Our Brains Are So Weird: Klance FanFic

A Familiar Face

        Keith was a beacon of tranquility amidst the chaos of college life. A man of few words and fewer meaningless social interactions, he was more likely to be found tucked away in a quiet corner of the library than in the bustling student union. He found solace in solitude, comfort in silence, and peace among the pages of his beloved books. Books served as his escape, his refuge from the relentless waves of reality. They provided a sanctuary where he could retreat from the confrontations and conflicts of life.

As he closed his latest read, a deep voice echoed through the room, breaking the comfortable silence, "How was the study session?"

Keith glanced up to see his adoptive brother Shiro looming in the doorway, a shadowy figure against the light streaming in from the hallway. It seemed he was holding two cups of...tea?

"Loud," was Keith's succinct reply.

"Loud?" Shiro echoed, a hint of amusement playing across his features.

 "Loud." Keith confirmed with a flat tone. 

"And the cause of the loudness?" Shiro prompted playfully, stepping further into the room.

"Lance. Lance McClain. He's...loud." Keith repeated, his voice trailing off as he returned his attention to another book.

"Ah, I see," Shiro mused, a teasing glint in his eye. "Is he at least cute?"

"Shiro!" Keith exclaimed, a blush creeping onto his cheeks at his brother's audacity. "And no, in fact I find him to be quite annoying." 

Shiro simply chuckled, dropping the topic. A renowned figure in the field of astrophysics and engineering, Shiro was often the subject of Keith's admiration. His groundbreaking research had brought clarity to fellow engineers and enthusiasts.

"Adam invited us to dinner tonight," Shiro announced, shifting the conversation.

"Him again? Are you two official now? I thought you said he wasn't your type," Keith retorted, arching an eyebrow in question.

"Well, I don't know," Shiro confessed, his tone uncertain. "I mean, I do like him, and he must like me too, right? He invited me for dinner after all."

Keith gave a small, supportive smile. "Shiro, I'm sure he likes you. Who wouldn't?"

"Woah," Shiro teased, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Did I just receive a compliment from the Keith Kogane?"

Keith just rolled his eyes, reaching out for the cup of tea Shiro had prepared. The earthy fragrance of the tea was soothing, a comforting presence amidst the playful banter.

Just as Keith was about to take a sip, his phone buzzed with a notification. 

A text from Lance McClain: 'hey keith! our test got pushed back to the 23rd. we got more time to study! :))speaking of which, when should we do our next study session? so sorry about last time  :(( You can choose where we study next ❤️'

Keith quickly shot back a reply, 'Hey, I'm free on the 16th. Are you okay with meeting at XXX, at 4 pm?'

Within seconds, Lance had responded with a cheerful 'Can do! see you on sunday! 😁'

Keith couldn't help but laugh at Lance's enthusiastic response. "Lance even yaps a lot on text," he mused to himself.

A couple hours later, Keith found himself in a fancy restaurant with Shiro and Adam. The restaurant was filled to the brim, bustling with lively chatter and the clinking of cutlery. The place was extravagant, with intricate carvings on the pillars and a majestic chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. One may have mistaken the place as a castle made from the Greeks if it weren't for the people and rich scent.

"Shiro!" A brown headed figure waved, enthusiasm plastered on his face.

"Adam!" Shiro's face grew a smile as the two got closer, embracing each other with a hug as Keith stood next to them, awkwardly. 

"Hi Keith, it's been a while." Adam grinned, the blush failing to fade away after his contact with Shiro. Keith liked Adam, in the sense that he was better than all the other guys Shiro had been with. He liked that he didn't make Shiro upset or worried, and the fact that he understood Keith struggled when it came to socialism. 

As they made their way to the reserved room, Keith felt out of place amidst the opulence. The men was filled with items he never heard about. What in the world is Turbot with Château Chalon Sauce? He only knew what two of the words were, that of which were 'with' and 'sauce'. To make things worse, no calories were displayed, no grams no nothing. Keith couldn't do any hypothetical math calculations when he didn't have any variables to work with. Looking up, Shiro and Adam were in their own world, he didn't want to disturb the already cringey scene he was witnessing. 

"I'm going to use the bathroom." Keith excused himself. 

"Do you know what you want?" 

"A roasted baby brussels sprouts, pistachios, arugula salad, no dressing."

"Anything to go with that?" Shiro cocked his eyebrow, he knew how hard it was for Keith to eat at an unfamiliar place. 

"no, I'm ok." He said reassuringly as he rose from his seat.

***

As he walked out of the stall, who should he bump into but Lance McClain.

Their eyes met in the mirror's reflection, surprise etched on both their faces. Lance, with his signature grin, broke the silence, "Fancy seeing you here, Keith!"

"You too..." Keith trailed.

"Who you here with?" Lance smiled, "A special someone?" he teased. Keith couldn't help but crack a smile at the banter.

"No, just, family." Keith hesitated, no one on campus knew Keith and Shiro were brothers, let alone know that Shiro adopted him. 

"Cool! Me too." Lance exclaimed, reaching for the tissues. With a final wave of goodbye, the two separated and headed back to their families.

The rest of the evening was a blur of laughter and friendly quip. Keith would occasionally remember the brief encounter he had at the restroom.