@sheithangstweek Day 5: Almost
The party was beginning to die down but just enough people were still willing to dance the night away, such as plenty of drunk officers dancing with each other until the DJ played a slow song and everyone paired up. Mr. and Mrs. Holt slow danced along with Allura and Lance who seemed more than comfortable in each other’s arms. Meanwhile, Shiro and Keith hung back and clinked their drinks before drinking it down. While Keith had been hesitant to come to a party, he smiled at the image of his mother talking to several officers and the other paladins seemingly enjoying themselves.
But Shiro looked at Keith smiling and admiring how much he had grown, wishing he had something better to say to him other than thank you. He looked at Keith’s hand, exposed and he had the sudden urge to hold it but resisted, feeling that he didn’t deserve to. He couldn’t, thinking of Adam, he shouldn’t but it was how he and Adam came together as well. At a gala, holding hands under the lights and smiling. But Adam was gone, and not too long ago, Keith would have died. Along with the rest of the team. Could he go through another heartbreak like that? Could he put himself through that? That was the reality they lived in, a war, an intergalactic war that Shiro felt like he had been in for more than a decade.
He wanted to open his heart to Keith and let him in, but in any battle, they could be killed. Worse one would have to live with the knowledge that they would have to fight on without the other. No matter what, no matter what he did, he could risk losing Keith, someone he loved, maybe even more than Adam. But even when they broke up, Shiro didn’t fight it, cause in the end, he was right.
Yet seeing Allura and Lance dancing and giggling, he couldn’t help but wonder if they too knew a risk they were taking. While he was happy for them, it was not something he was willing to risk. Especially for Keith’s sake.
Even still Shiro looked at Keith who caught his gaze and smiled back, a familiar smile Shiro had seen before. A slight flush across his face as the lights brought a glow to Keith’s face. Making it that much harder to keep his feelings silent. Keith leaned in close to Shiro’s ear and said.
“Hey, you wanna go somewhere more private? There’s something I wanna talk about,” Shiro’s heart beat a little faster as he nodded and both walked outside onto the balcony, where the air was cool and the moon shone brightly.
“Something wrong?” Shiro asked, not getting his hopes up and knowing not to get his hopes up. Keith seemed to look for his words, swishing his drink around and absently staring out at the horizon.
“Nothings wrong it’s just that…I um…I was thinking about…well,” Shiro watched as Kieth struggled with his words and his hand reached for Keith’s shoulder but slipped down to the top of his hand. This got Keith’s attention, looking at Shiro with wide and pleading eyes. Shiro just smiled and moved a little closer, at this moment, fuck the risks. Keith gulped and opened his mouth.
“Keith there you are!” Called Krolia, causing the two of them to separate, yet still staring into each other’s eyes. Wishing to finally just say it. But Shiro guessed that Keith wouldn’t risk it either. “I-I’m sorry was I interrupting something?” Krolia asked them, seemingly regretful of breaking them up.
“No, no we were just,” Keith looked away from Shrio for just a moment to walk to his mother. “We were just talking.” Shiro watched Keith walk away, who looked back at him with a sullen smile, something fake to make him feel better. But Shiro knew better, he always did.
