#newai

Once Ulaz had been told this was a recreation of a specific area of history, he’d started to eat the movie up.  

In comparison, Shiro wasn’t particularly interested.  After all, it wasn’t his history.  It turned out that explaining to a Galra that yes, it was the history of people on Earth, but not of his people didn’t come across right: There was a cultural sense that all of history was Galra history, so creating differentiation between ‘the area my family came from’ and ‘the area other families came from’ didn’t really work.

That and Shiro had just never been a period piece person unless it involved military battles or big political movements or just... anything more than this one family trying to marry off their daughters.

But Ulaz got sucked into the spectacle of it, then he’d gotten emotional invested.  His eyes went wide when the romantic leads were close, and when their hands brushed, Ulaz’ breath audibly caught.

Which, yes, was pretty damn cute.  It made the whole thing worth it.  So if Shiro was watching Ulaz more than the screen, he thought that was pretty understandable.

“What is this ritual?” Ulaz asked, not looking away from the screen, as one of the leads went down on one knee.  “What does this mean?”

“It’s a commitment to a lifelong relationship,” Shiro replied carefully.  “In this case, that they’ll be monogamous with each other for the rest of their lives.”

Ulaz nodded, eyes practically sparkling.  “Humans mate for life?”

Oh boy.  “Socially.  Sometimes.  There’s no biological drive for it, as far as I know.”

The proposal was of course, accepted, because it was the end of the movie and that’s how it had to end.  Then they embraced dramatically, corsets straining and bodices heaving and all that glorious nonsense, before they pressed their lips together in front of the setting sun, and the music spelled, and the credits finally started to play.

Ulaz was still watching with near laser intensity.  “I know that gesture,” he said quietly.  “That is the kissing.”

“Just kissing, no ‘the’.”  That got him an odd look, and Shiro winced.  Yeah, that wouldn’t translate sensibly.  “Hopefully the castle will catch up.  Yes, you’ve seen it in a few other movies.”

Ulaz turned to look at Shiro, gaze hopeful and ears perked up.  “May I kiss you?”

Oh.

“Um,” Shiro managed, voice strangled.  For a  moment his mind stalled out.  Kissing?  Ulaz wanted to- Shiro had been quietly dealing with his attraction to Ulaz since he joined the team, and he didn’t think it had been noticeable.

He had the feeling the other paladins would slyly disagree, but that wasn’t the point.

Now Ulaz wanted to kiss him?

Then the realization struck, and Shiro’s shoulders relaxed.  “You may, but you should know that kissing is usually seen as part of a romantic relationship.  At least on the lips.  Other places are considered more friendly.”

Ulaz looked at Shiro like he had just told him how to do simple addition.  “Yes.  I wish to kiss like couples do.”  Then he frowned.  “Are we not a couple?”

“We’re a couple?” Shiro sputtered back, reeling like Ulaz had shoved him back.  “You, we- when did- is this from before?”

Slowly, Ulaz’ shoulders fell, and he looked down into his lap.  “No, I know you do not remember.  I would have told you.  There was no place for that with the Druids.  But we have been doing couple activities.  Spending meals together and watching the movies and speaking together into the night.  I thought...”

Oh god.

Oh god, he was right.  They’d been dating for a few weeks now.

Shiro felt like he was going to fall off the couch.  All this time.  Weeks and not once had he realized what Ulaz was trying to do.

Maybe his crush hadn’t been as subtle as he thought.

“I apologize, it was forward of me,” Ulaz said suddenly, and Shiro realized he’d just let half a minute go by while he gaped.  “Clearly that was not your intention.  I will pull back.”

“No!”  Shiro snapped into action, reaching out to grab onto Ulaz’ shoulder.  “I just didn’t know.  There was never a conversation.  I thought you were just being friendly.  But I don’t mind.  In fact, I’d like it very much.”

Ulaz perked back up, his ears twitching.  “But you accepted the food from- oh.  That is not a human custom.”Ah, so that’s what all the meal sharing had been about.

“No, and I prefer it to be in words anyway.  It’s the most efficient way to communicate.  As an example: May I kiss you?”

Ulaz smiled, bright and wide.  “Yes.  I would like that.”  He leaned forward, pressing his lips to Shiro.

Kissing a Galra turned out to be a bit more complicated than Shiro had maybe thought about at night (and also dreamed about, but in much less innocent terms).  Their noses didn’t quite match, so Shiro had to tile farther than he would with a human, and the tongue and teeth were strange.

But the kiss was still perfect.

It had been a good movie choice after all-

“Son of a bitch!”  Shiro pulled back suddenly, eyes wide.

Ulaz stared, mouth open.  “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, no, not- nothing’s wrong.  I just realized Hunk was being a little- you know what, later.  Right now, kissing.”

Shiro would get Hunk back later.

After he gave him a big thank you hug.