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He was aware that when he met him, the only thing he wanted was strangle him. He was someone too proud, too problematic to his own liking, and the fact that he caused problems for all his team was even worse.
Then he received a punch in the face and everything was free fall.
He hated his uninterested attitude, he hated that the only reason he was there was because of the opportunity Shiro had given him. He didn’t even enter by his own merits; his lack of discipline could’ve avoided that he was accepted. And even when he had much more ability than the rest of his classmates, maybe than the rest of the academy, he couldn’t help but hate him.
“It’s called envy.”
He had glared at Rizavi growling and seeing her smirk while lifting her hands in surrender.
“I’m not envy of Kogane,” he had spit before storming out of the room, the statement angering him more because it was right than because of the mere implication.
And it was just so easy to envy the only alumni that received all the attention from the person the entire Garrison considered a hero, from the best pilot in all the school. Of course, the emotion boiled his blood.
And then he disappeared.
He was expelled after an incident, because of the accusation that the failure in Kerberos was a pilot error.
And then on he felt nothing at all. The empty coldness replacing the hot anger and jealousy that was caused by seeing his deep frown.
“Maybe you miss him.”
He ignored Kinkade, as well as he ignored Leifsdottir and her ramble about the probability of seeing him again.
Earth was invaded. He turned into one of the pilots trained to save human existence. Life turned turbulent and full of problems. There was no time to focus on useless feelings that weren’t there.
And then he came back. With an explosive but controlled attitude. With a disproportionate but capable team. With a sharp but curious gaze.
They were who put end to the invasion, who freed humanity and assured one more day of life. It was him who commanded his small team, who leaded and saved Earth from an imminent destruction.
And the heat started to fill up the emptiness, following it up and swirling, in an attempt to gain power while the coldness of his absence flinched away to keep existing, all his emotions chasing each other in a whirlpool that his thoughts won’t came out sane from.
“Griffin.”
He stopped his steps, about to see over his shoulder, but freezing just before doing so, the warmth inside his body swallowing up everything in him and dizzying him with his feelings.
“Kogane,” he answered turning his eyes straight ahead, believing that by ignoring him he would get away from those useless feelings.
“A minute?”
He looked down and then turned to him, not prepared to face the swirl that could be seen in Keith’s eyes, hot and cold chasing each other in his head the same way it had been happening in his, so intensely that in his gaze it was obvious the battle. And who was winning.
“Sure.”
And seeing the little curve on the corner of his mouth just before passing by his side and lead the way, he knew that the heat had won the control of the violent swirl of emotions inside him, too.