[ – he’s a what? shiro’s mood is far too exuberant to fall apart from that. however, there is a noticeable downstep in that energy, where the grin closes and the brow furrows. the moment seems to extend as they stand there – or, well, shiro stands there, clinging to keith as keith does to him. this close, there isn’t much keith can hide and so, shiro gets to watch that face flush – and stay flushed – as keith hurries through an explanation. alright, then… he’s a fluffy, floury, breakfast cake because he’s sweet like one. it doesn’t not make sense. it’s just not the go-to people often think of when assigning sugar-sweet names to significant others.

and he supposes that’s why he likes it. it’s horribly clunky – waffle, seriously? – but only keith would default to something so off the wall. it’s obvious keith does not realize how endearing this is, which shiro should remedy, instead of going a touch moony over how amusingly cute his best friend is, but then there’s music. of course shiro looks. it isn’t that he hadn’t seen that horrid creation earlier; it’s extremely difficult to miss. but largely ignoring the sick contortion of its shape is easier when it’s not making noise and… moving…?

shiro allows himself one, full tick to stare, sickened and wary, at the booth attendant and then he’s pointedly looking away. he’s yet to put keith down and he will continue to hold him up despite the strain in his left shoulder as he takes one stride, two strides forward. that’s all it takes for him to be at the counter, where he drops off the bucket of ping pongs. right hand now free, he grasps at keith with it and together, he gently lowers keith until his feet touch the ground. ]

So I’m sweet like a waffle.

[ the grin is back and closer, too, because shiro crowds into keith’s space with a bend, playfully nudging his forehead to keith’s. ]

Maybe I should call you strawberry, then. Sweet, red, and the best topping for a waffle.

[ topping. topper? he hears it afterwards and thinks, wait, though he’s interrupted from going any further with it. the thing is… it isn’t just music now. the thing speaks amidst the tune and it’s weird. shiro lifts his head off of keith’s, reluctantly staring over at the robo-attendant. ]

That… needs to never speak again. [ which, of course, it does, by repeating the same thing. seems it will continue to do so until they hurry up and comply. sheesh, someone should tell it about patience. ] Okay, okay, uh… this is cute.

[ and he releases keith to shuffle over a step, reaching up to tug down this very happy guy. ]

How about this?