It had gotten late.

Washing your hair and taking a pre-sleep snack before hitting the hay was your routine. Unfortunately for you, you had a very realistic nightmare that startled you awake in a cold sweat.

Next thing you know, you end up taking a walk to clear your intrusive thoughts. It takes you to the communal room, curling up against the couch, lost in thought when a comforting warm rumble struck right through you.

"Y/n?" You look over your shoulder to see Shiro in just a gray tank top and charcoal sweatpants. "What's the matter?"

You look away, rubbing your sore eyes with your forearm. "Can't sleep."

You felt a dip next to you before you felt goosebumps from his prosthetic cyborg arm brushing your bare arm. "Bad dream?"

You yawn deeply in your hand. "Yeah."

Shiro frowned, worry laced in his expression. "Wanna talk about it?"

While part of you wanted to keep it locked up inside, you also thought venting out would help lessen the weight of it on your conscience. "Being lost and alone in space. Zarkon taking the Black Lion. Killing you. Just … not so happy thoughts.” You hugged yourself; trembles of the dream still shaking you up, rubbing your arms from the sudden chill of the ill omens yet to pass.

“Hey.” His embrace enveloped you in fuzzy warm sensations, wiping the discomfort away. “While talking about these kinds of things is better than holding them in, you shouldn’t linger on these intrusive thoughts so much. You're not alone anymore, Y/n. You have us now. And together, we'll work to help free the universe from Zarkon's tyranny. It won't be easy. It'll be quite a long journey. And our lives will be put to helping those in need for it's the Paladin way, even with the risks that come with it. But I wouldn't change it for anything. It led me to you, after all."

You snuggled up against him, pressing your face against the side of his neck, kissing his warm skin. “Well, being with you now makes me feel better already.”

"Oh really?" The mischievous tone his voice took made your nerves go all jittery when you felt his bare hand squeezing your side. Your surprised squeak got you quite alert. “How about now?”

“Yehehes.” Your soft giggles brought a smile to Shiro's face. Now, that's another reason to keep fighting the good fight with the Voltron Force. To protect the smiles and laughter of those they care for. Including his very own space angel.

“Even … this?” He blew a raspberry in the crook of your neck, sending your body spasming as your giggles became squeaks. You slapped your hand over your mouth, afraid of waking the others, earning a chuckle from him.

“Mmm-hmm~!” Talking through bubbly laughter was difficult for you, but Shiro understood.

Your hands grabbed his, strength draining quickly from all the activity, as prying them off became tiresome. His hands slyly went underneath your top to rub his thumbs near your hips, buzzing his open-mouthed kisses all over your neck in unison, sending you into a quiet laughing mess.

"Well, they do say laughter is the best medicine." Even as his weighing stature gently pushed you to lay back down, pinning your body beneath his, digging his digits against your ribs, you were overwhelmed with giddiness. "Helps that hearing yours is too addictive for me to ignore."

"Shiro, I give, I gihihihive~!" Your weezy plea got him to stop, only for him to hoist you both back up, wrapping your legs around his firm waistline. "Thanks Shiro." His big smooch against your cheek brought another giggle out.

"Thank you for being here, with us, me and … yeah." He blushed, bashfully smiling as you smooched his cheek in return to your inner delight. "Now come on, you. Let's get you back to bed."

"M'kay." You mumbled, dozing off against his shoulder, as he carried you with ease to your room.

But even as he settled you back down, pulled the blankets over you, and started turning away to leave, you weren't ready to part from him yet.

You latched onto his robotic hand. "Stay. Please." Your quiet whimpers sent a tremor throughout his essence. He couldn't say no to you when you're giving him that puppy eyed, pouting face.

He rolled his eyes, smirking. "Move over."

You did, already curling against his figure as you two made do with your small bed. His arms wrapped around your waist, his legs weaving between yours, his face nestled in your hair as you nestled against his pecs, hearing his heart beating, sighing in content as he gave you a gentle squeeze, kissing the top of your head.

"I love you, Y/n."

"I love you too, Shiro."

With Shiro's form fitting perfectly right against your own, you were smothered with comfy dreams.

Dreams of the found family you're proud to be a part of and their compassionate caring leader that wanted you by his side as you two rode out this journey to the very end.

You and your black Paladin.