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There's a loud pounding beat rippling through the air as Tommy walked up to his house. His and Evan's now. It still amazed him that they'd moved in together on this second go around. Still made him feel warm and safe knowing someone was waiting when he came off shift. Or that he was the one waiting for when Evan came off shift. Smiling, Tommy eased the door open.
The music was even louder once the door was open. Loud enough that the creak of the door and his footsteps were nearly silent. Lyrics in a language Tommy didn't know blasted from somewhere deeper inside. The house smelled pleasantly of lemon and orange. The wood floors gleamed with a fresh washing. The living room was neat and clean, all the wood furniture that Tommy had collected over the years lovingly polished.
Then he heard a voice.
Dropping his duffel bag next to the couch, Tommy headed towards the kitchen. A cheerful voice sang along with the music, mangling some of the foreign syllables. Also somewhat out of tune. But it was endearing to Tommy because he recognized Evan's voice. He'd know that voice anywhere.
He stopped in the kitchen doorway and just watched. Evan was standing at the sink washing some dishes. The dishwasher ran next to him, providing a humming counterpoint to the music. A delicious, savory scent radiated from the oven throughout the whole kitchen. A smile broke across Tommy's face as Evan danced with the music as he washed.
Love and warmth flooded Tommy as he watched the love of his life dancing and singing in his kitchen. In his wildest dreams as a teenager, he'd never thought he'd have this. Never thought that he'd have love and home and family. Part of him wished he could take a snapshot of this moment and send it back to his teenage self who was panicking and terrified when he finally accepted that he was different.
The song changed and Evan stopped swaying his hips. This one was slower and sounded, to Tommy, like it was in the same language. It had just as much of a beat but felt more like a heartbeat than a drumbeat. It sank into his chest and all but demanded his heart beat at the same rhythm. Finishing the dishes, Evan turned to find Tommy standing in the doorway. A smile stretched his lips as he turned the music off. Evan automatically held his arms out as he walked towards Tommy.
“Welcome home,” Evan murmured as Tommy sank into his embrace. “How was your shift?”
“Mostly calm, spent a lot of it playing cards with Lucy,” Tommy said, wrapping his arms around Evan's waist. “How was your day off?”
“Quiet,” Evan chuckled. “Did some cleaning, I hope you don't mind. Felt like I needed to be moving and doing things today.”
“I don't mind,” Tommy replied. He leaned back to catch Evan's eyes. “This is your home too.”
They hugged each other, breathing in the scent of each other's skin. Tommy marvelled all over again that he could have this. That this was his life now. That he had everything he could have dreamed of as a teenager had he allowed himself. That he was deliriously happy.
After a few minutes, Evan looked up to check the time on the oven. There were about 28 minutes left on whatever was in the oven. It smelled delicious and had Tommy's mouth watering.
“What did you make?”
“Shepherd's pie,” Evan replied. “I found a new recipe for it online and thought I'd try it. Smells good so far.”
“It does,” Tommy nodded and pressed a kiss to Evan's lips. “I can't wait to try it.”
“We've got time,” Evan replied, smiling. He stepped back from Tommy then held out a hand. “Dance with me?”
As Tommy reached for his hand, Evan turned the music back on. The same slower song played again as their bodies pressed together. They swayed to the music, wrapped around each other.