Chapter Text
A new smell of freshly cut grass and dirt filled Keith’s sensitive nose while he sat beneath a tree in the little clearing he called home. The smell is intriguing and soon, Keith is following the smell all over, sniffing trees and bushes, until he finally hears a sound beneath some smaller trees. His ears perk up and his tail wags curiously while he peers through the foliage. Sitting in the grass, weaving flowers together, is a peculiar creature with overly large ears on top of his white-haired head.
Keith’s never seen anything like this creature before. He sniffs the air quietly and the smell of grass and dirt is so strong now and there’s another undertone of something else. Something Keith doesn’t understand or recognize but finally he decides to go up close and personal. He leaps from the bushes and sends the creature flying onto his back, staring down at him curiously, his long-nailed hand going beside the creature’s face.
“D–Don’t eat me, please,” the man-creature says with widening eyes and his cheeks color the same shade of red as Keith’s jacket.
Keith stares down at him curiously, his head and ears tilting, while one of his teeth slips past his lip. The creature looks so afraid of him but Keith just wants to play. “Eat you?” he asks. “Why would I eat you?”
“You’re– you’re a w–wolf, right?”
“Yes?”
“I’m… Don’t you know what I am?”
“No.”
“Well, let me up, please.”
Keith pulls back and allows the creature to sit upright. He sniffs his overly large ears curiously and they twitch from Keith’s nose. “You smell like…. Gardens.”
“My name is Takashi Shirogane.” Shiro offers his hand. “What’s your name?”
Keith accepts the handshake slowly and then turns Shiro’s hand up and down, inspecting. No claws. “Keith.”
“Um, it’s nice to meet you, Keith…. I’m… a rabbit,” Shiro says slowly. “Wolves eat rabbits.”
Keith sniffs Shiro again, leaning dangerously close to his space. “I don’t want to eat you.”
Shiro looks relieved, a small smile on his face. “Well, that’s good. Thank you. Is this your home? I’m sorry if I’m intruding but I just saw these lovely flowers and had to come help myself.” Shiro picks up his small flower chain to show Keith, seeming proud of his careful work.
Keith takes the flower chain but in his haste to inspect the object, his claws tear the flower to shreds. Shiro gasps and quickly takes back the remnants, staring forlornly at the frayed and torn petals. Keith feels his ears flatten as he realizes quickly he’s ruined something not belonging to him. Maybe this is why he has no friends and no pack.
“You broke it,” Shiro says quietly, his voice in total shock.
“I’m sorry,” Keith whispers. He whines and withdraws from Shiro’s space. “I can make another for you,” he offers, turning his eyes to flower and attempts to pick them but his claws continuously tear the flowers instead.
Shiro sighs in frustration. “Stop. Stop. You’re just ruining them!” He reaches out to take Keith’s hands and look at his overly long claws. “Someone needs a trim.”
Keith pulls his hand back into his space and feels his eyes narrow. “No.”
“You’re just going to keep ruining the flowers,” Shiro says and starts to pick flowers to start his flower chain all over again.
Keith regards his claws and slowly curls his hands into fists to hide them, watching Shiro make a new flower chain. He wants to help, he wants to be Shiro’s friend. He smells like earth and rain and life. He smells of places where flowers and vegetables grow. Keith wants to stop being lonely in his little clearing.
“Are you mad?” Keith asks even if he wants to pretend he doesn’t care either way. He does care.
“No,” Shiro replies, his eyes and fingers working quickly through the flower chain. “Almost done.”
Keith leans back in curiously and then gasps and sneezes when pollen goes up his nose. His entire head shakes and his ears flap awkwardly but Shiro laughs so prettily. Keith blushes and excuses himself quietly. The flower chain grows until finally, Shiro loops the ends together and then plops the flower chain – now crown – onto Keith’s head. Keith’s eyes widen and he looks up, attempting to the see the flowers through his bands but the effort is futile.
“There,” Shiro announces with a smile. “Now you look less scary.”
Keith wags his tail shyly. “You smell like gardens.”
“I’m a rabbit. We tend to garden.” Shiro stands up and Keith notices he has a bag full of flowers and carrots on his hip and a white fluffy tail on his butt.
“Are you leaving?” Keith asks sadly. His ears droop for a second time with disappointment. Everyone leaves.
Shiro offers his hand out and Keith slowly accepts allowing Shiro to pull him to his feet. He’s smaller than Shiro which makes him a bit jealous but also curious as to how a rabbit grew so large. “Do you want to see my garden?”
“Yes,” Keith says immediately, tail wagging furiously now.
“Come on, I'll take you.” Shiro starts to whistle and Keith quickly follows on Shiro’s heels, a smile on his face.
Keith smiles and wonders if rabbits and wolves can be friends for long-term. He hopes so.