lonered | IC Inbox - MaskorMenace

[Keith hasn't slept, so he's awake when the knock on the door comes. He's in shorts and a t-shirt because he went so far as to lie in bed for a while, but that was terrible given that he's gotten used to falling asleep with Shiro by his side, and his absence is even more starkly noticeable there.

So he hears the knock, and he's at off the couch and at the door a moment later, the relief on his face is immediately painfully obvious. He takes him in, the missing arm. The white hair. His heart lurches and he wraps his arms tightly around the other man when Shiro steps forward, holding him close for a long moment, shutting his eyes and just pressing his face into Shiro's shoulder.]

Takashi... [He breathes, leaning back, hands running up Shiro's chest, his face, up through that white hair down to rest at either cheek as he shakes his head.] You don't have anything to apologize for. Come on... let's get you inside. You look exhausted.

[He opens his mouth to protest then visibly decides not to push it. His shoulders sag with exhaustion.] I feel exhausted.

I got in two hours ago. They poked and prodded me at the base, then arranged some leave from work and-

[He cuts himself off and sighs, leaning into Keith's hands. There's so much they need to talk about. For now, he turns his head and kisses Keith's fingers.] Let's get to bed. You look tired too...we can talk about everything in the morning.

[Some tension in Keith that he hadn't even known was there eases at the touch of Shiro's lips to his fingers. It's not that he's worried, exactly, about Shiro's heart changing -- but so much has happened that the man in front of him now has lived through.

Whatever happens, Keith will stand by him, however Shiro needs him.]

Sounds like a plan.

[He steps back and catches Shiro's hand with his own, tugging gently and leading them both to Shiro's room. The covers are crumpled, since in the few hours he'd tried to sleep, he'd done so here. He turns to start helping Shiro out of his jacket.]

[He follows Keith through the apartment and down the hall. Every step feels as exhausting as the last but the promise of sleep is at the end of the trek. He

It isn't any surprise Keith had bedded down in his room...it feels more like the room belongs to both of them. He can feel Black in the back of his mind, their presence like a storm and letting him be for now.

He's grateful for their support as he grabs for Keith's shoulder and shifts to help Keith ease him out of the right side of the jacket.] Coffee and pancakes in the morning?

[He's talking just to talk and he knows it. The world feels too much and not at the same time. He needs to fill the silence.]

It's a date. We can even splurge and get bacon.

[He agrees, setting the jacket on the bureau. They can worry about tidying later. Right now he just wants to get Shiro into bed. There's a faint, tentative smile on his face as he leans up and in to press a kiss to his cheek.]

It's good to have you back.

[It's the familiar phrase, but god he means the words. He always means the words.] I'm sorry too, Shiro.

[For everything he went through that Keith had been powerless to stop, for not having found him sooner. He steps away just long enough to pull back the covers.]

It’s good to be back. [He says as he kicks off his shoes and socks. The shoes were lended to him and likely taken out of his pay. He should be more careful with them. He pushes them up against the side of the bed.

Shiro unbuckles his belt and thumbs his pants open. Getting his pants down is a bit of a struggle but as the covers are pulled back just far enough, he steps out of his pants.

Down to just a shirt and boxers, he slowly sits down on the edge of the bed.] You have nothing to apologize for. I’m here, and I don’t plan on going anywhere until morning.

Good. Rest.

[Keith murmurs quietly, reaching out to run his fingers through that stark white hair. Shiro is back and safe and here. His eyes are roaming over Shiro's features, like he's taking him all in. This is the face of the Shiro of his time, who's been through hell and back.]

I didn't know if you'd come back, if you'd be brought back.

[He admits softly.]

Edited 2020-01-04 08:03 (UTC)

I know, [He reaches out and brushes his fingers along the side of Keith’s face.] ...I didn’t remember here at all when I went back. I just lived out the events as they happened.

[He climbs under the covers and turns to pull them over the both of them. It takes more time than he’s used to but it gives him a moment to process. Shiro settles and presses his face into Keith’s shoulder.]

Everything came flooding back when I got back here. A feeling of having been here and never having been here at all. Last thing I remember of home is waking up and being exhausted to be alive. ....feeling like I was saved from death and pulled from it at the same time.

[He closes his eyes. As confusing as the words sound, he can’t tell Keith lies.] I’m settling on I’m ‘Shiro’ and leaving it there for tonight.

Edited 2020-01-05 15:48 (UTC)

[Keith scoots closer once the blankets are pulled up, turning to wrap an around Shiro, hold him close. It's only been a day for him, but Shiro has had so much more time that he's lived through in those twenty four hours. Keith ducks his head to press his face into that pure white hair.]

Yeah. You're Shiro. That's enough.

[That's more than enough. After everything that happened, that much alone is a miracle, and not one that Keith will ever take for granted.] ...it's a good thing you came back. I was probably going to do something stupid before too long. [Well at least he's self aware. He says it lightly, a small attempt at playful, at distraction.]

[He tips his head back, the light outside catching in his dark grey eyes.] Were you? Like what?

[Aa if he doesn’t already know. He can see it as plain as day in his mind’s eye. Keith would battle the universe and expect it to bend. He runs his hand down Keith’s back to his waist as his lips curve into a smile.]

Like demanding the government answer for the disappearances?

[Keith lets his fingertips trace down along Shiro's cheek, the familiar line of his jaw. His Shiro. He's so relieved to see him again, in one piece.

He spares a smile of his own, nodding.]

Something like that.

[A pause and he adds, quieter.] Probably lighting some of their stuff on fire when they didn't.

Keith, [He turns his head into the brush of Keith’s fingers like a cat looking for a scratch. He feels the edge of anxiety finally fading away. He is alive. His memories are a mess but he can sort through them.

Shiro sighs, relaxing the rest of the way.] You can’t keep blowing up government facilities because you don’t agree with their silence.

[He teases gently as he turns his head and presses a kiss to his fingers.] I’d say I would be the one to light them on fire but, I don’t think wind dragons breathe fire. At least,

That’s not how it felt when they had me shift.

Why not? It's worked out so far.

[Keith looks entirely unrepentant. Look. Sometimes you engage in diplomacy and talk. Sometimes you make shit explode.

But his expression melts into a softer smile at the touch of those lips to his fingers -- and then that expression crumbles in favor of Keith's eyes snapping wide.]

Sorry. Dragon? You turn into a dragon now?

[Shiro nods, and catches Keith’s fingers. He threads them together with his own.] I do. It was a shock to me too. They told me powers sometimes change.

[Keith is effectively distracted from his dangerously rebellious thoughts.] I’d change for you now but, I’d be too big for this bed and the room itself.

[He’d break the bed. There’s no way he wouldn’t.]

[Keith looks at Shiro for a long moment, half opens his mouth like he's intending on saying something about big things in bed, promptly shuts his mouth and does his best to fight off a blush at what almost came out of his mouth. Impulse control. Shiro should be proud.

And Shiro is right. Keith is distracted from his thoughts of acts of open and incendiary rebellion against the government... for now. Because he's too busy trying to picture Shiro as a dragon.]

...so you're big enough that I could ride you? [Okay. That one slipped out innocently. In his defense, even Keith has seen The Neverending Story.]

[Shiro looks up at Keith and draws their joined hands to his mouth. He presses his lips against the back of Keith's knuckles and watches him out of the corner of his eyes.]

In both forms. [He hides a smile against the back of Keith's hand. He just couldn't resist the joke when Keith nearly said it himself.]

If, we grab a nap I can show you my dragon form when we get up. [He had to specify, or they'd have been ridiculous and while he'd love that. He needs some rest.]

Edited 2020-01-15 01:04 (UTC)

[Keith stares at him and despite trying to stop it, flushes a bright and obviously visible red. His hand shifts in Shiro's grasp moving to press to his boyfriend's face to hide it.]

Oh my god, Shiro.

[And then,] Rest sounds like a good idea. I could use some sleep too.

[He lowers his hand, letting it settle at the side of Shiro's neck instead, thumb caressing back and forth along his jaw.]

[He could roll them over and tuck Keith up against him. But exhaustion is tugging at him, pulling him down and Keith’s warm arms around him soothes him enough he will let the darkness have him.

Shiro lets go of Keith’s fingers and slides his fingers into his hair.] Then we sleep. ...Love you, Keith.

[His fingers brush the side of Keith’s face as his eyes close. What tension remained drains away as his breathing turns slow and deep.]

[Good enough for Keith. He settles in against Shiro, arms still around him, holding him close. Shiro is back and here and Keith isn't going to let him go for a while. At least the rest of the night.

He turns ever so slightly into the touch of those fingers, smiling.]

I love you too... [The words are barely a whisper as he feels Shiro relaxing against him, letting him drift off to sleep.]

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