Chapter Text
“Are you sure about this?” You asked as Shiro looked up at you from his position on the ground. His eyes were soft as he smiled.
“Completely. Don’t you trust me?” Shiro grinned.
“I trust you, I really do. I don’t trust my own balance, though.” You laughed a little, shifting from one foot to the other.
“If you don’t want to lay on your back, then just wrap your arms around me and hold on.” He suggested, letting himself rest on his elbows.
“You know, there are easier ways to get me to hug you.” Your lips turned up into a smile.
“C’mon, it’ll be ok.” Shiro gestured for you to come over. You rolled your eyes and walked over to Shiro, laying down on his back and wrapping your arms under his. Shiro smiled, getting back into his push-up position.
“Count for me?” He asked, glancing back at you.
“I’ll tell you every five, ok?” You said, pressing your cheek between his shoulder blades. It was hard to keep yourself from laughing as Shiro did his push-ups, feeling his muscles move underneath you.
“Five. . . ten. . . fifteen. . . twenty.” You counted, listening to his breathing. “Am I getting heavy yet?”
“Heavy? Maybe after another ten I’ll start feeling it.” Shiro chuckled. You shifted your weight a little, not wanting to throw him off balance. “I’ll take a shower after this.” He muttered, thinking over the schedule for the day.
“I only shower at night.” You told him.
“You’re quite the night owl, aren’t you?” Shiro said, bringing his chest to the floor and then pushing himself back up.
“I just don’t like being the first person asleep.” You snickered, even though there was more truth to it than joke. Very few people in the castle new about Shiro’s recurring nightmares from his time as a prisoner on the Galra ship. It was only you and Keith. Several times you’d stay up with Shiro to read to him over rub his back while he tried to fall asleep. When he woke up from bad nightmares, your arms wrapped around him brought him back to reality. You cared deeply for each other, even though it was never truly said. You both remained. . . good friends at most. There was no declaration of love or long hugs or any kisses. Nothing that would break that string of friendship. You both needed each other too much to possibly ruin anything.
Once Shiro was done with his routine, you rolled off his back, landing on the floor.
“I feel like this is my permanent position on this ship.” You laughed.
“Floor person?” Shiro asked in confusion.
“Exactly.” You said.
“I think you’re more than just that.” Shiro went back down on his elbows.
“Really?” You rose your brows.
“Yeah. I don’t know what we’d do without you. I don’t think the other Paladins trust anyone more than you.” Shiro smiled.
“You flatter me.” You laughed. “Don’t be too modest, either. Everyone looks up to you, Mr. Black Paladin Leader.” You teased.
“Hey, I wouldn’t be anything without-”
“Paladins! Paladins to the front deck! This is not a drill!” Allura’s voice rang out over the speaker system as alarms went off. Both you and Shiro turned your faces away from each other as you got up.
“So much for your shower.” You said, offering your hand to pull Shiro up to his feet. Shiro and you split up in the hallways, as he had to suit up, while you just had to make your way to the front.
“Allura, what’s wrong?” You asked, rushing into the control room. Allura was working through some control maps, while Coran was at the controls.
“There’s a fleet of Galra ships that have shot first already. We need to move quick.” Allura said, not even looking at you as she was going through a plan. The Paladins all came in, Shiro leading them.
“Go to your lions. We need to keep those ships away as long as we can until we can get the teleduct working. Paladins, keep on guard because we don’t know what they have up their sleeves.” Allura warned, sending them off.
“Good luck.” You called after the five, who nodded in response.
“I’ll see you on the other side.” Shiro gave you a half salute, which made you smile.
“You better.” You warned before he was out of site.
“When are you going to ask them out?” Shiro groaned when he heard Lance through his helmet.
“Let’s keep our minds on the task ahead.” He answered back, trying to stay as far away from that topic as he could. All the Paladins were well aware of his growing friendliness with you. The only one who remained oblivious to his feelings was you.
“When we win, you should give her a victory kiss.” Lance made smooching noises over the com.
“Lance. . . shut up.” Pidge responded. “We don’t make fun of you for every being that rejects you.” That caused Lance to grumble over the com.
“C’mon, guys, focus.” Keith sighed, his lion already out of the ship. There were several Galra ships, all ready to try their army against Voltron.
“These ships look different than the ones we’ve seen before.” You muttered, looking over the screens to see the lions instantly attacking the ships. They met their match with these, making you bite your lip.
“How so? What do you see?” Allura asked, charging up the castle to jump through space. It was getting harder and harder to transport the ship.
“Those. . .” You zoomed in on one of the ships. “I’ve never seen them except on that one robeast a while back. . .” You murmured, trying to figure out the new functions of these ships.
“Anything you can guess will help.” Coran said, looking over at you as you worked on your own screen. You didn’t have any special talents like everyone else you had met. You were mainly there for your uplifting personality. You were a pillar for most of the people on this ship, supporting each of them as best you could do.
“Oh shit. . .” You muttered, looking back and forth between your images and the videos of the Paladins on the defense and offense. “Those aren’t blasters. Those are traction rays. Like vacuums.” You told the two. You pressed the button beside your comlink.
“Everyone, don’t get too close to those ships!” You shouted. “Stay away from them as long as you have to. Those big looking guns aren’t guns. Stay out of the beams of light or else you’re getting sucked in.” You said, worriedly. You felt panicked, not having anyway to help from where you were in the ship.
“You heard her! Keith, move back!” Allura commanded, seeing him take on a ship headon. You bit your lip, feeling helpless. You were the only one who wasn’t doing anything.
“The castle is almost at full charge!” Coran turned around.
“Retreat back to the castle. Avoid those rays, like (Y/n) said.” Shiro said, piloting his lion around to check on how everyone was doing and making sure they were on their way back.
“Shiro, look out!” Lance shouted, seeing the traction activated right over the black lion. He was trapped.
“Shiro!” Everyone turned, not going back to the castle. There was no way to help. You would have to knock the black lion out of the ray and then whoever did that would be trapped in return. Your eyes widened, heart beating as an insane idea passed through your mind.
“(Y/n), what do you think we should- (Y/n)?! (Y/n), where’d you go?!” Allura shouted, looking around the room. You had disappeared from your spot and she had no clue where you were until Coran pulled up the security cameras.
“Allura, she’s in one of the pods.” Coran said, making the screen larger.
“(Y/n), what are you doing?” Allura called, catching your attention for a split second.
“We can’t lose the black lion. We can’t lose Shiro.” You said, putting your helmet on. Allura didn’t know what to do. If the paladins tried to help, then another one would be taken and Voltron wouldn’t be Voltron. You pulled the ship out of the hanger, piloting out into the heat of the battle.
“What’s that?” Hunk pointed the ship that came out of the castle.
“Oh, quiznack.” Lance breathed. “(Y/n), you can’t do this. Go back in the castle.”
“Sorry, guys, but I can’t let any of you get stuck in that ray. Hold on, Shiro.” You said, shifting your thrusters to full power for the biggest burst of energy you could make.
“(Y/n), no!” Shiro yelled as your ship hit its highest speed and you rammed it right into the black lion, throwing it out of the ray’s range. The only issue now, though, since the black lion was much bigger than your ship, was that the beam took you in much faster than you thought.
“Shit.” You muttered as your link was turning to static. It became silent as you were taken in the ship and the lions were no longer a target.
“Shiro, we have to get out of here. It’s not safe.” Keith said, everyone stuck in this horrible realizations.
“We can’t leave. We can’t just leave her.” Shiro said, trying to go after the ship, but the black lion refused, going back to the ship. “Stop! We need to go back!” He hit his controls, watching as that one ship started to retreat. The one ship that held you. The person everyone trusted. The person that he trusted. You were gone.