Guilty Pleasure - Chapter 1 - Dare, Double-Dare

Garrison Inn, San Diego California

Lance was looking for Keith. He knew he was hiding somewhere in this building. The party has been pretty cool so far, but as an industry event, it was getting a bit boring. The hotel they were in had been an old army barracks and thus, had many cool nooks and crannies which enabled Keith to hide out effectively.

Lance was looking for a partner in mayhem and had already struck out with his other bandmates. Hunk was chatting up the chef in the kitchen because the food was 'mega' good. He wanted tips on the perfect 'gluten free puff pastry' which Hunk swore defied the laws of physics. Pidge and Matt were in the DJ booth, getting the scoop on a new MIDI machine, and also using their influence to alter the playlist (if the frequency of 21 Pilots songs was anything to go by). Allura does not involve herself in shenanigans, 'thank you very much,' and Shiro was being talked at by Mr. Slav about 'record sales projections from now into the fourth quarter.' Lance deftly avoided that conversation entirely.

So that left Keith, who was hiding because he hates people. Lance knows that is not technically true. Keith hates crowds and talking to people in crowds. Or talking to people in general. Maybe he does hate people, Lance mused.

The band was about to head out on the European leg of their tour and the party was currently made up mostly of employees from their record company, industry dudes, publicists and the bands entourage. Entertainment reporters had been there earlier to interview the band. Thankfully, most of them had already left. Also, earlier, some of the staff had brought their kids, which had been pretty entertaining. Lance chuckled remembering Keith handling everything well enough, until a pre-teen girl skipped up to him and then, without any warning attached herself to him like a Koala hugs a eucalyptus tree. Then, overwhelmed by emotion, the poor kid burst into tears. It was quite a scene. Keith awkwardly patting her back and looking around desperately for someone to save him. Shiro obliged, by unwrapping the kid while talking in his calmest voice. Then giving the kid a gift pack and a glass of water, before handing her off to a kind intern. That had been the end of any real excitement. Now the party seemed to be a lot people who worked together, every single day, drinking and still talking about work.

Lance, having searched the entire main floor, wandered out onto the wrap around porch. There were some people milling about, but no Keith that he could see. He looked out into the grounds and saw one of those old-school military-style obstacle courses. 'That would catch Keith's eye.' he thought, heading over to check it out. Alas, still no Keith. Though the course was pretty cool, having a wall and those tire things that you jog through.

Walking back to the hotel, Lance's eye is drawn to movement in the shadows on one of the third-floor balconies. Keith is sitting on the floor, knees brought to his chest, eyes closed, leaning his head back against the wall. He is holding an empty glass in his hands, turning it slowly.

"There you are," Lance calls up to Keith, whose only response is to open his eyes and lift his glass and nod his head in a kind of toast. "Come down here!" Lance demands. "Why?" Keith responds, barely raising his voice to be heard. "'Cause I'm bor-red." Lance drags out the last word and it is clear he believes that should be enough to draw Keith from his seclusion. "So?" Keith responds again in monotones. Lance sighs dramatically and makes his way all the way back onto porch and back through to the hotel ballroom. He stops at the bar to grab a whiskey sour for Keith and another fruity, pineapple cocktail for himself. He notices that Hunk has now joined Pidge and Matt. The three of them seem to have taken over the DJ booth. It also looks as though Hunk and Pidge are arguing over the next song to play. Hunk is holding a piece of equipment high above Pidge's head with a triumphant smirk. He also sees the maniacal gleam that enters Pidge's eyes. 'That doesn't look as though it will end well.' He smiles to himself, happy to have chosen to hang with Keith. He decides not to try to negotiate his way through the crowd to the main staircase in the lobby. Instead, Lance wanders out the back of the ballroom to an old-fashioned elevator. He presses the up button with his knuckle and waits an extremely long time for the elevator to come down.

"Knock-knock," Lance announces as he walks out the open screen door onto Keith's balcony. Keith startles, almost dropping his glass. "Jeez man, How did you even get in here?" Lance shrugs nonchalantly, "Maid." He says, taking a sip of his drink and offering the other one to Keith. "That's allowed?" Keith asks incredulously, accepting the drink and, once again, tilting the glass as though saying cheers before he takes a sip. "It's not," Lance agrees as he settles himself at the front of the balcony with his legs hanging through the white wood slats. "But what can I say? People love to please me." He grins over his shoulder at Keith, then jerks his head forward indicating Keith should come and sit beside him.

Instead of shuffling forward on his butt, Keith stands and walks to the balcony rail, resting his arms on it and sighs. "What's up emo?" Lance asks, while pressing his face between the slats of wood, just to see how it feels. Experience has taught him not to press too hard. "I guess I am not really looking forward to another two months on tour," Keith says. He sounds so despondent that Lance stands beside him, nudging him. "Dude, it's Europe, we made the big time.You know, an actual World tour. I mean if you leave out Asia, and Australia, and Antarctica, but who'd tour Antarctica?" Lance tapers off his babbling, watching Keith take a slow breath as though he is trying to centre himself. "Yeah, I suppose you're right, I guess I am just tired." When Keith says that last word, he seems to embody it, it comes out like a deep sigh and his shoulders compress on themselves noticeably. Lance realizes this isn't just Keith burned-out on a party crowd.

Lance feels that little tiny fear he gets when Keith seems unhappy with anything to do with the band. He falls back on his old failsafe, Lance's cheer-up mode. "Think of the hotties," he says, and waggles his eyebrows., "I mean, I know you are not into the babes, but I am sure we can find you some fancy Eurotrash guy complete with frosted tips who doesn't wear socks in his dress shoes." Keith's face is frozen for a moment before he snorts inelegantly, a ironic smile forming on his lips. "Right, 'cause that would be my type." He laughs again, giving Lance an eye roll as he takes another sip of his drink. He mutters something like, 'frosted tips.' "Well, I figured, 80s hair…" Lance shrugs and congratulates himself, as he always does when he can make moody Keith laugh. Keith looks away and back at Lance again, and starts laughing again, shaking his head.

They stand for another moment in silence finishing their drinks, when Shiro comes down off the porch with a few of producers from the Altea label. Allura and Coran are with them, as Allura needs to stay in loop regarding the overall management of the company. They are relentlessly followed by Mr. Slav, who is still talking about sales projections, this time in relation to merchandise at the European venues. It is pretty clear that Shiro was trying to escape this discussion by the manner in which he keeps sighing and spinning his empty wine glass in his good hand.

As they are watching this scene play out, Lance is toying with the maraschino cherry from his drink, when Keith nudges him and gestures to the cherry. "Wha' you want it?" Lance asks, surprised. Keith isn't usually into sweet things. "Betcha can't drop that into Shiro's glass from here," Keith says quietly, eyes full of mischief and a small smile pulling on the corners of his mouth. Lance glances down and back at Keith, a grin taking over his face. "Watch me." Lance takes a minute to line up the shot, holding the fruit just so. Once he feels confident, he releases his grip on the stem, letting the cherry drop, a moment later a satisfying clink rings in the air. Mr. Slav seems not to have noticed that it is raining fruit, possibly because Coran continues to hold his gaze, almost desperately. However, Shiro, Allura and a few of the producers look up in surprise. For a moment, Lance and Keith are able to maintain innocent expressions. Shiro mouth flattens into a line and his gaze sharpens ever so slightly. Lance fully recognizes that look, and makes a kinda choking noise, which is 40% suppressed laughter and 60% well established fear of authority figures. Shiro, not taking his eyes from the boys, politely says to the rest of this group, "Excuse me, I have to respond to this... text." Then purposely heads back into the hotel, both Keith and Lance run for it. And the game is on.

Lance and Keith are both laughing and leaning into one another as they climb the stairs to the roof. Once up there, they double over. It takes them a few minutes to calm down. "Okay, my turn," Lance says through wheezes. "What do you mean, your turn?" Keith breaths back. "My turn to dare you," Lance says indignantly. "That wasn't a dare, you would have done it anyway," Keith says with a half laugh. Lance wags his finger in Keith's face, "You know the rules mister. It is my turn to dare." Keith sighs and waits as Lance hums to himself looking around the rooftop for something dare worthy. "I betcha can't walk on the ledge over there." He teases Keith. "Really?!" Keith asks, incredulously. "That's too easy." "Easy? We are three stories up." Lance challenges. Keith shoots a look over his shoulder and says dryly. "I will do more than walk it." He starts to stretch out his arms and roll his shoulders as he approaches the ledge and Lance feels his stomach drop. "Keith," he says in a warning voice. Before he has a chance to do anything more, Keith steps up to the ledge and finds his centre of balance. Lance is kicking himself mentally for sometimes forgetting how Keith has the tendency to take things to the next level. Lance holds his breath and doesn't speak again. Keith bounces a little on the balls of his feet before he does three quick, graceful backflips down the ledge and lands with a bounce, jumping back onto the roof. "You Fucker!" Lance bellows, finally able to breathe again. Keith looks around, "Now what should I get you to do?" "NO! No! No. We are getting off this roof!" Lance announces, turning Keith by the shoulders toward the stairwell.

On the way back downstairs, Keith dares Lance to slide down the main staircase bannister. He does, side saddle, almost flying off the end into a well dressed middle-aged woman. Clearly she is shocked by his sudden and exceptional entrance. Lance smooths things over by kissing her hand and welcoming her to the hotel all gentleman-like. Lance then challenges Keith to take over the coat check, when the unsuspecting staff on duty sneaks out for a cigarette. Keith gets some double takes from confused guests and makes $15 in tips before the poor kid comes back to his post. Keith gets Lance to deliver someone's room service by bribing the kitchen staff with promo codes for free albums. The honeymooning couple they deliver food to are extremely surprised to have a Rock Star bring their meal. Then the bride mentions Lance is on her "list" to which her husband exclaims "Not on our wedding night!" The two boys duck out of the impending marital discord and find their way back to the ballroom. All the while, they are dodging Shiro, who is probably getting good and stoked to give a lecture on the importance of maintaining a professional public persona, as he tracks their movements through the hotel.

Feeling confident that they have either lost Shiro, or he has given up chasing them, Lance and Keith settle back at the bar in the ballroom. The crowd has definitely thinned. The music is still playing and there is a small group of enthusiastic dancers. Keith gets another whiskey sour and Lance is nursing his fifth cocktail of the night. Given the evening started at 7 and it is now midnight, he isn't sloshed, but feeling nicely buzzed. Usually, Lance would like to dance, but he is feeling pretty mellow. He ponders the group for a moment and then says to Keith, "You know, you are a pretty good dancer, why don't you ever dance in a group like this?" Lance already thinks he knows the answer, but they are having bonding time, and it is fun to tease Keith. "Too many bodies, too close together." Keith responds shortly. Lance smiles, "Are you, like, allergic to people?" "No," Keith says indignantly. "I am just saying, there is tons of room," He gestures to the mostly empty ballroom, "Why does everybody need to be pushed up together?" "'Cause it's fun," Lance leans in bobbing his head with a smirk, "And it's sexy." he leans back pretending to regard Keith. "I think you don't wanna dance close 'cause you're scared." He draws out the last word, eyes alight with mischief.

Keith doesn't bite, he rolls his eyes and mutters, "Whatever."

"No, seriously," Lance pushes, "You like to dance, but not the touching?"

"I. Like. Space."

Lance has never fully understood Keith's careful reserve, and has never figured out a safe way to ask him about it. So he continues to push even though he can see he is skirting on the edge of his patience. "So you are against getting up close and personal, that is "ick" to you?"

Keith sighs, as though Lance is deliberately misinterpreting him.

"No." Keith says emphatically. "There are people," he says measuring his words, "That I would not mind getting up close and personal with. However, that," he gestures to the crowd of dancers, "is claustrophobic."

Lance is giddy. He is not sure why, it could be the 5 drinks, or it could be how he always is when Keith shares these personal tidbits. As though Keith is Lance's personal puzzle to solve.

Lance hums to himself, "Prove it."

"What!?" Keith says with incredulity.

"I dare you." Lance says pointedly.

Keith gives a huff of laughter, "What exactly am I proving? That I don't want to dance in a crowd?"

"No silly." Lance rolls his eyes, "Prove you're not scared to dance all sexy with someone."

Keith sputters for a second, "Wha-how? That is just stupid!"

"So you are scared?" Lance concludes with an irritating amount of confidence.

"No." Keith's face now a cross between a scowl and an adorable pout.

"So, prove it." Lance is already turning to search the dance floor for a suitable partner for this next dare.

"Lance." Keith's voice is a warning.

Lance is has long struggled with boundaries, and in past years has gotten better at respecting them. However, for some reason, with Keith he still doesn't always know when to quit. In his heart he believes Keith will actually tell him when he goes too far, but Keith isn't good at boundaries with Lance either. Most people just give Keith wide berth. Suffice to say, few people push him the way Lance habitually does. Sometimes it is a good thing, taking Keith out of his comfort zone. Other times, clearly, it is not. Unfortunately, Lance usually finds out he has gone too far after Keith blows up at him. Other times it backfires on Lance in a way he could never predict.

Fair warning, this is about to be one of those times.

Lance's eyes are searching the dance floor for a suitable partner for Keith to 'sexy dance' with.

"How about Acxa?" Lance asks.

"How about Acxa what?" Keith responds totally behind on current events.

"How about her as a dance partner? She wouldn't refuse."

"Lance, first off, NO, I am not doing this! Secondly," he drops his voice, "that would be so mean, she has a huge crush on me." Keith squirms as though the conversation is giving him hives.

"REALLY?!" Lance asks loudly, staring out at the dance floor again. "How long has that been going on?!" He exclaims, oblivious to Keith's desire to be swallowed by the floor.

"Oh my god." Keith says under his breath as he runs his hand down his face. He wonders if he can sneak away. Lance must sense his intention because he grabs Keith's elbow as he shouts, "What about James?" He looks over at Keith with delight. Keith's face is frozen in shock and dismay. Lance seems to think better of this choice. "Oh, yeah, probably a bad idea, what with the history of fist fights and stuff."

"Yes," Keith says ironically, "This is a bad idea."

Lance ignores him reassessing the crowd of dancers. "Of course. Why didn't I think of this before? Plaxum. You guys are kinda friends. She thinks your moodiness is cute. She knows you're gay. I dare you to go sexy dance with Plaxum." He turns again to Keith, who just stares back.

Lance raises his eyebrows innocently while he does a gleeful little wiggle. "I. Dare. You." He leans back again and gives Keith a knowing look. "Otherwise I am just going to think you are a prude and I will never stop teasing you about it." He adds for good measure.

This is the point where Keith either blows up, stomps away, or irrationally takes the bait. Lance knows he has won when Keith's jaw sets in grim determination. Lance calls it Keith's point-of-no-return face. As Keith stands and stalks off to the dance floor, Lance leans back to enjoy the show, feeling ever so proud of himself.

The first time the band went on tour, the members had to take dance classes with Allura to improve their stage presence. Given that Hunk was behind a drum set and Pidge behind a keyboard, they didn't need too much in the way of coaching. Lance and Keith were given much more attention, because they needed to 'own the stage'. Lance, was delighted to be called a natural, and teased Keith endlessly about his discomfort in letting loose in front of an audience. But like all things, Keith, once he got over his self consciousness, excelled. He had a natural rhythm and a lithe, athletic body which moved effortlessly with the music. Lance tells himself that he didn't dare Keith because he thought he wouldn't look good dancing. No, he did it because he felt Keith needed to challenge himself to actually touch people once in a while. Also, he thought it would be funny to watch him try.

Keith is already moving with the music as he approaches the crowd. He makes eye contact with Plaxum and she smiles at him welcomingly. They dance a normal distance apart for a while, and Keith slowly moves closer, Plaxum looks a little surprised, but her face is friendly and she meets him halfway. Lance notices that Keith doesn't look uncomfortable. On the contrary, Keith looks very comfortable. The two draw closer together intuitively and move to the music like a symbiotic organism. Keith has slid one hand around Plaxum's back and she is running her hands up his arms and to his shoulders. Their legs are in between one another as Keith moves even closer as they continue gyrating. Lance feels his cheeks start to burn. This is totally not going as planned. Plaxum murmurs something to Keith and he smiles with the corners of his mouth and give one of his tiny nods. He slides both of his hands to her waist she leans back in an arch, going round and coming back up slowly. As she rises her arms return to his shoulders, their mouths almost touching.

Lance slams his glass down on the bar in surprise causing the bartender to give him a frown. He feels as though he has been played, as irrational as that may be. If Keith really didn't want to do this, why was he doing it so… well? On top of that, the song seems to be lasting a really long time. Lance feels jittery. It is when Plaxum slides her hands up the back of Keith's neck and toys with his hair that Lance finds himself standing beside them on the dance floor pulling Keith by his shoulders, in much the same way in directed him off the roof earlier in the evening.

"Sorry to break this party up guys, but we have a super early morning tomorrow." Lance announces leading Keith away from the dance floor. "You know, flights to catch… to Europe… and stuff…"

He maneuvers Keith right off the dance floor out the back door of the ball room and to the bright lights of the hall in front of the ancient elevator.

"OOOkay." Keith says, as though he is used to Lance's bizarre behaviour. Which he is.

"Shut up." Lance replies, not looking at him, as he repeatedly presses the up button on the elevator.