Anon Asked: Alpha verse when they have a fight and both try to use their alpha pull/influence?

It's easy to forget Shiro has teeth. He spends so much time playing the harmless happy house dog, even Keith forgets about the wolf underneath. Not right now, though. When Shiro had heard the plan Keith and the Blade had cooked up to infiltrate a Galra tournament, he'd demanded to see Keith in the other room immediately. The tournament wasn't slave matches, like the ones Shiro had fought in. Everyone there was a willing participant, who'd paid an entry fee. Deaths and permanent maiming weren't even that common of an occurrence, but Shiro hadn't seen it that way. Keith had tried to argue the logic of it to him. All they stood to gain by getting free access to the ship's interior. Shiro was stubborn. Stuck on the idea of Keith fighting in front of a crowd. Which led them here.

Shiro growls at him, a base rumbling threat from deep inside his chest. Keith matches it with one of his own. He will not roll over and let Shiro have his way just because he decided to remind him of just how much bigger he is than Keith, and he is. Shiro is using ever extra inch he has to loom over Keith, his whole body seeming to expand to take up more room. "You are not going," Shiro's voice is like his growl morphed into words, something deep that vibrates through the air.

"That's not your call." Keith snarls, baring his teeth and pressing into Shiro's space. He can't match Shiro's tone, his voice simply doesn't go that low, but he can match his will.

Shiro doesn't back away, "I am the Leader of Voltron," Shiro steps forward, forcing Keith to look up at him, "You are a Paladin. You will listen to me."

Keith pushes up on the balls of his feet, so they are nose to nose. "This has nothing to do with Voltron. I will do as I want."

Shiro growls at him again, like Keith had simply not heard him the first time. "Back off Shirogane," Keith snaps his teeth together causing Shiro to flinch back, "This isn't your decision." He can see Shiro's nostrils flare and his teeth grind. They stare each other down. Tension building in the room, to the point that the fight must get physical or end here. Keith holds his ground. He won't be cowed out of his choice. Shiro steps away first.

Keith feels himself relax. There doesn't need to be verbalization. He's won this round.

That isn't good enough, though. He doesn't want to leave it like this. He wants Shiro to actually agree with his plan. Not go along with it just because he has no choice, "I only have to win a couple rounds," He explains much softer than before, "Just enough to get a key card to the non-public sections of the ship. Then the Blade agent will do their search of the computers, and I'll be out of there." Shiro reacts to his softening posture by slightly relaxing his own.

"I don't like it," Shiro says, "No one should-" Shiro cuts himself off and looks Keith in the eyes, "You shouldn't have to fight for those bastards' amusement."

Keith lifts his hand to touch Shiro's cheek, and Shiro grabs it. Holding his hand still while he presses his nose against Keith's wrist, "It won't be the same, Takashi," Keith soothes, "It's a completely different set of circumstance."

"It's close enough," Shiro breathes, grip tightening.

Keith shakes his hand loose and tugs on Shiro's head. Folding the bigger alpha into him, until his face is buried in his neck, "It will be less than a week, then I'll come back to you, no worse for wear," Keith promises.

Shiro wraps his arms around his waist, pulling him closer. "Please, be careful."

"I will"


Note:

In this verse, there isn't really a semi-mystical pull that alphas can use on others. It's mostly just instinctual posturing/reminding the other guy that you're big mean and they should do what you say.

These things tend to break off before violence actually starts. It's mostly about establishing who is most willing and able to do do violence, than actually doing it.