A Chance For Him

Chapter 4: A cute new side of Keith

There was a long, awkward silence after that. I stared into Keith's eyes worried as to how he would react. He slowly gets redder and redder as I watch him. I tilt curiously and grin shyly at him. He lets out an adorable squeak and turns away. This was new, though thinking back, I don't believe I'd ever flirted with Keith. I was to busy fighting with him and pretending to be straight that I hadn't even noticed I had had feelings for him.

I tried to remember if Keith ever showed any romantic tendencies towards anyone in the former timeline, but I couldn't. Keith's Garrison boyfriend was shortlived too, and I can't seem to recall a single time where anyone even had an inkling they knew each other, let alone thought they were dating. From what I've heard his ex was manipulative enough that Keith hadn't experienced any straight forward affection.

Suddenly, another memory popped in my head.

~~~~~

"Shiro, I don't need love. The romantic kind at least." I overheard Keith's voice from the training room.

I paused by the open door and listen in. My mama had always taught me eavesdropping wasn't okay, but this is war. All is fair in love and war. Keith might say something that would give me the upper hand in a fight.

"Keith everybody needs somebody-" Shiro was cut off.

"Not me. Not after everything. Besides, no one would love me love that."

"Keith..."

"Don't Shiro."

I turned around, I snuck away. Quieter than even Keith could. I didn't hear this, at least, no one else would know I did.

~~~~~

I give Keith a sincere, open smile and turn to Allura.

"Are we going to sit like this all day, or are we going to move onto the others?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

Allura jumped slightly at being addressed. She clearly hadn't been expecting such a big revelation from this activity.

"U-um," She started. "Yes, that's correct."

Shiro seemed to recover to.

"I'll go next." He volunteered, and the rest of the activity went without much trouble.

For the rest of the week, I would compliment Keith every time I ran into him. Watching him go beet red and running away whenever he was allowed to. I took advantage of the times he couldn't, to tell him about myself and ask him noninvasive questions. I knew how defensive he could get if someone tried to pry into the parts of his life he didn't want anybody to see. Though, Keith had a tendency to brush me off anyway.

Telling him I loved him whenever the opportunity arose. The other paladins quickly becoming used to this behavior. I had to be careful about how I mixed the things I knew about Keith from the past and the things I know now. It was one day after practice that my ability to do just that was challenged.

"So," Pidge started. "If you like Keith so much, then why do you always fight so roughly with him during training?"

I stiffened. "Huh?"

"I noticed that too." Hunk chimed in. Not helping Hunk.

I sighed and gave them both a look.

"Do you honestly think, that taking things easy on Keith, that letting him win, will do anything for me? Keith isn't weak, and shouldn't be treated like he is. Besides, the one time I ever did that he almost chopped off my head." I smirked at the memory. "If I went easy on him that's the end of me.If anything he should go easy on me."

"Chopped off your head?" Hunk squeaked in concern.

"When was that and why didn't you invite me?" Pidge looked offended.

Shit, I thought. That wasn't a memory of this past.

"Um. Maybe that was just a dream?" I tried lamely.

Pidge snickered. "I didn't know you had dreams of Keith that didn't involve a bedroom."

"Pidge!" Hunk reprimanded.

I rolled my eyes. "I thought you knew I was too kinky for a bed Pidge."

Pidge gags and I wiggled my eyebrows.

"You walked into that one." Hunk chuckled.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a wisp of silky, black hair. I blinked and it was gone. I must have just imagined it.