Growing From The Pain

10

Keith holds me close and plays with my messy hair. It's so comforting. After a half hour of me breaking down I get up. I turn to Keith who is laying back down to get more rest. I get in with him, spooning his figure. Then I put my arm around his waist.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm too tired to get up today," I reply. I pull him closer. He chuckles. "My family can do the work today."

"So then you don't want to work with me today?" I sit up.

"You want to do work again? He nods. "Alright then. I guess it's time to get up." We get up, change, and get ready for the work. Keith put on an old t-shirt now knowing how dirty it was going to get. "Ready?" We stood in a shed getting tools to shovel poop.

"As one can ever be," he replies. I nod. Together we head out as if we're getting ready for war. Again Keith steps in a giant pile of poop and I break out laughing. He groans in annoyance. "For heaven's sake."

"It's alright. You get used to it." We continue our jobs. Cleaning poop and feeding animals. We do some more sowing. I teach him how to milk a cow. It spurts into his face. He licks up what he can and I burst into laughter. My nephew and niece tend to the Juniberries with me. Keith stands by and watches.

We finish our work by dinner time. "Dinner," my mom calls to us. "You go get changed. I'll put this away." He nods and runs off. I unintentionally stare at him running off.

"You're staring," my father says. I turn quickly and get back to putting tools away. "You know it's alright, right?" I turn to him. "You are my son. I love you no matter who you love. To Hell with gender, race, and sexuality. You saved the world. You deserve happiness." He pats me on the back. "Don't mess it up," he says winking. I chuckle.

"Alright dad. I can finish things up here. You go on." He lets out a hearty laugh before leaving. I finish up and head inside.

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It's been month since the incident. I haven't thought of suicide since. Keith and Veronica still keeps close tabs on me. The family is out today and again it's just Keith and I. I stand in the frame of the doorway blocking Keith's view. "So what are we gonna do today?" I turn to him and smile.

"We're going shopping!" I pose as though I were a model. It cracks him up. "Well, I wish it were that kind of shopping." I allow him to pass me and head to the car. I follow after and get in. We head off to the nearest town on the countryside. There we find a huge gathering of people. "Welcome to the Farmer's Market!"

His face was full of wonder and excitement. "This is gonna be fun," he says. A huge smile is on his face.

"Let's go," I say. I pull him to some of my favorite stands. There were rows and rows of booths offering different foods both raw and cooked. Exotic fruits and vegetables, alien plants included, had a whole line to themselves. We go around trying new foods and buying fruits and veggies. I had two bags full of food already. Keith had another in his hand. "This is my favorite time of the year."

"Really?"

"Yes. I get to relax and take some time to myself. I get to be around more people and watch them have fun or have fun with them."

"Sounds like you when we had Voltron." We both sigh. "Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"The thrill that Voltron gave. The rush of getting into your lion. The amazement of being part of a team. The feeling that you were more than just another person in this world."

"All the time. I miss it all the time." I start to remember all the good times we had as a team. It makes cry unintentionally.

"Are you okay?" He pulls me to the side and wipes the tears from my face. "Is it something I said?"

"No. No. Quite the opposite actually. It was something I said. You know. Reminiscing. Not the best activity anymore." I laugh it off like it's nothing. I find a stall selling freshly made and aged wines and beers. I buy a few beers and wines under the radar and cover them with some more food. Keith eyes me warily. "What?"

"Nothing. Come on. I saw something cool over there." He pulls me along to some unknown part of the market. At a large booth there sat a large, gross looking, gray glob guy with a vacuum cleaner attachment mouth. "Staring is rude." I shake myself out of my trance.

"Sorry." He smiles.

"It's alright. Besides, it's just a suit to help them adapt to Earth's weather." He motions to the dark spot in the middle of the glob. "He'll be able to take it off soon."

"I see it now." It intrigued me now. What did he looked like under that? Keith approached him just as he started to take it off. The guy removed the glob suit to reveal a handsome purple alien. He had the nose and ears of a rabbit. His hair, and sideburns, were a darker purple and he also had bright purple eyes. His face was incredibly beautiful.

I tried not to stare again. "Hello, travelers. Would you like some flowers?" He shows us a wide arrangement of different flowers in pots of different soil. "They can all grow in Earth soil and aren't harmful to the environment at all." Keith takes a pot with a pair of twisting, glowing flowers. One blue and the other red. "The flowers of love. I made the breed specially for my husband."

I give him a warm smile. I pay for the exotic flowers. I thank him and we head off again. This time in the direction of the car. "Today was a good day," Keith remarks.

"Yeah," is all I say. I stare at the vibrant colors of the plants. The ride home was quiet. When we get home my family asks a whole bunch of questions about the fair. I give simple one word replies. "I'll be heading to my room. I won't be down for dinner," I say before leaving.

Quickly heading up I turn off the lights and throw myself onto the bed. That relaxing trip somehow found a way to drain my energy without me realizing it. I lay spread out on my bed without changing. I kick off my shoes and socks before getting in a more comfortable position.

The door opens lightly. I hear something get placed down before a ruffling on my bed. "Lance?"

"Yes Keith?" I open my eyes to see his figure in front of me.

"Nevermind. Go to sleep. You look tired." He ruffles my hair and I see his teeth in a small smile. I prop myself up on a shoulder.

"Well now I have a little bit more energy." I hear him chuckle.

"What are you gonna do with it?" I smirk.

"Talk to you until I start feeling sleepy again. So don't bore me." He chuckles again.

"Alright. What do you want to talk about?"