(AN: More herding of Space Cats. I have discovered that it is Shiro and Allura who keep pulling me off course... but I am starting to get okay with that, because they are both so much more fun to write than I expected. I hope they are fun to read, too.)
"Awww," pouted Lance, "a few minutes ago you said your favorite was ME!?"
Shiro chuckled, "she said the same thing to me right before I tripped. I think it might be a drunk thing."
"Gushy!" Pidge said, "Allura, thanks. You are very gushy when you've been drinking."
Shiro glanced over at the table... which was empty, as was the glasses for the drinks he'd had when Shiro had rejoined the dancers. No sign of Keith. When had that happened? His brow furrowed, and he scanned the crowd. Nope. The bar maybe? Nope.
"Gushy?" Allura echoed in confusion, "I am un-"
"Guys? Anyone seen Keith recently?" he asked, cutting off whatever Allura had been about to The others glanced back and forth, heads shaking.
"Do you think he's okay?" Lance asked, something close to panic darting across his features.
"Yeah, could someone have tracked him?" Hunk sounded worried, "the Blades of Marmora still have enemies and stuff..."
"Ok- everyone calm down. He is probably just in the bathroom... or stepped out for some air. People get split up when drinking for all kinds of reasons," Pidge sounded pretty calm and sober, but the very deliberate nod she gave at the end of her speech made her wobble a bit, betraying her own intoxication.
"Right, right," said Hunk, "alright- reasons drunk people leave the table. Dancing? No. Getting more drinks? No. Playing space air hockey? No. So, that leaves- bathroom, outside- for food, air, or walking-, and hook-ups."
"Hook-ups? Seriously?!" Lance gaped, "have you MET Keith? Does he seem the type to go from stranger to seal the deal in less than a song to you?"
"Yeah- good point," Hunk nodded. "I'll check the bathroom. I was headed there anyway." He bustled away, graciously extricating himself from a few bar-goers who tried to strike up a conversation with an exaggerated 'pee-pee dance'.
"I am sure he is fine," reassured Allura, "he is quite capable of taking care of himself." She sighed, "he's my favorite Paladin."
"I'm going to look outside. If something is wrong, he might need back-up," Lance said, an edge creeping into his voice.
"Be ready to give him some space if all is well," Shiro advised, "tonight is sort of outside his comfort zone."
"C'mon!" Lance protested, "I know how to handle Keith!"
"Does... Does he ACTUALLY believe that?" Pidge asked, incredulous.
"Yep. He really does. He's WRONG, but what can you do?" responded Shiro- joking, in part to keep the others from worrying but also to keep his own panic in check.
"Let's just... all head back to the table so the others know where to find us," Allura suggested helpfully.
"I am ordering a round," Pidge said suddenly, "we won't drink it until he's back- but if he's close by, we'll need the drinks to get back on track."
Shiro was about to argue when he saw the young Paladin's face. She looked angry, but he saw the slightly unhinged look she had in her eyes and he recognized it from her efforts to locate her family. Sometimes, it really broke his heart that Keith couldn't seem to figure out how to let them all in. There was so much love for him in this little ragtag family they'd crafted, if only he'd just... drop his walls a bit. "Sure," he answered, dropping his hand to Pidge's shoulder in affectionate support.
"Thanks, Space Dad," she sighed, then froze. Her large eyes got even larger and she clamped both of her hands over her mouth in moritification. It was too cute for words- which she would NOT appreciate hearing.
"What was that?" he asked.
"What? Me? Um.. No. I mean- nothing?" she floundered, not meeting his eyes as she stomped over to the table and snagged a chair.
"I believe she called you 'Space Dad'," Allura offered helpfully. The Princess's features drew together as she focused, her finger tapping at the corner of her pursed lip. Distractedly, she dropped into the booth. "You ARE very protective and encouraging of them all. I can see why they would see you as a kind of father to them."
"Space Dad?" he echoed. "I am the same age as Matt!"
"You are?" Allura looked puzzled, "you DO seem significantly more... parental than Pidge's brother."
"You are older than Matt!" Pidge yelped.
"Not by much," he countered, "same age difference as you and Keith. Oh my god! Keith is RIGHT! You DO all think I am a stick in the mud!"
"What?" Pidge snorted. "Pffft..." made a face, "bah..." and half shook her head, "pshaw," waved her hand dismissively. "We... so... do... not?"
Hunk chose that moment to return.
"Do you ALL call me Space Dad?" Shiro demanded of Pidge, "or is it just you?"
"Duuuuuuuuuuuude- you told him about the Space Dad thing?" he shook his head at the Green Paladin, "not cool, dude. Not. Cool."
"It's not like its an INSULT!" Pidge countered.
"I am TWENTY-FIVE years old!" Shiro nearly shrieked.
"Really? You look older," Hunk replied, "I mean- umm... You don't look OLD... just, you know, older than twenty-five. I thought you were... like... thirty?"
"Thirty!" Shiro gasped, clearly affronted.
"Thirty is NOT old," Hunk reassured. "Thirty is like... the new twenty." He was very, very glad he hadn't said thirty-five given Shiro's outrage at being seen as a thirty year old!
Allura watched the exchange with rapt interest, unsure why Shiro, of all people, would be reacting in such a way to a simple mathematical error. She thought the nickname was sw- "I think it is sweet," she declared, as soon as the thought flitted through her mind. "They look up to you. Trust you to keep them safe."
"Yeah!" Hunk leapt at that explanation. "What Allura said!"
"Right- and you are the one that busts us when we do dumb shit," Pidge added.
Hunk groaned, dropping his face into his hand and shaking his head at Pidge. "What is WRONG with you?" he muttered. That was SO not helping their case.
"Where did this nickname even come from?" Shiro wheeled to put his entire focus on Pidge.
Hunk scooted behind him, out of his line of sight, and was frantically shaking his head and miming getting his throat slit at the tiny techie. Please. Please. PLEASE. Let her have enough sense not to tell him the whole weird, gossipy story.
She must have seen his face because after she yelped and flinched away from Shiro, she pushed her glasses up her nose and waggled a hand at him. "You have to ask?" she snarked, "look at yourself RIGHT NOW. You are like one 'you better explain yourself young lady' away from a sweater vest and reading glasses."
Shiro blinked. He blinked again. He opened his mouth..."So- um... no Keith in the bathroom," Hunk supplied helpfully. "Any word from Lance?"