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He sat on the bridge his head in his hands, his hood down and his mask off, hair covering his view; sitting on the floor with his back to the rest of the room. The low rumbling of the Castles thrusters echoed and bounced off the empty walls, nebulae shown brightly as they passed by brightening the darkening corners of the room - but never brightening the dark corners of his mind. The dark ones that kept him up for numerous nights, the thoughts that bedevilled him and incapacitated him. Alone, lost and seemingly forsaken, drifting in deep space trying to find his place in the torrent of life.
A strangled sob and ragged breathing broke free from behind bitten lips, tears fell from amethyst coloured eyes running along the creases on his face mostly dripping from the tip of his nose. He felt like he was the only one for miles, trapped in his own mind with no one in sight - trapped with no way out. His body was hot even in the cold room, what his suit lacked in comfort it made up for in protection. Unfortunately the intended protection was from physical harm rather than mental. Those tidal waves, the self doubt, the emotional instability - all of it weighing down crippling him; it was suffocating. It was like drowning, it was just to much. The pounding his his ears didn't help either, it only worsened everything; his heart beat was erratic, never settling for one pace. It was deafing.
He was to lost to even hear the hydrolic door open with a hiss behind him. His head was in his hands, his fingers holding on tightly to his raven strands all bunched up and slightly knotted. His legs were slightly crossed, his right foot was under his left thigh as he sat hunched over his elbows on his thighs. He felt his temperature spike as he felt himself topple over into something warm, it circled around him pulling him closer to the heat they had to offer. Removing his hands from his hair he tried to resist their pull by pushing them away, after struggling his body started to give up. Collapsing into them, his hands fell to his side's as he sat on his knees his face buried into their neck.
Slowly gaining his sense of reality back after a couple of long minutes had gone by he finally started to feel the nimble hands that was so patently holding him. Stroking his hair, whispering him back to reality. Their scent was all around him, he could feel their pulse under their skin his fore head remained against their neck. Hesitantly he raised his hands to their side grabbing fist fulls of their clothing, tensing and relaxing then repeating.
The comfort he needed so desperately, the light and the air he critically needed - here in his arms. The one who never though ill of him from the moment they had met him even when he had found out about his Genes. They stayed, through all of the tears and frustration, every angry word spoken. It was like it didn't faze them, like it never happened and he was forgiven instantly. Why? Why were they like this? He needed to know, he needed to know why they were still near him. Still with him. He was hard to get along with he was temperamental, hot headed, untrusting and just so difficult to communicate with. So why would anyone want to be with him or even near him?
"Why?" His voice cracked as he kept his face hidden, his legs felt to numb to support him just like the rest of his body. His body rested between your legs, angled so he was resting on the right side of his hip. He could feel your hands sharing their warmth with him as they held on to him tightly.
"Why what?" You asked, he could hear it in your voice they truly had no clue what he was talking about. Of course you didn't, you couldn't feel what he did.
"Why are you still here? Why are you always coming back to me?" He asked tightening his hold on your clothes becoming frustrated, he had no idea why he was even getting frustrated to begin with.
"Because I love you, Keith." Your voice snapped something in him. Shock? Realization? A new wave of tears washed over him.
"Why? I'm no good for you. I'm so temperamental, hot headed, untrusting. Why would you love some one like that?" He asked, he wanted you to hate him to curse him for being so close. He was scared, this was new. Of course he had his Father growing up then a few others including Shiro along the way but no one like this.
"I don't see it that way. I see a man who is brave, courageous, caring. I see a man who is free spirited, someone who loves the out doors and every thing they have to offer." You paused to take a breath, leaving Keith to loosen his grip. Was this really how you seen him?
"I see someone who has the right be off putting. I could care less about who your parents are or about your genes." Keith finally moved his head so he could look up to see you already looking down with a soft look in your eye.
"I love you for you, not for what you have done or what you'll become. I love you. I don't care if you're bad for me or not, Keith." His eyes widened as you finished, you really didn't care about any of that? You really loved him, it was the first time some one has ever said that to him aside from his Father. Your fingers were tangling themselves in his hair as he sat up slightly. He couldn't describe the feeling that washed over him, it was well past happiness and a bit of uncertainty. He was still scared though, he had no idea what that meant or how to show thoughts feelings in return. But he couldn't help but still want you to push him away, even if it was deep down but he also wanted to pull you so much closer.
All while he was having a battle with himself you pulled him closer with a tug, colours shone around both of you while sitting at the bottom of the bridge stairs. You both sat like that the rest of the night, until you both thought it would be best to sleep in a bed rather then the hard ground. You ended up falling asleep first leaving Keith to stay up and run his fingers over your arms as he thought. He didn't remember falling asleep but for the first time in a very long time he had felt fully rested, the self doubt and emotional instability were still there but they didn't feel as heavy as yesterday. If anything he now felt like he had a crack in the walls of the dark part of his mind. Ones that had been done by your doing just like those little rays of light that filtered through bringing a breath of fresh air in with it. You were what he needed so desperately all along, he nearly drowned but you pulled him above water. He couldn't thank you enough so for now he decided to be quiet and wait for the right day to do so.