Chapter Text
There was a rumor flowing through the dark, dank streets of Lion City that was seemingly becoming more and more real as the days went on.
More and more city natives spoke on creatures lurking around corners, shadows jumping across rooftops, and unknown figures going bump in the night. They had gotten bolder by robbing businesses, attacking children and elderly citizens, and destroying property.
These tales were common over the years around Lion City's neighborhoods, but a new one had been added to the incredulous whispers; two human-like figures slaying the grotesque creatures before or as they were committing a crime.
Many had described from the glimpses they got of what looked like two men. One slightly shorter and thinner than the other, but quick and vicious with his delivery of attacks to the monsters. The other man surprisingly speedy for his size with moves with a lot more power in them dealt to his enemies.
No one had any clue who these men were as they saved life and life, not asking for anything in return and disappearing into the night as quick as they came.
Some speculated that the men were friends, partners, maybe even family until the smaller one got hurt by a more dangerous ghoul one night.
Onlookers had heard the taller man shout at the other getting attacked before shredding the beast in his rage and gently cradling his partner in his arms. They weren't close enough to hear the words they shared, but after watching the soft interaction between the two and the bigger man scooping the other off in a bridal hold, many assume the men were probably lovers or, at least, loved each other.
Another wild guess about both slayers was that maybe they weren't human themselves and were fighting rouge beasts that were ruining their kind's reputation. With the unbelievable skill, strength, and speed both had it wasn't hard to assume that much when witnesses claimed to see them scaling the buildings as the supernatural would...but who knows what's true or not?
No matter who or WHAT those two warriors were, the people of Lion City were extremely grateful for their protection.
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Keith laughed lightly to himself as he reminisced on a memory.
"What's so funny?" His best friend asked from the side of him, both lounging on the beach shore and enjoying the perfect weather.
"I'm just remembering the first time we met. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw you." He beamed giddily.
"Yeah, too bad I didn't have a camera then to capture your flailing." His friend, Shiro, teased.
"Hey, cut me some slack. I'd never seen a merman before." Keith turned to him smiling contently. "You were the most incredible thing I'd ever laid eyes on." He said in awe causing Shiro to shyly break eye contact before a smirk blossomed over his features as an idea popped in his head.
"You think I'm incredible?" He asked playfully before tossing his waist length, snow white hair dramatically forward then back and then running a hand through it before lightly nibbling on a finger coyly locking eyes with Keith.
Keith felt his whole body heat up at the display. "Man, I should have never taught you how to flirt."
Shiro bursted out laughing as Keith shoved him in the sand playfully. After more horseplay in the water and Keith sharing a few homemade land foods with his otherworldly friend, they lay in silence on the beach. Shiro's head against Keith's shoulder as he drew invisible patterns on his human's arm.
"You're leaving at the end of the month, right?" The merman asked quietly.
Keith sighed deeply. "Yeah, I'm going to the city to live with my Mom and help her with the family business."
"Are you coming back? And when?"
"I-I don't know when, but I will definitely come back for you!" He said adamantly as Shiro sat up to look down at him. He didn't look as broken as Keith felt and he couldn't put a name to the look on the merman's face, but determined seemed close enough.
"What's wrong? What is it?" Keith asked, eyeing his every move.
Shiro leaned over him, planting his hands on the sand near the other's shoulders and causing his hair to form a white veil over them, giving them a feeling of a world where only they exist.
He leaned in close, watching as Keith slowly licked his lips before golden eyes snapped to dark blue.
"In two days, come back here at sunset." He leaned in and brushed his lips at the corner of Keith's. "I have a surprise for you," and with that, he quickly scurried into the water. Leaving his friend confused and flushed.
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As he was told, Keith showed up at sunset two days later and waited for his friend. They usually met up later in the day so there was less chance of someone seeing them, but he was extra curious as to why Shiro wanted to change it up. They have had this routine for years.
"Keith!" He turned when he heard the merman call to him, both waving to each other. Keith ran toward the water to join him or scoop him up and bring him to their favorite rock before he noticed something VERY different this time around than any of their other meetups.
Instead of bobbing in the water or swimming till he could crawl on land, Shiro rose out of the water on VERY human legs where a beautiful shimmering, iridescent silver fin used to be.
"S-Shiro?!" Keith felt faint as he took in his friend of more than five years attempt to walk to him for the first time.
He was shaky on his new appendages, even pausing a bit before trying to walk towards Keith again as he looked on in complete shock.
Before Keith could mentally slap himself and help Shiro move, he had made it within two feet of him, but wobbled forward in his haste and caused Keith to move to grab him. Both chuckled breathlessly as the black-haired teen caught the other one.
"Hi!" Shiro smiled the most beautiful smile Keith had ever seen grace his face at him.
"Hi," Keith said softly back as he helped him stand. "Shiro, how? What...when did you..," he blabbered in awe.
"Well, you know when you told me that your dad bought you a car for your eighteenth birthday? Well, mine kinda gave me legs," he smiled bashfully. "Saying something about 'putting them to good use with your human friend'."
His father probably meant to explore land with him, but Keith couldn't help the naughty thoughts that popped in his head at other possible insinuations.
He tilted his head up at Shiro. "Wow, I can't believe I have to look up at you now." He smiled playfully. "You're tall...and so, so beautiful," he finished quietly.
They both moved at the same time to brush their lips against each other's tenderly before hugging each other tight.
Shiro spoke softly. "I can't wait to learn about the human world with you."
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Shiro's voice faded into the background as Keith's eyes ran over the other's features: his soft looking hair, those ridiculously long eyelashes, his kissable lips begging Keith to do something stupid like lean in and lock them with his own. He's sure that'll go over well with the older boy.
"Keith, are you listening?" He heard his friend and mentor speak.
"Huh? Uh, yeah, I heard you," he swallowed guiltily. Shiro smiled knowingly at him.
"Then what did I just say?"
"Um," Keith reached for the physics book and went over the problem quickly before returning it back to Shiro.
"That's great, Keith, but I didn't say any of that just now," he smiled at Keith's embarrassed face. "Also, it seems that you don't need my help with this."
He closed the book and turned completely toward the other. "Why did you say that you needed tutoring when you clearly don't?"
The younger male sputtered, "I-I just," his shoulders dropped in defeat. "I just wanted to spend some time with you before you left."
He looked up at Shiro. "Kerberos is a long mission. I-I'm going to miss you so much, Shiro!"
The softest look graced dark grey eyes. "Oh, Keith."
He removed all the study materials from the couch and shifted closer to the younger boy, pulling him into a tight, warm hug. Keith latched on to him tightly and buried his face into Shiro's shoulder.
"What am I going to do without you here?" He asked in a pained whisper.
Shiro pulled back to place his hands on Keith's slim shoulders, noting the tears in his eyes.
"You're going to be fine without me, Keith. You're strong, smart, and one of the most courageous people I know. You will make it just fine."
He smiled warmly at the smaller male. "I'll miss you, too, while I'm out there and will think of you everyday," he spoke earnestly. Each word seemingly feeling Keith's eyes with more and more tears before one leaked out.
Shiro reached up to gently wipe it away, his hand staying in place to softly caress the smooth cheek.
"I'm already looking forward to coming back here and seeing how magnificent you'll become. You will be amazing, Keith. You already are!"
The violet-eyed young man launched himself back into Shiro's arms.
Shiro smiled as he rubbed Keith's back soothingly. "I'll try my hardest to get back here, okay?"
Keith squeezed him a little tighter, whispering into his neck. "Please, come back to me."
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Twenty-five year old Keith flopped back on his bed sighing.
"Shiro, I'm bored!" He said out loud to his tiny sprite friend.
They lived in a world where humans and sprites existed among each other regularly. Some people had sprites living with them, like Keith and his younger brother, Lance, that had his sprite friend Allura living with him. Some worked with them, some barely interacted with any, but the lifestyle wasn't foreign to anyone. The relationships basically worked like humans' just with tinier/mute people.
Unlike Lance's sprite, Allura, with her colorful butterfly-like wings extending from her back, his sprite friend, Shiro, had bunny ears sprouting from his head and was without wings.
The brothers had befriended the sprites fifteen years ago and they had stuck with each other ever since.
In some cases, some sprites had transformed into human-sized forms, but no one could pinpoint what caused it besides a major emotional moment.
In certain situations, sprites had grown because of extreme happiness, sickness, near death experiences, and in some sappier cases falling in love with a human triggered the transformation.
Keith thinks it was fear that caused Allura to change last year when his brother had gotten extremely sick. They were all scared, but it was shock that hit them when they walked into Lance's hospital room to see a human-sized Allura lying next to him. He's sure she had loved his brother for many years, but that scare had triggered her.
He, also, remembered the absolute shock of hearing her speak for the first time. Her voice clear and pleasantly melodious.
Soon after, he couldn't help closely watching his sprite friend, Shiro, as he continued to be in his life. Keith kept imagining what Shiro would sound like or look like with everything..bigger!
He immediately stopped his train of thought.
"Want me to sketch you?" He asked as he felt his little friend plop down onto his stomach.
He felt two small taps on his midriff which meant 'yes' from his buddy.
When he refused to get up after a minute of silence, he suddenly felt slight pats as Shiro walked up his stomach to sit with folded legs on his chest.
The diminutive man then gently tapped Keith's chest silently asking if he was okay.
"Heh, I'm fine, Shiro...I guess," he sat up to look at the silver-haired sprite. "I'm just feeling a bit weird today, I don't know."
He carefully lifted Shiro and placed him on the bed in front of him as he mimicked the small man's sitting position.
"It's been bothering me about what I've accomplished in life. I just feel like I should have...more?" His lips turned downward.
Shiro lifted a silver eyebrow in question. 'But we're only twenty-five years old," he signed to the dark-haired man. 'And I think we've done pretty well for ourselves,' he spread his arms out while looking around.
"Yeah, I'm not saying that I need to trade in my sneakers for a walker or cane or something, but that I should've done more with my life by now, you know?"
Shiro very purposely rolled his eyes dramatically while facing Keith, his cute bunny ears flopping downward. 'If you're gonna have a midlife crisis right now, you can have it by yourself, old man!' He ignored Keith's choked sound and stood up to walk toward the edge of the bed.
"Shiro, you jerk!" The larger man caught him easily before he escaped by scooping him up in his hands. "You're supposed to be my best friend and enjoy listening to my woes!"
The tiny male giggled silently as Keith positioned him so he could wiggle his fingers along his sides and stomach, tickling Shiro relentlessly.
Both laughing delightfully while continuing to playfully tease each other.
Once they calmed and caught their breath, Keith smiled at his bunny friend once again sitting in front of him. "Thanks, Shiro."
'Anytime.' He smiled sweetly at the other. 'It's understandable that you might feel distressed or down about things. We all have our moments, but just know that I'm always here for you. We'll figure this thing called life out together, okay?'
Keith felt his eyes go misty. "Jeez, you really are a sap," his smile slightly impish.
Little shoulders bounced in a shrug. 'Yeah, but you love it,' he leaned in as if to share a secret, Keith copying the movement. 'And you know what else?'
"What?"
Shiro pointed to himself then made the most adorable little heart with his hands then pointed at Keith.
"Shiro..," Damn it! Keith was REALLY going to cry now!
The sprite lifted his arms in the air for his human to pick him up, which he did, then waved him in closer. Close enough to place a sweet, little kiss on Keith's nose.
The warmest smile spread across the bigger man's lips, his expression filled with tenderness. "I love you, too, Shiro."
He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the bunny sprite's head. Both watched each other with pure affection in their eyes before a bright light seemingly emitting from Shiro filled the room.
Keith then gasped as a heavy weight landed on top of him before the bright light faded.
He slowly blinked his sight back into focus as he heard a groan from near his right ear that made his heartbeat triple.
The weight lifted off of him and suddenly he had a close up of his little friend that wasn't so little anymore.
Shiro rubbed his eyes with a hand before blinking down at the man he was straddling. Both spending a few seconds to take in one another. In his supine position, Keith watched his friend swallow with difficulty.
"Hi." Keith let out a breath he didn't realize that he was holding, his body buzzing pleasantly at hearing Shiro speak for the first time.
"Hi to you, too," he spoke back before sitting up, his eyes not leaving the man in his lap.
"This is new, hehe," Shiro bashfully rubbed the back of his head. "Wow, it's a bit weird to hear my own voice."
"It's nice, though," Keith smiled easily at him. He already loved the smooth, masculine sound of Shiro's voice. "You look really nice like this, too," he spoke causing the sprite-turned-human to bite his lip shyly.
The dark-haired man then lifted a finger to trace across Shiro's forehead lightly, then his nose, before sliding the finger down his (incredible) jaw, stopping to gently hold his chin.
"You're stunning, Shiro," his thumb lightly caressing the man's bottom lip.
The former sprite grabbed Keith's hand to turn it and kiss his palm. "You're not bad yourself, gorgeous."
Keith couldn't help the giggle that escaped him. "Did you trigger your transformation by finally admitting that you love me?"
Shiro smiled against his hand. "Maybe YOU triggered it by admitting that you love ME," he said in a teasing manner.
"Seriously, though, I think we both caused my change because I've loved you for years. This is just the first time I've said it to you," he admitted.
"Same for me," Keith had placed his hands on Shiro's waist and rubbed soothing circles on the skin that he could reach.
He then leaned in closer to the now big bunny man and ran a finger down one of his ears, causing Shiro to shiver pleasantly in his lap. He smiled at that.
"Were you serious about figuring this thing called life out together with me?"
Shiro gently took his face in his hands and placed a soft kiss on Keith's nose, then a quick, but heated kiss to his lips before pulling back to answer.
His lips brushing the other's as he spoke, "Absolutely, if you'd have me."
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Shiro groaned at the sharp pain that shot through his head when he opened his eyes. After blinking a few times he took in his surroundings noting the rhythmic beeping in the room, the chill in the air, and the faint smell of something antiseptic.
"Hospital," he sighed glumly.
He sat up to get out of the bed when a hand shot to his shoulder to stop him.
"Take it easy!" His best friend, Keith, sat next to his bed still in his work uniform. He had probably come straight from the precinct to the hospital.
Shiro squinted painfully before shifting back into a comfortable position.
"What are you doing here? Did you come straight here from work?"
Keith handed him a drink before answering. "Actually, I'm still on the clock right now."
"What?!" The taller man sputtered into the bottle. "Keith, go back to work. This isn't a big deal. Why are you even-"
"Joshua called me in a panic saying someone from your job called him to tell him you passed out at the office," he spoke quietly, hands clasped together.
Shiro instantly stopped talking, eyes landing on the white sheets covering his legs.
"He was scared and didn't know how to get to you by himself, so he called me."
The bedridden man swallowed with difficulty. "Where is he now?"
"With my mom...in the waiting room," Keith sighed, unclasping his hands. "Shiro..."
"I know! I just-I don't," he stopped as the words seemed too hard to speak. "I don't know how to tell him, Keith," he finished brokenly.
"How do I tell a twelve year old that his only parent, ONLY FAMILY, won't be around much longer?" He closed his eyes tightly.
"That he has to prepare to be alone?! I," he stopped when he felt his friend place his hand on his.
"He won't be alone," he squeezed Shiro's hand.
Shiro's shoulders dropped in relief at his words. "You're right, I-you're right," he kissed the black-haired man's hand in appreciation.
"My paperwork, I, um, everything's going to you," he watched as Keith's eyes widened.
"Of course, most of it is going to Joshua, but everything else is yours."
Keith's eyes watered and shook. "Shiro, you-"
"I hadn't gotten around to updating my work info which is probably why they called Josh, but I will," he smiled at his friend who looked two seconds away from breaking down into tears.
"To go from losing both my parents within months last year to finding out about this," he waived distractedly over himself. "It's been a lot to try to remember everything, but I'll get to that. Also," he turned to face Keith straight on, not letting his hand go.
"I want to ask you something, a favor."
"Anything," Keith answered immediately.
"When I'm gone," he could no longer hold back the tears as they leaked out. Shiro reached up to wipe them away. "Please, watch over Josh. Make sure he'll be okay. Please, Keith."
"Of course!" He spoke fervently, then calmed his voice considerably. "Of course, Shiro," he then returned Shiro's earlier gesture and kissed the back of his hand, too.
"Thank you so much, Keith. He'll feel safe with you. Not just because you're a cop, either," he nodded to the blue-eyed man. "But because it's YOU. You're the closest person to a father to him excluding me."
Keith wiped his eyes. "You don't have anything to worry about, Shiro. My mom and I-we'll take great care of him. Maybe we can look at having me legally adopt him?"
Shiro smiled contently at that, "Yeah, I'd like that," he leaned back in the bed.
The officer stood up sniffing slightly and straightened up his uniform before leaning over and running his fingers through the white streak in Shiro's hair. "Would you like me to go get your fantastic son in here?"
"Yes, I'd like to see OUR fantastic son," Shiro smiled playfully at Keith and felt his heart skip at the first genuine smile he saw grace the man's features.
"Okay," he leaned down to kiss his friend's forehead before hesitantly letting go of his hand and walking out the room.
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"Ugh! I can't believe I took this job in the first place and then, at the last minute, I find out that they hired YOU to 'help out'. What luck," Keith groaned before removing his mask as he hefted up his partner.
"Everything was fine 'til that cop showed up," his partner spoke through gritted teeth, also pulling his mask off his face.
"No, Shiro! Everything was NOT fine. Your clumsy ass tripped the alarm and alerted everyone within a ten mile radius!"
"Ouch!"
"Oh, shit, sorry. Did I hurt you?" Keith asked seriously.
"No, your words stung. Why so harsh, love!" The taller man spoke with fake emotion, even clutching at his heart dramatically.
"Oh, my god, SHUT UP! I can't believe you're joking like this after being shot!"
Shiro grunted. "It's just a graze. Besides, the safe house's right around the corner. Patch this up and I'm good as new."
"But we have to get there on foot a-and you're injured! If you just stayed in the car or we had a driver, it-"
"Keith, take a breath. No ifs, ands, or buts are going to get us out of this. Let's just make it to the house," he adjusted his arm around the shorter man's shoulders.
Keith stared him in the eyes for a few seconds before looking down. "I just," he took a deep breath. "You're so..," he let out what sounded like a low growl, causing the other man to chuckle.
Shiro pulled him in and kissed his temple. "Is that why you broke up with me?"
"No! Well, yeah, because you're a stubborn fool. Also, we broke up with each other!" Shiro shifted to lean against a nearby wall, a small smile gracing his features.
"I'm just messing with you," he maneuvered himself while careful of his wounded leg and took a deep breath before speaking again.
"I'm sorry, by the way."
Keith's dark blue eyes stopped scanning the area to find dark grey ones. "What?"
"I'm sorry," he said in all seriousness. "For screwing up tonight and getting hurt. For messing up what we had, all of it."
Keith's eyes widened as he looked at him in shock.
"I'm sorry that I was stupid, and prideful...and a little scared of letting you in to be completely honest," he laughed humorlessly as he ran a ran through his white forelock. "Even tonight when I messed up, I think I was anxious or," he frowned lightly, searching mentally for the right word. "Or nervous about seeing you again after everything."
"I'm just," he looked up into the other man's eyes. "I'm so, so sorry, Keith," he spoke genuinely.
Keith swallowed with difficulty before lowering his eyes. "We've both made mistakes," he looked back up. "But I'll accept your apology if you accept mine because I'm sorry, too, Shiro!"
Shiro smiled again. "Of course. Come here," he pulled Keith's reaching hand to him and wrapped him in a tight, warm hug.
"I'll always love you," he whispered in the shorter man's ear.
Keith couldn't find the words around the lump in his throat, so he just squeezed Shiro a little tighter while ignoring the slight burning in his eyes.
After a good minute of just holding each other, Keith finally found his will to speak. "Come on, I think we lost them and I need to fix your wound."
"Always my hero."
Keith rolled his eyes, but didn't hide the smile on his face.
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"Sooooo, you and Shiro are getting married?!"
"Uh, yeah?"
"You asking me?"
"No! You just sounded a little...I don't know..."
"Weird? Hysterical? Haha, ignore my strangeness. I'm just...surprised is all. He...didn't seem like the type."
"Well, he was really surprised when I asked, but he's happy. We're both happy."
"That's good, that's good. You both deserve that."
"Thanks. I was a little nervous to talk to you about it. I'm glad you're okay with everything."
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You're his best friend, brother, family. I just wanted to make sure the people that mattered to him were all on the same page."
"Would it really matter if we weren't? It's your relationship, not ours."
"Of course! It just helps when everyone can get along, you know?"
"Yeah, I hear ya. Hey, I have some things to take care of. See you later, alright?"
"Yeah."
"And, Keith, take great care of Shiro, okay?"
"You know I will."
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Curtis took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched his best friend and secret crush seal his vows with his new husband.