Hi there !
This one-shot is a bet asked by AssassinMasterEzio91, following my One Hell of a wedding story. He wanted me to focus on Lancel and the twin girls I wrote him and me being the obsessive Lancel fangirl I am, I was more than delighted to obey!
Finally, english isn't my first language, I am french, so if you see any mistake or weird sentences, please, feel free to tell me about it so that I can learn and improve.
Summary : All the first times in the journey of Lancel's fatherhood. Modern AU.
Disclamer : Game of Thrones isn't my property or else, Lancel would be the king of the Seven Kingdoms and I'd be his queen.
Milestones
First picture
Lancel knew what an ultrasound was and what it provided. However, when the screen showed him the picture of the child Amerei was carrying, he couldn't help but gaze at it, not believing that a little piece of them was growing inside the woman he loved with all his heart, not believing he would be a father in a few months, not believing how much he loved the kid already. Just as he couldn't believe that the baby had a sibling hidden behind him.
"Not bad for a first time father, to shoot twins." Amerei joked
"Just imagine if I shoot twins again for the next one." He joked back
"Planning on having a large family, huh?" The doctor commented
In an ideal world, Lancel would have ten children running in the garden. However, he had his feet stable on the ground. He felt already blessed beyond belief to be granted the joy of fatherhood.
First kick
Lancel spotted Amerei on the couch, she had a weird expression on her face, a mix of confusion and surprise. He immediately thought of an early birth, having witnessed it for his brothers. He didn't have any issue fathering the twins but perhaps he inherited some other issues regarding pregnancy.
"Lancel?" She said
"Yes? Is anything wrong?" He asked worried
"When the twins are born, make me remember to put them in corner time, it's not a good thing to kick their mommy."
Lancel laughed. She came to him, put his hand on her swollen belly. He could feel his children's moves. That was the most magical thing he had ever witnessed.
First meeting and hug
The birth had been long but not difficult, a relief for Lancel, worried Amerei might know the troubles his own mother had with him. Amerei was fine and they were blessed with two beautiful little girls, named Rohanne and Serra. Despite being unmarried, Amerei had insisted on them taking his surname.
"I carried them for nine months. I had my magical moment. It's fair the girls have your name."
When he was given his girls to hold for the first time, seeing their little faces, head covered with a little bit of sandy hair similar to his own, he had the most beautiful smile Amerei ever saw on his face. He had completely fallen in love with his daughters. At that moment, she knew the lion in him would rise and tear apart any threat that would come to harm his cubs.
First smile
Rohanne was crying.
Again.
While Serra made her nights, Rohanne seemed to have troubles with it. The dark circles under Lancel's eyes worried his family, though he never complained. It was his job to watch over his daughters and he liked it. He hushed Amerei, telling her to remain in bed and sleep. He went to Rohanne and picked her up from the crib. After a while, she seemed to calm down, feeling at ease in her father's arms. She looked at him with her bright green eyes and she smiled, cooing in delight.
Her first smile.
To Lancel, that was one of the most precious gifts he ever received.
First teeth
Rohanne and Serra did a lot together, when one was ill, the other was as well. It felt obvious that the girls would have their teeths at the same time and Amerei's suspicions were right. The girls were teething at the same time. And though it pained him to see them in pain, Lancel felt proud of them, growing up and reaching another milestone of Life.
First words
Amerei was outside with Rohanne to see the doctor, she had a little fever and her mother didn't want to take any risk. Lancel staid home with Serra, who was happily playing with her uncle Martyn's gift: a lion plushie. She was making the noises she thought was fitting a lion and Lancel smiled, remembering his sister Janei at the same age, how she understood herself while no one could. Willem had compared it to simlish. Serra handed over the plushie to him.
"Daddy!" She said loud and clear
He was left dumbstrucked.
"Daddy!" She said again
Daddy... He was her first word. He smiled, took the lion and played with his girl, who kept on calling him, more than happy to see the joyful expression on her father's face.
First steps
While Serra refused to try to walk and felt more comfortable crawling, Rohanne was an adventurous toddler, which forced Lancel to protect the house the best he could. Angles of tables, electric outlets, moving dangerous products out of her reach... He didn't mind though, it was the way his daughter was, and he was glad she was that way. It meant to him that she felt good with them. He spotted her trying to get on her feet, he immediately rushed behind her, ready to catch her if she fell. She made a few steps, happily hugging her mother. He would so draw this on paper when he'd have a bit of time, while the memory was still fresh on his mind!
First day of school
Lancel could see all eyes on him, being the only adult man in the crowd, waiting for pre-school to open its gates. He didn't care one bit. He knew he was an expection, but he enjoyed his life that way. Amerei missed her work, a work that was her dream job. Lancel had a job as well, one he felt happy enough with due to nice co-workers, but it wasn't a dream for him. His dream was to have love and children. So when Amerei opened up to him about working again but worried about the girls not seeing them often, he immediately offered to be a stay-at-home father. It wasn't as if they needed money, they were comfortable enough and he didn't mind tending to the house. The gates opened, Lancel kneeled and the girls kissed him, each one on a cheek.
"Be good to the teachers and to other children. I will be here to fetch you when it is over for today."
The girls nodded.
Lancel looked at them going, feeling proud of them.
He was the only parent who didn't stress out and who didn't cry on the first day of school of their children.
First true fathers' day
Lancel woke up that sunday on the sound of giggling little girls and on the smell of bacon being cooked.
"Damn, I must have overslept... The girls must be hungry." He thought
The door opened, the girls rushed to him, Amerei was carrying a trail with breakfast. And on it, there were the girls' hand-made presents for fathers' day. Two hearts shaped in clay with the word Daddy engraved on it. He was certain that, on that day, he was one of the happiest man on Earth.
First sisterly fight
Rohanne and Serra were inseperable, sharing everything, laughing together, sleeping together... So it left their parents more than surprised when they first argued. Lancel couldn't remember why to be honest, all he saw was that both of them were miserable. But also that both of them were stubborn to the core.
"They must have inherited that from me."Amerei sadly stated
Lancel wanted to intervene, to help them reconcile but a part of him was telling him they needed to sort things between them. If it was very serious or lasting, then maybe, but they were old enough to mend the bridges for a small thing.
His inner voice was right.
Two hours later, all was forgotten and they were playing again together.
First school's opening
Rohanne and Serra had been excited for the school's opening, the first they would participate to. Each classes would show a little dance, there would be food and drinks, little games... Serra felt silly however, in the outfit the teacher had picked for the dance. But when she saw her parents in the crowd, looking at her proudly and lovingly, when Lancel told her she was beautiful, she felt she was the most gorgeous thing in the world. Her daddy never lied to her and was always right. If he told her she was pretty in that outfit, she was. End of the story.
First homeworks
"Daddy, I don't understand what the teacher wants..." Rohanne said in a sad voice
Lancel got up from the sofa and sat by her side. She was stuck at the same maths problem he was stuck at her age. He remembered how his own father made him overcome this obstacle. He didn't care about the time it could take, all he wanted was his daughter's smile on her face when she would realize she understood and succeeded.
First lie
Lancel felt dissapointed.
Not by Serra.
By himself.
Serra had felt the need to hide from him the fact that she still had issues reading, especially small letters. She even lied about it, stating she was able to. He should have known better, noticed it, and Serra felt the need to hide it from him, certainly out of fear. When confronted with the proofs that she was lying, she confessed, her face written in guilt, and she said she lied because she didn't want to dissapoint them by failing reading. Lancel knelt to look at her in the eyes. He had a soft expression.
"Serra, keep in mind you can tell us anything. We can help you."
"I'm sorry I lied."
"As I am happy you confessed. Look. I won't punish you this time, as it's the first time you lie to me. But it is the only time you get away with it. Lying is a bad thing, Serra."
"I promise."
He kissed her forehead and proposed his help for books.
First periods
Serra's screams of panic as she ran down the stairs scared Lancel, as he was cooking breakfast. She had stayed home because she was sick with the flu, alone with him as Amerei was working and Rohanne was at school.
"Serra, what's wrong?" He inquired
"I'm bleeding!" She said in a desperate voice
Her nightgown was bloody on her feminie area and her fingers were as well. Lancel had a soft laugh, puzzling Serra.
"It's okay, you're not dying! You are becoming a woman. Come. You get clean, I take care of the laundry and when you're ready, I'll explain."
She nodded and as she walked upstairs, Lancel looked at her, wondering where time had gone. His little baby girl was flowering.
First crush
" And he has such beautiful eyes, so black!"
Lancel smiled as he listened to Rohanne telling her mother about the new kid at school. He felt Amerei was the best person his girls could talk to when it came to love and feelings. Of course, they could come to him but to him Amerei was the best because she knew how it felt. She was a woman, she had gone through this.
However, a part of him suggested he'd ask Joffrey to lend him the crossbow he had.
He needed to keep an eye on that boy.
First heartbreak
Lancel didn't know what to say when Rohanne's crush left her, after cheating on her. He felt powerless as he was hugging her, his shoulder wet with her tears. Maybe it was enough for her. To have him here, with her, present.
"I really need to ask Joffrey for that crossbow." He thought
He meant it.
First graduation
Lancel felt suddently old as his daughters were graduating from high school, ready to enter college. Eighteen years ago, he was holding them in his arms and now they were women, ready to enter a new stage of life, a part of the adult world. He felt as if he hadn't seen them growing, he turned his back, he blinked once and the babies they were had grown into teenagers within a second. He hadn't cried when they entered pre-school, but tears were burning his eyes as they ended high school. Amerei took his hand and squeezed it. She felt the same way.
First prom
"You know the rules, girls?" He asked one last time
The girls sighed.
"Yes, Dad. We do not accept drinks from strangers, we keep our glasses close to us, we do not accept to be taken home by strangers, we call right away if we feel something is wrong." Rohanne stated
Amerei laughed.
"And your father is right. Now, hold that pose!"
She took a picture.
"About the time we get home?" Serra inquired
Lancel seemed to think deeply.
"Just... Just enjoy yourselves. Tomorrow is saturday after all. You can sleep during the day."
Lancel didn't hide his relief however, when from his bed, he heard the girls coming back around midnight. He closed his eyes and finally managed to go to sleep. He was right to trust them. After all, he knew them better than anyone else, he raised them.
First marriage
Serra looked beautiful and radiant in her ivory dress. She was beaming of joy, a joy Lancel shared. He felt so proud of her. She was everything he had hoped for and even more: a happy, healthy girl, able to make her choices. However, as he walked down the aisle with her, he wondered, once again, where the years had gone and he felt it was unfair they had to grow up so quickly.
First grandchild
Lancel had the same smile of pure joy and love when he held his granddaughter as when he held his daughters for the first time. Rohanne had offered him and Amerei one of the best gifts in Life:
A grandchild to love and spoil.
He was a young grandfather, he was only 51, he was happy he was that age, it meant he could be around for his little Cerissa for a long time. He wanted to see her grow into a beautiful woman. With the Seven's help, maybe he'd even see her getting married.
First great grandchild
Lancel was 73 when he became a great grandfather for the first time. Cerissa had given birth to a baby boy she named Lancel, in his honour. The gift had moved him beyond words. The Gods really had blessed him with a beautiful life.
Last goodbye
That day, Lancel had felt it would be his last. However, he didn't want his girls to be sad. He just did as he used to do and he called them, to have news, to chat. At the end of the chat, he told them, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, how much he loved them and how proud he was of them. Just like he always did. He wanted his last goobye to feel like the ones he always gave them, so that they'd know he was always around, one way or another. That night, as he closed his eyes and felt his life leaving him, he smiled at the images of his family. Then, he let it go.
He couldn't make Amerei wait any longer on the other side.
He was 90.
The End