Lance was still grinning nervously, sweat trickling down the back of his neck. Keith looked like he wanted to melt into the floor.
Shiro crossed the room with the calm authority that made him impossible to ignore. He stopped in front of them, hands on his hips, giving them The Look. Not quite disappointed, not quite amused. Just that steady, piercing gaze that made Lance feel about two feet tall.
"So," Shiro said at last, "post-mission training, huh?"
"Y-yeah," Lance stammered, forcing a laugh. "You know me, always keeping sharp. Can't let Keith get rusty."
Keith muttered, "Pretty sure you're the rusty one."
"Excuse me?!" Lance whipped around to glare at him, then remembered Shiro was still watching. He straightened immediately. "I mean- friendly competition! Builds morale."
Shiro's brow arched higher. "Funny.. It sounded more like laughing than sparring when I walked in."
Keith's ears went pink. Lance opened his mouth to argue, then shut it again, because, okay, Shiro had a point.
For a long moment, silence hung in the air. Then Shiro sighed, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "You two… actually getting along. That's new."
Lance blinked. "Wait! Was that… approval? Did I just get Shiro Approval™?"
Shiro chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't push your luck." He glanced at Keith. "But I'll admit, it's good to see you both not at each other's throats for once."
Keith avoided eye contact, but there was the tiniest ghost of a smile on his lips.
Lance, sensing victory, slung an arm around Keith's shoulders before Keith could stop him. "See, Shiro gets it. This-" he gestured between them "-this is progress. Me and Keith, pals. Buddies. Practically best friends."
Keith shoved his arm off with a scowl, though his face was still faintly red. "Don't push it."
Shiro laughed outright this time, shaking his head as he turned toward the door. "Alright, I'll leave you two to your… bonding. Just don't keep the Castle awake, okay?"
The door slid shut behind him, and the silence he left behind was deafening.
Lance rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks still warm. "Well... That wasn't humiliating at all."
Keith groaned. "He's never going to let us live that down."
"Eh," Lance said, grinning again, "at least now he knows you do laugh sometimes. I feel like that's a win."
Keith shot him a sideways look, but there was no real heat behind it. "…Idiot."
But the word sounded softer than usual. Almost… fond.
And Lance, for once, didn't argue.