[ closed ]

[earthshine]

Who: shiro + keith
When: perm log for these idiots
Where: all over
Summary: say, say o playmate from the august tdm. the butcher's camp from the september tdm. quarter pounder from the september event. keith's birthday. hermy the wormy from the december tdm. in the hive from the december event.new year, new you from the january tdm. end of january, references january event.
Warnings:
say, o say o playmate: hallucination, blood, ritualistic sacrifice, claustrophobia.
the butcher's camp: animal death, animal mutilation, both human and animal butchery, implied cannibalism, stripping ( nsfw ).
quarter pounder: blood, animal attack, consumption of human flesh, violence, gore, body horror, potential for severe injury, including puncture wounds and broken bones, potential for choking, potential for animal death.
keith's birthday: boys being stupid.
hermy the wormy: worms, decay, altered mental states/compulsion, emotional corruption, potential for violence, body mutilation, attempted murder.
in the hive: insects/swarms, bites, vomiting, body horror, death ( npcs ), mental and physical trauma
new year, new you: self-doubt, body dysmorphia trauma, cringe talk about sex safety, hook-up culture, body modification ( steroid and synthol oil use ), mention of drug use
end of january: implied animal death, self-doubt, body image issues, body dysmorphia, self-harm, body mutilation, skin burning, drug use mention ( tren steroid ), implied extreme dieting ( starvation & dehydration ), nsfw ( heavy petting and nudity ). reference to shiro's scars.

Comments

shush now

[marmoron]

[ the perplexed look on shiro's face is a glorious sight to behold and keith can't help feeling a little smug. rolling one shoulder with unnecessary exaggeration, he smirks, but doesn't laugh. ]

It works in my favor. [ a beat. can shiro guess what the reasoning is? ] Because it's my birthday today.

[ here, he does crack and laugh a little. is this what they mean when they say 'drunk with power?' keith doesn't know, but becoming a low key birthday tyrant is fun while it lasts. reaching across, he gives shiro's floof a vigorous lil scrub and pulls back, all cheeky smiles. ]

/leaves this on read

[earthshine]

[ shiro has regrets. he’s created a birthday monster. it was amusing a minute ago – and frankly, still is – but keith’s getting a little too big for his britches… that he isn’t even wearing. dammit. retaliation isn’t a choice at this point; it’s a necessity. keith assaults his floof and shiro snatches that wrist, hauling keith closer until he can get another, more solid grip on him. ]

You little twerp!

[ a short tussle and a more muscled pull later, and they’re right back to where they were five minutes ago: duking it out in a round of wrestling. this time, shiro isn’t playing idle, which is, perhaps, why it lasts so long. five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, how long has it been? every time one manages a pin, that success is ripped away and it’s right back to fast moving limbs, grasping hands and bodies trying to leverage weight.

the bed is ruined; actually ruined. a few tosses into it, shiro remembers the sorry state of his pants, purely because his head ends up pressed to the bedding right next to a smear of meat bits. the wrestling continues though. surely tomato sauce washes out? the comforter is crooked, half off the bed, pillows are knocked to the floor – hopefully nowhere near the pizza carcass – and the fitted sheet has been untucked from the two, top corners.

his poor bed…

doesn’t matter though, because it all pays off in the end, with shiro on top and keith underneath him. it’s reminiscent of the pin that started all of this but this time, it’s solid. strong. shiro’s confident in the heavy seat of his ass on keith’s thighs and the lean of his body, supported by locked arms, both hands holding keith’s wrists to the mattress. grinning wide on a blossoming sense of victory, the shortness of shiro’s breath does little to take away from that. ]

Ha! Not so smug now, are you, birthday boy?

WOW,

[marmoron]

[ their roles are briefly reversed when shiro makes his initial grab and keith does absolutely nothing to try and put up a proper resistance to being pulled right back onto the bed. this time, shiro takes the play fighting a little more seriously and keith is finally happy with the indirect confirmation that things are returning to normal.

it ought to be disgusting, really. shiro's kept his tragic pants on, and the remains of their pizza are being smeared all around the bed, and probably on keith himself meaning he's going to need a shower rather than a simple of change of clothes, but honestly? when he isn't focusing, he's laughing, but focusing takes precedent when his best friend grapples and means it.

of course, eventually he's out of breath and much much sooner than he'd like to be. a light elbow, a firm grip here and there are impossible to avoid completely and his healing ribs start to ache. nonetheless, keith isn't exactly about to take getting pinned this go around lying down, so he tries anyway. bending both legs, he drives his heels into the mattress to lift up and see if he can twist to his sides. with his torso pressed down under shiro's weight though, it's clear keith isn't going anywhere -- at least not without putting more strain on his ribs.

he tries not to grimace, but the sharp breath and wince is all too obvious anyway. the twinge subsides immediately as keith relaxes again, but the damage is already done, isn't it? fuck. keith forges on like nothing happened. ]

Putting me down on my birthday. THat's just cruel.

[ banter with him, please. ]

[earthshine]

[ the attempt is valiant… and wholly unsuccessful. in the aftermath of that wince, shiro’s delighted expression slacks on a hard blink and then his jovial mood evaporates just as quickly. concern ushers in and with it, shiro is soft-gazed and weathering through his own grimace. ]

Shit. [ he lets up the pressure on keith’s wrists, only to let go completely. he lets his hands hover for a beat and then he sits up fully, fingers curling into his palms. ]

This was a bad idea.

[ he knew it. this is why he’d been so hesitant the first go-around. he shouldn’t have let keith rile him up like this and forget – fuck, not that this is keith’s fault in any way. it’s shiro’s. he should’ve stuck to his earlier decision and kept those kids gloves firmly pulled on. can he say any of this though? no. he’s fairly certain if he dares to suggest blame for himself or issue an apology, keith will have words. the bad idea is already skating on thin ice. ]

Here, lemme just… [ he doesn’t finish it. merely presses his lips together on a frown and shifts on his knees, getting his weight off keith. now just to unstraddle his hips and give keith all the space he needs.]

[marmoron]

[ and this result right here is exactly why keith didn't want shiro to notice a damn thing. not because he particularly enjoys being pinned but because he doesn't like the way shiro tiptoes around his physical well being. moreover: ]

It wasn't a bad idea.

[ stated firmly, without hesitation. as shiro starts to untangle himself, keith interferes, similarly without pause. first, legs wrap tight around shiro's back, and as soon as his wrists are free, he grabs shiro's wrists tight, holding him in place to look him directly in the eye. ]

It was nice to roughhouse with you again. I was having a lot of fun.

[earthshine]

[ huh. so it’s possible to be pinned while on top. shiro’s got himself a barnacle. or a koala. a koala is more accurate; keith’s got the clinging down pat. caught mentally flat-footed – and too uncertain in his physicality – shiro freezes. pulling away seems counterproductive at this point when the risk of jarring keith further is very much there, and so he lets keith do what he wants, instead acting like the deer in the headlights as keith forces him to stay. he’s helpless to look away. keith keeps his gaze and… oh. oh. so that’s what is going on. ]

Me too.

[ it comes out soft; just as gentle as the gentling of his eyes. he doesn’t forget the wince but he finds solace in the fact that keith is relaxed and steadfast, completely confident in the current state of his healing to hold on as he is. so maybe shiro is overreacting. maybe he shouldn’t try to wrap keith in bubble wrap at the first sign of discomfort. keith knows himself. keith is fine. it’s been weeks upon weeks upon weeks and shiro…? well: ]

I’ve missed you. [ there’s a self-conscious laugh that follows that, feeling the bare minimum of embarrassment for admitting as much. he’s seen keith every day since the incident. keith’s been back in the apartment for weeks. still, today is the first day that they’ve felt a little more like them.

he smiles, a touch shy. ] Kind of feels like I finally have my best friend back.

[marmoron]

[ shiro gentles in his grip, but keith can't quite bring himself to relax. as easy as shiro can be to talk to, it's still a precious thing to feel connected -- like they're actually understanding each other, rather than just horsing around.

it's three simple words, arguably far less consequential than the three shiro had given him in the forest, but they still make keith's heart flutter in his chest. i've missed you. it ought to be ludicrous because yeah, they've seen each other every day, but the words so perfectly encapsulate what he'd been feeling and trying to say, but couldn't articulate.

he never drops eye contact, even as he slowly loosens his hold on shiro's wrists, expression warming with a kind of shy hopefulness. ]

I've missed you, too.

[ is the sentiment really that simple? was all that frustration he'd felt about shiro being overly careful really as simple as heartache over someone who's right there? it's so weird to think, if only because missing someone has always been about a tangible void in his life. but then this.. just feels right somehow and really good to finally say. ]

I've missed you a whole lot.

[earthshine]

[ it’s already been chaotic learning how to live in this new reality without their friends, without familiar sights, weather or even societal norms, but they’ve made due by sticking close together. the last long while has been particularly trying though. the easy feel of their friendship has been laboring through the disarray. it’s been a little like being on their own. keith going stir crazy at the clinic, keith being out of commission during honeydew, pain med highs, shiro acting like a ridiculous worrywart up until this very moment – it’s been long enough and shiro hopes they’re on that homestretch, ready to slide home, and restore some normalcy to their very abnormal lives.

with the pressure loose on his wrists, shiro pulls them free and presses them to the bed to better support the hover of his body. he leans slightly more into keith with the adjust, seemingly unconcerned at the current positioning of their bodies. he’s aware… but also not. it's difficult to give his attention to much of anything when keith’s looking up at him, tentative in his hope, with his smile and gaze both heartachingly honest and shy and sweet and – ]

Yeah?

[ it comes out breathy, clearly hopeless in his delight upon hearing keith misses him just as much. eagerness has him leaning down further, palm support shifting to forearm support instead, and still, he’s undeterred by the closeness. if anything, it eggs him on to have him teasing: ]

A whole lot? That’s serious.

[marmoron]

[ physical proximity really registers differently when the distraction of wrestling is removed from the equation. rather than focusing on how to approach for the next pin or how to maneuver out of one, his thoughts purely converge on shiro and the way they're aligned and entangled as shiro inches closer to his face.

it shouldn't kickstart a thumping heart rhythm, but it does -- an awful loopy thing that makes keith want to squirm. he swallows slowly, adam's apple bobbing visibly up down in his throat as he tries to figure out what to say. the honesty from one second ago has become teasing, and the whiplash is something he needs an extra beat to recover from. slowly, cautiously he lifts up his hand and sets it on his best friend's shoulder. whether that's meant as an invitation to come further down or act as a barrier to preserve what space is left over, keith couldn't say. ]

Is it?

[ unlike shiro, keith isn't smiling back, but the question is asked still in that overly earnest tone. ]

[earthshine]

[ keith may not have made a solid decision on whether he wants shiro closer or farther, but shiro takes that shoulder grasp for what it usually is: a steadying grip of encouragement and support. shiro doesn’t follow it up with any major differences though. he doesn’t come closer, neither does he move away; he simply stays hovered, already close, still smiling despite how keith appears too off-kilter to mirror. ]

Yeah.

[ this time, the teasing of this voice is gone. honeyed-warm and faintly amused that keith, perhaps, took what he said at face value, shiro extends his fingers of his left out, flicking at the hair draped over keith’s ear. ]

That’s a good thing. [ it wasn’t a call-out. would be pretty silly for shiro to fault keith for missing shiro with such earnest intensity, when shiro is just as: ]

I’m serious about this too. [ missing him. wanting to be with him in all his pockets of free time. the lines might be getting blurred a bit on what shiro is talking about exactly but the sentiment is the same: he’s happiest when he and keith are carefree like this and he wants more of it. ]

[marmoron]

[ so shiro's also serious about missing him? it's good to know, reassuring even if it's a teensy bit redundant. but that's really not the problem here. the problem is that his best friend is still hovering above him, smiling warm and fod, and keith feels utterly doe eyed and paralyzed basking in the sweet glow.

whatever's going on with his heart doesn't do him the courtesy of knocking it off, and instead the wriggly feeling spreads to his stomach. if he were in any state of mind to analyze, he'd realize that's what people mean when they talk about butterflies in their stomach. as it is though, his head's gone completely blank on how to continue this conversation that shiro wants to have.

uh-huh? that's good? -- yeah, no. he'd rather never speak again. wanting very badly to swallow and re-wet his mouth and lips, keith instead breathes out, fingers tentatively spreading wide around shiro's shoulder. ]

I.... um.. Had a really nice birthday today.

[ it's a complete non-sequitur -- one that he should really be kicking himself for, but he's entirely sincere about it. ]

Thanks.

[earthshine]

[ shiro is dangerously close to continuing right on with redundancy. me too is on the tip of his tongue. by some grace of the universe, keith slips in a thanks before shiro can keep them circling in place and with that offering, the softness of shiro’s expression clears somewhat.

the teasing is back, though not quite as blatant as before. ]

It’s not over yet.

[ they still have pumpkins to carve and a large pizza to polish off. he knows what keith means, of course, but he grins and tugs gently at a section of hair, splayed there on the bedding. one tug, two and then he relents on that teasing, once more gentling with honesty. ]

But I’m happy to hear that. I’m glad I could do this for you. [ a pause. perhaps that’s where he should have stopped, remembered his cue to unwind keith’s legs and put some distance between them, but he’s so caught up in having keith staring up at him, that his mouth starts running. ]

We could do things like this more often. You know, set aside a day each week to get away from ADI and go out.

[ – and do things. similarly to how they used to escape the garrison compound to go hoverbiking. there’s nothing keeping them from doing whatever they want, when they want together, but with their immense duty here between jobs around hq and investigating out in the field, it would be nice to have something structured. some assurance that they don’t lose track of time and forget how to be friends outside of responsibility. ]

[marmoron]

[ the twin tugs at his hair makes keith wrinkle his nose with mock indignation. but even that is half hearted at best. where his head had been running circles trying to figure out what to say and how to proceed, shiro just takes all the pressure off by giving the conversation more of a structured direction.

maybe that's for the best? keith couldn't say for sure on this count either. where words tend to fail him, action doesn't. but what would action even have looked like here? an experimental kiss back on the forehead? ]

...Heh.

[ the short laugh bursts out of him as more of that nervous tension gets released. looks like he doesn't have to think about this any further, huh? ]

I like the sound of that.

[ mind you, he doesn't know what they're gonna find to do together, but he supposes that'll be their problem to tackle and solve together. after another moment, he reaches up with his other hand to give floof a tug. ]

Dunno if we're gonna find anything as cool as cliff diving though.

[earthshine]

[ true. there isn’t much on earth that can rival gunning a hoverbike engine and propelling oneself off a cliff. it’s been months since he first ran a google search, hoping against reason that a hoverbike for sale ad would pop up. the year is far too early, he knew that, but it never hurts to try, right? there are less intricate things to occupy themselves with though; activities that have been around for eons that they didn’t get to try much at all in arizona. ]

I should’ve taken you surfing months ago when it was warmer. [ he smiles through the words, even as regret twinges his voice. considering their first encounter with the supernatural involved creatures lurking in the waves, shiro has an excuse. still, looking back on sunny days, he does see the missed opportunity for what it is. it’ll be months before they’re through fall and winter. ]

Did it a bit when I was younger. [ not particularly well. he was barely into his teens when he shipped off to arizona for galaxy garrison, not to mention his medical problems had him spending a lot of his free time with doctors as they tried to pin down an accurate diagnosis of what was wrong with him. perhaps it’s like riding a bike though; you never quite forget the skill. and even if it’s not, he and keith can learn how to do it together. it’s a nice thought and he almost hopes they get the chance to try it out come spring. they’d be coming up on a year being here though, is that truly what he wants? ]

There’s also – [ and he cuts off on a loud knock. ] Oh, pizza.

[ he almost forgot. heh. the warm ambience breaks and all at once, he comes to, every inch of body contact coming into focus. he huffs to keep himself centered on the goal without getting sidetracked; he’s very diligent then, as he pushes himself up and untangles from keith’s legs. he gets up from his ruined bed, knowing he shouldn’t look but his gaze goes there anyway: as he stands up, he looks at keith there against the ruined bedding, hair a mess from all their wrestling and borrowed shirt askew on his shoulders, hem pushed at the waist to showcase boxers and those very long legs.

he clears his throat and skirts his gaze away, giving himself a mental shake as he starts moving toward the door. he picks up his previous train of thought: ]

Sledding. [ it comes out a touch louder than necessary. he pulls at his floof, putting life back into it and forces a smile as he goes. ] I’ll get you one of those saucers when the snow sticks. A red one.

[ he’s almost to the door. right before he exits, he tosses a grin over his shoulder and then he’s out of sight, calling back: ] And we’ll find the steepest hill in Gloucester.

[ he doesn’t remember the mess of his pants until the delivery boy – the same one as before, unfortunately – eyes up the stain, so shiro has no recourse other than to smile and laugh awkwardly through a non-explanation. yeah, had an accident. the rest of the evening is nice though. pizza eaten without incident, pumpkins finally carved and set out on the balcony with tiny candles lit inside – yes, everything goes well. the clean up of shiro’s room isn’t bad either. the trash bags handle most of the mess. as for the bed? shiro will take the comforter and sheets to the cleaners tomorrow; thankfully he has a spare set of sheets for tonight.

by the end of it all, it’s closing in on eleven and while it earns shiro a teasing old-timer, he’s beat and ready to call it a night. not without wishing keith one last happy birthday and a goodnight though. ridiculously walking keith over to his door, they share their nightly ritual of a hug and its then that keith, looking shy with his bright yellow, cactus candy box clutched between his hands, tiptoes to press a kiss to shiro’s cheek.

keith’s crafty. he asks shiro to close his eyes first.

by the time the surprise ebbs and shiro snaps open his eyes, he gets a glimpse of keith pink faced and scrambling, ducking into his room with the door clicking shut almost instantaneously. shiro stares at the paneling of keith’s door for long moments and then slowly turns away, stepping the short distance to his own room.

huh. so is this how keith felt when shiro pressed a kiss to his forehead? shiro bites his lip and feels the smallest of smiles tug at the corner of his mouth. huh indeed. he wonders then, if keith is stuck thinking, just as shiro had been, that it felt right too. ]