A/N: Hey guys!

Thank you so much for the reviews! Here are my replies:

Guest: Thank you! :)

Fir3danc3r: Haha, I have the same obsession! This is mostly Shiro-centered, I guess, which is weird for me, but I love Pidge angst as well! Also, thank you so much for your review, it was sweet and kind to say! :)

bigtimedreamer101: I feel the same way, like some people "in real life" don't apologize right away, so why should characters apologize right away? I hope this chapter satisfies you, and thank you for the review! :)

And that's all, folks! This is the last chapter, as promised! This whole time, I had planned on making it a one-shot, but I have over 5k words, so I decided to divide it into 2 parts, but then I was unsatisfied so I made it into 3! I am proud of this story, and I am really to have joined the Voltron fandom. :)

Disclaimer: Dreamworks owns Voltron: Legendary Defender.

I do have a tiny heads up for this chapter though; there is a fight scene, and I am awful at writing any combat movements, so please forgive me if those seem off! The characters also might seem a little OOC, so don't be shy to let me know how so! With that said, please R&R but most importantly, enjoy!

XxX

Shiro used to like the colour purple.

It would illuminate the skies aside the various blue and green hues of the northern lights. It would cover the soil of his mother's flower garden. It would fill the empty canvases of his colouring books as a child.

That was before the Galra.

What had used to shine the skies had equally shined the walls of his cell. It had covered the floors of that dreadful arena.

But most of all, it had become the Druids' canvas—his arm.

He winces, opening his eyes once more. Try as he might, he cannot fall asleep to save his life. Every time he comes closer to nodding off, his memories taunt him enough to keep him awake.

And so, he wanders the halls with no particular goal in mind, his patience with himself growing thin.

He has yet to have delivered a proper apology to the group despite the fact that most are sleeping by now. He fears the more he waits, the worst it will be for the others to accept it, and he feels like it will take even longer for the team to trust him again, even though he shouldn't be surprised there.

As he approaches the kitchen, having settled on eating a midnight snack, a scuffle catches his attention, followed by a few whispers.

"You should go to bed." Keith.

Then, a softer voice, but one he'd recognize anywhere. Pidge. "So should you. You're not completely healed."

Shiro can almost see the shrug. "I'm still a little concussed. What is it they say? Stay awake for 24 hours if you can help it?"

"I hate you." A cough.

"Sure you do. If you don't wanna sleep yet, at least go to your room."

"...I'm hungry."

"Didn't you eat enough of Hunk's food?"

"Never!"

A groan. "Pidge, come on, you need rest. Go to your room."

"What are you, my mom?"

"No, but I don't want anyone to find you passed out in another corner. Again."

"You so are my mom."

A sigh. "Just go to bed, Pidge."

A snicker, but no further insistence.

Shiro chooses that moment to step in, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "I, uh, couldn't help but overhear. You should both get some rest."

"We're fine," Keith clips, his tone a few shades colder.

Pidge grabs the boy's wrist. "It's okay," she implores. "I wanted to talk to him, anyway."

Shiro hopes his flinch is only internal. Yet, he also feels a pinch of relief. She doesn't seem afraid. She doesn't want to avoid him.

That's good, right?

Keith backs away. "Fine. I'll go shower." He leaves before the other two can stop him.

Shiro sighs. That's not as good, but he'll take something over nothing at all.

With heavy silence hanging in the air, the duo proceeds to the lounge. Shiro's slight appetite is long gone by now, feeling ill. Keith is still undoubtedly mad.

Shiro glances at Pidge, watching as she sits down on the couch a few feet away from him while rubbing her neck.

Shiro purses his lips before facing her completely, sitting down as well. "Look, about earlier, I'm...sorry. I know Keith blames me. I blame me too. I wish he'd know how sorry I am. I want you to know that, too."

Pidge remains silent, staring at the floor. He doesn't know if it's because she wants to preserve her voice, or if she has nothing to say to him.

Finally, she settles on, "It's okay. You didn't know. It-It won't happen again."

His breath hitches in his throat. Her reply doesn't ease his guilt. "That's the thing. I did know. I knew there was something wrong. I just...didn't know it was that bad. But...I never intended to hurt you."

The girl pauses again, this time staring back at him. Then, "I know you didn't. That's...that's okay."

"It's not,' Shiro persists. "I still hurt you, and that hurt me. I'm so, so sorr—"

"Stop," she interrupts, her voice wavering. "Please, stop apologizing."

Shiro waits for her to go on, but she doesn't say anything. He takes note of her body language and his face falls. "You're scared," he murmurs. "You're scared. Of me."

"No," she cuts in. "I was when...y'know. I'm just...wary, now."

"Of me," he repeats.

She bites her lip. "Well, yeah. I don't want to fuck up your new arm."

He sharply glances at her. "My...arm?" She's trying to avoid the subject, he notes.

Nevertheless, she nods. "Your new arm. Hunk and I will work on it tomorrow. I...I hope it's not too long a wait."

He is awestruck. "My ar...Pidge. I couldn't care less about my arm. I care about you. I hurt you, I hurt Keith, I scared the others."

"It's over now," she finally snaps. He hesitantly shifts back. "What's done is done. You never meant to do it, so get over yourself."

The silence settles once again. Pidge sighs, staring at the floor again and shifting her feet back and forth.

She eventually stands up, making her way toward her room when she sees that Shiro still hasn't said anything. However, as she passes by, he grabs her wrist softly enough not to hurt her.

"I won't get over it," he admits, letting go when he realizes that she's hearing him out. She raises an eyebrow. "Not until everyone can forgive me."

She bites back a laugh. "You're an idiot."

He straightens up in his seat. Whatever reply he expected, it wasn't that. "Excuse me?"

"We've already forgiven you, you know. We're waiting for you to forgive yourself." She carefully rubs her neck. He doesn't comment on it.

"Keith hasn't," he murmurs, looking down. "He's avoiding me like the plague."

She scoffs. "Yeah, well, that's Keith. You should know that by now."

Shiro remains as stubborn as ever. "I've betrayed his trust."

"Duh, of course. You were his only friend for so long. He lost you for a year. He-He doesn't want to lose you again."

He scowls, finally standing up. "Rest your voice. It has to be hurting right now."

Pidge looks up at him, grabbing his hand. "I'd go through worse for you," she vouches, "for the others. I know you would, too; you already have."

Shiro's voice catches in his throat, struck with emotion. "Pidge—"

"Go tell Keith, now," she interrupts with a knowing smirk. "He's waiting."

"He's in the shower," he deadpans.

It feels good to hear her laugh again. It feels good to laugh again, too.

XxX

"Spar with me," he orders the Red Paladin the next day, catching him off guard as they stand in front of the training deck's doors. Hunk had repaired the cracks in the wall the night before, and now it was as good as new.

Keith scowls but nonetheless follows his leader into the room when Shiro insists. "Cheap shot, using your head status."

Shiro offers a smirk, yet his expression remains sad. "If it gets you to listen to me."

The teen doesn't add anything and instead chooses to fall into his battle stance, sizing Shiro up as if the man were a new enemy. Shiro accepts the challenge, modifying his stance so his left side dominates.

Keith doesn't use his bayard since Shiro doesn't have one and the man is already at a disadvantage with only one arm. Even without his sword, though, Keith is still fairly strong in combat, and so he takes offensive.

He rushes Shiro and swings, trying to strike the man on his bicep. Shiro ducks and swings his leg, hooking his foot behind Keith's and pulling. The Red Paladin finds stumbles back, glaring at Shiro. "You fight dirty."

Shiro shrugs. "Don't leave your back exposed too much. Someone will try to trip you." He emphasizes with a roundhouse kick to the back of Keith's knee, but this time the boy his ready. He sidesteps and delivers a kick of his own to Shiro's side. The man, unable to catch Keith's leg with his absent right arm, grunts.

He blocks Keith's next attack with his left arm and ducks again as Keith uses his available fist to swing back. While Shiro ducks, he pushes Keith's other arm aside and punches his forearm.

Keith groans, clutching his arm. Shiro uses the opportunity to kick the back of his knee again, this time succeeding. Keith's leg gives under him and sends him sprawling.

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He has to focus. Has to remind himself that he's still mad.

He opens his eyes to an outstretched palm. Shiro stands in front of him, offering his hand.

Keith reluctantly takes it, using it to hoist himself up. Shiro never stops staring at the boy. "Will you hear me out now that I've defeated you?"

"You cheated," Keith grumbles, but makes no move to leave. Shiro takes that as a battle won, but the war is not over.

"You had the advantage, I just had to find my own."

"You hurt me."

"I never meant to."

"You left me alone."

"I never meant to abandon you, Keith. And I never will."

He seals the promise by wrapping his arm around the boy, who is shaking.

"I trust you, Shiro," he says, his voice so small it's almost unheard. But Shiro hears him from the bottom of his heart. "I've always trusted you. Don't break that. Don't leave me again."

Shiro knows it is a heavy promise to make. He knows that as the leader and Black Paladin, he faces death more so than anyone else. He knows that as the former Champion of the Galra, he is targeted.

But if he knows one thing, it's that he will try his damn best to stay.

"I won't leave you."

Keith tightly wraps his arms around him. "Promise me, asshole," Keith stammers, jabbing at Shiro without malice. "Never again."

Shiro smiles, gently rubbing the teen's back. "Never again."

He smiles even more when he tries his new arm a few hours later, courtesy of Hunk and Pidge. Smiles when he spars with Keith again to test it. Smiles as the Red Paladin whoops his excitement at having Shiro back in the action.

The Galra aren't ready.