Just a bit of Shallura to start my year off , I hope itâs not too late
(This is from my notes app so ofcourse it doesnât make sense)
The castle was quiet in the hour before dawn.
Allura stood on the balcony outside the strategy room, fingers resting on the cool stone railing as she watched the stars fade into a pale violet sky. Alteaâs rebuilt capital still slept below her, lights dim and streets empty. This was her favorite time of day. A moment where the universe felt gentle again.
âCouldnât sleep?â Shiroâs voice came from behind her, warm and familiar.
Allura smiled without turning. âI could ask you the same.â
Shiro stepped beside her, leaning his elbows on the railing. His prosthetic arm hummed softly, a sound she had long stopped noticing. He followed her gaze to the horizon, where light slowly spilled over the mountains.
âBig day,â he said. âThe council meeting, the trade agreements, the ceremony tonight. Youâve been carrying a lot.â
She exhaled slowly. âSo have you. You never stop protecting everyone.â
He glanced at her then, expression thoughtful. âSomeone taught me how important that is.â
Allura laughed quietly. âI donât recall giving lessons.â
âYou didnât need to,â Shiro said. âYou lead by example.â
The words made her chest ache in a way that was not painful, but deep. For so long, leadership had felt lonely. Necessary, but isolating. With Shiro beside her, it felt shared.
A breeze lifted her hair, and before she could react, Shiro reached out, gently tucking a loose strand behind her ear. His hand lingered, unsure. Allura turned to face him fully, meeting his eyes.
âI used to think strength meant standing alone,â she said softly. âThat if I depended on anyone, I would fail my people.â
âAnd now?â Shiro asked.
âAnd now I know strength can mean choosing someone to stand with you.â
Shiro swallowed. âAllura, I never want to be another burden on you.â
She shook her head immediately. âYou are not a burden. You are a comfort. A constant. You remind me that this future we are building is worth believing in.â
The sky brightened, painting his face in gold and rose. Shiro smiled, the kind of smile that reached his eyes. âThen let me be here. Not as a paladin. Not as a symbol. Just as me.â
Allura reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, metal and skin fitting together without effort. âI want that,â she said. âMore than anything.â
They stood like that as the sun rose fully, casting light over the city and the world beyond. No battles waited in that moment. No expectations. Just two people choosing hope, choosing each other, and choosing to believe that peace was not only possible, but already beginning.
Shiro squeezed her hand gently. âWhatever comes next,â he said, âwe face it together.â
Allura leaned her head against his shoulder. âTogether,â she echoed.
And for the first time in a long while, the future felt warm.
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