if we're old already,
hopefully, we won't change
whenever wherever
this is my desire
The paladins knew Shiro could sing. It was acknowledged, but it wasn't apparent. Until now, that is.
Everyone in their rag-tag group of seven paladins, two Alteans, a Galra mom and a space wolf huddled around a fire in some abandoned planet, their camp guarded by the five lions. As some and other exchanged in small talk, Shiro had settled back and hummed a song to himself.
"You have a wonderful voice," Allura said in a sense of awe, "from where have you attained it? And are all humans capable of singing as beautifully as you?"
Shiro laughed, a tinge of red spreading at the tips of his ears, "Thank you, princess. I don't consider myself a great singer, though."
Keith snorted at this. He had run out of fingers counting how many times Shiro used to sing in the shower, belting out the high notes of Beyoncé's Halo.
"What are you talking about?" Lance blurted out. "That was great!"
The others chimed in their approval and Shiro finally conceded, face as red as Keith's jacket.
Is it still attainable for you
to hug and kiss me
until we grow old?
"What is that song, though?" Allure asked. "It was quite heartfelt."
"Ah," Shiro spared a glance at Keith who just gave him a shrug. Shiro rubbed the back of his neck with his only hand, "it's a song taught to me by - someone special back on Earth."
As everyone gave him inquiring looks, he continued the song.
I ask this of you
would you still love me
even when my hair turns white
Shiro closed his eyes. They brought him back to brown eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. There was a golden ring there somewhere.
when the day comes,
your hair will be whiter too
Lance interrupted, "Your hair's white already, without the wrinkles. So I find it hard for them to not love you."
"Lance, let him finish the song," Hunk said, nudging him. Lance settled back and Shiro suppressed a grin.
together we will share our dreams
of what we have gone through
He wondered if he would still remember him. Keith remembered him, and Keith was terrible at names and faces. Not that he was terrible, but he seemed intent of forgetting him altogether so..
we will bring back what has passed
I will have you remember
my promise
Well, that promise was pretty much down the drain by now. It's been two years. Shiro didn't think anyone would wait that long.
that my love will always be with you
even when my hair turns white
"That was beautiful," Allura said after a long while. "Thank you, Shiro."
He smiled. "You're welcome, princess."
"It would've been better if we had a guitar," Lance commented. "Where'd you get the song, anyway?"
"Yeah," Pidge adjusted her glasses, "It doesn't seem to really rhyme with the syllables and all that."
A faraway look took over his face. Shiro said softly, "It's a love song translated from a dead language. From a country across the ocean."
Allura, Coran, and Romelle exchanged looks. They knew the feeling. Altean was pretty much a dead language, what with only three native Alteans speaking it.
"My previous partner's ancestors came from those islands," Shiro continued, "It was a country that was passed down from nation to nation, so its identity was pretty much muddled. What was left of the old culture, much less the original language, was only preserved in song."
"And this is one of them?"
Shiro nodded. Lance asked, "Do you know the original version?"
The man winced, remembering the last interaction between them didn't end very well. "We ended things before he could teach me."
"Wait, he?" Lance balked. "Shiro, you're gay?!"
Shiro blinked. "Yes? I thought you knew that."
Lance just gaped, so Hunk filled in for him. "He didn't know."
"But you must have," Shiro said. "You've been in my class. You've met Adam."
"HOLY QUIZNACK you were dating Professor Adam?!" Lance squawked.
"He thought you two were very close bros." Hunk filled in again.
"Well, judging from him not noticing that I was a girl," Pidge piped up, "seems plausible that he wouldn't notice that you were engaged."
"Hold up!" Lance held up a finger. "How do you know this information and not tell me?"
His two Garrison partners gave him a deadpanned look. "Lance, pretty much everyone knew about their relationship. Even Keith knew and he lives under a rock."
"Hey!" Keith protested, "I'd like to inform you that I've been up close and personal with those two, seeing as I lived with them."
"Wait, what?!"
"How do YOU not know?!"
"Oh dear."
"I'm wondering who really is the one living under a rock."
As the younger paladins argued amongst themselves, with Lance and Keith back to their usual banter, Shiro couldn't help the melancholic smile creep up his face. He used to argue with Adam just like the two. He'd never admit it out loud, but he was the Lance in the relationship. Adam was the more patient one, sticking to him when things turned for the worst. But after being with him, he had learned to calm down.
Patience yields focus.
Shiro wondered if patience still yielded focus when it came to Adam. But then again, Adam didn't stick around for the eventual heartbreak that came when he signed up for the Kerberos mission.
Shiro had the patience, though. He could wait. When they get back to Earth, he'd do it all over again for him.
His hair had turned white, but he loved him still.
But we all know what happened after that. His hair had turned white, but they never did grow old together.
So if you haven't noticed by now, the song is actually translated from the original, "Kung Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko". I got the translation from the internet, so umm...sorry if it isn't accurate.
It's also my headcanon that Adam comes from a Filipino ancestry. He's avid in preserving the last bits of the culture, so he sings quite a lot of Filipino songs at home, teaching Shiro and Keith the words and the meaning.
Also, the Philippines in this fic is long gone. The islands are still there, but the culture and language itself have been lost through the time when it was occupied by other nations (not really colonized per se, but speaking Filipino was looked down upon). Now, not many people speak it, and the only preservations are those in books and songs.
This is my first Voltron fanfic in here, and (of course) it's angst. Well, I hope you liked it!