Happy Halloween! I hope everyone had a good one! We didn't end up with any trick or treaters but oh well- at least that means more candy for me. But moving on, what else does the season call for but a bit of supernatural sprinkle? So here's a oneshot that I wrote, trying out the 5 + 1 format for a change! In which Keith is a werecat, and absolutely nothing else changes. Please enjoy~!

when a black cat crosses your path

(1)

Shiro was certain that when he left, what he had on his couch was a stray cat with an injured leg. One hundred percent positive, in fact.

But somehow, in the time it had taken him to retrieve bandages and medical tape from the bathroom, a small child had taken the cat's place. Scrappy looking and pale underneath the blanket that they had tugged around their shoulders, he had unruly black hair that mirrored the fine black coat of the cat he'd found.

Suffice to say, he dropped the bandages.

As far as he saw it, there were only two possible explanations. The first was that he was going crazy and was currently hallucinating. The second, more preferable option, was that this kid was the cat.

Which meant he now had an injured child on his couch.

Chewing on his lip, Shiro stooped down to scoop up the bandages. As he did, the kid stirred, causing him to flinch, freezing like a deer in headlights.

Upon a closer look, the kid looked to be maybe around thirteen, fourteen. Picking up the bandages, Shiro straightened, watching as the boy's eyes gradually fluttered open. For a moment, they took on a golden sheen, before seemingly fading into a blue-violet color, unusual in and of itself.

They seemed... disorientated, like they weren't all there. It lasted long enough for Shiro to wonder if there as some kind of head injury too, before their eyes went wide, their body going rigid.

He swore their pupils shrunk.

"Easy now," Shiro spoke slowly, calmly, so as to not alarm the kid any further, "-it's okay. You're safe."

His words did not bring the kid any comfort- instead, they put him on full alert, shoving himself up into a sitting position, clutching at the blanket with one hand. Eyes darting around the room, he couldn't tell if he was trying to get a hold of his surroundings, or if he was just trying to find an escape route. Either could be possible.

Staring down at his free hand, the kid clenched it in a fist, before leveling a suspicious glower towards him- one that melted away in recognition. Without thinking, Shiro felt himself stand straighter, subconsciously trying to look a bit more authoritative.

"You're Takashi Shirogane."

So he did recognize him. It didn't come as too much of a surprise- ever since he'd broken the record for the fastest orbital velocity, the Garrison had been pasting his face just about everywhere.

Guess even weird cat kids had heard of him.

"That's me." Shiro said, feeling a bit dumb.

What did he even say to this kid? Sorry I picked you up and brought you home? I thought you were a stray? I didn't know you were actually a person? Adam had always told him that his habit of picking up strays would get him in trouble one day, he just didn't expect it to be like this.

At least he was out on a mission right now. This would be pretty hard to explain.

"I- look, how about I get you something to wear, and then I can look at that leg of yours." Shiro told him, then paused. "It... it is your leg, right?"

The implications of his question weren't missed, and brought the suspicion back to the kid's face in an instant. "Or you could get lost."

"These are my quarters." Shiro pointed out.

The kid just rolled his eyes at that. "Fine. You can step out so I can leave, and we can both pretend this never happened."

"I can't do that." Shiro told him. "You're injured. There's no way I can just leave you alone. What I should be doing is taking you to the hospital."

The kid bristled at that, and he could have sworn that he hissed.

"But you don't seem to be a fan of that idea, so why don't we do it like this," Shiro began, struggling to stay calm in the face of this absurdity, "-I treat your leg, and then I can drive you home."

Narrowing his eyes, the kid still looked suspicious. Not that he could blame him. Being able to turn into a cat definitely wasn't normal. That was probably the sort of thing he wanted to keep a secret- and now he'd gone and blown it to a total stranger.

"How do I know I can trust you?" The kid asked.

"I promise I won't tell a soul." Shiro vowed. "I won't even ask any questions."

Frowning, the kid considered the offer. Pulling up the blanket where it pooled around his injured leg, he studied it. Against bare skin, he could make out the nasty bite that had been the source of the black cat's limp- probably from a stray dog, or maybe even somebody's pet.

"Fine," the kid said eventually, "-but clothes first."

"Right," Shiro agreed, "-clothes first. I'm just going to set these down," he said, holding up the bandages and medical tape, "-and get some clothes. You just... stay where you are, I guess."

The kid didn't say anything, he just nodded. Setting down the medical supplies, Shiro made a quick beeline for his room, throwing open his dresser drawers, trying to find something the kid could wear. He ended up with a Galaxy Garrison sweatshirt, one with a hood, and a pair of clean boxer shorts, figuring anything else he might have wouldn't come anywhere close to fitting.

Thankfully, the kid was still there when he got back.

"I'll just leave these here," Shiro told him, "-and go back into my room. You can call me when you're done getting dressed."

Nodding again, Shiro gave the kid a weak smile, before ducking back into his room. The wait felt like hours, but eventually he heard the sound of the kid calling him, and stepped back into the living room. The sweatshirt was huge on him, to the point where he practically drowned in it, and he'd had to bundle up the sleeves so that they didn't just dangle over his arms.

"Let's just get this over with." He said.

Nodding his head, Shiro made his way carefully over towards the kid. The last thing he wanted to do was startle him. Gathering his supplies, he crouched down in front of the couch, his injured right leg resting on it for him to see.

"I'm going to have to disinfect it." Shiro told him.

The kid cringed, but gave him a curt nod of his head. Folding his arms tightly in front of him, he seemed to brace himself.

The second the disinfectant dipped cotton ball touched the bite, he sucked in a sharp breath. Shiro paused, hesitantly looking up towards him, but he just gave him another curt nod, so he pressed forward. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the kid bite down on his lip, drawing a faint trickle of blood as he tried not to react to the stinging sensation any further.

He seemed utterly relieved once he'd deemed it clean enough to bandage.

"Please just promise me you'll keep an eye on this." Shiro said. "And that if it starts getting infected, you'll find someone to help."

"It'll be fine." The kid told him. "I heal quickly."

He had to believe that. Taking care to wrap the bandages tight, but not too tight, around his leg, he fixed them in place with a small bit of medical tape. The kid slowly exhaled once he was done, the tension in his shoulders abating somewhat.

"There, that should hold you." Shiro said.

"Great," unfolding his arms, the kid swung his legs off the couch, "-let's go."

Opening his mouth to protest, Shiro quickly shut it, watching as the kid stumbled to his feet. His right leg troubled him, but he largely ignored it, powering forward in spite of the mild limp it gave him.

"Well?" Twitching up the hood of his borrowed sweatshirt, the kid narrowed his eyes. "You coming? I can drive myself, but I'm pretty sure that would be considered theft."

Right. Of course he would be in a hurry to get of here. Getting to his feet, Shiro gave him a weak smile. Really, he wanted the kid to stay awhile longer, to make sure he was really okay, but he didn't exactly want to force him into a situation in which he was uncomfortable.

Okay, so maybe it was a bit too late for that.

"I'm coming."

Thankfully, at this hour, nobody was really out and about, so they got down to the parking lot without anyone stopping them. The kid hauled himself into his car, buckling his seat belt and crossing his arms, looking content to remain silent for the duration of their trip.

"I do actually need to know where to drop you off." Shiro pointed out once they had left the base.

Frowning, the kid just put an address into his nav system. Arching his brows, Shiro let him have it, silently following the given directions. When they lead them to a warehouse that looked like it had been abandoned for years, he couldn't help but be a little skeptical.

"You know, I can-"

"I can get home fine by myself." The kid replied. "Besides, this is where I left my clothes."

Ah. Yeah, he probably would want those.

"I can wait." Shiro told him. "You're still hurt."

But the kid was already getting out of the car, so he'd take that as a no. He still waited around for another ten minutes or so, before heaving a sigh and giving up. He didn't like it, but he couldn't force the kid to accept his help.

He didn't expect their paths would cross again.

(2)

But he hadn't expected a cat could turn into a kid either.

So when he went to his scheduled school for recruitment the very next day, suffice to say, he hadn't expected to see the kid there. From his lack of reaction, he almost thought he'd made a mistake, or that he had somehow just made up the events of yesterday- but there was no mistaking those violet-blue eyes.

Or the slight limp.

Nobody, not the teacher nor any of the other students, even seemed to notice, much less pay attention to it. And the kid himself? Well, he just hung to the back of the crowd, not even trying to get a turn in on the simulator. In fact, he was pretty sure he was trying to avoid looking at him.

He couldn't blame him. He'd sort of promised that yesterday would be the end of it, and now here he was, showing up at his school. It was a coincidence, but he couldn't blame the kid if he didn't feel like it was one.

But when he took the pilot's seat? That was when Shiro knew he couldn't leave this kid alone.

Even if he did proceed to steal his car.

Getting the charges dropped wasn't hard, even if it did baffle the officers and the kid alike- whose name he had learned was Keith- Keith Kogane. From the sound of it, the kid was an orphan- his father had been a firefighter, and his mother hadn't been in the picture since... well, ever, from the sound of it. She wasn't even listed on his birth certificate.

He wondered if it had anything to do with the whole cat thing.

All things considered, Keith did an impressive job of biting his tongue. There were times it looked as if he desperately wanted to burst out with questions, but he managed to hold them back- right up until he'd passed the first test to enter into the Garrison.

"Alright," Keith narrowed his eyes, glaring up at him, "-what's the deal?"

Shiro just blinked. "I don't know what you mean."

Wrong answer. Keith's eyes just narrowed further, his lips set in a tight frown. "You show up at my school the day after I blow my biggest secret to you, and you act like it's nothing."

"Just a coincidence." Shiro promised him. "I had that school visit scheduled for weeks."

Needless to say, Keith didn't look convinced. And honestly? He couldn't blame him. Keeping a secret as big as being able to turn into a cat while in foster care couldn't have been easy.

"I don't buy it." Keith flat out stated. "You even forgave me for stealing your car. Not to mention all the effort you've put into getting me into the Garrison. You've got to have some kind of angle."

"What makes you think that?" Shiro asked.

"Everyone has an angle." Keith stated, reciting it like it was a proven fact.

And that was... that was telling. Even without the burden of his secret, living in foster care had to have been rough on him, if it had garnered him that mentality.

"So what is it?" Keith pressed. "You need me legally enrolled in the Garrison or something so nobody asks questions when I disappear?"

Mouth agape, Shiro merely stared at Keith, reeling at the implications of his words. Did Keith think he was trying to...? No. Just- no. That wasn't what was going on here, not by a long shot.

Shutting his mouth, Shiro shook it off. "No." He said resolutely. "I promise you, nobody is going to make you disappear. I just want to help you, Keith, that's all. I think you have a lot of potential."

"Yeah, you said that already." Keith told him. "But I don't buy it."

Heaving a sigh, Shiro ran a hand through his hair. "Okay... what can I do to prove it to you?"

Keith just frowned. "You can't."

Right. Yeah. He'd sort of expected an answer like that.

"I- what are you even doing here, then?" Shiro asked.

There was a long moment of silence between them, Keith dropping his gaze. "I just... nevermind. Forget it."

Brows knitting together in thought, Shiro stared at Keith. He'd had plenty of chances to back out. Or did he think that he'd have the charges reinstated if he tried to refuse? Had he backed Keith into a corner, made him think that he had no other options?

No, he was pretty sure that wasn't it. Could Keith... could he maybe be hoping that this wasn't what he thought it was, and that's what kept him around? That he was being genuine- which he was- in wanting him to attend the Galaxy Garrison? That he really believed that he had talent, potential?

That he didn't care that he could transform into a cat?

"Keith," Shiro began, "-I promise you, nobody is going to hurt you. You can trust me."

Keith glanced up at that, and this time, he noticed the glimmer of hope behind all the skepticism. "Prove it."

Well, Shiro always did like a challenge.

(3)

"You don't have to do this, you know."

"Yes I do." Shiro replied, half out of instinct. Anything Keith said he didn't have to do was usually something he actually did.

Keith just frowned. "They'll heal on their own soon enough."

"Sure you're not just trying to avoid the disinfectant?" Shiro asked, not missing the slight way Keith flinched at the sight of the damp cotton swab.

"I'm not a kid." Keith protested. "I can handle a little sting."

"Good." Shiro said, holding out his hand. "In that case, let me see your knuckles."

For a moment, Keith remained frozen, before he begrudgingly handed one over. He bit down on his lip as he applied the disinfectant, lightly dabbing it where he'd bruised his knuckles. James was being treated by one of the Garrison medics, but Keith had opted out of getting treatment.

Maybe he wouldn't let the med techs touch him, but Shiro had insisted that he at least let him look at his knuckles. He'd seen how raw they were when he had spoken with Keith earlier, and he wasn't about to let him go without getting them looked at.

Which left him in Keith's dorm room, tending to his bruised knuckles. He had to admit, they already looked better than they had awhile ago, but he didn't want Keith to get into the habit of avoiding getting medical treatment just because he could heal.

He took him at his word that he could- after all, his limp had cleared up in record speed. There wasn't a trace of the bite wound within a week, not even a scar.

"Come on, other one." Shiro told him.

Wordlessly giving him his other hand, Keith just stared at the wall. He'd pulled a few strings, gotten Keith a single room, hoping it would put him at ease.

It barely looked lived in.

Keith, for his part, chewed on his lip all the while, looking contemplative. Occasionally, his gaze would dart down towards him, like he was thinking of asking him something, only to decide against it at the last possible second.

"You really meant it, didn't you?" Keith finally asked.

"Meant what?" Shiro asked.

"...about me having potential." Keith muttered.

"I told you I wasn't lying." Shiro told him. "There, all done. But try to avoid throwing any more punches."

Frowning, Keith rubbed his wrist. "It's not my fault."

"What James said was wrong," Shiro told him, "-but you still shouldn't have hit him."

"He deserved it." Keith muttered.

"Maybe." Shiro admitted. "But he just says that stuff to get to you."

"Yeah, well, it works." Keith admitted.

Closing the first aid box he had borrowed from the infirmary, Shiro looked up at Keith. He was the very picture of a sullen teenage boy, right down to the pout. Without thinking much about it, he stood up, idly ruffling Keith's hair.

He didn't expect him to lean into it like he did.

And neither did Keith, based on the way he reacted, jerking his head away so violently that he couldn't help but be worried for his neck.

He couldn't decide if it was just a cat thing, or if it had just really been that long since anyone had shown Keith any real affection. Maybe he'd been keeping himself at a distance this whole time, unwilling to let his guard down for even a second.

"Didn't mean to startle you." Shiro told him, picking up the first aid box. "I'll just take this back."

He didn't get very far, a tug on his jacket dragging him back. Glancing down, he found Keith's hand tugging at the edge of it, though the teen himself wasn't quite looking at him.

"You don't... you don't have to go just yet." Keith mumbled.

Setting the first aid box down, Shiro smiled. "If you're sure."

Slowly nodding his head, Keith drew his hand away from his jacket. For a long moment, he didn't say anything, which was strange- Keith wasn't usually one for hesitation.

"You haven't told anyone," he finally began, "-about me."

"I told you I wouldn't." Shiro said.

Peering up at him, the skepticism had all but faded from Keith's eyes. "I didn't- I didn't think you actually meant it."

"Well, I did." Shiro said. "Can I sit?"

Nodding his head, Keith scooted over, making some room on the bed. Shiro took a seat next to him, briefly studying his features. On the outside, he looked like any other kid his age- maybe a little on the scrappy side, but there was nothing to indicate that he was in any way abnormal.

If it didn't keep getting brought up, he might have actually managed to convince himself that their first meeting had been something out of a dream. It wasn't like he'd actually seen Keith transform.

"Dad used to warn me that we had to be careful." Keith mumbled. "That we hid for a reason."

"We?" Shiro blinked.

Huh. He'd been under the impression that whatever had gifted Keith with the ability to transform like he could, that it had come from his mother. Guess he'd been wrong.

"My dad was... he was like me. He could change too." Keith told him.

"Yeah?" Shiro asked, taking an interest. He'd danced around it before, but this was the first time Keith had admitted to it outright. "Was he a cat too?"

"No," Keith shook his head, a faint smirk on his lips, almost proud, "-he was a wolf."

Wolf.

It was then that it clicked into place, what Keith was- what his father was. Staring at Keith, he felt the gears in his head click, but he didn't know if he quite wanted them to fall into place. Keith being able to turn into a cat was one thing, especially since he hadn't really considered it beyond that, but this was... "Your- Keith, was your father a werewolf?"

Was Keith a werewolf? Or well, a werecat, to be more exact.

...how did you even get a cat from a wolf anyways?

It earned him a wry smile. "Maybe."

"Maybe." Shiro repeated.

"We don't call ourselves werewolves." Keith told him, before crinkling his brow. "I mean, I don't, for obvious reasons, but-"

"-because you're a cat." Shiro cut in.

"Yeah," Keith frowned a bit at that, "-never really figured out how that part worked. Dad said it was because of mom, so I guess maybe she was a werecat, and that got passed down to me instead."

Making a low hum, Shiro nodded. This was huge, but he was already dealing with a kid who could transform into a cat, so what was the existence of werewolves, really?

"So what do you call yourselves?" Shiro asked.

"Shifters." Keith replied. "Generally speaking. Lycanthropes, sometimes. If you want to be fancy."

The comment earned Keith a snort, which he seemed grateful for. It was obvious that he was the first person he'd spoken to about this for a long time, if not ever.

He had questions. A million of them, really. Mostly revolving around how werewolves- and by extension, werecats- had managed to remain hidden for so long. If there was some sort of community, and if so, why had Keith not ended up with them, and instead found himself in the foster system? Was it because he was a cat instead of a wolf?

But this... it had to have taken Keith a lot of courage to open to him like this. To go from wary and distrustful, to believing that maybe he'd found someone he could actually trust, that he could share this burden of a secret with. So the last thing Shiro wanted to do was make him doubt that.

"I'm glad you told me, Keith." Shiro said, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Keith's gaze lingered for a second too long, before he ducked his head away. "Don't make me regret it."

"I won't." Shiro told him. "I promise."

(4)

The first time Shiro actually saw Keith transform was maybe three weeks later.

He hadn't shown up to class, which was unusual- for all that he was labeled as a discipline case, he didn't often skip without good reason.

Knocking on the door to his dorm room, Shiro shifted on his feet, worry bubbling in his chest. After what felt like an eternity, Keith cracked open the door, one eye peeking out. "Shiro?"

His throat, he thought, sounded dry.

"Heard you didn't make it to class." Shiro told him. "Thought I'd come to check up on you."

Keith just stared up at him for a moment longer, before he cracked the door open further, letting him in. No sooner than had Shiro entered, did he shut it- and right away, he could tell that something was wrong. Keith's bangs stuck to his forehead, damp with sweat, his eyes a bit glazed.

Then he remembered the bug going around.

Adam had caught it the previous week, and had been miserable for about three days before it finally passed. He'd managed to avoid getting it so far, but Sam had reported that somehow Katie had gotten it too, despite the fact that she hadn't been anywhere near the Garrison lately, and that he definitely hadn't caught it himself, or Matt, for that matter.

And so, apparently, had Keith.

"Sick." Keith muttered.

"I can see that." Shiro noted, arching a brow. "How about we just get you back into bed?"

Nodding, Keith let Shiro guide him, all but collapsing on his bed. He flopped over uselessly, and if Shiro had to be honest, it was actually a bit funny.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Shiro asked.

Predictably, Keith shook his head.

"Right. Do you want me to get you something from the commissary? Maybe some soup?" Shiro asked. "Have you taken any medicine?"

Keith nodded, and then shook his head. "Medicine sometimes makes me feel worse."

Okay, that made some sense. Keith wasn't exactly fully human. "Do you know what you can take?"

Keith's brow furrowed in thought. "Advil?"

It sounded more like a question than an answer. "You're sure?"

Closing his eyes, Keith shook his head. Shiro carefully placed a hand against his forehead, confirming that it was hot- but he didn't like the idea of giving him medicine if it was just potentially going to make him worse. That said, he'd like to get that fever down a bit.

"Shiro?" Keith mumbled, not opening his eyes.

Trying to brush the hair that clung to his forehead out of the way, Shiro's frown deepened. "Yeah, Keith?"

"Gonna change."

He didn't get much time to dwell on that statement, before Keith almost seemed to shrink, dissolving into his clothes, leaving his hand hanging in empty air. For a split second, it sent a surge of panic through his chest- which only calmed when he noticed the small lump in the middle of Keith's clothes.

Seconds later, a black cat poked its head out, hauling its body out of the clothing pile. It was medium in size, pure black without a hint of any other color to its coat, possessing an almost purple sheen to it in the light. Sitting up, it peered up at Shiro, its golden eyes looking almost expectant.

Right. Keith could do that.

"Keith?" Shiro asked, knowing how uncertain he sounded.

The cat merely stared up at him, giving him a flick of his tail, before letting out a loud yowl. Right, okay- couldn't talk in this form, probably. That made sense. Probably had different vocal chords.

"Is... is this easier for you?" Shiro asked.

The cat- Keith, this cat was Keith, he reminded himself- let out another yowl, which sounded a lot like agreement. Pawing at the bed, he curled up into a ball, right on top of his pile of clothes.

Right. Okay. He could deal with this.

"Still want that food?" Shiro asked.

Keith let out another lazy yowl, which he also interpreted as a yes. Guess he could add cat whisperer to his growing resume.

"Right," Shiro said, "-I will get that food for you, then. You just- you just stay there, I guess."

Keith didn't respond this time, instead shutting his eyes. Shiro watched him for a moment longer, before the gears in his head started completely working again.

And here he thought he'd gotten used to the idea. Guess seeing it in action was another matter entirely.

That said, he still had a job to do. Several, in fact.

Heading down to the commissary, he picked up some soup to go, before dropping into Iverson's office, informing him that Keith had apparently picked up the bug that was going around. He'd merely arched a brow at that, before accepting it with a shrug, promising he'd be in touch with his teachers and let them know he'd be absent for awhile.

By the time he returned to Keith's dorm, the soup had cooled- but he figured that was probably a good thing. Keith wasn't wild about hot foods- he chuckled to himself, wondering if it was because he had a literal cat tongue.

Keith was right where he left him, still fast asleep, and still very much a cat. Setting the container of soup down on his desk, he frowned, wondering if he should even wake him up- it almost seemed unfair, especially when he was in this form. Still, he probably did need to eat, so he lightly nudged Keith's head.

And was promptly greeted by the softest fur he'd ever touched.

Peeking one eye open, Keith stared up at him, one of his ears flicking. Nose twitching, he shifted his head slightly, peering towards the container. Making a soft sound, he uncurled himself, slightly unsteady on his feet as he peered up at him.

"Brought you some soup." Shiro told him, cracking open the container, setting aside the lid.

Keith let out an appreciative meow, before leaping up onto the desk. Tail flicking, he sniffed at the soup, lapping at it with his tongue in consideration. It must have passed he test, because he began to steadily lap it up, pausing every once in awhile to paw at his snout, cleaning himself of excess liquid.

Pulling out the desk chair, Shiro sat down, marveling at the fact that there was a human in there. Even if his eyes gleamed with a certain intelligence, he couldn't exactly blame himself for not realizing it when he'd picked him up the first time.

Again, he couldn't help but wonder how the whole thing even worked. Where did his extra mass go? How did the balance adjustment work? The sensory experience must be completely different, so how did he handle flipping between the two?

He had no idea, and not nearly enough insight into biology to even begin to answer those questions. Sam might be able to, and while he was sure he'd guard Keith's secret with his life if he were to learn it, he wasn't exactly about to blab it to anyone- not when he'd promised Keith that he'd keep it a secret.

He also knew that sick or otherwise, it must have been a huge sign of trust for Keith to take this form in front of him.

He just sat there, watching as Keith lapped up the soup. He figured he'd have a tough time putting it away on his own, and he might get hungry later, so he decided it was best if he stuck around until he was finished. He kind of doubted he'd eat it all.

Turned out, he was right. After a few minutes, Keith stood up, licking his lips, peering over at Shiro, letting out a sharp yowl.

"You done?" Shiro asked.

Keith seemed to do his best approximation of nodding his head, stepping back at bit to grant him access to the cup of soup.

"I'll just put this away, I guess." Shiro told him, fixing the lid back on. All the dorm rooms had the same basic setup, and it wasn't hard to find the small fridge. Cracking it open, he stuck the soup inside, figuring if Keith got hungry, he could heat it up himself later.

"I told Iverson you weren't feeling well." Shiro told him, trying not to dwell on how dumb he felt talking to a cat- even if he knew said cat could understand him. "You're excused from classes for awhile. You just concentrate on feeling better."

Keith didn't say anything in response, merely leaping back on his bed, promptly curling back up on his clothes. He let out a loud yawn, eyes gradually shutting.

Without thinking, he reached down to rub Keith's head. He leaned a bit into it, earning him a soft, likely instinctive purr- and he had to bite down to keep himself from grinning like an idiot at it. He always had liked cats.

"If you start to feel worse, give me a call." Shiro told him, knowing that he probably should leave him to rest. "Preferably as a human. I can't understand cat."

Keith made a huff, one that Shiro quickly deduced was of amusement.

Okay, fine- maybe he could understand cat.

(5)

It wasn't long before he picked up on the rumors of there being a black cat spotted around the base. It wasn't hard to make the connection.

Still, it could have just been a coincidence. Keith wasn't the only black cat in existence, and given how skittish he could be, he was kind of surprised he was walking around out in the open. Then again, that was exactly what he had been doing when he first found him- and the odds of there being any other cat on base were actually pretty low.

It wasn't like they didn't have strays, but they typically stuck to the town. And pets weren't exactly allowed on Garrison property, with a few scant exceptions. So it wasn't impossible that it was another cat, just a bit implausible.

But when he saw James nursing his hand, fresh scratches on it, muttering under his breath about that damn cat, he knew for sure it had to be Keith.

The first time he came across him on base, transformed, was during his usual early morning jog. He'd actually had to double back to make sure, but sure enough, there was Keith, lounging in feline form atop one of the Garrison's defensive walls like he belonged there.

He nearly opened his mouth to call his name, but quickly slammed it shut. Nope. That would have been a bad call.

Keith noticed him anyways, ears perking up. In the dim light, sun not quite yet up, his eyes almost seemed to glow. Lifting a hand, Shiro waved at him- only for Keith to get up and promptly make himself scarce.

Okay then.

Maybe he was just embarrassed at being caught.

He brushed it off, and returned back to his jogging. When he saw Keith later that day, he acted like nothing had happened, so he just decided not to bring it up.

If Keith felt the need to stretch his legs- all four of them- he saw no reason to stop him. For all he knew, staying in one form all the time was stressful, and he didn't think Keith would be doing this if he wasn't absolutely certain he could keep his identity a secret.

The second time he came across cat Keith out in the open was a little... well, weirder.

Keith could be affectionate, contrary to what people might think. He just tended to be reserved with his affections, having spent too long receiving none in return. To Keith, it was a sign of trust- even now, he tended to be a bit hesitant in returning Shiro's affectionate gestures, even if he did visibly appreciate them.

So suffice to say, he didn't exactly expect to find him all but melted into the lap of one of his fellow cadets. The cadet in question was idly stroking the underside of Keith's chin, the black cat purring like an engine in response to his touch.

He recognized the cadet as being Hunk Garrett, one of the kids who had enrolled alongside Keith. He didn't know them as being particularly close- but then again, Hunk was also best friends with Lance McClain, who had made it his business to challenge Keith whenever he got the chance.

As soon as Keith caught a whiff of Shiro's scent, he bolted. Hunk pouted, visibly upset to be denied his lap warmer.

When he saw Keith later that day, he turned bright red the second their eyes met. He hadn't even asked, but he'd just vaguely muttered something about Hunk smelling like baked goods and just being really good at that- not specifying what that was.

"You don't have to make excuses, Keith," was all he told him.

He was pretty sure Keith died on the spot.

The third time was, admittedly, a little more in character for him. He was drawn in by the sound of Lance's frustrated shouts, only to turn the corner to find him trying to coax the now familiar black cat down from a wall. He had something in his mouth, that took him a second to place, but soon recognized as being Lance's music player- headphones and all.

When he spotted Shiro, Keith quickly dropped the music player into Lance's hands, scampering off.

Come to think of it, Lance had seemed like he was getting on Keith's nerves today. They had just been sorted into two classes- fighter and cargo pilot. Lance barely missed the cut off for fighter pilot, which he had decided was somehow Keith's fault- even though it would be far more reasonable to blame the cadet who was the lowest ranking fighter pilot, as opposed to the one at the top of the list.

But he was pretty sure logic didn't play a part in Lance's self-imposed grudge.

"That was a bit on the petty side," he told Keith later.

Keith just averted his gaze, only the slightest trace of a smile betraying his otherwise neutral expression. "Don't know what you mean."

Eventually, of course, the rumors of there being a cat on base had caught the attention of the higher ups. Cadets and officers alike were supposed to report any sightings of what everyone assumed was a stray, but mostly, everyone ignored the order save for a scant few.

Unfortunately, one of those scant few was Admiral Sanda.

He ended up having to save Keith from her at least once- in a sense. As hilarious as that would be, the admiral wasn't exactly chasing Keith herself- she'd sent some guards to do it. To capture the stray cat and take it to the local shelter seemed to be the plan, and for once, either because Keith had let his guard down or just because they had gotten lucky, they were nearly successful this time.

Upon turning a corner and spotting Shiro, Keith had scampered up his leg in short order, curling himself around his neck and hissing at the guards. Ignoring the fact that Keith was digging his claws into his skin, Shiro placated the guards, telling them he'd calm the cat down and drive him to the shelter himself.

He definitely did not do that.

Instead, he deposited Keith back into his dorm room. After a few minutes, human Keith emerged, looking annoyed.

"Maybe you should lay low for awhile." Shiro advised.

Keith let out a grunt of agreement. "Sorry about the scratches."

"Hey, as long as I don't start sprouting fur during the next full moon." Shiro cracked.

Keith just rolled his eyes. "It doesn't work like that."

"I know." Shiro told him, ruffling his hair. "Just a joke."

Keith closed his eyes, leaning a bit into the touch. It was like having a cat and a little brother at the same time, Shiro thought. A cat brother.

"Stupid joke." Keith muttered.

"And I'm proud of it." Shiro told him. "You up for a race?"

Keith's eyes snapped open, for a moment gleaming unnaturally. "You know it, old timer."

(+1)

Adam discovered Keith's secret by accident.

In hindsight, it was probably his fault. He probably shouldn't have left them alone together unsupervised, but in his defense, it had only been for a few minutes while he changed out of uniform. Keith was over for dinner, at Adam's insistence, so he figured nothing could go wrong that quickly.

He was wrong.

"Takashi!"

Adam's shout was more than enough to send him hurrying into the living room, heart beating in his chest. He had sounded almost panicked, and worst case scenarios were already playing out in Shiro's head.

But instead of Adam or Keith lying either hurt or dying in the middle of the floor, what he found was his fiancee, holding up a dazed looking black cat, familiar jacket still half-hanging off of it.

"Takashi," Adam began, doing his best to keep his voice calm and level, "-Keith turned into a cat."

He fought back the urge to laugh. Adam sounded so grave, that for a moment, he forgot that he'd been entirely left out of the loop when it came to Keith's secret. He just knew he'd taken a pointed interest in the kind, taking him under his wing as his mentor.

"Yeah," Shiro said, "-he does that sometimes."

Adam just stared at him, sputtering. "He- Takashi, you knew about this?"

As if for emphasis, he hoisted Keith up further, causing his jacket to slip completely off of him. For his part, Keith barely reacted to being manhandled in such a fashion, kicking his rear legs like he was enjoying it.

"I guess you could say the-"

"Takashi, I love you, but if you're about to say the cat's out of the bag now, I'm filing for divorce." Adam stated.

"We're not even married yet." Shiro pointed out.

"I will get us married, and then file for divorce." Adam clarified.

"Fair enough." Shiro said, carefully scooping Keith out of Adam's hands. He just lolled his head back, purring away, squirming deeper into his arms. It didn't take a detective to deduce that he was completely out of it. "What did you even give him?"

"Tea." Adam stated.

Arching a brow, Shiro glanced down at the cup, shifting Keith in his arms so he could get a good whiff of it. Keith perked up as he brought it closer, bumping his head against the cup and he had to set it back down to keep him from spilling it completely.

"Adam," Shiro said calmly, "-is this the catnip tea?"

Adam just leveled his gaze with him. "I didn't know he could turn into a cat."

"Fair point." Shiro admitted. "So did he just... change, I guess?"

"Took a few sips, then dissolved into a lump on the couch." Adam reported. "I almost thought he'd melted, before he poked his head out."

"You're taking this well." Shiro noted.

"I'm only calm on the outside, trust me." Adam stated- and he knew him well enough to believe him. "How long have you known?"

"I mistook him for a stray cat the first time we met." Shiro merely replied. "So always."

Keith squirmed out of his arms, leaping down onto the couch, and then onto the table- and he had to scramble to scoop up the cup of tea before he could knock it over. Adam quickly grabbed the other one, both of them holding them out of reach, ignoring Keith's vehement protests to put them back down right now.

He was probably going to be mortified once he came back to his senses.

"He's probably not going to be happy that you know." Shiro stated.

"Everything I know about Keith suggests that, yes." Adam remarked. "Which apparently isn't much, considering he can turn into a fucking cat."

Shiro just shrugged. "He's a werecat."

"A werecat." Adam repeated. "I got a werecat high on catnip."

"You got a werecat high on catnip." Shiro agreed.

"This is officially the weirdest day of my life." Adam said.

"I'd be worried if it wasn't." Shiro stated. "Adam, you have to promise to keep this-"

"-a secret?" Adam finished. "Takashi, I'm pretty sure anyone I tried to tell this to would just think I'd gone nuts. So no, I'm not telling anyone."

Smiling, Shiro hadn't expected any less. Stooping down over Keith, cup of catnip tea still held out of his reach, he idly stroked him. Keith responded by flopping over on his back, exposing his belly in the most undignified manner imaginable.

"...he's probably not going to talk to either of us for weeks." Adam noted.

"Yep." Shiro agreed, already scratching the black cat underneath his chin.

"Well," Adam remarked, "-at least he's relaxed for a change."

He couldn't argue with that.