Chapter Text
Shiro stood outside of Altean Industries in front it's spinning doors. With a tug to his suit jacket he looked up and took in the impressive structure of the building. It stood tall and gleamed a silvery blue in the morning sun. This job assignment was exactly what he needed, he thought to himself. He’d been back in the states for 2 weeks and was already bored out of his mind. The novalty of being state side wore off rather quickly. Sure it was nice to be back where he could see his brother and his friends regularly but it was boring as all hell. Nothing interesting ever happened at home and when he was home it meant alone time with his thoughts and doing so for too long was dangerous.
A shadow assignment was perfect for him right now. He would fill his mind with building layouts, worst case scenarios, and plans to prevent those from happening. If he was lucky, the person he was tasked with shadowing wouldn't be a major pain but he could deal whatever was thrown his way. He just needed to finish this interview first but that would be a piece of case. Shiro was the was the best guard Voltron had and that's a fact.
As he pushed through the spinning doors he took out his phone to look at the interview details:
Allura Altea: CEO of Altean Ind.
Assignment: Shadow
Duration: 1 year, with 1 month trial period
Interview: Meeting with Coran Wimbleton-Smithe, Advisor, on the top floor at 9:00 a.m.
The photo attached showed a beautiful, smiling, black woman with silver hair, that reminded him of moon light, and blue eyes that reminded him of clear blue skies. His assignment just got so much better.
When Shiro looked up he met the eyes of the guard manning the metal detector and started to unbutton the sleeve of his right arm. He saw the guards eyes bulge in shock as he took in the black and silver of his right arm. He pulled out the I.D. his tech, Pidge, gave him and showed it to the guard. No metal detectors for me, thank you very much, he thought to himself.
Shiro walked past the guard and headed towards the elevators with a small group of people all around him. He stood nearly a foot taller than the rest and ignored all the lingering looks of the women beside him while they waited. The elevator pinged announcing it’s arrival and he took a step to the side to let them all get in the elevator and smiled at the disappointed faces of the women when they realized he wouldn’t get in.
He didn’t do big crowds, not if he could avoid it.
Another ping sounded and he walked over to the other elevator. The sound of clicking heels echoed his steps, telling him he wouldn’t be alone after all. He walked in pressed the highest numbered button and turned back to ask the woman which floor she needed to get to. The woman stood in grey suede heels, high-waisted navy trousers that tapered just above her ankles, a crisp white blouse, and layers of sparkly necklaces around her neck. She wore her hair down in long, soft, silver waves, making her warm brown skin glow in comparison. It was the same woman from the photo, his new assignment. Perfect, he thought, now he culd get the interview over with and get on to the need-to-know assignment details when they made it to her office.
“Ms. Altean, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said extending his left hand out for a handshake. Allura took it and gave it a firm shake, making him smile. He knew a successful business woman like her would have a killer hand shake. With his hand still in hers she turned her wrist to check her watch for the time. It was approximately 8:55 a.m. he saw just before she let go and said, “Ah, you must be Takashi Shirogane.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said and leaned back with his hands on the elevator’s railing.
Her eyes scanned him from head to toe and he waited for her eyes to catch on the scar across his nose, or on the gleam of his metal hand, but she barely glance at them. She must have known about them already, he figured. When their gazes met he saw her eyes squint, calculating. “You come highly recommended, Mr. Shirogane. The best of the best.”
“I am the best, ma’am. With me at your six, your safety won’t be a concern for you,” he said.
“I can’t have you drawing unnecessary attention during an important meeting or at functions. Discretion is very important in this matter. I can’t have my enemies thinking I’m trembling in my Jimmy Choos. I’m no damsel, Mr. Shirogane,” she huffed, her hands balled into fists.
“Discretion is one of my skills of my many skills, Ms. Altea. I won’t interfere with your work unnecessarily. Consider me an asset. I’ll keep you safe and you continue to kick ass in your Jimmy Choos,” he said with a close lipped smile.
The elevator pingged just before the door slid open, but the two just stared at each other. Shiro felt the hairs on his arms stand and the eleveator seemed to fill with a buzzing tension. Allura’s eyes softened in satisfaction and he felt himself breathe again. Had he been holding his breath? When she returned his smile he knew he had said the right thing. “You and I will work well together, Takashi,” she said and turned to walk out. He watched her take a few steps with wide eyes. No one has called him Takashi in years. He liked the way it sounded on her lips, enjoyed they her lips moved when she said it. “Are you coming? We need to discuss the details of your assignment.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said and tugged at his suit jacket before he followed the swaying moonlight hair and the clicking of what he now assumed must be a pair of Jimmy Choos. She was going to be a handful, he could tell, but that was all the better to help keep his mind off of the memories and thoughts that haunted him when he was alone.