[For Sam] Urban Fantasy AU

[lonered]

Keith can't get the image out of his mind -- the tall, striking man with the strangely two-colored hair and the eyes the clear and endless gray of the sky after a storm, caught in the light of the full moon, like the entire world is about to glow with it. It's almost a memory, he thinks, and that's why he can't let it go. He's never had a memory of his lost time before.

It doesn't make any sense. Why this man? He's seen him before, of course, around town. He's rather hard to forget. But this is something more than that, something more than a strange and inconsequential dream cobbled together from pieces of his subconscious and an attractive stranger. It has to be more. Whenever he dreams, after all, he only dreams of running, of the night air and the scent of the woods and the moonlight spilling over the world.

It's the first lead that he's had, and it's in this strange town that he can't seem to make himself leave. Keith doesn't know exactly how he's going to find this man, and the only plan he has is to keep an eye out. But life and luck are kind today, and in the coffee shop, just as he turns from paying for his caffeine, he finds himself staring at the man walking through the front door.

Violet eyes snap wide, and for a long moment Keith can't do much else but stare. He's still staring when the barista is calling his name with his drink. He turns to gather up his coffee, holding the cup and going back to staring at this man, as if he's trying to decide how to best approach him that won't immediately chase him off. 'I had a dream about you and the moon.' would probably make him sound crazy.

But he has to say something. He needs to put answers to this. The fugues, the lost time with no memories, waking up in places he doesn't expect, or waking in his bed somehow more exhausted than when he went to sleep, it's been growing worse lately. He needs answers before it drives him crazy.

So for now he just stares.

Comments

[spaceforged]

He gets up from his chair and finishes off his coffee. After checking for messages on his phone, he shuts it off and pockets it. "We'll walk there. It isn't that far and my bike is at my apartment." He'd walked here. It feels safe to admit that to Keith. As much as part of him wants to protect this man he feels...grounded around him.

He puts it out of his mind as he stuffs his hands into his pockets and heads for the back fence to let them both out onto the back street. The back ways out of the cafe are rarely used. At this hour they're deserted. "You can ask more questions." He says when they're on the deserted back street.

"Anything at all."

[lonered]

"Walking's fine," Keith agrees and moves to stand. He's still watching Shiro uncertainly. Keith isn't used to being at ease around anyone. Hell, he's not used to people being at ease around him either. It's strange, but not uncomfortable.

The back way, huh? That's fine. He prefers the back way, the lesser used ways. They've always felt more natural.

His hands slip into his pockets as he lopes along with the other man, looking up at him. "I'm still waiting for you to answer my first question. I just want to know what happened last night." And so many nights before that. "And why do you know all of this? Have you seen it before?" The real question though, the one that comes to mind because Shiro hasn't answered the matter of what happened. "Is it bad?"

[spaceforged]

He blinks and stops walking to stare at him. Keith had asked that hadn't he. Normally he doesn't forget that sort of detail. But he'd been worried and the worries had been centered on whether or not he'd have to murder this man to protect the city.

It hits him how badly he doesn't want to. No one has made him feel this settled and...safe. More importantly, he doesn't like that kind of finality. Keith deserves a chance first. "Sorry, there's a lot on my mind this morning." He says, at last, a little breathless and embarrassed. "It isn't bad, Keith. It's just hard to describe to..." He trails off and scrubs his face.

"I know it all because I've dealt with that." He breathes in sharply and once again he can see it in his mind's eye the cage. The stone table. Hear the chanting and smell the smoke. the sweet sickening aroma of rot. Only his dreams in that cage had been of blood and death. Of tearing fangs and pain. The moon's light had been the only soothing thing he'd remembered.

Why he says it, he'll later examine but he feels safe enough to say. "You're the only other one I've run into that has the same gaps I did. ...it got better when I met the others. Just like it seems to be for you." He shakes his head and turns away, walking on with his hands still in his pockets.

"How old are you, Keith? Does any of this sound like you heard it somewhere a long time ago?" He sounds and looks as young as he is. Just a twenty-five-year-old doctor that learned the monsters are out there and he's one of them.

[lonered]

Keith doesn't know what to make of that. It's still a dodge, it's still far from the answer. And shouldn't it be simple, just a matter of stating the facts of whatever had happened once his memory blurs out. Then again, no, he doesn't think it's that simple, somehow.

He sees the way Shiro's breath changes, the shift in his demeanor, and before Keith realizes what he's doing, he's stepping forward, intending to set a hand against the other man's shoulder. Touching isn't usually something he does with any ease or regularity, but somehow it felt right. Still feels right. "Are you okay?"

The next words send his heart tripping over itself in its race to beat faster. Not the only one. Shiro's experienced this too? Is that even possible? Maybe that's why he remembered him, felt drawn to him? Some shared ground that on some subliminal level he recognized?

He falls back into step with Shiro. "Twenty-one. And... I don't think so."

[spaceforged]

Shiro finds himself leaning into the touch to his shoulder. The tension he associates with his terrible memories of the first year he was changed are still there. Yet, there's ground under his feet when normally he has to find it alone. "...bad memories." He says quietly as they make it to the corner behind the park.

The scent of growing things lets him put himself to rights and he looks back at Keith. "...you've been like this all your life?" How? "I'm alright. I've been like this for...a few years.I was twenty one when it started." He almost said when I was changed. He bites it back and heads for the park.

He smells Keith's trail even before he reaches the back opening. Any werewolf with a brain would know Keith had been here. His scent is everywhere and it's strong. "I'm twenty five." He adds almost absently. "...how does your memory of me last night end? Just seeing me with the moon then...nothing?" He asks abruptly as his mind is made up. There's no one here.

No one but them. He could change now and let Keith know what he is. What they both are.

[lonered]

"As far back as I can remember." It's been a constant in his life from the very beginning of his memories. His father hadn't wanted to discuss it, ever, always telling Keith that he'd explain everything when he was older. He never got the chance though.

So he's almost desperate to know what is going on, and the answers feel so close. Everything Shiro says has him certain that this man has the answers he needs. Maybe he ought to worry about following a stranger out into a deserted place, but Keith isn't afraid. He never really is; he knows how to take care of himself, if it comes to it.

"Yeah. You were standing there, and the moon was rising and then it all just..." Keith shrugs. "I lose it." like so much sand slipping through his fingers.

[spaceforged]

He nods, unsurprised by Keith's reply. His wolf trusts this one and to his surprise he finds he does too. This is someone he wants to get to know better. Much better. He walks out to where Keith had been standing with the wolf yellow eyes and turns to face him. "You stood here just like this. When you saw me, you-"

His changes always come fast. Whether because of how he was turned or what he is, he doesn't know. One moment he's a man, the next a massive black wolf is struggling out of human clothes and stands before Keith with light blue eyes and a blaze of white on its forehead. He pricks his ears forward leans down to drag his clothes out of sight.

His phone falls out of the pocket and he paws that under a bush. Then he sits down and waits.

[lonered]

Keith watches, waiting and holding his breath even if he doesn't realize he's doing so. This is it. This is the moment. Something in him knows. The wolf, that other presence that always lurks but that he doesn't know enough to name, it's awake now, pacing restlessly at the back of his mind, ready. Ready to finally be known and understood.

His eyes widen as suddenly the man in front of him is no longer a man, and instead a wolf. That's...

"You're..." He starts, but the words don't come. It's impossible. Nothing like that can be real. But the wolf in him reacts again, and Keith feels a triumphant howl in his throat that wants to be voiced. He swallows it back.

"That's impossible. You're..." He takes a breath. "I'm..." there it is. The wolf in him surges in triumph. Violet eyes flash with a sudden, intense lupine gold, and he manages to find the words, "A wolf."

[spaceforged]

Shiro glances around. Still no one around. It hits him then his clothes are in the bushes and he has to change back to talk. He looks skyward. He's not usually embarrassed about his body.

But Keith just figured out he's a werewolf. The wolf finds it rather amusing. He's an attractive werewolf what's the problem?

He sighs and gets up, shoving his large body into the bushes and drags his clothes further in. He changes back and pulls on his underwear as he calls over his shoulder. "Werewolf. I knew born werewolves existed but, you're the first I've ever met."

He pulls his pants on and shoves on his shirt. "You changed and ran, that's all you did. I followed you for a bit. Let's take this back to my apartment. I can discuss all the things we don't talk about out in the open." He pauses as stuffs his phone back into his pocket. "It's up to you. I won't force it."

[lonered]

Keith watches Shiro head into the bushes, blinking a bit when he changes back. In the bushes. Oh right because he's naked. Got it. And now his imagination is going a bit wild with that. Keith slams the door on those thoughts immediately.

It's easy enough because the wolf is awake now, and for the first time they're occupying the same space, both looking out the same eyes. And that's right. He's a werewolf, born a werewolf. And if Shiro's never met another born as a werewolf, then he knows those who have been made. Shro was made.

"That's all. All right... then I..." turned. He turned into a wolf. The wolf inside him comes about as close to laughing as a wolf can. "All right. Your apartment. I have so many questions."

[spaceforged]

His shoes are back on as he steps up and walks out of the foliage. "It's not far. I'll answer all I can." His wolf normally doesn't like anyone not pack in his home. It's a reflex left over from seeing the apartment as the only safe space in the world.

He turns and leads the way back. "Yes, you-" turned. "A little smaller than me but, not in presence." That is a lot complicated topic best left for later. "...have you seen a loud-mouthed Latino around that seems to have an issue with you that you don't understand?"

He might as well explain Lance while he's at it.

[lonered]

Keith hasn't considered that it might be any sort of concern that Shiro invited him over, but then Keith has never had anywhere to call home, not since his father died. He wanders and wanders and wanders, and this town is the first place that ever really drew him in, made him feel at all like staying.

So he falls into step beside Shiro. "Not in presence?" What does that mean, Shiro?

The mention of said loud-mouthed Latino has Keith's metaphoric hackles rising, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, I have." His voice is a growl, and he looks over at Shiro. "Pain in the ass won't lay off. It's the wolf thing?"

[spaceforged]

His face goes carefully blank. He'd called it. He hasn't had the desire to step on Lance's neck and truly do the alpha thing. He has all the instincts of an alpha werewolf but none of the dominance. Lance usually backs down to him.

And he's met Lance's stare before. "You're more dominant than he is. He has an inkling of that but you had no idea what you are. Now. It will be a very different story." Oh boy, would it.

He's almost sorry but Lance has had this coming for a long time now. He warned him not to mess with strangers and to only report what he sees. Shiro leads him up a flight of stairs around the side of the building straight up towards the top floor. "Wolves rang from more comfortable following. To strong wills with a heavy amount of dominance. You're the later. That's why small animals can't handle you around. And most people drop their eyes."

[lonered]

"This all sounds... so strange." Keith slips his hands into his pockets again as he follows Shiro up the stairs, listening still. His thoughts are racing as he tries to reconcile all this in his mind. It should be something impossible, but it feels right somehow. All of this.

Keith blinks. "There's actually a reason for that?" He's been different his entire life, and never had any idea why. Actually having those answers is almost too much.

"So I'm some sort of dominant wolf. Is that going to be a problem here?"

[spaceforged]

He pulls out his keys and unlocks the door. Keith is taking this pretty well. He opens the door and slips inside, holding it open for Keith. "You're the most dominant werewolf in this city." He gently corrects him. Shiro flips on a light as a pair of yellow eyes glint from the edge of his couch.

There's not much to his apartment. He has exactly what he needs. Floor rugs make pathways over the cold grey tile floor. The grey couch is large enough for a man his size or a wolf. Small pictures dot the side table and coffee table both made of metal. It's a two bedroom one bath apartment with the kitchen connecting to the living room.

He removes his shoes at the door and gestures to the apartment. "Make yourself at home." Now he has to answer the other part but he feels that...needs a closed door. "I'll get your question in a moment. Shut the door, Keith."

Shiro sits down on the floor as black shape on the couch turns out to be a cat. "Kuro," He calls out as the cat studies Keith. With a flick of his tail, he hops down, ignoring Shiro to rub up against Keith's legs then trots off to the kitchen.

"...it's not going to be a problem, Keith. This city has been without an Alpha since I got here. You're a stabilizing force." Now that Keith knows what he is... Shiro looks up at him, watching his face. "All of us are more stable because you're here. I think your wolf side has chosen this city. ...and the pack. But, you don't have to deal with that business until you're ready. If. You want to at all. It's your choice how you approach anything."

He stares down at his hands. "I'll help you and teach you what it is to be a werewolf no matter what. It's difficult to learn it all on your own." As he had to do.

[lonered]

A cat actually approaching him and not fluffing up to hiss and spit and scratch then run is novel enough that Keith watches the cat with plain fascination as it winds around his legs and patters off. Huh. Despite himself he smiles, always a little quicker to warm to animals than people, given the chance and the choice. Good kitty.

He looks back to Shiro, frowning. "What do you mean deal with that business? You can't mean... you can't want me anywhere near your pack." No one has ever wanted him near much of anything -- though now he wonders if some of the encounters he's had in the past were unintentional crossing of the paths of other Alphas, the start a confrontation that his wolf was aware of but he'd never understood.

But if the presence of Shiro's pack is the reason he's felt drawn here, somehow less restless, more settled, then what does that mean? His Wolf stalks behind his eyes, already knowing its choice in this matter. This pack is where he belongs, and he will fight and bleed and die for it, if that's what it comes to. This thought strikes Keith, even if it's more in feeling than words, and he looks visible shaken as he takes a seat and looks at Shiro, violet eyes a strange mixture of bewildered and certain, decided.

[spaceforged]

He gets up briefly to get a mug of water from the kitchen and returns with it. Shiro is again surprised as Kuro climbs into Keith’s lap and makes himself at home. Like him Kuro had had a bad time of things and is wary of strangers. To accept one so readily only fuels his gut feeling this is their alpha.

“...he has never accepted anyone but me.” Shiro says as he holds out the mug to Keith. He checks the pack bonds finally and finds them alive with wondering where he is and why he hasn’t been present today. He’ll have to explain it to the pack.

“My wolf accepted you. I accept you. I doubt the others will object. Lance has faults but he will see a settled pack and not complain.” Mostly. He has good control and Shiro is confident he will make a decent second one day.

He settles beside him and has the odd sensation of being at peace, wolf and man. He blinks at it. “I think you’ll do just fine with us. If you’ll have us.” Shiro finds himself reaching out to place a steady hand on Keith’s shoulder.

“This is a lot. I know. ...especially with the wolf inside being its own being.” His wolf all but makes a satisfied noise. “And he has his own ideas. Kind of makes it all seem even stranger. Especially for you. I doubt you’ll have any problems shifting voluntarily and this will put a few things into perspective.”

Werewolves are faster and stronger than humans. Their better hearing and sense of smell even in human shape is an asset but growing up different like that... “Wait.” Something occurs to him and he looks towards the kitchen. “You’ve been trying to eat like a human and not getting why you’re still hungry. Haven’t you?” He peers him with concern. “And it’s worse after a full moon. Right?”

[lonered]

Keith looks down when he suddenly has lap company and, well, that's kind of great. He smiles and reaches a hand slowly carefully out to pet the cat, gently so as not to chase him off. Cute. This is a great cat, clearly. He will stop the petting to take the mug though with a soft murmur of thanks.

There's a long moment of quiet as he considers that. Accept him. That would really be a first, but it's nice to think about. "What are they like?" The rest of this pack that Shiro keeps talking about -- aside from Lance who Keith has, well, gotten off on the wrong foot with, clearly.

He's not expecting the touch though, but it's nice somehow. Grounding. Whoever this Shiro is... Keith likes him. He blinks though. "I mean, yeah. It's sort of ridiculous. I guess I've gotten used to feeling like I'm starving even after I eat. At least I've got a reason now."

[spaceforged]

He takes out his phone and fires off a text to Hunk.

‘You know how you usually bring me food because I’m too tired to go out and eat much after a full moon and two, twelve hour shifts?’

‘Okay what’s going on. I always have to text you first.’

‘Bring double that amount.’

‘Shiro? My man, you’re not hurt or anything are you?’

‘No. I found a werewolf who didn’t know he is one.’

‘....

You’re joking, right? Wait. Your jokes are morbid and nerdy. Okay. I’ll be over in ten.’

Shiro talks to Keith as he texts. “I’ve mentioned Lance but there’s seven of us total. Myself, Lance, Allura, Pidge, Hunk, Coran, and Matt. Right now with you. Coran is the oldest of us. He’s lived for a few hundred years. Allura is a...complicated case. Technically she’s slightly younger than Coran. But due to circumstances...she has only experienced eighteen years.”

He sets his phone down as Kuro curls up in Keith’s lap and purrs for all he is worth. Shiro smiles. “Matt and Pidge are from a pack a few cities west of here. They took me in after I...” The light dims in his eyes and he looks straight ahead at the blank tv screen. “I escaped.”

He studies his own reflection in the screen. “There’s an entire world of supernatural that runs under the world we see. Keith...if you ever hear of Black Druids. Run. Don’t ever let them catch you.” Shiro has lost all of the joy and gentleness he had on his face.

He shakes his head and shoves it all down. “Anyway, Hunk is who I just texted. He tends to make sure the whole pack is taken care of after a full moon. I was scheduled two twelve hour shifts at work. I don’t know why I’m even awake but I think it has to do with meeting you.”

Shiro smiles at the thought. “He’s a gentle guy. He is an incredible engineer and a great cook. I suck at cooking so I ask for his help. Pidge is a computer wiz too. You’ll probably catch them bickering about tech.”

[lonered]

There's a story in here somewhere, one that Shiro is only hinting at, but those hints are enough that both Keith and the wolf inside him can feel a growl rising. Someone hurt Shiro. He doesn't expect the little protective rush that rises in him, wants to find whoever did it and--

He reins himself in and frowns. It's his turn to reach out, set a hand lightly against Shiro's flesh and blood bicep. For now he just nods, but he wants to know about these Black Druids.

For the moment, he summons up smile. "He sounds great, they all do." Or at least, the tone in Shiro's voice when he speaks about the pack sounds good, and that's enough that Keith wants to meet them.

"Hey... if I'm supposed to be an alpha... This is your pack, right?" Clearly Shiro is in charge. He has the bearing of someone who is. Why is Shiro being so open and non-hostile to him?

[spaceforged]

Shiro leans back against the couch and smiles at him. “Technically Yes. In actuality. No.” He meets his eyes again without any desire to make the other wolf bend to his authority. “My wolf is different. I can run the pack but I lack what makes an Alpha an Alpha. I can calm and bring peace and protect but that’s all.”

He leans into the hand on him without realizing he is. “I call it peace bringing. I haven’t found out much about it. Only it is rare and people who have the quality to them...rarely get turned unless the circumstances are extreme.” He doesn’t want to talk about what happened to him. How he was turned.

“I don’t have a need to dominate other wolves or follow anyone.” Shiro’s grey eyes turn as blue as pure ice. “I choose to follow you.”

[lonered]

The way Shiro leans into the touch is enough to make Keith have absolutely no real desire to move his hand away. Peace bringing, huh? He can believe that, if only for how quickly Shiro has set him at ease. Keith knows himself, knows his tendencies towards withdrawing and closing off the world, reacting a bit too fiercely. Something about this man, about being near him, has settled at least some of that restlessness.

Keith nods slowly, understanding. "All right. That makes sense. As much sense as any of this makes right now," Keith manages a little smile at that, though the expression falters as he meets Shiro's eyes an they frost over blue. It's striking.

The words are equally so. "You really mean it." Okay. It's a lot. The wolf in him has accepted this, revels in it because this, this is what they have been waiting for, were made for. The human side of him that has spent so many years alone and confused, wandering, always the loner, that side finds it harder to wrap his head around.

Somehow neither side of him wants to let Shiro down. "I'll... do my best."

[spaceforged]

“I know you will.” Before he can say more the scent of roasted meat and vegetables wafts from under the door. He recognizes the heavy thuds of Hunk’s feet on the stairs.

The door rattles as Hunk reaches the landing and he climbs to his feet. He gets the door open just as Hunk puts his foot he’d intended to bang on the door with down. Hunk is a big man about his height and built like he should be on a swat team. Shiro could see it if only for the sake of saving others.

Hunk isn’t a coward but his motivation is always about helping. He is also carrying more boxes with him smelling of good food than Shiro has seen since last time he pulled several shifts before a full moon. He snags the left half of the boxes and stacks them on the coffee table.

“Shirooo, you look way less cranky this post moon than you usually do.” Hunk says as he slips inside and shuts the door behind him. He catches sight of Keith and smiles brightly. He meets his eyes for a second then drops his gaze. “So, you’re the guy.” He pauses to set the boxes down in front of him then frowns a bit. “Looking a little thin there.”

Shiro settles himself back down and pops open a box of Hunk’s family recipe style bbq. He breathes it in with a happy sigh. “You spoil this pack.”

“You’re family.” Hunk says as he sits down and pushes a box towards Keith. “Come on. I can feel your hunger, man. I’m Hunk by the way. You’re that guy I noticed near the college campus a few times. I kept meaning to talk to you.” Shiro let’s him talk as he stuffs his face with Samoan bbq chicken.

“If that’s not enough, Shiro keeps his kitchen stocked. I can make more. No trouble. You look like you need a few meals. No offense.” Shiro sucks his head to hide a small smile.

[lonered]

Oh good god, something smells delicious. Keith's stomach wakes up and growls a far more emphatic growl than the wolf in him has ever managed. He's starving, and apparently food has arrived. And it has arrived with a large man who could be intimidating by size alone if it weren't for everything else about him. There's an openness and a warmth about this guy that Keith barely knows what to do with, especially watching him interact with Shiro -- the fact that they're clearly family is obvious. Keith likes it.

"Uh... yeah. I'm the guy." The clueless werewolf who is still reeling from the revelation and looking at a world that suddenly makes so much more sense than it ever has for him before.

He offers Hunk something of a tentative smile, like he's not sure how to handle such plain, genuine friendliness directed at him of all people. "Keith. It's good to meet you, Hunk," he answers, in response to the introduction, reaching for the box as it's pushed towards him. He does not need to be told twice. Truth is, he doesn't exactly eat well. His lifestyle doesn't allow for it, the wandering, odd jobs that barely cover enough for him to keep a roof over his head in whatever city or town he's passing through, meals when he can grab them. Feeding his pet wolf is more important, though said wolf is good at hunting too and-- Oh. Right okay. So he's had a pet wolf all this time which probably should've seemed weird, but never did. That makes sense now.

Anyway.

Actual home cooked food? Not something Keith has had since he was a kid. "No this is great. Thank you." So he will dig right in, unable and not particularly concerned enough to hide the very evident delight on his face at the first bite. This may actually be the best day of his life.

[spaceforged]

“You’re welcome. Welcome to the weird wide world of what goes bump in the night.” Hunk grins and looks to Shiro where he’s on his second box of food. A rice dish he really likes. From the happy look on his face he has no desire to speak until he’s devoured it.

“How did he find you, Keith? Was it last night? Did he finally change under a full moon?” Shiro gives him a steady stare. Hunk only laughs. “He did, didn’t he? Wow. He has resisted that for as long as I’ve known him.”

Shiro lets it go. The food is far more important. “Uh, make sure you stay fed or it’s not good for you. Okay? It affects everything. Healing. Speed. The works. Changing takes a lot. You need your nutrients to be a happy and healthy person. If you need a quick bite you can always stop by where my family cooks. Got a phone?”