[ … okay, that isn’t anything remotely close to what shiro is anticipating. it feels like it’s straight out of left field, though, perhaps it shouldn’t feel like that at all. he guessed that the question would be seeking one last reassurance before shiro ducks out and microwave zaps their cup noodles into oblivion. this is that, isn’t it? best friends, family, brothers: all of it is reaffirmation that they love and value each other. if that’s true though, why is he hesitating?
he’s been tossing family and brother around in his head without batting an eye for months now but something about hearing it in keith’s voice, specifically with little brother, is off-putting, although he can’t exactly put his finger on the why. it reminds him of the beginning, when he was playing mentor to a tentatively willing mentee. it speaks of power imbalance and uneven footing, and although shiro likes to pull rank in a team dynamic they don’t technically have anymore, he more often thinks of keith and him as equals.
all of this is a crock. if keith had dropped little, shiro would still be wrinkling his nose on an inexplicable feeling of unease. brothers neither think nor engage in kissing each other on the mouth. most of all, they certainly don’t crave it while continuously telling themselves no.
lie. lie. say yes or at the very least, nod his head and be done with this discussion before the truth of the matter comes to light. he can’t. fine. then come clean. say no and say he remembers that night, and still thinks about it often. he can’t do that either.
no subject
he’s been tossing family and brother around in his head without batting an eye for months now but something about hearing it in keith’s voice, specifically with little brother, is off-putting, although he can’t exactly put his finger on the why. it reminds him of the beginning, when he was playing mentor to a tentatively willing mentee. it speaks of power imbalance and uneven footing, and although shiro likes to pull rank in a team dynamic they don’t technically have anymore, he more often thinks of keith and him as equals.
all of this is a crock. if keith had dropped little, shiro would still be wrinkling his nose on an inexplicable feeling of unease. brothers neither think nor engage in kissing each other on the mouth. most of all, they certainly don’t crave it while continuously telling themselves no.
lie. lie. say yes or at the very least, nod his head and be done with this discussion before the truth of the matter comes to light. he can’t. fine. then come clean. say no and say he remembers that night, and still thinks about it often. he can’t do that either.
so shiro evades, giving a generalized: ]
I think of you as family.