Shallura Week

2017

Day Two (July 3rd): Promps: Hands; Names

Synopsis: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet." -Juliet Capulet (Act Two Scene Two) from William "The Bard" Shakesphere's tragic play "Romeo and Juliet".

Disclaimer: For disclaimer, please refer to Day One of this series. Thanks.

The Meaning of a Name

by S'Eleene Paris

seleenermparis

"Lance and Hunk were telling me about the different cultures on your planet." That was how their conversation began. Allura had been curious about life on Earth. With all of her paladins being from there and not having contact with their species before, she was growing more fascinated with their people and planet. Not that this surprised Shiro much. Diplomacy was basically imbeded in her DNA. She was born to it. Being a princess, this was often an expectation.

She had asked Shiro to assist her with some minor repairs to the ship. He was standing on the ladder while she handed up various tools he needed to fix the hole in the bulkhead. It was a result of their latest battle with the Galra.

"You didn't have different cultures on your planet?" He raised his eyebrow as she passed up the implements to prep the hole to receive the patch.

"No, we were just Alteans."

"Interesting," he began patching the hole. "Earth is made up of hundreds of different cultures. Some of which still don't accept technology and do everything primitive as their ancestors before them.

"Sounds like a micro universe."

"I guess you can call it that. I can see why you're finding it interesting being a diplimat and all. I think you'd like it. One day I hope to bring you there so you can see it for yourself."

"I do hope we don't have to any time soon." She offered as she spotted him on the ladder. "Perhaps when the Galra are less of a threat."

He nodded. "Thankfully, you have a translating system in your coms. You'd have a hard time learning all the languages."

"Different languages?" Her eyes widened. "Earth sounds like a chaotic place. How do you communicate with each other? I didn't see any of you with communicators of any sort when you first came here."

"It's because we all speak the same language. Some of us though can speak multiple languages. Lance is Cuban. He speaks both Spanish and English."

"Do you speak any others?"

"Yea, I'm fluent in both English and Japanese. My Sofubu insisted."

"Sofubu?"

"Sorry. Grandparents."

"So words can have multiple ways to say it on your world?"

"Something like that."

"Do names?"

"Actually, yes." He smiled. "Pidge's real name is Katie. In Latin, which is a language which really isn't spoken anymore, means Pure."

"Appropriate," She paused. "What about 'Shiro'? What does that mean?"

He chuckled. "Shiro isn't my formal name."

"Formal name?"

"Most humans have a first and a last name."

"Do you?"

He nodded.

"So what is yours?"

"Takashi Shirogane." He was glad he had his back to her. For some reason, he blushed. Telling her his formal name and how easily it rolled off his tongue for her made him feel like a school boy with a crush. "It's a bit combersome in a crunch, so just "Shiro" works."

"So what does it mean."

He sighed. "According to my Sobo, it has a few meanings. Japanese can be a little difficult to translate into other languages. The one she insisted that it meant was "Noble or prosperous. My last name, "Shirogane" means white metal...it's a reference to a metal on our planet. It's commonly called Silver."

"That's very fitting." She smiled then quietly asked. "Does my name mean anything?"

He looked down at her then came down the ladder. He stood in front of her and brushed a piece of stray hair out of her face. "I'm not sure exactly what it means, but we do have a word which sounds similar. "Alluring" means to entice or attract. You definitely live up to that."

She bit her lip at the huskiness of his tone. "Well, then. Let me entice you to our bed and you can show me just how much I am."

Author's notes:

Allura: (English) Divine Counselor

(French) To entice or attract