whatsacactus | (no subject)

All right.

[He isn't the least bit put out. He meant it when he said he's just... happy being here. He does haul himself off Keith, though, slotting himself in against his side. Between him and the door.

(It was what he did with Matt and Sam. The only way he could think to protect them. The only way he can protect Keith now, if it came to that.)

Then it's just a matter of tracing nonsense symbols on his torso, fingers featherlight against his skin.]

[He shifts with Shiro, accommodating for letting him against his side. This is... nice. It's nice in a way he isn't used to. This is Shiro, though, he should expect nice. He's always been kind to Keith, and this isn't an exception.

The touches make his skin jump a little, bringing him down easy from the more risque thoughts he'd had at the start.]

Shiro, what... do you like? For stuff like that.

[He mulls it over for a while. He wants to give Keith a good answer, and an honest one. But ultimately...]

I really don't know.

[He knows what he doesn't like more than what he does. He's always been-- flexible.]

I guess... as long as everyone's happy and enjoying themselves, I never really cared much about the specifics. I mean, I like oral sex, [leave it to Shiro to use the clinical term for it] - giving and receiving - [when he says 'giving' he lets his hand drift a little lower on Keith's stomach, brushing a thumb past his iliac crest. Not quite suggestive, but-- close.] but it's not mandatory for me to have a good time.

Mmm.

[Keith's eyes close with that touch and lets his thoughts linger a bit. When he finally moves, it's just to lean a little to kiss Shiro's chin.]

'm good at giving. Can't say I've ever been on the receiving end.

[But he likes what he likes. It's the most open he's been about his private life with anyone, and even that's still vague.]

[Well, way to make Shiro instantly annoyed at all your apparently selfish former lovers, Keith. His expression twists into something briefly troubled, and then he shakes his head.]

Do you want to change that?

[He has Keith's attention with that. His eyes open again, eyebrows high and watching his face.]

...You'd want to do that?

[wow yep, still mad. He's realizing that when Keith said he'd like to be on his knees, he meant it explicitly as an act of service rather than one of pleasure, and that-- his breath catches on his ribs in a painful throb, and he pushes himself up until he's sitting. Specifically so he can look at Keith directly. Gently,]

Keith. Of course I would.

[Keith is still watching him, almost wary now. The times he'd done this sort of thing before, it was always quick, hushed, and quiet. He enjoyed doing it, but it doesn't mean he ever thought about it being the other way around. The Garrison had tight schedules; he never got the chance.

He carefully reaches up to stroke his cheek, then sits up to get arms around him. As much as he filled out and grew up those two years away, he's still thin compared to Shiro's bulk.]

Then.. whatever you want.

[Shiro's dealt with far worse in his last few years than Keith has his entire life. Shiro deserves to make choices himself, especially matters like this.]

[They really are going in circles. Shiro leans into the hug, pressing himself against Keith's shoulder, kissing at that obvious bruise he'd left there not long ago.]

Come on. Let's go have a shower.

[Start slow. Get used to each other's bodies. He has a feeling that right now, Keith would just see reciprocity as something to be endured rather than something to delight in.]

I--... Sure.

[Those gears changed fast and gave him whiplash. He'd been expecting something else entirely from this conversation, but a shower. Sure. He'd said whatever Shiro wants and that seems to be what he wants.]

You first?

[Assuming they're showering separately, of course.]

Us together.

[He says that patiently, without judgement.]

[A beat, while that registers.]

Oh.

[He's lost the thread of where all this is going and realizes maybe he shouldn't try to guess anymore. He nods, shifting to get out of the bed and letting his hand linger on Shiro's shoulder.]

Then let's go.

[He leads the way, because of course he does, and when he gets to the bathroom he leans into the (large) shower to turn on the (many) faucets. Zarkon must have really enjoyed his luxurious bathing experiences, but Shiro's happy to take advantage of it himself.

He turns to face Keith as steam rises in the room, and then leans forward to kiss him. Slow, sensual. It's his turn to let his teeth catch on Keith's bottom lip as he drops his hand to Keith's pants to undo them.]

[Oh.

Like this, then.

He leans into the kiss, parting his lips for him and hands on Shiro's chest. He lets his hips shift forward to his hand and he wants this, wants it to be easy for Shiro, wants it to be nice. He only breaks away to get his pants down, stepping out of them and leaves them on the floor starting to work on Shiro's.]

You got any plans in here?

[Airily,]

I figured I'd wing this one.

[He strips with efficiency, completely unselfconscious about being in the nude, and steps backwards into the shower, tugging Keith in after him by their linked hands. The water his his shoulders, almost too hot to stand, but after being-- (dead) for so long, he finds he doesn't mind the burn.

(Keith always has run hot.)]

[He's finding his throat is a little dry as he climbs in with him, trying to help balance for Shiro's lack of right arm. The water's hot, the air between them is hot, and Shiro is... Looking really good under the water.

And yeah, he'd be blind if he didn't notice how big Shiro actually is. It's not something he'd really put conscious thought to, but. He really is just that big even relaxed. He rests his hands on both Shiro's hips, thumbing circles into the skin there. He's trying to ignore the water hitting his still sore wounds on his back.]

Like winging it.

[He reaches up to shift the nozzle of the spray away from the worst of Keith's wounds. If he can't, he just adjusts them until they release a gentle mist instead. He knows he's still hurting, even if he won't admit it aloud. Keith's body language is a cipher he's always had the key to.

Then he leans in close and just... wraps an arm around Keith. Appreciating the nearness of another body and soul. It's only tangentially sexual, and even that only because of their mutual nakedness.

Dance with me, huh?

Dance?

[There's a nervous lilt to his smile looking up at him. Dancing in the shower seems like a bad idea. Dancing with Keith seems a worse idea; he's never danced with anyone.

The wet hair is getting in his eyes but he's still watching Shiro's face.]

Seems kinda small to dance in.

[Shiro brushes that hair back, kisses Keith's temple. They really are close to the same height now, even though Keith stayed lanky.]

Don't need much room.

[Neither of them are in the shape for anything crazy. Definitely no swing dancing. But standing here and swaying gently with an arm around Keith isn't terribly taxing. He even hums a little, some old song. At length:]

Keith... whatever we do, I want it to be just as good for you. Okay?

[He doesn't do the stupid thing and ask 'why'. He can guess why. He just has a moment, that impulsive thought that that doesn't apply to me.

But swaying gently like this, up against Shiro and feeling warm. Safe, above all things.]

I know.

[He nuzzles at him gently, mouthing at his ear, dragging his teeth against the lobe.]

Shower has a control panel. I think it can probably make a bench if you ask nicely.

[That gets Shiro a shiver for his troubles, Keith closing his eyes and squeezing his arms.]

A bench huh? [Was the dancing that boring? He takes a breath and looks around, seeing the control panel. Leaning a little bit, he presses his hand to it and watches a bench sort of melt out of the shower wall behind Shiro.]

What d'you know.

[The dancing was wonderful but if he's being honest with himself his leg hurts far too much to keep it up indefinitely. This, though.

He pushes Keith down onto the bench and takes his chances with what he assumes is the Altean equivalent of a shampoo dispenser. It definitely excretes... something that smells like juniberries. He lifts the foamy handful up and inspects it with care, but it makes no sense for it to be a secret bio-weapon. He gives Keith a Look and then shrugs a bit.

Then it's just a matter of working it through Keith's hair. He does it carefully - Keith obviously did not prioritize detangling it in his two year excursion - but firmly, tugging Keith forward against his stomach so he doesn't have to stretch so far.

There are a lot of ways to look after someone. Shiro's always done it by being a protector. But he enjoys the little things like this, too, spoiling his lovers with simple acts of service and care.]

Careful I don't get any in your eyes.

[Keith doesn't understand at first why he's being moved to sit. It becomes clear when he feels the fingers in his hair and that's new. That's a new sensation, having someone wash his hair. It's gentle. It's not something he's used to.

Keith's eyes close slowly as he takes in the scent and the feeling of it. Eventually, he does sort of rest his head against Shiro's stomach, focusing on feeling him breathe.]

Y-yeah. I'll make sure you don't.

[Not thinking much of it, he carefully puts his hands against Shiro's sides.]

[Keith's all but clinging to him like a drowning man, and Shiro just-- his expression is very pensive. A little sad, as he looks down at him. He makes it worth the trouble, gently scraping his nails against Keith's scalp, untangling the knots where he finds them. The shampoo is pretty nice in helping with that. Alteans knew how to take care of hair, he supposes.

He draws it out, being thorough about it, and then once he's gotten his hair thoroughly clean and detangled, he grabs one of the hand-held hoses and rinses the shampoo out as best he can with only one hand (which involves some Doing. He finds himself constantly shifting his balance to accommodate for the weight of the Galra arm moving forward) and then he sets the hose down.]

There. You keep this up, you're going to need to put your hair in a ponytail before a fight.