Disclaimer – I don't own Voltron: Legendary Defender. This is actually not the fic I actually planned on starting on, but a different idea that got stuck in my head. This is also for prompt 22 on my 2017 prompt list which involves the angst genre. Theories for this fanfic include Shiro and Keith being blood brothers with the same parents, meaning Shiro is also part alien, the character Ryo from the original series being Keith's twin brother, and either the theory of Alteans and Galra being the same species genetically or their mother being an Altean/Galra hybrid, still undecided. This also works with the theory of Keith being on the autism spectrum.

Tattoo in the Sky
Eating Dirt

His purpose was gone.

The adrenaline rushing through his body came to a sudden peak as he twisted his bayard, forming the fiery blade to cut through Zarkon's armor. In turn, it crashed, the reality quickly setting into the black paladin's mind. The vile emperor of the Galra empire was defeated, and Voltron had served its purpose, meaning the paladins were no longer needed. As such, each would continue with their previous lives as if nothing happened.

Except…

Shiro's heart couldn't help but sink into darkness, breaking as his future dreams had. No matter how much he reached for that dream, he couldn't reach it. His arm was broken, his body broken, and now that one singular hope he was holding onto in their fight against Zarkon. What got him through his time as a prisoner was the same reason he'd gone on the Kerberos mission in the first place.

Keith…

As long as Shiro could remember, he'd always been there for the younger teen, at times acting like an older brother, and other time acting like a parent. Going on the Kerberos mission meant having a steady income once he got back, but also having the ability to spend more time with Keith, as his younger brother needed him. Torn away from their mother, their father, not knowing where he stood with the Shirogane family, Shiro ended up being the only stable person in the boy's life.

And yet there were some doubts even regarding their relationship, and these came crashing into bits when Keith found out information regarding their mother. Shiro couldn't say anything, having not said anything before, not wanting to shatter Keith's own reality, and yet his was breaking. His younger brother had grown up, leaving him behind, watching his back as he walked away.

His purpose was gone.

He also didn't know how to be around Keith without breaking anymore.

He wanted to escape from that pain.

There was a flashing of white light, leading to the sensation of falling. Shiro landed somewhere, the impact reminding him when he landed in the black lion injured, and yet he was outside somewhere. Shiro could feel hot sand against his chin and sat up. His entire body riveted in pain from the electric shock Zarkon sent through him. He sat up, his mouth dry as he looked around the desert. There as something familiar about the place he landed. He also felt dizzy.

Smoke appeared in the distance coming towards him at a fast pace, and he found himself ducking behind the rock outcroppings, not sure if the person was friend or foe. His mind was dizzy, to say the least, and his breath came in a ragged manner. His eyes closed, then opened to peek around the rock to see someone pull up on a bike. The person stopped on a bike, and Shiro's breath pulled in tightly his heart fluttering. "Keith!"

The person seemed to hear, and turn towards him. Shiro stepped out from behind the rock, only for his entire body to start tipping forward, losing consciousness from the injuries he felt. The person moved quickly, stepping over to catch him as he fell. The person was definitely around the same size as Keith and had the same hair. However, as his vision blurred as he lost unconsciousness, he couldn't help but note how the person wore different clothing.

~V~

His eyes fluttered open, opening up to see the shack where his father raised Keith. A groan escaped his lips, and soon another person came into view. Their mouth was open, their eyes wide with worry, much, in the same manner, Keith's would be. In fact, this person's hair was similar, and so was their face. "Keith…"

The young man's facial features twisted up into a frown, his voice speaking in irritation. "It's Ryo."

Shiro took a deep breath, trying to sit up. Everyone thought Keith was super serious, but not once you got to know him. Ryo on the other hand never showed any kind of emotion, and yet here he was showing an emotion. The black paladin let out a deep breath. "Oh."

"Nii-san, where's Keith."

The older teen stopped his attempt to sit up, looking at his other brother. His eyes blinked, completely confused. "What?"

"You know, Akira."

"But…" Shiro tried sitting up again, only for Ryo to push on his chest again, the irritation evident on his face. "Oh yeah. There is an emotion Ryo knows well."

"You should be resting."

"You called him Keith, and not Akira. What's up with that?" The black paladin watched Ryo actually startle, and then turn his head away. Shiro started to sit up again, this time managing to do so. "Ryo?" Ryo sighed, moving to sit on the part of the couch Shiro just vacated by sitting up, leaning into the back of the black paladin. The nineteen-year-old caught sight of his armor sitting to the side. "You okay buddy?"

"No. And I should be asking you that question." One of Ryo's hands reached up, grabbing onto the back of Shiro's clothing, pressing his face against the middle of his older brother's back.

A silence remained between the two, and Shiro realized suddenly that he was thirsty, and needing something to drink. "Do you have some water?"

"Oh. Sure." Ryo got up and headed over to a small cooler, bringing back a water. He twisted the top off and handed it to Shiro as the black paladin turned so he was sitting on the couch. "You should really be resting, nii-san."

"You want answers?" This question was met with silence. "Well, I know I want answers. What's this change of attitude towards Keith?"

The sixteen-year-old sat down, his hands resting on his knees. Ryo remained silent.

"Come on. You used to go on, and on about how much of an embarrassment he was, but also how much you hated him. It's an honest question to ask."

"Do you remember…" Ryo took a deep breath. "Do you remember when you told me that one day I'd regret the way I acted towards him? That one day he just might not be there, and I'd realize exactly what I was missing, what was really important?"

"Yeah…"

"It happened." The younger teen continued to look at the ground. One hand reached up to tug his sleeve. "You've always had good advice."

"Someone else told me that recently. When did it hit, though?"

"Where's Keith, nii-san?"

"I don't…"

"Why did you return to Earth, and not him?" Ryo's voice strained. "Why didn't you bring him home with you?"

"Hold on…" Shiro's eyes closed. His hand reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You know about that? Us leaving Earth that is?"

"How could the Shirogane family not know. Everyone's upset, but most especially grandfather."

"Is that when you realized?"

"Realized what?"

"Ryo, we were just talking about you figuring out what you were missing." Shiro watched Ryo's hand tug at his right sleeve again. "The family crest?"

"I got mine without him." Ryo's hand's dropped, so they now rested palm up on his knees. "We have the same birthday, and yet when I turned sixteen only I got the tattoo. You were supposed to be there, but you were dead. I mean, we assumed you were."

"So, you're upset because neither one of us were there?"

"I honestly couldn't care if you were there or not, but if you had been there, then maybe he would have been there. You're the only one who cared enough."

Shiro tried smiling, despite the fact he felt so empty, and without purpose. "I'm not following."

"You would have cared about him…" Ryo took a deep breath before looking at the ceiling. "I mean, they didn't care. They're sticklers for tradition, yet they couldn't… wouldn't…"

"Make him get the family crest?" Shiro took a deep breath. "I actually wouldn't have made him." The black paladin watched the Keith clone in front of him tense up. Ryo's style of clothing was different than the red paladins. In the amount of time it took Shiro to note this difference, his other brother made up his mind to punch him. Shiro managed to grab his arm in time. "Hey! Stop it! Why is it whenever you do manage to show emotion, it's either annoyance or anger? Nothing else?"

"You don't get it!" Ryo attempted to pull away. "He's just as much a part of this family as you and I are! Why'd he have to be singled out! Why don't you care that they don't treat him like family!"

The black paladin felt his eyes widen, his throat tightening. "Ryo…"

His voice was soft, as he watched the fury in his other brother's eyes. His other brother remained furious despite the careful tone of voice. "I'm not speaking to you!"

Ryo stood up, heading out of the small shack. Shiro leaned over, wondering what he should do now. After a few minutes, he spoke up, speaking to himself. "I do care. I do care that Keith's not allowed to be a part of our lives."