Bloody Texas

Do you Wanna Get your Husband, or Should I?

Several forks hit their plates with the tension of a thousand cords. Keith squinted and stared at him in awe. "What did you just say?"

Mark didn't answer him. The entire left side of the table was silent in shock. Lance broke off the eye contact with Mark and looked to Keith. He calmly stroked his arm, "Don't listen to him. Just ignore it."

Keith eyed Lance suspiciously, which quickly turned into sorrowful realization. He whipped his head back to Mark. "Did you just..." he trailed off in disbelief.

Mark set down his fork, "You're getting yourself into a difficult situation."

Lance swung his legs over Keith's lap and leaned into his neck, "Keith, just don't."

Keith stroked the cat pattern on Lance's thigh, "He's your brother. Shouldn't you be happy for him?"

"For him?" he let out a snarky chuckle, "He'll be dead in a few years."

"Mark, that's enough." Lance's father hit the table with his fist.

Keith lowered his gaze and let out a laugh of disbelief. He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "How about we take this away from the children?"

Mark slowly stood, pushing his chair back with his knees.

"Keith, he's just provoking you," Lance pleaded as his legs were slid off Keith's lap, "Just leave it alone."

The other family members slowly started to become aware of the situation, turning their heads toward the hostile stand-off. Lance's father stood with them and held a hand to his son, "Mark! Knock it off!"

They argued with their eyes for a moment, then walked off the porch. Lance jumped out of his chair and hopped down the stairs to follow them. The children tried to come with, but were held back by Lance's grandparents. His father told his wife to stay there and stomped after them. Lance tried to keep up with Keith's pace, holding onto his sleeve. "Keith, it's fine, really! He's always like this, it doesn't bother me!"

Keith ignored Lance's pleas as he and Mark walked to the side yard, out of view of the other family members. When they arrived, they faced each other like some old Western stand-off. Keith finally brought his attention to the worried Lance. He took his wrist gently off his shirt and kissed his forehead. "Just stand back."

"But Keith!" Lance felt two arms wrap around his waist, pick him up, and pull him back.

"Let them go, m'ijo." His father put him down away from the boys, holding him in place by the shoulders.

"Papi, they're going to hurt each other!" Lance tried to keep them in his view.

"Let them," he finally gained Lance's attention.

Lance tilted his head and furrowed his brows, "What? Why?!"

He locked eyes with his concerned face, "Mark isn't going to learn if he's never punished. He's had this coming for a long time now."

"But Papi!"

He tightened his grip on Lance's shoulders, "Leave them be."

"Can't you see that no one wants you here?" Mark leaned toward Keith.

He was taller, but Keith wasn't intimidated. "I don't know what you've seen, but it looks like you are the only one that doesn't want me here."

He motioned over to the worried Lance, "He's fucking sick. Did he tell you how he got it? His little sob story? He's a fucking liar."

Keith had enough and shoved him back. He was strong- definitely experienced. "Don't you dare talk about him like that!"

"Keith!" Lance pushed against his father's hold in a desperate attempt to try and rescue him. Keith shot Lance a 'don't worry, baby' look and returned to the fight.

Mark raised his arms to make himself look bigger, "He's a whore! You really want to be with someone like that?!"

Keith shoved him again, "Why do hate him so much? What the hell did he do to you?!"

"Little fucker gets the special treatment for sleeping around and dying!" He pumped his finger to Lance again, "He's done nothing to help this family!"

Keith screamed in his face, "What do you want him to do? Stroke your ego?!"

Mark finally threw a punch. Lance didn't even have enough time to react as Keith ducked and hit him in the ribs. As Mark recoiled, he jumped back to gain some distance. Keith got cocky and threw out, "Come on! You wanna fight?!"

Mark drew a couple frustrated breaths and threw another punch. Keith leaned back to grab his arm, knee his chest, and throw him down. Again, he jumped back to stay away from Mark.

Lance calmed down in confused confidence. He was good. Really good. A laugh formed in Lance's chest and drew a smile on his cheeks. He cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned forward. "Kick his ass, baby!"

Keith turned his head to flash a wink. Claire appeared from the backyard, running up to Lance and his father. She yelled at her husband, "Mark! Knock it off now! You're being a child!" A group of Lance's uncles and older cousins followed after her and gathered to watch the fight. James and Andy snuck their way in with surprised looks on their faces. Andy looked up to Lance with especially worried eyes, watching him jump around and cheer on the man that was fighting his favorite brother.

Lance giggled and hopped forward, "Get him, babe!"

Claire flashed a disgusted look at Lance, "What are you doing? Mark's gonna get hurt!"

Lance planted his fists on his waist, "Oh fuck you, Claire."

He ignored her dramatic gasp and cheered on his boyfriend. Keith had grabbed Mark's arm and swung him around, landing on the ground; kicked his head; then wrapped his leg around his arm to roll over and into a headlock. Keith leaned down into his ear, "Don't ever fuck with me or my man. I won't let you off without any broken bones again."

Keith broke his hold and jumped back as Mark stumbled up, holding his shoulder. He turned to notice Lance running up to him with a smile. Keith outstretched his arms, catching the tiny Lance as he jumped on him. Almost all of Lance's family that gathered cheered at Mark's defeat, but a few didn't approve. Lance giggled and kissed Keith with a wide smile.

Lance's father walked up to Mark with a scowl on his face, "I think you should leave now, Mark."

Lance watched the scene from Keith's arms, leaning his cheek down on his head. Mark opened his mouth to protest, but clicked his teeth and called for his wife. They all left with frowns on their faces. María snuck a wave to Keith as she was forced into the car with her sister.

The family that supported Keith patted his back and offered him a beer. He put down Lance to accept it and raised it in a thankful 'cheers.'

Lance kissed his cheek, "They like you now!"