More Than Anything

Simmons tried to stand straight as he walked from Sarge’s room. Easier said than done, for sure. He limped slightly, wincing at the unusual pain in his lower back. He knew that was a bad idea going in. He passed up the room he shared with Grif for favor of going outside. No one would be out this late. No one except for him.



“Caves, or cliff?” he muttered to himself.



“Why don’t you stay here?”



Simmons’ eyes widened. “Who’s out here?”



“I am.”



He saw Caboose sitting a few yards away. “What are you doing out here?” Simmons asked him.



Caboose shrugged. “I’m lonely.”



Simmons smiled softly and went to sit beside him. “You know what? I am too.”



“I know.” Caboose shyly placed his hand over Simmons’.



“How?” he asked curiously.



“Why would you be out here when you could be with someone?”



Simmons didn’t know Caboose could possibly be that logical. He doubted if anyone else knew it.



“You’re right.” Simmons admitted.



Caboose squeezed his hand and sighed. “Church is always busy with the orange one.”



Simmons said sadly. “I could say the same. Grif’s always busy with Church.”



“Grif! Yes, that is his name.” Caboose said in satisfaction.



Simmons chuckled. Caboose looked over at him, cocking his head. Simmons looked to the dirt, a tear running down his cheek.



Caboose reached with his other hand to wipe it away. Simmons glanced over in surprise. Caboose’s face looked worried, and Simmons knew that Caboose couldn’t fake any emotion.



“It’ll be okay.” Caboose assured him.



Simmons shrugged. “I suppose.”



“No. It will.” Caboose stated.



Simmons had to smile at Caboose’s certainty. Caboose’s own smiled grew. “I made you smile!”



“Yes, Caboose, you did.”



Caboose laid his head against Simmons’ shoulder. “Are you still lonely?”



“No, I don’t think I am.”





*





Donut felt a rushing sensation right before he woke up to pain resounding through him. Baby blues opened to stare at the table inches from his nose. He winced as he rolled onto his back. He looked up at the bed to see Tucker’s arm draped over the edge. He sat up, looking at the other’s peaceful face.



“Donut?” Tucker whispered in his sleep. “Do…nut?”



The pink private gently moved Tucker’s arm and crawled back in. “I’m here.”



“Don’t go…” Tucker mumbled.



Donut tenderly cupped Tucker’s sleeping face. “Shh. It’s okay, Tucker.”



He nestled against the blue, warm breath tickling his chest. Tucker began to wake up, confused and slightly delirious.



“Donut? Why are you leaving?” Tucker blinked slowly.



“No, I’m not, I’m here.” Donut whispered.



Tucker looked down at Donut. “What’s wrong?”



“Nothing.”



“Where were you?”



“I… fell off the bed.” Donut blushed.



A smile twisted the corners of Tucker’s lips. “Sorry.”



He moved over, Donut following him. “Much better.”



Tucker closed his eyes, pulling Donut closer to him. “Stay.” He mumbled sleepily.



Donut assured him. “I’m not going anywhere.”



Tucker sighed contentedly. Donut pressed a single kiss against Tucker’s chest before closing his eyes and drifting off. Tucker peered through one eye at Donut’s blond hair, sniffing appreciatively.



“ ‘love you.” He mumbled before following Donut’s example.





*





Church always woke up before Grif. He would go back to sleep, waking back up after him. He liked it, seeing Grif sleeping then drifting until the orange soldier was awake again. He opened his eyes to see Grif’s chest steadily rising and falling. But, this time, Grif was awake, too.



“Church?”



“Mn?”



“I can’t sleep.”



Church smiled at that. Grif could be just like a little kid sometimes. He closed his eyes, cheek resting on Grif’s hair.



“I realize that.”



Grif yawned and Church asked. “How long have you been up?”



“An hour or so.”



“You really can’t sleep.” Church commented in surprise.



“That’s what I said.” Grif grumbled.



Church bit at Grif’s ear. “Maybe I can help with that.”



Grif laughed at him. “You have a funny way of helping.”



“I can tire you out.” Church promised in his ear.



Grif’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, really? You think you’re that good?”



Church took the challenge, hands sliding down Grif’s back. “I know it.”



Grif moaned as Church’s hands continued their descent, pulling insistently at his boxers. Church grinned. He was going to win this one. He did every time.







*





Donut heard two voices in the room next to his when he woke up that morning. One was Simmons, but the other was most certainly not Grif.



Tucker groaned. “Why do I hear Caboose? Damn rookie… you invaded my dream, stay out of my fucking morning!”



Donut’s eyebrows flew up. “What is Caboose doing in Simmons’ and Grif’s room?”



“What?” Tucker was suddenly very awake.



Donut put a finger to his lips. They waited a moment before they heard Caboose’s peal of laughter.



“Yup, that’s him alright.” Tucker grumbled.



Donut sat up. “I’ll be right back.”



He went and knocked on Simmons’ door. It opened a moment later by Caboose himself.



“Officer Muffin!” Caboose smiled.



Donut smiled at Caboose and looked past him to Simmons, who wore a smile as large as Caboose’s.



“Hey, Donut.” Simmons said as Caboose bounced back to the bed, sitting carefully beside the maroon soldier.



Donut saw Caboose press a gently kiss to Simmons’ cheek and understood immediately. “I was just seeing if, um,”



Donut scrambled for an excuse. “If you were hungry. I can make something, if you want, or, um…”



Caboose smiled at him. “I already cooked!”



“Huh?”



He flourished a plate of pancakes. “See? Have one!”



“I’m okay.” Donut backed out of the door. “Thank you, though!”



Tucker looked up as Donut walked into the room. “Well?”



Donut smiled. “Caboose and Simmons!”



Tucker groaned. “He sees something in that dummy?”



Donut playfully smacked Tucker’s shoulder. “Be nice!”



He frowned suddenly. Tucker noticed the exact moment Donut’s mood changed.



“Donut?”



The private looked at Tucker. “I just thought of something… Last night, you heard Simmons, and um, Sarge right?”



“Yeah. You seemed pretty happy about that.”



Donut leaned back against the wall. “Well, yeah. I-if Sarge had someone else, then he wouldn’t… wouldn’t…”



Tucker grasped Donut’s trembling hand. “It’s okay. I’m not gonna let him hurt you.”



Donut buried his face in Tucker’s chest. “What about everyone else?”



“They can take care of each other.”



“I certainly hope so.” Donut mumbled.







*





Sarge polished his shotgun slowly, concentrating completely on the task, at the kitchen table. He barely glanced up as Donut and Tucker walked into the room, intent on making breakfast. Donut shot a worried glance at Tucker, who blatantly ignored Sarge and opened the cupboard.



Tucker looked over at Donut, then at the table. He finally walked over to Donut, lifting him up onto the counter.



“Sit.” He said firmly, gently kissing the pink man’s lips.



Tucker continued his raid of the cupboards, pulling out everything he needed.



Sarge’s hand pressed harder against the towel on his shotgun, jaw firmly set. He tried to ignore the two privates as they went about their own business.



Tucker smirked at the flour, noticing Sarge’s obviously pissed-off state. Donut caught the smirk, half his mind wondering what Tucker was smirking about, the other half wondering if Tucker really knew how to cook or if he was bluffing. The latter was a bit more prominent at the moment.



“Half a cup…” Tucker was muttering.



Donut smiled. He thought t was so cute, watching Tucker work in the kitchen. A thought raced into his head, and a grin formed on his face. Donut jumped from the counter, racing for his room. Tucker watched him go in confusion, but by the time he could begin to wonder what was going on, Donut was back, pink fabric in hand.



“Here!”



Donut draped the apron on Tucker, reaching around him to tie the strap in a floppy bow. He gripped the sides, straightening it before kissing Tucker’s chin and returning to his place on the counter. He swung his legs enthusiastically, large smile gracing his entire face. Tucker contemplated the meaning of him wearing a pink apron before deciding that he really didn’t give a shit.





*





Church grumbled. “Where the hell is Caboose?”



Breakfast wasn’t the same without the only person that could cook even a little bit. Church made coffee, handing a cup over to Grif. The orange soldier was practically asleep on the table. Hardly surprising, considering the fact that, despite Church winning the unofficial bet, it did take a little longer than anticipated.



“Here.” He found a package of Oreos in the cupboard. “You like these, right?”



Grif grinned, trying to blink sleep from his eyes. “Yeah, I do.”



Church leaned against the counter and drank. “Ugh. Nasty.”



Grif laughed at the disgusted look on the blue C.O.’s face. “I didn’t want to say anything.” Grif said right before he finished the cup.



Church dumped his in the sink. “I’m up now.”



Grif was silent. Church looked at him to see him staring into his empty cup.



“Have you realized, that for the past few weeks, we haven’t patrolled, or had watch, or anything?”



“What’s the point? The only one that would want to is your sergeant. We’re all completely happy with the current situation.” Church shrugged.



“Yeah. You’re right.”



*





Donut sank his teeth into the steaming muffin. “Mm! Iths delithioth, Tuchker!”



Tucker laughed and wiped a crumb from Donut’s chin. “Good.”



Donut hummed through his chewing. They had relocated to the table once Sarge was gone. Donut held his muffin to Tucker’s lips, waiting for him to bite.



“You managed to turn Tucker into a dog? Not bad for a pink guy.”



Donut jumped as Church and Grif walked in. Church grabbed a muffin from the pan, releasing a cry of “FUCK!” as his fingers brushed the hot pan. The muffin fell to the counter, burning fingers in his mouth. Tucker smirked at him. Church glared before a superior look entered his eyes.



“Nice apron.” He smirked around his fingers.



Tucker looked down to see that he still wore Donut’s pink apron.



“Shut your fucking mouth.” Tucker warned.



Church and Grif filled in the last two chairs at the table moments before Simmons and Caboose were stumbling in. Church took one look at Caboose’s glazed face and burst out in loud laughter. This brought Sarge’s attention to the room, causing him to walk in. Everyone fell silent at his appearance.



He looked around at the six soldiers. Caboose inched closer to Simmons, holding into the side of his shirt. Donut averted his gaze to the table, suddenly very interested in the wood. Tucker glared at the red C.O. right alongside Church and Grif.



“Go on.” Sarge muttered, grabbing his own muffin and heading outside.



Talk started back up as soon as he was out of the room. Sarge walked outside, mouth not touching the food in his hand. He went to the caves, collapsing onto the rocks. He stared at the muffin, eating slowly. He glared at the last bite, throwing it aside. A sigh escaped his lips, head back against the wall. Every one of his soldiers, paired with a blue. What were the odds of that?



“No one left.” He muttered.



He thought back to Donut’s terrified face and averted gaze. He frowned. He had caused that, just by walking into the room, when moments before the private had been laughing. Sarge looked at his hand. Looks like that would be his only companion.