I got dreams that keep me up in the dead of night, telling me I wasn't made for the simple life. There's a light I see, but it's far in the distance….

"Look at you, all comfy and cute. Bet you'd look better without clothes though."

"No."

"DAMMIT!" You laughed happily, your eyes scanning your phone screen, taking in the moving image of your boyfriend, his own smile bright on his face, despite his proposal being shot down.

Though it was approaching bedtime for you, his day was already moving into the afternoon. Managing the fourteen hour time difference required a specific balancing act of interactions between the both of you. It included a lot of missed calls, and texts returned hours after they were sent. Facetime was a literal gift from the heavens in your world, and you lived for the times where your schedules lined up just perfectly to allow it.

Like right now. Which was the first time you were seeing his face in almost three days.

"You look like you've actually been sleeping," you commented.

"I have been," Kenny confirmed. "You're welcome." You giggled and rolled your eyes. Kenny was well used to you nagging him about his sleeping habits. Staying up all night to play video games, and then exhausting himself working out or wrestling, wasn't the healthiest plan, and you let him know as such. "What were you up to today?"

"I was with Ellie for a bit," you answered, referencing your best friend. "Just ran errands and hung out. All that super fun adult shit that I'm just so good at."

"How many times did you get lost?"

"…bite me."

"Wish I could."

You felt your cheeks warm. Despite being with him for by many standards, a long time, Kenny still made you blush with his little comments and touches. It was common to feel like electricity was running through your veins where he was involved.

"Ya know, I dreamt about you last night," Kenny admitted.

"Oh?" You were intrigued. "Do I want to know the details or…?"

"Honestly, from what I remember, it was kind of boring."

"Thanks," you laughed.

"No, not like you were boring," Kenny corrected, chuckling himself. "Like, I just remember you were here with me. And we were just kind of hanging out here? And uh, at some point I think someone else tried to come in but we wouldn't let them?"

"You're right, that is boring," you agreed. "I expected dream-me to be at least a little bit more exciting than that."

"I do definitely remember that you were adamant that we watch Boy Meets World."

"Dream-me nailed that one," you confirmed. "Seriously though? That's what you dreamt about?"

"Apparently," Kenny conceded and shrugged. "I just remember though when I woke up, for a minute, I really thought you were here."

With his words, your eyes squeezed shut, your heart feeling like it was equally tight.

"Soon, right?"

"Yea, soon," you breathed out a response, slowly reopening your eyes.

"Hey…darlin'…that wasn't…shit, I wasn't trying to be mean or upset you," Kenny stated, easily hearing the tone of your words and reading your actions for what they were.

"No, I know," you assured, taking in a shaky breath. "Just…hate being away from you."

"I know," he repeated your words.

And it was true. You both did know what this relationship entailed, had from the moment you met. When you'd found out his life and career would keep him half-way around the world from you for the majority of the year, you'd hesitated in making anything of this.

The first year had been full of idealistic promises of being with each other at least once a month, making plans that had turned out to be more like dreams.

A rough patch had led the two of you to step away from the other for a few weeks, reevaluate what you both wanted and needed from the other. Those days apart had forced you into accepting the hard facts about your relationship, learning to fully embrace what your boyfriend did and who he was. And Kenny had come to terms with the understanding you couldn't just stop your life to take on his.

Now, here you were, months removed from that rough patch, things going as smoothly as they could. You'd been able to switch your job within your company, giving yourself more freedom to 'work from home'. It meant more time in Japan but keeping odd hours when there. Kenny had increased his trips back to America, instead of spending all of his off time in Tokyo.

It wasn't perfect, but you managed. And it was enough to keep you going, knowing that someday, it wouldn't be like this, and you'd wake up beside him every day.

"So, how's work been?"

You appreciated his attempt at bringing the conversation back to normalcy and positivity. While your job was nothing compared to his, at least in your mind, Kenny was always engrossed in listening to you talk. This time was no exception.

The conversation shifted from there, to Kenny telling you funny stories from the shows that he hadn't been able to text about. Honestly, he could read you the weather report, and you'd be entirely enamored with him. You updated him on your family, and your brother's plans to come visit in a couple months. Kenny had a vague idea of his upcoming show schedule, but there was a possibility he would be around then too.

When your eyes caught the clock, you realized it had been nearly two hours since you'd first started. It was definitely time for you to go to bed, the night already in pure darkness. You weren't sure what Kenny's plans were for the later afternoon and night, but you knew he'd keep himself occupied.

"Hey, listen, I'm gonna go to bed," you stated, tilting your head towards your shoulders, stretching out your neck. "Maybe I'll dream about you tonight?" You grinned.

"A man can only hope," he replied, causing you to roll your eyes. "I love you, beautiful. … Thank you, for uh, sticking this out with me. I know it's not easy."

"It is what it is. I'm OK sharing you for now. Someday, I get all of you. I can be patient."

"I appreciate that," Kenny stated, a gentle smile gracing his face. "Hey, listen though, when you're here in a couple weeks, I've got some plans for us. Just us."

"Yea?"

"Yea," he concurred. "Just you and me, and somewhere away from the city. Somewhere quiet and somewhere that we can be boring old us."

"I can't wait," you all but beamed. "Something to look forward to. Besides ya know, just being next to you."

"11 more days, darlin'. We got this."

"Damn straight," you declared, holding your thumb up to your screen. Kenny reciprocated the action, the two of you pressing your thumbs onto your respective screens so they 'touched'. "Love you, babe."

"Love you," Kenny echoed, as you each removed your fingers. "I'll talk to you when you get up."

"Sounds good," you agreed.

With one last look, soaking in the other the best you were able to through the video, you finally reached up to end the call. Once the screen blinked and went blank, you let out a deep sigh.

11 more days. You could do this; you'd lasted this long. Hell, in the past you'd gone much longer than this current stretch. And besides, you could call and Facetime Kenny until you were next to him.

And if you were really lucky, you'd have him in your dreams tonight. A perfectly boring dream of just hanging out and being together.

Sometimes you leave the ones you love. But if it's love, they won't give up, cause they know a war's raging and you gotta choose. These days are tough, these days are long. Sometimes it's hard, you carry on….