lonered | IC Inbox - MaskorMenace

[Keith finds himself staring after Shiro as he gets out of the car, trying and failing to fight off a small ghost of a smile at the concern. Shiro cares about him. He's lucky, to have that sort of a friend.

Which is why he only sighs to himself and unbuckles, setting the donuts still left safely in the back seat as he murmurs quietly, entirely to himself,] Some things are way too clear already.

[Shaking that off, he climbs out and shuts his door, catching up to Shiro and falling into step at his side.]

[It’s a decent place to rent cars and bikes or whatever else kind of vehicle you need. Shiro holds the door open for Keith and slips inside. Getting the bikes and the helmets is simple. The process is smooth and efficient just the way he likes things to be.

Shiro secures the black and violet edged helmet on then tosses a map to Keith.] See the route outlined in green? That’s where we’re going.

[He had marked it as clearly as he could and Keith is good enough to translate that Into mental instructions. Shiro slips onto the bike and fires it up. The rumble of the engine coming to life is the best thing he’s heard all week. He grins back at Keith.] Ready?

[A glance at the map, and Keith nods, folding it up and tucking it in an inside pocket of his jacket. He pops his own helmet on and starts up his bike.

Amazing. He can't pretend he hasn't been looking forward to this since he and Shiro first talked about it. The helmet hides most of his grin in return, even more so as he flips his visor down.]

Always.

[Ready and willing.] Let's go.

[He'll let Shiro take the lead and follow close behind.]

[He gives one last glance behind him then he takes off. A motorcycle is just enough like a hoverbike that he can feel the ghost of the future hanging over it. He calculates the speed and ability to maneuver as he cuts across town and out beyond it.

He can tell exactly how to use this bike to its upmost performance. It isn’t his so he’ll have to be careful. But maybe in time they can build hoverbikes and do this again. He comes to a stop before a wide open stretch of ground and far into the distance a flag flies. He lifts his visor up.] Planted that a few days ago.

I’m going to count on my fingers and then we’re off. Got it? [He pushes his visor back down and holds up his hand with three fingers up.]

[Keith takes the chance to familiarize himself, a little, with how the bike handles. It's not quiet a hoverbike, but it's close in a lot of ways, the handling not quite as sensitive, and given that it's in contact with the ground, the terrain is far more tangible. He pulls up beside Shiro, bracing a leg against the ground and flipping his visor up.]

So you planned ahead.

[How very like Shiro. Keith grins, excited, just this side of wild.] Got it.

[Back down goes his visor, and he watches, waiting for those fingers to tick off, and then he's launching back into motion, no hesitation, no holding back.]

[He puts his hand on the handle bar and takes off on one. The bike rockets forward and he steers it around the first turn. The sheer speed is exactly what he needed. He glances up at the flag as he guns the engine and leans forward, letting himself really feel the wind.

As much as he loves flying and flying Black, this is something that can't be replicated. The only thing that compares is flying as a bird.]

[There is something exhilarating and freeing about this, about being out in the air and moving in sync with the small but powerful vehicle beneath him. Piloting Red and Black are like nothing else, but this is unique and wonderful in its way. Simpler. Barer.

Keith's eyes are fixed on the flag, though he allows a brief glance at Shiro. Well. It's a race, after all. And with that he revs the engine into a burst of speed, a thrilled grin stretching over his features, hidden though it is within his helmet. The flag looms closer.]

[Shiro loses himself in the familiar and unfamiliar handling of the motorbike. He takes turns and leans into them with a little more caution than Keith. He is shaking off the rust.

And to some degree freeing himself from old ghosts. Enough of a lead opens up that he is following Keith through the terrain and that is a freedom of its own. He doesn’t have to lead the charge or guide Keith.

He glances at the flag but he’s leaning into the turns and speeding up in a bid to catch him. He’ll either catch him or not. But there will be fun in trying.]

[Keith hears himself laughing before he realizes he's even doing it, but he can't help it if he tried. There's an unbridled joy in the freedom of the moment, in knowing that Shiro is nearby.

And in the fact that he thinks he may actually be winning this race, though he isn't taking that for granted. Nope. No counting Takashi Shirogane out at any point in time. So Keith keeps his attention on the road in front of him, until he passes the flag and pulls the motorcycle around into a sharp curve, turning back and finally slowing to stop by the flag, already pulling his helmet off.]

[His laughter melds with Keith’s as he pours on the speed. The wind of their passage and the scent of dry earth is perfect. He has forgotten everything but the race and Keith.

He keeps his focus on the path but he can’t make up the difference. Keith passes the flag but he’s right behind him. He pulls the bike to a stop with a grin on his face. He pulls off his helmet and drops it as he walks the small distance between him and Keith’s bike.

He grins wider.] You did it! I knew you could.

[Hia chest feels warm and Keith looks- He moves before he even realizes he’s doing it. He steps closer, his hands cupping the sides of Keith’s face. On some level he’s aware they both moved forward and were caught in a dance as old as time. Then he leans down the short distance and kisses Keith.]

[Keith grins right back at Shiro. His bike has stopped racing, but his heart is still going, adrenaline coursing through his veins.]

That was amazing.

[Different than the hoverbikes or anything he's used to piloting, but still amazing. And Shiro is here and the sun is flooding light and warmth even through the chill of the autumn day, and Keith looks up realizing for the first time that Shiro is close, closer than he'd expect them to be.

Then those hands hands are at his face and Shiro's lips are on his, and the rest of the world drops away. Coherent thought shatters and Keith leans up to meet that kiss, to kiss him back like he's been waiting for this forever, all instinct, all reaction. He sets a hand against the side of Shiro's neck, holding him close.

Rational thought will catch up too soon. Already the voice at the back of his mind is growing louder, but he fights it. He doesn't want the moment to end.]

[Reality can wait. He is lost in the feel of kissing Keith for the first time. Keith is kissing him back and all his doubts vanish. He gently draws Keith closer and if the rational part of him wasn’t so loud he would have kept kissing him for longer than a few minutes.

Shiro draws back enough to breathe and runs his thumb over Keith’s bottom lip.] ...I’ve wanted to do that for weeks. I didn’t even realize just how much until now.

[He is absolutely terrible at relationships. He isn’t used to speaking his mind in them but he continues on, needing Keith to understand.] I felt safe enough to sleep when we were drunk because I was with you. And I had a little too much fun when we were sparring.

[Keith voices a soft sound of protest as the kiss breaks, half because he's afraid reality is going to step in and this will be -- a mistake, a dream, he doesn't even know what. But Shiro is still close, still touching, and Keith actually listens to what he's saying and--

It's all the things that he's spent such a long time telling himself couldn't possibly be. But here's Shiro saying them and Keith is watching him like he never wants to look away.

He laughs at that last part, tipping forward to press his face to Shiro's chest like that can help hide the blush.] I took the coldest shower of my life after sparring.

[Keith peeks back up after a moment. This is really happening.] I've wanted to kiss you too. For... a long time. [And he'd very much like to do it again.] I'm glad you feel safe with me. I want to be that for you. Like you've always been for me.

You respected what I wanted to do. You treated me like a person and not the disease. How could I not feel safe with you? [He says as he closes his arms around him. He ignores the remark about showers. That is something to think about later. He looks into his violet eyes and leans in close, his voice low.]

How could I not grow to love you, Keith? I came back and you came for me. You didn’t stop standing at my side and while I don’t always agree with your methods...

[He can’t hold back anymore. He kisses him again, briefly this time just enough to remind himself of the taste of him.] You have never done anything without a reason and I’ll stand by you too. If you’ll have me.

[Keith is looking at Shiro like he's almost afraid to believe what he's hearing. These are things that he has wanted to hear so much, and that's what makes it feel so entirely unbelievable. He's had this dream before, hasn't he?

But this can't be a dream. Shiro's arms are warm and solid around him and in that next kiss, brief as it is, tastes like cinnamon sugar and coffee and Shiro. Every word trips his heart up as it rushes to beat faster like it can escape its chest if it only beats harder.]

Shiro... [Just his name, but he's nodding.] Of course I'll have you. However you'll let me, I'll have you. I love you, Shiro.

[He's spoken those words once before, to Shiro and not to Shiro at the same time, and they sound so loud in his ears, but they're true. Keith smiles, arms winding their way around Shiro's neck.] You're everything to me.

[He'd tear down galaxies that stood between them if he had to. For now though, he leans up and he's the one to kiss Shiro this time.]

[His heart thuds hard on his chest. Without realizing it he needed to hear those three words. He kisses Keith back and lingers a moment when they part for air.] I love you too.

Why don’t we head back and get some lunch. We can talk more about us and sort ourselves out. [Shiro smiles, it’s warm and gentle.]

...I’d like to go on a date sometime. Not our dinner dates. Something fancier just once. [He tucks a lock of hair behind Keith’s ear.] If you’re up for that.

[Keith reaches up, almost tentative -- like he's still coming to terms with the fact that he may actually be allowed this -- to touch his fingers along Shiro's cheek, down to the trace over that soft smile on the other man's face.

I love you too. It very nearly knocks all the air from his lungs in four simple syllables.]

Yeah. Lunch sounds good. So does talking about... us. [Us. Keith smiles too, soft and genuine, the sort of expression that doesn't make it to his features all that often.

And then Shiro is still talking and Keith fights a blush. It doesn't dim the smile on his face.]

Okay. I'd like that too. [A pause.] ...how fancy? I don't own a tie or anything. [He could probably buy a tie. And look up how to tie a tie. Look he's never been on a date before. ...except apparently their dinner dates? Were those dates??]

As fancy as we feel like. I can help with everything if we get formal fancy. [He closes his hand over Keith’s and presses his face into his palm. He hasn’t felt this light in a while. And does he imagine it or is the darkness in Keith’s eyes clearing up.]

...And I only call them dinner dates because that’s exactly how a dinner date goes. You invite your boyfriend out for dinner and talk.

[And later do other things. But they should take things slow.]

You'll have to help. I've basically been raised by wolves lately.

[Keith informs him with a laugh, bright and relieved in a way he hadn't expected to feel. His thumb traces along Shiro's cheek, affection for affection's sake. Shiro looks happy and that's the most amazing thought, that he's happy because of this, because of him.]

Then... I guess we have a head start.

[Some practice. Also boyfriend sends his heart fluttering around in his chest. He's really got it bad. Has had it bad. Actually, speaking of that,]

Just so you know, this might have had something to do with why I was avoiding you, during the uncontrollable singing epidemic.

I suspected there was more to that than you were telling me. [He leans forward and brushes the side of his face against Keith’s. He hasn’t let go of him and has no plans to do so in the future. Not for a little bit.]

Once you admitted you don’t handle your personal problems that well...It seemed to fit. I just didn’t want to assume.

[And he wasn’t ready to think something like that. It still seems so surreal. But as he draws back enough to lean in and kiss Keith again, he knows this makes him happy. Getting this close to Keith feels as natural as talking to him over breakfast.]

That obvious, huh? [And he'd thought he'd done so well keeping it hidden.]

I never thought you'd, well... [Want him. But here they are wanting each other. Holding each other.

Keith turns towards Shiro to nuzzle back, soaking up the affection instinctively, like he's been starved for it. Maybe he has. It's not like he's the type to let many people close, keeping the world at large arms length at a minimum.

But this all feels right, like it all comes as easy as breathing. Maybe because it's Shiro, who's always been the exception to so many things where Keith is concerned. He leans up to meet that next kiss, murmuring to his lips after a moment.] I'm really happy you do.

Edited (cat stepped on my mouse and posted :| before I was done typing and icon picking) 2019-11-03 05:02 (UTC)

Let's look forward. We have a lot to talk about and make sure we do this right. Okay? [He'll do what he hadn't done in previous relationships, set boundaries from the start. Not that he foresees any problems.

Shiro slowly lets go of Keith and touches the side of his face.] So, what do you want to grab for lunch?

[A nod.] Okay.

[He wants to do this right, but these are new waters for Keith. His life hasn't exactly been conducive to ever having a relationship. A few awkward moments at best in those days before he got kicked out of the Garrison.

He'll do his best though. Shiro deserves that much.

Keith manages not to protest as Shiro lets him go -- they will need to drive their bikes out of here -- leaning into the touch.] We passed a diner not too far back?

Good enough. [He says with a smile on his face. He walks over to retrieve his helmet and slides it on. With the visor up he says.]

Lead on, I’ll follow.

[Shiro swings up onto the bike and takes down the kickstand. The visor goes down but he keeps his eyes on Keith. He can’t look away. He never thought he’d fall in love again. He didn’t think he would have the time and...he had focused on the need to bring the team home. To end the war. All those things came first.

He hasn’t realized until it was too hard to ignore that Keith has stepped past his defenses and laid a hand on the heart he thought had been sealed away.]

[for a moment Keith just watches Shiro walk to his bike. This still feels surreal, like the weight of it hasn't fully settled yet about him, like gravity is still partially suspended. But he nods, pulls his own helmet on and climbs onto his bike, glancing back at Shiro to flash a thumbs up sign, making sure the other is good before he's in motion.

It's a slightly -- very slightly -- more sedate pace on the way out than the race in. But far from slow. The world whips by and Keith's thoughts race with it. Eventually back to the road proper and not long after that to the diner Keith remembers seeing.

Where they're going to have lunch. No big deal having lunch with Shiro. Except it's a huge deal, maybe the hugest deal.

He parks his bike and tugs his helmet off, turning to wait for Shiro with the start of a grin flirting at the corners of his lips, like he couldn't keep the smile off his face if he tried right now.]

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