Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Shiro!!” 

Shiro looked up from the fresh kill he’d been skinning to see a young boy running across the field from the stables. He tripped more than once as he came bounding down the hill - his long, black hair falling out of the loose ponytail at his neck.

“Shiro!! Look!!” He was holding his fist in the air as he ran, nearly slamming into Shiro’s side as he finally reached him.

“Woah woah! I have sharp things, Joshua, I’ll poke your eye out!” Shiro held him back with a laugh. “Now, what am I looking at?”

“See anything different?” Joshua asked, standing up on his tiptoes and flashing a toothy grin. There was a black space in his smile where a tooth should be.

“Hmmm…. You got taller?”

“Nope!”

“Cut your hair?”

“Nuh uh.”

“Finally let your mother give you a bath?”

Joshua giggled. “Never!”

“I give up.” Shiro sighed. “You’re too mysterious for me, I’ll never guess it.”

Joshua beamed and opened his fist. In the center of his palm was a tiny, white baby tooth.

“I lost my first tooth!” Joshua smiled wide again, this time pointing to the blank space with his chubby pointer finger.

“ Oh my gods! You’re practically grown! Will you put it under your pillow tonight for the fae to take away? Or will you throw it up on the roof so that the next one will grow in straight?"

“Neither!” Joshua pushed his tooth down into his pocket. “I worked hard pulling this tooth! I did it all on my own too!”

“That’s quite impressive. But don’t you want the fae folk to bless you?”

Joshua pondered this for a moment before smiling wide and pulling the tooth back out and pushing it into Shiro’s pocket.

“You take it! That way you’ll be blessed!”

All Shiro’s protests died on his tongue when Joshua looked up at him with those giant brown puppy eyes.

“Joshua!” A woman’s voice called from the stables. “Bath time!”

“Oh no!” Joshua gasped and took off towards the trees. “Don’t tell her I was here!”

Shiro shook his head and laughed, returning to the half-skinned deer.

…

“Shiro!” Joshua boomed, slapping Shiro on the back before throwing his arm over Shiro’s broad shoulders. “I’ve met my future bride!”

“Oh? Which bride is this? Number seven I believe.” Shiro hip checked the young man and continued down the sidewalk towards the pub.

“Hardy-har-har, killjoy . This time I know it’s true love!” Josh seemed to bounce beside him as they walked down the road. He pushed the long hairs that never quite stayed put, back into his bun. “She makes her own tea!”

Shiro threw his head back and laughed. “That’s it?! That’s how you know??”

“Not just that! There’s other stuff too!” Josh put his elbow on Shiro’s shoulder and poked him in the cheek. “You’d know if you were old enough to care about love!”

“Whatever you say, man!” Shiro shook his head and pushed Joshua’s face away. Joshua was right, however, Shiro was much too young to care about love. “You want a drink?”

“Nahh man, I’m bleeding tonight.” Joshua rolled up his sleeves.

“Just give spiked blood! We always need more of that stuff!”

Shiro came to a stop in front of the bar and Joshua shrugged.

“I promised Sophia I’d stop drinking so much.”

“ Sophia ? You know this broad for, what, one day? And you’re already making promises?”

“I’m telling you, she’s the one!” Joshua pointed in Shiro’s face - still blushing - before turning on his heel and continuing down the street. “Just you wait, Shiro! I’ll marry this one!”

Shiro laughed, shaking his head, and continued into the pub with a group of young vampires.

…

“I can’t believe it, Shiro.” Joshua leaned back into the rocking chair. Shiro hummed beside him. “She’s getting married. My daughter is getting married! Can you believe it?”

“I can’t.” Shiro leaned back, kicking up his legs. “Has Sophia decided on location yet? Our gardens are still available.”

“Sophia likes your gardens, but Rose is still insisting she get married by the river. We keep telling her everyone will muddy their shoes, but she’s not having it. Either way, I’ll let you know.”

Shiro chuckled. “What about the rest of your children? They’re in the wedding party, what do they say?”

“They don’t care either way, they’re more concerned with the food!”

“No help.” Shiro scoffed and kicked up his feet.

“None at all! I’m going grey from all this stress!” Joshua pulled at his long hair - there was indeed grey streaking through it.

Shiro looked at his friend. There were creases around his eyes. Sun spots on his hands. Shiro twiddled with the tall cup of iced tea in his hands. He caught his own reflection in the glass. He looked… the same as he always had.

“Wait and see, this time next year it will be entirely grey! I’m an old man, Shiro. All this wedding planning has made me into an old man.”

“Well.” Shiro coughed, taking a drink. “You look good.”

…

Shiro had been hovering outside the door frame for longer than what was probably considered to be reasonable. Rose and a few others who Shiro didn’t recognize had gone in and out multiple times, but he was alone now and had no excuse not to go in. So he did. Shiro’s smile was weak as he sat down beside the bed.

“Do I still look good, old friend?” Joshua lifted his hand off the sheets.

Shiro held it with both hands and pressed the back of Joshua’s hand to his lips.

“Always.”

“Sophia used to say all the drinking aged me.” Joshua rolled his eyes and took a long breath, wheezing on the exhale. His long, white hair splayed out over his pillow. “I think it kept me jolly.” Joshua winked.

“Sure kept me jolly.” Shiro laughed with tears in his eyes.

Joshua swallowed hard and squeezed Shiro’s hand.

“Pour one for me -” Joshua took another labored breath. “- will ‘ya?” 

Shiro nodded, pressing Joshua’s hand to his forehead and finally allowing the tears to fall.

“I will.” Shiro’s voice broke. “I will, Josh.”

…

Shiro went to the funeral. It was down by the river where Sophia’s had been. Shiro stood near the back of the small gathering and listened as Joshua’s family stood up front one by one to speak about the man’s life. He chuckled, noticing that his shoes were muddy. When the oldest of Joshua’s sons called for any of Joshua’s friends to speak if they were so inclined, Shiro went forward and said his piece. It felt hollow. He lit a candle at the altar along with everyone else, but didn’t attend the reception. Afterall, that was more for Joshua’s human loved ones. When he came home, his parents smiled sadly and patted his shoulder as he sat down for supper.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry -” his mother kissed the side of his head. “- he knew you loved him. He was lucky to have chosen you. I’m sure having you there at the end was a comfort.”

Shiro nodded but couldn’t drink the blood she put on the table in front of him.

“Joshua was a good boy. The first one is always the hardest.” His father shook his head and finished the rest of his drink. 

When Shiro went up to his apartment late that night, he sat at the table by the window and put out two glasses. One - Shiro’s - was clear and clean from so much use. The other - Joshua’s - was dusty. Shiro couldn’t remember the last time they’d drank together in his home. As Shiro filled both glasses with strong liquor, he racked his brain trying to recall. An image of Joshua came to mind. His long, silky hair was still all black. It felt like yesterday. Shiro picked up his glass and clinked it against Joshua’s before downing its contents in one swallow. He couldn't get drunk this way, but Shiro couldn't stomach the idea of blood right now. He sat down at his desk and watched the other glass as it sat - untouched - in the moonlight. A thought occurred to him. Shiro fumbled with his desk drawer and pulled out a small, paper box. His hands shook and tears poured down his face as he opened it, revealing a perfect white tooth.

When Shiro blinked his eyes open, his vision was blurry. He wiped at his face and realized he’d been crying in his sleep. The dream was fading but the dull ache in his chest remained. Shiro sighed, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. It had been such a long time since he'd thought about Joshua. He'd almost forgotten. 

A soft tug on his shirt drew his attention. Lance was on his side looking up at him; Keith snuggled up into his back.

“Shiro?” Lance yawned. “Did you have another nightmare?”

“No, Lance, it’s nothing. Go back to sleep.” 

Lance pouted and tugged again on his shirt. Shiro chuckled and relented, laying back down and throwing his arm over Lance and Keith. Lance smiled and snuggled into his chest, immediately falling back asleep. Shiro's heart gave a painful thud in his chest. His lips trembled as he kissed the top of Lance’s head and willed himself to relax despite the emotion welling up behind his eyes. The sun wouldn’t be up for another hour. Shiro was determined to enjoy this while it lasted.

. . . . .

Smooth, soul music danced through the trees surrounding the cabin, harmonizing with the wind through the leaves and the birdsong. Keith filled his lungs with the sweet summer scent of wild grass and birch. He sunk deeper into the scooped lawn chair beneath him and adjusted the sketchbook in his lap to better accommodate the new angle. Across the page were several messy, half-done drawings of birds and trees framed by the wood beams that held up the awning. Keith growled at the page. Nothing looked right. He turned to a fresh page and started over. When nothing came to mind, Keith faced the other end of the porch where Lance reclined lazily in a hammock, hoping for some inspiration. Lance was reading a book he’d been obsessed with over the past two weeks. Keith smiled fondly at the way Lance’s eyebrows scrunched up adorably whenever Lance got to an intense moment in his story. Lance’s mouth moved whenever he read; he just couldn’t help it. Keith found it unbelievingly cute. Keith adjusted his position to better watch Lance. He sketched out his face - the sharp angle of his jaw and his expressive eyebrows. The way his hair was growing out in waves that curled around his ears. Lance would no doubt ask him to cut it again soon. Keith tried to capture the way Lance’s broad, slanted shoulders gave way to long arms and long fingers, but he couldn’t quite get the proportions right. He frowned at the vague likeness of Lance that he’d been sketching out. It wasn’t right.

Lance’s head shot up, making Keith jolt.

“Oooh!” Lance whooped and fumbled out of the hammock. “This is my shit !”

The song had just changed - Keith didn’t even notice - and Lance swayed to the center of the porch. Keith wasn’t an expert in many things “worldly” but he knew his father’s records like gospel. The song that got Lance away from his book and up slowly sashaying across the hard wood, was Sam Cooke’s “ Good Times ”. The gentle sway of Lance’s body and the pop of his hips had Keith entranced. He barely noticed Lance was speaking to him.

“What?” Keith looked up from where he’d been watching the sliver of skin above Lance’s waistband where his shirt was riding up.

“Dance with me!” Lance held out his hand, hips still swaying.

“What?!” Keith wanted to sink into his lawn chair.

“Don’t ‘ what’ me, mullet, come on!” Lance snatched Keith's sketchbook and tossed it on the table before pulling him up by the wrists. Keith grumbled but Lance only laughed, throwing Keith’s arms over his shoulders and grabbing him by the hips and pulling him close. Keith hid his ever-darkening face in Lance’s shoulder with a groan.

“Come on, you’ve never danced before?” Lance chuckled and swayed with the music, forcing Keith along. 

Keith shook his head slowly.

“Really? Huh...” Lance hummed and pulled Keith a little closer.

Lance tugged Keith’s left hand off of where it was clutched onto his shoulder. He slid his right hand into Keith’s left and kept their intertwined fingers hovering just higher than their shoulders.

“This -” Lance squeezed Keith’s hand. “- means I’m leading.”

Lance pressed his left hand into the small of Keith’s back and pulled him close, forcing Keith to look up at Lance instead of down at his own feet. Keith’s cheeks warmed at Lance’s soft gaze. 

“Just follow me.” Lance’s voice was low - just for them. He swayed his hips to the mellow beat and soulful voice, humming along deep in his chest. 

They moved in time with the music and Keith only managed to step on Lance’s toes once.

“See, not so bad, right?” Lance grinned. “You’re a natural.”

Lance’s body was warm where it pressed against Keith. Lance only had a few inches on him, and Keith could almost forget about that, but with Lance standing so close - their noses just inches apart - Keith couldn’t ignore the way he had to look up into Lance’s eyes.

The song transitioned smoothly into the next on the vinyl - (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons - and Lance took a breath. He pulled Keith into his chest, pressing his cheek into Keith’s temple. Keith had heard this song probably a thousand times - maybe more - but he’d never danced to it. He’d never danced to any of them. Maybe he did as a toddler but he couldn’t remember. Once his father died, the record collection became the one thing that could fill the empty void of sound within the lifeless house. Keith would just sit and listen to them over and over into the night. He never felt much like dancing. But here, with Lance’s heart beating against his, dancing felt like something he could get used to. 

The way Lance held him felt important somehow. Keith had never danced with a partner before, but he could tell this was special. He allowed his grip on Lance’s shoulder to turn soft, and he melted into Lance’s embrace.

“You know, Sam Cooke was a big deal in my family.” Lance’s soft voice against Keith’s ear broke him from his thoughts. “We’d listen to him every Sunday morning. It was the only day we didn’t have chores or school. My parent’s too. We’d wake up late. Have lazy eggs -” Lance chuckled at some memory playing in his mind. “- listen to his albums, one after another. Now, Sam Cooke always feels like Sunday.” 

Lance let go of Keith’s hand to run his arms around the small of Keith’s back, properly hugging him, still swaying to the music; Keith kept one hand on Lance’s shoulder and tossed the other around his neck, squeezing a little tighter. When Lance spoke again it was barely a whisper. 

“My parents always danced to this song.” Lance said into Keith’s hair. “We all danced to whatever music we had playing in the house, whether we were cleaning or cooking or doing homework - if there was music playing, hell, we’d dance in our seats. But… this song was for my parents. No matter what they were doing, if this song came on, they’d stop…come together… kinda like this…and dance.”

Keith threaded his fingers through Lance's curls. 

"I always… Well, I would watch them and think: 'this is it. This is true love '." Lance sighed, then continued. "I danced with SO many girls growing up, Keith. Every party, school dance, arcades, clubs you name it; I danced with anyone I could."

Keith waited for Lance to continue, but he didn't. They kept swaying.

"Did you ever find it?" Keith whispered. Lance laughed softly and pulled back to look at him with a smile that turned Keith's heart to mush. 

"Yeah, actually, I might have." Lance squeezed Keith's waist - right where he knew he was ticklish - making him squirm. "Just wasn't at a trashy homecoming with some girl I hardly knew."

The song ended and the next began. It was " Twisting the Night Away " and Lance whooped again, twirling Keith and spinning them clumsily down the stairs and into the soft grass. 

“Oh! Now, this is my shit!” Lance did a little twirl, making Keith laugh.

Suddenly, the front door was thrown open with a loud bang !

“ Let me tell you ‘bout a place!” Shiro sang - loudly - along with the song, snapping his fingers to the beat and dancing down the stairs and into the grass to take Lance’s extended hand. “Somewhere up a New York way -”

“ WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE SO GAY ! ” Lance and Shiro sang together, laughing and pulling themselves into each other in perfect step.

Their smiles were so wide Keith couldn’t help but mirror them as they sang loudly and danced along with an ease that almost seemed choreographed.

Keith couldn't remember a time when he'd laughed so hard or for so long. 

Shiro spun Lance out and then back into his arms, back to chest.

“Here’s a fella in blue jeans -” Shiro sang.

“Dancing with an older queen !” Lance smirked and grabbed Shiro’s chin over his shoulder.

Shrio threw his head back and laughed, falling out of step, while Lance reached out a long arm to pull Keith towards them, only a little unwillingly.

Lance and Shiro swayed to the beat while Keith was awkwardly dragged along, but he didn’t care. Shiro hooked his chin over Lance’s shoulder so they were both looking at him.

Keith's heart stopped in his chest for a moment, and everything seemed to move in slow motion.

There were times in Keith’s life when he would take mental pictures. Bookmarks, he called them. Moments in his life that he would revisit when things got hard or when monotony became too much. Moments that he never wanted to forget.

Here: Shiro and Lance smiling wide, their faces speckled with sunlight filtered through the trees, laughter on their lips, looking at him like he hung the fucking stars.

. . . . .

Shiro ripped the head off a zombie stuck in the mud and tossed it to Keith, who caught the snapping skull in a pillowcase with the others. He closed it fast. They’d been out in the marshes all day - in the heat - and their little collection of rotting heads was beginning to reek. 

“Is that the last one?” Keith coughed and blew upwards in an attempt to get his bangs out of his eyes. He had the rest of his long hair in a ponytail, but the shorter bits never quite stayed put.

“Yeah.” Shiro shoved the now-headless body over to be absorbed by the thick slush. “Should be. I need to get away from this one first so the scent isn’t so overpowering, but I think so.” 

Good . Keith wanted to get back. He was always nervous leaving Lance alone at the house, but this needed to get done. During winter, their little hideaway was nearly inaccessible, especially for creatures with the dexterity of a wet noodle. They’d been given a season of rest; able to hide out in the mountain relatively safe behind miles and miles of unstable ice and formidable altitude changes. With the snow melt, the mountain pass became much more easily accessed. Shiro and Keith needed to eliminate threats before they got close.

Shiro pulled his rubber boots out of the mud and trucked back to where Keith was keeping watch on the edge of the wash.

“We should be getting back.” Shiro said, looking out over the hill in the direction of their cabin. Keith knew he was just as anxious to get back to Lance.

“Do you wanna burn these now or later?” Keith asked, lifting the putrid bag.

“Now.” Shiro wretched. “Definitely now.”

They cleared a space near the end of the wash and made a small fire. Keith tossed the bag onto the flames and took a few steps back to stay upwind of the horrible scent. The bag caught fire and melted away. The skulls’ eyes still rolled back and forth and their jaws snapped even as they were eaten away by the flames. Shiro laughed inwardly at the absurdity of it all. In over one hundred years, Shiro would never have thought he’d be doing this. He turned to Keith to voice as much, but Keith wasn’t watching the flames. His gaze was on the hill - off in the direction of the cabin - and his thoughts seemed far away.

“Something on your mind, Keith?” Shiro nudged him with his elbow.

Keith shifted uncomfortably, as if embarrassed at being caught. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away.

“I eh… I think I’m gonna tell Lance I love him.” Keith shrugged - shy.

Shiro smiled fondly. “I think you should. He’ll be happy to hear it.” 

Keith breathed a sigh of relief at Shiro’s support. There was a small part of him that thought maybe Shiro would be upset that Keith also loved Lance, but he knew that was silly. Shiro loved Lance too. He hadn’t said it yet, but Keith knew it was true - it was so obvious.

“Are you going to tell him?” Keith elbowed Shiro and wiggled his eyebrows.

Shiro blushed.  “I’m, uh… taking my time with that. Can you help me with this?” Shiro held out his hand for Keith to pull off his blood-soaked rubber glove and toss it in the wash bucket.

“It’s been eight months, Shiro; you didn’t take so long with me.” Keith teased, but Shiro winced a little.

“Yeah, but you’re different. We’re different. Keith, we need to… protect ourselves. Just a little, when it comes to Lance.”

“Protect from what?” Keith scoffed and scooped up their things. “It’s Lance .” Keith turned on his heel and started walking back up towards the hill. He was confused and a little annoyed that Shiro would imply Lance could hurt them.

“It’s complicated - loving humans.” Shiro said as he caught up. “I tried to avoid it growing up - everyone told me to - but still they have a way of growing on you. I’m just saying be careful.”

Keith was completely confused.

“What should I be careful of? Lance isn’t going to hurt me, Shiro - he’s not going to hurt us .”

“Oh - no, Keith - that’s not what I mean at all. I just meant they’re hard to lose, that’s all.”

“What? We’re not losing Lance anytime soon.”

“Of course not, Keith. I just mean, eventually.”

“Psh!” Keith rolled his eyes. “ Eventually - everything dies eventually .”

Shiro stopped suddenly - a dreadful expression washed over his face. Keith turned back in confusion.

“Keith…. Have you.. Have you really not thought about this?”

“Thought about what? Death ? I think about death all the time.”

“Lance... Is human .”

“Yeah?”

“.... eventually… he’s going to grow old. And die.”

“Yeah?” Keith rolled his eyes - obviously .

“We won’t .”

It took all of two seconds for the glass to shatter. Ice settled into Keith’s stomach. His heart seized in his chest.

“Lance is going to grow old. We won’t. One day… Lance is going to die.” The look on Shiro’s face was sad. Resigned. “We won’t.”

The panic slowly rising in Keith’s throat threatened to strangle him.

“Wha - why didn’t you say anything?!” The bucket in Keith’s hands went clamoring to the ground.

“I thought you knew!”

“What do we do, Shiro?!” Keith’s jaw trembled. 

Shiro's chest ached. He sighed and shook his head. 

“I don’t know." Shiro said. Keith shook his head and started pacing. "This is uncharted territory for me, Keith. I lived among humans in my clan, lots of families had live-in human families, but very few vampires took human lovers. It was considered… cruel. To both the human and the vampire. That was part of the reason it took so long for me to realize I had feelings for Lance. I didn’t think that was possible for me.”

“We could turn him.” Keith turned on Shiro,  his jaw set.

“That’s too dangerous to even try. If he doesn’t have the gene, the vampiric germ could kill him. Plus, how would we eat?”

“We’ll find another human for that. Or go back to killing.”

“Oh, and Lance would love that.”

“We can’t just let him die , Shiro!” Keith's voice echoed in the empty canyon. The panic in his chest had nowhere to go, so he huffed and pulled at his hair.

Shiro sighed painfully. He let Keith breathe for a minute before going to him. Keith flinched at the touch to his elbow but didn't fight when Shiro pulled his hand out of his hair. 

Keith let his head fall into Shiro’s chest. He smelled of rotten blood and it brought Keith a little bit out of his spiraling thoughts. 

“Keith, you need to let go of this. There’s nothing to be done. You just… love him while he’s here.”

. . . . .

Keith hadn’t spoken the entire hike back. It was almost sunset when they reached the cabin and kicked their boots off by the steps. Lance heard them banging around and burst through the front door.

“Hey! Welcome ba-! Woah - ecgh!” Lance gagged and covered his mouth and nose. “You guys reek! How are you still breathing?! Ohhhh no you don’t!”

Keith had tried to duck through the front door before Lance noticed his mood, but Lance stepped up to block him.

“I’m hosing you two off outside! No way - you’re gonna stink up the whole house!”

Shiro and Keith grumbled but ultimately allowed Lance to herd them around back.

“Alright - put all your clothes over here, we’ll wash them tomorrow.” Lance picked up the hose while Keith and Shiro peeled off their bile-soaked clothes and threw them in a pile away from the house. 

When Lance turned to face them, Shiro and Keith stood naked in the grass.

“Ooooh, sexy boys.” Lance purred and wiggled his eyebrows. “You guys should do a little dance for me while you’re at it.”

“Ugh, Lance, just hurry up!” Keith folded his arms over his chest.

“Fine. You’re no fun.” Lance turned the hose on Keith and he jumped backwards with a shriek.

“What the fuck!! Give a guy some warning, it’s freezing!!”

"The faster you get hosed down, the faster you can get into a real shower!" 

"Give it to me!" Keith snatched the hose out of Lance's hand. "I'll do it myself!"

Lance shrugged and stepped back away from the running water. Keith took a breath and braced himself before turning the freezing water over his head. 

"Get under the mullet!" Lance laughed. "Pretty sure I see some guts in there!"

Keith flipped him the bird before shaking out his hair under the water. 

"You want to do it yourself too?" Lance asked Shiro who winced watching Keith spray down his crotch. 

"No, you can do it Lance. I don't think I can do that to myself." Shiro laughed as Keith threw the hose on the ground. 

"There! Done." Keith shivered and shook himself off.

"Alright big guy." Lance picked up the hose and motioned for Shiro to stand in the puddle Keith had just created. "Your turn."

Shiro stood with his hand over his junk. 

"What, are you shy?" Lance teased.

"No! I just don't want you to spray my dick right away!" Shiro laughed. 

"Alright, you ready?"

"Oh, so you give him a warning." Keith huffed, crossing his arms. 

"I said I was sorry, quit being a baby!" Lance said as he turned the hose on Shiro. 

"You did not! Ugh - whatever - I'm going inside." Keith grumbled and stalked off towards the house.

“What’s his deal?” Lance huffed once he heard the front door slam. 

Shiro spun around in the stream of water, running his hand over his body and through his hair in an attempt to get clean as quickly as possible.

“Grumpy, I suppose.” Shiro shrugged and moved into Lance’s side. “Hello.”

Lance looked up and smiled, turning off the hose before reaching to squish Shiro’s naked pecs. “ Hello .”

Shiro grabbed Lance’s chin and pulled him into a quick kiss.

“Mmmm. How’d the zombie hunt go?” Lance wrapped an arm around Shiro and walked them back towards the house.

“Disgusting. But good. We shouldn’t have to go out again for a while.” Shiro shivered in the breeze. 

“Ooooh, you cold?” Lance purred in Shiro’s ear. “We should get you into a hot shower.” 

When Lance and Shiro tumbled - giggling - through the front door, Keith was already getting out of the shower and heading towards their room.

“Oh, Keith!” Lance waved him down. “We were gonna get in the shower, wanna join?”

“No.” Keith grumbled and kept on down the hall. “Tired. Going to bed.”

“Seriously, what’s up with him?” Lance whispered when the bedroom door closed.

“Tired?” Shiro shrugged and grabbed Lance by his waist, kissing him all up and down his neck as he pulled him - laughing - into the bathroom.

. . . . .

"Oh…. Lance…" Keith's head rolled back against the couch. Lance was kneeling on the floor in between his open legs, giving him a very enthusiastic blow job. 

At first light, Shiro had gone down to the lake. Since the ice had melted, he had gotten back into his routine of fishing for most of the morning, which usually left Keith and Lance up to their own devices. 

Blowjobs hadn’t come easy to Lance due to his strong gag reflex, but a simple muscle spasm was no match for Lance’s competitive spirit. If Keith could do it, so could he goddammit ! Keith groaned and his eyes fluttered closed as Lance took him into his throat again and again. 

Lance pulled off with a sucking pop and gripped the base of Keith’s dick.

“Are you mad at me?” Lance asked.

…

Keith blinked open his eyes and looked down at Lance's red lips.

…

“What?” Nothing was making sense, all Keith’s blood was currently in his dick.

Lance rolled his eyes. “Are you mad at me?” 

Keith blinked and scrunched up his face. “What?”

“Are. You. Mad. At. Me?”

“Lance… wha -? You’re… I’m hard…” Keith muttered dumbly, gesturing towards said hardness.

“Yeah, now , but you’ve been acting weird around me all day! Days , actually!”

Keith’s erection flagged a little as he wracked his brain for what Lance could possibly be talking about at a time like this.

“You keep looking at me all funny and you’re so serious all the time! You’ve been grumpy since killing zombies and you haven’t fucked me in two days! ”

“Wha -! That’s -! I don’t!” Keith growled and shook his head. “Can we maybe talk about this after?!”

“ Oh so you want me to just suck your dick and get you off? That’s all you want from me?”

“Ugh - no! Lance, I’m - fuck - confused! You’re the one who just started sucking my dick out of nowhere! I want you to finish!”

“Well, I want you to tell me why you’re being weird!”

“ You’re being weird! ” Keith shouted.

Lance huffed, stood up, turned on his heel and walked right out the front door, leaving Keith utterly confused, half hard, and very frustrated. 

Lance walked all the way to the lake.

“I gave Keith an angry blowjob!” Lance announced the second he found Shiro at his usual spot.

“Uhh… what?”

“I gave Keith an angry blowjob and now he’s half naked in the living room and pissed at me.”

Shiro blinked at Lance.

“Again. What?”

“ Ugh! ” Lance rolled his eyes and flopped down on the log next to Shiro. “I was pissed at Keith because he’s been ignoring me, so I started giving him a blowjob because I figured it would make him less agitated - and it did! - but then I thought I should ask him about it before he gets post-nut clarity, and I guess I waited too long into the blowjob because he was extra dumb and then he got mad at me and I got mad at him and we yelled at each other, then I left mid-blowjob and came here.”

Shiro looked absolutely horrified.

“So… you thought this was a… good idea?”

“I don’t know! Keith’s always more honest when he’s having sex! I thought he would just go “ you left the cap off the toothpaste ” and I’d apologize and then we’d fuck!”

Shiro snorted and covered his mouth.

“Shut up!” Lance shoved at Shiro then pouted, crossing his arms. “As far as plans go, I know it’s not my best!”

Shiro chuckled and leveled Lance a sympathetic look. “Well, it’s not your worst .”

Lance rolled his eyes.

“Listen.” Shiro sighed and reeled the line back in. “Keith has a hard time processing big emotions. Sometimes, he just needs time and space to sort everything out in his head before he can convert those feelings into words. And that can be… frustrating. Especially when you’re dating him.” Shiro huffed, fondly. “I don’t know if I told you this, but when Keith and I first teamed up, he didn’t speak to me for a month.”

“Wait, really?? You said that before but I thought you were exaggerating!”

“Nope! A full lunar cycle of frowning and growling and grunting. Felt like I was talking to a feral cat that decided to follow me around. But eventually he opened up. What I’m saying is I get it.”

“I just…” Lance sighed. “I just thought we were past the whole icing me out thing. He’s hardly spoken to me in three days!”

“Well.” Shiro chewed his lip. “I might have something to do with that.”

“What?”

“Look, I can’t tell you what Keith’s thinking or feeling, or even what he told me - that’s his business to tell you when he’s ready - but earlier this week I brought up the whole… immortality problem. I guess it hadn’t crossed his mind before and he didn’t exactly take it well.”

“Wait wait wait.” Lance held up his hands. “The immortality problem, as in, you guys being undead?”

“We’re not undead , Lance. Neither of us have died.” Shiro rolled his eyes.

“Ah-bup-bup-bup, you know what I mean. What, so Keith just hadn’t thought about it?"

"Guess not. We've been so preoccupied with other things. Plus, Keith hasn't quite accepted vampirism as a part of his identity. He still sees himself as human. Or, I suppose as some kind of broken human." Shiro frowned. 

Lance sighed and leaned back against his hands. "Yeah, I suppose he does."

Shiro cast the line back out into the lake and let the pole rest in a hole he'd dug. 

"He forgets that he won’t die.” Shiro shrugged. “I mean, he might , but he might not. That’s hard to come to terms with when it’s so outside your own idea of yourself.”

Lance hummed. 

"You think I should just leave him alone?"

"Well, I don't know about that - you definitely shouldn't give him any more angry blowjobs." Shiro laughed and Lance rolled his eyes. "You can try talking to him again if you want, he might surprise you. Or you can give him space and see if he brings it up. Either way, I wouldn’t worry about it so much. It’s not your fault or anything. I know you think it is.”

Lance scoffed and looked offended but Shiro only chuckled fondly and rolled his eyes.

“You think a lot of things are your fault, you know. They’re usually not. This certainly isn’t.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lance turned his nose up and crossed his arms.

“Well. This isn’t your fault.”

“Ugghhhh..” Lance folded over his knees. “It’s my fault Keith’s mad right now .”

“You did turn him on and then leave. I’m team Keith on this one, that is a dick move.”

Shiro’s line jumped and he clutched at the pole, pulling it up to hold it between his knees so he could real it back in. 

"Woah - need help?"

"Nah - I got it!"

Lance watched - more than a little amazed - as Shiro fought what would obviously be a sizable fish, with only one hand. The fish gave a good fight, but Lance whooped as Shiro ultimately pulled it up onto the shore. He held it up by the gills, completely out of breath, and smiling like a little kid.

“Look at that!” Shiro beamed. “That’s gotta be twenty pounds!”

Lance laughed and helped Shiro get it into the bucket of cold water. They sat back down against the log while Shiro put his tackle box back together.

“So.” Lance said after a while. “Me being human doesn’t bother you ?”

Shiro paused before setting down the bait in his hand.

“Of course it bothers me.” Shiro looked out over the lake. “I’ve never… cared for anyone who I knew was going to die. At least… not the way I care for you.”

Lance watched Shiro’s jaw clench and loosen like he was chewing on the words before he let them out.

“Humans were like pets to us. I watched them be born and then grow old and die over and over and over again. We mourned them because we did care for them, but we knew their existence was finite. I’ve long accepted that humans die and vampires don’t. I never even saw another vampire die until… well, until the outbreak.” Shiro shook his head and finished closing up his tackle box. “What I’m saying is, yes I’m bothered knowing that you’re going to die one day. But that day isn’t today.”

Shiro sighed and finally met Lance’s eye. 

“I refuse to let the possibility of bad ruin something good.”

Lance hummed. He supposed that answered his question. He was a little concerned that Shiro might see him as a pet , but Lance could only spin out about one thing at a time.

“I should probably go find Keith.” Lance sighed, getting up and stretching his back. “Before he sets his own mullet on fire.”

“Alright.” Shiro picked up his fishing gear. “I still need to fish the far side before noon. Too hot after that."

“Want me to take this back?” Lance motioned towards the cooler with the fish.

“Yeah, that would be great! You can dump the water though, it was only keeping them fresh. Just leave them in the-”

“Fish drawer, yeah I know.” Lance grabbed the fish and pushed over the bucket, spilling water into the grass. “See you back at the house!”

Shiro watched Lance jog back down the path to the hill. Once he’d disappeared into the treeline, Shiro sighed and sat back down against the tree. He massaged his eyes and focused on breathing. 

Just be here while it lasts.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Love him while he’s here.

. . . . .

When Lance got back to the house, he was surprised to find the front room empty. Lance didn't know why he expected Keith to be sitting exactly where he left him - pouting with his arms crossed and his dick still out. He stuffed Shiro's fish into the air tight bottom drawer of the fridge and washed the smell off his hands before looking for Keith. 

Keith growled when Lance found him attempting to read in the armchair by their bedroom window. 

Lance flopped into Keith’s lap, wrapping his arms around his torso and burying his face in Keith's stomach. Keith growled and tried to push him off, but Lance clung on tight.

“I’m sorry I was weird.” Lance jutted out his bottom lip and looked up at Keith with his best puppy-dog eyes. 

Keith frowned down at him, crossing his arms.

“You gave me blue balls, Lance.” Keith growled.

“I’m sorry!” Lance crawled up into Keith’s lap and threw his arms over his shoulders. “Let me make it up to you.”

“No!” Keith frowned harder and threw his arms out to the sides. “You’re just going to fuck with me again!”

“I won’t! I promise!” Lance dug his fingers into Keith’s hair and rolled his hips down a little. “I’ll be good.”

Keith’s stomach fluttered, but he was determined not to succumb so easily.

“Really?” Keith raised one eyebrow in challenge.

“I promise.” Lance said, then dropped his voice low. “I’ll be good for you.”

Keith smirked and then pushed Lance off of him, just to yank him down over his knee.

Lance gasped as Keith’s hand came down over his ass - hard . 

“You thought I would just give you what you want?” Keith brought down his hand again, making Lance flinch. “After that stunt you pulled?”

Keith smacked him even harder the third time; Lance squealed in his lap and pulled on Keith’s other arm.

“No! No I didn’t!” Lance bit into his lip to cut off the moan as Keith slapped his ass again.

“Heh, sure.” Keith smirked and brought his hand down across Lance’s ass over and over. He paused when he felt something bump against his knee.

“Are you hard from this?” Keith groped at Lance’s ass.

“No!” Lance squealed.

“Liar - I can feel your dick against my leg.” Keith laughed and spanked Lance again - twice on each cheek.

“Yes! Yes, I’m hard!”

“Heh. You slut.”

“I’m sorry!” 

"Oh, please.” Keith pulled Lance up and off his lap onto his knees in a kneeling position on the floor at Keith's feet. "You're not sorry." Keith gripped Lance’s jaw and smiled darkly at his wrecked expression. “But you will be.”

Shiro chose that exact moment to come back from the lake. He took one step into their bedroom and froze. 

“Oh. Am I interrupting?” Shiro grinned and walked over to the chair.

“Nope.” Keith smiled casually. “I was just about to punish Lance for being a tease. Wanna help?”

“Ooh, I’d love to.” Shiro leaned over the chair to kiss Keith. 

Lance stretched up onto his knees before Keith shoved him back down. 

"Nuh uh. Only good boys get kisses."

“Awwww come on!” Lance whined.

"Oh hush. If you really wanna do something, take off your clothes."

Lance scrambled to do as he was told while Keith and Shiro made out. Once he was naked, Lance went back to kneeling at Keith's feet. 

“Alright.” Keith pulled away from Shiro and put his attention back on Lance. “You.

Keith stood up, pulling Lance up with him, and dragged the armchair closer to the bed. 

“Sit.” Keith pushed Lance down into the chair. “You’re gonna sit right here - quietly - while Shiro fucks me. And I don’t wanna hear any whining.”

Lance raised his hand. 

"What?"

"Can I…" Lance gestured vaguely towards his hard on. 

"Words, Lance." 

"Can I.. touch myself?" Lance’s face burned. He suddenly felt extremely aware that he was the only naked one in the room. For some reason that turned him on even more. 

"Sure." Keith rolled his eyes. "But don't you dare come without permission."

Lance nodded and held onto his own thighs, determined to wait as long as possible before touching himself. 

"And you." Keith turned to Shiro, smiling sweetly. "I saw that fish you caught - I watched Lance struggle up the hill with it - very impressive."

Lance huffed, opening his mouth to argue that he was not struggling! But a sideways glance from Keith had him holding his tongue. 

"It was nothing." Shiro smiled as Keith threw his arms over Shiro's shoulders and pulled him down into a kiss. 

"Must've been a pain to land that fish." Keith ran his hands down Shiro's shoulders to squeeze his biceps. "You're so strong."

Shiro blushed. He never knew how to respond to praise - blushing adorably - Keith loved it. 

"I - it's not.."

"You've been so good today." Keith growled, pushing Shiro backwards onto the bed. "And good boys -" Keith shot a glance back at Lance "- get rewards."

Keith climbed over Shiro's legs, unzipping his jeans and pulling out his cock before Shiro could argue and giving him one good stroke from root to tip. 

"Ah - Keith!" Shiro held onto Keith's elbow “Please!” 

"No need to beg, baby." Keith licked his lips. “We’re punishing Lance, remember? The only words out of your mouth should be to let him know how good this feels.”

Keith took Shiro into his mouth, sinking down on Shiro’s cock all the way to the base in one go.

“Oh fuck!” Shiro hummed and buried his fingers in Keith’s hair. “God, that’s good!”

Keith pulled back off and licked his lips. “Don’t tell me. Tell him .” Keith nodded towards Lance then sunk back down on Shiro’s dick.

“Ohhhh - fuck - Lance, this feels so good!” Shiro dropped his head back against the mattress and moaned while Keith sucked him off.

Lance shifted uncomfortably in his timeout chair. Keith and Shiro were so far away! Lance wanted to touch.

“I bet you wish you could suck Shiro off, huh Lance?” Keith smirked over his shoulder. “But I can’t trust you with Shiro’s dick, now, can I?”

Lance whined and dug his fingernails into his naked thighs.

Keith went back to work, sucking on the head of Shiro's cock while one hand stroked the shaft and the other fondled his balls. Shiro was hard as a rock in no time at all. Lance groaned at the sight of Keith's lips moving over the plush cockhead over and over. His own erection stood untouched between his legs. 

Keith noticed Lance's struggle and laughed as he got off the bed, pulling Shiro’s pants off and tossing them before making quick work of his own clothes. Lance whined at the sight of so much skin! 

“Oh?” Keith sauntered over to Lance’s chair. “Did you want something, brat?”

Lance gulped as Keith stared him down. He chanced a glance down at Keith’s cock before flicking his eyes back up to Keith’s face. Keith’s smile was wicked as he kicked up his leg, setting his foot on the chair’s arm and bringing his hard dick even closer to Lance’s face. Lance gripped onto his own thighs for dear life. He knew if he moved to touch Keith now without permission his punishment would be even worse, but - god! - he wanted to take that chance!

“Well?” Keith sneered. “See something you want?”

Lance nodded, eyes going back and forth between Keith’s crotch and his face.

“You want my dick in your mouth? Wanna make me come before Shiro opens me up to take his cock?” Keith chuckled as Lance nodded furiously. “Maybe you wanna open me up instead? Eat my ass and get me nice and ready to sit on a good boy’s cock?”

Lance whined painfully and squeezed his eyes shut - the grip on his knees turned bruising.

“I asked you a question, slut.” Keith growled, snapping Lance’s attention back.

“ Yes - yes, Keith, please !” Lance begged. 

Keith bent down to meet his teary eyes and whispered: “No.”

Lance sobbed as Keith pushed off the chair and went back to where Shiro was sprawled out on the bed. He leaned in to kiss Shiro before climbing up and straddling his face - reverse cowboy style so that Lance could see every delicious expression that crossed his face. Shiro groaned as he wrapped his arm around Keith’s thigh, pulling him down so Shiro could properly reach his hole. Shiro dug into his meal like a starving man and Keith threw his head back and moaned, rolling his hips against Shiro’s tongue.

“Fuck!” Keith reached back to pull at Shiro’s hair. “You’re such a good boy!”

Lance couldn’t take it anymore and finally wrapped one hand around his throbbing cock. 

"That's it - that's it, baby." Keith groaned. "Give me a finger - stretch me open."

Shiro did as he was told - sucking on Keith's rim as he slid one finger inside. 

"Ohhh good boy!" Keith moaned as Shiro brushed over his prostate.

Lance shivered as Keith’s eyes fell on him. Keith smirked, making a show of running his fingers up his stomach to his chest - winking sinfully as he tweaked his nipples. Lance squeezed the tip of his cock and groaned loud - much closer to the edge than he thought he was.

Keith hissed as Shiro worked in two fingers along with his tongue. 

“Okay, baby - that’s enough - I want to feel the stretch when I ride you.” Keith shifted down until he was hovering over Shiro’s cock.

“Wait -” Shiro grabbed his hip. “- I wanna see you.”

Keith smiled over his shoulder at Shiro and obliged, turning around and bending down for a kiss.

“Of course, baby.” Keith smiled, reaching back to line up Shiro’s cock with his hole. “Good boys get whatever they want.”

Lance had a perfect view of Keith’s ass as Shiro breached his tight ring of muscle, and he groaned in desperation watching Shiro’s thick cock disappear in between Keith’s cheeks. 

Keith’s face twisted in concentration. A small part of him wished he wasn’t so impatient and let Shiro prep him a little more, but Keith wasn’t a quitter. It was slow work, but eventually he was sitting flush against Shiro’s lap.

“Lance.” Keith panted. “Come here.”

Lance practically jumped out of his seat, rushing to stand beside the bed.

“Get the lube and get on the bed.” Keith patted the empty space on the bed beside them. 

Lance was quick to obey, fetching the bottle from the side drawer and climbing up on top of the covers.

“No more touching your dick, Lance.” Keith groaned as he started to pull up off of Shiro’s cock. Shiro gripped his hip and moaned at the feeling of tight heat moving up his shaft. “I want you to lay on your back and get your hole ready for me. I want something to warm my cock later.”

Lance groaned and fell back into the pillows, immediately uncapping the lube and dipping two fingers into his hole.

With Lance occupied, Keith turned his attention to Shiro. He savored the slow drag of Shiro’s cock inside him as he sat back down into his lap. Keith ran his hands up Shiro’s quivering stomach, dipping his fingers in between every muscle on his way to Shiro’s plush chest. Shiro licked his lips - breath catching - as Keith squeezed his pecs; so squishy when not flexed. Keith smiled and let one hand drift up Shiro’s neck to hold his strong jaw.

“You’re so fucking sexy, Shiro.” Keith said - breathlessly - rolling his hips.

“Ohh, Keith. Fuck - you’re sexy.” Shiro ran his hand up Keith’s side to hold his face, pulling him down for a slow kiss.

“I’ve been horny for so long, Shiro.” Keith pouted and ground down against the cock inside him. “I want you to make me come. I want you to fuck me.”

Shiro growled and thrust up into Keith’s body, making him shout at the sudden change of pace. 

“Like that, baby?” Shiro growled, slamming back inside him.

“Yes! Fuck!!” Keith held on to Shiro’s chest to keep himself upright as Shiro fucked into him again and again; Shiro’s grip on his hip, sure to leave marks. Keith allowed himself to sink into the pleasure of riding Shiro’s dick for a solid minute before he was itching to move things along.

“Okay - okay - fuck - Shiro, slow down.” Keith chuckled at Shiro’s whine. “Don’t worry, I’m about to really let you fuck me. Lance?”

Lance’s eyes snapped to meet Keith’s.

“On your stomach.” Keith sat up and pulled himself off of Shiro’s cock.

Lance rolled over onto his stomach and rested his head on his folded arms. He moaned as Keith climbed up on top of him and straddled his legs; so relieved to finally have some contact. Keith gripped Lance’s ass with both hands and spread his cheeks, revealing his wet hole.

“Beautiful job, Lance.” Keith dipped his thumb into Lance’s hole to test the give. “Just beautiful.”

Lance whined and pushed backwards into Keith’s grip, earning himself a playful swat to one asscheek.

“Now. Here’s how this is gonna go. This pretty little hole is gonna keep my dick warm while Shiro fucks me. You can talk, whine, cry, beg - whatever you want - but you will not come until Shiro and I both have, understand?”

“Yes - yes, Keith - I promise, I’ll be good.” Lance shook beneath him.

“Good. Now breathe.” Keith lined up his cock and sunk all the way into Lance’s ass until his pelvis rested comfortably against Lance’s plush cheeks. 

Lance’s whole body was shaking. Having Keith hot and throbbing inside him after going so long without any contact at all, only fueled the desperation building inside him. 

“Ohhh, Keith!! Oh, Keith, please! Please fuck me!!” Lance cried and tore into the bedsheets, but Keith didn’t move. 

“Hold still, Lance - be good for us.” Keith shushed him, leaning down to kiss the back of his head.

The bed dipped as Shiro climbed up on his knees behind Keith. He moved Keith into position, holding onto his hip and notching his cock against Keith’s fluttering hole.

“You ready for me, baby?” Shiro rubbed circles with his thumb in the base of Keith’s spine. Keith nodded, breathlessly, and Shiro sank into his ass with one stroke, immediately pulling back out and slamming back in, starting a brutal pace.

Keith wrapped his arms around Lance and held on for dear life as Shiro properly fucked him.

Shiro couldn’t believe how good it felt to finally let loose on Keith’s ass. He pressed his hand into the arch of Keith’s back, supporting his weight so he could watch his own cock disappear into Keith’s body; his hole stretching beautifully to accommodate his girth. There was no way he was going to last very long.

Lance was properly crying. Every one of Shiro’s thrusts made Keith’s dick move about an inch or two back and forth, just teasing at where Lance really wanted him to be. He was so turned on that his cock physically hurt as it rubbed uselessly against the sheets - expressly forbidden not to touch. Lance was hardly aware of the string of begging and pleading that left his mouth, all in vain, since Keith made no move to thrust inside him or touch his aching cock.

Keith was dangerously close - right on the edge - Shiro’s thick cock hit the bullseye on every thrust and Lance’s tight heat kept a perfect pressure on his throbbing dick. Keith gripped Lance’s hair and pulled his head back so he could growl into Lance’s ear.

“Tell me how sorry you are -”

“I’m so sorry! I’ll never do it again!” Tears poured down Lance’s face; he sniffled pathetically.

“Beg me to forgive you -” Keith gasped as Shiro hit his prostate dead on.

“Forgive me, Keith!” Lance gripped the sheets and bit into his bottom lip, forcing back his orgasm with pure willpower.

“Tell me how bad you wanna fuck me!”

“I wanna fuck you so bad! God!”

“Tell Shiro how good he is!” Keith whined, right on the edge.

“Fuck, Shiro, you’re so good! Such a good man, you take care of us so good!”

Shiro fell forward onto his hand, clutching the blankets and moaning as his orgasm hit him like a train. His stomach quivered and flexed as he pumped burst after burst of hot cum into Keith’s ass - not slowing his brutal pace for a moment. 

Keith moaned as his insides filled with liquid heat. Shiro pressed right into his sweet spot as Lance tightened around him and then Keith was following Shiro right over the edge. His whole pelvis throbbed as his orgasm was fucked out of him. Keith spilled into Lance’s quivering insides and he finally collapsed against his sweaty back with an exhausted, satisfied moan.

Shiro finally slowed down, pressing his forehead in between Keith’s shoulder blades and kissing Keith’s hot skin.

Keith chuckled underneath him and pushed up onto his hands, twisting around to meet his lips in an uncoordinated kiss. Shiro smiled against Keith’s mouth, grabbing his hip to help pull him up and off of Lance.

The very second Keith’s weight was no longer holding him down, Lance was rolling over and sitting up into their space with a desperate look on his face.

“Please let me fuck you, Keith!” Lance was gripping the base of his dick - red and dripping - and looking at Keith like he’d die any moment. “Please, Keith - please say I can fuck you!”

Shiro chuckled and pulled his softening cock out of Keith’s sloppy asshole and flopped over onto his back at Keith’s side. Lance pushed into Keith’s chest, pressing his face into his neck and squeezing his arms.

“God, you’re so sexy - I’m so close! - I want to come inside you so badly, Keith, please!”

“Well,” Keith chuckled, “since you asked so nicely-”

Lance groaned and frantically flipped Keith onto his back beside Shiro. Keith laughed and spread his legs wide for Lance to slot himself in between them. Lance clutched Keith’s hip and lined himself up to Keith’s sloppy hole. 

Keith hissed as Lance slid himself completely into Keith’s body - sensitivity bordering on uncomfortable after his orgasm.

“Lance -” Keith groaned, “quick, move!”

“Ohhhhhh fuck!” Lance started a brutal pace, his grip on Keith’s hips turned bruising. “Oh god, baby , god I’m so close! Fuck! You’re so fucking wet like this! I can still feel Shiro inside you - oh god!! ”

Lance pressed deep into Keith’s ass as he came, adding his own spend to mix with Shiro’s - still hot in Keith’s body.

“Oh, fuck, Lance!” The heat inside was almost too much for Keith - lighting up every nerve ending in his body.

Lance stayed planted inside Keith for a few moments while he came down, but in his next breath he pulled out, swiftly flipping Keith onto his stomach.

“Lance, what -?” Whatever question Keith had, died in his throat. His hips jackknifed into the bed as Lance buried his tongue into Keith’s throbbing hole. “Fuuuuuccckk!!!”

Lance groaned as he ate Keith’s ass; the lewd, slurping sounds of his tongue smacking through the mess in Keith’s hole, almost drowned out Keith’s unabashed moans. When Lance had gotten all he could reach, he pushed two fingers in alongside his tongue, forcing more of his and Shiro’s cum out of Keith’s dark red insides and into Lance’s mouth.

Keith was shaking - his spent cock dripping onto the sheets, as a long train of ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod spilled from his open mouth. Tears ran down his cheeks from pleasure and overstimulation, but god he never wanted this to stop! When Lance dragged the pads of his fingers over Keith’s abused prostate, he saw white. 

Lance froze for a moment when Keith’s entire body seized up and his hole clamped down hard, but went back to ravishing Keith’s prostate when he looked down and saw Keith spilling white over the already ruined sheets. Lance licked into his pulsing, sloppy hole - all to the rhythm of Keith’s high pitched whine as he just kept coming and coming. 

Keith hadn’t even realized he was screaming until he slammed back into his body - suddenly hyper aware that his asshole was on fire.

“Lance! Lance - please!” Keith could hardly suck enough air into his lungs to summon a proper sentence, but Lance took mercy on him and withdrew his fingers, still lapping lazily at his entrance catching the last bit of his and Shiro’s come that had been pushed out by Keith’s orgasm.

Before Lance could swallow, Shiro growled and pulled him up into a deep open mouthed kiss, tasting their shared spend on Lance’s tongue.

. . . . .

The sun was rising and Shiro was happy. Giddy, even. He leaned over and kissed each of his boyfriends on their sleeping faces before he got up to start on breakfast. Shiro hummed a song he couldn’t quite place while putting on the coffee and frying eggs. He smiled to himself listening to Lance and Keith have a silly argument in the bedroom while they got ready for the day - they spent more than half the time in petty arguments and Shiro was too busy washing dishes to pay it much mind. Keith got to the kitchen first and kissed Shiro between the shoulder blades before sitting down at the table with his coffee. Shiro dried his hands and joined him, picking up the puzzlebook he’d been working on. It was quiet while Keith sipped on coffee and Shiro worked and Lance did his morning face routine in the bathroom. It felt so beautifully domestic. Shiro never thought this would be something he wanted, but after so many years of shit, there was nowhere else he’d rather be.

Keith’s coffee mug clanked against the table.

“Shiro.” Keith whispered.

“Hmm.” Shiro hummed but didn’t look up from his sudoku. Lance had been feeling snoopy and found a completely untouched puzzlebook in the attic, and Shiro was determined to finish the whole thing.

When Keith didn’t respond to Shiro’s non-committal ‘huh’, he looked up. Keith looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“What?” Shiro chuckled uncomfortably.

The coffee mug clinked shakily against the table as Keith gripped it with trembling hands.

“Keith, what is it?” Shiro was getting worried. Keith seemed incapable of words, instead lifting his hand and pointing at Shiro.

“What?” Shiro ran his hand over his face. “What is it?” 

Keith’s eyes just got wider.

At that moment Lance walked around the corner.

“Hey guys- woah! Shiro, what’s up with your hair?”

“What do you mean?” Shiro looked back and forth between Keith and Lance, running his fingers through his hair.

“It’s got some white. Did you bleach it? Looks good!”

Shiro jumped out of his chair and bolted past Lance into the bathroom, clutching the sink and staring into his own reflection.

Shiro’s hair had been jet-black his entire life. Every single member of his family had the exact same shade - never changing in all the hundreds of years he knew them. He’d never known a vampire whose hair color changed since the day they were born. But now, sure enough, there was a thick, white streak in his bangs. Shiro’s expression dropped in pure shock.

“You try’n out a new style?” Lance leaned against the doorframe. “Gotta say, I dig it.”

“It’s….” Shiro’s mouth was dry. “It’s white.”

It was finally starting to dawn on Lance that maybe Shiro didn’t do this to himself and it was actually really weird.

“Wait, you didn’t do that?” Lance pointed at the mirror and Shiro shook his head slowly, his knuckles turning white where he gripped the counter. 

“Then how did that happen? What’s it mean?”

“I don’t… I don’t know.”