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Max sighed as she kicked the converse from her feet, flinging her bag to a side, and wrapping her hoody around her tighter due to the slight chill within the apartment. She sighed again as she moved to the thermostat, turning the heating up to try and thaw her frozen fingers from the whistling wind outside.
It took a moment, but as the heat finally kicked in, Max sighed, quickly looking around the living area, realising it was empty.
Max sighed again.
She'd had a tough day at work and had hoped one of her mates would have been home for her to complain to. No matter the day she'd had, her mates always had the ability to cheer her up.
Despite living in a liberal city, there were still some bonehead alphas that couldn't seem to grasp the idea that they were not superior just because they had the ability to knot. For Christ's sake, it's 1994, why couldn't they get it through their thick heads that the biological differences between the sub-sexes literally didn't make any difference. Alpha's weren't smarter, and omegas weren't weaker. The fact that some knot-heads thought that their secondary sex would have any bearing in the workplace was laughable. God she hated their stupid, fifties attitude. At least it was better than when they had called her sweetheart and acted as if she would fall to her knees for them at any given opportunity. It hadn't taken them long to get over that belief however. Quick snarled snark and a slightly subtle threat had immediately quelled them of that idea.
"Will?" She called, as she made her way to the kitchen, opening the fridge, and sniffing the milk to make sure it hadn't gone bad.
Noticing the milk was fine, she quickly took a swig, before quickly putting it back in the fridge. She was slightly glad Lucas wasn't home as he hated her habit of drinking directly from the cartoon. His noise always wrinkled whenever she did it in slight distaste. He was so cute whenever his nose crinkled in disdain at her habit, which was partially the reason she continued to do it, but also because she couldn't be bothered washing the glass after, especially when she only wanted a small drink.
As she closed the fridge, Max frowned as she realised Will hadn't responded to her.
"Will?"
She knew her friend was due to be home. That morning, he had told Max he was going to be in for the full day, working on some illustrations for a comic he had been commissioned to work on.
"Will?" She called again as she moved back into the sitting room.
For a brief moment, she had considered that he may have popped out, however seeing his battered converse to the side of the sofa, she realised he clearly hadn't left the house. It was also unlike him not to leave a note if was nipping out.
"Will?" She called once more as she shuffled through to the primary bedroom, slight panic beginning to fill her.
The flat was a two bedroom, one much smaller than the other. The main bedroom, had a large bed which took up the majority of the room, it was needed considering she, Will and Lucas shared the bed. Sure, the relationship between her and Will were not romantic or sexual, but they were platonic soulmates, and one of the things she loved most in the world was snuggling up to her platonic mate and falling asleep in each other's arms.
Looking at the bed, Max paused, frowning as she realised the bed was still made from the morning, sheets flat and unwrinkled.
"Will?" Max called again.
As she was about to call out again, she breathed deeply and immediately paused when the acrid smell of fear filled her nostrils. Immediately, her heart sank.
Max quickly dropped to her knees, ducking her head to peer under the bed. As soon as she noticed it was barren, she rushed to the wardrobe, there were limited places within the room her partner could have been hiding.
As she approached the closer, her pace picked up as the scent of grew stronger, the more subtle scent of sadness, loneliness and depression intermingled with it.
"Will, baby?" She asked, her voice sweetening as she opened the door to the large closet, peering inside.
Immediately, she spotted him, curled into the back left corner, his knees tight to his chest and his arms wrapped around himself in an attempt to self soothe himself.
"Will, baby." Max gasped as she dropped to her knees, gently scooting towards him, careful to not move too quickly and not to startle him.
Will didn't respond, a frightened squeak from his knees was the only sign he had heard her.
"Will?" Max whispered, gently touching the other omega's knee.
Will raised his head in slight alarm, and Max felt her heart flutter as she looked at him. His face was streaked with tears, he was paler than usual, and his hair sticking up in all directions. She had no idea how long her mate had been in here, and her heart sunk as she thought of Will scared, crying and alone while she took minutes and sent faxes. She wished she had been home earlier. The thought of his distress broke her heart.
"Max." Will finally croaked.
"Will, what's wrong? What's going on baby?"
Will opened his mouth, but as his breath hitched, he swallowed a sob, letting it fall shut.
"Oh Will."
Max scooted into the closet, shuffling into place beside Will, opening her arms inviting him in.
It barely a took a moment before he dove into her arms, burying his face into her neck, breathing deeply at her scent gland. Max tried to calm herself, letting waves of serenity sweep from her as she gently ran her fingers through his hair, whispering words of murmured comfort, rocking him gently.
"Will, it's okay baby, I'm here. I'm not leaving you. We're safe. We're in our apartment. Nothing is wrong. Lucas will be home in about an hour. Nothing is wrong, we're safe. We're safe, we're together." Max murmured as she continued to rock Will, pressing kisses to his hair and hoping her ministrations were working. Comfort wasn't always her strong suit, Lucas way better at it than she was, although Lucas and Will had always seemed to calm in her presence before. Although, it had been a long while since she had seen Will so distressed.
After what felt like both minutes and hours, Will's hitched sobs began to calm, although he didn't pull back, allowing his mate's scent to soothe him.
"Will baby, what happened?" Max said, slightly hesitantly, worried that she may accidentally push him back into a panic. Already, the scent of loneliness had disappeared, although fear and sadness still permeated the air.
"I'm sorry."
Max gently nudged Will's chin with her index, prompting him to look at her.
"Don't apologise. Never apologise." She murmured, pressing a soft, sweet kiss to his cheek.
"I'm sorry." He murmured again, his hands returning to his hair, pulling at it roughly.
"Hey, hey, no Will. No sweetheart." Max whispered, as she carefully interlocked their fingers, gently removing them, wincing slightly at the tightness of his fingers, around the poor strands of his hair. A few fluttered out as she pulled his hands away.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay Will, it's okay. What happened baby?" She reassured.
"I... I had a flashback. I... suddenly I..." Will gasped, breaking off as his chest heaved.
"It's okay sweetheart, it's okay. Take your time."
"I had a flashback. I was back there, I was so alone, and..."
"Vecna is dead. The upside down is gone. You will never... you will never be back there."
"But-"
"Never. And if you did end up there somehow, I would pull this earth apart to get you back. I'd create my own gate by brute force if I had to."
A smile briefly flitted across Will's face.
"You promise?"
"I promise. You're one of mine Will, and I'd fight a billion demo-dogs, a trillion homicidal maniacs and more demo-bats than you could possibly count to get you back."
Will squeezed her hand, his head dropping back to her shoulder.
"I love you."
"I love you too Will."
Will looked up and gently pressed a kiss to her cheek before dropping his head back down.
"Hey." Max murmured softly.
"Yeah?"
"You tired baby?"
"Yeah... yeah I'm tired. I... it took it out of me."
"Well, I'd not say no to a nap, if you're up for it?" Max said, gently guiding her partner to his feet.
"Yeah, yeah, that sounds nice."
"Wicked." Max pulled him gently from the closet, gently pushing him down onto the bed before she hurried from the room, grabbing as many blankets and pillows as she could find, piling them into her arms, before darting back into the room.
Will had gently settled on the bed, his face looking more relaxed than it previously had been, although far from entirely comfortable.
Max immediately dumped the blankets on the bed, sliding onto it and pulling Will into her, and wrapping a blanket tightly around them. Will's body relaxed as the warmth surrounded them, and tension released from his body. The warmth around them, and the sweet scent of Max beside him, so unlike the cold and the smell of death that radiated through the Upside Down, reminded him he was safe, he was home.
Together, the two scooted down the bed, immediately curling into each other, taking comfort in the other's presence.
"I love you." Will murmured as his eyes gently drifted closed.
"I love you too." Max returned, as her eyes shut, the worry for her mate, and the stress of the day, fading away.
As Will's scent of vanilla, cinnamon and clove surrounded her, she breathed deeply, allowing the scent to bathe her and lull her to sleep.
---
Lucas smiled as the warmth of the apartment greeted him as he gently placed his bag on the floor.
"My loves, are you home?"
As no response was received, Lucas gently plodded through to the bedroom, pausing at the sight he was met with. His two beautiful mates were snuggled together, their faces relaxed and smooth as they curled together, a plethora of blankets surround them in a makeshift nest.
For a brief moment, he considered waking them, before a better idea hit him. Carefully walking from the door, back into the living room, he gently slid his shoes back on before gently leaving the apartment once more. Judging by how he'd found them, they'd clearly had a hard day. Waking them with warm food from the takeout across the street would be the perfect salve to a tough day.
And if Lucas had to leave the warmth of the apartment to get it, well his mates were worth it.