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[Running late, babe. I’ll meet you at the tower?]
Rick looked down at his phone with a sigh. The sun was barely up and he’d already waited almost fifteen minutes for Drew before the text came through. Without any time indication of how long it would be until his boyfriend arrived, Rick shoved his phone in his pocket and finished stretching. He’d been looking forward to the morning run with his boyfriend, but he didn’t mind having to go it alone.
Hillview Natural Trail was one of their favorites to run, especially in the morning before the oppressive Texas heat settled in for the day. Rick started out at a jog, feet hitting the pavement at a steady pace as he took the paved northern path around the edge of the park. The paved loop was fairly level and easy for most people to run, but with the familiar routine he passed a dozen other joggers before he hit the natural trail. For the majority of the trail it was unpaved and windy, fully exposed to the emerging sunlight that made for a brutal run in the afternoons. It climbed the steepest side of the hill, looping off to the north on the Red Oak Trail, which he took for the extra distance, before winding back around to rejoin Hillview. His path took him right passed the the turn off for the tower where he was supposed to meet Drew and back around to the parking lot on the downhill slope.
The run gave him time to think, going over in his head again about the deployment he was facing that evening. It would be his fourth tour in Afghanistan, and while the worst that had happened over there was a splinter and a sunburn, he still had apprehension about going back. He was prepared to, of course, he had men to lead and a duty to serve his country, but he hated leaving Drew. There was nothing worse than saying goodbye to his partner and facing the uncertainty of deployment without him.
He stopped at his truck and downed half a bottle of water, taking a moment to check the lot for Drew’s still-absent truck. Disappointed that his boyfriend still hadn’t showed up, he started a second circuit of the three-mile run at a faster pace, pushing himself harder on the steep northern loop of the trail until he could feel the elevation change in his lungs and muscles when the burn set in.
Rick’s steps on the footbridge thudded in the quiet morning, interrupting the sound of the wind and birds in the low bushes. For summertime it was still pleasant in the early morning as he took the turn off his trail and towards the tower that would give the best views in San Antonio. His pace slowed to a jog as he approached the structure and he took a few minutes to breathe and get water.
He slowed to a walk as he circled the tower a few times, taking in the views of the city. It was the last look he would have of San Antonio for nearly a year, the last glimpses of the town he and Drew called home. They had both been stationed at Fort Sam Houston for the better part of four years, including deployment, and they had settled into a comfortable routine.
Maybe they were boring, Rick smiled at the thought when he headed towards their favorite bench of choice. They jogged together and worked out, went to movies, but when it came down to it they both preferred a low key home life outside of work. It’s what he spent his deployment looking forward to. While his guys talked about hookups, girlfriends, and partying back home, Rick dreamt about a lazy Sunday on the couch with Drew, a beer, and a football game.
He dropped onto the park bench which was shaded by the same trees that hid it from view of the tower and pulled his phone from his pocket.
[On my way up!] The text was time stamped a couple of minutes earlier.
Rick relaxed, stretching his legs out in front of him while he waited. It wouldn’t take Drew long to get to the tower, especially if he took the paved trail up since it was a shorter and easier path. While he waited he thought about their plans for the rest of the day. He was packed already, having done that the night before, so they had the rest of the morning and early afternoon. They had decided over a week ago that they would hike and then head back to Drew’s apartment for a long morning in bed since Rick had closed up his apartment and spent any and all spare time he had at Drew’s.
“Thinking about me?” Drew’s teasing voice startled Rick from his thoughts as the sound of his footsteps on gravel gave away his approach. “You have that dopey smile on your face.”
“Shut up,” Rick’s smile widened when Drew dropped onto the bench next to him. The doctor had barely broken a sweat on his way up, which told Rick he had in fact taken the easier trail. “I was thinking I’ve already run the trail twice and your lazy ass was taking its sweet time getting up here.”
“I would’ve been here on time except we had a gsw come in and everyone else had their hands full,” Drew explained and brushed his hand briefly over Rick’s knee. “I’m sorry. You know I was really looking forward to this.”
“We still have the rest of the day,” Rick leaned over to kiss him lightly. “And I don’t know about you, but I’m really looking forward to heading home and taking a shower.”
The blush that stained his boyfriend’s cheeks made him smile. They had been together seven years and he could still get Drew to blush with just the suggestion of sex; it always gave Rick a thrill that Drew was so responsive to him, even if it had to be in private.
“Me too,” he responded with a smile of his own. “I kept getting distracted between cases.”
“Well in that case,” Rick laughed, “Last one home buys lunch?”
“Sure,” Drew laughed with him. “But let’s stay a little while first.”
“Okay,” Rick agreed easily and scooted closer to lay his arm across the bench behind Drew.
Drew stiffened momentarily before he melted against his side. Where the bench was located they would hear anyone approaching, which gave them a level of security they rarely had outside of their apartments and allowed Drew to relax. Rick smiled when his boyfriend rested his head on his shoulder and he kissed his hair affectionately.
They sat mostly in silence, taking comfort in simply being together since everything had already been said in the weeks leading up to Rick’s deployment. When Drew trembled Rick tightened his hold on his boyfriend and pulled him closer, letting him press his face into his shoulder. There were a few hours still ahead of them, but in that moment, nothing was more important than being with Drew.
“I love you,” Rick murmured and kissed the top of his head. “It’ll be home before you know it.”
***
Rick held onto the memories of that day for the duration of his deployment; his thoughts always turning back to Drew in the low moments and just before he goes to sleep at night, counting the days until he gets to go home to the man he loves.