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no regrets The child was named Leopold, after the Prince Consort, and at his naming ceremony nobody mentioned the fact that the newest addition to the Arusian royal family looked remarkably like Keith - decidedly more so than either of his two elder sisters - a resemblance that was particularly striking when the young soldier held his new godson. This observation was thought, of course, and discussed obliquely whenever Allura, Keith and Prince Leopold were out of earshot. The Force got quite the kick out of the whole thing, of course, and they openly smirked whenever they saw Keith trying to pass the child off to either of his parents. "It's a damn good thing Leo's got dark hair," Pidge remarked. "Or there could be serious problems." "Oh come on. It's not like Keith's shtupping Allura or anything." Hunk took another swig of his beer. He had learned after the last two ceremonies that while Allura put together a nice spread her taste in alcoholic refreshments ran more towards wines and neon-colored drinks that alternatively sported bits of fruit on sticks or little umbrellas. Deceptive little things they were, for the bartender invariably failed to mention that these fruity concoctions were made from an orange-like fruit whose juice, when fermented, tended to melt plastic and eat through paper cups - not to mention put even the best drinkers into a state resembling pole-axed oxen. Even Pidge stayed away from them and Pidge could drink the entire G.G football team into a coma without breaking a sweat. "Anyway, don't say things like that here. We don't know that the kids aren't Leo's." "Sure. And I'm the fucking tooth fairy." Pidge had been relegated to fruit juice as a precautionary measure; a drunken Pidge tended to be a cunning bastard who abused his affinity with computers with devious - if harmless - results. Pidge was still under probation for the infamous Velure Incident of '09. Needless to say, Pidge was not happy about having his beverage choices restricted. "Look, that's the story and we're sticking to it, got it?" Hunk eyed the crowd of dignitaries and felt decidedly out of place and uncomfortable in his dress uniform. "Damn it. D'you think we can sneak out of here without Allura noticing?" "Dude, she's in full Mom mode. Of course she'd notice." "Well shit. Does she think that damn flyer is going to get fixed by itself?" Hunk glared at the royal mom surrounded by her family as she posed for a holo picture, holding the first prince of Arus. He looked away, seeking Lance or Keith, the only two people besides Allura who could possibly get him excused early from this little shindig. Well, in all honesty Keith was the only one of that pair who really possessed that power but Lance had better luck working his evil wiles upon Keith than Hunk and that was what really mattered. He spotted his commander in deep conversation with a Mandarian Minister, looking a little less than enthusiastic about getting a lecture on Kallerian futures. Lance, however, was headed straight for them, a resolute expression on his face. "One of you get Sven. I reached my diplomatic tolerance point about three Dukes ago and if I don't get out of here now I'm going to cause a major political incident." "Works for me. This party is getting boring anyway." Pidge flashed a grin that was far too innocent for his character and went out to find their stony-faced Swede. Hunk watched him go and waited for the younger man to be out of earshot before turning to Lance. "You okay?" "Besides being bored stiff and being mauled by the royal brats? Yeah, I'm fine." Lance shrugged and Hunk suddenly thought that no matter how much grooming Lance received he still invariably managed to look scruffy and roguish. "Why? Do I look bad, or something?" "Nah. It's just." Hunk shrugged and jerked his chin towards Keith who was currently entertaining Princess Rhianna, the middle child. He had a strange - almost wistful - expression on his face as he allowed her to spread what might have been jam across the neat gold braid of his uniform. Lance watched the two of them for a moment and Hunk watched Lance's face for any signs of pain or guilt or, well, anything really. But Lance had played poker for too long to let any unwanted expression cross his face and for all of Hunk's observational powers he wouldn't have even been able to tell that Lance had any feelings for Keith besides the appropriate strictly heterosexual feelings of one comrade to another. "Hey, better him than me." Lance grimaced. "Kids." "I thought you liked kids." "Sure I like kids. Just, you know, when they're far away from me, or old enough to be taught, y'know, useful things. Like how to hot-wire a car. Or how to water down the liquor when you're stealing from your Dad's stash." He looked around again. "Where's Pidge? I want to blow this place as soon as possible." * When Keith returned to their room, Lance was already in bed, wearing his glasses and reading the latest thriller novel. If Keith hadn't been so tired and feeling incredibly sticky he would have ravished Lance right then and there - he was never able to resist a bespectacled Lance and the other man knew it. "Hey you. Have a good time being diplomatic?" Lance put down his book and smiled. "Mmph. God, I feel tired." Keith walked over to the bed and collapsed on Lance, burying his face in Lance's long, slightly damp tresses. "You smell clean." "Yeah, I just showered. You want me to go run a bath for you?" "Nah, I can do it myself, I'm not that tired." Keith yawned and pushed himself back up. "Going to sleep soon?" "Maybe. I'm just going to read a few more chapters, I think." Lance picked up his book but watched Keith strip instead of reading. "You're not going to yell at me for skipping out early?" "No. Way I see it, it's better if you to insult Allura then if you insult, say, the Heir Apparent of Tallex," Keith said over the noise of his shower. "Anyway, I know you don't like being around the kids that much, so it's okay." "Mmm." Lance looked at his book but didn't process the words he saw. As loath as he was to admit it, the sight of Keith and the children he had fathered had disturbed him. He felt guilty, though he didn't really know why. Perhaps because he and Keith would never have children they could call their own; they had decided early on that children were not part of the equation. Or rather, Lance had made it painfully clear that he had no desire or need for children and Keith had agreed that, yes, in their line of business children were really not an option. But Lance knew that Keith wasn't really happy with that decision. One look at his face when he sat and played with Allura's kids made that fact as clear as Arusian crystal. An unexpected kiss upon his forehead made him start, and he looked up into Keith's dark eyes framed by hair still warm and dripping. He had his towel about his neck and his sleeping pants hung loose and soft from his hips. "Do you have any idea just how sexy you are right now?" Keith asked. "No, but I'm sure you can show me." Lance grabbed Keith's hand and pulled him down until they lay cozily together, Lance's head comfortably nestled on Keith's shoulder. "Can I take a rain check? I'm seriously tired." Keith yawned to prove his point and repositioned himself slightly so that Lance didn't lie quite so heavily on his arm. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is pooped." "That's okay. I don't think I could do much more than some heavy petting tonight anyway. Remind me to never play Sevens with Hunk and Sven again." Lance snuggled closer, and breathed in Keith's scent. Despite all the washing he had done, he still smelled of baby powder and peanut butter and strawberry jam, and that just brought back Lance's guilt into a sharper focus. "Hey. What's wrong? You're getting that look on your face again." Keith kissed the top of Lance's forehead and wrapped his arm around Lance's shoulders. "It's just. Well, watching you today. Do you regret it?" "Regret what? Agreeing to be Leopold's godfather? Or letting Rhianna smear her sandwich all over my clothes?" "No, not that." Lance sighed and looked down. "I mean. Do you regret, you know, choosing me? Do you regret agreeing to not have children? I just. I want you to be happy Keith and, well, I know you want a kid but I just. I know that you could have married Allura, and Kalyn and Rhianna and Leopold would really be yours instead of -" "Shh." Keith tilted Lance's head up and kissed him softly on the lips. "No. I don't regret any of that. All I need is you to make me happy. You're my family, Lance." Lance still looked uncertain so Keith kissed him again and pulled him in closer. This was, truly, all that he wanted. Yes, at one time he had dreamt of a little house with a picket fence, of a life that included a wife and a dog and a child. And even after he had fallen so hopelessly in love with Lance a little part of him had still wanted that life of conformity and comfort, of the little family of three in their little cozy home; which was, perhaps, why he agreed to be the genetic donor when Dr. Gorma had ruled Leopold sterile - it was a chance to live that life vicariously, to have the child and have Lance all at once. But, as he watched Lance drift off to sleep, face softening and losing the small lines of consciousness, he realized, suddenly, that two was just as good as three. |