I

''Okay, it's a very strange dream I had when I was about fifteen.'' Lance rested his elbows on knees to emphasize his words. Everyone looked at him with some fun that he would surely say something ridiculous. ''I'm in the hallways of Garrison, completely naked, and everyone looks at me.''

''Yes.''

''I've also dreamed it.'' Pidge and Hunk nodded in agreement.

''Okay, yeah, everyone has dreamed something like that. But out of nowhere, the roof opens and the sky is visible...'' He raised both arms extending them over his head. ''And a kind of giant mechanical lion appears and is right in front of me!''

He affirmed as if he were saying something impressive never told, something that was normal in Lance, the drama in his stories was always exaggerated. But Pidge just smiled sardonically at his words, taking some of her coffee.

''Oh yeah.'' She added animatedly after a few seconds in silence with a glance at Hunk. ''Is as if it spoke to you mentally, and releases a beastly roar when it reaches the earth.''

''Then you get a kind of elastic armor that combines with the lion, it is a recurring dream when you reach the last year in Garrison, Lance.'' Hunk sipped a little of his mochaccino cup, laughing at the surprise face of his dear friend. ''It's not a big deal, buddy.''

''Really? Everyone has dreamed it?!''

''I don't,'' Keith added, sitting on the back of the chair Hunk used after returning with a few cookies.

''See?'' Lance leaned back on the back of the couch. ''Not everyone in Garrison has the same dream of robotic lions.''

''No Lance.'' Pidge bit her lip avoiding smiling at what she would say. ''That's because Keith has dreamed of two lions and a spaceship.'' The petulant laugh Keith released after Pidge's words were the most irritating thing Lance heard for the rest of the day.

''This is unfair…''

For a couple of years they had the same routine: Leaving work and spending time in Arus's cafe before heading home, it was a pleasant place with country music that in most cases the new generations had forgotten many years ago, but it seemed nice to Pidge and Keith, Hunk appreciated the food and coffee they served where they at least met the minimum hygiene requirements, and Lance made many appointments for one night when he had nothing better to do, for what became an ideal place to spend time.

Sometimes, during the weekends where they had more free time and Pidge didn't visit her parents, they used to hang out together watching a premiere of a new movie or taking on the terrace of the apartment that Lance and Keith shared once they finished the college. Despite the differences they used to have most of the time thanks to their differing personalities and different tastes, the four were friends for many years when they were part of the Galaxy Garrison University. Or as Lance used to call it, his best years of life before entering the miserable working world.

After finishing their studies, they went down different paths and there were times when it seemed that they would never be together again for the responsibilities of adult life and the search for a job. Things changed and with it their interests too, even spending months where they knew absolutely nothing about each other. But thanks to a happy coincidence a couple of years ago, they ended up living in the same city when things began to stabilize again.

Pidge even ended up living in front of Lance and Keith in the same apartment building when she got a paid job and was able to afford her independence.

So far, the four didn't have a great responsibility to worry about and were happy with it.

They were completely depressed.

''Come on Matt, it's not so bad.''

Lance insisted once Pidge's older brother managed to lift his head from Hunk's shoulder after thirty minutes moaning like a teenager with a broken heart. Pidge tried to cheer him up with a piece of peanut butter pie that she asked for Coran, the head of Arus's coffee, to keep for her after her work schedule, but Matt rejected it five times in a row until she decided to eat it to pass a bit of the bad taste in the mouth that Matt was leaving around her friends.

''Do you think it's not so bad Lance?'' He responded irritably as he wiped the tears from his face. ''Today I just signed the divorce papers with the only woman I've been with all my life. And you say it is not so bad?''

''Hey, I'm just saying you should take it easy,'' Lance said raising both hands in a peaceful signal. ''I wasn't the one who divorced you.''

''No, but it's almost as if you had been an accomplice.'' Matt hissed with a look of death until Keith placed in front of Lance to avoid a possible fight.

''Matt, Lance hasn't the fault.'' Keith tried to calm things down when Coran raised his eyebrow at the noise they were causing. It wasn't a good idea to bother the old mustache, but Matt just cleared his throat.''Besides, nobody would know that Veronica would be a lesbian…''

''Shut up Keith, you will die alone.''

''Matt is enough!'' Pidge responded by hitting the back of her brother's neck behind the chair when she passed behind hard enough to complain. ''Veronica told you that she didn't know she was gay until a few months ago, Lance is not to blame for your divorce and you should stop victimizing yourself for this. You are an adult! What would mom think if she saw you like this?'' She ended up sitting in a nearby chair, generating a reflective silence from everyone. Until Keith decided to speak.

''And I will die alone?'' Pidge groaned angrily; Lance just patted his back chuckling.

''One problem at a time, Keith,'' Lance said trying to give him some hope.

''You're right, Pidge, I'm sorry guys. I didn't want to bother you.'' He smiled at both of them to emphasize his words. ''It's just been a difficult week, I still love her, you know? Veronica was my first girlfriend since college, and I felt good being married.''

''What's so special about being married?'' Lance asked skeptically. ''You're twenty-eight years old! You should take advantage of and live again, let's go to a strip club!''

''Lance, we already said we wouldn't go to those things.'' Hunk stopped Lance before he continued. ''What Matt needs is time for things to happen, connect with him again. And you will surely get through this bad time in a couple of months.''

''No, you need a strip club,'' Pidge said after a few seconds, earning a tired look from Hunk. ''What?''

''I don't want a strip club, or live again, or let time pass. I want to be married!''

Before Matt kept crying, the coffee doors opened so loudly that everyone looked away at the entrance.

There, running towards Coran as soon as she found it in sight, there was a woman with silver hair so tall that it easily differed from the rest of the world, in a loose dress that fit around her waist as if she was hugging her gently, white with some golden inlays in the fall of her legs, giving the illusion that it would have been made with the most expensive silk that could be found on the ground.

It was an altean wedding suit.

Everyone was astonished watching the figure of that woman who spoke in her native language next to Coran who looked clearly worried until Pidge realized that it was not a stranger, approaching are cautious towards her.

''Allura?'' The woman turned around hard making her hair hit Pidge's face hard, she realized very late that the rain made her take more weight than necessary.

''Pidge? Oh, for the ancestors Pidge is you!'' Allura hugged her tightly once he recognized her. ''I asked for you at the address I had in your apartment, but the guard told me that you weren't at home, but told me that I could find you in Arus's cafe and here you are, I'm so happy!''

''Yeah, yeah...'' Pidge avoided Allura hugging her again, she was partially damp because her dress was also wet. ''You could sit down and explain to me what you are doing here in the city, dressed like this...'' She helped Allura get to the armchair where everyone was watching her waiting for some explanation. ''Do you remember my brother Matt?''

''Yes, it's nice to see you again.'' Allura hugged him once Matt got up to greet her, giving her space to sit in his place.

''I'll go get you a coffee, you must be soaked.''

''Thanks, Matt, you're so sweet.'' Pidge cleared her throat once she saw him heading towards the bar where Coran was already preparing something for her.

''They are my friends, Hunk and Lance.''

''Is a pleasure,'' Hunk added sympathetically.

''A pleasure.'' Lance approached her to kiss her hand, but before trying Matt's umbrella blocked the road, scaring them both and leaving Lance with a failed attempt. Keith chuckled of Lance.

''And you remember Keith.''

''Yes, Shiro's little brother.'' She greeted him with a big hug, causing Keith to stir uncomfortably until Allura released him.

''Allura, remember personal space.''

''Oh yes sorry. How is Shiro?''

''Well, he lost an arm a few years ago,'' Keith replied dryly while drinking his coffee. Allura walked away awkwardly without knowing what to do with that information.

''Ohh.''

''Then...'' Pidge sat on the back of the chair, while Allura had the coffee Matt brought her after a few minutes. ''Why are you here?''

''I was waiting for the ceremony of my marriage a few hours ago, my mother and my family were out of the room talking about wedding matters like the banquet and that... And when I looked in the mirror for a few minutes, I felt so ... Strange.''

''Like... What's missing for your outfit?'' Lance consulted.

''Maybe you got something bad for your stomach, sometimes I feel strange when you mixed strange things during work.'' Hunk was encouraged, Pidge and Allura watched them confused for a few seconds.

''She doesn't refer to that, but the princess felt that she didn't belong to that place,'' Coran said after approaching a piece of cake to Allura. ''I told you it wasn't a good idea to marry with Lotor.''

''I know, Coran... It's just that my father and Zarcon were so happy about the idea, that when he proposed it to me, I couldn't refuse.'' Said defeated, squeezing both hands out at the memory. ''Before I knew it, I was at a wedding with a man who wasn't sure if I loved or not, and I escaped from there. I didn't know where exactly Arus's coffee was, the only place I could go was to Pidge's house.'' She took one of her hands gently, Pidge smiled back. ''You were my best friend during high school, I'm happy to see you again.''

''Me too, Allura.''

''If you were such friends for so many years, why were you not invited to the wedding?'' Keith consulted with a raised eyebrow. Allura's face flushed.

''I sent an invitation to the entire Holt family, but only their parents appeared on the list.'' She said after a few seconds. ''Why didn't you two go to my wedding?''

''I got divorced this afternoon,'' Matt replied bluntly.

''I hate Lotor,'' Pidge answered with a frown. Allura shrugged looking at Keith.

''There you have your answer.''

''Father, I know what I did was wrong, but you have to understand me...''

Lance sat next to Keith with a soda in hand, subtly watching as Pidge's friend walked around the kitchen from side to side with the cell phone next to her ear, in a conversation that was clearly taking difficult. Everyone else simply preferred to focus on a soap opera that he vaguely remembered as a romantic drama of a cruise to the Caribbean, in which his friends used to make ironic comments from time to time out of mere boredom.

''Oh please, don't make me feel bad about that, I didn't know what would make Mrs. Honerva cry.'

He sighed heavily when he realized that none of them intended to help Allura, who seemed to start crying at any moment.

''Is it okay to let your friend deal with it alone?''

''Yes.'' They all answered while watching television, Keith looked at him with a frown and with clear suspicion about his question.

''What?''

''I know what your intentions are, don't you dare to take advantage of it. She just escaped from her own wedding and feels vulnerable.''

''Keith is right,'' Hunk added. ''I don't think your intentions are for being a good person. You almost threw on top of her when she sat next to you in the cafe.''

''I don't want to take advantage of her!'' Both hummed at odds. ''Pidge, do you think that too?''

''Allura, walked away from Lance, he's stalking you!''

''Pidge!''

If Allura listened to Pidge while arguing with her father on the other line, she didn't show it. However, the screams began to rise more and more once she moved a little closer to the chair. Calling everyone's attention.

''I don't want another chance with Lotor, father! I don't care what he says!'' A brief snort came out of her throat while she waited. ''Because you educated me all my life as it was supposed to be, but did you ever wonder what I wanted !? No, of course I don't know yet! Besides, I don't love Lotor enough to marry him.'' A soft humming came from Pidge's lips at the answer. ''I don't know what I'll do yet, maybe I stayed with Pidge during these days.''

The three looked away at the named person, who only raised her arms indicating that she also didn't know how to respond to that.

More than anything because it was well known that Pidge hated sharing her personal space with someone else.

''Well, I can try to live on my own ... Of course I can do it, father! Yes, even maybe without your money. Wait I said maybe-''

When the call hung up, Allura dropped to Lance's side, completely devastated by the terrible situation she was in. Pidge sat next to her trying to give her some comfort.

''What am I going to do? This morning I was supposed to marry the man my parents loved and travel to Daibazaal overnight for our honeymoon... Now I am in an apartment in the middle of the city, in a wet dress and without a home to return to with some dignity.''

''Well... Not everything is so bad, you have me, Keith,'' When Pidge looked up at Keith, he denied drastically moving away from the couch. ''And Coran.'' She added with more emphasis. ''By the way, what you said to your father was true.''

''What?'' Allura asked confused.

''You can't marry someone you don't love,'' Lance said with a compassionate smile.

''And that you can stay with Pidge while you fix your life, because believe me, it seems you need it.''

''Seriously?'' She looked at Pidge to know her answer, she only sighed heavily after thinking about it.

''I think is okay. You need help and I have a room in this place.'' Pidge wasn't expected to hold her so tightly that both almost fell off the couch.

''Thanks, you are the best.''

''And whenever you need something, Keith and I are only one door away.'' Lance leaned on the back with a more seductive air, to everyone's annoyance. ''And believe me, Keith is never home.''

''Is he okay or is he always like that? '' Allura asked towards Pidge, she just smiled funny.

''He is fine, you'll learn to love him after a few days.''

Tidying up the guest room that Pidge had in her apartment was much harder than they expected. Lance and Hunk spent several hours moving heavy machinery and failed experiments that Pidge was bringing from work home when she had nothing better to do and that hindered all the way, leading some to the shared basement of the building and others outside waiting for the garbage. Meanwhile, Pidge searched the closet for something that Allura could have left for the night. Keith preferred to escape when he saw the opportunity and head home before they could even ask for help.

Lance opened the door of his apartment past two o'clock in the morning after Pidge kicked him out of the house when he suggested that he could help Allura choose nice pajamas among all the clothes she found that Allura could have left for now. Seeing how his roommate was sketching one of his notebooks while keeping the television on to generate some noise. Lance cleared his throat sharply as he sat next to Keith, watching him with annoyance.

''You know, you could help a little even, my arms ache from loading Pidge's trash.''

''I wasn't the one with the idea of letting her stay at home.'' He answered without further looking away from the notebook.

''Do I feel some rejection from you for the princess?'' Lance asked a little more curiously. ''Do you even know why Coran refers to her like a princess? I mean, if she met Shiro, then you know each other pretty well. Do you have a past? Did you were boyfriends or something?''

''Why do you ask?'' Keith closed his notebook before continuing to listen to Lance's verbiage. ''I already told you Lance, for your safety, change the focus, she only causes problems and much exhaustion.''

''So, if something happened between you?''

''Jesus, Lance!'' Keith got up abruptly completely irritated. ''Allura is the most arrogant and cranky woman in the world! If you are so interested in her, then go ahead, but don't come to me when she devours your heart and you start thinking with the right head.''

And without further ado, he knocked on his door, giving the conversation finished, some of the paintings around the walls echoed before the blow.

''You're worse than a scorned teenager!''

''Fuck you!''

Lance snorted at his childish behavior. While they used to disagree most of the time, it was the first time in years that Keith had left him speaking alone. So he deduced that Allura had to deal enough damage for him to act so defensively.

He turned off the television when he saw nothing of his interest, but before heading to his room, he felt the front door open, showing Pidge in a baggy sweatshirt that he recognized as part of her winter pajamas, and without any pants covering her legs. Lance whistled when he saw an interesting view of her butt when she turned around for a moment.

''Heavens Pidge, if you want to seduce me you have to wait for Keith to sleep.''

''Shut up.'' She hit his shoulder hard as she sat beside him a little anxiously, hugging a pillow with a wide smile. ''Matt called me a few minutes ago, talked to Veronica and you're not going to guess what he said.''

''What? Will they treat a relationship of three or something?''

''No asshole! Veronica is pregnant!''