The heavy front door clicked shut, and for the first time in six grueling weeks, Alex felt the bone deep exhaustion of the tour finally catch up to him. He exhaled a long, shaky breath, carefully setting his cello case down in its usual spot by the entryway. He handled the instrument with the reverence of a parent, but right now, his hands were trembling from fatigue.

He unpeeled the heavy woolen scarf from around his neck, tossing it onto the bench, and ran a hand through his messy, travel worn curls.

"Love?" he called out, his voice a gravelly, raspy whisper.

When he didn't get an answer, he frowned slightly, heading deeper into the apartment. That’s when he caught the low, golden glow of candlelight spilling from the kitchen, accompanied by the faint, muffled thrum of music.

Alex stopped just inside the doorway. There you were. You had your headphones clamped firmly over your ears, lost in your own world as you carefully arranged the dining table. There were candles lit, a bottle of wine, and two plates set out beautifully. You were swaying slightly to a beat only you could hear, oblivious to the world.

A slow, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, the tight knot of stress in his chest unraveling. Fucking hell, he had missed you. He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. A few dark, damp curls fell over his forehead, but he didn't bother to brush them away.

He just stood there, content to simply watch you, memorizing the way you looked in the soft light after weeks of only seeing you through a pixelated phone screen.

You hummed a little tune, stepping back to admire your work, and turned around to grab something from the counter. Your eyes locked onto his dark figure leaning in the doorway. A sharp, startled shriek tore from your throat, your shoulders jumping violently as your hands flew to your chest.

Alex let out a low, rumbling laugh, the sound rich and warm. "Fuck, I'm sorry," he chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I didn't mean to scare you."

You didn't even care about the scare. The headphones were yanked off your head and tossed onto the counter in one fluid motion. Before he could even take a step forward, you lunged across the kitchen.

Alex opened his arms just in time, bracing himself as you launched your entire body at him. He caught you effortlessly, his strong arms locking around your waist as you wrapped your legs around his hips. He buried his face deep into the crook of your neck, inhaling sharply, greedily breathing in the scent of your shampoo. He squeezed you tight, lifting you slightly off the ground, a quiet, blissful sigh escaping him as the last remnants of the road finally faded away.

"I'm so happy to be home," Alex whispered against your neck.