“Come on, Lance, are you the same guy who dragged Hunk out of the dorms in the middle of the night? The one who sprinted inside a giant mechanical lion without question?”
“I’m not seventeen anymore, Pidge. I can’t believe you of all people are complaining that I’m responsible now.”
“What do you mean, me of all people?”
“I just - I meant - not...” he clenched his eyes shut and sighed. “I don’t do that kind of dumb shit anymore.”
“I get that you’re heartbroken, but that doesn’t mean you should while away your life planetside when you obviously were meant for adventure.”
“You don’t understand, Pidge.”
“Then explain it to me. I have it on good authority that I’m a quick study.”
She had her arms crossed stubbornly across her chest.
“Have you ever been in love?” He asked.
“Yes.” Her eyes just about popped out of her sockets like she had expected her answer just about as much as he had.
Lance shook it off. “Imagine losing that person, Pidge. Imagine giving them your everything only to have them become a martyr. Try to imagine how losing that will change you.”
“I don’t want to. I’m trying not to find out. That’s why I’m here, you dumbass.”
“I’m here for you, Lance. I want you to come back. I miss you.”
She held up her hand. “Oh my god, I’m not asking for romance or anything, so don’t even finish that sentence. I love you and I miss you and it’s stupid to deny those facts, but that’s my problem, not yours.”
Lance didn’t know what to say to that. He had so many questions, like how did she just take heartbreak in stride? Had he broken her heart when he and Allura got together? When did Pidge start liking him? How long has he not seen one of his best friend’s love right under his nose? What the hell did she see in him?
Oh. That’s exactly what she was trying to tell him.
“You belong in the stars, Lance. I don’t care if you’re a damn grown-up now, there’s no way you’re not still a bouncing goofball somewhere in there.” She put her hands on the table and learned toward him. “Don’t you miss the adventure? The rush of space? Meeting new aliens and eating questionable food?”
Lance chuckled. “Maybe not the last one.”
Her eyes glittered. “So you admit it? You’re not happy down here.”
“I’m...content. I’m with my family again. You know what that’s like, what it means.”
“You’re family wants you to be happy. If I know anything about families it’s that, and I promise with the war ended we can visit Earth whenever you want.” He didn’t miss the ‘we’ in there.
Lance leaned back in his chair. “The Lions left us, Pidge. What would I even do out there?”
Pidge grinned. “Keith’s actually recommended you for an ambassadorial role in the new interplanetary coalition.”
She cracked up laughing. Her face went pink and she gripped the table’s edge so tight that her knuckles turned white. “Oh my god, you should see your face!”
Lance glared at her. “That’s so not funny Pidge! You can’t get a guy’s hopes up like that then do a bait and switch!”
His tone immediately sobered her. Pidge coughed once and gently poked his cheek, trying to get him to look at her again. “Lance, I swear, I was serious about the ambassador thing. Your expression was just so funny I couldn’t help myself.”
He deigned to meet her eyes again.
“I think he misses you annoying him all the time,” she said softly.
“I already bared my feelings to you once today, don’t push it.”
He thought for a minute, balancing his chair on the back legs that would surely get him yelled at if his mom came into the dining room any time soon. “I gotta admit...it’s tempting.”
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