-Flash back-
His eyes water as he stares into the abyss that is space through the window next to Emperor's bed. Humans are nothing but pets to the Galra. Zarkon's voice chills his bones. "Keith will get tired of you some day, then you'll be my plaything." Keith is in a meeting with other captains and commanders on the war. Zarkon had called Shiro to speak to him. He thought it would be more mind torture instead they ended up in the bedroom.
His master, no friend, Keith, would be here any moment. Please, soon.
"Look at me, swine." Zarkon demands. Shiro refuses. Zarkon grabs Shiro's hair tugging him to look him in the face. "Champion, you are nothing without me. You are lucky you have potential otherwise you would have never served the Empire as a pet. You'd be rotting in a work camp like the others." Shiro spits in Zarkon's face. He snarles and a fist flies into Shiro's face. Blinding pain sets in as he falls backwards onto the bed. "That is why I like you. Such a strong spirit I can't wait to break you." Zarkon grins a nasty an cruel smile. Just as Zarkon is about to lean toward Shiro, Keith bursts through the room.
"Emperor." He greets his Great Grandfather. "Shiro is needed for training." Keith walks over to the bed grabs Shiro's arm and drags him from the room, slamming the door behind him before Zarkon could say anything.
"You'll get in trouble." Shiro whispers softly as they walk past the Emperor's guards. Keith is quiet until they reach his quarters. His most reliable maid is already in the bedroom, redressing the bed. "You sit on the bed." He turns to the maid, he is new to Shiro. Some boy with nearly ginger hair wearing glasses and very short, also human but dressed like a Galra. Keith turns to him. "You, please get some ice ASAP." The human nods rushing from the room. "Do your best not to be spotted." The human nods, a triangular robot follows the human.
"Rover, lead the way." The human smiles, leaving the room. Keith's room is much more like a three bedroom apartment. Keith often employs humans to do his housework. He is kind to them unlike some others. This doesn't put him in the best light with his Great Grandfather but his Grandfather blames his mother. His human mother.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner." Keith apologizes walking to a draw and pulling out a bandage and other medical items. "You're bleeding." Keith uses a cotton ball to wipe away and clean the injury above his eyes from the Emperor's nails. Shiro honestly didn't notice pain anymore. Sometimes, he would be bleeding after the colosseum and only Keith would notice the scratches on his body.
"Shiro, speak to me, please. Tell me what he said to you." Keith begs while bandaging the wounds.
"He..he said you would get tired of me." Shiro mumbles in a barely coherent voice. Keith sighs, cupping Shiro's cheek in his hands.
"Never." Keith states looking deep into Shiro's eyes. "I'll never let him have you." Keith promises kissing him protectively on the forehead.
-end of flashback-
"Keith!" Shiro screams as his eyes open and he sits up. The hum of the escape pod causes Shiro to realize the reality around them.
"Morning, sleepy head." A voice speaks from the cockpit. No, Shiro wasn't in the escape pod. He rises from the ground to look at the boy in the seat, no wait. A green dress? He was a she? No wait, that made a lot of sense. "Call me Pidge from now on."
"Okay... Where are we?" Shiro asks, leaning on the back of the seat she is sitting in.
"We are in the green lion. After Keith put you under, I put you in the escape pod and fought him like we planned. Keith has been taken into custody." Pidge explains calmly.
"We? You were in on this?" Shiro blinks. "The last thing I remember is drinking wine with Keith... I was drugged? How long have I been out?"
"Two days." Pidge replies. "It was the only plan that would work. I'm sorry. Keith knows what he's gotten into, I hope."
"Wait, he's committed treason. They'll kill him. Your with voltron!" Shiro shouts angrily. "We have to go back for him! They'll hurt him." Shiro's chest went tight as he huffs for air. "He'll be killed."
"Shiro calm down, take calming breaths. He knows what he's in for." Pidge says turning around to look Shiro in the face. "He might be dead already. Turning around wont help him. He sacrifised himself for you."
"I'm not worth it.." Shiro says in voice that is barely more than a whisper.
"To him, you are worth more to him than you can ever comprehend." Pidge sighs, turning back to the front window. "I'm sorry. I can understand how you feel. The Galra took my entire family. While I can't understand exactly what you are going through right now, you aren't alone in this."
