Shut Up And Dance With Me//Klance//Complete

You Drive Me Crazy

Keith is nearing the final lap of his second mile when he feels his brother's presence come up next to him. He keeps staring straight ahead, not even bothering to take out his earbuds. "Shiro, no."

He can see Shiro pull ahead a little, leaning into his vision and miming removing his headphones. Keith huffs, rolling his eyes, but does as he's asked. "I didn't even say anything." Shiro says as soon as Keith tugs out one of his earbuds and lets it drop.

Keith levels a flat glare at him. "You were going to ask me about Lance, weren't you?" Shiro's smile turns sheepish. He opens his mouth to speak but Keith cuts him off. "No." He turns back forward, speeding up his pace a fraction to pull ahead of Shiro. It doesn't take long before he's pulling up alongside him once again.

"Keith, just listen—"

"I'm not dancing with him."

"This would be a good opportunity for you both."

Keith presses his lips together into a thin frown, but internally he's groaning. Shiro's using that voice. Everyone else likes to call it his dad voice, but to Keith, it's always been his big brother voice. The voice he used whenever Keith had acted out. The voice he used whenever Keith felt like giving up. The voice he used whenever Keith needed kindness and a guiding hand. It's so soft, so kind, filled with unwavering and genuine concern, yet containing that edge of seriousness that makes Keith bite his tongue.

Keith knows he's just trying to help, but this is something he really doesn't want to budge on. So he avoids his brother's eyes, staring straight ahead.

"Keith," Kindness and patience. Ugh, Keith hates him sometimes.

"I don't care about regionals, Shiro."

He sighs, and Keith can see him shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. "I know you say that—"

"And I mean it."

"—But, I think you should reconsider."

"And why should I do that?" He asks dryly. He doesn't know why he's humoring Shiro. He's done a good job avoiding the subject so far. This isn't the first time Shiro's attempted to corner him since he forced Keith and Lance to dance together yesterday. He can always just leave, abandon his gym routine and just go. He had driven himself here. But... something keeps him. Stubbornness, probably. He knows Shiro won't drop the subject until they talk it out. He has that gleam in his eyes that Keith knows all too well. Shiro can be just as stubborn as he is.

"You should perform, Keith. You're good. Really good. You could go far if you'd just give yourself a chance." There it is. The beginning of the guilt trip. Shiro is a master of that. Always manipulating him with that kind, caring voice because he knows Keith hates disappointing him. It's cruel and unfair.

"I don't see how some competition would help me." He grumbles, and as soon as he does, he knows he's made a mistake. Shiro's smile tells him that the man has sensed a chink in his armor, a fault in his resolve.

"You love dancing, don't you?"

"What kind of question is that? You know I do."

"You want to do something with it, right? Some kind of career?"

Keith shrugs, dodging around a few slower joggers to hide his face. "I dunno. Maybe. I haven't thought about it."

Shiro's tone is reproachful. "We both know you have, and you do. The best way for you to get started is to get yourself out there. Let yourself be seen. You're really good, Keith, but you won't get anywhere if you just dance in a room by yourself."

"I know that, Shiro, but—"

"And regionals is a perfectly good opportunity for you to prove yourself." Keith scowls and looks away. He knows Shiro is right, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it. Shiro's been around him long enough to sense him hardening. His voice softens and he tilts his head, giving Keith a small smile. "You're good enough to get to nationals if you try. It's a good way to make a name for yourself in something that you love doing."