(I urge you to please, if you don't know Voltron like I know half my audience won't, take this as an original book. The plotline follows no relation to the original VLD series, just the characters are the same, and they will be introduced, you're not expected to already know them. Just take this as your average mlm murder mystery book. Please don't click away from what I hope will be a halfway decent book because the fandom is new to you, all the characters and lore for this book will be explained in the book. Please give it a chance :3 )

Shiro POV

A cold, dark September morning. I was up early, earlier than I'm normally up, and the howling gale crashing against the campus walls kept me awake. I could be home right now, I should be home. This time last year, I was waking up and packing my bags before taking my younger brother to college, but times change. Kids grow up and want to follow the same footsteps as their brothers, going to the same policing academy that he went to. Sure, it meant my final year I could be on campus... but it also meant looking after the kid more.

Keith Kogane, a kid that I've looked after since he was 8, had just got into the Garrison Academy with a pretty hefty weight hanging over his head. His life before me wasn't all sunshine and roses; his father died in a fire when he was young and his mother had him trained in an assassins guild. I found him broken, untrusting, and scared. It took him a while to warm up to having an older brother, but once he did, he never left me alone.

Him never leaving me alone carried up to him now, an 18 year old with a bright future, following where I go. He wants to become a legal spy, collecting information for the law and aiding us in taking down whatever criminal scum walk the earth. It's gonna be hard, having the threat of 'one wrong move and you're out' hanging over the poor lad's head, but we make do.

My roommate, who still hadn't introduced himself to me, had his back to my bed. His brown hair was messier, as hair normally is when it's been slept on for a few hours. The steady rise and fall of his chest indicated he was either a really good actor, or he was genuinely asleep. Either way, I thought I was safe to stand up and make my way to the dresser.

"It's 6:32, go back to bed." My roommate said in a tired but fed up voice, making me jump ever so slightly. The glare of his deep brown eyes cutting through me despite the fact he was turned to the wall, well, he had been. As he spoke, he turned around to look at me. He looked different without his glasses on.

I stayed standing, crossing my arms. I have a younger brother, I know how to deal with people like this. "I'm not taking orders from someone who won't tell me his fucking name." I grumbled, walking to the dresser and taking a seat. The dresser was a sturdy wooden thing, three draws on it and a small mirror perched on the top. Student accommodation here is better than most places; some people don't even have a bed. 

"Only if you return the favour." He shot back. I could tell rooming with him would be a nightmare. No nonsense people never made me jump for joy, to be frankly honest; they rather made me scream into my pillow late at night, wishing I'd never found myself in that scenario.

I didn't turn to face him. I could tell he'd sat on the edge of his bed now - the creaking of the mattress gave it away - but sorting out my eyeliner was my main priority. The wings need to be big enough so I can fly away from my problems, I always say. "You first." I retorted, the essence of snarkiness hiding in the unseen corners of my words as I drew the first line, so sharp that I may yet fly away from this dreaded roommate.

The silence was dancing the line between awkward and comforting. It was meant to be there but in the same way that spiders are meant to be in your home. "Adam. Adam Watson."

I smiled. "Adam..." Repeating his name, I realised how nice it felt to say it; the way it starts at the back and travels to the front of your mouth, it feels almost natural. "Nice name."

"Thanks, I got it for my birthday." The eye roll from Adam was audible. No smile, no laugh, just a sarcastic eye roll. No nonsense attitude and sarcastic? This is gonna be hard. "Who are you?"

"Name's Takashi. Takashi Shirogane." I said, finishing up the other wing of my eyeliner. "But most people call me Shiro." When I turned around, I caught the glimpse of softness in his cold brown eyes, but the softness gave way to ice as soon as he caught my gaze.

Adam narrowed his eyes, before standing up and walking to his side of the wardrobe. One wardrobe between two boys, be grateful that you have different tastes. I walked to my own, tensing as our shoulders brushed against each other. He was shorter than me, but who isn't, at this point?

We changed quickly, with our backs to each other. The times on the clocks read half 7 by the time I'd got my bag packed with my books and laptop, ready for a lecture with Iverson. Adam was still by the desk. I caught a glimpse of a travel mug and a thin black liquid. No sugar, no milk, nothing. This man drinks his americanos black and bitter. Gotta respect that.

"Drinking coffee too early could kill you, y'know." I said with a smile, still trying to untangle my phone charger.

"Impudent of you to assume I'll meet a mortal end." Adam said, setting down the brown travel mug and looking at me with a glare. "Anyway, I have a question."

"Hit me with it."

He took his glasses off, polishing them on a patch of fabric inside his jacket. He's the only person I've ever seen who has the ability to pull off jeans, walking boots, a brown flannel and a black turtleneck and not look like a teacher. "So, Takashi, how come I've never seen you before in student accommodation?"

I was a little taken aback by the sudden personal question, and I could tell he knew it too, judging by the slight eyebrow raise and curled lip. "Oh... I looked after my little brother for the last few years. He just started here and wanted student accommodation, so I could move in with the other students as well. How come I've never seen you around?" I sent a question back with a smile.

"I spent a vast majority of my time with my friend, Matt, but he got selected to be a floor carer for the younger years. When I wasn't hanging out with him I was in the back of class getting every question right or getting my bastard sibling out of trouble." He took a sip of that coffee, which I'm surprised he didn't choke on (something that bitter and strong can't be good for the heart, can it?) "They just started here. So did Matt's sibling. Wonder if they'll be friends."

I shrugged. It's unlikely that Keith will find friends easily. He's a good kid and means well, but he scares a lot of people. "Maybe. I'm gonna head to the library, anyway. Get some studying in before the first class. See ya."

He waved to me as I walked out, not in a mean way, but in a way that made me know that this man would soon become much more in my life than a roommate.