"Are you absolutely certain this is safe?"
"Relax Coran. At the rate its going right now it's perfectly safe." Shiro soothed. "Trust us on this."
The altean relaxed a bit at that but still kept a firm gaze on the princess as she suited up.
Shiro sighed.
"Look, if it makes you feel any better it snows all the time on earth. Well… Okay not ALL the time. Only in certain places. And at certain times of the year." He paused as Coran gave him a look. "My point is it should be sae. Besides Allura can take care of herself and we're all going to be with her."
Coran hummed non-committedly.
"Ugh." They both turned to see Pidge dressed head to toe in winter gear. "This is OUR planet! Don't you think we'd know what stuff is dangerous?"
Allura wasn't especially inclined to cold temperatures. Altea had always been a temperate climate. Cool morning, warm afternoons, and nights that decorated the sky with a clear view of the stars. Something the ancient alteans had considered an ideal set up for life.
Earth wasn't like that.
She had learned from the paladin's that due to their planet's unique axis and rotation earth experienced a unique set of 'seasons' between the poles and equator that alternates between hot and cold. At the time, the area of the planet they were in was experiencing a cold season called 'winter'.
Allura wasn't sure how to feel about winter. On the one hand it was terribly cold, with barren trees, and cloudy skies that made the princess want to hide away in her castle wrapped up in a fuzzy warm blanket with some warm drink and a plate of snacks. On the other…
She stared wide-eyed at the wide expanse of white that spread out across the landscape before her. It was so bright that it made her eyes burn while the wind made her shiver with cold. Tiny white crystallized moisture particles fell from the clouds in a slow fluttery motion before disappearing into the sea of white.
It was beautiful.
"Woohoo!"
Allura jumped as Lance sped past her and ot into the cold. She winced when he slipped and landed on his back.
"HA!" Pidge appeared laughing and pointing. "Wipeout!"
Lance sat back and began moving his arms and legs in unison before sitting up and giving the princess a flirty grin.
"Hey Allura, come and look at my snow, angel."
He looked quite confident… until Pidge dumped a load of snow on his head.
"Is he going to be alright?" Allura asked in concern.
"They'll be fine." Hunk soothed. "Things should be fine as long as we're bundled up and don't stay outside too long. Once we're done out here I'll go on in and make some nice warm hot cho-"
Hunk was interrupted when a snowball struck his face. Lance and Pidge sniggered just a few feet away as Hunk frowned before grabbing an armful of snow and exacting his revenge.
Allura couldn't help but laugh.
"They see to be having a good time." Keith said emerging in the doorway.
"Should they be… frolicking like that?"
"It should be fine. Humans have been dealing with the cold since forever. So a little bit like this probably isn't a big deal."
"Well, if you say so then it must be true." They both stood awkwardly in the doorway." It's… very beautiful. Isn't it?"
"Yeah." Keith responded.
"I've… never really experienced this before." She admitted. "Ice planets were always considered too dangerous and unpredictable to play around on. Unless you were a native of course. So… could you show me what to do?"
"Uh, do what?"
"What to do in the snow."
"O-Oh. Sure? I mean, I'm not-"
"Wonderful!" Allura bounced up and down before grabbing Keith's arm and pulling him out into the snow and towards the others. "What do we do first?"
The question had been directed at Keith who stood awkwardly as the princess's big blue cotton candy eyes shone.
"I guess we…" he hesitated. "We… take the snow and, uh-"
He was saved by a ball of snow striking his face.
"SNOWBALL FIGHT!" The others said in unison.
Keith stood shocked as the whole group prepped their snowballs.
"Ohhh" he watched as they readied their aim. "Oh no."
The barrage of snowballs fired.
"Wow" Allura laughed from her seat under the blanket huddle. "That was fun."
"Yeah." Keith agreed swirling the drink in his hands. "It was."
"You humans have such a unique way of adapting to things."
"I suppose."
"I mean... A snowMAN?! Who else would come up with that?!"
Keith couldn't help but smile.
"You seem so excited."
"I can't help it! We never had crystallized- I mean snow. We never had snow on Altea." She smiled. "To be honest today was my first time experiencing it."
"Yeah." Keith chuckled. "Me too."
Allura blinked. "Really?"
Keith suddenly looked awkward. "Y-yeah."
"But," Allura's brow creased. "Shiro told me that it snowed all over Earth."
"It does." he assured. "Just not near the equator. We didn't get a lot of snow out in the desert."
"Oh… I'm sorry I had no idea." Allura looked crestfallen. "And there I went and asked you to guide me. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It was fun." Keith admitted. "Especially with you."
Allura blushed before scooting closer to Keith.
"Would it be okay if we played in the snow again tomorrow?"
"Sure." Keith leaned towards her in comfort. "Whatever you wish princess."