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From the moment everything happens, Shiro's mind feels hazy. On edge with an unprecedented panic that brings a rush of adrenaline to him like no other he's ever experienced. In fact... this brings to complete shame and submission the times where he might have been able to give one last push while playing sports. Or the times he stayed awake past sunrise to study, without so much as a drop of caffeine. This says a lot on the memory of the events that he will retain later. There's really no way to describe this humongous fuck up. Because his life will pretty much revolve around this crazy mess... if he makes it. There's a heavy fog out tonight, and for some forsaken reason, Shiro decides to go out of town, where the asphalted roads are slanted, bordered by fields and trees, and then shift to dirt and rocks. The atmospheric perspective is amazing, plus, well... the vibe is really creepy, and sets his teeth on edge. He adores it. This is much better than watching horror films or even telling creepy stories with friends. There's nothing that will make you believe in ghosts more than the thick silence of the falling night, with a few orange lights casting an eerie glow all around you. Right under the layer of chills, he can still appreciate the sight. And, well. That's why he is here with his camera. Except two things happen. And the first one makes him curse, low, under his breath: as he activates the device again, but slowly moves out from between the housing (They are getting more and more scarce, but the decor ahead also has promising sights, from what he can tell, so he keeps going.) he can't see a thing, nor in the viewer, nor in the lens. The thing has apparently sucked up all the humidity, and if he doesn't want to damage it, he better turns it off. Except, at this point... there's just no way he's turning back. He has the sweet reward of the hair at the back of his neck prickling. So he might as well keep walking that road... the one into the fields, with the bees and the flowers and the old wooden fences and the— There's a growl, behind him. And it's not low. It's not subtle. Like in the stories. There's no buildup. The buildup was being here. Right at this moment. Closer to the woods than he is from the city. What an idiot- There's only a scream of pain, as Shiro tries to hop to the side to dodge whatever he's just heard, in case it wants to-- Something misses his neck. Hits his shoulder. And at first, through the panic, Shiro can't tell if its gotten him. Except he's on the ground, facing the dirt the road offers him. He can feel a rock prodding through his cheek, but he can't feel the blood that trickles out of it. He can just feel the flare in his shoulder, as something sinks into it again, and he doesn't know-- he doesn't know what- He passes out. When he comes to, it's with a great gasp, and a lot less energy. His head is so foggy that he doesn't note the broken camera: dismantled pieces that hang from his neck, as he uses his arm to try and get up. His other one is still there... but it won't move. It really won't. He doesn't know what's wrong with it, but his shoulder is in so much pain, that it nulls everything else. He wasn't even able to put up a fight. And if the thing has gone, now, well... It probably thought it left him for dead. And what the fuck- what the fuck--- Just because he can't hear shit, doesn't mean Shiro is silent, as he starts walking to what he hopes will be the road, or somewhere with people to help him. He’s utterly disoriented. Fortunately, there is light, not so far, coming from a house. He moans throughout, breathes heavily as he walks to it. He’s not even sure anyone lives there, but it's much closer than going back to town... it's closer... it makes sense to go there. It makes sense. - All he sees is fog. It's blue and orange and dark. - Next thing he knows, he crashes, right before a porch. And for a moment, before he blanks out again, he thinks I made it. Everything's okay now.
≈ ⁂ ≈
He feels the trespassing like an unpleasant thug in his chest. An intruder has crossed the borders of his territory. Slowly, he gets up of the chair, and puts his book aside. He opens the door, and the smell of anger and blood catch him off guard. He’s in his territory, so it shouldn’t be there. It’s less than a mile away. His territory is not that big, and, well, not really officially his, but Weres usually stayed at bay, since it’s marked as part of the Marmora’s pack. The few that have trespassed before have been chased away. This one will be no exception. Keith gets rid of his sweatpants and shirt in a hurry, before stepping out the house, closing the door behind him. He leaves the porch, naked, and paces into the field. There’s nothing to see through the fog that has fallen around him, lightened by the orange hue of dusk. He promptly changes into his wolf skin. Black as night fur covers his body, as whiter patches spread on his belly and neck, lightening his canine form. On four legs, he runs decisively, despite the tension in his body. The air carries the distinctive smell of a male Alpha, which Keith takes in with a low growl, without slowing down. He rushes towards it, leaving the foggy field, entering the forest. Something is not right. The Alpha’s scent is corrupted with madness. His anguish can be smelled from Keith’s position, and the young wolf can already tell he will be facing an unbalanced one. Another thing that he perceives now is the stink of blood. Human blood. Dammit. Keith’s nose and legs lead him to a huge gray wolf. In the falling darkness, with so little light travelling through the trees, his whole head is darkened by red blood. The Alpha surely is out of it, because he startles at the smaller wolf’s presence, as if he hadn’t smell him coming. He immediately bares his teeth at him, a glint of raging insanity in his crimson-red eyes. Keith won’t even attempt to communicate. The human part of this werewolf is nowhere close to the surface if his smell is anything to go by. A fast leap brings him to the trespasser, not giving him the opportunity to attack first. The movement takes the Alpha by surprise. In the natural order of thing, Omegas are not supposed to attack Alphas. But the sharp fangs digging in his skin are telling otherwise. Keith has had practice before. Pushing his territorial instinct in front of his supposedly ‘submissive’ one is easy, in the presence of such a threat. The Omega bites down the intruder’s neck, fresh blood immediately splattering in his mouth. He tastes the human’s as well, with the remnant of his fear and pain on the wolf’s fur. The larger werewolf howls in rage from the sting, promptly juddering his whole body, neck twisting to bite back. The alpha is bigger than him, but Keith his not letting go of his throat. “Out. My territory. Fuck off.” Keith calls to the Alpha, who, unsurprisingly, doesn’t answer, confirming his feral state. The larger wolf growls, resolute to show the Omega his place, and manages a bite on his attacker’s shoulder. Keith snarls and yet holds on. In a desperate attempt to shake the smaller black wolf off him, the gray one claws at him, digging into the other's flank, right before shoving himself on the ground, on his side. Keith lets go, not to be stuck under his adversary. His momentum propels him to the ground where he rolls, before springing back on his feet. Sharp teeth are bared again, and his bristly dark fur makes him look almost twice bigger than his size. However, the intruder doesn’t seem fazed by the display, as he mirrors it, ending up looking twice the size of the Omega. Keith flinches, lowering himself for a split of a second. The other wolf is bleeding a lot, he’ll heal up in not time. Curse Alphas stupidly powerful abilities. Loud howling rise in the forest, momentarily shifting the wolves’ attention. Its, however, received quite differently by one another.
For the Alpha, it’s a warning. For the Omega, it’s a signal that friends are coming.
Relief floods through Keith’s veins. The Marmora are keeping their promise. Good. They’re not that close, but the howls have more effects on the trespasser than every of Keith’s attempt at intimidating him. It’s a pack, after all. Alpha and betas, signaling they are coming for him. Even a wolf without his mind can recognize such a warning. If he stays, he will be torn apart. Keith uses the werewolf’s moment of hesitation to snap his teeth around his leg, making him howl in pain a second time and snap at the smaller threat. As second set of warning calls are heard, and the gray werewolf jerk back. They were closer. For a moment, the Alpha seems at lost, and Keith frees his leg, giving the intruder the last thing required for his escape. In a split of a second, he’s out of sight.The familiar scent of members of the Marmora pack is already carried by the wind. The Omega doesn’t see them, but he hears them, as they follow the path of the rabid wolf. It’s not long before he hears more growling, followed by desperate whimpers, and then, nothing. He huffs. One problem less. As he starts trotting back to his place, adrenaline fades from his bloodstream, and the stabbing pain from his injuries makes itself known. They won’t heal overnight. He hates Alphas. The walk back feels longer than the first one. The smell of blood is still stuck in his nose and… so is the human’s one. The poor guy’s not that far, but he’s certainly dead by now. There was a lot of blood on that Alpha. Welp. It happens. Keith won’t go check. The Marmora will get rid of the body. They have their ways. He gets home safely and turns back human. Blood trickles down his shoulder and ribs from deep gashes. He grabs a washcloth from the kitchen and groans as he presses it on his side. At least he doesn’t have to disinfect the whole thing, as he can’t really get sick. Fast werewolf metabolism is a perk for that, and fortunately Omegas are no exception, even if theirs is slower than the other classes. He proceeds to bandage his wounds as best as he can, grumbling low curses At least his medical kit is quite complete, and he has learned to treat more than scratches. After all, the only things that can really hurt him are Alphas, and when they do, it’s rarely just a scratch. Better be prepared. As the minutes pass, the smell of human blood never goes away, and Keith finds himself more and more restless. Why hasn’t Kolivan gotten rid of the corpse yet? He makes himself a hot mint tea, which invades his nose in a welcoming way. Numbing his most important sense is probably not the wisest solution, but the pungent smell is only getting worse, and even in his human form, it’s making him feel nauseous. It barely helps. About halfway through his tea, a stench pierces through the ambient mint smell. Pain, fear, and so much… human blood. Keith rushes to the window his upset senses alerting his brain, sending a shoot of adrenaline for the second time tonight. There’s a human male, limping toward his house. He’s tall, despite his crouched posture.
Then he falls, a few meters in front of the house’s porch. Not dead, then. Keith grits his teeth.
A human who’s been attacked by an Alpha werewolf.
So certainly a future werewolf. If he lives. Fuck. He can’t really leave him there, can he?
It would be the safest option, but… Keith is not entirely cold-hearted either. His father would have helped the guy, if he’d been there. His mother would have rolled her eyes, but would’ve helped too, along with the rest of the pack. Okay. He takes a deep breath, opens the door, walks to the figure, glances down and purses in lips. This is going to be a mess, but he has to try. The young werewolf pulls the half-dead human inside, his werewolf strength making that part easy. Everything on the kitchen table is thrown on the ground, right before he hoists the man on it. Blood paints the floor, but Keith has more important things to worry about for now. He looks at the unconscious guy, and within a second, takes a decision. The arm is barely hanging from the shoulder. If he’d been a werewolf already, it probably would have healed, but the man clearly cannot afford Keith waiting for the transition to be complete. It’s officially lost. It cannot be reattached in any way with his current medical equipment, and it's worsening the blood loss. “What the fuck were you even doing around anyway…” Keith mutters under his breath. His answer is hanging from the guy’s neck: the remnant of a shattered camera.
Stupid human. He takes it off, and cuts the guy’s shirt off as well. He does the same with the arm. His claws slash, with a precise motion, at the last of the muscular tissue. The arm falls on the ground, as Keith presses the shirt against the stump, fixing it there in a makeshift bandage from his special-werewolf medical kit. All the bandages won’t be enough for the arm, obviously.
Keith thinks he knows the most efficient way to deal with this. He cringes at the thought. At least, the guy is unconscious. Thank Gods. He rushes to the garage, grabs his blowtorch, and turns it on. All at once, he takes the bandages off and aims at the stump. Within a few seconds, the skin and the rest of the tissue melt, stopping the hemorrhage. The smell, however is… unbearable. The torch falls off his shaking hands with a loud clang. His eyes water, and he rushes to the kitchen’s sink, lurching over and throwing up his dinner. Heaving, he turns back to the guy, and clenches his teeth. He is not bleeding out from his arm anymore. After opening all the windows, to try to get rid of the smell that haunts him, he bandages the stump and stares at the overall mess. He’s… really not done yet. Stitches are needed on the biggest lacerations. There’s more bandaging, more cleaning up, some ice here and there, and Keith spends hours working on the man’s fit, yet currently gory body. It’s about three in the morning when he settles a lot of bed sheets on his couch and dumps the future werewolf there. He doesn't know when he'll wake up, nor exactly when the bite will start being... effective. A few hours more. Probably later in the morning. The werewolf gives a disdainful sniff. His kitchen looks like it has held a particularly violent murder. Maybe he should… clean around. Or sleep. Despite the silent beg of his aching body for the latter, he ends up doing the former, mopping the blood. Bless his tiled floor. It's five and a half in the morning when he gets in the shower, to finally clear off the disgusting mix of smells sticking to his skin and hair. He puts his sweatpants back on and walks heavily to the living room, where he sinks in his chair to resume watching the unconscious man.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Shiro has no bearing at all when he wakes. No question even pops to his mind. Only observations. Holy shit, it's bright. Fuck, his head hurts. Fuck, everything hurts. Why does-- why does his- "My arm!" He exclaims hoarsely, in panic, all of his pains throbbing at once. Ribs. Leg. And there are things pulling, all along his body. It's the cost of agitation, of wanting to see what's wrong with himself. Of twisting around. There is no arm. There's no arm, and- and-- He starts breathing fast, in a frenzy. He’s light-headed, and his arm can’t move, because there is no arm there.
He doesn’t see the guy sitting in a chair jumping on his feet. "Don't move! You'll break your stitches. Don't move," comes a warning, from someone walking to him with raised hands, as if facing a wild animal. Shiro barely takes a look, vaguely noting black hair, before leaning back, staring at the ceiling, pupils widely dilated. It hurts. He closes his eyes. “It's so bright... it's so bright here.... what happened?" He asks vaguely, at a loss, voice tight. "Wrong place, wrong time..." the stranger says, "You got attacked by a feral one. An Alpha who went insane." "An alpha-- feral-" Shiro grunts. He must have missed something. He wants to lift both arms to rub at his aching forehead, but this only moves his stump of an arm, and sends a jolt of searing pain from his shoulder to his chest. A pained noise escapes him. His other arm stirs, and despite the fact that it's not a good idea to move at all to begin with, he feels awfully uncoordinated. "Don't move," the other person warns again, sounding annoyed by his restless patient. "Say that again? I missed a part... a feral what? Bear?" He meant to say 'do we have bears here?' but he falls short of words, as a strain rises behind his eyes. He wants water. And sleep. And to wake up from this painful nightmare. "Feral werewolf." There’s barely a pause before he keeps going. " Werewolves, witches and magic are real. I will assume you didn't know, but tell me if you do, it would be easier." The voice is tense. "No I--" Shiro bites back anything dumb he's about to say. If his eyes weren't shut, he'd advert them in embarrassment. What a mess. It does sound crazy, but he’s currently lying down in a stranger’s house, missing an arm, after being attacked by something. That fact that this ‘something’ is not a bear, nor a maniac, but a werewolf is ridiculously crazy, but honestly… "I mean I always sort of... figured that there was something out there... but I was thinking more about... ghosts? Or well... stuff…" he trails off, voice barely above a groggy whisper. The stranger hums, noncommittally. He doesn't want to annoy him. It's increasingly apparent to Shiro that his host probably had to deal with him since he-- Oh shit. That's right. He passed out in front of his porch, right? "Sir..." It's weird calling him that. He seems younger, just by his voice. Shiro has yet to get a good look at him. It could be a woman with a very deep-set voice for all he knows, but he figures it's polite, if anything. "Were you the one to do all this...?" He opens his eyes, and looks down at his bandages, only to squint at the brightness again, and shut them once more. At least he's not moving anymore. There’s a little silence, where Shiro cannot see how the scrutinizing look the other is throwing at him, for calling him ‘Sir’ and not arguing on the existence of werewolves. Then the lights shut off, and curtains are moved in front of the windows, blocking the light of dawn. The person must have noticed his near-blinded state. It’s… nice of him. "Yes. I couldn't bring you to the hospital. You would have been the healed case of a century," the young man (he assumes, by now) sighs, and Shiro hears the sound of chair legs scraping against the floor, as it's pulled closer to him. " r'you feeling weird yet?" Weird doesn't describe nearly how fucked up Shiro feels. So... "Weird? It… hurts, ‘f that what you mean," he frowns. He hears a few sniffing sounds, and opens his eyes again. It's easier now, but he can’t really see details in the darkness of the room. Is the man… sniffing him? Is that what he’s doing? He chooses to ignore this detail in favor to answer the much more worrying part of the stranger’s intervention. "What do you mean, 'yet'...? What's going to happen to me--?” He thinks he knows. But he has to hear it. “You’re going to become a werewolf.” Hearing it feels unreal. Still, he doesn’t really take time to assess the consequences of such a statement, as a thought strikes him. “Oh fuck, am I going to go ‘feral’ too??" He blurts out immediately, not moving per se, but he is restless again. "No. No, you're not. " There’s conviction in his host’s voice. He’s getting up again, walking around the couch where Shiro is lying, and he loses sight of him. "Well... are you a naturally aggressive human? Do you tend to get angry easily? To start fights?" He hears a popping sound, like a bottle getting open. “No, no I'm not like that..." Shiro’s answer is soft, as if uncertain. “Hmm…” is all he gets for an answer, as the man comes back. He’s handing him something, and before Shiro can take a look, he thinks he catches the sight of a frown on the guy’s face, and he’s gone again. He closes his eyes, trying to ignore the throb in his head. A few seconds later, water is running and God he’s thirsty. Fortunately, the next time he glances up, there’s a fairly sizable glass of water in his field of vision. The sight only makes his throat feel drier. Is that a thing? "Here," the guy leans toward him. He’s holding out something in his flat hand. Pills? Shiro wonders if they’re magical drugs. “They’re Advils,” the man deadpans. Oops, he said that out loud. " 'Think you can hold a glass? You're only allowed to move your arm, nothing else,” the young man warns. "Yeah, of course--" Shiro says, tone still soft, with that underlying, almost silent question. He can feel himself shaking slightly, and that's a bad sign. He figures he might as well use both hands, and he'll manage— When only one hand lifts up, and his limbless shoulder moves a little on the other side of him, unhelpful, hurting and barely responsive, Shiro's eyes begin pouring tears. Just like that. He doesn't hiccup, or moan, or yell. But there's something hollow inside his chest, as he really grasps that this is forever, not just some temporary setback. He has a fucking arm missing. The whole thing. It's gone. The feeling is beyond any sadness or grief he's ever felt before. There isn't a word for this feeling. His remaining hand begins shaking with more violence, and Shiro gives up. Shuts his eyes, though this doesn't stop the tears from running down his cheeks. "... Nevermind..." he lets out weakly, in a defeated tone, his lips pinching together so they'll stop quaking.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The scent of distress is pungent. Keith's wolf whines inside of him: he's never dealt well with people being in emotional torment. It makes him feel anxious. Inadequate. Omegas are supposed to be a source of stability and calm, right? So he tries, taking a deep breath in an attempt to let out a soothing scent for his miserable visitor. No reaction. Right. The guy doesn't even have his enhance sense of smell yet. Ugh. He’s an idiot.
Alright, method number two: he raises his hand and reaches for the stranger’s head. His fingers softly run in the man’s peculiar bicolored hair, in a soothing motion that he knows works at reassuring distressed pups. "Hey. It's going to be fine. I already saw a few wolves with three limbs. They run as fast as the others..." he tries, with a casual voice, to comfort the guy because his instincts are screaming at him to do so. "'Cause you know, the speed comes from the hind legs," he adds, before immediately feeling like those particular words won’t do anything to reassure the human. He doesn’t know if it’s his touch or his words, but in any case, the hiccupping slowly subsides. The smell, however, doesn’t change a lot. Grief and pain still hang in the air, as the man lets out something between a sob and laughter. Keith feels… inadequate. Slowly, he stops petting the human’s hair. Instead, he presses one of the pills against the man’s mouth, with a little frown. As soon as it disappears behind the man’s lips, he makes him drink, holding the glass steady, not pouring too fast. All the pills are swallowed, despite the seemingly constricted throat of the stranger and so is the rest of the water. "Thank you. " The future werewolf says, with a low and tired voice. The stink of distress is finally softening. If he’d been shifted, Keith would have wagged his tail. Fortunately, he’s not even half transformed, so the embarrassing contentment spreading in his chest cannot be seen, nor smelled by the still-human guy. Stupid instinct. He likes to help and please.
Well, he doesn’t really like it. He's just incredibly satisfied when he does. "Don't thank me yet. You still smell human. Wait 'til the real challenges begin," the Omega says, a hint of a smile on his lips. It turns in a grimace within the second. "Erh, not that you haven't been in a challenging situation yet. I didn't mean that-- Nevermind. You'll see later. Also, pros of being a werewolf, your wounds are gonna heal up way faster than now. That’s why I couldn’t bring you to the hospital, like I said. The bite should take within the next hours." Then, he’ll be a werewolf. Keith sits back in his chair, well aware of his awkwardness. He rubs his eyes and stifles a yawn, before looking at the man. If the latter cannot see his expression in the dark, Keith has no such difficulty. "What's your name, by the way? " "Takashi..." The one-arm man whispers. "Say... why are you helping me...?" Keith frowns. "Because you're on my territory,” he mumbles. It's not only that. It's mostly because his pack would have taken care of him if they had been there, but if he had answered so, Takashi's next question would probably have been 'Where's your pack', and there’s no way he would have answered that. "Oh, that makes sense," is all the guy mumble. "Ah-- sorry. What was your name? Didn't m'n t'be rude..." "Keith," he leans back against his chair.
He doesn't add anything. Now that the initial thrill of having the stranger being awake is gone, his body and foggy mind remind him of his lack of sleep. Small talk is officially off the table. "Okay, well... thank you, Keith," Takashi repeats, and it sounds a little bit more heartfelt, this time. More personal. "And don't say I shouldn't thank you yet. That's ridiculous. I am grateful, and I'm here, aren't I. I'll... I'll make sure to... to repay you when I'm better." Keith throws him a funny look. "Don't think about it now," he rubs his eyes a bit, " it's fine." He can’t stop a yawn, this time. The guy- Takashi frowns, "If you want to go to sleep, I won't like... go anywhere..." Keith hesitates, sending a wary look in response. Slowly, he stands up. He doesn't exactly want to tell the guy that he doesn’t know if he’s going to be overwhelmed by the change, lose control and try to bite his face off. It probably wouldn’t be really reassuring. Maybe he should knock him out? "Just try to sleep and… stay calm, alright? I'll hear you if you move. " That last part sounds a little bit like a threat. He plans on napping a maximum of three hours, because the guy's official transformation should be complete within that time. Hopefully. He can tell it has already started, because Takashi is visibly less in pain than he was when he woke up, and it’s not only due to the Advils. "Oh, well okaythen," the guy smiles, and Keith’s eyes narrow at the obvious sarcasm plastered on the wounded face. Ugh. Well. Maybe, in his situation, sarcasm is legitimate. He probably doesn’t believe yet he’ll be in top shape in a few hours. Plus, he doesn’t know why Keith would be wary. This whole situation must be… weird to him, the werewolf has to admit. He stares at him a bit longer, like he isn’t sure if he really should leave or not. But his wounds ache. His body needs rest in order to heal. He turns on his heels, with a reluctant sigh, and goes to his room.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Shiro doesn’t know how much time passes. He’s out of it and has closed his eyes in hope to rest. He’s aware the pain is slowly fading. Maybe the Advils are to thank. Maybe he’s getting numb. Or maybe something else is happening. Whatever it is, it probably isn’t fully effective yet, and it's not something he can remotely control, but he can tell what his host meant, now, with his ‘feeling weird’ comment. He does feel weird. And before he can try to understand what does, he gasps, his whole body shuddering from a violent shiver. Utter chaos comes without warning. There's noise all around, and a flurry of smells so overwhelming that he wants to vomit. For a moment, he's grasping at straws, nailed to the couch where he rests, and desperate to find something to focus on. He's surprised that his skin doesn't feel on fire, or some other too intense shit-- and he refuses to open his eyes. Who knows what it would feel like. No thanks. He would take anything for all of this to not feel so raw. Anything, because even breathing through his mouth isn't working for him, and he's so, so confused. After a long moment of trying to hold his breath, his lungs start burning and his breathing reflex takes over, forcing air into his nose. The smell is not any better than before, but there’s little thing he can do, since apparently, he still needs to breathe. He stubbornly keeps trying to hold his breath for as long as possible, for several minutes. The thing to focus on comes to him naturally, after a long moment of the worst attempts to try and cover the smell. It's... a general pleasantness that hangs in the atmosphere, a hint of a… something comforting? He doesn’t notice he’s pressing his face against the couch until it hinders his ability to inhale. He pulls away, just a little bit, staying close to the nice smell, and finally manages to breathe normally... not by little successions, after having held it in for so long at a time. Which was... well, he was about to start gasping, and then he suspects he might have retched. So it's good that he notices this. It's his vantage point for the rest. There is still, of course, so much fucking noise, but he thinks he can make out what's further away from what's within the walls, which makes it all this a lot less of a distraction. After a moment, he dares try to tell apart each individual scent. Some things are a lot more obvious: the disgusting metallic emanations that come from right outside. The toxic smell of cleaning products, from inside, and something else, fainter, yet still unpleasant, behind what he supposes are multiple close doors. He thinks it’s… paint? Or something like that. Those odors are barely masked by the gentler scent of the field around the house... which kind of brings Shiro to wonder why he can differentiate them at all to begin with. Some of them remain agglomerations of smells for a short moment, until he sets them apart. And even then, he keeps being surprised over and over at how he can even do that. This is messed up. From the tea set with as many as eight flavors (...nine? Okay maybe he's not that good at this. But either two of them are way similar, or the guy mixed two flavors of tea together. Go figure.) to the array of spices he holds in his cupboard.
He isn't sure whether the mint is meant to be a spice or a tea. The subtler ones aren't always pleasant. Like... he learns that he does not like the smell of whatever holds ceramic tiling together. He does enjoy the fact that there is wooden furniture here, especially when it was made with wood used to have particularly strong sap. The very dust, it seems, smells like something too. Or several things, which creates one subtle— What distracts him from taking in this new, augmented sense, is when a ruffle of sheets can be heard in the stranger's room. It's not loud or anything. Just... crisp, and sounds to Shiro as though he were impossibly near. Which makes his heart rate pick up. He's nervous, and from there, every sound makes him a little jumpy. The only soothing things are the birds singing in the field and whenever the breeze picks up, discreetly ruffling ears of wheat all around. Those sounds, he doesn't mind. There’s a regular beating, that is also something he ends up focusing on. He thinks he's finally starting to get used to this, when a car honk blares from the road. It makes him jump, his skin prickles as he growls. It’s quickly followed by loud whine that’s torn out of his throat, as he freezes. Well, fuck. Now he's really on edge. There’s more sound coming from the room where the stranger- Keith, disappeared. Probably bedsheets moving, as he gets up. Shiro keeps his eyes closed, though. He follows the sounds of the man leaving his bed, to come meet him. He can kind of... well-- he can't exactly make out what he's thinking, but even before they are within the same vicinity, and can tell the man has stopped in front of his door, as if… hesitating? Then he walks out. "How are the wounds?" Everything seems to be going on slowly. From the steps he takes, to the moment where he opens his mouth, saliva clicking subtly, then the intake of breath, and then his voice. And, oh dear. Why is this experience so damn different from when they were talking just a few hours ago— "You smell good," he blurts out loud, tone softer than earlier, if anything, because he's so afraid of his own voice slamming his eardrums into nothingness. It doesn't go too badly. He only disregards the question because he didn't hear the words. Was focusing on everything else. "I can't believe you're- " Keith starts, and never finishes. Now that Shiro actually hears him, he’s pretty sure there’s annoyance in the man’s voice. The next words only confirm it. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I've never met a Bitten wolf who was an Alpha." Now, his tone is straightly accusing.
Oh. Well. Shiro has no idea what it means, but his host definitely doesn’t this newfound reality. Well. He’s not the only one. The new werewolf bites down on his lip, wondering how bad it'd be to ask what being an alpha implies. Again, he doesn't want to annoy his host...
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith is clenching his teeth. The strong smell of the Alpha has already settled in the living room. That wasn’t planned. Not at all.
Shit, he better has good control, because if he has to fight an Alpha win his house… Things are going to be ugly. He’s trapped. He led the guy here, helped him, and now it’s an Alpha and he can’t just throw him out right now, can he? Anxiety crams in his guts, when the other wolf doesn’t answer him. Objectively speaking, the guy should be happy to be an Alpha. His wounds are definitely going to heal nicely. Alpha heals faster, but Alpha-inflicted wounds heal more slowly. Therefore, the speed of Takashi’s current level of healing is similar to one of a Beta wounded by another Beta. Keith, as an Omega, is in the worst situation. Alpha-inflicted wounds on Omegas are bad. He can't show fear though, or it'll be worse. He forces himself to focus on the Alpha’s physical state instead. Most of the new werewolf scrapes should be all healed up. The stump of his arm will obviously still hurt, but his face is not swollen, nor covered in violet and blue bruises anymore. Speaking of his face... A flare of annoyance rises in Keith's stomach. With chiseled, strong jaws, sculpted eyebrows and ridiculously long eyelashes, this Takashi guy is unnaturally handsome. Even the healed, faint scar on his nose adds a little something to the lot. Ugh. His wolf wants to properly greets the guy, with a lick, or at any kind of physical contact, especially after the compliment he just received. He’s preening under the words, whereas Keith is pursing his lips, wary. He takes a deep breath.
Ugh. Bad idea. Alpha scent.
Not that it smells bad. It’s just… strong. And it’s far from relaxing for him, at the moment. " 'nyway. I have to take some of your stitches off before your body pushes them out. " He walks forward, forcing himself to remain composed. "Oh, okay," The man agrees, still unmoving. His face twists in some sort of hesitation. "Can I open my eyes...? Will that hurt too, because of some vision enhancement that I don't know about, or... is it safe?" "It's okay. You’ll see better in the dark now, but your diurnal vision should be normal… unless you were short-sighted. That'd be fixed. Same for any health problems you had." Keith answers, keeping his voice leveled, casual. He walks closer to the guy and raises his eyebrows. “… what…?” The question is faint, and when the new werewolf opens his eyes, he’s not looking at him, but at the window, which despite the close curtains, lets in a good amount of sunlight. “… Any health problems…?” he keeps whispering, bewildered. “Yes.” Keith repeats, not picking up on Shiro's mystification, or not caring enough to question it. “Well. Physical ones. Epilepsy, asthma, etc.” he waves a hand. "I think you should be able to sit up now, but go slowly." The man stays silent, and after a few seconds, he does. Keith sees him cringe when he can't use his right arm to help lift himself up. But he manages it. He turns to lower his feet to the ground and looks at them for a moment, maybe wondering if they’ve become hairy. Keith’s attention is not on his feet. He’s looking at the man’s bandaged naked torso, and hates noticing how more muscular the guy looks when he’s sitting. He had seen his thighs the night before as well, but had been more preoccupied sewing the wounds shut to pay much attention. Now, under the black sports shorts Keith lent him, there’s no doubt the muscles' size is not restricted to the upper body. .
Gods help him when he'll stand up. Then Takashi moves his head, and their eyes meet. Keith can hear the man’s catching his breath. "Oh. Hi..." he says, and Keith has to take a second to suppress his wolf’s satisfaction over the impression he made. “…hi”, he mumbles, sitting next to the Alpha, face settling in a scowl. He doesn’t like being so close to an Alpha whom he knows has the physical power to dominate him in a second, if he wants to. At least, chances are Takashi is not aware of that. Plus, he doesn’t smell aggressive. "Don't move," he warns as he shifts closer, a clawed hand approaching a first set of stitches, to cut it off and pull it out. The Alpha tries not to visibly wince, as his muscles tenses under Keith’s ministrations. It makes the Omega grumble a warning, because tension makes it harder to take the wires off. But he keeps going. "Thank you... again,” the new Alpha says. Keith gives a neutral hum, attentive to his job. His wolf is pleased to note the guy’s gratefulness, at least. He sighs when he's done. "So, Takashi. Today, you'll stay here, and we'll see how it works. Where do you live? You'll have to pack your stuff and- I'll make some calls to see where you can go. Once it's sure that you can function in society without wolfing out, they'll send you back to your life, if you want to go back," he explains.
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There's something inside of him that he cannot possibly describe, let alone explain, that bucks under the talk of his leaving. And while he knows perfectly well that it only makes sense that he should not remain the problem of some guy who just happened to find he petulantly does not want to go. It's way past his better judgement to silence that part of him. So, tersely, he asks: "What do you mean, 'where I can go'...?" And as he talks, he's just barely keeping himself from growling. Which is ridiculous. Keith tenses, and stands up. "Where they'll be people apt to teach you how being a werewolf works." "Aren't you a werewolf?” He can't believe he says the word so confidently, when it's still kind of half-silly to him, despite the evidence. “Can't you teach me?" he wants to snarl, feeling tense, and forgetting, for now, that he had been meaning to ask for the bathroom or maybe a small amount of food. Except his voice comes out in more of a complaint. As if he can't believe the suggestion of his leaving. Like it's ridiculous. He's past thinking about what's sensible already. This guy is so going to kick him out. Keith bares his very human teeth slightly. "I am. But I'm a Born one. I've barely seen the changes in new werewolves before, and the challenges they face. I was never the one in charge to teach the Bitten. And- " he closes his mouth, stopping himself from saying something that would make him look weak. "- and it's not your call," he snaps instead. Something like an irrational irritation rises in Shiro’s chest. He snaps too, though maybe his words go in a different direction than they might've, had he understood what was going on exactly. "Are you just afraid because I'm an Alpha?" he challenges, tone seething more than he'd intended it to. Again, he doesn't even know what being an Alpha entails, but with the way Keith said the word a few minutes ago, he cannot help but think there’s something about it that is a problem. And for some reason, he can’t seem to keep his composure. The change in his host’s posture is immediate. His pupils get smaller, and his eyes shine bright gold for a second as a threatening growl leaves his lips. His canines turn into fangs, which are noticeably sharper, and it's the more wolfish he's been in Shiro’s presence since he's taken him in. "Don't make me regret dragging your lifeless body in my house when I could've let you rot outside or finish the job, Alpha. It's still not too late to do so." His nails have sharpened too, from what Shiro can see. Somehow, he can hear how fast the man’s heart is running. There’s a strange scent in the air, one that gives him goosebumps. Oh shit... okay... okay that's actually pretty scary. What the fuck... Not like. Intimidating scary, somehow, but new scary. Like. Strange. Uncanny. It takes the whole ‘werewolf’ to a much more tangible reality. Now, part of him is still pretty annoyed to be treated in this manner. His previous frustration flares in his chest. He… wants to fight back. Respond to this show of aggressivity. He has a deep gut feeling that he would win. Which makes him realize that… he doesn’t feel in any danger. So, what’s the point? He doesn't flinch, doesn't stand. He just... remains sitting, eyebrows drawn in a frown. His hands, that had tightened into fists, unclench. "Keith... I don't even know what an Alpha is...." He grits his teeth on that last word, but that's about the only sign of emotion he shows.
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Slowly, Keith loses his aggressive posture. He can’t deny that this guy has a respectable control. He's still sitting down, not pinning him on the ground and asking him to submit. He was stupid. Challenging and talking back to an Alpha, plus a show of teeth and claws? It could have been a nice cocktail to arise Takashi’s instincts. It would have been… bad. "Alphas are the leaders of their pack. In theory, they are those who lead, protect both their pack and territory and provide for them. In practice, Alphas are the most aggressive, territorial of the three classes. They have strong instinct of dominance and need to intimidate others to feel adequate. They don’t- " he stops, aware of the venom in his voice, and takes a deep breath. " I shouldn't be the one explaining it to you. I'm… biased on class dynamics. But..." He carefully sits back down on the couch. No need to antagonize the other wolf even more by towering over him. "It wasn’t bad… just now. What you did. Or, what you didn’t do. I guess it’s better than anyone would’ve expected from a new Alpha,” the Omega says, almost reluctantly, but honestly. He gives a helpless shrug. "I suppose part of the reason it's better for you to learn somewhere else is because I'm too good at antagonizing Alphas." For a moment, there’s the hint of a smile on his lips. "But you didn't raid my fridge yet, or pissed all around and you actually listened to me and didn't move so... come on, there's ham in the fridge." He gets back up. The tension isn’t entirely gone, but it has lowered considerably. It’s not Takashi’s fault he’s an Alpha, after all. He has to remember that.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Would it be weird if I asked for a pan...? And to use your stove? I'll clean after myself." Shiro starts, when Keith, right after considering the huge ham the werewolf has handed to him. The young man’s eyebrows rise up. There's the hint of an amused smile on his lips. "Alright." He opens a lower cupboard, which contains all the necessary materials. "Help yourself." He says, before walking back to the fridge to get chicken for himself. Then, he very blatantly observe his guest’s actions. "Thanks," Shiro answers, already feeling more at ease. He moves over, and it takes him a small amount of time to rummage through Keith's stuff with his one hand. But this, as least, does not prove very problematic. He's put down all the necessary tools on the counter, and a pan on the stove, which he heats up immediately, figuring it won't take him long to start putting slices in there. Then, he sets out to cut the ham. This is where his trouble begins. Nothing at all goes for him. It's just- cutting the meat without holding it down is near-impossible. The knife takes into the rosy flesh, but it does not slice through it. It kind of just... moves the whole damn thing, along with the cutting board under it, and for fuck’s sake, why is going faster not helping— Shiro growls low, and he leans down on the meat, sinking his teeth into it. They penetrate the meat like butter, and hold it down solidly. He cuts near his face, but finally gets a thick slice of meat off its entire piece. When he raises his body again, he slaps the meat into the pan, satisfied by its barely sizzling sound. Not quite hot enough, but it's fine. Plus, he chews on the chunk he ripped off, because please, he was all up and pressed against it, was he seriously meant to resist? Then the man wipes at his mouth and nose with the back of his hand, since he's full of grease-- And turns toward Keith, with the hugest, dorkiest smile on. All his teeth seem bare, but it's with a smile. "I did it!" Keith is leaning against the counter, arms crossed on his chest, hiding his mouth behind the back of his hand. Shiro is pretty sure the young man is trying really hard not to laugh. A inelegant snort confirms his suspicion when it dissolves into a fit of giggles. Then Keith turns, in an attempt at hiding his amusement in decency. "That- That was- a beautiful first use of your wolf's abilities," Keith breathes out. “Some wolves first use their fangs to tear someone’s throat off and- y-y- you hold a ham down." Takashi blinks at him. He's torn between mocking offense, or remaining stunned, because this guy is so amused, and it's the most satisfied Shiro can remember being. It's a deeper-set change to the way he felt earlier. Like every shift in Keith's emotions affects him personally, instead of gliding on his back, for him to process later, or to decide how he feels about it. He can't decide of, or control any of his emotional responses, it seems. And he could glow from how good this feels. "I'm- I'm missing an arm!" he reminds the other in a poor excuse once he has shaken himself out of his quizzical state. Keith shakes his head, as he finally stops laughing. He grabs his cold chicken, and heads for the table, where he sits down, not waiting for Shiro to start eating. The new werewolf ends up eating the entire ham to himself, slices after slices as he grills them. He joins Keith at the table with his last two slices, and is utterly shocked at himself when he swallows his last bite and immediately starts eyeing the remains of the chicken the other is munching on. He grimaces. It’s not that he’s really hungry, but he could still eat. He doesn’t understand how his stomach can hold a whole ham, and still wish for more. “Faster metabolism. Plus, you had a lot to heal.” Keith answers when he ask. Then the young man finishes eating as well. He gets up when Keith does, to help clear the table and wash what he used earlier. It’s the least he can do. Now that eating isn’t a priority anymore, Shiro finds himself going silent, a flurry of thoughts buzzing in his head. The smell of the kitchen is different, and depending on what he’s facing or if he’s moving, it changes in intensity. He swallows his discomfort down. His heart is beating faster now, and he knows the other man can tell. He wonders if he can pinpoint why, when he is himself so unsure. The taller man is able to hear his own feet padding along across the floor, and the wind all around, but he finds that instead of being distracting, now, all this helps him gain a new sort of focus on his thoughts. Like a wall of sound to hang onto. He guesses nothing's ever going to seem perfectly silent ever again. Or like... remotely silent at all. So, this guy dislikes him, finds him both a hindrance and an annoyance, and wants him out. Which is really... really unnerving Shiro. He'd usually let go if they found themselves incompatible in character like this. He isn't one to push himself on others. Especially when he's so clearly being told he is undesirable. He guesses he understands the reasoning, too, and that's mostly what he's thinking about. Trying to drill into his head. He has to leave. It'll be okay. But he doesn’t want to, and he can’t explain why. And that's odd, because as they walk to the sink, he’s close to the other guy, and it’s probably creepy, but Shiro can’t help himself. Amongst all the smells, Keith’s is a constant, somehow distracting one. Of all things-- he smells so, so freaking nice, it's worse when he stays near, and Shiro could bet that-- When they slow to put their plates down, he leans over to Keith, and presses his nose right behind his ear, into his hair. Absently, his hand settles on Keith's hip, finding purchase there, as he nuzzles this absolute stranger. And... Heh. He knew it. The smell is absolutely a bit stronger there. Oddly enough, despite the initial jolt at the contact, his host doesn’t pull away. Shiro closes his eyes, and pushes his nose from his ear, down his neck. He… kind of wants to lick him? He bet he would taste so nice… Wait. Shiro blinks, because this thought was very, very weird. And he has trouble understanding why the stranger is not pushing him away. And he doesn’t seem angry? He… really doesn’t get it.
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The reason why Keith is allowing the contact is because the scent coming off Takashi is nowhere close to threatening. There's no stench of possessiveness, nor of assertiveness that he regularly smells on Alphas. It's closer to the curiosity of a pup, discovering a new environment. Then, comes the gentle smell of satisfaction. It's almost cute, so he doesn’t feel the need to push him back. Plus, he can admit to himself that he misses physical contacts. Sure, he’s got Matt and Pidge, who visit him sometimes, but it’s not like a pack. It’s not nearly enough, not nearly like what he used to have. And maybe he’s indulging his wolf a little bit too, who is really appreciating the attention. Anyway, it won't hurt anyone, since Takashi is leaving soon. He puts his plate down the sink, and grabs the Alpha’s in order to do the same. When he starts the water, he feels the new werewolf startles at the sound, pulling away, as if coming out of his daze. Keith is already walking back to the table to grab what’s left when the Alpha breaks the silence. "Hey... how long will you keep me?" He asks, as he tentatively takes the sponge in his hand. "Do you live in the city, or more around?" He counter-asks. "I- I just found a new place in the city... I live with a few roommates. I don’t really know them, and they won’t miss me, or worry about me.” But it’s obvious for both men that anyone who already met Shiro will notice the missing arm. " In the city, uh?" Keith grimaces. "Picking up your stuff might be a bit harder, then." He looks at the Alpha, who’s currently discovering that a missing arm puts the task of doing the dishes in a whole new perspective. But strangely enough, despite his concentrated frown as he rubs a plate, Keith doesn’t smell any irritation. " Also I don't know exactly when you'll go, I'm going to call Kolivan and the Holts after lunch. If you have a job, or are studying, you might want to call them to say you'll be gone for... at very least a month. Same for family or any friends who might look for you, if necessary." He advises. The Alpha nods, and his movements slow to a stop, as he sighs. "I have... so many questions for you… Would you mind if I kind of...?" he trails off, throwing the guy a desperate look. "...go ahead." Keith gives a small shrug. He's not saying he'll answer them all, of course. Just that Takashi can ask. The taller man resumes rubbing the pan that he somehow manages to squeeze in a corner of the sink, so it doesn’t move as he washes it. "Well... well, for one... I can... werewolves.... they can- we can...? Turn anytime? You had… teeth, and claws, and glowy eyes earlier… I felt like it wasn’t the whole thing… maybe halfway? What's your final form like?" he wonders. Might as well start with the very basics, right? "It wasn't exactly half. Or I would've had ears and tail too. But yeah we can turn anytime when we know how to control it. Wanna see?" Keith suggests, a little smirk on his lips. The Alpha stops again, to properly look at him. His eyes have widened a little bit like he wasn’t expecting him to suggest a demonstration so soon. He still nods with a surprised smile on his lips. Keith tells himself it is not cute. Apparently, he’s done washing the pan, because he puts it on the counter in favor to sit back on a chair by the table. Keith stands up and promptly starts to take his clothes off. His shirt and his sweatpants are thrown on the floor. He’s not wearing any underwear. Old habits. Nudity is not a big deal for him, and at the moment, he doesn't remember it is one for humans, or Bitten wolves. Welp. There are red painful-looking marks puncturing the skin on his shoulders, where he's been bitten the night before. The lacerations from the claws of the dead intruder are no pretty sight on his side either. He shoots a little look at Takashi, and starts shifting. For him, the process is ridiculously quick, and in three seconds, a huge black wolf, with a few clearer patches scattered around stands in his place, looking incredibly out of place in a human kitchen. His tail wags slowly, and he stares at Takashi before moving forward and leaning his big head on the guy's thighs. He actually has to lower it to do so. He looks up at the man.
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Shiro loves the sight. Not-- not of the guy changing out of his clothes-- it's pretty-- whatever- he means, he is pretty, and while he knows propriety would want him to look away, he prefers looking. Especially since it's not stopping him from- This part is not important. He loves the sight of that wolf. He knows from the moment Keith morphs, from the intense pang it gives him. It's his first time actually seeing one, and Keith is just-- He's magnificent, and he keeps taking Shiro's breath away. The fucker. He can't ignore the wounds though... less obvious under the fur, but still visible, even as the wolf presses his great big head against his thighs. His own reaction is immediate, and not a result of logical thought, or he'd have frozen. He sinks his fingers through the fur of the wolf's neck, where he knows there are no wounds. Drags his nails behind the beast's ears, holding eye contact. He notices the wolf’s eyes are not glowing gold, but are rather dark. "You are quite the sight," he sighs. The wagging of the wolf’s tail immediately picks up the pace at the praise. "Beautiful," he adds, as he smiles down, hands slowly massaging Keith's ears. "Thank you for showing me." He feels calm. The wolf stomps, as if impatient. He's not impatient, he just has to resist the urge to jump on the guy and nuzzles his neck. The flashing of Takashi's red eyes with his words makes him flash his own back at him, instinctively, responding to the Alpha's attention. He can't help it when he presses his muzzle against the other werewolf stomach, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a moment. It lasts maybe seven seconds, before Keith pulls away, and shifts back into a crouching human. "You're going to be bigger than me, when you'll shift," the boy says with a little smile. “Because I'm bigger as a human?" Shiro asks, still too stunned from what has just transpired to think straight. ‘It’s because you're a fighting, territorial ass or something, you doof’, he thinks, and winces. It's probably just how things go. Keith shakes his head and stands up, walking back to his chair. Shiro catches a glimpse at the man’s butt, and immediately feels his cheeks heat up. Fortunately, once Keith is sitting at the opposite of the table, the only thing Shiro can see is his upper body. "Because you’re an Alpha. Though your current human size might help make you a bigger one than average. After, there are the Betas, and the Omegas are the smallest, although still bigger than normal wolves. Anyway. Any other questions?" "Plenty!!" Shiro confirms, wide-eyed with wonder, now that he's seen a wolf. It's... it's a little cool. Like. He gets that he messed his entire life up, and that nothing's going to be easy, but if he dies, at least it'll have been fun. And if he doesn’t, well, at least he’s gotten rid of his disease. That is still something he can’t quite grasp. "When will I be able to transform like that?" He starts. "At your first full moon." “And... when... will that be?" he wonders, realizing he has never kept track of that. "Two weeks. Which is not the best but could be worse. It gives you time to be more at ease with your instincts. They're way stronger when you're shifted." "Will you be out, on the full moon...?" he wonders, losing track of all the initial questions he meant to ask.
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"Always am." Keith says, casually moving behind his fingers a knife that’d been lying on the table. "Well, almost always. All packs are going to be out. I usually go with the Marmora or the Holts." He can live alone, even if it’s a bummer from time to time, but being alone during a full moon takes the loneliness to a whole new level. And it sucks. The first full moon after he lost his pack, he howled all night, calling out non-stop for his packmates. And he'd been with the Holts at the time, so he can’t imagine what would’ve happened if he’d been alone. "So I'll see you then?" Takashi perks up. "... Maybe, guess it depends on how good you'll be doing." Keith knows it probably sounds cryptic to the guy.
The thing is, Takashi’s instincts will be over the top at the full moon, and having an unmated Omega near would certainly not help. "Oh..." The older man deflates a bit and turns away, looking at the sink where he still has to wash the plates "But won't I turn anyway?" he asks, and from the way he's almost mumbling, and talking down to the table, it's like he's just talking to himself. "I don't want to be alone..." "You won't! You won't, that'd just be-- of course you won't. You'll have all the people who'll have taught you. You'll run, hunt and play with them, that'll be nice." He assures. The new werewolf sighs, and doesn’t immediately answer. He’s staring at Keith, and probably not even aware he’s doing it, when a crow caws loudly outside, startling him. "... why is it going to be complicated to go fetch my things...?" he asks now, backtracking to where his mind had been earlier. "Many reasons." Keith gets up with a sigh, to pour himself a glass of water. "First of all, the city mostly belongs to the Galra pack. They are one of-- well, the major pack around here, who more or less has a hand on the others. Not all of them, but most. They won't attack us, because it's the city and every Weres needs to go there once in a while, but if we stay there for too long, they might want to speak with us, or something stupid like that. " "Secondly, the city is loud. I mean, I'm used to it, but you? I’ll see if I have earplugs around that you could borrow. We’ll go slow so the transition will be progressive, but it still might hurt. You’ll have to focus not to lose control," he frowns a little bit. " Thirdly... it stinks. Like, you wouldn't believe. You'll find out soon enough why no wolf smokes. Some of us also have a hard time filling our cars. And, the more people there are, the higher the chances are to catch a whiff of a smelly one. I don’t know if you were a bus amateur, but you’ll see them under a new eye now." He walks back to the table, glass filled. "Then I don't want to go back--" Takashi wallows, unease growing. "Okay, hey, uhm, would you mind?" he eventually shrieks, and Keith sees the man’s eyes darting down to his crotch, then back up. His scent is a mix of agitation and embarrassment. Keith doesn’t get it. "... Mind what?...” “You- your-“ Takashi gestures at Keith, eyes darting away, face flushed. “Do you always just hang around nude in front of others?" he finally gawks. "Ohhhhhh. Humans. True. You're all shy without clothing. So weird." Keith gives a little chuckle. "Yeah, I had forgotten. We- Born wolves, we're used to shifting whenever, and yeah, to hang out as 'nude' humans with each other." He sounds amused, as he walks to his shirt and sweatpants, before slipping them on. "Happy?" He mocks.
≈ ⁂ ≈
It makes sense, and Shiro blushes a deeper shade of red at the unsaid accusation that he's the weird one here. But he is still a bit happier that something is covering this guy up, at least. "No, because you're mocking me..." he grumbles, and then, as an afterthought clearly hits him: "Oh no, is the pack you're going to send me with going to walk around naked everywhere?" he questions, with a horrified look on his face. There’s a pause. "Yes. All of them." Keith deadpans. Shiro loses it, mouth sliding open in absolute horror. "Will... will I be required to stay nude all the time too??" It's not that he-- he's not really-- But he shoots at look at his still bandaged stump, where his arm should be, and the lingering scares on his naked torso. He's going to be a terrible sight for everyone— "Yes." Keith deadpans again, face absolutely neutral. There’s another pause, and the werewolf snorts. "I'm kidding, Takashi. We know Bitten wolves are awkward at first, with nudity. The Holts all wear clothes, because Sam is human. As for the Marmora, some of them are Bitten, so it’s a bit of a mix." Shiro is startled by the use of his name, so he eyes Keith, as if he were the real Santa Claus or something else that's impossible and isn't a damn werewolf. "Takashi..." he repeats, smiling down to himself almost pathetically for a moment. It's brief, and doesn't reach is eyes, and clearly it's just not a big deal. He shouldn't like hearing that name. Not like this. "Sorry, no one calls me that. You can call me Shiro. I didn't think--" he cuts himself off, looking back up. "Who's Sam?” Keith’s expression is confused for a moment. "Why do you-" but he stops. "Sam- or Samuel, is Pidge and Matt's father. He's human, but their mom is a werewolf. They're friends of mine." He perks up a little bit. "I'm actually going to call them and Kolivan. If you have any calls to make, like I suggested before, you can use the fixed phone." He points to the device on the wall. " I'll be right back." He says, before leaving for him room, after he's grabbed his shirt off the ground. Shiro leans on the table for a brief moment, arms crossed and face hidden. His eyes scrunch up a little, and he takes deep breaths. It's dumb to wait till Keith's out of the room to do so, because he can still hear him, but it's whatever. No... there's no one to call. So he just lets himself feel uneasy for a moment, chest aching from it, for some reason (he's never felt this way about it), until he forces himself to get up, the unpleasant burn in his chest still present. He’ll go clean up the stinky blood on the porch, maybe it’ll distract him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cleaning up blood on an old wooden porch is not an easy task. Shiro’s found Keith's washing product, and he’s not sure what smell is the worst: the old dry blood, heating under the sun, or the toxic smell of the... soap? At least the sticker says it’s environment-friendly. Hmm. Bless the slight breeze, which is playing a substantial part in preventing his intoxication. Can werewolves get intoxicated by such fumes if they smell stronger for them? He takes a mental note to ask Keith eventually. He’s on all four-- well, on all three in his case, scrubbing the wood with an old cloth. From outside, he can easily hear Keith’s conversation with the people he’s calling. "Hey, Kolivan? … “ He doesn’t catch the answer of said ‘Kolivan’. He thinks maybe he could, if he were to focus more on the conversation and tune off the wind and the sounds of nature, but he figures he should at least try to give his host a little privacy. Although, even if he tries to concentrate on the whistling and chippering of groundhogs in their burrows, Keith’s voice is still closer, louder, and… much more interesting. No offense, groundhogs. “You know the feral one from yesterday? That you finished after I got to him? Well, he'd attacked a human- ... no, yeah, I know. Anyway, the guy didn’t die and turned into an Alpha. ... ... Yeah, I know... … Takashi, or Shiro. … … No, you don’t have to look him up, really.” The comment almost makes him smile. They wouldn’t find anything compromising if they did. Only maybe his public Instagram and the projects he worked on. Who does the guy think he is? Part of the mafia? He stops himself from snorting, knowing Keith would hear it. “… No, he's not-- he seems like a nice person? ... ... I know. … … Well, for now he hasn’t really lost control, surprisingly.” He cringes. “... Yeah. ... He’s currently outside, trying to rub the stains off my porch. … … Yeah about that- Can you take him in? ... ... … What? ... ... Oh … Fuck. Fucking bad timing. Ugh. ... No, yeah, I know, I planned on calling Matt too. ... ... I know." It doesn’t sound good. He doesn’t miss Keith’s heavy sigh. "... Okay. Be careful. And call me if you need help. I mean it—No, I know. But still, if I learn something happened and I could’ve helped prevent it, I’m going to be mad. I’m not a pup anymore, Kolivan. … … … Me too. Bye." There’s a soft thump coming from Keith’s room. Shiro can imagine the young man slumping on his bed. For a minute, the groundhogs become once again the loudest noise in the vicinity, before the young werewolf’s voice rises again. "Heyyyyy Pidge. What's up? ... ... Uh uh ... … Yeah, no. Things are a bit crazy around here, and I need to speak to Colleen. ... I know... sorry about that... Thanks, talk to you later. " Pause. "Hey Colleen, it's Keith. ... Yeah everything's fine. Well, I have a bit of a situation here… ... no, I'm fine, I promise.” Shiro smiles to himself. Seems like Keith has at least two werewolves out there who worries about him. “ So the thing is that a feral alpha has bitten a human yesterday on my territory, and turns out he's an Alpha too, now ... … Yes, I'm fine, I told you, really.” Is that annoyance he hears? “Kolivan can't take him, because of Blade reasons, and you know I have no idea how to deal with new Bitten--... ... Yeah, that too, of course. … … I know, I told him, but he really can't, so I was wondering if you could take him. He's been really nice for now, and he seems good with his control, from what I’ve seen. Not that he's been stimulated much but still, you know me. ... ... Uh uh.... yeah ... … … Oh. Okay. I see. ... erh, no don't worry. ... ... ... ... ... Yeah it's better than nothing. Okay. ... ... No. I planned on maybe getting his things tomorrow... … In town... ... I know. ... Yeah, I'll be careful. ... ... yes. ... ... alright thank you… … No don't be sorry, I understand. ... Talk to you later. ... Bye. " Keith hangs up, and the sigh he lets out is even louder. He hears him walk out of his room to get in the kitchen. Water starts running. Shiro doesn’t immediately join him. He looks down at his work instead: the water in his bucket has taken a red hue, and the wooden planks have lost theirs. If he wasn’t feeling bad about the situation, he’d be satisfied by his effort. Now, it feels like a poor consolation. Sighing, he gets back up, and into the house, joining his host. He can tell there’s something different in his smell. He’s starting to understand smells are linked to feelings, or emotions? But it’s really not a concept he’s familiar with, and he could be wrong. In any case, Keith’s smell has a way of looming Shiro’s guilt. " ‘Gonna have to look for alternatives?" he asks, lips pinched a bit. He grabs a clean cloth and starts drying the dishes Keith is washed. He can’t really offer to help Keith in his search, but maybe he can make other parts easier. "You know, if it's too much trouble, we don't need to go fetch my things. I didn't have that many to begin with." “We still have to get your clothes. Except theses shorts, nothing I have here will-" Keith stops. "...nevermind." His voice is smaller. "I do have some here you could use." A much quieter tone. His smell turns into something sourer and Shiro frowns. He’s not blind or stupid. He understands the change matched the expression on the smaller man’s face. Sadness? It’s hard to tell, and before he can investigate further, Keith changes the subject. "Matt and Pidge will come here on Saturday.” The day after tomorrow. “ They'll tell you about... stuff." ‘Stuff’ probably means werewolves, right? "So, you didn't have a job?" Keith asks, casually. "I did. It doesn't matter," Shiro answers, to close the subject. He doesn’t really want to think, and even less talk about what he’s lost. His eyes shift momentarily to his absent arm. "I won't be going back, won't I." He wishes it were a question. But they've covered this. It's okay. He knows. "I can probably get new clothes, can't I?" He hesitates. Seem to ponder whether or not he should raise up a certain question... decides against it, for now. "You'll be able to go back in about a month, if you want, like I told you... don't be dramatic... We don't all live in shacks in the wood or a field. Plenty of us have normal jobs, go to school and college." Keith answers, at first, and hesitates. "But you'll probably want to have a pack. That's the thing," he sighs. "Also, yeah, we can go shopping tomorrow, instead of going to the city, if that's really what you want." "I'd prefer it..." he admits. But... "What do you mean, I'll want a pack...? Can't I just go back to normal, if it isn't so dramatic to have turned? You seem to be doing perfectly well on your own,” he points out. “Can't I just... be like you?" His words immediately bring back the sour smell, and it’s even stronger than before. What wrong with Keith…? Shiro sets down the plate he is drying up and finds himself taking a step towards the other man, a hand lifting a few inches, as if reaching for him. He can't help the movement, because he barely notices he’s moving at all. Keith’s expression is hard to read. He’s standing, his back to the sink, looking by the window. "I had a pack." Almost a murmur. Then, a bit louder: "And now I have friends. I guess as long as you have friends you'll be fine. We're very... social. Loneliness is not good for our health, especially not for Alphas- " And Omegas. "- whose instincts are to lead a pack." "I'm... I see..." Shiro says, blinking a few times, still bothered by Keith’s smell. He wants to pull him in his arms, to press his face against his hair and nuzzle him like he did earlier until he doesn't feel so bad.
It feels like the right thing to do, really. He remembers the way that big wolf leant his head onto his lap and let himself be pet. So he crosses the distance between them in a few careful motions, and closes it with his arm around the guy. It slides across his back and settles at the base of his neck, behind his head. He holds his cheek close to the other Were's ear, but doesn't press against it in some last attempt at propriety. He wonders who takes care of this boy. If his friends know he's still sad. If they know about the wounds on his shoulders. He wonders if Keith ever asks anyone for help. Why he doesn't move away from here, or joins a new pack. Maybe he's just not ready, but... it looks like he's set in his ways. "Sorry," he mumbles, though it's unclear what exactly he's sorry about.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro stinks of blood and chemical product, but at that moment, Keith doesn’t mind. His body moves by itself to lean against the Alpha. It’s disarming, how much it comforts him. Not being alone. Having someone touching him, being close to him. Having another scent than his, in this house. It’s incredibly soothing. He moves his head in little motions, rubbing his cheek against Takashi's. He stops himself from nuzzling his neck though. That'd be... too intimate. Inappropriate. Tension lessens in his body. " T's'okay.” "Okay," Shiro repeats. The Alpha’s scent is filled with mixed emotions, but the dominant one is calm. There’s a little bit of confusion too. Maybe he’s wondering why leaning against him feels so pleasant, even if they’re basically strangers to each other. If he does, it doesn’t stop him from massaging the base of his neck as Keith pressed his face against Shiro's cheek, having him rubbing in kind, as soon as he caught on how nice it was. Keith gently steps away, albeit reluctantly.
They only met yesterday. He really, has to keep his instinct in check. "While I am here..." Shiro starts. "Aside from cleaning up after myself... is there anything I can help with? Ah- I can buy food, of course. Could I... check your wounds? Anything?" he wonders, eyebrows knitting once more as his eyes drop to look at those marks. He must have noticed how his own wounds are scarring well, if progressively, with his arm being the worse of it, and yet still tolerable. Keith’s ones are far from looking like scars. "You can pay your part of the food, for sure. We’ll do groceries tomorrow, when we get you some clothes,” he agrees. “As for the wounds..." He grimaces. There is something, but he doesn't even know if Shiro can do that yet. He doesn’t know when or how Alphas develop their stupid abilities. Just that they do. "... Technically you could help. But you probably don't know how and that's fine because I can't really teach you. It's more... instinctive. " Maybe he could teach another Omega how to release relaxing pheromones, but he can't help Shiro learn how to do his Alpha thing. "I can help?" Shiro perks up, clearly voluntarily ignoring the part where he doesn't know how. Ugh. Why must it be endearing? "Let me help. What am I meant to do?" He cannot really back down now, can he? At least he can try to explain it. "You could lick it better. Alpha’s saliva weird properties or something. Though, it's not only that. But I can't tell you more 'cause I'm not an Alpha. I just know it's something you guys can do when you want. But it’s not… always? Or else biting during fights would be counterproductive." He figures it’s about intent, like when he produces his calming pheromones. Maybe the healing substances are secreted by some salivary glands only when the Alpha really wants to heal a pack member. Again. Intent. "But I want to..." Shiro whines, eyebrows tightly pushed together in something like concern. "Can't I try?" Ugh. Should he…? Takashi is still an Alpha. But he seems like a good guy too. Plus, he doesn’t even smell aroused or excited, or anything inappropriate at the idea of being close to the Omega and licking him. "... You can try,” he finally agrees, with a little sigh. "Don't bite though." "Why would I do that...?" Shiro grimaces. "Alright... but let's sit down on the couch or something..." he says, already guiding Keith to it, and sitting him down, with an encouraging nudge, before he takes place next to him, body sat with one leg folded on top of their seat, so he can more comfortably turn Keith's way. Then the Alpha looks at the wound and his face scrunches up. Keith watches him with a little smile, as he leans in, and barely pokes his tongue out. As soon as the wet muscle brushes against the bumpy flesh, Shiro immediately leans away. "Okay ew ew ew--" he complains. Maybe not all his instincts have kicked in. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad in wolf form. This gets a chuckle out of his unfortunate patient, who starts getting back up. “Nevermind. Don't worry, they'll have disappeared in a week and a half." The worst thing is that he knows what he could say and do to awaken the guy's instincts, but he refuses to do it. He still has his pride, after all, and he’s not Shiro’s Omega. "No-- wait, sit back down, please." The Alpha stretches out and takes Keith's hand. "I don't want you to keep them... even less for two weeks.” He sounds absolutely genuine and Keith pauses. "Let me figure this out? Please, Keith... if not with you, I don't know that I'll have this opportunity..." Shiro keeps going, and the Omega rolls his eyes at the last bit. "Look at you, of course, you'll find someone who'll want your help," he sits back down. "Aaaalright. Have at it." "... what... what does that mean?" Shiro squints his eyes, stroking a finger softly over the fresh marks on the other man, as if scoping them out before he tries again. "You're an Alpha who's not full of himself, who seems to know how to cook, who does the dishes, and who naturally offered to help. You ask for things, you don't take them. You're not rude, and you're handsome." Keith enumerates casually, trying not to think about how those same arguments won’t help him reduce his wolf’s growing interest. "So yeah." Small shrug. "You're gonna be just fine." It’s Takashi’s turn to roll his eyes, and Keith shakes his head, bemused and amused. The guy is clearly not believing him. That’s a first.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro is convinced he's just being decent. "How can you tell that I'm any of these things? Maybe I'm only behaving because you helped me survive. I'll probably never make it up to you, actually," he bites down on his lower lip for a moment. When he next leans down, to lick at Keith, it's while telling himself he needs to pay him back. To thank this guy properly. To take care of him. That last part is felt strongly throughout his chest and stomach. Like a constant pull on his gut. But he doesn’t hit his wounds when he licks. He gets the skin riiight above. This isn't gross, thankfully. And in fact, Keith proves to have very smooth skin. And then he takes his hand, and gently swipes the parts he just licked downward, applying his saliva in a scarcer method... but one he can handle. And for a little while, this is what he'll repeat, his focus growing more and more, as he doesn't even pause to consider if it's even working-- Keith lets out a little hum, but doesn’t protest. He’s closed his eyes. Shiro takes it as a good sign and keeps going. The more he does it, the more confidence he gains. And the more he gets used to having his tongue on the guy's skin, the more it feels like maybe he should aim for the wound directly again. He doesn't notice when his hand settles on Keith's waist, after having pushed his hair to the side and readjusted himself. So, he does eventually do it properly. And unlike earlier, this feels a lot more normal. Like he’s helping, more directly, and it’s satisfying. He's also pressing his nose onto him, and dragging his lips, and if he didn't know what this was all for in the first place, he'd say-- No... it really is. It's pretty intimate... And before he knows it, he is pulling away, and contemplating Keith's shoulder, hand still resting on his side. Is he hallucinating or is the punctured skin… less red than it was before? The holes appear less deep as well. He smiles. But he’s not done yet. There are the claw marks near Keith’s ribs, and he doesn’t hesitate a second before lowering his face to lick at them directly. The other wolf is leaning away too, making his side more accessible. Somehow, it sends a jolt of utter gratification in Shiro’s chest, and he nuzzles the man’s pale skin, right next to the lacerations he's still coating with saliva. His hand on the young man’s waist gets a bit tighter, and he involuntarily pulls him towards him.
He really wants to be closer. To have the other wolf's body under his, to cover him with his scent so everyone will know Shiro was the one to take care of him— He barely feels Keith’s hand on his shoulder, as the werewolf starts pushing him back.
It’s the low growl that escapes his throat that surprises him, and he freezes, immediately pulling away, his hand off the man’s waist as if it had burnt him. His back straightens, stiffly. “I- “He starts, a guilt-struck look on his face. “I’m sorry I don’t-“ Keith cuts him off, his expression hard to read.
"I think it worked,” he simply says, not mentioning Shiro’s blunder. The Alpha can’t interpret his scent either. But he doesn’t seem… too mad? Shiro swallows, trying a little smile. "I think so too," he confirms, eyes flickering at the pink wounds. Despite what just happened, he cannot help feeling more than pleased with this outcome. It satisfied him on such a deep level, that he just kind of sinks back into the couch. The mix of guilt and satisfaction is utterly weird, and he’s not used to it at all. He takes a deep breath and catches Keith’s eyes. There is a hint of a smile on the younger man’s face, and relief crashes into Shiro. Ok. So, he messed up, but not too badly. And he still helped with the wounds. That’s-that’s good. For a moment, he lets his eyes slide shut, soaking in the feeling, content.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The possessiveness in Shiro’s scent had come all of sudden, and Keith hadn’t even needed to think before pushing him back. The growl had made his tense, but the Alpha’s reaction had baffled him. He’d just… pulled away. Just like that. He hadn’t even tried to persist, and had been immediately ashamed of his reaction. The Omega cannot help but smile. After the pain in his shoulder had been efficiently numbed by the Alpha, he’d shown his wounded side, carelessly. He can’t deny he played a part in Shiro's reaction, with how his wolf trusted the other werewolf, and convinced even his human side that it was a hundred percent certain that Takashi wouldn’t hurt him. He’s aware it’s a problem. He’s too relaxed. Too at ease. Is this because he’s touch-starved? Is that why he let an Alpha lick his wounds, as if it hadn’t been an Alpha that had caused them in the first place? He’s not sure he wants to overthink this. Because it feels nice not to be alone, even if it shouldn’t be so… easy. He’s always wary when he goes to town and meets Alphas. He never, never lets his guard down. And yet he did. Even right now, his wolf just wants him to lean against Shiro, to show gratefulness. Shiro, who's scent he has all over his body now. He hesitates between groaning and chuckling nervously. He does neither. Gods, he’s such a mess. "Thanks for that." He says, and slowly gets up. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll be back right after. You can think of a few more questions you want to ask, meanwhile," he suggests easily, and when he steps in front of the Alpha, he can’t help himself. It happens too fast. He leans towards Takashi, and quickly, gently rub his nose against the side of the man’s head, on his temple. Then he promptly leaves, to take another shower.
He hopes getting rid of the Alpha’s smell will keep his wolf in check.
Gods know he needs to.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Keith is wearing a white tank top and loose pale blue sweat pants when he comes out of the shower. His nose scrunches in a grimace when he catches a whiff of Shiro’s scent. Being underwater for ten minutes is apparently enough to refresh his senses, and reminding him how much the other reeks of a mix of sweat, blood, cleaning products and a remnant of his previous pain. “Can I take a shower too, please?” The Alpha asks, looking sorry, and Keith figures he probably hasn’t been subtle in his reaction. "Yeah, sure. I'll... bring you clothes." He suggests, and lets the man disappear in the bathroom. As soon as the water starts running, Keith opens the trapdoor in the hallway, revealing the staircase leading to the cellar. It’s been… a while since he’s been down there. He gets down to a dozen boxes surrounding him. The place mostly smells like an old house, but behind this prominent scent, a handful of others, more subtle ones lingers in the air. Keith calmly makes his way toward one of the boxes.
None of them are labeled, but his nose already tells him what he needs to know. His heart tightens in his chest when he opens the box containing clothing that will fit the new werewolf. With eyes prickling at the familiar scent, he quickly locates a black shirt and pants that he pulls out. In a hurry, he closes the box, making sure the precious memories don’t dissipate even more into the air. With no restraint whatsoever, he buries his face into the clothes and breathes in deeply. A whine gets stuck in his throat. Gods, he misses his dad so much. A minute passes before Keith peaks into the box he’s just closed, one hand still holding the clothes against his chest. There are still two shirts and a pair of pants in there. Sooner or later, his father’s scent will fade away. He knows that, and it terrifies him. He doesn’t want to imagine the moment he’ll lose the last trace of his dad’s smell. And the inevitable moment when he’ll forget it. But one shirt and one pair of pants less isn’t going to change the scent’s fading rate, he knows that. Hence why he’ll lend those clothes to Shiro. Swallowing with a tight throat, he makes his way back upstairs. He closes the trap shut, and heads for the bathroom. Opening the door, he enters casually, and puts the folded clothes on the top of the lowered toilet seat before leaving. His room is his next destination, and he falls on his bed, the lingering comforting scent of his dad still haunting him. A few minutes later, the water stops. He hears the little squeak of Shiro’s wet feet on the bathroom tiles. The brush of the towel against his skin. And the door opening. His name being called. "Keith...? Come here for a second," Shiro requests. Hm? He gets back up, keeping a carefully neutral expression on his face, and joins a… pretty naked Shiro, who’s just standing behind the bathroom’s door that is about a third open. For a split of a second, he eyes the guy’s crotch. Impressive size… Ugh. Not the time. The smell of his father's clothing brutally shoves him back to reality. There’s no such thing as efficient as a dead family member’s smell to erase any traces of libido. The familiar burning of grief hits him right back in the chest. "... move closer," Takashi says, leaning a bit further out the doorframe himself, his hand holding on to it so he won't fall over. So he does, entering the man’s personal space, less than half a meter from him.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Takashi has to take a step out, to close that distance Keith is keeping between the two of them. He doesn't know why he felt less exposed as long as his feet remained in the bathroom, but it feels different to be even this much out of it. Still, he refuses to cower back inside and instead, he presses his nose to the side of his host's face, just below his temple. Then he slides it up, head tilting so his lips meet his skin. His tongue peeks out from between them as he gives Keith the most subtle, most self-conscious lick a Were probably ever gave, because he's still torn between acting on his new urges and being... humanly decent. That gets a little choked noise out of smaller werewolf, who’s hand land on his waist, as he leans again him, briefly. Shiro really wanted to just—He hadn’t even needed to look at the clothes to understand, mostly thanks to context, that they probably used to belong to someone from Keith’s pack who the young werewolf clearing misses. "Thank you. For lending me those clothes," he presses his nose a bit more firmly against Keith's temple, before stepping back into the doorway again ready to turn away and get dressed. His host's hand drop from his back, as he pulls away too. Shiro doesn't see the point of closing the door anymore, though. "You're welcome." Keith says, voice soft. "You wanna go outside after?" "Sure," Shiro smiles, chest feeling warm again, like earlier on the couch. "What are we gonna do?" he blinks, curious. Has... Keith even slept? It’s late in the afternoon, but still. "Walk around. Test your nose and ears, so tomorrow won't be your first outing and your first public one." “That seems... achievable. "Okay," he agrees once more. "I'll just get dressed, and then I'll be right with you." Keith nods, and walks away. As he puts on the clothes, he wonders if Keith will take his wolf form again. He likes it a lot.
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
A moment later, they’re walking, leaving the house behind. Outside, it would be cold for humans outside, but neither of them are, even without jackets. The sky isn’t dark yet, but it’s slowly loosing of its light as the sun sets. Keith is heading for the forest, not far behind the house. The soft odors of the field are replaced by stronger ones from the woods. Each species of tree smells different, as do the herbaceous plants and fern. Even the soil has a distinctive more humid scent. "Oh. I just remembered something.” Keith starts, still walking. “I mean I knew you were human but... wanna test your speed and reflexes? That just implies running. You'll see it's pretty fun. Hopefully you won't crash into a tree." "Oh," Shiro almost gasps, loving the idea already. Running invokes freedom and fun in him, and he really, really wants to go for that. "Yes. Yeah- no, I would. Should I follow you? I'll follow you. Lead the way," he rambles excitedly. Keith hesitates for a moment, pursing his lips. “Not saying you’re absolutely going to want that, but if you feel like jumping on me, please don’t do it“ he warns, and Shiro’s enthusiasm turns into confusion for a moment. Why would he jump on him…? Is that an Alpha thing? That sounds… weird, to say the least. But Keith knows best, right? So he won’t question it. He nods with a serious “Alright”, already mentally keeping himself in check not that give in to whatever impulse he’ll have. Keith smiles at him."Try to keep up,” he challenges and starts running. "I'll--" try, he was going to say, but Keith bolts off, and Shiro cackles before immediately following him. He's never actually liked running, so this new joy at the prospect and even during the activity is refreshing. Although it’s not as easy as he thought. He’s unbalanced by his missing arm, and keeps wanting to move it, like arms normally move during runs. He can *feel* it moving. Except it’s not there. And it’s not balancing his other half. It’s unsettling. He's also got....... not the best cardio, but he seems fine, at best. He'll definitely try and come out more often now that he finds enjoyment in this. It's an incredible exercise in reflexes, like Keith said. But it's not just about hitting trees. It's about knowing how to hit the ground, when to loosen your ankles as your run, or how to angle them to avoid sprains-- it's about not being distracted when leaves whip at your calves, and to keep pushing even when you've ducked to avoid a last-minute low branch you could barely see before that turn-- No, really, it is fun. As soon as he figures he might as well let his senses guide him, he also finds Keith has been nice to him in his speed. Because he is now taking note that each time he thinks he's got this-- that he's finally got the hang of this, and he can keep up just fine-- Keith accelerates. It makes him push himself harder. Try to keep up more. But he's soon giving up. It's all well and good, but he knows where his skills lie, and they are not in running. They’re still both going ridiculously fast. Way faster than he’s ever run before. There’s a strain in his legs, but he still has the feeling he could beat an Olympic runner without problems. It’s exhilarating. When he ends up slowing to a stop, he’s breathing faster, a bit harder, but nowhere close to doubling over like he’s used to having to do. Even if.... he has never run for this long, or this fast ever in his life before. "Holy shit-- Keith--" he pants. The other werewolf is coming back from the twenty meters or so he had in front of Shiro. His cheeks are pink and his breathing is slightly faster. But what really catches Shiro off guard are the two black wolfish ears that have replaced his human ones. There's also a dark bushy tail with hints of white coming off his lower back, lowering his sweat pants. Shit. He can’t believe he’s really seeing that.
Well, he’s witnessed him change into a wolf, but this? It’s fascinating, and— and cute. "You know, you're not supposed to break a sweat. We can run for hours, normally. Were you pushing yourself too hard, by any chance?" The werewolf openly teases him. "You think?" Shiro looks at him, wide-eyed and a little hurt. Hey. Running is tough shit, okay? Whatever wolves are meant to keep up with, or what cardio he is meant to have magically acquired. He tries not to pout, but his face twists into one anyway, and he looks away. "You can go ahead if my pace is too boring for you. I'll probably have done a few back and forth here by the time you're back." Keith snorts, amused. "It's fine. Plus, hey, you're still recuperating,” he concedes, leaning against a tree with arms crossed against his chest. "Wanna tell me how many squirrels there are that you can hear?" Shiro lets it slide, since Keith is changing the subject, but he still side-eyes him warily, his pride still hurting. He focuses around, to try and differentiate the squirrels from the other animals, because it takes his mind off that mess, at least. It proves easier than he'd expected. They sound different in their way of moving, of course, but their scent is something else as well. By the time he replies, he has a mental note of the different fauna around them. “Five?” He suggests, turning to Keith, who’s now sitting on the ground, absently playing with his tail.
It looks really soft. "Good! Not bad. You missed the babies over there," he gestures to his right. "And over there." Further away in front of Shiro. "But they're all sleeping in their nest, and when you're not used to it it's hard to figure out how many different heartbeats there are when they're all at the same place," he explains, raising his eyes from his tail to Shiro. "Also when they're younger, their heartbeat is faster, like an adult mouse, so they can be hard to differentiate. But they all smell a lot like their mother.” That… makes sense, and Shiro nods. He doesn't see the purpose of knowing how to recognize a baby squirrel from its mom, but maybe the practice will come in handy down the line? Plus, it's a little interesting, he won't lie. "Can you name the rest of the animals around us?" Keith asks, curious. Shiro is sorry to tell Keith that he does not know all of the animals he smells, let alone their names. But he's already grouped them, and he starts talking about the ones he does know. Some, there are in the city as well. Fatter, he reckons. From the birds, the smallish herbivores, carnivores, and bigger animals... this place seems so full or life. There are also grass snakes, which makes him smile when he notices, because he used to pick those up as a child... "Do insects count? Because I might lose patience there--" and he also reckons he wouldn't be able to spot more than half of them if he tried. "No, no, insects don’t count. I don't even know the names of most insects... and there are way, way too many." Keith reassures him. “You’re pretty decent at his,” he praises the Alpha, who really cannot help but grin back at him. Yes, he’s proud to be ‘pretty decent’ at naming about a quarter of the animals he can smell. Keith gets back up on his feet, still with wolf ears and tail, and starts walking away. Shiro follows him, obviously. He leads him to a rabbit’s burrow, so Shiro can associate the animal with its smell. He does the same for a fox, and they meet a raccoon and a partridge on their way. About thirty minutes later, Shiro picks up another smell. Well, now that he pays attention to it, he notices that the smell has been there all along, lingering. But it’s definitely getting stronger at the moment. He turns toward Keith, who’s ears have straightened in an alerted position. "Oh, we're about to have company." Something is running toward them, from away. Something big, and with a fast pace, from the sound of it. He thinks there might be more than one, but before he can ask, Keith speaks: "It's okay they're from the Marmora pack. Betas," the half-shifted werewolf mentions. Fifteen seconds later, two huge wolves jump in front of them. One of them, with brownish fur and slightly smaller than the other, is showing its teeth in a low growl. Keith doesn't look impressed, but Shiro immediately assumed a slightly wider stance, feeling the skin on his back prickle. He can’t control the moment he answers the smaller wolf with a similar growl. He’s tensed, but in the corner of his eyes, he sees Keith walk to the grey wolf, the biggest of the two. Part of him wants to jump in between. But Keith is smiling, and he can’t help but notice how cute he is, with all the fluff going on for him. That tail, his ears... they... they really both contribute to his smelling a bit stronger, which is pleasant for Shiro, and have the bonus of making him look downright adorable. Not that this is useful for him to think about, but his brain really wanted to point it out. Shiro instinctively associates the smile with the softer, sweeter scent emanating from his host. Happiness. He’s happy to see those two wolves. "Thace, Regris, I suppose Kolivan told you about Shiro? He's still doing well, if that was his inquiry." At these words, the calmer wolf walks to Keith and rubs his head against his waist. The young werewolf's smile softens and he pets the thick grey head. The next thing Shiro’s brain helpfully points out to him is with more force, more urgency. Keith told you wolves were sociable. He needs friends. This tension is misplaced. He sees the greyer, older wolf look straight at him, and he feels called out, somehow. He'd been looking at Keith, feelings a little bit past curiosity, and he's just been put back in his place. Sort of. His stance is back to normal and he schools his own expression in a neutral one as well, heart beating much faster than he would like it to. Because they can all tell. And he's not used to that either. Keith crouches next to the big wolf, who rubs his head against his. He huffs and looks back and forth between Shiro and Keith. The other, brownish wolf has stopped baring is teeth, but his eyes are clearly still watching Shiro with wariness. Even if he’s calmer now, Takashi cannot help but stare back at him, absolutely unwilling to lose this staring contest... but he doesn’t really have a choice when Keith walks back to him, closely followed by the grey wolf. "Thace is like an uncle to me. He and my mom were raised in the same pack. And Regris, over there-- stop with the glare, Reg, he didn't even move." Keith gestures to Shiro. “Reg is a Bitten, like you, but it was consensual... " The wolf -Thace- moves to his left, and quickly shifts to half-human form. He's a tall, muscular man, with big grey furry ears, but something about him is gentle, not threatening. Of course, he's butt naked. Of course. And Shiro has the presence of mind not to stutter or seem uncomfortable. They'd probably laugh at him. So. No, thanks. Keith was right. He'll get used to it. Might as well start now. "As Keith mentioned, our Alpha wanted us to go check on you, when he felt you out of your territory." The werewolf says. "Nice to meet you, Shiro" “It's nice to meet you as well, Sir. " Shiro replies, his unease dissipating a bit. And then, since a wording of the guy's caught his attention: "Uhm... my... my territory?" he questions, brows arching in surprise. Maybe he shouldn't ask stupid questions. Now he just feels stupid. Which... he kind of wanted to avoid. And he's... oddly jealous of whatever Alpha can just send the people around him on errands. Not that this sensation is in any way concrete in his mind. Just... it seems nice to have people who like or respect you enough to run around for you when you ask nicely. "He meant my territory." Keith answers firmly, shooting an annoyed look at his uncle. His ears are leaning back slightly. "Hmm. Yeah. Keith's territory. Sorry I was unclear." Thace sounds a bit sheepish and awkward. Shiro shoots the most apologetic look he ever gave Keith when the guy corrects his slip up. He actually knew he had no territory, and Thace's wording had confused him. He meant to correct him, next, but… this is fine. He was right about shutting up: he should have. "Anyway, we're almost all leaving soon, and that's why we couldn't take you with us, Shiro, but you do seem like a good fellow." Regris growls again, and Keith frowns at him. The wolf snaps his teeth, and Keith immediately growls. It comes out rough, loud and threatening. The entirely of Shiro’s bashful state dissipates when he sees the slip of surprise on Thace’s face. He doesn’t miss the side-eye look the Marmoran shoots at Keith. A tiny smile starts spreading on Takashi's lips. Thace clears his throat "No, Regris, we're not biting him to test his control..." he chastises the younger wolf, with a firm yet patient voice. Then, he turns back to Shiro. "How are you holding up?"
For some reason, Shiro thinks the man means his arm? Like. Rock solid, that's what he assumes. "I'm uh... getting used to it. Slowly. It's... different. I think I cried at some point?" he tries to joke, in order to maybe lighten up the mood. Maybe. "I have no idea if I'm going to be able to manage..." he adds.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith is upset. It’s stupid and he knows it, but he’s upset. Thace looks surprised at Takashi’s words, but even more at the change in his nephew’s scent in reaction to them. The thing is, he was so certain he had given Shiro confidence! Confidence that he’d do well as a werewolf, that he wouldn’t have any difficulty to make friends and make a pack. Hell, the guy had managed to heal his wounds, like a great Alpha ought to! Then why does he think he won't manage? Has Keith failed that much in his support role? It does feel like it. "W-what, you did? Is something still hurting? You'll do great, you're already doing great..." Keith tries, and his uncle puts a firm hand on his shoulder. A silent sign that he knows Keith is upset, but also a warning to calm down. His scent gives him away as do his ears, nearly flattened back on his head. "You seem to have a good control of your instincts. You'll feel more in harmony with them after your first full moon, don't worry, I'm sure you'll manage easily." The older beta reassures, and Keith feels bad. He should be able to keep his calm. To reassure Shiro like Thace just did. Hell, he’s supposed to be the one good at it, and all he manages to do is being upset about it. The hand on his shoulder squeezes a little bit, and even Regris walks to him to press against his side. Shiro’s expression is apologetic, and for a moment he looks like he wants to get closer to Keith as well. But his eyes flickers to the brown wolf who had growled at him a few minutes before, and he stays put. "Thank you," is all he says. Thace's hand falls off Keith shoulders. "Alright. You two take care,” he says, with a gentle smile. "Yeah... you too. Be careful and come back, alright?" Keith says, trying to forget how upset his wolf feels, to focus on the matter at hand. "You too Regris." The wolf barks, as Thace leans and pulls his nephew into a hug. "Don't do anything stupid while we're away..." the wolf-man whispers and Keith huffs, before hugging him back and pressing his nose against his neck for a few seconds. Then, he lets go, and crouches down to bury his face in the brown wolf’s fur. He’s vaguely aware that Thace is moving, getting closer to Shiro, and speaking to him in hush tones. “Control is about will, young man, but you cannot always hold your wolf back. There’s a fine line to walk. I believe you’ll find it.” There’s a little pause. “Keith has always been an honorary member of our pack. I don’t know how long we’ll be away, but if something were to happen to him…” Keith doesn’t need to see his uncle’s face to know that he’s displaying a threatening smile to the Alpha. When he glances back at them, Thace has already shifted into his canine form. The grey wolf walks to him, gives a lick on his cheek, and promptly runs away, followed by Regris. They disappear as fast as they had arrived, and silence falls between the two remaining werewolves. Keith takes off his tank top and sweat pants, and in a second, goes from half-shift to full-shift. Compared to the two Betas, he’s noticeably smaller. He grabs his clothes in his mouth, and promptly starts trotting on the way back to his house. It's not that he doesn't want to talk with Shiro... but... yeah he's still a bit upset about the whole 'I don't think I can manage it'. There’s a lingering thought in his head he can’t get rid of.
Was Shiro always so unsure of how he’d ‘manage’? Or did it start when he heard Keith had failed to settle him with the Marmora and the Holts? Does his insecurity come from the fact that Keith is going to have to teach him? Does he think he won’t be able to teach him enough so he can manage? He shakes his head, pushing the upsetting thoughts away. He usually likes how the wolf’s simpler thoughts make him feel lighter. However, right now, even his instincts screams at him that he’s a poor excuse for an Omega.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro may not have seen Keith's wolf form much this far, but he had somehow assumed that he’d always be thrilled to see it. Except where words lack, the wolf is still emanating an unhappy vibe that Shiro picks up on even if he has no idea where it comes from precisely. Or why it's there exactly. He has a hunch it's about his friends leaving. For a while, he lets him move ahead, and nearly out of sight. Listens to him move through the forest, and gives him some alone time. If Keith feels like running, as well as trotting, good on him. But he has made the obvious decision of leaving Shiro behind when he morphed, and it doesn't sit well with the Alpha. But when it becomes clear that Keith is not exactly feeling any better, even as they cover more and more ground on their way back, he sort of finds it necessary to... "Keith. Hey..." he knows he doesn't need to speak up for the wolf to hear him. And Shiro has stopped walking, focusing on how he feels. On why he could possibly be this affected. "... are you okay?" he wonders, hating how he seems to be talking to himself. And he might as well be if the other chooses to ignore him. The wolf slows down, and turns to look at the Alpha, clothes still hanging from his mouth. He stares at him for a moment. Seems to be hesitating, and the whine he lets out is one of impatience, of restlessness. The clothes are dropped on the ground, and Keith changes back to his human form, standing up. He doesn't look sad, just a bit frustrated. "Why did you say you didn't think you could manage? Is that because no one could take you in? Is that what made you think like that?" Shiro doesn’t understand. Keith saw how he managed. Which is to say... poorly. With some frustrations. Why is he asking him this...? "No... no, it's just that I'm not... it still feels all wrong not to have it," Shiro swallows, his arm going up to rub at his shoulder. Testing the still-sore spots, and trying not to wince. It's difficult. "Why...?" The new werewolf sounds a bit more defensive, now. "Did any of them say they didn't want to take me in because I was handicapped?" Now, he's hurt. And it wasn't even as if he'd ever wanted to leave the place where he became a werewolf in the first place... but this type of rejection is a lot worse than just plain old... people being too busy. "What? No! I told you it was no problem and that I knew wolves with missing limbs! Is that why you think you can't manage to be a werewolf? That's ridiculous!" "That's not-- I wasn't talking about-" Though now Keith mentions it... how will he ever even build a pack, when he doesn’t know anyone-- He is taken aback. Because he wasn't there yet. He wasn't ready to think about all that. But it seizes his chest with a new kind of fright. Something closer to dread. Shiro swallows, eyes darting down, breathing heavy. "I was saying I didn't know how I'd manage without my arm... you've seen me go... it's difficult." He hates it. And... he's remembering things funny now. Was Thace not asking him about that...? Keith takes a deep breath, as if in an attempt to calm down. When he speaks again, it’s with a defeated voice. " Thace wasn't asking about your arm. He was asking your new condition, y'know, the werewolf one. And you're doing good," it sounds like the younger man is restraining a whine. "Plus you managed to cook your ham and wash the porch with one hand only. I know wolves who’d suck at doing both and they have two hands. I... I know it can't be easy, though... Sorry." He's not looking in Shiro's eyes. "Oh..." Just like before, Shiro cannot help it. As the werewolf in front of him explains himself, he needs to step closer. He wants to let Keith know he's sorry, so he takes his hand in his. He swallows back how much he dislikes not being able to grab both. There’s a little shift in Keith’s scent. Less sad? He wouldn’t say ‘happier’. Just… better. Calmer, maybe. "Okay," Shiro first says, in a promise that he believes him. "Thank you, Keith." And before his mind starts to wonder too much at all the ever-contradicting behaviors this guy has shown, and what he can possibly be thinking, he takes another small step forward, and leans to bump his nose against Keith's. Because it feels appropriate? Even if the man is naked. Even if they met earlier in the morning. Keith makes a little noise, and Shiro sees the faint blush on his cheeks, despite growing darkness of the incoming night. He is pretty sure he feels the boy’s nose pressing back into his before he steps back. "Let's go home. I'm... probably going to crash. But you can eat whatever you want." Keith says 'let's go home' like someone would say 'grandma made us muffins' to their friend. It's not rocket science to figure that. It's really not... but it still tugs at Shiro's heart to hear it. Just a smidge. He swallows it back. Because, well. Keith won't have meant it that way. He knows that. It was still sweet though. "Oh-- yeah, shoot, you haven't really slept yet, haven't you..." There's a bit of guilt that claws up his back, now. Yes. They really do have to head back. Let this guy finally sleep. So he throws Keith's sentence back at him: "Alright. Let's go home." The younger man smiles, and promptly shifts back into a wolf. He takes his clothes off the ground, in his mouth, and nudges Shiro with them. The man chuckles. At first, he just pets Keith’s muzzle, briefly, if softly. Yes, he’ll carry them for Keith, absolutely. The wolf stretches his back and yawns, revealing incredibly sharp teeth that looks even sharper than the Beta’s ones. Or maybe it’s just because Takashi stares at them with more attention. This time, Keith doesn’t walk far in front of Shiro. He stays close, either by his sides or just a meter ahead, with a slower pace. To his amusement, his host doesn’t shift back, even when they get home, so he has to be the one to open the unlocked door for both of them. Then the black wolf disappears in Keith’s room, and Shiro lets him go rest with a quiet “Good night.” He sits on the couch, and even when his breathing evens out, he's so afraid he'll wake Keith up by moving around again that he simply tugs at all the blankets on the couch (with, at first, very little success, as it is very hard to do this without pulling at two corners at the time--). Then he undresses and tries very hard to fold his and Keith’s clothes, before putting his semi-success the nearby chair. He lays down, pretending to sleep until he does doze off.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Shiro wakes early though, with a discomfort he wouldn't be so quick to label as pain, echoing through the stump left by his missing arm. He gets up and tries to massage some of it away, until he remembers Keith left some painkillers for him somewhere. He takes two and puts on the sports shorts Keith had given him on the first day (not the clothes from his former pack member, he doesn't dare take from Keith's former pack without his consent.) It's so early, that the sun hasn't risen yet, and for a while, he sits outside to watch it, exercising his senses again. Everything is still so different... and unreal. Yet here he is. Oddly enough, five minutes after taking the Advils, he doesn’t feel pain anymore, and twenty minutes after, the pain comes back. He remembers something about… fast metabolism? So it works for healing, but also for metabolizing meds. G r e a t. After a while, he goes back inside to grab four, this time, hoping they’ll last longer. It takes him an hour to decide he's nearly ravenous, so he gets back up and heads to the kitchen. And there... well. He does as well as anyone with only an arm might be expected to do. He finds eggs to cook… and doesn't manage to keep a single yellow center intact. One of them burns on one side, and when he realizes this, he tries to pick it up with his hand instead of with his spatula. Which... only succeeds in burning him when his fingers graze the pan, having him let out a yelp, fingers going straight to his mouth, so he can suck on them. Oddly enough, the pain disappears almost as soon as it appeared. Magic saliva, maybe? Or is it the accelerated healing? He has no idea. Anyway, he manages to toss all of them into a plate. You'd think they'd all have the same level of cooking, but you'd be surprised at how slow someone can be at cracking eggs open when he's not used to only having half as many hands as he used to. So they're all uneven. One is severely overcooked, two seem okay, and one is slightly wobbly still. It makes Shiro sigh heavily as he turns off the stove. Surely he couldn't mess up toast, right...? As he puts bread slices in the toaster, he hears Keith trots out of his room to join him. Still a wolf. Did he… sleep like that? His tail is wagging gently, and he bumps Shiro’s side with his muzzle, in greeting. "Hey, good morning," Shiro smiles down at the wolf. "The terrible smell wake you? Didn't mean to--" he chuckles. "But hey. I'll take the least adequate ones, since they're my bad. Don't worry about it. You sleep well?" he asks, giving up on breakfast briefly, so he can rub at Keith's ears a little bit. He gets a lick from the wolf, which makes him smile. Then his hand is back up, and he tries to split their breakfast into two portions. He makes sure to give the less burnt eggs to his host. Keith walks to the table, and changes into a naked human, before sitting down. " I did, thanks. Also, they’re not that burnt, so really it's not so bad. I'm... thanks for making breakfast." Shiro smiles, and soon brings him his plate, utensils, and a glass of water, just because he probably needs one even though he didn't think to get any. Then he does the same for himself and starts digging in as soon as he's sat. He’s actually been hungry for ages now. "We're heading out today...?" he remembers halfway through his second bite. "We are." Keith confirms, before starting to eat as well.
He eats… fast. The first time Shiro saw him eat, the day before, he had assumed the guy had been starving, but it seems like the young werewolf makes a habit of ingesting his meals as quickly as possible. Oh well. He does pause for speaking, at least. "It's a fifteen-minute drive. And over there, you have to tell me if something is too much, okay? It's better to get out than to regret staying...” "Have you... do those... that can happen?" Shiro purses his lips uncomfortably for a moment, dreading their outing that much more. Well-- No. Not that he dreads it, but… It's going to be so different... isn't it? "I mean. I- I think I'll be okay....?" he smiles the most unsure smile he was probably able to accidentally muster. "Probably… Thace and I weren’t lying when we told you your control seems good. But just in case, you know. Shopping malls and grocery stores are noisy places. The wheel carts are squeaky, the background music is annoying, and there are a lot of people talking. Plus, you can’t escape the smells. This mall has a Lush store? Worse. Thing. Ever.” "I already feel annoyed just with your descriptions," Shiro laughs, shoulders visibly shivering. It doesn't help that he didn't put a shirt on. "Do you go as little often as possible?" he asks, curious. Keith gives a little shrug. "I got used to it. Sometimes the Marmora pack brings me some stuff, but I usually go by myself. The fridge isn’t big, so groceries last max two weeks. "I'll get used to it too, then," he figures, and stuffs more of his gross eggs in his mouth. Keith's eating so fast... he feels the need to catch up."How are your wounds?" Keith eventually asks. Shiro can see how the one on the young werewolf’s shoulder looks better than the day before, thanks to his intervention. It’s ever so satisfying to notice. He can’t see the one on his side, but he supposes it’s better as well. "Great!" he kind of… lies. " I took painkillers when I woke up..." he amends immediately after. "Thank you for leaving them out for me. Ah-- and... yours...?" he swallows uncertainly. He wants to hear the truth, sure... but he also wants the truth to be that Keith's okay, or he'll have done a lamentable job yesterday.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Jokes on you Shiro, werewolves can hear lies through the skip in his heartbeat. Plus, Keith obviously noticed how the man has been moving his stump in an attempt to lower the discomfort. So he shoots an unimpressed look to the Alpha, before taking a mental note to buy a shitload of Advils. Damn werewolves. "They’re okay.” Keith confirms. He still feels them, but they’re more annoying than really painful. "Alright," Shiro smiles. He finishes chewing on a new bite, before he asks: "Is okay... okay?" he asks vaguely. "There's no need for you to go through unnecessary pain if we can help it..." he points out, eyes roaming Keith's chest for something else he could take care of before they leave. "It doesn't really affect my movements. 'Could run just fine yesterday." Keith gives a little shrug, before taking two more bites. He doesn’t think Takashi has to lick him again. Sure, it could help a little bit, but really, he’s already trusting the other wolf too much. He doesn’t need an Alpha. His wounds are just a few scratches, really. He shouldn’t allow Shiro to melt even more of his defenses away. Shiro’s pale eyes stare at him. "Like I said,” the man slowly starts, as if walking on eggs. “It feels unnecessary to let you go through any pain that I can help. You could consider it a thank-you for everything you're doing...?" he suggests, tentatively. The toast comes out, and he fetches them, setting two in Keith’s plate, and two in his. "I thought the porch cleaning yesterday was the thank you..." Keith comments as he takes the last bite of his eggs, before spreading strawberry jam on his toasts. Takashi is lagging behind a little bit, and talking really isn't helping him pick up the pace. But he still answers. “Hmm, yeah, no, that was a 'sorry'. Now I'm moving on to the 'thanks'," he grins.
What a stupidly handsome smile, even if it’s borderline teasing.
For a moment, Keith can’t take his eyes off it. But then the Alpha takes a bite of a really dark and crunchy part of his eggs, and Keith doesn’t miss the guy’s frown as he does. Ew. He winces in sympathy. Of course, he had noticed Takashi had given him the best part of the eggs. He had appreciated the gesture, and his wolf had, well, really liked the idea that the Alpha was trying to provide for him. Which is ridiculous, because Keith had been the one paying for the eggs anyway. " It's not like it was your fault." Keith shakes his head, grimacing a little bit. "You really don't think that...?" Keith's eyebrows rise up. "You mean you think it was your fault that you happened to cross paths with an Alpha that probably lost his pack very recently and became feral because of it? The people that killed his pack are way more to blame than you. I told you, wrong place, wrong time, not your fault at all." It’s not really a wild guess. There aren’t a lot of ways to make an Alpha go crazy when it’s not a full moon. Plus, that mad wolf had smelled of distress and rage… Yeah, no, he’s pretty sure of what happened. Shiro hums, eyes lowering for a second. When he lifts them, there’s a worried look into them. Maybe scared? Though the hints in his smell are not convincing enough. "What... happened to him?" "Can't know for sure. Chances are, he had troubles with the Galra, who decided to punish him..." Keith mumbles, not really comfortable with the subject. "So this... doesn't happen often... right...?" Shiro asks, and his tone is mirroring Keith’s discomfort. The young werewolf hesitates. He doesn’t really want to talk about it, but the Alpha should at least know the basis of what happened in the werewolf’s world, because even if it doesn’t affect him at the moment, it’s still the reality he lives in. Plus, one never knows when the Galra will go on a power streak and- Keith tries not to think about it too much. Kolivan refused to tell him details about the Blade’s mission. He’s aware it’s for his own good, but really, he can’t help wondering: is the timing of the Alpha going feral and the Blade leaving for a mission a mere coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Keith takes a deep breath. He had told Shiro about the Galra the day before, but it’d been vague. Plus, Takashi and him are going on errands today. If they meet someone important from the Galra pack… He’s never smelled one of them at the small mall, really, but what if. Ugh. Okay. He can make a short summary. He shoots a glance at the Alpha, who looks like he wants to withdraw his question. " It's been worse in the past two years, since Zarkon killed Alfor. Alfor was the Alpha of a pack named Altea, which was one of the big pack, along with the Galra. The city was divided between the two of them, and things were relatively peaceful… Humans have royalty, right?” Keith asks, and Shiro gives a small nod. “Well, it’s not exactly the same, but it’s similar. Imagine Alfor and Zarkon as kings of two kingdoms: Altea and Galra. Each kingdom has a capital, which here would be the main, huge pack, led by Alfor and Zarkon. Again; very powerful packs. But they also have several towns, in their kingdom, which are smaller packs that have their own Alphas. Those Alphas, in theory, still answered to their King.” “Like the President and Senators…?” “…maybe? I don’t really know of human politics.” Keith shrugs. “Anyway, the ‘in theory’ part is important. A lot of packs were neutral, even if they had their territory on Altean or Galran lands. They had paid for it, or had had it for generations, so they didn’t consider they owed anything to their ‘King’. That was a common occurrence, back then,” Keith pauses. “Then, a bit more than two years ago, there was a shift. Within months, tension rose between Galra and Altea, and people had to take allegiances, or, well, were highly encouraged to do so. I think it's like… in the human world, if you don't want a candidate to win the presidency, then you better vote for the other than not vote at all, y'know? So... yeah. Shit hit the fan when negotiations turned south and Zarkon actually killed Alfor. Packs under the Altean banner were either punished, forced to join the Galra or exiled... etc. So... yeah. It's been two years. The situation is still pretty shitty, but less chaotic." "Well shit..." Shiro swallows. He pinches his lips together briefly, and then opens his mouth, as if he's about to say something, before he shuts it again. He manages to voice his thoughts after a few seconds. "And... you guys? You... and your friends, I mean... are you guys okay?" "We all manage. The Holt didn't really have a choice, with Sam's work and Matt and Pidge still going to school. As soon as the rumor of Alfor’s death started to spread, Colleen made the smart move of announcing a change of allegiance, to join the winning party. Her pack is small, and had been pretty neutral in the whole conflict, so it didn't get a lot of attention. They were ‘forgiven’ for choosing the wrong side at the beginning. Kolivan and the others... well... It's a bit complicated. Officially, they’re also a branch of the Galra, but they’re kind of… against them." Keith trails off. He doesn’t elaborate on his own situation. If someone asks, he’s part of the Marmora, but it’s more complicated than that. "Thank you for telling me all this," Shiro lets out softly. It's only when Shiro thanks him that he realizes he shouldn't have said that about the Marmora pack. He… doesn't know the guy at all. Yet his stupid instinct is utterly convinced he can trust Shiro. Like. No doubt about it. 100% sure. He has never told anyone who didn’t already know about the Blade of Marmora. Sure, he didn’t say a lot, but it’s still enough to make the whole organization crumble if Shiro were to speak to the right (or wrong, in the case) person. His chest feels tight. Fuck. He messed up. Okay, deep breath. Shiro’s still here. He’s a nice guy. “Yeah. I'm assuming you won't go as soon as possible to the Galra to sell them out..." he mumbles. "I'm not taking this lightly, Keith. I won't." Shiro’s voice sounds firm, almost solemn, as if he’s trying to reassure Keith that he’s being honest. "They’re one of the groups-- packs- I mean- that would have taken me in if they'd been able to... right? That's not nothing, I'm sure. And besides..." he chuckles. "Who would I tell? I've only got you." "For now." Keith grimaces slightly. But he still trusts the guy. Plus, he saved his life, that has to count for something in the balance, right? He forces himself to relax, before getting up.
If they are to go shopping, he has to put some clothes on.
The ones Shiro left in the living room will do just fine. After a moment of hesitation, Takashi puts back on his father’s clothing as well. Keith notices him looking intently at his clawed side, as he pulls up his sweatpants up. The Alpha opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Hm. He must have changed his mind. "Alright. You're ready?" Keith asks, and immediately, Shiro pats at his pocket, before looking around briefly, then back at Keith with a curiosity. “Did you uhh... did you have my stuff?" he wonders, looking around briefly, then at the other man, almost curiously. "Yeah. I put them in a box- Wait, I’m gonna grab it for you," And he leaves, opening a door to another bedroom, with a smaller bed. Shiro glances inside, curiously, but doesn’t enter. The room doesn’t smell a lot like the Omega. Ten seconds later, Keith is handing an open box to Shiro. Inside lay a wallet, a set of keys, and the skeleton of a broken camera are pathetically displayed.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro hums, looking at his stuff. He must have lost his phone though. And... the camera is... Well. Okay. He'll uh. He's tempted to look at it now. Search for the part that holds the SD card, and hope to hell it's there… Shit he hopes it's there. He'll have a few months worth of profit if it's intact... His heart is beating fast, and he looks at Keith. "Uh... shit. Okay. I wasn't expecting this. Would you... mind if I check through this now? Or I can do it later....." He does not feel like doing it later. "Later is better. The sooner we leave, the less people there'll be." "Oh-- yeah, yes, no of course... that makes sense." Shiro bites on his lower lip. It won’t change a thing to look at them now or to look at them later, after all. If they’re screwed up, they’ll still be screwed up later. He sighs, and picks up his wallet, with one last look at his camera that has him stifling a whine. He turns away, looking through his beige, faux-cuir wallet to make sure he's got all his cards. When he finds them all, relieved he didn't forget any at the place he lived, he pockets it. "Sorry 'bout the camera. Not that it wasn't already like that when you arrived, but still." Keith says. "Thanks-- no, it's fine- the camera's not the best I--" Something seems to click in his mind. Shit... he has a bit of equipment he wouldn't mind getting back, in the room he's renting out... and he'd paid months in advance (until Christmas, just to be left alone) so he knows no one will look through his stuff, but... No. Okay. Not the time. He doesn't want to backtrack on what he said before, despite the profound unease now present in his chest. "It's fine. Let's go." Keith eyes him, skeptical, but doesn't insist, which Shiro is glad for. It’s only fair though. He doesn’t insist on subjects that make his host uneasy, and Keith does the same. The younger man grabs a set of keys, and leads Shiro out. They’re walking to the garage when Keith asks: "You have many cameras?" "Just two," he specifies vaguely, not wanting to crowd Keith with too-specific information he didn't ask about, and won't be interested in. "It's fine... I'm just... I hope the memory storage is intact." Keith pulls the garage door up, manually, to reveal a messy room. Among disparate tools and tables fills with various mechanical parts and boxes, two things stand out. One of those is certainly a motorcycle, but it’s hidden by a protective cover. The other one is an old-looking dark red jeep, which smells- well… old. Keith immediately hops in the driver seat of the jeep and unlocks the door (manually) for Shiro. "Huh, nice ride," Shiro comments as he heaves himself inside, looking at the vehicle. Keith snorts in answers. Maybe he's biased because he doesn't actually own a car, because despite its aging quality, he does actually find it nice. The motorcycle makes him all the more curious, but he's okay with not getting a peek at it. He wonders if it's old too, though... "You can say it looks like it's falling into pieces, I won't take it personally. " Keith says, before starting the car. "No way!" he chuckles, denying the younger man's words. "I like it, and I'm going to own up to saying it," he smiles. Keith glances at him, and smiles back. He drives out of the garage, and breaks to a stop. Before Shiro can offer his help, the young werewolf hops out of the car and pulls down the garage’s door, before coming back. The path from the house to the main road is rocky, to say the least, and leaves a cloud of dust behind the car. Keith doesn’t talk, but turns the radio on. Some country music Shiro doesn’t know comes out of the old speakers. It’s not loud, fortunately. The sounds are… different. He wouldn’t have thought so? But with concentration, he can discriminate the part of every instrument among the amalgam. Violin, harmonica, piano and guitar. Every nuance is precise and clear. It’s fascinating, and way more interesting than listening to the engine. They end up spending the whole ride in a comfortable silence, with a mix of country, rock and classical music playing in the background.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"We’ll start with clothes." Keith announces, as he parks the jeep in front of a shopping mall and shuts the engine. It feels odd opening the door with his left hand, but Shiro manages without much more trouble than some slight awkwardness. Closing it is much easier, and he follows Keith, feeling happy that they're getting some clothes. Outside, it’s not… really noisy yet? Sure, he hears a lot of people walking and chatting, but it’s not deafening nor overwhelming. "Brought me to your favorite store?" he teases, taking note of the name, and hoping to heck that he'll be just fine inside. "... More like the most acceptable in this small shopping center. For practical clothes, that is. Not fancy ones,” Keith warns as they enter. "I'm hoping they'll have t-shirts, yeah," Shiro agrees. "Unless you tell me I need any kind of formal wear," he smiles. When they pass the threshold of the store, he is hit by how not as good as he always thought the smell of new clothing is. Now that he can make out the different nuances of smells off the fabrics (factory, plastic wrapping (that one's surprisingly strong. He had no idea), and some amount of disinfectant), his nose scrunches up a bit again, and he walks closer to Keith than ever necessary. Ever. But Keith smells so good... so. It kinda iiis necessary? A little. The sounds are bearable, but it's still really weird to be able to hear the girl recommending two belts to a woman at the back, despite the music playing over everything. Dammit... wait, no, it kind of is a sensory overload. He slides his hand in Keith’s, eyes losing focus for a moment, as he tries to balance everything. It's not so much as it’s too much... it's that all these sounds suck-- does that girl know there are plastic stickers on the sole of the new boots she's wearing? Ugh. They're nothing here nearly as nice as the woods next to Keith's house. Nothing that smells as natural. "Clothes go back to smelling normal once you wore them a bit. You'll find that cotton smells way better than polyester, too..." He hears Keith’s calm voice. He’s not getting rid of his hand. It’s appreciated. Shiro hums, focus coming back on his host’s voice. He's already a bit better. Just like that. He feels like an oversized toddler. Great. He keeps close nonetheless, and starts looking at their perimeter for something like Keith described, that he will also happen to like. Honestly not a fan of polo shirts, he heads to the t-shirts. "Can you sew...?" he asks vaguely, glancing over at another section, even as they approach the one he meant to go towards. But he shakes the idea. It's fine. He's not here to be difficult. He lets go of Keith's hand, to be able to sort through the shirts. Find a few dark, neutral colors that aren't terrible. He also checks for fabric types, discarding whatever isn't cotton. "Cotton or every natural fiber, really. Though cotton is the cheapest." Keith informs him, not answering Shiro’s interrogation. He stays close to him before he starts looking in another row, but he’s never farther than five meters away. "But the smell eventually disappears, as you wear them. Like, my clothes just smell like me now. So you don't have to ban jeans from your existence forever.""I bet bamboo fiber clothes smell really good..." Shiro comments, voice low, eyes on the shirts. Then: "Ah--" He lifts his eyes on Keith, smirking a bit. "Aren't denims made out of cotton...?" "... Maybe...?" The young werewolf grumbles. "But they stink. So it must be the dye. And the paler jeans? Some lady told me they're called 'acid wash' or something? Smells like hell," he mutters, before rummaging through a series of shirts, absently. "Aww... too bad. They kinda look better," Shiro comments. He doesn’t miss Keith’s little frown that clearly says he disapproves of his last statement. It makes him smile.
Soon, he's holding a few shirts up for Keith to take a quick look at. "Should I try these on...? Or can we save ourselves the trouble..." Keith's eyes narrow as he looks at the shirts. "This one. This one. This one but not in grey. And..." He promptly walks to another row, take a white, bit classier shirt, and hands it to Shiro. "This." Shiro smiles, but not at the shirts. He can't wait to meet the Holts. He'll have a question for them. He hopes they're nice... "Alright. Thanks. That's it for shirts at least... any trouser recommendations?" Keith stares at Shiro's lower body, before shifting to take a good look at his butt too. "Hmmm yeah, though you'll have to try them to be sure. Be right back." He announces, and promptly goes to the pants section. He grabs five pairs of pants, 3 models, and two in two sizes. Five total. One is beige, one black, and the third ones are jeans. On his way back, he cannot help but grab a few other shirts too, much to Shiro’s amusement. Then he hands them to him, with a serious face. "You've got that good of an eye...?" Shiro asks in wonderment, blinking at Keith, and taking the pants. "Thank you," he smiles hesitantly, a bit awestruck (not because of the-- why is he feeling like this--). Shiro goes into the dressing room with all his stuff, and he tries them all in within the changing room's privacy, except for the jeans. Which he wears when he emerges. "Keith?" he wonders if the guy is anywhere near. "I've never... i don't actually... wear denims... what do you think...?" he frowns. He hears jeans are really good to work with though. To wipe your hands on and stain and the whole thing. They’re slightly darker than normal ones, and don’t smell really good. Keith is staring at him, and Shiro can’t read his expression at all. “Turn around,” the young man asks, and he obliges. He hears him hum in appreciation, and a spark of satisfaction flares in his chest. "Are you comfortable? Because they suit you." Shiro shifts his weight into them, jutting a knee out a bit more, and running his hand on the fabric at his waist. "I hadn't even thought about that. So yeah, they're surprisingly a fit- the fabric is softer than I thought it would be, too..." He looks up at Keith. "Seriously. What's your secret.” “Like you said, I have a good eye.” Keith answers with a smirk borderline cocky. Damn. “And... is there a cheat code to get to smell off faster...?” Shiro adds. "You can rub them in the mud or let them soak in a river. Oooor, you do the laundry with scentless soap or without soap, two or three times." "Well... thanks," Shiro repeats. "You're saving me a lot of trouble. Was there anything else? Or will we able to go with those that fit?" "A jacket maybe? Not that you'll be cold, but it's your call. " Keith suggests. Shiro seems to start nodding at the suggestion, at first. His eyes light up with a mischievous glint that dissipates far too quickly. "Ah-- uh. Maybe not," he disagrees. "But thanks. I'll think about it." "Alright, guess it's all for now, then. Oh. Wait. Underwear. " And the smaller man is already walking to the undergarments section. Shiro figures Keith will be fine getting some of those that will fit him just fine, so he heads back into the changing room to change out of the jeans, and gives the two pairs of trousers that don't fit back to the girl in charge of the changing rooms. It's... almost funny how he can basically tell where the guy is at all times. He joins him. "Socks too?" he wonders, thinking there seems to be no question of forgetting any details. And why is his newest acquaintance picking underwear for him— "Yup." Keith says, eyeing his choices, before picking white briefs and brandishing them at Shiro. "That's the style you had on. Wanna stick to it?" "Y-yeah, thanks," Shiro blinks. "Uh, thanks," he repeats again, making the very conscious decision not to let himself be embarrassed by something so trivial. Keith's not embarrassed, after all. It's just clothes. Yet he has to step away and find socks in order not to think about it. It's not exactly as intimate as being called Takashi, but... it's somewhere up there, in his book. Clearly, he should rewrite his book. He hopes they'll be done soon. Even if this will have taken a ridiculously small amount of time, with Keith’s picking for him. Shopping for food is much more interesting. He eyes the jackets for a moment. Just allows himself a glance in passing, as he thinks back on that thing he almost told Keith. He would have flirted, absolutely, if he didn't have zero idea how to look good in any type of long sleeves. So, he'll deal with that later. Still, it makes him smile to himself, so the guy's suggestion must not have been a complete loss.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith ends ups with more underclothing than pants, since there was a 2 for the price of 1 discount on them. He smiles at himself. Choosing clothes isn’t an Omega thing. It’s a Keith thing. He used to do it for his pack members. They always said he had an eye for pretty things. He's about to join Takashi when he sees him look at jackets. He pauses for a second, before walking to him."Here you go,” then he eyes the jackets as well. "You sure you don't want one?" Takashi startles at the question. He scratches the back of his head, fingers rubbing at his scalp thoughtfully. "It's just..." He trails off, and snaps his eyes to the other man. "... why a jacket?" He deflates, and Keith has a feeling it wasn’t the question he meant to ask. "It makes a more... complete look." And there’s no denying it would give the Alpha a certain style. His answer brings a smile to Shiro’s face and his hand drops, expression softer. Maybe that’s what he wanted to hear. "We can... look at them.” Keith hums, satisfied. Aaaand he's on the hunt again. He immediately grabs a dark leathery brown jacket, with a zipper front. It looks good? Maybe Shiro will think it gives him bad boy vibes, but Keith still wants him to try it on. He also catches a blue jersey jacket, before getting something that looks like a mix between an actual jacket and a blazer. That last one is a dark purple, closes with buttons and definitely looks fancier. He comes back to Takashi with the three models. "There... there's three in your hands..." Shiro comments, squinting his eyes, then knitting his eyebrows uncertainly. "you sure...?" he hesitates. "Well, obviously I'm not sure, cause I got three, not one. C'mon." Keith takes whatever Shiro has in his hand and settles it on a nearby counter. He hands the first jacket to Shiro, ready to give him a hand if necessary. A jacket might be a bit harder to put on than a shirt, after all. He’s aware every type of clothes probably takes more time to slip on than what Shiro is used to, but it’s just… how things are, now. Keith has faith he’ll get used to it. Takashi turns his back to him, extending his one arm into the first jacket's sleeve, and the Omega helps him finish putting the garment. The taller man moves his shoulder in the empty sleeve. Keith can almost feel the annoyance of having a piece of fabric dangling down his side. Shiro keeps his eyes cast down, a sarcastic smile on. Keith looks at him, thoughtful. There's a pause. “Is it comfortable?" He asks, because there's still two others to try. Shiro moves both his shoulders in the coat, and then his arm. "It's... fine. Maybe a bit stiff. No... not my favorite, no." It proves a lot easier to shrug off than it was putting it on, at least. Keith gives a little nod, puts the leather jacket away and hands him the jersey one. Shiro repeats the exercise: sticks his arm out and slides it into the sleeve its meant to go in. Maybe it’s because it's his second time, but this one seems easier to put on from Keith’s point of view. It still requires his assistance, but it’s smoother. "Uhm... does it even look good?" The Alpha wonders with a worried sort of little smile as he turns back to face the other were. "It does. But the cut is a bit too short. Hmmm. Try the last one." He has high expectations for the last one. "Aren't I so so tall," Takashi finds an actual smile now, as he shrugs the jacket off again. "I bet short jackets would suit you, though” he adds, as he puts on the last jacket. He turns to Keith again, and once it’s on, he moves into it. It’s definitely a better fit than the two last, if nothing else. Keith's smile is downright satisfied. "Yup. That's the one. I'll fix the sleeve and it'll be perfect." He assures, already heading to grab back what he had left on the counter. "You can do that...?" From the corner of his eyes, Keith sees the Alpha bite down on a smile. It’s a pretty sight. He’s.. happy he’s making him happy. Maybe a bit too much. "Sure." It's no big deal, after all. "Alright," Takashi says,"I'll get this one. Thanks for this," he repeats, and Keith hears the man’s heart picking up the pace. He can’t guess why but he hopes it’s for a good reason. Probably? Takashi still smells happy. So Keith smiles at him "Alright, time to go pay. I'm weirdly excited to go get food. That... was our next stop, correct?" Shiro asks. Keith lets out a breathy chuckle. Excited to get food. Oh well, it’s better than being nervous, isn’t it? "Yup. It's not very far." He mentions, as he helps carrying the clothes to the checkout.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Are we walking there?" Shiro wonders vaguely as he sets down the purchases he's been carrying. He then pulls out his wallet, picking out a card from the lot with an ease that shows he probably did it a few times in the past (maybe with a coffee in his other hand or something), and shows that to the cashier. "We are. It's at the end of the mall.” And then his eyes slide back to Keith, hoping he can catch that smile he showed, before it vanishes. He doesn't know why he cares so much, but he's going to figure this guy out. He wants to see him smile more. It's ten times better than the alternative, and it oddly takes his mind off things.
Unfortunately, Keith’s smile has dimmed to a more neutral expression. But Shiro still grins at him, and it brings it back, much to his surprise. It’s briefer, but it’s still there, and feels very much like a victory. Shiro pinches his lips at the sight, his smile still bright and present despite this attempt, amused that he got Keith to smile again. He's snapped out of it by the cashier reminding him he can go ahead and pay now, and he's startled enough that a blush creeps up his ears. He takes a bag (obviously), hating how big and obnoxious it looks, but not commenting, and then they're heading out. "I'm... going to follow your lead," he tells Keith, too unaware of his habits to take the initiative here. Maybe once they'll be looking at food, though. Definitely then. The young man nods, and when Shiro is done, they leave the store by the door that leads through the mall’s main corridor. From their position, as they walk to the grocery stores, Shiro can smell a soapish, extremely strong mix of pungent fake natural smells, and downright chemical ones. His face scrunches, and he can’t help rising his hand in front of his nose. Fortunately, they’re heading away from it. Shiro’s not sure he could have handle to opposite “The Lush. I know. Few werewolves actually venture out of the shops and into the mall, just because of it.” Keith mentions, and Shiro wonders if maybe it influences his host’s decision to shop here. The fact that there isn’t a lot of werewolves here, that is. He doesn’t ask, only nods Clothing shops mostly smell similar, but a high-couture one is different from the H&M. The EB games smells like plastic all the way. It’s not really pleasant. Fortunately, he starts smelling the grocery store before they get to it. All odors are mixed up together, but Shiro is lowkeyly fascinated by how he can smell every single thing if he focuses on them. At the entrance, Keith grabs a shopping cart and stops, eyebrows rising. "Oh." He turns toward Shiro. "There are two other werewolves who just entered by the door leading outside. It shouldn't be a problem, but... stay close.” Shiro hums low at that information, not too bothered. He dumps the bag of new clothes into the cart, and walks ahead of Keith just a bit, entranced by how rich in smells a grocery store is. "Is there anything you dislike?" he wonders, as they pass the vegetable and fruit section, his eyes looking around at the produce. "Not really..." the young werewolf answers with a little shrug, before grabbing a bag of carrots. “Nah, not celery.” He mentions, though, when Shiro is on the verge of grabbing some. He does that a few times. It's cute when Keith suggests he dislikes something. Shiro always puts the thing back. Maybe it’s about the smell? He makes a point of memorizing those things, and is surprised when two types of apple make it on the no-go list. At some point, he's pointing at stuff at random, just to know, as general info, if his host likes it or not. No to avocado. Yes to oranges. Yes to beets. No to zucchinis... He also tries not to take things that they might not eat fast enough, and that will go bad. Purchases like that would be pointless. The carrots they took stay at the back of his mind, even by the time they're at the meat section (He's going freely, here. There's a lot he likes, wants, and figures they'll just freeze.) "Why don't you keep a garden...? You have a beautiful place for it, and you'd save so much..." They're around harvest season, sadly, so it's too late to plant anything now, but... maybe there's a reason for this? "Groundhogs and rabbits. I tried a little bit, once, but they're everywhere. Fences don't work either. For hunting, it’s perfect, but a garden is a lost cause..." Keith sighs. "Couldn't you put a sort of... barb wire fencing from under, and have your garden above that, plus the regular fencing?" Shiro thinks aloud, visualizing a few different options even as he says this. He's leaned over a section which mostly contains sausages of different varieties. Funny how his nose is easily guiding him, here. He picks one, and checks the dates on it, soon shaking his head. "Oh-- no okay, nevermind," he grimaces. "I'm already imagining scenarios where you have a miniature greenhouse or something nice, but..." And he shakes the value package of sausages he's taken, more in a display of his unique arm than one of the meat. "I'd be totally useless." He doesn't even think he'll be able to operate a camera anymore. Which... he doesn't like to think about. "I don't think you can say that without trying first..." Keith frowns, pursing his lips, then grabbing the sausages package out of Shiro's hand and putting it in the cart. "Also. We need at least thrice that. You don't eat like a human anymore," he mumbles. "I'm not done looking!!" Shiro laughs, ignoring the encouragement he just got about his arm. Yeah right. He's not doing any sort of magical carpentry with one arm. But that was sweet of the guy to say. "Should I just... get more of that one same thing?" he actually does wonder though, looking back at the refrigerator after he's set the package down in their cart. Somehow... that hadn't crossed his mind. This is such a huge portion too. But yeah-- it makes sense. "If it's for one meal, I guess...?" Keith answers, not assertive at all. His head suddenly turns, and Shiro follows his eyes to a young man who’s walking toward them. He immediately frowns. The guy smells… different. It’s stronger than a human scent, and there’s something wilder in there. Like how Thace and Regris had smelled, but different, and even… stronger. A werewolf, obviously.
≈ ⁂ ≈
A stronger, pungent smell. An Alpha, obviously.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hey, you new around here?" The guy flat out interrupts Keith and Shiro's nice little back and forth to ask the latter his stupid question. He’s smaller than Shiro but radiates confidence, even as he stares at Keith and grins. “ Hey, handsome.” As if on cue, he starts smelling even more than before. It kind of… stinks. And according to Keith’s wrinkling nose, he’s not thinking any differently. "I'm Rolo." Ooohhh no. He won't take it. Something Shiro’s his gut pulls violently, and he moves fast. He's stepping in between Keith and the other wolf, a forced smile on his face, his eyes flashing at the other man in an entirely different emotion. The hair at the back of his neck stands on end, and his back is straight, pushing him to his full height. It's the first time ever he's so little concerned by his missing arm. "Hi Rolo. We're just... really not interested," he fakes deplores with an exaggerated pitiful expression, voice oozing with sarcasm he's positive he hasn't used in front of Keith so far. But hey. There's a first time for everything. He feels Keith bumping into him as steps by his side. A flare of annoyance shortly sparks in Shiro’s chest, but he redirects it at the intruder, who’s already answering him. "Sorry, I was just trying to be polite, but I wasn't interested into talking to you either. Just your pretty friend. Plus it's not like the old days anymore, I'm sure he can speak for himself--" The guy says, and his eyes flash a blazing red. It takes Shiro by surprise. It’s not like Keith’s gold. It’s as intense, but it triggers a different instinct within him. A sudden urge to rip his throat out. A hand grabs his wrist. Keith’s, obviously. " Oh shut it. I'm not interested either," the younger werewolf cuts, voice tense. Shiro eyes him, and his words worm its way pleasantly in his chest. Keith’s not interested. That’s good. “Aw, come on, don't be like that, you're a catch, and you two are obviously not mated. You smell like you met yesterday~" The guy drawls, eyebrows rising up. With the comment about the ‘old days’, and now the mating thing, Shiro feels like he’s missing something. "Fuck off. We don't want to make a scene here." Keith warns the guy, while firmly holding onto Shiro too. It's too bad that he doesn't take his hand, but also good that he does keep him in check, because while they did meet ridiculously recently, this Rolo guy really doesn’t get it. How fucking thick can someone-- Shiro stares at him with obvious contempt, just about snarling at him, but not quite there yet. "We're discussing like respectable people, not making a scene. Can I have your number?" The guy asks. "What part of 'fuck off' you don’t understand?" Keith grits his teeth and the guy just… chuckles. Shiro’s wrist twists in Keith’s grasp to loosen his hold. "Playing hard to get, uh? Come on, obviously this guy can't satisfy you, and I know you'd love my pack." If Shiro really wants to break the man’s teeth, he’s also very much aware of Keith’s scent slowly changing. It’s restless, furious, and… distressed? Like, under all the anger, there’s something there utterly uncomfortable. He doesn’t think it’s fear-- he doesn’t know what it is, but it anchors him into something colder. He gives his smaller friend no choice when he breaks through his grip to shift his hand so his palm slides against Keith’s, interlacing their fingers. He still hates Rolo, but he will not take Keith feeling like this. It's more important how his host feels than how much taunting the newcomer is throwing their way. "Well..." he blinks slowly, feeling back in control. "Clearly if you think it's so obvious I can't satisfy him, you don't know much about relationships and the patience and timing it takes, huh... No wonder you're failing so miserably here." This time, his smile is almost real. Rolo is just... too pathetic for Shiro to take very seriously at this point. "Go away. We don't have time for you." "Is that so, uh? We'll see in a few weeks if the Omega's still with you." Rolo sneers, and to Keith: " It was a pleasure meeting you.” His confidence is already more… stiff, borderline fake, and he can’t hide it as he turns to walk away from them. The second the werewolf walks away, Shiro's face is all concern, and he places himself in front of Keith, hand lifting to settle on his shoulder. "Hey... you okay?" he wonders, feeling relieved and proud (maybe that feeling is mega misplaced, but he's not in control of it) that the guy went away. But he’s also, so, so afraid that he messed something up for Keith by standing up for him. He's not even so sure why he did it. Just that he could not help himself at all, and that, had they been outside, he'd have slashed the guy's face, or something. He pulls Keith in, uncaring that they are basically in glaring public, just because it's what he's been doing when they were at his place. "Hey, hey... sorry," he says, voice soft, warm, and low against Keith, eyebrows knit in concern and chest braced for a shove, since the other wolf is so on edge. It wouldn't surprise him if he wanted out. He can’t help being worried about this happening often. He wants to ask so bad, out of curiosity and concern both, if wolves, or rather... Alphas particularly, treat him this way regularly. If it has anything to do with his... ‘Omega’ status or whatever. Keith seemed so ready to defend himself. So ready to repetitively reject anything thrown his way... that it keeps Shiro's heart twisted uncomfortably for a moment more. He cannot believe his host is treated like that ever, yet has only been so wary of him so far. It puts his behavior in perspective. Big time. He doesn't say a word. Imagines Keith will pull away when he's ready to. But meanwhile... he lets himself soak in the realization of how lucky he actually is, and how so very badly he wants to live up to that trust that was put in him.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The thing is, Keith's wolf is a bit too on the edge to be reassured by Takashi. When the Alpha took his hand, his instinct had been to get away from the other, creepier Alpha. Plus, with his protégé exuding as much Alpha pheromones as the stranger, in answer to Rolo’s display, his stress level had peaked. It made him, for a moment, reconsider seriously why he trusted Shiro, an Alpha, so much. They’re not in a relationship. They’re not in the same pack. They’re not even friends . He's never been good at staying calm when subjected to oozing Alpha pheromones, which is part of the reasons he’s pretty sure something is wrong with him. He should be able to stay calm and help any Alpha to calm down, even the problematic ones. Except he just gets stressed, and nothing good comes out of it. However, most of the distressing pheromones are slowly dissipating, with the other Alpha gone. What is left is a satisfied one, with hints of worry, but calm. It’s from Shiro, obviously. When Keith is pulled against his chest, he stays frozen for a few seconds. He breathes in. Breathes out. Slowly, he relaxes, as his messed up alarmed thoughts dim considerably. The Alpha's shirt smells like a mix of Shiro and his father's scent. It's strangely comforting. Takashi is nice. Takashi is safe. A low rumble escapes Keith's throat, and he rubs his head against the base of Shiro’s neck. His arms also wrap around Shiro and hold him close. In response, he feels the Alpha rubbing his back, softly. The worried smell eases slowly into an exclusively satisfied one. Keith lets himself melt against the Alpha a bit longer. When he pulls away, there’s a pink hue to his cheeks. "Sorry 'bout that," he mutters, embarrassed, before turning to grab the closest item- a ham. Oh, yeah. Ham is interesting. Really interesting. Hmmm. Many ingredients. Ham, salt, water… … … What? No, he’s not avoiding looking at Shiro. Not at all. "No need to be," comes from a slightly puzzled Shiro, a smile on his lips. From the corner of his eyes, Keith sees him taking a step toward him, then stopping himself. As if recognizing his need for space. It’s… really appreciated. For a few minutes, Keith unwinds by choosing meats, while Shiro simply eyes him curiously, without a word. There is a lot a meat involved in the process. Their cart is going fuller and the Omega finally speaks up. "You handled it… well” he admits, still not really looking at the Alpha. "Thanks," Takashi immediately replies, perking up happily."Uhm-- thanks, I had no idea what was going on-" It would have been so easy to mess things up... When Keith looks up at Shiro, there’s a flash of concern on the Alpha’s face. His hand fidgets on the side of their cart.
Oh no. “Does that... happen to you a lot?" "Sometimes." Keith shrugs, his answer vague, disinterested. Hopefully Shiro will catch the messages that he doesn’t want to talk about it. "That's too often..." Shiro murmurs, as if to himself, but Keith obviously can hear plain as day. He has a slight surprised tone. Stop. Just… stop.
But Keith doesn’t voice it out loud, and Shiro keeps talking about it. "I'm so sorry...I know you're perfectly able to fend for yourself... but if it came to it, let me know if I could help... okay? Like that garden. Maybe we can figure something out. You were right, I shouldn't rule out what I can or can't manage before I've given a crack at it," he smiles tentatively. As Takashi speaks, Keith feels more and more ready to tell him to fuck off as well. Sensitive subject. But Shiro’s words are… nice. And sweet. And Keith doesn’t react, because it’s unfair. The change of topic is also rather unexpected. He doesn’t get why it’s linked to the previous issue. Does Shiro think he can't do a proper garden because he's an Omega? Offense flares up, and he pinches his nose, immediately trying to chase this feeling away. That is ridiculous. His reaction is ridiculous. Shiro doesn't even know what being an Omega means. He's being stupid. Gods. He takes a deep breath. Forces himself to calm down. Takashi doesn’t deserve this. "Okay..." he agrees, quietly. "We can try the garden again." They're walking in the alleys of various dry or potted things now. "Okay," the Alpha repeats, and adds nothing more. Keith knows he’s smelled his first reaction. Of course, Shiro can’t understand. He can’t understand that Keith’s thoughts and reactions are impulsive, that he feels so stupid for being so touchy about this subject. From the outside, the Alpha looks calm, but Keith can smell his nervousness. How uneasy he is. Like he wants to bolt away before messing up again. Part of him wants to tell Shiro it’s not his fault? But it’s so vague. And it’s just--
He keeps his mouth shut. Silence falls between them. It’s awkward. After a minute, Keith sighs, defeated. "Matt and Pidge are going to be there to answer all of your questions tomorrow, by the way. So you can start to make a mental list-- Can you grab some chocolate milk chips please?" He asks right after, pointing at the bag that is right in front of Shiro. Shiro nods, grabbing two bags. He doesn’t add anything before they get to the beverage section, where he asks Keith what he likes to drink. "We can't get drunk. Unless you add a bit of wolfsbane in the drinks but if you put too much, you might die.” "I meant-- milk or juice or--" the Apha says, grabbing some orange juice. Oh. "Cranberry juice, then. And milk, sure, for recipes."
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro briefly wonders what Keith usually makes... and figures he just really did catch him with barely anything in his fridge. He likes the idea of a cooking Keith. But he likes even better the concept of trying to one up him with his own recipes, honestly. He hopes he can manage it... Hmm. He also takes some apple juice, in addition to the cranberry jug, and continues down the row. At this point, he's just thinking of tomorrow, and looking forward to that, more than anything else. It's a welcome distraction. They finish the groceries soon after that, almost in silence, with Keith asking small grocery-related questions from time to time, and Shiro answering them and vice-versa. Then it's time to pay, and Keith pushes their cart to the check-out alleys. “We’ll pay fifty-fifty." Keith says, as they start unloading. "No, let me get it," Shiro refuses, making eye contact with the cashier, and flashing her a handsome smile on purpose. "This one's on me," he tells her with a small eyebrow wiggle, already reaching into his pocket to fetch his wallet, which he still has an ease at pulling cards out of. He knows the price is way out there, but he was prepared for that. "Uh, no. We both eat, we both pay." Keith argues, right by Shiro's side. He looks at the cashier. "Split the price in two, please,” he insists. "Ah-- sorry sir. I have a policy of first come first serve....?" the young girl says, looking happy about having a solution for moments like this. It probably happens to her a lot. "And your friend told me he'd pay first, so... you can go ahead, sir!" she tells Shiro, her voice so cheerful you'd think it was her first day. Her solution apparently involves butting in, and Shiro couldn't be happier. "Please take it as a thanks," he calmly states to the other werewolf, as he makes quick work of paying. The cashier gives Keith a sorry smile, and a shrug. By his side, Keith tenses "I'm leaving you at the house, next time," his voice is awfully… neutral? But his smells changes. Shiro knows that smell. Keith had the same when that Rolo guy started speaking to him. He winces. Ok, so, he annoyed him. He passes Keith's bad mood to the cashier as some sort of character. He tells her not to take him seriously, and then they leave with their cart. While he feels terrible, there's no reason to make her feel guilty at all. She seems like too much of a good girl for that, and would probably actually be bothered by having made someone this unhappy. But once they're out... "Keith, what's the issue here," he asks, voice steady, mirroring the tone the other werewolf used just earlier. "If you don't tell me, I won't know, and it sucks because I was pretty sure I was doing something decent. But if there's a next time, you can pay if it makes you happy. Just... let me know why it's such an issue. I don't get it." Keith lets out a little growl, frustration emanating from his whole body. "I asked for fifty-fifty, but no, Mr. Alpha had to do what he wanted to do, 'cause that's how it always works, right? No one fucking listens to me." His tone is full of bitterness and resentment. Shiro swears, in a murmur. "I-- i didn't mean it like that-" he frowns, confused by what defines him as a person or an Alpha anymore. Hating that he can't apparently be one or the other. He's just... an Alpha now, huh. And he's apparently going to insult this guy at every corner. Maybe it's a good thing he'll eventually be out of his way. His heart is beating so fast and he's so nervous. "Keith, I couldn't've known that this would be an issue-- I'll let you reimburse me- but I can't just guess what I'll be doing wrong when I mean it well..." He's not even whining, just, sort of... dejected that he wasn't allowed this. Taking a note to tone it down until he leaves and-- Fuck knows what after. But just until then. His throat feels tight. There's no way another single word will escape him again, and he can't help but look away. At anything else here. He still hears Keith sighing. As they push the cart through the parking, he loses his annoyed smell. Now Shiro’s not even sure how to interpret it anymore. He’s not even sure he wants to. "Okay..." Keith says. "Just don't-- sorry. You're doing good. Sorry... 'guess you can see why I told you I'm not good with stuff like that, uh,” he mumbles, all of his frustration gone, leaving only fatigue behind. They put everything in the back of the jeep, and Shiro doesn’t answer. There’s nothing to say, really. The ride to Keith’s home is silent. Fortunately, there’s the radio, but Shiro doesn’t really listen, mentally tuning it off. It’s only when Keith stops in front of the garage that he breaks the silence.
"Can I let you unpack? I just need to- I'll be back in less than an hour." Keith asks, in a restless breath. "Yeah," Shiro agrees, relieved that he'll be alone. He wanted to suggest something similar. Go out for a walk. But this seems fine too.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Half the time Keith's gone, he feels like absconding, and isn't sure what keeps him there. He changes out of the clothes that were loaned to him, opting for the new ones that smell the least horrendous. In the span of that hour, no relief comes to him. He's simply been trying to mentally prepare himself to get more mixed signals. To try and convince himself that any sign of acceptance from Keith will shift at a moment's notice. And, the more time he spends alone, the more convinced he is that he'll be able to keep himself distant and neutral from now on up until he can finally leave, since there's obviously something deeper at work in his goddamn feelings here. And there is absolutely no figuring them out, or what causes them to allow him to be wounded by shit that would usually slide off his back. He finds there's no reason he should keep supporting this. At all. Shiro is tense by the time he hears whining and scratching at the door. He can smell Keith from inside. While he does open the door, it's with as little acknowledgement of Keith as he can muster. He likes that wolf. And he hates that he likes him so much. Just to be unfair, the wolf stays really close to him, glued to his hips. There’s always a part of him that is touching Shiro. His head, his shoulder, his side… he’s following Shiro’s every step, his tail slowly wagging behind him. "I've finished putting everything away," Shiro comments, voice weary, after a moment of this, as if he even really thought this was the information Keith was after. It's not, he's sure, but he doesn't really want to try to find out what's up. His destination seems to be the couch, which he directly walks toward, his mind made up on lying down on it, turning his back on the living room, and maybe screwing his eyes shut until he falls asleep. Before he can sit, Keith jumps there, and stares at Shiro, with big eyes. His ears are raised up toward him, paying attention to his every movement. While he can feel the eyes on him, Shiro doesn't meet them with his own. He simply stops, sighs, and-- He won't be able to turn away, will he? So he stands there. For a long, long moment. Just... eyes zoned out on the wall, hand fidgeting. His stomach is churning unpleasantly. He's so... so uncomfortable. "... what do you want from me..." he eventually murmurs, feeling his throat constrict again, and his eyes prickle-- shit, he thought he was done with that— The wolf answers him with a long, sad whine, and paws at the couch, still staring at him. In a swift movement, he’s off the couch. Then he just… lies at Shiro’s feet, belly flats against the ground. "Don't do that--" Shiro scoffs weakly, eyes finally darting down. But the man sounds so out of it-- so... small. His hand is still twitchy. The wolf slowly, very slowly and deliberately starts turning on his side, one of his front paw raised, revealing a pale belly. "Stop doing things like that- you know more about my-- whatever Alpha thing than I do," he chokes out. "You have to know you're driving me insane. Please... get up," he blinks, feeling his chin shake, and clenching his teeth to prevent it, eyes looking away, and feet stepping away two small paces. Keith does not get up, but he does roll back, hiding his belly. He whines again and puts the tip of his muzzle on Shiro’s foot. His whine is… pitiful. Full of restlessness. His tail is not wagging anymore. Shiro feels like shit, denying the wolf. Especially when he whines like that. He’s fighting against himself not to lunge at him and wrap his arms around his neck. Dig his nose into his fur. Fighting this urge is what's slowly breaking him, right now. But it also feels like shit to be constantly doing things wrong, and there's no winning. There's just... not a single scenario where he wins. So he might as well stay in control. This time, his eyes screw shut, and Shiro's first word out is a sob. Because this is really hard. This is really, really hard. "Stop-" And he lowers himself to the ground, legs folding in front of himself, face hidden, and arm protecting his head. So much for staying in control. Dammit. The rest is muffled: "Q- quit it. I know you don't want an Alpha around-- what- whatever that means for you- stop making me feel like the exception when it's not true," he accuses through the hiccups winning him. There’s a little sound, as if the werewolf just choked on another whine. The black wolf gets up, walks two steps, and lies down again, leaning right against Shiro’s hip. But he’s not looking up at him with shining eyes anymore. No, instead, he’s making himself as small as possible. But he stays there, not going anywhere. Shiro’s unsteady breathing turns into quiet sobs. He can't let his guard down-- he can't let it down, even if he was so sure Keith would quit. Leave him alone right there, in the middle of the living room. He was prepared to hate it. At least, he was prepared for that outcome. Braced against it. And instead, the wolf remains there. He can’t- he can feel his resolve slowly melting away. He wants to sink his fingers into Keith's fur. But they stay put, clenched with the effort of not moving. And after minutes have passed, he speaks up again. Even if it's low. He's shifted his head, though, so his chin rests on his knees: "You could have told me to leave, you know. If you understood what keeping me here could entail. You said you needed friends, and to be social, but I can't--" He doesn't see it. All the small moments where Keith has been kind or affectionate are currently clouded in his mind. Far away. "I happen to like you, and if you can't tolerate another friend, I beg you to find another place for me to learn. Because I'm confused and… I don't understand anything," he sniffs. Well. That's not true. He understands there is no place for him here. There's a mix of a whimper and a low rumble, that comes out of Keith's throat. Slowly, the wolf gets up, but doesn't go away. He sits instead, and is head comes slightly higher than Shiro’s, just like that. The wet muzzle presses against Shiro’s collarbone, and he can feel the werewolf’s warm breath. He lets him push into him and nuzzle. Part of Shiro feels like he shouldn’t let such sharp teeth near his neck, but there’s something… relaxing, about the furry presence. Nothing threatening or aggressive. He’s given small licks at the back of his neck, and it’s so… so comforting. He does relax, lulled by a sensation that's beyond him, it's actually what brings on his next wave of grief. His shoulders shake with new sobs, and rather than being stiff and restrained, his crying feels relieving, now. Cleansing. It allows him to appreciate the licks on his skin. And... eventually, his hand does lift to go hang on to Keith's neck. Just... fingers curling and uncurling into his fur, in a motion that's more for himself than it is for the other. He supposes that means Keith wins, but there's still a sorrow to him that won't go away. Because he still knows he has to leave, and he still doesn't want to. Keith doesn’t move away. He keeps licking, nuzzling, or just pressing his giant head against Shiro’s until he sees nothing more than black fur. It's impossible for him to resist growing calm. Seems unimaginable not to slowly feel better. He doesn't forget, of course-- he won't suddenly start smiling or cracking jokes, but... it’s amazing how it feels, not to be alone right now. "I'm used to it, you know. So I'll be okay on my own." Just saying that makes him realize what bullshit it is. He didn't know he'd be lying until the words had left his mouth. He would’ve been alright, before…. all of this. But it's not true anymore, probably because of this new-- this new- this condition. And just lying about it makes him feel all wrong. But the knot that forms in his chest almost immediately dissipates, and the hand he has on Keith loosens. Maybe he should let go now...? Before he can't bear it at all? As if reading him mind, the wolf growls softly, in protest. He drops his head on top of Shiro, and firmly keeps it there. He chuckles, but it's self-deprecating, low, and far from amused. "Yeah, I know," he tells him. His hand does slide off Keith's neck. He wants to stuff it back in there, but swallows. Resists, if only by the fact he knows he's going to go ahead and crush those eggshells he already cracked earlier when he stepped on them. "I hate that Rolo will pursue you when I'm gone, though," he swallows, skin prickling at the thought of that jerk hanging around. Stomach twisting at the mental image. Too Alpha. He's sure of that. But he also knows it's the behavior that gets Keith to leave. But he doesn’t. Instead, the wolf’s head lowers from over Shiro’s to right beside his cheek. He rubs his face against his, and every beat of his heart burns him. At first, it was too small to notice. Too stifled by the calming effect Keith had on him. But now, the sensation has seeped into his chest, and there's just no ignoring it... So he turns his head to face Keith, and just watches him, his blinks slow. Then his vision is obscured by black fur. If someone were to look at the scene, they could easily see how the black wolf' posture is aimed toward the other werewolf. Like he's barely resisting slouching against him. Keith raises his head a little bit, not engulfing Shiro's face with it anymore, and meets the Alpha's eyes. A few seconds after the staring started, the wolf pushes his muzzle against Shiro’s cheeks, and gives a lick to his ear. Shiro's hand shoots up. Wraps around Keith's ear- his neck, his head, his- his-- The feeling in his chest can't be negative. It doesn't feel negative. Just... ever-present. It's just so... everywhere that he can't escape it. And maybe his fingers are fighting not to shake from it, but he still fumbles to find purchase on Keith. To push his face into that soft spot in his neck. To pull the wolf's head against him. "I don't want to go," he whines, face squished against the wolf. "But I don't understand you-" he adds, trying very hard for his words not to come out choked up. A soft rumble, not quite a growl, comes out of the wolf’s chest, before he proceeds to snuggle even closer to him. Probably as much as he can without falling on him. And… Where did his guard go- he'd been holding it up so naturally... so well, out of desire not to be rejected, and apparently, against his better judgment, hurt, like earlier. It's dissolved, now. All that's left is the memory of the events, with the knowledge of how he felt, but with less direct ties to the present moment. He gets a sense that it's entirely Keith who has created that calm within him, and that's another thing he doesn't get, yet has given into. It feels like another thing he ought to be guarded against. But something tells him that Keith wouldn't be able to just... do it in a manipulative fashion. It's probably a natural occurrence. The same way Shiro's so attune to each shift in his moods. He's strong enough that Keith isn't making him topple over, but if he let himself relax too much, he knows they'd both end up on the floor. Somehow, he isn't too keen on the idea. He isn't sure if it's the lying down with Keith's part, or the hard floor part that seem the most problematic. "... I think I wouldn't mind sitting on the couch, now," he comments quietly, when his thoughts have sorted themselves and cleared up a bit more. The wolf slowly stops leaning so hard against him and jumps on the couch. He stays in a corner, though, making himself relatively small to give the other werewolf a place to sit. Then he just… stares at Shiro, with expectant eyes, as the man sits down. He shoots him a puzzled glance, but Keith’s stare doesn’t waver. When he’s comfortably settles, Shiro keeps eyeing him as well, hand lying palm up between his thighs, fingers relaxed, until he sort of... slowly flexes his digits, curling them up twice in a subtle, soft invitation for Keith to settle his head on his lap or something, maybe. The reaction is immediate. The wolf’s tail jerk left and right, happily, and he shifts closer, dropping his heavy head on Takashi’s lap. His tail doesn't stop wagging, as Shiro’s hand settles on his fur again. He... has yet to find a smile, but the sight of that wagging tail gets to him a little bit anyway. So he shuts his eyes, hand thoughtlessly petting Keith's head, and his shoulders. Except... except, he finds that without visual stimuli, the other things around him are easier to put into focus. Keith's heartbeat. His smell. The muffled sound his tail makes as it whomps against the back of the couch. "I told you you were cute before, didn't I?" he checks in a murmur. "If I did, I meant that. If I didn't... I'm telling you now." Keith’s heartbeat picks up the pace. It’s funny. His smell is so pleasant. A hint of a smile appears at the corner of Shiro’s lips. The wagging of the wolf’s tail increases at that, for about five seconds. Then he closes his eyes. He stays put but for his hand stroking and lacing through Keith's fur. It's... a surprisingly enveloping atmosphere, and he likes how, despite being conscious of all the sounds and smells around him, he can focus on that one bubble that surrounds them both. When his breathing has evened out, and his heart beat slowed to a regular, normal pace, it- A thought jerks it back into a quicker beat. Great. Jeez. Nice. Yet, instead of letting the thought only be the purveyor of a quickly forgotten skip in his heartbeat, Shiro moves, his back bending down and forward, until he reaches that delicate little spot right in the middle of Keith's brow. His hand has settled near his ear, which he massages subtly, and his lips connect with the wolf's head, after an eternity of hesitation. He presses them there for a long, long moment, before lifting his mouth just barely, and letting the wolf know he's okay, now. He's going to be okay. Then his hand moves until his thumb can stroke at the top of Keith's head, enjoying the short fur between his ears. His back remains somewhat curved downward.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith is really enjoying the caresses at this point. When Shiro leans to kiss his head, a burst of fondness makes his heart race faster. He could stay like this f o r e v e r.
He ran for half an hour, all around his territory. He didn’t think about anything, leaving the wolf in charge of getting rid of all his frustrations and fears. It was relaxing, but it didn’t take long before he started to be eager to go home.
Where Takashi was.
He found a very sad Alpha, who was far from alright. And it wasn’t fine with Keith. Not at all.
So he tried, again and again, to get his attention. It would be a first step towards apologizing.
He even submitted so him, in a show of vulnerability. The Alpha smelled so confused and so lonely, and it was all Keith’s fault. He needed to make up for it. He had never wanted to hurt Takashi. It wasn’t right. After all, an Alpha who smells so vulnerable, who cries in front of him, such an Alpha cannot be a bad one.
He stayed by his side, no matter how many time Shiro told him to leave, ever asking for forgiveness. He needed it. There was a heaviness in his heart, and a loneliness that couldn’t be attributed to his instinct alone. Sure, his wolf was holding the reins, but Keith was still very much aware of the situation. One thing was sure: both sides of him, human and wolf, refused to abandon the Alpha. So he never stopped trying.
At one point, he started producing calming pheromones in his restless attempt at making the Shiro feel better.
When the Alpha told him he knew he had to get away, Keith didn’t correct him, because he couldn’t talk to the human werewolf in this form. However, he took a mental note to tell Takashi he was wrong, later. After all, there were only two packs Keith trusted enough to take care of the Alpha, and if both of them couldn't take him, there wasn’t a third option. He wouldn't abandon the guy to fend for himself. He would stay here. They would make it work. Somehow.
Then Shiro mentioned Rolo, and the Omega wasn’t displeased at all. He liked that the Alpha hated the idea of another Alpha pursuing him. Such was the disadvantage of letting his wolf in control of his emotions. The thought of the creepy Alpha was, sure, annoying, but the fact that Takashi disliked him as well was comforting. Especially after all this pushing away.
He wondered if Shiro could smell how much his affection was genuine. He thought it might be a little too complicated for a newly bitten werewolf, but he hoped the message still got across. He was aware of sending mixed signals, and was sorry for it, but he couldn’t help it. He had to be wary, because there was a chance Shiro would not always be able to control himself. And getting attached so fast was dangerous. Plus, he had to compensate for the eagerness of his wolf, or else he’d be the one losing control. But he couldn’t exactly say that to Shiro, could he?
Takashi is still petting him. They remain in their cozy position for a while, before Shiro starts shifting. His hand halts to a stop, and he makes a move to get up. Slowly, Keith lets him go, lifting his head off the man’s lap. He stares at him. Sure, he told him he’ll be okay, and he smells more serene, but still. He hops down the couch when Shiro gets up. The man lets him know he has to go to the bathroom, and Keith halts his momentum to follow him.
"If... if that's okay-" Shiro blinks, with an obvious uncertainty. Keith licks his hand, as a positive answer, and trots away to his room, where he shifts back into a human. He puts some clothes on, for the Alpha’s sake, and heads for the kitchen before Shiro is out. He starts boiling water, planning on making pasta with a cheap prepared sauce. He doesn’t feel like cooking more, but he owes at least that to Takashi. “Hey…” Keith says when the man joins him in front of the boiling water. “I’m going to head outside.” Shiro tells him, calmly. “Feel like clearing my head a little bit.” Takashi doesn’t smell distressed anymore. Not sad either, or confused, or angry… just a little bit tired. Part of Keith wants to ask him to stay. But he’s also smart enough to respect the Alpha’s need for space. Plus, fresh air is good for the mind, he cannot deny that. “Alright. There’ll be pasta for you when you're back.” Keith offers a tiny smile. He almost feels bad when he smells the faint hint of relief from the Alpha, who thanks him before leaving. He hopes they’re okay. They’ll have to talk more, but… today was a lot, for both of them.
So… later. He eats alone, like he used to do, before Takashi stumbled in his life.
He’s used to it, really. Or he should be.
His mind keeps going back to his new companion, and for a moment, he imagines Shiro running away and disappearing. The rush of panic seizing his heart startles him, and he inhales sharply. It almost makes him laugh.
A bit more than one day, and he already can’t help himself and his irrational feelings. He’s being an idiot. Again. Gods.
But what if he leaves-- The whine that echoes in the empty house is particularly pitiful, and pathetic.
Stupid. He’s really being stupid. Because if he pays attention, he can feel the Alpha is still on his territory. Plus Shiro told him earlier that he didn’t want to leave. He sighs, forcing himself to relax as he absently runs a hand in his hair. He stares down at his empty plate, dirtied with remnants of melted cheese and tomato sauce. Then he rises up, leaves the plat in the sink, and proceeds to prepare a large spaghetti meal for Shiro. Once it's safe in the fridge, he starts a laundry load with his protégé’s new clothes. With scentless soap, obviously, and added rinsing cycle. It’s not really environment-friendly, but… it’s necessary. When he retreats to his room, he only comes out to put the new garments in the dryer, before hiding again. From where he’s lying on his bed, he hears the soft “Thanks, Keith,” the Alpha says aloud, when he finds the plate, once he’s back. Keith smiles, from under the sheets.
They’re probably okay.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It's 8 am and the sound of an early car the road wakes Keith up. It’s approaching from the distance, and at that time, on a Saturday morning, he’s pretty sure who it belongs to. Rolling off his bed, he puts loose jogging pants on and a red shirt before dragging himself to the living room. He sits on the arm of the couch, where Shiro is still sleeping. "Hey sleepy head, we'll have company soon," he says, voice a bit rough from a whole night of silence, but tone soft. He watches the bicolor-haired man as he regains consciousness. "Hnnmgh-- oh," Shiro yawns, looking a little lost for a second. "Right—okay.” The man rubs at his eyes, blinks a few times, and sits up slowly, turning to him. Their eyes meet, and Keith nonchalantly rearrange a strand of Shiro’s white lock of hair. The Alpha looks confused, and his mouth hangs open. For a few seconds, nothing comes out of it. "What will you be up to today?" Shiro manages to ask. Keith shrugs. "I’ll hang out with Pidge, most likely. I would've hunted, but the fridge is full," he says, and Shiro hums. The young werewolf knows he’s going to have to get away. Assisting to Matt telling Shiro about Alphas and Omegas doesn’t sound really pleasant. The car is getting closer. "Alright," Shiro nods, getting up and stretching.“I’ll go change,” he announces, despite having changed into one of his new white shirts to sleep. Welp. Good thing all his new clothes are ready to wear, waiting in the dryer, right? Keith mentally congratulates himself. He’s walking to the kitchen to grab an apple when a familiar tingle sparks in his chest, as his friends cross the border of his territory. The car makes his way into the gravel road leading to his house and he smiles. It’s been awhile. As soon as they park, Keith eagerly opens the door before his friends have to knock. There's a joyful "Keith!" from a younger, more high-pitched voice, and a "Hey man, how are you?" from an older, more masculine one. Keith doesn’t waste a second before pulling the smaller figure in a tight hug, making the young girl with short light-brown hair chuckle as she buries her nose in his chest. "Wow, you really smell like him," comes Pidge's teasing voice, which earns her a little growl and a mumbled “Shut up”, right before he adds, "I'm glad you guys are here." He lets go of the girl, and the taller man with slightly paler hair takes his turn hugging his friend, although only one of his arm his available. The other one is holding a cup holder with four coffees, and a bag smelling of muffins and donuts hangs from his wrist. The food is settled on the table as soon as they get into the house. Takashi comes out of the bathroom. “Hey! You must be Shiro. Nice to meet you, I'm Matt." The taller Beta says, smiling. There's a pause before he sticks his hand out. Keith blinks at it. Oh, yeah. Humans are used to doing that. What an odd idea, to scent everyone… Anyway, Matt is fast enough to offer the left one, much to Keith’s relief. "Pidg’- " says Katie, from the chair she has hopped on, with half a muffin in her hand and munching on the other half. "It's nice to meet you guys," Shiro says. He seems pleasantly surprised to get to shake a hand."You're basically that one subject Keith kept bringing up,” he lets the duo know while looking at both of them in turn. "And that's saying a lot. Not much of a chatter, that one. He's lucky to have you," the Alpha says, with a smile. "Awww, Keith!" Pidge exclaims teasingly, and the primary concerned scoffs. "Wolves don't need words to communicate," he justifies and Pidge rolls her eyes. "We're not having this conversation again. Words are very useful for complex concepts and explanations." Keith raises his hands in surrender at the younger’s words, a little smile on his lips. "Anyway, sorry about not being able to take you in. We have our hands full with Pidge's friend, who just got turned. He’s from a werewolf family, so it’s not unusual for them to end up being Alphas, but his family’s out of the country… " Matt tells Shiro, honestly sounding sorry. Then he grins, with renewed enthusiasm: "But we're here now! So, eat some muffins, asks questions, and we shall answer." "Hmm, well..." Shiro begins, taking a chocolate chip muffin, and picking at it. "What's an Omega?" he asks, before biting into the thing. Keith almost chokes on his own muffin. Of course the first question is that. Of course. He grimaces, coughs a little bit, which gets him a sorry look from the Alpha. Yeah, he better be sorry. "It's Keith." Katie says, very unhelpful. He loves her. "I'm gonna take a morning walk." Keith announces, already making his way out. And Pidge, as if it was a given, follows along. They both exits the house in a matter of seconds.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Soooo. Omegas." Matt says, as if nothing had happened. "There are three classes of werewolves. Alphas- " he points at Shiro. "Betas-" he points at himself. " - and Omegas. Packs are ideally composed of an Alpha, several Betas, and an Omega." So far, Shiro’s following. " Morphologically speaking, Omegas are smaller than the two other classes. They’re weaker, brute force speaking, but they tend to be more agile, to run faster, and to have sharper teeth. Also, they’re slower to heal than the other classes.”Matt scratches his head, thoughtfully. "Omegas are... rare. No one is sure why, but there are very few, so that makes them... valuable." The Beta grimaces at the word. "See, some people think that a pack can never be complete without the presence of an Omega. Omega wolves solidify the bonds between packmates, and makes them stronger as a group. Most importantly, they’re the perfect counterpart for Alphas, in a yin and yan way. They’re supposed to complete each other. Stereotypes say that Omegas are submissive, while Alphas are dominant. That they’re weak, because Alphas are strong. That they’re calm, serene, when Alphas are more impulsive and aggressive.” He pauses for a moment to take a coffee swig. "As you might have noticed, it’s a big load of bullshit.” Shiro snorts at that, and Matt keeps going. “I only know one other Omega, aside from Keith, and maybe she fits the stereotype a bit more, but Keith... " he trails off, shaking his head with a little smile. "A thing that characterizes Omegas are their instincts. Now this is a part where it’s hard to distinguish stereotypes from reality. Because even if instincts are real, a person’s character affects the way it comes out. Omegas are said to be natural nurturer. But they won’t nurture everyone, just those they care about, obviously, and they might have... different approaches. Like, Alphas are supposed to be natural leaders, but every leader has its own way of leading. They can be quiet and level-headed, but really charismatic, as they can also be rough, authoritarian and power-hungry. Nothing is set in stone. An Alpha is the head of a pack, and people look to them for guidance. Of course, it doesn’t mean you have to be perfect or to know everything. Just that you’re willing to do your best for your pack.” Shiro’s sure it’s more complicated than that, but really, he appreciates Matt simplifying his explanation. He can see why Keith wanted the Beta to be the one to explain things to him... “Anyway, back to Omegas… it’s also said that they instinctively want to please Alphas. Now, the opposite is also true. Alphas’ instincts are to protect Omegas. For all these reasons, it's usually considered a sacrilege to hurt an Omega. However, some imbeciles manage to twist those instincts into something else. See, some Alphas conceive Omegas like people they can possess. They think the roles of an Omega are to please them, to obey them and to breed." His tone is filled with disgust. "These Alphas’ argument is that an Omega inherently needs an Alpha during their heat, and therefore depends on them for their well-being. They’re ‘weak’, so they need protection, according to them. Plus, I mentioned it quickly earlier, but Omegas do have a submissive instinct, when it comes to Alphas. I think they evolved that way because Alphas can easily physically dominate them, and hurt them if they fight back. It could have been evolutionarily smarter not to fight back and to develop other technic, such as speed or pheromones, not to risk getting hurt… But that's just a theory I have..." he trails off, before shaking his head. "Another stereotype is that Omegas are always horny… yeah, I know it's ridiculous,” he comments when Shiro makes a ‘wtf’ face. “They're not, unless it’s their heat, or if they're close to it. But that stereotype is... strong," he grimaces, and leans back against the wall, sipping his coffee. "Okay I probably forgot something, but that's all I can think of for now. Any questions?" "Matt..." Shiro starts, gaping at him. "I could listen to you talk for hours," he tells him right off the bat, looking surprised, and so raking his hand through his hair. The Beta looks at him with a satisfied smile. He doesn't know if it's just because of how badly he wanted to learn about all this, or if it's a charisma factor that Matt emanates, that makes him so easy to listen to. "Sorry I asked that question first... I... didn't mean to make things awkward exactly. I just know Keith has been avoiding... a few topics around me, and... I guess a lot of my questions concern him directly. He knew that, we kind of agreed that I should ask you. I really hope you're okay with that. And... don't worry. I'm not here to pry into his personal life in his back. Maybe just... come to understand the behavior he's had around me. But-- everything you just said already really helps," Shiro sighs, feeling that much more satisfied. Matt nods, looking vaguely amused, before the new werewolf adds, "Uhm. Dammit... yeah uh. I have questions... but we don't need to dive into the specifics right away..." he bites down on his lower lip, gnawing at it mindlessly. Matt shrugs, silently offering him to go ahead with whatever’s in his mind. Shiro hums thoughtfully. "Do... do you think it might be better for us if I… left him alone...?" Holy shit-- why would he ask this first. He feels his cheeks slowly heating. "Dontgetmewrong. I don't-- I don't want to. But if that's the problem, then I don't want to just... impede and mess up his balance either..." “Ohhh, it's hard to answer that, because I don't know you and I've barely seen Keith interact with you. So, put a raincheck on that one? I'll answer before leaving, I promise. Or I'll text you after. Because it all depends on your interactions and body language. He didn't seem stressed, and neither did you, but I don't know how your two first days together went so... " he gives a small shrug, but he’s smiling," Next!" Shiro smiles back, moving to grab a seat, and stretching his upper body and arm over said table. He's really only just woken up, after all, and wants to make sure he stretches all of the spots that could potentially be painful, checking himself. Except... they aren’t, not anymore. No more pain. That’s… good. Really. "You didn't hear any news of yesterday then..." he wants to confirm, eyes going back up to Matt, before he straightens his back again. "I know Keith texted Pidge. But... want to tell me?" Matt says, before taking the seat in front of Shiro, and sipping his coffee. Shiro growls low, biting into his muffin while feeling like this situation might be out of his hands a little... he can't leave out information, or he'll feel like he's withholding it, but... he has to start with the beginning, right...? Yet he also wants to ask vague-ish questions, but not really? This is so complicated... "So, we ran into this random stranger at the supermarket...." he begins, feeling like he's got to be careful about his information. Except... Matt will know more about it than he will, and right now, he's so confined to one bubble of experiences that it's hard to keep insightful. And... it feels weird to say they met a stranger, when he himself is probably barely more than one. "And he'd be the most annoyingly – “ the word is an understatement, but Shiro’s tone is spilling contempt “ --insistent guy... an Alpha, right...? And-- it seemed to me like... Keith was used to it," Shiro finishes quietly, fidgeting with the muffin (bad idea. It's crumbling a bit.). "So... and I mean a shitty behavior. There was nothing noble or- or caring or whatever to him. Called- he called Keith a ‘catch’ for fuck's sake. I've only met so many people like him in my life... but are a lot of Alphas like that...?" he wonders, the subject clearly unnerving him a bit, having him look down, and feeling like the reply will affect him personally. Matt's face twists into a grimace, at first, then turns serious, as he keeps his eyes on Shiro. "I see. Hmm. Unmated Alphas can... often like that. They answer to their instincts by really wanting to hit on Omegas. They'll compliment them, 'cause Omegas like to be complimented-- but not by any weirdo! Sadly, that part isn't understood by everyone. But yeah, like I mentioned before, Omegas are rare, so a lot of Alphas have never been near one. When they meet one, they don’t know how to react to their instincts that tells them they really want an Omega. For them, and for their pack. Like they borderline need one, to some extent. That can lead to unpleasant interactions, as well as more extreme problems.” Extreme… problems? Shiro frowns, listening intently. “A few years ago there was a series of Omega kidnappings. Some were even taken from their packs. A group of Alphas had formed an alliance and worked together-- they all got caught before the Omegas were harmed, or so it's been said, but it's super creepy nonetheless. Apparently, they had planned on selling some of them…" Matt explains, moving a donut that he has in his hand, while he talks. “Which means it wasn’t only them, and that there was a prospective market, you know? It’s fucking insane.” "So yeah, it's very possible that Keith is used to being approached by assholes. The thing is... when his pack was alive, I remember everyone worked together, so they always did activities like shopping or groceries with at least two members. Even Betas went by groups of two. Now—this is just me extrapolating, be warned—I suspect they might have worked like that so Keith wouldn't feel weird, being accompanied whenever he went somewhere more public. But I might be wrong. It's just what I observed, but maybe he went some places alone sometimes, I don't know," he rises in hand in defense, then sighs. "Anyway. In insight, being approached by pricks might also be something Keith didn't have to face until less than two years ago." Matt grimaces. The more Shiro toys with the muffin, the more it crumbles, and the harder it gets to eat. Which is... really wickedly counterproductive, as, like Keith told him, his appetite is much greater than he's ever known it to be. And he's never been one to eat lightly to begin with. It's just... Matt's giving him a lot to think of. Those are... really horrible things werewolves do. Fuck's sake- Yet he manages to eat it all anyway and pick another one up. Figures. "Two years huh..." he comments idly, thinking. "You know I got a... a peek into how sad his loss made him? Packs seem to be really important... Can... may I know more about them? More than just, their balance?" he wonders. "I... didn't know them all very well." Matt answers, with a guilty expression. " Well, I knew Keith's parents. His mother was the Alpha and was mated with his dad, a Beta. She was… a fierce woman—kind of intimidating? While his father was more easy-going. There were five other people, in the pack. A girl about Keith’s age, two other adults, and two kids. Maybe Keith will tell you about them, eventually,” he gives an apologetic smile, and Shiro has a feeling Matt knows more about them, but doesn’t want to betray Keith’s privacy. Which is… fair. He can understand. His question had been more about general packs, but he hadn’t dared stop the Beta from giving him more clues on the young Omega. Plus… "And they all lived here...?" Shiro whispers, stunned, looking around the house, seeing it a lot differently. "Or do packs just manage by living in general proximity to one another?" he asks, uncomfortable, and longing to catch up with Keith to hold him again, suddenly stricken with remorse that he took so long to calm down yesterday. Even if this is a different deal. Even then… Matt shakes his head. "That wasn't the main house, no, it's too small. The main one has been... more or less destroyed," the boy with pale hair cringes, "The best is when all members live with each other. But it's not always possible money-wise to have a place big enough to hold everyone. So most modern packs just try to live near each other, and organize pack evenings and activities. Keith's pack almost all lived in one place, though,” he explains. "The house we're at now belongs to Keith’s uncle. Or used to belong, I’m not sure. I think they used it for heat stuff.” Again, a small moment to assess the information. Take it in. Try not to let it get to him too much, because it has nothing to do with him. And then he proceeds to his next question. "You're talking about heats... I think I've heard that term before- uhm. So. What is it... like cats have?" Shiro says, seeing how that's his only point of reference. "Hmm. A little bit? It’s a time, normally once every two months, but it varies… - that can last from 3 days to a whole week. Scientifically speaking, it's a moment when Omegas are fertile and have strong instincts to procreate. It's preceded by a nesting period and followed by heavy fatigue. It's also a moment when they're... very vulnerable, and not exactly in their right state of mind...” there’s a moment of hesitation, before Matt keeps going, voice dead serious. “See, it's hard to consent when your body screams at you to have sex." "Holy shit-- wh-" Shiro goes silent for a moment, contemplative. Eyebrows knitting. Matt throws him a silent ‘I know right’. "So-" Silence again, then the Alpha speaks: "That's where the stereotype that they are always horny comes from-- Shit. Okay I follow now. And... what about the other... uhm--" he doesn't remember the word, "What about for Betas and Alphas?" Is he in even deeper shit than he thought? "Betas have none of these and Alphas have... ruts. They are usually triggered by the pheromones Omegas unleash when they are in heat. It’s part of the reason why most unmated Omegas isolate themselves when they’re in heat. Ruts are characterized by an urge to reproduce, stronger possessive and protective instincts, aaand let's not forget the famous Alpha knot." Matt takes a deep breath. He sounds both amused and embarrassed. He clears his throat and looks straight into Shiro’s eyes, while keeping his expression as serious as possible. "Also known as bulbus glandis. It’s basically a function your penis has acquired now that you’re an Alpha...” Matt clears his throat once more. “So. Shortly before the orgasm, the base swells and lock you inside an Omega. The withdrawing is furthermore prevented by circular muscles that Omegas have inside their genitals, and which tightens around the knot,” he slowly explains, gesticulating, trying to mime the process with his hands as professionally as possible. “Biologically, it’s to increase chances of successful fertilization. Like dogs and like wolves." Shiro gets up all of a sudden, bright red in embarrassment. "Uuuuh-- o-okay." He sits back down almost as soon, looking sorry about his outburst. Matt looks like he’s trying very hard not to laugh now. "Okay. Okay. I needed to know I suppose. Okay. That- that's fine. I'm. Thanks," he squints his eyes, giving the other guy the most unsure thank-you he ever gave, his heart pounding and his ears retaining the bright color. He stuffs another muffin nearly whole into his mouth, just to give himself something to do, while he tries very hard not to think about sex, if he'll ever have it again, and if he does, how different it will be. ... Fuck. "Oh-- but wait. Alphas-- they don't need to have Omegas, right? Like-" he tries to make sure he's remembering this right. "Keith's mother was with a Beta...?" "Oh, no, they don't. But as long as they're not mated, their instincts will always tell them that having an Omega as companion is the best option. Though people say that it's easier for female Alphas to mate with other classes, because they're going to be the one carrying the children, even if they are with an Omega. It’s also believed that male Alphas’ instincts are stronger when it comes to Omegas, and that women Betas or Alphas, are seen as lesser partners. See, in addition to being good for a pack, Omegas, as much as it sucks to say, have the ideal morphology for Alphas. You'll see homophobic Alphas make exceptions for males Omegas—Oh, ‘cause yeah, if it wasn't clear yet, they can get knocked up." "That's a thing!" Shiro exclaims, again, eyes going wide immediately toning down. "Right! Of course that's a thing. Uh-huh?" He's moving on his chair, crossing his legs, tilting his head, grabbing his chin in his hand, altogether adjusting himself to that new reality. He can tell the man isn't pulling his leg. Dammit... "Some wolves are homophobic, even when p- uhm, pregnancy is something that could occur naturally in a male? Aah- I'm probably formulating that all wrong, but... Isn't that weird? Is that just me?" he purses his lips together. "Nope, it's really weird. But, see, I've never seen a homophobic Born werewolf. Only Bitten ones. If you're a homophobic human, you'll stay mostly homophobic as a werewolf, except you'll have very conflicted feelings towards male Omegas, hence the fact that they make an exception for them." "You're... a Born wolf, right? All of this is natural to you... is it weird if I'm- it all seems surprising to me? There's still a few of these things that I'll be thinking about tonight," he chuckles, not uneasy per se, but... yeah, stunned, a little. "Actually, I was born human, since my dad's a human, and my mom’s a Were, but I asked for the bite when I thirteen. Pidge was born a werewolf. But, yeah, there are humans sometimes, in a pack," he smiles. "Oh yeah that's right," the Alpha recalls just as he finishes his second muffin, and hesitates a moment as he reaches for a third one. He…could eat his own stuff... But Matt seems to think it's alright, so he goes ahead. "Is your mother a Beta too?" Shiro wonders, the memory of Keith's pack's demise still lingering painfully at the back of his mind. And also the question of this house being for Keith's heats...? Why... He's glad Matt's family is alright. He should focus on that right now. "No, she's the Alpha." Matt smiles, before biting in a pink donut. And Shiro grins. "Holy shit, female Alphas are badass," he decides, whistling. And then the smile fades. "Though... shit, I'm- I'm still sorry about what happened to Keith's-- uh- may... I know what happened? I- maybe that bit's too personal-" he shakes his hand, momentarily forgetting his muffin. "I've got other questions, so- it's okay if-" Mat hesitates.
"... Keith told you a little bit about werewolf politic, rights?" "Oh-- yeah. Yeah, he told me about it..." he's looking at Matt, wondering if he understands that he knows about his family's and the Marmora's allegiance. Or... well, whatever they're up to. He kind of understands it. "So, long story short, Keith's pack was on the Altean side, and had done enough harm to the Galra that they weren't offered to join them or be exiled..." Oh. It's like he got hit behind the head by a stone. Or a bat. Shiro's skin blanches, and his eyes lose focus instantaneously. His heart is pounding so hard. That's the one detail Keith left out when he told Shiro about the whole thing. And he'd seemed so detached... so far away from the drama, telling him things as they were. This- is disturbing news at the least. When he seems to come to, eyes moving from left to right again, he eventually finds Matt. "I don't know what to say..." He hates the Galra. For sure, he's shaking from it. From wanting some sort of justice happen-- it's crazy. He's not even part of it, but... "Matt... Keith- after he told me about the politics- he, hnng. Well, it was clear he didn't enjoy having blurted out the info about your family and the Marmora pack to me, but... and I know you don't have any reason to trust me either... but I want to make it clear that I'm really not here to start any shit, or betray those who helped me out of my worse predicament ever-" He's so desperate for someone to believe him on this, he feels like whining. Matt listens to him with a soft smile on. "I believe you, don't worry. I think Keith also believes you’re trustworthy, on an instinctive level, and that's why he told you without thinking about it." His expression sobers. "But I don't think you should speak with Keith about what happened to his pack. No good can come out of it. Don't even say you're sorry it happened. Just... don't mention it, if you can. Unless he talks about it first." "Okay..." He casts his eyes downward. That's... It makes sense. It's fine. He doesn't know to what extent he'll behave when he sees Keith, but he should have had the time to process this by then. So he looks up again, understanding. "Yeah, alright. I mean: I won't-- Thanks for letting me know, Matt. And for believing me. Thank you." It's his turn to issue a small little smile, for a moment. Until he speaks again: "I feel like I'm digging my nose into his things anyway," he eventually sighs. "But... what's that thing about this house and the heat thing? Keith came here? It feels important that I should know, somehow," he says. "Like I said, Omegas are very vulnerable during their heats, and... they're a mess, really. Heats are hard on them and imply pretty intimate stuff… I think Keith's father would sometimes be with him to give him food and water. Oh, also…”, he hesitates, "One of the kids in his pack was an Alpha, so maybe they wanted to avoid triggering a rut? But I think he was pretty young, so I dunno... He doesn't talk a lot about these things. " Matt gives a little shrug. "It's pretty common, from what I've heard, for Omegas to exile themselves for their heat. If they share it with an Alpha, then they may start their rut as well and you don't want to be in the same house as an Alpha in rut and his Omega. Not just because of the sex, but because Alphas get crazy territorial and protective. They can attack anyone they deem a potential threat. Usually, the Alpha's second in command- or their right-hand man, if you prefer, take care of the pack during this period.” This, Shiro feels, concerns him very directly. Not-- really- truly not pertaining to Keith, even if they're talking about him, so any mental picture Shiro h- But he doesn't. Really! So anyway. This concerns him because of how he might act one day, if ever he gets a chance like that. Starting a pack, or… he doesn't know what. So, he nods understanding with a small "Alright", and remembers he had started another muffin, so he picks it back up again, and gnaws at it. "Ah-- these are really good, by the way. Thanks for bringing them over," he says, glancing between his food and his new acquaintance. "You're welcome." Matt grins, before finishing his pink donut, and drinking more of his coffee. "Oh, hey- can I ask something personal to you, actually?" Shiro seems to suddenly remember. "Is it about Keith?" Matt can't help but tease. Because hey, almost all of Shiro's questions about werewolves revolved around the younger one. Shiro blushes, his mouth opening in a protest that does not come. He squints at the other werewolf, but chuckles. "Touché. No... this one's really for you. Um. But how does it feel to turn? Into a wolf, I mean." “Ohhh, that's an interesting one. It feels weird, honestly. I don't think Pidge or Keith would tell you that, but as a former human, it’s bizarre, physically, to shift. It’s not… super pleasant? But it gets easier.First moon are pretty harsh, especially if you fight it. And you’ll want to fight it, believe me. Mom will tell you more about that when the time comes.” "But, aside from occasional complications for the first transformations, the 'being a wolf' part is super cool.” Matt grins. “Emotions are simpler. You want a good way to avoid complicated feelings and thoughts? Turn into a wolf. However, instincts are stronger. The first few times I turned, I was... super excited and couldn't stop wanting to run everywhere and to play with everyone. Maaan, I really got a kick out of it. I'm not saying it's going to be like that for you- I was a pup, back then- but I hope it's going to be fun too. " Shiro chuckles. "Thanks. I hope so too. But. I'm expecting a lot of fumbling around, with this going on," he gestures at his missing arm. And... huh. Simpler. That's interesting. He wonders, for a moment, if it’s why Keith spent the whole afternoon as a wolf, yesterday. Anyway… Matt's eyes narrow. And he gets his phone out of his pocket. "Wait a minute." He types a few things, and a little random country music starts. "Look at this." And he shows Shiro the video from 2:11 to 3:00. Taking the clip in, Shiro finds his lips slowly stretching into a smile. His eyes are glued to the screen. He can't stop watching, or relating to that happy black dog. She's eager, excited, and she doesn't quit, even if she can't stop fumbling while running around. Turning especially seems difficult. And... maybe the anticipation that's been looming over him lifts just a little. Makes place to a smaaall part of excitement. Maybe. Then Matt is taking his phone back and already selecting another video that he forwards to 2:15. The Alpha notices it shows a better-controlled dog and as him nodding. This time, he's glad Matt doesn't take the phone back before the video's ended. Alright. "Thank you," he gives his phone back to the beta, feeling grateful, and that much more confident. "No, right, you're right. It's probably going to be fine," he smiles. "It will. " Matt assures, taking his phone back. "Okay. Other questions?" "Oh-- I mean- plenty, if you don't mind," Shiro laughs a bit. He then proceeds to basically bombard his host's friend with them: What does licking mean-- if anything? “Licking is a sign of affection. As is scenting- which is the part where we just rub our smell on someone. Can be a hand on someone’s shoulder, or a cheek on a cheek, with quite a few variations. Usually, you scent mark your friends and packmates. Mostly your packmates, so the pack scent is a melting pot of everyone's. Will he be able to sleep in wolf form? “Yes.” Communicate in that form? “If you’re aware of yourself, yes. Meaning, if the wolf is in charge, like it often happens during the first few full moons, you won’t. But the communication is often… simpler? You’ll see. Oh, and, half-shifted wolves can hear full shifted ones, but you can’t in your human form.” Eat? Will he like what he hunts? Will he hunt? Will he still want to cook his meat? “Yes, you can try hunting, but it's more fun to do it with a pack, or at least with another wolf. Also, for meat… everyone reacts differently to raw meat. I’m not a fan? But I think it’s psychological. Keith and Pidge don’t mind at all, and during full moons, it bothers me a lot less too.” How the hell does getting turned into a werewolf cure you from stuff? "Fast metabolism. I used to have glasses-" Matt starts answering the question, and is cut by growls and snarls coming from outside. Before Shiro can worry about those, his interlocutor rolls his eyes with a little smile on his lips. "They're back. And play-fighting, apparently." He gets up from his seat and gets out, on the porch. "Play-f- they're playing then?" Shiro asks, wanting to see what it is that he's hearing, so he can understand better, maybe. He follows Matt. While he is absolutely clueless about the game, or-- whatever they will call it, he does eventually recognize -through the running, tackling, and snapping- that jolts of energy and excitement are probably being felt, which he can recognize would translate into fun. Plus, they both smell happy… he thinks. "Seems intense," he chuckles, in no form dissing the practice, however. "Oh, it is." Matt says, as the not fully grown wolf with sandy fur leaps on the black one, making him half crumble under the weight. Leaves, sprigs, mud and various unidentifiable natural objects stick out of the wolves' fur. There are apparent grazes, bleeding a little bit from the nibbles. It doesn’t look pleasant, to Shiro, but no one seems bothered so… he won’t mention it. He’ll lick Keith again if necessary. Eventually, the snapping of teeth is slowly replaced by panting, from both sides. A silent truce seems to be called and both wolves trots to the human. Pidge, unsurprisingly, goes to her brother, and Keith... goes to Shiro, before rubbing his head on his hip, without hesitation, tail wagging weakly. Shiro doesn’t miss the look of mixed surprised Matt shoots at the black wolf, before his expression turns into an amused one. "You guys are dirty as fuck, I hope you know that,” he chuckles. "Yep. I confirm," Shiro, whose hand had gone to Keith's head to give him a stroke, lifts up looking soiled. "Nice," he grins, then wipes whatever's there on his pants. He's pretty sure this will contribute to getting rid of the new scent of the fabric anyway. "Had fun?" he directs at Keith, head tilted down toward him, knowing the question is absolutely unnecessary, because he can tell that he did, but sometimes, rhetorical questions are fun to ask. Especially since he couldn’t hear Keith’s answer any. Half-shift, Matt said, right? He’s not there yet... Keith’s tongue lolls by the side of his mouth, which gives him a comical expression, and Shiro snorts. The wolf stomps his front legs, wagging his tail a little harder. They all get inside, and Pidge heads for the bathroom, to shift back and change.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Shiro notices that the two werewolves have distinct behavior when it comes to shifting back. If Pidge changes away from all eyes, Keith does it right where he stands, in front of him and Matt. It’s as smooth as usual, turning back into his (very naked) human form. Matt stifles a laugh. The Alpha doesn’t stare too much, more and more used this… sort of naturist behavior. Sure, his host is (really) pleasant to look at, but the last thing he wants is to pass for a pervert in front of Keith’s friends. Speaking of… "Keith, I don’t wanna see your butt!" calls the younger of the four, as soon as she gets out of the bathroom, fully dressed. Keith turns and she hides her eyes with her forearm. "Nor your dick! Ugghhh." Shiro regards Pidge with a new sort of awed respect. Not that he had none before, but-- He gapes at Keith. "Hey! You told me everyone was comfortable with nudity and that you guys kind of didn’t care?!" he exclaims, surprised, pointing an accusing finger at Pidge, when she’s more his piece of proof that he’s not crazy. "Nu-hu. I told you Born wolves in a pack full of wolves don’t care. Their father is human! So they adapted to him." Keith argues, with a frown, but he’s still walking to his bedroom, certainly to put something on. "I was getting used to it for you!" Shiro argues right back at him, mocking betrayal with an audible gasp. "From now on, you don’t get to see my butt or my dick anymore!" Okay, maybe that last part is to tease Pidge. "Pidge, what have you done?!" Matt gasps, dramatically. "Are you ever going to forgive me, Keith?" Pidge throws back, and the Omega disappears from everyone’s view when he enters his room with a grumbled: "Shut up, I hate you… ", which makes Pidge laugh hard. It covers Shiro’s bewildered one, and his head ducks into his shoulder in a sort of ‘oops’ gesture. He gets the feeling her sarcastic tone implied Keith really shouldn’t care, but his instructions for her to shut up seems a lot better to him, than something like... a sarcastic response about how it would be tough. Definitely better this way. He keeps close to Matt, barely daring to smile too much. "They always like this?" "Yeah." Matt grins. "Oh, don’t act as if you weren’t part of it too." Pidge immediately accuses her brother. "I’m not the one who came back all dirty from a walk." "Just ’cause you stayed here." The girl says, and she walks to Shiro, observing him with critical eyes. He raises his one hand in defense, lifting his eyebrows at her. "Hey, I’m really glad he stayed here. But I can tell you don't want to hear how cool I think your brother is--" Pidge smirks. "Please don't make him think he's cool. He's a huge dork."
Statement against Matt barely protests. "No way the encouragement can hurt him," Shiro disagrees, handing the werewolf her smile right back. "Look at him, he's barely defending himself-" He gets a feeling Matt won't really back him up, but it's alright. He's having fun anyway. "She has too much proof and blackmailing material." Matt says, chuckling, shaking his head. Meanwhile, Keith comes back, with sweatpants and a tank top. They settle on making quick (yet enormous) sandwiches for lunch. Shiro can’t help but be impressed: the Holts siblings are at ease with everything, never asking where things are, as if they lived here. It must mean they visit often, right? It’s a warm thought. He’s glad for Keith. They eat pretty quickly, and Shiro isn’t sure if the Holts are following Keith’s pace, or if eating fast is just a werewolf thing in general. In any case, he tries his best to follow.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Movie time?" Matt suggests when they're done doing dishes. Pidge has been giving Shiro little glances all lunch long, as if trying to judge if he's good enough for Keith. It amuses the Omega, because he knows she’ll have to agree (even reluctantly) that Takashi is sweet. “Sure,” Keith agrees easily. "Shiro, I'll be judging you on your answer, so think carefully: which movie do you suggest we watch?" Pidge asks, with a wicked smile. "Hmm, okay- well. Depends. Let's see... Do you guys loathe musicals?" he asks, and Keith cannot help a little smile. "I don't know, do we?" Pidge answers, smirking. Nope, she's not helping him. So might as well…
"They always re-enact High School Musical dramatic songs when they're doing chores." Keith casually informs Shiro, without really looking at anyone. "We don't do that anymore !" Pidge argues, which owes her a ‘sorry-not-sorry’ look from her friend. His attention is back on Takashi who’s… beaming at him, grinning like he’s a moment away from hugging him. He really wouldn’t mind. Really. But Takashi doesn’t. Which is fine, obviously. It doesn’t stop his heart from picking up the pace a little bit, because the Alpha is ridiculously gorgeous when he’s smiling like that. And he was the reason he smiled. Keith bites down his lips, because he knows, from the side eyes Matt throw him, that his satisfaction isn’t odorless. "Alright. Well. Get ready for something a bit different, then..." Shiro smiles back at Pidge. "Ever heard of Little Shop of Horrors?" he asks. "I totally allow you to judge me by the end of the film. It's not your typical h-" He cuts himself short. "Well. I'll let you figure it out, if you're willing," he tells her, his earlier smile still curving his lips. Keith’s smile is still lingering on his face. He’s not a huge fan of musicals himself, but he doesn’t really mind them. "Is that the movie with the... special plant?" Matt asks, a crooked smile on his face. Hm? Keith’s eyebrows disappear behind his black bangs, lifting at that… ominous piece of information. Pidge seems to have similar feelings, as her eyes narrow at Shiro, then at her brother. "Feeeed me, Seymouuur--" Shiro replies creepily to Matt, before laughing. “That’s the one,” he confirms, “It’s a cult movie you have to see at least once. Then you’ll start hearing references everywhere,” he promises and Pidge accepts to be subjected to the movie, too curious. The Alpha smells happy and excited, and it’s such a nice change from the previous day, Keith is ridiculously relieved. He’d sit through hours of musical, even if they aren’t his cup of tea, if it meant for Takashi to smell so careless. Like a precious pup (… with big muscles.)
Now he’s the one wanting to get closer, and… who knows, maybe hug him? Just- getting closer-. A little bit… closer. Keep it together, Keith. Oof. Shiro throws him a little sorry look. Oops, he’s probably figured that his silence about his preferences means musicals aren't his favorites. Keith gives a little shrug, and hopes the Alpha will understand that he doesn’t really mind. He takes off his shirt, already heading for the living room. "Oh, you mind if I shift with them?" He hears Matt asking Shiro, as the two men follow him. Takashi hums, and tells the older Holt to feel free, so the older Holt disappears in the bathroom. Pidge is already in front of the TV, looking for their chosen movie on Netflix. He’s pretty sure she’s not scrolling on the American version of the site, because he’s never seen some of these movies… but he’s way past asking how she manages to do that stuff so quickly. She’s connected her computer… maybe there’s something… there? Anyway, he lets her do her magical stuff ("it's not magic Keith, it's technology"- Pidge, several times through the years) and takes his pants off again-- again, no underwear, to shift. Katie hands the remote to Shiro, after eyeing the preview’s picture with suspicion, and promptly disappears to go change as well. A huge wolf – Matt- joins them, as does Pidge. It’s easier to see how the latter has younger features than the former, who has slightly longer and lighter fur, but is also quite bigger than the two other wolves. As Keith lies down in front of the TV, the two other wolves fall right next to him, making contact. They're close enough to be considered a cuddling pile, really. When Shiro approaches as well, Keith lifts his head, staring right at him, and paws at the ground insistently.
≈ ⁂ ≈
He's got three wolves in the same room as he's in, and Shiro feels like this is the most surreal situation he's been in ever. Never mind losing his arm or being turned. Nevermind stumbling into a whole new sort of world. This... Well. Woah. And they're pretty big. Like. He thought Keith was big, right? But Matt makes him seem... cute. He's so cute. And despite the guy's earlier shrugging that got to him (just a bit. He needs to stop that.), Shiro still finds himself smiling at the wolf a little until he's pawing at the floor as Shiro approaches. "Wh-- no, but I'll hide the screen from you-" he chuckles, taking in how nice it looks to be able to all lie together so close. It tugs at something like longing inside of him, because of course it does. And because it does, Shiro sits next to Keith, at the very least, instead of just taking an awkward spot alone on the couch. However, after starting the movie, he stays sat upward, and politely distant. The question of an inch between his hip and Keith's fur, maybe. He hears a little huff, coming from Keith, who shifts closer. Pidge gives a little groan… growl? As she seems to try to adjust to the other wolf’s position. But apparently, Keith is still not satisfied, because he gets up and position himself half behind Shiro, half by his side, so his front half is against the man’s hips and legs, and his hind half is behind him, pressed against his lower back. The Omega’s four members lay on each of his side. He's basically… surrounding him. Well. Okay. He didn't think- It takes him a moment to relax. For his heart to stop beating wildly, making him feel exposed as fuck-- Something close to a snort comes from the biggest wolf, and there’s a pause before his sister and him readjust to the Omega’s new position. As they’re positioning themselves, a low growl comes from Keith, making Shiro jump a bit. He sinks his hand into the fur of his neck in reflex, kneading through it thoughtlessly. Hmm, well, barely any longer. It seems it's relaxing to be against Keith. Figures. He lets the movie roll. They're already at the song where Seymour finds the plant and brings it to the shop when his mind starts wandering off. He wonders how different their interactions will be when they're both wolves. Or when he's a wolf and not Keith. He wonders if that'll ever happen. From the corner of his eyes, he catches Pidge watching the movie intently, sometimes making little adorable noises in reaction to what’s happening on the screen. He smiles. His hand kind of barely ever stops petting or stroking or massaging Keith, throughout. From his head, to his ears, to his neck and shoulders... he even makes a show of not really watching, during some more gory moments, by inspecting Keith's paws. The black wolf’s head rises up in surprise, and Shiro's pretty sure he meets with Keith's eyes. The wolf doesn’t retract his paw and quickly lowers himself again. His curiosity drives him to keep inspecting how the paw feels against his hand. From the way the fur ends and makes place for the cushions under (he doesn't know what their name is), to brushing them gently with the pads of his fingers and feeling their texture, to stroking his fur downward, and trying a variety of different little things on top of his paw. He gets so distracted staying attuned to any reaction Keith gives, that he thinks he forgets the movie. Apparently, having a finger brush the space between his toes is not Keith’s favorite thing, because the wolf’s leg gives little jolt, before eventually retracting it. He starts gnawing at it, and Shiro, for half a second, hopes he hasn’t done anything too- But the Omega rubs his head against his thigh, and he chuckles. Okay, he thinks he gets it. It tickled, right? He gives Keith's head a vigorous rub, before he's sinking his fingers through his neck's fur again (his favorite place) and leaving it there. He should watch his own movie suggestion. The story keeps getting weirder and weirder. Keith huffs sometimes, like it’s too ridiculous for him, but otherwise doesn’t move, and Pidge is still the loudest in her reactions, and Shiro can’t help but smile every time a wolf makes a noise. The movie ends, and Shiro turns toward Matt to give him a smile and a wink, and then toward Pidge. "You at least have to agree those were some catchy tunes. And hilarious," he tells her, smiling brightly, his hand forgotten in Keith's fur. He realizes he won't get an answer from her in this form, so he doesn't wait to get one, and moves to stretch his limbs and his torso a bit, resulting in his hand finally leaving the black wolf. It's been more than an hour during which he has not let go of the wolf. And he isn't sure how he feels about how clear of a message that gives off. Pidge gets up on her feet, takes a second to lick Keith’s head, and rushes to the bathroom. Matt is just staring at Keith, who’s still lying against Shiro. “I can’t believe I hadn’t seen this movie before. It was awesome!” Pidge blurts out excitedly as soon as she gets out of the bathroom, fully dressed again. Matt huffs and leaves to change as well. It causes Keith to reluctantly get up. He gives a small lick to Shiro’s hand, and heads to where he left his own clothing. "I can't believe your own brother didn't show you this movie," Shiro retorts, thinking this could mean they might not take the time to watch movies that often anymore. Which makes Keith... really special to them. He sees that. He guesses it takes very particular circumstances to successfully build a pack. And... losing your own must make things terribly complicated. He chastises his line of thought the very second he imagines Keith might have wished to be a beta. He'd probably been able to join the Holts if he- But no. That's so not for him to think about. Like. None of his business. At all. "That was weird as fuck," the Omega comments, once he’s back with pants and his red shirt on. There’s a little smile at the corner of his lips, and his whole posture is really relaxed. "Oh yeah, can't deny it was weird," Shiro grins at Keith. "A bit on the nose with its moral too, but I wouldn't have it any other way," he tells him. Then the Holt starts calling out various parts of the movie, and Shiro gets into the conversation, occasionally prompting Keith to participate as well, asking for his opinion. His host doesn’t seem to mind, answering easily with various brutally honest comments that have them all chuckling. It seems contagious, because more often than not, they all end up cracking up once one of them starts laughing. Shiro’s pretty sure he’s got what a ‘happy’ person smells like, now. It’s a nice smell, but more than being pleasant for his nose, it also makes a warm, sweet feeling blooms in his chest. It feels… just right.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I saw you looking out for him." Shiro kicks a pebble into the long grass on the side of the road he and Matt are walking on. His hand is stuffed into the left pocket of his pants, and his head is turned downwards, white hair falling in front of his eyes. It feels easy to talk with him. Maybe it’s because he was bitten too, but Matt seems to understand and be patient with him. And while his thoughts and very world have had no other occasion but to turn around Keith, lately, this type of easygoing exchange remind him that not everything in the world has to be… walking on eggshells. He doesn’t have to be careful, or to brace himself for a disorienting wave of urges. He knows (or well, hope) he won’t always need to do so, but at the moment, it feels like a relaxing break. "Have you made any conclusive observations?" the Alpha asks, finding a new rock to kick ahead. He’s referring to Matt telling him, earlier, about how he would observe the interactions between him and Keith before giving his opinion on whether or not Shiro should… go or not… or something along those lines. The Beta doesn’t answer immediately, probably thinking about how to voice his thoughts. "I... don’t want to get your hopes up, because I’m not in Keith’s head," he starts, looking at Shiro, "but I don’t think it would be necessary for you to leave him. He’s relaxed, around you, which is nice to see. Honestly, I didn’t know he could get that close to someone in barely two days,” Matt says, with an oddly serious voice." Maybe it helps that you were human before, so he doesn’t have to worry about your allegiance. Plus, you didn’t know about Omegas, so you don’t treat him… differently. So, yeah, I’d be really surprised if he asked you to go, especially when neither our pack nor the Marmora can take you in.” "It’s the first thing he wanted of me though... Out," Shiro says, knowing it’s really unfair for him to go back to then, when so many things have already changed. "Well, duh, of course he would want to get rid of an Alpha, knowing what he’s used to dealing with, and you guys’ reputation," Matt excuses Keith easily, "but hey, obviously you’re not a bad guy and I’m pretty sure he noticed.” "Just yesterday, he got pissed when I got the groceries. Like. Really mad, Matt. I have no idea how to thread around him." “Hmm... you paid, is that it?" the light-haired guy asks for confirmation. "And did he tell you why he was mad?" "Yeah, because I asked," Shiro purses his lips. "I can’t guess this stuff, and even after I apologized, things stayed really tense... for a really long time. It’s why it’s the first thing I asked you... I couldn’t help but... I don’t know," he forgets to kick the rock, " it feels like he didn’t want to deal with me," he supposes. Matt hums, "What’s the reason he told you?" "He said no one ever listens to him..." he recalls, eyes squinting. This was also something he didn’t know. "... do you know what he meant by that?" Surely it has to be about more than paying for food that one time. It hadn’t seemed like something harmful to him but. Hey. He learned. "Hmm. This happened after the incident you told me about, right? The one with the other Alpha?”
Matt asks slowly, eyebrows drawn in a frown as Shiro nods. “Was it Keith who made him go away, or you?" He waits for Shiro to say it was his doing to keep going. "See the thing is, with all I told you about how Alphas approach Omegas, you can probably guess they tend to assume they know better than Omegas, and that a 'no' isn’t a real 'no'. There are so many myths and stereotypes about Omegas, that some people assume immediately they know a lot about them,” Matt points out. "So if Keith had just seen his will ignored by an Alpha, who didn’t go away when he told him to, and then you ignored it right afterwards as well—Even if you wanted to be nice—I can see why he didn’t take it well,” the werewolf hypotheses. He pauses before adding, "There could be another explanation, but I don’t think it would explain the anger. Maybe the tension? I don’t know..." he lets out a breathy huffed chuckle. Shiro stays silent, and only gives a questioning look, which prods Matt to keep going. "Usually, starting from a certain age, all members of a pack contribute to its welfare. Most often, it means dividing the price of all shared things between packmates, according to their salary. So by paying everything maybe it made him feel like you were under the impression he couldn’t contribute? But that might be a far-fetch explanation, because I doubt he thinks you see him as a kid. And I doubt you do," Matt theorizes, as they keep walking. "Don’t get me wrong, gifts exist, but they’re either for birthdays, holidays or courting. Especially when it comes to food, for the latter, and even more from an Alpha to an Omega. There’s a strong instinct to provide for the other. Traditionally, Alphas would hunt something for the Omega they wanted to court, but nowadays, with grocery stores, it rarely happens. Buuuut,” he trails, “that shouldn’t have made Keith mad, so I doubt the problem should be seen from this perspective. My bet is still on the first explanation. Though I thought I’d give you all the hypotheses, just in case.” "This sounds so complicated..." Shiro seems to complain, but still takes everything in, nodding. "Honestly, not that much. I just talk a lot," Matt says, half-joking. "Okay, you know what—would you mind walking me through it...?" the Alpha requests, finding, once more, a pebble to kick. This time though, as he truly begins thinking, his pace slows. "Could it be possible-- and I can’t say for sure, but would it be possible that if I was hurt by his rejection of the food, it might’ve been because my instinct to give him some was-- well, behind it, in some way?" he hums, falling short of a chuckle, "It kind of sucks to feel stuff and not be able to explain it." "It’s a possibility for sure, yeah. Or at least, it seems valid so associate part of your feelings to that,” the Beta agrees, giving Shiro an encouraging look. "Okay," Takashi gives a small smile back. "And... if I’m hearing you correctly... he could have been refusing it even as a... well a gift, for courting reasons, but you don’t think so...?" Not that there’s a second, silent question behind that one, but… "Should I just... talk to him about it? We made up, but I wouldn’t call the issue resolved. You know him best, obviously... so maybe that’d be a bad idea." At that, Matt lets out another thoughtful hum. "I don’t know... he did tell you the reason already, after all. Keith is not much of a talker. If the issue is brought again, you can mention it, but I wouldn’t necessarily do it, especially since you guys are okay now… I’d tend to believe him. He said he didn’t like that you didn’t listen to him, probably because it was a repeat of what had just happened with the Alpha…” Shiro shakes his head. Stops walking this time. His hand is curled around his pocket, grasping at it tightly. "I can’t believe I didn’t see it that way, though..." And then his hand goes up to rub at his eyes for a long moment, before a heavy sigh escapes him, and he brings it down, looking over at the woods.
"I’m going to feel awkward about it for a while, I think." Matt stops a bit in front, and turns to look at Shiro, eyebrows up, "Why? What’s done is done, and Keith is acting all—Well. He’s not acting as if he’s still bothered by what happened. Not at all. It’s actually surprising. You guys really didn’t talk at all after the groceries episode?" he questions. "I apologized, and then he told me it was fine, but it stayed... tense, for so long, that it kind of sunk in. When we got back to his place, he ran off, which I get. And— then he was back as a wolf, but I still felt all off so it took a while to calm me down—I’m the one who talked, of course... and he did—he did stay with me—he can’t speak to me in that form, that I know of… it’s just-" The last two words are desperate. The opposite of the matter-of-fact tone he had right before. "I don’t want it to happen again. That’s what’s sticking to me. And even with everything you said, I’m still afraid of messing up. But I also don’t want to be calculating my every move and worrying more than half the time—it’ll end up getting to me... I really like seeing him happy. T’just—" Maybe he should just shut up. His expression wavers into something hurt for a small amount of time—but it settles quick, and he starts walking again. "I’m talking too much...but yeah, I don’t want to contribute to the opposite of that, you know? I’m really glad he was cuddly today though," he admits, at least. Matt is silent, and Shiro almost has the time to grow restless before he starts to speak. "Shiro…" his tone is soft but serious, “you’re both going to mess up again. Keith, because he’s impulsive and so wary of Alphas, and you, because you can’t learn everything about werewolves and adjust your behavior in a day. You met two days ago! You don’t know what are the other’s 'touchy subjects', you don’t know what your respective fears and expectations are—Of course you’ll get frustrated again." "So, you shouldn’t be calculating your every move. If you do something and his scent turns sour, or to anything you don’t like, ask him what bothers him if you can’t figure it out. He won’t necessarily answer, but at least he’ll know you care. And vice-versa. Or explain to him why you do stuff. Neither of you can read the other’s mind. Sure, scent is a cue, but it’s still limited," he adds, before running a hand in his hair and winking at Shiro with a smirk. “Communication is key.” Matt’s words tug at the corner of Shiro’s lips. It’s a very subtle change in his expression, but feeling his own physical response means the world to the Alpha. The other makes all the difficulties ahead seem manageable. Pleasant, almost, as long as he and Keith both remain open to discussions. "Okay," he nods, pensive, "Okay, I think I can do that. Thank you—again." He walks in silence for a minute, while he thinks on what they’ve just discussed, also weighing whether he wants to push this discussion into the other subjects he had in mind. But if not now... he doesn’t know when he’ll ever get to ask. "Might as well address the elephant in the room, here…" he slowly says, "But... may I know what are even the courting… rituals...?" He’s blushing. Refuses himself any thoughts of Keith, because it’s not like he’s going to start pestering the guy with this stuff anytime soon—But here they are. They keep creeping in. The thoughts. Like water, apparently, they can infiltrate their way through some of the toughest barriers. "Ohhh," Matt smirks, "I wouldn’t call them rituals. More like... traditions? Most Bitten don’t know about them, and unless you plan on courting a born wolf, who’s been raised in a pack with a majority of Born, you can go with the human type of courting, and it’s legit. The only tradition that’s still going, for both types of werewolves, is the mating bite, and it’s because it’s actually useful." Brief pause. It surely is only the tip of the iceberg, so Shiro expects more. "Okay! So, it’s pretty close to humans, all things considered. Alphas court their potential mate with gifts. Mostly gifts that took effort to do. Not something you buy at a store in two seconds, you know? Something handmade. The old classic, as mentioned earlier, is food you have hunted. If the potential mate accepts the gift, it’s a good sign. I’ve seen Keith burn a whole deer as a 'fuck off' message," Matt snorts at the memory. "I’m sorry I don’t have a lot more information on proper courting. I know when an Omega shares his heat with an Alpha, it’s a great sign? But you’re probably wondering the steps before that. Hmm. Grooming is a thing. Pack members often groom each other, but it’s more… intimate, when it’s done between two courting wolves. It’s hard to explain... Damn I can almost hear Pidge say 'sexual tension!' but no. No, it’s not that. Or not just that. Anyway, mutual grooming is good. There’s also some sort of… excessive scent sharing, which implies either lot of rubbing, bed-sharing, or both, and more." Shiro’s heart pounds throughout, the goddamn traitor. But he still listens. Lets the slight breeze try to cool off his face. This almost all feels like he’s way out of place. Too out of his norms, and it might make for awkward results. Grooming? Like… erh… brushing hair?... Bathing? He has no idea. But some aspects, he thinks he’ll be able to figure out... with some effort, but it could be worth it. "Aaand there’s the mating bite, which is sort of the equivalent of a human marriage, except wolves mate for life or until one of them dies. Mating bites are a big decision. They amplify the bonds between the pair, making them aware of the other intense feelings, even if they’re away from each other. So you know if the other is in trouble, and you can also just… feel them… In general, in a pack, you can be vaguely aware of your packmates situation, but it’s never as strong as between mated wolves. You remember how I said Omegas strengthen the bonds between pack members? They make ties… well— awareness— stronger." "What’s... wait, what’s the mating bite?" he asks now, actually clueless and curious. It sounds... cute? Yet not really. And actually very serious. Huh. "Commitment. A way to tell everyone you belong with and to each other. It’s a literal bite that will scar instead of healing, most often on the neck, right on, or very near the scent glands. You bite each other, and both parties have to be willing for it to work. Or else it’ll heal like every other wound." Again, with his heart, hahaha—It’s just. Okay. That’s actually the purest form of commitment he’s ever heard of. With each person bearing a map of their mate’s set of teeth—probably done in only one another’s presence... It sounds so intimate that he can’t help but have the idea— even as vague as he has it— create a sort of warmth in his chest. It’s simple. And it’s so ingenious. He wonders how it even started, but has an idea of how it could bond two wolves, if it’s a moment of absolute, unquestioned trust. "You know bonded… mated wolves, I assume?" he asks. “I do. My aunt and her mate. It’s less common than marriage, but still not rare." "And what about wolves with a human partner?" he wonders, referring to his interlocutor’s famil—pack. There’s an amused smile on Matt’s lips. "I don’t think my parents are a common case but... well, my mom did bite my dad, once, out of instinct. And she freaked out after because he was bleeding and wasn’t healing—That’s a story my dad likes to tell because he finds it hilarious now that it’s over. He does have a scar! But, well, my mom doesn’t. Human teeth are bad for biting. " Shiro chuckles at the mental image, "Oh dear—okay but that sounds really cute, actually," he smiles. "Okay... are you ready for the most important question you’ve ever been asked?" he braces Matt. "Are you gonna ask me if vegan wolves exist?" Matt asks back, not taking Shiro seriously, and rightfully so. "No... but I do need to know if wolves can laugh, once turned." "Oh God. Verbally, you mean? Because we can do it mentally, and communicate it like that. But with our mouth? We can somehow but it’s not exactly laughter. You can’t laugh as much, but you can huff… repetitively? … Sometimes there’s a little bit of growling!?" the Beta sounds fake-distressed at his attempt at explaining. Shiro laughs, "WhaT-- rEALLY? Does anyone do that? I was expecting a— a glint in the eye or— or… woah," he gasps through his giggles. "We tend to communicate it more mentally for sure,” Matt chuckles. "Okay good, because that sounded weird," the Alpha admits. "Hey, I know I’ve been asking all the questions, but... if you have any for me, I won’t mind," he says uncertainly, but gets a friendly smile from the other man. "What did you do, before you got bitten? Were you a student? Or did you work?" Matt asks. "I actually graduated pretty young... Found what I wanted to do early, and it... sort of worked out by itself. I’m—I was a photographer?" he asks. Why is he asking. "Uhh—yeah, so I would sell my photos to magazines or online. Do shoots sometimes, but I was focused on environments more than subjects. Have a following for it," he laughs, before adding, "I’ll show you some time if you like.” "Sure! I’d love to," Matt grins. "Want to do that back at Keith's place?" They’re actually already walking the road back to the house. "Yeah, absolutely," Shiro says. It must have been since he turned that he didn’t get a look at his own w—Oh shit. The SD card. He forgot about it entirely. "Oh—" he says aloud at the same time as he realizes. "Do you have a computer with you...?" he wonders. "I might have an SD card with fresh content I really want to check—." He knows he won’t be able to edit them right away, but he would still be so relieved not to have lost that content— Matt, who absolutely doesn’t know about what is on Shiro’s card, just smiles, "Nah I didn’t bring it, and Pidge will bite your hand off if you touch hers, but Keith has one he’ll definitely lend you if you ask him.” "Oh, sweet," Shiro nods, and smiles, "Alright. Then I’ll let you check out my Instagram, I don’t actually like showing my unedited stuff," he confesses. "Yeahh, I can understand. I don’t like showing unfinished coding either. " Matt sympathizes, as they approach the house. Shiro feels like it smells of freshly cooked and baked food for miles around. Of course, that’s an impression, but getting closer to the house, he can’t help but accelerate his pace, until he’s jogging up inside it. Something with… meat? Tomato sauce? Cheese? Apples? "We’re back!! It smells great, guys—" Shiro compliments when he’s inside, Matt just behind him. "I hope you left us the dishes, so we don’t turn out completely useless…” "We did, don’t worry," answers Pidge immediately, and Shiro gives a satisfied nod. "Oh hey, Keith... what’s your policy with using phones at the table...?" he wonders, eyeing Matt.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The corner of Keith’s lips turns up at the compliment. "What for?" he asks, curious, leaving the front of the oven with four sets of forks and knives, that he starts absently putting one in front of each chair, on the table. ‘Absently’, because his eyes are stuck on Shiro. The Alpha smells happy, and light. He owes Matt for it, for sure and takes a mental note to thank him later. The late afternoon light, coming from the kitchen’s window is hitting the side of Shiro’s face, making his patch of white hair slightly orange for a second and Keith is struck –again—by how beautiful the Alpha is. And so effortlessly so. Annnnd he’s caught right-handed in his staring by the principal victim of his attention. Takashi’s expression turns slightly bashful, but he doesn’t stop smiling—he even dares widening his smile at him and fuck– straight in the heart. "To stalk... me?" the object of Keith’s future dreams admits, "or what I do. Did—you’ll see," he chuckles, running his hand into his hair. The Omega’s eyebrows rise in a mix of amusement and curiosity. "Alright, permission to use the cellphone granted, but we have to see too," he gestures to Pidge and himself. The former is making big parts off the lasagna resting on the counter in a glass plate, and putting them in four plates. “Matt, did you have your phone? I find I’m uh... short on personal items," Shiro chuckles, looking sorry, before Pidge’s brother hands him what he asked for with a grin. Pidge hands the plates and they all sit around the oval table: Katie and Keith on one side, and the two older men on the other. Despite how good the meal the formers made smells, the bites they all start taking are far from the center of interest. They’re all looking at Shiro, who’s taken in Matt’s phone. He types in his handle like it’s second nature to him, despite only using his left hand. He’s also climbed on his chair knees first, instead of sitting. But this way, he can lean over the table with more ease when he wants to show them what he has. Most of the photos are landscapes. He appears to be really into forests, nature, fog as well—but it seems at a visual level, more than actual knowledge of any of it. Like he’s driven by a curiosity that he satisfies by looking at the object of his interest. There are cities as well, drone views (borrowed stock from mutuals, from the caption). And when there is a human in sight, it’s obvious they aren’t the focus, but more of a prop of sorts. Keith can’t help but regret obviously choosing the wrong side of the table. The Alpha doesn’t forget to eat, of course, but he’s always keeping an eye on the scrolling. Once, he clicks on a photo and rotates the phone so it faces Pidge and Keith. "Look at this one," he laughs. It’s a photo of what is clearly a tiny bug-eating plant, but towering over a city from a window way high up. The caption’s as nerdy as it gets. Something about all this being the plant’s. "Barely anyone had gotten it. Glad you three would," he grins, referencing the moving they watched earlier. There’s just one or two pictures of Takashi in there, often reposts from other photographers. The oldest one showcases his head with a full black coloring to it. So the white part is… new? Keith doesn’t get to see how old the photo is. Shiro looks younger on it, but not that much. He wonders if it’s some kind of disease… He doesn’t dare ask. He takes note of the username. "How many followers do you have?" Pidge asks, curious. "Hmm, oh... it’s written at the top if you scroll back up..." Shiro lets her find out, and Keith reads right over her shoulder. Damn. 130K. Holy shit. It’s a lot. His eyes widen slightly, because—well, it’s admirable. "It didn’t used to be this much-- but I helped with a Netflix Original right before moving here—they liked my style and contacted me about it for the cinematography style, and on-set photos—and with a kid’s show for Disney before that- so it’s moving quickly," the Alpha explains. "Plus... I like to think my stuff’s good? That’s gotta help." The more the Alpha speaks, the more impressed Keith is. Not that he’s planning on mentioning it—Well, you know what? Screw that. "That’s—" he starts, at the same as Pidge exclaims: "Damn, that’s impressive! I didn’t even know they asked for photographers, in kids show or Netflix." Well. No points in repeating Pidge’s words, right? He chews on his lasagna instead, swallows, and says, with a tone that is not to be questioned as he looks up at Shiro, "We’ll have to get your cameras back.” "Thanks, Keith... I wouldn’t hate that, but there’s no hurry, really..." the taller guy gives him a little appreciative smile, right before turning to Pidge. "And as for photographers on set: it always depends on the production’s budget, really. Sometimes there’s even two. But I haven’t worked on that big of a prod." Shiro is too modest for an Alpha. It’s very strange. Keith wonders if the guy is stomped upon by other people, in life, because of that. Probably not, because he’s, well… ripped and ridiculously handsome, but he seems so kind and... innocent? Does he lack confidence? For a moment, he wonders if his mom would’ve liked him. He can almost hear her say 'lack of confidence is ugly on an Alpha'. But… no. It’s not a lack of confidence—or, well, he doesn’t think it is. Maybe the man is being careful. It’s hard to tell… So Krolia probably would’ve ended up approving of Shiro and telling his son he’s a good fit for him— Stop. Bad thoughts. Gods. At least no one seems to notice how still he has gotten for half a second, as Matt tells Shiro not to undersell himself. "Oh—no, I wouldn’t go that far," Shiro tells Matt, and sounds almost surprised. Good. “I’m just saying, each production is different from one another. Working for Netflix was amazing, actually, I was allowed to post a pic or two on my own account—they’re in there somewhere," he says between two bites, “And then when the show drops and a few Comiccon panels have occurred, I’ll be allowed to post whatever I like. They’re actually chill, compared to Disney," he sniggers. "And I wouldn’t live off my work if I was terrible at it," he adds, for good measure, lifting his eyebrows at Matt, almost insistently. Keith smiles subtly, to himself, satisfied with this explanation.
This time, it feels alright to repeat it, and Pidge doesn’t beat him to it. "That’s impressive," he praises, and Shiro’s eyes snap to him. They hold eye contact for an interminable second, and the Alpha smells proud as he smiles back at him. The oven starts beeping, announcing that their dessert is ready, and Keith stands up, breaking the moment. He does see Shiro glancing down at his plate, still smiling, though, and it’s only when he makes his way to the kitchen that he realizes he probably have the same expression. He takes the brown sugar apple pie off the oven, placing it on the counter to cool it off, before getting back to his companions, about two minutes later. "No offense to this meal, because it’s good," Takashi starts with a disclaimer, "but can we skip now and eat some pie right away?" he begs at the Omega when he walks back to the table. Keith momentarily wants to say yes, because he’s eager for Shiro to taste what he’s good at —baking, that is—but… "No. You eat until you’re at least almost full. Or else you’ll want all the pie,” he explains, before sitting down and eating what’s left of his meal. Shiro hums thoughtfully, and… noticeably picks of the pace, beating even Keith’s, as he swallows the rest of his lasagna with a considerable speed. Then the man starts getting up, empty plate in his hand, and pauses, noticeably hesitating. "D’you trust me alone in there with it?" he jokes, looking straight at Keith. Though... is he just teasing...? The younger werewolf stares at him, eyes full of suspicion, but he can’t help being amused and knows the others smell it on him. "If you touch the pie, you’ll be forbidden from eating all future baked goods," he threatens. Matt looks up at Shiro and shakes his head, "Not worth it," the Beta affirms. "Doesn’t smell worth it, if everything he bakes is this divine," Shiro chuckles, and Keith’s wolf internally purrs at the praise, as the Omega starts smelling so pleased that Pidge gives a short giggle. His smile turns into a grimace, and he kicks his friend’s leg while Takashi leaves with his plate. The Alpha comes back with more lasagna, and thanks both cooks for it as he sits back down. Again, he eats much faster, and beats Keith to gathering the finished plates as soon as everyone is finished. He doesn’t protest, because he cooked, after all. "Dishes and then dessert?" Takashi smiles happily, obviously asking Keith, more than the others, which the Omega appreciates. Sure, he’s clearly the one who gets to call the shots regarding the sweets he makes, but it’s nice Shiro noticed. And anyway, Matt’s getting up to help with the cleanup, so it shouldn’t take them an eternity. He nods in answers, with a little smile.
Then two older men start the dishes, and Pidge helps gather smaller plates on the table, as Keith brings his enormous pie, with a pot of vanilla ice cream he gets from the freezer. Absently, he listens to Shiro and Matt’s conversation. "So, you’re also working?" he hears the Alpha ask his friend, when they’re both in front of the sink.
He can’t exactly tell what their age difference is, or if there is one at all. Matt looks a bit younger than he is, and Pidge even more (it runs in the family). Shiro can’t be much older, if he is. Takashi whistles when Matt tells him about his ongoing PhD in engineering physics. Keith hears the little interested sounds he makes as the older Holt describes his project. The Alpha asks questions, chuckles from time to time, and Keith— He’s glad they get along, don’t get him wrong. He really is! But part of him wishes he could be like Matt, and chat so easily with Shiro. He knew the guy did photography, but not that it was such a big part of his life. He did ask him twice about his job, family, and school —if he remembers well— but every time Shiro had barely answered. And yet the man takes one walk with Matt, and opens up immediately to him, if the photo-showing during dinner is anything to go by. And now he obviously wants to know more about Matt. Keith supposes that he’s not making himself look interesting… even if he cuddles with him in his wolf form. Takashi might just… not be interested into getting to know him. The guy never asked what Keith was doing, or if he was working. That is... a bummer.
It’s nothing new, people not wanting to share with him. He doesn’t have the carefree aura Matt has. He doesn’t have an… approachable face. Pidge once called it a ‘resting bitch face’, or something like that. It must be pretty bad, if even with the Alpha-Omega instincts, Shiro still doesn’t want to open up. "Pchhht, what’s with that face?" Pidge asks gently, keeping her voice low. 'I think your brother is a better fit for him than me,' Keith doesn’t say. Maybe later, by text, when none of the concern parties will be able to hear. He gives a small shrug instead, for now, from where he’s sitting on the chair, and Pidge pulls him in a hug. She’s standing up, so Keith’s face is brought on her chest, as she rubs her face in his hair. "It’s gonna be quiet, with you two gone." He mumbles instead, which doesn’t exactly convey the true reason he’s feeling awkward, but it is still true, and still something he’ll miss. Pidge lets a low, reassuring rumble, "We’re never far. And you have Shiro now," she says, letting a bit of teasing seeps in her voice. Keith’s only answer is to nuzzle against her. Absently, he hears the two other werewolves getting back to the table, just as Takashi asks Pidge if she’s as nerdy as her brother. "Yup! Except I’m a cool nerd. More into robots than theoretical stuff, though" she answers, not letting go of Keith yet. "You know my work isn’t theoretical!" "It is until you actually apply your software to something that can be observed!” she rubs Keith’s head one last time and lets go of him. "I’m programming, and you do it too!" "Yeah, except I’m programming my bots movements, and you’re programing... hypothetical magnetic field and theoretical lasers!" she argues. The banter gets a chuckle out of Keith, whose mood slowly rises up as he pushes away his earlier thoughts. Fortunately, the remnant of his blues’ scent is masked by the fresh pie, so it doesn’t get the attention of the others. Shiro seats himself closer to Keith, this time, sliding into the seat next to him before Pidge can claim it back. Keith doesn’t find it in himself to defend his friend as the Alpha pulls his tongue out at her when she gives him an affronted look (hey, she was the one bickering with her brother). Then, Takashi leans closer to him. "And you? What do you do?" he asks the Omega, like he read his earlier thoughts—Or not. He asked everyone, so now he’s asking him, to be polite, for sure. The man still has this… hopeful smile on. It’s… way too endearing. "I work at a garage... fix cars and stuff," he says, a tiny bit embarrassed, because it’s so different from Matt and Pidge. Pidge fakes a cough. "andhemakesandsellspaintings.” At that, Keith’s face reddens, and he glances up at Shiro, a bit embarrassed. “Yeah—I do that. Did. It’s been a while."
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Really—?" Shiro asks dumbly, looking like he’s gone still. He takes Keith in again, because while he was totally unable to peg any type on him, the fact that these two clash so much surprises him, and makes his eyes glint appreciatively. "I’m sorry that it’s been a while," he chews on the inside of his cheek, comprehensive, with almost a nervous quality to his movements, now. "I couldn’t imagine going through an art block that was very long—" Maybe that’s the wrong thing to say- oh shit oh shit oh shit— Keith is starting to frown. "But it’s great that you’re so versatile, damn," Shiro adds in a sigh, nearly envious of that, as all he knows how to use is photoshop, lightroom, and his equipment. The frowning has disappeared. He thinks he hears Pidge teasing Keith about him being versatile, but he doesn’t let it stop him. "I bet you’ll get struck by inspiration when you least expect it, though. I hope it’s not worrying you too much," he finishes truthfully, finding he has much more to say to Keith on what he does, than he was able to comment on either of the Holts’ paths. “Thank you..." Keith answers at first, and Shiro’s pretty sure it’s not only the evening lighting that makes the Omega’s cheeks look redder. Then, just a bit quieter, his gaze still honed on Keith, the corners of his eyes a bit crinkled by a smile he’s unsuccessfully trying to bite down on: "... will you show me some time?" His eyes finally dart away in a show of self-consciousness, but he mostly stays turned toward his host. "Yeah. Sure. I... have an Instagram too. And a website. That Pidge created," the boy says before going for the pie, grabbing a knife before cutting a big part of it and putting it in Shiro’s plate. “On top or beside?" Keith asks, scooping ice cream. "Both, pretty please!" Shiro grins widely, now, showing off all his whites very much on purpose, and very much to appear charming, and maybe get what he’s requested. "Oh, right, Matt said you had a computer... ?" he remembers. Keith suddenly leans down, much to his surprise, and quickly rubs his cheek against the side of Shiro’s forehead. The latter cannot help but lean into the little press. And while it was a reflex of a sort, and he absolutely cannot not do it, he’s also incredibly aware of moving against the other man, making the moment stretch for that much longer, in his mind. Whatever the gesture is about, he’s ridiculously giddy from it, and he can’t stop grinning down on his portion of pie. “Sure." Keith answers, as he proceeds to put two scopes of ice cream, one on top and one on the side. "I do. But we’re not looking right now," he warns as he serves Matt and Pidge. When it comes to his part, the ice cream also gets on top of the warm pie and starts melting almost immediately. "I can live with that," Shiro smiles, heart pleasantly picking up the pace. Meanwhile... he starts coating his pie with the frozen treat, mashing half his ice cream in a more malleable texture, until it’s spreadable, and he’s able to cover up his entire piece with it. It’s... clearly going to make a mess of his plate, probably for no good reason, but when he first sinks his spoon into the desert, it seems to make it easy for him to get a bit of everything each time, without fail or effort. And when it’s his teeth that sink into his first spoonful, well. He’s immediately dramatic on purpose. Lets himself melt against the table with a hum, temple leaning against its surface for a short moment, before he straightens up again. "I didn’t know how badly I needed this in my life," he declares. Keith gives a breathy chuckle, and behind the wonderful smell of the pie, Shiro doesn’t miss the shift in the Omega’s scent. It's like a fresh summer breeze, with a hint of sweetness, as if they were standing in a grove of fruit trees or something. Hmmm, that might be the apple part—he doesn’t know. But he knows the scent is coming from Keith, and he knows it’s a positive one, because it makes him feel great. Neither werewolf can see the Holts exchanging an amused look, as they start feasting. "’Glad you like it," Keith says, smiling widely. Shiro’s eyes are back on him, still crinkled a little. "This is what Matt meant? By never wanting to miss out? Who wouldn’t like it," he shakes his head, smiling, "I love it," he promises his host. "Thank you for making this. Even if that’s weird to say....? Whatever. Thank you," he owns up, before shoveling another mouthful into his mouth.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith didn’t think the giddiness could be heightened, but there it is. He’s not even eating his pie, he’s way too distracted by how good he feels. He wants to glomp Shiro, rubs his scent all over him, and to have his over him. To bury his nose in his neck, to press it under his ear so everything he smells is Shiro’s only. He knows he’d purr against him, shamelessly. He’d do his best to make him feel happy, and good and—Ahdjdhrjsdbshhd. Too much feelings. Pidge nudges his leg with hers and he gets out of his temporary haze. "You’re welcome," he blurts out, cheeks red, and promptly starts eating his own part to stop embarrassing himself.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
About an hour later, in the evening, the Holts are about to leave. They're down the porch of the house, with more pie in a basket, that Keith specified to be for Colleen and Sam. Matt had argued that with the new Alpha they're training, it would be better not to have something Omega-made brought home, but Keith had frowned, and had just… rubbed the pie’s container on Shiro, who had blinked, not sure how to interpret that. He had shot a questioning look at Matt, but the Beta hadn’t been useful in his snorting. Anyway, Takashi thanks him for everything as Keith hugs Katie one last time, rubbing her back, and nuzzling her hair, mixing their scent, as pack would. Then it’s Matt’s turn, and he does the same, rubbing his head against the man’s shoulder, hugging him tight. Every time they part, it tugs on his heart, but… maybe it’s not as bad now. Because Keith won’t be left alone in his thoughts. He’s got Shiro. He doesn’t know if it’ll last… but for now, he’s not alone, and it’s the most at peace he’s been with his friends' departure in a long time. "See you guys later…. If Colleen’s okay with this, maybe at the full moon?” the Omega says, and with the hesitant look that passes on the Holt siblings’ face, he knows it’s wishful thinking. “Yeah… I guess it would cause trouble. I’d be okay to spend it by myself, I don’t mind," he lies, and grimaces at the skip in his heart. He’s not sure Shiro understands what it means, but his friends grimace, with conflicted expression. "Hopefully it won't come to that." Matt says, with a hopeful smile, and they exchange their last goodbye. Shiro and Keith remain on the porch together for a moment, watching the Holt's car grow distant, then invisible to their eyes, if still perceptible to their other keener senses. "Oh yeah..." Shiro seems to recall, though maybe it's vague, in the midst of all the information he's had to gobble up in the last few days. "We can't spend that first full moon together, right...?" he asks uncertainly, voice quiet, eyes focused on the darkness in front of them. He bumps his shoulder to Keith’s, which makes the moment a bit less gloomy. "I really hope something can be done," the taller man adds, as if he feels bad for not being able to suggest even one possible solution. He finally looks over at Keith when he adds: "I don't want you to be alone..." Keith nudges Shiro right back, softly. It’s a temporary proximity, but it’s nice. "The real problem isn't really you. It's the combination of them having taken a fairly new Alpha under their wing, me, and you. One new Alpha, Colleen could have dealt with, and I would have stayed. Two, plus me? That's a recipe for disaster," he explains, "but hey, I'd survive a full moon alone." It can’t be worse than spending his heats alone, and he's used to that... "It'll... just be that one time, though... right?" the Alpha asks, voice smaller. Keith can smell that he dislikes the idea, and it’s, once again, a nice show of the man’s control. He’s complying to it, without arguing. Well, they’re not the full moon yet, but still. "Yeah. Most likely,” he says, and cannot help the short, hopeful sigh that leaves his mouth. He’ll try not to think too much about it, because there’s less than two weeks before the moon, and considering how much his wolf is getting attached to the Alpha, when it comes to him leaving especially on the full moon, if he’s alone… he’s not sure he’ll be able to stop his wolf from trying to run to Takashi. Instincts get crazy, during these particular nights. And it's not like heats, where he's weakened by horniness. He'll just be full of energy and wanting to be with his friends and Shiro. Oooff. He might just have to lock himself up. Ugh. What an unpleasant perspective… "And..." Shiro keeps going, squinting briefly. "Is it terrible if I need a reminder of... why we can't spend it together...?" he tilts his head. "Because we don't know how you'll be as a wolf. Every Bitten is out of control, the first time. We need other wolves around we trust.” So they can restrain Shiro if he gets aggressive. “And packs... they don't usually part on full moons, so Matt and Pidge will be with Colleen, and you’ll join them." And it would be a lot more dangerous to leave Shiro behind than it is to leave him. The Alpha looks down, and his foot kicks at some invisible rock, maybe, hand going to his pocket where it hooks itself. "Alright. I'll be on my best behavior, so we can hangout the second time," Takashi smiles softly at him, his head still tilted down, but eyes up towards him, "Should we... head back inside?" "Yeah." Keith agrees, sending back a small smile to Shiro. The full moon topic is closed, at least for now. "Sooo,” the Omega starts, “Matt answered all your questions?” he asks, as they climb back on the porch.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Oh— well, yeah, he was really helpful," Shiro says, blinking, and heartbeat picking up, because holy fuck, half his questions were about Keith, and oh no, he doesn't mean to blush, but— "Told me to text him if I ever had more, which was nice of him. You seem pretty well surrounded..." his expression softens back. "I'm glad for that." There's a pause as they enter, and Shiro looks at the couch. "Hey..." he slowly starts, wavering. Keith doesn’t seem to notice his hesitation."I am too... I mean, they have their own life, and we don't see each other nearly as often as I wish we would— but they're great." "I mean— and- you can, this isn't-" Takashi frowns at himself, surprised at this behavior. "Uhm." He takes a deep breath, and offers Keith a self-conscious smile, but carries on, because he has a point to make. "If you ever miss things like— I don't know... being close to someone, or even watching a movie like today, I like that too. So. I guess this is me telling you I'm here. I know I'm not your pack! Or even an extension of it!" he defends himself, eyes a little wide. And he huffs a little, impatient at himself, and knowing so very well how Keith can tell his heart has picked up the pace even more since earlier. "But if you miss them, and they can't be here, I'm... Oh dear, maybe I shouldn't've said anything," he laughs nervously. "I'm not here to push myself onto you. Just... let you know I'm... available, I suppose...? I'd hate for you to feel lonely, or— yeah, I'm gonna shut up now," he nearly squeaks, which is very unbecoming of him, but he can't help it, or the blush that's furiously made itself visible on his entire face. "Don't shut up." Keith says, frowning a bit, with confusion obvious on his face. There's a pause.
"... is that... would you want that?" He sounds unsure, as if he believes Shiro doesn’t mean it… or that he’s offering out of pity or something. "Yeah," Shiro blinks at him, and from his tone, he sure is certain about that, at least. "Sorry— I bet I seemed to be walking backward into that one... phew. Didn't mean to. It sounded so much better in my head- I just don't want it to be problematic," he says it rather firmly, for a man whose hand is fidgeting. "But if you'd also like to, yes, I would enjoy more time closer with you," he says, eyes back on the man. Keith's expression changes to something softer, more relaxed, and... maybe a bit more shy too. The Alpha can hear the boy’s heart beats faster. "Oh. Okay. Thank you. I think it could be... nice." The small smile he shoots up at him is adorable. Shiro walks the mere two paces separating them, his hand lifting to meet with Keith's cheek. And when he thinks he will chastely kiss his forehead in thanks, he rather pushes his nose against it, and slides it along him, until his cheekbone is pressed firmly, if briefly, against Keith's temple. There’s a sudden, small… rumble that erupts out of Keith’s chest. It’s not… exactly a growl? It sounds like a vibration, but he’s not sure if he’s hallucinating it. It’s very faint. “I think so too," Takashi agrees, almost breathlessly, as he retreats. There's a smile spreading his lips, and for a moment, he does nothing else but study Keith's eyes. Their purple-ish color, the way they shift when they move around, and the way he blinks, as his cheeks grow pinker. "Ah— hey," Shiro catches himself, snapping out of what could have been a long moment. "Did you want to maybe see some of my unedited work?" he asks. "I'd need to borrow your computer, though. See if my SD card is intact," he suggests, trying to be casual, when this has been gnawing at the back of his mind. "Yeah, I'd like too. I'll go grab my computer?" Keith is already stepping away, turning his back to disappear in his bedroom. He comes back with his laptop, less than a minute later. Shiro's recuperated his SD card, in the meanwhile, and he's the one who sits back with Keith, after a long moment of pacing nervously as he inspects the tiny blue thing for any physical damage he can see. It was sort of hard-ish to extricate from the broken camera, mostly because he only had one hand to manage it, and now he feels as though whatever he tries, his hand will fumble. So he gives Keith the small memory holder, and scoots in close to him, his lower lips sucked in under his teeth. He lets the other man push it into his computer (as he'll better know where to insert it anyway), and nearly holds his breath when a data recovery/protection message pops up, and they launch it, waiting for the progress bar to finish loading. He shouldn't be so nerve-wrecked from this. Come to worse, he lost a bit of work. It's fine, though. He's fine anyway. He'll be fine— It finishes loading, and a window with all his files appears, having Shiro square up. He had been just about to slump against his host, unable to understand where all this stress is emanating fr— Except there's still a part of him anticipating something. His heart keeps the exact same accelerated pace it has taken on earlier. He can't help thinking that when he sees his most recent photos, he'll finally let out a breath of relief. There's got to be something holding him back from being perfectly content. So he encourages Keith to scroll down to uncover his most recent photos, body still stiff by his side. Shiro physically cannot sit down and look at the photos. When Keith clicks on one, there's a lurching feeling that tugs violently at his whole stomach. He almost vomits right there, yet for a small while, tries to keep himself under check. Tries to keep his eyes to the screen. Except it's like all of his senses go numb. He’s back there. Back then, with a sudden weight slamming into his back, his breath cut short— Shiro bolts upright, throwing himself off the couch with a cry that gets stuck in his throat, unheard. His chest heaves with his rapid and short breathing, as he stares at Keith without really seeing him. He can feel his heart pounding against his ribs. He can almost not hear anything other than that pounding, keeping him just on the brim of that edge he's on. It's so sharp... everything feels so sharp... A distant part of him is screaming at him that he’s in a house, not in the forest, but his whole body is stiff all over, all his hair is on end. He’s scared, as if something would pounce on him—it’s just a matter of second, now. His shoulder throb in phantom pain as huge fangs sinks in his shoulder. A claw gets his face, and he feels the blood spurting out from the torn skin—
≈ ⁂ ≈
The unease emanating from Shiro is brutal, and he reeks of distress. Keith’s eyes are up and he snaps the computer shut without a second thought. The Alpha is upset, his pupils are dilated, and he’s… close to half-shifted. A pair of wolf ears, silver-ish, turning to black to their tips, has replaced his human’s ones. The Alpha’s upper lip is curled up in a silent threat, revealing sharp fangs where his harmless human canine usually are. A quick look toward the man’s hand reveals the sharp claws it harbors. Keith’s instincts rush to the surface, in a mess of diametrically opposed urges.
RUN. Alpha. Out of control. Hurt you. RUN.
HELP HIM. Alpha scared. Needs you. Get closer. Help. And for a moment, he doesn’t move. "Shiro?" his voice is too hesitant. Takashi is still too far to hear him. He takes a deep breath. “Shiro.” he repeats, louder, firmer, as he stands up, eyes fix on the Alpha, frozen in the middle of the living room. “Look at me.” He’s going to have to do better than that, because Shiro isn’t looking, and there’s no way the Alpha is getting enough air in his lungs with his awfully short and quick wheezy breathing. Tears start streaking down the man cheeks, and Keith whines, stepping forward, putting a hand on his broad chest. Curse half of his instinct that’s screaming he’ll get shred into pieces, or else he’d be able to calm the man down like he did the night before. But there will be no cooling Omega pheromones now. The only thing he can do… He pulls the man against him, rising on the tip of his feet, and cup the back of the man’s head with one hand, forcing it down his neck. His other arm keeps the Alpha close, pressed against him. It feels like an incredibly stupid idea, because the wolf could tear his throat out with his teeth in a second—and it’s not like the time Shiro smelled his neck harmlessly. There’s danger, here. Real danger. Keith is tense, but he doesn’t move. Pheromones or not, he’s still an Omega, and he hopes Shiro trusts him enough to consider him… safe. A safe scent is always reassuring. He feels the wet tears against his neck. “Breathe Shiro, breathe,” he exhales, trying to relax enough to be a calming presence. Gradually, the frequency of Takashi’s breath slows, as each cycle of inhalation/exhalation deepens, expanding in duration. That’s a start. At the same time, Keith relaxes, getting progressively rid of the hint of fear that lingers in his smell. "W-We have to delete those," Shiro says, through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and dry. There's no lightness to him. But he’s back. "I'll do it. I'll do it... just... breathe. You’re safe here," he hates how his voice almost shakes, as the tension leaves his body.
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Shiro's eyes had slid shut as soon as Keith pulled him in, because despite not calming right away, as if no matter where his thoughts are, part of him stays aware of what is safe. Keith's scent is still one he enjoys, and it's just what he needs to be able to push away the vivid memories that were threatening his composure so severely right before. And per the omega's request, he just breathes, his intakes and exhales slowly evening… Until they're not anymore, and they're frantic, and he's curling up against the other wolf, his arm lifting to also wrap around him. Keith’s hand lets go of his head, but Shiro keeps his face pressed against the Omega’s neck, where his scent is strong. It's all he allows himself to focus on, for a while. Keith. Just... Keith. The way his breath is a little short too. The way his heart is beating faster, and yet the embrace he keeps tight around the alpha anyway. The way he rubs his face into him, each new small motion an unexpected and welcome balm for Shiro. And eventually, he's not just leaning into Keith. He's melting into him. Pressing his own face against his neck, then rising to the side of his head, arm nearly scooping him up it's wound so tightly around the guy— He can see himself picking him up— he'd be able to, even with a missing limb. He can see himself setting him down on the couch, and somehow having him accept that it's the perfect moment to stay against one another and cuddle, mixing their scents, pressing their bodies together or… He's distantly aware of the possessive feelings rising in his chest. He's so afraid the smaller wolf will smell it off him, and be repulsed, that he gently undoes himself from the other, with a promise that he's okay, and that if he could delete the photos, he's sure he'd immediately feel better... Keith is looking at him, and he can’t read his expression. He doesn’t smell scared, nor mad. He just smells… like Keith and hint of something softer. "I’ll delete them,” the Omega promise, softly. “Wanna boil some water, please?” he asks, as he sits back down and take the shut laptop on his thighs. Shiro nods, offering Keith a smile he kind of naively hopes conveys he's perfectly fine, and leaves the room. It's hard to be in the kitchen, and not allow himself a sigh, or another, more private breakdown. Not that he'd want to be alone for that... but it's still so clear in his mind that he's got to take things slow with Keith, since he only always refuses Alphas, and probably doesn't want one. That thought is hard to get over, that's all. But he'll pass that barrier. Or he can try. Because Keith is pretty nice, and the chat with Matt planted so many tiny hopeful ideas in his mind, that he can't go ignoring them all. Maybe after Keith's accepted his first courting present, Shiro will allow himself that pang from earlier. He swallows, as he takes the boiler, to fill it with water. He nearly drops it. Fuck. His fingers—There are claws at the tip of his fingers, instead of nails. Like he’s just gotten some crazy real looking make-up slash prothesis for a… werewolf movie, or something. His fingers feel bigger, stronger, and… Shit, is that fur, on his joints?!? Or… thick hair? Yeah. Thick black hair. Holy shit. That’s scary. “… Keith?” he starts, unable to look away from his weird only hand. The Omega joins him, faster than expected, and Shiro shoots him a semi-panicked look, brandishing his hand towards him. Keith… doesn’t look alarmed, which partially calms Shiro. It probably means he won’t turn into a dangerous uncontrollable beast… or else Keith would have looked a bit more unnerved, right? … Right…? “Oh, yeah, that,” the Omega answers, and grabs his modified member with both hands. It strikes Shiro how smaller his host’s hands look, compared to his, especially now. The touch is gentle, as he runs his fingers against the tip of the claws. The Alpha doesn’t move a finger (literally). He meets Keith’s dark violet eyes, but the boy’s eyes rise even higher, looking at… the top of his head, or something. He’s got a little smile on his face, but Shiro’s not immediately reassured. "Huh?" Shiro goes, hand darting up to his head, only to find he's pushing through fluffy, hairy— He rushes to the bathroom without a second thought, and Keith just walks behind, following him. He jumps towards the mirror, aghast, looking at himself, and then back at the Omega. He's got two… huge wolf ears, on each side of his head, although also almost sitting on top of it, replacing his human ears and apparently just... part of his anatomy, or something. "Does this happen often??" he questions. Keith gives a little shrug. “Not really, but I’m pretty sure it’s part of the 'new werewolf' thing, that I don’t know a lot about,” he looks apologetic for a second. “But strong emotions or strong instincts often mean a lack of control. And a lack of control can lead to stronger instincts? I don’t know if I’m clear but… maybe part of you felt you’d be… safer as a wolf?” he tries, looking quite unsure of his words. That… Shiro’s not sure everything makes sense, but he gets the last part. He swallows, watching the Adam’s apple of his reflection moves as he does. "I'm— when will they go away?" his eyes cast upward, hand helping him inspect the details in the fur by bending his ears. They're pretty soft... but not as much as Keith's. Maybe he's biased because he can also feel his own hand on his fur though. “Eventually, I think…” Thanks Keith. Very reassuring. “I mean, normally, you shift when you want to, and will them away. But there’s no rush, no one can see you… plus, they suit you.”
There’s a lopsided smile on the smaller man’s face, and Shiro would have interpreted it as an amused smirk if it wasn’t from how gentle Keith’s eyes looked at him. He feels a rush of blood to his cheeks, and there’s no way he can ignore how pleased he is with the compliment. “I… thanks…” he manages to answer. He almost asks Keith how he’s supposed to ‘will them away’, but… he can wait a little bit, right? If Keith likes them…. And they’re not bothering him, so it’s alright. “You don’t have your tail, though, so you’re not exactly half-shifted,” the younger man points, shifting to stare blatantly at his butt, which doesn’t help with Shiro’s blush and he chuckles, maybe a bit nervously. Now, maybe Keith looks more amused than… whatever his prior expression was. “Alright, I’ll start the boiler.” Keith says, in a conclusive tone, turning on his heels, before leaving Shiro alone with himself in the bathroom. Right. The water. That’s what he was supposed to do, uh? But he can’t help looking back in the mirror. So weird… For now, the ears are facing forward, and are mostly up, yet not alerted. He tries moving them backward. They don’t budge from a single centimeter. Figures. He doesn’t feel like he has new muscles, yet he must have, because he’s seen Keith’s wolf ears move before… From the kitchen, Keith opens the sink, and immediately, his ears twitch towards the sound of the running water. Oooooh. Interesting. And logical, now that he thinks of it. So what if…?
He concentrates on listening to the outdoor noises, especially the cicadas’ song and— Bingo. His ears are turned back as much as they can, and Shiro is grinning. Okay, the claws suck, but this? It’s not so bad. Plus, Keith likes them. Speaking of… he walks out of the bathroom to join him back in the kitchen, where the water is heating. "Hey," Shiro starts, "when do you think we'll be able to go fetch my equipment...?" "Is it better to go during the week, or tomorrow? Not to run in with your roommates or someone you know?" Keith asks back, leaning against the counter, the boiler behind him. "Probably should wait for the week..." the Alpha admits, promising himself that it's fine, and he can be patient. Not like his present won't take him a bit of time and effort anyway. Might as well go the distance. "Don't you have work...?" he wonders, refusing to fidget now. "I understand if you can't exactly make your schedule line up... we could go tomorrow." So much for patience… but it’s Sunday. "My roommates… they won't really ask questions. They don't usually." Because none of them are his friends. Just people to share rent with. He was never in it for the luxury. Just... better equipment. Keith chews on the inside on his cheeks, hesitant. "I do work on week days... but I could call in sick?" he suggests. "It's just 'cause of the arm. And healed scars. But if you think your roommates won't make a big deal out of it... or if you can just ignore them, I guess it'd be fine?" he doesn’t look convinced. This actually makes Shiro laugh a bit, and he looks down at his missing arm (he'd say he tends to avoid doing but... no. He must have spent an eternity just taking it in.) "I mean. Yeah. Might push a few guys to suddenly care. But— haha, no, not the word I'd use. Want to know the drama, seems more appropriate," he states. "Let's not have you miss any more work for my sake... I believe it's not as hard to maybe deal with acquaintances than it is to explain to your boss you have to take another day off." Behind Keith, the hot water clicks to let them know it's ready. "Plus... you'll be with me, right?" Takashi adds. "Of course." Keith says, crossing his arms on his chest. "But I can't exactly growl at them if they're pricks," he says, before going to a cupboard and taking two mugs out. "Tea?" Shiro leans backward on the counter, pressing his weight into his elbow, and tilting his head backward with a flip, so his hair will be out of his face. But he still angles it towards Keith, and he can feel the (his) ears doing the same. He looks at him with a malicious glint in his eyes. "Oh, I want all the tea," he grins. And that might be the gayest thing he has ever done in front of Keith. For real. Because it's a deeply rooted reflex when he hears that word. He thinks he hears the Omega’s heart skipping a beat, but the next sound is even more interesting: Keith snorts, and immediately starts chuckling, before hiding behind his arm. "You dork," the boy shakes his head, before opening another cupboard to grab what smell like a box of several kinds of tea. "Unfortunately for you, I’m kind of a recluse. There’s only this kind of tea here,” he waves a tea bag to emphasize his words. "Oohh pffff," Shiro smiles, grin wide and show-offy. He's so glad he just witnessed Keith snort by his hand. He turns to face the counter, but still presses his weight into it, body leaning towards Keith a bit. "Fine, I suppose it'll do," he mock-flicks his eyes to the ceiling, a remnant of that dramatic attitude lingering in him. Keith can't stop smiling at Shiro's antics, and he pushes the box of tea towards him. There's a lot of kind, and all ingredients can be smelled. Which is a good thing, because a tea called 'Festive Autumn' doesn't tell a lot on its content. Somehow, he singles one smell out of the lot, that catches his attention. "That one," he says, picking the ‘Rising sun’ bag. This surprises him, of course, because, uhm, he didn't expect the feeling of nostalgia stirring inside, as a softer smile takes place on his lips. The smell of jasmine and cherry rise in the air, when Keith pours hot water in both mugs, and the stronger smell of his host’s chai tea joins the mix. "Thanks," Shiro says, finally straightening back up a bit. "What's that you were saying about growling at them...?" he remembers, because yeah— they should plan tomorrow a bit, huh. "That I couldn't do it, if they were annoying you. Because apparently humans don't growl..." "Apparently?!" Shiro scoffs in surprise. "I'm getting the sense that... you don't... hang out around humans particularly often, do you?" He asks, and frowns when he realizes he's not saying what he actually wants to say. There’s a small frown on Keith’s face. “It’s not-“ the Omega starts, and is immediately cut by Shiro. "You'd want to defend me if they were annoying, though?" the Alpha coos, obviously charmed with the idea. Keith looks away and raises his mug close to his mouth to hide his lower face with it instead of drinking. "I know that humans can't growl, I just find it a bit stupid that we can't growl at them... I do know what humans are like," he sounds a tiny bit defensive. "I mean... they can growl— it's just not something we- erm. They...? do," Shiro specifies, smiling, "But honestly. If you want to growl at them, I won't stop you," he admits, because he'd be curious to see what happened. If it sparked laughter, though, he'd beat someone up. Keith smiles, but shakes his head. "I can't. There aren't a lot of laws amongst werewolves, but not revealing our identity as werewolves is an important one. Did you know werewolves were real, before? You weren’t really surprised when I told you, but from what I've heard, most humans think we're a myth. " Shiro blushes, fumbling for his tea, which he ends up not even picking up. "I didn't know!" he squeaks to his own defense, "I did kind of— I told you I was really into- I didn't know," he repeats again, as if it would be clearer this way, than the first time he said it. And with the way he thought, anyway, if it was just a prank, he was ready to not react strongly. If Keith was trying to distract him from feeling pleased at the idea of the Omega coming to his defense, it's worked, at least. "Really into what?" the smaller man asks curiously. "Well, I did say ghosts," Shiro squints his eyes at him, wary of saying too much. "I mean- kind of. It's a question of believing, or not crossing out things-" he explains, knowing it can be ridiculous of him, as an adult. "And after what I'd lived the night before anyway," he shivers. "Who was I to question you—" "There's a difference between 'not crossing out things' and being 'really into ghosts'," Keith teases gently, before he stops leaning against the counter. Shiro huffs at that, but he's smiling anyway, not minding the catch. "Come with me," the Omega adds after a little pause, and Takashi grabs his tea mug to follow him. Keith leads him past the bathroom, to the smaller room in front of his. Shiro remembers it’s where the other werewolf had put the box with his remaining things. He hadn’t dared look too much, back then, but since Keith’s inviting him inside this time… he follows. The room doesn’t smell a lot like Keith, which tells a lot about how much time he spends in there. It smells… old? And maybe there’s a faint trace of the Holts scent along with others he doesn’t recognize, but the last ones are very diluted in the general aged house smell. "It's a bit dusty,” Keith starts, “but it's probably better than sleeping on the couch.” This... is not what Shiro was expecting. There's no way he can put the emphasis on that enough. The Alpha saw himself sleeping on the couch for as long as he'd be here, without even thinking about it. He knows he's a bit of one too many people, or something along those lines, and what's behind closed doors was never for him to explore, so he didn't even— The couch was what was his to borrow, and really, it's not really uncomfortable per se, he isn't complaining. He… he had been thinking Keith might show him a conspiracy theory analysis video or- or a proof of ghosts, and this— This is really not what he expected. So, there's a silent gasp from him when his host implies he'll let him use the room. Invites him to. He doesn't know what to do. Or say, for that matter. He doesn't know if this is just an afterthought for the Omega, or if it's been at the back of his mind for a while- All traces of the conversation they were just having are gone from his mind. Because it means so much to him it's ridiculous. Warm gratitude floods him. Since he can't pull Keith in for a hug, having decided to bring his hot tea along, he leans down and pushes his nose to the guy's shoulder. "Thank you," he whispers, heart hammering against his ribs. He feels Keith’s nose pushing right under his ear, nuzzling gently. But he also hears the smaller man breathing in deeper and he wonders… Right, the younger werewolf smells more when he’s half-shifted. So it’s only logical that he does too—but does that mean that Keith doesn’t actually dislike his Alpha scent? And that he likes it enough to… take deep breaths to smell it more? The Omega pulls back, and Shiro feels a pang of deception at how short their physical interaction is. He can't tell if it helps or not that having Keith smelling him brought a strange sort of... more intense satisfaction. As if he's been on the edge of his seat, waiting for something to happen. Wondering if it would be acceptable to crane his neck backward juuust a little, to have him close to his neck— Maybe he knows, somewhere, that there's a danger to allowing someone near his throat like this. But it's Keith and there's a reason he can't seem to stop smiling around him. And besides, the instinct is too foreign for him to do anything about it. But it does leave him light-headed. "You're welcome...” Keith says, genuinely. “And if you want, there's a bunch of weird books in that library," he points at the shelves. "Ghosts theories included.” "Thanks, I love weird books!" Takashi nearly chirps, he sounds so happy… he will check out the ghost theories, though. Yes. Keith is smiling at him as he walks away, back to the room door. “I’ll let you move your stuff here and get comfortable.” ‘His stuff’ being the few clothes they have bought the day before, and the remnants of his camera. “Good night, Shiro.” “Good night, Keith. And thank you, again,” the man says, smiling warmly. All things considered (yes, even his little freak out), today was a great day.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They leave early in the morning, and Shiro appears utterly unable to keep silent their whole trip there. He's got more politics questions now that they're out for the first time since he turned, even if he tries to remain carefully off any touchy topics. He asks about territories, and how the divisions between them are decided, if they change, and if the city is just one whole block in itself, with families just pledging and all. Keith answers as good as he can, or so he says. He explains that some territories are inherited, and have been in a same family for generations. Most of them are out of town, and they're farmlands, or in the forest, and were originally given by the ‘royal’ altean and galra packs. When it comes to the city itself, it’s a bit more complicated. It was divided in several neighborhoods, belonging to one or the other main pack when Alfor and Zarkon ruled. However, before the tension rose, everyone was free to wander anywhere they wanted, as long as they were respectful. But there are not a lot of wolves that have their territory in the city. You can’t spend full moons there, amongst humans. When it comes to the divisions of territories, Keith tells him they can change. Sometimes, a pack that is indebted of another can offer a part of theirs as payment. Or in big families, it happens that more than one pack is formed, and they’ll split the territory between the two. Shiro listens without interruption. He seems eager to be metaphorically stretching his legs, which doesn't mean he hates it at Keith's place, but rather, that he's happier than he anticipated to be getting his stock back, if also more nervous to be out and running into acquaintances shortly than he wanted to be. Even with the missing arm. He's got a tripod, he'll figure it out. For Keith's first present, he has to. So really, it's a lot more positive than negative, in his mind. The ambient noise of the city is loud. The car’s windows barely shield him from it, and he grimaces. It’s definitely worse than the shopping mall, but he’s also better at tuning it off, so overall, he’ll survive. He understands what Keith meant by wolves not liking the city. The smell of thousands of cars running through the main streets is truly awful. He’s never had a lot against the odor of gas, but this is… worse. So much worse. He puts his hand in front of his nose as they walk from the parking to his apartment. They're not alone when they get to the flat. They can both tell before they're even inside. Shiro blinks when he recognizes Shawn and Claudia in their respective rooms, because... he never really thought he paid attention to scents...? so why would he....? recognize?????? Anyway. He ushers Keith into his own room, and they’re actually able to do this without running into anyone. The other man will be able to behold a fanatic's room. The walls are covered with inspiration: Polaroids, selfies, skies and sunsets-- magazine articles, printed online ones... It appears saturated, at a first glance. So full. But there's barely anything else personal in there. A single bed with dark gray sheets. A chair. A computer sitting on a desk, and a door that leads into a small closet where his clothes are. He finds it almost funny that they came back after all, but he doesn't think he really wants to check for any of his old clothes. All his photography stuff is conveniently stocked in a corner, where he can easily go grab it all and display it on his bed, to pick what he would rather bring back. The extra light boxes seem... a bit too much, but he'll definitely grab all his lenses. "Feel free to look around, if you want," he tells his 'guest'. "There's probably nothing in here I'd hate for you to stumble on," he laughs. After all, it's only a place he’s renting. It doesn’t feel like his. But it still has his human scent everywhere, and that has him squinting, somehow. Odd.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro's human scent is different. It's almost like a baby scent, compared to his current one. Softer. It's cute. Keith stares at the photographs on the walls with fascination. He likes the sunset ones... and the selfies. But at Takashi's words, he stops his observation and opens the closet door without a comment, trying to see if there are clothing that would still fit the new werewolf. He picks up a few hanging shirts, and starts searching through the series of drawers. The first one is all underwear and socks. The second is full of plain t-shirts. And the third… the smell that hits him is slightly different. It smells like... sex? Shiro, who’d been pacing around the room, drops the lens cap he’d been holding back on his bed. From where he’s crouching down over the drawer, Keith can smell the embarrassment oozing off the Alpha, as his head whip to look at Keith. The taller man is frozen in place, face crimson. "Uh--" he mumbles, flushed. He absolutely had forgotten about that drawer, right? Keith tries to hide his amusement, and very deliberately, starts sliding the drawer shut, not without getting a glance at a curvy dildo, and a smaller thing… a vibrator? Whoops, the drawer is closed. "Wanna take any of these back at my place?" he jokes, unable not to tease his flustered companion. "No!!" Shiro bristles, shoulders jumping up, voice also pitching way up, his face still red.
It’s impossible not to imagine how he would just… hear everything if Shiro just began— And then, just like that, there's a knock at his door. "Shiro? That you?" comes a female voice, and both werewolves turn towards the door. "Yeah!" the Alpha replies through the door. "Been a minute. Can I come in?" she calls back. "Uhm-" he glances at Keith, face still red. "I have a guy over, do you mind...?" he steps closer to the door carefully, voice lowering. "I wouldn't mind keeping--" "Your privacy, right," she helpfully understands, and ok, Keith decides, this human is decent.
"You come back and it's just for a hook-" "NOT A hookup! I don't do that! You do that-- but still. Thanks, Claudia," Shiro says as he locks the door, maybe hoping he’s being subtle, but the laugh from the other side confirms his failure. Keith, meanwhile, slowly feels his cheeks getting warmer and warmer at the conversation. Though it's amusing to see Shiro interacting with other people that Keith don't know. It gives him a vibe of what human Shiro was like. And human Shiro doesn't seem so different from Alpha werewolf Shiro, after all. "Alright big man, you got it. I'll see you later," the girl says before stepping away from the door. It isn’t long until they can hear the male roommate and this Claudia conversing in the kitchen, which is right next to Shiro's room. The Alpha rubs at his face with his hand, groaning, but not too loud.
"Sorryyyyyy about that. To be fair, Shawn would have barged in. But-- aahh sorry, that was awkward, wow," he apologizes, his blush remaining strong. "Don't apologize. You bring lots of hookups here?" He asks, mostly teasing, but finding that the idea leaves a sour taste in his mouth. He's aware he probably smells a little bit jealous. Maybe Shiro won't notice. Has he smelled jealousy before? He probably doesn't know what jealousy smells like yet, so.. Keith’s good. "Naah, you're my first," Shiro grins and winks at Keith, who scoffs and decides to change the subject before his cheeks end up heating the whole room. "You know you're gonna have to tell them you're moving out for a while..." he says, looking at the wall, his eyes lingering on more than a few pictures. Maybe he could subtly steal one or two? "I know..." Shiro admits, going back to his small bed, where he's still packing up carefully, and slowly. "I mean- they don't even need to rent out my room, it's already paid for, but yeah, I'll let Claudia know that I won't be around for a bit." 'For a bit'. Does Shiro plan on coming back here? Keith doesn't know. It seems a possibility. Well, it's not like he has told him that he could stay forever in his house forever either. Even if part of him wants to. Or at least he should tell Shiro he doesn't have to hurry to find somewhere else, or to come back. But he doesn’t say anything and instead, gives a little nod as he finishes gathering the clothes he chose into a bag. When he’s done, he’s back to looking at the pictures embellishing the wall. If Shiro plans on coming back here, he probably can't steal one, right? There's one of them that is particularly colorful, and he thinks he’s seen this place before. Maybe it’s from here? He likes the composition, and the overall feeling he gets from it. He brushes its corner, faintly.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro can hear that. He can't believe he can hear that-- just a brush of a finger pad against the edge of a photograph-- and by the rigidity of the paper, Shiro knows it's one of his own. It's ridiculous the senses he's acquired by turning. He doesn't know when he'll start believing it, or trusting those senses entirely. He tries not to blush. He really, really does. But it makes him a bit happy, despite not having his eyes cast on the other man right now, that Keith is taking his time to look at his stuff. Happy is quite the right word. It's a giddy sort of feeling he can only seem to get from having him around. Not comparable to hanging around Matt, even if he quickly liked the guy. He'll have better things for him soon, but Shiro still speaks up. "If you like that one, you can have it--" just as he turns to spot which photograph Keith's focused on. “I can?" Keith answers, eyes leaving the picture, tone surprised, yet hopeful. Shiro takes a look at the picture. He shouldn't be surprised by his choice, but he is. Most of these pictures were reminders from trips he'd liked. Memories from good moments. To be able to reflect on them when he felt melancholy tug at him. And that one... it's from here. From one of the parks in this city, that he'd decided to walk through when he was way too early for a meeting last Summer. There's a kid ill-flying a kite on it, his mom laughing at him, and another family having a pic nick. There's also a man walking his old dog, and they're surrounded by yellow light, green grass, and there are trees at the back. The picture hadn't been... important, at the time. Just a quick, carefree snap that stalled a moment he had really taken the time to enjoy. He remembers the breeze, and breathing it in. Hearing the ruffled leaves, plus the mix of birds and human chatter around him. But it's probably his best reminder of the whole bunch. He's smiling, now. "Definitely take that one," he approves gently. Keith grins at the second confirmation, like a child who hadn't expected their parent to offer them a toy, but who's really happy about the surprise. "Thanks," he says, as he very carefully takes the photograph off the wall. "You’re welcome-" It's almost not even a whisper. Barely a sound, but the words escape from Shiro's lips softly anyway. He shakes himself and tries to focus back on putting together equipment that will keep him satisfied, and not wanting for what he's missing. Leaving behind. Except there's just Keith on his mind. His boyish and happy surprise at being told he could have that one photo. Shiro was about to tell him to grab the whole wall, just to see if his grin would expand. "Hey... do you have suggestions on what to do if they're still in the kitchen by the time we leave...?" Shiro asks, because... no arm gets ripped off and heals as quickly as this, as they were saying the evening before. There's no way we can avoid suspicion on that front... "I can distract them, maybe? Talk to them while you sneak out,” Keith offers. Shiro smiles down at the bag he's still stacking stuff in. His head dips a little, as amusement clearly fills him. "You'd do that?" "Of course." "What would you say?" Shiro asks him. "Even I don't know what to tell them half the time," he purses his lips. "Maybe if you were the one to tell Claudia I wouldn't be back...?" he glances over. "Yeah, that's what I had in mind. And your other roommate. So… I’ll go there, and you’ll leave. If they ask more questions I'll improvise, not really my forte, but,” Keith shrugs, “it’s not like I care what they think about me in the end." "I care," Shiro blurts out immediately, because he's pretty sure he'd care what anyone at all thought of Keith. He doesn't let the words hang between them for long though. "But it's okay, I'm sure you'll do well." And then, his mind still boggled by surprise, he adds: "Really though? You'll do that?" Keith shots him a bewildered look.
"Yeah? It's really no big deal," he assures. “They’re human. Humans are easy to deal with.” They… are? Not that he’d second-guess Keith. "Alright! Nice!" Shiro smiles, zipping up his bag, and it appears this was all the additional confirmation he needed. "Did you find anything else you think is worth bringing? I think I'm ready..." Except both of his roommates are still in the kitchen, right next to his room, and even if Keith were to distract them, Shiro would still be too visible. For a moment, he listens to his roommates' conversation. They seem to be thinking of eating in the living room though, which would be ideal. Keith seems to have the same train of thought, as he asks, “Do you think we should wait till they move, or I try to make them move?" "Are we in a hurry...?" Shiro genuinely wonders, carefully setting his bag by the door, and then coming around back to his bed to sit on it, and push himself further so his back rests against the wall. Oof. Not comfortable. He stretches to grab a pillow and put it behind himself. They better not be. He'd rather wait. "I... guess not?" Keith answers. He stays standing up, photograph in hand, looking a little bit loss as to what to do. Slowly, he puts it on a shelf, and sits at the edge of his bed, on the side, almost shyly. Is something bothering him? Is he... self-conscious? And he won't scoot closer, or relax his spine, and Shiro can't help but feel like his hips beckon him, in some way. So he leans forward, reaching around Keith's waist with his one arm, along with the full intent of being able to pull him closer. Except... well, he's really only just got one arm, and, annoyingly, this apparently means he can't do this properly. With the lack of lift in his effort, the younger man sort of just... topples over backwards into Shiro's lap, with the man leaning over him, as if he were surprised by their new position, even if he was the one to have instigated it. So he looks at him, once his surprise has passed, and he giggles, forehead leaning down onto Keith's, in their odd sort of upside-down position. The Omega shifts, moving his legs onto the bed, aligning his body with Shiro’s, so his back is properly leaning against his chest. There’s a rumble, that breaks the silence once Shiro stops giggling. A low, constant noise, that he heard before, but this time it’s not brief. This time, he can definitely compare it to the purr of a cat, which astonished him a little again. He feels like he needs to steal a proper, if hasty, glance at its source. When the alpha lifts his head, it's brief, and really only serves for him to get a better look into the other wolf's eyes. Keith’s face is exuding heat, and has turned beet red, but Shiro doesn’t get the feeling he’s uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the odd little noise stops, but Takashi pushes his head back against Keith's, the motion much more obviously one of affection, than when he’d simply rest it. His eyes have slid shut again, and a smile wins him over entirely. "I love that sound," he says with a new rub against Keith's forehead, his arm still resting on the other's ribs. He can't say he wonders why it was so brief of a sound. All he can tell is that it seems spontaneous, soft, and he does love it. He can feel the Omega’s heart beating really fast. The arm he puts over Shiro’s finishes to assure the Alpha that he’s not doing anything wrong. And as if on cue with the movement, the purring starts all over again. The younger man relaxes against him, head slightly bent, as if exposing his neck a little bit. If not with his eyes, Shiro enjoys more than he can explain, witnessing the change Keith shows by melting against him. His own heart is running, and his head feels that much more hazy from it. Yet it's grounding, to have the Omega against him. To have him hold on as well, and to hear that low, constant purr. It tugs at Shiro's belly pleasantly, and he can't help it when he cautiously shifts... curves his back further, so his nose can follow the line of the boy's jaw, and then, tentatively make its way into his neck. He pauses, and exhales, before he presses into it. He remembers how it felt when Keith did it to him the day before- and while that was something... This is a lot more intimate. With their bodies seemingly locked into one another, in a lazily comfortable position.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith's body is just reacting with his feelings. A show of trust or of submission… or a little bit of both. He’s not one to analyze his own behavior or body language, especially not when it comes to himself. He just… reacts. Feels. At first, he had tried to get a hold on the purring, but since Shiro likes it… There's a thrill in having the Alpha’s nose pressing in his neck. Keith takes a deep breath, eyes closed, as everything he smells is Shiro, and it comes out slightly shaky. He’s not scared, not this time. Not like the previous evening, when he played with fire trying to calm Takashi down. But it’s still… a lot. It’s been a while since he let an Alpha this close to his neck, while in such a defenseless position, lying on his back, trapped in the man’s embrace. The purr lowers, because of the overload of intense feelings. The proximity is overwhelming, but not in a bad way, somehow. He leans his head even more, revealing his neck even more. He’s nervous, but it’s thrilling. It’s… new. Shiro is slow, careful, but as Keith moves, this time, so does he, his lips pressing a soft, chaste kiss right below the young man's jawline, his nose pushing just a bit more firmly against his neck with his angling his head to do so, as if entranced by the moment. Part of Keith can still faintly hear the roommates in the next room, the TV playing in the neighbor’s apartment, downstairs, but it’s all a buzz compared to everything immediately between him and Shiro. His legs would give out if he were standing. Slowly, Takashi's hand slides a tiny bit against his, and he catches his breath, only to let it out in a shakily. Gods, he feels high. And he’s not even in heat. What the fuck.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro knows he's lost it when his lips part slightly-- mouth at Keith's skin, when the light pressure he holds on the guy's chest becomes more of a touch. A press of his palm. And especially when he's about to give himself a taste of the omega's skin with a tiny prod of his tongue-- All of his movements are still relaxed, but the way they evolve into gradually more personal territory is still considerably fast, seeing how he might've simply allowed himself cuddles, and cheek rubs. Throughout, his feeling of possessiveness over Keith settles back around him. It's soft, at least, almost just an impression, but he is still aware it's there. He is... simply in no condition to contain it. His doorknob suddenly twists unsuccessfully, trapped by its being locked, and then rattles, and both werewolves jump. Shiro's so startled that he lifts his torso up all the way, and whips his head towards the door, heart pounding violently. He could swear his ears were upright over his head, aimed at the noise. Keith has jumped away from him in favor of crouching, position guarded, eyes fixed on the door as well. That's... Shawn, this time, and Shiro sighs when his roommate starts speaking. "Yo, we gonna go watch Netflix in the living room, man. Catch ya later--" he says through the door, speaking much louder than necessary. Behind him, Claudia's going: "Just-- stop by to say hello, 'kay??" to which Shawn snickers, "Or not-- who knows what's going on in there-" Shiro leans his back and his head against the wall behind him, willing his heartbeat to slow down, for crying out loud-- but he doesn't reply to his roommates. Too stunned for that. He looks for Keith's gaze, however, his cheeks ablaze.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith is still sitting, rigid, on the edge and tense from... not having heard anything coming. He'd been absolutely defenseless, lost in the moment... and he hadn't heard the human coming, not at all. He's not moving, staring at the door, a low warning growl escaping him before he bites it down. With a heavy sigh, he lets himself fall back on his butt, sitting. When Shiro looks at him, it gets it attention. Two very wolfish ears have replaced his human ones, during their… cuddles. Again. It's cute. He waits for his heartbeat to slow down a little before standing up, "Aaaalright." Shiro lets out a little chuckle, and gets up as well, heading for the bags they’ve put up together. He’s stopped by Keith shaking his head. " 'we gotta wait' till your ears are back to human..." he points out, not hiding his amusement as Shiro jumps towards his mirror, to look at himself. “Don’t ask me why they came out. I’m sure this time it wasn’t ‘cause you felt threatened, though…” Keith keeps going, and the Alpha smiles at his reflection, until it dims down into a… forced? neutral expression, as he looks back at him. "Maybe I should just tell them I'm a furry if they spot me..." Aaaand Shiro’s smiling again, unable to stay serious. "I never understood this human trend... it's like... false… wannabe werewolves?" Keith answers, curious. "I guess?" Shiro agrees, kind of, because he doesn't really know. "Actually, that's a good way of putting it. Huh. I'd never thought of it like that. Wannabe werewolves..." he chuckles, sitting back once more on the bed. "I told you yesterday you can will them away, though,” the Omega points out, looking at these ears, spotting how the gray is formed by a mass of all sorts of different shades. They’re pretty. He wasn’t lying when he said he liked them. "Will them away-- yeah, maybe," Shiro also repeats, and one of his ears twitches. "Ack-- yeah, no- augh. What if I was distracted...? I'm thinking about them too hard. They're just... there. I can feel them," he says pointlessly. " 'Hope you can. Or else, that'd be problematic." Keith teases a bit. "Ok, just concentrate on... hearing less? And calming down. And... feeling human?" "… feeling human?" Shiro parrots, hesitant. "Yeah, pretty much," Keith grimaces, as he gets up from the bed. He reaches for the shelf where he left his precious photograph and slides it into the loose pocket of his sweatpants. The two humans in the apartment are, as told before, in the living room. The hallway between Shiro’s room and the exit door is therefore free. “I’m gonna tell your roommates about you leaving and you sneak out?” he reiterates their earlier plan. Shiro pats his own ears, looking a little bit hesitant. “I know you can do it,” Keith adds, voice softer. “And don’t get stressed. You can always put a hat. Or a scarf. Or throw a shirt over your head… Hats are uncomfortable." Shiro huffs, but he stops touching his ears, and smiles at him with a little nod.
“Good luck. Hope they won’t be too insufferable.” Keith smirks. He can hold his ground against two weak humans for sure.
He unlocks the door and steps out, heading for the living room. He’s quiet, and none of them hears him coming. The back of their heads is facing him, and he sees the beginning of a horror movie playing on the screen. They both are slumped on a large, dark brown couch, holding a spaghetti plate. "Hey," he announces himself, a meter behind them. "Hey!" a feminine, high-pitched voice rises, as the human named Claudia turns her whole body around just to be able to look at him. Which reminds Keith that he should actually get in front of them to make sure they can’t see Shiro. So he walks around the couch, and stands right before the TV. The frown the male roommate harbors is obvious and annoyed. He grunts and pauses the movie. "Oh, glad it's you!" the girl says, because apparently, she is unable to tell her roommate's voice apart from another. "Gosh, you're a handsome one, aren't you," she blinks now, in surprise. Her heart's picked up the pace a little, not unlike some female clients he gets at the garage. It always surprises him. Next to her, the male looks at her with an insulted kind of look. "Your looooks, jeez, I'd ask you to twirl if I wasn't so shy," she prattles on, "He's really scored you then? Or you him," she sniggers. And really, maybe she’s nice, but this could just explain why Shiro isn't close with his roommates. Or, well, Keith wouldn’t necessarily want to be close to people like them. Though the implication that Shiro and him are shagging almost makes him blush. Almost. "I couldn't beliiiieeve the bachelor that was moving in with us when we met Shiro," she nudges Shawn in his ribs, and he huffs something about not caring, while trying to look at the (paused) TV behind Keith. She seems super unfazed by his total lack of cooperation. "Well, you've got to agree, at least, don't you!" Farther down the corridor, Shiro is getting out of his room quietly, with the bags they packed. Keith can’t help a little smile he notes, with a short glance up, the lack of wolf ears on top of the man’s head. Quickly (and yet silently, he’s doing well), Takashi opens the exit door and begins his descent downstairs. "Alright, so you, who might you be? You've really come over just to have a chat?" the girl smiles back at Keith, not realizing he wasn’t smiling at her. "I'm Claudia, by the way. He's--" she looks at Shawn again, before turning her attention back on the newcomer. "Well, you don't want to know who this one is." She’s a chatty one, isn't she. "Erh- yeah. 'Name's Keith, I just wanted to tell you that Shiro's moving in with me for a while. He's already paid for his room so it shouldn't be an issue.” He keeps his voice neutral. "... oh?" she perks up a little, genuinely surprised at this information. "He's... moving in with you, but only for a while?" she asks, giggling, "What's that mean?" He stops himself from just shrugging and leaving. He can almost hear his father telling him to be courteous to humans. "... Just don't touch his stuff. Or rent his room. 'Cause if I tell you he's moving in definitely that's what you'd do, right? So don't touch anything until he tells you to." "Not what I'd do," the girl disagrees, obviously feeling as though she's in for a long conversation. "I think I'd rather leave it empty and have one less person use the bathroom in the mornings, since he's already paid anyway," she shrugs. "And alright, I won't steal his things, if it can make you feel better to hear it, but I wasn't going to." Next to her, though, Shawn remains silent, but he’s now looking at Keith with a bitchy expression. Is he trying to look intimidating? He reeks of annoyance, obviously waiting for him to leave, but pigs will fly before Keith gets intimidated by a human. Although he does want to leave, anyway, but he raises his eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed. "Alright then. Bye." Keith turns on his heels, circles the couch again, and as he gets to the door, he stops at the whispering voice of the male roommate. “We should rent the room. Who cares if he paid for it, that’d be neat extra money…” The girl starts to argue that it wouldn’t be alright, but Keith doesn’t let her finish. He growls, low enough that they probably don’t hear him, and turns back, heading for the living room one last time. The man doesn’t hear him coming, and startles when two hands grip his shoulders, from behind. "We still have the key. I'll come by from time to time to make sure everything in order. 'm pretty sure selling someone else’s propriety is illegal. You better not even put a foot in his room. And I’ll know if you do," he’s leaning closer to the man, still holding him, and gives a smile that doesn't each his eyes. "Understood?" "He doesn't own--" the young man begins, looking unnerved, and Keith tightens his grip around the shoulders, knowing it’ll get unpleasant. Or hurt. Not that he cares if it’s one or the other.
There’s also a fist that collides firmly on the guy’s thigh, and a hiss, coming from his companion. "I'm so sorry about him. I'll keep him in check," Claudia glares at Shawn, and then gives an apologetic look at Keith. She’s being honest, if her heartbeat is anything to go by. "Understood," Shawn mumbles. “What’s that?” Keith’s doesn’t loosen his grip. “Fuckin-,” the guy tries to shake off the hands on his shoulders, but he can’t. Keith’s holding them there, and there’s nothing human strength can do against a werewolf’s. “I get it, I get it, not going or renting his room, t’s’all good—” the guy babbles quickly, a hint of fear seeping in his smell, under the annoyance. “Good. ‘Glad we understand each other.” Keith says, right before letting go. This time, when he leaves, it’s to the sound of a girl so mad she’s leaving the living room to eat somewhere else.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The ears had been easier to get rid of than expected. Shiro had closed his eyes, and concentrated on… the place. There was something about being in this room... with his human scent... he hadn’t known why he hadn’t grown used to it yet. He used not to be too bothered with smells, but there he was. Not... Okay, not bothered, but still aware of it. Of his human smell. Of his human self. "Oh--" he'd whispered, to himself, before patting his head, to find his regular- well, human ears.
Easy enough, right? He’s now waiting for Keith to emerge on the sidewalk, covering his nose with one of his own shirt.
"Went well?" he cocks his head to the side, slightly. That’s the thing. He had had a hard time listening to the conversation, with the awfully noisy ambience of the town. With all the persons speaking in his building, and in those around, plus the cars and chatting of the humans walking around—concentrating on the conversation Keith and his roommates were having had been nearly impossible. "Yeah. Your male roommate is dumb.” "Really," Shiro comments, humming. He can't say he noticed, but he can't say he really cared... "Good thing I'm out of his way then, hm?" he chuckles, voice light and soft and he can't be unhappy from news like this. Though he does notice Shawn’s smell on Keith’s hands, even through the clothing, and raises his eyebrows, pointing at them. Keith shrugs, “He was dumb.” And Shiro chuckles, then looks at the younger werewolf. And he can't really stop looking over at him, as they walk to the jeep. Takes in his light complexion, and the way a few pale dots seem to have been sprayed across his cheeks, due to some exposure to the sun during the summer, no doubt. If his hand was free, he could reach over and pinch his cheek, the skin looks so smooth. And then he briefly wonders how often the guy needs to shave, which is really just inappropriate and odd, so he stops looking over. "Did you have any more plans for today?" he asks the sidewalk. "... not really?" "Would you give a bit of your time to me, then?" Shiro requests, his voice still carried by that same soft energy that's clinging to him. Keith looks a bit surprised. "Sure...?" "Okay," Shiro lowers the shirt he’s holding, and smiles at him, his head finally turning back towards him. When they hop back into Keith's car, he goes: "Got anything against being outside, right?" because he cannot possibly keep one hundred percent silent when he's this excited. The Omega looks at him with curiosity, and smiles before shaking his head. "Where are we going?" he asks, amused. He's the one driving, after all. "Back home," Shiro tells him. "I think it'll do perfectly." Keith gives a little nod, starts the car, and ride back home, putting the radio on, but chatting a little bit from time to time. Shiro tries to look at the road, but he's doing an awful lot of glancing his companion's way. He also does a lot of humming, and a lot of tapping on his leg in quick rhythm to the songs he really likes. He even turns up the volume, once. Starts singing. They talk about what kind of music they each like, after that. Get to know a few things they have in common. Shiro's pretty sure Keith judges him big time for adoring those few Meghan Trainor songs. But he tells him he won't resist it either, the day he actually has a listen. He vows to it, even. Keith snorts, and keeps an amused expression the whole ride long.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They have a quick lunch in the car, after grabbing fast food on their way back to the house. Once they get to Keith's, Shiro pulls the bags out the car, and promptly drops one of them in the room is being lent, keeping the other on his shoulder. Keith also makes a quick run to his room to put the gifted photograph to safety. They both walk back outside together, and Shiro asks him the last one thing he wasn't as sure about. "Ah, and... you okay with turning, for this?" the Alpha requests. "Sure. Complete shift?" Keith asks, with a curious expression. Shiro looks at him. He... hadn't actually considered anything else. "Complete-- you mean, you can control your partial shifts?" He’d seen the Omega in partial shift before, but he hadn’t realized it had been entirely controlled. As an answer, Keith's ears morph to wolf's ones and he has to tug his pants down a little bit to let his tail out. "... really," the taller man almost gasps, because oh, well, okay. "Cool," he nods appreciatively. "Then both. Definitely both, if that's alright with you..." As they walk onto Keith's land, on that beaten path that separates the fields of grass and flowers and critters, Shiro balances his bag of favorite equipment, and his tripod into his grip. It... must be obvious what his intentions are, so he figures he may as well speak them clearly, so there are no misunderstandings. "I'd like to take an hour to get the hang of my things with one hand... but I'd also love for you to be my subject... none of this will go online, of course, I'm not an idiot, but... I'll let you see it," he bargains, with a tentative smile. He never does portraits. Just focuses on environment. But he wants to get a good portrait of Keith, even if it's just for them. "… I have to be photogenic?" Keith’s nose wrinkles up as his eyebrows furrow for a second. Then his features soften as he admits, "I've never done this before.” "I get a feeling you will be, but don't even worry about it. If you feel awkward, I can easily guide you from behind the lens. You'll see, it's a lot of fun," Shiro assures. With the afternoon light, and only partial clouds (they're gorgeous though. Even more so since there are no buildings to obstruct them) the lighting will be easy for Shiro to work with. They move far away enough that Keith's house becomes an element of the scenery, and Shiro stops there, kneeling to start what he's half-dreading, half really excited about. He bends his body over, holding his tripod against himself, to be able to unclip its legs, and pull them to the length he wants. He goes short, because shots that are close to the ground are nice. Simple as that. He does eventually manage it, one step at the time, and thanks to having done it so often before. On that, he doesn't seem to rush too much. But when he takes out his camera, and it's time to put a lens on it... He fidgets after it for so long, there's no way he'll ever be able to put it on, let alone switch any of them on his own. It's easy enough to pinch off the protective caps, but after? Dammit. When Keith approaches him, crushing the grass (Shiro loves the sound) under his bare feet to get to him, he can't say no to the help the Omega is offering... even if it displeases him that there is a part of the process he can't do on his own. He's always been so efficient... so quick... he could go through all the motions with his eyes closed when he had both his hands. He sighs a few times, until patience finds him when he notices he loves watching Keith's hands search for the right movements. The right angles. He guides them, gently, and... maybe it isn't all bad. He also uses Keith's help to secure the camera on the tripod and then dismisses him politely. "Thanks... I can take it from here," he promises with a tiny, subtle smile, and lets the werewolf go find a comfy spot in the field, as he turns the camera on. The only next thing to take him longer is figuring how to shift a few of the settings with the one hand. But it's a lot easier with the device not budging from its position than it would have been while holding it. He's going to have to get used to the automatic mode, won't he?-- "Stay there..." he points the lens on Keith and takes a small while to set everything. At first, the young werewolf looks at the camera, stiff, and Shiro tells him with a small smile that he doesn’t have to be looking his way if he doesn’t want to.
There are a few seconds where Keith’s posture doesn’t change even as he looks away, but he finally loosens up. Takashi starts working. Takes photos of his hands. Of his bared feet. Of the creases in his shirt. Zooms back out and resets his settings... and eventually dares touch the automatic settings on top. His favorite one here might just be the one where Keith is just... sitting, looking away, and letting go of some strands of grass he'd picked up, as if he’d forgotten about the camera. Eventually, the half-shifted werewolf looks at him, ears up.
"Tell me if you want me to move. Or to shift back? Or shift further?" he suggests, a bit hesitant. “Can you stand up and walk away from me?” Shiro requests. “Keep your tail and ears for now... but you can fully shift, after about thirty steps. Pretend I’m not there, even, if that makes you more comfortable,” he specifies, “I’ll be the one following you and making it work. Ahh- And don’t worry if you forget what I asked. It’s just suggestions.” He sees the little smirk that makes its way on Keith’s face. "You'll take pictures of me naked?" the boy teases, mocking the fact that Shiro blushes every time he’s naked around him. It’s the last thing he says before standing up, stretching, and walking away. He doesn't go too fast, which gives Shiro time to adjust a few settings as he follows Keith. As instructed, the Omega eventually stops and takes his shirt off. He throws it on the side, and turns toward the Alpha, with a teasing grin, just for two seconds. Two seconds is enough. Enough for Shiro to have a picture of this playful smile, offered by none other than a shirtless Keith, and the guy knows he took it. The shutter can be heard from half a mile away. Then the boy takes his pants off—still no underwear (Shiro is starting to wonder if he owns any…)Anyway. The other wolf could hear the shutter from a mile away. He knows that. Maybe it's what prevents him from taking a picture of his host when he's anymore undressed. He lets himself blush and stare, because he's so far away anyway. Except it does weird things to his heart, too, and that's a reaction Keith can certainly hear loud and clear. About fifteen second later, or what feels like a blessed eternity, Keith shifts entirely, and immediately turns to Shiro, ears risen, tail wagging. A giggle escapes him at how happy the wolf look. Then, in hopes to take a bit of time to work out the cramp already forming in his left hand, he moves away from his camera, still kneeling though, and he opens his arm in an invitation for a hug, wondering if Keith will come back to accept it. He does. Within a few fast strides, the wolf pounces on him, and he topples over, not offering any resistance (not even wanting to). From below the Omega, it’s much easier to reach his ribs and belly, and to scratch the paler fur, right the side of his thoracic cage. A part of him hates the lack of symmetry here, but… this is still better than not being able to touch the wolf at all. Keith yelps when he reaches the shorter fur of his belly, he doesn’t move away. Instead, the wolf buries his damp nose in Shiro’s neck, immediately. There’s a moment where, excepted from his hand slowly moving in Keith’s fur, none of them are moving. Shiro could swear, for a single moment, that the muzzle on his neck and his own hand on Keith's stomach have another... slightly more touchy signification than just playing around, and wanting to be near one another. It sets his hair on end, and for an infinitely uncomfortable second, Shiro feels all at once as if someone was scraping their nails on a chalkboard, his morning alarm blared off, and he'd gotten a brain freeze. During that short moment, he isn't certain how to interpret the wolf’s presence in his neck. As if it were more of a show of his also being able to get him in a weaker spot. He doesn't know why he feels like that. It's Keith. It's fine. They were fine when they… cuddled, on his bed, earlier. So comfortable. But this? It… isn’t the same, and he doesn’t know why. But with realizing that he kind of put them both in an uncomfortable position, comes a sudden sadness that shortly submerges him... oops. Then, a very large and very wet tongue runs over half of his face, from his neck to his forehead, and it startles a loud laughter out of him, maybe to compensate for his earlier, short-lived sadness. With one last slobber, Keith hops off him, and it releases a tension in his chest that he hoped he’d been imagining. It worked, at least... he's distracted enough that he forgets he had a cramp at all. He positions himself back behind his camera, turning it as needed.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Belly are sensitive, and usually protected. By... you know, not being over somebody like this. Because he's not pinning Shiro, merely standing over him. Omegas don’t do that to Alphas. The guy could claw his stomach out, even if the hand on his ribs is gentle, and Shiro smells nowhere near dangerous. Sweet thoughts. But before his own unease grows too strong, he lowers his muzzle to nuzzle the man’s neck, to pull at his own instinct. To reassure his wolf.
He trusts you not to tear his throat out with your teeth. You can trust him with his hand on your belly. You can hurt him if he hurts you.
But it still isn’t the best idea. Standing over an Alpha PLUS having your fangs centimeters away from his neck? The unease has shifted from him to both of them. It’s not a… natural situation. It’s not… comfortable. And it’s Keith’s fault, so he can’t let it going. He gives a long, sloppy lick right in Shiro’s face, twice, and jumps off. He won’t dwell on this little mistake. Standing a few meters from the Alpha, who’s sitting back up now, he gives a short bark, tail wagging, waiting for instructions. Shiro looks at him in silence, for a moment. But he doesn’t smell like he’s still uncomfortable about the previous situation, which is a relief.
Keith stares back, but he’s unable to stay still and trots right and left as he does. "Can you howl?" the human werewolf wonders. He stops. No. He won’t howl. He can howl, but you don’t howl for no reason! Well. That’s not exactly true. You can howl for no reason, for the thrill of it, but you don’t do it alone. There’s no thrill, no fun in howling alone. It’s ut… sad. You howl with your pack for… well… he wouldn’t necessarily put words on it. It strengthens the bonds between members, for sure. It makes you feel like you’re all in this together, that you can all rely on one another, in unity. You also howl with your pack after a successful hunt. You howl with your pack to signal to everyone that it is your territory. Howling alone? If it’s to reach someone else of your pack, far away, it something you can do. When you know no one will answer, you don’t. If you howl alone, for, per example, warning someone trespassing on your territory, they’ll just get the confirmation that there’s only one wolf to defend it. "Otherwise... keep trotting around, it's perfect for now. Maybe don't look my way as much though?" Shiro keeps going. That, he can do. He starts trotting.
Not looking at the Alpha isn’t as easy as he thought, since his wolf constantly wants to… well… make sure he’s got his attention. Make sure the Alpha isn’t leaving. But Keith is able to keep it in check, and therefore indulges in Takashi’s request. He goes from trotting, to running, sometimes stopping to sniff at a woodchuck burrow, then walking, before going back to trotting at various distances from Shiro. There’s a really graceless moment where a flash of brown (a rabbit, certainly) catches his attention, and as his head turns, he misses the hole right front of him. He trips, letting out a little embarrassing yelp as his fumbling legs clumsily attempt to keep him from falling face first on the ground. He can’t help shooting an embarrassed look at Shiro. He didn't fall, but it wasn't graceful. He’s pretty sure he hasn’t heard the familiar click of the camera at that fateful moment, which he’s thankful for.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro doesn't catch the moment when Keith stumbles. Not-- not on his camera, anyway. He does see it-- and it makes him smile. Because he figures that if someone with all their paws can stumble a bit, then it'll be perfectly normal for him to do it a bit as well. There's a warm feeling that lingers, from there. Until the sun sets, Shiro practices. He lets Keith know that he can stand still if he wants. At some point, he wants to try and get him as he runs toward him. He thinks he only gets one decent shot out of those, and it might be a bit blurry, for all he can tell from his tiny viewport. Too bad. He also tells Keith, when the initially requested hour has passed, that he may go home if he's bored. Not that he's encouraging him to leave... far from it. He loves that he's not alone, out here. He tells him that. And when the wolf stays until Shiro grows too hungry, and his memory chip too full to keep going anyway, he slowly starts packing his stuff back up, keeping the lens on his camera, which is fine—
It takes him a bit more time, but he does manage it on his own. That satisfies him greatly. And... there's a photo in there-- a close up of Keith with the low sunlight hitting his fur just right, that he can't wait to see and edit. From the corner of his eyes, he sees the Omega changing back at the spot where he left his clothes, which he puts on. "Satisfied?" Keith asks, smiling, as he walks back to Shiro. “Very,” Shiro hums content, even in the way he starts walking. He feels like pulling Keith on his side. He still has one too little… arms. Walking along with him, arm over arm under would be… nice. Maybe next time... “I was excited, but also anticipating it a lot...?” he confesses. “It went well. I think I’ll be okay.” “And you’ll only get better for sure,” the younger werewolf assures, as they start heading back to the house. “That’s true... or I hope.” They make their way, Shiro watching the sunset slowly turn into night, “Was there anything you felt like eating tonight...?” Keith gives a little shrug, "Something fast to cook." Shiro thinks back on their trip out to the grocery store, grimaces a bit, but ultimately goes: "We bought pizza, right? I'd go for that, I won't lie," he chuckles. "Two? Two should be enough."
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro doesn't pull out his laptop before they're done eating and cleaning up, but when he does, it is potentially to fall into a really long process of looking through the photos they just went out to take, and edit the best ones he has. Then, he'll offer those to Keith, and let go of the others. "Do you want to see them?" he wonders,"Or I could just wait till you're at work next week to work on them... it takes so much time, you might get bored really fast... unless we put a movie at the same time-- ahhh- Unless you've got things to do! I keep stealing you away!" he realizes with one huff of laughter, while his PC starts to boot up for the first time in a few days. He drops his head backwards, then, leaning it on the back of the couch on which he has taken place, and looks at Keith. The younger man is smiling at him, and shaking his head, “I have a few things to check up on.” Shiro can't tell if that'll be social media, or emails, or some bills he has to pay, but he figures it's fair enough. He was just talking about taking up all his time, too. Except, after grabbing his laptop on the counter, Keith stays with him. His back is against the armrest of the couch, legs folded so he'll fit on there with Shiro, and the Alpha smiles through a solid five minutes of editing, just for that. Just because they can sit in silence. Each do their thing. Keith decided not to hide in his room, where Shiro has no doubt the WiFi is stronger, or for any other type of excuse of solitude, that he would get, really. He blinks, and smiles again when Keith's feet slide a bit, and the tips of his toes meet with the underside of his thigh, then settle there. It's probably unconscious, he supposes, because the other man is still just watching his laptop, face relaxed, eyes watchful, and curious, and-- Shiro should really stop staring. Besides-- he's got the subject of his attention right on his screen, and as soon as he's done rapidly clicking through pictures (he's so fast, it does show some amount of practice), he'll be at his second favorite part of the whole process. He lands on a particularly cute picture of Keith, in his wolf form, looking as happy as he can with that face of his-- (he's really just so cute) and ends up lowering his hand down from his laptop, to gently squeeze at the guy's ankle, just in a quick affectionate and appreciative gesture. He's going to sleep so well tonight.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Now, Keith can take his time looking at Shiro's pictures on Instagram. He likes to examine the composition, especially when part of it is dense with intricate details. He allows himself to like one picture. One is fine! He won’t look like he’s stalked the guy for about a hour, then. When he feels the Alpha's hand on his ankle, he raises his eyes off his screen, and looks up at Shiro, expression surprised for half a second before a little soft smile settles on his lips. About half an hour after that moment, he closes his computer and announces he'll be going to sleep, since he's working in the morning. Oof. Back to real life. Days off and weekends don’t last forever, even when some stranger stumbling in on his front porch with an arm missing… but he’ll come back after work. And Shiro will be there. The man’s hand comes back to his ankle again, and Keith wants to see it as a way to extend the day just a little longer. Like a kid who wants fifteen more minutes of playtime before bed, because he's having fun. "Can I get three questions before you go to bed?" Shiro asks, and Keith feels utterly ridiculous at the purr that almost escapes him at those simple, unexpected words. "I'll make it quick, I promise," the Alpha adds. "You waited ‘till I called it a night to ask?" Keith asks, amused, and mostly teasing. "Go ahead, though." "Hmm, well, I forgot we had to part, slipped my mind," Shiro answers, and his tone is teasing, but Keith is pretty sure he did forget a little bit. "Alright, so," he taps on the Omega’s ankle with each of his first two words, dragging them on, pretending he isn't sure what to ask. His eyes find the purple ones of his host when he asks: "What time will you be home?" "Depends... It rarely drags past six but sometimes there are unexpected difficulties. Sometimes I finish at four." Shiro hums, and nods. "If I get bored, is it okay for me to pre-cook some of the food we have?" he wonders, and Keith’s eyebrows raise a little bit. "Sure? Also, you can take the car if you need to go anywhere. I mostly take my bike, when I’m alone," Keith offers as the thought comes to him. "Oh! Thanks for the bonus reply there," Shiro smiles. His hand slips off Keith's ankle, and goes to the side of his computer, though he doesn't move it, or anything. Just grabs at it, as if balancing it. Which he does end up doing. Kind of tilts it left and right, looking at his screen, briefly. "Do I get a goodnight hug?" he then grins up at Keith, looking boyish as heck, almost as if it won't bother him to be told no. "Is this your last question?" Keith counters, as his lips turn up, unable to resist answering this adorable grin. He hasn’t moved yet. "Well, it's my third one," Shiro lifts an eyebrow at him. "Alright. Yeah, you can."
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro's smile widens, if that's possible, and he shifts, taking care to set his computer on the floor next to himself. He probably shouldn't've asked? That's a recipe to make things awkward in any book. But still, he takes Keith's hand, and helps pull him up and onto his chest, where he tilts his head against the guys, pressing his nose against him, and his arm into the middle of his back. He feels the Omega relaxes against him when he wraps his arms around his waist. Shiro makes the most of only having that one arm, by rubbing it up and down Keith's spine in long, slow strokes. He's communicating that need to have Keith as close as he can manage, by being curled toward him a bit. Still. He wishes he could hold the back of his head with his right hand. Cradle him properly against himself. And one thing is clear, he is unwilling to let go. He'll loosen his grip as soon as Keith does. He trusts the guy will probably have the sense to know when to part anyway. Keith eventually does loosen his grip, before stepping away. "Good night, see you tomorrow,” he says warmly, with a little wave of hand. "Sweet dreams, see you tomorrow," Shiro confirms, slouching back into the couch, and leaving his computer forgotten, as long as Keith remains in his line of sight. He curls up his knees against himself, and hugs them, for a moment, when the other wolf's gone. He could swear he's just a boy with a crush all over again. It's a bit unusual for him to still feel Keith's presence around him even with his being a bit further, and altogether not in his immediate vicinity, but he figures that heck, he might as well indulge anyway. He picks his computer back after a small while, and swears that his heart eventually settles as he works.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Shiro doesn't borrow the jeep before half the week has passed. He's pretty happy that Keith didn't ask much about the photos, aside from that one question once. And it'd been simple enough: just an inquiry about how it was going with them, or something. Easy to brush off, and it had not been a lie (though a toned down statement) when he replied it was going well. When Keith's home on Wednesday, it's the first day he's a bit later than usual. Shiro's been trying to operate his camera entirely on his own, still unsuccessful in changing, let alone removing the lens. Sigh. Still, he perks up impossibly when the young werewolf gets back, leaving his equipment scattered over his borrowed room's floor (it's started really smelling like him since he’s been sleeping in it) to go meet with the Omega. If he had a tail, it'd be wagging. He's that pathetic. There's a hardcover book clasped in his hand, and he keeps it on him as he greets his host (friend...? Been seeming a lot more like that, recently.) "Hard day at work...?" he wonders, seeing the time. They'll have food ready whenever they’ll want, at least, since he's been giving energy to cooking the day before. "Just long. Something about a client paying extra to have his car ready by tomorrow..." Keith explains vaguely, rubbing a hand on his eyes. Shiro’s nose crinkles a bit as he approaches the other man. When Keith comes home, every day after work, he does not smell… good. The scent of oil, tires, and other garage stuff sticks to him. When Shiro had commented on it, the werewolf had looked at him with an amused smile, saying that it was what made his workplace safe from potential Alpha’s harassment. Or werewolf-proof, in general. But usually the first thing Keith does after coming back from work is hopping in the shower. The Alpha hums thoughtfully, the book remaining at his side. "I'll get dinner underway as you shower?" he suggests, grinning at himself, because he supposes he iiiis a bit too eager there. "I've got something for you," he adds as he turns to leave, and he wiggles the book next to his head. He can see the way Keith’s tired face lights up with interest and curiosity, as he blurts out: "What is it?" instead of heading for the bathroom. "Go shower!!" Shiro squeaks at him, turning to make sure he keeps safe from snatching distance. Keith doesn’t make an attempt to take it. Probably because he’s aware he reeks and doesn’t want to put this smell anywhere else. Maybe otherwise… the Omega scoffs, but complies.
≈ ⁂ ≈
It’s one of Keith’s fastest shower.
Shiro’s got something for him. Shiro’s got something for him. Shiro’s got some-
He can’t stop thinking about it, and even if he knows he shouldn’t have high hopes, he just cannot not feel excited. So, seven minutes later, his scent back to normal, he hastily puts some loose clothing on and joins Shiro back in the kitchen. The Alpha seems to have cooked something with lots of buttery vegetables, onions and cheese on top. He's sitting on the table though, leaned over the book, and fidgeting with its corner a bit, eyes lost in some sort of space. He seems... nervous? But not overly so, by his scent. He perks up when Keith steps into view, lifting his body off the book. "Hey," the Alpha smiles at him."Take a seat, dinner will be ready soon," he tells him, and the timer behind him indicates that there's another handful of minutes to go before the meal is finalized. Keith does, eyes fix on the book. It’s not very thick… probably has as many pages as a comic, and it’s about just as big as one. Would fit well in a bookshelf, probably. It smells of fresh paper and ink. Not necessarily a great smell, but it’s mixed with Shiro’s and the jeep, so it’s quite tolerable. Is there… plastic too? Or is it the remnant of a bag it was carried in? He stops trying to find out what it is with his nose only, because he has significantly started leaning toward the thing to sniff at it, and it is not a very classy behavior, if Shiro’s giggle is anything to go by. “It’s… a present,” the taller werewolf explains, tapping the hard cover. "I'm not used to doing this- someone else usually handles my prints, and they're never so... personal? But it seemed logical to go for it. So. Yeah! Here you go." He slides the book over to Keith's side of the table, spinning it in the same movement, so it'll be right side up when it gets to him. Takashi is giving him a present. Before even opening it, Keith’s heart is racing. Is this a… present? Or a present? Like, a ‘thank you for your hospitality’ gif, or a ‘I like you-‘? He dares hoping it’s the latter. Though he’s being silly. Shiro probably doesn’t know about courting. Right? Damn. As if the book was made of crystal, Keith opens it very carefully.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro cannot stop glancing between the book and Keith, fighting the mini-dread forming under his ribcage at the idea that he maaaybe went a bit overboard. It's fine. The younger werewolf opens it with so much care that he begins blushing. He feels hot all over. Gosh. He needs something cold on his face. This is ridiculous. The book... it has full pictures per page, not an inch lost to frivolities like frames. And it starts with pictures of the environment. Keith's house from the field where they hung out. And just that-- has clearly been edited to fit his photography style. If the first image is anything to go by, Shiro will have poured hours into this thing. The few following ones are inside here: he took those shots while Keith was at work that first day. One from outside the window, looking in, with reflection of the clouds outside, and then the kitchen and the living room. There's also one of the hallways, but Shiro didn't explore further, it seems. There were boundaries to respect. And then, the photos go back to outside, introduced by one shot of the sky, on the day they went out. The field, and then, Keith. At first, it's photos of him from afar. As part of the landscape. But as the album progresses, it's all closer and closer to Keith, with Shiro stepping out of his comfort zone to offer him close-ups and portraits of his wolf form. One of them has him backlit by the sunset—it’s super different. Actually amazing, with how it makes his fur stand out. He's so fluffy... And another has the background behind him blurred from his speed while running. He looks pretty happy, on that one. The last two are more personal. It's two pictures one next to another. One of Keith, half-transformed, shirtless, and grinning at the camera teasingly-- Shiro swore he would never share that one, but... here it is. He really liked it. And the next one is... a selfie of him. Kind of. It's in the mirror, and it's just... Shiro, holding his camera up with his arm, his wolf ears out, and he's looking downward, past the lens-- he obviously didn't take many, it could have been a better shot. But it's there, still, breaking the balance of the whole thing, just... as a reminder, maybe. A small 'about the author'. And Shiro keeps staring at Keith the whole time he flips through.
The younger man takes his time with each picture, sometime brushing one of them with a careful fingers, eyes not leaving the book a single time. He’s got a soft smile of his lips. "It's beautiful..." The Omega breathes out, halfway through. Shiro wonders if he’s imagining the little shine in Keith’s eyes. The werewolf doesn’t smell upset at all, though. When he gets to see that last picture of himself, he lets out a snorting that quickly turns into chuckles. It sounds so boyish- but it’s the best sound. Then his expression turns into something fonder when he stares at the selfie. "Thank you," he says, voice full of emotion, as he closes the book and holds it in his arms, pressing it against his chest. He accepted the present. There's nothing else that will get through to Shiro’s mind right now. He's been mesmerized by each of the man's little reactions, and he can't get them out of his head…
Except-- the beeping of the oven's timer behind him. That snaps him out of this. And shit, has it already been this long? Shiro jumps up, startled, and fumbles for that one oven mitt he uses, so he can pull the dish out of there. Except- the cheese isn't all golden and crispy, so the alpha puts the oven on broil for a minute or two. He keeps the oven mitt on, and leans back against the door he just shut, looking back towards his host. (Augh! Friend! Dammit! He can't get that part into his head, apparently.) His face is still pretty red, if not more as he gets to see more of Keith holding the album against his chest, tightly. It’s such a precious sight. His timing is weird, here, because it's been a minute since Keith's thanked him, but he still wants to reply. "Of course," he smiles, and is sheepish as heck, hand tucked against his opposite side, as if he wanted to cross it with his other non-existent arm. "I'm really glad you like it." "It's amazing." Keith blurts out, not waiting another second. "You're really talented." Shiro's next smile is so wide, it wrinkles the bridge of his nose a bit. He's only briefly flashing his whites at Keith, and it could have been mistaken for a grimace, if he wasn't feeling this damn happy. "Thank you," he says, at first. His follow-up is a sigh: "You're amazing," he breathes. And then seems to catch himself: "I mean-- you deserved something like this- you're so beautiful, it didn't make my job very hard-" he babbles on, and why does he feel this awkward? He's never been awkward. Not even with Adam. And he was super young, then. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Keith’s cheeks growing a faint blush. Then there's this moment where Shiro wants to rake his hair, except he forgets he has the oven mitt on, and he just ends up swiping at the top of his head, looking up, and emitting a chuckle. He's so amused, yet dismayed at himself. He gives Keith one last glance, before turning back to the oven. His cheeks are pink, but he's smiling anyway, close-lipped, now. "It was my pleasure," the Alpha finally says, as if he had the opportunity the redo the entire scene that had just taken place. And then he nods a little, and moves back to the stove, finally taking their meal out of it, the cheese just perfectly golden, so he turns the heat off. "Ready to eat, or should I leave you two alone for a bit?" he teases, eyes darting from Keith's face to his gift. He's never been more swollen with pride. He's pretty sure his back is a bit straighter just from that feeling.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Damn this man is beautiful. His wolf is almost purring with the praise he just received. Being told he’s amazing. It… Well, he doesn’t think he deserves as much. But it’s still very pleasant to hear. "Ready. I'll have plenty of time to look at it again," he says, with a little, softer smile. He’s not letting go of the book yet. All the pictures… He had turned the pages, looking at all of them with a tight throat. It’s strangely touching how Shiro paid attention to the little details in his house, and in the environment. He also made him look… pretty? Keith has had a few pictures taken of himself before, but this is a whole other deal. He's just... moved. Whatever this gif means, it is still an amazing one. Again, he doesn’t want to hope too much yet. It is still much possible that this is not a courting gif even if it fits the definition perfectly. Handmade gif, just for him… Askjdhsajk. He’ll have to ask Matt. And after that maybe he’ll freak out. In a good way. The Alpha brings their two portions of the meal. They are uneven, as always, and he pointlessly tells Keith that it’s really hot. When Takashi grabs his first forkful, he takes a really long time blowing softly on it, eyes half-lost in the general space in front of himself.
Keith doesn’t even try to stop himself from smiling.
Carefully, he puts the book away, on the shelf behind him, then he takes his first bite, without blowing on it. He does burn his tongue, but the werewolf healing takes care of it in about two seconds, and he’s used to it. He actually beats Shiro to being the first to taste the meal. "Lemme know if it’s gross," the older man chuckles in a joke. His laugh is a bit raspy and shy, now, with his cheeks somehow still pink. "It's not,” Keith assures, amused.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Huh, sweet," the Alpha grins at him, pretty satisfied with that. He knows he's not the best cook, he's not too bothered by that. His grandmother taught him before he left home, and that was about how much time he spent honing that skill, aside from cooking soup for himself all the time. He really likes soup. And Keith. He really likes Keith too. When he begins eating, it's tentative. Not as if he didn't believe the other werewolf about how his food isn't complete crap, but he's suddenly not so sure it's as hot as he said...? Something about watching the guy fork it down as if it were lukewarm. But no- he definitely burns his tongue on his second bite, which-- dammit, this is what always ruins the taste of everything for half a day. This is a bummer. How the heck does the Omega have better resistance than— Except, as he's ready to sulk about his poor life decision, while munching on a new bite, he realizes that... this one tastes good as well. Huh. So he tastes the dish once more, not bothering with blowing on it at all again. "No way--" he mutters, blinking, and then looks at Keith. "Is this why you eat hot food like it's no problem? Because it actually is-- no problem? This is amazing!" Keith gives a little amused snort. "It only burns at a little bit in the beginning,” he confirms, “After that, it’s like your tongue gets use to it? I don’t know how it works.” And there’s a pause. "It's good, y'know. This." He gestures vaguely towards his plate. "Oh-" Small shock to his chest. Alright, he wasn't expecting an actual compliment, and maybe he suddenly softens way too much, gaze not-- exactly locked on Keith, but more... resting on him. It's easy to just watch him, eyes and jaw relaxed. But fuck, okay, Keith just has this way of twisting his inside in this really pleasant way, and- well- how dare he. Right when Shiro was discovering the joys of eating stuff that's still burning hot. The praise has him smiling, eyes darting down to his plate. "Heh- Thanks," he says, and he tries to dim his smile by pinching his lips together, and eventually, by putting a new forkful in his mouth, but grimacing when it burns again. Dammit, maybe it’s because he waited too long between bites? This makes no sense—Keith is shooting him an amused glance. Ha. Ha. "So, you took the car. Everything went fine in the human's world?" The Omega asks, curious. After all, it’s the first time he wasn't there for the Alpha. Shiro gives him an amused smile, not realizing-- or not really, anyway-- what Keith means when he says that. "You're aware I'm much more used to the human world than anything else, correct?" But no... he didn't run into werewolves over there, and there were no scenes, really. He did pick up soap and shampoo for himself, his usual brands and scents that he found he still liked-- there is that, but nothing noteworthy happened. Which is, admittedly, pretty good. Keith frowns, opens his mouth to retort, but closes it and lets out a disgruntled growl instead. Shiro giggles, but karma gets back at him, because the next bite he takes burns him again, and he grimaces once more. The time after, he's blowing on his food again, because maybe continuously burning yourself just to eat faster sucks a little after all. After a few bites, he goes: "Oh! hey, hmm, by the way... are there any places around here where I could get pictures that aren't... I don't know... that don't spoil where you live, so that I could post online? Like... in the forest, maybe?" "The forest is good. If you want to take the car, you can go up to the mountains. It's farther, but there's a pretty lake up there. It's been awhile since I've been. Maybe the territory belongs to the Galra now, I don't know. That's a thing you must be careful about, if you start exploring around. Don't wander on other packs territory. 'specially not a lone Alpha. They'll think you're there to challenge them or something. Well... not everyone will think that. But some do." "How... will I know when I'm anywhere I shouldn't be...?" Shiro wonders, thinking he could just... wait for Keith to be around, when he goes out. Yet... no. There's no way in heck he's staying cooped up. "Use your nose. Territory smells. Wolves mark their territory, and werewolves do as well."
Do… they? He hadn’t noticed that the forest and field around smelled a lot like Keith. If he had to associate a scent, he’d say it’s closer to the one those Marmora guys wore. Keith’s house smells of him, and around it too, but it doesn’t go very far. Maybe he… doesn’t mark his territory? That has him frowning, but he doesn’t ask why. Anyway, it feels vague to him, because there seem to be many factors to elude him here. Like... will he know if the Galra have taken that place Keith mentioned? Or... will he smell the end of Keith's territory, or just the start of another...? And what would it mean to a pack if he... per chance... accidentally crossed on their territory? Would they follow him back? Attack him like that feral wolf did? Or just ask uncomfortable questions... Most of all, he wonders if a slip up on his part would put Keith in any sort of trouble. So he won't. He won't mess up when he goes out. Most of this will probably become more obvious as he moves around anyway. "Got it," he says, after his short reflexion, and means it.
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
Once they’re done with the dishes (Keith wanted to do it alone, but Shiro insisted on helping- damn Alpha), Keith grabs his present, and gets to the living room where Shiro follows him. It not the first time they do something of the sort. They often naturally gravitates there after dinner, and both work on their respective things on the couch. It seems to have become sort of a habit between the two: the younger werewolf lies down perpendicularly to Shiro and puts his feet on his lap. He looks at the book he got for long minutes, before laying it down on his chest and getting his cellphone out. He’s got a few notifications, as usual. Couples from Instagram, from Gmail… but the one he’s looking for is a text from Pidge. She’s been sending him photographs of Shiro that she said she found on another of his Instagram account. She still refuses to give the username away, and only teases him by sending him teasers of what this account might hold. Of course Keith has been offering all kinds of bribing to Katie, but she seems to think it’s funnier to keep the secret and make her friend squirm. So Keith silently curses at her as he stares at a picture of a younger Shiro with extremely tight pants that leaves nothing to the imagination. The man is sitting on a stair railing, one leg up the rail, and the other down, looking at the camera with a grin Keith wished was directed at him. He’s s o p r e t t y, ugh. And even more now, with added muscles and bicolor hair. Gods, is he being a creep?
Well.
He’s not the one doing the stalking, not officially anyway. It could be worse. After staring for a long moment at the picture of the night, he remembers what he wanted to ask Matt, and texts the guy: Keith: did you tell shiro about courting About twenty seconds later: Matt: ;) Keith: does that mean yes Matt: ;;;;;;) Keith: did you specifically tell him about courting gifts Matt: ;;;;;;;;;;)))))) Keith: matt its important Matt: ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;)))))))))))Keith: ffs matt that doesnt even look liek anythgin anymore But Keith's heartbeat is definitively picking up the pace significantly, as if wolf becomes more and more excited and hopeful. Keith: pidge did matt tell shiro about courting gifts There's a minute before Pidge answers. Pidge: ... Keith: ill make you a cherry pie for full moon in a week. Pidge: yes matt told him all about traditional courting gifts and what they meant and what acceptance meant As he reads it, a burst of feelings explodes in his chest and he can’t help the very content purr that erupts off it.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith won't let go of the book, and it's the most thrilling thing, for Shiro. It keeps a pleasant vibration going in his chest. A constant thrum that has him smiling, each time he hears a page flip, or even when he sees Keith kept the present against his chest, instead of putting it on the floor, where it might even have been safer. Next to him, the smaller werewolf seems to become increasingly flustered from someone he must be texting with, and maybe the pleasant hum that had been echoing though Shiro's chest finally settles a bit. Dissolves, with each time the Omega's pulse quickens, until-- There's a loud purr that nearly startles him. Not because it's that loud, sure, but because he wasn't expecting that, and his heart sinks a little, a peak of jealousy suddenly showing up, and he gapes at his friend with an almost hurt expression. Almost. Not quite. But he is emanating kind of a betrayed, or jealous scent, he realizes. Doesn't know how to push it back, and it's so silly. "Who... who is that?" he wonders, because, of course, he's got to ask. Keith looks up from his cellphone, like a deer in headlights, a blush on his cheeks. He doesn’t immediately answer, and Shiro becomes restless, squirming, shifting the laptop off his lap (it was sharing the space with Keith’s feet) as annoyance grows in his chest. "Just..." the Omega finally starts, " ... wasn'tsureyouknewaboutcourting." It takes a few seconds, then Shiro finally realizes what the other man must have been doing, or asking, and who he was speaking with (undoubtedly Matt, he thinks), there's a blush on his face too. He's caught off guard by the revelation. Or-- at least, what seems to be one, to him. If Keith's feet weren't casually resting on his lap, Shiro might've brought his knees up to hide his face into them. As it stands, he can mostly dip his chin downward, and hide his face into his palm-- or as much of it as he can manage. After a moment of just... feeling his pulse pick up, Shiro turns his head toward Keith. Just a little. "Wait-- so when you got it... you didn't know??"
Does-- does it still count, in that case? " I just wasn't a hundred percent sure,” Keith’s voice is a bit higher than usual. He has put his phone aside and is back to holding the book against him, almost in a protective stance. And Shiro softens all at once. From his gaze to his posture-- his hand stops hovering near his face, where it had stopped hiding it anyway, and drops on top of Keith's right foot, giving it a squeeze. Except he doesn't let go, after... just sort of... absentmindedly rubs his thumb on the sole of it instead. "So you're--" he breathes, and why is this question so hard to ask-- "you're still accepting it, right?" he makes sure, voice low, and now significantly calmer than Keith's. The Omega takes a deep breath. "Yes.” He’s closer to Shiro’s tone now. He doesn't know if it's usually this straightforward-- courting? He wonders if he would just be pining in his own home, if he'd been in another pack, or a born wolf, and just... maybe... more secretly thinking about Keith? Instead of having him right there, and so openly thrilling over how he nailed his gift-- But he's also pretty sure they've covered zero ground like everybody else would, so far, and since he's comfortable in that, he's happy about it. "Okay, good," he murmurs, almost happily, though still sounding relaxed, eyes locked on his knee, at first. Then they dart back to Keith's face as he lifts his body again, and his hand releases the slight pressure it had on the other wolf's toes. He... should probably stop studying the other boy's face, now.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The little touches are electrifying. Keith likes them. He likes them a little bit too much. It is different from normal courting, since they're living together, and eating together. It's a bit overwhelming, because he can't really go home and share his excitation with a normal pack. He only has Shiro, and sure, Matt and Pidge, but it's still a bit scary, how fast everything is going. But, he feels happy with Shiro. It’s enough, right? It’s enough to feel right, anyway. Slowly, he retreats his legs, and puts the book on the low table in front of them, before getting up. He takes his shirts and pants off in seconds before shifting. And he quickly jumps back on the couch. This time, his head is on Shiro's lap, leaving no space for the man to take his laptop back: he wants his undivided attention. He could have done so in human form, for sure. Put his head on Shiro’s thigh, instead of his feet.
But if the Alpha is always so at ease to caress him when he’s a wolf, he’s not sure it would be the case in his human form. He’s not sure he wants to risk an awkward moment. Plus, there’s no annoying thoughts in his head telling him that they’re going too fast, when he’s in his wolf skin. Having the Alpha’s scent all around him just feels really nice, and he doesn’t worry about anything. Shiro keeps silent at first, and wastes no time gently running his fingers along Keith's face-- brushing his nose softly, then over his eyes, and eyebrows... between his ears... "I have to admit that with each time you change, I get more and more excited at the prospect of shifting along with you," he tells him, as his hand still more or less expertly massages the wolf. Behind his ears... down his neck, on his shoulders... then back up his neck, thumb and index finger pressing into his fur. A low, steady purr comes off Keith. "I bet wolf cuddles are awesome," the Alpha chuckles, sounding a little bit shy. "I mean-- I know it'll be a bit peculiar, shifting for the first time... but I'm a lot more excited than I am anticipating it."
≈ ⁂ ≈
He unusually talks Keith's ear off, that night. It's all thoughts of what he's figured so far. About Matt, and Katie, and that one time he searched for ten minutes where Keith's wooden spoon went. He talks so much, that his throat goes dry, forcing him to stop. He never chats out loud for so long. So he feels like coughing from how scratchy talking makes his throat. He'd probably need water but there's absolutely no way in hell that he's pushing Keith off for something silly like getting hydrated. No, rather... he bends down again, and kisses that delicate spot on top of Keith's head, between his ears, as thanks for his listening. He probably should stop doing that too, but it's even easier with the wolf. Sometimes, when he’s almost sure the wolf is asleep, Keith huffs, or makes little noises in reaction to what he’s telling him. Other times, he receives a lick on his hand. The purring is not always constant, but every time he gets to hear it, Shiro smiles. Eventually, Keith gets off the couch, and changes back into human form, before standing up and lazily stretching his arms. Shiro blushes.
Every time the Omega shifts back to human, he’s on his four and—well, even when he’s up, Shiro cannot stop staring. And it seems the young man is taking his sweet time grabbing his clothes.
He wishes he could be casual about it, but he cannot help his eyes from roaming a bit— There's a painful pang of his heart each time he thinks Keith catches him looking. And it's getting annoying, because the more flustered he gets, the more his head feels full of cotton, and he could do without. When Keith is about to put his sweatpants back on, Shiro blurts: “Hey-“ which makes the Omega stops to look at him. Right in the eyes. "Hey, uh. Can I-- can I look?" he asks vaguely, stunned that he got these words out at all, and that they even sound level. " You want to?" Keith asks, a hint of a smile on his face. "I mean--" Shiro immediately chokes out. He swallows and makes a point of keeping his eyes into Keith's, even with his face burning like it is. "You're there, you're obviously comfortable stripping and being naked, even when I'm also there, and I guess I hate that I feel guilty when I do look...? When you're being so carefree anyway...? You realize that it's hard not to, when- well, it's just- you really are-" There's a deep breath, for a moment, and when he speaks again, he seems more collected. In tone, at least: his complexion is still very red. "You're nice to look at, and I'm absolutely aware I’m self-indulging, but I wonder if you're.... okay with that." There’s a pause, where Keith is only looking at him. And he’s smiling. "I'm okay with that. I know naked people offer more... aesthetic, like the Internet would say, and even I can see that. But as of how it feels, it's not really different for me than if you were staring at me while I'm dressed, or in fur mode." He explains, with a little smile. " Well, it is a bit different because of your reactions. But I really don’t mind. They’re… good reactions." His smile grows teasing. "Alright," Shiro nods, and smiles a little, even if his face is still crimson. "So- but, so you're saying seeing me naked is of no consequence to you?" He thinks of that moment when Keith got clothes for him, and he got out of the shower absolutely naked. At the time he had thought he would have to get used to it, but then Pidge and Matt convinced him otherwise. "Oh, I wouldn't say that,” Keith snorts, “You're really nice to look at because you're fit, handsome, and well, hot. So, even if your face conveys that pretty well, your naked body does even more, from what I’ve seen. And I like it,” the Omega admits pretty easily. What. Oh, is this what it feels like to be complimented back by Keith? He wants to melt down, lean on something, crash into a cozy pile of cushions, he doesn't know— He stands up, steps into Keith’s personal space, hand reached up to cup his ear, head already tilted down towards him as he moves in. And all he can imagine himself doing from there is closing the little distance they have left between them by pressing his mouth against— He doesn't, of course. He does none of this. Keeps himself still. But shit the impulse is strong and whatever he smells like to Keith now, it probably conveys some of this. He's so pleased, and his heart is now beating faster, but not so painfully at this point. It's unmistakably a good feeling. And he has just spent way too much time being stunned. This means that when he next speaks, it was already going to be a bit strange just from the silence he let stretch. Except that despite the pride he's inflated with from Keith's words, Shiro's words are still pretty much croaked out. "Alright- I'll- thank you."
Keith's not blushing in Shiro's book, because Shiro is. He practically sees red he's got so much blood in his face, dammit.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The Alpha's scent changes drastically, and his eyes flash red for a moment when he gets up. Then he gets close, and Keith momentarily stops breathing. His wolf really wants him to… react to this smell. But his common sense tells him that no, it would not be a good idea to kiss Shiro senselessly and climb him like a tree. Even if he can smell that the man wouldn’t push him away. At least not at first. So he holds himself back, trying to mute his thoughts not to start smelling aroused in answer to that extremely enticing smell of pride and want. That'd be… inappropriate. With his thanks, the Alpha steps back, letting his hand fall off Keith’s heated cheek.
The Omega starts breathing again, and he lets out a little amused huff. “You’re welcome,” he breathes out, before tugging at his pants to pull them on, finally. “I’ll go sleep. Lots of cars to fix, tomorrow.” Takashi stares at him for a moment, his breath coming in short puffs, and nods.
“Alright,” he says, his tone slightly unsteady, before he collects himself. “Good night, Keith.” “Good night, Shiro.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It's another night where Shiro tells Keith goodnight, but doesn't immediately go to bed himself. Each time he's caught up in his work, he can't seem to get himself to stop. Fatigue leaves him, and he could simply... carry on until the sun rose. He used to be a lot better at doing that. Nowadays... it's once in a while. But he'll still sleep his full seven hours after, so he often has to stop himself if he doesn't want to miss out on half the next day. He does at least hang out in his room, but it's to edit new photos he took while Keith was at work, that day. He's so excited about them... Autumn really is the best season of them all, and Keith has a beautiful territory. It's been raining on and off, and the temperature has been all over the place, but it's the first night in a while when it isn't windy. It's been constantly windy lately, and now the air seems to just... hang there. Clammy and a bit humid with low clouds hanging above. One of those last few oddly warm days the season has to offer before everything starts freezing. And at one A.M., rubbing at his sore eyes, and looking out the window, Shiro's heart begins beating harder. At first, he can't explain it. His eyes remain frozen on the window, and he's as afraid to look away as he is to keep watching. His skin is covered in goosebumps, and he could swear his blood isn't flowing to his hands properly anymore. He's afraid, he realizes, that something will pop in his window. Smash into it. And it's searing the back of his head painfully-- as if he were being hit by a sudden migraine. He can't see straight. He doesn’t feel safe, not at all. And truly, there seems to be no reason for this to be happening to him. For this unfair reaction he has to-- to some unknown factor- Since he can't calm down, but also can't look away, Shiro gets up. His ears are buzzing. It's only as he moves that he realizes that in the penumbra, there is mist. Same as that night. And the feeling of having something at his back gets overwhelming. He's now equally terrified of something grabbing him from behind, as he is scared the window might be smashed, to find him helpless. Because all his senses are not on the edge. They are not sharper with his fear. They're being canceled. Muffled, by ideas and memories and-- Shiro stumbles out of his room, when he finds the courage to turn his back on that window. The lower back of his head still feels like shit. As if a constant pressure was being applied to it. It's his most sensitive point, it seems. And at first, he rubs and knocks at Keith's door, asking for the wolf with a begging voice. But he can't stay alone in the hall. He's about to start crying for fuck's sake-- so he tries the doorknob and opens the door. Keith is standing, right behind the door, a hand extended as if he was about to open it. Despite the dark, he can easily make out the wide-open eyes of his host, and the fact that he’s wearing a loose set of shirts and jogging. "Shiro? What happened?" the Omega asks, pulling the door wider, before inspecting the space behind Shiro. Nothing but an empty corridor. The night is quiet, apart from the usual night life songs of nature, carrying on. The only chaotic aspect in all of this is Shiro's genuine panic, the cold sweat he's breaking into, and the nails he's sinking into Keith's arm as he grabs at him, breath short, head dizzy. He's shaking. Violently so. "It's- the-- hhhnnh," he breathes out difficultly, still unable to breathe properly. His eyes aren't focused on anything. He barely feels the tension in his friend’s body, too focused on his own panic.
"Shhhh, come in,” he hears Keith’s whispers, and lets himself be pulled inside the room. He’s vaguely aware of the Omega closing the door behind them. The curtains he sees in the back of the room are closed, but werewolf abilities allowed them both to see quite well in the dark. Not that Shiro is looking at anything, however. Keith’s free hand gets up to the Alpha’s neck, behind it, and forces him to lean in his direction. Shiro barely hear his own whimper as he dives his nose in the nape of the Omega’s neck. "Breathe Takashi," Keith whispers, as he feels like he’s exhaling more than he’s inhaling. It's all short, uneven, and very rapid breaths. He's only even able to focus on all this at all because his friend’s voice tells him to. His chest stops contracting irregularly, and with his nose pressed to the Omega, and his smell enveloping him like it is-- from everywhere, it's a matter of minutes before he's finally taking in air properly too, and not just gasping for it as if it were all gone. They are long, and painful minutes, and even when he manages to breathe properly, he's still tense, with an alarm still blaring at the back of his mind. But he does loosen the firm grip he suddenly realizes he'd been holding on Keith, and he mumbles a quick apology for it. After that, it's just a repetition of sorry's and thank you's stumbling out from between his lips, as he keeps himself as close to the other man as he seems welcome to be. But Keith slowly parts from him, yet seems to try to stay close as he guides them to his bed, where Shiro sits without giving it another thought. The other werewolf sits by his side, his arm wrapped around his shoulders.
≈ ⁂ ≈
“What happened?” the question escapes Keith’s lips before he can help himself. He was getting used to Shiro staying up late, even if he did, sometimes, wake up when Shiro moved a bit too noisily. He’d been alone for a long time, and his instinct naturally makes him on the edge. That night, he’d managed to stay mostly asleep until he heard, faintly, the pounding sound of Shiro’s heartbeat, and the pungent scent of fear through the door. The more he came to his senses, the more the heartbeat didn’t sound so faint anymore, and he’d jumped up, but the door was already opening before he got to it. So he’d tensed up. Not because he was scared of the Alpha and his painfully bent silverfish ears on the top of his head --no, not this time—but because a scared Alpha usually means there’s danger around. He shot a quick look behind, gave a sniff, listened- Nothing. There was nothing wrong around them. But convincing his instinct was hard enough that he didn’t get to be calm enough to use pheromones to calm Shiro, yet again. What a failure. Anyway. Present Shiro is curved in, half into himself, half towards Keith, but he’s still doing better than minutes ago. The Alpha gives a humorless chuckle, looking at the floor. “It’s absolutely silly…” he starts, and the Omega rubs his back softly, trying to encourage and reassure him. Shiro gestures to the general direction of his door, without paying too much attention to his surroundings. "It's-- it's just that stupid mist, y'know?" His voice comes out a pitiful whine, mixed with some amount of a wet laughter, which seems to mean he might start sobbing-- Except he never does. He stays still and quiet, after that, and something in Keith’s chest ache. He can smell how pathetic Takashi feels, and it’s just—wrong. He fidgets, shifting closer to the taller man, if possible. Their thighs are still pressed together, and one of his hands is on Shiro’s while the other is still behind his back. There’s not much more he can take. Except- He leans in, his cheek gently caressing Shiro’s and he gives his temple a small, tentative lick. He’s calm enough now to let out a much more comforting Omega scent for the Alpha. " It's okay. It's not silly,” he affirms.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro's eyes slide shut, when Keith's scent becomes calming, and he remembers how his eyes were stinging him, just before. The lick is… weird, objectively speaking, but it makes him feel cared for, like Keith is, whether he wants it or not, truly there to support him. He huffs at the comment, and since he's beginning to feel a bit of relief, this implies his shoulders and chest moving along with the action. He's slumping a little, and his hand reaches for the one Keith has on his thigh. Not to remove it from there, but to have something to hold on to. He stays quiet for a moment, trying very hard to mind himself into heading back to his room, but the thought makes the panic want to peak again, so he decides he'd rather not... face that idea right now. Maybe just a few more minutes of this... "Did I hurt you?" the alpha murmurs when he notices his sharpened nails/claws. "No." Keith shakes his head. “You’d have smelled it,” the younger man says, very practical. Right. Blood smells. This, apparently, is Shiro's best news of the day. Or-- night, that is. It strikes him, at that moment, all over again, just how surrounded he is by Keith's scent, and now that his head isn't numb with fear, he feels as though this was incredibly intimate. As if he were intruding, maybe. "Did you call me Takashi...?" His voice is so quiet..... "Hmmm," Keith mumbles, "M'be." His hand still in gentle motions on his back, but he has pulled away a little bit, leaning against his shoulder instead. "I liked it," he lets the guy know, still very quiet, his hand on top of Keith's sliding so their palms end up pressed together. Then he opens his eyes, and keeps them cast down on just that. He feels the Omega moving a little bit, and Keith’s face gets in the crook of his neck where he pushes his nose gently, nuzzling. This action scores a tiny smile out the Alpha. Just a small one, soft, and subtle. Not that Keith will see it. He's so totally in a state of complete trust that he tilts his head backward a little, giving Keith the purchase to nuzzle at him properly. His movement is subtle, and minuscule, but it feels huge, in the little bubble they're sharing right now.
≈ ⁂ ≈
The action stirs Keith's heart pleasantly, and a low, soft purring breaks the silence between them, as he the hand he had on Shiro's back rises pull the Alpha more against him. He rests his face where it is, and moves it just enough so it’s still considered lazy nuzzling. They stay like that for two other minutes before Keith pulls away. He doesn't really want Shiro to go back to his room, but it's… necessary. Somehow. For an Omega to invite an Alpha in their personal quarters for an emergency is a thing, but to cuddle and spend the night with them in said quarters is another. Don’t get him wrong, he’s pretty sure he trusts Shiro now, but their relationship isn't there yet. If the Alpha were to invite him in his bed, now, that would be different, but even then-- Keith isn't sure they're there yet. They’ve only started officially courting a few days ago! “Can I… sleep on your floor? ...? Or just out your door. I don't want to be alone.” Shiro asks. Apparently it doesn’t strike him to invite him over to the other side of the hall, anyway. But it does make Keith fidgety, not wanting to refuse. Even his wolf is conflicted at the thought—it’s his den. He can’t let an Alpha in his den just like that—Even if it’s Shiro. Even if he wants to do all sorts of things with Shiro- "I'll go back to your room with you, okay?" He suggests, voice barely above a whisper. Let's start with that. He really doesn't want Shiro to feel rejected. He probably doesn’t know about how… important, it is, for Keith, to keep his room private. Hell, if it wasn’t for the thought he had with his mother, years ago, he wouldn’t even know why he feels so strongly about this. Omegas just need to have a safe space, usually until they’re sharing heat, or mated, it depends, but it’s just… a need.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Uhh..." Shiro is clearly hesitant, and his eyes search the floor frantically as he feels his heart drop. He didn't mean to intrude in any way, and he suddenly gets that his own suggestion was probably way improper. You don't just invite yourself into someone else's sleeping quarters like this- no, of course not-- especially when- Well. For real. He gets it, he should have thought- Except thinking is proving a little difficult for him right now. "Uhm," he tries again, fighting the way the corners of his lips want to tug downward. He stands up, and squints at Keith uncertainly. His eyebrows are knit in a complicated expression. "Are you sure? I could probably- I mean the couch would probably be fine too, come to think... of..." H
he trails off, because he doesn't mean that. "Yeah? You sure? Just for a little bit--" he promises, not wanting to impede more than he has, and was ready to. Keith’s eyes are gentle when he meets his, and he gets up as well. "C'mon big guy,” the Omega says, voice full of fondness as he grabs his hand, leading them out of his room. When they walk the few steps that separates their rooms, until they get into Shiro’s, Keith lets go of his hand, to walk to the windows and close the curtains. Shiro watches him go but stands near his own door, his hand clinging to his waist, in a protective gesture as it crosses across his stomach. He should... go sit on his bed. But he doesn't move. So Keith does. He settles on the bed, leans against its frame, and pats the sheets beside him, looking at the Alpha in a silent invitation.
It's probably the fact that Keith doesn't just sit on the edge of the bed that really makes Shiro move, and join the guy. He folds his knees against himself, however, when he does take place on the mattress, still keeping in mind to make himself small. "Shiro? You should probably lay down,” the younger man suggests, voice gentle, but there’s the hint of a smile on his lips. "I'm not... sleepy right now..." he says, because it's a bit true, but he still watches Keith for a few seconds, and then slowly starts making his way into a much more horizontal position. He makes no effort to slide under his covers, however. Just stays curled in a ball on his side, facing the other man. Keith shifts closer, and in less than two second, his hand is on Shiro’s head. He starts running his finger in his hair, scratching his scalp, reaching behind his ears, scratching at their base-- He... Will never again will those ears away. That's it. He's keeping them. When he felt awkward and stiff before, Keith's touch immediately soothes him, and he finds himself pressing his face into the side of Keith's hip, body also scooting closer to him. "Thanks," he murmurs again, after the only negative energy left to him is a slight lingering ghost of a fear. Really, he shouldn't even be acknowledging that it's there at all. It's too far back into his mind. He's keeping to himself, too, which is hard enough, when he'd rather have his arm draped over the omega's lap. He's just got his knuckles faintly pressed against his thigh, instead. Just to have some amount of contact. At least he won't make it harder for the guy to leave when he senses Shiro is all better. Which... is a thought that actually makes him sad. Dammit. "Try to sleep, okay? I'll be here 'til you do,” Keith announces, before he slouches more on the pillows, in a half-sitting, half-lying position. Shiro gives a little nod. His eyes remain open for a while longer, as he keeps his hand resting against the side of his friend’s ribs when he lowers himself. He lets the hand in his hair calm him completely. His breathing evens out before he even registers that fatigue has finally caught up. And by complete selfishness, he fights it a few minutes more, focusing on the other wolf, and on the points of contact between them... It isn't much longer, however, before everything goes dark and he finally passes out. Unfortunately, he misses the moment when Keith bends down to kiss his fluffy right ear before returning back to his room.
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro wakes up earlier the next morning-- he's not so much done with his usual cycle, as he can hear Keith getting ready for work, but it's stronger than him: he gets up. Leaves his room. It's Monday and he already wishes it were the weekend-- but he'll find something to do with himself. For now... a groggy, half-woken Shiro stretches and yawns as he finds his way into the kitchen, ears still out, silver and fluffy over his head. He also rubs at his eyes one at the time.
"Hey," he greets the guy. Shiro... is never up in the mornings when Keith leaves. "You leaving soon...?" he wonders, because he genuinely does not know. His host is in his working clothes, which still faintly reek of oil, motor and cars despite being washed every day. He’s standing up by the side of the kitchen counter, both hands busy with the leftover of a cooked chicken. His hair is a mess (yet adorable) and he looks tired, which Shiro cannot help but feel guilty about. He was the one who woke him up, after all. The Omega shoots him a look, cheeks rounder than usual due to the bite he hasn’t swallowed yet. “ ’bout fifchteen’” he manages to mumble, before finishing his bite and putting the chicken leg he’s been holding onto back with the rest. He grabs a towel and wipes his lower (dirty) face. “Hi.” What a sight. "I see I've been missing out," Shiro grins, and he's showing his whites off. He's not mocking Keith, though, he's just genuinely happy to be seeing this side of him. And anyway... he cannot be looking any better himself. "Mind if I join you?" he asks as he goes to the fridge. He's still half-asleep, despite his apparent good mood. He should always wake up with Keith. He wonders if the guy would mind. They wouldn't even need to talk, really... "My chicken," Keith grumbles, shifting a little bit to put himself in front of his meal. Well. Half in front of it. Like the will isn't really there. Not a morning person? "I'm literally heading for the fridge, sunshine," Shiro opens its door, watching Keith for a moment with amusement. The younger werewolf is looking at him with eyes full of suspicion, which is even funnier. He looks into the fridge, and finds... That he'd rather not eat if he's just going to go back to sleep the moment Keith is gone again. So he goes around the table, and sits, facing Keith, and then he leans his chin on his folded arms as he watches the Omega. He's still pretty content, honestly. His ears are all perked up. But he doesn't speak, because he's really okay with staying silent. Keith's still looking a him, before he carefully turns around and grabs the chicken. Then he goes to the table too, and sits down in front of Shiro. He doesn't speak either, until he's almost done with the chicken. "Your ears are out," he points out, once he's standing up to put the remnant of the chicken in the fridge. Shiro nods, his hand reaching up to pat at his left one. "Do I look good?" he can’t help but inquire. Keith huffs, his first smile of the morning. "You do, yeah.” Warmth spreads inside Shiro’s chest. Sure, he’d fished for the compliment, but Keith hadn’t even hesitated and—well it’s too early for him to try to hide just how much he likes hearing that. He grins at the younger man…
then he falls short of a conversation, and he kind of... he doesn't really want their interaction to end...? "Would you hate it if I woke up with you some mornings...?" he bites down on his lower lip a bit. Keith actually looks surprised at the question. "That'd be okay,” he says. "But I'm not... really… social,” in the morning, that is, he warns. "It'd just be to see you a bit at the start of the day," Shiro assures him quietly, but he looks hopeful. The answer doesn’t come immediately. Instead, the boy stares at him as if he’s trying to assess whether he’s going to have to change his morning routine if he’s got Shiro waking up with him. "That'd be okay," Keith repeats, more softly. "Alright," Shiro nods. "But let me know if you change your mind, yeah? I'll let you get ready now," he says with one really small, giddy chuckle, before getting up. Keith nods and sends him a smile. "Have a nice day."
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro spends about half of the next mornings with Keith. One day, he just goes into the living room, and pretends to sleep on the couch (he knows he's not fooling anyone, but still) as he just listens to the last five minutes of presence Keith offers. Just that can be enough. The other one, he just falls back asleep. He can't really point out what exactly makes him decide what to do between mornings, but that's only because he's not thinking about it. It's subconscious a bit. And on Thursday, he hands out with him in the kitchen, a bit like he did days before. He... thinks it's going okay, though. So far, Keith hasn't told him to fuck off.
The full moon approaching very quickly has him a mix of more antsy, and more energized. He's anticipating it, but he's also excited. Especially about the whole turning part. He's certain he's going to have a full week as a wolf at first. For sure. And he... still hates that they'll have to leave Keith behind. Even if no one really brings up that subject. There's no need to, really. And yeah, while he mostly spends his energy on sorting and editing his photos, he does run out. Right on time, too, because he's fairly certain the moon will be full the night after-- But this does leave him in a restless state, alone, with nothing to occupy his mind for a whole day. That morning... he kind of just spends lazily browsing the web. Scrolling down Instagram. Sorting through his pictures, and deciding what to archive from his PC to his hard drive-- Not the photos of Keith, evidently. He still wants those to be accessible. Because... Well... He finds himself looking at them again, and this isn't the first time. Except he usually steals a quick glance at his favorite ones. Just that. Today though, he's especially bored. He's been posting again, replying to comments, and maaaybe kind of grew tired of it more quickly than usual. Again: he is restless. Besides, it's enough words to have typed in for a lifetime. He totally deserves a break. So that's why he finds himself clicking through his pictures of Keith. He... doesn't know why he skips through the wolf ones faster, at first. Until landing on those few half-nude ones sort of make his intentions clear, even to himself. He's-- There's nothing even sensual about the photographs. Like. Not at all. No body contortions that are obviously made to tease, or be alluring. But Shiro's eyes follow the curve of Keith's shoulders, his back, and his mind provides the supplementary content of the curve of his ass, that he’s seen so many times… He flicks through three of them, but always returns to the one where the omega's expression is a tease. And-- Heck, okay, he knows Keith is hot. But this photo has never had this effect on the Alpha before. He edited it. He knows this picture well. Yet he can smell his own arousal settle thickly around him, and it surprises him how strong it is. Because thoughts of the other man have been creeping through his mind, while he was idly flicking through these. And… fuck, he should feel guilty about this. He really, really should... but he's setting the computer down, and listening to the bed creak slightly underneath himself as he presses himself lower down on it, to be lying down on it, legs sprawled a bit. His hand kneads at his stomach, at first, his mouth open in soft, short breaths, as he recalls tense exchanges. Pushed down urges. And that very real desire he had the other night, of pushing his mouth against Keith's. He... hasn't shut his door, and he figures it's fine, because his host is far from being back anyway. And then he lets himself become lost to what are nothing short of fantasies: of having Keith desire him as much as he does him, in moments. (Like... right now. Dammit. It's actually a good thing he's alone.) He thinks of similar touches to those they've already shared becoming heavier with another meaning... He remembers the day before, when Keith’s hand had fallen on his thigh, so he could get his attention. It’s the ghost of a burning sensation, now. He wants it back there. Will spread his legs if it means Keith will knead into his muscles... And that's what he does. His hand has slid down, but he's not on his groin yet-- somewhere between fabric and skin... over his briefs, but into his trousers and-- He's already so hard, that he hisses as he readjusts his erection, and decides he'll be better off unzipping himself at least. But then, he's already palming himself, mind stuck in that frozen moment in his memory, where he's sure they both wanted to lean into each other- meet halfway maybe- it’s ridiculous how- just affection and kisses arouse him. Though he’s not entirely past thoughts of more sexual nature, neither of how Keith looks or smells, when he rubs his hand down on himself to pull out his length, it’s with thoughts of affection, mostly. Mostly, because he can’t help picturing the boy naked, lying by his side with Shiro’s arm holding his narrow waist pressed against his, with their skin flushed against one another. That's what he rubs off to. He's not even thinking of making himself last. He has his back arching too soon- his hips lifting into his own touch, rolling down on the mattress, shifting the sheets. The very vague concept of Keith against him, and so beautiful on his mind seems to be enough to push him over the edge, and he comes with a moan he's been biting off on for the past minutes, having only his breath hitching and panting instead. He... isn't able to catch any of it with his second hand... so he has to do laundry until Keith is back. Maybe he should have done this in the shower...
≈ ⁂ ≈
This day, Keith comes back home a bit early. He keeps telling his boss that they're not really that affected a day before the full moon, and that it's only tomorrow that he'll need to finish early, but the guy doesn't want to hear it. "I'm back," he announces as he opens the door to his house, even if he knows Shiro heard him way before he parked his bike. The second he breathes in the air inside, he notices something different. It smells very... Shiro. It's mixed with something else he's easily able to recognize. Sex. His heart misses a beat as a light blush rises up his cheeks. There's something almost frustrating about how his instincts react to this smell. He really hopes he won't start a heat just because of that. That'd be awful. But no, he's pretty confident it won't-- It just makes him horny. He's still smelling like the garage, so he needs to take a shower, anyway. But that damn smell.
Did Shiro think of him when he jerked off? Gods he hopes so. Hm. Bad thoughts to have right now. He should wait to be inside the shower, or else he’ll start smelling of lust. "Welcome home!" the Alpha's voice comes from his room, right as his head pops out from his door, and he's giving Keith this most innocent, happy smile. "You're early," the man points out, but isn't saying it as if it's a bad thing. He seems pretty cheered with the prospect, despite the stench Keith brings in with himself. "See you after your shower?" he asks, even if he must know the answer by now. "Yep-" Keith nods, face turning pinker. With the scent, he can tell Shiro jerked off about... two hours ago? And shit, if it doesn’t give pictures for his imagination— He manages to walk to the bathroom with a steady pace, flustered. His treacherous body makes him slow down close to Shiro's room, where the smell is stronger. He tries to be as subtle as possible when he inhales deeply. The Alpha is finishing tucking in freshly washed covers and he now busies himself at putting the pillows into their cases. "Hi," Shiro smiles when he catches him looking. Keith gives a little wave, heart beating fast, before darting to the bathroom. Starts the fan. He loses no time getting rid of his clothes, which go into the usual ‘work’ closed basket.
He takes a deep breath as he pulls the shower curtain open. The smell of sex is lingering in the air. No doubt Shiro used the washer to clean his clothes or bed sheets. Betas wouldn’t necessarily smell it as much as Keith does- let’s say he’s acute to Alpha’s odors. Especially Shiro’s. The Alpha has probably no idea his remnant of sex smell is even perceptible for him right now. Keith’s nostrils flares, as a low warmth starts coiling in his lower stomach. He steps in the shower, and starts the water, his thoughts never leaving his companion in the other room. He imagines the Alpha’s with him, equally naked. He would be behind him, nuzzling his hair, his neck- holding him against his broad chest. Slowly, Keith’s hand trails down on his lower stomach, fingers brushing over pubes, until he’s at the base of his progressively hardening erecting. Maybe Shiro would be lazily stroking his own cock- significantly bigger than Keith’s. He’d softly press it in between his butt cheeks, parting them, using them, teasing with deliberately slow rutting. Keith's mouth opens as his fingers wrap around his length, moving up and down.
His mind is less pure than the Alpha’s. If he does imagine, with butterflies in his stomach, how the other wolf would kiss his neck languorously, whispering words of love and affection, the whole crude physical aspect is what his fantasies are mostly about. He leans forward, forehead pressed against the tiles of the shower, using his free hand to squeezes his own butt cheek. He crawls a finger up to his hole. In his head, Shiro teases him by pressing the head of his shaft to it. He couldn’t get in, not with Keith so unprepared, but the Omega presses his joined fingers against the rim. Shiro would whisper about how much he wants to take him, make him his—
Keith slides one finger in, pressing against his tight walls, barely letting himself get used to the intrusion before moving, curling it. Shiro would comment about how tight he is. How good it would feel around him. He exhales loudly, as he moves faster - It’s not nearly enough. One digit is too small, and he doesn’t have lube close to get enough fingers in to be satisfied. Nevertheless, both hands are at work. One is busy fingering his ass, roughly moving in and out, and the other is pumping his cock. His hips are jerking unevenly, as he feels pleasure building up in his lower abdomen. He tightens his grip, moves faster— There’s not much left of the Alpha’s sex smell, but he still remembers it.
Gods, he wants Shiro here, with him, wants Shiro’s fingers, not his. His smile against his cheek. His cock. His arm around his waist. His laughter against his ear- Keith finishes with a pathetic muffled groan, whole body tensing, ass clenching around his fingers, as he keeps moving his hands as much as he can to ride the wave of pleasure. Well.
That was pathetic, wasn’t it? By the time he’s done with the cleaning part (both himself and the shower), and he’s done changing, he realizes he probably took way longer than usual… Oh well. At least he won’t smell too much. There might be a remnant of the ‘after sex’ pheromones, but he doubts they’ll be intense- at least, nowhere near as intense as if he really had sex outside a shower. It’s not like jerking off is the most satisfying thing either (though jerking off thinking of Shiro reached higher levels of satisfaction (and frustration, somehow) than his normal sessions). The smell is faint, and the Alpha probably won’t consciously recognize them anyway. His instinct… might? But Keith has no idea what it will make him feel like. When he steps out of his room, after changing into a red t-shirt and black leggings, he walks in on Shiro, in the living room, on the ground, trying to do one-handed push-ups. It seems like he hasn’t quite figured the whole balancing out, since he’s not going as fast as Keith knows he could go with his Alpha werewolf strength. He only has time to see a set of five push-ups before Shiro lets himself drop to the ground with a groan. Keeps himself flat on his stomach, as if he had quit. The Omega raises his eyebrows. "Come on, I'm pretty sure I could sit on you and you'd have no problem," he teases.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Oh, I'm pretty certain of that too. Fatigue's not what got me down..." Shiro replies, face turning to the side so he can peek at Keith. He's... trying not to blush. "Hmmmmmm,” is all the comment Keith gives, making it clear in his tone that he’s doubting his words (for real or for teasing purpose, Shiro doesn’t know). "You think I wouldn't?? You just said--" Shiro whines. He repositions himself to be able to lift his body again. "Alright. Climb on, you'll see," he says. That gets a little chuckle out of the smaller werewolf, and somehow the Alpha feels like he’s exactly where his friend wants him to be. But… he doesn’t mind at all. Shiro's hand is nearly in the middle of his chest below himself, so he'll be able to keep his balance as he pushes himself up again. When Keith settles smack in the middle of his back, both legs on one side, he can't help but falter a little bit at the smell of him so close. Okay, so—he isn't twelve in mental age, he swears. But it remains that Keith's ass is comfortably settled on top of him and, yeah, maybe he likes this a bit (or a bit more than a bit). But to not let himself linger there too long (as pleasant as it seems it would be) he pushes himself upward, muscles in his arm and chest flexing harder. His back and stomach also need to be stiff, maybe more so than usually, to support Keith as well. Fact remains, though, that he still begins lifting them both up and down over again, while guessing this would be ridiculously easy with Pidge. It remains… not really hard, even with only one hand. And Keith is not that light, but he feels like he could go awhile like this. Unfortunately he doesn’t get to test his theory, because Keith’s cellphone breaks the silence, immediately followed by its owner’s sigh. “Be right back…” his weight is off Shiro within seconds, and he’s walking to his jacket where the ringing device keeps going with a generic chime. "Alright."
And Shiro lets himself fall onto the floor again. Except this time, he flips to be lying on his back, his hand sinking into his hair after it rubs his forehead. His knees fold up, and he lets out a deep sigh. His crush is way out of hand. “Hi Colleen,” Keith says. Right. Pidge and Matt’s mom and Alpha. Where he’s supposed to go tomorrow.
He could listen to the conversation, technically… but isn’t it kind of rude? Or is it normal for werewolves? He focuses his attention on the crickets outside, and only really isn’t able to tune out Keith’s voice, which somehow comes up only two whole minute after the beginning of the call. "Okay. Alright she can come here whenever she's ready. Thanks, I owe you one." "Nonsense.You're almost family by now. Is Shiro there?" Woops, he caught that. "Yeah, I'll give him the phone." "Thank you Keith. Have a nice moon." "You too," then unsurprisingly, his host walks back to him, handing him his phone. "For me...?" He asks, rather stupidly, eyes on Keith. But he still lifts his body back up, legs going back flat against the ground as he sits up and takes the phone. "Hello," he greets the other end of the line."Hi Shiro," the voice is one of a mature woman, "I'm Colleen, Katie and Matt's mother, and Alpha of the Holt pack. Do you have a few minutes? I wanted to talk to you about how we'd proceed tomorrow." Her voice is gentle, but there is still something inherent to it that warns she’s not someone to be messed with. Shiro sits a bit straighter from it. "Yeah- hi, of course," he says, and will later curse himself for not saying that's a pleasure to meet her... of a sort. "The sun is setting at five fifteen so if possible, I'd like you to join us at four so you can meet the rest of us." Colleen says/asks. Shiro doesn't feel like it's a request, so much as a mandatory suggestion. But he appreciates the opportunity he is given to agree to this nonetheless. He wonders if interactions between alphas, even just on the phone, are often just a second-level type of thing. He's not exactly comfortable talking to Colleen right now? But he thinks he'll get used to it. "Of course, that sounds great. Thank you," he tells her. He glances at Keith. Forces himself to relax a bit. "Great!" The woman exclaims, satisfied,“I've heard a lot about you and I must say I'm curious to meet you. I'm sure tomorrow will be nice." She assures, with confidence. Now that the… somehow official business has been conducted, the tone of the discussion changes a little bit, somehow. As if her voice is a bit warmer. But maybe he’s making things up? "Did you have any questions you wanted to ask?" "Yes..." Shiro says slowly,"Will..." he looks at Keith again. Changes his mind. "There'll be another Alpha aside from you there, right?" he asks, and he's gnawing at his lower lip a bit. "Yes. His name's Lance. It'll be his second moon." "Oh-- alright. Uhm. It'll be fine, right? I had an unpleasant encounter the last time I met an Alpha," he admits to the woman. To be fair, Keith has been there. But it still sets a nasty precedent. "Oh? May I know what happened? I believe it'll be fine with Lance. He's having a bit of trouble with control, but he's a good young man." "Hmm," another glance at Keith, who’s just sitting on the couch, now with his laptop open on his lap. The Omega shoots him a little look, which Shiro decides to consider as an encouraging one, but he’s not really being more helpful. Is Colleen not... was she not briefed on this? He supposes that's fine. He oddly believed that there was no hidden information within a pack. That everything could just become common knowledge among members of a family, or a pack. He can't say why he thought that anymore. But… maybe Keith is not really Colleen’s pack. "Uhm. Keith and I ran into an alpha when we went out grocery shopping? And the guy immediately hit on him. So... long story short, it wasn't a very cool meeting," he nods, congratulating himself on how very informative he can be. Good job Shiro! "Oh, so Keith was there," she makes a noise of understanding. " A lot of unmated Alphas have inappropriate behavior when it comes to Omegas." She doesn't sound please about it, but there's not a lot of things she can do about it. "I believe tomorrow will be just fine," she adds. The 'since no Omega is not going to be there' is left unsaid, but Shiro can still hear it clear as day. "Alright. That's all I wanted to hear," Shiro tells her. "Anything else I should keep in mind...?" he wonders, but he feels like he already knows enough to get by, probably. "I'll tell you the specific about shifting tomorrow," the woman assures. "Okay. Well, thank you so much, Colleen," he repeats. "Did you want to talk with Keith again?" "No, it's fine. Have a nice night, and see you tomorrow." She says, before hanging up when Shiro says goodbye as well. Keith is now lying down on the couch. Shiro pushes himself next to it and leans his head on the side closer to where the Omega's head is. He hands his phone back to the guy, not knowing what to say, for a moment. "She sounds nice," he lets out, looking up at him. "She is. A bit intimidating if you don't know her, maybe. Oh, and for tomorrow, she didn't tell you but you should definitely bring some food over there. I’ll bake something too.” Keith says, arm moving just so his hand rests against Shiro's head. Then, he gently moves his fingers in his hair, and Shiro’s eyes slide shut as he leans into the touch. "That would be great," he hums, sounding calm. "And you...?" He opens his eyes back. "Actually, Pidge suggested coming here. It's a first, really, but we're trying this, so it'll suck a bit less for me. It'll be hard on her, to be away from her family and pack, but... yeah. It’s really nice of her, to do that,” Keith says, voice fond, barely above a whisper. Shiro blinks up at him, and for a moment, his widened eyes and lifted eyebrows are a hard-to-read expression. It's not hurt, but something innocent or boyish, whatever that can mean. His heartbeat has picked up a little. He hopes that will be him, one day, who’s going to stay with Keith. Soon, with some luck. Oh and he really does hope he's lucky-- But still. This isn't about him. It's about Keith not spending too shitty a night. "Ah- she's great," he finally smiles, and leans his chin back against the cushion Keith is lying on, because his head had lifted a bit at the omega's words and tone. "I hope it goes well," he adds, as his eyes fall back shut. "Yeah, me too. It's not ideal, but it's still better than being alone. As for you... I'm sure everything will be fine. I heard Lance is a bit of a ‘goofball’... Pidge’s words, not mine." "Alright," Shiro chuckles a bit of newly peaking nervousness away. He doesn't have that good of a feeling pertaining to Lance just yet, but the more he hears of him, the less he's ready to be wary of him. "Will you be here tomorrow...?" he wonders, since if Keith's working, they'll probably miss each other...? Keith's fingers curl into his hair. “No, I'll work until I get too fidgety. Also, don't worry tomorrow if you're more anxious or excited or nervous. It's normal. We all get a bit... cranky? The day of the moon." Shiro deflates just a little bit. "Awh... okay. Should we get cooking, then?" Just talking about getting up, and he's already missing those fingers in his hair. "Weee should. Yeah. But you can also grab something from the groceries store tomorrow. And help me do three maple sugar pies, now. And meringues. And I owe Pidge a cherry pie." "Okay!" Shiro perks up a bit, since cooking together implies spending time together, and he's super okay with that. He's the first one to move. Leans his head into Keith's palm one last time, and then gets moving to the kitchen. "Oh-- will I know how to get to their place? Or will Matt come drop Pidge off, so I get to go back with him...?" He didn't ask Colleen, because the way she said it, it was up to him to be at their place at four, and somehow, she made it seem so certain that he would make it, that it seemed like she was saying he would manage that on his own. Which.... he guesses he'd be able to, by smell. Or, he assumes so anyway. He's got no clue. "Matt will do the relay. Or you could take the car if they had planned on something else. Although... Nah, pretty sure Matt is going to drop Pidge here and take you," the Omega says, before rising on his feet as well. They both head for the kitchen, and Keith starts taking out various items and ingredients off drawers and cupboards. Shiro asks him which bowls, tools or appliances to get out, since he's got no idea how to do anything the younger werewolf mentioned. He even figures he won't be able to help him whip anything if needed, unless they can magically hold the bowls still. Every time he's given a small task he can help with though, and they pass around or near one another, he deplores having no excuse to gently brush Keith's waist with his knuckles in passing. He swears the thought alone is making his heart skip beats. That one is frequent for sure, but he also regrets the lack of actual proximity, and finds the longing for it slightly uncomfortable. He sighs heavily, and apparently out of the blue one time, just because he's cursing himself for being unable not to think all these thoughts. But as time passes, Keith starts being the one to casually brush his shoulder against his (that happened twice, Shiro noted), and there was a hand on his back when he stepped on the other side of him, once. "So! How come you were home early today?" the Alpha smiles at his friend. "My boss thought it was necessary? Which is silly, because it it’s not, not really. We’re alright, a day before the full moon. But it does allow me to cook, so I won't complain," Keith answers as he whips the egg's white for the meringues. "Ooooh," Shiro lets out with interest,"What does said boss think of your going in, tomorrow, then?" he chuckles. As Keith has made it clear he's alright with casual touches, he lets letting himself administer the same kinds. He's not so subtle about them, however, going for brief wrist touches before he takes things handed to him, or hand touches when he wants to pass something over to the other guy. "He knows I need money too, and so he tolerates me until he considers me too fidgety and kicks me out." That pulls a chuckle out of Shiro. "Alright, that's fair," he nods. He does not let a silence grow between the two of them. He's already got something else on his mind: "Hey... you got a way to play music in here?" he wonders. "Sure. You can get on the speakers by Bluetooth. If you’re on Wi-Fi, you should see it in your available devices. On your phone." Keith explains, as he keeps mixing his mixture for meringues, werewolf speed. Shiro takes a small pause to sit on a chair at the table, and do just that. It isn't even complicated to find the speakers, and at most, he hopes the volume won't suddenly blast at them. After their chat in the car, and their comparing music styles they enjoyed, the Alpha makes short work of putting up a first song or two he reckons Keith will enjoy. Perhaps not as much... sing along to, but he will definitely take notes if he even starts so much as humming with. In another handful of minutes, he has composed a playlist that should keep a nice ambiance going for a small while. Unlike back during their ride, however, Shiro seems to have no qualms to singing to his favorite titles, whether or not he is joined. He manages to catch a few words sang by his friend, but either the boy is shy, or he’s too focused to sing: it’s barely above a mumble. Maybe it’s the latter, as he often interrupts by asking Shiro to do a few steps of various recipes for him. When he’s not working (and even when he is), Shiro exchanges some shy smiles with the Omega, and throws another handful of beaming ones his way as well. He’s danced a few steps around the kitchen as they’ve worked and even twirled once, just to see if it would make the Omega laugh. It's a delight when he does. Eventually, Keith puts everything in the ovens (large and small) and sets a timer. "Got any plans while we wait...?" Shiro asks when Keith turns back from the oven. The Alpha’s eyes are on his phone again, looking for another song, and for now the one they'd been listening to right before is paused. "Not really..." Keith says, getting closer to him, to also look that at the screen. His side is slightly pressed against his, probably more than necessary for someone who just wanted to peak. But maybe it isn’t Keith’s real intention. Because he just… stays close. Anyway, the drop in his stomach when Keith approaches him is downright pleasant. It feels like a shock, and he fumbles with his phone for just a second because of it. He still smiles though, before he pulls out some OST he knows well, sets the device down to turn his body towards the younger man as well. They meet halfway, and Shiro does not hesitate when he slides his arm around the man's waist to pull him closer by a soft, if firm press of his palm on the small of his back. Then, his hand remains there, a constant presence. The tune is slow and melodic, and there is not a doubt that they could very easily slow dance on this. And with his subtle swaying motions, it appears to be precisely what Shiro has on his mind. "Mind sharing a dance or two with me, then...?" he asks, even if it's almost already pointless to. He hears Keith’s heart picking up the pace, as the werewolf gives a little, private smile. The Omega leans against him, and follows his slow rhythm, before raising his arms around the man’s neck, boldly. “But…” Keith starts, without breaking their dance, “I’ve got to check if everything’s fine with the meringue in 5 minutes. The oven has priority.” "Make it one dance, then," Shiro guides Keith with a bit more certainty once the omega wraps his arms around him. He takes a moment to press his lips to the side of his hair, loving the smell of him so soon after a shower. It's so much better than when he's just barely home. "I'll still take it," he smiles. "And then one after...?" "Hmmmm. We'll see," the werewolf’s voice is warm. "Do you need convincing?" Shiro asks, smile still on. "Is that what's going on?"
He leans his head away, and he does this quick motion where his hand slides from Keith's waist to his arm, so he's able to twirl him around just 180 degrees. He pulls his back against himself, and keeps swaying in this new position, where Keith isn't so much trapped against him, as comfortably close, and held in the best embrace Shiro can offer. It was just a few steps, but it seems to be an indicator that the Alpha's done this before. His head is then back to the side of Keith's head, where he likes nuzzling too much. Keith huffs a breathy chuckle, easily following Shiro’s guidance. "Alright, second dance granted." Shiro has no doubt that Keith can feel his smile widen against the side of his head. And as, a moment later, the music picks up in melody, he steps aside again. This time he goes with less vigorous movements, yet still passes both their arms above their heads, so they can turn and be face to face again. A song goes by fast, he knows that. And five minutes, when you're dancing with your crush... well, so do they. But he still takes whatever time they have left to press his forehead against Keith's, and gaze at him. "You won't regret it," he promises with slow blinks, and a smile that shouldn't be as soft as it is.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro is really…soft, and Keith has a constant blush on his cheeks.
He really, really wonders how a guy like that turned out to be an Alpha. So sweet, gentle, nice— Well, no, he doesn't really wonder. He can feel it in his bones, how good this man is. How right of a leader he could be. Not just dance speaking, obviously. He hasn’t seen him interact with a lot of people, but he just knows. Shiro is a great Alpha. An ideal one, according to Keith’s wolf. The thought makes him smile. The oven alarm rings and he jumps back in surprise, breaking their proximity.
"Oven," he blurts out, as he turns his back to get to the heating device. He grabs mitts (hands would heal, but it would still hurt like a bitch) and takes the two plates of meringues out to check on them. He hums, put them back in, and closes the door again before turning back to Shiro. Shiro, who’s looking at him with the fondest expression Keith’s ever seen, and—
He feels weak in the knees. Like a ridiculously smitten teenager. He could melt right here, even with his heart thumping so hard. "Alright," the taller werewolf pinches his lips down on a new smile, as he glances at the meringues for emphasis. "Then what...?" The song he put on before slows to a stop, and that’s some okay timing. "Then the meringues are in for another twenty minutes, a bit like the pies,” Keith mentions.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"With approximately five minutes to a dance, that leaves us with a solid fifteen minutes to kill, huh..." the Alpha notes as he puts on a new song and lets the piano notes melt into a melody assisted with a few strings that are heard being plucked at. It's simple, this one, not as instrumental as the last one, and while it is slow, it's also a cheerful tune. Very light-hearted. It's okay that twenty minutes are longer than the one promised second dance Shiro scored, because he's already got an idea. Even if he knows he will be cursing that pie at the end of the next twenty minutes of wait. While the music plays, he reaches for Keith again, but doesn't pull him as close to himself as before. It soon becomes clear why, as his steps aren't as small as the ones he was taking before. The swaying is more of a movement, as they travel from the kitchen to the living room, where they have a bit more room to make more steps, as long as they don't hit that coffee table. And through the tune, Shiro leads Keith in a more carefree dance. It is effortless for him, despite his missing arm, and as long as his friend doesn't fight any motions the Alpha pushes or pulls him into, it's all swift and easy motion. Then Shiro carefully leads their steps around the low table that’s in front of the couch. Keeps watching Keith, and remaining aware of their environment. Until he's ducking the guy down a little, his arm easily carrying his weight so he doesn't fall. And then delicately sets him on the couch, right as the melody's notes start fading. Shiro is flushed, but only because of how happy and energized he feels. He's half leaning over Keith, half-hovering over the couch, wondering, briefly, where his place is in this scenario, when he just wants to settle on top of his friend and press them together. He does, in a way. When he moves, it's to lie down, and scoop Keith a little as he makes a bit of space for himself, so that the omega rests between the back of the couch, and somewhere like half on top of Shiro, half-lying on the cushions himself.Keith’s face is flushed as well, and he can hear (and feels) the Omega’s heart hammering in his chest. There’s a hint of nervousness in his friend’s scent. Shiro’s equally thudding, so he feels no need to call Keith on his heightened pulse. Instead, he uses the arm that's placed around the boy, to rub at his shoulder blades, and sink his fingers at the nape of his neck, and up into his hair. He keeps these motions going, hoping they'll help calm them both, maybe. He didn't mean for this to be nerve-wracking.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Keith closes his eyes, and forces his body to relax as he exhales the air off his lungs. It helps. He likes Shiro. He trusts Shiro. Shiro is a good werewolf. A great Alpha. It's alright to really like being this close to him. It's alright to feel nice. To feel safe. He moves his fingers too, drawing slow circles over Takashi’s ribcage. His nose pressed against the man chest, and he loves how every breath he takes is full of Shiro’s pleased scent. Echoing his feelings, a constant purr starts vibrating in his chest. It sounds very loud in the silence of the moment. And Shiro’s chest move under him, in a silent chuckle, and for a moment he holds Keith a bit tighter around him. There’s no holding back the excitement beneath his ribs as it trickles down pleasantly in his guts. Nevertheless, his hand keeps up the soothing motions it's administrating on Shiro, and the man is mirroring them on his back. He swears he’d never want to stop. Some minutes pass like this, with both of them refusing to break the silence. Or the moment. Yet at some point, however, Shiro's voice lifts between them, softly. "Why can't I purr...?" he questions.
≈ ⁂ ≈
And there's a huge unsaid something here, about him having tried, or hoped he naturally would, when he also felt happy. His voice is calm, however, and he silently congratulates himself on not letting it transpire that he has been afraid he was broken, or didn't feel as happy or serene as he thought he did. Which... would suck. "It's not- I know it sounds like that- but- I'm not a cat." Keith manages to say, pouting. It sounds like the term has been used before and he didn't agree with it. "But anyway, the real question is why can I do that. My uncle wanted me to believe that they'd fed me a cat when I was a baby. But apparently my great-grand-mother, from my dad’s side had an Omega brother who could do that. So it might be genetic? Though there was a time when Pidge wanted to X-ray me, or something." "Oh no--" Shiro sympathizes with a press of his hand around Keith's shoulder, and a slight pull of the guy against himself, even if the pressure is pretty pointless, since they're already so close. "For the record, I know it doesn't make you a cat-- I just like hearing it a lot," he explains. "But... you don't know anyone else who does that?" he concludes, frowning a little bit with curiosity. "No..." Keith sighs. This news... doesn't displease him, personally. Though it sucks that Keith was kind of made to think this made him odd, or worth investigating. He would rather say... "So you're unique, in that way," he sighs happily, and says it as if it's the best thing in the world.
It's not that it's a pride point. It's that nowhere else that's known, is there an Omega offering such a sincere and soothing sound to an alpha. There's only Keith, doing that. And Shiro has the privilege of assisting to it. And maybe being part of it a little bit. Of course this appeals to him a whole lot. "That's pretty cool," he offers. Keith gives a little chuckle. Shiro wishes he could see his face, but from his position, he gets more hair than anything else. "Thank you," the younger man says warmly, and as he nuzzles Shiro’s chest, the purring resumes as if it had never stopped for their conversation. "Yeah, of course," Shiro breathes out a chuckle of his own.
For the next minutes, all he can think of, is how mellow and kind Keith's voice just was. How warm, and how that means it hooked right into his chest, and tugged at it. It helps that the only thing he is focusing on is that purr, and how good it makes him feel to hear it, especially in light of what he now knows. His next motion in the last few minutes they have, is to brush Keith bangs out of his face. It's a continuous movement of his fingers sliding along his forehead, and his attempting to tuck the wolf's hair behind his ear, to mostly no avail. But it's okay, because it gives him incentive to keep the gentle motions going. Keith is still moving his hand as well, rubbing his chest in soft caresses that makes him feel warm. He knows it's good they had a timer, or he'd had fallen asleep here, at long last. The expected happens, and the beeper goes off, making Keith jolt, before he gets up to leave for the kitchen. Shiro, meanwhile, sits back up and lean his head on the back of the couch, heart thudding once more. He lets himself grow calmer before he joins Keith in the kitchen. "We're getting none of all this tonight, right? It smells so good," he pouts a little, but thinks he doesn't mean it as much as he ought, given he is mostly longing for the moment that has just passed. "Nope. For tomorrow only. And you'll have to leave half the meringues here. But you can leave with the three sugar pies," Keith tells him as he stares with satisfaction at the baked goods. Shiro’s stretching and yawning a bit, apparently unable to help it, once his little adrenaline rush passes. "Am I the only one who is a bit drowsy now...?" he wonders, and this is unusual for him. He's usually able to go to bed a few hours after the omega. But he feels so relaxed that he thinks he'd be able to pass out right now, were he on his bed. .... or still huddled up against Keith on the couch. But that's not happening, so. "Did we have anything left to do for tonight?" he wonders. "No, not really. You'll have groceries to do tomorrow though, for what you'll bring to the Holt, and if you can grab a few steaks for Pidge and I too, that’d be nice. But nothing else for tonight. Sleeping soon would be a good idea though, since you most likely won't get a lot of rest tomorrow. " "Alright, noted. Thank you. And on that, I think I'll call it a night," he nods, and hesitates for a moment, as he looks at Keith. But he steps closer, and since he feels like he won't see him tomorrow, he gives the guy this one, good, long, solid hug. "Good night, Keith." Keith stays in Shiro's arms probably longer than necessary. "See you tomorrow morning?" He mumbles, a bit shyly. Shiro squeezes Keith a bit tighter, as his chest seems to flare up. "Alright," he tries to hold back on his smile, and does so by pressing his lips to the side of Keith's head again. "See you tomorrow morning," he tells him softly. Keith rubs his head against Shiro, and finally lets go before leaving for his room. The Alpha thinks he's going to sleep. He really, really thinks he is, when he heads to bed and pulls the cover over himself. But even if he is comfortable, his eyes remain open in the dark, aimed at the ceiling. He keeps thinking of dancing with another boy, and about how Keith would touch his waist or his shoulders or his arm while they worked, and how each time, he'd leave a few goosebumps in his wake. He eventually closes his eyes to the thoughts of gentle swaying.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Of the two, Shiro thinks he's the one that looks the worse, the next morning. The first thing he does, after waking up and giving his eyes a good rub (he still hates how it's one at the time. He's unsure he'll get used to that) is getting a good smell of the house's air, and heading out of his room once he has assessed what is generally going on: squirrel on the porch, Keith also slowly waking up... His bangs are all up and spiking in every direction, and even attempting to tame them a bit out of habit does nothing for the Alpha. When he sees Keith, the tug in his lower stomach is just confirmation of how pretty the other looks, even disheveled. Okay, plus he suspects the guy made somewhat of an effort. And if he didn't, it probably just makes him look really bad. Because Shiro totally did in his own, carefree (tired, more like) sort of way. When he steps into the kitchen, the smells of the pastries they cooked yesterday is still lingering in the air, and he forces himself to look away not to succumb to the temptation of tasting one of them. He's the first of the two to look at their fridge's contents, mostly because he gets to it first, but he also tells himself two things: He's the one getting more groceries after they eat, and since he's here... "D'you have a few minutes to let me cook us something up...?" he says, looking at the number of eggs they have left and taking mental notes. He wonders if he imagines the way Keith stares at him for a moment. The Omega doesn’t seem entirely awake yet, but there’s a soft smile on his lips, and there’s no way it’s not directed right at him. Fondness expands in his chest, and he takes a deep breath. The Omega smells nice, and he can feel himself smiling back. “Yeah, thanks,” the smaller guy says as he walks past him and… shamelessly opens one of the meringues boxes to shove one treat in his mouth. The moan he lets out sends shivers all across Shiro’s body… Then Keith takes another one, but instead of eating it (he looks like he desperately wants to, for a second), he purses his lips, turns toward Shiro and hands it to him. “Suffer with me.” "What, whmmmfh?" Shiro starts, his second word muffled with the meringue, and he hums, his appetite only growing from getting this much of the sweet. And oh god. It is ridiculously good. It melts on his tongue, the sweet vanilla flavor expanding in his mouth and slowly diminishing as he suckles on the last bit of sugar before it’s gone- Once he swallows, the fridge half-forgotten (its door still open), the first thing he does is ask for more. "You can't tell me that's all we get--" he sounds like a whining child. "Yup. Thas all. You get more t’night, but now y’hav't suffer with me," the Omega mumbles, stifling a yawn. "And y'can't take any today, or I'll… be dis’ppointed." Keith is not much for articulating in the morning. Shiro hums, his hand still on the fridge handle, and while he promises himself he will resist the urge to eat more during the Omega's absence, not to… dispoint? him -he smiles-, he does not fight the pull that wants him to give Keith a little affection. He steps closer to his friend and leaning in to give the top of his head a good, long nuzzle, pressing his nose and soon lips against the guy’s hair, mildly aware he’s downright scenting him. It gets his heart beating faster, especially when Keith’s posture changes as he leans towards the Alpha, his arms loosely wrapping his waist. "Alright. I won't," Shiro promises.
He should really get to making their breakfast. And as if reading his thoughts, five second passes before he hears a mumble. “Food.” It pulls at the corner of Shiro’s lips, and fills the man with a sense of warmth, even as Keith lets go and steps away. Today will be just fine, the older man decides. He still can't vouch for the night, though, and the thought of it is making him more nervous than he anticipated. "Alright, food. Wanna help? Otherwise, I can let you go get ready, if you want," he tells him.
≈ ⁂ ≈
"Mmmm. Can'I get ready?" Keith feels a little bad for literally asking Shiro to cook by himself, but he does have to change. And also maybe he's not motivated to cook.
He's… not motivated for a lot in the morning. It's probably why he usually eats leftovers for breakfast (heated or not, depending on his level of motivation). "Of course," Shiro tells him. "You did plenty yesterday, too," he adds, and even if Keith knows it’s true and legitimate, he’s still glad the Alpha is confirming it.
He didn’t need the acknowledgement and confirmation, but it satisfies his wolf more than he would’ve expected. And so Keith leaves the other werewolf on his own. Meanwhile, he hears Shiro put some music on his phone- not on the living room speakers, like they did yesterday, but Keith can still hear it pretty well. It’s still instrumental music, with cheering notes, but not enough energy to annoy him. Just perfectly balanced for a nice morning. He recognizes the melody as being part of a Ghibli movie, but can’t remember which one (Pidge would be disappointed in him). It takes only ten minutes before he's back. But when he is, the music is still playing and there is an omelet already partway through its cooking in a pan. Shiro's flipping it sides, so it can finish cooking properly. "Welcome back," the Alpha teases as he gets a look at him. "Right, of course you look radiant now. I haven't even taken care of my stubble," he chuckles, as if to himself. "I like your stubble." Keith protests, words clearer than a mumble now, even the will isn't really there. Whether he wants it or not, he is definitely awake now. He gets to Shiro, half behind him, half beside, absolutely in the Alpha's personal space, because he wants to, and has no self-control right now. Or decides not to have any.
≈ ⁂ ≈
There's a smile in the man's eyes, as he turns them back to their breakfast. "It's almost done..." he tells the guy, wondering if Keith is really this close to watch their enormous breakfast simmer, and not daring to hope there's another motive. Though... yeah no, he hopes. It's stronger than him when he tests this with a slight leaning backwards motion of his head and shoulder, just to check if he can reach the boy, or if he'll even step a little closer. Just to check...
And like a magnet, the Omega shifts closer, the right half of his body pressing into the Alpha’s side. Shiro has to focus not to let the shock he feels next go directly to his crotch-- Christ, it's barely contact. He wonders what Keith will make of the hitch in his breath, and in the way his heartbeat steadily spikes up. He must've asked for it, though, so who is he to complain. He's so out of his wits, currently, that his next words are: "I'm glad you like my stubble..." And he must mumble it just as much as the other did. He's feeling uncommonly shy, and until he chills a little, he stays leaned into the touch, unwilling to move away. If he doesn't move again, though, he'll overcook their breakfast. "Would you grab plates for us...? I think it's ready." And no one this hungry ever sounded so dejected that a meal was ready. Keith gives a little smile, and moves away. But before he does, he wraps an arm around Shiro's waist, and presses himself against him in a quick side hug, with an equally short nuzzle to his shoulder. It doesn't last long. Merely three seconds and Keith lets him go to get plates and forks. If he thought he had it bad before, the flustered state Keith leaves him in, and the intense blush he feels in his face as well as across his chest and back have him helpless. He slices their breakfast in two, but soon can't tolerate the overheating, and so strips himself of his shirt, before he's walking by the table to slide their respective portions in their plates. His, of course, is larger. He's learned, by now, that Keith is okay with this. It's more natural to him, maybe, to see an Alpha eat more, he supposes...? Still. Both their shares are humongous. He's still a bit agitated when he sits down. "Enjoy," he tells Keith with a shy smile, before he starts digging in.
≈ ⁂ ≈
He has it under control. Touching Takashi, pressing his body against his- but he has it under control. He's aware part of this strong desire to get close is caused by the full moon approaching and his instincts growing steadily stronger. The mere fact that he knows he won’t spend it with Shiro is enough to make his chest clench with need.But he’s still controlling himself and that’s why he parts from Shiro easily. Though the blush on the Alpha’s cheek is impossible to miss, as is the smug smirk growing on Keith’s lips. Smirk that he immediately loses when the Alpha takes his shirt off, and he almost purrs what the fuck. But as soon as the sound threatens to rise off his chest, he stops its by sheer will. It’s one thing to show affection, and another to swoon at the sight of skin, Gods. His face joins Shiro’s in tones, but he still ogles him. It is very rare that Shiro wears fewer clothes than him. He has to stop his mind to deviate to improper thoughts, because he knows he’s going to start smelling aroused, and that would be… inappropriate? It’s the morning. They’re eating an omelet. It’s the fullmoon tonight. They’ll spend it apart. Keith has to leave for work soon. At least three of those realities are legitimate reasons to get a hold of himself. “Thanks,” he forces his eyes down on his breakfast and starts digging in. As they both eat, their respective silences speak loud and clear for either their appetites, the taste of the food, or both. In either case, Keith isn't complaining, not usually the talkative type at this hour of the day. Something nudges his foot, and Keith almost bites his tongue. His eyes momentarily shoot up to the half-naked and quite handsome werewolf in front of him who keeps eating as if he were not doing anything out of the ordinary. Keith nudges back. No reaction from Shiro, none that the Omega can see. His heartbeat is slightly faster, but is nothing obvious. But as the Alpha prepares another forkful, the smaller werewolf feels the man’s naked foot sliding on the side on his ankle, and softly pressing on his skin there. And then, eyes on his food, Shiro puts it in his mouth. Maybe a bit slower than he usually does. None of this his helping Keith’s disposition and growing illicit thoughts.
He’s never horny in the morning. That never happens. But Shiro’s here now, and he’d be lying if he said the mere presence of the Alpha does not affect the timing of his usual urges. There’s also the possibility that his heat is days away- not that he would know, if it were the case, but it could be part of the explanation. He kind of… dreads this possibility. Anyway. He captures Shiro’s ankle with both of his, putting a stop to the game. Or so he thinks.
≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro shows a sign of knowing what he's been doing, now. He has to bite down on a smile, as he chews and swallows. It's not even muted in any way. Maybe he should feel a bit guilty, but as long as Keith holds his foot, Shiro is kept happy. He just wanted to keep the proximity going, after all. And this works as much as anything else, in his book. Still, after a few bites, his second foot settles against Keith's too, just so all of their legs and entangled together, which is preferable to him. He refuses to pull them back to himself for the duration of their meal. Sometimes though, he looks up at Keith, hoping to catch his eye, to offer him happy, if sheepish smiles.He gets some of them back. However, Keith’s quicker pace takes a toll on their game, and the younger man lets go of his foot as soon as he’s done- way before him. "Great breakfast, thank you." Keith’s eyes meet his. "Anytime- Leaving for the day soon?" he asks, thinking that 'soon' must be in the immediate future. "Yeah, in about five minutes." Keith says, but doesn't get up yet. His eyes leave Shiro’s, hesitation flickering on his face for a second, but it disappears and the Alpha wonders if he imagined it.
"You're gonna have fun tonight. Hopefully you'll remember, but if not I'm going to ask Matt to tell me everything. Don't worry, though, lots of new werewolves do silly things on their first moon, and no one blames them." "How..... silly...?" Shiro suddenly forgets to eat. There's something more important here, and it's this brief conversation. "Depends. Pidge told me Lance ate a crow. And that he had a feather stuck in his teeth the whole time." Shiro doesn't just smile, then, he chuckles. "Oh, I get a feeling I can beat that," he shakes his head, his teeth all showing with how amused he is. "Alright, will Matt tell us... both everything? Will I want to know, do you think?" "I think so. But make sure to confirm with someone else so he doesn't make stuff up to mess with you. And there's still a chance you'll be conscious…? The wolf instinct is really strong, and it shouldn't be fought against, but there's a nice in between where all experimented wolf stands, and that newbies reach from time to time. " "Okay," he nods. "Maybe I'll be able to tell you all about it myself, right?" he says, with somewhat of a hopeful spark in his gaze. He gets a mix of amused and fond look from the other werewolf.
"Mayyybe,” Keith trails, as he pushes his chair and gets up. He walks to Shiro, a smile on his face, and rubs his cheek against his head. “I have to go. See you tomorrow, and have fun tonight.” The Omega’s hand reaches boldly for the man’s naked shoulder, giving a half-squeeze, half-rub, before rising to the Alpha’s neck. Shiro melts under any of his touches, and leans into them as well. Then Keith stops, body tensing in the slightest, as if he’s resisting touching him more. He lets go, and gets out of the house. As soon as he’s gone, Shiro pushes his plate aside, and curls on himself, his head hitting the table, as he breathes in deeply, letting himself feel that excitement that usually comes from pleasant interactions with the guy. He wants to cry and laugh both. He soon finishes his plate, does the dishes, then takes the jeep to leave for the grocery store. He's got a pretty big day ahead.
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
Shiro hopes he hasn't overshot the amount of food to buy, and how much of it to prepare. He's self-conscious about going on his own, aka paying for all of it, because he isn't just planning on bringing food to the Holts, he also wants to fill Keith's fridge in case the young werewolf didn't want to come back to his human form. He suspects he might not, unless it becomes necessary. And also... maybe he cooks out of nerves. It's too bad Keith isn't here, but at the same time, he does have little solutions of his own to deal with stress. Always has. It's just... he hasn't realized how much he could come to rely on the Omega, because of how much more efficient his presence and scent are for him. A car makes it approach in the late afternoon, and despite having a part of him knowing who is coming, and exactly when they are on the porch, he still jumps when Matt and Pidge knock at the door -he'd thought he might have time to finish one last thing before they got to the front of the house, but it seems not. "Hey!" he greets them both as he opens the door. The younger Holt has a two bags with her, one that smells of food, and the other, of clothes. "It feels like ages since I've seen you both," he admits, even if it's been... what... two weeks? Heck. He steps back, letting them enter. “It smells great in here!” Matt exclaims as they get in, grinning at Shiro, who smiles right back at him. "Keith hasn't come back, and I'm not done just yet..." the Alpha tells him, " 'hope I have a few minutes before we leave...?" he looks at Matt a bit hopefully. "You've got ten minutes." Shiro nods. "How are you both doing?" he asks as he leads them back to the kitchen, where there's a ludicrous amount of food that's been prepared, not to mention Keith's desserts.It’s Katie who answers him this time, “We're good. What about you? Excited for tonight?" she asks, her head tilted as she observes him with a somehow calculated look. "Mortified," Shiro tells her with a grimace that melts into a reassuring smile, as he helps her with the bag she's brought over, if she lets him. "Mind helping me real quick?" he asks the younger of the Holt siblings right after, and he leads her to that last thing he was doing, after she's washed her hands for him. He was currently at his favorite part: spreading a bit of cheese on top of the lasagna and putting it in the oven for a last few minutes. This one, he'll leave here for Keith and Pidge, if they like. Otherwise, he and Keith will have it to eat later this week. He can see she probably doesn't often cook, and while even one-handed, he's well able to do this part himself, he still gives her simple instructions of how to spread the shredded bits evenly, laughing lightly when she frowns at a bit that's assembled into a chunk. "Ahh, see, that's why I needed you. You can pick it up between both your hands, and undo it-- yep, just like that," he nods, thankful. It's not that he's so much treating her as a child, as breaking the ice a bit, because if she's even slightly like him, and if her smell is anything to go by, she's not entirely comfortable just yet, and maybe he can help with that. It's helping him anyway, to interact, so Shiro figures there's no harm done. He also makes her slide the oven mitten on his hand for him, which greatly facilitates his task (and makes him chuckle pleasantly), and politely requests that she open the door for him, so he can put this meal in there. When they're all done, he tells Matt it'll just be five more minutes, and they can leave. Meanwhile, he does his best at tidying up a little, still requesting small things from Pidge here and there, which-- Heck, she's really making everything easier for him right now. He tells her so, actually, because he had forgotten how much slower he was with a missing arm. It gets more obvious when he’s in a hurry, and when he sees someone else doing it for him. "You seem to be doing great, though," the girl comments, as she hops to sit on the counter. "Did you spend all day cooking?" Matt asks, smiling, as he leans against the wall. "Absolutely," Shiro nods, biting the inside of his cheek. "I was told to bring food...? But uhh... how much?" he wonders, looking at Matt, now, then at everything he's got that's still out. "Can I let you point at stuff? You probably know best." "Hmmmm, we'll be five? And the others also have food. So... maybe..." he looks at everything, a bit hesitant. "That and that?" he points at two giant meals. "But you can bring more if you want!" "Hmm, I think I will," Shiro looks at everything thoughtfully. If no one else will, he knows he'll eat plenty. Maybe that Lance guy will as well. Nerves apparently don't mean his appetite is blocked that much anymore anyway. "Ah-- and we've got pastries from Keith!" grins happily, because, of course, he won't forget about that. He puts away everything that wasn't selected, and gets the rest into a reusable bag, along with their share of pies and meringues. "I guess we can take out what's in the oven, and then get going!" he shrugs, with a new surge of anticipation/stress bubbling in his stomach. It's not... necessarily negative energy, though. "Great! I'll help with that," Matt offers, getting to the oven to take the lasagna out, which makes his sister that they shouldn’t bring that in the car if they don’t want to burn the backseat. By the way she’s staring at the hot meal, it’s probably not the only reason she doesn’t want them to leave with it. "That one's for you guys," Shiro smiles at her, pleased to know she'll have an appetite for what he's made, even if she hasn't said that outright. "Make sure to tell Keith I made it with love, and to report his reaction back to me?" he smiles devilishly, if tentatively. Pidge snorts, amused. “Will do.” She promises, a teasing glint in her eyes. "I had you in mind too, of course,” his grin turns into something kinder, “but I don't know what your favorites are. You should definitely make a list for any future times we host you." He turns to Matt, who has put the dish on the oven for him, "And-- that goes for you too. Hopefully, it'll be with more... normal-“ he winces a bit, here, a slight pang of guilt to him “-circumstances." "I wouldn't qualify something that happens once a month as abnormal, Shiro. I think it could be qualified as cyclic, though. Or monthly." Matt teases and Shiro goes "Psscht", because he meant that he hopes they won't all be separated on full moons forever, but by the look both siblings are giving him, they probably knew that. "But thanks for the sentiment,” Matt keeps going, “I'll make a list for sure.”
Then, he looks at his watch. "Ready to go?" “Ready to go," Shiro confirms, picking up his bag of food, and lifting it to say goodbye to Pidge. She's not his sister so he won't hug her or anything, but still, he goes: "Keith shouldn't be too long, even if I trust you won't die of boredom while you wait for him." No doubt the Beta has had the guy's wifi password forever. Pidge smiles at him, "I won't." The siblings hug tightly, nuzzling each other- a sight that would have looked weird to Shiro weeks ago, but that now sends an empathetic pang in his chest. He can smell faintly the brother’s worry for his sister. "Have fun tonight," Matt says, fondness in his voice, "and tell Keith hi for me." And the two men leave the house behind, heading for Matt’s car. The blond guy opens the backseat door and Shiro finds himself thanking him as he does, before they put all the bags down. The Alpha then slides into the passenger seat, any actions easier for him now that he's got his hand free. "Any tips for me on the way there?" he wonders, as Matt ignites the engine, his hand tapping on his thigh restlessly. "Hmmm, Mom's surely going to tell brief you on this, but don't fight the transformation? Like, you're going to lose control of your... 'humanity'- ugh, that sounds scary doesn't it- And your body is going to change. If you fight it, it's going to hurt. It might hurt a bit anyway, but it's going to be worse if you fight it." Matt says, sounding a bit more serious. "Also, don't argue with Mom. I don't think you're the arguing type, really, but just in case. You're on her territory, so she's the Alpha there," he still sends a reassuring smile at Shiro. "You got it," Shiro nods, serious, even if he almost says that it's okay, since he's not even sure he's the Alpha on Keith's territory. Instead, he goes: "And I'm annoying with this, but I cannot get enough information. This Lance guy, how is he...?" Matt chuckles. "Energetic? He's a nice guy. He likes to be liked, and acts really confident, which is a bit...much from time to time, but I'm pretty sure he's overcompensating,” he gives a little shrug. (Maybe he's being a little harsh. The truth is, he's a bit more judgmental because Pidge seems to appreciate the guy. Therefore he has to be judgmental. It’s his duty as a brother.) Shiro hums. "Alright," he articulates, his words oddly clear. "He doesn't sound too bad," he nods a bit. "How... how did his first transformation go? For reference." "Hmmm, not bad at first! Seemed to hurt, though. Not that he remembers, or so he says. Also he tried to fight Mom and she kicked his ass. And he chased and ate a crow. Poor bird." Matt smiles, repeating the information Keith had given him in the morning, and adding more. Shiro isn't afraid of pain. Whatever he's in for, he's persuaded losing an arm was worse. May this be true or not, it still leaves him with the peace of mind of not being worried about that. He just... He's so used to being somewhat rational, and he has a gut feeling he will lose that, tonight. And whatever that means, he's a bit afraid of it. But the moment he hears of the tales of Lance's first transformation, he relaxes, and his hand falls still on his thigh. He... he's been missing Keith all day, but the farther they travel from the guy's home, the more he misses him. That's... unrelated, a bit. But it's what pops into his mind in this very moment. Then, despite being interrupted briefly, he imagines he can mess up pretty badly if Lance went against Colleen. Heck. That mental image is almost enough to get him chuckling. "By the way the bets are open: what do you think I'll look like? So far, I've mostly popped out my ears only...? They're black and grayish." "Hmmm... I'd bet for some white, at least.” Matt points to the white patch over his forehead. “I don't think you'll have lots of brown? We never know, but from my experience, east Asian people are mostly in the white, black and gray scale, with very little brown or beige, if any," Matt says, "Buuuut, my east Asian sample isn’t big, so don’t take it as science. I shouldn't generalize." Shiro gapes at him. "Oh shit-- that's actually so interesting...? Well, then. Though... I don't know how I'd feel about being white," he chuckles weakly. "D'you reckon it would look good? Oh. I hope Keith thinks I look nice...." He's a bit nervous again, but it's with the butterflies-in-his-stomach type of energy. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Matt stifling a laugh. "Speaking of our dear Keith...” he shoots a teasing glance at the Alpha, “You have started courting him, right?" he grins, not answering Shiro's question. "You’ve got his smell all over you. And I know it's not just because you're living in the same house," he wriggles his eyebrows. The Alpha looks at his lap very pointedly. And he blushes. Very hard. Perhaps he is even redder than he has been in Keith's company, in the morning. Hoooooooly-- "Yeah," he says, and he sounds ten years younger, just like a teenager with a crush. Fuck. "I've only really given him one present, though, and maybe I'm stalling a little. I think I forgot the proceedings. Would flowers count? I really want to pick flowers for him..." he admits, voice low. But the question must be rhetorical, because he keeps speaking: "All over me though?? Really? That much?" He looks very pleased by this. In a shy kind of way. "Technically only one present is required for the courting to begin, but sure, you can give him more if you want. It's normal to want to give him more," Matt answers the first inquiry with an amused smile. "Also not really all over you. I can tell you too haven't had sex yet. And you probably didn't kiss either." He guesses, shooting a playful glance at Shiro's red face. 'Yet'. He feels so. Giddy. Except that even if that feeling doesn't disappear with Matt's new statements, he still stutters his way through explanations, there. "Uh- no, no I don't think we-- we're not- I don't think- that isn't- I mean… it isn't like—” He stops, holding back a whine as he hides his face behind his hand. His palm feels cool with how hot his face is. "We're not there yet. Let's leave it at that," he says, heart more than fluttering- more like- about to burst through his ribcage or something. (It's been awhile since Matt had the occasion to tease someone like this. And Shiro is a great target. But mostly, it's just really heartwarming to see someone so flustered at the idea of being with Keith. And the Beta likes Shiro.) "If you sayyyyy soooo." Matt chuckles, and Shiro lets one choked up laughter. Because, well- Anyway- Maybe he’s not over how Matt said they didn’t have sex YET. Even if he meant months from now. He said yet, and there's never been more hope in Shiro. He can't stop smiling. For real. "Ah-- okay, last briefing question- am I shaking hands when I get there? Kissing cheeks? What-- what's the norm?" "Ah, good question! Actually, you usually try not touching other werewolves you don't know. Because you don't want to smell like them and they don't wanna smell like you. That's in the pure werewolf book, that is. But my dad is definitely going to shake your hand. Mom won't do it. " Shiro smiles. He already likes Matt and Pidge's dad. "Seems fair, alright. Thank you. Anything else like that I might want to avoid....?" "Not that I can think about. But relax, we all know you were human before, so you won't get crucified if you make a mistake." "Do you... usually crucify people...?" he asks, just to make sure, though he’s pretty sure that was a jab. He's smiling. That probably gives him away. "Oh, all the time." Matt answers without skipping a beat. Shiro barks laughter. "Alright, cool," he smiles really wide. "I could get into that." There's a little silence, before Matt breaks it, "I'll tell Keith you have weird kinks." "No way! You started it! Don't tell him that! wait-- okay maybe if you vaguely state I have weird kinks... wait- no!" he insists, blushing again. Matt barks out a loud laughter. "Ohhh that's good. Alright, I'll stay with 'Keith, your boyfriend has weird kinks'. Then he'll question you. That'll be great." Shiro gasps again, and when he looks at Matt, he looks... more serious? "Hold on- will he think I told you we were boyfriends? Because I'm not sure how that would pass over- you're aware I don't want to mess up what we have, right?" he almost whines. Matt shoots him a softer look. "Alright, I won't use the term boyfriend either. Don't worry, I'd never compromise your relationship with Keith, that'd be counterproductive. But just so we’re clear, telling him you have weird kinks is still on the table?" Shiro chuckles, his head hanging in defeat for a moment, but he doesn't outright answer. Instead, he moves on to another subject. "Will you stay nearby, at your place? Or do you have things to do?" "I'll be there. We'll all be together," he mentions, as he takes an exit. They're quite farther from town. They have left the wheat fields behind, getting deeper into woodland. "Alright," Shiro hums, and he's tapping his fingers on his thigh a bit again, as he recognizes the signs of their approaching their destination. He might be super transparent because of this, but he still takes the care to take a few deep slow breaths to calm down. Again: This will go well. It'll be fine.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There are not a lot of houses around, and it has a similar atmosphere to Keith’s territory, except less fields, and more woods. Matt parks the car in front of a one-story house, with a green box gable roof top, and white painted wooden walls. Shiro notices the many radio (or internet) reception antennas both on and around the house, and a smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "Home sweet home," Matt hums, sending a reassuring look his way. They both get out of the car and the Beta grabs one of the bags, handing the other to Shiro. The forest here smells stronger than the woods around Keith’s house. There’s no field around to dilute the smell, and the wind barely manages to make its way between the trees. It’s a strong pine tree smell, mixed with moss and humidity. He loves it. And there is, of course, the smell of another pack. Shiro can definitely tell how Pidge and Matt both smell similar to it. It’s a mix of both their scent and a few others he does not recognize, but it feels really… ‘Holt’, to him. The main scent is strange, more… assertive? It’s everywhere. Instinctively, Shiro associates it with the Alpha of this territory. The strongest parts come from the house, but it spread all around the area. The second strongest scent is also coming from the house. Also Alpha like. He figures it might be Lance. Hmm. Betas really do smell less than Alphas. He wonders if this annoys Keith…? He’ll have to ask him later. His nose tells him that there is three… four? werewolves in the house. No- One smells like wolves, but has an inherent less… musky? less intense? smell that he learned to associate with humans. So, three werewolves, one human, and a lot of food. He can smell it from outside already. A good part of it seems to be meat, but there is a fair load of vegetables and various cooked meals. Matt doesn’t knock when they get to the door. He opens it, and gestures for his friend to come in, before closing behind them. Shiro feels… a little bit out of place. This is not his territory. He’s an intruder here.
Without meaning to, his muscles tense, and he’s on his guard. He doesn’t know if he’s welcome here-
Well, he knows he is, rationally speaking, but a Beta can’t give this kind of permission... It’s such a weird feeling! It feels silly, but then again: werewolves. He won’t question it too much. A woman with blond-grayish hair appears in the hallway. She must be in her late forties, maybe fifties— hard to tell. She doesn’t have very visible wrinkles, but her whole being radiates of maturity, assurance and wisdom. She’s wearing a green apron and is smiling at them. "Hi! Welcome to our house," she walks to them, and before Shiro knows it, Matt has taken the bag from his hand and is holding both of them now. Colleen Holt gives a short rub to her son’s back, but her eyes don’t leave the new Alpha. "Nice to meet you, I’m Colleen," she smiles. "Hello. Thank you. It’s nice to formally meet you," Shiro replies with a little nod, in the lack of having anything else to do. He’s eyeing her too, with all unbridled curiosity for the woman he’s heard so much about this far. She’s the type of person he would immediately respect, no questions asked, even if she hadn’t been an Alpha, he thinks. It sure helps that the whole place smells like her, of course, but that isn’t it entirely. She isn’t... scary or intimidating like he kinda thought she might be. Not-- not just from her physique, though he really sees Matt and Pidge didn’t fall far from the tree. If he had to compare Colleen to someone, Shiro thinks it would be to Molly Weasley, in Harry Potter. He always felt a sort of longing and slight discomfort at moments she was a part of, in the books. But that was more because of his own rapport with his mother, and how the mother figure was portrayed in there. Right behind her, a bespectacled man, taller than her, turns into the hallway. Human , Shiro’s nose notes. "Right on time boys!" he walks forward but doesn’t get in front of Colleen. He’s almost by her side, slightly behind, as he extends his left hand to Shiro. "I’m Samuel, the human amongst wolves," the man introduces himself with a welcoming and amused smile.
… Looking and sounding every part like Arthur Weasley, and seriously, Shiro has got to stop comparing them, oh God, they’re their own people! The youn Alpha leans toward the man, and shakes his hand, smiling widely at his introduction. "Hi, Samuel," he says just as they lock together, "I’m Shiro, it’s nice to meet you as well," he tells the man. He must be really used to werewolves, because that was one strong handshake-- "What... are we right on time for?" Shiro asks the couple in front of him, blinking, a bit clueless. "Food, obviously! Lance is just finishing his pâté," Sam says as Matt takes his shoes off. Shiro promptly does the same. Colleen’s eyes leave him after a last… assessment? look, and she turns around to head further into the house. They all follow her. The walls are decorated with pictures of their family. Shiro doesn’t want to linger behind, so he keeps the pace, but he does glance and smile at a few photographs of Matt and Pidge in comical situations— very sophisticated robots Halloween costumes, or the whole family looking quite disgruntled, all covered in a green gooey substance. He follows the pack quietly. So… he gets to meet Lance. And okay, so, with each new encounter he makes, it seems each next one becomes his source of anticipation. That’s great. He can’t just glide through this, huh.
Apparently the guy is nice enough anyway, if obnoxious, so. Nothing to worry about there, right?. There’s also another werewolf he wasn’t aware would be there? Not a source of stress, no, not at all. They head into the kitchen, where Shiro finally sees the two other werewolves he smelled before. One is an elderly man with completely gray hair, and creased wrinkles at the corner of his eyes that gets even deeper when he smiles at the newcomers. He’s standing straight and looks far more energetic than most people twice younger do. He’s standing beside a younger, lanky and tall werewolf who’s smiling at a meat pie. "Hello Shiro, I’m Oscar, Colleen’s dad," the man waves a hand. His voice is deep, and that time, Shiro cannot associate it to a Harry Potter character- except maybe Dumbledore. In the first movie. But yeah, no, he really has to stop doing that. "Hello Oscar, it’s nice to meet you," Takashi says, definitely not moving into the room to shake his hand—dammit it’s just such a reflex even if it’s the wrong hand, and Samuel was so nice about presenting his left one too, which really stuck with the new Alpha... aaanyway. It’s not like anyone’s close enough in this room for him to touch. The tan kid is looking at him funny. Oh that’s charming. He had a smile on just before. What even happened— although... the more he looks at the guy, the more he recognizes that his expression isn’t one of disdain, nor is it threatening. He’s the same as his: curious. Which is a nice pace for him. "I’m Lance!" the guy cuts in, before Shiro has the time to introduce himself. Lance leans away from his preparations to give his head a tilt, a cocky grin on. Matt might have said he was overcompensating for a lack of confidence, but that’s pretty sad, considering that he’s looking quite alright. "Nice to meet you too Lance, I’m Shiro," he informs them, probably pointlessly, because uh, everyone here seems to know who he is. " Alright!” Colleen interjects before any kind of silence can fall, “We have about an hour and a half before the moon rise, so we can all start eating soon," she points out. Now that Shiro’s attention is off the two werewolves, he notices that the table in the adjacent dining room has already been prepared. A few of the dishes have been placed over and others are still on the kitchen counter.
Matt takes all of the meals he brought and place them on the latter. Shiro’s lasagna goes in the oven to be heated up along with quite a few other meals. Wanting to be useful, the new Apha helps with the remaining preparations, but it doesn’t really take long. There all soon sitting around the table and Shiro mentally congratulates himself for noticing that no one is eating before Colleen has sat down and taken the first bite. Then, the feast officially begins. "So, boys," Colleen starts after she swallows her first bite," here’s how thing usually go: we know the shift will occur between five fifteen and five thirty. Not everyone shifts at the same time, but it’s all in the same time lapse. Wolves who can shift at will,” she vaguely gestures towards the members of her pack, “usually shift before so they don’t have to feel the pull of the moon,” she explains. She turns to the youngest Alpha, “You’re welcome to try to shift before, but there is no pressure," then, to Shiro: "As for you, Matt told you about not fighting the shift, right?" Shiro gives a nod—and Colleen is back to looking at both of them. "Remember, your instincts will be quite stronger than usual. They’ll take control. But your humanity doesn’t have to oppose them. Both can cohabit in harmony during the full moon. Think of it as a mental compromise. But I’m not telling you this to put any pressure on you. Being a hundred percent wolf for a werewolf’s first moons is perfectly normal, and we’re all expecting that. It’s why you’re both here with us tonight, after all." Shiro nods at the reminders, because, well, if she hadn’t just provided them, he might have pulled Matt aside later to ask him about it again. Colleen really makes a kickass Alpha. He can’t help but take mental notes, just in case he has a pack of his own to look after, one day... The thought of having one warms his chest a little bit, and his eyes dart down to his plate once he’s thanked the head of the house for her reminders. He starts eating, but seems to have no questions or comments forthcoming. It’s not that he’s more subdued when he’s here, but it’s true he isn’t behaving the same as he does at Keith’s place. No doubt Matt clearly notices the change. He hopes he doesn’t mind too much. It’s just... he has Keith on his mind a lot too, right now. Only an hour and a half left before the moon, huh?
≈ ⁂ ≈ Lance
The new Alpha is weirdly quiet, and Lance is still squinting at him. To hell if it’s impolite. Not that it matters, because it looks like the guy can’t be bothered to notice anyway.
Something on his mind, huh? It’s not as if he didn’t have anything to think about too. He does wish Pidge were here for his second moon... they talked about it last month, and he was looking forward to it. A lot. He’s also pretty sure she was too? She let him know in her own sarcastic way. Which got him excited even more. Instead... well, heck. He’s got this guy (he is still squinting at Shiro) to meet and all the shenanigans it might imply. And okay, fuck, this table is just way too quiet when Colleen has got nothing else to say, and the new guy is all broody and shit. So, Lance to the rescue it is! "Are the pies for before or after the shift?" the boy smiles wide, looking at Colleen with his best charming smile, and woah, okay, that seems to have caught this Shiro guy’s attention. He must really like pies. Colleen makes a small head movement toward Shiro, to redirect the question. "Did Keith specify?" Lance has heard of Keith before. He’s never met him. He knows he’s an Omega, that’s all. His grandmother was an Omega, and so is his baby sister, but he’s never met one his age.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
"For after," Shiro nods, looking confident enough. "There are meringues for anyone with a sweet tooth before, though," he allows. He keeps eating, throwing one glance between Colleen and Lance, before he’s back to focusing on his plate. Funny how he hasn’t touched the other younger Alpha’s meat pie yet. He’ll get to it eventually, though. And anyway, Lance seems to be doing the same with his lasagna, so no rush.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Lance
Okay, that’s interesting. Like as fuck. Like will keep him entertained for the next hour he’s pretty sure. It’s not the pie Shiro’s into, it’s the boy who made them. And apparently, he is not allowed to be excited over the pies. Hahahaha. Please. He can tell. He isn’t Loverboy Lance for nothing. This is his expertise. So now, his interest in Shiro has grown, but it’s not the wary type anymore. The guy’s got potential in not totally wasting his evening. Plus, he’s so planning on being able to shift after today. He’s had a few mixed successes trying to shift at will in the last few days—never managing the full thing, but still better than nothing at all.
He’ll get to play with Pidge soon. He’s pretty sure that if he believes this enough, it will happen. So he tries not to falter, despite his earlier failures. "Right! There are meringues! Sweet!" he says jovially, before stuffing his mouth too. Shiro glances at him, swallowing. "Yeah. They’re really good," the Alpha sighs wistfully, and he immediately looks sheepish. "Keith is very good with pastries and desserts in general." Matt says, between two bites. Another longing look in the distance from Shiro.
Oh wow, this is gold. This time, the man missing an arm sighs more wistfully when he agrees with Matt. He’s so soft that Lance has to wonder how living the Alpha’s affection towards him must feel for the Omega— Keith. Because right here right now? Lance can smell it over all the food. It’s got... a more particular smell than the one the new Alpha came in with though, full of affection. Affection or fondness is easy to smell. Ugh, he picked it up quite quickly, with Colleen and Sam. Shiro must feel his eyes on him, because he glances up suddenly. Caught, Lance looks down on his plate, and gets himself some lasagna, just to call a truce. He’s not feeling any hostility precisely? Seems to be a weird kinda battle going on in the guy’s head. But he’s not here to taunt him. Not on a full moon, nah. So he chews on this and— "Hey! That’s not bad!" he hums, sounding happy again, when he swallows down that piece of lasagna, and digs in for more.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
The Alpha’s expression gets brighter and some kind of tension he didn’t know he was holding seeps out. Being complimented by another Alpha is nothing like when Keith says something nice. It doesn’t get to him the same way at all, but he’s still left with a satisfaction like no other now. Mostly... because he’s glad he can assess some kind of... equality, at least, with the guy. Or some kind of truce? Hard to tell. Anyway, he should be making an effort of his own, so he gets a part of Lance’s meat pie. He gives a little hum and nod, letting out a not-very-classy ‘it’chgood’ between two bites. That seems to satisfy the younger guy as well.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Colleen
Colleen has her own conversation with her dad, but still keeps a little ear on the other Alphas’ exchange. Things are going well. Part of her wants to have a conversation with Shiro about Keith and the Alpha’s intentions towards him. The kid lost his whole pack and— sure, he’s got the Marmorans, but she can’t help but feel protective of the young man. She doesn’t see him often, and she respects his choice of living away, but hell, she’s going to make sure this suitor means him no harm. He seems honest enough, in the way he speaks and smells. She won’t say a thing for now, it would be a bad timing, and disrespectful to question him in front of everyone. Later, then.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Lance
Lance loves the meringues. He’d gobble them up if he didn’t know so damn well that sharing is super important (he grew up in a really big family, so he’s well aware). It’s just... Each time he takes one, Shiro takes one too. And it’s hilarious. Because Lance has been keeping count, and at all moments, the Alpha with bicolor hair has always eaten one more than him. Now, there isn’t that many to go around, but he’s still pushing the limit a bit, just to see if Shiro will play on the polite side of things, or if he’ll make sure he’s the one who eats the most out of his boyfriend’s sweets. Shiro doesn’t seem to notice at first, until he catches him looking. Then his eyes dart between Lance and the meringues, before a look of understanding flashes on his face. Instead of self-consciously subsiding, the Alpha just keeps going. Lance will not eat more meringues than him, apparently. It only stops when Matt grabs the plate of meringues and leaves with it to offer some to the rest of his family. The blond rises his eyebrows at both young Alphas, half-mocking, half-amused.
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
It’s about 17h10. All the dishes are done washing, and the as been stored away. Lance is fidgety, Shiro notices. Not that he’s doing much better... but he’s not really surprised when the young man leaves, saying he’ll try to shift before the moon rise. Colleen wishes him good luck, but remains in the kitchen with him. Then Grandpa Holt— Oscar leaves and comes back a minute later as a medium size (still giant, but same size as when Matt had shifted, Shiro would say) wolf, with gray fur mixed with specks of light brown. “We usually take our clothes off before shifting, so they don’t tear with the transformation. We have several rooms available. It’s just important to leave the door half open so we can get out once we’re turned. Sam will be there, but still, it’s a good habit to have,” she smiles at Shiro. “I can stay with you, if you want. I’m from a family of born wolves, so I don’t mind nudity or anything. But it’s your call.” "Uh, yeah, I’d be comfortable with that," Shiro admits. "No one else will need you until we’re back?" he worries, gnawing at his lower lip, gazing at the woman, looking every inch hopeful. He’s only been growing more anxious with each passing minute. He doesn’t want to be alone for this. He also... wishes it were Keith there, maybe with his calming smell... But really, beggars can’t be choosers. "No, don’t worry about them." Colleen answers, still smiling before she looks at the time flashing green on the oven, "I’ll have to be in wolf form, however, but some say it’s more reassuring this way.” Shiro nods, when he feels a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey! I’m going to go shift. You got this, man," Matt says with confidence as he walks past him. He gives him a last encouraging pat before leaving the kitchen. "Thanks!" Shiro laughs, and he can tell he’s nervous just from producing that sound. He never just laughs for no reason. "Alright, I’m going to go check on Lance and you can go into Matt’s room once he’s out. I’ll be there in a minute,” she promises.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Lance
Lance is in the guest room, where he’d been staying for the first week after he got turned, and a few other days after that. Being from a family of mixed werewolves and humans, he’d been so sure he would be good at that— And yet here he is. Unable to shift properly, even on his second moon. Dammit. He hears Colleen approaches. She opens the door and joins him on the bed. "Hey Lance," she sits next to him. "Nervous?" she asks gently even if she knows the answer. But he still makes an effort not to show it. He could fool a human, probably. Except Sam, who’s weirdly perceptive… "I’m sure everything will go just fine,” Colleen keeps going, with a reassuring smile. God, he misses his mom and the rest of his family. “You’ve gotten a lot better with your control, and now you know how the whole thing works. So I’ll see you in a few minutes, alright?" "Thanks, Colleen. I’ll impress you, you’ll see," he grins cockily, "See you in a few." It gets him one of those fond smiles again, as the older Alpha rubs his back shortly. Lance as to stop himself from leaning into it. He knows he can’t be part of the Holt pack. He’s an Alpha, and Colleen had made it clear when she accepted to take him under her wing. He’d told her he understood, and that, of course, he already had his own pack, back in Cuba. Cuba is far. He misses it. He could have gone back, but he had worked so hard to come up here… Colleen gives him a last nod before she leaves. Right. The full moon.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Shiro is not cold, but once he’s naked, he still has shivers. Goosebumps. As if his clothes had been the last layer that stood between himself and his upcoming transformation. And he’s nervous for sure... because he doesn’t know exactly when he’ll feel that pull. He wishes he did, just not to panic and fight it when it happened. He doesn’t want to panic. He’s been looking forward to his first shift. He kind of thinks it means he’ll be able to shift at will after. He’s aware it might not be the case, since Lance cannot do it, but he hopes it’ll be different for him. The door creaks open, and a huge wolf gets in. As in, a very, very big wolf. Bigger than all the ones he’s seen before. So… that’s what they meant when they said Alphas were bigger than Betas and Omegas. Holy shit. Color-wise, she looks a lot like her father, but less gray in her fur, and more sand like. It reminds him of Pidge’s fur. But again, way larger wolf. Since it’s Matt’s room, Shiro felt comfortable just... sitting naked on the edge of the guy’s bed. He’s also loosely folded a cover over his crotch, which Colleen can find amusing all she wants, it’s just so much of a reflex for the man, he didn’t even think about it. His eyes meet hers when she walks in. She sits near his legs. He’s not really able to determine exactly what the smells mean, but overall, it’s far from being unnerving. It’s not nearly as reassuring as when Keith (Christ, he misses him, fuck) is calm by his side, though. He knows they won’t be able to talk... but he really feels the need to. He swallows. Turns his head toward the wolf, and his eyes on her. His hand is clasped around the blanket he’s got covering his crotch: he won’t pretend not to be anticipating the moment a lot. He’s just... he really dislikes not knowing exactly what will happen. "Soon...?" he asks her. She gives a little nod. It’s past 17h18, and it’s starting to get dark outside, but the sun isn’t entirely set yet. The moon, however, is coming up. Shiro can’t see it from the windows with the woods around, but he knows it is. There’s a strange sensation in his chest. It... might be anticipation, too. Who knows. It takes two other nerve-wracking minutes before Shiro really feels it. As if on cue, Colleen stands up. It’s like that impression of suddenly falling. Of jerking awake in a panic and realizing you’re fine. Except the difference here, is that he doesn’t get the impression he’s fine. That one doesn’t come. It’s just that tug, ten times as intense, and the helpless realization that not only this discomfort is new and there’s no making it go away—it’s as if he had forgotten everything he knows. The pull is not something progressive. It comes all at once, as if there’s literally a wolf inside him that wants to get out. The wolf isn’t something new to Shiro. He was there every time he had odd instincts, in the past weeks. But he’s never been so… present before. So real. As real as Shiro is. And he wants out. It’s his turn. The full moon is no place for Shiro the human. ‘Don’t… fight… it. You… …. are… …. shifting’, Shiro tries to tell himself, but even this simple thought is hard to shape. There’s a pang. Like a pinch that seizes his whole body. Like all his bones were funny bones, and they all clattered together. It sucks. It’s not just uncomfortable. It is painful. In a very unfamiliar way. Nothing like being bitten. Like a missing arm healing. Nothing like the throbbing of a migraine. There’s a moment where panic flares in his chest, and a whine escapes his throat. It doesn’t feel like his voice or like a human voice. He’s losing control, he knows he is, but he doesn’t want to— More pain across his body, as cells shift, multiply at lightning speed to rearrange themselves -myocytes, osteocytes, neurons- bones growing too fast for the muscles surrounding them, ribcage expending slighting faster than his skin grows, making him feel like it might tear open from the pressure— ‘Don’t… fight’ is the last message human Shiro manages to create in his mind. His last conscious thought, as he gives in. The pain doesn’t last very long after that. In fact, it’s almost instantaneous. He’s not really sure when he fell forward, off the bed, but he did. The whine that had been on his lips die as he lands on three paws and looks up. In front of him, there’s another wolf. An Alpha. She flashes her eyes, red crimson. ”My den. My pack. My territory. You are a guest.” Shiro doesn’t understand the words he hears in his head. It’s just noise. But he does catch on the intent, or his wolf does. He stares at the Alpha, vaguely unsure for a moment. She doesn’t register as a threat, in his mind. Well. She could be one. But now, she’s just making sure he’s aware of the obvious. Everything smells of her, here. Her, and her pack. Pack he doesn’t feel threatened by. Not enemies. Friends? Some, maybe. He lowers his head, two centimeters only, and immediately, Colleen’s eyes go back to normal.
He starts waving his tail, as a poignant satisfaction spreads through his body. He doesn’t question the origin of this feeling, he just lets it grow without restraint. His tail waves faster. He’s super satisfied. Almost cocky from it. It feels great to be here.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Colleen
Colleen watches as the wolf in front of her easily acknowledges her dominance in this space, and she relaxes. Shiro is a good and smart man, and his wolf is no different. Sure, she’ll keep an eye on him but… Lance had felt threatened by her, on his first full moon, whereas this Alpha doesn’t smell afraid at all. Just respectful. Definitely a good start. She will not be afraid to fight him if she needs to, for sure but there is something… strange about this wolf. Even with her years of experience as an Alpha, she’s rarely felt that way in presence of another one. Under the satisfaction he’s exuding, there is something imposing, strong, and very… Alpha. It reminds her, very vaguely, of when she met Alfor. Obviously not nearly as intimidating, but this wolf has potential. Lots of potential. He’s big, too. Bigger than her, with a mostly white and silver fur. His ears, perked up and attentive, are darker than the rest of his body, as is his nose. Colleen huffs and turns around. Time to go outside. Sam is the one opening the front door for them, and her heart grows fond as she rubs her side against him. Her wolf still deplores that he cannot run or play with them, but she’s long used to it by now. The human kisses her head tenderly, and she licks his face before jumping outside to join her pack.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
He follows the other Alpha. Or tries to. He’d have trotted from sheer excitement, but with this missing front paw, his balance is a bit off. Alright. So off, in fact, that when he moves to follow Colleen, he seems to miss by a longshot, and crashes into some object that clatters to the ground, instead of passing through the door. He doesn’t care about what fell. He’s busy being so stunned. What... What? The door is to the left. It’s to his left. The door. It’s right there. He knows it’s there. Okay. The door. He advances again, and this time, when his balance is thrown to his right with no warning again, he overcompensates with two steps with his front left paw, which brings him crashing into the hall—but HAH!
He made it through the door! He made it through! The door! It’s behind him now! Oh, this is so great. He’s so got this. His tail is wagging again as he follows the other Alpha. His mouth, now, has fallen open with a happy smile as he pants a little. He wobbles out behind Colleen, leaving the house behind. Absentmindedly, he notices the other wolves further away, but he keeps looking around, searching for something. There’s something missing— But he can’t keep looking, because a smaller, sand and brown-colored wolf bumps into him playfully. “You’re super big. It’s funny! Big puppy!" Matt teases with a bark and Shiro still cannot understand the words. The smaller wolf shoves a playful paw at him and immediately, the Alpha’s tail wags faster. It throws him off kilter for a second, before he’s bracing himself, as if ready to leap. He recognizes the smell. Friend. More familiar than the other wolves. He barks back, happily. A bit farther from them, another big wolf, slightly smaller than Shiro, is stamping his paws restlessly, as if hesitating on whether he should join or not. He’s dark and reddish brown with a pale underside. His fur is shorter than the others’. Another Alpha, Shiro’s wolf notes, but not the Alpha of this territory. There’s another inviting sound from Matt, and the smaller Alpha trots forward. He’s got his head high, not submissive in any way. Hum. That’s alright. Shiro doesn’t feel the need to make him submit. He’s not on his territory, after all. As long as he doesn’t threaten him, he doesn’t mind the brown Alpha. They’re not friends, though, but he’s no danger. He’ll just keep himself held high as well. That alone stays fun, as, being larger, it only takes him the effort not to suddenly be unbalanced by his missing paw. Matt shoulders into him again, and Shiro is barking low once more, trying to keep up with this little game of his, and stumbling some more, although with less damage to physical properties, and more reflexes kicking in to get him upright again. The only other Beta of the pack joins in. ‘Older’, Shiro’s mind supplies, at the scent. But he doesn’t appear as old as he gnaws playfully at the side brown Alpha. (Teasing him. He remembers how the young Alpha had tried to fight his daughter, and it was funny.) That gets a yelp-growl out of Lance, but Matt immediately bumps into him and gives his side a friendly lick. A bit in front, Colleen as her tail wagging, and barks at all of them. Everyone’s attention is on her in a second. She bolts. And as if someone had thrown a ball at a pack of dogs, they all start running. The ground is filled with holes. Holes that Shiro just keeps stepping into with his front leg specifically. Or that’s what it looks like, anyway. Most of the way, he stumbles and leaps back up. More than running, it looks like he’s bouncing after the other wolves. He makes up for his lack of speed with sheer enthusiasm. He may be the last one behind, but he’s still having fun, and he will catch up with them. He perseveres. He is going to catch up with them. It would just kinda help if the grass below would quit suddenly coming up to his face and stuff. It’s annoying that it’s doing that. But running is fun. He likes it. A lot. Might be his favorite activity in the world right now. But they all eventually slow down to a halt, and Shiro has no conception of how much time has passed. Time doesn’t matter. The wolves beside him are panting, but everyone knows they could run the whole night if they wanted to. Colleen’s sand and gray fur glistens under the moon, and she raises her head, pointing her nose at the moon shining bright up in the sky. A loud, powerful howl tears through the sounds of the forest, filling the space between and around all of them, as no one can resist joining in. Unity. It’s not his pack, but it almost fools his wolf for a second. The chorus of howls echoes in the forest, vibrating in Shiro’s chest. It’s energizing. He’s never felt more… alive. When Colleen stops, everyone’s howls fade with hers, in respect of her authority. Shiro has barely the time to notice the playful glint in the Alpha’s eye before she leaps at him. The intent to play is clear, and he growls playfully at her, ready to play along. He’s got a paw missing, so he has got that one less limb she can catch into her teeth. Hehehe. There is, of course, the issue of the imbalance it brings to have that one missing leg, but most importantly, he tries to spin it to his advantage. The one that’s maybe actually worth noting is how unpredictable it can make him. Otherwise... this—This is cool. He loves snapping back at her. Snarling. Yes, there are lots of teeth involve, but there’s no intent to hurt. What are scratches when they can heal as fast as they do, anyway? He mostly tries to grab the fur of her neck. Catches her paws in his jaw and runs with her while keeping his teeth locked around parts of her as much as he can manage. There’s wrestling too, and it’s so much fun to twist around not to remain caught, or to leap on her as well. To be thrown further, and to leap right back up, and try again. Colleen is one hell of a wolf to play with, and he’s not afraid to go rough with her. At all. It’s got all his nerves on edge, and he’s energized as fuck. The playing goes on and on, before a voice echoes in every wolf’s head. "Deer! Smell Deer! Hunt?" It’s Matt, who’s stopped playing with Lance and his grandfather (though the Alpha is still chewing on the fur on top of his neck). Colleen also pauses, giving a gentle growl at Shiro when his tries to take advantage of the inattention of his opponent. He unclenches his jaw and takes a step back, a bit confused for a moment, but not pushing it. "Hunt! But stay on territory," the Holt Alpha says firmly. Shiro still doesn’t catch on until he smells the deer, almost at the same time as Matt barks, “Huuuunt!” inside everyone’s head. Surprisingly, Lance starts running first, and Colleen immediately catches up to him. From where he is, behind the others, Shiro hears her warning growl. It’s her territory. She’s the one leading the hunt. Full moons are the best. This is the best thing ever. There’s so much energy and restless focus to him, yet things keep happening, and oh wow, he guesses they’re running again! Here he goes, with the ground spinning and the grass flashing before his eyes. It smells like deer, and it’s suddenly obvious what they’re going in after. And ooooh boy does he want to catch that prize. He doubles his efforts. Try to focus on how his paws land. Propelling him forward. Maybe he can make it.
Wouldn’t it be so perfect for his Omega? It’s with a loud, pained whine that Shiro slows to an almost-sudden stop. His ears are flat against his head, and his tail stops wagging, tugged closer to his hind legs. He points his nose up, sniffing intently. Where— Where is his Omega? This is more important than catching the deer. Way more important.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Colleen
Deer hunts on full moons are rarely successful, especially with inexperienced overenthusiastic wolves that don’t even try to be subtle. But it’s hearing Shiro’s whine and him slowing down that makes her do the same. Sure, her instinct wants her to keep going -who cares about this Alpha, he’s not pack!- but she knows better than to follow them. The three other wolves also halt, and her son, ever so perceptive, joins the white Alpha. “Shiro? Play?” he asks, hopeful, but clearly not as cheerful as before. They can all smell the Alpha’s agitation. And somehow, uneasiness also makes its way into her chest. Something doesn’t feel… right. She’s starting to share the new werewolf’s malaise, but it doesn’t come from him. It’s something else. She looks up to the South, into the darkness of the forest, ears risen up and body stiff. From the corner of her eyes, she sees Shiro mirroring her posture. The unease grows, and she hears a plaintive whine from the bigger Alpha. This time, no one says a thing to distract him. The atmosphere is charged with a palpable tension as the two other members of the Holt pack flank their Alpha. Lance also looks South, but it’s with more stressed curiosity than with the same intensity as the other. "Colleen?" Her father says, voice calm, with a silent question, as they start understanding what might be wrong. He knows she has to make a choice, now. She waits, concentrates on the stress that is now undeniably coming from her missing pack member. Her daughter. It lingers. It’s not a jump scare. The fear is now anchored, and growing.
≈ ⁂ ≈
There is no movement, and not a single sound coming from the wolves. Then. A howl. It’s not carried by the wind. It’s not really a sound their ears catch on either. But they all feel it. The Holts hear Pidge’s.
Shiro hears Keith’s. It’s not a happy howl.
It’s a distressed call. They all rush forward.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
His running is nothing like before. He had restless energy before. He could allow himself the stumbles. It was fun. There’s nothing fun about this. There’s a churning in his stomach, a haste to his movements, an impatience and a great fright. He’s also... angry. At whatever’s making Keith scared.
This time, each one of Shiro’s steps is guided. Be it by thought, or by instinct, he uses more strength to keep himself upright and balanced. Every push of his hind legs propels him forward at an incredible speed. He’s keeping up with Colleen without trying, even getting ahead of her. He needs to get to his Omega. Now.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Keith is a good employee. He knows his way around cars, and usually enjoys mechanical challenges. However, full moon days are different. Especially this one. As hours pass, his apprehension grows and grows, morphing into anxiety. Pidge has never had a full moon without her pack, and it's been a really long time since Keith had a moon without a whole pack, even if it isn't his. Plus, the Marmora are not going to be around. He tries not to imagine the worst scenarios, but his moodiness doesn’t go unnoticed when he snaps at a customer for complaining about the speed of his work. It’s the afternoon by this point, and his boss raises his eyebrows before advising him to go back home. He almost protests, grip tight around the screwdriver he’s holding, but the little growl he lets out is evidence by itself that he’s getting too angsty for this. So he makes his way home, trying not to think too much. They’re going to be fine. It’s only one night, after all. He gets to the house half a hour after Shiro and Matt’s departure, or so that’s what he assumes from the faint smell they left behind. Restlessly, he gets into his house and immediately catches a glance of Pidge, who’s sprawled on the couch. The younger werewolf grimaces. "You stink", she accuses. Yeah, well, he always stinks when he comes back from the garage. It’s nothing new. He grumbles a little bit, and heads for the shower straight away, hoping to wash his worry away.
Unfortunately, no amount of scrubbing can quite make up for it. When he joins the girl in the living room with a loose tank top and sweat pants, he still has a little frown on his face. Pidge stares at him for a second, lips pursed, before a shift in her expression turns it softer. "You still stink, but not of garage anymore." She gets up, as Keith gets closer. "Screw you," he mumbles with a sigh, before wrapping his arms around the small shape of his friend. She scoffs but doesn’t let get, hugging him tight and rubbing her face against his chest. She’s worried too, he can tell, but they both feel better with each other. At least. “Come see what your boyfriend has prepared-“ the Beta smiles as she steps back. “Not my boyfriend,” Keith specifies with more or less vehemence as he follows Katie into the kitchen. Their lasagna is still out and warm, and a fond smile slowly grows on the Omega’s face as he takes in the sight of Shiro’s work: numerous homemade dishes that Katie gets out of the fridge and onto the counter and table. “He’s really put a lot of effort into it,” she points out with an obvious teasing grin, “a real gentleman.” This time, Keith doesn’t dismiss her words as he takes a bite at one of those bocconcini-prosciutto-tomato appetizers.
The little plus side about spending the full moon alone with Pidge is that they don’t have to wait for an Alpha to start eating, or for everyone to be ready. They shamelessly take bites of pies and meringues in between real meals. No structure needed. The two werewolves chat in between bites, but neither of them really gets on the subject of the full moon. Keith doesn’t want to share that he’s got a bad feeling, despite the nice beginning of the night. It’s just-- The Marmoran territory is too big and too empty for no one to make use of it during the full moon. Plus they've been away for a few weeks now, and there is no way a wolf walking by in the last days wouldn’t have noticed. Their scent is fading, and Shiro hasn’t marked the territory much- Ugh. It's not that he thinks trespassers would necessarily have bad intentions. But not everyone can control what they do during the moon, and not everyone wants to. He knows Pidge knows about that too. They don’t eat everything, obviously- they’ll need some for after the shift. However, they had quite enough to fill their stomach.
They move blankets and pillows into the living room, so they’ll be comfortable when they come back- not that they need it. They could absolutely just lie on the floor and be fine (“wolves don’t need blankets”, Kolivan had said, once, with a disapproving look), but it’s still much more comfortable this way. Minutes before the shift, they’re watching silly videos and exchanging nervous laughter, leaning against each other. Gods. He’s ridiculously grateful for his Pidge’s presence, and she punches him in the shoulder when he mentions it, in a moment of blunt honesty. “Of course,” she answers, casually. He knows she’s stepping out of her comfort zone as well, being away from her whole pack, but she’s doing a pretty good job at keeping it together
≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈ ⁂ ≈
As experienced werewolves, the shift goes well, and soon enough, they’re both outside the house, chasing each others and playing like puppies, human worries long overtaken by the playfulness of their wolves. Sure, they are still aware and conscious, but it’s easier to let themselves be distracted and happy. Keith is painfully aware that part of his wolf is confused by the lack of ‘Shiro’, since his smell is still around, but he’s nowhere to be seen. He tries as best as he can to forget about the clear hole in his chest the Alpha’s absence is leaving, and he manages, mostly because of Pidge, who gives him no breather. For two hours, they run, play, chase the groundhogs in the field and fool around without issue. For two hours. As Pidge catches his tail, ignoring Keith’s yelp of false indignation, she freezes, mirroring the Omega’s reaction. Howls in the distance. Unfamiliar ones. They both stop, alerted, ears high. Three other wolves. Already on Marmoran territory. Not on Keith’s yet, but very much approaching.
Anxiety fills his body, as he lets out a low growl, pressing himself against the sand wolf. Pidge nudges at him. " Back to house?" the younger suggest, growing progressively tenser herself. Keith tries to convince himself that they'll respect his territory and won't come in. They might be decent wolves, after all. Right?
Ugh. He’s never made a good optimist, much like his mother. His father was better. “Come on, Keith” Pidge insists, chewing on his tail and tugging at it. He doesn’t budge. He needs to protect his territory. He can’t just… let them do whatever they want.
"My territory. Shiro's territory. Must defend." he argues, shaking his head. As if on cue, the smells the three wolves at the eastern border of his territory reach them. Alpha. Two Betas. They seem to have stopped, probably right at the frontier. Keith doesn’t allow himself to be relieved, shutting down every bit of treacherous hope sparks in his chest. Because, of course, the three strangers howl loudly again, which triggers a louder growl from the bristling Omega. When they cross the line, the intrusion feels like a worm crawling under his skin. Of course, they trespassed. Of course. Of course, they had smelled the lack of Alpha on the territory. Or at least, his absence for the night. Therefore, nothing to threaten them, right? Just two wolves, one smelling oddly good, and the other too young to be a threat. Nothing stopping them from borrowing the territory for a night. They get closer. Close enough so Keith starts to smell the interest of the Alpha, who is walking right toward them. This time, when the Omega growls, it’s mixed with a whine. Had it not been a full moon, he would’ve been angry, and would have confronted the trespasser's head on. But at the moment, Shiro’s outrageous absence hits his wolf hard. He’s a lone Omega without his Alpha, unable to protect his territory. Not by himself. Not even with Pidge. It just feels wrong, and his instincts overpower him. His lack of confidence doesn’t help reassure the Beta by his side, who presses against him nervously. They are usually both ferocious fighters, but they’re still smaller than average werewolves: Keith because he’s an Omega, and Pidge, because she’s not fully grown yet. Plus, they’re outnumbered and against an Alpha and two Betas. The intruders come into view. A big gray wolf, which scent is not entirely unfamiliar, even if Keith doesn’t remember it clearly. He’s flanked by two fully grown Betas. Even from the distance, Keith catches the red glow of the Alpha’s eyes as they land on him. He won’t move, knowing running away now would only excite the Alpha even more. Next to him, Pidge howls, and Keith jumps out of surprise.
He recognizes the signal. It has been awhile since he used it, but he knows it. Therefore, it barely takes a second before he joins in. Every wolf can recognize a call for help. It slows down the trio for a split of a second, but they still reach them. If help is coming, it’s still far, and they’re still alone. The Alpha is three meters away, head high, exuding dominance. “Omega,” the voice rumble in Keith’s head, with a tone of pleased surprise and confidence. Red shiny eyes burn in the night, and the Alpha exudes a firm stench of dominance. He knows his eyes flash gold in answer, as his head lowers, and shoulders hunches, head lowering- he hates the burning need to submit, violently enhanced by the full moon. Yet, he’s still showing teeth, face scrunches in a frozen snarl, despite his tail tucked between his legs. Pidge takes two steps back, and so does he. It taunts the other wolves into getting closer, which makes the Beta’s growl rises as well, and she halts, making herself stay a little bit ahead of Keith, looking as menacing as she can. Keith whines, Pidge is growling as well, stepping a little bit in front of Keith, trying to look as menacing as she can, but her trembling is obvious. The two Betas in front of them growl back, louder, and snap their teeth, making her jolt sideways, which leaves a distance between Keith and her. As soon as she tries to fix her mistake, she gets a large dark brown wolf in front of her. Which leaves a path for the Alpha to get right to Keith. “Pretty. Alone. Mine.” The scent of the interested Alpha is pungent, and it’s still familiar in an unpleasant way. They met before. At the grocery store. The insisting Alpha. He can’t remember his name. He doesn’t care Desperately trying to fight his wolf, Keith snaps his teeth in warning, managing a louder growl. The growl that answers him is powerful, and telling him in everything but words to SUBMIT. Keith hears his own growl dying, and his body lowering as the Alpha buries his snout in the scruff of his neck. Up close, the smell of possessiveness is even worse. There’s also a hint of annoyance- maybe because it’s impossible to ignore the other Alpha’s smell on the Omega. “Fuck off!” Pidge’s voice echoes in their head, and Keith hears more growling, less warning-like, and more fighting-like, but he cannot see everything past the gray fur of the Alpha. He cannot move, too aware of the teeth grazing on his neck. “Pidge, go away-“ he manages to voice out, despite his body refusing to obey him. And that’s when they hear it.
Another set of howling. Not yet on his territory, but incoming.
Keith feels the intruding Alpha tense against him at the powerful sound, and for a split of a second, his attention is not on Keith anymore. A few meters away, his Betas also stop in their tracks. The Omega’s ears perk up, and he manages to stop cowering- Gods, he’d been so close to the ground-
He stands straighter, hope intertwining with fear and leaving a faint warm in his chest. This time, when the new sets of wolves cross his territory, they do not feel like intruders. Not at all. His Alpha is coming. For him. Back where he should have been in the first place. “We should go-“ one of the Betas, a female, presses on, which makes the Alpha growl and- bite on Keith’s neck.
No, not really a bite. More like a grapple, but the Omega is too aware that if the Alpha wanted to break his neck, he could easily do it.“Come. Mine.” The rude voice is back, trying to give a last shot at intimidating Keith enough. “ “Protect.” He adds, obviously pointing out that the Omega had been all alone, at his mercy, and that it should not happen again. “Fuck off, asshole,” Keith growls, ears flat against his head, immediately more in control, and daring.
It’s a mistake. The teeth on his neck tightens, and he’s pushed down brutally against the ground, easily overpowered by the enormous wolf who doesn’t give him any room to fight back. The only thing that stops the teeth from piercing his skin is, surprisingly, one of the Alpha’s beta, who nips at her Alpha’s shoulder. “Outnumbered. Not worth. Three Alphas,“ she points out, as the sense of urgency becomes more and more obvious in the two Betas’ smell.
That seems to be enough to make the Alpha fight back his own instincts. He lets out a frustrated noise, lets go, and immediately sprints away, tailed by the two other wolves. “Shit,” Pidge breathes out, as she jumps back to join Keith. She smells hurts and distressed, but mostly the latter, as she dives her nose into his side. Keith finds with relief that her wounds are superficial. “Fuck”, he agrees, voice tight, “Fuck, I’m sorry. I- fuck.” He doesn’t have time to speak more. The other group, although much more welcome, makes its approach.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
They're too close. The whole time, as soon as he smells them- those wolves are too close to his Omega, while he's too far. Why did he leave him in the first place. His Omega. When he sees him, there's a new surge of energy that transports him across the last of the space between them. Colleen has gotten back in front of him, her four paws and her experience keeping her lead on him. When she goes to her daughter, Shiro immediately darts to the tiny mostly black wolf who smells right… and wrong. He curls himself up against him, selfishly shielding him from everyone as he growls. Alpha. There was another Alpha. His scent is stuck to his Omega, and nothing feels more wrong than that. The weight and fury in his chest are impossible to ignore, as he pushes the smaller wolf with his body, away from the others. A mix of whining and growling rise up his throat but… The smaller wolf starts licking at his face and ears. Non-stop. He still smells stressed, and there are remnants of the fear stuck to his fur, but there’s relief and satisfaction too. His Omega’s tail is wagging, and despite Shiro’s attempt at keeping him still, he cannot stop moving. He does stay as close as possible to him, though which is why he allows it. He’s still able to protect him if he stays that close. It’s alright.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
Keith is high with relief. Right now, Shiro’s presence means everything is fine. He’s safe. Or, well, that’s what his instincts tell him. He’s absently aware that if Shiro and the Holts plus their new protégé are here, they’re in the exact situation they wanted to avoid. He can’t find it in himself to care at all, right now. The moon shines on the Alpha’s pale white and silver fur, and Keith’s wolf is just swooning when he presses himself against him. Adrenaline is still pumping in his veins and makes it impossible for him to stay put, as he licks every part of the huge three-legged wolf he can reach as he wiggles constantly. Eventually, he starts relaxing, and that’s when he notices that Shiro has pushed him away from the rest of the group. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Colleen licking her pup’s head tenderly, and inspecting her healing injuries. However, he has a distinct feeling she’s keeping an eye open for what’s happening around. This situation is… not ideal. She’s not on her territory anymore, therefore Shiro doesn’t have to listen to her. Nor the other guy-… Lance. Which, now that Keith notices, is definitely being watched by Colleen. And by Keith, now, because the brown Alpha is closer to them than he is to the Holt, and his eyes are fixed on him.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Lance
The small wolf smells good and it’s fascinating. Why is he being all cuddly with the other Alpha? It doesn’t feel right at all, and a flame of frustration starts building in his chest. He should be the one coddling the black wolf. Yes. He’s not aware of the change in his smell, obviously, but it gets him the attention he’s seeking from the object of his interest. He’s been noticed. Good! Immediately, he makes himself look bigger, and starts walking forward. Behind him, the older Alpha lets out a warning growl. “Lance, don’t”, Colleen orders, but he can’t understand her. And most importantly, nothing around smells of her. She has no authority here. He cannot care less about what she’s asking of him. “Come on, Lance”, another voice, coming with a whine. The small sandy Beta trots to him to get in front and gives a lick to his face. He likes the little Beta. He likes her a lot, but right now he has to get closer to the black wolf he’s never met. He can play with the Beta later. He shows his teeth when she insists, warning her when she tries to keep him from moving forward.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Shiro notices the attention given to Lance, as he gets closer to them. Closer to his Omega. Ha. He can dream. Without further ado, he moves to shield what’s his, legs sprawled so he can have a solid stance, body slightly lower, and the fur along his spine standing on edge. This one can fuck off. A low growling rumble in his throat, the sound finishing on one dry, warning bark. The brown Alpha dares growl louder, his stance mirroring his. But he’s still smaller. And Shiro feels oh so ready to show him right away who’s the real Alpha here.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
"Keith, get away from Shiro?" Matt suggests, with a hesitant voice suggesting he doesn’t really know what’s the best course of action here. Even Colleen seems on the edge. Keith’s euphoria obviously plummets at the change of atmosphere. Well, his wolf is still pretty happy to be right next to Shiro, and to have to large Alpha ready to fight for him right away but he’s rationally conscious things are heading south. Plus, Shiro would probably hate knowing his lack of control made him hurt someone. Yeah. This is bad. He whines, nibbling at Shiro's back leg, trying to get his attention.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Shiro bares his teeth wider at Lance, face scrunching up. He takes a step forward, ready to act on his warning to get him to shove off. But as he does, a sharp little pinch on his leg draws his attention back to Keith. He has to turn back to get a look at him. He- he can't stand his whines- he'll make him better.
Whatever's wrong with him, he has to make it better. He doesn't forget Lance, as much as his priorities suddenly shift. Once more, his body turns around the Omega, curling around him, keeping him from everyone’s view. His tongue comes out to lick at Keith’s head and the fur on his neck. But with the way he keeps his stance protective, and his eyes on the brown alpha, he still wants him to go away. He just needs to make sure his Omega is alright, especially with what had transpired before. His small companion seems to take the opportunity to get back closer, pressing his body against him, rubbing his head against the Alpha’s muzzle.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Lance
Okay, no. He wants the little wolf. He wants to have this. To be able to lap at him and have the smaller wolf cozy up to him this way. He wants it to be his smell all over him. But there's this damn other Alpha in the way. It’s really too bad. So, he doesn’t heed the warnings. He really wants access to the little wolf. Something bites his tail, and he turns to snarl at whoever did that, snapping his teeth, missing the sandy Beta’s front leg from an inch as she jumps back. From a few meters away, Colleen growls at him, and the tension in the air thickens even more. "Let it go, Katie" The older Alpha says, and Pidge whines, ears low, but she does take a few steps back. So, he reaches for the black wolf.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
That’s it. No more warning. Shiro leaps out of the way of Keith, and jumping right where the brown wolf stands with a loud snarl. There’s nothing playful in his stance and nothing of a warning in him anymore. He exudes anger for this insolent wolf who keeps trying to get into their bubble and to his Omega. The brown Alpha has to stop in his track and dodge the teeth to avoid getting bitten. But he doesn’t hesitate a second when all the tension in his body finally makes him crack, and he leaps right against the silver wolf, all claws and teeth.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
There’s no humanity left in the way both Alpha fights each other. Both have burning red eyes, and the smell of aggression and dominance fills the air around them. It’s a dominance fight, and every witnessing wolf knows they are not supposed to interfere.
Not supposed to… but… "Keith," Colleen warns, when the Omega takes a step closer, his human side alarmed by the smell of blood and the violence of the scene unfolding under his eyes. Gods, yes he knows he can’t intervene, but he can’t just let it happen! He lets out a frustrated growl, but does stop moving forward, telling himself he’ll intervene if it goes too far. They fight nasty. There’s no real strategy, it really is mostly brute strength. Despite Shiro's missing leg and the few times Lance’s teeth manages to pierce his skin, it quickly becomes obvious that he has the upper hand, much to Keith’s relief. Fights when one competitor clearly outmatches the others are shorter, and usually less bloody than those between equal opponents. Almost as fast as the fight had begun, it ends, with the large white Alpha’s teeth holding the smaller one’s neck pressed to the ground firmly. Everyone has stopped breathing.
Shiro could, technically, get rid of his competitor. Many had done it for less, under full moon with no control. Especially if Lance keeps giving a fight- Which he does not. Apparently his wolf has some preservation instinct, much to everyone’s relief.
The brown Alpha’s stops growling, and his eyes lose their bright red glow as he looks away, baring his already trapped neck in submission, as the fight leaves his body. Keith is hit bit a sudden, vicious satisfaction and smugness at the sight. His Alpha won. Won so easily, for him. Strong Alpha. How beautiful, how powerful. The perfect mate. Pidge bumps her shoulder into him, silently asking him to tone down his silent swooning, because Shiro could still end up breaking Lance’s spine, if he wanted.
Hm. Right. He’ll do his best.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Excruciatingly slowly, Shiro starts loosening his grip. He does let out one last low growl with his jaw around the other Alpha's neck, before letting him go. Even as he retreats, and steps off him, he doesn't become any less tense. He's satisfied, for sure. Maybe a bit proud that he was able to get the upper hand. But there's more underlying negative energy to him. He doesn't seem to think to look for Keith. Keeps his gray eyes a glare on the brown one. He observes as his former opponent slowly gets up, keeping his head mostly down.
Good. He should. He doesn't move either, until the small Beta joins him, in a walk, also keeping a side eye on Shiro. The white Alpha sees the moment where the other wolf’s attention shifts to the Beta, as if he’s finally seeing her. His brown ears perk up, as his tail start wagging, a bit slowly, but still wagging. Finally, he looks for his Omega. Not far from them, the oldest Alpha still looks a bit tense, her eyes not leaving him, but she doesn’t smell like she’s challenging him. Shiro's panting a bit. And more than Colleen, his attention goes to his companion. Similarly to the younger Alpha, there's a clear moment where he perks up. Is Keith proud? Is he proud? Did he make him proud? And then... The immediate crash in his mood of realizing he's staying there with the other two. His ears fall flat on his head. But the little wolf lowers his head and starts trotting toward him, sort of sheepishly. Obviously, Shiro doesn’t question it, and immediately sidles along him, keeping the Omega near himself, lapping at the side of his face, and on the side of his mouth. He's so cute. This is one cute wolf. This is the best wolf. And he seems to be keeping himself low and small, so for now, Shiro just wants to take care of him. Make sure he's okay. He keeps himself soft. And he doesn't want anyone else to be interested in him in the way the other big ones were.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
Keith's tail start wagging softly. He licks back at Shiro's muzzle, and near his ear, where he sees a clear cut that Lance has managed to make. He licks it gently, even if he knows his saliva doesn't have healing property. From the corner of his eyes, he notices Colleen, Grandpa Holt and Matt walking away, giving them a little bit of intimacy. He spends the next minutes finding all of his Alpha’s little scratches, making sure to clean all of them. He also uses to moment to subtly make sure Shiro relaxes, exuding as much relaxing pheromones as he can in the situation. Eventually, there is no more tension in Shiro’s body, much to Keith’s satisfaction. Back behind them, the others have started playing again, and the energy is slowly starting to be contagious.
He pushes his muzzle in Shiro’s fur, and takes two steps back, shuffling with renewed energy. "Think you can play nice, now?" he asks fondly, even if he knows Shiro won't be able to understand or answer him. He opts for a more canine approach, barking, lowering his front, keeping his hind legs up, in an invitation to play. He leaps toward Shiro, before avoiding the collision last second, and immediately sprint away, to the nearest other wolf of the group. He bumps into Matt, and teases the Beta with a playful little nip at his shoulder, with the clear intention to be involved in their games. The other werewolf scoffs, but immediately obliged.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Play! They're gonna play! Yes yes yes yes yes yes!! Except... his small wolf avoids him and goes play with the male Beta, and Shiro's heart breaks a little bit. No-- He turns, and trots their way, getting in real close, where he can slide in between the two. His muzzle is pushing in a few repetitive motions at Keith's, jimmying him off of the other wolf until he succeeds. And then he keeps moving along with him, except he's trying to slowly get him on a further path than Matt's--
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
Except Keith moves fast, and manages his way back to Matt easily. He’s not ignoring Shiro, obviously, but he really wants to show him that they can play with more people. Oh, don’t get him wrong, his wolf is all about wanting to have Shiro for himself only, but Keith is also aware that he shouldn’t encourage the Alpha’s possessiveness, or else he’d risk becoming demanding- he’s seen it before. He just… doesn’t want to risk it. Plus, it’s more fun to play with a lot of wolves. It almost feels like he’s in a pack. He loves it. The next time Shiro joins him, he gives a little lick to the Alpha’s muzzle and runs off to Pidge, this time, followed by Matt.
Lance is also not too far, but he backs away a little bit when the speedy ball of black and white gets to them. Keith jumps on Pidge, who stumbles on the impact, but doesn't fall. She paws back at him, rising on her hind legs, a silent laughter coming off her scent.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Shiro lets him for a small moment-- he's either figuring that if he leaves him a few seconds, they'll be okay with playing together after, or he's trying to see how to get into that mess of limbs. But as soon as the wolves all seem mostly upright, he's back at it with jimmying Keith off the others. His ears are held high with the hope of now being their turn. Then the female Beta retaliates to the Omega’s shenanigans and pinch his butt, making him turn once again away from Shiro to counter-attack with a playful growl. A sort of restlessness slowly seeps into Shiro, as Matt pushes his shoulder playfully, trying to get him in their game. But Shiro doesn't... really understand that he's welcome to play with everyone too. No doubt it would be fun. Softer play, nothing like with Colleen or Lance. Yet, he just gives a small whine Matt's way because-- Why are they being separated? Why is the guy keeping him from his Omega? He gives his darker companion a long-suffering look, but when Matt repeats his pushing motions, Shiro joins in a bit. His head mostly stays turned towards Keith the whole time, and he leads their games around the Omega with ease. But still, playing is playing. He uses his missing limb as an advantage whenever it's his turn to shove into Matt, or suddenly turn his way. By letting himself lose his balance a little, it also makes him less easy to predict, so when the wolf leaps on him, it's a question of that one motion, and he's slipping off, losing his grip. Okay. It's a little funny. Especially when Shiro also flips to his side, only to roll back upright immediately. When the smaller wolf evades him though, Shiro always hesitates a small moment before chasing after him. Just the time to keep track of his Omega-- and then he's back at pulling and any of the older Holt sibling's longer fur he can get to.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
Keith can't help but feel satisfied when Shiro starts playing with Matt. Not that he doesn't want to play with him too! But it's… healthier that way, for now. Lance tentatively tries to join him and Pidge, with none of his previous obsessed smell. Therefore, Keith doesn't mind. He can’t help taunting the Alpha when he notices how obviously hesitant he is to even touch him.
Haha. An Alpha scared of him (not of him, of Shiro, but it’s only a detail). It’s funny, and he can’t help but take advantage of it. Which is childish, he knows. But it’s his and Shiro’s territory. Therefore, Lance should be under his (Shiro’s) authority.
Keith’s wolf just loves the feeling and is absolutely acting bolder than usual. "Playing with fire, Keith,” Grandpa Holt's chimes in, with an amused warning. Pidge barks in approval, and actually gets between Lance and him when he tries to go at the Alpha another time. “Don’t be an ass,” his young friend scoffs, but there’s not heat in her tone. Riiiiight. Pidge kind of like Lance, uh? He snorts. Alright. He’ll stop, just for her. He looks up at Matt and Shiro, who are still wrestling with each other. He joins the duo, interrupting one of Shiro’s attack by getting up on his hind legs and resting his front on the Alpha’s back. Without giving the larger wolf the time to react, he grabs a mouthful of Shiro’s neck skin between his teeth and tugs on it playfully.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Shiro
Shiro loves his Omega's sharp teeth. They're so sharp. Maybe because they're tiny? He's really proud. They feel like they could hurt. He loves learning the feel of them around the looser skin of his neck. And he's just playing-- they're really just playing, but he still doesn't want to push Keith away like he does with the others. No-- in fact- he preens under finally having his attention. Twists his neck to meet Keith's eyes, Matt apparently forgotten already. There's a smile stretching his mouth wider, and he starts panting happily, tongue going looser. He's a happy big guy. Hasn't gone immobile, but isn't tugging himself free either. Maybe it’s not the reaction the smaller wolf expected, because he keeps tugging, shaking his head vigorously. That playful growl the Omega lets out is the cutest thing in the world. Dammit, alright. Shiro shifts, and if he's not quick, he is strong. Twisting out of Keith's grasp in a reply for his need of a better playing partner is easy enough, even if it does take a moment for the young wolf to let go, because of how stretchy that part is. He does a good amount of rolling, afterwards: evading the other wolf with more and more pleasure, as he realizes his playing along won't mean he'll suddenly be bailed on. No, in fact, it's way more fun seeing Keith charge at him over and over again, and throwing himself on the ground for just enough seconds that it unbalances the other. They're trying to grab at one another's paws, and while Shiro doesn't do as much leaping and jumping at the Omega, he still gets his fair share of it in there. After a few minutes, instead of leaping, the Omega trots over to him and gives his muzzle a gentle lick. Then he starts turning away, looking at where the other wolves are playing. Shiro isn’t- done though—
Why is he leaving? He just gave him a few really sweet licks, and they were having so much fun, the both of them- Keith can't walk away. The same restlessness he felt earlier when Keith left him to play with Matt and Pidge grows back, but it’s ten times stronger, and filled with an agitated frustration. The Alpha leaps onto the Omega, as those thoughts plague his mind, and makes quick work of pinning him down, despite the lacking paw that would have given him an even greater advantage. His gaze is level, and intense, as he straddles the smaller wolf between his legs. The Omega squirms, and Shiro uses the whole weight of his front body to keep him down. A low, possessive growl escapes his throat. Pinning his Omega feels like the right thing to do, and it is utterly satisfying to feel his body under him. Only his.
≈ ⁂ ≈ Keith
Keith yelps in surprise when he first gets push down under Shiro. He doesn’t have a lot of good experience with Alphas trying to pin him down. Even if it's Shiro, and even if he trusts him. He can imagine a few other circumstances, where he’d probably gladly let the Alpha pin him down, but right now, it’s not… really Shiro. Not when he’s not even able to form words. Not when he’s stinking of possessiveness and dominance. So he tries to get away, only to get crushed by the Alpha’s weight. The warning growl coming from Shiro makes him freeze. It’s the same he heard from the other Alpha, earlier in the night. An Alpha, in everything but words, asking for submission. Maybe he would, in other circumstances. Maybe. Because his wolf is telling him that it’s the natural thing to do. That he’s already been acting like that anyway, by licking the Alpha so much- so might as well just repeat it, no? He could, and maybe he should. But the possessiveness in Shiro’s scent makes him feel uncomfortable. It’s too close to the other Alpha’s scent, somehow. The same uncontrolled, pure want, like he’s nothing but an object for them to possess. And it’s not- he knows Shiro shouldn’t think like that. It doesn’t feel right. Not at all. "Shiro, get off," he asks, squirming. His movement only gets another, firmer, displeased growl from the Alpha. Keith cannot help the unmistakably familiar twinge of fear coiling in his chest. "Shiro, get off, please," he repeats, not quite as calmly.