Shiro breathed a sigh of resignation and slumped back on his bunk, drawing his (non-Galra) hand down his face. He should really be sleeping, but after that nightmare - well, calling it that would be lying to himself. It had been a memory of one of the darker times in Zarkon's arena, made all the worse by the joy that should have marked the occasion.
It was (on Earth, anyway) Christmas Eve.
They'd hung stockings on the wall by the airlock, just outside the main lounge, which had been completely decked out; tinsel and streamers festooned all the most used rooms aboard the ship; gifts had been stocked after a trip to the Space Mall; the Paladins were all sound asleep in their bunks - even Pidge, who more often than not spent the night working in the floor of Green's hangar; and the Alteans had gone to bed as well.
Turning on the com to the bridge, he found nothing amiss and was about to try and get a few vargas of sleep (doubtful, but one could dream - ha, as if) when there was a clatter. Already on edge from what he'd seen, Shiro bolted from his quarters and hurried to the Nav Deck (still wearing, he later realized, pajamas and his Lion slippers).
From where the ship had landed on a remote, uninhabited, rocky planet, the light of the small moon was blinding. Raising a hand (his Galra hand this time) to shield his eyes, he squinted, almost sure that what then appeared was imagined.
'Is that. . . Santa? No,' he dismissed, 'couldn't be. Then again. . .' Considering all the crazy that they'd seen since becoming Paladins of Voltron - stars, and the year before that - he really shouldn't rule out anything.
As he stood, debating whether to rouse the others and if it was even a threat.
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer and Vixen, on! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dinner and Blitzen!
"To the top of the ship! Past the particle wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
Only ticks later, Shiro heard the faint metallic clop of robotic reindeer hooves. Becoming nervous, he turned and ran out the door. As the Black Paladin came to the airlock, it opened and through it came. . . it really WAS Santa.
His red space suit had fur trim and grease stains (understandable, having robotic reindeer), the sack tossed over his shoulder making him look like a peddler from a few planets ago. He had bright eyes, a jolly belly, and. . . pointed ears? A large orange 'stache?
Shiro relaxed at the wink "Santa" gave him, clearly being of no threat. Filling the stockings, he soon vanished through the airlock door once more. It was the last Shiro saw of him, though he did hear a faint call of, "Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night!"