Happy Birthday!
Beta by: Helen
Disclaimer: Not mine, but the plot. Even Ezra's horse name - Chaucer is not mine.
Summary: What a lover would do for a certain gambler in a special day?
EZRA STOP ANOTHER INVESTMENT COMING STOP I WILL NOT STAND YOUR BEHAVIOR IF IT IS AS LAST TIME STOP MAUDE.It was the day of Ezra's 36th birthday when Chris Larabee cursed Maude for her careless and selfish behavior towards her son.
He saw how the gambler opened the telegram he had just received, noticed the hurt flash through his green eyes before he could put on a mask of indifference, not wanting anyone to see his pain.
Chris watched Ezra walk toward the livery and followed. He knew that his lover sometimes felt more comfortable with his horse than with people when he was hurting, but he also knew that Ezra needed a friend right now.
"Ezra!"
Ezra turned around, and found himself facing eyes whose anger sparkled like a mirror of his own. "Before you say it, I'm not running away from you," he snapped.
"I never thought you were. Ezra, love, just talk to me..." Chris tried to speak calmly and ease the tension he could feel.
"There is nothing much to talk about, Mister Larabee." Ezra told him, and waved his hand in the air as he resumed his journey toward the livery.
"Mister?" Chris could felt his blood boil as he followed. He hated it when Ezra tried to push him away with formality.
Catching up to Ezra just as he reached Chaucer's stall, Chris turned him around, shoving him up against the wall. Before Ezra could form a protest, he kissed him with passion. Feeling Ezra start to relax as he responded to the kiss, Chris decided to tease a bit. "No one calls me Mister. Understand me, maverick?"
Ezra only nodded at him, as his head leaned back against the wall, encouraging his lover to lick at his throat. He moaned as the heat began to spread throughout his body.
--
Buck was going to the livery, but Vin stopped him.
"You might want to head somewhere else, Bucklin."
"And why is that? I have to do my patrol, and I ain't planning on walking."
"Believe me, you'd rather walk than interrupt Chris right now." Tanner grinned at him, adding nothing more.
"What's Chris doing in the livery?" Buck asked, noticed the sparkled that shone in Vin's blue eyes. After a moment, he figured it out and a wide grin spread across his face. "Oh... guess I never figured the old dog would do that in the public!"
"Then, what are you waiting for? Come on Bucklin. Let's find somewhere else to be."
"How can I do my patrol, if I can't saddle my horse?"
Vin suggested, "Simple, take Peso. He's already saddled and could do with some riding anyway."
"I will not ride on that thing you called a horse!"
"Then, I suggest you get to walking. Far as I see, you won't be getting near your horse anytime soon."
While the ladies man started his patrol on Vin's horse, Vin turned around closed the barn door and insuring that no one else could see the two lovers kissing so passionately in Chaucer's stall.
--
Later that day, the stagecoach brought some strangers, plus one person very well known to the seven. Chris felt his earlier anger return as he watched Maude Standish alight from the stage, smiling at the man who accompanied her and completely ignoring the presence of her child as she passed by him.
Chris was already been angry with Ezra's mother after Ezra showed him the telegram that he'd got from her. The gunman had done whatever he could to comfort his hurt lover, and already started plotting his revenge on Maude. No one treated Ezra badly while he was around. Not even his so-called mother. He smiled as he watched Maude enter the restaurant with her companion. It was time to put his plan in action.
--
Maeve Cooper sat with her husband in the restaurant, watching the street from the large window. Her eyes opened wide as she saw her son being approached by Chris Larabee, who boldly started kissing him. Right in the middle of a public street! She could feel the veins in her temples throbbing as Ezra simply kissed the man back with no shame whatsoever.
Forgetting all about her companion, her planned setup, and her lunch, Maude stood from her chair and left the restaurant. Her confused husband followed.
"EZRA P. STANDISH! GET AWAY FROM THAT MAN! WHERE ARE YOUR MANNERS?"
"It's nice to see you, Mother. I trust you're doing well?" Ezra asked pleasantly between the kisses Chris was still bestowing on him.
"Mother?"
Maude turned toward her shocked companion, realizing that her game had just been revealed. "Now darlin', I can explain . . ."
"You never mention that you have a son. Is there anything else that you have been hiding from me, Maeve?"
Chris broke off from his activity long enough to smile wickedly at the startled man. "She's been hiding that her name's Maude, for one thing. You really sure you want to become the sixth, if she ain't even told you that much?"
"Sixth?" he repeated.
Ezra smiled. "Husband, he means."
Sputtering with anger, Maude's latest victim turned on his heel and left.
"Now look at what you did, Ezra! Another investment gone, and I need to start from the beginning..." Maude stopped, realizing with an expression of disgust that Ezra was once again far too busy to listen to her.
"Oh!" she huffed, picking up her skirts and stalking away.
Chris led Ezra away into the alley, where he whispered into his ear, "Happy Birthday, maverick. Your gift will be waiting for you at midnight!"
"I cannot wait." Ezra cupped Chris's face, kissed him lightly and then he added, "Thank you for the preview. I've never had the courage to do such a thing to her before. Of course, now she may never speak to me again."
Chris grinned. "Consider it an extra birthday present."
The End