DISCLAIMER: I wish I may, I wish I might, but I don't own a single right,
Please don't take my house and cash, for writing this here piece of slash.
NOTES: This is what I call beginner slash. First time I've tried to write one so I had to take it slow.
Thanks to my friend Karen for giving this the once over and for coming up with the title.
You're the best, K! And Judy, who came all the way home from vacation just to beta this <g>.
The saloon held its usual mid-afternoon crowd and included four of the town's peace keepers. Chris and Buck shared a table near one of the front windows where they had a clear view of the street. Ezra sat at one of the poker tables idly shuffling a deck of cards and looking hopefully at each person who entered. Eventually, someone would come in looking for a game, he was sure. Vin stood alone at the bar, his back leaning against it, one elbow propped on the edge. He casually kept a trained eye on everything, occasionally raising his mug to his lips and taking a swig of the frothy liquid.The batwing doors parted and the dominating form of Judge Travis took up the space. He spotted Vin immediately, circled his eyes around the room and looked back at Vin. Vin touched the brim of his hat as the judge took a deep breath and approached him.
"Judge," Vin greeted in his gravely voice.
"Vin," the judge responded as he stopped in front of the tracker. Usually not a man who found it difficult to say what was on his mind, the judge found himself in unfamiliar territory. He stood silently for a moment and Vin waited patiently. Finally, the judge cleared his throat, squared his shoulders and spoke. "I need to talk to you, son. Outside." The judge turned abruptly and headed out, confident that Vin was following. He stopped on the boardwalk just outside of the saloon's entrance, looking around. There was no one close by.
Vin stepped up beside him. "What can I do for you, Judge?" Vin asked, tipping his gaze to meet the older man's eyes.
The judge took a deep breath and put his hand into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. "Can you explain this?" he asked as he unfolded the page and held it up for the other man.
Vin looked down at the poster and recognized it immediately. He closed his eyes as he slowly let out his breath, then looked back at the judge...
Chris sat watching through the window as Vin and the judge spoke. The judge's back was to him and his body blocked his hands but Chris saw Vin's expression change. Finally, the judge raised his hand and grabbed Vin's arm just above the elbow and the two men stepped off the boardwalk. As they headed across the street, the judge's other hand dropped to his side and Chris saw the paper he still held. It took him only a moment to realize what was going on. He got out of his chair abruptly, startling Buck, and followed the other two men. The urgency of his departure caused Buck to follow.
Chris caught up with them as they reached the sidewalk on the other side of the street. He stepped around in front of the other two men, stopping them in their tracks. Buck remained off to the side, silently trying to find out what was going on.
"Judge, you can't do this!" Chris blurted out, knowing damn well he could do it.
"This is an official wanted poster from the state of Texas, Chris. I have to take him in."
"Chris..." Vin began.
"Did he tell you what happened...?" Chris started as he spoke to the judge, then turned to Vin and repeated, "did you tell him what happened?"
"The middle of town is not the place for that discussion, Chris," the judge commanded. "Sheriff's office." He started walking again forcing Chris to back step out of the way. Vin glanced at Chris as the pair passed, then looked forward, avoiding eye contact with the townspeople who stared and wondered why the judge was leading him to jail. Surprisingly, many people in town were unaware of the price on his head. Those that knew chose to keep that information to themselves. Chris and Buck fell in behind.
+ + + + + + +
"...that's when Chris shot him and he fell off the roof," Vin concluded the story. Chris and Buck remained silent leaning against the far wall of the sheriff's office. Vin had been staring at the floor as he relayed the story, then looked up at the judge who sat in the chair behind the desk. He was leaning back, digesting the information he had been told, his elbows on the arms of the chair with his hands tented in front of him.
"You have no proof that this Eli Joe committed the murder?" the judge asked in uncharacteristically quiet tones.
"Just that he said he framed me to get me off his trail, but...that's just my say so." Vin remained silent for a moment. "No, sir. No proof."
The judge looked up at the younger man before him. As a civilian, he would trust this man's `say so' before he would trust a sworn affidavit, however, as an officer of the court, he needed tangible evidence. "Vin," he began solemnly. Before he could continue, Vin reached down and undid the thigh strap on his holster, then started unfastening his gun belt.
"Now wait a minute, Judge," Chris objected as he pushed himself off the wall and stepped up to the desk.
"Chris," Vin cautioned again. He knew what Chris was trying to do but he also knew the judge was right.
"You gotta fight this, Vin," Chris protested.
"We will fight it," the judge interjected, "but we'll do it legally."
Vin had continued to remove his gun belt and now laid it gently on the desk. He turned and took a couple of steps towards the two jail cells, saying over his shoulder to the judge, "It matter which one of these I take?"
The judge closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. "Whichever one you want, son," he sighed.
Vin shifted his gaze between the two choices several times before he shrugged and stepped into the one on his left. Just inside the cell, he turned, grabbed the door and pulled it closed behind him. He watched the other three men for several moments. "One a you is gonna have to lock it." None of the men moved so finally Vin backed up two steps and sat down on the cot, still watching them.
Chris stared after his friend, stunned by his acquiescence. Then, he faced the judge, put his palms flat on the desk and leaned forward toward the older man. "You can't let this happen, Judge." It wasn't quite a threat. He hadn't intended it to come out as one but he couldn't keep all the dark tones out of his voice.
The judge stared Chris in the eye, reading the man. It was his knowledge of the man that allowed him to overlook the implication of his tone. He realized that Chris was just trying to look out for his friend.
"Chris, I am not without influence. We'll get this matter cleared up but we're going to use proper channels."
"And what if you can't convince your `proper channels' that Vin's innocent?" It was the first thing Buck had said since leaving the saloon. He pushed himself off the wall and lazily walked up to the desk. "What then? You gonna hang Vin? You gonna be the one to give the order to string him up?" Buck fed more and more emotion into each word.
The judge turned his gaze to his lap where he had laced his fingers together. "We'll deal with that if the time comes."
Vin sat silently and watched his friends fight for his freedom. He'd learned, since coming together with his fellow peace keepers, that they'd back him up, just like he would them, but he never had it move him so deeply as now, watching these two men take on the very person who had kept them together, giving them people and a place to care about.
+ + + + + + +
"Why are you just taking this, Vin?" Chris asked finally. He had been sitting on a stool outside of Vin's cell for nearly half an hour, trying to make idle conversation, something neither he nor Vin was good at or tolerated well. Now, he was getting around to what he really wanted to know.
"It's time to get it cleared up. I figure there ain't no better help than the judge."
Chris shook his head a few times. Inwardly, he was surprised that the information about Vin being wanted had remained unknown by the judge for so long. In his mind, he was certain the man knew Vin was wanted in Texas but chose to ignore it for the good of the town. He did know the judge would do his best for Vin but he also knew the evidence was strong against him. "I hope you're right," he sighed.
+ + + + + + +
Four days and seventeen telegrams later, Vin was still sitting in jail. Chris sat alone in the saloon, staring at the glass of whiskey on the table in front of him. The late afternoon sun was shining in through the window making the dark liquid glow. He had been telling Vin that things were progressing but he knew they were not going smoothly. The judge's influence wasn't what it once was. The only way he could come up with to save his friend was to make them both fugitives. Vin was used to that kind of life but it wasn't one that he wanted. However, when it came down to either that or lose his friend to the hangman's noose, Chris knew what he had to do.
+ + + + + + +
Light from the moon shone in brightly through the window of the jail as JD sat dozing behind the desk. As long as someone was in custody, one of the seven remained on the premises, or, now, one of the remaining six as Vin continued to reside in the cell.
JD jolted in his seat as Chris abruptly entered the office. He said nothing and the stern look on his face kept JD momentarily mute. Chris's determined stride carried him around the desk till he was standing right beside the chair JD had just sat up straighter in. He leaned forward and pulled open the top drawer on that side of the desk and, not finding what he was looking for, slammed it shut and opened the one beneath. There, he found Vin's mare's leg, still in its holster. He picked it up and tucked it under his arm.
"Chris..." JD spoke timidly with questioning in his voice.
Chris didn't even take the time to glare at the boy as he stalked forward, grabbed the key ring off the nail in the post and went to Vin's cell door. Vin had been sleeping but the banging had awakened him. He had pulled himself to a sitting position on the side of the cot and was silently trying to figure out what Chris had on his mind. As soon as Chris grabbed the keys, it all fell into place for him. He stood up as Chris unlocked the cell door.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Chris?" Vin demanded.
Chris swung the cell door wide open and for the first time, made eye contact. "Come on." His tone left no room for argument but Vin tried anyway.
"What are you doing?" he restated.
"We're leaving." Chris stepped into the cell and grabbed Vin by the arm, roughly pulling him out into the outer cell area. Vin yanked his arm free and turned on his friend.
"You can't do this Chris!" Vin glanced at JD, expecting him to jump in anytime but the young man was obviously unnerved by their leader's actions. As Vin turned his attention back to Chris, the side of his face met with a well placed right hook. His head snapped back and struck the bars of the outer cell and he slid to the floor, unconscious. JD's eyes grew wider as he watched his friend slide slowly down the bars to become a crumpled heap on the floor. Cautiously, he lifted his fearful gaze to Chris. He knew he should try and stop this, but this was Chris Larabee in front of him. And, in the back of his mind, JD knew that his taking Vin away may be the only chance the tracker had of survival.
JD watched dumbly as Chris leaned over and, after quickly checking to see if there was any blood, pulled Vin onto his shoulder. As he stood, he turned his eyes on JD. "Into the cell, JD." His voice had an edge to it usually reserved for the most desperate of criminals and JD was taken aback that he would use it on him. "NOW!" Chris insisted when JD failed to move. Slowly, JD stepped forward and around Chris, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. Once into the cell's confines, Chris pushed the door closed and twisted the key in the lock. He glared at JD for a moment and his eyes softened. He nodded his head once, turned and headed out the side door, tossing the key ring onto the desk as he passed.
Chris's and Vin's horses were saddled and waiting tied behind the sheriff's office. Chris was glad that Vin was true to his word and his bags were always packed. He'd found the man's saddlebags in his wagon stuffed full with the necessities of travel.
Chris hadn't planned on having to knock Vin out. He knew there would be an argument but figured he could convince the man it was better than swinging. However, once in the situation, Chris didn't want to take the time to do any convincing. This seemed a reasonable way out. Unfortunately, now he had to figure out a way to get the man onto his horse and keep him there. He thought of just throwing him on his belly over his saddle but knew, from experience, that was a painful way to travel. He'd have to ride double and hold him up. He stepped onto some crates stored behind the row of buildings and eased Vin's right leg over the horse's back. Gently, he balanced his friend on the animal's neck, stepped back to gather up the reins to Vin's horse and then swung up into the saddle behind his friend. He grabbed Vin's torso and pulled him up, wrapping one arm firmly around his midsection. With his other hand, he grabbed the reins of his own horse and kicked it into motion.
+ + + + + + +
Buck's long stride carried him quickly down the boardwalk towards the jail. He tipped his hat and smiled weakly at passersby with a cheerfulness he did not feel. One of his friends was in trouble and the chances of him getting out of that trouble were getting slimmer all the time. He stopped outside the sheriff's office and took a deep breath before he turned the doorknob and swung open the door.
JD wasn't at the desk so Buck scanned the room. As he returned his eyes to the desk, his mind registered something that wasn't quite right and he looked back towards the cell. A man sat on the edge of the cot, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped together and his head hung low. But it wasn't the posture that confused Buck, it was the hair. It was too dark to be Vin's. Buck stepped up to the outer cell bars as the man in the cell slowly lifted his head.
"Oh, JD." Buck's sigh and his eyes expressed his disappointment.
+ + + + + + +
Chris rode hard. He initially headed east, assuming his friends wouldn't think he would take Vin towards the part of the country that wanted him dead. Then, just before sun up, he turned south. He swapped horses as they reached the Mexican border, wondering as he transferred Vin's limp form when the man would come to. Circling Purgatory, he headed further south.
+ + + + + + +
"How'd he get the jump on you, son?" The judge's tone was kind but there was a hint of irritation.
JD sat solemnly on the desk, his eyes downcast. He had refused to say anything about how Vin had escaped, knowing that with his silence, he could be thought an accomplice and would probably go to jail himself.
"C'mon, JD. Answer the man," Buck encouraged.
Nathan entered the office and approached the other men. "Chris's horse is gone along with Vin's," he reported.
"Chris do this?" the judge asked, looking from Nathan back to JD.
JD remained silent but clenched his jaw tighter. Buck knew the boy and could tell by this response that what the judge said was true. He began nodding. "Yep, it was Chris."
+ + + + + + +
There was still plenty of daylight left but Chris was tired of holding onto Vin, not to mention getting a little worried as to why the man had not regained consciousness yet. He knew the horses were tired as well so as soon as he came across a spot that would make a decent campsite, he stopped. The spot had rocks along two sides for cover, trees for shade and a small spring trickling down into a shallow pool then flowing into a stream for water.
Chris reined in gently and slowly eased himself off his mount. He pulled Vin off into his arms and carried him to a cool spot under some of the trees. Kneeling beside the man, he gently slapped the side of his face and said his name but got no response. "Didn't mean to hit you that hard, Vin," he muttered under his breath. He got up and went to his horse, grabbed his canteen and returned to his friend's side. Taking the ever present bandanna off from around Vin's neck, he wet it with water, folded it into a manageable square, turned Vin's head slightly to the side and placed it over the red mark on the side of Vin's face, just above his jaw line. He felt around to the back of Vin's head and could feel the knot there caused by hitting the bars. He wondered which blow had done more damage. He watched his friend for a moment then stood and went to tend to the horses, his mind toying with options should Vin not wake up.
He was tired and worked slowly as he removed the saddles and curried and watered the horses. There was plenty of grass around so he gave them long leads to graze. One by one, he carried the saddles and saddle bags back to where Vin lay. He re-wet the bandana and moved it to the lump on the back of Vin's head, then went to gather fire wood.
It was still fully daylight when he'd finished gathering wood and allowed himself to sit down and rest. He plopped heavily in the thick grass under a tree and leaned wearily back against it, only then turning his gaze on his friend and was surprised to see Vin looking back at him. He sat up immediately and scooted over to Vin's side.
"Hey, Vin. I was wonderin' if you were gonna sleep forever." He reached up and gingerly felt the other man's forehead briefly, checking for signs of fever. "How do you feel?"
Vin stared, unblinking at Chris for a long moment. Slowly, his eyes misted over and he breathed out, "Oh, Chris...what did you do?" He tightened his jaw as he closed his eyes and willed the moisture away. A minute later, he opened them again and looked at Chris.
For a moment, Chris felt fury rising up inside of him. He saves Vin from certain death and the man has the nerve to question his actions? The anger subsided almost as quickly as it had risen for the look in Vin's eyes told him that it was him Vin was concerned about, not about his own neck. Chris's posture softened. "I couldn't let them hang you, Vin. I'd rather die myself."
Vin stopped breathing as his eyes grew wide. No one had ever put themselves on the line like this for him before. No one had ever offered their life for his. Why was this man doing it? In his heart, Vin did not believe he deserved such loyalty. He continued to stare, though eventually, his body demanded that he breathe and he gulped in a lungfull.
Concerned, Chris placed a hand on Vin's shoulder. "Are you all right?"
Vin rocked his head indicating he was but he never broke eye contact with Chris. Finally, Vin pulled his hands up to his sides and started pushing himself up to a sitting position.
"Easy, Vin. Take it slow." Chris readied his hands nearby to assist if needed but let Vin sit up on his own. Slowly, Vin got himself up and gently rubbed the back of his head.
"What the hell did you hit me with?" His voice held more than its usual amount of gravel.
"Sorry about that. I wasn't in the mood to discuss things. Didn't mean for you to hit the bars." Chris watched him closely for a moment. "You okay?"
"I will be once the ground stops moving." Vin's hand found the wet bandanna and lifted it to the back of his head, holding the coolness over the lump with both hands and lowering his chin to his chest as he rested his elbows on his bent knees.
Chris wrinkled his brow but said nothing. He stayed in his spot for several moments, silently watching. Eventually, he decided he should start rounding up something for the two men to have for supper. He slowly dragged himself up to his feet. "Anything special you want to eat?"
Vin lifted his chin enough so he could look at his friend's boots but didn't try to raise it any further. "What've we got?"
Chris shrugged. "Whatever I can catch?"
Vin smiled weakly. "I'll have that then."
Chris smiled back at the young man. "There's a canteen beside you. You need anything else?" Vin slowly shook his head. "You gonna be okay for a while?"
This time, Vin lifted his head so that he looked Chris in the eye. "I'm okay, Chris."
Chris believed the look in Vin's eyes more than he did the words that he said. He nodded his head a few times then turned and wandered away from the campsite to rustle up some food.
It was just over an hour later when Chris returned with two freshly killed rabbits. He knew one would have been plenty for him and Vin but the second rabbit just showed up in his path and Chris knew they'd need something for breakfast. He saw that Vin had already started the fire and had a pot of coffee warming nearby.
Vin's survival skills told him it was Chris approaching before he could actually see the man so he appeared casual as Chris entered the campsite. Chris watched him carefully for a moment. He appeared to be okay. Chris tossed the two rabbits aside and stepped up to the fire.
"Is that coffee ready?" he asked. "I could sure use some."
"Should be."
Chris leaned over and poured himself a cup. Raising it to his lips, years of habit caused him to blow lightly on it before he took a sip. It wasn't very hot but it was drinkable. Chris settled into a sitting position beside the fire to finish the drink before he prepared the rabbits for cooking. At Chris's seeming acceptance of the brew, Vin poured himself a cup.
"Kinda surprised you were still here when I got back," Chris stated flatly, his gaze focused on the fire, the cup hovering at chin level.
Vin turned questioning eyes to his friend. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I expected you to give me the slip while I was gone, saving me from a future as a wanted man."
Vin looked sadly at the dirt in front of his feet. Slowly, he drew in a deep breath and let it out. "I thought about it." He raised his gaze to Chris's face, though that man never met his eyes. "But I figured even if I left, you'd still be wanted. If I stuck with you, I could watch your back." Vin shrugged at his own explanation as he looked out at the surrounding landscape.
Chris rolled his eyes to Vin. "And I could watch yours?" Vin's head bobbed a few times but he remained silent. Chris watched him for a long moment then turned his attention back to the flames and took a sip of his coffee. "Sounds like a plan to me," he said finally. Vin smiled slightly as his gaze, too, was drawn to the fire.
"Reckon the boys'll come after us?" Vin questioned softly.
"They'll give it a good show, for the judge. But I think they'll probably end up `losing the trail' somewhere." He smiled as he pictured the scene in his head.
"Speaking of the trail, where are we?"
Chris looked over at Vin and grinned. "Mexico."
Vin raised his eyebrows slightly. "You willin' to ride with me in Mexico?"
"Hell, I was gonna ride with Hank and I didn't like him." Vin raised his eyebrows even higher at the comment but said nothing. Chris poured the last of his coffee down his throat and set down his cup. He stood and stepped up in front of Vin, kneeling down so he was on eye level with him. For a long moment, he stared in the man's eyes. "How're you feeling, Vin?"
Vin knew his friend was checking his pupils to see if they were at all dilated, something he had no doubt learned from Nathan, and he turned his head slightly towards the light from the setting sun. "Better. The ground's not moving anymore," Vin told him.
Chris nodded at the explanation. "Well, you rest up. I'll get supper started." Chris pushed himself up and walked over to where he'd dropped the carcasses, picked them up then headed to the spring to start the grizzly chore.
+ + + + + + +
"You're not a half bad cook there, Chris," Vin told his friend as he tossed his empty tin plate down on the ground at his feet.
"Well, thank you, Vin," Chris spoke in accentuated tones of gratitude. He reached behind him and pulled his saddlebags onto his lap. Opening one side, he pulled out a bottle. "You'll probably appreciate this even more," he said as he handed the bottle of whiskey to Vin.
Vin smiled slyly and reached for the offered libation. As his hand wrapped around the bottle, his fingers rested on top of Chris's and he raised his eyes to meet Chris's eyes. As both men stared at each other, they both straightened their backs slightly with a strange sensation. Since the first day they'd met, they had been able to communicate with just a glance between them, however they both knew now that they were somehow connected on a deeper level.
They stared at each other for several moments and, finally, Chris broke the eye contact and released his grasp on the bottle. Vin drew the bottle to him, pulled the cork and took a generous swig. He lowered it and offered it back to Chris who silently took it and drank. The bottle passed back and forth between the two men several more times before Chris stood, picking up the two dirty plates and headed to the stream to clean them.
+ + + + + + +
The whiskey bottle was two-thirds empty and both men seemed to have had their fill for the evening. Chris sat across the fire from Vin, watching his friend. After five minutes of watching him stare, unblinking, into the fire, Chris was curious. After ten minutes, he was uncomfortable. "What do you see in there, Vin?" he asked finally.
Vin remained silent long enough for Chris to wonder if he'd heard him, then finally said in a detached voice, "I was nine years old when I went to my first hangin'."
Chris didn't know what to say to Vin's opening statement and, sensing there was more to come, waited and listened.
"I remember being excited at first, 'taking out the bad guy'." Vin's voice rose for a second and his eyes widened momentarily, feebly mimicking the excitement he had felt at the time, then returned to his subdued tones and spoke slowly. "I watched the guy being led over from the jail by a couple of deputies. He climbed up the stairs, his hands tied behind his back. I started feeling really strange when they turned him around to face the crowd. I looked into his eyes, saw his fear. As they put the rope around his neck, all the noise from the crowd just...faded out. They were still there, hollerin' and cheerin', but I couldn't hear `em anymore. All I could hear was his heartbeat...getting faster...beating harder. Maybe it was mine, I don't know," Vin shrugged, then continued. "Somebody, probably the sheriff, made a speech, something about criminals not running the west, and then...they pulled the lever. I remember someone telling me once that their necks break when they hit the end of the rope but this guy's didn't. He struggled to get his hands free so he could get at the rope. I could hear him choking, even over the crowd. That went on for a long time till, finally, his head just sorta...drooped over and he was dead. I watched them cut him down and carry him over to the undertakers. They put him in a box and left it uncovered on the street for a day so everyone could look. I don't know why, but I wandered over. They had taken the rope off from around his neck and I could see the burn it left." Vin unconsciously raised his hand to rub at his own neck.
Chris sensed that Vin had drifted too deeply into his memories. He sidled over to him and grabbed his wrist, giving his arm a shake. Confused eyes turned to him and it was several moments before Vin seemed to focus.
"What sick bastard came up with hanging?" Vin asked quietly, his voice catching on his words.
Chris lifted his hand up and rested it on the back of Vin's neck, mindful of the lump on the back of Vin's head. "I don't know, Vin," he told his friend, though he was sure the man wasn't expecting an answer.
Vin turned back to the fire and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I haven't been able to watch a hanging since."
"Can't blame you for that."
The two men fell silent as the fire crackled before them, burning low. It wasn't needed for warmth in the hot Mexican night air. Chris stared out at the darkness that surrounded them. He'd known about the price on Vin's head for quite a while and about the fear he must have learned to live with. He felt himself squeezing Vin's neck reassuringly. Vin turned his gaze to join Chris's in the darkness as Chris removed his hand.
"Why don't you try to get some sleep. I'll take first watch." Chris stood up and walked over to where he had dropped his belongings and picked up his rifle. Slowly, he moved off to a spot in the darkness where he had a good vantage of the campsite and where nothing could sneak up on him.
Vin sat motionless for a moment then moved off to his bed roll and laid down, falling asleep quicker than he suspected he would.
+ + + + + + +
Chris sat silently on a rock just outside of the circle of dim light cast by the dwindling campfire. He appeared to be casually sipping from a cup of coffee but those who knew him knew his eagle eyes missed nothing as he kept watch. He watched while Vin slept close to the dying fire. All appeared quiet but Chris refused to let his mind wander.
The sound of a sharp gasp brought his attention to the fire where he saw Vin was sitting up, his back towards him. He watched for a moment. "You all right, Vin?" he asked softly but got no response. He eased himself off the rock, setting the coffee cup down and silently stepped up to his friend's side. Vin was frantically clutching at something around his neck with his hand and seemed to be having trouble breathing. "Vin?" Chris repeated as he squatted down beside his friend. Vin sat with his mouth open wide, still gasping for breath and clawing around his neck at something Chris could not see, but his eyes were shut tight.
Chris's mind instantly flashed to the account Vin had shared with him that night. Describing death by hanging and here was Vin dreaming of that very fate, Chris was sure. He gently laid one hand on Vin's shoulder and grabbed Vin's groping hand with his other, stopping the action as he wrapped his fingers into Vin's palm.
"Take it easy, Vin. You're all right," Chris soothed gently as he slid his arm across Vin's shoulders and pulled the smaller man towards him. Chris continued speaking softly, trying to ease his friend's distress. Gently rubbing his shoulder while firmly gripping his hand. Finally, Vin began to calm. Chris wasn't sure Vin ever woke up.
Vin tried not to let on that he was awake. He was embarrassed about having the nightmare and more so about the unfamiliar need to stay close to Chris. Even though he knew it was a dream, he could still feel the stiff rope tightening around his neck, its rough fibers rubbing into his flesh, and the constricting feeling around his throat cutting off his air. He could not gain control of the trembling that wracked his whole body and he knew it would be worse if Chris let go. He forced himself to concentrate on the words Chris was saying to him and on not doing anything that would indicate he was not still asleep.
Chris shifted his position so that he was sitting beside Vin, stretching one leg out behind the man, the other alongside Vin's legs. Gently, he pulled Vin to rest against his chest, rubbing and squeezing his shoulder as he continued his soothing words. He resisted the urge to rock his friend.
Slowly, very slowly, the trembling subsided, the panicked breathing eased and Vin's body relaxed against Chris's. After several minutes, Chris laid him gently back onto his bedroll. Vin shifted slightly but otherwise remained still. His breathing steady, Chris was satisfied the nightmare was over and quietly went back to resume his position on watch.
Vin listened as Chris walked away. When he heard the gentle scratching of Chris's boot heels on the rock as he climbed back onto it, Vin slowly opened his eyes and looked into the dying embers of the campfire.
+ + + + + + +
Vin had relieved Chris on watch in the middle of the night and now sat silently by the re-stoked fire where the coffee pot had been reheated. Vin cradled a cup between his palms. There was also a pot of rabbit stew cooking nearby. He heard Chris approaching from the wooded side of camp but made no move to acknowledge him. He still felt embarrassed about his nightmare and the way it affected him.
Chris walked up behind Vin and gently laid his hand on the top of his head, letting it slide to the back of his neck as he took a seat beside him. "How're you feeling, Vin?" he asked kindly. He slid his hand across Vin's shoulders as he waited for an answer.
Vin stole a sheepish glance at his friend before replying in a soft voice. "Fine."
Chris watched him for a moment, knowing instinctively what he was feeling. He sighed softly. "It's okay, Vin. Everyone has nightmares."
Vin dropped his chin a little lower into his chest, his eyes a little further into his lap. "Never had one seem so real even after I woke up," he said hoarsely after a long silence.
"Some are like that," Chris stated simply, his mind touching on several of his own that fit in that category.
"I can still feel the rope..." Vin choked out.
Chris squeezed Vin's shoulders firmly, reassuringly. "I'm not going to let that happen to you." Chris hadn't had such protective feelings for anyone in a long time. It felt good to care again.
Vin snorted softly. Chris wasn't in a position to offer that kind of protection to anyone. He was in the same predicament now that Vin had lived with for several years. He was a wanted man.
However, as he looked into Chris's eyes, he saw nothing but sincerity. He had given up his life as a free man to help Vin out and Vin's heart was trembling with a sensation he could only name as love. The feeling was unfamiliar but not uncomfortable. Vin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Thanks, Chris," he sighed. He hoped Chris was able to keep his word. He knew he'd try.
Chris leaned forward and gave the pot of their breakfast a quick stir. "This stuff almost ready?"
Vin was glad for the change of subject. "Yeah, just about."
Chris pulled the spoon out of the stew and, after blowing a few times on it, stuck the tip in his mouth. "Not as good as mine, put passable," he announced once he removed the spoon.
"I'll just let you fix it next time then."
Chris wrinkled his nose. "On second thought, it tastes pretty good."
Vin nodded his head a few times, having had a feeling that would be Chris's response. He leaned over to pick up one of the two tin plates they brought with them and started to dish out the food. He spooned the thickening stew until the plate was almost full then handed it over to Chris as he readied the spoon to dole out his own breakfast. As Chris grabbed his plate, it shifted slightly and some of the soupy mixture slopped onto Vin's thumb. He sucked in his breath slightly, partly in surprise, partly because the hot liquid burned.
Chris reached up quickly and grabbed Vin's wrist. He set aside the plate and lifted his eyes to meet Vin's, a hint of a devious smile on his face. Quickly, but steadily, he pulled Vin's hand towards his mouth, never breaking eye contact with him. As the thumb with the offending substance on it neared his mouth, Chris opened his lips and gently guided it in. He closed his mouth around Vin's thumb and with his tongue began to remove the wayward breakfast.
Vin kept his eyes wide, locked with Chris's but never made a move to pull away.
Chris licked lightly and gently sucked on Vin's thumb for several seconds before he opened his lips and slowly drew it out, quickly flicking his tongue on the tip of his thumb before it was completely beyond his lips. Once Vin's hand was approximately back in its original position, Chris released his wrist.
Vin held his arm in place for a long moment, then he drew it back towards him. He slowly tilted his head forward, keeping his eyes on Chris's and opened his mouth. He gradually inserted his thumb into his own mouth, twisting it a little as he closed his lips around it. Sucking gently, he slowly withdrew it and lowered his hand, keeping his lips slightly parted as he raised his head back up.
Chris leaned slowly forward, laying his palms on the ground and locking his elbows so his arms held up the weight of his upper body. Vin remained still as Chris stretched his body over to him and only looked away when Chris closed his own eyes as his lips neared Vin's. Vin's gaze shifted to Chris's lips and he watched as they made contact with his own. He remained tense at first, shocked that he would allow another man such intimate contact. He forced himself to close his eyes and suddenly he felt himself relax and his lips lost their tension. He was no longer being kissed by another man but by a person he loved. And it felt right. Vin allowed his lips to conform to Chris's and shared the tenderness they offered.
As gently as he started, Vin felt Chris ease away, small portions of their lips tugging gently at each other as if wanting to stay together. As the last of these connections pulled away, Vin leaned himself forward, planting his mouth firmly on Chris's. The gesture was unexpected and Chris was momentarily startled but that was replaced almost instantly with pleasure. He lifted his hand up and circled it around behind Vin's neck, pressing the tracker firmly to him.
The two men eased up until they were standing on their knees, their bodies pressed together. Vin moved his hands until they were resting gently on fingertips on Chris's thighs, the spoon in his hand long since dropped. Chris brought his free hand up and gripped Vin's upper arm. His tongue ringed Vin's mouth, encouraging it to open wider and allow its entrance into his soft, moist cavern. Vin responded and Chris's tongue darted in to begin its exploration. Chris tingled as he felt the smoothness of Vin's teeth, the softness of his cheek. Vin's tongue teased his hesitantly and Chris's playfully pursued it. After a brief chase, Chris lured Vin's tongue to follow his back to his mouth where Vin began his own explorations. A soft moan rumbled in Vin's throat as Chris wrapped his lips around and sucked gently on Vin's tongue.
Finally, breathing heavily and pulses racing, the two men separated. Their bodies remained pressed together for a moment and each man was acutely aware of a throbbing in his loins. Each man was only faintly aware of the hardness of the other. Slowly they pulled away, eyes cast downward.
"Oh...god..." Vin sighed as he leaned back to sit on his heels.
"Vin, I...uh..." Chris began.
"Oh...god..." Vin repeated in a whisper. His eyes darted around in front of him and finally settled on the bulge in Chris's tight black pants. He raised his eyes to meet Chris's, then slowly led them back down.
Chris followed his gaze and rested on the sight, inwardly cursing himself for always wearing such tight fitting clothes. He lifted his eyes to look at Vin who was staring at him.
"What do we do now?" Vin asked with the slightest touch of a quiver in his voice.
It took a more determined eye to notice the bulge in Vin's looser fitting pants but after a long moment's glance, a small smile grew on Chris's face. He began to shake his head. "I don't know. I've never done this before."
"Neither have I."
Both men remained frozen for quite a while, neither knowing how to proceed but each knowing they wanted to. Finally, Chris reached down and pulled Vin back up to his knees then guided him up as they rose to their feet. His mind was trying to think of this logically. What did I like a woman to do to me? Chris asked himself. His mind searched his past experiences of lovemaking.
Chris reached up and gently slid his hand under one side of Vin's suspenders and eased it over his shoulder. The band fell down Vin's arm and Vin raised his hand till it cleared all the way. Chris repeated the action on the other side as did Vin. Slowly, Chris's fingers fumbled with unbuttoning Vin's shirt and after a moment, Vin raised up his hands and copied the action on Chris's shirt. One by one, the buttons on both shirts fell open.
When he'd opened all the buttons he could without pulling the shirt out of Vin's pants, Chris stopped and smoothly slipped his hands under the fabric. With the lightest of touches, he passed his hand over the skin on Vin's chest. He felt the soft hairs sparsely covering it and a thin layer of sweat. He wondered if it was the Mexican heat or the heat they were generating that caused it.
Vin had gotten as far as he could with Chris's buttons, not even trying to pull the shirt out of his tight pants, and let his eyes stop for a moment on the still straining fabric below Chris's belt. The glance was short lived as he closed his eyes and pulled in his breath at Chris's touch. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should be doing something similar to Chris but he just couldn't make his hands move. He felt his whole body shudder as he felt Chris rest his hand on his side, leaving his thumb in a perfect position to tease his nipple. Just as the tingle was subsiding, Vin felt it return stronger as Chris reached in his other hand and twisted his other nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Chris felt his partner tremble and looked down at his face. Vin's eyes were half closed as he was losing himself in the sensations. Chris smiled at Vin's obvious pleasure and lowered his lips down onto Vin's. Vin responded immediately and parted his lips allowing Chris's tongue to enter again and brush lightly against the roof of his mouth.
Finally, Vin got his hands to move and slowly raised them up, gliding his fingertips gently over the tight muscles of Chris's stomach on their way up to his chest. He stopped abruptly, moaned sharply and felt his knees turn to oatmeal as Chris pinched both his nipples firmly. Chris reached his hands around and under Vin's arms when he felt his legs buckling, ready to keep him from falling. He pulled away and looked Vin in the eye.
"Where're you going?" he whispered playfully.
Vin took a deep, shaky breath. "Not used to doin' this standing up."
Chris leaned forward and brushed his lips across Vin's cheek. He paused with his mouth at Vin's ear and spoke softly. "Maybe we should find a place to lie down." He grabbed Vin's earlobe between his teeth and tugged gently for a moment then released it. Without waiting for Vin to say anything, he circled his arm part way around him and guided him to a shady spot where the grass was thick and cool. Vin followed without hesitation. Chris eyed the ground, looking for the perfect spot and glanced to the side. A smile crept on his face and he turned back to Vin. "I have a better idea." He had not released his hold on his friend and continued on to the side of the spring where he stopped and faced Vin.
Standing at the water's edge, Vin looked doubtfully at the shimmering surface. "If that water's too cold Chris, I don't think..."
"This is Mexico, Vin. That's bath water." Chris waved a dismissive hand in the general direction of the water.
Vin thought about that for a moment. It had stayed fairly warm overnight and even though the part of the pool they were standing at was shaded, the majority of the water spent most of the day in the sun, blocked only in the evening by the stand of trees. Vin bobbed his head a couple of times and when he turned back to Chris, he saw he was untying the thigh strap of his holster. He watched the thin leather straps dangle around his muscular leg as Chris raised his hands to the buckle of his gun belt. Vin let his eyes wander from the still swaying straps to where Chris's hands were slowly pulling the leather belt through the buckle then up a few inches to where Chris's open shirt revealed his taut stomach muscles.
Vin felt a renewed urgency below his own belt and moved to take off his own side arm. Both men carefully set aside their weapons then slowly started to remove the rest of their clothing, both watching the others' actions.
With their clothes off, each man stood staring in the eyes of the other, afraid to let their gazes wander. Peripheral vision afforded them views of each others manhoods and both men were suddenly unsure of how to proceed. Neither had engaged in this kind of activity before. Their experiences with women told them there was one obvious possibility but when it came right down to it, neither man felt ready to wrap his mouth around another man's private parts.
Finally, Chris lifted his arm and wrapped his hand around Vin's arm guiding the tracker into the warm water. Finding a suitable spot near the bank had been easy and slowly they lowered themselves into the pool. They sat facing each other with the water's surface at stomach level.
Chris dipped his cupped hand into the water and raised it up until it was over Vin's shoulder. Most of the water had drained out on the trip up but Chris slowly eased his hand along the curve of Vin's shoulder allowing the water that remained to drip over his smooth skin. He watched as the tiny rivulets found their way down his chest to be snatched up by the thin hairs or flow back to rejoin the spring. He repeated this with his other hand on Vin's other shoulder. Even though the water was warm, Vin felt a shiver go through him.
Vin raised his hands out of the water and laid them gently on the other man's chest. Lightly, he circled them around, his fingertips following the well defined contours of strong muscles. His eyes followed the movements of his own hands as he memorized each curve.
Vin's eyes were drawn away as Chris cupped his jaw in his hands and gently pulled him towards him, leaning forward himself to meet Vin's lips halfway with his own. The tension was all but gone as their lips parted immediately and their tongues sparred with each other. They circled around each other then would stop and rest the tips together, teasing each other with gentle lapping motions.
Chris dropped his hands to Vin's shoulders and began a gentle kneading which elicited a soft sigh from Vin. Chris eased his lips away from the tracker's and by pushing with one hand and pulling with the other, indicated he wanted Vin to turn around. Vin complied with just the slightest hint of confusion on his face. When his back was to him, Chris stretched out his legs to straddle the other man and slid towards him a little. He repeated the action of dripping water on Vin's shoulders only this time he held both hands cupped together. By the time the water was gone from his hands, Vin's back was glistening with moisture.
Chris dropped his hands onto Vin's shoulders and began a deep massage that Vin leaned in to, tilting his head forward. He closed his eyes as he felt his muscles relax under Chris's expert touch. Chris's hands traveled down Vin's arms and back up again, then moved down his back, firmly pressing the heel of his hands into Vin's lower back muscles. Vin's sighs of contentment became more and more audible as the strong hands behind him forced any and all of his kinks away.
The feeling was so good that it took Vin a minute to realize that Chris had wrapped his hands around to his front and was gently smoothing them across his chest and stomach. Chris was applying enough gentle pressure that Vin was gradually leaned back against Chris's chest.
"You feel so good, Vin," Chris murmured in his ear. Vin's eyes drooped shut and he rested his head back on Chris's shoulder. Chris crossed his arms across Vin's chest and began taunting his nipples with his fingers. He leaned his mouth forward and suckled lightly on Vin's earlobe. Vin softly moaned as he both relaxed and tensed to the ministrations.
Gently, Chris's right hand kneaded it's way down Vin's chest to his stomach, paused for a moment to feel the firmness there, to circle a finger into his navel, then continued on to the tightening muscle between his legs. As his fingers lightly moved up and down its sides, Vin's whole body trembled and his breathing changed to shallow, quick breaths. Chris continued softly stroking up one side and down the other until Vin started to squirm, pushing up with his hips. Chris smiled to himself as he firmly grabbed Vin's erection and squeezed tight. Vin sucked in a lungfull of air sharply and as he breathed out, he moaned in anticipation.
All the while his right hand was busy, Chris's left hand continued fondling, teasing and pinching Vin's nipple until it was like a firm pebble resting on Vin's chest. Chris rolled his palm over it and tweezed it between his fingers. His lips and tongue were keeping occupied as well in and around Vin's ear, sucking his earlobe and running his tongue up and down his neck, stopping to kiss and suck wherever felt good.
With Vin's lower body under the water's surface, it was easy for Chris to stroke the tightening flesh. He began a gradually increasing rhythm and Vin moved to it, thrusting his hips upward as Chris's hand came downward, Chris's hand hitting hard against Vin's groin.
"Ohhhhh..." Vin moaned loudly as a shudder went through his body. Chris gripped tighter and pumped faster as Vin thrust his hips forward urgently. A barely detectable tightening in Vin's already hard member told Chris his climax was near and he squeezed just a bit harder. Vin thrust forward and groaned as he released his seed into the water that surrounded them. His body remained tense for a few moments longer as the remnants of his pleasure coursed through him, then he fell spent against Chris's body.
Chris watched the milky cloud in the water disperse and drift away with the flow of the stream. He moved his arm back up to wrap around Vin's mid section as Vin's head rolled lazily to the side.
"Vin?"
"Hmmmm..."
"You still with me?"
"Hmmmm..."
Chris smiled and held him tight as he rested the side of his face against the side of Vin's head.
The two men lay like that for several minutes until Vin began to squirm in Chris's arms. Chris loosened his hold, waiting to see what Vin was going to do. Vin twisted around until he was facing Chris and placed one arm on either side of Chris's body. With his hands resting on the pond's bottom beneath them, Vin used his arms to lift himself up and plant his lips firmly on Chris's. Vin devoured Chris's mouth with a forcefulness that pressed Chris back against the rocks behind him. Vin moved to peck a series of kisses along Chris's jaw line, first up one side and back then up the other side. He continued the trail down Chris's throat to stop and trace the curve of his collar bone with his tongue. Letting his tongue lead the way, he traveled down Chris's chest till he found the small round knot and began to suck.
Chris moaned softly at the action as he pressed into the unmoving rock behind his back. He curled his fingers into Vin's back and Vin could feel Chris's renewed erection against his abdomen. Vin's tongue toyed with the nipple with for a moment, then glided over to the awaiting nub on the other side of Chris's chest. As he lapped that nipple into a hard ball, he brought his hand up to keep the first one at attention.
Chris began slowly rocking his hips forward, rubbing his firmness between Vin's stomach and his own. Vin reacted by pressing down with his stomach to tighten the contact. Chris tilted his head back, closed his eyes and started breathing in short, shallow breaths. His hip movements became more urgent. Vin moved his arm down and raised up a little to allow room for his hand to move in to grasp Chris's member but Chris pushed down with his hands firmly on Vin's back, indicating he wanted him to stay put. Vin did, but forced his hand into the tight crevice between their two bodies to lightly scrape the sensitive end of Chris's shaft with his finger tip. He tickled what skin he could reach then pulled his hand out to move it down between their legs. Chris gasped as Vin took hold of one of his balls in a cupped hand, rolling it gently with agile fingers.
Vin's mouth remained at Chris's nipple, sucking fiercely and occasionally circling his tongue around it. He shifted his body slightly so that his knees carried most of his weight so he could use his other hand to stroke whatever part of Chris's body that he could reach.
Chris's hip thrusts became faster and Vin searched with his hand to find any place he could that would intensify his partner's pleasure. When he felt Chris's whole body shudder as he touched a spot just behind his balls, Vin concentrated on the point and Chris, somehow, put more energy into his movements. Several moments later, he threw his hips forward against Vin in a near convulsive jerk as his body released its hot fluid in between the two men's stomachs. His body jerked a couple more times then slowly relaxed against the rocks he had been leaning on.
Vin lifted his lips off of Chris's nipple and rested his cheek on Chris's chest. He could hear Chris's heartbeat and listened as it gradually slowed back to a normal pace. The two men remained silent, unmoving for several minutes.
"Chris?" Vin began in a soft voice.
"Yeah?"
"So, what does this make us?"
Chris tilted his head forward a bit and slit his eyes open. "What do you mean?"
"What we did...people think...I mean, it ain't natural for..." Vin's voice trailed off. He didn't even know what he was trying to ask.
"We're partners, Vin. In every way, we're partners." Chris could feel Vin nod his head against his chest as he tightened his arms across Vin's back and they both rested for a few minutes.
Vin lay comfortably on Chris's chest, his head on its side as he watched his own fingers playing with the light hairs on Chris's chest. Chris would periodically raise his hand up Vin's back bringing water from the pond and releasing it around his shoulder blade. He would watch as the cooling water flowed back to the pond and the remaining moisture evaporated. He knew the surface of the water distorted the view of what was underneath but his eyes told him that Vin's back was bent at a nearly impossible angle. He moved his hand down into the water and rested it on one of Vin's firm round cheeks, reassuring himself that his lover was not broken in half.
"We're gonna turn into prunes if we stay in here much longer," Chris said finally, not really wanting to move.
"Prob'bly," Vin confirmed, not making any move to get off of Chris.
Both men lay still for a few more minutes. Eventually, Chris raised one hand and gently pushed the hair away from Vin's ear. Then, he dunked his hand in the water and quickly moved it back above the exposed ear, letting water drip into it.
Vin jerked his head away. "Hey..." He put his finger in his ear trying to dig out the moisture and looked up at Chris. "What was that for?"
"We really need to get up, Vin. My butt's asleep."
Vin looked at Chris and smiled devilishly. He flicked his eyebrows up once then moved off of him. The two men shifted their positions slowly and gradually stood up. They both splashed water on their bodies to rinse off any sweat or remaining evidence of their encounter.
"Hey, hombres," a thickly Mexican-accented voice sounded from behind them. Both Chris and Vin spun to face four Mexican outlaws who had sneaked up on them while they were occupied. All four men were well armed with guns resting on both hips. The apparent leader casually pulled one of his guns out and pointed it at Chris and Vin. "Looks like maybe you were having a bath, huh?" He started snickering in an evil kind of way. "Or maybe, more than a bath?" He glanced at his companions as they started laughing at his joke. "Maybe you did things to scare the fishes?"
Chris's eyes darted to where his sidearm lay. It was not within easy reach. He debated in his mind the possibilities of diving for it and getting to it before he and/or Vin were killed.
The bandit noticed the eye movement. "Not a good idea, hombre. My men and I, we are faster than that." He made a waving motion with his gun and his three cohorts moved forward and pulled their guns. They roughly pulled Chris and Vin out of the water to stand on the bank. Both men tried to maintain an air of fierceness but it was difficult as they stood there naked. The three outlaws positioned themselves so that one stood between the two and the other two were on the outsides.
The leader sauntered up to stand in front of them. His eyes traveled from man to man, taking in their whole bodies. A cruel smile crept on his lips. "So, hombres, you like to play?" He took a step towards Chris and the two men at his sides each grabbed an arm to restrain him. "Maybe you will play with us?" He ran the barrel of his gun down Chris's chest to his abdomen and below. Chris stiffened at the touch but his expression remained defiant. Vin's body twitched as his gut reactions told him to fight but his common sense told him to wait.
Even though neither man did anything or said anything, the bandit could see the affect he was having on them in their eyes. He grinned wider, showing off a series of decaying teeth as he casually walked around to pace behind the row of men. His men kept firm grips on the arms of Vin and Chris. The leader stopped behind Vin and rubbed a lock of his long hair between his thumb and fingers. He leaned forward until his mouth was right behind Vin's ear.
"Muy bonito," he whispered with a cruel edge.
Vin jerked his head forward to pull his hair out of the man's fingers which only made him laugh. He touched his hand lightly on Vin's back and slowly lowered it to his bottom where he firmly squeezed one cheek. Vin struggled in the grips of the men that held him and kicked up his heels behind him trying to force away the offender. This only made the man laugh harder. He made his way around to the other side to amble back and forth in front of the men. He remained silent for a long time.
"What do you want?!" Chris finally sneered, impatient with the man's actions. All he got in reply was a cocked eyebrow and an evil smile.
After several minutes of silent pacing, he finally stopped in front of Vin. He ran a rough finger down Vin's jaw line as he spoke, "Maybe you and I will play first." It was not an invitation.
Vin narrowed his eyes as he glared at the man. Reflexes eventually won out over good sense and he spat in the man's face.
The man's expression never changed as he wiped the saliva away, continuing to stare into Vin's eyes. His right hand tightened its grip on his revolver and without warning, he swung the weapon up and brought it hard across the side of Vin's face. Only the hands of the two men holding him kept Vin from hitting the ground, though they did release him when they realized he was unconscious and he fell into an unmoving heap.
Chris fought in the grasps of the men holding him until the man on his right lifted his gun and pressed the barrel against the side of his neck and pulled the hammer back menacingly. "Unless you wish to die, my friend..." the man growled and pressed harder.
The leader toed Vin in the side but got no response. "Paco," he spoke to one of his men, "Move my friend here to a good spot for fun." He did not elaborate his instructions but Chris got the feeling that Paco knew what the man wanted. He lifted Vin's limp form over his shoulder and carried him several feet to a large smooth rock that, when Vin was set in front of it, came up to his waist. Paco positioned Vin's body so that he was facing the rock and pulled him down onto his stomach, leaving his backside exposed. Paco moved to the other side of the rock where he held firmly to Vin's shoulders so he wouldn't slide off.
Satisfied with the position, the leader glanced back briefly at Chris, then indicated for his two other cohorts to keep a firm hold on Chris as he holstered his weapon and moved up behind Vin.
Chris's blood boiled as he watched the outlaw run his hand over Vin's smooth skin. When he eased his filthy thumb in the cleft between Vin's cheeks and let out a moan, Chris blew like an overstressed pressure cooker. He twisted his right arm free from its restraint and immediately reached for the weapon hanging on the man's left hip. Raising it level and pressing it into the man's side, he fired. Without hesitating a second, he spun on the man on his other side and fired again, dropping him.
He fell to his knees and fired a shot that hit Paco between the eyes and he fell, releasing his hold on Vin whose body slid to the ground. All this occurred in a matter of seconds and the leader had just enough time to lock eyes with Larabee before the latter pulled the trigger of his gun one final time and the last bandit fell to the ground.
Chris slowly raised up to his feet. His first inclination was to run to Vin's side and check on his lover but there was the chance that all the men weren't dead and could jump him while he was distracted. He worked his way around the two bodies nearest him and gathered up their guns. He kept a fully loaded one for himself and tossed the rest into the water behind him. If either of these two were still alive, they couldn't shoot him while his back was turned.
Approaching cautiously, Chris reached the bodies of first the leader of this band and then his friend, relieving both of them of their firearms the same way he had the first two. Once he was fairly certain they wouldn't be able to shoot him, he relaxed his guard slightly and rushed to Vin's side. He was still unconscious but was breathing okay. Chris gently picked him up and carried him to the thick grassy area where he laid him down. As he had done the day before, he gently slapped Vin's face to try to rouse him but got no response.
Chris quickly stepped over to his pile of clothes and pulled on his black jeans. He felt much less vulnerable with clothes on. Thinking that Vin would probably feel the same way, he grabbed Vin's pants and took them over to the prone form, all the while casting furtive glances at the bodies of their assailants. Chris gently eased Vin's pants onto his body and fastened them at the waist. Then he dug up one of Vin's many bandannas and, like he did before, wet it and began tending the newest wound.
Once that was cleaned, he went to check the bodies and discovered that his aim had remained true and all were indeed dead. He carted their bodies around the side of the rocky mound they were camped beside and hoped the scorching sun and the vile buzzards would turn their flesh and bones into dust. He found their mounts, unsaddled them and slapped their rumps to send them running free into the desert. He thought about going through their pockets and saddlebags but decided he already had from them what he wanted most. He'd leave their belongings to some other bandits.
He moved back to Vin's side and tenderly touched a cool cloth to Vin's cheek. Vin's eyes bolted open and he gasped, startled. A moment later, Vin had pulled his arms up to his sides and put his hands flat on the ground. Raising his back off the ground, he crawled away from Chris, his eyes wide with fright.
"Vin, it's okay. It's over." Chris leaned forward and rested a reassuring hand on Vin's knee. Vin's eyes remained wide as he jerked his knee away and tried to crawl backwards further. Chris grabbed his leg and stopped him, then reached forward and grabbed both sides of Vin's face between his hands and forced him to make eye contact. "Vin. It didn't happen. It didn't happen! Think about it..." Chris spoke urgently and after a moment, Vin seemed to be listening. "You'd feel it." Chris said and waited a few seconds. "Vin, it didn't happen." Chris could feel Vin relax slightly in his hands and relaxed with him.
The words Chris said finally registered in Vin's mind and he concentrated on the body parts he thought had been violated. There was no pain like he expected there to be. It felt no different than it normally did. He blinked a few times and focused on Chris's eyes.
"You're okay, Vin. I stopped 'em before they could do anything," Chris explained softly, calmly. Vin drooped forward and Chris sat beside him and circled his arms around him.
"Oh god..." Vin whispered hoarsely as he rubbed his face with his hand, pulling away abruptly when he hit the new wound.
"You're getting quite a collection of those," Chris commented.
Vin straightened slightly. "Are you okay?" he asked, turning his head towards but unable to meet Chris's eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Vin's eyes darted to the water. "Where are they?"
"Dead."
Both men were silent for a minute. Chris adjusted his position and tightened his arms around Vin. "How's your head, Vin?" he asked softly.
Vin leaned back slightly against Chris's chest and took a deep breath. "Hurts like hell."
"We need to hunt you up a doctor?"
"Naw. It'll stop on its own eventually." Vin looked down at the arms holding him. "Thanks, Chris, for stopping..." Vin's voice trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud.
"That's what I'm here for, Vin," Chris began, then smiled at his next thought. "Next time, I'll spend more time watching your back and less time washing your back."
Vin couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. It was a short lived laugh but the smile remained on his face. "As long as you don't give up the washing part completely."
Chris shook his head. "No chance of that. I did have an ulterior motive, though."
Vin twisted his head around till he could look at Chris. "And what was that?"
"Couldn't let him have something I haven't had yet."
A slow smile crept up on Vin's face. He reached up and kissed Chris's jaw line lightly. Chris brushed his lips softly across Vin's then pulled back. "Not just now. You have a headache, remember?" He moved to the side and eased Vin down to the ground. "You better rest up a while first." He smiled down at Vin then stood and moved to tend to the campsite.
Vin laid in the grass, feeling its coolness seep into his tired body. He watched silently as Chris worked around him. "You better rest up yourself, pard," he thought to himself. "I have a feeling we have a long hard ride ahead of us." He smiled to himself as he thought of the double meaning of the words in his head and slowly closed his eyes as he drifted off to sleep.
THE END
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