- When I Met Him, I Met The Universe -

- Prologue -

I remember the day Adam and I first met. Our first day as cadets at the Galaxy Garrison. The stars seemed brighter and the sun seemed to have smiled at me, or maybe it was just Adam's smile and I confused him for the sun. He brought me so much joy. He was like a beacon of light, glowing with pride, and confidence. He could always make my day better by simply smiling in my direction.

As tears threatened to spill from my blank eyes as I was zoned out many memories of Adam popped into my head. Like a virus no one has the cure for. Still, I didn't know if I wanted a cure for this virus, or if I wanted to feel the sweet serenity of death that it would bring me. Adam made me a better person. He's the reason I keep pushing forward, to help save the universe, to free it from the tight, monstrous grasp the Galra had, to finally go back to him, to hold him in my arms once more.

"Shiro?" a small, kind and very powerful voice asked.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Please don’t mind my asking, but..." she paused for a breif moment. "May I ask for the reason of what is troubling you?"

I sighed and gave her a small smile. "I just miss Earth is all."

"We all get homesick from time to time, Shiro, but perhaps it's not a place you miss but a whom?" The Princess was always very observant. She's a great leader.

I sighed a deep sigh. I hadn't really talked to anyone about this before. About how I was supposed to be married and left my fiance to explore a stupid moon fully expecting to come back and apologize and hold him for as long as he needed. But that was just it, I didn't come back. Instead I was forcefully ripped from him. Maybe it was my fault. If I had never left for Kerberos I would still be in his arms.

"My fiance." I quietly stated.

"And what is her name?" her? I suppose I never really have talked about my personal life with the others in the Castle. I think the only one who knew of Adam and our engagement was Keith.

"His, his name is Adam." I noticed the softness in her smile.

"I'm sure he is waiting for you." She said it so sweetly I almost believed it. 'Don't expect me to be here when you get back' were the last words he had said to me before I left for the Kerberos mission. We hadn't even slept in the same bed that night.

"Thank you." I replied quietly, wishing for her to leave and to be by myself in my sorrow. She seemed to have gotten the hint and walked away but not before giving me the one of the kindest smiles I have seen in a very long time.

She paused at the door. "Goodnight, Shiro." and with that she was gone but the tears had returned. Why was I suddenly so weak? I fell to the floor and let out a sob I hoped no one would hear, because if they did they would know how weak of a leader they had. Crying because of mistake I purposely made. It was my fault I got separated from Adam, I left Earth willingly! He was my light and I left.

My arms refused to support my weight any longer so naturally I fell to the floor. If anyone were to find me like this I'm sure they would think I was dying. Thats what it felt like. I was dying and no one could save me. It's like swimming to the bottom of the ocean and believing you have enough time to swim back up to the surface. The hope that all the pain and suffering will end, but eventually your arms will give out and you'll sink right back down to the bottom where you started. This time, though, there will be no air left in your lungs so the only escape you have left is death. So you hope that her embrace is warm and you won't ever have to feel cold again. Sometimes, though, a hand will reach out to save you. Is it the grim reaper, you'll ask yourself. Come to take you away, perhaps. Or maybe, just maybe, you have really been saved.

"Shiro?" a voice I surely recognized but couldn't place. My vision was blurred from the tears that refused to leave the pools of my eyes. I saw splotches of red just before I passed out and those memories of Adam felt real again.