Shiro meditates. He feels the tickle of air draw through his nostrils. He pauses as the breathe reaches its zenith, and then releases it slowly. He's up to his ears, drowning, in the water of the river that is getting married. His head works to swim through, to find something to hold on to, that he not be swept by the current.
One week.
He appreciates his (soon to be) husband's conviction and fire. It's normally the trait that attracts him most. Only, weddings and marriage aren't meant to be planned in a week. Not when there are guests and traditions and ceremonies and
He breathes again.
The rings had come in that day. His was a white gold, Keith's a rose gold; both a simple band, though Keith's more delicate to suit his hands. Wedding rings, as it turns out, are more a human thing. But Shiro explained that it meant a lot to him, even if the history behind it wasn't so tender. It was a tradition he wouldn't be able to shake.
Another breath eases through him.
Princess Allura had deigned the first human-galran wedding needed celebration. It marked, what was hopefully, a turning point in human acceptance of extraterrestrials. As such, the guest list would include none other than her own family, and a royal family from the Galran species. Shiro had watched the tension creep up on Keith to hear that. Afterwards, Keith pulled him aside to tell him it meant the wedding would be very traditional. Meaning, it would be long, and, on Shiro's end, ardorous.
Hunk, upon hearing about the wedding, lit up and clasped his hands together. As if engineering and diplomacy was not enough, the man was also a chef, when he got the time. He volunteered to handle the catering. Allura gave him the time off.
Word then got to Lance, who, allegidly, rushed to grab his tablet to start the planning. Somehow he'd managed to get Pidge to sign on to helping him.
As it was technically a military wedding, Iverson would be present, facillitating those aspects.
He opens his eyes and grounds himself into the space around him. He's inside Matt's car, the man is next to him, scrolling away at something on his phone. The shack is before them, various members of Keith's family are filing in and out. Thace is hanging plants from the edges of the roofing. He waves at Shiro.
The only thing Shiro has to worry about is showing up.
But all he can think about is how all eyes will be on him, and Keith. It makes his fingers drum quickly along his thighs.
"Y' ready, dude? You look naseous."
No and true.
"Yeah, let's- let's go."
They head inside. Shiro steals a glance back at the car, wondering if he can make a run for it, if need be.
It's a wave of pleasentries with about 15 Galra before he makes it down the hall and to the newly installed "nesting" room. That one had been an explanation for Shiro. It made him realize why Keith would bundle up in his worn hoodies.
Keith is upright in his nest, a pile of blankets and pillows stacked around him, the side of his head resting on the wall. Kiree sat before him, inside the nest. They're chatting quietly, on what Shiro assumes is "barer" only talk. Keith looks tired.
"Hey sorry to interupt, but we're here." Shiro knocks gently at the door frame that might have housed a door at one point, long before.
"Shiro." Keith perks up and waves him over.
Kiree nods at him, getting up and directing him to take the spot. Matt, who was briefed earlier on nest ettiquette, sits down cross-legged with Kiree outside of the bedding fort.
Shiro brushes his knuckles along Keith's cheeks before setting his back against the wall, turning to Kiree.
"I was just discussing with the little one the ceremonies. The pack shall be formed tonight, of which only new blood may be brought together. Keith tells me of your culture and so I shall leave the details for him to explain. What you and I consider natural would appear to be separate."
That's hardly the words of encouragement he needs to hear.
"Beyond that, tomorrow begins your rite. Kolivan is standing as Keith's paternal figure to conduct the trial. It is him who will decide if the bonding is to proceed."
"Wait, hold on. Trial? Proceed? How is this Kolivan's decision? Keith is capable of making his own choices." Do barers face sexism like human women? The thought sets his jaw tight.
"I apologize if it seems I have doubted the capability of Keith. Please, do not misunderstand. The trial is to test your merit. Barers are rare, they are treasured. In our tradition, to bond with one is the highest honor. While the decision ultimately rests with them, the barer's respect for the one who challenges the mate means there is not often deviatiance from the challenger's say."
Keith's fingers draw soft up and down his arms, recognizing the panic starting in him.
"Due to the nature of the trial, I can provide no more information on it. Should it go well, and Keith chooses to bond, you both will come with me into the forest. The current pack has no barer, as usually it falls to them, but I will take up that place for Keith. The ceremony concludes with you two alone, and I suspect you know what that means. The day after is when your human ceremonies will take place."
Shiro's thoughts are filled with questions. He doesn't deal well with lack of control or unknowns. Kiree laid down more mysteries than he solved.
"Matthew and I will now take our leave. You have much to discuss."
He doesn't register them leaving the room, or that he, mentally, has also left the room. It's when Keith places a kisses to his forehead that he notices.
"That's... a lot to take in."
Keith chuckles.
"So, uh. The ceremony for tonight..."
Keith stops, and moves to chewing on his lip. When he finally speaks, and tells the ceremony in whole, Shiro decides it was right of Kiree to assume he'd be shy about it. Keith assures him that they don't have to do anything Shiro isn't comfortable with. He says he'll keep it in mind, but he wants Keith to have the marriage proper to his own culture.
"And the trial?"
"I'm sorry Shiro, I- No one ever got married around me. I have no idea. Kolivan won't tell me, either."
"Shiro?"
"Mm?"
"You ok? I- Do- I didn't mean to rush this. Are you thinking of backing out? I wouldn't blame you."
"Oh, Keith... Babe. I love you. Please, stop. Stop doing this to yourself. I'm not going to leave, ok?"
"Ok."
The pack ceremony is awkward, but he focuses on Keith, and they're able to complete it.
He's tired by the time he makes it to the spaceport. Keith is no better. They're thankful that Matt was the driver
"I see you three have arrived." Kolivan, "Matthew, you must remain here. We shall retrieve you when the trial has ended."
Matt claps him on the shoulder, whispering "good luck". Kolivan leads them to a glowing symbol on the ground. Keith whispers that it's hooked up to the ship, and will be much faster than taking a rocket. The Galran technology never stops surprising him.
Keith grasps tightly on to his hand, leading them into the circle.
"Here is where you part. Keith shall remain by my side. Shiro, you shall be taken to suit up. May your heart bare."
Keith stands on tip toe to brush their lips. Shiro memorizes the feeling, knowing it will be all he has to get through this.
They must have been waiting for him because two Galra are waiting for him. He doesn't recognize them, so he assumes they must have come with Master Zarkon. Their faces are tight and betray none of their thoughts. He breathes deep, reminding himself that those are not bad Galra, and he is not going back to the arena.
He hopes.
He's taken to a room that looks to be a medical bay. There's tables and equiptment hanging on the wall. A suit is laying on one of the tables.
Shiro squeezes his eyes shut as he peels off his clothing. The Galra do not look away from him. Perhaps because nudity is not shameful to them, and perhaps also to make sure he doesn't cheat. The suit is tight, clinging to him like skin. It's black and has bioluminescemt stripes that flicker to life when he has it on. There are nodes in a few places, one specifically at the back of his neck. A small zap of electricity against his skin, and those, too, begin to glow.
The entrance to the room is a door opposite the one he walked in from. It slides open when one of the Galra places their hands kn the panel next to it.
Shiro expects some type of colosseum. Instead, he gets what looks like a training room. The two Galra who led him, now stand before him. He hadn't noticed it before, but he sees that their suits, which are like his in design, have a hood. They pull theirs up and a mask materializes over their whole face.
"In the trials of Marmora, we have one saying," Kolivan's voice echoes from seemingly everywhere in the room, "Knowledge or death. Today I shall learn of your mettle, or your pursuance of my son shall cease. Prepare yourself champion."
One of the steps forward and passes a knife into his hands.
Shiro has barely a second to judge its weight, for the man to step back, before he lunges forward and draws his own knife. The blade extends long and the surprise of watching it takes away the precious second he needed to dodge away. Thankfully his reflexes work better than his mind, because his parries the blow away with the small knife in his hands. The momentum doesn't transfer to Shiro, so the Galra stumbles forward. Shiro raises the knife to slash at his arm, but the Galra used the forward motion to fall and tuck himself into a roll.
The second one must have seen his distraction because Shiro hears a blade slice through the air, the wind stirred up from the movement roars against his ears. He drops a knee and swivels on his other foot. Tossing the knife in the air, Shiro throws his weight into a one-handed sommersault and grips the blade by the handle mere millimeters from the ground.
They go back and forth like that. Shiro's main tactic is to redirect the force they put his way. They're larger than him by far, and he hopes to tire them out.
Eventually, he catches himself between the two, both poised to strike him from either side. When they lunge forward, he ducks down. Their blades slide along each other and fly off in opposite directions. He's ready to take the chance with then being unarmed, but they bow and return to their place.
"You are not meant to go through that door."
But he refuses to be intimidated. He pushes past them and through the door.
There are three more waiting for him.
The cup of his ear is sliced and bleeding. Breathing had become an exercise in weight lifting for his chest. He's five waves in and one his last leg. Literally, his left calf is torn open.
He's about to be hit with a blade when he realizes what he needs to do.
He lets the blade come at him, holding the knife out to catch the blow. When it lands he throws back the arm with the knife. The energy of the collision is the propellant he needs to mid-air flip. He lands by the platform that is sinking into the floor, and tucks himself into it before it closes off.
He's back, seemingly where he started, except it's empty. He puts a hand on a wall to steady himself, but even still, he's lowering to the floor. His head thunks back and he takes the moment to rest his eyes.
"Keith," he speaks around blood, has to swallow, "I love you."
"Yeah?"
The voice startles him and he scrambles as far away from the wall as his body lets him.
"Shiro, it's ok, why don't you rest."
Shiro didn't notice, but he is leaning on the wall again. It's a struggle to keep his eyes open, but he does it anyway, to look at Keith.
"You're.. You're so beautiful." He holds a hand out and Keith takes it.
He moves to sit beside Shiro, bringing Shiro's head to rest on his shoulder. Not caring for the grime and blood that was sullying him.
They stay like that, peaceful, for a few minutes. All the panic that had come over him was quelled.
"You know, back there, I felt like I was in the arena, again. The scenery was different, but I was still fighting," he's glad there were no deaths, but he won't say that, "And it's been you that got me through it."
"Keith, I remember meeting you in the café. I'd forgot to pay for that coffee. I was just so nervous. For barely over 5 feet, you can be very intimidating."
That earns him a sweet laugh.
"But I felt drawn to you. By some... invisible force. Almost like a string was tied to both of us and it was gradually being tightened. And... I don't for one minute regret that you got pregnant. We'll... we'll manage it together. I know we will."
"...In here!" An unfamiliar voice yells, accompanied by the stampeeding of feet. The voice is distant, but, whoever they are, they're fast approaching.
"Shiro. Shiro. Shiro!" Keith shakes his shoulders frantically. "Shiro wake up, we've got to go. They found us."
"Who?" He lifts his head up and it droops down towards his chest.
"Shiro, the Empire. They've- they're- They found out I'm here. They know we're here. They're going to kill us."
That gets his attention.
"Keith, can you help me up? I can manage once I'm to my feet."
He winces when Keith lifts him and his weight falls to his own legs. Keith keeps a steadying hand on his chest.
"I'm fine, come on."
But Keith holds still.
"Keith, there isn't time-"
"You're right. Shiro, there isn't- and your leg- I... They're not after you. Shiro if I go, you can esca-"
"NO! Keith, I can't let you do that. That's... That's not how this works."
"Shiro, you'll die here. We'll both- all, we'll all die here. If I go, then you can live."
It happens before any concious thought can cross his mind.
The door is ripped open, heavily uniformed Galra file in, and their guns train on Keith.
Bam.
The sound ricochettes off the walls, and screams over anything else that would try to make noise.
The blast is headed for Keith.
This is it, Shiro thinks.
Given more time, he'd kiss the man. He'd hug him. He'd hold him, and rock him in his arms. He'd keep his palm against Keith's abdomen until their baby grew, and grew, and grew. They'd have a house together.
But there isn't more time.
His body moves to shield Keith.
His last thought being that he could smell the ceremonial oil in Keith's hair.
"You did it."
There's something cool resting against his cheek. He realizes it's a hand.
"You would be in my heaven. I just hope you're not here because you died too."
"Open your eyes."
Keith asked and so he does.
They're back at the part of the ship where they teleported to. Keith is holding Shiro's head in his lap, cradling his cheeks with cool palms.
"Well done." Kolivan is standing over them. "You have earned my approval."
"Takashi, I saw the whole thing. It was.."
"Wait, what was the whole thing, exactly?"
Kolivan explains that the dueling was real, but the suit he was placed into held special properties. The part where the Empire had tracked down the Blades, had been a scene made from his mind.
"You never gave up on me." There are tears in Keith's voice. "Not here, nor snything before. I.. I would travel across lifetimes and dimensions to find you, Shiro. As many times as it takes, I would always be the one to bring you back home."
"And in my mind, I knew that."
"Yeah. You did."
The kiss that follows is passionate, all else forgotten. They part only because Kolivan clears his throat and reminds him he has wounds to tend to.
"We have a medical pod waiting for you back on Earth. I trust that Keith will not leave your side, so I shall show you two there. Hunk will monitor you until Ulaz and the garrison doctors can run check ups."
He'd fallen asleep when Kiree gets them, woken by Keith gently shaking his shoulders.
Kiree leans down and presses his forehead to Shiro's. He doesn't say anything, but Shiro had watched him do this to Keith before. He closes his eyes and presses back, breathing in to try and smell the scents that the Galra use to communicate. He only smells a mixture of herbs. Kiree smells like the forest. Shiro wonders what Kiree smells.
"It is time to go. Congratulations, little one." Kiree repeats the gesture to Keith.
There's a small exchange in Galran. Keith's voice is sweet, a higher pitch than Kiree's,
The bonding involves taking a basket and collecting fallen brush and branches. They make a small fire. Kiree says it symbolizes burning away the unneccesary to make warmth.
"Fire is a sacred, life-giving thing in Galran tradition." Kiree informs him.
Kiree leaves, the last part of the ceremony being spreading the ash on each others' bodies, culminating in them joining together.
"We're gonna be exhausted tomorrow." Keith chuckles, his head resting on Shiro's chest.
"You may have to pick me up from the floor of the aisle." Shiro kisses his forehead. "This is so ridiculous. Getting married in a week."
Shiro places all the warmth he has into his laugh.
"You wouldn't have had me or this any other way."
"No, I wouldn't change you for the world."
They get their clothes back on and fall asleep. Matt will pick them up in the morning.
