Chapter Text
“You really want to come here for your 30 th birthday?” Keith groans, squinting at the neon blue sign hanging above the door. The elegant, looped cursive is familiar as it shines down on them. “Shiro, you’re at this bar at least three times a week.”
Shiro’s eyes widen as he looks around hurriedly, sending a few weak smiles to concerned pedestrians. They give him wary glances. “Keith,” he whispers, “you’re making it sound like I have a drinking problem.”
“I’m just saying, you come to the Galaxy Garrison all the time .”
Even if it isn’t for the purpose of drinking, Shiro frequents the Galaxy Garrison bar constantly just to visit his fiancé, Adam. Ever since Adam reopened his family's old bar, it was practically the only place his brother ever wanted to go. Shiro was at the bar at least two or three times a week—which meant he tried to convince Keith to come with him at least two or three times a week. Without much luck dragging Keith along, Shiro eventually stopped harassing him throughout the week. But the weekend? They’re always fair game.
Ever since his brother finally popped the question last June, Shiro and Adam have been practically attached at the hip. The regulars at the bar greet Shiro kindly whenever they see him, asking about his future wedding plans or his day at work. All the bartenders know Shiro’s favorite drink (something Keith doesn’t even know) and talk about personal things with him like old friends.
Shiro’s favorite bartender at the Galaxy Garrison, Hunk Garrett, is going to be a groomsman alongside Keith at the happy couple’s wedding. After talking to the bartender several times over the last few months, Keith understands why Shiro and Adam want him to be a part of their special day. Hunk’s big heart and attention to detail make him a great addition to the wedding party. Keith briefly wonders if he’ll see Hunk mixing drinks tonight behind the bar—the possibility lifts his spirits a little bit.
“Keith, you know Adam is working tonight. I promised that I would come by the bar so I could celebrate my birthday with him too.” Shiro pauses, slinging his arm around his little brother, “I know your young mind can’t comprehend it, but thirty is a very important age.” He reaches out his hand to ruffle Keith’s hair, just like he used to do when they were kids. Keith shoves him away playfully, groaning and trying to fix his hair. Shiro steps into the bar and Keith follows behind him somewhat reluctantly.
“Sure it is, Grandpa .” Keith answers, easily ducking Shiro’s next attempt to ruffle his hair. Still grinning, he stops to take a moment to look around the room.
The bar is alive tonight—like most nights since the Galaxy Garrison reopened. Everyone’s packed tightly inside the four walls, bass pounding and multicolored lights swirling around the room. Keith thinks that if he focuses too long on one thing, he might get dizzy from the movement. Plenty of people are huddled around the bar, ordering drinks and chatting with friends, while others dance along to the melody of a live artist. Practically everyone surrounding the small stage is already singing terribly off-key and swaying back and forth like a bunch of drunk idiots. The artist on stage has shaggy dark hair and heavy eyeliner, nodding his head to the beat of his guitar.
In the other corner of the room, Keith notices there’s a bachelorette party in full swing. The bride-to-be stands in the center of her friends, sporting a fashionable pink glitter sash as she finishes off a line of shots. I should really start planning a kickass bachelor party for Shiro, Keith thinks idly. All he knows is that it definitely isn’t going to be here at the Galaxy Garrison.
“I don’t understand why I’m here if you want to spend your birthday with Adam .” Keith yells over the music, weaving through the crowd and towards the busy bar.
Keith barely hears Shiro scoff, but he can see the flippant roll of his eyes as his brother looks back over his shoulder at him. “I want to spend my birthday with my two favorite people—my fiancé and my baby brother !”
Keith is in for a long night.
Once they come to a stop by the edge of the bar, Keith narrows his eyes at Shiro and points his finger in a way that he hopes looks somewhat threatening. “You’re lucky it’s your birthday, Shirogane. Or else I would be at home ordering pizza and watching Ghostbusters.”
Shiro sends him a shit-eating grin, throwing his arm haphazardly around Keith’s shoulder. “Yet another reason to thank me! And, hey, you never know! You could find the man of your dreams tonight and have me to thank for it. Maybe you’ll get laid and—”
“Nope!” Keith exclaims, covering his ears to block out whatever Shiro’s trying to say. He’s going to need a lot more alcohol if he plans to discuss his sex life with his brother. “We’re not going to talk about that. This conversation is over.”
Luckily Hunk, an angel in disguise, spots the two of them down the bar and moves towards them. Hunk is wearing his Galaxy Garrison standard apron and his favorite yellow headband, and Keith is so thankful for the interruption that he almost jumps over the bar to hug the man. Maybe some other time. “Shiro, welcome back! Keith, it’s been a while! What can I get for you two?”
“Nothing for me yet, Hunk. But make Keith one of my usuals. He’s going to try something new because it’s my birthday and he owes me .” Keith doesn't miss the sickly sweet smile on Shiro’s face when he adds, “Right, Keith?”
“I’ll take a Shiro Usual , Hunk.” Keith grumbles, sitting down on an unoccupied bar stool to drown his sorrows. Hunk smiles at him sympathetically and starts to make his drink. Keith tries not to be too concerned by the amount of colorful liquids going into Hunk’s drink mixer.
“By the way, Happy Birthday, dude!” Hunk says before Shiro can get too far, smiling brightly, “Adam is probably somewhere around here. I just saw him talking with Allura.” Shiro grins, already looking across the bar in search of his husband-to-be. Sometimes his older brother is so incredibly whipped that it makes Keith a little sick, but he really is happy for them.
“Thanks, Hunk! And Keith,” Shiro puts his hand on his brother’s shoulder, “ please have fun.” Keith nods, trying his best to promise and put on a brave face. Seemingly satisfied with his response, Shiro disappears, eager to find his fiancé. As soon as Shiro’s out of sight, Keith frowns. Yeah, he’s going to have a great night celebrating his brother’s birthday with his brother nowhere to be found.
Hunk slides him Shiro’s ‘usual,’ and Keith warily inspects the drink for any trace of poison and/or practical jokes. Rule #1 in the Shirogane household is to never trust a drink from Shiro and Keith is not about to break that rule. The first thing he notices, of course, is the fact that the drink is bright green. And not just any lousy green—this drink is neon .
“Hunk, is this drink glowing ?” Keith asks, holding up the drink to get a better look at it. Despite the dark bar setting, the drink resembles some sort of weird space goo.
Hunk shrugs, trying to look as encouraging as possible. “It's not as bad as it looks, Keith. Everyone here seems to love it. Honestly, I don't really understand the hype—but Adam seems to love it.” Now that makes sense. Shiro is so whipped.
Hunk momentarily walks away to help another customer and Keith is left alone with his stupid drink. After finally deciding it’s safe enough to consume, he tentatively takes a sip, unsure of what he’ll find. It isn't as fruity as he was originally expecting, but it isn't too bad, so he decides to stick with it. The things Keith does for his brother.
Some time passes and Keith slumps lower into his seat, resting his chin in his hand dejectedly. He knows he’s being pouty, but he really doesn’t want to be here. What’s the point of celebrating the birthday of someone who isn't even there? Shiro will probably be wrapped up with Adam for a while. Maybe Keith should text that he isn't feeling well and leave. He could slip out of here easily and Shiro could spend time with his fiancé without feeling guilty about leaving Keith alone. It’s really a win-win situation. Keith decides to text Shiro.
To Dad-gane: where tf are you
Not very subtle, but Keith hopes it will get his point across.
Suddenly, someone taps on Keith’s shoulder, startling him enough that he almost drops his phone straight into his stupid drink. He slowly turns around to see who’s bothering him, silently hoping that it’s Shiro—but is disappointed as he comes face to face with a total stranger. The man in question smiles at Keith, sliding into his personal space with practiced ease.
“Hey there. Mind if I buy you a drink? I'd love to get to know you better.” The stranger practically purrs, leaning in even closer.
Keith instinctively leans backward, putting a clear distance between the two of them. “Thanks,” he grits out, annoyed, “but I already have a drink.”
Admittedly not a very good drink, but it’s a drink all the same. Even though Keith would love to ditch this fluorescent green mess, he refuses to accept anything from a creepy stranger. He just hopes this guy will leave him alone to wallow in peace. Clearly, the man does not need any more encouragement.
The stranger glances down at Keith’s embarrassing green drink with interest, but somehow isn’t deterred in the slightest. “How about I get you a real drink? Maybe something strong.” Keith notices the way the other man’s eyes rake over his body and tries not to physically cringe, “You seem like you're a pretty tough guy.”
“I'm fine with my drink.” Keith answers again, trying to look as intimidating as possible. The man reaches out and tries to grab his arm, but Keith rips it away as fast as possible. “Don't touch me.” He growls, “If you touch me again, I'll beat your ass.”
“That sounds pretty kinky.” He slurs, waggling his eyebrows in a way that made Keith’s skin crawl. The man opens his mouth to say something else, probably something wildly inappropriate, but Hunk thankfully steps in. First he saves Keith from Shiro’s sex talk earlier, and now this creep? Hunk is an actual superhero in Keith’s eyes.
“Sir,” the bartender starts coldly, “you had better find some other place to be. The show is about to start.” Hunk gestures to the empty live music stage and the guy shrugs, reluctantly stepping away from Keith. Hunk isn’t taking any bullshit tonight, and for that, Keith is thankful.
Once the man is finally gone, Keith turns to Hunk. “Thank you, man. I was this close to starting a bar fight.” The bartender laughs as Keith holds up two fingers with barely any space between them.
“I'm sure Shiro would've loved that. He leaves for ten minutes and you already get into a fight with a drunk creep.” Reaching out to take an empty glass off the counter, he shakes his head. “Just forget about him and enjoy the show, dude. There’s a pretty good lineup tonight.”
As if on cue, the lights in the bar dim considerably and cheering erupts from the front of the small stage. Intrigued, Keith turns around to see what all the commotion is about. People on the dance floor are now pushing forward to move closer to the small stage and get ready for the next show. They’re all forming some sort of mosh pit, buzzing with excitement, and Keith can’t help but wonder what the hell is going on. The person performing next must be some sort of regular at the bar, because the dancing crowd didn’t have this kind of reaction when the last performer sang. More people start to yell as a girl with choppy brown hair walks up onto the stage confidently. From what he can see in the dim light, she’s wearing thick glasses and a green sweater—not your typical club scene outfit. Funny enough, this girl is so small that she almost looks too young to be let inside the bar.
The girl doesn’t spare a single glance towards the audience, walking directly to a desk that has millions of electrical cords surrounding it on the left side of the stage. The desk has a computer with speakers connected to it on either side and a guitar placed in front of it, but other than that, the table looks like it belongs in Adam’s office rather than on the little stage. Keith is interested in what she’s going to do with that kind of tech.
Keith doesn’t have to wait much longer because soon someone else is joining her onstage, this time a lanky guy around his age. At least that’s what Keith assumes—the stage is far too dark to make out any discernible details of the performer’s face. The newcomer tinkers around with the equipment for a minute, fixing the microphone height and making sure everything is the way he likes it. It’s so dim that Keith isn’t sure how he can find everything he needs, but somehow he manages. The man turns to look back at the girl and says something that only she can hear. She rolls her eyes at him, pressing a button on her keyboard, but Keith can imagine she’s hiding a fond smile. The girl clicks a few more keys and a steady beat starts to play out of the set of double speakers in front of her. The crowd is getting excited again, jumping up and down and cheering. Tech Girl hits a few more buttons and another sound is automatically layered on top of the previous beat, creating a better and more complicated sound.
So that’s what the computer is for , Keith notes as she adds another layer of sound. The process is so cool that Keith decides to make a mental note to find her after the performance and ask her all about it. Shiro would love this technology stuff.
Shiro .
Keith briefly wonders what his stupid brother is doing. He checks his texts, but there’s still no response, so Keith sighs and tucks his phone back into his jacket. Taking a quick scan around the room, he notices that Shiro is nowhere in sight. He must be off somewhere canoodling with Adam. Whatever, he’s missing out.
Suddenly, all the spotlights turn on at once, lighting up the stage and the singer. Because he’s so distracted by thoughts of Shiro’s location, Keith isn’t expecting such a drastic change and has to stop and rub light spots out of his eyes before he can focus on anything. Once his eyes are clear, he sees the man survey the crowd and start to sing.
“Baby, I like your style.”
Now that the stage lights are on and he’s no longer momentarily blinded, Keith can see just how handsome this guy really is. His eyes aren’t hidden behind glasses like Tech Girl’s—instead, they shine a brilliant blue as he scans over the crowd. Keith is almost taken aback by how pretty they are. Keith doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he’s openly checking out the performer, casually noting how the dark blue baseball tee he’s wearing compliments his eyes and how his dark jeans hug his body very nicely. Keith decides blue is his new favorite color.
Blue-Eyed Boy , Keith muses, deciding it’s an appropriate nickname for the singer. It’s completely dumb and childish, Keith knows that, but he honestly couldn’t care less. Creating dumb nicknames brought him back to a time when Shiro and Keith were just little kids. In their adolescence, the two of them liked to sit on a bench in the park by their house and give people dumb nicknames as they passed. Sometimes, the two of them still played the game when they were in busy restaurants or walking down the street. Unlike most of the nicknames they gave as kids, Blue-Eyed Boy’s nickname is actually accurate.
The man’s voice is smooth and confident. Suddenly Keith understands why everyone on the dance floor is now huddled around the stage. This guy’s face may be hot, but his voice is even hotter. Keith has always been a fan of live music, so he can immediately tell that this guy is a very experienced performer. He looks unbelievably comfortable up on the stage, as if he’s completely at home in his element.
Blue-Eyed Boy is singing some cheesy pop song that Keith has heard a thousand times on the radio, but everyone seems to eat it right up. Usually Keith just rolls his eyes and changes the station when music like this comes on the radio, choosing to ignore typical love song clichés in favor of something more his style. But, for some weird reason, Keith doesn’t really mind this performance.
Well, Keith knows the reason, but it isn’t like he’s going to admit it out loud to anyone. It apparently isn’t a secret that Blue-Eyed Boy is a talented singer as well as very easy on the eyes. So what? Keith has a weakness for cute guys who can sing. Sue him.
And this guy is really cute . He’s so cute that Keith completely forgets about finding Shiro for a little while. Instead, he’s drawn towards watching the performance with renewed interest. Blue-Eyed Boy is grinning at the crowd as he sings and his excited energy is enough to make Keith crack a small smile of his own.
Keith looks around the bar for Shiro and Adam again, but the couple is still nowhere to be seen. He checks the dance floor (or the “Grind Pit” Hunk calls it) but they aren’t there either.
Back in December before Adam had reopened the bar, he asked Shiro to come in to help build a new dance floor where people could listen to the live music and mingle. Shiro has always had an annoying habit of dragging Keith into doing things, so by default he also worked on the dance floor. Tonight, the floor is full of people, most of them smiling and singing along to the lyrics. Those who aren’t singing along are aggressively grinding with a dance partner, even though the song definitely doesn’t call for that. The idea of grinding in the dark with a sweaty stranger is enough to make Keith cringe. Everyone seems to be having fun listening to Blue-Eyed Boy—well, maybe the couples in the Grind Pit are having a little too much fun. Even Hunk has momentarily stopped making drinks so he can watch the performance.
By the second verse, Keith finally remembers his previous plans to escape the bar. Sure, this guy is gorgeous , but he’s most likely aggressively straight judging by the winks he’s sending to the table of girls in the front row. And besides, as much as Keith would enjoy sitting here and drooling over Blue-Eyed Boy all night, he’s hungry and still needs to find Shiro. He could try to call or text him again, but Shiro is either way too busy to answer or doesn’t have his phone on.
Keith shakes his head, glancing around the bar again for his brother's stupid tuft of white hair or his stupid face. Still no sign of that traitor.
What was the point of leaving him here to fend for himself while he went off to have fun with his fiancé? Keith sighs, shaking his head. Shiro knows his brother doesn’t frequent bars that much because Keith hates drunk people and sweaty contact with strangers.
He would never admit it to Shiro, but it was actually a good plan to guilt him into coming to the bar with him for his birthday. If it was any other day of the year, Keith would've scoffed and said “no thanks, but tell Adam I say hi before you start sucking his face.” And then Shiro would have turned red and mumbled something about how they didn't “suck faces” and how Keith made it sound disgusting. Which it was, of course. Keith had walked in on the two of them making out more times than he could count.
But, because it was Shiro's birthday, it meant that he could drag Keith wherever he wanted without any complaint. Why it was this place instead of anywhere else in the world, Keith has no idea. Your thirtieth birthday marks the official end of your adolescence and is the final entry into the full adult world, so it’s apparently some sort of big deal. Or at least that’s what Shiro keeps saying.
Maybe he should just leave. Shiro is clearly off doing who knows what to celebrate his thirtieth birthday with Adam, so maybe he should just leave them to it. Keith rode his own motorcycle here, so he can easily slip out without being noticed. Shiro would understand if he got a text later from Keith saying he was uncomfortable or had some reason to leave. The only thing that’s really keeping him here is the slight guilt of leaving on Shiro’s birthday and Blue-Eyed Boy’s amazing performance. He glances at the singer onstage and grins softy, admiring the guy’s eyes and his smile one last time. He’s really attractive.
But Keith is also really hungry, so he decides maybe it’s time to leave. It might not be the best idea to slowly starve himself just because he wants to somehow get the attention of an unattainable bar performer. It’s pathetic, really. Keith stands up from his barstool and says goodbye to Hunk, making sure he grabs his keys and jacket on the way out. While he’s turning towards the door to leave the bar, he suddenly hears something that makes him stop in his tracks.
“Como tú te llamas, yo no sé…”
Keith freezes, completely caught off guard. He turns back around slowly, looking up on stage to find Blue-Eyed Boy right where he was when Keith had stood up. Except this time, he’s singing in Spanish. Without any hesitation, this guy had completely slipped into another language. It was practically seamless. And really hot.
Just when Keith thought that this stupid singer couldn't get any more attractive. Blue-Eyed Boy has this smug grin on his face that partially annoys Keith and partially makes him want to push the singer against the wall and kiss him.
"Back already?" Hunk teases as Keith sits back down on the stool he was previously sitting on. Keith just shrugs and waves him off, turning back to focus on the performance. The knowing smile Hunk is giving him makes his face feel hot, but he ignores it nonetheless.
Tech Girl is still pressing random keys, and Keith is 78% sure she’s creating a piano sound for the back beat of the song. Blue-Eyed Boy is still feeding off the energy of the crowd, moving around to different parts of the small stage. He tries to moonwalk, which Keith expects to be a complete disaster, but he actually pulls it off and the crowd gets even louder.
The singer’s eyes search the crowd as he dances, and suddenly—his gaze lands right on Keith. Blue-Eyed Boy raises an eyebrow in challenge, never breaking eye contact, and Keith’s breath hitches in his throat. Keith has absolutely no idea what this guy is singing, but he’s too far gone to care.
Blue-Eyed Boy sings the next line of the song and it seems like he’s singing it directly to Keith . Everyone else in the crowded bar fades away until it’s only the two of them.
“Lo único que sé es quiero con usted,” Blue-Eyed Boy sings, his eyes burning holes into Keith’s, “Quedarme contigo hasta el amanecer.” Then he winks, actually winks at Keith, with a stupid smug grin on his face. The next line of the song says something about “mamacita,” but Keith is still reeling from the wink so it doesn’t even register.
That was bold . Maybe Keith likes this guy more than he thought.
His eyes flicker away from Keith’s and all of a sudden he’s doing something with his hips that’s absolutely sinful. The crowd screams and whistles in approval, and Keith can’t help but agree. He decides that after tonight, he can die a happy man.
Hunk chuckles from behind the bar as he cleans dirty glasses, taking in Keith’s red face and wide eyes. “I should’ve warned you that he’s Mr. Smooth . Make sure to close your mouth, Keith.”
Keith rolls his eyes but refuses to comment, knowing he’s been caught red-handed. He’s just glad Shiro isn’t here to see this. If he saw Keith this flustered by Blue-Eyed Boy, he would never pass up the chance to tease him for eternity over his “wittle crush.” Keith shivers at the thought.
The crowd seems equally ecstatic that Blue-Eyed Boy is singing in Spanish. People who were hanging out at the bar and avoiding the dance floor are now magnetically pulled towards it, pushing their way through the huddle around the stage. Everyone, even Keith, is bobbing his or her head to the pounding beat that Tech Girl is creating at that little desk.
“I need a one dance…quedarme contigo hasta el amanecer.” The song ends and the crowd claps wildly as Blue-Eyed Boy and Tech Girl bow.
Their eyes meet again for a fraction of a second over the crowd and Keith immediately ducks his head, embarrassed to be caught staring at the performer. He feels stupid for looking away in such a rush. Nearly every person in the bar is staring at Blue-Eyed Boy, but Keith is just really flustered .
A few more songs pass and Keith continues to accidentally make eye contact with the performer over the crowd. At first he thought it was just his imagination running wild, but at this point there’s almost no way that his gaze isn’t directed straight towards him. Keith is caught between keeping his eyes glued to the singer to properly oogle or staring at his drink when he’s too flustered by the sudden attention. After the final song of their set, Keith lets out a deep breath and tries to ignore the color in his cheeks.
Keith twists in his seat to find Hunk already watching him, a small smirk on his face. “What?” He asks, hoping that Hunk won’t notice how easily he had been turned into a blushing mess.
Apparently, he did notice. Hunk’s smirk grows into another knowing grin. “Oh, nothing.” He teases.
Keith childishly sticks his tongue out at him, taking another sip of his drink. And he thought Shiro was bad. Before Keith can properly defend his honor or come up with a lame excuse, someone taps on his shoulder.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Another smooth voice purrs from behind him. Not this again . Keith turns around to bite back with a sarcastic comment that sounds something like sure, if I can splash it in your face, asshole, but it dies in his throat when he sees who is actually standing behind him. Keith would recognize those stupid blue eyes anywhere. He is even prettier up close.
“Blue-Eyed Boy.” Keith blurts before he can stop himself, too surprised to think straight. He fights the urge to reach up and cover his own mouth in surprise at his sudden outburst. Why does he just love to embarrass himself so much? Blue-Eyed Boy looks equally as surprised at the random nickname, but doesn’t immediately turn away and leave, so Keith decides that it’s probably a good sign. Instead, the singer leans closer and smirks down at him.
“Blue-Eyed Boy, huh?” The way he says it makes Keith wish he would’ve created a better secret nickname. “I usually just go by Lance, but you can call me whatever you want, Pretty Boy.”
Keith prays that the bar is dim enough to hide the red hot flush that’s blazing across his cheeks. Get ahold of yourself, Kogane. After finally composing himself, he levels Lance with what he hopes is an unimpressed stare. Leave it to Keith to reveal all of his flustered emotions in a single facial expression. “Like Pretty Boy is any better.”
Keith has no idea where all this sudden confidence is coming from, especially considering that he was a blushing mess just a few minutes ago, but he decides to roll with it. Lance raises his eyebrows in response, a small smile on his face.
“Can't argue with that,” Lance shrugs and leans against the bar, fixing his gaze on Keith with a small smirk,“I never got your name. Unless you want me to keep calling you 'Pretty Boy' all night.”
Oh, he definitely wouldn't mind that. Keith takes a casual sip of his drink, trying to hide his smile.
“It’s Keith.” The music is so loud in the bar that he has to shout so Lance can hear him.
“Keith.” Lance repeats with a ghost of a smirk, testing out the feel of his name. It makes Keith’s stomach lurch in a pleasant way.
A new song starts to play over the speakers and Lance smirks, leaning forward to whisper in Keith's ear over the pounding beat. His breath ghosts past his ear and Keith tries not to shiver. “Wanna dance?”
Keith's eyes drift over to the spot opened up as a makeshift dance floor and all of the aggressive couples on it. “In the Grind Pit?”
Lance follows Keith's line of vision to the couples roughly grinding down on each other and huffs out a laugh, shaking his head. “So that’s what they're calling it now?” He looks back at Keith and raises an eyebrow again, looking him up and down. “Not that I would really mind.”
The wink that he tacks on the end is almost enough to make Keith jump him right there. Maybe later , he decides, smirking and downing the rest of his drink in one go. Maybe grinding with a stranger wouldn't be as bad as he originally thought.
Keith opens his mouth to say Let's go then, Blue Eyes, but someone clears their throat behind them, cutting off any flirty comment that either of them could’ve said. Keith doesn’t even have to turn around to know exactly who it is. Perfect timing, as usual.
Shiro stands behind them now, a small smirk on his face as he notices the small distance between the two of them. It’s just like his brother to disappear for hours and then come back the one time that Keith is actually getting somewhere with a guy. One time, when he was a teenager, Keith brought a boyfriend home and Shiro somehow ruined all of their attempts at making out. And they tried fifteen different times. Whether the interruptions were accidental or intentional, Shiro always had a knack for crushing Keith's hopes for romance. He always had a sneaking suspicion that the interruptions were all on purpose. Keith never heard from that high school boyfriend again.
Keith huffs out a sigh, leveling Shiro with a subtle glare. Lance, probably thinking that Shiro is some sort of ex-boyfriend or something, looks at Keith with a concerned expression. He somehow manages to communicate a concerned “am I intruding on anything,” through a simple facial expression. It’s so sweet and thoughtful that Keith almost reaches out to kiss his stupid face. He shakes his head, deciding to introduce his brother quickly so they can get back to dancing,“This is my older brother, Shiro. Shiro, this is Lance. He was performing a little while ago.” Lance visibly relaxes next to him when he introduces him as his brother and Keith tries not to think it’s too cute.
Shiro's easy smile widens and Keith already knows it means trouble. “Lance, huh? You were great up there!” He reaches over and slaps the performer on the back, jostling him a little bit, “You know, Keith loves live music! And cute guys who can sing! So, it seems you two are—“
Keith's eyes widen as he hurriedly cuts off his brother. “Shiro! Why don't you go find Adam and stick your tongue down his throat or something?”
“Keith! I don't—We don't—” Shiro stutters, flushing bright red. They stare at each other with narrow eyes for a moment, locked in a dead heat. Please, please, please don't mess this up for me, Shiro. Go away.
His brother seems to understand Keith’s silent plea for privacy and sighs, completely exasperated. “Just call me if you need me, Keith. Have fun.” He waves goodbye to the pair and starts to walk away, presumably to find Adam once again.
Keith can feel the liquid courage racing through his veins and makes a split-second decision to call after Shiro to stop him. “Actually,” Keith says, grabbing Lance's hand, “I think we're leaving. Right, Lance?” The performer, clearly shocked by Keith’s sudden outburst, stares dumbly back at him.
“We are?” He echoes, looking confused.
“You are?” Shiro echoes, looking more skeptical than confused.
“Lance offered to buy me a drink but I think I'm going to cash in that promise for a milkshake instead.” Keith tells Shiro, gripping Lance’s hand. Remembering that it’s Lance who is supposedly treating him, he turns to look at the other man. “If that's alright with you?”
Lance still appears to be pretty stunned, but nods along anyway. “Milkshakes are good.”
Shiro shrugs. “I don't know why you would pass up alcohol for a milkshake, but okay. You two better be careful. Call me if anything happens.” Keith wants to add a sarcastic Sure thing, dad, but he thinks better of it after his stomach growls.
Ready to get some food, Keith nods and turns to Lance, pulling his keys out of his pocket. “I'll drive. Let's go, I'm starving.”
He drags Lance away by his hand, passing by the bar and the large crowd until they’re through the door. Once two of them are finally outside in the night air, Lance finally speaks up.
“So, if I'm buying you a milkshake, does this count as a first date?” He drawls and Keith freezes in realization.
Lance is teasing him and still holding his hand, which is a very good sign, but Keith still momentarily panics. Now that he’s outside, he can finally process what he just did and said to his brother. Did he actually just plan a date with a stranger just to get away from Shiro and his teasing? Keith didn't even ask Lance if he was actually okay with leaving the bar to go get milkshakes! What if he had plans with Tech Girl or someone else?
“Shit!” Keith exclaims, dropping Lance's hand like it burned him. “I-I didn't even really ask if you wanted to leave! I just wanted to get away from my brother and I—I'm sorry! You don't have to—”
Lance’s flirty smirk drops off his face, quickly replaced by a look of concern as soon as Keith starts apologizing. He rushes to stop Keith from freaking out in the middle of the bar parking lot. “Woah, Keith! Slow down there. I didn't mind at all! It was really ballsy, actually. You just took charge and it was—it was really hot.” Lance reaches out to grab his hand again and Keith practically melts into a puddle on the spot. God, since when was he such a sap?
“Oh.” Keith mumbles. The only thing he can concentrate on is the fact that Lance just called him hot . “Let's go then.”
Keith is also still very aware that they’re holding hands. He’s so focused on the feeling of Lance’s hand, in fact, that Keith jumps a mile in the air when the other man nudges him to get his attention. “So, your brother is dating Adam? The owner of the Galaxy Garrison?”
“That’s his fiancé, actually. They've been together for practically a million years. He finally found the courage to propose last June, and now they're all over each other 24/7.” Keith pauses, rolling his eyes, “It would be gross if they weren't so stupidly perfect for each other.”
“So if Adam and Shiro have been dating for 'a million years,' how come this is my first time seeing you?” Lance says, “I would’ve remembered a face as pretty as yours.”
Keith flushes all the way down to his toes, but tries to play it off by rolling his eyes. Damn, this guy is smooth. “That's so cheesy.” He insists, shaking his head.
Lance grins at him, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Well, if you were a cheese, I wouldn't want you to be Prov-alone .”
“Oh no.” Keith groans.
“Don't worry, Keith, I can show you a Gouda time.”
“Don't make me rethink this whole milkshake date.” Keith warns, but there’s no real threat behind it. He would be lying if he said he didn't think his stupid puns were cute.
“Aha!” Lance shouts, pointing his finger at Keith with a goofy smile on his face, “So this is a date!”
“Lance.” Keith warns again, stopping in front of a parking spot and jingling his keys. Lance stops next to him, a smug grin still on his face.
“Fine, fine!” Lance relents, but he’s still grinning from ear to ear. “So, which one is your ride?” He asks, looking at all of the surrounding cars.
“Here she is,” Keith says, gesturing to the motorcycle directly in front of them, “I think I have a second helmet so—”
“Woah, woah, woah! You—” Lance pauses, staring at the motorcycle with a strange expression. His mouth is wide open as he steps towards the bike. Keith is suddenly very anxious about his mode of transportation, which has never happened before. Keith really wants Lance to like his bike.
You idiot! the voice in the back of Keith’s head chimes, What if he doesn't feel comfortable on motorcycles? Or what if he has an intense fear of them? What if—
“ —this has got to be the most badass thing I've ever seen.” Lance says in awe, effectively cutting off any terrified thoughts Keith was having. He walks around Keith's bike slowly, inspecting every inch of it and running his hands over the cherry red paint coat. Lance turns to stare at him, studying him once again with wide eyes. “Could you honestly get any hotter?”
Holy shit . “Uh—” Keith flounders. How is he supposed to respond to something like that?
Luckily, Lance saves him from embarrassing himself too much. “Don't answer that. I like surprises.” He winks again, a flirty smile present on his face.
That’s already the third time Lance has winked at him tonight and he is not okay . Keith doesn’t know how the hell he’s going to drive his bike properly with his heart beating this fast.
Play it cool, Keith.
“Just get on the damn bike, Lance.” He sighs, pretending to sound exasperated, and hands over his second helmet. It’s a good thing Keith had given Shiro a ride earlier that week, or else he wouldn’t have had a second helmet with him.
“Feisty.” Lance teases, putting on the helmet and hopping on the back of his bike.
Keith’s stomach growls again. You know what sounds good right about now? McDonald’s . He turns to look back at Lance who has just settled behind him, laughing when their helmets clacked together because of their close proximity. “Hey, would you mind going to get some fast food instead? I’m starving and I could use something greasy.”
Lance scoots closer, purring in his ear. “I’m up for anything as long as it’s with you, darli—hey!” Keith revs his engine and pulls away, effectively cutting off whatever flirty thing Lance was going to say. The last thing Keith hears before he pulls onto the open road is the sound of Lance’s indignant shriek and the warm feeling of his arms gripping tighter around his waist.
But, apparently , the universe never wants Keith to have the last laugh.
“If you wanted me to hold onto you tighter, you could’ve just said so, Pretty Boy.” Keith is so surprised by Lance’s sudden seductive whisper in his ear that he almost swerves right off the road. Keith is not going to survive this date if Lance keeps up with all these comments. For now, he just has to focus on the road and ignore the feeling of Lance pressed up against him.