[ Soon as the word is out, Allura feels all the blood drain from her face. She has played the games of diplomacy and politics for so long that it has become easy for her to spot a lie. She is -- or at least, so far in her own judgment -- an effective liar herself, and lies have kept her alive and those under her wing for so long.
The others have felt it, even if some stronger than others.
Allura wants to prod and pry, but she has no no doubt she had been direct with her question. She had asked as clearly as she could. But when Shiro says "I don't hear anything...", she does not see an inkling of a lie in his eyes, so much that she chooses not to say anything anymore about it.
The plans will proceed. They have time -- they are buying time. If she has to prove herself to the creature sleeping underneath the castle so that she can fly it herself, then so be it...
But before she even dwells in reformulating her plans, she pays Shiro attention. He is revealing something of himself to her for the first time, something that she did not ask him for, and it feels precious to her, somehow. She sees the longing in his eyes, a hunger that can never be placated by simpler and more fleeting pleasures. When once she had seen pain and terror, she sees, under the exhaustion and frustration, fortitude. ]
You will. [ Allura realizes a little too late that her gaze had wandered to Shiro's lips, perhaps wanting to see that smile once more, but she catches herself, looking into his eyes again. ] You will see the stars again, Shiro. This isn't over. I have come so far and I am not giving up now.
[ He is close. Too close. She can't be looking into his eyes like this when she is simply too aware of what she has to do to him. Self-consciously, she pulls back. ]
I missed a spot on your face. Hold on. I'm almost done.
[ She moves her hand to dab the towel on his cheek. It feels awkward now, awfully intimate. It would have been better if she had done this while he had been unconscious. But she will finish her work because she is stubborn that way. ]
no subject
The others have felt it, even if some stronger than others.
Allura wants to prod and pry, but she has no no doubt she had been direct with her question. She had asked as clearly as she could. But when Shiro says "I don't hear anything...", she does not see an inkling of a lie in his eyes, so much that she chooses not to say anything anymore about it.
The plans will proceed. They have time -- they are buying time. If she has to prove herself to the creature sleeping underneath the castle so that she can fly it herself, then so be it...
But before she even dwells in reformulating her plans, she pays Shiro attention. He is revealing something of himself to her for the first time, something that she did not ask him for, and it feels precious to her, somehow. She sees the longing in his eyes, a hunger that can never be placated by simpler and more fleeting pleasures. When once she had seen pain and terror, she sees, under the exhaustion and frustration, fortitude. ]
You will. [ Allura realizes a little too late that her gaze had wandered to Shiro's lips, perhaps wanting to see that smile once more, but she catches herself, looking into his eyes again. ] You will see the stars again, Shiro. This isn't over. I have come so far and I am not giving up now.
[ He is close. Too close. She can't be looking into his eyes like this when she is simply too aware of what she has to do to him. Self-consciously, she pulls back. ]
I missed a spot on your face. Hold on. I'm almost done.
[ She moves her hand to dab the towel on his cheek. It feels awkward now, awfully intimate. It would have been better if she had done this while he had been unconscious. But she will finish her work because she is stubborn that way. ]