#cg!keith

“Alright Paladins! That’s it for training. We’ve got another meeting in 30 dobashes, so everyone get cleaned up!” Coran chirped over the castle’s speakers.

Keith looked over to Shiro, who was spaced out beside him, concerned. They’d been busy all day with meetings and other paladin duties and he could tell it was taking its toll on the man. If it wasn’t obvious because of the bags under his eyes and his lack of energy, then it was because of how snappy he’d been today. Shiro never snapped unless he was getting cranky, which meant he needed a nap.

And Keith was going to have to coax him down for one.

The teen patted his partner on the back to get his attention, then leaned closer so only he would hear him. “Do you want me to give you a bath?” He suggested, knowing that it was one of the easiest ways to settle Shiro down into his headspace.

Shiro sighed, then shook his head. “No, I’m gonna take a quick shower. We don’t have that long before the meeting.” He mumbled.

Keith hummed and began to rub his back. “Are you sure? A bath can be quick too.” He encouraged.

Shiro hesitated to answer, and his caregiver smiled. He was too easy to persuade.

Keith gently slid his hand into Shiro’s and squeezed. “Come on buddy, let me take care of you for a few minutes, okay?” He whispered, able to tell that he’d already won the little over with how his shoulders relax at the nickname.

Finally, the boy nodded in agreement. “Okay.” He said quietly.

His caregiver grinned and began to lead him down the hall to his room. Getting Shiro to agree to a bath was a big step, but he knew it was only half the battle. He needed to keep him distracted too if he wanted the boy to stay relaxed.

“What do you want to do later, sweetie?” He asked as he looked to the boy, purposefully using his favorite nickname. “Do you want to play with your toys? Or do you want to cuddle since it’s been a long day?”

Shiro looked away and blushed slightly, having not fully settled down yet. He brought his flesh hand up to hold onto the collar of his shirt, something he always did when he resisting the urge to suck his thumb. “Um...cuddle?” He asked, his tone starting to sound babyish.

Keith grinned. “Of course! We can cuddle with your favorite fuzzy blanket and your husky. Does that sound good sweetie?” He cooed as he opened the bedroom door and gently pulled Shiro inside. “And we can watch cartoons and have nummy snacks until you fall asleep.”

The boy hummed softly and nodded. He subconsciously brought his flesh thumb to his mouth and began to suck on it as he was led around the room, already too little to pay attention. Keith cheered internally at the sight, happy that Shiro was settling down so easily.

The caregiver quickly grabbed a pair of comfy clothes for them both, then led Shiro into the bathroom. He sat the boy on the toilet lid and stroked his hair. “Just sit here while I get the bath ready, okay sweetie?” He prompted, earning a nod from the little.

Keith turned on the tap and let the tub fill, then added a bit of bubblebath to the water. While it finished filling up, he turned back to his little to help him get undressed.

Shiro looked up to him when he came over and frowned. “Meeting?” He asked worriedly, squirming in his seat.

“You don’t have to worry about that right now, okay? Let’s take a bath first.” Keith said sweetly.

He helped the boy out of his clothes, then hefted him onto his hip and brought him over to the tub. “Okay! Here we go.” He cooed as he lowered the little into the water.

Shiro relaxed into the warm water and cooed softly. Almost immediately, the bubbles caught his attention and he began scooping them up and playing with them, allowing Keith to wash him undisturbed.

A few minutes into the bath, Keith noticed Shiro staring at him. “What is it, baby?” He asked curiously.

The little stared for a moment before he looked down and scooped up more bubbles, then carefully pressed them to his caregiver’s cheeks. The bubbles stuck to his face and held their shape, causing the baby to laugh.

Keith smiled fondly. “Are you making me look silly?” He asked, Shiro’s response coming in the form of more bubbles being stuck to his chin. The caregiver couldn’t help but laugh at the happy squeals that followed and decided to let the little entertain himself.

While Keith washed Shiro’s hair, the boy played with his growing beard of bubbles, slowly shaping it into a lion’s mane. Eventually, the boy was happy with his masterpiece and clapped, a wide grin on his face.

“Thank you, I look amazing!” His caregiver said proudly as he rinsed the little’s hair out.

Shiro giggled and babbled to him.

Once Keith was finished, he pulled the plug out of the drain and started to dry Shiro off. He then picked the boy up, brought him over to the changing mat on the floor, and laid him down. He quickly wiped away the bubbles with the wet towel, then quickly changed the baby into a thick, nighttime diaper and dressed him in his pajamas.

Already, Shiro looked more than ready for his nap. Keith picked him up again and brought him to his bed. The baby complained quietly as he was laid down and tucked in, but his caregiver gently shushed him and gave him his favorite stuffed husky. “Don’t worry sweetie, I’m not going anywhere. Remember, once you wake up from your nap we’re gonna have some cuddle time, okay?” He cooed, pressing a kiss to the boy’s forehead.

Shiro looked like he wanted to fuss, but he was too sleepy from his bath and being snuggled up in bed with his husky. Before he knew it, his eyes slipped shut and he drifted off to sleep.