Written for Day 21 of Sheith Month: Coping & Stress.

This is not at all what I originally thought I would write for today's prompt . . . and definitely this series made itself happen. (I wrote this later the same day I finished day 18's Territorial.) I'm pleased with both, however!

Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose, pushing up his glasses, and swallowed back a whine as he all but stumbled down the corridor to his room. He blindly entered the passcode, taking two tries to get it in correctly, then pushed forwards into his blessedly quiet room.

He finally dropped his hand as the door closed behind him. He went still. There on the floor at the far side of the room was a pool of velvety shadow and a dappled heap of fluff curled up together.

For a single moment Matt thought about turning around and leaving his best friends alone again, but the idea of going back out made him want to cry. Not that he thought they would mind if he stayed, but he did try to make sure the couple had time alone together even if it meant staying out of his own room sometimes. He'd seen Shiro's room, he didn't ask why they couldn't cuddle there instead - the single room he'd been assigned this year was tiny enough Matt was almost surprised Shiro fit in it, in either shape. Adding Keith would be very uncomfortable, particularly in his panther shape.

Shiro flicked one ear in his direction and then Keith raised his head, peering over at Matt himself. He waved a hand, putting his bag down at the desk and squeezing his eyes closed. "I'm okay," he said in response to a low whuff from Shiro, "just . . . need some quiet time. Don't worry about it." He'd been working almost nonstop on a complex assignment and he needed to decompress before he screamed in the face of his superior officer next time he reported in about it.

Keith was still watching him when he opened his eyes again. He met Matt's gaze and yowled quietly, head tilting and whiskers curving forwards.

"Just ignore me." Matt said, hoping that they would. He turned away, pulling off his jacket and glasses, then sitting down to take off his boots. He leaned over and rested his face in his hands, rubbing at his eyes and trying to stop the mad whirl of his thoughts and the anxious fluttering in his chest.

He slid off the chair to his knees, then let himself fall into his other shape. He shuddered, racing heart thrumming through his much smaller body before the comfort of the shift calmed its pace. Matt stretched gingerly and splayed his toes, tail flicking. He trotted away from his desk, then paused and took a deep breath, finding only the calming scents of home and familiar. His nerves began to settle. Even the thick scent of predator, big, dangerous his senses could pick up in this shape was soothing.

Keith stretched out his neck a little further and gave another soft yowl, splaying one extended paw until the vicious claws were visible.

Matt hesitated - he had been going to curl up quietly in his own bed - then skittered obligingly across the floor to his friends. He continued tentatively forwards between their necks, placing his paws carefully. Then Keith abruptly snagged him with a huge but fortunately gentle paw and pulled Matt between himself and Shiro, into the middle of a sea of warm fur and powerful muscle.

Matt tensed for a moment before heaving a sigh and turning around a few times to relax in his new location, paws sliding over his friends' legs. Shiro nudged at Matt's side with a gentle press of his muzzle, steadying him. He curled up comfortably, supported in the cradle where Shiro and Keith's bodies met, nestling into sleek velvet and plush fluff. He tucked his own legs under himself, tail draped behind him, and lay his head down.

He jumped as Keith's tongue suddenly rasped over the top of his head and yipped testily at his friend.

Keith rumbled, something between a purr and a growl, and pinned him with a heavy paw across his ribs. Matt yipped again, but as Keith licked one of his ears, he let his head settle down across Shiro's shoulder again, giving in. There was generally little point arguing with Keith anyway. He nosed Keith's jaw in return, barking quietly.

Another few strokes of a rough tongue and Keith pressed his nose to Matt's neck, purring comfortingly. Shiro nosed him lightly, then tucked his head across just beside Matt's body, resting against Keith's shoulder. Matt sighed, wriggling a little to get more settled where he rested against Shiro's neck.

Even when he moved his head away Keith's heavy, throaty purr was a steady constant thrumming through Matt's body, and it felt as though it was pushing the stressful buzz out of him as he soaked in the warmth of being snugly between his friends. He sighed, closing his eyes, and shifted his head a little.

Matt only realised he had fallen asleep when he was disturbed, half jolted from sleep by a movement around him that was briefly dizzying. Then gentle hands wrapped around him, smoothing his fur lightly before picking him up. Matt stirred, feeling vaguely like he should protest, or at least wake up properly, but before he could make up his mind he was being settled into the sea of plush comfort that bore his own scent. He curled up a little tighter, tail flicking up and over his muzzle, and nestled into the pillow as he heard a low murmur of voices.

"Matt won't mind, just stay." Keith said in a tone that to Matt's fox ears bore a similar soft rumble to the contented sounds he made as a panther, coaxing lilt aside. After the quiet huff of a protest he got in answer Matt would have risen to confirm that he didn't mind, but he was too tired and the vestiges of sleep too close and too comfortable. "Shiro. Stay." Keith said again, soft but firm.

The soft sound of skin sliding on skin - so quiet Matt's human ears wouldn't have made it out - and then a kiss, and then he heard two bodies ascending to Keith's bunk. Matt sighed, paws twitching, and fell asleep to the rustle of bodies and bedding above him.

Matt woke nestled comfortably in his bed, tucked between the pillow and a curved heap of blanket. He lifted his head and yawned, then stretched his paws out, kicking the blanket a little further away. Garrison sound insulation was good, but even considering that it was quiet enough that Matt suspected it was still early in the morning.

He rose, stretched languidly, tail twitching with the release of tension, then shook himself and shifted to his human shape. He flopped down on his belly, then rolled over and stretched again, closing his eyes.

He was much calmer than he would have anticipated when he'd headed out of the study halls late last night jittery with stress, and he'd slept fantastically well. He folded an arm behind his head and opened his eyes, looking up at the underside of Keith's bunk, a smile tugging at his lips.

He had good friends.

Matt vaguely remembered the discussion he had overheard - he thought - between them as he was drifting between sleep and awareness. He slid out of bed and glanced up, but the bunk was high enough he couldn't see over into it from this close - for which he was grateful, because it meant he had more space in the bunk underneath.

Matt stepped up and braced the balls of his feet on the edge of his bunk, gripping the edge of Keith's and hauling himself up, quietly, to peek over into it. He smiled and smothered a laugh. Shiro had stayed, all right.

Right in front of Matt there was a wall of dark, silvery grey and black fur, one slender hand buried in it at the ruff. Shiro was sprawled out with his back to the room and Keith clingily wrapped around him, disdaining the blanket likely because with Shiro and all his thick fur it was anything but necessary. He even had one leg thrown over Shiro.

Of course, Shiro also had his muzzle shoved under Keith's chin up against his throat, his whole body curled into Keith's hold.

Matt had heard about and known couples who were uncomfortable around each others' shifted forms - or only comfortable when their shapes were matched, both human or both animal - but Shiro and Keith were . . . definitely not among them. Matt dropped back down to the floor and rolled his neck and shoulders as he crossed over to his desk, rummaging for his phone to check the time and his schedule for the day.

"Mmngh. . ."

Matt looked up just in time to watch a tousled head peek over the fur he could just barely see from this angle.

"Hey. . . You okay?" Keith asked, sleepy eyes focused on his face.

Matt smiled, touched. "Yes. Just had a bad day." he said, shaking his hair out of his eyes. He paused, hesitating. "Thanks." he added softly.

Keith returned the smile, propping his chin on Shiro's neck. "Remember to take some time to unwind when you can; don't overwork." he advised, which Matt would protest - Keith was insanely dedicated when he got his mind set on something - but just at the moment, with him snuggling lazily into the fluffy mass of his boyfriend, it would have felt more defensive than honest to accuse Keith of the same behaviour. However true it might be.

"Yeah. I'll try." Matt said, sighing as he glanced back down at his phone. "Pierson's trying to wreck me in his class, but I'll try. I've got the best friends, at least, though." he added, looking back up at Keith.

"Mm." Keith nudged his chin deeper into Shiro's fur, then lifted his head a bit. "Want me to eat him? He's tiny, we could totally make it look like a mysterious disappearance."

Matt cracked up, clutching his phone against his stomach as he tried to keep quiet. The mental image of Keith stalking Pierson - who was indeed tiny, his form was a shrew - perhaps during his habitual morning break was just a little too much for Matt.

"No, no," Matt finally managed, waving his hand, "but thanks for the offer."

Keith made a thoughtful hum and shrugged as though it didn't matter to him one way or the other, sinking back out of sight behind Shiro. "Oh, what time is it?" he asked without coming up again.

Matt glanced at his phone again. "Not quite seven." he answered.

"Great." Keith said, slightly muffled, presumably burying himself back in Shiro's fur.

"What time do you need to be up?" Matt asked, looking around for Keith's phone.

"Got a meeting at eight thirty." Keith said sleepily.

Matt found the phone, set the alarm, and set it down on the table at the foot of the bunks. "Alarm's set, go back to sleep."

"Thanks." Keith said, lifting a hand to wave at him.

Matt smiled, changing into fresh clothes before heading out in search of breakfast.

This takes place the year after Territorial, with new room assignments and a well-established friendship between all three of the boys - and naturally, Shiro and Keith have been a couple for a while at this point.