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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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[ Yeah, Shiro's not touching their old thread of conversation for love or money, thanks. He doesn't know what's so bad about it, but he can hazard a guess - Shiro's complaining about arranged marriages when Keith had to deal with years of arranged everything under the sun. Great, sticking both feet in his mouth.

He'll apologize over dinner, and hopefully it won't go to shit. Right now, though, he tugs at Keith's arm to get him to turn down an alley and they're instantly hit with the scent of cooking meats, vegetables and everything else. It seems to go on forever and Shiro's stomach rumbles in response. ]

Most efficient way we ever tackled this was splitting 40 gac and visiting stalls that we thought looked the best, and then bringing all of it back to eat together.

[He tenses a little when he's tugged away into the alley. The food just ahead smells so good, and he's ready to run see it. And not think about how stupid he is for falling for the princess' bodyguard.]

40 gac, huh. And-- You'd really still want to eat together?

[Keith was sure he'd fucked up somehow at the salon.]

Mmn. You get to try a variety of things, like a whole meal of appetizers. Then you can figure out what you want to eat the rest of the days.

[ Also good if you just like finger food like Shiro does. He takes a peek at the first stall and eyes something that looks a little bit like roasted meat on a stick with some kind of sauce. Reaching into a back pocket, he pulls out a handful of credits and gives Keith half of them. The question gives him pause, though. ]

...Did you not want to- I mean, if you'd like to eat alone, that's entirely fine.

I- [He looks at the credits in his hands now, then back up to Shiro. He can't see the way the light plays against the sheen of highlights in his hair. No, he keeps wanting to run fingers through Shiro's hair now that it looks so, so soft.]

I wasn't sure if you'd still want to. I want to.

[ Wait, what? He mentally plays over everything that's happened so far and can't figure out why Keith thinks he wouldn't want to. This is something they'll have to discuss later, then. ]

We'll talk further about this later -- but for right now, know that I don't...have a lot of free time. You've seen that. Trust me when I say that after so many years, I don't actively spend time with people who I don't want to unless it's to benefit the Coalition or Princess.

[Now he's too confused, and it shows on his face. But like he said, they'll talk about it later. Keith nods and looks back down to the credits in his hands. Even now, months later, it still feels weird to hold these. To have money in his hand he can use however. He was never allowed before Shiro found him.]

Do you want me to keep an eye out for anything for you?

[ It kills him, just a little, that Keith asks that. He understands why, and doesn't want to delve into the meaning behind that. Instead, he squeezes Keith's shoulder and nudges him down the aisle. ]

No. Go buy everything you want to try and meet me at the end; there's tables there. Message me if you need extra GAC.

[Keith only wanted to be considerate... He squeezes his hands around the credits and nods. Fine. He'll go look for himself.]

I'll meet you at the end, then.

[He ends up perusing through the stalls. He's only gotten to visit markets like this in the last few months and it still astounds him people are allowed to just sell openly like this. But everything smells delicious. He carefully picks out bits of meat on sticks and in breads, and what he thinks is some kind of alien fruit - some weird pear shaped thing that's hollow inside.

He does turn a few heads when he's walking through. Whether it's the carefully learned graceful walk or the recent additions to his look, it's anyone's guess. But he gets to the tables at the end Shiro mentioned and carefully lays out what he got.]

[ He nods and lets Keith head down the aisle, idly watching him. Ostensibly, it's to make sure Keith's safe. A tiny part of him that he won't acknowledge is simply watching just because he can; Keith moves gracefully through the crowd and more than anything else, Shiro's relieved that he seems to be doing this without protest.

By the end, Shiro's got an assortment of finger food, plus some hot buns filled with some sort of meat. He settles into the seat next to Keith with a tiny smile and bumps their shoulders gently. ]

Looks like you did well.

[Keith's focused on his findings when Shiro gets there. Doesn't even see him until he's nudging his shoulder. He seems a little distracted, looking at Shiro, then back to the food.]

Thanks. I, um. Think I got a discount on some of it. I think. [Some of the vendors he wasn't sure. But whatever. He got a decent bit for his gac.] What'd you find?

Probably.

[ Shiro nudges over a set of sticky nuts covered in some sort of candy and starts picking at one of the sticks of meat, neatly cutting slices off of it rather than taking bites out of it. ]

Some dessert options and sticky buns, some different meats with seasoning. This bun is full of vegetables, I think?

Hm. [Yeah, okay. He'll bite. He picks at some of the candied nuts and munches them. They're not... bad? Not what he thought though. Then reaches for a piece of the meat Shiro carved off which tastes a lot better than the meat he found. At least he thinks. It's all still pretty new to him to find things he likes, food included.]

I think.. I don't like sweet stuff very much. [At least not like this. There may be something out there he likes.]

[ He keeps separating the meals he got into small piles onto the other plates, making sure that Keith is able to try everything that he wants to while Shiro picks at everything that he's interested in. ]

All sweet things? Have you had Altean candy? I know we still have some on the Castle; I saw Allura sharing some with the mice earlier.

Back in-- [He stops himself, looks around and takes a breath before returning to the slice of meat.] Back then. Sometimes we'd be given these little fruits they did something do. Similar to this but not quite, like... More like a hard sweet. [Granulated sugar.]

[He pops piece of the fruit he found in his mouth, half chewing.] I always liked those. These though, [he nods to the nuts] I dunno. Not so much.

Oh, hm. We may have some of those around. I'd have to check.

[ He starts piling the meat onto one of the empty buns and adds a sauce, along with something green, and then folds it together to eat it. ]

We'll see what the shops around here have - maybe there's something that you'll want to take back to the ship.

[Keith is momentarily mesmerized watching Shiro eat that.... It takes a second, but he realizes he's staring and looks down again. Right. He isn't supposed to. Shiro is a diplomat, Allura's bodyguard.... Not to mention he'd said from the start he isn't interested.

We'll talk about this further. He doesn't want to talk about it. He doesn't want the reminder that this isn't for him. He doesn't get to think about Shiro that way. Maybe some arranged spouse will some day, but not Keith. He's only here because Shiro bought him.

Keith slouches a little on his seat as he remembers that fact. No... Now's not the time for talking or thinking. Now's the time for eating.]

[ Finishing doesn't take too long. Shiro piles all of it up until it's a neat stack and then grabs the wet napkins provided, tearing them open to wipe his hands clean. ]

GAC for your thoughts?

[ He knocks their knees together lightly, trying to get him to cheer up. It's been a good day, hasn't it? ]

[Keith's playing a bit with his napkin, tearing the corner off but not looking at Shiro.]

Just. Still surprised sometimes that I'm here. Like, out here. It's been a while now, but it still catches me sometimes.

And I have you to thank for it.

[ Oh, boy, that's the heavy kind of talk that he hasn't quite addressed and truthfully doesn't know how to. That's....going to be fun. ]

You don't need to thank me. I'm just-- really glad that you're alright. That you're able to go anywhere or do anything you want to.

Well. As much as a half... me can. [He's still wary of just announcing he's half-Galra. He isn't so naive to think there isn't that stigma even out here.

But he does smile at Shiro and reaches to touch his fingertips to Shiro's hand.]

And I still just want to go with you. If you let me.

Keith.

[ He's gentle about it, but he does give Keith a look, not annoyed, but gently chiding. He's still Keith. Half whatever, half whatever, it doesn't matter. The hand on his, the fingertips to the top of his hand get Shiro to smile in response and he turns his hand up, squeezing it gently. ]

You're welcome to do whatever you can and want. We made that clear, right?

[Shit. He thought for sure he'd get brushed off. But his face is red and he is not going to cry, he won't let himself, not out here. Keith squeezes Shiro's hand in turn, looking down instead so it isn't so obvious.]

I know. I remember.

Hey.

[ Oh, no. He thinks he's misstepped and gently scoots over until he can wind his arm around Keith's shoulders, tugging him in against Keith's chest. Gently, he squeezes him in and then withdraws, letting his hand linger a moment longer than friendly. ]

Come on. This is supposed to be some kind of fun. We can talk about that when we're back.

[Oh no. Shiro's big and warm and Hugging him. Not for the first time in these months, Keith finds himself feeling confused about what Shiro's intending, what he's wanting. Keith wishes he could just ask so he could give it to Shiro, whatever it is. At least he'd stop feeling so much whiplash from him.]

R-right. When we get back. Sure. [If he doesn't crawl back into a training-shaped hole and never comes out again.] Did you wanna head back to the hotel? Or...

[ Yeah, they're going to have to talk about this, for sure. Shiro doesn't push for the moment, but he does smile thinly and gather up everything to be tossed. When that's done, he nods his head down another alley. ]

Come on, let's check out a few of the shops.