[ it’s that same uncertain awareness of before: is he more relieved or more regretful that keith backs down? shiro can’t pinpoint it. both, he supposes, though he’s leaning more heavily on the latter. he came here to check on keith, not to beat him down. the extent of him relenting catches him off guard, weirdly enough. see, keith’s got that nasty rep of being a hothead but keith’s reasonable. shiro knows this. should know this, but truthfully? he’s a little surprised that the fight leaves keith, so much so that he becomes – smaller. no one should look small like that when dressed in clunky armor and yet, keith disappears a little, gripping his arms tighter and sliding lower. the apology is the icing on top that he never asked for, nor wanted.

that agitated, livewire buzz that had him twitching and itching to pace before? it drains out of existence and with it, shiro deflates visibly, the solid line of his shoulders drooping as he sighs a miserable, barely there sound. ]

Hey… it’s okay. No harm done.

[ right. because he just happened to be here to intercept keith and stop him before harm could happen. he leaves that thought behind as he steps forward, crossing the bit of distance to stand closer to that pitiful half-lean keith has going against the wall. he’s tempted to haul him up himself and right this imbalance, but he offers his hand out instead, akin to the clasp they make before dragging each other into a hug. ]

Just… [ his voice wavers, his smile weak. ] … remember that we’re a team, okay? You don’t have to figure out everything on your own.