"[y/n]."
"[yyy/nnn]."
Ignoring Shiro's voice, you nuzzled your face into his shirt, tightening your hold around his waist. A soft laugh escaped his lips as he wrapped his arms around you again against his better judgment.
"Come on, you know I have to go." He brought one of his hands up to ruffle your hair. You hummed against his chest in annoyance.
"I know," you mumbled into his shirt. Shifting your head so that your chin rested against his chest, you continued to speak, much clearer this time. "I just don't want you to go. It's going to be a long trip. And what if something happens?"
Shiro smiled. "Nothing is going to happen, I promise." Promise. "And when I get back, we can go to that restaurant you really like, the one with the glowing lights hanging from the ceiling, and catch up on everything that happened while I was gone."
"You're going to be the one returning;" you argued, "we are going to your favorite restaurant." Shiro's smile grew.
"How about we go to both?"
"Deal."
"Shiro!" Dr. Holt called from outside, pointing dramatically to his watch. Matt poked his head out of the window from the back of the car that was parked outside, anxious to get going.
"I really have to go now," Shiro said and slipped out of your grasp. You grumbled and groaned about it, but let him go. "See you when I get back, [y/n]. And take care." He placed a rushed kiss on the top of your head before ruffling your hair again. He couldn't help but laugh when you swatted his hands away.
"Bye, Shiro," you called. You followed him until your doorstep, where you watched him walk away. Before he got into his ride, he turned back to face you.
"Goodbye."
***
Three crew member missing, assumed dead...
Crew error...
Pilot crashed, aircraft was never recovered...
The words from the breaking news report played over and over in your mind, yet you refused to listen to any of them.
Shiro was an amazing pilot, arguably the best around. And he crashed? You couldn't believe it. You didn't believe it.
Your eyes came into focus; you hadn't realized you had begun crying. Hands shaking, you lifted them to hold your head as small tremors overtook your body. Whether it was pilot error or not, that didn't change the fact that they were missing, presumed dead.
Tears fell from your eyes, landing on your knees. In the background, you faintly recognized the sound of your telephone ringing. It rung and it rung and it rung, and you didn't move. Even if you wanted to talk, you doubted your ability to hold a conversation without choking out sobs.
"Shiro," you murmured under your breath, your voice shaky as you tried to maintain an even tone, "you promised."
The days crawled by; days turning into weeks, weeks turning into months. There was no news of Shiro and his crew, no news of any real search to find them. It made you furious. After a week, all of the news coverage abruptly stopped and everything about the expedition was swept under the rug.
There was nothing, nothing at all, until the night the Galran shuttle plummeted to Earth. The news exploded with reports and warning and prospects of doom. Not one word was mentioned about the three missing crew members, but you just knew it was connected to their disappearances. All these pieces falling together; they were too coincidental to be unrelated.
Outside, your hover vehicle was waiting. You knew you had to go to the crash site. Dangerous? Check. Reckless? Check? Idiotic? Probably. Worth it? Certainly. You wouldn't risk not going.
Grabbing your helmet, you ran out the door. You had a promise you needed to fulfill.
***
At the crash site, you were surprised to see a vehicle was already there. The guards were gone, inspecting the explosions you had heard go off a few minutes ago. As you ran through the halls, you passed a handful of knocked out guards and medical technicians.
Voices caused you to stop; you weren't prepared for a fight but there was no where to hide. You could run-- to late, the voices were closer, footsteps, footsteps, coming near, shadows appeared on the floor inching closer and closer until feet came into view and the voices stopped.
You looked up, not believing your eyes. Two young men were on either side of Shiro, helping support his weight. His appearance was different from when he left, but it was undoubtedly him.
"Shiro...," you mumbled. Your feet took over for you and ran at top speed towards your returned friend. Throwing your arms around his neck caused him to stumble backwards, the two young men keeping him from falling over. One arm wrapped around your waist, his head resting against yours.
Your breath was caught in your throat, your heart pounding. Tears prickled your eyes and you willed yourself not to cry. Everything was happening so fast but you couldn't complain. How could you with Shiro back in your arms?
Your body took over, acting in spite of your brain. Taking Shiro's face gently in your hands, you leaned up and kissed him. You kissed him for all the days you spent thinking he was dead and gone, for all the days you never thought you'd see him again, for all the days you had lost without him.
The four others around you squirmed uncomfortably, awkwardly clearing their throats and coughing. None of it mattered anymore.
"You're alive," you said, your lips still hovering near his. His eyes searched yours. He was exhausted, pained; that much you could tell.
"You came for me," he replied.
"Uh guys," one of the strangers said. "Hate to break up this reunion, but we've got to get going. That distraction won't last forever."
Shiro nodded and you pushed one of the boys next to him aside, taking over his spot and placing his arm around your shoulders. You could tell he was trying to keep himself upright by with difficulty; he couldn't help but lean against you and the other teen for help. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"
