The Other Home 5.4
Title: The Other Home
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Collision 5.4
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 49 Heartache
Word Count: 920
Rating: PG
Summary: Stephen makes sure Robert is safely delivered to Alan's place where he tries to give his exhausted body some rest
Authors’ Notes: Thanks to those who leave comments, they are always inspirational! Feel free to friend our journal. We post there the day before we post to the comms.
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Blink of an Eye
Stephen pulled over in front of the apartment. “We’re here,” he said softly, waiting for Robert to look at him then turn and focus his bleary eyes on the building. Only then did Stephen get out of the car and walk to the steps, hearing the car door open and close behind him. He stood off to the side as Robert slowly approached.
Robert fumbled in his pocket for his keys. His hands shook, making them jingle together. A lonely sound. He tried fitting the key into the lock. Turned it upside down, and tried again. Right side up and once more. Finally a hand reached out and covered his, stilling the frantic movements and frustration. He sighed and rested his head against the door as the keys were taken from him, the door unlocked, then the keys were put safely back into his pocket.
“Do you want me to stay?”
Robert shook his head, still resting against the door.
“Call. If you need anything. No matter the time.” Stephen backed down the first step, then turned to go.
“Stephen?”
He turned around to find Robert looking at him.
“Thank you.” The words were soft, catching in his throat.
Stephen smiled and nodded. “Any time.” He got into the car and waited, watching as Robert slowly reached towards the knob and turned, opened the door, then closed it behind. A full five minutes passed before a light had been turned on and Stephen drove away.
Robert could smell Alan everywhere as he slowly blinked at the light, his eyes having grown accustomed to the darkness as he had stood there, paralyzed. He wanted to walk around and look at every item, touch every book, but his feet felt heavy. He wasn’t sure how to take his first steps. He turned his head, owl-like, observing. A few small coat hooks were to his right, their only adornment a sweater. He reached out and brushed his fingertips over the material. It looked handmade, a little out of fashion. He could imagine Alan in it, leaving the apartment in the mornings to pick up fruit, or fresh bread. Shrugging out of his loaned coat, he hung it next to the orphaned sweater and took a few steps before tearing his eyes away to observe the small living room. A comfortable couch, two matching chairs, all facing a modest TV. A wall of bookshelves behind them. Robert paused to rub his eyes under his glasses, feeling the beginnings of a headache.
He felt like a trespasser but he knew, had Alan been there, that he would be welcomed with open arms and lips, dragging him along on a little tour of the place, talking excitedly. For now, Robert would have to do without the narration as he slowly worked his way through the tidy little apartment. The kitchen was spotless. The bathroom had an air-freshener. He paused to look at the pictures adorning the hallway, smiling faintly at the few pictures of Alan and the couple of Stephen. He paused when he felt his hand reaching towards Alan’s smiling face. He didn’t want to feel the coldness of the glass against his fingertips. He shivered, feeling suddenly cold. The apartment felt lifeless and the image of Alan lying in the hospital bed sprung back to mind. He sadly shook the image out of his head he walked down the hall, trying to reassure himself that Alan would be fine. The doctors had assured him of Alan’s complete recovery, but even the doctors’ confident words could not completely erase the picture of Alan laying in that small bed, his face as white as a sheet, his hands lax at his side.
The bedroom was at the end of the hallway, and he paused at the doorway, uncertain. He was bone-weary, but to sleep in this room? In Alan’s bed? He wasn’t sure if he could do it. He felt numb as he took a few steps into the room, circling the bed, looking at everything but the centerpiece. A small chair was in the corner, a reading lamp poised in behind. He walked towards it, running his fingers across the top of Alan’s closed laptop as he passed an oak desk. He stopped, seeing something from the corner of his eye. He turned towards the desk, trying to see what caught his eye. A framed picture sat next to the computer and he took a few steps closer. With a shock, he realized that it was of himself. He closed his eyes, transporting back to Alan’s last visit and their walk in Central Park. He had been enjoying the snow-covered landscape when Alan had called his name. When Robert had turned towards the voice, the flash of a camera and a grinning Alan had greeted him.
Robert suddenly felt light-headed and on the point of collapse. When he opened his eyes again, they were damp, lips turning pink with the strain of holding back. He hurried from the room, returning a few moments later with the sweater clutched in his hands. He laid on the bed, placing his head on Alan’s pillow. Not bothering to undress, he curled himself around the sweater, breathing deeply, finding comfort in Alan’s scent. The tears ran down his cheeks and the sweater welcomed them, taking them away. Robert felt safe, surrounded by Alan’s things. The news, the traveling, the hospital...they all finally took their toll upon his weary body and mind and he drifted off into a deep sleep.
5.5 Rise and Shine
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Collision 5.4
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 49 Heartache
Word Count: 920
Rating: PG
Summary: Stephen makes sure Robert is safely delivered to Alan's place where he tries to give his exhausted body some rest
Authors’ Notes: Thanks to those who leave comments, they are always inspirational! Feel free to friend our journal. We post there the day before we post to the comms.
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Blink of an Eye
Stephen pulled over in front of the apartment. “We’re here,” he said softly, waiting for Robert to look at him then turn and focus his bleary eyes on the building. Only then did Stephen get out of the car and walk to the steps, hearing the car door open and close behind him. He stood off to the side as Robert slowly approached.
Robert fumbled in his pocket for his keys. His hands shook, making them jingle together. A lonely sound. He tried fitting the key into the lock. Turned it upside down, and tried again. Right side up and once more. Finally a hand reached out and covered his, stilling the frantic movements and frustration. He sighed and rested his head against the door as the keys were taken from him, the door unlocked, then the keys were put safely back into his pocket.
“Do you want me to stay?”
Robert shook his head, still resting against the door.
“Call. If you need anything. No matter the time.” Stephen backed down the first step, then turned to go.
“Stephen?”
He turned around to find Robert looking at him.
“Thank you.” The words were soft, catching in his throat.
Stephen smiled and nodded. “Any time.” He got into the car and waited, watching as Robert slowly reached towards the knob and turned, opened the door, then closed it behind. A full five minutes passed before a light had been turned on and Stephen drove away.
Robert could smell Alan everywhere as he slowly blinked at the light, his eyes having grown accustomed to the darkness as he had stood there, paralyzed. He wanted to walk around and look at every item, touch every book, but his feet felt heavy. He wasn’t sure how to take his first steps. He turned his head, owl-like, observing. A few small coat hooks were to his right, their only adornment a sweater. He reached out and brushed his fingertips over the material. It looked handmade, a little out of fashion. He could imagine Alan in it, leaving the apartment in the mornings to pick up fruit, or fresh bread. Shrugging out of his loaned coat, he hung it next to the orphaned sweater and took a few steps before tearing his eyes away to observe the small living room. A comfortable couch, two matching chairs, all facing a modest TV. A wall of bookshelves behind them. Robert paused to rub his eyes under his glasses, feeling the beginnings of a headache.
He felt like a trespasser but he knew, had Alan been there, that he would be welcomed with open arms and lips, dragging him along on a little tour of the place, talking excitedly. For now, Robert would have to do without the narration as he slowly worked his way through the tidy little apartment. The kitchen was spotless. The bathroom had an air-freshener. He paused to look at the pictures adorning the hallway, smiling faintly at the few pictures of Alan and the couple of Stephen. He paused when he felt his hand reaching towards Alan’s smiling face. He didn’t want to feel the coldness of the glass against his fingertips. He shivered, feeling suddenly cold. The apartment felt lifeless and the image of Alan lying in the hospital bed sprung back to mind. He sadly shook the image out of his head he walked down the hall, trying to reassure himself that Alan would be fine. The doctors had assured him of Alan’s complete recovery, but even the doctors’ confident words could not completely erase the picture of Alan laying in that small bed, his face as white as a sheet, his hands lax at his side.
The bedroom was at the end of the hallway, and he paused at the doorway, uncertain. He was bone-weary, but to sleep in this room? In Alan’s bed? He wasn’t sure if he could do it. He felt numb as he took a few steps into the room, circling the bed, looking at everything but the centerpiece. A small chair was in the corner, a reading lamp poised in behind. He walked towards it, running his fingers across the top of Alan’s closed laptop as he passed an oak desk. He stopped, seeing something from the corner of his eye. He turned towards the desk, trying to see what caught his eye. A framed picture sat next to the computer and he took a few steps closer. With a shock, he realized that it was of himself. He closed his eyes, transporting back to Alan’s last visit and their walk in Central Park. He had been enjoying the snow-covered landscape when Alan had called his name. When Robert had turned towards the voice, the flash of a camera and a grinning Alan had greeted him.
Robert suddenly felt light-headed and on the point of collapse. When he opened his eyes again, they were damp, lips turning pink with the strain of holding back. He hurried from the room, returning a few moments later with the sweater clutched in his hands. He laid on the bed, placing his head on Alan’s pillow. Not bothering to undress, he curled himself around the sweater, breathing deeply, finding comfort in Alan’s scent. The tears ran down his cheeks and the sweater welcomed them, taking them away. Robert felt safe, surrounded by Alan’s things. The news, the traveling, the hospital...they all finally took their toll upon his weary body and mind and he drifted off into a deep sleep.
5.5 Rise and Shine