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[It's been almost a year since Shiro got him out of the ring he'd found Keith in, bought him and brought him with the Alteans. There were some unsavory remarks at first, but they've since gotten used to this half-Galra former-prostitute being here, even found him useful when he showed he could hold his own in fights.

But even Allura could tell Keith had fallen hard for Shiro. And there wasn't anything happening there. While it's some good gossip to be sure, it's also irritating watching them go around each other so much without anything. So, she told Keith she needed him to take care of something for her, it may take a week or so at a specific location. Even when he protested, she explained Shiro was on a much needed vacation.

So he gets to the planet and realizes it's....... An alien hot springs.

He thinks he knows what's happening. And only seeing the guest sign in confirms it: Shiro's name, a line or two above his own now. He finds out pretty quickly they don't share a room, but they are next to each other; Allura had requested it arranged that way. Great.

He decides this doesn't have to mean anything. Go with it. Dresses down to the boxers and robe provided and moves to stand out on his room's balcony and look over the small resort.]

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Themilian. [The answer comes a little quick; he doesn't give the Altean liquor a thought, wasn't ever allowed to have any. Not him specifically, anyway.

He watches Shiro reach, the line of muscles and how they move and then forces himself to look in front of him at the steam rising out of the water instead.]

...Well, it sounds like you needed a break. If no one would give you anything to do, then they probably agree too.

[ Shiro rises up and reaches for the cups, pouring two glasses. The water thankfully covers anything indecent, but also hits the curve of his back, right where the swell of his ass starts making it clear that there's nothing on under the water. When he wades back to Keith to hand him the glasses - one hot, one cold, the water thankfully covers everything. ]

You know what they call that on other ships? Mutiny.

[ There's no real irritation to his voice, though. Shiro sounds resigned more than anything else. He wades back to his spot and takes a sip from his own cup, letting his head rest against the natural stone formation behind him. ]

The Princess sent you to keep an eye on me, or because you needed a break?

[God....... If nothing else, Shiro is amazing. Keith glances out the corner of his eye before looking away again, taking the cups. He opts for the cold one, not interested in the tea.

That question though... He doesn't want to automatically assume Allura's motives, even if he thinks it's fairly obvious. He shakes his head softly.]

...I don't know. I think she wanted me to just enjoy myself. [That doesn't explain the "Keith Shirogane" on the room though.]

She does that, sometimes.

[ Tries to take care of people, even if she might not fully trust them, or like them. He can't tell her feelings on Keith entirely; she's better than she used to be about him, that's for sure, but a part of him still...worries. Keith seems to be doing well, though, so Shiro doesn't push in that particular area, with either of them. ]

Well. I can't...say there's a lot to do here, but it is decently relaxing. Did you ever-- [ There's got to be a more tactful way to put this, right? Shiro hesitates, biting his tongue and then recovers. ] Where you last worked... were you ever at a place like this?

[Keith takes another sip, then holds it in both his hands just on the top of the water. He appreciates Shiro trying to be respectful; there just isn't a very respectful way to talk about it.]

Once or twice. I never got to really sit and stop like this, though. [He was always 'on', so to speak. Even if he was sitting in the spring with a client, he was still working. There was no relaxing like this.]

[ One of these days he needs to just work out with Keith where the limits are on talking about it, but thus far he's skirted things and hasn't seemed to run into anything too bad so it just hasn't come up as a necessity. The last thing he wants to do is remind Keith of all of that by bringing it up in detail. ]

She used to come here once a year or so. Usually around her birthday, because her father would give her a week off and one of the main fleet ships, back when things were...easier. So she'd drag a few of us along and we'd come here. Further down the road to get in, there's the town -- city, now, I suppose. They have a night market and during the day, there are little cafes open.

[ Tourist friendly but still with the charm of what they remembered. He has half a feeling that she's sending him here to scout this out for herself. ]

You could come with me, if you find yourself having time tomorrow.

[He listens. Keith is genuinely interested in going, he wants to see places like this without being on the clock. That he doesn't have to be playing a part. He can just be himself, even if he isn't sure who that is yet still. And seeing it with Shiro would be so great.]

I'd-- I think I'll definitely have time tomorrow.

[What else is he gonna do at this resort? Get massages?]

[ He drains the rest of his cup and rises up enough to refill it, glancing over at Keith's glasses to try and see if he needs a refill as well. ]

You should. You're not supposed to be working any more than I am, I assume.

[ Though, they're both absolute shit at this whole 'not working' thing, he figures. Keith's been determined and single-minded regarding everything he's been picking up. ]

No, she was pretty clear that I shouldn't be working.

[He kept working on what they were training him for. He wants to be ready any time they need him; they haven't yet, but he's ready for when they do. Keith takes another sip of his drink, barely touched since they started talking.]

So when you both came here before, what other kinds of things did you do?

[ Sounds about right. He also suspects she wants that because she's trying to be sneaky - or her version of it, which is about as subtle as a fist to the face. ]

Mmmm, we would go into town to shop; one of the guards she had with her loved to cook, so we would grab things from the market to prepare that night.

[ A pause, and he gives Keith a lazy smile, eyes lidded with contentment. ]

Don't expect that from me, by the way. I'm probably still banned from the kitchens here for burning water. We'd bring things to trade, too. Sometimes we would visit the shelter; I'm not certain if it still exists but it houses some of the animals they domesticated here. Once, the Princess took all of us to get our nails painted and tidied up like she does. It's actually...nice.

[He hums to himself over his drink, taking in those options. He was never allowed to cook, so he definitely doesn't know anything about that. And he doesn't have anything to trade either - not beyond the obvious. And he's sure Shiro would object to that... The shelter sounds nice, but Keith visibly perks up at the last. A salon is something he's done a lot, and he enjoyed it a lot too. He had to keep up a lot of maintenance for clients.]

There would be a salon here... Do they do anything with paints? [Polish.] Or hand working? [Hand massages.]

[ Well, that's two things to add to the list, if they still exist. He hopes they do; the cat-like creatures that are on the planet are cute enough. The salon itself was relaxing, once he'd gotten over the dubiousness of letting someone poke and prod at his hands. ]

They did, as far as I remember, regarding the paints. [ He pauses after a moment, trying to figure out the latter. ] Hand working?

You know, like--

[Fuck. Keith sets his drink down on the stone behind him and motions for Shiro's hand. It makes sense in his head what it's called, but he can't explain it. He has to show it.]

[ He doesn't quite grasp what Keith wants at first but then it clicks. Shiro gently puts his flesh and blood hand into Keith's, watching him with a small, bemused smile. ]

I thought we were here so we wouldn't work.

It's not working.

[But he smirks and starts carefully massaging Shiro's palm, trailing down light pressure along his fingers. Keith is trying not to think about Shiro's hand in his, about how warm his skin is or how well kept it is, despite the roughness from all his fighting. Just focus on the hand-working.]

Hand working. Like this.

Hand working isn't working?

[ He's just being a shit, now, watching Keith with that same lazy contentment from earlier. It's a far cry from how he is normally, ramrod straight and always at his best on the deck, watching Allura, training those who need it, or any other number of tasks that require that same military discipline.

His eyes wander from Keith's down to the man's smaller hands held around his, fingers gently running over them. Whatever this is, it's nice. Not unlike the massages they give where they're staying, but he's never felt that sort of tingling reaction to any of the masseuses.

Damnit, Allura. He won't be rude and jerk back, but after a few moments he does pull away. He doesn't need to guess where Keith learned it, and he doesn't want Keith to feel obligated. At least he can phrase it like he's not chastising him, necessarily. ]

It's nice. Work, though, which you aren't supposed to be doing. You take care of everyone, Keith, let yourself relax.

[Shiro jokes about it being work, but it's clear on Keith's face that he was easily relaxing doing it. It's what he knows, something he's good at. And the continuous motion is genuinely relaxing for him. Keith seems to come back to himself when he feels Shiro's hand tugging away and he stops. Lets him take it away. Tries not to linger on how that felt, how his skin feels hotter than the springs.

More than anything, Keith is relieved and enjoying seeing Shiro unwind. Shiro's always been kind and calm around him, but he didn't realize how tightly wound he kept himself until seeing him loosen up now.

With his hands free, he tucks them around his glass again, taking a long drink to empty it.]

I guess, if you think about it that way. But do they have things like that?

[ Thankfully, Keith doesn't seem hurt by his withdrawing, and Shiro's grateful for that. The last thing he wants is for Keith to feel like Shiro was avoiding the contact, which, while it was a little true, wouldn't be for the reasons he'd probably think. This close, though, he sees that he can do something useful and tops off Keith's drink before wading back to settle in his spot. ]

I think so, while they use the paints. If not, I know you can request certain work done here if there are areas that need it.

[ He's not quite sure how to address the arm, but so long as they don't recognize it as Galra, it ought to be fine. ]

[What if I ask you to. He wouldn't ask in a million years, but he wants to. Thinks it very hard as he takes the drink back. Keith almost looks disappointed.]

I'll ask about it. [Being pampered was honestly the only thing he liked about his work. He always had to look good, have good skin, properly cared hair... He's a bit at a loss now without the guidance. He never got specific names of anything or procedures and he definitely doesn't look as well kept as he did when Shiro first met him.]

... I always liked this sort of thing. Back then, I mean.

[ Well, at least this sort of talk makes it easy to fish out little things about Keith that he never knew before. Shiro tugs damp hair back into the loose knot on top of his head from where it'd fallen and yawns, rolling his head from side to side to loosen his neck. ]

Well, tomorrow we can have you describe it to the workers and see if they can duplicate anything. It shouldn't be that difficult; this place is meant for relaxing and if it is close enough I think it should be alright.

I don't- We don't have to go that far. I want to try what they do here.

[Yeah, he isn't about to go out of his way to make things complicated for people actually working. Plus he isn't sure he could explain his experience without the work coming up either. Not the way he'd be able to word it anyway.]

[ He doesn't push for the time being, but does make a note to remember it when they go get massages here, or down at the salon. ]

What sorts of things did you have done that you liked, earlier?

[ Now, he has to tread carefully. Shiro pauses a moment, weighing his words and then continues. ]

Before I told them I wasn't -- I couldn't take what they were offering, they gave me a sheet with all sorts of things on it that I could choose as additions. Some of them I recognized, but others I didn't.

[Ah. Those... He'd only glanced at one once. He'd been doing it so long he never gave much thought to how it might look to outsiders. He thinks over the things he has had done. What things he liked, what things he felt a little shaky when he was told they'd be happening for the next client.]

I didn't mind some of the piercings. The one that were in the ears or the nose. And... [God he really has to to think. He's never thought that much about it.] I liked some of the paints. Not just on my fingers, but sometimes on my face and body. They looked nice.

[There are so many worse things on that list that he's trying not to think about. Doesn't want to. And it's clear he's holding back some because of it.]

Piercings.

[ He repeats the word like he can't quite believe it. He'd only skimmed the offerings when they made the initial suggestion and had handed it back in a rush. Things like oils and treatments had been listed, but he hadn't dare read the entirety of it. Now, he's grateful he did.

To safer territory, then. Something that wouldn't be quite so...this. ]

What colors did you prefer?

[Shiro sounds uncomfortable with that. Keith is pretty sure he shouldn't elaborate on anything else about the piercings, but he feels his skin itching recalling some of them, phantom pains of some being ripped out while working.

No, the paint colors are safer.]

I... Liked reds. And sometimes the light blue. Like the markings you and the Princess have.

[Keith doesn't dare tell him a couple clients had him made up like Altean royalty. He may not be the brightest, but he knows that wouldn't go over well.]

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they're both ~ thirsty

they really are and it's sad as hell

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