by Kaed

Universe: ATF

Pairing: B/V

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Magnificent Seven, except the right to hold on to the dream. I didn’t open the ATF universe, but I sure like playing in it. All hail Mog!

Warnings: No sex, although the intent is there.

Note: This takes place pre C/V, right after Vin joined Team Seven. The plot bunny came to life while writing A Walk in the Woods and reading part of SueN’s Quicksand. Suddenly I just really needed to have Buck comforting Vin.

Webmaster Note: This story was previously hosted at another website and was moved to blackraptor in April of 2012.

The new guy was hurting.

Vin Tanner had only joined the Team a little over a week ago, and now it looked like he might be leaving already. The team had been investigating David Marsh, who was reported to be one of the biggest suppliers of illegal arms in the States. Things had gone well, and they were just getting ready to spring their well placed trap, when all hell broke loose. Marsh and his men began firing, and Team Seven responded with their usual efficiency. Even the unknown quantity, Tanner, had melded with the others as if they had been working together for years instead of days. The sharpshooter accounted for three of Marsh’s men.

Only one of them wasn’t Marsh’s man.

After the smoke cleared and they were doing a head count of the living and the dead, they discovered that one of the men Vin had killed had actually been an innocent. Someone in the wrong place at the wrong time, used as a shield by Marsh himself. A delivery man at the wrong address. A man with a wife and three children. Carl Simpson.

It was still under investigation, but they all had faith that Tanner would be exonerated. At least by the Bureau. Looking at the young ex-Marshall, the other members of the Team knew that he was holding his own court, and he was heading for a conviction.

So, Buck Wilmington decided that someone needed to go have a talk with the man. Buck couldn’t stand to see anyone in pain, even people he barely knew. He had gotten a lot of practice in comforting people who didn’t want to be comforted. He’d been doing it with Chris for almost three years now.

Pulling up in front of the building standing at the address he’d gotten from Tanner’s file, Buck scratched his head. Staring up at the dilapidated building right in the middle of the infamous Purgatory district, he grimaced. Why would anyone with the means to live elsewhere live here? Putting it on the mental lists of things to ask the young man, he climbed out of his car, activating the alarm as he did. Walking up to the building, he entered the grimy, urine-scented foyer. Seeing an ‘out of order’ sign on the elevator, he sighed. The Texan lived in apartment 402.

A few minutes later, Wilmington reached the fourth floor landing, slightly winded and trying to scrape something from the bottom of his shoe. Scuffing across the worn carpet, he knocked at the door bearing the numbers ‘402’. Waiting a few minutes, he knocked again. A few minutes later, he called out, “Vin? It’s Buck. I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.”

“Go ‘way.” The voice was only slightly slurred, but it was a safe bet that Tanner had been drinking.

“C’mon stud, I just wanna talk to you.”

“Don’ wanna talk.”

Sighing, the big man said, “okay, fine, then you can just listen and I’ll talk.”

“Git outta here, Wilmington.”

Leaning his head against the stained wooden door, Buck said, “look. I got somethin’ on my shoe and I could use a drink of water. Just let me in for a minute and I’ll get out of your hair.”

A series of soft slide-and-click sounds on the other side of the door announced that the other man was releasing a variety of locks. Then the door cracked open, and one wide, bloodshot blue eye peered out into the hall. “Y’ ‘lone?”

“Just me. You expectin’ someone else?”

“Jist ain’t in th’ mood t’ deal with Lar’bee right now.” He drawled sloppily as he stepped back, motioning the bigger man inside.

Smiling as he entered the little apartment, Wilmington said, “reckon I don’t blame you there.”

Buck looked around the apartment, noting that it certainly represented its occupant. Comfortable but utilitarian furniture graced the well scrubbed living room, a scattering of wall hangings reflecting a southwestern theme decorated the walls. An older model television sat in one corner, old cartoons dancing manically on the muted screen.

But most telling of all were the bottles… beer, tequila, whiskey… lined up on the counter that separated the living room from the kitchenette.

“Don’t track on th’ rug, I’ll git y’ a paper towel,” Vin drawled as he padded unsteadily into the kitchen. He returned a minute later with a wad of towels and a glass of water. Handing them both to the bigger man, he shuffled over and dropped to the couch with a sigh.

Pulling his shoe off, Buck moved to the couch as well, settling at the other end. Drinking the water quickly, he set the glass down and turned to cleaning off the sole of his shoe. Pretending to be intent on that, he watched the other man out of the corner of his eye.

Dressed in baggy sweats and a faded sweatshirt, Tanner looked more like a kid in high school than an ATF agent. He was barefoot, his long hair tumbling in disheveled waves around his face and to his shoulders. He hadn’t shaved in the two days since they’d last seen him, dark stubble covering the lower half of his face.

Elfin. Buck was surprised when that description popped into his mind. Their sharpshooter had finely chiseled, elfin features. He could be the model for illustrations in Tolkien’s books.

Then Wilmington realized something else. He liked looking at this man. A lot. And his body was seconding that thought.

The big man couldn’t help but smile. He had never kept secret the fact that he enjoyed the company of women. A lot. Frequently. Hell, he started half the rumors circulating around the Bureau about his sexploits. But something he didn’t broadcast was the fact that, from time to time, he found himself attracted to members of the same sex.

Like now.

Scrubbing a hand across his face, Wilmington berated himself. The man was hurting, on the verge of walking away from a job he had only taken a couple of weeks ago. And here he was, checking him out.

The object of Buck’s lust sat slumped on the couch, unaware of the moral battle being fought at the other end of the long seat. Retrieving a half-filled bottle of whiskey from the floor beside the couch, he took a long draw, grimacing at the harsh bite of the liquid. As it burned its way toward his stomach, he chased it with another mouthful. And another, barely moving the bottle from his lips.

“Hey, pard, take it easy there.”

Ignoring the other man’s words, he continued drinking the amber liquid, more out of spite than anything else. No one came into his home and told him what to do. Even if it was for his own good.

“Vin, c’mon now, take it easy.” Buck moved over, trying to pull the bottle away from the smaller man’s mouth.

Shoving Wilmington away, Tanner growled, “fuck off! Y’ ain’t got no right… t’… t’ tell me what t’ do.” He turned to stare defiantly at the other man, belching loudly as he did.

Waving a hand to fend off the pungent smell of two days of imbibing, Buck said, “damn it Vin! Look, I’m just trying to help you out. This ain’t the way to face what’s goin’ on right now. Now, I know it’s hard, but – “

“Y’ know, do y’? Y know it’s hard? How th’ fuck do y’ know?”

With a sigh, the big man looked away. “Alright… I don’t know. I haven’t got a clue as to what you’re going through, Vin. But I do know pain… and I know the need for having someone to lean on. I’m not here to tell you what to do, you stubborn fool, I just want to… to be here for you.”

Tanner leapt to his feet and began to pace, laughing as he did. Waving the bottle to emphasize his point, he said, “Y’ wanna be here fer me? ‘At wha’cha want… Bucklin? Well, here’s a news bull… bulletin fer y’… Wilmington. I don’ nee‘ja… I don’ ne-ed nobody.”

Watching the whiskey splash across the lean man and onto the floor, the big man said softly, “Yeah, I can see that. Vin… it wasn’t your fault.”

“Wazzen… m’ fault,” Tanner was growing drunker by the second. He swayed, barely righting himself before he fell into the wall. “Wha’ th’ fuck d’ya know… ‘bout… ‘bout mah…my fault?”

Flinching as the man’s voice grew louder with ever word, Wilmington said, “I know a lot about it, Junior.” He tried to block out the guilt he continued to carry in the deaths of his best friend’s family. If only he hadn’t talked them into staying so late…

Scrubbing a hand across his face as he banished both the memories and the guilt, the big man said, “Vin, killing yourself isn’t going to bring that man back. It was an accident. Marsh used him… placed him as a shield. You didn’t know… couldn’t know – “

“But I sh… shudda knowed,” he staggered, tried to catch himself, and ended up on his knees. The sudden jarring to his body sent his stomach into revolt, and he vomited all over himself. “Ah… hell.”

Grimacing, the bigger man moved across the room, squatting down beside the soiled man. Gently placing a hand on one lean shoulder, he said, “C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up.”

“’M… fine,” Tanner argued, but with little conviction in his words.

“Yeah, I know you are, Junior. C’mon.” Standing, he gently tugged at the other man. To his surprise and relief, Vin stood without further argument. He led him through the little apartment, letting the Texan direct him toward the bathroom.

Leaning Tanner against the sink, Wilmington very carefully removed the sodden shirt. Dropping it carefully to the floor, he saw that the man’s sweats were also stained. Slipping his thumbs inside the loose waistband, he slid the soiled pants down the long, lean legs.

Vin wasn’t wearing any underwear.

Straightening, the big man blushed as he saw Tanner was watching him. the Texan wasn’t blushing. And there was something else in those startlingly blue eyes. Shoving those thoughts away, Wilmington stammered, “l-let’s get… get you in a… a hot tub.”

He turned to the big, old-fashioned tub on the other side of the small room. Fixing the water, he turned to find Vin swaying, blinking rapidly as he tried to remain conscious. Grabbing the younger man by the shoulders, he pulled him against his chest, taking some of the lean man’s weight. Leading him the few steps across the room, he helped Tanner into the tub.

Sinking into the hot water, Vin sighed softly. Leaning back against the slanted end, he rubbed a wet hand across his face. Not opening his eyes, he smiled and said, “y’ gonna scrub me down, too?”

Not sure he had heard the Texan right, and certain he misread the meaning beneath the words, Buck stammered, “Wh-what?”

Opening his eyes to half-mast, the lean man said, “Gonna gimme a bath?”

Wilmington snorted, smiling at what was certainly a joke. But then his gaze fell on the younger man’s face, and he saw something that wiped the smile from his broad features. Vin Tanner was staring at him with such an open expression of pain and need that it nearly took his breath away. With a soft, compassionate sigh, he reached out and stroked a hand lightly down the finely chiseled features. Leaning forward, he gently kissed the hurting man on the forehead.

Slipping off his shirt and soaping up a washcloth, Buck slowly began to bathe the slender body. He smiled as Tanner began to relax, sighing as the cloth rubbed across his chest and down his arms. Wilmington moved along the finely toned body, pausing only briefly when he reached Vin’s genitals. Glancing up, he saw the pale blue eyes observing him, that faint hint of desire nearly hidden beneath the pain. Smiling, he moved slowly, running the cloth along the heavy shaft and balls.

With a soft gasp, Vin leaned back against the tub, enjoying the feel of Wilmington’s hand moving across his body. He groaned as he began too respond to the touch, but was far too drunk to sustain that reaction.

Carefully leaning the smaller man forward, Buck moved to the well-muscled back. As he moved below the water line, he felt an unnatural curve, grimacing at the thought of the man in his arms going through life with that added discomfort. They didn’t know a lot about the quiet Texan, but none of it gave them the picture of a happy life.

By the time he finished bathing Vin, the younger man was as relaxed as he had ever seen him. Glancing up the wall, he found a modern, detachable shower nozzle set above the big, old-fashioned tub. Retrieving it and a bottle of shampoo, he set the water temperature, and began to wet the long, tangled locks.

“Mm,” Tanner sighed as the warm water ran in rivulets down his face and neck. At Buck’s coaxing, he leaned forward, supported by a strong arm.

Pouring out some of the herbal scented shampoo, Wilmington rubbed it through the long, chestnut hair, massaging it along the other man’s scalp. Careful, knowing that Tanner was still not exactly stable, he washed the thick hair, rinsing it clear with more warm water.

Bathed and shampooed, Vin allowed Buck to lift him up and guide him out of the tub. He sat on the edge while the other man dried him, leaning heavily against the broad chest as the thick towel was rubbed along his body.

Finished drying the younger man, Wilmington considered shaving him, but one look at the paling face told him that Tanner needed a bed more. Helping him to his feet, he wrapped a dry towel around the thin man and guided him back into the bedroom. Finding the bed made, he pulled back the blankets on the full sized bed and lowered Vin to the mattress. Slipping the towel off, he lifted the other man’s legs onto the bed and settled him beneath the covers.

Managing to focus on the man above him, Vin whispered in a quivering voice, “y’ leavin’ now?”

Seeing the fear in the handsome face, Buck smiled. “No.” He moved to the other side, toeing off his shoes before stretching out on his back beside the Texan.

Vin turned, settling his head on the broad chest, one hand splayed over the big man’s big heart. The feel of the strong, steady beat became a source of comfort. He sighed. “I’m glad.”

Grinning, Wilmington wrapped a big arm around the lean frame, stroking the well honed shoulder and arm. He didn’t say anything more… there was no need. He simply lay there, gently massaging Tanner’s shoulder as the younger man slowly gave in and drifted to sleep.

Sometimes a man just needed someone to lean on.

The End

Feedback to: lara_mee@yahoo.com

October, 2002