Red: A Keith x Reader Love Story

Chapter 9

"(Y/N). (Y/N)! Are you even paying attention?"

"Huh?" You snap your gaze back to Shiro. He's got his arms crossed, a disapproving look on his face.

You sigh. "I'm sorry. I was distracted. We've been working for so long."

"And for a good reason. You have to learn how to get over this so you won't keep suffering from hallucinations and nightmares!" Shiro glares at you. "Try again! Clear your mind."

You huff in annoyance, but do what he says.

"Remember; patience yields focus."

You nod and take a deep breath. You focus on a white wall in your mind. You try to think of nothing but that blank void of nothingness. You think you're doing well when suddenly the white becomes stained with red. You see your brother's face and hear his voice screaming at you. Your vision goes red and a Druid's face flashes before you. Then Shiro's hands are on your shoulders, shaking you.

You open your eyes and he pulls back in relief. Something drips down your hand and you look down, opening it. Your palm is bleeding a little where your nails dug into it. You unclench your other fist and fall back onto the floor.

"How long this time?"

"You lasted a good thirty minutes." Shiro sits back on his haunches. "What did you see?"

You swallow before sitting up to face him. "I was staring at the blank wall like you told me too. And then there was this tiny drop of blood and it grew and grew until it overpowered the white. I saw Blu. He was crying out for me. It was the day he was injured and got sick. Then a Druid appeared in front of me and everything went red."

"Good, good." Shiro says thoughtfully. "Over the past month or so, you say you've been sleeping better?"

"Yes," you say. "Every time we do this, I stop having dreams about what I see. I think this exercise is helping me overcome all of this. Slowly."

"Good." Shiro nods. "Want to try one more time?"

"Can we maybe stop for now? I'm kinda tired and I want to relax for a bit."

"Of course." Shiro stands and holds out a hand to help you up. You accept it graciously and dust off your pants as Lance waltzes in.

"Heyyyyyyyy." He comes up behind you and rests his chin in the crook of your neck, his arms around your waist.

"Hey, li'l bro." You look fondly over your shoulder at him.

Over the past month you and Lance had become very close. You regard him as a younger brother and he regards you as an older sister. Together, the two of you help fill the gaping hole in your hearts. Keith seemed a little unnerved by the amount of time you and Lance spend together, but when it is just you, he relaxes and you can talk to him easily.

"You hungry?" Lance tickles you.

Laughing, you shove him away. "Yeah. Let's go see what Hunk's whipped up."

You link arms with him and you stroll down the hall to the kitchen. The door opens and the sight before you makes you both stop in your tracks.

"Now carefully draw a smile. Yup. That's it. Perfect!" Hunk says. Pidge grins triumphantly as she puts the frosting bag down. Hunk and her look up at you. Between them, a frosting covered Keith stares at the wall, unamused. Pidge has drawn frosting eyebrows, cheek circles, a mustache and a big smile on Keith's face.

Keith's eyes meet yours and then you're doubled over laughing.

"Oh my God!" You laugh. Lance starts snicker and then falls to the floor, beating it as he guffaws.

Pidge and Hunk giggle before cracking up. Only Keith doesn't laugh. He does crack the smallest smile though.

"That's hilarious." You wipe your eyes, walking up to Keith. "You should always look like that. It suits you."

"Yeah, yeah." He wipes some frosting off and flicks it onto your nose. You wrinkle it in disgust and rub the sugary substance off.

"Gross."

He sticks his tongue out. You roll your eyes and grab a towel from the counter. You wipe the frosting off Keith's face gently. His cheeks are red underneath the frosting. Your cheeks are pink too as you trace the frosting above his lips.

You look away as soon as you're done. Keith awkwardly rubs the back off his neck as you put the towel down. Clearing his throat, Lance asks, "Oh. We came to get some chow. Got anything for us to eat, Chef Hunk?"

Hunk claps his hands. "I do! I made cupcakes!"

Lance cheers happily, but you stare blankly at Hunk. "What's a cupcake?"

Even Keith gasps at this.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A CUPCAKE IS?!!!" Hunk screeches.

Pidge engulfs you in her arms and strokes your head gently. "You poor deprived soul."

"That's rough, buddy." Keith puts a hand on your shoulder.

Lance is on the floor, screaming at the ceiling. "WHY GOD?! WHY KEEP HER AWAY FROM SUCH GOODNESS?!"

"Guys. Is it really that big a deal?"

"YES!" They all yell.

Keith throws you in a chair. Pidge grabs a plate. Hunk grabs a cupcake from where they sit on a tray on the counter. Lance pushes you in as they drop the cupcake in front of you.

They all sit down around you and stare at you expectingly.

"Eat."

"But-"

"Eat."

"Fine." You look down at the cupcake. It's dark blue with white spots that look like stars. Slowly you pick it up and raise it to your mouth. You bite into it. Your eyes widen.

"Holy shit."

You take another bite. And another. You wolf that cupcake down in ten seconds. You lick the frosting off your fingers and sigh. "That was so fricken good."

"Told you!" Pidge and Lance sing.

"Can I have another?" You ask Hunk hopefully.

"No."

Your face falls.

"Just kidding! Of course you can!"

Your face lights up and Keith places the tray in the middle of the table.

The five of you sit around the table, laughing and eating cupcakes. When you go to bed that night, you're happier than you've been in a long time. Just as you're settling into bed, there's a knock at your door. You open it and the Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green Paladins grin at you.

You step aside and let them in eagerly. You pull your blankets off your bed and lay them on the floor. The others fluff up their pillows and comforters and you all lay there in the dark in a circle.

Lance and Keith are on either side of you. Lance curls up against you as you lay on your side, staring at the space outside your window. Keith rolls over so he is facing you. He smiles lightly at you and you smile back. Your hand slips out from your blankets and meets his. His fingers entwine with yours and he moves closer. You fall asleep to the sound of his heartbeat under your ear, your own heart echoing in time with his.