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It's good to have Shiro back. Immensely. He knows Shiro may not understand this to it's full extent but it doesn't stop him from laughing into his shoulder when he drapes a comforting arm over Keith's neck.
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"It's unrealistic." Lance exasperates. They're at the kitchen table, as Pidge screws apart his laptop for improvements. "Lance," Pidge starts, a tad bit annoyed at his antics. "We're in space. Aliens exist. We're practically guardians of the galaxy considering how huge this Voltron legacy is which, by the way, is a giant robot with lions for arms and legs. It's been weeks. At what part did your mind click and put this all together?"
Keith snorts into his bowl of food before he catches Lance throwing him a look.
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It's him and Hunk in the training room as they finish up sparring. He likes the big guy, respects him. Probably the only one who actually listens. So he enjoys whatever time he has getting to know the younger paladin. Hunk tells him a story about his shenanigans with Lance back at the Garrison while he takes a chug from his water bottle. Lance, being the dork he is, never actually executes things according to plan. Surprisingly though it makes for more interesting stories and he figures it keeps Hunk comfortable, being able to talk about something familiar among all the new responsibilities placed on his shoulders. Hunk tells him about pranks and disasters and Keith giggles, which prompts Hunk to give further detail. It's easy as that.
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Shiro towels his hair dry when he asks "Remember Gabe?"
"Hmm. Yes I do," Keith replies. He's patient. Doesn't pry or ask Shiro to elaborate. His memories come in varying periods and Keith takes them with a grain of salt. Knows how precious these moments can be when Shiro can recall on the past. But really? How could he forget Gabe. He had an annoying phase of always-
"..joking about growing your hair out." Shiro chuckles, looking down. He presses a finger to his lips in thought. Keith puts the tablet he's reading from aside. He also knows Gabe used to tease Keith about the way he wore his uniform or how he'd somehow graduate before all of them being some prodigy. It's funny now, to think he would've graduated.
"Takashi," Shiro whispers. "you used to call me that."
Keith looks up at Shiro. He's standing a few feet from him in front of a mirror. Towel draped across the cabinet. He folds his legs on the bed he's seated on. He watches him ponder. "Were we..." Shiro asks tentatively.
Keith swallows. "We were."
Shiro is next to him then, quite fast. He feels the feels the bed sink in causing him to move closer. His ears feel hot, he can't afford to look at Shiro. Can't bear to see his face.
"Hey,"
Shiro's flesh hand comes up to caress his cheek. He doesn't know he's crying till Shiro brushes a thumb under his eye. Slowly he leads Keith to look at him face forward.
He brings his other arm up now so both hands hold Keith in place. His eyes are wide and wondering, suddenly determined.
"I missed you." he says.
Laughter erupts from Keith, launching himself into Shiro. He spends some time wetting Shiro's shirt before he can properly say he's missed him back.
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Allura is strong, in numerous ways. Today, there's a particular display as she carries Keith, Pidge, Hunk and Lance in her arms. She races down the corridor all of them clinging to the princess for dear life. She spots Shiro and asks him to hop on. He reluctantly agrees only before she can bend over and grab him, he's lifting her off her feet.
Pidge shrieks, he wants off this ride immediately while Lance cheers Shiro on. Hunk warns everyone Shiro isn't as well balanced as Allura and at his remark, Shiro does infact, drop everyone. It's a terribly painful dogpile till one by one they all start laughing.
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When Shiro kisses him it isn't very monumental. There's no show or confession. They've just returned from a mission debriefing and Keith follows Shiro back to his room, he tells himself he's there to grab the tablet he had forgotten but Shiro catches his waist before he can go, pulling him back, going in for the kill. Shiro shift his head so they're at a better angle and Keith pulls him closer, tossing the tablet to wrap his arms around his neck, letting his fingers tangle in the paladin's cropped hair. They move till Keith finds the edge of the bed, falling back on it. Shiro wastes no time in snaking a hand beneath Keith's shirt. He gasps at the cool press of metal against his skin. Shiro kisses him deep and long, breaking to peck him once, then twice. Keith laughs into his mouth chasing each kiss.
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The universe hates him, he figures. There's no other logical explanation as to why he must lose everything he's comes to cherish. His family, his home, and Shiro again. Again. As if it wasn't painful enough the first time. It's a sick joke, really. So he laughs. It's out of shock initially, unbelieving. How could Shiro die? It couldn't be true. Unfathomable. He chokes on his own laugh, silencing himself. But then his breathing becomes erratic, he's shaking and he doesn't know what hits him first, the anger or the fear.