Work Text:
Were his eyelashes always that long?
Shiro is not sure. It’s too early for the sun to be up, and surrounded by darkness he can't properly inspect Adam’s features.
He still tries though, or maybe he is just unable to tear his gaze off him.
For years, lost in space and then trapped between life and death, the only thing he had had with him were his memories, faces that became blurrier day after day, names and daily moments that eventually got forgotten.
Not Adam, never him.
Shiro can't help but sacrifice sleep just to look at him and lose himself in how his body reacts to the proximity. How his own breath slows down just feeling Adam’s chest raise, deep in sleep. How his heart rises every time his partner’s nose adorably scrunches up, annoyed in sleep by something that Shiro can't understand, the action still makes his lips curl up.
Then he pauses, blinking slowly at one of the white walls, lost in thought.
Can he even call him partner anymore?
It feels like they had everything and nothing at the same time. Classmates, rivals, friends, lovers, fiances.
Shiro’s flesh hand curls, gripping the old blanket Adam had offered him with force.
Not even a full day had passed since they managed to free Earth, since Keith ended Sendak’s life.
They still haven't talked. Hell, they had avoided each other like the plague for days, stealing glances like lovesick teenagers. If Shiro had managed to be in the same room as him without freaking out and running away while they, the whole garrison, planned a way to finish all for good, it was because of absolute necessity.
So Shiro had been a little surprised when Adam had practically kidnapped him after getting checked up at the infirmary once the fight was over. He had grabbed his hand and dragged him to one of the available bedrooms.
And what could Shiro do if not blindly follow him without saying a word?
Despite the pain in all his extremities, bones protesting, Shiro hadn't dared to move, standing like some kind of mannequin in front of the front door and watching Adam take off his shoes.
This wasn't their old apartment but it was similar enough, same boring white walls, uncomfortable chairs, as ugly as most of the garrison’s facilities were.
It lacked their pictures in the wall, that hole in the entrance from when a sleep-deprived Shiro had tripped and almost gave Adam and their neighbours a heart attack.
And it lacked Adam’s soft smile.
After minutes frozen in place, Shiro had finally taken a deep breath and decided to go look for Adam who had disappeared somewhere while he was too lost in thought.
He had found him getting ready for bed.
Shiro had watched him, unsure of what he was doing there, why Adam had brought him when neither of them had the guts to look at each other.
So he had just laid on the bed, aware of deep brown eyes watching him.
Hours later and unable to rest, Shiro's still unsure of what either of them is doing. He thinks he knows what Adam feels, though, or maybe he’s just hoping fate has decided to give them another chance for some reason.
Adam wants him here. If it is to fuel his anger or calm his heart, it doesn't matter, not right now.
So Shiro slowly raises his head and gently rests it on his ex-lover’s chest, trying his hardest to blink away the tears.
A hand finds his waist, thumb caressing the naked skin.
He can't repress the sobs anymore.
That night, Shiro doesn't sleep, too busy letting himself feel hope again.