Chapter Text
Keith wasn’t too happy about moving away. Moving new places were always were a hassle for him. It had taken years for them to settle in their apartment...and when they finally felt at home, it was time to go again. It was just another lesson for him to learn: never get comfortable. It was a quiet car ride to the countryside of Japan, all his things packed in the backseat and trunk, along with his older brother’s.
He looked to Shiro, who seemed all too happy about the move. He wasn’t a fan of Tokyo, always complaining about the noise of the nearby train station, the crowded city and whatever else managed to get on his nerves. Keith would miss the night lights, the way the city never slept. He’d miss seeing the tower in the distance, the days Shiro would come and they would cook together. It wasn’t much. Their apartment wasn’t super extravagant or anything, but simple and cozy. They had a balcony, and when Keith was strong enough to move around, he’d sit out on it and look out.
He was too sick to do anything else. Going to school was too dangerous, even a walk to the store. But he was getting better and stronger and could move around. Crazy how as soon as he started to feel better, they move.
It was the smaller things that made him feel like he lost something important.
“Don’t pout.” Shiro smiled. Keith frowned, turning to him. “The house is real nice, and it’s surrounded by trees and a town isn’t too far away. We even have a private beach...well, it’s small, but still.” Their late grandfather had left them a house on the countryside, and Shiro jumped at the opportunity to not pay rent and move from the city and his three crappy jobs. He was lucky enough to have saved money and used the old car he brought from an old friend and started moving things down. “It has everything we need.” Shiro told him, hands on the wheel.
It had taken everything in Keith to protest their leave, every curse, every plea, the silent treatment, even locking Shiro out until he had the superintendent open the door for him…multiple times. It was very frustrating.
Keith even cried. He ran out of ways. Shiro was surprised, shocked, even a bit guilty, but he kept on moving. Duty means doing things you may regret.
The windshield in front of them had the bluest sky and whitest cloud and the sun shined down on them as if they were driving through Heaven and Keith frowned deeper. The sun rays landed on his hand and he couldn’t help but scoff, and turn to Shiro.
“You didn’t even ask if I wanted to go.”
“I did, to which you said no. And then I realized you weren’t the boss of me.” Shiro smirked. Keith fumed silently, arms folded. “The doctor said it was perfect for you, since the air is cleaner...and the doctor here is famous for their work.” Shiro looked to him. “Maybe you can even go to school next semester.” Keith said nothing, frozen, and Shiro laughed. “Knew you’d like that.”
“Shut up.”
“We’ll be there soon.” Shiro ruffled his hair. Keith moved his hand away and leaned into the window. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” To be honest, his chest felt a bit heavy, like someone was sitting on it. His ankle hurt and his back felt prickly, static-like when your leg falls asleep. He was tired, even from doing nothing all day but driving. But he already took his morning medication and if he said so, it would result in Shiro giving him those pitiful eyes and fretting over him like he were a newborn infant.
So he closed his eyes, letting fatigue wash over him.
Shiro turned to his baby brother, smiling when he saw that he was knocked out. At least it’ll be a quieter drive, he chuckled. It surprised him when Keith had objected so violently to moving. But Shiro was on his last dollar and the day he got the letter was a miracle. He wouldn’t have left if he didn’t have to, but bills were striking him left and right. He had to take a break from college, realizing studying, going to work, caring for his younger brother AND being disabled was hard. He looked at his left arm, pursing his lips together.
He thought the house was a way to get Keith out and about, maybe even be normal. He’d be less stressed, and Shirio could find an easier job and maybe they could live as normal as possible.
It was like a fresh start for the both of them.
With a relieved, content sigh, Shiro drove a few miles quicker along the dirt path of the country, smiling like he won the lottery.
__________
Keith jumped when he heard the car honk, eyes looking around quickly before landing on Shiro. He narrowed his eyes, grimacing, and Shiro laughed.
“C’mon, we’re here.”
Keith raised an eyebrow as Shiro opened the car door and got out. Keith frowned, following his lead. When he stepped, out and looked around...
He was in awe.
The House was two stories, traditional and straight from a movie. The steps were red, leading up to the porch. The front door was a bright red, full sized with a golden knob. Along the sides were shoji, sliding doors wooden and white. The outside corridor, the engawa, wrapped around the house, making a veranda. The house was made of wood and the first floor was large and wide.there was a bathhouse connected to the large house, made of a darker colored wood. The roof was red, and connected to the second floor, which was a bit smaller than the first. There were two white balconies and an extra small window in the roof. The surrounding area was just trees and grass. They had a whole patch of land, and there was a well not too far from the house.
“It’s traditional outside, but really modern inside. Looks like he was trying to sell it and fixed it up before handing it over.” Shiro told him. “Or he fixed it for us.”
“This is ours..?” Keith asked, looking up at Shiro, who grinned and nodded.
“There’s a beach a small walk away, secluded and ours, too. We’re on the edge of it all.” Keith fought his smile, and Shiro placed two hands on his shoulders, leading him up the stairs and inside. He opened the door with his keys, and pushed it inward, gesturing for Keith to go in first.
“Take a look.”
Keith cautiously stepped in. There was a space to take off your shoes, and a step to enter the house. He stepped up, and looked around. The floor was a dark, wooden color and Shiro flicked on the light. Keith looked up, seeing the hanging light that was shaped like a flower and made of stained glass. He continued on, seeing the shiny kitchen, the largest living room and the dining room, where the window in the middle was made of a large glass window with curtains pulled to the sides. He found where the washing machines were. There was a door, where the small bathhouse was, with blue stoned tiled floors and a drain at the bottom with two large, stone tubs that connected to the walls.
He went upstairs, ignoring the ache in his ankles he felt with each step, and held onto the wooden railing tightly. He smiled a bit, seeing more rooms. It was so big. He saw the bathroom, which had two light switches, the three bedrooms, the closets, and the attic that was hidden by an invisible string. He tried to pull it down, but it wouldn’t budge.
He made it back downstairs, Shiro standing there with his arms folded and a smirk on his face. Keith hid his pink cheek with a cough, rolling his eyes. “It’s decent.” He said, walking out the red doors. He went to the car, and started taking his things out. “There’s no turning back now...right?”
They unloaded the black car, putting everything on the step leading in, and Shiro parked the car on a stony pathway. They cleaned and mopped, sweeping and scrubbing away grime and hidden dirt. They covered their mouths with face masks and their hands with gloves. They cracked jokes about being fake doctors, and wiped away the past of the house.
When everything was clean, sparkling and glittering in the sun rays, they began to unpack.
“Is everything else here already?” Keith asked. Shiro nodded, lifting a box that ready kitchen supplies.
“Yeah. Help me set up the kitchen?”
They walked in, and pulled out the things they carried from the box. They didn’t have much, not even close to the amount of things a full house would have, but it was a start. They had everything they needed for now.
“I never met grandpa...have you?” Keith asked, climbing on the chair and putting the cooking supplies on the hanging rack near the sink.
Shiro hummed, placing the plates in the sink. “Yeah. I don’t think you’ll remember him, but he came around alot.”
“What was he like?”
“Mean and grumpy, but nice. He always brought gifts and candy, but he hated dad, said he was too American.” Shiro chuckled.
Keith nodded, laughing as he placing a plant near the kitchen window. It was wide and made the sunlight look brighter than before. Perfect place for the plants. He walked to the delicate box, and took some more out.
Shiro smiled, watching as he placed them on the windowsill, trying to decide where which one would go. Well, he felt less bad...at least Keith wasn’t too hellbent on going back to the city. Even if he was, Shiro wasn’t doing that six hour drive again.
They placed food in the fridge, Shiro humming when he realized they didn’t have much. “We need to go food shopping.” He said, placing a hand on his chin. He turned around from the fridge. “Make a list.” Keith pulled out his phone. “Water-“
“We have a well.”
“Keith. It’s 2018. We are not using the well.” Shiro gave him a blank look.
“Or the sink.” Keith snorted. “Someone’s being too modern.”
“Someone’s being to old. Pipe water is unfiltered.” Shiro told him. “We can go tomorrow… What’s next?”
They split up work, Keith yawning as he matched the shoes together and leaned them up neatly at the door, placing the sweaters and hats on the coat rack. Shiro put things away in the closet, towels, brooms, and they emptied the boxes, one by one. They had a small break, sipping on cup noodles before going back to work.
The only thing left was the stuff for their rooms.
“There’s an extra room.” Keith told him.
“Yeah, I know...but we can figure out what to do with it later. For now, pick a room.”
Keith nodded, picking up a box and slowly heading upstairs.
There was the room in the corner of the far left by a window and a closet. He walked down towards it, and opened the doors.
It was spacious, an empty bed in the middle, sliding glass doors that led to the balcony. He opened the doors and walked out, the wind blowing past him. The view was lovely. There were trees and he could see the ocean twinkling under the sun. He smiled, and headed back in, leaving the door open. He placed the rest of his plants on the floor of the balcony, directly in the sunlight. Shiro brought him a lot, and he liked having them around. Above the bed was a window, and on the ceiling, there were white, bedroom lights. He raised an eyebrow, wondering who put them there. The walls were wooden, shiny and smooth, like the floors. The desk was connected to the wall, the chair cushiony and wooden. Across from that was his drawer, a long, mahogany one with six drawers.
He got to work, taking out his clothes and blankets. He went back downstairs for his other boxes, Shiro helping him out with the rest. A little over an hour later, the boxes were empty and his room looked...well, nice.
His bed had a knitted blanket on top, patches of different colors and designs on each square. His mother had made it for him, knitting it everyday and night. The pillows were a light red color, almost faded. There was a hippo stuffed animal near the pillows, and he laughed, picking it up. The ear was stitched and the left eye was missing, but it was still soft and smelled of candy.
He yawned, body ready to give in. They had traveled from dawn and it was now the late afternoon, almost touching the evening. They had worked all day, and were done for now.
There was a knock on the door, and Shiro peeked in, smiling when he saw the room. “Nice...mine looks better though.” Keith rolled his eyes, shoulders slumping as Shiro walked in. “I think we have enough to make Omurice for dinner.”
“We’ve had that everyday.” Keith frowned, looking up at him.
“We can have something better tomorrow.“ Shiro promised, and they headed downstairs.
Keith sat at the kitchen table, watching as Shiro prepared dinner. He swung his feet, mechanical pencil in hand as he drew in his sketchbook. He was doodling mostly, sketching out whatever came to mind. Nothing solid, but nothing bad either. The music from Shiro’s phone played, Shiro singing along softly as he held the spatula. Keith sketched him out, laughing to himself when he gave Shiro a big head.
Keith sighed, the silence of the house becoming even more deafening. It wasn’t the rush of the train, it wasn’t a plane flying past. It was dark outside, and there were no city lights or the company of people above and below him.
“What’s wrong?” Shiro asked. Keith looked up, snapping out of it.
“Nothing. Just tired.” It wasn’t a lie, he was on the verge of falling asleep right on the table. He could say he wanted to go home. But Shiro was trying his best and Keith didn’t want to be...well, a dick. “Are you done cooking?” Shiro nodded, taking two plates.
They sat across from one another, cracking jokes and eating. It wasn’t the same but, it was good. And good isn’t bad, right?
Shiro let Keith shower first, cleaning up the dishes. When they were both finished, they sat in Shiro’s room, which was covered in a few space posters. It was clean, everything black, white and grey. Shiro was on his phone, looking up things for the house.
“What if the house is haunted?” Keith asked, laying on the bed. “Or grandpa did in it and he’s haunting the house? Or there’s an evil spirit?”
Shiro snorted, turning his head. “I thought teenagers weren’t afraid of anything but pimples and were full of angst. Awww, do you wanna sleep with me tonight?” Shiro batted his eyelashes.
Keith frowned. “Goodnight, dickhead.” he got off the bed.
Shiro laughed. “I’m joking!”
Keith gave him a sarcastic smile before putting up the middle finger, Shiro continuing to laugh as he walked down the hall.
He made it to his room, shutting the door and turning off the lights.
Bad move.
The room was completely dark. He walked over to the bed, plopping down on it. He couldn’t see his hand, and the moon was covered by clouds. With a sigh, he let sleep wash over him, closing his eyes.
__________
When Keith opened his eyes, he was underwater.
He was breathing so easily, light and free. Bubbles danced around him as he turned his head, the sun casting a light on the water. Above him, the water went from ocean blue to a night sky. Lights twinkled above him, and he saw hundreds and hundreds of stars. He looked down, an orange and pink sky below him, as if the sun were setting. Rays of sunlight poured in from beneath him, and he felt warm and cool at the same time.
A hand took his, and he looked up to see tan skin. The hand had blue freckles, and Keith wanted to laugh when he found the arm was connected to someone. It was like his brain stopped working and things he’s already known were new to him. The person had tan skin and blue eyes that glowed softly in the water. He wasn’t too happy, a slight frown on his face. He held Keith’s hand tighter, and Keith stared into his eyes.
The boy spoke, but no words came out that Keith could understand. The boy seemed frustrated, and Keith squinted his eyes before-
And then the bubbles grew more and more, his view of the water boy vanishing along with them.
Keith called his name, over and over but he couldn’t hear himself and he was sure the other couldn’t hear him either.
__________
Keith woke up with a start, almost falling off the bed. He looked around frantically as he caught his breath, holding his chest. He leaned against his bed, sitting on the floor.
Oddly enough, it felt easier to breathe.
Something moved, knocking over the lamp. He looked up,, glowing blue eyes staring at him. He froze, making out what looked like a body. It stood tall, and started walking towards him. Keith froze, waiting for instantaneous death. He closed his eyes tight.
But nothing happened.
When he opened his violet eyes, no one was there.
“...knew this fucking place was haunted.”