sharpshooter

“In a world where I expected you to be faster on the draw, so to speak?” Rubbing the side of her hand against the bridge of her nose, Pidge added, “Anyway, they’re headphones. I was able to reverse engineer some from the altean tech around here so you don’t have to keep borrowing mine. They seem like they communicate well enough across bluetooth standards, but I don’t exactly have the FCC here to make absolutely certain—-”

IN A UNIVERSE WHERE EVERYONE IS BORN WITH NUMBERS ON THEIR WRISTS COUNTING DOWN TO WHEN THEY’LL MEET THEIR SOULMATE, SEND ME 00:00:00 FOR MY MUSES REACTION TO THEIR NUMBERS HITTING ZERO WHEN THEY MEET YOURS || open

The fact that his timer was still counting down while he was in a space was a conundrum for Lance. This meant that he was going to go back to Earth in that time, or he’d meet his soulmate while travelling through the galaxies fighting the war. Lance wasn’t sure what excited him more.

He had allowed himself to forget himself about the countdown, especially when the stakes were getting higher, so when he looked down at his wrist one morning to see that it was the day, he was definitely taken aback.

On that day, he didn’t think anything could overcome the overwhelming feeling of relief knowing that Matt Holt had been rescued and brought back to Pidge, safe and sound. He didn’t think as soon as the two would meet face to face, that both of their timers would stop.

Leo’s olive skin flushes with pink, her ears twitching in embarrassment. “I’m Leo, it’s nice to meet you Lance. Though I’m not so sure. I’ve always seen him in red.”

Hunk huffed at his friend; holding his wooden spoon up as a warning to his friend, “What did I say? You can’t touch the food yet! Besides, you’ll spoil your appetite!”

While initially Keith had tensed upon the contact of the hug, he just as quickly began to relax and loosely wound his own arms around Lance until they’d pulled apart. Hugs were not things he experienced often in his life, the last time he’d had one being quite a while ago, but this was nice. The entire moment was nice.

Though what had really brought a smile to Keith’s face was the announcement that LANCE TRUSTED HIM because that’s honestly the one thing he’d wanted to hear. He didn’t have to wonder or care if Lance liked him so long as Lance trusted him to have his back because at the end of the day that felt most important. Lance also liking him and calling him a FRIEND was just a bonus.

❝ You’re a good friend too, and I definitely trust you. I’ll also try to keep NOT failing you because I don’t really ever want to do that. Even if we butt heads sometimes doesn’t mean I want anything happening to you or for you to be uspet, it’s why I let you into my room. Wouldn’t be talking to you right now if I didn’t care the way people seem to think that I don’t care.

❝ I actually DO care… a lot. ❞

Lance really liked this side of Keith, and had hoped he’d get to know him more. While the arguments were a fun way to pass the time, he could see himself growing fond of Keith like this. And honestly, the idea wasn’t repulsive, like he always expected it to be. It gave him a warm fuzzy feeling. Because it was true, Keith cared a lot. And Lance already knew this, he could see it in the different ways that Keith would do something nice for everyone in the castle, or by the way he’d very easily jump in front of a bullet for them.

“ If you were to tell me back at the very start of this, that I’d be sitting here with you in the middle of the night getting soppy, I’d have laughed in your face. I think we can call this a successful bonding moment, ” he joked playfully. 

“ But you know what ?? I’m glad we talked, really. And not just because you’ve calmed me down when I needed it, although that does help, but I feel like I’m seeing you in a whole new light. And I hope you can say the same about me. Because I know I can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but I don’t mean to be. I meant it when I said we were a good team. ”

                                             ‘ They should, ’                                     or as KEITH hears it, ‘NO.’

The soft smile gracing his lips only GROWS in amusement,  helped in part by Lance’s own contagious, eager attitude. 

             —but it LESSENS some at what he thinks might be a playful jab.

The only thing distracting him from coming up with some retort is the invitation to go EXPLORE. Keith can faintly recall being told to stay together, it’s a big planet, lots of crowds, easy to get lost, but his INTRIGUE is stronger than his OBEDIENCE, and - really - they should get to know the sorts of planets they’re defending. 

          “Yeah—” he lines up with Lance,                   his steps as light as his expression;

                                 “You remember where the market square was?”                           The ANTSY shifting of his stance should be indicator enough                                     that he is TICKS away from charging ahead—                                                  if not, his WORDS sure are.

       “I’ll wait for you when I get there.”

                  And then he’s OFF, shooting forward with all                    the energy that had been building up over the                   day. 

Normally when they reach new planets it’with the purpose of a FIGHT, but THIS TIME with no battles yet found, Keith’s been stuck bottling up all the ANTICIPATION, and a RACE against Lance is a perfect outlet.

             It’s not a far run, which means Keith can put all his energy into making it a quick sprint, and he doesn’t stop until he’s reached the edge of the shopping central, bending a little at the waist as he breaths, checking around to see where Lance might be—

      “ Hey !! ”

Lance watches as Keith disappears, struggling to keep up with him. It’s not his fault that Keith decides to cheat and run off without him, so while he knows there’s no way he’ll win the race, he doesn’t let it affect him that much. Cheating definitely doesn’t count. (Still, he would have loved to have beaten Keith’s stupid cheater face.)

      “ If I were a sore loser, I would just point out how blatantly wrong that was of you to do. But it’s okay, because I know you were intimidated by my speed. But still, you’re a big old cheater Mullet and I hope you trip and fall the next time we run. ”

Lance is about to go on a whole spiel about how he doesn’t think that the Paladins of Voltron are supposed to be like that, when he gets sidetracked by the prettiness of the area surrounding them. It’s huge, and there’s so many different types of stands, that he wants to look at them all.

      “ Good thing you’re with the professional haggler, right ?? Just watch and learn. ”

Lance’s mother had been addicted to the daytime antique shows that played during the summer. And Lance, reluctantly, found himself getting hooked. So he learned the tools if the trade like this, and had found these tools to come in handy ever since. He had managed to use it to get candy from other students in the Garrison for him and Hunk, and even managed to get his hands on things for Pidge that Coran would only pretend he didn’t see.

Lance leaves Keith, walking over to the closest stand and manages to get a pretty good deal on the food being offered. Once he decides it looks safe enough to try (he really wishes Hunk was here with them for this) he walks back to Keith and hands him the delicacy. 

“So maybe you do get us into a little trouble.  Maybe I do have to save you a couple more times than the others, but, look.  Without you, I don’t think I would’ve lasted this long.  You’re kind of my piece of home away from home, you know?  Be it your bad jokes or incessant need to derail the topic - - even when you whine about how much you miss food; you keep me laughing.  You keep me smiling, and you remind me to live a little more even when I think we’re just about done for.  I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, and if it means a little more trouble for wanting to keep someone like that in my life, so be it.”

At this point, he felt he may have said too much.  Clearing his throat, he pulled back, straightening his posture, and crossed his arms.

With the tilt of his head, he smirked at Lance and said, "Anyways…about that space coffee?  Where did you say Pidge put it?”

Pulling a Lance, he was.

Lance was rarely left speechless, he always had a response saved in the back of his mind for any sort of situation. That was his thing, he was always two steps ahead in verbal battles. But this, this had taken him by complete surprise. To hear someone he had idolised so much say such nice things about him - well, Lance didn’t exactly know how to respond. 

“ I...I didn’t know you thought that way about me. ”

He never let himself think that Shiro admired him back. He had a fondness for everyone but him, in Lance’s eyes. He had thought it was a sad fact of life, one that he needed to get over so he could get on with life in the castle. And he had, never letting this idea get in the way of him trying to prove himself to Shiro. And maybe it worked, maybe Shiro finally saw the potential in him.

Or maybe, Lance wasn’t so bad after all.

“ Sorry, what now ?? My partner ?? ”

Lance turns to face Keith immediately, trying his best to block the laughter coming out of Pidge and Hunk. The two had been continuing an argument from earlier on in the day, when the ruler of the galaxy they’re currently on had tried to get their attention.

“ We’re not - there’s nothing - ” Lance begins, but sees the death stare Allura is sending him. So now he has to pretend he’s with Keith - great. He wonders if Keith is loving this just as much as he is. He places his arm over Keith’s chair, his eyes falling back to find Pidge nearly hyperventilating from trying not to draw attention to them. “ Right, my partner. My boyfriend, Keith. That’s a thing now. ”