Chapter Text
"Surprise!" They all said in unison
"Happy birthday Keith!" His vision was filled with the smiling faces of those he considered family. They didn’t press too close, however, probably because of the knife in his hand.
Stunned, he looked around. Everyone was still smiling, patiently waiting for him to say something. After the confusion cleared away, all he felt was happiness and love. Love for the people who he cared about, who cared for him in return. He remembers when he was alone, always living with fear that people will always leave in the end. But then he met them, and this time, it felt like they would never leave him. He looks at them, their smiling faces, and silently thanks the universe for what’s been given to him.
"Thanks, guys," he said softly, but everyone heard him loud and clear. He smiled at them, trying to convey his emotions the best he could. He made eye contact with each of them, one by one. Shiro’s eyes flitted down to his chest, then back up.
Right, the knife. Oops.
Chuckling sheepishly, he clicked it back into place and shoved it back into his belt.
"I baked you your favourite cake, Keith!" Hunk said excitedly. He looked at the cake in his hands and saw an expertly iced cake that read "Happy Birthday" above some squiggles that were probably spelling out his name.
"Do you like it? I wrote your name," Lance piped up. He was sitting on his desk, his butt on all of his important papers. Keith merely rolled his eyes.
While Hunk was putting the candles in with Shiro’s help, Pidge approached him, phone in hand, and a sinister smirk on her face.
This can’t be good.
She only turned the phone around, and a video recording of the whole surprised played. He saw himself come in with the knife, and he saw his own stunned silence. It lasted ten seconds, and then he looked like he was going to cry. The video was really zoomed into his face, and he could see his vulnerable expression playing out. He didn’t mind opening himself up to his friends, but if anyone else were to see it…
"Don’t worry, I won't show this to anyone," Pidge said, and Keith breathed a sigh of relief. "…probably." she tacked on, almost inaudible.
But before Keith could threaten her, slender arms wound around his waist, hugging him from behind. Their fingers interlaced in front of his stomach, and Keith turned around, bringing his arms around their neck.
"Happy birthday, baby," Lance said, resting his forehead on Keith’s.
"Thank you, Lance," he replied, looking into the blue sky that was Lance’s eyes. A sky that represented his happiness, his freedom, his love.
Faces only inches apart, they both leaned into each other and sealed their lips in a sweet kiss. Keith smiled into the kiss, and they broke apart, both with smiles full of affection.
"Let’s sing the song," Shiro called from the coffee table, where the cake was sitting with candles already lit. Keith kneeled in front of it as they sang the song with vigor, laughing when everyone went off pitch. He heard the click of a camera as he blew out the candles with his eyes closed. They all came in for a group picture as Pidge propped her phone up on some books.
As the timer counted down, Keith had the urge to slam Lance’s face into the cake. Unfortunately for him, everyone else was thinking just the same. Just as he cracked a smile for the picture, four hands pushed his head into the cake.
Face full of buttercream, he resurfaced and glared at his cackling friends. Looking back at the phone, he saw that it wasn’t even a picture; it was a video!
Keith couldn’t even feel betrayed. Everyone was happy, and so was he. Shaking his head, he couldn’t suppress a smile. A towel found its way into his hands, and he dragged it down his face from his forehead to his chin.
"You got a little here," Lance said, eyes still sparkling with mirth, as he pointed his finger at Keith’s cheek. Then, he licked Keith’s cheek. Keith screamed and pushed himself backward.
"Lance! Ew!" he squawked.
"Sorry babe, your face looks more appetizing than the cake," he blinked innocently back at him.
"Hey!" Hunk said indignantly. "My cakes are a work of art!"
After Keith had properly cleaned his face (without Lance’s tongue) and gotten some bits of icing out of his hair, there were five plates of haphazardly cut cake… lumps on the table. They didn't even qualify to be labeled as slices. Pidge’s handiwork, no doubt.
Despite its looks, the cake was heavenly, of course. Anything that comes out of Hunk’s hands is a guaranteed delicacy. The cake was light, but the flavour intense as Keith spooned it into his mouth. He closed his eyes and moaned in delight at the first bight. Hunk witnessed this and only smiled.
They were all seated on the couch, taking a quiet moment to savour the cake. Silence never lasts long when Lance and Pidge were together.
"Keith," Lance whisper shouted.
Keith rolled his eyes as he opened them. "Yes, Lance?" he said, annoyed.
"Say ahh~"
"Wh-" The second Keith opened his mouth, a spoon flew lightning-quick into his mouth.
"Lance," Keith said, flatly, mouth half full, "we have the same cake." He leveled an unimpressed stare at him.
"Nope, we don’t. Mine’s better, and you wanna know why?" Lance smirked. Keith just narrowed his eyes and swallowed the cake.
"I licked it." were Lance’s last words as he was tackled onto the couch.