AN: In which the Black Paladin prepares for battle and the young one offers sage advice to a princess.

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It was now the early morning cycle on the Castle.

Shiro stayed seated in front of the recorder despite having finished his message. From his pocket he pulled out the communicator card that had been in tucked into his dinner coat pocket. He didn't know who had slipped it at the Tilipean castle. He turned it over, seeing the button to press and the small microphone. It was very thin technology. Advanced. It could very well be a trap. But he grew tired of this stalemate. The Tilipeans had a Galra crystal barrier. He couldn't ignore that fact. Someone was going to have to act and he'd rather it be them.

He stood up and pressed the button.

An electronic voice sounded out, asking for his name. He murmured into the microphone. It lit up with a white outline before it turned green. Coordinates appeared on the card and a time. He burned it into his memory. As he predicted, it soon faded away like invisible ink.

'Dress informally. No battle gear,' the voice evenly intoned. 'Come alone, hero.'

He rubbed his neck. The Tilipean princess calls me 'hero.'

The informal dress made him sigh. He didn't think she would still be infatuated with him but it wasn't the first time he had to deal with an unwanted admirer. The Garrison used to send him out to charity events and other dining events as their rep for funding. He wasn't vain but he was well aware that he looked good in a suit. And so did the Garrison. He just didn't think he had to take on that persona in space.

He ran a hand through his hair. Yet deep in his gut, he felt unsettled. He grabbed his recording and then headed for the bridge to make a call.

Hopefully Kolivan can spare Keith tonight.

Allura spooned her bowl of oats and milk.

Pidge was next to her but typing on her laptop. Lance and Hunk had eaten already. Shiro hadn't appeared for breakfast yet. And even so he was predominately in her mind. Her shoulder could still feel the way his hand slid along her skin. Her lips still burned with the brief fire of his kiss. His mouth had felt better than she thought it would. So much better.

'I'm more,' his voice rumbled in her ear, 'than you can handle.'

She hit the table loudly. Pidge looked up to see dark red along Allura's cheeks.

"You ok?"

"Fine," she bit out before stuffing her face with food.

"So this doesn't have to do with you and Shiro making out last night?"

Allura choked on her food. Pidge calmly poured her a cup of water and slid it over to her. Allura coughed into her napkin a couple times more before attempting to drink.

"You were awake for that?"

"I was lying right there," Pidge distractedly murmured as she typed. "Why did you think I kicked you in the ribs?"

"I should have known that was purposeful!" The princess narrowed her eyes. "You interrupted me before I could explain my outing with Lance."

"I was trying to keep you from saying anymore than what you already said."

"What was wrong with what I said?"

"Talk to Nyma about this." Pidge rubbed her eyes. "I'm not a dating expert."

"Something stood out or else you wouldn't have kicked me."

Pidge moved her hand away from her face. "I don't know about dating rules," Pidge closed her laptop to put her folded hands on top, "but next to Keith, I know Shiro better than you." Allura was surprised by the serious expression in her eyes. "Shiro doesn't want to casually date. But that's what you're trying to do."

"Casually?"

"You've never dated. You're curious. Spreading out." Pidge shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with that. But that's not what Shiro wants. Maybe when he was younger he did but right now...he's passed that stage in his life." Pause. "To me, Shiro made the right move. You two aren't at the right frequency. Not quite."

"...I do care about him."

"I know." Pidge smiled. "And I'm sure he does too."

Allura gripped her hair. "I don't completely understand."

"I think Shiro wants to allow you time to explore." Pidge put a hand on her arm. "He doesn't want you to feel trapped in something serious and resent him later. Space dad's all about letting us have as many choices as possible." Her smile turned sad. "He doesn't want us to feel like prisoners."

Allura's eyes closed at that. Shiro.

It seemed his time with the Galra affected more than she thought. It made her heart hurt, knowing that. But at the same time she felt that this talk was starting to make sense. For the first time since she woke up from her ten thousand year sleep, she was choosing something for herself. As much as she admired and cared for him...a part of her was curious.

'I forgot the nature of the Blue Paladin.'

"I think...I'm starting to understand."

She sighed. While the Black Paladin was decisive and in control, he was also the Guardian of the Sky, the symbol of freedom and limitless opportunity. It was why people were drawn to him so much.

It was why they...

It was why she had been willing to follow him regardless of only having just met. The moment she first laid eyes on him she could sense the power in his quintessence. It drew her in like nothing else had before. She knew she wouldn't meet anyone else like him.

However...

"I need to get ready," Allura picked up her cup and bowl. "Thank you Pidge."

Shiro had been coming to shower. Allura had just finished doing her hair.

He knew he was staring. But the dress was a shimmering rose color that clung more than anything else she had worn. The straps crisscrossed in the front and back. It was also the shortest he'd seen her wear. It stopped modestly just above her knees but she was always wearing floor length gowns. Her hair was swept up in a twisted bun with playful curls along her temples. He watched as her hair shifted into a dark brown. The magenta in her eyes faded, leaving nothing but blue.

"You look good."

She paused in her steps. Then stepped up in front of him. Her hand slid up to his shoulder as she leaned up to speak in his ear.

"I'm exploring."

"I hope you have fun." His gray eye slid to her. "But you two should still be on the lookout."

She brushed his lips in a brief kiss. He didn't pull away. Her thumb came up to rub the gloss off of his lips. His eyes were closed as she did so. He only opened them when she started walking away. He pulled out the thumb drive from his pocket.

"Allura." She caught what he threw. "Could you give that to Coran? It's a message for Earth."

She tilted her head curiously. "Certainly. But why do you not -"

"Thanks."

He walked away. She pursed her lips.

"Hey princess!" Lance came around the corner with his bathing gear. "Wowza, you are dressed to kill!"

Allura smiled. "Thank you."

"Just give me like another varga. I think Hunk's cooking something."

"I'll take a look."

She walked away. On the way to the kitchen she saw Coran. She lifted her hand with the thumb drive to give to him but then stopped. She merely smiled and walked on.

She put the drive in her room.

Back in his room, Shiro buttoned up the black dress shirt but not the top three.

He had already lightly slicked his hair with some space gel - curtesy of Lance - so that his white bangs stayed mostly out of his eyes but curved along the top so the white tips curled attractively along his forehead.

"I'll be in position in two varga," Keith's voice sounded from the communicator. "Pidge said she made our communication link virtually unhackable."

"Good," Shiro picked up his fingerless glove but then thought better of it. "I'll be taking a shuttle this time since it's just me."

"An Altean fighter would be faster in a pinch."

"I was told not to bring battle gear."

"I still don't know about this Shiro."

"It's risky and sketchy. I agree." Shiro half rolled his sleeves so his forearms showed. "But we're stuck. And after tonight, I don't want to play this game anymore."

"You tell Allura?"

"No. She and Lance are going out. I don't want to spoil that."

Keith hummed. "Not because she'd get jealous?"

"Why would she?"

"You said this Tilipean princess practically jumped you. And now you're going back to her. Alone."

Shiro looked at himself in the tall closet mirror before closing it.

"Well, when you put it that way..." he dryly drawled. "I'm just baiting her. Nothing else will happen."

"Unless you fall under her magic again."

"Only if she touches me."

"Allura's going to kill me for helping," Keith darkly muttered. "I need to go if we're to stick to the plan."

"It'll be fine Keith. You're looking out for me."

"No pressure."

"Exactly."

"If you weren't my brother," he muttered a curse. "See ya."

"Keith."

"What?"

"I appreciate this. Really."

"...Maybe you should bring a taser."

"That's not a bad idea. You think Coran has some pepper spray and a whistle?"

"Gods. Your jokes are still flat."

Shiro grinned widely. "I miss you too buddy."

They hung up the line.

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AN: I'm trying to get to what I really want to write about lol. XD And Space Dad is out on the prowl for some information.