Shiro was abducted as a child whilst going on a day trip with Matt and Sam Holt. Eventually he was rescued by Inspector Ulaz, but the Holts weren’t as lucky, and Colleen Holt only got to bury her husband. The Galra clan were implicated to be involved but evidence was always corrupted or lost, and the case was dropped due to corruption. Years later Shiro is now a detective, working with Keith on a case where a former government official (in office during Shiro’s teen years) is found disembowelled and strung up. The case isn’t the usual, no scorned lover or insurance payment, but traces of evidence tying the official to the Galra make the pair think of a vigilante. After the second murder, this time of a lawyer who represented the Galra during the Holt/Shirogane case, Shiro realises they’re dealing with a serial killer. Although the murders seem to be focused on people responsible for his kidnapping or lack of justice, he’s still determined to put this psychopath behind bars. Because it’s the right thing to do, right? Eventually, fingers start pointing at Shiro himself. He has a motive, opportunity, lack of alibi (he’s fairly secular, and the murders all happen when he’s not on-shift). He’s arrested, only released when a new body is found, the murder happening whilst he was locked up. At least he was treated nicely, given coffee and allowed to keep his shoelaces, perks of being a generally good guy and friendly with anyone, including the cops in charge of the cells.
“Three days, right? Shame I can’t do any paperwork whilst I’m down here. My backlog is going to be huge.”
“Want me to ask Kogane to get you something to work on?”
“You’re a star, McClain”
During the time they’d spent together on the case, Keith had been a comforting presence. Shiro had been mostly fine, having had a decent therapist in school to work through his problems with, but the murders had started bringing back bad memories. His and Kogane’s partnership had been hostile at first until he’d saved Keith’s life, and after that he’d become a person more important to Shiro than he’d like to admit. Some of the comfort Keith had offered had slowly turned to romantic affection between the two, and without the shared love they had Shiro doubted he’d be able to remain objective during the case.
It’s only after he spends the night at Keith’s place, when he starts noticing things out of place around the apartment, things a detective couldn’t have but a murderer should, that everything clicks into place.
And then there’s a knife at his throat and a hand on his back.
Keith loves him. He’d been disgusted to hear about Shiro’s past, face hanging low over bourbon one night after work years ago. In that moment, he decided to fix things so the people who hurt Shiro couldn’t walk free - they didn’t deserve to. He didn’t expect Shiro to love him back though, and he’d made mistakes. Indulging Shiro by taking him to bed meant he now had his love tied down to it, knife at his throat.
No, he’d never meant for Shiro to find out, because he knew it would hurt him. The howls of pain weren’t made by a blade, but by the sound of Shiro’s heart breaking, and it tore Keith open.
-Featuring definitely-not-related-to-the-Holt-Shirogane-Case Forensic Pathologist Pidge Gunderson-
