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Shiro walked into the kitchen after a whole day of training for the Kerberos mission. He was exhausted and wanted to get a cup of coffee. He walked past Adam who gave him a glare as he passed.
“Oh no” Shiro thought “This is that last thing I need today.”
As he rounded the kitchen island towards the coffee machine Adam spoke.
“I can’t believe you’re stilling going-“
Shiro quickly interrupted “Can we not have this discussion right now”
Adam knew he shouldn’t continue but he was so angry he just ignored how tired Shiro sounded. “You need to listen to me because I can’t take this anymore.” His shouting made Shiro go quiet.
“If you leave there is no telling what could happen up there. You have a life here why can’t you see that!”
“This is a great chance for me to explore and have an adventure I could never have here” Shiro tried to stay calm but his voice grew angry.
“I can’t believe how selfish you are!” Adam slammed his hand on the island. “You are only thinking about how your life is going to be more exciting but you never even think about me.”
Shiro glared at Adam “I have worked hard for an opportunity like this, you should be happy for me. Have faith that I will return and we can continue on like how we are!”
“Well, if you think I’m going to be waiting for you when you get back, you would be wrong.” Adam finally let his feelings out. “I love you but you have to make a choice. Me or the mission.”
Shiro gaped at him as the room went completely silent. His ears rang and he couldn’t stay in that house any longer so he stormed out of the house. Adam watched him with anger and sadness in his eyes.
Shiro got on his hoverbike and rode into the desert to a spot he regularly visits when he wants a place to be alone. He watches as the sun is setting, seething at the thought of Adam making him choose.
It was maybe 30 minutes later when he heard another hoverbike approaching. It came to a stop and someone started to walk towards him, getting right behind him when they spoke.
“Shi-” The voice started but was immediately cut off but Shiro whirling around. He was blinded by rage and didn’t even notice who it was before he started his rampage.
“Get the fuck away from me you traitor!” As he said that he shoved the person away, making them fall.
Shiro realized that the person was a lot smaller than Adam and he looked down to see a very frightened Keith. He was too slow to react to seeing him as he had already scrambled his way to the hoverbike and sped away.
“Shit.” Shiro spoke under his breath. The feeling of guilt immediately rose to his throat as he said it.
He knew Keith had problems with both shouting and physical contact, not knowing why, and he had done both to him. He needed to apologize as soon as possible.
Shiro started looking for him in his usual spaces and couldn’t find him.
“I’ll see him as school tomorrow.” He assured himself but that didn’t help the bad feeling in his stomach. He slept on the couch that night, thinking about everything that happened that day.
He woke up with a cup of coffee sitting on the coffee table. Adam left it for him before he headed to his classroom. Shiro couldn’t tell if he was still mad at him but he shrugged that off. He needed to find Keith.
He went to all of Keith’s classes and still no sign of him. He asked all of his teachers and they all said he was absent that day. So, he checked his dorm again and everything was still the same as yesterday. His backpack hadn’t been moved from the corner so he didn’t run away. Right?
He decided to talk to Sam and Matt Holt to see if they could help. He explains to them that he has done.
“Please, I just need to know he is safe.” Shiro says with a dejected look in his eyes
“I can check the security tapes.” Matt immediately walks to the desk and starts tapping away.
Sam squeezes Shiro’s shoulder and gives him a sympathetic look. “We will find him, don’t worry.”
30 minutes later Matt shouts for them to come over. Shiro rushes over with Sam behind him.
“I found this clip from last night.” He begins and plays the clip.
It’s a video of Keith walking out of the Garrison gates, his head is down and his hands are in his pockets. Shiro knows that stance. When he first met Keith, this was how he was. His gut twisted as he realized that he only acted like that when he thought no one was there for him.
Shiro felt like he was going to puke. “I can’t believe I made him think I don’t care about him anymore.”
Sam placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll have the chance to fix things”
The three of them then headed out to Sam’s jeep where they sped out of the Garrison to find Keith.
“I hope he didn’t wander away from the road.” Shiro thought as they saw no signs of life.
Suddenly Shiro shouted “Stop!”
Matt jumped and Sam hit the brakes. They both turned to look at Shiro as soon as the car stopped.
“What is it?” Matt said, frustrated that they stopped their search.
“Something feels off here, let's take a look around.” Shiro said as he got out of the car.
Matt and Sam both looked at each other questioningly as they got out of the car. But as soon as Matt stepped out, he saw a red jacket lying a few yards away from the road.
“Look!” He shouted and started running towards it.
Same and Shiro ran around the car and caught up with him.
“If we didn’t stop, we wouldn’t have seen it.” Sam states.
Shiro grabbed Keith’s jacket and held it close to him as they followed the tracks he left. Eventually it led them to a patch of boulders where they saw a huddled-up figure.
“Keith!” Shiro shouted as he ran towards the boulders.
“Keith I’m so glad I found you.” He reached his hand out towards him but immediately regretted it.
Keith flinched away and looked up with a wild terrified look in his eyes.
“Hey, hey, its ok bud. I’m not going to hurt you.” Shiro said in a soothing tone.
“Y-yes you are. Everyone does. Even you did.” Keith sounded dejected. “Just leave me here, no one will care.”
Shiro’s heart immediately broke. He messed up more than he could have imagined.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you, I don’t have any excuses but I need you.” Shiro’s eyes started to water. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Keith suddenly started to cry and Shiro carefully wrapped him in a hug. Shiro swore in his life that he would never hurt him like that again.
That was a lie.