#vld whump
Heyoooo, I haven’t written anything in a hot minute! Here, have some actual husbands Sh/eith! As usual, a big thank you to my dear @vcepsis for beta reading this!
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Keith sighed, biting his bottom lip nervously.
Shiro was asleep on the couch next to him, snoring loudly. He normally didn’t snore that bad, but that monster of a cold had completely messed up his breathing.
Keith stared at his husband pensively, deep lines of worry running across his brow.
Rarely he had seen Shiro so miserable.
Sure, Keith had stayed by his side during a couple of flu bugs that had left his beloved husband completely wiped, but this… this sounded miserable, and Keith was sick and tired of it.
They were three weeks in that awful cold, and it still didn’t show any signs of clearing up.
It had begun as an innocent sore throat and runny nose, that had quickly deteriorated and become an awful head cold, leaving Shiro a sneezy, sniffling mess. He was constantly battling the pain in his sinuses and the annoying buzzing in his ears.
Then, after a few days, Shiro’s cold had decided to take a trip and settle into his chest too, leaving the poor man to deal with an alarming range of rattling and wheezing sounds coming straight from his lungs.
“You sound like a broken tea kettle. I think you should go to the doctor before you drown in your own bodily fluids” Keith had tried to suggest, but Shiro had scoffed, action that had left him in the throes of a vicious, rough coughing fit.
“I’m okay, Keith. Just a cold and a bit of a cough. It’ll go away on its own eventually.”
Keith had tried to argue, but had ended up giving up.
How he wished he had insisted.
They had decided to watch a movie after dinner, a relaxing, domestic evening, but Shiro had fallen asleep during the first half of the movie.
The man looked absolutely spent, and Keith had been happy to see his beloved finally getting some rest. That peace was destined to be short lived.
Shiro was mouth breathing, he did that on good days, due to the massive scar across his nose, but when colds ravaged his sinuses, he was loud. So loud that Keith could barely hear the dialogues of the movie. He gently poked Shiro’s side with a finger, and the man jumped awake, startled.
The air caught into his throat, sending him coughing. Deep, painful rattles shaking his whole being, leaving him breathless.
“That… doesn’t sound good” Keith observed worriedly, as he rubbed Shiro’s back through the fit.
Eventually, Shiro’s lungs stopped spasming, and Keith managed to take a glimpse of his husband, before the latter buried his face into a handful of tissues. He looked absolutely wrecked.
“Do you want me to make you some tea, Kashi?” he offered, trying to help.
Shiro tried to reply, but he only managed a small, hoarse rasp of approval. Man, all the coughing had destroyed his throat.
Keith went to the kitchen, setting the water to boil. He was busy choosing the most fitting tea for Shiro, when a big, beefy blanket wrap trudged through the kitchen, half collapsing on a chair.
Keith clicked his tongue.
“It was not necessary for you to come with me, you know.”
The blanket burrito stayed silent for a few seconds, then sniffled wetly, and a congested voice came from the depths of it.
“…Felt lonely.”
The poor man sounded so sad and miserable, that Keith couldn’t help but feel a pang of deep affection for Shiro. He was just so sweet. He was miserable with that cold, but even then, he was… meek. He had been feeling horrible for weeks, and it showed, but Shiro never complained, never felt sorry for himself. He had just accepted it, trying to make the healing process the least annoying possible, for both of them.
He didn’t want Keith to worry.
And Keith knew it. But Keith also knew that Shiro was feeling awful. They had been married for two years, he always knew when his husband was unwell, no matter how hard Shiro tried to conceal it. His actions spoke for him.
Keith kissed the top of Shiro’s head fondly. Or at least, the point of the blanket burrito where he estimated Shiro’s head was.
“Go lie down, Kashi. I’ll be there in a minute. Why don’t you choose another movie in the meantime? Something fun and easier to watch than this one.”
The blanket burrito nodded, and dragged itself back to the couch, sniffling miserably. A couple of loud sneezes reverberated through the apartment, as Keith brewed the tea, the lovely scent of mint and thyme filling the air.
When Keith brought back two mugs of tea, Shiro had already made his choice.
Keith stared at the tv, reluctantly.
“Coco? But you know that the ending makes you cry.”
“Maybe crying will help me unclog my sinuses for a while. Worth trying.”
Keith chuckled, and settled down on the couch, but then stood up again.
“Ah, we almost forgot. We have to try the new nebulizer treatment they gave you at the doctor’s office today. Hopefully, this one works.”
Shiro groaned.
“Can I do that tomorrow? I’m so tired…”
“No, starlight. You do it now. The sooner you start with it, the sooner you’ll get better. And I want you to get better.”
Shiro looked at Keith from his nest of blankets, defeated.
“Okay. Just because you asked me so nicely. And because you called me… heh…” Shiro let out a throat scraping sneeze, immediately hiding his face beneath a handful of blankets. Ugh, gross. He reached out to the tissue box on the coffee table, swiftly grasping a wad of tissues, and promptly blowing his nose.
Gosh. The more he blew, the more he wanted to blow, even if the skin of his nose was absolutely ruined at this point.
While Shiro busied himself with the tissues, Keith set up the nebulizer.
Shiro gave him puppy eyes, but Keith didn’t fall for it.
“Don’t give me those eyes. You know the drill.”
Shiro coughed deeply into his fist, resigned, before picking up the mouthpiece of the nebulizer and cuddling against Keith’s side, pressing the play button on the remote and switching on the nebulizer at the same time.
“Sometimes, I think I’m cursed. ‘Cause of something that happened before I was even born. See, a long time ago, there was this family. The Papa, he was a musician…”
Shiro relaxed, focusing his full attention on the movie, while the medication worked its magic.
Sometimes, the mist would tickle his lungs just right, sending him into a coughing fit and prompting Keith to gently pound on his back or rub circles on his chest, congestion shifting noticeably under Keith’s hand. He couldn’t help but think that his husband sounded absolutely terrible, and that maybe that was a bit more than just a cold. After several minutes of coughing and sniffling, Shiro’s lungs stopped spasming, the medication finally starting to soothe the itch in his chest and throat.
Slowly, Shiro started to drift off, eyelids heavy with sleep. The hand holding up the mouthpiece started to go limp, dispersing the mist in the air.
Keith chuckled, holding the small plastic tube in place himself.
He focused on the movie, while his fingers slowly brushed through Shiro’s hair.
Keith hadn’t even realized that he had fallen asleep, but when he woke up again, there was static on the tv screen, and Shiro was still sleeping, still leaning against him.
He smiled, and kissed the top of Shiro’s head. He seemed to be breathing easier.
Keith turned off the tv, and slowly shifted to better accommodate Shiro’s body. He was heavy, but it was a pleasant weight, warm and comforting.
Keith slipped into a comfortable sleep, hugging the man he loved.
He had never felt so safe in his entire life.
Chapters:¼
Rating: T and up
Category:Gen
Relationship: Hunk & Shiro
Additional Tags: Broken bones, infection, caretaking, feverSummary:
After a mission gone wrong, Hunk and Shiro find themselves stuck on a deserted alien planet. They soon discover the planet is marked for destruction by the Galra, and must work together to contact the others. Despite their injuries, Hunk is hopeful that they’ll be rescued before the Galra find them.
So when things start to go horribly wrong, Hunk is unprepared for the role he must take to keep both himself and Shiro alive.
Chapters:¼
Rating: T and up
Category:Gen
Relationship: Hunk & Shiro
Additional Tags: Broken bones, infection, caretaking, fever
Summary:
After a mission gone wrong, Hunk and Shiro find themselves stuck on a deserted alien planet. They soon discover the planet is marked for destruction by the Galra, and must work together to contact the others. Despite their injuries, Hunk is hopeful that they’ll be rescued before the Galra find them.
So when things start to go horribly wrong, Hunk is unprepared for the role he must take to keep both himself and Shiro alive.
Whumptober 2021
No. 30 - DIGGING YOUR GRAVE
major character death |left for dead |ghosts
⚠️ Read the tags for warnings ⚠️
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Kolivan was the last person the paladins excepted to see walking through the door to the control room. They all noted the sad, glum expression that was plastered on his face. It was no secret that the paladins thought he was cold and emotionless but it was clear to them now he was just very good at hiding his feelings.
He looked up at the paladins showing a solitary tear rolling down his purple fur cheek. Kolivan explained that the mission Keith was on with two other blades had gone horribly wrong, that’s when four galra walked in with Keith’s body laid on a stretcher. Keith was pale, paler than normal and his chest was still. All of a sudden it hit the paladins that Keith was dead.
Shiro was the first to react, he fell to his knees and sobbed loudly. It didn’t take long for the rest of the team to join him as he sobbed. Kolivan and the other blades gave their condolences and left quietly.
A flare of purple light collected in the room around Keith’s body. The paladins all looked up to see Keith’s ghost standing looking at them. Keith saw the pain in his friends eyes and told them that he was alright and he would always be with them. That wasn’t why he returned as a ghost however, Keith explained that Olnik was a traitor that he had set them up. Princess allura was the first to speak up after Keith had finished, she asked how Keith had died.
Keith- Close your eyes, I’ll show you.
—————- Flashback ———————
Keith, Regris and Olnik where searching a galra base when a large group of galran soldiers emerged.
Olnik- I’m sorry it has to end like this.
The galra shot at both Keith and Regris. It was no secret that Keith and Regris were in a relationship, they both loved the other more than life itself. It took more shots to seriously injure Regris but he managed to crawl over to where Keith was laid Dying. Regris pulled the smaller male into his arms and spoke sweetly to him.
Regris- I love you Keith…
Keith- I … I .. lo.. love you t..too
Regris kissed Keith on the forehead just as Keith’s chest stilled and his eyes dropped closed. The memory fades into complete darkness.
—————- End of flashback ———————
The paladins slowly opened their eyes one by one, each with floods of tears dripping off their faces.
Keith’s ghost smiled and walked over to lance slowly.
Keith- Take care of Shiro for me will ya ?
Lance-Always Keith, always.
With that Keith said his final good bye and I love you all before heading towards a larger male figure that was soon to be shown, Keith’s father.
Keith’s father- Are you ready son ?
Keith- Yeah dad.
With the blink of an eye Keith’s ghost had disappeared into the purple light that rippled behind where his dad was stood. Keith was gone and none of the paladins quite new how to deal with the loss…
[ Word count - 505]
