[ keith hesitates a moment, unsure of what that response even means. are they still bantering and if so, did keith mess this up by being too earnest? or is shiro being also being earnest in saying that? and if that's the case, then what is keith's next move? either he's lost the plot on how to behave at this point, and keith chews his lower lip a little nervously.
shiro isn't lance. shiro wouldn't make fun of him for being confused or needing a bit of guidance in how to talk, but there's a stubbornness to keith that refuses to cede ground to the doubt swirling in his head about whether or not he really knows how to engage with his best friend. ]
But you're the only one who looks at me like that.
[ and perhaps just as importantly, the only one that a soft smile from well and truly matters. at the end of the day, keith knows there are plenty of people in his life now who would be happy for him and care about his well being. krolia, for one. the other paladins as well. but he knows tha they'll be okay, with or without him. for a while, he'd thought the same about shiro -- that maybe it was just keith who needed or wanted him, but somehow he's not show of that anymore.
not because shiro can't stand up for himself or doesn't have the willpower to muscle through any challenge in his way, but because keith's suddenly unsure of who it is that shiro would go to. who shiro might smile for in that warm way that makes the rest of the universe tune out like scatterings of white noise. does keith even wantthis is?
keith doesn't dare qualifying that placeholder. he holds shiro's gaze despite wanting to look away. there's so little space between their faces at this point that even the tiniest breaths are puffs of warm air he can feel on his lip. still, he doesn't dare to close that miniscule gap -- not yet. not until after he's clarified one thing: ]
... and the only one that makes me want to smile back.
no subject
shiro isn't lance. shiro wouldn't make fun of him for being confused or needing a bit of guidance in how to talk, but there's a stubbornness to keith that refuses to cede ground to the doubt swirling in his head about whether or not he really knows how to engage with his best friend. ]
But you're the only one who looks at me like that.
[ and perhaps just as importantly, the only one that a soft smile from well and truly matters. at the end of the day, keith knows there are plenty of people in his life now who would be happy for him and care about his well being. krolia, for one. the other paladins as well. but he knows tha they'll be okay, with or without him. for a while, he'd thought the same about shiro -- that maybe it was just keith who needed or wanted him, but somehow he's not show of that anymore.
not because shiro can't stand up for himself or doesn't have the willpower to muscle through any challenge in his way, but because keith's suddenly unsure of who it is that shiro would go to. who shiro might smile for in that warm way that makes the rest of the universe tune out like scatterings of white noise. does keith even wantthis is?
keith doesn't dare qualifying that placeholder. he holds shiro's gaze despite wanting to look away. there's so little space between their faces at this point that even the tiniest breaths are puffs of warm air he can feel on his lip. still, he doesn't dare to close that miniscule gap -- not yet. not until after he's clarified one thing: ]
... and the only one that makes me want to smile back.