A/N: Shoutout to Dotalot345, thank you for the review! Lol yes, their awkward dating phase has finally begun!

**I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender (duh)

When Mari finally woke up from her long nap, the sun had already set. The faint light of the glow-in-the-dark stars her father had painted on her bedroom ceiling years ago greeted her as she pried open her eyes. Delicious smells wafted up from the kitchen, making her stomach rumble. She supposed it would be time for dinner soon. Rolling out of bed, she tied her hair up into a short ponytail and flattened the creases in her t-shirt and pajama sweatpants before heading downstairs.

"Good morning," her father greeted her as she entered the kitchen. "Or good evening, I should say. How was your sleep?"

"It was fine," Mari said, sidling up to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder as she surveyed the counter-full of dishes he was preparing – salad and veggies, a miso soup, rice, grilled fish, even breaded chicken and shrimp. And of course, egg rolls, currently being rolled and fried by Shiro.

"Dinner's looking great," she commented, snatching a cooked roll off Shiro's tray and chomping down. "Tastes great too. Just like ojiisan's."

"Ah! You'll spoil your appetite, Mariko," her mother chided as she entered from the dining room, and Mari rolled her eyes. She gave her daughter a once-over, hesitating before wondering, "Don't you want to change out of your pajamas?"

"No," Mari replied bluntly. She finished the rest of her roll. "Why?"

"We've got guests coming over soon!" Mai sighed. She cast her son a pointed look before opening the cabinets, rummaging around for their fine china. "Honestly, Takashi. I thought you told her."

"It was a last minute decision," Shiro said, unbothered as he popped the last of the egg rolls into the fryer. "She was out like a light by the time I got here, so I let it be a surprise."

Mari scowled at him. "What happened to this just being a family dinner?"

"I felt like inviting some people," he shrugged. As if on cue, the doorbell chimed, and he threw her a grin. "Surprise!"

"Mari, could you get that?" Mai asked, her hands full with ceramic plates and bowls as she hurried back into the dining room. "Please?"

Mari swallowed a groan. "Fine," she drawled and Taiki granted her an appreciative look.

Dragging herself away from the kitchen, she made her way towards the foyer. Unlocking the front door, she silently pleaded that Miss Yada, or any of her mom's friends for that matter, were not on the other side. To her surprise, and relief, it was Curtis who stood on the porch. Decked out in a gray long-sleeved sweater with a light blue blouse underneath, dark jeans, and loafers, he looked admittedly snazzy outside of his officer's uniform. A bouquet of carnations was clutched in his hands.

"Oh." Mari blinked at him, trying to process his presence here on their front step. "Hi, Curtis."

"Hey, Mari," he said, his expression warm and kind as always. "You seem a little stunned. Sorry, I guess I came too early."

"No, it's not that. I just didn't know anyone was coming over until a few seconds ago." She moved aside, allowing him to enter. "Come on in."

"Thank you."

As he stepped inside, she shut the door behind him and gestured to the shoe rack. "You can leave your shoes here, please."

"Sure thing." The flowers still gripped in his hand, he bent down to carefully remove them. Just as he neatly placed them on an empty spot on the rack, Shiro emerged from the kitchen.

"Hey, Curtis," he said, a pleasant smile on his face. "Glad you could make it."

"Of course. Thanks for inviting me, Shiro," Curtis said, standing up straighter in the presence of their captain. His grin widened as he complimented, "I like your apron. It's very cute."

Shiro glanced down at the frilly pink apron he still wore over his white button-down and jeans. "T-Thanks," he managed, looking a tad sheepish. "It's my mom's."

Curtis' deep brown eyes crinkled in amusement. "Oh! These are for you," he said, holding out the carnations to him. Shiro's eyes widened as he stared at the flowers, and a light dusting of pink rose in Curtis' cheeks as he quickly added, "And! And for your mom and dad. Just a little thanks for having me tonight."

Shiro hesitated before taking the bouquet. "Thank you," he said, granting him a gentle smile. "I'm sure they'll love them too."

The color in Curtis' cheeks deepened and he folded his hands in front of him. For a second, Mari couldn't tell if he was ready to explode with happiness or embarrassment. Maybe a mixture of both.

"Ah! Curtis! You're here!" Mai's sudden appearance from the kitchen startled him out of his blushing state. She waved at him, encouraging him to come deeper into the house. "Welcome! Please, make yourself at home."

"Hello, Mai," Curtis politely greeted her, and the tension immediately left his shoulders. "Dinner smells great, I can't wait to dig in. Do you need help with anything?"

"Well, Taiki is almost done cooking," Mai hummed, cupping a hand to her cheek. "But I could use a hand setting the table."

"I'd be happy to help," he volunteered, and he gave Mari and Shiro one last appreciative nod before following after their mother.

"Wow. He brought flowers and Mom already loves him," Mari noted once they had both disappeared into the kitchen. She cast her brother a knowing smirk. "You two have been getting close."

"Don't get any weird ideas, it's not like that," he insisted, but from the way his voice wavered, it didn't sound like he quite believed himself. "I thought it'd be nice to have him over for our last night here. He has no other family to go home to, and I…enjoy his company."

Shiro's smile had faded, a noticeable worry in eyes. Mari consolingly patted his shoulder. "It's okay to let yourself be happy. You deserve it," she reminded him. "Plus, he seems to really like you too."

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't think I'm ready to join the dating scene again. Not yet, at least," he decided, adamant. "Besides, we've got a long road ahead of us starting tomorrow. It's best that we're just friends for now."

Mari hummed, unable to agree or disagree with him. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to clear the air before it became too heavy. "Well, at least it's only Curtis here," she said, her tone light and relieved. "I think I can handle dinner if it's just him."

"Oh, no. I invited two more people," Shiro stated much too casually.

Her unease came crashing back into her. "What? Who?"

At that very moment, the doorbell rang again. Mari whirled on Shiro.

"You answer it this time."

"Uh-uh, I have flowers to put in a vase," he said, already retreating down the hall. "You get it."

She glared at his back, watching him dip back into the kitchen. The doorbell buzzed a second time, and she let out a reluctant huff. Turning back to the door, she swung it open, fully prepared to force a tight smile for whatever neighbor or superior officer friend her brother had invited. Instead, her heart nearly stuttered to a halt seeing Keith, Krolia, and Kosmo standing before her.

Donned in a dark gray shirt, jeans, and a brand new red jacket and boots, it had been so long since she'd seen him in casual wear. It was even stranger seeing Krolia wearing such simple Earth clothing: a plain black shirt and jeans. For a long moment, she gawked at them, her brain struggling to determine whether they were actually here or if she was just hallucinating. They looked so familiar yet so out of place in the quaint neighborhood she had grown up in. She almost couldn't believe they were there, staring at her like she'd grown a second head.

" – you okay?" Keith was talking to her now, his brow furrowed in concern. She'd zoned out too much, she hadn't even heard what he'd said. Pulled from her stupor, she fumbled for a reply.

"What? Oh, no. Wait, no, I don't mean 'no.' I mean, I'm fine but…" She stopped herself, a flustered heat rising to her cheeks. She pressed a hand to her face in a failed attempt to hide her flush, and she took a deep breath to compose herself.

"I thought I heard the doorbell ring." Mai scurried out of the kitchen once again, followed by Shiro. She stopped by her daughter's side, quietly scolding, "Mariko, don't just stand in the doorway all starstruck."

Mari promptly sulked to the stairs, sitting on one halfway up. She glared at Shiro through the railing bars and he responded with an innocent smile.

"Hello, Keith!" their mother gushed, opening the door wider. "And you must be his mother, Krolia. I'm Mai, Takashi and Mariko's mom. Please, come in!"

They did as they were told, courteously removing their footwear and all.

"Thank you for having us over, Missus Shirogane," Keith said, careful to be polite and casual.

"Of course!" she beamed, pleased by his response. "Takashi's told me a lot about you for years now. It's wonderful to finally meet you."

Mari choked back a snort. Years ago, when their mother had found out that Shiro was supporting a Garrison recruit and had taken him under his wing, she'd been against it. She'd complained about it on multiple occasions to her husband and friends, but never while Shiro was home. She insisted that he was "too young to be a father," especially to a "troubled foster child." She swore such a "violent delinquent" would be the death of her son. But now here she was, all smiles and rainbows for that very same "delinquent child," ignorant of his awkward kindness and fiery determination to do good and how he'd saved the lives of both of her children on multiple occasions. But she knew he was a paladin. The leader of Voltron, at that. And that was enough to make Keith a good noodle in her book.

As Mai led Krolia to the kitchen, Kosmo curiously sniffed out the new environment. He immediately found his way to Kage, who was sitting atop a cat tree in the living room. They considered one another for a long minute before Kage stretched and turned away, uninterested in the cosmic creature, and Kosmo moved on to inspect the kitchen. Keith lingered in the entrance hall. He looked at Mari as she frowned at him through the balusters like a prisoner behind bars.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, almost accusingly.

"Shiro invited us…" he said slowly, cautiously, and he glanced at their leader for assistance.

"You were too sleep-deprived to notice he was trying to ask you out after today's briefing," Shiro stated simply. "I asserted my role as wingman to help him."

Mari looked back at Keith, struggling to recall. "You were trying to ask me out?"

"Yeah." He awkwardly shoved his hands into his pockets, a pout tugging at his lips. "But you were tired and had this family thing, so…I thought better of it."

A twinge of guilt poked at Mari's heart. "You should've asked me," she sighed, her irritation subsiding. "If I had known, I would've — I would've rather ditched this dinner to do something with you than drag you into it."

"I just wanted to spend some time with you today, I didn't care where it was," he muttered. A brief spark of disappointment flickered in his eyes as he said, "But if you don't want me here, I can leave."

"No, I do want you here," she quickly assured him. "I'm just…I'm sorry I didn't notice earlier. I feel stupid now." She self-consciously tugged at her baggy shirt and sweats, mumbling, "And underdressed."

"It's not your fault. I'm the one who didn't ask you clearly." He gave her an encouraging smile, all signs of regret gone as he commented, "And you look good, even in your pajamas."

Mari grinned, the tension fading from the air. Shiro let out a breath, noting, "You can always change if you really want to."

"No, I'm comfy in this," she decided, hugging her knees to her chest and relishing the soft warmth of her jammies. "Now I'm just dreading the interrogation that's looming over us."

Shiro grimaced and Keith's relief was instantly replaced with a new concern. "What interrogation?"

Before either of them could elaborate, Mai peeped out from the kitchen once again. "Come and sit down, you three!" she chirped, waving them over. "Dinner's ready!"

Dinner was about as painfully long and awkward as Mari had anticipated it to be. Mai drove most of their conversations, with Shiro and Curtis often piping up to prevent the table from entering a bout of silence. At first, most of the talk was about work: on-goings at the Garrison, the new improvements to the Atlas, where they were headed first tomorrow on their journey, to remember to send regular messages home, etc. etc. etc. Then it was shifted to Mari's work amongst the rebels, upon which she carefully shared the news of her recent trip to Vurelle: Ellosh had since returned to the throne and a rapid recovery was underway – the planet's new defense system was online and stronger than ever; debris had been cleared and the oasis' were all clean; the port had been fully repaired; the village, palace, arena, and coalition base were being mindfully rebuilt; and while Anka and Orix's banishment had been reinstated, Ellosh permitted weekly visits so their son Rika could mingle with his fellow Vurelleans.

All the while, Mari could feel her mother's gaze on her, attentive and listening with honest interest. She smiled and nodded along, tentatively asking questions about life on Vurelle: What was the planet like? Had she been underground in the tunnels before? What sort of food did the Vurelleans eat? How had she met Ellosh and Korlis and the others?

Mai had never shown so much interest in her before. Deep down, in a small part of her heart, it made Mari admittedly a bit happy. And yet, at the same time, she couldn't shake the cautious demeanor she always maintained around her mother. She answered questions like she was walking on eggshells, leaving out details that could potentially set her off: Vurelle was a desert, hot and dry but full of diverse people. Yes, she had been underground before. Vurelleans ate meat, fruits, and vegetables – the cafiger is a staple to them. She met Ellosh and Korlis…when Voltron received a distress signal and they rescued their planet from a tyrannical queen.

No mention of how she'd been searching for a lost Shiro. No mention of how Keith had been captured and tortured as an arena prize. No mention of Morka and the gladiator fights or how she'd nearly died trying to save him. No mention of the clone Shiro they'd found just a few days later.

Both Shiro and Keith wisely kept quiet. A tight smile formed on Mari's face as she wrapped up her quick tale, never able to look Mai in the eyes and opting to admire the carnations Shiro had placed as their centerpiece. From his seat at the head of the table, her father watched her nibble on an egg roll, his brow slightly raised. He was always able to tell when she was lying or leaving out information, but he said nothing to press her for it. Mai didn't seem to notice as she moved forward with their talk.

"It's so nice to hear about the worlds beyond Earth. It restores my faith in the universe knowing there are still good people out there," she hummed thoughtfully to herself. "You must've visited countless planets on missions, right, Krolia?"

"I have," Krolia nodded. "As an undercover agent, I was assigned to several bases on planets that were overtaken by the Galra. I briefly occupied others when Zarkon sent out scouts in search of the Voltron lions, including Earth."

"Ah, that must've been when you met your late husband," Mai mused, unperturbed by her cool and straightforward attitude. "How did you two meet?"

"My ship crashed near his home," she replied, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "He saved me."

Curtis chewed and swallowed a chunk of meat. "How did you and Taiki meet, Mai?"

"Oh, geez…" Shiro murmured, dreading listening to the narrative that was to come.

Taiki didn't look any more enthused. "It's a long story," he admitted, hoping to curb Curtis' curiosity, but it was too late. Mai was already committed to indulging him.

"It's so romantic, though!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "Decades ago, I was singing at a summer festival as the main performer. I was on stage practicing with my crew when one of the backup dancers pushed me off! I would've broken my neck if Taiki hadn't been standing below to catch me. My word, he stole my breath away, he was so handsome."

She paused, looking fondly at her husband across the table as his shoulders hunched in embarrassment. Shiro dragged a tired hand down his face and Mari looked ready to bang her head into the table, the two of them having heard the sappy story countless times before.

"I wanted to press charges on the woman who'd shoved me. I can't imagine why she did such a thing, but I wasn't going to let it slide," Mai continued, ignoring their exasperation. "She claimed she didn't do anything and blamed my fall on my 'clumsiness' and the stage being 'structurally unsound'. But Taiki had witnessed the whole thing. He even brought out his tools and personally inspected the stage himself. He proved her wrong in front of the entire crew and the authorities."

"What happened to her then?" Curtis asked, genuinely enraptured by her tale.

"She was taken into custody, as she should've been," Taiki coolly answered before his wife could go into any deeper details.

"And then he stayed and watched my performance before asking me on a date." Mai sighed dreamily to herself at the memory. "He was such a gentleman in courting me. Always so strong and gentle and kind…Ahh, I still blush just thinking about our youth."

Her cheeks were indeed tinted with pink, suddenly bashful. Mari and Shiro exchanged looks of disgust and Curtis grinned.

"Oh, but enough about us," she said, shaking her head and changing the subject. Her eyes glinted with keen interest as they locked on Keith. "I still have yet to hear how you and Mari met, Keith. Officially, I mean."

Keith stiffened, unprepared to be so quickly drawn into the conversation. "Uh…after Shiro disappeared, we met in a cave in the canyons near the Garrison," he managed, not missing how Mari was now watching him like a hawk. "It's where the Blue Lion was hidden."

"So you were the mysterious 'acquaintance' she kept seeing everyday," Mai realized, and he nodded.

"Yeah…"

"I remember she was out of the house all the time," Mai chuckled. "I can see why now. You two must've been as thick as thieves, even back then."

Mari silently recalled all their arguments and the general distrust that had once hung between them, even after knowing each other for several months. "I wouldn't say that," she muttered, and Keith awkwardly cleared his throat.

"She, uh, sorta tackled me the first time we met," he said lamely, and Mari instantly nudged him under the table to shush.

Mai's face fell, horrified. "What?"

Keith scrambled to quell her rising concerns. "It's okay though, she thought I was stalking her."

Taiki raised an eyebrow at him, suspicion in his gaze. "…And were you?"

"No! No, not at all, sir," he hurriedly promised. "We ran into each other. She was just being careful and protecting herself."

"We were just research partners back then," Mari said, curt and final. "One thing led to another and we got launched into space. End of story."

"Nonsense, that was only the beginning!" Mai insisted, fully recovered from her initial shock. She turned to Keith again, adding, "Mari refuses to tell us about your space travels. What sort of adventures did you go on together?"

"There are a lot…" Keith's voice trailed off, casting Mari a look that screamed, "Help me! What should I say?"

"It's all battle and mission stuff, really." She stabbed into a broccoli stem, her irritation beginning to bubble. "All scary and boring things that are hard to explain and tough to recall. It was rarely ever just the two of us."

"Keith gave you your first real flight lessons. That was pretty big," Shiro, unhelpfully, chimed in, and she shot him an absolutely murderous look.

"Ooh! That's exciting," Mai chirped, smiling freely at her daughter. "See, you didn't need to study at the Garrison to become an excellent pilot. It all worked out in the end."

Mari's eye involuntarily twitched. She grit her teeth and pressed her lips into a thin line, swallowing every snide rebuttal that came to mind. She took several deep breaths, encouraging herself all the while. Stay calm. Stay focused. Don't let her get to you.

Taiki coughed, clearing any building tension from the air. "What else do you two have in common?" he gently wondered, expertly turning the topic to something more mellow and easier for her to talk about. "What did you like to do together for fun, besides the flight lessons?"

"We spent a lot of time stargazing on the Castle's observation deck," she said, casting him a hesitant, yet grateful, look. "And sparring."

"Sparring?" Mai repeated, her brow furrowing slightly.

Mari nodded. "Honing our skills for fights and stuff."

"She was the only one who could keep up with me, besides Shiro," Keith said, exchanging a knowing smile with his mentor.

"I see…" Mai paused, lacing her fingers together. "Anything else? What about plans for the future?"

Keith frowned. "The future?"

"After the war, I mean," she clarified. "Do you…have any plans together?"

The duo shared an uncertain glance. "We're not thinking that far ahead, Mom," Mari replied, infusing as much steadfast certainty into her tone as she could possibly muster. "It could be years until we finish this."

"But what if it isn't?" Mai pressed, refusing to let the topic die that easily. "You have your whole lives ahead of you, well beyond this fight. Don't you want to start thinking about how you want to spend the rest of your lives?"

Neither of them said anything for a long moment. Mari stared at the ring on her finger, its glow steady and even, the sign of a thrumming life. It reminded her of all the battles they had endured and all the fights they had yet to live through. There were so many people who were waiting for this war to end, so many who hadn't and wouldn't get to live to see the end of it. So many unknowns still awaited them. Her heart felt heavy just trying to think about any of it.

"Honestly? No. I don't. I'm not ready for that yet," she said finally, quiet but sure as she forced herself to look her mother dead in the eyes. "If there's one thing I've learned the past four years, it's that nothing in the future is guaranteed. I'm not going to get my hopes up for things that may or may not happen. I'm taking things day by day, and that's as far into the future as I'm willing to look into. That's all I can handle right now."

Underneath the table, Keith took her hand in his, a silent acknowledgement of her sentiment. "Until this war is over, we're just taking it slow," he agreed, coming to her defense before anyone could argue. "One day at a time."

There was a beat of silence as the others at the table mulled over what was said. Krolia and Taiki nodded in approval, their smiles warm and proud. Mai's expression had softened, her form wilting a bit.

"I…understand, Mariko. And you're right: nothing in the future is guaranteed," she said slowly. Her eyes were sad, but there was no hint of anger or disagreement in them. "I never would've imagined you and Takashi would be such grand space adventurers, let alone leaders of a universal rebellion. It sounds thrilling…but I know it must be terrifying. And dangerous."

Her gaze lingered on Shiro's prosthetic arm. She sighed, soft and nostalgic as she took in her two grown children. "I can't say I understand it all, because I don't. You've been through more than I will ever know. But despite all that, I know you keep doing what's right, for yourselves and for your friends. And I want you to keep doing what you know is right. You've stayed strong and helped so many people. I…I'm so proud of you two."

Shiro smiled, small but kind and full of appreciation. "Thank you, Mom."

Mari could only nod numbly in response. She didn't know what to say. Her entire life, she had seldom heard such words from her mother, had seldom been on the receiving end of such motherly pride and affection. She'd once craved such attention, but experiencing it now made her feel hollow and strange. Her heart ached, but whether it was with joy or wary indifference, she couldn't tell.

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