Do you guys think that while Ulaz was waiting for Shiro to come to base Thaldycon, he like, dreamed about Shiro showing up??? (Basically plz give me your headcanons about what Ulaz did while waiting for Shiro)
So I was thinking about Lotor and how he's (most likely) part Altean (which you can tell because of his ears). Then I got to thinking about Ulaz, and how unfluffy his ears are, and then I realized: Ulaz is part Altean! Maybe not an even half Altean and half Galra, but enough Altean to have their ears. It even makes some sense when you take in to consideration how much emphasis they put on Ulaz's ears when he first unmasks in the Castle of Lions (especially since we don't really see other members of the Blade of Marmora unmasking onscreen)
SO DIANA EMAILS BRUCE TO THANK HIM FOR GIVING STEVE BACK TO HER, right??? Well Jason Todd (aka the Confirmed Dead Robin) LOVES Diana (pretty much every Robin has a trinity member that they really like) so what if Diana is the one that is able to calm an unbearably angry Jason (in the comics, upon being brought back to life, vows to hurt Bruce because Bruce doesn't avenge him) to Bruce and BRUCE SAYS TO DIANA "Thank you for bringing him back to me" (and I proceed to have a heart attack in the theater) Because like, Diana and Jason know that same kind of anger, where someone/humanity has let them down, and Jason is a perfect example of "darkness and light both exist in their hearts" and also like, all Jason needs is love??? Like that's all he's ever wanted from Bruce, who is too emotionally constipated to do that???
5 times that Shiro and Ulaz went through something unpleasant and the 1 time it was really nice
(Teen rating, normal angst that comes with a Shiro fic, a little bit of racism from Allura, some mistranslation, mentions of injuries and sex)
I.
“I want him awake for this.” Haggar’s voice is clear; there will be no arguments made against her.
Still, Ulaz falters. Usually patients are given some kind of basic sedative; there’s no reason to traumatize them with the pain. Indeed, it would be rather counterproductive to give someone an upgrade only to have them unable to use it.
It only takes a few ticks for Ulaz to resume his movements. Haggar is suspicious, he knows that.
Shiro is scared. He knows what’s going on and he’s more than scared, he’s fucking terrified. Who wouldn’t be?
Ulaz wishes that his eyes conveyed that he was sorry, but he’s rather sure that his all yellow eyes only frighten him more. It probably doesn’t help that he has to turn on the saw right away.
He wants to throw up as Shiro tries to keep a straight face when his arm is cut clean off, as tears well in Shiro’s eyes when the synthetic arm is attached, and as Haggar breathes as if she’s looking at the most beautiful piece of art when the arm starts to glow.
II.
Shiro is looking around the room, so uncomfortable and at ill ease. He’s just defeated another opponent, but his nose was broken in the fight. It’s bleeding because it was cut at the top too, something that’s going to leave a nasty, identifying, scar.
Ulaz has been told just to set it and clean up the wound the best he can. He muses that it’s basically the simplest form of first aid that he can give to the Champion.
“How’s the arm?” Ulaz asks, partly out of curiosity, partly because he actually cares. Sometimes, when people get a Druid enhancement, it goes to their head and makes them go insane.
Shiro glances at him, looking confused. It makes Ulaz wonders if the words translated properly or not. “It works.”
Ulaz moves the sleeve to check it for himself. The skin looks a little inflamed, so Ulaz goes to find some antibiotics, just to be on the safe side.
When he comes back, the Champion is looking down at the floor. Ulaz wonders if he was attractive on Earth, before the mandatory undercut for prisoners who make it through their first fight, before the one tuft of hair turned white because of the Druids.
And now he’ll have this scar, smack dab in the middle of his face.
“These will make you feel better.” He extends the pills out, and he’d like for the Champion to take them, but he’s not going to force them down his throat. Not if Haggar doesn’t make him.
Shiro must be in more pain than he’s letting on, because he takes them rather quickly, grimacing as he dry swallows them.
Ulaz feels guilty as Shiro falls asleep nearly instantaneously. Maybe some rest, however artificial it is, will help the Champion’s condition.
III.
He’ll be honest; he doesn’t think he should be alive. In fact, he’s not really sure how he is. By all accounts, activating the space and time fold inside of the Robeast should have killed him.
But here he was.
And of course, Shiro is elated. He didn’t think he was ever going to see the Champion smiling and blushing like this. Shiro wanted Hunk to pull out all of the stops for a dinner celebration. He was cleaning out a room for him, conveniently located near his. Ulaz, for his part, was more than willing to help Pidge look at Galra tech, to answer Keith’s questions about the Blade of Marmora, and to help Lance understand different ways of alien courtship.
It would all be going great, if it weren’t for Allura.
Allura was suspicious of the fact that Ulaz was alive now. Nevermind that they were now allies with the Blade or anything. They had to deal with her and her being a racist. She was almost positive that he wasn’t the real Ulaz; how could it be him, when they all witnessed Ulaz sacrifice his life for them?
So, Shiro had to deal with all of the unhappiness that Allura dished out. On some level, Shiro knew that she was acting like this because she wanted to protect them all, after everything, but…
“You are jealous that someone wants to be with Shiro.” Ulaz says it calmly. It’s just the two of them, in one of the lounge areas, because the paladins are training and Coran is attempting to make a dish that will one up Hunk’s culinary prowess.
Allura lifted her head from her data pad. “Excuse me?”
He repeats his claim again, just as level headed. It really should have been more obvious. While Lance has not stopped his advances on Allura, he’s no match for her. But with Ulaz and Shiro, they practically are a perfect match. Is Ulaz potentially a little bit below Shiro’s league? Yes, but they are much more evenly matched than Allura, a princess, and Lance, who aside from being a Paladin, is far beneath her.
Allura looked Ulaz straight in the face. “Even if I were jealous, what does that have to do with you?”
Ulaz blinks. Had she really not been cognisant of what she was doing? “You have been very hostile towards Shiro whenever we are together.”
Allura straightened up. She looked just a little guilty. Maybe she hadn’t meant to be acting like she was? “I… I apologize for my behavior, Ulaz. I do not mean to cause you or Shiro any distress. You have to understand that I am just trying to protect the Paladins whenever I can. The fight against the Galra Empire is not easy, as you know all too well.”
Well, an apology was a good start.
IV.
Ulaz is the one who is injured. He could probably tell Shiro how to help him, but all of a sudden, the translators had stopped working. He growled in frustration, which sent Shiro reeling backward, afraid he had offended the Galra. There was a bloody cloth in his hand from trying to stop the bleeding, but Ulaz isn’t sure that would be enough anyway.
Ulaz is breathing through his mouth. Everything around him is spinning and he just wishes that he could Shiro’s voice, but his head got slammed to the ground and everything is ringing.
When Shiro does talk, Ulaz only understands a handful of words. He really needs to learn English, like Shiro wants to learn Galra. The Black Paladin says something about his lion, Ulaz thinks. Maybe there is medical equipment there? But he reaches out to him with a hand. He doesn’t want him to leave. He thinks that, potentially, dying alone is the worst way to go, so he wants to avoid that.
Though these shouldn't really be life threatening injuries, he thinks. He’ll just be very uncomfortable if he’s not allowed to use a healing pod back at the castle.
Still, he keeps his hand on Shiro’s thigh until Shiro picks it up and interlocks his fingers. Obviously, he doesn’t seem worried about being growled at again, especially as he lays down, pressing himself to Ulaz in an attempt to conserve body heat.
It’s a while later, maybe an hour later, that the rest of the team shows up. At first, everyone thinks that Ulaz is dead (again), but then he twitches, an arm around Shiro tightening. Even though they both must be in pain, albeit varying degrees, they created such a peaceful image that the others almost didn’t want to disturb them.
That is, until they noticed the dark stain on Ulaz’s uniform and a fresh cut on Shiro’s head.
V.
Ulaz and Shiro are practiced at dealing with each other’s panic attacks, flashbacks, and nightmares. What they’re not used to dealing with?
Parents.
The funny thing is, these parents are neither Ulaz’s nor Shiro’s, because the former’s have been dead for a long time and the latter’s are relatively safe, tucked away on Earth.
They’re Kolivan’s parents, who are kind of like the parents of everyone in the Blade of Marmora. And the way the act is kind of endearing, because Kolivan’s mother is the tough ass who’ll knock you around, and Kolivan’s father is the one who’s likely to bring cookies to you.
But, given that the courtship between Ulaz and Shiro is one of the few things of interest, aside from defeating the Galra empire, that are going on around the base, that means all of their attention is on the two.
“Have you begun to plan the ceremony?” Kolivan’s father asked them as a tray of a tea-like-substance and what passes as Galra sweets are set before them.
Ulaz’s ears twitched and his cheeks became a darker shade of purple. With the way that it translated, Shiro thought that the ceremony was like a wedding, which was an embarrassing idea in a way.
Ulaz vigorously shook his head. “There will be no ceremony for us.”
Shiro looked over at his significant other. He knew that it would be a long time until they would have time to get married, but to say it wouldn’t happen? Shiro fisted the fabric of his pants and he felt Ulaz’s eyes on him, but there was no comment made.
The visit went on as one would expect a visit with a grandparent would go, which is to say slowly. Shiro was glad when it was over because it meant they could escape to Ulaz’s rooms.
When they got into Ulaz’s bedroom, safely tucked away from everyone else, he bent down and kissed Shiro deeply, pressing him up against the wall. “I’m sorry about that,” he said, when they broke apart.
Shiro raised an eyebrow. “You know that I love it when we kiss.” It was pretty much all they did, aside from the cuddling together.
“No, no. About what he said in the beginning, about…” There was that flush again.
“Us getting married?”
Ulaz’s head tilted. “That can’t have been what it would translate to.”
“No, it translated to ‘ceremony,’ I just assumed that you were talking about, you know, getting married.” Now it was his turn for his face to flush.
Ulaz couldn’t stifle a laugh. “I’m glad it did not directly translate. What we were talking about is something less polite. It’s much more of a traditional event, nothing that I would take part in, or that Kolivan would force us to do.”
Shiro frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“When people mated for the first time, it used to be a public affair. That’s all that we were talking about and I just wanted you to know that I would never put you through that.” Shiro’s heartbeat spiked at hearing what they had been talking about. The idea of it almost made him want to throw up.
But then Ulaz brings up Shiro’s hands and kisses his knuckles. It’s his own little way of cementing something that he just said and the soothing motion of it works every time.
VI.
The Galra empire has been destroyed. It feels like they’ve all been fighting for decades, but for the Paladins it’s really only been a few years. Shiro is exhausted, most of all. He’s been through absolute hell and Ulaz just wished that he could erase it all.
At the very least, he could give Shiro an amazing, real, first time. And that’s what he was going to do.
There were scented candles, rose petals, a fresh set of sheets on the bed, calming music, and the approval of Black (not that Shiro needed to know that).
They started the night with a nice, warm, shower and then a bubble bath. Ulaz is almost constantly nuzzling Shiro, in between the two of them cleaning each other off. After they’re all dried off, which takes a great deal longer for Ulaz to do then Shiro, they went into Shiro’s bedroom. They’re doing it here because this is Shiro’s space, this is where he feels comfortable.
Ulaz leans down and kisses Shiro.
“I love you,” he whispers.
Shiro’s arms are around Ulaz’s neck and his eyes dilate and this beautiful, miraculous, human breaks out into a smile. “I love you, too.”
Ulaz leaned down and nuzzled Shiro’s neck. Yes, that first time was rather perfect, if you asked him.
Just a look into how Ulaz and Shiro feel about the stereotypical "love is a weakness" thing + Kolivan Being Concerned
No warnings, this is mostly fluff ^.^
The Blade of Marmora had rules, like any organization. They had their traditions, yes, but overall it was still better to a Blade than to be a mindless servant of the Empire. The Empire only wanted the Galra to do things that would serve them.
Love was such a danger thing to have because superiors could easily turn it against someone. Still, as a Blade, love was encouraged. It gave people something to fight for. Typically, it would be that one half of a pair, if any, would be a mole within the Empire and the other half would work remotely from headquarters or another base.
Needless to say, Shiro and Ulaz were a special case, and it didn’t take a genius to see how dangerous their relationship could be.
Kolivan only really took note of it after a rare day in which the Paladins were able to relax. They had all gone to a fair, where Ulaz had won a huge stuffed animal and given it to Shiro, who had blushed profusely but hadn’t refused it. That part of it had seemed normal; it was no secret that Ulaz respected the Black Paladin greatly, as they all did, so such a simple gift didn’t seem too strange. It was what happened after they had all gotten back to the Castle of Lions that concerned Kolivan.
It had been after dinner and during the time where everyone was about in different parts of the castle. The members of the Blade typically roamed around if no one needed their assistance immediately. Kolivan was passing through one of the lounge areas, on his way to speak with the princess, when he saw them together. The fact that the scene was so innocent was endearing. Shiro’s arms were wrapped around the toy and his head was resting on Ulaz’s lap.
Ulaz looked up at the sound of the door opening, his ears twitching as he did. He gave a small nod to Kolivan before returning his attention to Shiro. His fingers were slowly combing through the paladin’s and the look that he was giving the resting man was filled with so much admiration that Kolivan felt uncomfortable.
Still, he stood there, taking in the peaceful sight for a few more moments. He knew that Ulaz was willing to risk everything to help the Blade and Voltron. That wasn’t what he was worried about, really. It was the fact Shiro was so comfortable around Ulaz that he was sleeping more soundly than he would if he was in one of the healing pods. Kolivan was fine with them having a relationship, but he was worried about what Shiro would do if Ulaz was in danger. What Ulaz would do was already clear; he was willing to risk life and limb for the causes. But humans were unpredictable, especially these paladins.
Ulaz yawned, breaking Kolivan’s concentration. “Are you going to bed any time soon?”
Kolivan lifts an eyebrow. “Why the sudden interest in my activities, Ulaz?”
He shrugged. “Oh, you know. Rumors and such.”
Kolivan spluttered. “Excuse me?”
Shiro shifted, his eyes opening. Ulaz looked down at him, smiling down at him. It seemed to be a cue for Ulaz to get up and pick up his mate. In his arms, Shiro looked tiny and docile; he didn’t look like he practically carried the fate of the universe on his shoulders. He didn’t look like a person who could make or break worlds in an instant, just a young man with his boyfriend.
“We’ll be off then,” Ulaz said. If Galra could wink, Kolivan imagines this is where Ulaz would. “Enjoy your rendez-vous.”
“It’s not a rendez-vous,” Kolivan muttered underneath his breath as they all depart the room in different directions.
---
Ulaz leaned over Shiro, drying off his hair with a towel before sitting down next to him. “What are you thinking about, Shiro?”
He says nothing as he leans against Ulaz, his face against his boyfriend’s soft chest. “Just… I don’t want to lose you again.”
“And I you.” It’s a soft, quiet, confession. It feels like a sin because it feels like they shouldn’t be doing this. Ulaz felt greedy because some people didn’t get a second chance like this. Some people lost their love ones and they would never come back.
“Ulaz?”
He buried his face into Shiro’s neck. He remembered when he wasn’t sure if Shiro had really escaped or if he’d been recaptured and Earth taken over by the Galra. Such had been living at Base Thaldycon.
They were both here though, despite Robeasts and Galra fleets and Druids.
The romantic in Ulaz wanted to say that it was because they cared about each other that they were still here, in defiance of everything.
Some people thought that love was a weakness, something that distracted people from their missions, but he knew that it was actually what strengthened people. It gave them a purpose, something to really fight for. They could fight for some higher cause all that they wanted, but it was the person that you loved, the person who was right next to you, that gave you the will to fight.
Ulaz was fighting for Shiro, no matter what anyone else thought. And he didn’t mind if Shiro wasn’t fighting just for him. The call of a Paladin was more important than anyone person. That was okay to Ulaz, because he had Shiro next to him, and that’s what he really cared about.
---
Shiro loved waking up next to Ulaz. He liked the feeling of Ulaz’s fur against his cheek and how he always made sure that Shiro had a blanket up and tucked around his shoulders. It seemed if there was one thing that the Galra understood about human biology, it was their need for warmth both physically and for comfort. He liked the steady rhythm of Ulaz’s heartbeat underneath his ear, the perfect natural lullaby. He liked the smell of Ulaz, too. It seemed like he always woodsy and clean.
Most importantly, he thinks, is that the presence of Ulaz is comforting. It just makes sense, in a way, maybe because he was there during Shiro’s captivity and when they met up again, it was on good terms.
Shiro interlocked their fingers. This was more than good terms, this was perfect. This is something that grounded him, no matter what other people thought about having relationships in the midst of a war.
He kissed Ulaz on the lips, even though his boyfriend was asleep. He just looked so peaceful, so relaxed, instead of how tense he usually was because of all of the combat plans and such.
This was an image that Shiro would carry with him into battle, that would make him just that much more determined to win this fight against the Galra.
Okay okay so I know doing a slave au is bad. But imagine Fenris as the Cinderella character and maybe Hawke is Prince Charming and the rest of the group are his friends??? Idk I kind of just thought of this earlier today
Is Ulaz not furry because he’s younger than the other members of the Blade of Momora? Like do they get ear fur as they age (because, as we see, Kolivan is very furry. Thace is kind of furry, which would put him at more of a middle age)??? And the guy we saw in the very first episode (who looked more like the classic Galra/Drule people from the original series and was kind of reptilian), was he super young?
Because let’s think about:
- Guy from first episode: maybe he is super young because who cares about getting to earth (didn’t Coran say there wasn’t anything of value on Earth in S2? And humans are considered less intelligent, as seen in S1 E1)
- Ulaz is a surgeon type person but we don’t know how long he was actually in that position. For all we know, he could have achieved that position right when Shiro got there, so he’d be the human equivalent of like maybe 30? Kolivan also makes that dig at him where he was always bad at following orders, which also makes him seem younger
- and then as we progress up the ranks of the Galra officers, they are increasingly furry
- Kolivan is super furry and his hair is like really long, and it makes sense that he’d be the leader of the Blade of Momora if he was the currently oldest member and stuff
Basically: I am Projecting and this is just a lil fic where Shiro has dermatillomania (I.e., he picks his face) I don't really think of it as self harm? I just kind of wanted to talk about this potential side of him
(will be posted on AO3 shortly)
Shiro does not like to look into mirrors.
He doesn't like the person who stares back at him now; the Champion is all that he sees. Someone who had to hurt others to survive.
He wants to see the Black Paladin. Strong, confident. Someone people can trust without hesitation. He shakes his head. People do trust him already; Allura, Coran, the other paladins, the Blade of Momora, and all of the people counting on Voltron to free them from the Galra Empire.
He realizes, as he regretfully looks at himself in the mirror, looks at the ugly scar across his face, that he doesn't trust himself.
How can he? He barely remembers anything from his time in captivity. He doesn't even remember how he got his arm. Did he want the procedure? Did he do it to save someone else? Was it to save himself?
He looks at himself, taking stock of his features. Would his parents still embrace him, if they ever saw him again? He felt like he was only part of who he was before. He wanted to rip away everything that the Galra had done to him, all that they had changed about him.
He wanted all of the changes that had been forced upon him to just disappear. Hell, Voltron would probably be better off with someone else piloting the Black Lion.
At the thought, a strange wave of emotion hit him. It was distress, at first, and a sense of worriment. It took him a second to figure out that it was Black reaching out to him, trying to comfort him. She didn't want another Paladin, she just wanted him, after all they had gone through on the astral plane with Zarkon.
“Sometimes we don't get what we want.” He said it softly as he leaned against the counter, bringing his human hand up. It graced across the unevenness of his skin that was the scar and all of the little pustules and acne.
He huffed because he couldn't do what he wanted with one hand. Maybe it would be fitting that both of his hands, the hands that reperesented two different sides of him, were both starting to dig into his skin, digging up every little bit of dirt and whatever else clogged up his pores.
He doesn’t know how long he was standing there for, but by the time he's done, he feels like his eyes are ready to fall shut. He washes his hands and puts on a thin layer of skin cream, just enough that the others probably won't notice what he's done.
If he was being honest, which he always tried to do, he was a little ashamed. Ulaz hadn't given up his life so he could pick at his skin. People hadn't risked everything to help them just so he could have a breakdown.
But, at the same time, he was a little happy. These marks that he would wear for days were things he had done to himself, of his own accord, and his own consent. He remembers when he used to do it as a reaction to stress at school and the Garrison. One of the big differences between now and then were that he used to pick at his shoulders and arms. He didn't even want to consider doing it that way if it meant looking at his right arm in depth. He tried to avoid that, whenever possible.
His fingers ran over his face again as he laid down in bed. Another wave of emotion, comparable to being content, but one knowing it wasn't going to last, came over him. He sighed as he tried to let Black know that he'd be fine. Honestly.
As if trying to comfort him, she sent him images of things that she must think are beautiful; glittering space rocks, the vastness of space laid out in front of them, stars twinkling light years away from them, different planets, Earth.
He smiled at the last one and felt himself drifting off, which seemed to please her immensely. Good night, Black was the last thing he remembered thinking as his face throbbed and he drifted off to sleep, finally start to reenergize his exhausted body.
