Time for a Classic for @vldtenyearanniversaryfest Day 7!
It was different, having Shiro back. The real Shiro, all of him, the one that had grown up on Earth and the one made in an oversized test tube merged together, all of his rough edges and kind smiles, his strong leadership and his vulnerable nights. Keith loved each part of him, of course, and was all but too happy to have him back, whole and in as close to one piece as anyone could ask him to be.
Still, it left the question:
If Shiro was the pilot of the black lion, and Keith was the pilot of the black lion, then who was going to actually do the act of piloting the black lion?
The lion itself was of no help, rejecting neither of them when they sat at the controls, the deep and low toned purr of its conscious brushing up against both of theirs and utterly willing to fly for either of them. The team was no help either; all of them could think of both pros and cons to Keith and Shiro's leadership, Keith's quick reflexes and Shiro's calm head in the face of adrenaline-inducing foes both valued, both necessary.
Keith and Shiro were likewise unable to settle the argument between themselves, each of them insisting that the other was clearly the best suited for the role.
"Keith, the black lion chose you. And I'm proud of you! It's just the way things are now, I'm alright moving on."
"Shiro, the black lion is your lion, its your bayard, I'm not going to take your spot on the team, I'm the loner remember? The unreliable one, always off on Blade missions, and the black lion chose you first!"
It wasn't until Matt visited that the solution, which seemed fairly obvious in hindsight, became apparent.
Matt could copilot the green lion with Pidge. They were the one at the controls, sure, but Matt was in the cockpit, in a chair the lion seemingly manifested specifically for him, so he could work alongside his sibling.
"…" Keith looked at Shiro.
"…" Shiro looked at Keith.
"…you know," Keith said, rubbing at the back of his neck, "with the lions' ability to psychically link the pilots, and both of us being so close to Black…"
Shiro set his hand on Keith's shoulder and smiled. "We could probably figure out how to copilot, like we do when we form Voltron."
They smiled silently at one another for a long moment, feeling that synergy even without the lions' help.
It was interrupted by Pidge making a loud gagging noise and Lance calling for them to "get a room!" but Shiro just laughed that off. Obviously copiloting was the solution. He marveled all over again at the feats the Voltron lions were capable of, and the even stranger feats that he and Keith could accomplish, together.
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