The music was a beautiful but foreign symphony. The room was covered in fabrics and shining lights, casting red, purple, and blue shadows and flashes of every color in between. His hips swayed to the music as his feet carried him around the room in circles. He was giddy to the point of embarrassment. The room was a blur of people and he couldn't stop smiling and laughing. His cheeks hurt he was so happy, inebriated on pure joy. His dancing partner asked him a question and he couldn't hear them over the music or see them well either. He asked them to repeat. A familiar voice whispered in his ear.
"What are you waiting for?"
He leaned back and violet eyes came into view paired with thin lips pulled up into a smirk.
Lance jolted awake, sitting upright in bed. His breathing came with difficulty, his mind trying to rationalize that he had been dreaming. The music, the dancing, the husky tone in his voice. It hadn't been real. But those eyes were real. He had kissed those lips before. He's heard whispers like that before. He's danced like that before. With him.
He sighed and looked down at the complete mess of sheets and blankets that trapped his legs, knowing he must have been kicking in his sleep again. Keith was real. They had a forming relationship. And last night, Lance had almost said out loud that he had loved him. He remembered the way Keith's fingers played with his hair, gracing his neck silently. He remembered the way his breath was hot and clung to the shell of his ear. The sincerity and lust in his voice. That had been real. The only thing in that dream that hadn't been real was the dancing scene itself, and the question he asked.
Lance let out a shaky breath edging on hysteric, a smile breaking across his face. Rarely did he dream in Spanish anymore, but this dream had been. And hearing Keith's voice ask that question in his first language did things to him he couldn't explain. He wondered for a moment if he could ever teach Keith Spanish but let the thought fly away with a soft chuckle.
He took his legs out of the covers, like untangling Christmas lights, and stood on the cold floor. He searched for his clothes, up for the day despite never being an early-riser. He would have loved to go back to sleep but the pounding heart in his chest told him it was futile. He found his pants first and zipped them up, letting them hang on his bony hips. He looked around his room for his shirt and he had to admit to himself he wish his were as organized as Keith's had been. It was hard to find anything in this mess or when you couldn't concentrate. He kept thinking of those deep eyes that swallowed his attention like a black hole, or the way his voice flowed through the vowels and his tongue rolled the 'r' so perfectly and short like a fluent speaker. It made him wonder what else his tongue could do.
He told himself to stop it, because it had just been a dream. But damn was it realistic. He sighed and looked to the left corner, seeing a shirt crumpled on the ground. He decided it was good enough and grasped it in his fist, suddenly frustrated.
Lance didn't know how he got where he was, how he got in so deep. At first Keith was an annoyance. He was the reason he had been designated a cargo pilot back at the Garrison. Lance had declared them rivals, especially when Keith left and the spot for fighter pilot was open for him to take. All of that emotional effort and Keith didn't even remember his name when they rescued Shiro. From that moment on, Lance wanted to make sure he never forgot who he was. Through nagging teamwork and patience, they had become more like the rivals Lance saw them as. But then that had moved onto teammates. And then even further to friends.
Now, through all of that, through all of that time with Keith on his mind, he had unknowingly falling in love without a glimmer of a chance at reciprocation. But he had it. He knew now that Keith loved him too in some way. The second Keith kissed him yesterday he couldn't stop thinking about how lucky he was. It was un real, almost too good to be true and that last part nagged at him, eating him away.
He pulled his shirt on, vowing to make his room immaculate again soon, and found his socks and shoes. He left his room and looked towards Keith's, knowing he was probably up for the day. Probably even gone and on the deck or eating breakfast. That didn't stop his feet from carrying him down the hall. That didn't stop his hand from knocking on his door.
"Gimme a minute." A muffled voice came from the otherside, sounding a bit annoyed. Lance's heart skipped a beat, not expecting an answer, let alone a disgruntled one. There was shuffling behind the door before it slid open. When Keith saw it was him at the door, it eyes went wide and his face tightened. Everything from the previous day ran through both of their minds like a stream and they were frozen in time.
"Hi." Keith said finally, a surprised yet happy tone in his voice.
"Hi." Lance said back with a smile. "I thought you'd be out of your room by now."
"Yeah, I didn't sleep well." He said and smirked a bit. "I was too busy thinking about songs."
"Oh." He paused and tried to follow the thought. "Songs for… me?"
"Yeah. The mixtape you wanted."
"Playlist."
"Either way." He rolled his eyes and looked to Lance, seeing that he was dressed and not in pajamas. "You're up early, for you."
"Oh, yeah. Weird dreams." He rubbed the back of his neck. Keith looked curious but dropped the subject, figuring Lance of all people would have expanded if he wanted to talk about it. He stepped out of his room and stood to Lance's side.
"You had breakfast yet?"
"No, you were my first stop."
"Let's go grab some food then. I have a feeling dancing is going to take a lot out of me today."
They shared a smile and walked side by side to the kitchen, running into Hunk and Pidge. As breakfast ensued, so did easy conversation between the four. Lance brought up the new screen tech in the rooms and Pidge got on the bragging train quickly, earning a nudge from Hunk for her to acknowledge all he did too. Hunk steered the conversation towards dancing when that was ending with Pidge patting herself on the back too much. He talked in a very animated way about the progress of everyone. Pidge added in her comments and they were all smiling.
"Wait, where's Shiro?" Lance asked, looking around as if he were silently in the corner.
"Probably with Allura." Pidge smirked with a full mouth. She swallowed and pointed her spoon at Lance. "You know he's gonna ask her to dance with him at the Gala. He's gotten really good too."
"Yeah! I didn't know someone could learn that fast. It's scary. Maybe it was in him all along. Like a born dancer or something." Hunk swallowed his last bits of food and continued. "I am nowhere near as good as he is so Pidge is pulling him from our lessons and putting him with Coran and Allura. He's like in the AP dance group now."
"So, wait. Who's gonna dance with you now?" Lance asked.
"You are." Pidge said as she finished her breakfast. "And I'm gonna take Keith. They'll both get the chance to lead."
"What, why are we switching?" Keith asked, confused.
Pidge looked at him with sympathetic eyes. "No offense, but you're falling behind Lance and Hunk at an alarming rate, considering we've only been dancing for two days. I need to teach you hands-on and help you work out your kinks in your stepping. Plus, you need an opportunity to lead."
Keith opened his mouth to retort or object but shut it with a side glance to Lance. He had to remember to keep what they had low key and that meant he couldn't say he already knew how to lead and that he didn't want to switch partners. He sighed and Lance picked up on his emotions, flowing effortlessly back into the conversation.
"Hey don't worry about it. Pidge is the expert here. She'll have you ballroom dancing like it's second nature in no time." He paused and they met eyes, a small flash of sadness coming across Lance's as he put a hand on Keith's shoulder. "You'll do fine."
Breakfast was finished soon enough and the four headed to the training deck, now the dancing deck. Pidge started the music on the screen and Hunk took the lead with Lance. Pidge came to Keith's side but she didn't even catch his eye, his vision too trained on Hunk and Lance, a little jealous that they could move so smoothly already.
"Isn't he doing great?" She smiled and looked to the pair.
"He is." Keith wasn't talking about Hunk. After a few moments of watching the two dance, Pidge took his hand and he looked down. She smiled again, a little more fierce this time, and stepped in front of him.
"Well don't gawk! Show me what you don't got!" Even her eyes smiled at her challenge. He laughed a little as he took her in his arms, taking his place as lead and stepping in time with the music. Keith didn't even last a whole song before she started her string of comments.
"Loosen up." "Dude, where's your passion? You're just walking fancy." "Keith, seriously?"
"Shut up. This is hard for me okay?" He warned through his teeth. He heard laughing and looked up to see Hunk spinning Lance around and dipping him, their eyes meeting when while he was upside down. Lance snuck him a wink and Keith turned red. It lasted only a split second but it was risky to do in front of two of five people they didn't want to inform. Unless Lance was trying to win the bet, which was entirely possible.
"Try a spin." She said cheerfully and he looked down, uncertain. "Seriously. Spin me out, back in, and dip. You totally got this."
The corners of his mouth twitched and they moved around much more like a one minded entity. Like he had with Lance. He knew he could do it, he had before. In one fluid movement, he spun Pidge away from him, gripping her hand a little harder when she leaned back at her limit and spun her back into him. He moved one step and dipped her while supporting her small frame easily. She weighed maybe 100 pounds soaking wet so dipping her low, holding it longer than necessary, and bringing her back up in another small spin was an easy task. He looked to her with a slightly smug expression but mostly reserved. She laughed and her cheeks turned pink.
"That was excellent! I have no critiques." She paused. "Have you done this before?"
He just smiled. "Oh, um. I guess I learn better when moving." He looked to Lance for just a fraction of a second, seeing him staring back.
"Hunk, did you see that?"
"For the hundredth time, no. I'm not watching them dance, I'm busy leading you!" Hunk said, a little irritated. Lance pouted.
"Sorry man. Just… wow she's good."
"He's getting some awesome tips from the blur of black I've been seeing." He chuckled a bit.
"Okay yeah, but Keith just dipped her inches from the floor like it was nothing." He didn't know it but he was smiling.
"Dude, Pidge weighs nothing. I have literally had to carry her away from a fight before."
Lance laughed and nodded, remembering it all too well, including the red face Shiro had when Pidge had confronted him. Tough little cookie.
"Well, anyway, you're an awesome lead. Not a step missed." He said to Hunk.
"And I dipped you like an expert, you failed to mention." Hunk smiled and Lance echoed, it was contagious.
"Sorry buddy. You did amazing but let's face it, you're built. You dipped Shiro."
"Can't lie, these muscles were made with love."
They both laughed and Keith's head snapped towards them. Pidge noticed.
"Keith, what's wrong?"
"Hm?" He looked down at her and was confused again, being pulled from his thoughts too quickly.
"You keep looking at them and doing that pouty, scrunchy thing you do when you're annoyed. What's going on?" She waited patiently for an answer as they moved slowly around the training deck. He couldn't say he was jealous, which he was. He couldn't say he wanted his dance partner back, even though he did. He weighed his options and chose to turn the conversation back onto her.
"I'm just wondering how you're going to dance at the Gala with someone so tall."
It took her a moment. Her brain screeched to a halt and her face went bright red. She stopped dancing and stared him in the eye, daring him to say another word.
"He's only a few inches taller than you." She almost growled. He smirked down at her.
"I bet you have the most beautiful dress picked out. He likes green on you."
"Shut up right now or I swear to god I will kill you." She whisper-screamed at him. He couldn't help but laugh loudly at her, his laugh echoing throughout the deck and making Lance look over at him yet again.
"What do you think she said? He's laughing so hard he's almost crying." He asked as he spun around with Hunk, not taking his eyes off Keith.
"You know Pidge. She probably tried to threaten him and I'm sorry but no one has anything on Keith. He's for sure not scared of her. I am, but that's beside the point."
Lance made a small "Mm" noise to agree and end the conversation. After a moment or two Pidge made an announcement, her face deep red.
"Alright, you're doing fine. Lance you can have him, there's no hope for him." Keith was trying not to laugh behind her as she stormed over to the other pair and all but pushed Lance to the side. She took Hunk as her partner and Lance made his way to Keith. He wrapped his hands on his body easily and took the lead, spinning Keith around the room.
As they danced, Keith felt calmer and moved much better with Lance than with Pidge. It had nothing to do with height, it was who his partner was. Lance spun him out and back in wordlessly, their bodies in perfect sync. Keith smiled wide and Lance dipped him, laughing as he looked down at him. He tilted Keith back up but kept his hand on the small of his back. It was comforting but also it turned him into unstable high octane.
"Shouldn't your hand be a little higher?" Keith asked, his pupils large with amusement.
"Nah. I want you as close as possible." Lance said with a red face and slipped his hand lower, just above his ass. Keith felt a chill run down his spine.
"Lance. We're not alone." He said in a hushed tone.
"You did some awesome spins earlier. Not gonna lie, I'm impressed." Lance said, dodging the subject.
"Oh, you were watching?" He grinned.
"Of course I was! You and Pidge moved so awkwardly, how could I not?"
"Hunk must not have been able to corral your attention, even though you were laughing half the time."
Lance looked disgusted. "Okay, glossing over the fact that you just said 'corral', which we will come back to, why were you and Pidge fighting?"
"Oh I just mentioned that you guys looked awesome." He said innocently. "Then she caught me staring too much and started asking questions so naturally I had to divert her attention from us and poked fun at her crush on Hunk."
"Bro, low blow." Lance said and shook his head, both of them laughing a bit. Keith shrugged.
"She's tough, she can take it. Besides, I'd rather her focus on her own feelings than mine." He said and the air between them changed. They continued to dance but didn't take their eyes off each other, like they were the only ones in the room, enjoying the music and the pure joy of just being with each other in that moment. What brought them out of their puppy love world was a blaring alarm that was quickly followed by a loud blast that shook the castle so hard all four of them fell to the ground. Keith broke Lance's fall but there was no time for a thank you. Allura's voice was blaring through the COM, her panic palpable.
"Paladins! Get to your lions immediately! We need Voltron!"
