~:~ Barely Human ~:~

~:~ Chapter 7 - He will burn ~:~

~ There was something particularly soothing about the way someone slowly breathes as they rest their weary figure. At least that's what Keith found himself thinking as he watched Lance lie there on his bed, just breathing. In and out, nothing more, nothing less. It was simple. It was all that mattered at that very moment, that he was breathing.

Keith couldn't think straight, so much was cluttering his mind all at once. There was a sting in his palm and when he looked down he realized he'd dug his nails into his flesh, it bled. He couldn't take this. The heart monitor was terrifying to him, he hated the sound of it. There was always this constant unsettling sense that it was there for a reason and there was a possibility that something could go wrong. So Keith left, he couldn't stand sitting there feeling pitiful. Pity wasn't what Lance needed, what he needed was help. And help was what Keith was going to give him.

Swinging the door open he comes to face his brother and Alma. They seem surprised by his sudden appearance. Alma smiles sadly to him and hurries inside the room, leaving just the two brothers. Shiro looks worried. "How is he?"

"Damaged..." Is all Keith can manage to say. Shiro gets it though, with a sigh he stands up. He slinks his arm over his little brothers shoulders and leads him back to the hospital entrance.

"Let's go home for now, we'll check in again tomorrow." Shiro tells him. The receptionist is wordless as they pass by. Keith keeps his head down, stuffs his hands in his pockets and let's his mind focus on other thoughts.

The car ride home was silent, with soft, upbeat music playing from the radio. It just felt wrong to listen to after something like that in the hospital and Shiro's constant glancing to his brother was a constant all the way home. Keith's eyes were on the scenery out the window the whole time. The fire ached. His head was burning.

By the time they got home it was dark, but Keith felt no need for sleep. With a click Shiro locked his car and followed his brother up the steps of their home. Keith unlocks the door and pushes it open with a slow creak, only to find that it was completely unrecognizable from when he'd been here in the morning. Their old couch was in the living room with the small flat screen sitting on a cabinet, yet to be plugged in. There were some of their pictures on the walls and there was actually a dining table. But aside from that the rest was boxes in the corners of each room. Their parents were in the kitchen playfully cooking and dancing to some stupid song on the radio. Keith and Shiro share and confused look as they enter.

Keith kicks off his shoes at the door, Shiro hangs up his coat and then their parents notice their presence. Their mother flattens out her hair with a breathless laugh after her husband had spun her around and dipped her down somewhat gracelessly. "Oh boys, you're back late! How were your days?"

"I don't want dinner." Keith dismisses before Shiro can open his mouth to tell her about his first day at school. He shuts it instantly and watches his brother leave silently down the hall to his bedroom. His mother frowns and Shiro, as quietly as he can, explains to his mom and dad what happened.

Keith has no door to slam since his room technically wasn't really a room. So instead he just falls face down onto his bed and lies there silently. Some time passes and when he thinks it's around 10pm he hears the soft footsteps of his mother down the hallway. Keith can't see her behind his cupboard and she never says anything. Rather, a minute or so of silence he hears her leave again. A sigh escapes his lips when the door to her bedroom all the way down the other end of the hall is pulled shut.

---

At around a little after midnight Keith tugs on a dark hoodie and a pair of jeans. He leaves through the back door with a gentle click of the lock. It's cold out tonight and the sky is dark, the clouds eradicating any starlight that tried to pierce through and the breeze made his nose feel cool so he hurried around the side of the house to find his bike resting against the fence. For once he's actually thankful for the moving van. Kicking the stand up Keith throws his leg over and sets the gear. Before long he's left his yard and is speeding down the pathway in the dead of night.