Shidge
Because fuck you
Avian AU

Allura hummed along to a gentle tune Lance played throughout the castle. She swayed slightly as she looked through the many books on the many shelves, searching for one she hasn't read before. Her wings relaxed behind her back.

A sudden screeching snapped Allura out of her relaxed state, screaming herself as another avian ran directly into her. "Quiznak!"

"Allura!" The much smaller avian jumped up, urgently searching Allura's eyes. "Allura, I need to talk to you in private, privately!"

Allura blinked rapidly, feeling severely disheveled. "Uh... Sure? About what?"

Katie rushed back to the doors of the library, looking out into the hallway, then slammed and locked the doors shut. Her golden and dark brown wings ruffled and she rushed back to the avian princess. "Okay, so I have a major issue!"

"Is this about your tech?" Allura asked, straightening her dress. "You know I'm useless when it comes to technology. We have Hunk for that."

Katie shook her head, wings spreading and shaking. "No! No, it's not- you remember that- that uh- the ball? The party last month?"

"Yes." Allura raised a brow as she slowly sat down in a nearby chair. "What about it?"

The small avian paced back and forth, arms folded tightly over her chest. "Well, so, a lot of things happened that night, and I don't know what lead up to this, but it happened because he drank to much nunvil and I was helping him and then suddenly we were in a room and I haven't told anyone about it know, I don't even know if he knows we did anything because he hasn't said anything or acted weird around me since that night, but now I think I'm the only one who knows aside from you because I'm now telling you, so now I'm not the only one who knows, but I'm just- I just don't know how to deal with this!"

Allura's brows furrowed as she tried to follow along. Katie's voice caught in her throat, pitching up a couple octaves.

"I'm used to tech! I'm used to secrets! This isn't tech and this isn't a secret I can keep for very long! I don't know what to do!" Katie wailed, tears suddenly filling her eyes as she dropped to the ground.

Alarmed, Allura shoved herself out if the chair and fell beside Katie. "Pidge, Pidge!" The princess gathered the small avian in her arms. "Pidge, darling... It's alright." Allura pet her hair back, kissing the top of her head. Katie nestled into the princess, Allura wrapping her wings around them.

Katie relaxed, breathing deeply. "I'm scared, Allura. I'm scared. I have to help fight this war, I have to face him, but I can't... I can't..."

The princess held Katie closer. "It's okay... Whatever this is, we'll get through it. I promise." Katie shook her head, but didn't argue otherwise.

~

Katie sighed, laying stomach-down in her own home-made hammock that hung in her lab. Her wings drooped over the sides, her arms pressed into her chest. Katie groaned and buried her face into the pillow as the door to her lab opened.

"Pidge?" She heard Shiro muse as he entered. "Pidge, you've got to be somewhere in here. I've already looked everywhere else."

She whined, and he looked up. Shiro laughed. "Katie. What are you doing up there?"

"Hiding." She grumbled into the pillow.

Shiro chuckled. "Come on, Katie. Hey, Keith wants to know if you can still do the updates to his bayard."

Katie huffed, turning her head. "Done. Did them last night. It's in the training deck. Same with Hunk and Lance's bayards."

"All last night?"

"I couldn't sleep." Katie shifted and pushed herself up to sit. Her wings dangled over one side, her legs from the other. "Had too much on my mind. Figured I'd do some updating to clear my head and ended up pulling another all-nighter. I was trying to get some rest when you so rudely barged in."

Shiro hummed, carding his cybernetic fingers through his white tuft of hair. "Katie... Will you tell me why you've been avoiding me?"

Katie bit her lip and closed her eyes, knowing he couldn't see her reaction to his unknowingly sensitive question. "I haven't been avoiding you."

The older avian sighed. "Katie, you've been ignoring me. Don't think I haven't noticed. You dodge me in the halls, avoid having long conversations, you stay as far away from me as possible when we're in a battle-... Katie, I've noticed." She gulped and lowered her head. "Tell me what's going on, Katie."

She breathed deeply, tilting her head back. "I'm just... I... Takashi-"

"Paladins!" Coran's voice came urgently over the intercom. "We are under attack! We need to take immediate action!"

Katie slouched in relief.

Shiro clenched his jaw. "Fine. Once we return, you are telling me what's wrong."

She nodded, launching off her hammock. "Sure!"

~

"Katie!"

The small avian gasped as she was yanked back, her brother diving in front of her. "Matthew!? What- where did you come from!?" She shouted, jerking herself out of Hunk's grasp.

Her brother grinned, arching his staff to smack the Galran soldier back. "The clouds. Duh, doofus." Matthew reached back and flicked her forehead. "Be more careful."

Katie glowered, holding up her bayard. "I'm gonna zap you." She sneered. Matthew sniggered, then lurched forward to attack another soldier.

She pivoted and ducked to avoid oncoming attacks, lashing out with her weapon. "Lance!" Katie shouted, launching herself into a tree. Lance jumped up, his large blue and black wings spreading out. "Five o'clock!"

Lance spun and his bayard shifted into a lance. He grunted and threw his weapon.

Katie dashed along the branch, then spread her wings and took off. "Keith!"

The older avian snapped his head up, then leapt without question. She snatched his hand, then groaned with the effort of tossing him over by Allura. Katie cheered, then shrieked as she was yanked down from the air.

She flailed, trying to slash through the metallic net, her feathers catching and tearing in her struggle. "Shiro!" Katie screamed, gasping as she was yanked and thrown to the ground.

"Katie!"

"Pidge!"

Katie was pulled to her feet by a arm hooked around her neck. She thrashed and clawed at the arm. "Let go of me!"

The man holding her clicked his tongue. "Now, now, Katherine. That's no way to speak to a Prince."

She sneered. "You're no Prince of mine! Don't call me my name!"

Lotor hummed. "I just... Thought I'd be nice and call you your real name before I kill you." Her eyes widened as he pulled his blade from its sheath. Lotor held it up as if to display it, then twisted it in his hand and held the blade facing Katie.

Katie froze up, even as her teammates came barreling through the soldiers to get to her. She whimpered as the tip of the blade pressed to her stomach.

"Any last words, little green?"

She looked up to see her brother tearing furious through, trying to get closer. Every time he'd tried to fly he was yanked down. Katie breathed deeply as the blade began to dig into her skin. "I've been... Meaning to find your father and the witch Haggar."

Lotor paused, then turned her. "You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

Katie shook her head looking into his eyes. "You and I both know I'd be more useful for your father's cause."

Lotor raised a brow, his blade again brushing against her stomach. She flinched, looking down. Katie shook her head and looked back up at Lotor. "After all, I'm the only,one who can break through your firewalls and software. I design and upgrade weapons." A vile grin slowly curled Lotor's lips. "I wish..." Katie gulped, clenching her jaw as the blade started to dig into her skin. "I wish I came sooner. It's been difficult to keep my secret."

Lotor pulled his sword back and Katie sucked in a breath in relief. He sheathed his blade then raised the metal netting. "Follow me, darling." She slowly nodded, trying desperately hard to not glance to her team as they called her name.

~

Matthew's leg bounced, fingers tangled in his hair as he glared at the tabletop. "I just- I don't get it!" He dropped his arms and tossed his head back. His eyes stung. "Why would Katie leave so willingly with Lotor? The worst guy ever. She hates his guts!"

Lance rested his head on the table, staring blankly. "Maybe... She was scared of dying?"

"No." Both Keith and Allura spoke. They glanced at each other, then Keith pushed himself off the wall. "She wasn't afraid of dying. She's been in that position before."

"Not quite." Allura sighed, sitting up.

"What does that mean?" Shiro looked up at Allura. "She has."

Allura shook her head and stood. "It's... It's more complicated than her being scared of death or not."

Hunk leaned back. "Then what happened? Why'd she leave with them so willingly?"

The princess breathed deeply, her wings raising. "Pidge... Pidge is..."

~

The grand doors to the bedridden emperor's bedroom opened and an old woman dressed in dark robes entered.

"Haggar." Lotor greeted as he stood.

Zarkon coughed. "Witch. Is the green one telling the truth?"

The witch hummed. "No, your majesty."

The emperor wheezed, tilting his head. "Then kill her."

"Before you give that order, your majesty," Haggar mused as Lotor raised a brow. "I believe we have leverage and she will work with us."

Zarkon looked towards the loyal witch. "Leverage? We don't have any of the other paladins... Or her family..."

Haggar placed her hand on Lotor's shoulder. "That's not entirely true, your highness." She ran her thin, boney fingers through Lotor's long, snowy white hair. "She's protecting something... An unborn life."

Lotor's eyes widened and Zarkon slowly pushed himself up to sit. "The green paladin... Is with child?"

The witch grinned. "That, your majesty, is our leverage."

~

"She's pregnant?" Hunk squeaked, everyone else frozen.

Allura slowly nodded. "She told me a few nights ago."

Matthew shook his head as he stood. "How?"

"Well, when a mommy and a daddy-"

"Shut the fuck up, Lance!" Keith smacked the back of the blue paladin's head.

"I know how!" Matthew shouted, slamming his hand on the table. "I want to know who the father is!"

Allura pursed her lips, turning away.

Shiro gulped. "Allura?"

She breathed deeply and stood. "I swore to her to keep that detail secret until she was ready to tell."

"What!?" Lance shouted standing up. His feathers ruffled as his wings spread offendedly. "Allura, that little piece of information could get her back to us!"

Matthew clenched his jaw as Allura flinched. "It's okay... She wants to keep it secret." Shiro looked over to Matthew. The rebel raised his head and breathed deeply. "Katie will tell us if she wants to. Allura has already told us more than she promised."

"You're her brother!" Lance yelled, wings shaking. "I'd think you'd be the one demanding to know!"

The older man shook his head. "She's keeping it secret, Lance. I'm not going to intrude in her personal life. Her secrets. I'm just going to find her." Matthew pivoted and made his way out of the dining hall.

Allura watched him, then looked over to Shiro. Shiro stood, then followed her out, the other three silently contemplating.

Once the doors were shut behind them, Allura breathed deeply. "Shiro..."

"Princess." Shiro placed his hand on her shoulder. "Who is he? I know you want to tell me."

The princess bit her lip, looking up at Shiro. "At the ball, you paladins had so much nunvil. Well, aside from Pidge, she made had a single glass or so." Allura looked off. "The rest of you barely remember that night, you drank so much."

"What's this have to do with Katie?" Shiro asked patiently.

Allura tilted her head back. "It was late... You couldn't walk straight to save your life. Pidge... Helped you... I didn't see either of you for the rest of the night."

Shiro stared at her for a moment, then he jolted back, eyes wide and jaw slack. "What? No, no! No- I- I wouldn't- I couldn't have-" His brows furrowed as he took a shaky step back. "You... You can't...be serious, Allura..."

"I am, Shiro." She watched as his feathers raised and fluffed out. "Pidge is pregnant with your child, Shiro." Allura gulped. "She gave herself up to protect not herself, but the baby."

The older man shook his head, frazzled gaze switching to the floor. "But... I don't remember... I don't remember... I'd remember, Allura!"

"Not with all the nunvil you drank." Allura murmured. "You may remember over time if you try to, but... Nunvil, especially of that quantity, can cause memory loss. You barely remembered that day, Shiro."

Shiro closed his eyes, breathing deeply. "Why... Why didn't she tell me?"

Allura turned and looked out a window. "She was scared. She knows you don't feel the way she feels and you didn't remember, so she didn't want to bother you with... I don't quite know about that part, but... I think she feels like she burdens you."

"Burdens me!? She thinks she burdens me!?" Shiro shouted, lashing both his arms out. "Not in the slightest!" His wings shook. "She doesn't know how I feel! How can she say she knows I don't feel the same way!? How does she even- what does she even feel for me?" Shiro's voice began to break.

"She loves you." Allura answered softly. Shiro turned away, rubbing his face with both hands. "Pidge has loved you for a long time, Shiro. I remember when she first told me."

The older avian lowered his head. "That's... She's really carrying... My- no, wait..." His fingers curled into his hair. "Our... Our child. Our baby..."

Allura watched him as he collected his frazzled mind. Shiro pivoted. "We have to get her back, and we have to do it now!"

~

Katie paced back and forth, her hands placed on her stomach. The door opened and she halted.

"You're lucky, green paladin." The old witch mused. Katie raised her head to look up at Haggar. "My emperor wishes to keep you alive to work for him. In return, he'll protect you and your child. You'll stay healthy and unharmed." Haggar cupped Katie's cheek. "After all, it's not just the Galran's that want you dead. Other groups and rebellions wish your death as well."

"I'm aware." Katie murmured, staring into Haggar's old, golden eyes. "I'll do as the emperor asks."

Haggar hummed, patting her cheek. "Good girl. Smart girl."

Katie turned her head away as Haggar stepped back. "Your first task, to prove your willingness to serve us, is to make something of this heap that will be useful in a battle." Haggar gestured to a small pile of metal.

"I'll have it done by dusk."

Haggar blinked, wide eyed in surprise. She then grinned. "Faster than I expected. Alright. I will see you as the sun sets."

Katie nodded. "I'll be waiting."

~

"What is this!?" Keith shouted, crouching as he held his shield up. "Did their blasters just evolve overnight!?"

Hunk grunted, his gauntlets being his protection from the blasts. "They must have someone creating newer better guns! Oh, wait! They have Pidge!" The large avian's wings shuddered and spread before he launched himself up into the air.

Shiro ducked behind some rubble. "Arguing is going to get us no where! Just force them back!"

"It's a little difficult when they have Pidge designed weapons!" Lance shrieked from his perch, yelping and dropping as he was shot at.

"Lance! Keep your focus!" Shiro shouted, then dashed out from behind his pile of debris. He ran straight for the Galran soldiers, his arm glowing.

~

Katie trailed her finger along the designs drawn on a piece of paper to pass the time until Haggar or Lotor came to visit her. She sighed softly, her unoccupied hand placed on her belly.

"So," Lotor waltzed into the room Katie was put into. "Your weapons work wonders, Katherine." He mused, stroking her hair back.

She hummed. "They were supposed to. I'm not surprised." Lotor chuckled. "How much damage?"

Lotor looked at his own nails. "Almost double what we normally cause. Mostly because one of the five isn't there to lend a wing." Lotor's hand stroked down her wings and threaded through her feathers. Katie shuddered. "You're with us, now. So is your baby." Katie turned away. "Who, may I ask, is the father?"

Katie stood and turned her back to him. "That is none if your concern." Katie lowered her head. "He doesn't even know."

The Prince blinked. "The father of your child doesn't know? Which part? That he's the father or that you're pregnant?"

"Either." Katie looked out the window. "The only one who knows is the princess."

"Allura?" Lotor began walking around the large room. "She's not going to be able to keep your secret long, you know."

Katie smiled and shrugged. "I know." She stepped over to the window, then tilted her head. "Do you have avians in your army?"

Lotor paused, then walked over. He hummed, narrowing his eyes. "No. We don't." He touched her shoulder. "I'll go get Haggar to have someone take you away." She looked up to him. "Can't risk you getting hurt. We don't want any harm to come to you or your child." Katie slowly nodded, lowering her head.

~

They hid Katie's wings under a black cloak and lead her out into the courtyard. "To the carriage." The druid leading Katie told her, ushering her towards the transportation. She got into the back, followed by the druid.

Katie gasped and flinched as an explotion hit nearby. The druid wrapped an arm over her as if to protect her while calling out to the driver.

~

"Lance, Hunk! You stay out here and bomb the exits and entrances!" Shiro demanded. "Keith, you and Matthew are with me!"

"Roger!" Lance mused, tilting to dive down straight to the large castle. Hunk followed.

Shiro shot up, then spiraled down, crossing his arms in front of him. He burst through a window, tucking his wings in. Keith and Matthew shot in after him, Keith stumbling in his landing. "Keith, you take the west wing. I'll take the east. Matthew, you've got everywhere in between."

Matthew shrugged, stretching out his wings. "So long as that soldier didn't lie and we find my baby sister today, that's fine."

Keith nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to snap that Galran's neck if she's not here."

"I... Wouldn't go that far..."

~

Katie stepped out of the car.

"I'm sure Haggar and Lotor will reward you for this good behavior." The druid murmured, leading her to what looked like a beat up, abandoned building. She looked around as the druid lead her inside. "You'll be staying here. Only I, Haggar, Lotor, and the emperor know this."

"What about the driver?"

"He doesn't have a tongue." The druid mused as he lead her through.

The building looked cleaner and more stable the further they went. "How old is this building?"

The druid chuckled. "Two hundred years old. We let the outside look abandoned so no one suspects it still being used."

Katie hummed. "Smart. The perfect hiding spot. For hobos." The druid laughed. "Where's my room?"

"Close to the far end." He hummed as he lead her around a corner. "Haggar said your new assignment will be in a letter on the desk. You are free to roam within the building, you just cannot leave."

"Alright. I'll be right on it."

The druid hummed, opening a door. "Your room. If you need me, the name's Clyde."

Katie nodded, stepping inside. "Thank you."

~

"Damn it!" Keith hissed, kicking the wall. "She's gone! Shit!"

"Calm down." Lance murmured, hands on his head. "We're never going to get her back if you act like that."

Matthew buried his face in his hands, sitting on a fallen column. Shiro slowly sat beside him. "Matt..."

The smaller avian rubbed his face. "She was here... They took her away as soon as they spotted us." Matthew shook his head. "Haggar and Lotor are probably the only ones who knows where she is."

Shiro breathed deeply. "Yeah... They took Zarkon away, too. Lotor fled and Haggar stayed to distract us."

Matthew leaned back, dropping his arms. "I just... Hope she's okay. I hope the baby is okay."

The older avian lowered his head. "Yeah... Me too."

~

"Who-ho!" Lotor chortled. "You've gotten big, Green!"

Katie glared up at the Prince as he waltzed merrily over. "I have been here for four months. I'm just over five months along."

Lotor snickered, placing a hand over her swollen belly. "It's still a little big for being merely five months. Hm, maybe something is wrong."

"Nothing is wrong." She stood and brushed his hand off. "How is your father? He standing on his own, yet?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

Katie tilted her head to look over her shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly, then she bowed. "Zarkon. I'd say it's a relief to see you're finally doing well, however..."

The old man chuckled. "We despise each other." She smiled, straightening her stance. "However, I do have to say, you would make a wonderful mother. Sacrificing yourself for the child when they're barely even created yet."

The avian smiled. "Thank you. You're not too shabby of a father yourself." Zarkon chuckled. Lotor puffed out his chest.

"I wouldn't say that. Lotor is quite the disappointment at times." Lotor jolted, eyes wide. "I can't exactly blame his mother for that."

Katie hummed with a short nod. "Maybe you could give me some tips."

Zarkon grinned. "Don't teach them the ways of evil, or they won't get it right. That's something they learn on their own."

She laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Well, I assume you'd like to see your new weapons?"

The emperor hummed, raising his head. "I'd like that. I haven't seen any of your designs, so this will be a treat."

Katie smiled with a gesture to the chest by the desk. "The prototype is in there."

~

Lance tapped his finger on the table. "It's been... Four months?"

"Yeah." Hunk sighed, slouching in his seat, his honey-colored wings drooping. "She's probably totally craving honey-pickle-peanut butter-bread."

The blue paladin avian scrunched his nose. "Probably... But, you know, that kinda sounds like something she'd eat without the craving."

Keith leaned over to rest his head on the table. "She's probably getting big, too. Belly-wise."

Lance huffed. "Yeah. Also, she's gotta be starting to have those mood-swings. I kinda feel bad for the Galran soldiers that are dealing with that."

"That's the only thing I'm glad about right now." Keith grumbled. "Pidge is moody enough without being pregnant."

Hunk giggled. "Did I ever tell you guys about the time I was helping her fix Shiro's arm while Shiro was healing?" Lance raised a brow while Keith tilted his head to look over to the yellow paladin avian. "Well, so, we were just joking and teasing each other and so I laughed at one of her jokes. Well, so, I laughed a little too hard and broke one if the pieces. I thought I was going to die!"

Lance laughed while Keith grinned. Keith sat up. "You remember, uh... It was before we found Matt. She decided she wanted to start medicine, so she-"

"I do remember!" Lance shot to his feet, grin wide and eyes sparkling as his wings spread and shook merrily. "You broke your wing doing something stupid and she wanted to help, so you let her, which was a stupider decision because she ended up making it worse and you didn't have the guts to tell her!"

Hunk and Lance burst out laughing while Keith shrugged, leaning back. "She tried so hard. I didn't want to burst her bubble."

"What are you three talking about so boisterously?" Coran mused as he came in, reading a scroll with Shiro, Allura, and Matthew following.

"Pidge!" Lance shouted, jumping up on the table. "She kicks ass, even when she's not kicking ass!"

Coran raised a brow as the three behind him looked startled. "Go on?"

Lance snorted. "Well, at first we started talking about what she'd crave, then we started talking about how we feel bad for the Galra having to deal with her mood swings, then we started talking about how she made Keith's wing worse that one time! You know what? Her baby is gonna be totally badass!"

"I'd be shocked if it wasn't!" Matthew grinned, leaping onto the table with Lance. "It'll be just like her! Smart, cunning, kicks ass! She's gonna raise it right, be it with the Galra or with us." Matthew's smile softened as he lowered his head. "She's going to be okay. So is the baby."

Lance reached forward and placed his hands on Matthew's shoulders. "They'll be okay."

Matthew nodded and looked back up. "We'll get her back and help her raise that baby how they're supposed to be raised."

Shiro watched, jaw clenched. He closed his eyes, then pivoted and stalked out. Shiro shut the doors behind him and slowly made his way down the hall, gaze on the floor.

~

Katie sat by the window, focusing hard on her knitting. She didn't have much to do in her free time, so she taught herself knitting and sewing to pass the time when she wasn't taking care if her plants.

She hummed along to the music her guard played throughout the room. She didn't look up as the door opened.

"Need another?"

"No. I'm just visiting."

Katie looked up, lowering her distraction. She hummed, tilting her head slightly. "Zarkon. It's been a while." She mused. The emperor chuckled as he approached her. "What brought this visit?"

Zarkon hummed, then gestured to her large, swollen belly. "The child. How is it?"

She placed her hand on her belly. "Lively. Kicking like a champion, today."

The emperor smiled. "Children certainly are a gift, Katherine. Cherish the child."

"I plan on it." Katie looked out the window. "They're going to be born in two months."

"And, until then, you have no work."

Katie's eyes widened as she snapped her head back to look up at Zarkon. "What?"

He reached forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You've worked hard, Katie. You need to take a break for your child. Once they're older, then Haggar will give you your next assignment."

The avian hummed, her wings relaxing. "Thank you. You're not as bad as you make yourself seem. Dare I say, you've gone soft."

Zarkon raised a brow as she smirked. "Or, I could take the child as soon as it's born and send you back to work."

Katie laughed. "I'd like to see you try, emperor." She winked, raising up her knitting project. "I just hope I don't fuck up this blanket I'm attempting to make."

The emperor shook his head. "There will always be two guards by your door if you ever need anything." She nodded with a smile, her full focus returning to her project. "Good luck with that. Even my own wife had issues with knitting before we had Lotor."

~

Hunk jumped with a gasped, wings spreading and fluffing out. "Oh my Gods!"

"What!?" Everyone whipped their heads up to look at Hunk.

He grinned brightly and jammed his finger onto the map spread across the table. "I've just found Pidge!"

~

"I can help!" Katie shouted as two druids held her down on her bed and three guards stood in her room. "Really, I can help!"

"Miss, you are seven months pregnant." One of the druids murmured.

She huffed. "Oh, really? I had no idea, Clyde." She grumbled, addressing the druid by his name. He chuckled. "Thanks for stating the obvious."

The other druid placed her hand on Katie's belly. "The child is wriled up, and so are you. You need to relax. Stress can hurt the child."

Katie twitched, but closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Fine. Okay."

Clyde pat the back of her hand affectionately. "Tell me again what you think the child will look like?"

She blinked, then sighed and relaxed against him. "Dark, soft hair. Almost a midnight black." She closed her eyes. "Narrow eyes, round cheeks. A soft, copper-toned skin-color. Gray eyes."

The druid hummed. "They sound beautiful." Clyde murmured, then looked over to the other druid. "Lysa, you should help the others. They sound like they're struggling."

Lysa nodded and stood. "Alright."

"Clyde... What would you do if my team found me and took me back?" Katie asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

Clyde hummed in thought. "I... I'd stay steal you back, but you hate it here. You'd want to stay as far from the Galrans as possible." Katie hummed as well with a small smile. "I think... I'd stay with you."

Katie tilted her head to look up at him. "Really? You'd come with me to Voltron?"

"Of course, Katie. It's the perfect getaway." He mused, petting her hair back. "Besides- who else will help you with the baby while you're off to battle?"

The avian grinned, nuzzling into Clyde. Her wings shook and fluffed out happily. "I want to go home. I want to raise my baby with Takashi and Matthew and mom. I want you to be there, too, Clyde."

Clyde smiled. "I'll try."

Katie's wings wrapped around herself and Clyde as she clung to him. "Thank you, Clyde... For being my friend here."

~

"This way!" Lance shouted to Shiro. Shiro followed him, dashing down the hall. Lance shot down incoming guards and dodged druids.

Shiro swished his head from side-to-side, looking down hallways and into open doors. Lance skidded a corner, beginning to bust down doors in search.

"Lance, what if she's not here!?" Shiro shouted, shoving off a soldier.

"She's gonna be here!" Lance yelped as he dropped to the ground to avoid blasts. "She has to!"

The black paladin avian clenched his jaw. "What if she's had the baby!? What if they took them from her!?"

Lance grunted with the jerk from his own blaster. "I doubt it, Shiro! She's, what, seven months along?"

"Yeah!"

"Then no baby yet!" He grinned and broke through another door.

A startled screech snapped both the avian's attention into the room. Lance froze up, eyes wide. Shiro darted over and into the room.

"Shiro!" She gasped, standing up with her wings spread.

He nearly wilted in relief, rushing over to gather the smaller avian in his arms. Shiro wrapped his large, black wings around her. "Katie... Katie, why didn't you tell me? You could have told me." Shiro murmured, squeezing her tighter.

Katie nuzzled into him. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Shiro..." She wept softly.

"Who the hell-!?" Lance suddenly shouted, snapping both Katie's and Shiro's attention away. Lance pointed his blaster at a druid Shiro hadn't even realized was there. He quickly shielded Katie away.

"Wait, wait!" She gasped, stumbling and wiggling from Shiro. "Don't hurt him!" She grasped the druid's arm.

"What?" Lance furrowed his brows. "Why not?"

Katie pouted, burying her face in his arm. "Guys... This is Clyde. He's my friend."

Lance and Shiro blinked, confused as they shared a quick glance.

~

"I don't want to move!"

"That's funny. Wasn't it yesterday you were saying that you could still fight the Galran soldiers and Haggar and Lotor all together?"

"That was yesterday, Clyde. This is today." Katie grumbled, laying on her back, nose twisted as she tried to lay comfortably with his wings. "Hey, hey... I wanna feel their heart beats again."

Clyde chuckled, taking her hand. "Alright." He mused, laying her palm flat over her large, round belly. He placed his hand over hers and channeled the slightest amount of his magic into her hand.

Katie giggled giddily. "When should I tell Shiro? Or should I make it a surprise? It should be a surprise."

~

Katie buried herself in her makeshift nest of sheets and pillows, her wings shaking with the waves of pain that wracked her body. She whimpered, tears already streaking her cheeks.

Shiro held her hands, whispering to her. "It's alright, sweetheart." He reached over and gently wiped away a few tears. "Katie, you can do it."

"It-it hurts!" She sobbed. "It hurts, Takashi!"

He nodded, kissing her knuckles and avoiding her wing. "I know. I'm not going anywhere."

Katie cried and gasped. She gripped his hands tightly. Shiro gripped right back. "Just think, Katie... Once this is over, we can hold our baby."

"Uhm, well..." Katie whined, rolling her head to the side. "Not- not just one..."

Shiro froze up, then his eyes widened. "What!?"

His answer was a loud, painful scream.

~

Clyde patiently waited while the avians all panicked, some pacing and others shifting uncomfortably.

Matthew chewed on the tips of his fingers, nails long gone, Allura and Hunk anxiously staring at the door.

Once the door opened, everyone froze.

Shiro stepped out, gaze soft and loving as he looked down into the bundle in his arms. "Guys... Come meet my daughter." He glanced up to the others.

Matthew and Allura rushed over, eyes wide and sparkling. They peeked into the bundle, Allura melting as she sighed happily.

"She looks just like Pidge." The princess murmured.

"And my son looks just like me." Shiro added, snapping everyone's attention up. He took a step back into the room. "Come on. Pidge wants to see you guys."

Matthew and Lance rushed into the room after Shiro.

Katie cradled another bundle in her arms, speaking softly to them with a gentle smile on her face. Matthew smiled and slowly walked over. He sat beside her and peeked at the sleeping newborn. "Shiro clean them?"

"Yes." Katie leaned on her brother. She brushed her thumb over the baby's cheek. "You sure you're ready to be an uncle?"

Matthew chuckled. "I'm trying to be ready. May I hold him?" He stretched his wing over his sister. Katie hummed, carefully handing her baby over.

The boy squirmed and whimpered until he was settled comfortably. Matthew grinned widely, tucking back the blanket. "Damn. He looks exactly like Shiro. What did you decide to name him?"

"Hikaru... And Shiro said Samuel can be his middle name."

"After dad." Matthew whispered, resting his head on hers. "The girl?"

Katie hummed. "Shiro's going to name her."

Matthew laughed softly. "That could end badly."

The young avian giggled weakly. "Yeah... I'm just too tired to care right now."

"Clearly." Matthew mused, looking down at his tired sister.

~

Squeaking and squealing was what woke Katie up from an unrestful night of sleep. She groaned and shuffled deeper into the sheets, wings raising up to shield her eyes from the light.

"Uh-oh. I think we woke up mama."

Shrieking was his response.

"Come on, let's go get her."

Katie whined. "No no no, Shiro!" She cried into the pillow, trying to bury herself deeper. Shiro laughed and Katie felt little hands tug on her feathers. Katie whimpered, but raised her wing.

Two simultaneous squeaks sounded louder and Katie opened her arms. Two little beings were nestled into their mother, their fluffy wings flapping awkwardly, but happily.

"Good morning, Katie." Shiro whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Katie hummed, nuzzling Hikaru and Iris. "Morning, Taka. How long have been up with these two?"

"Not long enough to make up for those seven months you dealt without me." He murmured. She folded her wing as Shiro stretched his over his family.

"It was only six months I was gone." Katie looked up at him.

Shiro gathered her and the twins in his arms. "And the month between where I had no clue. If I hadn't drank as much, I would have remembered and... I don't know. Maybe you would have been even the slightest bit more comfortable telling me you were pregnant."

Katie smiled, nuzzling into him. "Shiro..."

He sighed, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Katie. I love all of you and I swear... I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

"Takashi." Katie whispered, peeking down at the twins. "They fell asleep."

Shiro chuckled and shuffled to look down at Hikaru and Iris. "They fall asleep pretty fast. Rest with them. I'll go get you something to eat."

Katie relaxed and kissed her twins. "Okay. Thank you."

The larger avian smiled softly. "I'll be right back. I love you."

"I love you, too."

-----

6123 words

Happy birthday me!

And I guess happy fourth of July for my Americans.