thisavrou_log | all along the watchtower

Entry tags:

all along the watchtower

Who: Ex-Residents of Lion House
When: During the mediation center and ingress complex assaults.
Where: Angela Zeigler's old house
What: The remainder of Team Voltron piece themselves back together again.
Warnings: none yet
Notes: tag around, tag whoever, it's the saddest mingle log.

Angela's house is just as it was the last time anyone had stepped in. Dustier, colder. But the furniture is there. The non-perishable and medical supplies are there. It's still got some power to it, and for what isn't online, there's a fireplace and blankets. The smuggled cow is wandering around in back of the house. Out of sight.

It's off the beaten path.

As good a place as any to hunker down, wait out the storm of what might come. Make plans. Figure out what the next step is going to be, once the dust settles.

And address the absences from the household. The quiet where there should be red and blue. Their armor is settled into a chair, empty and waiting. They aren't whole anymore. Now they have to figure out where to go from here.

So nap, talk, make plans - the whole house is yours. It's going to be a long day and a longer night.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Alfor smiles. It's one of the most real he's been able to summon up since they'd come to this house, so far.

"Yes. Yes it is." He doubts that anyone chosen to be a paladin would settle for otherwise. There are difficult things they have to face, but they'll do what they can, as they can.

There's probably a half dozen kinds of regulations or customs or boundaries that should say you don't just go and hug the king of Altea. But he'd already done it once, scouring the bones of their house.

Now it feels even more appropriate.

We'll get through this.

And hey, maybe if he embraces him, then he'll at least be able to convey another bit of gratitude between them.

If there were, then Alfor would probably have dismissed or let them slip numerous times every chance he got. He didn't believe that royalty or the like should be so distanced from their people, and he knew of his peers, he wasn't the only one to feel as such. Perhaps it was even because of them that he'd learned to take it upon himself to get so personally involved in things. Perhaps it was a little of both.

Even as Shiro moves to do so, Alfor seems more prepared this time around, releasing Shiro's arm to swing his own around the other. He's mindful not to give too firm an embrace, unsure of how sturdy the constitution of an Earthling might be against Altean strength. Hopefully the same could be said for the pat on the back that he applies.

Maybe later, there will be time for talks about things like that. Things like culture, like how Altea worked, back when it was still, you know there. He'd like to know, he really would. The more he can hear about where they're from, the better.

But now isn't the time.

Now is the time to find a kind of solace in holding onto someone. Who's as unsure of the situation as he is, internally. But who also has conviction to support his own.

It's not okay now.

But they can do this.

"I swear it's... not usually this crazy. For what it's worth."

     Sometimes you need to do such things as this. Sometimes a touch or an embrace is all you need to help bolster someone when words otherwise fail. Even when you're surrounded by people, it's as good as telling anyone that you're there for them, and feeling that they mean to say the same.

     It dismisses the heavy thoughts, reminds Alfor that he's not the only one struggling through things, and they're not all completely different either. But they did need time. And they did need each other.

     The Altean king chuckles as Shiro speaks again, loosening his arms a little to step back. "I'd be disappointed if there wasn't some amount of craziness. Just...not in this capacity nor circumstance."

He steps back a little too, as Alfor does. But his hands stray to the other's shoulders. For something solid under his fingers. One more lifeline to brace against.

"Before now it... was always off-world crazy."

A deep breath, slow to exhale. Steadying. Like Angela had always encouraged.

"Maybe we'll get back to that."

Alfor remains within reach, nodding. It will be nice to get back to some semblance of normality. But trying to figure things out all at once just makes things more difficult sometimes, and coming off of one problem into another doesn't help alleviate any of the pressure.

"One step at a time, Shiro," he says. "One step at a time."

"... I think I see why the Red Lion chose you."

Well, that and charging through a wall of trees in the dream world. But still. This is what makes a good right hand. Moments like these.

At that, the king grins. It's certainly not a statement he takes lightly, and it makes it feel like things have come to a neat circle.

He gives Shiro another pat. "We should rest while we can, if we can. It might help to tackle whatever's next with fresher thoughts, clearer heads."

"Go ahead. I know Angela kept spare bedrooms for people who needed it. I... don't think she'd mind."

He knows she wouldn't. She hadn't minded when he'd turned up on her doorstep, shaken and shell-shocked. Looking for her advice. For anyone's advice.

His grin turns somewhat crooked. "I meant you too, you know. No sense in running yourself ragged." Alfor's expression softens. "You've been doing all that you can. Remember, you don't have to carry that burden alone."

He does take a step back then, spreading his hands. Despite the circles under his eyes, the lines in his face, he doesn't look like someone prepared to sit down.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to rest any time soon."

"You should at least try," he suggests, sighing quietly. Because you desperately look like you need it, is left unsaid.

I desperately need it, is the unsaid answer.

"I'll sit down." He holds up a hand, there. It's the best he can offer in the moment.

It's not a very satisfactory answer for Alfor and it shows on his face. He nods, deciding that sitting is at least a step in the right direction.

"...if you need assistance in finding sleep, I can possibly aid in that," he offers after a moment. "But I would rather you rest of your own accord." He gathers a faint smile again, gesturing for Shiro to take the chair he'd just vacated. Meanwhile, he's supposes he should put this helmet somewhere.

There's a helpless sort of shrug in answer. Like he knows it's not enough, but it's all he can offer.

"If you mean something like medicine, I... don't think we have anything like that, here." And if they do, they should probably conserve it. Just in case.

He does take the seat, though. For what that's worth.

Alfor shakes his head. "...more like...magic, I suppose you'd say," he admits. At least Shiro is sitting as he said he would.

Oh, right. Sometimes, it's easy to forget their people have abilities any human would consider "magic". He shakes his head, from where he's sitting.

"Right. I should have remembered by now."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. It's not something even I make use of extensively." It's not like Alfor had done anything alchemical either since his arrival, but then it wouldn't have been possible anyway given the situation their imprisonment had provided.

"I'll leave you to sit, then. But if you might like to try for sleep, then let me know."

"... Now I'm curious. What can you do, exactly?"

Oh no, Alfor, you made him want to know more.

The Altean king glances at him. "It really isn't anything complicated. I simply do that, make someone fall asleep." Then he smiles crookedly. "I could demonstrate," he offers, wiggling his fingers.

Give him a second.

Processing.

"For how long?"

"Mm, it varies. At the least, I can make it last but a few minutes," Alfor replies. He's pretty sure it doesn't last unreasonably long. Altean magic only does so much. Altean alchemy and technology on the other hand...

A few minutes.

That's better than nothing, right? That's better than lying here uselessly until he got too frustrated. And, if nothing else, it would make Hunk and Pidge stop looking at him with those expressions.

"All right. Let's give it a shot."

Alfor nods, although once he's turned around to face Shiro again, he pauses. "Here? Although granted the chair is pretty comfortable but..."

all along the watchtower

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