Shiro flopped onto his bed, curling up into a ball. He let his breath normalize as the space mice hopped on as well. He hasn't had a good day. It was stressful and he felt on the verge of crying. Not just that but he felt like slipping. The urge was so strong but he knew he couldn't. He opened his eyes and saw them looking at him worriedly. He huffed and rolled onto his other side. He felt little. But that was dangerous. He hadn't slipped since before Kerberos Mission. Being the Champion, now a stressful paladin, didn't help. They were in the middle of war for gods sake! The others looked up to him. They couldn't see him in this vulnerable space, he didn't want to seem weak.

The space mice seemed upset that he turned away from them. They ran on top of him and poked his cheek and hair. He let out a whine and put Chulatt off his head and onto his pillow. Chulatt ran back over and bumped Shiro's nose with his head.

"Shoo," he said, moving Plachu onto his bed. The mice looked at each other, seeming not knowing exactly what to do.

Suddenly, Shiro sat up. Which was okay for Platt since he was on his way to get off his head. But Chuchule toppled off his head and began to fall off the bed. Luckily Shiro snatched him and held him in his hand as tears filled his eyes.

"I sowwy! I sowwy, I sowwy, I-"

Shiro couldn't hold his tears in as some slipped out. He had had a stressful day, this didn't make him any better. Chuchule ran off his arm and onto his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. Shiro didn't mean to almost hurt his friend! But he also didn't want them to stay. Then they'll descover his secret. What if they tell Allura? What would Allura think? Would she tell the others? All these thoughts flooded the small boy's head as he brought his knees to his chest. Platt and Plachu ran out of the room to go get something. Chulatt ran to Shiro's feet and hopped on them, nuzzling his ankle with his head.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Platt and Plachu came running back into the room. Only this time they had a white lion stuffie with them. It had a mane, and was a normal stuffie size. They might of also stolen it from Allura's room. It wasn't like she used it anymore. She hasn't touched it since she was six. They struggled to go onto the bed with it but Shiro's help they made. They put the lion to his side and waited. Shiro stared at it for a second before looking at the two.

"For me?" he asked in a quiet voice. The mice squeaked in response and moved it closer to him. Mainly Platt, Plachu fell on his face when it moved without him. Shiro picked it up and hugged it, a smile forming on his face. "Tank ch-"

"Shiro!" Keith knocked on the door, making Shiro flinch and frown. "You promised to teach me that new move!"

Shiro struggled to find his big kid voice but responded, "Be right there!"

The mice all looked at each other as Shiro put them, and the stuffie, on the bed. He took some deep breaths while closing his eyes, trying to get out of his headspace. The mice just watched him, a little confused about what just happened.

"Don't tell anyone, please," Shiro whispered to them before he opened the door and left.

The mice didn't like that he left one bit. Shiro seemed happier, sad still yes, but near the end he was. He seemed let lose. Like he could breath for one moment without all these horrible thoughts filling his head. They might not know what just happened with him but one thing was decided:

They wouldn't tell anyone, and they would stay with him while he was like that.

&&&

The next month this went on and off. Whenever Shiro slipped the mice had a way of knowing and would travel to his room. When he hadn't slipped and was training overtime instead of relaxing or sleeping the mice would glare at him until he went to his room and would cuddle with them and his stuffie. The others noticed the friendship growing between the mice and their leader. But when Allura asked about it, the mice refused to acknowledge her. And when they asked Shiro he just shrugged it off.

Shiro and the mice soon became close friends. At first he was a little uncomfortable with them around. But he soon liked the fact that he had someone watching and playing with him, even if they were mice. Unfortunately for Shiro, whenever he tried to slip around fifteen minutes in one of the others would need him for something. So he didn't get much time for relaxation.

Currently though, the mice were doing tricks on the bed. Shiro was watching on the floor, giggling loudly. He had a stolen juice box in one hand and his lion in the other. Shiro liked it when the mice did funny tricks or acted out cool stories. And the mice loved the reactions they got from the boy.

"Again! Again!" Shiro chanted. Platt huffed but did another run jump with Chulatt. Basically both ran from opposite sides and Chuchule jumped onto his friend's head. It was a basic trick but still Shiro loved it. Mostly because he was not expecting Platt to land on Chulatt. He fell onto his back and laughed loudly, covering his mouth with his hand. The mice ran off the bed and to him, climbing onto his chest as he tried to control his breathing. Plachu poked his cheek, which made Shiro look at him. "Funny micey."

Chulatt squeaked in disagreement, rubbing his face. Platt rubbed his back as a way to say sorry. Shiro patted all four of their heads and then put his lion's ear on his mouth. Allura didn't realize it was gone yet. The mice squeaked and tried to bat it out of his mouth, which didn't really work. But Shiro noticed the mice's distress and huffed, taking the stuffie out of his mouth. He hated when he had to wash it. One of the paladins could easily find it and give it back to Allura. Then he'd lose his friend.

"Fun," he protested, getting a glare from Plachu. "Meanie butt."

Shiro sat up, bringing the mice onto his shoulders. He set the lion on his lap and began to make him dance. Which made him giggle. Soon Chulatt got an idea. He ran off his shoulder and stood in front of him. He grabbed a tooth pick from under Shiro's bed, which he really needed to clean, and went into a fighting stance. Shiro looked at him and then at his stuffie. He brought his stuffie to his chest and shook his head with puppy eyes.

"Nu, nu hurt lion."

Chulatt got the clue and fell onto his back. Making a squeak that was him 'dying'. Chuchule ran off Shiro's shoulder and to his friend. He picked his friend up and wailed as he pretended with him. Shiro frowned and picked them both up, giving them both kisses on the head. "Nu die."

This earned two jealous squeaks from Platt and Plachu. A smile brought onto Shiro's face as he set Chulatt and Chuchule on his lap and brought Platt and Plachu to his hands. Giving them both a kiss on the head.

"Shiro?" Allura asked, knocking on his door. "It's time for dinner. You can't make the excuse of missing it by training again."

Shiro's face went back into a sad frown as he set all of the mice on the floor. He hide his lion under his pillow and stood up. He was wobbly, but he could possibly try to get into a bigger headspace when they got food. He wanted to stay little a little longer. But the others needed big him, not small. He was good at making himself big, even if he shouldn't be doing so. But he was happy about one thing: most of the time they only get 15 minutes at most to hang out while he was small, today he got 24. Major improvement.

"Second!" he called back. There was no pout in his voice but there was one on his face.

The mice were not about to stop playtime.

They squeaked and ran over to the door before Shiro could take a step from his bed. Allura listened to then as they all agreed to one thing.

"He's sick? A light flu. Alright, make sure he gets rest, I'll check his temperature in the morning. I'll bring his dinner as well," she smiled before leaving to the dining room.

Shiro stared at awe as the Mice looked at him proudly. They all really lied to Allura for him? Allura was closest to them, they loved her. She was like their mom. So them lying to her, it meant a lot.

They also gave him more time to be little. In which he didn't have to accept that he didn't have to go to bed tonight with all these horrible thoughts instead of cartoon dreams. Or even go to bed at all, big him trained instead of sleeping. Now he wouldn't get anyone coming to his room. The others would keep their distance from his room. Knowing he hates seeming weak when he's sick. So even admitting he was sick and taking his own temperature was a big step for him. Allura was proud of this. And although it wasn't true, now he'll be able to eat with his friends. Or, the smallest part of his family.

"Tank chu," Shiro smiled childishly, picking them all up and giving them all kisses again. Which they seemed to love. Plachu hopped onto his head and began to roll around. Almost as if trying to ruffle his hair. Which was a physical content Shiro loved getting but never got. "Pay wif lion?"

The mice squeaked in agreement, running back to his bed and hoping on. Shiro jumped into his, making the mice fly through the air. He giggled as they all landed back down, 2/4th glaring at him.

"Oops," he smiled to himself, grabbing his lion from under his pillow and began to imagine a cool world, explaining it to them excitedly.

The mice were apart of his family. They might be small, but they can hold the biggest secrets.