Ezra stretched as he stood up from the poker table. The air inside the saloon was thick with cigar smoke. He'd been playing cards all evening, with whoever would try their hand. It was Christmas Eve, however, so the pickings had been rather slim. Ezra checked his pocket watch; it was just past eleven thirty. Really too early for bed.
Tipping his hat to Inez as he placed it on his head, Ezra made his way outside. The brisk air struck his face, hurt his lungs, but he found it refreshing all the same. There were few lanterns lit along the boardwalk, and the fires that normally burned in the street after dark were growing dim. Ezra pulled his wool coat closely about himself and began walking. He didn't have any particular destination in mind; he just felt like walking.
He headed down the boardwalk, past Digger Dave's to the end of the street, then he crossed to the opposite boardwalk and began heading up towards the church at the far end of town. He passed the hotel his mother had once owned, dark inside except for a single lantern at the reception desk. He passed The Clarion newspaper office, above which Mary Travis and her son Billy lived; the windows were all dark, as they should be at this late hour on the Eve of Christmas. He paused for a moment to appreciate the wreath Mary had hung on the door. Pine boughs trimmed with red and gold ribbons; she did have fine taste, Ezra thought to himself.
A small, cold lick of air tickled Ezra neck. He pulled his collar higher and began walking again. He hadn't seen anyone about the town, so it surprised him when he reached the sheriff's office and found JD seated outside.
"Mr. Dunne? What has you out on this chilly winter's night?" The sky above the town was blanketed with gray clouds, so he couldn't be sitting here gazing up at the stars as he so often did.
"Hey Ezra," JD replied. "I guess I couldn't sleep."
"You do realize, Santa won't arrive until you are tucked snuggly into your bed," Ezra said with a smile, knowing just how young JD pretended he wasn't.
"I don't believe in Santa Claus, Ezra. That's for kids, like Billy Travis."
"Really? So, you mean I'm too old to still believe in him?"
JD stared up at Ezra, his mouth agape. "You believe in Santa?"
"Certainly. I think there has to be someone out there willing to grant wishes at least once a year. Such thoughts help one endure the hard times."
"Don't imagine you've had many hard times, Ezra. Your ma seems like she wouldn't stand for not being well off."
"You are correct there, son, but what my mother has and what she doles out are two entirely different things."
"You mean, you didn't always get presents when you were a kid?"
Ezra didn't answer. It was a long time ago. He understood now. His mother had been busy and she had provided for him -- very well, in fact -- but that didn't mean he'd received what he really wanted.
"My ma ... we always had something," JD said after a while. "Even if it was the same gift she'd given me the year before; she'd wrap it up as if it was new and make a big deal about giving it to me. I remember we always had apple cider and biscuits with honey. Then we'd sit together on her bed and she'd tell me stories about Christmases long ago. I used to stare out the window and watch the snow falling. There was so much of it, but it never made a sound, not like rain does, and that just seemed so strange to me -- strange, but special."
"It seems as if you've had some wonderful Christmases, JD. Your mother sounds like a very special woman."
JD nodded, as he rubbed for a moment at the side of his nose.
"I really miss..." JD began, but then fell silent.
"I should think you would miss the snow. I have spent most of my days in the southern part of our vast country and I simply cannot think fondly of the times that it has rained, muddying the roads I had to travel. I can only imagine the grandeur of a snow-covered landscape on Christmas morning."
"Back at the manor, it was my job to shovel the walkways before folks got up for the day, so I always got to see the grounds before anyone had tramped through the snow. It was always so quiet and it felt like me and my ma were the only ones alive, just standing there, looking at nothing but a field of white. My breath would hang in the air, all frosty. And, when the sun would start to rise, the snow on the tree branches would sparkle...."
"I should very much like to see such a sight. Perhaps someday you'll show me?"
"Yeah. I'd like that." JD smiled wide.
"Well, uh, good night then, Mr. Dunne. Merry Christmas."
"Where're you going, Ezra?" JD asked, undoubtedly about ready to invite himself along, as usual, Ezra thought. Though, in truth, he found that he was rather desirous of the company.
"I thought I might take a ride. Would you care to join me?"
"Sure!" JD leaped up from his chair, nearly sending it toppling. He fell into step beside Ezra as they headed up the boardwalk to the livery where they boarded their horses.
Inside, it was slightly warmer than outside, a nice respite from the cold and the gentle breeze that was more biting than Ezra would have preferred. JD didn't look nearly as young in the close light of the barn. He could see how he'd aged, matured, since they'd first met. They'd all changed, Ezra imagined, since taking on the role of peacekeepers for this town. It wasn't a job any of them had sought, but Ezra wouldn't go back and change his decision to stay, even if he had the opportunity.
Ezra leaned up against a post as the kid started to brush down his horse; JD did so with such love and care that Ezra found himelf fascinated, unable to anything except watch.
Coming from the background that he did, having been trained so expertly by his mother, Ezra noticed things about people, noticed them without even trying, sometimes without even consciously doing so. Occasionally, he realized that he knew things of which he wasn't even aware. Like how he always thought of JD as just a scrawny kid with silly dreams of adventure and heroics. In fact, however, he wasn't. He was a young man, a man who could defend himself with both a gun and his fists, a man who would put his friends before himself, who would risk his life for a stranger in need. JD was a man who knew what things were truly important: loyalty, bravery, friendship, and love.
It was Ezra who was the child, still the selfish one who had a hard time seeing past his own wants and desires. It was the way his mother had raised him, it was who she wanted him to be, to suit her own needs.
Ezra had never wished to be poor, but he suddenly knew he would trade a lifetime's worth of poker winnings to have had JD's childhood.
"You okay?" JD asked, breaking into Ezra's thoughts. "You were ... staring."
Ezra was surprise to find the kid standing right in front of him, just an arm's length away. He looked down at JD's face and nodded. "Yes. Fine. I'm fine. I was just...."
"Thinking? I do that sometimes, too."
Ezra smiled. Another thing he knew about the kid, but hadn't ever consciously realized. Ezra reached out and brushed the hair out of JD's face. JD shut his eyes, leaning his head against Ezra's palm. Ezra's heart stilled for a moment, caught off-guard by JD's unexpected response.
"JD, do you miss your mother?" It was Christmas; the kid's first Christmas without her. That had to be what this was.
"Yeah, but I always miss her. Every day. But, being here, it's like she's not really gone. It's like ... like she's still back home, waiting for me. Like I could just go visit if I wanted."
Ezra nodded, though he couldn't imagine what JD was feeling. His mother was still alive, of course, but, more than that, he'd never really had a home, never one place that he could even pretend would still be there, waiting for him just as he'd left it. This town was more of a home to Ezra than anywhere he'd lived before.
"Ezra?" JD said softly, suddenly standing very close to him. Then JD leaned in and pressed his lips against Ezra's.
Ezra was shocked for a moment, his eyes flying wide, but then he felt JD's arms slip around his waist and the entire world just seemed to settle into place. He wrapped his own arms around the young man, as he closed his eyes and began participating in the kiss.
JD's lips were so soft, as was the light stubble on his chin. Ezra sucked JD's lower lip into his mouth and caressed it with the tip of his tongue. He felt JD move even closer, pressing his body full against him. It was still cold, still winter, all around them, but Ezra felt a warmth spreading deep inside of him and knew JD was the cause.
He tightened his embrace around JD's slightly small, but still well muscled, body. Oh, the things he wanted to do to this body, the things he wanted JD to do to his body. Ezra felt his heart racing inside his chest and he had to break their kiss in order to catch his breath.
"JD..." he panted. "I...."
"I want you, too," JD said. A instant later, he was fumbling with Ezra's trousers.
Ezra felt light-headed at the touch of JD's fingers on his waistband. His own fingers felt numb, useless. He wanted to undress JD as JD was beginning to undress him, but he couldn't seem to will himself into action.
"You do want this, right?" JD finally asked, his fingers falling still.
"Oh, yes." Ezra nodded, feeling as if he'd suddenly woken from a dream. His hands move forward and began to undo JD's belt. JD was now working Ezra's pants down his hips, but it was so cold in the barn. The winter air stung his cheeks and Ezra knew that while he might endure disrobing for JD, he wouldn't want JD to have to bear the same discomfort. As much as he wanted to face JD during this, he knew they'd have to do things another way.
With his hands on the kid's shoulders, he encouraged JD to sit down in the hay-filled empty stall nearest to where they'd been standing. He drew JD close again, kissing him once more, running his fingers over the kid's bare hips and then around to the front, to stroke his firm cock. The kid was larger than he'd imagined -- not that he'd allowed himself the luxury of many such thoughts, but still. He stroked the length, causing JD to moan softly. Then he slipped his hand lower, between his legs, to fondle JD's balls; they were warm and fit so perfectly into the palm of his hand.
JD was caressing him as well, teasing him even harder than he had been just thinking about this moment. A shiver, which had nothing to do with the cold, raced up his spine. Ezra reached up with his hand, slathering it with saliva, before returning it to JD's rod. He spread the slick liquid over the entire length before leaning back onto the hay, positioning himself on his side. He moved his top leg up as far as the trousers gathered around his knees would permit.
The kid seemed to know what to do as he looked into Ezra's eyes, smiling shyly. JD placed two fingers in his mouth before licking the palm of his hand, and then he bent forward and spread Ezra's cheeks. JD's hands were just the slightest bit cold now and Ezra had to fight the urge to tense at his touch. Then JD's fingers were inside of him, pushing into him, working deliciously over the tight muscle.
They could draw this out, they could play this way until dawn, but the cold, as well as lack of security provided by their impromptu location, had Ezra feeling impatient.
He slicked his hand again, and then reached over to grasp JD's penis. He stroked the length, and then tugged the kid gently forward, silently encouraging him. JD took the less-than-subtle hint and wrapped his hand over Ezra's. Together, they pressed the head against Ezra's hole. JD met Ezra's eyes once more, as if silently asking permission to enter him. Ezra was ready, giving a small nod. Then JD was pushing forward as Ezra bore down.
Suddenly, JD was inside, and Ezra let out his breath in a heated gasp. He tightly closed his eyes as JD pushed deeper, the pain and the pleasure of the penetration warring inside of him. However, the pain soon dissipated and Ezra allowed himself to breath again, and to look over at JD positioned above his hip. One of JD's hands was cupping his upper cheek, while the other rested on top of his thigh, as he slowly began thrusting into him.
Ezra shuddered as the sensations washed over him. He was no blushing virgin, but it had been a while, since before his arrival in town; still, he couldn't remember a coupling ever feeling this way. He was shaking now, each time JD thrust deep, each time he grazed over the spot deep inside of him. He wished he were in a position to wrap his arms around JD, to simply hold him while they did this, but he hoped they'd have that opportunity another time.
"You ... okay ... Ezra?" JD said between panting breaths.
"More than okay," he managed to respond. JD smiled, as he continued to thrust into Ezra. JD then reached down into Ezra's lap and began to stroke his penis. The contact made Ezra gasp. He didn't think this could feel any better, but he'd been wrong. His eyes rolled back in his head as the dual sensations crashed into each other, battling deep inside his body; he didn't know which felt better, which he desired more. But of course, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that he was here, doing this, with JD.
Suddenly, JD's thrusts became erratic. He released Ezra's penis and placed his hand on Ezra's thigh again. Then he started pumping hard. Ezra saw him close his eyes tightly, as his head dropped forward. He was biting his lower lip. All the while, he was pumping fast and deep.
Ezra moved his hand down to his penis, stroking himself in time with JD's thrusts. Ezra was shivering even harder now, his lower lip trembling with want and need. He felt his hand shaking as he jerked himself closer and closer. His vision blurred, going slightly black around the edges, and then his body seemed to explode into his hand. His hips bucked forward as he pumped himself dry. Then he heard JD gasping and groaning; he thrust hard and held for a moment, before thrusting again, and then again.
They were both panting for breath now, as JD fell onto the hay beside him. The kid flung his arm over Ezra's waist and Ezra found himself turning over to face JD. They were nose to nose, and Ezra straightened his legs so that their fading erections rested against each other. He gently kissed JD, and then nuzzled his cheek.
They lay in each other's arms for a long time, until JD tensed and sat up.
"Did you hear that?"
Ezra shook his head. They both listened for a few moments and eventually the sound came again: the distant jangling of metal, like someone wearing spurs approaching on the boardwalk. Then the sound was gone, only to be replaced by a soft thumping at the far end of the barn. Ezra wondered if it was the wind blowing a tree branch against the eave or gable.
He and JD both rose to their feet, quickly doing up their pants, just in case. Then they stood in the empty stall, waiting. However, they heard no more unexpected sounds, and no one came to interrupt them.
Eventually, JD reached out and took Ezra's hand, leading him toward the barn door.
"Are you certain you wouldn't still like to go for a ride?" Ezra asked.
"Naw. I'd rather head off to bed ... wait and see if Santa's gonna show."
They pushed open the barn door and, caught by the sight before them, simply stood on the threshold, staring. Soft flakes of snow were idly drifting downward from the clouds, blanketing the ground in pure white. It was the most beautiful sight Ezra had ever seen, more so because he was standing beside JD, holding the hand of the person with whom he'd most want to share the event.
"I think he's already been here, JD."
~ The End ~
On The Seventh Day Of Christmas...
December 30, 2002
Comments would be most welcome if sent to: C.V. Puerro
Please do NOT repost this story anywhere outside of the Blackraptor Fiction Website.
Characters from "The Magnificent Seven" were used without permission and this story in no way
signifies support of, or affiliation with, The Mirisch Group, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment, or CBS Worldwide, Inc.
My thanks to Charlotte for kindly beta-reading this piece. I appreciate her time and generosity!
Quoted lyrics are from "White Christmas" written by I. Berlin.
Background graphics courtesy of Snogirl and Absolute Background Textures Archive.
