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A Christmas Chat

She found him tucked up in a corner of the garden room.

His usual mask of buffoonery was gone as if it had never been and his eyes had an inward look as if what he was seeing was not the fountain before him at all.

Walking slowly over to him, her long skirts making a faint swishing sound as she did so, Allura carefully took a seat a mere hands breadth away from him and focused her eyes on the fountain before speaking.

"Do you not celebrate Christmas, (the word flowed off her tongue in a clunky manner leaving her with a sinking feeling of having pronounced it wrong), Lance?"

A rapid flutter of lashes was the only response she received for a moment before Lance began to speak.

"Our day would start with a sunrise mass so all of us had to be up super early. I was always last in the car. Have to get my beauty sleep, you know, but it's not actually a bad thing cause then you are one of the first to get out. After mass, everyone would head to Grandma's and Grandpa's house where all of the gifts had been dropped off earlier. The gift exchange is so noisy, Keith and Shiro would probably hate it."

"Well, if Keith would hate it then that must mean it was your favorite part, right?"

"Nah, my favorite part was after. That's when we would all take turns reading, 'A Christmas Carol.' Its this cool, super old story about ghosts and repentance and redemption. You would like it, Allura. I was gonna read the part of the Ghost of Christmas Past this year."

His voice trailed off at this and the warm glow that had lit his face faded back into gloom as he leaned back against the wall, his mobile hands falling into his lap once more.

Feeling a sharp pang in her chest, Allura scrambled for words and when they came they were unexpected even to her.

"We had a celebration like this but it took place in the Spring. It was a celebration of having made it through the winter. We would all gather in the royal courtyard to exchange gifts we had made during the long winter months while enjoying the newly budding plants and the return of the warm winds."

Shifting so that his knees were bumping against hers, Lance asked curiously.

"What did you make?"

Feeling suddenly warmer than usual, Allura twisted her fingers together nervously as she sputtered out under his intent gaze.

"I would make wind charms, or at least that is what I made last year..."

Now it was her turn to trail off but before the painful memories could engulf her a large warm hand covered her clenched ones, squeezing a little and a gentle understanding smile filled her view chasing away thoughts of the past as he asked softly.

"How about we go make some new traditions?"

Returning his smile with a bittersweet one of her own, Allura moved her hands so that one was now clasping his as they rose.

"That sounds like an excellent idea and perhaps on our way to join the others you can tell me what mistletoe is and why we cannot have any."

His, "Aw Pidge!" was like music to her ears.

Thanks to Setsunakou for the great beta