How Far I've Come (Keith x Reader)

☌ Party; Chapter Twenty-Six ☌

"Y/n," A voice says, lingering and expectant, but you can't focus enough.

You're in an odd place right now, a state of mind between having your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground. It's like being intoxicated, yet you can't exactly name what your source of high is, it when it started making you feel this way.

Voices crowd your mind, shouts and whispers and lingering echoes that you just can't make words with. Clutter, gurgles and garbage are all you can understand, and you can't even understand it at that.

Your mind is looped, like a thick thread trying to go through a needle head, but you just can't get it crammed in. Lick it, slick it, close one eye and focus really hard; it just won't do.

A hand waves in front of your face, a red rock ting that rests with relief once you finally blink yourself back to your reality. "Don't do that! We thought you were about to pass out!" Ezor whines, wiping her forehead, but her expression shows no signs of panic. Zethrid's expression says enough about how much concern she showed for your health; little to none.

"I'm very sorry," You say, itching a discomfort on your nose. "I guess I'm just a little nervous is all. Tonight is so sudden, I think I might be going a little crazy. I'm going into this too blind for comfort, and I don't want to let anyone down."

"Trust me," Says the talkative of the bunch, who wraps an arm around your bare shoulders, making your back straighten. "Nothing you do could make tonight go more perfect. All you have to do it be there."

Although her words are suspicious, in text and especially in tone, you give a short nod and a weak crack of a smile, one that pushes off a little worry (uncovering the mountain of anxiety behind it). At least there's something to count on, one unpredictable board you can lean on that won't break; you can't fail? Can Ezor really make this promise and keep it true?

And, all of a sudden, you can't remember what you had been asking yourself. The thread has been lost entirely, the needle to eventually be discarded. Back to square one, in a frustrating state of 'I don't even remember what I was doing last week'.

"Do you know where the location is, at least? Of the party?" You ask, looking hopeful in the eyes and extremely nervous behind said hope. Your hands even fold and rise up to your chest, fingers jittery and palms clammy. Ezor looks to Zethrid-

"Are we cleared for this yet?" She whispers, very discretely.

The taller of the two nods her head, and Ezor gives her a wink of thanks. "A local planet in this system called Jakarai. It's trademark is being the place where all big corporations and brands host their biggest parties. The whole lot is littered with food services, rentable buildings, drunk folks, the whole shebang.

"Don't worry though, the one we'll be attending is much more formal than what you might be expecting. Fruity booze and slow dancing. Very classy stuff."

"Oh," You say, feeling all the more positive about how you'll come off. You can do chill and fancy, and you can probably do it well. Everything gets a lot more comfortable, like your stress decided to take an ibuprofen. "Thank you for letting me know."

"Just doing my duty." She winks, and a lemony-yellow tongue pokes out playfully between her lips.

"Continuing process of landing on Jakarai," An unfamiliar voice says. You've heard that the others call her Acxa, or something similar, but you can't confirm. "Lotor is waiting just inside the entrance of the main set, the biggest building; 1-C. "

The ship doors drag open with tire and expose you to the night air of Jakarai, succumbing you to frosty night air that you can finally breathe without being masked. The faint smell of second-hand smoke and party-built sweat fills the air, a sour mix to the nipping cold breeze.