Slow dance with you

What could've been

"Your my mother..?"

Keith stood there shocked as the woman looked at him almost guilty but also hopeful as they stared at each other. Keith has never seen a picture of his mother, heard a story, met any relatives from her side, it's always been him and his dad, he never asked about her knowing she left them. He was happy with his dad.

Keith slammed the door in her face as he went to his room slamming his bedroom door behind him.

He heard her knocking and calling for his name as Keith ignored her feeling his blood boil. He grabbed his ear buds and played his music loudly while laying in bed.

Keith felt completely drained as he wanted to text lance, to come back and pick him up, call him, anything to distract him. But he couldn't bring himself to do it...

While Keith dreaded seeing her again he felt his eyelids getting heavier as fighting sleep seemed impossible. So he stopped fighting and fell asleep listening to his music.

——

Keith gasped awake bolting up as he checked his phone.

"I'm late!" He cried out jumping out of bed but realized he couldn't just run to school. He didn't have pants on.

"Dammit lance," Keith growled. He thought for a moment and shrugged, why run to school late when your already late?

Keith threw off his hoodie and shirt as he grabbed a new pair of jeans as they where ripped around the knees as he grabbed a black tank top and grabbed his red flannel walking to the bathroom.

"I don't show my arms a lot do I?" Keith noticed as it seemed weird wearing a tank top but shrugged throwing his flannel over. Lance would defiantly tell him to take it off seeing the mythical arms he didn't know his boyfriend had as well as his legs since Keith barely let much skin show above the elbows or knees.

He ruffled his hair looking in the mirror and shrugged, only to notice his brush untouched.

"I don't care what people think..." Keith glared a little.

He grabbed the brush as he brushed out the snarls in his hair and looked in the mirror unamused seeing his hair now had more volume and his bangs were fluffier.

"Ah yes, the reason I don't brush my hair," Keith sighed and threw his hair in a low pony tail.

Maybe I should cut it... Keith thought to himself feeling his hair tickle his neck as he went to the kitchen and grabbed a bagel from his cabinet. He was going to make some coffee but realized lance was bringing him coffee at school. 

He grabbed his black combat boots and messenger bag he used for school while grabbing the keys to his apartment and motorcycle with the bagel in his mouth while opening the door but paused.

His mother was sitting on the ground next to the door.

"Have you been out here all night?" Keith asked crossing his arms as she looked up at him and quickly stood up.

"I-uh yes, I wanted to talk to you Keith," she nodded quickly.

"I'm late for school, reschedule," Keith closed his apartment but she stopped him from locking it.

"Please?" She looked at him worriedly as Keith stared at the door handle for a moment.

"Fine," he sighed annoyed pushing his door open for them both to walk in, he dropped his bag on the ground loudly and motioned to go to the living room.

"The place is a mess, not a big deal," Keith sat on a chair in across the coffee table where the couch was where his mother sat on the couch.

She saw a pizza box and slushy cups left on the ground as well as a bowl with popcorn seeds.

"Your apartments nice," she smiled.

"I don't even know your name, skip small talk," Keith said flatly with a glare. He saw his phone buzzing for a few text messages on the table in the kitchen. Shit i almost forgot my phone.

"It's krolia," the woman smiled softly.

"Weird name, can't blame you though, you did name me Keith," he said crossing his arms and she chuckled softly.

"You father didn't let me name you what I wanted, Yorak," krolia explained trying to get him to smile.

"Thank god for dad," Keith snorted shaking his head but didn't smile.

"So tell me about your life, um... tex passed away, must've been hard, but you look like your doing great," krolia looked around.

"Getting an apartment at sixteen was an asskicker, luckily my boss let me use his name for the place as I pay him once a month and I pay rent on my own, I'm eighteen and out of that deal," Keith said simply and krolia nodded listening.

"Um what about school, a job, any lucky lady, heh I wanna hear it all," she clasped her hands together smiling nervously.

"Skipping school right now, no job, wasn't paying enough, boyfriend," Keith glared.

"Now you know my whole life, that you left, let's get to know you krolia," he leaned forward staring into her eyes.

"Where the hell have you been for the past eighteen years?"

"I've been part of the military for a while, Afghanistan I was in for a while," krolia gulped a little.

"I've seen a lot of those videos with moms surprising their kids coming home, sorry but this isn't living up to the standard since I didn't know what you looked like, who you are, or why you left me and my dad when I was only a few weeks old!" Keith slowly raised his voice at her.

"I wanted to come back, believe me," krolia reached for his hand but Keith leaned back not letting her touch him.

"You wanted to? When? When dad died? When I was thrown into foster care? When I was homeless? How about when I was a drug addict in middle school? Or when I got arrested for shop lifting?! Or what about when I was forced to live with a alcoholic and prostitute?! Or when I hooked up with guys for money for six months sophomore year?!" Keith screamed at her standing up as krolia's eyes widen.

"That shit never would've happened if you where here! I could've been this damn happy kid instead of struggling since I was eight!" He shouted as krolia stood up as well.

"Go ahead, blame me for everything, I deserve this," krolia told him softly.

"It is your fault, not dad dying, for everything after, cause if you were here I wouldn't have gone into foster care, we would've mourned like a normal son and mother, but it was just me, it's always been just me," Keith had tears of rage in his eyes backing away from her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be, for what it's worth, all the fucked up things I went through I finally found someone that take cares of me, that's not afraid to put me in my place but also to support me, but that was me too," he laughed with no humor as Keith sat down again.

"Your boyfriend," krolia smiled softly.

"Yea, and your not meeting him," Keith glared harshly at her.

"I-I'd like too, I mean maybe I could take some notes from him," krolia gulped a little but Keith just sat there glaring.

"No, he's better than you, I don't want you to meet him if your just going to leave, but hey, maybe I'll let you meet him when I'm 36," he scoffed with a shrug.

The sat there in silence as krolia let Keith cool down a little keeping her eyes down as neither of them said a word.

"Are you hungry?" Krolia let out a breath as she dropped the sweet voice.

"I haven't eaten since noon yesterday, I don't know about you but I could use a Wendy's burger," she stood up as Keith raised an eye brow.

"I don't eat meat," Keith said flatly.

"I saw a coffee shop yesterday, seemed since, wanna come?" Krolia grabbed her purse as Keith looked at her for a moment.

"Fine..." he groaned standing up.