#it may become a biiig looong fanfic

[edelwary]

By Being Reckless - Chapter 1

Hello ! So, I fiiiiinally made this up ! It has a, major character death but it’s not a focus point : Keith is an angel so he’s dead but the death is not the point don’t worry ! (Although there Might Be a chapter focused on it but i don’t want to dwell on it).

 It’s probably a really slow burn Klance fanfic, with a lot of VLD characters involved and plenty of tricky situations and alternate realities! I’ll upload it on AO3 as soon as I get my account. 

Sum UP : Keith was dead. He neither remembered nor cared how, but this became his last concern when he became the guardian angel of his very own human. Between parallel realities screwing up and your local teenage mess doing the same, spread your wings and go fix issues, Angel boy ! But you know, death has its upsides, and some had blue eyes. 

Keith was dead. The main hall was crowded, he managed to keep in track of where he was headed by keeping eye contact with brown hair. Highschoolers were pushing in all directions. The morning sunshine entered shyly in the building, allowing the air to stay fresh a little more before the whole city turns into a burning hell under the late summer rays. He passed by a group of girl. Happily chattering about the end of schoolyear, they carried books for morning classes. He looked at his empty hands. He rehearsed it. He tought about it, turned the phrase a little in his head, but the outcome was the same.

Keith was dead. He followed a kid some more before turning, entering a classroom. Soft conversations faded as the teacher made his entrance right behind him. Keith found a free table at the back. When sat, he turned to the window. The subject of the day was “physics on lasers”. Couldn't care less. Outside, the green of the trees poked through the city. People started their day, unaware of what he knew. The boy's gaze followed an old lady walking down the street. Did she knew ? As she turned at the street's corner, he came back to the classroom, folded his arms and closed his eyes.   He opened his eyes. Funny ones were observing him. Funny because they were really round. Also very close.

-I feel like there is a 99% probability you’re awake. -Huh… Make it a hundred.

Keith lazily sat down, peered around the room. It seemed an hospital chamber, at first, because of the baby blue walls and the high window. It smelled menthol and antibiotics. No flowers, no wheelchair. No beeping, no drip infusion. Either it wasn’t exactly an hospital, and only god knew what it was then, either Keith was very alone. He couldn’t choose what was worse.   -Where am I, exactly ? -In this reality or in the 14 others ? -Huh… In this one, I guess ? -You’re in a special service, for people like you. -People like… What am I ? What are you ?   Keith focused back on his interlocutor. Round eyes, eight arms, a beak, it looked like a ferret had a strange night with both a sparrow and a spider. Odd. -I am a bytor, in charge of you for the first steps. You, are 100% a dead human.   Keith scoffed. Okay, fine. A dream. You know, those weird dreams, were reality is off and everything is… kind of… wrong. Didn't liked them much but it'll pass.    -I usually don’t trust dreams. You’re funny… -Oh, I wish I was. 8 people on 9 I know say I’m not. -You’re not kidding me, are you. -Unfortunately. -Oh-kay, time to wake up Keith ! I've seen enough. -No, you can’t… started the bytor.

Keith jumped out of the bed. The landing was blurry and the world tilted a bit to the right as his vision went white. Shaking anemia out of his system, he turned to the door.

-Do not walk through that… -I’m leaving this dream now, bye, has been nice to meet you.

Keith grabbed the doorknob and crashed the door open . Inhaling, he closed his eyes. And smashed it off on himself.    -Ho hey ! Are you here with me ? Knock kno-ock !

  Bursting eyes open, Keith reported his attention back to the classroom. Dark skin, annoyed gaze, a highschooler was hungry, and kind of in a hurry. He kept asking.

-So ? Where do we eat ? Pidge’s on the roof. -Oh-okay let’s go.

The teen sat next to Keith grabbed his backpack and went after his friend. Keith stood and followed him. Tall, lanky, tan, he had the chram of those kids who talk themselves out of every situation. He was actually pretty, and aware, and Keith would have done anything to make him happy. Literally. As the boys sat next to their friend on the roof, the three of them started discussing, unpacking snacks.

The view was stunning. The highschool was built on three levels, and allowed the students to enjoy the city from above. On the east, hills, a stream, and further a forest, opposed to the cityside. Bakeries, a mechanic or two, seven-eleven, a video-store. The place had an old-timey, retro feel, even more under the soft sunlight of the late morning. The tallest building was only four floors high.Tracing its skyline with his eyes, Keith started daydreaming once more.  

-Ah, you’re awake again ! -My head… Hugh…

Numb, dazed, the teen blinked. The furry creature was still there. He was still there.

-I don’t understand. I slammed a door on my face. I should be up by now. -Yes. And you are already. -This is wrong. I do not know you, insisted Keith, I never went to this hospital. I never came here ! WHY WOULD I EVEN BE HERE ?!

The creature started trembling. Keith, on the other hand, felt a panicked anger bloom inside.

-You do not understand. You are not in an hospital at all. -Then were the HELL, shouted Keith, AM I ! -Hell ? You must mix up with Heaven ? I told you…   Keith mouth shut itself. Now anger and panic were not just blooming, they litteraly fed off him. His shoulders dropped. “You’re a dead human”.    -This is nonsense… -According to previous case studies, started the bytor, your level of ocytocine should explode and… -THIS IS NOT - !   Adrenaline filled his veins. Situation was not okay. In fact, nothing was okay ! He clenched his fist, tensed from fear, uncomprehension and something deeper. Maybe the creepy feeling that it was, in fact, not a dream.    -WHAT I ASKED FOR ! -Keith…   Roadlights run through his mind, a vibrating roar filled his ears. His brains shut off under emotions. His nails dug in his palms.   -Keith, calm down, released in your system, there is a 46% probabili… -YOU SHUT UP !  -When facing the reveal of their death, people tend to…   Oversensitive to the voice, Keith exploded. It was all too much. He was sore and his head hurt from the slammed door and the voice run down his nerves, and the silence and the motor and the road came to his mind and it was so blurry but he…   - STOP !   He punched the wall. His fist fused, his knuckles met the hard surface first, cracking loudly. Then his wrist twisted and something snapped. Blood and pain rushed. Keith fainted and fell down.   -Hey, are you even listening ? I was talking to you ! -Sorry Lance. No… Look, NASA discovered something on Juno ! -Give me the phone Pidge. Astronomical emergency ! -Here ya go.   Pidge, leaned again the rooftop wire fence, handed Lance her smartphone. He scrolled hastily on the article.   -It’s blue ! -Like your eyes, blue, like your eyes… Next to Lance, the boy who snapped him earlier to snack there started humming. He smiled soflty as a thought crossed his mind.   -Maybe we could go karaoke tonight ? What do you think guys. -Sure, shouted Lance, My highscore got weak last time. I dropped the last high note and i can't do that to Shakira. -Matt has something tonight too so I won’t have any trouble coming with you, informed Pidge, so why not ! -Yeah, mumbled Keith, karaoke night…

Not like anybody could hear him anyways. The bell rang and they left the rooftop off for their next classes. The day went on, hours passing by. Finally, when he exited the hall behind Lance, Keith felt relieved.

He wondered if everything was always going to be like this. Sweet spring air on unbrushed hair, backpacks full of teenage mysteries, breeze making petals float around. Almost all the town had of humans between 13 and 19 was there, goofing at the entrance of the highschool. The group stopped on the sidewalk, separating to head back home.

-Pick us up at 20 ? asked Lance. -I’ll be right there ! Do your homework. -Yeah, sure thing, Hun’, chuckled Pidge.   Lance waved at his friend, keys in hand. Pidge, by his side, glared at them, frowning.   -We’re not taking blue, are we ? -My baby’s ready to take off, snickered Lance, and I’m the best pilot you have around, Podge. You’ll never take this hell of a schoolbus bus with me around. -If I walk at least I’m sure to survive but sure, give me a ride.   The small teen opened her door, grinning. Her brown friend poked out his tongue at her and  grabbed the steering wheel.   - Buckle up Pidge ! - I’m tied to this car as I am to my life.   This was some of the fun parts. Late afternoon, the air warm from the hot day, sun shining through the tree leaves… The car started, a cute Ford Fiesta painted in a soft blue, and everyone suspected Lance to had pick up this one just for its name. Lance never denied and stuck with it.

When the doors closed, Keith inhaled and smelled the iode scented air of the inside. Blue was filled with sea and pool items, bean bags and random items such as bean bags or lightbulbs. Pidge sat on the front row and had printed her shoes to the board. Windows open, Lance was singing slowly as he left the parking lot.

By the time the highschool was out of sight, Keith was sat on the top of the vehicule. Best seat of them all. He spread his wings, enjoying the wind in his feathers. His hair stroked his forehead gently. As they drove down the streets of the town, he smiled brightly. Car rides were Keith’s favorite moment of the day. Death had its upsides.   - Do you feel better now ? Keith blinked. Head light, hands neat, he was perfectly fine and back to bed.   - What the… What did you do to me ? - I waited. You fainted due to a rush of endorphine let out by your hormonals glands when your wrist and three of your fingers split in two. Also you breached the wall on a five diameter circle. - No, I mean… For my hand… I broke like… Three fingers ! How did it repair ? - Oh. I did wait. Death has it advantages I guess. We still did not figured it out, but your recovery capacities, since you are more of a spirit and less of a material being, are improved and I suspect 36% of the… Keith inspected his hand. Not a single scratch. The bytor looked away. -I’m sorry, dropped Keith, I scared you. -It had a 72% probability of happening. -Still. -Make it a 0% chance of happening again in this reality and we’ll be fine.   Keith nodded in response.  -Now that this is done, we should leave to the next steps. You see… - no, the blanket needs to be placed here – now that you’re deceased, - more like…- we’ll have you working for us – put it upward – for 58 years, since you died – yes like that – at 17 and thus left your supposed life – yes, yes – to us. - Okay, what ?   The bytor moved to the side of the room, next to closet doors. It peered at them, leaning closer.   - Since you were supposed to die at 75 – the doorknob is slightly fainted here – you owe us the rest of your life you never lived. You died at 17, do the math. - I get the math part, but why should I work for you ? - You died, the bytor gestured vaguely, unaturally. - And so ? I don’t even remember dying ! - Do you want to ?

The tone was deaf. Bytor stopped focusing on the doors, turning its head to meet Keith’s eyes. He averted them away and gulped. The words sunk in, cold and bitter. He left 58 years worth of life back and should work them out to be relieved. 58 years. He shook his head.   - What will I have to do then ? - You’ll make sure this doesn’t happen to someone else. Protect somebody, make him happy… - Are you telling me I’m gonna be some kind of guardian angel ? -Highly probable. -Whomst angel !? -Undefined. You see, the process of attribution of a human is a very randomized process and condition of the choice are regulated in a very special way that - - Okay, cut short. I get it. Huh, thank you ?   From one of its hands, the bytor handed Keith a white tunic. The fabric was soft and silky. Very nice. Very… angelic.   - I’m not wearing that. - I fear you have no other options in this reality. However, in three others I think you… - No. Way. I’ll look half naked. -I fear you can’t go against the reglementation. It’s a rule here, and it can be VERY dangerous to disobey the rules ! - I’ll wear this when I’m dead. -Sorry then. - Wait, what the… HEY !   Fighting against an eight-legged ferret was one of a kind of an experience Keith wished he never lived. As the creature climbed over him, it took away its clothing, leaving him half naked in the meantime it took to replace it with the tunic. Hands cuffed by two arms, on the ground under what seemed like fifty kilos, Keith had flashing nightmares of the strangest mangas he came across.   -OKAY STOP ! I’LL WEAR IT ! -You already do, but thank you for acknowledging. -Oh my…   Red to the bone, Keith crossed his bare arms over his half-bare chest and looked down. Bare legs, bare feet. He did not even bothered finishing his phrase. Was this thing even created to cover him ? Because it felt more of an excuse to uncover him.   - I hate it. - You can still choose for the - - No. - No shoes then, at least i’m not entitled to making you wear them.   Keith suddenly understood why choosing a Bytor for this job. Whoever had no eight arms would have met a very dirty fight.   - Lance, couldn’t we change the music please ? - You have something better than that ? - What if I do ?   Lance nodded at the radio player. While humming along Rick Asley, he turned left. Pidge pulled out her wires and shrieked. - LANCE ! For fuck’s sake, couldn’t you watch the damn road ? - What again ? - Huh, a friggin’ car coming right, that’s what ! - Hey, did it hit us ? Because I sure have seen nothing ! - Fine. Don’t come complaining when you’ll be dead.   Keith snorted. Lance would surely not die, not on his watch no-no. He had a mission and was on duty. Although Lance drive could be easier to manage, but sat on the roof of the car, the angel had seen the other come so long ago that changing its trajectory wasn’t even that hard. Smash mouth blasted from the windows as they turned right, almost ejecting Keith in the process.   - You really are made out of meme material, laughed Lance, you know that ? - Don’t you say that, smirked the girl, it could imply we are brother and sister !     They had left the waking area five minutes ago and Slav, the Bytor, led Keith on corridors on and on. All the way down the halls, his tutor voice kept blabbering. If it was important, Keith would never know. Hugging the walls, he noted the building looked like a modern version of an victorian mansion. 

A crowded, modern, noisy victorian mansion. It had the size and the maze-feeling of it, but combined with futuristic elements such as pretty blue neons everywhere. Diverses creatures were running, jumping, flying all around them. In a matter of minutes, Keith spotted two angels, a yeti and something that oddly looked like a mothman. How was this real ? He had stopped counting toothfairies a while ago when Slav entered a room. 

Away from the multi-creatural hall, this one was filled almost only by angels, a feathery sound emplying the air. None of them had the cliche wings, that being said. Some even had pretty much bat-looking wings. From all ages, the guardians looked mostly tired. A busy day in a busy office, how normal. Slav asked one of them to help him with Keith. Nodding firmly, the angel turned to the walls, covered in librairies. Slav sighed and they hunt through several lockers to find a file.

Keith used this time to examinate the room. In a corner, a chair was surrounded by mechanic gears and computers, screens and technology he could not quite identify. Most of the walls were covered in files stashed on bookcases. Sometimes, “missing” posters and notes would pop. Some really old-looking tapestry hanged from the highest part of the office. Milleniums of death and history. 

Slav came back with a bundle of paper in one of his hands. After the incident of the uniform, Keith had completely forgot about the whole ‘protecting and granting a human’ part of his… forced job. On the front page, his name was followed by the mention : 'gardian’. He pouted.    - Did I had one ? - A guardian ? - Yeah. Did I had a guardian back there ? - Keith, you died at seventeen. - Oh. - You became what you had not, funny isn’t it ?    Funny, right. How pleasant. He suddenly felt like 8 of the 9 people hating Slav's humor. The bytor, totally oblivious to his thoughts - was he really ? - gestured to the chair in the corner.    - Please, take a seat here now, we’ll link you to your human with this. - Like, I seat and I’m on earth ? Nothing more ? - Not exactly. It’s a randomized process and you need a link with a earth, as well as a static position. You’ll connect with somebody that somehows needs you, in any universe. - And what… What if nobody needs me ? - Everybody needs somebody. Actually, I think they are 1 billion people of this reality that would need your help, 39% of them mostly to overcome medical condition, 21%…   Keith sat down on the chair. It was warm and connected to multiple wires linked all around. Smells like burned plastic and feathers.   - This may hurt a little… - What do you mean by a little ?   Slav pressed some buttons. An angel nearby landed to record the process, some more stopped rushing to take a look. The bytor pianoted on the computers. Looking concerned. Then panicked. The warmth of the chair was amplifiying. Keith's back started to itch.   - Slav… I think something’s wrong, hushed Keith. - I know, the realities process are messing up. It’s becoming dangerous. You might end up somewhere undesired.  - I’m sorry ?! - See this blue cable over there ? It’s the reason everything process backward. It seems the SCO composition is turned down.    A snake of bundled up wire layed down between Keith’s feet. Somehow, it seemed wet, like if it had leaked. The chair was getting even hotter. Almost painfully.   - Ya, I see it. Can I get up ? It’s getting too much hot in there. - DON’T! THE PROCESS HAS ALREADY STARTED ! IF YOU LEAVE YOU'LL END UP LOST IN BETWEEN WORLDS !  - Yeah, but your wires aren’t connected. You’ll retry again later, it doesn’t… - KEITH STAY ON THE CHAIR ! THE REALITIES ARE NOT CORRECTLY…! - …matter. - TIED !   Suddenly, the heat burned. Keith screamed but no sounds seemed to escape. The worlds went blank and everything melted along the chair, and Keith on it. His brain got crushed between his bones, his nerves caught fire and what he tought was pain felt like tenderness compared to what he was living. When the agony took an end, he was lying dead on the floor of a bedroom. “A dream. It was a fucking dream.” The phrase echoed, as if somebody has just said the same out loud.

- I slip you not, Pidge, it wasn’t a dream. I swear, I heard somebody screaming here ! - Lance. I’m standing just here, we’ve looked every-fuckin-where here. There’s no one. - But I… - Huh, I am here ? scoffed Keith, offensed, I mean I know I'm short, but not that short.  - Let’s get going. We’re already late and you drive even faster than usual when we are. - Pidge. We’re always late. - I know. That's why I both hate and love you.    Two of the three teenagers left the room. The human ones. Left alone, the angel dropped on his knees. After all the unheard screams, a whisper left his lips and sunk into the emptyness of the room. - Fuck. It wasn’t…   Feathers run down his spine. A shiny, decorated mirror above some white fancy table reflected him in-between snapshots and necklaces. Pale, almost sickly, draped in a soft fabric. Framed by two large falcon-like wings. Small but heavy on his shoulders as realization sunk in.    So here he was, since two days. Following a highschooler from home to classes and classes to home. He wore a tunic, no sandals, tripped in feathers countless times because of wings he didn’t remember possessing ever. He had no idea why nor what. But Keith was dead. And now, he had someone to ward off it. The next morning, in the form of a letter from the highschool, brought answers to the what. 

END NOTE : Hope you enjoyed yourself, the writing is very classic in this one but i needed to place the action by going back and forth so here we have the ending of what could be a prologue ! Feel free to tell me if something’s wrong with the language, I’m french (and so will be Pidge), so english’s not my main language !