"Here you go," Y/N smiled lightly and tossed a clean t-shirt to Matt before sitting down on the floor. Without even really meaning to, Matt struck up a conversation and remained with her on the training deck floor for quite some time. Matt found himself able to talk with her freely for hours. With her, it was like anything could be made into an interesting topic. Debating which flavour if ice-cream was the best? Check. Taking bets on how long it'd take before Lance and Keith ended up together? Check.

Once both of them agreed it was probably time they head off to bed, the castles intercoms exploded with chatter. "Everyone to the control room!" Shiro sounded out.

Matt sucked in a deep breath and looked to Y/N with a crooked smile. "Shall we?"

Everyone else obviously had the same plans to head off to bed as Matt and Y/N did because they did not look too pleased to be called in for a meeting. Matt could have cared less though, at least saying goodnight would be less awkward now. Before, he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Walk Y/N to her room? Run away because he was too shy? He had no idea. Even though he felt a lot more comfortable around her now, there was still an underlying uneasiness that made his stomach lurch anytime he saw her. And after everything that had happened in the kitchen...he didn't know what she thought of that.

"We're sorry to have called you this late, Paladins." Allura apologized. "We have received a distress signal from Olkarion. Some of the rebel fighters have already arrived to hold off Zarkon's fleet, but they need our assistance. He is there to destroy one of their newest pieces of technology."

"What kinda tech are we talking about here?" Lance asked.

"Un-hackable tech," Shiro scratched the back of his neck. "The Olkari have found a way to integrate both metal and biological materials to create a strong weapon that cannot be shut down. The only way to do that is to destroy it manually. Therefore, it is an extreme threat to Zarkon, and he knows it."

"Why'd they make it in the first place if they knew Zarkon might find out about it?!" Keith snapped. Hunk put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

"Because, if they could have completed it in time, it would have protected their planet from any future attacks or invasions. It took longer than they had anticipated." Allura lowered her eyes in disheartement.

Pidge shuffled around a little. "So, if we hold off Zarkon's fleet long enough for them to complete it, we could stop him?"

Coran stepped into the conversation because no one else seemed to be speaking. "Theoretically, yes! He would have to be close, but with one well placed blast from the cannon, his ship could be obliterated in seconds."

Everyone seemed to look to one another hopefully. It was like they'd all made a silent agreement. "So we'll do whatever it takes to get that canon up and running." Y/N said.

After a long discussion, the team was sent off to bed. By late morning tomorrow, they would be at Olkarion, fighting for a chance to destroy Zarkon once and for all. Though it was terrifying, the Paladins knew the planet well and were comforted to know there were already rebel fighters stationed around. It would be difficult to sleep, but the Paladins knew they needed to.

Y/N, despite knowing she should sleep, still remained awake. 

"A paladin needs her sleep, you should go to bed Y/N!" Coran cried out as he danced around the large, cavernous room, picking up odds and ends. That guy never seemed to give himself a break.

"What, and miss this view?" Y/N stifled a laugh, pointing up to the open glass dome above her head. One of Arus' moons shone off of the ocean, filling the girl with the slightest sense of peace. Arus was a beautiful place, and she feared the day she'd never come back to it. Ever so slowly, Y/N had begun to fear dying. On Aturdir, she didn't care. It was her job to risk her life. But now, she had people she cared for and didn't want to leave them.

Coran continued to hum, making his way to the edge of the room. "Well, if you ever need anything, you know where to find me!" The man said softly, smiling to the girl. She nodded back.

"Hey Coran?" She piped up.

A head of orange hair appeared back into the room. "Yes, miss Y/N?"

"Mind grabbing the lights for me?"

"Yes of course!" He replied happily, sliding the light controls on the panel down until there was nothing left. "Goodnight!"

Once he disappeared, Y/N made her way into the middle of the room. The darkness was at first disorientating, the vastness of the room making her stomach churn ever so slightly. The couch, however, offered some security as she sat down on the far end closest to the window, curling her legs into her chest, arms and head resting on the top.

Matt was completely restless. No matter what he tried, there was nothing that could lull him to sleep, he was immune to it. Even though he'd nearly frozen last night, tonight he was burning up. He hoped wearing a t-shirt and shorts would cool him off enough, but it didn't work.

Finally sick and tried of tossing and turning, Matt jumped from his bed. He pulled his blanket over his head like a cloak and pushed the door open and started off down the hall. On his trip, he stopped in the kitchen to grab a water, continuing to saunter down the hall. For a moment he thought sleep was beginning to draw him in, only to realize it was boredom. Even worse.

Matt passed by the main hall, but something made him stop dead in his tracks. Slowly, he stepped backwards, peering cautiously into the large cave of a room. Squinting his eyes, there was just enough light for Matt to make out someones frame sitting on the edge of the couch. The boy had stopped paying attention to where he was walking. Suddenly, the small steps leading down into the room snuck up on him and he went toppling down, followed by a gurgled scream from the water in his mouth. Coughing, he awkwardly stood, pulling the blanket back over his head.

"Hey Matt." She turned her head calmly, smiling.

"H-Hey." He sputtered. "How were you not scared by that?"

"I saw your reflection coming in." She pointed to the glass dome before her. Sure enough, the hall was illuminated so of course she would have seen his silhouette.

"Right." Matt huffed, making his way to the couch. Some sort of bravery must have been pumped into his systems unknowingly because he sat pretty close to her.

"So... what're you doing up so late? Again...?" He asked, taking another sip of the water. He didn't know what else to do.

"Same as you. Can't sleep." She laughed. This was conversation was the exact same as last nights.

"Actually, not this time, I'm too hot."

"Oh really?" Y/N snickered and kicked his shins.

That was when Matt realized what he had said. "NO! I mean I'm warm! Too warm to sleep—"

"I'm kidding," Y/N shook her head and continued to laugh.

A silence swelled between the pair and Matt scrambled for something to say. For as long as he could remeber, he'd struggled to sit in silence with someone. Even Shiro and Pidge. "I miss home. My dog. But y'know... space!" He blurted out randomly, taking another sip of his water. Y/N didn't respond for quite some time.

Just before Matt's heart was going to explode from uneasiness, Y/N tilted her head. "When you said you liked me...did you really mean that?"

Matt spat out some of his water. "Ahhh—I thought you'd maybe forgotten..."

"I didn't. Unless you wanted me to forget...?" Y/N muttered.

"NO! Nonononono! That is the last thing I could want. I was just...too afraid to admit it. You're this heroic, remarkable, determined, easygoing person. I'm just some random guy in space who knows how to work computers. I don't compare."

"You're not just some 'random guy in space,'" Y/N shoved his shoulder lightly. "You're a rebel fighter. You've saved how many lives now?"

Rebel fighter. Matt was that. And he remembered, so was Y/N now. "HOLY QUIZNACK C'MON!" He grabbed the girls arm and threw her over his shoulder, bounding out of the hall. It was a quick trip to his room where he threw Y/N down on his bed. In seconds, he was tearing apart the small closet in the corner of the room.

"Ah ha!" He shouted a little too excitedly and turned around with a handful of brown fabric. When he held it out, it was just like the hood he always wore. It must've been a signature piece of clothing for the rebels to wear.

"To put over your suit, so that the other rebels know who you are tomorrow." He smiled crookedly with warm, soft eyes. Slowly, he put it over Y/N's head and smiled even wider. "You're one of us now."

"Thanks, Matt." Y/N grinned. "First real mission together tomorrow, think you're ready?"

Matt pursed his lips and put his hands on his hips. "Mmm...I don't know, are you?"

"Always!" She shoved Matt's shoulder playfully and head for the door. "See you in the morning."

The boy reached a hand out as if to stop her and tried to speak, but nothing came. She was already out of the room. He sighed in defeat throwing himself into his bed. He was worried about tomorrow, really worried. If something happened to Y/N again, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.