#kidgetober2020

Day 28: Costumes

And this is my first and last contribution to the Kidgetober Event (I’m not counting the drawing I made for Keith’s birthday), I wish I had done more prompts but college has kept me really busy this month. 

Thank you for all your support! Happy Halloween!!!

“You love her don’t you?”

I froze. Closed my eyes and took a measured breath, replying, “Was it that obvious?”

“No, not really. It’s not obvious but I KNOW you. Anyway, when it started, I couldn’t be sure. You guys have always had your own weird dynamic, close and similar in ways that just didn’t happen with anyone else. But, it’s been slowly growing. And it’s burning in your gaze when you look at her now.” Shiro frowned, “It’s just you seem to come to life when she’s around, in way that I’ve never seen before.”

Keith nodded. He couldn’t argue that. He has felt his feelings growing even though he was keeping it under the guise of just friendship. Keith knew what he was feeling was more. And it was akin to what Shiro said. They’ve always been close. They always stayed in touch. But slowly, her calls just meant more. They caused a smile, his heart beat faster, and he made an effort to be in touch with her.

He scheduled visits. He invited her to ‘help’ upgrade things on his ship or tools they had. He made sure to attend family and group events that he knew she’d be at. But, it wasn’t enough. He wanted to see more. Daily. He wanted to hold her hand and hug and kiss her. He wanted a real relationship.

Fear. Rejection. That’s what was stopping him. He valued her friendship too much to just throw it all away on a game of chance. He studied Pidge from the shadows. They were at Matt’s first house, his first party-for Halloween.

Everyone was dressed up. He knew Pidge was going as witch so he chose to go as a wizard. Earlier when they took pictures, he enjoyed standing next to her and imagining they were a couple.

Shiro bumped his shoulder causing him to refocus. “Huh?”

Shiro pulled him further into the the shadows. “I said, what are you going to do about it? You aren’t a coward. And you both deserve a chance to explore this.”

I sighed, “There is no this.”

Shiro groaned “Keith, don’t do this. Don’t run. You deserve happiness and I think you need to take a calculated risk.”

Keith nods.

“Now.”

“Um, now-now?”

Shiro smiles, “PIDGEEEEEEE”

Keith feels his heart stop. “NO! Shut up!” He pushes Shiro who just grins and steps away giving him a thumbs up behind his back.

Pidge, laughing, boops Shiro on the nose with her wand. She looks at him with a wide infectious grin. “I’m so glad you were able to come! Hunk said you were supposed to be off planet.”

Keith nods, “Yeah, I’m glad I could make it too.”

Pidge comes even closer to him and trips over a crack in the patio. She stumbles into him, where he automatically holds and steadies her. Except he doesn’t let go right away and she doesn’t move away. She snuggles into him and he pulls her closer, and she sighs, “You are so warm.”

He grins, softly stating, “Is that the only reason you like to be by me?”

Pidge shakes her head and looks up at him earnestly “Of course not! Don’t be dense.”

Keith arched his brow, “Dense? Are you insulting me Holt?”

Pidge giggled, “Noooo. Stop being so sensitive.”

Keith tilts her head up with a finger to her chin. “How much have you had to drink?”

He can actually feel her sigh. “Okay, Keith, here’s the thing. I have a couple of drinks so I can do this.”

Keith is instantly concerned, “Do what? Is everything okay? What “

Suddenly Pidge’s lips latch onto him. Holy shit. He hasn’t had anything to drink but he feels like he’s drunk. Her lips kissed him but more than that, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, fingers clenched in his hair, body pressed to his body.

He groans, holding her close, maneuvering her against the house and dragging his hands down her sides, this was a dream. It had to be. There was no other explanation for it but he wasn’t going to stop.

His hands gripped her hips and pulled and like magic her legs wrapped around his hips, causing a growl to erupt. He groaned and she moaned and he was interrupted.

“Keith,… OH SHIT, KEITH!! What the hell?!”

Fucking Lance. Keith moves back, keeping his focus on Pidge and hoping that Shiro grabs fucking Lance. “Katie, please tell me I’m not dreaming. Please tell me, you…me…shit, I like you a lot. I want you and a me…to be real. I want us but a different version of us that”

Pidge laughs, “Keith, that kiss was me telling you that. I like you. A lot. And I just hope that this was just the beginning. What do you think?’

Keith smiles, “Honey, you are so smart and I don’t know how I forget that. Yes. I like you and I want to be yours. So desperately even though apparently you are so much more brave than me.”

Keith looks down, suddenly serious, “Katie, I just want you to know, if we do this, I’m not going back. I don’t want to lose your friendship, it means the world to me. But I want so much more. I want it all.”

He holds his breath, waiting, fearing her response. He looks up and then he feels her cold tiny hand on his face, pulling his gaze down. Looking at her, he holds her gaze.

“Keith, you’ve always been it for me. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”

He laughed. “Pidge, I’m here.”

29 | Trick or Treat

Keith looked at his girlfriend, “Why Is Halloween is your favorite holiday?”

She shrugs, “It just is.”

Keith shakes his head “No, not good enough. I need more.”

Pidge sighs, “Well, you know I love free candy, LOVE scary stories and myths, and I love cryptids. Then there is the appeal of tricking and/or scaring people. What’s not to love. There’s no pressure for the day-it’s not a family obligation. And there are pumpkins, haunted hay rides, oh-oh, those donuts I like, it’s just fun.”

Keith smiles and gets down on one knee, “Will you marry me?”

Pidge’s mouth drops open, looking into Keith’s eyes. If she didn’t know him so well, she’d think he wasn’t nervous but she knows this boy, no man too well. She could tell he was tense. He was holding his breath, his body tense and she could see his hand shaking. OMG! In his hand is a gorgeous emerald ring with a vine wrapped around it with these two small garnets on the side. The garnets were red or black shade depending on the light.

She took a deep breath and smiles, “Yes!” She launches herself at him with complete faith that he’d absorb her weight and stay steady. Steady, funny but that word really described him now. He was her rock. Eyes filling with tears, she kisses him soundly. “Really, you ask me when I’m dressed like a witch and you my black cat!”

He laughed, “I wanted it to be us. I thought about Christmas in front of everyone but this is your favorite holiday and well, I’m selfish enough to want our engagement to be on it.”

Pidge looked at Lance. She looked at the costume. She took a step back, “No.”

Lance cajoled, “C’moon PIdgey, it’s a group theme, you have to!”

Pidge closed her eyes, this is what she deserved, not what she wanted but deserved. She was going to get the costumes but she got busy with her project and well…Lance took over. Now she knows why.

Closing her eyes, she sighed, “Fine.”

Lance went to leave then stopped, “Seriously, it’s not that bad. BUT, just remember, It’s a costume so no one will no you are well, you. Just have fun, Kay?”

Hours later at the Halloween party…

Pidge has realized that Lance was…surprisingly right. No one recognized her. Maybe because of the mask, maybe because she’d never willingly pick this out.

Guys were talking to her, asking her to dance, which she politely declined. Moving around the perimeter, she observed. She saw Shiro who was most definitely Batman. He actually looked really good too! And while he had the mask, there was no mistaking him. Funny enough, Hunk was Alfred!! She could totally see It but it was funny to see him in a mustache!!!

Lance was Tim Drake or Robin but the adult version. She could see Keith was Nightwing and he really fit the part. Smiling she kept moving with the crowd until she decided she deserved a little quiet. Escaping to the patio, she sat on the bench and looked at the stars. A man dressed as the Joker was circling her and she sighed. Seriously? He needed to back away. She was tired and just wanted her space. As the Joker slid to sit next to her on the bench she looked at him and frowned.

He looked at her and stated, “Is It me or is It getting crazier out there?”

Rolling her eyes, she replied, “Look, despite appearances, I’m actually more of a Marvel girl. So adios!”

He unfortunately didn’t take the hint and slid his hand down her back. She stiffened and was about to put him in his place when Nightwing slapped his escrima stick down on the Jokers hand, nicely missing hitting her. She looked up and Nightwing replied, “Hands off!”

The Joker guy turned and replied, “Find your own girl, boy wonder.”

Keith smirked, “Yeah well, this is MY girl, didn’t you know NIghtwing and Batgirl were a thing?”

The guy paused looking between us and when Keith took a step forward he stood up and backed off. Keith sat In the Jokers place, “Batgirl, you so owe me. I just saved you from kicking that guys ass and bringing down Batman’s anger down on you.”

Laughing, I replied, “Oh really, what do you want in return then Nightwing?”

He looked at me, stating clearly, “A date.”

I looked blankly at him, shit does he not recognize me? “Keith, um, do you know who I am?”

Keith was back on Earth. Maybe for a while. With a broken leg he was more of a liability than an asset with the Blades. Plus his mom wanted him to ‘recharge’ or something. So here he was on earth he decided to rent a small house. He wasn’t too keen on neighbored and most apartments would not allow a space dog in residence.

Shiro and everyone was going out to celebrate Halloween but he told Shiro he was fine and wanted to stay home. He didn’t want to hobble along his friends. He’d rather stay home alone than be the person dragging everyone down.

He sat on the couch, remote in hand. He didn’t know where Cosmo went off to but he’d be back. Eventually. He looked to the kitchen thinking of getting a beer but he didn’t feel like moving so he just kept flipping the channels. Ugh, even with cable there was nothing on. He leaned his head back, sighing. He was bored. He hated not being able to train and just lying on the couch wasn’t any fun.

He looked to the fireplace, wishing he had the energy for a fire. Oh well, he closed his eyes and sighed again. He knew Shiro planned on staying but he didn’t’ want to ruin his and Curtis’ date night. He’d imposed enough already.

Suddenly heard a pop and knew Cosmo was back. He yelled, “Cosmo, come here!:”

Keeping his eyes closed, he felt the couch sink. He grinned and slid his arm up and over only to encounter a very different form than what he was expecting. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head to encounter Pidge?!?

Feeling his face turn red he quickly moved his hand from along her side. Shit! He was suddenly acutely aware, of the fact that he was sitting in his crappy black nike shorts, holey sock, and his old T-shirt that was too small but was one of his favorites. He tried to unobtrusively pull the blanket up to cover up but she laughed calling out “Cosmo!”

Cosmo popped up licking his hand, looking as proud as a space dog could be. Keith couldn’t help but smile relaxing finally. Looking at Cosmo, he grinned, “Thanks boy.”

Pidge leaned forward, grinning, “I got a pizza, your fav, of course, all the stuff to make popcorn and movies! So, it’s kinda chilly in here, let me start a fire and bring in some pizza and beer. Wait, can you have beer? Are you taking any”

Laughing, Keith stopped her, pressing his finger to her lips. “Yes I can have beer, I’m not taking any pain meds and thanks. For coming.” Keith could feel his heart rate pick up, for some reason the minute he touched Pidge he felt…odd.

Pidge smiled and impulsively hugged him, “Keith, you know I’d rather do a night in versus the bar scene. Let me get everything set up and I’ll be right back in. Just yell if you need anything.”

An hour later, Keith was sitting on the couch with his leg up, and Pidge snuggled into his side. He knew she was always cold which is why she was probably next to him with the blanket. And while he knows that she’s always been there, this night really meant something special to him. The fire was going and he was watching some cartoon about kids training to be heroes. This was perfect. He didn’t expect anyone to come by and sit with him. And he didn’t know why he was surprised that Cosmo got the one person guaranteed to help him relax.

Katie was standing outside the front of the house just waiting for those damn pumpkin smashers. This is the year. The year she catches them. For the last three years some creep has been throwing their pumpkins off the porch and smashing them. Pidge tried cameras but they must have knows they were there so they avoided their face showing.

Keith was located outside on the other side of the porch, waiting in the darkness. Ready to pounce once the culprits make their move. She knows they brought reinforcements but no matter. She was getting the little brats this time.