A/N
This may be the last chapter for some time, since I'm starting University soon and I don't know how busy I will be. Keep an eye on my announcements with updates on the update schedule.

References to suicide, imprisonment, etc. References to the Naxzela episode, so you all know what to expect, I hope. Be warned, the chapter is short and mostly Matt's point of view, but we are getting some relationship focuses.

"Shiro? It's so good to see you, um, sir," Matt holds out his hand.

Shiro grabs his hand and pulls him in for a tight hug.

"Yurak?" Matt whispers.

"Safe. It's complicated. I'll explain later," Shiro smiles and lets go.

———

Once everything settles down (Pidge stops dragging him around the Castle, finally tells him how they got a cow and they find out Zarkon is alive and wants Lotor dead), they enjoy a meal. Matt doesn't stop smiling at how happy Pidge and everyone is. He notices the sudden tension that appears in the room, but doesn't say anything when Hunk removes the extra plate and cutlery. He now knows what Shiro meant when he said it's complicated. Yurak was here, but he's left.

Matt wishes he could've seen him, but he's proud. Yurak used to be afraid to make the simplest decisions and now he's made a huge one. He's becoming independent.

———

He has his own room. He doesn't stay in there. He goes to the room he knows was Yurak's. It's locked and he smiles.

He spends the night with Shiro, his third parent.

———

Before the big attack, he sees Yurak with the leader of the Blades, onscreen. Unlike the other Blade, he doesn't wear a mask, only a hood. His eyes are dull and he's hurting and Matt just wants to hug his baby brother and assure him that everything will be alright. He can't, but he notices the way Yurak's eyes brighten when they notice him. Matt smiles reassuringly, promising to be here when he comes home, because he knows that for Yurak, just like for Shiro and Pidge, the Paladins are home.

———

"How do you know where you were born, Yurak?"

"Momma says Papa called it Earth. She says that Papa said the people look like him, but different, like me."

"My sister looks like me, but her hair is longer, goes all the way down here."

"That's really long!"

"I know! She spent a long time brushing it every morning and would tie it up into what we call a ponytail like this."

"Matty! Leave my hair alone!"

"But it's long! And I can play with it and I can make it look pretty!"

"I can look pretty?"

"You always look pretty, lil Fuzz."

"Fuzz? That's a new one."

"Shiro!"

"Hi Daddy!"

———

He sleeps with Pidge that night, but they stay up, unable to sleep.

"What was it like?" Pidge whispers.

"What was what like?" Matt asks.

"The cell. The arena. Surviving with Shiro and Keith."

Keith. He hasn't referred to Yurak like that in a long time.

Matt smiles, "Hard, but there were moments... little moments of peace that were so easy... kinda like right now."

Pidge smiles and turns to look at her brother, "I miss him. I was teaching him Earth stuff and tech stuff and science stuff and... and he was the first one I told that I preferred to be a they, instead of a she."

And oh, Matt realises, suddenly things make sense.

Pidge continues to look at their brother, fear in their eyes, and he smiles, "I'm glad you like him."

"Do you think Mum and Dad will let us keep him?" Pidge whispers.

Matt laughs, "Dad will claim that you can't keep a person, Pidge, and we would have to fight Shiro. Besides, he's already part of the family."

It's quiet for a moment, but Pidge speak up, "Do you think he's older or younger than me?"

"No idea, but does it really matter?"

Pidge doesn't answer.

The answer is obvious.

———

The Naxzela operation was both a failure and a success. There were many losses and Voltron was almost lost, but the objective was achieved.

Matt looks over at Yurak.

Some other things also came to light.

"Voltron! Get off the planet!"

"Keith? What's wr-"

"Voltron? Voltron! Shiro!"

Yurak has always been different. He has always been able to tell when a person was close or remove their pain, but, most importantly, he is Yurak and, despite everything, he is still so good.

He's the reason they knew to attack the cruiser, before Voltron warned them.

"We'll never penetrate those shields!"

Matt watches the different emotions flit across Yurak's face, anger, hate, distress, sorrow, determination, love.

"Maybe not with our weapons."

Matt knows immediately what he's going to do.

"Wait! Keith! What are you doing?! Yurak! No!"

"Love you, Matty."

The beam of power takes out the weapon before Yurak can. He watches Yurak pull back in relief.

"Yurak! Yurak!"

"I'm here. I'm here, Matty."

He watches Lotor and Yurak talk, sat back to back, despite the cell wall separating them. No one realised they had history.

"Lotor?"

The cuffed man looks over, his emotionless face changing to a soft grin, "Hey there, little Red, long time."

Yurak's confusion is evident on his face, "You've never called me that before."

"You weren't the Red Paladin before," Lotor smirks.

"How?"

"Axca told me about your little... escapade in the belly of a Weblum. Always so reckless and good," Lotor chuckles.

Yurak smiles slightly at the man as he is lead away.

"Desperation can do awful things to a person, but you should never let that control or define you, Yurak," Lotor says, scolding him for his earlier suicidal stunt.

Yurak just hums apologetically.

"You and Lotor were friends?" Shiro asks.

"I... I don't know? It's usually painful and fuzzy, but I knew him... I know him. It's clear when I'm near him..."

Matt telegraphs his movements as he places an arm around his baby brother, who still tenses, before he relaxes.

"Do you think you can get information from him?" Allura asks.

"He wants to help us," the leader of the Blades explains, walking in after having spoken with Lotor, "He has nowhere else to go, but he does want to talk to you, Keith."

Yurak nods. They decide that Yurak and Lotor will not be left alone.

"Something's bothering you, little one," Lotor states, putting in words the worry of the team and Matt and the Blades that Yurak is close to.

Yurak is quiet for a moment.

"I'm cold and tired all the time. I... I don't know why..."

"When did it start?" Lotor turns his head to look at Yurak.

"I don't know!" Yurak hits the glass behind him, startling Lotor and Matt, "I can't remember never feeling like this before, but I can't remember not feeling like this before either! And! A-a-and it hurts!"

"Deep breathes, little Red," Lotor soothes and Yurak calms down.

"I need to go."

"I'll see you soon. Stay safe. Love you."

Yurak doesn't respond and leaves. Matt goes to follow.

"Something is wrong with him. Make sure he looks after himself," Lotor says, looking straight at Matt.

"Of course," Matt agrees, before following Yurak out of the room.

Matt knows he can't trust Lotor, but he knows that the man cares for Yurak. He can be civil, as long as Yurak is safe. After all, it's not often the Rebels can make friends with someone who knows the inner workings of the Empire, like Lotor.