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Space was a vast and overwhelming expanse of emptiness, only accompanied by stars burning millions and billions of miles away from the castleship. It was easy to lose yourself in the endless void, especially with only six other people to keep one company. Lance was used to being surrounded by people. At home it was his numerous siblings and cousins, climbing his legs and hanging from his shoulders. At the Garrison it was the hordes of teens and young adults that crowded the halls and pulled others along to clubs or to the lounge for games. Times spent alone were rare, once in a blue moon and never for long. Out here, though, things were different.
Out here, in space far far away from Earth as well as the galaxy it resided in, Lance found himself alone. He could handle it for a time, often seeking out Hunk or sometimes Pidge when the silence became particularly overwhelming. There were other times where he would travel down to his lion and lay within the cockpit, letting his mind go numb as she purred at him, sending images from Earth and other watery places into his brain. Blue was definitely a saving grace, he often felt that he hadn't done enough to deserve her companionship.
However, there were always those times Hunk and Pidge were busy, and while Blue was amazing, there were moments images of home made the loneliness worse. It was times like that, times like now, that found Lance in the simulation room looking up at the artificial layout of the constellations seen from Earth's surface.
He’d found this place during one of his many wanderings around the large castleship. Pressing his hand to the large flat screen in the middle of the room had warped the entire place into some strange simulation, the sand on the beach feeling real beneath his shoes. After that he’d occasionally come back and see what the room would create next. Trial and error eventually lead him to discovery he could create just about any simulation, including people. However, the mindless copies of his family just made things worse and he’d stopped making them after the second attempt. One could only mentally torture themselves so often.
As far as Lance was concerned, there wasn’t anyone aside from Allura and Coran that knew about the existence and location of this room. Therefore, chances of either of them coming in here were slim to none. So when the door to the room opened and the simulation flickered, Lance reacted how any grown man caught red handed would. He screamed like a child in adolescence.
“Calm down Lance, it's just me.”
Keith, of course it's Keith, because if any member of their crew would decide to find Lance at a time like this, it would be his rival, his crush. He refused to move from his spot, choosing instead to roll over and attempt to forget how humiliated he felt. Keith, of course, was not about to let him forget.
“That was graceful,” the red paladin spoke as he sat next to Lance.
“What's it to you, mullet?” Smooth Lance, real smooth.
“Nothing, just stocking up on blackmail.”
“As if anyone would believe you!” Lance argued indignantly, sitting up to glare at the other. “How did you find me anyway?”
“I trailed you here.”
“I've been here for over half an hour, did you wait by the door that entire time?”
“I never told you when I trailed you,” Keith turned to smirk at Lance.
“You! Wait, what? How long ago!?”
“The fourth time you decided to disappear without a word while looking like a child lost in a big park.”
Lance grumbled, ducking his head and glaring at the wall behind Keith.
“You looked upset today, more so than usual,” Lance turned his gaze back on Keith as the man spoke. “Hunk and Pidge have been busy, and you spent all of yesterday with the lions.”
“I don't see why you'd care.”
Keith scoffed, an offended look taking over his features. Good job Lance, there is no way in all the universe this guy doesn't hate him to his core. He can say he’s getting “bi,” but when it came to Keith, Lance was getting nowhere.
“I know you don’t like me, and to be honest I really don’t understand why, but I like you. I want to be on good terms with you and you’re a vital member to the team. Without you, we’re down a whole limb.”
Lance’s head shot up, eyes going wide. “There were several things you just said that made less than no sense. I mean, we’re rivals! You, you hate me! Also, that was a terrible joke.”
Keith flung his arms into the air, “Can you blame me for trying?” He let his arms fall, almost hitting Lance due to them being so close. “We were never rivals either! I never hated you, I actually really li- you know what, I’m not going to argue here.”
“What were you going to say?” Lance scooted closer, did Keith just-?
“It was nothing, I should go train.” Keith began to stand.
Lance flopped into Keith’s lap, wrapping his arms around the other paladin’s waist.
“Nope! No no no, you have to tell me, finish what you started and all.”
“No, stop being a child Lance!” Keith cried as he tried to pry Lance loose.
“Tell me! Come on buddy! If we’re not rivals then what are we?”
“I like you! Okay?”
Violet eyes met blue as both boys blushed profusely. Lance could feel his heart in his throat, arms loosening from around Keith’s waist.
“Me too… I,” he trailed off.
“Then stop going off by yourself,” Keith spoke in a quiet tone, a hand falling into the blue paladin’s hair. “Truce?”
“Date me? It’s only a little gay in space.”
“It’s gay everywhere Lance,” Keith chuckled, resting his head on Lance’s
“Thank you,” he whispered.
“Anything for the cargo pilot.”
“Hey!”