Artificial night was fallen on the castle. Shiro was the only one awake at this ghastly hour. He shuffled through the clean white hallways, heading to his room from the star maps he had been scrutinising earlier. His sparse quarters were dimly lit with an Altean blue strip running along the wall. It was bright enough for him to find the journal he had been reading before bed. He scooped the book off his shelf and flopped tiredly onto the bed. A touch to the console embedded into the left-hand wall lit the space with golden hued light, perfect for evening reading.

His eyes tracked to where he had left off before. It was like reading someone else's thoughts even if the heading was scratched with his name on every page. To be honest, he had no memory of the snippets of life that spilled on the papers' faces. He blamed the Galra for such breaks in his life. A hole deep in his spirit ached with the lost memories. They clawed at him from inside like a shadow longing to be filled.

The image made him shudder, and he pulled his attention to the words in front of him. The sentences rang with loneliness and a sense of purpose vying against the morose emotion. It was touching despite the bittersweet feelings they conjured. Maybe that was the reason why he enjoyed reading through his old journals. They brought the past to life in way he could not. It was a function he was not accustomed to.

This particular piece seemed almost far-fetched. His former self was speaking of someone he loved. A man he missed…. Shiro's tired reading only went that far, before sleep claimed the him... The story could continue tomorrow…

XxX

"Lotor, where are you?" His father's usually harsh voice was filled with concern. It was an increasingly uncommon tone.

The tiny half-galra prince curled himself tighter into a ball. He screwed his eyes shut, hoping that if he could not see, then perhaps he would be unseen. Father could not find out…

"Lotor?!" Zarkon's voice peaked with another notch of alarm.

The young one opened one eye. Maybe, this wasn't what he feared? He carefully peered through the slit in the compartment where he was hidden. He hazarded a squeak. "Dada?"

Heavy boots stopped abruptly before turning toward Lotor's hiding place. A shadow fell over the niche and Zarkon's glowing eye peered through the opening. The huge warrior opened the compartment gingerly.

Hope soared in Lotor's chest. And he reached for his father. His tiny hands gripped around heavy set shoulders as the Dark Lord took his son in his arms….

No, this is a lie. His consciousness fought back against the dream.

Zarkon's face etched with worry. "Little one, what is wrong?"

Lotor's mind fought back. The other half of his soul longed for the dream to continue. He relished the strong touch gripping his shoulders, wrapping around his waist in an embrace.

The kind look in those reptilian eyes slowly morphed into fear. Zarkon frowned. Lotor felt terror worm its way into his stomach. These cold hands holding him suddenly seared like ice. Lotor wriggled, attempting to get away. All his instincts told him run.

One truth and two lies stood.

Fear changed to anger, charging like a mountain storm into building rage. "You don't trust me." Zarkon's growl was deep and resonant.

Freefall suddenly shook Lotor. Those strong hands let go. He screamed as the weightlessness overwhelmed his senses. His eyes closed, and darkness was comforting before his body hit the floor in a powerful impact. Breath swiftly fled his chest. A thousand fractures burned through his form like spikes of lightening on a summer evening.

Lotor groaned. The dream was quickly changing, pulling Lotor along forcibly. Scenery changed, and another pair of hands held him.

He was grown. Standing tall above the short woman next to him. A strong, small hand clasped his and the sweet smell of his mother wafted on the breeze to his nose. "One day soon, Lotor. You will be able to carry on my work," she was saying.

A sad smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "How can this be?" He asked, knowing the answer but so captivated by the radiant face looking into his eyes.

It could not be, this is a lie. Reason vied for precious attention. His mother's gentle words were indescribable…

"Son, promise me you will finish this." A ruthless layer edged into her tone. A shadow flicked over her face.

Yes, this was another lie, formed in the dark recesses of a feverish mind.

"Promise me, you will attain everlasting… quintessence." A raving hunger dictated the final word. A crescent of shade eclipsed Honerva's face.

He wrestled to take control of the vision. This was going too far. Panic tightened in his chest. Distantly, he thought he could hear frantic beeping coming from a machine of sorts.

"Son." The voice was harsh, berating like iron dragging across rock.

Lotor ripped his hand away from her ravenous grip. "No!"

Black shattered the dream like a dagger through ice. Lotor's eyes snapped open. He was back in the medical bay. The screaming monitors tracked his raging heartbeat. He sucked in a breath, longing to dampen the burning sensation roaring in his chest.

"Lotor?" Allura's voice was simultaneously relieved and alarmed. She waited till he looked at her to take his hand.

It took him a moment to analyse the situation. No one else was in the room. A soothing yellow glow lit the space, just enough light to allow easy movement, but dark enough to promote sleep. He was okay. The tattered dream was fading quickly. Her warm fingers were tangled with his. His heartrate was steadily returning to normal. Well, it was returning to some semblance of almost normal. He relaxed into the pillow and offered a weak smile to cover the remnants of terror that ran through his mind like skittering insects.

There was something about the way her eyes softened, and that little smile which peeked at the corner of her mouth. Even her messy bun was distinguishingly beautiful. It lit that stirring in the pit of his stomach. He carefully brought her hand to his mouth, gracing her petite fingers with his lips. The sensation thundered over him, making him yearn for more. It was a welcome distraction and filled the anxious caverns in his soul, slowly melting the pain away.

"Bad dream?" She questioned sympathetically.

He only nodded.

"It's alright," she said. "I am here."

He sighed, not wishing to dilute the feelings warming him. The princess' words lit a fire in his heart, yet there was the shadow of doubt lingering. He hedged as a thought came to him. Maybe it would be nice… He could try it, though the words were foreign… Lotor's tongue navigated the syllables, but he wanted to. "Thank you."

A bittersweet smile lit those sapphire eyes. Yes, those were the right words. Damn, he was pretty sure this was smitten. And as she leaned forward to kiss him, he fell further.

The kiss was slow and deliberate this time. So, unlike their first, tentative taste of this love. As her lips brushed easily over his own, he drowned in her intoxicating aroma. He gasped as she moved to sit beside him on the bed. Lotor leaned up on his elbows, yearning for a deeper kiss and revelling in the sensations racing down his spine, evaporating the last of his previous nightmares.

The taste of her drove her mad. Running on instinct, he pried for entrance into her mouth and she finally gave it. He deepened the kiss, darting his tongue across the corner of her mouth. Their tongues tangled uncoordinated for a second before Lotor became acquainted with the topography of her mouth. He drew her out for him like nectar. His bare hand ran up her shoulder to cup her jaw. Subtle stirrings in his trousers demanded attention.

However, he ignored them for now. Moving agonisingly slow, drawing every moment out. He wanted to remember this… Lotor nibbled at her lip with his fangs to distract himself. Her grip settled around his knee and he fought the instinct to buck his hips. He elicited a soft mewl from her as he broke the kiss to suck in a sharp breath. His vehement golden eyes locked gazes with her.

For long seconds, he felt frozen in this pleasure they had entered together. There was a fierce need in her eyes and Lotor loved the fire it put in her. It gave her a strength which he had never seen. He broke the contact, grinning sloppily and stealing a bold kiss before toppling back down on his pillow. He was growing tired quickly and falling asleep with her standing watch sounded like a wonderful idea.

Allura threaded her fingers in his, content to let the lingering kiss fade on her mouth. They both needed to sleep and watching him so… different around her was growing on her. She took a chance and folded herself beside him, still holding his hand. She whispered as his breathing evened out, "Thank you too."