Word count: 718
"I'm sorry." Dean shakes his head, his face a mask of confusion and disbelief. "What do you mean you've never jumped in a leaf pile?"
Judging by his boyfriend's tone, Piers can only guess this is just another normal childhood thing he missed out on. He vaguely remembers his parents raking the yard, but he was never allowed near the piles, especially not to jump and play in. Part of him wonders what sort of punishment his mother would have given him if he'd jumped into the leaf pile.
He takes a drag on his cigarette and shrugs. Sometimes he wonders how Dean is still surprised. After all, Piers has made it clear that he didn't have anything close to a normal childhood until Max took him in. By then, he thinks maybe he missed a lot of opportunities, but Max always made sure he was happy and taken care of.
"I can't even look at you right now," Dean says with a dramatic sigh.
"Bite me."
The other man offers him a cheeky grin. "Only if you ask nicely."
Piers groans, eyes rolling. "You're impossible."
"But you love me."
And Piers does. More than he could ever say. Dean has really left his mark, and Piers doesn't think anyone else can come close to making him feel the way Dean makes him feel.
He stares at the pile of leaves, a beautiful array of orange, yellow, and brown with hints of green mixed in. What would it be like to just jump in them? Is there enough cushion to keep from getting hurt? In the back of his mind, question after question plagues him, and he's curious…
But not curious enough to let Dean sneak up behind him and take matters into his own hands. "Don't even think about it," Piers snaps, turning and fixing his boyfriend with a stern glare. "I'm smoking. Do you want the yard to catch fire?"
Dean makes a face, smoothing his hands over his charcoal-grey jumper. "Perfect excuse to quit," he suggests. "It's a bad habit, after all."
"What are you? My mother?"
"God, that would make things awkward, wouldn't it?" Dean asks, and his laughter makes Piers melt a little. "Come on. Finish up. You've got to experience this."
Piers doesn't think it's actually a big deal. There's no way it can really be that great. It's just a pile of leaves. Maybe a child would find it fun, but he's a grown man, and the idea of jumping into it seems silly.
Even so, he decides to cut his smoke break short, snuffing out the cigarette halfway through and tucking the remains inside the pack. "Fine. You win. What do I do?"
"This!"
And with that, Dean throws himself into the pile. There's a sharp thud, and Piers determines that it, in fact, does not provide a good cushion. Still, no matter. Dean doesn't seem to be hurt, and the joy on his face is so infectious that Piers simply cannot stand still and wait. The second Dean is on his feet again, Piers takes his turn, imitating his boyfriend's movements.
He hits the ground, and it sends a jolt through his body, but he doesn't care. A laugh bubbles from his throat, and he can't resist a grin. Dean's right. Jumping in leaf piles is ridiculously fun.
Piers climbs to his feet, brushing away the leaves that cling to his trousers. "Can we do it again?" he asks.
Dean snorts, pulling out his wand and summoning a rake with a quick spell. "You know you don't need to ask for permission, right?"
The two of them set about, taking turns raking up the leaves so the other can jump into the pile. Piers feels an aching in his chest. What else has he missed out on because of years of neglect and abuse? Sometimes it feels like Dean grew up on a whole other planet, and Piers will never quite understand what it's like to do things that normal kids did.
Maybe it doesn't matter. Dean is patient with him, and the two of them are always finding new adventures to get into. It's a little late, but at least it's happening at all. And, really, Piers can't think of anyone else he'd rather share these moments with.