Keith grumbled from the couch. His head rested on Lance's chest and Red hugged his arm. He sat up and frowned. His head twisted to face behind the couch and Axca scoffed. 

"What?"

"You knew he was gonna.. That's why you didn't come back."

"Mmm, sure"

"Axca I'm not joking. Did you set it up?"

"I don't really see the problem. It got you together didn't it?"

"The problem is that you meddled where you shouldn't have. It doesn't seem earned if it wasn't by myself, and how will I know if it was all a ruse? Did you, like, bribe him?"

"What? No. Look, we talked about this!"

She set down her mug and walked over. She poked his arm and his head turned back to face forward.

"Just because things don't happen by yourself, doesn't mean you didn't earn it. Everyone needs help from time to time"

"I'd appreciate if you didn't meddle with my life."

"Well sorry to say, but you're my brother. So you're stuck with me"

His jaw clenched and he curled into himself. Red jumped out of the way with the movement and lay back down next to him, staring at Axca.

"I am very much aware."

There was more he wanted to say, but he couldn't form the words. He couldn't even think of any, so his mouth worked silently, opening and closing with a frown.

"Look. I know you feel like we're taking advantage of you, but we're not."

She moved to rub his arm and he caught her wrist. He leaned against the couch for balance but bumped Lance and flinched away.

"Don't think you know how I feel."

He stood up and dropped her arm. Red jumped down after him.

__

'Boots.'

He sent the voicemail and shoved the phone into his pocket, sighing. Red squirmed on his shoulder and he held his arms out incase she fell. His head leaned against rough bark.

"Hey boots"

He lifted his head up and James moved and wrapped him in a hug. Keith chuckled into his neck.

"Your hair is wet"

"Well yeah. You messaged me when I was in the shower"

"Sorry"

"Hey."

"Right, sor-"

He bit down on his tongue. James stepped back and rubbed Keith's shoulders.

"You going up?"

He turned and ran his fingers down the trunk.

"Dunno"

"Come on, I'll race you"

He nudged his shoulder and stepped past to face the tree. Keith huffed

"Sure"

He grabbed branches and pulled himself up. He scaled the side of the tree with practised ease.

He grabbed for a branch above his head but missed and his foot slipped. James gripped his wrist and his heart pounded with adrenaline. Keith gasped out a 'thanks' as he guided his hand to a branch.

"We're almost there. But I would say that this means I won."

Keith laughed and climbed up onto the wooden platform.

"That's not fair. You've always been faster"

"I know. But it got you up here, didn't it?"

Keith frowned

"Sorry. You've just been avoiding trying since the accident"

"Speaking of which, the nightmares are back"

"Mm"

He nodded

"Axca.. I don't know if she told anyone"

He squeezed the tip of his finger and fiddled with it.

"And she set something up and I don't know if it was out of pity from either of them."

"Do you like him?"

He shrugged, a little hopelessly

"How am I supposed to tell?"

James shuffled and draped his arm across his shoulders. Keith's eyes flicked over. He stretched out his arm in front of them and wiggled his fingers.

"Let me share some of my wisdom with you"

Keith laughed

"You? Wisdom?"

He poked his arm

"Yes."

Keith made an unconvinced sound in his throat but James carried on like he didn't hear it.

"You don't have to see someone in order to like them. Do you like spending time with him? Does he make you laugh? Do you feel calm and comforted around him? Those are the important stuff to focus on. Seeing them is just a bonus."

He stabbed his finger into his chest with each point he made.

"So, do you like him?"

"I think so"

He sighed

"You're hopeless"

"Hey, I didn't know I liked you for years before we started dating"

"That just solidifies my point! How could you not like me. I was amazing!"

Keith laughed and nudged his elbow into his side.

"Still are"

"Does he like you?"

"We haven't really hung out besides school and the times we have, were mostly kissing. He did listen to my drums because I had a meltdown at school and we went home to try work through it. Axca-. We started dating last night"

"Oh, well then he must do. I've heard your drumming first hand. If he still wanted to hang out with you afterwards, man, I know how horrible it is."

He jabbed his ribs again and James tried to hold back his laugh.

"I'm not that bad"

He mocked the unconvinced sound Keith made before and Keith pushed him. He let himself fall over and he laughed. Soon, Keith exhaled a laugh too.

"But hey. Just because Axca gave you a little push, that doesn't devalue anything. Neither of them are doing this out of pity."

Keith sighed and lay down on his back next to him.

"So wise.."

He let his eyes drift shut and James smiled.

"Give me your phone"

"Left it at home"

"You did not. Hand it over"

"Mm"

"I will tackle you for it"

He sighed

"Cheat"

He dropped it into his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Just telling Axca you're okay"

'Keith says sorry and feels kinda bad, but he felt like you were pitying him'

'Tell him I feel bad too'

'I knew that already and talked things over with him. Since I'm so wise he listened to what I had to say. You're welcome :)'

He tapped Keith's hand with the phone and he grabbed it.

"So, tell me. Who is this lucky guy? Do I know him"

"You should. Its Lance"

"Ah coffee guy?"

"Right"

He hummed and poked his cheek

"You lucked out too. And just so you know, he is cute"

Keith laughed

"I can't tell which one of us you're flirting with"

"No harm will come from my flirting. Don't worry, you're not being challenged"

"You know, he doesn't believe that I get flustered"

"Oh?"

He moved his hand up and it hovered by his ear.

"Maybe I should give him some tips?"

Keith's cheeks flushed slightly and he batted his hand away.

"Please don't, it's funny. And it gives him an excuse to kiss me because he really wants to find out what it is"

"There are a bunch of things actually"

"Yeah I know, he doesn't though"

"Can I at least tell him that there's multiple?"

"No, he'll have to find out."

"Boo"

He played with Red's paws.

"He won't even know when you are flustered, because you just continue on and he'll only find out if he backs away"

"That makes it more fun. Remember when you used to get affected by my piercings?"

"Remember when you were affected by mine?"

"Why would I even think you have a tongue piercing?"

"Should I tell Lance that it a big one?"

"No"

"So what happened last night?"

"We watched tangled and Axca left just after the middle and I fell asleep on him and we talked for a bit then he asked me out and then we kissed for a bit and we fell asleep"

James chuckled

"So he stayed over?"

"Yup"

"Was he still asleep when you left?"

"Yup"

He laughed louder. Keith frowned. James sighed and flicked his head.

"Idiot"

His voice heavy with a smile.

"Go home, they're probably worried"

Keith hummed but didn't make any effort to move. 

__

He stepped through the door and clicked it shut.

"Back"

"Hey" "Hey"

He heard Axca shuffling around and he returned to the lounge.

"How long was I gone for?"

"Oh, couple hours"

"How long ago did you wake up?"

"Uh, half an hour?"

"What happened to your hand"

"Climbed a tree, slipped"

"Ah jeez"

She jumped off the couch arm and braced her palms against his shoulders

"Are you okay?"

He shut his eyes and clenched his jaw.

"Fine."

"You sure?"

He glared and raised an eyebrow

"Yeah, I was with James"

"Right, sorry."

She stepped back and he brushed dirt off his clothes.

"Why do you have to baby me all the time? I'm the oldest"

She sighed

"I just don't want to see you getting hurt"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

"I can take care of myself"

She loosely wiggled his wrist around

"Obviously"

His eyes fell shut and he frowned. He dropped his arm, and Axca let go.

He stepped back and turned to the couch with a practiced smile.

"Do you want breakfast or do you have a curfew?"

"Oh, I probably.. Yeah I think I should be going, thanks though. Maybe next time?"

"Yeah okay, next time"

Lance kissed his cheek and he smiled

"See ya"

The door clicked shut and Keith brought a fist to his head.

"Did you have to say that?"

"Sorry"

"I know you weren't talking about the hand. But you think I was stupid to climb a tree when I can't see it anyway"

"Yeah.. I wasn't talking about the hand"

He sighed and sat down on the couch.

Red pushed her head into his cheek and he chuckled.

"You got her for me, didn't you? Like you pretended to be all upset that she liked me more but you never meant for you to have her, right?"

The couch sunk as she sat down next to him. She gave red a little scratch.

"That's right. She's an emotional support cat. She's supposed to help with your anxiety"

He raked his fingers down his temple

"Well, thanks"

"But?"

He sighed and shifted to face her.

"You keep doing all these things for me and I.."

She nudged his side

"Would you rather I don't do anything for you?"

"I don't know"

"Hey, I might be the youngest but I'm also the most mature"

He scoffed

"You are not."

"I'm always going to look out for you, and you're welcome to do the same thing to me, but we should all look out for each other. We're family"

He dropped his head onto her shoulder.

"Both you and James.."

"So wise"

He huffed

"Sure"

__

"Oh. Hey Keith, Matt's a little busy at the moment"

"That's fine, I'm happy to wait"

He stepped inside and the door clicked shut.

"Nice cat"

"Yeah.."

"You good? Wanna play some games while you wait?"

His breath caught in his throat and his hand twitched.

"No. No, I can just wait. He shouldn't be that long"

"Okay"

He sat with his back to the couch and played with Red.

"You seem out of it today but I'm not sure if it's because you're playing with the cat."

"What do you mean out of it?"

Pidge snorted into their hand

"You haven't corrected any of my mistakes, or commented on my doodles."

"Oh, yeah. I was just distracted"

"Hey Keith, didn't know you were coming over"

"I just.. Wanted to hang out"

"Cool, my room?"

"Sure"

He stood up and ruffled Pidge's hair and they jumped away with a yelp. Keith and Matt both laughed and Pidge scowled at them.

He stubbled over some clothes and Matt caught him.

"Sorry. It's uh.. Pretty messy"

"Smelly too"

Matt scoffed

"I was going to leave you with Pidge but you looked pretty uncomfortable, so I decided to rescue you. What happened? You two are pretty close"

"I would say not close enough. They don't know about my eyes, I honestly thought you would have told them by now"

"Not without asking you, not on purpose. But hey I forget most of the time too, you think I would be able to tell other people?"

He huffed

"They picked up that I didn't nitpick anything they were doing. They said it might be because I was playing with red but I know they don't believe it. They're too smart for that"

"Pidge might be smart but they're far from a mind reader. If you want them to know, you have to tell them."

He shurgged at a loss of words.

"I can tell them if it might be easier"

"Yeah"