Hot Topic Hottie // Klance AU

9 - the REAL chap. 8

Guys I'm going absolutely BONKERS right now.

Hi. Sorry it's been uhh... I don't actually know how long it's been. But I keep seeing comments on this, and y'all actually seem to LIKE this story that I started writing for fun so. I'm feeling nice. But also here's the deal. I haven't written much fanfic since I last updated this/BTM. I haven't written Voltron fanfic period, full stop, since then. However, my writing has improved greatly since then. So, let's hope the 5 episodes of Voltron I watched the other day will give me enough to properly characterize these mad lads.

Important notes at the end, but for now, enjoy you little shits :)

Lance was having what one might call a crisis. Some also call it a gay panic. Well, bisexual panic, but that was currently beside the point. It was early in the morning, and he was simply sitting in his car, hands gripping the steering wheel although he'd been parked outside the mall for a good ten minutes now.

He'd done it. He'd actually kissed Keith. The guy he'd been crushing on for who knows how long now. 

Allura owed him big time for this. 

Smiling, he got out of his car and headed for the mall. He still had some time before his shift started, and mornings were always pretty slow. He had plenty of time to tell the others about how the date had gone. 

"How did it go?" Allura cried the second Lance stepped into Sephora, and he stumbled back in a panic. Once he'd recovered, he smirked. 

"I believe you owe me my masks and a raise," he said simply, gliding past Allura to set down his bag in the back room. 

"It went well then? I need details, Lance!" Allura said as she followed him back. "What did you two do, where did you go?"

"Well," Lance began as he clocked in. "We had dinner across the street at OSF, and-"

"Tell me you didn't get your usual?" Allura cringed, knowing Lance's oddly specific order by heart. She often went with Lance and Hunk to grab a bite after closing. 

"I did, but he thought it was cute," Lance huffed, but he was soon smiling again. "We both had to pick up our things so we came back here afterwards. We might've, uh, danced in here for a bit? But  I locked up properly afterwards and it was worth it. Very worth it." Just then, Hunk walked in to the back room, looking curious. 

"What was worth it?" he asked. 

"Lance was talking about his date!" Allura explained cheerfully. "Now spill."

"I may or may not have kissed him?" Lance said, his face slightly red. Hunk clapped for his friend as Allura let out a delighted squeal. 

"I told you it would go well!" she cried. Before she could continue speaking, muffled cheering could be heard front outside the store. 

"That sounded like Pidge," Hunk muttered. 

"Who?" Allura asked, shifting her attention to him with a confused look on her face. 

"Wait-- short, glasses, fluffy hair, generally seems like a gremlin?" Lance asked.

"And works at Hot Topic with Keith? That's them," Hunk confirmed. 

"You motherfuckers talking about me?" A voice called from the front of the store, muffled. Outside them stood Pidge, cup of coffee in hand and face practically pressed to the door. Behind them stood a taller man with black and white hair and a kind smile. Hunk went over to unlock the doors for them. 

"Shiro, good to see you!" Allura said, breezing around the counter to greet them. Pidge walked towards the counter as Allura greeted the taller man -- Shiro -- with a hug. Ignoring them, pidge jumped up to sit on the counter, sipping their coffee before facing Lance. 

"Keith's smiling. What did you do to him?" They demanded, and Lance stared back in a wide-eyed panic. Suddenly though, Pidge chuckled. "I know you two went on a date man, I'm glad it went well."

"Where is he?" Lance asked, realizing he hadn't come over from Hot Topic with Pidge and Shiro. 

"I made him restock the Pop figures," Pidge said with a shrug. "He'll thank me for it later."

"What are you plotting, Pidge?" Shiro asked as he and Allura joined the others at the counter. 

"What do you think? We haven't had a staff movie night in a while. And if you three," they gestured to Lance, Hunk, and Allura, "just happen to show up..." 

"That sounds fun!" Allura said. "What time and where?"

"We usually do them at my place after we close, I was thinking tonight if that works for all of you," Pidge explained. 

"We close same time as you, so that should work," Hunk said. 

"I'll have Keith send you the address," Shiro told Lance, who merely nodded. The two Hot Topic employees waved their goodbyes after that, exiting Sephora and heading back towards their own store. 

As he got set up at the counter, Lance stole a glance out the front windows of the shop and across the mall walkway. He spotted Pidge talking to an anxious looking Keith. They must've been telling him about the movie night plans, because Keith's face lit up after a moment. He said something to Pidge, before grabbing a pile of clothes and moving towards the front of the store. Keith looked up as he reached the rack he was about to restock, catching Lance's eye. Lance waved, leaning against the counter in an attempt to look smooth. Keith waved back, a small smile on his face. In a moment of boldness, Lance dramatically blew a kiss in his direction. Keith rolled his eyes, but even from across the distance Lance could see a fond smile on his face. 

Neither of them could wait for later that night. 

Are you happy? I know this isn't the longest chapter but its BEEN A WHILE CUT ME SOME SLACK. 

Now, to address some questions y'all had/may have. 

Yes, Old Spaghetti Factory/OSF is a real place. I modeled the interior description in the last chapter after the Phoenix location that I frequent. 

Lance's order is also my exact order. Yes, its that oddly specific, but it's damn good. I also usually manage to take home a loaf of the sourdough bread they give you as a starter. 

I'm planning on writing another chapter or two, then officially bringing Hot Topic Hottie to an end. I might start something new, but I'm not sure. I'm incredibly focused on my own actual novel at the moment, so a new fanfic isn't high priority but, well, perhaps. I do still have the draft of the sequel to BTM in my docs somewhere, who knows, maybe it's time I drag it out of the depths of hell. 

I miss you guys! If there's anything you'd like to see me write, shoot me a message. And please, check out my socials! I'm very active on them and always happy to answer questions about HTH and BTM!

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For updates on my upcoming novel, please follow the dedicated socials as well!

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