After a long day teaching special kids, Charles came home to an empty house. He sighed.
When he had met Erik – love at first sight, it had been – the man was already unemployed. Well, not really. Janitor of a college for a month, salesman in a clothing store for two weeks, Erik lived off small jobs. Charles' tenure was more than enough to feed and shelter both of them, with a bit of extra for dates and gifts, but Erik refused to be a burden for his boyfriend.
This time, Erik had accepted to work as a security guard in a factory two hours away from their house. Minimum wages for a twelve hour shift every day. He woke up with Charles – even made breakfast for him, the sweet man – and came home when Charles was already asleep. In the evening, Charles would make dinner for two and leave Erik's plate in the oven. They barely saw each other. Charles wondered if it was worth the pain.
But this nightmare of a schedule was coming to an end. Erik's contract ended today, after a short shift of – only – eight hours. He would soon be home and they could spend some time together. Erik had promised to watch that movie that Charles had been talking about for a while, something about mutants and revolution and the Cuba missile crisis.
Charles was grading papers when Erik arrived. He had dark circles under his eyes and slouched shoulders. Charles asked him how he was, but Erik didn't complain. He even smiled reassuringly, before he went in the kitchen to make macaroni and cheese that they would eat in front of the TV. At least it was the plan, and that's how it went for some time, until Charles felt a weight on his shoulder: Erik had fallen asleep. Charles gently let him slide. Erik barely twitched in the process, and soon he was lying on the couch, his head in Charles' lap.
"Sleep well, my love," Charles whispered while running his fingers in Erik's hair, a tender and soothing gesture.