Stars // klance AU

Top Secret Santa

Once midterms came to an end, students were urged to leave campus for winter break. Some of the students at the university stayed on campus during break due to various reasons. Some, like Keith, did not have anywhere to return to, while others, like Lance, just did not have enough money to take a trip home. Pidge was lucky enough to have family close by, so they did not stay for the yearly planetarium club secret Santa tradition.

"Secret... Santa?" Keith blinked in the direction of his roommate, who was currently writing names into slips of paper.

"Yeah, you get someone from the club assigned and you have to find a present for them. It doesn't have to be a physical object or anything that requires money," Shiro explained, dropping all the pieces into one of his winter caps.

"Why would you want me to join? Isn't it some kind of club tradition?" Keith furrowed his eyebrows, putting his phone down beside him on the bookshelf.

"It is," Shiro smiled knowingly, closing the cap with a fist as if he was carrying a miniature garbage bag. "The others seem to like you. That's why they've asked me to invite you."

Keith was taken aback by Shiro's statement, pausing a moment to think over it. "Well... if they're okay with it I guess there's no harm in going," he shrugged it off nonchalantly.

The expression on his roommate switched from a calm smile to a smug grin, "That's good, because I already added your name into the mix." He headed to the door, shrugging on a winter coat. "We don't want to keep them waiting."

Keith blinked, "Wait." Shiro turned to face his roommate, grin still spread across his features. "You added me before I even answered?"

"I already knew you would say yes," was all Shiro said before slipping out of their dorm.

Keith had only been in the planetarium once before, a couple of days prior during the Lance-Is-Actually-Sanchez Incident, so he did not know what the place would be like during a typical day. His confusion only grew exponentially when the soft echoes of a Christmas song resonated through the science building's empty halls. Fittingly enough, Keith recognized the song as a saxophone solo of Deck the Halls. Unsure about why there would even be a saxophone playing in the science building, Keith arched an eyebrow at Shiro, who just chuckled without actually replying. His question was answered as they climbed down the staircase, when the club member's voices were finally audible.

"Lance," Hunk groaned. "It's not even Christmas yet. We have an entire week."

The saxophone player only stopped playing for a moment to speak. "An entire week of PRE-Christmas," He explained as if the answer was fairly obvious. "We still gotta decorate the planetarium. I'm just trying to set the mood." He proved his point by jamming into a jazzy version of Jingle Bells.

"I believe the mood has been set," Keith spoke up, turning the rest of the members' attention towards the recent arrivals. Everybody was there, aside from Pidge who, as Shiro had explained to Keith on their walk there, had left to visit their parents and brother in Alabama.

"Keith, you made it," Lance beamed, slipping the neckstrap off. "You're gonna join us?"

"Well, apparently so," Keith shot Shiro a look, which the other knowingly ignored.

"Well?" Lance raised both of his eyebrows expectantly at the paler man, waiting for some kind of response.

"Well, what?" the recipient deadpanned, slipping out of his coat.

Lance rolled his eyes in exasperation. "My playing," he raised his saxophone up in an attempt to explain. "What do you think? Do you think it was... saxy?"

Keith stared into the man's dark blue eyes in plain amusement. "Ah sorry, it seems like I'm having trouble hearing you," He pretended to clean his ear with his pinky finger. "Some loud, horrid noise has ruined my hearing capabilities."

The expectant expression crumbled into one of childish offence. "Wow, okay then mullet. I see that your appreciation of music is as bad as your fashion sense." He crossed his arms over his narrow chest in a pout.

Keith looked about ready to snap at him with another comment when Allura intervened, holding her palms out towards the two men like an animal handler trying to contain a pair of temperamental lions. "Now, boys. We already know Shiro is the one with the questionable music choices."

"That's true," both men agreed almost at the same time, turning to the club president. Shiro looked at them and then at Allura with a face of strained betrayal, yet the woman did nothing but chuckle warmly at his reaction.

"Now, why don't we pick out our annual holiday victims?" Coran rubbed his hands together mischievously, changing the topic.

"Right," Shiro blinked, holding out the hat towards the others. Six pieces of paper were neatly folded inside in a way that whatever was written on them could not be visible just by looking at them. "You know the rules. Keep your secret Santa a secret, and in no way hint the person you are gifting."

Everybody reached a hand in the cap, picking out a piece of paper from the scrambled pile. Keith just watched their expressions light up with the revelation, already brainstorming ideas in their heads for what could work as the perfect Christmas gift. Shiro nudged the bag toward Keith, urging him to take one as well. With nothing left to lose, Keith picked out one of the two remaining shreds, leaving Shiro with whoever's name was left.

With extreme curiosity, Keith unfolded the small piece of lined paper, eyes focused on the neatly printed name with Shiro's handwriting.

Lance

Keith wondered if coming along truly a good idea.