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Determined to break free, Allura exerted the entirety of her Altean strength onto the mountain of rocks and-
Not a single rock budged.
Quiznack!
It was no use.
The blockade stubbornly refused to move, leaving her with nothing but scraped palms, sore joints and a bruised ego. She took a moment to recover, embracing the jagged rock as support instead of the enemy it was to her freedom. Its sandpaper texture tore at her skin as well as her will, leaving her beyond frustrated. Moreover, with every breath she took sitting there, a dry earthiness coated the inside of her mouth that she had to resist spitting out, not wanting to seem crass to Hunk.
To make out the whereabouts of the only other person stuck in the cavern with her, Allura had to squint through the darkness, her eyes not yet adjusted to the low level of light. But from the sound of rocks clashing and colliding, it was apparent he hadn't succeeded in breaking through either.
Throughout their combined efforts, it seemed that only the smallest of pebbles had dislodged, making a delicate series of clicks as they bounced their way down to the ground. Their departure from the cave wall left behind small gaps of space that were quickly pierced through by light. The thin rays shot into the cave, plucking out Hunk's features from the darkness and gradually painting him back into view.
Eyebrows intensely furrowed, dark pupils contracted in focus and a jaw appearing tight with tension pulled the rest of him into a stern look not typically worn by the Yellow paladin.
Allura watched him as she clutched at the protruding rubble, her frozen fingers twitching from exhaustion. Deciding that her efforts were futile, she began to peel her hands away, rubbing them together to ward off the cold air persistently flowing in through the cracks. It did not help one bit.
Shifting backwards, she stopped just short of the back wall, not wanting it to sap her of her remaining heat. She again turned her head in the direction of the Yellow paladin, catching his silhouette still by the blocked entrance.
"I'm sure the others are working to free us Hunk," she began, her voice a little raspy. She cleared her throat before continuing, "Maybe it would be best for us to conserve our energy and wait for them."
The construction sounds slowly came to a stop as Hunk made a soft hum of agreement, "Yeah… there's no way this is moving," he sighed, defeated as he moved back, slumping down beside her.
Allura could feel his fatigue as well as she could feel her own and offered him a smile of comfort despite the poor visibility between them, "They're bound to arrive soon," she encouraged.
The smile faltered as a chill suddenly shuddered up her spine, "hopefully before the cold reaches us."
Hunk gave a quiet 'ha' propping up his left leg to rest his arm against it, "With the workout I just got, that probably won't happen for a while," he told her, pressing a hand against his other leg, that was injured from the fall they'd both suffered in the process of getting trapped here.
Allura narrowed her eyes in concern and followed a faint beam of light down to his injured limb to get a clearer view. It was hard to tell the severity with the dusty yellow paladin armour covering it, "How badly does your leg hurt?" She asked, reaching out her hand to check his condition while wondering if she could use her magic to possibly heal him-
"Your hand's freaking ice, Allura!" Hunk cried out in surprise, clasping her hand with his, completely enveloping it. The sudden warmth was such a comfort to her body's declining temperature that she lost track of her thoughts.
"Whereas here you are, as warm as a sun," She murmured in awe, shuffling closer as if Hunk was a burning campfire on a frozen moon. It certainly felt like it. She knitted her brow, "It's probably due to my Altean biology, we don't tend to fare so well in colder climates" she added another hand as if in prayer, the prayer being for her body to stop feeling as though it were going through cryogenic storage. Again.
Hunk clumsily cupped her hands together like he was trying to form a snowball, squishing the life back into them. Allura rejoiced at the feeling finally returning to her fingers and fluttered them against his, "I'm glad I can borrow some warmth from you, Hunk" she smiled appreciatively at him before looking at the blockade again. It didn't seem like their pushing had achieved much.
Now there was the additional worry of her passing out on him when he already had an injury, "I'll need to conserve my energy from now on so my body doesn't decline in temperature too fast," she observed. Staying awake would improve their chances of survival until the others got here. If the others got here…
"No problem, Princess, Hunk the Heat Pack's got you," Hunk declared with a reassuring smile, neatly lifting his right elbow up and over her without once letting the cold break through their hand seal.
She blinked at the sudden intimacy but at the rise in temperature, rather quickly nestled comfortably against him, instantly defrosting as his arm and chest blanketed her, "Thank you, Hunk" she breathed, her icy skeleton melting from the contact.
With the hold around her, she found herself vaguely relieved that it wasn't Lance trapped in the cave with her as the crush the mice said he had on her would have made it beyond awkward. She was no stranger to hugs from Hunk though and so their current pose was a familiar comfort, if a bit closer than normal.
"You got it, Allura," Hunk told her after making a few concerned comments on how cold she felt to hold, "But, don't worry, the others will get here soon- probably" he claimed, his eyes scanning their surroundings a little warily, "I mean I hope so- it's starting to get a little scary down here- in the dark" he gave a little gulp.
His nervousness caused a small smile to climb onto her face, "You manage to say that about every mission Hunk and doesn't it usually turn out fine in the end?" She inquired in a way as to reassure him. It was almost endearing how skittish he could become in certain moments. She felt his chest deflate with a big sigh.
"Yeah, you're right" he agreed, calming down, the apprehensiveness fading from his face. Allura could feel his breaths steady as he began to speak. Which he did softly, almost to himself, "It's just the dark… you know I used to get so scared of it when I was a little kid, so much that I couldn't even sleep" he confessed, tone growing increasingly nostalgic, "Then, my moms, they got these glow stars one day… stuck every single one up on the ceiling and there were like hundreds- anyways, it looked like a real night sky right over my bed.”
Allura couldn't help but smile at the fondness in his voice for his family. It was heartwarming to hear how much he obviously loved and thought about them, "Were you able to fall asleep after that?" She asked, wishing to hear the rest of his memory as her head tilted to rest on his collarbone. She could feel the deep vibrations of his voice as he continued and found them to be calming.
"Yeah… pretty much straight away," the vibrations became a slight sombre.
Discreetly glancing up at him, Allura saw that faraway look in his eyes, similar to how she would catch Coran looking whenever there was mention of Altea. Hunk must have been feeling quite homesick as of late. It was hard to notice when he was usually so chipper and talkative.
Feeling the drop in mood, she wanted so badly to tell him that the war would end soon and that he would get to see his family again. But reality wouldn't allow her to vocalise that kind of wishful thinking.
"That sounds wonderful, Hunk," she told him instead and was pleasantly surprised to see some of the light slip back into his eyes.
"Yep" he smiled wide at her, his features softening, "kinda crazy that I'm literally sleeping under the stars now," he added, tilting his head upwards a fraction as if he could see past the cave wall to the star-sprinkled atmosphere above, "Can't say I don't miss my little plastic ones, though."
Immediately Allura thought that such a thing shouldn't be so difficult to obtain, "perhaps we could purchase some at our next intergalactic swap shop?" she suggested hopefully, privately rejoicing when she saw a quirked eyebrow of amusement displace the sadness on his face.
"You really think anybody out here is selling them?"
At his question, her mind wandered back to a time where she went on excursions with her father and Coran to various marketplaces and swap meets, "You would be surprised at what some manage to scavenge from space to sell in the markets" she disclosed, fully capturing his imagination as she delved into hers, "For example, I remember this one outing with my father… "
She told him about the trip to the planet Druilavac where her father had to attend a diplomacy banquet, leaving her and Coran to explore the castle's surroundings, eventually stumbling upon a less than legal market of wonders where Coran almost swapped away 10 deca-phoebs of his lifespan for two packs of Kaltenecker feed.
Hunk laughed when she told him that, a truly animated sound that bounced off the walls, waking the cave from its chilly slumber. His joy was highly contagious and she laughed with him, almost unable to get the rest of the story out.
When she finally got herself together, cheeks sore from smiling so much, she tried to recall more things to tell him. She spoke about her family's visit to the planet Ion and how the Ionibims had welcomed them with her favourite Altean dish, Olkrane Preon, after their long journey despite Ion being situated more than several galaxies away.
She kept talking while Hunk kept listening, interjecting every once in a while about his family life in Samoa. It sounded wonderful, especially when he spoke about his friends back home and how they would sneak out to have fun. He was surprised to know Allura had done the very same with her friends. Despite being so different, it was nice to know they shared that common ground. It was often that she snuck out with her friends to neighbouring planets when their royal majesties were distracted-
Like when they went to the planet Vianov, where the gravity in one part fluctuated so severely that they were able to leap off the highest point at full speed and then fall safely to the ground without needing a spacesuit. Nothing felt quite as exhilarating as soaring through the air, grazing the tops of trees and falling through clouds before gently tumbling into the ground below.
"Whoa, forget the swap shop, we gotta go there!" Hunk enthusiastically exclaimed, his face lighting up at her description, "I mean- I'm usually not a fan of heights but that sounds really cool- like the Space Zero simulator at the garrison."
He looked excited. Allura's heart thudded with sadness at the knowledge that Vianov was little more than a piece of floating rock now. She looked away, her smile still intact if a little smaller, "Yes, we should, that would be lovely" she answered, happy to pretend it was still out there. To pretend people were at the cliffside right now, flying and laughing and enjoying themselves. If she closed her eyes and focused, she could almost hear them doing exactly that. Focusing just a little harder, she could hear her dear childhood friends there too…
If Hunk noticed how the flow of stories slowed to a stop after that, he didn't say anything and Allura was able to just sink into his hold and reminisce. There was little else to do in their current predicament. Her and Hunk had to just wait it out which, considering how comfortable she felt, wasn't the worst thing in the world. Infact, it was rather nice.
Being held like this was… rather nice. Soft hands holding hers, warm arms wrapped around her, another body close enough to hers that she could feel a heartbeat besides her own. She couldn't remember the last time she had been held like this.
It was so strange. Back then, on Altea, she was known as the affectionate one. Always the first to hug, to pull someone close out of happiness, to squeeze their shoulder if they were worried or anxious, to hold them when they were in need of comfort. And now… She didn't quite react like that anymore. That part of her seemed to have… disconnected.
Looking down through dust particles dancing in the low light, Allura wondered at her hands in Hunk's hands. Uncurling her fingers, she turned her palm and carefully laid it out just above his, so close to touching and yet not.
Hunk made up the distance and she almost flinched, "Don't worry, they'll be here any moment" he murmured, folding her hands back into his in a very tender yet procedural manner as if he was a doctor who had specialised in the niche field of hand holding.
At his action, warmth once again flooded Allura's nerves and managed to bring her mind back to the present. Dipping her eyes below, she wondered if she was well enough to perform alchemy, "Is your leg still hurting, Hunk? I might be able to heal it" she suggested, trying to summon her abilities.
His brow immediately knitted together, "uh it's kinda sore but I don't know if that's a good idea," he confessed, concerned, "Wouldn't that drain a lot of energy from you?"
The Yellow paladin had a good point. She would need to conserve her strength in case they were stuck here for longer than predicted. Nodding, she tried to think of a plan E as plans A to D were not possible with their current resources or rather the lack thereof-
Hunk jolted her suddenly, "Did you hear that?" He asked in a hushed voice, his wide eyes darting around the darkness above.
Once Allura shook off the minor surprise, she heard the scattering of rocks he was likely referring to, "Nothing more than an echo from a distant part of the cave, much too far to affect us so don't be scared," she assured him, glad to feel his heartbeat return once again to its natural rhythm.
Mostly recovered from the self-inflicted jumpscare, Hunk slumped back against the wall, "Well, that's a lot easier to do since you're here" he sighed, sending a pointed glance up above as if mentally willing the rocks to stop frightening him.
Allura didn't quite know what he meant by that statement.
"Oh?" He looked surprised that she didn't, "I just mean that… you're the strongest person I know- so I can be brave with you being here," he stated so casually as if it was something that went without saying, as if it was obvious.
Hearing the sincerity in his tone, Allura was a little stunned for a moment, "Is that how you see me?" tumbled from her lips as her chest swelled with pride. A rare occurrence ever since she had taken over her father's position, always a little worried deep down that she wouldn't be enough.
"That's how everyone sees you," Hunk doubled down, not a moment of hesitation or false flattery in his voice, "You're Princess Allura."
She smiled softly, giving his hands a light squeeze, "I must say that I am not at all surprised that you are the one to hold the title of Yellow paladin, Hunk," she sincerely disclosed, not able to imagine anybody else as Gyrgan's successor. A belief she had no doubt that her father would share were he still here…
Hunk moved his attention away from the rocks, blinking down at Allura, "Really?"
The Altean princess straightened slightly, wanting to be more formal and serious when speaking about Voltron and its significance, "of course" she confirmed, her stance inevitably softening when she met his gaze. Hunk tended to have that effect on others.
"The Yellow Paladin has always been recognized as the heart of Voltron," she stated, focusing on him through the darkness.
Seeing his smile, Allura couldn't help but adopt one herself, "and that's exactly who you are, Hunk, your friends and your family have a great deal to be proud of."
Briefly, the princess wondered if her family and old friends would feel the same for her. She had faith in herself but she couldn't deny a certain yearning to see them again and… ask. Pushing those wants aside, she focused on the present and on the hope within it, "And no matter what has been… lost, I am certain that you, Shiro, Pidge, Lance and Keith will restore peace to the universe," she finished, pledging her faith to their mission.
There was a moment of silence as the yellow paladin processed her words. Then his eyes locked onto hers with an emotion she couldn't decipher.
Then, it may have been her imagination but, his smile seemed to sadden, "Thanks, Allura." He loosened his hold a little, shifting to look at her directly, "You too, you know…"
The tone was equal parts admiring and sympathetic with his words hesitantly selected, "Having to lose your entire… to go through what you went through and then still be so amazing and inspiring and giving the way that you are…" the hard edges of his serious expression relaxed as he looked at her, "like with the Balmera and with every other mission we've had, I…"
They were still holding hands and Allura could feel his steady pulse as he spoke to her, his voice holding firm in his speech.
"I really believe that you carry your people with you when you help the universe like that and because of that, because of you, Princess Allura…"
Despite the dusty dimness of the cavern, Allura felt that she could take a full breath for the first time since… since she lost-
"Altea can never really be lost."
The litany of sounds echoing through the cavernous passages came together in a soothing hum. It was as though the yellow paladin had reached into her heart and strummed a static string stretched taut with grief, releasing the single note still trapped within it, "I…" she exhaled shakily, "I had no idea how much I wanted to hear that…"
She returned his smile, "Thank you, Hunk."
"Anytime.”
It was almost unbelievable how easy it was to talk to him. For once, Allura felt no need to shield her displays of vulnerability in order to appear strong. She felt like it was safe to not know all the answers, to falter, to be herself.
“You are really easy to talk to Hunk…sometimes with the others, even Coran at times, I don't know how to… articulate myself,” she simply told him, realising that with him, she did not have to overthink before speaking.
At the understanding look on his face, Allura relaxed, truly feeling she was in the company of a friend, even her speech turning informal as they kept talking. Their topics ranged from funny anecdotes to music taste to food to, even Altea. She could hardly talk about it before and yet now… “It's funny, I usually end up talking to the mice about most of this… stuff.”
Hunk's eyes widened, “They can talk!?”
Allura shook her head, “oh no, I guess I…” she shifted, an awkward laugh leaving her, “mostly talk at them.” if that made her odd in some way, Hunk didn't show it, “They're pretty good listeners.” She finished quietly.
“Wow, really?” he relaxed a little more into the wall, likely thinking about all the things that could have been picked up by the mice-vine.
“Well,” He sent her a smile, “If you want, you can always come talk to me instead of the mice,” he offered, “or at me, if that's better.”
With her hands still covered by his, Allura leaned against his shoulder in place of an appreciative pat on the arm. She looked up, her eyes crinkling into a smile, “I might just go and do that…”
Matching her smile, Hunk went to say something when a rumbling above them shook the cave.
Immediately, they went into action, their hands detaching and moving overhead to act as a shield. It was impossible to tell where the falling rocks would land, the ceiling just a dark void and so Allura's heart hammered in fear, her eyes darting for a possible escape. There was no escape. They had nothing aside from their paladin armour to protect them against the crushing cascade of…
Pebbles?
Around five, maybe six, miniscule rocks came down. They delicately bounced off their armour, clicking against the ground. They rolled a bit. Then came to a stop.
Allura and Hunk looked at the assaulting pebbles and then each other.
He relaxed in relief, “Thank quiznack, we're still alive.”
She couldn't help but giggle at their shared overreaction, relief washing over her. Still so close to him, she could feel his heart beating almost as fast as hers. Then she noticed how their hands were still overhead, his over her with hers over him. Both had attempted to protect the other from the deadly pebbles. It left their arms twisted up in a silly way and her heart warmed at the sight.
Moving her arms down, her hands came to rest on his shoulders while he did the same, one hand shifting to the side of her arm as their laughter trailed off. They were left just looking at each other, their soft breathing the only sound to fill the cavern.
Allura parted her lips to say something but as the dim light settled on him, painting his kind expression into view, she said nothing. They were holding each other tighter than before. The scent of honey and woodsmoke was more present and she breathed it in. Hunk Garrett. The Yellow Paladin. He really did feel like a warm, gentle campfire.
He looked at her and there was just something so inviting about the way the soft light hit those deep brown eyes. So inviting that their faces moved closer and closer and before she knew it, their lips pressed, locking together.
Warm, soft, comforting… The kiss was everything that Hunk was as a person and Allura melted away into it. They shifted closer, their heartbeats matched and she felt happy.
Then they parted, only briefly, but long enough for surprise to enter the space between them, leaving them both a little shocked. She couldn't tell what he was thinking but she didn't have to to. After a beat, they both leaned in again.
Suddenly, the rocky rumbling from before, returned in full force. It came from the blocked entrance and those thin rays of light that had barely pierced through the wall grew to intense beams that blinded them. The boulders were falling away, cold air rushing in.
It was only upon hearing voices, that the two became aware of themselves enough to realise how close they were and they disentangled from each other as fast as possible.
Her face flushed, Allura tried to compose herself as the rest of Voltron started to appear through the light. Numb hands grasped at Hunk's arm as she helped him up, explaining to the others about his hurt leg.
In a flash, Pidge was by her side while Coran went to the Yellow Paladin, “It's straight to the pods for you, Number 2.”
They shared one fleeting look with each other and then Coran led Hunk away while Pidge stayed by her, commenting on how cold her skin felt.
“Cold?” Allura murmured, her lips still tingling.
From the moment she had stepped outside that cryogenic chamber, she had felt cold.
Until now...
Now, she was warm.