Taking A Chance

Visiting

At 7pm, Shiro landed Black lion outside. When he and Adam came in they found Keith and Lance getting the kids ready to go.
Molly's hair was in pigtails and she had a yellow dress on, while Jaya was in t-shirt and shorts, and was pulling happily at the shoes on his feet.
‘We're going,’ Lance called out.
‘Have a good time,’ said Maria, as she hurried into the loungeroom. ‘Oh, Jaya looks so cute in those. I knew they'd fit him.’
‘We shouldn't be back too late,’ Shiro said.
‘Just have a good time,’ Maria said.
They headed out to Black lion and were soon landing on an oval down the road from Shiro's parents house.
‘Is this the house you grew up in, Shiro?' asked Lance.
‘It is,' said Shiro. ‘The school Adam and I went to is down the road that way.’
‘I didn't realise you knew each other that long,’ Lance said.
‘Adam's family moved into the area when he was 10,’ said Shiro, ‘We were about 14 when we realised our feelings were more than friendship. When Adam was 16 he moved in with us because his parents didn’t approve of him being gay.’
They finally arrived at a double story white brick house, with an emaculate garden full of roses and jasmine.
Shiro rapped on the door and opened it. ‘We're here,' he called out.
There was a squeal from the kitchen, and Shiro's mum came hurrying down the corridor. Keith gave Jaya to Shiro.
‘Keith,' she cried, and pulled him into a hug. She stepped back and held him at arms length. ‘Look at you, so grown up.’
They were then joined by Shiro's father who also pulled Keith into a hug.
‘Can we at least get in the house,' Shiro said.
They relocated to the loungeroom.
‘Mum, dad,’ laughed Shiro, ‘will you let him go.'
Keith finally extracted himself and stepped back.
‘Amaya, Haru, this is Lance,' Keith said.
‘Hi,’ Lance said.
‘This is Molly,’ said Keith, ‘She is our daughter, and this is my brother, Jaya.' Keith took Jaya from Shiro.
Amaya and Haru blinked at the kit and the silence stretched out. Jaya gave a gummy smile and tried to grab his shoes.
‘Kids, you didn't say anything about kids,' Amaya admonished Shiro.
‘Because it's their news to share not mine,' Shiro said.
‘Okay, sit,' said Haru. ‘You can explain.'
Keith and Lance sat on the floor with the kids while the others sat on the lounge chairs.
Keith explained how they came across Molly and they were looking after Jaya for Kolivan.
Lance assumed since they didn't ask about their marking, Shiro had already told them what happened.
When he finished, Molly stood up and looked at Amaya and Haru.
‘Aya,' she said, pointing to the kit. ‘Da, Pa, ganda, ganpa.' She pointed to the others in turn.
Jaya watched Molly head over to Shiro. Turning around, Jaya pulled himself up with the front of Keith's t-shirt and looked up at him grinning. Lance whipped out his datapad and started recording as Jaya bounced up and down on his feet.
‘Yay, his first steps,’ Lance said.
Adam jumped up and knelt on the floor in front of Keith a few feet away, and Keith turned the kit around.
‘Come on, Jaya,’ said Adam, holding out his hands. ‘You can do it.'
Keith kept his hands near Jaya as he lifted his foot unsteadily. Jaya reached forward and lurched his way to Adam.
‘Oh my god, three months old and he took his first steps, that is so cool,' Lance said. Unable to help himself he kissed Keith on the temple and sent the video to Maria.
'So, Lance,’ said Amaya, 'do you have siblings?’
Lance nodded. ‘Older brother, twin sister, two younger brothers and a younger sister.’
‘How old are you?' asked Haru.
‘Nineteen,’ Lance said.
‘Where are you from?' asked Amaya.
‘I was born in Cuba, but my family moved here when I was 3,’ Lance said.
Amaya frowned at Jaya as the kit made his way back to Keith.
‘Takashi said you met your mother, Keith,' Amaya said.
‘Yes, we spent some time together,’ Keith said.
Lance noticed Keith didn't go into detail about anything that happened during their time with Voltron. He was so used to being honest and open with his family, he thought all families were like that.
‘And she was...Galran?’ asked Haru. ‘Did she look like Jaya?'
‘Krolia was full Galran like Jaya,’ Keith said. He pulled out his datapad from his back pocket and found a photo of Krolia, and got Adam to pass it to them. ‘That's Krolia and Kolivan.’
‘Who's the smaller one with them?" asked Haru.
‘Me,’ Keith said.
Amaya and Haru stared at the photo, but said nothing more as they handed the data pad back to Adam.
‘We should eat,' Amaya said, as she got to her feet.
They followed her into the dinning room and sat around the large, round table. Keith and Lance had the kids in their laps.
Lance felt awkward. They had not recognised Keith in the photo. To him Keith still looked like Keith, just purple and with big, fluffy ears and claws.
Amaya brought out multiple dishes and placed them in the middle of the table, which Lance soon found out turned. With each dish she placed down, Keith explained to Lance what it was.
‘Have you had Japanese food before, Lance?’ asked Haru.
‘No,' said Lance, ‘but everything looks delicious. With a family the size of mine, going out to eat gets costly. Besides, mama likes to cook for us. She's at her happiest when she's in the kitchen.‘
‘It would be hard work looking after such a large family, and cooking all the time,' Amaya said, seating herself.
‘We can all cook, and there's always a freezer full of meals if she wants a break,’ said Lance. ‘Mama taught us from a young age to look after ourselves, and the family.’
‘Maria is a great cook,' said Shiro, ‘better than anything you get in a Spanish restaurant.'
The kids watched with interest as food was placed on the plates in front of them. Jaya being so small, pulled himself up to stand in Keith's lap to see.
As they ate, Keith and Lance popped different food into the kids mouths.
‘So what's going on?' asked Shiro, ‘you two are very…reserved tonight.’
‘We have a guest and…’ began Amaya.
Shiro and Adam started laughing and Keith grinned and shook his head.
‘Baby, I think I've missed something,' Lance said.
‘They're trying to make a good impression on you,’ said Keith. ‘You should be flattered because it's a first.' He turned back to Amaya and Haru. ‘Just be yourselves. Why would you think you'd have to act otherwise?'
‘Because Lance must be special for you to say yes to a marriage proposal,’ said Amaya. ‘Shiro and Adam don't have a bad word, or a worry about the relationship so we wanted to make sure we didn't say anything…wrong.’
‘You won't say anything wrong,' said Keith. ‘I don't think there's anything Lance doesn't know about me, and yes, he's special.’