How Far I've Come (Keith x Reader)

☪︎ Growing Close » Chapter Two ☪︎

{2nd Person Point of View}

After pitching the idea of snacks, Keith seemed confused, and you led him to the commissary. You knew the 'Lunch Ladies' by name, so they made you drinks when you needed them in exchange for pleasant conversation when you came by.

You sat down at a cold bench back in the commons area after you got a mug of warm tea from Leona, Keith having got an apple. They only serve fruit and water for not-Y/Ns during hours that aren't mealtimes. He mockingly remarked her western accent, repeating her words of; 'for nutritional value' after the two of you left, making you both snicker. Which, to the both of you, was something you hadn't done yourselves in a while.

You sat in awkward silence for a while as you ate and drank, not sure of who would talk first.

"...Do you want to be an author when you get older?"

"I'd like to. I love writing about space, I want to compile the biggest book of literary knowledge there is about it." You answered, and he nodded slowly, seemingly impressed. The apple he had was almost gnawed to it's core, seeds protruding out of the remaining flesh.

"Did you honestly have to draw the... drawing? On the board?" You asked, hunched over your mug as you suppressed giggles. Keith smirked as he remembered his vandalism to where his initials would go.

"Couldn't turn it down without a proper goodbye." He replied, somewhat cheeky.

"A bird isn't a goodbye, it's an insult, you bumsquinch!" You replied, starting to warm up at the idea of a normal conversation as opposed to small talk and math formulas. He fiddled with his fingers a bit, before smiling as if he was about to burst.

"Bumsquinch?..." He asked oddly, questioning your vocabulary. You noticed how out of place that word must have sounded for the first time, realizing why he was asking.

"..It's my way of calling people names and not getting detention. I write it a lot." You muttered, taking a sip of your drink. "So, do you actually want to... talk about it?"

A moment of silence passed, awkward and so, so dense you could chop right through it. Keith nodded hesitantly, munching his apple core, trying to sit comfortably and take a deep breath. In and out.

"Do you remember the Kerberos Mission from six months ago?" He asked, rubbing his fingers over the barely-there apple, and you nodded. "My best friend, Shiro was the pilot on that mission. He was like a brother to me, and I know he's not dead. He wouldn't just crash like that." He muttered as he chewed his fruit, and you listened, fully invested. "Shiro was the best pilot that this school ever saw- there's no way he choked."

He spit a bit of apple as he spoke, obviously his eating mannerisms were low on regard. You were already mapping out the words you would use to define his tone and attitude in your journal, then mentally scolded yourself since it was not the time. The name he brought up did sound familiar, however.

"Takashi Shirogane?" You asked, and he seemed to flinch unexpectedly at his missing friend's full name. You sat awkwardly for a moment as he hung his head, but he eventually nodded, silently giving you approval to continue.

"I figured that everyone knows he isn't dead. Did no one listen to my presentation last month?" You replied bitterly and Keith gave you a confused look. His gaze was one that would throw any sane girl off of a cliff and into his violet orbs.