Disclaimer: Voltron, Defender of the Universe, Voltron 3D, and its characters are copyright ╘ 1984 & copyright ╘ 2000 by World Events Productions, Ltd. and Toei Animation Company. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Original characters and storyline are property of the author, please do not use, reproduce, or repost without permission.

Author Notes: This is a one-shot which I wrote after seeing a great drawing by Zejan's drawing of the same title. It first went up on the kaex yahoogroup, and I decided to post it here as well because people seem to be looking for light and fluffy Voltron fic. :) I haven't written for a loooong while, life happens! I hope to do so again soon, though. There are mentions of characters from my major fic series, A Princess and her Knight, but even if you've never read those fics - I think you'll be able to follow this story. :) Without further ado, I bring you...

Christmas Smooch

A Voltron Fanfic by Smartybear (CBear)

Part 1

"This is great! I can't believe that my errant family has actually sent me a care package this year!" Lance laughed, pulling the cover off an intergalactic shipment box that had just arrived for him. "Will wonders never cease!"

"They send you one every year, so stop complaining," Keith said with an admonishing glare at his best friend tearing into his package. "It was just bad luck that Zarkon always managed to inter- cept cargo loadings from Garrison these past two years."

"And merry Christmas to you, too, Captain Grouch," Lance quipped, shaking his head at his friend. He peered over Keith's shoulder to peek into Keith's box. "It's just like Mandy to pack one for you, too. What's inside yours?"

"Christmas cookies... a Santa cap - what in the world does Mandy think we can use a Santa cap here for?" Keith frowned in bewilderment, pulling out the item in question. "Some cards from friends at Garrison - thanks to your sister favorite Tina, no doubt... a couple of wrapped presents from Mandy and Abby... what about yours?"

"Basically, the same," Lance said, rummaging through his box. "Hey, how come I don't have a Santa cap?" he complained, digging to the very bottom of the box and not finding one there.

Keith was too busy reading through Tina's card and laughing at her explanation for the Santa cap to respond to Lance's complaint.

"What's so funny?" Lance asked suspiciously, looking over at Keith who was still chuckling over Tina's card. With a wicked gleam in his eye he reached over and snatched it from Keith's hands. Ignoring his friend's protests, Lance began to read the card silently, a furious Keith looking on.

" 'Dear Keith,

" 'It's such a bummer that you and Lance haven't been able to get our Christmas boxes for the past two years - but I'm hoping that this will be the year that you'll finally get a taste of some Christmas spirit! I know they don't have Christmas in Arus, but I thought the Santa cap might give you a chance to introduce the concept to some lucky Arussian girl - as you wait for her wearing it and only it under the Christmas tree. Just kidding! Excuse the overactive imagination - that's what one gets for living a life of self-imposed celibacy. The academy is not kind to my love life... do you think I'd have better luck finding someone out there?

" 'Anyway, merry Christmas. Hope you enjoy the other presents - and the cards from your legions of fans here at the Academy. I never meant to send them over because they just add to the weight of the package, but since they came from my flight and battle instructors... you know the drill. We miss you (and Lance, too - but don't tell him I said so), and I'm looking forward to the day when we can all spend Christmas together - whether it's here on Earth or when I finally join you there in the Diamond Galaxy (I've already applied for a position as medical officer and am in the second stage of being approved - don't tell Lance that because he might get a heart attack). Take care always!

" 'Love, Tina

" 'P.S. If Lance asks why he doesn't have a Santa cap, tell him I packed something in that box for him that I'm sure he will like infinitely better.

" 'P.S. #2 IS there a lucky girl who'll find you under the tree this Christmas? Rumors have it that there is! Tell me... does her name happen to start and end with the same letter? He he he... maybe you should borrow Lance's treat instead!' "

"Your sister is crazy... I'm beginning to think it runs in your family," Keith said stiffly, grabbing the card back from Lance and tucking it safely back inside its envelope.

Lance was already laughing. "Can you imagine what Allura's reaction would be if -"

"What my reaction would be if what, Lance?"

The familiar music of the Princess' voice effectively shut the two bickering friends up. She stepped into the rec room with a curious smile, trailed by Hunk and Pidge who had also heard about the care package from home the other two had received.

"Hi, buddies," Hunk greeted with a huge grin. "We were wondering if there were some Terra goodies that maybe we can share... hey, Christmas cookies!"

Keith pulled his pack out of the box with a resigned sigh. "Here, have some," he offered with a small grin. "Mandy - Lance's sister - baked them herself."

Allura pulled one cookie out of the bag and frowned thoughtfully. "What an odd shape this is," she commented, holding the cookie up. "Is it just me, or is this cookie really cut in the shape of a tree?"

"It's a Christmas tree, Princess," Pidge explained, biting into his own snowman. "One of the Terra traditions associated with the Yuletide season."

"Speaking of Christmas trees," Lance said, the wicked gleam in his eyes back as he raised the Santa cap from Keith's box. "Can you guys imagine oh Captain our Captain wearing this thing and waiting for -- er... someone -- to find him under the Christmas tree?" Lance laughed at the murderous expression on Keith's face and plunked the Santa cap on top of Keith's head. The white pompom fell straight to the tip of Keith's nose, earning laughs from the rest of the team.

"It suits you, Skipper," chuckled Hunk, munching on his fourth cookie. "Makes you look more authoritative."

"I think it'll fit Hunk better," Pidge said critically. "At least he doesn't have to stuff a pillow under his suit to really look like Santa Claus."

"I resent that, little buddy," Hunk said, bopping Pidge on the head with one of the couch pillows. "I do not have a belly - and I don't laugh with a 'ho ho ho.'"

Allura watched the rest of them, mild bewilderment gracing her features. They had mentioned Christmas in passing to her several times over the years, but none of them had actually sat down and explained the holiday to her entirely. She had certainly never heard about this Santa fellow - but even she had to admit that Keith looked rather cute with that red cap on his head.

"Who's Santa Claus?" she asked her eyes glinting with curiosity.

At that Hunk launched into a lengthy explanation about a man in a red suit with Pidge piping in to provide more details. They told her about Christmas trees, the gift-giving, and the reason behind the season. Hunk and Pidge were not native Terrans, but their years at the Academy had taught them to love the Yule season with a passion. As Hunk and Pidge explained to Allura over Keith's Christmas cookies, the other two continued to examine the goodies in their boxes. One find caused Lance to let out a whoop of glee loud enough to interrupt Pidge's enthusiastic stories about the joys of sleigh riding.

"What is it?" Allura asked, as Lance held up a delicate looking sprig suspended by a red ribbon.

"Mistletoe," Keith said reluctantly.

"It looks like any ordinary plant to me," Allura said peering at the sprig that Lance was regarding with undisguised mischief. "What's Lance so worked up about? Another Christmas tradition?"

"Yup - one of the best where I'm concerned," Lance said chuckling happily. "We used to hand this over the doorway, and any couple who was caught under it were required to kiss each other." Lance made a smacking sound with his lips. "You wouldn't believe how many lovely moments I've spent under the mistletoe over the years."

"I'm surprised you can even count," Keith commented dryly. "Considering how many of our women classmates also pounded you to the ground afterwards."

"'Better to have loved than lost...'" Lance sang out. "'Than never to have loved...'" He tipped his head towards Allura in a subtle message.

"We know how it goes," Keith said, shooting him a warning look. "Just don't get any ideas."

"Christmas sounds really fun," Allura said with a grin. "Perhaps someday I can come to Earth when it's Christmas season so that I can experience it."

"That would be a great idea -" Lance began, but was interrupted by blips from Keith and the Princess' transmitters.

"Coran apparently wants us..." Keith said with a resigned shrug. He covered his box and set it aside on the table. He turned to the Princess. "He's at Castle Control?"

Allura nodded. "Let's go then," she said. She gave the boys a warning look. "Make sure you don't finish all of Keith's cookies!" She and Keith strode out of the room and the door slid closed behind them.

Lance was still holding up the sprig of mistletoe, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Pidge and Hunk looked at their friend suspiciously.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're getting ideas you have no business getting?" Pidge asked Lance.

Lance blinked innocently. "Who - me?" He shook the sprig of mistletoe in front of Pidge's eyes. "Of course not."

"You know he's going to murder you if you even TRY to get the Princess under that sprig with you," Hunk warned, putting away temptation from himself and sealing the bag of remaining cookies.

"Who said anything about ME getting under the mistletoe with the Princess?" Lance asked testily. "If you guys stopped being suspicious of me for one moment, you'd be able to help me think of a way to get THEM under this sprig of mistletoe together."

"He's still going to want to murder you if you do that, you know," Hunk said conversationally.

"Yes, but he'll thank us afterwards."

At that moment, one of the Princes' mice scampered up the rec room coffee table to pick up a stray piece of Christmas cookie. At the sight, Pidge's eyes lit up.

"Shut up you two," Pidge said, his grin a reflection of Lance's. "I think I have a plan."