Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

wassup
this is my first work so don't expect much and don't be disappointed if its bad

also I will be posting every other week

Chapter Text

This is the story of how i met my true love. Unlike most stories this is one of great sadness and perish. It all starts on a day unlike any for i had been granted the most prestigious of honours ; i had been invited to a zoner party...

The gates of the great border seemed to glow particularly inky that night. Their presence enlarged in the darkness. The gates were surprisingly open, probably to let those lucky few in. Lance looked to the back of his ticket where the map was and followed its directions to a massive house. Massive was an understatement this house was bigger than massive. It had a garage holding at least more than 20 cars adjacent to marble stairs leading to beautifully carved double doors. To the side was a pool covered in lights and half naked people, from where he was he could hear the music coming from all 10 floors somehow synced perfectly. The pros of being rich.

The inside from what he could tell was better than the outside. Intricate flowers and fairy lights strung across the ceiling all throughout the room, tables full of all kinds of exotic foods in every room, not to mention the DJ and servers weaved amongst the expensive looking guest. Everyone looked as if they came for a different party somehow mixed together whether on purpose or by accident lance couldn't tell. From swimsuits to proper suits every person had a dress code suddenly lance felt poor amongst the thousand dollar suits and hundred dollar bikinis. So he got to work.

He looked from top to bottom, outside, the kitchen, even the bedroom yet there was no sign of her. V. Deciding to try a different approach lance found himself on the rooftop. the air was cooler, the music quieter almost a murmur this would have been perfect had there not been another person already by the railings. As lance approached, the mysterious person cast him a glare as if to say stare away. Jokes on him though Lance was here for a mission and he was going to complete.

Joining the person he was about to glare back when he was stopped by how gorgeous this stranger was. With jet black hair that covered half his face contrasting the fireworks behind him he was working the whole mysterious thing. The only feature lance could see was his cute button nose and soft red rosy lips highlighted by his ghostly pale skin tone. He was wearing casual clothes that screamed I don't belong ; black ripped skinny jeans so tight they must be cutting off circulation topped with what looked like a cropped black white red jacket and a black combat boots. Yeah he was rocking emo and lance low-key liked it.

Suddenly mysterious stranger was talking to him
' ah pardon ' lance sheepishly asked
' I said why are you looking at me, do I have something on my face ? ' he sounded and looked annoyed
' oh ah nothing I was just.. yeah '
' just what ? '
' well you're pretty so.. yeah '
' oh '
They both then went bright red and looked away. Lance looked around to distract himself. the roof was sparsely decorated compared to the rest of the house he'd say it was forgotten. Most of the light came from the pool deck below filled with dancers and strippers yet no one in the pool. The current song was muffled but you could just about make out the lyrics to la vida loca. The lights seemed to be dancing along to the beat as blues and reds and purples bent and fell into each other.

M.S was talking again
'' huh ''
'' I said why are you up here are you not enjoying the party ''
'' oh no I um no that's not why I'm up here ''
he did know why but he felt compelled to tell the truth to MS
'' I'm looking for someone ''
'' who ? a girlfriend ''
'' no sister ''
'' cool ''
They both fell into comfortable silence once more but lance felt the urge to hear MS's melodious voice once more so he broke the silence
'' My name is lance btw ''
'' Keith ''
.
.
.
On the way home Lance couldn't help smiling to himself. Although he knew it was hopeless Lance hoped to see Keith again. He thought about their conversation and what Keith had meant when he said he had a dangerous opinion. Knowing less than he did 24 hrs earlier, Lance walked dejectedly into his modest house the opposite of the mansion he had come from only to find his mother in all her 5ft4 wrath awaiting him

Chapter Text

To say his mother was mad is an understatement. She was pissed. Livid. Dangerous. And she was... pulling him into a hug?

In all of his life Lance had only seen his mother seriously cry only twice. When V was chosen and now. She was crying so much and holding him close to her shaking body. Then she hit him.
"ow mama ''
'' oh mi hijo I was so scared. I thought I would lose you ''
''oh mama I'm not going anywhere promise''

Lance led his grief stricken mother to the couch and comforted her all night. He guessed he must've brought back painful memories.

He barely remembers what happened himself but from what Louis told him V was 15 and himself 8. Veronica had gone to a zoner party having been invited by her crush. She got into a fight with some zonie and won. Maybe she impressed someone or it was complete luck but the next day she got offered a spot in the zone army. Offered meaning threatened. Since then his mom never let them go to any parties zoner or otherwise, not that the non- zoners ever threw any anyway.

He dreamt of keith that night. Keith and Veronica both begging for freedom from zone laws. He dreamt of police and fire and death. Of escape and danger. By the next morning he was sweating and shaken

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A few weeks later was the dreaded choosing ceremony. Happening once every month the choosing ceremony is exactly as it sounds people standing while a name gets pulled out of a hat to be the next zonee. The person gets a new life but has to leave everyone they know, cut contact and never talk to them again. It's the same every month, a person gets chosen, a family loses a loved one, another separation happens. Although the family does get benefits like food, supplies and job opportunities it's hardly enough to quell the ache of a missing loved one.

Lance hoped to never be chosen so of course he got chosen. His brother wouldn't even look at him he just stormed off while everyone said their goodbyes and cried together knowing with experience that there was nothing they could do or say to change the situation.

Later as he was packing away his brother appeared in his room and he looked pissed.

" What's wrong " Lance asked worriedly "

You know what's wrong " he whispered "

No I don't "

" You .. you.. God stop lying geez " Louis ran his hands down his face looking more annoyed than before " You actually piss me off so much. Did you know that. No you didn't. Prancing around like you're the one who lost something "

" What " lance was so confused

" Mama cries every night because V is gone and. You you act just like her. " he was jabbing his fingers into lance's chest now " not caring" his voice cracked " and.. an .. and "he started crying then. big sobs that shook his whole body.

Louis and Veronica were .. are twins so her disappearance was hardest on him. although Lance couldn't understand how he acted like veronica he felt for his brother and went to hug him, getting violently shoved. Louis ran out leaving Lance standing there stunned.

lance wanted to run after him but didn't feel like getting pushed again so he continued packing not knowing this would be the first mistake in a domino effect of horrors.