The night was young; bar packed, music thrumming, glasses clinking, hollers and cheers screaming above everything else. it was a night to celebrate over their victory over the Balmerans, with one, Takashi Shirogane, being the focus of attention and praise from his team for kicking that last goal seconds before the timer clocked out, bringing the Voltron Lions ahead by a single goal.

"Shiro you absolute legend! What would we ever do without you?" Matt all but shouted as he slung his arm so casually around the larger man's neck, the drink in his other hand sloshing around and spilling to the floor carelessly .

"It was a team effort and you know it." Shiro gave as he flashed his teammate a toothy smile, trying hard to not let his rowdy friend make him spill his own drink.

"Bullshit!"

"I mean it was just good timing, especially when Hunk managed to get the ball off Rax-" Shiro paused, looking around to spot their lovable friend in question bantering away with Rax himself, and his sister, Shay; the three clearly having a good time at their table in the corner with a bowl of nachos.

"Yeah but you managed to get us the winning shot, not to mention how much you've been killing it the last 3 seasons. There's been talk about some scouts taking interest in you."

"Oh really?" Shiro raised a brow as he brought his drink to his mouth to try and cover up his smirk.

"It's just rumours at the moment, but wouldn't surprise me, like out of anyone on the team, you'd hands down be the one to make it to the big leagues." Matt said with absolute certainty.

"Well I appreciate the optimism, but I'm quite happy here playing with my friends. I don't think I could take the pressure of playing for a state team."

Matt removed his arm from Shiro and gave him the dirtiest look he could muster before bursting out in a fit of drunken laughter. "Oh god Shiro, you're a ham. Don't ever change."

Shiro gave a small huff through his nose before downing his drink, glass now empty. He was about to offer shouting Matt a drink before it hit his nose.

The intoxicating smell of blood.

Shiro's breath hitched slightly as it filled his nostrils. It was faint, but certainly there, he could swear he could taste it as his fangs began to ache slightly, just begging to come out. It didn't surprise him too much, it had been a several days since his last feeding.

"Hey Matt, I uh… gotta take a leak. I'll be right back." was all he could say as he pawned his glass to his friend before making a bee line through the crowded bar, chasing the scent that made him walk straight past the mens toilets and out into the beer garden.

Outside the music and shouts of the people were muffled, the ringing in his ears making itself known at the dramatic drop in volume. There was a handful of people out in the garden, mostly smokers, a few people just wanting a quiet place to sit and chat with their drinks, but his attention fell upon a lone figure hunched over and sitting on one of the picnic tables, sucking along his thumbnail which Shiro assumed must have been the source of blood. Maybe a cut or picked at a hangnail that tore skin?… god he was becoming more aware of his hunger.

Shiro crept closer, wanting to get a good look at the one who he would lure in to become his meal for the night, only to stop dead in his tracks as the figure turned to him. His eyes widened, his stomach plummeted, and his mind felt like it was about to short circuit at the now identified man in front of him.

A-Akira?

No, impossible!

It couldn't be.

His hair wasn't black, he never had facial piercings or wore such heavy makeup….

But that same face… those…. Those EYES!… eyes that belonged to him and only him

It was like staring at a ghost.

He felt ill

He felt completely out of it

He-

….

He wasn't quite sure what happened exactly but the next thing Shiro knew, he opened his eyes, vision blurred for a few seconds before focusing and a face came into view.

"Hey, you're going to be alright?"

The voice hit Shiro like a freight train. It was exactly like his…

Trying to keep his composure with a deep breath, Shiro brought a hand to his head, fingers carded through his white fringe as he realized he was laying on the ground. "Y-yeah. I uhh… what happened?"

"You tell me." The other paused, shuffling back to give Shiro space as he helped prop him up into a sitting position. "You were kinda standing there like you were staring into space while looking freaked out before you fainted for a couple minutes."

Heat flushed to Shiro's face, a light pink dusted his cheeks. "S-Sorry, I thought I- thought I saw a ghost."

The goth gave him a surprised look, instantly making Shiro realize how ridiculous he just sounded in front of a total stranger.

"Have you heard the stories too?"

Oh? Well this took an unexpected turn.

"Stories?"

"Yeah, there's rumours that the bar here is haunted when it caught fire like 60 years ago and a few workers perished." the man informed. Even in the poor light, Shiro could see clear as day the slight brightness of the others eyes just talking about it, clearly enthused about the subject.

"Huh… I actually had no idea. Guess you learn something new every day."

The other man snorted and gave him a perculear look that made Shiro feel something foreign in his chest. Something he hasn't felt in a long long time

"SHIRO!" A cry came, both looking up to see both Matt and Hunk rushing towards them.

"Oh thank god you're alright." Matt wheezed. "Some girl came up to us saying one of our teammates collapsed in the beer garden."

"Yeah, though looks like you were in good hands. Hey Keith." Hunk waved.

"Hey." the man, now identified as Keith waved back.

"Oh! So you're the goth friend Pidge was telling me about."

"I dunno, Pidge sure knows a lot of goths named Keith." Keith joked, voice laced heavily with sarcasm. Matt laughed sheepishly as he helped Shiro to his feet.

"He looks like he'll be alright. Don't know how much he's had but he should call it a night." Keith informed, giving Shiro a look over for any injuries even in the abysmal lighting

"Yeah… that sounds like a good idea." Shiro concurred.

"Aww man, but we've barely even started partying. You've only had 2 drinks!" Matt shouted. Hunk just placed a hand on his shoulder and patted him, trying to calm his partly drunk friend down.

Shiro chuckled. "Yeah well, it's been a long day, I don't particularly want to risk fainting again."

Matt continued to rant at Shiro till sweet, blessed Hunk came and dragged him away, leaving Shiro alone with Keith again.

"You going to be alright getting home alone?" Keith asked.

"Won't be a problem, I'll just catch a taxi." a blatant lie. Why pay for a taxi when you can fly.

Keith pulled a face before sighing, reaching for a napkin from the dispensers on the table he had been sitting on earlier and pulled out a tube of lipstick from his pockets before scribbling something down and handed it to Shiro.

"I know it's a bit weird since we don't know each other, but shoot me a text when you make it home so I know you haven't fainted in a gutter somewhere of got kidnapped."

"S-sure." the taller mentally slapped himself for stuttering as he held the phone number in hand.

"Maybe tomorrow you can tell me about the ghost you saw." Keith smirked, which grew wider when Shiro's face reddened. "Anyway have a good night."

"You to." Shiro managed to say as he watched Keith walk inside, music still blaring loudly. Even though it's been dormant for centuries, Shiro could have sworn he could feel his heart racing a million beats a second and wanted to slap himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

They were so alike even in their differences, scarily alike. Whether Keith, or Akira, centuries later it seems he's still looking out for him, so was this… was this a sign of a second chance?

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