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An annual sleepover at Hunk's house became mandatory for what had eventually came to be known over the years as 'TEAM ROBOTO'. It was a beloved tradition for everyone, although the set up never really changed. At five pm, everyone bombarded 27 Merrow Road, with sleeping bags and pyjamas in tow. They would get changed immediately, and grant salutations to Hunk's graying mother as she provided them with mountains of snacks, and watched movies until they all fell asleep. But this year was different, because this was the year that Keith finally confessed his feelings for Lance.
They were always the last two to fall asleep every year, energized by their bickering over whether Han shot first, or if Food Fight was meant to be taken seriously or not. Hunk was always the first to go, at the respectable time of two am, followed by Allura drifting off around three thirty, and Shiro at four. Pidge, however, was a fighter. She managed to stave off her human needs until almost six in the morning. This always left Lance and Keith alone at seven thirty, hissing at each other and pretending not to notice how cute the other looked with messy hair and bleary eyes.
This stubbornness left them where they were now: secretly dating. The both of them would rather die than admit to the rest of the group that all their teasing and yelps of "Get a room!" had finally come to fruition. Just two weeks ago, smoking pot behind Taco Bell, had Keith finally worked up the courage to kiss Lance, before the two of them rejoining the group later, pretending nothing had happened. It was thrilling. Lance had to admit, he loved the aspect of danger that came with the territory. Once, they were making out in a bathroom during a house party at Lance's house. Managing to hide behind the shower curtain when Shiro opened the door, Lance had later drunkenly told Keith: "You taste like danger." He could never live it down.
And now here they were, alone again at six in the morning, surrounded by their dozing friends. Usually, this was when Lance would make an contentious remark, hoping to rile up Keith's temper and they would bicker and squabble until one of them gave up and fell asleep. Instead, they were cuddled up together on the sofa, sharing a duvet and watching The Breakfast Club. Keith's head was resting on Lance's shoulder, breathing lightly.
"Hey." Lance whispred, nudging his boyfriend slightly. "If we were in this movie, who do you think we'd be?"
Keith shifted his position, dragging himself up to engage in the conversation properly. "I'd be Bender, you'd be Claire." He said softly, in a matter-of-fact tone. Lance had noticed that Keith had a signature smile for moments like these. Slightly mischievous, under the guise of a cool, detached persona. He wore this smile after they had kissed for the first time, and every time they shared a secret glance in front of the other guys. The poor guy would suck at poker, Lance realized. What he didn't realise was that Keith was deliberately dragging him into a traditional bickering session.
"Bullshit!" Lance gasped, in mock horror. "I'd be Andrew, you'd be Alison."
"You as Emilio Estévez in the eighties? You wish." Keith sniggered, pointing at the screen, where the young actor had stripped off his letterman jacket, revealing a pair of broad shoulders under his vest top, in true dedication to his character's athleticism.
Lance pouted, holding in a laugh. "I could totally look like that... if I wanted to!" He protested, with a playful punch to Keith's shoulder. "I just like food too much."
"Speaking of food," Keith mumbled, feeling a rumbling sensation in his stomach. "Wanna grab some food after the movie? I bet there'll be an ihop open in town somewhere."
Lance considered this, almost startled by the suggestion. "It's not what we usually do..." He murmured. The idea of leaving the house in the middle of the annual sleepover was odd to him, to say the least. It felt almost sacrilegious. But damn, if he wasn't hungry.
"We don't usually do this either." Keith said, before planting a long kiss on Lance's unsuspecting lips. "We'll probably be back before they wake up." He nestled himself back into Lance's side, cocooning them both with the duvet. Lance conceded, tempted by the thought of ihop's maple syrup.
"This feels weird." Lance stated, stifling a yawn, as he walked down the street holding hands with Keith. The morning sun was just beginning to appear behind the tall buildings, dying the sky a mess of orange, pink, and purple.
"Holding hands in public, or leaving Hunk's?" Keith asked, fixated on their intertwining fingers. He tightened his grip, almost afraid of the answer.
"Both." Lance admitted. "But, um. It comes with the whole new era thing, right? Hahah." His voice changed, Keith picked up on it almost immediately. He sounded worried.
"What do you mean?" He asked, as they approached the restaurant.
"I mean, for starters; there's us." Lance held open the door for Keith, hit in the face with a warm waft of pancake scent. He could he himself talking, but didn't know where the words were coming from. Sleep deprivation, most likely.
"Us?" Keith repeated, his throat catching. "Are you unhappy, or are we going to slow, or do you want tell people or-"
"No! No-no-no-no-no-no." Lance said, correcting himself. "I love... um. This. " He gestured to the two of them, smiling. "Nah, we're awesome. I love us." He said. Keith pulled out a chair for him. "It's just ...different. We've been friends for years, y'know?"
"Yeah."
Keith looked visibly relieved, so Lance continued. "So there's us. And then there's Shiro and Allura. They're planning their wedding. Before long, they'll be having kids, and hosting dinner parties, and driving minivans and-"
"Are you afraid Shiro and Allura will leave us all behind?" Keith asked, his tone incredulous. "Dude. Have you met those guys? Shiro still organizes the annual milkshake party to commemorate the day we all became Team Roboto." He winced as he said the group name, having hated it from day one. "Do you really think the engaged couple that still attend the annual sleepovers would really forget us? Bruh."
Lance's mind cleared, but he still looked worried. "Don't you think it's, like, the end of an era? I mean there's still Pidge and Hunk-" He interrupted himself with a hearty yawn, stretching his arms out wide.
Keith rolled his eyes. "So Pidge is going to that fancy college, and Hunk got that apprenticeship in Germany. That stuff doesn't last forever!" He pointed out, scanning the menu, but barely reading the words with his tired eyes.
"I know, I know!" Lance protested. "I'm happy for them and all. I just. I wish we could just go back to when we were younger when no one was leaving, or growing up. The end of an era. And now, a newer, shittier one begins." He slumped down in his seat, from both exhaustion and despair.
Keith smiled. "I think I know what you mean." He said, reaching across the table to hold his hand. "But, just because it's new and different doesn't make it shittier. We don't know what the future could hold, but it's up to us to make sure our friends are in it." Lance made no effort to respond. Keith tried again. "I mean, dude, imagine it. We could all visit Hunk in Germany and see him geek out over all his science stuff. Berlin is a really pretty city too! We could go to museums or-"
"Nerd." Lance interrupted smiling affectionately.
Keith felt encouraged by this validation, and continued, watching his boyfriend's reactions closely. "Imagine Pidge's graduation. Imagine how happy she'll be! We both know that Pidge's mind at work could change technology as we know it forever. Our Pidge will change the world, Lance. In less than ten years, people will be like 'Who the fuck is Steve Jobs?" He said. Lance's smile was growing.
"And Shiro and Allura." Keith continued. "C'mon. Imagine their wedding. Imagine Shiro's face when Allura walks down the aisle in her dress. You know he'll cry."
"He'll totally cry!" Lance laughed. "Holy shit! Imagine how much he'll bawl in the hospital when he's holding his and Allura's kid in the hospital for the first time! He'd be such a good dad, right?"
"Yeah." Keith replied, enjoying Lance's enthusiasm. "Yeah, he will be."
Lance chuckled to himself, scanning the menu. "Listen to us having all these deep chats about the future. We're like The Breakfast Club, but gayer."
Keith snorted. "Totally! We're like... The Midnight Feast Society!"
With a feigned heavy sigh, Lance gave his boyfriend a look of derision. "Oh Keith. You poor thing." He drawled sarcastically. "The lack of sleep as clearly gone to your head. This is morning. We are eating breakfast."
"Whatever." Keith rolled his eyes. "It's not really morning until we until we wake up."
"Riiight." Lance replied. "Because that's how time works."
"That's such a Claire thing to say." Keith teased, hiding behind his menu.
"Shut up, and eat your midnight feast."
"... I love you."
"I love you too... Alison."