Archive of Our Own

Atlas imposing form greets Keith when he leaves the Garrison Officers building. He has been looking for Shiro for the past hour, and no one at the base can tell him where he was. Keith stops under the ship’s shadow, eyes following the few workers that remain on duty so close to Christmas. A beep from his pocket startles him, and he recovers the pad in a hurry, expecting to see Shiro’s name on the screen. Instead of his boyfriend’s name, is Krolia’s photo what appears on the screen. With a defeated sigh, he pushes the green button to connect the video call. “Hey, mom.”

“Still looking for Shiro?” Krolia is sitting on the porch of the old shack he has worked for the past year to bring back to life. 

Through the open door behind her, Keith sees Kolivan moving around with a very excited Romelle. “Yeah. No trace of him since the last time I saw him with Rizavi this morning.”

A little smile appears on her mother’s face, making a shudder move up and down his back. “Maybe I know where he is. But you have to come home to get that info, Captain’s orders.”

Keith growls at the sky before looking back to the little pad in his hand only to find a very amused Krolia sharing a knowing smile with Kolivan. “Fine. Damn, is everyone I know onboard? You know I hate surprises, mom.”

“We are sure you will not hate this one. Besides, Shiro says you can’t be grumpy on Christmas.”

The words make a little smile grows on Keith’s face, making Krolia gave him an amused look over the comms. “As if I can stay angry at him for too long. Ok, I’ll fall on your trap, I’ll be there in an hour..”

“Perfect. See you soon, Keith.” Krolia waves at him before cutting off the call, but not before Keith sees her giving Kolivan a thumbs up. With a defeated sigh, he walks to the hangars where his bike awaits, giving soft nods to the crewman he finds on his way. When he sits on his hoverbike, he lets his mind turn around the possibilities that await him at the house. 

The last year has been a rollercoaster of emotions. After the battle with Honerva, all the Paladins were exhausted to their physical limits. Allura has been asleep for almost a month until she regained normal quintessence levels, with Coran, Romelle and Lance taking turns to keep her company. Hunk and Pidge travelled to Earth to recover with their families, and he and Shiro stayed on the Atlas. Those first weeks of them alone in the Paladin’s quarters, with no one besides the other to keep them company has only steeled Keith’s resolve. Exactly seventeen days after the end of the war, he has risked everything he has and stole a kiss from Shiro during one of their stargazing sessions while Atlas rested orbiting a distant moon. And the stars had aligned for him that night because Shiro has kissed him back. Words of secret love, and fears, and not wanting to destroy their friendship, a frequent subject on the next days. They talked for hours about how long they have wanted more from the other, about the future they now have. The long travel back to Earth has mended their hearts as much as their bodies and they reached their home planet like new men.

Keith is speeding the bike through the empty roads with the sun setting behind the mountains. A view he had memorised during the past months when he and Shiro took this route daily to come back to the shack, their relationship progressing to the next level without them noticing it. They have always been so close, so crucial to one another, that moving together has been something natural for them. They just moved their things to the shack slowly, piece by piece, until the old house turned into a home, even with the tiny space and the holes in the ceiling. And once they were there, deciding to improve the house has been a logical decision. One weekend they worked on repairing the roof, the next painted the walls pristine white, the following painted black the ceiling of their room and handpainted the constellations they loved to trace on their younger days. Adding more space was decided as soon as Krolia asked to pay a visit, and so they ended making a new set of rooms and a bigger bathroom behind the house. A talk with Hunk made them order a new kitchen, with old fashioned appliances and cherry cabinets. In nine months, the old cabin turned into a house they were more than happy to call home.

He has been so lost in his memories that he hasn't noticed how fast he has reached his destination. Green and purple colours welcome him when he closes the distance to the house. The juniberry bushes cover the ground close to the building, a gift from Allura and Lance, the Altean flowers scenting the air for them every night. A white fence with some hidden security system surrounds the plot, Pidge's work. Keith stops the bike in the hill’s top near the house, taking it all in. Every single one of his friends helped, their loving touch covering the house as much as Shiro and his. Not even in his wildest dreams has he dreamed this big, wished for so much. And here he is, ready for Christmas, with his closest family with him, and Shiro by his side, not as a friend, but as a partner. With a soft chuckle, he turns on the speeder again and points it to the open gate, “Time to learn what my better half is plotting.” 

By the time he reaches the house, the sun has settled, the only light the one filtering through the windows and his bike. He parks his vehicle under the little garage they constructed beside the house, and the same moment he turns off the engine, the front door opens. The next second he finds his lap full of cosmic wolf, who is licking his face happily. “Hello to you too, Kosmo.” Keith gets off the bike carrying the wolf without effort, finding Krolia leaning on the door with a grin on her face. “Hi, mom.” He puts down Kosmo and pets his head without taking his eyes from her mother’s face. “Time for the big reveal. Where is my boyfriend?”

“As impatient as ever.” With a sigh, she pulls herself away from the door and walks back inside. “First take a shower, and once you are ready, I’ll give you the info you crave for, my little brat.”

“Mom--”

“Don’t mom me, Keith. It is not my plan. For once, I’m just following orders, and I’m not planning to infuriate the Captain of the Atlas, so be a nice son and take that shower.”

A soft chuckle makes Keith looks to the kitchen door, just to find Kolivan and Romelle’s heads peeking inside the main room. “Fine.” Keith gives her a defeated sigh before moving inside with Kosmo in his tail. “I fucking hate surprises.” The chirpy voice of Romelle reaches him through the closing door when he steps inside their bedroom, the broken words only giving away that he will enjoy that one. Keith knows that he will enjoy anything Shiro has prepared for him, but he hates not knowing what the hell was happening.

Less than twenty minutes later, Keith returns to the main room, hair still wet from the shower and dressed in his usual casual outfit: dark shirt, darker jeans, and shiny black boots. Krolia is waiting for him sitting on the armrest of the couch, Kosmo occupying half the sitting area. “Ok, I'm ready. Spill it out.”

“What is that catchphrase Shiro loves to say?”

Keith is already rolling his eyes, “Don’t you dar—”

Kolivan is trying to hide his amusement behind a raised hand, but Romelle is not even trying. The Altean is laughing her ass off while looking at them. Krolia is grinning at him, long finger tapping her mouth as if she was thinking. “Oh, yes. Patience yields focus!” A deep growl is Keith’s answer, which makes his family break in laughter. “Don't get mad, kitten. I’m just enjoying a bit too much my orders. Come, sit with me.” Keith is still frowning but does as his mom asks, sitting between Kosmo’s legs and petting his neck absentmindedly. “Good boy. Time for the big reveal.”

The distinctive scent of ozone that goes with Kosmo using his powers surrounds him, and the next thing his brain processes is that he is in a Garrison base, Ina sitting cross-legged on the ground beside her MFE. The pilot raises her head from the book she was reading, and a little smile appears in her face. “Phase one has been a success. Here, catch it.” She throws Keith a black and purple scarf and Keith scrambled brain can’t compute the action. The piece of clothing ends landing in his head while his brows hide behind his bangs. “Phase two done. Have fun, Commander.”

Another blink of Keith’s eyes and the landscape changes again. Now is James who stands close to his MFE with a little bundle of black wool in his hands. When he notices Keith and Kosmo in front of him, he can’t stop laughing. “Gods, I knew volunteering for this was a good idea.” He raises his pad and takes a photo of Keith, who still has half his face covered with the scarf, standing still open-mouthed. “Come on, Commander. I expected a better reaction time from you.”

That makes Keith’s brain works again, and he pulls off the scarf from his face with a growl. “If you were the one being moved around without a single clue about the meaning of it, maybe you would end with a hanging scarf too.” Keith has hung the scarf in his neck and is looking to the beautiful print the two colours make on each end. 

James chuckles, moving closer to him. “Probably. But I doubt no one will organise something so complicated for me in this life. Here, take this.”

Keith raises his eyes to find James just a few feet in front of him, offering the black bundle of wool. When he takes it, the fingers of a pair of leather gloves stick out from inside a soft black beanie. “How many of you are on it?”

“You’ll see. Merry Xmas, Kogane.”

The same moment James finishes his words, Kosmo closes the distance to Keith again, and the next time he blinks, he finds himself in another Garrison base. Kinkade is leaning on a wall of the main building, his little cam floating near his shoulder. As soon as he sees Keith appear in the middle of the landing field, he pushes himself away from the wall and picks up a bundle from the floor before closing the distance. When he sees the deep frown on Keith’s face, he shakes his head softly, “Don’t worry, Kogane. You are almost there.”

“I didn’t even know where on Earth I am.”

Kinkade unfolds the piece of clothing in his hands, showing Keith a black coat. “You will see when you arrive. Have some fate in the Commander. Now let me help you put this on, you will need it once you reach your destination.”

Keith’s brows are hidden behind his bangs, the surprise clearly written in his face. But Kinkade’s words make him concede. Shiro has never failed him, and he is more than sure this will not be the first time. “This is the most intricate date he has ever planned.” 

“He worked hard for this. Try to not be so harsh on him when you reach your destination.”

A soft chuckle escapes Keith’s control. “I’ve never been good getting angry at Shiro.” He stores the beanie and gloves in the coat’s pockets before petting Kosmo’s head. “I’m just surprised he has had the time to organise all this charade to have a date with me, I will go with him to the end of the world and back.”

Distant voices make Keith jump, looking for the source, “Why are you so adorable?” Lance’s unmistakable voice is the predominant one, but Keith can hear Pidge and Hunk too, and the little giggles of a very amused Allura.”

“What the--”

Kinkade points to the camera with a grin on his face. “Your team can be very persuading when they want something. They can’t be part of the plan but insisted on having the first seat on one stage, so… say ‘hi’ to your friends!”

A chorus of good luck, have fun, get your man, and something more inappropriate follows Kinkade words, and Keith can only smile to the silliness of the situation. “You lot are incorrigible. Luckily for you, I love you that way.” Soft 'aawws' from his team makes him roll his eyes. But he didn’t have time to bask on it because a few seconds later, when the sound is dimming, Kinkade waves his hand and Kosmo closes the distance again.

When he blinks the next time, he finds himself in a snow-covered field, with a beaming Rizavi with one of her hands clearly hidden behind her. “You are here! And almost with perfect timing! Come on, come on!” She looks so excited, jumping on the spot like a child on Christmas’ morning. When Keith didn’t close the distance, she does, punching his shoulder. “You don’t want to be late for this, Kogane.” 

“And what is this exactly?”

“Oh my, what do you think? It’s a date, you silly! And Shiro left this for you.” She uncovers a white box with a little ‘ta-da!’. “Shiro wants you to open it when you are with him, ok?” She is clapping and jumping while Keith examines the box in his hands. “This is so romantic! You better appreciate it, Kogane, or I will kick your ass back to base, and we are a few klicks away. Now, off you go, I’m the last stop. Have fun!”

Kosmo nuzzles his leg, making Keith look down at him, just in time to see the ground around them change to a paved path. When he raises his head, he finds a nervous Shiro, his Altean arm scratching the back of his head. “Hi.”

Keith is hiding his smile behind the box, “My cunning boyfriend at last.”

“Sorry about that, babe. But I really wanted to surprise you.”

“Consider me surprised, love. But now I want my welcome kiss and a little explanation, if possible.” Keith is beaming at him, lowering the hand with the box and beckoning Shiro with the other.

Shiro gives him one of his trademarked smirks before closing the distance, gloved hand taking the offered one. “And you will have it.” Leaning closer, he plants a soft kiss on Keith’s lips, the smile never leaving his mouth. “Welcome to my homeland, Keith.” He leans his forehead on Keith’s eyes closed while he basks in his boyfriend’s presence. “I’m sorry for the deception. I’ve been planning this trip for months, and after talking about it with Krolia, we decided that Christmas was the perfect occasion for it.”

“And what about our family dinner? We had plans to open the ton of boxes under our tree in the morning.”

“That, my love, is the magic of timezones.” Shiro chuckles while nuzzling Keith’s nose. “We will be tired as hell, but we can have half a day here, enjoy ourselves, have our Christmas dinner, and then go back home in time for everything.”

Keith pokes Shiro’s ribs playfully. “I knew it. Falling in love with a strategist was a bad idea.”

Shiro wraps his arms tighter around Keith, pulling him closer. “So the mighty Black Paladin admits being in love with me?” Another poke, harder this time, makes Shiro huff in pain. “Kidding, kidding! Don’t hurt the poor boyfriend who has tried to surprise you with a romantic white Christmas Eve.”

Just then the snow falling from the sky thickens, cold snowflakes slipping inside the opened collar of Keith’s coat and making him shiver. “Fine, sweetheart. You’ve done well. Now care to explain why I’m freezing my sorry ass in an unknown place of Japan? And what about this?” He raises the box between them with a smirk on his face.

“I can help with that.” Shiro releases his hold on Keith before closing the coat and wrapping the scarf tightly around his neck. He winks to his boyfriend before frisking him with no care, his Altean hand reaching unceremoniously to grab his ass while he finds the bean in one pocket. “Here. I gave you all the tools to stay warm, but you didn’t use them, tsk, tsk.”

Another kick, this one on the left arm, hard enough to make Shiro groan. “Don’t be a moron, Shirogane. Your plan lacked some clear instructions to follow for the poor traveller.” Keith then turns to face Kosmo, accusing finger pointing at him, “And you, little traitor, hope his bribe is a good one because you will have no sweet from me for a few days.” Kosmo whines softly, lowering his ears and nuzzling Keith’s leg. 

Shiro is putting the bean on Keith’s head, fighting very hard against the smile wanting to grow on his face. “Poor thing. Don’t listen to him, Kosmo.”

The same finger Keith has raised to his pet is now pointing at Shiro. “Don’t go there, mister. You are spoiling him.” Shiro dares to pout at him while Keith scolds him and soon the mighty warrior cannot keep his stoic façade. “Damn, you two are too adorable to be mad with. Now stop it, both of you. I’m good.” Keith feels Kosmo’s tail hitting his leg when the wolf reacts happily to is words. “Now, explanation time.” He raises the box between them and raises a brow, waiting for the answers he needs.

Shiro is beaming when he moves the box in Keith’s hand to face him. “This is my first present for you.” When he opens it, Keith has the perfect view of what is inside the box. The biggest rose he has ever seen stands surrounded by little purple flowers. Shiro has never given him flowers, in fact, no one has ever given him flowers, and Keith’s brain is still trying to process the gesture. “When I saw it, I thought of you. In my mind, I always relate you with the colour red. Every aspect of it. You are fire and passion, strong and determined, passionate about what you want. And after we stopped pretending we didn’t want more than what we had, the tones started to flow more to love and desire and another kind of passion.” Keith is blushing while picking up the box and raising the now uncovered flower to his face, inhaling the sweet scent with a soft smile. “But it is not the only reason I wanted to give you this flower. I wanted an unmistakable token of my love. Of my longing for you, for your company and your hugs and your kisses. A little help to show how much I love you, where my words are not enough.”

Keith’s heart is ready to combust in his chest. Never in his life has someone talked to him with so much love in their eyes. Not even the first time they shared their real feelings, or the many times after it they whispered sweet promises to one another. “I love you too, Takashi. More than I can put into words.” He lowers the flower and steps closer to Shiro, his free hand reaching for the loved face. “I don’t know if I will ever find a flower to describe how much I love you, how much you mean to me. But you always said I’m better with my actions than my words, so…” Pulling Shiro down with delicate fingers, he closes the distance to his lips and gives him a soft kiss. Not a lingering one, not the one that leaves you craving for something more. Just the kind of kiss that talks, the likes that scream ‘you are my entire universe’ more than any word. And Shiro melts to it, lips opening in a soft gasp as soon as Keith breaks the contact, eyes closed in bliss while he breathes Keith’s air. “I love you, Takashi.”

“When I thought I can’t fall even more in love with you, you always surprise me with new ways to grasp my soul. What have I done to deserve you, babe?”

A soft chuckle is Keith’s answer, who leans his head on Shiro’s shoulder before searching for his hand and interlacing their fingers. “Flattery will take you nowhere, Takashi. Besides, I can tell you a reason to be in love with you for the rest of my days and I will never repeat a single one.”

Strong arms pull Keith closer and wrap around his waist, raising him from the ground. Shiro is hiding his face in Keith’s neck, his hot breathing warming the scarf and reaching Keith’s skin. “You are too perfect to be real.”

“Said the pot to the kettle. We need to buy bigger mirrors for home because you seem to not see yourself clearly on them.”

Shiro is chuckling while hugging even tighter the smiling man in his arms. “Then we are the perfect match.” 

Soft giggles are escaping Keith’s lips, while his free hand scratches Shiro’s scalp. “My sappy boyfriend strikes back. But I’m still waiting for an explanation about this unexpected trip.”

“Ok, ok! You are as impatient as ever.” Shiro puts him down, recovering the box from his hand just to interlace his fingers. “I wanted to give you a white Christmas day. A very special one. And yeah, I know we have snow closer to home, but we had nothing like the place we will visit as soon as you stop asking questions.” Keith pushes him with his shoulder and pouts, making Shiro laugh. “And no pouting either, only happy thoughts for the rest of the day!” ‘Maybe the rest of our lives if everything goes as planned’. The pout has turned into a sweet smile, and Shiro can’t fight the lull and has to kiss it. “Now put on those gloves I bought for you before your fingers freeze.” He lets Keith’s hand go before kneeling and beckoning Kosmo. “Thank you again, my boy. Now is time to go back home and wait for us, will you?” The space wolf tilts his head and gives him a soft whine. They will never get used to how intelligent their companion is. Shiro pats his head and recovers a kerchief with the same colours as their scarves, tying it to his neck and securing the box inside it. “We’ll call when we are ready to go back, ok?” Kosmo nuzzles his arm before going to Keith and doing the same with his leg until his owner scratches his ears. A second later, the spot previously occupied by the wolf is empty, the prints left by his pawns already filling with fresh snow.  

The black gloves are made of soft leather and fit Keith’s hands perfectly, the lining inside of them already warming his cold fingers. “Now you have me all for yourself, Takashi. What do you plan to do with me?”

Snow falls from Shiro’s legs when he pats his trousers clean before the garment gets wet. “I have a few ideas. But first, let's take a walk. I want to show the landscape.” He offers his hand to Keith, his Altean fingers a perfect contrast against the black leather. Pulling him closer, he guides their steps up the hill ahead of them. “We are at the Gunma prefecture, less than a hundred miles from Tokyo. Lance told me you haven’t ever seen snow, so here we are, in one of the most beautiful places to enjoy it.” The little hill they climbed opened to a green and white landscape, a lovely town ahead of them with a river running around it. A perfect mix of old and new buildings paints the city. The pronounced roofs of the old houses covered with a foot of clean snow, making the city shine under the clouded light of the sun. Shiro lets him take on the view, moving behind him and hugging him, a futile attempt to keep the cold at bay. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“More like breathtaking, Shiro. Some of those houses look ancient.”

“Because they are. Come, let's take a walk around the city.” Shiro keeps an arm around Keith’s shoulder, holding him close to share a bit of his heat with him. 

Several bridges cross the river, and they take the closer one, stopping for a moment in the middle of it to enjoy the song of the river under their feet. The snow keeps falling, but it has turned into a soft sparkling of white on their heads and shoulders instead of the hard falling from moments ago. Keith lets himself get lost in the cadence of the snowflakes landing on the ice covering the rocks around the river, with the canopy of empty branches of the trees painting shadowy forms into the waters. “This place didn’t even look from this era, Shiro. I can’t even hear any heavy machinery working in the city.”

“Only the best for my babe.” Keith giggles at his words and leans his head on Shiro’s shoulder while muttering a low ‘sappy’, making Shiro laugh. “Always for you. Now time to keep moving before you freeze your sorry ass.”

They cross the bridge until they stand in the side of a narrow road, with shops, cafes, restaurants and houses framing it. A few courageous villagers and visitors are walking around the street. They walk around, with Shiro pointing here and there, explaining silly curiosities about the city to an amused Keith, who can only stare with big eyes everywhere his boyfriend signals. After a few minutes, Shiro makes them stop. “We are almost there. Can I cover your eyes until we arrive? I promise to take good care of you.”

“I’m sure of it. Ok, go on if that’s what you want. But I can close my eyes until you say otherwise.”

Shiro kisses his cheek before slipping behind him, the Altean arm already floating in front of Keith when he leans to whisper in his ear. “I know, but humour me, please?” Keith nods before closing his eyes, a heartbeat later the not so warm hand covers half of his face with a delicacy one would not expect from it. Shiro’s free hand ends on Keith’s left shoulder, guiding him to take a step ahead. They walk for a while, with Shiro moving him to one side when the sound of a bicycle comes closer to them and squeezing his shoulder when they reach a little step. Keith estimates they have walked around sixty feet when Shiro makes them stop. “Welcome to the Shima Onsen, Keith.”

When the hand moves away from his face, Keith blinks several times to get his eyes used to the dimming light of the sun. And what a view he finds when he can focus! A short bridge with low red parapets makes your eyes move toward the imposing structure behind it. Wood,stone and metal combined to create a three-storey building. Light is filtering through the thin doors and windows covering the long walls, giving the place an ethereal look, the mountains and trees and the falling snow only adding to the charm. To their right, a wooden roofed bridge leads to another part of the building from the same street they came. It all looks like a piece of art from a history book. But something in the landscape is irking Keith’s mind as if he has already seen it but can’t grasp the memory. “Have you shown me pictures from this place before?”

A soft kiss lands on Keith’s cold cheek. “Not exactly. Remember I told you about a movie getting inspiration from this place? We saw it this past summer: ‘Spirited away’, even being a remake, Soba told me it was almost exact to the original one from the early twenty century.”

The name makes the memory arise in Keith’s head, the lost young lady walking through the same bridge they are standing, Haru by her side. The building ahead looks almost identical to the animated version, the light of the setting sun making the snow on the roofs shine with orange and yellow tones. It’s not exactly as he remembers it from the movie, but the shape of the building, the entrance and the bridge are so similar that Keith can only turn his face and returns Shiro’s kiss. “Do you think we will find some coal spirits?”

“Who knows.” Stepping away from Keith, Shiro moves in front of him, the sun making his hair shine like the snow around them. “Ready for an adventure, my love?” 

Keith didn’t need a single second to grab the offered hand, squeezing it before giving Shiro one of his blinding smiles. “I’ll go with you to the end of the universe, Takashi.”

“Maybe we can aim closer this time, don’t you think?” They laugh at their inside joke. After planting a kiss on Keith’s knuckles, he walks towards the main door, pulling Keith behind him.

The woman behind the reception desk welcomes them warmly, talking to Shiro in Japanese. Not wanting to keep Keith in the dark, Shiro answers in English. “Thanks, Sakaguchi-san. Let me introduce you to Keith Kogane, my awesome boyfriend and Black Paladin on his free time.” 

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Kogane-san. Welcome to Shima Onsen. Your room is ready. No one will disturb you until you call for us or we send your supper. Well, maybe some monkeys, but we can’t control the spirits of the wild, can we?” The receptionist opens a drawer and picks up two card keys, offering them to Shiro with a bow. When Shiro takes them with a half bow, she gives them a little smile before stepping from behind the desk. “Let me show you to your room.” They follow her through a beautiful shōji door, a little entryway with sleepers near the stone step. She offers them one pair for each of them, waiting while they fight with their shoes. A cabinet hidden in one wall opens, the number of their room shining over one shelf, and they put inside their boots. With the warm sleepers in their feet, they follow her through a low illuminated wooden hallway, with sparse doors distributed across it. “Your bedroom is on the northern side of the building, away from the main lakes, with direct access to a private outdoor stream and another inside the building in case the night air is too cold for you.” 

They didn’t find a single soul on their way, and Keith suspects it is the way the onsen is showing them respect, giving the couple the privacy they deserve. At last, they reach the end of the hallway. She steps aside and beckons Shiro to open the door. “You will find anything you need inside the room. Clothes, towels and bathrobes are stored in the bedroom closet. The controls for the lights and the kotatsu are near the door. Dinner will be served at 10AM to accommodate your timezone, but we have left some appetiser in the main room in case you get hungry.”

The door opens with a low beep from the electronic lock, lights turning on automatically. Shiro extends his free hand to Keith, who grabs it with a smile. Together they turn their attention to the receptionist, giving her a half bow. “Thank you, Sakaguchi-san. I’m sure everything will be perfect.”

“We hope so, Shirogane-san. Don’t hesitate to call in case you need anything. Enjoy your stay.” She returns the bow before walking back and leaving them alone, her barefoot feet almost silent over the wooden floors.

When they are alone, Shiro pulls Keith closer until he can wrap his arms around him and lift him up. Keith’s hands end on Shiro’s shoulder, and he beams at his boyfriend while he moves inside, closing the door with one foot. The room they step inside is sparsely furnished, but the furniture looks old and handcrafted, from the embroidered kotatsu to the dark carved wood of the table, cupboards and chairs. The electronic devices stick like a sore thumb in a corner, breaking the comfy look of the space with the cold metal surfaces and the lights. But is not enough to break the charm of the room. Shiro walks them until they are near the table, lowering Keith to his feet before kissing the top of his head. “Ready to get pampered, my love?”

“Seems like I’m yours to command for the day, Takashi.”

Shiro cups Keith’s face, thumb caressing his cheek with tenderness. “And I’m the luckiest man alive for that, babe. Come, let’s get ourselves more comfortable.” He tilts his head to the doors to their right, which Keith’s supposed lead to the bedroom. Shiro opens the shōji with care, a low comfy looking bed presiding the space, with a panoramic window covering the wall in front of them. The view through it is breathtaking: snowed mountains framed by the tree branches, with the sound of the river running under them reaching the room mixed with the soft chime of a fuurin hanging from the window frame. Two blue striped yukatas hang from the wall to their right, waiting for them. Beckoning Keith with a hand, Shiro enters the room while taking off his coat and scarf and throwing them to the bed. When Keith follows him and moves his hands to mimic him, Shiro stops the movement, “Let me, please.” Keith rolls his eyes but does as ordered. With careful fingers, Shiro unwraps the scarf and hangs it from his own neck while he works with the coat’s zipper. Once opened, he pulls it back from his shoulders, the garment falling behind Keith with a thud. The next item is the bean, which Shiro takes off, rearranging Keith’s bangs once done. Cold fingers end on Keith’s nape, burying themselves on the soft hair with a sigh. “I miss your braid.”

“I know. But it will grow back. Not my fault those pirates used a flamethrower in a closed space.”

Shiro captures Keith’s right hand, raising it to his mouth and kissing every knuckle before pulling off the glove. “I hope so. I know Kolivan is disappointed too, you looked so regal with your Blade’s uniform and your braid.” Keith chuckles at the words, knowing they are true because his mother has said the same thing after the skirmish. With care, Shiro repeats the action with Keith’s left hand, planting kisses before and after taking off the gloves. The pile of clothes behind Keith reaches half his halves, but Shiro seems motivated to get him naked no matter what. When Shiro grabs the hem of Keith’s shirt, he can only raise his arms in surrender, letting him do his will. The fingers have gained a few degrees and are not as cold as before, but they leave a trail of goosebumps in Keith’s chest anyway. Soon the black shirt is joining the rest of his clothes in the ground. The same hands guide Keith’s arms to wrap around Shiro’s neck before pulling him closer to him, naked chest against clothed one. The mighty Commander is grinning so much Keith knows for sure he will feel it in the next few hours. But who cares? Because he is sporting the same silly expression in his face. “Sorry, I can’t resist your charms, babe.”

They are nuzzling their noses together, with Shiro’s hands caressing Keith’s back and stealing some of his heat. “No complaints on my side.”

Securing the hold on Keith’s lower back, Shiro pulls him closer, forcing him to walk on his tiptoes while he walks backways to the wall behind them. “I need to cover your sinful body, or we will do something unplanned before I can show you the magic of an outdoor onsen.”

They have reached the wall, and Keith slides one of his hands to scratch Shiro’s head. “No complaints on that idea either.”

“Tempting, but the night is young.” Shiro gives Keith’s ass a playful slap, laughing at the offended grunt he gives him in return. With some effort from his part, he frees himself from Keith’s grip and recovers the littlest yukata. “Turn around and give me your arms.”

“Bossy.”

Even if he retorts at him, Keith turns around and extend both arms back, letting Shiro slide the cold but silky material up his arms. Once he reaches the shoulders, he makes Keith turn around and repositions the garment until he aligns the neck. “There. Now do me a favour and finish yourself with your trousers and underwear, because I know for sure I can’t resist your naked legs and you know it.” 

Keith has to laugh, “Are you not planning to take a bath? Am I not supposed to be naked for that?”

“God, don’t remember me! The next hours will be torture, pure torture!”

“You are a moron, but luckily for you, you are my moron.” Keith winks at him before moving away, his half-opened yukata flowing around him. He picks up his discarded clothes and brings them with him to the bed, where he folds them as quick as possible before taking off the rest of his garments. By the time he turns around, Shiro has a pile of clothes at his feet and the yukata in place. “And people say I’m the messy one. Come on, little tornado, bring your clothes here before they get too wrinkled.”

“Ups, sorry. I’m just excited for what is coming.” Shiro grabs their obis from the hangers and puts them around his neck before recovering the bundle of clothes from the floor. He brings them to the bed too, and Keith helps him to fold them. Once finished, he looks at the obis for a few seconds before shrugging and leaving them on the bed too. “We will not need them for now. Come on, time for the big event!” 

He sounded so happy that Keith can’t resist the pull, grabbing his hand and letting Shiro drag him across the room until they reach the big doors that seem to lead to the exterior. When Shiro opens them, cold wind makes their yukatas fly open, but the view in front of them makes Keith’s brain ignore it. A square natural tub with stone stairs is dug on the ground, but what takes his breath away, is the landscape. The bathing area has no walls on the front side of the space, leaving the mountain view open for them. Winter flowers decorate the surroundings of the bathing area, mixed with little grey pebbles covered in half-melted snow. The snow paints the lush of the mountain trees with patches of white, with the setting sun washing it in orange light. “Wow.”

“Beautiful, isn’t it? Now let’s get inside.” Shiro puts down his yukata on a bench near the wall, where two bathrobes await for them under a heating light. He steps into the bath with a sigh, the water reaching his hips while standing, both arms raised in Keith’s direction, a clear invitation to join him. Keith didn’t hesitate, mimicking him and stepping into the hot water once ready. Cold hands capture Keith’s waist and pull him inside the bath as soon as he has both feet inside the water, making him collide with Shiro’s chest with a barely suppressed laugh. “Too slow.”

Keith puts both forearms on the strong shoulders of his partner, putting some distance between them without escaping Shiro’s grasp. “Too impatient.”

“For you? Always.” Feeling how hard Keith is trying to not shiver while being naked in the outdoors, Shiro moves them to the sitting area and lowers them into the hot waters, smiling when Keith sighs once surrounded by it. With all the care he can muster, he sits on the rocky bench and perches Keith in his lap. Just then, little snowflakes fall from the sky again, the cold snow melting even before reaching the hot water. Keith’s inquisitive eyes are moving around the landscape, taking in all the tiny details he hasn’t noticed the first time. Trees cover the side of the mountain they are facing, rocky formations standing among them like natural sculptures. From his comfy and warm seat, he can see the snow painting a new layer over the old ones, white shining under the setting sun. He can fight the little giggle escaping from him before hiding his face in Shiro’s neck. 

A nuzzle on the top of his head makes Keith raise his face, a raised brow on Shiro’s face waiting for him. “I was just thinking about the ability you have to show me a different side of everything. I always thought a white winter will be cold and grey, and here we are, warm and comfy in a bath while snow falls around us, and everything is golden and green and alive.”

“Because everything can be beautiful under the correct gaze. Just like us, the world always shines under the most adverse situations.”

Keith returns to his favourite spot, head resting in the strong shoulder of his boyfriend and sighs happily. “You’ve always been my light. Everything I do with you has a different shade. This would have been beautiful with anyone, but with you? This place, this moment, is just perfect. Thank you, Takashi.”

Shiro plants a sweet kiss on Keith’s temple before pulling him closer, leaning his cheek on Keith’s head. “And you always find a way to make me love you even more. You are more than welcome, babe.”

The snow keeps falling around them, but neither care. For a long time, they just let the world move around them. Golden turns to deep orange, then the blue sky changes to shades of purple. The sound of the city diminishes with the growing darkness until the world around them is dark, and they can only see the snow falling on the shy circle of light of the lamps around the bath. Shiro knows they should have left the tub long ago, but they are cosy, and for the first time in the months since he began planning this trip, he is not feeling anxious about it. With Keith in his arms and their hearts beating as one under the hot water, everything feels just perfect. But time has passed quicker than he expected when a low chime reaches them through the doors to their rooms. “Seems is time to go back inside, my love.”

“So soon?”

Shiro laughs while raising Keith’s hand in front of his face. “Babe, we’ve been here long enough to get wrinkled like dried raisins, besides, after dinner, we can take a bath on the inner one. The view is just as spectacular.”

Keith shrugs nonchalantly, before pushing himself away from Shiro but not leaving his place in his lap. Like a lazy cat, he stretches his back and arms, making his bones crack but giving up a happy sigh after it. “Bribing me with promises of food and more hot water. I can see why they make you our diplomat, Commander.”

“My moron is back. I’m gonna miss the sappy one, but—“ A wave of water splashing him in the face cuts Shiro’s words. Sputtering some water from his mouth, he grins when he hears a muttered swear from Keith. “Welcome back, babe.”

“Your moron may need some help to leave the water. My legs had never been this relaxed, and I'm not confident about my ability to walk by myself.”

When Shiro stands from the warm water, goosebumps appear on every inch of his skin, and a full-body shiver runs up and down his body. His muscles are relaxed to an almost numbing sensation, but he didn’t care. A single look to Keith’s figure framed by the loved landscape, with snowflakes landing on him, melting against his still too hot skin but painting his black hair with tiny white stars is one deserving of a freezing. Keith is lost in the moment as well, face raised to the sky with his eyes closed, enjoying the silky touch of the snow in his face, and Shiro knows he can stay just there, looking at him, basking in the softness of his smile, on the now relaxed face, the pale skin. But even the hot-blooded Black Paladin is human, half of him at least, and after a few more seconds, he shivers too, and Shiro takes it as a signal. “Let's go back inside.” Keith nods and follows Shiro to the rocky stairs. Using his Altean arm, Shiro picks up the bathrobes from the bench while stepping outside, trying as best as he can to not stumble on his way out. Then, he offers his free hand to Keith, pulling him beside him. When Keith is steady on his own feet, he wraps him in one bathrobe, putting on his one hurriedly before rubbing Keith’s arms and back to help him getting warmer again.

Just then, a delicate knock at the door makes them jump before chuckling together. Shiro plants a kiss on Keith’s head before stepping away, securing his bathrobe. “I’ll get that. Wait for me inside, and bring the yukatas with you.”

Shiro hurries to the main door, opening it with and finding a lonely hostess trolley waiting for him. He pulls it inside, the clanking of the glasses and cutlery making his stomach growl, remembering him how long it has been since they eat. By the time he reaches the sitting area, Keith is hanging the yukatas from the radiator beside the window. Finding Shiro looking at him, Keith sticks out his tongue before finishing his task. “They are dry but cold as hell.”

“Not judging.” The way Keith hums in answer says he doesn’t believe him, making the smile that seems to be living permanently in Shiro’s face since that morning to grow. “Really, I appreciate it, love. Now come here and let me feed you. I choose some of my favourites, and we have something special for dessert.”

A mischievous grin grows on Keith’s lips, and he closes the distance to Shiro, leaning his hands on the muscular chest and letting his nails scratch the half wet material of the bathrobe. “Special, huh?”

Shiro rolls his eyes at him, but so fondly that the effect is not even close to the desired one. “Not that kind of special, oh my god, I’m trying to be romantic here!”

“And I’ve been sitting on your lap, naked, for the past hour or more, so excuse me if my body is craving for something sweet.”

Taking Keith into his arms, Shiro raises him from the ground, caging his hands between them. “And I had my hot naked boyfriend sitting on my lap for the same time. You can’t even imagine the things I want to do to you, my sexy warrior, but I have a plan, and I’m not gonna let you disturb it with that sinful body of yours. And no pouting, you cheater. You know I can’t resist you. Please, just a few hours more and then we will make the world tremble, deal?”

“Deal. But I hope for the full treatment later.”

The pout that has been growing on Keith’s face has disappeared, leaving in his wake blushing cheeks and dreamy eyes. Shiro can’t take it anymore, and closes the distance to his lips, kissing him with a passion they only share in the middle of the night while sweaty bodies are connected, and their breaths leave their bodies only to moan the other’s name. Keith’s hands close in fists, grabbing the bathrobe and twisting it, while Shiro kisses him until his brain stops working and the only coherent thought in his mind is Shiro and how much he needs him. Their bodies grow warm again, and this time with no external help. But sooner than neither of them wanted, Shiro breaks the kiss, breathing heavily into Keith’s ear when he leans his cheeks together. “Babe, I will turn your world upside down if you let me. But not now.” Keith is still trying to recover his breath, but hearing the pleading on Shiro’s words, he can only nod. Whatever Shiro has planned for today is important for him, or he will not be teasing himself (both of them in fact) like that. 

They stay like that for a few moments, calming their hearts and willing their bodies to calm too. When Shiro puts down Keith at last, they share a sweet smile before Shiro steps away and Keith lets his hands slide down the now dishevelled bathrobe. Offering his hand to him, Shiro waits until Keith takes it to guide him to the sitting area. Once Keith takes the hint and sits down, Shiro recovers the trolley and brings it to the table, unloading the trays on it. From under it, he picks up a bottle with tiny condensation drops forming on its surface and opens it. The sweet scent of it mixing with the unknown ones from the trays. Shiro fills their long wine glasses with an almost clear liquid, bubbles sparkling on it while he serves it. When he finishes, Shiro sits in front of him, smiling softly while he does. He takes the glass and makes the liquid turn on it, enjoying the almost sweet scent flowing from it. “This, my love, is sparkling sake, a delicacy most people didn’t enjoy, but I always loved it. Taste it and tell me if you like it.”

Keith picks up his own glass and raises it closer to his nose, inhaling the unknown scent. He can almost taste the sweetness of it in his tongue, and with a little wink to Shiro, he moves the rim of the glass to his lips, tilting it and letting some of the liquid enter his mouth. The taste surprises him. It is, without any doubt, sake, but it has a different flavour covering the usual bitterness. Before it gets warm in his mouth, he swallows it, and just a second later, the sweetness grows in his mouth, leaving an aftertaste of grapes and melon. A second sip only confirms his first impression, and he puts the glass down with a big smile on his face. “You are right. I love it.”

Shiro grins only grow before putting down his own glass. “I knew it. Let’s hope the rest of the meal is to your liking too.” He lays his hand over the biggest metal cover. “Let me advise you about it first. Japan is not a Christian country, and as such, we don’t celebrate Christmas as you do. In fact, we have a bizarre tradition, one that goes back to the late 20th century.” Raising the dome, he uncovers a plate with fried chicken, served on a bed of green leaves. “Don’t ask me why, is too silly to explain it in a night like this, but yeah, we eat fried chicken on Christmas night.” 

With a little chuckle, Keith moves the tray closer to him, warm steam still flowing from the chicken pieces. “I’m not one to judge, you know it. Besides, you know I will love anything we do together, and it smells delicious, which obviously helps.”

“Let’s hope you like the rest of it too. Christmas Eve didn’t have the usual meaning for us, in fact, is like a romantic night for couples, similar to Saint Valentine’s day. It’s a day to get out, put your best clothes on and go to a fancy place with your loved one, but I know you prefer a more private evening, and I very much prefer you with just a bathrobe than any three-piece suit.”

“I prefer you naked, but then the food will get cold, and it looks like you have put some effort into it to ruin it.”

Shiro chuckles before shaking his head, “Some effort, he says. Darling, I’ve been planning this trip for months!”

A barefoot caresses Shiro’s knee under the kotatsu. “I’m just teasing you, love. You care about today, and it shows. And I’m more than grateful for it.”

‘I hope you will be as happy later.’ Shiro gives him a shy smile before moving his hands to raise two twin covers, steaming bowls of miso soup waiting for them under the covers. “A speciality of the area. The shiitake mushrooms are local, as are the tofu pieces.” Besides the bowls, a little bamboo tray holds a handful of shiny noodles. “They produce the wheat which they use to create the noodles. Those are the Mizusawa kind, my fav if you ask me, and the dish is meant to be eaten soaking the noodles into the soup and letting them warm in the brood before eating them.” He puts down the covers on the ground beside the table before pushing the trays closer to them and repositioning the fried chicken between them. “Let's eat before it grows cold.” 

Keith searches for the cutlery to eat, looking around the table. When he didn’t find them, he just raises a brow at Shiro. “Well, I like the plan, but I believe eating with my bare hands goes against the etiquette law of a dinner like this, right?”

“Oh, fuck! Yeah, sorry, my fault. I got carried away with the food and forgot about it. Give me a second.” Shiro hurries up and goes back to the bedroom, where his clothes are. After a few moments of rummaging, he returns with a box beautifully wrapped in his hands, kneeling beside Keith before offering it to him. “I visited my grandparents this morning, and they have this present waiting for me, well, for us.”

With shaky hands, Keith picks up the package. Is a rectangular box, wrapped in a colourful piece of clothing and closed with an ornate bow. Shiro is smiling at him, seeming to know what lies inside the box and ready to catch his reaction. Pulling the bow aside, he rolls it away without undoing it, the style is so beautiful he wants to keep it. Once free of the bow, he unwraps the cloth with extra care, each layer he takes away showing parts of a carved wooden box. The lid has Shiro’s family kanjis engraved and painted in white, with tiny sakura flowers decorating the corners of it. Sliding it, a silky black cloth appears inch by inch and resting over it, two pairs of wooden chopsticks and two spoons. Gold and jade decorates them, with the Shirogane kanjis on each item, but each set has their initials on it. Even for an inexperienced eye like his, they look expensive and more than special. He can only look into Shiro’s eyes with a surprised frown on his face, “This is too much, Shiro. I can’t--”

Shiro covers his hands, pushing the box closer to his chest. “Yes, you can. My grandparents are enamoured with you for more than one reason, and ordered this even before we started dating. They are a symbol of our union, of how much you mean to my family and me.” He squeezes Keith’s fingers lovingly, “They still can’t believe you brought me back to life and then back home to them. This is their way to say thank you.”

“We need to come back, and I need to bring your Oba-san the biggest bouquet of Altean flowers Coran can produce. Next time you talk to them, tell them I will treasure it.” Keith closes the distance to Shiro and gives him a kiss before putting down the box into the table and letting his hand touch the items before picking up the set engraved with Shiro’s initial. “I will use this set if you don’t mind.”

Warm spreads from Shiro’s heart to the tip of his fingers, and he craves to touch. And because he can, he does it, cupping Keith’s face with his hands and kissing him. “I don’t mind at all. Now time to use them for the first time.” Picking up his set, Shiro returns to his place, resting his cutlery in front of him. “Ok, let me show you how it is done.” For the next minutes, they eat in companionable silence, broken only by the short instructions Shiro gives him while showing him the best way to eat each dish. Every first bite of each dish makes Keith hum happily, enjoying the flavour, and Shiro smiles behind his bowl. They have visited some Japanese restaurants at home, but the flavours can’t compare with the original ones, as Keith is discovering bite by bite. But what warms Shiro’s heart is seeing his beloved using the chopsticks his grandparents had made for them, and not only that, he has decided to use the ones marked with his name, making the question he plans to make him later weigh less and less on his shoulders.

Soon they have finished their meal, the helpings big enough to fill but not overwhelm because Shiro still has to uncover two more domes. He puts down his chopsticks and returns their bowls to the original trays before moving them aside, making space in the middle of the table to position the remaining domes. Keith is distracted watching him, teeth munching the tip of his chopsticks mindlessly. “Time for more Christmas traditions, love. And I know you and your sweet tooth will adore them.” With a knowing smile plastered on his face, Shiro raises the first cover, a beautiful shortcake decorated with fresh strawberries and wild berries, their pure bright colours contrasting with the white cream coating the cake. He hears Keith’s gasp when he sees it, and can imagine him already salivating for a taste of it. But his other hand is still hovering over the other dome, and he winks at him before raising it. Under the metallic cover, a piece of art made of sugar awaits Keith’s hungry gaze. A dark brown wooden tray, decorated with sakura flowers and flowing petals, holds a collection of beautifully made flowers, each one different in shape and colour. “Do you remember last year when we ordered wagashi for dessert on that fancy restaurant in New Angeles? These are the real deal. Brought directly from the oldest confectionery in Tokyo. Christmas ones have different shapes, as trees and snowmen, but I’m partial to the flowery designs.”

“Wow.”

“Wait ‘till you see the inside.” Shiro puts down the covers beside the table before surprising Keith moving closer to him and sitting beside him. He leans against Keith’s side, head resting on his shoulder. “You know I love you, right?”

“I do.” When Shiro shivers to his words, Keith can fight against the urge of touching him, hand raising to cup his face while his fingers play with Shiro’s hair. “And you know I love you more than anything in this universe or any other?”

They move together, no need for more words exchanged between them, tilting their heads enough to kiss the loved lips. Every heartbeat of their hearts signs the same song, beating inside their chess to the same rhythm. Their kiss is just the next part of their conversation, a well-known discourse between them that takes away the need to say anything more. But Shiro has something to say, and so he breaks the kiss while caressing Keith’s face. “I have a question for you. I planned to wait until morning, but--”

Shiro turns to face him, kneeling more comfortably while taking a deep breath. “I had a plan, I have even chosen a spot to do it. But right here, right now, I don’t want to wait anymore.” His Altean arm flies to a cupboard on the wall, opening a drawing and recovering something from inside it. When it returns, he lets a little black box fall into his human hand. A loud gasp from Keith signals the moment he sees what he is holding. “For long years, you have been my friend, my best confidant, the only one who really understood me when the world was fighting hard to push me aside. You believed in me when almost no one did. Then my dream came true when they accepted me for the Kerberos mission, and even when I was happy about it, and you were smiling at me when I told you, sadness was finding its way to my heart. Just thinking of being away from you for so many months made me cry inside. And let me tell you, the messages you recorded for me made me smile every single day of our long way to the distant moon.”

“My brave pilot. You were born to be among the stars, whatever illness and bureaucrats tried to keep you grounded.”

The big Altean hand moves to cup Keith’s head, pulling him closer until their foreheads are touching. “My perfect, perfect boyfriend.” Keith chuckles softly, leaning even more against him. “But then the Galra happened. I’m not planning to destroy the mood talking about those days; however, you need to know that the only thing that kept me sane while on the arena was the idea of coming back to you. After that, accepting that I was in love with you and letting the feeling grow, was a natural thing. Never, in my wildest dreams, I believed I will come back, and you will find me. But you always find a way to surprise me. You found me then and saved me. Helped me to return to my old self and accepted me even when I was a scarred version of myself. And after that, you found me again when I was lost from this world and brought me back. You gave me a new life when I had already lost all hope.”

Moving back slightly, Shiro takes another deep breath with his eyes closed, before raising the box between them and offering it to Keith. “And this new life has come with another wild dream. It is not just the chance to have a long life, is the chance to live it with you, to grow old and more grey together.” The little joke makes them chuckle, making the nervousness squeezing Shiro’s heart lessen, but still, he takes a second to gather his thoughts while he breathes deeply. “So many moons ago, in a place among the stars, you made my heart beat again. And since then, you are the reason it keeps beating. You make it dance from happiness or stop when you give me one of the special smiles you have only for me. You had owned it for a very long time, even when neither of us knew it.” Keith’s eyes are shiny from unshed tears. “You gave my soul reasons to stitch itself together, loving me when I wasn’t able to love myself. You accepted me, pushed me away from the darkness, showing me the brightest star this universe has ever seen.” Trembling fingers press the side of the box in Shiro’s hand, and the lid opens, showing a black ring, the polished surface shining under the soft light of the room. “And the pilot inside me wants to orbit around you for the rest of my life, my bright star. So, time for the big question. Keith Kogane, will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?”

The question was still floating between them when Keith throws himself into Shiro’s arms, pushing them to the ground with a soft thud from the tatami but making the items over the table tremble. Questing hands are touching Shiro’s chest everywhere, sliding up until he can cup his face, raising himself from him just enough to lock their gazes. Keith is crying, happy tears running down his face while he beams at Shiro. “There are not enough stars in the universe to count the number of times I would answer yes to that question, Takashi. Yes, my love. And I promise you, whatever happens, I’ll be there for you, with you, until the end of our days. And maybe more, I brought you back from death once, I would do it again if it means spending a single minute more with you.”

The gesture and the words had made Shiro’s brain stop working, awed by the love he can see behind Keith’s eyes, knowing his own will reflect the same. But as soon as Keith stops talking, Shiro pulls him closer, long metalling fingers scratching Keith’s nape while he kisses him. And what a kiss it is. For the first time in their relationship, Shiro feels like he is kissing Keith’s soul, just as if they were back in Black’s consciousness again, their bodies not even registering what their souls and minds are doing. And judging by how Keith is humming into the kiss and his blunt nails are leaving tiny marks in Shiro’s neck, he must have felt it too. Shiro knew that asking Keith to marry him will change their relationship, but nothing has prepared him for the way their bodies are singing in sync, how much their souls are mixing and mending with every passing heartbeat. Everything was perfect with the precise amount of want and desire, enough to make their hearts beat like crazy horses but not make them want to stop.

But at last, Keith has to push himself away, the mix of feelings making breathing a difficult task. He leans on one arm while using the sleeve of the bathrobe to wipe out the tears from his face, before doing the same for Shiro once he saw that he has been crying too. The smile they give one another will make some cavities appear on their friends’ teeth if they saw them, and for a while, they stay just like that, looking into the other’s eyes. Finally, Shiro searches for the lost box under the kotatsu, finding it and offering the ring to Keith again, who only giggles before pushing himself back, letting Shiro raise too. Words are unnecessary at that moment, and so Keith just offer his hand to his now fiance, and Shiro didn’t lose a single second to slide the ring into his finger. When it is done, both stare for long moments to the contrast of the black metal against the white skin. Raising the hand to look at it closer, Keith's voice sounds surprised but happy at the same time. “You really asked me to marry you.”

“And you really accepted, my love.”

A blush grows again on Keith’s face, the situation finally hitting him for real but not in a wrong way. “How can I say no to that offer? Since the first time I laid my eyes on you, I knew you will be a key piece in my life. If it wasn’t for you, my life would have been a lot different. You had faith in me when no one did, myself included. I learned to love again, thanks to you. The world always looks brighter if I watch it reflected in your eyes. So yeah, having the chance to spend the rest of my days beside you... There is no doubt in my heart that yes, I want to marry you, Takashi Shirogane.”

More tears are flowing from Shiro’s eyes, the big smile painted on his face marking them as happy tears. “And you always said you didn’t have a way with your words…” He pulls him close again, kissing his lips, his cheeks, his nose, everything he can reach until Keith is giggling in his arms. “You know…” Shiro tilts his head enough to seal their lips again before painting a line of them over his jaw. “Someone seems to know me better than myself because she knew I would do exactly what I did.” 

“And who and what is that, my fiance? Damn, I love calling you that.”

Shiro laughs softly before tracing Keith’s scar with a loving finger, “Your mom, who else? She suspected I couldn’t hold myself until the morning and arranged to pass their night with the Holts. The idea was to leave the house all to ourselves in the morning for my great moment, and then we will meet with our families, Colleen almost forced me to sign a contract about it.” 

Keith rolls his eyes, thinking about the Holt’s matriarch using her powers on Shiro. “So, everyone on our dysfunctional family knew about your plan?”

“Almost. You know Hunk can’t keep a secret. But yeah, they know. It wasn’t my plan, but Krolia needed to know it, and she told Kolivan because I had to ask them permission to marry you, she said it was a Galran tradition.”

An outburst of laughter breaks free from Keith’s chest, one that ends with both of them laughing while Keith tries to hide his face in Shiro’s neck. “By the goddess, I can’t believe they made you do that. My mom has a dark sense of humour behind that stern façade. And I’m sure Kolivan was more than happy to help.”

“Oh, he was. He even broke one or two smiles while explaining me the severity of Galran marriage and how hard the Blades will fall over me if I ever hurt you.” Another chuckle from Keith’s make Shiro pinch his arm, making him jump. “Don’t be proud of them, you moron. Kolivan can be pretty scary when he tries, and I promised, he tried, very hard.”

Kissing Shiro’s neck, Keith mutters against his skin, “I know, and I’m glad you did it anyway, my love.”

“Babe, I faced death more times than I can’t remember with the memory of your arms around my neck and the smell of home from your skin. I will gladly face every single Blade if it is what it takes to make you mine for the rest of our days.”

“Stop it already! You will make the sweets on the table taste sour with all that sweetness dripping from your mouth.” Keith nuzzles against the warm skin of Shiro’s jaw, following it before kissing his chin. “And you made them look so delicious I want to taste them--” He moves closer to Shiro’s ear, whispering sweetly, “before taking a big bite of you, love.”

Shiro turns his face enough to kiss Keith’s cheek, murmuring a ‘teaser’ while he does before pushing him away. “Fine. Let’s make a deal. We can contact your mom and tell her the good news while we eat and then we can spend the rest of the night using every corner of this room to our hearts' content.”

“Sounds like a plan, Commander.” Keith winks before pulling himself to a sitting position, leaving space for Shiro to move. When he looks down and sees their bathrobes half-open and their hair in disarray, he chuckles, “Well, maybe we need to get more presentable for that call.”

A quick glance to his own half-opened bathrobe tells Shiro how right Keith is, and with a little nod, he stands and uses the Altean arm to pick up the now warm yukatas from the heater. Keith follows his example and stands too, opening his bathrobe and letting it fall to the floor, enjoying a tad too much the little gasp escaping Shiro’s control. But sooner than he expected, the silky material of the yukata is surrounding him. Keith slides his arms inside the sleeves and closes it, willing his body to wait for another few minutes. Shiro does the same, and soon their bathrobes are the pieces hanging from the heater while they fight with the obis Shiro has recovered from the bedroom to secure their garments. After helping Keith to sit down, Shiro picks up the vid com screen from the wall and returns to the kotatsu, sitting beside him. They rearrange the items on the table in front of Keith, replenishing the glasses with more sparkling sake before Shiro positions the screen on the other side of the table, leaning it against one dome. As soon as he sits down beside Keith, he pushes the call button.

Krolia’s face appears on the screen not a second later, as if she has been waiting for the call. “Hey there, lovebirds.” Knowing that his mother didn’t need a lot of words to get a message, Keith just raises his hand in front of him. A beaming smile appears on her face when she sees it. “I knew it! Congratulations, my boys.” 

A loud cacophony of sounds mix over the line, and soon the screen is taken from Krolia’s hands, and Colleen and Sam are staring at them, fond twin smiles on their faces. “Oh, Shiro! You made it! Look, Sam, we got ourselves another boy into the family! Welcome to the Holts, officially, at last, my dear.”

Matt’s voice reaches them from far away, a pained ‘no’ travelling through the line, followed by the unmistakable cackling of their favourite gremlin, Pidge. Soon, Matt’s face appears in their screen, eyes opened bigger than ever while he looks between the ring on Keith’s hand and Shiro’s blushing face. “You, impatient foolish! Why can’t you wait until morning as planned?”

The smug face of Pidge slides besides Matt, a big smirk painting her face while she repositions her glasses. “Congratulations my friends. And thank you, Shiro. Matt here will have to polish Rover every Sunday for the next three months thanks to your impatience. Oh, my elder brother, when will you learn to never bet against me? You can be older, but I'm wiser!”

A hand appears in front of the screen, snatching it from their hands, Krolia’s face filling it again while they can hear Colleen reprimanding her sons. “Keith, are you happy?”

“I am, Mom. More than ever.”

She smiles then, sweet and lovingly. “And we are happy for you two, my boys. We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. Your father loved to say we were soulmates across the stars. And I thought the same about you two. I knew you were destined for this since I’ve witnessed the way you look to each other.” 

Someone murmurs something from her right, and she turns her face for a moment, nodding before pulling away from the screen enough to make room for the newcomer. Kolivan appears beside her, wearing one of his rare smiles. “Congratulations, Commanders.” Keith, who has been keeping his hand visible for the screen, lowers his hand to interlace his fingers with Shiro’s, giving him a loving glance while they answer a soft ‘thank you’ to him. “As Krolia was saying, we have known this moment will arrive eventually, and so we made our own arrangements to offer you a gift, following the old traditions of the Galra before Zarkon’s tyranny eradicate them.”

Krolia shows them a tiny box, wrapped in purple and black. “I’ll send Kosmo with this and a change of clothes for you two. The Galra used to give the newly engaged a gift that could live as long as their love. This is our present for you, the first of more to come, my boys. Now eat those tasty pastries I can see waiting on your table and have fun. And remember to come here tomorrow for lunch or someone who can be scarier than I will be very unhappy.” She winks at the screen before cutting off the comms. 

Keith raises their joined hands to his lips, planting a kiss on Shiro’s knuckles. By the time he finishes and is opening his mouth to talk, the scent of ozone reaches them, and Kosmo materialises on the other side of the table, the box tied with a bow on his neck and a big bag hanging from his mouth. The pack makes a loud sound when he lands on the ground, the pat-pat of Kosmo’s tail hitting the tatami following it makes them smile. Keith slides to the side enough to let the wolf move closer and land heavily over him, tippling them both to the ground, making Keith giggle. “Hey there, big boy. Thanks for being a part of this.” Kosmo purrs in Keith’s arms, while two pairs of hand scratch his head and back. “Now let me see what my mom and Kolivan had made for us.” The wolf raises his head obediently, and Keith unties the bow with ease, the box sliding to his palm. It weighs almost nothing for how big it is, which makes Keith arches a brow in question, but Shiro seems to be at a loss as well about what is inside. Keith pats Kosmo’s head one last time before pushing him away and sitting back, the wolf lying beside him and resting his big head on Keith’s lap. Shiro gives him a little nod, encouraging him to open the package.

The purple lines they have seen over the vid com, now shine with multicoloured facets, little rainbow lines painting the black wrapping. With care, Keith unwraps the package, wanting to keep the beautiful paper as much as the one from Shiro’s grandparents. Under the wrapping, a metallic box awaits them, a letter on top of it. Shiro picks up the paper, unfolding it before reading the message aloud:

“Keith and Shiro,

 

Many millennia ago, our people celebrated love as one of the most sacred things of the entire universe. We embraced it, celebrated and shared it, because Galra mated for

life, and ours is a long, long one to decide to share it with someone. 

 

The time we spent together in the cosmic whale showed me how deep your love for Shiro ran, and the moment he woke up in your arms after Allura brought him back… I saw the same love in his eyes. 

 

You two were destined to be one. Not even war or death can keep you apart. This new step in your life is just a confirmation of something all of us know: you are two halves of a single soul.

 

And so Kolivan and I used our travelled to New Daibazal to do some research. What you have in your hands results from a mix of our traditions. We uncovered some things regarding how Galran celebrated and talked with Coran and Colleen about their own traditions. As your souls are a mix of human, Galran and Altean, we wanted to celebrate it. And so we have created something that includes a part of every world.

 

We hope they bring you happiness and you will wear them proudly the day we stand together while you bow your love to one another.

 

I love you, my boys.

Krolia.”

 

Keith has tears flowing from his eyes again, the box clutched against his heart while Kosmo nuzzled him. Shiro’s eyes shine too, his voice failing him twice while he read. Putting down the letter, Shiro cups Keith’s face, wiping the tears from his cheeks with his thumbs. “You have a wonderful mother, my love.”

“I do.” After closing his eyes, Keith leans on Shiro’s touch before taking a deep breath, calming his heart. “Gosh, she wrecked me for real this time.”

They giggle while a few more tears slip from under Keith’s closed lids. Shiro leans closer until their foreheads are touching, hand moving to caress Keith’s neck. “She wrecked us.” His free hand moves to pull off the box from where Keith has pressed against his chest. “Let's see what they have made for us.”

“I’m gonna cry again.” Keith whispers while positioning the box hovering over Kosmo’s head. The lid opens like a flower, pieces of it sliding to the side until they form a beautiful shape of a lotus, the bright white interior contrasting with the metal of the outside. But what takes their breath away is the two matching rings laying on a bed of silk. They are simple in design, just shapeless bands, but the beauty of them lives on the alloy they are made of. The mix of colours of the metals forming it is mesmerising. It is like watching a distant constellation, a black base crossed with infinite specks of gold, silver, blue, even some red. The mix of metals paints waves on the surface, almost as the ones left by raindrops over a placid lake. They were just beautiful, in every aspect of the word. Not only in the aesthetic part, which obviously they are but in the meaning of them, the hard work and thoughtfulness their family has dedicated to create them. How two tiny objects like them can symbolise so much, mean so much? All their worlds, origins and homes away from home, their future and families, mixed perfectly in a piece of jewellery.

Shiro’s finger caresses the smooth surface of the rings, smiling to himself. “It seems we already have our wedding rings, my love. And nothing we could ever think can’t compare to this.”

Keith joins him, going a step further and slipping his index finger inside the littlest one, enjoying the weight of it, the warm metal contrasting with his skin and matching perfectly the one gifted to him by Shiro. “Indeed. Now we only need to plan the perfect wedding to match those perfect rings, don’t you think?”

A little chuckle escapes Shiro’s while he shakes his head. “Believe me, we will not have a choice about that day. I fooled our team to make this day just ours, but the wedding? Allura and Lance will be over every little detail, Hunk will let no one prepare the meal for us, Pidge will record every single second of it. Gosh, I’m not even sure they let us choose our own garments.”

The hand carrying the two rings move to cup Shiro’s face, Keith tilting it up to look into his eyes, “We got to choose one another. That's something I’ll do here, in any other life, alternate reality, past or future. I don’t care how we do it or when we do it. I only care that you choose me, that you want to be my partner for the rest of our lives.”

“Choosing you was the easiest part. Growing the courage to ask you took me too long, way too long. I was ready to ask you after our first kiss because I knew at that very moment that we were meant to be one.”

“So you felt it too?” Keith is caressing Shiro’s cheek with his thumb, brows raised in surprise.

Shiro covers Keith’s hand on his face, leaning on it even more. “If by feeling it, you mean as if our very souls were touching and the whole universe exploded inside my chest from overwhelming love, the answer is yes.”

Keith’s heart is ready to explode. “Shiro--”

Turning his head to the side, Shiro kisses Keith’s palm before moving the hand away and pulling off the wedding ring, returning it to the box. Without breaking eye contact with Keith, he picks up the box and puts it down over the table, moving his hand then to Kosmo’s head. “Time to go back to Krolia, big guy. I will take care of Keith for you, ok?” The wolf whines lowly, nuzzling Keith’s chest again, but he understands, as he always does, and moves away from them before disappearing, leaving the couple alone at last. “Now, my love, ready to take the first step in our new life?”

“Babe, I would go with you to the end of the universe.”

Strong arms pull him closer until Keith is sitting on Shiro’s lap, “I have my entire universe in my arms.”

A muttered ‘sappy’ preludes the sealing of their lips. Again, it tastes different, sweeter, as if at last the commitments they said over the last few hours has finally settled. Fiance, husband, future, happiness. The words are echoing in their minds, and they didn’t even need to tell them aloud to know the other is thinking the same. 

When they break the kiss, they didn’t go too far, eyes locked in a loving gaze filled with promises. Just then, the clock on the wall pings, making them look to it in time to see the hour change to ‘0:00’. Keith beams to Shiro, “Merry Christmas, my love.”

Shiro returns the big smile, happiness flowing from him. “Merry Christmas to you too, my lovely fiance.”

Keith closes his eyes and leans against Shiro, hiding his head on Shiro’s neck. He is smiling to himself, watching the finger in his hand while it rests against Shiro’s chest. “Sweetheart, you will have a hell of a work to surpass this year’s Christmas present.”

“Well, I have the rest of my life to try it. Let me start by fulfilling my previous promises. Dessert and later, the special dessert…” He winks before kissing him again, this time with more intent, making a shiver move up and down his spine. 

The rest of their lives, Keith is so ready for their future together. And forever starts tonight, with that kiss and that promise. Forever never tasted this sweet.