Forevermore // Klance

Keith: Don't Leave

"Are you sure buddy. I could try talking to him." Shiro said as he held a fidgety Riley in his arms as I continued to put on my Marmoran armor.

"If Hunk couldn't get through to him or Pidge then... I don't think you'll be able to Shiro." I said, shaking my head. "Besides, he'll think I'm sending all of you to vouch for me, to tell him he's being irrational and he's not, not really. I should have said something. Maybe things would have been different."

"Or maybe things wouldn't be. Maybe time isn't malleable. Maybe it can't be rewritten." I locked the last piece of armor onto my arms before grabbing my headpiece and hooking it around my ear, pulling my hood over my hair.

"Well, this certainly can't. He's made up his mind Shiro. He doesn't want to see me ever again." I said and just hearing it out loud made my heart nearly break.

"Are you okay with that?" Shiro asked. I shrugged.

"I don't have to be okay with it. I just have to live with it." Shiro frowned at me and Riley finally got the best of him and wormed her way out of his arms, half throwing herself at me.

"Riley!" Shiro scolded as she clung to me desperately.

"I won't let you leave Keith! You can't! You're always away for so long and I hate it!" She whined, crying into my neck. I rubbed her back lightly, trying to soothe her as Shiro sighed.

"I'll visit often Riley. I promise." I said, trying not to cry myself.

"You're a liar! Don't leave Uncle Keith, please!" She begged. The door to the locker room opened and Curtis stepped in. He smiled lightly at me before focusing in on his daughter.

"Ah what's with the tears little one?" He asked, coming closer. Riley allowed me to hand her off and she hugged Curtis tightly, still crying.

"Daddy won't make Keith stay with us. I want him to stay!" Curtis smiled a little and patted her back.

"I don't think daddy and I can make him stay honey." Riley cried harder as he said this and Curtis sighed, touching my shoulder. "They're almost here. The Holts wanted me to get you."

"Thanks Curtis. Can I... Be alone for a minute or two before we head up. I just want to..." I stopped. Wanted to what? I don't know.

"Of course Keith." Shiro said, putting his hand on my shoulder and squeezing gently.

"We'll just be outside." Curtis said as he moved to the door, Riley still crying profusely in his arms. I nodded as the three of them left me alone in the locker room. As soon as the door shut behind them, I nearly collapsed to the ground. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I couldn't stand the idea of Lance hating me for the rest of our lives. It would probably kill me. I sat down on the bench, trying to calm my breathing and forcing myself to not cry as I swallowed the lump in my throat. I wanted to pull out my phone and look at the dumb photos of us we've taken through the years but I knew that would just make it hurt more. So instead I let several silent tears fall down my cheeks before I wiped them away, stood up and tried not to punch a hole in the lockers in front of me.

----

"You better come back Keith Kogane or I swear to god..." Pidge began to threaten. She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath. "Just please don't stay away. I know things didn't work out the way you hoped but Lance will come around, I just know it." She said and I don't know why she was crying but she was.

"I'm coming back Pidge. I don't know why everyone thinks I won't." I said though they did kind of have a point. How could I come back here knowing that Lance was just a few miles out of town and that he wanted nothing to do with me? How could I look at another sunset on Earth without thinking of him and all the talks we had late at night? The last few that I have seen have nearly moved me to tears. Pidge scoffed and hugged me tightly, wiping at her tears.