Written for Sheith Month: Peridot.
This one might represent the most difficulty I've had coming up with an idea thus far, I admit.
"I'm home!" Keith called, kicking the door lightly shut behind himself. He dug the glossy silver box out of his pocket and then shrugged off his jacket, hanging it neatly in the closet by the front door. He sighed and hung Shiro's - piled on the nearby table and hanging halfway off the end - as well, then lined up his boots and put Shiro's back against the wall beside them.
"Welcome back baby!" Shiro called back from somewhere towards the back of the house. The office or the kitchen, then. Keith headed that way, threading through the empty kitchen and into the office to find Shiro sitting in the gathering dark - the sun was mostly down - and leaning over the desk.
"Why are you working in the dark?" Keith asked, flipping the light on.
Shiro sat up, blinking owlishly. "Ah. . ." He rubbed the back of his neck, giving a weak, crooked smile. "I didn't mean to. It got dark around me."
Keith shook his head, snorting.
"Where have you been?" Shiro asked, holding a hand out towards Keith.
Keith held up the box as he approached. "Shopping. For Pidge's birthday." he clarified, then sighed. "I hate shopping for people. I spent all day looking for something she'd like." He huffed. "Found this in a jewellery shop I only walked into because I was so frustrated, though."
". . .Pidge doesn't really . . . wear jewellery." Shiro said cautiously.
Keith rolled his eyes. "I know." he said patiently. "I think she'll like this, though, babe. Here, look."
Shiro accepted the box and opened it, brushing a fingertip over the small pendant. "Oh."
Keith grinned smugly.
"Is this peridot?" Shiro asked, tilting the square charm.
"No idea." Keith admitted. It probably said on the card they'd handed him when he bought it. "Does it matter?"
". . .probably not." Shiro laughed, offering him the box back. "You're probably right; though, Pidge might actually wear that."
"And it's 'real jewellery' so she can wear it without fuss when she has to dress up for company events." Keith said, though he was aware that it was probably not what the director had intended when he had scolded Pidge after the last one. Keith hadn't been looking to please him with the gift, though.
"I am sure Pidge will make that argument if necessary." Shiro said, lips twitching.
Keith tilted the box towards himself, looking again at the mock computer chip - sparkling with pale green gems and striped with gold and silver 'circuitry' which trailed up over the edges of a square chip of black stone - before he closed the box again and put it on the shelf at the back of the desk. "As long as she likes it." He shrugged. "I am . . . not good at present-shopping." He frowned.
Shiro wrapped an arm around his waist and tugged him close. "It's Pidge, you know Pidge." he said, raising his eyebrows. Keith hummed acknowledgement. "She'll like it," he added, "you're good at gifts when you actually like people."
Keith smiled, stifling a laugh. "Well, maybe that's the problem. I don't like most people." he said playfully, and bent to catch Shiro in a kiss before he could say anything else.