[ stay. keith doesn't need to be told twice. eyes closing, he presses his forehead to shiro's chest, inhaling the musk of their lovemaking with a deeply contented smile. ]

M'almost done, sorry, daddy....

[ idly, he lifts his hand, fingers spreading over shiro's left pec before his palm flattens and his cock keeps pace with the pounding rhythm of his boyfriend's heart for one, two beats before his balls finally have nothing else to give. equal parts relieved and disappointed, keith sighs as he plants a lazy kiss on shiro's collarbone. ]

I always feel so good with you. It's like... I don't know where I end and you begin, it's kinda crazy. [ a beat, then he laughs a bit sheepishly. ] I think you scrambled my brain real good, I'm babbling and I don't even know if I'm making any sense.

[ trailing off, keith wrinkles his brow in silent contemplation. slowly, but steadily he lifts his head, flashing shiro a warm smile. ]

So I guess all those dumb songs about being in love that don't make any sense actually did make sense in their own way.

[ who'd have thought? but with zero concern wasted on the joys of falling into tired cliches, keith revels in a very simple pleasure. ]

Love you.

[ and with that, he lifts up, and rocks forward in an attempt to keep his soft cock nestled inside while also pressing a lingering sweetheart kiss to shiro's lips. ]

It feels amazing just to tell you that.

[ because in the moment, their story doesn't feel like some inevitable tragedy of lovers from different universes, but some love epic worthy of its own constellation.

... but that isn't right, is it?

slowly but surely, every pesky fact, every ugly reality of their situation starts coming back into focus. imperceptibly at first, like an idle thought about the shapeshifter aliens in the hangar until keith's awareness broadens just enough that when he repeats his words another time, his tone is laced with desperation that wasn't there before. ]

I- I love you.