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Sam steps back, holding the other man at arm's length to look him up and down. New clothes, new style, some sort of miraculously grown fashion sense, but... "It's you." Sam feels his smile spread, a sudden rush of relief stretching it into a grin that takes over his whole face. "It's really you." Laughter tumbles from Sam's lips and he falls forward, helpless to it, turning his face against Gene's collar. New clothes, same scent. Whiskey and smoke and something like damp earth, and Gene. Sam takes a slow breath.
A hand lands on the back of his head, so light he can hardly feel it. Sam's fingers twist in the thick material of Gene's coat as he pulls back a little, far enough to look up. Gene's eyes are huge, Sam's never seen them that huge, and his lips are parted, stuttered puffs of breath hot on Sam's face. Sam spreads his fingers and slides his hands under the lapels of Gene's coat, taking a moment to savour the warmth pressing against his palms. Gene's heart is beating like a drum.
"I'm here, okay?" Sam frowns, searching Gene's face. "I made it. I'm here."
The crease between Gene's eyebrows deepens and he shakes his head, a quick, jerky movement, and makes to take a step back so Sam fists his hands in Gene's shirt, pulls him forward. Sam's mouth is beside Gene's ear and he whispers, low and urgent. "I'm not going anywhere, Gene. Not without you."
There's a noise against the back of Sam's neck, more a low, broken stammer than actual words and Sam knows there's going to be more later, raised voices and recriminations, guilt and explanations that will never, ever be good enough. For now Sam braces himself to take Gene's weight, pulls him even closer and feels hands pull at the back of his shirt. Gene's hands are shaking, Sam can feel it, Gene's hands are shaking and his chest where it's pressed against Sam's is trembling with short, hitching movements like Gene's trying to hold something in and it hurts and Sam's suddenly trembling even worse than Gene is, shuddering, and it hurts so much and Sam finds himself thinking, finally thinking and whispering it against Gene's back, low and reverent. "I'm alive."
They clutch at each other and shake and breathe. For an endless, painful, perfect moment, they just breathe. In, out. Here. Together.