CHAPTER ONE: PRELUDE

Something was off.

Shiro couldn't quite put his finger on it but something about Allura was definitely different. Every day that went by for this past week or so, he'd been adding up the evidence that suggested something was going on.

She'd been very distance from her fellow companions lately. Barely speaking at dinner, letting Coran lead the expeditions and being more on the side lines. She stopped watching their training exercises, or joining them in sparring matches or sweat inducing work outs. She rarely spoke to them unless they spoke to her first, and to Shiro's disappointment, their private conversations halted as well.

He even noticed the little things. Like for someone who slept for ten thousand years she sure did spend a lot more time either sleeping or staying locked in her room. She started wearing her dress again instead of her bodysuit for whatever reason, and Shiro noticed her hair wasn't always perfectly brushed and pinned to the perfect stature she kept it.

At first Shiro thought maybe this was all in his head. Coran didn't seem to notice much of a change, occasionally he'd shoot Allura a glance that questioned her actions but nothing more. Neither of the other Paladins expressed any concern or doubt she was acting strange. She certainly behaved as if everything was normal, but Shiro could just tell she was hiding something! And he was going to get to the bottom of it.

If there was anyone she could confide to it was him, about anything.

"Shiro?"

He blinked, coming back to his senses after dozing off into his thoughts. He leaned back taking his elbows off the table and looked over to see bright blue eyes staring at him inquisitively.

"Are you well? You seem to be out of sorts?" Allura asked picking up another spoon full of green goop. Shiro glanced around wondering if the others noticed him zoning out at the dinner table and was relieved to observe it was only the princess. Very like her to be so perceptive.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He coughed into his fist and picked up his spoon, poking the sludge before spooning it up. He didn't bring the food to his mouth as he fidgeted with the words wanting to escape his lips.

Glancing over at the princess she was also toying with her food, looking at her meal languidly. Allura seemed to be half focused on their conversation and yet completely distracted by something else. Like her concern for him was her attempt at following a routine they had fallen accustomed to and she didn't want it to falter. With this observation he had to bring this burning concern to her attention.

"Are you alright?" He asked abruptly. Allura paused, her food touching her lips. "Yes," She breathed, confused by his question.

Her pointed ears twitched a little and she set down her spoon as if she had just lost her appetite. "Why do you ask?" She didn't look Shiro in the face but instead darted from her hands to her food, her other friends, anywhere expect the black paladin.

Shiro leaned closer to her, (the first time they'd been this close in proximity in a week), not wanting the others to hear even though they were all consumed by their own conversations. "You've just been very. .I don't know. Distant lately."

His eyes were wide with concern and face slightly in a pout because of her reluctance. Feeling slightly guilty, Allura looked up at him and that was all it took to ignite whatever she was suffering from into a seething desire that burned her to her core. What ever he had just said to her went through one ear and completely out the other. The apology she was going to voice never made it past her trembling lips as everything became a blur. The only focal point was the man leaning so close to her she could feel the heat emanating from his skin.

As Shiro's scent of embers and floral undertones invaded Allura's lungs she backed away from him. She sucked in a harsh breath as his masculine scent instantly set her ablaze. "S-Shiro I'm. ." She held in her breath as her thoughts faded away and all her focus shot down to the warmth between her legs. He smelled so . .irresistible!How did she never notice this before?! Like an Altean dessert she just wanted to devour.

"Fine. ." She breathed, remembering she was in the middle of a sentence. He looked at her with a small tilt of his head but she couldn't find the words to ease his concern. It was like a fog she couldn't see through or think straight being engulfed by it. She had half a mind to pounce on him right then and there but a part of herself questioned, and was slightly afraid, of where this side of her came from.

"Allura?" He voiced. She swooned, wanting to hear her name spoken from his mouth again. Over and over and over. .Her eyes were partly closed as she gazed up his chest to the firm jaw line she'd image would be the perfect place set between her thighs. "Hmm. ." She mumbled, trying so hard not to continue the dirty scenarios that plagued her mind for this was certainly not the time nor place for them.

"I just want to make sure you're okay," He placed a soft hand on top of hers and she jumped at the touch, quickly pulling away and grabbing her half empty plate.

"I have to go," She quickly announced standing from the table and walking over to the compost to dump the remains of her unfinished meal to be repurposed later.

"Allura!" Shiro called after her, earning a few looks from the others. She walked out of the room without even bothering to turn around and address him. His shoulders slumped as he suddenly felt like he did something wrong. Turning back to his meal he slumped further into his chair as he suddenly had a loss of appetite as well.

-o-

Allura stalked into her room and pushed the button to close the door and activate noise canceling shields. She pressed her back against the metal wall and released a heavy gasp. Her entire body felt like it was on fire and the center of this flame being the place just below her abdomen. Her knees buckled as visions of Shiro flashed in her mind along with her newly acquired sense of his smell. Gods, those broad shoulders and thick muscular arms. How much she wanted to feel them-skin and metal wrapped around her, pressing her against his bare chest. She clenched her eyes shut as she imagined that scenario so vividly she wished it was real. She looked over at her bed wondering if she had enough power in her legs to move that far but her knees gave out and she slide down the door to the ground in defeat.

And his eyes. . She remembered how he looked at her during dinner. Those dark irises spearing into her soul. She imagined how sinful they would look draped in lust and desire as he blanketed himself over top of her. She opened her eyes in a gasp, trying to gain some composure. She was panting now like some wild animal and she couldn't stop! She began to pull off her clothes as this heat grew so intense beads of sweat rolled down her brow. Throwing her cape to the side she fidgeted with the zipper along her back and quickly pulled it down and removed her shirt. She shimmied out of her long dress skirt and looked down at her self in nothing but her undergarments.

What the hell was going on?!

This feeling was something foreign to her, lost in the scattered memories of her past. She couldn't even remember the last time her body was in such a craving. Was it Shiro who triggered it? Or was he just her new object of fascination she could. .relieve herself to?

What ever the case, this was so severe she thought the symptoms was just a sign of illness these past few days. A part of her wished she was sick instead of dealing with this! No wonder her breasts were so sensitive and her muscles ached! She was so restless even though she stayed in her room so much with plenty of time to slumber. The truth behind that was being around the other paladins was too tantalizing. She could smell their hormones and feel each individual aura like they were being drawn to her. Shiro's life force being the strongest!

She thought back to the last time seeing him work out in the training facility and her toes curled. Watching the sweat drip down his arms and roll across the dips and curves of his chest to his ridged stomach made her symptoms flare. She wanted to massage the tenderness of her breasts and stretch out the ache of her limbs in the most vigorous of ways. His flesh looked so rough and glistened as he lifted three times his weight above his head. Her eyes trailed down his stomach to the little hint of hair hiding under the brim of his spandex shorts.

Allura grunted at the memory, fingering the spandex trim around her silky underwear. Again that part of herself that still had a bit of sanity left persuaded her not to give in to this. .what ever this was. She was the princess of Altea, one of the leaders of the paladins of Voltron. It was completely unacceptable to be spread out on the floor of her room with her hand shoved in her panties.

She covered her mouth with her left hand and whimpered into it, even though her room was perfectly sound proof. The sensation buzzing through her limbs was becoming too overwhelming to the point where she started to panic. She needed relief and she needed it now.

She slowly slipped her hand past the thin fabric and brushed a finger along the folds of her sex. Her jaw fell agape as she couldn't stop the moan that billowed from her chest. She sucked in a large breath as her thighs spread further apart.

"Mmm!" She whined behind closed lips as she stroked herself up and down, reliving an ache that had been bothering her for days. Her eyes fluttered as she imaged how Shiro's hands would feel in the place of hers. The surge of energy she'd feel from his metal arm as opposed to his human limb. She sighed as her fingers pressed against her opening slowly gliding inside-

"Allura?" She jumped away from her door as two loud knocks sounded, shattering the thickness in her room. She looked down at her damp garment sandwiched between her thighs and her clothes scattered across the floor and felt utterly ridiculous. Never in her life had she ever acted in such disarray.

"Coran?!" She croaked.

"Yes princess, I just thought you might want to talk? You stormed off at dinner tonight and-"

"Um-yes!" She quickly stood to her feet, "One moment! I just need to . .freshen up!" She quickly scooped up her clothes and frantically headed to her bathing room.

-o-

After dinner and another late night work out session Shiro walked through the dim halls of the castle and conveniently found himself walking down the hall to Allura's private quarters. He figured since he was already out he'd check on her as he would usually do from time to time. Obviously he had another motive to figure out what was going on with her and why she stormed away earlier that night. Approaching her door his hand hovered over the metal as he prepared to knock. Before his skin touched the cold surface he heard two voices on the other side.

"Princess this is a natural occurrence in Altean women."

"No! I should be far past this stage, I'm not an adolescence anymore. .this is all so embarrassing!" Her voice sounded so distraught but Shiro didn't know what about. A part of him figured he shouldn't be ease dropping on their conversation but he finally received proof something was going on.

"I'm afraid being in the pod for 10,000 years stunned your growth Princess, your hormones are out of balance not being able to work in the cycles they should have."

There was silence at first and Shiro froze as if they were listening for any disturbances or evidence of eavesdropping. "hmm, I understand, But I don't know what to do!" Allura groaned and Shiro could hear the cushions of her bed *Puff* as if she had fallen back onto them.

"Allura, I'm sure your father must of had. .THAT talk with you," Coran replied. Allura made a funny noise and muttered something in Altean making Coran chuckle. That talk? He wasn't insinuating that. .

Shiro suddenly felt his stomach pounce. His pale cheeks turning a cherry red; Allura and Coran talked about many things but he had no idea sex was one of them. Again he wanted to leave but, he clenched his teeth as he pressed his ear against the door.

Allura never seemed to be the type of woman to occupy any attraction towards anyone. She never talked about subjects of affection or the. .activities that one does to show their affection. And within good reason. She had way too many responsibilities and other things that consumed all her time and energy and admittedly, so did Shiro.

But that didn't stop him from wanting.

Blame it on the many years it's been since the last time he's had sex or the fact that Allura was literally a walking goddess in his mist. But the lesser part of him couldn't help but steal a glance at her ass or other well sculpted body parts from time to time. Gawk at her for a second longer than he should have, grow a small spark of jealousy when Lance flirted with her. She could both inspire him to do such great things and encourage him to become a better, stronger version of himself while also keep him up late at night rubbing one out like some prepubescent fifteen year old. It was both amazing and frustrating at the same time! Mostly because he knew Allura deserved someone way better than some human that didn't even have the courage to do more than admire her from afar.

There was no way Allura was remotely interested in him, and learning now that she did indeed have some type of a sex drive gave him a false sense that they were more similar than he imagined. That they could perhaps-he stopped his idle thoughts as he heard Allura speak again.

"Yes he did, but I don't have any suitors now.." Allura sounded disappointed, like there was a missing piece to something they were discussing, but what? She was embarrassed because she was. . horny? That couldn't be it? So Altean's have suitors, in Allura's case more than one. Shiro suddenly felt even more inadequate.

"And I must fix this, I'm afraid Shiro has taken notice."

At the mention of his name Shiro jumped back away from the door. He looked down the hall as if he had been caught listening and saw no one there. He clutched the small towel used to wipe his sweat during workouts and hurried back down the hall to his dorm. He shouldn't have been listening, all it did was make him feel like he was invading Allura's privacy and found out even more of a reason she was out of his league.

"Shiro!?" Allura yelled in a hushed tone. "Y-you want me to do w-what?!"

"I'm not telling you you have to princess, but I've noticed the two of you have been. .enjoying one another's company as of late." Coran cleared his throat.

Everyone in the castle knew Shiro and Allura liked one another as more than just team mates. Even her mice knew at this point. But they were like two awkward teenagers too afraid to pursue one another.

"But this is different Coran," Allura sighed, her hand gliding over her silky bed clothes. Her face fell into a pout as she fidgeted with that idea Coran suggested. So. .maybe she has thought of Shiro that way, more than once, but there was no way those inner desires would manifest. Shiro was much too a gentlemen to purse her and she was too much of a coward.

"How so princess? You are both adults with compatible parts that-" "No! That's not what I meant!" She quickly interrupted. She hugged her chest, "I don't even know if Shiro is ..interested. We've never talked in a way that suggested-And it would be so improper to just spring this onto him!"

"Hmm, that I understand princess" Coran replied stroking his luscious mustache. The princess sighed, "But that feeling was awful. .Can't I just-handle this by myself?"

Coran's face grew slightly red at the mention of Allura pleasing herself. This was definitely one of those moments he wished her father was still alive. He did see Allura as a daughter of his, he being a sort of 'uncle' to her all her life, but there were delicate subjects like these that are better handled by blood relatives.

"Yes, but I'm afraid it'll take longer to relieve." He replied matter-of-factly. "Fertilization is the best way to surpass your cycles, that is what your body is 'wanting' I suppose. Sort of a preliminary to reproduction.."

Allura groaned as the marks on her face grew more of a red hue at the thought of being with Shiro in-that way.

"I don't even think I have the gall to pursue him." Allura whispered.

Coran made his way to her door, pulling on the neckline of his suit. "Ah, I wouldn't worry about that princess. As the urge grows you'll find your self more and more susceptible to it. As will Shiro,"

Allura's eyes perked, "What do you mean by that?"

Coran chuckled embarrassingly, "I'm sure Shiro already finds you attractive Allura, but during your cycle and with the amount of life force you possess, your hormones won't just effect you."

Coran walked out of her room with a wave of his arm, "Good luck princess!" He chimed.

"And what do I need luck for?" Allura replied with a small grin.

Coran began to laugh, "Altean mating cycles can last for weeks!"

Allura's mouth fell agape and her stomach pounced. Weeks?! That's a ridiculous amount of time to spend the entirety of it. .doing that. She clamped her thighs together at the thought that she'd be spending it with Shiro, hopefully if he agreed. Her toes curled as visions of her less than innocent fantasies invaded her thoughts and she fell back onto her bed in defeat. There is no avoiding this I supposed, She thought.

Coran closed her door and began to walk down the hall still chuckling to himself. This whole situation bringing back such fond, distant memories.

"Ahh good times."