Taking A Chance

The Next Morning

The next morning, Maria and Jorge came downstairs to find Keith and Lance making breakfast for the younger kids, who were all sitting at the table with pancakes, strawberries and syrup in front of them.
Molly sat in the high chair pushing pancake into her mouth, her hands and face covered in syrup. While she was distracted, Keith was brushing her hair and putting it into pigtails hoping it would keep it out of the syrup. Maria grinned at his efforts.
‘I'm never going to get her hair right,’ Keith pouted.
‘Is it out of her face?' asked Lance.I
‘Yes, but it looks odd,’ Keith said.
‘Doesn't matter,’ Lance assured him.
‘You two have been busy,’ Maria said as she and Jorge sat at the table.
‘This lot were all up early,’ said Lance, ‘and hungry.' He brought more pancakes to the table and Maria and Jorge helped themselves. ‘We were up anyway, Molly was restless around 5am.’
‘And you couldn't get back to sleep?’ asked Jorge.
They watched the young men's faces redden.
‘No,’ Lance said. A smile tugged at Lance's lips as he thought of all the ways Keith had made love to him this morning.
‘Well, we appreciate you letting as have a sleep in,’ said Maria. ‘These are very good.’
‘Not as good as yours, Mama,’ said Lance, ‘I've so missed your cooking.’
Marco and Veronica were the last to join them and scooped up the pancakes onto their plates, and Lance saw the would need to make more batter.
‘Baby, can you get me the milk?’ asked Lance.
‘Sure,’ Keith said getting it from the fridge for him.
‘Where are you real parents?' asked Veronica.
‘Veronica,’ snapped Maria. ‘This is none of your concern.'
‘I was just curious how he ended up being raised by two men,’ Veronica said.
‘I don't know where my father is,’ said Keith, ‘and I discovered recently my another lives...a long way away.’
‘And no-one else in your family wanted you?' asked Veronica.
‘I guess not,' Keith murmured, frowning.
‘What has gotten into you?' asked Jorge. ‘You have been nothing but rude to our guest...’
‘It's not rude to want to know more about Lance's...fiance,’ she said grimacing. ‘We know nothing about him. He could be some crazed killer.'
Lance laughed.
‘Why is that funny?' asked Veronica.
‘Well, he is a trained assassin, which is why he carries a blade around, so your half right, and is also an expert at martial arts,' said Lance, and silence fell around the table. ‘He's moody and can have a very shot fuse, so don't piss him off. We spent most of our time hating each other because of some stupid rivalry I made up, and I spent the first six months terrified of him. He is the best pilot and fighter on the team, and the only one who can really control Red. I had a terrible time with her when Keith flew Black after Shiro went missing.' Lance frowned. ‘Actually, Keith and I are the only paladins to have flown two different lions. Oh, and because he stuck was in a quantum abyss for two years he’s 21 instead of 19.'
Lance brought more pancakes to the table and finally sat down next to Keith.
He looked his sister in the eyes. ‘What else do you want to know?'
‘Um...an assassin?' asked Marco.
‘Don't worry,' said Lance, ‘he only goes after Galra.’
‘Oh,’ Marco said.
‘Mama, can we go and play?’ asked Rachel.
‘Yes, you, Luis and Leo, may go outside,’ Maria said.
The three younger kids jumped up from the table and ran out into the front yard.’
Veronica saw the love bites on Lance's neck now that he'd sat down and it made her angry.
‘Do you think if you hadn't been raised by men, you wouldn't be attracted to them?’ she asked.
‘It doesn't work like that,' said Keith. ‘You're either attracted to a certain sex or you're not. I'm actually bi, so I've had girlfriends.’
‘So a pretty girl could change your mind?’ asked Veronica, fluttering her eyes at him.
‘No, there's nothing in this universe that could take me away from Lance,‘ Keith said.
‘I don't know what you see in him,' she huffed.
‘You don't have too,’ said Keith, with a shrug. ‘What I seein him is personaI to me, and I don't need to explain it to anyone.’
‘Well said, Keith,' approved Maria.
‘The two of you have been through a lot together,’ said Marco. ‘How long have you actually been dating?’
‘Four months,' Lance said.
‘And you're already engaged?' asked Veronica, appalled.
‘When you know you've found the right one...‘ Lance said with a shrug.
‘So you have sex with him and you think he's the one,’ Veronica said.
Lance sighed. ‘I didn't fall in love with him after we had sex, I was already in love with him, and there is so much more to our relationship you will never know. I don't understand why you can't just be happy for us instead of making this visit home hell.‘
‘Visit?’ she asked.
‘Yes, we leave in the morning,’ said Lance. ‘Did you not listen to anything we told you when we got here? The Galra are coming here with six slave ships that can hold 500,000 people each. If Voltron and the Coalition are defeated, then Earth falls into the hands of the Galra.‘
‘Yeah, well, I think it all a load of bull, and just a way to get attention,’ she said. ‘You've probably been off somewhere with your boyfriend doing who knows what.’
Lance shrugged. ‘You can believe what you want.'
‘Veronica, you don't know what you're talking about,’ Maria said.
‘Oh mama, don't let him draw you into his lies,’ said Veronica. ‘He's an attention seeker, and always has been, why do you think he came out as a faggot.'
‘Veronica,' gasped Maria. ‘How dare you use that sort of language in this house.’
‘How can you accept him?' demanded Veronica, ‘he's disgusting and immoral, and shouldn't be allowed to stay here and have sex with someone who's just as sick as he is.’
The others were too shocked to say anything and there was silence around the table.
‘Well at least we know now why you hate me?’ said Lance. ‘I mean I suspected why, but you've now confirmed it.’
‘I lost friends when you came out,' snapped Veronica, ‘because they didn't want to come anywhere near me. They figured since we're twins I must be as sick as you, do you have any idea how that feels?’
‘Probably not as bad as having the shit bashed out of you because you can't help who you fall in love with,’ said Lance. ‘Being gay isn't a choice, it's just part of who you are.'
‘Oh rubbish.’ said Veronica. ‘How do you know you don't like girls if you've never been with one.’
‘For crying out loud, I've had sex with a girl, and I don't see the attraction,’ said Lance, ‘mind you I had to get drunk first.’
Keith looked at him with raised eyebrows.
‘When?' Veronica demanded.
‘None of your business,’ said Lance, ‘and all your comments come from ignorance and misinformation. I really did think you were smarter than that, but you know what, if this is that much of an issue for you, we’ll go back to the castle.’
‘No,’ said Maria. ‘You don't need to go anywhere.’
‘Mama, us being here is causing problems...' Lance began.
‘No,’ said Maria, again. ‘Please don't leave yet.’ The pain in her voice broke Lance's heart.
‘Mama…’ he was cut off when his and Keith’s phones rang. Looking at the screen they frowned and both answered.
‘Princess,’ they said.
Moments later they both sprang to their feet and looked at each other in horror.