#kuradam

Days past with little to say about them. Adam discovered quickly that his senses were extremely dull. Even the loudest sounds were muffled and quiet sounds like animal calls were nearly impossible to hear. Although, he could still hear his own voice with perfect clarity. His eyesight was also perfect, so perfect that it took longer than he would like to admit to realize he no longer wore his glasses. He tried for some time to focus his energy in order to interact with the living world but he could never get the hang of it, assuming it was even possible.

Months past and soon enough he found himself back on familiar Garrison grounds. As he expected, nothing he did tripped any alarms, no one paid him a glance, and he passed through the particle barrier without realizing it had even been there. He heard talk of Voltron as he approached the main building, cars filled with supplies passing through him without setting a single hair on his head out of place. Even if he wanted to know the context of what they were saying it was near impossible to hear anyway.

He paid no mind until another car passed, he saw inside for only a brief moment but what he felt was something he hadn’t since the moment he died, a presence.

All he remembered seeing was a tuft of white but his legs moved without a second thought as he sprinted after the car. It stopped outside one of the hangars, Commanders Holt and Iverson waiting near it. A flow of unfamiliar people lept from the car, greeting what he could only assume were family members who were waiting nearby. That was when it happened. The clearest sound he heard in months that made Adam jump out of his hypothetical skin.

“Adam? Is that you?”

Adam turned on his heel and was met face to face with someone he had only wished he had been able to forget about. The white tuft of hair he saw earlier was the first thing to catch Adam’s eyes before they drifted down farther. A scarred nose. A chiseled jawline that held a smile he had only seen in photos the last few years. Kind eyes that had always been locked onto Adam, whether it had been appropriate at the time or not.

Adam felt something catch in his throat, despite that being physically impossible as he stared on the specter of his former lover, only managing one word through his trembling lips. “Takashi…”

The figure only offered a melancholic smile before stepping closer, his movements slow and hesitant. “At least I’m not alone here…”

Adam finally found the air to speak although it was still very shaky. “H-how are you here? What...what happened to you up there?” A call from Iverson addressing the group of strangers drew their attention. Another Shiro stepped into view, his entire head of hair a snowy white whereas the Shiro beside him only had a tiny white fringe. They both adorned the same nose scar and missing arm, although this Shiro’s prosthetic also appeared to be missing.

The phantom Shiro set a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “It’s...a long story...:”

Adam jumped at the touch, he could feel him, his hand was solid on his shoulder and his numb frame actually felt alive for a moment. Adam turned on his heel and embraced Shiro, feeling a warmth as he laid his head on his shoulder. There was no heartbeat but he felt real. He could grip at his clothes and dig his fingers into the skin of his back while Shiro’s hair tickled his cheek as the man rested his head on his shoulder.

“I don’t care...I just can’t believe you’re here…” Adam sighed as Shiro pulled back for a moment so he could nuzzle his head against Adam’s.

“I’m so happy to see you...but...it’s terrible that you’re here…” Shiro gave him a solemn smile as he pulled away from the hug entirely. “You really died?”

Adam sighed and nodded “Yeah...shot down when Sendak first attacked…”

Shiro frowned and shot a glare up at the looming battle cruisers just barely visible in the upper atmosphere. “And just when I thought they couldn’t take anything else from me…”

Adam cupped his cheek and drew his attention back down to him. “You can tell me all about what happened in a minute but...I need to get this off my chest. I...I’m so sorry, Takashi. Somehow I knew I wouldn’t see you again after Kerberos and I wasted what time we had left. I should’ve supported your decision…”

Shiro sighed and embraced him again. “It’s not your fault...You just wanted me to stay and I was too selfish. I love you so much, Adam…” Even if neither of them could technically cry, Adam still felt his eyes water as his head sunk into Shiro’s chest.

Neither of them were curious enough to follow the paladins around over the next few days. They occasionally saw them pass as they wandered the Garrison, savoring each others company, but they didn’t pay them any mind. They had no obligation to and, at least for now, nothing was more important than rebuilding their neglected relationship.

Shiro told him everything; about Voltron, Project Kuron, and how he died to let the other Shiro, the real Shiro, live on. He worried about how Adam would feel being stuck with a copy but those concerns were scattered to the wind as Adam sat in his lap, arms and legs winding around his torso as they watched the stars that hung over the building. The world around them faded into obscurity as all its relevance to them ceased to exist. They had each other and they were finally at peace.

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“Is that Shiro?” Lance pointed up in the direction of one of the buildings.

“Where?” Keith cocked an eyebrow as he followed Lance’s finger, there was no one in sight up there. Lance looked back at Keith and shot him a glare.

“On the roof dude, he’s right in front of y-” Lance let out a confused whine of sorts as he turned back to see an empty rooftop.

“Lance, maybe you should go to bed. You seem a little out of it.” Hunk offered, having seen nothing as well.

“No, I swear I saw him up there. It looked like he was with someone…”

“Dude, Shiro’s on the other side of the compound right now with the Atlas.” Keith pointed out.