Chapter Text
The drive over to the diner was taken via public transport given that Hunk did not own a car yet and Allura was trying to spend less on gas. That didn't make it all that much less lovely, though; Allura still enjoyed the bright and beautiful colors of the day from her seat by the window, and she still had Hunk's priceless, warm companionship. Honestly, looking at him beside her awash in daylight glow, she forgot why they'd broken up.
And then she thought about being with him and remembered that it was because of the intimacy; on both sides, they just couldn't do it. They were less lovers and more soulmates, harmonizing personalities that just coexisted in peaceful solidarity. One a mage and the other the Familiar. Somewhat beyond best friends. Not unlike brother and sister. Too close to be intimate, if it made any sense.
Things were better as they were, besides.
Once at the diner, Hunk led Allura to the door and talked with the waiting staff as she took it all in. The building was autumn-colored with a cozy feel to it, and with large, spanning windows that let in buckets of sunlight, displayed the masses of green on baby blue backdrop, streets traipsed by various colors. It was a rather delightful establishment. Allura's large blue-and-pink eyes roved over the stalls and people with rapt attention.
She jolted slightly when she caught sight of a sapphire-eyed boy with tan skin grinning widely at her, waving her over with vigor. He was vaguely familiar.
Allura eyed Hunk, who had gotten sidetracked from asking about his friends with what seemed to be a friendly and long-overdue conversation with the staff, and considered the young man waving at her. He seemed overjoyed and yet very relaxed at the same time. An odd mix, but it spoke to her. She took another look at his eyes.
They were a delicate sapphire blue and shining with unrivaled levity.
It was Lance alright.
"Hunk," Allura politely interjected as she tapped her friend on his shoulder, her voice amused, "I think I found Lance,"
Hunk blinked at her, then his expression turned bashful as he realized that he had gotten very sidetracked with his conversation. He looked up from her, towards where her gaze was directing, and saw the man she was talking about. His mouth was split wide in a happy grin.
Hunk perked up. "Oh!" he said, "that's Lance!" Hunk turned back to the waiting staff he had previously been talking with and politely and amicably bid them goodbye. Their wishes for the other to enjoy their day carried throughout the quiet restaurant.
Hunk led Allura to the table where Lance waited for them. As soon as they stood in front of the booth, Lance stood to take Hunk's hand and give him a firm hug, and Allura noticed the presence of someone else at the table. A petit little person, though not one very young. She was going to introduce herself to them, but Lance got ahold of her first with a generous hug.
"Happy to see you again, beautiful! How have you been?"
"Wonderful, Lance, thank you. With exams over, I've had some time to relax."
"Good, good,"
Lance backed away and returned to his seat (though not without throwing her a flirtatious grin) beside their smaller company. Hunk, being a gentleman, allowed Allura to slide into the other side of the booth first. Allura sat across from the younger person while Lance picked up conversation with Hunk again and the cook sat down beside her.
Allura noticed they were just staring at each other, so she kindly introduced herself. The one across from her instantly grinned and took Allura's offered hand.
"My name is Katie," she said, "but my friends call me Pidge."
Allura couldn't help the odd look on her face at the name. Katie laughed.
"It's a pretty long story,"
Allura chuckleed. "I see,"
There was a short moment of silence between the two again, only slightly awkward this time as Lance and Hunk's conversation filled in some of the open air. Allura looked around the diner aimlessly, finding ceiling fans and waiters and random customers, then her gaze landed on Katie again (should she think of her as Pidge instead?). She cleared her throat before deciding to speak, just to get the air between them moving.
"So. . how long have you known Lance?" she asks.
Pidge blinks at her. "Oh, we've been friends since middle school."
"Really? You must be close, then."
"Yeah. We're practically siblings at this point. It's cool most days, but every now and then it can be taxing," Pidge said, and her emerald eyes sparkled with amusement, "You've probably noticed by now that Lance is really. . . ebuliant."
Allura laughed some at the other girl's choice of words. It was perfect, really. "Yes, I did. I've only known him for a few months, but the impression was made quickly. And I fear I haven't seen him at his worst."
"You have no idea," Pidge complained, "We were playing Monsters and Mana the other day and he just starts goofing around in real life and steals my wallet right out of my pocket! When I tried to get it back, he held it over my head and put it on a really high shelf I didn't even know I had. I spent the next hour and twenty dollars in chairs trying to get it."
Allura laughed more and enjoyed her mirth, her electric blue gaze brightened by the mention of the fantasy game. Once she calmed, she put her palms together and looked at Pidge eagerly. "You play Monsters and Mana?" she inquired.
Pidge snorted. "Please, I live and breathe that game."
Allura leaned closer to her new friend across the table, nerdy excitement taking ahold of her. "I play too! My favorite character is the archer. I play as one almost every time!"
Pidge leaned forward too. "I play as the warrior dwarf. Cause, y'know, I'm not very vertically gifted. And dwarf axes have killer hit points. Lance thinks he's an expert thief."
"He did manage to steal your wallet, did he not?"
"Well, yes, but only because I was hyper-focused on the game and I was wearing my other brother's shorts which have huge-ass pockets," Pidge explained, pressing against the bridge of her almost owlish glasses to reposition them. "I mean, who fucks around when they play Monsters and Mana? That's asking to die."
Allura tilts her head to the side curiously, head in her hand. "True," she agrees, then asks, "You have another brother?"
"Yeah, but he's my blood. Older than me by five years. He still can't get over the fact that we took classes together, it drives him up the wall."
Pidge was smirking, but Allura was confused. Her brows furrowed a little. "He is bothered by your success?"
"Nah, not really. I guess it's just weird for him, y'know? I'm technically supposed to be in the tenth grade. And my entire family are know-it-alls, myself included, so he probably feels intellectually threatened."
"I see," Allura smiled, "I'm not nearly as advanced as you are, but I believe I understand the know-it-all family dynamic. My father is a very successful self-taught businessman, my uncle is his partner in crime, as it were, and my mother is a neurosurgeon."
Pidge's brows rose toward the top of her head. "Wow. Not to brag, but you're the first person I've met who can actually compete for most know-it-all family with me! My dad is an aeronautical engineer and my brother is following in his footsteps. My mom is a bioengineer."
"Fascinating. Is it safe to presume that you have your Bachelor's at least?"
"Yep," Pidge popped the 'p.'
"What have you decided to pursue?"
"Not sure yet. I got my undergrads in engineering, but I'm don't know where I'm going to go with it," Pidge paused in her response as the food the group had ordered finally arrived. She graciously received her chicken tenders and fries, albeit with all the grace of a five year-old, and gave thanks to the waiter. Lance and Hunk received their meals too-- a burger for Hunk and a hotdog for Lance-- and everyone at the table was given a glas of water. With another round of thanks, the waiter was gone.
Pidge bit into her chicken, sipped her water, and swallowed. "What about you?" she asked.
Allura blinked as she sipped on her own water, mind focusing on Pidge before it could wander off. What had they been talking about?
Her confusion must have shown on her face, because Pidge quickly downed her next bite to say, "Don't worry about it," and wave off the topic all together. Allura felt a bit bad about forgetting so quickly, but her mind had found its way back to business during the lapse in conversation with no food to receive. She wondered if her mother would mind her coming into the shop a few minutes later than usual tomorrow, and she was in the middle of a little quick math to help her determine if she would be able to afford her vegan diet this month. If she was lenient with breakfast again, perhaps. . .
"You know what I want to know?"
Allura looked up at Pidge from where her head was ducked to drink from her beverage. "What?" she responded to the younger girl.
"Why do guys' pants always have so many pockets?"
Allura's interest was officially piqued. Her eyes widened at the question as she raised her head to give a zealous answer, the topic something she obviously felt something or other about. "The real question is why do women's pants have virtually none?" she said.
Pidge shared in her enthusiasm. "Right!? I mean, I get that we have purses and all that, but we wouldn't NEED purses if we just had some pockets."
"REAL ones, too," Allura emphasized. Her face balled up into a look of disgust and her hand raised beside her in exasperation, her tone matching. "Not those bloody fake front pockets that are just sewn on pocket shapes."
"I know!" Pidge agreed.
"Well you guys are getting along well,"
Allura and Pidge both diverted their attention to Lance, who had given the snarky comment. A teasing grin was settled comfortably on his face as he looked back at them; it made the levity in his eyes shine.
"What was it that united you?" he asked rhetorically, "pants pockets?"
"Pants pocket injustice." Pidge corrected.
"Oh-- sorry. Pants pocket injustice," Lance laughed. Hunk chuckled along too. Afterwards, Lance brushed a faux tear from his eye. "Do all girls bond over this kind of stuff?"
"As a matter of fact, Lance, they do," Allura responded seriously, "The injustice of fake pockets is no laughing matter!" she exclaimed.
Pidge helpfully added in rushed words, "It's all a masculine conspiracy to subjugate women through the burden of personal luggage!"
Hunk broke then, barking out a hearty laugh that almost shook the table. There were real tears in his eyes, and his joy was contagious. Soon, all four of them were laughing with differing degrees of amusement.
When Hunk calmed down, he rubbed his eyes and looked at Allura. "Pidge has been telling me that one for a long while. And just when I think she's over it, it's brought back up again."
"I'll prove it one day!" Pidge insists, her fist set firm on the table, "Then you'll see."
Lance nudged her with his elbow. "Of course, Pidgeon. And one day, you'll see the top of my head."
Lance laughed at his joke and Pidge was not amused. Hunk just watched them with an innocent smile (he surreptitiously took a picture of Pidge with her glasses crooked and glaring while Lance looked completely unaware of his impending doom). Allura was enchanted, content. And she laughed along with Lance when Pidge discovered Hunk's crime and tried to steal his phone from him to delete the unflattering picture, initiating an almost nostalgic game of keep-away.