"Mark, we have to go now! Damn it Mark!" A voice yells through the sounds of the crumbling planet, the paladins waiting for a signal there were others alive just out of reach. "Get out here now! Or so help me I'll train you harder then ever!" The dust scattering about, picks up making it impossible to see anything.

   "He's waiting for some one Paladins. Once they come out, rescue them." Princess Allura's voice speaks into their helmets as each give a nod, various expressions on their faces. Irritation, worry, curiousity, and confusion.

   "I'm coming Damian! Don't get your panties twisted in a knot." A deep soothing voice is heard with exasperation as it turns softer to an unknown source. "This way, I promise to protect you with my life." A tall male with a child in his arms appears in their vision as a shorter male joins his friend, shooting a glare that could kill to said male.

   "Now Paladins, hurry!" The black lion shoots down before anyone else responds, Shiro looking grim and determiend as he picks up the trio, taking off as the planet crumbles away to nothing. He goes to say something, but the way the shorter male is standing makes him falter. The angered look directed to the taller male comforting the child. Mark doesn't look up at Damian's furious green eyes and dark red hair that is pulled back into a ponytail, squatted in front of the tan skinned and black haired boy.

   "Are you okay little one? Where's your family?" The soft voice makes Shiro glance back in thought as Damian just clicks his tongue, walking over and putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

   "M-my family abandoned me right before the planet was attacked. Will you be my new family?" The question pauses the two males movement as they look in a silent conversation, nodding after a few minutes.

   "Of course we will be. It's an honor to meet such a brave boy. What's your name? My name is Mark and this is my friend Damian." Mark holds him at arms length as he examines the slight scratches and bruises, dark blue eyes meeting his with a curious gleam.

   "Jack. My name is Jack." A smile cracks on Shiro's face as they finish their exchange, the two friends bickering as Mark holds the boy in his arms carefully, firing back without question or hesitation.

   "What were you doing down there? My name is Shiro, the black lion's paladin." The two stop bickering, watching as the lion is lead into a white ship. "We won't hurt you. I promise." The black lion stops as Shiro ushers them out gently, eyes on Mark when sparks shock his body at the dark ember eyes meeting his. The rest of the paladins arrive quickly, surrounding them with questions. The two look more irritated than relieved as the little boy, Jack hides his face in Mark's chest, tears slipping out unintentionally.

   "If you all would kindly shut up we will answer your questions later. Princess Allura, it's a pleasure to meet you in person." Mark tightens his hold on Jack, bowing slightly to Allure who snuck up behind the team with Coran right behind.

   "You know me? How?"

   "We studied the history of every planet we could get our hands on. Yours was one we enjoyed the most." A smile makes it way to Allura's and Coran's face as they defuse the irritate paladins, leading them to their room. The ship was big and spacious, but the instant the two saw the training grounds, they knew.

   "We would like to request permission to stay aboard until we find a planet that's safe enough to stay on and to train with the others or by ourselves." Damian's Scottish accent slips out as Jack giggles at the way the words sounded funny, tiny arms wrapped securely on Mark's neck.

   "You will answer our questions before we decide. For now, here's your room. In one Varga meet us back in the command room, I'll have one of the Paladin's show you the way." Her smile made the two relax, nodding before entering the room. A hit lands on Mark's stomach, wincing at the pain as Damian does it again only Mark stops him just in time.

   "I'm sorry Damian. I heard him and I couldn't just leave him there. He was surrounded by those...skeleton jaguars we saw earlier. That's why there are bruises on me in case you haven't noticed." Paused by the words, Damian just looks him over finding truth in them as the wounds just needed bandaged.

   "Tell me beforehand if you plan to attempt another suicide." The sarcasm had not gone unnoticed when the two gave a hug with Jack in the middle, looking confused. "They want the truth Mark. If we do, their going to want to use us for our abilities." Damian sits against the wall, sighing as tan hands glow green eerily. Mark sits on the bed with Jack on his lap fighting off sleep.

   "It will be fine. We'll fight our way out if we have to. We're not subjects anymore. No one is." He looks down at his glowing red hands, the warmth passing through to his skin and Jack's a relief as the wound start to close up. "They can't force us to stay, but it might be wise to just tell them and stay until we decide we don't want to. It's a better plan than nothing at all."

   "We don't know if we can trust them yet. They're Voltron for gods sake! The Galra will be after us next if we stay. They nearly got us before when they destroyed our planet." Mark runs his hand through Jack's hair, the boy succumbing to darkness after a few minutes of the soothing action. Grabbing the nearby blanket, he wraps the two of them up loosely, arms holding onto the sleeping body.

   "A chance is better than nothing out there in space wandering around clueless. If they are the ones we heard of, they are trying to stop the Galra. We could help them in the fight or leave without somewhere to go."

   "Fine. You have a point Mark. We'll stay here if permitted until we have a plan. You'll be staying with him then?" A finger pointed at the sleeping bundle on his lap makes a corner of his mouth twitch upwards.

   "Yes. He needs someone there and we can do it together. We have before." A loving look passes in Damian's eyes as he nods, eyes slowly falling. "Get some sleep, I'll wake you up before we have to talk to them. I'll be fine." Damian nods in reluctance before sleep takes over. The sound of even breathing fills the silent room as Mark muses over what to do. Telling the truth is best, but what if they want to experiment on them? Shaking his head of his thoughts, the red paladin and black paladin come into mind, one serious and one kind face haunting his mind. There was something about the red paladin that stood out to him even in the brief encounter. His black hair framed his face, a surprised look on his face as well as the others. A chuckle escapes Mark's lips as he gives in to the pressing dark, holding Jack closely.

   He woke up minutes later at the light knock, waking up the tired boy and Damian who grumbled at him for kicking his stomach. "Payback." Was the answer as the three were escorted to the meeting area by Shiro, the black paladin, who looked amused at their exchange.

   "There you are Shiro. Thank you for bringing them here. Now, you have to answer our questions. All of them." The three exchange a glance as if knowing something before shrugging, sitting down on the floor Indian style, Jack situating himself on Damian's lap much to his dismay. Mark gave a quiet laugh earning a glare from the male, his hands raise up in surrender, a smirking on his lips. The paladins watch in interest at their interactions, questions at the tips of their tongues. They stop and introduce themselves properly, immediately firing questions at Mark when he asked, "Where do you want us to start before you ask?"

   "Who are you? Where are you from? What was so special about your planet the Galra wanted to destroy it?" Princess Allura and, the red paladin, now known as Keith ask multiple questions as the two sigh.

   "We are from a planet that was rumored as annihilated to protect our people. We are what people called 'The Gifted' from long ago. Everyone on our planet had a different ability or skill no one else had. The Galra threatened us multiple times to compel and help them, but we refused. It was then they took action and took away half of the people, experimenting on them somewhere we didn't know well. The powers we have enhanced and improved to the point we were able to learn other talents." Damian cuts Mark off with blank look on his face.

   "We were returned to live our normal lives, but we were forced to return for experiments for them. Unless we wanted our planet to die by rejecting their 'generous' offer. The rest of our people died when the planet was destroyed by the Galran's surprise attack. We were three that survived after you saved us." He glares at the crowding group to back off and continues once they do. "We have been used for our powers, we will not stay here if you experiment or make us use them. We just want freedom to be ourselves without someone expectations of us."

   "Will you show us your powers? What about your families?" Mark speaks up with a hardened tone to his voice, Jack leaning into Damian's chest. "They were one of the best leaders for our planet. They died trying to help people escape a few hours before you came. The others tried to flee or tried to fight, but failed. Our powers range from how powerful a person is to their mental stability. Everyone was panicked and disoriented as they fled. To answer your other question, we will show you our powers, but we are not an assets to keep or use as you wish. We will escape if that happens without a glance backwards." Pleased with the nods of understanding, the three answer a few more questions, Jack saying something occasionally making Mark and Damian look at him with deep pain in his eyes and understanding.

   An hour passed as they entered the training grounds, setting up training level 15 as the paladins eyes widen in disbelief. No one had gotten that far except maybe Allura or Coran, the two equally shocked as Jack gave a bright smile. The two stand in the middle, tall and motionless, waiting for the dozen of robots that appeared to attack. Attack they did as whirs and blurs of the two easily take them down. Fire and plants entangling setting the robots on fire or exploding all of sudden is echoed loudly a Jack watches with a bright gleam in his eyes, the figures clear as day as if they weren't going super fast. The battle is done in minutes as the two are unscarred and breathing evenly, Mark healing the two of them as his hands glow red.

   "Have we proven ourselves to you?" The simple question falling from Mark's mouth makes more questions spewed towards the two, Jack joining the continued fight with precision, soldier like movements and powers. This continued until level twenty when they called it quits, answering the first question asked. "This is our normal training level. We had to be stronger and get control of our abilities so we were pushed to our limits until we could go to level one hundred, the last level."

   "You may stay and help us if you wish. You're stronger than Voltron combined as a trio. The offer stands if you accept." Allura speaks up with a curious tone, eying the trio carefully.

   "We accept it. Thank you Princess." That was eight months ago. No one knew them well, but once they did, they were wrong in admittedly thinking they were right about their personalities. Damian was the over protective, dramatic brother while Mark was the calm level headed younger brother. Each one had taken a liking to them rather fast, but Keith was fascinated with Mark as was Shiro. Keith spent more and more time with Mark, blushing as he realized how hard he fell for the quiet male, heart beating rapidly as he was going to confess to him tonight. One problem in his way, Shiro, or so he thought.

   "Mark, I really like you. No, love you. Will you be mine?" Shiro's voice is heard faintly with hope lacing in it. Keith stops as does his heart, wondering what Mark would say. Lance be damned, he was right, Keith didn't lose Mark.

   "I'm sorry Shiro. I have to decline. I'm spending tonight with Keith as I promised. I heard Damian is interested in you. I hope we can stay friends." The joy rising in Keith's heart made him realize that Shiro just told Mark how he felt and was politely rejected, but a blush quickly covers his cheeks at implication. Footsteps head his way as Shiro passes him with a kind smile, accepting his rejection. Arms wrap around him as his face is pressed against a toned chest.

   "Curiosity killed the cat you know." Keith gives a breathy chuckle, shyly wrapping his own arms around Mark. The warmth comforting and familiar as they had spent nights in each other's room just talking, falling asleep with their arms around each other.

   "Satisfaction brought it back."

   "I love you Keith. You've always fascinated me when I arrived and even now. Be my one and only?" Lips push against Mark's in a gentle, slow passion as Mark pulls him closer. Hands entangle in his hair, pulling him down to meet Keith's height. A smile rests on their faces as Keith says the words he's wanted to hear for awhile now.

   "I love you too Mark."