Once he was done performing the facial expressions needed to say his name properly, his face went back to looking the way it usually did, with the exception of a soft permanent smile on his lips. It was a refreshing change to the usual frown that decorated his face, and he realized he had one creature to thank for that. He watched the man imitate his movements intently, and even the sound of fingers scratching against rough, sandpaper-like skin was filling his mind. And when he least expected it, the creature began correctly, his 'K' and 'E' on point before the last sound had gone wrong.

He bit his lower lip to prevent himself from laughing, about to try again before his eyes fluttered in admiration, taken aback by the sight before him. The creature was laughing. A laugh that really resembled the laughter of a human, and the boy's heart began to hammer again in his chest. The grin showed deadly teeth, ones that could tear off a fish's head or chew the skin off a human's shoulder, yet now he was seeing them in circumstances that couldn't be more peaceful. Instead, he focused on how brightly they shone in the dark, and the way his eyes narrowed a bit when he laughed. It sounded so gentle, but he knew it came straight from the heart. [i]Shit[/i], he looked beautiful like this. 

The part of Keith that wasn't mesmerized and completely distracted by the way Shiro looked right now was trying not to explode in fits of laughter too, but he couldn't resist. Two small, stray giggles escaped his lips, then he laughed louder, until it escalated to a loud chuckle. Of course, it wasn't a perfect Hollywood kind of laugh by any means. The man snorted, wheezed and instinctively covered his mouth with his arm, tears gathering at the sides of purple orbs as he too shot his head back. He imagined Shiro imitating him, to how silly he probably looked trying to teach him, and laughed harder until his throat burned and his heart felt lighter, purer, like a small chunk of the burden he constantly felt on his heart was removed. 

"Okay," he said, remnants of laughter still in his voice before he cleared his throat, steadying his tone a bit more. "Let's try that again." He gestured once more to his lips. "Keith." The word was clear and was pronounced with care, though he didn't try so hard with the facial expressions this time, not wanting to look any sillier. He was already starting to get used to the guttural cadence of Shiro's voice. He was starting to like it. It was soothing, the same rhythm as the sound of water hitting the rocks currently around them.