Red Suits You, Not Your Wrists /klance/

Chapter One

Summer was a blissful time for grade school kids. They got to ride their bikes up and down the streets with their friends, laugh and play, but Keith? He was alone in his small apartment, sitting on the window seal looking out the window. Occasional noises like the tap dripping or the air-conditioning shutting off and on was the only thing happening.

Keith didn't really know exactly when it happened, but he did know it hurt like hell now.

For the past few years, most likely three by now. Keith had been fighting the demons scratching inside his head. He'd been doing good for the first year, never thought of suicide, went to a counselor once a week, even kept a journal. But, just when he thought he'd won, his demons doubled is size and numbers and his world crumbled around him.

Suddenly a song started blasting from Keith's phone that made him fall off the window seal.

"Ugh fuck." Keith muttered from the ground then reaching his had up to grab is phone, not bothering to get up from the floor.

He stretched his arm out straight up and pointed the bright screen at his face.

"Shiro" appeared on the screen along with a picture of a man and a woman at their wedding.

"Uggggh." Keith sighed dropping his phone onto his chest, rubbing his face with his hands before picking the phone back up and swiping the answer button.

"Hello?" Keith asked, voice sounding weak.

"Hey! Are you okay? You don't sound very good." Shiro asked, slight concern in his voice. Shiro always tended to worry about his friends.

Keith coughed and tried to talk more lively. "I'm fine, I just woke up still kinda groggy." He lied. "Did you need something?"

"No, we where all just going to the beach and where wondering if you'd want to join us?"

'Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck' Keith mentally screamed. Summer had just starting but everyone had already been going out a lot taking all that summer had to offer and each time they'd invite Keith he'd fail to show up.

See, Keith never did tell any one about his mental struggle and after the second year he'd just... given up. Stopped going to a counselor, stopped taking medication, stopped fighting.

He'd still get calls from his counselor, who he became friends with. About once every two weeks, wondering how he was doing and said he'd make an appointment with him if he wanted. But he never did.

Keith had taken to a more... aggressive, coping method that left scars along his forearm. But he couldn't miss another one of his friends invitations without them realizing something was wrong.

Keith closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Sure, I'll come sounds fun." He could practically feel Shiro's smile radiating off the screen.

"Great! We'll pick you up in a few minutes."

"That's alright, I'll just meet you there on my bike." Keith said, finally getting off the floor and walking to his dresser.

"Alright, see you there." Shiro smiled and hung up.

Keith checked the time 1:27 then slipped his phone back into his pocket. sighing he began shuffling through his wardrobe. He didn't have a lot to chose from, a few hoodies, some band t-shirts, a couple pairs of flannel and a crop toped red jacket.

He threw on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a fall out boy hoodie, if the others asked he'd tell them he didn't do the laundry and this was all he had. Keith also grabbed a string backpack and stuffed some things inside of it. A novel he'd been reading, some water, his freshly bought journal he had yet to write in and a pencil.