Disclaimer: Obviously I own nothing.
Rated T: Some fluff but nothing too risky this time. May change if I feel like spicing things up.
Genres: Romance and humor with a bit of drama and angst.
Pairings: Klance! With some Shiro/Allura on the side. But let's be honest, all of my characters flirt nonstop with each other. Haha. I can't help it.
Enjoy guys!
Chapter 1
The bell on the shop door chimed, signaling the arrival of a new customer at Cosmic Comics as a crisp autumn breeze floated in with them. They were greeted with shelves upon shelves stacked full of comic books, ranging from classic 1940's Superman comics to new age adventures such as Weird Detective and the Saga series. Some board games also specked around on top of tables or in the nooks and crannies of the selves as well as the occasional figurine. The room was a cozy fit and everywhere you looked on the walls were posters of famous characters fighting crime and saving the day. In the corner by the register sat three people, one enthusiastically waving his hands around his head while trying to make his point.
"Look, all I'm saying is that Firefly was perfect its first time around and a reboot would be a dishonor to the series," the boy with the short hair and tan skin said while quirking an eyebrow high, challenging the two who sat across from him.
"That's all well and good, Lance, but imagine all of the possible directions they could take if they remade the series," the boy with a light orange bandana wrapped around his head enthusiastically remarked. "It would be awesome! What do you think Pidge?"
The one named Pidge finally looked up from the pile of computer parts they had littering the desk. "Hm?"
"Hunk thinks they should remake Firefly. But it would remove all of the magic! You agree with me, right?" Lance glared at Pidge, willing them to say yes.
Pidge shrugged. "I don't care either way. I didn't think it was that great of a show."
Lance gasped. "How dare you!"
"Blasphemous!"
Pidge rolled their eyes. "You two are so dramatic. Now hand me that screw driver and help that customer, Lance. You do work here after all."
Lance playfully cringed at Pidges words and stood up. "I suppose I do."
Hunk glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up stretching. "I need to be getting out of here too."
"Oh yeah," Lance exclaimed while wrapping his arm around Hunk. "You start working at that new coffee shop today. You know buddy, you could always just work here. I'm sure Shiro would give you a job. You could even be our maid and pick up around the place!" He winked and Hunk pushed him off his shoulder.
"No way. Knowing you that would involve a costume as well and I'm just not down for that."
Pidge laughed from their chair. "Now that would be quite a sight."
"Anyways, I'm more cut out for this job. You're looking at this towns next best baker!" Hunk exclaimed while striking a very superhero pose, fists to his sides while he stuck out his chest.
"True," Lance observed. "I think I would have withered away a long time ago if you didn't live with me and feed me all the time. I think I've even gained a few pound since we moved out of the dorms together," Lance said while twisting to glance down at his rear.
Pidge saw and playfully smacked at him. "It's good, you were all skin and bones. And besides, guy's like a nice ass." They doubled back in their chair with laughter that only got louder at Lance's glare.
"You know I'm not even that gay. Like, only a little," he retorted while holding up both hands to demonstrate how little. Pidge only smirked while Hunk rolled his eyes. "It's more important what the ladies like," he continued while shaking his hips back and forth.
"We can continue this oh so interesting conversation about your sexuality and hips at another date," Hunk sarcastically commented.
"Can we?" Lance teased.
"Now it's time to go slay some cookies," Hunk said with a determined face and started towards the door.
"Knock 'em dead!" Lance cheered. "Well, not really dead. Don't poison the cookies or anything."
Pidge pushed their hand against Lances face. "We'll swing by to see you at work today," they hollered after him. Hunk raised his hand and smiled before walking out.
"You know I'll bite that hand of yours if you don't move it, right?" Lance got out before playfully nipping at Pidge's ring finger.
"Ah! Hey now! Get to your customers," they said as they stuck out their tongue and returned to the computer parts.
The morning ticked by in its normality as Lance answered any customer questions and sent them off with something they would love. As much as Lance liked to slack off and pretend he didn't care, he really was talented at his job. He always radiated charisma and could find something for any type of person to enjoy. That's why Shiro liked to keep him around. He brought a little something special to the place.
Friday's were always busier days at the shop because the owner of the comic book store a few towns over, Noel, would swing by and bring a box of comics that they sold cheap to Shiro and that Lance would always have to price and put away. Noel was a pretty simple guy. He always had on plaid shirts, ripped blue jeans, and a long wooden pipe that seemed to never leave his mouth. He believed that you had to look after your own so the two stores occasionally put on events together or they would all go to comic book conventions.
Shiro had come in half way through the day and spent a large chunk of it chatting with Noel. He was a tall man with a large smile and gentle eyes. He had opened the store three years ago, leaving only pennies in his pockets and the determination to make his dream come true. Lance had been a regular customer and often spent hours hanging out in the store before Shiro finally offered him a job. Lance had gone home that night and called his family exclaiming how excited he was and had been happily working there for half a year.
At first he had been overwhelmed with taking classes and working but the summer quickly came and presented some relief. When he signed up for his third year of classes at college he decided to take a lighter schedule. He had placed out of some of the required english and math classes and took extra hours his first two years so he supposed that he could take the break and still graduate in four.
Pidge had long ago put aside their tinkering and instead had their head stuck in a book. It wasn't uncommon to find Pidge passed out at a desk with their mouth drooling on open pages. They majored in bioengineering and minored in mechanical engineering so they hardly ever had time outside of that world. They were known to be the most intelligent in their class, always having the top score. But while Pidge was extremely dedicated to their craft, they also made the time to goof off with their best friends.
Pidge filled a page of their abnormally large textbook and sighed. "Another chapter down. I think it's time for some more coffee before I continue on to," they paused and glanced at the book, "plasma modified textiles for biomedical applications."
Lance cringed. "Can I just point out how absolutely horrible that sounds?"
"Not even that bad," Pidge grinned.
"Yeah right," Lance grumbled as he walked towards Shiro and Noel, who were both concentrating intensely on their game of Magic.
"Ha! Take this," Noel exclaimed as he laid down a very colorful card and leaned back crossing his arms in a pompous fashion.
Shiro's eyebrows rose. "I will say Noel, you always bring a challenge. But let's see you counter this," he said before laying a card down and smirking.
Noel made a growling noise. "Now that's just not right." Shiro laughed loudly, his eyes crinkling around the edges.
"It's okay, Noel," Lance says while he pats Noel on the back. "No one can beat Shiro in games. It's just not possible. Personally I think he was blessed by Lady Luck when he was younger or something. Seriously Shiro, what did you do for her? Promise your first born child? Give her your soul?"
Shiro shrugged. "She'd be mad if I told you."
Lance huffed. "Yeah, yeah. Anyways, mind if I take off for a few? Pidge wants coffee and we told Hunk we would go see him at the new job."
"Oh, I forgot he was starting there today. Atlas Coffee, right? I've been meaning to check it out."
"New place?" Noel asked.
"Yeah, it opened this week and Hunk's going to be one of the bakers there," Lance replied. "I've been wanting to stop by too."
"You have?" Shiro looked dubiously at him. "From what I remember you hate coffee," Shiro glanced over to Noel and continued. "We went to a convention last month that was a few states away so we woke up before the sun to drive there. Being nice, I bought Lance a cup of coffee to wake him up. Being so tired he took a swig without thinking and spit it out all over my jeep."
Noel rolled back with laughter as Lance looked like a kicked puppy. "I said I was sorry!" Which just made Noel laugh louder. "Shouldn't have tried poisoning me," Lance quietly grumbled and looked to the side. "Anyways, Hunk told me that the owner of the coffee shop is one of the most beautiful women he's ever seen. Of course I plan to go and sweep her off her feet with my charm." He said and wiggled his eyebrows.
Shiro snorted. "Good luck with that. Now, did you get all of the inventory done for today?"
Lance nodded. "Everything's up and running."
"Then go ahead and take the rest of the day off. Noel and I will just be hanging around in here all day anyways."
"Alright, awesome," Lance said with a smile. "Just call me if anything comes up."
"Will do," Shiro replied.
"See you next time, Noel." Lance waved and turned to get Pidge.
"Don't spit your coffee out on her! Girls tend not to like that" Noel commented and he and Shiro broke out snickering.
"Ugh! Just one time!" Lance hollered back and continued on his way to his best friend and many new experiences he would have never expected.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading the first chapter of Coffee and Comics! I've been dying to write some fluffy Klance ever since I watched the show. They are just too cute together! They say write what you know so that's exactly what I'm doing. My college years were spent making great memories with friends in a coffee shop and a comic book store so that's where I got the idea for this fic. For those who are invested in my Fairy Tail fic, no worries, I'm still going to finish that too. I just really wanted to start on this as well. Well, let me know what you guys think. Isn't Shiro being a huge nerd adorable?! Also, what should I have Lances major in college be?