Violet Nights

Chapter 51

Friday, 7:00pm--

The feeling of being in court was a scary one. The tension between you and the tens of people surrounding you only makes you more nervous to even speak. For Keith, the entire thing was a complete trainwreck of him almost breaking down multiple times, but having Lance there to support him and calm him down when he began to get overwhelmed. Hell, Lance did that even he himself was very overwhelmed. Pidge, Hunk, Allura, Shiro, Adam, and all of Lance's family (the ones old enough) were there too. It was a wonder than they even tracked down Vince and put him on the spot in front of so many people. Keith knew he would oppose to being the culprit of the assault, as everyone accused was in court. Keith having to stand in front of a giant room full of eyes staring into him and tell of the incident was embarrassing and made his anxiety at its highest peak. Why wouldn't it be?

Telling Shiro was the biggie here. That day that he left Lance's house, he had called him to tell him that he was going to court. Shiro had thought that he had done something wrong (or accused of doing something wrong.) Keith knew more than anything that Shiro would rather it be that than the news he had heard instead. To hear that your little brother was sexually assaulted and didn't tell anyone weeks after it happened must be one of the worst things to ever hear. Of course he was mad-- both at Keith and Vince. It was understandable. He had every right to be angry. Keith had refused to tell him for the longest time because he didn't want to be seen as someone who couldn't take care of himself. He would feel weak. He did feel weak. Every day since then he had felt weak as opposition to others, feeling like an ant under the shoe of a human.

He knew it was coming, but he agreed to move out of his apartment and live with Shiro for a while until he went off to college. As expected, he knew he'd want his little brother under his wing for as long as he could keep him there and protect him the way he couldn't before. Knowing Shiro, Keith knew he would just end up blaming himself for what happened. He tried telling him many times that no matter what had happened that night, it was only himself who could have prevented it. Maybe Shiro knew it was Keith's fault down in his heart, but he didn't have the nerve to even think for a second to place blame on him like that. Sometimes he was way too soft.

Pidge and Hunk were surprised to hear what happened. Though being busy that day, Allura was even willing to drop everything just to show up. That's what made her a good person. She barely knew Keith, but she showed anyway to support him. He was glad that the only people from school who were there were the ones he trusted the most. He trusted them not to tell anyone and to defend him in this vulnerable state.

He couldn't help but laugh thinking back at Vince's face when he saw how many people showed up to defend Keith. Yet all he had were his immediate family members there who hadn't a clue of even his past relationship with Keith. They were shocked. Not only to find out that their son had dated another man and raped him, but also to hear such phrases spill from his mouth when he was about to be claimed guilty by the judge. Such disgusting, violent, provocative words. It was funny, really. The fact that that was all he could say in his own place were all insults that meant nothing to Keith. That was funny.

He would say things like "you know you consented a long time ago! You wanted to do it but you didn't say anything!"

Bullshit. Who the hell would consent for you?

"It's your fault! You left me! You knew I was having a hard time with other people and you left me there!"

That doesn't give you the right to assault.

"You should be the one up here! Coward!"

I'm the coward? I'm not the one who fled my crime scene.

"Just fucking die already!! No one loves you!!"

Lance does. He had interjected on that claim by standing up in that moment, holding Keith's hand.

"Go to hell!!"

I could say the same to you.

"Shut the fuck up! It's your fault! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!!"

I wouldn't be either if it weren't for you.

"Shut up!!"

Upon winning the trial, Keith felt a huge sense of relief, walking out of that room after watching them take Vince away, still screaming nonsense at him. Shiro wanted to talked to Keith, but he wasn't in any mood to chat about it afterwards. He wanted to sleep. He just wanted to go home and lay down and sleep. He didn't want to think about anything. He just wanted to lay in bed with Lance's arms around him, both of them sleeping. Sounded nice but he knew he can't always get what he wants. Quite frankly, he found that he rarely got what he wanted.

Lance had agreed to come stay with him for the night until he began packing. He even offered to help him pack his things the next morning. For the time being, the both of them were lying in bed, the light still on mind you. They were just talking, Keith lying on his back like a starfish across the bed sheets. Lance was lying halfway off of the edge of the bed, Keith holdng his ankles so he wouldn't fall on his head. (It was a pretty funny position.)

"No one deserves to have anything like that happen to them" Lance had said before rolling back onto the bed and curling up beside Keith. He was now playing with his hair.

"Of course not." Keith replied softly, looking down at his own feet pointed toward each other.

"But there's always going to be some sick fuck out there. The world will never be perfect." Lance added.

"Of course not, but maybe that isn't entirely a bad thing. If everything was perfect, things would be very boring."

Lance laughed. "That's true." He wrapped his arms around Keith's waist. "Still, I wish it had never happened to you of all people."

"I deserved it. I was an asshole."

"I don't wanna hear that."

"What?"

"That you deserved to be harmed in that way-- or any way. No one does."

"Maybe not, but I feel like it..."

"No matter what you did, nothing would ever be worth being assaulted for. It's simply not right."

He couldn't express enough how more than true that statement was.