"Is your mom going to like me?" Lance asked anxiously and wrapped his arm around Keith's side.
He laughed in response. "Of course she's going to like you. I used to talk about you all the time."
"He still talks about you all the time," Alex snickered behind them. Katie gave her a fist bump.
Keith started blushing. "S-Shut up!"
"Well, let's just head in, okay? I'm excited to meet your mom." Lance smiled. God damn it, Keith's heart started to beat faster. Lance had to stop being so pretty and amazing and cute and everything. Honestly, it was going to be the death of him. Lance took his arm off of Keith so he could move the side. "Oh no."
Keith followed his gaze to see that Lance's finger was tangled in a loose string from his jacket.
"Heh, looks like the red string of fate has tied us together, huh?" He got no response. "Keith?" Lance waved his free hand in front of his face. "You okay bud?"
Keith blinked. "Okay, having proof a red string is cool, but nOT AT THE EXPENSE OF MY JACKET!"
"Gyah, okay!" Lance slowly pushed the sides of the string up until the circle of red slid off his finger.
Alex stepped between the two and unlocked the door with her house key. "Honestly, the two of you are like an old married couple already," she scoffed and pushed the door open. "Mom, I'm home with Keith and two friends!"
"Oh, hi, sweetie! Happy birthday!" Lilly pushed her wheelchair into the foyer. "Keith!"
Keith smiled and walked forward to hug her. "Hi Mom." He looked around but didn't see Mai at the table.
"Oh, hello Katie and... um, I'm sorry, I don't think we've met before." Her head tilted to the side as she tried to remember. Lilly was rather young for a mother, only in her early thirties. As a computer programmer and artist, she started a business (with the help of her best friend) to help design video games and websites. Sometimes she made animations in her free time. She lived with Mai (her previously mentioned best friend), so the two could work at any time and because Lilly had struggled to afford care for herself and Alex at first.
Keith gestured to the Cuban boy who was standing awkwardly behind him. "Mom, this... is Lance."
It was almost like Lilly's eyes started twinkling. "Oh, Lance!" She smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Keith has told me so much about you."
"Told you," Alex whispered behind them.
"And, I have something to tell you." Keith reached behind himself to grab Lance's hand. "Lance and I..."
"We're dating."
MmHMM
Wow I was productive today
Also yes I literally named the book "Fates" because I wanted Lance to get his finger stuck on a string from Keith's jacket fIGHT ME