Chapter Text
The night stretched on, its silence broken only by the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. 002 sat cross-legged near the base of the lookout tower, a cigarette perched between her lips, the faint glow casting shadows on her face. She glanced over at 001, who was leaning against the railing, his posture rigid, eyes scanning the horizon.
“It’s too bad we don’t have any makeup on base, huh, kiddo?” 002’s voice was soft but laced with amusement. “You’ve got such a pretty face. I think I’d have fun dressin’ you up, makin’ you look all cute and pretty.”
001’s frown deepened, and the usual warmth in his cheeks shifted into something unspoken, a quiet heat that crept up to his ears. He hated how easily she could provoke him.
“Don’t get any ideas,” he muttered, his gaze fixed forward, though he couldn’t entirely mask the flicker of embarrassment. He wasn’t used to compliments, especially not from someone like her.
002's smile only widened, knowing exactly what she was doing. “You know, you’ve got the makings of a model, squirt. Could be a career change for ya. You could be famous.” She chuckled, the sound rich with affection.
001 didn’t answer, his frown deepening, his lips pressed into a tight line. She was getting under his skin, and he hated it. But she didn’t seem to care. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it.
“Awh, are you blushin’, kiddo?” 002 leaned back, exhaling a cloud of smoke as she watched him closely. Her dark eyes glimmered with that mischievous, almost affectionate light, but there was something else beneath it—a hint of something more tender, hidden behind the walls she kept up. “You really are a sight.”
He rubbed his face, trying to brush off the warmth spreading across his skin. “Yeah, right. Focus on fire watch, 002. Quit distracting me.”
002 let out a long, exaggerated sigh, blowing the cigarette smoke from her lips. She flipped a strand of hair out of her face, the wind teasing it across her eyes. She swiped at it again, frustrated. “You’re no fun,” she said, but there was a trace of something softer beneath the sarcasm. “My hair’s growin’ pretty fast, huh? I don’t know… I was thinkin’ about cutting it all off again. It’s annoying this length, can’t even tie it up anymore.”
She glanced over at him, her eyes softened for a moment, but when 001 didn’t respond right away, she raised an eyebrow, waiting. She always liked to catch him off guard, to see what he’d say. 001 only watched as she stood up and discarded her cigarette
001’s eyes followed the loose strands of her hair as they blew around her face, dark and untamed, just like her. There was something undeniably reckless about her appearance, a part of her that never quite conformed, always a little wild, always a little untamed. His gaze softened for just a moment. The way her hair shifted in the wind, the different lengths falling across her face—it suited her. Made her look like she didn’t care about rules, about what anyone thought.
“You’ve always been stubborn,” he said finally, his voice a little softer than before. “Do what you want with it.”
The words hung in the air between them, the space between them stretching longer than it had to, both of them knowing there was more left unsaid.
002 watched him closely, her gaze flicking to his face, then his hair. A quiet thought passed through her mind. Without a word, she reached up to his head, fingers slipping into his half-tied hair. He tensed, but she didn’t back off. Her fingers gently tousled it, despite the resistance he gave. His hand instinctively grabbed hers, trying to stop her, but there was a trace of something else in her touch, something soft and familiar that made his heart skip.
“You know, squirt, your hair’s gettin’ pretty long too,” 002 said quietly, her voice unusually calm. “It’s coverin’ up those blue eyes of yours. Don’t you want to cut it? I think short hair would look real good on you. Maybe you and 010 could even match.”
001 froze. He knew she was trying to provoke him again, but something about the way she said it felt different—almost tender, like a quiet offering of something more. His eyes narrowed, though, not in annoyance but in confusion. “Me and 010? Nah. Hell no.”
He turned away, avoiding her gaze. The thought of being compared to him, to that—whatever 010 was—made his stomach churn. He didn’t want any part of it.
“Aww, why not?” 002’s tone shifted, but there was a quiet concern in it now. “He’s a good guy, really. He just has… his moments. You should give him a chance.”
“Yeah? That’s the understatement of the century.” 001’s voice was sharper now, his walls coming back up, his defensiveness rising. He didn’t want to talk about it—about 010.
002 let out a short laugh, her fingers still lightly tangled in his hair. “You’re too serious, kid. You’ve gotta loosen up.”
And then, without warning, she smacked the back of his head, her fingers leaving his hair.
“Ack! Watch it!”
“Be nice, kid!” She leaned in, her voice low but laced with something that felt almost protective. “He’s a real nice guy. You should be more respectful.”
001 rubbed the back of his head, his mind racing with thoughts he wasn’t ready to confront. “Respectful?” He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “He’s bat-shit insane! You want me to be nice to him?”
“Yeah, maybe I do,” 002 said quietly, her voice tinged with something more serious now. She paused, her eyes softening as she looked at him. “I know you’re not like him, kid. But don’t let your anger cloud the good parts of people. It’s easy to forget them when you’re focused on what’s wrong. But there’s always something good, even in people like him. And even in people like us.”
She leaned back and took a long drag from her cigarette, her gaze turning distant, thoughtful. 001 didn’t know what to say. He felt something shift between them, something unspoken that wasn’t just about haircuts or teasing. The night stretched on, quiet and heavy, and for a moment, he felt like he understood her a little more. Maybe he didn’t have all the answers, and maybe things weren’t perfect, but in that moment, there was warmth in the silence.
“I’ll think about it,” he said quietly, and that was enough.
—----
Lance stood off to the side, watching Chris with a quiet intensity. The younger boy’s laughter was rich, full, and completely unguarded, a sound so bright it was almost contagious. The kind of laugh that made Lance smile without even realizing it. It wasn’t just the laugh—it was the way Chris’s whole face lit up, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and that spark of energy that made Lance feel like everything around them was momentarily lighter. For a brief second, Lance allowed himself to enjoy the simplicity of it, of watching someone be so genuinely happy.
But as Chris’s attention shifted toward Coran juggling, Lance’s mind wandered. He didn’t notice the soft footsteps behind him, the way Shiro had crept up, taking advantage of Lance’s distraction.
The sudden pressure on his shoulder made Lance jump. His body instinctively spun around, crouching low like he was about to spring into action, an adrenaline rush igniting in his chest.
Shiro froze as soon as Lance’s eyes landed on him, his hands going up in an immediate show of surrender. “Whoa, sorry about that, kiddo,” Shiro said, his voice light and apologetic.
Lance’s pulse slowed, but the remnants of the shock kept him from standing upright right away. He remained crouched for a moment, still staring at Shiro, before slowly rising to his full height. His eyes locked with Shiro’s, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“You better be,” Lance said, his tone still laced with that adrenaline-fueled energy, in spite of his glare, his voice was full of humor. “I almost offed you right then and there.”
Shiro’s lips twitched into a smile, though his gaze softened. He tilted his head slightly, curiosity flickering in his expression. “Yeah? I’ll take that as a warning. But, hey, I’ve been wondering something. Why are you all the way back here by yourself? Why aren’t you hanging out with the others?”
Lance’s smile remained in place, but it was a little less carefree now. He never truly stopped smiling, did he? But even Shiro, who had spent enough time around him, could tell the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. The corners of Lance’s mouth pulled down just a fraction, something Shiro noticed immediately.
Lance let out a quiet breath and shifted his gaze to the side, avoiding Shiro’s eyes for a moment. “Well,” he began, his voice quieter now, “there are a lot of reasons. For one, I don’t want to swamp Chris with my company. He’s having fun. I’m not gonna pull him away from that.”
His eyes flicked briefly toward Chris, still laughing with Coran, but it wasn’t just Chris he was watching. It was the others too—the rest of the team. Lance looked at them, feeling that familiar pang of distance in his chest. He had always been part of the group, always been the loud, jokey, happy-go-lucky guy. But recently, that felt more like a role than a reflection of who he actually was.
“And…” Lance hesitated, as if weighing the words in his mind before they escaped. “And I think it’s better for me to give them some space to figure things out. You know… to really understand that I’m not just… just ‘Lance Mclain” or whatever. That whole thing.” He shrugged, as if trying to make light of it, but the words lingered, heavy and more sincere than he’d intended, “plus I don’t really feel the need to be as foolishly immature as I used to be.” Lance grinned but it didn’t seem to reach his eyes the way it had before.
Shiro’s brow furrowed slightly, his gaze softening in concern. He hadn’t expected Lance to open up like this, or at least not in the way he was. “You don’t feel the need to be… immature anymore?” Shiro’s voice was cautious now, worried, played up for effect. He decided to play it off, allow Lance the space he wanted– no, needed–until he opened up, “Lance, are you feeling okay? Do you want me to get Coran or—”
Lance quickly held up a hand, cutting him off. “Yeah, yeah, alright man. But seriously, I’m fine, boss. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” He huffed, his regular smile returning to him. “Why aren’t you over there with the others, huh? Getting all serious and concerned for nothing?”
Shiro chuckled at that, though it was a little strained, as if he wasn’t entirely convinced by Lance’s words. He nudged the younger boy playfully in return, but there was something deeper in his eyes—a quiet understanding. Shiro had seen that shift in Lance before, knew there was more behind the smiles, more behind the easygoing persona.
“You’re dodging the question, you know,” Shiro said, his tone both gentle and teasing, as if trying to coax Lance out of his shell.
Lance just shrugged, that same wry smile tugging at his lips. “You know me, man. Always got to keep you all on your toes.”
There was a long moment where neither of them spoke, the soft hum of Coran’s juggling and the distant chatter of the others filling the space between them. Lance’s smile was back in full force, but it felt… quieter somehow. Like it was a mask he had to wear, even if it didn’t fit as well anymore.
Shiro let the silence linger, not pushing. Instead, he gave Lance a knowing look, one that said more than words ever could. And in that quiet, Lance felt a small weight lift from his shoulders.
For a brief moment, Lance let the silence settle between them.