#aaaaahhhhh this took me too long I wanna die but I also love it

[messy-voltron]

I Miss You the Most, Birthday Boy

This is for Keith, who I love very much, and I wanted to do something special for the day. I hope you enjoy!

Note: this is a Keith x Fem!Reader, but I am more than happy to write any other gender if someone requests!

Words: 1,753

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: There’s some swearing, but I don’t really know if that’s a super big warning

………….

As much as you didn’t want to admit it, it hurt knowing that Keith left. It’s the pain in knowing that you’re trying so hard to convince yourself that everything’s going to be ok while standing on the middle of a forest fire.

But everything was not ok.

Keith left.

To you in the moment it felt abrupt, but looking back, it really wasn’t. Even just watching his vlog made it clear that he doesn’t want to depend on people because he’s afraid that they’ll just leave him.

The team jokes about how Keith is the emo guy who leans against the wall the try and be angsty and edgy and maybe this is just his way of being extremely edgy, but even if you haven’t known him that long, you could tell something was up.

And so you formed a plan.

A while ago you interrogated Shiro so much for Keith’s birthday that he gave it to you in hopes that that would keep you quiet and on the mission to the space mall, the human store had a clock of earths time and calendar date. Which was almost really sad to buy because it proves how much time has passed, but because you also had to exchange it for your favorite Mario pin to the store keeper.

The plan was to show Keith your super awesome present you made on his birthday and he was going to be super happy about it and that could be a sort of bonding moment for the two of you, but then he just….left. And you were afraid that that box with the gift was going to collect dust over the time you were away from him and it would just remind you that you will never have any good relationship with him.

But you’re way too stubborn to think about that. In fact, you just needed to rewrite the plan. So, after begging Princess Allura for the entire day to let you go to a nearby planet for dinner with Keith (and if Coran hadn’t helped you it would have been a disaster), you were given permission to have a fun birthday evening. The problem was: would you be able to convince Keith into spending that time with you.

In short answer, yes. Surprisingly. You sent him a message explaining that you just wanted to spend time with him the birthday part is a surprise and not even a tick later you got a solid yes and for the coordinates.

So that leads you to where you are now, sitting by yourself in an alien form of a hotel waiting for the birthday boy, in a dress that feels too tight and too loose at the same time, and checking your communication device every dobash to see if he decided to cancel. You glance at the entrance to see if he’s there, only having to look again to see if it’s really him.

Like you, he’s wearing some sort of alien clothing, but his is more similar to a dress shirt and dress pants that hug all of the right places. His hair seems brushed, for once, and he’s looking around the room; probably for you.

So to get his attention, you call out, “Keith!” His eyes snap towards yours and when a half smile reaches his face it makes you melt. God he’s just so pretty. Who knew you’d fall for someone with a freakin mullet.

But that wasn’t the point as you two walk towards each other. Before you can let out a word, his arms are suddenly around your torso in a hug and you have to stop yourself from letting out a squeak.

If this really Keith Kogan? The Keith who is not a fan of anything physical except fights?? You don’t want to think about it further as you embrace him as well.

He hastily pulls back and awkwardly coughs, “Oh, um, sorry, (Y/N). It’s just…nice to see you. You-you look nice.” Your heart skips one too many beats. Oh how you’ve missed him.

“You too!” You try and confidently say, “I hope you didn’t mind the short notice I just thought about it out of the blue and-“

Keith quickly jets in, “No no it’s fine! I’m kinda glad I get to spend some time with you.”

The silence that follows isn’t as awkward as it is confusing. You really hadn’t thought this through. And have his eyes always been that beautifully violet?

“I think we should sit down for dinner,” he says, not in a rude way, but in a way that states ‘we’re kinda just staring at each other in the middle of an entrance I think we should move.’ At least you hope so as you quickly apologize and lead him towards the dining room.

You didn’t know how to feel about this type of restaurant. The lighting in there was absolutely gorgeous with different colored crystals hanging from the ceiling, the music was almost classical but had a form of hip hop attached to it, and the menu was served to you by race. When the waiter who should up, who looked a lot like C-3PO in a tux might you add, asked for your species, he was really confused when you answered human. He buzzed, blinked a few times, and then just said, “Drinks will be out in a moment.”

Keith laughs it off, “I guess with so many different alien species about, the really have to broaden the menu.”

“I guess,” you say, “It might just have to be something to get used to.”

You mess with the utensils on the table, paying with the one that looks like a chopstick and a fork combined, when Keith speaks up.

“Why did you really bring me out here?”

You jolt in surprise, “What do you mean by that?”

He scoffs, “The nice venue? The pretty dress? The way you fidget every 5 ticks cause you’re worried about something? It’s obvious you clearly put some thought into this.”

You want to try and deny it, but it seems nothing gets past him. “Fine,” you mumble, “I was going to save this until dessert, but you foiled my plan. Here.” You reach into your pocket, and it was actual dress pockets which made you squeal when you found them, and you pull out the box and set it in front of him.

Keith looks at it confused. You roll your eyes, “It’s for you, you know. Usually when you get a present you open it. But I would like to point out that this was all me and everybody else just signed their name-“

“I thought you came out here to try and get me back on the team,” he whispers. And in that moment your heart sank.

Of course you want to have him back on the team. You can’t stop thinking about how much you miss him, how badly you would kill to have him back on the team, how much lonelier the palace seems to be without him.

But things will never go back to normal.

“I-just open it!” You stutter, not wanting to say anything you might regret. Keith almost seems sad when he opens it, but he turns blank as he looks at what’s inside. You already know what it is: it’s a note that says ‘Happy 19th Birthday Keith!’ And underneath is a photo frame with a picture in it.

The picture is kinda a funny story. It was right after a huge battle, everyone almost died at least twice, and when it was over, none of them decided to really take care of the injuries. Instead, you and the paladins all crashed on the couch, holding each other as if it was a 20 year reunion. Your favorite part was the part where you’re holding onto Keith as the two of you sleep.

What isn’t funny is how Keith isn’t saying anything. He’s not even expressing himself. Did you do something wrong? Where did you go wrong? Is there some birthday memory he wanted to forget that you reinforced? Does he even celebrate-?

“I didn’t even realize it was my birthday,” he starts off, “I haven’t done something like this since I was maybe a little kid. And-and this is really sweet and I don’t know….I don’t know how to feel right now.”

You don’t even know how to feel.

Come back

Please

Instead, you lift your hand from your lap and hold it out to him.

Instead you tell him, “The team cares about you; we all care about you. And we did this to show that a) we want to do something nice for you and b) that even though you’re with the blade there’s always going to be a place for you on our team.”

What you meant to say was, “God damn it you piece of shit get it through your dim whitted brain that I actually give a shit about you and I love you so you better not push me away or else you will break me and I don’t know if I would ever recover from that.”

Instead he grabs your hand and he smiles. Then he says, “Thank you.” As the waiter shows up with the drinks.

And you talk. And laugh. And forget about the stupid war. And it feels normal. It isn’t until you two walk through the exit and say your goodbyes does it get less nice.

“Will I see you again soon?” You ask. He only shrugs, not noticing the true meaning behind it.

“I would hope so. If you guys are ever in a close enough distance I would want to hop on over and see all of you. But especially you.”

You have to think about what he said for a moment, but it’s hard to think when it’s so cold outside your body is frozen and Keith starts to inch closer and closer to you.

And you swear you see heavens gate as he leans down to kiss your cheek and one hand gently holds on to you by your wrist. And before you can think about it he says his goodbyes again and walks off into the distance, his body lost in the sea of aliens. And it isn’t until you return to the castle, still breathless on life, do you realize you got a message from Keith that says: ‘I’ll always need you the most, (Y/N).’