Phone Tag (Shidge/Klance)

Chapter 11

"Aw, no dress today?"

Katie was back to wearing baggy t-shirts and cargo shorts. "This is what happens when your dog destroys the only dress you own." Her tone was at odds with her cheerful expression. It just felt good to wear something comfortable again.

Keith squinted at her. "You still look a little different. Less pasty, I guess?"

Lance gasped. "You don't recognize that handiwork?"

"No." Keith folded his arms. "Is there a reason I should?"

"Lance did my make-up and hair," Katie said. She was less than surprised that Keith didn't realize Lance did her make-up. She could enter the building riding a miniature pony with a parade in tow, and Keith still wouldn't notice. Still, the fact he noticed she wore make-up was a start.

Keith gave Lance a thumb's up. "What's the occasion?"

"Helping care for some kittens," she trailed off and quietly added, "With a friend."

"You like him, don't you?" Keith asked. "This friend."

Lance shoved Keith playfully. "Nah, she likes that caller. The veteran... oh, what's his name..."

"Takashi?" Keith offered.

"Yeah, him. Don't you, Pidge?" Lance clapped a hand on Katie's back, nearly knocking her glasses off. "Sorry! Sometimes I forget how small you are."

Katie repositioned her glasses. Lance was right. She liked Takashi. A lot. But he clearly didn't feel anything towards her. "I don't know how I feel about Shiro, but apparently he likes me."

He was handsome and pretty smart, but what did he see in her? Why did he like her? She worked at a tech support center. Her closest friend was her dog and the guy who found Rover. It didn't make any sense.

Lance groaned. "You should've told me this was a date. I would've gone all out."

"It's not a date!" Katie protested. "Just two friends with a lot of cats and good food."

Keith and Lance eyed one another, both smiling wickedly at one another. "It's a date," they said in unison. "Jinx! Jinx again!"

"Lance, you lost," Katie said.

Lance's jaw dropped. "That is not true. I demand a rematch!"

"Not like it matters. Pidge said your name." Keith sighed. "It would've been nice to have some peace and quiet around here for a change."

It had been four days since Hunk stopped by with a cat-filled cardboard box. At five days old, the kittens still didn't do much. Shiro wasn't sure if they could hear yet, but their eyes were still shut. (Hunk had assured Shiro they normally open around two weeks.)

Other than the overwhelming scent of cat and sounds of hungry mews and hissing from their mother (whose name was still undecided as of yet), Shiro's apartment was relatively unchanged. The kittens relied mostly on their cranky mother for care, so that just left Shiro to care for her.

She didn't seem particularly keen on his help. She tossed her nose up at the cat food he offered—though Hunk said she'd wolfed it down around him. At least she had the decency to use the litterbox.

Despite this cat's ungrateful attitude, she was somehow growing on Shiro. He found himself talking to her. Sure, she didn't respond to him (and when she did, it was with a hiss or scratch), but it was just nice to have someone to talk to—in person, anyways.

And maybe that'd get Pidge's coworkers off her back. "I feel kind of bad they keep teasing her whenever I call. She's also upset with me. I can hear it in her voice. She tries to hide it, and I can tell she feels guilty about whatever's bothering her. I don't want to pry."