kangst/ keith-centric oneshots (woah, cool)

Post-Naxzela

Author's Note: contains Katt [keithxmatt) (could be seen as romantic or platonic– just my two favs interacting and being sad :) )

Summary: After the Battle of Naxzela and Keiths' kamikaze mission attempt, Keith has a hard time coping with his near-death. But he has help.

Warnings: mention of attemptive kamikaze suicude, mild descriptions of injury

Word Count: 872 Words (short and sweet :)

Comment-Vote-Request-Leave Prompts 

<->

Keith's hands trembled as he pressed a button on his mask, causing it to fall into a state of oblivion.

He nearly killed himself. He almost died. He nearly killed himself. He almost died.

The young man gulped in a breath of air, it feels like his lungs are shaking. Does that happen? No, probably not, but it doesn't make the feeling any less real. Keith shutters at the mental image then wets his lips, only to find he'd stress-bitten them into a chapped, bleeding mess. The familiar taste of a metallic substance welcomes his taste buds, not very endearing, but it reminds him he's still alive.

He's still alive. 

Right?

That's all that matters.

Watching his hands shake, Keith relayed the events of Naxzela. He was now in the docking bay of the Castle of the Lions, his previous home. All the images of the last few hours came crashing in on his nervous system.

Burning, heat, crying, particle barrier, crashing, Lotor, yelling-

Yelling?

No, there wasn't any yelling..

It was probably just his ears ringing, speaking of which– he can feel the blood trickling down from his ear canal. It thick, and the wound is most likely infected, but he can't find it in himself to care.

An echo of a panicked voice rings through out his mind, 'Keith? What are you..? N-No– STOP! DON'T YOU DARE!' It's a male's voice, strikingly familiar but at the same time, distant in memory.

Was he the one who yelled..? Was he so out of it that he talked in third-person? No, Keith doesn't care about himself enough to try and convince himself otherwise

Who was yelling? Why did he hear yelling? He was alone in the ship other than his communicator–

BANG

BANG

BANG

Is... Is someone banging on his ship? 

"KEITH KOGANE YOU OPEN THIS SHUTTLE, RIGHT NOW!" Demanded the voice that was speculated to be one-in-the-same barked the command. The voice was pleadingly desperate but still athortive in nature.

Who is that? 

Reluctantly, Keith pressed his jittery palm against a light purple datapad, making the lines of light that covered his ship come to life. A screeching noise of metal-on-metal echoed throughout the minimally sized quarters as the entrance/exit door opened swiftly. The raven-haired male furrowed his eyes brows as the figure that had yelled came into sight. 

There in the entrance stood a furious Matthew Holt, clutching his staff in a scolding manner as he stomped up to Keith, the older male was bracing his hand as if he were going to slap him. Only for the threat to fall short as Matt let his arms fall to his side, quickly embracing his newest teammate in a bone-crushing hug, sniffling.

Keith stilled at the contact, surprise and shock overtaking his senses as the brunette hugged him. His teeth chattering anxiously as he wet his lips. Eventually, the purple-eyed boy spoke, "W-Why are hugging me-" 

"Shut up," Matt replied almost immediately as he clutched Keith to his chest, a significant height difference between the two. "I understand why you did it, but..." He lets out a shakey breath of relief, "Christ, man... You really scared me back there." 

 Keith attempted at a nod, not verbally responding as he felt himself involuntarily relaxing into the hug. A few moments pass, the opening to the hanger still open, letting a draft into Keith's aircraft. 

The two stay there in silence, comforting each other in a mix of an awkward yet relaxing silence.

Everything was quiet and calm for a few moments, and even if it was just a moment– Keith had never been so thankful for it. He's able to realize everything going on and everything happening. He can feel the blood running off from his ear canals, he can taste the thick mixture of spit and blood that coated his lips from biting them. Even the wavering breaths that leave both his and Matt's lungs.

Keith takes a few steps back, enough to where galaxy eyes are allowed to meet chocolate-colored, he's able to see the reflection of his BOM knife in the irises that are in front of him Hesitantly Keith speaks "I.."

Matt's eyes soften at his attempt, silently urging him to speak.

"I think... I think I scared myself more. I– I nearl– Jesus Christ, Matt I nearly killed.." Keith managed to say, choking on his own spit and tears halfway through the sentence.

Matt just embraces the younger boy again, soothingly rubbing his back as he sobbed. The lighter-haired of the two softly saying: "You're gonna be okay, Keith." Matt promised, his tone so genuine that Keith almost, truly, believed him.

...H-How do you know?"

"Because I'm going to make sure of it."