Written for Day 3 of Voltron Fluff Week - prompt: Sleepovers/Naptime.
Shiro paused and stuck his head into the training deck, waiting for the hologram to finish roaring at Pidge as she stammered out the right Altean word.
"Pidge?" Shiro called. "Do you know where Keith is?"
"No, sorry." Pidge called back, shrugging.
"Thanks. Are you okay?" he checked, and Pidge grinned, throwing him a thumb's up.
"Fine! I'm up to level two!" Pidge resettled herself, cross-legged, and another hologram began to form above her. It wasn't how Shiro would enjoy learning a language, but he supposed it did seem to be working for her.
He pulled back and left her to it, frowning thoughtfully. He headed back to their rooms, although he didn't really expect Keith to be there.
The bathroom door was closed when he got there, though.
Shiro took off his boots, leaving them by the outer door. He opened the bathroom door and leaned in, and covered his mouth as he smiled, afraid he might laugh. Keith was in the large bath, slouched down to his neck in the water with his hair tied up, asleep. His fringe was spiked over his brows, dampened by the humidity.
Shiro took a moment to commit the image to memory, then entered the room. He leaned down to dip his fingers in the bath, testing. Not cold - bless Altean technology, baths never got cold unless you asked for a cold bath - but only faintly warm instead of the near-scalding heat he knew Keith favoured, especially for his post-workout soaks.
"Baby." Shiro called quietly, gently clasping Keith's shoulder. "Keith, baby, wake up. You shouldn't nap in the bath."
Keith stirred faintly, lashes fluttering, but didn't sit up or even open his eyes. Shiro leaned forwards, kissing his brow. "Come on, you'll sleep better in bed." He looked around and snagged the towel that had been laid out nearby.
Keith groaned, but he reluctantly allowed Shiro to pull him up, sleep-clumsy as he stood, water sluicing down his body. Shiro took a moment to appreciate the sight before wrapping the towel around his lover, tugging Keith out of the bath.
"Hey, Shiro." Keith said thickly, yawning. "Weren't you working on that . . . thing . . . with Allura?" he asked, cocking his head to one side, eyes dark and wide under heavy lids.
"I was," Shiro said, smothering a laugh, "that was a while ago. We're finished now. Hard workout?" he asked, stroking Keith's cheek with his thumb before beginning to actually use the towel.
"Went up a level today." Keith said, squirming his arms free of Shiro's grip and the towel he was caught in. "I can do that." He made a grab for the edge of the towel.
"I'm aware." Shiro said cheerfully, not giving it up. He flicked one corner into his palm and covered Keith's face with it briefly, making him splutter, muffled though it was. "I'm enjoying this way, though." He scrubbed lightly at Keith's face.
Keith huffed, but when Shiro lowered the towel again and revealed his face he was smiling.
Keith hooked one hand behind Shiro's neck and pulled him down for a kiss, and Shiro's hands stilled, still holding the towel halfway around Keith's ribs. Keith bumped his nose against Shiro's playfully as the kiss broke. "Going to nap with me?" he asked lazily, fingertips dragging through Shiro's shaved hair, making him shiver.
"Hm?" Shiro prompted, brushing his lips over Keith's again.
"You said I should sleep in bed." Keith reminded, pulling the towel out of Shiro's hands and putting it aside. "Are you coming with me?"
Shiro hummed, smiling. "Yes." He leaned against the doorframe, making Keith squeeze to get past him, and watched as Keith loosed his hair from the band holding it up, finger combing the kinks out on his way to bed.
Shiro followed, only to be stopped with a gentle shove. He raised his eyebrows, and Keith gave a slow smile and flicked the collar of his vest. "Not getting in bed like that, are you?" Keith asked as he tugged on the loose pair of pants he usually slept in.
Shiro laughed and took off his belt, then shrugged out of his vest while Keith toppled backwards comfortably into their bed and stretched languidly. Shiro left both articles on the bedside shelf and shoved his lover lightly aside to climb in alongside him. Keith burst into laughter, flailing a little at the shove.
He made way for Shiro easily, though, and threw one leg over Shiro's as he snuggled closer. Shiro brought one hand up to run his fingers through Keith's slightly damp hair, fluffing out the silky mess and prompting a low purring sound from his lover.
Keith's fingers tickled up his belly towards his chest, sneaking under his shirt and brushing over the scarred skin beneath. Shiro's breath caught, and Keith's fingers splayed out flat, resting easy on his chest as he breathed.
Shiro settled and closed his eyes, tucking one arm under Keith's head, close enough that his lover rested on his shoulder instead of the harsh metal of his arm. He flexed his fingers where they rested on the bed, catching a fold of the sheet in his grip.
"No brooding." Keith said, startling Shiro. His eyes were still closed. He reached behind himself for Shiro's hand, sliding his own down Shiro's forearm until he could twine their fingers, then drew their linked hands forward, over his own waist. "Relax. Nap. Remember?" Shiro smiled, squeezing Keith's hand gently, and closed his eyes.
Keith was solid and warm stretched along his side, leaning against him, and the contact was familiar and grounding. His slow, even breaths dragged Shiro down towards sleep himself. Shiro yawned, stretching his legs out a little more and folding his left arm up, hand resting on his belly as he drifted peacefully.
Keith's thumb rubbed absently up and down the outside of his metal fingers. The slightly odd sensation just verged on being distracting, but not enough to keep Shiro awake. As Keith repeated the caress, it slowed to match the pattern of his deep, steady breaths.
Shiro twitched his fingers in Keith's clasp, but didn't try to free them. His lover was pressed so close against his side that as he fell asleep, his own breathing settled easily to the same rhythm as Keith's.