Written for Day 13 of Sheith Month: Party.
"That was a fun night." Shiro said, yawning and snuggling a little more into the cushion of his lover's body.
"Mm." Keith said non-committally. "I suppose. Nothing exploded this time."
Anyone else would have been joking, but not with their lives - anyone else might also have sounded happier about it.
"It was just a nice party, Keith." Shiro said, amused.
"Mm." Keith said again. "Well, it's over now." He sounded quite satisfied. One hand trailed up and down Shiro's spine.
"Baby, it was in your honour!" Shiro protested, a smile tugging at his lips as he stroked Keith's ribs, fingertips trailing in the shallow dips between them.
"I know." Keith said, with a low hum. "I just. . . Parties are never going to be my thing, I think, love." he said almost apologetically. "No matter why we wind up going."
Shiro sighed, mouth twisting, but nodded. Keith wasn't a terribly sociable man, and he never had been, even in much smaller groupings - Shiro had been happy when Keith welcomed his company as often as he did, when they were first getting together, but also surprised, knowing even then that Keith often preferred to be alone.
"I know you enjoyed it tonight. I know you enjoy things like that." Keith said, fingers ruffling through Shiro's hair and stroking down the back of his neck. "And I'm glad you had fun."
Shiro hummed happily under the caress. He nodded. "I'm sorry, baby." he said softly.
"Why are you sorry?" Keith asked, sounding puzzled.
Shiro smiled crookedly. "I know you don't really enjoy things like . . . the celebration today. This one you had to, but . . . I know you go for my sake, most of the time. I'm sorry." He frowned. He did love having Keith at his side for them - even more when, like tonight, there was dancing - but he was conflicted knowing Keith mostly came to keep him company - or to watch over him, like he was going to get into some kind of trouble at a diplomatic dinner.
"Don't be ridiculous." Keith said idly, shifting just a little under Shiro and smoothing a hand down his shoulders and back. "You hardly force me, and they're hardly that trying to get through." he said dismissively.
"You'd rather fight through an entire Galra squadron by yourself than sit through something like we did tonight." Shiro said wryly. "Possibly barehanded."
"Yeah, but I'd rather do that than lots of things." Keith said with no apparent acknowledgement of the fact that most people would, in fact, go to great lengths to avoid doing that.
. . .Shiro loved him dearly, but Keith was . . . rather unique.
"Still, I suppose if you could change that - if you could change me," Shiro said, feeling faintly melancholy, "you would prefer I didn't want to pull you along with me to so many things with so many people."
"Don't be ridiculous," Keith said, snorting, "I wouldn't change you if I could, love."
"Oh." Shiro felt warmth bloom deep in his chest. He smiled, closing his eyes.
"Well, there is one thing I might change about you." Keith continued after a moment, sounding thoughtful, and Shiro winced, ducking his head as something cold curled in the pit of his stomach. Delightfully awkward, blunt Keith. His fingers were still scratching lightly through Shiro's hair.
"What- What would you change, then, if you could?" Shiro asked evenly.
"You are a little heavy when you lie on me like this." Keith said seriously, and Shiro tensed, then lifted his head. Keith was smiling slightly, the utter ass.
"You-" Shiro shook his head, pushing up on his hands and-
Keith caught hold of him by the nape of his neck and yanked, and Shiro collapsed back onto his chest with a thump. "Hey, I didn't say you could move." Keith scolded mildly, not even breathless from the impact.
Shiro opened his mouth, then closed it, shaking his head. His lips twitched towards a smile as he let his head come to rest on Keith's shoulder again.
Keith hummed contentedly, petting Shiro's hair and down over the nape of his neck, and Shiro snuggled in under the arm resting lightly across his back, just below his shoulder blades.
"Why would I want to change you, love?" Keith asked softly, knuckles rubbing lightly up and down beside Shiro's spine. "I love you."