Unknown

Lance

Lance doesn't know where he's going--he's never been here before, so he leaves through the sliding glass door by the kitchen. He'd known from the moment that he walked in, maybe even before that, that something bad was going to happen, but he'd been too excited to care.

Stupid. Why am I always so stupid?!

He makes it out to the sidewalk, face burning with shame and eyes stinging. Lotor had been in the room when that guy had said that Lance liked him. If there was any doubt in anyone's mind before, it's certainly clear now: he's a pining loser acting like a lovestruck puppy.

"Lance!"

It's Hunk, bracing his hands on his knees and panting. Lance wishes he'd just go back inside.

"Dude, are you okay? I thought you were gonna punch that jerk. What happened?"

"Lotor was in there, Hunk," Lance says, stomach turning as the words leave his mouth. "He heard what that guy said about me. God, now we know he knows for sure!"

"It's not the end of the world, okay?" Hunk says, sounding like he doesn't believe himself. "Lotor probably gets that stuff thrown at him all the time. And he doesn't really seem like the type to care."

"Is that any better?" Lance asks, not expecting an answer. He feels cheap and humiliated, like he's the ditzy main character in a high school rom-com. His embarrassment only grows as hot tears start slipping down his cheeks. "Why am I such an idiot?" he groans.

"You're not an idiot. Look, it's totally not as big a deal as you think it is, okay? People have crushes, it's fine."

"But not everyone has their crush on the most popular guy in school get exposed multiple times in front of that guy." Lance scrubs at his face and glares, annoyed at himself for crying. "He must think I'm so stupid."

"Nobody thinks that you're stupid, Lance."

He shakes his head. "Just... I just want to get some air before I go back in. Go check on Pidge, okay? I'll be okay out here."

Hunk looks doubtful, but he doesn't protest; just pats Lance on the back and wanders back inside. Pidge is definitely having a harder time than he is right now. She hasn't been misgendered in such a long time that it came as even more of a shock to all of them than it would have before. He hopes that Alana sticking up for her has at least gotten the lesbian romance ball rolling.

He sits down on the curb, sinking his chin onto his knees and wrapping his arms around his legs. Tonight has been a monumental disaster, and he doesn't see it getting better anytime soon.

His phone presses awkwardly into his leg, reminding him of its existence with a gentle vibration. Lance wants to ignore it, but the chances of it being one of his friends are too big.

Speaking of which, he really needs to remember to get Keith's messenger name. Or at least his phone number.

He digs his phone out of his pocket and opens the message before he can even see who it's from. It turns out to be Hunk on the group chat, trying to explain the disaster of a night to Matt, who had stayed home to keep working on his secret project.

9:54 pm

Mattt: WHO WAS IT

Mattt: ILL KICK THEIR ASS

Matt: ILL KILL THEM????

pidge: it's fine, Mattie.

Mattt: LIKE HELL ITS FINE!

Hunk-a-saurus: He was a tall guy, dyed blue hair

Hunk-a-saurus: Wearing a varsity jacket