Prompt from letsgetthisoverwith: Space Dad Shiro and "What are you wearing?", please?
Voltron: Legendary Defender and related properties © Dreamworks
story © RenaRoo
The Worrier
Sometimes it was very difficult for him to remember, but it hadn't been that long since Shiro had been a teenager himself.
As he laid back and watched the stars fly by the view screen of the control room, Shiro tried to remember what it was like being young and dreaming of nothing but stars. He seemed to recall it being a lot like what he saw in Keith and Lance now – adventurous, impulsive, impressed with his own skills and limited conception of the universe.
It was before Galra or Voltron – before he was responsible for others.
And that was the hardest sensation to go back on of all.
There was no taking back the honed skills of putting the other paladins before himself – putting Voltron before himself. And even if it hadn't been that much time in the grand scheme of things since he had been a teenager like his new friends, it had felt like eons since he could take a break from responsibility.
Sometimes it felt like his responsibilities were the only part of himself that he truly knew.
"Up late, Shiro? How very like you."
The soft voice of the princess never failed to bring a smile to his face, and Shiro couldn't help it as he turned to face her.
If there was anyone on the ship he could relate to, it was her. Another too-old too-young leader trying to figure out the weight of these newfound responsibilities.
However, as Shiro turned to face Allura he found an unexpected surprise.
Blinking a few times, Shiro stepped back as Allura walked the rest of the way into the command room, doors sliding behind her. She seemed almost weightless with how confidently she strode past him.
Which was more than what Shiro could say for himself considering the shock.
"Uh, Princess?" he asked, raising a brow. "What exactly is it that you're wearing?"
Allura finished walking up to the control panel, a slight hum to her voice, before pausing and looking at Shiro. Her head tilted and she smiled broadly at him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that looks an awful lot like one of the paladin suits, Princess," he continued, stepping toward her. "All the way to the helmet."
"Ah, yes," she answered, looking down to her hands and arms. The suit's pink and white mesh rotated seamlessly like a second skin as she moved her body in it. "Well, it's truly not that different from what I usually wear for combat, now is it?"
Shiro frowned a bit and crossed his arms. "I suppose not. But it doesn't take away from the fact that it is a paladin suit and not exactly your usual wardrobe. And I'm not entirely sure how to take that."
Turning to face Shiro more completely, Allura folded her hands and grew a stonier expression. "I don't believe anyone is asking you to take it at all, Shiro." Her eyes flickered with challenge. "Least of all me."
"I'm sorry if I said anything that's rude or brash," Shiro backtracked. "But it just seems as though that wardrobe is best suited for more confrontation than what you've been involved with so far. Like you're expecting to be on the front lines yourself."
"And you don't like that," Allura assumed.
"No, I don't," Shiro agreed. "And, honestly, I don't like for any of you to be out there. But least of all without proper training I can approve of."
Allura blinked a few times before letting out a startled laugh. "You may be the head of Voltron, Shiro, but your approval is not explicitly desired for mydecisions."
He smirked at her and waggled a finger. "I say they are if you're going to be wearing one of our suits, Allura. After all, you're the one who put me in charge of the other paladins."
There was a gentle smile on her lips, but it did not betray the roll of her eyes.
"Shiro, I am not a paladin," she reminded him.
"You're right," he said gently back. "You're even more important. So, what do you say, Princess? If you want to look like a paladin and train like a paladin, how about we spar together like a paladins."
He offered his hand and watched with amusement as a smile curled on Allura's lips.
"If I didn't know any better, Shiro," she said, reaching back and taking his hand. "I'd say you were looking forward to losing a sparring match."
"I may just be," he said back. "And if that's how it ends up, I couldn't be prouder to lose a match. It'll be one person I won't have to worry myself about in the future."
Allura truly did laugh at that. "Shiro, I have the impression you're the sort who will be worried regardless."
"I guess it's not always a bad thing then," he admitted, leading Allura to the training room.