Outer space | klance au |

34: empty stairwell

Lance turned the page of the worn book he was currently reading. Romelle was eating her sandwich and Shiro was between the pair ranting about whatever patient happened upon the ER. It was amusing really, so much so that Lance had to bite his lip to keep his smile contained. He was waiting for something to disturb their peace and the disruption came in the form of a question.

"Are these seats taken?" A voice spoke behind Lance and Romelle began choking on her lunch. It seemed to be a reoccurring incident whenever someone approached their table. She coughed harshly into her hand and groaned. Shiro leaned over and opened her water for her and she took grateful gulps. Lance had set down his book to turn and look at whoever asked the question. He was surprised to see James and his friend Kinkade. No wonder why Romelle had looked taken back. The two doctors had their lunch trays in their hands and Lance saw a light pink dusted James's cheeks. They looked good and a certain fluttering rose in the doctor to be's chest.

"Nope," Lance said and gestured toward the many empty seats around them, hoping he didn't look as nervous as he felt. "They're all yours," he smiled at the interns.

"I told you they were coming," Shiro mumbled to the blonde woman as the pair sat down. Romelle moved some of her things to give Kinkade more room. "You knew and you were still shocked?" Shiro gave her an incredulous look while James laughed at the exchange.

"I guess I was surprised?" She looked suddenly shy. Romelle twisted her water bottle cap on and off.

"That's just how Romelle welcomes people to the table," he teased her. "She did the same with you," Lance reminded. That made the pair think back and simultaneously remember because Romelle suddenly flushed red and Shiro laughed.

"This is mortifying," Romelle whispered and tried to cover her face.

"I think it's kind of cute." Kinkade's soft voice broke over the light conversation that fell over the table and Romelle began stammering. Lance looked at her curiously but tore his gaze away from his friend when James spoke.

"You might just make the poor girl faint." James laughed as Kinkade shrugged. He seemed to be unbothered by his friend's statement because he went back to eating his salad. James shifted his gaze on Lance. "That book looks well loved," he joked.

Lance tore his eyes away from the story to really look at Keith's book. The cover looked folded and bent in some places and the margins were covered in blue ink but the pages felt nice when he turned them. He sort of flushed. "It's my..." Lance trailed off. What was Keith to him? "My friend's?" Friend didn't seem like the right word and James seemed to know it. He raised his eyebrow at him but didn't say anything.

"Are you going to watch the show after you finish?" He nodded to the cover. Lance remembered what Lotor has said about the TV show and shrugged. He imagined The Handmaid's Tale a certain way and was afraid that the show would take over the story that played out in his head. "I've heard it's good." James smiled and Lance relaxed as the tension left the surrounding area.

"It's only my to watch list," Shiro piped in with a smile. "When I have time I mean," he added. He couldn't imagine what Shiro's schedule was like but he knew he would be facing it in a few years and that was an exciting thought.

The last days of his neurology rotation were passing by quickly and he hated it. Lance liked where he was and didn't want things to change. As much as he hated to admit it, he was even going to miss Kaltenecker. The older doctor had told his favorites that his floor would always be open to them, his time always available and Lance wanted to stay so badly in the safety of his routine. The doctor to be turned back to the book and tuned out the small talk around him. He quickly glanced over the comments in the margin letting his mind wander to the writer for a brief moment.