Caring for the young

Chapter 5

Shiro POV

The small purple kitten shuffled around in Antok's arms, his small ears twitching towards me. I smiled. He was most definitely Keith. "Wait. That's Keith!?" Lance shouted. Thace looked at Lance with an almost maternal face. "Yes. I understand your suprise but this is Keith. He has just reverted to what he should look like." Ulaz glanced over at Keith and then at Thace.
"I don't exactly know how this whole dilemma happened but, the kit has been severely touch starved and he has been neglecting his basic needs." I shuddered, remembering how I found Keith.

Flashback 3rd POV

Shiro parked his car outside a wreckage called a house. The Galaxy Garrison had been given a case about domestic child abuse that was near them. Shiro was the one sent out to deal with it. He opened the door and stepped inside. Almost immediately he wanted to go back to the safety and cleanliness of the Garrison. It looked like the entire house had been turned upside down. Blood coated the floor so thickly you couldn't tell the original shade of wood. There were knives of varying shapes and sizes laying everywhere as well as whips, belts and canes, all covered in the same shade of deep crimson. Blood. A loud whimper sounded through the room. Shiro turned round to see a small silver cage. Inside, was an even smaller child covered in cuts, bruises, scars and, most importantly, his own blood. Half of the poor child's face was painted with dried blood, eye closed in obvious pain. With the child's disheveled appearance, it was impossible to tell the gender. Their jet black hair was uneven and ragged, probably knotted too. Their left leg stuck out at a weird angle, showing it was broken. Shiro was near tears. How could someone abuse a child so? He stepped closer to the smaller body, crouching down and slowly reaching out towards them. The child's good eye was fixed onto Shiro, wide with fear. "Please don't worry. I'm here to get you out from this place." Tears welled up in the child's eyes and started cascading down his face while they shook their head in desperation and terror. Whoever did all this to that child had traumatized them to the point where they will cry silently. Shiro looked around the room again and saw a key, the same silver as the cage the child was in. He quickly unlocked the cage and pulled the child into his arms. They were shivering violently in Shiro's arms. "Everything will be all right now. I have you." Shiro cradled the child as he walked out towards his car. "-ieth..." A small broken voice reached Shiro's ears. He looked down towards the child. "My... name... Keith." Shiro's heart broke. Keith's voice was so destroyed and shaky, it was like it was his first time speaking. Shiro hugged Keith tighter.
"Nice to meet you Keith. I'm Shiro."

Flashback end

Shiro POV

"-iro. Shiro. Shiro!" I suddenly became aware of someone shaking me and calling out my name. "Oh I'm sorry guys. I must have spaced out." Lance and Pidge were beside me, looking at me worriedly.
"Shiro you spaced out for half a varga and you started crying." I touched my face and felt that it was indeed wet. "I... was remembering how I found Keith." I looked over at Keith, seeing the broken boy I had found all those years ago instead of a small purple kitten. "May I hold him Antok?" Antok nodded and held Keith towards me. Keith was now in my arms and snuggling into my chest. I smiled down at him, happy that he accepted my touch. My nose touched his forehead in a gentle manner.

"Everything will be alright now. I have you."

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