Disclaimer: Game of Thrones is D&D's property, after being GRRM's property. Or else, Lancel would be the happiest kid in Westeros, should it be mine.

Summary: It had started with a simple and harmless enough talk between those two.

WARNING! THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES SUCH AS SEXUALITY, A MALE PAIRING ( A MAN LOVING ANOTHER MAN ). IF YOU DO NOT FEEL AT EASE WITH THOSE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SKIP TO ANOTHER STORY.

The power of words

Chapter 10

"There's no place like home." Lancel thought as he faced his house, his luggages at his feet

Sure, he loved his time in college but the place he always longed to be in was his home. The holidays were finally here and he wanted to make the bets out of it, rest as much as he could, fill his batteries up. He hoped Theon had arrived safely. The riverlands weren't too far from home for him, he just had to drive for a bit, but Theon had to take a plane.

"I'm sure it will be okay."

He entered, only for a yellow small tornado to rush to him, embracing him with all of its might.

"Lany!"

Lancel smiled, knelt and took his baby sister in his arms.

There was no place like home indeed.

XXXXX

Theon smiled as he finished sending his message to Lancel. He had messaged Robb first, but he had promised Lancel he'd tell him once he'd be home, and knowing the blonde guy, he would not be at ease completely until he knew him safe and sound. That was kind of cute.

"Since when do I find him cute?" He wondered

If he had to be honest, from the beginning. It wasn't gay for a man to say that another guy was cute.

"Finished texting your boyfriend Robb?" A voice behind him mocked, startling him

"Robb is my best friend and no, I wasn't texting him."

"You're adorable when you're defensive."

He felt a cold can of beer on his cheek and turned to take it. His sister was there, grinning. Asha Greyjoy was Theon's older sister, third born child and only daughter of their parents. Shorter than him, she reached his shoulders. While people could not say she was a beauty, Asha had a charm no one could deny and her confidence, added to her charisma, added a lot to the math. Slender, her dark eyes were definitely her best features. She had dark hair she usually kept short but she was currentlty trying to grow them out. They were now reaching the end of her ears, in a square hairstyle, and Theon had to admit it suited her. She had thin features but her nose was a bit too big for it. Her smile made everyone forget about it. Asha had always been a tomboy and it showed on her. She had a small faded scar on her neck from the time she had fallen down from a tree. And she was outdoors so often for hours that her cheeks seemed burnt by the wind. Asha acted like a man, spoke like a man, and Theon had to admit it, she had more balls than all the men in Westeros reunited. For once, she was pampered. Seeing his sister in a skirt was a sight quite rare.

"I didn't know Halloween was early this year." He grinned

"You doofus. I have a date later."

She sat by his side, drank her beer.

"So, if not Robb, who was it?"

"Lancel."

"Defensive much."

The young woman was aware that her brother was hanging out with who she called "the Lannister kitten". If she was surprised by the unlikely friendship those two had forged, she kept in mind how outgoing and easy to live her brother was. Besides, no one had ever expected him to befriend Robb Stark, while their father Balon hated that family with a burning passion. Theon was the king of unlikely relationships.

"You never got this defensive of Robb."

"Robb doesn't have the issues Lancel have."

"Wait... Do you... Do you actually have feelings for the guy?!"

"Wait, what?!"

Theon was furiously blushing.

"How can you even imagine that I... That we... Gah!"

If she didn't lose her smile, it softened. Theon and her spoke on Skype every day, she had seen the pictures, his joy when Lancel had won that bike contest she wished she could have participated in. What Lancel and him had was definitely beyond friendship. Maybe not love, but it was a stronger bond. A unique one.

"You know I'm straight."

"How can you be so sure?"

He seemed puzzled.

"I've dated girls and only girls. And I loved it."

"Just because you like girls and you have a pleasant memories of your romances with them doesn't mean you're completely straight. And this Lancel guy seems like the best candidate for you to experiment."

"Maybe you needed it to figure out what you prefered, doesn't mean I have to experiment anything."

"Theon." She started slowly "I am not saying you have to. I'm telling you you can and it's nothing to be ashamed of. And whatever side of sex you prefer, you'll always be my baby brother. I love you and nothing will change that. I have your back. So don't close a door out of fear."

He groanned but her words touched him more than he'd ever admit in front of her. Especially in these times, where Lancel confused the heck out of him. Was it possible for him to actually be bisexual? As Asha said, he had dated girls and loved it, true, but maybe he hadn't met any man to wake that side of him yet? Maybe that man was Lancel. It could explain a lot.

"Lancel is not." He thought "He'd still like me because that's the way he is, but I doubt his faith would even allow him to try if he wanted. Gods, what the heck am I thinking about?!"

"I'm definitely taking you out tonight." Asha said "You need it."

XXXXX

Lancel smiled, relieved when he saw that Theon was home. He didn't know why he had been so worried in the first place. His sister on his laps, he thanked his mother for the hot cup of tea she had just brewed.

"So, what is new on campus?" She asked

"I took back archery."

Dorna beamed.

"That's amazing, Honey! But, how do you do with your arm?"

"I do without. Robb and Theon are teaching me how to shoot, changing my bow arm."

"That's kind of them. How did you get involved?"

"Theon wanted me to check out the club, and to meet his friends. It clicked with almost everyone instantly and when Robb learnt I was missing archery, he offered to teach me."

"You also won a bike competition?"

Seeing his puzzled look, she added:

"Arya Stark shared the pictures on her Facebook."

"For fuck sake, Arya!" He angrily thought

"It was sweet of her to share the pictures of the party afterwards. You definitely are your father's son."

"What do you mean?"

"Your father won several of those when he was your age."

Lancel tried to imagine his father, younger, in this kind of contest. While he knew his father was capable of doing fun stuff, the idea of a reckless younger him was a bit weird.

"I'm glad you made so many friends."

Lancel nodded. Dorna kept quiet but deep down, just like Kevan, she wondered if Theon wasn't more than that. She was still surprised by their friendship. Oh, she wasn't afraid of Theon, of his culture, she had never met the kid, so she couldn't judge him. He made her son happy and that was what mattered the most to her. But she knew her son. He was a kind, smart boy but he also was socially awkward. Theon was outgoing and maybe overconfident, from what she had heard ( but could not confirm ). They had clicked so easily and so quickly it had come to a surprise to everybody and Lancel looked up to him. She believed in strong friendships. Her bond with Joanna was a proof of that. But in Lancel's case, sometimes, she wondered. The way he spoke, reacted, how his eyes spoke for him sometimes. It didn't matter though. Lancel could be straight, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, transgender, genderfluid, cis, it did not matter. He was her child and she'd never stop loving him. She just wanted him to be happy and right now, Theon Greyjoy was the reason her son was smiling so much.

That was all Kevan and her needed to know.

To Be Continued