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“So, Lance, I have something to tell you about prom,” Allura says, breaking the silence as they sit at the table in McDonald’s. It's just him, Allura, and Nyma hanging out today which is fine with him they’re practically his best friends aside from Hunk.
Lance perks up at the mention of prom. He’d been so excited to go ever since Allura invited him to go with her group. He even has an appointment set to pick out a tux.
“Really? What is it?” A small smile spreads across his face.
“Yeah… I was talking to Lotor and we think it would be best if you don’t come anymore. We don’t want you to feel like a third wheel or anything.”
Lance’s heart sinks. A third wheel. His smile wobbles as he looks down at his half-eaten sandwich and then up at Nyma as if she’ll have the answers he’s looking for.
“O-oh, okay.” Lance pushes his empty sandwich container away, thankful that he already finished it, he wouldn’t have the stomach to eat it anymore.
“Are you mad?”
“No,” he sighs, just disappointed.
“Okay, good, we just want things to be like last year.”
And I’ll just get in the way of that.
Lance nods, not trusting his own voice at the moment. Why couldn’t she have just told him later? Better yet, why did she even invite him in the first place if she was just going to do this in the end anyway?
“Yeah, I get it.” He really doesn’t but he doesn’t have it in him to argue over this, she just crushed him. Now he doesn’t even have a way to get to prom anymore. No Allura, no guest pass, no prom. His chest is so tight he’s surprised he hasn’t started crying yet. He can’t cry in front of them, they’ll probably make it some big thing anyway.
“So are we ready? I really wanna get to the bookstore before it closes.” He stands, gathering his phone and wallet and shoving them into his pockets, trying to get into the car as soon as possible. Maybe if he sits in the back they won’t notice if a few tears slip.
Nyma nods, grabbing her keys as she stands up. They walk out of the restaurant, Lance is content with sitting in the back if it means they won’t prod.
He goes over what just happened in his head over and over again. It hurts so much to be let down like this and he can’t even let out his frustrations because he’s still stuck in the damn car with her. He doesn’t even get the problem. Just the three of them hang out all the time and now they decide they don’t want him to go? Just like that? Like his feelings don’t matter at all? Like he hasn’t been excited to go to prom with them for months.
Once they get to the bookstore Lance barely has the energy to look through the books. He normally loves to look around the store for hours but now he justs wants to go home and cry to his mama. He sighs, fingers grazing the covers of the books, hoping the coffee he got will be enough to hold him together until he gets home.
Lance barely listens when Nyma and Allura talk to him, he’s too distracted, trying to come up with some kind of reason why they wouldn’t want him there other than the lame “third wheel” excuse. He never thought Allura would hurt him like this, sure he could Lotor doing it, but never Allura. She has always been against lying but clearly, Lance is an exception.
The girls continue to chat on the way out of the bookstore and the entire way to Lance’s house. He thanks god that they don’t try to keep him in the car any longer than he needs to be. He quickly collects his things and gets out of the car. Holding it together long enough to watch them leave. He makes his way to his porch, sighing deeply he sits down on the steps, eyes already starting to water as Allura’s words play over and over in his head.
A broke sob breaks past his lips, his composure crumbling.The pain of feeling unwanted sinking in and crushing him completely and wholly. He doesn’t bother to wipe the tears from his face, not seeing the point if they just keep coming. Fat tears fall freely, staining his cheeks and soaking his shirt.
“Lance?”
He looks up to see Shiro staring down at him, worry and concern written all over his features.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asks, taking a seat next to Lance. “Did something happen in there? Do you need somewhere to stay for the night?”
“No, it's not that. I just… I had some problems with some friends.” Embarrassed to have Shiro see him like this he buries his face in his knees, trying to hide away as much as he can.
Shiro scoots closer to Lance, hand resting on his back, slowly rubbing soothing circles. He stays quiet, trying to figure out what to say without overstepping or making him cry even more than he already is.
“If you want to talk about it I’m here to listen, you don’t have to but I am here for you.”
“I’m… just really hurt. My friends told me they’d take me to prom,” he sucks in a deep breath, trying to stop the tears as the come.
Shiro’s quick to wipe them away from him, he reassures Lance, voice kind and soft, “Take your time, there’s no rush.”
The smaller boy nods, looking out to the setting sun, he wishes he could appreciate it more but today has been too much of a crummy day for him to really appreciate anything.
“Today when I was hanging out with one of them she said they don’t want me to go anymore. It really hurt… I was really excited to go and now I don’t even get to,” Lance sighs, starting to feel a little exhausted from all the crying he’s been doing.
“Wait, they invited you and then uninvited you and just expected you to be okay with?”
He nods, choking back another sob, “I'm sorry for venting to you like this. I'm such a mess right now.”
“You're allowed to be upset, Lance, and I really don't mind listening to you. I… I don't have a date to prom so if you're still up to going I'd be more than happy to take you.” Shiro grins, voice so soft and sincere.
“You don't have to do that. I don't want to be your pity date or anything.”
“It's not out of pity, I would really like for you to come with me. If anything it'll be more of a petty date to get back at your friends. Show up with me and have a great time, prove you don't need them to have fun.”
“That’s really kind of you, but it still kind of sounds like a pity date.”
Shiro chuckles, taking Lance’s hand in his, “I promise you it isn’t a pity date.”
The boys lock eyes for a moment, he chews on his bottom lip weighing the pros and cons of going to prom with Shiro. Not really finding any cons he decides there's no harm in going to the dance with him.
“So, will you go to prom with me, Lance?”
“I’d love to,” Lance whispers, tiny smile lining his lips.
—
“You seem nervous,” Shiro breaks the silence, their hands clasped together as they walk into the banquet hall prom is being held in.
“I’m fine,” he mumbles, tightening his grip on Shiro’s hand a bit. Of course, he’s nervous, he’s here with his neighbor, the same neighbor he’s had a crush on for as long as he can remember. Probably half of the reason why he’s here is because Shiro felt bad for him and not because he has any feelings for him.
“Just remember I’m here for you.” He’s close to Lance, their bodies pressed together as he whispers in his ear.
The close proximity causes Lance’s face to flush. He ignores the hammering of his heart in his chest and pulls Shiro the into the venue. The look on Allura and Lotor’s faces when they walk in hand-in-hand is absolutely priceless. The looks they get from them already put him on cloud nine.
Dinner goes relatively smooth, and he can feel the occasional glances from Allura and Lotor, but he chooses to pay them no mind. Besides, he wants to suck up as much of this date as he can, because come tomorrow, Shiro’s probably going to act like it never even happened.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Shiro asks, placing his fork on his now empty dessert plate.
“I’m having a great time. I really appreciate you doing this for me, it means a lot to be here with you right now.”
“The pleasure is mine. Do you maybe want to dance?”
Lance gives him a look, he does know there’s a slow song playing, right?
“Uh sure?”
Shiro smiles and holds his hand out to him. He takes it letting Shiro lead him to the dancefloor. Shiro rests his hands on Lance’s hips, pulling him close. Lance wraps his arms around his neck, blushing slightly at the close proximity. They move together to the music, bodies closer than they need to but Lance can’t find it in him to care. Shiro doesn’t even know what he’s doing to his heart right now.
“I'm so glad you're here with me,” Shiro whispers into Lance’s ear, lips dangerously close to his neck.
His breath gets caught in his throat, Shiro’s killing him and he doesn’t even know it, Lance stumbles over his words, “I… me too, Shiro.”
“Can I kiss you?”
Lance couldn’t have heard him right, there’s no way Shiro would actually want to kiss him.
“What?”
“I asked if I could kiss you,” he repeats himself, face glowing under the low lighting.
“I…”
“If I made you uncomfortable, I’m really sorry. I don’t want you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” Shiro explains, thumbs rubbing gentle circles into Lance’s hips.
“I want to, I just… wasn’t expecting this from you.”
“Really? I thought I was being kind of obvious that I like you.”
“I thought you were just being nice!”
Shiro chuckles and leans closer to Lance, “I mean, I am being nice, but I do like you a lot. I’ve had a crush on you for quite some time and I thought now would be the perfect time to finally tell you.”
“Holy shit.”
“Is that a good holy shit?”
“A little shocked. I didn’t know you feel the same way.”
“I definitely do.” Shiro smiles softly, cupping Lance’s right cheek in his hand. “So can I kiss you?”
Lance nods, not trusting his own voice at the moment, it’ll probably betray him and squeak.
Shiro wastes no time leaning in, pressing his lips to Lance’s for a sweet kiss.
Lance is practically seeing stars, the night is turning out to be far better than he ever imagined it would be. He really didn’t need Allura and Lotor to have fun. Shiro is so much better than both of them.