Work Text:
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There must be something psychological about the design of jewelry stores. Why else would they all look the same? All... Posh. Stately. Proper. There was a word for the neat glass rows and crisp uniforms of the staff, the grey or cream that would be paired with navy or a dark red décor. Tiny strings of lights that ran in straight lines up and down the walls and around the displays, setting the whole shop twinkling if you so much as tilted your head.
What that word was, Keith couldn't quite put his finger on it, but 'uncomfortable' came to mind.
"Last one, I promise buddy." Lance was saying. "If I don't find something in here for Allura I'll just have to hurl myself into the sea as penance."
"I'm sure she'll love whatever you get her." Keith replied, doing his best not to scowl when he felt the eyes of a sales associate on his scuffed leather jacket and heavy boots. "You should have brought Pidge. She's great at picking out gifts for Allura."
"Yeah well, hindsight is 20/20, my friend. Keep your eyes peeled for shiny and blue."
"Shiny and blue." Keith parroted back for what felt like the twentieth time today, and as Lance veered off to the left he wandered to the right, watching the cases glitter as he moved past, though nothing really leapt out at him.
Earrings dangled from black resin trees, tear drops and diamonds and delicate chains, all the kind of thing he figured Allura would like, would look lovely on her, but all similar to previous picks that Lance had waved away.
'Special.' Lance wanted. Anniversaries were apparently a big deal. The other Paladins seemed to get so bent out of shape about them. Lance wanted gifts, Hunk went overboard cooking, even Shiro would request leave of absence to take his husband somewhere quiet and relaxing for a weekend.
Keith considered his 'anniversary' with Pidge to be December twenty-first: the solstice. That usually meant they were attending get-togethers anyway, having dinner at the Holts' house or going to Altea, if work didn't demand their attention elsewhere. They'd never really done anything special or fancy and it had never really seemed urgent to Keith that maybe they should.
Maybe this year he should take her out somewhere for dinner. Though knowing Pidge, she'd probably far rather they ordered in Chinese food and watched bad Holiday movies in their pajamas. She hated the cold weather and honestly, he was happy to lounge around in his slippers with her, laughing as she bemoaned the special effects and made fun of the twee dialogue. Maybe some sort of vacation? They could rent somewhere on a warm planet. Hmn. Wherever they booked would have to allow large blue space wolves. And Pidge would want to bring her work with her, lest she be struck with inspiration and be unable to test out new code or fixes. Should he look for somewhere romantic? Special? With a whole universe at their disposal that meant he had a large pick, maybe too large. Somewhere they'd been before, or someplace entirely new?
He'd walked on until the cases under his fingertips now held rings, and he cast a glance over the tiered displays. Was Allura a ring kind of girl? She loved earrings and necklaces, the kind of dainty pieces that glittered against her neck and set off her eyes in such a manner even Keith had to notice. He honestly couldn't think if he'd ever seen her wear anything on her fingers aside from her wedding ring and one opalescent band on her thumb that apparently used to be her father's. Perhaps these were more of a sentimental ornament.
Ugh, some of these were just gaudy anyway. He grimaced as a ring with a gemstone that rivaled those lollipop rings from fairgrounds came under his line of sight. Who would wear something like that?
"You found anything?" Lance was huffing up behind him, the tone in his voice starting to sound exasperated. "Keith? Why are you looking at rings?"
As Keith looked around at him Lance's expression changed from confusion to a wide-eyed look as though he'd suddenly solved some puzzle, and his lips twitched upwards as his voice turned hushed and almost awed.
"Are you going to propose to Pidge?!"
"What?!" Keith yelped, and then glanced around when he realised his voice had pitched just a little too loud for the quiet, faint muzak tinkling store.
"No." He said more quietly, firmly. "No, I'm not proposing, Jesus."
"C'mon buddy, you can tell me. Your old pal Lance can help you pick the perfect ring! Do you have a plan?"
His voice had taken on a wheedling, pleading tone and Keith recoiled.
"Lance. I'm not proposing. I'm looking at stuff for you- for Allura!"
"Like, 'not proposing this time', or 'never proposing, don't want to get married' not proposing?" Lance's eyebrows were knotting together, as though Keith's reaction was completely bemusing to him. Keith was equally perplexed. Lance always liked to be in everyone's business, but he seemed to be taking this personally, as if it affected him.
"I- I don't know."
"You've never talked about it?" Lance leant on the glass case, staring up at him as he drummed his fingers on the sides. "You guys live together- you've been together what- four years?"
"Six in December."
"And you've never even considered it? Making an honest woman out of her?"
"Making a - what?" If Lance kept confusing him like this his head was going to explode.
"You know - tying the knot? Getting hitched? You seriously can't imagine getting her a ring?"
Keith looked past Lance's arm and into the glass under him. The rings winked in the lights, different gems and metals glittering like rainbows. It made him feel a little queasy to be honest. Trying to imagine himself proposing to Pidge - like some strange caricature of a soap opera or a movie.
Honestly he thought Pidge would laugh in his face. She'd never brought up getting married. They'd been to several weddings now; fighting in and winning an intergalactic war seemed to awaken an instinct in some people to 'tie the knot' as soon as possible, as Lance had put it. Not at any of those events - big or small - had Pidge made any sort of hint that she wanted the same.
Plus he couldn't imagine her wearing any of these rings. That giant sapphire was almost the width of three of her fingers for crying out loud, The heart shaped pink crystal one row down looked like something he'd pick up for one of his niblings' dress up boxes, and that one-
Well, actually that one wasn't so bad. Kind of pretty even, and the gem surrounded by little silver vines was green. Lance followed his pensive gaze and exclaimed triumphantly.
"Hah! You're thinking about it, aren't you? That red ruby is pretty nice..."
Keith's annoyance was interrupted by the mention of a ruby, and he glanced back down to the heavy red and gold atrocity that looked like it belonged on the finger of a villainous storybook king, not Pidge's small, hardworking hands.
"What? No way. Not that one."
He looked back to Lance to see him raising his brows expectantly, waiting for Keith to correct him. Fine, he'd play Lance's game.
"Next to it. The- That green one... There..."
Lance cocked his head, pursing his lips off to the side as he contemplated it.
"Hmn, I guess it is pretty 'Pidge'. Nice eye."
"You think she has a preference?" Keith's question felt genuine as it fell from his mouth before he could stop it. Did Pidge have a preference? "Has she ever said anything?"
"You're the partner here, not me, man. If you don't know you should ask her yourself."
"Hey, I'm not asking her anything. You're the one who started this whole 'oh, you should propose' thing!" Keith barked back.
"Before you blow up at me - don't look at me like that - let me just say, I wish I'd had a camera just now so I could show you your face when you looked at the green one. You're so soft for her."
Keith stopped, mouth open but no words. Lance was looking at him in this way, that... lacked any of its usual humor, replaced with a genuine, almost concerned look.
"You've seriously never thought about this before?" Lance asked again and Keith sighed.
"No, I just. Never thought I'd... have someone."
"What, because you're so ugly?" The raised brow and not-so subtle smirk was back, but Keith brushed it off.
"Because I never had someone until now." He said, and Lance quieted. "When you grow up in Homes, when you're told you're not wanted... You're... told constantly you're gonna end up in jail or dead by eighteen..." He leaned back on the counter, not looking at Lance. "A 'normal' life never seemed... Mine."
It was true. He'd gone from drifting delinquent with no family, no future prospects, to soldier in an intergalactic war where he could be shot down at any given moment. Sometimes it felt surreal, to come home at the end of the day to a house, with a partner and a dog (no matter how blue and strange he was).
"I guess I've been happy just to have everything I do have."
They were both quiet for a moment, staring down at the geometric patterns in the carpet. He'd never been able to picture having a family for so many years, but now? He had a mother, friends. A loving partner. His health and his work- more than he'd ever expected or thought he needed.
"Can I help you fellas?"
Both Keith and Lance nearly jumped out of their skin and whirled around in unison to face the brightly smiling staff.
"No, no we're good." Lance managed, and steered Keith towards the exit, away from the headache inducing lights and music. They collapsed on the edge of a fountain nearby. The white noise of rushing water was soothing, and Lance's fingers immediately skimmed through the pool.
"Well that got a little too real for a moment." He laughed, as Keith continued to stare at his boots. "Look, man... I didn't mean to cause a crisis."
"You didn't- you haven't... I just..." Keith paused, looked up and shrugged. "I'm just wondering now if I should have been thinking about this all along."
He turned his head to look at Lance this time, "I mean, what if Pidge has been sitting around waiting for me to ask her? And I'm just being an oblivious idiot?"
Lance pulled a face in response to Keith's nervous fidgeting. "Well, you are an oblivious idiot but... You know her, we know her. I think if she really wanted it she'd say something. Just talk to her, dude."
"Yeah... You're right I guess."
"I'm always right. And if she says yes, she wants to get married, I get to be Best Man for initiating the whole thing."
Keith grimaced back at Lance's wiggling eyebrows. "Try again, man."
"DJ then."
"Don't push it, Lance."
"Officiant? Ringbearer at least, come on."
☆☆
Keith found her in her workshop, but of course. He stood in the doorway that led back out into their house, smiling at the sight of her bustling around between the benches. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, leaving her forearms bare and smeared with oil, a smudge on her cheek and somehow it was the most endearing thing to him. The wolf laid by the doorway; he'd looked up when Keith arrived, huffed and promptly gone back to sleep.
"Hey, love."
Pidge looked up from where she was stacking parts and tools, and smiled, quirking an eyebrow at him at the pet name.
"You're in a good mood; Lance found what he needed without dragging you around too hard?"
"Yeah, earrings."
"Ah jewelry, a universal anniversary gift. Very nice."
"Would you want me to get you jewelry?"
Pidge didn't look up as she crossed the space in the middle of the room, a toolbox swinging from her hands.
"Oh no, you know me. The only shiny things I like are from the tool store- just buy me a bag of assorted bolts and screws." she said, her mind clearly only half on the question. "I'm just tidying up for the night, did you want to order something in, or maybe go out to eat?"
"I can't face going out again, I can raid the fridge and make us something." He stepped into the workshop, careful to avoid any spills. "Can I help make clean-up go faster?"
"Could you check I've put the tools back in order for me?" He glanced over at the peg board, tens of screwdrivers, wrenches and other assorted trinkets all hung up in rows. Each little slot was marked, he and Hunk had done it themselves for her when putting in the walls, but that didn't mean everything always went back where it was supposed to go if Pidge was in the zone.
He obediently made his way to the wall and began thumbing each tool, checking the size against its position on the board. It would save a grumpy Pidge in the morning if she was able to put her hands on what she needed.
It was in pretty good order compared to some nights. Today must have been relatively moderate for her. Keith looked up from the screwdriver he was inspecting, and watched Pidge as she wound a length of wire around her hand to tie it neatly. He couldn't picture being with anyone else now that they were together. Their little place was quiet, relaxing, and there was nothing quite like coming home to see her face brighten on his arrival.
Of course it wasn't perfect. Their work would keep them apart too often for his liking, and there were times when he came home exhausted, snappy and disheveled from travel. Times when he'd find Pidge drowning in work and computer screens, bags under her eyes, hair and temper frazzled, too many coffee cups and not enough plates stacked by her keyboard. They were both too stubborn, too proud and though the fights were rare they were fierce.
Still, he loved her. Loved when she'd comb his hair after a long hot shower, taking her time to loosen tangles and then to drag her fingertips along his scalp before eventually moving down to work the knots from his neck and shoulders with small but strong hands. Loved mapping the constellations in the freckles on her shoulders with his lips, tucking her back against his stomach to share sleepy warmth, or arrange her beneath him and continue exploring her body, working his way down until he made her see stars of her own. He loved lazy mornings when neither of them had anywhere to be. Encased in a fortress of blankets with legs entangled, exchanging languid kisses and later half-heartedly arguing who would be the one to venture out and turn the coffee machine on, knowing all the while that Keith would be the one to walk, Pidge wrapped around his back like a koala and a blanket draped across them both like a cape.
"Hey, you OK?" Pidge was looking over her shoulder at him, still standing with a screwdriver in his hand. "If you're that tired I'll just order something. You want Thai? I'm craving Thai."
Keith looked down at the screwdriver he held, then back up at the board. He found the hook it belonged to, and hung it in its rightful place.
"Pidge..." He said slowly, not wanting to look at her, just in case. "What do you think about marriage?"
"As an archaic concept wrongfully tied to religion? Or..?" Pidge had trailed off, one hand on her workbench as she turned back to properly look at him.
"As in... you know. Us."
"What's brought this on?" Her laugh was shaky, a little flustered and he finally looked at her, her smile was crooked, hair escaping its bun to fall wildly around her shoulders and she was so beautiful to him that his nerve dropped a little. What had he done to deserve such a wonderful creature in his life?
"Just... Something Lance said." He muttered, and then went on when she raised her eyebrows to prompt him to continue. "Wanted to know when I was gonna 'make an honest woman out of you'."
Pidge barked a laugh that made Kosmo look up, disgruntled at the interruption to his nap.
"Keith, Lance's family is pretty traditional, you know that."
"I know, but..." He felt his face flush under her gaze. "If I asked, would you? Want to get married, I mean?"
Pidge hoisted herself up to sit on her bench, clasping her hands together between her dangling legs, contemplating them before answering.
"Getting married isn't exactly at the top of my bucket list. I can't say I've ever dreamed of wearing a big poofy gown or anything like that."
"I never mentioned anything about a dress." He grew tired of talking across so much space, and pulled a stool out from under her bench and sank down onto it so that they were nearly eye level. "And I'm not just saying this because Lance tried to talk me into buying a ring today. I... I kinda realised you might have thought about it before."
"I have." Pidge admitted, twiddling her thumbs together. "I'm a little surprised that this hasn't come up before now. I thought for a while you might ask me-"
"You did?" She looked up at his tone of surprise, and smiled.
"Yeah, back when we first got this place. You really settled into the whole domestic thing, and it got me thinking. You're big on family, when you love someone you're so loyal and protective and... I dunno, I guess I thought you might want to make us official and stuff. Not that we aren't 'official'. We've been together five years I don't think anyone can say we're not official- we totally are, but you never did and I didn't see the need to get all hopped up over it-" She paused, taking a breath to help cease her ramble. "I think what I want to say is... I didn't think I'd ever be bothered about marriage. But for you? If you asked? I think I'd say yes."
"You 'think'?" He let himself grin a little at her pink cheeks, the way she was fidgeting nervously, eye contact fleeting.
"Well if you try to make a spectacle out of proposing and make us look like sappy idiots I want to reserve the right to tell you to piss off." She huffed and he laughed.
"That's definitely not me. But I did see a ring I thought you'd like- not very flashy. Pretty though... What counts as a sappy spectacle?"
"OK, look. Just... Don't do it in public OK? No hiding rings in food, no hiring musicians or getting Nadia and James to write the question in the sky. Get on one knee if you want, but I'd rather it was just between us, you know?"
Keith reached up and took one of her hands in his, clasping it gently and resting them on her knee.
"You've got nothing to worry about. There's no way I'd do any of those things. Knowing you, you'd choke on the ring." She grinned and squeezed his hand back.
"I love you Keith. Even if that tirade didn't sound like I do. I really do." He stood up, hands still joined and closed the space between them, standing between her legs to kiss her.
"And I love you, Pidgeon." She scrunched her nose up at the nickname and he laughed and kissed it, planting kisses along her cheek, down to her jaw until she squirmed and giggled at the ticklish spot under her ear. She tried to nuzzle back at him but he pushed her face away until he could swipe at the oil mark on her other cheek with his thumb.
"So we going to the Courthouse tomorrow to elope, or what?" She laughed, pressing kisses to his cheek. Keith paused to contemplate, but shook his head.
"I think after all of Lance's efforts today, he'd kill us if we eloped."
"Hmn. I guess I wouldn't say no to a party, if there's cake and music."
"Cake is good. Parties, not so much. I don't like these big ones we've been to- with the hundreds of guests."
"God no." Pidge settled her chin into his neck as Keith's nose wrinkled at the thought of some of the bigger events they'd attended in recent years. "We should do like Shiro and Matt. Just family, and a few close friends. Nothing huge. But good food, and good music."
"I don't dance," Keith warned, leaning his head against hers as she laughed again.
"I'll make you. Just one. For me?"
He huffed a single laugh and wound his arms tighter around her back. "For you."
"Mm, I love it when I win," She mumbled into his neck, bringing her legs up around his waist, "now take me inside, I want to order that Thai food, maybe show you a little appreciation for being so good to me."
Keith grinned and hefted her up properly into his arms with an 'aye aye, ma'am', tucking her head under his chin as he crossed the workshop and pushed the door to the house open.
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