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“Kathryn! Watch out!” Pidge cried as a dodgeball whizzed past Kat’s head. The usually competitive girl was holding her chest as she look in a deep breath, wincing after doing so.
“Kat? Are you ok?” Pidge asked, not caring that she’d been hit with one of the balls as she walked over to the other girl.
“Yeah… just fine,” Kat wheezed, waving the girl in the green pinny away, “it's just a stitch.”
“Pidge, you're out!” both Kat and Pidge turned to see Lance, one of the most athletic and competitive kids in their PE class, glaring at them, specifically Pidge.
“Shut your face, Lance,” Pidge yelled at him, sticking out her tongue.
“Sit your ass down!” the brown-haired boy yelled from across the gym.
“McClain, Language.” warned the PE teacher.
Pidge sat down, watching as Lance aimed and threw one of his wicked dodgeballs throws that made everyone want to be on his team. Pidge turned her head just in time to see the rubber ball make hard contact with Kathryn’s chest. Pidge cringed at the sound of rubber slamming against her teammate. But what worried her the most was how the force of the impact made Kat fall over. Kathryn was unusually out of it today, typically she’d be neck and neck with Lance. Apparently not today.
When Kathryn hit the floor she heard, as well as felt, something in her chest crack. She lay on the floor, wheezing in gasps like she couldn't fully expand her lungs. each inhale sent a stabbing pain through her chest.
“Oh my god! Kat are you ok?”
Kat opened her eyes to see Pidge standing over her, a few other faces loomed over her as well.
“Yeah-” she stopped talking when that sent a sharper pain through her. She hissed, holding her ribs. Had she broken one? No… she didn't think so. She shut her eyes and took in a shallow breath, cringing at the stabbing pain it caused when she breathed in.
“Can you continue, kiddo?” the teacher asked. Kat opened her eyes and nodded, not caring that the teacher had called her ‘kiddo’. A hand reached down to her, she looked up to see that Hunk was offering her a hand up. She accepted it, and let him pull her up off the ground, hissing as her chest protested to moving by gifting her with more pain.
“Alright, everyone back to their sides! Balls in the middle of the gym!” their teacher hollered. Kat stood, trying to breathe a full breath of air, but her lungs just wouldn't listen.
The game continued, but Kat wasn't paying attention. Somehow she’d wound up at the back of the gym, heavily leaning on the wall as she began to panic as to why she could not breathe.
“Kathryn?” it took her a second to realize someone was talking to her. She looked up to see Hunk hovering over her, concern prominent in all of his features.
“Y-yeah?” she wheezed. Pidge now joined them and had the same worry reflected in her expression. The small huddle of students had attracted their teacher’s attention but the rest of the class oblivious to what was going on.
“What’s going on over here? Are you planning a rebellion?” he joked before taking a good look at all three students. Hunk and Pidge’s concern must have been contagious because he had the same look as the other two after taking a look at Kathryn.
“Kathryn? Are you feeling alright?” he asked, but before she could open her mouth Pidge answered for her.
“No, she’s not. I think she should go to the office.” Hunk nodded in agreement as Pidge spoke.
“Alright. Kat, come over here with me and I'll write you a note.”
With an arm wrapped around her chest, Kat followed the PE teacher over to where his clipboard was, she felt a little light-headed but brushed it off. Maybe it was from having all the air knocked out of her?
“Lance can you take Kathryn up to the office?” the teacher yelled in Lance’s direction.
Kat heard him groan before tossing the ball he was holding to one of his teammates.
“Common, let's go,” he said, walking past Kat to the door. At least he held it open for her.
They walked in silence, Kat a few steps behind Lance. Of course it was Lance, the guy she kinda had a crush on. Of course, it was him that had thrown that dodgeball. Of course, she was blushing as she tried to catch up to his faster pace. Her shorter legs probably had to do with why she was so slow.
“So just a stitch, huh?” Lance asked as he continued to speed down the hallway, before realizing Kat was way behind him. He stopped walking, both hands in the pockets of his sweater as he turned to look at the pale girl.
“W-what?” she cringed at how soft and breathy her vice was.
“I said, it must be some hell of a stitch.” a smirk found its way to his lips. “Maybe you should work out? Then you’ll be fit so a little game of dodgeball doesn't wind you so easily.” he chuckled, turning away and walking up the stairs Kat had been dreading since she’d been told to go to the office.
Kat looked down at her lower body, cursing the small amount of pudge that still clung to her inner thighs and her stomach, no matter how hard she tried to get rid of it, it still stayed the same. She was just coming to terms with the fact that that was ok and starting to love some of herself.
Usually, she’d have snapped some sort of reply, but she didn't want to risk the pain she knew came with talking. Did anger bubble in her stomach because how dare he make fun of her like that? She hated her curves and her height. She hated the way her boobs were attached to her chest and how everyone called her Kat or Kathryn. But she had started to love how she had defined calf muscles and how her thighs were stronger since she’d started kickboxing. How dare he take that away from her.
She took a deep breath, not caring that it hurt, not caring that the fabric binding her chest dug into her ribs. “Apologize.” she wheezed. Sure it didn't sound intimidating, but the tears that rolled down her face made her voice shake. she couldn't help it.
“For what- oh.” his cocky expression faded and his voice shrank as he grasped that maybe what he’d said had actually hurt Kathryn. They usually teased each other incessantly, sure he hadn’t meant to actually hurt her feelings, but he regretted it now.
“Kat I'm sorry, I didn't mean-” he stopped as Kathryn coughed, groaning in pain after doing so, the arm around her chest tightened.
“Are you ok?” he felt small as she glared at him. She shook her head and started going up the stairs, pausing every so often to muffle a small cough, leaning heavily on the rail of the stairs.
“Kat!” he called up to her, taking the stairs two at a time, easily catching up to her.
“Hey, take it easy,” he said resting a hand on her shaking shoulder. She shrugged it off.
“I'm fine, Lance.” she hissed.
“You look really pale,” he said after they’d gone up a few more stairs, pausing as Kathryn coughed again.
“I'm always pale.”
“Yeah, but not like this,” he brushed his thumb over her cheek and tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ear, “you almost look transparent.”
Kat’s heart stopped. No matter how mad she was at him, even his thumb just touching her cheek like that had caused her to blush.
“Oh wait, now you're a little pinker looking.” he chuckled, as they climbed the last few steps.
She still held onto that little piece of anger that was bubbling away in her chest, she wasn't going to melt like those other girls that came to watch Lance play basketball at lunch.
They finally made it to the office, where one look at Kathryn had made all the teachers there move out of Lance's way as he guided Kat to the nurse's office. She caught a glimpse of herself in a reflection of one of the framed photos on the wall, she looked awful, no wonder everyone had looked worried.
The nurse took one look at Kat and immediately sent Lance back out into the hallway. He could hear some of the conversations, but not most of it.
“Kathryn, why are you wearing that?” the nurse asked after she made Kat lift up her shirt so she could listen to her breathing.
“I dunno?” Kat mumbled.
“Yes you do, that’s dangerous, sweety.” the nurse stated. Kathryn already knew that. It’s not like she could get her hands on an actual binder.
“Kathryn, I need you to take it off.”
Kathryn’s eyes widened. She didn't have a sports bra with her, she couldn't just take off the makeshift binder.
“I can't.” she panted, the pain worsening the more she talked.
“Kathryn I can't figure out what’s going on if you don't take off those bandages.”
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she undid the tight bandages that wrapped around her chest. She blinked hard to stop the tears, trying to avoid seeing her bare chest in the mirror behind the nurse.
The nurse asked her to take in a deep breath and she did, hissing as a fresh jolt of pain shot through her, then the nurse pressed down on Kat’s ribs, stopping as Kat groaned in pain.
“I think you might have a fractured rib, I'll go get you some ice, and I'll call your parents so they can come to pick you up. I suggest visiting a doctor, or going down to emergency at the hospital if the pain gets worse.” the nurse said, having stepped halfway out the door.
“Uh… the only person I think you can contact is... Is my brother, Shiro.” Kat wheezed, “but he’s away on a work thing… so he’s… so he’s not here.”
“Are you sure there’s no one else I could call?” the nurse asked.
Kat was about to reply when Lance beat her to it. “I’m sure my older sister could drive her,” he said from outside the door.
“That’s sweet of you Lance, but your family wouldn’t have any of Kathryn’s medical information.”
“But you do,” Lance said eagerly, “the school has a copy of everyone’s medical history and their care cards, right? We could-”
“Lance, I'm glad you're looking out or your friend, but we can't do that,”
While they had been talking, Kat had been trying to wrap the ace bandages back around her chest, tears dripping down her face as her hands shook and her chest shuddered with every breath.
“Nonono, sweetheart, don't do that. Don't have a bra?” the nurse asked, pulling Kat’s hands away from her chest, taking the bandages away from her.
“I do, I just…” she stopped then, not wanting to talk about how much she wanted to have a flat chest.
“These bandages are meant to compress, that’s probably what caused you to crack your rib.”
“No, Lance hit me in the chest with a dodgeball,” Kat mumbled. “I fell over and hit the ground… I think that's when… that’s when it cracked..”
The nurse nodded in understanding and helped Kat pull on her shirt.
“Lance?”
Lance got up off of a chair near the door and poked his head in. “yeah?”
“Are you aware that you helped crack Kathryn’s rib because of how hard you threw a dodgeball?” the nurse said as she passed Lance in the hallway, on her way out to grab some ice.
“Wait, she has a cracked rib?” he looked wide-eyed at her, “Kat, I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was a cracked rib, I shouldn't have teased you. Jesus, I'm so sorry.”
“Yeah.” she was still salty about his earlier teasing.
The nurse returned, saying that she’d called Shiro and that he was on his way back as soon as possible, but that he wouldn't be back until at least tomorrow afternoon. She also handed Kat a plastic bag filled with ice.
“Since your brother can't drive you to the hospital I'm going to call an ambulance,” Kat’s eyes widened. She didn't need an ambulance...
“I should be fine, really,” Kat said, blushing as Lance’s mouth fell open.
“An ambulance? Is it really that bad?” Lance fretted, he ran his hands through his short hair nervously.
“No, but broken ribs can get worse and can lead to internal bleeding, so I think it's just safer to call an ambulance,” she replied. “Can you make sure this is pressed to Kathryn’s chest? And try to keep her taking deep breaths.”
The nurse when to call an ambulance and around 15 minutes later it had arrived. The paramedics helped Kat into the back of the ambulance. Lance stood outside, looking very worried. Kat made sure to give him a small simile and a thumbs up before the doors shut. Kat smiled more, heart fluttering, as Lance gave her a thumbs up and smiled one of those smiles that could melt ice. The doors swung shut and the ambulance started up and started moving.
The paramedic in the back, named Matt made sure Kat was ok, really beside the pain, she felt fine. Matt explained that she’d still have to wait in the ER for a while, around an hour two hours he suggested. Kat had been in an ambulance before, when Shiro was driving her to soccer practice and a drunk driver had hit their car. Shiro had lost his arm and Kat had been terrified of driving in cars for years.
This was better because there was a lot less blood.
Remembering that experience made her panic. Hyperventilating with at least one broken rib wasn’t fun. Matt tried to calm her down but Kat was having a full-blown panic attack when they got to the hospital. Matt handed her off to a woman that had also been in the ambulance with them. she leads Kat to a quieter room with fewer people who were talking or waiting to be seen by a doctor.
She also handed Kat a new ice pack and helped the trembling teen hold it to her chest. Time passed very quickly and soon she was being examined by a lady in baby pink scrubs.
“Yep, definitely something is broken or fractured in there,” she said, coming to the same conclusion as the nurse at school.
The doctor coaxed Kat into telling her about how she fractured her rib, the other paramedic later added that Kat had been binding and that doing so most likely helped break her ribs.
The doctor looked over at Kat, “you said your name was Kathryn right?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Would you like me to call you something other than Kathryn?” Kat’s eyes widened, sure she’d been trying out boy’s names for the past few months, usually referring to herself as popular boy names like Thomas or Jaden. None of those had felt like her though. She’d tried them out in front of her bathroom mirror, watching how her lips moved as she said those names. none of them as struck.
“Could you cat me Kat?” she asked, “It... It sounds better than Kathryn.”
“Sure Kat, and would you like me to use different pronouns for you?”
Again Kat was surprised, no one had offered to call her anything other than her before.”
“Yes please, anything… anything other than she.” a smile made its way to the doctor’s face.
“Can I call you he, Kat?” the doctor smiled, as Kat nodded eagerly, his black hair falling in his face.
“Well Kat, you don't have your medical ID and stuff here with you, and your brother… Shiro?” Kat nodded, “since Shiro isn't here… but I going to get started anyway. I'm going to get a quick x-ray of your chest and get you started on some pain meds so you can breathe better.”
The paramedic, Kat saw that her name tag read Naomi, shook her head. “I have to go, but Shay, you should wait until another family member comes and gets her, you have to make sure her parents are ok with this.”
Kat’s face fell when he heard Naomi call refer to him as a girl. he was finally being called something he wanted.
“He needs medical attention, you can go, but I'm the doctor here. he needs an x-ray so we can see if there’s internal bleeding or how many fractures and breaks we’re dealing with there.” Shay smiled in Kat’s direction. As soon as Naomi left, shay and Kat walked down to the place they did x rays in, Shay explained her brother is transgender, and that Kat might be experiencing the same thing as him.
That sparked something in Kat, she’d- no he’d- heard about transgender people before, but he didn't really know that much about them. Shay explained the basis of it to him, explaining that some boys were born with a girl’s body, or sometimes girls were born with a male body.
“Sometimes there are people that don't want to be a girl or a boy, they are non-binary,” she explained as Kat wheezed out questions.
“Sadly, I only know so much about trans people.” she ran a hand though he short brown hair. “I’m sure I can find someone who can explain a this to you, or at least better than i can. We have a teen clinic upstairs, but I think the best thing for you is to buy the pain medication I've prescribed you and to get some rest.” Kat nodded in agreement, Shay had given him a dose of the medications so he could at least breathe a bit better and it was making him a little sleepy.
“Hey, before you go,” Kat turned around to look at the doctor “Don't bind with ace bandages, they can really hurt you, especially now that you have broken ribs. Even if you get a proper binder, don't wear it for at least three months. But if you want to get a good binder, try and get one from here.” she handed Kat a post-it note with gc2b written on it. “Trust me, rax said it feels a lot better.” she smiled “good luck Kat.”
“I think…. I mean... I don't know, but I think I like Keith better than Kat.”
“Alright then, Keith, I wish you the best of luck.” Keith smiled a pure smile. It felt right now.
Keith was guided to a spot where he could wait for Shiro to pick him up… that wouldn’t be for a really long time. Maybe he could ask pidge for a ride home?
Keith grabbed his phone out of his backpack, he’d almost forgotten it at school until Lance has shoved it inside the ambulance earlier that day. Keith opened up his phone to see a number of missed calls and numerous texts.
Shiro had called. Of course, he had. Oh god, how was he going to explain that he wanted to be called Keith now? Was Shiro going to be upset? Keith’s mind raced as he thought of the possibility of Shiro kicking him out. Keith instantly pushed those thoughts away, of course, he wouldn't….
The next couple of texts were from pidge, asking if he was ok and saying that Lance had been freaking out for the last hour of school. Keith felt bad, Lance hadn't meant to break his ribs. Then there were worried, all caps texts from hunk and rather bitchy text from Acxa as well.
But Keith noticed there was an unknown number that had called twice and left a voicemail as well as 5 texts. Keith opened up the voicemail and listed as Lance’s shaky voice came through the speaker.
“H-hey, this is Lance, y’know the guy who threw a ball at you and broke your ribs? Yeah. that was me. Look, I'm really really sorry about all that, so, um, I was thinking, shoot me a text when you're out of the ER and me and Allura can pick you up… uh… you know cuz your brother won't be home for a bit. And uh… well, just I feel bad. And I have to make up for breaking your fucking ribs.” Lance stuttered and stumbled over his words. The stupid voicemail made Keith blush like crazy. “Fuck. Kat, I’m really sorry. Again, send me a text when and if you want me to pick you up… I understand if you don't. I crossed a line with the working out joke… I didn't mean to make fun of how you look… uh… cuz you look… you look really...” Keith swore he heard Lance mumble something under his breath, Keith couldn't hear what it was though. “ nevermind, I'm sorry for that. Send me a text when you're done ok? Please? Alright, ttyl kitty Kat.”
Keith cringed because Lance had actually used the abbreviation for talk to you later, but also because of the stupid nickname pidge had made for him. As well as Lance kept calling him Kat. it made it worse that Keith had been thinking about using the name Keith instead of Kat for a few weeks now.
Kat seemed like a completely different person now.
Keith opened up his messages from Lance.
[five messages from an unknown number]
[unknown:] hey its Lance. I called you but you didn't pick up. you good?
[unknown:] Lance again, send me a text when you want us (me and my big sis Allura) to pick you up… if you want us to, of course
[unknown:] How are you feeling? God, I feel so bad. I hope they gave you some pain medication, the good shit hopefully
[unknown:] Btw I don't hate you, I never have:/ I hope you never thought that. anyways if you come over to my house I need to talk to you about some shit. Not super important so yeah…
[unknown:] Don't freak out, it's all good. Sorry, I know when someone says ‘i need to talk to you’ and then don't say what it is I freak out… haha anxiety lol, anyway SEND ME A TEXT IF YOU WANT US TO PICK YOU UP
Keith quickly changed the unknown number to Lance with a blue heart emoji. He immediately deleted the heart emoji. Nope, nope nope nope. Delete that. He also changed his name in his contacts to Keith. That felt validating.
[Keith:] hey, i would really appreciate a ride, if thats ok with your sister
Keith waited a few minutes before his phone buzzed
[Lance:] hey! Yeah definitely. When i first told her she called me an idiot
Keith’s fingers danced across the screen. Well you are :3
His phone buzzed informing her that Lance had replied with a crying face emoji
[Lance:] wow, way to hurt a guy’s feelings.
Keith laughed, then hissed. Clearly, the pain meds didn't fully take away the pain.
[Keith:] oh shut up. Its payback.
[Lance:] i guess that’s fair ;)
[Lance:] alright, we’re going to be there in 15 minutes. Don't die before we get there.
Keith waited until he saw Lance and a taller girl with chin length white hair following behind him. His eye’s met Keith’s and a smile spread across his face.
“Kat! Hey, how are you?”
“I'm alright, I mean.. You did break my ribs....” talking was now easier, that's good.
“Hey Kathryn, I'm Allura,”
“Nice to meet you.” Keith said, “thanks for the ride, and letting me stay at your house?” he said, more of a question than anything else. Lance nodded confirming that he was allowed to stay with them until Shiro picked him up.
“So, Kathryn, Lance broke your ribs, huh?” Allura asked after everyone got into her car. keith nodded, before realizing Allura couldn't see his response
“Yeah... he didn't mean to of course.”
Allura tried to talk to him, but it hurt to talk so eventually Lance took over explaining what happened. Keith found himself drifting off to sleep, even if his chest throbbed and dysphoria was crashing over him in pounding waves. He thought it was dysphoria, he’d only just read about it at the hospital, so it could be something else. Keith didn't know what he was talking about
He was gently shaken away by Lance when they'd arrived at his house. Keith felt terrible for causing trouble for Lance’s family. Lance’s mom was lovely and had given him a hug. Somehow he’d been able to hold it together, he could take the pain. he’d also learned that Lance had many brothers and sisters, each one asking a variation of “is Kat your girlfriend?”
Lance chuckled and said no. Keith felt his cheeks heat up each time one of them asked about them dating. Thankfully, Lance had hurried him upstairs to his room, where the questions about dating were left behind.
Lance’s room was quite frankly adorable. There were photos and art all over his walls, a ukulele lay on the middle of his bed, pieces of paper with songs lyrics or homework written on them were scattered all over the floor. It felt very cozy.
“Sorry it’s a mess in here.” Lance laughed, grabbing all his songs off the bed and the floor.
“ it's fine...can you play?” Keith asked, gesturing to the ukulele.
“Uh, duh, of course, I can.” Lance hopped on the bed and grabbed the instrument before strumming a familiar tune.
“Woah, you know Robin? Just Add Water by Cavetown, right?” Keith asked sitting down on Lance’s bed as he played and sang a bit of the song.” but it’s not his new one, it's the one from his youtube channel.” Lance looked up, a flirtatious smirk on his lips.
“Now then kitty Kat, I didn't take you for a Cavetown kinda gal.”
Kaith felt his face heat up because it was Lance Mc-fucking-Clain’s room that he was sitting in, with him, alone. of course, he was just playing a ukulele and singing, but lance singing was something Keith never thought he would hear. the sporty guy had such an amazing singing voice? who would have known
“Hey… so that thing I wanted to talk to you about… well, I don't know… maybe this is stupid...no it's not stupid. I want to become friends with you… not like this stupid rivalry we have. I hate it. I don't know why I even made it.” Lance groaned, flopping on his back on the bed. Still strumming mindlessly on the ukulele “I like you… is all I wanted to say...” he covered his face with a hand, letting the wooden instrument lay on his chest.
He was blushing, oh god he was blushing.
“Uh… well… “ Keith didn't know what to say. Was he implying in a more than friend’s way? Or just I like you as a friend?? “Like as in just friends... or...?”
Keith actually saw Lance’s face go up at least 4 shades of pink, and Keith was pretty sure his face was just as red.
“Uh.. I mean…” Lance coughed, clearing his throat before continuing. “As a raging bisexual, part of me wants to be more than friends, but-”
Keith couldn't help it. He’d wanted to kiss Lance ever since 8th grade when the talkative boy had joined his class, talking about moving from Costa Rica and about the colourful birds and flowers. Keith could have listened to him talk for hours on end.
Lance’s lips were soft, and even if the kiss was a quick peck on the lips, it still sent sparks through Keith's entire body. His first kiss. He hadn’t imagined it being so painful, his ribs screaming at him to stop bending forward like this.
“Woah, Kat, Jesus.” Lance pulled back, flustered.
“Lance, I am so sorry, fuck, why did I do that?” Keith was pressing his arm into his chest, it hurt like hell, but it kept him grounded, not spiralling into panic.
“No, just, I wasn't expecting that. Next time, ask ok?”
“Next time-” Keith cut himself off as he felt his rib shift slightly inside his chest, crying out in pain.
“Kathryn?” Lance moved closer to Keith.
“Can you just call me Keith?”
Oh. he hadn’t meant to actually say that. fuck.
“W-what?” Lance was torn between trying to keep Keith from killing his ribs more and trying to wrap his mind around everything else.
“Nothing, its stupid.” Keith tried to play it off, looking anywhere but at Lance. “it- it’s nothing, nevermind, haha”
“No it's not stupid.” Keith looked up to see a determined look in Lance’s eyes. “In a family of 6 kids, one of us isn’t going to be cisgendered.” Lance grinned.
“Wait… Lance you’re-”
“God no, I’m the gay one. My brother’s trans though.”
“You’re gay? but-”
“Oh my god… No, Ka- Keith! I’m bi.”
“But…” Keith was flustered and confused, “you said you were gay,”
Lance facepalmed, “It’s an umbrella term, Keith.” Lance couldn't help laughing, Keith was a bit slow.
“Don't laugh.” keith pouted.
They had a pretty nice evening, eventually, Lance threw his sweater at Keith, telling him at since he couldn't bind right now, he might as out of the lumpiest sweater Lance owned, so he wouldn't keep murdering his ribs.
Reaching above his head made the pain worse so Lance helped Keith pull on the hoodie with the NASA logo on it. Once Keith's head emerged from the hole in the top of the sweater, his face was so close to Lance’s he could feel his breath.
“Can i kiss you?” Lance whispered, tugging the sweater the rest of the way down.
“Please.” Keith blurted, blushing and covering his face in embarrassment right after letting the words fall out of his mouth. Lance gently pulled his hands away from his face, before the other boy leaned in and kissed Keith. This kiss was better, less painful and just sweeter than before.
“You know,” Lance said softly after they broke apart, “I’ve kissed a boy before.”
That made keith’s heart soar.
“Wow, um… was it ok?” Keith stuttered, he wanted to say so many things, but his mouth and brain couldn't seem to cooperate.
“Yeah, it was pretty good.” Lance smiled. “First time?”
“Yeah…” Keith ran a hand through his hair, that was his default I-don't-really-know-what-to-do-with-my-hands move.
“I still can't believe you like Cavetown, I thought you were an All Time Low or MCR guy.”
“Good way to ruin the moment, Lance!” one of Lance’s older sisters yelled from outside. Keith was blushing as Lance went off on his sister in Spanish before slamming the door, giving Keith a sheepish smile, and picking up his ukulele again and strumming any song Keith could request and that he could play, both humming or softly singing along, waiting for Shiro to pick up his brother.
But they both hoped he took his time.