Veronica knew when she walked in the door yesterday from a long few days of night shifts, with one of her friends who she worked with let her stay over with, that something was wrong in her mother's house. She didn't like her stepfather, the way he singled out the youngest among them and the way Lance shook whenever he was near him. It irked all of her nerves badly and she didn't like it.
So, walking up the stairs, knowing her mother was at work at this time and walked straight to Lance's room and saw a key in the lock. Of course, he got locked in again by his father. Bastardo. She hated him, Rachel would often express somethings that Veronica had a hard time trying to understand, maybe it was because she worked so much? It had to be.
She turned the key and heard quick shuffling on the other side, fuck she forgot to call him out before she turned the key. She turned the nob and found a discarded blanket halfway on the bed and floor and if she looked close enough to under the bed, she could see blue eyes looking at her. "Sal, hermano, está bien, solo soy yo." she called out gently as she closed the door behind her with a glare and squatted down to look at a certain spot "V?" Lance called out looking at her, she nodded. "Come on, where's my hug?" she smiled as he crawled out with a small wince and hugged her. She hugged him tightly but lose enough so that he could breathe. She noticed bruises on his neck, and she pulled back to examine him, "Lance, what happened and where the hell did these come from?" she demanded softly like a mother would, but she was his big sister, she helped teach him things he didn't know when no one else even bothered to give him time.
"I-I fell..." he stuttered as she gently pressed on one of the bruises with her thumb, Lance jerked a bit in pain but didn't move away from her. "Lance, this doesn't look like you fell" she tapped the bruise of his arm that he had to put back into place and he bit his lip with a wince, "I fell, I'll be careful next time. I promise" she frowned, he always said he promised when she found him like this, but it made her gut twist whenever he said it. Like he was lying to her. She really needed to take some time off work to be there for Lance, he was alone in this house and with his bastard of a father made her worry leaving him alone at all.
She eventually sighed, today if she wasn't wrong, it was his presentation day but for some odd reason she had a sinking feeling in her stomach, and it wasn't a pleasant one either. "Do I have to go to my presentation today..." he whispered fearfully almost as she gave him a sad smile. "Unfortunately, yes, you have too. But I want you to remember something," she started making him arch a brow a bit as she grabbed his shoulders lovingly and firm but lose on his left arm because of the big bruise that couldn't have been from a sprain and looked him in the eyes, "I'll always be here for you. I promise" she told him as he looked surprised and looked like he was about to cry, she chuckled a bit and hugged him as he hugged her back. "Thanks V" she smiled, "Always Lance because that's what a big sister does for her loved ones that she cares about" he smiled a little glad to have her as his big sister.
They broke the hug, and she helped him get dressed and was absolutely fuming when she seen more bruises on Lance, she was pissed honestly because none of these came from him falling somewhere. She worried for him terribly, he was as frail as he was fragile and she's not dumb, she can see faded scars that lay on his skin. "Lance," he looked at her with a bit of a head tilt "Whatever you present as, I won't leave you just because you have an ABO status. I swear to you I won't turn like everyone else" she told him sternly as he smiled and hugged her once more, "I love you V" he said as she chuckled hugging him back "I love you too Little Blue" he giggled, and she ruffled his hair. They heard footsteps coming up the stairs and they were creaking, immediately Lance stood rigid as Veronica stood up with her hand resting on Lance's hair like a mother would as a sign of hesitance and worry. Sometimes Lance got confused if she was his mother or his sister, he preferred either or since she was always there for him. The door opened and Lance bit back a whimper, Joseph looked at Veronica who looked at him in a small glare, "Can I help you?" she asked with a tone Lance wasn't familiar with, maybe she got it from her job? Joseph glared and looked to Lance who was wanted to shrink back from his piercing gaze. "Boy, let's go. Now" he gulped and left Veronica's protection hand to his father's side quickly and glanced back to Veronica nervously, she moved her hand in a gesture he was familiar with but didn't remove her eyes from Joseph.
Joseph glared once more at Veronica before he grabbed Lance's wrist in a grip and dragged him away with Veronica's eyes following them. Getting in the car, Lance took the furthest seat away from his father and put his seatbelt on like Veronica taught him and they were off once the car's engine turned on.
Lance watched all the passing buildings with interest, he hardly got to leave the house even going outside seemed like it was forbidden, maybe that was why he seemed a little pale. At least according to Veronica. But he was curious on the world outside the McClain house, it was rare for him to leave the house, but his parents knew he couldn't keep him forever in the house so when he was old enough, his mother planned to ship him out into the Garisson. For that he was excited to escape to the stares he always found himself staring at.
Tracing his eyes over the blurs of people, cars and buildings they eventually pulled up the center where the tests for those who will get their new status. Now he was nervous and scared. What if he presented as an Omega? Everything will be worse from here on out! He took a breath and followed after his father obediently, he was trained by torture to follow someone without thinking. More often it was those who had more power and authority over him. Watching as his father went to the desk while ordering Lance to a seat which he obediently listened and remained quiet while hiding his hands in the long sleeve shirt Veronica gave him and she frowned at his figure sometimes. Lack of eating and how skinny he is, even his height was something she was worrying about. For his age, being this short wasn't a good thing despite all the males in the McClain family are tall and have muscle, Lance on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Skinny and short and had little muscle.
He was still a child, almost 9 years old. So, it was acceptable, to a degree.
He only had two more years before he would go to the Garisson. It was going to be his first escape, his newest safe place that he was ready to grasp. He just had to wait and be patient and hopefully during that time, neither Luis nor his father put his hands on him that would lead to him hurting more than a beating would. He just needed to breathe and pray he wasn't an Omega. That's all.
His father soon joined him and with a glare that gave his order, they sat in silence with his father messing around on his phone even with the irritation it seemed to bring him. They waited for their names to be called but still Lance was nervous, very nervous he felt like he was shaking with anxiety. Soon enough 10 minutes later, Lance's name was called and the two went with the nurse. Oh man, Lance couldn't stop his nerves from spiking, he didn't like it or the dread in his stomach. She led them to a waiting room and gestured for Lance to follow her to the test room that was across the hall, she pointed to a seat, and he took a seat while she gathered the necessary items for the tests.
She set them on the table and rolled up his sleeve, but he stopped her before she went further up, she paused looking at him confused "C-can you please do the other arm?" he asked hesitantly while taking a gulp, he didn't want her to see the bruise from his used to be broken arm. She tsked lightly but agreed and rolled up his other sleeve then grabbed a needle, "Now just take a breath, this'll be quick" he nodded fearfully at the needle but took a breath as it went into his skin and began to draw blood, seeing blood was never his favorite even if he's seen his own blood before. She then took out the needle and pushed the handle to let the blood drop out onto a machine, Lance looked at curiously, wondering what it was supposed to do and wouldn't blood ruin it? It's technology, Veronica was always explaining that liquid and Machine did not mix at all.
The machine made a beeping sound that Lance by instinct covered his ears, he didn't like loud sounds it made his ears ring unpleasantly. She glanced to him and looked back to the machine while pursuing her lips, how was she to tell him? Omegas weren't treated fairly at all, and a Male Omega was rare. Turning to Lance with a frown as he let his ears go and fiddled with his sleeves while waiting, oh dear, she prayed he would have a good life even with his new status.
Clearing her throat to gain his attention he looked at her nervously, "M-may I ask what I am?" he was timid with his question, and it made her heart ache, he was such a sweet boy from what she's seen he didn't deserve this much less this status of the three. "You're an Omega hun. I'm sorry" his eyes widen in fear, "I-I... I'm what?" stuttering made her aware that was not what he wanted to hear as she knew from previous patients that this was the expression to look out for when those who present as an Omega. "You're an Omega, these kinds of tests for status are simple. One blood test on the machine and the machine will scan your blood for your status, yours came back as an Omega. I'm sorry" she explained while he felt like he wanted to crumble to the floor and never leave it. The one thing he didn't want to be is exactly what he was. He was an Omega, and a rare Omega at that. He's dead when they leave the clinic.
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10/16/23