#sholivan
Title: A Safe Place
Fandom:Voltron
Pairing:Kolivan/Shiro
Rating: General Audiences
Additional Tags: Sholivan, Galrentines2018, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff
Fic Summary:Shiro had come to realize that ‘home’ wasn’t a place, it was the feeling of being wrapped up in Kolivan’s arms, the feeling of being able to close his eyes and sleep feeling safe for the first time in who knew how long.
Well I’m a bit late to the party here but here’s my piece for @xblackpaladin for the @galrentines-exchange ! Kolivan/Shiro and the idea of a cuddle puddle just brought this to mind for me. I hope you enjoy this little tidbit of fluff!
The process of getting to know Kolivan had been… a complicated one, to say the least. He was Galra, the very people who had tortured Shiro. But he was also a Blade, the people who were responsible for freeing him. Thace, Ulaz, and countless others had given their lives for the cause of defeating Zarkon and taking down the Galra empire.
In the end, what it came down to was getting to know Kolivan as a person beyond just the mask he wore. But long hours working out the finer intricacies of the Voltron Coalition and their collaborative work with the Blade of Marmora had given them more than enough time to get to know each other one-on-one. What started as strategic meetings planning out mission details often derailed once the important work was done into Shiro lingering for longer than necessary, asking Kolivan things about his life and his upbringing or vice versa. Kolivan always seemed fascinated to learn about Earth. And Shiro was likewise just as fascinated to learn about Kolivan’s childhood bouncing between Galra-occupied planets.
The first time Shiro had found himself in Kolivan’s arms had been purely by accident. Far too tired from hours spent poring over mission reports, he’d lost his footing and tripped only to find himself enveloped in a set of very large arms, pressed solidly against a solid body. Kolivan had told him to be more careful before leading him to his quarters at the temporary base, insisting he needed to rest before attempting the journey home. He wasn’t wrong about that, Shiro had to admit. He’d gratefully taken the offer of a nap.
The next time Shiro found himself in Kolivan’s arms it was when Kolivan had been teaching him how better to use Galra weaponry. According to the Galra man, everything about his posture was simply wrong. And no matter how much Shiro tried, he couldn’t correct his stance in a way that would satisfy him. Shiro had declared that Kolivan should simply “put him where he needed to be” in a fit of frustration. Kolivan had done just that, curling around him and positioning his body with gentle nudges and tugs. Shiro could have sworn he lingered for just a few ticks longer than necessary before he pulled back, telling Shiro to shoot. Kolivan wasn’t wrong, Shiro’s aim improved significantly that day. But he couldn’t bring himself to stop thinking about Kolivan’s breath against the nape of his neck and the shivers it had sent up his spine.
The third time Shiro found himself in Kolivan’s arms, it was when late night reminiscence about Earth had tipped him over the edge of too many feelings left unprocessed. He couldn’t stop the tears that fell down his face as he lamented the fact that he wasn’t sure he would ever see his home world again. Kolivan’s arms had wrapped around him then, a broad hand stroking at his hair as the Galra man hummed some sort of lullaby that his translator couldn’t quite catch. But the melody was beautiful, lulling him into sleep. When he’d awoken, it was in Kolivan’s bed again, but this time with Kolivan at his side, curled around him and wrapping Shiro up close against him. Shiro lay there for a long few minutes, feeling how small and protected he felt in Kolivan’s arms before he drifted back to sleep.
Incidents like that became more commonplace after that. Once the work that needed to be done was complete, Shiro would often retire with Kolivan to either of their rooms depending where the meeting was held. It had become the new norm that no one on Team Voltron was bothered when Shiro didn’t return until the next morning, having spent the night in Kolivan’s bed, or when Kolivan stumbled groggily out of Shiro’s room in the morning, stopping to wake himself up with a quick bite of food before leaving without a word.
“Are you still homesick, Black Paladin?” Kolivan asked carefully one evening as Shiro lay curled against his chest, listening to his strong heart and steady breaths.
“I…” Shiro frowned, hesitating as he thought through the question. “No… I… I don’t think I am… I… I miss it but… it isn’t where I ache to be anymore.”
“Is there somewhere else you wish to be instead?” Kolivan asked, lifting his head to look at Shiro.
“I… right now I think there’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here, actually,” Shiro answered, feeling Kolivan’s grip tighten slightly around him as a gentle kiss was pressed to the side of his head.
Through everything that had happened, Shiro had come to realize that 'home’ wasn’t a place for him anymore. It was the feeling of being wrapped up in Kolivan’s arms, the feeling of being able to close his eyes and sleep, feeling entirely safe for the first time in who knew how long.
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