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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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[Keith isn't nearly as steady as Shiro is, so he definitely leans with the push back. God, even this little teasing gets to him, brings that smile to his lips, makes his chest feel tight. But then Shiro is moving on.]

Right. Not working, got it. Then let's keep going.

[ He needs to stop acting like this. The only other times he's been so unprofessional were around Allura but even then, it wasn't that easy to act normal. Shiro takes a firm step forward and curls his hand into a tighter fist around the bags, irritated with himself for over-analyzing. He waits for Keith to catch up and then catches him by the arm before he can go too far, speaking in a lower, quieter rush, embarrassed at himself. ]

I like being able to fix things. It's part of what makes me a good diplomat, I suppose. And I can't fix-- [ One hand lifts, gestures in a little flap. ] -- everything else. But I can do this. I can make you happy, and I can get you things that you might not have been able to have before. It just feels good to be able to make someone happy, after-- everything else.

[When Shiro gets his arm, Keith goes loose, all fluid and no resistance. It happened plenty of times before, in so many situations. It doesn't bother him, doesn't even make him nervous; it's simply a moment. But Shiro's words get to him. There's clear confusion in his eyes by the time Shiro's finished.]

Shiro... [God... What does he even say to that? He's told Shiro so many times until he was out of breath that Shiro needs to make himself happy too, but he realized after a few months that falls on deaf ears.] You do make me happy. Even without all [he gestures vaguely, the bags, the shopping] this. You always make me happy.

[ It feels stupid, saying all of that, but it's true. He doesn't have a lot of control over much in his life, and he certainly doesn't have much that he can do, and then point to and think I helped or fixed this, but he can buy things and make Keith happy. Or make Allura happy. He can't fix everything but he can do something and that has to be enough. ]

Okay. Well. Happier, then.

[ Shiro forces a quick smile and before he can stop himself, tugs Keith into a quick, gentle hug, pulling away a moment later. ]

So let me buy you things that you probably don't need, but will make you happy.

[He realizes Shiro likely doesn't get it, or doesn't want to. Because getting it would mean acknowledging that feeling that bubbles up and threatens to overflow in Keith each time he's around Shiro. Shiro never has to buy him anything, and he can't figure out why he feels like he has to. Especially when Shiro's obviously not interested...]

If that makes you happy...

[ Don't worry, Keith, he's just too stupid. ]

It does.

[ You do, he almost says, and instead swallows the words down until he's certain they won't spill out and takes them to the next vendor, one full of carved items that look like they're made from the wood of the trees all over here. ]

I know we talked about a pet, but what about...hobbies? Outside of learning how to fight, that is.

[Keith isn't much better.]

Hobbies?

[God... He tries to think back to what all he was allowed to do between clients. What did he enjoy doing? He looks over the little figures and trinkets without really... looking.]

Never gave it much thought. I guess... [He really really thinks.] I like figuring out how things connect.

[Conspiracy theorist. He's a conspiracy theorist if given the chance.]

Like...a mechanic?

[ He isn't quite sure that working with Coran to fix up the Castle is where Keith's going with that but hey, maybe it is. Shiro likes fixing things well enough, mostly because he knows the Castle so well and finds it soothing to be able to have an effect on whatever he's working on.

But, when Keith elaborates on making things connect, he furrows his brow, trying to think about ways that could be used while he toys with a carved wooden mouse. ]

In what ways?

Well like-- [He looks back at the scarf vendor. Squints a little bit, like trying to puzzle it now as they stand there.]

Like... In the current situation, how did they get that scarf? Where'd it come from? It still looks pretty new, so who even made it?

[Unsolved Mysteries.]

Oh.

[ Well, he's not quite sure how to help with that, but he'll see what he can do once they're back on the ship. Maybe it's something with the amount of access he has to records; if he wants to learn, far be it from him to tell Keith no. ]

Well. Once we're back on the Castle, we'll try to figure out something that will work.

[Something seems to lighten up in his eyes as he nods.] Okay!

[And then he's back to looking at this table, stepping a little closer, their arms brushing.]

Still not finding anything you like?

[ If only everyone was this easy to placate or make happy. Shiro picks up the mouse and decides to get it, also picking up a fancy carved holder that will probably hold Coran's nunvill bottle. ]

I got the scarf.

[ How does he explain that he doesn't really think about wanting stuff? For the longest time he was able to have anything he wanted, and then he was captive and couldn't have anything. Now, he's grateful enough for what he has. ]

Right! Right....

I just wasn't sure if there was anything else you saw you'd want... [He pointedly turns his attention to look elsewhere. Not at Shiro, not at his kind face, or his eyes that understand him, or the warm hands that always make him feel safe and grounded. He shifts weight to one leg trying not to too hard about ways he could make Shiro happy, or the looks on his face he saves to think about when he's alone.]

Do you collect anything?

The only things I really want I already have. I'm...easy like that, I suppose.

[ He glances over to show Keith something and ends up side tracked so easily, both with how close he's standing, the warm line against him and with the way that he's standing. Shiro's aware that Keith's attractive and that he's attracted to him. It's one thing to be aware of it as a distant thing and something else to be struck stupid by him when the sun hits Keith's hair just right and lights him up in red and gold. ]

I - uh. No? I don't think so. I don't, really. I have a pretty large collection of books. I...have some model Altean ships, but they're all outdated.

[ Can something be outdated or is it just, you know, extinct, if there's no one else besides you guys? Fun thoughts. ]

Oh. [Hey that's still pretty cool. And it gives Keith some ideas of what he can do. So Shiro likes books and model ships! More than he knew before. He's glad for it. He sets one little trinket down (another feline looking thing) and smiles up to him.]

We'll be here for however long the Princess sent us here. We can always come back.

[Is he maybe hinting he wants to go back? It's ...really crowded here.]

We can head back.

[ He leaps on the option, eager to get out of the crush of people and to stop getting so side-tracked every time he so much as looks at Keith or Keith looks at him. He pays for the little carvings and tucks those into the bag too before gesturing to one of the less populated alleys that will take them back toward their lodging. ]

Unless there was anything else you wanted to do?

Yep. Yes. [He's just as eager to get away. Somewhere quieter, somewhere less stimulating. He's fine in a crowd for a short time, but this long is a little much. He holds his bag close, scared someone might have the ability to see through it and see the Galra scarf or, worse, how hard his heart is pounding from that short moment with Shiro.]

I think -- Just getting back and resting some.

[ He's big enough that he can simply twist and block the crowd of people with himself and then hols out one arm to cut them between stalls and get them down into a street without so many people on it. Once they're there, even he lets himself relax a little; if a threat comes, at least he'll see it here. ]

I think we did well for being so bad at buying things for ourselves.

[ He hefts up the other bag, reaching for something to talk about that isn't how he's certain his affection for Keith is evident from space ]

Yeah?

[He looks at their bags, noting they both did actually get things for themselves. Granted, Shiro's was something he'll need later but it's still something. Even with just this change in surrounding, Keith feels like he can breathe a little easier. And that means he can watch Shiro's arm how easily it just cuts them off from the rest of the streets.

Nope don't-- Don't think about it. About that arm wrapped around him and pulling him close and--]

Thank you! For the- scarf and the, everything. What do... You think the dinner is going to be?

[ He's barely aware of it past the convenience of being able to to do it; once they're both on their way back he matches his pace to Keith's. ]

Of course. And I'm not sure. I know that they had something this morning where you could go out in to the woods with the cooks and help harvest whatever vegetables they were using, but I was going to wait until tomorrow to try that.

[ There's something satisfying about working for his food in a way that doesn't kill anything; plants are easy. ]

Huh. I've never, I mean. That's... New. [Everything is. But he starts walking the street to the resort again, glad they can make it a short walk. A staff team, ready and expectant (expectant of what he isn't sure) are ready to welcome them back.

It's a few minutes before he's back to his room, saying bye to Shiro, he'll see him down at dinner. Then breathes before hopping into the shower. Keith almost never feels the need to take care of himself, but it happens after every time he's close to Shiro like that. The thought of maybe Shiro taking the opportunity to get him against the wall in that side-street and pressing in - by the time he's stripped and under the water, he's already got a hand on himself to start working.

Keith does head down for dinner, a little tired, but in fresh clothes and feeling relaxed. They have something set out akin to a fish platter, some wine, and a couple smaller unlabeled bottles next to their glasses. It looks and smells like nothing Keith's had the privilege to experience. He takes his seat at the table and waits.]

[ Allura means well, he knows that she does but somewhere in between him showing her gifts he'd gotten for everyone else and talking about his day, she starts...digging. She means well, like always, but then she keeps asking about Keith and tells him that he never does anything spontaneous, never lets loose. While she's right, that doesn't mean he has to like it, so he cuts the call short as kindly as he can.

By the time Keith comes down, the irritation's faded and in its wake is the surety that he's...really not that adventurous. He's half-through his glass of wine when Keith settles with him and Shiro tries to push all of that to the back of his mind, serving up some of the food onto his plate. ]

It'll be hard to go back to the ship's normal meals after this.

It's-- [Keith watches; he hadn't been sure about the serving. But while Shiro does that, he decides it's okay and helps himself to a small portion of the wine. Enough to taste with the meat is all.]

I guess it will be. There's got to be a place to buy some of this meat and take it back with us. Right?

I'm sure that we can figure something out.

[ He has a water as well and makes sure to drain that faster than his wine glass, despite the temptation to reverse it. Off to the side, the bottles catch his eye again; after a brief pause, he takes one and decides maybe Allura's right. Maybe he's not adventurous enough.

He opens it slowly and sniffs it, but it just smells a little spicy. It's when the alien comes to refill the water that he opens his mouth to ask and she (she?) smiles hugely and nods, gesturing to his wine. Oh. Huh. The other bottle in hand, she gestures to the wine as well and when she's gone, he turns to Keith with a crooked smile. ]

Well. The Princess was just saying that I don't try new things often enough, so...

[ He pours the whole bottle into his glass and then takes a drink, only to frown. ]

...It doesn't really...taste like much. It tastes the same, actually.

[Keith watches Shiro slowly pour that entire bottle into his wine. He's all for trying new things, but unlabeled? He'll wait and see what happens to Shiro first. He's had enough experience to know that.]

That's... weird. They seemed pretty excited for you to try it. [Okay so what's the deal with it then.]

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html why tho

OH NOOO