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Keith is supposed to be “taking it slow” after Shiro “grounded” him for working so much that he was so tired he accidentally put two tablespoons of salt in Shiro’s coffee instead of two teaspoons of sugar. It was because of him “taking it slow” that he responded to a call from Arus Road for some guy who got his head stuck in a fence.
As Keith pulled up to the scene, a duplex with one door painted blue and yellow and the other painted pink and green, he saw three people on the porch with three very different expressions. There was a big guy with a bright yellow headband who looked on the verge of tears, a tiny girl rolling on the floor, wheezing, and another guy with his head stuck in the wooden fence, pouting.
When he saw Keith, the big guy shouted, “Oh thank God! Lance, it’s okay! The cop is here now! He’s gonna help you!”
Keith got out of his car and walked to the porch. “What exactly happened?”
The girl on the floor responded between laughs, “ I said….. He wouldn’t…...but…...he did! He actually…. Did it.” When Keith looked closer, he could see tears streaming down her face. Maybe he should be helping her, instead.
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up Pidge, you’re the one who owes me 20 dollars.”
“You…..” The rest of her words were drowned out by her wheezes.
“Okaaay,” Keith said, smirking with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll get something to help. Stay here. Or, well…. There’s not really a way for you to go anywhere, huh?”
The guy, Lance, squawked in response but didn’t get to answer as Keith was already walking away. When he got to his car, he called Shiro and immediately started. “There’s some dumb ass who got his head stuck in a fence.”
“Well, hello to you too.”
“Yeah, hey. But seriously, it’s not even really a fence, just short logs next to each other. How does that even happen?"
“Wait, are you being serious?”
“Yes! And from what I picked up, it’s because his friend said he wouldn’t. What a dumb ass.”
Shiro was silent for a couple seconds but finally said, “The good big brother in me is saying to agree with you. However, the brother who’s coffee had salt in it says to tell you that that is literally you.”
“No, it’s not!”
“Yeah, it is. Remember when you broke your leg because James said you wouldn’t do a front flip off my car”
“I was young!”
“Keith.” Shiro let out a long sigh. “You were 20.”
“I was young! It was a long time ago.”
“....It was three years ago.”
“Whatever,” Keith grumbled. “I have to go get this guy’s head out.”
“Wait! Send me the address! Adam would love this.”
Keith reluctantly gave Shiro the address and grabbed a saw.
When he got back to the porch, it was to see Lance alone, humming to himself. “Where did your friends go?”
“Hunk almost had an aneurysm because Pidge said she was going to just force my head through, for science, so they went inside to calm down.”
“Oka- Wait, what kind of science is-?”
“The Pidge kind of science,” Lance responds. Like its a regular occurrence. Like it’s normal.
Which brought Keith to his current position. After 30 minutes of small talk learning each other's favorite colors, food, animals, and movies, with the saw still in his hand.
“How did you even manage to get your head in here?” Keith finally asks.
“Why? You impressed?” Lance asks with a wink.
“Yeah, by your stupidity.”
“Rude! I’ll have you know I’m - Ow! Splinter! - very smart.”
Keith hums doubtfully but says nothing. The saw has gone through almost half of the plank in their time talking. Lance finally (kind of) answers after a moment’s pause. “I honestly don’t even know. Pidge bet me 20 dollars I couldn’t, so I had to prove her wrong. I’m a very determined man.”
“I’m not sure your determination is in the right place.”
“I can put it to something useful, like…. Asking you on a date?” He phrases it as a question, uncertainty lacing his words.
Keith can feel his face turn red but keeps his hands on the saw, steady. “We don’t even know each other that well.”
“Neither did Chrissy Teigen and John Legend when they first met! We know enough about each other for a first date. Plus, you’re saving my life. That’s a pretty good first impression.”
“You wouldn’t have died.” Keith turns his body to get a better angle for the saw, and it brings him face to face with Lance.
Lance looks down and quietly hums. Keith can admit he feels something with Lance. Lance is funny, nice, entertaining, and beautiful. He started a conversation so easily with Keith, and it was...nice.
Keith is about to say that maybe Lance can take him somewhere. Maybe he’ll give him his number or something, but Keith is cut off by Shiro pulling up.
Shiro gets out of the car, subtly (not so subtly) snapping a quick picture of Lance’s… predicament. He comes over to where they are and gives Lance a big smile. “Hello, I’m Officer Shirogane.”
“Hey, I’m Lance.”
“How are you feeling, Lance?”
“Pretty good, all things considered. How about you?”
“Doing pretty good, thanks. Officer Kogane looks just about done.”
Keith hums his agreement and adds, “Maybe five more minutes.”
“Oh, cool. Okay.” Keith feels bad at the disappointment he hears in Lance’s voice.
Lance is quiet the rest of the time. He answers questions when Shiro asks, but he doesn’t seem into it. When they finally get the plank broken and Lance’s head slides through, his cheerful manner comes back.
“Awesome. Thanks!”
Shiro chuckles picks up the saw, and says, “I’m going to go put this back in your car, Kogane. Bye Lance.”
“Bye Officer Shirogane! Thanks!”
It’s quiet for a minute after he leaves. Lance is looking around, kicking the grass. Keith makes up his mind at that moment. He grabs his notebook and pen and writes something down.
“If you still- If you want-,” Keith starts, before just forcing the paper at Lance. “Here.”
Lance takes it and when he reads it, his face lights up. Looking at him, Keith knows he made the right decision.
“Really? Get ready, I’m about to rock your world, Officer Kogane.” He laughs, putting Keith’s number in his pocket. He looks up and smiles at Keith.
“Call me Keith. Talk to you later. Don’t put your head in any other weird places.”
“It seems like a good plan to get to see you.”
“Please don’t. Just- just call me.” He waves and turns, walking back to his car.
Maybe Shiro had a good point, taking things slow wasn’t such a bad idea.