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It was that time of the year again, when the air got colder and snow began to fall and everybody seemed to get just a bit more cheerful. It was almost perfect. Almost, as Lance would be going through yet another Christmas without a romantic partner to snuggle with by the fire.
Lance sighed as he pulled his navy blue winter coat on. He was heading out to spend time with his friends - Pidge, Keith, Allura, Coran, Hunk, and Shiro. They would all be going to their town’s winter festival together, and Lance knew that would cheer him up and distract him from his lonely thoughts. At least he still had friends to celebrate the holiday season with.
When he arrived at their meeting spot near the entrance, everyone else was already there. “Ah what a surprise, Lance is late.” Keith teased.
“Typical Lance.” Pidge added.
Lance let out a sharp, exaggerated gasp and clutched at the fabric of his coat over his chest dramatically. “I’m wounded, truly wounded.” They all laughed at his usual silly behavior they all knew and loved, some rolling their eyes fondly.
“Alright guys, it’s time to get this fun started!” Hunk announced, turning toward the entrance, the others following behind him.
Before he started to walk with them, Lance felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Shiro smirking down at him. “Don’t worry, I only got here just a minute before you did. You’re not the only one who was late.” Shiro ruffled his hair affectionately before making his way to catch up to the others. Lance couldn’t help but notice the way his heart started to beat just a bit faster, as it always did around Shiro.
The two were utterly, infuriatingly oblivious to it, but they were pining for one another. Everyone else in the group knew it, and had a plan set in motion to get them alone together that night. Lance and Shiro wouldn’t see it coming.
They had a long day of games, food, and rides. At one point, Shiro even won a stuffed lion and gave it to Lance. Although Lance thought it was a bit strange that Shiro picked the blue lion, Lance’s favorite color, rather than the black lion, which was Shiro’s favorite. He thought that maybe Shiro was only playing just to win it for him, but shook that idea away as quickly as it had come. There’s no way he would do that… right?
The group seemed to be running low on energy, now chatting quietly to one another as they walked through the stalls set up by local artists. Lance could tell their lively night of fun and games would soon be coming to a close.
“Hey,” Allura spoke up suddenly, grabbing everyone’s attention, “I heard there’s a hedge maze nearby, we should go through there to end off our night.” she suggested.
“Yes, I hear it’s lovely this time of the year.” Coran added.
Shiro nodded his head in agreement. “That sounds like a good idea, let’s go.”
Allura lead the way, and when they got there everyone stopped outside of the entrance. “After you.” Allura stepped off to the side, the others behind her, and gestured for Shiro and Lance to walk in ahead of the rest of them.
Lance’s brow furrowed and he pulled Hunk roughly to the side, while Allura was talking to Shiro about the supposed history of the maze, which he assumed was at least half made-up. “Dude!” he whispered sharply, “this is so obviously a set-up of some kind, what are you guys planning?”
Hunk looked guilty but tried to hide it, to no avail, Lance knew something was up. “It’s nothing really! We’re all just going to have a nice walk through the maze, that’s it!”
Lance crosses his arms and huffed. “Sure.” he said, unbelieving.
“Just trust me, it’s gonna be fine.” Hunk gave him a reassuring smile and turned back to the rest of the group, dragging Lance with him.
Somehow Lance and Shiro ended up walking together in front of the rest of the group, and he has suspicion that it wasn’t simply mere coincidence. He tried to enjoy the maze for now though, despite his worry. He had never been a fan of the cold, growing up near warm beaches in his childhood. But he had to admit, the dimmed Christmas lights were pretty and the serenity of it all was mesmerizing.
Lance assumed they had been in the maze for about ten minutes, by the time he realized something was off. He stopped in his tracks, looked behind him, and frowned. “Seriously?”
Shiro turned to see what Lance had found, the empty trail behind them where their friends had been mere minutes before. “Where did they go? Do you think they got lost?” Shiro wondered.
“No, actually I think they’re up to something.” Lance mumbled.
“Ah yeah, I knew they were acting kind of suspicious.” Shiro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know what’s going on with them, but let’s just enjoy the maze for now, okay?”
“Fine.” Lance mumbled, “I’ll enjoy it but I won’t like it.”
Shiro let out a laugh at that, and it warmed Lance’s heart to see and hear such a beautiful thing. He shook his head at his thoughts and continued forward. He was so distracted thinking about this situation, about the others leaving them alone because Hunk knew about Lance’s feelings for Shiro so of course they all set him up, that he hadn’t even realized there was a large root sticking out from the ground on the path in front of him. Lance’s left foot came into contact with it and was bent painfully as he fell forward into the freezing snow. He hissed in pain as he turned onto his back and pulled his leg up to his chest, cradling it. It hurt, and he knew it was at least sprained. He must have looked like such an idiot right now.
“Lance! Are you okay?” Shiro knelt down by his side and pulled The leg of Lance’s pants up to check the injured ankle. “Okay, So I’m guessing this hurts.” he said, cringing at the sight of the already bruising foot.
“Does it really look that bad?” Lance asked, sitting up carefully to get a better look at it. He winced when his leg moved, hissing in pain.
“Here, do you think you can get on my back so I can carry you?” Shiro offered, turning his back to Lance.
Lance rolled his eyes and cursed this awkward situation. “Yeah, hold on.” He struggled to crawl over, but was able to make it without moving his leg too much. “Alright, I’m ready.”
Shiro stood up slowly, careful not to jostle Lance’s body too much, and gripped the undersides of Lance’s legs to keep him steady. “Ready?”
“Yeah. Thanks Shiro.” Shiro turned around and made his way back the way they came. Lance rested his forehead against Shiro’s back, cursing in his mind at the heat rising to his cheeks. He was embarrassed. And, of course, in his typical Lance way of doing things, he started talking to distract himself from the awkwardness of the situation. “So you’re like my hero now, huh.”
Shiro scoffed, but Lance could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke, “I wouldn’t say ‘hero’, I’m just carrying you back.”
“Exactly! You’re the only one of our friends who didn’t abandon me in my time of need. Also you’re strong enough to carry me this whole way, you are definitely a hero!”
Shiro laughed. “I guess.”
“You are. Also you’re still helping me even though I was a complete dumbass and got us stuck in this mess in the first place. So I definitely owe you.”
“Lance, you’re not a dumbass just because you tripped.”
“But I should’ve noticed it!”
Shiro was quiet for a moment. “Lance, you said you owe me for this, right?”
“Yes, why?”
“Then pay me back by not talking badly of yourself anymore. You deserve better.”
Lance felt heat rise to his cheeks. And he swore he could see the tips of Shiro’s ears turn a bit pinker, but maybe it was just the cold air causing them to change color.
“Thank you.” Lance mumbled, a tingly feeling in his chest that wouldn’t go away.
“Anything for you, Lance.” The rest of their walk was spent in comfortable silence.
By the time they got back to the entrance, the others were all waiting for them. “Wow. I expected hand-holding, not for Shiro to be carrying you. But congrats to the happy couple I guess.” Pidge mused.
“Uhh… happy couple?” Lance asked.
“Didn’t you two read the note?” Coran asked.
“What?” Shiro asked, confused.
They all stood there in silence for a moment before Hunk explained. “The note we left you at the romantic bench in the middle of the maze, didn’t you see it?”
“We never made it to the center. Lance tripped and sprained his ankle so I carried him back.”
“Uh… what did the note say?” Lance asked.
“That doesn’t matter now!” Allura cut in. “What matters is that Shiro saved your life and it’s time for him to kiss the damsel in distress!”
“What?!” Lance shrieked.
Keith stepped forward then. “Shiro, Lance likes you. Lance, Shiro likes you. I can’t make it any more obvious, just date already.”
“Keith, blunt as always.” Pidge murmured.
Shiro laughed after a moment, “Well this certainly clears a few things up. Now let’s get you a first aid kit, damsel.”
Lance shoved his head in the back of Shiro’s coat to hide his blushing mess of a face and groaned in embarrassment. “I can’t believe this is happening.”