~Five Years Earlier~
Keegan stared blankly at the graves of his parents and brother, lined up one right next to the other. They each had brief statements of what was thought to be their greatest accomplishments in life, and underneath those were the dates that they were born to the day that they all died. Keegan remembered the car accident like it had been a vague dream, that his family had been driving down a narrow road on a wet day. They'd been going to the store because they knew that there was a chance they'd get snowed in. His mom had been singing softly to herself as his dad drummed his thigh to the tune that was coming from her lips, and his brother had been punching his arm, pretending to play with him, but hitting him hard enough to bruise him. His brother had been several years older than him, and one day he'd come back from school in a bad mood, and he'd never been the same again. Keegan had never found out what had bothered his brother so badly.
They'd driven a few miles like that until they'd rolled around a narrow curve, and they'd unexpectedly been faced with a car that was speeding down the road, swerving back and forth on a patch of ice. His dad had hit the brakes very quickly, making their car squeal before it swayed back and forth like the other car was doing, and Keegan had watched with huge eyes as his brother's side of the car was crushed in by the other car hitting it. His brother had yelped, drawing in his mom's attention as she twisted around to see what was wrong, but she had never even been able to touch her son before the front of the car smashed into the guardrail. It had instantly killed his parents, and his brother had later died at the hospital because his ribs had been crushed into his heart. Keegan had escaped death with a few cuts on his face and a bruised arm, simply because he'd been sitting on the side of the car that hadn't been damaged.
Because he had no other known family, the government had tried to take him in, but before they came to get him, Keegan had panicked and made a run for it, and he'd ended up in Paris, two towns away from his own. Paris was a place where he'd heard that good things were supposed to happen, but Keegan hadn't a clue of what a twelve year old was supposed to do to keep himself alive, so he'd started swiping food from restaurants at night, and in the daylight he reposed in alleyways, resting himself up so he would be ready to scavenge at night. Sometimes he visited their graves, but he didn't say anything to them, apologizing for his bad behavior when he was a child, or asking his brother why he was so angry. He didn't even cry. He just sat and watched those stones that were somehow supposed to represent his very human family that wasn't at all still or emotionless. His family wasn't a bunch of rocks. They were people.
Today was no different than the others when Keegan glared angrily at those stones, except when he made out the most high pitched mewling. At first he thought that a kitten had wandered too far away from its mom, but when he whipped his head away from his parents' and brother's stones, he was surprised to see a very tiny boy hugging another grave very tightly. He didn't seem mad at it. His glassy, blue eyes wept tears that looked like small diamonds raining on his white dress. A bubble of saliva popped on his pink lips, and Keegan suddenly felt the urge to wipe his fragile face. Looking around for anyone else who might be caring for the little boy, Keegan pushed himself off the snowy ground, and he padded over to the precious boy who, he realized as he got closer, was peeping a very soft word, "Maman…" he begged, pressing his cheek to the stone and rubbing his face against the cold concrete.
Raising his brows as he wondered how such a pretty child had lost his mom, Keegan cautiously lowered to the ground beside of him, and the little boy lifted his head from the stone, his small hands wiping his wet face. "It's okay." Keegan whispered to him, reaching out for him and scooting him closer. Using his sleeve to wipe his stained, pink cheeks and his dripping nose, he pulled him against his chest and wrapped his arms around him. "Is this your mom?"
The little boy vigorously nodded his head, his blond hair moving as the wind caught it, "It's my maman. Daddy says she has to take care of me from here now… but I already miss her hugs!"
Keegan frowned at the little boy who looked no older than eight, and he squeezed him tighter, "I can hug you now. I won't let you go. What's your name, pretty boy?"
"Kurt." The word was a soft squeak, and Kurt suddenly snuggled his face into Keegan's shirt, his tears slowing down as he was rocked back and forth. "Who are you? Did my maman send you to make me feel better?"
Hushing the sniffling boy, Keegan rested his chin on top of his head, feeling his soft hair tickle his throat, "Yeah… she sent me just for you. My name is Keegan. I really like you, Kurt."
The kind words brought a thick giggle out of Kurt's mouth, and he reached up for Keegan's head, tangling his thin fingers in his blond curls. He leaned closer to him and pressed a wet kiss to his nose, making Keegan grin as he tightened his arms. "I like you, too! Maman always had good taste. Will you be my best friend, Keegie?"
Keegan nuzzled his face against Kurt's, brushing their noses back and forth, "I'll be your best, best friend, Kurtie. I promise." Kissing his forehead, Keegan clung to the soft boy who needed him more than he needed himself. That was the day that Keegan fell in love with the boy he would spend forever with. It was the day he fell in love for the first time.