The next day came rather fast and by now he was out of his regressed state. Both him and Romelle talked it out and she made it clear to him that he could stay here. It was a strange thing that he was surprised at how kind she was.

It made his heart flutter and a shy smile slipped up. She even was making sure that he would be safe and that he would feel homey. What was not easy but it weirdly worked. Yet it was often that he regressed out of stress.

Romelle or how he liked to call her Elle had been amazing with him. Not even mentioning why he regressed. Another thing was that he just couldn't help but feel helpless at times. It was just hard to ask for something and it was why Elle had been making sure that he would take care of what was needed.

Eating, drinking, etc. These things that were needed to live but he just couldn't do this. Not with how he still subconsciously remembered what had happened when he done something that Lotor was not wanting him to do.

The male wanted him to be submissive and making sure that he would know that he would decide when he could do something. It was something that Elle knew by now and thanks to her care he was getting better.

Yes, he still could not eat occasionally much but she made sure that he ate slowly more. A slow process and his homesickness was not helping either. It was now almost a year since he was here and all six months all of the Altean's end up going somewhere.

And like the last time he pointed out that there was something not right. It made him scared that something could happen to Elle and it led to him being clingy for at least a week. Something that at least once a week happened. Where in a weekday he needed physical affection.

Elle made sure that he get this with cuddles, hold handing, hair ruffle or simply letting him stay close to her.

The sister figure had known that something was not right but she couldn't do anything. It was a thing that made it clear how hopeless they were. There was nothing that they could do and he really wasn't wanting to leave, not when Elle still seemed to see this planet as home.

"Um could we go to the woods please?" He kindly asked and when she agreed made him have a massive smile.

They soon went outside and starting to walk inside of the woods. It had been something that he loved to do since coming here. The green color, the soft brush of wind made a relaxing atmosphere. This reminded him of the woods at earth.

Since being out of the clutches of Lotor everything felt more bright. Too much sometimes and he still had these bad night terrors. What was a random thought he had right now but it wasn't nothing new. Richard got often distracted by his thoughts.

That was what had happened once more and the deeper they went the more sure they are that no one would see them. That was until a rushing sound went and he shuffled closer as going more in front of Elle.

Even now he was always going to do this as he wasn't wanting to get her harmed and he was the one who could fight after all. His sister would have trouble fending her off even after the two started training together.

A wolf stepped out. It was blue and reminded him of a familiar animal that someone of his friends had but he just couldn't remember who it was. This thought struck him about his memory being fuzzy and he couldn't help but sniff.

"You can't just- Wait is that you Dick?" The tone was unbelievable and shocked. It took him a bit to realize that there in front of him was now Keithy. His throat closed off and he felt the urge to break down crying.

Not out of fear or sadness but pure relieve and joy to see someone familiar. Even when Elle was there it wasn't always enough. But now seeing Keithy made him feel overwhelmed. That much that his breath hitched.

Soon he felt himself into a hug by an unfamiliar chest. The boobs were a bit bigger and the height was also making him know that this person was a stranger. He flinched as waiting for some pain and when nothing came he leaned into the touch and hugging back as snuggling himself into the arms.

"Okay how in gods name did you end up on this planet, Richard?" The harsh tone was making him feel uncomfortable as feeling that he had done something wrong.

Maybe this was why he felt himself regress slightly and whimpering as hiding his face into the chest of the female out of fear and hoping that she would protect him from any pain that could come.

"Oi see now you scared him. Do not use that harsh tone on him." Elle's voice rang out and making him flinch once more. He knew that his sis was not angry at him but he couldn't help his reaction not after how Lotor treated him.

When the hug left he realized how close Keithy and her looked like.

"Why?" He couldn't help but croak out at the female. As he couldn't understand why she did hug him. Keith seemed to know what he meant and the stranger looked at him with a soft look. One that he could just imagine a mother would give their child.

"Because a mother has a second sense for someone in need for one." The tone was soft yet firm and her eyes shone with a knowing look.

"Oh..." He wasn't even sure what else to say and this was all that he managed to get out. It was just that he should have expected this with how closely the two looked like.

"Anyway, how about you tell us how you end up here, Keith was worried sickly and has none stop tried to find you." The tone of her was the same softness and he couldn't help but nod.

The four with the wolf went to the place that he called by now home and starting to explain how he ended up here. Elle was silent at his explanation yet she had the entire time an arm around him to sooth his anxiousness. The wolf was having his head on top on his lap and he subconsciously petting it.

At the end Keith looked like he had bit into a sour lemon yet also looked furious. It showed that the other cared for him and he knew the look as it was one of them whenever he talked about Lotor. His lips pressed together and he couldn't help but lean more into Elle.

There was a silence before they started to talk more and deciding to find out where the other colonie is. It was now that he seen that they had some space ships and it also got explained that they long ago forgot how to fly this.

It ended up with Keith flying to the only place that could be the colonie...

The moon.

Entering was too easy and the shock what he seen was making him once more wonder how cruel Lotor could be. These people were sucked their life essence out. It was gruesome and he couldn't help but reminding himself once again of the cruelty of some beings.

As hero he had seen things but even this was too much. He shuddered and all agreed that they would have to go. The people on this planet would not believe them even when they wanted to. There was just too risky.

So with this they flown towards the ship that would be where Voltron was. There was a silence the entire time and he knew that no one had said anything out of shock. Other then Keith and the female that he now knew her name is Krolia.

His body curled into lap of Elle and the wolf curled into him. Elle had her arms around and going soothingly through his hair. As she knew that he was right now in no state of mind for being his age. It was one thing that she always knew what he was needing.

The affectionate touches were something that by now made him more comfortable yet strangers still made him tense up, waiting for pain. He snuggled more into the fluffy fur of the animal. The wolf gave him a glance which was making him pause.

This animal had an intellectual and it seemed that they knew that he was right now younger mentally. He smiled slightly at the concerned look that he was given. The rest of the fly ended up going without a hitch.

.

.

.

As they landed into a big ship, made him know that they were here. His body tensed up and shivers creeped up as fear made itself grasp tightly on him. It was something that made him feel tense. As he still could not get out of the fear of what strangers could cause.

Not with what he went through. A thing that he knew that came with his issues. His throat felt dry and he stayed close this time to Keith, knowing that the other would be able to protect him. As he was right now still not capable to get out of his younger mindset.

The male gave him a reassuring glance and to his surprise it was Krolia who took his hand. It made him tense up but not letting go of the hand. He still couldn't help but feel unsure how to feel of this. Either way it helped to sooth him.

When they stepped aside he could see a few people. They all looked young and around the age of Keith or a bit younger. One looked the oldest of the bunch. His body shuffled closer now to Keith almost wanting to hide.

Romelle suddenly yelled: everything and this did it for him. His body shuddered and he ended up hiding behind Keith entirely not. There was not even Krolia who could sooth his fears of this escalating. His gaze darted around and his breath hitched as seeing someone who was oddly familiar.

"Look at him and tell me not that Lotor is a bastard? This damn asshole is sucking the life forces Quintessence out of other Altean and Dickie here warned me and Lance from the very start that he uses people for his own gain. Best example is how he is reacting right now. So yes everything is wrong with trusting this asshole." Keith's tone was sharp and he shivered and wanting nothing more then disappear.

It was probably now that the others seen him as he heard a few voice say at the same time things...

"Wait is that Dick/Dickie bird/ You're...You're Altean!" One was Lance and then there was the oddly familiar nickname that struck him and then there was this unfamiliar voice.

It was now that he realized who that person was who was familiar with the red head with his nickname. Before he even could register someone with a speed that he had not been used to in a long time pulling him into a tight hug. It was familiar and he first flinched as waiting for something to happen. But then he realized who it was and he instantly relaxed as hugging as tightly back. God he had missed Wally a lot.

"H-Hi..." His greeting was timidly said and barely hearable with him being quiet and his voice muffled through the fabric. He could tell that Wally was as relieved but he also could tell that the other knew something was different about him.

"So whose that Galra lady?" Lance asked and he was silent as not wanting to talk. His body snuggled into the comfortable warmth.

A warmth that was so familiar a sense of deja vu hit him but that was it. His memory could just not grasp where he felt this. But he was pretty sure that Wally and him had often hugged each other. He was a physical affectionate type of guy.

Even now he needed this. A new male voice asked about the wolf but he really wasn't caring enough about to answer this question. Surely others could answer this as he really wanted nothing more then stay into the arms of the other and never let go.

That just out of fear of this being a dream and that Wally would disappear. It was a fear that he had to do with this entire thing. A clear sign at how much this had traumatized him. It made him bury his face into the neck and trying to ignore the people that were surely watching right now.

"God I can't believe that I finally have you here safe and as fine as possible you can be with all the bs that you went through." Wally's voice was emotional and barely hearable for him. The relieved undertone was also heard, showing him how much his best friend had missed him. He could also tell that Wally was as emotional as he was.

A lump was in his throat and he felt the urge to cry and he could feel the tears slowly come up but he held it in. With people there to watch them was making him not wanting to show any tears at all. It could be shown as a weakness and he really was not wanting to show himself be vulnerable right now.

"Mhm." Richard couldn't even say anything else other then humming an agreement and he also felt on the brink of breaking down, that was why he had not said anything else.

"So whose that Galra?" Lance sounded on curious and yet he stayed silent basking into the affection and hug of Wally. This was what he needed the entire time since they ended up losing each others sight that day.

His body snuggled himself into the arms of the warmth that was given in this hug and also trying to lean as close as possible into the hug. Right now for him it was not mattering that his best friend was also his crush. All that mattered was the hug that he got.

"Woah is this a wolf?" Another astonished unknown well voice came next. The sudden talk made him tense up in fear of what could happen. It was not surprising as Lotor was the fault of him being extremely cautious and scared -no scratch this- terrified of meeting new people. As every time he was ending in a new ship he ended up getting hurt by strangers.

It was after all many times that stranger did hurt him and by now he couldn't help but fear them. Even when Wally would trust them. His best friend noticed his body tense up and he showed once again how amazing he was with him pulling him closer as if he was going to protect him from any harm.

Kind of adorable and it made both his heart flutter and his stomach too in joy. It showed how much he cared for him and for once he knew that Wally was genuine not like Lotor.

"And also, why is no one questioning who the third person is? Am I really the only one?" Another person asked curiously and this time he wasn't exactly sure what gender this was and either way hearing another person he was not knowing gave him mad anxiety.

"Dickie Birdie come on you know me and you know that I wouldn't stay here when I wouldn't know that they are safe, nice and wouldn't hurt you." The tone was hushed and soothingly said but right now he really wasn't thinking that they would be safe.

So he shook his head and answering in a hushed yet also anxious tone that showed how much this stresses him out.

"Wally it's not that I do not tru-trust your jud-judgment bu-but le-last time...um last time wha-when I was on the-the new sha-ship ended up with not the kindest pa-people..."

This alone made Wally now know that he wasn't going to trust these people even when the other mentioned this. Even when he knew logically that Voltron were like heroes, his irrational part of his mind was telling him something else. Making his voice have shakiness, fearfulness, and anxiety in his tone and it was exactly what he was feeling right now.

"I do understand this and I can see that but think about this; I have been here these past six months and not once had I been hurt by them, wasn't it in training which we all know happens." The tone was understanding and the same soothingness was also heard. It was helping to relax a bit more yet this had not stopped the irrational part of his mind.

"Where did you come from?" This time an older male voice asked and he could feel the eyes on him now. It was making him shiver and wanting hide even more but know that he would need to now talk. So that he stepped aside yet he still clung on Wally not wanting to let go.

"We-Well I was first in captivity and had been forced then to get a loyalty on Lo-Lo, escaped after almost 6 months, landed on the planet where Elle lives and let's just say Lo-Lo has things hidden." He growled out yet it was also eerie calm but also something akin to a the tone that was innocent like a child without him realizing it.

"Guess Dickie is a bit out of it. With Lo-Lo he means Lotor. Kind of a nickname he calls him whenever he is in that state." Elle explained he and he glanced over with a puzzled look. It was clear that he had no idea that he was regressed right now and couldn't understand why Wally's eyes were looking at him with questions.

So that he couldn't help but hide behind of Wally out of fear. It was just that he felt confused and he really wasn't liking the looks that where given to him. Even as a male voice was questioning that Lotor wouldn't do this he stayed behind Wally.

Yet he felt fumming and hating that this person was not believing him. Doubting that he had said this. His hands gripped on the fabric and his face was buried on the back as he was not liking this conversation.

"You are doubting Richard who went through more then anyone of you guys could ever imagine. You didn't see his scars and you didn't see the horror's he seen at the Galra's side. Look at him and then doubt him once more that Lotor has not been doing these horrendous things. Things that I cannot even say out loud." Elle's voice was fumming yet firm and he shivered as knowing what she was talking about.

Wally turned around and pulling him back into a hug. It was making him snuggle into his arms and feeling a bit better now. Surely his best friend would know what Elle was talking about. Wally after all had been there.

"She's right as I know that Dickie isn't a liar and I know what Galra's are capable of or did you forgot about how Wally had been in a similar situation like Dickie or I was?" The voice of Shi-Shi made him sniff as he was hating the fact that this was talked about.

The conversation changed to the introductions to everyone and he knew at least their names now. They looked kind and he felt a bit more at ease. And he knew why Wally trusts these people yet he was still not sure.

He did trust Shiro but something was different about him. It was his gut that felt queasy and he wasn't sure what to do with his instincts that told him that Shiro was still Shiro but his gut instincts were telling him that something wasn't right.

Another thing that he noticed was that Lance and Keith were

"Alright now that this is out of the way, how about you explain how it can be that a Altean is here?" This time a female voice starting to talk and he remembered again that this was Allura that he had heard once that day where he had first met Voltron for the first time.

---

His eyes glanced around and it was now that he realized the glanced Keith and Lance gave each other. They were subtile but with his training both as a hero and Lotor's he realized something was going on. Even with him still being regressed he knew these glances, after all they reminded him of Wally and him. So he felt a sudden courage now and decided to tease them.

"Ya know you-you may ki-kiss each other instead of eye sexing each other or take a picture that it will hold longer." He slyly yet also timidly said this as well as a head tilt was also seen.

"Woah wa-what?" Keith's cheeks started to slowly have a slight pink hue and a groan was also added to it.

"Oh come on stop making you look clueless what I mean. It's obvious that you two lo-love each other and I really find it gross that you look like this in front of other people." Richard couldn't help but pull an expression that usually children done when they see other adults doing these things. Not surprising as he was still in the childish mindset.

"See told you that Dickie would say this. You both own me money.~" It was chirped out and he puffed his cheeks out at his best friend. Of course he would bet on something like this. The people involved where Pidge, Shiro and Lance to his surprise.

They all groaned after all and he snickered at this. That was their own fault for betting something like this. Of course, Wally would win as he was knowing him since they were 9 years old. Or at least this was what he could numbly remember. This reminded him once again that his past was fuzzy and he knew that his memory was really bad about his past.

"Um Wally..." His voice was timidly and he really wanted to say the L word but his throat felt closed off and so he couldn't get it out. Not that he had more time as now the conversation shifted towards Elle. He shivered at the familiar story that she had once told him.

It was probably now that Elle had explained what Lotor done sack into everyone who had seen these people being sucked their quintessence. Or at least him it sunk down now. At first they clearly had not believed it but seeing probably both his body who was trembling, as well as hiding and burying his face into Wally's chest and the other three people's expression that where there made them believe this story.

He had not even explained what Lotor had done fully and he wasn't wanting to. This would be something that not even Elle and Keith would fully know. The only one who semi knew what had happened was Shiro as he went through something similar and obviously Wally who had been also in a situation like this.

But not even his best friend would really know the extent of how bad it was. How could he when he had not even told Shiro everything. He felt like fumming and wanting to stop Lotor. The male might had been someone who was occasionally kind but he also had abused him.

Right now he wasn't wanting to meet this person out of fear what he would do. His body still remembered what had happened and they would forever have the reminder in scars what he had done.

After everything was said, a silence rang through the room and no one really knew what to say. Then there came Lance who pointed out that Allura was with Lotor and he feared what the male was planning to do with her. What manipulations he was pulling off to make her believe whatever Lotor said.

Then the alarm came of a new ship coming. He shivered and Shiro ended up telling Wally to get him somewhere safe where Lotor wouldn't see him. An agreement that everyone seemed to have, even he would gladly follow Wally.

With this his best friend picked him up -making him squak in surprise- and going somewhere.