Pilot failure your ass. You've been on flights with your fiance at the helm, and you had never felt safer. Shiro knew what he was doing in the air, and there was no way that it was his fault that the exhibition was lost. Maybe abducted by aliens? That was more likely than this 'pilot failure' crap the garrison had reported on TV.
Despite the immediate anger at watching the broadcast, that night you cried yourself to sleep. You had been missing Shiro as it was - your bed was always cold since he left for his mission to one of Pluto's moons - but this was simply horrid. You didn't feel particularly sad, so you didn't believe that Shiro was dead. He was just lost, and he'd make his way home again. He was good with direction.
For the next week, your neighbors dropped off casseroles and fruitcakes (you had some old neighbors) and when your shower broke, Jeff accross the hall offered to fix it. Usually, Shiro fixed it. He was pretty handy, and he told you that if piloting never worked out, he'd be an engineer. He loved being in the air, and would do anything to go up.
You really couldn't blame him. Whenever he took you up, you saw how happy he was. And he was always careful, never taking risks if he could avoid them. Even though you, specifically, were never authorized to go up, he was, since he had friends in high places.
After about half a year, you were falling behind in rent and had to leave your apartment. Around this time, a former student or protege of Shiro's came to contact you. He was a bit shorter than Shiro, and his hair was a similar shade of black. He awkwardly introduced himself as Keith Kogane.
Keith told you how often Shiro talked about you when the two of them were together, and he knew that the accident must have been really hard on you. He had spent those six months working up courage to speak to you.
"And I know that you must be lonely as well. How often did you and Shiro see each other?" You knew of Keith. Shiro had mentioned him several times.
"A few times a week, we'd meet in the training room. He'd give me pointers and teach me the correct way to fight. I'm not sure when it happened, but I soon looked forward to each time." The two of you bonded over the absence of your lovers, and after another month, you were practically living together. He considered you a big sister of sorts, and you loved the role, being an only child.
After another five months, a routine was in place. You had officially moved in with the teenager when you were kicked out of your apartment. He was really good, and the two of you did butt heads often, but one of you would always apologize. You didn't like not talking to each other.
One night, Keith snuck out. He usually had no reason to, but he had clothing to cover his face as well. You tried to go back to sleep, but after a few hours, you were wide awake, worry gnawing at your insides. You got up and began to pace. You were dressed and ready for the next day by the time you heard Keith's bike pull up. Countless voices were heard as well.
You opened the door to your shack, and you saw five bodies sprawled on the poor bike. Keith was present, as well as a big marshmallow looking fellow, a small child with glasses too big for their face, a thin tall hispanic boy, and your lost lover.
Tears jumped to your eyes and you dropped to your knees. Shiro was with them, unconscious. You had known that he wasn't dead. The larger boy brought Shiro inside, and Keith stopped by your form, bending to hug you. Your silent tears turned to sobs of relief.
- - - - - - -
You woke up when you heard a groan. You had fallen asleep sitting on the floor and leaning against the couch, holding Shiro's hand. You head snapped up, seeing him sit up. You smiled.
Your fiance turned, examining the room, before realizing that you were holding his hand. He breathed a sigh of relief and pulled his right arm off the couch, pressing it to his face. He froze. It hadn't been a dream. His arm was actually metal. Before Shiro could freak out (you had done so before falling asleep), you tackled him in a hug.
"Shiro." You were still on him, but moved away enough as to see into his eyes. "I love you. You have no idea how much I missed you." You kissed him, not even worrying about the teenagers in the room, assuming them all asleep. He kissed back, a man without water gulping it down like he'd never get to again.
"I missed you too." He pulled you back to his chest, avoiding touching you with his right hand.
He was home again, for now.
