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Chapter Text

 Two months gradually passed and there was still no sign or word from Shiro. At first, Keith was ill with worry, but now he was calm as graduation day approached. He still suffers whenever he thinks of Shiro’s absence, but it would only get better with time. And he’s had a lot of time.

It was now graduation day. Attendance wasn’t necessary, but he attended to accompany the gang anyways. Watching as family and friends of the seniors walk onto the track surrounding the football field only made him wonder what he was doing there. The only senior he really bonded with was Shiro and no one was sure if he was coming or not. After most of the bleachers became full, the students walked onto the track where rows of chairs were placed. A podium on the right stood beside some plans with the school’s logo on it. Rows of chairs placed behind the podium quickly filled as the school’s faculty sat down. Principal Allura and Vice-Principal Coran walked to the podium at the edge of the grass. They said their congratulations to all the seniors present and announced that the Valedictorian Takashi Shirogane might not be able to attend. A wave of worry and gossip washed over the audience.

Once people around them began to theorize the reason behind his absence, Keith decided it’s too much for him. He stood up and flashed a smile at Pidge, “I’m sorry, I think I’m gonna go home. There’s no one I want to wait for.”

“You’re sure? What about the lei?” Pidge asked.

Keith only smiled more as he put his backpack on, “I don’t think he would want it anyway. I’ll see you guys later.”

They watched as Keith moved towards the stairs, apologizing to everyone that has to move their feet to let him pass. Pidge grumbled loudly, their hands tightened into fists. “I swear I’m going to hit Shiro when I see him.”

“Oh yeah me too,” Lance agreed.

Hunk huffed, “I’m not going to give him his college care package now.”

“Dude, seriously? You made a care package?” Lance asks.

Pidge frowns, “I was sure he would be here today and sweep Keith off his feet.”

“Oh yeah he totally will,” Hunk said as he pointed to the metal fence next to the PE classrooms. “Look that’s him getting out of the car.”

Just as Hunk said, Shiro ran out of a parked car on the main road in his black cap and gown. He dashed to the track and field. Instead of going straight to the faculty or the podium, he ran to the bleachers to stop Keith from stepping off the stairs. “Keith, I—”

Keith stopped; the person in front of him was just like the one in his dreams. Standing there with a graduation cap and gown, but instead it was like their roles were reversed. He glared at him, “Shiro, move.”

Shiro flinched from his harsh tone, but he shook his head, “I need to tell you something.”

He scoffed, “What is there to say? You rejected me. That’s it, end of story. You go to college and I stay here.”

Shiro sighed, “I didn’t reject you, Keith.”

From the back of the bleachers, Pidge’s voice echoed, “Oh yeah? You told him, ‘I don’t…’ you big stupid football jock!”

“Thank you, Pidge,” Keith nods in agreement. “See even Pidge knows what you said you big muscular jock.”

“Muscular…” Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. “Keith, I was going to say ‘I don’t…like you, I love you’ but then my throat got itchy and before I could finish my sentence you ran away…”

By now everyone’s eyes were on them and Keith’s face was bright red, both from anger and embarrassment. “That doesn’t explain your absence, Shiro! You just disappeared and it scared me…what if you got hurt…”

His eyes were wet now and Shiro caressed his cheek, wiping the tears with his thumb. “You’re angry.”

“Of course I am, idiot,” Keith struggled as he forced himself not to give in and lean into his palm. “You left.”

“Technically you left me first,” Shiro said, earning glares from everyone else. “But I didn’t reject you, Keith.”

Keith stepped away from him, “Silence is enough of an answer and you were gone for two months. What else was I supposed to think?”

“You’re right…I got a cold and then my parents decided it was time to visit colleges before summer vacation started. I wanted to call you, but…I realized too late that I never got your phone number.”

“You could have asked Hunk; he has mine.”

Shiro cocked his head to the side thoughtfully, “You’re right, again.”

“I decided that before I confess my feelings, I should properly consider my future. I don’t want to force you into a long distance relationship since not everyone can handle one, Keith. I wanted to make sure I was prepared since you’ll still be in high school. What if I choose somewhere far away and I can only see you two times a year…?”

“That’s something we would need to decide together ,” Keith offered.

“I know, but I’m an adult, Keith and a year difference is huge when it comes to high school and college…” he trailed off. “I don’t believe that we should make life changing decisions just after confessing to each other. I don’t want to force you into anything or making rash decisions. I wanted to think about us thoroughly. What if you decide to study somewhere across the country?”

Keith listened to him and was surprised by how much thought he put into this. He was so consumed by his unrequited feelings and last chance that he never considered a future where Shiro actually liked him back. What if they really did agree to go out but found out that under the stress of long distance, their relationship is short lived? “So…Where have you decided to go?”

“Altea University since it’s close and they’re giving me more of a deal compared to all of the other colleges. The campus is great and I can commute from home and…see you too.”

“Well I do agree that Altea University is good and it’s my first choice too, but, Shiro…there’s one flaw in your plan,” Keith said as he poked Shiro’s buff chest. “You haven’t confessed to me yet.”

“Right…” Shiro chuckled. “Keith…I don’t just like you. I love you and I have for a while now.”

“You have?”

He nodded. “It took a small push for me to fall for you completely and from what I can tell…I fell first.”

Keith inhaled a sharp breath, “Then why didn’t you just say so…”

Shiro smiled wryly, “You kept hitting me.”

“Good point.”

“Kiss him already!” Lance shouted from the bleachers.

“Shut up, Lance I’m getting to it!” Keith glared at him. “But first—”

Shiro watched as Keith took off his backpack and put his hand inside. He showed him a black and yellow ribbon lei and stretched to put it around his neck. The two smile widely at each other and Keith kisses him first.

The crowd all cheered loudly as the two shared their first kiss. Coran coughed into the microphone in order to get them to stop. “Are you ready to give your speech now, Valedictorian?”

The two separated, their faces a bright pink. Shiro laughed awkwardly, “Y-Yes, I’m sorry.”

Keith walked back up to the top of the bleachers, getting claps from the people he passed by as Shiro stood at the podium. When Keith sat down next to Pidge, the other three all ruffled his hair, happy that the two are finally together. They watched happily as Shiro delivered a beautiful prepared speech and cheered loudly when it was his turn to accept his diploma at the end of the service.

The moment family and friends could see their loved ones, Keith calmly walked down the bleachers towards Shiro. A crowd already formed around him just like in his dreams. He hesitated.

Before his fight or flight response could kick in, Shiro noticed him standing outside the ring of people and walked towards him. Keith froze like an ice statue and couldn’t move as Shiro placed his graduation cap on his head and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Keith.”

Keith touched his cheek as if he was finally woken from his dream and smiled back, “I love you too, Takashi.”

Unlike in his dreams where he would have to wait to lei Shiro, reality was actually the opposite. Instead, Shiro was the one who came first and Keith was upset that he couldn’t lei him again.

“That’s not fair…” Shiro covered his mouth with his palm as Keith said his first name for the first time. “What am I supposed to use for you? Ah…I love you more, baby.”

Keith’s face lit up and he covered his mouth too, “You’re worse than I am.”

“Good,” Shiro grinned and gasped as Pidge punched him in the back. “What was that for?”

Pidge huffed, glaring daggers at him with a thick killing intent, “Next time you make Keith cry I’m going to make it so you can’t run away.”

“Guys, you know that there are people still waiting to congratulate Shiro right? Oh…wait nope they’re gone,” Hunk said as he walked up towards them through the dispersed crowd. “Oh well at least now we can congratulate you instead.”

“Thanks, guys,” Shiro smiled, wrapping his arm around Keith’s waist.

“Wait, Shiro you shouldn’t—” Lance called out, but it was too late.

Keith wrapped his arm around Shiro’s waist too and smiled up at him. “You were saying, Lance?”

“Wow, huh,” Lance was at a loss of words. “I really expected this to happen like that time last year.”

“Oh you mean that time Keith knocked me out?” Shiro said, fondly. “Good times.”

“What?” Everyone looked at him with mixed emotions on their faces.

Shiro coughed, “What?”

Graduation ended without a problem and their relationship progressed nicely. With today’s technology and the fact that the two went from “enemies” to lovers, they already knew they could deal with any issues they would have. They still fought once in a while, but it was usually over stupid stuff like who ate the last of the cereal or who would wash the dishes. However by the time summer vacation was over and his senior year began, Keith realized he missed a very important detail. Shiro never did return his varsity jacket.

-x-x-