Sorry for forgetting this book exists, life is a wreck.

Also this chapter is just an opportunity to let my inner board game nerd out because I fricking love board games

“I got suspended,” Keith muttered, pulling the lid off of Settlers of Catan. He was still infuriated with the punishment and the fact that Lotor and Allura got off scot free but he was adamant on having fun with Lance. It was their first real date, after all. “So you’re telling me you’ve never heard of Catan?” The blank expression on Lance’s face said it all. “You’re so uneducated.”

“Hey, I’ve played like 50 types of Monopoly. Tell me that’s uneducated.” Lance responded, the right side of his mouth flickering up.

“That’s uneducated. Monopoly is not a real board game and today you will come to realise it.” Keith held out an array of meeples which Lance leaned forward to analyse. He ended up picking blue, stating that it was his favourite colour. “So in this game, you have to collect resources and build settlements to gain points. Sounds easy enough, right?”

“Uh…yeah, right.”

An hour or so later, Lance raised his hands into the air with a grin and yelled, "Ha!" 

"Beginner's luck…" Keith grumbled, knocking over a settlement in front of him. "Usually I'm the best at Catan. I play it online all the time."

"Loser. What next?"

"Did you like that? I can find something similar."

"I don’t mind.”

“Fine, I’ll get something completely different then,” Keith stood up and used his finger to trace along the wall of games until he reached one called Pandemic. “This one’s cooperative so either we both lose or we both win.” He held out the box to show Lance the cover and, in response, he raised his eyebrows.

“I just got 2020 war flashbacks,” Lance chuckled, making Keith roll his eyes. “Also, I’m not interested. I want to beat you.”

“Give it a go. It’s good.”

“Fine.”

And, of course, around 45 minutes later, Lance was celebrating again. “I won!” He screeched, eliciting a confused look full of furrowed eyebrows from the owner of the cafe. 

“We both won, you idiot. It’s cooperative.”

“But I cured the last disease so I won!” Keith rolled his eyes yet again but didn’t argue: Lance looked adorable when he was celebrating. His eyes were shining and his face was so full of colour that it contrasted Lance’s usual insecure self. “Can we do one more and then get dinner? I’m kind of hungry.”

“Why don’t you have a look?”

Lance shrugged before jumping up and walking over to the shelves. He scanned all the titles whilst bouncing up and down on his heels, still relishing from the excitement of his ‘win’. He ended up pulling out one titled Calico. “It looks like Shreddies!” He turned the box so that Keith could see the adorable ginger cat modelling on the front. 

It didn’t take a genius to guess that Lance won again, thanks to beginner’s luck, of course. 

Maybe Lance expected Keith to get a gourmet meal from the pair after his multiple losses but he couldn’t afford that. He ended up dragging Lance into the nearby McDonalds, claiming he was on a budget. Lance pouted as he walked up to the self-service but ended up ordering way too much food to compensate for the cheap food. There was no way he was eating two boxes of 20 chicken nuggets but Keith didn’t bother arguing with him.

The entire restaurant was full, with the occasional empty seat. Lance had bounded upstairs and still insisted that there was nowhere to sit, despite it being a random night in the middle of the week. Apparently every family within a 10km radius had decided to get McDonalds that day. In dismay, they headed out into the parking lot and settled onto a grassy patch.

“Now this is definitely how I imagined our first date would go.” Lance murmured, shoving an entire chicken nugget into his mouth. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect McDonalds to be so packed.”

“It’s fine. At least we get to watch the sunset,” Lance raised his chicken nugget-clad hand to gesture out into the horizon where the sun was lowering. It was surrounded by red, orange and yellow hues that still looked immaculate, despite being viewed from a McDonalds’ car park. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, kind of… uh… like you?” Keith blushed as his sentence came out more like a question. He wasn’t used to complimenting people so of course it came out incredibly awkward. Lance still seemed flattered as he stared down at his lap to hide the red spreading across his cheeks. 

“Your awkwardness is adorable.” Keith didn’t think he could go any redder. He looked more like a tomato than a human being and it was only getting worse as more time passed.

“Hey, Lance?”

Lance glanced at Keith with his mouthful but, somehow, he still looked adorable. Maybe it was the spotlight shining down from the streetlamp above him that exonerated his beauty. Waiting for Lance to swallow his food, Keith edged ever-so-slightly forward so that their thighs were touching. He turned his head to the side and connected their lips in a spark-filled kiss. A couple of seconds later when they pulled away, both attempted (and failed) to hide an ecstatic smile.

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” 

And yeah, they were sat in a dingy McDonalds car park, both holding a strawberry milkshake and some unhealthy takeaway food but when Lance answered, “Yes!” Keith had never felt happier.