A/N: I love the relationship between Keith and Shiro! I hope more of their shared past will be revealed on the upcoming season.
Keith was inside the black lion. With his hands he processed the buttons in front of him. Every button was in the same place as it was inside the red lion. Someone would think that these similarities would make it easy for him to get used to the new lion. Except that this wasn't the case for Keith. He was no longer inside his own lion. He was piloting Shiro's lion, sitting on Shiro's seat and he has taken Shiro's role in the team. Would he be able to pull it off? He wasn't so sure about that.
His mind travelled to the red lion. Now, Lance was piloting it. He wondered how those two got along. He wished the best of luck to his fellow paladin, knowing that the red lion wasn't easy to handle. And yet a small, hidden part of him wished that they wouldn't get along. It was a selfish part of himself – of that he was sure- that didn't want anyone else to get close to the red lion, to his own lion.
Red was supposed to be mine, he thought. Yet there he was piloting a different lion.
"Keith, if anything happens to me, I want you to lead Voltron"
How many times he repeated Shiro's words inside his head? Shiro saw something in him and believed in his leadership qualities. Even at his lowest when he doubted himself, he couldn't bring himself to doubt Shiro's judgement. He would prove to be a worthy leader, for Shiro's case.
Keith closed his eyes and pictured in his mind the scene where he met Shiro. That memory was at least ten years ago but it still managed to bring comfort to the troubled boy.
It was a cold December morning, the likes of which makes your cheeks blush from it and almost make it impossible to use your frozen hands. Keith was lying on the dirty ground. He couldn't see from one of his eyes as blood was running from a deep cut right above it. He made another attempt to rise up but he was once again unsuccessful. The boys who were surrounding him laughed with his failed attempt.
"You can't even stand now freak, can you?" one of the boys mocked him while he hit him with a stick on the back.
"Shut up" Keith whispered and tried to avoid another hit; he was unsuccessful.
He really wanted to fight back those bullies but he didn't have any strength left. Now, it was difficult for him to even breathe.
"You are just a filthy orphan who doesn't know his place" another boy kicked him hard on the stomach.
"Leave him alone!"
Keith raised his eyes to see a stranger boy in front of him. He looked like he was a couple of years older than Keith and much stronger.
"It's none of your business" the leader of the bullies said.
He raised the stick in order to hit Keith again but the older boy caught it.
"I said, leave him alone!" he repeated himself as he hit the leader of the bullies with the stick.
The boy that was hit let a loud moan and looked the stranger boy in the eye. His looks showed that he wasn't kidding, so he decided to retreat. The rest of the boys followed him.
After they all left, the stranger boy approached Keith.
"Here" he said as he offered a tissue to Keith.
Keith ignored him and wiped his bruised face with the back of his hand.
"I never asked for your help" Keith said, not fully trusting the older boy. And why should he? After all, everyone he had met so far had misused him.
"I know" the boy replied. "I just offered it myself".
He offered a big smile to Keith. It was the kind of smile that made you believe in someone. And Keith, being alone for so much time really wanted to finally be able to trust someone.
"I'm Shiro by the way" the boy introduced himself.
"Keith".
This was the first time Shiro saved Keith but not the last. The older boy served as some sort of guardian angel for Keith, saving him in every possible way.
Now it was time for Keith to be the one to do the saving. He had to lead Voltron and find Shiro.
"Shiro you are like a brother to me"
He could never forget the day he confessed that. Now all he wanted was to rescue Shiro. To rescue his brother.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading this story. Please review and let me know what you think about it. Also, I'd love to hear everyone's headcanons for platonic Keith-Shiro.