Where are you now? (Keith x Reader) [discontinued]

45|| Family

Why must my emotions turn on and off like a water faucet? One second I feel nothing, the next I'm breaking down.

After the funeral, everyone went home in silence. No one wanted to break the awful silence. I looked out the window, praying I wouldn't suddenly burst out sobbing. I looked over at Keith, who was in the front seat. He wasn't crying, but was close to it. I said nothing, merely stared back out the window, looking at the bright sunny day, it was too happy for what had happened. Frustrated, I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes.

***

I woke up in bed crying. I was still in my dress, but my shoes had been taken off. It was dark, so I was guessing that it was late at night. I looked over at the clock on Lance's desk. Two A.M.

I rubbed my eyes and carefully stepped down the ladder, not wanting to wake Lance, if he was there. I silently walked out of the bedroom and outside, hoping I would once more find comfort in the stars, as I did so many years ago.

I climbed up to the low roof, sitting on top of it. I felt like a little kid again, wondering about space and if I would ever get to go there. I smiled to myself, because I wasn't wondering anymore. I didn't want to wonder anymore.

 "That is how you know you truly aren't human," a voice said from behind me. I looked back, too much at peace to be surprised. Honerva stood there, clothed in black like I was. "To not want anymore than you already have, that is something not in human nature, dear Neice."

"I guess I'm not very human after all, am I?" I said, putting my head and arms around my knees.

"No, for you are something much greater than that," Honerva said. "You are Altean."

"But what is the difference between Alteans and humans? How are we not alike? We both fought wars, we both have made terrible mistakes, yet we still carry on as if nothing is wrong."

Honerva didn't respond. I tried looking back at her, but it turned out she was right next to me, legs dangling off the roof.

"That is very true, the reason I said that is because I am biased to my own species. Alteans are no better than humans, neither are the Galra, or any other Alien race. The truth is, no one is perfect or imperfect. This universe is imperfect, but we still find beauty in it," Honerva said at last. "For example—"

Right in front of my eyes, something shimmered, and then Shiro was there, fully healthy, both arms, and black hair. I blinked. Shiro smiled, but didn't say anything. 

"Shiro?" He still didn't respond. I turned to Honerva. "He isn't real, is he?"

Honerva shook her head. "Sadly, no. I cannot bring back your friend from the dead. He's in another realm now, but it is a better one than the one we live in."

"How can you be so sure?"

"My dear, I have been there myself. You know the story of how Zarkon brought me back, did you not? In truth, we do not die, and quintessence does not bring you back to life. We die when we lose quintessence, which is really just being forcefully teleported to a new realm. Quintessence is the purity of this reality, the more you have, the harder it is to travel to other realms. In fact, you visit other realms when you have dreams, my dear."

"When we have dreams...?"

"Yes, because we do not have enough quintessence to stay in this realm when we are most vulnerable. After I was infused with quintessence, I could no longer have dreams, however, that changed very recently."

I looked up at the stars. Come to think of it, I never saw this many when I was younger. "So this is a dream, huh?"

Honerva nodded. "Indeed it is."

"So none of this is real?"

"But of course it is real, why would it not be?"

I just shrugged. Honerva looked back up at the stars with me. "Ah, my time is limited here. Don't forget about me, okay?"

"I'll come back for you," I smiled at her. Honerva nodded, and everything went black.

***

"Jade! Wake up! Mama's making tamales!"

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Lance stood at the ladder, shaking my foot in hopes of waking me. How did I get back in bed? Oh... right. The dream.

"Are you okay Jade?" Lance asked when I didn't respond.

"Y-Yeah," I said. "Yeah, I'm hungry."

Lance gave me a curious glance, as if he wasn't sure what was wrong, but he let it go and we went to eat lunch. As I walked downstairs, I saw little Marco and Louis running around, playing with toy cars while Veronica helped Mama in the kitchen. Louis ran up to me, as if he still didn't know who I was.

"You don't look like my sister," he said, putting his thumb in his mouth. "But if Lancey Lance says you are, then I believe him!" At that, he gave me a hug, but having the huge height different we had, he ended up hugging me around the waist before going back to play with Marco. I smiled sadly. Louis had just been born when I was taken, so I had missed out on so much of his childhood already... suddenly, tears were rolling down me face again, but I didn't know why. I wasn't remotely sad... maybe this is what war does to you.

Lance's put a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

I sniffled. "Y-Yeah, just feeling nostalgic.. I guess."

Veronica looked over at me from the small kitchen. "Lance, what did you do this time?"

"Why do you always assume that it's me?"

"Because it IS always you!"

I laughed a little, it seemed so normal to hear them argue, yet so odd. I hadn't heard them like this in ages, and we were around seven when that had last happened, it was nice.

Everyone eventually sat down at the table, talking and laughing, but I stayed quiet, too deep in thought to follow along with the conversation. I needed to find a way to get back to Honerva, to bring her back home, but how? I couldn't ask anyone else to go back in space with me, that'd be selfish—

"Hey, you alright?" Keith asked, who was sitting beside me. I looked up at him. I could trust him with this, couldn't I? After all, he knew what longing for a family felt like. But it could wait.

I nodded. "I'll tell you later."

He nods, then goes back to his food. I glance around at the table. All the Paladins and my family were gathered there, chatting and munching without a care in the world, and while it felt strange, it would soon become normal for me.

I finally had a family.

***

I'M NOT DEAD!

YAY

So yeah, sorry about being inactive so long, I just felt like I needed a break from Wattpad so I could focus on my classes... but everything should be back to normal now!

Anyway, I wanted to send a little message through this chapter. Spend some time with your family, enjoy them while you can, before they're gone. Enjoy the little things in life, because trust me, they add up and will make it seem so much better. I'm sorry I'm getting so deep, but I felt like it's something I've learned and wanted to share with you all.

So get off the internet for a while and spend some time with real life people, not online friends, because no matter what you go through, your family will always be there. Also keep in mind that your family isn't necessarily the one you are born in, your true family are people that accept and love you no matter what.

I hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, I love y'all!

-Moon <3