SNIPPET 5 : TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE

By Thalia

Disclaimer and the rest: See first page

Notes: "To Make You Feel My Love" is performed by Trisha Yearwood

Pairing: From Buck to Ezra

Summary: A few bad weeks, a bad end to a mission, long days of rain and here are the guys, at the saloon, where the atmosphere doesn't really help since everybody has the blues. The jukebox plays on and Buck finally talks to Ezra…

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His heart in his throat, Buck approached the table with the drinks. Putting the tray on the table near Ezra, he passed them around. Then taking a deep breath, he bent near Ezra and whispered in his ear.

"Ez… gotta talk to you… would you mind coming into the stockroom…"

Ezra looked at him, mildly puzzled… Seeing the look of anxiety into his friend's eyes, he worried a little but understandood that this seemed to be of utmost importance to his teammate, so he acquiesced.

"We'll be right back," he adressed the others, "Me and Ez got something to discuss…" He added needlessly since nobody was paying much attention, except for JD who smiled to him reassuringly.

Wiping his suddenly sweaty hands on his jeans, he backed up as Ezra was standing up. 'Gosh, didn't remember he was so smaller than me,' he thought dimly as Ezra passed before him and lead the way to the backroom. Then, taking another deep breath, he followed the man he loved.

"Yes, Mr. Wilmington, what was it you wanted to discuss?" Ezra asked, wary in front of Buck's sudden nervousness. He watched him open his mouth again and again, trying to get some words, but unable to utter anything.

Ezra sighed. "Mr. Wilmington, if it's about the bullet I took, I can only reiterate that you were not guilty at all. That is why we have vests, you know, so we can have protection when surprises arrise…" He finished slowly as he saw Buck blanch under his tan. He sighed again. Sometimes, he should just stop his brain and even more his mouth. He could still remember Buck's anxiety after he'd been shot and the sudden stillness in the warehouse allowed them to finally move securely. And Buck was apparently remembering the same pictures.

Buck could still remember everything in minute detail, as if he had been watching the whole scene in slow-motion. The shout that had him turn his head for a single second, the sound of the shot fired behind him, Ezra thrown backwards as if a giant hand had suddenly knocked him away, his own shout of distress and his leap on the smaller man to protect him with his body as the whole room erupted in shots. And the sudden quietness of one talkative southern friend he had failed to protect… the fear flaring up in his mind as he couldn't hear the heartbeat of the man he loved… the prayers muttered as he was waiting for the shots to subside so he could check on Ezra…

As his mind was replaying those few seconds of heartwrenching terror, he never noticed the tears finally flowing out of his eyes. And when he felt a hand on his arm and dropped his eyes to his friend, the man he loved, when he crossed the worried green gaze, the only thing he could think about was holding onto him, holding him so tight that he would never be torn from him. He didn't even hear the small gasp of surprise or the slight sound of protest the lush lips let through… he had already covered them as if to breathe inside the sweet mouth the breath of Life itself… as if to make sure that he was not at the warehouse anymore and that his friend was well and truly alive…

The need for oxygen broke them apart. And a suddenly worried Buck, finally aware of what he'd just done, looked down in the dazed and quite surprised eyes of Ezra.

"Oh, God… I'm sorry Ez… I," Buck suddenly released him, holding his hands up as if he'd been burned, and crumpling under the bemused gaze of one still gasping con-man.

"Mr. Wilmin… I mean, Buck, may I know what this is all about?" Ezra asked quietly, gesturing between him and Buck.

"Sorry, Ez, didn't mean to freak you out… just wanted to talk to you and then you talked about the shootout and… well…" Buck shrugged, not knowing what else to say… and still waiting for the man to suddenly sputter and insult him.

"Buck, I'm not freaked out at all," Ez gently said to the still trembling giant. "I am just wondering where it all came from so suddenly."

Buck actually blushed under the amused gaze.

"It ain't sudden… been feeling like that for a long time…"

Ez snorted.

"What? You want me to believe you've fallen for me or something and been biding your time ever since?" He asked disbelieving.

"No!" Buck almost shouted. "I fell for you almost from the first," he murmured not daring to look at the man facing him. "Even tried to get your attention several times, but you seemed so stuck on my success with women…" He shrugged. "I kinda lost hope some time or other… and today… well, today, after the shootout, I realized I just couldn't hold on like this anymore. I needed to know…." He finally dared looking at Ez.

"Buck," Ezra sighed. "Not that you're not attractive and all, but…" He stopped, seeing the sudden deep hurt flashing in the dark blue eyes.

"You and I ain't really in the same class, aren't we?" He muttered violently.

"NO! It certainly is not that at all, so you better get that stupid idea out of your head!" Ezra almost yelled, surprising him. "Don't you ever belittle yourself like that. You are a good man, a man I am proud to call friend… a man I could so easily…" he slowed down seeing the look on Buck's face. "Yes, Buck, you're a man I could so easily fall in love with…" he smiled, seeing the surprise in the other man's eyes. "No, I'm not gay, I'm bisexual, Buck… I am just not into…" he shrugged, at a loss for words suddenly.

"Not into one-night stands…" Buck slowly finished for him. "Good, 'cause I ain't either. I wouldn't risk a friendship for a one-night stand, Ez. You're too important to me to be treated that way."

Ez had a hard time believing his ears. Buck was the champion at seduction. And now, he wanted him. 'Oh, God,' he thought, 'have I escaped the bullets to fall for a midnight blue gaze?'

"I don't know how your other lovers ever treated you Ez, but I don't aim to play around and drop you for another pretty face. I'm too old and have seen too much not to appreciate when I finally find something worth fighting for. And you're worth fighting for, Ez. All I'm asking is for you to give me a chance to prove myself… to let me show you how good we could be together…" Buck said in a soft pleading voice.

Ezra was looking at him trying to decide if he could believe him or not. He shifted his head slightly to the side as if considering something he hadn't seen before, sighed and then looked Buck straight in the eyes:

"How do you propose we start?" He inquired, one eyebrow quirked.

Buck smiled and looked at him with his heart in his eyes, finally relieved to be able to express what was in his heart.

"How about you let me woo you?" He asked softly. "I wanna show you how I mean to take care of you… I want you to know how much I love you and that's the only way I know I can…"

"So," Ez said, suddenly breathless, "You want to take me on a date?"

"For starters," Buck smiled. "What d'you think?"

Ezra smiled, melting under the warm and loving gaze. 'What the heck…'

"It's worth a try…" Then he stepped closer, and taking the bigger man in his arms, kissed him like his life was on the line.

Neither of them heard the door opening quietly, neither heard the light gasp of surprise escaping Nathan's lips or his closing of the door, they were far too busy enjoying their first real kiss… And in the background, another song came on…

to snippet 6 : Heroes and Friends