Chapter eighteen: Dreams and Apologies

"...Keith...Keith..."

He groaned as he screwed his eyes tightly shut, trying to block out the voice.

"Keith!"

Keith gasped as he suddenly sat up...but for some reason, he did not find himself sitting up against the wall inside the healing hut. Instead, he found himself in a vast snowy fields, surrounded by falling snowflakes and a Powerful breeze. Nearby, a babbling stream ran through the wide-open field.

"What the hell...?" Keith whispered as he stood up. "Where am I? How'd I end up here?"

"Keith..."

Keith gasped silently as he turned around...and there he was: Takashi, standing on the other side of the stream.

"...Takashi...?" Keith whispered...while Takashi stared at him. For some reason, he had an expression that Keith couldn't quite place. Why was he staring at him with such sad, disappointed eyes?

"...Keith," Takashi said. "Why? Why are you trying to cast me off?"

"What?" Keith asked. "I...I'm not! Takashi, I..." He then trailed off. First, he had to be sure of something. He looked down at the river...and to his surprise, he had a reflection that was different from him, in fact, it was not his reflection, it was Shiro's...so...why did he seem so upset.

"...Don't forget about me, Keith," Takashi whispered as he began to faded away...and as he did, the field suddenly became shrouded in mist and snow.

"T-Takashi?!" Keith called as he tried to run after her, but the fog soon clouded his vision. Takashi, wait!"

"Don't forget about me..." Shiro said

"I could never forget about you!!" Keith shouted as he looked around for Takashi or Shiro...but all his eyes could see was fog. "Takashi, come back!! Don't leave me alone, again!! Takashi SHIRO~!!!"

"GAH!!" Keith woke up with a startled gasp, panting heavily as beads of sweat formed on his brow. As he looked around, he saw Hunk sleeping on his hospital bed while Kiaion curled up on his left.

Keith heaved a quiet sigh as he leaned back against the wall, holding his dagger in his arms. That was the second time he had that dream, ever since what happened with Tōkajin. Takashi or Shiro would appear to him, standing on the other side of the stream...and he always had this look of disappointment on his face.

When Keith tried to go after him, he'd walk away from him, leaving him in a cloud of mist as he tried to call out to him.

He never saw that expression on his face before. In even the short time that he had known him, he had never seen Shiro or Takashi look so disappointed in him.

...Why? Why did he look like he was disappointed in him? Why did he tell him not to forget about him?

Why was he having this dream, now?

"Ugh..." Keith groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair, then dragged his hands down his face, pulling his lower eyelids down. "It's no use...I can't go back to sleep..." That's when he glanced out the window...and in the distance, he could see the world inside the swamp tree...and at that moment, he could only think about one thing.

"I need to see Shiro..."

Shiro snored softly as he lied in his bed, tucked up underneath the covers while Stats lied curled up at his feet. Sleeping at Altea was nice at times, but he did miss the luxuries of taking a nice warm shower at home and sleeping in his own bed. Plus, he was tired after another day of training, tomorrow was another day of training.

As Shiro continued his slumber, however, he found his sleep suddenly getting disturbed as he heard a tapping noise coming from somewhere outside. At first, he thought nothing of it...until he started to hear it again. It sounded like somebody was tapping on glass...and for a moment, he could have sworn that he just heard someone call his name.

"Shiro? Are you awake in there?"

Shiro gasped as he suddenly sat up, nearly sending Stats tumbling off his bed. As he looked to his window, he saw these two smoldering violet orbs, glowing at him from outside his window. he went over to the bedroom door, flicked on the lights, confirming his suspicions: Keith was sitting outside his window.

"Oh, it's just you," he said when he saw Keith standing in front of him. "What do you want?" he opened the window, allowing him entrance into his room.

"I'm sorry," Keith apologized. "Should I come back?"

Shiro sighed and shook his head. "No...you're here, now. So, why the late-night visit?"

"...I...I needed to see you," Keith said.

"Huh?" Shiro asked. "Why?"

"...Just because," Keith answered as he glanced off to the side...and that's when Shiro began to notice the somewhat distant look in his eyes. Not only that, but he could also see the formation of dark circles.

"He's upset about something, again" he thought. "It must be bad because he's losing sleep over it."

"...Keith?" Shiro asked. "Is everything okay?"

"...No," Keith answered as he looked at him all sad like.

"You wanna talk about it?" Shiro inquired while he gently snaked his fingers into his hand, which squeezed his in turn, but not too tightly.

Sometime later, Shiro managed to made Keith a cup of tea, which he gratefully accepted as he sat on Shiro's bed. As Keith drink on his late-night tea, Shiro sat beside him, patiently waiting for him to finish. Once he had downed the tea, he gave a bit of a burp before muttering "Scuse me" before he glanced at Keith, who smiled at him.

"So...you wanna tell me what's been on your mind, lately?" he asked, causing him to tighten his lips a bit...but then he sighed.

"Well...after we...No, I defeated Tōkajin and you slap me in the face," Keith began, "I had a bit of a talk with the others...they asked me if I still wanted to become a full-fledged daemon?"

Shiro's eyes went wide at that.

"It's like they're reading my mind," he thought.

"And...what did you say?" he inquired, causing him to snort.

"Well, I said yes, of course," Keith said, causing Shiro to sigh.

"Well, that figures it..." he muttered.

"I mean...how else am I supposed to protect you with such a weak human body?" asked Keith, which caused Shiro to glance up at him in surprise. "What if Haggar or Sendak came after you or something while I was in my human form? They'd kill me in an instant...and then they'd kill you...just like...like..."

"Like how Allura and Takashi when they died!" Shiro concluded, causing Keith to sigh as he nodded his head. "I understand..."

"...But then...Hunk said something that got to me," said Keith. "He said that...if I use the jewel to turn into a full-fledged daemon...I could end up losing my human soul."

Shiro's eyes widened, once again.

"I mean...I don't wanna believe what he said," Keith began as he glanced down at the quintessence crystal fragment that he still has. "but at the same time...I can't really doubt his word, either. He knows more about the crystal than I do."

"...It's true...Hunk does know more about the crystal than us," thought Shiro "Those who come into contact with the crystal usually meet with a tragic end...that's what happened to most of our enemies, so far."

"...Shiro?" Keith asked. "Are you still listening?"

"Yeah, I'm still listening," Shiro said. "So then what did Hunk say?"

"...Well..." Keith muttered. "Lance asked me...how would I know if things would stay the same between us?"

"...What do you mean?" Shiro asked as he looked up at him.

"...Hunk said that if I transformed into a full daemon with the crystal," Keith began, "I could end...up killing you."

Shiro swallowed the lump in his throat and clutched at his chest. He didn't want to admit it, but that actually had been on his mind, as of late. She remembered how Sendak went from a seemingly cold and calculating commander to a ferocious beast, and he didn't even use the power of a crystal shard, back then. So...the thought of Keith, the half-daemon whom he had come to greatly care for, turning into a vicious monster actually did terrify his...but he could never say that to Keith.

After all...he promised him that he would never afraid of him or betrayed him as he promised him.

"So...what else happened?" asked Shiro.

"...I've been having a dream, lately," Keith said. "A dream about...Takashi."

"Takashi?" Shiro repeated as his eyes went wide, knowing that Keith rarely talked about Takashi, the one from this world. "What was he doing?"

"...Well, in my dream," Keith explained, "I'm lying in a field covered in snow and there's a stream nearby...and Takashi standing on the other side...but...he looks sad, for some reason..." He then heaved a quiet sigh. "No...he looked more than sad. He looked disappointed."

"About what?" Shiro questioned.

"I don't know," Keith answered. "But...he keeps asking me why I'm trying to cast him away...and then he tells me not to forget him." He then scratched at his head. "I don't know what he means when he says that! I could never forget Takashi!"

"Of course, you couldn't," Shiro reassured as he put his hand on his back. "He was your friend, you care for him more than anything."

"...Then why does he look so upset in my dreams?" Keith asked as he covered his face. "Shiro...I'm scared...what's gonna happen to me? I...I don't want things to change between us. I want things to remain the same...I wanna be able to protect you and get stronger!"

"That the reason that you went against Tōkaijn!" Shiro said as he hugged him. "...Oh, Keith, It's okay...there's no shame in admitting you're scared, you know...but we'll get through it, together."

"...Really?" Keith said with an expression that gave him the look of a lost little boy, which caused him to smile warmly.

"Absolutely," Shiro said. "Now, I know you must be tired, so why don't you lie down and get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah sure!" Keith said as he left the room and Soon, Shiro turned off the lights but he do it. Keith said. "Mu...Shiro, I'm sorry for putting myself in danger and everything!"

Shiro smiles, he can't be mad at Keith forever. "It's okay, Keith, the fact that you admitted you're frightened of what mighty happen only shows how human you are, deep inside after all you said it was human nature right and I forgive you?"

He quietly interlocked his fingers with Keith's, feeling his calloused skin, once more.

"I...Think you!" Keith said. "And if I turn human again we will try doing your way!" He then return the quintessence crystal shards to Shiro and then he back to his Room.

"The truth is...I'm scared, too...I'm scared about what might happen if you do become a full-fledged daemon..." Shiro through.

He looked back at the half-daemon as he went back to his room...his eyes softening with sadness and uncertainty.

"...I don't want things to change between us, either."

The next morning, Keith and Hunk had been the hospital Room, With their wounds slowly recovering, they spend the day with Sokka as he was spreading his herbs on the injuries that need the most importance.

Hunk's burns has shown to mostly be healed along with Keith's broken arm. Guess that to be expected since Keith is a half-daemon, it had to heal faster than the normal human be like.

"Well, That's" said Sokka as he added the last of herbs on Keith's back. "the scar on your back is healing faster than I expected!"

"Well, I do heal faster than humans!" Keith told Sokka

"No, I don't expect you to Since you see yourself as a Daemon". Sokka said. "But It's not my place to say, my main focus here is to help you heal!"

"Hey, Keith," Hunk spoke up, causing Keith to glance back at him. "Don't forget, we're got to leave today. We still gotta find the rest of the crystal shards!"

"I know, Hunk," Keith began as he put on his shirt. "But I'm hungry for some breakfast!"

"Yeah, you're right I'm hungry too!" Hunk said.

"Well, you better hurry." Sokka said. "Your food's getting cold!"

"You don't have to ask me twice!" Hunk answered as he and Keith departed from Sokka's workshop into the lobby.

At the lobby, breakfast was quiet for the group, Shiro thought back to what happened late last night when Keith came into his bedroom through his window. Looking at him, now, it was almost hard to believe how he acted so small and lost. One minute, he was acting like a timid little child who was looking for a hand to hold and now he is quiet now.

but still...he couldn't help but think about what he had conveyed to him...his dream about Takashi asking him not to forget him.

"Hey, Shiro," Keith spoke up, breaking free from the silence.

"Yeah?" Shiro replied as she stood up straight, Not staring into space!

"...Thank you...for last night," Keith said as he put his head down to look at him...

"You're welcome," Shiro answered. "You didn't have it again, did you?"

"...No, I'm okay, now," Keith replied...although he seemed to avert his gaze from his, which caused him to blink in concern.

"I get someone's is not mad at you anymore!" Lance said.

"What...No!" Keith said "Who said he was mad!"

"...Everyone!" Lance said.

Soon, Shiro and Stats had finished eating, grabbed their items, and dashed out the door...well, Stats dashed out the door, anyway. Shiro stayed behind for just a moment to give Keith quick goodbye hug.

"I'll be back later," he told him. "Don't get into fights!"

"Okay," Keith replied as he hugged his back, and soon, he left...and soon after, the half-daemon walked up to the distance, put his dishes up and walked down the lobby for some training, all the while, Hunk, Lance, and Pidge did their own personal day, Hunk hang out with the Chef, Billy, while Lance flirted with every girl in the tree and Pidge updated her deamon explore kit.

After that, though, Keith found himself done with training. What was he going to do while Shiro was gone?

"Ahem!"

Keith turned to see Sokka, who smiled at him while holding a basket of crystals...a whole lot of crystals.

"Could you help carry this downstairs for me?" asked Sokka, causing him to blink in perplexity.

Some time later, Keith was sitting in the basement with Sokka, watching him putting crystals in a jar for a reason, Keith didn't bother it too much since he had no idea was for what's for. Soon, Sokka screw the crystal in place like a light ball.

"So, lemme get this straight," Keith said as the crystal glows in a bright orange. "These crystals are the only thing that protects you from the Galra!"

"Surprised, huh?" Sokka asked. "It's the only way to protect ourselves from surprise attacks!"

"Smart move!" Keith said.

Sokka chuckled as he gently pat Keith on the head, which he allowed.

"I guess everything inside our tree fascinates you, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Well...a little," Keith said. "Although...your tree look like the great tree, the one that I was sealed in but bigger!"

"Well, that's good," Sokka said. "The trees are the same!"

Keith smiled a bit, but then that smile quickly disappeared as he looked down at the floor.

"Umm...Thinks," he said. "For letting us stay here! We were in terrible bed shape!"

"Keith!" Sokka said in a stern yet gentle tone, causing him to look at him. "You're always welcome here, plus you and your friend were terribly injured! and you save one of my commanders!" he then squat down so that he could meet his eyes. "Additionally, if i could, I'd like to entrust a dream of mine to you and Shiro!"

"A dream?" Keith asked.

"Yes, that we finally in this war, I'm sure you can accomplished that!" Sokka said.

Keith gasps at this point in time for the first time, Why would Sokka ask him that and he then senses something from Sokka! Something that he respects from him.

"Are you angry!" he said, causing Sokka to gasped at the young man! "for some reason, I always pick up a feeling of anger, even know you acted Kind of mysterious!"

Then Sokka tilted his head, "Yes, you are correct! It may be that I'm constantly angry! but not to you but the entire world! In this world you have to survive In any way you can! even it you see the mourning tears of others who've lost their loved ones in this war, hear their loud of despair and each time I do, the anguish inside me grows larger, in the innermost depths of my soul, there's a hatred that I can't fight!"

Keith's ears drooped and his eyes cast to the floor, once again...and almost instantly, Sokka knew what was on his mind.

"Keith! make sure you can protect Shiro!" he said. "He has you in his mind, meaning you must be special!"

"Oh, please," Keith answered, and soon, he headed back upstairs. "I'm nobody special!"

"Are you sure because Shiro think you are!" Sokka said.

"Bye, Sokka! Bye, Ozar!" Hunk said.

"Bye, Hunk! I hope you and you friends have a safe travel" Ozar said. "Be careful out there!"

Shiro and the other was just about ready to go to travel the world, once again. Shiro had finished taking his training for now and now that he was done, he packed up his supplies and got ready to continue his journey in Altea.

"Shiro!" Sokka called, causing Shiro to look back at him. "Try and be patient with Keith, okay? And make sure he knows he's not alone."

Shiro blinked at Sokka before he smiled and nodded his head.

"Shiro!" Keith called in his usual impatient tone. "Sometime today would be nice!"

"I'm coming, Keith," Shiro answered as he walked after him...placing his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it, and even though he didn't look at his...he gently squeezed his hand.