Matthew and Pidge

"

What... Is that?"

Colleen and Samuel laughed at their six-year-old son as he stared doe-eyed at the bundle in Colleen's arms.

"Your new baby sister." Samuel mused, ruffling Matthew's mop. "I thought that you'd know that with your big brain."

Matthew stuck his tongue out at his father as he pulled himself up onto the hospital bed by his mother. "Mama, can I hold her?"

Colleen hummed as Samuel helped Matthew settle back against the pillows beside his mother. "Of course, darling." She gathered the pink bundle and helped Matthew hold her.
Matthew giggled and held her as best as he could, trying really hard to support her head and pet her cheek at the same time. "She looks funny!" He sniggered. "I love her! Can we keep her?"

Samuel slapped a hand over his mouth and hunched over to keep himself from bursting out laughing. Matthew grinned up at his mother, his bottom tooth missing. Colleen smiled and kissed his forehead. "Of course, sweetheart."

~

"No, no, no!" Matthew squealed, tearing the wires away from Katie. The ten-month-old blinked owlishly, then her face scrunched up and became red. Matthew gasped as Katie began to scream and cry. "No, Katie!" Matthew picked her up and rocked her unsteadily. "Don't cry, I'm sorry, okay? But you can't eat those or you'll get hurt!"

Katie nuzzled him, fisting his shirt. She calmed down and cooed, wide amber eyes searching her brother's messy room.

Matthew continued to rock her, and sighed. "I don't like it when mom and dad make me watch you. You try to eat everything." Katie giggled, tugging on his shirt. Matthew grinned and kissed her head. "Love you, Katie-Kat."

~

Katie whined and pouted. "Bubba!" She cried as she ran on her chubby little legs. Her black dress shoes clacked on the wooden floors. "Bubba!"

"Katie?" Matthew rushed downstairs. "What's wrong?"

The two-year-old squealed and darted towards her older brother. Matthew laughed and picked her up. He nuzzled his nose into her cheek and Katie laughed. "Bubba! Mama need you!" Her eyes sparkled.

Matthew chuckled and tugged on the bow his mother must have tied Katie's bangs into. "You're too cute, Katie-Kat." Katie giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. Matthew held her as he went in search for his mother.

~

"Katie!" Matthew gasped once he finally found the five-year-old.

Katie pushed herself to her feet and grinned up at her brother. She held up her mother's laptop. "Fixed it!"

Matthew blinked and took it. He inspected the laptop, then eyed the tools and the wires on the floor. "What... Did you do?"

The younger girl giggled, fingers tugging on the frilly pink skirt of her dress. "What big brother does! Fixed it! Mama's laptop works now!"

Matthew sat on the couch and opened it. Katie climbed up on the couch beside him. A smile spread across Matthew's face as he played around on the laptop. "You really took it apart and fixed it?" Katie nodded eagerly, the curls their mother put her hair into bouncing. Matthew laughed and threw his arms around his tiny sibling.

Katie squealed and returned the embrace with her short arms. "How'd you fix it? How'd you know?" He asked, pulling back to look in her large eyes.

"Watching you!" She pointed up at him. "I know'd exactly how to fix it by watching you!"

Matthew snickered and kissed her forehead. "You're a genius, Katie-Kat."

~

"I wish I could go with you." Katie pouted, head low as she toyed with her long hair. Fourteen and already a beautiful young woman.

Matthew chuckled and brought his little sister into an embrace. "I bet you do, Katie-Kat." She pinched his arm, but returned the embrace. He squeezed her tighter. "I'm going to miss you while I'm up there. You'll probably have a boyfriend by the time we come back."

Katie snorted and crossed her arms as she pulled away. "I doubt it. No guy wants a flat-chested, short girl that can outsmart them and kick their ass." Matthew laughed and ruffled her hair. He planted a quick kiss to her forehead. "Well, you got your picture, I got mine, and it's time to start saying goodbye."

A frown tugged on Katie's pink lips, but she nodded. "Yeah..." Matthew's smile softened.

"Don't worry, you conspiracy theorist. I won't get kidnapped by aliens." Katie huffed in annoyance and stuck out her tongue. Matthew laughed and turned. Shiro was waiting. He grinned and waved to Matthew. Matthew gave a short wave in return then looked back at Katie. Her amber eyes were glued to his pilot and her cheeks were pink. Katie was quickly snapped back by Matthew's burst of laughter. He just snorted instead of answering her unasked question and embraced her once more. "I'll introduce you when we get back. I'm sure he'll like you."

Katie blushed and stuck out her bottom lip. Matthew just ruffled her hair and turned to leave.

~

That voice... He'd know that voice anywhere.

But, why was she here? She was... She should be safe... At home.

Yet, he couldn't pin-point the location of her voice as he walked beside Shiro. Maybe it was coming from his helmet and it just sounded like her because of the buzz of the comm. Matthew nodded firmly. Yes, that's it. She's still safe at home. She doesn't know the horrors of the Galra empire.

"I got a damned army of hovering bots to hack, Lance, so I kindly suggest you shut the fuck up before I make you." The voice stated firmly. That certainly sounded like her, but it wasn't. Matthew knew.

Shiro occationally glanced over at Matthew. "Are you okay?"

Matthew nodded. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be? My best friend just came to save me from the middle of no where." Shiro smiled.

"Who're you talking to, Shiro?" The voice asked.

"One of the prisoners I'm with." Shiro responded, coming to a stop. He held out his arm for everyone following him to halt. "Am I clear?"

"Yes, keep going. You're clear for the next three turns if you're quick."

"Can do, Pidge."

Matthew completely relaxed and sighed in relief. Pidge. That's her name. Not Katie.

Though, it is odd that her name was a nickname given to Katie by one of their family friends that their parents used to tease Katie with constantly.

"Keith, you've got two sentries headed up on you at your left." Pidge informed one of the other paladins. Matthew didn't hear a response.

~

Matthew shook his head as Shiro offered to set up a pod for him. "I'm fine, Shiro. Just some bruises. A new set of clothes would be nice, though." Shiro chuckled and shook his head, then led another prisoner into the open pod.

"Hey, Shiro, so I translated all the Galra data!"

Matthew turned as the green paladin came in, eyes squinted as she focused intently on her laptop. Her short hair bounced with each step and those large, rounded glasses slipped down her nose. Matthew jolted, eyes widening.

"So, the Galra seem to have been planning for some kind of attack," Pidge said as she approached Shiro. "But it's like a decoy attack. One to draw us in and set us up for a trap." her amber eyes stayed focused on the scrolling data on her screen.

Shiro gulped. "Nice work, Pidge." He muttered, then nudged her shoulder. She pushed back and huffed, her eyes never leaving the screen. "Pidge, say hi." Shiro took the laptop. Pidge gasped and shouted, reaching up for her laptop.

"Hey- Shiro! No fair! What the quiznak!?" She shouted, jumping on her toes as she reached. Shiro grabbed her shoulder and turned around around. "Fine. Hi. I'm the green paladin." She grumbled, glaring at the floor, then over her shoulder at Shiro. "Can I have it back, now?" Shiro shook his head and gestured to Matthew. Pidge grumbled and sucked in a deep breath. She looked up and froze, jaw slack as she went to speak.

Matthew and Pidge stared. Matthew felt his stomach drop and his chest tighten while tears welled up in the paladin's eyes.

"Matthew...?" She whispered, taking a hesitant step closer. She reached over to him with a shaking hand. "Is it... Really you? This is really Matthew?" She looked over her shoulder to Shiro. The black paladin chuckled and nodded. She sobbed and looked back at Matthew. Without another thought, they threw their arms around each other. "Matthew!"

"Katie!" Matthew gasped, squeezing her. "Katie... Katie, I thought I'd never see you again..."

Katie wept onto his shoulder. "Y-you jerk... You lied... You lied to me..."

Matthew nodded. "I know... I know, I'm sorry... I'm sorry."

Shiro watched with a fond smile, closing Katie's laptop and setting it aside. He began to leave to give the two their privacy.

"I missed you." Matthew whispered, closing his eyes. "I missed you so much. I thought about you everyday."

Katie nodded. "M-me too... Me too..."

Matthew smiled as they both began to relax, her sobs not letting up. "It's nice to see you, Katie-Kat." She half-heartedly pinched his arm. He laughed softly and kissed her messy hair. "You've grown so much. I'm so proud." Katie chuckled. Matthew hummed. "So, do you still have a crush on Shiro?"

"I will throw you right back in the prison if you do not shut the fuck up." Katie groaned, slumping onto him.

Matthew laughed. "Alright, alright, just watch your language."

"No."

"Stubborn as always."

"I know."