Chapter Text
He was certain that auditions had gone rather well, but when Lance was informed that the cast list had been posted a few days later, his heart raced in anticipation. God, he had tried so hard to get in, all of that effort, all of those hours of panic, they would mean nothing if he didn't get the role. By the time he had made it to the lobby where the list was posted, his heart was racing in anticipation. There's a crowd gathered in front of the list, and Lance would be damned if he didn't see it for himself before he was told what he had gotten. He spotted Hunk in the crowd as well, face pulled tight with anxiety as he waited to get a good look.
That was the difference between the two of them, Lance supposed, Hunk was politely waiting for a turn, but this was war, and Lance would claw and fight his way to that list if it was the last thing he did.
After pushing through a few small her forms, he ended up in front of the list, breath caught in his throat.
Alexander Hamilton-Lance McClain
He took no time to throw his hands up in victory, a loud whoop! escaping him as relief flooded his veins. He took another quick look at the list, eyes absolutely radiating joy.
Aaron Burr-Keith Kogane
John Laurens/Philip Hamilton-Hunk Garrett
Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson-Pidge Holt
Hercules Mulligan/James Madison-Thace...
He stopped reading after that, knowing very well that he would learn who everyone else was soon enough. He pushed back through the crowd, a smile playing at his lips. As he found Hunk, he caught a glimpse of black hair and violet-gray eyes. He looked over for a moment as Keith made his way back from the cast list, looking slightly uncomfortable. Lance snorted to himself, Keith was probably uncomfortable with coming in second for once. It honestly made Lance puff his chest out further as pride flooded through his veins.
“Hunk!” Lance called out, the bigger boy turned to him with wide eyes. “ You got the part!”
Hunk’s eyes lit up in shock. “W-what?! Are you serious?!”
Lance nodded. “You're officially the Laurens to my Hamilton,”
Hunk couldn't help but run over and give Lance the biggest bear hug he could manage. Shay stood nearby with a shy smile.
“Who did you get?” Lance asked her after Hunk had set him down.
“Eliza,” She said quietly, the smile on her face said everything, and Lance couldn't help but give her a quick, tight hug before Hunk gave her a hug similar to what he had given Lance.
A moment later, Hunk turned back to Lance, face suddenly serious. “I know you're Hamilton, and she's Eliza, but I swear to god, if you hit on my girlfriend I will have your head on a platter,”
Lance laughed nervously, giving Hunk weak finger guns. “You got it bud,”
A moment later, Shay’s eyes lit up and she waved enthusiastically at someone behind Lance, he raised an eyebrow, tossing a quick look over his shoulder.
“Keith!” Shay smiled. Lance's heart sank and he frowned, making eye contact with Hunk for a moment. Sure, Shay and Keith had been friends since forever, but it didn't mean that either Lance or Hunk had to like the guy. He had always been distant and an asshole towards Lance.
“Hey Shay,” He heard Keith say. Lance turned to see the other boy approaching, a girl that Lance didn't quite recognize was next to Keith, tugging nervously at his sleeve as if to let him know that she was uncomfortable with the new situation.
“Congratulations on getting the part you wanted,” Keith said easily to Shay, giving her a quick hug. “Shay, this is Pidge,” he gestured to the small girl next to him, who had untamed butterscotch hair and large glasses perched on her nose.
“Hi,” Pidge said tightly.
“And what role did you get?” Lance asked, cocking his head curiously with a smarmy smile.
Pidge looked over at him and then back to Keith. For a moment, they seemed to have a silent conversation. “Uhh, I'm Lafayette and Jefferson…”
“Wait, really?” Lance frowned. “I would have guessed Peggy or something,”
Pidge looked at the ground and then at Keith again as if pleading him to say something, he merely shrugged.
“I wouldn't have fit a role like Peggy,”
“Why not?”
“Lance,” Keith finally growled. “It's none of your business.” Lance stiffened considerably, sending a dirty look at the other boy. Keith had his arms crossed and was practically radiating aggression.
“It's fine, Keith, I'm… not a girl?” Pidge said slowly. Lance’s face melted into realization.
“Oh! Cool, what pronouns do you prefer?”
“They/them,”
Lance nodded with a smile. “Awesome, it's good to meet you, Pidge!”
Pidge nodded, looking over at Keith with a frown. “He's not as much of an asshole as you made him out to be, Keith.”
Keith sputtered, face lighting up with an “angry” blush. “P-Pidge!”
Lance frowned, looking over at Keith with a glare. Of course mullet-head had been talking bad about him, what else was new? Lance still felt a slight sting at that discovery, but he brushed it off quickly, trying to make sure Keith wasn't aware of how much it bothered him.
It was obvious that the other boy was completely oblivious through his sputtering and complete inability to look Lance in the eye--which only served to fuel Lance’s annoyance.
“ So ,” Hunk cleared his throat. “How should we celebrate?”
“Definitely the malt shop on 4th,” Lance said with a grin, nudging Hunk’s arm playfully.
“You two should come with us!” Shay said to Keith and Pidge. Lance shot Hunk a look, his enthusiasm fading a bit.
“Uh, I think I’ll pass,” Keith muttered, glancing off away from Lance's face. Pidge frowned, giving Keith a disapproving look.
“C’mon, Keith, I’m literally like your only friend, you need to get out more.”
Keith shuffled uncomfortably. “You’re not my only friend,”
“I don’t think you can count Shiro as a friend, he’s your brother,”
“...Matt?”
“He’s my brother, you can’t count him either,”
“Shay!”
“Took him long enough,” Shay muttered to Hunk. Lance snorted loudly. Keith’s face was flushed again and he was staring intently at the ground.
“My point is, you don’t have a lot, and having more couldn’t hurt,” Pidge said pointedly.
“Fine,” Keith bit out. “I’ll go.”
Lance rolled his eyes and sighed visibly but decided against saying anything. He wouldn’t ruin the other’s good time because of his petty rivalry. Yet, he didn’t have anything against ruining Keith’s time, if even just a little bit.
~
Keith did not sign up for this. He didn’t sign up for being squished in between Lance and Pidge in the back of Hunk’s shitty 1997 Saturn, if this was what friendship was, he didn’t want it. Not at all. It hadn’t even been a question to who got shot-gun, they all knew Shay was the primary candidate. As for the back seat, Pidge should have been the one squished since they were the smallest but they were very persuasive when they wanted to be, and somehow, Keith had ended up in the middle, letting Pidge happily take the left-side seat.
It was almost bearable until Hunk took a sharp left turn, throwing Keith against Lance, who was even less pleased than Keith was to have the other boy practically on top of him. Lance jerked away as much as he could, shoving Keith back towards Pidge, who squawked angrily and punched Keith’s shoulder.
“F-fuck! Pidge, that hurt!”
“That’s what you get for falling on me,”
“Lance pushed me!”
Pidge winked and shoved him again. Keith swore loudly, grabbing for Pidge’s arm as he collided with Lance who really looked about ready to start slitting throats at that moment. Lance shoved Keith back, and Pidge smiled devilishly before fucking pushing him again.
Lance seemed to catch on in that moment, which only proved to further Keith’s misery as he was suddenly being thrown between the two of them mercilessly. Pidge cackled evilly and eventually caught him rather than continuing their sick little game. At least Lance was smiling at this point as well, that was something that Keith could be thankful for--it was certainly better than the withering glares that he had been receiving until now. He was able to appreciate that smile for only a moment before he felt Lance shove him into Pidge.
“Fuck my life,” Keith muttered, still, Pidge wasted no time before shoving Keith back again. He half expected Hunk or Shay to notice the abuse he was going through, but instead they seemed rather involved in their own conversation, so they were dead to him.
~
By the time they had reached the malt shop Keith was bruised on both of his arms. At least, it certainly felt that way. He rubbed his arms tenderly while fixing Pidge and Lance with a glare as they chatted casually, Hunk and Shay were still oblivious to Keith’s suffering and were conversing between themselves. The gang made their way into the small malt shop and were lead to a booth in the corner. Hunk and Shay slid easily into the booth, their hands now linked. Pidge looked over at Keith with a smirk as they slid into the booth next, and Keith merely glared back, realizing that he was now being forced to sit next to Lance.
“Ladies first,” Lance said, gesturing for Keith to sit next, instead, Keith merely shoved Lance hard, sending the other boy toppling into the booth next to Pidge. After they were all situated, the waitress made her way over to the table to take orders. Lance naturally ordered a triple-chocolate, brownie batter malt with extra whipped cream on top. Pidge ordered a strawberry-vanilla shake, and Hunk and Shay elected to share a cookies n’ cream malt.
Keith ordered a smoothie.
“What the fuck, man?” Lance said in horror. “Why a smoothie? We’re in a malt shop if you hadn’t noticed.”
“I’m lactose intolerant.”
“Oh…” Lance said, a bit dumbfounded. “Well, that makes sense then, I guess.”
“Yeah,” The silence that followed was almost unbearable. Hunk and Shay were still talking and seemed to be in their own little world. Not too much later, their orders came and a few casual conversations began, Keith mostly just listened, sipping his smoothie.
Once Lance and Pidge had mostly finished their milkshakes, Lance bumped their arm before slurping loudly and then shooting them a look. A moment later Pidge followed suit with an even louder slurp. Lance snickered before trying to slurp louder than Pidge, so forth a competition began until there was virtually nothing left to slurp up.
Keith swore he could feel a headache budding in his temple. Hunk and Shay had finally seemed to join the rest of them after the loud slurping had interrupted their conversation.
“So Pidge,” Lance started once their slurping competition had come to an end. “Did you audition for Lafayette? Or were you trying to get another part?”
“No, I actually wanted to be Alexander Hamilton,” They deadpanned. Lance’s mouth fell open.
“W-what? Really?!”
Keith couldn’t help but snort. Lance was really thick if he actually believed that.
“I’m pulling your leg,” Pidge said. “Yeah, I initially auditioned for Lafayette,”
“Oh,” Lance started with a bewildered laugh. “That’s cool,” Lance finger gunned.
Pidge stared at him for a second. “Are you by any chance Bisexual?”
“Yeah, why?”
Keith choked on his smoothie.
Lance looked over. “You okay bud?”
“Y-yeah,” Keith said through a fit of coughs. “I’m good,”
“Cool, I read somewhere that finger-guns is a universal Bisexual sign.” Pidge said coolly.
Lance laughed, raising his hands to finger-gun again.
Keith might have said something if his mind wasn’t screaming. He set down his smoothie and excused himself, trying not to trip as he got out of the booth and swiftly walked away to the bathroom. He locked in a stall and leaned his head back against the stall door.
He wasn’t so sure he could make it through this show anymore.