Written for Day 11 of Sheith Month: Free Day. (I didn't so much pick a prompt as decide to write wolfy Shiro; call the prompt 'wolf and fire' - that's how it's listed in my notes.)

Keith tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he extended his senses, chasing the feathery feeling at the edge of his range. The tree whose branches fanned out overhead whispered of soft footfalls approaching, a patch of predatory, deadly shadow alive in the sunny afternoon. Light-footed but heavy, slipping gracefully through the forest and coming quickly nearer.

He gauged the height of the sun, then nodded and plucked a single fire lily from the plant near his knees. Clasping it carefully, he rolled back onto the balls of his feet and rose. He wound through the wild tangles of the back garden towards his home, slipping in through the back door.

There was a quiet scraping sound from the front porch almost as soon as he stepped inside, and he smiled. He breathed on the lily - under his touch it gave off true sparks, though he lit no flame within it - and settled it in the vase he had filled with slightly damp volcanic rocks in preparation for it along his way to the front door.

He opened it to find a slightly sheepish, and huge, wolf pawing at the other side.

"Hello, darling." Keith greeted softly, stepping back and swinging the door wide.

Shiro paced inside, flicking an ear and giving a slow wag of his tail as Keith's fingers brushed over his shoulder and side. He circled carefully, not knocking into any of the furniture - though Keith had little furniture that wasn't up against walls, these days, for just such a reason - as Keith closed the door again, inscribing a habitual seal on the inside to ward it.

Shiro pressed his nose against Keith's waist, just beneath his ribs, snuffling and making him giggle. Keith stroked over his head and ears, then down his neck, fingers delving into the thickest part of his ruff.

Shiro's tail wagged and his eyes went hazy with pleasure as he leaned heavily into Keith, pressing him against the wall. Keith hummed, amused, and gave his lover a firm shove back. If Shiro had been in his human shape he would have stumbled back from the force; in his wolf shape it was only enough to alert him that Keith wanted him to move.

Always considerate to such things, he stepped easily away, and Keith stroked his back fondly, then tightened his fingers in a a handful of fur and tugged as he walked past. The quiet of Shiro's claws on the wood floor fell in at his heels as he led the way to the main room.

Keith bypassed the couch pushed against one wall and settled onto the floor instead, layered in thick rugs and scattered with cushions, woven throws, and furs. He beckoned in invitation, and Shiro perked his ears forward, trotting right up over Keith's legs and nuzzling his cheek and shoulder affectionately.

Keith returned the affection with both hands rubbing down his neck and over his shoulders. He brushed a hand over Shiro's broad chest and tipped his head back to look Shiro in the face. "You're stuck, aren't you?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Shiro huffed sheepishly, ears folding back and tail curling between his legs as he lowered his head.

Keith rolled his eyes, then narrowed them, letting a spark of flame burn behind them and lighting his senses. He could see the snare wrapped all around Shiro, tied into his heart and tangled around his paws, glowing lines pale like moonlight. They were softer than the vicious violet lines of the curse he had once struggled to rip away from his lover - these would fade on their own, although not until the natural power of the full moon shone on them.

"I can't do anything about this." Keith admitted, allowing the extra boost to his vision to fade away. "The binding will dissolve under the next full moon, but it cannot be forced before then."

Shiro sighed deeply, sides heaving, and nodded, then tilted his head and gave Keith a sheepish, rueful look. "I don't mind." Keith said, curling his fingers in towards his palms in an encouraging gesture. "I mean," he raised an eyebrow, "I'll miss your human shape, but I don't mind having you around like this. Silly wolf." he added fondly.

Shiro shook himself and moved forward into Keith's outstretched and waiting hands. Keith pressed a kiss between his eyes, just below the end of the brilliant white streak across his head and brow. "Love you, darling. Even if you're foolish enough to wander into the shadowy realms of the deeper magic in the woods on your own." He huffed.

Shiro pressed his belly to the floor - the floor and Keith's legs - whining softly. "I'm sure you were curious," Keith said dryly, fingers digging deeper into Shiro's fur, "I'm just glad you didn't stick your handsome nose into anything worse."

Tail curling up alongside his body, Shiro heaved another long sigh. He nudged his head and muzzle against Keith's body gently, and he shifted, tugging a bit to encourage Shiro closer. He was heavy, but he was gentle as always, and Keith with the eternal flame that burned close around his heart never got too warm, even buried in the mountain of fur Shiro wore.

Fortunately, because Shiro was a very tactile lover even for a wolf, as far as Keith understood wolfish behaviours.

Keith tugged his legs free - Shiro pushed himself up just enough to allow the movement - and shifted onto one hip, curling sideways and draping his upper body comfortably over Shiro's ribs. Shiro sighed happily, bending his neck to rest his head on Keith's knees. He huffed contentedly, nudging his head a few times before settling.

Keith stroked his hand over Shiro's muzzle - his lips curled up from his teeth in a scrunched expression, though it wasn't a snarl - then rested it atop Shiro's head. He wriggled a little, chest rising under Keith with a deep breath, then falling quickly, making him laugh as he nearly bounced. Shiro stretched out one foreleg, resting his paw against Keith's thigh. He folded one arm over Shiro's shoulders, hand cupping the crest of one shoulder blade, and leaned on it.

"You know," Keith said, rubbing Shiro's ears with his free hand and stroking down his neck and back, "I actually was going to work some more in the garden this afternoon. . ."

Shiro pushed his head further up over Keith's thighs, wriggling slightly. He whined pleadingly, though there was a playful light in his moonlit eyes.

"Hm." Keith said, eyeing Shiro, who eyed him right back, ears forward and alert.

Then Shiro surged abruptly upwards, knocking Keith backwards onto the floor and pinning him there with one paw and his broad body looming over Keith. He laughed as Shiro licked across the hollow between his collarbones, squirming and burying one hand into Shiro's ruff, twining his fingers into the thick fur. Shiro shifted to lie partially on top of him - just enough so as not to make it difficult for him to breathe, the rest of Shiro's body lying along his right side.

"Or I could stay here with you." Keith agreed easily, feeling the fluffy plume of Shiro's tail brushing past his legs as it wagged happily. Shiro's long fangs were bared in a grin, and he panted almost into Keith's face. He knew Shiro far too well to ever be intimidated, however, no matter how imposing or aggressive he might seem. Keith couldn't help but smile back.

Shiro licked his cheek, a feathery, mostly dry caress, and Keith laughed, kissing the side of his lover's muzzle in return.

Shiro put his head down on Keith's left shoulder, pushing as close as he could get. Keith didn't actually mind his day being commandeered this way, happy to cuddle into Shiro instead. He'd already finished the only things that needed attention under the light of today's sun, and Shiro had been away for several days, since just before the last full moon. Keith had missed his lover's company, and was delighted to have him back, even with his human shape temporarily locked away.

"I don't suppose you would let me up a little more?" Keith asked after a few minutes, and Shiro huffed, nipping at Keith's ear. "I didn't say let me go." he pointed out wryly.

Shiro rolled off him, paws kicking up into the air. He looked silly, head tipped sideways and paws lolling in midair over his fluffy belly. Adorably silly. Ridiculous. Dangerous predator indeed.

That he might well be, but it was all but the least of him, Keith thought fondly.

"My big fierce wolf." Keith said with an amused lilt, shifting to lounge against Shiro's side again. He lifted his head and gestured with one hand, blowing a flame off his fingers and sending it up to the red glass vessel hanging from the ceiling, where it flickered and grew obligingly, lighting the room a little better.

Shiro yipped softly, rolling under Keith and shoving his head into the space between Keith's arm and his ribs. He crooned fondly, wrapping his other arm around Shiro's neck to hug him firmly. Shiro wriggled deeper into the hold, one foreleg draping across Keith's lap as he pushed harder against Keith's chest, almost overwhelmingly affectionate.

Keith rubbed his back at the base of his neck, curling obligingly around Shiro in a possessive hold. He went limp with a soft, pleased rumble.

Keith is some manner of nature mage with a fire affinity, as was hopefully obvious in the story, although it's not terribly relevant here. Fortunately he lives way out in the forest rather than close to the verges of the nearest settlement, so there's no one to dubiously side-eye his gigantic wolf boyfriend.

'I'm debating how big I should make Shiro-wolf' I said idly while writing this; my friend M: 'BIG'. Which was what I was leaning towards here, obviously, with small-bear-sized wolf!Shiro.