Scaredy Cat

Lance regretted coming to the haunted house event as soon as he walked in the door with Pidge at his side. He was invited by their classmates to try out their haunted house for the Halloween party at the Garrison and he coaxed Pidge into going with him so he wouldn't have to go alone. Because truth be told: he hated haunted houses. He's hated them ever since his cousin played a sick prank on him when he was twelve years old.

"You OK Lance? You've been really quiet lately." Pidge asked as she looked over at him with concern. "That's not like you."

Lance put on a smile and shook his head. "I'm fine, really. I'm just zoning out."

The atmosphere around them was playful but mischievous as people began popping up from behind props to scare the two. Pidge gave a yelp once or twice whenever someone came up from behind them and Lance gave out a few screams of his own that Pidge couldn't tell were real or just courteous of him for the group putting on the event. Either way Pidge thought they were having a fun time.

"That was great, I haven't gone through a haunted house like since I was little." Pidge exclaimed as they sat down to get something to eat. Lance took a sip of his soda and nodded his head but didn't say anything.

Pidge didn't know what was upsetting Lance so much but she was ready to find out. "Are you gonna give me the silent treatment all day or are you actually gonna tell me what's eating you?"

"Nothing you need to worry about. Just memories that's all..." Lance replied as he looked up from his pizza to look into her eyes.

Pidge reached over and touched his hand gently. "You can tell me Lance...I'm not gonna laugh at you. I promise."

Lance was silent for a while until finally he said, "Alright...if you promise...when I was younger my family had a reunion on Halloween and we all decided to go out to a local haunted house that was open in the neighborhood. My cousin decided it would be funny to leave me alone in the dark when he was supposed to stay with me the entire time. Turns out he hid behind a prop and recorded my whole reaction to show everyone in the family. So I was branded the scaredy cat of Halloween for a while." He confessed, unable to keep eye contact with her as looked down at his fingers stirring the straw in his drink.

Pidge looked at him for a while before responding, "Lance. If you were able to cover my back during our time together in space, risk your life for me, and helped me find my family then you're NOT a scaredy cat. That was a mean prank that your cousin did on you and you didn't deserve that. But as much as it still hurts you, you shouldn't focus on stuff that happened when you were a kid and you should focus on what's happening now...with me."

"Pidge..." Lance whispered as he felt a blush rise on his cheeks. After looking at her like she was a fairy, he grinned. "Thanks. How do you always know what to say? Are you a fortune cookie or something?"

Pidge laughed as she leaned over and playfully punched his shoulder. "Watch it."

So even though Lance didn't plan on sharing one of his more personal stories of his childhood, he was happy that Pidge was there with him and he was thankful that she didn't think he was a scaredy cat.