#hellomystars

“She is stunning, is she not?” Zarkon rumbles, staring up at her from next to Kolivan.

Kolivan tries to take it all in, his gaze sweeping up and down. Her presence fills up the spaces between his ribs, and it takes effort to catch his breath. If this is how she affects him, he can only imagine what she does to Zarkon. He doesn’t have to be told, he knows in an instant that Zarkon is meant to be her pilot. Frankly, the thought is terrifying.

“Very stunning, my lord,” Kolivan replies when he realizes he’s let the silence stretch too long. A quick glance around them confirms they are alone. “What is she?”

“I know not. Only that she was crafted from the star that crashed here and she is part of something greater than anything we can imagine.”

Kolivan’s ears flicker back. “She lives.”

“She does. Alfor’s vision is that she and the others will help us protect our homes from any that would threaten us.”

Others. There are more. Truly a part of something greater. Kolivan appreciates the joy he can all but touch radiating from Zarkon, but the notion fills him with a low hum of dread. He can’t help but think that dread will follow him every time Zarkon takes flight with her, embarks on this noble mission to protect the universe and their people. As a soldier of the empire, Kolivan knows full well how this works. The oath to fight and defend comes with every risk imaginable, and in a galaxy full of unknowns – planets they’ve never seen, fleets they’ve never encountered – lives are at stake, particularly those on the front lines. It’s a life he’s always been willing to accept for himself, but from the moment their paths crossed, Kolivan has known that Zarkon is meant for greater things. He’s heard it in the barracks, but he’s also experienced it close and personal. It’s one of the many things that has drawn him in and never quite let him go. As unworthy as he sometimes feels to have this Galra, this prince as his mate, he is never more proud to stand at his side. If something were to happen to him…

“You worry, I can tell.” Zarkon’s tone is teasing but warm. He reaches out, tracing the bright red marks over Kolivan’s brow, also well aware they are alone and away from prying eyes. This intimacy can be afforded, and Kolivan is not immune to it.

He turns his face towards Zarkon’s touch, his eyes closing. “You know me well.”

“I ought to.” Zarkon is still teasing him. “Perhaps if you were not so adverse to the skies, you could join the fleet.”

“Ahh, but then who will be here to protect your lands?”

“More importantly,” Zarkon murmurs, turning to fully face Kolivan. He tips forward just enough that their foreheads touch, they breathe the same air together. “Who will be here to welcome me home?”

Kolivan feels the skin beneath his fur grow uncomfortably warm. Zarkon’s chuckle is soft, and Kolivan huffs out a sigh. “I will always be here, Zarkon. You know this.”

“I do.” The words are followed with a caress along the tuft of one ear, and down along the scruff at Kolivan’s jaw.

They share a kiss, exchange a nip of teeth along lower lips, playful and intimate. As Kolivan places his hands on Zarkon’s waist to draw him closer, he feels that sensation from before filling his chest. It feels like a purr, but no sound is coming from him. Zarkon laughs again.