spaceforged | IC Contact (Mask or Menace)

[Keith is reaching for his drink and wraps his fingers around the glass even as Shiro's words start to sink in. The smile on his face starts small and tentative, but broadens, soft and sure as the other man continues. The way Shiro says his name rushes through him, chasing the path of warmth the alcohol had mapped out earlier in his chest, in his veins.]

You don't have anything to thank me for, Shiro. I'm just glad that if we have to be stuck here, we're stuck here together.

[He's lost Shiro to the void one too many times to be up for doing it again so soon.
Then he's snickering and shaking his head.]

My best friend uses the dog door. ...did we ever have a normal life, or am I just fooling myself? [Asks the half-alien space ninja.]

[He has to take a moment to think about his answer. He doubts he had a normal life. And at one point he thought he wouldn't have that long of a life at all. There's a future and it's wide and vast just waiting to be explored.

The soft smile on Keith's face tugs at him. He leans a little closer and says,]

We've never been normal, no. [He lightly knocks the knuckles of right hand against Keith's as he says.] And me too. I'm glad we're stuck here together. I'm not sure what I would have done by myself. Nice to have you here and from the same page of clueless as I am.

[He draws back when he feels a bit too comfortable. He shouldn't invade Keith's space like that.] and I kind of have to wonder if my last form will even fit through a dog door. Black Panthers are usually leopards and jaguars. They're kind of big.

[There's just enough alcohol running through Keith's veins right now that he manages not to let his breath catch when Shiro leans closer -- and he'll blame any particular flush that might be starting to rise on his face on the liquor too.

But it's kind of nice too. Really nice.]

Normal's probably overrated anyway.

[Keith decides before laughing again.] Maybe you'll get stuck. Like you did in your pants when you were a bird.

[Sorry, Shiro. That was adorable.]

[He sighs and ducks his head, a red flush on his face. There's no way he will live this down. At least Keith had been the only one to see it. Or there would be video. There's enough alcohol in his system it makes talking a little easier and less thinking involved with it.] I thought I had it,

[Shiro complains and takes a sip of his drink. He flexes the fingers of his right hand like the talons of his red hawk shape.]

I forgot how sharp hawk talons are. I won't make that mistake again.
[His finger dips in his drink and runs over the edge of an ice cube. He pushes it down submerging the ice cube, saying,] I'll take my pants off next time.

I always wear boxers. It's no big deal.

[Keith had been taking a sip, and he manages somehow mostly not choke on it when Shiro goes and says that. Instead he swallows, hard, and sets the glass down. Hang on Shiro, give him a second here.]

Right yeah... probably a good idea.

[And then, tilting his glass back and forth as he adds, trying to sound totally helpful and with zero ulterior motives involved,] Talons might get caught up in the boxers too. May as well just take it all off.

[That's just logic, Shiro. You can't argue with logic.]

[Shiro lets the cube float back up and sucks the bourbon from his finger. No indication if he heard Keith's struggles. He pauses, sips his drink, and shakes his head.]

If I change in my room or the bathroom, maybe.

[He claims more hot wings. The basket has taken a hit. He'd been pretty hungry by the time they got here. Shiro glances at Keith and almost recognizes the look on Keith's face. He slightly narrows his eyes.]

Not in public. Public decency laws, Keith. [He says in the same tone he used to tell Keith not to break formation.]

[Yup. Keith remembers that tone. But at the moment it just makes him grin and shrug a shoulder.] Only counts if you're caught.

[You want to go back to Garrison days, Shiro? Because Keith may have left his delinquent ways behind him in favor of being responsible and trying to be the leader the team deserves, but he hasn't forgotten. He stole your car, remember?

And super got caught doing it, so that very much counted.

But he holds his hands up in a "okay surrendering" sort of gesture, even if the grin is still hanging around on his features, more in his eyes than anywhere else.]

But fine. You're right. But at least losing the pants will probably help. You'll probably get better with shifting and not getting tangled up with practice too.

[He has heard tha flippant tone before and narrows his eyes. The moment Keith surrenders he nods as if he expected the results. The grin on Keith’s face shouldn’t give him a tiny thrill.

He polishes off the wings on his plate and loads more onto it.] I do alright as a wolf. Hawk is new. It has instincts and movements I’m not used to yet. So for now, pants come off before a change.

[He sighs and sips his drink adding,] I’ll just have to learn to strip fast.

[And Keith has seen that look before -- though admittedly, it has been a while and he kind of missed it in a strange way. He sips his drink, nodding.]

It makes sense. It's a bird, that's gotta be a bigger difference than another mammal.

[Another sip of his drink that he chokes on. Nodding. Yup. Learn that, Shiro. Important life skill, that.] I'm sure there are classes. But they might involve poles. And probably more style than speed. So probably not helpful.

[He chokes on his drink and sets it down quickly. He forces himself to swallow. One breath in. One out. He gives Keith slightly exasperated look.]

That’s stripping for show. While I know how to do that, that’s not going to help here.

[He takes a long swig of his drink that isn’t his brightest idea but the burn distracts him from idle thoughts. Like Keith stripping. He knows how he would approach it.

And he shouldn’t think that way.] Anyway, we have a plan. Save up, I’ll approach Dick, depending on what he says we can go about getting a place sooner.

It’s something as we plot our way back into the air.

[And now it's Keith turn to nearly kill himself with his drink. He sits up straighter and turns to look at Shiro. What does that mean? What does he mean he knows how to do that? Keith opens his mouth like he's trying desperately to figure out how to put that into a question.

He fails and instead half-stammers,]

Yeah great, talking to Dick. Good idea.

[Just going to down the rest of his drink now and catch their waiter's eye. Yup. Another of these. Thanks.] I really do miss the sky.

[He watches Keith flail with the new knowledge like he was knocked in the head while trying to climb up to safety. He grins at him.

Keith is hard to knock that far off balance unless telling jokes he doesn't get and he's done it several times tonight on mundane matters. It's hard not to get a bit of glee out of it. ]

You'll be back in the air before you know it. [He says and smiles warmly his expression fond.] I'd share my power with you if I could. Flying as a hawk is...really something.

[He sees that smugness, Shiro. He has not missed it. In his defense, how is he supposed to react to news that Garrison Poster Boy, Shiro the Hero, apparently has experience with the non-utilitarian kind of stripping. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

He picks up his new drink, but for now just holds the glass, expression softening.] We both will.

[Back in the sky where they belong, even if Shiro is already there with one of his powers.] I bet it's incredible. Nothing between you and the air.

Yeah, and you feel it on your body. You don’t have read outs. You just don’t need them.

[He smiles again, closing his eyes as the memories bubble up to the surface of his mind. The wind on his feathers. He had breathed in and the air had tasted different. Keith hasn’t been far away and he could almost imagine Keith as a hawk too, letting the wind take them where ever they desired to go.]

I wish I could share how it felt with you. Being a wolf isn’t so bad either. Feels like I could run forever. [He takes a sip of his drink and looks at Keith.] You’ve seen through Black’s eyes, haven’t you? It’s a lot like that.

I wish you could too. It sounds amazing.

[Right now Keith is mostly just smiling at seeing Shiro's smile. It looks like the other man really enjoys it. The shifting, the flying, the running. Keith's glad.

He nods, leaning back in his seat.]

I have yeah. I... I bet it's similar.

[He remembers, all too clearly. Crying out for Shiro in that empty cockpit, trying so hard to reach the others. Remembers Shiro answering him, and everything else falling away as he managed to look through Black's eyes and saw space race by him.]

I knew you would have achieved that. [His smile grows wider. Keith is such a talented and empathetic person when he lets his walls down. Black would have no doubt picked up on that. With the almost three glasses of bourbon in him he says more than he usually would have.]

I didn't just pick you because of Black allowed you to pilot. You care, Keith. You care more than anyone else to the point it almost consumes you. Allura's like that too.

I thought leading would balance you out. By having to look ahead you could find that focus and in turn, be exactly what everyone needs. We all hold each other up and as a second, you weren't getting what you needed. [He gestures with his hand not holding his glass.]

Like this, both of us at the lead. That feels like it really works for you and for me.

[He isn't ready for those words, spoken quite so plainly. And the alcohol thrumming through his own bloodstream, leaving his body feeling pleasantly light, pleasantly warm, is probably not exactly helping.]

Shiro...

[There are so many words on the tip of his tongue, about how badly he'd screwed everything up in those first days, about how he'd nearly lost himself in grief and the team had suffered for it. About how he'd left, and he knew he was running but honestly thought it was the best for everyone, that Voltron was stronger without him. About finding himself and learning that wasn't true and finding his way back. Finding Shiro in the depths of the Black Lion.

But those are the pieces of the time between them he won't share now, not until Shiro is ready for them. So instead he's silent, a mix of emotions at play on his face.]

Yeah. Like this, both of us together, feels right.

[For a moment he catches a glimpse of emotions he doesn't like to see on Keith's face. They're mixed in with others but the fact they're there. He opens his mouth to say something and clicks it shut again.

Whatever happened in the future, he isn't ready for it. Not yet. He reaches out and grips Keith's shoulder giving it a squeeze.] It does. Co-pilots.

And if we want to be poetic, the left and right claws of the Black Lion. I call left. [He holds up his left human hand and wiggles the fingers with a grin on his face.]

Co-pilots.

[Keith agrees, and it has the smile resurfacing on his face. Then Shiro keeps talking and Keith can't help a laugh, shaking his head.]

You really are a nerd sometimes.

[But it's said fondly. This guy. He goes to shove at Shiro's shoulder, misses and with his momentum winds up tipping right into Shiro. ...and actually that's fairly comfortable, so maybe he'll stay.]

[He's still grinning when Keith misses and ends up pressed up against his side. He shifts his hand from his shoulder to curling it around him. It's a comfortable position.]

Doing okay there, Keith?

[His voice is softer than he usually allows but it seems to fit the moment. It's a sure sign he should pay their bill and drag Keith home. Keith looks too attractive disheveled and happy. And he has too much booze in his system if he's thinking along those lines. He uses his other hand to fish his bank card out of his wallet and keys in the right sequence on the kiosk.] I think we're a little drunk, co-nerd.

[Oh hey even nicer. Keith smiles to himself and given that he still has his glass in his other hand, finishes off the last of his drink.

He looks up as Shiro talks, smiling warmly. Shiro has a nice voice. Is that a weird thought to be having? Well, he's having it anyway.]

'm great.

[Keith informs him. And it's very true. But. Shiro probably has a good point. Keith nods, very seriously.]

I think you're right. But only a little. [A little more leaning.] It's warm. [Or Shiro is warm. Either way he likes it.] I like it.

Oh. [His breath comes out in a rush that’s almost a gasp. He wants to hear more of Keith’s voice. He sounds great when he’s relaxed. The usual deep tones taking on a quality that makes it easy to focus on him.] You’re a cuddly drunk. I never would have guessed.

[Keith’s smile should be classified as illegal. He swipes his card when it indicates he should pay and finishes off his own drink. He sets the glass down as Keith leans in. He’s so warm and that smile pulls at him. He clamps down on the urge to do something about that.

Shiro takes a breath and slowly stands up, bracing his free hand on the table to balance himself as he gently draws Keith to his feet.] Come on. Let’s go home and sleep this off. You have to walk. Too drunk to carry you.

[Wow, Shiro. How could you call him out like that?? Keith is blushing and shaking his head,] Who's cuddly? I'm lethal. [He says, even as he absolutely doubles down on the cuddling while he watches Shiro finishes his drink and pays. What? He's a bit starved for physical affection; he's just usually way too walled off and tense to admit it.

Then they're standing, and that's fine too. They probably ought to get back. Keith's thoughts are swimming pleasantly, and he finds his feet.]

Lightweight. [He teasingly informs Shiro at the too drunk to carry you bit, but is quick to smile once more.] I can walk. You good?

[Damn he’s pretty. He shoves that thought down when it wants to go further and guides them step by step towards the door.] Can walk just fine. It’s hard to carry someone who wants to cuddle.

[Or do other things that he is firmly not thinking about right now. That’s a line too far. He guides Keith around a table and gives a tiny wave goodbye to their smiling waiter as they pass him. Don’t mind them just two really drunk best friends going home.]

But you are lethal. I’m calling that smile of yours illegal in all of the USA. Didn’t know you had such a weapon.

[The cool night air brushes against his face as they near the door.] Holdin out on me, pretty boy.

Told you... 'm too lethal to cuddle. [Clearly this is true. He's just lingering close because,] You're warm. And solid. And you smell good. [Oh no wait rein it in that way lies danger and dragons. Keith takes a breath meant to steady himself, and leans into Shiro as they make their way to the door.

But he can feel the heat rising in his face, knows the flush that's taken residence in his cheeks and across the bridge of his nose has to be obvious. His gaze lifts abruptly to Shiro.]

Did you just call me pretty? [And his heart is tripping over itself, some tiny shard of a wild, insane hope that Keith tries to contain. Hope is such a dangerous thing in some instances. Like this one. So he shoves it down and laughs, teasing back instead.] You're one to talk. Actual literal Garrison poster boy model. [And then even if Shiro won't know what it means.] Intergalactic space show sensation Shiro the Hero.

[Sorry, Shiro. Have that piece of your future for free. Keith saw the broadcasts. Keith saved recordings.]

IC Contact (Mask or Menace)

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