Title and lyrics come from Just Breathe by Pearl Jam

The Castle of Lions was dark and silent. As it should be, because everyone was asleep. All except one, that is. Shiro was wandering the halls after waking up from another nightmare. He would get no more sleep tonight. The silence, it was deafening. It had his hackles raised, like any moment a Galra drone would come around the corner, down the hall, to the cell where he was being kept-

No, no, that wasn't right. He wasn't in that place anymore. However, the memory left him even more on edge in the close darkness of the corridors. He knew he was in the Altean ship, and these halls looked nothing like Galra interiors, but it was too similar, too much. He needed… a window. A window. He needed to look out and see the absence of Galra ships. Striding with purpose, Shiro made his way to the ship's observation deck, the only place Shiro knew of that had a view other than the bridge.

As he walked, Shiro could feel the darkness closing in behind him. He looked over his shoulder, but there was nothing behind him except empty hallway. But it was there, watching him, stalking him. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, and Shiro walked faster, his heart beating rapidly and his breath coming in shallow pants. It was coming, they were coming. He was trying to escape but what if he failed, what if they caught him, beat him, dragged him back to the druids to cut him open and unmake him only to put him back together and throw him in the arena-

The Champion was running now, desperate to escape. He had to get out. Get to the pods. Earth needed to know what was coming, but most of all he needed to leave. He wanted to go home. He needed to go home. Where was home?

Footsteps nearby. The Champion ducked into a doorway, waiting, listening. Whatever it was, it was speaking, but he didn't understand the Galran language, not enough of it. It was coming closer, closer, and he was breathing too fast, not enough oxygen, not enough-

The voice and footsteps were almost to him. They would find him, they would hurt him. Terror was the last thing the Champion registered before oblivion claimed him.

"-yone else is safe in their beds. Your name is Takashi Shirogane. You are on the observation deck in the Castle of Lions, currently in quadrant 457DF of the Xaldier System. It is approximately 0300 hours in Earth time, and everyone else is safe in their beds." The hand that he just noticed was on his back continued to firmly rub circles between his shoulder blades as Coran repeated his words over again from the beginning. Now that he was aware, Shiro sucked in a breath like a drowning man.

"Breathe, Shiro. Breathe." Coran's voice was calm and steady and soothed Shiro's frazzled nerves. The Black Paladin continued to gasp for breath, but Coran remained calm. "Shiro, I need you to breathe with me. Can you do that? Breathe in. Breathe out." Shiro attempted a large lungful of air, but his breath stuttered and stopped short.

"Good. Let's try again. Breathe in." Shiro sucked in another shallow breath.

"Breathe out." Shiro did. For an indefinite amount of time, Coran continued to coach the paladin in breathing until Shiro could do it without help. With his head finally clear, Shiro took stock of the situation. Coran was sitting up against the wall of the observation deck, facing the window. Shiro was slumped against the advisor's right side, completely supported by the Altean's body and the arm around his back.

"I don't want to talk about it," was the first thing out of his mouth.

"You don't have to talk about it," Coran replied calmly, "but I am here if you ever need to."

"I can handle this," Shiro insisted, sitting up so he was no longer leaning on Coran.

"Just barely, by my reckoning. Let me take the burden for a while." Coran's face was serious, but soft with understanding and kindness. Sometimes, Shiro forgot that behind Coran's often silly exterior, there was a soldier and royal advisor. But he couldn't rely on him- or anyone- to solve Shiro's problems for him. This was something he had to deal with himself.

"I don't know- I can't-"

"You've been relying on yourself for so long that it's hard to let go of control. This is a safe place. Right now it's just me, you, and the stars." Together, they just sat and looked out at the vastness of space, simply watching and breathing. Eventually, Shiro spoke.

"Please don't tell the others."

"I won't, but Shiro? None of us think will less of you."

"I don't want to burden those kids with my problems, not when they're already responsible for so much."

"I rather think they would love it if you confided in them. Supporting someone you love is never a burden, especially when we do it together." At Shiro's surprised look, Coran huffed and smiled fondly. "Of course those kids love you. We all do."

Stay with me

Let's just breathe