[Even if Keith knew of all of his options, the chances that he'd pick Shiro above everyone else to remember wouldn't even be up for debate. He's incredibly important, after all, immeasurably so.
As soon as Shiro pulls him in, Keith practically melts into the suddenly familiar contact, wrapping his arms around Shiro in return.] Sorry it took me so long. [Not that he really had much of a choice, but if he had to wait, this was definitely worth it, and Shiro should definitely be able to feel a swell of affection from Keith through their bond. A rare occurrence, for sure.] You'll have to let me make it up to you.
[ Shiro chuckles softly. He shouldn't be surprised that Keith is saying things like this. He really shouldn't--it's just like Keith, honestly. He pulls away, grinning in a way he hasn't in a long time. ]
I'd tell you not to worry about it, but I know you better than that. Still... it's not your fault.
[Man, has he seen Shiro that happy since the two of them re-met in heaven? There have been a good number of times where he's clearly been enjoying himself, but this is markedly different. It's refreshing, if not bittersweet.]
I'll make sure not to do it again. [What's he gonna do, anyway? Re-die? Fat chance.] I... don't think I'd be able to stand forgetting you a second time. [There is still a lot on his mind, however, in terms of wanting to try and unpack everything he's learned, as well as figure out where any new limitations may lie with his knowledge.]
... I'll try not to ask too many hard questions for you. [The only thing stopping him from asking about his new appearance is that familiar apprehension that it might pull him too deeply into thinking about how it was definitely something that happened after he died, and that would just lead him into dwelling on his fate... that would just end up bad for both of them. Best to keep it unasked altogether.] If there's something you don't think you should be telling me, don't. Trust your gut, and I'll trust your decision.
[ His tone is teasing, but the look in his eyes--that's a little more serious. Still, it doesn't last for too long. Shiro's just so happy that Keith remembers him. He has his best friend back.
He feels a little more at ease. More centered. ]
I trust you, too, Keith. I know you won't ask complicated questions.
[ Honestly, if Keith were a little younger, maybe. But... when has he ever done anything to hurt Shiro? Memories of going to the Blades flash through his mind--he'd been ready to give up his knife... ]
Hey, why don't we grab something to eat? To celebrate.
[Not that he wouldn't hesitate to put himself in harm's way for Shiro's sake, even before remembering all of the times he's done literally exactly that so like
maybe he'll just have to make sure he does a good job of not letting himself get killed in the process.]
That... sounds like a nice idea. [Breakfast would probably do the both of them good.]
Anything would be good, really. [Looks like the two of them are on the same wavelength, but he knows that's not exactly a helpful answer, so let's elaborate a little,] Know of someplace quiet? Somewhere we can keep talking while we eat.
[Because, for certain, he still wants to keep talking. There's... a lot to discuss still, after all.]
[ A quiet cafe, located on the Near Shore. That's the best place, he thinks, and as long as they order a little something here and there, Shiro won't feel bad about spending quite a bit of time there. ]
How does a cafe sound? The one I'm thinking of has great sandwiches and coffee.
Well, you're not really the type to steer me wrong. [His smile takes on a knowing sort of edge, as if having the knowledge that he does now gives his statement that extra impact.]
[Teleportation is a truly handy skill, thank you for doing that much for them, Heaven.
Keith gets himself a coffee, black, and follows along with a sandwich as well. Orders taken care of, Keith briefly sinks back into the thoughts surrounding his recovered memories. Besides trying to sort out all of the... everything that came back to him with memories of Shiro, there's another thing that weighs awfully heavily on his mind.]
I said that everything besides you was mostly hazy, but there was something that came back to me clearly.
[Truly, there is so much to be remembered. What came to him, though, is rife with information to untangle.]
It was... Hunk and I going out on a mission, but before we left, I also saw Pidge and Lance, too. [Along with a few faces he hasn't seen around before, but those ones seemed the most relevant, and it's... incredibly frustrating to think that they've left this place before Keith had the chance to remember them for good.] All of us, we were a team, weren't we?
[ Oh. That was probably... the Weblum, huh. Shiro nods slowly. He wonders what's going through Keith's mind right now, or when he woke up remembering. In all honesty, Shiro's a little--let's face it, more than a little--angry at whatever's decided Keith can remember all of this.
It's so much. Too much, he thinks. ]
We were, yeah. We worked pretty well together, too.
[As Much as it may be, there's a kind of relief in safely getting the information. It wouldn't have taken him very long at all to piece together Pidge and Shiro being friends plus himself and Shiro being friends meaning the chances he knew Pidge being incredibly high. If he figured it out like that, would it have put them in danger...?
Lightly, he brings a hand up to touch his left shoulder, where the name Pidge had given him was up until a very short time ago.]
That explains a lot, honestly. [And it brings to mind something from much, much longer ago.] When I first ran into Lance here, he mentioned something about... us needing to be a team? I had no idea what he was talking about, I really thought he was just being weird, but now that makes sense.
[ He nods. That... sounds like Lance, honestly. Shiro thinks about the Lance he'd first met: determined to prove himself, constantly butting heads with Keith. He's proud of Lance, for seeing the value in teamwork. It's nothing he hasn't seen. But when he reflects on it, he's happy.
He folds his hands on the table in front of him. ]
Yeah. It was probably confusing, at first, right? [ He tilts his head slightly with a hint of a smile. ] A total stranger telling you that you needed to do this thing.
Way too confusing. The two of us weren't even assigned to work together in the first place, it was so reckless. [Pot, kettle... at least he can thank his past self for being such a dismissive little shit as to not let himself dwell on it and instead just be bitter about it for a while. He huffs slightly before continuing, no sense in dwelling on it now.] He... did seem pretty distressed, though. [Oh.] All of that makes sense now, at least.
[But, there's not a lot of bite to his words. That's just how he is, right? From what little he actually remembered of Lance, that's just par for the course.
And then Shiro says that, and it's not hard to piece together the implications. Just because he was leagues better at hiding it doesn't mean he wouldn't have been terribly upset about getting to heaven to find Keith as a shinki. Lance, too, later on... it must have been a lot to bear.
It's probably still a lot to bear.]
I'm sorry. [There's nothing he can really do about his fate and status here, but facing someone who was affected to hard by it, an apology is the least he can offer.] I'm... honestly really glad you're here, but I'd never want to put you in a position like this.
[ Ah... Keith's apologizing, and he really doesn't have to. He's the last person who should. Shiro looks at him seriously as he shakes his head. ]
I never blamed you, Keith. I know you'd never forget me, or want to. [ He can say that with the utmost confidence. ] It was never your fault. And I was never upset with you.
I know you'd never. [Though, he might argue that it was probably his own fault that he went and died. Not that he has any basis to argue it, so he won't say as much.] It's just not, you know, very fair. [To either of them, but definitely not to Shiro.]
I'm glad I remember now, and that you're here. [If all of this had come back to him without Shiro here to talk to, he's not sure how well he would have been able to cope with all of that information.] Knowing more about you like this... I'm sure I can do a better job of protecting you while you're here.
And I know for a fact I'll be able to trust you to do the same.
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As soon as Shiro pulls him in, Keith practically melts into the suddenly familiar contact, wrapping his arms around Shiro in return.] Sorry it took me so long. [Not that he really had much of a choice, but if he had to wait, this was definitely worth it, and Shiro should definitely be able to feel a swell of affection from Keith through their bond. A rare occurrence, for sure.] You'll have to let me make it up to you.
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I'd tell you not to worry about it, but I know you better than that. Still... it's not your fault.
It hurt, but I never blamed you.
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I'll make sure not to do it again. [What's he gonna do, anyway? Re-die? Fat chance.] I... don't think I'd be able to stand forgetting you a second time. [There is still a lot on his mind, however, in terms of wanting to try and unpack everything he's learned, as well as figure out where any new limitations may lie with his knowledge.]
... I'll try not to ask too many hard questions for you. [The only thing stopping him from asking about his new appearance is that familiar apprehension that it might pull him too deeply into thinking about how it was definitely something that happened after he died, and that would just lead him into dwelling on his fate... that would just end up bad for both of them. Best to keep it unasked altogether.] If there's something you don't think you should be telling me, don't. Trust your gut, and I'll trust your decision.
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[ His tone is teasing, but the look in his eyes--that's a little more serious. Still, it doesn't last for too long. Shiro's just so happy that Keith remembers him. He has his best friend back.
He feels a little more at ease. More centered. ]
I trust you, too, Keith. I know you won't ask complicated questions.
[ Honestly, if Keith were a little younger, maybe. But... when has he ever done anything to hurt Shiro? Memories of going to the Blades flash through his mind--he'd been ready to give up his knife... ]
Hey, why don't we grab something to eat? To celebrate.
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maybe he'll just have to make sure he does a good job of not letting himself get killed in the process.]
That... sounds like a nice idea. [Breakfast would probably do the both of them good.]
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[ He's not picky. Because honestly, any meal he'd have right now--even in the wake of Pidge and Roxas's disappearances--would taste great. ]
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[Because, for certain, he still wants to keep talking. There's... a lot to discuss still, after all.]
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[ A quiet cafe, located on the Near Shore. That's the best place, he thinks, and as long as they order a little something here and there, Shiro won't feel bad about spending quite a bit of time there. ]
How does a cafe sound? The one I'm thinking of has great sandwiches and coffee.
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[Shiro's judgement is always trustworthy - if he thinks it'll be a good spot, it's sure to be.]
I'll let you lead the way, then.
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You have a lot of faith in my suggestions.
[ But off they go!! ]
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[To the cafe!!]
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[ Annnnd here they are! How convenient. They're seated, and Shiro orders a cup of coffee--minimal cream and sugar--and a sandwich. ]
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Keith gets himself a coffee, black, and follows along with a sandwich as well. Orders taken care of, Keith briefly sinks back into the thoughts surrounding his recovered memories. Besides trying to sort out all of the... everything that came back to him with memories of Shiro, there's another thing that weighs awfully heavily on his mind.]
I said that everything besides you was mostly hazy, but there was something that came back to me clearly.
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Really? What did you see?
[ He can't even begin to guess. There's so much Keith hasn't remembered. ]
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It was... Hunk and I going out on a mission, but before we left, I also saw Pidge and Lance, too. [Along with a few faces he hasn't seen around before, but those ones seemed the most relevant, and it's... incredibly frustrating to think that they've left this place before Keith had the chance to remember them for good.] All of us, we were a team, weren't we?
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It's so much. Too much, he thinks. ]
We were, yeah. We worked pretty well together, too.
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Lightly, he brings a hand up to touch his left shoulder, where the name Pidge had given him was up until a very short time ago.]
That explains a lot, honestly. [And it brings to mind something from much, much longer ago.] When I first ran into Lance here, he mentioned something about... us needing to be a team? I had no idea what he was talking about, I really thought he was just being weird, but now that makes sense.
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He folds his hands on the table in front of him. ]
Yeah. It was probably confusing, at first, right? [ He tilts his head slightly with a hint of a smile. ] A total stranger telling you that you needed to do this thing.
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[ Shiro exhales, folding his hands on the table in front of him. ]
I can understand how he felt, though.
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[But, there's not a lot of bite to his words. That's just how he is, right? From what little he actually remembered of Lance, that's just par for the course.
And then Shiro says that, and it's not hard to piece together the implications. Just because he was leagues better at hiding it doesn't mean he wouldn't have been terribly upset about getting to heaven to find Keith as a shinki. Lance, too, later on... it must have been a lot to bear.
It's probably still a lot to bear.]
I'm sorry. [There's nothing he can really do about his fate and status here, but facing someone who was affected to hard by it, an apology is the least he can offer.] I'm... honestly really glad you're here, but I'd never want to put you in a position like this.
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I never blamed you, Keith. I know you'd never forget me, or want to. [ He can say that with the utmost confidence. ] It was never your fault. And I was never upset with you.
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[ Mirroring his thoughts, unconsciously. Shiro gives him a little smile. ]
But what's fair or not... dwelling on it won't do anyone any good. Besides, you remember now. That's more than I could ever ask for.
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I'm glad I remember now, and that you're here. [If all of this had come back to him without Shiro here to talk to, he's not sure how well he would have been able to cope with all of that information.] Knowing more about you like this... I'm sure I can do a better job of protecting you while you're here.
And I know for a fact I'll be able to trust you to do the same.
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