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Kelly came home to an empty house. It shouldn't have made him feel as lonely as he did.
There was a melancholy that almost threatened to overwhelm him as he stepped alone into his and Robbie's space. Their combined scent engulfing him should have made him calm. Instead, it only made him blue.
After Robbie returned to him, memories and all, they had been inseparable. Robbie refused to leave his side at all times, and Kelly felt like he needed him close more than ever. But he also felt like Robbie deserved his own space every once in a while. So, when the shop boys invited Robbie to hang out out after work that night, Kelly insisted he went. Robbie seemed hesitant to leave Kelly alone, wanted to ask the boys to let him come along, but Kelly assured him he would be all right, it was okay, go have fun.
Robbie went.
Kelly was planning on stopping by the house at the end of the lane after his shift at work, to have dinner with his mother or see what Joe was up to, but he ended up going straight home instead.
The house was quiet. Kelly felt weirdly vulnerable.
He was not fragile. He didn't want to be. But he had gotten used to Robbie's bright presence next to him again. He could smell him, even then. In the walls. In the furniture. Kelly took a deep breath, trying to center himself, resisting the urge to text Robbie and ask him to come home, to curl next to him and just breathe him in because some days it was still hard. Some days he would wake up to an empty space next to him and for a single, terrible moment, his heart would drop and he'd think maybe he'd dreamt it all, that Robbie wasn't back at all, that he was still gone, gone, gone.
But Robbie would feel it. Somewhere in the house, he would hear Kelly's heart pounding and he would appear at his side in a flash, touching him, holding him, pressing their foreheads together and letting their scents mingle, pushing at their bond to reassure him that he was here, here, here, and Kelly would feel foolish with relief.
He was okay. It was okay. Robbie would be home soon. He would be. He would--
His phone chimed in his pocket, the sound almost deafening in the silence. Kelly startled before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A text from Robbie. A picture.
It was a selfie, Robbie's face half hidden as he focused the camera on the men behind him. Ox looked amused while Rico, Chris and Tanner seemed to be laughing loudly at Gordo, who was glaring at all of them.
Return of the murder eyebrows, the caption said.
Kelly's lips quirked slightly, and he felt some of the blue subside as he typed in a reply. They texted back and forth for a bit, long enough for the blue to stop feeling like it was choking him.
I want you here, Kelly thought. I want you to come home and be here when I fall asleep.
I'm glad you're having fun, he texted.
It went on and on until Robbie said the guys were giving him shit for being on his phone. Kelly told him to enjoy the rest of the night and put his phone away. He grimaced as he felt the blue creeping its way back. He couldn't be like this. He wouldn't.
After fixing himself a quick dinner, he showered, washing off the exhaustion of the day, and stayed under the warm spray for just a few minutes longer. He changed into a pair of sweats and couldn't resist throwing on one of Robbie's T-shirts, though it was a bit of a tight fit. He lay on his side of the bed and told himself he wouldn't wait up. He wouldn't.
Except, later into the night, he heard the front door open, and he felt some of the tension leave his body. His eyes were closed as he listened to the sounds of Robbie coming home and making his way to their room.
He didn't open his eyes, even when he was certain Robbie knew he was awake. His breath hitched as he felt a brief press of lips to his temple, and he was enveloped with the scent of robbie robbie robbie.
He waited as he heard the rustle of Robbie moving around the room, and finally felt the bed dip with his added weight. Robbie's body was warm against his, arm going around Kelly's waist, and face nuzzling the back of his neck. Kelly let out a small sigh as he moved his hand to lace his fingers with Robbie's. Robbie pressed a feather-light kiss on Kelly's neck and Kelly shuffled backward, pressing himself as close to Robbie as he could. Robbie squeezed him tightly in return.
safe, the bonds whispered. safe, home, lovelovelove. Kelly couldn't hold it anymore.
He felt his eyes water and throat tighten, but it wasn't blue. It was green and green and green at having Robbie home, at having his mate close because he hated it, he hated every second Robbie was out of his sight. He knew it was unreasonable to be together all the time, but oh, how he craved it. He missed Robbie's presence like a drowning man missed air.
Eventually, he got his breath under control and felt his body gradually relax. Robbie held Kelly close, hearts beating in sync, and his warmth lulled Kelly into sleep. When he did, he would dream of grass and fireflies and homehomehome.