Wings of Home (Voltron: Legendary Defender/One Day at a Time 2017 Crossover)

Going Home

"Am I the reason you're taking a different flight from the rest of us?"

Adam's voice made Shiro pause. The young man of Japanese descent turned and looked at his best friend from academy days. Adam's normally light-brown skin gained a rather ashy look. Shiro watched the eyes of his companion not make eye contact. His best friend's look of discomfort made Shiro swallow; he knew all too well where Adam's uneasiness came from.

"If I was inappropriate..."

"Don't. Don't apologize for the way you feel." Shiro felt his own smile relax when Adam finally looked him in the eye.

"Thanks. Thanks for saying that."

"Besides... while I've got to admit the entire situation was a bit awkward for both of us, I didn't say no either." Shiro watched Adam's eyes widen in confusion.

"Wait. I knew full well when I..." Adam stopped speaking and instead looked away. The goodbye between the two at the airport became another awkward moment for him.

"Kissed me while you were drunk and confessed you've had feelings for me since we were cadets?" One of Shiro's eyebrows shot up with his mouth twisted into a smirk.

Adam's head turned back, but he attempted smiling at Shiro. "Come on. You're into girls, not guys. You've had quite a few."

"That doesn't mean I don't swing both ways." Shiro watched a slight blush appearing on his best friend's face but found himself glad the color began coming back to Adam's face. "Look. You know my history. I've never been able to stick with a relationship. I don't want to ruin our friendship if things go south like all the other times. I need some time to think."

"So, I am the reason?"

"Uh... no." The corner of Shiro's mouth twitched, but the situation was now awkward for him instead. "Taking the commercial flight will definitely give me time to think, but that's not the reason I'm not flying back with everyone else." Shiro's dark eyes glanced nervously at the ground. "Look. I'll tell you when we're both back at the garrison. It's kind of a rather silly reason, truth be told."

Glancing up, Shiro saw a smile spread across Adam's face. He watched his best friend lean forward and give him a hug goodbye. The smile remained when Adam pulled away. "I'll hold you to that."

Shiro did a two-finger salute before hoisting his carry on over his shoulder and headed through customs. He found himself in a rather good mood when he arrived at the terminal, but he arrived in time for boarding. For a brief moment, he pondered the fact he wasn't the piolet for the given flight but reminded himself he wouldn't have piloted the flight home for the rest of his unit.

Stepping onto the plane, the garrison soldier saw an elderly lady lifting her carry on but failing at lifting the bag into the luggage racks above. He stepped over and gently lifted the bag up much to the woman's delight. She looked up at him. "You're in a good mood young man."

"Yeah, well, I'm headed home. I've not seen my family in some time."

"Isn't it a bit more than that? Isn't there a special someone?" The old lady poked Shiro in the arm.

He thought about what the elderly lady said when he sat down. On one side Shiro knew he didn't want anything which might ruin his and Adam's already existing relationship. On the other hand, Adam wouldn't walk out on Shiro when he found out Shiro was a parent to his younger siblings as Adam already knew. In fact, Adam was always there for him particularly when Shiro found himself stepping up to care for his siblings.

A laugh escaped his mouth. Shiro suspected another reason he couldn't keep a steady relationship came down to Keith chasing away anybody he didn't trust, but Keith, in fact, trusted Adam. On the other hand, he didn't know if either of his siblings suspected he was bisexual, yet he didn't know how Ryo or Keith would react to finding out. Somehow in the back of his head, Shiro still kept thinking things would work out.