Star-Crossed Rivals || [Keith x Reader]

The ceremony pt2

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You watched James enter the room with slow steps, a cup in hand and eyes that wandered around the place.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he leaned against the wall adjacent to you. Then he swirled around the liquid in his glass as he looked at you.

"Oh, you know, just waiting for someone," you replied while pointing to your phone, before continuing, "and it's just way too crowded out there anyway so the peace and quiet was nice."

You put your lips in a line as you watched James nod in understanding. His hair was neatly combed to the back, with one strand falling in front of his face. It wasn't entirely different to what he usually wore, but a slight upgrade for the occasion, you'd say.

Did he come here specifically to talk to you, you wondered. It seemed so, since he didn't pay any attention to anything else in the room.

One part of you wished you could be alone again so your meet up with Keith could be uninterrupted, but another tiny part of you just wondered, for a second, how he'd react if he walked in now.

You thought back to your mission to get to Hunk's family, and how jealous he was just because James offered to help you up the stairs of that abandoned building.

A slight smirk crept its way to your lips, but you quickly hid it, holding your phone tight as you directed your attention to James again.

"You don't like big events?" he asked with a tilted head. "You didn't seem like the type."

"No, I do, but sometimes it's just-" you held a hand to your head to gesture how overwhelming it was, "too much. Can barely hear myself over all these people and it's easy to lose someone.

"That's why I texted Keith to meet me here and join the others again. Would have no idea where he was otherwise."

That's when James' glass stopped moving, a look of realization on his face. "Wait, so are you like...," he shrugged, as if he was about to suggest a crazy hypothetical, "a thing now or what?"

"Yeah," you confirmed with a smile. "For a while now, actually. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, it's just... unexpected, I guess," he muttered before taking a sip. "He wasn't exactly known for being a caring and calm guy back in the Garrison so I'm wondering what must have changed for you to get with him."

You nodded, trying to stay serious. He was definitely bothered by the fact you were in a relationship and he didn't hide it well.

"Mh, he really matured over the months, though, wouldn't you say?" you inquired, watching his face as he thought about it.

"I wouldn't know. Don't have much to do with him."

You lightly huffed in amusement, before standing up from the bench. "I think he's a great guy, even back at the Garrison, he was... more caring than calm, I'll give you that," you admitted with a shrug. You took one quick glance at your phone to see that you had one notification.