Candlelight

1

Having been one of the most humanoid-looking members of the renegade force that picked him up, you grew close to Matthew Holt talking about what you missed back home. Though having been taken in at different times of your life, he missed much more than you did.

"My sister is super smart, the moment I got into the garrison she studied as hard as she could, not that she needed to really, and she got in too! I heard from the guys that apparently she had to fake being a guy to get in, and she–"

He never shut up about his sister when she wasn't around, but on rare occasions you manage to hear about him.

"I really miss earth from time to time, but it's nice to know that what I'm doing out here is helping not just my planet, but many others." he sighed. "Maybe I'm just convincing myself that I'm making a difference but in the end, I want to do the most I can."

There were many times you wanted to tell him that his best was more than anyone could ever ask for from him, that his efforts had saved countless of lives whether he sees it or not but you were often interrupted before your point got across. He has always put a hand on your shoulder and thanked you for your words before you or he needed to return to his chores, but you felt somewhere deep down that his doubts and worries hadn't dissipated at all. If anything they just kept festering.

Thankfully those months at the radio station you had been posted to with him helped the both of you grow closer. Before you knew it you were only talking when you really needed to, silence becoming quickly comfortable between you two.

When Pidge had picked you both up at the radio outpost you had been stationed at, the way he jumped on the Altean princess may or may not have broken your heart a little. And to your surprise it was Lance to pick up on your troubled expression, after having shooed Matt away from the love of his life.

----

You never expected to hit it off with the blue-suited paladin.

Lance was the kind of person to pay attention about how he presented himself, and when he mentioned skincare you couldn't stay away, having experienced a few problems with your skin yourself. After traveling to so many planets with such different types of atmosphere, it was inevitable.

"I thought all humans had skin that resembled Matt's. Guess I was wrong."

"Hell yeah you were! There are many kinds of climates back home, so there are many kinds of skin types! Depending on what kind of genes you inherited, your skin will be different."

"I guess that makes sense." you nod, while Lance tilt his head to the side.

"What kind of planet do you come from?"

You stared back at him with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, no it's nothing. It's simply been a while since someone's asked me about my home world."

Lance chuckled. "Well they should, anyone should be curious about where someone as cool as you came from."

To that, you laughed for the first time in a while. Lance chuckled, nudging your shoulder lightly.

"Hey, I used to pilot the blue lion, I think I know what's cool and what isn't."

You laughed a little louder, alerting a certain brunette that was looking for you. He stopped at the door, looking at you smile with the blue paladin. You talked softly about your home world, and how different it was from earth and how it was until Zarkon took it away from your people. Behind the door that connected the hallway and the room you were in, Matt listened attentively. He wondered when was the last time you'd talked about yourself and couldn't think of a time.

"What great friend I am." He sighed deeply.

----

You learned quickly that Allura was a beautiful as she was amazing. She had been the face of the coalition and inspired countless to join their cause in the fight against Zarkon with just her existence. She even stepped in and joined the fight on the front lines by taking the empty seat that a paladin had left behind. (According to Pidge there were some switcheroos here and there but that's a story for another time)

You couldn't blame Matt for jumping on her the moment he laid his eyes on her; she was amazing and there's no way you can compare the light from a candle to the light of the sun.

You heard the steps as you turned around and was greeted by the brunette that plagued your mind. He had just finished making plans with the rest of team Voltron about attacking Naxzela, and it was decided that you were going to stay on the ship to oversee and assist Coran in whatever he needed during the fight.

"She learned how to read in Altean in just a few days and from what I've heard from Olia she's a good strategist, is what Shiro said." he said, explaining the reasoning behind your position in the upcoming battle. "He thought if you had a good general look of the situation at all times you could help if something happened. Everything will go through the castle of lions during the fight."

"So I won't be with you?"

That question caught him off guard, and you regretted asking it the moment it came out of your mouth but it was already out there. His expression turned into something that you didn't recognize, but before you could try to decipher what it could mean he lowered his head.

"Unfortunately not." he said, looking away from you.

----

"Unfortunately not, unFORTUNATELY NOT????" Pidge shouted, repeating his words. "ARE YOU SERIOUS MATT? SINCE WHEN DO YOU USE SUCH SOPHISTICATED VOCABULARY?"

"Well I couldn't think of anything else to say! And besides the decision was made already that she was staying here with Coran, I can't say something like 'come with me bby, we'll kick Galra butt together' and then kiss her into the sunset or something like that!" Matt defended himself, crossing his arms and leaning back into the chair he was sitting in.

"You could, honestly. I'd be down to provide the shitty CGI background."

"Pidge, please."

The girl shrugged, sighed and sat on a chair, looking at her brother.

"You like her, right?"

"Of course I do! She spent months with me on that remote radio post! I know that's not enough for me to say that I like her but she's... She's saved my life more than once, and in more than just one way."

"Then you should tell her. You don't need a reason to like someone Matt, Lance can tell you all about that. You just have to be honest with her."

Lance. His mind drifted to the blue paladin and how he was able to make you laugh more than he's been able to in months. He couldn't deny the jealousy that pricked away at him, but he wasn't about to be vocal about it either.

Like his sister said, all he needed to do was be honest with you and tell him how he felt but like any hopeless romantic, he wanted his confession to be perfect.

While he was lost in thoughts, the door opened for a silver-haired princess. She tore her eyes away from a screen heavy with words to the green paladin.

"Pidge, I need your opinion on a certain matter– Oh, am I interrupting?"

----

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