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Shiro sighed, opening his eyes. What… what just happened? A cool, salty breeze swept by. Shiro pushed himself up, turning and letting his legs dangle off the edge. His foot hit the water. So… was he still on the dock? Was that just a dream? It didn’t feel like one.
“Finally awake?”
Shiro turned. “R-Romelle? When did you get here?”
She smiled, picking up the tray of food on the bench next to her. “Quite some time ago actually, but you looked at peace, so I didn’t want to disturb you. I hope you don’t mind a cold dinner.”
“Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to miss dinner I-I was just… no. No of course I don’t mind. Thank you.”
She stood, setting the tray beside Shiro before sitting back down on her bench. “Wouldn’t it be more comfortable up here? I can slide over if you wanted a seat.”
“Hm? Oh, no thank you. I don’t mind the floor. I like being able to stick my feet in the water. It’s… simple. Nice. Kind of… reminds me of Lance.”
“Did you see him?”
“What?”
“When you were in your bond, did you see him?”
“What do you mean by… Wait, y-you mean just now? Was that what that was?”
“Well obviously. Quintessence was pouring off you like it was… what did you say that Earth tradition was again? The one with the recreational explosions. Fourth of Julie?”
“Fourth of July. Yeah, that was big when I lived in America. How did you know?”
“I’m Altean. I can feel it.” She glanced down as Shiro’s untouched plate, “You should really be eating you know.”
“O-Oh. I… guess I should, shouldn’t I?” He looked at it, but didn’t move.
“Well?”
“S-Sorry. I’m sorry, It just.” He looked away. Staring at seemingly endless stretch of shimmering water in front of him. The sun was starting to set. “It just… hit me all of a sudden and... and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“About what?”
“Everything. Why did they call me there in the first place? Why was Lance the only one who stayed to listen? Didn’t the rest of them wonder where I’ve been? Didn’t anyone else care enough to at least try to hear me out? And where was Keith? He should have been called by the Black Lion. He’s her Paladin now, not me. At the very least he should have been there for Red, but he wasn’t. Lance was. Why wasn’t he there? I gave him that responsibility. I... God, I forced him into it. And if it was my orders that got him killed then I—” His voice cracked.
“Woah!” Romelle lept from her bench. She slid down next to him, pulling his crying form into her arms. “Hey, hey there. It’s alright, calm down.”
“No!” He pushed her away, “No it’s not alright! I was supposed to be their leader. I was supposed to protect them. That was my job, not Keith’s. And now look at me? Black banished me here because I was too weak. Because I failed them. That’s why none of them stayed. That’s why none of them cared. It’s my fault Keith’s gone and they know it. Keith would still be there if I only hadn’t been so weak. If I only hadn’t been so incompetent. If I only hadn’t been so… so broken. God, why am I so broken? Black should have picked someone else. Not me. I don’t deserve it. I’ve never deserved it. They can’t form Voltron now, can they? That’s why they called me. That’s why they needed me. Their lives were at risk because I left them. Because I failed them. Because… because I couldn’t… I-I wasn’t…”
“Shh. It’s alright. I’m sure Keith is fine. Maybe he was just at a meeting, or in a healing pod, or simply somewhere else. There’s no need to jump to conclusions. Your team doesn’t hate you. They called for you, and Lance tried to listen, right? You said so yourself.”
“He tried, but I couldn’t get through. I was too far away. My bond with Black wasn’t strong enough, I couldn’t—” His voice cracked again.
“It’s okay. Your safe. The Black Lion didn’t banish you. She sent you here to heal because she loves you. She wanted to protect you. You were nearly dead when you first came here. If she hadn’t, then you would never have survived. You would never have the chance to see your home or your friends or Keith again, and you would never have met me. Out of all the people in all the planets and systems and galaxies in this universe, she chose you. And then, she chose to send you here. The odds of us ever having met is so low it borders on impossible, and yet here we are. Sitting on the same dock, having the same conversation, and watching the same sunset. Have more faith in the universe, Shiro, and have more faith in yourself. And, if you can’t, then trust in your friends. Trust their judge of character. Trust them enough to know they care when they call for you, when they try to listen to you, and when they say they love you.” She took his metal hand, entwining their fingers. “I love you Shiro. Do you trust me?”
“I…” He stared at her hand for a moment—it was confident, unflinching—before glancing up into her eyes. They held no accusations, no judgement, only warmth. “I trust you.”
“Then, for now, let that be enough.”
The last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon, shrouding the pier in darkness as they kissed.