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Keith wasnt entirely sure how time worked in space, but he knew for certain it was different fom Earth. However, his hair grew as if it was on Earth despite it being literally over 500 light-years away, so it grew far too quickly. His hair often was in his eyes, forcing him to take weekly trips to Pidge and Shiro to maintain a tolerable length.
Pidge was thorough with their treatment, but left their mark in Keith's hair, not just in their style of cut, but more often then not, Keith left with at least one small braid in his hair. Once Pidge french braided his hair once he let it grow out for weeks, which he only decided against after it got sat on by Kosmo one to many times. Since then, Keith hasn't grew his hair out that long, but still long enough to let it be properly braided.
Shiro, used to cutting his own hair in the galran cells, cuts it to a length where there is room to grow without irritating the younger with the length. Shiro's care was unpredictable, choppy once and smooth another. His prosthetic hand didn't allow much precision, but it was relaxing for both parties - the slow snip, chop, snip was not unlike a soothing balm Lance had blessed the team with on multiple occasions.
Despite the regularity of the hair treatment, only the trio knew what was going on. Keith was unaware of this; he walked around with his hair in braids, freshly cut, and all sorts on most days so he figured the team knew, but it all came to a head after two weeks of letting his hair grow.
His hair was down to the small of his back, and his front parts now tickled his collarbone, and Pidge sighed in discontent at the though of chopping it up to his usual mid-throat length.
"Can I not just braid it and it'll stay out of your way? It's such a waste" They whined, pulling the silky locks through their fingers, twisting and knotting into patterns absentmindedly.
A huff, "Cut the fringe bit so it's out of my eyes, but go wild on the rest, just make it bearable" he sighed.
The smaller cheered before sitting up at Keith's head, locating a hair brush, hair elastics, and a spray bottle of detangler they miraculously found at a space market off the moon of Vriksh'Prithvi, a large forest like planet.
A while goes by and Pidge completes one Dutch braid, and moves onto the next smoothly. A click and their door opens.
"Pidgey? Pidgers? Pidgeyoto?" A familiar voice calls, Lance, Keith quickly recognises.
"In here dummy," They snark, pulling Keith's hair roughly in the process, despite his weak noise of pain, "Sorry bud, somebody startled me"
A clatter bounces off the floors and walls and Pidge gasps and ruins the braid "Fucking hell Lance, now I have to redo it" They grump, undoing the braid right up the his scalp before restarting.
"You- When- Why- Braid?" Lance gapes at the two before Keith looks at him weirdly. "What? You've seen me with my hair done before." He snaps defensively.
"No!" He quips, "I thought you braided your own hair? Why didn't you ask me?" Keith raises an eyebrow and Pidge snickers while undoing the failed braid.
"Why would I ask you?"
"Why wouldn't you ask me?"
"Because I want my hair out of my face, not in a knot the size of Jupiter."
"I'm great at doing hair!" The sharp-shooter quips, "I did most of my sisters' hair for, like, deca-phoebs!" His voice had risen significantly from the start of the conversation, ending on a high-pitched squeak, making him cough indignantaly.
Pidge sighed from where they were sat, "Okay, if you're such a good hair stylist, do the other braid while I cut his, uh, bits?"
Lance solemnly nodded taking one of the elastic hair bobbles and putting it around his pinky finger, while Keith startled at the youngest's words and slapped a hand down to his crotch and scooted away, "No you will not!" causing Pidge to snicker and flick the long bits of hair at his forehead, "These bits, dummy"
Keith flushed and made an O shape with his mouth before nodding, "Yeah that makes more sense"
Eventually the snickering stops and both Lance and Pidge get to work. Three minutes flow by and the Dutch braid is finished, a close first to Pidge's snipping around Keith's hair, framing his face with the soft spikes of his bangs.
"Done! Only took a dobosh!" Lance announced, stepping back to admire his work.
"More like a varga" Keith snickers, to the other boy's distaste, a snark on the tip of his tongue before Pidge interrupts,
"Not bad, Lance. Better than Shiro's definitely."
"Shiro doesn't braid my hair though?"
"Hush." They scolded simultaneously, Lance leaning forward to press his finger against the elder's lips in a quiet motion, but snatching his finger away as Keith opened his mouth in a threat to bite.
Pidge huffed, unfolding themselves from where they were crouched infront of Keith.
"Have fun Romeo" They snickered casting Lance a glance as they walked away.
"Is Allura Juilette?" Keith questioned.
They heard a cackle outside the room before a loud "No!" echoed through the room.
Lance flushed a pink, much to Keith's confusion. He raised an eyebrow but ignored it, standing up, limbs snapping from being sat down for the better part of an hour. He held his hand out for Lance to pull himself up, who seemed to be in a trance, blushing and stammering quietly
"Okaayy.." The elder questioned, forcing Lance's hand into his own and yanking him up, "Go time, buddy. I'm sure the Princess or Shiro have something for you to do."