Chapter 7
A purple haze surrounds him.
"What the…" Lance looks around. Something's heavy in his hands. He glances down and finds a large alien gun. At least he's assuming it is. It appears pretty futuristic to him anyways with it's white and blue coloring.
The haze clears and he- he actually recognizes the look of the hallway he's in. It's a Galra base.
"Lance!"
He spins around and sees - "Keith?" He takes in the white and red space like suit. "What in the hell are you-"
"Come on!" Keith cuts him off.
He spins around and takes out a droid that had been following him with some weird blade - also red and white. He grabs Lance's wrist and tugs him behind. Lance stares at his own arm, surprised to find that he's wearing blue and white armor similar to Keith's. The shade matched the gun he held.
"Would you start shooting already?"
Oh. Okay. There's more droids. Lance should shoot them. That would make sense. That is kind of what he does… right?
Lance starts firing.
"Bout time, Sharpshooter."
He means to scowl and throw some sharp words at Keith but when he catches that smirk on his rival's lips, Lance's thoughts fail him.
Then all of a sudden they're in some kind of ship. At least that's what Lance would guess. He's sitting in the polit seat and -
"Lance." Keith groans.
- and okay he most definitely is NOT sitting on the pilot's seat. He's sitting on Keith. Naked. And Keith's naked too and they're-
"Fuck." Lance moans. Because Keith's fingers are pumping in and out of him, occasionally brushing at his prostate with knowing ease and it feels so damn good. "Fuck, Keith." His voice far too breathy from a few touches.
"Yeah?" He takes some solace in the fact that Keith's voice comes out just as breathless. "You like that?"
"God, yes." Lance grinds his hips down.
Further onto those fingers. Further into Keith's lap. Further into whatever the hell is happening. Because at this point, he doesn't care. So what if he'd gone to bed with Keith across the-
Oh.
Okay. This… this is a dream. That makes a hell of a lot more sense.
"Lance." Keith grips at his back. Removes his fingers.
Lance whines at the lose. "Keith. Please." Because he knows it's a dream. Can indulge a little in something that won't ever happen in reality. Something he used to think about a lot three years ago.
He lifts his hips and Keith lines up. Lance pushes down and groans in gratification. He cups Keith's face. The look in those amethyst eyes is… he can't even find the right word. Longing, maybe? Satisfied?
The need to describe it leaves him as Keith presses up. His hands on Lance's hip, gripping tight like he's afraid Lance will float away.
And Lance just loses himself to the sensation.
And it's - it's more tender than Lance thought it would be. Like they'd done this numerous times before and… maybe they had? Dream Lance had done plenty with dream Keith. It's just… been awhile. Like at least a few years.
Keith's arms wrap around him, holding him close. Lance leans down, lips hovering just above Keith's. He wants the kiss. Wants it so fucking bad. But his body won't move any closer. Won't listen.
But he can feel Keith's breath against his lips as he whispers, "Lance… I-"
And Lance's eyes flew open.
His heart rammed hard against his ribs. His breath came out in harsh puffs. Like he'd actually been in the middle of amazing sex instead of just dreaming about it. And he's painfully hard, about ready to burst and that just isn't okay. And he does his best to will it away.
And fuck.
It's like he's that same kid three years ago all over again. A stupid seventeen year old with stupid dreams about someone he'll never have. Almost cumming from just his imagination of it all even. Fuck. Lance had been past the whole wet dream phase for fucking years! Why now? Why Keith?
"McClain?"
Why, why, why, why?!
He could cry.
"Uh… you okay, dude?"
He blinked. That hadn't been Blue talking to him. It was - "Kogane?" He looked up with furrowed brows. "You're here?"
Because Keith had said he'd be gone at dawn. And it was definitely way past that.
"Yeah?" He tilted his head, dark hair falling over one shoulder. "We were about to leave but you were calling my name so-"
"No I wasn't!" Lance quickly shouted as he sat up abruptly. Oh god. He hadn't been moaning Keith's name, had he? Thank god his green jacket pooled at his hips and covered his problem.
Okay, okay, get your shit together Lance.
"You were just going to leave?" Lance accused, grasping for a swift topic change. "What the fuck man!?"
Keith scowled. "I told you I was leaving at dawn and-" he glimpsed through the dingy old window "- it's already later then I wanted it to be."
He's nibbling his lips anxiously and Lance physically forced himself to look away from the nervous action. Like took a hand and moved his face to stare out the window too. Because Keith nibbling at his lips was doing things. Things that would have the exact opposite effect of what he wanted right now.
"You're meeting someone." He remembered what Keith told him yesterday. That Lance had teased about a 'hot date'.
Keith nodded, a bit hesitant.
"Me too." Lance admitted and stood. He dusted himself off. Pleasantly surprised that's no longer sporting a raging hardon, down enough that Keith wouldn't notice unless he was looking. It's the little things. "Guess this is where we part ways then, huh?"
"Guess so."
Neither of them made a move to leave.
Something about separating just didn't sit right with him.
'Perhaps because of your dream?'
Lance's eyes widen in panic as he glanced at Blue, still lounging on the ground lazily. But her eyes studied him inquisitively.
"Please tell me you did not see…" He trailed off very conscious of Keith and Red staring at the two of them.
'No.' Blue told him and he let out a huge sigh of relief. 'Just the emotion of it.'
Annnnd he's mortified all over again.
"Oh my god." Lance dropped his head in his hands. "Please. Don't say anything else."
'But-'
"Please." Lance begged. He sent her the strongest don't say anything vibe he could muster. If it was just Keith hearing one side of the conversation, no big. But Red could understand Blue. And if Red could understand that meant that Keith would eventually understand and-
No. Just no.
He swallowed thickly, unsure how his request would be received. "How about I come with you?"
Keith furrowed his brows, obviously confused.
"Just until you find who you're looking for!" Lance added swiftly. "Then, ya know, I'll be on my way and we can pretend that we never ran into each other."
"Why?"
"Because we fought a lot of droids yesterday and I'm sure they haven't completely left the area-"
"No." Keith cut him off. "That makes sense." His amethyst orbs bore into him. But it wasn't exactly unkind. Curious, mostly if Lance had to guess. "Why would we pretend we never ran into each other?"
"Uh…"
Because I just had a sex dream about you that was stupidly hot and I'm trying to pretend that never happened - doesn't exactly seem like a reason Lance should say out loud. Not for his sanity's sake. Not to mention the bit of shame and guilt that usually came with a dream of Keith. He wasn't even sure if Keith swung that way. Despite how easy Keith went with his flirting last night, Lance honestly didn't know for sure. He'd die if he tried to make a move and Keith shot him down.
"Well?" Keith pressed impatiently. His foot tapped the ground aggressively.
"Cause, ya know…" Lance reached desperately. He glanced at Blue hoping she had an idea.
'Don't look at me. You made this mess.' Her amused tone filtered in.
He scowled.
And swore he heard Red was laughing at him. The way the male lion's eyes danced suggested amusement. Cause it's not like he could actually hear the lion. He'd never heard Green or Gold, so it wouldn't make sense he could hear Red.
"You literally just met me yesterday, and you already have a problem with me?" Keith drew his own conclusion. A wrong one. He sounded a bit off put by the idea. Like most people that met him didn't like him.
But Lance was stuck on the words, not the tone.
"I told you - we do know each other!" He threw his hands in the air. "How can you not remember me? Seriously?!"
"I think I'd remember someone as loud as you."
"Are you fucking -"
Blue snickered at his word choice.
Lance flushed, words dying on his lips as the embarrassment washed over him anew. "Whatever. Fine. Don't remember me. I don't care." He so cared. "Fact remains that we should just stick together until you find whoever it is you wanted to meet yesterday."
"Fine." Keith agreed. "Let's get out of here then."
"Fine."
They left without another word. Keith paused at the door only long enough for Lance to grab the small pack of supplies he'd left behind before leaving Hunk and Pidge yesterday morning. He dug out some food and handed Keith an apple.
He stared at Lance like he grew an extra head.
"You're sharing your food with me?"
Lance hated how unsure Keith sounded. Like Lance would offer it only as a joke. Maybe he should work on his temper with this guy. "Shut up and just take it."
'Smooth.' Blue commented cooly.
"Blue!" Lance snapped at her, cheeks flushed lightly.
Thankfully his lion didn't take offense. She merely rolled her eyes and jogged up to where Red was. Seemingly having a conversation with the other lion that he couldn't hear.
"Thanks." Keith said as his hand grazed Lance's for the apple.
His heart leapt to his throat.
Before he could muster a response, Keith was already leaving.
Well Lance wasn't going to complain about the lack of conversation. Keith had dropped his earlier question, so he could be thankful for that at least.
-.-.-.-.-
He lied.
"Kogane." Lance complained for the third time that hour. "Talk to me."
"About what?" Keith finally responded. He hadn't been ignoring Lance, exactly, but he wasn't trying to keep up a conversation.
And Lance needed conversation. He'd been by himself for a day and a half before Keith showed up. He had Blue, of course, but that just wasn't the same as talking out loud to another human being.
"I don't know. Anything?"
"How about why you can't shut up?"
"Hey!" Lance scowled. "I've been quiet for hours."
Because sneaking through the city had taken some time. Because of course the meeting point Keith had was on the opposite side of town. They'd gone around the outskirts instead of cutting straight through. They decided the extra time it took was worth not running into another small army.
It was already midday and Lance was bored. Again. He needed Keith to entertain him. Or at least pretend to care about what Lance was saying.
"So who are we meeting, anyways?" Lance jogged up next to Keith. He'd been trailing behind for most of the trip. Now that they were nearing their destination, he let himself relax a little.
Keith glanced at him from the corner of his eye before staring straight forward. "I'm meeting a friend." He stressed.
"A friend huh?" Lance leaned forward to try and study his face. "Like, a special friend?" He wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully.
Keith ignored him.
He wouldn't be so easily deterred. "So, a friend. Are you sleeping with this friend?"
Keith stumbled as his foot connected with a rock. "What?!" He spun to face Lance. "NO! What the hell kind of question is that?"
"A curious one." Lance smiled with an innocent tilt of his head. "So, sleeping together is a possibility given your reaction-"
"No. Fuck no, never in a million years." Keith seethed as he grabbed a fist full of Lance's shirt. "Don't ever even suggest that again."
"Whoa, whoa," Lance held up his hands in a pacifying manner. "Chill, dude. Just trying to figure out what you've been up to for the past three years, my bad."
Keith shoved him away. "Yeah, whatever."
Lance felt like he should apologize. But before he got the chance, he noticed how Keith perked up as they approached an old building, a gas station from the appearance of it, just outside of the city.
"Shiro!" Keith shouted, relief heavy in his voice as he sprung forward towards the man sitting on a bench.
A giant black male lion laid beside him. And Lance meant giant. Gold was huge but this one was even bigger then he was. An extra foot taller at least. Which made sense because the lion's rider was well built and looked vaguely familiar...
"Holy shit." Lance gawked, the name Keith called and the face of the man clicking into place.
When Keith had said he was meeting someone, Lance never would have guessed it was the famous Takashi Shirogane.
The years had been good to him.
Shiro appeared even more grizzled then three years ago. Though, so is Keith, the thought popped into his mind as his eyes lingered on the shorter man as the two embraced. Flashes of pale skin filled his thoughts. Lance pushed the dream aside. He could at least admit that time had blessed the both of them. That was for damn sure.
His mind drifted back to Keith's rapid reply to his offer of cuddling as the two man carried on a conversation without him. Lance wanted to believe that exchange had some meaning to it, but… Well with the way Keith had so vehemently denied sleeping with his 'friend', a friend who was the epitome of man, Lance assumed that Keith had to be straight.
What a shame.
He immediately shoved those thoughts down and locked them up. Nothing good would come of thinking of Keith in that sense. He refused to recall the very vivid dream of the two fighting together. Especially when that fighting turned into more… sensual activities.
Lance slapped his cheeks harshly.
"Uh… you okay?" The object of his torment asked him kindly.
"I will be if your mullet self would just leave me alone." The poison fired from his lips. He mentally cringed.
Keith's jaw clenched and he backed away. Not even dignifying Lance with a proper response like he'd been expecting. Maybe it was because of Shiro's presence. Perhaps the older man mellowed out the firecracker of a man.
"Hi," the man introduced himself with a pleasant smile, despite the tension between Lance and Keith. "I'm Takashi Shirogane."
"I know." Lance tore his eyes from Keith's almost defeated form. "Everyone at the Garrison, knew you."
"You went to the Garrison?"
He nodded and held out his hand with his most charming smile. "Lance McClain. Same year as Mullet over here," he pointed at the still scowling Keith with his thumb.
"Ah. The cargo pilot who took Keith's spot after he got kicked out, right?" Recognition graced Shiro's features.
Keith's gaze snapped over to Lance so harshly, he probably got whiplash.
Lance flushed, head ducking down to try and hide in his jacket from the intensity of Keith's gaze. He had hoped that wouldn't come up. Like ever. But he didn't want to be rude to the legendary Shiro so, "yeah. I was on my way into the program before he got dropped, though."
"I told you that-" Keith started only to be cut off by Shiro.
"Of course. I heard about you before that." Shiro smiled kindly. "I'm sorry if it came off badly. It's been awhile since I've talked to anyone besides Keith." He chuckled lightly as Keith frowned.
The smile on Shiro's face remained comforting and not at all condescending. It eased Lance's nerves a bit. Well, a lot actually. Not to mention the guy did actually know him, which was a confidence boost in and of itself.
He shot Keith a smug grin. So what if Keith didn't remember him. Shiro did. "No worries."
"I can't believe you have a lion." Shiro eyed Blue curiously. "I didn't know there were any more of you." He reached a hand out to Blue.
She looked at it. And then walked away.
"Blue!" Lance gasped, embarrassed at her treatment. She hadn't acted like that when Keith showed up and he actually might have meant Lance harm. What gives? "Don't be rude."
She ignored him too.
"Ugh," he wiped a hand down his warm face. "I'm so sorry about her. She's normally friendly, I swear."
"Wish I could say the same about Keith." Shiro joked with a grin.
"Hey!" Keith elbowed Shiro under the ribs. The older man hissed and pushed Keith away with a frown.
Lance laughed at the exchange, glad that Shiro was so easy to talk to. He had been slightly apprehensive about dealing with someone so well known at the Garrison. The reputation of him being a good guy appeared to be true.
"He's not so bad." Lance assured Shrio and the two men paused in their wordless bickering. He shot Keith a warm smile. Probably the only one he'd given the guy in their short time together.
Keith's entire being froze. Lance quirked a brow, confused by the sudden mood change.
"So there was three of them, huh?" Shiro rubbed his chin as he thought. "Interesting."
"Five." Lance corrected as he dragged his eyes from Keith.
"Five?" Keith and Shiro said together.
"Yeah. The other two I'm traveling with each have a lion too." Lance admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Why didn't you tell me that?" Keith frowned at the new information.
"You didn't ask." He shrugged.
"So it's safe to assume you found them at the Garrison, as well?" Shiro asked before Keith got a chance to say anything. Seemed like the guy was well versed and veering conversations away from Keith's temper.
"You got it." Lance nodded as he slid his hands into his jeans pockets.
He nibbled his lip, pondering if he should say what he wanted to. There wasn't really a downside to bringing it up. A big reason they came out was to offer help. The worst they could do was say no.
"Actually… there's a bunch of us at the Garrison, yet, if… if you would want to come back with me. We could really use people like you." Lance eyed Keith adding, "both of you."
Keith blinked at him. As if he couldn't believe Lance said that.
Which was stupid. Lance may have been slinging insults at Mullet and been a bit short tempered so far, but he wasn't blind. Keith was a badass fighter. And he had no doubt that Shrio and his lion were as well.
"There's people at the Garrison?" Shiro asked quietly. He sounded weirdly hopeful.
"Yeah!" Lance beamed. Talking about the Garrison with Shiro seemed a far better option than attempting to decipher the weird looks he kept getting from Keith. "It was just a few of us students at the start, but now we got quite the little community going on."
"Impressive." Shiro complimented with a smile. "That couldn't have been easy."
"Thanks! It wasn't." Lance beamed with pride. "I don't wanna brag but it is one hell of an establishment compared to most."
"Sure sounds like a brag."
Lance shot Keith a glare. "You got something to say, Mullet, say it."
"I think you're full of shit." Keith narrowed his eyes at him. "You just met us. Why would you invite us back with you. Unless-"
"I do fucking know you!" Lance shouted at Keith for the third time that day. "Just because your stupid ass can't remember doesn't mean-"
"Okay. Enough of that." Shiro forced the two of them apart.
Lance stared at Keith, unsure when the two of them had gotten so close. The argument apparently so heated he didn't even notice. Why did they always seem to gravitate towards each other? Shit was annoying.
"Keith." Shiro placed a hand on said man's shoulder. "A word?"
"Fine." Keith clipped, spinning on his heel and heading away.
Shiro sighed, shot Lance an apologetic smile and followed the hothead. Lance simply stared after the pair and wondered if a conversation between him and Keith would ever not end in a shouting match.
"We should check it out." Shiro recommended before Keith could even get in a word.
Keith scowled, shooting Lance a glare over his shoulder. The man sat down on the bench Shiro had been occupying when they arrived. The three lions hovered around him. Lance ran a hand through his short brown hair. Probably frustrated.
Keith sure as hell was. "Why?"
"It's been a while since we've ran into a camp like his." Shiro shifted in his peripheral.
"We don't even know if he has a camp." He responded even as he kept his eyes on Lance. Blue was now resting her head on his lap. The tan man scratched between her ears and mumbled something under his breath. Red and Black observed the pair curiously.
"Lance wouldn't lie about that."
"I don't know that."
"Well I do." Shiro sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, Keith, I know you may not remember him, but he was in your class."
Keith glared at Shiro.
He continued unbothered. "It doesn't hurt us to check it out."
"But what if it's a trap!" Keith tried to argue. They'd tried the camp setting once before. It hadn't ended well.
"Keith." Shiro softened his tone. "This won't turn out like-"
"Don't." Keith cut him off. "We aren't talking about that. I'm just saying that it would be stupid to just jump into this because he went to the Garrison."
"We were heading that way, anyways." Shiro reminded him. "We haven't been able to find-" he stopped himself. Keith watched his adam's apple bob as he fought to keep down the emotion that usual rose when he thought of Adam. "It's been three years since we've been there. I need too…"
"I know." Keith relented. It had been over two years since they made the decision to head back towards the Garrison. Far too long for Shiro to hold onto the hope that his fiance may be there. At the very least, going with Lance would confirm one way or another whether Adam was there.
Something Shiro needed to know.
Keith wouldn't stand in the way of that.
"We'll go." Keith placed a hand on Shiro's shoulder and squeezed. "We'll check it out and…" his eyes glanced over to Lance.
The blue eyes already piercing into him. Upon noticing his gaze, Lance smiled gently at Keith for the second time that day. His heart lurched.
Keith quickly looked away, finishing his thought. "We can decide after a few days how we feel about the place."
Shiro gazed at him curiously. A flicker of dark grey eyes to Lance and then right back at Keith. He quirked a brow but thankfully didn't say anything but, "thank you, Keith."
"You don't need to thank me." Keith dropped his hand. "Like you said, we were heading that way anyways. Plus, he has a lion."
"And so do his companions." Shiro nodded. "At the very least we can try to learn more about them."
They shared smiles and walked back towards the group. Lance stood as they approached. His features schooled the inner workings of his mind.
"So what's the verdict?" His blue eyes shifted between the two.
"I think it's about time to return to the Garrison." Shiro told him with a smile.
"Hell yeah!" Lance shouted and threw a fist in the air. "I can't wait for you guys to see it!"
-.-.-.-.-
"And here we are." Lance gestured towards the building. It had taken them until sunset to reach the meeting point Lance had set up with his traveling companions. Thankfully, they were able to ride their lions and made good time.
Two figures perked up as they drew near.
A large tan man with a bigger build then Shiro, was leaning against the side of the building. He had darker features then Lance and a burnt orange headband in his dark brown hair. A gold lion lounged at his side. The lion's mane the color of honey while the rest of his coat appeared more like white sand. The lion actually looked like, well, a normal lion for the most part besides the stature. His size was the closest to Black's.
The other lion, sitting at the feet of a young woman, was a meadow green, a female. The girl herself had long, sandy blonde hair pulled into a braid hanging over her right shoulder. Her amber eyes studied them from behind large round glasses. She wore tan pants, a white and green long sleeve and matching sneakers.
"Meet the dream three, myself, Hunk and Pidge." Lance introduced them with a wave of his hand. "And of course, Green and Gold, they're trusty kitties.
Green snapped at Lance while Gold made no indication of hearing him. It almost seemed like the larger lion was sleeping.
Lance chuckled at the disgruntled lion. "Chill, Green. I mean that in the best possible way."
"Careful." The girl warned from her perch on top of a chunk of rubble. "She will bite you."
Lance scoffed as he crossed his arms. He glanced at his lion. "You'd protect me, right, Blue?"
Blue remained impassive as she stood beside Red. She nudged the male lion with her snout before strolling over to the other pair of lions. Red followed, to Keith's surprise.
"Ah, come on!" Lance complained loudly as the pair trotted past him.
"Uh, Lance?" The large man, Hunk, questioned cautiously as he cautiously stared at the red lion suddenly staring at Gold and Green. Gold finally stirring enough to eye the newcomers. "Um… what's going on here?"
"Oh, right." The cuban brought his attention back to Keith and Shiro. "I found some new friends!"
Keith snorted. "Friends, huh?"
"Shush, Mullet. I'm introducing you."
"Wait. Is that… Keith?" Hunk's eyes widened and his jaw slacked in disbelief. "Pidge! It's Keith!"
Keith frowned, confused. More people that knew his name? What the hell was going on here?
"Pidge…" Shiro's brows drew together in thought. His eyebrows shot up as he said, "Katie?"
"Shiro?!" The girl jumped off her ledge. A wide grin crossed her face. "Shiro!" She shouted as she ran towards him.
She threw herself into Shiro's awaiting arms. The two hugged each other tightly. "Katie," he laughed. "I can't believe it's you." He set her down and grinned at her. "How've you been, kid?"
"First off, no one calls me Katie anymore, Takashi." She leveled Shiro with a flat stare.
Keith snorted, throwing a hand over his mouth to stifle the noise.
Shiro glared at him while 'not called Katie' merely stared at him in surprise before smiling at him. He lowered his hand just enough to return it.
"It's Pidge, now." She turned back to the older man.
"Okay, Pidge." Shiro had to resist rolling his eyes, Keith had seen the look many times before. "How are you? What have you been up to? Wait." He paused glancing back at a stunned Lance. "You're one of the ones Lance told us about? With the lions?"
"Yep!" She grinned and waved behind her. "Green, girl, come here! Meet Shiro."
The green lion, smaller than the rest by a foot and a half, had mossy green patches littered throughout her coat that Keith hadn't initially noticed. She could easily blend into a forest with no one the wiser to her presence. She strolled right up to Shiro. His brother raised a hand, much more cautious this time around after the failed greeting with Blue.
"He's a friend of Matt's." Pidge told her lion.
As if that explained all the nonsense that was going on.
"Ohhhhhh." Lance smacked his forehead. "Duh! I totally forgot about that. Of course you'd know Shiro. I honestly forgot about Matt being friends with him."
"Don't blame you." Pidge shrugged. "The friendship makes no sense."
"Why not?" Keith asked curiously. He remembered Matt. And the name he put with that face resembled the woman in front of Shrio. Pidge must be his sister.
"Uh, because Matt is the biggest nerd I know, and that's including myself." Pidge shook her head. "Plus they were in different departments most of the time. What with Shiro being a fighter pilot and Matt in the science division."
"And Shiro is a total stud!" Lance stated shamelessly. His friends shook their heads.
"Uh… thank… you?" Shiro appeared unsure of how to react to that. But keith could read the somewhat pleased expression on his brothers features.
Keith rolled his eyes at the display. "Please. Shiro is the biggest nerd I know. A friendship between him and Matt makes perfect sense."
The other three stared at him with wide eyes. Keith shifted at their unrelenting gazes.
"Oh my god." Pidge broke the silence first. An excited glimmer in her eyes. "You just called Shiro a nerd."
And then she busted out laughing.
The tension eased from his shoulders. Thankfully, the others chuckled along with Pidge. Everyone except Lance that.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" He frowned deeply at Keith.
"What?"
"You remember, Matt of all people but not me?" Pidge and Hunk raised eyebrows at Lance. The lean man quickly added, "us, I mean."
"He was Shiro's friend. I saw him every once in awhile." Keith responded defensively.
"You saw us everyday!"
Pidge and Hunk stared at Keith in varying states of disbelief. "For real?" Pidge observed him quizzically. Her piercing gaze was almost as bad as Lance's.
"Uh… I'm just going to go… scope out the area while you guys get reacquainted." Shiro started to walk away with Black. He shot Keith a look that very much said 'play nice'.
Keith scowled at him. Screw Shiro for leaving him alone with strangers. Or, well, not strangers given the way Pidge and Hunk seemed to know him too. Curse his single track mind that had only focused on his studies and blurred the faces around him.
"So… you really don't remember us?" Hunk asked him kindly, even as his face dropped into a sad frown. "I guess that's not too surprising but… You really don't even know Lance?" He eyed Keith dubiously.
"Why would I?"
"Like not even heard of him?" Hunk continued to prod.
"No."
"Come on, even a nerd like me heard stories." Pidge eyed Keith critically.
"You were friends with him?" Keith said it cautiously. Maybe he had been wrong in his earlier guess about the three being friends at the Garrison.
"He's got a point, Pidge." Hunk said with a small chuckle. "But, Lance's exploits were fairly… well known."
"Not sure I like your tone, buddy." Lance quirked a brow.
But Keith could see the amusement clear as day playing across his tan features.
"You don't get a nickname like 'Loverboy Lance' for nothing, dude. Sorry." Hunk attempted an apologetic smile.
"Loverboy Lance?" Keith held back a disbelieving snort. The name did actually sound familiar now that he heard it. "You're kidding."
"Sadly, no." Hunk told him solemnly.
"Hey!" Lance whined. "I like that nickname! I worked hard for it!"
"Sure ya did." Hunk deadpanned.
"Ya hoe." Pidge snickered.
Keith placed a hand over his mouth to cover his smile. Oh. He liked Lance's friends. Especially Pidge. Her snark was something he definitely was beginning to appreciate.
"What can I say," Lance smirked, "I'm a people pleaser."
"Ew." Pidge scrunched up her features.
"Not everyone goes for the more scientific things, Pidgeon." Lance continued. "I much prefer the social interactions then being held up in a room with machines."
"Social interactions make me wanna barf." She replied flatly.
"Same." Keith found himself agreeing with her.
"Ah." Pidge brightened. "A kindred spirit. Praise the powers that be."
"Oh no." Hunk looked between Keith and Pidge. "Please tell me that you guys aren't gunna-"
"Yep." Pidge nodded, a grin growing on her lips. "Keith and I are taking over the world!"
Keith blinked at the odd turn in conversation. "Uh…"
Lance snorted, saving Keith from having to find a response. "Please. The Galra pretty much have the whole 'world takeover' thing locked down."
"Bold of you to assume I can't change that."
"Bold of you to assume Mullet's up for it." Lance fired back.
And then three sets of eyes were on him. Of course Keith rose to Lance's defiant tone. "When do we start?" He smirked pointedly at the blue eyed man.
Pidge grinned madly while Lance and Hunk gasped in terror.
"Oh no. I can't handle Pidge having a partner in her evil plans." Lance stared at the two of them with distrust.
"I thought I was her partner?" Hunk rubbed his chin. "I mean, we work together in the shop all the time."
"Nuh, no. No no no, nope!" Lance shook his head stubbornly. "You are my partner in crime. My best bud. Mi Amigo. Just cause you guys do tinkering means nothing."
"Hey!" Pidge scowled.
"Bro." Hunk wiped a tear from his eye.
"Bro." Lance sniffled opening his arms.
"Bro!" They both cried together in an exaggerated manner as they hugged each other tightly.
"Are they always like this?" Keith asked Pidge tiredly. It had been all of twenty minutes of seeing Lance with his 'best bro' and he was already exhausted.
"Pretty much." She clipped. She then shot him an excited grin. "It'll be nice to have someone to complain about them too."
"I'm at your service." Keith mock bowed.
Pidge laughed. "So, back to making fun of Lance."
"Hey!" Said man broke away from his hug to squawk.
"There is more than one instance where his other head got him in bad sticks." Pidge continued ignoring Lance's sputters. "Like the physic teacher's daughter."
Keith had no idea who that was. He vaguely remembered the teacher. But he had a daughter?
"Oh, and the twins!" Hunk snapped his fingers. "You remember, right." He joined Pidge.
"Oh yeah! The girl and guy." Pidge nodded excitedly. "Lance ended up sleeping with both of them and when they found out-" She broke off in a fit of giggles.
"Whoa, whoa! Hold up," Lance continued for her, obviously pretending to be upset even as a smile tugged at his lips. "How was I supposed to know her brother was the jealous type?"
"So if you knew you would have changed the order of it?" Pidge leered at him skeptically.
"Duh. I would have slept with her and then him." Lance gave them a crooked grin.
"I don't think that would have solved your problem, buddy." Hunk shook his head with a fond smile. "He still would have chased you through the courtyard with that practice sword regardless of who you slept with first."
"Wait…" Keith frowned, recalling the laughable instance.
It had been the talk of the Garrison for weeks. Someone had managed to bang both of the Elinson twins. And when the male twin - Keith had no idea his name - found out, he'd tried to physically harm the guy who had slept with him and his sister. It had been a huge deal. Keith ignored most talk of it. But he wasn't so oblivious to miss the way people would whisper and point at-
It finally clicked.
Tan skin. Chocolate brown hair. Ocean blue eyes. A handsome smile.
"You're that idiot?"
Lance winked at him while shooting finger guns his way. "The one and only- hey!"
"Lance," Keith spoke his name as if seeing him for the first time.
Keith did know him.
The blue of his eyes finally fell into a fuller face. The Lance that stood before him now had shed the baby fat, his face featuring far more defined angles then it had in school. And he was taller. A good five inches over Keith where they had been practically the same height three years ago. Everything about the guy seemed sharper.
But Keith was still confused. Lance was not the name he associated with that face.
He quirked a brow. "I thought your name was Taylor."
"What?!" Lance threw his hands up in the air. Clearly insulted. Not like Keith meant it as an insult. "How could you possibly think my name was Taylor?"
Keith pursed his lips in thought. "Well… you always went around during flight practices saying something like 'they call me The Taylor.'"
That memory was very much ingrained in his mind. The pretty boy from Cuba with the bright personality, bright blue eyes and even brighter smile.
"B-because of how I can thread the needle! That's why they called me The Tailor." He gestured wildly trying to get Keith to follow his line of thinking. Red rested high on Lance's cheeks. "Because of how well I could fly!"
"That doesn't make any sense." Keith told him flatly.
Finally, Pidge and Hunk busted out in gut wrenching laughter. The small woman fell harshly against Hunk's side. The glasses on her nose tilted up weirdly from where she pressed her cheek into Hunk's shoulder. Hunk himself wiped a stray tear from his eye. Lance looked ready to combust from embarrassment. Like if Keith had told him something horrible, like he'd seen him naked or something.
No. Keith urged his mind. Recalling Taylor - Lance reminded him of other things. Don't go there.
"That is just…" The large man searched for words.
"Perfect." Pidge supplied with a feral grin. "Just too perfect."
Lance narrowed his eyes at them. Keith just stared at the persistent flush on those tan cheeks. Something stirred low in his gut. He chalked it up to probably just a lack of food. His hungry stomach telling him to eat.
"Very funny guys." The skinny man grumbled.
"Sorry, dude, but that's hilarious." Hunk gave him an apologetic grin. "For that, of all things, to be the thing Keith remembers you for. And to think your name was Taylor." The man busted into another fit of giggles.
Keith huffed and willed away the heat beginning to spread across his own cheeks. He couldn't believe that it took him this long to put the pieces together. "Everyone in school knew about that. It was all anyone could talk about for days."
"You too?" Lance teased with a quirk brow as he tossed an arm over Keith's shoulders.
"Only because of how annoying it was." He deadpanned, but didn't remove his arm. Just stared at Lance's eyes.
They really were more mesmerizing up close. The ocean blue seemed even deeper, the color weaving in and out of the navy that surrounded his pupils. Keith recalled trying to catch those eyes more than once at the Garrison. Only for them to dart away as soon as he had.
"What is going on out here?" Shiro frowned as he stepped out of the building. Apparently he found a back entrance into the place because he definitely didn't go through the door just a few feet from them. "Are you two fighting again?" He narrowed his eyes at Keith and Lance suspiciously.
"Course not, Shiro." Lance shot Shiro a charming smile.
It kind of irritated Keith given Lance's earlier statement about him being a 'stud'. Did he know just how unavailable the older man was? Maybe Keith should inform him. Not that he cared...
"Would Kogane and I ever do such a thing?" He batted those long lashes innocently.
"Track record so far says yes." The older man responded without missing a beat.
Pidge and Hunk laughed.
Lance gasped dramatically.
Keith elbowed him in the ribs, trying to get him to let go.
The tan man only continued to smile down at him. Keith had never been able to catch his eye at the Garrison, but now, with Lance's attention only on him, he found himself with a problem. A very good reason why he'd stopped trying to catch Lance's eyes so much after those first few weeks.
Lance was hot.
And Keith could not deal.
"Get off." He gruffed, pushing Lance away in hopes he wouldn't notice the sudden flush to his cheeks.
He recognized this weird feeling. Sweaty palms, warm cheeks. Oh no. No, no, no, no. He was not about to like someone like Lance. No, no, no-
"Esh, Kogane," Lance grinned wickedly at him, "I'm sure you like it rough, but not in front of everyone, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Groans sounded off around them. But Keith couldn't stop looking at Lance.
Fuck.
'Keith?' Red questioned worriedly.
He ignored his lion, a slow panic rising as he realized how big of a problem he was getting into. There was a reason he hadn't remembered Lance right away, beside the obvious name misunderstanding. He hadn't wanted too. The Cuban had always been able to easily get a rise out of him in the few interactions they had. It always had left Keith with an odd hammering of his heart and butterflies in his stomach.
He hadn't liked it.
So he started avoiding the other man all together.
The others continued to talk around him. Red the only one aware of his sudden discomfort. Why. Why did it have to be Lance he found on that rooftop? Why the hell couldn't he stop staring at him?
Red nudged his hand and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He patted his lion's mane thankfully. Glad for the distraction as his eyes focused on the deep red strands.
Keith didn't speak much the rest of the night.
A/N: Not going to lie, this chapter totally got away from me XD 7k+ words?! It's likely this won't happen to often, but, well... every time I went back to edit/finish the chapter, I kept adding like another couple hundred words soooo... It might happen haha. Normally I would split a chapter this large up, but there was no good place to do that.
Hopefully you guys enjoyed it!