Starshineswirl

Keith was always encouraged by his dad to cry, and that it was okay, and people who said that men shouldn’t cry could probably use a good cry themselves.

But all that was lost when he was admitted into the system.

And he realized very quickly that crying got you nowhere. He remembers kids laughing at him for crying. He remembers parents threatening to “give him something to really cry about.” And he remembers the all too famous: “boys don’t cry.”

It completely overshadowed anything his dad had ever taught him.

The first time he cries in Shiro’s arms, he tries to his best to stick to everything he was taught. When he feels the tears coming he swallows continuously to try and break them. When his vision blurrs with the tears, he presses his fists to his eyes to try and stop them. But when they finally do leak out into his cheeks, he bites his lip and squeezes his eyes shut and muffles his mouth in Shiro’s jacket because he’s so determined to not make a single noise. 

Personally I think Shiro would have flipped his shit if he wasn’t so happy to see Keith after such a long time :)

For the first time in over ten years, Adam wakes up on his birthday alone.

But as Keith finally waddles into the kitchen, Adam still can’t help smirking; despite the “massive growth spurt,” his kid is still a good head shorter then him, and the comparison is even more stark when he stands next to Takashi.

“You ready for dinner?” Takashi asks as he hands him a plate.

Keith only stares. “I can’t eat this.”

“…why not?” Adam raises an eyebrow at him, only mildly threatening as he remembers how long it took him to cook it.

“There’s no dairy.”

Takashi and Adam just stare. Keith rolls his eyes, apparently assuming that they were up-to-date with his dietary needs.

“I need to eat a lot of dairy.”

“Do I want to know why?” Takashi sighs.

Keith smirks and scratches at the bare stubble growing alongside his chin. “All the guys on my flight team are growing beards for finals.”

“And what are you doing?” Adam shoots back without thought. He has to bite his lip at the pout that immediately forms on Keith’s face.

“Very funny. I’ll have you know that I’m only three days in — I’m showing above average hair growth for someone my age.” Keith says proudly. 

Takashi turns and gives Adam an exasperated look, somewhere between, “What’s wrong with him?” And “This wasn’t in the parenting books.” Adam only sighs.

“Fine. So you’re growing a beard. And this relates to your refusal to eat chicken because…?”

“I’m on a strict all-diary diet to improve hair growth. Duh.”

“Are you aware…” Takashi starts, pinching the bridge of his nose. Adam swears he sees another gray hair form on his fíance’s head. “That you are lactose intolerant?”

Keith only rolls his eyes. “Relax, I got it covered.”

“How?”

“I take my lactose pills around the clock now.”

“That’s not…"

“Will you relax? I got it covered. I take one before every meal now. Like today, I had yogurt and milk for breakfast and McClain snuck a huge block of cheese in for lunch — I think he got it from Garrett in the cafeteria — and for dinner I was going to have ice cream.”

Adam puts his face in his hands. He remembers being stupid at 17, but not this stupid. 

“Keith, this make work now, but if you keep it up your body will eventually reject all the diary you try to give it.” Takashi groans. “And you can’t eat like that! Just have some chicken.”

“Anything non-dairy can hinder my hair growth!” Keith says hotly. “Look, I have the second fastest growth on the team and I intend to keep it that way. You guys eat, I’ll make something else. If I want to keep growing in my hair at this trajectory I have to keep myself on a strict all-diary diet!”

With that, he gets up from the dinning table and stomps off to the kitchen. Takashi sighs as he heard the huge tub of ice cream get taken out of the freezer.

“When should we put a stop to this?” He mutters to Adam.

Adam only took a bite nonchalantly. “When he pukes his guts out in three days.”

Takashi hesitated, but then he heard the blender go off as Keith mixed the ice cream with milk.

Keith, groaning and griping: Ugh, fine, why do I always have to do it, I can’t believe you’re making me do this, you’re a grown ass man, do I have to everything ??

*After Lance walks away*

Keith, holding out the bug spray: Shiro, there’s a spider you have to kill 

The second time was no luck either. He was ready to hyperventilate as he tried for the third time, but after six rings, someone finally picked up.

“Hello?” Shiro’s voice came through the phone, and Keith’s whole body sagged in relief. He sounded slightly awake. “Who is this?”

“Shiro --”

“Keith?” Now he sounded wide awake. “Are you okay? Where -- whose phone is this?”

OR:

Shiro: did a nightmare scare you, kiddo?

This is my first time trying to link an ao3 fic lol so if anyone knows how to properly do it pls let me know !!

They adopted Keith when he was 11 so in that like preteen angry shit phase

Keith’s first show of affection with Shiro was when he held his hand at the crowded zoo

The first show of affection with Adam was a few weeks later when he fell asleep when they were watching a movie and he cuddled Adam in his sleep

But he’ll deny both to his last breath

Keith loves cuddling

Like this needs to be emphasized — this boy will cuddle with either of them any time they initiate it

It took him a long time to initiate cuddling but once he did he’d try and find any excuse to try and cuddle with one of them

In an effort to stop Keith from getting into fights, Shiro promised to ride hover bikes with him every Friday afternoon if he goes the week without fighting 

Keith doesn’t really take it seriously until he goes about a month without riding the bikes 

Then he starts to actually try 

He secretly gets upset when Shiro is too busy grading papers to take him on their rides :(( 

Even when he pretends like it’s no big deal

Adam hates riding the hover bikes and hates when Shiro rides them and hates even more when Keith rides them

But he puts up with it because he knows it’s the time Shiro and Keith get to bond

While Adam and Keith bond over cooking and watching Star Trek

Cause Shiro is team Star Wars and Adam is team Star Trek

Shiro: Um…thank you Keith — oh yum, froot loops…What’s, uh, the occasion?

Keith: You said you like cheerios

Shiro: 

Keith: 

Shiro: …uh huh

Keith:

Shiro:

Keith: And you’re gay

Shiro:

Keith:

Shiro: 

Keith: So I got you gay Cheerios 

Shiro: oh…um, well, I’m not sure —

Shiro, seeing Adam’s glare from behind Keith: Thank you, Keith, I love it!