Author's Note: I realize that I'm skipping quite a bit here with these next couple chapters but I can promise you that you aren't missing much. Here we have Cory leaving the hospital. I hope you enjoy and remember to review.
Callidora
Seven
The day had come for Cory to finally come home. They'd made the decision that Cory would stay with Shawn. He still didn't really feel comfortable being on his own and Shawn wanted him to stay close. And so, on a Friday afternoon two weeks after Cory's failed suicide attempt, he climbed into the front seat of Shawn's car and drove away from the hospital. They were mostly quiet as they drove, though it wasn't an awkward or uncomfortable silence. Shawn drove with one hand on the steering wheel and the other wrapped around Cory's shoulders. The weight of Shawn's arm around his shoulders was comforting and Cory found himself reaching up to clasp Shawn's hand in his own.
The intimacy between Cory and Shawn was so natural, so easy. Cory was always slightly shocked by how easy it was to kiss him, to hold his hand, even to sleep next to him. It had never been that easy to do those things with Topanga. With her, a small part of Cory had always dreaded those actions. But it wasn't like that with Shawn. He welcomed the little bits of intimacy, down to the way it felt to curl around him at night. Shawn had always been taller than Cory but he was still the little spoon. Cory's arms were always a perfect fit for Shawn and it was the most comforting thing in the world to wake up in the morning and find Shawn laying in his arms.
Shawn was working from home now, writing another book. He had a small home office and he'd moved his computer in there. Cory had felt guilty about this at first but Shawn had made the point that he'd rather work in his pajamas than jeans any day. Besides, he'd said, this way he was able to spend all day with Cory. Meanwhile, Cory was taking time off work. Shawn had told him that maybe it was best to take time off, to stay away from stress and to just relax. It wasn't like Shawn didn't make enough money and Cory tended to agree that he needed the time away.
Pulling up in front of the small house Shawn had bought the year previous, they climbed out of the car and trudged up the walk towards the front door. Shawn unlocked the door and dragged Cory's suitcase inside before pulling Cory himself inside.
"Here we are." Shawn said, flipping on the living room light.
"It looks different than it did the last time I was in here." Cory commented, looking around.
Shawn smiled. "I did some rearranging when I came over here yesterday morning. The place was a mess."
Cory smiled at him. "You always were messy." He said softly.
"It's even worse when I'm writing." Shawn grinned. "I forget about almost everything else in the world."
"Does that mean that you're going to forget about me?" Cory asked.
Shawn leaned forward and kissed him gently. "Forget about you? Not even a remote possibility of that happening."
Cory smiled a little. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Come on, we'll put your suitcase in the bedroom and then make dinner."
Cory hummed in agreement, following Shawn down the hall and into the bedroom that they would be sharing. He dropped his suitcase beside the door at Shawn's request.
"We'll unpack later. I don't really feel like doing it right this minute." Shawn said, taking Cory's hand and leading him towards the kitchen.
"I don't have a kitchen table anymore so we'll eat in the living room." Shawn explained, noticing Cory's eyes lingering on the empty space in the center of the kitchen.
"What did you do with your old one?" Cory asked.
Shawn blushed. "I certainly didn't throw it at the wall." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Cory raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"I was angry and it was in my way." He shrugged. "I regret it now, of course, but at the time I just wanted to throw something."
"What made you so angry that you threw a table?" Cory asked. He'd been angry before but never angry enough to throw a table.
Shawn didn't meet his eyes. "Nothing to worry about."
"Uh-huh. I don't believe you." Cory said. Shawn had used the tone he'd always used when he was trying to downplay how bad something really was. Having heard the tone a million times, Cory was well aware of what it meant.
"Really, Cor. It was nothing." Shawn insisted as he began to cook dinner.
"Shawn, I realize that I'm not…in the best place mentally but that doesn't mean you can't still tell me things." Cory said, leaning against the counter next to Shawn.
The other man looked down. "I got drunk one night not long after we came home from that weekend trip." He admitted. "I'd almost convinced myself that I was mostly over you but that damned trip made me realize that I wasn't. At all." Shawn sighed. "I got drunk one night…and I was angry at myself for having feelings that I couldn't control…and I threw the table at the wall."
Cory moved to stand behind Shawn, wrapping his arms around Shawn's waist and leaning his head against the man's back.
"You won't have to control those feelings again." Cory said. "Not anymore."
Shawn turned around and pressed a gentle kiss to Cory's lips. "And doesn't that make me happy."
Cory smiled against Shawn's lips. "Finish making dinner, will ya? I'm hungry."
Shawn nodded as Cory wandered out into the living room. The next few weeks would likely be the hardest of his life but he knew that they would be worth it. Being with Shawn, loving him, it was the best thing that Cory had ever experienced. He was only too happy to spend the next weeks with him. No, it wouldn't be easy. Cory still had a lot of insecurity and bad thoughts to overcome. But, as long as he had Shawn by his side, he would do it.
