#cybersheith

relationships: Shiro/Keith rating: E chapters: 7/12 words: 76,593 summary:

“Keith, would you like to explain to me why Mr. Shirogane is reading a very familiar copy of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe?”

Keith sits up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Pandora yawns and claws his ribs affectionately. Krolia stands, or rather looms, in the doorway, hands on her hips. It is too early for this.

“Because it’s a good book and I gave it to him?” Keith mumbles.

Her eyes are slits. “Keith.”

relationships: Shiro/Keith rating: E chapters: 6/10 words: 59,394 summary:

“You told me once that you were part of the Garrison,” Krolia says. “Tell me more about that.”

His brow furrows. “I’ve already given you the information you requested,” he says.

“Have you?” Krolia leans closer. “Then would you care to tell me why you reek of a Galra in heat, Shirogane?”

His eyes widen. He didn’t know she knew his name, either. “That’s not —” he stammers, and flushes. “It’s not like that,” he mutters, eyes downcast. Interesting reaction.

“A rather satisfied Galra,” Krolia adds, entertained by the way that makes him twitch, eyes widening and blush darkening further. “Something you’d like to share?”

relationships: Shiro/Keith rating: E chapters: 7/12 words: 68,894 summary:

Krolia's arms wrap around Keith with bruising, frantic familiarity, and he slowly returns the hug, leaning his head into her shoulder, still hardly believing he didn’t die when Shiro threw him out the window, that this isn’t some elaborate, vivid near-death experience.

Keith is jolted out of his impossible reunion by Kolivan’s growling voice. “So the Champion returned for us to put him down properly. Good.”

“Wait,” Ulaz interjects, “this makes no sense. Your bounty with the Garrison is still active –”

“Irrelevant,” Shiro says, voice toneless. “I do not work for the Garrison any more.”

“Then who do you work for?” Thace demands.

“Does it matter?” Shiro sighs. “You want me dead.”

tldr; no he is not evil, i would die for gridlocked shiro and as of the last several chapters half the comments are readers agreeing he is making them feel too much (mood) & deserves only good things.....which is true....

That being said, Gridlocked is a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world so all/most of the characters have gray morality to varying degrees. The world ended a decade ago and they are all deeply traumatized, in various ways, because of that. Shiro’s trauma, as well as specific things he endured (which are spoilers), changed who he was as a person in order to survive. He’s done questionable things and especially through Keith’s POV in the first few chapters, he is an antagonistic force in the story. But Gridlocked is also about traumatized people healing with each other, focused on Shiro and Keith.

Shiro is not the antagonist by any means; there are MUCH worse people/forces than him lmao. He’s actually meant to be a lawful good force, though in the end I think chaotic neutral fits him AND Keith better. Keith & Shiro’s dynamic in Gridlocked is both complicated and one of my favorite dynamics I’ve ever written. It’s called Gridlocked because they’re evenly matched forces in their own ways, and eventually come to realize this.