Always There [Klance/Laith]

Prologue

The overly cramped room was in pure darkness. This darkness was only interrupted by the occasional car passing by. The lights on them would briefly bring light into the room. Still, the room was generally small and the items inside made it too compressed.

Items were scattered all over the floor; forgotten. They formed small piles; clamps of them collecting thick layers of dust. These layers of dust could easily make the average person sneeze- or choke- for a vast majority of time.

The unkept room was, for the most part, quiet. The only noise that could be heard were faint sobs. They came from a dusty corner in the room. The sobs were filled with internal pain. The type of pain- if hidden correctly- someone could turn a blind eye on. The struggle going on inside a human. A fragile human.

A small boy sits hunched, in this corner. He has his face resting on his raised knees; the face that is hidden almost completely by these knees. His arms cradle his legs, as he weeps. His black jeans are almost soaked to the string (near the knees) from his falling tears.

Salty tears roll down his face. They end and collect, around the knee area. Sometimes, they can roll down further- traveling down is neck. Sobs of pain continue to escape his mouth. He wants it to stop; it just won't. He can't control his current emotion.

He feels suffering. Loneliness is a common thing felt, for him. He usually seems like a strong willed person. In all reality, he is just an empty shell that is still waiting to be thrown away. A broken and sad excuse for a human being.

So young yet already broken. It is a pity to see someone as young as him, someone with so much potential, already in this state. He might as well not be there.

Shut out like an animal. Left as if he was a speck of dust. Used as a punching bag.

"Keith..."  

The crying boy felt shivers go down his spine. He raised his head to look around. He sees no one.

The boy suddenly finds the nerves to ask, "Who is there?".

A small laugh could be heard. Out of nowhere, another boy suddenly appears. Where did he come from? He gives off a much different image than the crying boy- much more confident. He looks down at the crying boy for awhile.

"Keith"

The crying boy stares at this boy. The boy took a few step forwards to the crying boy, crouching.

The crying boy edged closer towards the corner, "Who are you? What do you want? Why are you here?".

"Poor Keith..." the random boy mutters.

The crying boy's body tenses in both fear and frustration.

"So lonely..." the boy begins to mutter, "So secluded. So broken. How pitiful."

The crying boy snaps at the random boy, "How do you know that?"

"Keith..." the random boy begins, "I'm here to support you." 

The crying boy begins to feel more tears rolling down his face.

He mutters in sadness, "I'm just imagining things... You're not real."

Much to the crying boys surprise, the random boy reaches over to the rooms only surface. A tissue box lays there, alongside other items. He pulls a singular tissue out of the box and begins to wipe away the crying boy's tears.

The random boy mutters, "Don't worry, I'm here for you."

The crying boys shock (from the boy suddenly picking up a solid object) is quickly replaced by a foreign emotion. 

The crying boy, once again, asks, "Who are you?"

"I'm Lance," the random boy assures him, "I'm here to protect you, Keith."

Keith mutters, "L-lance."

His tears had began to stop; the old ones had begun to dry to his face.

*~*~*

That morning, Keith practically threw himself down the stairs. He pulled along his new friend, Lance, too.

He was desperate to show his adoptive mother Lance. He could not wait to see her reaction, when she sees his new friend standing there. It would assure her to know the boy she took on was now going on the right track of life.

"Jan!", Keith yelled the name of his adoptive mother, "Jan!"

He ran down the hallway, still pulling Lance along. The hallway lead to the kitchen. The place where Keith would, no doubtingly, find Jan.

Keith ran through the entrance to the kitchen. Smile plastered on his face, he saw Jan sat reading at the table. She looked up at Keith and smiled.

He yelled, "Jan!"

"Be quiet, Keith," Jan shushed the eager boy, "People are probably still trying to sleep."

"Jan!" he quietly exclaimed, "Look!"

Keith pointed behind him. He pointed over to the area where Lance was stood.

Jan asked, "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

Keith looked over in shock, "You can't see him, Jan?"

Jan shook her head, "See who, Keith?"

The boy groaned, "Lance!"

A look of concern covered Jan's face, "No one is there, Keith."

Keith, suddenly, became frustrated with her.

"He's right there!" he almost yelled, "How can't you see him?"

Jan asked Keith with a serious look, "Honey, as much as me meeting your 'friend' would be nice, are you sure he's real?"

Thrown back, Keith looked utterly offended.

He yelled, "He is real, Jan!"

He then proceeded to run out of the kitchen, in pure frustration. Lance followed him out, solemnly.

Keith could hear Jan yelling for him to come back. The only thing he could do was go back into the dark abyss that was his room. He edged closer to the entrance of it.

"Keith," someone stated from behind him.

Keith turned to see Lance standing there. A small smile appeared on Lance's face. Keith was shocked that Lance bothered to follow him. Shocked that Lance was still there.

Lance asked Keith, "You know I am real, right?"

The only thing Keith could do in reply was nod. Keith felt a warm feeling. A very buzzy and warm feeling.

Lance stated, "I'll always be here for you, Keith"

He came closer to Keith and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Always"

Keith smiled at the tanned boy and nodded. He knew they would form a tight bond. He did not care that no one else could see Lance. He did not care that people would think he's crazy.

He had a friend.