Lance was studying at the kitchen table when Hunk came bursting into the apartment.
"Lance, guess what?" he said, beaming at his friend. Before Lance could answer, Hunk just excitedly blurted, "I met my soulmate!"
"What! Dude, that's awesome!" Lance stood up, bouncing on his heels, mirroring Hunk's excitement. "What's her name, what happened?"
"Her name's Shay, she's an archaeology major, she's craaaaazy passionate about what she does, and wow, she's so pretty."
"Okay, so how did you meet?"
"It's kind of stupid, actually," Hunk looked decidedly embarrassed.
"Huuuuuuunk," Lance whined.
"Okay, fine. I was trying to be polite and hold the door open, and she kind of accidentally stepped on my foot." Lance couldn't help but laugh. "Shut up. Anyway, she apologized profusely and when I realized her words were my tattoo I got really flustered, but she figured out what was going on pretty quickly too. We're going out to dinner tonight."
"So when do I get to meet this Shay?"
"Lance, can I spend more than five minutes with her first?" Hunk sighed, before heading into the bedroom to find an outfit to wear. Lance turned his music back on and turned back to his homework, a thin smirk on his face. It was a little funny how worked up Hunk was getting himself. After a little while, Hunk re-emerged, looking freshened up, then checked his watch. "I need to get going. The truck is acting up and I want to get it looked at and maybe washed up before I go pick up Shay."
"Cool, I'll be here. Struggling with this homework."
"Text Pidge; I'm sure she'd be willing to help," Hunk said, heading for the front door.
Lance scoffed. "I do not need help from a Freshman!"
"So… your pride is more important than your grades?"
"…you are the worst when you're right," Lance grumbled, taking out his phone. Hunk grinned at him and went out the door. Lance couldn't help but be a bit jealous Hunk had a date. He'd had his tattoo for a couple months, though. Would Lance have to wait that long to find out who his soulmate was? That sucked. He sighed and typed out a text to Pidge.
Lance: hey nerd wanna help me with a study sesh
Pidge: are you asking for my help
Pidge: if so you may want to refrain from calling me a nerd
Lance: so what you want me to suck up to you?
Pidge: no a simple bribe will suffice
Pidge: what are you willing to part with
Lance: tell u what
Lance: come help me and we can share the rest of my vodka
Pidge: what how do you have vodka
Pidge: wait nm im like 85 percent sure i dont want to know
Pidge: ill be over soon
Pidge: whats your address again?
What started as a study session turned into an all out late-night gossip-fest. If there was one thing Lance could count on, it was his friends, and Pidge was no exception, despite the fact that they hadn't really hung out in years. The age gap made a difference only when it came to graduation.
"Did Hunk tell you he met his soulmate?" Lance asked when they were both a couple drinks in.
"What!" Pidge jolted upright before somehow accidentally rolling off the couch. There was a loud thud, and then a spurt of laughter, both from Lance and Pidge. Lance helped Pidge up, and she straightened herself out before glancing at Lance and both of them bursting out in laughter again. Pidge plopped back onto the couch. "When did that happen?" she asked.
"Literally today."
"Is that where he is now?"
"Out with her? Yeah."
"Man I am going to do so much digging when I get home." Pidge settled back onto the couch, taking another sip of her drink.
"Pidge, can I ask you somethin'?"
"'course."
"Why haven' you told Matt you're not… that you're ace? Is he weird about that stuff?" Lance asked.
"I dunno, it just doesn't seem important. Do you walk around announcing your sexuality to the worl—actually, don't answer that." Lance wasn't sure how to take that. He was very comfortable with his attraction towards women. Of course he was, that was how society expected things to be. It was easy to flirt with girls. He didn't have to worry about how it would be received—he'd either get turned down or not. But Lance, despite his open bisexuality, had a lot more difficulty speaking to guys in a flirtatious manner. What if they were straight? What if they thought he was making a joke? What if someone homophobic saw, and made a fuss? And then there was the fact that he wouldn't know what to do if a guy did reciprocate. Sometimes Lance found himself questioning it. Was he really bi? Did it count if he'd never dated a guy? Sometimes, complying with heteronormativity was just easier. It was a lot to think about, especially when under the influence. "What made you ask?" Pidge prompted, nudging him with her foot from across the couch.
"Ah, nevermind. Le's just play some video games or something. Smash Bros?"
"I will totally kick your ass."
Keith let out a long sigh as he came through the front door, tossing his keys and jacket on the nearby table. Shiro glanced at him from the couch, where he and Allura were sitting.
"Long day?" he asked.
"It's nothing, just… Nyma was all over me again. Which gets Rolo on my case and… it's exhausting."
"Sounds like you could use a break," Shiro said.
"Yes, you're welcome to join us and watch some movies!" Allura added. "I brought some wine. Altean brand."
"I'll pass," Keith muttered. "Wouldn't want to impose on date night."
"Oh, it would be no imposition," Allura said. Keith wasn't planning on obliging either way, but the look he saw Shiro shoot at her only pushed him further away from the idea. It was evident his roommate wanted some time with his girlfriend.
"Really, it's fine," Keith reiterated. He grabbed a soda from the refrigerator and turned back to the two on the couch. "Besides, I'm, uh, not much of a drinker."
"Oh, Keith, you're in Coran's class, right?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"You should have a word with him if you're interested in returning to being a full-time student. He was my academic advisor and he's really quite helpful."
"Oh, alright. I'll keep that in mind," Keith said before he made his way into the bedroom and sat down at his desk, opening up the assignment Coran had given them. The class was only two days a week, so it wouldn't be due until Thursday, but Keith wanted to get it done since he'd probably get stuck at the garage for the whole day.
Get stuck at the garage he did, as Nyma had taken the day off for some reason, leaving Keith stuck running the counter with Rolo. It was slow, too, so there was really no need for there to be two of them, but it was Rolo's own policy. If no one was needed in the garage, there were supposed to be two people at the counter. The silence only gave Keith more time to think. He was wondering about Rolo's stance on the whole 'soulmate' thing. His worry about Nyma's… nature didn't really seem to fit in with that narrative. If they were soulmates, his concern should have been non-existent. Eventually, curiosity got the better of him.
"Hey Rolo," he started, "do you believe in that soulmate stuff?"
Rolo gave him a sideways glance. "Let me tell you somethin', Keith. That 'soulmate stuff'? It's a bunch of garbage."
"What's got you so jaded?"
Rolo sighed before rolling back his sleeve and showing Keith his tattoo. It was a dull, faded black. No, not even black. Grey. And the words that were once written clearly there were struck through by a solid line. "You see this? This means I had a soulmate. Emphasis on had."
"What do you mean?"
"The line you see there, crossing these words out? Means I had a soulmate. But she died." Oh shit, Keith thought. His eyes darted up to meet Rolo's. Things just got intense. "I hate that they don't just fade away," Rolo muttered. "It'd be easier if they were just gone. Instead I have to see them every day. A reminder of what was supposed to be, but never was. I never even had the chance to know her. Some fate, right?"
"Wow, I…um…" Keith didn't know what to say to that. He was never close with Rolo; he felt bad for prodding and making the guy reveal something that was so personal.
"Nyma doesn't even have one," Rolo continued. "She doesn't think she'll ever get one. Throws herself at everyone, thinking something will stick, hoping her first words might match someone else's tattoo or something."
"But you two are dating?"
"Well, yeah, but flirting like that gives her some hope, I guess. I don't think it works that way, but it makes her smile. That's all that really matters. She's all I really got in this world now. Her and this shitty little shop. But if you ever make a move on her, I will punch your teeth out and make you eat 'em."
"Whoa, relax, I'm not going to do anything. Besides, I got my tattoo yesterday and I'm 100 percent sure it's not supposed to be Nyma."
"Good. Now can we stop talking about this?" Rolo leaned against the wall and faced front again. Keith took a slow breath and went back to minding his own business.
"So, how was your daaaaate?" Pidge was teasing Hunk in creative writing on Thursday.
"I should have known telling you to ask her for help would devolve into a gossip session," Hunk muttered.
"She has a way of getting things out of me!" Lance said, defensively.
"Don't pin this on me, you're the one that brought it up."
"I was drunk!"
"So was I!"
"Wait, why were you two drunk? No, no, it doesn't matter. Uh, Shay told me she wants to meet my friends so I guess we're all going to lunch today. If you guys can, I mean."
"Oh, hell yeah!" Lance said excitedly.
"Sure thing," Pidge answered.
"Okay, cool. I'll let her know."
"I thought you had another class after this."
"Yeah, but it's a Tuesday-only class; it's like four hours long."
"Hey Pidge, you never did tell me how you got into the Garrison," Lance nudged her in the shoulder.
"Oh man, that whole thing. I'll tell you guys at lunch."
Keith straggled into class, sliding into the desk next to Pidge again, while Lance spent longer than he'd like to admit looking at Keith's face. He had nice features, to say the least. His face was angular, with a sharp jawline and a thin nose and bushy eyebrows that were furrowed together above stormy, blue-grey eyes. The least attractive thing was the haircut—something resembling a mullet—and even that wasn't half-bad. His dark hair still looked fluffy and soft and well-maintained. Keith's eyes darted up to meet Lance's, and Lance leaned back in his chair, pretending he hadn't been staring. He was thankful for Coran's interruption as he started class.
Pidge turned to Keith after class. Keith, who'd spent the majority of class thinking about what Rolo had told him yesterday while also looking at the kid who sat on Pidge's other side. When he'd walked in the room, the boy was watching him, and Keith couldn't help but watch in return. But Pidge demanded his attention. "Hey, we're all going to lunch to meet Hunk's girlfriend," she said. "Do you want to come?"
Keith glanced at the lanky boy behind her again, a glint of expectation in his eyes, and for some reason, Keith felt a bit embarrassed. "No, that's fine. I gotta work on my bike a bit," he said, looking at Pidge again. She shrugged and left alongside Hunk and the other boy—it started with an 'L'. Larry? L…eonard? No. That didn't sound quite right. Oh well. From the few times Coran had called on him, he seemed a bit… much, anyway. Keith was sure he'd be alright without making his acquaintance.