Keith & Lance || klance au

Friends and foes, fasten your seat belts.

"Keep the change, kid." The customer sighed, slapping a bill over the counter. "Shit gets more expensive every week. Democracy is shit."

Keith grunted a response without even looking up at the man. Krolia sure was taking her sweet time away from the store. Not that Keith was bothered much by it, but still, he just didn't want to miss any more practice than he had to.

The man took the pack of cigarettes and took off, finally, Krolia stepping into the store after the customer left.

"We gotta talk about your grandpa. This time he will stay out of jail, Keith." Krolia walked towards the counter, taking a coffee cup, "And you're gonna make sure he behaves, yeah?"

And just like that, Keith's insides would start boiling. "When does he get out?"

"Monday, probably. And you know him, he's gonna need a little bit of extra support -"

Looking up at his mother with an unfazed expression, he cut her off. "I'm in no mood to put up with that asshole's shit. I gotta be ready for the fight."

"How can you talk about your grandfather like that, young man?"

"Miss Kogane?"

They both turned to the clinking bells at the doorway, where a bald man wearing a suit stood awaiting a response. Krolia cleared her throat and flicked her hair back, flashing then a flirty smile.

"Yes, that's me."

"Uh -" he opened a folder with his fidgety hands, wary of the boy's burning gaze over him. "My boss asked me to hand, uh deliver, this to you."

"Oh, how kind of you."

Keith observed intently as his mother took the folder from the man and guided him towards the counter for a cuppa. Her flirty behaviour didn't change until the man announced:

"Well, we assumed you hadn't received the other warnings. Next time it will be the bailiff."

"Oh, right."

"- Or the police, but Miss, it won't be us!" Krolia sighed dismissing the man. Keith's heavy gaze followed the pair throughout the store, watching as his mother pushed him out the door along with the folder.

"You're not gonna read it?"

She chuckled, "Nope."

"Are you from the tax office?" Keith had the impulse to ask. His question was ignored.

The man insisted, "Your bill has reached €14,000. Let me remind you that you owe that to -"

"Yeah, yeah. We're investing in an electric pump, so we won't be needing your help anymore."

Their argument kept going back and forth while Keith watched unamused. It was gonna be an endless discussion, it was always impossible to get his mother to change her mind when she was already set on something.

"Who the hell is this guy?"

Keith recognized that voice. Looking up, he was faced with a small, angry and Mrs. always ready to fight Katie Holt - also known as Pidge. Her tiny figure stood between the tax officer and the store's crystal doorway. She studied him from head to toes, pushing her rounded glasses up her nose before turning to Krolia once more.

"Is he bothering you, Ms K?"

"Everything's fine, Pidge. Just ignore him."

The man stood puzzled between the two women, turning to Keith with a confused expression. The boy just shrugged. If Pidge were tall enough, one could say she was staring the man down.