A Moment With Tucker & Jesse

I wrote this moment in the life of Tucker and Jesse a while back. It's previously posted elsewhere but I cleaned it up a little and thought I'd re-post in honor of the publisher having released the paper back. It's about 2500 words. I'm taking you to a few months after the epilogue, though if you've never read the book it won't hurt your enjoyment if you decide to pick it up afterwards. Oh and here's also the print version cover art. Hope you guys like.

Original Art by Dar Albert, all rights owned by Loose-Id, LLC

Lazy Sunday: a Moment with Tucker & Jesse

By Kade Boehme

        Tucker rolled over in bed, placing his palm on the small of Jesse’s back. He caressed the skin gently and lay his cheek on Jesse’s damaged shoulder. Four years they’d been together. He couldn’t believe it. And they were months from their wedding. He’d freaked out a few times, the stress high between his first year of teaching and getting ready to marry this wonderful, fearless lion of a man. But the man, Jesse, Tucker’s sunshine, knew to just be quiet sometimes and let Tucker think. Jesse would just be there to be touched, to anchor Tucker to the world. The gray was never as bleak as it once had been, and all because of still moments like this. That's why their lazy Sundays were his favorite day.

    Tucker kissed Jesse’s shoulder blade and studied the scar there. “Jess?”

    “Hmm,” came Jesse’s sleepy rumble.

    “You know, I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, and you never having brought it up may be a sign you don’t ever want to talk about it, but …” Tucker wasn’t sure whether he should go on. Jesse’s muscles seemed to tense and that made Tucker second guess his question.

    “Tuck?” Jesse’s voice was wary. “Just ask your damn questions, man.” Tucker snorted. He seemed to remember using that line with his best friend Alison quite a lot during some pretty-high stress situations.

    “Your shoulder. I always wondered what really happened there. I understand if it’s not—” Tucker was silenced when Jesse rolled abruptly and took Tucker’s face in his hands, planting a gentle, smiling kiss on his lips.

      “Of course I don’t mind telling you. Wow. The way you lead up to that, I was worried.” And Tucker could see the edge of worry slipping from Jesse’s eyes. Tucker felt horrible because he knew he’d put that worry there. He’d hurt himself and Jesse so many times in the years they’d been together, but they’d made such progress thanks to individual and couples counseling. He had such hope for him and Jesse. Together. He finally felt strong enough to deserve this man.

    “You still there?” Jesse’s voice held a tease. Tucker hadn’t even realized he’d zoned out. He focused his attention on Jesse’s face. That wonderful, beautiful face that once had been stoic, impassive and hard to read with its cold gray gaze, firm jawline and buzzed military-style haircut was now softer and younger. Happiness really agreed with Jesse Bauer and pride filled Tucker’s chest that he had, even in some measure, managed to be part of that happiness despite his fuck-ups and weaknesses.

    “Yeah, I’m still here. Sorry.” Tucker ran his fingers through Jesse’s much longer now blond locks, which flipped up lightly. The softness of the man’s hair was another new, surprising thing. After so long only having rough stubbly buzzed hair, the fact that every part of the man was gentler and … softer made Tucker swoon every time he saw the man. He couldn’t imagine ever falling out of love with him.

    “Well, it’s really a pretty boring story. We were on a routine op, got overtaken and three of us were injured. Mine was the worst, thankfully. No casualties for our side, but my shoulder got blown out. All that inside—“ Jesse knocked on his shoulder “That’s fake. New joint, pins and screws. Ugly business.”

    “And that’s enough to get you medically discharged?”

    Jesse rolled his much larger body and pinned Tucker underneath. Their naked bodies touched, head to toe, but it wasn’t sexual—yet. Just comforting and warm and Tucker’s body molded into Jesse’s as he wrapped his arms around Jesse’s waist. Their bodies fit together, had found the perfect places to fit their planes in the way that made Tucker wonder if they hadn't been separated by the universe, meant to come back together like this.

    Jesse was laughing. “You think a fake shoulder isn’t enough to get me taken out of the game?”

    Tucker rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I mean. It just seems like, maybe that’s a small thing compared to some of the amputations and stuff you see.” Tucker felt like maybe he was fucking this up, the way Jesse’s eyebrow quirked as he gave Tucker a caustic look. “I don’t mean—I just…” Tucker was stammering. Dammit. “I was just thinking you seemed to rehab well and it hasn’t affected your weight training or anything. It just would seem like maybe you would have been a bigger asset. Not that I know anything about what they expect of you or how any of this works—”

    Jesse silenced Tucker with a kiss then pulled back and studied Tucker’s face. He seemed like maybe he’d made some decision in his mind as he gave an affirmative nod. “The injury freaked me out. I could see my shoulder was blown to shit and I was losing a lot of blood and losing it fast.” Jesse rolled off Tucker and lay back on his side of the bed with his eyes closed. Tucker felt bad for bringing it up now. Jesse’s face had clouded and damn. Way to fail, Grey.

    “Jesse, it’s okay, really. I didn’t mean—“

    Jesse reached out a hand and placed it on Tucker’s belly, eyes still closed, just rubbing up and down for support. Tucker liked that Jesse drew strength from him and was comforted by his presence as much as Tucker was comforted by Jesse’s. “No, it’s okay. I’ve just not talked about this. Ever.” Jesse was silent for a beat then continued, quietly. “I started losing consciousness from the blood loss. My commander and my best buddy Ricky were both trying to patch me up while we waited on medic to fly in. I guess in the moment I was pretty hysterical. I just knew I was gonna die.”

    “Oh, Jess.” Tucker could feel the distress rolling off Jesse in waves. He rarely, if ever, saw Jesse like this., so lost in a memory that he was reliving it. Tucker gripped Jesse’s hand and Jesse held tight.

    “It was pretty horrible. I’ll never forget that feeling. Wondering if I fall asleep will it be that time that I never wake up again. I remember trying to fucking hold on to life, to breathe. But I also remember praying and trying to square things up with the big guy.”

    “I can’t imagine.” Tucker actually could, he’d been there. He knew what it felt like to really realize that this might be the last image you saw, the last breath you felt yourself take. The intensity of a moment like that hurt. But he’d always been in a place where he didn’t fight it. He didn’t cry out for a savior or think he had shit to live for. He usually calmly accepted this may be his last moment.

    Jesse turned and looked Tucker in the eye. Oh how sad those beloved eyes looked. Tucker’s breath caught in his chest. He couldn’t handle to see the light in those gray depth so dim. “I’m pretty fucking sure you know what that feels like, Tuck.” Oh Jess. Tucker kissed Jesse and whispered, “No, it’s different. You wanted to live.”

    Jesse closed his eyes, furrowing his brow and looking physically injured by Tucker's words. “Fuck, Jess. Sorry. But, it’s true.”

    “I know, Tucker. I do. It’s just hard to think of you like that.”

    “Then don’t.” Tucker squeezed Jesse’s hand. “I’m good right now, have been for a long time. We’re good.”

    “Yeah,” Jesse said on a sigh, one that sounded like he'd been struggling to breath for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right.” Jesse opened his eyes again and the light was a little brighter in them before he turned his attention back to the ceiling. “Well, when I was fighting not to let that fucking desert be my end when everyone else was going to walk out with just a few bullet grazes, I may have… Outed myself.”

    Tucker leaned up on his elbow, looking at Jesse, stunned. “Shut up.”

    Jesse laughed. “You’re a little old to still be saying that.”

    “Call me old again and you won’t get laid for a month, Marmaduke.”

    “Yeah right.” Jesse cupped Tucker’s balls in his hand, Tucker’s body responding immediately. “I don’t see you holding out very long, baby.”

    Tucker shuddered, canting his hip up into the warmth of Jesse’s large hand. “Fuck, Jess.”

    “No, no, no. You wanted to hear this story. You can just wait.”

    “You suck.”

    “Later,” Jesse deadpanned. “So, I told my commander and my buddy that I couldn’t die without having ever fallen in love. I don’t know why I said something so sentimental.”

    “Yeah, I can’t picture hard-ass Bauer that I first met saying something like that.”

    “Oh, I wouldn’t. They were just as surprised as I was that the words came out of my mouth. Ricky said something about Miranda. And damn if it didn’t just come out. I said I wasn’t in love with her. She was a beard and I needed a man. I didn’t want to die without ever having found even five minutes of happiness with myself and a man that I cared for.”

    “Wow.”

    Jesse huffed what may have been another laugh. At least he seemed to be in better spirits. “Safe to say they were both really surprised. Thankfully, they kept quiet, though.”

    Tucker carded his fingers through Jesse’s hair again. “I may be dense, but I still don’t get what this has to do with anything.”

    Jesse smirked. “Tucker, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell wasn’t repealed in congress for another several months. So while I was fresh from surgery, learning limitations and getting ready to be transferred to Germany for the reconstructive operation, the commander came to tell me they’d worked out a medical discharge. He hated losing me, yadda yadda, but at least this way I didn’t have a dishonorable discharge. So I took him up on it. My buddy Ricky was being an asshole and no doubt if I stayed behind it would have come out again, one way or the other. I just figured I may as well go with it.”

    “But, it was repealed while you were in the hospital, right?”

    “Well, you have to remember there was that whole waiting period and by the time that came through my discharge had been pushed through. And you can’t really unring the medical bell, babe.”

    “Would you go back if you could?”

   Jesse’s eyes locked on Tucker’s and there was a steely certainty in them when he said “Not a chance.”

    “I’m sorry, Jess.”

    “I’m not.” Jesse rolled to face Tucker, insinuating his leg between Tucker’s. “I got you out of the deal and I got out of that damn closet.”

    “You got to be free. Like the eagle tattoo on your back.”

    Jesse winked at Tucker. “You figured that out, huh?”

    “Well, I always wondered, but it seemed patriotic.”

    “That’s why I did that one. It just felt like the unattainable but it’s what I was fighting for. The freedom of our country, but mostly for guys like you and me to be able to love each other. I wanted to be free myself for so long, so I got the tattoo to remind myself that maybe one day I would be. It was the goal.”

    “And are you free?” Tucker asked, quietly.

    “No.”

    Tucker felt his eyes widen as he looked at Jesse who smiled and kissed Tucker’s lips, chastely. “Oh, I’m free in all the ways it counts. But I’m not free. I’m completely ensnared by this sexy, incredible…”

    “Oh, Lord have mercy.” Tucker flopped on his back and groaned, grinning. “You’re so fuckin’ corny, Bauer. Really?”

    Jesse rolled back on top of Tucker and kissed him deeply, hard and full of passion. “You love me anyway.”

    Tucker just smiled, because he definitely did. With all his heart.

    “Tucker?”

    “Yeah?”

    “Thank you.”

    Tucker frowned thoughtfully. “For what?”

    “You know you gave me what I always wanted. All this, every bit of it. The fake shoulder, leaving the Corps, all the insanity of the last few years… I got so much more than I wanted. I guess the universe listened to that part of the prayer and not the part about 'getting right with Jesus' before I die.”

   Tucker shook his head and lifted his head to kiss Jesse again, soft and loving. “I’m glad.”

    “Me too.” Jesse looked longingly at Tucker. Tucker’s heart was full to bursting. Yeah, his golden man, his fierce protector and best friend was just as needy as him deep down, but needy for Tucker. That tether between them was more than people could ever imagine. They both came from a place where they’d had to fight for that better day and damn if they hadn’t found that better day, that hope, in each other. That was fucking real.

    Tucker hugged Jesse tight then gave the man and indulgent smile. Finally he asked, “Jess?”

    “Yeah?”

    “Can we fuck now?”

    Jesse guffawed and rolled off Tucker throwing his forearm over his eyes, guffawing. And Tucker couldn’t think of a better sound. Well, maybe he could. He rolled over to Jesse and, kissing him, took Jesse in hand and took them to oblivion. Together. Always together.

© 2013 Kade Boehme

 Hope you guys enjoyed. Those who've read it, hope that was a nice scene for you guys, and those who haven't, maybe you can go find a copy. If you want to see another scene from the guys, I did one called Release Day (find it here) because...well, it was release day... over at Babes In Boyland.

<3kaderade