Instincts (Day 2 of Sheith Week)
Note: Is this technically early, very much yes, but patience is not one of my virtues. Â Hope yaâll enjoy reading this as much as I did imagining it.
Shiro wasnât quite sure how suddenly gaining feline features was even theoretically supposed to help a paladin bond with their lion, but he had a sneaking suspicion that the explanation was just an excuse made up after the fact to cover for an accidental malfunction of a real Castle training machine. Â Either way, Coran had assured everyone that the effects of the melding device would wear off by morning. Â Until then, they just needed to sit tight and not scratch themselves or each other with their new found claws.
A resolution that lasted all of thirty seconds. Â He didnât hear what Lance had said, distracted as he was by trying to force the claws on his Galra hand to retract, but he did hear the sudden hiss from Keith and burst of laughter from Lance. Â Shiro barely turned in time to put a restraining hand on the Red Paladinâs shoulders. Â Keith had come a long ways since his early days in the Garrison. Â He was well past the point where mere words could prompt him into a fist fight, but his new ears were laid back flat and the hair on his head had poofed up like heâd been out in a windstorm. Â There was a good chance this melding was messing with their heads along with their bodies, and Shiro didnât want to risk a practical demonstration of their new claws sharpness just because Lance had terrible timing.
âHunk,â Shiro said, keeping his hand on Keith but directing the attention of the room to where the Yellow Paladin was standing beside his friend, âWhy donât you take Lance and Pidge down to the kitchen and make sure this melding hasnât changed our taste buds or digestive tracks.â Â He had no doubt Pidge and Lance would wander off to do their own thing the second they were certain normal food goo wouldnât poison them, but a little separation would give everyone time to adjust to the changes.
âSure thing boss man,â Hunk said, looking relieved at the excuse to drag his friend away from the impending fight, âCome on guys, Coran showed me a computer in the kitchen that can tell you if food is edible to your species.â Â Lance complained a bit, but the three paladins quickly filed out of the room. Â Shiro could hear Pidge in the hall excitedly pressing Hunk for details on how exactly the device worked through the closed door.
As soon as the sound of their conversation became indistinguishable, Keith spoke, âI wasnât going to hit him.â
âI didnât think you would,â Shiro said, turning Keith to face him, âMy hearing is just a little sensitive right now, and Iâm pretty sure you two arguing would hurt my ears.â Â A white lie, but with a good bit of truth to it. Â He really didnât feel up to a shouting match between Lance and Keith right now.
Keith gave him a skeptical look, but didnât call him on his excuse. âSo, what are we supposed to do while they make dinner?â
âI didnât really think that far ahead,â The dirtier parts of his mind had a couple of suggestions, but the public living spaces were not the place to try them. Huh, Keithâs hair was still fluffed up to the extreme, âWe could try to tame your hair?â He suggested, â80âs glam rock looks good on you, babe, but not quite your style.â
Keithâs eyes went wide. Â He whirled around, and rushed to the closest window to get a look at himself, âWhat the hell,â Keith said, frantically patting his hair back down, as his tail twitched back and forth. Â Keith was far from the vainest person he knew, but even he had standards.
Shiro chuckled, walking up behind him to wrap his arms around his boyfriendâs shoulders. Â Keith ears perked up to listen, but he didnât stop messing with his hair. Â His reflection showed a little snarl of frustration. Â Shiro wonder if Keith would scratch him if he called him cute or adorable right now. Â His feelings about the terms had a tendency to fluctuate. Â Better not, the hair and new appendages were enough blows to the ego for one day. Â Instead, Shiro leaned in and rubbed his nose and forehead into Keithâs hair, messing up his hard work without remorse. âSeriously, Shiro?â Keith said, pulling away to give him a scowl, ears flitting downwards a bit. Â Not really angry with him. A single tuft of hair caught Shiroâs attention. It was standing up perfectly straight in the middle of Keithâs head. Â He could fix that, Shiro moved forward and flattened the hair down with a lick.
They both froze, tails stopping mid swish, âDid you just lick my hair?â Keith asked, shock evident in his voice.
Shiro immediately let Keith go and took a step back, âNo,â he denied. Â He could feel his face heating up. Â What in the world had inspired him to do that?
âYou did. Â You just licked my hair.â Bad mood forgotten, Keith was grinning now, âDo you want to groom me, Takashi?â He didnât know if Keith had meant it that way, but as his blood stopped rushing to his face and started rushing south, that was the way his little head was going to interpret it. Â They were in a public place. Â He needed to think responsible leader thoughts before this got out of hand.
âIt must be the melding,â Shiro said, doing his best to look at anything that wasnât Keith, âThere must be some mental effects to go along with the physical.â
âThe melding, huh,â Keith said, something mischievous slipping into his voice. Â Keith reminded Shiro of cat with an unsuspecting mouse in its gaze. He didnât like feeling like a mouse, âWell if itâs just the melding, then we should probably go tell the others what happened. Â We wouldnât want them to get caught by surprise if they suddenly felt the urge to lick each otherâs hair,â Keith said all false innocence, as he turned and started walking towards the door. No. Keith had to just be teasing. Â He wouldnât actually tell the others. Â Would he? âI bet they havenât even made it to the elevator, yet.â Keith would.
Tackling Keith was probably not the most graceful solution to preventing him from reaching the door, but it was the one that felt right in the moment. Keith went down with an eep and an oof. He struggled, of course, but Shiro knocked his arms out from under him as he tried to push back up off the ground. Â Shiro straddled the back of Keithâs thighs and layered himself front to back on top of him. Letting his superior weight and mass do the work of keeping the smaller man pinned to the floor. Â âYou arenât telling anybody.â He growled.
His boyfriend laughed at him, not intimidated in the slightest, âOh really,â Keith said, craning his head to look back at him, âHow are you planning to stop me. Going to lay on top of me all night?â Keith squirmed under him to emphasize his point. The movement had him rubbing against places, and Shiro choked. Â Damn his libido, wasnât he supposed to have grown out of the horny teenager stage in high school?
âStop that,â He hissed, pressing down harder to keep Keith still. Â He saw the exact moment his lover realized what his squirming had done. Â Keithâs grin grew impossibly wider, showing off some of his newly sharpened canines. Â Shiro was so screwed.
âWhy Takashi, am I giving you impure thoughts?â Keith sing-songed, purposefully shoved back into him.
âKeith,â Shiro groaned, âWeâre in public.â Â Anyone could walk in.
âGuess youâll have to let me up then.â Keith said. Oh no, he wasnât letting him win that easy. Â You didnât get to be top of the Garrison without a competitive streak.
Shiro shifted himself up so he could get a better angle at Keithâs head, âOr, I could lick you again until you stop moving.â Shiro threatened, âMake all your hair stick straight up until you look like a porcupine, then send a picture of it to Lance.â
âDonât you dare.â Keith said, looking appalled, âI swear to God. Â I will make you regret it.â
Sounded like a good time to him. Â Shiro smiled then leaned down and licked the side of Keithâs mullet. âShiro!â Keith squeaked, flailing backwards trying to bat him off. Â He was mostly unsuccessful, until one of his new claws nicked Shiroâs chin. Â Damn, those were sharp. Â Shiro jerked back, giving Keith a chance to wiggle halfway out from under him. Â Shiro recovered before he could get completely free, though. Â He reached forward and wrapped his Galra arm around Keith. Â Pinning his arms to his side, and knocking him back to the floor. Â Shiro licked him again, catching the edge of his ear while he struggled. Â The new ears must have been sensitive, because Keith gave him a bark of laughter.
âAgh, Shiro stop,â Keith squealed, an undeniable smile on his lips, âI give, I give, Uncle.â
Shiro didnât loosen his grip, terms of surrender had to be laid out before he could let his prisoner go, âSo you arenât going to tell anyone what happened.â
âYes, jeez, I was joking,â Keith said, âNow quit it, you big lug.â
Shiro was tempted to hold on longer. Â Pinning Keith was always fun, especially when he smiled at him like that, but he had surrendered. Â Shiro let him go and sat back on his haunches. Â Letting Keith roll over to look up at him.
âWant to go somewhere that isnât public?â Keith asked.