#pyrobled

listen to me ramble on for hours ★ ( accepting! )

❛  it’s  a  kimono  .  you’re  supposed  to  wrap  it  around  your  waist  ,  ❜

❛  do  you  want  help  putting  it  on  ?  ❜

reefbcrn: I agree with person above! Your art is awesome and amazing!! I loveeeeee. ❤

IT ‘ S     A     STRANGE     CONCEPT     TO     him  ;     fear  ,     that     is  .     despite     near     constant     exposure  ,     he ‘ s     developed     no     immunity     to     it     over     the     years  .     matt     has     fought     wars     with     fear     poisoning     his     veins  ,     curling     vice - like     around     his     heart  ;     even     as     a     war     prisoner  ,     as     a     mere     child     in     the     arena  ,     as     a     subject     to     the     witch ‘ s     experiments     he ‘ s     persisted  .

but     somehow  ,     when     it     matters     more     than     ever  ,     it     steals     his     voice  ,     his     motor     control  .     AND     TO     WATCH  ,     PARALYZED  ,     as     one     keith     kogane     hurtles     toward     the     heart     of     a     planet     on     the     cusp     of     destruction  ?     it ‘ s     too     much     to     bear  .

it     takes     some     searching     to     find     old     friend  ,     but     matt     knows     him     well  .     and     so     feet     come     to     a     halt     a     few     inches     from     huddled     figure  ;     disapproving     scowl     wavers  ,     slips     without     his     permission     into     something     vaguely     hysteric     in     appearance  .

[ 🍑 • keith ] :  very  funny 

[ 🍑 • keith ] :  was  this  morning  not  enough  for  you  ?  ;)

[ 🍑 • keith ] :  you’d  better  not  touch  yourself

[ 🍑 • keith ] :  i’ll know 

maybe it is unfair to find some small inklings of laughter in the threads of lotor’s lungs to see keith display so much at once -- tricks, no, not so ill-willed anymore, but yet it is still delightful to illicit reaction from the reactionless, to be the focus for just a whisper of a breath. 

keith searches, and lotor’s mouth forms itself into a smile: polite on its edges, friendly on its inner lines, it begs the question -- what does the red paladin see, there, in the easily tamable features of lotor’s face? lotor is not so forthcoming, not so transparent, and thus, not as genuine, not full enough to spill from the confines of his own body and instead is something out of reach, out of touch; he doubts keith can find what he is searching for in the depthless shadows of his own eyes.

“ha,” lotor scoffs, used to the way keith’s words poise themselves as a blade, but always cut with the dull edge. “how else would you know, then?” he asks, gaze lowering to the tuff of the top of the boy’s head, “you ought to give yourself more credit, but you don’t.” his gaze rests there, for a moment: distracted, and distracted further to see the soft flame of the boy’s eyes, pain palpable. why? lotor wonders, is it not a good thing? a huff escapes lotor, then, a relinquishment: he is unsure of himself again, walking in unfamiliar territory, and although he had meant to be playful, almost appreciative in nature, a compliment well-disguised -- it does seem to be more than that. still, it is like lotor to underestimate the power of bonds, too. “less broody?” lotor can’t help but join in on the laughter, though the temptation of the idea makes his heart pang with the longing.

     deep breath. 

     his gaze met with his close friends, all gathered at the table and very much enjoying themselves     ;     indeed, this night was a success, and he loved spending time with the team. but, their gazes said the same thing     :     it’s time. matt’s was almost amused, allura looked downright excited. so he cleared his throat, hands just the slightest bit shaky, before he met pidge’s stare. it was unwavering. defined, serious, edging him on. he paused, genuinely taken aback by it, before he gave the slightest nod, so small you could miss it if you weren’t staring directly at him. somehow, this steeled his nerves, brought an end to his shakiness, relaxed his rigid muscles    ;     oh, what he would do without his team. they were there for him when he didn’t even realize it.

     “    ahem    ...    if i can just pause this, and get a brief moment of silence.     “ and just like that, it happened, so he breathed       -----      a chuckle. “    keith, this wasn’t a usual dinner with the team. i talked through this, with all of them. and    ...     “ it was the expectant silence from everyone but keith that had shiro chuckling again, confident and just plain enamored. so he stood up, pushed his chair in, and he could’ve sworn he saw matt and pidge take out their phones       -----        

     “    keith. for as long as i’ve known you, i realized not too long ago that in every memory, every picture, you’ve stood by my side. we’ve all had it rough, rougher than teenagers should have ever had it. as a team, we all went through hell      ;     but as you and me, as a couple, we’ve gone through more than any couple normally would go through. through thick and thin, you stayed by my side. i never gave up on you, and you never did to me. you were    ...    are, so, so fiercely loyal to me. i could’ve have asked for a better partner, even when i was so young and i thought i lost everything. um     ...     i wasn’t planning on a big speech, so i’ll stop myself,     “ another laugh, a joined chuckle from the table, before he reached in his pocket, lowered to the ground, and tilted his head upwards. 

       he presented the box and what was inside.