Work Text:
Matt
I’ll have you know I just signed up for his class. – sent, 8:18 pm
hell yeah!!!
you should invest in a pair of yoga pants. to, you know, show your dedication.
bet he’d appreciate it. – 8:38 pm
Shiro rolls his eyes and types out a ‘fuck off’ in response before pocketing his phone. Against his better judgement however, he does contemplate on the idea. He has great ass that enjoys plenty of appreciation from both subtle and not so subtle stares even through his regular, loose gym shorts. He even owns a pair of leggings that hug his thighs and calves tightly, though he only wears them under his shorts when the weather gets cold. He has no doubt he’d get attention if he wore them to class, including from the hot instructor, who’s attention is the driving reason for Shiro to sign up for a yoga class to begin with. However, he’s not really sure if the guy’s even the type to appreciate such flashy appearances. After all, aren’t yoga people usually spiritual, or something?
Shiro knows next to nothing about the guy. The gym’s website has a page dedicated to all their trainers and instructors where the name Keith Kogane is written next to the picture of a man who has no right to be as handsome as he is when lowkey grimacing to the camera. It reads ‘yoga instructor’ under the name, then, the next person. No introduction, no contact information, no social media, nothing. It seems counter-productive nowadays, when almost every interface of a person’s life is filled with advertisements, but the guy’s – Keith’s classes are always full.
Shiro’s been eyeing him for a while from the machines, the area of the gym him and Matt frequent, but where Keith has yet to venture. Shiro mostly sees him around the group session rooms when Keith has class, and there’s the occasional appearance at the gym’s open area for stretching, though that is strictly in the company of a client of his, looking to work some tight joints loose. That means there hasn’t been an opportunity for Shiro to approach him without the imminent risk of getting cut off, or being rude for interrupting a private class. Matt did have the genius and very original idea of Shiro getting such a class from Keith, complete with suggestions on what joints and areas Shiro should feign to be very tight at, but, alas, the lack of contact information and general impossibility of being approached had nibbed that idea in the bud.
That is how Shiro happened to sign up for the first yoga class of his life.
***
Shiro likes a challenge. There isn’t a mission that, once he sets his mind on, he can’t work towards and successfully achieve. He was the youngest cadet to enroll and also graduate the Garrison’s pilot training program. He was the first man to reach the thermosphere in an aircraft launched from the ground. He’s currently on the path to getting his PhD in Aerospace Engineering with a summa cum laude award. Shiro’s never tried yoga before – he often skips stretching after his workouts too, to be completely honest -, but he faces the task with the same confidence and determination he employs at every challenge.
It cannot be that hard, can it? Shiro’s fit – he hits the gym four times a week and runs another two days. He can lift well over his body weight and he has excellent mind-muscle connection to every part of his body. Yoga’s just some ground exercises with only body weight from what he saw in media and from the people doing it in the parks in summer. He isn’t nervous about his performance. He knows he’ll do great.
“Takashi Shirogane?” the instructor calls out his name and suddenly he feels jittery. He walks up to the front of the room with a smile that feels nervous for no reason.
“Yes?” he says lamely, and pushes down the self-deprecating remark in the back of his head. He meant to say more, introduce himself with a friendly line, a Hi, there in the least, but the man’s searching gaze fell on him and Shiro has never seen eyes as beautiful as those.
“You’re new, right? Hi! I’m Keith. Is this your first yoga class?” The voice is as rare and striking as the eyes are and Shiro struggles to gather his thoughts. Keith is pretty from afar – very pretty -, but up close he’s stunning. The eyes are the most obvious: they are a beautiful color, almost purple, and they shine like there’s a sky full of stars reflecting in them. Shiro struggles to take his eyes off of them, but he’s curious. Keith’s face is angular but his lines are not too sharp. His lips are chapped and his brows are as strong as the rest of his dark hair that falls all the way to his neck. He’s wearing a tank top that leaves lean but muscular arms visible and it tapers around a waist so slim it’s almost feminine. Shiro looks back to the eyes studying his own face and realizes he should answer.
“My friends call me Shiro.” No, that’s too late. There’s a new question now. “Yeah, I mean, no, my first time. Anything I should expect?”
Keith chuckles with a little bow of his head as he says, “Well, we’ll be mostly working with deep core muscles and there’ll be quite a bit of stretching. There’s also modifications for each pose and you can also just take a break any time.” Keith stops and now it is him who takes a look over Shiro. He ended up wearing joggers with just a hint of stretch over his thighs and a tank top a lot looser and also with a deeper cut under the arms than Keith’s. It shows off his shoulders as well as a little bit of both his chest and back, but Keith looks unimpressed by all that and fixes his look on Shiro’s hands. “There’s also mats in the back of the room that you can use.” There’s a little pause again that Shiro should definitely take advantage of to say anything, but he’s too stunned to speak. Yoga mats. To a yoga class. He forgot. Not that he has one, but somehow he still feels lame for not bringing it. Keith’s mouth then presses into a line with a tiny curve just at the edge, and when Shiro still doesn’t answer him, he sends him on his way. “Nice to meet you, Shiro. Hope you enjoy the class.”
“Yeah, you too. Thank you.” Shiro’s nervous smile turns into one more of a panicking kind that Keith only answers with an amused one, and he turns away from probably the worst first impression he ever made on anyone, let alone a possible romantic interest. He busies himself with getting the godforsaken mat and preparing for the class, when his brain starts working again. You too, he said to Keith. Shiro meant to say it in return to the nice to meet you, but he now realizes it probably sounded like he said it to the hope you enjoy class part and he flinches. Wow, this was a disaster. He decides to distract himself with anything by looking around his surroundings, when the lights turn low and Keith’s voice calls out over the room. Shiro copies the others around him and lays on the mat on his back, and follows Keith’s instructions from there. They’re meditating – that’s new for a warm up -, but he doesn’t mind as he gets to listen to Keith’s low voice guiding his thoughts and he’s soon letting go of all the worries of his day with every exhale, including his most recent embarrassment.
The whole class follows in the same manner. The lights stay low and Keith instructs every movement – and he means every movement, down to even breathing -, but Shiro’s only half relying on that and is rather looking at Keith to copy what he’s doing, and he finds himself mesmerized. Keith moves with grace, with an elegance that leaves Shiro unable to take his eyes off. His movements flow flawlessly from one to the next and when he stops to hold out a pose, his muscles flex in a way that makes Shiro swallow. Shiro has to force himself to concentrate and follow the flow when they go upside down – he knows this one, it’s a downward dog -, and once again it’s just Keith’s voice instructing him on how to move. He raises a leg, keeping the hips level, he got this, and now they have to touch that knee to the other elbow? But how?! He takes a peek at the front of the class, and ah, got it, it’s like a one-legged high plank. They hold the position for five breaths and Shiro can keep up, even if he soon starts shaking, he can hold out, but is Keith seriously talking through this with a level voice? Shiro silently praises him for that feat when they finally release the hold and arrive at a position – pigeon, Keith calls it - Shiro struggles to completely copy. He fidgets a little when he hears Keith offer a modification for the pose and Shiro looks to him to copy and finds purple eyes looking straight at him. He freezes, his face heating, and he thinks he sees the edge of Keith’s mouth quirk into a smile before he ducks his head and bows on his now straightened front leg – also a modification, Keith explains to the class, only, it’s the advanced one – and fuck. Keith’s flexible.
Shiro swallows again. Yoga promises to be a harder challenge then he originally thought. He has to focus, he tells himself, if he wants to get to the end of the class without further embarrassing himself, so he employs a new strategy of less staring at other people’s – one person’s – body, and more paying attention to his own body for the remaining time. They arrive at the downward dog again, and it dawns on Shiro just as Keith announces that now they have to do everything they did so far again, just on the other side. But it’s fine. Shiro’s already managed one side after all, and now that there’s at least some familiarity with the movements, he follows the rest of the class by one part instructions, one part memory, and one part relying on his concrete hard strength. He executes one movement after the other, consciously engages each muscle and pays attention to his breathing according to Keith’s instructions. He gets into the flow, his mind singularly focused on the movements, and Keith is telling him to close his eyes as they lie on their backs again before Shiro even realizes the class is coming to an end. He is asked to evaluate how the last hour has left him feeling and Shiro has to admit he feels pleasantly spent from the exertion, but what surprises him most is that his mind hasn’t felt this clear in forever.
He almost doesn’t want to come back to reality and climb off of his mat, but the promise of catching Keith for a chat after class propels him to standing. He busies himself with swiping down his mat and putting it back in place while everyone else fans out of the room, leaving him alone with Keith. This time his smile is confident in every right as he approaches Keith to try for a second first impression.
“This felt great! Didn’t think yoga could leave you this refreshed.”
Keith crosses his arms in front of his chest – a position Shiro saw him take on many times from afar – and looks to the side as he answers Shiro “You did great for your first time.”
Shiro chuckles at that. “Well, I can’t help but feel there’s plenty of room for improvement, but thank you.” Then, he adds, “And thanks for giving me an alternative for that split pose, by the way. You definitely saved me there.”
That earns him eye contact, however briefly, before Keith ducks his head to hide his smile and it leaves Shiro giddily annoyed. He wanted to see that smile. A new challenge forms in his head.
Keith looks back up at him, but the shyness stays on his face as he stumbles with his reply. “Yeah, um, you’re welcome. Don’t worry, though, it’s not about doing the most flashy shit, but more, like, everyone finding what feels best for them in the moment.”
Keith’s tone is amusing to listen to and Shiro wants to hear more of it, but he also seems to be adorable when shy and Shiro can’t help himself. He runs his human hand through his hair and leaves it at the top of his head in a position that he knows highlights his shoulder and bicep and puts on his most dashing smile. “Hm. That’s nice to know. Still, I think I should keep coming until I catch up with at least the rest of the class.” It’s a suggestion, a promise of meeting again, regularly, that Shiro wants to see Keith’s reaction to.
Keith seems to be overall guarded, however. He hides his expressions well – save for shyness, it seems -, but Shiro thinks he sees Keith’s eyes light up just the tiniest bit before he answers. “Great, uh, glad you liked the class, then!” There’s a brief pause, neither of them making to end the conversation just yet, but people are starting to filter in the room for the next class and they have to cut the chat short.
“I did! I’ll see you next time.” Shiro promises, and steps away with a little wave of his hand. Keith replies with a nod of his head, half in agreement, but half in order to hide his smile, and Shiro leaves the room with a distant feeling of his world about to change forever.
***
“Can’t believe you're ditching me again for yoga, Casanova.” Matt feigns annoyance, but Shiro knows it’s just prelude to teasing him about Keith, so Shiro counters before that can even begin.
“Why not? It’s a welcome change in strength training from the machines I still work out at with you three times a week. Not that you would know that. You wouldn’t survive past 20 minutes in class.”
Matt laughs with open amusement. “Oh but you would know that, because you’re spending so much time with yoga in the past month. For strictly strength training purposes, of course.” He adds with a smug look, but Shiro just rolls his eyes as they stand in line at the Garrison’s cafeteria.
There’s truth to Matt’s teasing, he knows that. After that first class, Shiro has immediately incorporated yoga as a regular practice in his training regime. He goes to the Tuesday evening session regularly, but will sometimes take the one on Saturday mornings, too, that focuses more on flexibility and meditation. Both of them Keith’s classes, of course.
But Shiro’s not entirely bluffing, either. He genuinely enjoys the challenge yoga poses, and he’s proud to feel himself improve from class to class. On top of the physical progress, he’s found the feeling of getting in the flow, of his mind going completely blank, occupied by only the task at hand to be almost addicting. Despite the mood lighting and the two meditations in one hour, he leaves each class refreshed and with a feeling of calm energy. The fact he gets to chat to the most beautiful man he has ever seen after each session is a bonus.
“I’m telling you, you should ask him about a private lesson. Would speed things up.” Matt wiggles his eyebrows at him, but Shiro ignores him in favor of browsing through today’s selection of deserts. The idea of having an uninterrupted hour of Keith’s undivided attention on him is tempting, but Matt doesn’t know that the last time Keith helped Shiro with a pose, Shiro very nearly whimpered out loud in class. It was on a Saturday, the day when Keith focuses the class on stretching and increasing flexibility and Keith would sometimes walk around the room correcting everyone’s form or lightly pushing them to achieve a deeper stretch. Once again, Shiro was upside down in his downward dog and he’s so close to touching his heels to the ground. He focused on pushing deeper with every exhale so much so that he didn’t even notice Keith was approaching him until he heard a soft “Almost there! Let me help a little”. It was all the warning he received before Keith placed his hands on either side of Shiro’s hips and he pulled. Shiro snapped his mouth shut at the last moment on the sound that formed in the back of his throat, and he only hopes his shirt riding up at that moment, all the way to his head muffled whatever little of that sound escaped through tightly shut lips.
“I would rather persuade him into giving me his time freely, than having to pay him to do it, thank you very much.” Shiro explains instead, and it’s the truth, too. He’s been thinking of asking Keith on a date, but Shiro finds it hard to read him, and didn’t want to risk it just yet. “But you’re one to talk. Have you finally confessed your feelings to Nellie?” he asks to change the subject and Matt unexpectedly beams.
“I’ll have you know I have, yes, and we’ve decided to make our relationship serious. She’s even coming to Christmas with my family. To which you're also invited, as usual, by the way.”
“Are you serious?!” Shiro asks with honest surprise. Matt’s been having a hard time with dating, even more so than Shiro, and the girl they met at a conference last year was the first one Matt has felt serious about in a long time. Shiro’s been really hoping they would make it work, but the long distance thing has been a difficult obstacle. “Hey, man, that’s great, I’m happy for you!” He pats Matt’s shoulder as they sit and he adds, “And thank you. I’ll be there, as usual. Anything I should bring?”
They talk about their holiday plans over lunch. It seems Matt will be more busy than usual, but Shiro’s more than happy to miss him if it means Matt can be there for Nellie instead. That leaves Shiro with two obligations for Christmas – he flies to his mom’s for Christmas Eve and Day, and comes back to spend the 26th with the Holts – and no plans for New Year’s. That, and the fact that the entirety of the Garrison’s R&D Department shuts down for the holidays leaves Shiro with plenty of time for himself in the last two weeks of the year.
That’s okay, though. With the disaster that was last year’s breaking up with Adam right before Christmas, hooking up with him right after Christmas, and Adam announcing he’s already seeing someone new on the first day of the new year, Shiro thinks some peace and quiet is actually exactly what he needs. He goes through the rest of his day daydreaming about all the books he will finally tick off from his to-read list, finishing all the half-done diy projects he started over the year, and catching up on all his shows that came out with a new season but he never got the time to watch. He arrives at his yoga class in the evening with a buzzing anticipation that is starting to become a regular feeling throughout his Tuesdays. He likes the comfortable exertion from the exercise, the peace that descends on his mind during the meditation, but what he likes more is getting to chat to Keith with his shy smiles and his voice that sounds just a little bit different than when he’s addressing the class.
He seems to have an unlucky day today, however. Keith arrives later than usual, just two minutes before class starts and barely manages to set himself up to start on time. After class, two girls approach him to chat, and it takes so long it starts to become awkward for Shiro to linger around the room doing nothing, so Shiro starts to leave, disappointment heavy on his chest. The evening is not a complete disaster, however, as Keith waves to him with an almost apologetic expression on his face as Shiro walks out the room, and the gesture leaves Shiro feeling oddly giddy. He has to ask Keith out soon, he thinks, as he stands outside the entrance of the gym a few minutes later. There’s an odd feeling of something missing, and he taps down his pockets just as he hears “Shiro!” from behind him. He turns, and he can’t do anything about the smile that automatically spreads across his face at the sound of Keith calling his name.
“You left this in the changing room.” Keith says when he catches up to Shiro, holding Shiro’s ID badge out in front of him. Panic washes over Shiro for a moment – that card grants him access to some very high security wings on the Garrison grounds and he’d be in a lot of trouble if he lost it.
“Oh, shit!” he swears as he takes the card. “Thank you, Keith. You really saved me.”
“Oh, um… No big.” Keith says with a shrug of his shoulders, and Shiro’s not going home today without seeing that shy smile, after all.
Good day, Shiro thinks, and he doesn’t want it to end just yet. He got a second chance to talk to Keith, and he decides on the spot that this is it, he’s taking his chances, he’s inviting Keith for… drinks? No, a bar’s too loud, and it’s way too early in the week. It’s too late for coffee. Keith’s looking at the ground, scratching the back of his head and the silence’s going on for way too long, so Shiro blurts “Can I walk you home?” before it’s too late.
Keith whips his head up, looking confused, and Shiro swears to himself. He must come off as a creep. “Um, actually…” and there it is. Shiro braces himself for the rejection, but “I’m going to pick up my dog from daycare, but… yeah, you can tag along if you want?”
And fuck, the relief at that is sweeter than it has reason to be. Shiro follows Keith’s lead, and as they walk, they finally, finally start talking other than small-talk about cliché gym subjects. Keith asks him about the Garrison – he saw the GG symbol on his ID -, and listens to Shiro tell him about his past work as a pilot with an odd expression on his face. He asks specifics about the aircrafts Shiro’s flown and it’s obvious Keith knows this stuff, but he remains guarded about the how and why, so Shiro pushes just a little.
“Have you flown a plane before?”
“What, like, pilot it? Nah…” he trails off, something more obviously on his tongue, so Shiro waits it out in silence. When Keith finally explains, he does so with an almost embarrassed face. “Okay, it’s stupid, but I have a friend who’s really into this flight simulator he got himself at home. He bought all the flashiest software and gadgets and spent hundreds of hours in it. He claims he has so much experience he could fly the real thing any time.” Now that’s a load of bull, and Shiro contemplates how rude it would be to put Keith’s friend in his place, but Keith rolls his eyes and adds “Well, if that’s true, then I must be some kind of prodigy, ‘cause I beat his ass in it every time I give it a try.” And Keith smiles, a self-satisfied smile on full display with his head held high and Shiro’s hearth beats loudly in his chest. The very first time he talked to Keith, Shiro challenged himself to see Keith laugh, openly, and this is the closest he got so far.
“We do train in simulators a lot, that’s true. But, honestly, there’s nothing like flying for real. To have a beast of a machine in the palms of your hands. Seeing the Earth curve under you. The darkness of space at the reach of your hands. It’s… it’s really something else.” Shiro glances at Keith to see if he’s boring him with his musings, but Keith only looks at him with open wonder. Shiro’s face heats.
They slow to a stop at a busy intersection. “Yeah, so the short path would be through here, but they put a Christmas market right there.” Keith indicates with his hand. “I don’t know how you feel about crowds? We can also just go around with a detour, though I guess it’s less nice…”
Shiro does not mind crowds and Keith looks cold with his hands in his pockets and chin hiding behind his collar. There’s space heaters over there and the possibility of hot cocoa. “Let’s go!” he says with a nod of his head towards the market and they cross the street to enter winter wonderland. It’s not as busy as it will probably get in a week at Christmas, but there’s quite a bit of people strolling around that they have to squeeze past groups from time to time. They look over the wares of some huts as Shiro asks Keith about how he started to do yoga.
“My bio mom introduced me to it. She’s a real pro, and I was curious to get to know her…um, it, more…” Keith takes a tree ornament in his hands and observes it with more attention than it has detail. “Yeah, my original idea was social work, but I’d have to take like a big exam to get into the school, and, I don’t know. Don’t really think I have what it takes, anyway, so...” He shrugs, puts the ornament back in its place, and steps away with his ears between his shoulders. Shiro doesn’t know Keith very well yet, but he has a feeling in his gut that he’s capable of much more than he believes himself to be.
“Come on, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.” Shiro says as he catches up to Keith who has beelined into the think of the crowd around the gigantic Christmas tree at the center of the market. Sure enough, their advance is halted by a wall of people watching the light show projected to a nearby building, and they’re soon pushed together, surrounded on all sides with no opening to move in any direction. Shiro doesn’t mind, though. “Keith,” he calls and reaches out to Keith who’s still trying to escape. The touch to his arm stops him and endless purple eyes find Shiro’s. Shiro doesn’t want to push him, but he wants to say this. “I’ve seen you with your clients at the gym. They look grateful. And I know for a fact you saved me from utter embarrassment and even injury with your guidance several times. Not to mention a security misconduct, most recently.” Keith looks like he’s having an internal debate whether he should believe Shiro or argue with him, so Shiro thinks he better not push further. “All I’m saying is, I’m sure you’d do great. You should give it a try.” He finishes with a soft smile and it’s like he can see the gears turning in Keith’s head as he contemplates Shiro’s words. Keith’s features soften after a moment. It’s gotten dark, but all the Christmas lights around them reflect in his eyes and reveal the slightest hint of red on Keith’s cheeks. He looks beautiful. Shiro has the thought, not for the first time, that he could stare into those eyes for hours.
Said eyes avert, looking to the side, as Keith struggles with his words. “I’ll… I’ll think about it.” He says. He glances back to Shiro, and then they turn to watch the light show.
***
Keith is a terrible texter. It drives Shiro crazy.
He got Keith’s number after they went to the Christmas market together. Or rather, Keith got Shiro’s number first. Shiro got them both some hot chocolate and Keith revealed his favorite festive drink is a peppermint mocha that he has a killer recipe for. Shiro jumped on the opportunity and asked Keith to send it over. Keith delivered, though only a few days later. Still, Shiro hasn’t felt this excited to get someone’s number since he was a teenager.
He doesn’t think he’s been abusing this new form of contact. He only sends a text asking about Keith’s day, like, once every other day, but Keith takes hours to reply, and his answers are always short. Shiro can’t make sense of it. If Keith didn’t want Shiro to bother him, he could’ve worked around the recipe thing any number of ways. Or just be direct and refuse. But, he did send the recipe, and also asked Shiro to tell him how it turned out. Then, just the other day, Keith sent him a picture of the sunset with Venus visible on the horizon. Just that. No message to go with it. Shiro asked him about it, and Keith said he found it beautiful and wanted to share. It was beautiful – Shiro loves the picture. But, who texts like that?
Keith asked him this morning if Shiro has any pets. Shiro replied right away saying no, and asking if Keith’s dog prefers treats or toys. It’s late afternoon, and there’s still no reply. Shiro pockets his phone with a sigh and looks over the wall in front of him displaying dog toys varying from as simple as a tennis ball to stuffed animals the size of a small child. There’s another wall behind his back, with a selection as big as the toys, just for treats. Shiro feels lost. He starts walking down the aisle and finds a section dedicated to festive themed products at the end. It’s cliché, but it’s a Christmas gift, after all, even if it’s a few days late. He grabs a treat in the shape of a bone, decorated with an intricate design of Christmas trees and ornaments and angels with what he presumes is dog-friendly icing and goes to the register. He’s also got something in mind for Keith. Wouldn’t feel right to leave the dog out.
Christmas was great. He got to see his mom and it’s always a relief to see she’s doing all right on her own. Dinner at the Holts’ has been fun as well. Everyone was preoccupied with Matt bringing a girl home and it was the perfect distraction for the attention Shiro usually receives. He likes the Holts and feels at home around them, but this year Shiro’s been going through the Christmas season half on autopilot. His mind’s been wandering, not being in the present, and he’s sure he would’ve gotten shit from Matt for it if he wasn’t busy making Nellie comfortable. Shiro looks at them, and he’s happy for them, and he feels a constant panging of longing in his chest that only seems to go away when Shiro’s phone chimes with Keith’s name popping up on the screen.
He's walking into the last yoga class of the year feeling stupidly proud. He’s finally gotten himself a yoga mat, but Keith doesn’t notice him – he’s chatting with someone -, so Shiro walks to his usual spot, unrolls his mat, and sits on its middle, ready to start today’s class. His eyes meet Keith’s then, and for a brief moment Keith laughs, loudly, his shoulders shaking with it, before he catches himself and hides his smile behind his palm. He’s looking at Shiro’s shirt with obvious amusement – the shirt that Matt got him for Christmas, a dark red tank top with a kangaroo pocket at the front, and a text above it saying ‘But first, yoga’ in big letters – and Shiro’s heart thumps loudly in his ears. Mission fucking accomplished, and he can’t believe he has Matt to thank for it.
Keith’s laugh. It was brief, but it was the most wonderful sound Shiro’s heard, and he wants to hear it again. His heart is still racing as the class starts, and for the first time in his yoga-journey his mind doesn’t quiet during meditation. It’s racing with thoughts and emotions and Keith’s smiles and his eyes and Shiro doesn’t even try to fight it. He lies there in the half-dark room, listening to Keith’s voice, and he surrenders himself completely to the feeling of falling in love.
***
“Nice shirt!” Keith smiles at him, all 32 teeth on full display.
“Best Christmas gift ever.” Shiro answers, the sound of Keith’s laughter still echoing in his memory. “Are you free tomorrow afternoon?”
“Yeah.”
“Would you like to meet? At the dog park, at 3 pm?”
“Sure.” Keith says, his eyes calculating, but smile still present.
“Great!”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah.” Shiro repeats, getting lost in those eyes again. “Thanks for class. It was great!”
“Oh, um, I’m glad!” Keith’s getting flustered, and though Shiro delights in it, he doesn’t want to make him uncomfortable.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He says and bites his lip from smiling too much.
“Yeah. Tomorrow.” Keith confirms, and Shiro feels on top of the world.
***
Shiro’s been buzzing with excitement since last night, waiting for this moment to come. He’s changed outfits twice before he left home – not that it matters, since he’s wearing his grey coat over it -, polished his boots, styled his hair, he even cleaned around and filed his nails, and he still got to the park half an hour early.
The sky is clear of clouds and the air stands still. Ideal weather for flying. Perfect for a nice walk in the park. Shiro looks over the fenced area for the tenth time and judges that it’s still not crowded. Great! He checks on his phone that the café on the far side of the park hasn’t changed their hours and will still be open by the time they should walk by there. Good! All that’s missing now is Keith himself, so Shiro checks the time, but it’s still ten to three. He groans inwards. He cannot wait.
Fortunately, he doesn’t have to. He spots Keith when he looks up, and he does a double take on the enormous dog strolling casually next to his leg. He’s huge. Shiro’s surprise must be written on his face, because Keith calls out “Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.” several steps ahead, and Shiro collects himself.
With a friendly smile on his face, he goes to meet them halfway. “Oh, it’s okay, I like—” he’s cut off by wild barking, and the dog runs away from Keith’s leg to give a piece of his mind to Shiro. Shiro looks at the signs – Bae Bae, the Holts’ dog used to be very reactive to strangers, and they had to train her for a while to behave better -, but the dog wags his tail and his teeth are not bared. Shiro pays him no attention, and turns to Keith, who’s trying to simultaneously call the dog back and apologize to Shiro.
“I’m sorry. He should calm down in a couple of minutes.” he says sheepishly when his dog goes quiet when he’s caught the smell of the treat in Shiro’s pocket. His nose is now practically glued to Shiro’s coat. Keith scolds him gently “Can you not bother Shiro, please?”
Keith doesn’t meet his eyes yet. He’s trying to pull the dog away and calm him, obviously embarrassed for his reaction, and though Shiro only finds it adorable, he saves Keith from the situation. “Actually, I’ve brought something for him. Can I?” Shiro asks as he pulls the treat from his pocket and presents it to Keith. Keith looks at the gift in Shiro’s hand in surprise, but then he looks up at him and gives his permission with a nod. At last, Shiro acknowledges the dog still shuffling around his legs, and squats down to his level to greet him with a pet to his head. “Hey, buddy! Merry Christmas!” he says and offers the treat to him. The dog sniffs it with keen attention, and when he decides he likes the smell, he takes the treat in his mouth ever so gently. Then, he trots back to Keith, tail wagging so hard his whole body’s moving with it, a high whine in the back of his throat.
“Fine, fine.” Keith says, and walks over to open the gate to the dog park. “Go!” The dog zooms in.
That was… not how Shiro imagined to start today off. He takes a large breath once inside the gate himself and turns to Keith. “Hi!” he says with a smile.
“Hi!” Keith greets back, sheepish.
“Cute dog!”
“He is.” There’s a smile on Keith’s face, then. He has his hair in a half-bun – it’s pulled back from around his face and covers less of his neck than usual, leaving its delicate curve free for Shiro to look at. He wears a leather bomber jacket and dark jeans that hug his thighs and hips snugly. His boots are covered in dirt on the side, with a muddy paw print, still wet, right on the middle of the left boot.
“You look great.” Shiro tells him. He actually looks absolutely hot, but Shiro thinks Keith would combust under that compliment. Keith’s stuttering over his words and his face turned completely red, and somehow it makes him look even hotter. The longing is back in Shiro’s chest stronger than ever.
Keith’s dog eventually comes back around and the three of them start walking along a path. Shiro asks him about his Christmas break – it was chill, he stayed at home and relaxed -, then about his dog – Keith found him abandoned by the road, his friend – the “flight expert” guy – calls him Kosmo, but Keith hasn’t officially approved that name, and he has remarkable speed for his size -, then about his plans for the new year. Shiro likes to listen to Keith’s voice, and he’s found Keith lets his usual guard down after a little bit of easy conversation.
That last question seems to have hit a delicate spot, however. Keith hms and uhms as he contemplates what to say. When he talks, his voice sounds excited, however. “I’ve actually signed up for the entry exam to the social worker degree. It’ll be at late February. I’ve already started to study over Christmas.”
Shiro whips his head to look at him. The last time Keith mentioned that plan of his, his utter lack of confidence made it impossible to think that he’d even try. Shiro was afraid he’d gone too far, too fast when he tried to encourage Keith, but if he’s reconsidering now… Shiro doesn’t know what made Keith change his mind, but there’s a tinge of pride blooming in his chest for the fact that he did. The first step can often be the hardest.
“That’s great, Keith!” he tells him honestly. “I have every belief you can get in.”
Keith smiles at him with his shy smile, when his dog finds his way back to them. He’s been running around freely, coming back to check on them every so often, and Keith squats to give him a good scratch behind the ears. “You didn’t have to get him a treat, you know. But thank you.”
“It was my pleasure. I got you something, too.”
“What?” Keith gasps and stands back up to face Shiro. “You didn’t…”
“It’s just a little something.” Shiro assures him as he reaches into his inner pocket. “I’ve found the recipe in my mom’s family recipe book. Peppermint mocha cookies. I made them for you.” He offers a little package over to Keith and waits nervously for his reaction.
Keith’s face lights up. He opens the package with care, then promptly scarfs down two cookies. “Mmh, they’re amazing! Did you try?” he asks, holding the package out after taking a third one from it.
Of course Shiro tried. He didn’t like the first batch in fact, so he made a second one, because he couldn’t give Keith anything that’s less than amazing. He takes a cookie anyway, because he’s grown to like the flavor over the last two weeks. Keith mmhs some more, delight evident on his face, before he looks into the package to see how much’s left, and reluctantly takes it away for later.
“Thank you, Shiro. But… I didn’t get you anything.” He admits, looking defeated. Shiro’s about to assure him it’s okay, when Keith suddenly perks up and reaches into one of the pockets attached to his belt. “I keep forgetting. I did get you your gloves back.” He says, holding up the pair Shiro lent him the night he walked him to his dog’s daycare.
Shiro looks at the gloves, then looks at Keith, who’s been rubbing his palms together for warmth just a few minutes ago. “Oh, I… it’s okay, Keith. You look cold. Again. You can keep them.”
“I’m fine, Shiro.” He insists, nudging with his hands. “I’m sorry I held on to them for so long.”
Keith looks at him, his eyes pleading, and it’s unbelievable what effect they have on Shiro. He steps closer, taking the gloves from Keith, then takes one of his hands in his own. It’s ice cold, red wrinkles forming on the back from the cold, dry air. Shiro handles him with care as he takes a glove and pulls it on Keith’s hand until it sits snugly. It doesn’t cover perfectly. The fingers are cut off, as well as the back of the hand, so Shiro folds Keith’s fingers into his human hand to warm him a little. They fit together just right – Keith’s hands are smaller than Shiro’s, despite his long, delicate fingers, and Shiro can reach the opening at the back of Keith’s hand with his fingertips while his palm covers Keith’s fingers. Shiro holds him like that for a moment, heart beating fast in his throat. When Keith’s hand feels warmer, he repeats the same steps with the other one. When he’s satisfied with the other hand, he looks back at Keith’s eyes to see what they reveal.
Keith’s been waiting silently while Shiro handled him. There’s a strong blush across his cheeks, all the way to the tips of his ears, and he stares at Shiro with his eyes blown wide. He’s so beautiful, Shiro’s heart aches with it.
“Better?” he asks, and his voice comes out a little hoarse.
Keith blinks then, averting his eyes for a moment, and finds his voice once again. “Uh…Yeah. Thanks.”
They stay like that, Keith’s hand in Shiro’s a moment longer, neither of them letting go. The dog barks in the distance then, annoyed at the hold-up, and the spell is broken. Shiro lets go as Keith averts his gaze and they continue walking along the trail.
It’s a wonderful afternoon. They stop for coffee in an empty café, and enjoy a seat on the couch facing the fireplace with real fire crackling in it. Shiro couldn’t ask for better, especially when Keith’s dog gets on the couch too, and they have to scoot closer to make room for him. This close Shiro can feel Keith’s scent and he leans even closer on instinct to feel it better. Keith’s still shy, but he’s getting more confident and he’s holding Shiro’s gaze, showing his smiles, and staring at Shiro when he thinks Shiro isn’t looking. Shiro feels like he’s walking on clouds and not even the cold air sets him straight when they go back outside. His mouth’s starting to sting from smiling so much, and he feels breathless from his heart beating so quick. They make it back to the place they started from, but Shiro stalls, unable to end the date just yet. He’s telling Keith the story of how he chased down the neighbor’s dog when he was in sixth grade and she took Shiro’s lit essay in her mouth and Keith laughs, openly and freely, and the world blurs around the edges.
Shiro stares, completely under Keith’s spell, and the words are out before he can stop himself. “I wanna spend the new year with you.”
Keith looks at him, hope mixed with caution on his face. “You mean, like, New Year’s Eve?”
And Shiro will gladly spell it out if he has to. “I mean I enjoy every moment I spend with you. I’m always looking forward to seeing you. I can’t stop thinking about you.” Keith stares, stunned, and Shiro couldn’t stop the words coming even if he wanted to. “I think you’re wonderful, Keith. You’re kind, and caring, and beautiful, and I want to spend every day with you.”
“Oh.” Is all Keith manages, and Shiro waits until he processes his words. “Shiro…”
Shiro swallows. “Keith,” he tucks a strand of hair out of Keith’s face and lets his hand linger. “Can I kiss you?”
“Yeah.” He answers, and then Keith kisses Shiro. He rushes in, standing on his tiptoes to meet Shiro’s lips. Shiro’s fingers comb through Keith’s hair and he holds him there, savoring the kiss. It’s heavenly. They break, just for a moment, and Shiro kisses him back as Keith’s hands snake around his neck. He feels the leather of his gloves on his neck and he feels blissful happiness. Keith scratches against him, so Shiro takes his lip in his own and licks the crack until it becomes soft. Keith sighs into his mouth, and fuck, Shiro wants. He welcomes Keith licking into his mouth, and pulls him closer, hand at the small of his back. Shiro could get lost like this, and it takes a considerable amount of self-control to slow the kiss. He breaks, forehead still touching Keith’s, not willing to go farther away.
“Yeah.” Keith breathes against him. The breath’s sweet on Shiro’s lips.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I’d like to spend the new year with you.” Keith clarifies, and Shiro laughs against him. He holds Keith closer and plants a kiss to the corner of his mouth. This, right here, is perfect.
***
Shiro sips on his tea as he scrolls absently on his phone, dinner simmering on the stove. It’s Tuesday, when Keith stays over after they have his yoga class together, so Shiro’s made two portions, plus a little extra. Keith has an unsatiable appetite and is capable of eating large portions even in the evening.
Once Keith let him in, he opened up like a flower in full bloom, and Shiro saved every little detail about him. He learned Keith’s passionate, and he’ll talk about his interests for hours if he knows his audience’s listening. He learned he’s practical, sees and utilizes things to their full potential, and doesn’t splurge on superfluous things. He learned Keith’s actually easy to smile, and gives his laughs abundantly if he feels comfortable in his skin. He learned Keith feels deeply and fiercely, and he will stand by those he believes in through thick and thin. Shiro learned all that and more, and he discovered something that not even Keith knows about himself. He’s got incredible potential. Keith’s capable of changing the whole world if he set his mind to it. Shiro made it his newest challenge to make sure Keith knows that.
He stirs the soup and turns off the stove when he hears the shower stop running in the bathroom. Perfect timing. He sets the table while he waits for Keith to dry and join him when he hears a “Shiro!” coming muffled through the bathroom door. Then the door slams open, and Keith is running to him, phone in hand, wearing only his boxer and a single sock on his leg. “I got in! Shiro! I passed!” he shouts and throws himself in Shiro’s arms.
Shiro hugs him tightly. “Congratulations!” he says into Keith’s hair, unbothered by the cold water still dripping from it.
Keith’s buzzing with energy. He wiggles until Shiro can’t hold him anymore, then shoves his phone in Shiro’s face to show him. “Do you see this? I can’t believe it!”
Shiro can. He checks and sees Keith didn’t just pass, his name is the first on the list of people that got accepted to the social worker degree. He only lost three points on the whole exam. “You did amazing, Keith. I knew you could do it.” Shiro says as Keith tells the news to his dog who’s been snaking around their legs from the excitement. “I knew you could do it.” He repeats when Keith stands and Shiro pulls him close for a kiss. “I’m proud of you.”
Keith blushes and smiles sheepishly in Shiro’s arms. He’s still shy, but he’s taking Shiro’s compliments in stride. He draws the lines of Shiro’s face with his finger, an action he does when he’s deeply content. “I love you, Shiro.”
The world blurs around them. There’s only Keith’s skin under his palms, his breath on his lips, his scent in Shiro’s nose, his words ringing in Shiro’s ears. “I love you, too, baby.”