A/n: Guys, sorry for the short chapters but so far, I've felt that all of them deserved a chapter of their own. I'm planning on grouping the next two pov's into one chapter so hopefully it'll be a little longer from here on out. Also, I know this person isn't exactly a paladin but I can't not do Coran's pov when we're talking about Allura's death okay?

Coran

He'd known.

Even before Keith and the Atlas had contacted him, he'd known. It wasn't as much a thought as a feeling, a very very bad feeling that made everything feel not-so-real. He couldn't even really feel happy to appreciate the fact that they'd won.

His fears had been confirmed to a point when they'd contacted him, not saying anything about it but the sadness on their faces and the look in their eyes said everything. They might have won, but at a price.

A part of him, the sinking feeling knew, but the rest of him denied it and kept denying it even once they made their way to the Atlas. The dread started to make him cold, and he tried to waste as much time as he could by helping the Alteans and Balmerans, guiding the Galra ships. Even so, too little time passed before he was in front of the paladins.

They didn't need to say it for him to truly know then. He could already see who was missing, but since nothing felt real, he tried to tell himself that the look on Lance's face was just because she was maybe injured and that was all.

Shiro spoke up, and his breath stopped, but the man never finished. It was Keith who finally said it, the words he'd been dreading most, the words he'd never wanted to hear ever in his lifetime.

"Allura's gone, Coran. I'm sorry."

No. He refused to believe it, but the damage had already been done. The words had broken the barrier his mind had made and everything was painstakingly real now.

He tried not to cry and his mind kept trying to supply alternate, less painful explanations.

Maybe they meant something else. Maybe she was gone as in disappeared - like they'd thought Shiro had died on multiple occasions yet the man was still here in front of him. They'd figure something out, they would.

But as much as his mind tried to keep denying, his body knew and the tears were already spilling.

Hands appeared at his arms and he glanced over at the yellow paladin, whose eyes were also glistening with tears. He led Coran out, but the Altean couldn't even pay attention to where he was being taken to.

On their way to… wherever, they bumped into Romelle, and he had to hear the words be said again, the pain in the paladin's voice evident with each word. He could see Romelle gasp and put a hand to her mouth, her tearing up too, but none of it really registered to Coran. Not her joining Hunk by his side, not them reaching a room and him being sat down on a bed in that room.

His mind briefly thought of Lance. The poor boy must be feeling the same as him in this moment; lost, numb. He'd go check up on the boy at some point, if only to have something to do, but not now.

Now he still had to process, and that's what Hunk and Romelle left him to do as they went to help the others with whatever needed to be done.

Some time later, he still hadn't shifted from his position, unaware of anything except the person who had come to tell him about Altea and how it had returned. He assumed they'd already talked about whether or not to bring him along on the expedition that was no doubt being arranged to the formerly extinct planet, but Shiro came by not soon after to talk to him anyway.

He asked gently if Coran was up to joining the expedition/diplomatic mission to Altea, not that he had to feel obligated to in any way. Romelle and one of the other Alteans were going anyway, so there was no pressure to come in case he was worried about… well, it was the Altean home-world so he didn't have to worry that no Alteans were being included.

Ultimately, he chose to stay. He didn't want his first visit back to his home to be tainted by the loss of Allura. The look on Shiro's face told him the younger man had expected it, and he told him that he understood, and take as much time as you need, don't worry.

They didn't hug, but before Shiro left, the two men shared a look and that look said everything they couldn't. The second the door closed again, Coran's eyes became wet once more.

A/n: Um… I don't know what to say after that so just gonna move on by letting you know that the next few chapters are actually moving on from this scene and we're gonna start finding out what happens after. Hope you're enjoying so far because it's only gonna get better – the story I mean, the feels are gonna get very much a lot worse from here…

Welp, stay safe and see ya soon.

- CrowofArcadiaOaks