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Steel-covered toes kicked at the dusty ground as the tall soldier ambled along to his normal sitting place. The four paws trotted along next to him and he smiled as his normal companion on his daily excursion joined him.
“Come on Duke.”
The dog quietly yipped and a wave of homesickness flashed across his mind. Duke was so much like Sadie, both in looks and in manner. The soldier thought of his own dog, undoubtedly curled up into the space behind his husband’s knees in their large bed back home; Sadie taking full advantage of the empty side of the mattress.
As Jared summited the peak of the small hill outside of base camp, he settled down, pulling his knees up to his chest and shoving his battered ear buds into his ears. He had finally gotten around to telling Jensen the shape of his headphones, and his husband had quickly promised a new pair in his next care package. Pressing the play button on his old MP3 player, softly-strummed guitar chords filled his ears as he settled in to wait for the sunrise, Duke curled into his side.
I can hear his heart beat for a thousand miles
And the heaven’s open every time he smiles
And when I come to him that's where I belong
Yet I'm running to him like a river's song
You give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
You give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
His husband’s gravely tone washed over Jared as he sat, white shirt tucked into his faded-fatigued pants. His thoughts swam to when his husband had gifted him the old MP3 player as he had been packing for this last deployment.
“This thing seriously looks older than you.”
Jensen laughed as he smacked Jared in the shoulder. “Duh, it is. That was my very first one. You’re a klutz here at home; there’s no way I’m sending you to the desert with a brand new iPod.”
Pretending to look offended, Jared turned to shove another standard-issued T-shirt into his bag. “I am not a klutz.”
Comforting arms wrapped around his waist as Jensen stood on his tiptoes to press his chin into Jared’s shoulder. “Sure you are. But you’re my klutz, Ackles. Don’t forget it.”
Jared turned, his own arms wrapping around Jensen’s smaller form and pressing his lips to the chapped lips of his husband. Since Jared’s CO had told him of this last deployment, Jensen had taken up his old habit of biting at his lips. Running his finger gently along the damaged skin, Jared pressed another gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth. Noticing the blush slowly creeping up onto Jensen’s cheeks, he pulled back, question in his eyes.
“What?”
Jensen shrugged, vaguely in the direction of the device in Jared’s hand. “There’s something on there for you.”
Jared blinked quickly, tears in his eyes. “Jense, did you sing for me?”
“It’s not that big of a deal.” The embarrassment reached the tips of Jensen’s ears. “Chris helped me out with the recording. I just wanted to make sure that you had something to remember home.”
He quickly trapped Jensen in his embrace. “I will never be able to tell you how much I love you.”
Jensen’s fingers grasped at Jared’s wide shoulders. “It’s okay. I know.”
Jared’s fingers lazily stroked over the top of Duke’s head as he watched the first rays of sun begin to peak over the horizon.
He's got a fine sense of humor when I'm feeling down
Yeah I come to him when the sun goes down T
ake away my trouble, take away my grief
Take away my heartache, in the night like a thief
You give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
You give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
Yes I need him in the daytime
Yes I need him in the night Yes I want to throw my arms around him
Kiss and hug him, kiss and hug him tight
His heart ached as he thought of the Skype call that he and Jensen had shared earlier. Jensen had been fluttering around the island that stood in their kitchen, looking for his favorite knife. Once he had found it, Jared laughed as Jensen had shaken his hips in happiness as he began to chop up the tomatoes that sat on the counter.
“Did you get enough tomatoes?”
Jensen rolled his eyes, but Jared could see a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips as he pointed the tip of the knife at his computer screen. “You, of all people, should know that Grandma Padalecki’s sauce calls for extra tomatoes.” He shrugged nonchalantly, going back to the produce in front of him. “And it’s not my fault that your child has suddenly developed a taste for all things pasta.”
“Our child, dork.” A smile graced his lips as he thought about what Jensen had said. “Pretty sure there was some involvement on your part that night.”
There was a comfortable silence while Jared watched his husband work, towel thrown over his shoulder and glasses perched on his nose as he hummed tunelessly. “Can I see it, again?”
Jensen burst out laughing. “I swear. It’s like you have a fetish!”
“Indulge me Husband. Please?”
Sighing, he turned sideways to the computer, slowly lifting the hem of his soft T-shirt to reveal the slight swell of the bump that sat just over the top of his worn jeans. Jared reached out to touch, pulling his hand back when he realized he could never be close enough. But Jensen noticed, both the reach and the sharp intake of breath.
“It’s okay, Jay. Peanut and I are going to be right here when you come back, and then you can reach and touch all you want, Babe.”
He could have talked to his husband all night; longing to see those bright eyes face to face. But he had made the mistake of yawning, and Jensen had quietly told him that he really should get some sleep, feeling the need even thousands of miles away to take care of his husband.
Yeah when I'm returning from so far away
He gives me some sweet lovin' brighten up my day
Yes it makes me righteous, yes it makes me whole
Yes it makes me mellow down in to my soul
He give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
He give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
He give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
He give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
As the sun began to rise, Jared looked at his phone once more, chuckling as he saw the message he had from Jensen, the same one that he received each night.
‘Sending you the sun- send it back to me tomorrow. I Love you.’
Jared stood, whistling to Duke as he brushed the dirt off the back of his pants. Soldier and dog headed back into camp; Jared eager to start the day, waiting for the sunset that would bring him one day closer to home.