#shadowdragon1553

“Halloween is tomorrow!” Pidge called from her desk. “We were trying to figure out if Green can use her cannon to make pumpkins.”

“You mean the same cannon that makes plants grow from inside things and suffocate it in effect? Pidge, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Shiro said

“But Shiro, Halloween!” Lance whined

“Um, what is Halloween?”

Lance turned to the princess, who looked genuinely curious. Most of the time she’d get the mice to tell her about what earth things they heard the paladins talk about and Lance couldn’t really think of a time that she came to him to ask about that stuff.

“Allura, allow me to show you the wonder of Halloween!”

“I suppose, but what is it?”

“It’s a holiday celebrated on Earth on October 31. There are a lot of different reasons why. Some say it’s because of the best time for magic, or the Day of the Dead or even because you can talk to spirits. But the best part, you get to dress up as anything you want and go around asking for candy! Craving pumpkins are one of the few activates you do leading up to it. Oh back on earth, my family would get really into it. My parents loved decking the place out in all this spooky and scary stuff.”

“Sounds like our parents would have gotten along fine.” Pidge said, already turning back to her computer, no doubt typing in the possibilities that her lion might be able to grow pumpkins after all.

“I’d take my little sibling to go trick or treating and getting into costume, oh it was the best. We made everything by hand, unless we really needed to buy it and it was such a big bonding activity. I really miss it.”

“Was it fun?” Allura asked, looking genuinely interested.

“So much fun. I know saving the universe is important and all, but I miss being able to celebrate this with my family.”

“Perhaps we can do it?”

That got everyone’s attention. Allura wasn’t one to deviate from the normal schedule of saving the world and getting people to join the side of Voltron, but she looked interested and excited.

“Really? Allura, don’t play with me please.”

“It sounds like fun. We don’t really have any sort of sweets here but I’m sure Hunk won’t mind trying to make something. About pumpkins, I never heard of them and I think Shiro is right, I don’t think it’d be a good idea to get the Green Lion to grow whatever they are but Coran might know of something similar to it. And the idea of dressing up is something I haven’t done in a while, since I was a child. It sounds like fun.”

Lance was vibrating with joy. He pulled Allura into a hug, spinning her around in excitement. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You will not regret this! Oh we’re going to make your first Halloween amazing! Pidge, go tell Hunk! I’ll talk to Coran and hopeful we can wormhole quickly enough. Oooh, Shiro, maybe you can Keith could come up with simple costumes.”

“Oh yes, that’s perfect. We can wear them tomorrow.”

Shiro looked like he wanted to protest but the utter excitement shining from both the Blue Paladin and the Princess was too much not to say no to.

“Alright, but any attacks,” he warned

“And straight to work, we know. Ohh, Allura you are going to be in love with Halloween when this is over.”

“Coran, our bodies can’t handle acid, so that’s not going to work.” Lance said as Coran gave him a list of any alien vegetables similar to pumpkins.

“Right. How about this, an Audian fide?” the royal adviser pulled up a picture of a purple looking thing. The shape looked similar to a pumpkin but taller than wider. It was also smooth, unlike the bumpy surface of a pumpkin.

“I guess, is it hollow inside?”

“It’s filled with a pulpy liquid that hardens with contact to air. It’s no problem to get out though, I wouldn’t recommend eating it. Mild poison, though to you 5, I wouldn’t risk it.”

“Right, anything else?”

“It does turn the hand purple for a few vargas.”

Lance cringed. He wasn’t sure Keith would like that so much. “Uh, no. anything else close to that that doesn’t turn you colours, or hurt you?”

“Hmm, gimme a tick.”

Coran typed away at the holoscreens while Lance turned at the sound of the doors sliding open. He smiled at the sight of his boyfriend, usual red jacket gone, no doubt still thrown on the bed from the drill Allura pulled that morning.

“Babe, light of my life, sweetheart. I missed you. I haven’t seen you all day. Can I get a kiss?”

“Lance.”

Oh, Lance recognised that tone. It was the same one he used when he was trying to contain his anger. Lance was sure he didn’t do anything. He had been complaining about Lance leaving bed when he still wanted to cuddle but it worked out when the drill happened.

“Um, yes?”

“Why did Shiro just tell me we’re celebrating Halloween and to think of really easy ideas for costumes? Lance.” Gez, folded arms and speaking clearly, like Lance wouldn’t understand him. Keith was mad.

“Because I was talking to Pidge about missing Halloween with my family and she had the idea about using the Green Lion to grow pumpkins but Allura and Shiro vetoed that idea, but Allura doesn’t know what Halloween is and was interested so we’re going all out tomorrow. I’m looking for pumpkins, Hunk should be making some sort of candy and you and Shiro are thinking costumes.”

“No.” it was said so final.

“Oh come on Keith, it’ll be fun.”

“Halloween is just some corporate holiday to sell candy. It’s pointless.”

“You say the same thing about Valentine’s day.” Lance reminded

“I’m not wrong.”

“Keith, come on please? This is my first Halloween not spending it with my family.”

“And I’m really sorry about that, but no. Forget it, I’m not doing this.”

Lance pouted. Keith could be so stubborn. But thankfully, Lance had a few tricks up his sleeves. He hid his face in his hands, making his shoulders tremble and sounding like he was holding in noises.

“Lance?”

“You hated Valentines and all I wanted to do was spend time with you but you just spent the day training. I didn’t even get you long enough to give you my present. I had to wait like two days for you to stay still enough so I could give it to you. Do you even like the sweater?” Lance said, sounding like he was crying.

“What, Lance. Of course I do, why would you think I don’t?”

“Because I never see you with it on and you never want to spend time with me unless I can drag you from whatever has your attention. I just want this one holiday but apparently I can’t even get that.”

“No, Lance. Stop please. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. Ok, I’ll…think of costumes, if it makes you happy.”

“Really? Yay, best boyfriend ever!” Lance cheered, throwing his arms around Keith.

“Wh-Lance, were you faking?”

“Not my concerns but yes to the crying. Seriously dude, wear the sweater once in a while. Maybe you can think of an idea so you can wear it.”

“Aha! Lance, my boy, come look at this. A Buterina gourd. You said you put lights in them right? Well these special little gourds change colour when exposed to light. The inside stuff is the same consistency as goo unfortunately and I still wouldn’t recommend eating it.” Coran said, the picture of the grey coloured gourd on the screen now, odd little bumps reminding Lance of the yellowy green types of pumpkins Lance would see decorating some people’s steps.

“It’s prefect. Where are they and how soon can we teladuv over there?”

“It’s the Buterina system. I’ll go tell Allura to head on over.” Coran said, disappearing and leaving the Red and Blue Paladins by themselves.

“Does it really bother you I don’t wear your sweater?” Keith asked

“A bit, but you can make it up by using it as a base with your costume. It’s red, so you have some choice. I look forward to seeing what it is.”

“What are you supposed to be?” Lance stared down his boyfriend as they stood in the doorway of the dining room. Keith was in the sweater like he promised and his face has grease on it in the shape of whiskers and a nose.

“A cat? I didn’t have very many options, ok.”

Lance understood that. He was in his undersuit that was worn under his armour, a scarf around his neck so he could cover his mouth, like the ninja he was.

“Well you look very cute. You gonna use your claws to carve the pumpkins?” Lance teased

“Ha ha, very funny. What is Shiro even supposed to be?”

“Winter Solider.” Lance had stuck a red star made from some paper he found on Shiro’s arm and made him swipe his hair back. “Hunk is a ghost and Pidge is a mad robot, hence all the extra wiring she stuck to her. Allura isn’t here yet. Come on, let’s see if I can get that mullet of yours into space buns. They can be your ears.”

Lance sat Keith down and stole two wires from Pidge before going to town on Keith’s hair. By the time Allura waltzed in with Coran, their usual clothes swapped, Lance made something resembling space buns to be Keith’s cat ears.

“My boyfriend looks like such a cute kitty.” Lance said, squeezing Keith’s cheeks which were turning red.

“Lance, you’re smudging my whiskers!”

“Are you really getting into this?” Lance teased, making Keith turn even redder and shove Lance’s hands off his face. Said whiskers were smudged, but Lance was too busy smirking at his boyfriend to say anything.

“Alright, we’re all here and the pumpkins are ready. Dump the insides in the bowls and for the love of god, do not destroy my knives. I spent way too much GAK on them and we don’t have any other knives.” Hunk instructed, trying to move the sheet he had on so he could have access to his arms.

Slopping noises of the gourds being opened and emptied filled the room, with a few squeaks of disgust when it would get on anyone. Keith was being as careful as possible to not get it on his sweater while Shiro moaned about how long it would take to get the guck out of the hinges of his hand.

“So after I empty it, I just carved something on the pumpkin?” Allura asked.

“Yeah, you could either carve it on the surface or you could cut out the shape you want. What were you gonna do?” Lance asked.

“I was thinking of making a mouse.” The mice, who were sitting on Coran’s shoulder to fit the costume, squeaked in excitement.

“Well cut out the shape of the mouse, but try to make it one stroke, if you get what I mean. You hack at it too many times and it’ll look weird.”

Allura nodded, looking extremely focused on the pumpkin.

Pidge was the first to be done surprisingly. “Ta da! It’s Rover!” the familiar shape of the lost Galra Bot was both cut out and carved onto the pumpkin. She grabbed one of the lights and stuck it in the pumpkin, waiting for the colours to start changing. The grey faded into blue, then green and yellow, continuing as the shape of her lost robot glowed happily.

“That’s quite amazing Pidge.” Coran said, flinching at the sight of the mess he was making on the princess’s dress.

Hunk and Keith were the next to finish, the face of the Yellow Lion and a façade of flames for each respectively.

“This is so cool.” Hunk said, watching the pumpkin change colours. “Oooh, I’ll go get the candy. I think you’ll love it.” He dashed off to the kitchen just as Lance finally finished his Blue Lion.

“I wanted to do a kitty for you but I thought you might hit me.” He told Keith, who glared at him like he made the right decision.

Shiro was all the way at the other end of the table working on his while Hunk brought back his imitation candy.

“What’s the magic words?” he asked.

Allura looked at Lance in confusion and he leaned over to whisper it to her. “Trick or treat? What’s does that even mean?”

“I don’t remember the exact reason, but I think back in the day you could either perform a trick or ask for treats.” Hunk said, handing Allura a handful of circular candy.

She popped one into her mouth and scrunched up her face. “It’s sour!”

“Oh hell yes, I love sour candy.” Pidge called.

The group were in different stages of dying from the sour candy when Shiro finally came over and plopped his pumpkin down. It was an extremely well done carving of Voltron. They all looked at Shiro who just shrugged.

“My parents liked pumpkin carving. We did it a whole week leading up to it.”

“So how was your first Halloween Princess?” Lance asked as they cleaned up the mess.

“Absolutely amazing. Perhaps when this war is over, you can show me how it is on Earth?”