Chapter Four
Keith didn't like parties- never had, and probably never would. They were too loud, too stuffy, and had too many people to deal with. If he had a choice, he would have just stayed up in the castle ship with Coran.
But apparently he didn't have a choice. Allura said it would raise moral for the people of the coalition to be able to actually see the paladins. So here he was, clinging to Shiro in the very back of the ballroom and trying to fend off a pending panic attack.
"Just a few more hours," Shiro mumbled, as if he knew what Keith was thinking.
He probably did, considering how tightly Keith was latched onto his human wrist.
"You okay, man?" Hunk asked, and Keith realised the rest of the team was staring at him, "You're looking kinda pale."
"I'm fine." He lied, letting go of Shiro's wrist. He wasn't a child, he didn't need Shiro to hold his hand. He really didn't know why he was freaking out so much, it usually wasn't this bad.
Thankfully, their attention was drawn from Keith as Pidge weedled her way through the crowd to rejoin them. She looked like a little grasshopper, drowning in one of Allura's old lime green dresses.
"Did you find Lance?" Shiro asked.
Pidge just nodded, looking flustered. Her face was red, and Keith didn't think he'd ever seen her look so embarrassed.
Hunk raised an eyebrow, "Where is he?"
"He's… occupied." Pidge muttered fiddling with the edge of her bayard, half hidden in the folds of her dress.
Allura frowned, "If he's off blowing his cover by flirting with some girl-"
"I really don't think you need to worry about that…"
And what the hell was that supposed to mean?
"So… what is he doing?"
Pidge just rolled her eyes, pointing towards the large, arched doorway where Lance had just slid back into the ballroom, "Ask him yourself," and she slipped off, following a waiter with a tray of snacks she'd been eyeing earlier.
Someone else was coming in behind Lance- was that the Prince? The team had been introduced to the royal family upon arriving, the King personally welcoming them to the planet, and Keith was pretty sure that the man trailing closely behind Lance was Tikroz, heir to the throne.
Tikroz grinned, trailing an arm lightly across Lance's shoulders, then shoved his way to the front of the ballroom to join the rest of the royal family. Lance's eyes followed him, a dopey grin spreading across his face, before turning around and looking across the crowd until his gaze landed on the team.
He pushed his way over to them, "Hey guys, what's goin' on?"
"Lance, where have you been?" Allura asked, even though it was pretty damn obvious what Lance had been doing. His braid was half undone, his dress was disheveled, and the glitter of his lip gloss was spread half-way across his face.
"Just getting some air." He lied, still grinning like an idiot. Keith saw Hunk shake his head, his lips turning up into an amused grin.
Allura just nodded obliviously, "Alright, next time don't wander off too far, though." Seriously, how could she not see what was going on? Even Keith, Keith, epitome of cultural ignorance could tell Lance and Tikroz had been getting it on in some deserted hallway.
A sharp pang suddenly tore through Keith's chest. What was wrong with him? It was a party, of course Lance would be flirting with the locals. They were off duty, and Lance had certainly done enough for this mission to earn him the right to kiss whoever he so pleased. So why was Keith so torn up about it.
"Damn, I can't even feel my feet anymore." Lance groaned, leaning heavily against the wall, "These heels are killing me!"
"Language," Shiro chided, probably just out of habit, but even he looked entertained by Lance's antics, "I told you they were a bad idea."
"Yeah, well that was before I knew I would be standing in them all day!"
Hunk chuckled, "Maybe you should go back to the castle and change. It's pretty warm in here, it can't be comfortable in that dress and all that makeup."
Lance shifted from one foot to the other, wincing, "Yeah, maybe that's a good idea."
Shiro sighed, "Alright, I'll tell Coran you're headed back. Why don't you take Keith with you?"
Keith's gaze snapped up to Shiro in disbelief. Was he giving Keith an escape? Even if it were with post-make out session Lance, Keith would gladly take the excuse to leave. He gave Shiro a weak grin, and the older man smiled back.
Lance shrugged, "Okay, c'mon mullet, let's blow this popsicle stand!"
What? Popsicle stand? Sometimes Lance said the weirdest things…
Lance linked arms with Keith, something that Keith usually wouldn't have allowed, but for once was grateful for. He would have never been able to navigate his way through so many people without Lance's gentle tugging.
They made it a couple hallways away from the ballroom, the chatter of voices finally fading away, before Lance stopped and pulled his skirt up to his knees, yanking the heels from his feet. He groaned, stretching out his bare, mocha colored feet.
"Dios mio, my feet are on fire!"
"It's your own fault for wearing them."
Lance pouted, "But they're pretty!"
"Who cares? Why would you wear them if they hurt your feet that much?" Keith really didn't understand some people's need to look good. All he needed his clothes to be were comfortable and functional.
Lance just shook his head in disbelief, and tried to take a step forward, but staggered and almost fell. Keith instinctively grabbed his shoulders to steady him, keeping him upright.
"Thanks," Lance panted, "I guess I really fell for you."
Keith rolled his eyes, "You know that joke is old as hell, right?"
Lance laughed, "I guess, but that's the cool thing about space: there's gotta be at least one planet that hasn't heard it."
"Sure." Keith ducked under Lance's arm, draping it over his shoulder and hooking his arm around the other boy's waist, "Let's just get moving."
He helped a limping Lance through a side door and into the outer city. Hundreds of sandstone houses lined the palace, all connected with a complex network of sandy roads that they would have to walk through to make it to the Castle's landing site on the edge of the city.
"Are you alright?"
The question was sudden, and Keith wasn't sure he had heard it correctly, "What?" He turned to give Lance a confused look.
"You didn't look so hot back there."
Keith raised an eyebrow, "You're the one who can barely walk!"
"I mean, yeah, but you still look pretty pale."
Keith looked away, hoping Lance would get the hint that he didn't want to talk about it. It seemed he didn't, as he was still glaring at Keith expectantly.
"I'm fine. It was just too loud in there." Keith's voice was low, and he wasn't sure if he'd said enough or not, "It's not usually that bad, I just… I don't really know what happened…"
Lance hummed, and nodded. He was being more understanding than Keith had expected. He knew Lance was from a large family, and was used to crowds and noise. He thrived in it, and was uncomfortable when it got to quiet, preferring to fill the silence with aimless rambling or music.
Keith was the opposite. He'd been alone for so long, he was used to the quiet. He was terrible at interacting with others, and if it weren't for Voltron, he probably would have stayed in his lonely, uncracked shell forever.
The two stumbled through the empty roads. It seemed everyone was celebrating in the palace. Lance reached up and pulled out his hairpins, tugging off his wig. His real hair was sticking up in a dozen different directions.
"I didn't know you liked boys." Keith said, breaking the quiet lull they'd worked into.
"Pidge told you about Tikroz?"
"It was pretty obvious."
There was a pause.
"Yeah, I like boys too. You got a problem with it?"
Keith snorted, almost offended Lance would ask, "No, of course not. I've just never seen you flirt with one."
"I literally flirt with you guys all the time!" Lance laughed, bringing his arm to his face and almost jabbing Keith with the stiletto heels, "I just used a pickup line on you like, five minutes ago!"
Keith slapped Lance's hand away from his face, "No, I mean like, seriously flirt. Not just your weird teasing!"
Lance gave Keith a strange look, then shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I just prefer girls. I'll still go for a good looking guy, though."
They were getting close to the castle ship now.
"So… Tikroz?"
Lance laughed, "What? He's a good kisser! And he's got nice hair!"
Keith's face was blazing, "He's got nice hair? Do you just go after guys for their hair?"
A sly smirk slid across Lance's lips, "What? Are you jealous?"
"No!"
Yes, he really, really was.
Lance tried to pull on a serious expression, but it was clear that he was barely holding back a smile. "Good. Because, as much crap as I give you about your mullet, you actually have pretty hair too."
Keith stumbled a little, not knowing how to respond to that. Was Lance actually complimenting him? And his hair no less? This was definitely not where he thought this conversation had been headed. Lance's face suddenly seemed very close, and Keith could see every freckle on that stupidly soft, sun-kissed skin. A mischievous gleam was still shining in his clear, blue eyes.
"And who said I wasn't being serious when I flirted with you?"
"Wh-what?!"
Notes:
oof
My boys are so cute (~ ̄▽ ̄)~
So that's technically the end, but I have another chapter that's basically Lance's pov during the whole Tikroz thing. I should have it up tomorrow, so hang in there!
Pls leave a review telling me if you liked it! (:
