Chapter 7: Night Time Confessions
In The Present
Keith found himself deposited outside another chamber in Allura's wing. She hadn't been in her suite, which Hunk said meant that Acair had probably woken up and started fussing. Acair didn't have a night nurse, Hunk said, so if he needed anything, Allura would see to it herself.
He knocked quietly but upon receiving no response, quietly opened the door. He paused for a moment, unsure of what he would find, entered and discovered a small sanctuary to childhood.
A lullaby played in the background, so soft it was barely above a whisper. The air was fragrant with lavender and bergamot. Five stuffed Voltron lions, lounged on a carpet bearing the Royal Crest of Arus. Each large enough for a child to ride or for an adult to use as a pillow.
In the dim light that filled the room, he could see Allura curled up against their son, protecting him even in her sleep. His brow furrowed with worry as he saw the fragility she kept hidden behind her makeup and gowns - the weight she had lost was painfully obvious, as were the petechia that marred the skin he remembered as flawless and creamy.
Keith's attention went to Acair and his eyes softened at his first sight of his son. The picture Pidge had just didn't do the little boy justice. Acair was still plump with the remnants of babyhood but Keith had a feeling that it wouldn't last much longer. He got the impression of a tightly coiled spring, ready to burst into action at the slightest provocation.
In sleep, a stubborn lock of black hair fell across Acair's forehead, much as it did over Keith's own. The little boy had a small black lion clutched close to his chest, a companion in dreamland adventures Keith could well imagine, based on the way that Acair's eyelids fluttered and his legs twitched.
Keith settled into a chair close to the bed, his heart full as he watched over his family's dreams. He had never been a religious man, but he found himself praying for someone- anyone- to spare the life of the woman he thought he would never have.
Allura couldn't say what woke her, only it was the sense that there was something different. Keeping her eyes closed and breathing regular, she tensed her muscles, readying herself for either fight or flight, while she listened and tried to make sense of what was happening around her.
"It's okay, love, it's just me," someone whispered, his voice familiar and very much loved. "I'm sure that you have a few weapons hidden around but I'd really appreciate it if you could avoid killing me until after I met my son."
Allura opened her eyes to find Keith kneeling beside the bed. She reached out to gently touch his cheek, marvelling at the rough texture under her fingers. Her dreams were never this detailed. "You're here. I wasn't dreaming. You're really here."
"I never should have gone," Keith said bluntly, covering her hand with one of his own. "I should have been here for you." He glanced at Acair for a moment, before turning back to her. "I should have been here for BOTH of you."
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You're here now. That's what counts." She smoothed away the moisture she felt with her thumb but said nothing else. She didn't have the words, an unusual circumstance considering what she was, who she was, so instead, she pulled his head down and kissed him, letting her kiss say all that she could not.