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The convention ran this weekend, on his birthday, which was great, except…the launch was tomorrow, which meant Hunk had to spend the evening getting ready. Which was fine—really! He was back on Earth, and his family was freed from the Galra. But it would have been nice to get a chance to do something on Earth. Ever since they had returned, it was freeing Earth from the Galra, finding and freeing his family, then many months of rebuilding Earth. It wasn’t all bad. For one, Hunk’s family was back together, shaken but unhurt, and Hunk couldn’t have been more relieved. And while most of the world had been destroyed by the Galra, one of the first things they did once the dust settled was to make a cartoon based on their heroes. Sure, it wasn’t perfect. Shiro didn’t consent to the writers using his name; Keith had to step in and provide a compromise what with the suggestion of Sven (which only served to intrigue Shiro on the mystery man; Hunk and Pidge had snickered behind their hands all evening and debated who between Keith and Shiro was the more jealous partner). The designers had made Pidge a boy, but Pidge hadn’t complained when she was shown them; if anything, she was delighted. The day Coran was to be interviewed…well, that must have been the day the gut eels were acting up and he hadn’t slept a wink all night, because the Coran on screen ended up all serious. And Princess Allura…well, they made her completely different. Hunk supposed it was for plot reasons since the show had made her and Romelle cousins, although they still left out the pointy ears and markings. The writers didn’t get to interview the paladins much, so the stories only touched on their own adventures—they left out so many amazing people, man! Like Shay!—and their own fictional selves were all wrong—oh, man, what did they do to Keith! But the people of Earth loved it, and Hunk found it charming, even amusing. He spent many an evening on the phone with Pidge as they watched the episodes at the same time. Defenders of the Universe was the first new series to air after the invasion of the Galra, and it showed, made with a lot of love but not so much money, but countless fans around the globe loved it all the same. So, yeah, you could say Hunk was a fan. And a Defenders convention was already happening. But the paladins, the real paladins, themselves would not be attending.
*
And I hear they have stalls full of fan merch, Hunk texted to Pidge. He was busy making Voltron Lion-head-shaped cookies that evening. He was probably making a bit too much, but the jitters of having to say goodbye to family and to Earth again…it was bound to happen. Hunk was a stress-cooker—pressure cooker, Hunk thought with a snicker. If his mother made him banana cake, he’ll pay the gesture with cookies, lots and lots of cookies. They’d probably be back and his family would still be going through the damn cookies.They’re having a panel with the showrunners and the VAs are attending, Pidge texted back. And they’re giving exclusive posters to all attendees! Are Hunk and Pidge’s VAs in it?
Yes! All of them!
Oh man! I want to go!!! “Well, then what are you waiting for, you big buffoon?” Hunk gave a start at Pidge’s voice—well, Defenders-of-the-Universe-Pidge. He whipped around and found the source waving at him from the kitchen door window. “Pidge! Where did you find that costume?” Hunk exclaimed as he welcomed her in. “You look great! Just like Pidge! I mean, you are Pidge, but you know what I mean!” “I went shopping earlier today with Allura,” Pidge said brightly. “I got you a Hunk costume! You’ll look perfect in it! No one will know it’s us!” O.M.G. Hunk’s heart nearly flew through the roof before reality brought it crashing back down. “Your mom will let you go?” Hunk said. “Don’t mention it. She still thinks I’m out with Allura. Let’s get out of here before she realizes what time it is and sends on a search party.” “But, Pidge, you don’t want her to get worried. Or upset again.” “Hunk, I just want to spend a day living and enjoying something back on Earth. She doesn’t get how many nights I spent worrying over Dad and Matt. And missing her.” Hunk frowned, watching her lower lip quiver. “And I’d like to spend the day with you.” A hint of a blush crossed her cheeks. Hunk’s own heart clenched. He’d love to spend the day with her too, but…“Well—” Hunk glanced back. This would be the last evening he could spend with the family, although it wasn’t like they were going to be gone all night. He knew Lance and Allura were busy on a date, and Shiro and Keith were going to be together for a bit of time—maybe not romantically, not yet, although Hunk and Pidge keep waiting for it—and as for Hunk and Pidge…“Hunk, it’s your birthday! I got enough tickets for us—” “Then it’s a date!” Hunk announced.“—and your niblings!” Pidge added, half-alarmed and blushing even more furiously. Hunk gasped, embarrassed and shocked, before his eyes glowed. Lenny and Sefina were just as much fans of Defenders of the Universe as he was! “Oh! Well then—this is perfect, Pidge—oh, but, wait! Let me finish this up!”
*
Lenny and Sefina screeched with glee as they excitedly ran past stalls, taking everything in. They wore matching lion head helmets, one yellow and one green. Hunk marched behind them, carrying a box of decorated lion head cookies. A generous amount was still left at home for his family. There was plenty to go around; he’d really underestimated just how much he had made. Among them was even a gluten-free stash, because Lenny and his mother both had Celiac.They were a success. What with all the years practicing with Pidge in imitating villains they had fought, or teasing lovestruck friends, or playing Monsters and Mana, they put on some of the best show any had seen at a con. Every few steps they were stopped and their photos were taken, or they were recorded for a little skit; they nailed the voices perfectly even the voice actors themselves asked to meet them. Hunk gave everyone some cookies: excited fellow fans, exhausted artists at the stalls who looked like they could use a snack, and all the guests at the panels. “It’s his birthday!” Lenny and Sefina yelled at one point in the panel, and all the voice actors sang for him as their characters. Hunk nearly cried right there. Hunk’s niece and nephew were having the time of their lives; he’d never seen Pidge so happy, and Hunk—seeing Pidge, Lenny, and Sefina happy, what could be any better?
*
“And did you see how much Lennie Weinrib loved my costume?” Hunk rambled on excitedly as they made their way back to Hunk’s home. As Hunk worked the key into the door, Pidge, Lenny, and Sefina all wore grins from ear to ear, looking as euphoric as Hunk felt. “And there was this Hunk fan there named Tyler Labine—he was real nice, he kept coming back to take photos for his kids, and—”“Surprise!” Hunk yelped loudly and leapt back. He recovered moments later to see the kitchen had transformed into a yellow-themed party just for him: balloons, streamers...even a giant Yellow Lion plush doll. Standing around were all the rest of team Voltron and his family, and a few more friends he had made along the way. Cake, fruit bowls, refreshments lined the counters; the delicious smells of fresh mangos, bananas, and pineapples drifted in the air, making his mouth water and his stomach rumble with the realization: they hadn’t eaten since the afternoon! “Aw, you did all that for me?” Hunk addressed everyone. “Of course, honey!” his mother said as she came up to him with a big hug. “We wouldn’t say goodbye to our son without celebrating his birthday!” “Not when we haven’t had a chance to celebrate it for the last few years!” his father added. “And with some strategic planning with Pidge,” Shiro said and gave Pidge a wink. Pidge beamed at them. “Aw, guys!” Hunk had to laugh to hold back the tears. He went up to his friends who were standing around the giant cake they had made for him. “We need a picture taken!” Pidge said. “We absolutely must!” Allura immediately agreed. “While looking like this?” Romelle pointed out. Hunk had to laugh. With Shiro and Keith still in Garrison uniform, Allura and Lance in their date clothes, and he and Pidge in their costumes, they were a very odd match. “We could all dress up as our characters!” Pidge suggested. “I got uniforms for everyone!” “Seriously?” Lance groaned as Allura nervously chuckled. “Just how much money did you spend at the mall today?!” “Not even a penny!”“How?” Keith groaned. “I don’t really feel comfortable wearing...that.” Shiro smiled comfortingly and placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “I’m fine with it. It’s for Hunk. Besides, I think your character looks great in his uniform.” Keith met his gaze and softened. “Okay.” Not fifteen minutes later, after all of the team were out of their old gear and into their costumes from Defenders of the Universe, they posed around the kitchen around Hunk’s birthday cake, with Hunk in the middle and Pidge’s arms around him; Lenny and Sefina led the others in singing “Happy Birthday”, and Hunk’s mother snapped the photo. Best. Birthday. Ever.