#galra courtship

[lilflowerpot]

Hello flower! I hope you are safe and well. I have come to ask you a question how would the galra react to abusive relationships??

galra courting rituals | traditional galra courtship | platonic vs romantic | cheating | marriage | proposals | closing / rejecting a relationship

Though you didn't specify what type of relationship you were referencing, I got the vibe you meant romantic, so all the above are posts discussing that in particular. In terms of abuse, I think I've only focused upon that twice before: once in regard to child abuse, and once concerning domestic abuse in the Imperial Household, the latter of which I believe will be of the greater interest to you.

Essentially, Imperial culture surrounding intimate relationships is built upon the idea of proving yourself to be your partner’s compliment—someone who matches their strengths and counters their weaknesses—and they yours, forming a union that aspires to an equilibrium of humours. Every aspect of courtship is about proving yourself strong, capable, honourable,,, worthy. To abuse your partner (be that physically or emotionally) would undermine every aspect of that, and therefore be not only repugnant behaviour, but distinctly ingalran.

What with the galra being a strongly collectivist culture, it is considered their duty to care for one another as fellow citizens; to mistreat someone you don't know would be outrageous enough, but to be consistently, maliciously, and systematically abusing someone you supposedly "love"??? There would be legal ramifications, naturally, but in extreme cases the perpetrator maybe even be disowned by their bloodline (as detailed in my post on child abuse), being declared Liir tron cu Aaskh and having their right to claim any blood-name other than “Cuaaskhli” revoked, thus branding them a soulless disgrace and social pariah for the rest of time.

[galraluver]

my love, may i request something for Kolivan again??

You can decide if its a headcanon or scenario, can you write something about this relationship dynamic:

Reader, who was being raised to a independent women: "Let me pay."

Kolivan, who was being raised to treat his mate like a goddess: "No. Let me spoil you."

And it's always about the most irrelevant things like grocery shopping but one day the reader looks a little bit too long at a necklace and her mate notices it.

...that's when the drama begins

Take your time and thank you very much!

- Fürstin Lya

You most certainly can 🥰. I can totally imagine this exact scenario being a dilemma in galra/human relationships

_________________________________________

Kolivan and (Y/n) loved each other, it was very obvious that they did, although they were raised very differently and sometimes they got into arguments about certain things. Kolivan had been raised to spoil his mate and provide for whomever he chose to spend the rest of his life with while (Y/n) had been raised to be independent. During the early stages of their relationship (Y/n) felt uncomfortable because Kolivan spoiled her with various expensive gifts and she couldn't necessarily reciprocate in the way she would have liked to, but she always had to remind herself that galra culture was different and he was simply proving that he could provide well like a good significant other would. Kolivan understood that courtship during war had the potential to be dangerous, thankfully everything turned out fine and he married (Y/n) once the war was finished. (Y/n) still maintained her independent streak and sometimes it led to them arguing about the littlest of things when it came time to pay for something, even groceries; Kolivan didn't resent his wife for being an independent woman, it was one of the things he admired about her, although he wished that she would at least sometimes relax and let him pay for things more often.

When the weekend came Kolivan decided to take (Y/n) out on a little shopping trip at the nearest mall; they stopped by a few stores and even ate lunch together at the food court, (Y/n) let him pay for lunch since she knew he wanted to do something nice for her. (Y/n) enjoyed having a day out with her husband, especially since the mall wasn't too horribly busy that day; they held each other's hands while holding the shopping bags with their free hands, both of them walking together to their next destination. With the war being done, seeing various aliens in public on every planet, including Earth, was the new normal and no one really stared at them. Kolivan and (Y/n) looked at each other for a moment and smiled, then they looked straight ahead since neither of them wanted to accidentally run into something or someone. (Y/n) occasionally peeked into each store she and Kolivan passed just to see what each one had to offer, although she didn't necessarily see anything she liked yet.

“I really hope that they have it in stock.” (Y/n) said wishfully while she and Kolivan walked hand in hand, hoping that the store they were going to had the new item she wanted.

“I'm sure they will; in malls like this one, store owners are usually well prepared and have extra in stock if they sell out in the main part of the store.” Kolivan assured her, smiling slightly because of his mate's eagerness to finally get her hands on something she'd wanted for a while.

Out of everything they'd bought at the mall that day (Y/n) was really looking forward to buying one item in particular, she even spent a little extra time at work so she could save up for it. She tightened her grip on his hand and leaned in to Kolivan for a moment, their gazes meeting again for a few seconds. The sight of Kolivan wearing casual clothes was amazing enough as it was; his outfit consisted of a plain dark blue t-shirt, black pants and medium gray galra sized sneakers, and (Y/n) wore something similar so they could wear somewhat matching outfits. Aside from the usual stores there were a few kiosks in the wide hallway, each one selling something different. On the way to their destination they passed by a kiosk that sold unique jewelry and there was one necklace in particular that (Y/n) really liked; Kolivan noticed how intently his wife stared at the necklace and stopped walking which caused her to stop walking, too.

“Do you see something that you like?” Kolivan whispered to (Y/n), attempting to follow her gaze to see if he could guess what she had her eyes on so he could buy it for her.

“It's nothing- I just saw a really cute necklace.” (Y/n) answered bashfully prior to reaching for her wallet, prepared to pay for the beautiful piece of jewelry.

“Let me get it for you.” Kolivan interrupted after he let go of her hand, reaching for his own wallet.

“I can pay for it on my own, I don't want you to have to pay for everything and I've saved up enough after doing a little overtime.” (Y/n) replied with an equally quiet tone, not wanting to be a financial burden or make him feel as though she was using him for money.

“I'm your husband and I want to do this for you.” Kolivan responded lowly whilst trying his best not to make a scene in public; he honestly just wanted to do something nice for his significant other, her refusal made him feel inadequate and frustrated.

“I don't want you to feel obligated to pay for something like this.” (Y/n) quietly argued, feeling just as frustrated as her husband about the situation.

Kolivan quickly came up with a counter argument, promising her that he wasn't offering to pay for the necklace out of obligation; he genuinely wanted to buy something nice for her, even though she was capable of paying for it herself. (Y/n) had always been an independent woman, even when she was young, and the thought of someone buying something for her made her feel uncomfortable; she'd mostly gotten over that way of thinking after Kolivan courted her, unfortunately she still had to get used to it. She needed a moment to think it over and Kolivan gave her that time, he wasn't going to rush her to make the decision. The owner of the kiosk watched Kolivan and (Y/n) bicker like an old married couple despite neither of them being anywhere near old yet. After a couple of minutes (Y/n) finally made her decision; it wasn't necessarily easy, but it had to be made.

“Alright, you can pay for it.” (Y/n) responded with a slight hesitation, making eye contact with Kolivan as she spoke softly.

“Are you sure?” Kolivan questioned, wanting to make sure that he wasn't putting any pressure on her.

“Yes, I'm sure.” (Y/n) answered with confidence, but still speaking quietly.

“Which one do you like?” Kolivan inquired with curiosity, stepping forward so he could pick up the right necklace.

(Y/n) pointed at the necklace that had caught her eye and watched as he picked it up and took his wallet out of his pocket, fully prepared to pay for the lovely piece of jewelry; she took a deep breath to help herself get over the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach, reminding herself that Kolivan wanting to spoil her a little was perfectly normal considering they were married. Kolivan paid for the necklace and the kiosk owner put it in a little bag, then they gave it to him so he could give it to his wife. On their way away from the kiosk (Y/n) thanked him for the gift and apologized for being so hesitant about him paying for the necklace, although Kolivan understood that it was her independent streak that made her that way and he accepted her apology. (Y/n) began to feel a little better about the situation a few minutes later, plus receiving a gift from her husband made her feel giddy. Kolivan couldn't wait to see (Y/n) wear the necklace at a later date, it would go perfectly with two different outfits in particular and he knew she couldn't wait to try it on after they went home.

[kidgetrash]

Heyy , ever since you said that every questions of the ship meme were done, I was wondering another question: what were the thoughts of their friends and family about them being a couple ? Like , the reactions?

This is great! I so enjoyed doing this one!

Team Voltron:

Shiro: Shiro is so happy not only for Keith, but for Pidge. Until Krolia came into his life he had no one to call his own for a long time, and this was not only different but meant he was finding his own family (excluding the team who obviously he is close with but not close with). He knows family is important to Pidge too and that Keith has just been unofficially adopted into the Holt clan.

Lance: Oh, Lance. AND JUST HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GONG ON UNDER HIS NOSE?! He goes through the five stages of grief trying to get his head around the fact two of his best friends are now romantically entangled! Nope, this is some sick joke, where's the Earth calendar, it must be April Fools! Mullet?!?! And Pidge?!?! How dare he steal her innocence by actually loving her!?! Listen, Pidge, if you were that desperate for a relationship, I can date you, just to give you the experience, and then you can go back to being you and not being a girl who does...things with mullet. No? He pouts for about a week and won't speak to either of them. Finally, acceptance. If that's what makes you guys happy, then fine. But if you hurt her...

Hunk: Teary-eyed, excited, great big group bear hugs during which Pidge pulls a face and Keith secretly enjoys because honestly he's touch starved but doesn't realise it. Hunk offers to cook them a fancy meal for date night, he just needs a few days to source the perfect ingredients!

Allura: So happy for them. She gets excited thinking this means Pidge will start wearing girly clothes and makeup for dates. Is very disappointed when this isn't the case.

Coran: "Oh, I thought you were already an item. Isn't that why you were always undressing each other with your eyes at the dinner table? No? Oh well, I look forward to seeing what human courtship rituals entail. Now, go ahead and act natural." *starts observing them both far too closely until Allura drags him away and has a quiet word about boundaries.*

The Holt Family:

Sam: Can't believe his little girl is growing up so fast. Realises how much Keith has changed since his days as a garrison cadet and that they are probably going to be good for one another. But it's just a nice simple innocent relationship. Will not tolerate thinking about his little girl being...active!

Colleen: KNEW IT! She called it months ago, and has been asking very indirect direct questions that only a mom can get away with. "Why don't you invite Keith to family game night this week?" Appearing in the garrison mess hall and acting surprised that they're together, then joining them for lunch. "So, Keith. What's new? Katie told me about just how form-fitting your Blade uniform is..." "MOM!!!"

Matt: Happy for them, but still has the big brother talk with Keith. He remembers just how disruptive he was back in the old days when he was a cadet and hoped that, as he appeared now, he had matured beyond his fiery temper. He had watched them together though, and could see how tenderly he looked at his sister, which did set his mind at rest but also made him contemplate far too much how Pidge had grown (glowed?) up, and how happy he made her. He's absolutely ready to go to bat for her if Keith ever does anything to hurt her!

Krolia: This man before her, the little boy she wasn't sure she would ever see again, in love! She knows a relationship between a human and a galra (even half) can be tricky, but also how rewarding. She can see just how happy the smallest paladin makes him and hopes that now the war is over they can have the relationship she always wished she could have had.

Bonus:

Bae Bae and Kosmo: NEW ADOPTED SIBLING AND PLAYMATE!

Ask me my Kidge headcanons!

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: During the raid on the Galactic Hub, Keith is captured alongside Allura. Trapped amid a multitude of Galra who think Keith smells like sex and have every intention of forcibly taking what they want, Keith has to rely on the one Galra soldier who seems to want to help him. Choosing a consort through an ancient Galran rite is much better than the alternative, but it still means sex with a virtual stranger that Keith isn't sure he can trust. This is just a temporary thing until his friends can arrive to help him escape; Keith can do this. (He's really not sure he can do this).

Author: @calibratingentropy

[wipbigbang]

The final round of art claims is open at @wipbigbang! We have all sorts of great stories left in multiple fandoms, and we'd love any type of fanart for them: traditional art, digital art, fanmixes, moodboards, fic covers/chapter headers...any kind of art you can imagine!

The synopses are located at https://wipbigbang.dreamwidth.org/173272.html

The form is located at https://forms.gle/yyxkCxyXJopMTyUs8.

Voltron: Legendary Defender

#180

Title: The Rites of Courtship

Pairing/Characters: Keith/Thace

Rating Explicit | E

Warnings/Tags: Graphic Violence, Non-con/Rape

(Past) attempted/threatened rape, imprisonment, mildly dubious consent(only at beginning of relationship), canon Galra-bigotry,

Additional tags: AU. Alien biology/genitalia for Keith, Keith believes he's intersex, alien culture/courtship rituals, alien gender/sexuality, alien sex, possible/eventual mpreg (that is totally normal by alien standards), Keith and Shiro are adopted siblings, Allura's Galra-related traumas get aggravated but the Paladins and Coran help her through them, Keith has three parents, quad-sexed ovoviviparous marsupial Galra, Thace is a very devoted and loving consort/husband.

Summary: During the raid on the Galactic Hub, Keith is captured alongside Allura. Trapped amid a multitude of Galra who think Keith smells like sex and have every intention of forcibly taking what they want, Keith has to rely on the one Galra soldier who seems to want to help him. Choosing a consort through an ancient Galran rite is much better than the alternative, but it still means sex with a virtual stranger that Keith isn't sure he can trust. This is just a temporary thing until his friends can arrive to help him escape; Keith can do this. (He's really not sure he can do this.)

Additional spoilerific tldr summary: Keith gets captured, not knowing he's a Galra-hybrid that is currently fertile. Enemy Galra can smell it, and a bunch of the worst assholes in the bunch are all for raping the enemy they just captured. Thace desperately searches for a way to save Keith without blowing his cover as a spy, and hits upon the idea of an ancient Galra courtship/marriage rite(s) that will make sure Keith is protected until complete, thus stalling for time until Voltron can rescue him.

Except, Voltron doesn't show up when Thace was hoping. Keith asks Thace to be involved in the rites because Thace is at least trying to help. They end up completing the rites, becoming consorts, and even after more stalling for time Voltron hasn't shown up. Faced with worse than death, they discuss things together and decide to consummate, partly because they've already started to catch feelings for each other.

Voltron is still MIA, and Keith stumbles on Thace being a rebel spy, so while navigating Keith's new situation in the Galra fleet as Thace's consort they start planning Keith's and Allura's (and Thace's, because Keith isn't leaving without him damn it!) eventual escape.

On the eve of said escape, Voltron shows up, of course, and so begins Keith and Thace trying to figure out how to fit in with Voltron as Paladin and Consort, (and Galra rebel-spy and Galra-hybrid,) and with Allura having been traumatized by her time in captivity, to help her heal. Oh, and they still have to make allies and save the universe from a very angry Zarkon (and deliver a very final 'fuck you' to a would-have-been rapist), while navigating a new relationship, meeting new (and old) family, and team bonding. Oh and face a potential pregnancy somewhere in there too.

[calibratingentropy]

Finished fic for WIP Big Bang

Story Title: The Rites of Courtship Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14355651/chapters/33135639 Summary:

During the raid on the Galactic Hub, Keith is captured alongside Allura. Trapped amid a multitude of Galra who think Keith smells like sex and have every intention of forcibly taking what they want, Keith has to rely on the one Galra soldier who seems to want to help him. Choosing a consort through an ancient Galran rite is much better than the alternative, but it still means sex with a virtual stranger that Keith isn't sure he can trust. This is just a temporary thing until his friends can arrive to help him escape; Keith can do this. (He's really not sure he can do this.)

Warnings: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Past Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Mildly Dubious Consent, Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Gender/Sexuality, Alien Sex, Alien Rituals, Imprisonment, Alternate Universe, Keith has Galra Reproductive Anatomy, Keith Believes He's Intersex, Scents & Smells, Scent Kink, Keith and Shiro are Adoptive Siblings, Possible Mpreg, Keith has Three Parents, Quad-sexed Ovoviviparous Marsupial Galra Characters: Keith, Thace, Allura, Trugg, Throk, Original Galra characters, Zarkon, Hunk, Lance, Shiro, Pidge, Coran, Ulaz Pairings: Keith/Thace When I Started: 4/18/2018 How I Finished My Shit: The WIP Big Bang helped me find the motivation to finish!

[ao3feedsheith]

Night in the Empire

Night in the Empire https://archiveofourown.org/works/42105678 by BlueOslo Yorak is a Galran Noble who wants nothing less to do with his title, and longs for a more free life outside of the boring political meetings, stuffy education, and under-the-table advice about cliques and alliances he's received. When a strange alien crash lands near his home shortly after an ancient prophecy long in the making is completed, the ripples throughout the entire star system might be enough to completely upset an already delicate balance. Words: 914, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Categories: M/M Characters: Shiro (Voltron), Keith (Voltron), Lotor (Voltron), Zarkon (Voltron), Matt Holt, Kolivan (Voltron), Krolia (Voltron), Acxa (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Allura (Voltron), Hunk (Voltron), Shay (Voltron), Pidge (Voltron), Coran (Voltron), Sendak (Voltron), Haggar (Voltron) Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron) Additional Tags: Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Empire, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Precognition, Fate, Destiny, Feudalism, Honor, Arranged Marriage, Drug Use, Drug Addiction, Psychic Abilities, Revolution, Totally Not A Dune/James Cameron's Avatar Ripoff, Political Alliances, Prophetic Dreams, Swordplay, Homophobia, Angst, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, Language Barrier, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Awkwardness, Interspecies Sex, Mating Rituals, Courtship, Alien Culture, Culture Shock, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Hurt Shiro (Voltron), Lotor (Voltron) Being an Asshole, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Environmentalism, Imperialism via AO3 works tagged 'Keith/Shiro (Voltron)' https://archiveofourown.org October 02, 2022 at 09:20PM

[calligraphist-artemisia]

Instinct (Part 3 - End)

Summary:  In which the paladins are unprepared for the strength of Keith’s instincts and Pidge is taken off guard by her own feelings. Pairings: Keith/Pidge; background Shiro/Curtis

Also posted on AO3 under the username kishirokitsune.

-

Part 3

There was a strange feeling in the air when they arrived.

Lance could feel it as plainly as if it were static electricity crackling across his skin, raising the hair on his arms. He followed quietly next to Hunk, who was happily chatting away about nothing in particular as they walked through the Garrison hangar.

They had landed late in the evening, securing a last-minute spot for Hunk's ship thanks to Iverson's influence, which meant there wasn't a big crowd milling about. Lance was grateful for that. The atmosphere was tense enough without bumping against people as they walked.

“...think that's Keith's ship?” Hunk asked. “Oh, hey! There's your sister!”

Lance would have to be blind to not see Keith's ship. It was all sharp, sleek angles and crafted with black metals, just like every other Galra ship, and sharply contrasted against the gray and orange of the Galaxy Garrison.

Veronica was standing near the open ramp, waving to someone. She turned away with a smile on her face and froze in her tracks the moment she recognized them.

“Lance!”

He lifted his hand in greeting. “Hey.”

Veronica made her way over to them. “Is that the kind of greeting you give your favorite sister? I haven't seen you in months! 'Hey', he says.”

Hunk stifled his laughter behind his hands.

Her gaze softened as she looked them over. “It's good to see you both. Do you have a place to stay while you're here? We're a little tight on space, but I'm sure we can figure something out.”

“We're just going to stay on the Teuila,” Hunk told her. “Our rooms are actually pretty nice and I think everyone will be more comfortable that way.”

Veronica nodded in understanding. “Keith and his crew said the same thing, but I figured it would be best to offer. What about you, Lance? You can come room with me while you're here.”

The offer was tempting, but Lance was going to take advantage of having a room all to himself while he was away from the family farm. It was nice to relax without anyone barging in at all hours of the day.

“As much as I love your couch, I think I'll pass this time,” Lance said.

“I'm here if you change your mind. So, where are you two off to? Not getting into trouble already, are you?” Veronica asked teasingly.

“We're going to go visit Pidge and her family. We made better time than I expected, so we want to surprise her,” Hunk said.

“That might be a little difficult, since she's out with Keith right now,” Veronica said.

Lance and Hunk stared at her for a moment and then exchange a confused look before turning their attention back to Veronica and asking, in unison: “What?”

“What do you mean 'out with Keith'?” Lance continued, throwing air quotes around the last three words. “Since when is that a thing?”

Veronica shrugged. She wasn't remotely unnerved by their surprise. “Acxa says he's been spending time with Pidge since they arrived here and her exact words to me this evening were: 'Keith's taking Pidge out for a drive again'.”

“Again?!” A strangled sound gurgled up from Lance's throat.

Hunk glanced at his friend with concern as he took a moment to organize his own thoughts. “Okay, so that's something new. Unexpected, but not that weird. They've always gotten along pretty well.”

“Yeah, but it's Keith and Pidge! It's just... I dunno, it feels pretty weird to me. Since when have they been that close?” Lance asked, wracking his brain to try and think of anything. They worked together a lot as paladins, especially once Keith became their leader and she stepped forward to serve as the brain of the team even more than before, but that didn't explain how they were suddenly so close.

He frowned.

No, there were other things too. Things he brushed off because there was more important stuff to worry about.

But he was starting to over-analyze the past, which often led him to imagining things that hadn't really happened or reading too much into what he'd seen.

“Well, if Pidge is busy, we can stay on the ship for now and I'll send a message so she knows we're here. The plan was for all of us to get together tomorrow anyway,” Hunk said with an easy shrug. “Do you want to have a late meal with us, Veronica? Shay was making soup when we left. No cave bugs, I promise.”

Veronica made a face, but wisely didn't ask about the cave bugs. “I think I'll pass tonight, but I'll definitely take you up on that before you leave.”

Lance snapped out of his thoughts in time to say goodbye to Veronica. He and Hunk watched her as she walked away and then turned to make their way back to the Teuila.

“Are you really that weirded out by the thought of Pidge and Keith being a thing?” Hunk asked.

Lance made a frustrated noise. “I don't know. I mean, I'm not against it, I just didn't see it coming. He's always been the most protective of her, but I figured it was just because Pidge is the youngest of us. We were all watching out for her. Not that we needed to. She could probably still kick our butts.”

“I've rather not relive that,” Hunk said, shuddering at the memory of the Trial that Coran put them through. Being mind controlled by mushrooms was not his idea of a good time.

“Mostly I think I'm just annoyed she didn't say anything to us about it. Er, she didn't say anything to you, did she?” Lance asked.

Hunk shook his head. “The most she said about Keith was that he got in a few days ago. We've sent a few messages since then, but that was to coordinate the picnic and make sure the timing is right. Have you talked to her recently?”

Lance had not.

When was the last time he talked to her? Last week? No, longer than that.

“I'm the worst friend,” Lance grumbled.

“You're not,” Hunk said firmly.

“I can't even remember the last time I called either of you to talk!”

“Everyone gets busy. It's okay, Lance. We all talked three weeks ago,” Hunk reminded him.

Lance scowled. “Only because you started up a group call. And it's always you or Pidge who does it. I just...  I can't remember the last time I was the one to try and call you guys. Face it, Hunk. I'm a mess and a bad friend.”

Hunk sped up so he could stop in front of Lance and grip him by his shoulders. “You are my best friend, Lance McClain, and I'm not going to stand here and listen to you talk about yourself like this. We are going to go back to the Teuila and eat delicious soup, and talk about all of the ways you are an amazing friend. Everyone falls into a slump sometimes. We're going to figure out how to get you out of yours.”

Lance's vision wavered as tears filled his eyes. He ducked his head to quickly wipe them away. “Y-yeah. Sounds good.”

Hunk moved to his side, taking his hands away so he could drape one arm around Lance's shoulders instead. “Good.”

-

Shiro couldn't remember the last time he felt so confused, especially not in the comfort of his own kitchen.

Curtis sat next to him at the table, his head propped up by one hand as watched Keith bustle around the counter nearest the oven, preparing something in a mixing bowl. There was already a chocolate cake in the oven, making the whole apartment smell nice.

What was truly bewildering, beyond the fact that Keith was baking, was that his brother was also humming as he did so. It was inaudible whenever the handmixer was running, but the moment it stopped Shiro could clearly hear him.

Shiro didn't know what to think. While it was great to see Keith look so happy, it also struck Shiro as terribly out of character.

“Taste,” Keith demanded, holding out a spoon to them.

Curtis moved first, swiping his finger through the frosting and sticking it in his mouth without preamble. Shiro followed suit a little more cautiously, and the taste of peanut butter exploded across his tongue.

“How is it?” Keith asked, sounding worried.

“It's good, but why are you making peanut butter icing?” Shiro asked.

Keith looked visibly relieved. “It's for Pidge. I wanted to make her something she likes, and I remembered that she likes peanut butter.” He shrugged and set aside the spoon and bowl, where it would wait until the cake was out of the oven and cooled.

“I didn't know you liked baking,” Shiro remarked.

“I was thinking about what Hunk always said about food being a way to bring people together, so I made one for the crew a while back. When everyone seemed to like it, I kept making them. Not all the time, but as a special treat,” Keith said.

“Are you taking it to the picnic lunch you guys are doing?” Curtis asked.

Shiro glanced at the clock and noticed Keith doing the same. They still had an hour before they had to leave to meet up with the others down in the courtyard, but was that enough time? How long did it take for a cake to cool?

His fingers itched to text Hunk for the answer.

“It'll have to wait. If the cake doesn't cool, the icing melts off. I, uh, learned that the hard way,” Keith said with a wince. “I'll finish it once we get back and give it to her later.”

He walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door, shuffling a few things around to make room for the mixing bowl.

Shiro watched him clean up while he contemplated the best way to broach a new topic; one that had bothered him since their dinner with the Holts.

Curtis suddenly cleared his throat. “So, have you put in your request for ship maintenance yet? You only have a few days left of your vacation.”

“Not yet. I still have two days before I really need to.” Keith didn't sound worried at all.

“Even if you wait that long, they still might reject your request for Pidge to be the one to do it,” Shiro reminded him. “We should come up with a back-up plan.”

“We could try and bribe whoever is approving requests that day,” Curtis suggested. He grinned at their incredulous expressions. “Yeah, okay. That's probably a bad idea, but every good brainstorming session has a few bad ideas!”

Keith shook his head. “The less you're both involved, the better. I don't want either of you to get in trouble for helping me. Besides, I have a plan.”

The timing went off and Keith turned his back to them so he could take the cake out of the oven.

No matter how much Shiro and Curtis tried to convince him to let them help, Keith wouldn't budge. Nor would he tell him anything about his plan. Not even a hint.

“You two should get going soon if you don't want to be late,” Curtis said as the clock ticked over to twelve-thirty.

“You're not coming with us?” Keith asked, sounding surprised.

Curtis smiled at him. “Maybe I'll join you guys next time. I figured the five of you deserved some time to catch up and reminisce without me there as an awkward sixth wheel. I have a few things I need to get done anyway.”

“You wouldn't be a sixth wheel,” Shiro tried to tell him, but Curtis shook his head.

“I would be. Now go and have fun.”

Shiro sighed at the fact that he had two stubborn men in his life (completely ignoring his own brand of Pure Stubborn, of course) and gave up on convincing anyone of anything for the rest of the day.

He and Keith left, heading straight for the courtyard, which had been turned into an extension of the cafeteria with new tables and benches. Young trees were planted and mulched nicely, chosen for their ability to withstand the heat so long as they were watered on a regular basis.

Hunk was busy setting up at a large, round table when they arrived. He had a blue-and-white checkered tablecloth covering the top and a classic picnic basket that was overflowing with food, which he was staring to unload and arrange in the center.

He looked up at their approach. “Shiro! Keith!” He hurried around the table to properly greet each of them with a full body bear hug. “It's been so long!”

“It's good to see you too, Hunk,” Shiro said fondly.

Hunk let go of them and gestured for them to sit as he explained how Lance had gotten sidetracked on his way down, and once he finished talking to Veronica he would join them with the rest of the food.

“Curtis didn't want to come?” Hunk asked as they made themselves comfortable.

Shiro shook his head. “We invited him, but he declined this time. He did say that he'd like to before you have to go.”

Hunk accepted that and began talking about what he'd brought for them to eat, referencing a variety of planets that he'd visited in the past few weeks and his issues with allergic reactions to some of the food he'd accepted along the way. His gaze drifted to Keith now and then, as though he was searching for something and was trying not to make it obvious.

It wasn't long before Lance and Pidge hurried to the table, having met up at some point on their way outside. Lance passed a second basket to Hunk so he could finish setting up, while Pidge slid into the empty space on Keith's left and smiled up at him.

Shiro felt a moment of vindication as Lance raised an eyebrow at their closeness and Hunk fumbled with one of the plates. He wasn't just imagining things.

Lunch progressed without any of them mentioning it, although Lance looked as though he had to restrain himself from speaking each time one of them leaned in to talk to the other or Keith smiled at Pidge. Hunk did several double takes, but was subtle about it.

Not that Pidge or Keith noticed any of it.

The hours flew by, and it was only when Shiro's phone buzzed with a message that he realized how much time had passed. He glanced it over, wondering if he should be worried about Iverson's request for a meeting with him and Keith.

He wordlessly passed his phone to Keith and made excuses for them to leave, which also paved the way for Hunk to jump in and ask to see what Pidge was working on.

“I could use your advice on a few things,” Pidge mused, looking between Hunk and Lance. “Why don't you both come over? Mom made juniberry pie the other night and she'd love for you two to try a piece.”

And with that, the group of five cleaned up their mess and then split up.

-

“Okay, strange question, but why do you have a camera?” Lance asked, pointing to the very obvious device up on a wall near the bedroom door.

They arrived at the Holt residence nearly a half hour prior, and after they each got a slice of Colleen's delicious pie, retreated to Pidge's room. While she and Hunk immediately started talking about a camouflage device for Coran, Lance spent some time playing with the nebuloids and looking around.

“It's for security. Keith's been helping me with it,” Pidge told them.

Hunk frowned. “Are you worried that someone might break in?”

“Someone already has.”

Hunk and Lance stared at her, shocked.

“But who? How?” Lance asked.

“I don't know. That's why I have the camera set up. The door is the only way in or out, except for the vents, but even I can't fit through that,” Pidge said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Her friends only had more questions.

What did they take? Was anything taken?

Did they break in by hacking the locks or did they have the code?

How had no one else seen them? Weren't there cameras in the halls too, especially near Commander quarters?

Did Pidge suspect sabotage of some kind?

Pidge waited until they were calm enough for her to speak without getting interrupted. “No one's taken anything. Instead, whoever it is has been leaving me gifts. Hair pins first, then Balmera crystals-” (Hunk whistled appreciatively.) “-and most recently, a glass cosmolabe.”

Lance frowned. “Someone's breaking into your room to leave you presents? Bu why? And what does Keith think about some stranger giving you presents?”

“He's just as confused about it as I am, but we're sure the camera will work correctly this time,” Pidge said confidently. Ashe raised an eyebrow as Hunk and Lance exchanged significant looks. “What?”

“Keith isn't upset that some other guy is giving you stuff?” Lance tried again, phrasing his question differently.

Pidge cocked her head to the side. “We don't know it's a guy, and why would he be upset by that?”

“I'd be pretty mad if some guy was giving my girlfriend gifts,” Hunk said, going for the blunter approach.

Pidge stared at him and said nothing as her brain tried to compute what outlandish thing he was suggesting. “You – wait, what?” she asked, shaking her head. “What gave you the idea that Keith and I are dating?”

“Veronica told us when we got in last night. We were going to come by and see you, but she said you and Keith were going out!” Lance exclaimed, throwing up his hands.

“Yeah, going out, as in leaving Garrison grounds!” Pidge shot back.

Hunk groaned and buried his head in his hands, looking mortified. “Oh no. Pidge, I'm so sorry. We completely misunderstood.”

Pidge looked over at him. “You haven't told anyone else about this, have you?”

“No!” Hunk said quickly. “I don't even know if Veronica thinks that. Her wording was a bit ambiguous...”

Lance, however, was not so easily convinced. “Are you sure there's nothing going on between you? Since when does Keith willingly spend time with someone who isn't Shiro? And!” He held up one finger as though he had an especially important point to make. “You two looked really cozy over lunch. I even saw him smile at you!”

“Oh no. Keith smiled. It must be the end of the world,” Pidge said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She looked to Hunk for help, only to find him deep in thought and not at all exasperated by Lance.

“You really don't know who your gifts are from? There's no name?” he asked.

Pidge shook her head. “I really don't know. The only thing written on them is my name. Hang on, I still have the tags.” She turned to her desk and shuffled through a few things before she found them and handed them to Hunk.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw the handwriting. When Lance sidled over for a closer look, he turned the tags so he could see them as well.

“When did you get the first one?” Hunk asked.

“Five days ago?” Pidge responded, after taking a moment to think it over.

“And that was the hair pins? What about the second one? When did you get the Balmera crystals?” Hunk continued his round of questioning, which Pidge gladly answered in the hope it would lead her to the truth.

“The hair pins were first, and the crystals I got three days ago. The cosmolabe was the day after that, when I got back from dinner at Shiro's,” she said.

“Three times and no one saw anyone come in here?” Lance asked, sounding concerned. “Is it luck, or do you think someone's watching to make sure no one is here?”

Put like that, Pidge couldn't stop a shiver from running down her spine. “But who would go through all of that trouble just to give me a gift?”

“A creep,” Lance stated bluntly.

“No, I don't think so,” Hunk disagreed with a shake of his head. “When did Keith get here?”

Pidge shrugged, not sure what that had to do with the situation at hand. “I don't know. Four days ago? Maybe five, if he got in late in the night, but I didn't tell him what was going on until we came back to find the second gift on my desk.”

“And he sounded concerned?”

“Of course he did! He was the one who suggested the camera to watch the door,” Pidge said.

“Just the door? Not the whole room?” Hunk asked.

Pidge gave Hunk a frustrated look. “It's the only way in or out, remember? Unless you're suggesting that there's someone at the Garrison who can walk through solid walls.”

“Of course not, that's ridiculous,” Hunk said. “What I am suggesting, is that there is only one person who we know who has a cosmic wolf capable of teleporting into locked rooms.”

The room went so quiet that Pidge thought she could hear the ticking of the wall clock hanging in the kitchen. It was broken by Lance making a confused sound.

“I, uh, may have theory?” Hunk offered, sounding unsure.

“Okay, do you want to share this insane theory of yours, or am I going to have to start guessing?” Pidge asked irritably. She had a suspicion that she knew what he was about to suggest, and hoped that he would understand how crazy he sounded once he started to talk about it.

Hunk took a deep breath. “I don't know a lot about it, but I've picked up a few things from Sal and the other Galra I've spoken to. You'll want to talk to someone else to get all of the details.”

“Hunk.”

“Galra courtship,” he blurted out. “It's, um, oh man, I'm going to mess this up. So there's this whole gift-giving phase, where the interested party finds things they think you'll like and leaves them for you to find. That's what's happening to you right now, but on a faster schedule. Like the person leaving them doesn't have much time and wants to prove themselves while they're still here. And you've accepted each of them, which is basically giving them permission to continue. Normally, the next step is openly asking for a date – well, the Galra have a different word for it, but that's basically what it is. The thing is, I don't think he fully knows what he's doing and is just going by instinct.”

Pidge stared at Hunk.

That was... a lot.

Galra apparently had courtship rituals, which Hunk knew vague details about, and all of it could explain what was happening to her. Still, she couldn't believe it. What Hunk was suggesting was crazy! That was, if she was reading into the situation correctly.

Pidge swallowed. She needed to ask, just to be sure.

“So who is it?”

-

Pidge didn't sleep well that night, as Hunk's surprisingly assertive words ran racetracks through her brain. If he and Lance hadn't made such good points, she would have gone another few days before she put two-and-two together. After all, Keith only had a day left before he took off again and it would become glaringly obvious when she stopped receiving gifts at the same time.

Part of her still didn't believe that Keith was trying to court her, of all people. He turned heads wherever he went and could pick anyone he wanted, but only had eyes for her. According to Hunk and Lance, at least, who mentioned watching their interactions throughout lunch.

Which definitely wasn't creepy.

At all.

Somewhere in her disbelief, she felt flattered, and that was why she knew she needed to get to the bottom of things.

Hunk suggested that she ask a Galra for more details, and that was exactly what she was going to do. She had the perfect person in mind. A half-Galra like Keith, who traveled alongside of him bringing aid to war-torn planets, and would be familiar with what he was like.

It wasn't an easy task to sneak unnoticed into the hangar, especially when so many people knew her face and were aware that it was an area restricted to her. She narrowly avoided James Griffin and Ina Leifsdottir, and though she was sure the blonde saw her, Leifsdottir didn't say a word. (Pidge would have to find a way to thank her once she didn't have so much on her mind.)

That was her only close call, and it didn't take long before she was close enough to Keith's ship to see everyone who was coming or going. She just needed to wait for someone recognizable that she could talk to – preferably Axca, over Zethrid or Ezor. Those two still sent a chill down her spine.

Luckily, Acxa was the first one she saw. She was walking back to the ship with Veronica, her posture more relaxed than Pidge had ever seen.

She stepped out of hiding once they got close.

“Pidge?” Veronica questioned. “How did you get down here?”

“I need to talk to Acxa about something in private. You can come too,” Pidge added in hurriedly. The whole reason Hunk and Lance thought she was dating Keith was because of what Veronica said, so she figured she may as well correct any assumptions the woman might have.

Acxa's expression didn't change much as she invited them both into the ship. Pidge looked around in interest as she followed behind her to an empty room where they could talk in peace and privacy. There were a few comfortable chairs and small tables, marking the space as a relaxation room of some kind.

“I want to ask you about Galra courtship,” Pidge said the moment the door was firmly shut behind them.

If Acxa was surprised, she didn't show it. “I had wondered when Keith would finally admit he was the one leaving you gifts, but why isn't he the one explaining this to you?”

“Because he hasn't told me,” Pidge replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “Hunk and Lance came to the conclusion that we're already dating, and it wasn't until they asked me what Keith thought about a stranger giving me gifts that Hunk started to put things together.”

All at once, Acxa's words hit her.

It was Keith.

Keith liked her and he was the one leaving her presents.

Hearing it as a guess from Hunk was one thing, but from someone who knew it for certain? A warm, fluttery feeling filled her chest as the full weight of it overcame her.

Acxa took pity on her and helped her sit down before slowly explaining the basics of Galra courtship. Veronica sat on her other side, offering her silent support and voicing additional questions or comments to help the younger girl better understand.

The moment Acxa mentioned there were five steps, Pidge fumbled to get out her phone and take notes. She knew it would be useful to look at later, once her shock faded and she could think more clearly.

Pidge thanked both of them for their help before sneaking her way out of the hangar. Once she was back in more familiar halls, she took the time to review her notes.

Galra Courtship

A five-step process, based on common instinct across all Galra types.

Step 1 – Gifting

The first gift is always given in secret. It's to test the waters and find out if the recipient is interested in any courtship. If accepted, the second gift should bear the givers name, so the recipient can decide from there if they are still interested. If gift #2 is accepted, the process continues, with both sides exchanging gifts.

This is to show understanding by both parties; gifts are items the other will find useful or enjoyable.

Step 2 – Dating

Similar to human dating, it involves excursions or sharing activities. This step often crosses over with gifting, though by this point it slows down significantly. The purpose of this step is to bond.

Step 3 - Physical Compatability

Step 4 – Engagement

Informing family and friends of the intent to stay together.

Step 5 – Mateship

The Galra equivalent of marriage.

*Acxa notes that half-Galra have more muddled instinct and may not follow the steps exactly. It's all dependant on how dominant the non-Galra half is. In Keith's case, his human genes largely overrule his Galra half.

It really wasn't all that complicated. Even step one, which needed the most detail to explain, was simple when it came down to it and wasn't so different from human customs.

Pidge's biggest headache came from trying to decide what it was that she wanted.

She returned to her family's quarters to find it as empty as ever, which was a relief. She was in no mood to talk, not even to Matt, who often offered the best insight when she was feeling confused.

No, all she needed was a good project to take her mind off of things. Something easy. Something she could do in her sleep. Something she kept set aside for moments just like those, when she needed a distraction but couldn't put her full focus on one thing.

There only thing in her way was a brand new package wrapped in brown paper, sitting on her desk. She stopped when she saw it and knew that she had two choices. She could open it and see what it was, or she could hunt down Keith and return it, unopened.

The answer to that would be only be solved once she found an answer to a bigger question: How did she feel about Keith?

-

It was his last full day of vacation and Keith was feeling nervous. All of his planning, his meetings with Iverson, and video calls with Kolivan and Krolia would be for nothing if he couldn't find the courage to talk to Pidge.

He should have done it days ago. The moment she came to him, worried about someone breaking into her room, he should have confessed that it was him. Well, to be specific, it was Kosmo helping him by delivering the gifts and he hadn't actually stepped foot into her room until the day she invited him inside.

It started when Shiro mentioned in passing that Pidge was letting her hair grow out. Keith remembered her frustration with it when it was still short and how it sometimes obscured her vision while she was working, so he found some hair pins on his travels.

From there, it snowballed.

Every time he found something interesting, he thought of her. There was so much he had to stop himself from getting, and others he knew he couldn't pass up. The Balmera crystals he gathered during their stopovers on three different Balmera, checking in on the civilians there and making sure Restoration was going well. The cosmolabe was a unique find at a Bantherian swap market, where he traded old intel on a ship graveyard to a pair of scavengers.

As for the cake, it was meant to be an apology. He knew of her love of things flavored like peanut butter and thought it would be the best way to soothe her wrath once he revealed the truth, except he once again forgot to sign his name to it.

Keith had been puzzled by his own behavior for weeks leading up to their return to Earth, right up until Acxa sat him down and said: “Zethrid and Ezor have a bet on how long it will take you to realize you want to court Pidge.”

Denial was his first response.

Pidge was his friend, nothing more!

But the more Acxa explained, the more he started to see that she was right.

Somewhere along the way, he fell for Pidge. For her genius and wit. For her fiery spirit and fearless nature. For her compassion.

What began as a bond between two people searching for the truth, blossomed into a shared determination to protect those they loved, and then bloomed into something that was so much more. A genuine friendship, at least at first, until his feelings changed.

Keith stared at his reflection in the mirror. He knew Pidge didn't place strong value in appearance, but he wanted to make an effort to look nice for her. Maybe he could do something different with his hair?

Kosmo poofed into the room and padded over to him, pressing something against his hand.

Keith looked down at him. “What's this, buddy?”

The space-wolf let go of it easily enough and sat down at his feet, waiting.

Keith chuckled and took a good look at the box. His heart nearly stopped. It was a slender box, just the right size for Kosmo to carry in his mouth, and covered in brown paper. On the very top was a tag bearing his name in red ink.

“Pidge knows?” he breathed out, looking questioningly at Kosmo, who quietly woofed.

Pidge knew.

Keith backed up to his bed and sat down. With trembling hands, he pulled the paper away and lifted the lid, revealing a brand new tablet. The casing was black with faint red and purple veins running through it in a marbling pattern. Where he would have expected a brand logo of some kind was instead the trademark emblem of Voltron – a stylized 'V' that he would recognize anywhere.

There was a note beneath it.

For Keith,

This is a prototype of my own design and is powered by a pair of Balmera crystals that are capable of regenerating energy. It should never run out of power. It is also pre-programmed with the call numbers for myself, Shiro, Hunk, Lance, and Coran, so you always have a way to reach one of us. I hope you find it useful.

Katie Holt

“She signed it with her real name,” he told Kosmo, who did not reply.

Before Keith could start to wonder what it meant, Kosmo walked over, raised one paw onto Keith's leg, and teleported them away. It was only when he heard a shocked gasp that he realized where he was.

“Kosmo!” Pidge's voice echoed alongside his own.

“I'm so sorry, Pidge,” Keith hastily apologized. “I don't know why he brought me here.”

“No, that's my fault. I asked him to, I just wasn't expecting you so soon.” Pidge hopped down from her stepladder with the security camera in her hands.

Keith winced when he saw it. “Pidge, I--”

“Should have told me from the beginning? Yeah, probably,” she cut him off flippantly. “Honestly, I'm too relieved that it was you all along to be really mad right now, but we will talk about it later. I think there's a lot we need to talk about.”

Pidge set the camera down on one of her junk piles and two of the nebuloids crawled out to investigate the new addition. She crossed the room and sat down on her bed next to him. “So, Galra have courtship instincts? I guess that's the least weird thing I've learned about alien biology.”

“Did Acxa tell you?” Keith asked, wondering how the two of them ended up talking. Had Acxa specifically sought her out?

“Hunk figured it out when I was telling him and Lance what was going on. Funnily enough, they thought we were already dating and were very concerned about why you were okay with a stranger leaving me gifts,” Pidge told him. “After that, I went to talk to Acxa so I could clarify a few things. She was very, um, informative.”

Keith remembered his own talk with her and how she took a special delight in making him turn as red as possible with her in-depth description of the third step.

“I guess the question is, how will we proceed? I mean, you leave tomorrow, don't you? Can't promote universal peace and make amends for what the Galra have done from here on Earth,” Pidge said.

Keith sat up a little straighter.

That was it. The best chance he had, set up by sheer coincidence by Pidge herself.

He took a deep breath. “Pidge, I was wondering if you'd like to come with us.”

Pidge went very still, and here eyes widened in surprise. “You want me to go with you?”

“I've been thinking about it for a while. Longer than just this week, but after hearing about everything that's going on, I thought now would be the best time to ask.” Keith had rehearsed what he wanted to say, but in the moment he forgot all of it. His best bet was the keep going without interruption, so he wouldn't lose his train of thought.

“We need a technology expert on board and there's no one I'd trust more than you. This isn't just about courting you. We can figure something out if you want to stay here. I'm asking because there's no one else I'd rather have by my side. And-” (And here was the important part.) “-you would be working for the Blade of Marmora in an official capacity. If you miss Earth too much, this opens the door for you to be hired on as a consultant for that project Mr. Holt is working on.”

Pidge was quiet for a moment longer. “You've really thought this through.”

“I have. I'm sorry I didn't ask sooner. I should have,” Keith said.

There was so much more he wanted to say. An explanation for why it took so long. Another apology for not doing the courtship steps correctly. But words have never been his strong suit and they were starting to fail him after all of the talking he'd done.

“You know... I've really missed being out there among the stars.”

Pidge's voice was so soft that Keith nearly missed what she was saying. He looked at her, staying quiet so she could decide without pressure from him.

“I know it sounds like a hasty decision, but I do want to go with you. I miss it out there. The freedom. The experiences. You.” She paused, raising her eyes to meet his. “I've missed you. Hanging out with you this week has been the most fun I've had in ages. And besides, what better way for you to show me how the cosmolabe works? The sounds like a nice fourth date to me.”

Keith could hardly believe it. Was Pidge... flirting?

“Are you counting our morning run as a date?” he asked.

“It was a shared activity, wasn't it? Not my favorite date, by the way,” Pidge joked.

Keith laughed and a smile remained on his face for long afterwards. “I think our fourth date will be me whisking you away to the stars. And yes, we can use the cosmolabe. I'm surprised you haven't figured it out on your own.”

“I probably could, but you did promise and I've been distracted,” Pidge said. She looked around her room, sobering up slightly, though there was still a pleased smile on her face. “I guess I have some packing to do.”

“Do you want any help?”

Pidge shook her head. “It's going to be a lot of me picking things up and asking myself 'do I really need this?' and coming back later to ask the same thing again. You don't want to be around for that.” She made a face. “I have to tell my family too. If you don't hear from me, assume that mom has made good on her threat to ground me until I'm thirty. I can't not tell them though. Mom would steal a ship and hunt me down if I do that again.”

Keith didn't doubt it. All of her fiery spirit didn't come from Sam Holt, that much was certain.

“When you're ready, I'll send Kosmo to get your things. You know how to reach me,” he said, holding up his new tablet.

Pidge stood as well and it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was already busy calculating how much she needed to bring with her.

The first time they left Earth, all she had was the clothes on her back and her laptop. Keith couldn't wait to see what she could accomplish with proper gear.

Feeling daring, he bent down and brushed a kiss against Pidge's forehead. Her pretty blush remained imprinted in his head for the rest of the day, long after Kosmo teleported him back to his room on the ship.

Soon they would be back among the stars, where they belonged.

Keith couldn't wait.

[echodrops]

I've just finished reading "Home and a Half" & it's so good!!! The amount of thought and care that's clearly gone into it is incredible! How you've fleshed out the world of Voltron, and especially the Galra, really sets the story apart. The emotions are also so (deliberately) intense. I've gone through your tag, and the bit about the Galra being fiercely protective over their young & Keith starting to subconsciously view the kids as his own really shows through in the scene where he breaks (1/?)

I got such a laugh out of this ask!

Unfortunately, I can't really say much because spoilers, but... Ah, suffice it to say maybe Lance should be careful who is listening when he starts insulting Keith. Somebody might... get the wrong impression... (Or the right impression???)

In the non-spoiler realm, on the one hand, Keith knows absolutely nothing about being Galra, so I can confirm he has zero clue about any of the expected courting etiquette. On the other hand... Can also confirm Keith knows nothing about human courtship either, so whatever dating process he ends up involved in, he would be equally entirely out of his depth. Poor thing. 😂

[shadow-djinni]

💘 HEART W/ ARROW

❤️ RED HEART

💙 BLUE HEART

💚 GREEN HEART

💖 SPARKLING HEART

for Sendak?

💘: What traits do they look for in a relationship? Do they believe in love at first sight?

Love at first sight, no; Sendak's a little too jaded for that, to be completely honest. In a partner, though, he says he's looking for strong conviction in what they believe and the kind of personality that lends itself to close, intimate relationships...but in practice, his type is "hot goths who can throw him".

❤: Their love languages?

Answered here!

💙: Do they miss their s/o easily? How do they act when their s/o isn't around?

He gets along just fine without a partner, but this bitch pines. He's the sort to call a partner every evening they're apart just to talk, as long as he has the free time to do it.

💚: What kind of things make them feel comforted?

A listening ear, a shoulder to cry on if needed, the knowledge that he can fall, can let himself be weak, even if it's just in private and just with one person, and that he'll be safe to do it.

💖: Are they a subtle or a showy lover?

So a lot of Galra courtship comes through in gift-giving, attention to a partner's wants or needs, and unwavering support for their goals— traditionally, they're the negotiation period for an alliance between clans, to prove compatibility between the partners and reliability on the part of their broader family allegiances, though there's less of that now these days. By those standards, Sendak courts with a vengeance, and he's not even remotely subtle about it. By other standards, though, he's not quite as obvious.

[ao3feed-voltronlegendarydefender]

The Beads

read it on the AO3 at The Beads

by AutumnRose020

Lance tied the beads at the end of the braid and smiled at Klovian. What Lance was not expecting was noticing the sudden silence or the stares from the Galras who were either in shock or just grinning. Lance looked back at Kolivan, whose expression was unreadable at the present moment, but his stare was as quite intense as his stiff body.

Words: 4692, Chapters: 1/3, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Kolivan (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Antok (Voltron), Hunk (Voltron), Galrans (Voltron)

Relationships: Kolivan/Lance (Voltron), Antok/Hunk (Voltron), Kolivance

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Tavern, Courtship, Mpreg, Galra Courtship, Original Character(s), Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Bliss

read it on the AO3 at The Beads

[lilflowerpot]

All I can think about is Lotor being very old fashion and going up to Shiro, asking for permission to court keith. In front of everyone.

Totally not based off a dream,,, totally,,,

courting behaviour | traditional galra courtship | subtle contextual cues

Ah, but this is an archaic human tradition, not a galra one! Though, even if it were, it would almost certainly be Kolivan who Lotor sought out for his blessing, rather than Shiro.

[galraluver]

Can we get Commander Mar on a cozy date with a gender neutral SO at a pastry café on a snowy day please?

Oooo, that sounds nice! Consider it done ❄️😊

_________________________________________

By some miracle Mar managed to survive thanks to (Y/n), Haggar’s human assistant who actually valued people's lives, unlike their mentor who could care less if someone lived or died. By helping him escape (Y/n) put themself and him in danger, so once he could walk again they both escaped central command together so neither of them wouldn't get killed. At first Mar and (Y/n) started off as strangers and they both eventually became friends, but as time went on they developed feelings for each other and Mar began courting (Y/n). (Y/n) didn't mind being courted the galra way, although they really wanted to go out on a real date with their big burly significant other. There was a planet in the solar system they lived in that had a winter cycle almost identical to Earth's with snow and everything, they selected it for their date location with Mar since it wasn't too far away.

Mar valued his relationship with (Y/n) and, even though he was old-fashioned, he was willing to try partaking in the human version of courtship. To be perfectly honest, he really liked the idea of going out on a date with his human lover and agreed that they would do it soon; he let them plan it though, it was the least he could do since they seemed so excited about it. After doing a little research (Y/n) found a pastry café and chose it as the date location they would go on with Mar; they couldn't wait to go out on a real date with him for the first time. To help his intended mate to stay warm during their date Mar gave (Y/n) a warm winter coat, one of which they were grateful for once they found out how cold the planet would be. The café was a lot nicer than (Y/n) expected it to be, in a way it reminded them of a pastry café on another planet; the fireplace was a nice touch to the interior decor and the smell of freshly baked pastries smelled amazing to the human.

“It smells so nice here, it kind of reminds me of home.” (Y/n) spoke quietly after they and Mar entered the cafe’, smelling different delicious smells as soon as he opened the door for them.

“It's one of the rare treasures in this part of the universe, not even Zarkon would allow it to be destroyed.” Mar replied as he followed (Y/n) in; the scent of pastries smelled good to him, he'd forgotten how much he missed them since he rarely got the opportunity to eat sweets.

“All this time I didn't know that this place existed, I'm glad that we got to come here.” (Y/n) said while they and their boyfriend walked towards the front counter; luckily there wasn't too long of a line and they wouldn't have to wait for very long.

Mar was glad that he agreed to go out on a date with his human significant other, he liked how cute they were when they were excited. Each time someone in front of them got served he and (Y/n) took a couple of steps forward, getting closer and closer to the counter until it was their turn to order. Both of them had a look at the menu attached to the back wall to see what looked best; there was a good selection of pastries, although it didn't take (Y/n) and Mar very long to choose something tasty. They told the person behind the counter what they wanted and Mar paid for their orders, then the person gave them the pastries and drinks they’d ordered. Mar and (Y/n) went to go sit at a booth that was right in front of a window, giving them a wonderful view of the snowy scenery outside.

“Mmmm, this is really good.” (Y/n) hummed in satisfaction after they took the first bite of the Maajoren croissant they'd ordered; the flakiness tasted good, although it had a slightly more sugary taste to it compared to a regular croissant.

“This mini Tameks veal meat pie is as well; I'm glad that we got to do this. We should do this again.” Mar responded after he'd eaten the first bite of the mini meat pie he ordered, admitting that he liked going out on dates.

“Are you saying that you want to go out on another date with me?” (Y/n) queried whilst lightly biting their bottom lip in hopes of going out on another date with their rugged significant other.

“I suppose that I am.” Mar answered as a slight smile tugged at his lips.

“Then I would be happy to go out with you again.” (Y/n) replied happily, beaming at him before they took another bite of their croissant.

Mar flicked his ears prior to returning his attention to his meat pie before it got cold; he really liked being out on a date with (Y/n) and he honestly wouldn't mind going out with them more often, as long as they were careful not to be found out by Haggar. Eating pastries in a café on a snowy mountain was pure bliss for (Y/n), it was the best first official date with their boyfriend that they could have asked for. Before they accidentally ended up in space (Y/n) never would have expected there to be planets with snow or for there to be pastry cafés, the universe was truly very mysterious and wondrous. After spending so many years as Haggar’s assistant they'd forgotten what it felt like to truly live, and if they hadn't of rescued Mar then they would have never found their first real love. Mar and (Y/n) decided to check out a few of the other businesses while they were on the planet, but only after they were finished with their lunch date.

[ao3feed-klance]

My Duke. My Fool. I love you.

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3hvOM2F

by UnderZeWeather

The great war between the Alteans and the Galra has ended. To solidify the peace between the two species Princess Allura and Prince Lotor are to wed on Altea before returning to Diabazzel for their honeymoon. It's a huge event and everyone is thrilled for this happy event... However, Lotor has brought along his cousin. A younger, brooding Duke who would rather just be at home and hunting in the wilds. Maybe this uptight man needs to lighten up and have a little laugh?

Words: 43854, Chapters: 21/21, Language: English

Series: Part 6 of AU Jam

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron), Adam (Voltron), Allura (Voltron), Lotor (Voltron)

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Allura/Lotor (Voltron)

Additional Tags: royal au, Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Shiro (Voltron), Altean Lance (Voltron), court jester Lance, Duke Keith, Royal Wedding, Courtship, Courting Rituals, they are both stupid

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3hvOM2F

[wipbigbang]

This is Round Two of the Artist Claims for the 2023 round of WIPBB. You may claim up to three fics this round. If you want only one fic, please fill out the form once with your top choices. If you want two fics, fill out the form twice with your first choice in the first form submission with one unique ID and the second choice in another submission with a different unique ID.

The synopses are located at https://wipbigbang.dreamwidth.org/172201.html

The form is located at https://forms.gle/ES2D3d2mTG1nU4Pk6.

Round two of the art claims will go on until July 1st

Voltron: Legendary Defender #180 Title: The Rites of Courtship Pairing/Characters: Keith/Thace Rating Explicit | E Warnings/Tags: Graphic Violence, Non-con/Rape, Dubcon of the 'fuck or die' type at start of relationship. Alien biology/genitalia. Capture/imprisonment with threats of/attempted rape. Age difference in main relationship. Summary: During the raid on the Galactic Hub, Keith is captured alongside Allura. Trapped amid a multitude of Galra who think Keith smells like sex and have every intention of forcibly taking what they want, Keith has to rely on the one Galra soldier who seems to want to help him. Choosing a consort through an ancient Galran rite is much better than the alternative, but it still means sex with a virtual stranger that Keith isn't sure he can trust. This is just a temporary thing until his friends can arrive to help him escape; Keith can do this. (He's really not sure he can do this.)

[devilsofficialfanfic]

Hi! Galra dick anon here! Any headcanons for galran courting/mating rituals?

As a matter of fact, I do. A lot of them come from ideas my followers sent in while i was working on this fic, but basically:

Courtship:

Galra are considered sexually mature at around 20, but aren’t considered old enough to marry until at least 25 (and even that’s kind of early).

When one Galra decides to court another, they must first ask a senior family member (usually a parent or grandparent) of their own family for permission. That family member might refuse to grant permission of they don’t think the Galra in question is mature enough, or if they don’t think it would be a good match.

Then, they’ll ask permission from a member of their intended’s family. Traditionally, they may fight a ceremonial duel or complete some other task/challenge before permission is granted.

Only after that can courting officially begin. This is done by gifting one’s intended with items that showcase what a good mate they could be (ie jewelry, weaponry, rare stuff, and especially food -ideally hunted and prepared by hand). This process may last for years, or only weeks; neither is particularly weird, though most courtships last from several months to a year.

The last gift given is a dagger. If accepted, it means that they will be wed.

Before the actual marriage, another duel with a member of the intended’s family will take place, to show that the asking Galra is capable of defending themselves and their intended.

In modern Galra, these traditions are falling out of favor, and fewer Galra are getting married.

Mating:

Sex is pretty casual between Galra, and there is no stigma against same-sex couples. True monogamy is not particularly common, though it is not regarded as weird, either.

Male Galra go through virility cycles -periods during which their sex drive/sperm count/etc is heightened, followed by periods where it’s much lower. Female Galra have no such cycle, as they only ovulate when stimulated to (via the stimulation provided by the ridges on Galra dicks). Historically, these cycles were synced to Daibazaal’s seasons, meaning most children would be born during the more fruitful months of the year. In modern, post-rift Galra, these cycles become longer and weaker as the Galra becomes older.

It is not uncommon for male Galra to casually help each other out during the virile parts of their cycle.

It is not uncommon for there to be relationships and even marriages between multiple Galra, wherein every individual is an equal partner in the relationship.