This was written as part of a Music Shuffle Challenge, for the song So Goodbye (from the City Hunter OST).

I have made myself all but tear up every time I write or edit this, even though it's not really that sad in itself.

Keith fidgeted, tugging at his jacket, and edged a little closer to the barricade. He'd said his goodbyes to Shiro already, last night - and this morning - but . . . he swallowed hard. He needed to see. . .

There were the other members of the mission - Keith vaguely knew Matt, he was one of Shiro's friends - when he wasn't too busy falling into the bottomless well of his astrobiology studies and theories to recognise anything in this world. They were clustered with . . . probably their family, near the barricade on the other side.

Then he spotted Shiro. Alone - or, well, talking with Garrison command. He stood tall in his uniform, and Keith smiled at the sight of him, putting up a hand and pressing the side of his curled index finger against his lips as he tried to contain his emotions.

He looked at the ship that was about to carry Shiro away for more than a year - Kerberos was a long, long trip . . . even with only a short time there, they would be gone for a long time. And very little contact from the ship, save for the steady reports to Garrison command, of course.

Keith swallowed against the lump in his throat, bowing his head as his eyes prickled with tears. He reminded himself that . . . that unlike everyone else who had left, Shiro was coming back. It still hurt, but. . .

Keith thought of Shiro's eyes, a soft, mist grey in the near-dark last night, so warm and sincere as he promised-

Keith pinked, rubbing at one warming cheek. Shiro loved him, maybe even as much as Keith loved Shiro, and . . . and he would come back, and Keith would still be topping his classes - following Shiro's footsteps, outstripping his records in places - and they would be together again.

Keith thought of Shiro's voice, low and private, talking about their lives - talking about living together, about getting assigned to missions and getting to fly together, about being able to stay together forever . . . going shy and red and barely managing to meet Keith's eyes, talking about getting married and dragging Keith back to Japan to meet his grandparents and-

Shiro's eyes, the pretty, cool grey always warm when they met Keith's. Warm with adoration and understanding and desire. Keith swallowed, biting at his knuckles, his heart aching and feeling . . . hot and tender with love.

"Keith!"

Keith startled, looking up and taking a quick, harsh breath. Shiro was beaming at him, waving him over. "Keith, come-" He waved a little more.

Keith was frozen, but Shiro's soft, puppyish expression spurred him to move. He hesitated at the barricade, where there was security stationed along its length to be sure no civilians pushed into the launch area. The nearest one glared at him, and Keith scowled back, even though he hadn't actually been planning to duck the barricade.

"Keith, you came!" Shiro said, and Keith startled, breaking his glaring contest with the guard to see that Shiro had left behind the command staff and come a little closer. "Come on through. Please." he asked, waving off the guard.

He stood aside, though he eyed Shiro dubiously, and Keith ducked and slipped under the barricade obligingly. He headed towards Shiro, refusing to acknowledge the odd looks from security or the number of people gathered around the launch site.

"Hi, Takkun." Keith said softly as he approached his boyfriend, and Shiro's grin softened, his cheeks fading slightly pink.

He yelped, breath catching, as Shiro's arms wrapped around his waist, dragging him into a deep kiss and lifting him off his feet. Keith melted into his boyfriend's arms, wrapping his own around Shiro's shoulders and returning the kiss.

Shiro didn't let Keith get away from him until they were both desperate for air, and he still didn't let Keith slide down to the ground again. Keith opened his mouth, then closed it, taking deep breaths instead of speaking.

"Hi baby." Shiro said softly, rubbing their noses together, then loosening his grip on Keith just enough to let him find his feet again. "You came."

"Well." Keith shyly kissed Shiro's cheek. "It's my last chance to see you in person for- I had to. Besides," he cleared his throat, "I wanted to see the ship you'll be on."

Shiro smiled, rubbing Keith's back. "I know we said goodbye already. . ." Keith nodded. "But I'm glad you came. It didn't feel right, you not- not being here."

Keith smiled lopsidedly, freeing one hand to bring it up to Shiro's cheek, stroking affectionately. "Good, I- I'm glad."

"So this must be your boyfriend, Shirogane . . . Keith, right?"

Keith startled, but so did Shiro. He stepped back, only to hit Shiro's arm wrapped snug around his back, not allowing him to put any more space between them.

"Ah, Keith, this is Dr Holt." Shiro said, gone pink again. "And . . . yes."

"It's a pleasure to meet you; Shirogane speaks about you all the time." Dr Holt said warmly, offering his hand. Keith's eyes went wide as he returned the handshake, looking at Shiro. He shrugged, looking away and clearing his throat, and Keith smiled fondly, surprised. "I believe you know Matty; this is my wife, also Dr Holt," Dr Holt smiled adoringly at the woman beside him, "and our daughter Katie."

Keith bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you." he said, straightening again, Shiro's arm pressing him tight to his boyfriend's side. "You . . . talk about me?" he asked softly, and Shiro ducked his head.

The lady Dr Holt laughed quietly. "He certainly does." she said, her voice just as warm as her husband's. "We feel we almost know you already. I hope we get to know you better when they return." She looked at her husband.

"You're a pilot too, right?" Katie asked, tilting her head, and Keith looked down, meeting her eyes. She was tiny, though Keith thought he remembered Matt saying she was only a few years younger than he was.

"Uh, yeah." Keith said awkwardly.

"The best to go through the Garrison classes, after Shiro." Matt chimed in, and Keith startled. He hadn't known Matt actually paid that much attention - he was a devoted student and not much outside his own classes and peers seemed to catch his focus.

"He'll be better than me soon." Shiro said, and Keith blushed, elbowing his boyfriend lightly. "You're already close, Keith - you've been outpacing my records for a year."

A slightly tinny announcement blasted all their ears, and Keith clung to Shiro a little tighter. Time was up.

The Holts drew back a little and Keith turned into Shiro's arms, hugging him hard.

"I love you." Shiro said in his ear, crushing Keith to his chest. "I'll send you messages when I can, and- and when I get back. . ."

"I'll be waiting for you, Takkun." Keith promised again, sliding one hand behind Shiro's head and rising up onto his toes to kiss Shiro again, hard. "I'll miss you. Be safe."

Shiro smiled, and Keith kissed him again, desperate. "I love you." he admitted, forcing the words out, though he had rarely managed them, and of course never so much in the open.

Shiro's face made the effort - and Keith's now burning face - worth it, and he nuzzled in against Keith's cheek. "Thank you." He kissed Keith's cheek, then his mouth again. "I'll be thinking of you waiting for me," he said, with a tiny grin, "you . . . you have my passcode, I'll be thinking of you in my bed."

Keith swallowed a lump in his throat. "I'll be thinking of you from your bed." he replied, and then-

"Captain Shirogane!"

"You have to go." Keith said, heart aching.

"I- Yes." Shiro said, resting his brow against Keith's. "I love you. I. . . Goodbye, Keith."

"Love you." Keith said again, kissing Shiro and then falling back as he reluctantly released Keith. Dr Holt clasped his arm, startling him, and he moved back along with her and her daughter as Shiro turned and ran towards the ship.

It was probably Dr Holt, Keith thought, that kept security from pulling him back to the rest of the crowd. Instead, he was swept along with her, Katie on her other side, into what Keith figured belatedly was an area cordoned off for family to watch the launch.

He looked at her, trying to voice his thanks, and she only smiled at him knowingly, her eyes slightly damp.

Keith swallowed and ducked his head to hide his own wet eyes, and she squeezed his arm comfortingly and said nothing.