One Man's Mistake is Another's Saving Grace

AN: What was supposed to be a chapter for my fic We Are Family bit it went way too far to a different side so, here it is! Hope you enjoy and have a blessed day!

Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron: Legendary Defender

Family is teaching the younger ones about the mistakes you've made so that they don't make the same ones.

"Back when I was your age, I too was in a similar situation as you are in at this moment."

Hunk quirked an eyebrow at Coran.

"You had been in a military school for space exploration and aid, drug into a giant blue lion, then zapped across space to a giant castle/ship thingy with two aliens and told you had to now pilot your own lion and save the whole universe?"

"No, not that situation!" the red head scoffed. "I'm talking about with Shay." Coran tried wiggling his eyebrows (he probably learned that from Lance) but it looked like he had an eye twitch instead. Luckily for the older one, Hunk was too embarrassed to comment.

"Wha—what are you talking about?" he forced a laugh before nervously shifting in his seat. "She's a nice girl—I mean, I think she's a girl? She's female. But do they call females 'girls' or 'women' on that planet? I hope they do. Otherwise I'm gonna be completely lost on pretty much everything that happens. I wonder what other words that have that aren't like our's. Maybe—"

"You, sir, are rambling." Hunk's jaw snapped shut and he sunk a bit in his seat. "But don't you worry! I know from experience that's just something people do when they're nervous or embarrassed. You have nothing to be embarrassed of, dear human. I can assure you that nothing you do with me will be used against you at any later date." the Altean gave him a sincere smile.

"That is, unless you give me permission to speak of the things. Then I will tell everybody." with that, the smile turned playful and Hunk's eyes went wide.

"Don't tell anyone! Right now, she's a friend, and nothing more." his words were rushed and his face was red. The scene brought back the memories of a young Altean on a mission to another planet and a young female native to the cold tundra. Despite himself, Coran lost himself in the memories while Hunk tried desperately to let out a defense for himself only to deaf ears.

"—ran? Coran!" a thump to the side of his head got him out of his stupor. Immediately, the said man became alert and his eyes darted around for any signs of danger. He was met with the space ship they were in, a seemingly endless universe, and a concerned Hunk.

"Did you see a Galra ship?"

"No, bu—"

"Was it meteorite?"

"Uh, no—"

"Then did—"

"Coran!" the Altean was silenced by Hunk's booming voice. He took a moment before saying anything.

"I was talking to you and all the sudden you got really quiet and had a weird look on your face. Are you sick? You're not gonna pass out or anything, right? Because I really need you in order to get back to the ship and everyone else."

Coran sighed. "Well, I was remembering a time when—" he stopped short and cast a glance at Hunk. The humans had been considerate the first few days they were in the castle, letting him tell whatever stories he had, but then it wore off. They had been rather blunt by expressing they did not want to hear every single story about his life.

But before he could say never mind, Hunk had been able to read his face well enough to know what was going through his mind. With a gentle smile, he said, "I won't get upset if you tell me this."

"Alright then," he took a deep breath, both for the amount of words he was to speak and to ready himself.

This was a rather emotional subject for him to discuss.

"Well, it happened when I had recently graduated from the school and given a mission, along with a couple others. It wasn't our first mission, nor was it to be difficult by any means. Just a simple well-check for a nearby planet that we had visited in times past. A small little thing, mainly a frigid land of snow and ice that could be quite deadly if you didn't know how to get around in it. There were few who called it home but they were the nicest creatures you'd ever meet. We, ourselves, had never been before, but our elders had told us enough tales to know that we were certainly lucky to have this mission."

"So, the three of us packed every warm thing we owned and readied ourselves to set out on the mission. Once we arrived, we found everything going terrifically for the creatures! They were well put on supplies and food, and there were no threats of any wars or attacks in sight; by the Galra or any other type of species. We were going to turn around to come right back to the castle, since obviously everything was okay, but the natives (they certainly were the best negotiators you'd find) we're able to talk us into staying the night."

He chuckled before continuing, "Mind you, we were a group of young Altean males, our confidence high and our ambitions higher. Sorta like a little night in the town, that is what we had after being settled. But we weren't fools—we were on the job and what we did reflected how this planet would assume the other Alteans acted. We were careful to not break our codes by being ridiculous or doing anything that we wouldn't do in front of higher-ups."

"We all had gone our different ways not even ten ticks out of the building—Abelino to go look for some nice trinkets to bring back with us, Chevalier off to see if he could smooth talk any of the pretty females into a date." he chuckled once more. "He was a flirt, that one."

"As the culinary expert I am, I went off to find us a nice dinner to have when we all met back up at dusk. Even the stars know that the both of them would eat nothing but the ground they were standing on if told to pick it themselves." that caused both Coran and Hunk to laugh.

"While on my journey, I got... sidetracked." a fond smile pulled at his lips. "There was a girl who was selling these—these, well.. Things. I still have no clue what it was. Looked a bit like the vases we had in the castle but a lot duller but still oh so beautiful. Yet, the things on the table had nothing in comparison to the person behind it."

Coran's eyes glazed over as he told his story, voice bright and happy. Though he was smiling and remembering the good times, Hunk wasn't as oblivious as some people thought he was. He knew there was sadness behind the joy in the man's voice. This story didn't have a very good ending.

Coran went on, telling of how he made a complete fool of himself and tripped on his way, which wound up breaking some of the things a nearby stand was selling. To him, the price and humiliation was worth it to hear her laugh. He spoke about how he stayed by her side the whole time, completely forgot about dinner. Simply talking to her about life and getting to know her.

She was Tove - straight baby blue hair to her shoulders, bangs tied back with a yellow ribbon and ears that looked like a leopard poking through at the top of her head. Silver eyes that were the whole eye, no pupil or anything. But they were apparently a thing to get lost in. Her skin was about as white as the snow surrounding her and a bit of gray-blue fur would be on her cheekbones, hands, and paw-like feet. The rest of her body was covered in a pretty yellow gown. To Coran, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

His friends came by later to drag him off to their quarters for the night (not before he got in a goodbye and promise to visit later), Abelino complaining about the lack of dinner and Chevalier complaining about a lack of date, even more upset because his teammate managed to get one.

"We managed to find some food and fell asleep not too long afterwards, but not before Abelino threatened to throw Chevalier into the cold ship for the night if he didn't hush up. The next day came and we all got ready to return to, back then, the newly crowned King Alfor for our next assignment."

"The natives came and greeted us but, of course, I was only looking for one in particular. I did find her and most likely made a fool of myself to get to her, but I truly didn't care at the time being. We were both red in the face but still said our goodbyes and just as I was to turn away, she took my hand and bowed - a way of saying goodbye to a significant other in her culture - and Chevalier had to pull me to the ship since I lost pretty much all feeling I had in my body. Except for pure joy! I probably had that smile on for days!"

Coran laughed along with Hunk, who was pretty much in a state of awe at the story. Hunk was expecting more, but Coran seemed to be done.

"That sounds so romantic! Did you guys meet again? Get married? You can't just end there!"

The Altean laughed. "Yes, we met again. After a while together, we realized that we did have strong feelings for each other but we were never together long enough to really figure out what we had." he gave a small, sad sigh. "Not long after my sixth visit to her planet the Galra attacked it and everything, every creature, was destroyed."

Hunk's smile vanished and a tone of seriousness fell over the whole ship as Coran turned and looked the human in the eye. "The last visit, I almost took her with me. There was no Galra keeping her prison that stopped me, only my own corwardness. I was afraid of what my family would think, my friends... Being in a relationship with someone that wasn't Altean. I didn't, I left her. She understood, of course, and wasn't in the least bit angry—I didn't deserve such a sweet person in the slightest." a smile twitched at his lips, though it was a heartbroken one.

"Hunk, learn from me, I beg of you—whether you like Shay as a friend or more, don't just give up on her and let her stay in that situation. She has her duties, and obviously she wouldn't let you only take herself, but you don't have to give up on her or her people."

The tan man took a deep breath and was silent for a few moments, trying to figure out what to do.

Finally, after what felt like years, he uttered two words, "I won't."

Coran smiled.

At least his worst mistake could be this young man's saving grace.