Two weeks passed and Keith and James started to get closer. Keith would work the bar, James would order his drink and talk to Keith, Keith would go sing a few songs on stage, then the two would talk until Keith's shift ended, then James would walk him to his car. Keith had told James that he was pregnant and it was his ex-boyfriend's kid he was carrying. Surprisingly, James had no problem with Keith being pregnant. In fact, he even told Keith that his cousin was pregnant with his second child with his boyfriend.
In those two weeks, Keith found himself being drawn to James. But he couldn't help but think of Lance whenever he looked at James. His heart aching. But he couldn't deny what his heart was also telling him, he started to love James.
"Ready to go?" James asked as Keith washed his hands a final time and pulled his coat on.
"Yeah," Keith said as he waved to Nat who waved back to him as she drowned a shot with one of her friends. The pair exited the club and Keith took a deep breath of the cold air, a change from the warmth of the club which smelt strongly of alcohol and sweat from the crowd.
"You know, I've really enjoyed these two weeks of our little tradition," James said with a smile.
"Yeah?" Keith asked pulling his keys out of his bag. "So have I. It's nice to have someone to talk to."
"You don't talk to your friends back home?" James asked as Keith opened the back door of his car.
"I do but they're in Cranston and I'm here."
"Ah."
"So, same time tomorrow?" Keith asked opening his car door.
"Yeah, I'll text you," James answered as he waved goodbye to the raven-haired boy before he started heading to his own car. Keith smiled softly and climbed into his car, driving away from the club and heading back home.
He was almost home when he got a text from James.
Hey, I was wondering. We've been talking for a while now, would you like to go out sometime? Maybe grab a coffee?
Keith stopped at a red light and his thoughts started racing. Was he ready to move on from Lance? Could his heart take another heart break if it didn't work out? Keith shook his head and turned on his car radio to a random news station.
And now live in the studio, we have the son of Richard McClain Lance McClain, here to talk about his engagement to-
Keith was quick to shut the news station off and the car was silent.
"You just won't leave me alone will you?" Keith asked softly with a sigh. No matter where he went or what he did, his thoughts always ended back to Lance.
"Guess mine is not the first heart broken
My eyes are not the first to cry
I'm not the first to know
There's just no getting over you"
"You broke hearts anywhere you went," Keith said softly as he remembered the stories Lance told him of his high school days.
"You know, I'm just a fool who's willing
To sit around and wait for you
But baby, can't you see
There's nothing else for me to do?
I'm hopelessly devoted to you"
He knew it was foolish to think of. But Keith couldn't help but dream that one day Lance would call him and beg for them to be back together. Most days, Keith would sit on his bed and just stare at his phone, waiting.
"But now there's nowhere to hide
Since you pushed my love aside
I'm out of my head
Hopelessly devoted to you
Hopelessly devoted to you
Hopelessly devoted to you"
Keith pulled into the driveway of his mother's house and pulled his car keys out of the ignition and got out of his car, opening the back door and grabbing his bag.
"My head is saying, "Fool, forget him"
My heart is saying, "Don't let go
Hold on till the end"
And that's what I intend to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you"
Keith stared at the text message from James with a sigh. His mind was screaming to let go of Lance. The relationship was over, that was the end of it. However, his heart was screaming to hold on to the love.
"But now there's nowhere to hide
Since you pushed my love aside
I'm out of my head
Hopelessly devoted to you
Hopelessly devoted to you
Hopelessly devoted to you"
Keith entered the house and shut the door behind him, hanging his coat up and slipping his boots off. He unlocked his phone and started a reply to James with a sigh.
Yeah. Let's do it.
A month later, Shiro and Adam had come down for a two week visit. Krolia had been at work when the couple arrived. Kolivan was off work for the week and had been working on lunch when they got to the house. Keith had been lying on the couch watching Supernatural when he felt someone sit down beside his feet.
He turned to see it was Shiro who had sat beside him, Adam sitting on the loveseat. Both had smiles on their face seeing Keith.
"What? No hug for your brother?" Shiro teased with a smile. Keith rolled his eyes and slowly sat up, then proceeding to give him a hug.
"When did you guys get here?" Keith asked pulling away from Shiro and stuffing a pillow behind his back.
"A few minutes ago," Adam answered with a smile. "Kolivan let us in."
"Supernatural? Really?" Shiro asked as he noticed the show Keith had been watching.
"Hey, don't insult Sam and Dean Winchester," Keith teased with a playful glare. Shiro rolled his eyes and stood up to go and help Kolivan with lunch. Adam climbed onto the couch and sat down beside Keith.
"So, how has pregnancy been treating you?" Adam asked as they waited for lunch to be ready.
"Well I'm not waking up at the crack of dawn with morning sickness anymore," Keith said with a sigh of relief. "That was awful."
"I can imagine, doesn't sound too fun."
A few minutes later, Shiro and Adam walked in with trays of food. Three were simple, grilled cheeses and vegetable soup. Keith's was a bowl of vegetable and pork dumplings and a plate of scrambled eggs. The dumplings were ones that Krolia had frozen one night when she made them for dinner.
Adam turned to grab a tray from Shiro before everyone turned to Keith as he suddenly gasped and placed a hand on his stomach.
"Keith? What's wrong?" Kolivan asked placing the two trays he was holding onto the coffee table and placed a concerned hand on his shoulder.
"I don't know, I felt something move in my stomach," Keith answered before gasping again as the sensation happened again. Adam leaned forwards and placed a hand on Keith's stomach and a smile grew on his face when he felt the sensation under his hand.
"You don't have to worry Keith," Adam said as he withdrew his hand. "Your baby just kicked."
"Is that what that is?" Keith asked as he felt another kick under his hand. Tears springing to his eyes with a soft smile.
An hour later, Kolivan was called into the office to fix an issue and so it was just Shiro, Adam, and Keith left at the house. The three were currently catching with events they had missed.
"So, who's this boy Mom said you've been seeing?" Shiro asked with a smile.
"She really tells you everything doesn't she?" Keith asked with a sigh.
"You're seeing someone?" Adam asked from beside Shiro. "Has he asked you out yet?"
"He's already asked you out hasn't he?" Shiro said with a smile when Keith didn't answer. Both boys smiled seeing Keith's cheeks flush. "Where are you guys going?"
"Just coffee, he knows this great coffee shop that opened a while ago."
"Simple," Adam said with a smile. "Sounds fun."
A few days later, Keith had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Amelia. Krolia had booked the day off work, as had Kolivan. Shiro and Adam had come along for the appointment as well. Currently, they were sitting in the waiting room waiting for Keith to be called into one of the rooms.
The receptionist kept making flirty eyes at Shiro and applying lip gloss every 10 seconds. Yes, Adam had counted. Her blonde hair was tied into a ponytail with her bangs curled and sitting above the round glasses she wore. Behind those glasses, Adam could see the way too bright blue eyeshadow on her lids and the false lashes she wore. She really was trying too hard.
"Keith Kogane?" one of the nurse's called out, Keith turned from his conversation with his mother and stood up, the group with him following. "Perfect, follow me love."
The nurse led them into a room which was specifically set up for pregnant patients. Keith sat down on the bed and the nurse placed his file on the counter as Shiro, Adam, Krolia, and Kolivan sat down on the chairs in the room.
"Dr. Amelia will be with you in a few minutes," the nurse said with a smile and left the room, closing the door behind her. It was only a few moments after she left that Dr. Amelia showed up.
"There's my favourite family," she said with a smile. "And I see everyone is here today as well," she said turning to Shiro. "How's that café of yours holding up Shiro? Keith has told me all about it."
"Still standing, I've had help," Shiro said with a smile turning to Adam who returned his smile.
"Good to hear, and this must be the fiancé?" Dr. Amelia said turning to Adam.
"I am, Adam Wright," Adam said shaking her hand.
"I'm glad to hear that Shiro has someone by his side," she said snapping a pair of gloves on. "Now, let's see how we're doing here."
Keith lay down on the bed as Dr. Amelia sat down on the stool beside him.
"Now, we might even get to hear that little one's heartbeat today," she said with a smile.
"Really?" Keith asked with wide eyes. He knew he was along but he didn't think that he would be able to hear his baby's heart beat already.
"If all is well, we should be able to hear it," Dr. Amelia said with a nod as she motioned for Keith to raise his shirt and she squirted some of the gel onto his stomach and then picked up the wand. There was silence for a few minutes while Dr. Amelia moved the wand around Keith's stomach as she tried to get a picture of the fetus.
"There we are," she said with a smile and turned the monitor for Keith to see. "That is your child, or children I should say."
"Children?" Krolia asked turning to Dr. Amelia with wide eyes. "You mean, Keith is having twins?"
"Exactly," Dr. Amelia responded with a nod. "And, if we stay quiet for a moment…"
The group stopped talking and a second later there was noise coming from the monitor.
"Is that…"
"That's your baby's heart beat."
There was silence for a few minutes as Keith listened to the heartbeat of his child, tears in his eyes.
A few days later, James and Keith were set to have their first date. Keith was currently trying to find something to wear. Because of his growing stomach, he had to buy new clothing that would fit him. Finding a shirt to wear was no problem, Keith had settled on a dark grey t-shirt to pair with his red sweater.
The problem was finding a pair of pants to wear that would fit him comfortably. He finally settled on a pair of dark blue jeans which Krolia had adjusted for him.
When he was dressed, Keith headed downstairs where Adam and Shiro were sitting on the love seat in the living room watching one of their shows. Krolia and Kolivan were at work and would be back at dinner.
"So when is James coming?" Adam asked as Keith sat down on the three seater couch.
"Yeah, I'd like to have a chat with him before you guys go," Shiro said turning to Keith.
"Seriously? I'm 23 years old," Keith said with a roll of his eyes.
"And you're my baby brother," Shiro said giving Keith a look. "I need to make sure he's going to treat you right."
Speaking of James. The doorbell rang and Shiro was the first to stand up.
"Shiro, don't say anything to scare him away," Keith called out as Shiro headed down the stairs to the front door.
"No promises!" Shiro called back.
"So, you excited for your date?" Adam asked with a smile.
"I guess so," Keith replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"It's good that you're seeing someone," Adam said. "Get your mind finally off of him and move on."
"Yeah," Keith said with a nod of his head.
A few minutes passed and Shiro headed back upstairs after talking with James.
"He's all yours," Shiro said sitting back down beside Adam. "Don't stay out too late!" Shiro called out as Keith headed downstairs.
"Whatever he said, I'm sorry," Keith said as he pulled on his red leather jacket.
"Don't worry about it," James said with a smile. However, Keith could see through the smile but decided not to press it further. Knowing Shiro, he definitely gave James a stern talking to.
They had gotten their drinks from the coffee shop and since it was a nice day outside, the pair decided to walk down to the boardwalk.
"You're having twins?" James asked as Keith answered his question on how the pregnancy was going.
"Apparently," Keith said with a nod. "Kind of explains why I'm bigger than my mom was at 4 months."
"Sounds like you're going to have double the trouble once they're born," James said with a smile.
"No kidding," Keith answered taking a sip of his tea.
"So, I have to ask," James asked as they sat down on one of the benches. "Why did you agree to go on a date with me?"
"I don't really know myself," Keith answered with a chuckle. "I guess I just wanted to put this whole thing with my ex behind me, you've been a big help in helping me slowly move on."
"I get it," James said with a nod. "You deserve to be happy."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were confessing to me," Keith said placing his tea on the bench beside him, turning to James with a smirk.
"Maybe I am," James replied back causing Keith's smirk to falter. James suddenly stood up and turned back to Keith.
"When you were lonely, you needed a man
Someone to lean on, well I understand
It's only natural
But why did it have to be me?"
Keith smiled softly as he recognized the song James was singing.
"Nights can be empty, and nights can be cold
So you were looking for someone to hold
That's only natural
But why did it have to be me?"
Keith suddenly stood up and the pair started to dance. Much to Keith's appreciation, there was no one really on the boardwalk.
"I was so lonesome
I was blue
I couldn't help it
It had to be you and I
Always thought you knew the reason why
I only wanted a little love affair
Now I can see you are beginning to care
But baby
Believe me
It's better
To forget me"
"And how could I forget you, when I'm this far in?" James asked with a smile.
"Falling in love with a charmer like you
Happens so quickly, there's nothing to do
It's only natural
But why did it have to be me?"
"You know why," Keith answered with a soft smile.
"I was so lonesome
I was blue
I couldn't help it
It had to be you and I
Always thought you knew the reason why"
"I think you'll have to be a little clearer," James said with a teasing smirk. Keith rolled his eyes and finished off the song with a frown.
"I only wanted a little love affair
Now I can see you are beginning to care
But baby
Believe me
It's better to forget me"
Keith suddenly turned away as tears sprung to his eyes.
"What's wrong? Did I do something?" James asked in concern.
"It's not you," Keith said with a shake of his head. "I just don't want to get hurt again."
"Hey," James said turning Keith back around softly, gently wiping his tears with his thumbs. "I would never hurt you."
"Can you keep that promise?" Keith asked with a sigh. "Cause the last guy that promised me that didn't and went to marry his secret fiancée."
Much to Keith's surprise, James bent his head down and kissed Keith softly on the lips. Keith's eyes widened but he didn't pull away. Over the course of them meeting at the bar and getting closer, Keith slowly realized he had fallen for James.
"That answer your question?" James asked as he pulled away with a smile.
"Maybe," Keith replied back with a soft smile.
"Then how about we make it official?"
Song(s) Used:
Hopelessly Devoted To You
Sung By Olivia Newton-John in Grease, 1978
Why Did It Have To Be Me?
Sung Originally by ABBA, 1976
Covered by Lily James and Josh Dylan in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, 2018
