Chapter Text
“The name’s Lance. Are you a butterfly?” Lance smirked with one of his eyebrows lifted as he was once again trying to flirt with a local. Side eyeing Keith with a smug look. Keith stood at a nearby pillar with a clear view of what was about to happen.
‘He has his looks but… This is gonna be one hell of a show.’ Keith concluded.
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After weeks of eating space goo, Hunk was starting to get tired of it and begged Allura to get some “real food”. Lucky for them, there was a huge space mall nearby and Allura decided to take this opportunity to restocking on some supplies.
After a few dobashes, they arrived at the mall, Hunk went to purchase the food while Coran went to get some equipment for the spaceship. Keith didn’t have anything in mind and was planning to tag along with Pidge, someone other than Shiro he could stand. After staying in the spaceship for so long, even for him who is a total shut-in, felt that a little breather will be good for his mind. He derived to a conclusion that anything is better than staying behind with Allura and Shiro at the spaceship, who knows what they are planning to do while everyone else is gone. Keith was not planning on getting in between that. It is either following Pidge or babysitting Lance.
Unfortunately, Keith was caught with the latter. Pidge had run off as soon as they touched down and now, Keith was stuck to witness Lance’s failed attempt at pursuing a female alien.
“Because your looks are striking.” Keith mouthed simultaneously to Lance, rolling his eyes as Lance’s target gave him a baffled look. This was not the first time Lance has used this pickup line.
‘If he could stop running his mouth each time he sees someone attractive, he would have gotten a girlfriend by now.’ Keith shook his head in disappointment.
There was no such thing as a butterfly where the locals lived, so all she could do was thank him and awkwardly walk away. Lance could only stare at her back dumbfounded. Keith was wearing a smug look for he totally expected this outcome. What better way to start a conversation with Lance than to rub salt into his wounds.
“You know, I’m sure there are no butterflies where she lives.” Keith said drily. Lance clearly annoyed with his remark.
“Yeah well… Well at least she thanked me!” Lance huffed in flat-out defeat.
“Weren’t you trying to pick her up?” Keith gave a questioning look.
“Yah! Erm… No. I mean… Argh. Why don’t you try it!” Lance stuttered as her threw his arm in the air before pushing Keith towards a group of females. One of them was Lance’s target.
Keith glanced back at Lance and took one step forward, halting before Lance continued pushing him again like a bulldozer. Keith struggled to stop but Lance was unexpectedly persistent. Keith gave in and walked the rest of the way. Keith pause to cast a glance at Lance who has completely recovered from the rejection and is now focused on him. Keith sighed and decided to just play along since it is pretty much the only thing he could do now. Keith has heard tonnes of pickup lines from Lance yet, the one currently at the tip of his finger was
“Do you have a name or can I just call you mine.” Keith said sheepishly, directing his statement to the target and also internally screaming at himself.
To Lance’s and Keith’s surprise, the target started to giggle and blush. Keith was visibly fidgeting as they began to converse before she handed him a slip in which contained her contact and her name, Cher. Lance watched with his mouthed agape which quickly turned into a frown when Keith walked back to him. Before Keith could reach him, he left while mentioning he was going to find Hunk and Allura.
‘Is he gonna get a girlfriend?’ Lance thought.
Keith knew that since he had just beat Lance in his own game, he would be too ashamed to confront him and decided to just leave him be and find Pidge instead. Keith held Cher’s contact in his hand, eyes filled with worry.
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A few vargas passed and everyone has finished purchasing what they needed so they left the mall for the spaceship. Once again in faraway space. Lance made great efforts in avoiding Keith once they were back, clearly still having the impression that he has been betrayed. It did not bother Keith much until Shiro got a grasp of the situation and gave both Keith and Lance a lecture after dinner. It may be a tad bit too much for a little avoidance but Shiro isn’t going to risk it. Bonds are what made it possible for them to form Voltron so it was important not to break it. After the lecture, Lance and Keith was left at the lounge to talk things out. Worried about a fight breaking out, the team including Allura and Coran tried to listen in on their conversation outside the room. Dobashes passed and the silence was too much for Lance to bear so he decided to be ‘the better man’ and talk first.
“So, you actually managed to get her number? Just so you know, you used my pickup line so she is as good as mine.” Lance pouted with his arms crossed at his chest.
Keith handed the paper to Lance “Well then,” Lance stared at the paper in astonishment and then gave Keith a puzzled look “you can have it. I’m not gonna call her anyway. But”
“You’re not? It’s a girl, female, mujer! It’s not like she was searching for a boyfriend, is she?” For a tick, Lance could sense his heart clench.
“No… And I don’t have time for this. It’s so bothersome. But”
“Woah! Ladies? Bothersome? Some things not right. You used to have a few girlfriends back at the Garrison, didn’t you?” At this point, Lance sounds as if he is interrogating Keith.
‘I don’t get it. None of the girls lasted so this one shouldn’t bother him for too long either. Right? Well, at least Keith is not planning on getting a girlfriend.’ Lance speculate, feeling a slight relief.
Keith did have few girlfriends back when he was at the Garrison except they never really made it past a week. Keith just agreed to go out with them because it was troublesome to reject them. He did not want to deal with them when they were crying. Despite dating them, he was never attracted to any of them. Not one bit.
“Yeah but…” Before Keith could finish, Lance jumped up from the couch and walked to the other end of the room, dialling in the contact. Keith was confused at first until he understood what was happening and bolted after Lance, even tripping over himself in the panic state. The team got worried upon hearing the thud and peeked into the room. They could see Keith screaming at Lance to stop the call. Alarms were ringing in Keith’s head as he recalled their little chat. She took the call back as a sign for a ‘fling’. Apparently, her race has a really different view on relationships and courting happens after mating. She also stressed that she has means of tracking his location down by just the call.
“Hey, Cher? The name’s Keith. The guy with a mullet and pretty grey-blue eyes.” Lance had put the call on speaker and was practically shouting into it in a deep voice as an attempt to imitate Keith. Lance being taller than Keith, could raise the call high enough so that Keith could not reach it. Keith was on his toes and grabbing onto Lance’s shirt desperately trying to get the call from Lance’s hands but to no avail. Keith did think of flipping Lance to the ground but the wall that he was pressed against is in the way.
“Lance please! Stop! Give it!” Lance was actually enjoying this.
‘Dainty.’ Lance thought with a smirk plastered on his face.
Keith could only think of one thing. Get the phone and stop her from coming here. He did not even like girls. This was something he had known since the Garrison days and only became clearer after he was kicked out. With so much time to think, he managed to come to one conclusion.
“Don’t come! I’m gay!” Keith had had enough and gave a swift kick to Lance’s shin, ending the call in a tick.
‘Not dainty!’ Lance corrected as his smug grin was replaced by a flash of agony.
“Duelelo!” Lance yipped before tumbling to the ground.
Everyone who was at the door eavesdropping gasped and came crashing into the room. They were all startled and took them a while to process what was happening. They quickly got up from their big clump, glancing around gawkily. Keith stared at the bunch equally shocked before facing Lance. Keith apologetically stretched out a hand for Lance to take but took it back almost instantly. Lance felt his heart crack again but ignored it and tried to get up on his own. Lance did not mean for Keith to get this agitated and definitely did not mean for him to come out of the closet like this. He believed that this kind of information would be told around the dinner table while having a family meal like all those sitcoms he watched. Keith did not have a real family to tell, but then again, isn’t the team, everyone here, like family? On second thought, maybe Lance would not be someone he would like to tell this to. This thought just made Lance feel sore.
“Sorry… I… Sorry.” Keith said before dashing off, accidently bumping into Shiro. Keith was heading towards the training deck. Lance tried to call for Keith but something was lodged in his throat. The only audible thing that came out was a soft “ah.” Lance wanted to go after Keith but was stopped by Shiro.
“Give him some time. It’s a sensitive topic so when he feels up for it, he will come and tell us. You can apologize then. Let’s just hope that it’s soon and please don’t pry about it.” Shiro sighed and left the room along with the rest. Lance was astonished by the fact, still, what caught his attention was…
‘I swore he looked like he was about to cry but he was so red, even his ears were red. He’s kinda…’ Lance started flushing.
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Certain exercises that required Keith to be with the rest of the team had to be postponed and since Keith is using the training deck, they had the rest of the night for themselves or to bond with their Lions. Keith had stayed at the training deck for nearly five hours before calling it quits and heading back to his room. By then, the team had already gone to bed. On the other hand, Lance could not stop thinking about what happened at the lounge. Lance laid down on his bed staring at the ceiling as the memories came rushing in. The image of Keith at the Garrison. Keith hanging with different girls. Arguing with Keith. Spending time around Keith on missions. Keith blushing. Keith smiling and Keith… And Keith…
‘What did I almost think. Keith… Like that… To me? No way! It can’t be? Why would I feel…’
“Argh-hmm!” Lance let out a groaned as he covers his face with his pillow, muffling his screams.
Lance took long and shaky breaths after removing the pillow and shuffling it back behind his head. ‘Since when? I mean I’ve known that Keith always had that cool air around him but sometimes he isn’t that approachable and he is good at what he does until, he got kicked out and now I can’t see him… observe… research? Fuck this. Who am I kidding?’ This time, resting his arm across his eyes.