Juniberry. This flower was native to the alien Planet of Altea. It was also referred to as the "highland's poppy" by the Alteans. To the people of Earth, it looked much like a pink lily flower with three petals. Although incredibly rare on Earth, it existed in abundance in very few institutions.
'Mom especially wanted to nurture the flower, despite the fact that the Altean Planet was already restored,' Pidge thought as she brushed through her hair yet again. 'This whole planetary destruction we've been exposed to does beg the question about whether alien flora and fauna should be exposed to neighboring planets in case they get destroyed, and therefore preventing all of their native resources to go extinct...'
Pidge forced her train of thoughts to stop. Whenever she got nervous, she would always get caught thinking of all sorts of things. Sometimes, these thoughts really were useful, but it doesn't change the fact that it was simply a coping mechanism she had invented since young. She sighed.
Why was she so nervous, anyway? It was just Lance. That comedic, silly, blue paladin of a Lance.
Alas, despite her brain's reassurances, her heart kept beating erratically, and her hands didn't stop their brushing. It was a tough thing to admit, especially since so many things were wrong about it, but as the years passed by, Pidge had realized a single, curious thing: She had once had a crush on Lance.
Sure, she was fifteen, and she hardly even understood her feelings back then, but it really had been there. There really was a time when she had secretly pined for someone.
Years and years ago, right when Allura was still alive and well, Pidge remembered being asked about clothes. 'Earth customs, was it?' Pidge recalled.
At that time, they were still on Earth and the threat of Honerva was still at large. It had been their final day on Earth, and Shiro had ordered them to have some bit of fun. Pidge had gone down to help her Mom with some stuff, and then... She remembered feeling sort of uncomfortable when Allura had asked for her help. Pidge didn't like shopping, of course, but it was more than that.
She could hardly keep her face straight when she learned that Allura was actually going on a date with Lance...
But, that was that. When push came to shove, she bottled down her confusing feelings and even traded her only copy of Killbot Phantasm in order to get Allura a nice dress.
And here she was, wearing a dress of her own.
She groaned. Why had she picked this dress? But she knew she would only be wasting more time if she were to change it (Divine Bob knows how much time she had already wasted just by picking this one outfit). So, she took a deep breath, and forced herself to look away from the mirror.
'Besides,' Pidge thought. 'It's such an old crush. It won't return after five whole years.'
Feeling more sure of herself, Pidge packed the rest of her bags and research tools into her armored car, and buckled herself in. It was still hours before dawn, but she felt like she had a good night's rest. She can't really say much, however, since she hardly slept normally at all. Her entire body clock was skewed as is.
Nevertheless, she was humming when she revved up the engines and drove away.
~~
The armored car was a vehicle with good speed, but it still took a whole twelve hours with lots of rest to reach Texas, and another hour to reach the farm compound the McClain family was rumored to be at. By the time Pidge had reached a gas station to ask around, she was a hybrid combination of famished, weary, and feeling bored. She had never driven through so many dirt roads, and more roads, and even more roads...
So, she took her time choosing her coffee on the vendo. While she thought about the benefits of cappuccino and the temptations of espresso, she had automatically jumbled up her messy hair into a high ponytail. Then, she jumped when she heard a voice say, "Having trouble with the machine?"
She hurriedly hopped away to the side. "Sorry! Couldn't really decide, I mean, go ahead."
But before she could sprout out any more apologies, she had a good look at the man behind her. Light brown skin with blue eyes. A soft smile he had only ever shown once he had lost the love of his life. Taller than she had remembered.
Pidge blinked at him, wondering why he was here. He didn't seem to have recognized her, because he only turned towards the machine, scratching his head as he looked at the options. Then, Pidge inched back until she was right beside him. She stared at the machine's menu as well.
"The lattes look good," she offered.
Lance nodded. "Yeah, but those bitter, americano ones do pack a punch."
"Better than the ones those green aliens had given us?" she asked.
"Oh, that!" he said absentmindedly. "Hunk definitely did an awesome twist on those Kerapic stools... Wait, what?"
He finally looked down at her, his expression a mask of confusion and bewilderment. Pidge smiled up at him. "Hey, Lance."
"..." he stared at her for a long, long time. Pidge grew annoyed as the time went on. But finally, he shouted out in recognition, "Pidge?!"
"Ha ha. Yeah, Lance. Can't believe you almost forgot about me," she grumbled, and then punched at his arm angrily.
"It's not that I forgot about you. You just look..." he trailed off, staring down at her openmouthedly.
"Taller?" Pidge tried to finish his sentence.
"Uh, yeah," Lance muttered. "And more..."
"Older?" she asked. "Grumpier?"
"... Well, no. I mean, yeah, you do look older, but not in a bad way!" he said hastily, waving his hands around. "You just- Your hair is long..."
Pidge just had to roll her eyes. "Is that really what you wanted to say?"
Lance laughed. "You look good, Pidge. I've missed you. But what are you even doing here? Or..."
Then, he wiggled his eyebrows, almost looking like the 17-year-old version of himself. "Or did you just miss me?"
Pidge laughed-groaned. "Sadly, my poor, old paladin, I'm actually here to get some materials for my new project!"
"In the middle of nowhere?" he asked incredulously. "What? Are more aliens asking for Kalteneckers again?"
"I, uh," Pidge sputtered. "No! I didn't come here after driving for thirteen hours just for cows, Lance!"
He shrugged. "The universe is weird."
"That's true," Pidge muttered. It was indeed weird enough to have them both meet again after so long. It was weird how the closest home for the Altean flower she needed was the farm this man was taking care of.
Pidge gave her old friend a sideward smile, offering up an answer that was no less any weirder than cows. "I came to get some flowers."
~~
"When was the last time we gathered together again?" Lance asked as he carried a basket of potatoes. They were walking steadily towards his home after he had hitched a hike on her armored car.
Pidge thought about his question. "Four years ago, we were all there. All six of us, up on Altea. Then, there was that time two years ago... After that, Hunk did visit a brief time, but you and Keith weren't there."
"Oh, yeah, my abuelo was feeling down that time," Lance mumbled, deep in thought. "But you really grew yourself out the past two years."
"If you mean my hair, then thanks," she replied, taking a potato from his basket. Brushing out the dirt, she admired the huge, oddly long root vegetable. "I'll call you bi-bo bi."
Pidge saw Lance's eye twitch. "Ugh, I keep remembering that weird dream we had."
"Bob?" Pidge asked, while she played around with the potato.
"Yeah! I was the dumb one, so I don't really blame Zarkon for choosing me... I can't believe I almost killed all of us back then!" he shouted, his basket of potatoes thrusted wildly around. Pidge worried for the potatoes, so she held up a hand to steady it.
"Well," she said. "None of us were really sure whether that really happened or not. And besides, we made it out fine anyway, just like always."
Then, Lance shrugged. "But what if we hadn't chosen our answers the way we did? What if I had chosen someone else? Would we have all died? All because of me?"
Pidge got real worried by now. Lance wasn't acting like himself. Sure, she hadn't seen him in a good two years, and only met him briefly in the past five years, but... This just wasn't like him. He wasn't the kind of guy who would worry about things that happened so long ago. Pidge grabbed at the basket, and placed it down on the ground. They were already within the fences of the farm house, but Pidge figured that she could only talk with Lance alone like this right now, so she had to stop him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"... What do you mean?" he countered back defensively.
"I mean," she continued. "Why are you being so pessimistic?"
"Uh, no, I'm not!" Lance denied vehemently, but Pidge could see that his eyes betrayed his own feelings. He looked like he was being cornered.
"Lance..." Pidge muttered in worry.
He only rolled his eyes and picked up the basket again. "Nothing's wrong, Pidge. Let's just go in. The sun's getting real low, and we need these in before dinner."
This time, Pidge had to let it go.
~~
The moment the door opened, Pidge smelled the fragrance of sautéing herbs and spices. The house just immediately turned a thousand times more welcoming just by that scent. Then, out came Lance's family. There were fewer of them now than before, just basing on the headcount, and she tried to remember all of their names...
"Who's this?" a kindly woman asked after me. 'I think her name was Lisa, a sister-in-law of Lance's?' Pidge thought.
Before she could reply, two curious heads popped out. They looked like young teenagers. The older one gaped up at me, "Lance brought home a girl?!"
The younger one, a girl with two braids, stomped onto the boy's foot. "Shut up, Sylvio! You're being rude!"
"Hey!" the boy grumbled. "That's not the way you should speak to your older brother, Nadia!"
"Hush, now," Lisa immediately stepped in between the two teenagers. "You're both being rude. I'm sorry about that, dear, but Lance never mentioned bringing anyone to dinner."
"Ah, Lisa, come on," Lance muttered as he propped the basket down by the entrance. "Don't you recognize her?"
Lisa looked at Pidge a bit more seriously. "Hmm... I really don't recall you having a lot of female friends, Lance."
He blushed so much that Pidge had to laugh. Taking pity on them all, Pidge stepped forward and introduced herself. "We never got to formally meet, really, but I'm Pidge. I was the green paladin of Voltron."
"Oh!" the woman gasped. "You look so womanly now! I could hardly recognize you."
It was Pidge's time to blush. "I, uh... Umm, thank you?"
Lisa's face then turned brighter as she smiled at the pair of us, her eyes twinkling at a personal joke that we couldn't understand. She then ordered her children to do some things and then shouted out for "Luis, honey! Rachel! Come over here! We have a guest!"
Moments later, they had arrived, bringing in more smiles. Rachel immediately recognized the green paladin. "Pidge!" she shouted, and then came forward to hug her.
They've only met a few times in the past, and each time was very brief, but it seems like Pidge had made an impression on this family. "Hi! Uh, Rachel, right?"
"Yep!" she smiled mischievously. "So, has my stupid little brother finally asked you out?"
"Wh-Wha-What?" Pidge spluttered. Then, in a blink of an eye, Lance was over them, pulling at his sister's sleeve, and murmuring some incoherent things. Rachel only laughed at his display. In the midst of the confusing chaos, Pidge got a glimpse of Rachel smiling and giving her a wink. Then, she had escaped the hold of her brother, and escaped off into the kitchens. When the mild fight had ended, Lance had come back panting in exaggerated exhaustion, collapsing onto a couch like an old man.
Pidge didn't even hesitate when she sat down beside him. "I've always known this, but you really have a nice family, Lance."
He snorted. "I don't know about nice. Loud and big and naggy, maybe."
From the kitchen, Rachel screamed out, "Then you're not getting any dinner!"
In a flash, he was up again, running full speed into the kitchen, shouting out pleas for forgiveness all the way. Lisa and her husband chucklingly excused themselves to go watch the spectacle. Pidge snickered as well, but then found that she was all alone now. But this house can only give their members a few minutes of privacy at most, because seconds later, a braided head peered over at her from behind a door. It was the youngest child, Nadia.
"Hey there," Pidge called to her, almost like she would have done to a wary, smaller alien creature.
"Hi," the creature replied, her braids swinging in the air as she waved. "I want to show you something."
Pidge blinked. "Me?"
'What could she possibly show me that'll be of interest to me?' Pidge asked in her mind, but stood up regardless. Maybe this was worth getting into.