Fake Mistletoe | Plance

10 (Shiro)

Christmas Day rolled around. To say it was chaotic was the understatement of the century. Lance arrived at the bridge as soon as the morning alarms had sounded to ask why Santa hadn't come and how I was going to compensate. I told him to go play in the lions (which, luckily, he didn't take seriously). He ended up pestering Matt and N-7 about what he should give to everyone on board. I found out that he'd decided to 'give the gift of his presence in hugs' the hard way.
Hunk was in the kitchen, Keith had been panicking for the whole morning, so I sent him to bed, the MFEs and Romelle were making a video using Kinkade's camera and Pidge was flitting from room to room in a frantic search for her box of presents that she'd brought aboard.
Allura and Coran were being shown the Christmas crackers by Sam (which they found extremely entertaining) and Colleen was working with Curtis, Veronica and Acxa to set tables. I continued directing in the bridge, preparing to shift to autopilot for the afternoon.
*
The lunch seemed to be a grand affair; I'd been placed at a table with Curtis, Veronica, Axca, Sam and Colleen. The Paladins were seated with Coran, Matt and N-7 while the MFEs were with Romelle. Hunk assisted those in the kitchen to bring out the meal while I started a conversation at my table.
"So, Acxa, what's the whole experience of Christmas been like for you?"
"It's... an interesting Earth holiday," she admitted, poking at a piece of gravy-soaked turkey. "Veronica explained some of it to me, but much of it makes little sense."
"It's a bit confusing, yeah." Veronica agreed, shovelling an entire roast potato into her mouth.
"How have Katie and Matt been getting along? I'm sure it's pleasant for them to be together for a slightly more prolonged length of time." I asked, turning to Colleen and Sam.
"Katie- or should I say Pidge? Either way, she's very happy to be back. And very grounded after this trip. Matt has been doing well, and his new significant other is a pleasure to have around," Colleen evaluated, glancing over to the table where Pidge sat between Keith and Allura, Matt in between Lance and N-7.
"And she seems very happy around the other cadet. Well, he was a cadet. His name's Lance, if I'm not mistaken," Sam added, a glint in his eye.
"Yeah, that is Lance. They've become very good friends over the time in which we've been doing Voltron," I confirmed. "So Curtis, how are you enjoying the lunch?"
"It's great," I'd evidently caught him at an awkward time because he was chewing on something, his eyes wide as he faced me. I laughed softly as he broke into a grin and finished what he'd been eating. "Yeah, nice. The celebrations on board haven't been as..." He searched for a word, waving a hand in the air. "God-awful as I expected." I laughed at that, remembering the dance and decorating.
I looked over to Keith, who I was overjoyed to see was having a good time. He was laughing at something Hunk had said, engaging with the Paladins as family, and not simply a team member.
Pidge looked across the table to Lance with a slight apprehension, while fiddling with her hands but not her food. I noticed Allura nudge her, and considered any worries Pidge might have under control.
*
Later, I joined the Paladins and Coran later on in a lounge in order to exchange gifts. I took a seat alongside Allura, Coran and Hunk on one of the sofas, while Keith, Lance and Pidge sat on the floor. It appeared Pidge had recovered her box of presents as a large cardboard box was sitting, emptied in the corner, and in her arms she clutched five haphazardly wrapped gifts.
Lance had apparently 'given everyone their gifts', while Hunk had made trays of cookies for everyone. Keith had somehow acquired matching pin badges for everyone ("I just saw them and thought you guys might like them,") and I had written journals to everyone, with tips on leading in ways their skillsets would manage well, personal letters to them and some god-awful doodles I'd drawn with the intention that they'd find them amusing. Pidge gave out varying gifts of things we 'might find useful', or simply... little objects of varying natures, evidently made by her.
For Hunk, she'd made a portable multi-functional cooking utensil, while Lance received a stack of books she'd thought he'd like. Keith was given a handmade pocket knife with multiple blades of varying sharpness and length, and I got a temporary hair dye kit ("to restore your youth!" Pidge had insisted, a sly grin on her face). She gave Allura a hologram picture of all of us, and Coran was given little figures of each of us made from screws, bolts and various other mechanical parts.
We talked off the heavy lunch, catching up and discussing Christmas and the success Voltron's alliance had been proving. I was thrilled to find nobody seemed even slightly downhearted.
*
We continued talking late into the night, by which point I declared it was long past their bedtimes and so sent them to bed. I did the same shortly after tidying behind them. As I wound my way through the Atlas, I spotted Curtis and Colleen talking, so as I passed them, I shot a quick wave with a smile. I was heavily relieved to return to my bedroom after a long but fruitful day.