QUARANTINE DAY #8: Another family walk around the neighborhood. This time we saw Yiayia in her car, on her way to drop corned beef and cabbage off on our porch. It’s hard to see the people we love, but not be able to get close to them. She took this picture from her car window.
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Shiro never imagined he would ever get a break, but here hewas, enjoying himself, watching the younger Paladins play in the poolunder Lower Navajo Falls, an almost two-mile hike up the trail from theHavasupai Lodge (where Keith used to entertain campers by singing old countrysongs), in the middle of the Grand Canyon. He sat under an umbrella, sippingsome flavored water, enjoying the relief from the hot Arizona desert sun. Pridewas an understatement for what he was currently feeling. These young men, women…and Lance… saved the universe thanks to his tutelage and leadership. It hadtaken him some time to get used to retirement, but now he could enjoy it.
The other Paladins had been playing catch, but playing witha teleporting space wolf was unfair—to the Paladins. So now they were havingchicken fights in the pool. Allura sat on Keith’s shoulders, going at withPidge, who sat on Lance’s shoulders. A light tap from Pidge sent Allura tumblinginto the crystal-clear-blue waters. Shiro chuckled at the faint sound of Allura’scursing, and he could just barely make out her demands to get back on her boyfriend’sshoulders.
Speaking of boyfriends, Shiro looked to his right to seeAdam walking up towards him.
Shiro had never imagined Adam would take him back. Butseeing him return from several years in space made him change his mind, even ifhe’d said that he wouldn’t be there for him. He just hadn’t expected to beunintentionally faithful to his ex. But seeing him return as a former VoltronPaladin (how the hell did that happen?) and save Earth from alien invasion waspart of the reason.
He also didn’t expect to come back with a former cadet whoturned out to be half-alien, three other former cadets, the half-alien cadet’salien mother, two space elves, space mice and a space dog.
Shiro had a lot of explaining to do.
“So, um…” he trailed off. Adam raised an eyebrow. Shiro hadbeen catching a look at Adam’s chest through his open shirt, but awkwardlyturned his eyes away. “Nice… tacos.”
Adam glanced down at the frybread Indian taco he wascarrying. “Tell me why I shouldn’t drop yours,” he said.
“Sorry,” Shiro said, running a hand through his now-whitehair. He looked back to the pool. Allura and Keith had the upper hand over Pidgeand Lance this time. Allura and Pidge were locked in combat. But Keith saw anopening to do something nefarious to Lance—he tickled him. Lance shrieked.Keith shoved him, and Lance and Pidge tumbled into the water.
“So are you their space dad or something?” Adam asked.
“No, that’s Coran,” Shiro said, pointing at the Altean, whowas distracted by the sight of a donkey, and a very annoyed tour guide.
“And I guess you don’t regret going into space,” said Adam.
“It’s complicated,” Shiro answered, looking down at his newarm. “If I didn’t go into space, I wouldn’t have lost my arm, wouldn’t havegotten PTSD, wouldn’t have died, wouldn’t have lost my mind—I mean, my clonewouldn’t have, but it feels so real—wouldn’t have lost my arm again, and wouldn’t have almost died—again.
“But I also wouldn’t have been found by everyone, wouldn’thave commanded Voltron, wouldn’t have saved the universe, and wouldn’t havebeen cured of my disease. Honestly, I think the pros outweigh the cons, eventhough I’ve suffered so much.”
“And now that you’re back on earth, you’re expecting us toget back together like nothing ever happened?”
“If I believed that, I would’ve kissed you the second I sawyou again,” Shiro answered. Looking up, he could see Keith and Allura leavingthe water, sharing a kiss of their own.
Adam looked ready to have a snarky response, but he didn’t haveone.
“What about you?” Shiro asked.
“Funnily enough, I tried dating again after everything,”Adam answered. “But nothing could ever compare to what we had. As much as Iwanted to, I couldn’t move on. Especially after the news of the mission camein.”
“I’m sorry,” said Shiro. “I would’ve told you, but I was sobusy, and I didn’t know if you even wanted to talk to me again.”
“We’re professionals, Takashi, we would’ve spoken again,”said Adam.
“You know how long I’ve waited to hear you say my name?”Shiro quipped.
“Keith was right, you havechanged,” said Adam.
“But you still love me,” Shiro quipped again.
He turned back to the Paladins. Hunk had come back, carryingsome Indian tacos over, and shared them with the Paladins, and Romelle. Hewatched them all sit down to eat.
“And if I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have found this amazinggroup,” said Shiro. “I mean, Keith had to save me a whole bunch of times—”
“Oh, Keith,” Adam groaned.
“Wait a minute, are you jealous?” Shiro laughed.
“No, I’m not,” Adam replied.
“Come on, you’re jealous of Keith?” Shiro chuckled. “He’slike my little brother.”
“But he loves you.”
“But as you can see,” Shiro said, gesturing at how Keith wasso close to Allura. “That’s the thing I’ve learned since I’ve been in space. Ithought I knew all there was to know about love. Turns out, I didn’t. I know weboth had something special beforehand, but I feel like there’s more to it now.If you truly love someone, you’ll do what you can for them, whether it’s familyor a partner, right?’
“… Right? Takashi, what are you getting at?”
“Adam, you asked me if you were as important to me as achievingmy dream was. And now I can safely say that you are. I didn’t always thinkabout you, but you were in the back of my mind every time I fought in the gladiatorpits, or was about to die as Voltron, or when I was stuck in the Black Lion… Iknow that sounds weird, but bear with me.
“My point is, I loved you so much that even if we didn’t getback together, you kept me alive, and I wanted to win the war to come back so Ican show you that I was still alive. You still don’t have to take me back, but—”
“Takashi, enough,” Adam interrupted. He stood up from hischair, walked over to Shiro, pulled him up onto his feet and into a tight hug. Surprised,Shiro froze for a moment, then put his arms around Adam. “I think I know whatyou’re saying. We both made mistakes. I admit it. I got angry with you becauseI just wanted to have you to myself, even though it was best that you went toKerberos. And you got angry with me, because you felt stifled, even though youknew that I wanted to you to be safe. I had to live with my decision for years,and it hurt me every day of my life.
“I don’t begrudge you. At all. I’m just glad you’re back.And I know what you learned about love; sometimes, it takes sacrifice, andlearning from your mistakes. I’m not taking you back because you just showedup, unannounced, expecting a relationship, but because we both know that there’sso much more to love.”
“Yeah,” Shiro replied. “I love you, Adam.”
“I love you, too.”
They both eased the hug and got ready to kiss. Then, withoutwarning, they both heard Allura shrieking. Looking towards the pool, they sawLance sprinting away from everyone. He was carrying something in his left hand.Keith was in hot pursuit. Allura was covering her chest. It was easy to figureout what was going on.
“LANCE!” Shiro heard Keith roar, “GET THE FUCK BACK HERE!”
“NA, NA, NA-BOO-BOO!” Lance taunted.
“SIC ‘EM, BOY!” Keith’s space dog teleported, appearing infront of Lance. Lance stopped in his tracks, skidded to a stop, but changeddirection.
“HEY! KNOCK IT OFF, YOU TWO!” Shiro bellowed. Lance stoppedin his tracks, and Keith tackled him with a football tackle. They wrestled, butKeith wrestled the bikini top from Lance and gave it to Allura, who promptlysmacked the Red Paladin.
“I thought you said you weren’t a space dad,” said Adam.
“That’s what theycall me,” Shiro answered. He glanced back at his boyfriend, who shared hisgrin. As they watched the younger Paladins bicker, they both reflected on whatlay behind them, and considered what lay before.
