Lance wasn't sure when it happened…okay, well, obviously it was after the whole "I'm a girl" thing, but seriously, who saw that one coming?

Before that, she was just, you know, Pidge. Pidge Gunderson. A total nerd, the person he went to for notes when he fell asleep in class, his snappy communications officer. And then she was a girl.

It wasn't like it changed everything. He still admired the things about her that he'd admired before, but now he just…it was different. And he couldn't figure out why.

When she'd make a sarcastic reply, he found himself stuttering, not joking back. When she offered to go out on mission, he found himself volunteering to go with her, not patting her on the back as she left.

At first he didn't know why it was happening, so he summed it up to protectiveness. After all, she was on his team, and all the Paladins had to look out for each other. But over time, he realized it was something else.

Maybe it started that time when he tried to stop Keith from blowing their cover. Her remark about how he was a "paragon of leadership" had struck him as exceptionally funny, but he also found that he didn't know what to say back.

Ooh, and then she was the one who found him and Hunk on that water planet with the mermaids. He'd never been so happy to see the green lion in his entire life!

And man, remember when they were fixing the ship, and she couldn't stop geeking out over the tech? It was so cute, and all he could do was tell her it wasn't a sunset. How stupid was that! But then they went to Olkarion, and she was just incredible! I mean, she turned a tree into a rolling-ball-tank-car-thingy. Who knew, right?

That wasn't all, though! There was the first time she seemed to actually care about him. Gosh, and he'd thought that holding scaltrite discs made his heart race— now he knew that hearing her voice telling him to hold tight did just the same.

Ugh and he didn't even want to think about what happened a week after that. Honestly, how desperate could he look wading through a fountain for coins like that? To be fair, it was worth it to see her face when they purchased the gaming system. Plus, they got a cow, and he got to ride on the cow with her behind him. Okay, he had to admit that was probably the best day of his life.

But then there was that mission on Beta Traz, which was a mixed bag because first she'd doubted that he was a good shot (therefore, he made sure that she and Shiro had a perfect shot), but then after that she and him worked so well together? Maybe he was still trying to impress her, and that's why he didn't argue with a single thing she said, but he couldn't help but think they made a great pair.

After that, there was the whole Shiro-is-missing thing, and there were times when Lance thought he'd never manage a smile. Then there she was— leaning close to him at the dinner table and sharing his look of exasperation at Kolivan's "motivational" speech. He was just glad he'd held in his blush.

And then…it happened. They were being hunted down by Lotor. Lance had never felt more scared in his life, but worse, he was scared for Pidge. There was a final attack, and boom— they were split up. He'd wanted to go ballistic, wanted to hunt Lotor down himself, wanted to search every single cavern until he knew she was safe again. They made it through the harrowing experience— joking about his intelligence toward the end, even— but something had changed.

Since then, he'd decided to keep his distance. It was better that way, or safer, at least. He wouldn't let his emotions get him off track, and therefore would be a better team member over all.

And yes, he still kept a special eye on her during missions. And yes, maybe he took it a bit too far when he thought he should leave the team altogether (of course, when this happened, Keith had to mention the one person who could change his mind: Pidge). And yes, maybe he did go a little overboard with the razzle dazzle, but part of him just really wanted to impress her.

…yeah, he was in deep. So deep that he hadn't even told Hunk.

Why was he scared to admit it? It wasn't like Pidge wasn't worthy of admiration. She was super cool in a lot of ways, and he was sure it wouldn't be the first time some guy had a crush on her.

But still…it felt almost wrong in a way. She was her, and he was just…him. The wanna-be pilot who can barely keep up with everyone else, whether it's in intellect or out on the field.

He had no right to someone like her, yet…he really really wished that he did.

So maybe this was his chance.

They were finally back home, and the war was finally over. Maybe now he could put aside this stagnant team bond, blast through the stiff wall he'd forcefully put up to keep himself focused on the mission at hand. Now, he could be honest with himself, with his feelings, with her.

Yup, tonight he would make the first move.

"NO!"

Now Shiro knew why Allura had called him into the room, then promptly left.

"Come on out, Katie, I'm sure it's not that bad."

"I look ridiculous!"

"I bet you don't."

"You haven't seen me yet."

Shiro sighed. "True. Just come out, and if it's really so bad, then I'll see if we can find you something else."

He heard some grumbling, along with the swishing of fabric against the floor.

"It really is necessary to make a good impression, Pidge," he said, tone pleading.

Her tone was stubborn. "But like, why? I'm a Paladin, not a princess."

His eyes rolled. "If you don't get out here in three seconds, I'm coming in."

That got her. There was a angry grunt, then the door opened.

It was moments like this that made Shiro realize how long they'd been at war. Four years ago, she was Pidge. Today, she was Katie Holt, an absolute vision in a long dark green gown and her hair braided back in some fancy style.

She saw Shiro's blank expression and sighed. "See, I told you it was awful."

Shiro blinked, then walked forward and wrapped her in a hug. She seemed startled, but soon returned the hug.

"You look great, Katie," Shiro whispered. "I know all this hasn't been easy, but…your dad would be so proud."

He heard her breath hitch, and he held her tighter. It had only been a few months since she and Matt discovered their father's grave on a random moon. He knew the pain was still there, but tonight, he was determined to make her forget all of that.

And he had just the man for the job.

"Is my bowtie straight?"

Lance turned around and tilted his head. "Meh, here, let me-" he said, immediately untying Hunk's bowtie and getting to work on fixing it.

Hunk stood as still as he could, occasionally glancing down at Lance in curiosity. "You're better at this than I thought you'd be."

"Little brothers," Lance said with a shrug. "Mama taught me how to do it so we could get everyone ready for church in time."

Hunk hummed, and Lance stepped back to take a final look. After he nodded, the two stepped out of his quarters. They walked through the hallway in sync.

"Guess this is it," Hunk finally said. "It's over. We all get to go home." He paused, then said, "…do you think we'll all stay friends?"

Lance looked up at Hunk and gave him a big smile. "Of course we will!" Lance said with a pat to Hunk's shoulder. "You, me, and Pidge will go back to the Garrison-"

"As if," Hunk snorted.

"-and Keith will get reinstated, even though he's crazy. And Shiro will be our professor! And we'll all graduate with honors, and then we'll get back to exploring the universe!" Lance sighed happily, sticking his hands in his pockets. "It all worked out after all."

"Looks like it," Hunk hummed as they approached the final door. "Which one of us goes out first again?"

"You, then me, then Keith, Shiro, and Pidge and Matt last," Lance recited. "Oh, and Allura and Coran after that."

"Wow, I've never heard you forget Allura before," Hunk teased.

Lance rolled his eyes. "Oh please, you know I've been over her for ages. Besides, I don't think she could handle someone like me."

"Lance, no one can handle you."

The boys turned to see Keith and Shiro approaching.

Lance stuck his tongue out. "Ha ha, very funny, Keith."

Hunk shrugged. "I thought it was."

There was a moment where a sentimental smile ran throughout the group— man, remember the days where he and Keith fought constantly?— and then Lance looked around.

"Wait…where's Pidge?"

Shiro's nose scrunched up. "She, uh…well-"

"Shiro made her cry," Keith stated bluntly.

"I did not!" Shiro claimed, before immediately adding on, "Okay, well, I might have. Allura sent me in because Pidge hated her dress, and she couldn't get her out of the bathroom, so I got her to come out, and then I might have mentioned her dad-"

Lance groaned. "Seriously? Why the quiznak would you do that?"

"Because she looked nice, and I thought her father would've said so," Shiro said defensively. "Anyways, she and Allura are fixing her makeup, but I wanted to talk with you guys. She's been through a lot lately, and I want this to be a night for her to feel special, okay?"

Suddenly Lance felt super self conscious. Was it just him, or did Shiro's eyes stare into his soul when he said that? I mean, sure, Shiro said it to the whole group, but there was something about the way he looked directly at Lance at the end that really set the Cuban boy on edge. Did Shiro know about his crush or was he silently asking him not to screw up?

Probably both, to be honest.

Everyone nodded, then turned to form a line. There was silence, and Lance fidgeted. He never did like the silence. It was tense, unforgiving, uncomfortable, and awkward. He didn't know what to do with silence. But then— thankfully— the silence was broken. And by none other than her.

First it was one footstep, then another. It wasn't like her usual ones. He always knew her usual ones— the sound of her old rubber soles hitting the sleek alien floors. High heels are different, though. It was a lighter sound, but one thing remained constant— the rhythm. Even, steady, and fast. Determined, even a little bit angry, he realized with a chuckle.

He turned to see if he was right—

and he froze.

In hindsight, it should've been obvious. Hunk and Keith didn't even see him step forward, but there Lance was— standing in front of Pidge and kissing her hand.

"You look beautiful," he said, his voice as light as ever, but there was something else to it as well. An overwhelming sense of genuineness. Lance telling girls that they were pretty was as common as the sun setting, but this was different.

Hunk and Keith's eyes met, a silent acknowledgement of this fact. Matt, who had been walking with her, raised an eyebrow. Shiro just smiled.

This would be an interesting night.

The crowd was cheering, applauding, standing— all the stuff that the Paladins were pretty used to at this point, if they were being honest. It wasn't like they really wanted all the attention anyways. They did what they had to do, and knowing that the universe was safe was enough for them.

Lance put on his usual charming smile and waved, glancing down the line to see if everyone else was doing the same. Hunk sure was, and so was Shiro. Keith, well, what could you expect from that guy? He was smiling a little bit, at least. Then there was Pidge, who wasn't smiling hardly at all, he noted worriedly. Her eyes seemed hollow, and he detected some of the leftover sadness he'd seen earlier. He'd gotten it to go away for a little bit— telling her she looked beautiful had done the trick, and either way, it was the truth.

He had to get her to smile again, he determined. And what better way than a dance?

The Paladins stepped off the stage in cue, and the band started up playing. His heart was racing, and he really wished he had more confidence right now, but that wasn't likely.

Swallowing hard, he walked over to where Pidge was chatting with Allura and cleared his throat.

"Ehem," he said loudly. Their eyes turned to him, and he bowed his head dramatically to hide his blush. "Might I get the first dance, Lady Holt?"

He could almost see her roll her eyes when she mumbled, "Yup, he's still crazy," to Allura. The girls shared a laugh, and he nearly fainted. Wait, had they been talking about him before he walked up?

He didn't have time to think about it for long, though, because Pidge was placing her hand in his and giving him a smile. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Lance grinned. Katie's enthusiasm had always been infectious, and he'd honestly missed it. Remind me why he'd been keeping his distance?

He led her over to the dance floor, making sure to give her a little twirl before they settled into a classic waltz position.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're…actually good at this," she commented.

He chuckled at the surprise in her voice. "Of course I am! I'm the whole package: looks, talent-"

"Brains?" she queried mischievously.

Lance pouted. "Hey!"

"Just kidding," she laughed. "You're plenty smart, just not smarter than me."

"Well we all knew that," he winked, sparking another laugh from her.

This was what he wanted. Just him and her, in each other's arms, laughing all their cares away. But he'd only get there if he said something, he realized with a gulp. He needed to do it, and soon before he lost his chance.

But it had to be something good, something really smooth, something that she would never forget—

"You know, Pidge, you really aren't that bad."

Quiznak, that was his opening line?!

She was looking at him expectantly now. "Aaaaaaand?"

Was it hot in here? He felt like he was going to melt into a puddle of sweat.

"And you know," he trailed off awkwardly. "I like you."

She quirked an eyebrow and flashed a joking smile. "Oh really?"

He swallowed. "Yes, really, I do— I mean, I do, um, l-like you. A lot, actually. You're, um…very pretty, and well, that's not all, obviously- you're cool, too, and smart! And uh, funny and stuff."

"Oh."

There it was: awkward silence. The kind that he hated the most.

Lance tried to put on a lighthearted smile, but he knew his nerves made it look tense. "Is that a good oh or a bad oh?"

"It's an I-didn't-expect-this oh," she said slowly. "How…how long?"

He tilted his head to the side as though he was thinking. "A while," he shrugged.

She gave him a stern look, and he sighed.

"A few years," he mumbled.

His heart was beating out of his chest, and he didn't know if he could take this much longer. He'd rather her just reject him already so he could move on. He was regretting this, all of it— asking her to dance, getting up the courage to tell her his feelings, thinking that he could possibly wind up with someone like—

"Okay."

He blinked. "…okay?"

She smiled at him, and his heart nearly stopped. "Okay," she confirmed. "I had no idea you felt that way, so, you know…give me a bit of time to let it sink in," she laughed. He couldn't help but chuckle bashfully with her.

Pidge's eyes softened, and she gave him a look that he could only classify as curiosity. "I've always thought highly of you, Lance, even though sometimes I acted like I didn't. So…" she trailed off, her hand reaching up and tucking a stray hair behind his ear familiarly. Quiznak, he forgot how much he used to love it when she did that. He leaned into the touch, but then her hand was gone, returned to his shoulder.

"All that being said, I'd be more than happy to give it a shot."

Lance's eyes widened. "Y-You would? I-I mean, you will? Really? Seriously?"

She laughed. The sound had him unwittingly tightening his grip on her. "Only if you think you can actually handle me."

There was challenge in her voice— he heard it clear as day. He smirked and pulled her close, pleased when Pidge blushed furiously.

"I think I know how you tick by now," he teased, their noses almost touching. "So I don't think that'll be a problem."

She visibly swallowed, then looked away. "Whatever," she mumbled. "Just don't take me on a walk through the park for our first date. My allergies won't be able to take it."

Eyes bright, Lance spun Pidge around to rest her back against his chest. He held her close, cherishing the feeling of finally having her in his arms for longer than a tick. "Don't worry, I was thinking along the lines of dinner and a movie. It's been ages since I've been to a theater, and I hear there's this really cool musical out right now-"

Pidge knew she should've been paying attention to what Lance was saying, but honestly, she couldn't. First, there was his voice. It was soothing and weirdly exciting at the same time. And his arms were around her, and they were swaying back and forth in time to the music. Then there was the music itself— it too was very nice, but a little busy. It was all getting to be too much.

'Okay,' she told herself. 'Breath. Think. Take in the elements. What is going on?'

Well, first of all, there was the bombshell that Lance has apparently had a crush on her for several years— and done a good job at hiding it, she realized. She didn't know if she should be impressed or distressed. Had she been hurting him this whole time? Why hadn't she noticed?

That was the real question, wasn't it? How had she been so blind? Her, the girl who prided herself on always taking note of everything. How had she missed it? Were there obvious signs? Did anyone else know?

He was spinning her back around now, and their eyes locked.

HIs eyes were blue, she realized suddenly. Blue like the ocean at a depth of 3000 feet. And they were kind, too. She'd seen that kindness before, that concern he often had for everyone and their safety, but now…it seemed so warm. Understanding. Accepting.

It struck her in that moment that this boy— this man— in front of her knew everything there was to know about her. He'd seen her at her very best and her very worst. And even with all of that data…

Her eyes widened.

…he still chose to like her. For years.

She blinked again, feeling her mind start to spiral out of control again, because now what? What did they do? She's agreed to give this a chance, but what if it didn't work out and what if it was awkward and they weren't friends anymore but oh quiznak they'd still have to work together and that would be impossible and-

"-idge? Pidge? Pi-"

This couldn't work, she realized. She couldn't endanger their friendship or the team like this. She had to put an end to this, right now, before she screwed everything up and-

"Katie!"

Oh. Lance looked worried— really worried. And his eyes were close to her own eye level now. She idly wondered when that had happened, when she'd gotten taller and was no longer his arm rest.

"Are you okay?" he was saying. "You weren't responding. What do you need?"

She almost wanted to burst into tears. What did she need? Quiznak, that was a loaded question. She needed therapy from being in a teenager in a war for four years. But for now, she searched the ballroom until she found what she was looking for.

"There," she nodded.

Lance turned and saw the door she referred to. "A little fresh air for milady? Of course." He transitioned their position so that their arms looped together, leading them through the crowd to the cool outdoors.

The second they stepped outside, Pidge felt at ease. That ballroom had been filled with way too much stimuli, and that was not what she needed right now. Speaking of right now, Lance's arm felt warm against hers, and she kind of wanted to lean into it.

Instead, she unhooked her arm and made her way over to the half stone wall of the balcony, pushing herself up to sit on top of it. Lance followed, but stayed at a distance. Knowing each other for a long time has its perks, she realized. He knew how to handle her when she got into a mood like this.

Pidge took in a deep breath, then let it out. The stars— they would distract her. She could pick out constellations until she calmed down. With that goal in mind, she gazed upwards towards the heavens, but even then all she could think about was the fact that her dad's body lay up there somewhere in the dusty ground of a moon.

He must have seen the faraway look in her eyes, because Lance was taking a step forward.

"What is it, Pidge?" he asked softly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong per-say," she replied immediately, then regretted the way her voice sounded so automated. Pidge sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. "It's just— there's a lot to take in right now," she muttered.

He stepped closer. "Like what?" She gave him a half annoyed look, and he said, "I know, I know you have a lot going on recently, but-" Quiznak, he was closer now, and the blue in his eyes was shining in the moonlight.

"I want to hear it from you," he said. "I don't want to assume I know what's going through your head."

She nodded before she realized she'd done it. "Well…I miss my dad," she admitted. "And I always thought that when I came back home to Earth, it'd be with him."

Sympathy filled his eyes, and she looked away. She hated sympathy for some weird reason. It made her feel weak, like others thought she couldn't handle what was happening. Almost like—

Oh. One of Lance's hands was on the bottom of her chin, gently pulling her back toward him.

His eyes were entirely serious, but his voice was kind. "I can't imagine what that feels like," he confessed. "And I'm sure it'll take a long time before you can move on, but…something tells me that isn't all that's bothering you."

Pidge looked down, and she heard a sigh.

"It's me, isn't it?"

Her head snapped up at his defeated voice. His hand had fallen away from her face, and she had to stop herself from taking it back.

But he kept going. "I should've waited until a better time to tell you. I don't want to make things complicated, Pidge. If you want, we can act like this never happened."

She couldn't stand it anymore. She grabbed both of his hands, squeezing them as she met his sad ocean eyes with her wide honey ones.

"No, Lance, that's- it's not, you-," she stuttered. "I-I mean, yes, this isn't the most opportune time in the world, because we just arrived back home after fighting in a war for way too long, and the prospect does frighten me because I don't want to mess up because I care about you a lot, and I-" Pidge stopped herself suddenly.

Her voice was caught in her throat, but she swallowed and managed to say, "I don't want to lose you."

Lance's eyes were soft. His hands left hers to cup her face. "You could never lose me, Katie, I promise you."

Warmth spread through her, and she felt— for the first time in a long time— at peace. All of the pain from the past few years melted away instantly. There was no stress, no hurt, no panic, no fear. It was just her and him.

She smiled. Maybe this could work out after all.

"Thank you, Lance."

"Anything for you."

She had the feeling he meant that with his whole heart.

Hello! This story came to me rather randomly, and I might have a few more chapters afterward just for fun. Feel free to let me know if you have any ideas!