Dinner was tense as Keith sat next to Lance while John was at the end of the table and Maria was on the other end speaking to Veronica who finally arrived along with their other brother Luis who seemed more chill than the Hispanic family.

Keith stayed silent as he looked at his plate feeling johns eyes on him. Lance looked at him concerned as Keith didn't touch anything while everyone talked.

"You okay?" Lance asked and Keith fumbled with his hands nervously.

"Um your dad... I think he's staring a hole in me," Keith mumbled and Lance glanced over and saw his father was.

"Don't worry, worst thing he might just interrogate you and find out we're together together," Lance winked at him and Rachel kicked him under the table, warning him to joy start anything.

"So Lance your not with Allura anymore?" Luis asked with a sly smile seeing the two boys.

"Nope, we broke up a few weeks ago, she was kinda crazy," Lance rolled his eyes and John looked up.

"Allura as your little Lura friend?" John asked almost happy.

"Yes. We dated for a while, but that's in the past," Lance said dryly and he gripped Keiths hand tightly under the table but some of his siblings saw and smirked.

"Don't worry, Keith fits in better, he even let rosy sit on him," Rachel smirked as Marco snorted but Jess smacked his arm.

"Keith? Isn't he a little pale your your type? I mean Allura is Hispanic but-" Luis snickered but Veronica elbowed him in the ribs.

"Nah but Keiths Korean actually so I thought that was super cool of him, we have a lot in common," Lance smiled innocently looking at his parents. Maria smiled brightly at the boys.

"Tell me Keith, are you good at sports?" John asked flatly and Keiths heart pounded as he realized he was part of the conversation now.

"I did little leagues back in elementary school but I stopped and got into art more..." Keith gulps and John looked at him unamused.

"Why'd you stop boy?" John asked.

"I got caught up in other things," Keith gripped lances hand tighter and Lance could tell it was getting more sensitive topic.

"So did my youngest but it didn't stop him," John scoffed and Lance turned his head sharply to him and put their joined hands on the table for his dad to see clearly.

"I was just kinda busy with getting to the fact my dad died and baseball wasn't on my mind when foster care rolled around," Keith snapped back unamused and John stopped for a moment as Rachel smirked at Keith seeing he put their father in his place.

"No papa?" Rosy gasped and held Marcos hand tightly.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything..." Keith looked down.

"No no Keith, thank you for sharing, I'm sorry for johns behavior, his social skills aren't the best," Maria forced a smile looking at John with murder in her eyes and her children knew the look. They didn't say a word.

"Johnathan apologize," she grunted out with her fist clenched around her fork as she stared at him.

"I'm sorry Keith, it wasn't my place to speak like that," John pursed his lips in a thin line and Lance smiled satisfied.

"Sorry babe, but your drawings are amazing, I'm glad you went into art," Lance smiled softly at him and johns eye brow twitched.

"They're okay," Keith mumbled.

"Says the guy that's going to have art showings, when's your first one? I really want to go," Lance turned to him fully as if Keith was the only one in the room as everyone went back to talking among each other.

"It's in October," Keith mixed his food as he didn't eat any yet.

"You okay Keith? You barely touched your plate,"  Jess whispered to him and Lance noticed she was right.

"No I'm fine, just slow eater," Keith lied as he stirred the chicken and noodles around. Jess nodded and took the lie as she told rosy to sit still as she was wiggling around.

"You okay really?" Lance asked and Keith pursed his lips.

"I just kinda forgot to mention... I'm vegetarian..." Keith whispered and Lance looked seeing the chicken on his plate. Lance smiled and picked out the larger chunks of chicken from his plate and put them on his own.

"Sorry bout the little pieces, just slide them on my plate when you find them, it's not a big deal," Lance said quietly and Keith smiled a little at how Lance didn't judge him for it.

"Thanks," Keith looked at him and ate a noodle quietly as he minded his own business.

"What's the matter? Don't like my wife's cooking?" John asked looking at Keith darkly and Keith tensed up again.

"John leave him be," Maria snapped.

"It's disrespectful of him in my own home," John hissed and Keith looked at Lance helplessly.

"He was snacking with me when we where making dinner, he probably lost his appetite," Maria defended and Keith felt relief of her helping him out not knowing why.

"Eat like a man," John glared at him and Keith felt his hands tremble under the table and Lance held one tightly seeing he was getting more nervous.

"Keith you don't have too," Lance told him.

"Stay out of it boy," John snapped and Lance jumped at his tone. Keith sighed and took a bit of the noodles as there was chicken in it as well and his knuckles turned white as he forced himself to swallow.

"Happy?" He glared at John.

------

Keith leaned over the toilet as he hurled the food back out as he gripped the sides with one hand and forced his fingers down his throat to throw up the food.

"There ya go, let it out man," Lance held his hair back and rubbed Keiths back gently as Rachel pursed her lips worriedly.

"Wanna go get him some water?" Lance asked and Rachel nodded as veronica stood watch so John wouldn't catch them.

"I can do this on my own, don't look at me I'm gross," Keith coughed and spit.

"Hey, I'm here for you, besides its my asshole of a dad that made you eat the chicken... You didn't have to do that," Lance said gently looking at him and Keith wiped his mouth looking away.

"I didn't want to hurt your moms feelings about her cooking," he mumbled and Lance blushed softly as he smiled at Keith.

"I would've understood Keith," Maria walked in as Veronica watched as well.

"But that was very kind of you," she smiled knelling down to him. "I'm sorry for you being forced to do that though,"

"It's okay... I just don't like the idea of eating something that could've had a life instead of being a meal," Keith sighed looking down embarrassed and Maria kissed the side of his head gently, brushing his hair away. 

"It was very sweet of you honey, please, you must have nothing in your stomach anymore, I have desert, otherwise your welcome to grab some food, I would hate that you go home hungry," Maria looked at him sadly and Keith smiled back at her as Rachel handed him a water bottle.

"Thank you... I'd like that a lot," Keith said quietly as he hadn't felt this cared for in a long time.