Its times like these he is reminded of the pettiness of humans… and how much he really hates the color pink right now.
Oh no, it’s not enough to be harassed by child services every day.
Or that when you try to cross the street, a car running a red light suspiciously seemed like it was gunning for you.
Maybe you’d think not being able to hire a babysitter, so now you have to walk through the snow with a baby strapped to your chest would be it – but oh would you look at that, the clerk forgot to put the diapers in the bag. The one thing you actually left your house for.
SO NOW YOU HAVE TO GO BACK!
No, no it’s never enough.
This day is not through dicking him around just yet because now he has this bright pink slip on his door with the ever catchy phrase Eviction Notice in such neat, fine print.
“What the hell is this?!” Keith slams the pink slip to the glass that separates the land lord’s face from his fists “Why am I being evicted?! I’ve paid my bills on time and abided by the rules of the building!”
He’ll give them that one night he blasted the broody teenage music up too high heaven because his favorite character from his favorite soap opera died and thus officially leaving the series – you’ll forever be missed, Enrique.
But that’s still not a reason!
The landlord barely looks at him, just taking a drag from his cigarette. Maybe he’s worried that if he looks into Keith’s eyes he won’t be able to keep up his facade. Maybe he’s right
“Doesn’t matter, been getting complaints from the other tenants. You have to leave.” He answers
That bullshit! He’s lived here for almost two years. He knows the residents if they had a problem with him at all they would’ve banged on his door and told him what’s up. Especially that old lady down in 2B who takes no shit from anybody and that could be the dementia speaking but you don’t just live through WWII and not lose your mind. He should know.
“You’re lying” Keith growls
He decides that it’s time to pick up his paper and start reading it, as if their conversation wasn’t exciting enough “Doesn’t matter. Get your stuff and get out. You have two days.” He takes another drag of his cigarette
“Yes, it does! Why are you doing this?!”
“Because I don’t have to house a damned monster in my building if I don’t want too!” he yells back
There it is, so that’s it then. He knew it would come to that, it always comes back to that. But he had hoped he found some sort of comrade down here in the ghettos but he guesses not. He really did hope.
“Listen, if I get rid of you then I’d be the only complex in the neighborhood without a monster resident. Which means I can start charging higher rent when the generification starts-”
“Fuck off you greedy cunt! I don’t care about that! I have a kid damn it! What am I supposed to do?!” he stomps his foot angrily into the floor, cracking it under his rage and pressure.
The landlord tosses his cigarette and somehow finds the courage to look at him “Then you’d better leave before I call child services. Be glad I’m not charging you anything for breaking my floor”
Keith grits his teeth “You...”
He huffs knowing that he’s won and just wants the vampire to leave “Go ahead and complain to whoever you want, nobody is going to listen to a monster like you. Plus if you do anything to be that kid of yours will be ripped away from you faster than you can even blink.”
Keith is infuriated and wishes that damn cigarette he’s lighting would blow up in his stupid FUCKING FACE.
“Just count your losses and leave quietly for everyone’s sake” he fans him off and returns to his paper
For all his rage at being wronged. All he wants to do is beat this asshole’s face in, to hear the satisfying crunch of his damn skull beneath his boot. Back when times were fucking simple – but he can’t risk it, can’t risk losing Lance.
So he just turns and walks away “Fine. We don’t need your shit apartment anyway.”
Except that he needs that shit apartment in order to peacefully raise Lance without child services breathing down his neck. In all honesty; given the situation, which should never be a situation in the first place, he should be grateful that it’s just this. It’ll give him some time to come up with a plan for what to do next.
BUT IT STILL PISSES HIM OFF!!
Since he couldn’t take his anger and disgust out on that guy’s head, he settles for the mug placed conveniently on the kitchen counter via slamming it into the wall. He gets some satisfaction from seeing its shatter remains to litter the floor but it’s short-lived when he hears crying. He turns around to seeing lance crying his little eyes out at the kitchen entrance.
That was the last thing he wanted, for Lance to be scared of him. He couldn’t handle it if Lance was scared of him too.
“Lance.” He stoops in front of him but flinches when Lance takes a step away from him
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not this.
“Lance?” holding his arms out, he waits for Lance to come to him. It takes a heartbreaking moment but soon he’s running into Keith’s arms and sobbing into his shirt. Keith welcomes him with a warm embrace.
“Keef! Scared! Loud! Scared!” he cries
“I know Lance. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry”
He holds him, trying his best to soothe the weeping child. Lance cries for what seems like an eternity and Keith’s heart breaks every minute of it. Soon he’s tired himself out and has fallen asleep right there in his arms. Keith cradles him, gently petting his head and wishing he wasn’t the cause of those tear lines.
“I’m sorry, Lance. I’ll get better. We’ll get through this. I promise”
The hunters may be off his back for now but he still has enemies.
