What We Have Is Real [Klance RPO AU]

Chapter Three: A Clue?

The moment Lance logged off, he knew that he was in big trouble with not only his mother, but his father. Leaving his hidden spot, he headed back to the small apartment that they lived in. Considering it takes awhile to get there, he listens in on the X1 bodysuit commercial. It would be cool to be able to feel everything that he does in the OASIS, but it's also really expensive as well. 

Once he had climbed through the window, Lance is immediately pulled against the wall by his father. It was super sudden and unbelievable at how well it was timed. 

"I zeroed out 'cause of your broke-ass gloves!" Mr. McClain yelled at his son, who was trembling in fear. 

"Who-who told you to use them?" Lance's words came out as a stutter, he really didn't want his father to hurt him.

"You took your mother's, that's why!" 

He finally let Lance go and the Cuban boy walked just a little away to stay out of his grasp at least a little. 

"So you lost a death match," He was still nervous to speak. "Why don't you just respawn and level up like everyone else?" Little did Lance know that that was the wrong thing to say, as it brought news to not only his attention, but his mother's. 

"You don't get it! I bought all these power-ups for this challenge and then I lose it all!" Mr. McClain barked in anger. "That artifact was gonna pay for the house!" That's when Lance's mother walked in, her face filled with worry for her son. 

She separates the two of them before asking her husband the question that she and Lance were both thinking. 

"Wait," Mrs. McClain spoke calmly. "How much of the house money did you spend on upgrades?" This caused a little awkward tension between the wife and husband, and Lance backed up a little to stay out of it. 

"Well, all of it, but I was gonna win!" His wife's face falls and tears started to form in her eyes. How could he use the money! That was their ticket out of this house, out of this dump. She begins to sob, walking away from her son and husband. Lance hated seeing his mother upset like this, after all, she was the reason that he stuck around with his parents. He was old enough to move out, but there was just no way he could right now, not while his father would freak out like this. He didn't care if he was abused or anything, as long as he left his mother alone.

At this news, an argument breaks out between the two adults. But Lance had to step in, in order for his father to not lay a single hand on his mother at all costs.

"My friends were in that challenge!" He carefully spoke. "You couldn't have beat them even in a bootsuit!" 

This led to Mr. McClain punching his son in the face, getting an immediate reaction from his mother. It wasn't like Lance cared however, he had chosen the wrong words to say right then. Anyways, to keep him from hurting their son again, Mrs. McClain sends her husband to their room to calm down. She and Lance share a look, hers with worry and his with fear. She gets down on the ground and takes her gloves back when he hands them to her. 

"Lance McClain, next time just let me know if you take something of mine," She held a stern tone. "Otherwise I'll have to kick you out." When she left the room, Lance watched her go with worry for her safety. 

But thinking about it more, Lance knew the reason he was named this. Lance McClain could sound familiar to some people, but there are two reasons for it. One being that he was actually named after the 80s Voltron cartoon, Lance. The second because his siblings thought that it sounded like a superhero's alter ego. Kind of like Bruce Banner or Peter Parker. 

Lance doesn't even remember who his siblings were except for their names: Marco, Luis, and Veronica. They all died when their little brother was only 5, and Mr. McClain never lets him forget it. After all, his siblings made names for themselves, while Lance was just a goofball that spent more time in the OASIS than in real life.