earthshine | ⊚ noctium ic contact.

[ ping. this is spiraling. it doesn’t take a genius to piece it together. that text was a misfire; meant for someone else. and keith doesn’t want to tell him.

which is fine.
ping.
keith can do whatever he wants. whoever he wants.

ugh.
the thought has him looking up. up ahead, there’s a cloud of -- rainbow? kids are laughing, running amongst a crowd and shiro thinks, huh, so that’s the rag'nbogi hub-bub he’s been hearing about?

ping.

ah, well, attention drops back to the phone on the third text. ]

You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not my business.

[ Keith doesn't reply to this right away. Despite what Shiro's saying, it still feels like this convo took a strange turn somewhere because he hadn't wanted to explain why getting hit with bluepowder had immediately made him send Shiro a mortifying message. His brow furrows, but hearing more cheers headed his way, he decides that the air is probably safer and flies straight up to the nearest rooftop. He takes a seat, letting his legs dangle over the edge. ]

it's just embarrassing is all

[ and what has happened in the timeframe between shiro’s last text and keith finding his way to a nearby rooftop?

green. a lot of green.

shiro coughs on it, rubbing at his eyes and then blinking rapidly to dislodge the powder clinging to his eyelashes. god damn children. if they weren’t already running off to harass their next victim, shiro would…

probably do nothing. because his focus shifts and he has something far more pressing to attend to than disciplining some hooligans. ]

It’s fine.

[ it’s not. he glares at those two words, half-hoping keith reads between the lines. ]

So did you resend it?

[ Ugh. why did he let himself get lulled into thinking they could move on and talk about something else? Keith scrubs his hand down his face. He gives the brick wall a slightly petulant kick. He'll regret doing that in a minute because the thump makes a native gem pop their head out of a window to look up and then mysteriously retreat. ]

you really think that's a good idea?

[ petulant, shiro leaves keith on read. how that’s supposed to punish keith, shiro doesn’t know, but it makes him feel better. as though he has some sort of control here.

in the meantime, he ducks into an alcove of a nearby shop. tiny, makeshift, almost garden area -- the most important detail is that it’s empty. and off the main thoroughfare. ]

Why are you asking me? You thought a booty call was a great idea until a couple minutes ago.

[ Keith reads that message, horrified. It's bad enough that Allura thinks he's flirting with her, he can't handle Shiro assuming this about him anymore. But as he's about to just fess up, the door to the roof slams open from behind him and the kids from downstairs come running up armed with horns and shimmering powder.

Startled, Keith damn near falls off the roof. Maybe that would have been better overall, actually, because there's blue powder being thrown at him. The kids scurry off giggling, while Keith gets the stuff off his face.

Goddamn. He should really just be going home since apparently nowhere is safe, But his mood's taken another twist, another turn and he re-reads the message with a grin. ]

heh. you're right. i guess i shouldn't give up on that so quickly
thanks for the encouragement 😘

Edited 2021-03-11 06:03 (UTC)

[ now shiro’s the one left on read. lips press tight and then he’s pouting, glaring at the little shrub in a square cut-out of grass. another five seconds pass without a ping and shiro loses it, kicking at that shrubbery.

though, when the ping finally comes? the jealousy flares hotter, churning dangerously with frustration, disappointment, sadness…?

yeah. that stings in a way shiro can’t explain when his head is so muddled. ]

Right. Good luck with your guy I guess.

[ send and now he’s half tempted to stomp on the shrub. ]

[ Shiro can't see it obviously, but the response makes Keith laugh. There are bigger priorities here, like getting the fuck off the roof before the kids get bored again or whatever, but he's enjoying this convo a little too much to care. ]

thanks
hope it's not weird that you know my guy pretty well

[ what
the
hell?

he personally knows keith’s booty call? that’s it -- shrub, you’re dead. ]

Clearly not as well as you do.

[ why yes, now shiro is standing on top of the shrub, its tiny branches flattened an’ spread under the weight of his boots. ]

[ This poor shrub did nothing wrong, and Keith is unwittingly encouraging its demise. Oh well. Keith gets to his feet, eyeing the drop down from the roof back to the street below. ]

i don't know about that
you two are pretty close from what i can tell

[ ah fuck. that’s the only bit of warning shiro is allowed when a hoard of terrorizers round into his safe haven. there’s an uproar of hollering, heckling and screeching laughter.

it’s a bloodbath of red.

the wall behind shiro is splattered with powder. the murdered shrub is too. again, shiro breathes too much of it in and ends up coughing on it. he opens his eyes and feels… unbalanced. sweet, yet sour. warm on intent, yet steely cold from jealous disappointment.

he tightens his grip, the phone’s casing giving one ominous creak. ]

No. We aren’t. Anyone who knows me would realize I don’t share.

[ best... friends? there's more to it than that. clearly. shiro doesn't refute it in the moment, although he doesn't label it either. all he knows is keith and him belong together, as friends, as allies, as -- whatever. and whoever this usurper is, needs to gtfo. ]

[ Huh. Okay, that's new. "I don't share: is a pretty far cry from "It's none of my business" and the difference has even Keith, riding high on a whimsical mood as he is, staring at his phone for an extra beat. A light breeze sends an abandoned horn rolling into his ankle and he picks it up almost absent mindedly as he considers the shift in attitude.

Well. Can't say he dislikes it, so that's easy enough. Shiro's been a friend for lots of people, but of course Keith likes to think that what they have goes above and beyond that. A brother? Best friend? Neither of those things sit quite right, though he'll go word hunting later. Right now, there's a bit of tantalizing potential in this that Keith wants to prod at. ]

oh? you want to make me yours?

[ The more he mulls the words over, the more it seems to click neatly into place. He'll have to put a pin in that one. ]

[ it’s like an itch he can’t scratch. no, better yet, it’s like his skin is too tight and he can’t relax. the agitation builds and there isn’t an outlet to expend the energy that has his fingers flexing an’ his feet pacing. back an’ forth, he paces in that cut-out between shops and stares at the tiny screen until the next text comes through.

initially, his feet still and he pauses there, just long enough to drag his voice low on a displeased sound. a growl? if shiro had the capability to be embarrassed by himself, he surely would be, but instead, he’s too distracted on the venehement you’re already mine.

is he though? truly?

shiro picks up his pacing again. no, he’s not. shiro’s been confusing and their unbreakable team dynamic has suffered in the wake. no wonder keith’s gone searching outside their partnership for distraction, attention, companionship. hmph. apparently, shiro’s company isn’t fulfilling enough to sate keith’s baser instincts. ]

Yeah. You’re gonna be mine.

[ the focus of his jealousy twists and it becomes volatile under the strain of frustrated passion. he’s mad suddenly, not at the mysterious rival but at keith himself. how dare he be there when he should be here. ]

When I’m through with you, you’ll forget all about this other guy.

[ It ought to be hilarious that Shiro hasn't worked out who said "other guy" is yet, but the...threat? promise? both?? dilutes the amusement with a curious tingle that runs straight down Keith's spine. The day spent at Filia bubbles back up to surface as it occasionally does when Keith lets his thoughts drift too much at night when there aren't any other distractions around.

In some way, maybe this whole conversation is just following the natural entropy of their relationship. Put that way, it seems absurd to question it. Futile, even. Especially when he believes 100% that Shiro can and would make good on those words. ]

you think so?
i was gonna rendezvous with him at the apartment in a bit but maybe you should come back now so i can introduce you

[ there’s an inconsistency here. keith said shiro knew the other guy. now he’s saying he’ll introduce him? for one, brief shining moment of clarity, shiro pauses in all manners of the word -- feet stilled, mind quiet, emotions banked. but rendezvous with him at the apartment stands out and it buries logic under the far more potent urge to break something.

the device only just barely evades becoming collateral damage. the stone model of a robin sitting on the edge of a bird bath? not so lucky. it fits too easily in the palm of a galra, glowing hand. ]

Do you do that often?

[ he’s mad again. though, that implies he ever stopped being mad. hurt too; borderline betrayed. keith’s been saying for weeks that the apartment is as much shiro’s as it is his and yet-- ]

Bring guys back to our place?

[ Again, this line of questioning ought to be mortifying, except... Keith's finding it a little endearing. ]

all the time

[ He sends that off, then pockets his phone to take a few steps back and then do a running jump off the roof. Y'know. One of those maneuvers that Shiro might have described as "showing off" but what can Keith say? Who gives Keith powers and expects him to use them responsibly? He lets himself free fall for a beat, then another, before the magic kicks in and he lands on his feet as gentle as a feather. There's at least one native gem giving him the stink eye for the stunt on Shiro's behalf, but all Keith does is laugh and sends off a follow up message. ]

just the one guy though 😉

[ if shiro’d seen that showboating, he’d be turned on, even without the red.

but in other news, he’s stomping out of his refuge. actual stomping. he cuts off an older native as he finds his way back on the street, but has some semblance of manners left to say sorry. although, the gruff voice and the sour expression take away from any sincerity.

since when does keith bring a guy back? all the time? shiro isn’t gone that often. how has he not noticed? or crossed paths with him? ]

Must be a special guy.

[ shiro hates him already. ]

[ Huh. And here Keith thought that last message made it more obvious who he's actually talking about. Maybe Shiro's playing a game here or something?? Fishing for compliments?? Keith thinks that one over while heading back to their apartment. Being out and about is a hazard though, with so many folks celebrating with more of that powder. ]

he's the best part of my life

[ There. Have your compliment, you giant glutton. ]

[ oh.

… oh.

reading that has his steps slowing and suddenly, the apartment seems so far away. unattainable in the way that he mind goes what’s the point. three’s a crowd, right? and keith is, apparently, more than happy with his new dude. ]

So it’s serious.

[ the thought of it being more than some fuck around, booty call fun makes it sting so much worse. ]

[ See, this is where he'd be backpedaling and going oh shit because this would imply Shiro doesn't like that it could be serious. Horrifying. Absolutely horrifying.

Buuuuuut blue powder is powerful stuff and the reply just gets a raised eyebrow and a huffed laugh. ]

maybe. but i thought you were going to make me forget
just talking big then?

[ all of this comes down to one question: is it worth the fight? yes. of course yes. lying down, rolling over, and letting whoever this challenger is snatch his best friend away is unacceptable. it takes him a few moments to hype that earlier bravado back into existence, but soon, he’s double-timing his stride and beelining it back to the apartment.

he can’t be that great.

it can’t be that serious.

they’ve been here, what, six, seven weeks? people don’t fall head over heels that quickly -- right? ]

I’m on my way. See you in ten.

[ and even if they do, shiro still has his not just big talk shot to take. ]

[ Aha, that's the spirit! Despite looking a little smurfy right now, Keith is feeling pretty pleased with that fire he's lit under Shiro's ass. Maybe it's the fact that he, for once, looks like he's getting on with the program and celebrating like everyone else that's keeping mishchievous ruffians from throwing more powder at him on the way home or maybe that's just coincidence. Either way, Shiro gets another text that's completely oblivious to what he's done here. ]

ok see you soon then 🥰

[ It's not a race, but Keith makes it back to their apartment before Shiro does. Turns out Amethyst speed and the ability to fly over blocked crowds is pretty nifty. Nonetheless a Shiro in motion is no pushover and Keith only gets a few minutes in the bathroom attempting to get a comb through his hair when he hears the door opening. ]

That you, Shiro?

[ Not that anyone else has a key, but habit. ]

Edited 2021-03-12 01:52 (UTC)

[ so. about those crowds -- ten is bordering on sixteen by the time shiro climbs the stairs and gets open the door of keith’s apartment. steps in, nudges the door shut with a back pat of his foot and… great, he’s barely beyond the threshold and the annoyance is spiking. ]

Yeah.

[ thankfully, the call-back is brief enough that it can’t really carry his frustration into the other room. just -- what? who the hell else would it be? did keith have a key cut for his mystery man?

“maybe” serious his ass.

the apartment isn’t made for two people ( and certainly isn’t made for three, hmph ), so it doesn’t take any sort of guess work to figure out where keith is.

shiro’s an absolute mess; his head and hair are a complete mixture of red an’ green, with some streak marks across his eyes, his mouth where he’s clearly brushed his hand. neck, shoulders, upper torso are splattered as well, but the lower portion seemed to have fared much better. his emotions aren’t any less chaotic either. he’s frowning when he steps--barges into the bathroom, saddling up behind keith and eyeing him for one long moment in the reflection before-- ]

What are you doing with that?

[ some day, some way, he might be able to look back on this and find something funny in the absolute scandalous pitch of his voice. but right now, all he can process is: comb. the key was already a big deal, but keith detangling his rat’s nest for this guy coming over?

fuck, maybe shiro doesn’t stand a chance. ]

[ One moment Keith is frowning, fighting his way through a tangle, the next Shiro bursts into the bathroom looking like he's had a brawl with a watermelon. Keith has no right to laugh, considering his look ain't much better, but he blinks a little owlishly at the colorful intrusion. The weirdly hostile question only adds to his confusion, which is why his initial response is exceptionally well spoken. ]

Uh... [ No really, what. Expectation: a playful Shiro, Reality: whatever the fuck this is???? What is this even about? The comb??? That can't be right -- can it? He gestures at it tentatively, clearly expecting to be wrong: ] ... you mean this?

[ .... Wait, no. Rather than have a conversation with Shiro's reflection in the mirror, he twists a little to look behind him, free hand reaching up to brush a splattering of red powder off of Shiro's cheek. ]

Did something bad happen on the way home?

[ … though, on second thought, why is he so concerned about a comb? keith’s blue. meaning he’s not exactly cleaning up for this guy. and look at that, keith abandons whatever meager freshening he’s doing to instead look at shiro and touch shiro’s cheek. ha! shiro: 1. usurper: 0.

the attention settles the rattling in his skull and the aggression tempers. green still colors his emotions, just as red seeps in at the edges, but for the first time in a long while, shiro doesn’t feel like he’s on the brink of losing it. of losing keith, either.

he breathes deep and then exhales slow on a: ]

No.

[ there’s nothing remarkable about the bathroom. the make of it is small with one body, but with two standing inside, it’s cramped, especially when one of those bodies comes with shiro’s wide set of shoulders. it puts them closer to one another. he burns hotter then, knowing there’s so little space between them and thinking in the same breath, that it’s still too much. shoot his shot? he huffs on the reminder and steps forward. ]

Just -- people. Too many people.

[ galra metal goes to the countertop and grips at the lip, flesh hand hooking around keith’s waistline. palm presses to his lower belly and shiro takes another step. two. he bumps his pelvis to keith’s backside and settles in with a slight bend, the whole of him crowding into keith’s space. he drops his face into the mess of black an’ blue, nosing at his ear. ]

Made it harder to get back to you.

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this is shiro's 'game-on that dick is mine' face

i'm laughing.. shiro pls.....

abort, abort

I can't believe this

i can already see it. this comb thing is going to become a joke, just like the gills