fic: Greenery
Aug. 4th, 2019 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bonnefoisTitle: Greenery
Series: Voltron
Character/pairing: Allurance
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2,583
Summary: Lance wants to surprise Allura with a gift of plants. Except, he finds that he doesn't exactly have a green thumb.
Author's note:
sarajaye gave me the prompt of
-planting a garden in their new home
or, my translation was Lance trying (trying!) to do the whole house plant thing and...not having luck with it.
Listen, succulents are surprisingly hard to raise. Note that I didn't employ Lance's (questionable) plant raising tactics. Air plants are a delight, though. I keep getting coupons for them.
Note: This is a middle finger at the finale sort of thing that has Allura still gaining that massive godly power (even more so than usual) but totally just staying in her Altaen form and still dating Lance and not a nebula somewhere.
God is a Woman, she shops at Lowes and Lance is dating her, basically.
Happy birthday, Ching.
Lance had been browsing the intergalactic market near him for ideas on something to make Princess Allura's return special. Even through the bustle of the crowd, he felt markedly lonely. She was off on a big diplomatic mission. Lance had wanted nothing more than to be there with her, but Veronica's birthday was close, and he already had missed enough of her birthdays. He already had Veronica's gift under his arm, and he had his birthday party plans locked down and awesome. It was a bit bittersweet that Allura would miss it, but she'd already gotten Veronica some super rare space jewel which could power an entire country for 3 million years.
It was kind of hard to live up to Princess Allura's gifts. He'd just gotten Veronica a journal with a cat on it because she'd mentioned that she wanted to start journaling more.
He caught sight of the little green leaves and then, even better, the neon half off tag. He lifted up the little plant, and he was sure they'd make her smile. Eventually it had to bloom, right? How hard could it be?
He could just imagine his awesome space girlfriend coming back to a whole place filled with flowers. They'd be all over the counters, in all the windowsills, and Princess Allura sure would be so impressed. She'd clutch her hands together and go Oh Lonce, they're beautiful! and he'd grin suavely and go Not as beautiful as you, Allura.
He smiled to himself, with a blush as he thought of it. Him with a thousand or more flowers filled up in this apartment they shared. Of course, when they went on their space trips, he'd have to go find somebody to take care of them.
Maybe he could move them into Blue.
So, he bought it, rushed home, and watered the plant immediately. After all, the air in the market was pretty dry. Lance put it in the window when he got home, right next to that wind chime he'd gotten way cheap off because Allura was so fascinated by the sound of it. He stuck close and told them about how great Allura was while he got them another drink, because plants loved to be talked to. He figured they would be as hyped to meet her as he was. Then he watered them again, because plants needed lots of water and they had to be parched. They needed eight glasses of water a day too, right? Before bed, he made sure to water them once more, just to be sure.
The next day, they turned brown and looked mushy, which was about how all Lance's dreams felt right now.
*
The next day, Lance pulled the blanket around him as he stared desolately at the plants. How could he manage to kill them before Allura had even returned? Lance never figured he'd make a Guinness world records for killing a plant so fast.
The door opened.
"Lance--"
Her regal voice echoed in the apartment. The Altaen marks she'd given him glowed at his cheeks at her arrival.
"Here," Lance said. He managed a smile, but his voice still came out disappointed. Even though his heart was was bouncing around like a caffeinated tiny yappy dog and twice as loud, he couldn't get over the overwhelming bummer of his brown plants.
That should've all been in bloom instead, because all plants bloom in three days, right?
"You're back early."
"I managed to settle the dispute sooner than expected. I wanted to be there in time for your sister's birthday," Allura said.
"I'm sure she'll like that," Lance said. He still couldn't muster a ton of enthusiasm, even when it was what he wanted. The pathetic succulents were just too much of a disappointment.
Even worse, he felt super guilty. They'd never done anything wrong and he'd gone and managed to nearly kill them in less than a week. Maybe he needed to give them more water...
Allura tilted her head. Her long white hair slipped over her shoulder. Her hair shone like starlight at every moment now, with the power of a million and then some realities.
He'd always thought she was beautiful, but now she'd backflipped all the way into the title of 'goddess' both figuratively and literally.
"Is this some kind of quaint human thing I do not understand? I thought you watched the Netflixes, not the plants. And oh, that plant does not look too well."
Lance gave her a crooked smile, that was more like a grimace. "I wanted to surprise you with flowers. And not the cut kind, but the kind that stays forever. Because that's how I feel about you. Not like some flowers you buy for a few bucks at a gas stop and wilt before the week is over, but ones that keep coming back every year."
She lifted one eyebrow. "You feel wilted and mushy about me?"
"Mushy, at least," Lance said.
"I watered it and watered it, but it looks horrible. Like it might kick the bucket any second now."
"That might be the problem. This is a Space Succulent. They survive on stardust, not water."
Lance smiled, because he knew what was coming. Just one of the perks when your space girlfriend was made of stardust.
She lifted the poor little plant up with gentle fluidity. Sometimes he just liked to watch her move, because she was so much more powerful and lithe than anyone he had ever known. Her graceful fingers clutched about the cute planter. She glowed with the power of the entire universe. Her skin was the vastness of space, scattered with starry freckles. Her hair was clouds down her back. The Altean marks at her cheeks shimmered with power as she focused entirely on his gift.
The plant shone too. And it grew, and grew, until the tiny planter cracked in two and huge leaves filled the room. Lance jumped back out of the range of the now giant leaves.
"A-Allura!"
"Hmm. Perhaps I overdid it," she said.
"I read this comic, and it ends with her marrying a her clown girlfriend," Lance said. Even in possible danger, he couldn't resist cracking a joke.
"Lance, this isn't the time for your wisecracks. Though I must read that comic too--later."
"Yeah, Poison Ivy is pretty cool," Lance said.
Her brow furrowed. "I was under the impression that poison ivy caused severe reactions in humans."
"Character, not the plant. I hate the plant. I got into it once at the academy. All over my hands. It was gross and horrible. I had to stay in my room for almost a solid week while it healed."
"Oh dear. Had I known you then, I would've healed it," Allura said.
Just another perk of his awesome girlfriend. She'd heal anything that happened to him, from paper cut to poison ivy blisters.
The succulents kept growing, and growing. At this rate, Lance was backed into a corner. "Um, Allura? As cool as this is, I think we have a problem. Soon, we'll have to buy new furniture."
"Indeed, they belong on an asteroid. They'll starve from lack of stardust eventually. Put on your suit on, and we'll find one to plant it on."
Lance carefully stepped over the leaves. and pulled out his suit from a closet where he kept his jacket.
"Should I call Blue, or do you want to do the honors, Mrs. Blue Lion?" Lance said teasingly.
"No need," Allura said serenely. She began to glow. The power of an entire universe spread out from her like wings. She grew, ascended, the now massive plant held effortlessly in one hand. Lance knew he couldn't life the succulent even with both hands.
Man, it sure was hot when she lifted things. Cars, him, or even giant space succulents she'd nourished with stardust and the power of Altaen alchemy.
Lance loved this part.
Man, other guys (and girls) had to be totally jealous that he had the coolest girlfriend ever. Could their girlfriends bring people and plants back to life, carry them AND cars? No, because they weren't nearly as cool as Allura.
Pulled on his space helmet and suit so fast and so eagerly that he nearly tripped in the process. Then, he took her hand as she walked out, succulent in hand. She had wrapped its leaves in an orb of light so they harmlessly passed through their apartment.
"Hey, Mrs. Marquez." Lance waved at their elderly neighbor, who had peeked out from her door. She didn't even stare when Lance and his glowing, giant girlfriend headed up towards the roof. The whole absorbing and becoming all realities now meant that Allura often manifested as some powerful giant space woman who could destroy all reality with her pinkie finger, but never would because she was just and gentle and all around awesome.
"Seeya later, we're off to space!"
"Enjoy yourself, Lance," she said.
"Oh, I will!"
Because he always enjoyed when he was with Allura. Even the boring stuff, like filing taxes and buying glue for the cup he broke when he got so happy that he was dating princess Allura that he did impromptu jazz hands after a cup of coffee.
Except this was absolutely not boring in the least.
"Are you ready, Lance?"
"Totally, completely, even--"
Before he could say another word, her shining aura of power surrounded them both. A ring of light surrounded him, protected him. Even though it shimmered faintly, it was as strong as any ship. She lifted her arms and shot through the skies like a rocket. And all the while, he held her hand tight. Earth disappeared in seconds, the blue and greens of his beloved planet soon a mere blip in the seas of stars. Lance let out one last Wooohoohoo! as they traveled through the universe far faster than the speed of light.
It seemed only maybe a minute, or a minute and a half as they came to the massive, pitted asteroid belt. She landed gracefully, and finally, reluctantly, he let go of her hand.
"Here will do."
Her voice echoed through space and time. Her eyes glowed as brightly as a distant sun.
She laid the giant (and still growing!) succulent and placed it in a crater of the asteroid. Immediately, the green leaves began to unfurl. There were so many more space succulents here. With the way their big leaves waved, he had to think maybe they were waving their friend home.
"Wow, you really have this plant care thing down," Lance said.
She smiled serenely. "That's sweet, Lance. But those plants would've died in an earth atmosphere. Though watering them so many times a day certainly didn't help."
Lance smiled sheepishly. "I kept thinking they'd be thirsty! I get thirsty all the time--especially when you're around."
She laughed at his (admittedly horrible) joke. The plant wasn't mushy anymore. In fact, he saw now it had tons of friends all over this asteroid. Their leaves spread out near Allura, basking in her glow. He took her hand, and felt a little shiver of glee in that moment. He wanted to do a fist pump, and maybe high-five himself just because he got to be here by Allura's side, to be the one she loved more than anything.
"Let's go back."
Except when she slid her foot across the asteroid, he felt a rush, a shock like the first time he'd kissed her run through him.
"Whoa, Static shock!"
She smiled, catlike and he knew it was no accident.
"You did it on purpose," he said.
"Maybe," she said.
She leaned in to kiss the outside of his space helmet. She left a shimmering kiss print just inches away from his mouth. So close, yet so far. She smiled, mischieveously.
"Let's go back. We could go to a human plant place on the way back back home," Allura said.
"All right! This time I'll find the perfect flowers. One that doesn't actually belong in space," Lance said.
And this was how his life was. Just a quick jaunt out into space with his space goddess girlfriend. No biggie, like the equivalent of going to the corner store for a slushie back on earth.
*
Lance glanced around. The space plants floated above on hover pallets, while the earthian plants were stuck on the ground. (That didn't even sound like the correct word, but somehow it was.) He tapped his toes on the concrete floors as he looked through all the choices.
The staff workers could only stare at Allura, and hey, he didn't blame them. Everybody just wanted to see a giant woman, after all. The fact that she glowed like an all day rave just made her more eye-catching.
"How darling!" Allura exclaimed. She lifted up a little fluffy looking plant.
"Looks cool, what is it?" Lance said. He looked adoringly at Allura.
"It says they're air plants. They live entirely in the air."
"So like, they float?" Lance said.
"No, that's the space air plants. These Earth ones live up at the top of trees. Just look at the lovely way people display them. These are displayed in a hanging glass orb."
She lifted it up with the force of her power and the little flower shone and floated above them. The leaves immediately began to look--happier, for lack of a better word.
"They're also noted to be very easy to care for," Allura said pointedly.
Lance chuckled awkwardly, and put his hands in jeans pockets. "I'm thinking I should leave the plant stuff to you. Apparently I have a black thumb," Lance said.
"You'll learn," she said, with such conviction that it filled his heart with glee, like he'd petted a thousand soft fluffy ginger kittens.
"Of course, we could buy some of the Space ones, but they wouldn't be inside our apartment. They might thrive in Blue, however."
"Then the lions wouldn't be so lonely!"
They even got a Yeah, We Sure Saved The World discount when they checked out. Being a hero had its perks. And not just because he had the coolest space girlfriend ever.
*
When he got home, one of the air plants had already begun to bloom due to its proximity with Allura.
Lance gave it a sly grin, and a wink. "Me too," he said under his breath.
Author's Note:
I think I'll continue on this universe and call it God Is A Woman, And Lance Is Dating Her.
Series: Voltron
Character/pairing: Allurance
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2,583
Summary: Lance wants to surprise Allura with a gift of plants. Except, he finds that he doesn't exactly have a green thumb.
Author's note:
sarajaye gave me the prompt of
-planting a garden in their new home
or, my translation was Lance trying (trying!) to do the whole house plant thing and...not having luck with it.
Listen, succulents are surprisingly hard to raise. Note that I didn't employ Lance's (questionable) plant raising tactics. Air plants are a delight, though. I keep getting coupons for them.
Note: This is a middle finger at the finale sort of thing that has Allura still gaining that massive godly power (even more so than usual) but totally just staying in her Altaen form and still dating Lance and not a nebula somewhere.
God is a Woman, she shops at Lowes and Lance is dating her, basically.
Happy birthday, Ching.
Lance had been browsing the intergalactic market near him for ideas on something to make Princess Allura's return special. Even through the bustle of the crowd, he felt markedly lonely. She was off on a big diplomatic mission. Lance had wanted nothing more than to be there with her, but Veronica's birthday was close, and he already had missed enough of her birthdays. He already had Veronica's gift under his arm, and he had his birthday party plans locked down and awesome. It was a bit bittersweet that Allura would miss it, but she'd already gotten Veronica some super rare space jewel which could power an entire country for 3 million years.
It was kind of hard to live up to Princess Allura's gifts. He'd just gotten Veronica a journal with a cat on it because she'd mentioned that she wanted to start journaling more.
He caught sight of the little green leaves and then, even better, the neon half off tag. He lifted up the little plant, and he was sure they'd make her smile. Eventually it had to bloom, right? How hard could it be?
He could just imagine his awesome space girlfriend coming back to a whole place filled with flowers. They'd be all over the counters, in all the windowsills, and Princess Allura sure would be so impressed. She'd clutch her hands together and go Oh Lonce, they're beautiful! and he'd grin suavely and go Not as beautiful as you, Allura.
He smiled to himself, with a blush as he thought of it. Him with a thousand or more flowers filled up in this apartment they shared. Of course, when they went on their space trips, he'd have to go find somebody to take care of them.
Maybe he could move them into Blue.
So, he bought it, rushed home, and watered the plant immediately. After all, the air in the market was pretty dry. Lance put it in the window when he got home, right next to that wind chime he'd gotten way cheap off because Allura was so fascinated by the sound of it. He stuck close and told them about how great Allura was while he got them another drink, because plants loved to be talked to. He figured they would be as hyped to meet her as he was. Then he watered them again, because plants needed lots of water and they had to be parched. They needed eight glasses of water a day too, right? Before bed, he made sure to water them once more, just to be sure.
The next day, they turned brown and looked mushy, which was about how all Lance's dreams felt right now.
*
The next day, Lance pulled the blanket around him as he stared desolately at the plants. How could he manage to kill them before Allura had even returned? Lance never figured he'd make a Guinness world records for killing a plant so fast.
The door opened.
"Lance--"
Her regal voice echoed in the apartment. The Altaen marks she'd given him glowed at his cheeks at her arrival.
"Here," Lance said. He managed a smile, but his voice still came out disappointed. Even though his heart was was bouncing around like a caffeinated tiny yappy dog and twice as loud, he couldn't get over the overwhelming bummer of his brown plants.
That should've all been in bloom instead, because all plants bloom in three days, right?
"You're back early."
"I managed to settle the dispute sooner than expected. I wanted to be there in time for your sister's birthday," Allura said.
"I'm sure she'll like that," Lance said. He still couldn't muster a ton of enthusiasm, even when it was what he wanted. The pathetic succulents were just too much of a disappointment.
Even worse, he felt super guilty. They'd never done anything wrong and he'd gone and managed to nearly kill them in less than a week. Maybe he needed to give them more water...
Allura tilted her head. Her long white hair slipped over her shoulder. Her hair shone like starlight at every moment now, with the power of a million and then some realities.
He'd always thought she was beautiful, but now she'd backflipped all the way into the title of 'goddess' both figuratively and literally.
"Is this some kind of quaint human thing I do not understand? I thought you watched the Netflixes, not the plants. And oh, that plant does not look too well."
Lance gave her a crooked smile, that was more like a grimace. "I wanted to surprise you with flowers. And not the cut kind, but the kind that stays forever. Because that's how I feel about you. Not like some flowers you buy for a few bucks at a gas stop and wilt before the week is over, but ones that keep coming back every year."
She lifted one eyebrow. "You feel wilted and mushy about me?"
"Mushy, at least," Lance said.
"I watered it and watered it, but it looks horrible. Like it might kick the bucket any second now."
"That might be the problem. This is a Space Succulent. They survive on stardust, not water."
Lance smiled, because he knew what was coming. Just one of the perks when your space girlfriend was made of stardust.
She lifted the poor little plant up with gentle fluidity. Sometimes he just liked to watch her move, because she was so much more powerful and lithe than anyone he had ever known. Her graceful fingers clutched about the cute planter. She glowed with the power of the entire universe. Her skin was the vastness of space, scattered with starry freckles. Her hair was clouds down her back. The Altean marks at her cheeks shimmered with power as she focused entirely on his gift.
The plant shone too. And it grew, and grew, until the tiny planter cracked in two and huge leaves filled the room. Lance jumped back out of the range of the now giant leaves.
"A-Allura!"
"Hmm. Perhaps I overdid it," she said.
"I read this comic, and it ends with her marrying a her clown girlfriend," Lance said. Even in possible danger, he couldn't resist cracking a joke.
"Lance, this isn't the time for your wisecracks. Though I must read that comic too--later."
"Yeah, Poison Ivy is pretty cool," Lance said.
Her brow furrowed. "I was under the impression that poison ivy caused severe reactions in humans."
"Character, not the plant. I hate the plant. I got into it once at the academy. All over my hands. It was gross and horrible. I had to stay in my room for almost a solid week while it healed."
"Oh dear. Had I known you then, I would've healed it," Allura said.
Just another perk of his awesome girlfriend. She'd heal anything that happened to him, from paper cut to poison ivy blisters.
The succulents kept growing, and growing. At this rate, Lance was backed into a corner. "Um, Allura? As cool as this is, I think we have a problem. Soon, we'll have to buy new furniture."
"Indeed, they belong on an asteroid. They'll starve from lack of stardust eventually. Put on your suit on, and we'll find one to plant it on."
Lance carefully stepped over the leaves. and pulled out his suit from a closet where he kept his jacket.
"Should I call Blue, or do you want to do the honors, Mrs. Blue Lion?" Lance said teasingly.
"No need," Allura said serenely. She began to glow. The power of an entire universe spread out from her like wings. She grew, ascended, the now massive plant held effortlessly in one hand. Lance knew he couldn't life the succulent even with both hands.
Man, it sure was hot when she lifted things. Cars, him, or even giant space succulents she'd nourished with stardust and the power of Altaen alchemy.
Lance loved this part.
Man, other guys (and girls) had to be totally jealous that he had the coolest girlfriend ever. Could their girlfriends bring people and plants back to life, carry them AND cars? No, because they weren't nearly as cool as Allura.
Pulled on his space helmet and suit so fast and so eagerly that he nearly tripped in the process. Then, he took her hand as she walked out, succulent in hand. She had wrapped its leaves in an orb of light so they harmlessly passed through their apartment.
"Hey, Mrs. Marquez." Lance waved at their elderly neighbor, who had peeked out from her door. She didn't even stare when Lance and his glowing, giant girlfriend headed up towards the roof. The whole absorbing and becoming all realities now meant that Allura often manifested as some powerful giant space woman who could destroy all reality with her pinkie finger, but never would because she was just and gentle and all around awesome.
"Seeya later, we're off to space!"
"Enjoy yourself, Lance," she said.
"Oh, I will!"
Because he always enjoyed when he was with Allura. Even the boring stuff, like filing taxes and buying glue for the cup he broke when he got so happy that he was dating princess Allura that he did impromptu jazz hands after a cup of coffee.
Except this was absolutely not boring in the least.
"Are you ready, Lance?"
"Totally, completely, even--"
Before he could say another word, her shining aura of power surrounded them both. A ring of light surrounded him, protected him. Even though it shimmered faintly, it was as strong as any ship. She lifted her arms and shot through the skies like a rocket. And all the while, he held her hand tight. Earth disappeared in seconds, the blue and greens of his beloved planet soon a mere blip in the seas of stars. Lance let out one last Wooohoohoo! as they traveled through the universe far faster than the speed of light.
It seemed only maybe a minute, or a minute and a half as they came to the massive, pitted asteroid belt. She landed gracefully, and finally, reluctantly, he let go of her hand.
"Here will do."
Her voice echoed through space and time. Her eyes glowed as brightly as a distant sun.
She laid the giant (and still growing!) succulent and placed it in a crater of the asteroid. Immediately, the green leaves began to unfurl. There were so many more space succulents here. With the way their big leaves waved, he had to think maybe they were waving their friend home.
"Wow, you really have this plant care thing down," Lance said.
She smiled serenely. "That's sweet, Lance. But those plants would've died in an earth atmosphere. Though watering them so many times a day certainly didn't help."
Lance smiled sheepishly. "I kept thinking they'd be thirsty! I get thirsty all the time--especially when you're around."
She laughed at his (admittedly horrible) joke. The plant wasn't mushy anymore. In fact, he saw now it had tons of friends all over this asteroid. Their leaves spread out near Allura, basking in her glow. He took her hand, and felt a little shiver of glee in that moment. He wanted to do a fist pump, and maybe high-five himself just because he got to be here by Allura's side, to be the one she loved more than anything.
"Let's go back."
Except when she slid her foot across the asteroid, he felt a rush, a shock like the first time he'd kissed her run through him.
"Whoa, Static shock!"
She smiled, catlike and he knew it was no accident.
"You did it on purpose," he said.
"Maybe," she said.
She leaned in to kiss the outside of his space helmet. She left a shimmering kiss print just inches away from his mouth. So close, yet so far. She smiled, mischieveously.
"Let's go back. We could go to a human plant place on the way back back home," Allura said.
"All right! This time I'll find the perfect flowers. One that doesn't actually belong in space," Lance said.
And this was how his life was. Just a quick jaunt out into space with his space goddess girlfriend. No biggie, like the equivalent of going to the corner store for a slushie back on earth.
*
Lance glanced around. The space plants floated above on hover pallets, while the earthian plants were stuck on the ground. (That didn't even sound like the correct word, but somehow it was.) He tapped his toes on the concrete floors as he looked through all the choices.
The staff workers could only stare at Allura, and hey, he didn't blame them. Everybody just wanted to see a giant woman, after all. The fact that she glowed like an all day rave just made her more eye-catching.
"How darling!" Allura exclaimed. She lifted up a little fluffy looking plant.
"Looks cool, what is it?" Lance said. He looked adoringly at Allura.
"It says they're air plants. They live entirely in the air."
"So like, they float?" Lance said.
"No, that's the space air plants. These Earth ones live up at the top of trees. Just look at the lovely way people display them. These are displayed in a hanging glass orb."
She lifted it up with the force of her power and the little flower shone and floated above them. The leaves immediately began to look--happier, for lack of a better word.
"They're also noted to be very easy to care for," Allura said pointedly.
Lance chuckled awkwardly, and put his hands in jeans pockets. "I'm thinking I should leave the plant stuff to you. Apparently I have a black thumb," Lance said.
"You'll learn," she said, with such conviction that it filled his heart with glee, like he'd petted a thousand soft fluffy ginger kittens.
"Of course, we could buy some of the Space ones, but they wouldn't be inside our apartment. They might thrive in Blue, however."
"Then the lions wouldn't be so lonely!"
They even got a Yeah, We Sure Saved The World discount when they checked out. Being a hero had its perks. And not just because he had the coolest space girlfriend ever.
*
When he got home, one of the air plants had already begun to bloom due to its proximity with Allura.
Lance gave it a sly grin, and a wink. "Me too," he said under his breath.
Author's Note:
I think I'll continue on this universe and call it God Is A Woman, And Lance Is Dating Her.
