[C][AU][Future AU] Messages

"From what I can guess? At least four different species blood, some kind of mucus, and I'm not even going to try and guess what that brown stain is on your ankle."

That was a mystery best left a mystery, he decided.

"Honestly," he lip quirked up as she looked up at him, "I don't even know."

It was well and truly a mystery to the universe.

Her eyes dropped to the mark on his neck, then back at the screen, monitoring the levels of extraction.

"So, shall I ask now why you called me and not a castle?"

"That... sort of makes it worse. What sort of places are the Galra sending you? Please don't answer that."

He really didn't want to know.

"Well, I was sort of banished, so I'm gatecrashing because I don't want to be banished. The world needs Voltron more than I need to heed that banishment."

His fingers found the back of her neck again, stroking affectionately at the skin there.

She snorted.

"Good banishment if you managed to escape it within a month."

She closed her eyes and tilted her head forward.

"If I wanted to banish someone, that is not how I would go about it, leaving a communicator with someone."

"It wasn't a formal banishment," he snorted.

His fingers played idly at the back of her neck.

"It was more of a... I'm sending you away and I don't want you to come back... sort of thing..."

His fingers stopped, and his voice faded out.

He gave a sigh, and his fingers returned to teasing at her skin. "Voltron's more important," he said resolutely.

Krolia remained quiet for a long moment, mulling his words over.

"Voltron is important," she agreed. She turned her head back up to him, and reached up to cup his forearm, "But so are you. You've been sorely missed. The universe is in a better place with you taking an active part in it - Voltron or not."

His gaze settled on her, rather than a far-off point over her shoulder, and his firm trying-not-to-feel stare melted into something much more tender.

He leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.

"Thank you, Krolia. I needed to hear that."

When Dick sent him away, he'd felt... expendable. Like he didn't really matter. Voltron could find new Paladins. It had happened before, and it would happen again, long after he and the other Paladins died.

But hearing that someone else thought he - he as a person and not just part of Voltron - was important made him feel a lot better.

She met his lips lightly and far more friendly then the last had been.

She squeezed his arm.

"I worry over the fact that you had to hear that."

She typed in a few more codes as messages popped up and the beam of light died. They had enough quintessence.

"Humans aren't as strong-minded as Galra. Sometimes we need to hear things that should be obvious."

Like the fact that he meant more than his Paladin status, and that the universe was better off with him here.

"Should I wake the rock, or just let the wormhole wake him up?" His eyes cut to Lucas - how was he still fucking sleeping - as he pondered. One would be much more pleasant than the other. He just wasn't sure whether he wanted to be nice or not.

"The wormhole."

It was without question.

What could she say? Sometimes she liked to be cruel to her friend's for fun. It built character.

She started it up, braced herself, and flew through it, her stomach dipping as it would when falling incredibly fast.

Lucas bolted awake, wide eyed.

"What the fuck? What happened?"

"Krolia flew us into an asteroid. We're going to die," Fleck responded, trying to fight back his grin.

He, too, enjoyed seeing his friends in discomfort every now and again.

Especially Lucas.

Especially Lucas.

Lucas jumped into action despite his head pounding and attempting to catch up with everything that was happening since opening his eyes.

"Run down with me; what happened? How critically-" He caught sight of the monitor. He studied it before his shoulders relaxed.

"You're both shits."

He slumped down into his chair and Krolia burst in a short bout of laughter.

Fleck followed Krolia's laughter, his shoulders shaking as he pressed his face into the back of Krolia's head. His thumb brushed her nape again.

"We wormhole jumped. Nothing to be scared of."

They weren't going to die today.

Lucas eyed them both, his annoyance brushed aside for amusement.

"A little warning would be nice next time."

"You asked me to wake you up when we get to the castle, and I did."

It was currently a white orb in the distance. It would take a few doboshes to get to it.

She sent out an automated alert to say they were friendly and requested a communication link.

Fleck turned his gaze back to Lucas and grinned wider.

"Hope you enjoyed your nap. Things are gonna be full on for a while." He knew they were both going to get Hell for this. it wasn't going to be as easy as just walking in and everything going back to normal.

His gaze lingered on Lucas for a moment before turning to the castle ahead of them.

Lucas groaned, then rubbed his head. It throbbed a little. He certainly wasn't eighteen anymore.

"As long as I get my bed back, I'm good."

He will take whatever comes at them in stride.

The board lit as a communication link was made.

"This is the castle. State your purpose," it was Amr's. Lucas sat up in his seat, glad to hear another familiar voice.

"This is Krolia-"

"Krolia!"

"-requesting landing. I have some... cargo."

"Cargo?"

"Mm, Earth cargo. I found some things on a mission that I think you would like."

"Oh! No problem. I will prepare a hangar for you."

Fleck dipped his head. "Things?" he whispered in her ear around a chuckle.

He'd been demoted to thing!

Apparently being banished to Earth was a bigger demotion than he thought.

She waved her hand to lightly smake Fleck behind her. Yes, for now, he was demoted to a thing in the name of a surprise.

Whether the occupants would find it a good or bad surprise? Well, that was another question entirely.

She cut Amr off before he could delve into idle chatter, the castle becoming a clearer and more intimidating shape in front of them.

They passed the castles defensive system and made their way to the hangar that opened up for them.

They landed and she turned the cargo ship off. She glanced at them both.

"I suppose, welcome home?"

He laughed when he was batted.

Cute, she was trying to drum up excitement for them.

He pressed a light kiss to the lobe of her pointed ear the pulled back, excitement starting to get the better of him.

They were home.

He squeezed Krolia's shoulder. "Thank you, Krolia." He couldn't say that enough.

"Yeah, thanks," Lucas tagged on. He was looking at them both critically. Pieces of what might have happened between them when he was asleep were formed and put together.

"It's no problem. If you need anything else, call me." She said it to them both, but her eyes were on Fleck, voice layered with meaning.

The ship opened up for them to get off, Lucas led the way down.

"Lucas?!"

Lucas stumbled as body crashed into him, pulling him into a hug. Amr.

He was still tall, but broader and older like the rest of them. He had lost some of his piercings and an eye. Altean technology was in its place.

"Fleck! Oh man, I missed you both. I'm so glad you're both back!"

He rushed up to meet Fleck and pull him too into a crushing hug.

"Now you've saved my ass for the... seventh time?" He wasn't counting that time on Kenenbar. They saved each other's asses that time. "You're speed dial one, now, Kro."

Fleck dropped Krolia a wink as Lucas was bowled over.

He wrapped his arms around Amr, hugging him tight.

"We missed you, too, Blue. Especially Lucas. I think he was pining," Fleck stage-whispered, definitely loud enough for Lucas to hear.

Amr laughed, the crows around his eyes deepening.

"Aw, that is so sweet!" He cooed.

"Fuck off and just drop it already," Lucas groaned.

Almost ten deca-phebes of telling them to drop it and he was still hanging on hope that they would.

"Come on, let's gets some food. Then we can do the rounds of seeing everyone."

Amr hadn't spoken to a soul about them coming back.

"Thanks, but I'm going," Krolia said.

Amr's face fell.

"Already?"

She nodded, already making her way to hug Amr and Lucas, both uttering a variety of "stay safe," and, "don't die," before she made her way over to Fleck.

"I'll drop it when I die," Fleck promised.

He gave Am's back a firm pat then let go, stepping back.

His smile wouldn't drop from his face. He was finally back home, where he should be.

"Food sounds good. Who's cooking?" It certainly wouldn't be him. He was taking some kitchen time off. At least for the next phoeb.

When Krolia approached him, he opened his arms for a hug.

"There are some leftovers made the other day - a curry."

It was a strange combination of following an Earth recipie with non-Earth ingredients.

Krolia welcomed the hug and held the human tightly. Her hand cupoed the back of her head.

She pulled back and rested their forehead together; a galra for of intimacy between the closest of friends and family.

"The universe is happy to have you back," she repeated herself, "and so am I."

She pulled back and clapped him firmly on the shoulder before anything else passed between them.

Curry. Excellent. It would be nice and strong and spicy. Exactly what he needed after a week of being on Earth, where everything was too sweet and mild.

His hand came up to cup the back of Krolia's head, mimicking the gesture.

"I'm happy to be back."

He snorted when she pulled back and thumped him.

"Not happening. Come here." He pulled her back with a sharp jerk, pushing himself up onto the tips of his toes (He'd never had to do that with someone - he kinda liked the new experience) and kiss her firmly.

"I'll call you about a date some time, Kro."

He dropped her another wink as he pulled back. "Have fun on that mission. Vrepit Sa.