A/N: This is my first Shallura fic and I couldn't resist because they're so cute! I don't know if Allura is too OOC in this arghhg.
Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron but I do love this ship.
Slight AU:
Where Zarcon turning evil and the Galran empire hasn't happened but there was still the destruction of the Altea. Everyone is there but the Paladins are in their original lions.
Chapter One:
Princess Allura usually loves balls.
'Usually' being the key word.
The only reason she had recently lost her affection towards the social gatherings was because of the man in front of her.
A very boisterous Galran.
She couldn't stand his egotistical attitude and the way he kept talking about himself as if she still wanted to listen. But her appearance was important right now so she had to stand and smile as if she did. However, it was clear the other guests couldn't do the same by the way they made themselves scarce or excused themselves the moment he started another triade about himself.
It had been three vargas since she had been forced to stay and look like she was invested in his life story - not that she wasn't listening. Even with her faltering interest she had politely followed enough of what he was saying to know about his father and how high he was in the Galra ranks as well as his mother's capabilities as a sorceress. She knew he was an only child because he hadn't uttered a word about anyone else and it was really getting on her nerves.
It wasn't only his personality that annoyed her but everything else about him. Like his perfume for example, the stench was intoxicating in a bad way and was nothing like the nice scent the Black Paladin carried that reminded her of rain on Earth during a rainstorm.
The Galran's voice wasn't helping either and both his sound and smell were aiding the rhythmical pounding in her forehead. Then again maybe the pain was because of the intricate hairstyle she was fairing but she didn't like the Galran so she was determined to blame him.
Yet she still had to talk to the visitors she had invited, to try and convince them of joining the Voltron Alliance but she had barely spoken to anyone besides the male infront of her. Sure she had flitting conversations with other ball goers but they could leave the presence of the Galran (she now knew his name was Trajho) and she was stuck. And she hated not being in control of situations but she had to be the polite princess she usually was.
'Usually', again, being the key word.
Her hand that was holding a crystal goblet of nunvil was tightening and she was too frustrated to care. Unfortunately Trajho opened his mouth to say something that absolutely shattered her, already wavering, self-control.
"Do you fancy accompanying me in stumbling upon a vacant room in this old castle and having me pleasure you?"
She could only gape at him in shock and be thankful that none of the guests were within hearing distance to hear the vulgar thing he had just uttered. It didn't take long for anger to seep in and her empty hand moved on its own accord to strike his face.
"The Princess promised me a dance and I would like to know if she would still take me up on that offer."
These were the only words of warning she got before Shiro's hand had caught her swinging one, stopping it from reaching its destination. However, the vile man (in her eyes he wasn't deemed respectful enough to be remembered by name) hadn't even noticed what she had almost done, only the fact that someone else now held her attention.
Shiro's eyes were warm with concern as he pulled her hand to his lips in proper etiquette manners and she had to look away, her fury still not subsided.
"Yes, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting Black Paladin, I was just enjoying my conversation with... Tray was it?" She said his name wrong on purpose, enough to show her disdain for the disgusting man and she knew Shiro noticed.
He didn't say anything about it though, only nodded, but then the Galran decided to speak from his lewd lips. "The name's Trajho and the Princess and I were actually about to go somewhere to do stuff, if you know what I mean."
She couldn't keep her anger under control as she was being talked about as a sexual object in his company as if she was supposed to be seen and not heard.
"How dare you—!"
The only reason Shiro stopped the Princess from carrying on her rant that Tray (if she was calling him Tray then so was he) deserved was because heads turned their way.
He knew from experience that the Princess would later feel guilty that not everyone invited had joined their alliance and she would blame her behaviour. But that didn't mean he liked the way the Galran was inching towards her with a dark glint in his eyes. The way he was looking at the Princess with an almost hungry gaze as well as his words pissed him off.
Who did this guy think he was? That he could ask the Princess to do that with her at her own ball.
And anyway she wasn't just Princess Allura, who was the last descendant of the royal bloodlines of Altea, but Allura with smiles that could give any sun in the universe a run for their money. Allura with a cute, smug, little, grin when she told him and his team that Coran had cooked up a Paladins lunch for them. Allura with her eyes bittersweet as she talked about her home that was lost to war.
He didn't recognise the fierce rush of protectiveness that was rising up in him as he positioned himself in front of Allura and said, "no the Princess will not now or ever accept these kind of... admissions and this is the end of her conversation with you. I hope you have a good ball, sir."
He had to grit his teeth at the word, 'sir' but this was a ball filled with people of titles rather than names.
With that he turned around from the gentleman (the irony certainly wasn't lost on him), who didn't have the decency for his rank, to escape his company. Even with the guy complaining as they walked away, he didn't spare him another glance.
He scoured a place far away as he could from the young man that ticked him off more than most or any for that matter. He found the opposite side of the room to his taste and the Princess didn't argue.
Sure they were getting a few looks at how he was holding her hand as well as leading her across the ballroom but Allura didn't voice her dislike and neither did he so they stayed that way.
Through his time of being the Black Paladin of Voltron he'd had so many close moments with Allura. Whether it was hushed inside jokes or random hugs when she was over excited, he was usually able to keep his brain from overthinking their proximity.
'Usually' being the keyword.
He also tried not to focus on the feel of her palm against his fleshed one or the heat growing on his cheeks because of it. But he didn't bring up what had happened while they walked, not wanting to become riled up himself and end up walking back to the guy and punching him. It would make him a bad example and God knows what Keith would do if he knew he could sucker punch someone.
When they stopped it was around the lightly decorated tables showcasing a large variety of alien cuisine he still hadn't learned to stomach.
"Why were you there Shiro?"
The soft voice of the Princess made him look down and realise how near she was to him. She was so close he could see the pink dancing with the turquoise that coloured her irises and he was momentarily stunned. "Pardon?"
She sighed in mock-exasperation with a small smile gracing her face and he was glad to see that the wrath clouding it was mostly gone. "Why were you there Shiro, when I needed you I mean."
He opened his mouth to answer her then stopped when a new song filtered over from the musicians who were playing instruments, similar to the ones on Earth. He was bemused to see one even resembled a violin. Coran had certainly went above and beyond with being in charge of the music for the event.
Shiro decided to prolong his answer and he placed his flesh hand in hers and his machine one inbetween her shoulder blades. He decided then to stand by his word and dance with her and if Allura was surprised at his actions she didn't show it.
He didn't let the even darker blush from the contact deter him from finally answering, especially with those questioning eyes of hers looking at him so intently.
"Well, I was talking with Keith, Krolia and Kolivan about the status of the Blade of Malmora when I notice you not looking like yourself." They moved in a slow circle, forward-stepping and backward-stepping as they ballroom danced.
"What do you mean, I wasn't acting like myself?" Her eyebrows furrowed and her lips slightly pouted in confusion.
He gave her a teasing smirk, "oh, you were just looking like you didn't want to be there and you'd pull your secret blade from your shoe heel and use it on that Galran to get away."
"Really!?" She asked, her eyes wide at how her feelings on the topic had been visible but he couldn't help but let out snort at how shocked she looked.
He cocked his head as they turned in another circle. "Actually no, you didn't."
She gaped at him and lightly slapped his chest. "Shiro! You can't just say that! I almost believed you!"
He chuckled at her flushed cheeks and the cute scowl she wore. "You mean until I snorted."
She paused in the middle of their dancing and huffed, "you've not even finished explaining."
Shiro let it slide and stopped dancing too but it didn't end the grin on his face, "okay then. I excused myself and made my way over to you and of course, I heard the indecent thing that guy asked." His eyebrows knitted as he remembered the crude thing Tray had said.
"You can bet your podex that I didn't agree to do it with him." He looked at her eyes and saw she was almost pleading him to believe her.
Because she was.
She didn't want him to see her as one of those hussies. She almost desperately wanted him to only see her in a good light and if he didn't she wasn't sure what she would do.
Shiro was someone she admired and she treasured their friendship since he was someone she could talk to without having to keep up appearances. Without having to act as if she didn't have burdens too.
She knew she had been thinking too long when Shiro's organic hand picked one of her white curls, which had escaped her updo braid, and placed it behind her ear.
He asked quietly, "Princess? Are you there?"
"Ah right, yes, I am." She paused and didn't glance up to see his concerned eyes, embarrassed at how she was acting in front of him. But the pink she was wearing told a different story.
"Hey?"
She stayed looking at his chest, knowing that a look disgust would be on his face and it would be aimed at her. He would see her as one of those people and he wouldn't even want to be seen with her. Quiznack, she wouldn't even be able to be his friend, nevermind be seen with him.
She felt a familiar prickling in her eyes and took a step away from Shiro, not looking up to see the confusion written on his face. "It's fine, I'll go."
She turned to go but her hand was enveloped by his strong mechanical one and she was pulled back to his chest. She looked up in surprise to see a blush along Shiro's cheeks as if he was flustered at what he had done. "Ah... don't... go."
Noticing he hadn't pushed her away or let her walk away, she savoured his embrace. It would only be a matter of time before he rejected her. "Okay but..."
She let out a sniffle and tried hiding it in the crook of his shoulder but she felt him stiffen and she knew that he'd changed his perspective of her. That he'd think she was a, a, a, harlot and want nothing to do with her.
She doesn't know why she's letting her emotions overcome her in public or why she's so upset but she doesn't care. She is upset and the heat in her eyes doesn't care that alliances hang in the balance of her behaviour.
Before she can carry on with her trail of thought her chin is tilted upwards and she is staring into Shiro's stormy eyes that hold shards of worry.
"Princess are you sure you're alright?" His voice came out underlined with anxiety. "Did I say something that upset you?"
He didn't know what had happened, one minute they were laughing, the next she was crying and he was sure it was all his fault. He knew he shouldn't have touched her hair, for all he knew he had hurt her. And that meant he wasn't much better than Tray from earlier.
"Do you see me as one of those... scarlet women?" It came out as a whisper but he heard it clearly from their closeness.
"No, of course not!" He couldn't help but exclaim and he was glad the music piece that was currently being played, was louder than him.
Lowering his voice, he started again, "is it because of what Tray said?"
The nod she made was nearly nonexistent but he'd been watching her more closely than he normally did so he caught it. He didn't like the dull look to her eyes and was determined to argue against her clearly wrong thoughts.
"If there was ever a pure being, I am one hundred percent sure it would be you. You fight for the justice of those who can't fight themselves, yet you still protect those who can protect themselves. You have selfless moments where I know there is no stopping you from joining the midst of danger to fight and of course you have your selfish ones. When you cry for your home that was lost to a war but also when you just want a hug."
He was worried that he'd said too much but he pushed himself to go on because of the small sliver of uncertainty that he still caught in her eyes.
"And you're pure in it's true meaning. You don't fall for flirts and stay undeterred by advances, only letting your mind stay on your goal. The goal of bringing peace everywhere. So to answer your question, I do see you as pure and I don't think anything can make me think otherwise."
She didn't speak immediately when he'd finally stopped, only discreetly ran her index finger to the corner of her eyes but her smile was grateful. "Thank you Shiro."
He was silent for a moment before he spoke out loud. "I am so tempted to call this night off."
She looked up at him but for once his eyes weren't on her, they were around the ballroom. "What do you mean?"
Her voice was quiet and slightly confused so he looked down and gave her a bashful shrug. "I know that this day is important for Voltron but..."
She prodded. "But?"
"The invitees are less decent than we thought they were titled for and it's only been roughly three hours." He raked his hand through his shock of white hair, glancing around at the guests. "But we have around two more and I don't want you hurt or affected like this because of them."
A smile tinged the corner of her lips. "Are you saying I can't handle it, that I'm not strong enough?"
His head finally whipped in her direction, wide-eyed, "no, of course not, Princess. You're strong, really strong, stronger than me."
He was rambling, he knew it, but he couldn't stop. She was smiling in that way, making him run between his mind being blank or his head being overrun with thoughts about her.
"And I've got a robot arm." He gestured the limb with a roll of his shoulders. "And—"
She cut him off with her tinkling laugh that had the tension he didn't know he was harbouring, melt away. "Shiro be quiet and dance with me."
"Of course, Princess."
This time she lead him through the dance steps, and he followed her with a smile at her confidence.
The grin grew as Allura spun him around with easy grace. "Shouldn't I be twirling you around?"
She glanced up at him, a raised eyebrow in place. "The leader leads the dance and that is what I'm doing Shiro, are you questioning me?"
"Of course not," he followed her footwork closely, knowing full well that she would change patterns if she thought he wasn't paying attention. "I'm just thinking that I am the person who supposedly asked you for this dance so it would make sense if I led it."
Her eyebrows narrowed, her glossed lips pursed. "I disagree."
He loomed his face over hers, a crooked smile on his features, "you just can't find an point good enough to win this argument."
She turned her head away from him, a blush on her features for him knowing her so well. "Lead the dance then Takashi."
She only said his first name on a rare few occasions when she was flustered but when she did it struck a chord in him and made a warm smile grow on his face.
"I will." He softly replied.
He held her gaze as his android arm slid down to her waist, pulling her into another ballroom dance. They were slow and gentle to begin, words not needed to be spoken when smirks and glances worked just as well as the crowd tuned into them. He pulled her into a few spins as the crescendo rose and ended it with a dip, her azure eyes alight with such trust and confidence in him that he couldn't stop his placid, public face, from breaking into a smile. When the music had ended, he pulled her back towards him, hyper-aware of the seconds ticking by of visitors seeing them in such an intimate position.
"I'll meet you in the teledav room after the end of the ball okay?"
He didn't want their conversation to end here, especially after learning about her doubts. He could hug her later— away from prying eyes.
"Shiro?"
He sent her one last lingering smile with a impulsive squeeze to her hip before disappearing into the crowd, letting her accomplish and have more of a chance scouting out coalitions in the mesmerised crowd.
She knew what he was doing, giving her a chance to mingle and achieve her goal of people joining the coalition and it was working as people surged forward, intrigued and wanting to speak to her. But her mind was strangely on the Black Paladin.
Was it wrong to say she wanted a few more minutes with him instead?