Sheith god au:
This is sorta a Greek Persephone and hades au / god of war au actually. In that it is inspired by them both.
Keith is the god of death or hades to be exact. And shiro is a supposed mortal man. Except, there is a prophecy that tells a tale of the death of all gods at the hands of a supposedly mortal man, that man being shiro. The gods fearing the end cast war and fire down on shiro's home town. In the process of fighting to save what remains of his home, family, and friends, he actually manages to take down Aries before being killed himself shortly after. As he makes his way down to hades castle to be judged he hears the end of a very heated conversation. Hades telling off zuse (aka Zarkon) that the underworld is his domain and his alone. And all spirits are his to judge fairly and no amount of bribery and threats will change that. He may control all of Olympus and the mortal plain but his influence ends their. The conversation comes to an end when he banishes the portal for communication. All eyes and attention now on shiro.
He informs shiro that it is rude to have eavesdropped on others conversations but will let it slide, since he had to wait for his judgment because of it. He asks shiro to stand before him befor walking in front of him for a closer inspection. He then lists all of shiro's accomplishments and atrocities. Before landing on the very last of which was killing the god of war himself. Which he complements him on achieving. He then tells shiro that as he is now he would be put where all brave heros go to find rest and true peace. This is where shiro looks at him and pleads for his life back. He can not die yet, there are too many people counting on him. His home and the people still left living, he doesn't understand why the gods choose to attack his town but he can't die yet. Keith closes his eyes for a moment and goes silent. When he opens them he looks to shiro with pity. And informs him it is not as simple as that, to return a soul already lost. But... if you can do something for me... something worthy, I can see about returning you to the realm of the living. And shiro does all he can think of, to no avail, its not till he thinks 'what the heck! It can't hurt to try!' And starts to sing. It's an old Hyme from when he was a kid. And it's that that catches Keith's interest. That song was one he held dearly in his heart. It was one of the last things he had heard when he could still roam about in the mortal plain. It is then that Keith decides to help him. He gives shiro simple instructions on what to do and how to get out. Tells him to never look back for if he does he'll be trapped here in a never ending cycle of lost, not to turn back even when he makes it out of the opening. Once out he must go to the apple tree that's in eternal bloom and to place his hands and forhead to the bark and think of home. Crying shiro takes his hands in his and thanks him saying that he is in his eternal dept.
Once he is gone, Keith slumps down in his throne and looks up to the sealing. Chuckling to himself about how he's going to be in so much trouble.
Shiro makes it out and back with no trouble only to be met with another god who, enraged that he still walks among the living try's to kill him. But it seems his brush with death and its keeper has provided him with some interesting... abilities. His right arm glows with the touch of death itself and he kills this god to. After awhile of getting used to his new powers he is brought forward to Athena who makes him the new god of war against his will. Now he is chained to the gods in an attempt to control him. It... does not go over well. In his new found God hood he goes back to visit hades. Where he confides in him how he hates being chained to this position. Keith just looks at him knowing and tells him out of every God in existence he knows that feeling all to well for he is chained to the underworld, never to visit the surface ever again because the other gods too fear him. For he is or was the only one who could kill them. Being the god of death and what not. They become good friends in their shared feelings of resentment towards the others. Unlike Shiro however, in order for him to break free of his chains they need to be removed by either zuse and his council or their deaths. So shiro vows to release them both from these chains by killing the other gods. Their jailers.
He is almost done in doing so and is about to fight zuse himself when a member of the faits stops him and asks if his friend really is his friend and shows shiro a vision of Keith being confronted by zuse after letting shiro's spirit return to the living. Zuse demanding an explanation as to why he would let lose the being that is to kill them all. He hears Keith reply how he didn't think he would actually make it out and that even if he did he know has him in his depts so he doesn't see how it's a problem. And other terrible things.
Shiro feeling betrayed makes a detour to the underworld and goes on a mad hunt for Keith. He finds him in the gardens tending to his flowers. He demands an explanation, his arm to his throut. Keith is surprised but comes to a realization as to why when shiro says he was visited by the faits. He then asks if shiro plans to kill him. When he hears an angry confirmation he just closes his eyes, leans back and tells shiro to do it. It catches him off guard. He asks Keith if he does not plan to defend himself, to which he replies no. When asked why he tells him that death would be a freedom. Freedom from his chains, freedom from the never ending cycle, freedom to just rest and never wake up. Besides, it sounds like shiro is convicted to killing him so how could he change his mind when it is already made up. Shiro feels like he is trying to play with his emotions like others befor him and in his rage kills him. It's not till after the act that he sees Keith lying in his bed of flowers motionless that he realizes that he wasn't lieing. He never did defend himself just like he said. In turmoil he kneels befor him and crys out apologies for what he's done, tears falling freely. Keith, barely with any life left within him, tells him that it's ok. In the end he did free him from his chains. He just wished that he could have walked the earth one last time with shiro by his side. Shiro admits that he would have liked that. He shouldn't have listened to those faits. Should have realized he was being played. He let his anger overtake his mind. He tells Keith that he wishes he could save him but it's too late now. Keith swooshes him and tells him to lean his head down closer to him. When he does Keith grabs him and leads him into a deep kiss. When they come up for air runes embed themselves into shiro's skin. Keith tells him with this not only is the underworlds army now his to control but that his soul will forever be by his side. Mearly a ghost. But when called appon he will come for him and stand beside him, whether that be in battle or just for some company. With the death of his friend, no, his lover on his hands shiro turns to mount Olympus to face zuse in one more battle, after he kills the faits first of course.
And yes Keith does stay beside him for the rest of his life. Sometimes when he concentrates he can solidify his corporeal body so they can be together. Even if it's just fora little wile.
Alternatively: shiro believes Keith and lays down his arms. They have a long hard discussion about secrets being kept and how this had hurt shiro deeply. The betrayal still stings. Keith explains that it was all a ruse to get zuse off his back about dooming all the gods. With new convictions shiro sets back off to slay not only zuse, but the faits for playing with his emotions that almost ended with his best friend(and crunch) dead. Afterwards the two travel the mortal plains together, only going back to the underworld when too many spirits have blocked up the underworld passages waiting to be judged. Love confessions were made and they have never been happier to be free together.
