#kosbae

Heart pounding, Shiro checked his bedroom, anxiety pulsing in his neck when he found the bed and his reading chair empty. The guest room and bathroom doors were always shut, but he checked just to be sure. Still nothing.

He didn't remember hearing her squeeze through the doggy-dog to the backyard, but it was the only place he hadn't looked. Relief washed over him as he pulled the door open and finally saw her.

Bae Bae stood on her hind legs up against the fence separating his house from his next door neighbor. Her tail blurred as it whipped back and forth. Keith's gigantic wolf-dog stood on the other side of the pristinely painted white wood. His giant frame was tall enough to peer over the top of the fence, but not large enough to reach Bae Bae as she whined and jumped for him.

“Bae Bae!” Shiro scolded, slipping on the flip flops he kept on the patio. He made his way over to the dogs, shaking his head. “Come on, it's time for dinner. You can play with Comet after you eat.”

He was about to lean down to pick her up when he heard a laugh from the other side of the fence. “It's Kosmo, actually.” Keith didn't sound offended that Shiro had forgotten his dog's name as he made his way from the front gate to stand next to them.

“Oh, sorry,” Shiro chuckled awkwardly. “I knew it was something spacey.”

Keith smiled at him over the fence; Shiro could only see to the bottom of his chin, but the fond look still made his heart leap up into his throat. “He doesn't mind. Not fully convinced that's really his name, anyway.”

He reached over and scratched the wolf's head between his ears. “Sorry if he was bothering Bae Bae, he's not dangerous or anything.”

Shiro's eyebrows shot up. “No, no. They looked like they were having fun, I'm just trying to keep her on a schedule. Dinner time at 5:30 sharp,” he said with another uncomfortable laugh, tapping at his watchless wrist even though Keith couldn't see him.

Keith nodded. “Well, I'll take him inside so she can eat.”

Shiro had expected a gentle tug at Kosmo's collar or a sharp whistle followed by a clear command. He hadn't at all been prepared for Keith to lean down and scoop the easily-one-hundred-pound dog up into his arms like a baby on his back. His eyes widened at the sight, and his mouth ran dry.

“Have a good night!” Keith called over his shoulder as he nudged his back door open.

Shiro snapped his jaw shut and felt his face heat with blush. “Uh, thanks! You, uh, you too!” He held his hand up in a wave as Keith gently set Kosmo down inside the door before shutting it behind them.