Chapter Text
Keith was annoyed. He looked down at his bruised torso and all he could think was that P.E would suck today. His current “Siblings” were the worst. He had been keeping to himself outside with his IPod. He had been gifted it from his first home, it had been there son’s old one, before he went off to school. The father had been transferred out of the country and the foster system wouldn’t let them take Keith with them. Keith knew good things would never last. Now he was stuck in this overcrowded home with Chris and his gang.
Most of the kids would leave him alone, but a few of the older ones never did. They thought it was their mission to make his life a living hell. The ring leader Chris, had sauntered up to him yesterday and demanded that Keith give him his IPod. Keith had, of course, denied Chris his demand, but the overgrown brat hadn’t like the answer. So he beat Keith and took the iPod.
As he put some bruise ointment he managed to swipe a while back, he pray to whatever deity would listen that he would find a way out of this hell hole before he was 18. He didn’t think he could last five more years of this.
He sucked up the pain and finished getting dressed. He couldn’t be late today, there was a guest speaker in his class coming from the Garrison.
The day had gone smoothly so far, meaning everyone left him the well enough alone, but P.E was next period and he was not looking forward to it. Keith sat in his normal window seat and glared at anyone that tried to start a conversation with him, though those students were few. He didn’t want to get to know any of them, cause it would just hurt that much more when he inevitable got moved to a new home. Friends were never worth the hurt.
The pilot that was to speak with the class was expected to arrive any minuet.
Keith had been interested in space for as long as he could remember. He could faintly remember nights with his father stargazing on the roof of their house and finding the constellation. But when his father died, Keith was placed in the foster system and moved to the city. The stars aren’t nearly as visible now. He missed them. During his daydream he apparently missed the pilot coming in and introducing himself.
“-in order to do that we are going to give you a little test,” moans of other students were heard as he then continued, “By playing a video game.” Keith froze at those words. Not because of what was said. A flying simulator, he already knew that was how the Garrison tested possible pilot recruits, but because of the voice itself. Keith turned to face the Garrison speaker and quickly glanced away before he could lock eyes with him. Keith thought he wouldn’t ever see that person again. Takashi was here. He was here!
But Shiro hadn’t even glanced at Keith. He didn’t recognize him. He was only 8 when the Shirogane passed away. Keith had just been adopted by them a year prior to the accident that killed them and he was immediately thrown back into the system. Shiro had already been enrolled into the pilot program at the Garrison so they took over as his guardian, but they couldn’t do that for an un lucky 8 year old. Shiro had promised to write to him, but when Keith was shuffled around foster homes he knew it would be too difficult to send him letters or email him. And many of the homes were too stingy to pay for the postage, or didn’t have a computer he could use. And many of the school he had been at had sever restriction as to which sites they were allowed on. Point is, he soon stopped talking to his older brother.
But maybe that could change with Shiro right in front of him again! He stood behind the crowd of classmates that hovered around the Orbit Axion X. he remembered when Shiro had flown the simulator. Ka san had been so proud of him. And after all the actual students had flown it. Shiro had managed to bring Keith into the simulator. Even though he had been too short to actually pilot the thing he had sat on Shiro’s lap as he flew for Keith. He sat off to the side Shiro explained. He remembered how to fly it, hearing everything back then. He could hear the cheers from them and then grunts from the students as they crashed at the checkpoints. Keith is hanging out near the back trying to see everyone, but not being able to behind the giant crowd. One of the popular kids, James Keith thinks, approaches him after his turn.
“Wow, emo kid is actually interested in something. Who woulda thought?” the kid teases.
Keith bristled at the confrontation. He promised his currant foster parents no more fighting, he already got kicked out of one school because of it.
“It looks like everyone is enjoying themselves, for most of it anyways.” Keith comments, trying to be nice. “How far did you get?”
Keith must have said something wrong, because James immediately lashes back, “Like that is any of your business!” Keith hesitantly steps back, not wanting to start anything. “Why are you even bothering being interested in this, your just some emo foster kid? It’s not like you can amount to anything. You can’t even afford the tuition to go to the garrison. And you have to be a near prodigy to get a full scholarship.” James bit back. Jerk stormed off after he finished.
Keith sat on the side lines after that. Sighing, he knew the jerk was right. He could never hope of getting into the Garrison. It just wouldn’t happen for a kid with his background. He saw his file. It had so much red notes and highlighted section. No top military school would even look twice at him.
He hears Shiro’s voice again, “We’ve had some great tries, but nobody’s made it past the third level yet, looks like you’re the only one left.” Keith quickly turned around at that, Shiro couldn’t be talking to him could he? he hadn’t said anything to him yet. “Think you got what it takes?” he asked. Keith now knew he was talking to him. His shock turned into a grin as he confidently nodded. He would show Shiro, James, the others, and even himself that he did have what it would take to get into the Garrison.
He took a seat in the chair and started up the machine. He navigated with ease though the first level. He suddenly heard “That emo kid is doing it!” from behind him. ‘Yeah I am, he thought as he sped faster into the asteroid field. And past level after level. He started hearing others exclaim at his achievement as he passed level five.
Suddenly James jumps out from behind the pilot seat, “No way! Keith made it past level five? That thing’s gotta be broken.” Keith looked annoyed at the jerk. ‘Why because you didn’t have the skill to get there too’ Keith thought.
As Keith readies for the next level he hears Mrs. Dottelel say something “I’ve compiled a list of students who I think would make the best candidates for the Garrison”
“Is this guy on there” he hears Shiro say, as Keith navigates level 6. ‘So he didn’t recognize me.’ He thinks. “He looks like just about ready to fly the real thing.
“Keith?! He’s a bit of a discipline case. I don’t think he’d necessarily fit in with the rigid Garrison culture.”
Keith flinched at her words. He knew Mrs. Dottele always hated him.
“This is James Griffin he-“at those words Keith didn’t care about the stupid game anymore. Of course he was just an orphan discipline case. Never good enough for anyone or anything. If they thought he was trouble why not just prove it to them. He lurched out of the seat mid-level and rushed to the garrison cruiser.
He smirked as a plan formed. He remembered Shiro liked to leave spare keys in obvious spots, like clipped to the sun visor. He flipped it down and there the keys dangled. He wasted no time in starting up the car and rushing out. He didn’t care anymore.
A few hours later he was pulled over and actually arrested…’maybe I went a bit too far’ he thought as he was roughly shoved into the back of a police car. He royally screwed things up now.
A few more hours later he was released and given his stuff back.
“You’re a very lucky brat, kid. All charges have been dropped.”
‘Wait what?’ Keith thinks as he looks up at the police woman in shock.
He laughs at his expression. Yeah, lieutenant Shirogane has decided not to press charges out of the kindness of his heart. So we better not see you hear again kid.” And with that she leads him out of the holding cell for minors. He is surprised when exiting the doors he sees not his foster parents, but Takashi there instead, standing outside the car he stole.
“I don’t get it. I steal your car and you respond by helping me out?” he asks dumfounded.
“Yeah, what you did was pretty stupid, but family helps each other out.” Shiro responds.
Keith blinks at that comment. “Wait, what?”
“You thought I didn’t recognize you huh?”
Keith nodded quietly,
“You may have changed a lot in five years, but not that much.” Shiro chuckles. “I had planned to take you out to pizza and reconnect. But that obviously didn’t happen.” Shiro then moved to get into his car, “Now hop in we have a meeting with your social worker.” Shiro watched as every part of him deflated “your current foster parents had some choice words about the trouble you had gotten into, and I had some of my own for them.”
“Oh, they probably don’t want me anymore.” He said disheartedly.
Shiro sighed heavy as he told him the bad news, “Yeah, which is why we need the meeting, I’ll tell you the possible good news in the car.” Keith looked up at him in surprise. “Now hop in. and this time, I’m driving.” He said with a chuckle. Keith did as requested and hoped into the passenger side.
Many hours later, Keith sat outside his social workers office. He listened as Mr. and Mrs. Ladson shout and call him various names and say how he is nothing but trouble. While Shiro just stood there silent. Keith still couldn’t believe what Shiro wanted to offer him. Since Shiro was a legal adult now he was willing to adopt him, not just foster, but adopt. He mentioned how he was certified to foster a child but how he and his future husband were looking to adopt. Obviously there were probably wanting a baby or toddler or something just as equally cute and adorable and Keith was the furthest thing from that. But Shiro had told him life changes and things don’t always go as planned. Keith new that all too well. Shiro had tried to say that sometimes they turn out better.
Keith laughed in amusement at the thought. He has never had anything turn out better for him, and he doubted life would start going easy on him now.
Though the arguing died down suddenly at his social workers shouting for said silence. Miss, Lancy was kind, which was hard to find in this line of work, and took no nonsense, which was not. She quickly took control and also shut the door to her office, thus also shutting him out of the conversation about his future. Only a few short minutes later the Ladson’s exit the office grumbling and walking right past him. Keith moves to stand, fully expecting to follow them as Shiro exits the office with Miss. Lancy. They were shaking hands and Shiro was smiling. ‘What had happened in there?’ Keith thought.
Miss Lancy turned to Keith with a huge smile on her blush pink lips, “Well good news Keith!” she cheered. “The paperwork has been officially started for Mr. Shirogane to officially adopt you!”
Keith just stood there gob smacked. ‘This could not be real.’ He thought.
“He’s… he’s actually able too?!” Keith all but shouts.
A small smile dared to creep up his face. I… I’m actually going to have a family again?” tears started to pool in his eyes as Shiro rushes to hug him.
“I’m sorry I had to leave you Ototo, but that won’t happen again. I promise.”
“oh that is just the sweetest thing,” Keith and Shiro look up and see a sniffling Miss Lancy, rubbing a hanky against her eyes.
The two of them looked at each other, now a little uncomfortable, “how about we get your stuff from the Ladson’s place and then take you home?”
“Sounds good to me.”
In no time Keith is standing out front a small apartment in a nice community that even has a pool. He watches as Shiro struggles to unlock the door.
“It’s already unlocked!” I shout comes from inside. Shiro freezes and mumble something under his breath.
Keith looks at him skeptically, “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah… I just forgot to mention to my finance that I decided to adopt you…” Shiro explains embarrassed.
‘well this will be good’ Keith thinks, as he re shoulders his backpack full of belongings and school books and adjust his small trash bag of clothes.
Shiro pushes opens the door with trepidation, “Hey Sweetheart?” Shiro asks sickly sweet.
He slowly ushers in Keith as banging pots and pans are heard from what Keith’s expects to be the kitchen.
The apartment is nice. The entryway leads into the main living space with a small hallway in the back corner. There is a large square coffee table surrounded by olive green couch set and a deep blue area rug.
“In here” a shout was heard along with more banging and now the faint sound of something sizziling. Keith guessed it was dinner.
Shiro slowly nudged Keith down the small hall on the other side of the living space and into the little kitchen. He looked around and actually missed that there was a breakfast bar that overlooked the living space. A tan man with brown hair had his back to him. “I got a little-“
Keith’s eyes blew wide as he saw what the man was wearing, or rather not wearing. All that he could see was the strings of some apron and nothing else. No clothing, just a bare ass.
“ADAM!” Shiro shouted as he quickly covered the teen’s eyes.
“What they hell!! Why is there a kid here!” the naked man, Adam yells.
“Why are you dressed like that?” Shiro exclaims
“I was trying to surprise you with a romantic night in!” he shouts back” Now why is there a kid here?”
“I…a…just go put on some more clothes!” he stutters out. Keith could only imagine what the front of the apron must have looked like if Shiro still had his hands over Keith’s eyes.
The man apparently left, er stormed off. And Shiro removed his hands.
“I a… am sorry you had to meet him like that…. He doesn’t normally… do that…” Shiro tries to explain.
Adam returned, fully clothed this time.
“So what’s with the kid?” he questions again. His arms crossed and glaring at Keith. Obviously annoyed that Keith ruined his plans for the evening.
“I have a name you know” the teen said indignantly.
“And that would be?” Adam shot back.
“Keith!” Keith shouted flustered.
“Well Keith it is nice to meet you I guess.” Adam said with a softer smile
“Likewise,” Keith replied “, now that you have some actually cloths on.” He added with a smirk.
Adam looked at Keith incredulously. Shiro just laughed.
He then ushered Keith over to the breakfast bar were the 13 year old took a seat on the bar stool. As Adam returned to cooking Shiro took a seat as well.
“Remember how I told you about the little brother my parents adopted?” Shiro started to explain.
Adam looked up to whatever it was that was in the pot, “Yeah, Keith something…. Wait….” Adam then looked back up and eyed Keith a second time. He then turned back to Shiro. “You didn’t?” he asked accusingly.
“I couldn’t not Adam. The foster parents were going to try and have him stay in juvie regardless of the fact that I dropped the charges. They said he was just going to wind up there anyways! He shouldn’t live in a home like that! It couldn’t even be called a home, there were so many kids there!”
“They what?” Keith exclaims. Eyes watery with unshed tears.
Adam just looks at Shiro, who looks like a dear in the head lights.
“Oh fuck.” Adam states. As he takes what he was cooking off the stove and rushes around the bar. He pulls the small 13 year old off the stool and into a hug.
“It’s okay, you’re not going back there. You’re staying with us now.”
Keith looked up at him in a bit of shock, “But you don’t want me either! You probably want some cute baby or toddler, that’s what most people want.”
Adam seemed to think blunt was key with Keith as he just says, “Your right, we were wanting a baby, but Shiro found you. And he cares for you more then he would any baby or toddler. Cause you mean the world to him.” The tears stopped flowing just a bit and the sniffled that built up were now few and far between. “Now, thankfully I make extra food for lunch the next day, so I have plenty, Shiro will just have to buy me lunch as an apology tomorrow. So dinner will be ready in a few minutes. The guest room, which will now be your room. Why don’t you get yourself sorted while I finish dinner?
Keith just nodded in agreement
As he made his way down the hall he heard Adam stage whisper and froze to listen, “You can’t just say that kinda stuff in front of the kid Shiro!!”
“I know. Those people just made me so mad. They had given up on him and tried to tell me I should too!”
Well you’re not obviously! Right?” Adam asked.
“Of course not, Keith’s my brother. He needs someone in his corner because everyone else has just written him off.”
Adam replied in a confident voice. “Well now he has two people. Now do you think you can handle cutting vegetables for the salad?”
“I-“ Keith decided he heard enough, and with a smile on his face entered his new room.”
His room was simple. Something he would expect as a guest bedroom
A full size bed and a bedside table on either side sat against the middle of the wall apposite the door with a small double closet on that side. There was a dresser to the right of the bed and a desk to the left. All the furniture was dark wood and the walls a light lavender. The floor was the same red toned wood with grey rugs by the bed.
Keith threw his bags on the bed. He couldn’t believe it. He was actually going to be living with Takashi. With his brother. He just sat on the bed in awe. It was really happening. With a sigh of content he started pulling out his stuff. He put the school stuff on the desk. He piled all his clothes on the bed to be folded later. He then gently pulled out his more personal stuff. The dagger his Father gave him from his mom…. That went under the pillow, every time. The stuffed hippo that was apparently a gift from his mom went on the pillow. Keith then took the few pictures he had. An old one of him on his father’s shoulders, taken back during a fireman’s picnic. It had been the last one they had gone to, and then a family picture of Keith, Takashi, and their parents in Disneyworld. That had been one of the happiest memories, even with Shiro giving him rabbit ears in the photo.
Keith felt someone sit down next to him on the bed as he gazed at the old memory.
“Shiro has that same picture by our bedside.” Keith glanced up at the comment. Adam smiled at Keith and placed a hand on his shoulder, now come on dinners ready and best eaten while hot. The two move to get up but Adam pauses as he leaves the room. “Are these all your clothes?”
Keith glanced down at the meager pile of red and black, with the occasional white cloth. He had bundled them all up and still hadn’t sorted through it all.
“Ah… yeah. Is something wrong?” he asks hesitantly. He may not have had a lot of clothes. But it was more than some of the other kids had. He at least had enough for about a week.
Adam seemed annoyed. He picked through the pile. “There is barely anything here! You have what… five shirts and a few jeans? It looks like you only have a few pares of underwear and socks!” at the mention of the underwear, Keith blushed a bit, but mostly looked annoyed. Adam had no right to look through his stuff.
Keith let out one of those weird sound in annoyance. It sounded like a warning to him, but he remembered other kids and parents saying it sounded like an angry dog growl.
Adam jolted back in surprise, “Did you just?....” he shook his head in disagreement with himself, “Never mind. This is definitely not enough clothes for a boy your age. We can get some more clothes for you tomorrow.” He then looked around the spars room. “Maybe you can even pick out some stuff for your room. Make it more you?”
Keith’s anger subsided. He liked the idea of giving the room a more personal touch. The current decorations were nice, but none of it felt right. He nodded in agreement.
A smile appeared on Adams face, “Good, now our dinner is getting cold so come on.”