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hellomajortomIt had been a crazy few weeks. Learning about a place with so many aliens, reuniting with his wife, and finding a house. It was a lot, nevermind his son being the usual tornado of chaos. The house they had eventually settled on was human built but the style had given his wife a jolt of nostalgia. He hadn't been to Anthea, but he could only imagine this architecture was similar to her home. It was a beautiful house, small, minimalist, and warm with all the sunlight. Right now thin bluish curtains were drawn on most of the windows, another thing his wife had insisted on. He cared little about it though now that they were in place he could appreciate the beauty. Tom imagined at one time Anthea must have been beautiful with its open air houses and sheer colored curtains.
He turned his mind away from Anthea as he sat on the porch swing reading. The past of his wife's people always felt hopeless and depressing. Instead he smiled to himself. His son had been here earlier, high on more than drugs. The stream of Anthean had been welcome to hear as Ziggy spoke to his mother. Truth was they were both talking too fast and high pitched for Tom to keep up from across the room. He got the gist though from human culture. His son had someone or several someones with how his son was, what kind of someone in a place like this Tom could only guess but the signs were there.
That had been a few hours ago. The two of them had left, giddy like school girls, for the plaza and shopping. Tom had been invited but he had so little time to relax during the recent NASA projects that he was going to take his time to do nothing. What was the use of retiring, semi-retiring, if you didn't enjoy it. He took a moment to look at the cats laying on the porch at his feet. There were six now that his wife brought in from wherever she had found them. Most of them looked Earthly though one, one Tom was sure hadn't hailed from an Earth. Still he barely gave it a passing thought.
With one of the cats now settling in his lap on the porch swing, Tom went back to reading and listening to the sounds of people occasionally walking by.
[More images of the house here]
He turned his mind away from Anthea as he sat on the porch swing reading. The past of his wife's people always felt hopeless and depressing. Instead he smiled to himself. His son had been here earlier, high on more than drugs. The stream of Anthean had been welcome to hear as Ziggy spoke to his mother. Truth was they were both talking too fast and high pitched for Tom to keep up from across the room. He got the gist though from human culture. His son had someone or several someones with how his son was, what kind of someone in a place like this Tom could only guess but the signs were there.
That had been a few hours ago. The two of them had left, giddy like school girls, for the plaza and shopping. Tom had been invited but he had so little time to relax during the recent NASA projects that he was going to take his time to do nothing. What was the use of retiring, semi-retiring, if you didn't enjoy it. He took a moment to look at the cats laying on the porch at his feet. There were six now that his wife brought in from wherever she had found them. Most of them looked Earthly though one, one Tom was sure hadn't hailed from an Earth. Still he barely gave it a passing thought.
With one of the cats now settling in his lap on the porch swing, Tom went back to reading and listening to the sounds of people occasionally walking by.
[More images of the house here]
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2020-07-23 06:35 (UTC)"I don't deserve his company, I never will. But he's made it clear that he wants me, anyway. If that's the case, then I'll just - I'll just try not to overstay my welcome."
"And - I want to make sure you know, sir. The things Ziggy can do aren't the reason I like him. If that was the case, I'd have fallen for Allura long ago. I just - I just... nevermind. I'm no good at this."
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2020-07-23 11:51 (UTC)He offers the young man a gentle touch of reassurance on the arm. "Give yourself time. It's a lot kf change to fall in love with someone who isn't human."
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2020-07-23 12:53 (UTC)Hiroki smiles a little and shakes his head.
"I only wanted to introduce myself to you, and try not to bother you, but, hm, you don't seem bothered, so, I'm glad. I... it's good to hear all this, you know. I feel a bit better."
"The thing is, about time, I don't know how much I have. Then again, who does, huh? So... I'll try."
"Anyway, where was I? In the story. Probably talking about myself, accidentally. And I completely skipped past prince Lotor."
"Prince Lotor, the son of Emperor Zarkon of the Galra Empire and of Honerva, became the, hmm. Acting Emperor? After Zarkon was, I guess, weakened in that big fight with Voltron. You know, the one where real Shiro died for a time. It's complicated. He's alive now, I have a feeling he is, but, we'll get there."
"Keith became really obsessed with fighting Lotor, I don't know why that much, Shiro was dead so I can't get that from Shiro's memories, and I wasn't there yet."
"Later, after I was there with the Team Voltron already, Lotor suddenly got into conflict with Zarkon. And then, after some time, joined us. It was all as weird as it sounds, or even weirder. Zarkon became the Emperor again, by the way, by that time. He gave us some pretty good intel, and, well, it seemed as if he's really became our ally. He was really at odds with Zarkon and with the witch - and, that part is true, he was, and is."
"Doesn't mean he's any good, either, turns out. He's in Nexus, I've forgotten to say, so... hmm, it's best to avoid him. Now that he knows that the witch controlled me once, Lotor sees me as one of Honerva's puppets - well, he might be right about that, in the past, but not anymore - and would surely like to cut me down. He hates her, and so, hates her puppets also. But I'm no longer a puppet, and I'm also not as I had been when I've just rearrived, when I'd likely have let him, out of guilt... because Honerva had possessed me, back then, just before, and so, I- but now I know she can't do it again. So I don't want to die, I think, not anymore. There's so much I only remember doing, that I haven't done."
"I want to do it all. And maybe even some things I don't remember doing. Things Shiro's never done yet, either."
"And when I've done some of those things, that's when I'd want to see Voltron... see the whole team, again, and ask for forgiveness, for things I've done when Honerva possessed me. And maybe then I could, as you say, give them a chance to get to know me."
Probably while he'd be jailed, he thinks, but doesn't say. Because it'd only be right, anyway. So if that's justice, as he thinks, then he wants that to happen. Though he'd have to convince Ziggy, first, to let him do that without trying anything, likely.
Yeah...
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2020-07-23 13:36 (UTC)Tom listens to the rest of the story, clearly frowning at the idea of someone threatening this young man. However, he smiles when the boy goes on. "Ziggy's a good partner for doing everything. He's seen most of our Earth."
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2020-07-23 16:01 (UTC)Hmmm...
"Do you know if he plays, hmm, what was the general name for those, I know Pidge and Matt told me... tabletop roleplaying games? I played once with my team, I'd love to play again."
"Oh, right. Matt's in Nexus, Matt Holt, Pidge's brother, and one of Shiro's best friends, and I've told him I'm not really Shiro, but Shiro's clone, and he was shocked, but he wants to get to know me. I thought maybe he was just still in shock and didn't know what he was saying, but..."
"But maybe you're right. Matt doesn't think I'm a monster. So... that means..."
"I'm sure the others won't, either. Why did I think they would? I'm so stupid!!"
He looks like he's not sure whether he should cry or smile, and finally smiles.
Then, he wonders if he hasn't said too much. But, it seems impossible to hide things from this man. Hmm... well. Ziggy has a good father, it seems. That's wonderful.
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2020-07-23 23:55 (UTC)The older man shakes his head. "I think that's a reasonable reaction, to think people might hate you, but I also think it is right to let other people tell us what they think rather than imagining it for them."
Tom is sympathetic. Being a young man in love was hard enough without all the other weight. He smiles briefly.
"I don't know you well yet, but you sound caring and my son needs that. He needs it a lot more than he'll admit."
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2020-07-24 20:36 (UTC)"Making one's backstory is fun. In retrospect, it might be the most of my own life that I've ever had until Nexus. Because I've imagined it all by myself, you see."
"Okay, so that doesn't make sense, maybe, but still."
Caring? Hearing that from a stranger actually makes Hiroki feel better about himself. If he thinks that-
"Thanks."
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2020-07-25 02:53 (UTC)There's nostalgia in his smile as he listens to Hiroki. "It's been a long time for me. over 30 years ago."
almost tagged with Shiro instead, I've only noticed when choosing icons. Pfftt. That's me... XD
2020-07-25 05:37 (UTC)"I'll ask him."
Things that Ziggy likes, hmmm.
"What should I give him for his birthday when it happens? Oh, I don't even know when his birthday is!"
Shiro's quickly learnt the birthdays of all in the Voltron without asking about them, somehow, so Hiroki still knew them. He still remembered Pidge's fifteen birthday. Lance was shocked upon finding out that Pidge was fourteen when first forming Voltron, just as he's been shocked way before when finding out that Pidge's a girl.
Lance could apparently see a lot, but not when he had preconceptions. Heh.
Then again, that's not quite fair. Shiro already knew that Pidge was a girl because Matt had introduced her to him, before Kerberoros. Knew her age more or less, too. Perks to being friends with Katie's older brother before everything happened.
Then again, Coran knew that Pidge was a girl from the beginning and had no idea Pidge was pretending to be a boy, so... (Then again, Coran is smart, Hiroki thinks.)
But, Ziggy was new, and Hiroki had no idea.
"Do Antheans even celebrate birthdays?"
"Thirty years, huh? You could play with us, sir. The more the merrier, or, something"
If I had a penny for every time I almost made a character Lucifer. XD
2020-07-25 13:09 (UTC)"Antheans celebrate birth and coming of age but not yearly like humans do. Ziggy's grown up with both sets of customs, so he does celebrate his birthdays usually." Tom wondered how coming of age would work for Ziggy since no one had any idea when that might take place. Maybe that was something to talk to his wife about.
"My wife would probably play too. She likes reading fantasy and science fiction novels." Especially science fiction because she was fascinated by what humans thought of other planets and races.
Heh
2020-07-28 12:28 (UTC)"Coming of age?"
If Ziggy's not yet an adult... have I done something wrong? Hiroki wonders, then shakes his head. Ziggy wasn't a child.
Ziggy's mother might play, too? Playing with the whole family? That sounded like a great idea.
"Great, I can't wait."
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2020-07-28 12:38 (UTC)He was a bit out of his depth talking about Anthean customs. He'd read about them but that was not necessarily a complete picture of the ceremonies.
"Just let me know when you want to so that I can make sure to be home." He did still have a job back in his own universe after all.
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2020-07-30 09:01 (UTC)Hiroki Shirogane nods.
Earth used to have arranged marriages, too, so it's a known concept.
"I'll make sure to tell you when we play, sir."
It's nice, to talk to somebody like that again. It reminds him of talking to his own father - no, to Shiro's father... as well as of talking to Commander Holt and to Commander Iverson, both of whom might be, he realises now, something of father figures to him - no, to Shiro. To Shiro. Hiroki's never even met father, nor Iverson, really.
At least he's met all the Holts. Well, except Colleen, but there were still chances of meeting. Matt and Pidge's mother wasn't someone who'd be afraid to meet a giant robot.
Right, he could meet Iverson that way, too, someday. And father. Though, no, it'd probably be best not to meet Takashi's father. Too confusing...
Although father and Iverson were much more strict than Major Tom appears to be. Though he'd probably get on well with Commander Holt.
Speaking of playing, he still really wants to try playing guitar, but it's not as if he can, anymore, with one arm. And maybe he could get a new one, but he doesn't want to be a bother, so he decides to never mention that.
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2020-07-30 10:49 (UTC)In the long pause after, he can see the boy is nervous about stuff still, though what he can't be sure because he's not an empath.
"You're always welcome to stop by." Tom comments with a warmth to his voice. He has a feeling this boy may be around for some time given how Ziggy has latched on to him. "You can just come in. There's almost always someone home."
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2020-07-30 12:39 (UTC)Wow. He's so surprised he doesn't even remember to thank the man, though he'll in a moment.
It's like, like he's really invited to this wonderful family.
But can he really? After he's almost killed his own... family, because what else were they? The Paladins of Voltron. Whom on Haggar's command he tried to murder.
Until he knows for sure he can't be controlled again, can he truly accept hospitality?
Maybe not, but he can't help but accept it. He nods a little helplessly. He'll remember to say thank you in a moment.
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2020-07-30 12:44 (UTC)no subject
2020-08-01 23:12 (UTC)All this - admittedly very short for now - time since learning what he really was, he's been trying to look at himself, to judge himself through the real Takashi Shirogane's eyes, he now realises.
Maybe-
Even though he's never met. No amount of memories could change the fact that he never did meet the real Shiro. Couldn't, even with all the memory, know what that guy'd say of him.
Whereas he's met Ziggy Stardust. Did talk to him.
"I never even thought of it that way. I hope... I mean, you might be right."
And Hiroki Shirogane smiles a little.
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2020-08-01 23:50 (UTC)no subject
2020-08-02 21:01 (UTC)Hiroki Shirogane grins.
"Sometimes, sir, you remind me a little bit of my friend, Coran."
"Which is a good thing, really. He's sort of an, hmm, advisor? And so on."
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2020-08-03 00:30 (UTC)