Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Family is supposed to be a safe haven. Very often, it's the place where we find the deepest heartache."

-Iyanla Vanzant

Two people sat in relative silence in a cozy kitchen, one man and one woman. Violet eyes stared into sapphire orbs, the latter shining with pleading and hope. “So you want me to... foster a kid? Allura, are you serious?” The voice belonged to the male who had deep black hair and violet eyes, his lips twisting in an uncertain expression on his face. He had never really gotten along with children before. Even when he was a child himself, so he had little idea on how to handle one. The only reason he was even on this fostering list was because Allura and Shiro had begged him to sign up saying it would be a good thing for him. Now it was actually happening and Keith could not be inclined to agree.

He had classes to teach and lecture on! He had a martial arts studio to work in! He had his relatively small two bedroom home! How was he going to watch over a six year old?! He was a professor for the local college, teaching about mechanical engineering and sometimes even sharing conspiracy theories with his students. How would he balance all that with having a child running around for the next week or two?!
He was only twenty-five years old! He hadn’t quite thought about actually having to foster a child before. He honestly only signed up to get Shiro and Allura off his back.

Allura, the woman seated across from the man, rolled her jewel-like eyes and crossed her arms. “Come on, Keith,” she sighed and looked to him pleadingly, her eyes even growing watery with the threat of tears. “It’s only for a week and we don’t have anywhere else to place her at the moment! Every other place I called within a ten mile radius is already overcrowded and I don’t want to send her to a group home.” The begging tone wasn’t lost on the man, Keith, as she clasped her dainty hands together. Keith paused and thought about his own experiences in various group homes and he knew none in the area were as good as the last one he had been in. Noticing his thoughtful state, Allura went in for the kill.

“She has nowhere else to go. No other living relatives that we could find. She’d only be in your care for a week. Two weeks maximum.” She offered up as she tilted her head and played with the papers in her hand. The dark skinned woman smiled when Keith gave a resigned sigh and reached for the papers.

Katie quietly sat in her living room, watching her mother with caution as she was lectured for ‘mouthing off’ at one of her teachers. It was not her fault! He had been spreading misinformation about the existence of leprechauns sitting at the ends of rainbows and Katie was smart enough to know leprechauns didn’t exist! That, however, did not stop her teacher from calling her mother who had told him that she would deal with Katie when she got home. Even the idea of what those words could entail that day caused tears to spring up in Katie’s eyes. Then the bell had rung and it was off to her next class. Mr. Jones was a good teacher and the brunette liked the classes he taught, even if he was a goofy person.

He was caring and even let her read her books when she finished her work. She had wiped her tears away with her overly large sweater sleeve and walked into Mr. Jones’s classroom before her sleeve slid up, showing the bruises that circled around her tiny arms. She pulled her sleeve back down and the rest of that day had gone normally, though she noticed Mr. Jones’s odd and slightly horrified looks. She had a small inkling that he might know what was going on at home, but Katie knew adults weren’t to be trusted. Even the nice ones. Then she was sent home to her angry mother.

That landed Katie to where she was currently sitting. “-I never raised you to be like this, Katie! You hear me?! I should have never given birth to you!” Her mother shrieked, lunging forward and harshly grasping her daughter’s arms. Katie did not dare make a sound. She knew that if she did, she would be in even more trouble than she was now. “Do I need to make myself clearer?!” Katie could detect the scent of alcohol on her mother’s breath and frantically shook her head, tears pooling in terror filled eyes. Though scared, Katie knew this was normal and stayed quiet as her mother screamed and shook her. That was the only way to get out of this situation without frozen water, broken glass, or more bruises. Or worse, all three.

Though, as soon as her mother pulled her to her feet, a knock sounded on the door and the tiny girl barely even felt her right shoulder dislocate. Katie gawked in the direction of the door. Everyone knew to stay away from the house. Especially on Fridays or Saturdays. Colleen Holt didn’t do visitors often and since she was not in her room, Katie knew this guest was uninvited. Her mother stood up to her full height and pointed in the direction of Katie’s room before going to answer the door. The six year old quickly scrambled towards the back of the house, but didn’t go to her room. Curiosity, as it was, caused her to hide behind the wall of the hallway and peek out to see who was at the door. Her mother took a deep breath and glanced back at the hallway, not noticing as Katie ducked back to stay hidden from sight. The young girl barely realized she was shaking at that point.

Colleen opened the door with a sweet smile on her face, mask already in place. The mother she once knew was back. The mother who bandaged any scrapes Katie or Matt used to get. The one who handmade almost every meal they ate. The kind one. Katie allowed her mind to wander to her father and brother for a split second before her mother’s enraged shouts snapped her out of her thoughts.

Her mom’s eyes were filled with rage as two police officers walked into her home. “You have no right! None at all! You don’t have any proof of those stupid accusations!” Her mother shrieked and Katie quickly ran to her room and shut the door, pressing herself against the door. She was scared and Katie did the only thing she knew to do when she was scared like this. She hid in her closet. Not a moment later, she heard the voices of the strangers coming into her room.

“Maybe she’s in here?” A kind voice asked and a couple of softly spoken words that Katie couldn’t hear was the only response he got in return. Katie pushed herself further back into her closet, grabbing another of Matt’s old sweaters and clinging tightly to it. Matt had always been her comfort zone. Her safe haven. And he was gone. The door to her closet suddenly opened and Katie could only stare up in dismay at the tall man towering over her. She let out a small whimper and tried to curl in on herself a little more, peering from under her bangs to look at the man in the police uniform.

His hair was as black as oil save for a bright white forelock of hair and a scar stretched across the bridge of his nose. Dark eyes looked at her with pity and pity was one thing Katie could not stand. He kneeled down to her height and extended a hand, which she shied away from. Noticing the evident panic in her body language, he retracted the hand. “My name is officer Shirogane, but my friends call me Shiro. Are you Katie Holt?” He asked in such a gentle tone that Katie was instantly reminded of her dad. She lifted her head slowly and, upon noticing the soft light of his eyes and how he was keeping to her personal space, she gave a nearly imperceptible nod. Her dad had taught her not to lie and she couldn’t help the tiny tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes.

He blinked and then gave a warm smile that caused her whole body to relax for a moment. He seemed like a nice adult. Not like her mother, no. This man seemed kind and willing to help. Her eyes darted around and spotted the source of the other voice. A tall man with glasses, sandy blond hair, and a serene, comforting face. Katie immediately curled up again and hid her face from the other officer. Shiro must have made a motion for him to say something and the little girl heard him shift back towards her after listening to the retreating footsteps.

“Hey, I’m here to get you out of here, okay? Your mommy’s being investigated for something bad and I need you to come with me so we can do that, okay?” He spoke softly and extended a hand slowly once Katie looked back up at him. ‘Mommy’ was not a word Katie used and it sounded unfamiliar to her. She glanced to his hand and then back to his face which held a solemn yet still kind look. With much hesitation on her part, Katie took it. He soon called the other officer in, causing the six year old to hide herself behind him. He quietly ordered him to grab some of her things and then began leading Katie out of the room.

Katie wasn’t stupid. She knew they were taking her away until her mom could weasel her way out of whatever trouble she was in. Even still, she had to grab something. She pulled back against officer Shirogane’s hand and he stopped, looking down at her. She quickly pointed to a framed photo of her mom, dad, brother, and her sitting on the rather sparse nightstand. Understanding quickly filled his face and he walked her back over to grab it and Katie also opened the drawer to pull out the pills she had been hiding from her mother. She held the little plastic baggie in her tiny hand and moved to grab something else when the kind officer knelt down to her level.

She felt her muscles tense as he gently grabbed the plastic baggie from her hand. He inspected it and blinked. Katie knew she was in trouble when he didn’t say anything. She used this extra confusion to grab the baby blanket her father had given her when she was younger. She gently and nervously began wrapping the picture up in the little blanket before the officer gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Even that light action caused a glaring pain to erupt there and she squirmed to get out of it, a small cry escaping her throat. He immediately released her and, once again, knelt down to her level. She pulled her hand to her face and began chewing on her thumbnail quietly when he began speaking.

His eyes were kind and his tone was firm. Just like her daddy’s. “Where did you get these? I promise you’re not in trouble, but I need to know how you got these and if you know what they are.” He said and Katie shifted in her spot. Her mother always said that. That she wouldn’t be in trouble if she just told her what she did wrong. The little girl began to tremble like an earthquake and she looked away. Officer Shiro was a police officer and she knew she had to tell the truth.

She tried to quell the quick beat of her heart and blinked back tears as she stared at the ground. She wouldn’t cry. No. Not at something like this when her mother could-would- do so much worse. This was almost as scary as her mother and yet the officer was kind and waited patiently for Katie to answer him. She swiped at her eyes and ignored how her lips wobbled as she opened her mouth. “I stole them from momma so she wouldn’t get meaner,” She said, biting her lower lip before her head shot back up to look at Shiro. “I promise I won’t do it again! I’m sorry!” The words spilled from her lips like vomit and the man nodded before he turned to his friend who had taken the bag quietly, his hazel eyes flashing in pity as he wrote something down.

Probably something against her mother. She wouldn’t be surprised. Katie always saw the officers in the front yard doing that when her mother was in deeper trouble. Like one of her DUI’s. The little girl looked up at the officer and blinked. He blinked back. It was as if he didn’t know what to say. Katie looked around at her bedroom with it’s blank white walls and it’s minimal amount of anything. She had never quite been a needy child and usually only needed her clothes and maybe something to tinker with when she helped her brother. She faintly remembered her mother promising to paint the room a few days before her brother and Father died.

Pulling herself from that train of thought, she looked at Shiro. He gave a smile back and gently lifted her into his arms, making sure she sat comfortably on his hip, mindful of the picture wrapped in her blanket. “Come on. It’s time to go.” He spoke in that gentle, pitying tone that Katie couldn’t stand. The one that even suggested she couldn’t take care of herself or her mother. She briefly wondered when she would be back as she was taken out into the brisk mid-autumn weather.

Keith waited anxiously inside his home, walking up the stairs to make sure the guest bed was absolutely perfect before rushing about to wash any laundry he found on the floor of his own room. In other words, Keith Kogane was a live wire of fidgety nerves and twitching fingers. He still didn’t understand how to care for a child. Even after he spent hours of his time the previous night reading every piece of information on it that he could find from the Internet. He had even found a forum for foster parents and he had, for only a moment, considered joining it. These people had more experience in what he was about to do, right? He decided against joining, figuring that Allura might be able to help him with the issue at hand.

He blinked and his mind flitted towards the child he was going to foster. Katie Holt. The current source of his unending anxiety and dread. She was six years old, very small from the glance Keith had taken at her file, incredibly smart, with light brown hair and golden eyes. He didn’t get to see much on her personality before he started nervously cleaning the house and staking out the front window to check when the child would arrive.

All this was caused by one phone call from Allura. A simple phone call a day after their meeting. Katie was to be placed in his care immediately if not sooner. Keith paused in his workings when he heard a car pull up in his gravel driveway, putting the laundry down to peek around the curtains of his front window. There was Allura’s car. Hiding his nervousness was no easy feat as he shifted his weight from foot to foot, waiting for the knock on his door.

Even though he was expecting it, the knock startled him into a little jump and he took a deep breath. “Coming!” He answered and then opened the door. There, on his front steps, sat Allura and a tiny girl. She looked more like a toddler than a six year old, but he figured he wouldn’t really know. The girl had a small bag over her shoulder and something wrapped up in her hands, head down. Allura gave a small smile and crouched down to get to Katie better. Or at least, Keith could guess that was Katie. She hadn’t introduced herself yet, but he logically knew that she was the child he was fostering.

Keith quietly watched Allura, hoping to get some tips on handling a child from the little interaction. “Katie,” Allura spoke and reached out a hand to put on the girl’s shoulder. Katie, much to his surprise, pulled herself away even before the older woman could touch her and her eyes screwed shut. Allura’s movements faltered and she let out a smile anyways. “This is Keith Kogane. You’ll be staying with him for awhile. Don’t you want to say hello?” Allura’s tone was gentle, but Keith could see the way that little girl’s body was tensed up like a coiled spring, ready for fight or flight at any moment.

Out of all the words that could have come from the little girl’s mouth, Keith did not expect the ones that did. “When can I go back home?” Keith felt a little part of his heart burn at the innocent question, reminded of his own days like that. Allura’s face pinched up in thought and Keith instantaneously knew that she wouldn’t ever be going back there. That was not a guess. That was a fact. Keith, instead of lying to her, knelt down and looked at the little girl.

“That depends,” He began slowly. “On whether the police need to arrest your parents or not.” The girl, much to Keith’s shock, only nodded and shrugged. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but had decided against it at the last minute. Allura gave him a weak smile as Keith stood and motioned for them both to come in. Allura tried to place her hand on Katie to help guide her to the kitchen, where they would talk about the arrangement, but the little girl sidestepped the physical contact and stayed a good distance away from Allura as she watched Keith to figure out where to go. Keith knew that Katie didn’t want to listen in on this. They were making her uncomfortable. He quickly and deftly managed to get her bag away from her, quietly noting the panic in her eyes, and motioned up the stairs.

He noticed he girl’s wary gaze as she turned her head and held the little wrapped square tighter in her arms. “I’d bet you’re tired. Maybe you want to get settled in.” He said cautiously and then, noticing the bright flash of relief on her little face, Keith knew he did something right. Without touching her, Keith walked up the stairs behind her and escorted her to the guest room. He barely noticed Allura following them as he opened the door, revealing his guest bedroom. The bed wasn’t too terribly far off the ground, but he knew he’d better invest in a few step stools. He paused at the thought. She would only be staying for a week or two. He knew he would be doing a lot of planning for this kid once she was settled in the room.

He could tell that Katie was grateful for the lack of over coddling she had no doubt been given when Shiro got her out of there and handed to Allura. The pitying looks and whispers that others probably didn’t thinks he could hear. Katie would probably be thankful for the silence. He quietly set her things on the bed and then pulled away. “We’ll leave you to settle in.” He said simply and walked out, motioning for Allura to do the same as the door quietly closed.

He ignored Allura’s stare and walked back down the stairs and heading to plop down in one of his kitchen chairs. He and Allura could discuss what was going to happen now that he knew Katie was more comfortable. He stopped for a moment to think about it. Images of what could have possibly happened to the child to make her so afraid danced across his vision and he pondered why he was so intent on making that tiny girl comfortable.

The two made themselves comfortable at Keith’s kitchen table once more. The air surrounding them was thick with tension and Allura was the first to break it. “She won’t be going back to her mother. At least not for a couple weeks. She refuses to talk with Shiro or myself, so we have no idea what really happens in that house.” She murmured, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. She looked exhausted, her earthen skin flushed as she heaved a sigh. Though the information that the child wouldn’t talk to even Shiro shocked Keith. Most young people worshiped Takashi Shirogane! If he couldn’t get through to Katie, how was Keith?!

Ambient quiet hung in the air, the only sounds being the crickets chirping in the backyard and the low hum of the dishwasher working it’s magic. Keith broke the near silence with a sharp sigh. He knew it was only for two weeks. He could handle a child for two weeks. ‘What could possibly go wrong?’ Keith asked himself quietly. ‘Who knows. Maybe you’ll even come to like the pitter patter of little footsteps.’ He shook his head as if to dislodge that very thought from his mind. He knew he couldn’t get too attached. Allura stood up soon after and ran a hand through the little flyaways poking up from her neatly done hair. She gave a quiet goodbye and a promise to check in soon and bring his brother with her.

Keith only found himself trying to keep up as Allura explained that she had already gotten Katie the winning dinner that was a McDonald’s happy meal and that she probably needed a few toiletries and lunch money. “I’ve already had her enrolled in her new school. Here’s her class schedule and a list of things you’ll probably need to do and sign as her guardian.” Allura babbled and Keith could only nod as she was talking a mile a minute. Soon a rushed, goodbye was uttered and Keith was left in a dumbfounded silence in his own kitchen. Checking the the stove timer, he noticed it was past ten o’clock in the evening and he yawned and stretched.

To be fair, the child hadn’t shown up until 8:45 anyways. Keith plodded up the stairs, turning off lights as he went. The papers crinkled a little with his grip and the minute amount of sweat on his hands. For a moment he forgot he had a child in his house until he heard her muffled voice through the door of his guest room. "I got taken away from momma today, Matt. I know I'll be back soon though. She always gets out of trouble. She's gonna pick me up from here tomorrow and take me back home. Then she'll scoop me up and let me finish your project." The voice sounded exhausted and soon a little yawn could be heard.

Keith felt mildly crushed for Katie as he heard the hope in her voice. He firmly knocked on the door twice before calling out the brunettes name. A few moments passed before he opened the door and peered in. His eyes softened at the sight in front of him. The memory foam mattress and the fluffy duvet completely swallowed the tiny frame in the bed. "I just wanted to say goodnight and see if you were settling in alright." He spoke lamely, finding himself shifting uncomfortably. The girl nodded and offered him a weak, apathetic smile. Not knowing what else to do, Keith silently walked over the wall and turned the nightlight on, noting tentative eyes boring into his back and watching his every move.

After an awkward wave, Keith shut the door and scurried to his room. How in the world could a six year old intimidate him so?! He quickly answered his own question by recalling the dull, haunted shadows in her eyes and the bags beneath them. The child he had in his guest room had the look of a fighter. A soldier. Something had killed the innocence that was supposed to be there. Keith tried to distract himself with signing paperwork and making checklists of things that Katie would need for school, but the look in her eyes made his hand shaky. Keith finally finished signing school and legal forms, placed the papers in a folder marked 'Katie', and placed them in his bag. Keith sighed as he slammed his frame onto the bed, burying his face into his pillows.

He quietly wondered if that was how he looked when he was young, remembering the anger and hatred he had felt back then. All the emotions he pushed deep down. He shook his head before undressing himself and rolling properly into bed. He could wonder all he liked, but he would never know unless he went back and asked. The silence was comforting in this instance, giving a slight ringing sound that Keith found comfort in before he felt his consciousness fade into sleep.

Chapter Text

”The problem was she wanted to be loved so badly, she couldn’t tell it wasn’t love.”

- Leo Christopher

Keith was woken by a quiet knock to his door. A small groan escaped his lips as he cracked his eyes open. What the hell was doing that? That knocking thing. That irritating sound. “Mr. Kogane?” A small voice asked softly. Oh Right. That’s what was knocking on his door. A yawn escaped his lips as he sat up. “I... I have to get to school...” he heard Katie trail off. The words didn’t even register to him until a good half minute later. School! He had to get Katie to her new school today! The clock by his bedside showed the time to be 6:30. Almost enough time to get Katie and himself ready and eat breakfast. He quickly pulled on his clothes, making sure he looked presentable for his own students, before he yanked the door open.

Wide golden eyes stared up at him with such determination that Keith had to suppress his shock. The little girl held onto a small T-shirt and a pair of jeans silently. Keith, for a moment, wondered if he was supposed to help her get dressed before she started shakily plodding back towards what was now her room. Keith shrugged and headed towards the bathroom, stretching on his way to clean his teeth. Quietly, he pondered what kind of child Katie really was. He knew she was terrified and he couldn’t blame her at all. From her view, it was a strange, possibly hostile environment. Even worse, a strange, possibly hostile environment with a practical stranger just two doors down.

He finished brushing his teeth and managed to wash his face before realizing he had forgotten his hairbrush in his room. Keith sighed and opened the door to go and get to when a small noise made every nerve in his body stand on end and his muscles tense up. The sound happened to be the muffled whimper of a child in pain. He froze in place as his ears registered that heart wrenching sound. A sound that was testing every protective, parental instinct he didn’t even realize he had. A sound that made remember his own childhood for just a split second and an instinct that he tried to push down.

As soon as he heard another of those small, agonized cries, something inside Keith pulled hard and he lost the battle. Keith ran towards Katie’s room, flung the door open, and froze at the sight in front of him. His heart slammed loudly against his rib cage and he tried to keep calm as he processed the sight. Hand shaped bruises littered up and down her arms and her shoulder, beneath the bruising, was an angry, swollen red. Ugly marks and even some grotesque looking scars littered her positively malnourished looking frame. Keith knew the signs of abuse when he saw them. He saw them in a lot of the kids that came into the foster homes he was placed in before he turned eighteen.

Keith, in an instant, knew Katie would never be going back to her mother. He would have to tell Allura about this and Katie would be in a state home for the rest of her childhood and adolescence. The aforementioned child stared up at him, her eyes clearly betraying the alarm she was feeling at being caught like this. The child, on the other hand, looked like a deer in headlights. Her eyes were wide, cheeks flushed, and her whole body was tensed up in the flight reaction of ‘fight or flight’ instincts. Keith quickly and gently dropped to her height and put on a brave face for her. Anything to show he wasn’t going to hurt her or get angry. He slowly brought his hands to the surrendering position and put a small smile on his face.

Keith’s mind was, unfortunately, blank. He had no idea what to say or do to make this child less afraid. “Hey, Katie,” He blurted out. “Would you mind if I helped you get dressed? I don’t want you to hurt yourself any worse.” The girl, to her credit, didn’t look scared anymore. The look on her face looked rather wary instead, though she was looking anywhere but his eyes. The dark haired man made a quick mental note to take her to school after heading to the ER. Katie shrugged nervously as she gingerly held out the shirt for Keith to slip on. Keith tried not to seem too upset by the injuries the five year old was sporting. He hadn’t seen a case of abuse this bad since a young boy who was only in the system for two month before he vanished.

"It's not what you think! I'm just being bad and momma's trying to make me better!" Katie shouted suddenly and Keith frowned before deciding to allow her yelling for the time being. She didn't even sound like she believed her own words. It broke the mans heart to hear excuses coming from a child for such a monster. Yes. That would fit Katie's ‘momma’ perfectly. No self respecting parent should ever beat their child no matter the circumstances. Her eyes looked haunted and tired. Keith felt something stir inside his soul. Empathy. He remembered being in her shoes, but not quite in the same way.

Keith would have bet his bottom dollar that she was scarred and tired. Tired of looking over her shoulders, tired of coming up with excuse after excuse for her 'momma'. Tired of having to wake up not knowing whether or not she would be fed. Tired of expecting a beating for practically nothing and thinking that to be normal. The raven haired man knew she was tired because, in her shoes, many years ago, so was he.

Katie looked at Keith, a defensive light giving some semblance of life in those wide, whiskey colored eyes. Keith only smiled a little bit, suppressing his rage for the woman who beat her daughter. He stood after making sure the child was properly dressed and ready to go. A t-shirt with some giant robot logo on it, a pair of ratty looking jeans, and some seriously messed up sneakers were in her hands. Keith made another mental note to take the child to get some better clothes. Well, at least some better shoes. The white Vans that she was supposed to wear were falling apart at the seams. Much how Keith imagined Katie to be feeling at the moment.

It didn’t take long to have Katie looked at and checked out of the hospital. Luckily, it was an easy fix with sedation of the muscles around the shoulder and gentle persuasion from the doctor. Still, Katie’s arm sat in a splint. A fact that Katie herself was none too happy with. Keith didn’t care as long as it would get better. He had called Allura and informed her of the emergency room visit and of Katie’s outburst. The glee in Allura’s voice once he said that made Keith’s spine tingle just a little. Well, the police could legally charge Katie’s mother with child abuse and neglect if Keith could convince the little girl to tell the police what she had blurted out to him. Maybe even if he could snap a picture of her arm in a splint and any other injuries that she could have possibly sustained while with her mother. Though the case would be closed just by glancing at the intentional scarring that littered the child’s body.

The elementary school quickly showed up through the windshield of Keith’s truck, a white 2006 GMC Canyon. He paused for a moment, wondering if he should trade this truck in for another so it would be easier for Katie to get in and out. He shook his head. She would only be in his care for a week. Two at the maximum. He shouldn’t care too much, though he found that he did. He checked the time and sighed, noting he was going to be twenty minutes late for his lecture and two hours late for Katie to get to school.

Keith stopped the truck and put it in park in front of the school, a nice, clean looking building with a flag pole standing proud in front. With a sigh, Keith went around and opened the passenger side door so that Katie could get out. The little girl climbed down using the little step just under the door and played nervously with the end of her T-shirt, eyes downcast and expression sullen. Keith felt his heart clench in sympathy of her nervousness. He understood what it felt like to be the new kid just showing up in the middle of the school year. It sucked and it was hard when you didn’t know anyone.

He took two steps forward, motioning for Katie to follow. Follow she did, though her shoes dragged on the pavement and he heard a near imperceptible sigh emanating from the child. “Come on. Aren’t you excited to meet your new classmates and your teachers?” He questioned and noticed the tiny shrug that she gave in response. Keith sighed silently. She wasn’t very trusting, but that was something Keith could understand. Especially with her home life.

Getting her checked in was easy enough, but Keith found that dropping her off was the hard part. He felt particularly attached to the child already and didn’t really want her to leave his sight, but he knew he had to let her get an education. Besides, he told himself, she looked like she could come to somewhat enjoy school. With those giant, circular glasses perched on her nose and the way she gripped tightly to the frayed strap of the book bag he was carrying to ensure she didn’t get lost. He found the classroom easily enough. Mr. McLain would be her teacher this year. Keith knocked on the door gently and opened it, peering in apprehensively as twenty or so children stared up at him from their desks.

Keith forgot how to breathe the moment he saw who would be teaching Katie. Caramel skin and earthy brown hair with gorgeous oceanic eyes, alight with happiness and eagerness. He looked familiar in a way, but the violet eyed man couldn’t place it. He cleared his throat. “Ahh.. this is classroom 246, right? Mr. McLain?” He asked, some of the children giggling at the question. Keith opened the door fully and he watched the teacher look down at Katie, eyes flashing for a moment before they went normal again.

The gorgeous teacher quickly made a call and a man came walking down the hall a moment later. The older, ginger man smiled at Keith and Katie before quietly talking to Mr. McLain. The young teacher quickly came to the door and kneeled in front of Katie and smiled a blindingly white smile. “Hey! What your name? I love your T-shirt!” He spoke, tone dripping with enthusiasm. Katie simply glared at him, quickly backing up behind Keith, keeping her eyes to the ground.

“Her name is Katie.” Keith said quietly and quickly noted the sharp look in the teachers eyes. The handsome teacher who looked to be about his age. Murmuring something Keith couldn’t catch, the teacher pointed to an empty desk and motioned for Katie to take a seat. Keith silently handed Katie her rolling back pack, making sure she gripped it with her good arm. He watched her sit down and then the door closed. Face to face with the cute teacher, the pale skinned man blinked before the other man opened his mouth.

Blue eyes flashed and arms were crossed- damn, did this man look good in a button up shirt- as the man cocked his hip to the side. “Hitting little girls is cowardly, I hope you know.” He stated. Keith froze, practically hearing the cliché record scratch in his ears. ‘What? Does he think I did that?’ He thought, his eyes wide in shock. Though, the teacher really didn’t give him a moment to respond. “It’s cowardly and against the law, so you better have a damn good explanation as to why your child is in that condition if you don’t want me calling the authorities right now!” He exclaimed and Keith suddenly found that he didn’t enjoy the superior tone that the man was using.

“Look,” He began, looking for any sign of this man’s first name and spotting ‘Lance McLain’s Class’ in bubble letters on a giant bulletin board just behind the man. “Lance! Katie only recently came into my care! I’m currently fostering her, but you’d know that if you even bothered to read her file!” Keith snapped, eyes flashing dangerously, slapping the paperwork into Lance’s chest with more force than necessary. Keith stomped his way out of the school angrily, pushing his hair from his face before climbing into his truck and taking off.

After that hiccup, the rest of the day ran quite smoothly. He lectured his students and conversed with them, answering questions as to why he was late and listening to logical conspiracy theories that his students researched over their weekend. The lesson was a very simple one and he asked each of his students individually how their quarterly projects were going, giving a couple of extensions and nodding in approval at most, chiding others. By the time Keith found himself finished for the day, he realized that he was going to be a few minutes late in picking Katie up.

Keith sighed and quickly made his way to his truck, turning up the heat as he noted it was chilly outside. He had Katie’s jacket in his truck, the dark green fabric feeling rough against his fingers. As he drove, Keith allowed his mind to wander. He wondered if Katie would ever get used to him. Probably not. She didn’t seem like the very trusting type. Keith heaved a breath through his nose as he steeled his resolve. He vowed to himself not to get too attached to the young girl.

He knew he couldn’t get too terribly attached to her. She would be gone soon... His chest tightened at the mere thought. Having the child there made it seem much less empty in the small, two bedroom home. It wasn’t much, but Keith felt better when he focused on someone else rather than himself. Maybe having Katie around would be beneficial to the both of them. He shook his head. He couldn’t risk hurting her if he got into one of his fits. ‘Though, you haven’t one in almost a year.’ The little voice in his head told him, almost smugly.

Sooner than he had realized, the brunet had made it back to the school and made it to the front office, holding Katie’s dark green jacket in his hands. Keith didn’t exactly feel like facing her rude teacher after the confrontation that morning and shifted uneasily from foot to foot. Relief flooded his system as he saw the familiar light brown hair of his charge, though his relief quickly dampened a bit once he saw Lance. He gave Katie a barely there smile and, much to his excitement, she gave him a tiny one back.

In that moment, Keith felt higher than he ever could have imagined. That smile, however small and for whatever reason to his psyche, meant the world to him. He quickly took her backpack, his hands trembling with his unusual happiness. He barely even noticed the child walking next to Lance. A throat was cleared and Keith tore his focus away from Katie to look Lance McLain in the eyes. The man had the decency to look sheepish and a small, embarrassed smile appeared on the tan mans lips. “Hey,” He began, scratching the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about this morning. I just... I saw Katie and immediately thought someone hurt her and you were the only adult with her this morning... I just... I’m sorry for assuming things. We got off on the wrong foot. My name is Lance McLain.” His hand found its way in front of him. An offering of peace.

Keith stared for a moment and then blinked before nodding and shaking the extended hand, a red flush gently washing across his face. “Apology accepted... My name is Keith Kogane. So who’s that?” He asked, his eyes landing on the child clutching onto Lance’s pant leg tightly, wide brown eyes staring up at him. Lance smiled affectionately at the child and rested his hand on top of the boys head.

“This is Hunk. He’s my son.” Lance spoke proudly and Keith glanced at Katie, noting the slight notes of longing and jealousy burning in her eyes. Keith knew he couldn’t fix whatever happened to the father figure in her life, but by god did he want to. He knew what it was like when a child was ripped away from their father figure much too early. Keith crouched down and faced Hunk’s general direction, ignoring the pang in his chest.

The violet eyed man put his free hand forward, trying to make his expression more encouraging. “Hello Hunk. My name is Keith.” He said gently, making sure he seemed less intimidating than he usually did. The tan skinned child looked to his father, who nodded, before reaching out and shaking Keith’s hand silently. He was probably sizing the older man up to see if he could possibly be a threat. Keith stood and gave a tiny smile to Lance.

“Katie and I should probably be going now. It’s about dinner time and I’m sure Katie is hungry.” Keith spoke awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. Lance nodded.

“Yeah. Hunk and I should get home too. We have a show to catch up on before his bed time,” Lance explained with a laugh. “Though it was fantastic to meet you, Keith.”

Keith watched the pair walk away, his ears ringing with the way the man had nearly purred his name. He was sure his face was fire engine red as Katie tugged silently at his sleeve. Keith gave her a smile and motioned to the truck, helping her place her backpack in the middle seat before getting into the drivers seat and taking them home.

Chapter Text

"Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul."
Dave Pelzer, A Child Callled "It"

Life more or less went on after that. Keith continued teaching, called on some vacation time at the martial arts center, and watched over Katie like a hawk. Though the child seemed skittish and less than pleased about the attention she was receiving, she didn't fuss and stayed relatively quiet. Too quiet for Keith's taste if he was being completely honest with himself, but he had no room to complain. He was quiet most of the time as well.

Katie rarely spoke unless spoken to and her gaze darted around like a wild animal cornered by hunters. It was heartbreaking to witness, but Keith decided that he would make this work. He would help her wherever he could. The only problem was that the girl seemed terrified of him. She rarely looked him in the eyes and stayed a fair distance away. The only time she even dared get close to him was when they went out, clinging to his side with the most terrified expression he had seen on her since she came into his care. The dark haired man theorized that her mother must have kept her inside or away from others when possible. He hated the idea, but when he had asked Katie, she had nodded and tried to defend the woman.

Colleen Holt, Katie's 'momma', had been arrested for child neglect and abuse, something Keith himself was rather pleased about hearing. After looking over Katie's rather extensive and long medical records, Keith found a hatred blooming in his chest for the woman who had brought Katie into the world. Broken bones, concussions, inexplicable bruising, and even a few cases of severe hypothermia alerted Keith to the severity of Katie's home life. He, for the life of him, could not figure out how the child had gotten hypothermia, but he suspected it wasn't from anything good. Things really started changing after the first week

Keith awoke Friday morning to a loud yelp, clattering pans, and shattering glass. Panic racing through his veins in a scorching hot explosion, Keith shot out of bed and raced down the stairs. The kitchen was a disaster and Keith couldnt help but stare. Two of his frying pans were rattling on the floor accompanied by bits of shattered glass that glinted in the early morning sun beaming through the windows. Pieces of what he could identify of a mug littered the ground with bits of a broken egg next to what could have been a plate at one point in time. What brought his heart to a stuttering halt was Katie standing barefoot in the midst of it all, covered in egg and trembling as her honey eyes stared at the damage.

Keith took a deep breath and looked to the girl, trying to force his heart to stop hammering in his chest. "Katie," he called out softly, wincing as she jerked into a ramrod straight position, fear waving in her eyes. "Don't move, okay? You'll get hurt." He said, voice thick with sleep. His heart squeezed as he saw the child begin to tremble. He shook it off, wondering how this could have happened as he walked to the front door to grab some shoes.

A small, pained cry caused him to lurch back toward the kitchen with his heart hammering in his chest. His heart broke as he spotted Katie, tears in her eyes, squatting where he had left her while trying to scoop up the broken glass and ceramic with her bare hands. A large cut lay across her palm, not very deep, but long. Keith quickly slipped his shoes on and walked across the kitchen to kneel in front of her. As soon as she heard the footsteps, Katie's head shot up to look at him and he paused at the panicked expression crossing her features.

The child was petrified. Keith took a deep, calming breath and put on a small smile. "Katie," he began, scrambling for a way to reassure her. "Everything is okay. It's just a few dishes. I can always buy more. I have to get you out of this mess before you get hurt again, okay?" He asked, extending his arms and praying that he wasn't shaking. The girl stared at him, surprise echoing through those expressive pools of amber.

Katie stared at the outstretched arms before glancing at his face, conflicted. It was soft and gentle. Nothing like her mother’s fake smile. Or the smile she gave to anyone but her own daughter. The smile looked more like her father’s. Kind and sweet. Katie decided silently that she could trust him. Keith was very understanding and he wasn't even mad that she was bad. Her tiny hand wrapped itself around barely two of his fingers, but her eyes looked a bit more open than they previously had.

Keith felt a warm, soothing feeling in his chest at the hand in his. It felt like a major victory. He felt as though he just won the lottery, but he couldn’t figure out exactly why. It hit him just a moment later. Katie had never allowed him to touch her save for helping her into clothing. She never wanted her hand held or her hair brushed by anyone but herself. Keith felt ecstatic. Violet stared into molten gold and he felt his lips twitch up into a soft grin. He knew in an instant that he was beginning to earn her trust and that was one of the best feelings in the world. “Alright,” he murmured quietly. "Let's get out of here. I'll take care of the mess. Were you trying to cook breakfast? I thought I smelled eggs." Keith gently lifted her into his arms and settled her on his hip as he walked out of the kitchen, thrilled as he felt her small hands grip his shirt tightly.

———————————————————

Katie was dropped off with little fuss and Keith silently wondered if she was excited about school or if she was making any friends. How would her experiences in this life so far effect her social skills? The landscape passed by in a blur, a mixture of blue and green as the sky and the earth mixed. His ringtone snapped him from his thoughts and he glanced at it to check who was calling. Allura. The violet eyed man felt his heart sink into his stomach and hesitantly, he pressed accept.

“Hello?” He murmured, waiting for papers to stop rustling in the background and small swears to stop coming through. Keith knew that the woman must be under extreme stress to be openly swearing the way she was. The Brit normally refrained from swearing seeing as she worked with impressionable children. The line was deadly silent for a minute and Keith feared that his brothers fiancé had hung up on him.

Soon after though, a staticky sigh came through and he could feel the tension. “Keith... clear your afternoon if you can, please. We have a potential adopter for Katie.”

Blood turned to ice in his veins and his world went into slow motion. A potential adopter? Someone who wanted to take Katie away after she had finally started to get comfortable here? The thought didn’t sit right in his gut. He pushed it down with fervor and managed to let out an affirmative noise before Allura mumbled some form of ‘goodbye’ and promptly hung up. This potential adopter must be someone she disliked or else she would not have been so curt and cold with him. Either way, Keith turned up the ancient radio that lied in his dashboard and quietly hummed to ‘Country Boy Can Survive’.

Work was uneventful and Keith found himself sending emails that afternoon classes were canceled and giving his boss at the local martial arts studio a call. His boss laughed it off and said that was fine and to just come in he next day. Keith felt nervous. He needed to know what had bothered Allura about this adopter. Thoughts about what this person could be like ran through his brain at lightning speed. Would this person be an alcoholic? Would they hurt Katie? Would they neglect her? Would they even bother and try to get to know the girl as he was currently trying to? Keith took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. It wouldn’t be so bad. It couldn’t be terrible if this person was accepted by the government to care for children...

What if this adopter was a child molester? Keith felt all color drain from his face, one of his students quietly asking if he was alright. He gave the young man a nod and a half smile to reassure him that his professor was completely fine. That nod felt like a lie and his heart was racing in its cavity within Keith’s chest. Sooner than he had expected, he got a text from Allura about the time the person would be around his home and he quickly checked the time. He only had a couple hours before the possibility of Katie being gone from his life came to pass.

The Korean man quickly dismissed his class and apologized, explaining that he had a family emergency and racing out the door. The ride to Katie’s elementary school seemed so much quicker than it ever had before and Keith let out an agonized sigh as he pulled up to the entrance of the school. The office smelt of old papers and ink, the hum of an old dinosaur age computer monitor the only sounds around. Keith shot the secretary a wan smile and insisted that Katie be released early.

He tapped his foot, waiting for the little girl to come up and come home with him for what could possibly be the last time. Keith refused to think of it that way. This was an opportunity for Katie. An opportunity for her to be happy. As soon as that thought popped into his head, the girl appeared. Her eyes were bright and a large smile was on her face. She rushed up to him and waved a test sheet at him.

“Keith,” She exclaimed, out of breath from running. “Look!” She demanded and Keith reflexively sent a small smile back. He knew she must be proud of it if she was waving it at him like that. Keith took the paper as he squatted down next to her and looked at it with her. A startlingly high grade marked in blue pen and stuck with a couple of stickers flashed up at him. Katie was so smart. “Wow! This is awesome, Katie! You’re so smart!” He said earnestly, gently placing his hand on top of her head and ruffling the light brown strands. The girl flinched at first contact, but quickly began giggling and tried grabbing his hand with both of her own. His heart felt warm and lighter than a feather. He had realized in that moment that he had made some headway with her. A bond between them had already been forged and there was no way Keith could say he was unattached.

Quickly glancing at the clock, he guided Katie towards the truck and started on their way home. He let Katie pick out a tape and slide it into the tape player, a loud explosion of AC/DC shook the mirrors and Kieth was about to turn it off. Except Katie looked so happy and proud of herself, dancing in her seat to the music. The violet eyed man couldn’t find it in himself to crush that spark.

The ride was full of dancing and excited chatter from Katie, the girl wiggling in her seat and looking to the older man with glee. Keith could barely find it in himself to talk back with her, but managed as they pulled up the winding driveway to their home. Keith felt his gut twist. He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.

Two cars sat in his driveway as he pulled up. His heart thrummed in his ears as Katie asked who was there. He spotted Allura on his front porch with a taller, hulking figure. Keith took a deep breath and turned to Katie. "Hey, little bit," he said softly, an old nickname from his father slipping from his lips. "Allura said they have someone looking to adopt you... They want to meet you." He said, his voice tight. Katie's expression dropped and Keith turned away, opening the door and heading to the other side to grab her. Katie shook her head and undid her seatbelt. Keith felt his heart break as she stood up on the seat and raised her arms to him.

He gently picked her up and her legs tried to wrap around him as she clung to his shirt. He quietly walked up the stairs to his porch and the man turned. He was a stern looking thing with scars across his face and narrow, yellow eyes. His skin was a sickly looking pale and he raised a brow at Keith. Allura puffed as she placed a hand on her hip. "Keith, this is Haxus Jasper." She introduced curtly as Keith extended a hand to him. The man shook it roughly before turning his attention to the child in Keith's arms.

"So this is the girl?" His rumbling voice asked as Katie clung tighter to Keith. The raven haired man swallowed thickly and nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he looked down at her, her face burried firmly in his chest. The girl peeked out at the man briefly before smushing her face back towards Keith. He looked helplessly at Allura and she shrugged. He kneeled down and set Katie on her feet. The girl was shaking her head and clinging tighter to Keith's shirt. He smiled sadly at her and stroked her hair gently.

Keith felt his heart break just a bit more. "Katie, we want you to spend a little bit of time with Mr. Jasper, okay? Just a few minutes." He said and the girl looked up at him and paused before nodding. Keith smiled, hoping it didn't look as hollow as it felt. "Good girl. Now go say hello." He said and Katie turned around, shuffling her feet before extending a hand in greeting.

Allura clapped her hands, startling everyone else present. "We'll leave you here for a bit to get to know each other. Keith and I will be inside chatting, okay?" She said and grabbed Keith's arm, dragging him inside. Keith felt frozen as he watched Katie's face crumple. Soon the door was shut and he was dragged to his kitchen.

He moved robotically to grab the tea kettle from atop his fridge and make the tea that Allura enjoyed. Juniberry tea was her favorite, the sweet notes of the berry mixing perfectly with the bitterness of the tea leaves. A few quiet moments passed before Allura heaved out a great sigh, the sound older than time itself. Keith felt the sound resonate in his ears for a moment before sitting down to wait for the water to boil. "I hate that man." Allura's voice rang out in the tense atmosphere and Keith stiffened. Allura hated absolutely nobody. Not even her skeevy ex-boyfriend, Lotor. So hearing those words caused an icy dagger of fear to lodge itself deep in his chest. His head whipped to her, eyes portraying the terror deep within his gut.

Allura looked up and sighed, running her hand through her normally neat hair. She looked frazzled as she bit her lip. Keith found himself wanting to yell and ask why, but he was frozen to his spot. He almost didnt hear the kettle whistle, signaling that the water was ready. Forcing his hands to keep steady, he placed the tea into two cups and poured the water over them, watching it steep. He watched the clear water turn to a ruby red and sighed. He looked to Allura and raised a brow, signaling he wanted her to continue the train of thought.

Tired blue met suspicious purple in a silent argument. The Brit finally let out a defeated sigh as Keith picked up the two mugs of tea and walked to his kitchen table. Just as he picked up a cup, he heard Katie shriek. The cups shattered upon impact with the floor as Kieth dashed for the door, Allura hot on his heels. He was too late as the door slammed open and the man grunted softly at the feeling of a small body ramming into his legs. Katie stood there, grasping his pants leg tightly.

Keith felt his blood run cold as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He quickly knelt down and gathered her into his arms. He quickly got back onto his feet as he heard heavy footfalls stomp into his house. "You can't make me go with him!" The child sobbed into Keith's neck as he glared at the man. He knew it! This was a horrible idea! Katie was distressed and crying to him. Because she trusted him to take care of her. He was attached. No matter how much he had tried to stop it or deny it, Keith was attached to the little girl in his arms.

"What did you do?!" Keith snarled, his eyes narrowing at the man in front of him while angling Katie away from him. He didn't trust this man at all! What could he possibly have said to make the girl cry?! The man raised his arms in frustration.

"All I said was that once she came home with me, there would be some changes! Her hair for instance! Its basically a rat's nest! Haven't you been taking care of her?! And she has no manners at all!" The man rambled inappropriate growl and shrugged. Keith felt his face heat up in rage, but gently rocked the calming child in his arms. Couldn't he see he terrified the poor girl?!

Keith took a deep, calming breath and stood up straighter. "Then it's a good thing she won't be going anywhere with you, isn't it? Allura, what papers do I need to sign for her to stay with me permanently?" He asked evenly and scowled as the man clenched his fists. "Now, if I were you, I'd get the hell off my property before I grab my gun and decide to give you a free sex change." He said, his tone frosty and final. The man stood silently for a few minutes before running towards his car.

Keith ignored Allura and walked back to his kitchen, gently sushing the still weepy child in his arms. He realized quietly that he loved this little girl more than life itself and he would do anything to protect her. "Katie, hey, little bit," he hummed as the girl leaned back to look up at the violet eyed man. "I want you to live with me. But only if you want to. You don't have to change a thing if you dont want to. Just say the word." He said as he wiped tears away from her eyes and off her cheeks. Katie looked away and nodded quietly, grasping his hand tightly and sniffling. Keith turned to the silver haired woman in the doorway.

"Where do I sign?"

Chapter Text

The days seemed to fly by and before they knew it, it was October. The day was gloomy and damp, each breath leaving a coating of moisture on the back of their throats. Bad weather for a Saturday and even worse as the air grew even chillier. Bundled up in sweaters, Keith gently held Katie's hand as she walked beside him. The weather hadn't started out so bad, so Keith had decided that the day would be perfect to grab some groceries and possibly find some more clothes and things for Katie. Unfortunately it hadn't ended up that way. After they parked on the curb, left the safety of Keith's truck, and walked four blocks towards the local market, it had begun to pour.

The two now stood silently under the awning of the nearest shop, watching the rain fall in a heavy blanket. Katie, who had been rather quiet for the most part, tugged on Keith's hand. Once his violet eyes were on her, she silently pointed to a small resturant directly across the street from them. "You want to go there?" He asked softly and felt a small trill of delight go through him as the girl's eyes brightened up with a vigorous nod. With a smile, he rushed both himself and Katie across the street into the cozy looking restaurant. He was pleasantly surprised by the scent of spices and cooking food that hit his nose as soon as they walked in, wringing water out of Katie's hair at the door. The brick walls and colorful paintings gave it a homier feel and Keith felt himself relaxing as Katie pointed to a picture detailing a sandy white beach with an excited air about her. It was perfect for lunch.

A harried looking woman rushed towards the hostess station and sent him a smile. She spoke quickly in Spanish and Keith blinked at her. He had barely even heard the language since high school and felt a rush of embarrassment go through him as Katie giggled. The hostess, who had thankfully noticed his confusion, rushed out an apology and motioned them to come closer. "Good afternoon," she began with a heavy Hispanic accent. "Will it just be the two of you today?" She asked and Keith nodded, looking at Katie as she tugged on his hand again. Reaching both of her hands up to him, she made grabbing motions and the violet eyed man knew instantly that she wanted to be held. He lifted her into his arms and adjusted himself so that she could look at the waitress as well. 'This kid is gonna be the death of me.' He thought affectionately as she steadied herself using his shoulder.

The waitress, with shining brown eyes and a soft smile, led the two to a small booth and handed them menus. Katie, as soon as she sat down next to Keith, started turning to him to happily explain everything about her favorite subjects at school. Keith listened and watched her with soft eyes as she went on about what she was learning in science, nodding and asking questions when necessary. He quietly hushed her as more people came in and sat down. That didn't seem to deter the girl as she lowered her voice and continued to talk.

Keith felt a small glimmer of pride filling his chest. The tentative start that they had seemed nonexistent as the girl happily chattered away. Gone was the timid and shy child that had feared his touch and in her place was a bright and excitable girl. She still wasn't comfortable around anyone else, but Keith could work on that with her. Her bruises had almost faded, leaving yellowish-green patches in their wake. Her shoulder had healed and her eyes seemed brighter.

Keith's musings were cut off as he heard a familiar voice call out his name. 'Fuck!' His brain screeched as his blood turned to ice and his heart jumped into his throat. James Griffin. His ex-boyfriend. One that hurt him over and over and still made it feel as though it was Keith in the wrong. Memories replayed in his head involuntarily. Arguments about dinner. A fight about the remote. Bruises to cover and lies to tell Shiro. The violet eyed man froze in his seat and schooled his expression into a forced blanket of calm as the aforementioned man walked to their table. 'Any sign of weakness and you're done for!' His mind seemed to scream. There was a small whine from his side and a small hand tugged insistently at Keith's jacket sleeve as she tried to bury herself into his side, but Keith couldn't move. The sight of the man that had taken a toll on him emotionally and physically was headed their way and Keith found himself shaken to the core. With herculean effort, the man forced his dark eyes to look to Katie, who looked absolutely terrified by the new arrival to their table.

"Keith," James began, a saccharine smile on his face. "It's been awhile. Cute kid. Is she yours?" The last question had a snide edge to it and Keith couldn't help but feel an ember of anger light in the pit of his stomach. Although they didn't part peacefully, that didnt give him the right to attack Katie or him! Acutely aware of small hands bunching the material of his shirt tightly and the smells of cooking food wafting into the dining area mixed with a hint of James's old cologne, Keith glared harshly up at the man with fury blazing in his eyes and a nauseated feeling in his stomach.

"Yes. She is," He rumbled and moved an arm to try and comfort Katie as he felt her start to tremble against him. "Now, I'll have to ask you to fuck right the hell off because your piss poor attitude is scaring her and bothering the hell out of me. Leave now and I won't report you for harassment!" He said, louder than he normally would have. James looked flabbergasted at the fiery side of Keith that the man himself didn't seem to realize he had when it came to his ex. Violet eyes looked carefully around the dining area and noted how many people were now watching them with rapt attention.

The other man gave Keith a sharp smile and then waved to the other patrons as if to say everything was fine, expression dropping as soon as people turned away. Blue-gray eyes narrowed and then focused on Katie. The little girl, who seemed to be trying to melt into Keith's side, choked up and looked to her guardian with tears in her eyes. As soon as James' hand shot out to grab the child, Keith snarled and slapped it away, standing and forcing distance between the man and his charge. Fury sparked in James' eyes and Keith found himself stunned at the fact that he wasn't backing down as he would have done in the past. Seeming to have noticed Keith's brief hesitation, James raised his fist, only to be stopped by a tanned hand.

Keith blinked at the sudden intrusion and followed the hand all the way until it met a familiar looking torso,covered with a 3/4 sleeve t-shirt, and traced that upward towards a face. 'Holy shit he must be an actual angel.'  His brain supplied stupidly as he gazed on the familiar face of Katie's homeroom teacher. Lance McLain stood tall, normally grinning and smiling face set in a cold look of righteous fury as he held tightly onto Jame's Griffin's wrist. "What's going on here?" His voice barely masked his ire, oceanic eyes darkened to a stormy color. Keith watched the Cuban man's jaw tick once.

Twice.

Three times.

Until James ripped his hand away, grumbling and all but running from the small restaurant. Keith quickly released the breath he was holding and quickly sat down to relieve his quaking legs. Thoroughly shaken, he quickly looked around the booth and felt panic stir in his chest when he couldn't find his charge. His wide violet eyes frantically looked towards Lance as he scanned the booth again, ducking his head under the table to make sure she wasn't hiding.

Keith saw his vision darken at the edges before he got on his knees and checked under the booth. To his immeasurable relief, Katie was there, curled up with her hands over her ears and small mewls of distress escaping her lips. 'Holy shit this kid is gonna give me gray hairs before I'm thirty!' Was the only thought he could muster with a shaky sigh. Then he smiled as best he could and knocked on the hard wood floor. The child's head shot up and she removed her hands from her ears though her shaking didn't stop. "You're okay, Katie. We're both okay." He said and sat back, opening his arms just as the six year old scrambled out from under her hiding spot and into her guardians waiting arms. Keith gently pet her hair as she sobbed into his arms, allowing himself some comfort as he heard her shaky breaths.

He jolted when he felt a hand on his shoulder, jerking his head up almost robotically at the concerned faces of Lance McLain and his son. "Are you okay? Here, let me help you up." The gorgeous man offered and extended his hand to Keith. Violet eyes looked at the extended hand for a moment before he nodded and took it. Standing in the middle of the restaurant awkwardly, he gently placed Katie down in the booth, not at all minding the way she clung to him as he turned back to Lance to speak.

"I'm okay... Thank you for that. That got completely out of hand, but when he reached for Katie..." Keith trailed off and clenched his hand into a fist. Violet eyes widened as the other man began to laugh, the familiar smile back on his gorgeous face. 'Gorgeous? And you thought it twice already. Oh no...' His brain began before he hushed it up.

Lance nodded sagely and looked over at the hostess desk where his son happened to be talking animatedly with the hostesses. "I get it, man. Parental instincts and all, but are you sure you're okay? You seem a bit shook up. Did you know that guy?" He asked and Keith felt himself at a loss for words. Anymore of these questions and he might just burst. Before either of them could answer, Hunk came running over, talking happily to his father about a drawing he had made.

Keith silently smiled before he saw Hunk's brown eyes quickly focus on him and Katie. With surprising kindness in his eyes, Keith watched as the boy quietly ran over and knocked on the table, grinning when Katie turned her face towards him. He held up a finger and dug a hand through the pocket of his jeans until he found what he was looking for. Hunk held it in a loose fist and extended it towards the smaller girl. Golden eyes looked up to Keith inquisitivly and he tilted his head towards the other child with a small smile. A pale hand slowly extended itself and Katie watched in fascination as the other child placed something in her open palm. Pulling it to her face, Katie saw a small stuffed mushroom in her hand. A cute cartoon face stared back at her and she took note of the small chain coming from the top. She looked thoroughly confused which caused Keith and Lance to chuckle.

They tried to quell their laughter until Katie looked up at Keith with the most adorable pout that he had ever seen. She looked back at Hunk as he grinned at her. "It's a Keychain! You can put it on your backpack! He'll bring you good luck!" Lance smiled and ruffled his child's hair. "Why don't you and Katie go get to know each other? Ask Abuela if you can grab some coloring sheets." He suggested and Keith felt himself grow amazed as Katie perked up at the thought of coloring. 'Holy shit! It normally takes me an hour to distract her when she gets upset like this... How the hell does he do it?' Keith wondered as he stared at the man. Deep honey eyes stared up at him, silently asking for permission and he nodded, allowing the two kids to run off towards 'abuela'.

"So are you sure you're okay?" Lance asked again with a smile as he gracefully sat down on the opposite side of the booth from Keith. Keith shrugged, watching Katie carefully to make sure no harm would befall his charge as she talked to Hunk.

"As okay as I think I'm going to be for now. I didn't expect him to be here and I don't think the courts will be happy to hear he violated his restraining order either." He mentioned offhandedly, jolting and blushing as the other man clasped his hand gently in between his two warm and slightly calloused hands. 'Holy- it's like the sun was molded into a person.' He thought, his heart beating faster. Lance frowned and Keith felt his breathing falter for a moment before forcing his face back into nonchalance.

Lance sure was a mystery. Kind and generous one moment and antagonizing and irritating the next. What a complicated mess. Keith sighed and gave a crooked smile back. "I'm just glad that you and Katie are okay." Lance murmured with a small smile. Keith could swear his heart stopped beating altogether. Lance sure was a mystery. And Keith found himself wanting to learn more.