AN: Initially posted on tumblr for mokonalikescakes. Thank you for the suggestion!

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Shiro knew better than to drink a cup of nunvil.

He definitely shouldn't have had three. But the day had been long and exhausting, filled with patrolling and the occasional small talk with some diplomats. He honestly didn't know how Princess Allura could stand doing the small talk for hours on end.

Or maybe she can't stand it either, he idly wondered as she finally abandoned the cup and grabbed the bottle. The rest of their team were in their rooms. They hadn't been quite ready to retire so were keeping each other company in the Paladin lounge. She was still in her formal dress with her hair down. He quirked an amused brow when she lifted her shoeless feet up onto the couch to rest near his thigh.

"That bad?"

She gave him a tired look. Instead of answering she tipped the bottle back. She made a little grimace before handing it over to him. He took it and then shrugged. Why bother with a cup anymore? He felt the drink burn and electrify his throat and all the way down into his stomach.

"This stuff is awful," he muttered.

"It's been fermenting for ten thousand years," she amusedly commented. "I'm still surprised it doesn't taste worse."

He put the empty bottle on the table and then just stared at her toes. She wiggled them when he started to touch them.

"Stop that."

"Huh."

"What?"

"You have five toes."

She felt her brows furrow. "Do humans have more?"

"Not typically. Five fingers," he lifted his right hand, not registering that he was showing the prosthetic, "five toes."

"Show me."

He sluggishly kicked off a boot then peeled away the white sock. She patted the couch. He put his foot up next to hers so she could see better. Due to his lighter skin color she could see a couple of veins traveling up around his ankle bone. She moved her skirt a little more, revealing the tip of a pink swirling birthmark.

"Alteans and humans are pretty similar," he offhandedly commented.

"Very." She looked up to his round ear. "But not quite."

He saw her pointed ears wiggle a little.

"How far can you hear?"

She shrugged. "A good distance for sounds. Speech is more limited."

He hummed to that. "Makes sense."

His little sound made her ears tingle. A thought floated into her mind. Her eyes drifted over to the singing machine Lance and Hunk had found in the space mall. Each Paladin - even the brooding Keith - had taken at least one turn on that machine but not Shiro.

"Why did you not sing?"

"What?"

"On that machine over there."

He slowly turned his head to where she gestured. His shoulders lifted up in a slight shrug.

"Didn't feel like it."

She put her chin on her raised knee. "How about now?"

He tilted his head curiously. "You want me to?"

"I want to know if you want to."

"Hey. I asked first."

"…If I say yes, would that make you more or less inclined to sing?"

"If you tell me why you want me to."

"I did not say I wanted it."

"Really, princess?"

Her fingers drummed along the couch. "I'm curious," she quietly murmured, "what you sound like. How it feels." She saw his raised brows. "Our ears carry sound to us but it's more than that. It's a completely sensational experience to hear others sing."

"You feel the molecules vibrating the air?"

"I suppose. I only somewhat know how other species' ears are like when I shapeshift."

"So then does hearing feel different for each person you listen to?"

In non-alcoholic situations she might have blushed and looked down at her skirt to pick off some invisible string. She wouldn't have asked him to sing at all were it not for the nunvil. But right now was not that situation. She looked him straight in the eyes.

"Oh yes."

His face was already flushed from the alcohol. If it weren't for that he might have been embarrassed to feel the heat in his face. But the fact that she wanted to specifically experience his singing was giving him little thrills.

"Ok."

He got up and set it up. She had both knees drawn up under her chin as she watched him work with still only one boot on.

"Any particular song?"

"Whatever you think I'd like."

He scrolled through the list. He blinked hard and then scrolled slower. The alcohol was hitting him harder now that he was standing up. Most of the songs were really old. He looked back at her then chose a song. She waited as the foreign music played and then he opened his mouth.

Her lips parted in a silent "oh."

His voice was low and a little rough from not using it like this but it only added a huskiness that shot a fast bolt of pleasure along her spine.

Her ears twitched in excitement as the song progressed. She could feel the little shocks of delight all the way down to her toes.

He felt a grin on his lips as he took in her wide eyes. He took a long breath and belted out the bridge. She was practically melting where she sat.

She should have had him sing sooner.

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