don’t wanna walk alone (or run away)

They’re coming home from a quick, humanitarian mission on a planet several star systems away from Daibazaal when Keith receives a message.

A few seconds later, he calls out from the pilot’s seat. “Hey, Shiro?”

Shiro hums, eyes on the hologram in front of them as he studies their ship’s course. “Yes?”

“Wanna eat something good tonight?”

“What do you have in mind?” he says as he looks at Keith, who is tapping away at his data-pad connected to the ship’s console.

With a swipe of his hand, Keith brings up a new projection: a ship and some coordinates. “My friend’s nearby, and he’s inviting us over. Just for a meal. Then he says we can be on our way again. He just really likes cooking for friends. ”

Shiro doesn’t have much to consider. They aren’t in a rush to get back to base, and Keith seems at ease, almost eager, to see this friend of his. “Nothing wrong with a stop-over, I guess.”

“Great. I’ve been looking forward to introducing you to him.” Keith says. This time when he glances over, he grins. “He’s one of the good ones.”

Shiro likes it when Keith talks about people he cares about. His gaze visibly softens, and his voice gentles. Shiro smiles. “Then I’m excited to meet him.”

Keith smiles back and leans over to give him a quick peck on the cheek, which Shiro eagerly bows his head for. Then he settles back on his seat and starts tapping a reply.

Shiro takes a moment to just admire the sight of Keith smiling and content. Then he recalls the whole surprise thing with Princess Allura, so he asks, “Who is this friend of yours?”

“Oh, you know him.”

“I do?”

“Well. You know of him.”

Ah. There it is. “Of course I do.”

.

.

“Keith, buddy! It’s been so long!”

Keith lets out a small ‘oof’ as he returns his friend’s hug that literally sweeps him off his feet. “Good t’see ‘ya too, Hunk.” he manages, patting the other man’s back.

Hunk lets go to turn to Kosmo, who excitedly noses his hand and leans up for a head scratch, which the man quickly indulges. “And of course you too, space wolf! It was a nice surprise when my ship pinged that you’re nearby. How’d the mission go?”

“It went well. We delivered some goods and now they’re with the people who need them.” Keith says, smiling when Hunk takes out a treat from his pocket and Kosmo happily takes it. “And you’re on tour?”

Hunk grins. “Always. The universe never stops needing some culinary TLC.” Finally, he looks behind Keith, to where Shiro stands, contentedly watching them. “But we can talk about that later. I’m guessing this is the hubby?”

Keith rolls his eyes, but stands back to pull Shiro forward. “I told you that’s-… a long story. Okay. Hunk – this is my boyfriend, Shiro. Shiro – my friend, Hunk.”

“Ah yeah, Allura told me. Hubby-turned-boyfriend-soon-to-be-hubby-again!” Hunk says.

“Uh… not… quite- Whatever. Yeah, sure.”

Hunk waves that off and beams up at Shiro instead. “Nice to meet you, man!”

Shiro holds out a hand, as he knew humans did for a greeting. Hunk does take it, but instead of shaking it, he simply clasps it and then draws Shiro down for a warm hug.

“O-Oh.” Shiro says, not quite knowing what to do. This is… new. “It’s nice to meet you too, Hunk.”

It is nice to meet the Hunk Garrett, known to the universe as a travelling intergalactic chef who usually catered diplomatic, mostly Coalition-hosted events, when he’s not busy studying, discovering and exploring new cuisine from planet to planet.

“Yeah, he’s a hugger.” Keith says with a small smile as Shiro awkwardly pats Hunk’s back, much like what he saw Keith doing earlier.

“Phew, you’re a big guy.” Hunk says when he lets go. He hums as he looks Shiro up and down. “I hope I made enough for all of us.”

“Hunk, please. If anything, you always make too much.” Keith points out. “I bet it’s more than enough for the three of us.”

Hunk turns to him then, smile brightening. “Uh, actually-”

He doesn’t get to finish, because they hear footsteps rushing towards them, followed by a voice all-too familiar to Keith’s ears.

“Keith Kogane!” shrieks the voice from Keith’s nightmares. Keith involuntarily steps back. “Don’t you dare try to run from me now!”

Keith turns to Hunk, and Shiro has never seen him more terrified. And he’d seen Keith jump out of an airlock and into open space-

Hunk shrugs. “She said she wanted to surprise you?”

“Well, she succeeded.” Keith grits out.

Someone appears around the corner and they’re going so fast, Shiro swears all he sees is a yellow and pink blur, until there’s an Altean woman standing in front of them, glaring daggers at Keith.

Keith looks rattled, but huffs and hold his ground.

“Romelle.” he says, chin up.

“Keith.” she says back, just as smug.

Hunk lets out a breath and sends Shiro a wary ‘yep, this is happening’ smile. By then, Shiro has chosen to just stay quiet and wait this – whatever it is – out.

“I thought you were back in Altea.” Keith says, curt.

She replies with a similarly neutral voice. “You know my job takes me everywhere.”

“So it does.”

“So it does.” she repeats, taking a daring step closer. Keith doesn’t back away this time.  “I heard you got married.”

“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

“Is it?”

“It is.”

“Were there flowers, at least?”

“So many flowers. It was a garden wedding.”

Romelle’s eye twitches.

“Sunny day. And we were both dressed nicely.”

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I wasn’t there…”

Keith visibly falters. “I told you it wasn’t-”

“Still!” she whines, all fronts thrown out the window as she clings to Keith’s Blade uniform. “I’ve had a binder full of plans for your wedding since we were ten !”

“I know! I respect that binder!” Keith whines back, gripping her wrists and squeezing comfortingly. “But that wedding wasn’t even planned. You know that if I had a choice, you’d be right there. With the binder.”

Romelle looks at him, eyes on the verge of tears. “You swear?”

Keith leans down so their foreheads touch. “I swear.”

Romelle squeals and throws his arms around Keith’s neck, and Keith hugs her back just as tightly, eyes closed and all.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Never get married again without me?”

“Promise.”

Kosmo squeezes in between them and they hug him too.

Shiro doesn’t know what is happening. He looks to Hunk, who is just shaking his head. When Hunk notices Shiro looking, he shrugs and whispers, “Yes, they are always this dramatic.”

Keith and Romelle squeeze each other for a few more ticks before they let go and turn to the other two.

“That’s him, by the way.” Keith says.

Romelle squeals as she practically bounces towards Shiro. “Keith’s husband! Oh, Keith said you were tall, but you are big ! Hello! I’m Romelle!”

Shiro smiles, taking the hand she offers. “I’m Shiro. Good to meet you, Romelle.”

He half-expects to be hugged again, but she only swings their hands left to right giddily. Okay. That… is also new.

She beams up at him sweetly. “Has Keith told you about me?”

“Oh. Uhhh…”

“Really, now!” she frowns, disapproving. “He should have told you about his ex-wife!”

Their hands stop swinging. “E-Ex-…?”

“Oh, snap.” someone whispers.

It sounds like Hunk, but it’s like a distant echo to Shiro’s ears as he just… stares. At the person in front of him.

Keith’s ex-

“Wife.” Romelle nods. “We were married, a few years back.”

Shiro freezes. Married. Keith was- Keith was married ? To an Altean? To this… woman? A few years- Keith never mentioned-

Beside them, Keith groans. “Melle.”

Shiro looks at him, eyes wide and questioning. That’s when Romelle bursts into laughter, squeezing Shiro’s much bigger hand in hers as she starts swinging them again. “Aw, you big puppy! Look at your face! ”

“I- I-… What-” Shiro reels back, helpless – no one calls him-… he’s not-… big puppy?

“Don’t bully him.” Keith growls, coming up to tuck himself to Shiro’s side. He snatches Shiro’s hand from Romelle’s to wrap his boyfriend’s arms around his shoulders instead. “You were never my wife. Playground weddings aren’t legally binding.”

Romelle snorts. “Your playground wedding was legally binding.”

“Yeah, that’s ‘cause Shiro and I had witnesses, and we weren’t, like, eight . Also, you would’ve married Acxa if she didn’t ask to be the officiant.” Keith counters. He looks up at Shiro. “She’s kidding.”

Shiro sighs in relief, settling his hand on Keith’s shoulder to pull him warmly to his side. “Well. That’s a relief.”

“I swear, I don’t always marry people in playgrounds.” Keith grins. “You’re my first and only legal playground wife.”

Shiro chuckles, leaning down to press a kiss on top of Keith’s head. “I better be.”

They are reminded of their companions when Hunk and Romelle both let out a loud, simultaneous, “Awwww!”

“Yeah, shut up.” Keith says, pointedly glaring at his two friends who were holding on to each other as they look at him with happy, soppy smiles. He’s frowning in disapproval as anyone with embarrassing friends would, but Shiro can tell he’s fighting a smile, and there’s a light blush dusting his cheeks. “I thought we were here to eat?”

“Right!” Hunk says, snapping once before gesturing to the hangar exit with a flourish. Kosmo is first to his side, trotting around him, eager for the feast. “Honored guests, food is ready! If you will follow me…”

“You two are lucky, Hunk has some new recipes and he’s looking for people to taste test!” Romelle takes Shiro’s other arm as they all follow Hunk to the dining hall. “Shiro, you ever tried one of his many masterpieces?”

“I haven’t had the honor.” Shiro answers. “My grandmother is a fan of his work, though. She tried cooking some of his recipes, and they tasted very delicious. She says he’s a genius.”

Hunk looks back shortly to send him a smile. “Aw, geez… Grandmas are always so nice to me.”

“Your grandma likes to cook?” Keith asks.

“She… dabbles.” Shiro says, smiling at fond memories of his grandmother ‘experimenting’ in the kitchen. “My grandfather likes food, so… she likes surprising him sometimes.”

“That’s sweet.” Romelle coos, then she gasps. “Oh my, Keith, you married a man before meeting his family?”

Keith groans. “Let me live that down, please.”

“Never!” she sings happily.

“So, um, Romelle?” Shiro starts, taking a good look at the woman. Hunk is wearing a chef’s outfit, which was understandable, but Romelle is in casual Altean wear, so that got him curious. “You work with Hunk?”

“For now.” she says. “Technically, I’m on the Coalition’s payroll. I plan and organize events. Hunk does a lot of catering for us, so I get to work with him a lot.”

“She hitchhikes a lot, too.” Hunk chimes in.

“Oh, you love having me over!” Romelle points out.

Hunk glances back at them, shrugging. “I do! I wasn’t complaining!”

“Good.” she says, then huffs. “Keith hates having me over.”

“You know I don’t.” Keith says.

“I can tell . When I’m in Daibazaal, you’re busy training. When I call, you always say you’re having a movie night. When I’m at the apartment, only Kosmo comes over to cuddle with me because you’re sleeping at HQ. It’s like you suddenly got yourself a boyfriend in the Blades or something-”

She stops.

Keith shrugs. “I mean… you’re not wrong.”

Romelle pouts, and reaches across Shiro to shove her friend. “You could have just told me!”

“There was nothing to tell! We weren’t dating then!” Keith defends, laughing.

“But you had someone you liked! And you didn’t tell me!”

“Hey, I’m telling you now, aren’t I?!”

Shiro just watches and listens, enjoying all of it. He’d never seen Keith this playful, this open, not even while playing with little kits. So this is what Keith is like with his best friends. Shiro likes this Keith a lot.

He blinks when Romelle tugs at his sleeve. “Shiro, do you support this? He’s been ditching his best friend, and not telling her why ?”

Shiro pretends to think about it, and laughs when Keith just burrows further into his side, hiding from said best friend.

“Uh… Do you want an honest answer? Because I’m really, really biased.” Shiro tells Romelle, who gapes at him, shaking her head in offense.

Hunk lets out a giddy laugh of his own. “I approve of your friend-husband-boyfriend, Keith. Get you a man who’s always on your team, right?”

“Thanks, Hunk.” Keith says. “I knew you were my real best friend.”

Romelle snorts, crossing her arms across her chest. “You’re a big puppy.” she tells Shiro, then glares at Keith. “Fine. Watch me find a new best friend, Yorak .”

Shiro peers down to look at Keith. “Y-Your Galran name is… Yorak?”

Keith looks away, shrugging awkwardly. “Yes…?”

Romelle cackles. “I know , right? It’s such a-”

“-beautiful name.” Shiro says, staring down at Keith in awe. He runs a hand through the other’s hair as he recites, “A Galran warrior of legend who was known for his grace in battle and his pure heart. It fits you perfectly, Keith.”

Keith looks at him in disbelief for a split second before he grins and hooks his hand behind the other’s neck to pull him down. “You’re so worth ditching Romelle for.”

Romelle throws her hands up in defeat before walking off to cling to Hunk instead. “I wanna be mad but they’re so adorable! I hate this.”

Hunk laughs. “But you love them?”

She spares another glance at the two only to see them rubbing their noses together. She turns away, leaning her chin on Hunk’s shoulder as she grumbles, “Yes, Gods, I love them.”

.

.

Grandmother,

I wish you a happy name day! I hope you are well, and I wish I was there with you and grandfather to celebrate.

Recently I had the good fortune to meet someone I know you admire, and I told him about you. He wants to thank you for your support by giving you a little present.

I hope this makes up for my absence, even just a little.

“She’ll really love it.” Shiro says, watching Keith’s deft hands work on wrapping up a signed copy of Hunk’s latest cookbook. Galrans didn’t wrap their presents, but Keith insisted this way, the Terran way, they can keep the surprise. “I should tell her that you’re the one who got it for her.”

“Nah, you don’t have to.” Keith shakes his head, focused on the task. He’s working on the bow now. “I don’t wanna try… like, gaining her favor with gifts? I’d rather meet her and hang out.”

“Hang out.” Shiro repeats, laughing lightly. “You want to hang out with my grandmother?”

“She sounds cool.” is all Keith says, grinning at him. “Can’t wait to meet her.”

Shiro smiles back. ‘And I can’t wait to tell her about you.’