Chapter Text
The cubs’ debut and naming ceremony was a big to-do. Thousands of zoo patrons and high end supporters and sponsors filled the chairs set up in front of a large stage they’d erected in front of the lion enclosure. There was a separate seating area for the press and the flashes from their cameras were already illuminating the podium where the Doctors Holt were placing note cards and discussing a few last minute things before the event was scheduled to start.
Lance had done his fair share of plays and musicals in high school and even a few for his theatre friends in college, but none had ever had an audience quite this large. And they definitely didn’t have several news reporters with their huge video cameras and satellite-topped vans lining the back row.
“Just breathe,” he heard Shiro say. Lance did as he was told, but to his surprise, the older man was talking to Keith, who was actively trying to claw his way out of his bowtie.
“Why do I have to wear this stupid thing?” Keith complained, sticking his finger under his collar and giving it a yank in an attempt to loosen it.
“Because this is an important event for the zoo,” Shiro replied before batting Keith’s hand away and straightening his tie. “I promise you can take it off as soon as we’re done.”
Lance smiled and sidled over to him. “Yeah, Keith,” he said, dropping his voice low. “And if you’re a good boy, maybe Shiro and I will help you.” He bit his lower lip and didn’t miss the way Keith’s pupils dilated at the offer.
They hadn’t gone much further in the little over a month they’d been dating, but their ‘make out sessions’ had gotten a little hotter and a whole lot heavier as of late. It could have had something to do with their busier work schedules or all the stress over the upcoming event, but whenever the three found a moment alone… Well, Lance wasn’t one to kiss and tell.
Hopefully, once the cubs were placed with the other lions in their own little section of the enclosure, Lance and his boyfriends would have more time together again. Lance knew exactly where he wanted their next date to be. But for now, he was going to focus on the ceremony. They had an important job to do.
“Okay, back to that later.” Shiro cleared his throat, a light dusting of pink on his cheeks. He gave Keith’s bowtie one last tug and, finally satisfied with its alignment, turned his attention on Lance. “How do I look?” he asked.
Lance gave him a once over. Shiro looked unfairly handsome. Then again, he would still look fantastic wearing a potato sack. His suit was perfectly tailored, hugging his every curve and somehow, despite the layers, it accentuated his muscular build. Hot. But Lance managed to keep his drool in his mouth. “You look drop dead gorgeous, babe,” he replied coolly, adoring the way Shiro flushed at the nickname. It was relatively new. They were still feeling each other out, getting used to being a ‘thing.’ And it was fun learning what the others liked.
For example… “What about me?” Keith asked, smoothing down his lapels and standing up straighter. Keith didn’t really get jealous often. But he did tend to get needy from time to time, something Lance hadn’t expected. Keith, despite his too cool for school exterior, really enjoyed when Lance flattered and flirted with him.
“You look absolutely ravishing,” Lance purred appreciatively as he raked his gaze over Keith, purposely taking his time. However, he frowned when he looked back up.
“What?” Keith asked, his hand unconsciously going for his tie again.
“Your hair is getting kind of long,” Lance mused, reaching up and fingering one of the thick, dark curls that had started to flow freely over the nape of Keith’s neck. “Hold on.” He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a hair tie. Then he grabbed Keith’s shoulders, spun him around, and quickly put the other’s hair into a neat, low ponytail. “There,” he said, turning him back. “Much better.”
Keith blinked at him. “Why did you just have that in your pocket?” he questioned, lifting a brow.
“Please.” Lance rolled his eyes. “I have two older sisters. And this is a super important event that’s going to be aired on national television.” He shook his head. “I came prepared.”
“You never cease to amaze,” Shiro chuckled from beside him before wrapping an arm around his waist. “What else do you have in there?”
“Bobby pins, a tiny can of hairspray, gel, lip balm, and a tin of mints,” he listed them off.
“You really did come prepared,” Shiro noted and then pulled back.
“Yes, well, can’t leave anything to chance,” he offered. “But now that we know both of you are rocking the suits.” He pushed back his hair and struck a pose. “How about me?”
Keith was beside him in an instant, slipping his hand up the back of his suit jacket and pulling him close. “You look good enough to eat,” he rasped in his ear, sending a delightful shiver up Lance’s spine.
“Ooh h-hoo,” Lance stammered, his face hot. “Down boy.” He snickered at Keith’s little pout. “Not that I don’t appreciate the flattery, but…” He chewed on his lower lip. “We have to be on stage in a few minutes and I’d like to keep my composure, if you don’t mind.”
“This from the guy who said he wanted to take my suit off,” Keith scoffed, but then gave a half smile. “To be continued, then.” He lowered his hand and gave Lance’s behind a quick squeeze, which elicited a very undignified squeak.
“Behave, you two,” Shiro warned good-naturedly.
“Ah, there you three are,” Matt’s voice sliced through the tension, pulling them out of their moment. “We’ve got the cubs all set to go,” he said, gesturing toward Shay and Rax, who were wheeling over a cart with three pet-sized carriers atop it. “You remember what to do, right?” he asked.
“Walk onto the stage. Don’t drop the cubs,” Keith said. “I think we can handle that.”
“We’ve got it,” Shiro told Matt in a kinder tone, shooting Keith a look.
“Then I suppose you already know about their outfits,” Matt returned with a smirk. And then, as if on cue, Shay and Rax opened two of the carrier doors, pulling out Njano and Kijani. Both female cubs were wearing big, fluffy tutus – in their signature yellow and green colors, respectively – as well as big, oversized bows, which were Velcroed around their necks.
“Oh my goodness!” Lance squealed. “They’re adorable!” He gushed over them.
“Wait until you see BJ,” Matt said. He’d been calling Black Junior that since they hadn’t determined or announced his official name yet. Shay and Rax handed their cubs over to Shiro and Keith and then Shay opened the third carrier.
“Oh…my…” Lance was at a loss for words. Black Junior was wearing a black bowtie with a little dickey, complete with little black buttons. “Look at you!” he cooed and then happily accepted him from Shay. “He looks even more dapper than Shiro!” he gasped and both Matt and Keith snorted.
“Oh, good. You’re all ready,” Colleen said as she popped backstage. “Sam is about to announce you.” Which, of course, meant that they still had a few minutes. Dr. Samuel Holt was a bit long-winded, not letting himself be limited by the notecards he’d been given.
But, after he was done, it was their cue. Shiro stepped up first, holding Njano. Then Keith and Kijani followed, with Lance and Black Junior picking up the rear. The entire audience murmured softly as the three made their way across the stage to stand beside Dr. Holt.
“Aren’t they adorable?” he gestured toward them and then faced the audience once again. “Our first cub, held by our head animal behaviorist, Takashi Shirogane, is Njano,” he introduced them. “She is named for the lovely golden yellow color of her coat.”
When Shiro stepped forward and presented her, a thousand camera flashes went off, causing the cub to shut her eyes and burrow into his chest.
“Next we have one of our talented young interns, holding Kijani.” Dr. Holt motioned for him to come closer. “Go on, Keith,” he said with a wide smile. “Kijani translates to green, which suits her personality just fine, I’d say.” At that, Kijani wriggled around, trying to jump from Keith’s arms. But he managed to get her to calm down for a few pictures.
Lance was up next. He swallowed down the butterflies in his stomach – which felt like they were trying to escape through his mouth – and stroked Black Junior’s head to calm himself.
“And last, but certainly not least, is our youngest cub and the only male,” Dr. Holt announced. Lance took a deep breath and joined the others. “I’m sure you’re all very excited to hear the name for this little guy, right?” The audience cheered. Lance was eager, too. “Lance.” The suddenness of Dr. Holt calling his name startled him. That wasn’t in the script. “Would you like to do the honors?”
Lance probably should have nodded and strode over. And he would have. If he hadn’t gotten a sudden case of the jelly legs, that is. Still, he managed to make his way to the podium, clutching Black Junior to his chest.
“For those of you who were not aware, we recently put up a poll on the Garrison Zoo’s website, asking all of our patrons to suggest names,” Dr. Holt explained. “And once we narrowed them down to the top four, we put it to a vote.” He smiled and pulled an envelope from his breast pocket. Then he made a show of opening it.
Once the paper was unfolded, Dr. Holt turned to Lance. He showed him the results and Lance couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. It was perfect. Dr. Holt held the microphone in front of him and Lance wet his lips before speaking.
“I’d like to introduce you all to Kuro.”
Once the ceremony was over and the cubs had been returned to their crates and taken out of the public eye, the crowd began to file out. Most everyone had gone by the time Colleen walked over to them at a brisk pace.
“Hold on a moment, boys,” she called. Shiro, Matt, and Lance turned to face her while Keith let out an almost silent, annoyed growl. Lance knew it was because Keith wanted to get out of that suit as quickly as possible, so he just chuckled and reached for the other’s hand to give it a quick, reassuring squeeze. “I’ve got two people I’d like you all to meet,” Colleen said as she slowed.
Behind her were Dr. Holt, Iverson, and two others Lance had never seen before. One was an older man with bright red, almost copper-colored hair and a finely groomed mustache. The other was a stunning young woman with lovely dark skin and a mane of thick, pale hair that cascaded down her back in waves.
“Who’s that?” Lance whispered to Matt.
“I don’t know,” he replied out of the side of his mouth. “But she’s gorgeous!”
“Allow me to introduce Miss Allura Lyons and Coran Smythe.” Colleen held her hand out toward them. “They’ve traveled quite a distance to meet our newest additions and tour the zoo.”
“I must say,” Allura began, her accent posh, but her tone friendly, “It was an honor being some of the first to view your lion cubs.”
“Well.” Lance stepped forward, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. “The honor was all ours, I assure you.” She furrowed her brow and cocked her head to the side causing Lance to inwardly panic. Perhaps he’d overstepped his bounds.
Thankfully, Shiro reached forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, steering him away so he could shake Allura’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lyons.”
“Oh.” She smiled then. “And it’s great to meet you, Mr. Shirogane.” She gave his hand a firm shake. “I believe you may have worked alongside my father at a zoological conference some years ago.”
Recollection dawned on Shiro’s features. “Oh, I should have recognized the last name.” He drew his hand back. “How is he?”
“Not well, I’m afraid,” she replied.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Shiro frowned.
“Yes, he’s been quite the grouch since the doctor confined him to bed rest,” Coran spoke up, his accent a little thicker and slightly different than hers. “But he’ll make a full recovery if he cooperates.”
“This is Coran,” Allura reintroduced him. “He’s been accompanying me as I visit zoos in my father’s place,” she explained before barely stifling a yawn. “Excuse me.” She flushed. “The time change is always the difficult part. I’m afraid I might be a bit jetlagged.”
“You traveled pretty far, huh?” Lance asked, trying to figure out Coran’s accent. “Australia?” he guessed.
“New Zealand,” Coran corrected. “And I’ll forgive you that egregious error only once.”
Lance blushed, his ears growing hot. “Excuse me.”
“Oh, don’t mind him.” Allura waved her hand in dismissal. “He always gets like this after a long flight.” She cupped a hand to the side of her mouth and whispered, “I believe his age is catching up with him.”
“I heard that, Ms. Lyons!” Coran huffed.
Lance and Allura both laughed and then he tried his hand at introducing himself again. “I’m Lance, by the way,” he said.
“Yes, I heard your introduction on stage,” she said. “Also, Dr. Holt has told us quite a bit about her husband’s interns.” Lance was flushing again, but from a different type of embarrassment this time.
“Well, I hate to interrupt, but I did promise these boys the rest of the day off,” Colleen said and Lance could almost feel Keith’s sigh of relief. “Ms. Lyons, Mr. Smythe, shall we begin your tour?”
“Yes, of course.” Allura grinned. “I’m sure we’ll see each other later.” She gave a slight bow before following Dr. Holt and Iverson toward the entrance to the lion enclosure.
“Wow, she’s something else.” Matt hummed from beside him. “I should probably go make sure Shay and Rax got the cubs back safely.” He cleared his throat. “See you guys later!” he threw over his shoulder as he raced to catch up with his parents and the newcomers. More specifically, Allura.
Lance chuckled as his gaze followed Matt’s retreating back.
“Well,” Shiro said, catching his and Keith’s attention. “What should we do with the rest of our day?”
In a blink, Keith grabbed both Shiro’s and Lance’s arms and began dragging them toward the front gate.
Well, that answered that question.
It was a week or so later when Lance noticed a troubled-looking Hunk sighing his way through the kitchen. His best friend was so distracted, he’d nearly burned the panini he had in the press. And Hunk, as a rule, never burned things.
“Hey, buddy,” Lance said for the third time, finally catching his attention. “Everything okay, man?” The restaurant was practically empty, save for one small family who was finishing up their meal, so Lance had left Pidge to watch the front. “You seem…off.”
“Hmm?” Hunk blinked and then quickly nodded. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m just…” he trailed off, falling silent once again as he lifted the press to check if the cheese on the sandwich had melted.
“C’mon, dude,” Lance tried again, moving closer. “You’ve been my shoulder all summer,” he said. “You can tell me.” He wet his lips. “Did something happen with Shay?”
At the mention of his girlfriend’s name, Hunk snapped his head up. “What? No! I…we’re…we’re doing fine,” he said and then heaved another sigh. “It’s about this internship.”
Lance patiently waited for him to continue. He wondered if Hunk had grown tired of being stuck in the kitchen all the time, cooking day in and day out. Or maybe it was the other way around. There were only a few short weeks remaining in the program. Maybe he didn’t want it to end.
“Remember when Sal called me into his office earlier?” Hunk asked and Lance nodded. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence, as their boss seemed to always go to Hunk first when he had an idea or needed some input. But it was rare that he looked so serious and even rarer that he closed the door. “Well,” Hunk began, taking a deep breath, “he offered me a permanent position.”
Lance’s brows shot up. “Whoa. Dude, seriously?” He grinned. “I didn’t know he could do that.”
“Yeah,” Pidge said, popping up right beside them. “Every section leader has the option of choosing one of their interns to join the team fulltime once the summer ends.”
Once again, Pidge somehow knew everything. “Well,” Lance began, sparing them one last look before facing Hunk again. “I think that’s amazing!” But his face fell when he noticed Hunk’s lack of enthusiasm. “You’re not happy about it?”
Hunk was quick to reply. “No, I am. I just…” He shook his head, lifting the press once again to check on the panini.
“You know, a watched sandwich never toasts,” Lance offered, trying to ease some of the tension. “C’mon. Let’s hear it.”
“You know it’s always been my dream to run my own restaurant,” Hunk said and, once again, Lance nodded. “And this is my chance,” he went on. “Sal wants to give me complete creative control and he’s even ready to hand the place over when he retires in a few years.”
“But…” Lance and Pidge prompted.
“But,” Hunk continued. “We only have one year left of college and, as you know, an engineer’s salary dwarfs that of a restaurant manager. By, like, a lot.” He frowned. “It’s not about the money for me, but Mom worked so hard to pay for school…”
“Hunk.” Pidge stepped forward, placing a hand on his bicep. “Take it from me. You can’t just live your life the way you think your family wants you to.” They gave him the softest smile Lance had ever seen them make. “You can do what you’re passionate about or you can follow the path laid out for you.” Then they shrugged. “You can do whatever until you find your calling.”
“Pidge is right,” Lance joined in. “Hunk, what do you want to do?”
“I…I don’t know,” Hunk admitted. “I mean, I should really finish school no matter what.”
“Then that settles it.” Lance clasped his hands together. “Ask Sal if you can help out on the weekends and during breaks until we graduate. If he really wants you for the position, which I think we all know he does, he’ll be willing to wait.”
Hunk smiled then, the first one Lance had seen on him all day. “Thanks, man.” He pulled him into a hug and then extended his other arm out to capture Pidge. “You, too, Pidgey.”
“Hey, only I’m allowed to call them that!” Lance feigned an insulted tone.
“Neither of you are allowed to call me that!” Pidge argued, wriggling free from Hunk’s hold. “I’m going back out front. I think I heard some customers.”
“I’ll go with you,” Lance said, but before he followed, he turned to face Hunk on last time. “You gonna be okay now, buddy?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “Now get up there before Pidge gets in the weeds.”
After the short afternoon rush, while he and Pidge were restocking the cups, Lance cleared his throat, getting their attention. “Yeah?”
“Hey, so, you know how when we were talking to Hunk, you said something about every section leader being able to offer an intern a permanent position?” he asked, counting the rims of the cups until he reached twenty and then shoving them into the dispenser.
“Yeah. What about it?”
“Well…” Lance chewed on his bottom lip. For a moment, he thought about how cool it would be to work at the zoo fulltime. How he could really make his dream a reality. But then he remembered that he wasn’t technically in the animal behaviorist program and all thoughts of working with Shiro and Keith after the summer ended frittered away. “Never mind.” He shook his head.
Keith picked Lance up after work. Shiro was in a meeting with Dr. Holt until later, so it was just the two of them walking to the parking lot.
“Do you want to get something to eat?” Keith asked, but Lance shook his head.
“I can make us something when we get home.” He knew it was Shiro’s apartment, where Keith happened to live. But Lance visited so often, he felt like it was his second home now. He’d even stocked their pantry with easy-to-prepare dishes so they wouldn’t starve. Though, he still didn’t trust them around an open flame. Dealing with captive wild animals? Sure. But operating a stovetop was a different story.
Shiro sent them a text during their ride – which Lance noticed when they dismounted from Keith’s bike. He’d gotten a bit more used to it, but he wasn’t comfortable enough to check his phone while Keith was speeding down the road. And, honestly, not even at red lights, either. The message from Shiro said that he’d be home in about a half an hour, so Lance got to making dinner right away.
It was finished by the time Shiro walked in the door and the three ate it together at the kitchen table. Lance had weaned the other two from their previous eating habits. Keith used to eat on the couch while flipping through channels, while Shiro would either stand hovering next to the tall counter or bring whatever microwavable, nutrient-deficient garbage he’d warmed up into his room – Lance lost count of how many empty noodle cup containers they’d pulled out of there when the three decided to clean house.
Once they were fed, the three made their way over to the sofa to cuddle up and watch a movie together. But, just as things usually tended to go, ten minutes into the film, Keith’s hand had wandered from its place atop Lance’s thigh and sneaked under the hem of his shirt, his calloused fingers stroking the sensitive skin of his lower back.
Shiro was more of a gentleman, of course. But once he’d heard the hitch in Lance’s breath and noticed that Keith’s hand had disappeared under the blanket, he was quick to join them.
Several kiss-filled, blissful minutes later, the three lay together on the couch. Keith was splayed out with one leg hitched over the upholstered arm and his cheek resting against Lance’s tummy. Lance’s head was pillowed by Shiro’s thighs. The older man had his legs crossed at the ankles, his socked feet balanced on the coffee table.
It was comfortable like this. Shiro was reading a book, one hand resting beside Lance’s neck, his thumb brushing back and forth under his jaw, and Lance was playing with Keith’s hair, combing his fingers through it and toying with the slightly curled ends.
Lance couldn’t believe that, in just a few more weeks, this would be over. He wouldn’t get to see them every day. He’d have to go back to school. Lance loved his and Hunk’s little apartment, but he had the feeling it would seem empty without Shiro and Keith there, complimenting his cooking or kissing him senseless.
“Is something troubling you?” Shiro asked, peering down at Lance over the top of his book.
Lance chewed on his bottom lip. Now was as good a time as any. He took a deep breath. “What’s going to happen after summer’s over?” he asked, his voice going soft at the end.
Keith’s hand found his and, after untangling it from his hair, he laced their fingers. But he said nothing, so Shiro spoke. “What do you want to happen?”
Lance gave a sad little chuckle. “I want this summer to never end.” That caught their attention. Keith sat up and both his boyfriends eyed him with concerned expressions. “I know,” he said before they could start. “It’s just that…I really love spending time with you guys and working together with the lions and cross-training with the other animals.” He wrung his hands in his lap before sitting up, as well. “And I know it’s not that far a drive from my apartment, but I’ll really miss seeing you every day.”
Shiro opened his mouth, but then shut it, as if thinking better of it. Keith, however, leaned closer and butted his forehead against Lance’s temple. “Don’t be an idiot,” he groused, but it lacked any bite. “We’ll still be able to see each other.” It was a statement, but it sure sounded like a question.
“Once the internship ends, Hunk and I will go back to our apartment and…” Lance sighed. “What are you guys going to do?” he asked. “Are you going to keep staying here, Keith?”
“I don’t know,” came Keith’s somewhat annoyed reply. “I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Well, you should.” Lance didn’t know why, but he was getting angry. “There’re only a few weeks left.”
“I know that.” Keith pulled away and crossed his arms over his chest. “Can we…can we just talk about something else?”
Lance’s throat tightened. He knew that the future tended to be a sore subject for Keith. Any time they brought it up, the topic was quickly changed. And the three of them had been so busy over the past month, they rarely had a chance to have these types of conversations at all.
Again, Shiro opened his mouth, but this time Lance and Keith turned to face him, waiting patiently for him to say something. Anything.
Shiro hesitated for a moment longer before clearing his throat. “Why don’t we finish the movie?”
And, just like that, Lance’s heart sunk. He didn’t bring up their post-summer plans again that evening. And when Shiro and Keith dropped him off at his dorm, he let his kisses linger, savoring them as much as he could.
Things got extremely busy over the next few days. In fact, Lance had barely had a chance to catch his breath between rushes at the restaurant, learning how to care for the marmosets with Dr. Holt and his team, and stopping by to visit Black Junior whenever he could.
The little cub was bigger now and finally able to nurse with his sisters. But Lance still liked coming to see him in their special den toward the front of the enclosure. Nyekundu and Buluu were the only lionesses allowed near the cubs. They took turns watching over them and it was an adorable sight. Njano and Kijani play-fought a lot, while Black Junior seemed content to bat at stray pieces of straw.
Lance pressed his hand against the glass and smiled when the cub drew closer, trying to nose his palm and getting frustrated at the barrier between them.
“I’m going to miss you, little guy,” Lance whispered.
“There you are!” Matt’s voice interrupted and Lance pulled back to find the other running toward him, slightly out of breath. “I’ve been looking all over,” he said.
“Sorry.” Lance stood up. “I was on my break and I just wanted to pay them a visit.”
“No worries.” Matt waved him off. “How are Kitty Rose and the triplets today?” he asked, wandering closer to the glass and peering in.
“Playful,” Lance replied, grinning as Kijani tried to jump over her larger sister and failed. “So, you were looking for me?”
“Oh, right!” Matt pulled back and beamed. “You’ve got to come with me, right away!” He grabbed Lance’s wrist and half-dragged him through the zoo. They ran through the back gate and past the trailer before stopping at the double doors of the institute. Matt keyed in his code and one door swung open, granting them entry.
“Um…” Lance began once he finally regained his breath. “Where are we going, exactly?”
“Ms. Lyons is back and meeting with my parents,” Matt answered.
Again, Lance liked Matt. But if the other had nearly ripped his arm out of its socket just so they could get a look at Allura – stunningly vibrant as she was – he was going to throttle him.
“Matt, I really don’t-”
“So, they sent me to get you. And Shiro to get Keith,” he continued. Now, that got Lance’s attention. Shiro was often at these types of meetings. But if they wanted both Lance and Keith there, too, it must be about something that affected them.
They took a couple more turns and ended at a pair of dark-stained wooden doors. Matt gave a quick knock and then one cracked open. Dr. Holt smiled when he saw them and waved for them to come in. Colleen was standing at the front of the room, gesturing toward a screen with a spreadsheet projected on it.
Matt and Lance slid into the two empty seats, Matt next to Coran and Lance beside Shiro. Keith was on Shiro’s other side, looking just as confused and curious as Lance felt. Well, Keith hid it well, but Lance had gotten used to reading him.
‘What’s going on?’ Lance mouthed to Shiro when he caught his eye, but the other just smiled and brought a finger to his lips before gesturing with his chin toward the front of the room.
They’d barely seen each other in days and this was his greeting? Well, Lance was going to have to give Shiro what for once the meeting ended. But his thoughts of withholding cuddles were interrupted when Colleen took a seat and Samuel Holt strode up to the front of the room.
“It looks like just about everyone is here,” he said. “Ms. Lyons, Mr. Smythe, I’m sure you two remember Keith and Lance.” A blush spread over Lance’s face at being acknowledged, but he managed a little wave when Allura turned his way. “We’re just waiting on Katie to bring the latest data regarding the grand reopening. But before that, I’d like to make an announcement regarding our interns.”
All eyes were on Lance and Keith. And it was then that he noticed the two who’d been working with Dr. Holt weren’t in the room. Had he and Keith been the only interns invited?
“Now, Ms. Lyons and Mr. Smythe may not be aware, but every year, as we draw nearer to the end of the summer, each mentor is given the chance to select an intern who shows potential and offer them a permanent position here at the Garrison Zoo,” Dr. Holt began and Lance’s heart started thundering in his chest.
Had they chosen Keith? Excitement grew in his belly. He couldn’t even find it within himself to be jealous. He knew he had no chance, so he was glad that his boyfriend was going to have a job secured once the internship ended.
“I know we’d normally save formal announcements for the graduation ceremony, but since we’ve found ourselves with a bit of time on our hands, I thought I’d take the opportunity-” he continued. And not for the first time since meeting him, Lance wished that Dr. Holt would just get to the point already.
Then finally, after explaining what the fulltime animal behaviorist apprentice position entailed, Dr. Holt gestured toward Keith, who looked shocked. Lance didn’t know why he would be. He was the obvious choice. But still, the look of surprised awe on his boyfriend’s face was unbelievably endearing.
“Keith,” Dr. Holt said, a bright smile on his face. “Do you accept the position?”
Keith startled everyone by shooting up out of his chair and standing at attention. Even Shiro drew back in surprise. “I accept!” Keith said, just a little too loudly, and then everyone started clapping. And with a bright red flush that spread across his face and colored his ears, Keith sat back down, grumbling something that Lance didn’t catch, but that caused Shiro to bark out a quick laugh.
“Now that we’ve taken care of that article of business, we can-” but Dr. Holt was interrupted by a knock at the door. Matt stood up to answer.
Lance couldn’t see who it was, since the door blocked his view, but the Holts all reacted warmly to whoever it was.
“It’s about time, Katie,” Matt teased.
In all his excitement over Keith’s new position, Lance had completely forgotten about her. He leaned closer to Shiro and Keith and whispered, “So, I’m finally getting to see the infamous Katie Holt in the flesh, huh?”
At that, both Shiro and Keith drew their brows down. “What do you mean finally?” Keith replied, but was cut off when Dr. Holt addressed the room.
“Katie has been gathering the data on the zoo’s recent rise in guest count and overall sales,” he explained. “But I’ll let her do the talking.”
Lance turned and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. There, standing beside Dr. Holt and holding a file folder, was none other than- “Pidge?!” he gaped, but was hushed by Shiro. Pidge regarded him with a quick nod, their expression something between apologetic and smug.
“According to my research,” they began, bringing up a chart onto the screen. “And taking into account the generous donation supplied by the Lyons Zoological Foundation,” they paused to nod toward Allura and Coran, “We will have more than enough to not only renovate and reopen the Dolphin Pavilion, complete with full staff including aquatic wildlife experts, but we will also be able to break ground on the new undersea exhibit that was planned back before the park’s admission began declining a few years back.”
Everyone stared at Pidge – or Katie? – in awe. They’d been working just as hard over the past few weeks as Lance, Hunk, and the other interns. And yet, they’d been able to put together this presentation? And, more importantly, Pidge was a genius! Of course, Lance knew they were smart, but they put even Hunk’s mathematical prowess to shame.
“That’s simply wonderful, Katie!” Allura cheered. “My father will be thrilled that our small contribution will allow for this expansion. Right, Coran?” She turned to her advisor, who toyed with his mustache, twisting the end as he nodded in agreement.
“Your contribution was far from small,” Dr. Holt corrected. “But we are thankful you have chosen to invest in our humble zoo.”
“My father has always liked to support smaller wildlife parks,” Allura explained. “Back at home, before we moved to New Zealand, the Arus Zoo was one of our favorites to visit!” She gushed and then cleared her throat in embarrassment. “Well, as I said, we are quite pleased.”
“And we are overjoyed to be working with you,” Colleen replied, her smile warm. “I do hope you’ll be able to visit often during the new exhibit’s construction?”
“Of course,” Allura answered. “And I do hope my father will be well enough to travel by the grand opening.”
“So,” Matt interrupted. “You’ll be spending a lot more time here, Ms. Lyons?” He leaned onto his elbow only to have Coran knock it out from under him, nearly causing him to face plant onto the desk.
Dr. Holt spared his son an apologetic glance before he turned toward Pidge. “Thank you, Katie.”
“Sure thing, Dad.”
Well, that settled things for Lance. Pidge was most definitely Katie Holt. And he was going to grill them as soon as this meeting was over. How could they keep that from him? Weren’t they friends. Of course, they probably had their reasons, but still! The betrayal!
“…Lance?” he barely caught Dr. Holt calling his name. Suddenly, Lance noticed that all eyes were on him. He’d been so worried about what he was going to say to Pidge, he hadn’t heard them address him at all.
“Uh…” He swallowed. “Yes, sir?”
The entire room chuckled and Lance’s face burned brighter than a thousand suns.
“As I was saying,” Dr. Holt continued, winking at him, “Because we’re undertaking such a large renovation and addition to the park, we’re going to need to increase our staff,” he said. “Shiro has already agreed to head the research and development of the new marine life exhibit, but he’s going to need some help.”
Lance’s heart began beating wildly in his chest.
“And that is why we’d like to offer you a permanent position here at the Garrison Zoo,” he finished, his smile wide.
“We do understand that you have a year left until you graduate,” Colleen went on before Lance could even attempt to get his mouth and tongue to work in tandem to form an answer. “But we’d very much like to work with you part time or seasonally until you complete your course of study.” She gave her husband a quick grin before turning it onto Lance. “Whatever you choose, your job will be waiting for you.”
Lance couldn’t breathe. Wait, no. He’d be dead if he couldn’t breathe. So he must have been breathing. But…how? Why? When? He looked around the room with wide eyes. The Holts were still smiling warmly at him. Allura and Coran both nodded in congratulations. And Matt was grinning like the cat who got the canary.
Slowly, Lance turned his head to face his boyfriends. Keith looked just as shocked as he did, but he had the beginnings of a smile quirking the corners of his lips. And Shiro, well, Shiro looked so proud.
“Do you need some time to think about it?” Dr. Holt asked and it brought Lance out of his fog. He stood up quickly, nearly knocking his seat over and, despite how he’d chuckled when Keith had done the same, he opened his mouth wide, his voice loud even to his own ears.
“I accept!”
When the meeting was finished, the Holts escorted Allura and Coran back toward the visitors’ area of the institute, probably to give them another tour. Matt was praising Pidge before he, too, ran after them. Lance could guess why. After Matt dashed away, Pidge collected their thumb drive and made their way to the door.
Oh, no. They weren’t getting away that easily.
“Nice try,” Lance called as he jumped in front of them, blocking the exit.
Pidge, who’d clearly been expecting his attack, just adjusted their glasses and looked up at him. “Yes?”
The beginnings of a thousand questions danced on the tip of Lance’s tongue. Why? How? When? But he settled on, “Dude!”
“I know.” Pidge scratched the side of their face with their index finger. “I was sort of hoping we’d make it to graduation before you found out.”
“But…why?” Lance let his shoulders sag. “Why did you lie about who you were?”
“Lance.” They fixed him with a look. “My entire family works for the zoo,” they said. “Do you honestly think it would be fun working my way through this internship as Katie Holt?”
They made an excellent point. But Lance was still a bit wounded – and nothing, if not melodramatic. “But you could have told Hunk and me!”
“Yeah. You’re right. My bad.” They gave a little shrug. “You mad?”
Lance deflated and shook his head, pouting like a petulant child. “…no. I guess not.”
“Congratulations, by the way,” Pidge offered, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You definitely deserve it.” Then, after a moment’s hesitation, Pidge lunged forward, wrapping both their arms around him, and gave what was quite possibly the most awkward hug Lance had ever received.
Still, had any anger been left in him, it would have melted away. He returned the hug, resting his chin on the top of Pidge’s head. “Thanks, Pidgey.”
“Okay,” Pidge said, muffled by Lance’s chest. “That’s enough nurturing gestures for one day.” They pulled back and wriggled out of his grasp.
“Oh, just you wait. I’ll make a hugger out of you yet,” Lance swore, but Pidge just rolled their eyes.
“Yeah, sure thing, Loverboy,” they said and then brushed past him and out the doors. He trailed behind for a few steps before letting them go.
“We’ll see about that!” he called, his voice echoing down the hallway. “The summer may be almost over, but I’ve got the rest of my career.” He laughed. “Just you wait!”
“Why are you shouting?” Keith asked, his voice amazingly close. Lance nearly jumped out of his skin.
“Yeesh.” He put a hand over his heart. “Are you taking lessons from Pidge or something?” he asked as he tried to slow his racing pulse.
“No?” Keith offered and then furrowed his brow. “That reminds me. Why do you call Katie that?” He cocked his head to the side. “And why didn’t you know she was-”
Lance just held his hand up. “It’s a long story.” He sighed, but then caught sight of Shiro walking out of another room. “But, speaking of keeping secrets…” He gestured toward Shiro with his chin and Keith followed his gaze. “How long did you know that we were both getting job offers?”
Shiro had the decency to look sheepish. “Would you be mad if I said they told me at my meeting the other night?” He supplied, ducking his head.
“Are you serious?” Keith growled at him. “After Lance got all weird, bringing up the future?”
“Hey!” Lance took offense. “I was legitimately concerned about where things were going and what you were going to do after the summer ended.” He pouted. “If anyone got weird, it was you!”
“I didn’t get-” but Keith cut himself off with a shake of his head. “The point is, Shiro knew and he let us spend the last few days worrying over it!”
Lance raised his brows. So, Keith had been concerned about his future. That was a relief. Lance was afraid he’d spend the rest of his time couch surfing and eat cup noodles. Not that Shiro would ever let that happen. But still!
“Actually,” Shiro interjected. “I didn’t know all the details,” he explained. “Dr. Holt told me about the Dolphin Pavilion and the potential for the marine exhibit, but he only hinted at what you two would be doing.” He stepped closer, wrapping an arm around each of them. “He just said that I wouldn’t have to worry about us being separated.”
Lance’s face grew warm at that. Partly because Shiro had been worried, too, but then it grew hotter when he realized that Dr. Holt knew about their relationship. Or at least enough that he realized how important both Keith and Lance were to Shiro.
But even surrounded by the nearly stifling haze of embarrassment, Lance was overjoyed. He had a plan for what he was going to do after college. He was going to get to work his dream job. And what made him happiest of all was that he was going to be able to stay with Shiro and Keith.
Sure, things were still new. They hadn’t yet figured everything out. But it was exciting and fun. And they made him very happy.
It took him a few moments to realize that Shiro had released them and had begun walking swiftly down the hallway. Keith made an aggravated noise from his side and jogged to catch up. Lance watched them go with a huge smile on his face. He couldn’t wait until they’d be working together all the time.
“Hey, Lance,” Keith called out to him, pulling him from his reverie. “You coming or what?”
“Victory milkshakes!” Shiro added, jingling his car keys.
Lance laughed and sprinted over to them, catching their arms in his and nearly losing his footing as he gave them a mighty tug forward. “Can we invite Hunk and Pidge?” he asked.
“Sure,” Shiro replied with a chuckle. “Maybe Matt, Shay, and Rax, too.”
“We’re not all going to fit in the car,” Keith sighed, but Lance could see the smile trying to break the surface. “Can’t we just meet them there?”
“That sounds good.” Shiro looked to Lance. “Can you text them?”
And so Lance did, all while listening to Keith try and talk Shiro out of getting a vanilla milkshake. Because he always got vanilla and there were other flavors. He didn’t care how good Shiro claimed it was. And Lance didn’t bother to cover up his amusement at their rare display of bickering.
They were adorable. And cool. And handsome. And they were his.
All things considered, it really had turned out to be the best summer ever.