A/N
This is a Shallura AU fanfic and is loosely based off a story I had planned a long time ago. Allura is a Zookeeper and Shiro is a Mechanic. They're not roommates, but... they are single neighbors. This puppy is possibly a slow burn with a mixture of antics, angst, fluff, and possibly adult stuff (stronger than a possibly) down the line. I really hope you enjoy it and know that I really DO plan on finishing this one. I SWEAR. lol
Anyways, I do not own any Voltron characters, new or old, so suing me will only be a waste of your and my time. I do not have a beta and there are more than likely a huge ton of errors in this thing. Forgive them for their sins.
Please enjoy.
The walls were paper thin, the toilet clogged sometimes, you had to give the stove a little kick for it to turn on, and the bathroom light flashed a few times before turning on completely... but it was hers. Allura smiled as she placed her bags down in the living room and fell backwards onto the black leather couch that thumped in response. She let her mind sift through the all the chaos that had plagued her in the past couple of years.
Her mother died of cancer and sent her father into a spiral of bad decisions that led her working 3 jobs just to help pay the debt. In midst of working her ass off, her health began to deteriorate. She'd have waves of pure pain and nausea that would make her miss work, constantly. With the debt paid off, she took time to get herself checked. Coran, a man who had been in her life since she was born and who she considered to be a second father, went with her to the women's hospital. The doctor's were afraid that it was cancer, like her mother, but it turned out she had PCOS. She had cysts all over her ovaries. She had them removed, but over the course of a few months, they continued to return. At the age of 19, she made a very hard decision to just remove her ovaries and uterus all together... for her health. She told no one. Only Coran. She wasn't able to have children. At that time, it didn't seem to matter.
After all that, she focused on her education. Her freshmen year went a few weeks, undecided. She really didn't know what she wanted to do with her life. She HAD wanted to be a teacher like her mother, but it just didn't feel right. It was then that she met Lotor. He was so handsome and sweet that it felt like he was a dream come true. He took her to the Zoo for their first date. She not only fell in love with him, but she found a career that she could sink her teeth into. She returned to school with a boyfriend and a path. She'd get her bacholer's degree in Zoology. During her sophmore year, she shadowed with the Arusian Zoo, or AZ, just to get her foot in the door. Living on campus was both an eye opener and a relief. Lotor would visit her and she'd be swept in passion (yet she still didn't tell him about her inability of having children), but going home for holidays was a nightmare. Gambling, aside, it was the women and men coming in at all hours of the night that was her main concern. She couldn't study OR sleep with the smell of marijiuana and loud voices all through the night.
Coran was her only saving grace. He had been friends with her father since grade school and was really great friends with her mother. When it became too much, Coran offered her his guest bedroom at his house and she leapt at that. Coran was a softspoken person when you first meet him. He was diplomat and could speak 6 different languages with a poise that made him look like royality, but once you got to know him... he was fiery New Zealander who was full of compassion and pretty funny. He had 4 pet mice that were strangely intelligent, much like their owner. She felt at home, here, and could feel the warmth of love like she once had with her mother. It made her cry sometimes, but an understanding hand on her shoulder would always make her smile. She doesn't know how many times she had thanked Coran, but she had meant it every single time.
Once she graduated, she was hired by the AZ on the spot and two years in, Lotor proposed to her. Her work became her main focus, though, and it cost her. Lotor cheated on her and they broke up. The only man she ever loved, ripped her heart out, yet... she blamed herself. Lotor didn't seem to mind it, too much, because she never heard from him, again. With a fragile heart, she turned her entire world into her career. She aimed for the big cats and their habits, behaviors, and husbandry. She worked at the AZ for 12 years and became the leading keeper for the Lion exhibit. Schools of children flooded in on a daily there, and one day... a group of children deemed her the Princess of the Lions because of how pretty she was.
It was Lance, the keeper for the otters, that started calling her Princess... and it stuck... with everyone. She really wanted to punch him in the face, sometimes, but... he was a really nice guy; once he got all of his ridiculous flirting out of the way. She had been living with Coran all those years and loved it, but... she needed her own place. Her animals had consumed her life, but... if she ever wanted a little bit of a love life, herself... bringing home a man to another man with a huge mustache may very well end badly. She started searching and found a cheap little hole in the ground, but it was really close to the Zoo. She got approved and started packing. Coran's face was like a hurt puppy, but he helped her pack. He was really going to miss her and she him, but he understood completely. He offered her help, no matter what it was, and they confirmed with a hug.
That was when she heard that her father was killed in some back alley and had no witnesses to a very bloody murder. She was dragged into his finicial debts and funeral costs, but before anything could escalate, Coran's lawyers had jumped in and took care of everything. Saved by her second father, once again. He had taken her aside after the funeral and hugged her as he said with a very strict voice, "You don't owe me a thing, 'Lura. You hear me? If you feel like you need to pay me back then... just live happily. That's all your mother and father ever wanted for you. Yeah?" She nodded with her sobs stuck in her throat. He kissed her forehead, took her home, and fed her Juniper flavored ice cream.
Now, she was here, looking up at the huge crack in her ceiling with a sigh. She heard the thumps of boots coming up the stairs just outside her door. Her door was still open and she thought it was Coran. She pushed off the couch and ran out to meet him. She skipped and leapt out the door right into the personal bubble of a very broad, dirty, and rather handsome stranger. He was wearing a white wifebeater that had black stains all over them. His arms were looked like they were chiseled from stone. But his right arm had a long black glove that turned into a sleeve that went a little above the curve of his arm. A huge, clean cut scar went from cheek to cheek just under his eyes and over his nose. He was gorgeous.
Please don't be a jerk, she chanted inside her head. She watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed and cleared his throat before grabbing for something in the back pocket of his well fitted jeans. He yanked out a mechanic's cloth and wiped his gloved hand, thoroughly. He offered it to her with a rather awkward smile, "I'm Takashi Shirogane, 32, mechanic, not at all a man that usually stares at women like he's never seen one before, and... your next door neighbor." He turned and pointed to the door right next to hers.
She smiled widely and shook his hand, "Allura Romelle, 31, Zookeeper, and not a woman who usually ninja jumps out of doorways to try and hug random strangers." With their laugh and handshake over, he put his gloved hand behind his head and scratched before adding, "Wow... a zookeeper? That sounds exciting. You work at Arusian?"
She nooded, "Yep. I'm the lion lady."
"Shut Up! That's amazing. This is going to sound really random, but I hope it reads as me being a nice guy, but if you ever need your car looked at... don't hesitate to ask."
She smiled, "I shall take that as a you being a nice guy, but I don't have a car. Yet, if you ever need your lion looked over, don't hesitate to ask me, either."
They shared a ridiculous laugh before the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs got them both looking back at Coran, looking quite stunned then suspicious, "'Lura... everything ok?"
Coran's voice was deep meaning he was trying to sound intimidating. Her and Takashi WERE standing pretty close and were both looking at him like they were guilty, "Everything's fine, Coran. I was just talking to my new neighbor, here. Takashi."
Coran took the last step and squinted, "I see."
The young man cleared his throat, "Do you need help with any boxes or anything?"
Coran looked back at his Land Rover, "No, I think we can handle it." Then he looked back at the man with a look of a father protecting his child,"But thank you... Takashi."
Allura looked at Coran with a 'really' look, but she could tell that Shiro saw the predator stare and took the hint. It made her laugh to herself as Shiro pivioted towards his apartment, but not before looking over at her and making a motion of tipping his hat to her. She mocked a curtsy and he gave a smouldering smile before going into his apartment.
"I saw that."
Allura turned to see a very disapproving look on Coran's face, "You just met him, 'Lura. Don't go getting all goo-goo eyed over him because he is really handsome. He could have girlfriend or a significant other. Just... just don't jump into a relationship like you did with that Lotor, fella."
Allura groaned at the mention of the bastard's name and rushed down the stairs to grab the 6 boxes she packed. Lotor was a very sore subject of hers. He was handsome and charming and knew exactly what she wanted to hear, but she wasn't the only one, apparently. She had never been so happy when she was with him. A lawyer and a zoo keeper. It was a weird match made in heaven, until she started working at the zoo. Her hours varied on a day to day basis, so it didn't leave them with coordinated time together. The ninth day of their engagement was the day that she got off of work early. So cliché. A spouse coming home early to find their significant other in bed with another person. GOD she hated that story. But... it was exactly what happened. EXCEPT, Lotor pushed the envelope by having TWO women in bed with him. He pleaded and tried to explain that he was just tired of waiting for her every single day... blah blah blah. He tried to turn their broken engagement on her 'workaholic behavior', but she knew it was because of her. Having an almost zero sex drive and never telling him she couldn't have children. She took the blame and Lotor let her. That was the first and last time she'd been in a relationship. She wanted to be with someone, but Coran was right... she needed to take her time finding the right one.
After getting her stuff unpacked (which was literally just her graphs, calendars, and notebooks for her lions and some pots and pans), her and Coran had some tea, went shopping, and had lunch together. They parted ways with a long hug and he dropped her off at her complex with her hands full of groceries. As she walked up the front stairs from the parking lot that led right to the two doors with 2A and 2B on them, she stopped to see Takashi, two other men, and a younger girl, about in her 20's, sitting in lawn chairs right in front of his apartment laughing and drinking... soda from glass bottles. She finished the trek and the four turned their heads to stare at her. She froze and smiled awkwardly. Takashi gave a chuckle with a smile before waving to her, "Evening Neighbor."
She melted. Dammit, she was weak for that man's smile. She gave a nod, "I didn't mean to interrupt..."
The young girl shifted in her green lawn chair with a happy but mischievious smile, "You're not interrupting anything but these three grease monkey's ramblings on about proper motor maintenance. You actually saved me from hearing it, again, for like the 50th time this week... so, THANK YOU. I'm Katie. Friend's call me Pidge. These rude men are Matt, my brother, and Keith, Shiro's brother. The two smiled and nodded at their introduction and Allura tilted her head, "Shiro?"
The three turned their heads at Takashi and gave him a look and he reacted in a panic, "I just met her today. How weird would it be to introduce myself with a nickname you guys gave me in elementary school? Anyways, Allura, my friend's call me Shiro because some people couldn't pronounce my last name when we were kids." Matt made a face and that got them chattering about school.
She basked in the warmth of their friendship as they shared a moment of remienscing. At the same time, she wanted to escape to her room because she felt like she didn't belong in this moment. She moved to her door, but was stopped by her neighbor's voice, "You don't have to run off. You can join us, if you like, pop open a chair and have a drink with us, you know... after putting your groceries away."
She turned and looked at the group with an apologetic look, "Rain check. Thank you for the offer, but I'm very tired. Next time, for sure, though. Good night to you all. It was nice to have met you." The other three waved and bid her a good night while "Shiro" nodded in understanding and smiled, "Rain check, then. Night."
She moved to her door, unlocked it, and slid into her apartment. After closing it, locking it, putting her bags on the small kitchen island, and moving to her couch... she plopped down and sighed. Two men and a young girl who was the sister of a friend, but no woman hanging off his arm or pining after him. He was either gay or single. She could hear the group laughing loudly and probably at his expense because of her. She was getting hopeful, again. And how convenient that he lived right next door... "NO... NO Allura. You are going to focus on your lions! Narti is going to have her cubs soon and they're mating season is coming up and you need to FOCUS."
She took a moment to look around her new home. The walls were barren with barely any furniture in it. The kitchen was small, but managable and all she had in the living room was a black couch and a tall lamp. Her bedroom was no more boring than the rest. She had put her sheets on the matress and her pillow and the night stand stood with only a framed picture of her when she was young, her father, her mother, and Coran in 'Royal' clothing from one of her birthday parties. Coran was wearing a tall, Princess hat while twirling his mustache between his fingers while her mother and father leaned their crowned heads against one another. She gripped the frame and brought it with her as she rolled onto her back and stared at it. Her eyes always fell to her mother's face. As the tears in her eyes formed, she hugged the photo to her chest. She wished that was the face she remembered of her mother. Happy. Healthy. Alive. But all she could remember is her mother losing color in her face and gradually dying from the pancreatic cancer that refused to go away. She was too young to remember the grim details, but not young enough to see the pain it caused her. Allura rolled on her side and sobbed quietly in her very empty bedroom.
Allura let out a huge yawn as she turned and locked her door. She was just in time to witness her neighbor opening the door, tight black shirt, to grab the newspaper at his front door. When their eyes met, she was quick to recover, "We really need to stop meeting like this."
He picked up the paper and his smile almost cut her in half, "I don't mind if you don't. Off to work?"
She smiled softly and nodded, "Yep."
He walked out and he asked with curiousity in his eyes, "What do you actually do with the lions? I mean, as a keeper, do you just name them and feed them?"
She licked her lips and refused to look anywhere else than in his eyes, "That would take a few hours to explain so... that, too, will have to have a rain check."
He tapped the paper on his shoulder and looked sternly, "I know a really great resteraunt. Maybe... I take you there one day to hear this hour long speech?"
She gave a very amused smile at his bravery and straightforwardness, "Why Shiro... did you just ask me out on the second day we've met?"
He gave a cute shrug, "I can't cook and I would love to hear about your job. It's a whole lot more exciting than hearing about the oil changes I do on a daily basis."
DAMMIT ALLURA... DAMN. IT. "Sure. Let me check my schedule." She pulled out her phone and tapped an app that had her schedule neatly planned out. She felt really nervous and very desperate as she scrolled. The only time she had availible was... tonight. She looked at him with amused eyes and he jolted with an equally amused face before she spoke, "Tonight too early for this little meeting of ours?"
He made a motion of stroking a beard then smiled, "Tonight would be perfect. I'll meet you at the stairs at 6?"
She moved and headed down the stairs since she was going to be late, "It's a meeting date, then!"
As she got to the bottom, she slapped herself on the forehead, "It's a meeting date? God!" She jogged around the corner feeling like a huge dork and hopped on the shuttle to the AZ.
She got to the clock just at 9. She mentally high fived herself as she rushed to her small cubicle and turned on her computer. It took it a few moments to come on and she finally typed in her pin and the wallpaper of her first little of cubs popped up. She double clicked on a file that pulled up her skype and emails. She groaned and sat in her chair at the first email on her list. Honerva... she had become a pain in her ass for the past few years. She demanded paperwork on EVERYTHING with the big cats. She was surprised she wasn't taking Sendak and Narti's paw prints for authenication. She clicked on the email, and sure enough... she wanted the schedule and paperwork from the last check up on the two breeding cats.
"God. This woman is an absolute monster. How does she think I have time to type her a freaking essay when I have a romp of otters I need to keep disease free?"
Allura closed her eyes and smiled widely. Lance always said what was on her mind and it scared her, "Why don't you try writing an essay, organizing the veterinarian's synopsis of your pregnant lioness, making copies of reciepts for the meat and vitamins, AND briefing her on the mating schedule of your lions? Then we can talk."
Lance popped his head over the wall of her cubicle with playful frown, "I swear she has the Wicked Witch of the West theme playing whenever she walks."
She snorted a laugh and changed the subject, "Speaking of Witches... how'd your date go?"
Lance groaned and dramatically flailed to the opening of her cubicle, "She broke up with me. BUT... in her defense... she did catch me making out with her brother."
"LANCE!"
He grinned and shrugged, "WHAT? He was hot."
She balled up one of her sticky notes and threw it at him. He dodged it with his tongue sticking out. She shook her head as the bisexual grabbed his clipboard and headed for the zoo floor, "Don't forget that we have a board meeting today to talk about the budget cuts!"
As the door clicked behind him, the blood in her face drained, "Oh SHIT. I totally forgot about the meeting." She slammed her head on the desk and muffled her cussing. She felt like such a piece of trash. Why didn't she put that in her schedule? God... what a waste of a woman, she was. She picked herself up, grabbed her clipboard, and groaned all the way to the door. The lions wouldn't wait for such a useless woman, so... she would bury her shame in her work. Like she always did.
Allura's heels clicked on the tile as her rushed pace pushed her past groups of food station workers and tour guides. She moved to a collection of employee only paths and took the one headed straight into the thicket of the forest surrounding the regular walking trails. Her mind began to wander as she kept moving. The board meeting would last two hours as long as no one asked any questions. It would start at 4 and she promised to meet Shiro at 6. God, that would be a miracle in the making. She finally made it to the end of the path that expanded to the lion hold facility.
She entered the building in a rush and her interns greeted her with busy faces. Her favorite intern, Ezor, skipped to her, happily, with a coffee in hand, "Howdy, boss lady. Just in time to see Narti get some fresh air all by her lonesome. Olia said it would be good for her to stretch her legs once in a while."
Allura stopped dead in her tracks which didn't deter the limber young girl, "Did she get her vitamins this morning?"
Ezor smiled like sunshine, "Yes ma'am."
Allura took the coffee and smiled at the energetic woman, "How'd your test go?"
The girl's smile faded and Allura groaned and continued walking, "Ezzzzzor..."
She hopped to catch up and defend herself, "I passed, but a B is a F in the science world. I'm just not happy with myself. Thank you for the help on studying it, though."
Allura downed some of the coffee then smiled, "Physiological and Biochem in Zoology are pretty darn hard. Just speak to your professor and you may get some extra credit added to your final score." She stopped dead in her tracks again and turned to her intern, "Please don't offer to sleep with them like you did your Organic Chemistry teacher." Ezor smiled at the memory and Allura rolled her eyes, "Please tell Olia that I would like this outing on video. If she can get the drone up and running, that would be amazing. And you... wipe that smile off your face and DO NOT PROPOSITION YOUR TEACHER." Ezor laughed as she tutted her finger, "No promises, Boss." Allura laughed and made her way back to her office with an amused smile on her face.
Her day went by without a hitch, except for the fact that they couldn't fix the drone, but Olia got some great footage on her phone. 4 came around and the board meeting started. Her foot never stopped wagging under the table as they talked about budget and expected revenue. Boring stuff that came from the Wicked Witch's mind. Then, Merla, the keeper of the reptile house, started asking questions about renovations and it started an all out 'but what about me' war. She slammed her head into the table and looked at her phone. 6:05. She shut her eyes then stood straight up out of her seat causing everyone to look at her. She smiled, gathered her folders and paperwork then bolted out of the room. Her heels echoed in the empty hallways as she ran. She had to chase the shuttle just a bit, but he allowed her on.
Her heart was bouncing around her chest, madly. She hated being late to anything especially because of a greedy meeting. She was glad that her animals were one of the top 5 animals in the zoo, but having to listen to the others fighting for budget was unfair of the management. Unprofessional, she added in her mind. The shuttle stopped right near her complex and she hopped off into a frantic run. When she got to the stairs, it was 6:22. She clicked up the stairs and her heart sank. Shiro was leaning against his door in a casual dark charcoal suit staring down at his phone in his hand. His eyes suddenly cut up to see her and he gave a huge, relieved smile, "I was thinking about calling you, but I forgot we didn't exchange numbers so I've been foolishly hoping you knew mine."
She sloppily finished her climb and caught her breath, "I am so so so sorry. I totally forgot about our board meeting this afternoon. If it makes me look like less of a bitch... I worried all day long about it and even ran out of the meeting in my good heels."
God, did she want that man's smile to be wallet sized so she could carry it with her, everywhere. He pushed off the wall and dusted off his butt, "I had a feeling it was work related. I can wait here while you get your things together unless you aren't feeling up to it then I could just get my rain check now."
It was her turn to smile, "No. I'm going. I ran here, Shiro... in my good heels. I'll go put my stuff down and do something with this rat nest and I'll be right out. Thank you, by the way, for not losing faith in me."
He gave a bow as she moved to her door and did exactly what she said she would. When she came back out, Shiro led her to his sleek black 1964 Chevrolet c10 truck. He opened the door on her side and she pushed the hair from her face as she laughed at his, "M'lady." The inside of his truck was perfectly clean without a single blemish on it. She gave a low 'Wow' as she clicked her seat belt. When he got into his side, he buckled himself in and revved the engine with his gloved hand. She couldn't help but wonder why he wore it, "May I ask you a personal question?"
He looked over at her and with a dead serious tone he said, "No."
He broke it with a laugh as he maneavered out of the parking lot while smiling, "It's about the glove, right?"
She looked at him with an apologetic look and he nodded while watching the road, "I'll tell you about it when we aren't about to go eat food."
She felt foolish and totally understood why he wouldn't want to share such a personal story with someone he just met, so she broke the tension, "How long have you had this truck?"
He didn't look away from the road as a sad smile came over his face, "Since my father passed. He restored ol' Black, here down to the stitchings on the seats. I just keep her nice and healthy. She's the only thing I have left of my family."
She felt like she jumped right back into personal again, "I thought Keith was your brother. That's what Katie had said last night."
He looked over at her with shock, "You remembered that? Huh. Well, Keith's father was very good friends with mine. They were in the Air Force together. I was about 10 when Keith was born and 15 when my... We grew up calling each other brother for a long time."
As he watched the road, she watched his profile. There was something he wasn't saying, but it would be overly rude to ask him to open up. So, she played with the strap of her seatbelt and tried to salvage the mood, "Which resteraunt are we eating at?"
She looked over to see the small smile on his lips, "It's more of a sport's bar meets arcade meets fine dining. It's called The Space Mall. Pidge's roommate is a cook, there. He is going to culinary school here and... he is amazing."
Allura wasn't an overly protective person over people she just met, but she sniffed and asked, "Is Matt ok with Pidge having a male roommate?"
Shiro laughed wholeheartedly, "Hunk is one of the biggest teddy bears on this earth. If Matt had to make a list of roommates to room with his little sister... Hunk would be the only on it. Wait. You'll meet him. Then, you won't have any doubt."
Shiro pulled into a parking lot that led to another parking lot. When they got around a corner, the huge sign nearly blinded her. The Space Mall. There was a big planet with a space ship angled as if it were flying in front of it with rings of sport's balls orbiting around it. She gave a huge laugh at how big and how childish it looked. Shiro pulled into a parking spot and looked over at her, "Oh... It gets better."
They walked into a huge space of nothing but arcade games, pool tables, foozeball, and a huge screen for a shooting game. Allura's head was on a swivel as she took in how vast the place was. She followed Shiro to wall with was huge doorway that led to an area with walls made of TVs. Every type of game you could think of was on. Even the front of the long, U shaped bar had TVs on them. Booths and tables all had a huge tablet that had speakers for the frame. Each sitting area had one of those tablets with 'Choose Your Poison' written on them. The place was packed and the wings smelled amzing. But, Shiro kept moving. She jogged a bit to catch up as they went through one more doorway. She gasped at how completely different each area was.
The first thing she noticed was the small dance floor in the center. It had soft lighting and looked to rarely be used. Her ears caught the elegant music playing as they headed to a man behind a pedastal, "Good evening sir, how many?"
Shiro looked back at her briefly, "Two, please."
The man nodded, gathered two menus, and motioned to follow. The place looked like red velvet. Everything looked silky and warm. The air within this area had a crisp, flowery smell, but not too overpowering. It was quite grand. They were sat at a booth and were met with two glasses of water and a choice of wine. They both took a glass of Merlot and left to get a chance to find out what they wished to order. She looked at the menu and blinked, "Wow. This is both affordable and fancy. I'm impressed."
He took a swig of his wine, "I try. If you don't mind, though, may I order for you?"
She looked at him in awe, "How gentlemenly of you. Please."
He mockingly tipped his hat, "Thank you, ma'am."
The waiter came and he ordered for them both, "Can we both have the herb roasted lamb with roasted potatoes, fennel, and radishes with lemon brown butter sauce, please?"
She was impressed with the order and may or may not have drooled at the description. The waiter left with their order and that left them alone. Shiro cleared his throat and kept his voice low and soft, "I just want you to know that... I don't consider this a date, date. I just... I... I haven't been in a relationship longer than a month. I'm too over bearing or a workaholic or just not romantic enough... I try to change and..." He sighed as if something flew off his chest, "I just don't want you to think that I'm trying to wine and dine you to get you into bed or force you into an unwanted relationship. I just... I could see the stress of work on your face. I saw you were living alone and I just wanted to... help. I know how it feels to be all alone even when you're surrounded by people. Having that one friend you can talk to can make a huge difference."
She watched his stern face and took in all of his words. She was relieved, but disappointed, too. He really was a good guy. She smiled at him to reassure that she understood his actions, "And I really do appreciate your friendship. I did have a bit of a concern with tonight, but I seem to be quite comfortable with what you had planned. Thank you, for being honest with me, Shiro."
His worried face softened and gave a nod. She unwrapped her utensils and placed the cloth napkin upon her lap and looked back at him, "I've only slept with one man in my entire life, so I am completely clueless to the relationship game."
He looked at her, in shock but attentitive, and she licked her lips and stared at her wine cup readying herself. She wanted to tell him the honest truth, but she held back like she always did. She didn't tell him that she hid from the man she loved that she could never have their child. That she was a truely worthless woman. Instead, she avoided that single truth and just stuck to facts, "He was the only man I had ever loved. He cheated on me with who knows how many women. I mean, I'm really to blame since I didn't have sex with him as often as I should have, so... it was very much my fault. I didn't give him enough attention. I was... I was so wrapped up with the budget and my lions that when I actually had time to spend with him, I would fall asleep. I was such a lousy woman. Couldn't even please my lover. I was shocked when he proposed, but not as shocked as finding him in our bed with two other women. So, I kicked him out of my life and closed my heart away from everyone else and moved my entire being into my work. I knew... I could never..."
She felt the tears start to pool so she stopped and looked down at her hands, gripping the napkin in her lap. She wanted to finish that she 'could never have a family', but Shiro's voice sailed to her, "Love anyone else like you loved him... I'm sorry, Allura. I didn't mean to bring up such a sore subject." Though she smiled, the tears still fell. She felt so much better even though her chest was tight from the lie she kept. She just gazed at the man on the other end of the table with a grateful smile until the food came.
As they ate, they did what they had originally planned, they talked about work. Shiro had been tinkering with metal his entire life. He started with watching his father make swords as a kid. He loved the idea of men bending metal to their will. When his father died, Keith's father introduced him to a whole'nother world of metal... cars. After high school, he'd go help his new father at the garage and became obsessed with cars. He went to school for mechanical engineering, but tried added a minor of aeronautical to expanded his love to not just cars, but all forms of transportation. Planes, mainly. And that's where he became a pilot. He could fix anything with a motor and he could fly... that was a whole lot better story than hers, but she got to hear it and they had a really great time.
After they ate, Shiro asked for the chef, and a very big man walked out. He saw Shiro and he smiled while hurrying over. Shiro stood and seemed to plant his feet as if ready to be tackled. She wasn't wrong, per se... the huge Samoan swept him up in a warm hug like he was a pillow. The big lug held him a bit longer before looking at her and putting him down. He cleared his throat and tugged on his clothes before approaching her with the biggest, happiest smile she'd ever seen, "Hello. You must be Allura? Pidge was telling me about Shiro's beautiful new neighbor. I'm Hunk. Very nice to meet you." He stuck out a monster of a hand and Allura took it and was surprised by how gentle the hand shake was, "I've heard a bit about you, myself, Hunk. I would like to say that your roasted lamb was divine." He released her hand and his cheeks started to glow a little at being complimented. She saw it. She saw exactly why she should never worry about this huge marshmellow being roommates with Pidge. "Thank you. It always warms my heart to hear people enjoy my food. Come back, anytime, and I'll cook you anything you want. Just ask for me."
She smiled as she looked over at Shiro and was confused by his strained face. Before she had time to question it, Hunk scooped her up into a hug. She could hear the snickering of her neighbor before she was placed back on the floor, safely and a bit more warm than she was.
"I have to get back to work, but... it was good to meet you, Allura. Sorry about the spontaneous hug... I really do try to stop myself."
Allura laughed as she straightened her dress, "Don't worry about it Hunk... I actually needed one, to be honest. It was really great to meet you, too. Thank you for the wonderful meal. I'll definitely see you soon."
He gave Shiro a firm handshake and watched them leave. She turned around for a brief moment to wave at him and he retorted with a shaka sign.
They silently walked back through the other rooms until they got to the arcade. She didn't notice before, but there was a crane game with a very cute lion plush with planet and stars for the pelt and pink fur for the mane and tail. Shiro's sudden disappearance from her side caused her to stop and look around in worry. She heard coins clinking behind her and she saw him at the crane game where she just saw the lion. She rushed over just as the claws aimed just above the lion. She stared at his profile in disbelief. She felt the heat in her cheeks and the heaviness in her heart. He saw that she had interest and he acted upon it. She sighed her feelings out in a huff and helped with his aim, "You need to go to your left just a smidge. Little bit more. THERE."
He slapped the button and the claws descended. She moved to his side and both watched in anticipation. The claws closed around the lion, picked it up, and threw it in the hole. Allura cheered loudly and Shiro jerked his arms in the air. Shiro highfived her and they shared a hip bump then a laugh. He gestured to the lion, "All yours, Neighbor."
She took the lion out of the machine and hugged it. It was extremely soft and probably the most unproportioned lion she'd ever seen, but... she loved it, "Thank you, Shiro. He's lovely"
She felt as if thanking him wasn't enough. He had been nothing but an amazing man since she met him. She took in a deep breath and leaned against him and gave a quick peck on his cheek. He didn't pull away or flinch or even panic... just smiled his breathtaking smile then offered his arm to her, "You're welcome, m'lady." She cradled her lion to her chest and took his arm with the other and they went back to the truck.
"He walked me to my door, told me he had a wonderful time, we exchanged numbers, and he went back to his room. That's all. It really wasn't a date, date. Just a friendly meal with friends."
Ezor made a yuck noise while Lance shook his head. She knew these two only wanted a 'juicy' story told, but her love life was nothing like theirs. Lance took another bite of his chicken salad and looked at her, "So... he likes men? Can I get his number?"
Allura frowned, "He doesn't like men."
Ezor snorted, "Allura... you are like the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The LIONS want to have sex with you. You're just that pretty. Either this guy is gay or he has a very very deep trauma that's keeping him from asserting himself."
Allura poked at her salad and spoke to the food. It had been a solid week since then and he hasn't called or bumped into her since then, "He's hiding something from me, but... I don't know him well enough to pry. From what he has told me, he's had a lot of failed relationships but only because he doesn't act like himself. He tries to change for them and... it only strains him. Plus... his glove on his arm... he won't tell me what that is about. AND... he lost his mother and father to something. He won't tell me that either. I think they're all connected."
Ezor and Lance both shot out sass at the same time, "You Think?!"
She made a face at both of them and they high fived each other. Lance took a swig of his water and added, "You just need to be that friend he needs just like he's being that friend for you. Give it time. Give it time."
Ezor sipped at her shake and looked at Lance with an impressed look, "That is the most grown up advice I have ever heard you give, Otterbox."
He looked at Ezor with a proud smiled, "I've watched a lot of RomCom movies, OK? I listen. I learn."
At that, Ezor rolled her eyes and Allura just laughed at her two idiot friends.
Allura sat in her office and looked at her calendar. Narti was due in a week and she was due to breed the two other females in the pride. She leaned back in her chair and remembered bottle feeding Narti when she was a cub. She was as close to a baby as she was ever going to get. Why did she think that? Why did her inability to have children always punch her in the brain? She never told Lotor. She never even told her father. The only person who knew of her infertility was Coran. They were afraid that it was cancer, like her mother, but it turned out she had PCOS. She shut her eyes tightly and forced the thought right out of her mind. She told herself that she didn't want children, anyways, but deep inside... she regretted that she'd never have children of her own.
She focused back on Narti and her future cubs. She had the den prepared and all the cameras and drugs she believed was needed for the birth. It was her first litter and she was going to make DAMN sure that it was the smoothest it could be. Allura ran her hands through her hair to alleviate the stress that was building up in her skull and she looked at the time on her computer screen. She typed a few more sentences in the document she had popped up on her screen, then closed everything out and headed for the door.
Allura glided off the shuttle and calmly walked to her apartment complex. She could hear the sound of children's voices in the middle of playing and when she rounded to the parking lot, she saw four cute little girls drawing on the concrete with chalk. She gave enough space to not stop their conversation about a cartoon with ponies in it as they attempted to draw them with the chalk. As she made it to the stairs, sadness sliced at her heart. She ascended up the stairs with heavy legs. Her eyes fell to her neighbor's door, but saw no indication that it would open. Pining after a man while being sad she wasn't much of a woman was very sick. He deserved better. She couldn't unlock her door any faster as her mind attacked her. Her emotions were getting the best of her, again. She needed some ice cream... STAT.
She didn't even bother putting the ice cream in a bowl. She grabbed the small tub and a fork. Forks, she found, could pierce the frozen delight easier than a spoon, and since she wasn't planning on sharing... warming the fork up with her mouth and delving in wasn't a problem.
She folded her legs under her on the couch in the sweat pants and baggy hoodie she changed into after her shower and hugged the jug. She really needed something for this barren living room. It was dull and boring... she thought it before she could stop it... just like her. She stabbed the ice cream and her periferial caught something colorful. She looked over at the end of the couch at the lion Shiro won her. It made a smile form on her face. She sighed through her nose and took another bite of ice cream.
What was really underneath that skin tight glove of his? An alien prothestic? A zombie arm? A tattoo of all the women he's slept with? It was a mystery that she wanted to know. Her phone chimed with 'You Can Be a Big Pig Too... Unh' and she took it out of her sweat pant's pocket to see who texted her. It was Coran. He was checking in on her. She smiled and typed that she was doing well and that she was getting along 'swimmingly'. He ended the text convo quickly with his normal, call me if you need me, bit.
She put the lid back on the ice cream and put it back in the freezer. As she walked back to the living room, she noticed that a light shown down on her blinds of the window beside her door. It was a soft white light. It had gotten dark out early. It was only 6, but it felt like 8. She sighed through her nose, again, went back to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of green tea then headed outside. It felt warm out, but there was a cool breeze that was gentle and soothing. She closed her door and sat underneath her window and braced herself on the wall. The bustling sound of the city crackled and buzz while the faint sound of frogs, crickets, and cicadas slipped through from the woods behind the complex. It was just what she needed.
She heard two car doors close and two sets of feet coming up the stairs, Matt and Pidge came into view and her cheeks flaired with embarrassment as they stared at her. The two smiled at her and it somehow calmed her. Pidge headed towards her as Matt went to the door and knocked. Pidge went to her left side a sat down with a groan of appreciation, "Ahhh. That's better. You can really feel the breeze like this." Allura was shocked at how comfortable she was with the small woman. She nodded in agreement with her as Matt took to her other side in a scuffle of noise as he closed his eyes and took the breeze, "Yeah, we don't get this clean breeze at our house. It's all smog."
She looked between the two siblings and smiled, "So, what brings you to our clean side of town?"
Matt sighed, "I was worried about Shiro. He hasn't been picking up, lately, so I thought he had fallen into one of his bouts of depression. He gets those a lot and will close himself up to everyone. Not his fault. I mean, the trauma he sustained losing his family would make anyone like that."
Allura's heart sunk as Pidge added, "He doesn't sleep too well because of the nightmares and his health goes straight to hell."
Matt looked at her and she could see the love he had for her neighbor, it was like Shiro had another brother to add to his family, "He hasn't told you about it, has he?"
She shook her head, "No. And I didn't want to pry. We all have our secrets we don't want to tell, so I understand."
Matt smiled softly, but there was a sadness to it, "He relives his nightmares over and over. He doesn't want to be a burden to others, so he keeps it bottled up. His first girlfriend left him because she couldn't take it. Watching him break. The other women he was with, were either too shallow to accept him or too distant. He just stopped trying all together. Friends. That's what he believes he needs, but... sometimes you just need to know that someone will be there for you. Keith, my sis, and I can't be there for him all the time. He needs someone."
Allura heard the story about Shiro's love life in a different point of view and her heart sank. He kept thinking that it was all his fault, but to his friends... it was the women he was with. She swallowed deeply and they stayed in silence for a moment. Pidge spoke up, trying to alleviate the depressed state they had gotten in, "Heard you met my roommate. Hunk told me you were as nice as you were beautiful. He really wanted all of us to come see him."
Matt laughed, "Hunk would not shut up about how you and Shiro looked like Lady and the Tramp."
All three laughed and Matt cleared his throat, "Well, Shiro must be at the airport either doing a quick fly over or working on the planes. He does that for a little extra cash after work. Would you care to join us for a meal, Allura? Pidge just got some extra cash of her own after reprogramming a drone for one of her friends at school. It's on HER, tonight"
Something clicked in Allura's mind and smiled just as Pidge chimmed in, "Oh, YES. Allura's meal IS on me... but my big bro has money of his own." Matt groaned and Allura laughed, "I would be delighted to join you, both. Thank you."
Pidge rubbed her hands together, "That means, we get to dish the dirt and get to know our friend's new neighbor."
Allura faked a horrified look, "I changed my mind."
Matt and Pidge hopped up and amusingly spoke at the same time while picking her up by each of her arms, "Oh No You Don't."
When the three of them entered the fancy part of the restaurant, Allura got stunned staring. Where the small dance floor was the last time she was here, there was a small orchestra and people waltzing. She had to be brought back to reality by a tap from Pidge and they all headed towards the back. They got to the bar where every stool was free, and sat smack dab in the middle. The bartender turned around in a professional manner, but when she saw Matt and Pidge, she smiled very big and made a rather happy squeal, "Heeeey! Wow, Matt, I haven't seen you in ages. Pidge... how are you doing after getting slaughtered in Scrabble, last night."
The two smiled and Pidge leaned towards her, her elbows on the bar, "You cheated and you KNOW IT. But... I finally get to see you in your bartender outfit! Hunk always talks about how sexy you look in it. I would say he has had a few panic attacks thinking about you in it."
The girl blushed and shook her head, "He is too much of a gentlemen to talk like that. Oh. I'm sorry." The bartender just now noticed her and Allura gave a small wave just as Pidge introduced them, "Oh. Dude. Sorry. Allura, this is Shay, Hunk's girlfriend slash coworker. Shay, this is Allura... Shiro's new neighbor. We were just hanging out with her... making her feel more uncomfortable about meeting us."
Allura shook her head at the little woman's humor and she reached over the bar to shake Shay's hand, "Nice to meet you, Shay. I am probably better at making them feeling uncomfortable better than they make me." She gave a sly look and the bartender laughed and added, "These two dorks are some of the best people I know. A friend of theirs is always a friend of mine so... it's nice to meet you too, Allura."
They all sat at the bar and talked about their generalized lives. Matt was an accountant for a firm not but two blocks down from the zoo. He was the most sought after number cruncher in the whole city. He did kickboxing after every shift and, though she couldn't tell because of his baggy clothing, he was top of his class. Pidge was a junior in college and was going for computer engineering with a minor in chemical engineering. She was two years younger than Hunk, but they were in the same year. Pidge was one of the smartest people she had ever met and it triggered something in her mind, "Hey, Pidge, how much did you charge to fix your friend's drone? I have one at my work that could use a little fixing and I'm thinking about hiring you."
Pidge gave a huge smile, "You need my people to call your people?" She snorted at her joke, "I can come over tomorrow. I only have my night class."
Allura smiled, "You're hired."
Pidge sipped at the straw in her cup, "I'll even give you a friend discount... 20 bucks."
Allura looked at her, "You don't even know how extensive the damage is."
Pidge looked at her and smiled, "I'm just that good."
Hunk came out a few minutes later and hugged his girlfriend from behind, making the bartender blush. He was then bombarded with love for his food and he blushed. He looked at Allura and moved to be in front of her and they started talking. She learned that culinary school was insane. Hunk majored in culinary arts, nutrition, and hospitality management. He was stressed, but he loved what he did. The school was teaching him how to run his own business, in the end. Shay was in the same classes as he was and that's how they met. She couldn't get the chef position so she took classes to become a full fledge bartender. They were very cute together and Allura could tell they were in love.
The night ended with lots of lovable goodbyes. As they were walking to Matt's car, his phone buzzed. He took it out and popped his lips, "Looks like Shiro just landed from his tourist run. He's very sorry for worrying us."
Pidge flapped her lips with a burst of air, "He's gonna work himself into an early grave."
Allura hopped into the backseat as the siblings took the front and she felt sad for a moment. Shiro did exactly what she did when depression kicked in... focused on their work. She realized, as they headed back to the apartment, that they had too much in common.
The next day, Pidge met Allura at the entrance. Pidge whistled at her, "Wow... you look like you're about to accept an academy award or something. You dress like this, everyday?"
Allura flicked her hair in a mock fashion, "Dress for success, m'dear."
Pidge laughed and shoved her hands into the pockets of her overalls she was wearing, "I do."
Allura showed her around. She signed off for her vistor pass and took her to the employee only side. She made it to the breakroom with a hitch, until Lance popped up. He did a double take and looked at Allura, "Who's the child?"
Pidge didn't even let a heartbeat of a second pass, "I was about to ask her the same question."
Lance squinted at the unmovable girl and gave a smile, "I like her. She's got spunk. But seriously, who are you?"
Pidge looked at her and she gave the 'go right ahead' gesture, "I'm an internal spy for the Italian government. I've come here to see which dumbass needs to be demoted to janitor for being too nosy instead of getting to work. I think I have the perfect canidate."
Lance pointed and openned his mouth only to close it was a growl before grabbing his things in a huff and leaving. Allura laughed, "Italian government?"
Pidge hummed and shrugged. Allura shook her head and they both moved to the lion's den. She introduced Pidge to her interns before asking Olia to bring the drone to her office. She cleared off her desk as best as she could to let Pidge have a working space. Olia knocked and Allura waved her in, "Olia, this is Pidge. Anything she needs, you get for her. I will make sure that all your responsibilities are taken care of, just please focus on her for the moment." Olia saluted and Pidge mocked her. By the end of the day, the drone was working, Pidge was twenty dollars richer, and everything was set up for Narti's birth in a few days. It had only taken Pidge an hour to fix the drone so she hung out with Olia and her interns for the rest of the day. Pidge helped them reconfigure a lot of the software they used and even helped with one of the automatic locks on the cages. Allura was starting to think that maybe she needed Pidge around a whole lot more.
The next day went by in a boring blur. The only highlight of her day was that Narti was showing signs of going into labor, so she had all the cameras on and the techs and veterinarian's on site before she left for the night. This was really draining her, but the excitement of her baby having babies got her energized. She bounced off the shuttle and got to the parking lot where she saw a familiar truck and car. She was almost positive that she was about to cash her rain check in for a lawn chair outside the apartment. When she made it to the middle of the stairs, her smile brightened at her rightness. Matt, Pidge, Shiro, and Keith were outside chatting away like old women gossiping. The four acknowledged her with waves and nods and Shiro popped open a chair beside him.
Without so much of a blink, she rounded it and sat. Everyone was looking her way so she spoke without so much of a thought, "So, do we wait for someone to play their guitar before we start singing Kumbaya, or just go acapella?"
She made them all laugh, except for Keith, who looked like he really wanted to hurt her. It made her a bit nervous. Matt and Pidge said something to the murderer as Shiro leaned over and whispered to where only she could hear, "Keith just has a very intense look all the time. It's not you."
She whispered out a 'Whew' while making a motion of wiping her forhead before she whispered back, "Thank God. I thought I was going to have to update my will."
Shiro let out a small laugh as the other three turned to them as Keith spoke with a soft voice that totally didn't match his face, "So, Allura, it seems like you've had adventures with everyone but me. I have to say, I'm a bit jealous."
Allura used her awkwardness to retort, "I've never been to Hawaii. We could try that."
She felt her heart vibrate at the smile that came on Keith's face. He was very handsome when he smiled and it made her wonder if Keith and Shiro weren't really related. He leaned back, "Rain check." It caused her and the others to laugh and she felt more relaxed then she ever had. They chatted for hours about teams, movies, work, and just random things in general. They laughed and debated until it got later into the night.
Keith was the first to break up the group. He had to get up at 4am for his baseball regime. Running and calisthenics were just the beginning. She wasn't too surprised that he was an athlete, but she was shocked that he was an almost celebrity in this city. They all said goodnight. Matt and Pidge were next. Unlike Keith, who just waved, the two siblings hugged her. She wasn't too used to physical contact, but the hugs were both warm and friendly. The two bid them a good night and left her and Shiro all alone.
She turned to see the gloved man gathering the camping folded chairs and bunching them up into their holders. She grabbed the one she was sitting in and took the time of an amateur just as he packed the other three. He laughed at her as he opened his door and put the three behind it. She tossed the one she packed and used a fluid motion to slide it behind the door. She put her hands behind her back and took in a deep breath, "Well, neighbor, I feel like I've been learning stuff about you behind your back."
He leaned against his door frame and looked confused, "How so?"
"Well, for one, you're a pilot on the side. I thought you just worked on planes, not fly them."
He looked down, relieved it looked like, "Well, I have a skill, and I need money."
She smiled but it slowly leaked off. He was still hiding something. She sighed and was about to question him about his arm, his nightmares, his lies about the women, but... her phone buzzed. She took it out and she felt her insides freeze. Without a word, she bolted down the stairs.
Allura ran full speed, in her tennis shoes, straight through the zoo to get to the lion's section. She was a blur of white and pink. The text she got from one of the vet techs was that Narti was in a very bad condition. When she made it to the compound, she stopped and tried to even out her breathing and slow her heartrate. She was in full panic mode. Everything was moving too slow and it was causing her frustrations to spike. Narti was going to be ok... and so were her cubs. With a final grunt, she flung the door open to see a group of her techs and the veterinarian talking. She moved in and the door closed to make them all look back at her. One of the techs pointed at her and said something to the vet and he looked grim and nodded. He headed towards her and she tried looking past him to where Narti was, "Miss Romelle, may I have a word with you in private?"
She looked at him with a cold shiver all over and she tried to talk with a calm and collected voice, "How is she?"
He swallowed and took in a deep breath, "Please. If we could speak i...
Allura's voice was loud and full of a fearful mother, "JUST TELL ME HOW SHE IS!"
The vet looked around and cleared his throat, "Your technicians observed her behaviors of extreme pain. They went to the pen and noted a horrid stench of decay. She was lost color in her gums then fell over with a black oozing pouring from her vagina. By the time she could open the gates... it was too late. Sh... She's gone, Miss Romelle. Her cubs had rotted inside her an..."
Allura couldn't breath. Everything was closing in. Stabbing and slicing and suffocating her. Disbelief turned into terror. Before he could finish speaking, she yanked open the door and ran. She didn't remember getting on the shuttle. She didn't remember getting to her apartment. She didn't even make it to her door before she crumbled to the concrete. Her knees caught all her momentum, but she couldn't feel the pain. She buried her face into her hands just in time to catch her overflowing emotions. Her scathing sorrow poured out of her like a shook soda. Her mother, her father, her lioness, her cubs... all she ever seemed to do was lose everything. She had no defense for the darkness that crept into her heart and swallowed her whole. She screamed into her hands as everything became too much.
Her wailing took away all her senses and even stole the air from her lungs. It felt like her soul was tearing at her insides and her mind was screaming for someone to help her. To take her away from all of this. To just stop the pain... to put her out of her misery... to bring Narti and her cubs back to life. Her nose was running badly and her eyes were burning and she clutched herself tighter and tighter. Her name being called along with a gloved hand came to her ear. Her name got their first then the gloved hand wiped the hair that stuck to her face behind it. Her burning eyes shot open as wide as her swollen flesh would allow and they focused on the scar then to the overly concerned eyes before the bouts started all over again. This time, she was pulled off her knees and into the arms of Shiro. He cradled her into his chest like a hurt child. He soothed her with sweet hushes and gentle strokes on her back as she bawled openly and unapologetically.