Back in black What: Coming home When: January 29 Rating: Cinnamon Roll Status: Complete
I’m coming home
Twenty days.
It had been nearly three weeks since Ronnie had left the little trailer he shared with Mikey. Each day had felt like a battlefield between the loneliness, the fear, and the regret. Drinking had always been the go-to when things got too heavy to handle or when he could convince himself it would help.
But the closer he got to the city limit sign, to the place he knew as home, Ronnie started to feel better.
Many of the hours in the car has been spent sleeping or singing along to the playlist he and Derek used for long distance driving. It had to be close to two in the morning when Derek’s little car pulled into the driveway to drop him off.
One duffel bag and one coffee maker later and Ron waved from the porch. He was still tired, still scared, but he knew that safety was only an open door away and he wanted to get there as quick as possible.
Ronnie put his key in the lock, twisted it, and opened the door.
Mikey hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for the last three weeks, and tonight, knowing Ronnie was on his way, he just hadn’t bothered to even try.
He’d been so careful -- letting Ronnie have his space, waiting for Ronnie to text him so he wouldn’t have his phone setting him off -- and chewing over how little he could do about the whole thing.
When he heard the gravel crunch in the drive, he immediately perked up from where he’d been half-heartedly watching late night television on the couch, and by the time Ronnie opened the door, Mikey was on the other side of it waiting for him.
“Hey,” he said, before pulling Ronnie into a hug, his nose briefly wrinkling at the sharp smell of alcohol still lingering on Ronnie’s skin. His mouth pulled at the corner as he wrapped Ronnie that much tighter. “Hey,” he repeated, a little muffled as he buried his face in Ronnie’s shoulder.
The strength. That scent. He was nearly in tears as those arms wound around him. It had been so long and he had thought of this, missed it. “Babe.” Everything had left his arms. Douglas managed to get to the floor without crashing too bad.
He clung to Mikey. Lifting his head he pressed his mouth against skin.
For too long he’d existed in a small motel room. This was home. He’d been stupid enough to run and he felt guilt churning in his stomach.
“I’m sorry.”
Mikey shook his head. “You did what you had to do,” he replied. “I get it. This whole thing was too much, and you… you needed a break from it. Nothin’ to be sorry for. And you’re back now.”
He could feel his throat thicken, because Ronnie’d taken a break from everything, and it’d stung, and been frustrating, and lonely, but he wasn’t the one who’d had to deal with his phone blowing up every few seconds. He wasn’t the victim here, and he had to keep reminding himself as much.
He pulled back so he could kiss Ronnie lightly. “C’mon,” he said, “c’mon, let’s sit down, you need anything? You need any food?”
He felt instantly better just being around Mikey. It was calming, he could think clearer. “Just you. Nothin’ else matters.” Food could wait, anything else could wait. There would be time to reconnect with friends and go through the motions of life - chores, etc - but right now he just wanted to be with Mikey.
Those kisses were reassuring and he made his way to the couch staying as close to the other man as possible.
Once they were settled he curled up immediately and leaned into that solid frame, “I missed this.” Quietly he sighed. Fingers would find their way between Mikey’s.
“Yeah,” Mikey replied. “...Yeah. Me too.” He wrapped his free arm around Ronnie’s shoulders. He paused for a minute, taking some time to breathe, to feel that familiar weight against him, chasing Ronnie’s smell, buried under a mix of hotel, Derek, and the slight tang of booze.
“You get some good peace and quiet?” He continued.
“Yeah,” Ronnie replied quietly. “Too much.” He laughed and then turned to look up at the blonde man. “Way too much. Started talking to the coffee machine.” That very same one he brought home with him. While hiding out he’d resigned the normal activities of regular maintenance unless they were necessary. His hair had grown a bit, he kept his beard trimmed but it had sprouted a bit as well.
That motel room was more like a prison than anything.
“Gonna have to go back for my truck, but I’ll figure that out later.” He was too tired to fuss with it just then.
“We’ll get it figured out,” Mikey replied. “Heck, Tal’d prolly get it for you if you needed. Said he’d look into someone who could do a tracking spell, too,” he added. “...But we can problem solve tomorrow,” he continued. “You’re back, and that’s fucking awesome, and I’m glad Derek could spot you a ride.”
“Me too,” Ronnie nodded. He was glad for all of his friends and for all of the support he had. “Tal is a good dude.” The man had come with him to look at food trucks to make sure he didn’t get a lemon, and the guy would do nearly anything for anyone if they needed it.
The tracking spell was a good idea. “I need to follow up with Gabe. He was looking at that letter for me.” It had ended up in his pocket on New Years Eve at the party and he’d gotten it to Gabe as soon as he could. Maybe there was a clue there.
“You don’t have to go it alone,” Mikey reminded him. “You got folks who got your back. ...Including me.” He shook his head. “And yeah, we can follow up, like, tomorrow. Because it’s late, and I’m gonna guess that you’ve been sleeping just as shitty as I have, yeah?”
He reached up to gently run his fingers through Ronnie’s hair. “Wanna spoon?” He asked. “Get back into that familiar bed of yours, and see if you’re in the mood for welcome back sex tomorrow morning?” His smile cut into the side of his cheek. “Believe me,” he added, “I’m gonna make sure you sleep the fuck in regardless.”
“I know, babe,” Ronnie replied, offering a sleepy smile. “I know you’ve got me. I appreciate it. I love you. I ain’t leaving again. I’m gonna figure this out - we are gonna figure this out, babe. You and me.” It would work better together if they had a united front and it took a bit of seclusion and being left with his thoughts to realize it.
Then he leaned over to kiss Mikey gently, “Hell yeah I wanna spoon.” He was ready for sex about any time but both of them needed sleep to be rejuvenated. “I could sleep next to you for days and days.”
Ronnie’s promise settled in Mikey’s chest with a slight ache. He knew it was because of reasons that weren’t Ronnie’s fault -- his baggage wasn’t on Ronnie.
He also knew that the best thing he could do right now was to have a little faith. He knew Ronnie meant it. He knew Ronnie’d try his best to keep it.
“Me too,” Mikey replied, returning Ronnie’s kiss. “Missed you,” he added quietly. “C’mon,” he added, before standing and reaching down to offer Ronnie a hand. “Let’s go to bed.”
“Missed you more,” Ronnie murmured, grinning like a fool. He took the outstretched hand, got up, and yawned. Tonight was already promising better sleep than he’d had the last three weeks. “Race ya.”
He could do more about his appearance after he got up, right now that was the last thing on his mind.