[closed]

[mousewhisperer]

Who: Allura (mousewhisperer), Lance (ceruleo)
When: Day 11, following Ahsoka's talk re: missing members
Where: The Ruined Hull // around
What: Lance goes seeking Allura


[ Allura might not be one of those five people missing, but she certainly hasn't been very present. Certainly she's not found at the campfire, but mostly because the Ruined Hull still holds her attention. After living so long in a space ship (...or sleeping in one), it's hard to entirely let them go.

But after poking about, and possibly getting lost in some of the more complicated rooms, she emerges. Mostly to collect the pearl-looking things from the Trilobite Queen's body, so she can figure out how to get that command room to work. ]

Comments

[mousewhisperer]

[ At least his theatricality hasn't been compromised by the desert planet they're on. Allura releases his hand, nodding. ]

As long as you do the same. Are we implementing any procedures to keep track of people, in case this happens again?

[ceruleo]

Uh, we shouln't go out alone, and tell someone where we're off to before we do.

[ Seems pretty straightforward to him, which is why he looks askance at Allura, as if saying and WHAT were you doing, just now? ]

1/3 maybe i'm so sorry

[mousewhisperer]

[ Allura carefully avoids Lance's eye and makes the slightest of faces as she struggles to think about that. What had she been doing? Nothing of importance, really. Simply - uh. ]

[mousewhisperer]

[ Really, she had been doing nothing of importance. Adjusting to the awful days and chillier nights? Struggling to find a steady pace of life here on this planet?

No, those are all too... well, closer to the truth, but hardly exciting. Or worth noting. ]

3/3

[mousewhisperer]

[ So instead, she offer this: ] I was waiting to see what you would you do in such a situation. We all need to be proactive, here and in the fight against the Galra once we leave. So it's important that each and every one of us is capable of thinking on their feet and adapting quickly.

[ It's... well, not exactly a lie, though not the entire truth. It had been drilled into her from a young age, the importance of adapting and thinking swiftly, reacting appropriately. While she might not have intended for this to be a lesson, there's never a wrong time for that to happen. ]

for real this time

[ceruleo]

[ Lance has to physically stop himself from rolling his eyes. ]

Talk about the worst test ever. Besides, I do plenty of quick thinking already, don't I?

[mousewhisperer]

More testing is always useful. [ Right? ]

[ceruleo]

Yeah, yeah.

[ Not for the first time since arriving here, it dawns on Lance how disparate they are, the vastness of the chasm that separates him and Allura. She seems so...at ease, about this, or if not at ease then certainly--better. Like this is just another obstacle for her to overcome, when to him, the more the days pass the larger the mountain looms before him.

Allura's always been an ideal to him, something to strive towards; seeing her now, dusty, hair in disarray, a bit excited but mostly a mess, makes her seem....well, human. He's in no hurry to try and woo her right after she scared him witless by disappearing.

He huffs a bit, the corners of his mouth turning up. ]

Your hair's a mess, you know. Did you at least find anything in there?

[ This is Lance, sounding almost...fond. ]

[mousewhisperer]

[ The universe has always been vast for Allura, and constantly expanding, even before the need for Voltron and the fight against the Galra Empire. And even as it expands, she knows her place in the universe. There's not a challenge she hasn't faced down eventually, from arguing about Voltron with her father to releasing Alfor's AI.

This planet is just another challenge to overcome, and Allura knows she'll succeed. Failure isn't an option, not when there are people out there relying on her and the paladins. (They might not know it, but they do need Voltron.) No denying that it will be tough, but the important things always are.

Her hands fly up to her hair when Lance says that, and she frowns. ] How bad is it? There's so much dust and sand here I can never keep it clean.

[ What she would give for a comb. ] I was exploring the rusted room, didn't turn up much. Have you been able to find anything useful?

[ceruleo]

[ He considers her for a moment, then manages a grin. ]

I'll show you, but in exchange you gotta let me braid your hair.

[mousewhisperer]

[ Allura eyes him dubiously for a moment, but finally relents with a nod. It's been a while since anyone has brushed her hair, or done anything like braid it, and he can't make it worse than it already looks.

She turns toward one of the ubiquitous rocks that make decent enough seats versus sitting on the dirt, settling on it. ]

I hope whatever you found is actually helpful.

[ceruleo]

[ HE GETS TO TOUCH ALLURA'S HAIR. SCORE. ]

What, don't you trust me?

[ He extends his hands, motioning to her communicator. ]

Gimme your wrist.

[mousewhisperer]

[ FEEL PROUD, LANCE. Few people get that opportunity. ]

I trust you to pilot the Blue Lion and be part of Voltron. [ Though that's mostly the Lion, but still. Piloting is one thing, braiding her hair is another.

She extends her wrist to him, resting it in his hands. ]

[ceruleo]

[ He really does.

Taking her wrist, he presses his own against it, activating the suit's interface. There's a flash of light, before Allura's suit projects a holographic map--of Kharas, the planet they're on. It sadly doesn't pinpoint their location, but it does have some vaguely-marked landmarks on it. It's not that useful yet, but it's better than wandering totally blind, right? ]

You're welcome!

[ Lance... ]

[mousewhisperer]

[ WELL. It is better than nothing, but Allura still stares at with something akin to disappointment for a moment.

Then she brightens. It's something, and it means they can go exploring further. Right? ]

There's a lot more of this map to fill in. I wonder if it will update as we move forward.

[ Because that's the direction they're going, right? Always forward. ] Good job on getting this. We'll figure this planet out yet.

[ceruleo]

[ At Allura's praise, Lance blooms like a parched flower, grin brighter than Kharas' sun at noon. ]

Right? Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. [ He gestures with one finger in a circle. ] Alright, now turn around. Let's see what we can do with this mess.

[mousewhisperer]

Where did you learn to braid hair anyway?

[ She turns in a circle, still a little dubious as she does. ] And why do you want to?

[ It's a really strange request. ]

[ceruleo]

Didn't I tell you I have sister? 'Cause I have sisters, and they would kill me if I let a beautiful lady like yourself wander around with that bird's nest you've got going on!

[ He wants to because it's familiar, because he's good at it, because he's sure Allura would look spectacular with a braid--but he doesn't say any of that, just sets straight to work, combing his fingers through the fluffy, cotton-like cloud. It doesn't quite have the texture of human hair, which he finds fascinating; it's almost spongy, for one thing, and contracts in his fingers like actual fluffy cotton fiber. ]

Your hair feels way different, it's pretty cool.

[mousewhisperer]

If we ever get out of here and you return to Earth, I'd like to meet them.

[ She's curious, and would like to know more about - well, all of the paladins. Strangely enough, being on this planet has shown her that.

The bird's nest comment makes her wrinkle her nose, because Allura's still vain enough to not want to walk around with her hair looking like a disaster. ]

It's just hair. How does your hair feel?

[ It's not something she's considered, how hair feels. It's always just been her hair. ]

[ceruleo]

[ Being on this planet has certainly helped him see the size of the gap between Allura and himself--in culture, in outlook, in experience. His sisters, he thinks, would like her. ]

I dunno, just...different? [ His grin turns salacious, though she can't see it. ] Wanna touch it?

[mousewhisperer]

[ LANCE.

It's probably a good thing she can't see his face. ]

No. [ Just randomly touching someone's hair is odd.

Though now she will try to find a way to touch someone's hair. ] I'll take your word for it.

[ceruleo]

[ He shrugs. ] Suit yourself.

[ Using only his fingers and a sliver of sharp bone, he combs through the mass, gently untangling it. He hums as he works, almost meditative. It brings him satisfaction to see Allura's hair go from brown-grey to white again. ]

So, do you want like, a French braid? Dutch? Plain?

[mousewhisperer]

[ His agreement was surprisingly easy, which helped Allura relax a little, her shoulders easing.

It's nice to have someone comb her hair for her, something that hasn't happened in ages. Coran, for all that he was basically her uncle, wasn't the type to fuss over her hair.

And obviously Lance's sisters trained him well, as he's gentle when dealing with the tangles. ]

Uh... [ She has no idea what anyone of those are, but they can't look bad, right? ] A French braid.

[ceruleo]

Got it.

[ Her hair is fluffy, and he almost has difficulty splitting it into threes. Gently, he starts on either side of her head, drawing back strands until he can wind them together. He has, if nothing else, deft fingers that make for quick work. ]

[mousewhisperer]

[ The fluff has always been able to fit under a helmet, at least. But even Allura struggles with pulling it sometimes, so that's another impressive talent to add to Lance's skill set. ]

Your sisters taught you well. Do you miss them?

[ She misses her father still, and so far it hasn't gotten easier. Especially not with Coran, Keith, and Shiro still missing. ]

[ceruleo]

[ His hands slow for a moment. ]

Well, yeah.

[ His shrug can be felt all the way down his arms. ]

But whatever. Not much to do about it now, right?

[mousewhisperer]

[ Allura's expression softens, even though he can't see it. ] One day, we'll get off this planet.

[ Not that it means he'll be able to go home right after that. But one day.

As he finishes the braid, she turns to grin at him. ] Your sisters taught you well.

[ceruleo]

[ He leans back to admire the finished product, mouth quirking a bit. ]

Hm. We don't have anything to tie this with...just one sec.

[ Tying a natural braid takes a bit of finesse, but he gently makes a hole in the braid and pulls the end through, tugging it into place securely. He's relying on friction to keep everything solid, but given the state of Allura's hair before he got to it, it should hold. ]

There you go! Fit for a princess. [ Thumbs up! ]

[mousewhisperer]

[ Human gestures are still weird, but the thumbs up she knows well enough, thanks to spending so much time with the paladins. So she just grins at that, reaching up to feel the braid in her hair. ]

Thanks, Lance. It's better than trying to deal with it down in these suits.