Wrote this last week, and I thought I might share it here too, so ~
Long post. 3k, just below the ‘red more’, so I’m adding the Ao3 link in case someone wants it! Ao3 clicky me
Disclaimer: Voltron doesn’t belong to me.
Lance squeals when strong arms wrap themselves around his small waist and then he’s laughing as his brother hold him way up above his head.
“Tony! Tony, no! No helicopter!” Lance shouts, giggles escaping his mouth as his older brother continues to spin him around.
“But Lance! Our audience demanded a maiden in distress, didn’t you, guys?” The seventeen years old turns to the small audience a few feet from them, all of their big eyes wide and entranced in curiosity, nodding their small heads at the question, some of them even cheering for the teen.
“Sorry, hermanito, the audience has the last word.” Tony smirks and tickles Lance on the side, earning a loud laugh from the seven-year-old.
“Angie!” Lance shouts in distress, laughing bubbling, making him shake, “Angie, help!”
The twenty-year-old rolls her eyes but smiles softly at her brothers as she makes her way towards the pair. “Okay, alright, Tony, stop tormenting him. It’s almost time for dinner, anyways. Come and help before you continue playing, deal?” She asks, looking down at her brothers before turning towards the small children, “Who is ready for a warm Christmas Dinner, guys?”
The small children cheer louder at her words, most of them raising their hands enthusiastically as some of them stumbled on their own steps to stand up.
Angie giggles fondly at them before she raises her head and her eyes meet a small body on the other end of the room, face hidden from her as he looks down on the ground and rubs his arm nervously, almost as if hugging himself.
It’s not the first time that one of the kids in the orphanage they volunteer at is closed off or distant. Christmas is always a hard time for orphanages, especially for the kids. Angie understands that, she’s been volunteering along with her family most of her life, and she had been so good to befriend and include every single kid back when she was their age.
Now, at age of twenty, it’s difficult for kids to confide in her easily. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just a clear line between adult and kid and sometimes it’s difficult to find a common ground.
Angie purses her lips, deep in thought, before a body crashes into her middle. She huffs out of surprise before she looks down and the bulb inside her head lights up as soon as her little brother’s blue eyes look up at her.
“Ups, sorry!” Lance says, rubbing the back of his neck.
Angie waves him off and she kneels down quick to grab her little brother’s arm as he was about to follow the small crowd behind her.
“No, wait, Lance,” She calls, moving her head around until she caught her brother’s eyes. Angie nods once she decides he’s paying attention to her before she continues, “Do me a favor? You see that kid over there?”
She points with her head subtly and she wants to facepalm herself when her brother turns around abruptly towards the direction and screams his concerns.
“Angie, why is that kid all alone? Is he sad? Why is he sad? It’s Christmas! Does he know it’s Christmas?” He questions with a small pout, not pleased that someone wasn’t having fun like the rest of the party.
Angie hushes him quietly. “Well, I don’t really know, buddy. Maybe he doesn’t like partying?”
“But why is he alone?” He asks, tilting his head to the side in confusion and Angie pushes his bangs out of his face.
“Maybe because he needs a friend?” She suggests, shrugging her arms and giving him a small push with a smile, “Are you up on being a friend, buddy?”
Lance blinks before he beams and nods his head. Angie laughs at her brother’s enthusiasm and drops a quick kiss to his temple.
“That’s my Lance.” She praises softly before she pushes him gently towards the kid, “Now go. Please tell him dinner is almost done and then it’s time for gifts, alright?”
“‘Kay!” Lance shouts back over his shoulder, making his way. He dodges and avoid the big bodies around the room, mumbling and shouting at the same time quick ‘sorry’s’ when he’s not quick enough.
“Huh,” Lance says out loud as soon as he arrives, standing behind the kid, “You have a mullet! Cool!”
The kid stiffens and he’s quick to turn around, meeting Lance’s eyes for the first time and the brunet doesn’t hesitate to wave at him innocently, offering a big smile.
“Hi! Sorry, I just looking at your hair and it reminded me of my Tio’s hair. He says it’s a mullet with style, and that only cool guys like him have one, but my mama says it’s something only old guys wear. She says my Tio is still living in the eighties, even though he lives like five houses away from us, and there are no streets named like that, but that’s okay! As long as he visits during the weekend, of course! Yours look like a mini mullet though and you are not old –”
“Um,” The kid cuts off, unsure but his posture still tensed at Lance’s presence, “Who are you?”
Lance blinks and then perks up. “Oh, yeah! I’m Lance McClain, hi! I always forget to introduce myself, duh! I’m seven, how old are you? What’s your name? Why are you in the corner? Were you put in timeout? That’s not nice, it’s Christmas!”
“Uh,” The young black haired kid murmurs again, this time narrowing his eyes in suspicion, “I’m Keith Kogane. I’m seven too and I’m here because I don’t like...crowds. There’s too much noise.”
Lance hums. “Oh, well that’s okay! We can play here!” He decides, grabbing Keith’s hand to bring him down to the floor.
“You...you wanna play with me?” Keith asks softly, surprise taking over his face and Lance frowns in confusion.
“Yeah! Why not? You are cool! And you have a mullet, and my uncle said that anyone who has a mullet is cool!”
Keith puffs his cheeks, a soft red color taking over his cheeks as he stick out his lower lip and crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t have a mullet.”
Lance shrugs, smiling playfully. “I see a mullet.”
“It’s not!”
“It is, it is, it is ~!” Lance sing songs, laughing when Keith launches at him, “Ah! Keith, not fair!”
“I win.” Keith declares happily as he hovers above Lance, pinning him against the ground, “You didn’t even try, Lance!”
Lance gasps. “Psh, yeah alright but I could totally win against you in a swordfight!”
Keith’s eyes light up at the words. “I love sword fights!”
The brunet’s annoyance evaporates just like that. “Really!? Oh man, I brought two of my lightsabers, do you wanna play Star Wars?”
“Yes! I wanna be Luke!”
“Okay! And I will be Han Solo!”
“But Han Solo doesn’t have a light saber.” Keith says bemused and Lance waves his hands off.
“He’s Han Solo, he does what he wants.”
Keith shrugs, accepting the reason.
“Be right back, I’m going to get them!” Lance says, jumping on his feet before crossing the entire room in a flash. It’s not five minutes later when he comes back, panting hard but a big grin on his face.
“Okay, so you want blue or red?” He asks and Keith points at the blue one, “Nice! That’s my favorite but I can share, because I like you.”
Keith’s chubby cheeks flush at the blunt confession but he smiles back at the brunet. “I like you too, Lance.”
“Cool! I can’t wait to tell my Tio I have a Mullet friend!”
They end up playing for half an hour, going on and on about different scenarios for their adventures in space. At some point, they both decided that Star War was boring and moved on with Space Explorers, two young astronauts who find a legendary castle that inside hold the Universe’s biggest weapon.
“The Princess was alone inside the castle, yes? And then we come in and rescue her and then she gifts us with two powerful lions!”
Keith opens his mouth in wonder. “Okay, but like, are they she-lions?”
“Of course they are she-lions!” Lance answers, “Mine is name Blue!”
“Oh, mine is Red, then!”
“We are going to be like, Space Partners!”
“Yes!”
Mr. McClain chuckles under his breath as he watches his son continue playing with the young orphan. He walks towards his wife and settle the plates he was carrying near her, nodding when she mumbles a soft ‘thank you’.
“Have you seen this?” He wonders, tilting his head back to where his son is playing.
Mrs. McClain pauses and turns around, her smiles turning soft and loving at the sight. “He has always had that charm to make friends.”
Mr. McClain nods proudly. “That he does.” He murmurs before he cups his hands, “Lance, son, please come closer! It’s time for dinner. Bring your friend with you, alright?”
“Okay, Papa!” The seven years old shouts back, not wasting any time before he grabs Keith’s hand and drags him along, “Come on, Keith!”
Dinner is warm and comfortable. Lance and Keith sit together on the kid’s table, the rest of the party forgotten for them as Lance goes on and on about their Lions and their special abilities and nods when Keith inserts his own two cents on the matter.
Soon, it’s time for the presents and Lance stands on the back with Keith as he watches his family giving out the gifts they had brought for the kids.
Lance bites the inside of his cheek, hesitating for a second.
“I will be right back.” He tells Keith before he walks towards his mama. Lance purses his lips, taking a deep breath and then he tugs his Mama’s jeans, catching her attention.
Mrs. McClain looks down at her child. “Yes, sunshine?”
“Mama, can I choose a gift for my friend?” He asks, innocently pointing towards Keith.
Mrs. McClain puts his pointing down but her gaze is firmly placed on the small seven years old in the middle of the ocean of children, shifting nervously under his feet as all the kids open and play with their new toys.
Mrs. McClain’s heart melts at the sight. She doesn't hesitate to crouch down at her child’s height and she smiles proudly at him.
“Of course, amor.” She says, patting him on the cheek tenderly, “Be sure to choose wisely, okay?”
Lance nods with a grin and then looks down the big bag her mama puts in front of him. It actually takes him ten seconds before he shouts in surprise and dives into the bag.
“This one!” He announces loudly and Mrs. McClain allows herself to take a quick look at the box in her son’s arms before she nods approvingly.
“Nice choice, sunshine.”
Lance giggles. “Thank you, mama!”
“Now go, your friend is waiting for you.” She says, smiling knowingly as she easily catches the not so subtle glances the small black haired child keeps making towards their direction.
Lance nods before he turns around, waving the box in the air proudly. “Keith! Keith, I got your present!”
Keith eyes snap open at the words, red taking over his cheeks, almost resembling his long sleeve sweater he has on. “Um, what?”
“A present, Keith!” Lance repeats kindly, smiling with excitement, “And I got the perfect one! I hope you like it! Merry Christmas, Keith!”
The seven years old stares, almost dumbfounded at the small box Lance pushes against his chest. He looks up, meeting Lance’s bright blue eyes and the brunet limits himself to nod at him, urging him to open it.
He starts opening the box slowly but soon enough, a smile creeps into his face and then he’s grinning, matching Lance’s enthusiasm.
“Woah.” He whispers in awe when he takes out a small red plastic guitar, the strings a little loose at the touch and the color is a little faded but Keith falls in love with it at first sight.
“It used to be my brother’s, but he said he didn’t want it anymore because he got a new one.” Lance says, hopping on the couch behind them and patting his right side, “Come on! I can teach you, if you want. Tony taught me my favorite song.”
Keith climbs the couch and settles himself besides Lance, guitar still close to his chest like something precious. “Okay.” He whispers, smiling sheepishly.
Lance smiles back and takes his pale hand, placing the guitar correctly on Keith’s lap before he starts moving Keith’s fingers with his own.
“It starts like this,” He whispers softly before he starts singing, “Estrellita, donde estas. Me pregunto quien seras.”
It’s not the humming that catch his attention, it’s the lullaby itself.
Lance stops short on his tracks, head turning around out of curiosity and his eyes widen at the sight of another student, sitting cross legged under a tree near the campus’ green area.
He can’t see their face, but there’s something familiar on the way their shoulders move and how their fingers caress the guitar on their lap, gently and yet with a purpose.
The stranger continues to hum the lullaby’s melody under their breath, no lyrics in the air but it feels oddly familiar, having in mind that it’s not that common to hear your childhood lullaby out of nowhere in the middle of your campus’ area.
He’s about to shrugs his shoulders and continue his way when he notices the mullet.
Lance pauses, smiles and prays to God he’s not about to make a fool of himself.
He makes his way towards the guy, ice tea still on his hand as he stands beside him quietly and he tilts his head to the side, enjoying the music coming from the musician’s fingertips. Lance waits until the guy is done playing before he speaks up.
“Keith Kogane?” He asks with a wary smile and he almost jumps when the guy’s head looks up at him abruptly.
“Uh,” Keith lets out dumbly, blinking confused before he continues, “Keith Shirogane-Kogane, actually.” He replies, almost in automatic before he narrows his eyes, “And you are…?”
Lance beams and raises his hand. “Lance McClain, nice meeting you again.”
Keith stares at the hand and then something shifts in his gaze.
“Lance McClain?” He repeats slowly, and the brunet nods.
“Yeah! I mean, I know it’s been a long time but I used to volunteer at Shack Street Orphanage when I was young and there was this one Christmas, my first time volunteering, that I met a kid and,” Lance hisses under his breath, internally wincing when the guy’s eyes just get wider and more confused than before, “And now I’m thinking I’m an idiot and I’m rambling now because I probably got this wrong and I’m making a fool out of myself, but you look a lot like a kid I knew back then, and I taught him like, ‘twinkle twinkle’ with a plastic guitar, yes, I’m that talented, but I never saw him again and – yeah, okay, should I stop talking? I should. I am. Shutting up now.”
They stand in silence, Lance still shifting nervously on his feet while Keith puts his guitar down, eyes never leaving Lance’s. Then, he smiles, growing into a grin, and soon after he’s barking laugh, arms around his stomach as he shakes.
Lance just stares and then he pouts, a small flush taking over his cheeks.
“Okay, no need to laugh.” He huffs and makes a move to leave but Keith is quick to stop him.
“No, no! I’m sorry, I’m just – You’re Lance! Parrot Lance! I mean, sorry, shit! It’s just that, the rambling, man! I remember the rambling.” Keith says, taking a deep breath to control himself, “I’m so sorry, I’m just surprised because, damn, I never thought I would see you again?”
Keith hums, shaking his head in disbelief, still incredulous at the turn of events. “I mean, it’s such a wild concept that I would meet the very same person who helped me find my passion in music because he gave me a plastic guitar the Christmas before I was adopted, again! I’m just...woah, you know?”
“Tell me about it!” Lance shouts back, chuckling and flopping himself on the ground besides Keith, pulling his knee up, “I can’t believe you actually continued playing. I mean, the plastic guitar wasn’t even tuned, you know? The sound it made still haunts my dreams.”
Keith shrugs, his smile never leaving his face. “It got stuck in me, I guess. I liked it.”
“Aw, was I special to you, Mullet?” Lance jokes, easily falling into a familiar banter with the black-haired man, his grin only growing when Keith shoves him on the arm.
“Psh, you wish!” He shouts back.
“It’s actually...really nice to meet you again, Keith.” Lance confesses quietly, nudging him on the shoulder.
Keith smiles. “It’s a nice turn of events, I have to admit.”
“It sure is.” Lance muses, “Okay, but now you gotta tell me about what happened after that Christmas. My best buddy disappeared right after we were about to save the Princess, what the heck, Keith!”
They chat for a few minutes, words flowing easily as the first time they met. Keith goes on about how he got adopted and was brought as the youngest member of the Shirogane Household just before New Year’s Eve. He told Lance about how he kept the red plastic guitar even after his adoption and how he practiced the same song he taught him over and over again until his parents decided to sign him up for lessons.
“I even taught my brother, Shiro, to play it.” Keith says.
Lance arches an eyebrow, smiling knowingly. “Did you make him learn it with the plastic guitar?”
Keith winks and smirks mischievously. “You bet.”
Then it’s Lance talking. He goes back on the different years he went volunteering, always on the lookout for his friend but never having any luck. The tell Keith about how he still goes to Orphanages, in between the school year, whenever he has time to hang out with the kids. Lance offers to bring Keith with him one day.
Keith easily agrees.
“Okay, alright, I know this might sound insane but,” Lance pauses, shaking his cold beverage in the air, “My friends and I are going to hang out at my best friend’s dorm right now, you know, chilling and video games, probably a pizza. Maybe you wanna join us, Keith Shirogane-Kogane?”
Keith pauses before he smirks. “My mom told me to never leave with strangers, you know.”
Lance gasps out loud, hand over his chest for dramatic effect. “How dare you, Keith! We’re childhood friends!”
“I don’t think spending one Christmas’ eve together when we were seven counts as childhood friends.” Keith replies flatly.
“It’s close enough, though.” Lance challenges and he smiles in victory when Keith’s mouth twitches upward.
The black-haired man laughs and shrugs, faking being nonchalant. “Sure, why not. Lead the way, Lance McClain.”
“Alright, you better prepare, man, because I’m going to swipe the floor with you!”
“Hah! You wish, McClain! You wish!”
“Okay, but should I be worried that you recognized me even after fifteen years apart?” Keith teases, narrowing his eyes in suspicion as he looks up at Lance, point at the brunet with the end of his pizza.
Lance scoffs and waves his hand off at him, leaning down to grab another slice from the box. The shouts of his two best friends get louder on the background, still on their own game competition but Lance just scootch closer to Keith as he replies, not wanting to raise his voice.
“Please, man. I could recognize that mullet from space.”
Keith frowns, his lower lip out in a pout and Lance can easily picture him with the chubby flushed cheeks, bigger eyes and small scrunched nose he used to have almost a lifetime ago. “Not a mullet.”
