https://khoo8.tumblr.com/post/171531382581

It was probably bad that Keith was taking so much time off work. And surfing. And working functionally in general. He felt cloudy- he couldn't concentrate. He hoped that his trip to Texas would help him clear his head, or at least let him come to terms with himself.

The day that the group had gotten back from Bass Lake, Lance had left for the Council. He had said it was because he needed to check in, but that didn't make sense- he'd spent the past few days with Allura, who was the leader of the Council now. But Keith didn't argue, and neither did anyone else. To be honest, Lance's absence was sort of a good thing. He stayed in the ocean for a few days, which was odd, and Keith didn't even see him before he left for Texas.

Apparently, Shiro and Allura had really hit it off. Shiro had told Keith that instead of going on his usual run this morning on the sand, Allura had surprised him at the ocean and they'd walked the length of the beach together. Keith could tell that Shiro was really falling for her.

To be honest, he wanted to tell Shiro that he should just get over Allura now. He'd saved himself from Lance, but what did Shiro expect? To have a normal relationship? With a mermaid? Not to mention, a queen-status mermaid who ran a underwater city? But Keith had refrained from saying anything- Shiro deserved a bit of happiness after all of his years of being single.

Now, as Keith stared out the window of the plane, it took a lot to keep his mind off of the mer. He was surprised that he'd gotten a plane ticket so soon. He'd had to pay a lot for it, but a spot had opened up in the third class sector of a plane heading to Texas, and he'd been able to buy it a few days prior.

Keith hadn't packed a lot- he still had some clothes at home he could wear, along with all his other necessities, as well as art supplies. His mother always stocked extras of everything when Keith came to visit, and she even rented their favorite movies.

Keith was closer with his mom than he was with his dad. It was probably because his father was an ex-Air Force Officer, and he still had that war living in him, making him a little bit more distant. Nate Kogane was a tall, kind man, who now worked as a firefighter after being discharged from the Force because of a stroke. Even still, Keith had a lot of good memories with his dad.

Krolia, Keith's mom, was a powerhouse. She used to be in the secret service, some top secret government protection job, but she couldn't tell Keith much about it except the fact that she was a fucking badass. Now, she worked as an editor for the local paper and taught a kickboxing class downtown.

Krolia and Nate got married straight out of college, and she'd gone with him overseas at the base he was stationed at (it happened to be Hawaii). They had Keith at the base, and then moved back to America after a few months when Nate was discharged. It was Nate who Shiro learned his love of planes from as the years went on.

It was actually surprising how well Nate and Shiro got along, and Shiro felt even more like a brother when he was at the Kogane's house. Shiro has been adorable as a little kid, and he cringed every time Keith reminded him. He'd tried to be so grown up, even as a short little 8 year-old. Shiro had broken down a few times, crying, before he told Keith that he was a foster child.

It was about 3 hours on the plane to the Texan airport, and then a bus ride for 20 minutes into the closest city, and then the last 20 minutes in an Uber, all to get to the big farmhouse Keith's parents lived in. True, the house was old, but it had been passed down in Nate's family for three generations, built by Keith's great-great-grandfather. It'd been renovated a few times, but mostly stayed the same general design and layout.

Keith loved it as much as he loved the shed beside it, which was his room. Fully furnished with his bed, a mini-fridge, TV, and anything else he needed, he and Shiro had made it a hangout spot in their childhood. Keith felt a bit sad that Shiro wasn't coming home with him for the week, but they'd be down again in the end of August before school started, that time driving.

Keith was anxious for that- the trip was 18 hours in the car, which meant an even 9 hours of driving for himself. As much as Keith loved driving his motorcycle, he wasn't as confident driving actual cars. It was probably a bad thing.

...

Keith lugged his bag off the bus, thanked the driver, and walked into the small cafe, pulling out his phone to call an Uber. It was dark out, and he was tired. While he waited, he grabbed a coffee, and kept it black, then sat himself in a stool by the counter to wait.

He was looking at his phone, scrolling through Instagram, when something moved in his peripheral vision. Keith glanced up, then did a double-take. The boy who now sat two seats down from him smiled coyly. He was staring at Keith, leaning on his hand. Tousled brown hair that was shaved on the sides with long curls flopped over his forehead with big hazel eyes. Circle glasses framed his long lashes.

Keith felt heat rise to his cheeks. He blinked hard, then looked back at the boy, self-consciously running his hand through his hair. He realized how absurdly long it had gotten in the back and promised himself to ask his mom to cut it.

The boy, probably a few years older than Keith, grabbed a napkin from the counter and pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket. He scribbled something on the napkin, then casually slid it over to Keith.

I seem to have lost my number. Can I have yours?

Keith choked back surprise. A pick-up line. Just like Lance. The boy slid Keith the pen too, patiently waiting.

Keith smiled softly, then wrote down a number. It wasn't his own.

It was Lance's.

If he couldn't give Lance the kind of relationship he deserved, maybe this guy could.

Keith's Uber honked outside. He handed the boy back the number and smiled again, then walked outside without looking back. He was afraid he'd start hallucinating Lance sitting there instead of the stranger.

...

The first to greet Keith once the door to the farmhouse opened was Keith's giant dog, Yorak. The mixed husky looked alarmingly like a wolf, black with grey fur down his back and white over his face and chest. Keith was immediately knocked down by the force of Yorak, but he couldn't help but laugh as the dog licked his face frantically, whining.

"I missed you too, boy," Keith chuckled as he scratched Yorak's ears, picking himself up to actually enter the house. Having Yorak by your side was like having a giant, graceful fluffball who could knock down a body builder with ease. Krolia was the one who'd found Yorak as a puppy on the side of the road, and had brought him home when Keith was 15.

Keith had no idea why Yorak's name was so odd, but Krolia had found the puppy so she'd been the one to name him. (Plus, neither Keith or Nate were going to argue- Krolia could body slam both of them like a pro-wrestler if she wanted to, even though she never had.)

As soon as Keith had gotten up, he was almost knocked back down again, this time by none other than his mum, smelling like apple fritters (Nate was an excellent baker) and hay. Her sinewy arms, wrapped with muscles, were thrown around Keith's neck, and she was laughing, shouting at Nate to come outside, Keith's home. Keith felt his heart in his chest, swelling with happiness.

Finally home again. Real home.

...

Hi babes! Short chapter, I know, but if I'd added the next scene it would've been too long lol. Plus, I'm gonna be writing the rest of the drive (I'm in New York rn!) until we get to NH and then all the way to Nantucket tomorrow (do you guys want some pictures?) I know I sound super busy, but I get dragged everywhere in the summer bc my parents are divorced haha.

Plus, I'm trying to update as much as I can for you guys bc I'm gonna be gone at camp for two weeks in a week or so, so I'm trying to give you guys enough content lolol

Again, I apologize for any errors, I'm still typing on my phone yikes. Umm are you guys excited for more Mama Kogane? She's gonna give Keith some super important advice next chapter to stay tuned ;)

We're also gonna be hearing from Lance, Hunk, and Allura next chapter, and we're gonna have a Matt POV in either next chapter or the chapter after that hehe

So yeah, I've gotta looooot planned so far, which is good. I also wanna thank you guys for sticking with me and my awful Spanish skills (google translate and I are having some troubles, obviously) it's amazing that even after four years of taking spanish class, I'm still absolute shit at it hahaha

Me llamo Cal. Me gusta escribo.

Idk guys <33

I hope you don't hate me too much bc of last chapter, but I promise it'll get better

Qotd: favorite (published) book?

For me, it's a TON but Carry On, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (aka Love Simon), Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the Universe, We Are the Ants, and a bunch of others. Have you guys heard of them? Also, do you have any suggestions?

Love you!!