Solace

by Deanna

Chris Larabee stared into his glass. He watched the slight ripple from the center outwards when Buck slammed his hand on the bar next to him.
"What a day, huh, old dog?" Buck beamed. He had every reason to - he'd saved the damsel in distress, his own life and his pig-headed pride in the process.
Chris forced a smile. "Yeah, quite a day." He picked up the glass, gazing into the whiskey as if it held some answers to questions he couldn't even figure out, and drank up. He set the glass down nearly hard enough to shatter it.
Buck frowned. "What's up with you, Chris?" He felt so relieved that all he wanted was for everyone to feel the same and just have a gay old time. He cocked his head and peered at his old friend questioningly.
"Nothing's up, Buck. I'm happy for ya." Chris absently squeezed Buck's arm and turned to walk away. He saw the question in his old friend's eyes but shrugged. "Just kinda tired, I guess."
Buck nodded understandingly. Not that he did understand, but hell, if Chris didn't want anyone bugging him, he probably had a damn good reason. "Sure, Chris. I'll see ya tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Chris Larabee forced another smile and left the saloon, heading for the livery. All he wanted right now was to be alone for a while. A ride seemed like the perfect idea, and the moon would light his way enough so he could keep going for quite a while.
But someone had other ideas. When Chris stepped into the pitch-dark stable, the door didn't fall shut behind him immediately as it should have. Chris paused for an instant before he spun around, his gun drawn.
"I think we can agree that you are the faster, Seņor."
A smile appeared on Chris' face but was almost immediately replaced by a frown. "What are you doin' back here? Tryin' to get yourself killed?" he asked of the Mexican.
Raphael Cordova de Martinez stepped from the shadows, smilingly replacing his own gun in its holster when Chris did the same. "My patron will not know about what happened here today for at least two more days. Then he will put a price on my head. Until then, I am a free man."
"You should be gettin' a head start," Chris interjected, surprised how half-hearted the suggestion sounded even to his own ears.
Raphael nodded. "True. Or I could take care of some unfinished business right here."
Smirking, Chris asked, "You mean that business about killin' me? Didn't think you'd follow orders from a dead man."
"Is that what you think I came back here for, Seņor? To kill you?" Raphael seemed amused, but the husky note in his voice belied his expression.
Chris' heart jumped, confusing him as much as it enlightened him, but he decided to play along. "Can't imagine why else," he teased, even while approaching the Mexican slowly and deliberately. His eyes darkened when he realized that he had guessed the other's intentions correctly.
Raphael smiled. "Maybe if you imagined a little harder..." He retreated towards the shadows by the door with Chris continuing to walk towards him. When his back was tight against the wooden wall, he watched as the American licked his lips and smiled devilishly.
"I could try and guess," Chris said, his voice a deep rumble. His eyes met the Mexican's in the faint beam of moonlight coming in from the upstairs window.
"Then guess..." Raphael murmured, reaching out to him.
And Chris did. Correctly.
+ + + + + + +
JD Dunne was making his round through the town when he saw Larabee enter the livery. He frowned. Well, it wasn't all that unusual for him to go riding off in the middle of the night. He wondered once again if he'd ever understand the man he admired so. About to turn and continue towards the hardware store, he noticed another figure emerge from the shadows and follow Chris inside.
For a moment, JD considered getting his friends, but his pride got the better of him. He didn't need help. It was only one guy and chances were Chris had already overpowered him on his own. Definitely no need for backup.
He quickly made his way across the street and to the entrance of the stable, listening carefully for any sounds from inside. There certainly had been no gunshot. Drawing his Colt, JD grasped the door handle, took a deep breath and burst in.
"Drop it, or I'll shoo..." The hand in which he held the Colt began to shake when his eyes met those of Chris Larabee, gleaming almost silver in the sparse light. Chris was leaning back against the wall, his face looking raptured, and the Mexican... Raphael... had him trapped. Trapped. In his arms. When JD had bust the door open, they'd been kissing.
"Shit!" JD exclaimed. It was the only word he remembered right then.
Raphael smiled, slowly and reluctantly taking a step back and away from Chris. "Hola, chiquito!" he greeted.
"What.... what the hell... Damn!!" JD gasped, realizing that even now, Raphael was holding onto Chris' hand. In his astonishment, he forgot to put away his gun, instead continuing to point it at the Mexican.
Chris finally gathered his wits enough to call out, "Put the gun down, JD. Get the hell away from the door and shut up!" Unlike the words, his tone was soft.
When JD just stood there, Raphael walked around him and shut the door, before taking the gun from the boy's shaky fingers. He smiled into the pair of wide brown eyes while letting the Colt slide back into JD's holster. JD's jaw dropped and he stared back and forth between Chris and Raphael. "You were..." he started, about to make a clever observation, when he heard Buck call out his name outside.
Chris looked at Raphael questioningly, Raphael shook his head, and Chris nodded. He reached out to JD and pulled him into the shadows with them, covering his mouth with his hand before he could complain.
"Listen to me, JD," Chris whispered. "You already know Raphael is running from the law. He can't afford anyone else knowing that he's here." Looking at the Mexican, he added, "Not even Buck."
Outside, Buck Wilmington stopped right in front of the Livery, looking skeptically at the bottle of Red Eye dangling from his fingers. Where was JD? He wanted to celebrate. Swaying from his already ample intake of Whiskey, he continued on towards the boarding house, stumbling over his long legs. He wondered if that pretty redhead who'd arrived earlier in the week was still there...
+ + + + + + +

"Quiet now, alright?" Chris warned, before taking his hand off JD's mouth slowly.
The boy gasped, feeling as if there was no breathing space at all in the stable. Adrenaline was cursing through his veins like fire - first, trying to "save" Chris, then the realization that saving was the last thing he needed, and now... now he was wedged between Chris behind him and Raphael in front of him, all three of them huddled together in the darkest corner of the building. And there really was no need 'cause Buck had already moved on.
Raphael looked down at JD and smiled, informing Chris, "This chiquito is trembling like a leaf in the wind." To JD he said softly, "Are you afraid?"
"I ain't afraid of nothin', Mister," JD huffed. But he reconsidered his statement when he saw the gleam in the Mexican's eyes. Had he angered him? But Chris was right behind him to help him out if he needed... help.
Raphael's eyes met Chris' over JD's shoulder. They smiled at each other. And then, Chris turned JD around to face him.
"That's good, JD," he said softly. "Then this won't scare you." He took the boy's paling face into his hands and leaned down to kiss him.
Raphael watched as Chris Larabee's mouth captured the young man's lips. He smiled knowingly, quite aware of what a kiss from that man could do. And it was beautiful to watch the boy first tense, then slump against Chris, who let go of his face and wrapped him in his arms instead.
JD didn't resist. How could he? Aside from being too surprised, he was simply overwhelmed. Chris was kissing him in a way no one ever had. He was helpless. And damn, he liked it!
When Chris released him, JD swayed and with Raphael following closely behind, Chris walked him past the resting horses and to the far corner of the stable where the moon shone in through a tiny crack in the wall and lit just enough of the clean hay on the floor to offer a bed for three.
"Lie down with us, JD." Chris sat and pulled the boy down with him. He lay on his side and closed his arms around JD, whispering something in his ear.
The boy's eyes widened and he looked back over his shoulder, staring at Raphael who had settled in behind him.
The Mexican chuckled and lay back, crossing his arms behind his neck and closing his eyes as if he had nothing to do with the whole thing.
JD's heart was thumping. Chris' words were ringing in his ears. It was either them or the blood rushing to his brain, or... looking at Chris, he saw the smile playing around his lips. So he nodded, then turned towards Raphael and gulped.
The Mexican lay motionless, curious to see what JD would do.
The boy knelt next to him and gently touched his cheek with the back of his hand. When warm brown eyes smiled up at him, he leant over Raphael and kissed him hesitantly.
Raphael allowed JD to determine how far the kiss would go. The soft young lips against his were quivering even as he felt his own being parted by a curious, eager tongue. He gave in and JD began to kiss him in earnest, moving to lie on top of him. Feeling the warmth of that small, muscular body in his arms, Raphael moaned into the kiss and slung his arms around JD's waist. Then he rolled them over so he was covering the boy.
Chris watched with a smirk. He had expected JD to struggle, at least to keep up appearances. But no convincing had been necessary. Right now, the hot-blooded Mexican was burning away any remnants of a doubt the young man might have had. Chris decided it was time to add a few more logs to the fire.
Waiting for Raphael to shift JD on his side, Chris moved behind the boy, leaning on one elbow while resting his other arm around JD's waist. He kissed the back of his head and the soft black hair he'd been longing to touch forever, before nuzzling a small earlobe, breathing warmly over it. He felt JD's shiver and whispered softly, "Wonderful, ain't he?"
JD groaned in response. He had never been this aroused before. The man he admired, almost worshipped, was pressed against his back, moving his hand over his hip and nibbling on his neck, while the Mexican who had at first infuriated him, then surprised him and then earned his admiration, was now teaching him another new way of looking at him. As a lover.
Raphael's hand clasped Chris' where they met at JD's side. They both moved in closer and while Raphael parted JD's thighs with his right leg, Chris moved his hand around to the boy's belly, over his crotch and down between his spread legs, causing a moan of delight.
JD's thighs involuntarily clamped down on Raphael's leg, but the pressure of Chris' hand on his arousal didn't dissipate. It was made all the more delicious by the fact that he couldn't relieve the tension there himself. The two men had him wedged in too tight to use his own hands. They were around Raphael's neck anyway. All he could do was push his groin forward into Chris' grasp.
Chris moved his hand upwards and to the buttons of JD's pants, undoing them quickly and efficiently before sliding his hand inside and back around him, this time stroking him without obstruction. The hard shaft in his hand was pulsing and Chris lessened the pressure, not wanting JD to go over the edge too soon.
Raphael removed JD's jacket and vest and began to unbutton his shirt, tugging it up and over the boy's head before it was even open all the way. The soft warmth of the body in his arms made him want to taste him, to bring him to life with a cry of passion. His lips found the smoothness of JD's chest and kissed a trail of moisture over it.
Chris' hand continued working JD slowly and excrutiatingly while Raphael shifted to kiss JD's chest and run his tongue over hardened nipples. Stilling the soft cry of pleasure with his mouth over parted lips, he gave Chris the chance to pull JD's pants and underwear down further, leaving him almost naked. Chris shifted, pulling JD upright and into his arms until he came to sit in his lap.
Finding that adorable young Americano exposed to him like that, Raphael's eyes lit up and he parted JD's legs further, letting Chris hold them apart for him. Then he bent down and took JD in his mouth.
Seeing stars behind his closed eyes, JD slouched in Chris' arms and gave himself over to the two men. Whatever they would do, it would be okay. He trusted Chris with his life; had done so from the beginning. As for Raphael... how could anyone cause such an incredible sensation with such tenderness? He watched him nip and suck on him as carefully as if he was a flower, sliding his thumb and forefinger down his shaft each time he withdrew his mouth. It made JD feel so... special.
He sighed and let his head sink back against Chris' shoulder. When he felt weather-dry lips against his throat and the soft movement of breath over his skin, he suddenly realized Raphael was beginning to suck him harder and so impossibly deep. Assaulted by too much pleasure all at once, JD came with a stifled scream; came so hard that he was afraid to suffocate Raphael.
But the Mexican drank it all. All of that sweet young honey. Then he looked up at JD, smiling, and said roughly, "Muchos gracias."
JD blushed, and Raphael leant in to kiss him softly.
Chris watched with a smile, stroking JD's hair when their mouths parted, letting him rest against his chest for a bit.
Raphael lay on his side, supporting his head with one hand. He suspected that adorable chiquito had never done anything like this before and wondered what he would do next.
When JD recovered, he sighed deeply. He felt simply wonderful and smiled at his lovers deviously.
"He does not look so innocent now," Raphael chuckled.
"You're right." Chris took JD's chin in his hand and kissed him before looking at him curiously as if he saw him for the first time. "Definitely not."
This time, JD kissed Chris, wrapping his arms around the other man's neck. He turned in his embrace and pushed him backwards, causing Chris to hit the - thankfully soft, hay covered - floor. Hard. JD was rewarded with a look of utter astonishment from Chris and laughed softly.
Raphael joined in the laughter, earning a stern gaze from Chris. By way of apologizing, he moved up close and bent to kiss him, continuing from where they'd left off when JD interrupted them earlier on. It only took an instant for all the fire to come back when Raphael's tongue parted Chris' lips and sought out his.
JD moved back a little, watching wide-eyed. From his position on top of Chris, he felt the man's erection throb against his thigh, making him forget he had only just found his own release. Amazing, he never knew a kiss alone could do this.
He watched as Chris removed the Mexican's jacket and shirt even while kissing him. JD slid off Chris to lie by his side, causing a moan of protest, but when he hesitantly moved his hand to Chris' erection, stroking it tenderly through the tight black jeans, Chris groaned with pleasure.
Growing bolder, JD unbuttoned the jeans and tugged at them until they were halfway down Chris' hips, far enough to allow him some much needed freedom. JD reached out and touched the shaft, running a finger along it to the tip where he collected a droplet of silky fluid. Chris groaned somewhere deep in this throat and his head fell back, interrupting the kiss.
Raphael withdrew, looking up at JD's face, and smiled.
JD returned the smile shyly. Holding Raphael's gaze, he lifted his finger to his lips and licked Chris' milk off it, taking great delight in the fact that the Mexican's eyes grew impossibly darker.
Chris had turned his face towards JD and watched him, utterly touched. He reached out for him and pulled his head down for a tender kiss.
When JD withdrew, it was with an impish smile as he moved lower to kiss Chris' neck while unbuttoning his vest and then his shirt. He removed them and equally efficiently divested him off his long undershirt. When Chris lay back again, JD's eyes roamed over his torso, his fingers tracing the hard muscles, lingering on tightened nipples and moving down towards his groin while he kissed the smooth, slightly sweat-slicked skin.
Chris closed his eyes, allowing him to move as far down as his navel, letting the sensations cover him like a warm blanket. Then he stopped him and opened his eyes again, beckoning for Raphael for come closer.
JD watched the play of Raphael's muscles under silky, bronze skin as he positioned himself behind Chris' head and bent down to kiss him again. He watched the silver moonbeam play in the black wavy hair and reached out to touch it.
Raphael looked at him and smiled. He moved forward to kiss JD, his thighs on both sides of Chris' head.
Chris reached up and slid the black, studded pants over Raphael's hips to free his erection. Steadying the Mexican with a firm grasp of his hips, he took him in his mouth, feeling the trembling of his body and knowing how much deeper that kiss between Raphael and JD must be getting.
JD shifted, moving up closer to Raphael, not allowing their lips to separate. He let himself be entered by a demanding tongue, feeling every movement of it answered by a shiver passing through him and a twitch of his arousal. He became aware that he was rubbing against Chris and slowed down, turning it into a more sensual movement and causing Chris to buck up against him.
For a moment, Chris wanted to enter him, desperately. But it was too soon for that. He wasn't willing to risk hurting him.
JD gasped for air as if he knew what was going through Chris' mind. He looked down at him and then, with a wink at Raphael, moved lower to take Chris's throbbing shaft in his mouth.
Chris resisted the urge to watch those soft pink lips on him. So he concentrated on the sensations they were causing and on the groans of pleasure he himself was wringing from Raphael. He switched between taking the silky hardness right down against the back of his throat and trailing his tongue along the length of it. Then he let it slip from his lips and adjusted himself so he could reach Raphael's balls and that sensitive spot right behind them, licking and sucking, before closing his lips around his arousal once more.
Raphael's hands on Chris's chest were trembling. His eyes held JD's while the boy had Chris in his mouth, learning what caused him to groan and quiver and watching with fascination what Chris was doing to Raphael at the same time.
Finally overwhelmed by the assault on all his senses - the soft touch of JD's lips, the wetness of his tongue, the sight of Raphael's trembling body above him and his musky scent and taste - Chris came hard, filling the boy's mouth with his cream.
JD's eyes widened, but he swallowed as fast and as much as he could. As soon as Chris' steady stream ebbed, he felt himself being lifted and moved upwards by shaky hands, winding up above Chris the way Raphael had been positioned before. Only he was now facing the Mexican.
And Raphael kissed him, taking his lover's essence from JD's mouth. When he released him, JD smiled before diving down on Raphael's weeping arousal even while Chris' mouth engulfed him.
Raphael came suddenly. The change from Chris' hard and fast motions to the young boy's inexperienced lips sent white hot ecstasy through him as his own milk mingled with the remainder of Chris' in JD's mouth.
JD drank eagerly, whimpering when he felt himself succumb and fill Chris' mouth. He shook so hard that Raphael only barely managed to catch him in his arms, drawing him off Chris and allowing him to slump against him while his orgasm ebbed down.
Chris sat up, wiping pearly liquid from the corners of his mouth. He shifted to sit by Raphael's side and stroked over JD's soft black hair soothingly. Placing his own head on Raphael's shoulder, Chris felt comforting drowsiness overwhelm him. But he fought it, unwilling to waste a moment of his time with Raphael. He knew they only had a couple more hours before daybreak.
When he realized JD had gone to sleep in the Mexican's arms, Chris smiled up at Raphael, asking him a silent question.
Nodding, Raphael moved to place JD in the soft hay. He looked down at him and stroked over his hair, placing a soft kiss on the tip of his nose. Then he followed Chris to a spot a few feet away and lay down by his side.
"You know you gotta leave soon," Chris stated sadly.
"Si," Raphael agreed, doing his best not too sound as sad as he felt.
"Promise me something." Chris Larabee looked at his lover seriously. He waited for the nod before continuing, "If you ever need anything or run out of places to hide, you come to me. I know it ain't the best place for you to go, but I'll help any way I can."
"I know." Raphael traced the curve of Chris' shoulder with one hand while he focused on the sad, blue eyes.
"Who knows..." Chris continued, a slight smile around his lips even while his heart was heavy. "Maybe I'll join you one day. Only a matter of time before I get my own picture pinned up in some Marshall's office."
Raphael smiled. "You are needed here now. I know that." With a sideways glance at JD, he added, "Especially this chiquito needs you."
Chris smiled. "Looks like one of those pouty-faced cherubs, don't he?"
Raphael laughed softly. "Looks can be deceiving... Chris." His voice was rough and soft all at once that first time he used Larabee's given name.
Their eyes met and Chris moved to kiss the Mexican, more tenderly than before but just as passionately.
Raphael pulled him close and let his hands roam over the slick skin of his back. His lips moved from Chris' lips to his chin and down his throat, while the American moved against him, bringing both their exhausted bodies back to life.
Moaning softly, Chris shifted to lie on top of Raphael, kissing him deeply while his hand moved down and reached around him, stroking and moving him against his own hardness.
Raphael opened his mouth to allow Chris' tongue inside, sucking it in deep while letting his hands slide down over the curve of his back and to his buttocks, squeezing and pulling him tighter into his embrace.
Chris withdrew reluctantly and looked at him, only for a moment considering that he had never pleaded for anything before in his life. "Let me take you, Raphael... please," he murmured, his husky voice a plea in itself.
The Mexican's eyes simmered with desire as he parted his legs in response and drew them up, opening himself to Chris.
Larabee smiled, increasing the pressure of his hand around Raphael's erection, drawing him closer and closer to the edge. But just before it was too late, he withdrew his hand, now slick with Raphael's cream, and moved it under him, preparing the way. When he felt the Mexican totally relax, he replaced his moist fingers, entering him slowly but steadily.
They paused for a moment, looking deep into each others' eyes, before Chris began to push himself in harder, his arms around Raphael and his lips roaming over his mouth, his cheek, his strong jaw, whispering "Raphael..." softly over and over again.
Raphael closed his eyes. This was the moment he was going to remember when he lay alone out on the prairie at night. His mind would come back to this place, to his lover, holding him. And he would hear that wonderful voice whispering his name. He didn't want it to end, but with the next deep slide of Chris inside him, he came with a sob, silenced by a kiss so they would not wake JD. While their lips were still joined, Chris spilt himself inside Raphael, feeling so very happy and so sad all at once.
They stayed connected like that for a long time, kissing tenderly.
Eventually, Raphael reached up to move back a stray bang of hair from Chris' forehead and whispered, "I must go, querido."
Chris nodded, but before Raphael could get away, he kissed him again, pouring all his unspoken emotions into that one moment in time. And he knew that Raphael would understand.
+ + + + + + +

When they were both dressed, Chris walked Raphael to the stall where his brown horse was waiting, tapping its hoofs impatiently. The Mexican put on his hat and checked his gunbelt, delaying the inevitable.
"I wish there was something..." Chris began, unable to find the right words.
Smiling sadly, Raphael said, "Who knows, maybe we will meet again." He walked up close to Chris and cupped the back of his head with one hand. "One day, you will sit outside your home and you will see me riding towards you."
"I'll be waiting for that." Chris moved to kiss Raphael, and they held each other tight.
Before Raphael withdrew, he whispered, "Take care of the chiquito. He is not as strong as he thinks."
Chris nodded with a sigh. "I know."
Raphael led his horse to the door, pausing after he had opened it. "And stay alive."
"How else am I gonna greet you when you get back?" Chris asked, suppressing the lump in his throat.
With one last look back, Raphael said, "I will come back for you, querido." Then he left, mounting his horse as soon as he was outside and riding off towards the edge of town as if the devil himself was after him. And maybe he was.
Chris stood, holding onto the stable door. His eyes followed Raphael and he kept staring even once he had long disappeared into the night. He couldn't help but feel that he'd been wrong to stay behind.

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