Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Nice one, Lance!"

The short blonde yelled as the tennis ball bounced its second time out of the court,

"Lance 30 Romelle love!"

Pidge yelled from the table beyond the tall tennis fence. Romelle pulled back her sweatband that was on her wrist checking the time,

"Yikes! Look at the time! I have to go, so I won't be late to my culinary class!"

Romelle said jogging off the tennis court while Lance stood, stretching his arms.

"Tell mom that I'm going to be spending the night with Lance tonight."

Hunk smiled at Romelle holding out a fist. Romelle gave her best friend a fist bump, as she hauled her gym bag over her shoulder.

"I got you Hunk!"

Romelle smiled, before checking the time again,

"Oh fuck! I better go or else Mrs. Garrett's gonna flip! Bye guys! "

Romelle waved jogging off to her own personal limo. Lance waved, as he walked off the court. This was a normal Friday for the crew. After getting out of their private school they would come out here to the tennis courts, and watch Romelle and Lance practice before going to Lance's house. It was one of the few times in a week where the group of rich kids had their schedules align up perfectly. Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays were the days the group could hang out together even if it was only for 5 minutes. Lance, Romelle, Hunk, and Pidge all came from wealthy families. Romelle's dad was a fashion designer and her mom was a model, Lance's father owned a lot land which was rented out to use as spaces for buildings, factories etc, Pidge's father was a famous engineer that worked for NASA, and Hunk's mom and dad both were professional chefs. The kids live in a upper class neighborhood in giant mansions. They all went to an expensive private school, and all they all had some form of tutoring whether it be tennis, chess, culinary arts, etc.
Lance fell into the soft chairs that sat around the tables that sat outside the fancy tennis court. Lance's mother was friends with the owner of the country club that owned this tennis court, so he was welcome to come there any time. Lance threw his arms over the back of the chair earning a visible wince from Pidge,

"Lance, you smell disgusting,"

They howled turning, and digging their head into Hunk's chest dramatically,

"Put some deodorant on!"

They yelled, as Hunk snickered,

"What you don't like my musk,"

Lance joked standing up, and leaning across the table towards Pidge. His arm lifted,

"I'm using it to attract a mate!"

Pidge gagged hiding behind their giant friend,

"You already have a mate, so put your arm down, and put some deodorant on!"

Pidge yelled, Lance shrugged crossing his arms,

"You make a fair point Pidginator."

Lance said reaching in his bag for deodorant. Pidge rolled their eyes, as Hunk snickered. Pidge was right. Lance has already attracted a mate. Not willingly of course. He attracted a boy named Lotor Blackswell. He was one year Lances senior, Lance was eighteen and Lotor was nineteen, and Lotor's father, Zarkon Blackswell, paid handsomely for Lance to be married off to Lotor. Lance was seventeen at the time, and obviously protested, but now he's just accepted it. Lance had realized that in his long but short eighteen years of living and breathing on this earth he had never fallen in love, and frankly he didn't expect to. His life was one governed by rules and schedules and if Lance wasn't allowed to get out and see the real world then how was going to truly fall in love. That's why he accepted the was going to marry Lotor, and that's why he loved hanging out with his friends. Whenever he hung out with his friends they would go to places where, as Lotor would say it, "the poor' people shopped. They would go to skating rinks, movie theaters, and bowling alleys places Lotor would have deemed "filthy and a waste of money", and they hung out like normal teenagers. Of course, Lance and his friends weren't normal teenagers able to pull out stacks of money and able to walk around with fancy clothes, jewelry, and phones, but they felt like they were normal teenagers. And that, that's all Lance cared about.

"Alright,"

smiled Lance as he pulled his backpack over his shoulders,

"Where to, this Friday?"

Lance asked, as Hunk hopped off the table. Pidge sat there, holding out their arms like a child. Hunk rolled his eyes grabbing Pidge by their sides, and lifting them off the table.

"I was thinking the mall! We can hang out at the outdoor food court!"

Smiled Pidge,

"Good idea Pidginator!"

Lance smiled,

"Stop fucking calling me Pidginator thot!"

Yelled Pidge as they watched Lance turn around, and walk backwards his hands behind his head as he stared at them.

"What cha' gonna do 'bout it!"

a snarky smirk played Lances lips, and an amused look swam in his ocean eyes.

"I won't hesitate bitch!"

Pidge yelled pointing finger guns at Lance,

"OoooOOoohhHhhHhh I'm sooooOooOooo scared!"
.
Lance joked as Pidge hissed at him,

"I'll tell Lotor about all the dumb shit you're doing!"

Lance fake gasped, knowing Pidge would never

"Se ha ido diablo!"

Lance yelled holding up two fingers into a cross. The group laughed, as they made their way to the mall. The mall was always crowded on Fridays buzzing with teens who had just gotten out of school. Lance had once asked Lotor to go with him to look around, but Lotor only responded with,

"Why go out to a place where the poor shop whenever I could easily build you a mall here, beauty!"

'Beauty', that's what Lotor always called Lance. Pidge would make jokes about Lotor being the beast, and Lance being the beauty. Pidge and Hunk hated Lotor. It wasn't anything surprising. They hated Lotor because before Hunk was out to his family, Lotor "accidentally" outed him. Thankfully Hunk's family was accepting, and bought him a binder soon after, but that was when they were twelve. Pidge will bring it up sometimes, and Lotors response will always be,

"I've changed since then."

"OOF!"

Lance said, as he felt someone jump on his back,

"You were off in space again,"

Pidge groaned,

"What's goin' on in that dumb little head of yours!?"

Lance stopped himself from wincing, knowing that when Pidge called him dumb it wasn't meant to be an insult. It was just playful banter between friends.

"I was just thinking about all the cute girls here."

Lance said, putting back on his flirty persona. That earned an eye roll from Hunk, and a groan from Pidge. Lance flinched slightly, before Hunk made him feel better. Hunk always made him feel better,

"Yeah because girls will definitely want a guy wearing short short,"

Hunk joked his voice devoid of malice,

"C'mon Lance you should be scopin' out the hot dudes not the hot girls! I bet there's some guys here that are hotter than Lotor-"

Hunk smiled before being cut off by Pidge,

"I can guarantee there's some guys here that are hotter than Lotor."

Pidge corrected Hunk. The trio laughed before Pidge squeezed Lance's shoulder. They pointed to an empty table next to the entrance,

"Onward Lance! There's an empty table with my name on it!"

Lance laughed carrying Pidge off to the table. Hunk laughed, and ran behind them. Lance made it to the table with a jolting stop causing Pidge to almost fall off Lances shoulders.

"You're the worst uber driver ever! Zero stars!"

Pidge yelled, as Hunk gently picked them up and off Lances shoulders. Lance hopped onto the table smiling, as his friends sat down in the chairs at the table.

"Hey guys look what I got?"

Lance hummed pulling out a fancy looking glass bottle,

"Bro, what kind of wine is that?"

Hunk asked grabbing the bottle. The liquid inside was clear, but bubbly, and had, what looked like, gold leafs and gold sparkles in it.

"I don't know man, we got too many bottles of this wine we can't pronounce."

Lance shrugged, as he grabbed the bottle back. The group was too busy talking to each other they didn't notice the group of people on motorcycles riding through the parking lot. Lance twisted the lid off the wine taking a sip from the bottle,

"Oh dude gross,"

Hunk laughed,

"It kinda tastes like if Zinfandel had a baby with Chenin Blanc."

Lance said not noticing the person who was part of the group of bikers glaring at him. His back was turned to the group as they watched Lance, Hunk and Pidge. Hearing Lance talk like that made Keith think that he was some annoying spoiled rich kid.

"Dude, that sounds gross!"

Pidge laughed as Lance passed the bottle to Hunk,

"No no I swear it's good...in a weird taste kinda way? Y'know?"

"We should just kick them out our spot, and take their shit."

Adam said leaning against Shiro's shoulder, as they walked over to them. Pidge sipped the wine before turning, and spitting it out, passing it back to Lance. This made Keith's blood boil. The way these dumb rich kids took everything for granted, the way they were selfish, the way they only cared about themselves. A lot of things made Keith angry, due to his stupid anger issues, but he was able to control his anger most of the time, but anytime he saw some rich kids taking their lives for granted like that he couldn't help himself. The reason he couldn't help himself is, because he knew people like that didn't know what it was like to suffer.

"Hey!"

Keith yelled at the bunch sitting at his table. All rich people stuck up, snobby ass, rude ass, dumb ass, selfish bitche-
And that's when Keith felt his heart drop, as the world stopped spinning. His heart dropped down to his stomach then back up to his chest, and began beating as loud and fast as a herd of cattle. The pupils of his violet eyes expanded, as he was met with beautiful ocean blue eyes. The ring of the persons eyes was a teal color that quickly melted into a dark blue. As that dark blue was pulled towards the iris it turned a brilliant blue, the color of the oceans waves, before fading back into teal at the iris. The person cocked their head their soft and glossy heart shaped lips pulled into a confused frown. Then they said something, and Keith was immediately jolted back into reality,

"May I help you?"

Chapter Text

"Oi you're in our bloody seats-"

A girl with chocolate skin, snowy hair, and a thick accent began. Keith slammed a fist on her chest clearing his throat.

"Listen doll face it seems you're in our spot."

Keith smirked popping the collar of his leather jacket. That's always the way Keith got people to do what he wanted them to do. He never meant it love was just an emotional conjob that ended in flames.

"Well samurai,"

Lance began turning towards the group crossing one leg over the other,

"I don't see your name on it."

Lance hummed, as Keith was taken back. He wasn't used to people actually flirting back. He had to look away from the amazing boy to stop himself from blushing.

"Move or else we'll make you move."

Keith grumbled his tone changing.

"I'd like to see you try fuck face!"

Pidge yelled in the back, as Hunk covered their mouth.

"Speak up samurai. What's the matter,"

The tan boy placed a hand on Keith's chin, and lifted his face up, so he was staring into those beautiful ocean eyes. Lance's heart rate picked up, as he felt something he had never felt before. He had looked into Lotor's purple eyes many many times. Memorized where each fleck of gold laid, memorized the way they shined whenever he told a lie. They were the eyes that burned into him, and trapped him in a corner like a sick game of cat and mouse. These eyes, however, were cryptic. They were a deep mysterious violet, even in the sunlight, and they held so many secrets. They reminded Lance of space, and they were eyes he could get lost in. Keith leaned over staring into the boys ocean eyes feeling as though the world around them didn't exist.

"The name's Lance."

Lance mumbled softly,

"Keith. Keith Kogane."

"Alright, break it up,"

Hunk yelled snapping both of them out of their state,

"1. Back off buddy Lance here is already claimed, and to be engaged, and 2. Lance we gotta go Lotor's generals are here!"

Hunk yelled, pointing behind him,

"What,"

Lance yelled pushing away from Keith. He looked over, and saw the four girls that Lotor called his "generals".

"Oh fuck!"

Lance yelled throwing his bag over his shoulder, and shoving the glass of wine into Adams hands.

"Loturd is gonna fucking flip when he hears you were not only around common folk, but flirting with a thug!"

Pidge scolded, as Keith scowled,

"Oh yeah well fuck you too rich kid!"

Keith said, as Pidge narrowed their eyes at him,

Hunk and Pidge began to run, as Lance turned and finger gunned at Keith,

"See ya bad boy!"

Lance smirked, as the three rich kids ran away. Leaving Keith a blushing mess, Adam happily chugging expensive wine, and Shiro and Allura dumbfounded.

The three kids made it to Lance's house exhausted, and winded.

"Oh neito are you and your friends alright?" Lance was engulfed into a hug by his abuelita, "Yes abuelita," Lance smiled taking in the smell of her perfume. When Lance's abuelita saw Pidge and Hunk she smiled widely, "Oh Hunk," She smiled pinching Hunk's cheeks, "Look at my big strong hombre!" She said, as Hunk blushed his confidence being boosted by her words. "Oh Pidge," Abuelita smiled handing Pidge a bag of those strawberry candies, that are impossible to find. "Here you go sweetheart." She smiled, as Pidge hugged her. "We're gonna go upstairs abuelita." Lance smiled, "Ok mijo just don't forget to eat." Lance nodded, as he and his friends ran upstairs to Lance's room. Lance's room was huge, and even had an elevator to the game room in the basement, its own bathroom, and a balcony with a hot tub. Lance and his friends walked into Lances room. Pidge jumped onto Lance's soft bed that was housing thousands of pillows. Hunk tapped on the glass of Lance's aquirmium which held a shark.

"Hi, Blatyz!"

Hunk smiled as the shark who swam up to Hunk.

"So, that was crazy right? Right! I mean we can't ignore the fact that you were flirting with a commoner Lance."

Hunk said, as Pidge but in,

"He's better than Lotor."

Hunk nodded in agreement, as he slipped off his shirt so he could take off his binder. That was the trios relationship. They felt very comfortable with each other. They always have.

"He was weird though,"

Lance said falling face first onto his heavenly soft bed.

"I've never felt that way about anyone before ,"

Lance mumbled,

"What do you mean?"

Hunk asked,

"I felt butterflies."

Lance whispered. Pidge sat up raising an eyebrow,

"You said you've never fallen in love before? So, how do you know what butterflies feel like?"

"I dont know! I'm making an inference!"

Lance groaned,

"Don't worry about it Lance. You'll probably never see him again."

Hunk concluded giving Lance a small smile. The rest of the night they hung out. Romelle came over at around 9, and thats when the real party began. They told Romelle about all that happened, and she was pissed she wasn't there since the british girl "sounded cute". They began to drink, and all tapped out at around 7 in the morning.

"Laaaannnnnce,"

Hunk groaned as he sluggishly tried to push the sleeping boy, who was cuddling him, off of him,

"You're on my man tiiiitttttyyyyy."

Hunk groaned, as he was kicked in the face softly by Romelle,

"Shhhuuuut upppp!"

Romelle groaned, having drank the most. After about half an hour they all managed to get up. Lance dragged himself up to put on a charcoal mask across his nose, where his black heads were the most, and dragged himself down stairs with the others. Lance had plenty of personal chefs, but he poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms instead. All of them did. The group realized they were rich, but they never took advantage of it. They realized that others had less than them, and often humbled themeselves.

"Good morning beauty." Unlike Lotor. Once he saw Lance, not looking as beautiful as usual, he flinched. Then he furrowed his eyebrows, "Why are you eating common people food? You have chefs?" Pidge groaned and Romelle and Hunk glared at him. "It tastes good." Lance shrugged, "I could just pay to have a ceral better than that made." Lotor said, "Too many bowls of that green no Lucky Charms." Lance said, as Lotor stared at him confused. Lance only huffed resting his head on his hand.

Chapter Text

As Lance reached to open his front door his personal driver was already there opening the door for him. Lance held back a sigh at the back of his throat as he walked into his mansion. His eyes scanned the house and he was met with emptiness.

“Hello!”

he called into the void that was his home as there was a slight echo.

“anybody home!”

He called once more.

“Master Lance.”

responded his butler as he turned the corner. Lance huffed as he dropped his heavy backpack onto the floor. His butler quickly rushed over and grabbed his bag off the floor.

“Lloyd you know I could get it myself!”

Lance said pouting.

“ I apologize Master Lance.”

Lloyd nodded as Lance sighed rubbing his eyes. The day went on slowly as Lance found himself developing a head ache. Lance may have lived in a house with four butlers and three maids, but he always felt incredibly lonely. His father was an important man who always had meetings, and his siblings had their own places. Since Lance was to be married off he was forced to live at home. The whole idea of the marriage sent him into a deep state of depression and existential dread. He had all the money and luxuries any teenager his age could wish for, but he felt empty. His house was full, his bank account was full, but he was empty. He felt as though he was a caged bird bird forced into a cage that was way too small. He wanted to experience the world and fall in love, but now he had a husband. Well a fiancé anyways. He felt numb. Every emotion that was suppoused to run through him wasn’t there. Nothing was there. He was a void.

As he sat eating, more like picking at, his dinner he heard the door knock. He didn’t even try to get up and open it, because he knew his maid would already be there. He stared down at his salmon feeling strong arms wrap around his neck. There was a warm, scalding, kiss on his neck.

“Beauty,”

He heard the all too familiar voice of Mr. Blackswell,

“Do you not like your food? Do you want me to make the chefs make something else?”

Lotor said. Lance sighed,

“No i’m just not hungry.”

Lance said as he pushed himself away from the table. Lance stretched his long legs as he walked away from the dining room.

“Are you sure, Beauty? I’ll have your cooks fired. I’ll get you new ones. I’ll get Gordan Ramsey if I have to.You know not eating isn’t good for you. Your figure is a little too thin...”

Lotor blabbered on and on as Lance began wondering through his mansion.

He ended up in his dads office, Lotor still blabbering on and on, as he ran his hand over a random book sitting on his fathers desk. He sighed pouting at Lotors voice. This was the man he was suppoused to marry. The man who was insulting him and trying to solve his “problems” with money. He knew nothing about him. As Lance looked out the balcony door at the setting sun. The sky a deep violet at the top and a brilliant gold at the bottom. The violet reminded him of him. The one he saw at the mall. Lance didn’t even notice as he was drawn towards the balcony. He pushed open the door as the boy from the mall racked his mind. He walked towards the edge of the railing looking up at the sky. His eyes drifted down to the pool below. The water lit up by the lights below.

“Lance,”

Lotor said as Lance looked back at him and looked into those eyes. Those horrible eyes that made him feel dead.

“Are you listening to me?”

He needed to feel alive. He pulled himself over the edge of the railing on the balcony and jumped into the pool below.

“LANCE!”

Lotor yelled as Lance was fully submerged in water. He stayed under the water holding his nose feeling the cold water around him. He didn’t even realize he needed air, because he didn’t, as he swam up to the surface of the water. Lance pushed his hair out of his eyes and Lotor was standing there with his arms crossed. He had a look in his eyes that Lance couldn’t place. Lotor clapped and instead of helping Lance out of the water he called the maids over.

“Help him out of the water and dry him off.”

He said, as if Lance couldn’t dry himself off, and turned to walk away. Lance sighed as he submerged himself back into the water.

The maids come around too much.