Chapter Text
It was a bright, sunny afternoon when Lance called her.
Well, it wasn’t. Of course it wasn’t. It was cold and windy and she was pretty sure that as soon as she set a foot out the door, she’d be soaked in seconds.
Veronica, however, had no desire to go back into the miserable weather of Europe. Not after escaping it just an hour prior.
She was an analyst.
Why her boss had dragged her here was a mystery to her. Sure, Germany was a nice change of pace from the goddam desert and the work they did here was magnificent.
It would just be so much better if her only reason for being here didn’t come in the form of a Spanish technician, who only spoke German and Spanish. Her boss was too much of a greedy bastard to hire a goddam translator, because why would he when he had a Cuban on his team. Which was bullshit, because the Spanish she spoke wasn’t the same as the Spanish the technician spoke. And even if one ignored that, just because she could speak Spanish didn’t mean she automatically spoke it one a rocket-science level. Her education had been in English, for God sake. But did he care? No.
At any rate, what she had been planning to do was sleep. Dear precious sleep, which she desperately needed because her boss was a total moron.
Veronica had come here to learn more about the way the DLR operated.
Not to be used as a living Google Translate.
She was even in her bed and everything. Hair dried and clothes hanging across the heating. She barely had had the energy to shovel a meal inside her mouth, before crashing into her bed. That was where she was now, her exhaustion already dragging her under-
BEEP
BEEP
BEEP
She startled, the loud ringtone startling her right from her near-slumber into an adrenaline crash.
Carajo
The McClain family had been blessed- or cursed- by their ability to sleep through basically anything, from storms to explosions.
Veronica had inherited that, which was why her ringtone was the loudest, irritating and most rage-inducing thing the internet could offer.
It served her well when she had to wake up in the mornings. That knowledge did nothing from wanting to take her phone and violently smash it into the wall.
Instead of doing that, she reached out and swiped right, not even bothering to see who had pulled her from her well deserved rest.
“This is Veronica speaking. How may I help you?”
She wished she could just growl ‘What’ into the damn thing, but if it was her boss calling, she should at least try to remain professional.
However, if it was her boss, she would swap all the sugar in his office for salt, she swore to God-
Instead, her baby-brother’s voice filled the air.
“Hey, Veronica. Did I call at a bad time?”
“You called at a ‘bed time’’, she responded dryly, all the formality disappearing from her voice.
Lance had the gall to laugh at the shitty joke.
She blamed the lack of sleep. And the fact she was speaking to Lance. He always had been a bad influence. She should remind Luis to keep Sylvio and Nadia far, far away from their favorite uncle, before they would Naruto-run through the supermarket and try to finger-gun their way out of trouble.
Young Lance’s cuteness had done nothing to deviate from the fact that he could be a nightmare on steroids.
“Oh, right, I didn’t realize-“
“Hermanito”, she said lowly. Warningly. She really didn’t have the energy for this.
She knew he was used to being in the same country as her, but he knew damn well that she was on a trip to Germany right now. Or at least he should, considered she had reminded him on multiple occasions.
Lance laughed, just a little nervous. “I’m sorry, Ronnie.”
“It’s fine”, she said with a sigh. She was awake now anyway. “Why’re you calling me?”
There was a small pause at the end of the line.
“You’re coming home for Christmas, right?” He asked.
Of course she was. As if she was going to let anything stop her from seeing her family again. Not even her boss, who she had to rip a new one just so he would agree to let her take a week-long vacation.
(Asshole)
Which, coincidently, was another part of the reason why she was so tired.
She wasn’t telling Lance that. He was the youngest. It wasn’t his business to worry about.
“Of course I am.” She softened her tone. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
There was a long pause from the other side of the line. She frowned. “You’re coming, right?”
“Yes, yes, of course I am”, Lance was quick to reassure. “You know how much I miss everyone.”
Did she ever. Homesickness wasn’t something to joke about when it came to her youngest sibling.
“I just… I thought about bringing Keith?”
She sat up straighter.
“Keith Kogane? Keith- mullet - Kogane?”
“Yeah?”
“Lance”, she said slowly. “You called me every week since starting at the Garrison to complain about the boy. Why is God’s name would you bring him with you?”
“We, uhm, might be dating now?”
She took a very deep breath.
“Excuse me, but FUCKING WHAT?!”
_____
By the time Lance had repeated his statement, with a little more certainty this time, she had calmed down enough to process it.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Not really.
Veronica knew Lance was bisexual. He’d come out when he was fourteen.
She shouldn’t even be that surprised about his new relationship with Kogane. Lance always saw flirting as his chosen manner of courting and a rivalry could technically be called flirting?
Not that she was any better. She blamed her family. If you had siblings- especially four- trying to upstage each other just became as naturally as breathing.
Oh God, the McClain family was the reason why none of them had any luck dating. She also realized that Lance got a partner before she did. Which, fuck you universe, was just rude.
“Veronica?”
Lance voice was very small through the receiver.
She suddenly realized that she had let him stew in silence for multiple minutes after a very scary confession. “I’m still here, hermanito”, she said. “Just surprised.”
“Are you not, you know…”
“Know what?”
“Disappointed?”
She mentally sighed, moving herself in a more comfortable position. “Why would I ever be disappointed because you’re dating a guy? I’m aware that you’re bisexual, Lance.”
“I know that. It’s just… It’s different, right? Just knowing that I’m bi and me actual bringing home a boy.”
She sat up, frown on her face.
“It’s not that, Lance. Not even close”, she reassured him. “You’re my brother. I will love you no matter who you love.”
She bit her lip, faltering. She didn’t want to discourage Lance, but she still had to ask. “Are you sure about this, though? How long have you been dating him? A week?”
Lance made a low sound that had her freezing by pure habit. “Lance? What did you do?” Then it hit her. “How long have you been dating?”
He chuckled, breathy and nervous. She could see him twisting the edge of his shirt around his fingers, an old habit he never really outgrew.
“Maybe a month?”
“A MONTH-“
“I know, I know.” He huffed. “I know I should have told you, but I wanted things to settle first. And I was nervous, all right?”
She supposed she could understand that, even if she wasn’t happy about it. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Still….
“Even if you’ve been dating for a month. Isn’t that still a little too soon to drag him out to meet the family. For a whole week?”
“I know, okay.”
She recoiled, staring at her phone is surprise. “Lance?” She said carefully. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Okay”, she said slowly. “What got you so stressed, then?”
He huffed and stayed silent.
She did too. Lance didn’t like silence. Just shutting up and waiting worked wonders for when you wanted to get information out of him.
“It’s Keith”, he finally said.
Veronica hummed to let him know she heard him, but otherwise stayed silent.
“Normally, he stays with Shiro- You know Shiro, right?”
How could she not? Shirogane Takashi. Lance’s hero. He practically idolized the guy.
“Well, Keith and Shiro have some weird bond-thing and they’re like super close. I don’t know if Shiro is Keith’s guardian or he just takes care of him, but normally he stays with Shiro for the holidays, right? Only this time, Shiro’s ‘friend’ Adam, who is actually Shiro’s boyfriend, but I’m not sure if I’m supposed to know about that-“
She was pretty sure he wasn’t. Lance always did have a habit of sticking his nose in other man’s business like no tomorrow. Add in a love for gossip that could compare to an old bored lady, and the end result was a smartass who knew more than he should.
“- Well, anyway, Adam had this vacation planned. Just the two of them. But Shiro didn’t want to leave Keith alone and they were arguing about that, but then Keith found out and he was all like ‘I can handle myself, you two go, because I’m awesome and cool’.”
“Anyway, Shiro had a really busy year and really wanted to spend some quality-time with Adam, but Shiro is a responsible person, so he kept saying no, but no one can out-stubborn Keith, so finally he agreed, and now, thanks to his own stubbornness, Keith will be alone during Christmas and hearing everyone making plans is making him really upset even though he doesn’t want to admit it, which makes me upset, so I thought, why not take him with me, you know.”
She wanted to ask where Keith’s parents where, but she doubted that Lance would answer. It wasn’t her secret to know to begin with.
“Isn’t there anyone else at the Garrison he can stay with?”
She could sense Lance’s shrug through the phone.
“He has this whole ‘cool, loner type’ vibe going on. But in reality, he’s just really socially awkward. He has no idea how to make friends. I mean, he’s closest to me, obviously-“
He sounded so proud of that fact. Seventeen he might be, but her baby brother was still adorable-
“- Aside from Shiro. He hangs out with Hunk and Pidge too, but they’re going home as well.”
Veronica let Lance ramblings sink in, before letting out a soft hum. “I see. Well, I would love to meet Keith.” She paused. “At least, if Mamá agreed to it.”
Lance scoffed. “Of course I called Mamá. I called her before I called you.”
Well, at least that would explain why Lance called when he did.
In Cuba, it was nine o’clock in the evening. Their leisure time, when both the work at the farm and dinner was finished.
“And?”
“She didn’t mind. Donde caben dos, caben tres, after all.”
Veronica snickered.
Where there’s place for two, there’s place for three.
“Then why call me, if you already got Mamá’s seal of approval?”
“I just want to ask what you thought.”
“Oh?”
“I didn’t tell them Keith’s my boyfriend yet.”
Not surprising, since she hadn’t known either. It did kind of surprise her that Lance managed to keep it hidden for so long.
“You live in America too and you’re from a younger generation, so I knew you’d be okay with it, but Mamá and Papá? Not even speaking about Abuelo and Abuela.”
“Lance”, she said softly. “I think that there are very few things you could do that would make any of us love you any less. Bringing your rival-turned-boyfriend with you to celebrate Christmas, just because you don’t want him to be lonely, is not one of them.”
She paused.
“Well, make sure you tell the rest of the family before brining him over. Just to make sure Abuela doesn’t get a heart-attack. If just from the sheer excitement of having a new person to dote on.”
Lance laughed. “Oh, totally. If I don’t, Marco would jump him.”
Veronica imagined it. Marco, a body that was 80% limb, jumping the poor boy- and promptly started laughing too. “Yeah, he definitely would.”
Lance snickered one more time, before the silence crept back in. Veronica leaned back her head and breathed in, silently relishing in the familiarity of her little brother’s presence, even through the phone. Perhaps Lance hadn’t been the only one that was slightly homesick.
“Hey, Ronnie?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
She smiled. “No problem, hermanito. That’s what older siblings are for.”
“Te quiero.”
“Te quiero tambien, Lance.” And then, because she could feel the exhaustion creep back up on her. “Now, let me sleep.”
Lance chuckled.
“Sleep well, Ronnie. See you in a week.”
“Bye, Lance. See you soon.”
She hung up, placing her phone back by her bedside and lying back down. She couldn’t help the smile from appearing on her face.
She really couldn’t wait to see everyone again. If only so she could rub it in Luis face that Lance came to her instead of to him. Sure, she could do it over phone, but where was the fun in that?
With that in mind, she fell asleep, grin curling around her mouth.
_____
Keith wasn’t sulking. He wasn’t.
Unfortunately, the people sitting on the other side of the table disagreed.
“You told him to go”, Hunk pointed out. “If you asked Shiro, he would stay.”
“You wouldn’t even have to ask”, Pidge added as she rolled her eyes. “Just hint at it and he’ll throw his suitcase right out the window.”
“Adam has been looking forward to this for weeks”, Keith countered. “And Shiro has been so busy. They barely even saw each other.”
“I know”, Hunk said carefully. He was fidgeting, worrying his lip between words. “But still, you shouldn’t have to-“
“I can manage one Christmas alone”, Keith snapped, too loud and way too harsh. “I’m not a baby.”
He mumbled a quick ‘sorry’ when he saw Hunk flinch. He hadn’t meant it that way. Keith knew that. Hunk was way too nice for that. He was just concerned, for some stupid reason.
Keith meant what he said.
He could. He had before.
But….
He grunted and stabbed his lunch with a fork. Just because he chose this didn’t mean he had to be happy about it.
“Now, now”, someone drawled. “What got my boyfriend in such a stabby mood?”
Keith looked up and there stood Lance, smirk on his face.
He looked as cheerful as always, dressed in the standard orange uniform that flattered no one, but Lance managed to make work, for some absurd reason.
He slid into the seat directly next to Keith and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
Keith could feel the blood rushing to his head, but he couldn’t even be bothered to care. Not with the way Lance cheeks darkened too. He looked adorable. Without even thinking, Keith leaned forward, pressing another chaste kiss against Lance lips.
“Hey”, he whispered back.
Lance became even redder, but he didn’t look away. Instead, his smile reached his eyes, and they just started to sparkle-
The moment was ruined by Pidge’s loud gagging.
They both looked away, coughing.
“So”, Lance said, a bit awkwardly, trying to pretend as if they didn’t have a moment just now, even though they were sitting so close that their shoulders touched. “What were you guys talking about?”
“We were talking about Christmas”, Hunk was quick to explain, as Pidge was still busy pretending to hold back vomit. He glanced at Keith. “And, well…”
Keith’s eye twitched as the calm Lance’s arrival had evoked went ‘poof’, as they landed on the one subject he really did not want to talk about,.
“So what if I’m spending Christmas alone”, he muttered. “It’s no big deal.”
Lance raised his eyebrows, as if that was news to him. As if Keith hadn’t been sulking for a whole week because of it.
“But you’re not?”
“I’m not what?” He snapped, barely managing to curb the harshness in his tone. Lance responding frown made him feel bad all the same.
He ducked his head in silent apology and sucked in a sharp breath when he felt Lance ankle press against his underneath the table.
“You’re not alone during the holiday.”
He looked back up, ears red. “What?”
Lance smiled that brilliant smile of his, and leaned on the palm of his hand.
“You’re coming with me.”
What?
“What?” He blurted out.
“Did I forget to mention?” Lance shrugged and continued eating, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “You’re coming with me to meet the family next week. The ticket has been bought and all.”
Keith really didn’t know what his face looked like, but it must have been pretty funny, because Pidge took one look and burst into laughter.
Evil gremlin.
“What?” He repeated again, like a broken record. He didn’t have a choice. His brain was having an error. “What- What do you mean, I’m coming with you?”
Lance face changed into one of hurt. “You don’t want to come?”
Keith’s breath froze in his chest. “No no no, of course I want to”, he was quick to correct. “I can’t wait to meet your family.”
Lance face cleared up, smile like the sun appearing on his face. “Then it’s settled”, he cheered. His blue eyes shined with happiness and he reached out to grab Keith’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “I can’t wait until next week. We’re going to have so much fun!”
His heart was racing in his chest. But whether it was because of the gay panic of the normal variant wasn’t clear.
“Yeah”, he said, mouth dry. “Really fun. Can’t wait.”
Apparently, he wasn’t going to be alone on Christmas. He was going to spend it, meeting Lance’s family.
Fuck.
He just knew Shiro had a part in this.