Chapter Text
Do you ever think back on that friend you had so long ago, like in the third grade? That one person you would spend all your time with at recess?
I do. Mostly because I hated his guts.
Now I know how that sounds: if I hated him, why did I spend all my time with him? Well, it's not like I hated him hated him. I just... hated him. You know? Everything we did was a competition. Every time I left home to go outside with him, it was “I'm going to beat Keith's butt today!”
Yeah, we were great friends.
Things are, obviously, different now. I'm not a kid anymore. I've got an apartment I share with my best friends, Hunk and Katie. Hunk is working on his engineering degree at the Garrison and Katie is all but fresh out of high school with enough scholarships offered to her to build a small bookshelf. I have a job at a new coffee shop down the street with a girl who is one of the most gorgeous people I've ever seen. The shop is owned by her uncle, and the two of them have a nice, cozy family vibe.
I think about Keith sometimes when there's nothing else on my mind, which isn't often. I wonder what he's up to now. Does he go to school? Does he have a job? An apartment or house? A partner? Does he remember me?
Buuut, before we get into all of the good stuff, I should probably tell you why we were split in the first place. I don't remember much of the time during which he moved away; it's like in my memories we were always fighting over something and then he was just gone. I actually met Hunk shortly after he left.
What I do remember is his dad's funeral. Big bummer, right? I remember a few days before, Mrs. Kogane in my living room, puffy eyed and droopy as she talked to my mom in whispers and murmurs. Keith hiding behind her legs, looking like a lost, wet cat and sniffling every so often. He ran up and hugged me when he saw me, and we never left each others' side during the funeral service.
Sometimes, I swear I remember the sounds of a moving truck pulling away from their house. I wonder if I cried.
Chapter Text
I feel like the universe is up to something sometimes. Like things are aligning a little too well for it to be good. I feel like that while looking at the cup in my hand, the one Allura just gave me.
The one that has “Keith” written on the side.
I can’t stop myself from hoping. I’ve only met one person named Keith in my whole life and it doesn’t exactly seem like a common name.
If I wasn’t busy making the drink, I would be rocking on my feet. I can’t tell if it’s because I’m nervous or because it feels like my skin is vibrating with energy. It’s probably both.
When there’s a good sugar to cream to coffee ratio, I turn and call out in what I hope is a clear voice, “Order for Keith!”
He’s already there at the counter. It's definitely the same Keith, and he’s... kinda hot?
His hair still looks the same as it did years ago and I have to keep myself from laughing. It looks really soft actually. The more I look at him the more I realize he’s kinda rocking this bad boy vibe. Never thought I’d be into that but I’d be into anything hot enough, I guess.
He takes the drink and says “thank you” under his breath, almost inaudible. He barely looks at me before he turns and stalks out of the café. He didn’t recognize me.
I don’t really blame him, a long time has passed and he might not even remember me. I still can't help the sigh that escapes my lips.
I shake it off and touch the frame of my glasses. I got them when I was 15, so Keith has never seen me in them until today. If I decide to wear my contacts tomorrow when he might be back...
***
Okay, I know what you might be thinking. “Lance why don’t you just talk to him and ask if he remembers you?”
I’m not doing that. For two reasons.
1. no
and 2. um... no
I’d feel like a jackass and a creep just going up and asking about it. “Yeah I remember how we acted like we hated each other but were actually best friends over 10 years ago, you mean you don’t?”
Yeah... no.
Also, he didn’t even recognize me. So.
It took four days for him to come back, by the way. Four days! Who gets coffee every four days? I think this guy has some screws loose.
I’m at the register when he walks in and I become a jittery mass of a person in record time. He’s wearing the same leather jacket he did last time and there’s dog tags around his neck. I don’t remember if those were there last time; if they were, I didn’t notice.
He’s already at the counter again when I turn to send off his drink, but there’s something different. His eyes look different somehow, like he’s appreciating a nice view.
It raises like a thousand degrees in the shop. He thinks I’m hot.
“Order for Keith?” I hand him the cup. His face flushes just barely. Caught in the act. On the outside I’m smiling but inside I feel like there’s a really warm flower blooming in my rib cage. My ears feel like they might be as red as the shirt back dropping his dog tags.
“Thank you,” he mumbles, not as quiet as before, and turns away. Instead of heading towards the door, he sits in a booth near it. I try not to get too excited about the fact that he's actually staying in the shop. I have to look away and get back to work as he takes his phone out and starts tapping away.
At some point a really tall, muscular guy walks in and I immediately feel as skinny as my mom says I am. Allura takes his order and I make it, calling out the name written on the cup. “Order for Shiro!”
The big guy stands up from Keith’s booth. When did he go over there? As he gets closer I realize him and Keith look kinda... similar somehow? I start talking before I can think about what I’m saying.
“You two brothers?” No. No, they’re not. Keith doesn’t have any siblings. Shiro chuckles.
“Cousins.” Ah. “He’s been talking up your coffee for days.”
Ah. I smile. “I hope it lives up to legend.” Shiro smiles again and wow he’s kinda hot, too, is this a family thing? He ventures back over to the table with Keith, taking a sip and saying something I can’t hear that makes Keith react in what I assume is his way of “I told you so!”
“The whole café is looking at those two,” Allura muses behind me. My ears catch fire. Caught. In. The. Act.
“They’re not bad to look at,” I tell her, brushing past and acting like I meant to go back to work.
I feel someone staring at me as I go back to work. I know it’s probably Allura, but I really hope it’s actually Keith.
Notes:
and so it begins
Chapter Text
Keith comes back the next day, a bag slung over his shoulder and shadows under his eyes. Uh oh.
“Rough night?” I ask after taking his order. Keith stays quiet for a moment then looks me directly in the eyes.
“I hate math,” he says slowly. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. My skin is vibrating again and I don’t understand why I’m nervous.
I want to ask him where he goes to school. Instead, I smile and hand him his drink.
“Have fun with that math,” I say. Keith looks at me again, right into my eyes. My vocal chords shrivel up and die in my throat. I feel like we’re looking at each other for a long time and realize that I’ve been holding my breath. I let it go when he takes the cup from me.
“Thanks,” he murmurs. He flops down in the booth he sat in with Shiro yesterday and although it’s overcast today, he looks nice in the light by the window. He pulls a laptop and notebook from his bag and sets to work.
Allura hands me another cup with a pointed look. I turn and get back to work.
Keith stays at the café for hours, working on his laptop. At first he was writing things in his notebook but now he’s typing, the notebook closed next to him. His cup must be empty.
I consider making him another when I'm on my break, but that would be weird. We're still strangers, as much as I wish we weren't. Besides, he might have grown up to be a jackass or something. What if he's homophobic?
When he gets up to throw his cup away and leave, I spot the rainbow pin on his bag. What if he's... not homophobic.
***
I’m off the next day and, as much as I enjoy doing nothing for long periods of time, it feels like a loss. No work means no Keith. It’s on my mind the whole night while Katie, Hunk, and I stay up until ungodly hours playing video games.
I wake up early the next morning and feel like shit. Big surprise. I stand in the doorway of Hunk’s room, watching as he stares at nothing in particular, like he just woke up and is contemplating his life choices.
“Wanna get coffee?” I ask. He nods immediately, already moving to get up and dressed. We take turns in the shower and I’m still rubbing lotion into my knuckles when Katie appears in the hall.
“You guys’re getting coffee?” She slurs, petting a section of her hair down. Hunk emerges from the bathroom with a brush and runs it through her hair. She takes it without complaint.
Sometimes it hits me how comfortable we are with each other and I wonder how our little household would look from an outsider’s perspective. We don’t have a great, big apartment; Hunk has a job at some local flower shop and Katie’s still weighing her options a bit before going to college so we don't exactly make a ton of money. It's still nice having the three of us together, we've been pretty much joined at the hips since Katie and Hunk ended up in some robotics program together and started hanging out. Eventually, I weaseled my way between them and the rest is history.
They remind me of my siblings sometimes, are kind of like siblings to me on their own, and it makes me a little homesick, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Hunk and Katie are family away from family.
“Can we go to Lion’s Den?” Katie mumbles when Hunk has shuffled away.
I snort. “You wanna drag me over there on my day off?” She swats at my chest and I laugh. “Yeah, sure, maybe Allura will give us a discount.”
Maybe I’ll see Keith. I completely forgot about that. All at once my body feels too still so I start rocking back and forth on my feet.
“Alright, let’s go!” Hunk calls, marching through us with a finger pointed upwards.
The walk from the apartment complex to work isn’t that far, but far enough for me to complain about my feet hurting when we get there. Katie elbows my ribs and Hunk tries to hide the fact he’s laughing. Some friends.
Allura looks up at the chime of the bell, customer service smile stretching into something more real when she sees us.
“Lance, you’re supposed to be on your day off.” She quirks an eyebrow.
“We dragged him here,” Hunk explains, “I know this place is still kinda new, but you guys have the best coffee in town.” Allura flushes and twirls a strand of hair around her finger. She always does that when she doesn’t know how to react to compliments, even though she gets them a lot.
“‘Llura, I’m dying, I need my fix!” Katie pushes past me to order. I scan the café as Allura writes her name down and calls to another employee. Keith isn’t here. I try not to let my mood drop too much. I know we don’t technically know each other but I still like seeing him. He’s really nice to look at.
I pay for our drinks, or try to, since Allura shoves away what seems like half the money I try to give her, gather our drinks from Coran with a grin, and then make my way to Hunk and Katie, who are at one of those ridiculously tall tables with ridiculously tall stools. Katie really likes them for some reason. Maybe because she’s so short.
They make fun of me for looking up at the bell, Katie complains about not knowing which college to choose, and Hunk describes a project for class he’s procrastinating on. I think about telling them about Keith and I open my mouth to do so when the bell chimes again. I look up and there he is.
I feel the dusting of heat on my ears when he looks around the counter, something falling in his face. He scans the café with less interest, halting completely when we lock eyes.
He blinks once, twice. Looks away and starts walking again. I don’t miss the pink tinge to his cheeks. Hunk and Katie are staring at me when I turn back to them.
“What?” My ears are burning, literally. Katie sips her coffee with an eyebrow raised.
“Who was that?” Hunk asks, leaning forward with a familiar look in his eyes.
“It’s not like that,” I say automatically. “He started coming here a few days ago.”
“You think he's hot, though,” he accuses. I shrug and bring my straw to my lips. "This is like, the exact plot of a lot of really good fanfictions, man." Katie and I both pause at that. Why the hell does Hunk read fanfiction? What does he even read fanfiction of? Gordon Ramsay? We're just staring at each other when Allura calls out, "order for Keith!"
Why would she need to call, when he’s always at the counter already? I glance over and my eyes land on Katie.
Talking. To. Keith. I feel my heart coat in ice.
My immediate thought is that Katie is embarrassing me and I’ll never be able to show my face to Keith again, but as they talk it actually looks like they know each other. He takes his drink and shoots another look in my direction before turning and walking out of the café, even though he has his bag over his shoulder like he intended to do some work here. Katie returns to our table, grabbing her empty cup.
“I didn’t know you knew Keith,” she comments casually. I gape at her.
“I-I don't!” My voice sounds too loud so I drop into a stage whisper. “He just gets coffee here, we don't even talk.”
"You mean you haven't asked him about the weather or something?"
I blink at her. "Why would I... ask him about the weather?"
"Isn't that how people flirt?" She shrugs. Hunk shakes his head and sighs. How does awkward small talk even equate to flirting? Who is telling her this stuff? I think maybe she really does spend too much time online.
"She doesn't need advice, Lance," Hunk starts but I'm already waving him off and tuning him out.
"You don't know how to flirt?" I ask pointedly. Something in her expression shifts and I can't tell if she's embarrassed or worried. Probably both.
"I mean... I've never done it?"
"Flirted?" She looks away, her face considerably more pink than when she sat down.
"Well, it's actually more than that," she fiddles with the cardboard wrapped around her cup. "I've never, uh, dated at all?"
Holy Shit. She is a toddler. I need to nurture this baby bird. Hunk tries to interject again but I cut him off.
"Alright, first of all, you want to consider what kind of impression you want to make on whoever you're flirting with."
Chapter 4
Notes:
woah 2 updates in less than a week ?? who am i
but my update schedule is so wacked out u might not hear from me in 2 weeks so ... enjoy it while it lasts?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
At this point in the shop since opening, there's mostly regulars or tired college students coming to get their fix in the mornings and afternoons, so seeing someone who looks like neither coming in is a bit of a surprise. I nudge Allura with my elbow as he walks in and she gasps and disappears to the back. I assume it's to fetch Coran, so whoever this guy is must be here for an interview. I try not to size him up too much in the time it takes him to walk towards the counter.
He's wearing some pretty nice clothes, and he's attractive in a hot, nerdy kind of way. His glasses are kinda funky, they have a weird pointed look to the bottom of the frames. Coran bustles out and greets him with a handshake and a large smile, leading him back to his office.
"New recruit?" I turn to Allura. She folds her hands behind her back as she talks.
"Well, we can't exactly keep you here all day, every day," she lilts. "Besides, I caught a glance at his resume, and he almost seems overqualified for this job."
"He dresses like a college professor," I mutter. She covers her smile with a hand.
"He does, doesn't he? At least he dresses up for work." She gives my arm a playful wack and I roll my eyes.
It must be a slow day or something, because not many people trickle in after the... interviewee? Possible new coworker guy? Adam, Allura said his name is Adam. In between making drinks for customers she shows me how to make latte art. I'm not any good at it but everything Allura makes looks flawless. The bell dings as Coran brings Adam back out and Allura and I wave to him as he turns to leave.
Keith and Shiro are walking in. I smile. They distract me enough and I almost miss the way Adam stumbles over nothing and just barely bumps Shiro. He gives a quick apology and as soon as Adam is out the door Shiro’s polite smile dissolves, shifting into something flustered that doesn't fit the rest of his body. Keith shoots a teasing smile at him and I'm sure my jaw would literally be on the floor if it could.
Maybe they're both not homophobic. Shiro elbows Keith and makes his way to their usual booth.
Keith glances back at Shiro after he orders, and the look in his eyes is mischievous as he turns to me. "Do you happen to know who was walking out as we came in?" Wow, okay, that's how we're doing this? Hell yeah.
"He was here for an interview," I reply simply, working to keep the amusement off my face just in case Shiro looks over at us. "His name's Adam, but you didn't hear that from me." I grin and he returns it with a small smile. I think it's the first time I've seen him smile since he started getting coffee here. There's something so easy and natural about it. Allura holds out his and Shiro's drinks from over my shoulder.
"Thanks," Keith says. I can tell it's not for the drinks. His bag catches my eye and I really wanna somehow let this guy know that I'm also into dudes without making an ass of myself.
"I like your pin," I blurt, "on your bag." His eyes widen and he glances down at the rainbow circle.
"Ah, thanks." His face goes a little red. I wonder if that did it. He gives me another tiny smile and I take it as confirmation.
He says something before he even sits down and Shiro makes a show of turning and staring out the window. I kinda hope Adam gets the job.
***
Somehow, somewhere, at some point in time, Coran miscalculates some stocking and we end up running out of almond milk. It's fine for the most part, most of the people we serve that day are fine with substituting with soy or ordering something else, but I've made enough of Keith's orders to know that they always have almond milk.
So. That's fun.
I'm at the register when he makes his way into the shop, bag slung over his shoulder, as per usual. I let him at least tell me his order before breaking the news to him because I don't want to seem like a creep or something.
"Hey, man, I already know what you're gonna get and we're out of almond milk, do you want soy instead?"
He doesn't need to know I have his order memorized already. It hasn't even been a week.
"Sorry, man, but we're out of almond milk." Surprise flashes across his face, but he doesn't look too upset. "Would you like soy instead?"
His nose scrunches for a second. "No, regular milk's fine." Um. Okay. That hasn't happened yet today. I must be staring at him for longer than I thought because his eyebrows raise.
My eyes narrow. "Are you lactose intolerant?" I have to ask, just to make sure. I don't wanna ruin his day even if he is literally asking for it. One of his eyebrows drops.
"Why do you want to know?" He almost sounds like he's accusing me of something, which is so totally unfair. Excuse me for trying to look out for your health. Not to mention the look on his face is kind of, maybe, just a little bit adorable.
"Because I don't want to serve you lactose if you're lactose intolerant?" I thought that was kind of, maybe, just a little bit obvious? No matter how attractive he is, I can already feel myself getting annoyed.
"Why not?"
"Wh-" I sputter. Why not? Why not? "Because you're not supposed to have lactose when you're lactose intolerant?" Hello? Is he okay? He has the perfect poker face, I genuinely can't tell if he's messing with me or not. He has to be though, right? This is a joke, right?
"I'll live," he shrugs. I can only stare and blink at him a few times.
"Are you... sure you don't want soy?"
"I don't like soy milk." I inhale sharply. Deep breaths, Lance, deep breaths. Yelling at a hot guy while I'm working is not what I want to do today, kid-best-friend or otherwise.
"Can I make you something else?" His mask cracks and his eyebrows pull together. It's like he's annoyed without any of the actually being annoyed. So, he's not serious?
"I'm not paying for anything else," he says it like a challenge. It is a challenge and I'm not going down without a fight.
"Okay, don't pay," I reply simply. Surprise completely covers his features and he's struck speechless. I try not to look too smug when I add, "I will." His eyes somehow manage to get wider.
"You- what?"
"I'll pay for your drink." I busy myself with writing his name on the side of the cup. The heat prickling the back of my neck most definitely is not there, thank you very much. He stands there and gapes at me for a long moment.
"I can't have you make my drink and pay for it." He sounds so sweet as he says it and there's such an earnest look in his eyes; it only makes me want to pay for it more.
"It's a good thing you're not having me do anything, then." I thrust the cup in Allura's direction, feeling her eyes already on the two of us. "And she's making it, by the way." His eyes bounce back and forth between us before drifting to the side. I don't know how I can manage to stay still for another second so I shake my hands under the counter and hope he doesn't notice.
"Thanks," he mumbles, the pink in his cheeks strangely adorable. When our eyes connect, I think I see something flicker there in the blue-grey, but he looks away again and approaches the other side of the counter just as Allura finishes up his drink. I occupy myself with putting the order in the register and counting the right amount of cash as he slides into his booth by the window.
My eyes are on him as he lifts the drink to his lips. He takes a tiny sip. Then another bigger one. Then a proper swig before setting it down on the table and pulling his laptop from his bag.
I definitely don't notice the smile he shoots my way, by the way. Just thought you should know.
Notes:
i read all the comments btw :] rlly glad there's some ppl out there who still enjoy Voltron after all this time <3
Chapter Text
So, spoiler alert; Adam gets the job!
I'm practically bouncing the whole of his first day because could you imagine the look on Shiro's face? I've been doing that for a few hours. It's amazing.
Adam is actually really cool, a little serious, but if he's going to be working with me, then it won't be for long. He goes to the Garrison nearby and he says he's studying to be a professor. It really suits him, I hope things work out.
I don't notice when Keith and Shiro walk in because of two things.
1. There's someone else ordering when they do
2. They've somehow... doubled in number?
I blink a few times when I see the other two with them and all of their gazes start going different directions. Shiro's eyes land somewhere in Adam's direction and his jaw goes a little slack, Keith's head whips around to look at Shiro with a shit-eating grin, the other guy with them stares at Allura and all but turns into a tomato, and Katie.
Fucking Katie. Her eyes are dead set on me.
"Hi, Lance," she gives me a... very convincing innocent smile. A smile so innocent you can just tell there's evil intent behind it. I don't think I've ever wanted to throw her across a room more than I do now.
"Hello, gremlin," I greet her at the same time Keith mumbles something and Shiro gives him a weird look. Keith immediately looks away and I'm suddenly very interested in whatever it was he said instead of whatever it is Katie is doing with him and Shiro.
"Hey, Lance, been a while!" The other guy has an easygoing smile and I can't believe I didn't recognize him before.
"Matt!" I beam. "Dude! Where's your other eyes?" Because last time I checked Matt had glasses that had to have been at least an inch thick. Also, "What the heck did you do to scar your face?" The other three give vastly different answers.
"Raccoon."
"He was never good at opening soup cans."
"Yeah, he's not allowed in our kitchen anymore."
...What?
He scoffs and turns to them. "All of those could be related." My eyebrows furrow.
"How would a raccoon get in the kitchen...?"
"The window, duh," Katie sniffs before wailing, "'Llura, Lance isn't doing his job! Come fire him!" I gape at her. Uh, hello? Betrayal much? Nothing in my employee handbook says I'm not allowed to have conversations with customers.
Allura huffs. "Wouldn't you be out of rent money?"
"Hunk has a job," we say at the same time before Katie adds, "but you shouldn't fire Lance because then he'd be doing all the work."
"Well, do you want him fired or not?" Matt jokes. I shoot him a glare and he falls silent.
"Is there anything I can get you all?" I ask, Passive Aggressive Customer Service Voice activated. "You're holding up the line a bit." Keith actually turns to look at the very nonexistent line. Shiro orders his drink first, then Matt, and I already know Katie's by heart. Once they've all moved down the counter, Keith pretends to read the menu.
"Do you have almond milk now?" He asks, his tone playful and light. I roll my eyes.
"Yes, we do, actually."
"Damn. Here I thought I could get you to buy me another coffee." I snort.
"It's a once a month subscription," I joke easily, already writing his name on the side of a cup with his usual order marked.
"What's the fee?" I blink and look up. He's still joking, but there's something a little shy about it.
Wait. Hold on. Back up. Is he flirting with me?
My brain feels like it's speeding in five different directions at once and my thoughts start talking over each other. My body is on fire, that red-hot flower in my chest makes a return, burning bright.
Ask him for his number! Should I? Would he give it? Would he text me? I could just ask him out or something. Would he say yes? What even happened to the get-Keith-to-remember-me plot-line?
“Stick around and you might find out,” is the answer I give him. Way to go, Lance, the lamest answer imaginable! Good job! I will definitely be thinking about that for years to come.
Keith, on the contrary, brightens. “Wow, you must really like having me around.” Ah. Wait, no, that's not what I said at all! Even if it is... a little true. I grin at him and he smiles. That little flicker of something in his eyes is back. He tugs on the cuff of his sleeves before speaking again. "Looks like he got the job." He nods towards Adam, who is pumping different flavor syrups into Matt's order. It looks more milk than coffee.
“He's doing a lot better than I did on my first day," I mutter. "I taught him everything he knows. He's already growing up so fast." I beam with pride and Keith gives me a skeptical smirk.
"He looks older than you, though." I open my mouth to retort, but he actually... might be right. Adam's a Junior and I never asked how old he is.
"Okay, no need to get into the specifics, here," I huff and cross my arms, turning away from him.
"Uh huh." I don't even wanna see what accusatory look he's got on his face. Just the tone of his voice is enough. I still have to turn and shoo him away, though.
"Go sit down or something already, you're holding up the line, man."
"But there's still no-"
"Shoo! Begone! Away!" His face cracks with a smile and he lets out a little laugh. It doesn't even last more than two seconds, but it's probably the best two seconds of my entire week. The way it bubbles out of him is so... comforting. I'm not sure how else to explain it.
"Alright, I'm gone!" He waves me off with a smile. "See you around, Lance."
It's... the first time he's said my name.
Well, it's not, because...
Because... uh...
"...because I've always been the best at it!" Who does this guy think he is? He can't just come here out of nowhere and take my spot as the best at climbing up the monkey bars!
"Anyone can do it!" He argues. "It's way too easy! I barely even tried!" Seriously? It's SUPER hard! It took me a whole week to even figure it out!
"You're just being a show-off! No one likes a show-off!"
"It's not my fault I'm better at it than you!"
"No, you're not!"
"Am too!"
"Are not!"
"Am too!"
"Later, Keith." I grin as he turns away, meeting Shiro at the counter to retrieve his coffee. I feel a little lightheaded and at some point I realize I'm rocking back and forth. Keith and Shiro sit down with the rest of their group and I need to do something with my hands or I feel like I'm gonna explode. "Hey, 'Llura, up for some more latte art classes? I think we're in session to help out our newbie, here." I gesture at Adam and they both seem interested enough to go for it without hesitation or question.
That was not the first time Keith has ever said my name. But it somehow felt like it was. It's like... we're meeting each other all over again, learning about each other for a second time. Am I really the only one who remembers that? Did he really forget about me? He looks at me so much differently now than he did then, and it would make sense, but there's just... something more here. I feel like I'm missing something. Sure he looks at me different, but it's not all the time.
That flicker. The extra something in his eyes that's almost never there, could that be... nostalgia? Recognition? Something? What if he does remember me, but only in pieces and feelings?
Katie and Matt shout back at us as they leave. Shiro throws an arm around Matt's shoulders like it's a threat and Keith gives a little wave and a smile. I wave back.
That same hope I felt when I saw his name written on that cup is slowly creeping its way up my spine.
***
Katie and Matt are already in front of the T.V when I get home, controllers in hand. They don't even look up when I walk in the door.
"Gremlin, gremlin senior," I greet as I walk past.
"Hey," Katie responds at the same time Matt says, "I didn't know you knew Keith." Wow, okay. We're getting right into this. I sigh.
"He's just a regular," I explain, opening the fridge absentmindedly.
"Shiro's got a thing for the guy with glasses."
"I'm aware. His name's Adam."
"Sweet." Matt pounds the buttons on his controller harder and Katie starts exclaiming jumbled up sentences and then flops backward. I guess she lost. "So, you got a thing for Keith?"
I freeze and turn to find him already looking at me. "Um, no?"
He quirks a brow. "You sure?"
I blink. "Um, yeah?"
"You radiate confidence, Lance," Katie comments and I narrow my eyes. How wonderfully fast she has recovered from losing. The last time I beat her in a video game she ate my leftovers.
"So, Hunk can gush about Shay all day every day but I talk to a customer at work-"
"What about Shay?" Hunk appears in the hall and I jump with a yelp.
"Dude!" Katie and Matt are already bursting with laughter. "Warn a guy before you decide to materialize out of nowhere!" I didn't even hear him coming? What the hell?
"That's great, Lance, what are you talking about?" He asks again, sparing a glance in Katie and Matt's direction.
Katie beats me to the answer. "Lance's crush on Keith."
I roll my eyes. "It's not a crush."
"Ohh, believable," Matt deadpans. His sister snorts and I'm this close to kicking them both out.
"Nah, he's telling the truth," Hunk says. I let out a relieved sigh.
"Thank you, Hunk." I make my way over and wrap my arms around him.
"If it really was, he'd be a lot more dramatic." The laughter starts up again. Some. Friends.
Chapter Text
"The Garrison is having some sort of exhibit fair thing next week," Hunk brings up as he flips an egg on the pan. "You guys wanna come check it out?"
"Sure," Katie agrees right away. "I mean, I already told Matt I would."
"Right, yeah." He pauses, then, "Lance?"
"Yeah, I'll come check it out," I shrug. Hunk beams.
"Cool." He turns back to cooking breakfast.
I'm not really sure what an "exhibit fair thing" would entail, but it's probably some sort of publicity thing. A way to say, "hey, come check us out! We're so cool!" Which is definitely not wrong, the Garrison puts out some of the most impressive people I've ever heard about, but I've got my heart set on Altea. I haven't applied just yet, I have a little more saving up to do before I reach my goal and feel comfortable enough that I have something to fall back on just in case. Still, there's a chance I might not make it in at all, as much as I don't like thinking about it, then I'll turn to the Garrison. Plans, backup plans, then backup plans for the backup plans.
Breakfast was amazing, as expected, Hunk went off to work, Katie pulled me into a few games (a few meaning like 20) before I started getting too antsy to stay inside.
"Can we go get coffee or something?" I ask. Her quick typing on her laptop halts. "I wanna go outside."
"Yeah, I could use a break from this." She scrubs her face with her hands. "And coffee sounds amazing right now."
"Great!" I'm already pulling my shoes on. "Let's get going then."
***
"Don't you have a coffee maker?" Allura crosses her arms with a raised eyebrow. Katie grins and bounces over to her.
"We wanted to get out of the house," she replies. "Coffee time, 'Llura, hit me." She drums her fingers on the counter in front of her. Allura opens her mouth to respond but Adam speaks up from behind her.
"Oh, Lance, hello." He smiles. "Isn't it your day off?" I grin and shrug.
"Gettin' my steps in and doing some babysitting." I nudge Katie's shoulder.
"I'm eighteen!" She huffs with little energy. Allura hands Adam a cup and he disappears. Katie ventures off to find a table which leaves me to try and pay for our drinks again.
"Katie really isn't that much younger than me, huh?" Allura says. Randomly. I give her a puzzled look and her eyes widen. "I just mean- she seems young, sometimes I forget how old she is. Or maybe I keep thinking I'm too old." She lets out a laugh. I'm too busy trying to figure out why her expression looks so weird to respond. I can't place it until I spot her free hand twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. All at once, the blush on her face and the look in her eyes are extremely obvious.
"Allura?" I gasp. She looks at me, startled, and she knows I know. And I know she knows I know. And she knows I know she knows I know. We know. "She's like my sister!" I'm not an asshole, so I try extra hard to keep my voice quiet.
She looks even more startled. "What does that have to do with it?"
"You're like my sister! It's weird!" She puffs her cheeks and if it were a better time and place I think she would explode.
"Can we not talk about this right now?" She huffs, not meeting my eyes.
"I'm asking you later." She grumbles but doesn't seem too annoyed.
"Of course. Go get your drink." I start backing away slowly. "Bye, Lance." I turn around and Adam's already waiting with the drinks.
"Thanks, man." I grab them but pause and remember what Hunk said about the exhibit thing next week. Sure, Adam is studying to be a professor, but he's also studying astronomy. It's what I want to go to Altea for in the first place, but backups for backups. "Hey, a friend of mine said there's some sort of exhibit going on at the Garrison next week. What's that about?" He somehow immediately knows what I'm talking about.
"Oh, it's just a short program that will be going on for a few days," he explains. "There will be some booths set up explaining a few of our courses. I think it's geared more towards high school students, but it goes on until after dark if you want to come check things out." He smiles. "I'll actually be running the astronomy booth."
"Wow, that's perfect, I was going to ask you about the astronomy courses they have," I admit. He perks up.
"Are you thinking about applying?"
"It's my second choice at the moment," I tell him with a shrug. "I'll definitely check out your booth, though," I add with a grin. A smile spreads across his face.
"I'll see you there." I turn away, still grinning, and quickly scan the cafe for Katie. I spot her when she raises her arm and waves. Which is weird, because she's in a booth when she always goes for the tall tables. That's when I spot the people sitting across from her.
It's Shiro and Keith. Can you hear me internally screaming?
"Hey, Lance, right?" Shiro smiles as I set down the drinks in my hands and slide in next to Katie. He offers a hand to shake and I take it. "Good to officially meet you."
"Yeah, same here," I say. My gaze turns turns to Keith, who offers a familiar small smile and a wave.
"What was up with Allura?" I blink and look over at Katie, but she avoids my eyes by taking a drink of her coffee. "She seemed... I don't know. Flustered or something."
"Allura gets flustered by anything but me," I counter.
She quickly changes the subject. Which is weird because I know Katie almost never gives up a topic. Keith and Shiro are giving her confused looks too, so I'm not alone in thinking that. "What were you talking about with that new guy, then?"
"His name is Adam." I try not to look at Shiro when I say it, but Keith's eyes catch mine for a moment and he hides a smile behind a sip of his drink. "We were talking about the Garrison thing next week. Apparently he'll be doing an astronomy booth." Shiro and Keith both perk up, to my surprise.
"He goes to the Garrison?" It's Keith who says it, but I can tell they're all asking, even Katie.
"Yeah, he's majoring in education, but his minor is astronomy so I asked him about it," I trail off. Everyone is giving me these weird looks; it's really awkward. I'm about ready to jump out of my own skin, so I pull my phone from my pocket and start fiddling with the case under the table.
"My major is astronomy," Shiro says. "Keith and I go to the Garrison, too."
"Wait, seriously?" The number of people around me that go to the Garrison is steadily increasing and I'm not sure how to feel about it. "Keith, what's your major?"
"Engineering." My mouth drops open. This is so crazy? Hunk and Keith have the exact same major? I wonder how many times they could've or actually have run into each other without realizing it. Maybe I'll ask Hunk about it when I get the chance.
"Hunk is majoring in engineering, too," Katie blurts and it's apparent she didn't know Keith's major either. "Wow, small world."
"No kidding, I feel like a grain of rice right now." I lean back in my chair and sigh at the same time Keith seems to chuckle. I look over at him but he occupies himself with his drink.
"So, you're going to that thing next week?" Shiro questions and I nod. "Are you going to be applying to the Garrison?"
"Oh, uh, kinda." I stir around my coffee with my straw. "Altea is my first choice, but if I can't get in, then I'll try for the Garrison. I still have some saving up I wanna do before applying anywhere at all though, so..." I shrug and take a drink.
"Sounds like you've got things pretty figured out," He muses, sending an accusatory look in Keith's direction. Keith pretends not to notice.
Something about sitting and talking with Keith and Shiro comes naturally to me, and I can only chalk it up to the nostalgia and familiarity that seems to surround Keith's whole person. He's like a walking bubble of my faded childhood memories and just the way he says things has some of those memories bubbling up to the surface in bright colors, like they were always there, like they never lost their vibrancy.
Keith and I get up at the same time to throw our cups away, so I decide to pick his brain a little.
"Do you know if Katie's ever had a crush before?" I ask when we're out of earshot from the other two. He takes a moment to think about it, his eyebrows furrowed.
"No, why?" We stop at the trash can.
"I think she has one now." I turn and nod towards Allura. "She's been getting a little too excited to get coffee lately." He chuckles and shakes his head. The way his hair bounces from the movement is unfair.
"I could say the same thing about Shiro." He smirks and I recognize the mischievous glint in his eye. "How good are you at playing matchmaker?"
"Uh, pretty awesome?" I smirk. "The last couple I got together have two kids now." His eyes widen and it's pretty easy for me to get lost in them. Ugh. Why does he have to be attractive? "My brother and his wife." Not to inflate my own ego, but... he looks impressed.
"Woah." Sounds impressed. "Think you can do it a couple more times?" I scoff.
"I could do it my whole life. I would make an excellent marriage counselor." He lets out a small laugh and it's just as mesmerizing as the first time I heard him laugh. My heart has disconnected from its strings and is bouncing around in my ribcage because what... the hell.
"Well, if I happen to find a couple having problems, I know who to call." Except...
"No, you don't," I say as I pull my phone from my pocket and open up a new contact. I hand it over to him with a grin. "Not yet, anyway."
The blush that spreads over his cheeks is satisfying to watch. "Smooth," he mumbles as he types. The smile he gives me is crooked and soft and really hot.
"Yeah, I know." I'm still grinning, but now it feels less suave and more like I'm smiling like an idiot. He hands my phone back to me and immediately pulls out his own. Katie and Shiro are already standing as we turn around. We all leave the cafe and split.
I haven't even turned the corner yet and my phone buzzes. Text from Keith.
so, about that monthly subscription?
would u be mad if I said the fee was ur number
no
I would ask why you didn't just ask me for my number when we were talking about it before
and I would say that is a very good question
but I would also very quickly change the subject
shy, coffee boy?
the coffee from before counts for this month btw
figures
***
"You want to go to Altea for their astronomy program, right?" Adam asks when there's a lull in customers. Allura peeks over at us from the register but doesn't say anything.
"Yeah," I confirm, trying to figure out how to make the latte design Allura taught me actually look good. "I know the Garrison is super well known for the engineering and machine stuff, but I've always been more interested in the stars than what actually takes us there." I pour a little too much creamer and coffee drips over the side of the mug and onto the floor. "Ah, shit." Adam hands me a towel when I set the cup down.
"Lance," Allura scolds, not moving from her spot but watching everything. I wave her off.
"I get that," Adam says when I stand again, "the stars thing."
"Space kid?" I ask. He nods with a smile. The conversation I had with Keith and Shiro from yesterday comes to the surface of my thoughts. "You know, those two regulars who come every day go to the Garrison, too." Adam's expression shifts from casual to interested.
"The two you were sitting with before?"
"Yep." His eyes widen but he doesn't say anything so I continue. "Shiro, he's the buff one with the hair poof, he's an astronomy major." His cheeks darken with just a hint of a blush.
"That hair is so stupid," he breathes. It's an interesting reaction and as much as I should probably focus more on playing matchmaker like Keith asked me to, my mouth starts moving faster than my brain.
"Ugh, tell me about it," my arms fold over my chest, "the other guy, his cousin Keith, literally has a mullet." I definitely do not mention how I kind of want to run my fingers through his hair to find out if it's as soft as it looks. Because that's weird.
"Also, what is the deal with all the muscles? Is he a bodybuilder or something?"
"Keith's always wearing these leather biker jackets when I've never seen him drive a motorcycle-"
"Oh, don't even get me started, almost everything Shiro wears is skin tight, like he wants to show off-"
"And the fingerless gloves!" We exclaim at the same time. "He's just so-" That's when it hits us. I freeze, he freezes. I stare at him with wide eyes, he stares back with wide eyes. I know, he knows. He knows I know and I know he knows. I know he knows I know and he knows I know he knows. We know.
The bell chimes before either of us can say anything and we're both clearly thankful for the interruption. I can't help the laugh that escapes me as Keith and Shiro walk through the door. I can feel Allura's eyes on me and how Adam goes rigid at my side, but right now it's the funniest thing in the universe.
"Hey, guys," I greet when they reach the counter.
"Hi, Lance," Shiro replies, accompanied by Keith's smile and wave. Allura hands me the cups with their names and I make sure to hand Shiro's to Adam. Keith retreats back to their booth, but the way he locks eyes with me and makes a show of pulling out his phone is telling. Shiro's waiting at the counter when Adam and I are done.
"Shiro, Adam, Adam, Shiro," I manage to get in before either of them go anywhere.
"Hey, nice to meet you," Shiro's smile is blindingly bright as he offers a hand to shake. He really likes handshakes, apparently.
"Likewise." Adam uses his free hand to adjust his glasses. "Lance mentioned you go to the Garrison?"
"Ah, yeah, he said the same about you. Apparently my major is your minor."
"It seems so. If you ever need a study buddy, then here," Adam reaches for the sharpie in his apron pocket and a napkin from the stack nearby and I grin, backpedaling to give them some space. I place myself at Allura's side and she peeks at me from the corner of her eye.
"So, about your crush on Katie-"
"No," she interrupts immediately. I groan.
"I said I would ask you later! It's later," I declare. She rolls her eyes.
"Not at work." I huff but let it go in favor of pulling out my phone and checking my messages from Keith.
there's no way he's gonna talk to adam
wait you just introduced them he's weak to introductions
now they're talking without you???
did adam just give shiro his number?????????
how the hell did you do that?
im good at my job
which one
glad to know u like the coffee
you're welcome
seriously though
shiro's been a coward when it comes to romance ever since we were kids
you really are good
I can't stop the interest that seeps into my bones. Keith just opened a window into his childhood and I'm not missing the chance to slip through.
have u guys always been close?
kind of
I didn't really spend a lot of time with him before I was like 9? but his parents helped me and my mom out around then and we've been pretty much inseparable ever since
what about you? do you have any family you're close with?
my twin sister is the first that comes to mind
you have a twin sister?
yeah. we're the babies but shes always saying shes older than me :/
its only by 3 minutes
sounds fun
its not
Shiros heading back ur way btw
Keith looks up and a pout forms on his face when he sees Shiro is, in fact, heading his way. I chuckle to myself.
alright I have to listen to this nerd gush about his boyfriend
talk to you later?
ill pencil u in for later
ha.
later lance
Chapter Text
“Hey- Lance?” Hunk is already talking as he walks in the front door. “I think your buddy shares a class with me.”
Any idea I had of where this conversation would go is immediately thrown out the window. “What?”
“Keith is an engineering major, right? I tried to keep a look out for him today and turns out he's in one of my classes.”
“Ugh.” I flop back on the couch. “Everyone knows Keith but me.” I don't even realize right away that it's basically a lie since I knew Keith before he and Shiro even got close.
“Technically, you knew him before I realized,” Hunk chuckles and ruffles Katie’s hair as he passes. She only groans a little bit. “Funny how everyone seems to go to the Garrison, though. Maybe it’s a sign.”
“Allura goes to Altea,” I point out. Katie snorts.
“Isn't her dad the headmaster or whatever?” She questions, not looking up from whatever game cutscene is happening on her laptop. "I don't think that counts."
I huff. "It does to me." She snorts again and falls silent.
"Have you used those flirting tips, yet?" Hunk calls from the kitchen. I look over at him, confused. That came out of nowhere. His eyes lock with mine.
Unless it... didn't come out of nowhere. I can tell we're in sync when we turn to Katie. She's still staring at her laptop, so I can't see her face, but her ears are bright red.
"No, because they're stupid," she ignores my shout of protest, "why?"
"Just wondering," Hunk replies, burying his face into a cupboard. "Does chili sound good for dinner?" Katie finally turns to look at me, her face puzzled. I give her an easy smile and a shrug that prompts her to divert her attention back to Hunk.
"Don't change the subject on me!"
"I mean, we got the beans for it, but I'm not sure if we have saltines-"
"Hunk-"
"I could buy some really quick or just make corn muffins-"
"Stop ignoring me!"
***
so remember when adam and shiro exchanged numbers and I was like wow lance you're the best?
something like that
although I dont remember the "wow Lance ur the best" part so u should remind me
I will not remind you
because I take it back
shiro's being super gross
ah young love
pretty sure both adam and shiro are older than you
Keith can u pls sit down ur holding the line up again
will you stop with that?
did u actually look behind u?
no
maybe
that's why I do it
now I definitely take it back
you are NOT the best lance
;)
***
"Hunk said he thinks you have a class together," I comment as I hand Keith his drink. His eyebrows raise.
"Oh yeah, he's an engineering major, too, right?" He scoffs and smiles. "It really is a small world." I can't help but roll my eyes.
"He thinks it's a sign I should go to the Garrison."
"He's got a point. Maybe I could show you around. There's this pretty good coffee shop nearby with-"
"Can you guys not do your flirting thing today?" Matt groans and throws an arm over Keith's shoulders just in time for Adam to set his drink down on the counter. I scoff.
"If you think we're flirting, check them out." I point over at where Katie and Allura are chatting over the register.
Matt's nose scrunches. "Gross."
"Yeah."
"Besides, I hate Lance with a burning passion," Keith says innocently and follows it up with a sip of his drink. I gasp.
"Is this about the line thing?" Matt's looking at us weird as I put on a fake pout. I don't really care. Joking around with Keith is the highlight of my day.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he continues, giving an over-exaggerated look over his shoulder, "but now that you mention it, we really should sit down now so everyone else can get their coffee." He turns around and drags Matt back to their table by his arm.
"But there's no one else here!"
"Exactly." Keith shoots me a light-hearted glare and I roll my eyes. This guy. At least he has a sense of humor now. Allura, Adam, and Katie are all staring at me when I turn around.
My ears go red. "What?" They all immediately look away.
***
So. Um.
Remember when Hunk said I didn't have a crush on Keith?
I think he may have been lying.
I smile at my phone more often. Day by day, I'm even more excited to go to work. On the days I don't have work, I text Keith for hours and we eventually meet up somewhere.
It starts off as a group thing. Keith, Shiro, Matt, Katie, Hunk, and I would get coffee, or walk around a park somewhere, we even went bowling once. Then it shortens to Katie, Keith, and I bothering Hunk at work, or the four of us watching a movie or playing video games. (Keith is unfairly good, by the way.) Somehow it gets to just me and Keith doing stuff on our own, and it feels amazing to have my old friend back, even if we're a lot different now. I don't even really notice it until Adam brings it up one day.
"Are you texting Keith again?" I blink and look up from my phone.
Yeah, I was. "How can you tell?" I don't see a point in lying to him about it. Adam can somehow read people like books. It's something I picked up on these past couple weeks.
So, it really shouldn't surprise me when he says, "Your face lights up whenever you're talking to him."
Shouldn't, but does. I can't even get to try and protest or ask questions before people are shuffling in the coffee shop and we get to work.
Maybe it was the wording of it, or the bluntness, or the way he didn't tease me about it, but something just clicked.
I might have a tiny, itty-bitty crush on Keith.
I smile at my phone whenever he texts me. Day by day, I'm more excited to go to work because I get to see him. On the days I don't have work, we text for hours and eventually hang out somewhere, so I get to see him anyway.
My face lights up whenever I talk to him. It must be the fires he lights across my cheeks.
Chapter Text
The Garrison exhibition thing is kind of like a convention mixed with a science fair. At least, that's what it reminds me of. There are tables set up everywhere with different displays explaining all the courses. A lot of them look similar to me, but the moment I mention it, Katie is rattling off differences rapid fire. I don't bring it up again.
"Hey, stranger," I grin as we approach Adam's astronomy display. He's got a trifold poster set up behind a dome made from cardboard and construction paper. There's a little rectangle shape sticking out of the dome.
Watching Adam explain the different topics the course went over is like watching a whole different side to him wake up. He goes from quiet and reserved to lively and animated in a matter of seconds. The course obviously isn't just about the stars, it's about the planets, too; astronomy is about the galaxy and the universe. I'm totally absorbed in everything he's saying, even though I know he's not going super into depth about any of it. I guess I'll just have to wait until I get in to learn more.
Wait. I'm supposed to be excited about going to Altea!
"So, what's this thing?" Katie gestures to the dome. Adam smiles.
"Look inside," is all he says. Katie raises an eyebrow, but peers inside through the rectangle. She gasps and clings to my arm.
"Lance, look at this! How did you even make this?" While she pesters Adam about the specifics, I lean down and look inside. At first I see nothing, but then my eyes adjust.
It's the milky way. Placed inside the cardboard dome, as if Adam had plucked it from the sky and somehow managed to cram it inside. My breath catches in my throat. How did he make this? I'm dimly aware of Adam saying something about glow-in-the-dark paint and spending too much money on the darkest black paint he could find, but most of my attention is devoted to the accuracy of the planetarium. Katie and Adam are staring at me when I stand.
"That is... awesome." Adam grins with pride. It's deserved.
***
"Lance?" I halt and immediately turn at the sound of Keith's voice. There's a grocery bag in one of his hands. "Pidge? What are you doing here?"
"We came to check out the science fair," Katie replies, peeking into his bag. "Dude. Are you in for a late night study session or what?" He snatches it out of her grasp.
"I've been procrastinating on an assignment and Shiro acts like he's going to kick me out." He sighs. "I forgot that fair thing was tonight. How did you guys even get here? Isn't your apartment pretty far from here?" I shrug.
"We took a bus."
He looks disgusted. "Ew." Is disgusted. "Let me give you a ride home."
Katie is halfway through celebrating when I cut her off. "We can't do that, you already have stuff to do."
"Lance, will you please shut up," Katie groans, then pauses. "Wait. Actually, nevermind. We can't all fit on Keith's bike."
I flinch. "So, he really has a motorcycle?" They both ignore me.
"We'll take Shiro's car, now let's go." They tug me along with them in the opposite direction.
"H-Hey, wait! We'll really be fine taking the bus!"
"Be quiet, Lance!"
***
Keith, Shiro, and Matt share an apartment close to the Garrison campus, so it's not too far of a walk over there. Katie bustles her way inside as soon as Keith has the door open.
"I'm home!" She calls and her tone immediately changes as she says something else. "Shiro, get out of the kitchen!"
"I'm not even doing anything! I'm just- oh, hello, Lance." Shiro's demeanor shifts when he sees me. It's one of the funniest things about him, the way he seems to flip a switch around certain people.
"I'm not sure I would trust you in the kitchen, either, after the stories I've heard," I say. Keith snorts next to me and Shiro's jaw drops.
"Good talk, we need to get going now," Keith hastily sets down his grocery bag on the coffee table, the cans of what I can only assume are many energy drinks clattering from the rough treatment. "I'm stealing your car."
"Keith, hold on, what did you tell him?" Keith already has me and Katie herded out the door.
"See you later, bye!" He waves and shuts the door behind us. Shiro doesn't even try to chase him down. Katie throws herself in the backseat of the car like she's lived there her whole life and Keith gets us home in a couple minutes flat. I stay behind with Keith while she bounds into the complex. I want to spend a little more time with him now that he's here.
"I never actually asked what your minor is," I note. It's random, but it's been bugging me ever since he mentioned that he had one. I always forgot to ask. He freezes and stares at me, his expression unreadable. His eyes look darker, and I can't really tell if it's the late hour or the emotions behind them.
"Humanitarian aid," he says after a moment. It's not what I was expecting, but honestly I don't even know what I was expecting. "My dad was a firefighter. He always inspired me to help people, even though I was kind of a jerk when I was younger." He keeps eye contact as he speaks. That flicker he would get in his eyes? That brief flip of a switch? That was back now. Back and magnified by ten.
It's... expectant. He's waiting for something. Electricity is coursing through my veins because he's waiting for me to react. To say something. Why? Why would he...
Ah. Ah.
Well, because the universe is up to something. It has to be.
There's no way. "You remember me," I murmur as soon as the thought clicks in my brain. "From when we were kids."
Something switches behind his eyes and there's a smile splitting his face. "Of course I do." He says it quietly, but I hear it loud and clear. It's the only thing running through my head.
He remembers. Keith remembers me.
For once in my life, I'm at a loss for words. Keith actually remembers me? All the stupid stuff we did? The pointless fighting and arguing and everything?
He fills in the silence for me. "Mom and I were both kind of... lost after dad. My aunt and her family gave us a place to stay while we were figuring things out."
"That's how you got close to Shiro." I don't mean to say it out loud, but it comes out anyway. He nods thoughtfully.
"I really missed you," he says, whispers it like it's the world's biggest secret. Or like it's the unspoken thoughts of a child. "I mean, I know I was a huge jerk-"
"Keith-"
"-and we were always fighting over something, but I really missed you." His eyes are glossy when he looks at me. His gaze is blazing and it melts me to the core. That flower growing in between my ribs isn't helping.
I may have mentioned it before, but I don't remember a giant amount of our friendship as kids. I remember the arguing and the watered down anger and the stupid challenges. I remember going outside every day, insisting it would be the day that I beat him. I don't remember if I ever did.
I do, however, remember the hurt and sadness when my mom had to explain to me that Keith wasn't going to come back.
"I missed you a lot, too," I tell him. The heat in his eyes is joined by a blinding light as he beams.
***
Okay. So.
I've realized this crush is like a tsunami.
One second everything is calm and the next thing I know I'm drowning in it.
Drowning in him.
Yet, at the same time, it feels like it's the first time I've ever breathed.
Does that make sense?
Notes:
uggghhhh
so finally got around to posting !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
double update !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
woo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter Text
Getting up in the morning is easier than I ever remember it being. Nothing aches, nothing is sore, I'm not sluggish, every part of my body is refreshed and energized. It almost feels like I've already been awake for hours. I feel lighter than air. I sing louder in the shower. I pamper myself in the mirror a little more. I push my glasses up my nose instead of putting my contacts in.
I fry an egg and sandwich it between buttered toast, eating quickly as I check my phone. It's simple, but tastes heavenly. The walk to work is nice; there's a decent chill that feels refreshing on my skin. The sunrise looks beautiful, pink and orange spreading across the horizon as the budding sun emerges, and I can't help but snap a picture.
Today will be a good day. Today is a good day.
"Good morning, Allura, Coran," I chirp as I tie my apron. Allura stares and one of Coran's eyebrows raise before they share a quick look. I brush it off. Today is a good day.
I decide to send Keith a good morning text. He answers right away. The smile that pulls at my lips is immediate. Today is a good day.
***
"You're in a good mood today," Adam notes. He's barely been here for five minutes, so it startles me.
"It's a good day," I reply simply, smiling to myself as I wipe down the counter a little.
"Did something happen with Keith?" His eyes pin me down behind his glasses. I feel the heat clawing at my ears already. I'm taken back to sitting in the car with Keith, reminiscing on all the stupid things we did as kids. Something about him opened up, and I got to see him laugh a lot more. My smile widens. My chest flutters.
"Yeah, kinda," I turn and watch as he adjusts the apron strings behind his back. "How'd you guess?"
He scoffs. "Takashi told me you two stole his car." I nod, processing why that sentence sounded weird.
"Takashi?" He pauses and I can see some of the gears turning in his head.
"Oh, ah, that's Shiro's actual first name," he says, fiddling with his glasses. "People used to pronounce it wrong when he was younger, so he shortened up his last name instead."
"Both sound cool to me," I muse. He snorts; I think it's the closest thing to a laugh I've heard from him.
"Sure, cool names for such a dork nerd." My mouth drops open in surprise. Shiro. Big man with muscles upon muscles. Dork. Nerd.
"Are we talking about the same person?" The amused look he sends me is almost smug. He turns away instead of responding and I can't help my pout. He seems happy with his secrets, though, so I decide not to bother him. The ding of the bell takes my attention and my favorite regulars walk in.
"Keith!" I call out, brushing past Allura to stand before the register. "Hey."
"Hi." He grins, all teeth. My heart flutters again, more intensely. "I like the glasses."
"Funny, I didn't expect you to recognize me with them on, since you clearly didn't the first time." He tugs at the cuff of his sleeve and his face goes red, his mouth screwing up into a pout. I can't help my teasing grin at the sight. Shiro's eyes are bouncing between the two of us and I can feel Allura's gaze boring into the back of my skull.
"So, did something happen when you two stole my car for an hour last night, or..." Shiro begins, gaze shifting not-so-subtly to Keith.
"Why, did you have a hot date or something?" Keith questions with a snort. Adam coughs somewhere behind me.
Allura gasps. "Lance, you stole his car?" I whirl around to blink at her.
"I didn't, Keith might have," I inform her. She doesn't look terribly convinced.
"Right, you're an accomplice, then," Keith smugly declares. His arms are crossed and he's smirking, he's got an air of sass I haven't seen in a while. It's really cute.
I roll my eyes. "If anything I was a victim." Keith snorts and I shoot him a glare. Allura gently shoves me away.
"Get back to your station," she hisses. I raise my hands in surrender and back away. Adam chuckles behind me.
"Yeah, something definitely happened, then," he remarks. I feel my ears go red again.
"Okay, Mr. 'I know Shiro's origin story'." He fiddles with his glasses as I throw up air quotes.
"It's not that big of a deal," he mumbles. I roll my eyes. Yeah right.
"You guys are getting pretty quick at this," Keith comments when we present the drinks to him. A quick peek back at his table, where Katie has somehow appeared and has Shiro trapped in a conversation where she's getting increasingly frustrated, has me pursing my lips to rein in a laugh.
"I don't know how you can afford it," I say to Keith, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow. "Not cheap."
"I've paid more for coffee."
"Sounds like a major low point."
"It was," he nods and sighs. A laugh bubbles out of me before I can pop it. He smiles, the familiar crooked one, and looks a little pleased with himself. Like a smug cat. "I'll make sure Shiro knows it's made with extra love." The split-second look he spares Adam is enough to have him stiffening next to me.
"Someone has to appreciate him," I counter. "Blow him a kiss for me, will you?"
"Gross." He scrunches his nose as he backs away. I wave him away with a hand and he finally turns and makes his way to Katie and Shiro. I watch him and Shiro talk for a moment before Shiro rolls his eyes and shoots an amused look in our direction. I give him a bow and Adam stiffly turns around.
"You should ask him out," he says suddenly, catching me off guard and sending red across my face.
"No, no, we're friends," I reply on autopilot, but I'm already thinking about it. Would he say yes? Where would we go?
"Sure, but you look at him with more." He peers at me from the corner of his eye and I wring my hands together. Ask Keith out? I really am happy with just being friends now, especially after we were apart for so long. Being with him is nice. I want to savor it.
"I'm just... glad to have my friend back," I admit. That seems to surprise him.
"Back?" He questions. "Did something happen?" I pause. No one knows about me and Keith except... me and Keith.
"Oh, no, not like that." I tap my fingers on my thighs as I try to explain. "We were friends a long time ago, when we were kids, but he moved away and I never saw him until- Well, until he came to get coffee here."
"Funny twist of fate," Adam responds, eyebrows high on his forehead. I chuckle.
"Yeah, I guess so." I pause, the situation settling a little more seriously in my brain. "I like Keith, I know I do, but I'm really fine with just being his friend, at least for now. I don't wanna mess any of that up." Adam observes me, an unreadable look in his eye.
"I actually admire that," his voice is quiet, collected. "Most people just wouldn't want to be rejected, you don't want to ruin what you have trying to get what you want."
"Something like that," I agree. "Besides, what we want isn't always what we get. I'm just trying to be grateful for what I do have."
"You're surprisingly mature, Lance," Allura pipes up nearby.
"Surprisingly?" I burst, sauntering over to her. "What does that mean? You saw me at my interview, you didn't think I looked mature then?"
"Before or after you tried getting my number?"
"Funny."
***
Coran claps a hand on my shoulder from behind, a wide smile visible under his familiar mustache. "Take fifteen, my boy." I salute with a grin and take off into the back, shedding my apron as I go. I toss it onto the table in the breakroom and turn around again without a second look.
I plop down next to Keith in the booth. He's hunched over his notebook next to his laptop and flinches when I sit down.
"Hey, I'm on break," I grin. He blinks at me a few times, pencil in midair.
"Should you, um, be eating or something, then?"
"I had a big breakfast, it's fine." I risk a glance back at the counter where Coran has poor Adam trapped in a conversation and Allura is glowering at me from the register. I stick my tongue out at her and she rolls her eyes. She wishes she were me, I swear.
"I can't believe I overslept," Katie groans. "Everything Hunk made was cold when I got to the kitchen."
"That's great, Katie, what are you working on?" I turn to Keith and Katie kicks me under the table. Shiro politely hides his laugh behind a drink from his cup.
Keith lets out a frustrated sigh and throws his head back. "Math. I hate math."
"Mm." I watch as he inputs some of the numbers or whatever into a program on his laptop and clicks a check answers button. He scrolls through them and...
They're all green. All correct. That little...
"Well, for someone who hates math," I mumble. He elbows me.
"Mhm," Shiro muses from across the table. "Complain as he might, Keith has always been good with numbers."
"Enemies close." Keith shuts his laptop and turns to me with a teasing smirk. "Don't worry, you'll always be my mortal enemy." I roll my eyes.
"Let me guess. Line?"
"Nope. Monkey bars." His smirk turns into a silly grin and I gape at him.
"You- I- That was my thing! Do you know how pissed I was about that?"
"Yeah, I'm sure you were devastated judging by how you're sitting next to me right now." My ears go hot and I turn away from him, fingers drumming at my thighs. Shiro and Katie share puzzled looks out of the corner of my eye. Keith clears his throat and says something I don't understand in a hushed voice. Shiro gasps and turns to me with wide eyes.
"You're Lance?" I blink at him because... yeah? He knows that? "As in the Lance Keith would not stop talking about when we were kids?" Keith kicks him under the table.
"What?" Katie's eyes flicker between all three of us, bewildered. "You two knew each other before?"
"Uhh-"
"Keith used to be a huge jerk to me." Said Keith is sputtering next to me as soon as the words are out of my mouth.
"You started it! I was just minding my business!"
"Yeah, by taking my spot. It wasn't even just the monkey bars." I count off my fingers. "You always stole my favorite swing, you blocked me from going down the slides-"
"There was rocks on the slides, I was protecting you."
"You put the rocks on the slides!" He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Oh, come on, I saw it."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I would never-"
"Okay, I think we get it now, thanks!" Katie interrupts, lunging forward and slapping a hand over Keith's mouth. "You were childhood rivals."
"Were? I still hate his guts," Keith deadpans, swatting her hand away.
"The feeling is mutual." I nod. Katie and Shiro share another confused look. Before anyone can say anything else, Allura comes out of nowhere and sets a fresh cup of coffee in front of Katie.
Keith's knee bumps mine under the table and I turn to meet the knowing look in his eyes.
"Uh, I didn't-" Katie begins.
"On the house, for our best customer," Allura interrupts, beaming. Katie's face goes red.
"Um, thanks," She smiles and Allura walks away with a wave. As soon as she's out of earshot, Katie slams her head on the table, causing us all to jump.
"Pidge!" Shiro scolds, lifting her head carefully and inspecting her forehead. There's a nice red mark already forming there. Keith lets out a choked laugh and I'm full on doubled over already. Shiro gives us unamused stares and Katie already looks like her soul has left her body.
"She gave me coffee on the house," she mumbled. "I can't just drink this."
"I will," Keith reaches for her cup but I grab his arm before he can get it. He shoots me a pout.
"There's milk in it," I say flatly.
"Cool." He reaches with his other hand and I grab that one, too.
"Keith."
"It's fine."
"It's not, you are lactose intolerant."
"I'll live."
"I don't care." He tries pulling his wrists from my grasp and almost succeeds a couple of times before he huffs.
"Laaaance." He whines, pout still in place. The cuteness of it has my ears growing hot, but my grip stays firm.
"Oh, yeah, definitely looks like you hate each other from where I'm sitting," Katie comments. It hits like a slap to the face, my hands immediately releasing his and his hands flying to tug at the hem of his shirt. I don't have the confidence to even look in his direction, so my gaze lands near the counter, where Adam and Allura are leaning over the counter with identical looks on their faces.
When did those two start ganging up on me?! I return those looks with a glare. Allura rolls her eyes and Adam raises a single eyebrow.
"There's your fifteen minutes," Katie announces, her eyes on her phone screen. "Go scram." Her foot lazily swings at my shins a couple of times before I stand with a groan.
"Another day of slaving away for minimum wage."
"Can't be that bad." Her fingers are blurring over her keyboard now.
"I'd like to see you work a job, then."
Keith snorts. "Like that'll ever happen. Who would hire her?"
"Hey!"
Chapter 10
Notes:
OK OK OK SORRY SORRY SORRY
so along w my normal fuckery that is an update schedule, recently my laptop has been p much put out of commission until i get a new charger
which means i hav 2 write, proofread, edit, AND upload all on my phone and it's not the most fun thing ever BUT
i am trying 2 do things and they r getting done mostly i think probably
erm also Lance Pidge and Hunk kinda talk abt sexy stuff in the 1st part of this chapter. it's nothing at all explicit but if that is still not ur jam then go ahead and skip !!! basically Hunk and Pidge are asexual and Do Not understand allosexual nonsense ok bye ily
Chapter Text
"Lance, could I ask you something?" Hunk shuffles into the doorway, looking nervous and wringing his hands. I sit up immediately.
"Yeah, 'course man." I pat the spot next to me on the couch and he slowly settles in.
"I kinda need some advice," he says softly, staring down at the coffee table instead of looking at me.
"Sure, man, what's up?" I toss my phone to the side to give him all of my attention. Whatever this is seems really serious.
"Um, so, I want to ask Shay out..." He begins and then pauses, studying my reaction.
"That's great, man! I'm happy for you." I leave it at that and wait for him to go on. After a moment he nods to himself.
"The thing is, um, relationships eventually get, like, y'know... intimate?" He gives me a sideways glance and I nod to let him know I'm following. He inhales sharply and looks away again before continuing. "And, uh, I just don't know... if I want to do that... ever?" I stare at him, processing what he's trying to tell me.
There's a loud clattering in the kitchen and a booming "FUCK!" in Katie's voice. Hunk whips around, spooked. I mostly feel sorry for whatever she must've dropped.
"You good, gremlin?" I call. There's hurried footsteps and then she's standing in front of the T.V with wide eyes.
"That, that's what-" she can barely get her words out and I feel concern taking the shape of a frown on my face.
"What's what? Are you okay?" Hunk stands and reaches for her, but she shakes her head rapidly.
"That thing you said! About sex!" Hunk chokes on air. She barrels onward, unbothered. "That's- That's how I feel!"
Hunk looks many levels beyond confused. "Sorry?"
"Oh my God, I thought I was weird." She surges forward and hugs him tightly. Hunk looks at me over the top of her head, large SOS signs in his eyes. He wraps his arms around her, anyway, and pats her hair. I watch them for a moment before standing and draping myself over both of them.
"Neither of you are weird," I tell them. "Hunk, if you wanna tell Shay, then you could cross that bridge when you get to it or be upfront immediately. Or even tell her like a casual thing first, see how it goes, then ask her out later." Hunk sighs, one arm coming around to rest on my shoulders.
"Thanks, man."
"Of course." We stay in place for a long moment before Katie squirms out of the embrace and settles herself on the couch, knees tucked under her chin. Hunk and I share a look before we sit down next to her.
“I kind of always thought it was weird,” she says. “Most people at school were talking about getting laid, even when I was just a freshman. I don’t get what the big deal is.”
Hunk’s nose wrinkles. “I just… don’t like it. Or thinking about it. It feels… gross to me, for some reason.” Katie nods thoughtfully.
“Have you ever… tried it?” She questions tentatively.
He nearly gags. “Uh, definitely not. I think I almost got close before, but I backed out so quickly.” That was news to me. My eyebrows raise.
“Really?” I don’t mean to pry, but Hunk’s never talked about this. He doesn’t look uncomfortable with my question, just a little embarrassed.
“Yeah. Ryan.” My jaw drops. Hunk had nearly gotten into Ryan Kinkade’s pants? He smiles a little smugly at my reaction, then gets serious again. “I feel kinda bad about it. He was so nice to me.”
“You shouldn’t feel bad-”
“I know,” he interrupts before I can finish, “but, ugh, he was really nice. He didn’t get upset at all and it made me feel kind of silly.”
“He didn’t break up with you because of that, did he?” Katie leans forward, eyes owlishly large. There is murderous intent in those eyes that I 100% resonate with.
“No, no! It wasn’t that,” Hunk is quick to explain. “It was mutual, and because of other stuff.” Hunk didn’t really talk about all the personal details of his relationships. It was something I admired about him, since I usually had a harder time dealing with that stuff on my own and had my own habit of rambling about anything that came to my mind. “He actually asked if there was something he could do to make it more… comfortable for me. He didn’t push it when I just couldn’t do it at all.” He looks thoughtful, reminiscent, before sending us both an accusatory look. “He’s still my friend, so don’t go attacking him.”
Katie slumps back against the couch with a pout. She catches my amused smile with a scowl.
“I just don’t understand how it works,” she says, turning back to the topic at hand. She leans toward me, staring intently. “I mean, can you just look at people and immediately go yeah, that’s someone I want to have sex with?” Hunk cringes a little at the wording, but seems to share her confusion.
I never really thought of it the way she’s describing. I feel a little put on the spot, being the clear outlier between the three of us at the moment. “Sometimes?”
Her jaw drops and she looks mortified. “How?”
I shrug. “I mean, sometimes someone looks so good with their clothes on, I wanna see what they look like without them.” Among other things; I wasn’t exactly jumping up and down at the thought of sharing my sexy thoughts with someone who was practically my sister at this point.
“Why?” Hunk is the one to ask, his nose crinkled up again.
“Well, because…” I trail off, not really finding the words to explain how or why I was attracted to people. I never really realized how difficult it was in the first place. I just felt things because I felt things and that was pretty much it. I eventually settle on the lame, “Just… because.”
They both stare at me like I just spoke in a foreign language, and I worry for a moment that I did before Katie breaks the silence.
“Dude. That is so weird.”
“Super weird,” Hunk agrees. “You really think like that? Most people do?”
“I-I mean, I guess?” I feel the heat of embarrassment at the back of my neck and rub at it with my fingers. It wasn’t that weird, right? Sometimes you just see a really sexy person. Or… not, for these two and the many others like them.
“So weird,” Katie says again.
Hunk very helpfully pipes up with, “Is that what you do with Keith?” The small warmth at my neck quickly becomes an inferno over my face.
“No, I definitely do not!”
“Wow, defensive much?” Katie looks at me pointedly.
I sputter for words. “It’s not like I do it immediately for everyone! There has to be, like, a certain context and different factors and-!”
“Sure,” sarcasm drips heavily from Hunk’s voice.
“I’m going to tell him you don’t think he’s sexy,” Katie announces, making me sputter.
“Do not! Keith is plenty sexy!”
Sometimes. I really wish I would stop talking.
I can feel that inferno somehow get hotter and Katie's face lights up like she just got all she ever wanted for Christmas. Hunk just stands, blank faced, and heads for the kitchen. Katie's expression promptly sours.
"Hey, don't be mad, but I think I broke a spatula," she exclaims after him, flying over the carpet and onto the tile lightning fast.
"What?!"
"The actual spatula part came out of the handle, but I think it goes back in!"
I sigh with relief at the distraction. I know it'll be short lived, but for now I'm grateful.
***
There's something captivating about watching Keith work. He goes from writing in his notebook to typing on his laptop to bickering with Katie back to typing something. Sometimes when he's thinking, he draws little squiggles and stars in the margins off to the side.
"Lance," he calls, bringing me back to where my chin is propped in my hand on the table. His face is tinged pink. Did I say something out loud?
"Wha?" I reply lazily. He purses his lips and turns back to his laptop.
"You're staring," he mutters. Oops.
"What made you want to major in engineering?" I question. Nice way to change the subject. Subtle, Lance. "Never really pegged you as someone who would be into that kinda stuff."
He snorts and shoots me a teasing smirk. "You haven't pegged me at all."
What. What? Did he actually just say that? The tease turns into something smug and I'm guessing he can see the red growing on my face.
Oh, he thinks he's funny, huh? Two can play at that game. I do this all the time. I quickly smooth my expression.
Knock 'em dead, Loverboy. "Would you like me to?"
Keith goes bright red, his jaw dropping. I smirk triumphantly at his flustered state. My win. When he recovers, he tosses his notebook at me. I yelp as it flutters to the floor.
"Why am I even here," Katie groans from across the table. Shiro sits completely silently next to her and it looks like he might be pretending we don't exist. Keith retrieves his notebook with a huff.
"I like tinkering with things and knowing how they work," he says, as if the last few seconds of conversation didn't happen. "And it's nice to be able to fix my bike on my own instead of paying someone hundreds of dollars to do the bare minimum."
"It also means I don't have to get every little thing checked out, either," Shiro says, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Seriously, when am I going to see this bike?" I jump in.
Keith ignores me in favor of replying to Shiro. "I knew you were keeping me around for something." Exasperated, I turn to Katie, who just shrugs and sips her coffee. Very helpful! I love my friends!
"Do you have a problem with that?" Shiro’s smile is innocent and I can almost see the halo forming above his head.
I glower at Keith and he continues feigning ignorance before my phone buzzes with a call.
Rachel.
I gasp and reach for it immediately. “What’s up? I’m at work.”
“Then why are you not here behind the counter?” My eyes go wide at her words and my head snaps up. Allura is still at the register, but in front of her is-
“Oh my god, Rach,” I stand from the booth, unceremoniously dropping my phone to the table and barely registering the funny looks I get from other customers. Rachel laughs across the shop and runs to meet me. We collide into a mess of arms and she squeezes me so tight I think I hear something crack. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood,” she waves me off. I fix her with a dead stare. Home is miles away from here, there is no way she was just “in the neighborhood.” She laughs at my face. “I wanted to surprise you. Introduce me to your other friends, I’ve already met the princess.” She pulls me back to the booth by my elbow while Allura sputters behind us.
Aw man, I wish Hunk was here, Rachel's wanted to meet him for a while. At least Katie and Keith are. I wonder if Rachel remembers Keith at all. I don't think they've met before, but I could be misremembering things.
"Guys, this is my sister, Rachel,” I introduce proudly. Rachel offers a wave and a smile.
Katie drops her coffee to the table. "Wait, I'm finally meeting the Rachel?" She gasps. "I feel like I should bow or something. Lance talks about you all the time."
Rachel giggles and brings a hand to her chest, looking pleased with herself. "I am his favorite."
"Ehh..." I grimace. She elbows me in the ribs, pulling a laugh from Katie, before continuing.
"You must be Katie, I've heard a lot about you, too." Katie goes pink in the face and returns to her coffee while Rachel turns her attention to the other two. "So, you must be Shiro, and..." She pauses, looks at me weird, then turns back to Keith. "Keith."
For some reason, he blushes. I raise a skeptical brow.
"I didn't know you guys kept in touch after he moved away," Rachel says to me.
My eyebrows pull together in confusion. "We didn't. You met him before?" I peer over to where Keith has once again occupied himself with his laptop and notebook.
"Lance, he came over all the time asking for you," she replies flatly. "Marco thought he had a crush on you." Katie chokes on her coffee and tries not to make too much noise while she dies. Shiro coughs loudly into his fist. Keith stares intensely at his screen, face reddening more by the second.
"He still does," I deadpan. Rachel's eyebrows fly up her forehead. Katie dies some more. Shiro covers the entire lower half of his face with his hand and turns to stare out the window.
"Lance, I will throw this notebook at you again," Keith threatens, still not looking at anything or anyone. I snicker.
"Oh noooo, not the notebook." He whacks me with it and I can't help but laugh again.
"So, I’m guessing neither of you grew up." Rachel sniffs and I stick my tongue out at her, further proving her point. An alarm suddenly goes off from Katie's phone and she barely has to glance at it.
"There's your break, get back to work." Katie kicks at me from under the table. My jaw drops.
“You set a timer?”
“I like knowing how much time I have to suffer because of you,” she informs me sweetly. “It helps me be organized.” Rachel laughs next to me and even Keith snickers by the window.
"Why are you more bossy than my actual boss?" I protest, stuffing my hands in my pockets and making my way toward the counter. Rachel has absolutely zero problem settling into my spot next to Keith.
"You shouldn't take advantage of Coran like that!" She calls after me. Allura raises an eyebrow as I approach.
"You're doing what with Coran now?" She accuses without preamble.
I huff. "Nothing. Katie's just meaner than him and she doesn't even work here."
She rolls her eyes. "Katie's not mean." I make a noise of disbelief as I retrieve my apron from the back.
"Could've fooled me," I grumble. Allura, surprisingly, goes quiet instead of taking the bait. I freeze and glance up at her, only to find a thoughtful look on her face. My fingers drum on my thighs and I wait for her to say something.
"I was... planning to ask her out," she starts slowly, "on a date. Soon."
"Finally," I reply, waiting to see if she'll go on. She sends me a half-hearted glare, but it quickly softens.
"I just... don't really know where. Or how...?"
"Well, if anyone can figure out what Katie likes, it's you." I wave her off, but I’m already going through potential spots and strategies in my head. If she really needs it, I’ll help figure something out. She chews nervously on her bottom lip.
"Do you really think she'll say yes?” Her eyes are wide when she asks. I can only step forward and clap my hands around hers.
“Allura. Princess.” Her cheeks go red at the address, but it’s only embarrassment. “You are very oblivious.” Her expression immediately plummets and she scowls at me.
“Thank you, Lance,” she responds dryly, tearing her hands away. I can’t help my laughter.
“Seriously, ‘Llura, I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” I reassure her, hoping my smile is enough of an apology. “Katie likes you a lot. There’s no way she’d say no.” She chews at her lip again, but she looks a little more hopeful than before.
“Thank you, Lance,” she says again, much more earnestly.
“But, seriously. Took you long enough.”
Allura groans and shoves me away.
***
Allura said soon, but I didn’t think that meant as soon as Katie and I stepped foot in the apartment. Hunk is still out, so I assume he’s closing up when Katie gasps loudly and drops her phone like it suddenly turned into a brick of lava in her grasp. It falls to the ground with a dull thud and she just stares at it, wide eyed and frozen. I blink at the phone, then at her, waiting for whatever brought about that reaction.
She turns to me slowly. “I think Allura just asked me out. On a date.”
I absorb this information in less than a second. “Okay. Are you gonna answer her or drop your phone again?” She doesn’t say anything, just looks at me for a long moment, like I’m supposed to give her the solution to the world’s hardest math problem.
“What do I say?” She asks incredulously when I don’t continue. I have no idea why she’s freaking out so much about this, but then I remember her previous dating experience. Which is none.
“Do you want to go on a date with her?” I ask. It’s a ridiculous question, with how much they’d been dancing around each other for who knows how long.
“I think so,” she replies, completely throwing me off guard. She only thinks so? After pining so much after her? I suddenly have a bad feeling about all of this. My confusion must show on my face because she only shrugs and picks her phone back up, cheeks going pink. “I’ll say yes.”
“Do you want to say yes?” Because for some reason it sounds like she doesn’t. I was so convinced she really liked Allura for a long time, but this conversation is starting to crumble all of that. I just can’t figure out what all that flirting was, though.
“Yeah,” she says flatly, and walks out of sight before I can say anything else.
I really hope she knows what she’s doing.
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