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"Hey Keith, everything okay?"
Shiro had spotted the younger boy in the hallway while he'd been on his way back from a meeting, at first just wanting to check on how Keith was adjusting to the academy but changing his strategy once he'd seen the way the boy's movements were slow and careful as if it hurt to move. He stuck mainly to the sides of the hallway and almost looked like he was sulking - which Shiro wouldn't normally place as out of character from what he'd seen so far from the boy - but this somehow felt different.
So he'd waited until Keith had seen him before walking over with what he hoped was a welcoming smile, trying to hide his concern lest the boy completely close off.
"Yeah?" Keith's brows creased in confusion and something else too that Shiro couldn't exactly discern right now. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"No reason. I was just wondering how you were holding up is all."
"I'm fine."
His smile wavered the slightest bit. Some feeling was telling him that there was something off, but Keith wasn't letting any of it show. He'd heard from the previous teachers the boy had that he was a generally closed-off kid, distant and withdrawn. It seemed to match with what Shiro had seen so far, but he hoped to maybe change that a little, especially seeing how lonely the boy seemed sometimes, the far off looks he'd get. It wasn't healthy, not at his age, so Shiro tried to make himself available, seem like a person Keith could trust, but god was it harder than he'd thought sometimes.
Keith shifted awkwardly, and Shiro's eyes honed in on the boy's arm.
"What happened?" He asked, gesturing to the cloth wrapped hastily and messily around Keith's arm and elbow.
The boy avoided his gaze, muttering something Shiro couldn't exactly hear.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"I fell off my bike," Keith said a little louder, still purposely avoiding Shiro's now slightly-alarmed gaze.
"You got hurt? Did you get someone to look at it?" The guilty silence told him everything. He crossed his arms. "Did you at least clean it properly? Who am I kidding, you didn't even use proper bandages or anything why would you - " he muttered, before realising what he was doing and cutting himself off, remembering the boy in front of him looking at him weirdly. He sighed. "Want me to take a look? You don't want it to get infected or something. I can probably find you a couple band-aids and other bandages, might be better than that makeshift one you got there."
Apparently it was the wrong thing to say, because Keith frowned, eyes narrowing. "I don't need you to help me, I can handle things myself."
Shiro closed his eyes, wandering what the best way to deal with this was, because evidently, Keith didn't want to open up and let him help and he couldn't just shout at the boy about how his life shouldn't have to be this way. So instead, when he opened his eyes, he went for a soft smile.
"I don't doubt it. I know you're used to doing things by yourself, and you've probably gotten really good at it," he started, Keith looking like he was about to run away at the words. "But 1) there's a difference between need and want. You might not need me to look at it but that doesn't mean it would hurt to let me, or for you to ask for some help if you want it. And 2) you don't have to handle things yourself anymore." His smile grew the slightest bit bigger, even if Keith had half-turned his body now to look away from Shiro so he continued.
"You have so many people and resources here that can help you, and if that's too much all at once, then start with me. If you need something - or just want it, or prefer it, or think it might help for me to get involved - then ask. I'll be happy to do it. And don't go thinking you're a burden either. You shouldn't have to hide if you're hurting, that's not good. You're now part of the family, Keith, and family is not a burden. Okay?"
He waited for Keith to give the slightest nod of his head, dark, messy hair flopping to cover the boy's eyes. Shiro smiled again.
"So do you want me to look at your injuries?" He asked softly.
A small nod, a big victory, but he tried not to let it show.
"Good. Now are you okay with going to the med bay, or would you rather I deal with it at my place? Either way works for me, I was on my way home anyway and my route goes past the med bay too if you change your mind." A little lie - since he could go home that way but usually took a shortcut - but a necessary one so Keith wouldn't choose what was convenient for Shiro instead of what he really wanted.
"Your place," came the quiet mumble, but it was enough.
"Okay, that works. I'll just stop by the med bay to grab some more supplies though if that's alright with you? I think I'm running low, and it might be a good idea for you to keep some stuff with you too."
"Okay," Keith said, eyes finally darting to meet Shiro's before darting away almost immediately. Shiro almost missed what the boy said next.
"Thank you."
He refrained from grinning and instead just smiled. "No problem."
It was a small step, but it was a step nonetheless, working towards getting Keith to open up a little more and be the best person he could be, the best person Shiro knew he could be.
It was a small step, but it was a start.