AN: This has been on my mind for ages. First chapter inspired by Allura Ship Week prompt - Fashion/Armor (but armor used only lol). This is Armor Part One.
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The Garrison debriefing finally ended. Shiro pulled her to the Wall without a word.
"Adam didn't -"
His voice cut off abruptly. He pulled her in tightly and sobbed against her neck. Every man had his limits and Shiro was well past his. She sighed as tears leaked out of her eyes in empathy. He had survived the arena and even death itself only to come home to this.
"I'm so sorry love," she whispered.
She held him for a while longer, rubbing his back and making soothing sounds. He had told her about his ex-fiancé. The things he missed about him, how sorry he was for their messy breakup. They talked extensively about themselves too and, if he reconcile with Adam, what the future could hold depending on what Adam wanted.
But they hadn't expected this.
Adam's demise was cruel in a way that couldn't be fully explained in words but holding Shiro right now she could feel the ache in his essence. Alllura shifted her hold on him so she could see him face to face. The heartache in his eyes made her tears slip out faster.
She took a moment to swallow it down.
"Shiro - Takashi," she gently wiped under his eyes with her thumbs. "I'm sorry to ask...but are they certain?"
Shiro's shoulders lifted up in a tiny shrug. "There were only fragments left from his squadrons' fighters." He closed his eyes. "Nothing to bury."
She pulled him in for a hug. His left arm hung by his side as he leaned into her for strength. It was rare for him to do that in private, let alone in public. Without his right arm he was stricter with himself on not portraying weakness around the Garrison - most likely subconsciously done but Allura noticed.
But this...
This was too much to mask.
"Heavens," she sighed for what she was going to say. "Could I try something Shiro?"
He did that tiny shrug again. She pulled away from the hug and took his hand.
"We need to go outside."
He offered no resistance as she led them out to an inner courtyard. Thankfully no one was around at the moment but she didn't know how long that would last. She hated the thought of rushing him but it was wartime. Every tick counted in these situations.
She drew herself up and faced him. She needed to be his fortifying armor right now. Heavens knew he was hers several times over. It was time he let her take care of him.
"I want to see if I can sense him but I don't know what his quintessence feels like." Pause. "Shiro." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Is it too much to ask to see in your mind?"
His red eyes darted across her face as he let that sink in.
"You need to access my memories."
"Yes."
"...I'll have to consciously bring those up right? And the training headbands wouldn't work?"
"Yes. The headbands probably would but this will be quicker." She gave his shoulders a light squeeze. "I know this isn't the right time, however -"
"The sooner the better," he murmured.
"I'll be quick," she reiterated. "It'll help if you think of the strongest memories of him."
"Of course it will have to be," he tiredly replied. He rubbed his eyes and then took a long breath in. "What else do you need?"
"For you to breathe love," she brushed his white bangs aside but they slid back in front of his eyes. "Close your eyes."
"Sorry. I appreciate this Allura. It's just...What if it doesn't -"
"Shiro," she closed his eyes for him with a touch of her fingers. "I understand. But let's focus on this step first."
He kept his eyes closed. She grew so she was tall enough to place her forehead against his.
"Breathe," she softly instructed. "And just let the memories come. Don't fight them."
He felt her fingers at his temples, felt the warmth of her power as she summoned it into her fingers -
- Warmth filled him as he felt Adam kiss him back. Adam's fingers slid up his jaw and lightly rested along his temples. He let out a shaky breath as his gamble paid off. Adam pulled away.
"Why are you shaking?"
He lightly laughed. "I wasn't sure you felt the same way."
"Takashi," came Adam's signature no-nonsense-tone. "Sixteen year olds don't usually hold hands for non-romantic reasons."
"Was that what you were trying to do?" He laughed loudly. "I thought we bumped accidentally."
"That was the point." Adam gave him a flat look. "But then you pulled away."
"Aw. You tried hitting on me."
"But someone wasn't cooperating."
He put his hand along his flight partner's side. "I'm cooperating now."
Adam pulled away before he could lean in for another kiss.
"Wait."
Adam calmly took off his glasses, folded them, and placed them on the dorm desk. Then he surged forward unexpectedly. His breath was stolen in a rushed kiss. Adam's hands were back along his face. He tried moving his lips to match Adam's but he was clumsy.
"Don't you know how to kiss?"
He sheepishly shrugged. "Haven't kissed much."
"Then stop trying to lead." Adam sighed but there was fondness in his eyes. "Follow me this time."
He swallowed in anticipation. "Ok."
Adam started softly. Slowly. He felt honey warm fire dancing in his veins.
- He was crushing his lips against Adam's after his eighteenth birthday party.
Someone snuck booze into the party. They drank it all. They were young stars in the Garrison. Brazen. Bold. Defiant. Instead of blood there were solar flares in his veins. He was like a rocket just bursting to take off.
"Takashi," came Adam's breathless voice.
"I remember."
He took off Adam's skewed glasses. They picked up where they left off, stealing each other's air and tugging at each other's clothes.
-His fingers danced against his tanned skin as he watched Adam sleep.
His skin was always so smooth. So warm. He leaned forward and kissed his shoulder. Adam stirred and turned his head towards him with squinting eyes.
"Go back to sleep," Adam groused.
He smiled widely before kissing him.
- His muscles hurt.
That was all that was going through his mind. Adam was kneeling with him, calling out his name but he just knew pain. His wrist relaxant was acting up again.
"Adam," he hissed out through clenched teeth. "Call Sam - Please."
- "You're still trying out for Kerberos?"
"You're still asking me that?" he shot back with bitterness.
- The tension was thick.
"If you go," Adam slowly stood up, "Don't expect me to be here waiting like a puppy. I have dreams too, Takashi."
He clenched his hands. "My answer hasn't changed."
Adam grabbed his shoulder bag. "Have a nice flight," he tersely bit out.
"I won't have another chance," he determinedly defended.
"No. You won't."
"Adam -"
The door firmly closed.
"That's enough."
Shiro's eyes flew open at the sound of Allura's voice. She petted his hair and then let go of him as she shrank back to normal size. He watched her half kneel down on the ground. She breathed in, making her quintessence light up her body.
She breathed out and placed her hands on the earth. A glowing line of blue-white light streaked across the courtyard and under the Garrison buildings. He watched silently, anxiously.
What if it didn't work?
What if it did?
Her energy withdrew back into herself. She straightened up and dusted her knees. His palm was clammy. His heartrate was probably loud enough for her to hear.
"Allura?"
She turned to him with watery eyes.
"He's alive."
All the air in his lungs left him. He shuddered as he sucked air back in.
"Oh."
His eyes were dripping again. He used the edge of his Garrison sleeve to wipe his eyes but he was just couldn't stop.
"Oh Shiro."
He let out a wet laugh as she embraced him yet again.
"I'm not usually this weepy."
"Even if you were there's nothing wrong with it. It's good news."
"Damn good news," he laughed again.
They were going to bring Adam home.
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AN: Sooo the Adam I've been writing in my stories is a bit of a smartass but the snark's kind of to cover vulnerabilities. It takes a while for him to open up to people but with Shiro it had been unusually easy. Shiro was the rare exception. Keep that in mind.
I'll try to show my headcanon of him within the story but thought an overview might be helpful. Totally understand that it may not match other people's ideas of Adam but I'm going with it. XD
I promise I'll do an Adashi piece(s) for Shiro Ship Week.