Work Text:
Memories
By Tommyboybbi
Al woke up alone in bed. He sat up and looked around the room. Getting up, he found his boxers and pulled them on.
Leaving his bedroom, he headed for downstairs. Standing at the top of the stairs he spotted Dirk sitting at the lower end of the stairs. Slowly he made his way down the stairs sitting behind him, allowing their bodies to touch.
It had been a rough day. They had returned to their home town to see a former teacher. He had been their greatest champion for them. He coached them in the game of football and life. He knew their secrets.
There had been a call, a request, to come see him before he succumbed to the cancer that was eating away at him. But they arrived too late. Delayed by their latest expedition, they were too late to see him.
They had arrived straight from the airport to the funeral home where the final visitation was taking place. Dirk, the emotional one of the two, cried. Al, the stoic one, stayed by Dirk's side, offering his strength and kept his grief at bay.
"He supported us," Dirk said into the darkness.
"Yes he did," Al answered. He leaned forward, putting his arms around Dirk. "He allowed us to get in touch with what we felt when we needed to."
"It didn't freak him out to see us kissing behind the bleachers."
"No, he didn't. He taught us a lot." Dirk leaned back into Al, letting his warmth and strength in.
"He believed in us. He came to Annapolis for our graduation." Al reminded him.
"He introduced us to the Admiral."
"Which led us to our present job. Exploring the world, and recovering the history the seas have. Your dream."
"And what about your dream?" Dirk turned to look at Al in the eyes. "What is your dream in all this?"
"To be with you. Like always. I'm in love with you and will be with you in your wanderings. We've been doing that since kindergarten. Remember when you had that bright idea to walk home from school."
"We did create a bit of chaos then."
Al kissed Dirk on the lips then pulled back. "Dear, we never do a ~bit~ of anything. I think both our mothers wanted to make our asses red if it hadn't been for the police officers being there when they found us."
Dirk turned around, sitting forward once more, relaxing back into Al's embrace. "I miss him already."
"So do I." Al hugged Dirk. "Just remember he's in our hearts. Maybe when we are little later, we can coach a league when we settle down. Repay him in memory."
Dirk moved to stand up. "Feel like a beer?"
"Sure, one for the Gipper."