AN: Continuation of where last chapter left off.
SL
SL
SL
Their kissing was short.
But before Shiro pulled away her leg brushed his, her hand ran up his chest and then along his upper back. But all of that made his pulse quicken. He wasn't unfamiliar with this sort of intimacy but it had been more than five years.
Out in space he had caught himself staring at her from time to time. Ever since she saved the Balmera he couldn't stop admiring her. She was brave and eloquent, graceful and fierce.
But a princess.
He immediately squashed down anything that wasn't platonic. It had been harder to do especially after she saved him on the Galra ship, sacrificing herself to buy him time to get out. On top of the war, those times with her had been difficult emotionally - his dreams even more so. Then he died and he slowly resigned himself to a quiet existence in the Astral Plane.
But now...
He slanted his mouth over hers, letting some of that long pent up feeling spill out. He savored the warmth of her body, the softness of her lips and that light fragrance of a flower he'd never smelled before knowing her. She let out a soft hum and he felt it vibrate against his chest.
She was still a princess and he was still a pilot from Earth.
But gods, he loved being alive again.
He felt her approval through the bond, albeit a bit sluggish. Allura's lips slowly stopped moving over his and her hands slowly dropped down to herself. He somewhat reluctantly pulled away from the kiss.
"Allura?"
Her eyes were almost closed in sleep. Although the cryopod healed her injuries her body's quintessence was low. Otherwise it would be a tad embarrassing on his end to have her falling asleep while they were making out. He shook his head and then kissed her forehead.
"Rest some more."
She hummed softly to that, her eyes already fully closed. 'We'll continue later,' she had wanted to say. But what came out was barely recognizable as sleep claimed her once again.
Shiro laid back on his side of the bed and listened to her breathing. They were getting more physical. He lifted his prosthetic up, turned it around to look at the palm, look at the lines of where each piece of metal was welded together seamlessly but in place of the natural lines of a human's palm. He could hear the soft hum of his shoulder as he examined his arm.
A long sigh came out of him followed by a yawn.
He didn't know how long he had been on the bridge. It had taken a lot of concentration to get the Atlas to direct power to a foreign pod. At some point it felt like the Castle inside the crystal had been communicating with the Atlas and he was merely the conduit for that conversation. If he hadn't been used to talking Lion ships he would have freaked out.
He closed his eyes to take advantage of the sleepy feeling.
In the later morning Allura got up to use the restroom.
Then Shiro groggily woke up to do the same.
When he returned he found Allura had rolled over to his side. He tiredly smiled as her face was buried in his pillow. He didn't have the heart to move her. Gingerly, he slipped into the other side of the bed. Her hands latched onto his right arm. If he had been more awake he might of thought of what that meant, her being so comfortable with his prosthetic when he was starting to feel uneasy about it.
He fell asleep again.
It was evening when Allura stirred.
Still half asleep she leaned in to rub against the side of his face. She wiggled her nose as his short facial hair prickled her skin. She breathed out a chuckle, then took in a long breath. I'm feeling better already. Even with the cryopod she hadn't expected to be feeling so good so soon.
"You'll need to shave," she sleepily teased, "if you want the kissing to resume."
Despite her warning she kissed his upper cheek but where there was no hair. To her surprise there was no response. She knew for a fact that he was a light sleeper. Back on the Castle he had fallen asleep on the couch and when she tried putting a blanket on him he immediately shot up with his hand glowing before the fabric could touch him.
Right now she didn't even get a sleepy grumble.
"Shiro?" She suddenly noticed her hands were glowing around his prosthetic. She released her hold. To her dismay the glow of his shoulder was dimmed considerably. "Gods," she breathed out in horror.
She had been drawing on his quintessence through the crystal in his right arm. She turned on a light when she couldn't see his chest rising. Now that she could it was very shallow. She reached out through their bond, prodding in a mental poke. There was no playful poke back or teasing sensation indicating his amusement.
His presence was silent.
"Shiro," she shook his shoulder but he didn't even stir. "Takashi, please. Wake up."
A quiet groan finally came out from him but nothing else. In her fear, she shrank back to her old impulse.
"Cor-pa," she choked out.
Papa Coran, in her native tongue, her childish nickname for the man that was a second father to her. She put a hand over her mouth, having caught herself before she could say it again. She drew in breath to gather herself and then climbed off the bed.
"Coran!"
She halted outside of Shiro's room. This hallway was not the Garrison. She had been too sleepy earlier to have noticed. He sleeps in the Atlas? She frowned, pushing that thought for later. She called out for Coran again but there was no response. She went back inside and pulled Shiro up on the bed.
"We need to go to the bridge," she murmured.
Shiro stayed limp and silent. Her ears twitched as she focused on his heartbeat. It was the only thing that was keeping her from full out panic. She pulled his legs together and then lifted him up into her arms. Coran rounded a corner into the hallway as he ran from wherever he had been.
"Princess, what's -" he cut himself off to see Shiro's pale face. "He doesn't look good."
"We need the Atlas to restore his quintessence."
He softly cursed under his breath as he put a hand to his head. "I warned him." He gave Shiro a half hearted glare before Allura kept walking. He followed her brisk pace. "He had been powering your cryopod. Sam and I tried getting him to rest each day but he refused."
"For how many days?"
"Three quintants, give or take a couple of vargas."
He had stayed on the bridge guiding the Atlas for three whole days. Affection and anger tugged at her heart. "Stubborn man," she muttered in frustration. But her head nudge against the side of his face took away the bite of the scold. "I would have been fine if you took breaks." She sighed. "I was also drawing from him while I slept."
Coran made to take him from her arms. She continued walking but now at a faster pace. The royal advisor shook his head. Shiro's not the only stubborn one. He looked at them fondly without pointing out the pair's shared thick headedness when it came to their personal health versus helping someone. Now was not the time.
But he did muse aloud, "Alfor would have smacked his head and then hugged him for saving his daughter."
Allura paused by the doorway to the bridge. "...Would father have approved of -"
"Within a heartbeat," Coran smiled. "You know that already Juniberry." He gestured back to the unconscious man in his adopted daughter's arms. "Shiro wanted you to stay in the Atlas in case the cryopod was needed again. His strategizing always takes into account what the individual needs as well as the whole. It's the mark of a good leader that cares to do accommodate both."
"Yes," she idly murmured as she continued through the doorway.
...So his request for her to remain with him had been for a practical reason. It would explain why Coran would be so calm about her staying with Shiro. If it was only strategic, her more emotional side argued, why was his left arm around my waist when I woke up the first time? She told herself to refocus. But she couldn't shrug off the thoughts.
They reached the bridge.
That cleared her thoughts as she focused on the task at hand. Coran helped her adjust Shiro to hang off of her shoulder. He couldn't hold himself up due to his unconscious state but she kept her hand firmly around his wrist to keep his left arm around her shoulders.
"Coran, could you move his right hand onto the control panel?"
He did and did not remove his hold until Allura's hand came up onto Shiro's. She drew some of her quintessence and seeped it into his hand, up his arm, his shoulder, chest, and straight into his heart. His head was turned towards her. She felt his breath halt for a tick. Then his energy weakly responded to hers. She goaded him to reach out to the Atlas.
"Ask it to lend you aid," she quietly murmured into his ear. "For you," she stressed. "Not me."
She continued to softly speak to him, guiding his unconscious state to ask for energy. The Atlas crystal glowed behind them. Coran turned to look. She kept her focus on Shiro. Then, she felt the energy from the Atlas coming up his arm. She guided the in coming energy with her own and merged it with his quintessence. Silently, she urged his body to heal his essence.
This took minutes.
It would have taken much longer if he had been dying. His energy had been entering dangerously low levels but not to the point of his essence withering away. Once the glow of his shoulder was about the same brightness as before she allowed his hand to drop. He sighed as some strength came into his legs. She shifted her hold so she could face him. Bleary gray eyes peered at her.
" 'lura."
"You're fine now," she rubbed her cheek against his despite the prickly facial hair. "I am so sorry."
"Why?"
The strength in his legs was fleeting. She easily took his weight. He blinked hard as he found himself in her arms. He wearily looked down at the ground and then rolled his head towards her. She felt a smile tug at her lips upon seeing the faint flush across his scar.
"You don't have to-"
"You won't make it past the bridge," she easily cut off.
His eyes closed as he sighed. She took that as acquiescence. Then his head drooped involuntarily as unconsciousness pulled him in. Now that he was out of danger she took her time walking so as not to awaken him.
Behind them, Coran pulled out his phone and snapped a shot.
There was a small group in the Garrison kitchen.
Romelle was cutting the strawberries while Hunk poured milk into a bowl along with other ingredients. Allura primly sat on a stool as she keenly watched Hunk's process. Pidge sat next to her typing away on new plans for an explosion containment device. Ina was on the other side of Pidge as she looked at her tablet with the bomb's specs downloaded from her helmet. She spoke quietly to Pidge every now and then as they shared information.
On the other side of Allura James reached over to pick a strawberry from Romelle's bowl.
"So princess, you've never had ice cream?" James curiously questioned. "Lance already told me you didn't have cows but - Ow!"
He snatched his hand away from Romelle's smack. He already knew that the Paladins weren't joking when they said Romelle had some super strength but it was hard to remember when she had such delicate features.
"This is Allura's bowl of the red fruit," the blonde Altean frowned.
"He may have some," Allura calmly interrupted.
James quickly grabbed one before Romelle could retaliate. She harrumphed but kept an eye on how many he took.
Allura answered him. "I'm not had the pleasure of this ice cream."
"They've had milkshakes," Hunk threw in some chopped strawberries, "and cereal."
"Hunk makes the best ice cream," Pidge pushed up her glasses without looking away from the screen.
"Aw thanks Pidge. But ice cream's great no matter what."
"Lance made it chunky yester-quintant," Romelle wrinkled her nose.
"Well. Lance is special," Pidge muttered.
James grinned. "Poor Lance."
Allura smiled diplomatically. "We all have our own talents."
"Ok enough of that," Hunk turned back to Allura with a grin, "come watch the magic."
Allura obeyed, getting off her stool to peer down the machine's opening. Hunk flipped a switch and then poured the contents inside. Some paddle started spinning around slowly. "Churning," Hunk explained.
"How long will this take?"
"Just under a varga."
Allura nodded as she continued to stare. Then she started to fidget with the edge of her light blue sleeve. They were all dressed in civilian clothes for a change. Romelle and Hunk shared a knowing look while Pidge sighed loudly.
"You can go back," Pidge voiced out. "We'll text you when it's ready."
Allura gave her a guilty look. "I just -"
"We're worried too," Hunk put an arm around her shoulder for a squeeze, "But Shiro's doing fine."
"...He's been out for two quintants."
"And Coran said to make sure you get out every so often," Pidge snapped her laptop closed. "Between you and Keith fretting so much I'm surprised Shiro can sleep at all."
"I can bring you the ice cream princess," James offered.
"No, I will return." Allura turned to walk out but then paused. "Just Allura is fine. We've fought side by side battling for Earth," she gave him a smile, "I would think that would allow familiarity."
The leader of the MFEs wasn't particularly attracted to Allura but there was no doubt that she was beautiful. Even more so when she smiled like that and with her hair down with a baby blue long sleeve that complemented one of the many shades of blue in her irises. He felt a flush as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sure thing prin-ah, Allura."
Allura left. Pidge grinned widely.
"Don't let Shiro catch you making eyes at her."
"Wha- I wasn't -"
"That is highly inappropriate," Romelle wagged the paring knife in front of him.
"I'm not doing anything," James hotly retorted. "And get that out of my face before you poke an eye out!"
Ina Leifsdottir let out a soft laugh. Riz knew how to draw out this side from Grif and Kinkade. It was a nice change to see other people be able to get a rise out of him. It brought back a piece of their normal life before their training with the MFE prototypes and the Galra.
Pidge was the first to catch Ina's quiet laughter. She laughed along with her, making Hunk and Romelle join in. James' face was red but seeing them relaxed like this made him grin in turn. Even if it was at his expense he was glad for this moment.
"Ok ok," he exaggeratedly sighed, "Allura's off limits." Pause. "So Shirogane and her are -"
"Just Shiro." Pidge wrinkled her nose. "Don't be weird."
"...Shiro."
Leifsdottir didn't have to look away from her tablet to know he was uncomfortable with that. Hunk snorted in amusement, having caught the hesitancy.
"Just give it time."
"If you say so. But are they -"
"I'm not sure what they are exactly," Hunk leaned against the counter. "Before the whole clone mess they were kind of dancing around each other. Then he came back and now with Earth safe..." Hunk shrugged. "It's like a barrier disappeared between them. Like they know the weight of the entire universe doesn't have to be on their shoulders every second of every day."
"If only we could get Keith to do the same," Romelle murmured.
Pidge and Hunk nodded their heads in agreement. James slowly nodded. The paladins told them as much as they could about their travels though he was sure there was still plenty to be told.
"There were two major shifts I detected," Leifs evenly intoned, "the first after Shirogane's prosthetic operation, the second when Allura was retrieved from the ocean. Though there was a tension around them prior to that despite the wartime situation." She scrolled down on her screen while she reported the findings she had filed mentally. "Frequent looks. Fleeting touches on the arm and shoulder. Pupil dilations on both sides, indicating mutual attraction and longin-"
"Ok Leifs," James calmly interrupted. "Thank you."
She nodded her head. Then looked back at the tablet. Pidge leaned over to Ina with an impish gleam in her eyes.
"What else have you noticed?"
"In regards to Shirogane and the princess?"
"Anyone," Romelle leaned in as she caught Pidge's inquiry. "Perhaps -"
"Nu-uh." James quickly nipped that in the bud. "Leifsdottir's skills are for the greater good, not Garrison gossip."
"Killjoy," Romelle pouted, borrowing a word she'd heard Rachel say.
"You two are terrible," James scolded.
"Where was your morality when Ina was talking about Shiro and Allura?" Pidge countered.
"Yeah," Hunk grinned. "You totally waited to hear about her Shallura analysis."
"...What?"
"ShiroAllura," Hunk pushed his hands together. "Shallura."
"Keep up James," Pidge matched Hunk's grin. "Even Lance's niece and nephew know about couple names."
"You and Allura would be Jallura," Hunk laughed.
"That sounds weird," Pidge tilted her head in thought. "Grallura?"
"That's so much worse."
"I'm going to the shooting range," James shook his head. "Leifs, don't let them use your skills outside of creating that bomb containment device. That's an order."
She nodded her head with a serious expression.
"That was uncalled for!" Romelle yelled out.
A sound woke Keith.
He snapped his head up, black blade out before he had his eyes opened. There was something weighing his arms down. He blinked at the jacket over his seated form against the wall of the practice room. He pulled it aside, taking a moment to fold it before standing up. In the middle of the mats the Red Paladin was swinging around his broadsword with poor form. But it was markedly better than the last time he'd seen him practice.
"You need to keep your feet under you," Keith voiced out.
Lance's shoulders jumped upwards. "Every damn time mullet. Will you make a warning sound at least?"
Keith half rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault your awareness sucks."
Lance dematerialized his bayard to its resting form. He walked over to where his jacket was to get his towel and water bottle. Keith walked by him to continue with his own practice.
Lance idly watched. His Blade training certainly honed his skills but also introduced moves he'd never seen Keith do before. There was more twists and turns with the blade that looked badass but also made him question if it was necessary. But I guess all the motion makes it harder to predict the next attack. He tried to anticipant Keith's next swing and how he'd counter it. His brows furrowed the longer he tried to image practice against Keith.
The Black Paladin sighed and stopped moving.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm just taking notes," Lance put his hands up in peace. "I should be asking you what's up. This is the second time I've seen you knocked out in the practice room."
"I was resting," Keith softly scoffed at the idea of being knocked out.
"Riight." Lance put down his water to walk over. "So this isn't you overworking yourself because of what happened with Allura?"
"...My skills are rusty." Keith's head turned away a little. "If I had been practicing more often -"
"Allura still would have jumped in like that," Lance rolled his eyes. "Your training wouldn't have changed how she is like."
"..."
"Keith, we're part of a team. We're supposed to lift each other up." Lance put a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't the Blade of Marmora where it's every man for himself."
"No," Keith turned back at that. "It's not the Blades." A faint smile appeared. "With your crap sword skills you'd be kicked out as soon as you drew your blade."
"Hey, I'm self taught." Lance dropped his hand. "I don't have some Gladiator to wail on."
"That's true."
Keith took a step back and then lifted his blade.
"Dude. What are you-"
"Come on. I'm the Gladiator."
Lance gave him a flat look. "You're just going to kick my ass."
"Probably."
The Red Paladin pressed his lips together in a tight pout and then loudly huffed through his nose. He muttered to himself as he brought out his red broadsword. He waited a couple of ticks and then lunged. Keith easily blocked and sidestepped away, spinning around to press the black blade against his neck. Lance didn't move.
"Again."
The blade moved away. Lance took a moment to look down at his feet and shifted so his weight was more evenly distributed. Then he swung diagonally this time. Keith blocked and slid out from under the broadsword. Lance quickly brought his blade down on his left side to block the black sword. He used two hands to make a wide arc, getting the black blade off of the broadsword. Lance let out a surprised yelp as Keith swept his legs out under him.
"You shouldn't focus only on my blade."
Lance lifted his head off the mat. "I won't now that I know you'll be pulling that kind of crap."
"The enemy's not going to warn you how they fight." Keith's eyes were hooded by his longer bangs as he added, "You have to prepare for the worst."
"...Was it that rough?"
Keith slowly blinked as if he hadn't realized what he just said. Some of the shadow eased from his eyes. He sighed to himself and then extended his hand out.
"Just keep your eyes open."
Lance took his hand with a faint grin. "Like when I pushed you out of the way of that laser last mission?"
"I was talking to James on the comms."
"Multitasking isn't for everyone," Lance laughed. "Don't worry." His grin widened as he jumped up to his feet. "That's why you have a right hand man."
Keith stared at him. Then suddenly pushed his shoulder.
Lance stumbled backwards. "What was that for?!"
Keith walked towards the door.
"Mullet! Meet up tomorrow morning?"
The Black Paladin turned his head to nod over his shoulder then walked out.
Shiro's room was quiet.
Allura was halfway through her strawberry ice cream when he stirred next to her. She was sitting up against the wall with the tablet in her lap and the ice cream cone in her free hand. She hadn't noticed he was awake until he asked,
"Is that ice cream?"
She looked down at his sleepy eyes. So many things wanted to come out of her mouth. Questions about how he felt, how sorry she was she had drained him of his energy, how grateful she was to him for acrificing three days to power her cryopod, then the irrational question of did you have personal reasons for wanting me in your room?
Instead she asked, "Would you like a bite?"
A smile appeared on his face. "Yes please."
She brought the cone down to him. He lifted his head up to take a small bite. He winced a little but happily licked his lips anyways.
"Are you alright?"
"Just a brain freeze." He nearly gaped as she took a larger bite without pause. "Doesn't the coldness hurt your head?"
"No," she amusedly smiled. "Alteans do not suffer the freezing of the brain." She lightly ran her hand along the side of his face. "Poor Earthling."
His eyes closed briefly and then opened again.
"Can I have more?"
She lowered the cone back down. "Slower," she chided when he winced again. "Why put yourself through this pain?"
"I haven't had ice cream in five years," he let some of the creamy goodness sit on his tongue, making his speech a little slurred. "The discomfort is nothing." He finally swallowed. "Plus, strawberry is one of my favorites."
"One?" Her eyes lit up. "There are other flavors?"
"Loads." He grinned fondly. "You want to try them all, don't you?"
"Yes."
"We're going to have to make a list." Shiro lowered her hand to take another bite, getting some of the homemade waffle cone. Thank all that was good for Hunk. "Maybe sort it by country? But we are limited on time..."
Allura bit into the last of the cone. "We don't have fulfill every item this time."
"...Yeah. There'll be other times."
She didn't have to ask about his tone. Planning post war was dangerous but also thrilling in a way. So much could happen. Her eyes drifted over his face. So many wonderful things...
"You have some ice cream on your face."
He rubbed his cheek. She shook her head, getting her thumb along his chin to rub it off. Then her hand trailed along his jaw and into his hair. He leaned into the touch with a soft hum.
"You evened out your hair," she murmured.
"I'm surprised it took you this long to notice."
She lightly pinched his ear. "I noticed earlier." She wiggled down to lay down with him. "I borrowed some of your quintessence. That is why you have been out."
"Ah."
She frowned a little. "Why are you sleeping in the Atlas?"
"I took a room one night when I was too tired to walk back to the dormitories. Then it happened again. When it happened a third time," he shrugged. "Figured it'll create some bonding."
"It's not a Lion."
"It does have a presence."
"...I suppose that's true. Whether it can bond with someone we have yet to see." She felt her lips move before she could second guess saying it. "Coran said you requested I stay here."
"The cryopod's here."
"Ah," she borrowed his ambiguous word.
"...That is an annoying response. I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted."
He lifted his hand up to her cheek, hovering above one of her markings. He looked to her for approval. She merely blinked. His thumb faintly brushed the curve of the marking. Her eyes lidded a little.
"Would you be offended," he quietly murmured, "if the cryopod was only a half truth?"
"Depends on the other half of the truth."
"...I've been having dreams lately."
"Am I in them?"
"Yes."
"Are you with me?"
"I can only assume it's me," he cracked a grin. "I doubt my subconscious would dream of Lotor holding you. Unless my subconscious is secretly a mean bastard."
"You are only holding me?"
"Mainly. Though some kissing and touching. The details aren't important."
"But if I feature in them I have a right to know."
He hummed at her serious expression. "That is a valid point."
"..."
"..."
"Are you going to elaborate?"
"No."
She looked at him without blinking. "I have dreamt of us laying in the juniberries."
"Well that's nice."
By his expression she knew he didn't understand.
"Juniberries have tall stalks. If you lay in a field of them you are hidden." Her finger lightly trailed along the shell of his ear. "No one can see you or your partner."
He breathed out suddenly. "Oh."
She leaned down to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Is that what you have dreamt?"
"...not in a field."
Her eyes half closed as she kissed more on his lips. He closed his eyes upon feeling the tip of her tongue. She withdrew a little. He could see her lips moving like she was tasting something.
"You had some ice cream still."
"Did you get it all?"
"No."
She leaned back down to him. His lips parted with hers. Strawberry was quickly moving to the top of his ice cream list. He withdrew from her this time. Her fingers trailed along the opening of his tank then up along his shoulder. He leaned in to kiss her jaw. Then her slender neck. When she grazed the metal attached to his shoulder he faltered.
"Takashi?"
He laid his forehead against the crook of her neck. She started pulling away. He put his arm around her waist and kept her in place. She could have tested the limits of his arm but she was still highly aware of the state of his quintessence.
"You and I just recovered," she quietly murmured, venturing a guess for his shift in mood. "I do not expect any sort of -"
"That's not why I stopped."
A thrill shot through her. "So you do intend to..." she trailed off as a flush bloomed on her face.
He stayed quiet for a couple of ticks, trying to gather his thoughts.
"Do you remember how upset you were when you found out Keith's heritage? You didn't want anything to do with him and you just...shunned him."
"...Why are you bringing up my dishonorable behavior?"
"I'm not chastising you," he sighed. The right words were stuck. But maybe there were no 'right words' for this. He had to just come out and say it. "Before Sam did my operation I asked him to check my blood."
She connected the dots. "Your body is part Galran."
"Partly." He selfishly rubbed his face along her collarbone. "There's a fair amount of human genetics but the rest...Sam was unable to identify. Then coupled with my hover arm - which is incredible and saved my life against Sendak," he quickly, gratefully added in, "- but in situations like this...somehow I just feel..." his voice dropped quieter, "less."
"Less what?"
"Less human. Less like a man," he moved his face off of her and into the pillow, "less like me. But strangely more than I ever was. I can't...fully explain it."
She stared at him quietly. He looked more vulnerable than she had seen him. His presence in the bond pulsed like a hot wound that needed ice and also something else. She put her hand along the back of his head, turned his face so they were forehead to forehead.
"I kissed Lotor," she calmly intoned.
"...I didn't know you -"
"No one does. It happened shortly after we exited the Quintessence Field and before your clone attacked." Her thumb rubbed little circles behind his ear. "I only tell you this because he was half Galran." She nudged their noses. "What's in someone's blood has stopped being a factor for me for quite a while."
"Thank you for telling me." His eyes closed. "It helps but..." his eyes reopened. "I want to - lay in the juniberries," he slightly blushed as he used her phrasing, "especially with you," he emphasized which made the flush return in her cheeks, "don't misunderstand. I return that feeling. I just..."
Who he was now was something beyond his new body. As a fighter, he didn't have an issue accepting that. It helped him to be something not quite human.
But he saw the way Viv looked at him. He wasn't Officer Takashi Shirogane anymore yet it was still a part of him. His scar, his hair, and his arm brought looks and then second looks at the POW that escaped the Galra. His body was a walking warning of what could happen to them.
Then he thought about him and Allura, the idea of letting her fingers undo the buttons of his shirt and her letting his hands gently pull her flush against him before they fall in the sheets -
It was one thing to kiss her and another to do...that.
Especially in this foreign body.
"You need to accept yourself," she filled in.
He did not say anything else. But he did tuck his face back against her neck. She held him, running her fingers through his hair. She pushed comforting emotions through the bond. Slowly, she felt his body relax.
"I'm more than fond of you," she quietly said.
His lips quirked. "Ah."
She pursed her lips and tugged his ear.
"I was going to say something similar," he rubbed his ear, "but after that..."
"You deserved it."
"Yeah."
"..."
He lightly kissed her neck. "Can I tell you later?"
"Why not now?"
He shrugged. "Not the right atmosphere."
"Keith was correct." She smiled at that. "You are a romantic."
"I'm also falling back to sleep," he mumbled as his eyes closed.
"...I'll allow it."
"Thanks, hime."
"What?"
"Japanese word," he slowly explained, "for princess."
"Oh. It sounds lovely."
He softly snored as he fell asleep. She grabbed her phone from the dresser and took a shot.
SL
SL
SL
AN: Another long one. I thought about splitting it but, meh why not in one?
I'm continuing with my theory that the clone's body is part alien. It's in pretty much in every post season six story I have. XD Kuron had fangs. That ain't human. Space Dad will always be Space Dad.
But in the middle of writing this I wondered if he might be uncomfortable with it in terms of *cough* laying in juniberries. Or at least be concerned what his partner would think about it.
I'm not clear if princess in Japanese needs to have the -sama at the end or not.