First up, some Sheith and an Allurance from @k-o-a, who I’ve recently begun to Patreon.
This is a countdown set from @yukinayee that I had to get because not only are their Keiths some of the prettiest ever, they did Matt! There’s never enough Matt in VLD art.
He smiles at Keith’s shock, leaning in and tucking his head in next to Keith’s cheek. He listens to the breathing of his…. Boyfriend? Lover? Soulmate? What were they? Their devotion to one another was absolute, but how did one initiate the formalities? What words were there to say after they were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for each other? Not even “til death do us part” could stop them.
Here’s a little fic (post s4) for @k-o-a who wanted Sheith where Keith is feeling hollow on his birthday and Shiro cheers him up! IT kinda turned into a belonging ficlet orz. Hope you like it my love <3
“Happy birthday!”
A chorus of sound erupted from the doorway when Keith entered the castle, startling him into an instinctive battle stance. The paladins didn’t seem to find it odd, instead pulling him in for a hug and once again congratulating him on his special day.
“Happy birthday, dude,” Lance said, accompanied by his trademark smirk.
“You were born today!” Hunk exclaimed excitedly.
“Party!” Pidge raised her arms. “Woo!”
“I know that it’s a little short notice, but we’re glad you could get away from the Blades to make it,” Shiro said, pushing his way through the small crowd to greet the still blinking Keith with a pat on the shoulder.
He’d forgotten. Keith had completely forgotten about his birthday.
The Blades weren’t the type to celebrate their birth—they weren’t the type to celebrate at all. Stiff congratulations were given when a mission was completely with particular skill, but that was the most praise Keith had ever been given. He wasn’t used to this gaggle of people clamoring for his attention.
“Wait, how did you guys know it was my birthday?” he asked, trying to process what was happening. Hunk grabbed his arm and started dragging him towards a doorway decorated with balloons and streamers.
“The castle has all of your birthdays logged,” Allura explained, gently pushing at his back when he began to slow. “I had it set to remind me. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”
Keith swallowed. “’Course not.”
The ‘party room’ was their hangout room decorated to the nines with balloons and other party décor. After months inside a dimly lit ship while wearing a mask, Keith was having a little trouble adjusting to how bright the room was. He blinked rapidly when something flashed in front of his eyes, only to realize it was Lance holding onto some kind of Altean camera.
“What are you doing?"
“Dude, taking your photo,” Lance said. He held up the camera again. “Try smiling this time. You look like you’ve been caught with your pants down.”
Keith tried to smile. It felt like it hurt.
More photos were taken. Keith was swept along by the energy of his friends, smiling when he was told, participating in whatever shenanigans they came up with with minimal complaints. Lance even handed him his suit and made him change out of the Blade outfit, which left him feeling very out of place in his old uniform.
It was clear that they’d gone to great lengths for him, and their smiles were nothing but genuine, but Keith couldn’t quite rid himself of this strange feeling burning a hole in his gut.
It wasn’t until he moved away from the crowd to grab a glass of water and turned back that it hit him.
You don’t belong here.
He shook his head, willing the building ache inside him to abate.
I do belong here. I’m a paladin.
Not any longer. They don’t need you anymore.
Keith glanced back at his friends, their positions almost reminiscent of the time that Shiro had bonded with his lion when he’d been off on a mission. The chasm in his chest expanded, threatening to swallow him whole.
He should have been happy about this. They’d gone to all the trouble to give him a nice birthday party and all he could do was mope about choices that he had made. He had decided to leave the group and follow the Blades. He had given up control of the black lion. He had no one to blame but himself.
So why couldn’t he accept that?
Keith swallowed his drink with unsteady hands.
As much as he hated admitting it, there was a part of him that regretted his decisions. The Blades were amazing as comrades, but they weren’t a family. They weren’t friends.
And he missed his friends. He missed being part of a team and collaborating to defeat forces in a giant flying robot made out of cats.
They’ll never let me back in. Besides, I have a job to do. I’m wasting time here. I should be back with the Blades, tracking that quintessence.
He squeezed his eyes shut, willing his body to move.
A hand landed on his shoulder. Keith’s eyes snapped open.
“Keith?” Shiro was looking at him, his expression mottled with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Shiro,” Keith croaked. “Sorry, I was, um, thinking.”
“Yeah.” Shiro’s gaze softened. “I bet you were. I’ve got an idea. Come on.”
He started dragging Keith away from the party, much to his confusion.
“Shiro, where are we going?”
“Just come on,” he said, refusing to elaborate any more.
They stopped in front of the training room. Keith opened his mouth to repeat his previous question and it was then that Shiro turned towards him and pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms full-bodied around Keith.
“Shiro…?”
“Sorry, this was the closest place that I could think of that would give us some space.”
Keith’s heart ratcheted up into overdrive. He’d assumed that their relationship ended after joining the Blades, and Keith certainly hadn’t been great about keeping in touch.
“Why? I mean, not that I don’t want to spend time with you, but…why?”
“You didn’t look very happy back there,” Shiro said. His mouth twitched, like he wanted to reprimand him for moping. “I wanted to talk to you privately. See if there was anything I could do to help.”
“Oh.” Keith felt his hope deflate, flattened by Shiro’s kindness. He hadn’t wanted privacy; he wanted a word with Keith. “Well I’m fine. Just not used to this, I guess. You can stop worrying.”
“Keith.” Now Shiro sounded indescribably fond, and Keith glanced up at him, surprised to find a smile on his face. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that. I know you.”
“Yeah, well.” Keith shrugged, then sighed at Shiro’s look. “Look, it’s—it’s nothing. I’m not lying when I say I’m not used to this. My birthday has never mattered to me before. I was always alone. You know that. And I’m glad that you guys went to all the trouble, but it’s just…things are different now. It feels like I don’t—” Belong.
Home. Keith bit his lip. Shiro always managed to get right to the crux of the issue.
“You don’t understand,” Keith said, staring down at the ground. “I’m not a paladin anymore.”
“What? Who said that?”
“Nobody. But it’s true!” Keith raised his arms, gesturing between the two of them. “You have the black lion and red chose Lance. I don’t have a lion so I’m not a paladin.”
“Yes, you are.” Shiro clapped his hands on Keith’s shoulders, giving him a subtle shake. “Whether or not you have a lion, you’re still a paladin. You’re still someone we—I care about.”
Keith scoffed. “What, so you’re not mad I abandoned you and the team to go with the Blades?”
“First of all, you didn’t abandon us, and second, no. I’m not angry. I’m glad you’re following your heart. Even if you had to do your own thing for a while.” Shiro stepped closer, something tender sparking in his eyes as he regarded Keith. “I missed you, you know.”
Keith felt his cheeks beginning to color. He didn’t stop Shiro’s approach, allowing him to cup Keith’s warmed cheek.
“You know I missed you, too, Shiro. It’s just been so crazy.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Sometimes I feel like I’m falling apart. Like I don’t belong anywhere and no matter how hard I try I never will.”
“That’s not true,” Shiro said, his voice lowered to a hush. He planted a soft kiss onto Keith’s mouth, humming in delight when Keith yanked him down for another. “You belong with us. You do. I wish you could see that.”
“I’m not a paladin anymore and everyone’s always disappointed by the choices I make. I can’t lead; I can’t even do my own thing without ruining it for everyone.”
“Keith, that’s not true.” Shiro shook his head. “They’re frustrated, yes. But that doesn’t make you a failure. And when you’re not here, they talk about you all the time. They miss you. I miss you. And I can’t tell you how to feel, but I just wish I could make you see it.”
Shiro pressed his forehead against Keith’s like he could force the words inside his head. Keith kissed him square on the mouth, opening up when Shiro deepened the kiss. Warmth bloomed inside him, rolling over him in waves.
“I love you, you know,” Shiro whispered against his lips.
Tears sprang in his eyes. Keith felt like his heart was going to burst.
“I love you, too,” he croaked. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around. And thanks.” He sniffed. “Y’know, for making me feel better.”
“Yeah? Maybe you want to, I don’t know, go to a birthday party?” Shiro asked, palms sliding down his back in a way that probably wasn’t meant to be suggestive but made Keith’s blood run hot anyway. He might have suggested a detour, but he couldn’t abandon the party that his friends had thrown for him.
‘You know what, I think I am. Hunk mentioned something about a cake?”
Shiro grinned, plopping a quick series of kisses on his mouth before he finally pulled away.
“Guess you’ll have to come find out.”
Shiro started walking, pulling Keith along with him. They held hands until they reached the living room, but when Keith made to pull away, Shiro held on tight, meeting his eyes.
Keith hesitated, wondering if it was right let himself have this, if he deserved it.
You don’t belong here, said a voice, but it was quieted when he met Shiro’s eyes and took in his warm, loving smile.
