Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Keith didn’t expect already to have people waiting for his arrival as his driver dropped him off to the Castle of Lions. 

While news spread like wildfires in these parts, he still wasn’t used to having so much attention on him. The paparazzi’s cameras flashed, blinding him like strobe lighting at a club as he strode down the path to the entrance, whacking microphones out of the way and dodging rabid fan boys or girls who tried to grab at his shirt or his hair. He still didn’t believe he earned the chance of a life-time. His father dreamed of a life like this for him, and he wouldn’t get to see Keith live it. He was drinking in the sight before him like it was some fever dream he was living.

From the moment applications were open for the newest Red Paladin, many seized that opportunity. It was a miracle he even got noticed from the swarm of those around this galaxy and neighboring galaxies who tried to make the cut. He did everything possible–audition tapes, representative ads, lots of pageants and contests and any other publicity stunts to get him noticed by the Castle of Lions and the Defenders of the Universe who lived within those walls. It really was a dream come true, and it was all of this and a combination of sacrificing years of his adolescence and early adulthood and toil that got him where he was today.

The Castle of Lions stood proudly atop the mountain peak, smackdab in the middle of the Republic of Allyria, its towering spires and majestic walls a testament to the ancient civilization that had built it. The castle's infrastructure was a marvel of engineering and Altean magic, with intricate corridors and chambers seamlessly integrated into its natural rock formations.

At the heart of the castle was the control room, a sprawling chamber crammed with high-tech consoles and holographic displays. The control room was also home to the castle's artificial intelligence.

Beyond the control room lay the castle's living quarters, a labyrinthine network of chambers and corridors that housed the Paladins and their allies. Each chamber was uniquely decorated, reflecting the personality and interests of its occupant. There was a cozy library filled with ancient tomes, a state-of-the-art gym equipped with cutting-edge exercise equipment and simulators, and a luxurious spa as well.

But the true marvel of the Castle of Lions lay beneath its surface, in the form of an enormous hangar bay. That was where the magic really happened; there, the Paladins' lions rested between missions, always ready to be deployed at a moment's notice. The hangar bay was equipped with state-of-the-art maintenance facilities, allowing the renowned and ‘respected’ Paladins to repair and upgrade their lions as needed.

As he ambled up the stairs, he skimmed through the letter once again. Even being here, he was still in disbelief. The impostor syndrome ran as deep in his veins as his hybrid lineage had. 

‘Greetings, Mr. Keith Kogane! We hope you come in peace. ;) 

It is with our utmost satisfaction to welcome you as our newest Paladin! We trust that you will be left wanting for nothing when we introduce you to the rest of the squad and you secure your place in the Castle of Lions. As Defenders of Neo-Altea and the rest of the known universe (or so we like to believe), it is our duty to ensure the safety of our citizens, and your strong sense of justice is just what we want for our final recruit. You are our gorgeous Red Paladin of FIre, the literal right-hand to yours truly, Takashi Shirogane, the Black Paladin of Air and the Head of Voltron. 

As you may already been made aware, here’s some of our lovely assemble: 

• The Yellow Paladin of Earth, Hunk Garrett, or Voltron’s left leg! 
• The Green Paladin of Nature, Katie Holt, or Voltron’s left arm!
• The Blue Paladin of Water, Lance Delmar, or Voltron’s right leg!
• Commander Samuel Holt, one of our beloved superiors
• Matthew Holt and Veronica Fuentes, some of our beloved engineers 
• Colleen Holt, our beloved PR manager
• Queen Allura, I don’t think I need to elaborate further
• Coran, Allura’s royal advisor

And you will meet many more members of your new family! Once you receive this letter, you should already have your swanky I.D. card and your ticket into the Castle of Lions, located at the center of the Republic of Allyria. We are glad to have you aboard and for the mission to defend our right to live here, unlike a certain world-eating alien empire!

You should arrive to the Castle of Lions ideally within three ‘quintants’. 

Sincerely, 

Takashi Shirogane, B.P.’

Keith snorted as he heard more girls screaming bloody murder at his arrival. The security’s attempts were feeble as they tried to hold them all off. He wasn’t here for fame or for money. 

What a fucking joke.

Keith crumpled up the letter as the Castle of Lions stood before him, ever tall and majestic in its nature. It still felt like some fever dream he was having. Upon receiving that letter in his cabin, he burned himself with the butt of his cigarette several times as a more effective ‘pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.’ 

And in spite of the cosmic joke that was his entire life, or in simpler, ‘explain like you’re five’ terms, as fate would have it, he wasn’t , in fact, dreaming. 

He tossed the crumpled letter written in fancy Blackletter script into a nearby wastebin before entering through the sliding doors of the Castle of Lions. The ‘magic’ system must have already identified him because he wasn’t blasted off into smithereens upon entry.

“And there he is!” Keith winced at the discordant voice of an over-eager HR manager. “Welcome, Keith! It’s great to have the full assemble. This is a new development for us all, and we’re happy to have you aboard.” 

“Yeah,” he grumbled, a flash of irritation evident on his face. It was far too damn early for someone to be this perky. He just barely got out of the clutches of roaring, adoring fans. “Colleen, right?”

“Yep!” Colleen flashed the badge on her right breast. “Shiro should be here in a few minutes to give you the tour and show you to your room. You’ll be right across from each other! How lucky can someone be?” 

“Right,” Keith replied as he flashed his I.D. card. “And I’m guessing that lets me get anywhere I need to be from here on out.” 

“Precisely, although the security system should have already recognized you. You’re already in the system.”

“And so that’s why I haven’t been blasted into smithereens, after all.”

Colleen turned to him with a wide, plastic grin on her face, gushing over the Castle’s engineering: “Nifty, isn’t it?”

Keith shrugged. His outward expression belied his inner thoughts: Shut up, already. 

“You’re awfully quiet and mysterious, and that’s why we love you.” Colleen heard a faint ding! And turned to the source, as did Keith. “And here he is! The man responsible for all of this! Give us your best poster worthy grin, Keith!" She clasped her hands together and squealed like a little girl. Keith rolled his eyes but humored her. Best to stay in everyone's good graces anyway. Though he was known to have a prickly personality he was not going to show too much of his unfriendly side unless absolutely necessary.

“Hello, there, Keith! As I said in the letter, I hope you come in peace, because we sure do.” Shiro had emerged from one of the elevator doors down the hall from where they stood, his commander uniform donned in his Lion’s color. Keith already pieced together he’d have his own in his color. 

What he also pieced together was Takashi Shirogane was as gorgeous (if not more so) in person as he was on billboards or posters or television or cinema. 

. . . Was he by some off-chance single? 

Takashi Shirogane, good god, Takashi Shirogane–he was a true sight to behold, lions and Voltron excluded. Standing at an impressive six feet tall, he towered over most people who weren’t Galra or Balmerans, and his broad shoulders and muscular frame hinted at the strength and power that lay beneath his clothes. He had toned and perfectly sculpted his body through years of intense training and conditioning. 

He embodied the true definition of a silverfox, despite not being anywhere close to the age his silver fringe suggested. He just managed to look even more striking and distinguished. He styled his hair in a short, military-style cut with a few longer strands swept back from his forehead. His facial features were sharp and angular, with high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a straight nose with a scar across it, adding more character and definition–just the kind of face that Keith would love to sit on. His eyes were a deep dark shade of brown, intense, focused, and sharp, with just a semblance of warmth and kindness lurking behind them.

Shiro dressed in utilitarian yet stylish clothing that perfectly suited his role as a leader and warrior. 

Although the military outfits weren’t trendy pieces to wear at all, Shiro still looked like he was ready to take a catwalk down the runway and own the entire stage, winning the crowd.

Shiro might’ve taken note at how he might’ve been gawking, mouth suddenly void of any moisture, completely starstruck, but refrained from mentioning anything for the sake of sparing his dignity. He continued with a warm, charismatic smile, stormy gray eyes skimming his overall figure. Nothing impressive, Shiro must have noted, but he didn’t need to be because he was going to be piloting some mecha lion that transformed into a huge defending robot.  

Keith had to shake himself out of his stupor, anyway. He wasn’t here to marry or to gawk. He wasn’t even here as a permanent member. 

“Are you ready for us to show you around the Castle? And just your luck, you’ll be just across from my room, which I’m sure Colleen already told you. So you can bug me whenever you need something all up and personal.” 

“Yeah, let’s get things going,” Keith replied through a flimsy attempt to sound jubilant and cheerful. Clearly the mask almost cracked. He was neither a cheery or jubilant person. He wasn't that professional either. He felt like a fish out of water altogether here. 

The things you do . . . he mused, for some semblance of satisfaction and gratification in your otherwise miserable existence.

After Shiro showed him the simulation and training rooms, the locker rooms, the showers, the conference rooms, the bridge, the control room, the Lion’s hangars and the Lion’s themselves, and other nifty add-ons since the Castle was built over ten thousand decapheobs ago, Shiro led them down their corridor which held their bedrooms with en-suite restrooms with a bathtub and an automatic alarm coffee or tea maker and everything else Keith ever needed to be comfortable. Shir o filled him in on more information on the other dwellers on Neo-Altea who hailed from other distant planets like nearby Balmera or on Olkarion or Arus. The blending of cultures here, something Earth was once known for, was a comforting thing to Keith--especially given he wasn't wholly human himself. A part of him idly wondered if the team already knew about that side of him and still allowed him regardless. He had read up on Voltron's history and the Castle of Lions was home to all who wandered there. The Galra Empire, their enemy, was known to have refugees come here in hopes to escape their treachery. Keith was one of them, as was the home he came from: the Blade of Marmora was a band of rebels who hoped to dismantle the Empire from the inside out. Established since the war began 10,000 decapheobs ago. 

As they drew the introductory things to a close, Keith wondered if he should bring up anything else about himself. He was about to open his mouth and then Shiro beat him to a discussion.

“Oh, just one last thing before I leave you to your own devices, Keith.” Shiro drew in closer into Keith’s bubble, more than what should be considered comfortable or professional. “There are no . . . secrets between us here, hm? Nothing gets past this mind.” He tapped his head for emphasis. “The Black Lion is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and I share that connection, as well as these abilities, with her. I already know your intentions in being here.” 

“And what’s that?” Keith challenged, keeping himself calm. 

“You do have Galra blood. I had to run a DNA test on you. While we are no strangers to having Galra on our side–the first Black Paladin was Zarkon himself, after all–I want you to make sure you’re absolutely clear: I am not above revealing your lineage and destroying you if you endanger our plans. You’re with us, and therefore, you swear your loyalty to us. Am I right to assume that you are not an agent serving the Empire?” 

“No.” I’m worse , his inner voice boomed . “I share the same vision as you, Shiro: world, er, universal peace.”

Shiro flashed him an unreadable smile. “Excellent, Keith. I’m so happy we can have this little talk. Oh. I lied before. One last thing . . .” 

Shiro brought his hand up and Keith steeled himself, stance wide. He was caught off-guard as his organic hand brushed through his silky, thick black locks and tucked his finger under his chin. Shiro grinned. 

“You are as beautiful as they say, especially up close,” Shiro murmured, drawing closer, and eyes darkening. “I only wonder if you taste as good as you look.” 

Keith felt a shiver run down his spine at Shiro's words and the way his eyes roamed over his body. He shifted uncomfortably, feeling violated. 

"What the fuck goes on in your head?" he sneered, his voice rising in anger and blood simmering. 

Shiro's grin turned into a smirk. "Relax, Keith. I'm just having a little fun. But remember what I said earlier–there are no secrets between us here. I'll be monitoring you closely."

Keith’s amethyst eyes followed Shiro’s hand, and then flitted back up to Shiro’s face. Unreadable. Unpalpable. 

“I hope the fans don’t worry you too much. With us being as desired by the masses as we are, they can get a bit . . . unhinged . I’ll be happy to protect you from that. I bought out most of those fan clubs to prevent further harassment of any of our residents here. It’s sadly been a common occurrence.”

“Now whoever said chivalry was dead?” Keith responded, tone mocking. Shiro didn’t look amused but the way his thumb brushed against Keith’s supple porcelain skin and lingered at his lips juxtaposed his overall domineering air. So much for kindness behind those eyes. 

Shiro appeared to have everyone deceived.

“You can always return those gestures with a little show of appreciation. A kiss, for example.” Shiro purred as he drew their faces closer, taking Keith’s bottom lip between his own and causing Keith to grimace and shove him off. Shiro doubled over for a split second before chuckling darkly, hardly deterred. Keith gawked at him, again a look of disgust rather than awe. 

“Yeah right!” Keith barked in protest, swatting Shiro’s eager hands away as they tried to draw close again. “Aren’t you supposed to be Shiro the Hero, or whatever? Heroes don’t act like that as far as I’m concerned.” 

“Exactly, which is why I hope you’ll keep my little secret.” Shiro brought his organic finger to his lips. “Or I tell yours.” 

Keith was reminded of why he came here in the first place. He already found it. 

“Fuckin’ piece of shit,” he spat as his eyes narrowed. Shiro however remained undeterred, inspecting his nails and picking off specks of dirt beneath them. 

“Takes one to know one. Until we’re called into work, I’ll be seeing you, gorgeous.” 

Shiro unceremoniously winked at him and Keith shuddered as Shiro turned on his heel and retired to his bedroom. Just across his room. 

How grand. How convenient. How so pre-planned. Keith grumbled a slew of curses under his breath as he entered his own bedroom, huddling in his bed as he already felt too much unease in an offer that should have him rejoicing. 

He would still get his way, even if he had to pull a few strings.

He swore it over his dad’s grave.

Chapter Text

The Castle thrummed with activity as Keith made his way through the bustling corridors. The sound of heavy machinery merged with the chatter of soldiers and the occasional beep of a passing hovercraft that looked like the one they used to head to the Lion’s hangars. The walls lined with screens displaying maps and data, and the air thickened with the scent of oil and metal and a mixture of unidentifiable smells.. 

Keith had just been introduced more formally to the team, but his eyes kept straying to one particular member: that Lance Delmar, the man with a loose cannon for a mouth and a lack of impulse control. They found common ground there. There was something about him that drew Keith's attention, a spark of energy that seemed to diffuse from his every move. It was all a weird sense of familiarity and . . . comfort? Like he knew him before? Lance just radiated a sense of emotional security in spite of his rather loud and rambunctious attitude that left everyone in a chorus of groans every now and then. 

Lance seemed to have shared the same sentiment, so they shared some casual chitchat here and there between team introductory and his first debrief. The discourse involved some discussion about unifying more allying planets or something. The usual according to the others. Attending these meetings often were just a way for the others to kill time even though they were mandatory.

Eventually some others sitting near them joined in on their conversation, deeming their back and forth banter more entertaining than the debrief. While Queen Allura droned on with another rundown of what to expect from their next diplomatic mission with a nearby Balmeran planet, Keith took the time to bond with his new teammates a bit more.

“Where do you actually hail from, anyway? On your files it just says ‘Jupiter’s Claim,’” Matt pointed out as he fiddled with the corner of a stack of stapled papers. “I’m surprised they even allowed that in your application.”

“I come from a planet way out there, Out Yonder,” Keith quipped with his hand outstretched for emphasis. Hunk’s eyes doubled in awe, almost falling for his act. While it wasn’t wrong, Keith knew they had no idea that he did, in fact, come from somewhere out yonder. The Blade of Marmora’s main base was camouflaged by a mine field not too far off from Jupiter. “Far, far, far away, in a distant galaxy. Not the planet Jupiter. I put that on there as a joke.”

Nice save , Keith mused. It isn’t like they’re strangers to aliens like anyone else. Technically the humans inhabiting Neo-Altea are the aliens. Neo-Altea is a homage to the original planet. What they don’t know won’t kill them . . . 

Maybe Keith shouldn’t jinx it.

Lance laughed, cerulean blue eyes twinkling with mischief and curiosity, perking an eyebrow as he chimed in. “Oh yeah? Well if you’re an alien, you look as close to human as you can get.”

Keith grinned, lying through his teeth: “100% human here.” He caught onto Shiro watching him with a hard glare before returning to the main discussion they’d already tuned out and he failed to shake off the uncertainty and unease. Shiro held his gaze on him like a sniper locking down on its target. But the others didn’t seem to pay attention–more concerned with his coverted lie. He placed a hand over his racing heart as he almost felt his cover blown–even if the truth was masked as a joke like the rest of his life was. “As far as I know, anyway.” 

He, Matt, and Lance shared another laugh before they were shushed by guards nearby. Their attention drew back to Queen Allura and Shiro as Shiro stood up to the podium to make his closing announcement. Keith subtly glowered at him and he knew Shiro noticed his disdain. Shiro ignored it in favor of a display of professionalism, focusing on the room. The debrief soon came to a close and Allura had then announced their next task.

Now they were about to head into a test to see if Keith could bond with the Red Lion as well as the rest of the team did with their respective Lions. The room dispersed as the inhabitants of the Castle returned to their own devices and Keith fell behind purposefully the other paladins as they made their way to the Red Lion’s hangar. 

As Keith continued to through the maze of corridors, he suddenly heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Well well well, if it isn’t Keith!" James Griffin grinned at him from across the hallway, leaning against the wall with his hair slicked back with that fancy extra hold gel he always used and his MFE/Dairugger uniform was crisp and clean like he always was, even as kids. Suddenly his nostrils were overwhelmed with his fancy cologne he always oversprayed all over himself, fearing a worse smell but masking his natural scent never remedied it. His hand flew up to his nose in a feeble attempt to shield it from the overwhelming fume as  a mix of surprise and annoyance undertake him. 

James had been his nemesis back in grade school, always pushing him beyond his patience limits (which was already next to none from the start) and goading him into reckless behavior. What were the odds that they would be fighting alongside each other instead of against each other? Though James Griffin wasn’t ever more significant than a speck of dirt on his shoe, James liked to showboat and overstate his impact on Keith’s life. For some reason James behaved like a tortured, damned soul every time Keith refused any flatteries or attempts at befriending him. Keith had always believed the two just didn't mesh. They were from two entirely different worlds . . . er, maybe not meant to be taken entirely literally. 

Still, here that fucker was, standing in front of Keith with a weirdly friendly smile on his face that still made Keith want to punch him out for old times’ sake. There was always a little voice inside of Keith's head that told him James secretly got off to their antagonistic attitudes toward each other. He didn't know what to make of that information.

Keith forced a polite, customer-service-like smile with his tone to match and nodded in greeting. "Hey, James. It's been a while."

"I know, right? And now we're both here, fighting for the same cause." James' eyes flicked to Keith's Paladin uniform before meeting his gaze again–either Keith’s eyes deceived him or he sensed a challenge in that gaze. "Who would have thought? The Castle’s really accepting anyone now."

Keith shrugged, allowing that little snide remark to roll off of him which was a stark contrast to the version of himself in his formative years. He willed himself to suppress the memories of their past conflicts–especially a particular one that struck a nerve concerning his deceased father. "I guess anything's possible. But damn dude, this whole war mellowed you out.” 

“Just don’t try anything funny, Kogane,” Griffin sneered as any traces of plastic, fake perfected friendliness disappeared in an instant. “We are on the same side, but that doesn’t mean I have to like you.”

“Eh.” Keith waved him off. “Not like I ever needed you to, but that was your problem with me from the start, wasn’t it?” 

“Whatever, fucker,” James snapped. “I’m over that phase. I just don’t like you because I just don’t like you.”

“Sure, Muffin, whatever helps you sleep at night.” 

“It’s Griffin !” 

“Crumpet!” Keith laughed before James stormed off looking like a scared, provoked cat. 

Keith sauntered off to meet the others at the Red Lion’s Hangar, disregarding Griffin like he was just another speck of dirt staining his shirt.

Arriving at the Red Lion’s Hangar, the rest of the team and a few other people had already been waiting on him. Keith approached them as Allura began discussing the wonders of the Red Lion and how much of an honor it was to pilot it. Her father Alfor was its original paladin.

“It needs to choose you,” Allura instructed as the Red Lion stood before them, protecting itself from unwanted parasites via its particle barrier, “I know it seems strange given we already selected you as its candidate. We don’t choose just anyone, though. There is a reason why you stood out among those who wished to work with us.”

“Right . . .” Keith glanced up upon the Red Lion. Its eyes already appeared to follow him, have taken an interest in him and no one else present in that room. Obviously it was a one in a trillion chance that the Red Lion would deem someone like him worthy to pilot her, but he was selected for a reason still unbeknownst to him. 

He continued gawking and fixing his gaze on the Lion’s. “What am I supposed to do, knock?” 

“That’s what I did!” Lance shouted from the back. Keith glanced at him, eyebrows furrowing. “Oh, you weren’t being serious.”

Keith turned back to the Red Lion. He actually did try to knock on the barrier but the Red Lion didn’t budge. DIdn’t react. Just as still and unresponsive as a dormant volcano. “Hey, Red! It’s Keith, your buddy.” 

“Seriously?” Lance scoffed. “That wasn’t any better than how I got Blue to react to me!” 

Keith twisted around and snapped back with a fiery gaze of determination: “You trusted your process, now I am trusting mine!” He turned his body back to the Red Lion. “Hey! It’s me! Keeeith! Your- I AM YOUR PALADIN!” 

“That’s not going to work!” Hunk snickered into his hand. Matt elbowed him and Hunk gasped melodramatically. “What? I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking.”

“That still doesn’t mean you have to say anything,” Matt quipped, shaking his head in disapproval as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Ever heard of a little thing called tact?” 

Hunk paused for a moment, stroking his chin as though he was deeply contemplating his answer,  then shrugged. “Nooooooo.” 

Matt sighed and then looked on in Keith’s direction. Shiro stood a bit further away from the others, not one for crowds in spite of what leadership roles often entailed. He did glance every so often to not miss anything important, but otherwise kept his distance. Keith took note of that. He didn’t seem as close to the team as he should be, and honestly, it seemed like the team formed smaller cliques of their own within the team. 

Eh, not like big friend groups ever truly worked out. It always happened in such a way. Sometimes people weren’t as close to others as they initially believed. Only 50% of the time were friendships ever truly reciprocated . . . and once Keith discovered Shiro was nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing, maybe it was better the rest of the team distanced themselves from their leader. 

“The fuck am I supposed to do?” Keith sighed through his nose and shut his eyes. He inhaled sharply through his nose and willed his racing mind and heart to relax. He had to be to understand the connection. There was supposed to be one. Like a connection of their minds, their souls. 

He dared to peek with one eye open. 

Not even a shift. Not even disintegrating its shield. Not even a breach of his subconscious yet. If it was anything similar to what Neon Genesis Evangelion taught him about merging with the machine . . .

“I guess it’s deciding to play a game of Keep Away .” Keith groaned after another attempt. “Hopefully something gives.”

As their luck would have it, warning sirens blared through the Castle. Everyone exchanged looks as Queen Allura projected one of the security monitors on one of the walls. 

“We’re being ambushed!” 

“Are you kidding me? Now?” Lance grumbled as his helmet materialized. 

“They know we have a new member, and we’re not prepared. Of course this is the best time to strike,” Shiro noted as he activated his bayard. 

Keith’s heart raced with fear and anticipation, but he was determined to make this work. Within ticks, they were beset upon by a horde of Galra soldiers, their faces contorted with malice and their weapons glinting menacingly in the dim light. 

Undaunted by the overwhelming odds, and with a determination to prove something of himself to the Red Lion, Keith launched himself into the fray with a ferocity that belied his inexperience. He fought with a fluid grace, his blade flashing in the air as he expertly parried his enemies' blows. 

Yet, it was not long before the sheer weight of numbers began to take its toll on him. The rest of the team were able to fight a good physical fight before they could get to their respective Lions. Keith remained in his own Hangar, fighting off his own fair share of soldiers and sentries alike. Unfairly outnumbered still but it didn’t matter. 

Just when it seemed that all faith was lost, a sudden burst of energy suffused Keith's body, as if he had tapped into a source of power hitherto unknown to him. It was the Red Lion, responding to his unspoken call to action, roaring with might and vengeance in his mind, and forging a bond with him that would prove to be unbreakable.

With another newfound sense of purpose and determination, Keith leapt into the cockpit of the Red Lion as it removed its particle barrier and welcomed him as its new, trusted pilot, and he felt a deep sense of connection with the great mecha beast. He could sense its strength and agility and rage, and he knew that they were one.

With their combined efforts, Keith and the Red Lion launched their assault on the Galra soldiers. The air was filled with the acrid smoke of explosions, the tang of ozone, and the searing heat of the Red Lion’s destructive laser blasts.

Through it all, Keith felt a strange, tingling surge of exhilaration, as if he had been reborn into a new, more powerful form. He could see the enemy soldiers falling before him, their ranks broken and disorganized.

“Good kitty!” Keith purred as he then announced to the rest of the team through the comms: “Are we ready?” 

“Yes, Keith! You did it!” Lance replied through his mic. “YEAH! Come on, Shiro! Your right-hand’s all set! We finally get to do the thing!” 

“Perfect,” Shiro declared.  “Alright, everyone–let’s form Voltron!” 

In the end, the Voltron team emerged victorious, their spirits uplifted by their triumph over the ambush. It was one battle they won together out of many but there was still a way to go before this ended. As soon as the last of the soldiers were defeated, he and the others rejoiced in their victory and Keith’s timely accomplishment.

When Keith emerged from the cockpit of the Red Lion, he knew that he had forged a bond with the mighty machine that would serve him well in the battles to come. Not only did he find a bonding moment with his Lion, he had found some belonging with the paladins, after all, as they all congratulated him on his way down.

“Way to go, Keith!” Hunk cheered with a bright sunny smile. “I knew you could do it all along!” 

Matt groaned and elbowed him again. Hunk just glanced at him and tossed his hands up in defeat. 

“Yeah! We knew you had it in you!” Katie replied with a thumbs up in approval.

“Well done, Keith. We’re so happy you could pull it off,” Allura exclaimed as her hands clasped. 

“Not bad, hot-shot,” Lance commented with a grin before elbowing Keith. Keith only grinned back. He did sneak a glance at Shiro, who did not appear to acknowledge his accomplishment. Not that it mattered, but Shiro should set the example of being a supportive leader even if he wasn’t truly that way beneath that mask. 

“Shiro, isn’t it fabulous? We got our Red Paladin!” Lance called out to him as he dragged Keith over with him to Shiro’s side. Shiro turned to him with a stern expression at first, that caught him off-guard before it melded into a small smile.

“Yeah. Great job, Keith.” Shiro shut his eyes for a moment and took a balancing breath before he then said: “I’ll be excusing myself. I need to wind down from all of this, and I suggest the rest of you do the same.”

Shiro ambled out the Red Lion’s Hangar, leaving behind his team members donning befuddled expressions.

**9 Months Later**

Keith had been traveling with the new team for several pheobs already, battling the evil empire and saving planets and creating new allies to the team’s ‘mission’, and it had–expectedly–taken a devastating toll on him. 

The constant adrenaline rush and the high-stakes situations had left him drained and yearning for some peace, quiet, and tranquility. Shiro didn’t joke about there rarely being any time to decompress and recharge. 

Their latest destination was a nearby Balmera planet. The Balmera planets were essential for fueling the Castle and ships similar to the home. They stopped there in hopes to replenish not only the Castle but themselves as well. That meant they finally could lay low for a few days and recharge their souls. Keith was relieved to have some reprieve when Keith found himself with a few hours of free time in his room. 

He couldn't remember the last time he had been able to just sit and think without the weight of the universe on his shoulders . . . and without the knowledge of a certain someone sitting across from him, eager to annoy him or breach his boundaries at any given moment.

As he settled into his chair, waiting for his cup of vitamin and mineral-infused coffee to brew and comforted by a sound that reminded him of home, he tried to ignore the nagging feeling that something was off about their current situation. They had been asked to intervene in a conflict between two factions, but Keith couldn't shake the feeling that they were being used for someone else's gain. He pushed these thoughts aside and allowed himself to revel in the stillness of his room.

But just as he felt his body give out to relaxation, he heard a loud banging against his window. He sprang to his feet, reaching for his bayard, and activated the sword as a precaution. He had, long ago, learned the hard way that it was better to be safe than sorry. As the stone crashed through the window, Keith's heart raced with a mix of fear and confusion.

Seriously, of all the times–?

He quickly realized that the intruder was just a girl, no older than him. She was a young Balmeran girl. She looked at Keith with wide eyes and an expression of awe and adoration. Keith couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for her as he lowered his defenses just a smidge. While he was already no stranger to dealing with rabid fans, not anymore, no one had gone to these lengths just yet.

Until now. 

“You want a lock of my hair or something?” he stammered, trying to keep the situation under control. He brought his sword up to a significant amount of his long wavy locks, making it clear that he was serious.

“I want to have some fun with you!” she replied with a squeal, and Keith was ready to hold her off until he heard some humming of his door and within a blink of an eye he felt something dash right past him at the speed of light and grab the girl by the neck, twisting it until a sickening crack sounded through his room. 

As Keith stood frozen in place, his mind reeling from the shock of what had just transpired, another surge of fear rushed through his system. He had always known that Shiro was capable of extreme violence, shielding that side of him from the rest of the Castle, but he had never seen it in action like this until now. Nothing truly even forced his hand. Shiro committed the act just because he could, just because he wanted to. 

This girl was a bit unhinged as most rabid fans were. Harmless. Keith could have negotiated with her! 

The sight of the lifeless body crumpled on the ground made his stomach twist and turn. Her dead eyes glazed over but still was contorted into that mischievous little attitude of an eager fan girl. Drool trickled from her mouth. 

Shiro looked as unbothered and stern and unyielding as ever and he discarded the girl's body with a cold efficiency that sent shivers dancing down Keith's spine. A thought crossed his mind about what other secrets his team leader was hiding from him for someone who claimed there were none. Soon into their rigid staring contest some of the Castle’s security guards took the body out of Keith’s room and left them on their own.

Finally, Shiro broke the uneasy silence with a rude and obnoxious throat-clearing. “That is something I paid them not to do, and they know the consequences as per the agreement. I did say I would shield you from that. In return, let me touch you, gorgeous, or we both know what happens if you squeal. Remember our arrangement of a quid pro quo. A favor for a favor, hm?” 

A sense of revulsion overwhelmed Keith at Shiro's words. Unbelievable that Shiro truly pulled no punches with his cruelty streak. His hands quaked and he stammered a slew of incoherent phrases as he stowed away his bayard, his mind racing with questions and doubts.

But deep down in the complex depths of his subconscious, he knew that he didn't have a choice in the matter. Shiro was his team leader, Shiro had the entire universe at his feet, and Shiro had the power to make or break his career as a defender of the universe and his only ticket to bring his late father’s death to some semblance of justice.

Keith took a step back. “What happened to giving and not expecting something in return?”

“We’re not exactly those kinds of heroes. At least I’m not. I believe we’ve established that the day we met.” Shiro quipped as he strode over to Keith’s side, caging him in his mechanical arm. His organic arm was already slipping down his pants, humming in shock as he realized something. His thumb circled around Keith’s little nub and Keith’s breath hitched. 

“Ah, and what have we here? Is this from your Galra DNA or did I just get a neat surprise?”

“Shut up,” Keith hissed through an involuntary moan. Shiro only chuckled., bemused by Keith’s antics and thinking he could be all defiant and rebellious. It wasn’t going to take away from the ‘fun’ for the older man. Shiro enjoyed it when his prey had a little spunk in him, behaving like the little spitfire like his element’s namesake. 

“Don’t worry, it’s our little secret.” He brought his glistening fingers up to display to Keith before Shiro stuck it into his mouth with a little lewds suckle. He groaned and gushed at the taste of something wholly and personally Keith as he removed it with a pop. “Will you let me taste?”

Keith averted his gaze, expression weary. His face flushed as crimson as his lion’s color. Of course he wanted the satisfaction of him saying yes, even if he meant no. “Do I have a say?”

“Ah, so you do catch on quick. No, but it’s still courteous to ask.”

He swallowed hard and nodded, steeling himself for whatever was to come next. His senses clouded and the room felt stuffy. The air thick with the acrid smell of coffee still sitting on the coffee maker. He tried to silence his racing mind and qualm the fear overtaking him but every trial was a failure. 

Just play along.

Shiro knelt down on his knees, winking at him before his eyes glued to his pelvis. Maybe this would be the only time he would ever see Shiro this way. Only when he wanted to violate him and breach every boundary he ever had. It looked like becoming a Paladin meant giving up any and all autonomy over his body. Shiro yanked down his pants and underwear and marveled at the sight of him in his rawest, bare form. He sighed dreamily, as if he was living out one of his nasty fantasies, which he probably was. 

Keith only hoped this wouldn’t escalate beyond curiosity, but who was he kidding?

“Stop staring at it like that,” Keith groaned, embarrassed from the attention and the way Shiro was staring at it like it was a ripe and juicy cherry on top of an extravagant sundae. 

“It’s just so cute,” he purred as he licked up between his folds, the sensation like burst of lightning charging through his oversensitive nerves. “ Fuck .” 

Keith already loathed this, every moment of this, every passing second of this. Every greedy swipe of Shiro’s tongue between his folds and swirling the tip around his little nib had him trembling and nearly losing composure. A wave of unwanted euphoria each time since it’d been a while and Keith was so dearly touch-starved. He just didn’t want to be touched by Shiro . It was a shame that the relief and the fulfillment to be desired had to come from him. 

Keith suppressed a pathetic little whimper and clenched down tight on his clenched knuckles as Shiro slid his expert tongue inside. It was enough to make him croon and cry and writhe but none of these reactions served Shiro enough. 

He heard the whirring of a machine, Shiro’s arm, and the warmth against his inner thigh initially terrified him. Then a finger experimentally pressed between his folds and Keith shouted from shock, which earned him a little chuckle out of amusement from Shiro.

“Such pretty sounds you make,” Shiro murmured with an icky touch of affection. “So pretty, like you are.”

Keith, in spite of his better judgments and cliches be damned, flushed at the comment. Sure, he heard that enough times from strangers and admirers and friends alike that he was a looker, but from someone like Shiro . . . it somehow felt equally genuine and equally really, fucking unsettling .

The combined stimulation from Shiro’s tongue and vibrating arm sent an electrifying wave of euphoria as he clamped desperately around Shiro’s tongue, causing him to groan. He gasped as he felt more of his orgasm flush out of him like a burst dam onto Shiro’s willing, eager mouth. 

Shiro took a moment to admire Keith in an unwilling afterglow. Of course his mastery of oral was one of his many bedroom talents, and he was going to be more than happy to introduce more of that side of him to Keith. Keith glared daggers down at Shiro as he took a chockful of his shirt up to his mouth to wipe off the rest of his slick from his humiliating orgasm. They held eye contact for a split second longer, Shiro showing no signs of grief or any desire for atonement for what he had done to Keith. 

All he saw was Shiro’s huge, smug, punch worthy smirk on his face and a playful glint in his eye that felt so out of place, for some reason.

“Thanks for the fix,” Shiro said after another period of reflection. “You are delicious. I can’t wait to do more of this with you.” 

Keith felt another familiar sense of dread and impending doom overwhelm his nervous system. Before he could reply, the intercoms around the Castle switched on with an announcement. 

“Paladins! You are needed at the bridge. Please meet us in full gear in 10 doboshes.”

“You’re lucky I can’t end you right here!” Keith snarled as Shiro grinned wolfishly back at him. 

“Careful with those teeth and claws of yours, kitten, or I may just steal you sometime at night, when you least expect it. You’re lucky that for now, we have duties to attend to.” Shiro paused. “But that is still an idea to revisit later. Hm . . .”

“Get out!” he shouted. “Get out or I’ll chop your dick off and not give a damn about what happens after.”

Shiro's laughter reverberated through his room as he walked confidently towards the exit. His shoulders shook with mirth and his eyes glinted mischievously as he turned to look back at Keith, who was still standing rooted to the spot, his expression contorted into one off confusion and disbelief and more unease. Shiro's exit was a clear sign that he had won this round of whatever game they were playing, leaving Keith to ponder the unspoken challenge that hung in the air.

Chapter Text

“And that’s why you want Blazin’ Red Volt-Pop! So you can fire things up, just like your favorite Red Paladin.” 

Keith plastered his fake perfected camera-ready smile with a thumbs-up as the cameras flashed and the director called the commercial off. The cast and crew members nearby shuffled about and a makeup artist approached him to clean up his finishing powder. His nostrils tickler from irritation by the material and he nearly sneezed but Keith held himself off, apologizing to the lady who also smiled back apologetically. Keith released himself from the fake perfected mask he donned for the sake of publicity.

This was all way too much for him! He couldn’t believe all of the HR crap he had to endure as a paladin. Wasn’t the whole act supposed to be noble, and such things like fame weren’t things they fought for the universe? 

Then again, Shiro somehow ended up their most recent Black Paladin . . . maybe Keith’s perception was not the reality at all. He shouldn't take so many things at face value anymore, which was something he learned a long time ago and the hard way. 

“Well done, Keith!” Colleen clapped as she offered him a bottled water. Keith accepted it as he tossed the prop soda into a nearby wastebin. They had plenty of those, and they probably weren’t going to update the commercial for another millennia. “This is definitely not in your comfort zone, but you did well.” 

“You do what you got to do, and I'm too old to have a comfort zone anyway,” Keith muttered after he chugged down half that iced water bottle and sighed in satisfaction and relief. He wiped off the little water droplets on the corners of his mouth with his wrist. “I still just don’t understand why we need publicity at all.” 

“You’re cooperative, and that’s why we love you. But we do things like this because it helps get people more interested,” she explained with an apologetic smile of her own. This was not anybody’s favorite part of being a paladin, unless your name was Lance Delmar, who thrived under constant attention. Keith would know firsthand now. Lance stuck to him like honey to a bee. “Think of it like how back on Earth, when it still existed and hadn’t blasted into smithereens yet, in the United States they used all of that Republican and Democratic propaganda to pit parties against each other. Good thing we abolished that political system, huh?” 

“A fair point."

Colleen’s apologetic expression melded into one of happiness and relief. Keith swore this lady must be some cleverly designed AI, but he figured she had to put on a brave face a lot of the time. “You’re so understanding, and that’s why we love you. Oh by the way Keith, Shiro was hoping for you to see him in his room. He had just finished wrapping up his own ad.”

Despite his better judgment his natural reflex made him reject the offer: “Would he not want time to himself after that? Given his nature . . .” 

“Oh, nonsense! If he thought you were imposing, he wouldn’t have asked for you. Believe me, I knew the man since his cadet days in the military, and he doesn’t like letting just anyone get close to him. He must have a soft spot for you.” 

“Right . . .” Keith’s voice petered out as he sauntered out of the room. 

Best not to test the man who could end everything about him’s patience. Once he made it to their shared corridor, he made his presence known to Shiro before allowing himself inside. Steeling himself and preparing for whatever Shiro hoped to coerce him to do this time.

All Keith could do was smile and bear it. That was all he had done since he had gotten here. 

“Hey, Shiro. What did you want?” Keith asked as he entered the small pathway past the bathroom, catching a whiff of rosemary and lavender from a refreshing spray and into the bedroom of Shiro’s suite. Keith was once again reminded of how much fancier the interior was, but given it was the Black Paladin, of course he received only the best the Castle had to offer. There was a moodier atmosphere and an element to it that was reminiscent of the Black Lion’s entire essence. Somehow the room captured its entire vibe. 

As he paused just before the bedroom, he caught Shiro resting against the headboard of his cushiony master bed. He had donned on casual clothes that Keith had yet to see him in–he looked so relaxed and at ease with himself, like he wasn’t a complete shit stain. To the rest of the world, he definitely wasn’t. 

To Keith, though? 

Shiro was an even bigger enemy than the Empire. A mole. A scoundrel. 

The darker figure on the bed stirred and Keith froze. 

“Glad you got my message, Keith. Knew I could count on my right-hand.” 

Keith perked an eyebrow. He crept closer and as Shiro’s face became more visible in the dim lighting, his expression insipid yet somehow still carried that arrogant, confident air he always stored in him.

“Speaking of matters of the hand  . . . “ Shiro clenched and unclenched his mechanical one. “You know, as fun as it is to fap with this hand, it can be such a pain to clean off. I held off this time, because I’d rather your pretty mouth stretched around my cock instead. You can clean up the mess, and I won’t have to clean out my own seed from every nook and cranny of this damned thing.”

“Just use the other hand,” Keith spat in disgust. “Don’t care for whether or not it’s hygienic as long as I don’t have to get you off.”

“Oh, Keith. When did we establish you had a choice? Don’t you remember what would happen if you didn’t do as I ordered you to?” 

Keith clenched his jaw as he heard the faint whipping of Shiro unzipping his pants. He shielded his eyes, not wishing to look at the damned thing. 

“Look at me, Keith. Take a good look at your well-endowed leader. You should be grateful for my generosity. I haven’t let anyone in like this since my fiancé died tragically. He was the Red Paladin before you, you know. Then the Voltron Coalition went quiet for a few years before we started accepting new candidates.” 

“Yes, am aware,” Keith still didn’t pry his eyes open. Not yet. “He’d be disappointed in what you’ve become.” 

“He was already disappointed in ‘what’ I was when he was still here,” Shiro quipped, unimpressed. “Now look at me, Keith. No one’s going to help you. Do me here, and I’ll keep your secret. Or don’t and everyone finds out what you really are.”

Keith unshielded his eyes. His face already worn yet it didn’t turn Shiro completely off, somehow only motivated him. This had become a common occurrence–an ingrained routine, rather. Shiro held two big secrets (eh, well one of them wasn’t that much of a secret) over his head because Keith was firm in wanting such things to be revealed on his own accord. He did his best not to flush at the mere size of his girth . . . or his length either. As big, or bigger, than his forearm. He was not going to be able to fit even a decent chunk of that into his mouth, and Shiro definitely knew it. 

Shiro’s sinister laugh reverberated through his mind and caught him off-guard. Another flutter of unease coursed through him. Their gaze fixed on one another, and rage simmered in Keith’s soul. Shiro’s cock stiffened as he stroked it to hardness. 

“I know you’re still intimidated by my size. That’s why I only let you do handjobs before. I think you’re ready to use your mouth now.” 

“Fuck you.” 

“You can. Just blow me first.”

Keith took a balancing breath as a colorful slew of insults threatened to spill out of his own loose cannon of a mouth. Deciding to hold his tongue, he crawled onto Shiro’s bed until he stopped just before him. Face hovering over the tip of his cock. 

“My guy’s a beaut, isn’t he?” Shiro teased, causing Keith to grimace in response. “Go on, kitten. Suck my cock.” 

“Yes, Sir.” Keith experimentally pressed his lips to the tip, soft hands encircling the base, and Shiro groaned upon contact. 

“Ooooh, good, kitten. You remember what I like.” Shiro brushed his organic hand through Keith’s stark black locks. “That deserves a reward.”

Shiro was unusually generous. Keith would admit it. He actually preferred prioritizing Keith’s pleasure in this tradeoff even though it was clear that Shiro benefitted from this arrangement the most between the two. While Keith hadn’t expected to have his sexual prowess fulfilled by this maniac, he couldn’t say he wholly hated it. But maybe that was what Shiro wanted him to believe. Just because he knew how to pop his cherry in immeasurably pleasurable ways didn’t mean Keith liked it or liked him . 

Keith inched more of Shiro’s cock while he encouraged him with croons of approval. For some reason it left Keith tingling down there and his hand rested over Shiro’s organic hand which was still fiddling with his hair. 

Shiro caught onto his signal and chuckled in knowing. 

“You want me to play with your cute pussy, kitten?”

Keith suckled hard on his cock in affirmation. Shiro’s organic arm snaked behind Keith and dipped into his pants, finding his cute cunt already dripping wet from unwanted arousal. 

“Fuck, kitten. You’re so good with that mouth. You don’t need to be shy.” 

Keith had already taken as much as he could take. Shiro’s cock stuffed his mouth and went so far inside, it was already at the back of his throat. He lingered there, allowing Shiro to take the wheel. His mechanical hand replaced his organic and took a chock full of Keith’s hair, bucking his hips and more of his girth into his gorgeous mouth. 

Shiro, ever dextrous, managed to keep up his ministrations on Keith’s clit and his pace at a high intensity, chasing after his relief. Finally he thrust up one more time into Keith’s mouth with his seed gushing out. He pulled Keith off of his cock and commanded him to swallow, admiring the leftover white seed along the roof of his mouth and between his teeth. 

“Good, kitten. Are you about to come or do you want my mouth on you now?” Shiro glanced behind Keith. “Or should we analize you tonight?”

“No. I don’t–need your help.” 

“Oh? So you’d rather finish yourself off for me then?” Shiro sat back and removed his fingers. Keith still touched himself there. “Give me a good show, gorgeous.” 

Keith grumbled to himself. Shiro found any cheap, underhanded tactic to hold him down. He bit back a moan and his knees buckled as he finished himself off, fingers coated in his own slick. A sharp salty tang of his own release and Shiro’s climax clouded his senses. His vision almost went blurry for a second before it went back into focus onto the man smiling in satisfaction.

“Goooood. I’m glad we can have this little time to decompress together. Colleen can be pretty overbearing, huh?” 

“That’s no way to talk about someone who loves you like a son.” Even if Keith did find Colleen annoying at first, she had a good heart, and Keith wasn’t going to allow Shiro to put her through a smearing campaign for his own amusement and twisted need for validation. “And I bet if your fiancé was alive, he’d have dumped you after seeing the sick fuck that you really have been all along.” 

“Oh, Keith, you wound me!” Shiro rested his organic hand over his heart in mock sincerity. “But you know, we all had a bad day once. I just decided not to let it define me and it made me stronger person and less susceptible to bullshit.”

“Weird way to flip the narrative, that’s for sure,” Keith muttered with an icy glare as he shuffled to the restroom to rinse himself off and rid himself of any evidence that Shiro ever did this to him. Shiro thankfully didn’t give a damn if he used his things or not. Whatever got the job done.

As the steaming hot water in Shiro’s fancy, Victorian styled shower beat down on his back he could only ponder how he would be able to slip out of this mess. Though his duties with the Blade of Marmora came first, he was also here with some personal affairs to settle. He had sent his leader Kolivan transmissions nobody else would be able to decipher about what had transpired since he arrived. Believing Shiro was scheming for something bigger than this, something ineffable. 

Keith also hoped this would put his mind at ease. That arsonist attack that killed his father was no accident. It had to be premeditative. Someone had to know he was going into that building and was going to die in that burning buildling. One trait he picked up from his father was that nobody could tell him what was best for him other than him, and Heath wanted to go into the burning building to save the families that would have died as well. 

He shut off the shower and as he wiped himself dry and stepped out he saw that Shiro had offered him a new set of fresh clothes that were ironed and neatly displayed on the clothing rack. That and a new set of lotion and fragrance that he may like. That had him perk an eyebrow. That was an unusual declaration of appreciation from Shiro if he ever saw it. It wouldn’t kill him to be a little more courteous about aftercare, but he wasn’t warm and fuzzy and clearly, this wasn’t that kind of relationship. 

And any and all attraction Keith had for Shiro absconded. Keith no longer held Shiro in such high esteem like he had before he joined the Voltron Coalition. Not only did he want to bring the Empire to its knees, he wanted to drag Shiro down with him and expose him for the sham he really was. He couldn’t have always been like this if he had even a modicum of empathy left in him–enough to try to show some open affection through little gestures like these. It always started with the smaller steps, that led to big, impactful results. 

“Did you like the perfume? It . . . it was sandalwood. I know you mentioned it’s your favorite scent.” Shiro said as Keith stepped back into the main room. “I can see why. You’re the outdoorsy type, yeah?” 

“Sure,” Keith shrugged as he slipped on the comfortable clothes Shiro provided for him. Just in standard neutral casual clothes. Seamless. Cotton. Breathable. “Why’re you trying to get all chummy with me?” 

Shiro shrugged, matching his energy. “I just feel like it. I just feel like feeling you out. Not in that way right now. I actually want to do other things besides sex. Which may be a shocking revelation to you, I know . . . it was already to me. I have to say I just have grown fond of you.”

Keith rolled his eyes and sighed. “Just get to the point I’m supposed to care about: what do you want?” 

“A friend,” Shiro replied, running his organic hand through his hair. “Or, er, a companion . I’m not that close with any of the paladins. Except maybe the Holts and we have clearly grown distant.”

“You want me to be your friend ?” Keith laughed. What the hell was this sick joke of his entire life? “For starters, friends don’t hold secrets over each other’s heads. Or fuck, unless they’re in a relationship.” 

“Ah, but you’ve forgotten there’s such thing as friends with benefits,” Shiro replied with a wink.

“There are no benefits in this arrangement.”

“Oh?” Shiro tilted his head. “Try not to be so opposed, Keith. Being a companion will be more beneficial to you than you’d think.”

“Uh-huh. You keep talking like I have any say in this. You already decided the answer for me.”

“Yes, I did, but I must say–I am selfish. I have become fond of you, and I want to be more than what we are.”

“But I don’t want you.”

“That’s a shame. You have me anyway. You’re moving into my suite.”

“ What ?” Keith stammered, eyes shimmering from fear.

“Yes. That’s why I had Colleen have you come. Our rooms can merge, and we can be roomies now. Welcome to your upgrade, Keith.”

Keith weighed out his options. Which were already very limited. Grunting, he twisted on his heel and made a beeline to the exit. He needed to see Colleen.

Chapter Text

Keith found his way back to the photoshoots where Colleen was still monitoring and micromanaging every little thing possible. Keith didn’t know how else to convey his calamities with the new and unwanted arrangement with Shiro but he did not wish for this to come into fruition. Since he had taken on this role as the red paladin his life had put him through a state of constant turmoil and he wasn’t about to allow it to escalate further. 

Not if he had any control over himself and his decisions left! Colleen had to pull through for him! 

“Colleen—Colleen please tell me you didn’t agree to this.”

“If you tell me what you are alluding to then I will answer with a definite yes or a no, Keith.”

“Shiro and I being roommates.”

“Oh! He told me you wouldn’t oppose the offer. Besides, why wouldn’t you want to move in? You two seem to have gotten close. Oh! Excuse me for a minute . . .” Colleen shifted her attention to another worker and Keith was left to stew in his own self pity for a few moments. 

“Never meet your fucking idols,” Keith muttered under his breath. As much as he wanted to steal a pod and bolt out of the castle and revoke his entire identity as the red paladin, he already made it this far and when he returned home he would only be met with disapproval from Kolivan. That would not serve him many favors. Kolivan wouldn’t allow any room for mistakes or failures or straying from the primary goal. 

Just as he was about to make an escape back to his old room, Colleen twirled back around and her face contorted into confusion. 

“Did you say something?”

“No,” Keith answered to save face. “Thanks Colleen for this offer. Really. It’s a fantastic offer but I must refuse it. I insist! I’d rather have my own space.” 

“Oh! Nonsense,” Colleen replied with a girlish giggle as she held her clipboard close to her chest. She looked like a giddy school girl gossiping with him about the hottest boy in school or something. “Shiro only wants to give you the best we can offer here. You know, it may just be an adoptive mother’s intuition, but he definitely has feelings for you.” 

Keith looked like he was about to jump out of his skin at the notion.

Never meet your fucking idols , he repeated in his head like a broken record. He exhausted himself at this point. 

“Well, I should leave you to your devices Keith. Coran requested me to accompany the Queen for a speech. Are you attending?”

Keith nodded, thinking he didn’t have another option. “Sure.”

At the very least that would provide him some reprieve from this new arrangement. He began to feel as though his life was resembling some twisted, piss poor embellishment of The Devil Wears Prada  . . . he had sold his soul to this way of living in order to achieve a greater goal, but it was more trouble than it was all worth. Maybe he ought to reassess his priorities. Maybe confess to his leader Kolivan the truth. Keith had already discovered the true mole likely responsible for how much worse conditions had gotten for Neo-Altea. As much as he didn’t want to lose his own autonomy in favor of a goal greater than himself in the first place . . . what other choice did he have at the moment? He still didn’t have enough to pin on Shiro yet other than the fact that he was a thorn to his side. Kolivan was to be contacted once the situation became dire in colossal terms . . .

Losing a little bit of his autonomy and self-respect was just a small price to pay. If Shiro was serious about wanting a friend, then Keith could use that to his advantage. After Colleen wrapped things up with the last photoshoots, they moved to meet everyone else for Queen Allura’s speech.

The speech droned on as per usual. There was nothing unknown between the paladins that Queen Allura was announcing to the rest of the Castle and those tuning in so as per usual they had been talking amongst themselves. Shiro soon excused himself from the meeting along with some of the Galra guards who were seen with him more than usual. Lance caught onto some of their conversation from a distance and rang up the group about an interesting tidbit his acute hearing picked up. 

“Why does that guard keep addressing Shiro as his ‘Champion’? What, is it part of a D&D campaign, or something?” Lance inquired, his voice below a whisper as he inched closer to Keith and Hunk. Hunk and Keith both shrugged. 

“Well I mean the guard’s also Galra but rebelled against the Empire. And we don’t know much about Shiro’s history but you do know he was enslaved by the Galra Empire at one point. No one knows how he actually got out. Adam did though I think,” Hunk recalled. “Adam was basically Shiro’s rock, you know? They were a damn beautiful couple both physically and in terms of emotional security. That was the last time any of us ever saw Shiro genuinely alive and well. Now he’s like a whole shell of himself.”

“Adam?” Keith repeated, hoping to gauge a little more backstory out of that segment in Shiro’s life. Maybe that might provide more insight on why he was such a big bag of dicks. “That’s the red paladin before me.”

“Yeah and Shiro’s ex fiance. It was tragic how he died and where they ended things before that but I guess horrible things happen just to happen,” Lance said, sighing through his nose. “Shiro had become distant since then . . . he was already a bit gone when he escaped from the Galra’s clutches but at least then he had Adam to lean on. But after Adam died in that brutal mission, Shiro just kind of . . . checked out. Completely. He and Allura were like attached to the hip as buddies at one point. They haven’t exchanged more than professional conversations for the last few years. Even the Holts don’t get much out of him anymore.” 

Keith almost pitied the guy. None of what he had learned excused any of what Shiro had done so far but this at least gave him some perspective. And some psychological warfare for him to use himself. 

“Well, it’s not like he’s trying to change that,” Keith muttered. “But that doesn’t mean that doesn’t all still suck.” 

Lance nodded to confirm. “Yeah. I mean, he didn’t get much of a break before. I wish he would reach out for once and admit he needs help but . . . you know how it is, acting on pride. Even someone like Shiro, who used to be all humble and all against gloating and stuff like that.”

“What a shift in character,” Keith snorted. 

“You’re telling me! I’m the obnoxious one! ME!” Lance laughed. He pointed at himself for more emphasis. “I mean, at least Shiro’s so to himself that he doesn’t show that side of him, but man, when he does . . .” 

“It’s uncanny,” Hunk piped in. “Like now Lance is the one with the patience and the wisdom of a monk.”

“Hey! I can so be patient.”

“Sure,” Matt chuckled, leaning into the rail, of the area overlooking the huge conference room. “We believe you, Lance.”

Keith shook his head and laughed along with the other men. Much to keep in mind indeed, and maybe the leverage he needed to get his way. 

As Shiro led himself and the loyal guard away from prying eyes and into a hidden chamber not even Queen Allura was aware of herself, he stopped before something cloaked in a large cloth. 

"You really aren't who you made everyone believe you are, huh . . . " a guard muttered. “Why are you putting in all of this effort? You could just tell Altea that the war had ended long ago.” 

"Are you familiar with The Theory of Everything?" Shiro asked, his tone unnervingly casual as he looked at the concoction he had been brewing for the past decade. "It's a unifying theory that describes the fundamental nature of the universe. It combines the laws of general relativity and quantum mechanics to explain everything from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest structures in the cosmos."

"I'm not sure I follow," the guard admitted with a bashful expression. 

"Then allow me to explain, my good fellow," Shiro continued, tone now mocking his ignorance and feeble mind. "According to the Schwarzchild radius, when an object is compressed down to a certain size, it becomes what we know as a black hole. This occurs when the density of the object becomes so great that it collapses in on itself. The world is composed of many things–matter, quintessence, energy–but when all of the matter in your body is compressed down to a size smaller than an atom, its density causes it to collapse in on itself and form that black hole."

As the guard struggled to grasp this concept, Shiro turned his attention to his "Masterpiece" he revealed--a machine that would bring destruction not only to this world, but to any connecting worlds. 

"Lotor intended to use this machine to preserve the entire makeup of the universe, but I will use it to destroy it," Shiro declared with the strongest of conviction. "I have packed everything in the known universe–quintessence, energy, and matter–into this little passion project. This is infinite mass in a finite space, and it bends to my will. At my command, it will destroy existence itself. And finally mine as well. I can’t get Adam back, but I can join him. We can all end this limitless cycle of misery.”

The guard's eyes widened in horror as the true implications of Shiro's words sank in. "But all life is sacred! The nihilism isn't a great look on you, w-with all due respect, sir!"

Shiro remained unmoved, unbothered, and unyielding as always. Any compassion he had left for himself, and truly the rest of the universe, humanity and Galra and Alteans and Olkari or whatever the fuck else alike, absconded.

“To be honest, I’m more concerned with the end of my own existence. The quintessence exposure that healed me of my disease and provided me with longevity isn't worth it if the love of my life isn't here to live the rest of our years together," he explained calmly.

The guard, now realizing the gravity of the situation, took a step back. "I have to report this to the Queen!" he exclaimed as he scrambled for self-defense weapons. "I can't believe how far gone you've become, Shiro! Adam is gone, but you can move on with someone new!"

"That's never going to happen," Shiro snapped, his arm whirring as it emitted a familiar Galra purple glow. The guard assumed Shiro regarded both aforementioned scenarios. "Not unless I end you first."

An anguished cry out of the loyal guard reverberated through the room. 

Once Shiro disposed of the body with the same cold efficiency he always had he ambled his way back toward the new shared quarters with Keith, ever none the wiser about what he had just done. The guard was one of many other Galra who joined Neo-Altea in their crusade, and he was not going to be missed very much. Easily replaceable, just like the rest of them.

He thought Adam was an exception to that. But then they found Keith–someone who still wouldn’t replace Adam as a person, but would serve well to fill the role of the Red Paladin. 

Keith was exceptional, no doubt, and a fun toy in addition to that fact. He was a cute little spitfire who thought he could get away with having an attitude. Under Shiro’s wing he would soon learn that wasn’t how he would get by here. Shiro enjoyed the prospect of getting to stretch the responsibilities of his right hand man even if he wasn’t romantically involved with him. Shiro would like that, one day in the future, should he decide a future was worth pursuing. At any given moment he would happily pull the plug. 

Misery was the blight of bleakness that plagued Shiro’s life the day Fate took Adam away. Looking back it was his fault. Due to his own rashness he sent Adam hurling toward his death. Since then he had made a compromise with the Galra Empire not before coldly disposing of their Royal Family. Unbeknownst to Neo-Altea and some nearby galaxies, the Royal Family was dead, executed by Shiro’s hand out of pure anguish, grief-stricken and fueled by the lust for vengeance. Everyone had taken note of how distant he’d become to the team and during their search for a worthy replacement. He hadn’t cared to mend any severed connections he had to the others, not even Colleen which he felt partially guilty about. He couldn’t change that anymore.

No. Keith would never fill the void in Shiro’s heart, mind, and soul. Not even as a rebound. Keith did . . . provide him something. True companionship. Even if it was like walking on a tightrope. Shiro hoped to forge a stronger connection between them and maybe then it could blossom into something more than raw fucking. The attraction and interest he harbored for Keith was still in there somewhere and certainly Keith had to have found him attractive enough in return to put up with his antics . . . 

Eh, regardless, no skin off of Shiro’s back if it didn’t escalate beyond what they already were. Shiro would bend or change the rules wherever necessary if it meant getting Keith to remain compliant. Speaking of which he hoped to return to him as soon as he got back to his room. With the Castle of Lions being sentient itself and able to change the interior, their rooms should have merged by now per Shiro’s request. 

He couldn’t wait to get settled with these new living conditions.