Shut Up and Dance With Me

Chapter 15: Epilogue: We Belong

Summary:

He lets his gaze linger on Keith's form, the way his body moves. He's graceful but powerful. A threat and strength rolling and shifting beneath the fluidity of his movements.

It's incredibly fascinating.

It's incredibly hot.

Lance finds his gaze lingering longer than necessary, head staying turned toward him even as he moves, like a compass facing north. Drawn to him. Transfixed.

....................................................................

"Okay, but we should totally look into auditioning as a group."

"Lance," Pidge says flatly, in a tone that's equal parts exasperated and fond. "You just learned how to dance with someone else. Do you really think jumping into group choreography is a good idea?"

Lance scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "I could handle it."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure we could handle you."

"Now that's just rude. You guys love me."

"Doesn't mean you're easy to work with, buddy." Hunk says, apologetic and kind. A hand reaches over to pat him, but it's a blind reach at an awkward angle, so fingers just end up groping and brushing at his shoulder and the side of his face.

"Keith can work with me," He tilts his head back as far as he can to look up at the boy in question. "Right, babe?" He tries to hit him with the pouty lip and the big, watery eyes, but Keith isn't looking at him. His head remains turned to the side, eyes fixed on Pidge's computer screen. He does, however, catch the slightly quirk at the corner of Keith's lips. It's just enough to lift his entire expression.

"Just because I can doesn't mean it's easy," He says, but unlike Pidge, his voice is perhaps one part flat amusement and two parts fondness.

"Oh, stuff it, mullet." Lance reaches up behind him to idly swat at Keith's head, catching at his hair.

Keith doesn't even look as he reaches up to push his hand away. "Keep calling me that, and I'm gonna shave it."

It's an empty threat, and they both know it. Keith likes his hair like it is, and he knows that Lance does, too. He loves getting it tugged, and Lance loves running his fingers through it. Still, that doesn't stop him from threatening to cut it frequently, just as it doesn't stop Lance from reacting to the threat.

Lance gasps loudly, voice rising. "Don't you dare."

"I dunno how you do it, dude," Hunk says with a shake of his head, patting Keith on the shoulder.

"Someone has to," Keith says gravely.

Lance makes an indignant sound, but his protest dies on his tongue as Keith reaches up and runs his fingers through his hair. The movements are slow and methodical, idle and familiar in the way his blunt nails scratch as Lance's scalp, moving through the short strands with practiced ease.

He relaxes instantly, slouching just a little further. He can feel Keith's chest shake with silent laughter, but he opts to ignore it in favor of tilting his chin up, nuzzling into Keith's hand. He can laugh all he wants. Point is, it feels good. He lets his eyes fall closed as he sighs softly.

"I'm proud of you for teaching him how to play nice with others," Pidge says. "But I'm not sure he's ready for that big of a group."

Lance reaches out blindly, to shove their shoulder. "Okay, but seriously," He says, opening his eyes. He turns slightly to gesture to Pidge's laptop screen. YouTube is pulled up, and the music video for Handclap is playing. "Just image all of us dancing to this. Shiro and Allura can be in the center, and all of us can be the dancers around them. All wearing morphsuits and shit. We can even get Matt in on it!"