Never walking away (Shadam reunion)
They are home
The lions slowly descended around the Garrison headquarters, creating a crowd of instructors and students running outside to see what on Earth is going on. The sky was slowly turning into bright yellows and oranges, as the evening was beginning. They don’t even know how many days have passed since they’ve been here, but it has to have been at least a year.
The plan is that they all land their lions at the garrison. Once they have spread the news of what has happened and the incoming galra ships, the paladins with homes to go to will be able to reunite with their families via car or lion, depending on how far it is. But for now, not one person was thinking about the plan, because seeing earth, their home is what really mattered.
Shiro breathed in deeply. He was back, after all this time. After everything he had been through, he had changed so much, while it seems like the planet hadn’t changed that much at all. Memories of his and the others adventures in space filled his head, the good and the bad. How many times had he nearly died? He didn’t even know, but before he left for Kerberos he was sure by now he would have already passed away. He had gotten used to the idea, he had to after all. And now living with the fact that he had the rest of his life before him, was so surreal.
But first, they had a war to win. And Shiro had the rest of team voltron to take care of.
He walked over to Keith’s sleeping form, smiling at who he considered his little brother. Keith’s made Shiro swear to wake him up when they were about an hour away, but honestly Keith hadn’t slept properly for awhile, and Shiro didn’t have it in him to wake him up then. Plus, an actual extra hour of being able to pilot Black was something that Shiro desperately wanted, he was still a pilot at heart after all.
“Hey Keith, we’re here bud” And with that Keith shot up like he usually did, Shiro swore that boy was the lightest sleeper known to man. “I told you to wake me up an hour ago! What the hell Shiro?!” “Hey! Language” “I’m an adult, I can say what I want” “Not around me you can’t, now come on, we gotta get out of here”
Keith rolled his eye and smiled, walking ahead while shiro turned back to the front of the lion. “Thanks black, I owe you more than anything” He turned around and followed Keith out, scanning the crowd for any familiar faces.
That’s when he saw him. Adam.
The look on everyone’s face was a mixture between shock and awe, but Shiro found himself only being able to look at the man who he had been thinking about since he left for Kerberos. Adam had obviously changed. His hair had gotten a little bit longer and he seemed to have a scar right on his chin. His expression was filled with confusion but it still held so much warmth and relief, Shiro didn’t even notice himself running. Running to the thing that he had missed the most. He was there, Shiro was running to him like his life depended on it, like nothing else mattered.
As he reached Adam, Shiro felt like his surroundings had disappeared. He felt elated, but the memories of their final conversation still plagued him.
“Adam, I’ve been cleared to go, and... I’m going to, we leave in two days.” Adam turned to face him at that comment, sharply taking a breathe. “Fine, you’ve made your decision and I’ve told you what that means…is that it?” Shiro furrowed his eyebrows, he had expected a cold reaction, but it still caused him a painful aching in his chest. “Listen, I don’t want us to end on a bad note…I-“ Adam winced, obviously trying to not show the amount of pain this was causing him. Desperately clutching onto the uncaring façade he was showing. Pretend that it doesn’t hurt and therefore at least some of the pain doesn’t right? But they were in love. They were… “Is that it Takashi?” Shiro shook his head slightly. Wow, he was really going to do this huh? Act like everything didn’t matter in the end. Like they weren’t goddamn engaged. “No, no that isn’t it. Adam I love you, ok? I really do, and I never wanted to hurt you… I don’t know how to fix this…” The last sentence came out as a sob, and Shiro grabbed Adam’s arm, trying to blink away the heavy tears that were forming in his eyes. Adam closing his eyes, bracing himself for what he was about to say. “Don’t leave. That’s how you fix it just please don’t- don’t…” He took a shaky breath and took a slow step back to properly face Shiro. “I don’t want to lose a year of being with you…to find out you died in the middle of space, not being able to be there…to at least say a proper goodbye. I couldn’t…I can’t deal with this Shiro. I can’t ok? So don’t leave.” Adam was now shaking, trying to swallow his heavy sobs. “I…I’m so sorry Adam I have to. I only have a few years left I…I’m so sorry I have to. I have to go, because if I don’t I know that I would regret it for the rest of my life. I love you, I do, and when I get back we can-“ “No Takashi…just…no ok? I can’t do this. I told you that if you leave, this is over. And it is. It’s over. Now, Officer Shirogane, please leave my office.” Shiro stepped back, hurt as the words Adam had spouted seemed to cut through him like a knife. So that was it then. “Fine, I’ll go.” Turning around was the hardest thing shiro had ever done, and walking to the door was even harder. Before he left he looked back, and locked eyes with his, now ex fiancé. In those eyes he saw all those years spent together. The laughter, the tears. Nervous confessions mixed in with flirty jokes. All the intimate moments they had shared, and all the breathless declarations of love. Shiro turned away, and walked out of that door, forcing himself to leave it all behind.
He didn’t know what to say to him…he didn’t know what to do. After they broke up…so much had changed. Yet somehow it was all just as painful. “Takashi…I’m so sorry.” With that Adam embraced Shiro in his arms, and Shiro felt his head swirl. He had missed this…all of it so much. “I shouldn’t have broken things off, I should’ve been there. I left you when you needed it most and that was horrible of me I’m so so sorry I-“ Shiro interrupted the muffled words with a shush, and rubbed Adam’s back gently. They stood there, in each others arms for what seemed like an eternity, yet when they finally broke it felt like it wasn’t long enough. “Why are you sorry? I should be sorry, I was stupid and selfish and not considering the consequences. It was fool-“ Adam shook his head frantically. “No…Takashi I was the one being selfish. I didn’t even try to come up with an alternative solution I w-“ “Let’s just say we were both at fault?” Adam smiled, and nodded gently. It was a strange relief, but they obviously would need to talk more about this…about everything really, but for a moment, neither of them said a word.
“If it’s any consolation, you were right about the dangers of going to Kerberos…” They slowly made their way to the lions, Shiro still hadn’t really talked to the rest of team voltron, since he did kind of immediately run to Adam after all. Adam playfully elbowed him and chuckled quietly. Shiro hadn’t heard it in years, and frankly it made him feel almost giddy. Like he was a pining kid again. “Yeah I know about that, did you think I WOULDN’T get every last detail when Sam came back?” “Ah, so you basically grilled him, classic Adam style.” “More like new and improved since I was still freaking out that you were alive after all this time. I mean, the hair and arm is a surprise but still.” Yeah…Shiro wouldn’t mention the fact that he had died and been reincarnated with his clone for a little while…
As they finally regrouped inside the black lion, and the others seemed to not be able to contain themselves with meeting Shiro’s ex fiancé…or maybe even just fiancé? They still needed to talk about that…
“So this is the guy hey? Hmmm…but are you good enough for our Shiro” Hunk walked up to Adam and leaned in close, seemingly inspecting him. “I think he is Hunk, they were engaged remember?” “Keith! Oh my god your so tall now, and you have a…IS THAT A SCAR JESUS!” Adam ran over to Keith, completely panicked as Keith looked absolutely like he had come out of a warzone. Which was completely correct, and frankly the rest of them did too. “You guys have helmets so why on EARTH do you have a scar on your face. What happened to you out there, actually don’t answer. I don’t want to know right now…” Keith laughed a little, “It’s good to see you again Adam.” Adam smiled and ruffled Keith’s hair, a thing that was obviously a habit before Shiro left. “Wait hold on here, so Shiro, Adam, let me get this straight.” Shiro had gradually walked over to Keith and Adam, and at Lance’s comment he gently elbowed Adam. They were engaged before all of this, they had to have some way to communicate internal gay jokes.
“You guys basically have the most iconic love story of all time, Jock meets nerd and become friends. You guys grow up together and end up being the best pilots in the Garrison, slowly falling in love while doing so. And shiro, for some reason, you only RECENTLY TOLD US THIS???” Adam looked over and raised an eyebrow, while Shiro sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.
“Well things were a bit…complicated. And I don’t really think we had a lot of time before to actually talk about it.” Shiro felt Adam shift slightly with the word ‘complicated’. Shiro was right of course, they had broken up and it was extremely painful for both of them.
“Well it is lovely to meet you Adam! My names Allura, and I am from the planet Altea.” Shiro would that her later for changing the subject. Adam stepped back. Sam gave him a quick run down on who the paladins were when he met up with Adam, so he fully well knew who Adam was facing an actual alien, alien royalty at that…and understandably he was freaking out a bit. “Oh uh yes…it’s an honour to meet you Allura. And all of you guys.”
That was the start of everyone’s brief introductions, and frankly, it was obvious who Adam bonded with the most.
“I don’t know how you dealt with him…he’s constantly getting himself in danger I don’t know how he does it!” “I barely know myself…I swear it’s like there could be a big glowing sign that said “don’t do this alarmingly reckless thing” and he’d probably do it in spite of the SIGN!” To be fare, Keith did obviously get it from his mother, so the entire conversation was painfully ironic to listen to. And Shiro was awkwardly hoping to not get blamed for Keith’s recklessness from Adam.
“Ok, I think that’s everyone, guys let’s continue with the plan. I’m going to go and find Commander Iverson to tell him what’s going on, if you all have any friends that you want to reunite with here, do it now. Krolia, Allura, Romelle, Coran, stay in black for now like you guys have been doing. There is a bunch of press and a big enough crowd to last a lifetime, and you guys would certainly be more safe in here than out there.”
Big robotic lions were enough, actual aliens on Earth right now would make everyone lose their minds.
“Let’s go guys!” Adam smiled fondly at Shiro. He really had become a great leader huh? He always was, but seeing how much everyone respected and cared for him…it made Adam proud. “I’m going with you, Iverson is too much of an asshole to deal with alone.” Pidge snorted in response, and with that, everyone got on the move.
Shiro and Adam left the lion, and before they could actually enter the giant crowd Adam pulled shiro to the side of Black and behind the head of yellow, somewhat hiding them from the giant swarm of people who were now swarming Lance, Pidge and Hunk with questions.
“Look, I know things are hectic right now and we just reunited only an hour ago, and it’s fine if you can’t answer right now but I want to ask you..” “Just tell me Adam” “After this has ended, when the war has finished…can we try this again. We still have to properly talk of course…but I’m not going to give up on this, us, again.” There was a brief moment of silence, back then, shiro had thought it was the end. And the break up was one of the worst things he had gone through in his entire life. Leaving Adam for Kerberos was agonising enough, and when he was kidnapped by the Galra…convinced he was leaving him, Keith and the rest of his family for good…it was torture. But he was here, with Adam. And Shiro was completely willing to rebuild that life that they had. It meant the world to him.
He hugged Adam once again, whispering “of course” gently into his ear. They both separated for a quick moment, and then gently kissed. Neither of them would be able to describe how it felt, but if they had to choose one word, they would both immediately say ‘home’.
“Well…we should probably..” “Yeah…” “You know, I still have a lot to catch you up on…” “True, and you better tell me all of it. Every last detail Takashi Shirogane.” “I promise I will tell you about all of it, even the gross stuff.” “Thankyou, I am honoured. And I have to catch you up on a lot too. Like last years Christmas party was TERRIBLE. Lena brought a bowl of sunflower seeds as her savoury dish, who does that?” “Sounds like I’ve missed out on the real important news of Galaxy Garrison…but sunflower seeds? Really? I mean that’s an all time low…” “I know right? We can’t ever let her host it I’ll tell you that.”
Shiro and Adam stopped for a moment, and stared at each other. In those eyes Shiro saw the same things he saw all those years ago. All those years spent together. The laughter, the tears. Nervous confessions mixed in with flirty jokes. All the intimate moments they had shared, and all the breathless declarations of love. But shiro wasn’t leaving them. And as he carefully held onto Adam’s hand, he absolutely knew. He was never going to walk away from him again
(Hey guys! so basically in this lil piece Earth hasn’t been attacked by the Galra yet because I want things to at least be alright when they return home dammit. Although that is most likely not going to happen. I wanted to do a little a little reunion so here it is!)
-Ana