Chapter Text
Lance grinned and clapped Hunk on the back “That was great buddy, you barely turned green that time!”
Hunk was still a couple shades paler than normal, but he hadn't thrown up even once this flight. “Man, I don't know how you keep convincing me to go up with you.” Hunk steadied himself against his friend. “Ugh, I'm an engineer, I should be on the ground fixing these things, not up in them.”
Lance just chuckled “C’mon, where's the fun in that? And besides, this thing isn't near as fast as the fighters. If there was room for a second person in one of those you'd really have something to get sick about.” Lance's face took on a dreamy cast. “Seriously there's nothing quite as exhilarating as breaking the sound barrier.”
Hunk shuddered. “That sounds like a nightmare if you ask me.”
Lance rolled his eyes and started walking, dragging Hunk with him. “C’mon, we gotta clear the way, it's someone else's turn to play with the bird.”
Hunk snorted “As long as it's not me I could care less. But you're right, I'm ready to get out of here.”
Lance glanced slyly at his friend. “You just can't wait for the party where you can see Shaaaay.” He teased. Hunk turned bright red and stuttered.
“She's just a doctor that I admire. I've told you there's nothing going on.”
Lance snorted “Mhm. And I keep telling you she'd totally go out with you if you asked. I don't get why you're tip-toeing around it, you're in different units, it's totally allowable to fraternize a bit.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Hunk glowered at Lance before turning and walking away. “Come on, I know you're excited to go to the party and flirt with someone attractive.”
Lance's grin was a little predatory. “What can I say, there are many, many pretty people working at Garrison. We are but two of them.”
Hunk snorted. “Whatever you say buddy.”
Lance was in his element at the house party, no one of officer rank was there and most of the sergeants were relaxed enough that as long as no one did anything too stupid, they'd look the other way. Lance wasn't planning on getting hammered, but knew many of the younger enlisted there didn't know their limits. At least there wouldn't be morning PT with Sergeants gleefully torturing hung over enlisted.
He grinned and looked around. He found a pretty girl that didn't seem overly drunk and began to flirt. They danced a bit and Lance parted from her on good terms. His next partner approached him, a quality Lance appreciated. The guy was a good dancer and Lance stayed with him longer than he thought he would given he wasn't really Lance’s type. He eventually excused himself and grabbed a cooling, non-alcoholic drink.
Lance had lost Hunk a while ago and contemplated looking for his friend. He'd been with Shay last he'd seen, so figured he shouldn't interrupt, even if technically he wouldn't be cockblocking. Still, he felt oddly restless, and unwilling to go back to the dance floor and it's pretty people. He tossed his empty water cup and decided to go outside and take in the cool night air.
The door closed behind him and Lance was a bit impressed at how quiet things became. Talk about good soundproofing. He thought he remembered a sort of pavilion thing in the yard and decided to go there, stare at the stars a bit, then maybe head out. He had a pleasant buzz and hadn't really found anyone he was interested in enough to go home with.
He was broken out of his reverie by the sound of low voices.
“-don't worry I get it. Just go, you're family needs you.”
“I'm sorry, this isn't how I wanted tonight to go.”
A dry chuckle “Believe me, I know. Don't worry about it.”
Lance made out two figures in the pavilion and squinted, he was pretty sure he knew who one of the voices belonged to. Instead of turning around and minding his own business though, he moved to hide in the nearby shrubbery. He'd definitely been hanging out with Hunk too much.
He'd missed part of the conversation while he'd been hiding and the familiar voice was talking.
“Sarah hates when you smell like smoke, get out of here already so I can light up.”
A sigh “I promise I'll make it up to you.”
The two forms became one and Lance heard a soft moan. Then one figure pushed the other away. “Good night Derek. I'll see you later.” The familiar voice was firm and the other figure reluctantly left. Lance stayed frozen where he was, drunk brain trying to puzzle through what he'd seen and overheard. He was startled when the voice called out again.
“You don't have to keep hiding, he's gone.” Lance nearly fell over and sheepishly extracted himself from the bushes.
“Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt but I didn't mean to eavesdrop.” Well, he was stretching the truth a little with that one. He'd sort of wanted to know what was going on when he thought he'd recognized the voice. As he stepped into the gazebo his suspicions were confirmed. The man half sitting half leaning on the gazebo rail was Keith Kogane.
Keith snorted and Lance moved closer hoping to make out the other man's features more clearly.
“Sure McClain.”
Silence fell and Lance watched as Keith lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. The flickering light from the lighter and revealed a blank look on Keith's face. His words had lacked their usual fire as well. Lance frowned slightly.
“If you knew I was there, why didn't you tell your…” Lance paused uncomfortably before settling on “friend?”
Keith snorted again and took another drag. “Derek would've flipped out if he knew someone had heard us and seen him kiss me. I'm his dirty little secret.”
Lance blinked, a bit shocked. “Umm… Then why did you let him kiss you?”
Keith waved his cigarette hand lazily “If I hadn't let him he'd think I was angry with him or something. I figured I'd talk to whomever was hiding and his secret would stay safe enough.”
“Ah.”
The silence stretched a bit. Lance was feeling decidedly awkward. He'd known Keith since flight school but had never really known the dark haired man beyond superficially. He’d had a one sided rivalry with the extremely gifted pilot. He hadn't really met Keith, to talk to, until their junior year. He'd been mortified to learn he'd barely been a blip on Keith's radar and it had taken a couple years before he'd grown up enough to let go of that bitterness. He had gotten over it though, and now had a real rivalry with the pilot, one that was friendly. Keith always rose to his challenges and seemed to enjoy the competition. Not many people stood up to the grumpy, attractive, talented pilot. Apparently those things intimidated most people. Lance found those traits stimulating.
Keith was examining him with dead eyes. “So McClain, gonna tell anybody?”
Lance blinked “No?”
Keith smiled dryly eyes turning to stare off into the darkness “Figured you weren't that much of an asshole.”
Silence stretched again and Lance couldn't take the tension.
“Wanna talk about it?”
Keith huffed slightly in an almost chuckle. “Suuure. Why not?” Keith stubbed out his finished cigarette and tucked it back into the pack. He pulled out a new cigarette but just fiddled with it.
“Derek is married with three kids. The youngest one caught a fever or something so his wife called him. He had to go back.” Keith shook his head. “So much for my plans for getting laid.” Keith’s laugh was unconvincing, trying to make light of it but Lance could hear pain in his tone. Keith wasn't good at pretending something he didn't feel.
Lance blamed his next actions on the pleasant buzz that was still coursing through his system. “Well, if getting laid is your goal, I'm sure I could suggest a more than adequate substitute.” Lance winked and shot finger guns at Keith.
Keith blinked slowly a blank expression on his face before throwing his head back and laughing. Lance took the time to admire his pale, slender throat and let himself imagine how good it would look with a couple artfully placed hickeys. He'd always found Keith attractive, it's part of what had made being unknown to the other man sting so much.
Keith calmed down but there was real amusement in his voice as he said “Thanks but no thanks. I don't need to be anyone else's dirty little secret. I've discovered it gets old fast.”
Lance felt disappointed at Keith's rejection but couldn't stop the flirty response that spewed from his mouth “No way I'd keep you a secret! I'd be bragging about you to anyone that would listen and totally make sure as many people as possible would know to be jealous.” Feeling like he was stepping off a cliff, he moved forward bravely, stepping into Keith's personal bubble. He searched his face for signs of discomfort ready to move back if he made the other pilot uncomfortable. Surprisingly Keith seemed fine and was even grinning slightly.
“Would you now?” Was all he said, a teasing tone in his voice. Lance smirked the flirting coming easily now he'd had a positive reaction.
“Definitely. Catching you for even one night would elevate me to sex-god status. You may not know this but you're hot as fuck and scare most of those who want to make a pass at you.”
Keith cocked his head to the side, obviously amused “Not you though?”
Lance grinned “You know me hotshot, just as much an adrenaline junkie as you.”
Keith chuckled at that and Lance wondered why he'd never flirted with Keith before? He wasn't joking when he said he was an adrenaline junky and this was giving him the best buzz he'd ever had outside of flying. Keith who was normally all spitfire anger and determination was responding to him. It was getting him in a way that all the pretty people he'd flirted and danced with tonight had just not.
Lance stepped forward again so mere inches separated them and leaned in toward Keith's face. He kept his voice low as he said “So hotshot, wanna make the world jealous?”
That was apparently too much for Keith, he started laughing so hard he stopped breathing. Lance was a little hurt, he'd thought that was a good line.
“Sorry, sorry!” Keith gasped “I was just thinking about how Derek would react, god I would pay to see his expression!”
Lance leaned down pressing his lips against that delicious throat “For you babe, the shows free.” He grinned already planning how to go about making it happen. He paused. “Err… One problem. Who exactly is Derek?”
Keith chuckled again and Lance relished the feel through his lips. “You'd probably know him better as Poole.”
Lance's eyes widened and he pulled back in shock. “Seriously? That prissy sergeant wanna be? Dude, you have bad taste. The guys not even that good looking!”
Keith shook his head. “He's not that bad, and not everything is about looks.”
Lance spluttered and waved his hands gesturing emphatically up and down Keith's body. “But you're like a 20 out of 10 on the hotness scale, like even back in flight school when you had that godawful mullet, and he's like a 3 at best! How the fuck did he land someone so out of his league, then keep quiet about it!”
Keith shrugged “He's got a family to protect, I'm just a bit of fun. Eventually he'll get bored and move on to someone else. That's how cheating works.”
Lance reached out and tenderly stroked Keith's cheek. “Why do you go along with it?” He kept his voice soft and nonjudgmental but Keith flinched away from him. “Are you in love with him?”
Keith laughed shakily “I used to be. I'm not anymore, I guess it's just... habit?”
Lance sighed “Well, it's too bad. You definitely need someone who's gonna brag about you.”
Keith looked up at him and Lance enjoyed their slight height difference. “Hmmm, I do seem to remember someone promising to do that… I wonder if that was all talk?”
Lance grinned, all self assured confidence, and leaned down to kiss the black haired man. Keith's lips met his with a fire that surprised him before he realized his mistake. He wasn't used to partners starting so strong but he should've known Keith was an all-in sort of guy. Lance found himself responding to that intensity, his hand wound through the dark hair that was just barely regulation length, directing the other man's head to a better angle. His tongue darted out and Keith's mouth opened easily for him. Lance lost himself for a while, enjoying a different kind of buzz.
They eventually parted, panting. Keith was looking up at him with hooded eyes and a slight smirk. “I was worried this would be a chore but for once you seem able to back your words with actions.”
Lance gasped in mock outrage “Excuse you. I always back what I say!”
Keith snorted “Which is why I kick your ass so much when you challenge me.”
“You have a great ass, I'd hate to damage it with my superior kicking ability.”
Keith chuckled low and it did things to Lance. He surged forward and claimed Keith's mouth again. He loved it when his partners reacted to his jokes.
After they'd caught their breath again Keith spoke in a gravelly tone that caused a stir of need deep in Lance's gut. “So flyboy, my place or yours?”
“Mine.”
Lance hadn't had a real relationship since Nyma. That had ended so disastrously that Lance had decided to avoid anything serious for a while. At first he'd nearly worn himself to exhaustion with all his hook ups, trying to drown the pain in sex. After an intervention from Hunk, he'd slowed down to a manageable pace and started to take care of himself again. The past year or so his hook ups had tapered off significantly. The shallow one night stands had lost their appeal and he'd been flailing for something without really knowing what it was.
Waking with Keith in his arms that morning filled something inside of him that had been empty for a while. He didn't want this to be a one time deal, didn't want to lose these feelings. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His feelings weren't the only ones that mattered, a lot of this would depend on what Keith did in the next couple of days. He was involved with someone already and would never have something with Lance unless he broke that off.
He released his breath slowly and felt Keith stirring against him. He looked down into sleepy purple eyes and tried not to melt into a puddle of goo. Oh lord, he was gone for a guy that had taken him up on revenge sex. Fuck it. He'd made worse decisions in his life. He leaned down and kissed Keith's sleep rumpled face. Keith made an appreciative noise and Lance slid a leg between Keith's.
“Ready for another round?” Lance asked Keith grinned and began sucking lightly on Lance's neck.
“Only if you are.”
Lance growled and rolled Keith onto his back, holding himself above the other man. “I'll take that as a yes.” Lance never figured Keith could laugh this much, he was always so serious, so focused and determined. He felt like this Keith, so soft and pliant, was just for him. Maybe Poole had seen this side of Keith. That thought frustrated Lance, how could he have had this and chosen to hide it away? Lance decided he was going to try. Keith was worth so much more than that bastard had given him.
Lance set about his newly formed plan, starting by making Keith moan and writhe in ecstasy beneath him.
A low whistle sounded “Damn McClain! Looks like you had a good weekend!”
Lance grinned over his shoulder at Johnson, he'd been waiting for this. He'd changed slower than usual to show off the claw marks on his back and the hickeys on his chest. “Most definitely. Best weekend of the year.”
Johnson laughed “Here I thought you'd lost your game, you haven't been having as many sexcapades lately.”
Lance snorted “Haven't lost my game, you won't believe who I managed to pick up. You shall bow to me in worship and beg to learn my ways when you find out.”
Johnson laughed “What happened to a gentleman never revealing his partners?”
Lance's grin was predatory. “This is a special case, he's so out of my league I told him I'd be forced to brag.”
He heard two snorts, one from Johnson and a much quieter one from Keith. Lance cast a quick glance over to Keith. The other man was facing his locker, Lance felt slightly disappointed by that but grinned anyways. Poole was next to Keith and Lance was relishing making that cheating assholes day miserable.
“Fine, you've got me hooked, who'd you manage to catch?”
Lance leaned forward grinning and said in a mock whisper “Kogane.”
“No fucking way!” Johnson was completely shocked. Lance wasn't surprised, Keith gave off an aura that generally kept people at a distance. He saw Keith was still pretending to ignore him but Poole had gone stiff next to him, shirt half off.
Johnson turned around “Kogane, is McClain just jerking my chain or did you two really hook up?”
Keith looked over his shoulder that flat expression on his face but mischief gleaming in his eyes. “McClain who?”
Lance gasped dramatically “We bonded! How could you betray me this way!”
Johnson laughed “I knew there was no way!”
Keith smiled slightly. “I was just teasing. We totally fucked. I'd give him a 10 out of 10, would totally ride again.” The smoulder in his eyes and the purr in his voice, made Lance want to take him up on that offer right here and now, screw the other guys using the changing room.
Johnson’s face was slack with shock. Keith’s sex kitten response had apparently broken him. Poole’s expression was priceless and Lance wished he had a camera and could give Keith a picture of that face to savor. He looked constipated, his form was rigid as he leaned over to whisper to Keith. Keith's eyes flashed with anger and he moved away, ignoring Poole and slammed his locker shut.
“So McClain, ready to get your ass handed to you or are you going to hide out in the locker room forever?” Keith was definitely angry, Lance really hoped it wasn't about to be taken out on him, maybe agreeing to spar with him hadn't been smart. He smirked down at Keith anyways, if he was going down he was going to be sassy.
“Think I'd rather have your ass in my hand.” Keith rolled his eyes and snorted. Lance reached out and pulled Keith over to his side by the hip, leaving his hand in a more than friendly place “There, see? Isn't this nice.” He purred. Keith laughed but leaned into him so Lance left his hand where it was, enjoying the feel. The locker room door swung shut behind them and they made their way through the hall to the sparring room.
“So what did he say?” Lance's voice was low and no one was near. Keith tensed slightly.
“I didn't really let him talk. We will have to eventually but I don't want to do it in a locker room full of guys. Doubt he does either but he wasn't thinking clearly.”
“Know what you want to do?”
Keith looked sidelong at Lance. “You are such a busy-body, you know that?”
Lance put his free hand on his heart, squeezing his other hand slightly. “I'm wounded. Besides have you met Hunk? Now he’s a busy-body. I am but his humble apprentice.”
Keith snorted again. “The hurt is sooo convincing with you groping me, but yes, I remember Hunk. He's was very insistent about feeding me.” Keith shuddered. Lance cocked his head to the side.
“He normally only gets that way if he notices something seriously wrong.”
Keith glowered up at him. “It was junior year of flight school, the year Shiro had his accident. I was so angry all the time.” Keith looked away and his bangs fell into his eyes. “I wasn't sleeping or eating. I don't know how Hunk noticed, or why he gave a damn, but he started dragging me out of the training rooms and forcing me to eat.” Keith shook his head. “He made the food himself. He made me dishes that were soft on the stomach but still managed to taste amazing. You're lucky in your friend.”
Lance moved his hand away from Keith's ass, sliding it around his side and squeezing gently in a half hug. “Yup. I am the luckiest. Hunk is an amazing person.”
Keith looked up at him and his eyes were soft and warm. “You're a good person too, when you aren't being obnoxious.”
Lance couldn't resist, he leaned down and kissed Keith, drawing a sweet noise from him.
“So wanna skip the sparring and go another round somewhere private?”
Keith snorted. “No way, Shiro’s waiting for me. He'd kill me if I skived off for sex.”
Lance pouted and Keith rolled his eyes. Then he smirked, eyes partially lidded. “Maybe later, I wasn't kidding when I said ‘would totally ride again’.”
Lance shivered and Keith laughed. “God if I'd known sleeping with you would make you less annoying I would've done it back in flight school.”
Lance smiled “Flight school me would've loved that but honestly it's better I worked through my inferiority complex before sleeping with you. Also flight school me was crap at sex. My dignity is much happier that you see me at my best.”
Keith raised an eyebrow. “You're best huh? Does that mean you've used up all your tricks and there's no point in going another round?”
Lance shrugged “I guess you'll have to find out.” Keith was laughing as they entered the training room and all eyes turned to them. Lance really only noticed a pair of black eyes that stared at them in shock. Lance grinned mischievously and leaned down to lightly nip Keith’s neck. Mine, he thought smugly, at least for now, mine.
Keith smacked his leg “Stop that. Later.”
Lance gave him a wolfish smile and whispered “Promise?”
Keith snorted and walked towards a baffled Shiro. Lance came with because he was refusing to let go his hold on Keith’s waist. Shiro raised an eyebrow and looked at Keith.
Keith rolled his eyes and pinched Lance's hand. Lance sighed but obeyed the unspoken command and released Keith.
“Sooooo… have you warmed up yet?” Shiro asked and Lance got the feeling the question he heard wasn't the real question Shiro was asking.
“Not yet, mind if McClain joins us? He thinks he can take me.”
Lance snorted “I am not that stupid, I know I can't take you. I just wanted to roll around with you while you're all hot and sweaty, and you said Shiro wouldn't let you dip out of training to do it naked.”
Shiro's other eyebrow went up and he said “That is not an image of my brother I needed. Keith, I want dibs on kicking his ass.”
Lance spluttered as Keith grinned toothily “Sure, make sure you leave something for me.” Then he turned and walked to the edge of the mat and began stretching. Shiro chuckled. Lance looked forlornly at Keith's figure that had so callously abandoned him… Maybe Lance shouldn't have been so handsy in front of Shiro… He looked back at Shiro whose face showed amusement.
“Here, let's stretch.” Lance followed Shiro’s lead as they made their way through warming their muscles up.
“So, I don't see you in here very often.”
Lance shrugged “The martial arts aren't exactly my speciality.”
Shiro smiled softly “No, from what I heard you are a top rated sniper.”
Lance stared at Shiro, flabbergasted, Shiro knew who he was? He gulped, a little bit terrified. It's not like Shiro was his hero or anything… Oh god, he couldn't wait to tell Hunk!
Shiro chuckled, still in that soft way. “Keith told me about you years ago. Said there was a kid in his class that was an incredibly gifted shot. He was a bit jealous, he barely passes qual every year.”
Lance reeled at that. Keith had been jealous? Of him? “M-maybe I can give him a couple pointers before next qual.” Lance said slowly, voice cracking slightly. Shiro's expression seemed approving.
“That sounds like a good idea. Let me give you a couple martial art pointers before you go up against Keith. He doesn't hold back even when he should. It's why he doesn't normally face beginners.”
Lance felt a wave of relief “Oh please god yes. I've seen him fight and I know it's brutal and I'd really rather not break an arm.”
Shiro chuckled “Yet you still agreed to this? That's either brave or foolish, I haven't decided which.”
They bowed to each other.
“It was driven by hormones, so definitely foolish.” Shiro laughed loud and from the belly at that.
“Well, I'll try to impart enough wisdom on Keith-fighting to keep you alive. You made my brother laugh. That's a rare and wonderful thing.” Lance ducked his head to the side, he just knew he was blushing.
He felt a tug and then he was flying into the mat. Shiro grinned down at him. “First rule, never look away from your opponent.”
Lance groaned and levered himself to his feet. He had the feeling this was going to be a series of painful lessons even before he let Keith near him.
Shiro continued “Keith is fast and hard to predict, you have to try to maneuver him into something, he's impulsive and instinctive, he doesn't do plans. It's a strength but also a weakness…”
Lance hobbled out of the sparring grounds two hours later, more sore than he'd been after his first week of basic and bruised to hell and back. Shiro's predictions had come true and Keith had not held back. He'd thrown Lance around like he was a rag doll. Lance was not going through that again until he'd had more training, Even if Keith asked him with big purple eyes that made him want to melt. Not gonna happen.
Keith had taken one look at him in the shower and told him to take a rain check on the naked wrestling. Lance had wanted to protest but he knew his limits and he'd reached them. He didn't really regret it though. He had enjoyed learning from Shiro and wrestling with Keith. It had lit a fire in him and he now had to become better at mixed martial arts.
He creaked his way to engineering. He had a Hunk to catch up with. And his duties for the day only required his holopad. Normally that would kill him but today he was grateful they weren't flying.
He found Hunk half hidden in an engine and plopped down on a stool with a groan that wasn't really exaggerated. Hunk jumped, managed not to hit his head on anything, and pulled himself out of the engine.
Lance smiled “Sorry bro, didn't mean to startle you.”
Hunk didn't smile back. Instead he sniffed and turned his back on Lance, posture stiff. Lance frowned.
“Are… are you mad at me Hunk?” Lance tried to think of what he could've done to annoy his best friend, he had left the party without saying good bye but he'd shot the guy a text so he wouldn't worry…
Hunk sniffed loudly again. Definitely mad then. Well then. “Is this about the party? I texted you that I was home safe.” Lance tried. Hunk spun pointing a finger accusingly at Lance.
“No, Lance, this isn't about the party. This is about the fact that I had to learn my best friend slept with Keith Kogane from fucking Alice Schafer!”
He threw his hands up in the air dramatically. Unfortunately he forgot about the wrench still in one of his hands and it went flying, hitting the wall on the far side of the hangar with a clang. Lance did feel bad, he should've told Hunk before announcing it in the locker room. To be fair though, Hunk was the worst gossip Lance knew, including his aunts and mother, and he'd wanted to make sure Poole heard it where Keith could see his face. Lance smiled sheepishly. He'd
promised after all.
“Sorry bro. I'll give you all the details if you promise not to share any sensitive info.”
Hunk glowered a bit more but relented and sighed. “Fiiiiinnne. But you'd better not do this to me again. Alice. Schafer.” Again the threatening finger was pointed emphatically at Lance.
“Cool, so it started when I accidentally witnessed Keith kissing a married man…”
Hunk was a good audience, Lance could probably trust him with Poole’s name but Lance didn't want to break Keith's trust and he knew Hunk would understand. When Lance finished with sparring practice Hunk shook his head slowly.
“Be careful Lance. Don't break your heart again. He's not in any emotional shape for a relationship at the moment. Even if he breaks it off with this douche, be careful.”
Lance smiled “Thanks Hunk. I'll try my best, but it's going to be hard holding back. He's special.”
Hunk snorted “Dude believe me, I know you and restraint don't really go together. And you've thought he was special since flight school.” He sighed “Well if shit does go down I'll be there with rom-coms and ice cream or be the one planning your wedding cake, however this works out in the end.”
Lance grinned “Thanks buddy.” He fake frowned “By the way, I got some beef with you too. Keith said our junior year you kept him from starving to death. What the heck man, how could you aid my rival like that!”
Hunk laughed setting Lance off. They eventually got back to work.