Hey guess what! frootysparkycakes and I read this awesome Hunter foundfam sickfic by battybatzgirl on AO3. It’s called Open Hands (To Catch You When You Fall). Hunter has found a new family with Eda, Luz, and King at the Owl House. In an attempt to force Eda to surrender him, Belos makes Hunter fatally ill. Spoilers for the ending but it was too good not to draw! I did the lineart and frootysparkycakes colored it, and if you like it, then GO READ THE FIC FOR THE BEST FEELS!!
I don’t have a taste for fatalistic or bleakgrim (and completely forget it with grimdark—TRUE Tragedies have their place and I can enjoy sometimes. That and allegorical dystopias like Animal Farm or Lord of the Flies) media.
I just prefer escapism, thanks.
Characters who want to Do Better and TRY, characters who support eachother, characters who simply get to have comfort and healing and FUN. Landscapes and towns and structures that I just wanna lose myself while exploring. Let me have vibrancy and beauty both interpersonally and as the backdrop. Plot can coexist here, I promise.
But, okay. I admit it. I love it when a plan just fails horribly—especially when the characters did everything Right—and now they have to pick up the pieces, lick their wounds, and choose whether or not they even want to continue on. Maybe even do some introspection about WHY they’re doing this at all—what’s driving them—along with needing to take care of physical and emotional injuries.
And then they succeed by the end. The world’s better, but they’re not the same people as when they left—they’ve grown, and they have scars leftover from their journey, too.
And above all—the foundfam stays together. They’re still friends, still family, and sure maybe some of them have become couples or polyams or queerplatonics. But they’re still together, and harassing eachother over dinner at least once a week and more often than not end up in a cuddlepuddle from comfort via vulnerabilities or contentment after a night of peace and/or fun.
FoundFam Home!! Just a rough sketch of it, their own little hide away where they can be wholesome to their hearts’ content!! Everyone has their own room and yes zora sleeps in the treehouse. Ramsey’s in the basement like the gremlin he is, and sylvie’s in charge of mowing the lawn with his sheep. Plus you can’t see it but they have a ton of training equipment and a swing set in the backyard!
Birthday Shenanigans, a bit inspired by the Gift of the Magi, in that...
Shiro and Jiro are dead determined to give the other a party. So, like, instead of trying to keep one away from the others’ plans, the Castle Residents just roll with it and somehow convince that the random streamers amd various cake batters are for The OTHER Shirogane (but hey! Taste this one for me?)
So...like. They inadvertantly plan their own parties. While thinking they’re planning it for the other. Then as a second twist there’s a third shared party that IS Kept Mum from both of them.
And possibly lots of ‘splosions ‘cause they’re still Paladins and that never stops.
I miss broganes. Like, just big brother/mentor Shiro and younger brother/reckless idiot Keith. Shiro and Keith both finding their foundfam with Team Voltron. Keith being well-meaning and protective...but sticking his foot in his mouth (not Shiro being Keith’s “damsel”). Keith growing into his own man and not needing to be quite so dependent on Shiro. Shiro being proud of the person his “younger brother” is becoming.
Also.
Lots of Shiro harassing Keith. ‘Cause that’s what siblings do best, foundfam or adopted or otherwise.
He was home. He was home and back with his Team, and everyone was reunited with their Lions and safe. Takashi glanced around at his friends as they sat sprawled around the couch and floor, at least one limb draped or tangled over someone else, because even outside of Voltron the need to be connected to each other just never really left.
Like a pack of yalmors, indeed.
A wave of emotion bubbled out of his chest like a new spring as something inside him eased, and he quickly brought his remaining hand hand to cover his face as he fought to keep his shoulders steady and rapidly hitching breathing silent. But, as luck would have it someone felt the sudden change and stirred next to him, anyway. His clone lifted his head from Takashi’s bad shoulder, blinking blearily through a curtain of streaked hair as he untangled himself from underneath Takashi’s right stump to stretch.
Shiro just shook his head and reflexively swallowed as tried to blink away the threatening moisture from his eyes. His brother, apparently, decided that the best course of action was to pull Shiro into his chest and hold him tight…which then set off a chain reaction of the other humans and two alteans waking up from suddenly getting jostled by the sudden motion.
“Ryou…” Shiro groaned in exasperation.
Jiro sniffed unapologetically. “Don’t care. And neither will they.”
As if on cue, Shiro felt himself suddenly being buried underneath the collective weight of everyone as they all tried to crowd in close. Pidge elbowed her way into claiming Shiro’s lap, while Keith hugged gently on his left side, and Lance’s arms sneaked around Keith and Pidge to wrap around his torso, and Hunk smooshed Pidge into his chest as he tried to wrap his arms around Shiro and Jiro on his other side.
But the dam finally burst when he felt Allura’s hair brush against his cheeks and her light perfume fill his nose, and Coran’s mustache tickle his forehead when the older man planted a kiss into Shiro’s hair. The group snuggled in closer as they held Shiro against the erupting force of his relieved tears until they finally eased into a slow trickle as his breath hiccuped in protest against the sudden released wave of emotion.
“Welcome home, Shiro,” Allura murmured.
Shiro untangled his good arm to wipe reflexively at his eyes and nose. Coran produced a handkerchief from his breast pocket. Shiro hesitated, but then accepted it after his twin exchanged a knowing look.
“It’s…good to have you back,” Keith said hesitantly. “I mean, I know we’ve all already said it, but—“
Shiro shook his head as he huffed a silent laugh. “It’s good to be back. And I think…I think this is the first time it really sunk in.”
“Yeah, well, we’re together now so no more disappearing on us!” Pidge scolded.
“Hey!” Shiro squawked. “This last time was—“ (The Black Lion grumbled warningly.) “Black’s misguided but very much appreciated and I lover her dearly for it attempt to help.”
Hunk snorted in amusement. “Yeah, well I’m still putting a bell on you.”
“Actually…that’s not a bad idea,” Jiro mused. “And it’d make it easier to find each other again if we get lost in the field, and—“
“Don’t ruin the moment with war-stuff!” Lance whined. “And you’re not off the hook, either, Jiro!”
“Sorry…”
Shiro laughed, fuller this time (albeit somewhat difficult with everyone desperately trying to strangle his ribs…) “I’ll do my best. But it’s good to be back.”
Sam “adopted” Shiro, and Coran “adopted” Jiro. I don’t make the rules.
(...okay I guess I kinda do, since I’m ignoring “canon” in favor of having This for my fixit. Oh, and once it’s all worked out Coran is more insistant about loving on Shiro, and Sam pointedly reminds the Twins that he’s only a facetime away...for both of them.)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Keith tries to bake a cake. Hunk takes things to the extreme. Things go awry. Lance tries to run interference. Shiro smells a rat. Shenanigans and miscommunications ensue.
