Shiro~
I could barely contain my emotions. I watched earth get closer and closer.
Would Adam be there?
Would he be waiting for me?
"Everyone ready to be back home?" Hunk asked through the comm system.
"YES!" Lance yelped as they started to break through the atmosphere. "I am so excited to see my mom and my siblings! I hope they are all okay."
"I cannot wait to hug my mom..." Hunk agreed.
"SAME!" Pidge shouted. "I feel so bad for leaving her behind."
"What are you going to do, Shiro?" Keith asked knowingly.
I glanced at him and was ready to scowl in annoyance but couldn't help the nervous smile that broke across my face.
"Yeah, Shiro!" Lance asked through the comm. "What are you going to do? Do you have family?"
"Are you going to punch Iverson?" Pidge asked.
I chuckled nervously, "Well... no probably not. But I am excited to be back."
The ground was getting closer. I could make out buildings. Blue skies and clouds were overhead and the rocky desert landscape stretched out below us.
I braced myself as Voltron made a hasty landing outside of the Garrison's particle barrier. I could hardly wait as Pidge talked through the communication devices to get access inside. Finally, finally, we were allowed inside. I could hardly wait.
I was so scared.
But so, so, so excited.
We exited Voltron and walked out slowly. It took every part of my will to not run around yelling Adam's name.
He had to be here.
He had to be.
Lance spotted his family, first, and ran to them. Pidge spotted their father and mother and jumped into her arms. Iverson walked up to where I stood with Keith and our alien friends.
Through the entirety of our conversation I introduced Iverson to the Alteans and Keith's wolf. Keith and Iverson made amends.
And then I looked up to Iverson when there was a lull in the conversation. I wanted to ask him. The question was burning through my throat. But I couldn't form the words.
Finally, I managed to choke out "Adam?" As a quiet question.
I could hear Keith snickering in the background.
Iverson smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he's this way. I'll take you to him."
I swallowed. I couldn't believe it.
Adam was still alive.
He was okay.
And I was going to get to meet him!
I walked close to Iverson keeping up a quick pace. Iverson stopped at the door and clicked a button to get a communication up.
"Yes, hello, I would like to request that Adam W. meet me in my office in approximately five minutes."
"Yes, Commander."
It was happening.
I followed Iverson into the elevator to head up to his office.
He tried to make small talk with me but I could barely hear what he was saying. I didn't care. Adam was so close.
And then... before I knew it, we were outside of his door.
Iverson's office.
Adam was inside.
Inside!
"I'll leave you to your greeting," Iverson told me. "It's good to have you back, Shirogane."
I gave him a weak smile but he was already down the hallway.
I reached for the doorknob, my palm was sweaty.
And then I hesitated.
Did Adam even want to see me?
How would he react?
What would happen?
I had left him. And then... and then so much time had passed.
What if Adam had moved on and had a new boyfriend or... or a husband?
I shook my head. Before I could think any further, I opened the door and let it swing open wide.
And there he was.
There was Adam.
Adam!
He turned to look at me from his place on the couch.
His glasses were glinting in the indoor light. His beautifully grey-brown eyes widened in surprise and recognition. His soft brown hair was fluttering around his face as he stood up, hesitant, nervous.
His mouth opened and I felt the world freeze.
"T-Takashi?"
My breath caught, my hand still on the doorknob.
I couldn't move.
"Is that really you?"
I couldn't believe it.
Adam.
"Yes!" I cried already moving forward. "Adam! Yes it's me!"
And then I was holding him. I wrapped my one arm around his waist and lifted him up. I couldn't see through the tears streaming from my eyes.
"Adam," I said softly, my voice cracking. I felt the warmth of his body pressed against mine. His arms were wrapped around my torso.
"Takashi..." Adam said as I spun him around.
I just couldn't believe it. After all of this time.
After all of this time, my Adam was here.
Adam was laughing, "I can't believe it's you."
I set him down so I could properly look into his eyes.
"Adam… I can't believe you're still here!" I said in a rush, words spilling out of my mouth. "I.. I've missed you so much and I can't believe this!" I laughed nervously, reaching up to run my hand through my hair.
Adam was smiling at me.
I love his smile.
I have always loved his smile.
But as I watched, his smile fell from his face.
"Ta-Shiro… things… So much has changed."
My face fell too.
I… I didn't know what to say.
"It's been years."
I remembered how Adam had told me he wouldn't be waiting for me when we returned from Kerberos. And with Voltron… it had been even longer than that.
And… I was painfully aware that this wasn't even my own body.
I was a clone. With my dead mind-soul stuffed inside.
"I-I know…" I said softly, not daring to look away from Adam.
Adam looked at me. There was a tense moment of silence, and then…
And then he was grinning again. He whacked my arm sharp enough that I would have grabbed it with my other hand if I had had one.
"You're missing a freaking arm!"
"I know," I laughed shyly.
"And you're hair is white. I knew that you were going to go grey first!"
"I know," I chuckled, unable to help myself.
"And what is with this?" Adam asked, touching the scar on my nose gently.
I blushed. "Well… it's a long story."
Adam folded his arms across his chest and leaned his weight to the side. "Okay...? And? I mean you went out and got yourself killed on Kerberos and then Sam Holt comes and tells me you are alive? I'm ready for one hell of a story, Ta—" he stopped himself, his face falling. "Shiro."
"Alright," I smirked, sitting on the couch. "Take a seat. I have one heck of a story to tell."
"WHAAAT!?" Adam yelped for the millionth time. I loved how into the story he was getting, reacting at all of the appropriate and plenty of the inappropriate places. He wanted me to tell him all about Keith and him being half alien. He wanted me to tell him about the flight back. He wanted me to tell him about Voltron and the aliens and the Galra and Alteans and everything else.
But he didn't push me to talk about my imprisonment. He didn't press for details on being dead.
Even when I had told him that I was in a clone body he had placed his hand on my left shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "You're still Takashi Shirogane, though. Piloting legend."
Once I finished the gist of the story, I turned to Adam and ducked my head, unable to look into his eyes at that moment. "You know, Adam, I really missed you when I was gone."
"Yeah…" Adam sighed.
"And… and I had a lot of time to think while I was in the astral plane… and… Adam… Adam I missed you. I… I don't regret going… I regret getting caught by the Galra… I regret not being able to tell you I had survived the Kerberos mission.
"But I don't regret going."
"And you shouldn't," Adam said softly. "You needed to go out there… and… it actually saved your life."
I smiled, "Yeah in some messed up way, I guess it did."
"You know…" Adam smiled warmly, "I missed you too. I said I wouldn't wait for you, but even after all of these years, I did."
I beamed at him. "You just couldn't let me go, huh?" I joked.
"Nope," Adam sighed leaning back. "I guess you couldn't let me go either, my disastrous Taka-... Shiro."
"Stop doing that," I whispered, not making eye contact.
"What?" Adam asked, worry creeping into his voice.
"I told you before, all those years ago. Call me Takashi. It's the name I want you to use."
"But.." Adam protested softly, "But I thought—"
"Well, it's too weird to hear to say 'Shiro'."
Adam laughed. It was such a pure sound. I was grinning broadly, unable to contain my excitement.
"Alright, Takashi," Adam grinned warmly, "I'm glad. It's weird for me to say 'Shiro' anyway."
There was a moment of silence that for some reason didn't feel awkward. Yet… at the same time it was? I didn't know how to react. Adam was sitting only a couple of inches away and a large part of me wanted to move closer to him.
"So… you didn't find anyone else while I was gone, did you?" I tried (and failed) to ask lightheartedly.
Adam chuckled, "Nope. I was too lost over you and then ALIEN WAR."
"True…"
"You didn't find any super hot aliens though did you?" Adam asked suspiciously.
Shiro smirked, "Well, I did find this one super tall alien who was really really smart."
"What?" Adam protested.
"Yeah, he was amazing at probability and statistics. Could probably do our taxes correctly…"
"That was one time," Adam huffed.
"Well, you don't have to worry. This guy got on my nerves after about an hour. Though…" I leaned forward speculatively, "Pidge did tell me about an alternate reality where my alternate self was dating this alien's alternate self."
Adam laughed lightly, leaning towards me but still not quite touching me.
I looked at Adam.
I looked into his grey-brown eyes that always reminded me of a misty mountain. I observed the slight glint of his barely lopsided glasses. The way his bangs brushed neatly across his forehead. The way his eyelashes fluttered against the lense of his glasses.
I wanted to hold him. I wanted to have things go back to the way they used to be.
I wanted to go back to those times where we could run up to the other and embrace him. I wanted to go to the time were we would kiss each other's noses while studying just to stay awake until we would fall asleep, side by side.
I wanted to go back to holding hands behind Iverson's back and sharing jokes and inside laughs every time we flew together.
I wanted to be back together with Adam.
I looked at him shyly, wishing that I could do something… say something.
"Takashi… what is it?" Adam asked, concerned, "You look nervous."
"I-Adam?"
"Yeah?"
I braced myself. The words were practically bursting to escape my mouth. I just… I had to say something.
"Adam… I know it's been years. I know that… that I'm different and you're different. And I… know that… with all the wars and stuff… things are crazy…."
"And?" Adam asked. "I think we've already been over this."
"Adam…" One big rush. I had to say it like I was ripping off a bandaid. "Adam… can… could I… could I kiss you?"
I waited.
My eyes were closed.
I was too afraid of what he would say. I was so terrified he would say no. I was so—
And then I felt it.
I felt the soft touch of Adam's lips to my own, lighter than the fluttering of a butterfly's wing.
My eyes shot open and Adam was there. Adam.
I wrapped my one arm behind him and pulled him closer to me.
Gently, tentatively, I pressed my lips into his, drawing him close to me. I turned my head slightly, like I used to, to avoid his glasses knocking against my face.
Adam reached up and cupped my face with one of his hands, pulling me closer to him with the other arm pressed against my back.
All I could think was Adam.
Adam.
I had missed him so much.
I hadn't even realized how much I missed him.
But now he was here, in my arm.
We broke apart for a second to take a breath. Adam pressed his forehead to mine, looking into my eyes. "Takashi… I've missed you so much."
I leaned forward to kiss him again, in answer to his statement. "I've missed this, too," I told him.
Adam grabbed my face gently and pulled my head up towards his. He kissed my nose lightly, playfully.
"Adam," I whispered, "You missed!"
And I kissed him again.
I hadn't even realized how much I had missed him. I hadn't realized how much I had missed this feeling. This complete feeling of joy and elation.
"Adam…" I said as we leaned back slightly, our faces still centimeters apart, "I know that I just got back here… but… but I really do love you."
Adam smirked, "Of course you do."
Adam leaned in for another kiss.
And… then the door burst open.
"I'm sorry to inturr—"
Adam jumped away from me, standing up from the couch and immediately going into a salute.
I stayed down on the couch looking up at Adam. His glasses were even more lopsided than usual.
"HELLO COMMANDER IVERSON, SIR," Adam announced loudly.
I started laughing, not even caring that Iverson was in the room. He had chained me to a table after all. "Adammm…" I whined quietly.
"Um, well, uh… hello," Iverson said awkwardly. I glanced at him and saw that he wasn't looking at Adam or me. Adam was avoiding eye contact as well.
"Hello, sir," I said quietly, waiting to see what he would say.
"Um, yes… ahem," Iverson muttered, "the, uh, others… are asking for… for you, Shirogane."
"Okay…" I said, a hint of reluctance in my voice.
"Um…" Iverson said quietly as he turned toward the door, "Lieutenant Adam, you are excused from your duties for the rest of the day. But I expect you to be working at 0500 tomorrow."
"Yes, Commander, sir!" Adam grinned broadly.
Iverson left and I stood up. I reached out and took Adam's hand in my own. "Are you ready to meet my space family? I accidentally adopted like five more children and a weird uncle. And a wolf."
Adam laugh, leaning on my shoulder, "Takashi, that is amazing. I cannot wait. How's Keith doing?"
"Hmm. He got taller."
"What!" Adam cried. "He was so cute and tiny though! I told him that he wasn't allowed to grow!"
"He also found his mom."
"In space?"
"Um, yeah," Shiro shrugged. "So apparently… Keith is half alien."
"Aw, no fair," Adam sighed, "Keith gets all of the fun."
"Well, being tortured in space was no fun but for a while I had a pretty cool prosthetic arm."
Adam smiled, "Man, Takashi, I missed so much!"
"Yeah, I have a feeling I missed a lot too," I said. "I mean, you are now three years older than me…."
"Oh, right!" Adam laughed softly. "But you have grey hair sand a scad on your nose and you're missing an arm so I think you win as far as aging goes."
I shoved into his shoulder playfully. "Well, I'm not sick anymore so, honestly, I'll take it."
We exited the elevator, still talking as we walked towards the outside. My mind started to become preoccupied with thinking about the team. Only Keith knew about Adam unless Matt had told Pidge, but that seemed unlikely to me. I wondered how they would react. I couldn't imagine any of them being hostile except for maybe in a teasing way, but… I still got nervous every time. I didn't want anyone to suddenly have their perception of me change in a negative way.
"Hey, Takashi," Adam said softly, slowing down his pace and squeezing my hand. "It's going to be okay. If they are your family, then they will accept you 100%."
"I know," I muttered. "I still just get worried."
"Well don't be," Adam smirked. "I have to go meet the children that my boyfriend adopted. I mean… if I'm going to be a parent I have to make a good impression, right?"
"I'm somewhat terrified what your 'good impression' is," I told him dryly.
"Eh, It'll be fine." Adam smiled at me warmly. He raised our clasped hands and gently kissed my knuckles. "Ready?"
I knew I was blushing but I nodded anyway, words failing me.
"Alright!"
Adam walked with me for a few more steps before releasing my hand to run out to the group. I tried to run after him but paused to watch instead.
"KEITH!" Adam shouted across the landing field as he spied our mullet haired son..
Keith whipped his head around and even from the distance I was at, I could see his face light up. "Adam!"
And then Adam was knocked onto the ground.
It took me a split second to figure out why before I saw Kosmo, Keith's wolf, on top of Adam, apparently having teleported to pounce on him.
"WELL HELLO TO YOU TOO," Adam laughed. "Takashi! Help. There's a giant wolf on me…. And he's licking my face."
Keith got to him first and gently pulled Kosmo off of Adam.
I walked up behind them smiling uncontrollably.
"Keith!" Adam said once he had stood up, spreading his arms wide in a welcoming hug.
Keith accepted without hesitation. "I'm glad you're okay, Adam."
"Well, of course I am," Adam smiled. "Nothing could get rid of me. But I do have some questions."
Keith stepped back and looked up at Adam, "Alright, I'm ready."
"First, really Keith? You turned into a dog person? I thought Takashi and I raised you better than that." Adam shook his head in mock disapproval.
Keith chuckled slightly, "But he's so cute. And he can teleport."
"Second, I know that you like your hair long…" Adam reached out and grabbed a strand of Keith's hair, "but isn't this a little out of hand? I mean… it's not really a mullet if the top is almost as long as the bottom."
Keith swatted his hand away, "Hey! Don't touch my mullet. I was in space for years, what do you expect?"
"Alright, but finally," Adam paused dramatically, "You are not allowed to be so much taller! Where's my smol child!"
Keith shook his head, "Adam… I wasn't going to stay small forever."
"Nope. You were." Adam bear-hugged Keith again, resting his head on top of Keith's though it was more of a stretch than it used to be.
"I'm so glad you two are bonding again," I told them smiling. "Now we can have our happy gay family again."
"So what's going on here?" Lance asked, walking up to the group with Hunk in toe. He still had his younger niece wrapped around his leg and his nephew resting on his hip.
"Keith is apparently hugging someone," Hunk observed. "I think we may be having another possesed clone incident."
I started laughing. Pidge walked up next followed by the Alteans of the group before I could answer. Keith had stepped away from Adam as soon as the others had arrived.
"Well," I said softly, walking over to Adam and grasping his hand in mine once again, our fingers intertwined. "This—"
"Hi everyone," Adam interjected. "My boyfriend is the nervous gay so I'm just gonna do this for him. Hi, I'm Adam. And I was formerly Takashi's fiance and now we are dating again."
"Adam!" I cried loudly, but I was still grinning.
"What?" he shrugged innocently, "I only stated the truth."
"W-w-wait," Lance said. "Back it up. Beep... Beep…. Okay. So... what?"
Pidge whacked Lance's arm. "Weren't you listening?" they asked sharply.
I knew I was blushing. I knew I was a disaster, but I couldn't help it. "This… this is my boyfriend."
I watched them all closely to see how they would react. Adam squeezed my hand reassuringly.
Hunk was the first to speak first, "Wow, Shiro. That's fantastic! I'm so happy for you."
"YESS!" Pidge yelled excitedly. "We have two space dads now! Well, an Earth dad." They turned their head to Adam, "Will you be Earth dad?"
"Of COURSE!" Adam said with equal enthusiasm.
"I am so glad that you have a significant other, Shiro," Allura said politely, smiling at Adam.
Coran walked up closer to him, as though inspecting him. "Alright. You seem like a good enough fellow…"
I laughed softly and Adam leaned away from Coran who was inside of his personal space. "Umm... thank you?" Adam said softly.
"Wait…" Lance said slowly. "You… you have a boyfriend?"
"Yes, Lance," I said in what I hoped was a patient and calm voice. I was worried that he wouldn't understand…
"Wow!" Lance beamed. "That's so cool! I didn't even know that you… that you dated."
Adam clutched his heart with his free hand, "Takashi never told you about me?"
"Err…" I muttered quietly. "No?"
"What!" Adam cried in mock outrage. "During the entirety of a space war you never found the time to talk about me?" he shook his head as though ashamed with me, "I just cannot believe that."
"Well… we were at war… we didn't really talk about our families… and we didn't really have any spare time…"
"You didn't have any spare time?" Adam questioned.
"We played a form of alien D&D once," Pidge, the very helpful gremlin supplied. "It was epic."
"Aw, what?" Adam cried in disbelief, "you got to do all of the cool stuff!"
I sighed, shaking my head slightly.
"Anyway," Lance interjected, "I'm super super happy for you. And at some point, I want to know the whole story. Everything."
I rolled my eyes. There was no way that I would—
"And if you don't tell me I'll just ask Matt when we see him next."
"Foul play, Lance," I sighed, "Foul play."
"See!" Adam whispered into my ear, "I told you there was nothing to worry about!"
"Yes, yes," I nodded. "You are right."
"SO!" Pidge yelped enthusiastically, "when are you two going to stop whispering about random things and instead show us a kiss!"
"Yeah," Keith said with a smirk. "Come on…!"
Hunk and Allura were both grinning and nodding. Lance was smiling and hiding a recording device in his hand next to Pidge who was, also, hiding a recording device while chanting "kiss kiss kiss kiss" in a hushed shout.
I knew I was blushing. I couldn't meet anyone's eye. I couldn't even look at Adam. My hand, clasped in his, was all sweaty and I was so nervous.
I felt like a teenager bringing home their significant others around their parents.
I bit my lip nervously, not sure what to do, and then I felt the warm touch of Adam's hand on the side of my face. He gently turned my head to face him and as soon as I was facing him, he didn't hesitate to close the gap between us in another kiss.
I could dully hear the roar of cheers and applause from our audience, but I was more focused on the warm touch of Adam's hand on the side of my face, holding me close to him, our hands still clasped together. I was too focused on how much I completely loved Adam.
Shyly, I pulled back from him, still aware of everyone's watchful eyes. Pidge and Lance were grinning and high-fiving. Keith was smiling warmly, knowingly. Hunk and Allura and the other alteans all looked pleased and excited for Adam and me.
"Wait…" I heard Adam say, his hand still on the side of my face. "I wasn't done. One more."
And then he kissed me again. And I melted into him, my eyes fluttering closed and our hands unclasping so I could wrap my arm around him and bury my fingers in his hair.
There was another echoing of cheers from the group before we finally broke apart for a breath.
I was grinning so wide I thought my face would crack. I leaned my head onto Adam's shoulder and looked at the crowd. "There. Are you guys happy?"
"Yes," Pidge said nodding. "Very. And I know what this year's Christmas card picture is going to be."
"Oh, god," I whispered, burying my head in Adam's shoulder.
"Aww.. I think it's cute!" Adam told me, smiling.
"Shiro," I heard Keith said, causing me to raise my head to look at him, "I'm really proud of you. And I'm really glad that you can be happy now."
I smiled, "Yeah, thank you, Keith."
"We have to catch up sometime, my half-alien adopted son," Adam told Keith.
Keith turned to me, "What! You told him!?"
"Yes?" I replied sheepishly.
"Aw, I was hoping I could make it sound super menacing," Keith sighed, "Ah, well, okay."
Adam smiled, "I'm sure you have plenty of stories to tell me. I can't wait to become the Earth Dad for all of you!"
"Sooooo," Pidge grinned, "when is the wedding?"
I knew I was blushing again. "Um well… let's maybe take a couple weeks to catch up…"
"Already in a few weeks?" Adam asked.
I sighed, "Um well, we haven't even reproposed and before you start getting all sappy and dramatic right now, let's take a couple weeks to go back to those nice dating days and then figure stuff out."
Adam sighed, "Alright… that actually sounds logical."
"We will be invited though, right?" Pidge asked.
"Yes. All of you will be invited," Adam said, nodding.
"Good," Hunk said, "Can I bake the cake?"
"Yes," Adam told him. "Wait.. are you a good cook?"
"He's an amazing chef," I reassured Adam.
"Well, yeah!" Lance grinned. "He basically became space Gordon Ramsay."
Adam started to laugh ceaselessly.
"Adam," I said, "You do realize that this is all still an if right now, right?"
Adam sighed, "Yes. but… just let me dream. I missed you, Takashi."
I smiled, and lifted my head up to kiss him for the hundredth time that hour.
I pulled back slightly and murmured against his lips, "I missed you too, Adam."
