"Hey, Lance?" Pidge asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"If we both make it out of here do you think I should grow my hair out again?"

Lance looked down, surprised and curious about the question.

"I mean, I kind of miss it... but it would probably just get in the way... I think that maybe after the war I'll start growing it out again." She continued, not waiting to hear a reply from him.

"I think you look good either way... and we're both gonna be fine." He responded. Pidge simply hummed.

Lance quickly moved on to something that would hopefully lift her spirits, he recalled the first happy memory he could think of. "Remember when we tried to cut off Coran's mustache?"

She sniggered. "The scissors we were using broke, not even Keith's Bayard could cut through it!"

He grinned. "I'm pretty sure Corans' mustache is stronger than Voltron... that thing could probably completely wipe out the Galra and their forces."

His smile grew wider as he heard Pidge laugh, but it was quickly replaced with a worried frown as she hissed out in pain and groaned.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, taking in a shaky breath. "Yeah, just can't laugh too much right now."

Lance cursed himself in his head for stupidly making her laugh, quickly deciding to change his focus back to her instead of berating himself.

"How's the pain?"

She sighed, knowing there was no way to avoid it. She needed to be honest. "It's getting worse, breathing is becoming more and more difficult."

"Pidge-" He began but was cut off.

"-What would you say is the stupidest thing you've ever done?" She asked quickly, cutting him off and trying to get both of their minds off of her worsening injury.

He sighed, knowing what she was doing but still going along with it.

"I mean... does getting involved in a space war with aliens count? Because that's definitely it." he answered, causing her to shake her head.

"No, before all of this Voltron stuff."

Lance hummed, thinking back. "If I tell you then you have to tell me something equally dumb that you did."

"Deal."

"Okay, so when I was 14 I wanted to impress this girl from my school, right?"

Pidge rolled her eyes, sighing. "I'm not surprised... continue."

"Well, what better way to show off my amazing long and slender legs than to gracefully slide into a baby swing?"

"...you didn't."

Lance grinned at her. "I did! Ended up getting stuck and had to call 911 so that some lovely firemen could cut me free. The girl I was trying to impress? Recorded the entire thing while laughing at me."

She took in a sharp breath, trying not to burst out laughing. "I need to get my hands on that video."

Lance chuckled. "When we get back to earth you can probably find it online, I went pretty viral..."

"How viral?"

"...1.2 million views?"

Pidge bit her lip, the urge to laugh becoming stronger. "Oh my god."

Lance rolled his eyes at her amusement, smiling at her. "Your turn."

Pidge hummed and tapped her chin, thinking back on her past before smirking. "When I was 13 I hacked into my school's systems and figured out how to play the sailor moon theme song on loop over the intercom from home. I triggered it in class with a remote... It took 3 hours for the faculty to shut it off."

Lance snorted. "Are you kidding me? That's not dumb, that's genius!"

"What was dumb was that they figured out it was me. I got detention for an entire week."

Lance snorted at that. "Aw, was our little Pidge a rebel?"

She rolled her eyes at him, her smile slowly turning into a frown as she looked down at her hand, noting sadly that he had moved his hand during their conversation. She found she missed the warmth, as much as she hated to admit it, it was comforting. She diverted her attention away from her hand and to her side. The pain was becoming more intense and she was afraid that soon she wouldn't be able to hide it as well as she had been.

Lance turned his head to look at her, he felt his stomach drop at her expression, following her gaze to her side. "Pidge... I'm going to need to look at it soon. I need to make sure you aren't bleeding internally."

Pidge blushed and looked away, knowing that in order to check the wound on her side he would have to strip the top part of her suit. "Can we just... wait a little longer? I think It's feeling better."

Lance narrowed his eyes at her, his frown deepening. "...Katie..."

Pidge looked up at him at the sound of her name, her real name, not expecting it despite giving him permission to use it earlier. She found his eyes searching her face for any hint that she may be lying about her condition. She bit down the pain and met his gaze with a calm neutral expression, hoping that it convinced him to hold off on checking her injury. "I'm fine."

Lance sighed and looked away, nodding in confirmation. "Okay, fine... but if it starts to get worse you need to tell me.

Pidge let out a silent sigh, her body relaxing. The pain was still there and it was still intense but at least she wouldn't have to deal with a worried Lance. She feared he may be overbearing in his concern... and as nice as it was to have him care, she wasn't sure if she could deal with his constant worrying and doting.

Pidge jumped in surprise at a sudden warmth covering her hand, cringing at the pain the movement caused shortly after. She turned her gaze down at her hand to find Lance holding it again, looking up at him she took note of his sad expression. "Lance... It's gonna be fine, the others are probably looking for us now."

The hand holding hers squeezed and she squeezed back, hoping that it brought him as much comfort as it brought her. Lance bit his lip and looked down, his short hair somehow covering his face surprisingly well.

"...I know... I just can't help but worry, y'know?"

She hummed. "I know."

Lance sighed and looked back up at her, the soft smile on his face making her heart jump.

"What do you miss about earth?" He asked softly, causing her to bite her lip and smile.

"I miss sitting on our roof with matt, my mom's peanut butter cookies, and my dog ... I think I miss my mom the most though. What about you?"

"I miss my family, I miss our trips to Varadero beach, and I miss my mom's garlic knots."

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Pidge spoke up again.

What do you think is going on back on earth?"

"I don't know... Do you think they declared us dead?"

She hummed, thinking about it. "I think it's likely... how long have we been in space?"

"I don't even know... it's been a while though."

"At the very least we must have been declared missing... I wonder if they figured out Pidge Gunderson was a fake identity."

Lance snorted at that, shaking his head. "Are you kidding? Knowing you, they'll never figure it out."

She chuckled at what he said, knowing it likely to be true considering just how easy it was to fool them. "You know, their security could use a lot of work considering how easy it was to break in and enter using a fake identity."

"Yeah, sneaking out with Hunk was always way too easy."

"...What's the pizza like at that place you met Hunk?"

He tightened his grip on her hand slightly. "It's good... It's really good."

"As good as Vaminos?"

He chuckled. "It's better than that."

Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Impossible."

He once again grinned. "I thought so too, but man, these people really know their pizza."

"I wish I had gotten a chance to have some before we got caught up in all this space stuff..."

He once again tightened his grip on her hand. "Well, when we go back to earth I'll take you there and buy you whatever kind of pizza you like."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Any kind?"

He nodded "Yup! Any kind."

"Even Pineapple?"

He looked a bit disgusted but still nodded. "Yes, even that disgrace."

"You know, it kind of sounds like you're asking me out on a date." She teased.

He blushed and looked away. "...Maybe I am."

Her eyes widened and she looked at him in surprise. "Wait... what? ...You- You're asking me out? Like, on a date? Romantically?"

He resisted the urge to laugh at her disbelief, instead nodding. "Yeah, I am... if you want to?"

Her eyebrows were furrowed, looking down with a blush. It looked as if she was trying to solve the hardest puzzle in the world with the way she pouted.

"Pidge?"

"...This doesn't make any sense."

Lance gave her a confused expression "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Since when have you had... feelings for me?" She questioned, the frustration of not understanding being very visible on her face.

Lance blushed a bit more at the question, looking away and scratching the back of his neck nervously. "A while..."

She raised an eyebrow. "How long is 'A while'?"

"Since before Olkarion?" He mumbled.

She blushed and her eyes widened in surprise. "What?!" She tapped him on the arm lightly, not having the strength to really hit him.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked with a frown.

"I didn't think you'd like me back? I mean, you're pretty incredible Pidge and I didn't want to make things awkward... could you imagine how weird it would make our game night?"

"You're an idiot." She smiled, "This pizza better be really good."

He perked up and looked at her. "Does that mean...?"

"Yes, I'll go on a date with you. "

He grinned at her causing her heart to once again jump. She grinned back.

A nagging voice in the back of her head reminded her that she might not make it to their date.

She hoped it was wrong.