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“We should play a game.”
Lance’s suggestion brings quite a variety of reactions. Pidge protests almost immediately. Hunk looks morbidly intrigued. The Alteans are already on board. Shiro nods thoughtfully. Keith sighs. Acxa remains expressionless.
“Seriously guys, think about it. We’re on a road trip, but in space. It’s a crime that we’re not playing any road trip games right now!”
“Like what? I-Spy?” Keith asks dryly. “I spy with my little eyes a star. Oh wait, that’s everywhere.”
“Your sarcasm is not appreciated,” Lance says pleasantly. “Also, that’s not how the game works.”
“I think it’ll be nice,” Shiro pipes in, ever the mediator. “It’ll be a nice way to get some team bonding exercise in. We won’t be landing on a planet anytime soon.”
“Yes!” Lance cheers.
Hunk nods. “Alright, I’m down. What should we play?”
“As long as I don’t have to leave my lion,” Pidge sighs reluctantly.
“We should play Truth or Dare,” Lance says instantly.
Pidge groans loudly. Lance will admit that he’s being a bit basic, but it’s the best game for breaking the ice and receiving some sweet gossip or blackmail material! Hunk and Allura would have a shit ton with how nosy both of them are. Also, Lance has no shame. He’s at the advantage here.
Shiro looks a little constipated at the suggestion, but he agrees anyway. Hunk agrees because he’s an absolute bro. Keith sighs again, which Lance is going to assume is a ‘fine, I’ll do it because everyone else is doing it’ sigh.
“What is Truth or Dare?” Allura asks.
Pidge explains the basics of the game to the Alteans and Acxa. When she’s done, Acxa makes a judgmental face.
“Is this what humans do to entertain themselves? Back when we were bored, Ezor and I would take turns finding rocks and putting them in Zethrid’s bag to see when she notices. If she notices then you lose.”
Lance pauses, processing that information. And then he asks, “what does the winner get?”
“Bragging rights, obviously.”
Oh. Of course. “My bad.”
“Truth or Dare sounds very interesting. I would like to play this,” Romelle says with an approving nod. Lance smirks.
“Yep! Why don’t you go first, Romelle?”
Romelle claps excitedly. She directs her question to Keith, who lets out yet another sigh. Lance knows their team leader is allergic to fun, but damn. He has to loosen up.
“Truth,” Keith says tiredly. Hunk, Pidge and Lance boo at him simultaneously, earning them an eye roll. “I’m piloting. I can't get up for a dare.”
“That’s quitters’ talk,” Lance mutters. Romelle is unbothered by the dissing.
“Okay. Oh! What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told Shiro?”
Keith grimaces immediately. “Actually, can I change to a dare?”
“No.”
Lance hides a laugh behind his hand. He can see Shiro giving Keith the stink eye already. Keith hasn’t even said anything yet.
“Well?” Pidge prompts. She has that evil scientist grin on again. Lance vaguely wonders if she’s recording this whole thing. He wouldn’t be surprised if she was.
“…I told him I wouldn’t steal his car again.”
There’s silence. And then Allura is saying “again?” with a perplexed look on her face. Keith can’t answer her, busy avoiding getting whacked by Shiro’s hand.
“Oi! Stop hitting me—Shiro I’m piloting,” Keith protests, dodging the onslaught. He is not succeeding. Acxa is nodding approvingly. Lance can’t tell if she’s supporting Shiro or Keith.
“You’re a piece of shit,” Shiro scolds. “This is why Adam always grounded you.”
Keith pouts—actually pouts, and Lance finds the whole situation so absurd that he buries his face in his hands, shaking with laughter. Romelle looks very pleased with her question.
“Oh my God,” Hunk whispers, “and we’re only getting started.”
Keith grumbles, shoving Shiro away. He pats his hair down irritatedly. “Whatever. Allura, truth or dare?”
“Truth,” Allura says primly.
Keith thinks about it for a few seconds. “Who’s your favourite paladin?”
Hunk and Lance ‘ooh’ collectively.
“Romelle,” Allura replies. She doesn’t even hesitate.
“Hey!” Lance squawks. “Romelle isn’t even a paladin!”
“Oh.” Allura frowns. “Then Keith.”
“What?!”
Keith has a shit-eating grin on his face. He folds his arms and leans back on his chair, like he’s won the game or something. Which doesn’t even make sense because you can’t win Truth or Dare! Lance cannot believe this.
He glares at Keith through the screen, who winks back—Keith winks. Lance hates him. He can’t believe he’s blushing. Asshole.
Allura clasps her hands with dignity, and Lance promptly pretends he isn’t dying. “Pidge?”
“Dare. I’m not a chicken,” comes her reply. Hunk loudly cheers her on.
Allura taps her chin thoughtfully. “Hm… oh! Show us the weirdest thing you have downloaded on your handheld.”
Pidge raises an eyebrow. “Okay. Give me a moment and I’ll put it up on all your screens.”
Lance sees Pidge pull out her handheld and tap a few buttons, a slight smirk on her face. He narrows his eyes. That smirk can’t mean good things. His screen flashes and a video feed pops up—
Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
“Oh my fucking God!” Lance yells. Pidge cackles.
Shiro has his Tired Space Dad look on again. “Since when was rickrolling a universal thing?”
“You know what rickrolling is?” Hunk gapes. Shiro huffs.
“I’m not uncultured. I haven’t been living in a desert shack.”
“Was that a jab at me?” Keith demands, swivelling around. “Are you insinuating that I’m uncultured?” Shiro whistles idly.
“Hate to break it to you, Keith, but you are pretty uncultured,” Hunk mutters. Keith glares through the screen.
“What is a rickroll?” Allura questions. Romelle shrugs from beside her.
Coran takes out his datapad and scribbles something down with an incredibly befuddled look on his face. Lance glances at Pidge, who looks entirely too proud of herself. He smiles, shaking his head.
They go on like this for a few more rounds. Lance is absolutely soaking this shit up. Shiro admitted that he walked into a pole when he first saw Adam, his fiancé, which elicited another cackle from Pidge. Coran tells them about a time he tried to impress one of the royal guards and that it involved a lot of confetti and off key singing. Romelle sits on Allura’s lap. Hunk does an incredibly accurate impression of Lady Gaga.
“Acxa,” Hunk calls after his turn. Acxa doesn’t react much, but the slight widening of her eyes gives away that she’s surprised. She gives Hunk an uneasy look, but she replies with truth.
Hunk taps his chin. “Okay… What’s the best prank you’ve ever played on someone?”
Acxa raises her chin haughtily. “What makes you think I play pranks on others?”
There’s silence from all their coms. It stretches for a few seconds before Acxa sighs. “Fine. I put hair dye in Lotor’s shampoo once. He had hot pink hair for a week.”
Keith looks scandalised. Shiro looks like he’s about to lose his shit.
“Why, exactly?” Hunk asks.
Acxa shrugs innocently. “Narti thought it’d be funny. What was I supposed to do, say no?”
“Acxa, you’re the coolest person I’ve ever met. I can’t believe Keith is friends with you,” Lance says sincerely. She nods at him.
“I have a hard time believing it too. Thank you, blue one.”
“Hey!” Comes Keith’s agitated reply. Acxa deftly ignores him.
“Lance. Truth or Dare?”
Lance perks up. This is his turn. “Dare.” He sees Keith roll his eyes and he sticks his tongue out in retaliation.
Acxa hums. There’s a glint in her eyes that honestly scares Lance a little bit. For just a second, she grins cheekily, like she knows something that they don’t. Then she schools her face into something more neutral and says, “I dare you to tell us your favourite things about Keith.”
Pidge practically chortles. Hunk and Allura gasp simultaneously. Shiro’s eyebrows fly so high up that Lance wonders if they’ll ever come back down. Romelle and Coran watch with rapt attention. And Keith…
“Acxa!” Keith hisses through his teeth. His eyes are wide with—fury, maybe? Lance can’t tell. Acxa ignores him again.
“She phrased a truth as a dare. I love that,” Hunk whispers, sounding awed.
Lance swallows nervously. “Oh, uh…”
He’s not looking, but he can already see Hunk smirking at him. Did Lance say that Hunk is an absolute bro earlier? Because he takes it back. Hunk is not an absolute bro. Hunk is the worst bro on the planet and he knows exactly why Lance is hesitating right now.
“Yeah, Lance,” Pidge joins in, her voice completely breathless from laughter. “Tell us what you like about Keith!”
That gremlin. Lance never even told her about his—his slight crush. She has no right to tease him. He swears he’s going to get his hands on her tech stuff one day and shoot it all out into space.
Allura looks entirely too excited. Lance never told her anything either, but he bets those space mice listened in on one of his Keith-related breakdowns and reported back to her. Ugh.
Lance fidgets in his seat. He casts a look at Keith, who is very pointedly staring at the floor, arms crossed tightly around himself.
Lance sighs. Well, he’s not a chicken.
“I… I like his… passion, I guess,” Lance mumbles. His entire team is silent, waiting for an elaboration. Screw their lack of moral support, honestly, what kind of team is this? Lance groans internally.
“Keith’s impatient. And hot-headed. And honestly an absolute pain in my ass.” There’s a scoff that sounds a little too fond to have any bite to it. “But… he’s also really determined. He doesn’t back down, and he’s the driving force we need when there’s a tough decision to make.”
The team remains silent. Lance takes it as a sign to go on. His voice grows louder. More confident.
“Plus, he’s—really kind. Like, don’t get me wrong, he’s all prickly and glare-y on the outside, but he’s got a heart of gold. And he’s not the best with words, but his actions always speak the loudest. He’s talented and admirable and just… really easy to follow, I guess.”
Lance clears his throat. “He’s always got my back. He’s loyal to a fault, maybe, but that’s what I like. You can always count on him. He’s like—my confidence and stuff. You know?”
He trails off, looking up cautiously. His team has varying looks of excitement or glee on their faces. Acxa even looks like she’s hiding a smile. And Keith—
Keith’s face is burning. Like, even his video feed is picking up on it. He’s as red as a tomato, lips pressed in a thin line. He’s still staring at the floor, but when Shiro nudges him, he looks up.
Lance smiles nervously when they catch each other’s eyes. “Too much?”
It takes a while for Keith to process what Lance just asked, but when he does, he huffs and shakes his head. “Nah,” he whispers with a quirk of his lips. His voice is all soft, and if Lance didn’t know better, he’d say Keith sounds lovesick. “Thank you.”
Lance rubs the back of his neck shyly. They stare at each other for a while, eyes twinkling, before Pidge is snapping her fingers to gain their attention.
“I recorded that whole thing, by the way,” she says smugly. Lance gasps, eyes comically wide. Utter betrayal. Pidge shrugs unapologetically.
“This is revenge for that time you stole my glasses and pretended to help me search for it for two fucking hours.”
“…Okay, but that was funny.”
“No it wasn’t!”
And then there’s a laugh. Everyone’s heads whip to whoever it came from. Lance’s eyes skim through his friends, and when he sees it, his heart stutters.
Keith giggles into his hands softly, eyes crinkled and cheeks still a little red. He laughs like he can’t help it, and when the team joins in, his giggles grow even louder. His face turns so red from all the laughing and his nose is all scrunched up and— God, it’s so cute.
Lance props his chin up on his hand and grins fondly at the endearing boy in his video feed. The way he covers his face and the way he shakes in his seat—everything about Keith sends his heart into overdrive. He’s so, so in love.
Keith’s laughter fades as he catches Lance’s eye. He raises an eyebrow and he tilts his head in question. Lance smiles at him, unable to hide his affection.
Keith huffs and smiles back.