Chapter Text
The next day at Momo’s was pretty normal, with the usual phone call with Allura, Lance’s grocery run, teatime, etc. The only thing that was off was Keith. He was late. And not answering Lance’s texts. In fact, Momo and Lance had spent nearly the whole day just the two of them before Momo suggested they do something different.
“Lancey Lance, my nails look horrible. I want to paint them.”
“Ooh, Gramma, you got a date or something?” Lance grinned, snapping shut the textbook he had been studying.
“What to you if I do?” Momo huffed, “Maybe I just like pretty nails.”
Lance couldn’t help but laugh at that, “Too true, I’ve always liked having my nails be pretty.”
“Always?”
“Oh yeah,” Lance stood and stretched out his sore back from hunching over his books, “My sister used to paint my nails all the time when I was younger. The first time she did nearly gave mi Mami a heart attack, but after that she was chill about it.”
Momo smiled, “It makes me happy to hear that.”
Lance smiled back, “Where are your colors? I can bring them to you and paint your nails in here where you’re comfortable.”
“Bathroom, under sink,” Momo gestured to the hall bathroom. “Left side, I think.”
Lance went and found the basket of colors just as Momo had said, along with the remover and cotton balls. Momo chose a bright orange color for her nails, while Lance settled on a deep blue that accentuated his jacket nicely.
As Lance trimmed, buffed, and began painting Momo’s nails, the old woman suddenly got very quiet.
“Gramma, you okay?”
She paused a moment before responding, which is how lance could tell this was something important.
“Boy used to do this.”
“Who, Keith?” Lance asked, “He used to paint his nails?”
“You last person who can judge, Lancey Lance.”
“No, I’m not judging! Just... Keith ?” Lance wasn’t sure how to wrap his head around it.
Momo hummed in agreement. “In high school he paint them all the time. They always chipped.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged Keith for the nail painting type.”
“He always like painting,” Momo said, “Even when very small. Give him a brush and colors, you have a masterpiece in minutes.
When he get to high school, he not have enough time between homework and work to paint, so he start on his nails.”
Lance felt like he had when Keith had turned to face him on the bed last month; like he was on the edge of discovering something big, a door that all he had to do was push and then―he didn’t know. “I didn’t know he liked to paint.”
“He not do it as much since Shiro―” she cut herself off, “since he get into college. Many changes happen.”
“Is that when he and his brother got into that accident?” Lance wasn’t sure what made him ask that. Neither he nor Keith had mentioned it since the night of the snowstorm, when Keith had told him about his PTSD.
Momo flinched, causing Lance to get polish on her knuckle. He put the brush back in the bottle and wiped the excess off with a cotton ball.
“Sorry,” Momo said, “I am old.”
“You’re fine!” Lance protested, “I’m the one who spilled it on you.”
Mom smiled sadly, “You are good boy, Lance.”
He looked up at the woman and found she was staring at him. “Gramma?”
“You make things better here. For me, for Keith, for cats. But mostly for Keith.”
Lance wasn’t sure he had heard Momo say Keith’s actual name since she had introduced them to each other, and it was strange to hear her say Keith with the same intonation as Boy .
“He has been lost for a long time, Lance. You help him not to be. He smiles now, more than he ever did. But there are things that will follow him always. The accident is one of them, and his father’s death. My son-in-law.”
Lance held his breath, waiting for Momo to continue. Ever since the first time he’d asked a month ago, Lance had been dying to know more about Keith’s parents. He wondered what kind of people they were, why they weren’t around, what had happened to them. And why did Keith not like to talk about them?
“But that is not my story to tell. It Boy’s, and Boy’s alone.”
“But Gramma―” Lance began without thinking and caught himself.
Momo looked at him reproachfully, “Not my story, Lancey Lance, and not yours either.”
“No, I get that, I just―” Lance found he was having trouble sorting out his thoughts, “I just want to know him better, you know? There’s something about Keith that’s magnetic , almost. I can’t keep up, but I have to, quiero , I want to keep up. I want―” he glanced at Momo and saw a near mirror image of Pidge’s face the day before, right down to the insufferable gleam in her eye.
Lance flushed and looked away, trying not to think of all the reasons he felt drawn to Keith.
Momo sighed and said something in fast Japanese, smiling lightly.
“What?” Lance asked defensively.
“You are like moth to flame, both of you. Bakas .” she rocked her recliner slightly and got more comfortably settled. “Now paint.”
Lacne scoffed, but did as he was told, finishing the polish on Momo’s nails and making sure they were perfect.
One he’d finished and put all the supplies away, Lance checked his phone to make sure he hadn’t missed any text messages or calls from Keith. He was trying not to be concerned that it was getting closer and closer to 6, and hadn’t heard anything from him since last night when Keith had sent a snap of him eating ice cream with a fork because his roommate hadn’t done the dishes yet.
“He’ll be here,” Momo said, “Don’t worry.”
“I know, I know,” Lance tried to wave off the obvious worry he was feeling.
“Boy sometimes forget to charge his phone and it die.”
“I know that.”
Actually, he hadn’t known that. Keith had always been quick at responding to his texts or calls.
There was a soft meow from the corner and Akairo, the black cat with the red collar, appeared. He generally lingered on the fringe of whatever room Lance was in. Momo had assured Lance that Akairo was like that with everyone, but recently he’d been moving closer to Lance and letting him in on his space. And now Akairo walked over and sat across from Lance, cleaning his paws and staring him down.
Upon seeing this, Lance turned to Momo and raised his eyebrows, to which she shrugged and leaned back farther into her recliner. Lance then turned back to the cat, who was staring him down with an intensity he didn’t think cats possessed.
They stared at each other for a long time, almost to the point where Lance felt uncomfortable. Or rather, Akairo stared at him while Lance tried to decide whether to reach his hand out and pet him. He wondered if the cat would let him or try to bite his hand off. Honestly, he could see it going both ways.
Just then there was a low rumble from outside, a sound Lance recognized instantly. It’s Keith it’s Keith finally! Hi heart leaped into his throat and stopped himself from jumping up and running to the door. Where had that impulse come from?
But then Keith walked in through the door, ridiculous cropped jacket and black hair perfectly tousled and soft-looking, and Lance couldn’t help but shoot right up and cry out.
“Keith!”
Keith, it seemed, had not expected this kind of greeting, he looked like a deer in the headlights for a moment, eyes blown wide and body frozen.
“Lance!” he smiled ever to slightly, and it made Lance’s heart lodge more firmly in his larynx, “Sorry I’m so late, I―”
“Boy?” Momo yelled from the other room, “That finally you?”
Keith’s eyes flickered from Lance over his shoulder to the living room and back. “Yes, Baa-chan, it’s me!”
“What take you so long? Lancey Lance was worried.”
Lance spluttered, “ Yo no estaba! ”
“Sorry Baa-chan, I’ve been stuck at the DMV all day, and you know how terrible the service is there!” Was it his imagination, or were Keith’s ears a little pink?
“The DMV?” Lance asked, “Why’d you go there?”
Keith sighed and took off his shoes. “Long story.”
“I am old woman with much time!” Momo yelled, “Come in here and tell, Boy!”
Lance made eye contact with Keith as he rolled his eyes, exasperated. He couldn’t help but grin at Momo’s painful directness.
“Ears like a hawk.” Lance whispered.
“I don’t think that’s how that phrase works.” Keith grinned.
“I still hear you!”
The two boys grinned and walked into the living room, where Akairo still sat and kept his eyes on Lance. Keith walked around and bowed to his grandmother, then gently reached out and pet the elusive black cat as if it was a normal occurrence for the two of them.
“So Boy, why you at DMV all day?”
Keith groaned and sank into the couch, “Okay, before I say anything, none of it was inherently my fault.”
“Oh this’ll be good,” Lance murmured just loud enough for Keith to hear, who scowled and ignored him.
“So my 21st birthday was back in October, as you know―”
“Wait what?” Lance interrupted, “No I did not know this!”
Keith looked at Lance confused, as if it shouldn’t matter. “Yeah, my birthday is in October. Anyway, for whatever reason, at my college’s off-campus apartment complex they make you pay for parking with a special decal you’re supposed to put on your dashboard. I may have forgotten to renew mine at the start of the spring semester and gotten a few tickets because of it.” he said the last bit without looking at anyone and picking at his gloves.
“ Baka .” Momo said, shaking her head, “Why you no do that? And what this have to do with your birthday?”
“I’m getting to that, Baa-chan,” Keith’s face reddened in embarrassment. “Okay, so after getting like three tickets I decided to go and get my decal renewed. When I went in and asked for renewal, they needed my driver’s license. But you know how when you turn 21 your license goes from vertical to horizontal or it expires in a month? I never got mine renewed on my birthday.”
“What?” Lance couldn’t believe this, “How’d you go out and get drinks?”
“They read the birthdate, dingus,” Momo said, “Now stop interrupting and let Boy speak!”
Keith sighed, “So because I technically couldn’t drive, I called Shiro, who drove me to the DMV. Then I had to wait in line for over 30 minutes to talk to someone and show them my license, social, and all that other crap to get it done, and…”
Keith went on a long tangent of the hellscape that is the DMV and the process of getting his license renewed, with all the lines he had to wait in, people he had to badger and talk to, and finally getting his picture retaken for his new license.
“Oooh!” Momo shrieked, “Show me! I want to see how ugly it is!”
Lance gaped at Momo, as she had taken the words right from his mouth.
Momo giggled as Keith sighed and handed the plastic card over. “Oh goodness, I never notice how long you mullet is until pictures like this.” she held it out so Lance could see.
He took the card and flipped it to see the photo. Keith looked as stoic and emo as ever, with his fluffy long hair in his face, dark eyes, and jawline accentuated by the harsh flash of the DMV camera.
“You didn’t smile,” Lance remarked.
“Why would I? It’s not like it’s the first time I’m getting my license like some 16 year old.”
“Well yeah, but still!” he held the ID back out to Keith, “You have such a nice smile, it’s a shame people don’t get to see it.”
Keith’s cheeks flushed as he took his license from Lance. “Thanks.” he coughed, and Lance felt his ears burning. He was suddenly and vividly reminded of Keith asleep on his chest, the dusted color of his cheeks and the tightness in Lance’s chest the same.
“Oh!” Momo yelped, “I almost forgot!” she jumped out of her recliner and waddled to the kitchen. “Lancey Lance, last week my neighbor come over and give me this for you.” she returned holding a large blue envelope, which she handed to him. It was heavier and thicker than he was anticipating.
“Gramma, what is this?” he asked as he began to open it. The paper was fancy with curly gold writing. He stared at the paper as he pulled it out of the envelope.
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Alice Geraldine
&
Vivian Michaels
July 19th, at 4pm
RSVP
“Who are these people?” Lance was very confused.
“My neighbors!” Momo said with a smile, “The ones who’s driveway you and Boy shovelled last month.”
“Who― oh! " Lance remembered now. He and Keith had shovelled at least two other driveways besides Momo’s that day. The day after the big snowstorm, when he and Keith had been stranded at Momo’s and shared a bed for the night. “That day. Right.” he cleared his throat, looking everywhere but at Keith, “Why did you show me this?”
“Because it’s yours, you McNugget!” Momo explained, “They drop it off for you earlier this week. Boy knows, he was here!”
“Why would they invite some random stranger to their wedding?”
“Who cares?” Momo yelled, “It free food and dancing, yes? Don’t look a gift-mouth in the horse!”
“Baa-chan, that’s not how you say that phrase,” Keith sighed.
“Whatever, you know what I mean.” she turned her attention back on Lance. “You’re coming with us. It non-negotiable.”
“Gramma, I―”
“Non. Negotiable. Lancey Lance.”
Seeing the determined look on Momo’s face, Lance knew it’d be impossible to argue. “Okay Gramma.”
The woman smiled so wide Lance thought her face might break from the sheer force of it. “Good! Now, the two of you should go.” she began shooing Lance and Keith out the door, “Leave me to watch Jeopardy and SVU alone while you two see some pyramid movie.”
“It’s not technically―”
“Don’t care,” Momo interrupted Lance with a shove, “Just leave! Have fun!”
Faster than he thought possible, Lance and Keith found themselves standing outside Momo’s front door. They looked at each other and shrugged.
“You ready to have your mind blown tonight?” Lance asked as he jumped down the front steps.
“By a late 90’s movie about dead people?” Keith deadpanned, “Gee, so thrilling.”
“That’s just because you haven’t seen young Rachel Weiss and Brendon Fraiser in action yet,” Lance fanned himself, “It’s enough to make any functional bi go insane.”
Keith chuckled at that, “I would think you fit into the disaster alignment.”
Lance spun on his heels to face Keith, “Excuuuse me princess, but if either of us is of a the disaster alignment, it’s you, Mr. I-Forgot-My-Name-When-A-Cute-Guy-Flirted-With-Me.” he raised his eyebrows.
Keith’s cheeks went pink, “That was one time! And he took me completely off guard!”
“Oh sure , like you didn’t notice from the second we walked into the store how he stared at you and how good your ass looks in those jeans.”
“ What? ”
Lance’s neck suddenly felt warm, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with the scarf he wore. He looked around, trying to stall responding when he saw Keith’s motorcycle in the driveway. “Wait a second.” he turned to Keith, “Please tell me we’re driving Momo’s car to my dorm.”
Keith, still flushed and flustered, managed a glare at him. “No, we’re taking the bike.” he pushed past Lance to his bike and opened one of the compartments.
“Isn’t that a safety hazard?”
“Since when do you care about being super safe? Last I recall it was your idea to chase the rabid racoon around Momo’s backyard with a blowtorch.”
Lance couldn’t argue with that.
“Look, it’s perfectly safe. I got you a helmet and everything.” Keith pulled out two helmets, one red and the other blue. “I promise I won’t be too reckless.”
The sight of the brand new blue helmet in Keith’s hands did something to Lance’s insides, and he wasn’t sure what it was.
“Okay, fine.” Lance finally sighed, “But if I die I’m going to kill you, Mullet.”
Keith smirked, “Wouldn’t imagine it any other way.”
***
Keith was apprehensive.
Meeting new people wasn’t something he was very good at, and with these particular people, he really wanted to be. These were Lance’s friends, his chosen family away from home, the people he lived with every day. Keith wanted to make a good impression. He knew Hunk already had a decent encounter with him, and he hoped that’d be able to last him through the night. But, for all the time Lance spent with her, Keith knew next to nothing about Pidge, or the Gremlin, as Momo called her. Granted, he had talked with her on the phone yesterday, so they’d had a pseudo introduction, but it certainly wasn’t the same as spending the night in one of your best friend’s dorm.
When Keith pulled up to campus, Lance started giving him directions to the parking lot closest to his dorm. Keith didn’t really mind the windy roads or campus traffic; Lance’s hands were warm around his waist, and the spring air was nice and fresh in the near evening.
After they finally parked, Keith tried not to be too smug about how Lance obviously enjoyed the motorcycle ride.
“Here we are,” he said, turning off the engine and propping up the stand, “In one piece, as promised.”
“I’ll admit, I am surprised we didn’t almost die a hundred times.” Lance said as he pulled off the blue helmet. His hair stuck up in all different directions, and it made him look like he’d been out in a tornado.
“Nice hair,” Keith commented, taking off his own helmet.
Lance frantically tore his fingers through his short curls, putting them back into place, “Speak for yourself, mullet man.”
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Keith groaned, “It’s not a mullet!”
“Uh huh, sure,” Lance drawled out the last word and held his helmet out to Keith, “It’s gonna take a lot more than mere protests on your part to change my mind.”
“Well maybe Hunk will agree with me.”
Lance gasped as if scandalized, “He would do no treacherous thing! Hunk is mi esere, and we’ve always got each other’s back. Siempre ; always always.”
Keith took the helmets and put them in their compartment, “We’ll have to test that, then, won’t we?”
Lance arched an eyebrow and nodded, “Indeed. Vamanos! ” and off he went, Keith behind him trying to keep up to Lance’s long strides.
They walked out to one of the dorm buildings where Lance scanned his ID and let them in. As they walked through the hallways and up the stairs nearly every person they passed waved to Lance or said a greeting.
“Seems like you’re pretty popular on campus, huh?” Keith couldn’t help but ask.
“Sorta,” Lance said, “Freshman year I started a prank war that escalated into a massacre of glitter bombs and swapping all the shampoos in the building for mayonnaise.”
“Dude,” Keith was awestruck, “That’s insane.”
“Yeah,” Lance laughed, “It was all in good fun. Of course the higher-ups banned it and threatened to expel the person responsible. But no one ever snitched on me, and it’s sorta become a legend.”
“That’s insane,” Keith whistled. He wondered what that would have been like, living with Lance as a freshman and watching every move your dormmates made, the threat of a prank around every corner. It sounded awesome and also terrifying.
“It was a great time,” Lance smiled, “Though I will admit, as a junior I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about being pied by a random sophomore who mistook me for her roommate coming up the stairs. I had cream filling behind my ears for nearly a week!”
Keith didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Yeah Imma have to pass on that.”
“Here we are,” Lance turned a final corner down the long hallway, “Now, just so you’re prepared, Pidge’s sense of humor is esoteric at best and offensive at worst. If you don’t understand something she says, she’s either making a science joke or insulting you. Occasionally at the same time.”
Keith nodded; one of his brother’s friends was like that, and he was a pretty cool guy.
Lance tapped on the door and opened it to reveal a pretty spacious semi-private dorm room, mirror images of each other in setup, complete opposites in decor and tidiness.
Keith’s attention, however, was drawn more to the two people already in the room crowded around what looked like a TV stacked in an overturned plastic bin with wires and extension cords too numerous to count. One was quite obviously Hunk, and the other was a petite and short-haired child, who Keith assumed must be Pidge.
“Hey guys,” Lance announced their arrival, “Sorry we’re late; someone had an issue with the DMV.” he grinned at Keith, who just scoffed.
At that Pidge turned to face them, and Keith did a double-take, “Matt?”
Because that’s exactly who this person looked like, right down to the circular glasses and sarcastic slope of the mouth. He had been Shiro’s best friend through college, and was part of the reason Keith ended up going.
“Nope,” they replied, “his younger sister. But I know we look alike, so I can see where you’re confused. You’re Takashi Shirogane’s brother, right?”
Keith blinked a few times. He remembered, now, Matt talking about a sister named, “I thought your name was Katie?”
“Mmm,” Pidge waved her hand, “That is, technically, my name, but I like to go by Pidge. It sounds cooler.”
Keith nodded, “Okay.”
“Wait,” Hunk finally turned to face them, “Hi Keith,” he waved, “How do you know her brother?”
Lance’s eyebrows were arched in the same question. “Our brothers are old friends,” Keith said, “They went to college together.”
Lance pointed a finger gun at him, “Gotcha, that makes sense.” he then turned to face the Medusa-like TV, “Have we figured out how to connect the DVD player?”
“Mostly,” Hunk shrugged, “We’re having trouble making the soundbar work, because this TV doesn’t have speakers connected in it.”
“Who would make a TV like that?” Lance asked.
“It wasn’t made that way, the previous owner purposefully disconnected the speakers on the side of the TV.” Pidge crouched back down and fidgeted with a few cords.
“Who does that?”
“Someone with an advanced sound system?” Keith suggested.
“Or maybe like a deaf couple?” Hunk sat up, “Because they wouldn’t need the speakers since, y’know, they can’t hear?”
“The amount of effort that would take far exceeds any type of gain you’d have, Hunk.” Pidge continued fiddling with things.
“Where did you say you found this, again?” Lance asked.
“Pidge’s parents’ basement,” Hunk replied, “I went down there looking for salt when I found a TV instead.”
Keith just looked at Lance, who had the same confused expression as him.
“Did anyone hear back from Shay?” Lance asked, “Is she coming?”
“Who’s Shay?” Keith felt like he had heard that name before.
“Hunk’s girlfriend !” Pidge sang from behind the TV.
The other boy spluttered, “Shay is not my girlfriend! She’s a very special friend I admire very much.”
“Oh,” Keith remembered Lance mentioning his friend’s massive crush on the girl, “that Shay.”
“Yup. is she coming?” Lance reiterated his question.
“She’s in a study group for one of her classes, but after that, yeah. She doesn’t want us to wait for her to start the movie, though.” Hunk double-checked his phone, “She said it might go late; some of the students she TA’s for are denser than rocks.”
“Are we talking Basaltic or Mercurial? Aha!” Pidge reappeared from behind the TV, “I think I figured out the sound bar.”
“Finally!” Lance said, kicking off his shoes, coat, and scarf and flopping on his unmade bed, “Keith, you got the DVD?”
Keith wordlessly took off his backpack and pulled out his roommate’s copy of The Mummy , placing it in Hunk’s outstretched hand. He then looked around, trying to figure out where to sit. Lance had made himself comfortable on his bed, Hunk’s bed was so neatly made he feared disturbing it, and Pidge had already nestled herself in a pile of blankets on a beanbag that took up most of the floor.
Seeing his indecision, Lance adjusted himself on his bed, “Keith, you can sit over here with me. That way when Shay comes she and Hunk can snuggle and make us all barf.”
“And who was it that was begging for cuddles last night?” Hunk retorted.
Lance deflated, “Point taken.”
Keith set his backpack on the floor and joined Lance on the edge of his bed, grinning at Hunk’s comment. He could see how Lance was a cuddler even from the way he loved snuggling with the cats. He realized with a bit of a jolt, that he’d never really been friends with anyone who was physically affectionate, or, at least, none of his friends were so with him. He didn’t remember his dad being particularly affectionate, either, nor was Momo.
“Let’s get this party started!” Hunk flopped onto his bed as the movie began.
As they watched the film, Keith found himself at ease, especially with Lance beside him smiling and laughing with Pidge and Hunk’s commentary. He remembered what Momo said two days ago: ‘You make him smile and laugh. What more you need for proof?’ and realized how amazing it could be to live with people you not only got along with,but genuinely liked. There was a difference between cohabitation and living together, and Keith was glad Lance had the latter of those two situations.
About ten minutes through the movie, there was a knock on the door.
“Hunk, pause it for a sec, would ya? I’ve gotta pee.” Pidge asked as she emerged from her nest to the bathroom.
“I just cleaned the bathroom this afternoon, so you shouldn’t have to use the public one down the hall.” Hunk paused the film.
“It’s open!” Lance yelled, and the door opened to reveal a pretty girl Keith figured must be Shay.
“Hey!” Hunk’s face lit up when he saw her, “Welcome to the madness! How’d your study group go?”
“Hello Hunk and friends!” Shay smiled and sat her backpack down, “My study group was adequate. I fear many of them have not been reading the material as they should and will be behind on the test as a result.”
“Whose class is this for, again?” Lance asked.
“Professor Grumman’s introduction to Paleontology. These freshmen do not seem to understand the difference between this class and Introduction to Geology.”
“Right,” Lance nodded, “because those differences are rather large, right?”
Shay’s brow furrowed for a moment, and then she laughed, “Forgive me, I forget that the differences seem small from the outside! Hunk, would you explain for me?”
“Oh yeah!” Hunk practically jumped from his bed, “Geology is just studying rocks and what type they are―the density and such. Paleontology is studying the life in the rocks.”
“Oh, of course!” Lance turned to Keith, “We knew that, right?”
“Yeah, totally!” Keith tried to say without bursting into laughter at Lance’s nervous expression.
“Shay, have a seat, please!” Hunk quickly changed the subject, “there’s a seat open beside me.”
“Okay!” she took off her shoes and sat next to Hunk on the bed, “Remind me which movie we’re watching again?”
“ The Mummy ; one of Lance’s favorites. Plus, Keith’s never seen it.”
“Nope,” Keith said.
“And I said that was a trasvesty which must be fixed, so we’re fixing it tonight.” Lance said, smirking at Keith.
“I see” Shay grinned and turned to Hunk, “Is Pidge joining us as well?”
“Yeah, she should be out in a sec.”
“Speak of the devil,” Pidge said as she reemerged, “and I shall appear. Hey Shay.”
“Hi Pidge! How is your chemistry lab going?”
“About as well as it could; I managed not to break any beakers yesterday, so I’d count that as a win.”
“I would agree.” Shay shifted on the mattress, “Hunk, your bed is so soft! Did you purchase one of those fancy mattress pads?”
“Yeah, my mom wanted to make sure I had a comfy place to sleep at school, so she splurged on me.” Hunk smiled, “And my Mona wanted to make sure I had soft blankets to stay warm, like this one,” he extended the blanket he was wrapped in, “You’re welcome to share if you’d like!”
Shay took the edge of the blanket and moved closer to Hunk to better share it, “Oh it is soft!”
Keith and Lance exchanged a look. Very smooth, Hunk.
“Let’s get this movie going again,” Pidge buried herself in blankets again.
Once they got started, Keith leaned over, “Lance,” he said quietly.
“Yeah?” Lance leaned towards him.
“Who’s Mona?”
“What? Oh!” Lance leaned closer, “Hunk has two moms, so instead of calling them both mom, he calls one Mom and the other Mona. Dunno where it came from, just that he’s always called her that.”
“Oh,” Keith thought about the two women on Momo’s street who were getting married. “That’s cool.”
“Yeah it’s pretty neat. Kinda gives me hope for other couples and people who feel they’ll never be normal, whatever that means.”
Keith could feel the warmth of Lance’s skin next to him and was reminded of the night they slept together in the spare room of Momo’s house. He’d had a vivid dream where he was wrapped tight in Lance’s arms and woken to see the light gently streaming across his face. It had been a pleasant dream, especially compared to the dreams he usually had.
Keith shifted ever so slightly and leaned his shoulder against Lance’s. He hoped, as his heart pounded, that this didn’t cross any lines. He and Lance were friends, that much was obvious, but―
Lance leaned forward and grabbed a blanket, draping it across his lanky self. He then leaned back more securely against Keith and extended the blanket so it would cover him, too. Keith tried not to be stunned from the sudden physical contact and felt himself melting against Lance, feeling like he’d been at his side forever.
And in that moment, that’s the place he wanted to stay.