Shopping Day Afternoon - Seems Quite Dateish

Many years from now, Pidge realised, she would have to dedicate a considerable amount of time to the study and attempt to understand the apparently subconscious monoculture of the universe. Some kind of sociological and biological commonality between the humanoid and not so humanoid races clearly existed on a far deeper level than anyone was willing to admit. Perhaps even a fundamental connection between minds even over the span of many millions of miles was possible, even likely, when one considers the constant nature of Quintessence. Not only did Quintessence exist within the Universe, within every planet and star and person, but also existed between, around and surrounding the universe. As much as something can be 'surrounded' as we understand the term, when trying to conceptualise anywhere between 4 and 40 additional spatial dimensions beyond Length, Breadth and Width that is.

What led her to consider this mind bending cosmic conundrum were two factors. One, she was distracting herself from the reality of a host of angry butterflies that had taken residence in her stomach recently. Or at least, that is what her nervousness felt like. Two, she found herself baffled by a fact that until now she had been ignoring. Here, light centuries, maybe even light millennia away from Earth, stood in a mall that could have dropped out of any city on Earth, she was staring at a cinema that - with the exception of a few extraterrestrial languages - could have just as easily been like any other back home. It was, when she stopped to think about it, extraordinarily unlikely, and yet in defiance of that fact, here they were. The cashier was a pale and gaunt creature who was more eyes than face. Each one of a tight cluster of ten human sized totally sky blue eyes on each side of its head was distracted by its own magazine. The creature sat in it's transparent ticket booth looking utterly bored. There was no queue of people, no swarm to contend with, yet here Lance and Pidge had stood for longer than either might be willing to admit, nervously holding off on their approach.

"Looks almost exactly like a movie theatre I used to go to back home." Lance said aloud, breaking the awkward silence.

"Huh. That's funny." Pidge remarked, "I was just thinking roughly the same thing."

"I never realised, but there's a lot out here that's a lot like Earth!" Lance gestured to a poster, "I mean, I swear I've seen that movie before. Just the cast had less eyes and tentacles. And this place, it's like any mall you'd find on Earth, isn't it?" He looked steadily more and more confused, "You're the smartest person I've ever met. Any idea how the heck would that happen?"

"Yes Lance, I probably am the smartest person you've ever met. Thanks for noticing. But, I've not got a solid idea yet, just a lot of theories. Maybe some kind of memetic rather than genetic version of panspermia, or a universal collective unconscious? But those of course are extremely broad in scope and I'd need to narrow them down to something a little more workable." She looked to him nodding along, "And I appreciate you paying attention even when you don't know what I'm talking about."

"Well, I follow bits and pieces sometimes." Lance shrugged, "Like, I saw a pretty stupid horror movie called Panspermia,which was all about aliens showing up on an asteroid that could conquer humanity by being better suited to Earth. They explained the theory in that. Kinda blew my mind, the idea that all life on Earth could have been from outer space. Then again, I know at least one guy now who is half from space. Makes you wonder how that was possible. And before you say, I know, when a Daddy human and Mommy Galra love each other very much."

"I know what you're getting at, Lance. Genetic factors." Pidge began to ponder the possibility of a common universal ancestor.

"Right, if you say so. Now, as for memetics? Sounds like it's all about memes, shared ideas so, like, Memetic Panspermia would be if memes somehow spread from space? Man, that'd be crazy. And I guess collective unconscious must be maybe, shared dreams or when people think a little alike just by being the same species? That make any sense? I'm probably getting it wrong and definitely only understand it on a basic level."

"I'm surprised actually and sorry for underestimating you. Honestly I thought you'd laugh like a dumb school kid at the word Panspermia. You're not getting any of it wrong really." She smiled kindly up to him, "You're full of surprises recently, Lance. Pleasant ones at that."

"Thanks." He grinned, "Nice to know you think so. Though, to be fair, I did laugh when I saw the film title the first time so you're not entirely wrong about that." Lance looked to their feet as Pidge chuckled beside him, "You know, we're probably going to make a dent in the floor if we stand here much longer."

"Right, yeah, sure..." Pidge nodded, "I'm just...deciding... I guess..."

"How about we just pick one at random?" Lance suggested with a shrug, "That one looks pretty cool."

"Well then that isn't random." Pidge shook her head, "You're making a choice based on the poster. Look, they've got. . . 15 different films showing. So..." With a few taps and swipes, Pidge produced another app that Lance didn't recognise. "This truly random number generator might help. Now, just need to make a note of the names." She looked to an unrecognised text on one of the posters, "Or at least a brief description of the promotional art. Hold on a second or two there, Lance."

Lance shuffled from one foot to the other, watching Pidge's thumbs tap rapidly away from just above her head. " I don't know that I'd call that one three guys stare in disbelief. Maybe three people look confused?" Lance paused as Pidge retyped, "Stop watching me work you quiznaking... Ouch. Ok though, fine." He turned away, to find himself face to face with a somewhat familiar and quite rotund Galra riding a comical looking single passenger hover vehicle. "Ah, Wozblay no."

"No need to be so worried!" Varkon grinned, though despite his obvious attempt to appear congenial, his smile seemed almost predatory, "If anything, I should be thanking you space pirates turned stunt doubles! What a turn around in your fates, eh?"

"Stunt doubles?" Lance opened his mouth to correct the confused Mall Cop, Pidge just raised a hand and shook her head.

"Of course! I saw the pair of you in the Voltron Show even back in your first act!" Varkon's grin turned to a knowing smirk and wink, "Now, I'm not a fool. I know those Paladins those Enemies of The Empire. They're a canny bunch, a smart group, cautious and calculating. Am I right?"

"Your powers of perception are incredible." Pidge grumbled.

"So of course." His conspiratorial nonsense continued, placing an arm about Lance's shoulders, "They're not going to show their real faces to the entire universe are they? Don't answer, boy, it's ah one of them hypertorical enquiries."

Pidge opened her mouth to correct the confused Mall Cop, Lance just raised a hand and shook his head.

"So of course, they got you guys in. Former convicts with nothing to lose, right? Who cares if a bunch of ex criminals get spotted out in the open? Give you decent danger pay – how else could you have afforded all that stuff eh boy? Anyway, you act as bait. No harm, no foul. But the real Paladins. The team of Altean Super Soldiers they kept on ice? Their identities are kept safe and hidden."

"Altean Super Soldiers...?" Lance raised an eyebrow, Pidge merely chuckled.

"Right. Genetically engineered, cybernetically enhanced super soldiers made by the Alteans. And now after 10,00 years they're free! Free to conquer the righteous Galra Empire. It's the Zarkon's honest truth, you need to listen to FactFight! Dr. Axna E'el J'onzz, he'll wake you up! Wake you both up." Varkon lowered his voice even further, "Just be careful around bottled water. There's chemicals in it to turn your amphibians funny."

"Can't be having funny amphibians, can we?" Pidge mockingly agreed, before adding beneath her breath, "Kermit would have too much competition." Lance snickered to himself.

"See?" Varkon agreed enthusiastically, "She gets it. That one's a keeper, boy. Anyway. Thanks to the way I handled your little piratical insurrection and my foresight in allowing the Voltron show here letting me see through your little act. I mean, what kind of female is called Keith? That was a big giveaway. They like to hide in plain sight, the Alteaminati. Anyway, I got a promotion! I get this extra silver star on my badge, extra wax for my ride." He patted his laziness enabling hover vehicle lovingly, "A bigger office and best of all I get additional responsibility!"

"That's great." Lance struggled to sound enthusiastic, "Glad you're so happy."

"That promotion of yours come with a pay rise?" Pidge asked bluntly.

"Justice, dear former Space Pirate, is it's own reward." Varkon drew closer to them briefly, "Just tell your Universalist masters that we're onto them. But until then, you all have a pleasant day!"

"We'll be sure to tell them you send your love." Pidge rolled her eyes as Varkon hovered away.

"That guy's a few Lions short of Voltron." Lance frowned, as they wandered finally toward the ticket booth, "Maybe six?"

"All things considered, it could have gone worse." Pidge tapped the last few inputs, "And here we go, looks like we're seeing... Crazy looking twelve people, all leaping either from or into an explosion. Honestly, I'm pretty sure he's a transreality comet short of Voltron, didn't even get as far as deciding to use it for Lions."

"Well, he did at least get one thing right." Lance gestured to their selection, "Two tickets for...I'm sorry but I'm not even going to try and pronounce that!" The cashier remained silent through the entire exchange. "We're not about to walk into something without subtitles are we?" Lance held the foyer door open. Pidge pointedly frowned, then opened and walked through her own choice of door beside it.

"Pretty sure it's all going to be in the language that everyone seems to speak that's disturbingly close to English." Pidge shrugged, "And, do I even want to know what the one thing he got right was? Funny Frogs? Alteaminati?"

"Oh, that you're a keeper." Lance replied scanning the prices of the snack food. "I thought that was obvious? Hey, you did say theses prices are supposed to have been reasonable, right?Am I reading them wrong...?"

"Uh..." Pidge found herself frustratingly flustered. A keeper...? The connotations of possession aside, she liked that. "No. You're reading them fine. Theses are reasonable prices though if you look at the size of the portions. Back home a single piece of popcorn and a swallow of soda would set you back a kidney. Also you do get what he meant by keeper right?"

"Oh sure!" Lance confirmed confidently, "You're someone we want to hang onto. Someone to keep. A valued member of the team, a good friend. Let's face it, who wouldn't want to keep our resident genius around? It's not as though I assumed he was talking about a lighthouse, crypt or even dungeon keeper, y'know?" Lance examined the verdant hued popcorn, kept warm by a lightbulb and resting behind a greasy transparent window, "Which size you looking at?"

Pidge nodded, "Right... Sure, sure, that makes sense..." She hid her small grimace of disappointment, "Well, honestly given the length of the film and the better value I'd probably go for the Gargantuan. But, I'll have to take the Huge instead."

"How come?" Lance looked to her puzzled, "You know it's my treat right?"

"Sure..." Pidge looked away with the mildest of irritation, "Even if it wasn't, affording it isn't the issue. But a box that size, sat on my lap, factoring in the additional popcorn on top as well?" She sighed, "It would possibly, probably block my view."

Lance shook his head, "No way you're that petite, Pidge." He glanced to the Gargantuan box then quickly re-evaluated his estimate, wisely choosing not to tell Pidge so. "Hmmm. Ok, well. How about we share the Colossal?" Lance knew this would mean sacrificing his popcorn preference, but a happy Pidge took precedence. "It looks big enough that we could stand it between us and still be able to reach it."

Pidge nodded, "Your spatial awareness seems pretty much on point. It would be ideal really, except, I have rather particular taste when it comes to popcorn that you may not be willing to tolerate."

"Please don't tell me you want that gross yellow liquid they pretend is butter?" Lance gagged, "Yeuch."

"Ewww, no! I'm not some kind of Quiznaking monster." Pidge frowned, "It seeps out of the box, it stains everything, it smells worse than it tastes. Just no. Though I guess this time, I'll go with whatever you want."

"You sure?" Lance smiled, "Kind of you. But, you'd probably be the first person willing to share my Sweet and Salty mix."

Pidge's eyes lit up, staring in wonder at Lance as she whispered, "Quiznak, just when I think you can't get any more perfect..."

"Didn't catch that." Lance raised an eyebrow, "You say I've got some kind of defect?"

"Nonono!" Pidge blurted, "I just said sweet and salty sounds, well it's perfect. It's actually my first choice! The salt offsets and enhances the sweetness, the sweetness mutes the saltiness. There's a reason salted caramel is so popular. Rambling... Rambling..."

"Rambling." Lance agreed, "Pidge you know what this means, right?" He placed his hands gently to her shoulders, a sweet and earnest smile gracing his handsome features, "You and me? We must be Sweet and Salty Soulmates."

Turning to a beetroot, even going so far as to wish the ground would swallow her, Pidge murmured, "S-Soulmates? Seems a bit of a strong word, for it! Right?"

"Not at all." Lance spoke softly, tenderly, "I've searched all of my life to find that special someone to share my popcorn mix with. And now, I've finally found you." His kind smile turned to a cheeky grin, "Besides, that triple alliteration is irresistible. Wait, would that make it a-triple-literation?"

"Keep this up and it'll mean a dislocation." Her red beet-features fading to a mild pink annoyance and finally a carefree laugh.

"Alright." Lance smirked, a large portion of him wishing he'd not turned that into a joke, even as he echoed her laughter, "And are you thinking the Bucket, the Barrel or the Boatload of your usual caffeinated sugar goo?"

"I'm thinking the Bucket, but maybe that ice slush stuff. As it melts it'll last longer. I think I'll go with Blue."

"Pidge." Lance chuckled, "That's pretty forward of you, but I'm Red now." This only prompted a slap to his arm. Lance laughed it off as he approached the counter, manned by what could have passed for the identical twin to the cashier though looking even more bored. "Two Buckets of that slush stuff. She can't resist Blue and I'm a little partial to Green myself." The serving creature said nothing as it inputted the order. Pidge meanwhile smiled to herself, "And can we also get a mix of sweet and salty in the Colossal size? And I don't suppose you've ever heard of peanuts have you?" The multiple eyes of the overworked and underpaid attendant all rolled before it nodded to the price. Lance shrugged and paid.

Between the two of them, they managed to awkwardly crab-shuffle and guide each other by tugs at each other's clothing. A nervous yanking of tickets from tight jeans pockets, that had brought a hand perilously close to a hands-on examination of Pidge's recent fact five. Arriving at their screen, a deft and gentle kicking open of a door, the two rustling and shuffling in the gloom. Finally, Pidge purposefully striding toward the row that she assured Lance was the optimal position for viewing. The theatre seemed largely empty except for a handful of groups scattered about the place. Lance, still essentially hugging the absurd box of popcorn and growing tired of the bag with Sal's Parcel bumping him in the ribs was beginning to feel the nerves from the reality of the situation kick in. He had wanted to drop the delivery back at the pod, but he felt like this had waited enough already. He breathed slowly, deliberately, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Despite the anticipation, this was no big deal. No big deal, right? A few hours of totally not a date, totally not resisting the urge to do the yawning arm trick. No big deal. Pidge came to a halt before him.

"Here." She placed the drinks into each of their cup holders, "Optimum distance from the screen, ideal acoustics. It should even account for the height disparity. Close enough to the doors that should a bathroom break be necessary, then with a decent run you'd only miss a few minutes at most. Floor's a little stickier than I'd like, but that's just cinemas for you."

Lance sat himself down gently, "Pidge." He patted the seat beside him, "Much as I appreciate the lengths you're going to, just sit yourself down here and relax, ok? You might start making me nervous." More, he would not admit. More nervous.

"Ok, great!" Pidge sat herself a little too quickly down, an expression somewhere between mania and the pretence of being very very calm. "Just going to sit here. Calm and collected. Just me and my buddy Lance at a movie. Why would that make anyone nervous?" She grabbed for a fistful of popcorn, shoving it into her mouth if only to shut herself up, chewing it all was hard.

From a few rows back, there came a low and rumbling, "Ssssssshhhhh!" It could heard even over the obnoxiously loud trailer for a zany slapstick comedy about meeting the in-laws that resulted in ever more painful looking scenarios.

"Some being takes their trailers pretty seriously." Lance grumbled, before looking with concern to the girl beside him.

Goose flesh, that was the first sign. Arms and legs alike. Pidge looked above her to a very well hidden vent in the ceiling. Not simply well hidden, but entirely silent as it did it's work. She was sat in both the best and the worst position now, being blasted by the air conditioning. Not strong enough to even ruffle her hair, but a cumulative cold that would only end up making her teeth chatter. Her brain burst into activity. The solution would need to involve some movement of course, maybe pulling out Strawmageddon, get a little kinetic energy flowing as she idly span it. Maybe tap and move her feet as quietly as she could? Other more extreme options involved a summoned Bayard helping to create a tiny fire, though that was a last resort. As she pondered this, something soft and warm violated her personal space.

As it slid down over her shoulders and back, she felt herself turn tense. Soon, the soothing something came to rest upon her shoulders, a warm and squishy feeling cupping the back of her neck. The scent of it made her head swim a little with it's unmistakable familiarity. Dark wood and subtle floral accents that at one time had been a throat throttling way too much. Through necessity to preserve it, less was now used, so it turned to the subtle heady scent she would forever affix to the boy beside her. Weight announced itself on her shoulders, she felt her body enveloped by the warm sensation, guided around her by a pair of familiar hands. Looking down, it could even cover her legs if she sat cross-legged upon the folding, red cushioned chair. Two very long fabric rectangles flopped before her and she poked her arms through. Warm from both the fabric and his body. Soft and filled with his scent. Pidge turned her head gently to her left and there Lance was sat, smiling warmly back at her, his jacket, so wonderfully comfortable, was now wrapped about her.

"You looked cold." He said softly, "You ok now?"

Pidge nodded rapidly even as a new fact caught her eye. Lance's baseball tee. It had lost none of it's vibrant whites and blues, she knew that Coran would sooner shave his moustache than allow their clothes to shrink in the wash. Yet all the same, back at the Garrison, that shirt had been if not baggy then at least loose on Lance. It had just a little give here and there. Now though. Damn. He was no swollen muscle mass of a Mr Universe, thank goodness, but he had progressed his body beyond simply well toned to well defined andpossibly even sculpted in places. The once loose but now tight shirt left just enough to the imagination to make the imagination run absolutely wild. "Uhuh... F...Fuu...Fine..." Pidge turned away, realising she was staring, desperately hoping she wasn't in fact drooling. "Thanks..."

Lance was, she was glad of it this time, utterly oblivious, "No problem."

The shusher struck again from the shadows, Pidge and Lance growing silent for a short while.

Ignoring a trailer that was busy trying to make in a galaxy at war sound like anything other than her day job, Pidge quickly began to realise that Lance's arm was now an issue. It was large enough to dominate the tiny arm-rest between them. And damn it, she wanted to have two arms rests. There may be a solution though. "Hold on a tick, Lance. I want your arm rest." Grasping his arm at the wrist, she levered it upwards, raised it above and behind her head and moved it to rest about her shoulders. The arm rest was now hers. She could in fact also now lean against Lance's shoulder, which proved quite a comfortable bonus. "This ok? Comfy?" She asked him in a soft whisper.

Lance just nodded, she could feel it as he rested his head to hers. His face seemed oddly warm, but pleasant.

"Yeah." She agreed as the opening credits began to roll, "It is ok isn't it?"

Half of a varga had passed. Filtering slowly from the theatre, a motley collection of aliens from various different races. Some slithered, some flapped, some skittered and some undulated. Others quivered, one stomped, a smaller one released a terrible stench to communicate with it's friend. All of them were in their own ways mumbling, grumbling, frowning and soon making demands that their price of admission be refunded. Two Vargas later and the last of the audience came stumbling out, their expressions mirroring a shared feeling of shell shock. One frowned in contemplation, his face resembling the kind of look a toddler might offer a university text book. The other began to fume, in the way a PHD may look upon the overly simplified versions of their field in a cartoon. Both looked to the other and burst out laughing, the smaller propping herself up against the larger.

Gasping for air, wiping away a tear, Lance was first to speak, "What the actual quiznak did we just watch, Pidge? How!? How did the flying pyramids make sense!? They just showed up! Why was the lead character some hobo-looking vampire? What kind of movie was it even?!"

"As far as I can tell." Pidge responded, brushing away popcorn crumbs from a brown jacket several sizes too large and finally calming her laughter to a dull glow in her smile, "The pyramids were linked to the main villain, loosely though and they were setting up a sequel? If I was reading the opening credits right, the lead was also the producer, director and writer. Great combo. The closest thing we have on Earth would be a kung fu movie, a Shakespearian tragedy all mixed in with a romantic comedy?"

"Ok... So two questions. One, how come we were the only ones laughing?"

"I don't think the comedy part was entirely intentional."

"And how the heck does the 100ft tall six headed dragon monster fit in?"

Pidge paused, "I'd forgotten about the stupid kaiju." She groaned, "Ok, well you know how we thought the lead character had gas for like, the whole of the first half? But that turned out to be him struggling with the guilt of losing his master to the villain?"

"Ok..." Lance nodded, "I was still pretty sure he had gas though. You remember when the eleven other warriors of the sacred storm arrived? Well, he was still pulling the gas face at the purple one."

"I'm pretty sure he was hitting on her?" Pidge shrugged, "Though you're right, he may just have been holding back to protect her from his deadly vapours. Which would mean my guilt theory goes out the window. Which means that the kaiju wasn't a metaphor for his externalised guilt that he had to overcome. The Kaiju was just...there... For no good quiznaking reason! Maybe it's just that the film comes from a culture so different to our own that we don't get it?"

"The action scenes though." Lance stared, starry-eyed, "When the king of the horde pulled out that giant three bladed throwing sword ninja star thing and he was all, Wa-chaaaaa! And he cut through the train! That looked so cool!"

Pidge nodded, "Oh no doubt, the action scenes were amazing. They made almost no sense why they were happening, who they were happening to, or where in the continuity they were happening, but they looked amazing. All done with practical effects too. Model work, actual physical props, not one frame was computer enhanced. Pretty impressive stuff."

"I really didn't buy the lead guy's romantic subplot with the purple storm warrior." Lance added, "They had like no chemistry."

"That..." Pidge laughed, "Romantic scene was needlessly gratuitous. And just awkward to watch..."

"If by gratuitous you mean, that dude's butt was way too high to be doing what he was supposed to be doing? Yeah. Even I could tell that." Lance paused thoughtfully as he walked out of the lobby, Pidge close behind, "Dude clearly worked out, but there was something off about that too. You think he had buttcheek implants?"

Pidge held back a snort of laughter, "It wouldn't honestly surprise me." She looked to the poster, examining the few bits of the text she understood. Impressive she knew any really, given that they had not yet encountered the species that used it. Pidge paled, turning to Lance with a fresh expression of my brain has broken. "It says here, it's a historical drama, Lance. Historical drama. And apparently, the lead guy and purple are married!?"

"Wait... You mean to say they expect us to believe that all that stuff really happened?" Then he shrugged, "Actually, that almost makes more sense. If someone made a movie out of us, who the heck would believe half the stuff we've done? I refuse to believe those two are married though. That kiss at the end looked like two dry ass bits of sandpaper rubbing up against each other."

"You've got a point about the historical part. But that still doesn't excuse the lead guy's horrible acting!" Pidge pulled an expressionless face, and adopted an accent almost impossible to place except as odd. "This is naaht what my master would have waahnted! Ha ha ha!" She practically growled her next criticism, "That was supposed to be a serious scene! Why was he laughing at all!? Does he even process emotion!?"

"I will not hit her!" Lance's face even blanker, his impersonation not so good, "I will naht! Maybe we play ball instead?"

"Yes!" Pidge excitedly pointed and clicked her finger, "Right!? Aside from all the fighting and all the walking to that mountain, they played that ball game way too often! It was the third most common thing in the film! I honestly expected the big bad to accept his challenge and the film would end on that stupid ball game!"

"That might have even been a better ending." Lance grumbled, he perked up quickly though seeing an unmistakable device despite it being little more than a white box, with one curtained opening, "Hey, we should get our photos done, commemorate the occasion." He pointed to the booth. "It's not every day you see a film so bad it makes you want to hide in the popcorn."

"Really? You want to do that?" Pidge looked to him sceptically, "That seems quite dateish of you."

"Says the girl who used me as a pillow for the whole film, and is still wearing my jacket?" Not that he was complaining about either of those things. If anything, the reality of both warmed his heart and made his mind both wander and wonder.

Pidge blushed, "That's because it's comfortable and because you were comfortable. Meanwhile the photo booth thing is super clichéd date nonsense. You want pictures, well I have a phone right here that can also take pictures. For free."

"Yeah, sure, but maybe it's nice to have something physical?" Lance insisted, "You know, something you can hold onto, display where you can always see it, or keep in your wallet."

"You know you're making it sound even more dateish, not less." And she was glad of that honestly, maybe having a little picture of his goofy grin nearby at all times would be nice, "There is an element of truth to the idea of a physical picture."

"Look, Pidge. We're in the middle of a war for the fate of the whole universe." He looked a little crestfallen, "We've been lucky recently, things haven't been quite so crazy. Now, I don't know about you, but I think if things get harder going forward, having a little reminder of better times with my friends, it might just be a good thing, right?"

"Ok, fine!" Pidge sighed as she smiled, "But only because that's a genuinely good excuse."

"Great." Lance smirked, "Because my next plan was just to whine at you until you caved."

"You mean that wasn't what you were already doing? Could have fooled me." Pidge drew the curtain aside, waving her hand like a flamboyant butler offering the carriage door for the princess.

Lance mocked a curtsey, taking a seat on the typically uncomfortable adjustable stool. After a second or two he turned confusedly to Pidge, "Well? You coming in?"

"No space." Pidge looked concerned, "Maybe just take it in turns?"

Lance just patted his knees, "Hurry up, Pidge. It feels like this chair's wanting to get intimate with me and it hasn't even bought me dinner first. The whole point was to get a picture together?"

"Yeah, fine." Pidge shuffled awkwardly in, perching herself even more awkwardly on the edge of his knees. "It's just your kneecaps aren't exactly soft."

"There's always the rest of my upper legs?" Lance blushed, "They'll probably stay soft?" He blushed even harder, wishing that just for once, just once he could apply just a moment of thought before opening his big mouth. "Quiznak! Can I reword that?"

"Lance, you have an incredible ability to make an already awkward situation much worse!" Pidge shuffled further along his thighs, stopping short of going too far upward. Her skin flushed to a shade shy of the Red Lion as she inadvertently grasped hard at his firm hip to steady herself. One way or another, her mind was once again going to places she would rather not go to. At least, not in public and certainly not this close to Lance in public. "Can we just do this stupid picture thing?"

Silently, they stared at the screen ahead, letting the flash bathe the booth before the preview appeared. They stared back at their own digital reflections, their expressions just as awkward as they imagined they would be. Even worse perhaps, for the strained smiles on their faces. Lance sighed, tapping a few buttons seemingly at random. A countdown appeared on the screen, moments after the preview disappeared into an animated trash can. "Sorry in advance." Lance whispered.

Pidge's eyes widened in sudden shock. Ten little sensations rapidly running over her stomach. Even through the fabric of her usual top, their undesirable effect was obvious. Her lips quivered, her body shaking as she tried to resist. Tickling. That was low. Lance would pay for tickling. He would pay in kind. She finally caved with a riotous peal of laughter as the camera flashed a new photo. Lance however was not immune to his own assault. It took a little awkward bending of hands to reach, made all the more difficult by her squirming and laughter. However, as he bristled at the touch, it was obvious she had reached the target, a spot just beneath his armpits. A place he had foolishly admitted to being extremely ticklish. Pidge began her own assault, Lance's face immediately scrunching up into a quivering mass of wobbling resistance. He lasted less than a tick before he was reduced to a giggling and struggling mess.

Hurriedly standing, awkwardly moving away, the camera flashed again and Lance raised his hands defensively. "Truce!" He desperately pleaded, "Tickle truce, Pidge, tickle truce! Please?"

Pidge smiled, eyes alight still from the laughter despite the breathless aches, "Lance, did you know you've still got a straw wrapper in your hair? How long has that been there?" She raised herself a little higher in the seat, gently brushing her fingers through his short, dark hair. It was softer than she'd expected and she had always expected it would be soft anyway. As the wrapper fell, she was reluctant to withdraw. The booth camera flashed once more.

"Quiznak." Lance grumbled, "Only one more I think. Got an idea?"

Pidge nodded, "Always. And in this case..." She slipped off her glasses, setting them on his face. "I'm Lance..." Pidge adopted a cheesy grin and a slightly too deep tone, "Your fighter pilot..."

"I do not sound like that!" Lance adjusted the bridge of the glasses, sitting cross legged on the floor of the booth, "Well, I'm short enough now, just need to know a few more sciencey words." He scratched his head, "Quarks." He decided upon with a truly awful attempt at Pidge's voice, "Quarks and Bosons and Bisons and Bovines!"

"Just look at the camera and leave the smarty pants stuff to Pidge." Smiling broadly, she gave her best flirty Lance pose for the last camera flash. She gently removed her glasses tipping his head back against her bare knees in the process, "Bosons, Bisons and Bovines? I swear that sometimes you do it on purpose." Replacing her glasses, she gazed down to him.

"I think I could get used to being down here on your level." Lance's warm smile confirmed his honest tone, "And oddly enough, your knees sort of are comfy. Is that weird?"

"Just a little. But if you weren't just a little weird, then you wouldn't be my Lance." Pidge's attention was drawn to the four previewed photos on the screen. "Some of these turned out a little odd."

Lance nodded in agreement, "I like this first one a lot though. I mean sure, I had to tickle it out of you. But that smile's awesome." He sighed softly, "Actually, I look pretty perky too. This one's a keeper."

"Sure is." Pidge agreed, pressing the screen gently to confirm the selection in a green rectangle. "Four's a good one too." Examining it closer, Lance had angled her glasses to catch the light of the photo flash perfectly, the smile on his face was one of both pride and mischief. Even though his fingers were in totally the wrong positions for optimal performance, he was clearly midway through miming a hack on a set of imagined holographic panels. The position also, Pidge noticed, emphasised his torso which was far from a bad thing, "You even managed to make my manic mid-hacking face look cute. It's probably the smile. Do I really look so pleased with myself?"

"Oh yeah." Lance confirmed adding teasingly, "All the time, but especially when you're hacking." He dodged the first corrective tap to the skull, only to whip himself into the second. Pidge's Lance pose was incredibly cute, he realised. The outward pointed finger guns, slightly pouted lips, the cheeky curve of a smile and the wink. "You'd make a pretty good Lance."

"Thanks for that, but I'm sure I couldn't compete with the original." Pidge playfully ruffled his hair, a smile of realisation lighting her features up as he looked up in a cute little pout, "Huh. I can see why you do this to me all the time now." She tapped the impersonation picture to confirm it and moved to tap another.

"Woah, hold up!" Lance intercepted her outstretched hand with his own. Pidge withdrew from his soft touch in an instant. Lance found the softness of her skin remarkable, "You sure you don't moisturise?" He mumbled before returning to the moment, "Sorry, just. Don't select that one. It makes me look really goofy."

"Well, the camera can't change reality." Pidge ran her gaze over the preview of the picture, it was Lance taking up most of the frame, mid-escape from her tickles of retaliation. She was smiling like a cat toying with their prey, which suited of course, but that wasn't what drew her attention. His back was to the camera, his lean and toned back, the cut of his shoulders visible through not quite straining but certainly taut fabric. Her gaze fell lower. The honesty of his jeans, again on display. "I actually like it for the goofy smile, there's a truth to it." The slightly goofball smile was cute, sure, but it was hardly the reason she had to have this one. "And obviously with your butt right up in the frame, you must be making an ass of yourself?"

"Fine." Lance huffed, "Have your fun at my expense."

"I intend to. Hopefully for a good deal longer." Pidge tapped the photo with an innocent smile.

"Well, I guess this one must be you fishing out the straw wrapper." He smirked, "Though, if you look at it the right way. Hey, it almost looks like you're about to pull me in closer." Lance laughed nervously, "Almost looks like you're about to kiss me."

"It does not!" Pidge frowned as she examined it. Hand against the side of his face, her expression looking as though she were gazing up at him, her lips slightly parted mid some word or other. Quiznak, it totally does look like that.

"Are we looking at the same picture?" Lance tapped it with a grin. Before Pidge could undo the action, the booth had already started printing 2 sets of the photos, "I could totally convince people that's exactly what's going on."

"Sure you could." Pidge agreed, "But, if you're particularly attached to your limbs and other extremities, you won't."

Lance shook his head, "You wouldn't hurt me that badly, Pidge. Bruise, beat, break bones, sure. But limbs?"

"Oh no, I'd never do such a thing to my friend." She smirked, "Shiro and Matt though?"

"Yeah, true." Lance shrugged, before grabbing the printed pictures. They were each slightly larger than his palm and had turned out very nicely. He handed Pidge her pile of four, catching the smile on her lips, "Not regretting this so much now, are you?"

Pidge took a lingering look at her favourite of the four, the two of them smiling together. "No, Lance." She yawned mid sentence and stretched her arms outward, slowly manoeuvring herself free of the booth, "Not regretting anything about the day. Well, maybe wasting time on Coran's stupid goo." She placed the pictures gently into her bag.

"You getting sleepy?" Lance glanced to one of the many Space Mall clocks and realised a few of the stores were in the midst of closing up. "Huh. Probably need to call it a quintant anyway, places are shutting."

"Well, after the temporary boost from the sugary and caffeinated stuff, comes the crash from the same." Pidge shuffled along and cleared her throat softly, "..." She asked a mumbled series of words so quietly that Lance could mistake it for the breeze.

Lance looked back to her, "I got the crash part, not the second part." He paused, noticing the obvious weariness in her eyes punctuated by another yawn, "You ok?"

Pidge sighed, "This is going to sound lame to say out loud. I'm a Paladin of Voltron, hero and Defender of the Universe. But I'm also getting sleepy, far too much blood is in my sugar and caffeine system, my feet hurt and so do my legs from running about trying to find that stupid goo." She gritted her teeth, swallowed her pride, "Could I...maybe get a piggy back...?"

Lance's eyes lit up, a massive grin over his face, "Only if I can call it a Pidgeyb - "

"No." Pidge interrupted with a curt snap, "No you may not call it that."

Lance's face drooped to a genuine sadness. Widening and wavering his eyes, tilting his head to one side, "Please Pidgey?"

Pidge grunted, "Fine. Damn your quiznaking weaponised puppy-dog eyes!"

Lance fist-pumped in victory with a hiss of, "Yes!" He knelt down in front of his weary companion, "One..." He paused deliberately, grinning and slowly stretching out the word, "...Piiidgeeeeyyybaaack..." He laughed idiotically, "...Coming up!"

Nestling herself against his back and gripping his shoulders tightly, she felt the smallest surge of surprise, ticklishness and excitement as he gripped beneath her thighs and lifted her easily. She felt her heart racing, the simple act of just being here setting it off and awakening her just a touch, "Just move it, Sharpshooter." She wrapped her arms around his torso, the tiredness returning quickly in this welcome comfortable position.

Feeling the warmth of her pressed against him, her soft breath against his neck, Lance resisted the urge to make a crack about Yoda. He decided as she nuzzled against his shoulder for comfort, her head resting gently beside his, that he would very deliberately take as much time as he could to get back to the pod.

It began softly enough. The lightest touch against her shoulder. It was still unwelcome and so it was ignored. The next was more insistent, a touch turned to a light prod. She groaned but still ignored it. A third, this one a light grasp and a gentle shake. Groan turned to grunt, she batted it away. Then, a soft palm to her cheek, long fingers gently brushing through her hair. She rested herself against it, a blissful smile and happy sigh as her heart fluttered. This was welcome, very welcome indeed. She felt a fingertip trail over her ear, her eyes flickering open. Yawning and stretching, her hands touched the canopy of the flight pod, her gaze fell first upon the Castle of Lions hanging silent against vast darkness and tiny pinpricks of light. Then, following the retreating hand that had awakened her, Pidge's gaze fell to her favourite smile in the universe.

"You, Pidge, are quite the heavy sleeper." Lance spoke gently, "Didn't really want to wake you." She had been so peaceful and looked so beautiful in the starlight, gently smiling in her sleep, "But I'm pretty sure you can't spend the night in the flight pod."

"'S'fine." Pidge yawned again, "I wasn't snoring was I...?"

"Like sawing logs." Lance teased, "I thought you'd swallowed a very tiny donkey that was trying to escape."

"Ha." Pidge rolled her eyes playfully at him, brushing back a strand or two of hair from her face. Her confusion was momentary, her glasses were folded up neatly in front of her on the dashboard. She placed them gently back on.

"Figured you wouldn't want to sleep with them on. I bet the arm things would dig into your skin if you rested on them."

Pidge began to put the pieces together of the events she had slept through, "So, at some point during your crazy slow piggy ba - "

Lance raised a finger and wagged it. His concentration however was mostly upon ensuring the flight pod continued on a steady landing trajectory or until the autopilot had kicked in at least.

Pidge sighed, "Ok. At some point during your crazy slow...pidgeyback..." She corrected with a groan, "I must have fallen asleep. You carried me here, managed to gently place me in the co-pilots seat, remove my glasses and fly us back to the castle without once disturbing my rest?" She frowned.

"That's about right." Lance confirmed, "Though you did stir a couple of times. I think you were mumbling something about the film?" He told himself that it was only his imagination that led him to believe one mumble had featured the word Lance whispered softly as a tiny inward gasp. The simply breathtaking smile of deep joy that followed however, he had not imagined. "I just didn't want to wake you. Hardest part was that I couldn't put my flight jams on."

"Well." Pidge's expression growing ever more confused, "Usually the slightest thing will wake me up. High alert, y'know? In case of some emergency, in case someone's touching my stuff. I've caught Coran trying to clean up what he thought was junk several times in the middle of the night, he quickly got the message when I started adding booby traps." Pidge grinned at the memory of the ginger Altean frazzled from a light electric jolt, "So the idea that you managed all of that and I didn't wake up once is a little odd. I must have been really really tired." Or, she realized almost immediately, she had simply felt so safe with him that she could just rest without a single care. Her heart began to flutter for what may have been the millionth time that day.

The flight pod came to a halt with a small shudder. Lance flicked a few holographic panels, the craft powering down with a soft whirring as canopy opened and particle barriers faded. "Maybe you just knew you could sleep soundly with Sharpshooter over here watching your back?" His tone implied a joke of course, but he couldn't help but hope, "Oh, actually for no particular reason at all, do you think you could ignore the cargo back there?" He handed Pidge her bag, "Please?"

Pidge disembarked with a smile, dutifully ignoring the rest of the overstuffed flight pod. The oaky and waxen smell announced him before she really registered that Coran was stood beside the pod looking just a little put out. He was certainly looking more tired than she had expected. She rummaged through her bag and tossed the tube at him. "Catch. One wild goose."

Coran stumbled a little as he juggled the tube between his hands. "Wild...what...?" He stared at it in confusion for a while then a pin dropped, his eyes lighting up in understanding, "Yes! Of course, number five! This'll be that terribly important gloop to fix the circuit boards on the Hyperbolic Phase Inductor! Good job!"

Pidge shook her head. "Not the Hyperbolic Phase Inductor."

"Of course, silly me!" Coran forced a laugh, "The...Electron Descrambler Array...that was it!"

Pidge shook her head. "Nope."

"The Gyroscopic Nano Recombobulator?" She shook her head as Lance stepped out of the pod, "The Gyroscopic Nano Discombobulator!" Another shake of the head, the two Paladins slowly leaving, "Well then it has to be the Paralaxial Binary Coupler!" A more distant shaking of the head, "The Thunderan Samoflange Baffler? The Programmable Particle Chamber?"

"Nope and nope!" Pidge laughed.

Lance called, "Pretty sure it was a magna...something...?"

"Right you are lad, it was microfractures in the magnatomic wave compensator! Good job, that was going to bug me!"

"Sure thing Coran!" Lance shouted back, "Maybe you could grab those bags for me? Thanks!"

Coran stared into the pod, the majority of it stuffed with boxes, bags and bits. Twirling his moustache thoughtfully, he thought aloud, "Well... It's actually not quite as much as I'd expected he'd get. Though it's still going to take a few journeys. Oh to be young and dumb and falling in love..."

By now far from the flight pod hangar, Lance walked alongside Pidge. There was a comfortable silence between the two of them, frequently stolen glances and shared looks of contentment and ease. Lance had the wild notion to reach out his hand to gently grasp hers, if only to see how she might react to it. He found himself only gently bumping against the back of her hand. Each whispered an apology to the other, bashfully pretending it had been an accident. In fact, the exact same thought had occurred to each of them at the same moment.

Pidge wasn't certain that being escorted back to her room was strictly necessary, but still it somehow felt right all the same. Truth be told, she was reluctant to allow the day to end, even as her tired eyes fought against her. Truth be told, she was hoping for a very particular gesture to wish her good night. She knew it was her tired mind concocting nonsense, but still, it was a nonsensical little fantasy she was quite keen to see come true. Would he bend down to her, or would she she tiptoe to him? Or both? Would he simply boldly lift her into his arms? Maybe she'd just have to pull the idiot in herself? That seemed a likely scenario. If it weren't for the fact that the idea of doing so made her stomach flip acrobatically. They had stopped, Pidge suddenly realised. She was stood outside her door, Lance nervously rocking on his feet in front of her.

"I...had a lot of fun today..." Lance shyly admitted, obviously looking to find the same reply echoed.

"Copy and paste that, Lance..." Pidge knew her nerdy little references always provoked a smile from Lance, so why not take advantage of that? "Maybe we can find the time to do it again...? Or make the time...?"

"I'd really...really like that..." He feigned a laugh if only to make his next question seem less serious, "Who knows... Maybe..."

Pidge smiled kindly, "Go on..."

"Well, maybe we could even call it a real date next time?" Lance shrugged, another laugh trying to play it off as just a joke, just a little tease. "Way stranger things have happened...if that movie really was historically accurate..."

"Like you said... Who knows...? But, never say never I guess." Pidge smiled at his surprised expression. "Oh, before you go get your beauty sleep... I...have something for you..." Pulling a box from a bag still at her shoulder, Pidge handed it over to Lance.

Still a little stunned, by never say never, Lance just about managed to ask, "Wait... So...what's this for...?" He opened the box gently, greeted by a statue about the same size as his Bayard. He gently pulled it free of it's cardboard former home. Pidge took the box from him, another piece of collected junk that she would probably use to collect yet more junk.

"A small thank you, that's all." Pidge found herself kicking idly at dust on the floor that simply didn't exist, "You know, for today, yesterday. Last week. Last month probably. Just, for being Lance in general. For being my best friend. It's a little bit silly. But I had the weirdest feeling you'd appreciate it..."

Lance turned the masterfully crafted figurine over and over in his hands. It depicted a comical looking sky-blue shark stood on it's back fins, a rifle extremely close to the one formed by his Red Bayard in design held at the trigger and braced awkwardly in it's front flippers. It looked as though it was trying, despite the limitations of it's sideways eyes, to use the scope to take a shot. The circular black plinth on which it stood read, 'Sharkshooter' in a deliberately much too serious font and in the same sky blue colour as the figure. He looked to Pidge in wonder.

"You know, because you've got that weird thing about wanting to wake up with a psychic shark instead of psychic mice if you had to use a healing pod long term. And, Sharpshooter, Sharkshooter. Everybody likes puns, right? And it's based on Left Shark if a meme that ancient means anything to you? I'm sure it doesn't, but I guess it reminded me of you in a weird way..."

"Pidge..." Lance's tone was awed, "Did you make this for me...?"

"I...well...sort of?" Pidge shrugged, "I designed it anyway, it was a 3D printer that made it... I guess you could say I made the design for it to print so... I guess...yes...?" She continued to nervously ramble, "But it's just a little computer modelling project I've been tinkering with for a while... Tried to make my own 3D printer for it, well, not just for this but it'd make a good proof of concept because of the level of fine detail on the rifle... Anyway, I couldn't quite get the print quality necessary on something made from nothing but junk...so it's just been sitting on my laptop doing nothing for the past few months, just waiting to get itself printed... I lucked out today, found a place in the space mall, so now he exists I guess..."

"Months...?" Lance pondered.

"Maybe longer... Probably longer now I think about it... Might be mixing up my months and my Phoebs... That doesn't usually happen... Is it warm in here all of a sudden...?" She looked away, "It was supposed to be an apology...for...something I said that upset you... You never said it upset you, but I could tell it did and it made me feel awful... But every time I tried to say anything I just clammed up, felt it was stupid to bring it up after all that time... Wow, it's all coming out now though, right...?"

Lance frowned, "Pidge, I... I don't know that I even remember what you said..."

"The...goofball comment...? Back before Beta Traz...?" She looked guilty even now.

"Yeah..." Lance nodded, "I do remember I guess..."

"Lance, listen... I worded it badly, you took it... Well, honestly you took the only way you really could... But what I meant was you keep the team's spirits up with your sense of humour... It just...came out wrong..." Her guilty expression intensified, "It just came out really really wrong... Open mouth, insert foot..."

Lance smiled, "So to say sorry for that you designed me little Sharkshooter here...?"

Pidge nodded. "Yeah...every time I see this shark design...he just makes me smile and he doesn't even need to try..."

"And...that's why he reminds you of me...?" Lance blushed, "Your favourite goofball, keeping everyone's spirits up...?"

Pidge nodded "Plus the...shark thing..." She was trying to force away a blush. "And...blue..."

"Important question now though... Do you think his rifle makes more of a Pow! Pow! Pow! Or more of a Ba-Choo! Ba-Choo! Ba-Choo! Kind of noise when it fires...?" Lance's kind smile lit up his face, "Now, whilst Pow seems more me... When it comes to space gun noises, Ba-Choo's always been the cutest..."

"My vote's for Ba-Choo in that case." Pidge felt some of her tension fade with a slight laugh.

"You even had him made in what feels like a pretty indestructible material..." Lance noted, gently throwing it upward and catching it again, "I bet it'd even bounce..."

"Because I figured you'd want him on Red's dashboard..." Pidge shook her head, "Just don't test the bounce theory..."

"I was just going to say because you know I'm a klutz, but now you mention it... I think that is where I'll keep him... If Red's ok with it... Hated the idea of fluffy dice...so did blue..." He shrugged, "You know what, maybe I'll spare Red the awkward psychic mind meld thing and just keep him in my room... He can be my own little mascot, cheering me on and cheering me up on game nights. Something to make me smile in the morning when I wake up and in the evening when I'm beat by a rough day..." He smiled thankfully, Pidge could have almost sworn there was a waver in his tone, "Thank you Pidge, he's awesome..." He added after a moment, "And, though I may have said this already... I want you to know, I really do mean it... You are awesome too..."

"You're welcome, but it's really no big deal..." She smiled, trying to compose herself given the confirmation that Lance thought of her as awesome, "And thank you... Especially because, I know exactly what you were up to today, Lance... Wasn't exactly rocket science to piece it together... And it's not like I don't appreciate it...I do..." Her twisting stomach and racing heart conspired with her mind and eyes. The brain replayed you are awesome over his smile. The eyes drank in the sight of every inch of him, from soft scruffy hair to long toned legs. "I do... But... I don't really want to make a big deal about tomorrow... It's just another day in space. Far away from home... Can you promise me you won't make it a big deal...?"

"No, I can't promise that..." He smiled apologetically, "It may not be a big deal to you, but to all of us it totally is. You see Pidge, 15 years and 368 days ago tomorrow - because we shouldn't forget the leap years right? - you started your life. Maybe it's selfish, but in a way it's like, you're the real gift, to all of us. We're all just thanking you for being part of our lives. For existing... To me that's a pretty big deal. So no, no promise. I would only end up breaking it... And you should know by now that I do not break promises... Especially not the ones I make to you..."

Pidge fell silent, felt powerless before his kind smile and blunt honesty. Stunned by the fact he obviously had given this some considerable thought. Given her some considerable thought. How else would he have correctly factored in the leap years? The warmth in her heart spread through her growing smile.

"I know..." Lance shrugged, "That was all a little cheesy... But still true..."

"It was..." She nodded, "But in the best way... Good night you big dork..." Taking Lance into a tight hug, feeling his arms likewise envelop her, his warmth spreading through her, she found herself gazing upward. His smile was so inviting, the hammer of her heart and the sway of nerves alike urged her to take that invitation. Panic settled in, yet more heat flashing to her cheeks at the thought of it, to pull him closer, to just ki... "Katie!" She blurted.

Lance stared blankly for a second, "Pidge, I know I'm pretty and all, but I always figured if I'd been a girl I'd probably be a Lauren, a Lana or maybe a Lorelei..."

"No... My name... It's Katie." She explained, "Remember that earlier...or...? As in, Pidge is fine... Or...? Well, I guess I just pushed that door open a little more... But, you have to promise me Lance, this stays between you and me. You will call me Pidge around everyone else. Not negotiable."

Lance nodded, "No problem at all..." He paused before adding almost in awestruck reverence, "...Katie..." the sound of it brought a warm smile to his heart and to his lips, "It's cute, but also kinda feels like it kicks ass... It suits you..."

Pidge, Katie, was struck by how right her name sounded as Lance said it aloud, like it was always supposed to be intoned by his voice and his alone. She was still in his arms, not wanting to leave them ever again. There was a sudden realigning of her basic perception of reality, an epiphany prompted by beautiful blue eyes gazing down to her. Eyes gazing to her with an inner glow she so wanted to believe was admiration. Eyes she knew without question that she could gaze back into forever and never grow tired of them. Forever. The struggle to deny this feeling was now impossible. Quiznak, it was so much more than a stupid crush. Always had been. Always would be. "It suits you too..." The almost nonsense tumbled from her mouth.

"Come again...?" Lance's tone wasn't the mocking she had anticipated, just a gentle question, humming softly against her scalp. He was resting his head upon hers now, she could feel his soft warm breathing parting a wave of auburn strands. The scent of her hair was much like last night, though now mingled with the distant scents of the Space Mall, of cinema snack food, even the slightest hint of his own cologne lingered. Lance remembered again the utter peace of her head resting to his shoulder in the darkened theatre, he suspected he would never forget it.

"I..." Pidge wanted two small and powerful words, two terrifyingly risky words to follow, but she didn't dare, "I was trying to say...that I like the way it sounds...when you say it..."

"You do, huh...?" Lance chuckled softly, the gentle ripple of the laughter was so soothing, "In that case... Goodnight and sweet dreams..." He moved to whisper soft as a breath toward her ear, "Katie..."

Hearing it again, she had expected the impact of it to lessen. She had hoped it would. But it still made her melt damn it! The urge to retreat was by now overwhelming, heat raising from her face, an embrace she had no desire to leave but equally no choice, or she knew she'd say something she'd regret. She reluctantly pulled away. "GnightLancesleepwellbyethankyoubye!" Her door sliding shut as the string of syllables tumbled out.

Lance knocked gently, "Pidge...?" He spoke softly, "Katie...?" He smiled, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

The door opened a tiny crack, Lance's jacket was silently shoved through before it closed again.

"Never say never, huh?" Lance whispered to himself, feeling dizzy with barely contained happiness. He reached an outstretched hand to her door. He could just knock again. Hold her again. It felt almost certain that she would let him. He could stay there, just holding her again for as long as she'd let him. It would be incredible. Lance soon realised it would not be possible. Coran, his face furious and flustered, was grappling with some of Lance's shopping. Lance realised with an internal groan that he was about to help. Especially considering that a great deal of it should be in the Blue Hangar bay. Coran would not be happy about that. Lance gave one last, long and lingering gaze to Pidge's, to Katie's door before finally wandering to the struggling Altean.

The ordeal of the shopping shifting was over. Lance, growing steadily more weary, flopped against his door, only to be met with the frown of his pal, the yellow and constantly smelling of baking paladin. "And what Quiznaking time do you call this young man!?" Hunk smiled as his teasing became obvious. He was never good at pretending to be angry, even for the shortest of times. "I send you out for one thing and you come back in the middle of the night. It's that Pidge girl isn't it? I knew that she was going to be a bad influence on my Little Lancey Lance."

Lance raised a hand to pause Hunk, before rummaging in his room. After a short time, he handed over the much needed box of supplies. "Here. One parcel from Sal. I know I've kept you waiting, buddy, but don't worry, I'll help you get everything ready even if I have to miss my beauty sleep."

"That's kind of you, Lance but I'm going to need to politely and if necessary forcefully decline. One, because surely you want to look your best for your Widdle-Pidgey-Widgey-Woo tomorrow?" Hunk made a grab for a chunk of cheek and briefly pinched. "Hey, I'm sure she'd kill me if I called her that, but how about you try? The look on her face alone would be totally worth it. Also, I'm pretty sure that if you said it, you'd be let off with just an affectionate maiming."

Lance rubbed his cheek, convinced Hunk missed his calling as a doting mother. "And two?"

"Two, you're a disaster of a sous-chef. No offence, but you remember that time you mistook a tenderising hammer for a garlic press? Because I do. We all do."

Lance frowned at that, "You guys really do keep a list." He grumbled beneath his breath, "Hunk, I didn't mistake anything. I figured the hammer would be quicker."

"You gave Coran a black eye."

"Which healed in like a day! And it gave him an excuse to wear an eyepatch! You know he likes wearing an eyepatch!"

"Whilst that is true, I think I'll take the risk of having the kitchen to myself."

Lance shrugged, "Your loss man." He pulled two particular items from a bag just behind his door, "Think you could do anything with two extra ingredients?" He smiled nervously, "Short notice again... But, y'know... For Pidge...?"

"For who...?" Hunk chuckled.

Lance sighed, "For my Widdle-Pidgey-Widgey-Woo...? That what you wanted...?"

Hunk regarded the packet and the jar with curiosity, "You're lucky I assumed you'd do something like this and prepared accordingly. Good find, though I doubt the rest of us will get a look in. Sure, I'll do it, but only if you answer me something honestly. Between being your best bud and you being not so hot at the whole lying thing I'll know." He gave Lance a kind, reassuring smile, "Lance, just between you and me... Pidge...? You're in love with her, aren't you?" Lance was caught in Hunk's probing, yet teasing gaze, his smile now a mischievous smirk.

After a long pause, a clearing of his throat and badly disguising his blush as being calm, Lance said, "You know what, Hunk...?" He laughed uneasily. "Yeah... Yeah, maybe you might just be on to something..."

Hunk's squee of utter joy could be heard throughout the castle that night.