The Dragon Alchemist

Chapter 24

With a smile on his face, Hunk jumped at Aura and hugged her, to which Aura was quick to return Hunk's action. Their masterpiece lay out on a few trays which has multiple plates on one tray. After removing themselves from each other, their attention was turned to the commotion outside of the dining room door. Keith and Lance came rushing in, with Keith in front. A small smile broke onto Keith's face as he smelled the scents from the kitchen.

Lance, who was right on Keith's tail, smacked into Keith's back, since he halted himself after catching the smell in the air. "Whaaat?" Lance groaned, while throwing his head back, like a little kid who just got interrupted by a parent.

"They made sushi," Keith said quietly as he jogged into the kitchen with Aura and Hunk. Keith carefully leaned over the food and stared at the sushi that seemed to have some exotic looking fish and blue seaweed-like material holding the it together. "It looks great you two." The excitement evident in his voice.

Hunk rubbed the back of his head at the compliment, "Well Shiro was feeling a little down, I think, and I- I thought he might need a little bit of Earth back. Its not much but..."

Aura placed a hand on his shoulder and a smile split her face, "It's the thought that counts."

~

After (Name)'s words, Shiro quietly leaned against her, his mind still running from the darkness, his memories still plaguing him. Quietly, again, (Name) spoke up, "Tell me about Earth Shiro."

There was a sniff and then the quiet voice of Shiro broke the silence, "I worked at the Garrison," another sniff, "and that's where I found Adam." The room again dropped into silence, "We were students when we first met and we became good friends. The years rolled by and we both loved each other, but then I had to go on that stupid mission." Tears were falling again, "He warned me not to, and then we had a fight and-" A sob came from Shiro, (Name) grabbed gently at Shiro's and pulled him closer as the man crumbled before her, "and I couldn't say goodbye!" More sobs came from Shiro as (Name) continued to rubbed Shiro's head. Reaching her other arm around she hugged him full on, his arms lay lax, but slowly wrapped around (Name).

(Name)'s eyes surged with a green light that lite the whole room for only a second, "He forgives you." Shiro's shoulders shuck, "He knows that you love the stars and the vast depths of space: the need to travel the unknown." Shiro continued to shake. "He knows that you're out there still, he believes you live." At this Shiro sobbed again, but this time not from sadness. But from joy. (Name) continued to comfort Shiro by rubbing his back and playing with his hair, "Your light is still burning for you, Shiro, like a brilliant star from a far off galaxy. You have him to help you fight the darkness, but you also have everyone on this ship to glow for you as well."

(Name) slowly stopped rubbing and stood up, quietly walking to the door, "The others made something for you in the kitchen." Silence came from behind her, as Shiro lifted his head to stare at her back. Looking over her shoulder, (Name) smiled kindly, "No leaders can always be strong, they too have their moments. Remember that Shiro," (Name) turned back forward and walked from the room, Shiro still staring the door, before wiping the tears that were rolling down his face. He pushed himself up from his bed and left his room, in search of the kitchen.

As the door slid opened for Shiro, all the paladins jumped at him and hugged him. After hearing that Shiro was feeling down all of them wanted to show-- it seems-- that they too were here for him. Aura, Mizu, and (Name) were standing in the back of the room each smiling at the embrace. (Name) subtly whispered to Mizu, " He's all good now." Mizu discretely nodded. Allura and Corran walked into the room and stared at the Paladins, a smile growing on both their faces. Both laughed and also jumped into the group hug, with Shiro standing in the middle looking down at his friends and "children" embracing him.

The three Elites smiled and started for the kitchen counter (that probably isn't there but shhh imagine it) Aura taking faster steps to get to the sushi that she and Hunk created. Mizu, who was taller and had longer legs than both Aura and (Name), walked to Aura's almost-jogging form and smacked her upside the head. "It's for Shiro," she hissed quietly.

After the Paladins finish their small conversation within the embrace they separated and started for the kitchen, all but Shiro. Keith turned back to him, a smile on his face- which in turn shocked Shiro a little bit- and spoke, "They made sushi." Shiro looked at Keith and stared at his child-like excitement, a side grin slide onto his face and he wrapped his right arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. Bringing his left hand up and noogied him with the widest smile on his face. Keith looked up as Shiro continued to rub his hair into a even messier form. (Name) smiled at the interaction of this father and son like relationship, before taking two plates of sushi and walking towards the kitchen table. Hunk and Aura both followed suit with bringing the food to the table.

As everyone made their way to the table and sat at their sets. Shiro sat with at least two rolls siting before him as everyone else had one. A smile broke onto Shiro's face again. (Name) who was standing with the other Elites with a cup of water in her hand spoke up, "To Shiro." The solemn words of the Alchemist had everyone also voicing the phrase.

There was no way from Shiro to feel as if he was alone within his darkness.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay safe.

-Jade
8/8/20