Stay

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Keith never knew there was so much power in a word. That one little word would send shivers down his back and cause him to freeze no matter if it was screamed or whispered.

But it only ever seemed to work coming from Lance.

The first time Lance used the word on Keith they were only six.

It was their first play date. Time was drawing to an end. They had been building spaceships with Lance's Legos when Keith's mom arrived to pick him up. It was dinner time. It was time to go.

Lance locked his large blue eyes onto Keith. He blinked owlishly before patting Keith on the head.

"No you stay."

Then he turned to Krolia

"He stay for dinner. You can too."

No one could deny those blue eyes. Especially with Mrs. McClain quick to agree with her son.

So they stayed for dinner.

....................................

The next time they were ten.

Rain had begun to scatter across the dry ground sending up puffs of dust as it hit. The boys were running back to Keith's house squealing as the rain soon soaked them. The park was only a five minute walk but the rain was faster.

When they came in, shaking the water off them like pups, Keith roamed the house calling for his mom. His dad was at work but his mom had been the one to suggest the park. She said she would make sandwiches for when they got back. The sandwiches laid ready on a plate besides a small note that simple read 'I'm sorry'.

They didn't understand. Not till Keith's dad came home. Tears in his eyes as he knelt next to Keith explaining his mom wouldn't be back. Not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe not ever.

Keith slamming his door crying. Screaming at everyone to go away. Leave him alone.

But Lance laid outside Keith's bedroom door. Anytime Keith went to scream at him Lance simply shook his head.

"No. I'll stay."

Three days Keith stayed locked in his room. Three days Lance laid outside it. When Keith finally opened the door it was only for Lance to join him in bed. Keith crying into his best friend so glad he never left.

Lance would never leave him. He would stay

................................

It happened again when Keith was twelve. He was at the McClain's when he got the news. Collapsing to the floor the breath zapped out of him.

"He has to stay mama. I won't let him go. He will stay. I make sure of it. I will take care of it."

These words hardly reached Keith from past Lance's bedroom door. Keith clutching a pillow he had been screaming in the past hour. He had kicked Lance out again. He needed time.

There was Lance again. Ever loyal outside the door ready for him when he was needed.

And Keith needed him desperately

A few days later Lance made sure never to let go of Keith's hand. Not once. He stood beside his best friend as they watched the piles of dirt hit the casket. Keith officially an orphan.

Keith couldn't move though. Not for awhile. He was frozen to the spot watching as they covered his father. Eventually collapsing in a heap on the spot. His breath ragged again as Lance wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

"I'll stay ok. I'm here. It's ok."

Keith got lucky and was quickly adopted by a pair of teachers who knew him and the situation. He got to stay near Lance. He got to live with his favorite teacher, Shiro, and his husband Adam.

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