Away in A Stable

by Jax Slash

Tame slash, lol! Christmas theme.

The smell of fresh shavings and damp earth was strong in Vin Tanner’s nose as he slid the bolt home on the stall door. Inside, Peso, head buried happily in his manger, munched on sweet alfalfa hay. Vin smiled, grabbed the rake leaning on the wall and rounded up the stray bits of hay in the aisle and made a modest pile near the stacked bales.

He paused, raising his eyes to look outside through the open barn door and leaned on the rake. Ebony darkness overtook the cloud-covered sky, bringing the cold winter night sooner than expected and Vin watched shift with a strange feeling of warmth. His breath expelled as pale clouds and Vin knew there would be some snow this night. The outline of the ranch house faded into night’s shadow across the expanse of hibernating lawn between house and barn. As he stood witness, it all turned black. Vin waited expectantly. Excitement made his stomach flutter.

Vin sensed him before his strong, flannel-clad arms wrapped around Vin’s waist and Chris’ familiar, warm lips pressed on that sensitive spot just behind and below his ear lobe; it always sent a thrill down his spine and this time, it mingled with the butterflies and Vin felt electric and alive. When Chris pulled him snug from nape to knees, Vin’s overwhelming fortune made him catch his breath.

 “Didn’t mean to scare you.” Chris words, accented by a ticklish nibble to Vin’s earlobe, were low and filled with a heat that made Vin’s throat tighten, rendering him speechless. Instead, he leaned back to deepen Chris’ hold and used one arm to clutch at Chris cradling hug with a love VIn never expected to experience. “You okay?”

Vin nodded once and tried to loosen his throat. His sight blurred with banked tears. Chris rocked him slowly in his secure embrace and the two of them, together, gazed outside. Sparse, lazy snowflakes floated through the cold air, visible only in the meager light emanating from the barn. A hole in the clouds opened like theatrical curtains to reveal a wash of bright stars. Chris rested his chin on Vin’s shoulder after a nuzzle rough with a day’s growth of beard.

Vin felt suspended in time and wished they could stay like this, forever.

“What are we looking at?” Chris whispered as he nestled his chin between the collar of Vin’s shirt and neck. The words were no sooner said when the eaves of the house awakened as dots of holiday lights. Seconds later, a majestic Christmas tree blinked into existence behind the Great Room window, filling the room and surrounding exterior with warm color.

“That,” Vin breathed softly in wonder. He put the rake aside and crossed his arms over Chris’. “Never thought I’d have this,” Vin whispered eventually, his voice a raw with emotion. Chris tipped his cheek against Vin’s and he felt Chris nod in agreement. Chris’ embrace was a blanket of love, warming Vin from the very depths of his soul

“We are lucky men.” Chris tightened his hold for a moment and the pair stood together and enjoyed the heartwarming scene before them, reluctant to break the magical moment. Their foggy breath swirled in the air and mingled into one cloud before fading away into the light snowfall. Vin shivered. “Comon’,” Chris whispered following up his word with a warm, lingering kiss to the side of Vin’s neck. “Let’s head up to the house.”

“No.” The word puffed as mist from Vin’s lips. He tightened his grip on Chris’ arms.

“No?”

Vin shifted in Chris’ arms, turning until they were lips to lips, and threaded his arms around his source of happiness. “No. This holiday started in a barn, didn’t it?”

“Well,” Chris started just as Vin captured his mouth with a deep, hot connection that rocked them to their core.

Chris pulled Vin in close and flexed his hips, grinding them together; hard shafts stressed soft denim, causing Vin to tip up his chin and release Chris’ lips and moan. His lover branded Vin’s long neck with a trail of hot kisses that ended at the tip of Vin’s collarbone. Chris thrust his hips twice against Vin’s wanting erection as his hands slipped down to cup and squeeze Vin’s ass, intensifying their hot press.

“Chris . . .” Vin groaned, eyes closed. He moved to slip his hands under Chris’ jeans and sputtered when his partner took a step back, breaking the moment. His eyes snapped open and he gaped.

“This holiday may have started in a barn,” Chris said lowly, grabbing Vin’s hand to give it a tug. “But I’ll be damned if I take you out here in the freezing cold when there’s a warm fireplace and a fresh pine tree inside.” He pulled a sputtering Vin outside, snapping off the barn lights as they passed the switch. The festive lights shone brighter.

The cold outside are brought Vin back to his senses. As the two wended their way to the house through the light flurry of snow, hand in hand, Vin realized that it didn’t really matter where his holiday started as long as it ended with Chris Larabee in his arms.

The End