Work Text:
Keith Kogane worked at the local arcade, always has, probably always will if he's being honest. There's nothing else like it. Sometimes he gets to see small kids having birthday parties running around with ridiculously huge smiles on their faces. He sees young teens come with their significant others as a date. He loves everything about his job.
He's very laid back and well-known. Kids, and students from his university, will run up to him to ask if he'll play against them. It always brings a smile to his face. There is no reason for him not to love it.
And maybe his day gets better when a certain person walks through the door. Maybe his smile gets wider. Maybe his heart beats faster. Maybe his love for his job grows whenever a certain brunette walks through the door.
But he would never admit it if you asked him.
Keith figured that the other hardly knew of him outside of the arcade. The only reason Keith knew of the brunette is the sole fact that he always comes to the arcade to chill with his best friends.
When Keith’s break arrived, and the arcade was nearly vacant, he headed over to the motorcycle racing game and hopped on. He put two tokens in and got ready to set everything up when he received a text from Pidge, his aforementioned best friend.
Pidge
Yo, where you at?
Keith
I'm on break at the arcade. Didn't feel up for lunch. Sorry.
Pidge
No problem. I'll come by to hang
Keith
Sounds good. See ya soon, Katie
He startled when he heard someone speak from beside him, on the other bike. When did they even get there?
"So, I've heard you're pretty good at this, Kogane. So what do you say, wanna ride?"
He looked up from his phone to see Lance McClain; the person he's been eyeing ever since he entered the arcade for the first time. “Don’t you usually play with your friends? But maybe I'll ride with you. What do you have to offer?"
"Speed," Lance tilted his head. "dexterity, and flexibility." He had the audacity to smirk.
Maybe Keith licked his lips at that. "Show me what you got." He held out two tokens for Lance’s bike.
When Lance grabbed the coins, he not-so-subtly held his hand for a brief second. Keith shook his head as he revved his bike before the race started.
When the race ended, Keith smiled confidently as he pulled his arms above his head and stretched in victory. "So, you obviously didn't get first, so what place did you get out of twelve?" He turned to look at Lance.
"Second. Maybe I can use a bit of assistance. Think you can help with that?" He leaned into Keith’s bike as his lower lip disappeared behind his teeth.
"How would you feel about riding mine sometime?" Keith leaned in as well.
"Sounds like a plan, Kogane." His voice lowered as he whispered in the other's ear, "Although, we both know I'll never come first."
Keith locked eyes with him and might've jumped him right then and there if it hadn't been for the biggest cockblock in history. Maybe that's how she compensates for her small height.
"Wow. The sexual tension here is just blowing me away." The two boys jumped apart as Pidge spoke. "Speaking of blowing, let's not have you two doing that in here."
Keith couldn't help but glare daggers in the side of Pidge’s head.
"Oh, go get stuffed, Holt." Keith said, clearly agitated.
"I’m literally asexual, but I will go stuff my mouth with pizza using your money.” She came up and snatched the card that Keith held out to her. She walked off without a word.
Keith turned to Lance as he started talking. “So do I get that same treatment when we go on a date?”
“I don’t recall making any plans with you.”
“I mean we have to get to know each other a little bit before our riding lessons, right?” This motherfucker winked.
Winked
. Oh man would this be fun.