marmoron | [noctium] imbox

[ time: 7:43 pm.
location: estancia hotel.
reason: shiro taking down the assailant who has been eluding him for a year.

– gotta check in with keith first though. ]

I’m gonna be late tonight
I’m in pursuit of the Mystery Rider

[ how embarrassing; he capitalized it, like it’s an actual identity. ]

I think I finally have him cornered

[ time: 7:44 pm
location: also the estancia hotel. what a curious coincidence.
reason: to help break someone out of their dick agnst.

no, but seriously. what had started out as a bit of playful teasing and amused 'oooh'ing over his boy's tales of a rogue rider has ballooned a little out of control. keith knows it's only a matter of time before shiro finally figures the whole situation out and he wants to at least end the narrative on his terms. and possibly with a bang... in many sense of the word.

he's prepared this well in advance, making sure to book the fanciest suite at the hotel and escape the garage by using the elevator that only guests with hotel rooms can access. from there? he's instructed the hotel staff to wait for a certain officer shirogane to appear in the lobby. wait a few minutes to give keith a couple minutes to make a few preparations before finally approaching him with a key card and a typed out note yhat reads penthouse suite.

any minute now, phase 2 of the plan will be put into motion and keith is equal parts nervous and excited.

and also distracted from running a hot bath with bubbles because of a ping.

it's a very worthwhile distraction though. ]

oh yeah?
what's happening?

[ shiro fears he’s been outwitted again. he found the bike, but not the rider. he found the elevator too, but his badge only overrides people, not tech and machinery. so. he treks to the front of the hotel, pushes through the spinning door entrance, and walks into a ridiculously grand lobby. shiro isn’t one to get caught up in ritz, glitz, and glam, but wow, it probably costs an arm and a leg just to breathe in here.

shiro doesn't have another arm to spare either, heh.

he looks nice in his uniform, he knows. ~~keith says so~~. but he’s also winding down his shift, so his floof isn’t so floofy, and he smells a little less cucumber melon body wash and a lot more man.

he’s too busy scanning the room to feel awkward though. not behind the potted plants, nowhere near the pillars, not at the reception desk – there isn’t a dark clad, leather wrapped criminal anywhere in sight. frowning, he steps further inside, eyeballing every luxuriously dressed individual as a potential suspect.

time: 7:49 pm. shiro finally checks that long ago ping. ]

Followed him to the Estancia Hotel
Bet he thinks he can lose me by hiding out in one of the rooms
Little does he know I’ll camp all night by his bike if I have to

If that’s okay with you

[ the water collecting in the tub is scalding hot, but that's ok. shiro isn't due to show up for a few more minutes and by the time he gets here the water should be just right. how much bubble bath is required for the perfect bath though? that's the question keith is mentally debating before he just decides to dump the entire bottle in the running water. if it ends up making a giant mess, well... it won't be keith's responsibility to clean it up.

.... even so. maybe this is overdoing it?

before keith can decide what to do, several more pings are incoming. he turns off the taps, wipes his hands on the fluffy towel and ignores the bubbling disaster. ]

wow that's some dedication
hopefully whoever Mystery Rider is, hope they don't just ditch the bike there and walk out in plainclothes
cuz then i might never see you again

[ a quick glance up to the right corner of his phone screen aaand 7:50pm. ah fuck, definitely not enough time to fix this bath situation. he's got maybe about a minute before the bellhop named julius is due to handover shiro's goodies and there's still the matter of setting up the candles by the bed.

listen, he'd read something about candles setting up a romantic atmosphere or whatever and he wants to at least get some of this right. ]

Edited 2022-04-25 23:11 (UTC)

[ he should’ve snapped a picture of the bike with his phone. he has footage captured on his dashcam and he may or may not have gone against policy in the last year to periodically screenshot still images from his many run-ins with the mystery rider, to take home and show keith. those screencaps never do the bike justice. ]

No way he’s ditching that bike
It’s too gorgeous

[ maybe when he ends up staking out the bike tonight, he’ll take a proper picture and send it to keith so he can fully grasp how sleek, how beautifully constructed that bike is. though, considering there isn’t a hint of red on it, shiro doubts keith will appreciate it as much as shiro does. ]

Either way, he’s not getting by me
I have a pretty good idea of his height and build. I can spot him if he tries to walk past me incognito

[ … if only he knew. speaking of people trying to walk past him – there still isn’t anyone, but there is a man walking to him. he has a shiny, gold-plated nametag that reads julius and an equally bright smile as he extends a keycard, as well as a note.

penthouse suite

shiro frowns. ]

Who gave this to you? [ he already feels the beginning threads of distress. because it’s pretty obvious it has to be – ]

Your mystery rider, Monsieur. [ and he winks. why the fuck does he wink? julius bows – where is he, truly – and turns away to go attend to other clients. forcibly ignoring the uneasy feeling inside him for the time being, he slowly turns his attention to the reception desk. mystery rider, right. he won’t be a mystery much longer. ]

....

[ so that momentary distress over the bathtub situation? gone. keith outright snorts after reading this latest text and has to recompose himself before attempting to light the candle wick. the candle is set up by the bedside table so at the very least it doesn't feel like a fire hazard, but he's still not sold on whether or not it's creating a mood.

too late to second guess all this now, though. by now, julius must've handed off the card key and message, meaning keith ought to be slapping Mystery Rider's helmet back on and standing dramatically by the windows overlooking the view of Sumarlok. ]

right
so what do you think the guy looks like under the helmet?

[ sorry keith, it’ll be awhile before shiro opens those texts, because – ]

That can’t be right. Shiro Shirogane?

[ he’s been at reception. after a badge flash and a hefty dose of sweet talking, shiro’s got the identity of the man in the penthouse suite. the receptionist assures him that’s the correct name. hm. correct name left in the system, but fake name, obviously. he leaves the counter, expression set in a frown as he wanders over to stand by one of the potted plants.

so, to review:
the mystery rider is the man in the penthouse suite.
the mystery rider knows not only shiro’s last name, but his preferred first name.
the mystery rider specifically coached hotel staff to find him and give him a keycard, so that shiro can meet him in the penthouse suite for…

what?

he has a growing suspicion and he doesn’t like it. he opens the new texts, frowning deeper. he doesn’t even want to begin to speculate; it feels weirdly wrong to imagine any bit of this man, when this man wants… maybe… with shiro…? he can’t even complete the thought. ]

Don’t know and I won’t be finding out tonight either
I’m coming home

[ there's a long delay between messages and keith presumes that must be because shiro's gotten his key card and will soon be making his appearance at the door. anticipation gets his heart beating faster, as he tries to think of what to actually say. there's definitely a fine line here between shiro getting ourtaged that keith hasn't said a word about the Mystery Rider for all these months and his boy seeing the humor in all of it, and keith wants to straddle that line about as well as he can straddle his dick.

but eloquence. eloquence ain't his strong suit and his head is full of lame one liners like surprise? and fancy seeing you here. guh. so maybe he ought to have prepared this part in advance too, but....

ping.

keith glances down at his phone. then balks. ]

what?
WHY?

[ did julius fuck this up somehow? fuck that guy. ]

[ nothing too odd about the reaction. of course shiro’s one-eighty would be confusing. now decisions, decisions. text some bullshit and have an unconcerning story ready by the time he gets home? or come clean that a criminal knows his name and very likely wants to fuck with him in some way? whether that be mental or physical, shiro is still undecided.

sighs. probably best not to lie. ]

I have a bad feeling about it
Some hotel guy hand delivered a keycard to me
Mystery Rider wants me to meet him in the penthouse suite
The penthouse!
Don’t you see what that means?

[ okay, yes, but... ]

no?
shiro this is your big chance to finally catch the Mystery Rider
you can't walk away from that!?

[ DO NOT DO THIS TO HIM, SHIROGANE. ]

[ … okay, that’s on shiro. he should know the extent of keith’s obliviousness when it comes to innuendo. ]

But he’s coming onto me
How am I supposed to arrest him if he’s trying to bed me???

[ three question marks, jeez, the boy is distressed. ]

Edited (i missed a cap l:) 2022-04-26 04:11 (UTC)

[ hold on a second, keith is experiencing the weirdest cocktail of emotions right now. on the one hand, he's unspeakably endeared by the fact that his boy doesn't want to go near a potentially sexually compromising situation, but on the other hand ahhhh?!?! his questionably constructed plan slowly unraveling in real time..... how does he salvage this? ]

handcuffs?

[ wait, shit. is that too mild of a reaction? what would he be saying under different circumstances knowing someone shady was trying to seduce his dorito? offer to come back shiro up with knives? .... right, well that's not going to work for obvious reasons and the additional reason of not wanting shiro to get the idea of calling for backup officers.

so great. now he's second guessing how to behave like himself. ]

shiro c'mon
maybe it's not what you think
you can't let this Mystery Rider spook you into not arresting him

[ keith pls. that was a rhetorical question, not a literal one. the other texts though? shiro rereads that last line, gaze straying to spook in the aftermath. he doesn’t want keith thinking him a coward. he’s better than this. so what if mystery rider may or may not be looking for a take down of another type? it doesn’t mean he’s going to get it. shiro can handle whatever’s thrown his way.

he’s a gembond guardian, isn’t he?

hyping himself up there by the potted plant, shiro nods his head, further bolstering his confidence, and then starts clicking away. ]

You’re right
Whatever he has planned, I can’t run away from my duty
I swore to protect this city

[ you know, from a delinquent who drives fast. the ultimate threat to society. ]

I’m going in

[ and there he goes, abandoning his potted plant to stride over to the elevator. ]

[ keith just about slumps in relief. so nothing drastic has to be changed, no yelling at shiro to get in the elevator already -- just back to smooth sailing. good. ]

ok babe
see you soon

[ ....wait, fuck. ]

when you get home i mean

[ practically throwing the phone on the sofa before keith can incriminate hinself any further, he lowers the visor on his motorcycle helmet and turns back around to face the sumarlok skyline. quippy one liners -- back to dreaming one of those up then.

we meet at last? no, that sounds like something a cartoon villain would say. hu? that's too anticlimactic.

thinking, thinking..... waiting. ]

[ hopefully keith didn’t throw that phone too far, because shiro is still very chatty. ]

If anything happens
If I see something or he says something
I don’t want it
I only want you
I love you

[ it’s a very long elevator ride to the penthouse ok. how else is shiro supposed to spend that time other than affirm his loyalty and love to his boyfriend?? ]

[ ping. goddamn it. that better not be shiro changing his mind again. keith figures he might be able to ignore it and dedicate his focus on being "cool" but there are four more pings that follow the first one and each successive message makes the sinking feeling in the pit of keith's stomach a little more pronounced.

abandoning the windowside and flipping up the visor again, keith steps back towards the couch to pick up his phone, bracing for some last minute hikinks, only to ....

oh. oh.

of course he can't help the moony air that comes over him. his boy is sweet and adorably charming,.... and this better not be some prelude to chickening out. ]

i love you too, dork
you're going, right?

[ and again, he's about to put the phone away when he wonders if that's suspicious? what would he be saying in any other context? ]

you better be going
and Mystery Rider better not try anything

[ there. threat issued. grump level maintained. that sounds... less like he's egging his boyfriend on to have an affair? maybe?? keith pushes the visor back down, keeping his back turned to the door. ]

[ they’ve gotten very good in the back and forth of i love yous. took some time, sure, but they inevitably worked out the bugs to the point that reciprocation is reflex. nonetheless, the entirely anticipated echo of his texted words has him holding his phone closer and beaming. at least he’s the only one in the elevator. ]

I’m going
And I’m gonna get him

[ he’s dreamed of this day. his nemesis, the one who got away, the bane of his judicial existence – finally, finally brought to justice. it’ll likely end in a fine and some community service, but the point stands: shiro’s beat him.

the elevator dings and shiro peers around the open doors, eyeing the stretch of hall to the lone door. sucking in a deep breath, he sets his expression in concentration and then starts out of the elevator. he’s a big guy, but he knows how to stealth when it’s required. light, careful steps carry him the distance and then he’s right beside the door, back pressed against the wall.

so… about that stealth…

he mutes his phone. ]

How do you think I should play it?
Knock and announce?
Or barge right in with the keycard?

[ more unexpected pings. keith fumbles trying to turn down the volume on his phone. stupid reflex maybe, given the low likelihood of the sound carrying through the door, but you can never be too sure? thing is though, the fumbling leads to a drop and that might be more conspicuous than the pings ever were.

shooting a nervous look towards the door and then back to his phone, keith hunkers down a little to read the texts and ends up snortinh yet again. is it weird to be so endeared by the fact that they're both essentially trying to map out a greeting> ]

heh.
well he gave you th ekey, right?
must mean he wants you to barge in

[ but isn’t that a reason as to why he shouldn’t? if mystery rider wants him to use the keycard, shiro will be playing right into his plan? frowning, he stalls on indecision, but ultimately… ? well. he’s always telling keith to be leader and if that’s what he’s suggesting… ]

Okay
I’ll text you soon

[ five minutes? if all goes smoothly, he should have the cuffs on the assailant fairly quickly. hopefully keith realizes that and knows to come searching for him if he doesn’t relay back within the time limit. please don’t be a trap, he thinks, and then draws another deep, steadying breath.

phone pocketed.
keycard in slot.
door unlocked.

it clicks loudly, announcing the mechanism. groaning inwardly, shiro abruptly pushes the door open and rushes inside, barely hearing the heavy door swing shut as he comes to stop ten or so feet behind the man standing there by the window. ]

Freeze! Don’t move! [ he doesn’t actually have a weapon drawn; hopefully he commands enough authority that this dude follows direction. ] You’re under arrest for speeding, vehicular endangerment and disturbing the peace.

[ it's only a short moment after the last of the texts before the door clicks open. keith gets a split second to toss his phone back on the couch before shiro bursts inside with his best boss voice.

don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh as the running internal monologue does precious little to keep his amusement in check. how is he not meant to find that tone some combination of arousing and hilarious hearing it outside its normal context? fuck -- barely two ticks in and keith is already getting derailed..

suddenly, he thinks he's starting to understand why dramatics like you'll never take me alive! might be fun to say. rather than say anything however, he raises his hands in some show of surrender. it should be noted that the lights in the main room are dim, most of the ambient illumination coming from the bright lights of sumarlok's skyline. in other words? shiro's suspicions about this mystery rider are bang on point.

heart beating fast, faster -- keith grins behind his visor. maybe the best plan forward isn't to speak, but to let shiro do the unmasking? ]

[ shiro’s suspicious. this is too easy. for all its build-up, with the lure, the note, the keycard, the anticipation… all that effort and planning to cumulate with mystery rider simply giving up? shiro wrinkles his nose. it doesn’t seem right. doesn’t feel right either. sure, he’s noticed the dim lighting, aided by the flicker of candle flame from the next room over. also, the fragrant, somewhat flowery smell in the air is hard to miss now that his heartbeat and attention have steadied under the initial rush of adrenaline. yes, he’s noticed and he concludes that his first guess must be right: the goal is to seduce him.

… but that’s it? a few cliches around the room and mystery rider expected – what? for shiro to waltz in and be so easily swayed into bedding him? that can't be the extent of his plan.

and yet, his hands are raised. hmph. shiro doesn’t trust him. ]

No.

[ he pulls the handcuffs out of the utility pouch fastened to his belt. there’s the unmistakable click of chain and ratchet teeth being pulled back. he doesn’t move any closer though, not yet. ]

Hands behind your back.

[ no funny business! ]

[ no funny business, he says, and all it does is make keith want to giggle. actually giggle. that's an alarming state of affairs. the click of metal isn't exactly comforting, but it again hits a funny bone to think that handcuffs really are the way shiro's going about this in the end.

maybe the experience is a bit overdue for keith. they hadn't actually cuffed him back then in juvie after all for that ancient crime of grand theft auto. in a way, this whole game feels a bit like completing the circle of life. still saying nothing, keith lowers his hands as insructed, holding them at the small of his back just suggestively enough to frame the curve of his ass.

then he turns his head very slightly to watch shiro's next move. ]

[ – how is this going so smoothly?? suspicion keeping him on high alert, shiro hesitates a beat before forcing himself to cross the distance between them. every muscle is tense. it’s as though he’s waiting for the most minute of movements from the mystery rider, ready to spring into action to subdue him if necessary. two step, three step, four… he’s almost there; the whole time, shiro stares at those hands and only those hands.

… mostly those hands.

that tight, leather, fucking one piece jumpsuit is like a second skin. it hugs this man’s body so well, especially the round, voluptuous ass those hands are not so subtly advertising. he’s happily in love. he’s so utterly smitten with keith, that there isn’t a man in existence that can coax him away, shiro is vehemently certain of that.

… but it’s impossible not to appreciate this man’s body on a base level.

he inwardly grimaces, feeling guilty and dirty, and so, forces his gaze up. no resistance comes when he takes the right hand, clicking the handcuff on. no struggle either, when he finishes with the left. ]

You really thought you could seduce me, huh?

[ the words are harsher, his little hiccup of a straying gaze making him agitated. he huffs and lets go, letting the chained hands rest against the other before he circles around to the front of the man. the width and height of his frame block out the city lights, casting the mystery rider in shadow and making that black visor darker. ]

Tough luck, I’m not into criminals.

[ the metal cuffs snap closed, but despite knowing there won't be any give to them keith gently pulls anyway. it's ... yeah, strange to have his hands locked away, but otherwise he isn't feeling uncomfortable. at least, not until shiro steps in front of him and his tone makes it abundantly clear that the delicate balance between antipathy and good humor is shifting towards the former rather than the latter.

too bad his hands are currently tied up and can't be used to force quit with a raise of his visor, huh?

frowning slightly, keith frets over how to proceed. in some messed up backwards way, it's genuinely sweet that shiro is upset by the idea of infidelity, but this was never meant to stoke moral outrage. no, this was always meant to be about having a relaxing and luxurious night together because they're long overdue on that front.

as is the honesty.

so. time to forgo the element of surprise. ...even if the statement just now has keith wondering what it is shiro really thinks about that original grand theft auto incident. not to mention their uh... zero license child adoptions. ... and his hoverbike. ]

That your way of suggesting we should finally get those papers for Huey and Bitchface?

[noctium] imbox

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and cue ftb... also i'm closing my eyes.