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Keith was a light sleeper.
He just was. No tragic backstory required, that's just how he'd always been. So, when the mouse started poking his cheek with an anxious squeak he was quick to wake. He blinked at it, trying and failing to remember the name of the little green creature. He felt sort of bad about it and decided to make time to memorize their names once he figured out why he'd been woken.
"Is something wrong?" He asked as he sat up. The mouse nodded and leapt off the bed. taking it as a cue to follow he let it lead him to the kitchen. The room was only half-lit but there was plenty enough light to see what they needed his help with. Keith was across the kitchen in three long strides. A pitcher had been left out, half-full of water on the counter next to the cupboards. The pink mouse and the yellow mouse were trying to tip it over and inside the little blue mouse was desperately trying to keep it's head above water. He reached his hand in and scooped up the little wet body. Carefully he attempted to extract his hand from the pitcher. It got stuck at the narrow part of the neck. Keith frowned. If he let go of the blue mouse he could get his hand out but then they'd be back at step one. Suddenly an idea occurred to him. He turned to the mice.
"Is there a small ladle or something in here?" he asked. The mice stared so he described what he wanted in a way he hoped they understood. They squeaked triumphantly as they returned with an appropriate tool. He looked down at his hand.
"Blue," the mouse squeaks in response, "I'm going to have to put you back in the water for a tick ok?" Another squeak. He gently deposits it in the water. The rescue is quick after that. The other mice surround blue in a relived huddle, making sure their friend is ok. He tells them to be more careful next time and then quietly leaves the kitchen.
===
Keith is hiding in the red lion's hanger.
Tucked neatly into a ventilation shaft above and behind his lion. None of the others had found him yet, though both Lance and Shiro had made an appearance in the hanger. He choose the lion's hanger because he wants to be available if they need him but he's not sure he can face his team today. The datapad in his hands almost seems to mock him with it's brightly colored date. So cheerful when he's so sad. Pidge's calendar algorithm had made everyone so happy. Today it seems more like a curse. A small squeak makes him look over. Chulatt is next to him. Despite himself Keith gives him a sad little smile. He likes the mice. Ever since the pitcher incident they'd made a point of spending time with him. Sometimes he'll just have an audience for training or they'll wander through he castle together. That's how they found the library, one of his now favorite haunts. Sometimes he'll tell them a bit about earth. Nothing too personal but they listen as if he's telling them the most interesting thing they've ever heard. He'll listen as they tell him about Altea too. Well, mostly they show him. It's not like he can understand them like Allura. They communicate alright though. It's not to hard if you just listen.
"Is something wrong Chulatt?" The mouse shakes his head and crawls up on his knee. He glances at the little blue mouse curiously. That's where he sits when Keith tells them about earth.
"Did you want to sit with me?" A nod and gesture to the datapad.
"It's just the date. December 24th. It's the day an earth holiday called Christmas starts." Chulatt squeaks and looks pointedly in his direction. Keith sighs and closes his eyes. If he's honest with himself, he does want the others. He wants to be comforted but he learned a long time ago that most people don't want to hear about it. Especially during Christmas. He ruins the season, he ruins everything. He's not going to ruin it for the others. They need this holiday. But, if the mouse wants to hear...maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
"Yeah. I,uh, I don't really celebrate anymore." A questioning squeak.
"My Dad died today," he explained softly, "he was a firefighter..." A few imploring squeaks later what had started as a simple explanation turns into an hours long reminiscence. Chulatt is a good listener and maybe, just maybe, his heart feels a little lighter when he falls asleep that night.
===
The ceiling of his room was slate gray with the lights off.
It reminded him of thunderclouds. Sitting alone and watching the rain fall and how his dad loved to go for walks in it. On any other night the thoughts would have brought a nostalgic smile to his face. Now though, there's a bitter tinge to the memories. Questions that he desperately wants the answers to mock him in the quiet. His shoulder aches. Shiro had bandaged it up for him and sent him to bed to recuperate. Keith hadn't come when the older man had tried to wake him for dinner. He wasn't ready to face the other paladin's yet. The hatred in the princesses eyes still haunted him. What if they felt the same? He was Galra after all. He deserved their hatred. He was still waiting for Shiro's other shoe to drop. For the black paladin to tell him just what kind of monster he was. How could he be fine with this? He'd been tortured by the Galra. Keith closed his eyes. Now that he knew, part of him wanted to take back the knowledge.
He couldn't.
A thump pulled him from his melancholy reflection. On his floor was a small colorful pile of fluff. The Mice. Keith's heart dropped. It was embarrassing to admit how much he dreaded their inevitable hatred. He'd just...gotten rather attached to his furry little friends. Chulatt especially. They would take Allura's side in this though. They were her pets after all. They clambered onto his bed, forcing him to sit up or be sat upon. Keith wasn't entirely sure why they were here but he wasn't gong to stop them. He wouldn't hurt the mice any more than he'd hurt the paladin's. He just didn't have it in him.
They pulled his knife from where he'd tucked it under his pillow.
Something akin to panic made his heart clench. That was one thing he would not le them have. The knife mocked him with it's glowing purple stone but it was still his. Still his only tie to a mother he'd never known. But...they weren't taking it away. They pushed it into his hands, the metal strangely warm as always. Chulatt climbed up onto his shoulder and made a happy little chirp. The little blue mouse pressed happily against his cheek.
The warmth that filled his heart had noting to do with temperature.
===
The mice were curled in his lap again. Fast asleep and happy as he sketched their furry forms. Perhaps Allura would never truly accept his galran blood. It was possible that most of the universe would never accept it. But he had the other paladin's on his side. The mice and surprisingly Coran as well. There would always be a voice in him that said he was a monster. In the quiet of the library though, sketching a happily sleeping pile of mice, the voice was hardly more than a whisper.