Home Again

[pinkroses]

The sound of the motorbike disturbed the quiet of the street with its low rumble, but there was no needless revving or prolonged engine running whilst the rider drove up onto the driveway and dismounted. The garage was shut, otherwise he probably would have taken it right inside, but for now he left it where it was.

Will removed his helmet, running a hand through his pale blonde hair as he cast his grey eyes over the familiar building. Even though it had been almost two years since he'd left, it still felt somewhat comforting to be back. He wore a sturdy backpack which he removed now to sling over one arm to dig a set of keys out of a side pocket. He'd made sure they were near to hand before setting off home, although all the time he'd been travelling he'd known exactly where they were so he could come back.

He took in a breath of anticipation as he slid the key in, relieved to find it still worked on the swing door and main door.

"Anyone home?" he called through the house as he swung the door open into the lounge, dumping his rucksack by the door then undoing his black leather jacket to reveal a white t-shirt underneath. He'd travelled a fair way tonight and it was good to finally be able to move properly again after being in one position for so long, so Will stretched his arms above his head, scraping his fingertips against the ceiling as he listened for a sign of life (or existence at least) within the building.

[Existentially Odd]

Chelovek was sprawled on his bed, ostensibly watching the TV mounted on the wall at the foot of it but checking his phone more than he was watching. He'd sent Lily a text when he'd woken up, asking her what she was up to. It was an innocuous question but one he hoped prompted a wild response from her. She'd proven herself to be a whole lot of fun last week, when he'd met her at the lookout and their night had been long and adventurous. He was keen for a repeat.

The key sliding into the front door lock had him sitting upright, his phone dropped nervelessly onto the mattress beside him. He was staring in the direction of the front of the house, as if he could see through walls, frozen with disbelief. A cascade of emotions washed through him; excitement, fear, anger, shock, love, happiness, resentment, anger again... Frankly, he didn't know how to feel or what to do until Will called out. The familiar tone of his voice was like immersing himself in a warm bath and it got Chelovek moving.

Scrambling out of bed, he only paused long enough to pull on a pair of blue boxer briefs before he raced out to the living area. He passed Will's bedroom on the way, still left in exactly the same condition it had been in when Will left with Anna however many months ago (he had no idea it was as long as two years). It had seemed an infinity to him but it was probably not as long as he'd thought. Still, he came up short as he walked in on Will stretching in the lounge, looking casual and sexy. Or casually sexy. But most importantly here, where he hadn't been for too long.

"Well, shit," Chelovek drawled, looking the blond over hungrily. When he'd got his fill, he looked past him, expecting him not to be alone (though hoping for it). "Where's Anna?" he asked, aware the question might aggravate Will, since his helpless interest in the unique vampiress had been what had finally caused Will to take off with her. Will hadn't approved of the unresolved sexual tension between his lover and his fledge - usually manifesting in the form of knock down, drag-out fights rather than harmless flirting - which he often got caught in the middle of.

Chelovek also didn't care that his question might be incendiary. He was in the mood to fight.

[pinkroses]

Will raised an eyebrow as the first question was about Anna, feeling slightly put out by it. He kind of expected Indie to be in a shitty mood when he returned, he was after the last time he'd gone away, but Hell, at least Will had told him he was leaving this time. He should be pleased Will was home!

"Aw, damn," Will said, glancing over his shoulder at the shut door. "I knew I forgot something. Wonder where I left her..." he added in a teasing tone as he turned back to Indie, shrugging off his jacket fully and moving to the sofa to toss it down. Will had taken in the sight before him of Indie, but didn't want to let himself get swept up in that. He wanted to grab Indie, pull him close, kiss him, feel that mainly unclothed body against his, but Indie had always needed work to get anywhere near those actions, Will didn't want to push it.

Especially not when Indie was more interested in Anna.

"I wanted to come home, she didn't. She stayed on the West coast, Anne liked it there and we'd met some other vampires so she's got people," he explained. Whilst the initial excitement of travel and teaching Anna how to exist in modern society had been interesting and kept them on good terms for a while, they had begun to grate on each other again. It was exhausting for both of them, fighting and not getting anywhere. Anna had become frustrated that Will didn't want to leave the country, not understanding his dislike of different forms of travel and he hadn't explained the other part, about not wanting to get further from Indie. They'd both learnt a few things, but it felt like they hadn't been able to get more from each other. Not now.

Maybe in another hundred years or so.

"I see who you missed more," Will added, folding his arms across his chest, wondering if Indie would apologise for that line of question. Probably not.

[Existentially Odd]

The dilemma of want versus anger was real and Chelovek was caught in the throes of battle. He was drawn to Will, stepping closer despite himself, relieved that Anna had fucked off and it was just the two of them again. He was also mad at Will, hating that he'd left him just when they were getting to a comfortable place. Just after he'd fucking confessed to loving the asshole, it felt like.

And now there were all these messy emotions confusing him, fighting for control even as he was inexorably pulled into Will's sphere of influence, orbiting him like the object of lesser mass that he was. Will was older, stronger, tougher and the redhead was helpless to resist his pull.

"Just wanted to be sure the bitch was really gone," he shrugged, coming to a stop within hugging distance of Will but keeping his hands to himself. His blue gaze raked hungrily over Will's features, starved for his face, his mouth, everything. "You were gone a long time," he accused, his jaw shifting obstinately to the left. "I didn't miss her," he said meaningfully, his tone pouty.

[pinkroses]

"Mm," Will murmured, a sound of disbelief coming from deep in his throat at Indie back-tracking over his question about Anna, but appreciating the redhead coming closer to him and admitting he had missed him. Those blue eyes were gorgeous, the warring emotions visible in them, although it wasn't always obvious the thoughts behind them.

With Anna Will had made some attempt at learning to increase his mental power, but after years of blocking, it didn't come easy. In fact, it was fucking hard and embarrassing how shit he was, so it wasn't something he was going to attempt with Indie yet.

"I was, I'm sorry," Will said, lifting his hand, cold from the chill of the wind on the motorbike, and caressed Indie's cheek lightly.

"I missed you too, Indie," he said softly, letting his other hand rest on Indie's hip, aiming to pull him closer so they would be touching.

[Existentially Odd]

The different label had him blinking, causing a dissonance he was unused to. The name hadn't been uttered by anyone in so long, yet there was an identity and an entire life attached to it that triggered another avalanche of remembered emotion, softening his hardened shell. Will's hands on his cheek and his hip furthered the immersion and he relinquished the distance he'd been maintaining, closing the gap between them.

It came back to him then, how he'd fitted so nicely against the shorter man, how comfortable he'd been with him tucked against him. Even though Will was older, there was a certain sense of superiority he got from being quite a bit taller and being able to hold the blond within his greater arm span. He wrapped them around Will now, cheek to cheek and squeezing him in a tight hug. His hands roved not out of passion but out of wonder, seeking to remind himself again of how Will felt, the roll of his muscles, the dimensions of his bones, the scent and shape of him.

Indie sighed, content to stand like that indefinitely, breathing Will back into his soul.

[pinkroses]

Will slotted easily into Indie's grasp, like two pieces of a jigsaw which fitted together perfectly. He shut his eyes, breathing in Indie's scent, savouring the firm, familiar body pressing against his.

"You're ok, kid," he murmured, before falling silent and just letting them be. It felt like they stood there for hours, but it couldn't have really been that long before Will wriggled his shoulders fractionally as Indie's roaming hands hit a sensitive spot, and he gave a quiet chuckle, pulling back to look at him properly.

"Anything changed I need to know about?" Will asked, wanting to pull Indie into the bedroom, to worship that body and pick up where they had left off. He wasn't a fool though - after so long Indie may well have found someone else, there might be someone else living in his bedroom (although he couldn't smell anyone else here), he could have moved on.

[Existentially Odd]

Indie beamed. He'd really missed being called 'kid', even though it had aggravated him almost as often as it had endeared Will to him, in the past. Will's next question gave him pause, though, because the way Will asked it and the way he was looking at him told him it wasn't as superficial as it seemed. He was asking who he'd been fucking, which was goddamn annoying, considering he was the one that'd left. And the promises they'd made to each other before that happened.

He took another slight step back, widening the distance Will had just put between them and lifting his chin obstinately so that he was looking down his nose at the blond. His hands perched on his hips, telegraphing his objection to the perceived interrogation - even though he was happy to answer it. He wanted to know the same thing about Will, now. "Nope. Same old, same old. Found a few tasty bitches to play with but none of them stuck, o'course. No dudes. How about you? Who've you been fucking while you were gone?" he demanded austerely.

[pinkroses]

Will's eyes narrowed as Indie's posture completely changed, suddenly becoming a lot more defensive. Fuck. He wasn't sure whether his wording had been bad or whether Indie was purposefully trying to pick at him.

"No one important. And I'm glad none of them stuck. I'd've killed you if anyone touched my violin moving in here," he said, trying to brush Indie's anger aside with a joke, but it wasn't quite the right tone for it.

[Existentially Odd]

Indie's face scrunched up with incredulity and he made a harsh noise somewhere between a hacking cough and a snort. "Why the fuck would I move anyone in here? This is our place," he growled, affronted that Will would believe him capable of finding a replacement just because he was away for a while.

Just because he'd been gone so long Indie had begun to forget the exact curve of Will's lips and the feel of his body curled against him, keeping him company in the daytime, didn't mean Indie would let some asshole move in. Especially a chick! He narrowed his eyes and squinted at Will, folding his arms across his chest now.

"Was it Anna? Did you fuck her? Were you with guys? Girls? How many?" he wanted to know, suddenly furious and burning with the intensity of it. He pictured Will with a slew of attractive bodies, all of them willing and all of them viable replacements for him because he knew he was difficult to live with. God fucking damnit, though, he'd told Will he loved him. How dare he make jokes about someone else moving in here!

It was at this point that Indie was forced to acknowledge that perhaps he'd been more deeply affected by Will's absence than he'd thought, given the cyclical nature of his thoughts and his sudden, overwhelming urge to cry at the thought of Will far away but keeping his bed warm by filling it with everyone but him.

[pinkroses]

"Like you said, I was gone a long time," Will said with a shrug, before Indie began to attack him with questions.

"I did not fuck Anna," Will replied truthfully, before he stepped closer to Indie, pressing a hand against his bare chest.

"And you didn't have anyone who 'stuck'. Other than that, I think we can leave it. Because I am home now and I missed you and I love you. Now, I need to shower, unpack, and I want to spend the day with you today and every day."

He gave Indie a gentle shove, which would move him just a couple of steps so that Will could move past him easily to the front door to pick up his rucksack and starting to head towards his room. Will paused and glanced towards Indie, tilted his head towards the door slightly.

"You coming?"

[Existentially Odd]

As disgruntled and out of sorts as he was with not getting a direct answer to any of his questions, it all faded the instant Will said the words. Apparently, they were what he'd been waiting for, the assurances he'd needed to unravel his anger and inflate his heart, because that was exactly what it felt like had happened in his chest.

I am home now
I missed you
I love you
I want to spend the day with you
Every day

He smirked as he followed obediently after his lover, excitement fluttering through him as he pointedly raked his gaze over Will's long-absent and much-desired body. "I fucking expect so," he answered cockily. "Multiple times."

Indie took Will's hand as they headed for a bedroom he could finally think of as 'theirs' again, now that Will was home.