For shalluraweek2k17. Day 2- Hands/Names.

Cover Art by shalalalalura on Tumblr.

Companion to Midas' Touch.

The people called him Champion- a warrior with unparalleled skills, whose cunning and fighting abilities were second only to Zarkon himself, the Emperor who had enslaved the galaxy and dimmed the stars.

Except-

He never felt like the Champion. And when the people looked up at him with awe, with shining eyes as if he was the dawning sun in a world so dark, he wondered how come he couldn't see the brightness when others could. How could he still be the one fumbling in the dark. He was just Shiro.

So when the Castle veered towards a planet that gave Allura faint shudders down her back because it reminded her of what she lost, Shiro was not the Champion when he held her in a way he never thought he would after 54 days of nothingness. He was not the Champion when the Castle landed and the team set food on solid ground since the Black Lion showed signs of life. Shiro should be the Champion as the inhabitants of the planet crowded around him in reverence, bringing up memories that should not be brought out to the open.

He should be the Champion, the strong leader, but he couldn't help the trembles riding up his left arm as the circle of beings enclosed tighter, suffocating him.

Voltron's leader couldn't breath and he gasped, choking for air, because how could people call him Champion when his soul was stretched across the galaxy. He wanted to run but couldn't turn without another being praising him.

Someone reached for his hand and he almost flinched away but it was a warm presence that cut through the fog in his head; it took a wild moment for him to settle and feel the steady beating against his hand.

He looked down at familiar purple eyes, at the brown skin against his own, and tightened the small hand that dared to give him light.

Shiro might not be the Champion, might not be the person that gave faith to resistances, but it was enough for now to be called Shiro and to hold hands with the one he longed for.

- Man, I could have totally written this earlier today but I was procrastinating by reading Berserk. But I still managed to bang this out within an hour so I'd say I'm at least improving on outlining and committing to the ideas I have. But then again, it wasn't really that hard since the prompts today were pretty simple.

- Wanted this to be a companion or sequel fic to Midas' Touch which was for #allurashipweek2k17. Day 6- Magic/Miracles.

- Reviews are much appreciated! Enjoy! :)