Sheith Angst week

Day 4: Betrayal

Pre-Kerberos, post Adam/Shiro breakup.

Early goodbye

It was still early in the morning when Keith walked down the corridor towards the offices block. The garrison as a good military facility started its days around five o'clock, so he was already back from his first jog of the day. Usually he wasn't that much of a morning person, not like Shiro, and when he made his way to his office he usually sported his most unfriendly grimace. It was different that morning, though. He felt rested even though he had stayed up late thanks to overthinking. He knocked on Shiro's door, knowing that his office mate wasn't there at that time. Shiro called him in.

"Good morning!" He greeted with an unusual smile. It seemed pained and forced, however. Keith didn't like that. He could imagine that the atmosphere at Shiro's home wasn't the friendliest right now. He didn't dislike Adam but he knew he had strong ideas and believes. Just like Shiro. It seemed to be a military thing…

"Good morning" he said back. Shiro was standing next to the window, looking down on the departing and landing tracks. Some planes were stationed outside the hangars, yet few people were on sight. He had a glass of plain water in his hand. Usually he drank tea or some fruit juice. Never coffee, Shiro didn't drink coffee. He also snubbed on energy drinks but that wasn't Keith's problem. He liked coffee, though, and would never understand Shiro's distaste for it.

Keith breathed in.

"So… you're really going. Does that mean you're single now?"

Shiro raised an eyebrow. "Some one is getting straight to the point today. Did you sleep well? I certainly did." Keith rolled his eyes and Shiro rewarded him with a chuckle. "That's really what you came to ask?"

"I came for my daily bread," Keith retorted and walked up to Shiro's desk, snatching one away.

"Don't you eat breakfast?" Shiro wanted to know. Keith just grinned and the pilot sighed.

"I'm a growing teenager, I eat a lot. And you didn't answer my question."

Shiro shrugged.

"I guess we broke up. Unofficially or something like that."

Keith hesitated for a second

"When are you leaving?"

"In a month. July twenty third."

He nodded, not knowing what else to say. Except maybe ask for how long he would be away but that was something he didn't want to think of for the time being. Eventually he would know.

"Are you… mad too?" Shiro suddenly asked.

Keith looked at him, confused.

"Mad? Why?"

Shiro shrugged. "I mean… I do understand where Adam is coming from. He knows about my condition, about incidents of the past and above all he is my- I mean, was… you know." And he shrugged again. Keith frowned, then shook his head. "Whatever."

"I would be the last person to tell you not to fly."

Shiro smiled again and this time it soothed him, like it was supposed to do. "I know" Shiro said, softly and almost whispering, like he was telling it to himself. "You see it differently than others…"

Keith felt heat expand over his face and he begged dearly it wasn't a blush. Shiro laughed, so it probably was a darn blush.

"So, will you be waiting for me when I come back?" Shiro asked, having a short flash back to a few nights back. Keith looked away.

"It's not like I could go anywhere," he murmured. "I mean… I can't just leave Earth, can I?"

Shiro laughed.

"No, you're right." He smiled warmly. The light that was coming through the window right behind and gave him some sort of warm aura, like he was his angel or something like that. Keith gulped but Shiro seemed to already have something else in mind.

"Right, and you have class," Shiro remembered. "Better get going, I don't wanna hear you were late again. I will see you at three for training."

He passed him another small bit of bread and pulled his chair to sit down. Keith even smiled at him before turning away. He glanced one last time over his shoulder and then left the office. I will be here, he told himself. Waiting right there where Shiro left him at the garrison. He wasn't going to just bail.