My Little Lesbean™

58: "And if I'm not ready, I'll be fine. I'll be with Allura."

"You were always a sap."

Pidge groaned. "Why did I bother calling you?"

"Because you love me," Lance sang into the phone.

"I have no idea why," Pidge retorted. Even so, she grinned. "Anyway, seriously, this is weird. I'm both cringing at myself and I want to do even more. How do you do it?"

"Well if it makes you and her happy, why would you care if they're cringey?"

Pidge sighed. "I guess because I'm new to all this stuff."

Lance snickered. "Your romantic virgin heart is being taken over by love." The way he sang love was particularly purposefully annoying. Lance was lucky he wasn't within punching distance.

"Ugh, I'm gonna hang up," Pidge grumbled, moving her phone away from her face.

"Wait, don't hang up," Lance pleaded. "You didn't just call me to talk about being new to flirting, right? There's something else, right?"

Pidge couldn't help but grin. "You know me too well." Pidge took in a deep breath, gathering the courage to ask for help. "I'm struggling to think of good date ideas. It's like my mind turns into a brick wall whenever I try to think of embarrassing things like dates."

"Well, have you asked where she's been around town? She's only been here for three months."

Pidge squinted. "Has it really only been three months? Damn. Feels like it's been years already with all that's happened."

Lance laughed. "Yeah, a lot changed."

Pidge's heart dropped. She grinned, but it was dulled by a somber feeling. "I'm glad that some things haven't changed, though—like still being best friends with you and Hunk." She took a quick breath in as a twinge stung her heart. "I'm really glad you're still here with us, Lance, as hard as everything must be for you."

There was silence, and Pidge could just tell Lance's typical bubbly facade was gone in those few seconds of silence. Finally, he cleared his throat. "I'm doing okay. Therapy's been helpful. Might start taking some light antidepressants soon, too." There was another bit of silence. Pidge let it hang in the air, giving Lance all the time he needed. After a little, he sighed and continued. "I'm sorry I wasn't open to you about everything going on. I wasn't even open to Hunk about everything; I only told him some of it."

Pidge let there be another pause before saying anything. "You don't need to apologize. I get it. Therapy exists for a reason. I don't expect you to tell me everything, and I don't want you to tell me anything you don't want to or don't feel ready to."

"My dad showed up."

Pidge's eyes widened. She didn't know what to say as her mind raced back to her conversation with Hunk in the emergency room. "Lance was born from rape."

"I think Hunk told you, but I'll say it anyway. My dad assaulted my mom when they were dating, and that's how I came into existence. That's why we live with my aunt and uncle and Plaxum." Lance took a shaky breath. "I was already struggling with figuring out my feelings between Allura and Keith—I think I might be poly, but that's another conversation—and things with Keith were rough at the start. And I think I was starting to get depressed anyway. They say it's probably hormone related. My dad showing up suddenly just blew everything out of proportion."

There were too many things on Pidge's mind. The question she'd had but been afraid to ask for two years, Why do Lance and his mom live with Plaxum's family? had finally been answered, but so many new intrusive questions came to mind. Why didn't Lance's mom send the guy to prison? How did his dad find them? Is he in jail now? Do they at least have a restraining order? Are they safe at all? But Pidge put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I know there's nothing I can do a therapist can't do better, but if you ever need some company or an ear, I'm here for you. You're my best friend. I'll always be here."