Colin rolled his eyes but stepped back, grabbing Joshua’s arm to stop him. “Fine. But make it quick.”
After the all clear, Joshua rushed to the porch and vanished inside, leaving the bags behind. Colin followed, arms loaded. Stepping in, he let out a long breath, one he’d been holding in for weeks. The air was cool, dust motes swirling in late sunlight; everything just as they’d left it. The quiet was almost startling. “Thankgod.”
He followed Joshua into the kitchen, where he found him standing beside the refrigerator, holding up two cans of Murphy’s Irish Stout. Colin’s gaze swept the space, taking in the thin layer of dust on the counter and the late afternoon light scattering through the windows, highlighting the familiar tiles oftheir kitchen floor. “Care to join me?” Joshua asked, offering a stout to Colin.
Colin took it, smiling. “Sláinte, my love. Welcome home.”
“Same to you, myyedid.” He glanced at his watch. “But when I grabbed these stouts, I was forced to notice that the fridge is almost empty.”
“Let’s order pizza. Domino’s delivers, and we can get one for the team, too. We can shop tomorrow. Or order from Instacart.”
Joshua grinned. “Perfect. Because tonight, we celebrate.” He arched his eyebrows and winked. “Ifyou’re up to it, that is.”
“Well, I suspect I can count on you togetme up to it.”
Joshua drew in a deep, satisfied breath, then met Colin’s eyes. “I’d stake my reputation on it.”
Colin smiled and wrapped an arm around Joshua’s shoulders, snugging him close against his side as he drew in a long swallow of his stout. “God!” he said, his voice filled with quiet joy. "God, I’m glad to be here."
The pizza boxessat empty on the coffee table, their contents long gone, save for a few stray crusts neither of them had been willing to claim. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow that flickered against the walls. Colin leaned back against the couch, one arm draped lazily along the top, his fingers just grazing Joshua’s shoulder. The rich scent of stout lingered in the air, mingling with the faint traces of melted cheese and garlic.
Joshua stretched, rolling his neck as he settled against Colin’s side, his fingers absently tracing patterns over the back of Colin’s hand. “It’s been too long since we had a night like this,” he murmured, his voice soft, as if unwilling to shatter the delicate stillness of the moment.
Colin hummed in agreement, tilting his head to rest against Joshua’s. “Yeah. Too long. A hotel room, no matter how nice, could never be…home.” He turned slightly, brushing a kiss against Joshua’s temple. “I don’t think I really breathed until we walked through that door.”
Joshua huffed a quiet laugh. “I sometimes felt as if we’d never get back here. It scared me.” He sighed, his fingers tightening around Colin’s. “But right now, I don’t want to think about any of that. Right now, it’s just you, me, and a quiet night with nowhere to be.”
Colin smiled and squeezed Joshua’s hand in return. “Yeah. You and me, and our faithful security team keeping watch outside.” He gave a soft laugh and reached for the half-finished stout on the table, taking a slow sip before offering it to Joshua. He accepted, tipping it back before setting it aside with a contented sigh. The fire popped, sending a shower of embers dancing up the chimney, and the world outside their little cocoon of warmth and comfort faded away.
Joshua turned his face toward Colin, his gaze touching the firelit planes of his husband’s face. “You look so beautiful in the firelight,” he murmured, one hand lifting to trace a gentle touch along Colin’s jaw. “This is where we belong.”
Colin’s expression softened, and he caught Joshua’s fingers in his own, pressing a kiss to his palm. “God, yes, baby,” he said, his voice hushed but sure. “Here. With you. Always with you.”
Joshua smiled, leaning in until his lips brushed against Colin’s in a slow, fervent kiss. It was unhurried, sweet, filled with the quiet certainty of years spent memorizing each other’s rhythms. When they finally parted, Colin exhaled a silent laugh and nudged their foreheads together.
“Stay right here,” he murmured, slipping off the couch. He crossed to the music corner of the room, where an old cellphone was connected to a speaker. He swiped until he found the songhe wanted, then pressed ‘play’. Moments later, a soft, familiar melody filled the room. Colin turned, extending a hand toward Joshua with a smile as the opening notes of “We Can Last Forever” floated all around them.
Joshua took his hand, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet and into Colin’s arms. They swayed together, the music a soft murmur around them, the fire flickering behind them. Colin held him close, one hand at the small of his back, the other laced through Joshua’s fingers.
“I love you,” Joshua whispered against Colin’s ear, his breath warm against his skin.
Colin closed his eyes, his grip tightening as he whispered, “I love you more.”
They danced in silence for a while, their movements slow and easy, the weight of the past weeks easing away with every gentle step. The firelight cast shifting shadows around them, wrapping them in comfort, in familiarity, in home. The music swelled, and Colin tightened his hold on Joshua as if anchoring them both to this moment, to this place where they were safe, where they were whole. He brushed a kiss to Joshua’s temple and murmured, “We made it, baby.”
Joshua exhaled softly against Colin’s shoulder. “Thanks to you,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
When the song ended, Colin led him back to the couch, and they snuggled close once again. For many minutes, they didn’t speak. Words had become unnecessary. The closeness they shared, the love that flowed between them like a warm, endless river, was a communion too deep for words.
Colin exhaled slowly, his fingers tracing idle circles against Joshua’s back. The fire crackled, wrapping the room in quiet warmth. He let his eyes drift shut for a moment, feeling the steady rhythm of Joshua’s breath against him, the quiet humof life settling back into its proper place. Everything right… everything where it belonged.
Joshua shifted just enough to press a lingering kiss to Colin’s shoulder, then whispered, “Let’s stay like this forever.”
Colin smiled, his grip tightening. “Well, I’m certainly in favor of that, bud. However…” His arm tightened as he drew Joshua closer. “The kind of welcome home I plan to give you tonight might require that we take this beautiful evening upstairs. See if our bed is still as comfy as we remember it.”
Joshua laughed softly, brushing his lips against Colin’s jaw. “I’m ready when you are.”
Colin stood, tugging Joshua up with him, and without breaking their closeness, led him toward the stairs. The firelight flickered behind them, casting long shadows as they moved. Halfway up the steps, Joshua caught Colin’s hand and pulled him into a deep, slow kiss, one that smoldered with the promise of everything the night had in store.
