Vin Tanner watched the needle come closer and
closer with the fascinated gaze people reserved for car accidents and the
like. He held very still, muscles partially frozen in terror. The needle was
so big. And shiny. And very, very sharp.
I am 28 years old. An ex
army Ranger. A current Federal agent. I am not afraid of a stupid little
needle. Ok. A stupid big needle. Vin chanted this mantra to himself, over
and over. He gritted his teeth as the needle pierced sensitive flesh. I will
not cry. I will not show weakness in front of the enemy. Vin began a new
mantra, ignoring his companion's little giggle of triumph as the deed was
done.
"Ok, man. Here's some stuff to keep it clean with. It'll be sore
for a while, but it should heal up just fine. I've never had any complaints
from customers." The spiky haired young man handed the sharpshooter a small
bottle and grinned.
"And girls find nipple rings very sexy." he
assured Vin with a wink, before getting to his feet and moving over to greet
an older, nervous looking redhead who had just entered the small, dingy
shop.
Vin groaned. He didn't want girls to find him sexy. He wanted to go
home and pretend this whole thing had never happened. His companion laughed
and Vin turned to glare at her.
"I told you no one could beat me at
darts. My parents owned a bar while I was growing up." The young, dark
haired woman grinned wickedly at the disgruntled sharpshooter.
Shit.
Vin had been had. And he knew it. He tugged his shirt on, wincing as the
flannel material brushed against a tender nipple. He looked down at the
small silver ring which glinted brightly against the smooth, pale flesh of
his surrounding skin. He felt different. Not like Vin Tanner. He wasn't
sure he liked the feeling. And he shuddered to think what the other members
of the ATF Team 7 would say. He'd never hear the end of it.
"With
that long hair, flannel shirt, and now...this, you don't look anything like
a federal agent." The woman regarded him thoughtfully, a gleam of amusement
shining in her hazel eyes.
"You say that like it's a good thing." Vin
accused, grunting sourly. His nipple ached and a faint flush of
embarrassment heated his skin. He hated the feeling of being on display. Of
drawing attention to himself. Like he was striving for that elusive sexy,
cool image that so many people seemed to want. He liked being plain old
Vin Tanner. A quiet, good with a gun, not the first person you'd notice in a
crowded room, sort of guy. That was him. Or at least, that used to be him.
"Oh, but it is a good thing." His companion assured him with a slight
smirk.
"Let's go. I got to get back to the office in time for the
meeting. Chris will kill me if I'm late."
"Well, far be it from me to
be the one who gets Mr. Larabee angry at you." She gestured for Vin to go on
ahead and she followed him out the door, still smirking
slightly.
+ + + + + + +
"Heads
up, Vin." Buck's jovial shout of warning came too late. The rubber ball
sailed through the air and bounced off the sharpshooter's chest. Vin let out
a gasp of pain and hunched over his desk, groaning.
"Geez, Vin. What's
wrong?" Puzzled and somewhat alarmed, Buck rushed over to the sharpshooter,
while JD grabbed the rubber ball he and Buck had been tossing back and forth
in the office. The ball had rebounded off Vin's chest, rolled across the
desk and landed on the floor by Josiah's feet.
"Yeah, Vin. You hurt or
something?" JD walked over to his friend's desk, also somewhat puzzled. The
ball was just plain, ordinary rubber material. It shouldn't have hurt like
that.
"Let me take a look." Nathan began moving purposefully towards the
sharpshooter's desk as he spoke.
Vin held his hands out defensively.
"I'm fine. Don't need no lookin' at."
"Well now, Brother Tanner. It
seems to me that the last time you said those words, you had a couple of
cracked ribs." The big man had gotten up and joined the others during this
little speech.
"I do believe it would be in your best interests to submit
gracefully, Vin. They are quite capable of using force if they deem it
necessary." Ezra advised from his position adjacent to the
sharpshooter.
"No." Vin repeated stubbornly.
"Now Vin. Don't
be..." Nathan began to remonstrate with the sharpshooter, when Chris' office
door opened and the ATF leader strode out, glaring impartially around the
room.
"Seems to me you all have some reports to do." The tone was
menacing in the extreme. Woe to the unfortunate souls who interrupted Chris
Larabee in the midst of his despised paperwork.
"Vin is hurt and
won't let Nathan look at him." JD summed up the situation.
Chris turned
to look at the sharpshooter. He didn't say a word. Just raised one blonde
eyebrow. But it was enough. Glowering, Vin began reluctantly unbuttoning his
shirt.
"I'm gonna shoot the first one of you that laughs." he
threatened.
There was several seconds of complete and utter silence as
the six agents stared at the small silver ring hanging from the
sharpshooter's left nipple.
"Oh my." Ezra finally murmured.
"You
said it, Brother." Josiah agreed.
"What made you do it? Did it hurt
really bad?" JD stared in fascination, wondering if Casey would think it was
sexy.
"It doesn't look infected or anything. They did a good job." Nathan
said in satisfaction. He worried about things like that.
"Damn, Vin.
Never thought you had it in ya. Looks pretty damn sexy. I bet the ladies are
gonna love it." Buck wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously and
grinned.
The sharpshooter didn't respond. He turned to Chris, who was
conspicuous by his silence. When the ATF leader still didn't say anything,
Vin glanced back at JD.
"Lost a bet. Damn stupid of me." Vin
answered JD's earlier question.
"I'm gonna take it out soon as it heals
up." Vin glared defiantly at his friends, daring them to say anything
further. He could feel the color heating his cheeks as they all smirked back
at him in varying degrees.
"No." It was Chris. "Don't. It looks...nice."
The blonde man turned and walked back into his office, leaving stunned
silence in his wake.
The End
