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The sense of smell was no doubt a powerful thing, so much so that it had been scientifically proven that certain smells had the potential to trigger emotions and even memories in some people due to the fact that the olfactory system is located next to the brain's amygdala and hippocampus, which are responsible for emotion and memory. This was something Alex knew well, as he had learned to manipulate this basic aspect of biology to his advantage, especially on nights like this where he felt completely alone, missing the one person who mattered to him more than he wanted to admit.
Slade was called away on a special assignment a few weeks ago and wasn't expected to be back for another few days at the very least, with very little contact being shared between them during it all, and though it was embarrassing, Alex found himself seeking comfort in rather primitive ways to deal with his absence. Though it had never been directly acknowledged, there was no denying how Slade had more or less moved in with him at this point, meaning the apartment possessed all of his personal belongings, including his clothes, which Alex found himself taking complete advantage of more frequently than he would like to admit on lonely nights such as this one.
“You really are pathetic for this..” Alex acknowledged to himself as he picked up Slade’s shirt off the floor, slipping it over his shoulders. “..but at least it makes me feel like he's here.”
The feeling of comfort that washed over Alex the second he put that shirt on was undeniable, with hints of Slade's cologne and his general smell still lingering on his clothes even without him in them. It wasn't really a smell that was describable, but it was unmistakably Slade, and that is really all Alex needs right now.
“You're weak for letting yourself fall for him..” Alex told himself as he crawled into bed, keeping the shirt as close to his body as he possibly could. “..I just hope he comes home soon.”
It didn't take long for Alex to fall asleep that way, but there would undoubtedly be a part of him that wished he didn't, as he never heard when Slade crawled through his window late that night, having managed to make it home earlier than he was expected. It was something that didn't happen all that often, but when it did, Alex wanted to be there for it.
"Alex, I'm home—” Slade started to call out, stopping abruptly when he took notice of the fact that Alex was asleep on their bed. “Stealing my clothes again.. must have missed me.”
It was far from the first time Slade had ever caught Alex doing this, especially after he had been gone for an extended period of time. It wasn't really something he teased him too much about anymore, especially since he'd be lying to say he didn't do the same. He didn't waste much time crawling in bed with Alex, leaving his bags at the door, or rather, window.