Notes: Just a little pwp that floated into my mind one night and refused to float out.

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

He sat in his recliner, bourbon in one hand and a cigar in the other, staring into the fireplace. The low flames danced across the logs, shedding the only light in the house. He felt the familiar ache sink into his soul, and swallowed down half the bourbon in the glass. He knew he could drink the entire bottle and the ache would still be there. Freshening his glass from the bottle on the table beside him, he settled back once more, drawing on the cigar.

Five years. He couldn’t believe it had been five years.

In all that time, the feelings didn’t diminish. In fact at times, he felt as if they only grew stronger with each passing anniversary. Sometimes he expected to just up and explode, they were so intense.

And the only thing that could quiet those feelings would be to hear the door open… to hear the familiar sound of boot heels on the wooden floor… to hear that all too familiar drawl greeting him.

“Hey, Cowboy… miss me?”

He sighed.

Five years. Tonight.

The ache grew stronger, until he almost forgot to breathe. It wasn’t fair. It shouldn’t hurt like this. It had been five years.

With a groan, he let his head fall back, resting on the cool leather of the chair. His eyes slid closed and he found his mind drifting back across the years…

“Name’s Tanner.”

“Larabee. You interested in working for the best damn team of ATF agents?”

“Reckon I could be persuaded.”

Those damn blue eyes had pierced him right in the heart in that first instant. And, even though he had fought it for several months, denying it for all he was worth, his fate was sealed on the spot.

“I can’t lie anymore, Vin. Not to you… not to myself. I love you.”

“You… you love me?”

“With all my heart.”

That smile, sweet and sexy, had taken his breath away as the Texan said, “Well, then. Reckon I can live with that… ‘specially since I’ve loved y’ from the second I laid eyes on y’, Chris Larabee.”

He remembered the feelings that had rushed through him, how incredibly happy he found himself at that moment. He had slipped his arms around the slender body, pulling Tanner close and kissing him deeply.

Chris ran his tongue over dry lips as if he could recapture the taste of the other man there. He knew it was crazy, but still he hoped.

Five years.

“Can’t believe I’ve got a side of the bed out here.”

“You’ve got more than that, pard. You know you can have anything you want out here.” He coaxed the other man into his arms, the two of them laying sprawled on the bed.

“I can? What if I want… this…” He reached down, lightly stroking a finger along the blond’s soft cock.

“Mm… you can have that any time you want.”

“Yeah? What about this?” He slid his hand upward, resting it over Larabee’s heart.

“You have that every minute of every day… and you will for the rest of my life.”

Chris shifted in the recliner, setting his now empty glass on the chair-side table. Instinctively his hand settled on his heart, as if he could feel Vin’s hand there.

With a soft groan, the blond refilled his glass and took a sip. It did nothing to ease the ache, but he hadn’t expected it to.

Five years.

“What are y’ sayin’, Chris?”

“I’m saying that I want you to move in here… move in with me.”

“I got my own place.”

“I know that… and I know you enjoy living there.”

“Y’ can’t figure out why, though.”

With a chuckle, he said, “no, I can’t, but it doesn’t really matter. You enjoy it, and that’s all that’s important. Keep the apartment if you want… use it for a place to get away by yourself if you want.”

“Then why?”

“Because I love you. I want to share as much of my life with you as I can. Is that crazy?”

He smiled, moving around the side of the couch and settling himself down beside his partner. “Well… can’t say that y’ ain’t crazy… but I gotta say I like the idea.”

“Then you’ll do it? You’ll move in?”

“Yeah… yeah. I’ll move in.”

Two years. They had shared this home… their home… for two years. It hadn’t always been easy, they were both men used to having their own way. He had balked at changing the look and feel of some of the rooms, having kept them intact from when Sarah had decorated them. But they had both adapted… changed to make a life together. And the good times had far outweighed the bad.

Five years.

“Good lord, ol’ man… yer gonna plumb wear me down t’ nothin’.” Tanner was panting, his body still quivering from the long hours they had spent making love. Exhausted, he could do little more than stare up at his lover with rapt affection.

“Wouldn’t take much, skinny as you are.”

The look was lost in a scowl. “Skinny! Who th’ hell y’ callin’ skinny? Ain’t like y’all got a lot a paddin’ there, Larabee.”

“Haven’t heard you complain about my… lack of padding.” He leaned down, playfully nipping at an exposed earlobe.

“It's just cause I love y’… wouldn’t wanna hurt your feelin’s or nothin’… seein’ as how you're so tetchy and all.”

“Touchy! I’ll show you touchy!” He pounced on the younger man, doing everything in his power to devour the full lips that parted playfully.

Larabee groaned once more, shifting on the leather seat. Pushing the footrest down, he stood, striding on trembling legs toward the window. There, he pressed his forehead against the cool glass, one arm curved against the pane above his head while the other clutched the whiskey glass.

Five years. At times it seemed to have flown by. At others it crept on the back of a snail, searing his mind with pure agony as he listened to the clock of his life tick each second.

His eyes closed, trying to force his mind from its thoughts. But it was insistent, and he seemed to replay every second of his life with his blue-eyed lover. Heaving a deep sigh, he whispered, “Ah, Vin… where the hell are you?”

Suddenly the blond started as he felt a pair of arms slide around his belly. He yelped, his body tensing as he prepared to fight.

“Take it easy, Cowboy,” a soft, smooth drawl instructed.

He sighed, smiling as he relaxed into the familiar embrace. “Damn you, you sneaky bastard… you scared the hell out of me!”

Chuckling, Tanner said, “Sorry… y’ gonna need t’ go change your drawers?”

“Ha… ha… ha,” Larabee said, attempting to look and sound angry. He failed on both counts. He turned in the other man’s arms, facing his lover. “Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?”

“Yeah… ten minutes before I said I’d be home. Want me t’ go out an’ come in again?”

Blushing, the older man stammered, “No… I… sorry… I’m just… “

“Anxious?”

“Very.”

“Well, I’m here now… you ready?”

“Been ready for a very long time. The reservations are for 8:00.”

Nodding, Vin said, “I’ll get a quick shower, and be ready in fifteen minutes.”

“Okay.” With a leer, he said, “Want some help scrubbing your back?”

A smile splitting his handsome face, the sharpshooter said, “Not hardly… we’ll never get outta here if y’ do. And we don’t wanna be late for our own celebration.”

His own smile shining brightly, Chris said, “Who’d have thought… five years. We’ve been together for five years.” Swooping forward and kissing the young man, he nipped one full lip before leaning back to look into the brilliant blue eyes. “Happy anniversary, Vin Tanner.”

Smile even wider, Vin said, “Happy anniversary t’ you, too, Chris Larabee.”

The End