Emo Is As Emo Does (Keith x Reader)

[25] Encountered

The crackling effect from the bonfire was a peaceful sound. You were sitting on a log with Keith, only a few inches away. He only stared at the entangling flames with a thoughtful twinkle in his eye. You glimpsed at him.

"Thank you."

Keith looked your way, slightly baffled. "For what?"

"Everything. I haven't felt. . .joy in like, forever."

He didn't respond. He only slid closer, letting you nestle your head on his shoulder—which you did.

"Please, I've never experienced it," he jestingly whispered. You couldn't help but snicker. "—Until now."

Honestly, you couldn't believe you found happiness with the person who used to make you feel the complete opposite of that. Though he still does manage to get on your nerves once in a while—that's beside the point.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Keith started. You stared in his direction without moving. "I need to tell you som—"

"SAY CHEEEESE!!!" Pidge squealed as she lit up the nearby area with the blinding flash from her camera. You and Keith were completely perturbed from the sudden shine.

"STOP FOLLOWING US, YOU DOLTS!" Keith yelled as he rose up from his seat. Your body fell when he moved so abruptly—but you caught yourself midway.

"HEHEHEHEHE!!" Pidge cackled with Hunk running behind her. Keith only crossed his arms. Just wow.

"Well, I think it is time to end the date," you mentioned as you stood up. "I had a lot of fun, Keith—even if the bull ride did make me die inside for the third time already. Next time, I'll pick the location."

"Next time?" He latched onto those two words you uttered. How smug.

"Heh. . ." You awkwardly held your hands behind your back.

That's when you both called it a day. You and Keith began to trek back to the car, but during the way—the unexpected happened.

"(Y/N)?" a childish voice curiously called. Oh, great.

You reluctantly turned around to see your bratty little cousin. That's the kid you recognized from the mutton-busting.

"Who—" Keith was frazzled.

"Hello, Kermit," was all you said. Yes, his name was Kermit. Keith almost fell into laughter upon hearing that.

"MOMMY!" Kermit squeaked. Every time he made that noise, it made you want to wilt like the crinkled roses on display at Walmart.

"Yes, Dear?" Your aunt came up. She looked up to see you. Her expression was priceless—neither of you expected to reunite in a place like this. Oh, also, you hated her too. "(Y/N)??"

"Hey, Aunt Jim," you greeted—putting up one hand. Keith nearly lost it at this point.

"FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME, MY NAME IS NOT JIM! KERMIT IS A VERY STRONG MASCULINE NAME AND—wait—WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" she interrogated. "WHO—WHO IS THIS BOY!?"

"The son you wish you did have."

"WHA—LAST I HEARD; YOU LEFT YOUR MOTHER!! IS THIS TRUE?"

"I—"

"LET ME GUESS: YOU, (Y/N), THE PROBLEM CHILD OF THIS FAMILY—RAN AWAY FROM YOUR LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE MOTHER WHO IS SINGLE AND ALREADY HAS SUCH A HARD LIFE—YOU JUST, DECIDED TO HIT THE RODEO WITH SOME RANDOM DROPOUT BOY!?"

"Sounds like a Taylor Swift song, amirite?" you chuckled.

Your aunt's face suddenly went red—much like your mother's when she used to get angry. Then all the sudden, you felt a strong jerk pulling you down. Your aunt had her hand enclosed on a lock of your hair. It was all too evocative—triggering memories from when your mother used to do that. A tear formed in the side of your eye.

Before you could do anything, Keith firmly slapped the woman's arm away. She was shocked from his defensive reaction—since no one ever stood up for you like that in the past. Keith was standing in front of you—giving your aunt a hostile scowl, one that she's never seen before. It almost seemed. . .inhuman.

"Look, Hag," Keith began. "Why don't you just drag your puppet show somewhere else—and leave her the heck alone?"

"Stay out of this, you wannabe bad boy. And I'm calling your mother, (Y/N)." She took out her ancient flip-phone and started dialing the number. You only scoffed—like you cared what that bat thought. Apparently, she did pick up. "Hello? Uh, yes. Guess what I found at the rodeo. YOUR DAUGHTER!"

After a few seconds, you were handed the phone. Your aunt said that your mother wanted to talk to you. Maybe you could get one last retort in before you completely wrote her out of your life.

But before you could even say a word, Keith snatched the phone and screamed into the voice-box, "STAY OUT OF OUR LIVES, YOU REPULSIVE WITCH!!!" Ending in him hurling it into the mud, only to jump on it repeatedly. Your hand was still up to your ear—since he took you by surprise.

"AH!" your aunt huffed before taking Kermit by the hand—and storming off. "YOU TWO DELINQUENTS WILL ONE DAY LEARN YOUR LESSON!!"

"OH, DROP A HOUSE ON IT!" Keith countered. People around you were either gasping or recording. Some even applauded.

Keith grabbed your hand and hurried away. You were still laughing from his last rejoinder.

"That woman's a psycho," he observed. "What was she thinking? To grab you like that."

"Eh, nothing unusual."

"Ergh," he growled. Seeing him like this was rather adorable, honestly.

He reminds me of that werewolf boy from Twilight. How cute. . . Wait-

You and Keith were now in the car. The current location he was driving through was outside the city. Staring through the window, the vehicle passed dark forests, small homes, and an occasional armadillo. It certainly was a lovely sight—except for the roadkill.

At last, the drive was done. You hopped out of your seat and onto the dusty pavement. Keith dug through his pocket and found the key for the room.

"I'm just glad we won't have to endure another night of this dust box," you commented. Tomorrow the vacation would be over. In a way you were upset about it ending, but the motel made you think otherwise. You were glad to leave.

After jiggling the key around in the lock, Keith managed to open it. Somehow, Pidge and Hunk were already there, fast asleep. Weirdos.

You let out a yawn, tiredly stretching your arms in the air. "Eh, I'm about to drop. Goodnight, Keith." You ambled over to the couch and plopped on the tough cushions. You didn't even care about changing into sleepwear—all you cared about was sleep.

Keith stole Lance's blanket and placed it on you. "Yeah, night."

And Lance spent the whole night freezing.