Many ways to say I love you: Day Four.
Kidge-a-palooza 2019
Prompt: Fireworks.
Pairing: Kidge (VLD)
Universe: Supernatural! AU
Status: Complete.Ā
''You know? Definitely green is your color.''
Pidge looked back at the mirror in front of her suspiciously, with the fabric of two kimonos around her shoulders to decide which of two choices for that night. After several hours deciding along with Shiro, that had been the only ones who had truly called her attention away from too flashy colors and extravagant designs that carried some. But at that point, she couldn't decide which of the two to use.
She wasn't good at deciding her own clothes from day to day. Many times, Pidge chose to use the first thing she found. The specialty of her work often meant that only a dress and a good suit of armor was enough to get through the day. And on special holidays, her family used to take care to dress her correctly to follow the established protocols of her maternal race.
How could she do it with a garment that wasn't even related to her culture?
But she had to do it, for Shiro. Pidge had agreed to bring something consistent to the situation, excited to Shiro as soon as she let him know she wanted to wear one of the traditional Japanese and visually comfortable outfits, to accompany him to the temple while they enjoyed what awaited them that night.
It wouldn't be fair to repent now when she had him almost all morning helping her choose a good kimono.
Damn it, even Curtis had been depressed (and somewhat jealous) as soon as Pidge got Shiro's full attention even before they got off the ship.
One of the clothes she had chosen was an Italian red with a sophisticated pattern of black sparrows around them, while a disgrace of the same color began at the beginning of the knees. Although it was stronger than the others, Shiro had considered it elegant, also, in case of encountering mud while walking through the sanctuary cause of the recent rains, the spots wouldn't be noticed as much.
The other was green, the same light green that she loved to wear in her adolescence, before meeting Shiro and her friends, when she was kept hidden under the protection of the trees and her family. The white degrades began to the middle of the torso and had lovely patterns of cherry branches stamped around it, which contrasted quite feminine.
Both were really beautiful.
When she turned around to see Shiro, she could see a slight tremor in his feet when his gaze moved towards the door, as if he were slightly nervous.
''Yes?'' He put his attention on Pidge as soon as she called his name, somewhat disoriented. ''Sorry, what did you say?''
''I didn't say anything ... Is everything all right?'' Asked worried, it wasn't normal (nor good) to see Shiro anxious about an issue, especially if he remained silent. ''You look altered.''
''It's not that ...'' Shiro stopped a few minutes to think while covering his mouth with one of his hands. After a few seconds, he sighed loudly. ''It's been many years since I've been here ... It's just, weird.''
''Something like that.'' He shrugged, grieved. ''It's just ... I never expected to return to my native country, not after a war that took us so long to stop it. I have forgotten my own language a bit. It just feels weird, see all this.''
Pidge smiled in sympathy for his words when she saw Shiro's metal hand take one of the embroideries of the kimonos that were scattered around the room, with a look of nostalgia over his eyes. She could understand what he was referring to.
They had been fighting a war for many years and reestablishing the balance of magic in the world, which took, perhaps, the best years of them with them.
Returning to normality has been an odyssey for everyone. Maybe even more for Shiro, who has trained all his life as a warrior in the face of what was coming, losing his right arm.
Everyone's future would have been different if things hadn't become so dark over the years.
Allura would surely have married Lotor in different circumstances before he became corrupt and perished in the power of quintessence.
Lance would have continued to flirt with girls around him while making great fortunes with the search for unknown treasures.
Hunk and Romelle might never have met. And surely, they would have led normal lives around their villages and families.
Shiro may have inherited the title of kami as it was predestined from birth, protecting and guiding young souls from fatal fates.
And Keith ... Surely, he hadn't even known his supernatural heritage, or her.
But everything was finally over, even at the cost of many sacrifices in the process.
Like her own wings, for example.
It was a strange feeling, a sense of belonging faded by the passage of time and multiple experiences beyond comprehension. And for Shiro, it could be even worse considering that he had no family to return to the place he had called home. They had all perished before they sent him away to foreign lands to save his life.
But he had wanted to show them a habit that he remembered with longing in his childhood days, and go back to reliving his forgotten roots. For that reason, everyone had decided to accompany him to Kyoto and see the Tanabata festival, together as a family.
''We'll have a good time, isn't it?'' Pidge said, at last, Shiro smiled affirmatively after a few minutes of reflection. Rising from the ground to stand in front of her. Pidge looked at him expectantly, his kimono had opened slightly, showing part of his chest. Although Shiro didn't seem to mind.
''Yeah, everything will be fine. Although ...'' He touched her neck uncomfortably. ''I hope that Lance and Keith get to behave like adults who are, and not cause problems.''
''Well, they haven't been fighting as they did in the castle of the lions if that's what you mean. It is rather a friendly competition.''
''I wouldn't trust so much in them. Besides ... "He turned her back so Pidge could see herself in the mirror again, placing the red kimono on his shoulders and ordered it with his hands. ''Keith has been especially active in recent months as if he was demonstrating something ... Or for someone. Can you know the reason, Katie?'' The mention of her name caused a bad feeling to travel on her back, Shiro was insinuating something.
''Keith is weird, I thought you were the one who knew him better than all of us.'' She looked away nervously, without letting go of Shiro's inquisitive tone. Nor his penetrating gaze that could feel her even through her reflection.
''Speaking of which, Krolia told me that dragons usually have quite interesting rituals about the courtship of a couple.''
''Oh yeah?'' Pidge tried to look casual while Shiro approached one of the furniture to take a cloth that worked as a belt. Deciding on the black that matched her kimono. ''Like which?''
''Call attention through fighting, obviously.'' Shiro laughed lightly. She would have, too, if she weren't so nervous, remembering the last controversies Keith had been having with any male entity that was in his way. Especially, around her. ''She also said that it usually happens in later stages of adolescence. Because of course, they are very busy demonstrating how impressive their first years of life are.''
''That would explain why Keith didn't court any nymph when he was young.''
''You're all still young Pidge, you're under twenty-five.'' This time, it was her turn to laugh. Shiro sighed with regret. ''Out of games, don't think I haven't seen what you two are playing since the war ended. You can cheat the coalition, Lance or Hunk, even your parents with some care and a few charms of altering reality ... But I would like you to be truly honest with me.'' Pidge swallowed lasted for the sincerity of his words. ''Keith and you ...''
''I don't know, Shiro.'' She vomited, finally, rolling the kimono with her fingers, she felt a little nervous about the situation. Pidge didn't expect to be talking about that kind of thing with him, for Pidge, Shiro was like an older brother. ''I ... Sometimes it seems like yes, we go out, we spend time and all that. He is kind to me and always lets me go behind his back to have the feeling of flying again, but ... He always ends up going for months on a humanitarian aid mission across the continent. And he returns as if nothing had happened between us.''
''I don't understand ... You two didn't fuck when I was missing?''
''Who told you that!?'' Pidge's face achieved a furious red, similar to the folds of her kimono. Shiro snorted funny.
''Allura told me, she always knows everything.''
''Of course, she always knows everything ... Meddling Elf ...'' Shiro smiled faintly when he saw the frustration on her face. It was understandable, Allura was always very irrelevant to personal space. And the hereditary side of Colleen came to light in Pidge of being extremely reserved with her private life.
''You don't have to worry about that, although I'm a bit funny that you're doing things the other way around. You know, usually you know the person, talk about your interests, then start a relationship. And after that, you start-
''We were in a war, he had lost his only remaining family, and I had lost my wings to save him from Zarcon's attack.''
Pidge stopped for a moment, touching one of her shoulder blades subtly, where the unmistakable characteristic of her father's inheritance was supposed to be. But she knew that if she took off her clothes, there would be nothing there except for big scars that sometimes resented the cold.
She had sacrificed her identity for the greater good at a time of which Shiro's voice had sounded so loud in her head that she doesn't doubt at any time.
She hadn't blamed Shiro for ordering something so risky. If she went back to that moment, would have done it again without hesitation. Pidge would have returned to save Keith from devastating death.
''After you disappeared for months ... Keith and I were broken in different ways. We simply complement each other without thinking too much about it. We needed to keep going at all costs, looking for you in the process.''
''I see ...'' Responded Shiro reflexively. It sounded like something Keith would do.
''With respect to his attitude as adolescent emo reinvented, I don't know where it came from, honestly.''
''Don't worry about that, it's possible that it's because he has spent too much time with Lance and something ... In his genetics, it could start to take sides in his decisions, it may happen over time. You may not even be aware of it. A few years ago, he knew where he came from, who his mother was and who he really was. Give him some time, I'm sure you're important to him Katie, even long before you could imagine.''
Pidge looked up once she heard Shiro sigh contentedly for his work. The kimono had been placed on top of her clothes, but he felt a strange sense of pride as it shone on her body. The Asian females were naturally thin and without pronounced curves, so the traditional clothes fulfilled the function of not accentuating anything, but hiding and giving an elegant harmony to the female body.
For the first time in many years, she felt pretty with herself. She turned to see Shiro who was as happy as she was.
''The red will be then.''
''It's good that you say it, do you know what is another of the courtship traditions that Krolia told me?''
''That the dragons add the color of their scales to their suitors as a sign of acceptance.''
Ā Keith was somewhat anxious about that night. Rather, quite anxious, enough to keep moving while Lance gave a few touches to his hair before heading to the event that night. So much so that Lance grumbled in frustration when Keith looked up at his hand clock, completely ruining his work in a few seconds.
''You know what? I'm done with you; I don't want to continue with this if you're going to squirming all the time.''
''Sorry, Lance ...'' He answered tired, reaching before he got up and left the room. Keith looked down at the ground, saddened by his behavior. ''It's just, it's kind of hard to keep quiet tonight.''
''Is it cause of the people? Keith, nobody in this country knows us, everything will be fine. Also, there are more rare things than a fire dragon around the streets. They will not try to hunt you down.''
'What? No, it isn't that.'' Keith snorted when Lance returned to his place and again felt his hands in his hair. ''I want ... Ask Pidge to be my partner.''
''Cool! For what?'' Keith watched him confused through the mirror for his relaxed attitude to his open statement. Usually, Lance was extremely protective of Pidge, treating her almost like a younger sister. ''Will you go on a distant trip? Or are you in a kind of scientific research that requires some nymph?''
''Lance, I want to marry her, not to accompany me somewhere.''
''You what!? Who told you could do that !?''
''This it's serious Keith! If it's just another one of your transient dragon things, I'm going to-''
''It is not.'' Responded determined, stopping Lance's verbiage. ''I've been thinking about it for many years, and I know it's the right thing to do. I ... I want to be with her, I'm sorry. Pidge is the only one I need on my way.''
''Of course, I'm serious, it's Pidge!'' He shouted frustrated, but Lance didn't allow him to turn to face him.
''Really? I never saw you as a romantic couple, when we were together, it seemed rather that you took care of her by Shiro's orders.''
''At first, if it was like this ... But when I started talking with her, I felt strangely understood. She is a hybrid, just like me. And when I found out who my mother was, Pidge was the one who supported me most to accept me.'' Keith smiled wistfully; it had been many years since then.
''Well in that case ...'' He took his hair again, handling it in a different way while he was taking out small ornaments through the drawers of his shelf. ''I want you to know, that, although this is all very strange for me, I love you both, and I know from Allura that you have been shooting each other since the war ended.''
''Meddling Elf ...'' Whispered with annoyance, and found it strange that the mice came to them every time they were alone. Lance tugged at his hair when he heard it, but he smiled quickly.
''Do the best you can Keith. I will be supporting you in the shadows.''
When he looked at himself in the mirror, Keith could see something curiously interesting. His hair had been collected in a simple braid, which fell on her right shoulder. He could see small rows of smaller braids coming together across the road, and silver ornaments that shone beautifully around him.
It was a flashy hairstyle, but simple in turn, that reminded him momentarily of the one used by the fairies in ascension rituals, and it looked vaguely like Matt's when they first met him.
Something of the heritage that Pidge so longed to connect with.
Keith smirked, giving Lance a big hug for the gesture and moral support. He really needed it. After that, they decided to go with Shiro to choose the ideal kimono for that night.
Ā The night quickly fell in the foreign sky, with a magical air around it that enchanted everyone when they descended the stairs of Shiro's house. The roads were full of people who wandered from the temple and back, looking for snacks that the stores had to offer and one or another daily game for the moment.
Keith and Pidge were at a safe distance while the others came forward talking about the news they were watching. Pidge was leaning with Keith's arm at the difficulty of walking in sandals that she didn't use, and Keith was trying to do everything possible not to die of a shame since he saw her leave Shiro's room.
She wore a beautiful kimono of sparrows taking flight to the surroundings, which were lost in the sleeves, which accentuated wonderfully to her body giving her a much more elegant image, and her hair taken in a simple hairstyle with a hairpin at her side, gave to Pidge the maturity that used to be lost in its fine features most of the time.
But what caught his attention was the color so gloomily similar to his scales that she wore with pride. Wondering if maybe it had been Shiro's work since he was the only one who knew about the courtship rituals of his race.
He tried to take a deep breath as he followed the path his friends led as soon as they entered a much more agglomerated sector while attending to what Pidge used to tell him when something caught her attention.
Everything would be fine; Lance had assured him before leaving.
''Hey Shiro, why are there papers in the trees?''
Pidge took a few moments away from Keith to touch the papers that hung on the top of the bamboo at the main entrance to the temple. Giving them a pretty colorful appearance. They could see more than one person that they were hanging while away with some happiness on their faces. For what Shiro decided to explain.
''These are desires that people hang for them to come true, written in the tanzaku, the small papers they see there. Whatever you want, you hang it here, and after the festival, they are burned to reach the gods.''
''What a curious tradition.'' Coran approached while he saw other ornaments that accompany the wishes around the branches.
When Allura asked a little excited about the idea, Shiro nodded amused and guided them where they could find some tanzaku to start writing what they wanted in the bamboo. When they finished, they went to the highest part of the temple to wait for the fireworks that would appear in a few minutes more.
In the bustle of conversation while Hunk and Coran tasted some candy they bought on the way, Keith took Pidge's hand and asked her to follow him to a desolate part of the forest that surrounded the temple, quietly so that no one would notice at the time. She nodded curiously, holding his hand tightly, it's not as if it was the first time Keith had acted so mysteriously. Her heart beat with anticipation.
They walked many minutes in silence, observing the wonderful fauna of the place so different from their own home, and similar at the same time. The noise of the festival could still be heard from above, along with the lights that adorned the streets warmly. Their clothes gave them an air of comfort that they appreciated enough when moving around the earth.
They were far enough away until Pidge stopped to sit on a wooden chair at the end of the road. Keith approached her worriedly.
''No, it's just the sandals. I'm not handled using something like this for a long time.'' Pidge put them aside while massaging the contour of the instep. ''Still a lot to where you want to take me?''
''No, I think that's fine here.''
Keith approached her to remove the strange sock on her feet. The skin looked slightly red and somewhat swollen by the use of sandals. So, he continued to do a light massage to calm the pain of the area. Pidge complained weakly but didn't move away from his touch.
''Fairies shouldn't bring that kind of stuff on their feet.'' Keith said sympathetically, making Pidge grumble with a crooked smile.
''Well, I also have nymph blood thanks to my mother, and we wear shoes even inside the house.''
''But you're not used to this, besides ...'' He kissed one of her fingers as soon as he stopped, making her jump by surprise. Pidge was embarrassed when she felt his lips on her bare skin. ''Your kimono looks better with bare feet''
''Oh yeah?'' Pidge replied with some coquettishness in her tone of voice, taking the foot that Keith had in his hands to his chin, making him look up at her. His eyes seemed to pierce her soul. ''I can read your thoughts, Keith. You know I would look much more beautiful without the kimono.''
Keith's tone warned her that she had lit the fire inside him, approaching her like a hunter on his prey, feeling his breath close to her lips, expectant. Pidge had a big smile on her face, she had pressed the right button.
''Why did you bring me here, away from all our friends?'' It surrounded the neck of Keith to approach it towards her in a slow movement. His lips resting on the outline of her neck. ''Are you trying to stain the precious and innocent date that Shiro organized for all of us? What a cruel dragon you are ...''
He said funny, walking away from her before he couldn't think correctly. Pidge could be seen as someone completely oblivious to worldly desires, which was a complete lie. The lust of that petite nymph competed with his. He gave her a soft kiss on her lips, demonstrating all the sincere love he had for her. Pidge looked at him expectantly, reflecting the stars on her beautiful golden eyes, that red color highlighted her beauty in a way that Keithās heart beat wildly, like a teenager in full swing.
Any questions he might have before while talking with Lance had disappeared. He was completely sure that he loved that woman.
He didn't know at that moment, or in what second, they heard an explosion so strong that both turned their eyes to the sky. There they could see the fire consumed in multiple colors that painted everything in its path.
So that's what Shiro meant with the fireworks.
It was truly a wonderful image.
While Pidge was distracted watching the explosions, Keith whispered those important words in her ear. To be sure that she heard it the first time.
Pidge looked away slowly, forgetting the spectacle, then nodding frantically as she hugged him with a smile he had never seen since he met her in that war.
The heart of both couldn't feel warmer that night while watching the fireworks explode over the sky and their hearts were filled with intense love. They didn't need the tanzaku, their wishes had come true.
