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Or maybe they were both to blame.
Ignoring the scent of his own slick, he scrolled down to the thriller and suspense category and picked a random movie. He didn't even bother reading the description or reviews, settling into his nest and popping a few buttery pieces of popcorn into his mouth. The surround sound system in their living room burst forth, giving the sullen silence life. It eased Elias' loneliness just enough that it wasn't a crushing weight on his chest.
He was ten minutes into the movie when the front door opened and shut with a couple of soft clacks. Elias froze in his seat, gripping the bowl for dear life as his eyes shifted between a scene of two bloodied men running for their lives and the doorway leading into their foyer.
Ian came home.
He came.
Elias squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't ignore the overwhelming wave of relief that surged through his body. It made him light-headed, like he was floating on a cloud.
"Hey," Ian called, footsteps coming ever closer. "Did you start without me?"
When he heard Ian step into the living room, Elias couldn't help opening his eyes again, going so wide they took up his entire face. There was his best friend wearing a pair of dark blue scrubs and black sneakers, rounded black-rimmed glasses highlighting his golden gaze with ropes of dark tattoos climbing his neck and disappearing beneath the clothing.
Elias couldn't tell you what happened next.
One moment, he was curled up on the couch, and the next, the popcorn bowl was flying into the abyss and he was ramming himself face-first into Ian's pecs.
"Woah!" The alpha exhaled, catching him easily with one arm, the other holding onto his gym bag. "Not that I'm complaining about this friendly welcome, but are you okay?"
Elias had both lips sucked into his mouth to hold back a sob or sigh of relief—he didn't know which. Ian's scent had a one-of-a-kind power to relax him unlike anything else. Elias hyperventilated in his attempt to take in more of him, fingers bunching up the back of Ian's scrubs. The truth slipped out so easily it frightened him.
"I just, uh, didn't think you'd come."
Ian stilled for a moment before dropping his bag and wrapping both arms around him. "You're an idiot."
Hell yes, he was. Elias had been afraid of the impact that fight had on Ian, but it hadn't really altered anything, right? Ian still loved him. Still wanted to protect him and take care of him.
A burst of flora pheromones coated the air the moment he came to that conclusion, mixing with Ian's masculine scent. It was intoxicating, and distantly, Elias realized he hadn't bothered to take his nightly blockers, thinking he'd be alone.
Goddamn it.
"Ian," Elias whispered into the alpha's neck.
He shivered before glancing down, his amber gaze hooded. "Yes?"
Their lips were an inch apart. Elias studied them, licking his own and wishing he could close the distance already. "I didn't take my blockers."
He swallowed. "Would you like me to get them for you?"
Elias let his gaze follow the movement, aching to lick a trail across every inch of Ian's skin. He needed to know what it tasted like, and it may or may not have been something Elias had been fixated on since his late teens.
"No."
Ian froze, pupils expanding rapidly. "What does that mean, Eli?"
The nickname was a balm to his fiery nature, calming him just enough for the haze to clear, settling like a low, incessant hum of desire in his stomach.
"I don't want to take blockers with you. My heat hurt so bad, and I kept thinking of you and other alphas. My toys weren't enough. I-I want to see if…"
He trailed off, glancing away with a pink flush across his freckled cheeks. For all his aching need, it was near-impossible for Elias to say it aloud. Seeking help from anyone was a risk. He was selfish in his desire for Ian to understand with no effort required from himself.
Ian's hand gently cradled his cheek as he leaned in, their noses almost touching, the warmth of their breaths mingling. Elias' mouth watered, and he panted a little as he stared at nothing but Ian's inviting lips. The overwhelming scents in the room gave Elias the impression that he was on the brink of losing control, but he regained his composure.
"You want to see if I can handle your pheromones while we, uh, cuddle? Or do you mean..?"
Elias couldn't help but smile, bright and wide, and he huffed a laugh. This stupid, sweet man. Ian might very well be the death of him, but maybe it was the perfect way to go.
