[ as always, keith is braced for the worst. it's a habit reinforced by years of negative expectation and then some by all the unfortunate turns their fight with the galra have taken. and maybe to an extent, if he's being honest with himself, the clone hadn't exactly helped either.
but above all else? he knows shiro. and though shiro hasn't said as much outright, there's a good chance that the reason underlying their mutual evasiveness is the omnipresent awareness of the rift between their space-time continuums. there's either a time paradox at play or they're from alternate realities and though keith doesn't have slav's manic fatalism, he knows neither option has particularly favorable conclusions about the meaning of their return home.
and if keith knows that, then shiro knows it too. so forgive him, if he looks a bit guarded while waiting to be gently let down for his own good. a held breath gets expelled with a soff: ]
Huh?
[ as shiro defies expectation. comprehension is a bit slow to catch up, and when it does his smile has the unfortunate timing of synching right up with the end of their minute. though his expression flatlines, his attention never leaves shiro. lon sheremi is a joke and as long as his best friend is going to ignore the guy, then keith is determined to treat him like the joke he deserves to be.
which is to say, naturally as soon as he catches shiro's drift, his eyes brighten with mischief. ]
Oh, you're on.
[ is it inadvisable to be running in stiletto boots? probably. but a mere suggestion of wildly irresponsible shiro raising his recalcitrant head is all the fuel keith needs to run a marathon. the two take off, triggering a loud HEY! that only makes keith wheeze with laughter as he runs after shiro towards the exit.
the race that should have ended once they're outside only continues because an out of breath lon sheremi huffs and puffs his way to the door, opens his fly and lets loose a flying orange thing that keith does not stop to get a better look at.
the race extends all the way to shiro's cube with shiro the victor and keith a close second just two strides behind. he leans heavily against the cube wall, laughing, panting and then coughing to get his words out. ]
his baby progress is admirable i suppose
but above all else? he knows shiro. and though shiro hasn't said as much outright, there's a good chance that the reason underlying their mutual evasiveness is the omnipresent awareness of the rift between their space-time continuums. there's either a time paradox at play or they're from alternate realities and though keith doesn't have slav's manic fatalism, he knows neither option has particularly favorable conclusions about the meaning of their return home.
and if keith knows that, then shiro knows it too. so forgive him, if he looks a bit guarded while waiting to be gently let down for his own good. a held breath gets expelled with a soff: ]
Huh?
[ as shiro defies expectation. comprehension is a bit slow to catch up, and when it does his smile has the unfortunate timing of synching right up with the end of their minute. though his expression flatlines, his attention never leaves shiro. lon sheremi is a joke and as long as his best friend is going to ignore the guy, then keith is determined to treat him like the joke he deserves to be.
which is to say, naturally as soon as he catches shiro's drift, his eyes brighten with mischief. ]
Oh, you're on.
[ is it inadvisable to be running in stiletto boots? probably. but a mere suggestion of wildly irresponsible shiro raising his recalcitrant head is all the fuel keith needs to run a marathon. the two take off, triggering a loud HEY! that only makes keith wheeze with laughter as he runs after shiro towards the exit.
the race that should have ended once they're outside only continues because an out of breath lon sheremi huffs and puffs his way to the door, opens his fly and lets loose a flying orange thing that keith does not stop to get a better look at.
the race extends all the way to shiro's cube with shiro the victor and keith a close second just two strides behind. he leans heavily against the cube wall, laughing, panting and then coughing to get his words out. ]
Next time, you're the one running in heels.