#thatchia

[thebiscuiteternal]

For JAM: Give the boys a good cry out and other comforting with shiro and coran

I'll have to fix the formatting when I get back to my laptop.

---

Shiro stepped out of the lift and nearly tripped over Elakka as the small Yulnadae passed with a tray loaded down with needles and little empty vials. "Sorry. I... How bad is it?"

She didn't look him in the eye, and that made the cold feeling in the pit of his stomach grow. "I've done everything I can possibly think of," she said softly. "Whether or not Thatchia can fight off the venom is up to her now."

Shiro swallowed painfully. "And... and Coran?"

"About as well as could be expected. Allura came by with blankets and such a few cycles ago, but he didn't let her stay long."

A deep breath, then a slow exhale. "Has he locked the kitchen?"

"No. At least I don't think so. I had no problem coming and going, and the command keys obeyed Allura, but..." A small shrug.

"Right. Well... thanks."

Another small shrug, and her gaze remained on the floor.

Impulsively, yet still minding the needles, he crouched and folded her into a hug. She only made a halfhearted attempt to wriggle away. "I mean it," Shiro said. "Nobody could have done more for her than you."

"The queen could have," she mumbled darkly, and Shiro did good not to flinch. Being reminded that Coran and Allura could still potentially lose *two* members of their family made him feel a little nauseous. "Sorry."

"It's okay. You didn't mean it like that." He let her go and straightened, then took and let out another deep breath. "Keep everybody posted?"

"Mm."

He left her to go on her way and turned down the dim hall towards the old Paladins' kitchen. Luckily, the door responded to the command and opened for him, and he walked in.

The kitchen was just as dark as the hallway. If it hadn't been for the glow of Coran's eyes and markings -far more faint than normal and almost grey- Shiro probably wouldn't have seen him at all.

Shiro bit his lip, then nudged the lights just a tiny bit brighter. Coran's gaze flicked to him for a moment, then returned to staring at the shivering bundle of blankets nestled on the counter in his folded arms.

Even in the dull lighting, there was no missing the tears silently streaming down his face.

Shiro quietly walked over to sit beside his partner and rested a hand on his back in silent support. It would have been so easy to say something trite, some meaningless platitude about how Thatchia was going to be fine, but it wouldn't have been at all helpful.

Until morning gave them a good or bad answer, there was nothing they could do except wait. And so he simply leaned into Coran's side and stayed.

[thebiscuiteternal]

Small dragon that hoards the abandoned eggs of other dragons and/or birds and so is constantly surrounded by an extremely diverse entourage of things that hatched out of the eggs

Is this an ask or a request?

But this is basically Thatchia in my Voltron stories. Tiny puffball who turns out to have severely violent nesting urges. Right now she’s incubating a bunch of relatively safe burdie eggs, but who knows. Maybe the next thing will be an egg six times her size with a super dangerous lizard thing in it. Or a cloning tube. Or a certain egg-shaped murder-droid.

[thebiscuiteternal]

This time TRIAD and Thatchai bonding👀👀

jesus yur fast, but fair enough.

Shiro could hear the faint sound of Thatchia purring.

Above him.

“Ugh, you better not be in the vents agai-”  Getting up from the bench he’d been sitting on to clean practice swords, he turned, only to stop short when he came face-to-camera-eye with Triad. “Uh…”

The camera shutter fluttered in the droid’s signal of a ‘giggle’, then the lens tilted up. When he leaned up on his toes to peer at the top of the egg-shaped droid-

“Oh. Very funny, you two,” he said, reaching up to grab Thatchia, who flicked her ears at him and purred louder. 

[[I have learned from Smooshy. Creator Joitree was fond of the same trick.]]

“Yeah, I figure she would have been,” Shiro admitted, a faint smile crossing his mouth as he sat back down and let the puffball shuffle up onto his shoulder. “What else have you been getting up to today?”

[[Small Thatchia is also very helpful in learning sonic navigation of the castleship. I have mapped exactly seventy-three point nine two two per cent of the inner-wall corridors.]]

“Out of the ones you can fit through, huh?” Shiro asked, his grin widening. Thatchia chirped in agreement.

[[Hmph. Now you are the one not being amusing.]]

[thebiscuiteternal]

Awkward shiran flirting for the jam? Thank you!

I’m cheating, but the others had to find out eventually…

Shiro was sure he was going to die. 

He didn’t know how or even if it was possible to expire from the excessive heat in his face, but he was sure it was going to happen. Thatchia tucked under his arm, he fled into the Twins’ Archives and hammered the lock button, then desperately flung himself down beside a surprised Illyere. “Hide me before Pidge gets through the lock.”

Glowing eyes flicked over his flaming face, pleading expression, and ruffled state, and put it all together in a snap. “Someone’s been caught,” she said, baring fangs in a grin.

“I’m never going to hear the end of this,” Shiro groaned miserably. Thatchia snuffled at him as he grabbed a pillow to hide his face, then clambered on top of it. “Yes, thank you, suffocate faster, please.”

Illyere snorted and yanked the pillow away, Thatchia hissing in protest as she rolled off. “Surely it’s been no worse than putting up with us. I would have thought we’d toughened you up for this?”

“They’re trying to give me dating advice.”

“Oh, this I have to hear,” the former queen said with a wicked grin as she got up. 

Realizing too late what she was about to do, Shiro practically had to dive to keep her from unlocking the command panel. “No! Mercy, I’m begging you.”

“That bad?” she asked, seemingly unruffled by the fact that he was half holding her by the waist and one arm.

“All of the pickup lines were mustache puns and Pidge thinks I should take him back to the Patrinneli Cube.”

Illyere wrinkled her nose. “If you pull the headband of the statue in the third aisle of shelves, it opens to the pathways between the walls.”

Shiro let her go and clasped her hands in thanks, then fled.

[thebiscuiteternal]

If you're up for it, Pidge and Allura with Thatchia?

“So, it looks like you two have finally made friends.”

Pidge looked up from her console as Allura took a seat, then gave a lopsided grin and put down another likkru cracker for Thatchia to vacuum up. “Yeah, kinda. I think I’m still on probation, but as long as I let her call the shots, she’s not hissing at me.”

Allura chuckled and bent down to scoop the kittekirri up into her lap, beginning to scratch her behind the ears. “No more mysterious stowaway pets?”

“No more experiments either,” Pidge agreed ruefully. “Even though I didn’t do anything invasive. I just wanted to study her species biology.”

“Fssk.”

“I think that’s either a disagreement your denial of invasion, or a demand for another cracker,” Allura said, amused, and Pidge made a face at the puffball before handing one over. “I do admit some confusion myself, though. From what I remember, their eating habits usually fuel their budding. She eats just as much as any other kittekirri, and yet we’re not drowning in them.”

“...Huh.” Pidge rested her chin in her hands, leaning forward. “That does sound weird. Maybe it has to do with the ship’s climate? Or the experiences that lead her to Coran? Or- Nope! Train of thought is ending right there! I just got myself out of the biting zone, I’m not going back!”

“What if you tried asking first this time?”

Pidge bit her lip and stared at the kittekirri, whose ears twitched back. Temptation twisted in her stomach and brain... dang. “Thatchia. If I don’t hurt you, could I poke at you just a little bit? Just to see how you work? I’ll give you treats the whole time.”

“Nyurr.”

“...I can’t tell if that’s a yes or not.”

“Well, she didn’t hiss at you.”

“Ugh. All the same, I’m wearing really heavy gloves this time.”

[thebiscuiteternal]

Allura calling Shiro Uncle to see how he reacts?

Continuing this.

When the hot, white buzz in his head finally faded, it was replaced by an uncomfortable dull throb of pain. Coran winced, rubbing at his eyes, then made a noise of disgust at how wet his gloves had been when they’d made contact with his face. “What in-”

“Uh… you back?”

He blinked and turned his head to find Hunk looking at him cautiously from over his shield. “Am I back? What in sheraiz is that supposed to- Illyere!”

The former queen still lay in a heap, markings weakly pulsing as her body struggled to heal itself, when they approached. Her eyes were slitted open, but they were unfocused and had lost most of their glow, and worry clenched his heart as he crouched down. “How long has she been like this?”

“Um…” 

He barely noticed them all glancing at each other, the remainder of his attention taken up by how terrible Allura looked as she struggled to keep feeding power to her mother. “Nevermind. Too long. Your highness, you’ve got to cut off.”

“No.”

“Allura-”

“No. She’s not strong enough to maintain on her own. If I stop now, she’ll-”

“If you don’t stop, you’ll both go, and she’d never forgive me if I let anything happen to you!” Coran snapped.

“She can’t not forgive you if she’s dead! Just let me-”

“Both of you, shut up. ‘S’too loud.”

The rasp was barely more than an exhale of air. And when he looked down, Illyere had closed her eyes. But he was sure he’d heard her speak. And, judging by the small snorts from the human gallery, he hadn’t been the only one. He sighed and stripped off a bloody glove, scrubbing his face with his bare hand. Ever the joker to the last. “Alright. Alright. Just… see if you can get by with a weaker transfer or something,” he said, before beginning to input a series of codes on his comm band.

“What are we gonna do now?” Lance asked, picking at an empty Druid shroud with his bayard.

“I’m contacting Smooshy. We haven’t had to use one of the mobile cryo units since the Castle went live, so I have no idea what kind of condition they’re in, but it’s our only hope right now. While the Princess and I get Illyere prepped for loading, the rest of you look after our guide and see what you can find from what’s left of our shadowy friends there.”

“On it.”

—

Allura was seated by her mother’s cryo chamber and inhaling her seventh helping of Optrikanni Silverscale Stew with plenty more food waiting when Shiro came into the cryo room, a load of blankets under one arm and an open bottle of Borrakkhan Root Soda in the other hand.

“Mind if I join the vigil?” he asked, taking a seat on the floor, Thatchia shuffling in behind him.

“Sure, Uncle,” Allura said as she grinned a sharp-toothed grin over the rim of her bowl.

Coran had sort of expected it coming, but still choked on his own soda a little. Shiro, on the other hand, coughed bubbles an impressive distance, his eyebrows attempting to contort in opposite directions of his face as all colors fled from his skin. “Excuse me?” he asked, his voice cracking an entire octave in just two words.

That was enough. Coran gave in to the tickle forming in his throat and started to laugh, Allura following in suit until she had to put the bowl down for fear of spilling. “I needed that,” she finally wheezed, wiping her eyes with the heels of her hands. “Don’t worry, it’s not going to be permanent.”

“Oh. Oh, thank God,” Shiro gasped, his voice still a little high and his face still a little ashen. “I can deal with the occasional joke, but… geez. Warn a guy next time.”

Allura reached over and grabbed a bag of trutcha chips, ripping it open to dig out a handful. “Not if it gets that kind of reaction, I won’t,” she said impishly before stuffing them in her mouth. Then her expression saddened somewhat after she swallowed. “Mother would have loved to see it.”

Coran finished a swig of soda, then reached over to pat her on the back. “We’ll show her the castle security records after she wakes up,” he said reassuringly. “And I’m sure you’ll have thought of something else just as good by then.”

“They’re trying to kill me, you see that?” Shiro said to Thatchia. “Planning my death like it’s a family sport. To think I trust them.”

“Nyurr.”

[thebiscuiteternal]

birthday writings for @tiggs-a-doodle, who wanted Corangst.

Sometimes, he wakes in the night hearing screaming.

Distant, crackling screaming, the sound of a communication line being broken by radiation waves as hell rains down from the sky, and he nearly falls out of bed, familiar names choked from his mouth before he remembers their owners-

Dead. 

Long, long dead. 

Breath stuttering painfully in his chest, he huddles back against his bed. Dazed, disoriented, his gaze finds the etched metal plate hanging above his night table, its geometric patterns of lines and angular flowers almost painful to look at.

Flowers that navigated the secret castle niches with him, laughed at stuffy nobles with him, grew up with him...

That vanished on the day the moons fell. 

Gone.

Gone.

Gone.

His stomach twists and his lungs hurt and he squeezes his eyes shut to fight back the urge to be sick as his heart pounds fast, too fast.

It doesn’t help, because all he can see is imagined visions of terrified last moments, huddled together and shrieking for help that will never come because he should have been there he should have been there-

“Hrrrew?”

He starts sharply, jerking away from the thing that plops against his chest, only to realize that Thatchia has woken and clambered from her nest. “Oh-! Oh, it’s you. Sorry, girl, am I being-”

“Mrrrn.”

He blinks in surprise as she shuffles up to shove herself under his chin and starts to purr with all the force her small form can muster, then, slowly, leans back against the bed, relief a sweet hum in his nerves as he realizes her intent. “Oh,” he murmurs, reaching up to scratch her ears, the tension that had seized his body beginning to ease. “Thank you.”

“Mrrew.”

It won’t stop the nightmares. They’ll come again, he knows, because they’ve come and come and come so often before.

But he’ll take what reprieve he can get.

[thebiscuiteternal]

if you're still doing the writing jam, can we see Pidge trying to make up with Thatchia after the whole mutt incident?

Day One:

Food attempt a total failure. Subject stole the kuakua jerky, hissed at me, attempted to bite me, then vanished into the vents.

Day Two:

[REDACTED]

Day Three:

Enlisted Shiro’s help. He got the subject calmed down enough for me to offer the jerky. Subject accepted, but hissed at me and fled when petting attempted. No biting. Progress?

Day Four:

Was unable to find subject at all, even with Smooshy and Triad’s assistance. Need to study castle ventilation and tunnel system better.

Day Five:

[REDACTED]

Day Six:

Recovering from setback. Enlisted Coran’s help. Subject accepted jerky and further offerings of roasted putricha meat. Permitted one head pat before hissing and fleeing. Definite progress!

Day Seven:

Upgrading offerings to baked utrani legs. Subject allows petting as long as being fed. Likes being talked to. Seems to accept verbal apology? Left when food ran out, but did not hiss.

Day Eight:

Further verbal apologies while feeding. Thatchia allowed five minutes of continued petting after food ran out. I got a purr! Just one, but I got a purr!

Day Nine:

Coran’s advice to just be calm and let Thatchia set the pace seems to be working. After feeding, Thatchia even allowed ten minutes of lap time. No purring this time, but it seems she is finally warming up to me. No further experimentation or testing. I really don’t want to piss her off again now that I know how much that beak of hers hurts. Log closed.