Archive of Our Own ^beta

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It’s late at night, and Takashi Shirogane is sitting on his couch. He’s running his remaining hand over the bridge between his prosthetic and the scar on his right arm, trying to ignore the phantom pains that occasionally struck the arm that is no longer there.

“You know that you’ll have to get used to it.”

The tall, black haired man looks up to see his younger brother standing in the doorway. His violet eyes are worried, and his hair’s tied back into a stubby ponytail. He’s wearing leggings and a loose red sweater – back from the gym, Shiro realises.

“I know, Keith. But it’s hard.” God, he’s a mess. He can’t even look his brother in the eye whilst saying that. He feels so pathetic – he should be able to recover from this.

“Come dance, then. You can’t just stop like this, Takashi.” Keith walks forward, and lifts his brother’s face up with his hand, so that they are eye-level.

“I can’t, Keith. Not after what happened.”

“What happened had nothing to do with your career. You can’t stop – it’d be such a shame!” Keith says emphatically.

“Why? There are much better dancers than me – I’ll never be as good as them.” Dejectedly, he sighs and shakes his head.

After a few seconds silence, Keith speaks again, abruptly. “So?”

“What do you mean?” He furrows his eyebrows, confused.

“So, you’ll never be the best-“

“Hey!”

“But that doesn’t mean you won’t be – won’t continue to be a world famous, amazing dancer!” Keith continues, ignoring Shiro’s interruption. “What I mean is, why give up now? Ballet’s always been your life – our lives – you can’t just leave me to dance, all alone.” He teases, knowing that Shiro’ll give in. He genuinely wants his big brother to dance again – it’s been over a year since he lost his arm and got his prosthetic, and, honestly; Shiro’s been a bit unbearable. Not really, but Keith knows he really needs to get him out of the house, and actually to some people other than Keith, Matt (skype), and Shiro and Keith’s parents (also via skype), and his doctor.

“I guess…” He reluctantly says. (Honestly, even though he doesn’t really feel like dancing again, he’s quite glad Keith suggested this. He’s getting cabin fever, all cooped up inside their apartment.)

“Great!” (He may not sound the most enthusiastic, but inside Keith’s doing a tiny jig of happiness.) “I’ll tell them that you’ll come in with me on Monday!” He walks out, buying himself some time, before-

“Keith! It’s Sunday night! No!”

“Too late. I’ve already texted them.” He walks back in, just in time to see Shiro flop onto the worn leather couch, pouting.

“Fine, but I’m just going to watch. No dancing yet!”

“Sure, sure. Hey, who were you comparing yourself to, anyway?”

“Huh?”

“A moment ago, you know when you said you weren’t going to dance because – and I quote – ‘Oh I’m second in the world, how dreadful!’?”

“Oh yeah. I mean, that’s not quite how I remember it, but... lots really, but one in particular.” He blushes, and Keith stares at this rare phenomenon that he’s only seen once or twice – memorably, when Jessica Tyler said she had a crush on Takashi in third grade – and asks the burning question –

“Who?”

“Um…” He turns a dark pink, redder than Keith’s ever seen him.

“Hey, out with it! Tell me who the famous Takashi Shirogane has a crush on!” Keith’s grinning now – oh man, he will never let Shiro forget this moment – god, where’s a camera when he needs it?

“It’s not a crush! I just… admire her very much.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. Who?”

“Allura Fala, okay, Keith? Hey, why are you staring at me like that?”

He blushes even more – something that Keith didn’t think was possible at this point. The cogs in Keith’s brain are turning, screaming almost indecipherably ‘ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod’.

“Keith?”

“Oh, no reason. Night.”

“Night.”

Keith turned around, and grins as he walks to his room. Boy, is this going to be fun.

***

[21:37] Keith: hey allura do you mind if my brother comes in tomorrow to watch practice?

[21:38] Keith: he refuses to dance but I think together we can wear him down

[21:40] Keith: allura???

[22:04] Allura: Sorry Keith, I was doing paperwork.

[22:05] Allura: Of course he can come! I’d be happy to show him around.

[22:05] Keith: good… i kind of… maybe… already told him he had to come..?

[22:07] Allura: Keith! What if I’d said no?

[22:08] Keith: well, i knew you wouldn’t let me down???

[22:09] Keith: also, how could you turn down takashi shirogane, former world famous ballerino???

[22:11] Keith: alluuuraaa???

[22:15] Keith: hellooo??????

***

[22:17] Coran: Keith, what did you say to Allura?

[22:18] Keith: what do you mean? she hasnt replied to my texts in ten minutes

[22:19] Keith: did i say something wrong?

[22:20] Coran: Hard to tell, but you must have.

[22:20] Keith: how can you be sure??

[22:21] Coran: She hasn’t moved in nearly fifteen minutes, and is sat frozen staring at her phone looking like a goldfish.

[22:22] Coran: What did you do to my goddaughter, Keith? EXPLAIN.

[22:24] Coran: I may have only known you for a couple of weeks but…

[22:25] Keith: woah, don’t hurt me. all i did was tell her my brother was takashi shirogane, okay?

[22:26] Keith: i don’t know why this is all happening

[22:26] Keith: i am very tired and confused

[22:28] Keith: coran?

[22:30] Keith: not you too.

***

“Ugh.” Keith rolls over in his bed, hand groping around for his phone, to turn off the infernal racket coming from it.

“Huh?” Seeing an incoming call, he taps ‘answer’.

“Hello?” He says blearily, looking at the clock on the wall. Just after one.

“Keith?”

“Allura, it’s one a.m. What is it?”

“Oh, sorry. I just wanted to apologise for earlier.”

Earlier… oh yeah, when she and Coran had mysteriously disappeared at the mention of his brother.

“It’s fine. Can I still bring Shiro tomorrow?”

“Of course!” Hmm. That sounds… eager. Surely Allura doesn’t… no. What’s he thinking? There’s no way Allura of all people…
Hmm. Maybe he’ll ask Lance or Hunk later.

“Keith?”

“What? Oh, yeah, sorry. See you in…” He looks back at the clock, mentally calculating how much sleep he’ll get. “Seven hours.”

“See you soon, Keith. Sorry I woke you, goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Allura.”

Maybe if he falls asleep now, he can have five more hours.

Yeah, that isn’t going to happen.

[01:07] Keith: hunk, lance, youll never guess what i thinks happening…

[01:09] Lance: mullet, its mcfreaking one am

[01:10] Hunk: but tell us everything. i wanna know the hot gossip.

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I just wanted to say, that since Allura has been said to be a teen, I won't keep writing this. I'm a minor, it's just weird, and I don't even have any time to write, so the chapter I put up might get deleted soon.