Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I lay on my bed, listening to Shiro moving around in the kitchen below me. I sat up and ran my fingers through my long hair. I pulled my hair band off my wrist and pulled my hair back in a ponytail. Standing, I crossed over to the window and pulled back the drapes.

The sun was setting over the sea, casting the waves in an orange glow. Once again, I was reminded how different Carolina was from my birth province. I hadn’t lived in Sumner for eight years, but this city still felt foreign to me.

“Keith, come downstairs!” Shiro’s yell startled me and I jumped. I landed on the edge of the curtain and slipped. I hit the ground with a thud that echoed throughout the house. I scrambled to my feet, but before I could leave the room, the door flung open.

“You still alive?” Pidge stood in the open doorway, glasses perched crookedly on her nose. I walked out, pushing her aside as I passed.

“Ha ha, very funny.” I said dryly as I walked down the stairs. Shiro glanced at me when I walked in, but didn’t say a thing. I sat at the table, Pidge taking the seat next to me. We sat in amiable silence as Shiro set the table and plated the food. As he sat down, the door flung open.

“Kashi, did you hear the news?” Matt burst into the room, glowing with excitement. Shiro smiled and held up a letter, the royal crest of Illéa on the front. I let out a groan, but it was muffled by Matt’s shriek of joy.

“I can’t believe they’re holding another Selection,” Pidge griped. “I thought only Princess Veronica needed to have one.” Matt sat down beside Shiro and snatched the letter out of his hands.

“I heard that the prince wanted a chance to find love and that his parents couldn’t find any reason to object." Matt opened the letter and started to read it aloud.

“‘To the House of Shirogane. The recent census has confirmed that a single man or woman between the ages of sixteen and twenty currently resides in your home. We would like to make you aware of an upcoming opportunity to honor the great nation of Illéa.’” Pidge and I shared a glance. Man? We had both assumed that the prince was straight.

Matt continued to read, unfazed by the unexpected change from the last Selection. “‘Our beloved prince, Alejandro McClain is coming of age this month. As he ventures into this new part of his life, he hopes to move forward with a partner, to marry a true Son or Daughter of Illéa. If your eligible son or daughter, brother or sister, or charge is interested in possibly becoming the groom or bride of Prince Alejandro and the adored prince or princess of Illéa, please fill out the enclosed form and return it to your local Province Services Office. One man or woman from each province will be drawn at random to meet the prince. Participants will be housed at the lovely Illéa Palace in Angeles for the duration of their stay. The families of each participant will be generously compensated for their service to the royal family.’”

“Well, that’s interesting.” Shiro said, taking the letter from Matt. “I guess this letter is for both of you.” He pulled two forms out of the envelope.

“No way, Shiro. I’m aro-ace, remember?” Pidge said immediately. Shiro nodded and turned his gaze on me.

“No, I’m not going to do it, Shiro.” I said firmly.

“Why not? Give me a reason why you shouldn’t at least try.” He questioned, everyone at the table staring at me.

“He’s so dull.” I tried. Pidge laughed.

“You can’t judge a book by its cover, Keith.” Shiro said. I stood.

“Well, I don’t want to be a One. I don’t even want to try.” I stormed out and up the stairs. I walked into my room and slammed the door behind me. I could hear Shiro shouting after me, but I didn’t listen. I opened the window and climbed onto the sill. I heard the door knob rattle as I pulled myself onto the roof.

I sat at the top of the roof and let the wind whistle past me. I didn’t know why Shiro was so insistent on me signing up for the Selection. He and Matt were Twos, so we weren’t exactly hurting for money, even with Pidge living with us. I looked out at the sea, the sun half-sunken below the horizon.

“Enjoying the view?” I turned to see Matt, balancing on the roof. He came and sat beside me, setting a plate on the chimney.

“What’s that for?” I asked, my tone blunt. He shrugged.

“You didn’t eat dinner.” I ignored the plate.

“I’m not hungry.” Unfortunately, my stomach chose that time to growl. Matt laughed, the sound echoing out into the streets.

“Sure, and I’m not gay.” His tone softened and he turned to look at me. “Shiro wants what’s best for you, Keith. He knows that there’s more to your future than being a Seven. You’re too good to waste your life doing hard labor.”

“I like my work.” I mumbled, not altogether certain. Matt stared at me.

“You have a chance to find true love. To be a prince. To change your life for the better. Don’t throw this chance away.”

“Pidge is.” I said.

“Pidge is aro-ace. She wouldn’t be happy, but you would. I’ve seen the prince, we all have. He’s as handsome as Shiro.” I winced.

“Please don’t compare the prince to my brother. That’s a mental image that I could live without.” Matt laughed again.

“My point is that it won’t hurt to try. Fill out the form. At the very least, Shiro will stop bugging you about it.” Matt stood up and checked his watch. “Make sure to come in before curfew, okay?” I nodded and Matt climbed back into the house. As soon as he was gone, I started to eat. It was nice of him to bring food up for me. He was good for Shiro. I wouldn’t be good for anyone.

As the bells chimed eleven, I slipped back into my room. I closed the window and drew the drapes. I started down the stairs to put my plate in the sink. As I drew closer to the kitchen, I heard Shiro's voice.

“I’m worried about him, Matt. Keith's smart, but he isn't prioritizing himself. That's preventing him from getting anywhere. The Selection is the best chance he has to break free.” I couldn't hear Matt’s reply, but then I heard footsteps heading my way. Plate still in hand, I ran up the steps and ducked into my room.

Closing the door behind me, I put the plate on my desk and sat on my bed. I heard Matt and Shiro's footsteps on the stairs. I let out a sigh of relief, when I heard their door close. I fell back onto my pillow and closed my eyes. Sleep came in an instant.

Sunlight glared through the open drapes. I sat up and blocked the sun with one hand. Shiro stood by the window, smiling.

“Why are you so happy? It's too early to be happy.” I said, running a hand through my hair.

“A. I've had my coffee, and B. Because today’s the day you sign up for the Selection!” He said, clapping his hands together. I groaned and fell back on the bed.

“I already said that I wasn't signing up, Shiro. There’s nothing you can do to change my mind.” Shiro sat at the end of my bed.

“What if I bought you an apartment?” I sat up, ears perked.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes. But only if you sign up for the Selection.” Shiro insisted. “After the names are drawn, and if you aren’t one of the Selected, I’ll get you your own apartment. Since you didn’t want me to get you a higher caste, I figured this was the next best thing.”

“You just want me to stop eating all your food. Besides, I like being a Seven.” Keith mumbled.

“Well, either you’re a Seven or you’re a One. Sounds like a win-win to me.” Shiro said, pulling out the form and a pen.

“Did you bring the form up here when you had no idea if I would say yes or no?” I asked, already knowing what his answer would be.

“I knew you would agree.” Shiro stood and grabbed the plate from my desk. He opened the door and paused. “And Keith, I’m proud of you. Who knows, the prince could very well be your soulmate.” With those words, Shiro left, shutting the door behind him.

“Very helpful, Mr. ‘I found my true love because he stitched me back up after I was an idiot and got myself blown up’.” I mumbled under my breath and flinched. Luckily, no one had heard me. Shiro said he was fine, but he wasn’t. Losing an arm in a terrorist bombing can do that to you. I shook my head and sat at my desk.

The form was, for the most part, simple. Contact information. Full name, Akira “Keith” Kogane. Age, Nineteen. Caste, Seven. I also had to list my height, my weight, and hair, eye, and skin color. As I read further, the questions grew stranger.

Why would they need to know how many languages I could speak? I was glad that I could speak four. English, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. As the queen came from a Spanish-speaking family, the schools had taught Spanish in her honor. Korean was my mother’s language and it came naturally to me. Shiro had pressured me to learn Japanese and it was similar enough to Korean that I had picked it up quickly.

I finished filling out the form and folded it up. I looked down and realized that I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday. I put on a clean shirt and finger combed my hair. I grabbed the form, pulled on my shoes and headed downstairs.

Matt was sitting at the table, drinking coffee and fiddling around with a motherboard. Pidge was nowhere to be seen, but Shiro was standing by the door waiting for me.
“You ready to go?” He asked. I nodded. “Matt, we’ll be back soon.” Matt waved a hand, not looking away from his project.

“Bye, Kashi.” Matt said. We stepped out of the house and started to walk. We had a car, but Shiro preferred to walk short distances. The Public Services Office was only a couple of blocks away. We turned the final corner and froze.

A line of young men and women stretched halfway around the block. There were more women than men in line. That wasn't uncommon due to the conservative population of Carolina. We joined the line and the person in front of us turned around.

“Hey, Shiro. What are you doing here?” Shiro brightened when he recognized who it was.

“Tanner!” The two clasped hands and pulled each other into a quick embrace. As Shiro pulled away, he answered Tanner’s question. “Keith is going to sign up for the Selection, if we can ever get through this line. It seems like every eligible person in the province is entering.” Tanner’s bright green eyes flickered with confusion when he noticed me.

“Keith? I thought you were straight?” Tanner asked, confused. I laughed, short and harsh. Shiro joined in upon seeing Tanner’s expression.

“Keith is the gayest person I know.” Shiro said between laughs. “I think your gay-dar broke.” Tanner clutched his chest, offended.

“My gaydar is perfectly functional, thank you very much.” Tanner gave me a once-over as if he could somehow rank my gayness. “And it’s telling me that your brother is the second gayest person I know. No one could beat Addison.” Shiro winced.

“I hate to say it, Keith, but he’s right.” I shrugged.

“Anyways, Tanner, I think the real question is, what are you doing here?” I asked. He let out a small laugh.

“Madison’s signing up as well.” He said, referring to his younger sister who was talking with someone ahead of them in line. “I’m glad that they let Prince Alejandro have both boys and girls in his Selection. Since Princess Veronica is with child, he won’t need to worry about producing an heir.” I stopped listening as Tanner talked with Shiro. It was nice to see Shiro with actual friends. Everyone knew of him, but few people actually know him.

After the bombing, Shiro had had been to the palace to be honored for his courage. We had flown out to Angeles to meet the royal family. I was young, maybe 14 or so? Shiro had just turned 21, but he was poised and dignified in a way that I don’t think I ever could be. I don't remember seeing Prince Alejandro.

“Keith, it’s your turn.” Shiro’s voice snapped me out of my flashback. I nodded and handed over my form. I signed to confirm that my information was correct and sat to take my picture. As the camera flashed, I let out a smile. If I had to play, might as well play well.

A few days later, I was sitting on the couch, wedged between Matt and Pidge. It was Friday, so the Illéa Capital Report was on. Luckily, they weren’t going to announce the Selected for two more weeks. Even so, the Selection was still going to be the hot topic of the night.

The Illéa National Anthem played as the crest of Illéa appeared on the screen. King Evan and Queen Alessandra were sitting in their thrones, smiling. Princess Veronica sat to the king’s right, her husband Prince Jason beside her. But, my attention was drawn to the queen’s left. Prince Alejandro sat up straight in his chair, smiling and waving. While his smile looked genuine, his deep blue eyes looked tired.

“Hey Keith, look, it’s your boyfriend.” Matt joked. I ignored him and studied the prince. I suppose he was good looking, with flawless tan skin and a stunning smile. But he sat up too stiff in his chair, poised to the point that he appeared lifeless. After the king made some announcements, Coran Smythe took the stage.

“Good evening, people of Illéa. As I'm sure you all know, our beloved Prince Alejandro is holding a Selection to find his future spouse. His Selection is unusual as he is offering both boys and girls the chance to compete. Please join me in welcoming the exalted prince, Alejandro McClain.” Alejandro stood and made his way over to Coran, sitting in a chair opposite him.

“It’s good to see you, Coran.” Alejandro replied. I wasn't surprised at the calm emotion in his voice, like his father’s. He seemed friendlier though, like he wasn't as tired of interviews.

“Well, everyone is dying to know why you have opened your Selection to both men and women?” Coran asked, his tone carrying no judgement.

“I know it's unconventional, but I’m a proud bisexual and I thought that my Selection should reflect that. There's no reason that I shouldn't have the opportunity to find my soulmate, male or female.” Alejandro said, his voice breaking out of its calm tone. The crowd cheered and Coran had to motion to quiet them.

“Thank you, Prince Alejandro. We have received the first round of applications and more are coming in by the hour. Do you feel overwhelmed by all the attention on you?” Lance laughed.

“Not at all. Being the younger prince, most of the attention was on my sister. It's nice that Princess Veronica has decided to lend me some of her fame.” This garnered another round of laughter from the audience. Princess Veronica rolled her eyes. “I’m kidding, sis. Love ya.” As the interview wore on, I could notice that the prince was becoming more natural. It was attractive, I guess.

“Well, that's all the time we have for tonight. See you next Friday!” The anthem played again as the screen faded to black.

“I’m going to bed.” I said, standing up and leaving the room.

“What's his problem?” I heard Pidge say from behind me. I climbed the stairs and slunk into my room. I flopped on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. If I had to pursue a relationship, at least the man was attractive. And a man. Shiro had tried to set me up with a girl before I came out. That had not ended well.

I rolled over to face the wall and sighed. Why had I filled out that form? Nothing had changed, but it felt like everything was different. I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my shirt. I pulled a blanket over my shoulders and lay still, waiting for sleep to take me. It didn't come for hours.

I woke up to the sunlight streaming through my window. I sat up and stretched before getting up and walking over to the window. It was Saturday, so the streets were quiet. I noticed a girl standing in the road. She looked up and her eyes widened. That's when I remembered that I was shirtless. I blushed and closed the curtains.

I pulled a clean shirt on and put on my shoes. On Saturday mornings, Shiro and I would go to the track and run. Shiro was ready and waiting when I got downstairs. Matt and Pidge were sitting on the floor, tinkering with a large piece of machinery. Pidge looked up when I stepped into the room.

“Keith, do me a favor and tell Matt that he can't go with you. I need him to stay and help me.” Matt stood and latched onto Shiro's arm.

“You'll let me come with, won't you, Kashi?” Matt batted his eyelashes, trying to woo Shiro into taking his side.

“Sure you can. If you want to run a race against Keith.” I grinned and put a hand on my hip.

“Sounds like fun. Shiro won't let me race him anymore. I kept lapping him and he gave up.” Matt let go of Shiro's arm.

“Maybe I’ll go get groceries instead.” He sprinted out of the room, grabbing the keys from the side table.

“We went shopping yesterday!” Shiro hollered after him. The door slammed and Shiro sighed when he heard the engine roar. “Damn it, Matt! I was going to take the car. Well, I guess we're walking, Keith. C’mon.” I nodded as Pidge waved farewell.

By the time we reached the track, I was ready to strangle Matt.

“Next time, let's bring him with us.” I panted, exhausted from the heat. Shiro nodded in agreement as we walked out onto the track. It was almost empty, except for someone doing push-ups by the starting line. He stood up as we approached him.

“Hey, guys.” Tanner said with a friendly wave. “Here for your run?” I nodded.

“Matt tried to tag along and when we said that he couldn’t, he stole the car.” I explained. Tanner winced.

“Sometimes I don’t know why you married him, Shiro.” Tanner said, shaking his head. Shiro laughed.

“Because I love him.” I could sense tension between them, so I quickly changed the subject.

“Hey Shiro, I’ll race you one lap around the track. Loser has to help Pidge when we got back.

“You’re on.” He agreed, grateful for a distraction. “Mind starting us off, Tanner?” Tanner nodded and we got into starting positions.

“First one back to the line is the winner. Ready. Set. Go!” He shouted. I took off like a dart. There was no way that I was going to lose to my brother. I snuck a glance behind me and noticed that Shiro was gaining on me.

I picked up the pace as I rounded the final corner, Shiro matching me stride for stride. Shiro crossed the line a second after I did.

“Keith wins!” Tanner announced, almost surprised.

“You were always better at sprinting.” Shiro agreed. Just then, his phone went off. Most people didn't have private lines, but Shiro had insisted that Matt and him have a way to contact each other. He answered and held the phone up to his ear.

“Matt? … What do you mean ‘Pidge blew up the kitchen’... We're on our way.” Shiro ended the call and looked at me. “We need to go, Keith. Sorry, Tanner.” Tanner nodded and waved goodbye as Shiro and I headed back to the house.

When we were about a block or two away, I turned to Shiro and asked, “So what was up with you and Tanner?” Shiro stumbled and almost tripped.

“Nothing. Why?” He said, panicking. I laughed.

“I could sense the tension when you mentioned Matt. Did something happen between them?” Shiro sighed, wringing his hands.

“Nah, but something happened between us. When we were in the service, someone snuck in some wine and we made out while drunk. I don’t think Tanner ever truly got over me.”

“Does Matt know?” I questioned. Shiro looked at me, appalled.

“No, I didn’t tell my husband about something that could compromise our marriage.” He said, the sarcasm layered thick. “Of course I told him.” I nodded.

“Sorry, I know better.” I said as we turned into our driveway. Matt came out of the house and hugged Shiro.

“Turns out Pidge didn’t blow up the entire kitchen. She accidentally put metal in the microwave and it caught fire. It’s all under control now, but we’re going to need a new microwave.” Matt said, pulling away. Shiro sighed.

“This is what I get for living with a pair of scientists. Where is Pidge?” Shiro said as we walked into the house.

“She’s cleaning up the mess.” I could smell the acridic scent of smoke still in the air. Pidge came out of the kitchen, light brown hair ruffled and mussed.

“Hey, Shiro. Keith, come and help me with Rover.” She said, heading up the stairs. I sighed and followed her up to her room. She opened her door and we walked in.

“Wow, Pidge. Is this your room or a landfill?” I said, stepping over a pile of crumpled papers and machine parts.

“Ha ha, very funny.” She said, sitting on her bed and flinging papers off of it.

“We aren’t really going to work on Rover, are we?” I asked.

“Nope.” She said, popping the “P”. “We’re going to talk about your boyfriend.” I rolled my eyes.

“For the last time, Pidge, he’s not my boyfriend. I haven’t even been picked for the Selection.”

“Yet. So spill. You ran away after the Report last night.” I pulled a couple of books off of a chair and sat down.

“I didn't run away, I was tired. Besides, I'm not going to be picked. They say that the Selected are chosen by lottery, but everyone knows that that can't be right. They're not going to pick a Seven when they could have a Two.” I said.

“Well, you’re right about it not being a lottery, but your chances are better than you might think. You’re taking college classes and you're a Two in everything but the law.” Pidge reassured me.

“But the law is the only thing that matters.” I complained.

“Not if they're actually looking through the applications. They aren't going to ignore the brother of Takashi Shirogane.” Pidge said and then grimaced. “Also, and I hate to say this, you are handsome, Keith. I’m sure you'll be picked and then you can go make Alejandro your actual boyfriend.”

“Thanks, Pidge.” I said, standing. “Speaking of classes, I have one in an hour and I still have to finish my paper. Bye.” I left the room and walked down the hall to my own room. I entered my room and sat at my desk.

“Two weeks and the Selection is either over or beginning.” I whispered, holding my head in my hands. “I can make it that long, can't I?”

Chapter Text

I can't do this. Everywhere I went, people were surprised that I had signed up. If I hear “I thought you were straight “ one more time, I swear I'm going to spontaneously combust.

The Report before they announced the Selected was normal. Mostly boring politics and new work contracts that I would most likely get roped into. I spent that week working and finishing up my summer classes.

I was working to get a degree in linguistics, so that I could get a job as a translator. Shiro had insisted that I have an advanced education in case I wanted to climb the castes. I agreed because I like learning languages and because I felt bad for being a burden.

It was Friday night before I knew it. In less than an hour, the course of my life would change. Either I’d be selected or I would move into my own apartment. I took some comfort in knowing that whatever happened, I would be away from Shiro and Matt’s PDA. Sure, it was their house, but there's only so much cuddling a guy can take.

I left my room and entered the lion’s den. Pidge was sitting cross legged in the armchair, headphones looped around her neck. Shiro was sitting on the couch, Matt cuddled against him. I sat on the opposite end of the couch and reached for the popcorn.

“Hey, Pidge. What was Queen Alessandra’s caste before her Selection?” Matt asked.

“She was a Four, she worked on a farm in Dominica.” Pidge replied.

“I'm going to pretend that that wasn't creepy how fast you answered.” Matt said, stealing the popcorn from me.

“Matt, I was eating that.” I complained. The anthem started to play and Shiro waved his arm.

“Shut up, everybody, it’s starting.” He said. Coran Smythe stepped out and quieted the studio audience.

“Now I know you're all excited to hear the names of the Selected, but first let's see what Prince Alejandro has to say.” There was a light smattering of applause as the camera panned over to where he was sitting.

“I know that this is very nerve wracking for those who submitted forms. I wanted to say that I'm glad that you allowed me to have this opportunity to find a love of my own.” He said, fidgeting with his cufflinks. The crowd burst into applause and the camera turned back to Coran.

“A truly stunning sentiment, my prince. Now please join me in welcoming the following Sons and Daughters of Illéa.” The screen blackened, leaving the image of an empty portrait frame. A small box in the corner would show Alejandro’s reaction to the pictures.

“Miss Willow Sanchez of Honduragua, Four.” A pretty Samoan girl appeared on the screen, her dark hair neatly plaited. Alejandro smiled, clearly liking what he saw.

“Mister Grant Bauer of Sumner, Five.” A handsome black man popped up, hair shaved close to his head. I recoiled, I knew him. Alejandro nodded his head at Grant’s image.

“Hey, Keith, isn't that your old friend from Sumner?” Shiro asked.

“Yeah, I’m glad he made it. Now shh, they're about to announce the next one.” I hissed back.

“Mister Adrien Halker of Denbeigh, Two.” A caucasian man appeared, his light blond hair perfectly styled. Alejandro didn't seem displeased, but he wasn't happy either.

“Guess Alejandro doesn’t like blondes.” Pidge commented. “That works in your favor."

“Yeah, well that’s assuming that I even get selected.” I sniped back.

“Miss Allura Smythe of Whites, Two.” She was dark-skinned, but her hair was a brilliant platinum blonde, almost white. Alejandro beamed.

I leaned over towards Shiro. “Do you think she dyes it or…”

“Mister Akira Kogane of Carolina, Seven.” I whipped my head around and stared at the screen. There I was, bedroom eyes and all. As I looked to see Alejandro’s reaction, Matt screamed and jumped up, sending the popcorn flying. Alejandro looked... startled. It was the last thing I saw before the world went black.

“Keith, Keith, wake up!” A stinging across my face brought me back into consciousness. I sat up, touching my face gingerly. Shiro was kneeling over me, but glaring at Pidge.

“Did you slap me?” I questioned. Pidge grinned.

“Maybe. But that's not important right now. What’s important is that you got Selected!” she said. I looked around. The Capital Report had finished and the TV was off. Matt was talking on the phone in the corner.

“I did?” I said, uncertain. Matt hung up and walked over.

“They're going to be here at 8 tomorrow.” He said, addressing Shiro. Shiro stood and pulled me up.

“Who's going to be here?” I asked.
“The team that's going to help you with the Selection process.” Matt said, before walking out of the room.

“Go upstairs and take a minute to process this.” Shiro said. I moved towards the stairs and he put a hand on my shoulder. “Also take a shower and straighten up your room. We want to make a good impression.” I nodded and he let me go.

Once inside my room, I locked the door and dragged the chair in front of it. I pulled open the window and shimmied up onto the roof. I made my way over to the chimney and sat down. This was happening, I was one of the Selected. I will go to the palace to compete in a competition for the prince’s affections. It all seemed so unreal. I stayed up on the roof until the bells chimed eleven.

The next week was so busy. A flurry of people from the palace came to prep me for the Selection. The day before I was due to leave, a final visitor came to the house. I was upstairs, trying to decide what to bring with me when the doorbell rang.

“Keith, Mr. Fuentes is here.” Shiro hollered from downstairs. I made my way down the stairs and into the living room. A thin man was sitting in the armchair, talking softly with Shiro. He turned his head towards me and smiled.

“Here’s the man of the hour.” He said, standing to shake my hand. I shook his hand and sat on the couch opposite him. Shiro sat next to me as Mr. Fuentes pulled out a clipboard.

“Mr. Fuentes is here to go over the official Selection rules and protocols.” Shiro explained. Mr. Fuentes nodded in agreement and turned to me.

“The rules for the most part are straightforward. Mr. Kogane, I know that this is going to sound harsh, but as of last Friday, you are considered the property of Illéa. This means that you are going to need to take proper care of yourself. Your latest physical puts you in good health, but it says you haven’t been sleeping well.” He eyed me over top of his clipboard.

“It’s just the excitement of it all.” I fudged. Shiro turned his disapproving gaze on me. Mr. Fuentes nodded.

“Well, I have some sleep aids available if you need them.”

“I’m fine, you don't need to go out of your way to…”

“Please get him the sleep aids.” Shiro interjected. He nodded and made a note. I just glowered at Shiro.

“Of course.” He said before continuing with the rules. “Now you are not to wear any clothing or eat any food that has not been provided by the palace. It's just a security measure. Your only romantic relationship is with the prince. If you are caught writing love notes to someone here or being intimate with someone at that palace, that would be committing treason. As you know, treason is punishable by death.” I blinked, not quite believing his words.

“You can't be dismissed by anyone but the prince. Even the king and queen can't force you out. While you don't need to be friends with the other contestants, you can't be hostile with them. If you are caught doing anything that could impair their personal relationship with the prince, it's up to him whether or not to dismiss you.”

“You are not above the law. If you break any of Illéa’s written laws, your punishment will be the same as any citizen. If you reach the final ten, you will be considered an Elite. At that point, you will learn more about the inner workings of the palace. From this moment on, you are a Three.”

“A Three?” I asked.

“Yes, we’ve found that contestants have had trouble adjusting to life after the palace. If you win, you and the rest of your family become Ones as members of the royal family.”

“Even though I’m adopted?”

“Yes. And should you go to the end, you will marry Prince Alejandro and become the crowned prince of Illéa and take on all the rights and responsibilities of that title.

He paused and looked at me.

“Do you understand so far?” He asked.

“Yes, sir.” I replied.

“Good, because this next question is the most important. Don't be embarrassed because I’ve had to discuss this with everyone. I need confirmation that you are a virgin.” Shiro whipped his head around and looked at me. I blushed a deep crimson red.

“Really?”

“Yes. If not, we'll need to know that immediately.” He said with a smile. Shiro and I exchanged glances before I turned to Mr. Fuentes with a sigh.

“No, I am not a virgin.” I admitted. He nodded and moved to write something down before quickly popping his head back up.

“Excuse me, I must have misheard you. You said that you aren't a virgin?” I nodded.

“I was raped when I was eight.” I replied. He frowned and stroked his goatee.

“And you haven’t had sex since then, correct?” He asked.

“Yes.” I said.

“Does this affect his eligibility for the Selection?” Shiro asked. I rolled my eyes. Trust Shiro to ask the obvious questions.

“I'll need to report this to the palace, but I don't think you'll have a problem.” He stood and offered me his hand again. “Welcome to the Selection, Sir Akira.” I stood and took his hand.

“Call me Keith.” I said with a smile. We started walking to the door.

“Of course, Sir Keith.” I let out a little sigh at the title, but I suppose it was inevitable. I move to open the door for him, but he held it closed.

“One more thing. This isn't an official rule, but it is important. Do not turn the prince down for anything. Kisses, more than kisses.”

“What!” Did he just tell me to let the prince have it if he wanted it?

“It would not benefit you to reject the prince in any manner. Good day, Sir Keith.” With that he wrenched open the door and left. I stood there for a moment in stunned silence before closing the door. I walked back into the living room. Shiro was still sitting on the couch, waiting for me to come back.

“Well I think that went pretty well.” Shiro said. I scoffed and scraped my foot on the ground.

“If by pretty well, you mean that everyone's going to find out that I was raped, then yes, it went pretty well.” I deadpanned.

“I'm sure that Mr. Fuentes will keep it quiet. Now you should go and finish packing so that we can spend time together before you leave.” Shiro added. I nodded and climbed the stairs to my room.

I had no idea what to bring. I had packed a change of clothes to wear when they kicked me out. I didn't really have much else. I had some simple stud earrings and a couple of leather bracelets, but they wouldn't exactly match the clothing that I would be wearing at the palace. I stowed them in my bag anyways. Just then Matt poked his head into my room.

“Need some help?” He stepped into my room and closed the door behind him.

“No. I don't have much to pack.” I said, gesturing at the barren room.

“Got your tags?” He questioned. I nodded and pulled them out from under my shirt.

“Never go anywhere without them.” Shiro had given me his dog tags from his time in the guard. It was nice to have a constant reminder that someone cared.

“Too bad you have to leave your blade.” Matt said, sitting on my bed and rustling through my bag. My blade was the only thing that I have from my mother. The palace wouldn't allow weapons, so I was trusting Shiro with its care.

“Speaking of which…” I reached under my pillow and pulled it out. I flipped it around and handed it to Matt, handle first. He took it and nodded.

“Thanks. We’ll keep it safe.” Matt said. I grabbed my bag and reorganized the mess that Matt had made of it.

“You’d better. Now come on, before Shiro has to drag us downstairs.” I set my bag on the chair and walked out, Matt right on my heels. One last night of semi-normalcy before I leave this life behind

Chapter Text

The next morning, I rolled out of bed. Literally. I landed on the floor with a hard thump.

“Damn it.” I griped, pulling myself free of the blanket and standing up. I rubbed my shoulder, sore from hitting the floor and sleeping awkwardly. As the haze of sleep drained away, I was hit with the realization that I was leaving today. I shook it off the best I could and went to take a quick shower. I tried the handle, but it was locked.

“Whoever the hell is in there better get the hell out of there.” I yelled, pounding on the door.

“Language, Keith.” Matt hollered from the bathroom.

“Finish up and get out.” I yelled back before starting to pace the hall. Luckily, Matt stepped out of the bathroom a minute later, towel wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Bathroom’s all yours, bud,” he said with a wave, before disappearing into his and Shiro’s room. I took a quick shower before retreating back into my room. I changed into the outfit that all the Selected had to wear. White shirt, black pants, and my province’s flower, a lily, in my hair. It was a little awkward to get the flower to stay in my hair. I took comfort in knowing that the other men in the Selection would be having a hard time as well.

My shoes, I got to pick. I pulled on my favorite black combat boots. I looked in the mirror and sighed a breath of relief. I still looked like me, but with a goofy flower in my hair. I checked to make sure my tags were around my neck and not visible under the shirt. They could pry these tags from my cold dead hands. When I was confident that I looked presentable, I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.

The palace had provided clothes for everyone. Shiro was wearing a white suit with black and silver accents. It made his arm seem natural and elegant. Matt and Pidge were wearing almost identical black suits with dark green accents. Pidge’s seemed more feminine and cute compared to Matt’s.

“Mornin’, Keith.” Matt called. Shiro walked over and pulled me into a hug.

“You go and do great things, Keith. This is your life and you’re going to live it to the fullest.” Shiro said, wiping a tear from his eye. I squirmed out of his hug, but was immediately hit by Pidge’s.

“I’d say that I’ll miss you, but now I can use your room for extra storage.” She said, stepping back from the hug.

“You guys haven’t changed a bit.” I commented. Matt stood and walked over to me as well.

“We got you something.” Matt explained, handing me a small box. I opened it to reveal a sleek silver phone with a red “V” on it. I turned it on to reveal three names in the contacts.

“We all have one.” Shiro said, pulling an nearly identical phone from his pocket. The “V” on his phone was black. Matt and Pidge followed suit. They had white and green “V’s” respectively.

“I modified them so that it’s a secure, private line. You’ll be able to call us anytime.” Pidge explained. I could feel my eyes getting wet.

“You guys.” I pulled them all into a hug.

“I wasn’t about to send my brother across the country without a way to stay in contact. I’m not Pidge.” Shiro said, slightly muffled from the hug.

“He’s not wrong.” Pidge said, pulling away. I tucked my new phone in my back pocket and shouldered my bag. There was a knock on the door. Antok, my aide, was waiting to take us to my going away party. Every Selected got their own party. I wasn't looking forward to mine.

I sat next to Pidge in the limo that the palace had provided. Matt and Shiro were sitting across from us, chatting excitedly. Pidge and I were glad to let our brothers fill the silence.

We slowed down as we approached the square, the limo carefully maneuvering through the throngs of people. I was surprised at the amount of people who had come out to see me. The limo pulled to a stop and I stepped out.

There was a small stage that had been constructed just for my send off. The mayor noticed me and motioned for me to come up. As I climbed up onto the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers.

“I am proud to present Carolina’s Selected. Please welcome the ward of Takashi and Matthew Shirogane, the handsome Sir Akira Kogane!” The mayor announced.

“You can call me Keith.” I whispered, knowing that it was pointless. The mayor suddenly appeared at my side.

“Would you like to say something?” He asked.

“No.” I replied bluntly. He blinked and nodded.

“They’ll teach you how to respond properly at the palace.” He huffed before turning back to the crowd. He started to talk about my attributes. I tuned him out and looked at the crowd. Many people had made signs cheering me on. Others had made signs with slurs and threats.

“Time for you to say your goodbyes, Sir Akira.” Antok instructed. Matt and Shiro were holding each other and beaming. Pidge looked indifferent, but I knew she would miss me.

“Call us when you get there” Shiro instructed. I nodded and hugged them all one last time.

“See you later.” Pidge said.

“Bye.” As I turned to leave the stage, something hit me in the face. I flinched and raised a hand up to my face. I turned to face the crowd and had to sidestep to avoid another projectile. As it hit the stage, I realized it was a tomato.

“Go to hell, you fag!” A man called from the crowd. Other similar jeers followed. I tried to pretend that the tears welling in my eyes were because of tomato juice. Antok took my arm and pulled me off the stage and into the car. I could hear the rhythmic thumps of rotten fruit hitting the car.

As the car started to pull away, I could see the stage clearly. With me out of range, the naysayers had turned on the others. The mayor had abandoned ship while Shiro and Matt were shielding Pidge. Shiro’s suit was red with tomato juice and Matt was glaring daggers at the crowd. The crowd was growing louder and more violent. I heard heavier thuds and saw a couple of men being arrested by guards.

Before I pulled completely out of the square, I risked a final glance. I saw a brick fly through the air and strike Shiro squarely in the back. I felt a surge of rage burst through me. I banged my hand on the window as the square vanished from sight.

The car had escaped the havoc of the square and was on route to the airport. I was still back in the square, reliving the moment. I resisted the urge to call right away. If he was seriously injured, a call would only distract them.

My bag had safely made it to the car and I rifled through it for something to clean the tomato off my face. I pulled out a sock and wiped the juice off my face. I looked in the reflection of the glass and sighed when I saw the bright red stain on my shirt. Luckily, my hair and the lily in it had survived the onslaught. I shoved the now stained sock back in my bag and looked out the window. The Carolina countryside was whizzing past the window.

“We should arrive at the Carolina airport in about three hours, Sir Akira.” Antok said from the driver’s seat.

“You can call me Keith.” I said.

“If you prefer that, Sir Keith.” He must have caught a glance of my face in the mirror. “The guards will handle the riot. I’m sure your family will be fine.”

“My brother, he got hit with a brick.” I said. Antok didn’t look at me, but I saw his face in the mirror. A flash of fear followed by anger.

“They hit Takashi Shirogane? One of our nation’s bravest soldiers?” Antok questioned.

“Yes. All because he legally married a man and sent his brother off to compete for one.” I hissed, feeling more and more anger flow the longer we talked about it.

“Where was he hit?” Antok questioned.

“His upper back.” I answered. Antok let out a small sigh.

“He should be fine. I had assumed that he had been hit in the face. Thank goodness I was wrong.” He explained.

“As long as we don’t crash before we get to the airport, I think everything will be alright.” I said. Antok blushed and turned his attention back to the road. I gazed out the window and watched the hills roll by. Now was the time to relax before I had to face more crowds and worse. Other Selected.

Since the airport was in Carolina, I was the first person there. I sat on a bench, Antok standing at attention behind me. It wasn’t too long before I spotted another Selected approaching. She had shoulder-length red hair and amber eyes. Her aide trailed close behind, holding her bag.

“Hello.” She said cheerfully as she approached me. “What’s your name?” She offered me her hand. I stood and shook her hand.

“I’m Keith.” I saw a hint of confusion flash in her eyes. She slapped her forehead and sighed.

“Hello, Megan! You’re Akira Kogane.” She said.

“Guilty as charged. And you must be Megan.” I replied.

“Yep, Megan Morse of Allens, Five. You’re a Seven, right? What do you do?” She asked. I was surprised at how blunt she was. I didn’t sense any hostility behind her words, she seemed honestly interested in my work.

“I work in construction, maintaining roads and such. What’s your focus as a Five?” I asked, not wanting to seem rude.

“I’m a dancer. Hey, what happened to your shirt?” She questioned. I looked down and remembered the stain on my collar.

“Some protesters at my send-off party started throwing tomatoes.” She winced.

“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” She seemed genuinely worried for me. I felt that we are going to get along just fine.

“I’m fine.” I noticed another Selected coming towards us. “Here comes another one.” I commented. He was tall with long hair bleached blond from too much time in the sun. He was tanned and his green eyes flicked with amusement. He stopped by us and crossed his arms.

“Hi, I’m Megan. What’s your name?” Megan asked cheerfully.

“Spencer.” He said, seeming overwhelmed by Megan’s cheerfulness. I couldn’t blame him, Megan was almost too exuberant.

“Oh, Spencer Ayers of Kent, Seven. Keith here’s a Seven too.” He gave me a once-over.

“I don’t remember there being a Keith in the Selected.” He said, not accusatory, just curious.

“I’m Akira. Keith’s just a nickname.” I explained. He nodded.

“What happened to your shirt?” I sighed.

“Protesters were throwing tomatoes.”

“Because you’re gay, right? There were some pretty hostile people at my send-off too.” He explained. Just then I saw someone coming towards us.

“Rich boy at 12 o’clock.” I said, changing the subject. The new boy had short black hair with a daisy pinned in it. He seemed vaguely Native American, which was a dying breed.\

He was exotic and I knew that would be an advantage. He had to be a Two or a Three because of his fancy shoes and the fact that he seemed to be judging us already.

“Hello, I’m Megan. This is Spencer,” He waved. “and Keith,” I nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Michael Alexander of Clermont, Three.” He answered haughtily. He caught sight of my stained collar. “What happened to you?” He asked, bluntly.

“Tomatoes. I take it no one in your province protested your sexuality.” I said.

“No. A Three is more beloved than a Seven at any given time.” I felt a wave of anger course through my body. I clenched my fists and took a deep breath. “That is what you are right? A Seven.” He gloated. Spencer and Megan exchanged nervous glances. I smirked and put my hand on my hip.

“Actually, I’m a Three. We all are. And don't you dare try to judge someone by their caste. My brother was born a Five and he’s way more beloved than you”

“Do you think I care about some musician?” Michael said.

“You would care about Keith's brother.” Megan snapped, her cheerful manner fading immediately. Michael turned to her and studied her apprehensively.

“And why is that? It's not like he’s famous.”

“My brother is Takashi Shirogane.” I said. Michael blinked. “And you can say whatever you want about me, but if you insult my brother, I will not hesitate to deck you.”

“You’re lying. Takashi doesn’t have a brother.” Michael stammered, trying to recover.

“I’m adopted. And the same people who hit me with tomatoes hit my brother with a brick. I don’t even know if he’s okay or not, because I came here with the same goal as you. To compete for Prince Alejandro.” I noticed an airport employee approaching. “Now, I suggest you think before you speak. It’d be a shame if you were to insult the prince.” I snatched up my bag as the employee started to speak.

“Well, I see all of our Selected are here. Follow me and we’ll be off to Angeles before you know it.” I followed him quickly, Megan and Spencer by my side.

“That was amazing, Keith.” Spencer whispered.

“Thanks. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come back to bite me.” I replied. I could sense Michael glaring at the back of my head.

The plane was amazing, nothing short of the best for royalty. I could feel the Holts influencing me as I started mentally critiquing the plane’s design. The inside was spacious and I quickly claimed a seat far away from Michael. To my surprise, Spencer and Megan sat near me.

“You guys don’t have to sit with me.” I said.

“But we want to.” Megan said from her seat across from me.

“You make much better company than the natural Three anyway.” Spencer said, settling in next to me.

“Do you think the other Selected are going to be like that?” Megan asked as we started taking off.

“Hopefully not. My brother’s husband is a natural Three and he and his sister are as nice as anyone.” I said, hoping to calm her.

“Hello, Megan! I’ve heard of him. He made your brother’s prosthetic, right?” Megan asked.

“Yep, Matt and Pidge spent forever on it. It’s what really kicked off their business.” I replied, glad that she was actually interested. “They made this phone for me, it’s really high tech.” I pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to Megan. Spencer turned to me.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how long have you and Shiro been brothers?” I smiled.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind. Well, I was adopted when I was eight, so it’s been about eleven years.” I winced and memories flooding back. The bitter cold wind blasting right through my thin coat. The bruises left on my arms and back from fights. The bruises left on my hips and neck from that man. The woman who found me afterwards. The escape she provided for me. The family I earned that day, three people who actually cared about me.

“Keith, you okay?” I blinked. Megan was holding my phone out to me and both Spencer and her were staring at me with worried expressions. I took the phone and tucked it in my bag.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you’re fine, Keith. You were out of it for like five minutes.” Megan said.

“You started crying.” Spencer said, bluntly. I raised a hand to my face and wiped away a tear.

“I’m fine, guys, just bad memories. Sorry that you had to see that.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Megan asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts before they formed. “How ‘bout you tell me about you guys? You don't want to hear more about me, trust me.” They exchanged quick glances before Megan turned to me and smiled.

“Sure! So, I’m a Five, Hello, Megan! I mean, I was a Five. I’m sixteen and and I’m a dancer. I have one little brother, he’s eight. What about you, Spencer?”

“I’m eighteen and I was a Seven. I worked on a farm with my five siblings.” Spencer said. I let out a low whistle.

“That must have been a hassle.” I said.

“Oh, it was, but I love them all dearly.” Spencer admitted.

“I don’t know how I would have managed without Garfield growing up.” Megan said.

“Same, Shiro was always a calming presence growing up.” I said.

“Do you know how bizarre it was to hear you call Takashi Shirogane, ‘Shiro’?” Spencer said, breaking his stare.

“It’s felt like you had walked up to the king and called him ‘Ev’.” Megan added. I couldn’t help it, I started laughing hysterically.

“It’s so weird hearing you say that. I forget that he’s technically famous. He lost the golden boy image ages ago in my book.” I said, choking back laughter.

“Pray tell, Keith, what inspired that change?” Spencer said, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face. I sighed and leaned in close.

“If I tell you, you have to promise to not tell anyone, okay?” I whispered.

“We promise.” They said in unison.

“Well, Matt was fine-tuning this prototype taser and he needed a volunteer to test it on. I bet Shiro $100 that he wouldn’t let me taser him. Long story short, I was working overtime for three weeks to pay him back.” Spencer laughed, a deep throaty bark.

“Holy shit, man, that’s gold.” He said. Megan was laughing too, her little giggles as bubbly as she was. I glanced over at Michael, still sitting half the plane away from us. He had headphones on and wasn’t looking in our direction. I looked out the window and noticed that we had sunk beneath the clouds.

“Looks like we’re here.” I said, feeling the plane start to angle downwards. We touched down on the tarmac and started rolling to the terminal. The door opened and a palace aide walked towards us.

“Welcome to the sunny province of Angles! Please follow me and we’ll have you at the palace in no time.” I nodded and stood, slinging my bag over my shoulder. Michael strutted off the plane as if he owned it. We followed him out into the airport and into a horde of screaming fans.

Chapter Text

So, I was already planning to make major changes to the story and then season 6 cemented that for me. Let's just say that Lotura won't be happening and Lotor is probably going to be the Celeste type character, but without the redemption arc. I also pushed too fast on the relationship in "one step up from the dirt" so that will be moving slower. It's probably going to be a bit before I update because I just got back from camp and I'm fried.

Chapter Text

So, unfortunately, I'm putting this fic on indefinite hiatus. I can't make myself care about writing it and I don't want to tease that I'm working on it because I am not. At all. Canon is changing quickly and while this shouldn't affect the story, it is affecting me. Sorry that I can't even work on a rewrite that I made to convince myself to work on it. So, I may pick this up eventually, but it wouldn't be until Voltron finishes for real. Sorry, people who actually cared about this, but I just don't any more.