[ he just barely catches himself from opening his mouth to brush off that apology. afterall, it’s not keith’s fault that the powder got the better of him. but by that logic, why is he blaming himself? the standard isn’t the same and shiro is never as quite fair to himself as he is to others. mouth remaining shut, he works his jaw on the clenching of his teeth and swallows through the garble that won’t come, all the while thinking, it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine.

no, keith was right on the following part. this is so far from fine and likely, not a one-time thing. malachite loves playing with them. there’s no telling what it will come up with next, only that something will come. best to mentally prepare himself for it, because what else is there to do? put distance between keith and himself? no. just now, shiro had been blocks away. and before, with the transformations, keith tracked him down. no matter what, it seems as though they find their way back to each other and that’s… he doesn’t know. comforting in some sense. troubling in another.

he sighs then, looking to keith perched there on the coffee table and nods faintly. ]

I know. [ to everything: stupid planet, it not being fine, this is how it is ( get used to it ). the small smile settles him, even forced as it is, and while shiro still has that miserable look about him, he doesn’t leave keith alone in this. he tries for a smile of his own. ]

But promise me. If this happens again… shove me in the closet and barricade the door.

[ he’s choosing to ignore the glaring probability that keith will likely be as compromised. but half an hour ago, keith hadn’t been, right? shiro can’t say exactly when keith’s powder effects wore off. he only knows that they did before shiro’s. so next time -- and hell, he’s inwardly cringing at the mere suggestion -- he’d rather keith not indulge shiro’s whims. keith deserves better than having to deal with… that. ]

You’d be doing both of us a favor.