad. I really wanted him to stay." No sooner as she spoke the words, her lion once again raised its head and let out another roar.
Keith turned his head to see why the lion had roared; curiosity overcoming him. He was still jogging at a steady pace, when his lightning-speed reflexes kicked-in. He found himself abruptly stopping as a large, metallic paw of one of the lions moved in front of him.
A sudden yelp from her commander made Allura turn her attention back at Keith. Her eyes widened when she saw the Black Lion stand up from its sitting position and turn its head to look at the man standing at its side. "Keith!"
Keith once again found himself moving backwards, as the lion, his lion, started moving towards him; its enormous head lowered to his height. And, if he was hearing right, the lion was growling at him.
"Allura, what's going on?" he asked still locking gazes with the lion. "I'm not thinking this!"
Allura lifted her skirts and ran; stopping when she was directly behind him. Seeing her, Black Lion stopped advancing, its immense yellow eyes still intent on Keith.
"What happened?" Allura asked from behind him.
"I don't know. One minute, he was as still as a statue, the next…" he answered as he spun around, "he was moving."
Keith held his breath when he realized that his face was inches away from hers.
Allura felt her cheeks warm up when Keith turned to face her. He was so close; and that only happened when he was saving her life. Now that there isn't really any reason for him to be… Allura swallowed and was about to take a step backward, when she felt something hard from behind her. She twisted her body to see what was stopping her, and was shocked to find herself leaning on the nose of her Blue Lion.
Keith saw the Blue Lion move from formation to stand directly behind Allura; preventing her from moving away. He sensed her confusion and knew that he had to step back. He was about to, when a gentle, yet firm nudge from behind him, prevented him from doing so. Turning his head, he gawked at his Black Lion. Sighing, he once again faced his princess. He groaned inwardly when he realized that they were closer to one another now; so close that their bodies were almost pressed together.
Allura's usually rosy cheeks, became a brighter shade of pink. Her hands fumbled behind her as they positioned themselves on the sides of the Blue Lion's nose. She silently urged it to move its head so that she could move. In response, the lion slightly lowered its head and gave her a push. The poised princess found herself lunging forward into the ever-alert arms of her companion.
Keith instinctively caught her, not at all aware that his hands had comfortably placed themselves on her slim waist. Allura lifted her head and found herself under his intense gaze. Neither of them said anything; neither wanting to ruin the moment, both lost in the world they both created.
The Black Lion lifted its head, which went unnoticed by the two people with him. The Blue Lion followed suit, and it nodded, sensing and confirming what troubled the colossal cat. Black turned its majestic head at the three lions at its left and released a low growl. Three pairs of yellow eyes flashed in response. Green, Red, and Yellow Lions stood on all fours and took to the air.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"I wonder where Keith and the princess are?" Pidge asked, as he stopped walking and looked down at his reflection on the lake below.
"Allura's probably on the launch pad with the lions again." Lance answered, holding the castle-bridge's rail. Coran had requested them to look for their two missing comrades, since it was almost dinnertime.
"Keith's probably with her. He…" Hunk stopped himself when he heard the all-too familiar roar of his lion. "Hey! Look!" he shouted, pointing upwards.
Lance and Pidge looked-up and found their lions hovering above them.
"What the ---?" Lance cried out, as the three lions landed in front of them.
Pidge ran to his lion. "How did you do that?" Green lion growled and poked its nose at its pilot. "Hey!"
Red and Yellow Lions approached their pilots and started poking them as well. "What's going on?" Hunk exclaimed.
"I'm not sure. This may sound crazy, but I think they're playing with us." Lance answered, as he avoided Red Lion's nose.
"Wow! They're becoming more life-like everyday." Pidge laughed as he dodged Green's tail.
Hunk just managed to elude Yellow's paw when he spoke-up, "Hey this is fun! Maybe we can look for Keith and Allura later."
For the past years, Lance had outgrown his playfulness. But as he looked at the Red Lion, he shrugged and concluded that playtime wasn't just for kids. "I'm game. I'm sure Coran wouldn't mind us being late, after we tell him what just happened here."
The three robot lions gave a loud, appreciative roar, which echoed throughout the field.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Black and Blue Lions listened to the thunderous bawl of their fellow lions.
Allura snapped-out of her trance and looked around. "Keith, where are the other lions?"
Keith turned his head and answered, "They were standing there a minute ago."
Allura looked behind him and saw the Black Lion sit on its rear; two front legs standing straight. She angled her body a bit to check on her Blue Lion; only to find out that it did the same thing. She sighed. "Keith, I don't think we're going to get out of this."
"What are these lions up to?" he asked, watching the Blue Lion move its head from left to right, as it watched them. He was about to bring his hands down from Allura's waist, when a sudden growl from behind him made him freeze --- the growl sounded like a warning, a warning to him to not let go of the princess. "They're reading our minds. They know what we're about to do, even before we actually do it."
Allura nodded. "But why are they doing this?"
Keith looked at her. "I don't know, princess. But, now that I think about it, I'm actually enjoying this."
Allura met his gaze and smiled, her cheeks once again reddening. She decided to change the topic. "You still haven't answered my question, commander. What was your nightmare about?"
Keith held his gaze and took a deep, shuddering breath. "When Pidge went after me, we crossed paths in one of the passageways in the castle. I moved closer to him, and all of a sudden, something grabbed him from the side. I went after him, and tried to get through the webbing that covered the opening to the wall. I was unarmed and the piece of wood I used broke into two, without even breaking a strand of web. I heard Pidge scream out in fear, and I couldn't do anything to help him."
"That wasn't your nightmare, Keith." Allura softly argued, seeing the distraught in his face.
Keith shook his head and reasoned, "But it was the start of it."
"Please continue."
"Out of frustration, I found myself weakening, and went to lean on the wall behind me for support. Out of nowhere, Lotor grabbed me from behind and taunted me about me not being a fit leader, since I couldn't make decisions and save my own team. He threw me into the wall, and I found myself in the Archive Chamber in the Castle of Lions. There he told me that I was not worthy of you and that he was. Coran was later dragged in, wearing an iron ball and chains, and he told me that there was a royal decree of some sort in the archive records that ordered that you be wed to Lotor. In the ceremony, I couldn't move, nor even talk. Lotor continued to taunt me, and in the end, drew a blaster to do me in."
"Oh, Keith! You're right! That is a nightmare!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with sympathy, but her eyes twinkling with a teasing glint.
Keith grunted, obviously hurt. "Hey, I was worried about you, and you're laughing? If I had known that you didn't…"
Allura giggled. "I don't worry about that anymore… not since you came back." she reached-out and rubbed his cheek with her hand. "I'd be more scared if you got hurt or killed trying to rescue me."
"You know I'd do anything for you."
"If I had known that you cared so much, I wouldn't have allowed you to go in the first place."
Keith smiled down at her. "The worst decision I've ever made in my life." He admitted. "Do you think we could go back in time and undo the mistake I made?" he asked, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
Allura shook her head. "It wouldn't really matter. You're here now, aren't you?"
Suddenly, Black Lion stood, took a step forward, and with its nose, tapped Keith once at the back. "Whoa, big guy! Take it easy. I'm getting there." Keith said, chuckling a bit. His lion gave a sound that would pass as a contented rumble in response.
"What was that all about?" Allura asked, watching Black sit again.
"Shhh. You're as impatient as he is." Keith answered, placing a finger on her lips. "I just have to settle something with your protector, over there." He said, pointing at the Blue Lion with chin. Allura didn't move; only watched as Keith tore his gaze from hers and talked to her lion, his finger slowly dropping.
"So, Blue, do I have your consent? Or are you going to charge at me if I even think about it?"
The Blue Lion shook its head and leaned forward; once again pushing the oblivious princess closer to him.
Allura gasped as she found herself pressed closer to Keith, and gasped once again when Keith wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer, until there was nothing left in between them. Her questions died on her lips when she noticed his head moving forward.
"I think the lions have known all along how I feel about you." Keith whispered, slowly moving his head closer to hers.
"It's only obvious that Black and Blue Lions are taking matters into their own paws because you've waited so long to admit that." She told him breathlessly, her eyes shifting their attention to his lips. "If Black Lion didn't stop you earlier, I would have to wait another decade until you make an effort to tell me how you feel," she continued, a tone of amusement in her voice.
"And if Blue hadn't pushed you any closer, you would've backed-away yourself." Keith teased, stopping himself a few inches away from her. "By the way, I think I know what happened to the other three lions."
"Please enlighten me, commander." she requested, although her attention was still focused on his mouth, temptingly so near to hers.
"I bet Black told them to make sure we stay alone. You know how Lance and the guys are; always popping-up unannounced."
"Uh-hum." Allura absently agreed, inching her head closer to his. "Now that you've figured that out, can you just kiss me already?"
"Anything you say, princess," he murmured, finally closing the remaining gap between them and completely smothering the satisfied moan that erupted from her throat.
Seeing that their plan had worked, Black and Blue Lions stood, and leapt to the air, circling above the two lovers who were once again given the chance to be together --- with the help of unlikely supporters, the Robot Lions.