Nyx inched the door open, careful not to push open all the way and risk the squeaky hinges. He slid through the opening, and turned to click the lock shut as quietly as possible. The entryway was dark, and Nyx breathed a sigh of relief. Cor hadn't stayed up for him. He didn't want Cor to lose any more sleep than necessary.
Of course, it was entirely possible Cor hadn't known he was back. The mission had blown up spectacularly and thus ended with them limping home a week early. He knew Cor well enough to know that Cor had been notified of the mission being cut short, and he was pretty sure Cor had some kind of alert set to the infirmary if Nyx came back injured, but Cor had probably reasonably assumed Nyx wouldn't be free until later.
Cor apparently hadn't counted on how badly Nyx needed out of there, needed somewhere safe. Home. Sometime over the past year and a half, Cor had become home and the only place Nyx wanted to be after he dragged himself out of the loving arms of the Captain and the Citadel infirmary.
He just wanted to find Cor and bed and sleep for a week. If he could do it with minimal disruption to Cor, all the better.
He made his way through the house, using the light coming from the windows and his memory to drop his duffel and jacket in the closet. By the time he made it to the bedroom, Cor had turned on the bedside lamp. He hadn't expected to surprise Cor, but he considered Cor still being in bed a win.
He threw his clothes in the corner as he stumbled towards Cor, vision narrowing to the bed and his boyfriend's concerned face. Cor murmured something to him, but all he could do was mumble something incoherent back as he slipped under the covers and curled up to Cor.
Cor's arms went around him and he could breathe again, warmth seeping into him from the firm chest under his cheek. Hands brushed through his hair, and he drifted off, secure in the knowledge that he had made it home at last.