Chapter Text
Yo listen up here’s a story… about a science nerd and a rebellious bad boy ended up going to prom together. I know, an unlikely pairing. But life is weird like that. Things happen that’s you’d never expect in life.
Or you know in other people’s lives. But whatever.
Our story began on a cool April Monday, at Garrison High School with a young man named Takashi Shirogane.
Shiro was pretty much ignored when he started ninth grade. Just a nerdy little freshman nothing spectacular. It was that way until sophomore year that people took notice. Some asshat decided it would be a great idea to start bullying poor little Shiro. One day the dumbass pushed Shiro against a locker to corner him. Shiro responded by tossing the guy halfway down the hall, revealing to the world that he wasn’t a defenseless awkward science nerd. He was a strong awkward science nerd. Though, as far as Shiro was concerned, he wasn’t awkward. He was just Shiro.
So here he was: walking to his first class of the morning, a stack of five or so books held easily in his arms, trying to walk faster than his ‘friends’. You know, the ones who wouldn’t shut up about prom.
As much as Shiro loves his friends, he couldn’t help being frustrated with them sometimes. He knew they meant well. They only wanted him to ‘have fun’ and ‘enjoy himself’ and ‘not spend his life trapped inside with no friends.’
Whatever. He was enjoying himself. He didn’t need prom.
“But Shiro,” Matt groaned. “It’s like, the biggest event of our lives.”
Shiro rolled his eyes. He thought Matt of all people would understand his aversion. After all, they had known each other since they were little kids. “Matt,” Shiro began, “I’ve told we’ve talked about this a hundred times.”
“Shiro,” Allura said. Shiro hadn’t known her for nearly as long as Matt, but she was still an amazing friend nonetheless. “We only want what’s best for you. And we think it would be a great idea for you to go out. You know, one last time before school’s over.”
Shiro clutched his books tighter to his chest, his prosthetic arm whirring with the effort. “I don’t even have a date,” he muttered. He wasn’t like salty or anything. I mean, it’s not like he was even looking for a date. But no one seemed all that interested.
“You don’t need a date,” Matt said, walking faster to catch up. “You’re coming with us!”
“Both of you have dates though.”
“Oh Shiro,” Allura said, classily speed-walking to match Shiro’s pace. “You act like we’ll abandon you. We’d never do that.” Shiro distinctly remembers a party they dragged him to where they did exactly that. “You’re our friend first and foremost.”
“Guys please just drop it,” Shiro said eyes downcast. “ I’ll just end up dragging you down anyway. You guys go and have fun. I’ll be fine.”
Now just down the hall was another fine young gentleman. His name was Keith Kogane.
Keith was most certainly not ignored in his first year. He wasn’t trying to garner attention, but sometimes it just be that way. Keith was immediately targeted by bullies for being tiny and having a smart mouth. Not that they stood any chance against him, but they certainly tried (and bless their hearts for trying). Keith didn’t care about them though. And eventually, for whatever reason, he started cultivating this mysterious bad boy™ image. (It may have had something to do with the leather jacket and ripped jeans and motorcycle but who knows)
Anyway, Keith was currently in a similar situation to Shiro, two well-meaning friends hounding him about prom.
“Keith, all I’m saying is,” Hunk began, “it’ll be one last night to have a bunch of fun before school’s over.” Hunk and Keith’s friendship was unexpected. How did Mr. Sugar and Sunshine become good friends with Mr. Gray and Gloomy? Maybe sometimes people aren’t always what they first appear. You know, layers and all.
“And~” said Romelle, “You can blow everyone away by showing up dressed like a decent person for once in your life.” As if Romelle, ten-different-colors-on-eight-different-patterns-Romelle, could talk.
“Guys, you’re not gonna convince me to go,” Keith said. “I’d rather drive my bike off a cliff.”
“Aww, Keith, you don’t mean that,” Hunk said. “Well actually you might. Wait didn’t you actually do that before?”
“Anyway,” Romelle interjected, “It would be fun Keith. The three of us will all go together.”
Keith scoffed. “Doesn’t Hunk have a date?” Hunk looked sheepish, but nodded in confirmation. “And aren’t you going with another group of friends. I don’t want to be in your lesbian Fantastic Four.” Keith dug his hands in pockets and hunched his shoulders.
“Keith,” Romelle started, “we just want you to have fun. We worry sometimes.”
Keith glared at the ground. “I have fun. You guys go; I’ll be fine on my own.” He picked up his pace and rounded the corner, planning on losing Hunk and Romelle in the crowd.
That’s when he bumped into something. A wall. Well, probably a person judging by the yell. Books go flying and crashing to the floor. Keith, and whatever wall of a person he hit, fell to the ground as well, Keith landing flat on his but.
“Shit,” Keith exclaims. He scrambles onto his knees, preparing to pick up the books that were dropped. “Sorry, about that,” he mutters.
“No no it’s fine,” said the wall. The voice was vaguely familiar. “I should have been paying attention.” Both reached for the same book, their hands brushing against the other’s.
“Are you--” Keith stopped mid-sentence as he looks up. His heart skipped a beat, his soul was reborn anew, he realized he has never seen beauty before in his life as he comes face to face with the most soulful gray eyes that have ever thought to grace the mortal realm. Keith swears he heard an angel’s chorus.
“H-hi,” said the wall. No, wall was not good enough. That was the god of walls. A deity of barriers. A celestial being of fortification. “I’m Shiro.” Or you know, just Shiro.
The two of them clambered onto their feet, still clutching the book between them. “K-keith. That’s my name.”
“Yeah I know,” Shiro, God of Walls and Beauty, said. Strands of pure white hair fell into his face, like beams of starlight or something equally as poetic. “Uh, I mean, I’ve seen you around, in class, a-and the school before.” Shiro stared at Keith, but whereas anyone else would have made Keith self-conscious, Keith found himself only returning the stare. Instead he felt blessed that such eyes would ever choose to lay their beauty upon someone as mortal as he. Shiro briefly, but what a lonely moment that was, took his eyes off Keith, flitting off to the side. “Oh, uh I gotta...go.”
“Uh yeah of course,” Keith exclaimed. And if his voice was a little high pitched, don’t say anything. He let go of the book and handed Shiro the other he had picked up.
“See you around,” Shiro said, eyes meeting Keith’s one last time.
“Yeah. See you.” Shiro walked away, books clutched tight to his chest. Keith watched, almost longingly, as Shiro disappears into the crowd of students.
“So~.” If other beings were allowed to exist on the same plane as Shiro, that voice would have belonged to Hunk. “I guess you’re rethinking that whole prom thing, huh.”
Keith (sadly) snapped out of his reverie and shot a sharp look at his friends. “Whatever,” he grunted, shoving his hands back into his pocket. “I’m still not going.” He marched away, pointedly ignoring Hunk and Romelle snickering behind him
Meanwhile, just down the hallway Shiro was having an awakening of his own.
He hadn’t known such beauty could exist. He hadn’t known that gods allowed mortals to lay their eyes upon something as stunning as who he saw. Shiro swore he saw galaxies being created and stars being born in those gorgeous pools of sparkling iridescent violet.
Shiro was disappointed in himself. He had known about that kid (no, kid was an insult. A fey, or an angel were words more befitting) since junior year. Yet, he had never looked at him, never saw the dazzling eyes. And that voice, rough and warm like a desert. Raspy but not unpleasant. It was captivating, making you want to here more than the short sentences Shiro granted. How could he have been such a fool?
“Real smooth there Shiro,” spoke a voice that was not the gruff allure of Keith’s. No, unfortunately it was Matt. “Thought we lost you there for a second.
“Looks like you might want to rethink you Saturday night plans,” said Allura, a conspiratorial smile crossing her lips.
Shiro rolled his eyes, tightening his grip on his books. “No guys. I’m still not going. And you can’t make me.” He sped up, hoping that his longs strides would outpace his friends, or at least make them struggle to keep up.
Eventually though, his friends had to leave him as the bells rang and class began. It was Shiro’s least favorite class of the day, AP Physics. Well no, that’s a lie. It was Shiro’s least favorite teacher of the day, Dr. Slav.
Now, don’t get him wrong. Slav was an incredibly intelligent man. But he was an absolute nightmare to get along with. Unfortunately, Shiro seemed to have caught Slav’s eye as a model student because he never failed to give Shiro a hard time, whether that be in grading or answering questions in class. Still, Shiro would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the subject matter. Sometimes.
Other times Slav made him regret picking the class for his schedule. Like today.
“So apparently only having two grades for the end of the year is unacceptable,” Slav began as soon as he entered the classroom. “So I’m giving you more assignments before the year is out.”
Where in many situations murmurs and outrage from students would rise up, there was nothing but eerie silence. Shiro was the first to speak up. “Dr. Slav how do we only have two grades? We have at least three grades due every week?”
“Shiro you have got to be kidding me. You should know that with the majority of those weekly grades, there is a high probability that some of you will learn nothing from them. And just why would take a grade on that?” Shiro felt his eye twitch. Slav continued, seemingly oblivious to the anger radiating off his students. “That is why I am assigning an eight-part project to be due Friday. And with these assignments I am 87% sure each of you will retain the information from.”
Finally, the tension snapped. There were yells of outrage, calls for revolution, uprisings, coups, political debate, and rioting in the class.
And mostly just people lamenting about prom being Saturday.
Slav, again did not seem to notice. Or maybe he just didn’t care. “I have already assigned you partners and there will be no switching. These partners have been picked to guarantee you will learn something and I will take the project for a grade.” He turned on the projector and a list of names pops up on the screen.
Shiro searched the board looking for his name near the end of the list and wouldn’t you believe it. Listed right next to his name was none other than Keith fucking Kogane. What a wild twist of fate! Shiro didn’t know whether to thank the gods for giving him the chance to spend time with Keith or curse them for the same thing. It felt like destiny. Just as Shiro learned the beauty of his fellow classmates, he was gifted with the chance to experience it firsthand even if it was just for five days. And yet, such an opportunity was a double-edged sword for Shiro knew that if he were to spare but one glance at those deep purple eyes, he would be gone. Lost in a nebulous expanse of stars and planets, pulled in by their gravitational pull. Forcefully, yet with a willingness he could never explain.
Slav interrupted Shiro’s melodramatic musings and Shiro couldn’t help but hate the man a little more. “I’m passing out a handout with the assignments listed. Meet with your partner for the next ten minutes to talk, and then we will begin class officially.”
Shiro scanned the classroom, looking for Keith, but alas! He was once again tormented by fate as Keith is nowhere to be seen. Shiro knows why, and he can’t blame Keith. Slav didn’t actually take roll. He just guessed based on the probability of whether the student would be there or not. Looking back, Shiro realized he’d actually hardly ever seen Keith in class unless it was a test day. Shiro couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment. But honestly, Keith not being in class was probably a good thing because neither of them were ready to face each just yet.
(And it gave Shiro more time to wax poetic about Keith, but don’t tell anyone.)