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Slamming his head into the desk proved to be a fruitless endeavour, agony twisting along Lance’s skull before beginning to fade away. Even after several weeks of recovery, himself and the other Paladins were still healing. All of the laying about had taken its toll on him, but Lance’s mother made sure he wasn’t always confined to his bed, inviting him to bake with her like he used to do, even when he was a teenager he would join her.
Each Paladin was still caught in varying levels of distress after Earths liberation, so Lance had set about conducting the task of lifting everyones spirits. How? With cookies of course.
After a week of baking beside his mother, every Paladin had received their own batch. All except for Pidge. Lance was fumbling to remember her favourite, chasing a fleeting memory that just barely skimmed over his reaching hands.
Quiznak, what was her favourite flavour?
Perhaps this situation wouldn’t be as stressful if Lance wasn’t completely certain that Pidge had told him at some point. But she had and now he couldn’t remember.
~~~
Hunks had been easy at the very least. Ever since the pair of them had been little, Hunk had gushed ceaselessly about salted caramel everything , once even claiming it would make a spectacular toothpaste, though his mother had sharply declined the notion. So, when Lance had sheepishly shuffled into Hunks room, orange basket in hand, he had nearly been choked in a vice-like hug whilst Shay watched from the bed, giggling softly. They all perched themselves on the small bed afterwards, sharing the batch of cookies happily.
“These are wonderful!” Shay had stars in her eyes from the first bite, though Hunk would argue that she always had the constellations contained there, “though I must admit that I am not used to something quite so… what’s the word?”
“Sweet?” Lance prompted gently.
“Yes, that’s it. Sweet. I like it though.”
Hunk was busy stuffing his cheeks like a hamster, his usual dignity when eating leaving him for a short while, devouring each new cookie as if it were his last for another year. “Thank - mff - you!” Crumbs sprayed over the sheets, forcing Lance and Shay to make a hasty escape from the bed.
“Gross!” Lance softly punched Hunk on the shoulder, but he was laughing too. It was good to be home.
~~~
Keith had been tricky. During their feuds, eternally neck and neck, they had never settled down and talked about the mundane, such as foods or sweets. Lance’s mother eventually came to suggest varying degrees of chocolate cookies, pointing out with a grin, ‘after all, who could ever dislike chocolate?’ and Lance had nearly cried, having missed his mothers logic when it came to the art of baking. She had nearly cried too when Lance threw his arms around her in a tight hug, as if he was afraid she would slip away.
Whilst they had been baking, Lance had watched his niece and nephew decorate a basket with knives made from scraps of cloth, tongues sticking out between their teeth.
“Thanks,” was all Keith really had to say, though he held the basket rather tenderly before placing it on his bed.
Lance rubbed the back of his neck in small circles, “I figured the team could use a treat after… after everything.” Following this a grim smile etched its way onto the both of their faces, casting a shadow over the room.
Krolia and Kolivan walked in then, posture rigid, two soldiers always expecting war. Though Krolia’s eyes lit up when she caught sight of the cookies and some of the tension in the room slipped away, Keith offering one to her with the smallest upturn of his mouth. “I haven’t had Earths delicacies in over twenty deca-phoebs,” gingerly she took a bite, “your father made me treats such as this often, especially when I was expecting you.”
A fog of grief lay heavy in the air after that and Lance quickly excused himself, not wanting to intrude on an emotional moment within the family. Kolivan’s hand on Krolia’s back had seemed too intimate for him to stay and see.
~~~
Another problem arose with Allura and Coran. Did they even have cookies on Altea? After several hours of deliberation, Lance and his mother came to the collective decision to bake cookies with pieces of marshmallow. The softness and cotton white reminded Lance of Allura's hair, though that didn't stick to your fingers in small clumps when stroked. Not that Lance had stroked marshmallow.
At first the two of them had been fearful, worried what more of Kaltenecker they would be ingesting. However, Lance spent a long while assuring them both of the lack of cow in this Earthen recipe. What eventually convinced them was the plea in their fellow Paladins cosmic blue eyes and just how evident the amount of love he had baked into these cookies was.
Smiling, Lance handed them their baskets. Allura's was a soft pink whilst Coran had one that was as orange as the moustache he pinched between his fingers.
“Lance!” Delight radiated from Allura, “these are truly divine.”
“Yes,” Coran went to cross his arms, though found that to be a challenge with the basket in his hand, “these are far better than Kalteneckers… milkshakes.” Sometimes Lance still wondered about what the two Alteans thought they had drunk, but he always abandoned that line of thinking quickly.
Running her finger over the baskets rim, Allura said, “thank you, these are a wonderful gift. Really they are,” Lance smiled sheepishly and nodded. “We shall enjoy them thoroughly and Romelle will surely enjoy them too.”
~~~
From what Lance had learned of Voltrons former leader, Shiro didn't have an especially sweet tooth. Coupled with that fact and Shiro's current state, healing more mentally than physically, Lance had opted for some plain vanilla cookies. It was nothing exceptionally fancy by any means and the basket showed this further, only being decorated with a simple black and white bow at the handle.
Not much was said between them, but Shiro did manage a small, strained smile and one armed hug. Whilst Lance did seriously worry for him, Matt and his fathers constant reassurance that they were looking out for Shiro did temper down his anxiety a little.
~~~
Now all he had left to do was remember Pidge's favourite, which was growing increasingly difficult as Lance’s frustration mounted.
“Idiot,” he groaned into his palms, tears or irritation budding at the corners of his eyes. No doubt Pidge already knew about everyones gifts, what if she thought Lance didn't care for her? The mere idea of such a thing made his heart twist violently. “Come on!” Lance pushed his palms insistently against his eyes, “you should know this !”
“Lance?”
Shit, it was Allura.
A burning flush crawled up his neck as he peeked back at Allura with an embarrassed and toothy grin. “Uh… yes?”
Concern radiated from the Princess, her brow furrowed as she looked over Lance, hand resting against the frame of the door. She was caught between entering fully and waiting for Lance's invitation for her to enter. “I heard yelling and it was worrying me. Is everything alright? You seem stressed.”
“Well, I…” stars he didn't know how to say this without looking like a child. Gnawing his lip until it went a raw and angry red was also not doing anything to help matters. “I don't remember Pidge's favourite type of cookie.” Lance forced through a veil of reluctance that felt thick and nearly impossible to push himself through.
“Oh,” hand held over mouth, Allura was attempting not to chuckle, “Lance is that all? You could have asked someone.”
Pulling his knees up to his chest and beginning to regret having said anything, Lance mumbled, “it felt stupid and I know that Pidge told me. I didn't want to seem like I had been ignoring her or what she has been telling me about herself.” Despite all they had endured in space over the past year, this felt like the hurdle that would snap Lance in half and already he was straining to hold back tears. “I'm sorry - I -”
Realization had already struck Allura that what she had said was not what Lance needed. Now was no time for teasing and she was already in front of him, pushing his hair back and kneeling in front of his chair. “Many events have happened in a short period of time and we are all still muddled and confused within our own minds.”
Lance hiccuped, meeting her star speckled eyes, “but I could remember Hunks favourite a - and that Shiro -”
“Lance.”
“Y - yeah?”
Allura let out a breath through her nose, “it is okay I promise , please do not allow your mind and emotions to run amiss over something as pointless as cookies.”
“I'm sorry.”
“You do not need to apologise either, okay?”
Nothing about this felt okay, but Lance nodded, unwilling to cause Allura anymore grief on his behalf, smiling and hoping it was convincing. From the way her face softened, it seemed Lance's wish was granted. “Do you know what her favourite type of cookie is?”
Tapping her nose and grinning, Allura said, “I do know, now lets go and make Pidge some star worthy cookies.”
~~~
When he had rediscovered Pidge's deep seated love for peanut butter cookies, Lance had nearly smacked himself - “I should have known that!” - but his mother and Allura had been there to temper down the agitation that left smoke rolling in his stomach. To distract him, his mother coaxed him into the kitchen, promising that they would make ‘young Katie’ the best cookies she had ever tasted. Meanwhile Allura stood to the side, hands folded and eyes keen.
Eager to finish them, Lance had rushed preparing them and earned himself a thin layer of flour over a majority of his front. It almost seemed as if he had put on foundation that was too pale - which had happened once, when he was twelve. As the treats baked, the two Paladins crouched in front of the oven, sharing leftover cookie dough. Whilst Allura licked daintily at a spoon, Lance shovelled the mix onto two fingers and missed his mouth half of the time.
Watching them, his mother was reminded pleasantly of Lance when he was a child, crouched in front of the oven alongside his sisters. She was happy to see that even in space, Lance had found a family.
Ding
There was no time to stop Lance as he pulled the piping hot tray from the oven and dashed out of the kitchen, curses falling from his mouth as his fingers were burned through his baby blue oven mitts. Finding small Pigeon was a simple task, she usually stayed in her room, laptop on her knees and dog curled at her feet. Or on them. Today was no different and Lance nearly tripped onto the bed when he skidded into the room.
“Hey!” He squeaks, stifling the urge to smash the burning tray into his face in order to hide his embarrassment.
“Um…” Pidge's eyes are wide, similar to that of a startled rabbit, “hey.” Bae Bae continues to sleep soundly.
They both just stare for a short moment, lost for words, until Lance thrusts the tray towards Pidge and nearly hits her in the face. Rearing back he sputters an apology, face aflame. Pidge glares at first, but she can't resist laughing and gives into it.
“I made you cookies!”
“Really?” She peers over the rim of her glasses, the beginnings of a smug grin showing, “I thought they were discs of cardboard.”
Lance huffs, “do not insult my mastery of baking! Or my mothers either.”
Pidge begins to move her hands in surrender, but that nearly sends the laptop on her knees toppling. Whilst lurching to catch it, she ends up accidentally kicking Bae Bae in the chest with her heel. There's a sharp inhale of breath from both Paladins whilst the dog stares at them, utter betrayal reflected within its sleepy eyes.
“I'm sorry -” but Bae Bae is already lumbering from the bed, seeking someone elses legs to crush.
Lance scoots onto the space the canine had previously been occupying, unable to hold Pidge's hand in support due to the tray currently in his grasp, which was still hurting. Damn this tray . Though her expression shifts to intrigued, turning her nose to the air before smiling hopefully.
“Peanut butter.”
“Oh yes ,” Pidge coos at the tray, “come to - ow! ”
“They're hot - hang on.”
Whilst she sucks on the end of her fingers, attempting to ease the sudden pain, Pidge says, “oddly enough, I noticed.”
Humming, Lance rests the tray by the window, opening it and then wiggling back onto the bed, head finding itself in Pidge's lap. Out in the depths of space they had infrequently sat together like this, though it was Pidge who had her head in Lance's lap then. The reversal of roles left her with a light dusting of red, absently twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
“You have cookie dough on your face.”
Grinning, Lance runs a finger over his cheek, gathering stray mix and licking it from his pointer.
“That's gross.”
“I thought it was quite nice actually.”
“I -” Pidge laughs, pressing a palm to her forehead, “you know that's not what I meant.”
Lance nods, gazing up at Pidge whilst she stares distractedly out of the window, mouth turned into the softest smile he has ever seen on her. Stray beams of light cast themselves over her skin, lighting up her fawn hair and gleaming within Pidge's copper eyes, which seem lost in a daydream. In a sudden wave of thought and admiration Lance is struck by just how pretty Pidge is, especially in this light. Quickly he sits up, flustered by the thought, though his head nearly smacks into Pidge's, who cries out in alarm.
“Kindly stop nearly smacking me with trays and your own face,” She mutters, shoving Lance almost playfully, “it really takes away from how smooth you like to portray yourself as.”
Shrugging, Lance pushes himself from the bed and checks on the now cool cookies. “Say what you like, but some girl is bound to fall for me now that I am a hero to the planet,” though the joke feels like poison on his tongue. With his back turned, he misses Pidge's hurt, covered with a pitiful smile, though she never sees Lance's own pained grin.
“Yeah. Maybe Allura will finally return your flirting.”
“Maybe.” Though the idea does not make Lance happy. Then he twirls, pushing those thoughts away and presenting the tray to Pidge, “you may now have a cookie!”
Quickly Lance kneels at her bedside, smiling and holding the tray up towards Pidge, which makes her laugh in turn whilst she plucks up a cookie. “thank you waiter,” beyond that she does not have another witty comment, opting for shoving the whole cookie in her mouth.
“Do you like it?” With a mouth too full of food to answer, Pidge puts both thumbs up and Lance's heart flutters happily in chest, as light as a butterflies wing.
All is silent whilst Pidge eats cookie after cookie, nearly crying as she is reunited with one of her lost loves. How could they not have such a delicacy in space? Utter quiznaking blasphemy. “Maybe if more men were like cookies,” she looked pointedly at Lance, eyes shifting with amusement, “then us girls would be more inclined to date them.”
Whilst he fells offended at the notion, hopefully Pidge was only joking. Then again, knowing Pidge, she probably would rather date a cookie than a man. “Hey Pidge, which is better? My face, or cookies?”
“I… I don't actually know what to say to that.”
“Hm,” pouting, Lance looks up at her from his point on the floor, “that’s disappointing. I was hoping to have more content to tease you about.” He didn't even consider the option that Pidge couldn't pick which she did prefer.
In retaliation, Pidge shoves a pillow at Lance, a poor decision really as her tray of treats goes tumbling to the floor.
The following hour was spent comforting Pidge as she crouched over her lost loves, praying for their safe passage to the Oven in the Sky.
~~~
Later Pidge found herself spilling everything that had happened to Hunk, visage alight and burning deeply, pillow clutched to her stuttering chest. Patting her back, Hunk nodded slowly, though in truth he was just glad that Pidge and Lance were finally getting somewhere.
“So… which do you prefer? Cookies, or Lance's face?”
Pidge’s grip on the pillow tightened, burying herself in it as best as she could. “Lance's stupid quiznaking face.”