the culprit | keith kogane

XVI | tuesday

pidgeon 🤖| 9:23 p.m.
you holding up okay?

y/n | 9:27 p.m.
i'm fine. . . just feel a bit awkward.

—

THE FIRE CRACKLED, I was shirtless in a pair of swimming trunks. I had eaten a few s'mores, but I didn't bother eating more than three. Kosmo was still bounding around on the sand, enjoying his time of being free. I wasn't scared for him, knowing that he'd eventually return to the group or come back if I called him.

Lance blurted something, snapping me back into the conversation that they were having. He suddenly turned around, reaching behind the log that he was sitting on. The bonfire in front of us lit up what he'd just brought, his ukulele shining in the light. He strummed a few strings, smiling cheekily. "Any requests for the night?"

"Campfire song!" Y/n cheered. I recognized this. Back when I used to play on the electric guitar, she'd make me play all sorts of songs. Most of the time, she'd choose meme-ish songs and songs that didn't really have a meaning in general. If she was upset, angry, or feeling distant, she'd want me to play one song specifically. I still play sometimes, but not as much as I used to.

Anger twisted in my stomach. If she didn't forgive me anytime soon, would she start asking Lance for those favors? Would she replace me with him? Was that what I was angry about? I was scared of being replaced? Yes, that was what it was. I've been replaced my entire life and she's one of the few that hasn't yet and I'm patiently waiting for that moment.

He tapped his fingers on the base of his ukulele before winking slyly at her. "Whatever it takes to serenade the lady," This made her laugh, her hand reaching up to cover her mouth. I crushed the soda can in my hand, glaring at him. "If you're so eager to serenade her, take her to one of the damn hotel rooms."

Allura looked at me, knowing that Shiro was far off, running along with Kosmo somewhere in the sand. "Keith!" She yelled, but it was fruitless. I may have drank my anger away last time, but this wasn't last time. Y/n looked shocked and she looked down at her lap, bursting into tears as Pidge immediately reached over and attempted to comfort her.

"Look what you did!" 

His ukulele was tossed into the sand as Lance got up, furious. "This entire time you've only hurt her, and I've seen you get jealous constantly over—" I pushed him back, gritting my teeth as a harsh growl passed my lips. "—don't assume my damn emotions!" He fell back, stumbling on the log, but quickly stood up again.

"All you can do is think of yourself, even if it has nothing to do with you! And it was your own fault that she started ignoring you in the first place; you couldn't even keep a one-night promise!" 

We had slowly edged to the shore, glaring and squaring each other up silently as we shouted insults back and forth at each other. I shoved him into the ocean, earning another yell of my name, but I didn't care at this point. Lance had been quick enough to grab a hold of my arms and toss me to his left into the ocean as well.

The water was shallow, but that didn't mean that the impact of my back hitting the sand helped at all. We continued shoving each other, our backs sensitive and bruised heavily at this point. An angry bark resounded behind me, followed by a thunder of footsteps. "You two! Knock it off!" Shiro pushed us away from each other.

Kosmo stood at my side, growling and snarling at Lance in a offensive manner. I grit my teeth, feeling blood drip down my back from the countless rocks and sticks that scratched it up. I don't care about the injuries I had, as long as his were worse. He seriously pissed me off. "Pidge, get Keith bandaged up. Hunk, fix up Lance. Bless that Allura brought a first aid kit."

He seemed pissed off at the both of us, glaring powerfully. Pidge came at my side, grabbing my wrist and tugging lightly. It wasn't harsh, but enough to get me moving. I followed behind her, watching her head up the stairs and open the door to my hotel room. She stood out the door some more, Allura's voice resounding from behind it a bit.

"You're jealous, Keith," Hearing that only made me ball my hands up into strong fists. "Don't deny it." She said quietly. Pidge didn't seem as standoffish as earlier, a lot more open to talk than before. "You like her, don't you? But you won't admit it because you're scared she'll leave you." She spoke bluntly and I froze. How can she read me so well?

As if answering my mental question, she bandaged the scratches, placing ointment on my bruises. "Listen, you should just tell her. Like I told you before, she holds affection towards you. You may have been stupid that night, but I know you were jealous. I shouldn't have been so mean at Y/n's door, but I was mad and someone needed to say it for the time being."

A sigh left my lips and I stayed quiet, listening.

"The reason she was hanging around Lance so much is because," She paused, inhaling sharply as if whatever she was saying was bad, just like when she'd told me that Y/n likes me. "He's planning on coming out to his family, but he needed support. He wasn't sure to tell you or not because you seemed so angry at him all the time and all of us knew except you and Y/n."

"So, he went for who was easier," I mumbled, not bothering to question the fact of whatever Lance was coming out as.

"Mhm," She hummed silently. She finished, standing up from the bed. "You should go talk to the both of them. If I know Lance, he's probably at the ice cream shop we passed by earlier over at the main trail. Y/n's—" I stopped her, finishing her sentence with ease. "—at the beach, I know. She always found moonlight reflecting on the ocean really pretty."

Pidge smiled at that, nodding. "Go on, you have plenty to say to both of them."