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When Maltravers arrived back at the officers' dugout, it was almost empty. The only one there was Blenkinsop - and he was curled up on his cot, fast asleep. Maltravers gazed at his best friend's sleeping form, took half a step towards him... then sighed softly and turned towards his own bed on the opposite side.
"He needs as much kip as he can get," murmured Maltravers to himself, trying to assuage the pang in his heart with the knowledge that this was the sensible option.
He took off his cap and sat on his own bed.
When they were boys, sharing a cosy dorm at boarding school, he would have thought nothing of clambering into his best friend's bed at any hour of the day or night. But now they were men. They were soldiers. And the sunlit battlefields of their childhood games had turned into cold mud and empty stomachs and long nights that leeched the strength from their bones.
Comfortable mattresses had given way to scratchy sheets that scoured their skin as they tried to snatch a few hours of aching sleep. During winter, another warm body pressed against him had provided needed warmth - but time marched on, making more progress than the soldiers left in her wake, and winter had melted into spring.
They'd taken to sleeping separately. One was always awake while the other was asleep, and it had seemed impractical to share.
Living separate lives in the same tiny space.
He looked up. Blenkinsop was tossing and turning in his sleep.
Should he...?
Blenkinsop was calling his name.
That made up his mind.
He strode across the room.
"Wake up, old boy," Maltravers called, gently shaking Blenkinsop's shoulder. "You're dreaming."
"Don't go, don't - "
"Shh," Maltravers said softly, "I'm here."
Blenkinsop mumbled incoherently, hands twitching as he tried to claw his way out of the shroud of sleep, his flickering eyelids clenched tight shut.
"You're alright," Maltravers continued, reaching up to gently stroke Blenkinsop's cheek. "Everything's alright."
Those deep brown eyes fluttered open, for a moment still clouded by confusion and fear, but then they focused on the figure before them and Blenkinsop's face cleared in relief.
"Am I glad to see you," he said, smiling.
"You say that as if we didn't see each other just yesterday." Which they had, although it had been brief, a snatched moment.
Laughing softly and shaking his head, Blenkinsop said, "I was having a bad dream, I'm afraid."
"I did think so," said Maltravers, with a sympathetic smile. "I heard you calling."
Blenkinsop looked down. "Terribly childish of me, but there we go."
"Not at all, old chap," said Maltravers, touching his chin. "This war would test any man's mettle."
"It does make me feel rather foolish," said Blenkinsop, tipping up his face. "But if that's the sort of wake up I'll get, perhaps I should have nightmares more often."
Maltravers smiled sadly. "I'd prefer it if you didn't."
"A bad night's sleep that ends with you is better than a good night's sleep that doesn't."
"I'm not sure that's entirely true," said Maltravers, although he knew he would have said the same were their positions reversed.
"Pish-tosh," Blenkinsop declared. He paused, and then: "Did you get sunburnt out there, or are you blushing?"
"Oh," gasped Maltravers, definitely becoming slightly pinker. "Bit of both, I expect." He bit his lip.
"You should be more careful," said Blenkinsop, and gently brushed one rosy cheek. At that touch, he just wanted to melt into Blenkinsop's arms, to lose himself in the warmth of that embrace and rest.
He sighed softly.
"Lie down, old thing," said Blenkinsop, and chuckled. "You look like you need it."
"I probably do," he replied, keeping his tone lighter than he felt. He so wanted to let go, to open the floodgates and let everything pour out, but he felt a little afraid of doing so.
"Shake a leg, then." Blenkinsop was smiling brightly now, and Maltravers felt his resistance melt away. "One last little burst of activity and you'll be all set for the night."
Blenkinsop lifted up the blanket, and Maltravers slid himself underneath without any further hesitation.
"There we are," said Blenkinsop, tucking them in. "Snug as a tin of sardines."
"Only smellier," noted Maltravers.
Blenkinsop let out a great laugh, a deep rumble that shook through him - like the way he used to laugh, before everything was swallowed up by duty. At that bittersweet thought, Maltravers' face fell.
"I should hush up and let you sleep," said Blenkinsop, seeing his expression.
"No, don't," urged Maltravers. "I want to spend time with you while we're both awake."
"That's all very well, old bean, but you've just come off patrol," said Blenkinsop, far too sensibly for his bedmate's liking. "Aren't you tired?"
"Yes," said Maltravers, shuffling a little closer. "But I'm tired of us being apart too."
A gentle smile crept over Blenkinsop's face. "I have rather missed you myself."
At these words, Maltravers could've sworn his leaden limbs became a fraction lighter.
"Then I say we make up for lost time." And he leaned forwards to press his lips against Blenkinsop's.
Blenkinsop, bless him, reciprocated eagerly. His tongue darted out, and Maltravers welcomed him in.
It was a warm, soft kiss - gentle in light of their exhaustion, but still backed by an inextinguishable fire of passion. Even the war could not quite take this from them.
Still, they could not keep it up for ever. As they pulled back for a moment, Blenkinsop cautiously slid one hand down Maltravers' chest, eyes wide as he waited for a response.
Maltravers smiled, and shook his head. "Sorry, I think the little chap's as tuckered out as the rest of me."
"I don't much want to admit it," said Blenkinsop, "but I suspect mine is the same."
"Another time, then," said Maltravers, laying his hand over Blenkinsop's. "That was some jolly good kissing though."
"Yes, I rather enjoyed it," said Blenkinsop, grinning. He dived forward to start another round...
...and Maltravers accidentally let out a yawn.
"My word!" exclaimed Blenkinsop. "For a moment there I felt like Jonah, about to be swallowed."
"I do apologise," Maltravers blurted out, a little embarrassed. "I'm afraid I couldn't help myself."
"Seems like you've reached your limit, old bean," said Blenkinsop, chuckling softly. "I think it might be time to give in."
Nodding sleepily, Maltravers cuddled up closer to Blenkinsop. "You should try to grab some more kip while you can, too."
"Don't worry," said Blenkinsop, slipping an arm around him. "I'm sure I'll sleep much better now."
Maltravers paused, and then said, "Promise me we'll give up this separate sleeping nonsense."
"I promise," said Blenkinsop.
"Good. Everything's better with you." Maltravers rested his head on his shoulder. "Even this blasted war."
"I quite agree, old bean," muttered Blenkinsop, as they drifted off to sleep. "I quite agree."