Chapter Text
Keith’s uncle passed away.
It wasn’t “technically” his uncle, since he had been adopted into the Shirogane family, but the man had been the first one he’d opened up to. The first one who got Keith to talk. He had been the one who Keith would call when something happened, good, bad or otherwise. He was who Keith first came out to, and who he went to when he needed advice.
Keith felt a strong, deep connection to the man, and to be told when he came home from school, not called when it happened. Not when his uncle had gone into the hospital a week prior. Not when his health had declined. When his uncle had passed away and there was no chance for him to say goodbye. It hit him hard.
So he’d left. Ran right back out of the house while his parents and older brother called out after him, dropping the umbrella he’d been holding. He’d ran and stumbled until he found himself in a familiar place and curled up under the gazebo where he and his uncle had so many conversations. He pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs, and cried while the rain continued to pour outside, the sky lighting up with occasional thunder.
He didn’t know how long he was outside. Long enough for the sun to have set behind heavy rain clouds. Long enough for his stomach to twist painfully with the need to eat. But when he thought about going back, about going to see them again, his heart twisted as he remembered they didn’t tell him anything, and so he stubbornly stayed put. He didn’t know how many more tears were left in him, they had stopped being a constant flow, rattling, ugly sobs heaving out of his chest as he let himself feel. But they never quite ceased all together. They would slowly move down his sore cheeks, staining his skin as they prickled until Keith wiped them away. Just a few at a time, shaking him as he watched rain drip from the edge of the roof and into a puddle. He managed to make out a voice through the rain thudding around him and he raised his head, straining his ears as he saw a figure down the road. As they got closer, he realized it was Lance.
“Keith!” Lance raced forward, hair wet from rain, clothes soaked as he raced through the puddles and mud as he made his way over and under the shelter of the gazebo. “Jeez, man, we’ve been looking all over for you!”
“We?” Keith’s voice was raw, croaking out the word as he feebly made an attempt to try and hide he’d been crying.
“Everyone. Pidge, Hunk, Allura. Romelle. Shiro. Your parents.” the Cuban saw the way Keith hiked his shoulders up, glaring down at the ground at the mention of the last two. “Keith-”
“They didn’t tell me.” he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself. Lance fell silent as he watched Keith shift, like he was trying to shrink and hide away.
Lance walked over, sitting down next to Keith. The two sat together, watching as the rain continued to fall.
“My parents didn’t tell me when my grandfather died.” Lance said carefully, causing Keith to look over. “I was off at summer camp, making macaroni art and learning how to shoot arrows.” He adjusted. “I was only ten, but they didn’t tell me at all. Not in the entire month I was there. He got sick a little after I left, but they didn’t mention it to me. And by the time they knew he wasn’t going to make it, no one wanted to tell me. I guess they hoped that he’d be able to hold on, but he died three days before I got back. We had his funeral a couple days after I came back.
“I was mad, but.. I kind of see where they were coming from.” Lance looked back towards Keith, smiling gently. “I’m certain they wanted to tell you, but they weren’t sure how. And then it got too late to tell you.”
“They still should have told me!” Keith yelled, fresh tears coming to his eyes. “They should have fucking told me when he got sick! O-or at least when he didn’t start getting better! I…” a sob choked him off and he moved his hand, trying to push away his tears. “I didn’t… I-I didn’t get to say bye. I haven’t seen him since last year, and now I won’t-” he whimpered, pulling his knees back up and hugged them tight.
Lance moved closer, wrapping an arm around Keith’s shoulders. “Do you think he’d want to see you crying?” he asked after a while. Keith blinked, jerking back and glared at Lance.
“What?” he growled, anger quickly replacing his sorrow.
“I mean-” Lance quickly held up his hands, “would he want you crying like this, or would he want you to not worry?”
Keith narrowed his eyes, “I’m pretty sure he’d be okay with me grieving, Lance.” he said, feeling his hands curling into fists.
“Grieving, yes. But would he want you to be mad at the Shiroganes? At Shiro?” And at that, Keith began to relax, slowly. “Would he have wanted you to run out in a thunderstorm, potentially getting yourself hurt, and worrying everyone?” Keith’s shoulders slumped and he looked away. “Would he want you trying to beat the snot out of your most handsome friend, who is just trying to comfort you?” Keith raised an eyebrow, but a small smile managed to pull it’s way onto his face.
“I’m not saying you can’t be sad, but I’m pretty sure your uncle would have wanted you to keep being you. The same you he cared about.” Lance reached over, letting his hand rest on Keith’s shoulder. “Besides, he’s still going to be with you. You’ll have your memories.”
And that was cheesy as fuck, but they brought more tears to Keith’s eyes. “Dammit,” he reached up, trying to wipe them away, but froze as Lance beat him to it, his thumb gently brushing them away. The two stared at each other, Lance’s hand still lightly cupping Keith’s cheek.
Keith felt himself lean forward, hesitantly, and Lance followed, their eyes slowly closing as they kissed. They kept close together, Lance keeping his arm around Keith’s shoulders as the black haired boy cried the last few tears. By the time they both stood up, hand in hand, the rain had eased up. It hadn’t stopped fully, but it was lighter.
Keith would be okay. Lance would be there for him, and so would his friends. And his family.