A rupture in the road disrupts their drive which had been fairly smooth up until this point. The cracks increase in frequency until there is nothing but dirt and clouds of dust. Shiro glances to his left to see a sleeping princess. This is really a romanticized way of saying a girl who was dead to the world– snoring, slobber and all. Her impossibly thick ivory waves are pulled into a low, messy bun. Her ears are hidden beneath a large black sun hat, which sits off kilter on her head.
When they first began their journey, she complained endlessly about the limited space of the earth vehicle. It took some convincing to get her to see that there really was nowhere for her to land the castle ship and be inconspicuous. She acquiesced when he turned the radio on, distracted by her first experience with earth music. Lance had gone on and on about it, swaying his hips to the beat only he could hear with his signature suave nature. Shiro always laughed inwardly at her confused expression.
The radio is now a broken buzz of jazz instrumentals cutting in between a weather report. He brings the car to a slow crawl as they approach the base of the mountain. He keeps both hands on the wheel, as he contemplates how he is going to tell her they have to hike the rest of the way. A raspy "Princess," is barely audible over the radio. He clears his throat and wipes his sweaty palms on the steering wheel. He tries again. "Princess." She stirs but only finds another position to continue her nap.
He almost doesn't want to wake her. They had been through a lot. Fighting a war and trying to establish a lasting peace in the universe was no task to sneeze at. A shaky hand approaches her shoulder, giving a light squeeze. "Hm?" She cracks open one threatening eye and he instantly regrets his decision. "We're here." She sits up slowly and looks around. "Where are the houses?" He hesitates before nodding toward the mountain in front of them. "Up for a little hike?" He tries to soften the blow with a lopsided smile.
She clears her throat and adjusts her hat and hair, all the while eyeing the green monstrosity ahead. She finally turns toward him and says, "Yes, of course." He gestures toward her chin. She mirrors his movement and her fingers contact the evidence of her deep slumber. She hastily turns away from him to get rid of it.
They decide to not waste any more time and just get it over with. After all, the war wasn't won by shying away from a challenge. As soon as they get out of the car and adjust their backpacks, Allura takes off. Shiro smirks and shakes his head, before racing to catch up. "You don't even know where you're going!"
"I don't need to when you're with me!" she shouts behind her. He tries to not let that rest on his heart for too long. They soon regret the impromptu race, when they are only half of the way there and exhausted. Allura trudges on, ever so stubborn. He soon catches up to her. "We're almost there."
"I do not understand how you did this every day."
"Well, not every day." The trees begin to thin out into a clearing, revealing small houses here and there. Shiro slows down and Allura follows. A faraway look distorts his face. His Galra hand tightens its grip around the backpack strap. She searches for words to fill the void between them, yet every one of them fall silent on her tongue. "I, uh–" He attempts to put everything into words. Years of separation and disbelief wring him dry like a rag. The exhaustion lowers his shoulders and shifts his weight from side to side.
They stand at the edge of his hometown and he is suffocating beneath the waves of fragmented memories and blurry faces trying to come into focus. His breathing becomes shallow and he contemplates turning back. A small hand rests between his shoulder blades. His wild eyes find Allura's steady, reassuring gaze. Her familiar eyes remind him of all the battles they had been in, of all the times the odds were stacked against them that she promised silently to be there, fighting beside him. This was no different. They continue walking, step by step, together.
Children stop their games to stare at the pair. Their curiosity beam lasers into them. This has happened countless times, traveling the galaxy, but Allura feels especially conscious being somewhere Shiro calls home. She wonders for a brief moment if this would be how he would feel if she showed him Altea. If she could show him Altea. He stops again, disrupting her reveries. A wooden sign swings in the wind above them, covered in faded black brush strokes in a language she vaguely recognizes.
"Hungry?" He points to the shop on their right. She still believes he is avoiding their ultimate destination, but her curiosity gets the best of her. They enter the dilapidated shack. When the bell above the door signals their entrance, the few patrons turn their head like Galra sentries detecting an outside threat. She keeps her head down, trying as much as she can to hide beneath the shadow of her hat.
An elderly woman stops wiping one of the three tables in the shop to assess the new customers. Her thin eyes squint, then widen at the sight of Shiro. "Takashi?" He rubs the back of his neck, towering over the petite woman. Her hands fly to her heart. A relieved smile crawls onto her face. They begin conversing in what Allura recognizes as Shiro's native tongue. He taught her a little on the days when the Galra were suspiciously quiet and they were restless with nothing to do.
The woman talks excitedly, drawing a crowd. Shiro pulls his jacket sleeve lower over his Galra arm. Allura observes quietly, absorbing every word and phrase, as Shiro attempts to keep up with the questions firing rapidly at him from all sides now. He nods and smiles and runs his nervous fingers through his hair. Luckily no one is paying attention to her, as she slips away and wanders to the counter. Shiro sees her go from the corner of his eye, worrying that she is uncomfortable. He quickly tries to refocus the conversation, placing his hands in front of him and trying to make plain they are on a tight schedule.
He requests two orders of dango. The woman nods, more than happy to oblige. He glances at Allura, wanting desperately to be at her side again. The villagers continue their relentless onslaught of questions about where he has been, what he has been doing, what space is like, why he hadn't come sooner. All questions he has neither the time nor the energy to answer. As soon as he sees the dango in the woman's expert hands, he hurries to the counter. He swipes the sweets from her, apologizing quickly and whispering to Allura to follow him.
She hops off the stool, ready to make their escape, but confused as to why he wants to leave so quickly. "Hold this." He pushes the stick of sticky, glistening balls toward her and grabs her hand. Allura lets him lead her through the many meandering alleys and shadows of the buildings away from the crowd. They stop in a cramped alley when they are a considerable distance from the shop. Their labored breathing is the only thing that fills the kinetic silence. Shiro looks from left to right, making sure they are finally alone. His heart skips at the reality. He avoids looking at Allura, until she laughs. "Well, aren't you popular," she teases.
"I'm sure you know the feeling, Princess." He returns her sarcasm. She rolls her eyes and finally appraises the foreign delicacy in her hand. "It's dango." She tries the word on her tongue, puckering her lips on the "o". "It's sweet." He tries to reassure her when he notices her hesitation. Allura's eyes light up at his words. She takes a bite out of the pastel pink ball. Taking a quick mental note of how the color suits her, he makes plans to take her to see the cherry blossoms on their next trip. Next trip? He admits to himself that he would very much like to spend time with her, especially since they could now enjoy themselves. Her face brightens and eyes widened as she chews the new treat.
"Thith ith really good." She attempts to speak around the fluffy filling. He takes a bite of his own and leans against the wall, enjoying the peace. Her eyes keep a careful watch over her paladin. Well, was he really her paladin anymore? Of course, there would be small insurgencies here and there, but no imminent threat loomed over them anymore. This fact makes her question why she was here, why he had asked her to come with him, to return home with him. All the other paladins were returning to their homes and if Allura was honest, she was feeling the solitude of the universe weigh her down. She would never admit aloud how high her spirits lifted when he invited her on what he called a "road trip".
They finish the rest of the sticky sweet and the prospect of what is next hangs in the air like the fogs on that planet they were trapped on during Shiro's… absence. He stiffens when she places a hand on his shoulder. "We should go." He takes a deep breath and leads the way out of the alley. Several minutes later they stand outside of a modest house that sinks under the weight of time. Shiro licks his teeth and suddenly he can feel everything. The steady flow of electricity flowing through his right arm where there was supposed to be blood. The scar across his nose, marring a permanent path on his skin, a tattoo of his suffering. His stark white hair, glaring brightly against his tan skin. Not to mention the myriad of scars that cross his back like lightning strikes unseen.
Everything has changed. Every year, every moment he spent away from here punches him in the gut and he is unable to ignore it. He feels like a stranger, an intruder. Regardless of all the anxiety and dread, he knocks anyway when he remembers who is beside him. Her presence in his present comforts him and maybe that is why he brought her. Selfish, yes, but he knows he couldn't possibly do it without Allura. After all the time they spent together, risking their lives, she understands the person he has become. She is his anchor to the present as he revisits his past.
The door swings open and time, past and present, come to a startling halt, like a narrowly avoided car crash. The slender woman's mouth hangs open, completely frozen. "T- Takashi?" Her voice wavers. She had heard rumors over the fragmented signal of their ancient radio. Rumors. Before he can say anything, tears spill on both of their faces in broken rivers of words unsaid. She wraps him in a hug Allura is certain obstructs his airways. The scene makes the void she feels with the loss of her own parents ache deeply, yet it doesn't overshadow the way her heart swells with seeing Shiro so totally and completely happy. She shifts from foot to foot as the reunion unfolds.
"Mom, this is Princess Allura of Altea." Allura startles at the sound of her title. Before she can say hello, she too is wrapped in a bone crushing hug. Now Allura is convinced that strength is a genetic trait. "Thank you for bringing my boy back to me." The words are a breath, a plea, a desperate prayer that was no doubt prayed countless times.
Once the embrace ends they are hastily welcomed in as if a breeze could blow this dream away forever. Allura mimics Shiro when he removes his shoes before stepping past the foyer. His mom smacks him on the head as soon as he steps up, despite her having to stand on her tiptoes to reach. "You should've called first. I have nothing cooked!" He shrugs sheepishly. "And with a princess too!" She is in no way daunted by her son's new… rougher appearance. She makes no show of pointing it out either. Allura blushes, feeling out of place and wishing he had never mentioned her title.
Ms. Shirogane disappears into an adjacent room. When she comes back, towels are tossed into Shiro's quick-reacting arms and his jacket sleeve slips to reveal his prosthetic. Any other quip she was ready to throw at him is swallowed at the sight of his new addition. "Mom, I-" She raises a decisive hand. "Did you get whoever did that to you?" Shiro's mouth clamps shut and any explanation for the alien tech is laid to rest. "Yeah, Mom." He looks at Allura, smiling. "We did."
"That's all I need to know. Now go get clean. Both of you." She lays a dangerous glare on her son. "I can't believe you made a princess hike all the way up this god forsaken mountain." Without another word, Shiro leads Allura to the backyard, where he begins pumping water into a tin bucket. "Yeah, Shiro, I can't believe you made me hike all the way up this mountain." She pokes him in the shoulder and then in the cheek. When he doesn't smile, she's afraid that he really is feeling guilty, until he splashes the water in the bucket her way.
He breaks down laughing, when he sees her hat flop under the weight of the water. She scoffs. "I can't believe you!" She makes a move for the bucket and he struggles to keep hold of it, giggling like children the whole time. She lets go suddenly and the momentum swings his way, throwing the rest of the water with it and he is drenched. "Oops." She smiles, fingers splayed in the air, a false sweetness on her lips. She stands there in the setting sun and an overwhelming gratitude fills him from heel to crown. He is home. She feels like home. Home used to be a drug induced dream when he was in Galra captivity, but now it is present, tangible. A nervous buzz spreads from the base of his spine to the back of his neck, when she playfully raises her brow.
The bucket falls out of his hands forgotten, as he closes all space between them, covering her lips with his. Her hat falls to the ground as he tilts her back, one hand on the small of her back, the other on the back of her neck. He breaks the kiss, their faces now only centimeters away from each other. All the times Allura had imagined this moment like some smitten child come flooding back, making the marks beneath her eyes glow a bright rosy pink. He is searching her eyes, terrified that he had been too hasty, that he had read everything wrong. Both of their hearts beat erratically. Blood rushes to his cheeks and ears.
His mouth parts and hands loosen around her frame, ready to apologize. Her hands frame his face and pull him down. He eagerly meets her halfway. First, they are hesitant but with each passing moment they grow more confident. She drags her fingers through his hair. Her hips push against his, wanting to be as close as possible. His hands trail down her sides and rest at her thighs as he lifts her up. She accommodates the new position by wrapping her legs around his waist, never once breaking the kiss. He growls against her lips, intensely excited. She smiles to know that it was her driving him wild.
They move against the side of a shed in the shadows of the retreating sun. He pulls away, looking at her for what feels like the first time. She is drenched in the ambers and golds of dusk. Her white hair falls out of her bun and her mouth hangs open in anticipation. Her chest heaves up and down trying to replenish the air he stole from her. He kisses her again, before making his way to the space between her neck and shoulder. The loose tee she is wearing makes access easy. She gasps at the sensation, head rolling to the side to open her up further. Each deep kiss to her skin sets her on fire and she isn't sure how much she can take before kissing isn't enough.
"Takashi!" His mother's shrill voice shocks them down to earth and Allura quickly jumps down from his waist, eyes darting around. She tucks her hair behind her ears and adjusts her shirt. Shiro leans against the shed, breathing deep, satisfied breaths, a wide smile splitting his face. "Shiro, come on!" Allura snaps at him, still shaken at the thought that his mother would have caught her son devouring a princess in her backyard. What had come over them? Allura picks up her hat, hands fidgeting on the brim, heart descending from its recent high.
She turns to find Shiro still in a daze. She snaps her fingers in his face to finally get his attention. The alarmed look on her face is dangerously adorable and he has half a mind to ignore his mom's call. He tucks a stray silver strand behind her ear and she leans into his touch like a reflex. "Takashi!" she calls again. Allura's eyes fly open. "Stop," she warns, albeit halfheartedly. Shiro chews his bottom lip, calculating the risk and, truthfully, they had been in infinitely riskier situations.
"Shiro." Allura tries hard to get him to see reason, but he seems to be somewhere else, somewhere she desperately wants to be too. He smirks and acquiesces, taking her hat from her shaking hands and replacing it on her head. She looks up at him and is rendered helpless against the pure way he looks at her with unfiltered reverence. He takes her face in his hands and places a slow, lingering kiss on her forehead. She tries to hide her bashful smile by ducking her head beneath her hat. She pivots to escape the moment before she does something reckless… well, more reckless than earlier.
They finish scrubbing the dirt from their feet and arms and try to wring as much water out of their shirts as possible. Both attempt and fail to keep the goofy grins from their faces. The co-leaders of Voltron admit that their poker faces are sorely out of practice. Once they reenter the house, Shiro is greeted by another surprise. Joy is a disease and everyone is catching it. His mother stood to the side, hands clasped in front of her face, looking from one Shirogane to the other.
Allura blinks at the uncanny resemblance. Shiro's dad stands tall, immovable, like a tree. His hair is cropped short on the sides and silver fades in and out of his sideburns and beard. The wrinkles under his eyes reveal his age along with the stress and turmoil of having to be strong for so long. All of that disappears as he opens his arms, revealing a massive wingspan that welcomes his son home. Shiro embraces his father and the tears begin to flow again from Shiro and his mother. Allura notices the head of the household's eyes are simply moist and red still trying to be the paragon of composure. She has seen that look a few times on Shiro after a particularly challenging night or a tough loss to the Galra or when the team finally found him again. He pats his son repeatedly on the back as if to assure the validity of this unexpected blessing.
Allura again feels the gut wrenching black hole in her stomach as the scene unfurls in front of her. She twists her fingers in her hands, remaining at the threshold. She focuses on the scent of cooking food that is growing in potency, warm, earthy, inviting. She sees rather than feels the tears hit the carpet below and is again grateful for the protective shadows of the hat. Everything is getting to be too much and she feels lost in the confines of her mind, until she feels Shiro's large hands on her arms, rooting her to the present.
He cocoons her within his arms and feels the bobbing of her shoulders, as she tries to hold back her sobs. She feels bright joy, deep longing, shattering sadness, and bubbling gratitude all at the same time. "I'm sorry," she whispers against his chest. His head turns back and forth on top of her hat. He pulls back and she wipes her face, wanting desperately not to embarrass herself in front of his parents, but knowing if she admits this aloud he'd think she was ridiculous. Shiro rubs her arms, silently asking if she was okay. She nods, knowing that she is now. Her parents are gone and that would always hurt, but she knows that her life is filled with so much more than hurt. Everything was a dark, overwhelming nothing during her ten-thousand-year slumber, but now her life is overflowing with color of every hue, shade, and saturation, especially the color black.
He introduces his father to her and she laughs when he receives the same reprimand that his mother gave regarding the whole hiking ordeal. "I hope you don't plan on keeping that hat on the entire time," Ms. Shirogane says with a smile. Allura blinks a few times, unsure of how to proceed. Then she notices Shiro removing his jacket to put his Galra arm on full display. Unwilling to let him go through this alone, she quickly removes her hat and tucks her hair behind her ears. They share a look of amusement. Although Allura is alien in the common sense of the word, Shiro doesn't feel any less so. His father's eyes twinkle with a familiar interest they had seen in Pidge several times.
He let out a low whistle. "Incredible."
"What pretty hair." His mom's eyes are wide with awe. Allura's marks glow involuntarily at the unexpected praise. "Thank you."
"Daiki. Hands off." She warns her husband with a sharp glare, just as he is grabbing small tools out of his pocket and Shiro is eyeing him warily. His expression sinks to the floor in childish disappointment and he is ready to complain until she shoots another warning his way. "I'm sure you kids are hungry, so your father and I will have dinner done soon, right dear?" She claps her hands together and grins, demeanor doing a complete 180. Shiro's dad slinks out of the room obediently.
Shiro and Allura laugh at the absurdity of the situation. This is only the second time he's brought a girl home and this differed greatly from Kimmi in grade school. Allura wrings her hands together, twisting and pulling her slender fingers. Shiro's eyes follow every movement before he is even aware. His thoughts slip back into reminiscing about the recent events like soap sliding around in the shower. Everything feels right, like he had finally reached a destination. Sure, returning home has always been his top priority, but the universe had thought it good and proper to bestow a star upon him too. Her face twists in confusion and he realizes that he's staring. They both look away, remembering they had been so incredibly close only moments ago. Ironically, he wishes he wasn't in his parents' home right now. The small cottage isn't nearly as big as the castle ship and doesn't have nearly as thick walls.
Shiro coughs suddenly and Allura's head jerks his way. He stiffly gestures to the cushions at the low sitting table, offering her a seat. She accepts his offer with steady movement. He follows her. "This has been one… interesting day," Shiro ventures. Allura nods slowly, then smirks while looking straight ahead. "It's a good thing it isn't over yet." Shiro pauses, unsure if he imagined the suggestion in her voice.