Space isn’t too terrible with Romelle’s new friends.
Its largeness still creeps up on her, especially late at night when her mind is too restless to sleep. She gets used to it, bit by bit. Her days get filled with mighty adventures that she couldn’t even imagine a simple girl like herself doing. They run away from bloodthirsty creatures and exchange stories around a campfire. Lance and Hunk let her try out their guns. Keith doesn’t allow her to use his sword, but he lets her look at it with a childlike wonder. Everyone answers every question she has, especially the short one, Pidge. They don’t make her feel dumb for not knowing. They don’t make her feel little for not being Voltron.
If the whole universe could be like her new friends, then there would never be any problems.
At the end of their stay on each planet they stop by, the team draws straws on who sleeps in each lion. The arrangements have stayed the same for the most part, but they switch up for the sake of the pilot’s sanity. Sometimes even for fun.
Every time, Romelle clasps her hands together and hopes to remain in the Blue Lion.
She’s been lucky for the most part. For the past month and a half, she’s made herself familiar with the humble cot tucked into the left corner of Blue’s sleeping area. Sometimes she gets sent over to Keith, and she’s slept in each lion at least once, but she’s mainly in Blue. Mainly with Allura.
It’s fun here, with her.
Allura lets her accessorize the lion with trinkets she finds on different planets. Cool rocks line the dashboard, gold beaded strings travel from corner to corner of the ceiling, and coalition posters line the walls. It’s easy to fall asleep in such an environment. It’s comfortable.
One night, when she’s flying with Allura, she brings it up. “I’m always over. Doesn’t that get bothersome?”
Allura looks up from the card game they’re playing on the floor of the cockpit. She looks so comfortable in her pajamas with her silver curled tied up, sitting with her legs folded.
“No, of course not!” She looks at Romelle like she’s crazy. “What makes you think so?”
“Nothing really,” she shrugs, “I was just wondering.”
“Actually, I…” Allura trails off. She bites her lip.
“What is it?”
“I’ve asked everyone to let you stay with me. For the most part.”
That takes Romelle by surprise. Sure, the princess has never shown any disdain or annoyance towards her, even when she asks dumb questions like, How many times a quintant did Alteans shower? Did you eat hot or cold foods? She has always been pleasant with Romelle, but that’s because she’s a pleasant person. Her behavior had nothing to do with Romelle.
At least that’s what she thought.
“Really?” Romelle tries her hardest to keep the glee out of her voice. “How come?”
“I just—” Allura flushes. “I can’t explain it well.”
“Oh, but you’re always so eloquent and well worded. Come on!” In an attempt of casual playfulness, she drapes her elbow over Allura’s shoulder.
Allura whips her head towards her at the motion. It’s a poorly estimated move; their noses nearly knock against each other. She’s so close. Romelle can feel the warmth radiating off her skin first hand. Her breath fans against her face. She can count Allura’s eyelashes and study the angles of her Altean marks.
“I enjoy spending time with you. That’s all.”
“Me?” Romelle exclaims, a bit too loud. She points a finger at herself. “Me?”
Allura looks unamused. “Who else is here with us?”
“The mice! Coran!”
“Coran,” she hisses and grabs Romelle by the shoulders, “Is snoring! Too loud! I’ve been trying to switch him out for ages.”
Romelle giggles. She can’t help it. It’s true—Coran snores like a wailing yelmor. “I like spending time with you too,” she says.
“I know.” Allura gives her a cheeky grin.
Suddenly, a booming noise rattles Blue.
“What was that?” Romelle asks. Allura looks equally surprised.
Then, slowly, everything starts to rise. The cards scattered around the floor tilt upwards. Romelle’s hair starts to float up by its ends. She herself is going up too. They’re flying—or something like that.
“Oh my god,” Allura mutters, “I forgot to turn off the power saving system. The gravity—Blue turned it off!”
Romelle is too busy trying to reorient herself in midair. Unlike Allura, who’s floating around like a fish in water, Romelle flails and twists and turns. More often than not, she ends up upside down. She’s making a complete fool of herself.
“Oh, come here,” Allura says and snatches Romelle by the waist. “There. Now you won’t fly away.”
“T—thanks.”
Her arms are wound loosely around Romelle’s waist. They’re hugging. They’re hugging! Romelle moves her hands with caution. She doesn’t know where to place them, but she ends up slinging them around Allura’s neck.
“This is nice,” Allura says, “You have…nice arms. Good for…holding.”
“Can’t have you flying away either, princess.”
“Yes, that’d be terrible.”
Romelle waits for Allura to detach from her and fix the gravity settings, but time passes and she remains by her side. It makes Romelle wonder, could this be a regular thing for them? Could they touch like this all the time? Could they do more?
Romelle wants more. She knows that for sure.She wants to bury her hands in Allura’s hair and trace the sculpt of her face with her mouth. She wants to hold her as she sleeps. She wants to know Allura, every part of her, every part that she’ll be allowed to.
@voltronyurievent
Day Three: Gravity/Home
