checking (you) out (Pidge/Lance)
Summary:Â Katie works the tech desk at the university library. Lance never remembers to wipe his memory card before returning the camera equipment, which is how she becomes intimately familiar with his life via, of all things, his vlogs.
A/N: finally get to post this in full! Written for @plance-zine ; it was wonderful to be part of such a project, and shoutout to the mods for keeping everything running smoothly! :)
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People, Katie has decided, are predictable. Â Watch them for long enough, and their everyday motions start to read like clockwork. Â At 9 AM on Thursdays, she shows up for her shift behind the libraryâs tech desk. At 9:20, the girl with space buns and an artfully distressed jean jacket strides in, heading straight for one of the study pods. Â At 9:25, somebody blows through the doors in a last-minute effort to print materials for their 9:30 class. And at 10:50, ten minutes before Katieâs shift ends, Lance McClain shows up, laboring under the weight of a camera bag, backpack, and tripod.
Katie reaches for the scanner as Lance puffs his way toward her, depositing the tripod on the table with a heavy clunk. Â It takes him another minute to locate his student ID card: he checks the pocket of his cargo jacket first (not thereâit never is) before wriggling his fingers into his jean pocket instead. Â When he hands the plastic over, itâs warm from being pressed against his thigh. Â
Katie spares it a passing glance as she pulls up the âEquipment Returnâ form, filling in the requisite information.
âYouâre good to go.â Â She gives him a thumbs-up, careful not to look him straight in the eye.
âCool, thanks.â Flashing a bright grin, Lance backpedals toward the doors, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. Â
Once heâs disappeared completely from view, Katie unzips the camera bag. She flicks the dial to on and goes straight to display mode. Â Sure enough, the schmuck hasnât bothered wiping the memory card. Â
Smirking, Katie kicks her feet up on the table and leans back in her chair. Â
Let the entertainment begin.