Chapter Text
“What are you looking for?” Keith asks, glancing over his shoulder. Lance’s hands, which had been massaging his lower back, have stilled and he looks to be peering down intently.
“Your ass.” Lance says. “I can’t find it. Where is it?”
“You’re sitting on it .”
“Yeah, but there’s like, nothing there.” Lance pats it. “Your butt is like Where’s Waldo? Or Flat Stanley . Where did it come from, where did it go? It’s like the world’s most mysterious cryptid, always escaping your sight.”
“You don’t have to sit on it, you know.” Keith points out.
“No, no, I like your flat cryptid butt.” Lance says, resuming his massage. “It’s cute.”
“Your face is cute.” Keith mutters it like an insult, but it just makes Lance laugh.
“Oh my god, just kiss already.” Pidge groans, walking into the lounge.
“Pidge!”
“What?” Pidge plops down next to the far wall with her laptop.
“We are having a moment !” Lance hisses.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you two having a bonding moment meant my laptop would spontaneously begin to recharge itself on its own.” Pidge says flatly, plugging in her computer at the wall outlet next to her. “I forgot the sheer power of your love fuels this entire spaceship.”
“Can’t you do that somewhere else?” Lance gives her a pointed look.
“Actually, no, this is the only electrical outlet on the ship.” Pidge says, resuming whatever she was working on. “The downside to everything being powered by Balmera energy crystals.”
“Hey, is anyone using the outlet?” Hunk asks, sticking his head in the door.
“Oh, come on…” Lance throws his hands up.
“I’m using half of it,” Pidge says, ignoring Lance. “You can use the other half.”
“Cool, thanks.” Hunk takes a seat next to her and plugs in a hand-held electric drill in the bottom socket. Keith sighs and wiggles out from under Lance.
“What are you guys up to?” Shiro asks as he enters the room.
“Date-crashing, apparently.” Lance mutters.
“No one said you couldn’t continue your little flirty massage.” Pidge waves a hand in his direction carelessly.
“Too late, the mood has been killed. Brutally murdered . Slaughtered .” Lance crosses his arms.
“Beaten like a dead horse?” Pidge offers. “Oh wait, that’s what you’re doing.”
Shiro chuckles and sits down on the couch with a book. Hunk pulls his goggles down and keeps working on his mechanical project, and Pidge turns back to whatever she’s typing on her laptop. Lance slouches in his seat and frowns, feeling grumpy.
“You know what,” Lance speaks up after a few minutes of silence. “I need to have a word with you so-called pal -adins.”
“We’re sorry for crashing your date.” Hunk says, but doesn’t give any indication of standing up or leaving.
“No, no, this is bigger than that.” He points an accusatory finger at all of them in turn. “I have given all of you countless massages, but has anyone ever offered to do me in return?”
“I think Keith has.” Pidge quips.
“Ohhhh…” Hunk holds out a hand for a high-five while Keith covers his face with his hands.
“ Offered to give me a massage , you gutter-brained gremlin!” Lance rephrases. “And the answer is no , none of you have.”
“Because we don’t know how to give massages.” Keith points out. “You’re the only one who knows what you’re doing.”
“What, you think I was born knowing this stuff? You learn it!” Lance says. “And you learn by doing it! So everyone get your butts over here. Time for massage lesson 101.”
Shiro sets his book down. “Lance has a point. He does so much for us, it’s the least we can do to try. Besides, we all know how it feels on our end, so it can’t be too hard to do.”
“That’s right.” Lance nods. “Pidge, you’re on hand duty, because I know you have enough experience with that to figure it out. Hunk, shoulders. Shiro, you can try that headache relief thing I did for you last week. And Keith, you get feet, because I had to rub yours last night and I know mine don’t stink.”
“Wait, all at the same time?” Pidge asks, looking up.
“Yeah.” Lance sits back, propping his ankle up on his knee. “I deserve to be a little pampered after all I’ve done for you guys.” He says it like a joke, and is surprised when they all shrug and accept it, or agree with him. Huh. He didn’t think that would actually work, to be honest.
Everyone gets settled around him; Hunk sitting behind him on the back of the couch behind him to get to his shoulders, Shiro kneeling on the couch next to him and rubbing his fingertips in circles over Lance’s temples (using slightly more pressure with his right hand, but no one’s technique can be perfect on the first try, and he knows Shiro has some trouble feeling things with his Galra-tech arm to the same extent as his flesh one), Pidge frowning in concentration next to him while massaging the palms of his hands, and Keith on the floor in front of him with Lance’s foot in his lap, rubbing his sole. Lance occasionally speaks up to correct someone’s technique or let them know they’re using too much pressure, but for the most part, he lets them all figure it out as they go.
As they work, they all eventually start to talk about missing Earth, their families, their hopes and dreams and doubts and fears. It’s relaxing and theraputic, not just for the one being massaged but for all of them. Eventually, they all grow so relaxed and drowsy that they begin to doze off, right there against each other. By the time Allura walks by a few hours later, they are all sound asleep; Hunk between the back of the couch and Lance’s back and leaning his head against his hair, Pidge cuddled up to his left side with his hand still between hers, Shiro on his other side leaning against him and hugging his arm, and Keith resting against his leg with one foot still in his lap. Allura pauses in the doorway, blinking at the sight, then gestures to the space mice, who have been watching the paladins curiously from just inside the door for the past several minutes. When they spot the princess, they begin pointing and squeaking.
“They’re what ?” She asks, watching the mice mime rubbing each other’s shoulders and pointing at the paladins. “Grooming? I didn’t think humans did that. Well, you four should know not to interrupt grooming. Come along, let’s leave them be,” she gestures for them to follow, and they scamper over to her before she closes the door with a fond smile on her lips.