"Coran, Coran, the gorgeous man, has returned to his humble abode!" Coran announced, entering his house, mustache bright and lopsided from being matted against the window on the plane, his pastel pink travel overalls wrinkled.

"Coran!!" Allura squealed, looking up from her phone, where she had been texting the one and only, Lotion.

" Princess! " Coran squealed back, dropping his suitcases. They embraced as Pidge waved from the couch, enveloped in her oversized hoodie.

"Ah, Pidge?" He asked, turning to her.

" She, uh- needs your assistance. " Allura said, patting Coran's shoulder.

He smiled. "Anything for Pidge, of course!"

Pidge grinned. She needed a little more than just assistance.

...

She needed a car. She was sick of walking around campus, and her feet hurt. She wasn't exactly the athletic type. She couldn't ride a bike either, and was too lazy to take Lance up on his offer to teach her.

It was nice, having friends carpool her around. But, her fellow juniors weren't as reliable as she needed them to be. And her older group of friends were too busy with their own jobs, and schedules. Alas, she wanted her own car.

Now, she was broke, of course. A few hundred bucks for a down payment, and enough to pay for a few months of insurance, but that was it.

Her parents were busy with their retirement plans, so was it really a great time to ask? Especially after she had denied getting a car since high school...

So, she went ahead and mentally prepared to ask her best friends for help.

Keith, Lance, and Allura were all too busy with modeling. So, no. She had asked Matt for too many favors already, so another no. Hunk was already struggling to pay his bills, what with the restaurant clientele so low right now. Romelle was saving up to move out of her brother's apartment. Shiro, straight up told her to just learn to ride a bike, he would buy her one. More, no's.

That left Coran.

Allura told Pidge it was a great idea to ask him, when he got back from Europe. She prayed Allura was right.

While Coran unpacked, and took a four hour nap to ease his jetlag, Pidge stayed over and did some of her school work while Allura came and went in the house, running errands on her day off.

Finally, around noon, Coran awoke, dawning a baby blue button up, leaf patterned slacks, and orange suspenders. Pidge cringed. At least his moustache's stature was restored.

He stretched as he stood in the living room door, impossibly flexible. "It feels so good to be home! Forgot that my bed was as comfortable as a Glorback's underside!" He babbled, popping his shoulders.

" Glorback..? " Pidge raised a brow, wondering to what depths of a country he had traveled to, to discover such a creature.

"Yep!! My great uncle used to run wild with them in the forests of the Garden of Florence- a secret society of endangered animals, guarding an immensely -"

" Heh, okay okay-" Pidge stopped him, shaking her head. "Sounds... Fun."

" Sure was! " Coran smirked, snapping his suspenders' straps. "I should show you my Glorback tooth, most unique pearly white you'll ever set eyes on."

" I'm good, thanks. " Pidge smiled awkwardly.

"Okie dokie." He said, bouncing over to the fridge, and grabbing one of Allura's energy shakes.

"So, Katie, what was it you needed from me?" He then asked, taking a gulp, and sitting next to her.

She turned to him, eyes intense. " It's totally okay if you can't, I understand. "

He cocked an eyebrow. "Well...is it illegal?"

" ...no. "

"Not that I wouldn't do it." He chuckled, a little too friendly.

"Heh..." Pidge laughed. " Anyways, I need a car. "

"Oh! Why didn't you just say so?"

" Well, I don't have much money... "

"That is perfectly fine, dear. I know just the place to get you a perfectly cheap car. From remarkable people!" He was already standing.

" Really? " Pidge asked, smiling.

"Mhm, wait until you hear their stories." He smiled, grabbing a jacket from the closet down the hall.

" Oh... " Pidge chuckled under her breath as she slid on her shoes. "More stories..."

"You'll love them." He said. " But, we are going to have to walk. " He frowned, glancing at the empty key hook. "Allura took the Lexus."

" That's fine. " Pidge lied, ignoring her sore feet.

"Good! It'll be nice to stretch my legs." He piped up, opening the door. " After you. "

...

"Um, Coran- where are we?" Pidge asked.

The sky had somehow darkened in a heartbeat, storm clouds stretching over the tented market area Coran and Pidge stood before.

"Don't worry about it." Coran said, stepping forward, into the market. Pidge held her breathe as she took in the dull green tents, with tables of artifacts piled onto them.

Gnarled people, with adorning tattoos and prosthetics, and milky white fake eyes, stood behind the stalls, grinning down at Pidge with gold teeth and black tar tongues.

She sidled up closer to Coran, glaring at them all. "Coran, what is this dump? Everyone's a creep."

" You'll find the car here, don't worry. " Coran said, eyes glued to the glittering items under the tents. He was enamored.

"These places really exist?" Pidge muttered, stuffing her hands in her pockets and pulling her hood over her head. " Reminds me of a place in a fantasy book. "

"Oh, it's real. The best marketplace on Earth, in my opinion. Quite convenient, if I do say so myself!" Coran said in pride.

" It's the tangible black market Coran... " Pidge muttered.

He ignored her, instead turning in between two tents, down a dark lane. At the end stood three or four garages, battered and dented, men sitting in lawn chairs, chewing on toothpicks.

They glanced up at their guests, looking Pidge over. She narrowed her eyes at them.

"Is Thace here?" Coran asked, hands on his hips. He looked like a beacon of light in this dump with his outfit.

One of the men, adorning a battered eye patch stood, his good eye squinting. "Well, I'll be damned. Coran?"

"Thace!!"

The two men embraced as Pidge watched in confusion. Thace turned to her with a smirk, his hand around Coran's shoulders. He was taller than Coran, arm muscles rippling under his scuffed jacket.

"Who's the little lady?"

" The names Pidge. " She said, annoyed, before Coran could speak.

"My bad, Pidge." He smiled.

" She's my friend, " Coran said. "She needs a car, can you help?"

Thace shrugged. "Depends, what does she need it for? And how much she got?"

" I need it for transportation, obviously. College. " Pidge said.

She didn't trust Thace.

He scoffed. "How much you got?"

" Enough. " Pidge said, holding his gaze. "What do you have to offer?"

He smirked. " I like your spunk kid, follow me. " He started into the nearest garage. Pidge did as she was told, cautiously.

"See, you two are getting along well!" Coran said happily, following.

The garage held a good amount of cars, a bunch of used ones. Older cars, banged up ones, cheap retails.

"A bunch-a hoopties, but they're in good shape. I keep 'em that way." Thace said, tugging on his toothpick.

"Hoopty?" Pidge asked, looking over a dusty saturn.

" Hoopty. " Thace repeated with a smile. "An old car, nothing special. But it works. Hoopties are some of the most reliable cars you'll ever get. Something your parents probably rode in straight after college. I bet you a hundred."

" A classic hoopty is what got Allura and I around the country when she was younger. " Coran said nostaligcally, "She was so tiny, and loved the road."

Pidge sighed. "If you say it's reliable... How much for this one?" She pointed back to the saturn, green with a dent in the left bumper. It was in a desperate need of a wash.

" Emmy. " Thace grinned. "I've had her for quite a while, not really wanting to give her up..."

Pidge shrugged. "How much?"

" How much you got? "

"Enough." She repeated.

" You're a tough barganier. " Thace chuckled, turning to Coran. "Where'd you get this one?"

Pidge crossed her arms. The saturn wasn't the best looking in the garage, sure. But it called to Pidge. She knew it had a story, and she could see herself going places in it. Sure, it needed a wash and a vacuum. Maybe some tune ups to make sure Thace wasn't lying.

But she could make it work.

"I have 600." Pidge said. Which was a lie. She had about 7 hundred, but she didn't trust this guy.

" That all? " Thace grimaced. "Like I said, I've had Emmy for quite a while, she means somethin' to me."

"I bet 600 in cash means a lot to you too." Pidge said. Thace's eyes lit up.

Pidge glanced around the garage, spotting a workers table against the wall. A framed photo of Thace and a platinum blonde man, grinning drunk at the camera.

"Take him out to dinner. Something nice?" Pidge said, nodding at the photo. She prayed he would take the bait, and that the guy in the photo meant something to Thace. The way he glanced longingly at that face, reassured her doubts.

He frowned. "Ulaz hates that I still work here.... He says I don't make enough..." He muttered.

"Buy him something nice too then." Pidge added.

He glanced at Pidge, uneasily.

"Take the car." Pidge's heart lifted. "Only because it's in cash. That's rare. And... you got good character. "

" Ulaz better have a good time. " He muttered to himself as he collected Pidge's licence and money. He left to get the small amount of paperwork she needed to sign on the car, and the key.

" Hm, I've never seen Thace so distant. " Coran said.

Pidge shrugged. "Some people just need to hear the right thing."

Coran smiled. "I guess so."

Thace returned, and Pidge signed the paperwork, shoving it into the dashboard of Emmy.

"Take good care of her, alright?" Thace said, leaning into the window of the car as Pidge buckled into the drivers seat. Meanwhile, Coran struggled to adjust the seat so his legs could fit.

"I will." Pidge said, as the first drizzle of rain began to fall.

And then they were off, Coran, Pidge, and dusty ol' Emmy.

_

"So, you're Adam, huh?" Matt said, reaching out a hand to Shiro's love interest.

" That's me. " Adam said, pushing up his glasses, and shaking Matt's hand. "You're Matt?"

" The one and only. "

"And I'm Shiro," Shiro smiled. " But I guess you both know that already. "

"No, I would have never guessed." Adam laughed.

Shiro laughed back. "Coffee?"

" Yes please, " Adam said sweetly.

"You already know I want some." Matt said.

" Yep, of course. " Shiro said, going off to the kitchen.

"Sooo," Adam said, sitting across from Matt on Shiro's ottoman.

"How do you and Shiro know each other?"

Matt smiled, small talk. Cool.

"High school. And we were the only ones in our friend group who went to the same college." Matt shrugged. " It's seemed like I've known him so much longer though. "

Adam smiled, and nodded. "Yeah, he gives off that effect." He glanced over at Shiro, struggling to get Keith's coffee machine to work. "I feel like I've known him forever."

Matt smirked, leaning back. "That's a good sign."

"Yeah?" He laughed. Then he frowned. " I, uh. I heard about your uh, feelings for Shiro. "

Matt cocked an eyebrow. "Yea-"

"I just want you to know, I don't mean to intrude on you two, or your relationship. I want Shiro to be happy, and I can tell he cares about you, so I wouldn't want to hurt you either."

Matt smiled. "That's reassuring. But it's okay, we're just friends. And we're gonna stay at that."

Adam smiled a heart melting smile, understanding Matt's sacrifice and love. "He's lucky to have you."

Matt smirked, and scoffed. "Oh, I know."

Adam laughed at that, and Shiro came into the room, "You two getting along well?"

" Yeah, " the boys said in unison. "We are." They smiled at each other.

" Great! " Shiro said, passing around mugs. "So, uh-"

"I got this." Matt said, clearing his throat and straightening his back.

" Adam. It's time for me to question your worth. " He said, half joking. Adam blushed.

"Do you promise to love Shiro through his worst, and his best, and to be loyal to him, and him alone? " 

Adam blushed, pushing up his glasses, and nodding fast. "Yeah, mhm."

"To understand him, and communicate with him. To listen, and support him. To be reasonable, and open to his dreams and aspirations-"

"Of course."

" Matt-" Shiro chuckled. "We aren't asking for your blessing-"

"Shhh." Matt said. " This is fun. " He grinned. "And Adam, do you promise to never ever break Shiro's heart?"

Adam nodded. "I would never do that to Takashi."

Matt and Shiro alike grinned at that.

"Good." Matt's eyes gleamed. " Sorry, to put you on the spot and all, I just want to know you're going to be true. Because Shiro deserves the world, and more. "

Shiro smiled at Matt. "So do you."

Matt smiled at him, before turning back to Adam. "So, just promise me, you'll always be there for Shiro.... when I can't be."

Adam looked between the best friends, before smiling. He reached a hand out to Shiro, rubbing his thumb over Shiro's knuckles, and locking eyes with him.

"I promise."

_

Lance hustled to the fitting room of the studio. He had just given Keith a cheerful, "Don't twist your ankle running on those raw noodles you call legs!" as a goodbye. His friend gave him the finger over his shoulder, him and his leather jacket departing for the gym. Veve chuckled at the two as she followed him out.

The day had been productive as always, and Lance couldn't wait to gush to James about how he felt about the gold beret he would be wearing tomorrow. He changed fast.

The only thing he regretted about this whole ordeal was his isolation from Keith. Sure, the two fought all the time, and Keith hated his guts. But he missed that. A lot.

"James!" Lance called, looking for his mentor as he rushed out of the fitting room, hair unruly and socks half on. " James?? "

The studio was empty. He grabbed his bag, hearing James' voice outside in the hall. He rushed for the door, grinning.

"James, I'm so excited-" he stopped mid-sentence, hand on the doorknob. James was on the phone with someone, mumbling.

The usual flirtatious, and smooth tone James used on Lance was gone. His voice was now rough, and gravelly. Cold.

The words were more so.

"He's so annoyingly peppy.... really believe he can get that far?"

" I know.... he's carrying the new male modeling business on his shoulders..... he isn't built for it.. "

"...how he looks when he walks the runway.... amateur.... he isn't pretty enough for this..."

" Can't wait till his dumbass gets booed off the runway... "

Lance's heart stopped. Was this real?

The tears were coming, fast. Lance hated crying, it made him feel weak. Small. But he couldn't control them. James echoed the small voice in Lance's head, the one that told him these things every day.

Since, he had started working with James though, it had gotten quieter.

It was screaming now.

Fool. Amateur. Dumbass. Ugly. Naive.

He ran out the door, shoving past James, tears falling faster. He ignored James calling after him, his voice cracking as he tried to smooth it out.

He knew the things James had said already. So why did it hurt so bad?

Because he had trusted James. He had liked James, a lot. He had looked up to James.

He thought James had believed in him.

But why would he?

Lance was just another idiot trying way too hard.

And he knew it.

___________________________________________________________________

hehe sorry that was angsty :0

im eating a burrito !!! SO HAPPY ... I WAS STARVING

anyways, sorry for the slight hiatus there... hope you enjoyed this chapter!!

qotd: best thing about lance? He needs some love after hearing James say those terrible things to him :((

a: his resilience and ability to bounce back. you're gonna b ok bby <3