Chapter Text
Life is fickle, and since we all follow by example people are fickle too. They're constantly changing and hiding and blurring themselves to appear differently. It's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact it can actually be a good thing sometimes, but sometimes it just depends on the person. For example: Lance.
It took him a while to realize that life had hit him with the bisexual paddle, but once he realized his difference he wasn't exactly shouting it down the block in a fancy sports car to celebrate. His sexuality was more of a coming to terms deal for him. Like "hey this is how it is so I guess that's that" kind of thing. He had many friends who came out to him and he was happy for them. Sometimes they would complain to him and he'd nod and relate to them, but sometimes they didn't realize he was bi and accused him of straight privilege. Let's just say it was awkward when they realized their mistake. Despite Lance's inability to shut up he actually kept to himself. There was only one person he told everything to, and that was his best friend Hunk.
Unfortunately Hunk didn't have the same ideas as him. While he respected his friend's boundaries, there was a point where it was less about keeping it to himself and more of denying it. No matter what he said, Lance was more bisexual than he liked to admit. It was a mixture of internalized biphobia and being comfortable as a heterosexual even though it wasn't what he identified as. After the amount of one night stands with guys outnumbered the amount of ex-girlfriends he had, Hunk started to set him up on dates. Lance was reluctant, of course, but put up with it anyways. They all ended up as one night stands anyways. That's just how he did things…or people. So when he was set up on the fifth date that month he was a little fed up.
"Ugh! Hunk I don't wanna do this again," Lance groaned.
"C'mon just give him a chance. I swear he'll be worth it," Hunk begged over the phone. Lance sighed and looked out the window of the moving taxi he was in.
"Just like the last three guys?"
"No, this guy is different. He works at the same bar as Shiro," Hunk assured him.
"What, is he a bartender?"
"Uh…part time bartender part time entertainer."
"What does that mean?" Lance asked.
"I'm not sure. That's all Shiro told me. He said the details weren't important, but he knows you're bisexual and he said that you'd be intrigued," Hunk told him.
"Do you guys not understand that bi means two which means more than one meaning I'm not just in to dudes?" Lance snarked.
"Wow. You actually admitted you're into guys," Hunk retorted.
"Touché," he hummed.
"Please give him a chance. Shiro thinks you two will hit it off nicely," Hunk begged.
"Calm down. I'm already at the bar," Lance said as he paid the cabbie and got out of the car.
"Good. Tell me how it goes."
"Yeah. Sure," Lance muttered and then hung up the phone. He immediately received a text message from Hunk saying "r00d", and then dismissed it.
The streets were neon red from the huge sign over the bar. Color bounced off the fresh thin layer of rain on the ground, but it was nothing compared to the actual bar. It was called Voltron. Why it was called that Lance didn't know. It sounded like some kind of weird power rangers enemy to him. He only went to this bar because Shiro got him drinks half off. Plus it was lgbt friendly so whenever he wanted a hook up this was a safe place to visit. He knew it got…strange at night, so he was a little apprehensive as he walked in. It was as warm and welcoming as ever with a nice comfy lounge and a shiny modern bar. It has a neon theme to it. With bright reds and blues and yellows and greens. The accent to everything was black, so it was kinda cool.
When Lance approached the bar he sighed when he noticed Shiro wasn't on his shift. Instead there was some guy with a mullet in his place. A black mullet and thick eyebrows that said "don't fuck with me". At first he wasn't sure if he was a bartender or a bouncer. Surely this wasn't the guy Hunk and Shiro had set him up with…right? He was obviously not his type. He had slim shoulders and a tiny waist, and Lance liked his men beefy and large. This guy looked like he wasn't even the same height as Lance. He has said before he doesn't like the girlish looking guys because if he wanted a girl he would've dated a girl. Surely his friends would listen to him, right?
Regardless he took a seat at the bar. It didn't surprise him when mullet man didn't even look up from his phone when he was waiting to be served. When he finally was acknowledged he nearly cringed when he realized the guy was wearing eyeliner.
"What can I help you with?" He asked. His voice sounded nice, Lance will admit that, but he still wasn't sold that this was the guy Hunk and Shiro was telling him about.
"Uh…a beer will do," Lance answered.
"Bottle or tap?"
"Bottle. I hate the froth."
"Here you go," the guy uncapped a fresh bottle and put it on the table.
"Thanks."
"No problem. What brings you here tonight?" He asked. Lance raised a brow. Kinda nosy, huh? Probably in the job description to converse with customers since he didn't sound too interested. Lance sipped his beer.
"My friend set me up on a date…again. Except this time it was two of them so there's no way I'm getting out of it now," he said. Lance was a talker, so it didn't matter who was provoking the conversation. Nine times out of ten he'll converse.
"Ah…I see. You're not interested in this date?"
"Not really. They're both hung up on my sexuality so they're always setting me up with guys. This one is supposed to be like a bartender and an entertainer?"
"Oh…here?"
"Yeah."
"We have a few part timers who also work at night. Which one?"
"I dunno. I forgot to ask for the name. That's how disinterested I am. I'd rather just meet someone and have it naturally click, y'know?"
"Yeah…"
"Besides, like no offense but bartenders can be a little full of themselves, y'know? He probably has a good opinion of himself," Lance continued. He didn't know why he was telling this dude everything, but he was frustrated and felt like letting it out.
"Yeah he's probably a real asshole," the guy agreed.
"Yeah…hopefully he's hot though. Hunk usually sets me up with the hot ones so they're good for a hook up."
"That way it's not a complete waste of time."
"Exactly."
"Keith! Didn't you read my text? You need to get ready!" Shiro shouted as he approached the bar.
"I'm already half ready," the guy, Keith, said.
"So go do the other half," Shiro instructed as he got behind the bar.
"Fine," Keith replied much like a teenager that's just been sent to his room.
"And make it quick! You're on soon!" He called as Keith stalked off. Lance watched with a raised brow before looking at Shiro.
"Hey, Lance. How's it going?" He greeted.
"Fine."
"So how'd it go?" He asked leaning his elbows on the bar like a teenage girl waiting to be filled in on the gossip.
"Uh…how did what go?" Lance asked.
"Just now. With Keith. How do you like him?" Shiro reiterated. Lance furrowed his brows.
"What are you talking about?"
"Keith. That's the guy Hunk and I set you up with," he informed Lance.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" He blurted.
"What?"
"That's the guy you thought I would like? I just complained to him about being set up with…him!"
"Oh my god, Lance. Seriously?" Shiro questioned.
"How was I supposed to know that's the guy you thought I would like? I wouldn't like him in a million years!" He hissed.
"Why?"
"He's so…girlish. I've said before if I wanted a girl I would've dated a girl," he said.
"Dude that's a little fucked up."
"What? Am I not allowed to have preferences?"
"I guess, but did you even give him a chance?" He asked. Lance rolled his eyes.
"Listen, Shiro. I'm kinda tired of being set up all the time. I doubt it would've gone well if I did know it was him," Lance said.
"But this is different. I really think you guys will hit it off. At least…I thought you would. Who knows how grouchy Keith will be after this. He's kinda sensitive and moody."
"Yeah, but I wasn't interested in him anyways," Lance murmured and sipped his beer again.
"Well, are you gonna stay a bit longer? He's supposed to be on stage in like twenty-five minutes, but knowing him it'll be forty or something," Shiro said. Lance shrugged.
"I dunno, what does he do?" He asked.
"You'll see," Shiro winked and grabbed a towel to wipe off the counter.
Lance sighed and decided to wait. He dicked around on his phone a little and finished his first beer. Then he ordered a second one and texted Hunk about how the date was already a disaster and how he would never forgive him for this ever again. Hunk didn't respond, so Lance assumed he was either asleep or binge watching something again. He was kinda betting on the binge watching since Hunk was light sleeper and his phone would've woken him up. It was about a half hour when Lance was finally too tired to wait and got up.
"C'mon, Lance. I'm sure the show will start anytime soon," Shiro urged.
"I'm sure it is, but I need to get home. Sorry," Lance sighed.
"Fine, but come sometime next week. It'll be worth it," he said.
"Sure thing."
Lance grabbed a taxi back to his apartment he shared with Hunk. When he got home he found his roommate fast asleep with Orange is the New Black playing on the TV. He paused it and shut off the TV before grabbing a blanket to cover Hunk. With his friend comfy he went to his bedroom and flopped down on his bed. So much for not a complete waste of time. He was never gonna trust Hunk and Shiro to set him up ever again.