18 by 1D
“KARAOKE TIME!!” Nadia exclaimed. The others laughed at her enthusiasm. “Who'd you sign up this time?” Lance asked.
Every Friday night, from 9-12, the paladins and MFES went to their local bar. Every other Friday, it was karaoke night, and Nadia always signed up at least two other people.
It was funny, that and their drink preferences. James, Keith, Pidge and Shiro normally went the beer route, while the others would get fancy fruity things. But all of them did shots. Hard, Vodquila. (yes, that's an actual thing. It’s vodka tequila) Normally, they stopped whenever one of them got a little too tipsy.
Then they did it all again the next week.
“Me, Pidge, and Keith.” She announced. James chuckled and sipped his beer. “Good luck with that.” “Whaddaya mean?” Lance asked, raising an eyebrow. Jame swallowed. “Keith hates singing in front of people. Even back in grade school.”
“And you remember this because?” Pidge asks. “It’s kind of hard to forget when someone has an argument with the music teacher every time we had that class.”
“They were stupid songs! Everyone can sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”! And we did the same stupid shit every year!” Keith defends. “You know you could've just mumbled the words, right? You didn’t even have to actually sing, you just had to say the words.” James tells him. “Why didn't you say that 15 years ago?” Keith whines as the others laugh .”Thought it was obvious. Most of the other kids did it.” Keith frowns and sips his beer.
“Alright. Pidge, whatcha gonna sing?” Lance asks. “Mm, i don’t know. There’s this song I like, but I don’t know the name. Gimme a sec.” She whipped out her phone and began tapping away.
“And.. she’s gonna be on that for the rest of the night. So Samurai, what are you gonna sing?” Lance asked.
“Ooh, yeah. What is the great Keith Kogane going to sing?” Nadia asks. Keith hummed and sipped his drink with a smirk. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” “Watch him sing an MCR song.” James says. Nadia and Lance giggle as Keith frowns “That was one time. One time I listened to a song.” “Suree. You definitely didn’t play it on repeat in our dorm for a month.” James teases.
“Aw, come on guys, stop teasing Keith about his emo phase.” Shiro scolds. “Shiro! Not you too!” Keith whined. “See? Even Shiro agrees!” James says. “Fuck yal.” Keith mutters.
Half an hour later, Nadia has finished an amazing version of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl”, and Pidge has just finished P!ATD’s “High Hopes” and is making her way back to the table. “Yeah Pidge!” Lance cheers as the others whoop and clap. “That was amazing.” James tells her. She grins. “I know.” Before taking a swing from her own bottle. “Keith! You’re up!” Nadia declared. Keith chuckled, setting his drink down. “Alright, alright, I’m going.”
He went towards the stairs, leaving the little balcony-ish thing and heading to the stage. There were several other Coalition, Blade and Garrison members there, and they greeted him as he passed, just as they had Nadia and Pidge.
He stepped up to the mike, motioning a number to the DJ, who nodded, tapping buttons on his display. The music started faintly in the background and Naida and Lance cheered. James just smiled and sipped his drink. This was going to be interesting. Keith winked at them before he opened his mouth to sing.
“I got a heart, and I got a soul
Believe me, I will use them both”
Lance gasped. “Oh my god. That’s a One Direction song. Keith’s gonna sing a ONE DIRECTION SONG!”
“We made a start
Be it a false one, I know
Baby, I don't want to feel alone”
Nadia and Lance cheered, starting to sway with the song.
“So kiss me where I lay down
My hands pressed to your cheeks”
Keith smiled, and looked James straight in the eyes.
“A long way from the playground
I have loved you since we were 15”
James’s jaw dropped, and his eyes widened as Keith continued singing. “That’s the wrong word. It’s supposed to be 18.” Lance muttered.
“Long before we both thought the same thing”
They did use to argue a lot.
“To be loved and to be in love
All I can do is say that these arms
Are made for holding you, oh-oh
I wanna love like you made me feel
When we were 15”
Keith took the microphone off the stand and started walking around the stage.
“We took a chance
God knows we tried
Yet all along, I knew we'd be fine”
Keith always was confident.
“So pour me a drink, oh love
And let's split the night wide open
And we'll see everything we can
Living love in slow motion, motion, motion”
Keith met his eyes again.
“So kiss me where I lay down
My hands pressed to your cheeks
A long way from the playground”
Keith flashed him that smile. The one he got before he did something crazy.
“I have loved you since we were 15
Long before we both thought the same thing
To be loved and to be in love
And all I can do is say that these arms
Are made for holding you, oh-oh-oh
And I wanna love like you made me feel
When we were 15”
Pidge followed Keith's train of sight and squealed, grabbed James’s arm. “He’s singing to you!!!” She exclaimed.
“When we were 15
Oh, Lord, when we were 15”
Keith looked away and continued his walk around the stage. But James was frozen in place. Keith liked him. Keith liked HIM.
“Kiss me where I lay down
My hands pressed to your cheeks
A long way from the playground
I have loved you since we were 15
Long before we both thought the same thing
To be loved and to be in love”
Lance gasped. “Oh my god, he is! That’s so romantic!” Nadia squealed and threw an arm around his shoulders, shaking him. “James! He’s singing to you!”
“And all I can do is say that these arms
Are made for holding you
And I wanna love like you made me feel
When we were 15
I wanna love like you made me feel
When we were 15”
Keith met his eyes,
I wanna love like you made me feel
When we were 15”
Keith finished, bowing. The bar erupted into applause as James’s friends shook him.
But he was still processing.
Keith liked him. Keith liked HIM.
Keith made his way back to the table and the others backed off, giving them room. “So..” James started. “That was a nice song.” Keith grinned. “You really think so?” James nodded. “Oh yeah. You’re a great singer.” “Thanks.”
“But I get the feeling that to you, it’s not just a song.” Keith raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” “Mm, yeah. Less of a song, more of a confession.” Keith blushed a bit. “Maybe it was.” James hummed and sipped his drink. Keith turned to face him. “James, I-”
He cut him off with a kiss. “I know.”