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It was dark when they came to the driveway at the same time from opposite directions. Dave pulled in first and Derek parked behind him. They got out of their cars and Dave waited for Derek before they silently approached the front door.
Dave unlocked the door and went in. He flipped on the hall light. He turned to punch the security code in on the panel next to it.
Derek secured the door. Then he hugged Dave tightly from behind. He buried his face in the side of Dave’s neck. He inhaled deeply the scent of Dave’s aftershave and sighed.
Dave leaned back against Derek. He brought a hand up to touch Derek’s head and then cupped the back of his neck. He gently rubbed the tense muscles. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
They stood that way for a while. They were silent, listening to each other breathe.
When Derek was finally able to release him, Dave shot Derek a small, pained smile over his shoulder and walked into the living room. He turned one of the lamps on the lowest setting. Then he went over to the drinks cabinet and poured two glasses of scotch.
Derek took off his suit jacket and dropped it on the floor. He flopped down on the end of the couch, farthest from the light. He put his head back. He accepted his glass of scotch with a grunt.
Dave chose the spot next to Derek. He sat so they were barely touching. He leaned forward and rested with his elbows on his knees.
Derek drained half the glass. He watched the shadows play across the ceiling. He rested his free hand on Dave’s lower back.
Dave took a sip and set the glass on the coffee table. Then he loosened his tie and pulled it off. He undid the top buttons of his shirt and wearily rubbed the back of his neck.
Derek slid his hand up Dave’s back to cover Dave’s fingers. He could’ve asked how Dave managed to get an overwhelmed Ashley and then Aaron home after the funeral and reception. He could’ve found out that Ashley took sleeping pills to avoid nightmares or that Aaron only gave into the exhaustion and fell asleep in Jack’s room because Dave was with him. In the morning, he’d discover that Aaron fell asleep to Dave reading one of Jack’s favorite books.
Dave let Derek tug him back to lean against Derek’s side. He didn’t ask how Derek took care of Penelope and Spencer. At that moment, he didn’t need to know that Penelope ate a whole pint of rocky road ice cream with only a minimal amount of help from Derek and Spencer. He didn’t need to know that she put on Tank Girl because it was the only movie that ever made her feel better. Later, he’d find out that Spencer slept on her couch because he couldn’t stand to be alone.
They shared a soft kiss. Derek ran a hand through Dave’s hair while Dave cupped the side of his face. They pulled back at the same time and stood. Dave switched off the lamp. Derek put an arm around his shoulders and they went to bed.