Chapter Text
Reid wasn’t used to the idea of no one storming into his room in the morning, yelling at him to get up. The very thought sent a wave of sadness through his body. His best friend, the very person he felt the truest kind of love with, was gone. He couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t accept that Keiro wasn’t ever coming home. That there was not going to be any morning coffee at his bedside table. No clothes already thrown at his tired body. He was now completely and utterly alone. The house empty. The bed empty. His heart less than empty, his heart was completely gone.
Reid tried to remember what his best friend would do in the mornings. Sometimes he wouldn’t do anything but come into his room and they would lay with each other. Most days Keiro was up and trying to pull Reid out of bed so they could get to work on time. Days they both had off of work was just as lazy as the mornings for Reid. Keiro wouldn’t make coffee, they’d both stay in one room and watch tv all day. However he remembers a time when Kiero kicked him out of bed and they both walk to the park trying to preserve their youthful energy. The kind of energy Reid could no longer feel. Not without his friend. His world. Some one he loved completely body and soul.
Reid groaned, a little too loud and rolled over on the bed in the midst of his memories only to feel himself slowly slipping off the bed. He tried to grab onto the sheets and pull himself back up but his arms were weak with the morning grogginess and his broken heart was not helping. “Son of a bitch.” Reid groaned as his head hit the floor with the rest of his body following him. He sighed, looking under the bed, reaching to grab a box. “Is this… I was wondering where it went.” He smiled slightly and dragged it closer to him and opened it carefully. “Keiro…” Reid sighed as he looked at the picture on top of so many others. His best friend was there in the picture, them both standing very close to each other.
They were young, kids really. Reid laughed when he held it up above him. It was easy to tell his face was red and tears ran down his face. Kiero was looking at Reid more so than the camera, smiling brightly at the younger red-head. Reid could tell that he himself was happy in that picture despite looking like he had just cried his eyes out for hours and hours. Kiero made him happy every day. Reid focused on Kiero. He always had a youthful glow to himself, always smiled Reid’s way on the worst days. Always tried to keep moods up. Reid noticed how close they were, head’s just touching, red hair just blending in the white. The quality was poor. Taken on a laptop, they didn’t have phones then and it took a long time to actually figure out how to print them.
Reid stared and stared. He had forgotten how Kiero’s hair was fluffy. White. He marvelled at how he was allowed to dye it at such a young age. Pink, purple, blue, every color has been in Kiero’s hair and more. In this particular day, his hair was still white with a streak of red, inspired by Reid’s own hair. “I’m just like you!” Kiero would say and laugh. He missed that laugh. He missed everything about Kiero. He missed the comfort just like the day of the picture. He gazed at it softly, calming at the memory. “It was such a long time ago…”
“Reid.” Reid looked up at Kiero, eyes red and puffy. Tears were still running down his face and he sniffled. “W-what?” Kiero used his sleeve to wipe his tears. Reid had run to Kiero’s yard scared shitless. They were going to meet in five minutes but Reid’s fate maker had other plans. He encountered a snake, something that truly scared him to the core. They were both eight years old and Reid hasn’t encountered many snakes. He didn’t know how to control his fear either.
“It’s just a snake. It won’t hurt you. You can be such a baby sometimes Reid.” The white haired kid looked at Reid with a softness. He grew fond of Reid the past year and to say they were close friends seemed like an understatement. Kiero chuckled at Reid as he pouted. “But it was scary… it-it hissed at me! It wanted t-o eat m-m-me.” Reid started to cry again as he tried to explain why he was so afraid of the snake. His terror reviving. He felt warm arms around him. “Reid, it’s okay! I’m scared of stuff too! Like heights.” Keiro tried to comfort Reid the best he could. “Let’s go inside then, there’s no snakes there! C’mon Reid.”
Keiro pushed him inside his house. It was huge compared to where Reid lived, at least twice as many rooms, but out of all of them he was pushed into Kiero’s room and for several minutes Kiero was looking at the red head, wondering how to comfort him. They played some games and once Reid looked calm enough, they took several pictures. Kiero kept his arms around Reid’s shoulders and Reid hugged Kiero, still seeking the comfort he was always so often denied of.
“Kiero?” Reid looked at his friend as they watched tv. They were both a little worn out after doing activity after activity. Kiero glanced at Reid and hummed to show he was listening. “Thank you..” Reid looked at the carpet and sighed. He felt truly happy with Kiero with him. Kiero looked at Reid and smiled brightly, tackling him in a hug. “I’ll do it forever and evah!” Kiero cooed and laughed as Reid blushed but laughed with him.
When Reid came back from Memory Lane, he shoved the picture back in the box to keep the picture from becoming soiled in his own tears.