Special Thanks to: zoeshade, lotravengersninjagohttyd15, carinims01, TeenTitansFanForever02, SilverStorm5, TooEasilyDistracted, October heart, Carnelian Wing, Redmanelion, EmmyCat, IzzyBelleDot, Fir3danc3r, Everything4Everyone, TheSunsetPhoenix, Guest (your review on Chapter 36), YellowNinja, Book-Vs-Lupus, kamilie, Different Child (all 14 of your reviews, wow, thank you!), I love pidgion, Guest (your review on Chapter 17), Guest (your review on Chapter 31), Dragonofelder, and FunnyBunnyNai. Thank you for your wonderful comments!
Author's Note: Well, everyone, it has been a while. Lots of things happened between the last update and this one, good things and not so good things alike, and I like to think I've gotten a bit wiser for it all.
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that this is the last chapter of TSBBL. As fond as I am of this show and fandom and fic, and as much as I would like to continue, I am moving on to other things. I am also moving on from Ffnet. I've got an account on AO3 and have been (very slowly) moving some fics over, as well as posting a new fic or two. I'll leave my account and all current fics up here, so don't worry, but I just want you to know that I won't be on here much, if at all, in the future.
Having said all of that, it has been my greatest pleasure to write this. This is by far my most popular fic and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prompts, your kind words and your encouragement. I honestly don't think I would have written as much as I did for this story if I didn't have you all cheering me on. I go back and read your comments every now and then. I'm glad my story has helped so many of you when the Voltron fandom was at its worst, or when hurricanes were bearing down, or if you were just having a bad day. Know that your comments inspired me and encouraged me to do and be better in my writing. Thank you a million times over.
And so, without further ado, I give you Chapter 38, Final Chapter of Though She Be But Little
Chapter 38: His Place
Pidge knew she was dreaming. She had never dreamed of the Pride bond before. She sat beside the large, flat boulders by the stream, dangling her feet in the creek and listening to the wind in the grass. The fire crackled behind her, a cheerful sound, and the warmth against her back provided a nice contrast to the cool water. It was nighttime and the stars wheeled slowly across the wide open sky. She was alone for the moment, but she sensed Green near, along with someone else.
/Whoa!/ Matt gasped in wonder as soon as he cleared the trees. /This place is amazing!/
Pidge cast a glance at Green who nodded, a small dip of her head. They were both nervous, Matt and Green. Matt was nervous because this was a new experience for him, one that lay outside the realm of science and mathematics. He had to rely on his heart and, now, the Green Lion. Green was nervous because this was unheard of. Matt wasn't a Paladin, per se, but she was bonded to him almost as closely as she was to Pidge. It frightened her, but she would not let that fright bleed into this place of unity and friendship.
Pidge smiled at them both and patted the ground beside her. /Come sit,/ she invited.
Green immediately trotted over and gave her ear a wash before lying down beside her, her head in Pidge's lap. Matt, however, was slower. He wandered about, checking out the fire and looking up at the stars.
/I don't recognise any of these constellations,/ he mused.
/That is because the view is from Altea, which no longer exists./ Black trotted out of the trees' shadows, Shiro beside her.
Matt jumped and whirled, his eyes going wide at Black's appearance. /Holy wow!/ he hissed under his breath.
Pidge smiled. Black certainly was quite striking with her red and yellow accents, but Green was prettier.
Green purred, obviously having heard.
Black side-eyed her, also having heard the unspoken thought within the Pride bond. Green smirked at her Sister, which elicited a grumble.
/Sisters,/ Red greeted, sauntering from around the forest's bend with Keith striding beside her. Blue, Yellow, Lance and Hunk accompanied them.
/Sisters./ Green flicked her tail lazily while Black huffed and circled around the fire to come nearly paw-to-toe with Matt.
Black was almost as tall as Pidge, so the top of her head came up to Matt's sternum. She peered up at him while he visibly gulped and held still. /Have no fear, Green's Pidge's Matt. Pride Voltron will not harm you,/ she said.
/Uh, good to know. You know you can just call me 'Matt'./
Pidge giggled while Black eyed him shrewdly and said, /Our Paladins are our Hearts. They belong to us, as we belong to them. We claim them as ours when communicating with them and with each other among Pride Voltron./ She inclined her head to the four other Lions, who blinked solemnly in reply.
/With that in mind, Green's Pidge's Matt, know that you are the Green Paladin's heart. You are as important to her as she is to Green Sister. We do not take this bond lightly and it is because of that bond that you survived the swamp sickness long enough to receive its cure. Because Green's Pidge loves you. Because you are her heart. And as her heart, you belong to her. It is the highest honour we can give you in linking you with Pride Voltron through Green's Pidge. Paladin you are not, but you are still ours because of the Green Paladin's claim. Choosing to simply call you by your given human-mortal name is throwing that honour away, which is something we will not do. You are Green's Pidge's, and thus ours, and we do not forget that. Nor should you./
/Right. Okay,/ Matt breathed. /I would have been content with a simple 'no'./
Lance snorted and Pidge rolled her eyes. Her brother had much to learn about the Lions and what they qualified as simple answers.
Black's whiskers trembled with a cat's smile, her humour blossoming in the air. /But the reason behind it would never have been explained, and that would have been a loss indeed./
/Stop teasing him, Black,/ Pidge chided, lifting Green's head out of her lap and standing. She walked over to Matt and faced down the Lion with a grin. /He's not used to it./
Black had only to tip her head up slightly to look at her, but Pidge caught the twinkle in her golden eyes. /If you insist, Green's Pidge,/ she demurred and padded away to Shiro's side for pets and a fondling of the ears.
Matt rounded on Pidge with wide eyes. /How'd you do that? That's the Black Lion. How'd you do that when she's the Black Lion?/
/We're all equal, Matt./ It was Shiro who said it as he drew closer. Wanting to continue being petted, Black shadowed him. /She's the Head of Voltron, but she respects us and our opinions./
/We are Pride Voltron,/ Red added, lifting her chin for Keith to scratch. /We are separate parts of a whole, as are our Paladins. We cannot afford dissension./
/I honestly don't think we're capable of that at this point,/ Lance put in from his spot by the fire. He grinned while Blue pulled playfully at his jacket's collar with her teeth. /We've come so far, done so much.../
/It's kind of scary when you think about it,/ said Pidge thoughtfully. /But Lance is right. We're too close./ She grinned suddenly, adding, /Death itself has a hard time splitting us up./
Hunk and Keith both groaned. /Don't say things like that, Pidge,/ said Hunk at the same time Keith said, /Let's not tempt the Universe./
They laughed, and Pidge watched Matt slowly relax in the Pride bond.
-:-
Thank you for reading! You can check me out at TheRedScreech on both AO3 and Tumblr if you want to chat. Much love to you all!