Lance stepped into a shower with the water coming from the ceiling, he sighed relieved when water ran down his body. It's been to long since he was able to take a shower, in a private bathroom more than anything.

He watched the dirt from the desert wash off his skin as he used soap to scrub at his arms to feel clean once again. Lance closed his eyes letting it wash off him, tilting his face towards the water.

It was silent besides the sound of the water, he was relaxing. He breathed softly as his arms hugged around his bare chest. Lances hand snaked itself behind his back as he lightly touched his scar that was scattered across his upper back from the explosion a year ago. It was faded a little more but it was obvious still. He inhaled deeply as he pulled his hand back to touch other battle scars he's survived. A small scar on his side from behind shot, a slice from Lotors generals on his arm. He didn't mind many of the small scars he had but the defined ones he's had he hated. He no longer felt comfortable going shirtless, knowing people were staring at his back. Only Keith has seen him shirtless since and it was when he thought he'd be going to the pool alone.

He was so embarrassed by how many scars he's gotten from the short time period. He needed to get better..

-

"Oh my god that shower felt amazing, I'm never taking basic hygiene for granted ever again," Lance put on a white garrison hoodie with basketball shorts on under. Pidge, Keith, hunk, shiro and Allura all hung out in one of the lounge rooms as everyone took a shower and was in comfortable clothes for the first night they're back.

"I love how soft these clothes pieces are, what are they again?" Allura smiled as her white hair was wet still.

"Hoodies, I do miss having them," lance sat next to her. "Mind if I braid your hair back? You'll catch a cold if you let it be soaked like this,"

"I know how to handle my own hair," Allura pouted a little. He smiled a little at her still waiting for an answer, she sighed and gave in.

"I know what I'm doing, anyways so are we bunking up with each other or like what's the deal on that?" Lance sat sideways as Allura turned as well and let him do whatever.

"Pidge, hunk, Allura and you are bunking up, it's four per room but Keith and I already have an dorm here from before," shiro told him as lance started at the crown of Alluras head and started to French braid.

"Yea hunk we get to bunk again!" Lance smiled brightly as Allura and Pidge looked at each other flatly.

"But we're girls? Don't we get a separate room?" Allura asked as griffin and kinkade walked in.

"We share our room with the girls, they get one side and we got the other," Griffin plopped himself on the couch as lance finished Alluras braid and scooted over for kinkade to sit with him.

"So all four of you share a dorm?" Lance asked.

"Yep, luckily we have two bathrooms," griffin cut in as kinkade opened his mouth. Lance laid his legs against kinkades lap relaxed as Allura and Keith looked at each other confused noticing them.

"You're hairs curly," kinkade noticed Lances clean towel dried hair.

"It's just longer, it's been a while since I've gotten it cut, plus with no dirt and gross stuff in it I guess it's coming back," lance made a face touching his dark hair as he never liked his curly hair.

"It does look better clean," he teased as lance rolled his eyes laying on his back as his head bumped against Allura. He smiled up at her as she scooted another inch away. Kinkade gave her a look frowning.

"So where's the girls then? Don't tell me you came to just hang out with us," lance grinned at kinkade and griffin.

"No!" Griffin defended.

"I enjoy your company," kinkade shrugged and lance snorted as he got up and flipped his body so his head bumped against his leg instead. Allura looked surprised when lance switched. His attention was all off her now.

Allura knew she should be relieved that lance didn't pay as much attention to her but she didn't understand what was going on with him and kinkade.

"So what's changed in the garrisons? I haven't been here in a while," lance looked up at kinkade as he didn't notice Alluras staring while everyone thought it was normal at this point for the two.

"We've upgraded the training area, we did have to give up a lot of space for refugees though, limited simulators, otherwise mostly extended majority of the garrisons to as far as we could with the barrier," kinkade told him as lance nodded interested.

"You gotta show me around tomorrow, i was still getting use to fighter pilots last time," lance snickered as he laid on kinkades lap with a grin.

"I'd be honored," Ryan smiled down at him.

Everyone chatted as Rizavi and ida joined them a little later as lance didn't move from kinkade but still talked to everyone as well as the other boy. Kinkade was quiet as usual with the groups conversation, but he accidentally brushed his hand last Lances hair and was surprised by the softness of it. He gently touched Lances head and his fingers stroked his hair. Lance didn't seem to mind as he acted like nothing was happening as he kept talking.

Minutes passed by as lance listened to the others and relaxed against kinkade as he was laying on his side. Kinkade kept playing with his hair as something to do with his hands as he listened as well. Not realizing lance stoped talking completely.

"Dude did you knock lance out?" Hunk looked over.

"Huh?" Kinkade zoned back in and looked down seeing lance sleeping in his lap.

"Oh sorry, should I wake him?" Kinkade pulled his hand back awkwardly as he tried not to blush.

"Nah, once's he's out, he's out, you can probably move to the side if you don't want him on you," hunk waved it off but Kinkade didn't move.

"I don't wanna wake him," he said concerned.

"Then your stuck," Pidge snorted and the others nodded.

"He fell asleep on my shoulder after training once," Keith huffed rolling his eyes a little.

"And you moved?" Griffin snorted.

"I tried!" He defended.

"He has the right idea though, first night in a real earth bed, I can't wait," hunk yawned and the others nodded.

"Do you want me to take him out of your hands?" He asked kinkade who sat still with the sleeping Paladin on him.

"i-I Uh..." Kinkade didn't know how to say no as he looked at hunk nervously.

"He can hang with us a little longer, we're not going back to our dorm for a little longer," Rizavi waved them off as she could see her friends struggle.

"You sure?" Shiro asked with a small grunt standing up.

"We got it," she gave him a thumbs up as the Paladins nodded leaving lance to the pilots knowing he wouldn't budge much.

"So how long have you had a crush on lance?" Ida asked calmly on the other couch as the five stayed in the lounge.

"What?!" Kinkade was taken back by the question.

"It's super cute," Rizavi nodded excitedly but she poked at Lances ear a little to see if he was actually asleep. He didn't move, his nose scrunched up a little bit kinkade moved her back away from him.

"I don't have a crush.." he mumbled blushing softly.

"Your kidding right? It's so obvious you like him, you go out of your way to talk to him and your letting him hang onto you more and more, I'm surprised it happened this fast," griffin snorted from the side.

"I don't know..." kinkade gulped.

"Do you like being around lance?" Rizavi asked smirking.

"Yes?"

"Do you get a tingly feeling when your with him?"

"No, it's more like a hot feeling and my throat closes up, I guess my legs feel a little weaker," kinkade explained confused but the three other pilots seemed satisfied.

"That's a crush dude," Griffin looked at him smugly.

"I-Uh what do I do?" He asked a little concerned with the feeling welding up in his chest.

"Tell him how you feel!" Rizavi squealed.

"Don't do that!" Griffin snapped at her wide eyes.

"Aww why?" She whined.

"What if lance doesn't swing that way?" He told her frowning and kinkades heart sunk.

"Make sure he likes guys first then, and if he says yes you gotta get him flowers and ask him on a date!" Rizavi jumped to her feet excitedly as kinkade looked at Ida wide eyes.

"Do what you think is right, don't listen to them," Ida told him calmly with a nod.