Second Chance AU

Talking For Hours

When they were called down to dinner at 7pm, they realised they'd been upstairs talking for hours, as if the past 6 years apart had never happened.

During dinner, there was a knock at the front door, which Marco went and answered. He came back a few minutes later with Allura following.

The dining room went quiet at the steely look she gave Lance.

'Why aren't you ready,' she asked, sweetly.

'I told you I'm not going,' said Lance. 'Allura, we broke up.'

'That was just a misunderstanding,' she said, waving her hand dismissively.

'Umm, no, it wasn't,' said Lance. He glanced around the table, then back to her. 'And just so we're clear, and everyone here is witness, I don't want to go out with you anymore.'

It was her turn to glance around the table, and her eyes stopped on Keith.

'Why's the faggot here?' she demanded.

Jamie shot to his feet. 'Leave this house,' he said. 'I will not tolerate a guest in this house being spoken to like that.'

'Mr McClain,' she said, 'surely you don't want someone like him in your house, especially with a young boy here.'

'Get out,' Lance snapped. Getting to his feet he roughly took her arm and dragged her to the front door. 'Stay away from me, and my friends.' He shoved her out the door and closed it.

When he returned to the dining room, he found Keith gone, and he ran upstairs to find him packing his bag.

'Keith, stop,' Lance said.

'No. I shouldn't be here,' Keith said.

'Ignore her.'

'How? She'll make your life miserable just because you know me.'

'I don't care.'

'But I do.'

Keith looked at Lance who seized the moment and kissed him. Not a tight lipped, let's see what happens type of kiss either. His mouth was slightly parted, and the tip of his tongue touched Keith's lips in a silent request for more.

After a moment of shock, Keith found himself returning the kiss eagerly, but it was cut short by a knock at the door. Lance gave Keith a pained expression before he went and opened the door to find his parents there.

He stepped back and let them in and closed the door again.

Keith saw the anxious looks on their faces and continued to pack.

'Keith, stop,' Lance said, going back over to him.

'I'm going home,' Keith said.

'Sit down both of you,' Rosa said. She went over to Keith and took the backpack from his hand. 'Please, just sit.'

Reluctantly he sat next to Lance on the bed, but a good foot away from him.

'Now, first thing,' she said. 'Keith, you're obviously free to leave whenever you want, but Jamie and I would be reluctant for you to return home, and you don't need to leave because of what Allura said.'

'We know you, Keith,' said Jamie, 'and we know you're not the type of person to do what she insinuated.'

'We want you to consider this your home,' said Rosa. 'Now, rooms. You make the decision. You can stay in here with Lance, or there is a room down the hall.' Keith looked up at them frowning, as if he couldn't believe what they were saying. 'Rules for the house. If you work, you put $50 in the jar on the fridge for groceries on pay day. You're responsible for keeping your room clean and tidy, including the bathroom. If you want alone time, there are locks on the doors. Allocated wash day is Saturday, and dishes on Wednesday's and mowing the lawns is the last Sunday of the month.'