⟪ listen. he’s doing his best not to coddle him, okay. he doesn’t want to, for one. he’s more than aware that keith can handle himself. himself and just about everyone else if hard-pressed. all at the same time. but you can’t keep a guy from worrying, or caring for that matter. especially if said guy is shiro…

…whose muscles apparently have muscles. that immediately earns keith a chuckle, frank and clear and bordering on an actual, full-blown laugh. it might have been one if he didn’t strive to keep quiet—the woods have eyes and ears, probably—and the sound subsides delectable in his throat, the taste of joy, however subdued, one that he’s greatly missed. ⟫

You’re not so bad yourself. ⟪ and nowhere near as small as the harpy seemed to think. keith is a subtle menace, but a menace nonetheless. swift. agile. strong. and relentless. as creepy as oakwoods is, oakwoods should probably fear keith. ⟫

Think she got spooked by whatever she thought managed to gnaw on me? ⟪ you know. seeing as he’s seemingly too tough to chew on. if she’s under the impression that something else succeeded, there might be more sinister dangers yet. it’s a half-joke, half-tease, and shiro’s eyes shine still, in the glow of the torch. but what if.

he looks up, frowning. ⟫ I think I liked the Darklings better.