[ from here
keith gets maybe two nanoseconds to recover when the lady starts freaking out. so he probably owes her an explanation or three, but he's not above frowning before putting his hands up in some placating gesture of peace. ]
Look, lady. I'm not interested in hurting or doing anything else to you.
[ granted, considering the wolf's teleported them to his cube, maybe that's not wholly believable at face value but... ]
I was just trying to get you away from that creep. Who the hell is that guy anyway?
keith gets maybe two nanoseconds to recover when the lady starts freaking out. so he probably owes her an explanation or three, but he's not above frowning before putting his hands up in some placating gesture of peace. ]
Look, lady. I'm not interested in hurting or doing anything else to you.
[ granted, considering the wolf's teleported them to his cube, maybe that's not wholly believable at face value but... ]
I was just trying to get you away from that creep. Who the hell is that guy anyway?
Edited 2022-08-13 14:57 (UTC)
Hell yeah.
[ Jesse's not actually all that mad about being here, honestly. In a lot of ways - most ways, actually - it's better than the life he'd left behind.
But the fact is that they had been abducted and imprisoned here, and had aphrodisiacs costantly shoved at them on top of it. Even if things had happened to turn out all right for Jesse - at least so far - he's not above a little payback, just for the principle of the thing.
And apparently Keith's the perfect partner for just that exact thing. Jesse's eyes go wide and he laughs in pure amazement and admiration when Keith just whacks the whole thing open and the door creaks open. He hurries in after him, looking around curiously, but there's only one thing that can really catch his interest right now. Jesse grins wide when he spots the truck, and he snatches the keys off the wall, hesitating just long enough to glance at Keith, holding them up in one hand. ]
You wanna do the honors? Or...?
[ He's dying to get behind the wheel, but Keith had done the hard work of getting them inside, after all. It's only fair that he should get first dibs on driving, if he wants it. ]
[ Jesse's not actually all that mad about being here, honestly. In a lot of ways - most ways, actually - it's better than the life he'd left behind.
But the fact is that they had been abducted and imprisoned here, and had aphrodisiacs costantly shoved at them on top of it. Even if things had happened to turn out all right for Jesse - at least so far - he's not above a little payback, just for the principle of the thing.
And apparently Keith's the perfect partner for just that exact thing. Jesse's eyes go wide and he laughs in pure amazement and admiration when Keith just whacks the whole thing open and the door creaks open. He hurries in after him, looking around curiously, but there's only one thing that can really catch his interest right now. Jesse grins wide when he spots the truck, and he snatches the keys off the wall, hesitating just long enough to glance at Keith, holding them up in one hand. ]
You wanna do the honors? Or...?
[ He's dying to get behind the wheel, but Keith had done the hard work of getting them inside, after all. It's only fair that he should get first dibs on driving, if he wants it. ]
[ keith takes a further moment to glance around. not that he thinks the porn aliens are dumb enough to be storing anything worth stealing in a low security shed, but you never know? he deactivates his sword, and picks up what what appears to be a plain old gardening trowel as jesse goes right for the keys.
the offer actually makes, debating it for a beat, but... ]
Nah, you go right ahead. I'll take shotgun.
[ a beat. ]
Make sure you get as much fun out of this as you can cuz when it's my turn I'm gonna rig it up to crash into the barrier keeping us in. Wanna see how tough that thing is.
[ stating all this so nonchalantly like this is all part of a plan that jesse agreed to despite, you know, this being the first time this has ever come up. ]
the offer actually makes, debating it for a beat, but... ]
Nah, you go right ahead. I'll take shotgun.
[ a beat. ]
Make sure you get as much fun out of this as you can cuz when it's my turn I'm gonna rig it up to crash into the barrier keeping us in. Wanna see how tough that thing is.
[ stating all this so nonchalantly like this is all part of a plan that jesse agreed to despite, you know, this being the first time this has ever come up. ]
Awesome.
[ Jesse flashes him a grin, hopping behind the wheel. When Keith reveals his plan for crashing into the barrier, he doubletakes for a second, but he recovers quickly, laughing in delight. ]
Fuck yeah, man! Let's bust the hell out!
[ Sure, even if the truck manages to break through, they'll still be trapped on an alien planet, unless there happens to be a spaceship parked right outside the fence or something. But hell, they've already broken the lock and stolen the truck. Might as well make the most of it, right?
Speaking of which, Jesse's ready to make the most of things right away. As soon as Keith's settled in next to him, he sticks the keys in the ignition and floors it, careening out of the shed and onto the grounds. Luckily, the prison's not that populated, and the area they're in is deserted. There's plenty of room for a joyride, and Jesse pumps his fist in the air, yelling with joy as he starts doing donuts. ]
Yeah, bitch!
[ Jesse flashes him a grin, hopping behind the wheel. When Keith reveals his plan for crashing into the barrier, he doubletakes for a second, but he recovers quickly, laughing in delight. ]
Fuck yeah, man! Let's bust the hell out!
[ Sure, even if the truck manages to break through, they'll still be trapped on an alien planet, unless there happens to be a spaceship parked right outside the fence or something. But hell, they've already broken the lock and stolen the truck. Might as well make the most of it, right?
Speaking of which, Jesse's ready to make the most of things right away. As soon as Keith's settled in next to him, he sticks the keys in the ignition and floors it, careening out of the shed and onto the grounds. Luckily, the prison's not that populated, and the area they're in is deserted. There's plenty of room for a joyride, and Jesse pumps his fist in the air, yelling with joy as he starts doing donuts. ]
Yeah, bitch!
[ In some paradoxical way, the creepy mist is a welcome distraction from the strange daily life James is starting to get accustomed to in this prison. There is nothing less enthralling than day in day out talking about the sex you're expected to be having - at this point James feels like he'd gladly remain celibate for life.
So when the cemetery gates hang open in the mysterious fog, he goes into Mission Mode. Is it wise? Maybe not. Is it something else to occupy his brain? Definitely. He just has to check it out. He wishes he had any mission gear though.
And still, he is wandering through the gates, into the low visibility field awaiting him inside. Keeping himself close to gravestones as if looking for cover from gunfire, he proceeds--
and stops dead when a familiar silhouette stands in the middle of the path.
Good morning class, we have a special... a special... ah, what is... says the disoriented voice of Mrs Robinson from middle school. ]
So when the cemetery gates hang open in the mysterious fog, he goes into Mission Mode. Is it wise? Maybe not. Is it something else to occupy his brain? Definitely. He just has to check it out. He wishes he had any mission gear though.
And still, he is wandering through the gates, into the low visibility field awaiting him inside. Keeping himself close to gravestones as if looking for cover from gunfire, he proceeds--
and stops dead when a familiar silhouette stands in the middle of the path.
Good morning class, we have a special... a special... ah, what is... says the disoriented voice of Mrs Robinson from middle school. ]
[ there's a sum zero of anything about their current predicament that keith is fond of. from the fog so thick that he can barely see what's in front of him to the oppressive red glow from the lighthouse, keith's nerves are on high alert. adding to an already tense situation is the fact that keith apparently can't figure out where the fuck he's going.
he'd thought walking this way would mean getting back to his cube from the commissary, but somehow he's managed to miss every indication to turn left at the housing and has instead marched right past the barbed wire fence he'd cut through ages ago to end up in the cemetery. annoyed, tense and hyper vigilant, keith has his knife drawn ready to jam the pointy end right at anything that might be a threat that emerges through the roiling fog.
what he hears is a threat alright, but not the kind he was expecting.
a familiar voice from one of his old nightmares echoes in the distance, making keith freeze in place. ]
Hello?
[ the call is tentative as he starts walking towards the familiar voice. fuck, this whole set up has the fishy smell of being a d-grade horror movie trap, but how is he not supposed to investigate? but disoriented as keith is, it's not as though he gets a real say in where he's going. he takes three steps towards the sound, feels more lost than ever and then practically jumps when he all but stumbles into griffin, only narrowly avoiding an actual collision. ]
What are you doing here? Where's the lad....
[ the question dies in his mouth as keith looks a little further ahead at the face of their former junior high teacher. ]
You're late, Keith. You'll last a week at the Garrison with this kind of disrespectful behavior. Unlike James. A model student, our James is. Such a special class we have today ..
[ too bewildered to be offended, keith looks to griffin. ]
The hell did you do?
he'd thought walking this way would mean getting back to his cube from the commissary, but somehow he's managed to miss every indication to turn left at the housing and has instead marched right past the barbed wire fence he'd cut through ages ago to end up in the cemetery. annoyed, tense and hyper vigilant, keith has his knife drawn ready to jam the pointy end right at anything that might be a threat that emerges through the roiling fog.
what he hears is a threat alright, but not the kind he was expecting.
a familiar voice from one of his old nightmares echoes in the distance, making keith freeze in place. ]
Hello?
[ the call is tentative as he starts walking towards the familiar voice. fuck, this whole set up has the fishy smell of being a d-grade horror movie trap, but how is he not supposed to investigate? but disoriented as keith is, it's not as though he gets a real say in where he's going. he takes three steps towards the sound, feels more lost than ever and then practically jumps when he all but stumbles into griffin, only narrowly avoiding an actual collision. ]
What are you doing here? Where's the lad....
[ the question dies in his mouth as keith looks a little further ahead at the face of their former junior high teacher. ]
You're late, Keith. You'll last a week at the Garrison with this kind of disrespectful behavior. Unlike James. A model student, our James is. Such a special class we have today ..
[ too bewildered to be offended, keith looks to griffin. ]
The hell did you do?
[ There is something relieving about Keith's presence, if only because Keith is not dead, because Keith is alive and annoying and-- ]
I didn't do anything--!!
[ He snaps back automatically, though the pitch of his voice betrays some panic. ]
Of course he didn't. [ says Mrs. Robinson, entirely unhelpfully.
James has a hard time taking his eyes off the woman. He hadn't thought about her much after middle school - a teacher among many. She praised him a lot and he was proud of that, but he'd always made sure to be extremely praiseworthy in front of any adult so it's not as though their old homeroom teacher had been particularly special.
It was only when the war started that she came back to the forefront of his mind. And then, it was only because her death was one of the few they could explicitly confirm. ]
... you're a ghost. You have to be. Please... return to your grave peacefully.
[ Is this what you say to a ghost? James feels as though he's reciting some stupid movie and he feels as though he also looks very stupid doing so, but what else is there to do? He doesn't know. He kind of wants to run, but that is out of the question. ]
I didn't do anything--!!
[ He snaps back automatically, though the pitch of his voice betrays some panic. ]
Of course he didn't. [ says Mrs. Robinson, entirely unhelpfully.
James has a hard time taking his eyes off the woman. He hadn't thought about her much after middle school - a teacher among many. She praised him a lot and he was proud of that, but he'd always made sure to be extremely praiseworthy in front of any adult so it's not as though their old homeroom teacher had been particularly special.
It was only when the war started that she came back to the forefront of his mind. And then, it was only because her death was one of the few they could explicitly confirm. ]
... you're a ghost. You have to be. Please... return to your grave peacefully.
[ Is this what you say to a ghost? James feels as though he's reciting some stupid movie and he feels as though he also looks very stupid doing so, but what else is there to do? He doesn't know. He kind of wants to run, but that is out of the question. ]
[ keith's eyes snap back to their former teacher when she defends griffin's apparent blamelessness. this time, his focus stays on the woman like he's seeing her for the first time. keith had been all too happy to forget all about mrs. robinson when he'd left that dreary school for good, but he must have done a proper job of forgetting because he can't help thinking that she looks... smaller somehow. older, too, and much less like some towering figure who rained detentions down upon him.
no -- of course, that's all just a trick of perception. in reality, keith's the one who outgrew his short kid stature and has seen creatures and entities far more intimidating than an underpaid middle aged school teacher.
but while keith is caught staring, griffin is prattling on about ghosts and graves and ... and keith is too blindsided by an immediate surge in irritation that griffin doesn't know that some of their fellow inmates are actually people who've died in their realities for the iimplication to infiltrate. ]
Griffin, you sound like a discount spirit medium. She could be a new prisoner.
[ which... is kind of disturbing on multiple levels actually?? keith makes a face, trying to look for any sign of an anklet. but then again, if she's a new prisoner, why isn't she in that horrible orange uniform? should he even be questioning that or is it simply a blessing that he doesn't have to look at his old teacher in booty shorts? ]
I'm exactly where I ought to be, James. Right here, teaching my class. I'm not due to retire for many more years yet. You'll help me find my students won't you? I'm... afraid. For their safety. There was a terrible explosion outside....
[ she takes several steps forward, hands outstretched to take james by the arm. if he allows contact, he'll find her hands are cold and stiff. ]
no -- of course, that's all just a trick of perception. in reality, keith's the one who outgrew his short kid stature and has seen creatures and entities far more intimidating than an underpaid middle aged school teacher.
but while keith is caught staring, griffin is prattling on about ghosts and graves and ... and keith is too blindsided by an immediate surge in irritation that griffin doesn't know that some of their fellow inmates are actually people who've died in their realities for the iimplication to infiltrate. ]
Griffin, you sound like a discount spirit medium. She could be a new prisoner.
[ which... is kind of disturbing on multiple levels actually?? keith makes a face, trying to look for any sign of an anklet. but then again, if she's a new prisoner, why isn't she in that horrible orange uniform? should he even be questioning that or is it simply a blessing that he doesn't have to look at his old teacher in booty shorts? ]
I'm exactly where I ought to be, James. Right here, teaching my class. I'm not due to retire for many more years yet. You'll help me find my students won't you? I'm... afraid. For their safety. There was a terrible explosion outside....
[ she takes several steps forward, hands outstretched to take james by the arm. if he allows contact, he'll find her hands are cold and stiff. ]
[ Whatever reasonable thing Keith has to say about the possibility of her being a newcomer to the prison doesn't really reach James' mind. As soon as Mrs Robinson steps forward, even Keith himself becomes an afterthought to James' experience of the situation.
I've seen your body, I've seen your body, I've seen your body runs through his mind as he helplessly listens to a woman who sounds so very very alive.
Her fingers touch him and he yanks away in the very same moment, a movement so violent that it's hard to believe it comes from him. The James of the past would have never treated a teacher this way, but the James of the present feels like screaming.
The apparition of Mrs Robinson seems to be as shocked as the real one might have been in the same situation. ]
My, what's gotten into y--
It's gone.
[ James is going for 'firm reality check' but again, his tone is a little off. ]
The school is gone. I'm sorry. There's nobody to find.
I've seen your body, I've seen your body, I've seen your body runs through his mind as he helplessly listens to a woman who sounds so very very alive.
Her fingers touch him and he yanks away in the very same moment, a movement so violent that it's hard to believe it comes from him. The James of the past would have never treated a teacher this way, but the James of the present feels like screaming.
The apparition of Mrs Robinson seems to be as shocked as the real one might have been in the same situation. ]
My, what's gotten into y--
It's gone.
[ James is going for 'firm reality check' but again, his tone is a little off. ]
The school is gone. I'm sorry. There's nobody to find.
[ getting locked up in solitary isn't exactly a first for keith, but of course it just had to be during the week that everything started going to shit, huh? with all the exaggerated stupidity going on, the looming awareness of this place being legitimately dangerous had faded a little. stupid. keith really should have known better.
perhaps the one saving grace to being in solitary is that there aren't any windows. no windows in turn means that he can't see that ominous red glow from the lighthouse -- looking, searching for him. maybe that's not a consolation at all. maybe all it's doing is keeping him from knowing when or if whatever's looking for him will make an approach. the thoughts circle like vultures above carrion, and there's little keith can do but pace the five steps forward and five steps back in his tiny cell.
focus is what keith keeps telling himself. spiraling anxiety won't help anything. back in the quantum abyss there'd been plenty of days when keith thought they'd just be doomed to wander space forever. that he'd die without ever seeing another human face ever again. it's terrifying how easily those intrusive thoughts come crawling back to the surface with minimal provocation.
shiro, the wolf, his friends -- they're all out there just beyond this one door. keith tells himself as much, knowing he'll only be in solitary for a few more days, but when there's nothing to do but sit in mist induced fear, a few days feels impossibly long. keith curls up tight in the corner, arms hugging his knnes and head bowed an. when he gets out of here, maybe he'll try and talk shiro into cuddling under the covers for a day.
if.
and who's to even say shiro would want to? shiro's been through much worse than this during his time as a galran prisoner. who's to say the guy wouldn't look at this and think weak. keith looks up, haggard and growls at nobody in particular. ]
Shut it.
perhaps the one saving grace to being in solitary is that there aren't any windows. no windows in turn means that he can't see that ominous red glow from the lighthouse -- looking, searching for him. maybe that's not a consolation at all. maybe all it's doing is keeping him from knowing when or if whatever's looking for him will make an approach. the thoughts circle like vultures above carrion, and there's little keith can do but pace the five steps forward and five steps back in his tiny cell.
focus is what keith keeps telling himself. spiraling anxiety won't help anything. back in the quantum abyss there'd been plenty of days when keith thought they'd just be doomed to wander space forever. that he'd die without ever seeing another human face ever again. it's terrifying how easily those intrusive thoughts come crawling back to the surface with minimal provocation.
shiro, the wolf, his friends -- they're all out there just beyond this one door. keith tells himself as much, knowing he'll only be in solitary for a few more days, but when there's nothing to do but sit in mist induced fear, a few days feels impossibly long. keith curls up tight in the corner, arms hugging his knnes and head bowed an. when he gets out of here, maybe he'll try and talk shiro into cuddling under the covers for a day.
if.
and who's to even say shiro would want to? shiro's been through much worse than this during his time as a galran prisoner. who's to say the guy wouldn't look at this and think weak. keith looks up, haggard and growls at nobody in particular. ]
Shut it.
needlessly long per usual. also, assume kosmo can't teleport inside the cell bc alien bs magic
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
earthshine
2022-09-01 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
[ the last time keith was whisked away by their overlords, a barely typed, though thankfully sent text had kept shiro hot on their heels. this time, it takes hours for shiro to notice. guilt is easily found in that, even though he shouldn’t be blamed for having his time and focus sucked up by the turmoil of the prison’s current state. inevitably, the need to check in with keith steals to the forefront and after a text isn’t returned, shiro does his due diligence by braving mist-laden grounds to knock on his cube's door. it’s a courtesy and a brief one at that. when the knock goes unanswered, shiro pushes forward to unlock the door via his anklet and gets himself inside.
lounging on the cot stashed at the other end of the shipping container is the space wolf, who lifts his head and stares over at shiro. ]
Hey, boy.
[ only for the wolf to lay his head back down over his paws, snuffling loudly through his snout. okay. fair. ]
You’re still mad at me, huh? [ funny, it used to be the other way around between them. ] I’m sorry I dragged you off the bed.
[ shiro’s been good. shiro’s been patient, gracious and charitable, but there are only so many mornings that he can wake up to find that his spooning spot has been overtaken, somehow, by a space wolf, before he snaps. apparently, three mornings ago had been that limit.
oh well. he isn’t here to foster a truce between him and keith’s good boy. remembering that, shiro glances around the cube, looking for a clue as to where keith may have gone. the fact that his tablet is resting there on the counter and not off somewhere with keith is concerning, he supposes. he shouldn’t look, he knows he shouldn’t, but he justifies it by telling himself he only means to check if his message has been read. if it has, that would give him some sort of timeframe of when keith had been here last. will that help him any? maybe, maybe not, but seeing as he has so very little else to go off of…
he picks up the tablet and wakes the screen, only to find a different message already open.
misconduct.
misconduct.
ah. again?
perhaps there’s something humorous about keith being charged with grand theft auto given their history, but no piece of shiro feels like laughing. he reads over the verdicts and skims over the community services, blocking out the majority of it to solely focus on solitary confinement. that’s where keith is right now, huh?
shiro lets out a bone-weary sigh and places down the tablet, giving himself exactly ten seconds to do nothing else except breathe. it stems the panic, squashes the disappointment, softens the frustration, and by the last exhale, he’s equipped with patience, understanding, and step-one to a plan. ]
How about we make a deal? [ he walks over to the cot, watching the wolf’s ears flick toward him, even though his head doesn’t budge. ]
I’ll reinstate your bed privileges if you bring me to Keith. That fair?
[ apparently it is, because it doesn’t take long for the wolf to lift his head, look at shiro, and then shift his weight over, craning his head close in what shiro assumes to be a hold on. he does so by placing his palm on the wolf’s forehead and then zap, they’re gone, only to materialize in familiar surroundings. shiro winces, frowning. ]
… This is my cube. [ he’s standing by his bed, watching the wolf trot across the space and wondering if the wolf got confused with the bed talk. ] We really need to work on your sense of direc– hey.
[ the wolf is up on his hind legs, big paws on the counter and nose pressed forward, bumping through the little tower of ramen boxes shiro has amassed. sharp teeth catch at one package and then the wolf swings off the counter, coming back toward shiro with the cup of noodles dangling from his mouth. ]
You want some – oh. [ it just clicks. solitary confinement isn’t known for its five star accommodations. he steps closer and takes the ramen box. ] For Keith? [ he rips back the paper container, breathing out a heh. ]
Smart pup.
[ seemingly proud, the wolf’s tongue lolls out of his mouth and his tail swishes back an’ forth, knocking against shiro’s leg as he walks by. it takes some careful maneuvering with the hot plate, but shiro gets the cup of noodles filled and heated, soon turning back to the wolf. ]
Ready?
[ the wolf butts his head to shiro’s thigh and then they’re off again. it only takes a fraction of a moment. shiro blinks a few times in quick succession and takes in the thick, non-balsa wood door in front of him, gaze settling on the small, barred window. he steps closer, face craned in close to the bars to see someone very small and very defeated. ]
Keith… hey…
[ already, his heart feels heavy. seeing keith in any sort of distress isn’t easy. he makes an attempt for a smile and the softest of teases, wanting to brighten some of the dreariness. ]
Can’t stay outta trouble, can you?
lounging on the cot stashed at the other end of the shipping container is the space wolf, who lifts his head and stares over at shiro. ]
Hey, boy.
[ only for the wolf to lay his head back down over his paws, snuffling loudly through his snout. okay. fair. ]
You’re still mad at me, huh? [ funny, it used to be the other way around between them. ] I’m sorry I dragged you off the bed.
[ shiro’s been good. shiro’s been patient, gracious and charitable, but there are only so many mornings that he can wake up to find that his spooning spot has been overtaken, somehow, by a space wolf, before he snaps. apparently, three mornings ago had been that limit.
oh well. he isn’t here to foster a truce between him and keith’s good boy. remembering that, shiro glances around the cube, looking for a clue as to where keith may have gone. the fact that his tablet is resting there on the counter and not off somewhere with keith is concerning, he supposes. he shouldn’t look, he knows he shouldn’t, but he justifies it by telling himself he only means to check if his message has been read. if it has, that would give him some sort of timeframe of when keith had been here last. will that help him any? maybe, maybe not, but seeing as he has so very little else to go off of…
he picks up the tablet and wakes the screen, only to find a different message already open.
misconduct.
misconduct.
ah. again?
perhaps there’s something humorous about keith being charged with grand theft auto given their history, but no piece of shiro feels like laughing. he reads over the verdicts and skims over the community services, blocking out the majority of it to solely focus on solitary confinement. that’s where keith is right now, huh?
shiro lets out a bone-weary sigh and places down the tablet, giving himself exactly ten seconds to do nothing else except breathe. it stems the panic, squashes the disappointment, softens the frustration, and by the last exhale, he’s equipped with patience, understanding, and step-one to a plan. ]
How about we make a deal? [ he walks over to the cot, watching the wolf’s ears flick toward him, even though his head doesn’t budge. ]
I’ll reinstate your bed privileges if you bring me to Keith. That fair?
[ apparently it is, because it doesn’t take long for the wolf to lift his head, look at shiro, and then shift his weight over, craning his head close in what shiro assumes to be a hold on. he does so by placing his palm on the wolf’s forehead and then zap, they’re gone, only to materialize in familiar surroundings. shiro winces, frowning. ]
… This is my cube. [ he’s standing by his bed, watching the wolf trot across the space and wondering if the wolf got confused with the bed talk. ] We really need to work on your sense of direc– hey.
[ the wolf is up on his hind legs, big paws on the counter and nose pressed forward, bumping through the little tower of ramen boxes shiro has amassed. sharp teeth catch at one package and then the wolf swings off the counter, coming back toward shiro with the cup of noodles dangling from his mouth. ]
You want some – oh. [ it just clicks. solitary confinement isn’t known for its five star accommodations. he steps closer and takes the ramen box. ] For Keith? [ he rips back the paper container, breathing out a heh. ]
Smart pup.
[ seemingly proud, the wolf’s tongue lolls out of his mouth and his tail swishes back an’ forth, knocking against shiro’s leg as he walks by. it takes some careful maneuvering with the hot plate, but shiro gets the cup of noodles filled and heated, soon turning back to the wolf. ]
Ready?
[ the wolf butts his head to shiro’s thigh and then they’re off again. it only takes a fraction of a moment. shiro blinks a few times in quick succession and takes in the thick, non-balsa wood door in front of him, gaze settling on the small, barred window. he steps closer, face craned in close to the bars to see someone very small and very defeated. ]
Keith… hey…
[ already, his heart feels heavy. seeing keith in any sort of distress isn’t easy. he makes an attempt for a smile and the softest of teases, wanting to brighten some of the dreariness. ]
Can’t stay outta trouble, can you?
Edited (does shiro feel burning now or later, no one knows) 2022-09-01 22:37 (UTC)
[ the jerk back and away is startling even to keith who's never seen james react to anyone in a position of authority that viscerally. it's frankly disorienting all over again, for once being on the same page as mrs. robinson, but the thought is quickly quashed by the next outburst.
keith's never known sendak to be anything but a piece of shit who splits opposing defenses by targeting helpless civilians. sendak wouldn't target earth's military bases only -- of course not. why woul he even havee to when earth's technology is so far eclipsed by what's om board a single galra cruiser?
knowing all that doesn't soften the impact. if the school building is gone, then the group hohome and every other place keith once would have described as hell on earth might now exist as rubble and in the synapses in his brain. is his dad's cabin gone too? it'd be far enough out of the way that keith thought maybe it could have survived, but....
no. there are bigger things going on here than a delayed onset existential crisis. like griffin having an apparent meltdown. ]
Griffin, you're just agitating her!
[ agitating. confusing. perhaps neither. whatever's going on in mrs. robinson's head, her expression stays strangely blank, like a movie reel that's reached the end of the film. ]
I found you and Keith. The others can't be too far away now.... Come on, James. We must find somewhere safe. Then we can continue our lessons, wouldn't you like that? The Garrison will sort out the explosions. Yes, the Garrison... we're not too far from the Galaxy Garrison.
[ again, she reaches for griffin's arm. ]
keith's never known sendak to be anything but a piece of shit who splits opposing defenses by targeting helpless civilians. sendak wouldn't target earth's military bases only -- of course not. why woul he even havee to when earth's technology is so far eclipsed by what's om board a single galra cruiser?
knowing all that doesn't soften the impact. if the school building is gone, then the group hohome and every other place keith once would have described as hell on earth might now exist as rubble and in the synapses in his brain. is his dad's cabin gone too? it'd be far enough out of the way that keith thought maybe it could have survived, but....
no. there are bigger things going on here than a delayed onset existential crisis. like griffin having an apparent meltdown. ]
Griffin, you're just agitating her!
[ agitating. confusing. perhaps neither. whatever's going on in mrs. robinson's head, her expression stays strangely blank, like a movie reel that's reached the end of the film. ]
I found you and Keith. The others can't be too far away now.... Come on, James. We must find somewhere safe. Then we can continue our lessons, wouldn't you like that? The Garrison will sort out the explosions. Yes, the Garrison... we're not too far from the Galaxy Garrison.
[ again, she reaches for griffin's arm. ]
[ the sudden flash of blue-white light just outside his door makes keith startle. it shouldn't because he's seen that flash before and knows exactly who comes along with it, but something about the fog is unsettling to the core and keith's head is full of horrible outcomes to even consider the fact that a friendly face has come to visit. let alone two friendly faces.
within seconds, shiro's face is at the bars of the heavy door and while that alone would have been sufficient to make keith skip beats, hearing the click of nails and paws against the floor just outside pierces straight through the spectre of loneliness permeating the cell. ]
Shiro??
[ two syllables shouldn't be able to convey the amount of hopefulness that it does, but keith staggers to his feet. for all he knows, solitary and the fog combined are doing a number on his head, but that doesn't matter. he rushes to the door, hands pushing through the bars to try and touch. of course, he only gets as far as brushing the metal and yelping as burning shoots up his arm. ]
Ah!
[ he steps away, hissing and breathing through grit teeth as he shakes his unburnt hand repeatedly. he looks up, sheepish but no less longingly. ]
.... don't you dare tell me I should have been patient.
within seconds, shiro's face is at the bars of the heavy door and while that alone would have been sufficient to make keith skip beats, hearing the click of nails and paws against the floor just outside pierces straight through the spectre of loneliness permeating the cell. ]
Shiro??
[ two syllables shouldn't be able to convey the amount of hopefulness that it does, but keith staggers to his feet. for all he knows, solitary and the fog combined are doing a number on his head, but that doesn't matter. he rushes to the door, hands pushing through the bars to try and touch. of course, he only gets as far as brushing the metal and yelping as burning shoots up his arm. ]
Ah!
[ he steps away, hissing and breathing through grit teeth as he shakes his unburnt hand repeatedly. he looks up, sheepish but no less longingly. ]
.... don't you dare tell me I should have been patient.
[ Being scolded by Keith of all people is a splash of cold water into James' face and it makes him ball his fists and will himself to calm down. When he evades Mrs Robinson's arm this time, it's with a firm step back rather than with a rapid motion.
He can't even explain to himself why he's so averse to her touching him - she's not trying to harm him, she is looking for support. Even if she is a ghost, doesn't she deserve that much? Hasn't she been enough part of his life that he owes her?
And still, her rigid hands make his hairs stand on end.
Mrs Robinson seems confused again, almost hurt,looking down at her own hands as if she is also wondering what is wrong with them. ]
Mrs Robinson. Were Keith and I in your class when the explosions happened? Please try to remember.
[ If she is a new prisoner, then this cannot possibly be true, right? There were no Galra attacks when the two of them were in school. She's mixing everything up.
The carbon copy of his former teacher still stares at her hands. ]
I... Of course, dear. You're the pride of our school. You've always been-- you're always in class, you never miss a day. Not like Keith.
[ "That's not the point," James thinks and it's a little funny because it used to always be the point.
Mrs Robinson turns to Keith, frowning. She seems to forget what to do with her hands, holding them unnaturally stiff in front of her even as she is no longer observing them. ]
Did you put him up to this? Have you been lying?
He can't even explain to himself why he's so averse to her touching him - she's not trying to harm him, she is looking for support. Even if she is a ghost, doesn't she deserve that much? Hasn't she been enough part of his life that he owes her?
And still, her rigid hands make his hairs stand on end.
Mrs Robinson seems confused again, almost hurt,looking down at her own hands as if she is also wondering what is wrong with them. ]
Mrs Robinson. Were Keith and I in your class when the explosions happened? Please try to remember.
[ If she is a new prisoner, then this cannot possibly be true, right? There were no Galra attacks when the two of them were in school. She's mixing everything up.
The carbon copy of his former teacher still stares at her hands. ]
I... Of course, dear. You're the pride of our school. You've always been-- you're always in class, you never miss a day. Not like Keith.
[ "That's not the point," James thinks and it's a little funny because it used to always be the point.
Mrs Robinson turns to Keith, frowning. She seems to forget what to do with her hands, holding them unnaturally stiff in front of her even as she is no longer observing them. ]
Did you put him up to this? Have you been lying?
just. the ghosts flipped a switch and now all is in effect. gl lost, hunted, burning, naked keith
earthshine
2022-09-03 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[ much better. not that there is a lot of wiggle room for improvement in a situation that has keith sentenced to solitary confinement, but the upkick in keith’s voice has shiro’s heart feeling a tad lighter. the smile is still tentative, yet easier to maintain as keith comes closer. up until, of course, keith reaches for the bars. shiro is already swaying closer, subconsciously yearning for a brush of those fingers. unfortunately, the metal gets it first and then keith is yelping away.
his eyes go wide and his mouth parts on a sound of shock, air soon filling his lungs on a sharp intake as he’s on the verge of asking the stupidest, more obvious question: are you okay? but keith looks up and shiro feels pinned down, both by the look itself and by keith’s easy nature. time and time again, keith has demonstrated a high level of pain tolerance, as well as resilience to endure even the most trying setbacks but…
he’s fine? what even happened? did he cut himself on an uneven bar, where the coating has peeled? is that even possible?
shiro frowns, momentarily thrown, and ends up defaulting to his initial concern. ]
Actually… I was gonna say you should’ve told me they were coming for you.
[ last time keith had. he wonders if there simply hadn’t been time between the messages and the retrieval, or if keith, for whatever reason, hadn’t felt it necessary to share the knowledge with shiro. he should’ve checked the timestamps of the messages; he hadn’t even thought to. now that he thinks to, though, he immediately feels worse for it. if he starts down that road of victim blaming… – he doesn’t want to get caught up in that right now. not when keith is still shaking his hand while standing in a tiny cell. ]
But hey, lemme see. What happened to – ah!
[ he’s a fool. he braces his flesh hand on the door as he tries to get a better, closer look inside the room and just like that, heat engulfs his fingertips and climbs high in a fraction of a moment, igniting the instinct to rip his hand away. he mimics keith almost entirely, except his jerk back and subsequent shaking of his hand jars his whole body, meaning he spills some of that cup of noodle. the space wolf whines next to him, not quite in the splash zone but near enough for him to start sniffing at the little puddle on the floor.
shiro barely gives him any mind, too busy now looking his flesh fingers over and seeing… nothing. they aren’t even red. he keeps on frowning, sending a suspicious glance to the door itself. ]
Did they rig this up?
his eyes go wide and his mouth parts on a sound of shock, air soon filling his lungs on a sharp intake as he’s on the verge of asking the stupidest, more obvious question: are you okay? but keith looks up and shiro feels pinned down, both by the look itself and by keith’s easy nature. time and time again, keith has demonstrated a high level of pain tolerance, as well as resilience to endure even the most trying setbacks but…
he’s fine? what even happened? did he cut himself on an uneven bar, where the coating has peeled? is that even possible?
shiro frowns, momentarily thrown, and ends up defaulting to his initial concern. ]
Actually… I was gonna say you should’ve told me they were coming for you.
[ last time keith had. he wonders if there simply hadn’t been time between the messages and the retrieval, or if keith, for whatever reason, hadn’t felt it necessary to share the knowledge with shiro. he should’ve checked the timestamps of the messages; he hadn’t even thought to. now that he thinks to, though, he immediately feels worse for it. if he starts down that road of victim blaming… – he doesn’t want to get caught up in that right now. not when keith is still shaking his hand while standing in a tiny cell. ]
But hey, lemme see. What happened to – ah!
[ he’s a fool. he braces his flesh hand on the door as he tries to get a better, closer look inside the room and just like that, heat engulfs his fingertips and climbs high in a fraction of a moment, igniting the instinct to rip his hand away. he mimics keith almost entirely, except his jerk back and subsequent shaking of his hand jars his whole body, meaning he spills some of that cup of noodle. the space wolf whines next to him, not quite in the splash zone but near enough for him to start sniffing at the little puddle on the floor.
shiro barely gives him any mind, too busy now looking his flesh fingers over and seeing… nothing. they aren’t even red. he keeps on frowning, sending a suspicious glance to the door itself. ]
Did they rig this up?
[ the reprimand is mild at best, but keith hears it loud adn clear. you should have told me. now that his hand isn't touching anything, the comment stings worse. perhaps though, it isn't meant to be a barb? shiro seems to move on from it relatively quickly, and a beat later keith's thoughts are miles away when shiro also yelps and steps back from the door. ]
Shiro!
[ distinctly alarmed, keith takes another step closer to the door, this time keeping his hands pressed to his sides. the narrow view he gets through the bars of shiro standing there, shaking out one hand while holding a cup of ramen in the other while the wolf takes a curious lick at the spilled borth is such a welcome sight that keith is lost for words.
stupid. minutes ago, he'd been worrying that maybe shiro wouldn't understand, yet here he is with the wolf and food. ungrateful is the self-berating thought that comes to mind. shiro doesn't deserve uncharitable assumptions. expression flattering, keith swallows hard then: ]
I don't know. I can't touch rhinfa without it burning for some reason. It's not just the door. I figured it had to do with my sentence or something, but...
[ keith grimaces, voice soft as he trails off. no -- this isn't what he wants to say. what he wants to say is: ]
I'm sorry. The tablet burned, you know? [ another beat, then keith shakes his head daring to step a pinch closer. ] .... Shiro, I'm kinda scared. I... I can't shake the feeling that something from the lighthouse is coming for me.
Shiro!
[ distinctly alarmed, keith takes another step closer to the door, this time keeping his hands pressed to his sides. the narrow view he gets through the bars of shiro standing there, shaking out one hand while holding a cup of ramen in the other while the wolf takes a curious lick at the spilled borth is such a welcome sight that keith is lost for words.
stupid. minutes ago, he'd been worrying that maybe shiro wouldn't understand, yet here he is with the wolf and food. ungrateful is the self-berating thought that comes to mind. shiro doesn't deserve uncharitable assumptions. expression flattering, keith swallows hard then: ]
I don't know. I can't touch rhinfa without it burning for some reason. It's not just the door. I figured it had to do with my sentence or something, but...
[ keith grimaces, voice soft as he trails off. no -- this isn't what he wants to say. what he wants to say is: ]
I'm sorry. The tablet burned, you know? [ another beat, then keith shakes his head daring to step a pinch closer. ] .... Shiro, I'm kinda scared. I... I can't shake the feeling that something from the lighthouse is coming for me.
[ a few months spent in this particular jail and shiro’s reaching a level of desensitivity that has him accepting the strange and unexpected without a hint of fanfare. initially, the hijinxs of this place catered more to heavy doses of aphrodisiac, applications of which not only included consumables, but rainfall as well. lately, the warden and his deputies have branched away from this, beginning to try other things on them, such as drugs to grow tails, ears, wings. or in keith’s case, galran features. there is, of course, also the dig inside his mind to conjure up buried memories. if those in charge can swing that, is it really all that surprising that they have found some way to tinker with their perspectives, again, and have them imagining a burn?
the only aspect of it that gives him pause is that the warden has seemingly abandoned his station. some of his deputies, too. ever since that mist rolled in, the prison has become something else. so if the warden and his deputies aren’t here, pulling the strings and making decisions on behalf of them all, per usual, then who is? who is playing tricks on their minds? the mist? the spirits that shiro isn’t wholly convinced are actually there?
he frowns, looking up and through the slats of the bars. ]
Nothing’s going to get you. [ whatever uncertainty he feels is stubbornly kept out of his voice. he’s vehement and firm. ]
I’m here.
[ the snouty huff beside him has him tipping a glance down and after a wordless stare off, shiro looks back to keith. ]
So is the wolf. Nothing is getting by us.
[ he doesn’t mean to make light of keith’s apprehension. he’s taking it seriously. keith’s intuition has a proven record of being right; besides, it isn’t often that keith flat-out says he’s scared. that alone has shiro’s concern ticking up, anxiety and dread churning his stomach. uncomfortable but not wanting to show it, he breaks eye contact to look down and in the pause, he presses his index finger to the door, just to test it again. an immediate flare of pain hitches the beat of his heart until it’s fluttering sharply in his chest and while he doesn’t hold his finger there more than a split second, his body doesn’t relax in the following moments. ]
… Even though I seem to have the same problem with the burning. [ and now he taps his middle finger to the ramen cup still held in his metal hand. the burning sensation is just as potent. ] Weird.
the only aspect of it that gives him pause is that the warden has seemingly abandoned his station. some of his deputies, too. ever since that mist rolled in, the prison has become something else. so if the warden and his deputies aren’t here, pulling the strings and making decisions on behalf of them all, per usual, then who is? who is playing tricks on their minds? the mist? the spirits that shiro isn’t wholly convinced are actually there?
he frowns, looking up and through the slats of the bars. ]
Nothing’s going to get you. [ whatever uncertainty he feels is stubbornly kept out of his voice. he’s vehement and firm. ]
I’m here.
[ the snouty huff beside him has him tipping a glance down and after a wordless stare off, shiro looks back to keith. ]
So is the wolf. Nothing is getting by us.
[ he doesn’t mean to make light of keith’s apprehension. he’s taking it seriously. keith’s intuition has a proven record of being right; besides, it isn’t often that keith flat-out says he’s scared. that alone has shiro’s concern ticking up, anxiety and dread churning his stomach. uncomfortable but not wanting to show it, he breaks eye contact to look down and in the pause, he presses his index finger to the door, just to test it again. an immediate flare of pain hitches the beat of his heart until it’s fluttering sharply in his chest and while he doesn’t hold his finger there more than a split second, his body doesn’t relax in the following moments. ]
… Even though I seem to have the same problem with the burning. [ and now he taps his middle finger to the ramen cup still held in his metal hand. the burning sensation is just as potent. ] Weird.
[ the disgruntled snuffle from the wolf at least makes keith smile, though its worn thin by the knowledge that he can't actually reach through the bars to give the wolf the attention he deserves. ]
I know, I know...
[ the words are murmured to acknowledge the wolf's presence more so than accept shiro's reassurances, but not for a lack of wanting to be reassured. it's true that shiro and the wold woulf both play guard, but how does one protect against a threat that's yet to have made itself distinctly known? keith isn't sure if the sick claustrophobic feeling is coming from the tiny cell or from within his own head.
doesn't matter. it's only as real as keith allows it to be, and there are beings here that matter far more than whatever his muddled, anxiety riddled brain is coming up with. giving himself a shake, he watches in horror as shiro insists on touching things for science and flinching away. ]
Hey, stop touching things that're burning you!
[ because of course shiro's safety and well being comes before the more pressing question of: ]
Why is this even happening to you? You weren't there -- you didn't take apart that corpse.
[ the realization of what he's said hits a beat late. keith's goes briefly wide eyed before staring miserably at the ramen cup in shiro's metal hand. ]
... I- I didn't thikn that would come back like this.
[ expelling a heavy sigh, keith takes a half step back the door. ]
I'm... I didn't mean to ruin your lunch.
I know, I know...
[ the words are murmured to acknowledge the wolf's presence more so than accept shiro's reassurances, but not for a lack of wanting to be reassured. it's true that shiro and the wold woulf both play guard, but how does one protect against a threat that's yet to have made itself distinctly known? keith isn't sure if the sick claustrophobic feeling is coming from the tiny cell or from within his own head.
doesn't matter. it's only as real as keith allows it to be, and there are beings here that matter far more than whatever his muddled, anxiety riddled brain is coming up with. giving himself a shake, he watches in horror as shiro insists on touching things for science and flinching away. ]
Hey, stop touching things that're burning you!
[ because of course shiro's safety and well being comes before the more pressing question of: ]
Why is this even happening to you? You weren't there -- you didn't take apart that corpse.
[ the realization of what he's said hits a beat late. keith's goes briefly wide eyed before staring miserably at the ramen cup in shiro's metal hand. ]
... I- I didn't thikn that would come back like this.
[ expelling a heavy sigh, keith takes a half step back the door. ]
I'm... I didn't mean to ruin your lunch.
[ listen. he’s conducting an experiment. it’s important that he know what effects are currently wreaking havoc; not that he learns much from this other than don’t touch things. the how, the why, the when is this going to be over are, of course, unanswerable right now, but this is a start. which works out, really, considering keith throws him off course not more than three seconds later. shiro snaps his gaze up at that, only crossing keith’s gaze for half a beat to see the tail-end of that surprise before keith is looking away.
ah. the slight waver in his voice is telling, as is the look on his face. this is something to tread lightly with.
shiro does his best to be comforting and offers up a smile, one that colors his voice sweet and just the slightest bit playful. ]
This isn’t for me. [ you ridiculous boy. ] I brought this for you.
[ a snout jabs his thigh. oh for the love of – ]
It was the space wolf’s idea.
[ he looks down at the space wolf, who is already looking up at him. whatever. shiro has an easy way to one up him. apparently, these aliens are good at building fences or barriers or doors that keep space wolf hijinxs at bay, but they aren’t well equipped to keep shiro out, at least when it comes to doors. ]
Just – hold on. [ he bends down to put the ramen cup on the ground and then straightens back up, his galra arm lighting up. ] Let me just –
[ the locking mechanism is easy to burn through. it is, possibly, a hasty decision that will demand retribution later, but leaving keith there, clearly scared and miserable, to rot away in a cell in a confinement center that might very well be just as abandoned as everywhere else in this compound, is, frankly, out of the question. of course shiro is going to spring him out.
making sure keith is out of the way, he nudges the door open with his deactivated, metal hand, smiling even though the space wolf bullies in before him. ]
Burn proof. Guess you could say the metal hand comes in, heh, handy.
[ the space wolf isn’t shy in taking over keith’s space and considering the size of the cell, there isn’t much to give. shiro stands in the doorway for now, crouching down to pick up the ramen cup. ]
But… I don’t know, Keith. I don’t know why it’s happening, but I don’t think this place ever needs a reason to mess with us.
[ back to his feet, shiro looks to keith and can’t stop the concern from overtaking his expression, wilting his smile. ]
I heard about the corpse you guys found. I didn’t know you did anything to it. [ a softer: ] Do you wanna talk about it?
ah. the slight waver in his voice is telling, as is the look on his face. this is something to tread lightly with.
shiro does his best to be comforting and offers up a smile, one that colors his voice sweet and just the slightest bit playful. ]
This isn’t for me. [ you ridiculous boy. ] I brought this for you.
[ a snout jabs his thigh. oh for the love of – ]
It was the space wolf’s idea.
[ he looks down at the space wolf, who is already looking up at him. whatever. shiro has an easy way to one up him. apparently, these aliens are good at building fences or barriers or doors that keep space wolf hijinxs at bay, but they aren’t well equipped to keep shiro out, at least when it comes to doors. ]
Just – hold on. [ he bends down to put the ramen cup on the ground and then straightens back up, his galra arm lighting up. ] Let me just –
[ the locking mechanism is easy to burn through. it is, possibly, a hasty decision that will demand retribution later, but leaving keith there, clearly scared and miserable, to rot away in a cell in a confinement center that might very well be just as abandoned as everywhere else in this compound, is, frankly, out of the question. of course shiro is going to spring him out.
making sure keith is out of the way, he nudges the door open with his deactivated, metal hand, smiling even though the space wolf bullies in before him. ]
Burn proof. Guess you could say the metal hand comes in, heh, handy.
[ the space wolf isn’t shy in taking over keith’s space and considering the size of the cell, there isn’t much to give. shiro stands in the doorway for now, crouching down to pick up the ramen cup. ]
But… I don’t know, Keith. I don’t know why it’s happening, but I don’t think this place ever needs a reason to mess with us.
[ back to his feet, shiro looks to keith and can’t stop the concern from overtaking his expression, wilting his smile. ]
I heard about the corpse you guys found. I didn’t know you did anything to it. [ a softer: ] Do you wanna talk about it?
[ the ramen is for him. it shouldn't be nearly as touching as it is, but with the food in jail in an even more deplorable state, it's hard not to be immensely touched by the knowledge that the wolf and shiro were looking out for him. teaming up, even, to make sure he's had a bite to eat, and some friendly company.
you guys... is what he starts to say, but shiro's gotten other ideas. seeing the galra hand light up gives the plan away immediately, but it still surprises keith on some level that shiro would be going to these lengths after giving those warnings about not crossing prison personnel. is he complaining or telling shiro to stop, however? no. absolutely not. his stay in solitary this time has been much different to his last one, and a more paranoid part of keith suspects their overlords might have left him to die here.
before he can yet again get too lost down a rabbit hole of grim pessimism, the door creaks open slowly before it's slammed open by a whirlwind of paws and silvery blue fur. the wolf leaps froward, tail wagging furiously as keith lets out a yelp before getting knocked backwards. he braces for a burn that never comes. confused but pleased all the same, keith tkaes an extra second to get his bearings. ]
H-hey, it's good to see you too, buddy.
[ wrestling the wolf until he's up to a seated position, keith laughs and gives the wolf a gentle noogie. [] THank you for bringing Shiro and food.
[ speaking of which, keith looks up then, turning his attention to shiro at the opened doorway, ramen cup back in hand. ]
.... and thank you, too. I -- [ making a face, keith pushes the wolf's snout away to try and properly get to his feet, only to have his hand promptly covered in drool. ] Heh, c'mon, let me up.
[ the wolf assents this time, sitting down like a proper good boy with wide innocent eyes. keith rises, then takes several steps towards shiro. ]
There's not a whole lot to say about it. Lance, Angel and I found a trunk that had a mummified alien body inside. Angel took the body apart, and we found a large capsule inside. It contained a slip of paper with a pattern on it and a ship trinket. We took it, hoping to figure out what it was, but we never did. I just... maybe all of this is because something in the lighthouse wants it back.
[ smile slipping, keith forces it back in place as he leaves just one last step between him and shiro. ]
.. but you're right. This place doesn't need reasons to mess with us. [ tentatively, keith holds up his hand. ] ... Think I could touch you too? [ without getting burned that is. or would that be too generous of whatever curse thing is going on. ]
you guys... is what he starts to say, but shiro's gotten other ideas. seeing the galra hand light up gives the plan away immediately, but it still surprises keith on some level that shiro would be going to these lengths after giving those warnings about not crossing prison personnel. is he complaining or telling shiro to stop, however? no. absolutely not. his stay in solitary this time has been much different to his last one, and a more paranoid part of keith suspects their overlords might have left him to die here.
before he can yet again get too lost down a rabbit hole of grim pessimism, the door creaks open slowly before it's slammed open by a whirlwind of paws and silvery blue fur. the wolf leaps froward, tail wagging furiously as keith lets out a yelp before getting knocked backwards. he braces for a burn that never comes. confused but pleased all the same, keith tkaes an extra second to get his bearings. ]
H-hey, it's good to see you too, buddy.
[ wrestling the wolf until he's up to a seated position, keith laughs and gives the wolf a gentle noogie. [] THank you for bringing Shiro and food.
[ speaking of which, keith looks up then, turning his attention to shiro at the opened doorway, ramen cup back in hand. ]
.... and thank you, too. I -- [ making a face, keith pushes the wolf's snout away to try and properly get to his feet, only to have his hand promptly covered in drool. ] Heh, c'mon, let me up.
[ the wolf assents this time, sitting down like a proper good boy with wide innocent eyes. keith rises, then takes several steps towards shiro. ]
There's not a whole lot to say about it. Lance, Angel and I found a trunk that had a mummified alien body inside. Angel took the body apart, and we found a large capsule inside. It contained a slip of paper with a pattern on it and a ship trinket. We took it, hoping to figure out what it was, but we never did. I just... maybe all of this is because something in the lighthouse wants it back.
[ smile slipping, keith forces it back in place as he leaves just one last step between him and shiro. ]
.. but you're right. This place doesn't need reasons to mess with us. [ tentatively, keith holds up his hand. ] ... Think I could touch you too? [ without getting burned that is. or would that be too generous of whatever curse thing is going on. ]
[ yeah, buddy, enjoy free rein of keith; it won’t last much longer. shiro just needs to be patient, wait for keith to look his way and – there, shiro strengthens his smile. keith steps closer and it feels a little like a victory… until such juvenile delight is squashed under the weight of keith’s words. some of it he knows, some he doesn’t. the big stuff? yeah. it’s the smaller details that he hasn’t gleaned over the months, like angel taking the body apart or there being a piece of paper and amulet, that they kept…? who has those now?
he intends to ask. even if keith is mimicking shiro’s signature move of downplaying, to then gloss over the magnitude of the discovery, shiro realizes that there’s much more to suss out here, especially given keith’s mounting fear.
… but keith’s distracting in other ways, too. he positions himself right in front of shiro, only to circle back to the other dilemma that shiro would very much like to figure out first. the space wolf tilts his head, watching. shiro sees him do it, a little fuzzy on the edge of his vision, there, over keith’s shoulder; shiro’s gaze stays squarely on keith though. ]
Hope so.
[ his voice pitches with a lightness that doesn’t fit the seriousness of the situation. what’s he going to do if they can’t touch without unintentionally inflicting pain on each other? it’s temporary. maybe? hopefully? well, best to run another experiment before he gets too far ahead of himself, yeah?
briefly, he looks to keith’s hand, before catching keith’s gaze again. arms loose at his sides and all of him lax, aside from the continued pinched of his metal fingers around the rim of the ramen cup, shiro drops all semblance of defense in offer. ]
However you like. Hit me with it.
he intends to ask. even if keith is mimicking shiro’s signature move of downplaying, to then gloss over the magnitude of the discovery, shiro realizes that there’s much more to suss out here, especially given keith’s mounting fear.
… but keith’s distracting in other ways, too. he positions himself right in front of shiro, only to circle back to the other dilemma that shiro would very much like to figure out first. the space wolf tilts his head, watching. shiro sees him do it, a little fuzzy on the edge of his vision, there, over keith’s shoulder; shiro’s gaze stays squarely on keith though. ]
Hope so.
[ his voice pitches with a lightness that doesn’t fit the seriousness of the situation. what’s he going to do if they can’t touch without unintentionally inflicting pain on each other? it’s temporary. maybe? hopefully? well, best to run another experiment before he gets too far ahead of himself, yeah?
briefly, he looks to keith’s hand, before catching keith’s gaze again. arms loose at his sides and all of him lax, aside from the continued pinched of his metal fingers around the rim of the ramen cup, shiro drops all semblance of defense in offer. ]
However you like. Hit me with it.
[ considering keith's just admitted to aiding and abetting in defiling a corpse and potentially unleashing something horrible from inside the lighthouse? yeah. shiro's cheerful tone and open arms are definitely a strange tone to be taking on.
but that said? the levity makes keith do a brief double take. maybe the connection between the incidents isn't as clear cut to others as they are in his head? maybe he's tunneled in on some disparate facts that aren't actually related? shiro is right, after all, that this place rarely ever needs a reason to fuck with their heads.
it's unsettling. not only does keith need to second or third guess his own reasoning, he's also just now realizing he has no idea what the bigger picture here is. the mist isn't aphrodisiac, and touching only resulting in the feeling of burning is so nonconducive to the usual sex that's constantly pushed that he feels less and less grounded.
good thing, then, that shiro's right there ready with a smile. it's a potent reminder that even when keith can't quite trust himself, he feels safe trusting shiro. keith swallows, giving shiro an up-down glance before returning a hesitant but warn smile at the invitation. ]
I don't want to hurt you.
[ it shouldn't have to be stated. shiro is always the last person keith wants to hurt, but knowing he's failed his shiro at home by not realizing the clone situation after it was already too late makes the obvious feel important to say out loud. banishing the thought for a moment, keith tries for light hearted with a joking-not joking: ]
Brace yourself.
[ before squeezing his eyes shut and delivering a quick peck to the cheek. the contact lasts barely a second from all of keith's low expectations for touch being pleasant, but he blinks his eyes open a beat later, looking a mixture of sheepish and pleased. ]
...Oh. Heh, I guess nothing bad happened after all.
but that said? the levity makes keith do a brief double take. maybe the connection between the incidents isn't as clear cut to others as they are in his head? maybe he's tunneled in on some disparate facts that aren't actually related? shiro is right, after all, that this place rarely ever needs a reason to fuck with their heads.
it's unsettling. not only does keith need to second or third guess his own reasoning, he's also just now realizing he has no idea what the bigger picture here is. the mist isn't aphrodisiac, and touching only resulting in the feeling of burning is so nonconducive to the usual sex that's constantly pushed that he feels less and less grounded.
good thing, then, that shiro's right there ready with a smile. it's a potent reminder that even when keith can't quite trust himself, he feels safe trusting shiro. keith swallows, giving shiro an up-down glance before returning a hesitant but warn smile at the invitation. ]
I don't want to hurt you.
[ it shouldn't have to be stated. shiro is always the last person keith wants to hurt, but knowing he's failed his shiro at home by not realizing the clone situation after it was already too late makes the obvious feel important to say out loud. banishing the thought for a moment, keith tries for light hearted with a joking-not joking: ]
Brace yourself.
[ before squeezing his eyes shut and delivering a quick peck to the cheek. the contact lasts barely a second from all of keith's low expectations for touch being pleasant, but he blinks his eyes open a beat later, looking a mixture of sheepish and pleased. ]
...Oh. Heh, I guess nothing bad happened after all.
[ and shiro doesn’t want to hurt keith, either. seems only natural then, to let keith control the experiment: the start, the stop, the where. touching his left hand would be the predictable place to start, but there’s also the uncovered skin of his throat, neck, face, ears – keith could brush his fingers against any and shiro would let him. of course, keith isn’t always predictable. in fact, he rarely is, so is it shiro’s own fault that he’s surprised by the peck to his cheek? yes. just – keith with his minimal care of self-preservation… using the delicate skin of his lips to run a burn test. shiro has the urge to sigh and chide, but he ends up huffing on a laugh instead.
okay, it’s kind of sweet. and given the current disarray of their lives, especially keith’s, they might need a little sweet right now.
so shiro tries for unpredictability as well. leaning down he presses a kiss to keith’s cheek, his lasting a beat longer and ending a bit louder on the pull away. his lips tingle, though that’s not particularly new; there’s always a rush when he kisses keith. ]
Just wanted to be extra sure.
[ his expression is softer; gaze affectionate and smile easy. there’s a low, snuffing sound though and shiro briefly looks away from keith to spy the space wolf watching them. of course he’d be watching them, but catching the wolf’s gaze has shiro clearing his throat. ]
Right. [ he stands straighter. ] Now let’s get some ramen in you before we let your friend there try zapping us out of here.
[ shiro doesn’t doubt the space wolf’s ability to get them back to one of their cubes… much. in the back of his mind, he can’t shake the idea that there is the possibility of something going awry. again. so might as well get keith fed before they embark on what could very well be a long afternoon. so shiro steps to the wall – which is, basically, one step – and goes to sit down, getting as comfortable as he can. ]
It gives us time for you to tell me more about this lighthouse.
[ see, he hasn’t forgotten. he crosses his legs setting the cup of noodles on the floor, in front of his crossed ankles. ]
When did you start feeling like something’s after you? Has anything happened to make you think that?
[ specifically, he means. ]
okay, it’s kind of sweet. and given the current disarray of their lives, especially keith’s, they might need a little sweet right now.
so shiro tries for unpredictability as well. leaning down he presses a kiss to keith’s cheek, his lasting a beat longer and ending a bit louder on the pull away. his lips tingle, though that’s not particularly new; there’s always a rush when he kisses keith. ]
Just wanted to be extra sure.
[ his expression is softer; gaze affectionate and smile easy. there’s a low, snuffing sound though and shiro briefly looks away from keith to spy the space wolf watching them. of course he’d be watching them, but catching the wolf’s gaze has shiro clearing his throat. ]
Right. [ he stands straighter. ] Now let’s get some ramen in you before we let your friend there try zapping us out of here.
[ shiro doesn’t doubt the space wolf’s ability to get them back to one of their cubes… much. in the back of his mind, he can’t shake the idea that there is the possibility of something going awry. again. so might as well get keith fed before they embark on what could very well be a long afternoon. so shiro steps to the wall – which is, basically, one step – and goes to sit down, getting as comfortable as he can. ]
It gives us time for you to tell me more about this lighthouse.
[ see, he hasn’t forgotten. he crosses his legs setting the cup of noodles on the floor, in front of his crossed ankles. ]
When did you start feeling like something’s after you? Has anything happened to make you think that?
[ specifically, he means. ]
[ the exaggerated kissy noise makes keith hiccup with involuntary amusement. he's never known his own grandmother so the reference is based purely on media portrayals of grandma kisses, but this qualifies, right? it's a weird thought that only serves to bolster the giddiness that comes with shiro kisses in general. somehow it feels wrong to find any kind of relief in confirming porn prison's bottom line in pushing sex is still very much intact, but who is keith to argue when it means he gets to at least hold his favorite person and wolf without burning?
of course, that raises the question of whether or not the sense of foreboding will also clear with sex, but this time it's a thought that prompts more self chastisement than anything else. as much as sex is a means to an end in this place, shiro is not.
getting caught up on that thought is precisely why keith doesn't stop shiro from entering his cramped cell and getting comfortable. the narrowness of the space and its single exit point still sets off a terrible sense of foreboding, but it's ... at least one that keith is a step closer to dismissing as irrational. it'd been nerve wracking because he was alone and unarmed. with shiro and the wolf here, nothing is getting past, right?
if there's even a something to begin with. expression pinched with uncertainty, keith looks from shiro to the wolf nervously before allowing himself to be coaxed into sitting down across from shiro. the instant he does so, the wolf is by his side, head resting on keith's lap, eyes closed and contented.. fingers comb through silvery blue fur in some half hearted attempt to self soothe as keith murmurs: ]
But I don't think I can feed myself without burning.
[ it's not really meant as a protest. if anything, it's more to stall out on answering what exactly happened at the lighthouse and admitting outright that nothing has actually happened yet. brow pinching, keith looks down at the ramen cup, tentatively fliicking with a finger before the burn makes him jerk back with a wince. ]
Ow. [ blowing our a heavy sifh, keith continues to look pensive. ] ...And I dunno. It's like.. you know those ghost stories about spirits coming back because you disturbed their grave or something? It just feels kinda like that.
[ ....several months after the fact. because apparently this ghost was hibernating for the summer. face falling, keith groans. ]
.... I'm starting to sound like Lance.
of course, that raises the question of whether or not the sense of foreboding will also clear with sex, but this time it's a thought that prompts more self chastisement than anything else. as much as sex is a means to an end in this place, shiro is not.
getting caught up on that thought is precisely why keith doesn't stop shiro from entering his cramped cell and getting comfortable. the narrowness of the space and its single exit point still sets off a terrible sense of foreboding, but it's ... at least one that keith is a step closer to dismissing as irrational. it'd been nerve wracking because he was alone and unarmed. with shiro and the wolf here, nothing is getting past, right?
if there's even a something to begin with. expression pinched with uncertainty, keith looks from shiro to the wolf nervously before allowing himself to be coaxed into sitting down across from shiro. the instant he does so, the wolf is by his side, head resting on keith's lap, eyes closed and contented.. fingers comb through silvery blue fur in some half hearted attempt to self soothe as keith murmurs: ]
But I don't think I can feed myself without burning.
[ it's not really meant as a protest. if anything, it's more to stall out on answering what exactly happened at the lighthouse and admitting outright that nothing has actually happened yet. brow pinching, keith looks down at the ramen cup, tentatively fliicking with a finger before the burn makes him jerk back with a wince. ]
Ow. [ blowing our a heavy sifh, keith continues to look pensive. ] ...And I dunno. It's like.. you know those ghost stories about spirits coming back because you disturbed their grave or something? It just feels kinda like that.
[ ....several months after the fact. because apparently this ghost was hibernating for the summer. face falling, keith groans. ]
.... I'm starting to sound like Lance.
Edited 2022-09-11 02:53 (UTC)
[ keith can’t feed himself? shiro’s already worked that out in his head: he’ll handle the utensil. it’s only after he’s set the cup down, taken the fork in hand and spun noodles around it that he realizes that, wait no, this doesn’t work. keith will still be touching the fork, just with his mouth instead of his hand. will he still burn? if so… he’s going to have to rethink some upcoming meals. fuck, wait – they can eat, can’t they? or does food itself burn?
shiro’s frown deepens as keith tests the cup and then he’s right onto a wince tied to a sympathetic look. keith starts explaining then and shiro’s listening, all the while slow spinning the fork to slosh the noodles around and around. nothing of what he’s hearing is funny. it’s a serious matter that requires some serious consideration – as well as a failsafe plan if the worst is meant to happen – but lance is brought into it and all of a sudden, the mood shifts, if only for a few moments.
shiro laughs: short and huffy, his mouth twisted up on a grin. ]
Come on, give yourself some credit. You’re not that bad.
[ though, perhaps shiro shouldn’t be cutting keith such slack. this is the same boy who used to hoard those stories of bigfoot and the chupacabra and mothman. if keith swore by those and is now swearing by a vengeful ghost wanting to do a bit of haunting…
it’s difficult though, to dismiss any of this as too far-fetched to be possible. afterall – ]
Look at everything we’ve been through in the past months… and not just here, either. A ghost story come to life isn’t the weirdest thing to happen to us.
[ he lifts the fork and without further ado, feeds it into his own mouth. a touch warm but definitely not burning. good; should be clear for keith, too. he chews through and by the swallow, he reconsiders his current brand of reassurance. once again gathering noodles onto the fork, he eases into a smile that reads more sheepish. ]
… I can’t tell if I’m making you feel better or worse.
[ because, by saying he’s not crazy – or hyper-imaginative like lance – he’s also saying the ghost threat is real. so would keith feel better being crazy or hunted? either way, open up, because shiro lifts the noodle laden fork up in offer. ]
shiro’s frown deepens as keith tests the cup and then he’s right onto a wince tied to a sympathetic look. keith starts explaining then and shiro’s listening, all the while slow spinning the fork to slosh the noodles around and around. nothing of what he’s hearing is funny. it’s a serious matter that requires some serious consideration – as well as a failsafe plan if the worst is meant to happen – but lance is brought into it and all of a sudden, the mood shifts, if only for a few moments.
shiro laughs: short and huffy, his mouth twisted up on a grin. ]
Come on, give yourself some credit. You’re not that bad.
[ though, perhaps shiro shouldn’t be cutting keith such slack. this is the same boy who used to hoard those stories of bigfoot and the chupacabra and mothman. if keith swore by those and is now swearing by a vengeful ghost wanting to do a bit of haunting…
it’s difficult though, to dismiss any of this as too far-fetched to be possible. afterall – ]
Look at everything we’ve been through in the past months… and not just here, either. A ghost story come to life isn’t the weirdest thing to happen to us.
[ he lifts the fork and without further ado, feeds it into his own mouth. a touch warm but definitely not burning. good; should be clear for keith, too. he chews through and by the swallow, he reconsiders his current brand of reassurance. once again gathering noodles onto the fork, he eases into a smile that reads more sheepish. ]
… I can’t tell if I’m making you feel better or worse.
[ because, by saying he’s not crazy – or hyper-imaginative like lance – he’s also saying the ghost threat is real. so would keith feel better being crazy or hunted? either way, open up, because shiro lifts the noodle laden fork up in offer. ]
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