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Keith stared out into the cold dark night. He felt the cold air seeping into his bones as the sweat cooled where it ran down his back. This wasn't new in any way. However, this was the first time his ribs were severely broken. He knew it was a bad one this time, but he couldn't find it in him to care. No one would miss him if this actually ended his life. If anything, everyone would be happy to see him gone. Black began to surround his vision as his breathing became a struggle. This was it. He would die cold an alone, just how he had always been. Acceptance seeped into him as he closed his eyes. There was no reason to fight. No reason. at all. He shifted to get a rock from digging into his back. His ribs shifted, drawing a gasp from his lips before coughing. Blood dribbled down his chin as it was dragged from his lungs. His breath came in pained, shaky gasps. As he lost consciousness, he could have sworn he heard someone calling his name.
~~~
Shiro ran down the road, hoping against every chance of fate that Keith was alive. He had arrived at his foster home to take him to the Garrison. Upon seeing the bloody fist of the man who opened the door, he knew that something had gone horribly wrong.
"Where is he?" he demanded with a growl.
"Don't know," the man replied, "gave him a good beating and sent him on his way."
Shiro growled and stalked off, pulling his phone out as he went. Panicking, he dialed the police. Explaining the situation. As he went, he began searching. Heart pounding in his chest, he looked in every alley and doorstep. There was nothing. He almost moved to the next block until he saw a figure slumped by light pole. Shiro rushed over, horror filling him as he saw the blood running down his chin.
"Keith!".
~~~
Cameras flashed as Keith stood from his seat to give his speech. Looking at the crowd of people, the people he and the rest of the team risked their lives for, he began.
"Today, is a momentous day," he began, "Not only have we pushed out the Empire, we regained a sense of responsibility, to ourselves and to others in the galaxy." Looking up at the crowd once more from where he had begun to look at his notes, he deviated from the script, "I know how everyone expects me to talk about all those times in my childhood that have prepared me for this, but I won't. Nothing that happened in the past could have ever prepared me. I grew up hated and unloved. I was hopeless. I honestly saw myself in many of the people that we rescued. I was once a kid sent from abusive home to abusive home. I thought no one cared. I may have been right for a while, but one day Someone wallhed into my life and never let me go.
"This person was Shiro. I had been sitting in the back of a class room where I was judged and ridiculed. I hated it there. He pushed me, and I felt hope for the first time until my greatest voice of hate told him I my wasn't worth it, so I stole his car," shocked laughs were yanked from the crowd as Keith gave a nastalgic smile. "He didn't press charges, despite my foster family encouraging it, and got me into the garrison. This wasn't the moment that changed my life. No. That occured weeks later when I was slumped against a light pole with a rib pearcing my lungs and believing no one cared. Shiro saved me that night. The night I had given up. He told me to hold on. To survive. Listening to that voice was the best choice of my life. I met my pack who love me. I even met my mom. I just want everyone to know if you ever think no one will miss you if you are gone. I will. I may be a stranger talking to you. through a screen, but will miss you.You are worth everything the world. has to offer, and one day, everything gets better."
Keith gave a nod and sat back down where Kolivan reached over to pull him in to a hug, whispering, "You did good, Kit. We all love you and are so proud."