So you decided to give this fanfic a shot? thanks a lot! If it's your first time reading, welcome to my very first fanfic! If it's not your first time reading, then you'll notice that there's been some MAJOR changes to the story (all part of the learning process I guess hahah)I'd like to add that the story starts somewhere before season 1 episode 9 (Crystal Venom: the episode where King Alfor's A.I. gets corrupted)

P.s.: this story includes musical references. I recommend that you play the song in a second tab if you're on a computer or in whatever music app is available to you. I've placed a little star (*) at the spot where you should press play. In this chapter, the first star will be for a piano duet called "Heart And Soul" and the second star will be for "Chopin – Nocturne op. 9 no 2". The third star is for You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile from the new Annie Movie soundtrack

I do not own Voltron : Legendary Defenders nor any of the characters.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 1 : The Piano

- So do you mind telling us this secret project of yours? Keith asked impatiently.

Pidge had gathered everyone in a unused room of the palace. Well, unused by the rest of the team. The green Paladin had been working on this secret project for a while now and refused to let anyone in nor would they say what they're working on. Pidge was standing between the team and…whatever was behind them covered by a blanket.

- It's been a while since we've been attacked by Zarkon or any Galra ship for that matter. And since my research to find my family has hit a dead end, I took the time to build a little something to distract myself.

And they pulled the blanket away.

- No way Pidge! Hunk yelled out, running towards the instrument.

- Where in the world did you even find this? Keith asked, his impatience now made way to curiosity.

- I didn't find it: I build it. I had found some spare parts and decided to see what I could do to them. Add a few wires, tuning, and power it with the ship and voilà!

Shiro wasn't paying much attention to what the green Paladin was saying. His steps had taken him straight around Pidge towards the bench that was apparently calling to him from a distant memory. Made perfectly to scale, the upright piano was of different hues of turquoise, lavender and black. The keys were a glistening dark grey and light silver. The only major difference other than the colours was the bench: it was as long as the piano itself: all the paladins could sit on it if they wanted to. Allura and Coran weren't too sure of what they wee looking at.

- Forgive me but… what is that thing exactly? The princess asked.

- Wait you've neve seen a piano before? Lance asked.

- Piano?

- It's an instrument from earth. Most people who learn to play music will begin with a piano because it's the best way to learn all the things you will need to know to play other instruments, he said while joining Shiro on the bench. And with time and practice, you can become pretty good.

- Yeah, Hunk added while admiring the craftsmanship of the instrument. I used to take lessons but obviously, music wasn't my strongest ability.

- Does anyone here even know how to play? Keith asked.

With a grin, Lance started to play a them melody of a very well known piano duet*. Pidge can't help but giggle a little bit.

- That's a children's song! They said.

- Well he asked if anyone could play!

-I'll admit, it sounds lovely, Coran said. But… it looks like an instrument that could be played with two hands.

Shiro was sitting at the piano bench, hesitantly looking at the silver and dark grey keys. Hunk, without hesitation, sat to Shiro's left to play the accompanying notes to which Lance shouted a "hell yeah!" and kept playing the melody. They played on for a few more rounds before coming to a stop. Everyone clapped at the performance.

- Since when do you play this… piano? Coran asked.

- Since I was a kid, Lance answered: learned the piano then moved on to learning other instruments as well like the guitar and drums. But life happens and I traded a piano …. For a lion, I guess, he said with a chuckle.

Could you play us something else? Allura asked.

All eyes fell on the blue paladin. Which he didn't mind at all. Lance took a moment to think of what he could play… if he remembered anything after not playing for so long that is.

- I might be a little… rusty… but I'll give it a shot.

Hunk and Shiro left the bench and positioned themselves on the other side of the piano, that way Allura could sit next to Lance, see everything up close and Lance would still have space to move his hands freely. He placed his fingers into position, took a deep breath and started playing*.

Allura's jaw dropped. In all her years of royalty life, she had never heard a sound so… exquisite. Refined. She looked up at Lance who had his eyes closed, his mind floating back to old memories on earth while his fingers glided across the keys. Keith slowly sat down on the floor, breathing slowly and taking in the echo of the piano inside the room. He looked at Lance's torn face and couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked when he was in whatever zone he was in. Soon enough, Pidge and Hunk joined Keith on the floor in a crossed leg position. Shiro moved slowly to put his arms on the top part of the piano and layed his head above It in a resting position. After that nobody moved until Lance was done playing.

The room was silent, remnants of the last notes still echoing. Keith was the first to speak.

- You really are gifted.

Lance turned around and faced Keith.

- You… you mean that? He asked.

- Of course he does! Coran interjected. Even Zarkon would have to be the dumbest creature of the universe to say that THAT wasn't talent.

- That was so beautiful, the princess whispered.

He hadn't realized that she had layed her head on his shoulder sometime while he was playing. A blush slowly creeped up on his face as he replied.

- Thank you but… it's nothing really.

- Don't be so modest, Pidge retaliated: it was great! Too bad you can't sign too.

- Who said I couldn't?

Keith suddenly sprung up from the floor. By the time Lance realized what he had said it was too late: the whole team had joined Shiro and was gathered around him patiently waiting. He took in a deep breath to try and change the color of his face from red back to its usual hue and said in a very firm tone:

- No.

To which Hunk, Pidge and Princess Allura started whining. Lance didn't mind singing, he did it before in front of his family and occasionally when he would babysit his niece and nephew. But this time it was different. Someone else was in the room and he wasn't too sure how HE would react. He rubbed the back of his head, a gleam in his eyes and said:

- This one goes out to Pidge: since you're the reason I'm gonna be doing this anyways and it's your first time listening to me sing in my God-given voice.

The Princess couldn't help but roll here eyes at the last comment.

Lance started playing the first chords of the upbeat song*. Soon, his voice joined the melody of the piano:

Hey America

Let's turn it up

Come check out ourselves

Cause you know you're never fully dressed without a smile

Pidge's face lit up: the song instantly brough back happy memories of Christmas on earth with Matt, making up silly dance moves to entertain their parents when they were kids. Without hesitating, they joined Lances in singing the second part:

Your clothes may be

Chanel, Gucci

Your shoes crocodile

But baby you're never fully dressed without a smile.

And soon they were singing in unison, Lance's fingers sliding across the keys. Hunk, knowing all the lyrics to the song, caved in and joined them during the second part of the song. Allura was clapping her hands to the beat and swaying her head left and right. Coran, who was taping his feet, was smiling and rubbing his mustache.

Shiro looked at the whole scene and didn't know what to think.

Was Keith smiling?

Lance can sing? And apparently Pidge and Hunk too?

Wow, Princess Allura was glowing, she seemed so at peace. It was the first time he saw her so relaxed and it made him feel… something.

And why was his left arm itching?

When The last note was played and the last note sang, everyone was beaming and the singers were gasping for air. For that moment, they weren't paladins: they were regular humans, they were back on earth singing stupidly and absolutely carefree, leading a new friend into an inside joke.

Coran decided to break the silence:

- Well everyone, I hate to be the one to break the party but I think we should call it a day. I don't know about you all, but I'm exhausted!

- Coran is right, Shiro added. Thank you Pidge, this was a great surprise.

- Yeah thanks man, Hunk said. This is really what we needed.

- Yeah, Lance added. I don't remember the last time I just felt so… so… you know?

- You're welcome, they replied with a smile. Just to let you all know the room is soundproof so if anyone wants to try the piano they can and we won't hear the chaos throughout the palace.

- So does this mean you could play for us again? The princess asked Lance, here eyes gleaming.

- For you princess, anything. He answered with a wink.

Everyone started to make their way out of the piano room. Everyone except Shiro. When Allura noticed this, she went back to the piano and grabbed his arm. The contact made Shiro jump. He looked up into the princess' blue and purple eyes.

- Time for bed, paladin, she said with a kind smile. Is everything alright?

Shiro smiled back. Could he really tell her about the weird sensation he was having in his brain but couldn't quite explain? Or the fact that his left arm and his ghost arm were both acting weird simultaneously since he saw the piano?

No, he decided, she already has too much to worry about.

- Yeah I'm fine, he lied. Just thinking bout all the things I still don't know about the team.

- You'll have plenty of time to get to know them, but for now it's time you recharged.

She pulled his Galra arm and made sure he was out the room before closing the door shut behind her.

There's the start of the story! Feel free to let me know what you think!