Okay, but #sheith canon complaint AU where Curtis is always the unlucky one to be in the middle of every single fight Shiro and Keith have.

Established Sheith relationship | Light #curtashi because reasons but Curtis is tired and completely not into it | so much pettiness

Many would believe the Captain of the Atlas and the Senior Blade who is also the current Black Paladin of Voltron are inseparable.

They are in love and with not an inch of fear to show it around. They are the Power Couple of the whole Universe, devoted to each other to no end.

One would think they don't even fight. No one can fucking picture them being angry with the other, just because the way they look at each other every time they meet during the day is enough to make everyone gag from how fucking sappy they are.

It's disgusting.

Or at least it's not for Curtis. Who, with how unlucky he is, has actually been one of the handful of witnesses of their fights.

And not only that, but he always ends up in the crossfire.

"You're overreacting! I'm fine!"

"Oh, of course you're fine! After taking a hit for me!"

Curtis sighs, clipboard in his hands, and waits a bit in the sidelines of the infirmary, hoping the 'Power Couple of the Universe' stop fighting before he's obligated to interfere.

"It was just a blast," Shiro huffs, "And my arm took most of the harm. I am fine."

"You are a dumbass," Keith growls, "I didn't fucking brought you back to life just so you could put yourself between me and a sentry gun!"

Curtis peeks out from the open door, wondering if the fight scattered every single one of the nurses and doctors.

The emptiness of the hallway makes Curtis dread, knowing he's the only one that can interfere between the 'happiest couple in the quadrant.'

He regrets starting working at the Atlas, much more having to be part of the Captains closest crew, although he was very excited before...

Before having to witness /this/.

"I told you my arm took most of the harm," Shiro grits out of his teeth and Keith huffs, taking his other arm.

"Then what the fuck is this?!" He demands, raising his flesh arm and making Shiro wince.

Even Curtis grimaces, the bloodied bandages in Shiro's side and his flinch letting him know it hurts like a bitch.

"Just a scratch," Shiro wheezes out and Keith growls.

"You're fucking /bleeding/!"

"Scratches bleed, Keith!"

And who would've thought Shiro would be so petty.

Keith scoffs, letting go of his arm and stepping away with his arms crossed over his chest. Shiro also looks away, to the opposite direction to where Keith is standing, and Curtis takes a deep breath, wanting to gather some courage, and then steps inside the room.

"Evening, Captain," he says, eyes pointedly in the spreadsheet in his clipboard, afraid of making eye contact. Still he does nod towards Keith, "Black Paladin."

None of them both answer, still in their petty silent fight, and Curtis tries not to sigh again.

"I need you to fill this for me, Captain," he continues, stepping closer to the side of the bed that isn't occupied by Keith and handing a pen, "The damage done to the arm has been taken care of by Queen Allura, but the collateral damages to the Atlas have to be filed by you."

Keith scoffs then, and Shiro's hand stops halfway while filling the spaces Curtis have left empty for him. A pang of panic hits Curtis in the chest.

/Why? Why did he have to scoff?/

"What?" Shiro hisses out, and Keith shrugs.

"Not only putting yourself in danger and putting your arm out of commission, but also risking your whole crew and making someone else clean up your mess, huh?"

Curtis closes his eyes, prays to every deity he knows of.

"Excuse me?" Shiro asks, "The last time I checked /I/ was the one cleaning up your mess."

"No," Keith counteracts, "The Atlas' crew cleaned up the mess Voltron did. Not /you/."

"I command that ship," Shiro hisses.

"And let everyone else do the work for you," Keith grumbles.

Curtis takes a steady breath, still holding the clipboard for the Captain to keep filling up information. Lest he moves and they both explode at him or something.

"They work for /me/," Shiro snaps out and Keith snaps too.

"Maybe that's why they're so fucking tired of you."

Curtis tries not to wince. He's completely aware that every single word they say in these situations doesn't mean anything. They are empty but sharp with the anger and fear of seeing their loved one get hurt.

Curtis gets it. But it doesn't lessen the pain it causes.

"My crew /likes/ me."

"Yeah, right."

"They-"

"They're tired of you."

/Of both of you/, Curtis keeps himself from saying, knowing how tiring it is when they look at the other like he hung the stars, when they are found making out in a supply closet or in situations like this.

"They like me!" Shiro exclaims, and then he's gesturing at Curtis with a wild hand, "Curtis likes me! Right?!"

He flinches when Keith's gaze falls on him, hard and sharp, and he clears his throat.

/Don't let them smell your fear./

"It's an honor to work with you, Sir."

Keith's eyes narrow and that sound of 'wrong answer' some tv game-shows use buzzes through Curtis ears.

He's in danger.

"But you /like/ me," Shiro grins, and then huffs, "Maybe I should date you instead of my annoying boyfriend."

And oh boy, here we go again.

"No, thank you, Captain," he mutters, but none of them are listening.

"Annoying?" Keith hisses, gaze turning to Shiro, "I'm worried about you!"

"Then ask me if I'm alright!" Shiro demands, "Which /I am/."

"I /know/ you're not!" Keith grits and Curtis sighs.

They go back and forth again, eventually complaining about things that don't even have to do with the hit Shiro took for Keith.

Curtis is so damned tired.

"Well, then!" Keith throws his hands up, exasperated, "I'll leave you two some space to make out or something!"

Curtis stays in his place, carefully still until Keith crosses the room with long steps and the door swishes close behind him, leaving him and the Captain alone. It doesn't the tense air in the room, though.

"Shit," Shiro mutters at last, pointer finger and thumb pressing the bridge of his nose, "Fuck."

Curtis keeps quiet for a few minutes, holding the clipboard and for Shiro to keep filling. Or for him to ask for advice, which he always does.

Curtis wishes it was the former, just to have the excuse to get out of there before Shiro starts a 'friend' conversation with him.

"I am so sorry for this," Shiro apologizes, and Curtis tries not to shrug it off.

"Do not worry, Sir."

Shiro looks down, and Curtis knows he /is/ worrying. The Captain has a very good way on not taking anyone's orders, which Curtis figures it's why he's the Captain.

"I just..." he sighs, "He's so overprotective of me. I don't want him to get worried of every single thing I do."

And Curtis isn't the most capable person to give advice. He hasn't been in a relationship in a hot minute. But he's aware of how stressful it might be to be in battle, always in reach of danger and harm, and to be dating someone who is in battle, too.

"It's inevitable, Sir," he sighs, finally putting down the clipboard, "You both are aware of the dangers their jobs have in a daily basis. It's impossible not to get worried for the other.

"But," Shiro grumbles like a child, "Keith is always worried about me."

"The same way you're always worried about him, Sir," Curtis sighs. That makes Shiro look at him, "It's normal to be worried. Even to lash out like this."

/Although I wish you wouldn't with me in the middle/, he thinks dreadfully.

"But don't let the thought of him thinking you're incapable of taking care of yourself to bother you. He's just worried the same way you'd be if he was the one with a bleeding /scratch/ in an hospital bed."

Shiro pouts, looking down at his injury, and then sighs.

"Yeah, I know," he mutters, a blush of shame crossing his cheeks, "I should talk to him."

"You should," Curtis agrees, and then pointedly shoves the clipboard in front of him, "But not before you fill this out."

Shiro chuckles, picking up the pen and smiling at him.

"Thank you, Curtis," he says, soft and grateful, and Curtis tries to shove down his long dead crush on the Captain.

Just because he was charming when they first met and made Curtis' heart beat at double speed doesn't mean he feels the same way now.

He's just tired.

He really wishes he wasn't as dazzled as most of the living creatures in the universe by the idea of perfection Takashi Shirogane paints to everyone. That way he wouldn't be suffering like this.

"/Excuse me/?!"

Curtis sighs, watching unimpressed at how Shiro snaps yet again.

"You heard me," Keith confronts and Shiro does that dramatic gasping thing that makes everyone in the bridge cringe.

"I did that for you!" Shiro shouts and everyone flinches, unused to the Captain of Atlas raising his voice that much — well, except for Keith and Curtis himself.