bakerstreet | amnesia

Shiro was, actually. You two, Lance, Hunk, and Keith all found the Blue Lion together on Earth, and she brought you to me and Coran. At first I assigned the five of you to the Lions, with Hunk and Pidge as they are now, you and Shiro to Red and Black, and Lance to Blue.

[She knew this next part would lead to more questions, but this was helping,and Keith needed to know.]

After a large battle against Zarkon, however, Shiro went missing for a while. You never gave up hope for finding him, but we needed a Black Paladin to lead us in his absence. You had piloted the Black Lion once before to save Shiro, so it chose you to pilot it. The Red Lion asked for Lance, and then the Blue Lion chose me.

So, you weren't a Paladin to start, then.

[Keith sighed heavily.]

It seems like so much.

[To hear it all in one sitting was really a lot, and Keith getting information from everyone through the course of the day once they had all been found and settled at the campsite. It was an odd feeling, having all these people tell him things that had happened, but not remembering any of it. Part of him wanted to run, to just isolate himself from everything, but where would he go? And, on top of that, he had this added responsibility tying him to the group. They needed him for the Black Lion.

No matter how much Keith wanted to take off, his sense of duty kept him tethered.]

It is... [She sighed herself as she approached him, lightly resting a hand on his shoulder.] None of this war has been simple. And I wish I knew how to help you remember it all now instead of giving everything to you piecemeal.

[She worried whether or not those past bonds were strong enough to be rebuilt or... whether they were more or less gone, only shadows that would keep Keith locked in. Right now, she wanted so badly to hold Keith close and kiss him, try and assuage his worries, but she almost promised to take it slow and their love had taken time to build, even with how suddenly their relationship started. (Would he EVER love her again after this?)]

[Keith brought his hand up, resting it over Allura's on his shoulder. That sense of familiarity lingered still. His mind might not remember, but something did... the hand-holding, the closeness, the sense of being drawn to her... it was there, on the edges of what was missing. The memories might be blocked, but the feelings weren't.]

I appreciate it, though. All your help. It's a lot to take in, but I know everyone's just trying to help. [Even the Lions. He squeezed her hand a little.

And that steadiness he had gained from his time with his mom was still there. Keith felt more stable and settled than he honestly ever remembered himself being... at least, in a long time. Keith knew he had changed.]

[A small, relieved smile came at the squeeze to her hand.]

You're worth helping, Keith. ... May I hug you?

[That might have actually gotten him to blush a little. So far in his existing memories, only Shiro had seen him as worth helping. To know that there were others who felt the same way now, that was a lot. He took a moment, and then nodded at her request.]

[She step forward and wraps her arms around his neck in a gentle but deep hug, still held close but light enough that Keith could end it early if he needed to. She still made sure they were face to face, so she could gauge his reaction... see if he could remember any of this.]

[Well... it was a nice feeling, at least. And the idea of Allura having her arms around him felt right, and comfortable. Keith didn't pull back at all. In fact, he leaned into it, sliding his own arms around her in return. Something stirred, some feeling that wanted to come back to him, and he felt his pulse quicken at having her this close to him. He met her eyes for a moment, a swirl of emotion in his own, before he closed his and gave in to the impulse to kiss her.]

[She settled deeper into his arms, another wave of relief as he returned the hug. But then he leaned in to kiss her and she gasped against his mouth. She froze for a second before she sagged against him in relief, a few tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She returned the kiss gladly, trying to rein in her impulse to open up to him right away, one hand very gently making its way into his hair.]

[Keith paused, breathing hard for a moment, pressing his forehead to hers. Her fingers in his hair felt so right, and made him want to kiss her again. So, he did...

His eyes were closed, and he let himself fall into that kiss, completely letting go in favor of the moment, and something strange started to happen. Whether it was their bond, or some lingering effect of her healing powers from earlier, he wouldn't have been able to tell, but there images, moments, pieces of those missing two years that began to fade into clarity in his mind's eye.

Finding her at the Castle.

Running away from the Castle together.

Her rejection about his family heritage.

Her apology before he left to infiltrate Zarkon's ship.

Finding the Alteans from the other reality.

The tension over his split attention between Voltron and the Blade.

Almost losing the team (and himself) at Nacxela.

Their stolen moment in the pool, discovering their feelings for each other.

All the times they communicated in secret and he tried to get back to the Castle between missions.

Missing her for two years...

And then coming back together after his return.

From there, with those pillars in place, centered around her, and their relationship over time, other things began to fall into place... Shiro, his mother, the other Paladins, the Blade of Marmora... all of it.

He stopped at some point during the flood, clinging to her for support as he leaned his head down on her shoulder. There was a slight tremor in his frame.]

Allura... I... [He took a deep breath.] It's... it's coming back...

[Allura had to stop herself from staggering back in shockas Keith fell forward, but she held onto him tight as he rode out the wave of new memories, trying to keep her voice soft. Oh thank the Ancients he was remembering!]

It's all right love, I'm here. I've got you...

[Keith was definitely on route to having one hell of a headache after this. Allura's support helped, though. She was someone to hold on to, a grounding force as his mind swirled with memories and emotions all hitting him at the same time. He felt like he'd just run a marathon...]

I think I need to sit...

[That she could definitely do. Slowly she lowered him to the ground, still loosely cradling him in her arms as everything came back to him, watching his face for any physical or emotional pain.]

[Keith easily followed her lead, settling somewhat heavily on the ground as he tried to catch his breath. It was a lot to deal with all at once, and he definitely looked uncomfortable. He wasn't in pain beyond a growing stress headache, but he definitely felt horribly overwhelmed. There was happiness, sadness, anger, loneliness, shock, fear, love... and tears started to slowly slide down his face as he put his head in his hands.]

[She was already crying in relief for him, but now there was distress alongside it too, and she pulled him into a tighter hug as he wept.]

I'm here, Keith. I'm here, my love, I've got you.

[He clung to her in return.]

I'm sorry I forgot...

[Yes... he was apologizing for amnesia...]

Shhhh... [She pressed a side kiss to his forehead and tightened her embrace.] It isn’t your fault, there’s nothing to apologize for. I’m SO happy you remember again.

[Keith leaned into the embrace, the feeling of Allura's arms around him comforting on a whole new level now that he could remember it again. He nodded a little.]

It was scary. [It took a lot for him to admit that.] All this stuff, and I just... didn't remember any of it...

[Even with this weird sense of things being right, there was still this fear that everything he knew about himself would just be secondhand and not an actual memory. As he sat there with her, staying close, he could also feel the soft warm nudge in the back of his mind. The Black Lion was pleased he remembered again. Red was, too. She'd been worried that he'd forgotten their time together, and she let him know that before fading into the background again.

The comforting purr helped him, and he gave her a small squeeze before managing to sit up again. He didn't pull completely free of her embrace, though, but he did manage a small smile.]

The Lions seem happy. [He chuckled a bit, then rubbed at his forehead. Definitely going to have a stress headache for a while. He still had some mental sorting to do, but it would get better and less jumbled as he slowly managed to put the pieces back together.]

[ She shifted her arms to support him better, smiling back at amethyst eyes that KNEW her again, kissing his forehead, murmuring into his bangs.]

As am I. I was scared for you as well, for us. I love you so much, Keith...

[Keith looked up at her for a moment, and then pressed his face into the crook of her neck and shoulder, his arms tightening around her.]

I love you, too. [It felt good to say that.] I love you, too, Allura.

[Keith gently kissed her neck and then kept his head rested on her shoulder, taking comfort in her embrace.]

Thank you... for being there and helping me.

[A light shudder ran through her at the kiss to her neck, and she tightened her embrace, one arm cradling him while the other hand stroked his bangs as she pressed another kiss to his temple.]

Always. I will always be there to help you, no matter what, Keith.

[He nodded.]

I know. That means a lot.

[He hugged her tightly for a moment longer, and then stood up carefully, making sure he was steady on his feet, before offering her a hand up as well.]

I think I'm ready to go back to the others.

[He gave her a small smile.]

[She nodded as she took his hand, lacing heir fingers and squeezing once they were both upright.]

I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you recovered as well.

[Keith nodded a little, holding her hand tightly. He definitely still needed her support while things sorted themselves out in his head. Some things were a little jumbled and out of order, but it was settling.

He pulled Allura into another tight hug for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He'd been thrown off pretty hard by the experience. After a bit, though, he pulled back again.]

Thanks.

[In a way, with all the things that had 'felt right' to him, he hadn't completely lost everything, which was a little comforting in all of this. He was glad for it, really, because it made getting some of the news he'd gotten a little easier. But, now, a lot of those feelings and things he'd gotten in reaction to some of what he'd been told made more sense.

He was just glad things were back, really. It had been scary knowing that he was missing over two years of his life.]

amnesia

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