Work Text:
today i'm thinking about what if pre-established and recently affianced Lotor/Allura went on a trip to visit Coran who lives in some rural mountain town where he is the docent of an observatory some miles away
There's a dual purpose of the two going up to the observatory: sharing the news of their engagement with Coran, and getting their marriage certificate signed on the date of the return of Alfor's comet-- named for and by Allura's late father.
Lotor's own father has disowned him, but Lotor remembers Alfor and Melenor's kindness from when his parents had been friends and business partners of the Altea's. He greatly respects Alfor's work in science and philanthropy, and the daughter he's fallen in love with.
There is, however, a secret he is keeping from Allura until the papers are signed-- it's a discussion that should be postponed, lest it complicate their wedding plans.
Lotor has rented them a luxury cabin for the occasion, but when they arrive, it appears to have suffered a recent infestation of mice, and local pest control is booked out for weeks.
So close to the holidays, there are no other accommodations available, and even if they were, Lotor is not impressed. But a woman overhears Lotor's phone call with his secretary (Acxa), and introduces herself as Veronica McClain.
Turns out, her family is nearly complete with renovating a small cabin, used to be an in-law suite, on their Christmas Tree farm. It's functional, and her brother Lance has been staying there for a few weeks to wrap up some work in the interior.
She shares some pictures of the nearly finished master bed & bath, and Lotor is relieved to see modern amenities and passable decoration. He immediately wires Veronica the refunded money he just wrung out of his previous accommodations, and rushes to find Allura.
Allura, in the meantime, had gone into the small commercial district of town to find Coran a suitably kitschy moose-themed present, a reference to the time he won a moose-calling competition and ruined a camping trip all at once.
She's a bit worried about how he'll take the news, but she hasn't told Lotor as much. Coran's had his reservations about the Daibazaal family ever since Zarkon and Honerva had a disastrous falling-out with her own parents.
Allura isn't sure that Lotor's father disinheriting him would be particularly convincing either, although Allura's understanding of the circumstances don't paint Lotor as a villain at all. In fact, she admires Lotor for standing up to his father the way he did.
On top of that, Lotor's own company managed to weather the storm after losing his father's investors, and he's remained successful while maintaining the values that distanced him from his family.
Allura has always been attracted to Lotor's sense of justice, as well as his intelligence and inclination for the arts. Since they became romantically involved, she's also been drawn to his more vulnerable side, though he still has difficulty dropping his guard.
She knows he's been through a lot, and his upbringing didn't allow for him to indulge much weakness, but she has faith that, in time, with her to support him, he will continue to heal those old wounds. He has certainly helped heal some of hers.
Allura is startled a bit as she comes out of her reverie, to realize that someone has been asking her a question-- it sounds like more than once.
"I'm terribly sorry," she says, turning her attention to the stranger at her side, "were you speaking to me?"
The man almost looks as startled as she does for a moment as their eyes meet. Then his face settles into a smirk that Allura immediately decides she does not like.
"The name's Lance," he says, offering his hand, "and I was wondering what a pretty lady like you was doing in a town like this, with a moose like that." He looks pointedly at the ornament she's been holding, hand still outstretched.
'Typical,' Allura thinks, as she accepts the hand lightly and without enthusiasm for a quick shake. She has a mind to tell him that she was existing peacefully until he approached.
"I'm looking for a gift for my uncle," she says instead, shelving the ornament.
"And I'm looking to sweep a princess off her feet, if she'll let me," he replies with a wink. Allura barely resists rolling her eyes.
"I'm sorry but I'm--," she begins, when suddenly a familiar hand rests on her shoulder, and another lifts her own hand to Lotor's lips for a kiss
"Previously /engaged/," says Lotor, having lifted her ring into view of the man.
Lance lifts his hands in surrender, looking up a little at Lotor as he stands to his full height from the gesture. There's a look in his eye that Allura can't place as he examines her fiancé.
"I see you already have a knight in shining armor, sorry if I made you uncomfortable," Lance offers, seeming genuine, if a little awkward. "If the happy couple finds themselves looking for something to do in this podunk town, I recommend the Tree farm this time of year."
Lance pulls a card out of his pocket, and offers it to Lotor, who had already moved to intercept it. Lotor takes it and puts it in his own pocket without even a glance to the object, keeping his eyes on the interloper.
"Thank you," Allura says, "we'll keep that in mind." With that, Lotor gently pulls Allura along, arm still wrapped around her shoulder, as he tells her about their new accommodations for the holidays.
Lance watches as they leave, and picks up the abandoned moose of questionable quality, looking over it before shrugging and putting it back.
"Guess there's no accounting for taste."
------
continued rambling in chat about it:
it would have everything, flannel shirts with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, chopping firewood, taking care of animals, the three of them getting trapped in the cabin by an angry moose and experiencing unforeseen sexual tension between all parties
Lance's family getting nosy and inviting Allura, Lotor, and Coran to spend Christmas Day with them
Lance having a surprising amount of emotional maturity when the situation calls for it and ending up helping Lotor and Allura work out the main conflict re: Lotor's secret
Pidge and Hunk and Matt all working at the Observatory with Coran (which is how Lance knows Pidge, and Lance is how Hunk got the job in the first place)
Shiro and Keith visiting Matt and participating in the town's Holiday Games, which Lance always gets super competitive over (and mainly directed at Keith, who was the first person to beat Lance in every game during a previous year)
theres solo events but also events that require teams of two, and since Coran asks Allura to be on his team, and Hunk has to back out this year bc he took on catering responsibilities, Lance begs Lotor to be on his team
Lotor and Lance barely pull a win over Shiro and Keith (and Allura and Coran) during a tandem sawing event, and Lance is so thrilled he picks up Lotor and spins him around
Lotor, who had secretly been fueled by his internal annoyance at Lance, realizes he's also (annoyingly) attracted to Lance
and Allura had noticeably started warming up to Lance when Coran spoke so highly of him and how helpful he is at the observatory so when Allura picks up on Lotor's change of attitude (less openly jealous when Lance flirts with the both of them), she doesn't feel so bad about her budding crush
for sure when it gets heated re: Lotor's secret coming out a bit earlier than he meant, Allura takes off alone and Lance is like "yeah you fucked up, dude, but it's not too late to show her you're willing to put the work in to fix things! [insert anecdote about his parents overcoming what they thought was gonna end their relationship]" all the while Lance is essentially bullying Lotor into his truck so they can find Allura before that angry moose finds her or something
at some point Lotor is like "why do you even care, I bet you'd be happy if she left me so you could sweep in and take over!"
to which Lance replies, "because you beautiful idiots are perfect for each other, and the only way I'd wanna get between you two is if it's a package deal"
Lotor: somehow confused, angry, and horny about it all at once
honestly torn whether I want Lotor to try and/or succeed at kissing Lance, or Lotor stopping Lance from taking it back and being like "let's put a pin in that for later, my fiancé is potentially in danger and we'd have to talk about it"
i'd love to throw in a scene where Lance is whining at Hunk (and therefore everyone at the observatory) about how tragically in love he is with this rich, fancy, devastatingly gorgeous couple
Hunk: you mean the one that takes turn staring at you?
Lance: Yes! Because they hate me and think I'm a homewrecker! I'm the only thing I want wrecked between the two of them!!!
Coran, suddenly appearing from inside the walls or smth: I know what that's like! Melenor and Alfor used to--
Pidge, Matt, and Hunk in unison: OH GEE LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TO LEAVE NOW
Lance, delayed by an hour, arriving to their usual hangout: i know too much