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I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.
- Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice
Shiro leaned back in his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose. He needed to finish going over the accounts, and he couldn’t afford to let a nagging headache distract him. He had managed the accounts ever since his father died, but now he didn’t just have Allura and the servants, and the estate to worry about - he had Keith too.
Just the thought of his husband was enough to ease the tension in his shoulders, and he smiled. Keith's favorite sheep dog had had puppies the night before, and Keith had been so impatient to see them that he had woken up early, heading out into the mist with tousled hair.
He sighed dreamily. Matt would have mocked him mercilessly if he had been in the room, but thankfully Shiro was alone to indulge in daydreams about Keith to his heart’s content. He could still remember the first time he had met Keith - he’d been bright and wild and vibrant, and Shiro had been drawn to him like a moth to flame. Even before he knew what love was, he had loved Keith, and some days he still had to pinch himself when he woke up with Keith in his arms.
Or when Keith woke him up in the early morning hours. Shiro’s cheeks heated as he remembered waking up to Keith leaving a biting kiss on his chest before he slowly sank down on Shiro’s cock in the gray morning light. Shiro shook his head. At this rate he would never be done.
He applied himself to his books, determined to focus. He managed to make some progress, but soon thoughts of Keith were running through his mind again. This time in his mind’s eye, Keith beamed up at him from his seat at the window - with his hand on the curve of his belly. Then Keith faded, reappearing in their bed, smiling down at the little bundle with the mop of dark curls in his arms.
This is not helping , Shiro scolded himself. Neither of us are ready for a child at the moment, and if you can’t attend to the accounts you never will be.
He applied himself to his sums again, with an anxious squirm in his belly. The night after their engagement, Keith had confessed that the doctors were unsure if he could have a baby because of his late presentation. Poor Keith had been so afraid, unable to meet Shiro’s eye. After he had stammered his fears, and offered to break the engagement if Shiro wanted, Shiro had bundled him up in his arms and kissed away the tears that threatened to spill.
“Keith,” he whispered. “I want to marry you because you’re you , not because we may have children someday.”
Keith blinked up at him and Shiro peppered his cheeks with kisses. “I would marry you if you were a beta, or an alpha,” he whispered.
Keith laughed, breathless. “That’d be quite a scandal,” he whispered. “Takashi Shirogane giving up the chance for an heir.”
Shiro snorted. “Let the estate go to a niece or nephew, I expect we’ll have enough.” He kissed Keith’s forehead. “The fact that you’re to be my husband has already made me happier than I knew it was possible to be,” he whispered. “How could anything make me happier when I’m already perfectly happy?”
Keith had kissed him fiercely after that, which proved quite distracting, and ever since Shiro had made sure to keep any nosy relatives - or Lance - from pestering Keith. Any time someone hinted at Keith switching out his suppressants, or recommending a tonic to align his heat cycle with Shiro’s rut, Shiro would whisk Keith away, with a glare at the offending party. It really was outrageous how nosy people were.
And it really shouldn’t matter , Shiro thought. Just because it was nice to think about having a baby with Keith sometimes , didn’t mean he wanted to actually have one.
Shiro huffed out a sigh, returning his attention back to his work again . He didn’t understand why he was so distracted today. And the constant daydreams of Keith weren’t helping - Keith training the new colts, Keith running after a chubby toddler, Keith laughing, Keith sighing his name in bed. Keith.
It was only through sheer force of will that Shiro was able to continue. Just a bit more , he kept promising himself. And then you can go see the new puppies with Keith.
“Shiro.”
Shiro’s head jerked up and he saw Keith leaning on the doorframe, smirking at him. “Keith!” he exclaimed. “I didn’t hear you come in!”
“I noticed,” Keith teased, coming to sit in Shiro’s lap. Shiro’s cheeks flushed, and he hoped he never got over the thrill of Keith being so bold. His metal hand moved to cup Keith’s hip, his thumb tracing a lazy circle, and Keith sighed, going lax against Shiro’s chest.
“How are the puppies?” Shiro asked, and Keith gave him a smitten smile.
“They’re so sweet,” he said. “You’ll have to come with me tomorrow.” Shiro’s eyes wandered to the accounts book, and Keith traced his jaw, guiding Shiro’s gaze back to him. “You’ve worked so hard this week,” Keith murmured. “Surely the accounts can wait.”
Shiro swallowed, all too aware of the guilt swirling in his belly. But Keith just smiled, reaching up to run his fingers through Shiro’s hair. “You always work so hard,” he said. “But especially this week.”
“I don’t know why,” Shiro admitted. “I just feel like I need to, I need to make sure everything will be alright.”
Keith hummed. “Allura told me,” he said, and that rang a bell in Shiro’s mind. “Sometimes you get caught up -”
“Before my rut,” Shiro said, the dawning realization crashing down on him. “I’m so stupid.”
“No,” Keith said. “My heat surprised me just a few months ago.”
“But yours came early,” Shiro said, flipping through his diary. “I should have known…”
“Sweetheart…” Keith cupped Shiro’s cheeks in his hands, leaning in to kiss his forehead. “It’s alright. Mine always catches me by surprise.”
Shiro sighed, feeling himself go lax underneath Keith, and he smiled down at him indulgently, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Keith’s scent washed over him, that addictive lemon blossom scent, and Shiro’s breath went shallow. “Keith…” he murmured, his voice a low rumble in his chest, and Keith purred, tilting his head and brushing his hair away to bare his throat.
Shiro hummed, wrapping his arms around Keith’s waist to bring them chest to chest. Keith sighed dreamily as Shiro scented him, and Shiro preened, leaving a biting kiss to his mating mark. Keith moaned, and Shiro felt a pleased, possessive thrill run through him. “Sweetheart,” he whispered, and Keith let out a hiccuping breath.
“I think your rut is coming on fast,” he murmured, reaching up to press his hand to Shiro’s forehead. Shiro leaned into the touch, sighing at Keith’s cool hand on his skin, and Keith said, “Oh, it’s definitely coming soon.”
Shiro blinked up at him, his mind already starting to go hazy. “What about Allura?” he asked. “Usually she goes to stay with the Garrets, but…”
“She’s on her way now,” Keith said. “She sent a note to Oliana this morning, and she was very excited to host her.” Shiro’s brow furrowed, and Keith added gently, “Apparently you were pacing most of the morning.”
Shiro groaned, torn between relief and mortification. “That’s why Allura usually stays with the Garrets,” he murmured. “She says my constant pacing drives her mad.”
Keith laughed. “Well, I’ll have to do my best to distract you,” he said archly, and Shiro groaned.
“I don’t think you’ll have to work very hard,” he admitted, scooping Keith up in his arms and heading for the stairs.
Keith squealed, clinging to Shiro’s shoulders, and Shiro preened when his scent bloomed. “Your rut is coming fast,” Keith whispered, and Shiro blushed.
“Sorry,” he murmured, and Keith shook his head at him.
“Don’t be,” he said, curling his arms around Shiro’s neck so he could scent him. A pang of desire shot through Shiro like a bolt of lightning, and he gasped, trying not to lose his head completely.
Once he finally, finally, reached their bedroom, he set Keith down carefully on the bed. Keith leaned back, baring his throat as he lazily started untying his cravat, and Shiro's mouth went dry.
Keith unbuttoned the first three buttons, smirking up at Shiro. "Come on, Shiro," he said, patting the bed next to him and Shiro nearly tripped over his own feet to sink onto the bed next to him.
Keith laughed, not unkindly, and kissed his nose. "You're sweet when you're in rut," he said, and Shiro beamed at him, crowding Keith back on the bed so he could shower him in kisses.
Keith laughed and fell back onto the pillows, tugging Shiro along with him. Shiro buried his face in the crook of Keith's shoulder, scenting him and tracing his mating mark with his tongue. Keith shivered, clutching at Shiro's shirt.
"Shiro -" he whimpered and Shiro left one last kiss on his throat and pulled back, taking off his shirt and cravat with trembling fingers. Keith reached up to undo his belt, and Shiro's rut haze spiked so fast it made him dizzy.
He somehow managed to shimmy out of his trousers without ripping them to shreds, and Keith took pity on him, throwing his own pants to the side somewhere and letting Shiro take a long look. “Like what you see?” he asked, and Shiro nodded. Keith was always beautiful, but now his mind was just a chorus of pretty omega smells so good .
Shiro ducked down to kiss him, nibbling on his bottom lip, and Keith smiled, wrapping his arms around Shiro’s neck.
And then Keith was settling down in his lap, taking his cock slowly and Shiro could feel himself shaking, overwhelmed by Keith’s scent, Keith’s touch. Keith .
Keith sighed out, a look of pure bliss crossing his face and Shiro groaned. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, running his fingers through Keith’s hair.
Keith flushed the prettiest pink, and Shiro cooed at him, pleased and smug. Keith ducked his head, but not before Shiro saw his smile. He ground down on Shiro’s cock, and Shiro laughed breathlessly. “Oh sweetheart, you feel so good.”
“Yeah?” Keith said. “Are you going to fill me up, Alpha?”
“Yes,” Shiro moaned, reaching out to touch Keith’s bare belly, staring at how big his hand looked against Keith’s soft skin. Keith’s breath hitched in his chest and he froze in Shiro’s lap. Shiro let out a concerned chirp - and then his rut-addled brain came to a screeching halt. “Keith, I didn’t mean -”
“You want to get me pregnant?” Keith asked quietly.
“Not, not really,” Shiro said in a rush. “I know we can't right now, with the…” he waved his metal hand vaguely, searching for the word.
“Syncing?” Keith suggested, a smile tugging at the side of his mouth. “Since I’m not in heat?”
Shiro nodded. “Yes! And I don’t really want to, I just -”
“You like the idea,” Keith said, smiling slyly down at Shiro, and Shiro felt his cock throb.
“Yes,” Shiro admitted sheepishly. “You would look so pretty,” he said, and Keith blushed all the way up to his hairline. “But I don’t want a real baby right now.”
Keith hummed, running his fingers through Shiro’s hair. "Well, what are you waiting for, Alpha?" He raised an eyebrow. "Fill me up."
That ripped a growl from Shiro's throat and he clutched at Keith's waist, flipping them over so Keith was blinking up at him, his hair strewn across the pillows.
“Pretty baby,” Shiro crooned, and Keith blushed again. Shiro nuzzled into his throat, rumbling happily, and Keith huffed out a laugh.
“I thought you were going to fuck me,” Keith said breathlessly, and it was Shiro’s turn to smirk down at him.
“You want my knot?” he teased, thrusting in, slowly at first, gradually picking up speed until Keith was gasping, his back arching off the bed.
But then Keith smiled wickedly, clenching down on Shiro’s cock and making him moan. “I think you want to knot me,” he said, baring his neck, running his hand down his belly. Shiro’s last shred of coherence vanished down completely when Keith whispered, “Come on, Alpha, don’t you want to knot me?”
Shiro whimpered, a needy sound he never knew could come out of his mouth, and he fucked into Keith desperately, egged on by Keith’s moans. “Alpha!” Keith groaned, his toes curling, and Shiro cried out, his vision whiting out as his orgasm tore through him like a storm at sea, reckless and wild, with nothing to slow it down. Keith beamed up at him, groaning, “So good, so good, oh! ” as his knot slipped past his rim, filling him up and locking them together. “ Shiro!” Keith keened, spilling between them, and Shiro hummed happily, pressing a soft kiss to his mating mark.
With his last coherent thought, Shiro scooped Keith up, cradling him to his chest so he could collapse back on the bed, with Keith’s weight pinning him down.
Keith smiled down at him, still breathing hard. “Hi, Handsome.” Shiro turned to hide his face in the pillow, suddenly shy, and Keith laughed, tilting Shiro’s chin so he could kiss him gently. “Good Alpha,” he said, and Shiro felt a thrill of pleasure rush through him. He was a good alpha. Keith had said so, and Keith never lied.
Keith kissed his cheek, and Shiro whispered, “I love you.” Keith’s eyes softened and he leaned forward to kiss Shiro deeper, letting his legs fall to the side so he was straddling Shiro’s hips. They were still connected by Shiro’s knot, and Shiro preened a little when Keith started carding his fingers through his hair.
“You’re cute when you’re in rut,” Keith said, grinning down at Shiro. “You are a bit of a knothead though.”
“ Keith,” Shiro whined, and Keith laughed, not unkindly, covering his face in kisses.
“It’s sweet,” Keith said. He pressed his lips to Shiro’s mating mark and whispered, “I love you too, you know.” Shiro shuddered underneath him, and Keith pressed one last kiss to his throat, sitting upright to see if they were still tied together.
Shiro’s breath hitched in his chest when Keith squirmed in his lap, letting the knot slip out. He sighed at the loss, but Keith took his hand, pressing it against his belly. He was so pretty, with his wild, dark hair and kiss-swollen lips, and Shiro ran his hand up and down Keith’s belly, watching him hold back a shiver when Shiro’s touch threatened to tickle. “Beautiful,” he said, and Keith bit his lip.
“Think you could fill me up again?” he asked, and Shiro grinned, sharp and sly and hungry.
“I’ll do my best,” he said, turning Keith’s laugh into a moan when he snapped his hips up.
Things started to blend together after that, the rut haze turning everything warm and golden. Shiro finally woke hours - days? - later, his head pillowed on Keith’s belly, with Keith’s fingers playing with his hair. He hummed quietly and Keith chuckled.
“Someone tired himself out,” Keith teased, and Shiro huffed out a laugh, pressing a kiss just above Keith’s belly button. “You still like my belly, huh?” Keith asked, and Shiro froze, eyes widening as he remembered all the things he’d said before.
“Keith…” he murmured, trying to think of what to say, but Keith just smiled and shook his head.
“It’s alright, Shiro,” he said. “It was… it was kind of fun. To pretend.”
Shiro’s eyebrows shot up, and Keith blushed, looking up at Shiro through his eyelashes. “Well then…” Shiro said, and Keith bit his lip, falling back against the pillows as Shiro left a trail of kisses up his belly, along his clavicle, until he kissed the tip of his nose. “Mr. Shirogane,” Shiro said, with the world’s most besotted smile on his face.
“Mr. Shirogane…” Keith said, trying to bite back a smile and failing entirely. Shiro laughed, leaning down to blow a loud raspberry against Keith’s tummy. Keith squealed, and Shiro left a kiss as an apology. “You’re ridiculous,” Keith said, with no heat in it.
“But you still love me,” Shiro said, awestruck and enamored, and Keith smiled.
“I really do,” he murmured softly, tugging Shiro closer to kiss him sweetly.