December 21

REALISTIC

Magnificent Seven - Chris/Vin

Title: New Traditions
Fandom: Magnificent Seven
Pairing: Chris Larabee/Vin Tanner
Rating: Adult
Feedback: zorrorojo@slashcity.com
Website: http://m7slash.com

NEW TRADITIONS
by ZorroRojo

Snow. It was everywhere. It covered the ground, dripped from the trees, and as it melted, it dripped from the brim of his hat and down his back. Cold and desolate. As cold and empty as he felt inside. It was nice of the outside world to be so obliging to his inner mood.

He rode out before the dawn, looking to take some time away from town and the six men he called friends. It’d been six months since he became part of the world again, instead of a shadow who walked in darkness, not caring if he spread his darkness to anyone who dared intrude on his grief. Or his one purpose. He’d earned himself a reputation in the three years since his life ended. One he liked. Kept people away. Still worked, too. He came and went as he pleased, no one daring to ask him where he was going or when he’d be back. He knew they’d discuss him and he knew Buck would run interference for him.

He stared out over the landscape again, trying to decide just where he was actually headed. When he first rode out, he carried no plan, just the intention to get away from the well-meaning holiday-minded folk. No matter he’d found some peace recently; he didn’t want to be around people celebrating holidays-- holidays that were meant for families.

In his fellow peacekeepers, he had friends who were also without family; he would have fit into their celebration. But their lack of a family wasn’t something new to them; it was how it had always been. While he, Chris Larabee, had been cheated and robbed out of the most important part of his life. Bitterness didn’t even begin to describe the way he felt about that fact.

When his horse walked into a snow drift that nearly reached Chris’ knees, he admitted to himself that heading north instead of south wasn’t the best decision he’d made this day. South meant Purgatorio or some other border town, also filled with people celebrating the holiday. Seemed even outlaws had the Christmas spirit.

North meant emptiness-- landscape devoid of people and towns, and mountain terrain rugged enough to keep it that way. Only it meant snow, too. As cold as his heart was, he figured snow was better than people. For him and for them.

He let his horse pick his way through the high valley, then steered him toward the next peak. A few miles after heading north, he’d come up with an actual destination. He knew of a hot spring up this way. Well, technically, Vin knew of a hot spring up this way and he’d shown its general location to Chris. But they’d been too busy to stop there when they rode through, off on some errand for the Judge. Vin got a wistful look on his face as he told Chris about the place and declared it the most beautiful place in all of creation.

Vin had an appreciation for natural beauty, just one of the things Chris learned as he peeled back the layers wrapped around Vin Tanner. Nothing he learned about Vin surprised him anymore and he took pleasure in learning more and more about him as the months went by. Some mornings now, he even woke up happy. But this wasn’t one of those days. Today, he woke up with a need to get away from the green and red of the bunting, evergreen, mistletoe and berries that sprung up around town over the past week. He didn’t want to look into the smiling faces or exchange holiday greetings with the people strolling about town, intent on their holiday planning. JD and Buck were among the worst of the bunch. He was too close to taking his moods out on them and he didn’t want that. Even though he’d do it. Might even regret it afterwards, too.

He glanced up to the sky, relieved to see whatever storm had come through recently was long gone. It was him and his horse out in the white, unspoiled countryside. Breathing in the clear, cold air made him feel alive, made him feel like there might still be a place for him in the world after all. When the holidays were over.

He stared up at the peaks around him, sure he had to be close to coming up on that spring. He’d followed the peaks, like Vin had told him and he wasn’t far now. Only had to go around one more bend, then cross another small, high valley. The smell of evergreen wafted on the breeze and he took another deep breath. The tension he’d been carrying on his back lifted on a long exhale and he actually started enjoying the ride.

He spotted the steam coming from the spring before he was close enough to see the actual spring itself. Good. Meant he wouldn’t have to do much clearing to get to it. He could see it clearly in the distance now, nestled in some craggy rocks. Springs were spread out all over the New Mexico territory, if you knew where to look. Vin told him this one was rare, up in the high country. Most were down on the desert floor. Sitting in a hot spring was the last thing he wanted to do in the heat of the desert even though Vin insisted it felt great. But here, up in the high country, in the winter, a spring would be almost decadent.

He stopped before he got to the rocks, deciding to walk the last bit. Pony would appreciate not carrying almost two hundred pounds on his back for the trip across the ragged outcroppings. He was still well below the tree line, fragrant pines ringing the rock-filled clearing. If he got it in his head to spend the night out here, the shelter of a pine would make a nice place to sleep.

He unsaddled his horse, including all of his tack except the halter. Pony was due a vacation too. He’d feed the horse the grain he brought along later, after his camp was set, but before he stripped down to climb into the spring. He didn’t like the idea of stripping naked in the sub-freezing temperatures, but it wouldn’t last long. He bent and dipped a hand into the spring. This plan would be all shot to hell if the water was warm enough to cook his bones.

The water smelled slightly of sulfur, not a surprise when it came to a spring. Satisfied the water wasn’t too hot, he stood and stretched out his muscles, a little cramped after the trek through the snow. Spring would do wonders to work out his tension.

He considered building a fire, but he didn’t feel like going for wood or building a fire pit. Where he stood, only a few feet away from the bubbling water, the air wasn’t nearly as cold as it was only a few more feet away. If the ground weren’t so damned rocky, he’d sleep right there.

He hefted his gear onto one of the flatter rocks, keeping his saddlebags on top. He had everything he needed in the two bags. A bottle of whiskey, a can of beans and pork, some hard biscuits he’d bought from Mrs. Potter’s store before he headed out. Two days before Christmas, he hoped he brought enough whiskey to make it. He didn’t plan on drinking himself into oblivion, which was his usual holiday plan, but he did plan to keep a nice, even drunk on. Made the time pass faster and the hurt not so sharp.

He finished making his small camp and sat down on the rocks to light a cheroot. Got him thinking on what Vin was up to. Vin hadn’t seemed to enjoy the holiday spirit slowly creeping in on their small town either. He’d shared looks with Chris whenever someone wished the two of them a Merry Christmas. They had taken to sitting inside the jailhouse, instead of their normal spot on the porch, both completely sick of the merriment. Chris hadn’t thought much on why Vin wasn’t taken with the spirit, he’d been too consumed with his own thoughts. He thought about Vin now though. Seemed he thought a lot about him lately.

When he’d taken it into his head to ride out, he briefly thought of inviting Vin along, but Vin was on dawn patrol. A patrol not assigned, but taken to get away from town. He’d been doing a lot of that lately. Chris didn’t want to wait for anyone. Once he got a feeling to do something, he went and did it.

He’d been sitting there for some time when he decided to get in the spring. He arranged his things so he could reach them from where he planned to soak. His whiskey, his food and once he stripped, his gun.

Satisfied with his preparations, he reached for the button on his coat. He gave some thought to the quickest way to get his clothes off and get into that warm water. He’d keep his duster close at hand in case he needed to get out for anything. And if he kept it close to the spring, it might even stay warm.

Satisfied, he started taking off his coat. Before he had it unbuttoned, a sharp whistle pierced the air. He quickly unbuttoned and spread his coat for quick access to his gun and scanned the clearing for the person doing the whistling. If Buck followed him here, he’d make it clear pretty damn quick that he wanted to be alone.

As he stared out into the blank whiteness of the landscape, a figure in different tones of brown emerged from the monocolored landscape. Only one person he knew wore a hide coat, a slouch hat, and light tan pants. The blaze-faced black gelding confirmed what he already knew. Vin. He’d composed himself from his shock at seeing Vin by the time Vin got close enough to wave to him. He returned the wave and had a seat on the rocks, opening his whiskey bottle and helping himself to a few swigs before Vin made it into the makeshift camp.

He nodded to Vin once Vin was off his horse and wordlessly held out the bottle. Vin snagged it and took a long swallow, shaking his head vigorously as the hefty shot slid down his throat.

“Whoo-eee,” Vin said, voice a little off from the slug. “Sure is cold out.”

Chris nodded, still reeling a little from Vin showing up here, almost like Chris’ thoughts called him to the place.

“You left a trail a blind man could follow, Chris,” Vin said as he stamped out his feet, getting the clumped snow to break off his boots.

Chris studied him again, still not too sure what to make of his showing up so unexpected. Vin glanced up at him and the unease on Vin’s face almost had him reassuring him that it was all right he’d followed. Only, Chris wasn’t exactly sure what he was feeling.

Vin looked at him, a little sideways and said softly. “I kin leave, if’n you want to be alone.” He looked away, toward the mountain peaks and Chris made up his mind.

“No. Stay.”

Vin grinned then and Chris returned it. He realized with a start that he really did want Vin there with him. He went back to his whiskey while Vin unloaded his gear. He sat there watching him, comfortable in the silence they shared. That silence was enough to not resent Vin’s company like he would anyone else’s.

Once Vin had his things unloaded and set up next to Chris’, he settled down on the rocks with him and held out a hand for the bottle. Chris handed it over with a small smile and looked back out to study the landscape some more. Vin was right; it was about the most beautiful place Chris had ever seen, even in the barren starkness of winter, everything covered over in almost a foot of snow.

“Was hoping you headed somewhere easy to follow,” Vin said as he handed back the bottle.

Chris took it and enjoyed a slow sip. Felt nice and warm sliding down his throat and into his stomach. “Didn’t do it on purpose. I don’t think I could have stood heading south.”

“Too many people?”

Chris just grinned at him, grateful someone understood.

“Nothing like the holidays to make a man feel alone in a town full ‘a people,” Vin said as he took the bottle again, avoiding Chris’ eyes.

“You too?” Chris asked even though there wasn’t any need. Vin understood. That alone was enough to take away the loneliness. Hell, he wasn’t lonely. But another glance at Vin, sitting there with the steam from the spring rising up around him, staring out into the distance, an unfathomable look on his face made Chris realize the truth. He had been lonely. Grieving and lonely and resentful of the people who had something to celebrate.

Vin didn’t have any reasons to celebrate, not with that damned price on his head, and no family that Chris knew about. As far as Chris knew, Vin never had a family. Not since he lost his mother when he was five. He’d never spoken of any other relatives and Chris didn’t pry. If Vin wanted to tell him his story, he would. He didn’t need it. He knew who Vin was whether or not Vin ever told him his history.

“How’s about getting in?” Vin asked when Chris looked his way again.

“Cold?”

“A mite. Not so bad, but I’m thinking’ that warm water would be nice ‘bout now.”

Chris nodded to him and stood, pulling off his duster and unbuckling his gunbelt. He spread them out next to the pool, then began stripping down. He stripped fast and stepped into the water, anxious to get out of the nippy air. He settled back in against the smooth surface of the sides of the pool and ducked low, so only his head broke the surface.

“Nice?” Vin asked, not making a move to take off his clothes.

Chris nodded and leaned back, closing his eyes. “Waiting for something?” he asked when he couldn’t hear Vin moving.

“Ponderin.”

“On?”

“Quickest way to get in there once I’m bare.”

Chris gave a little snort. Vin was a desert rat; hell, he complained about being cold when it was still seventy degrees out. “Pondering won’t make the time go any shorter,” Chris said as he moved around to find a more comfortable spot. “It’s nice,” he promised.

Chris opened his eyes, checking on what Vin was up to now. Man moved damned quiet, that was for sure. He stood in just his long handles and his hat, the rest of his clothes pooled around him. As Chris watched, he pulled down his underwear and quickly stepped into the pool, sliding beneath the surface with a long, drawn-out groan. Chris averted his eyes, the afterimage of a naked Vin stuck in his mind. He’d never seen him without a stitch on before now and he was almost surprised at how smooth his skin looked. He wasn’t tanned, like Chris expected him to be and his body was almost smooth, with very little body hair. He was thinner than Chris expected and with more muscle.

Splashing around him signaled Vin’s finding a comfortable spot, and after taking a minute to compose himself, Chris opened his eyes. He hoped his thoughts, his appreciation of his friend’s nakedness, didn’t show on his face when he met Vin’s eyes and flashed him a smile. “Whiskey?” Chris asked.

Vin leaned over and grabbed the bottle, dunking the rest of his arm back in the water once he’d snagged it. He took a drink, leaving as much of his body under the water as he could. Made Chris chuckle to see him sitting there in nothing but his hat, sipping from a whiskey bottle.

“What are you laughin’ at?” Vin asked, not even a trace of annoyance in his tone. More like mirth, but the mood Vin’d been in lately, that couldn’t be it. But Chris found himself chuckling at Vin’s antics, even when he himself hadn’t found anything the least bit entertaining the past week. Getting away from town’d probably been good for both of them, the way they were grinning stupidly at each other.

“I’m glad you ain’t mad I followed,” Vin said, grin disappearing from his face. He looked so damned earnest, and worried, that Chris couldn’t help responding.

“Kind of happy you did, actually,” Chris said with a shrug. When Vin looked surprised, Chris added, “Believe me, no one’s more surprised at that than me.”

Vin nodded, looking relieved, then another of those sweet, rare smiles broke out on his face. Made Chris want to say things like that more often, if that was the result. “You bring any food?” Vin asked.

“A couple cans of pork and beans. Closest thing to a ham you’ll see this Christmas. You bring any whisky?” Chris asked, nodding to the rapidly emptying bottle.

Vin gave a slight shake of his head and pursed his lips, then looked away. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t have any money left.”

“That’s all right,” Chris said, quick to reassure him it was, even though he didn’t understand why it mattered that Vin felt a little guilty for showing up empty-handed. “I brought two more. For emergencies,” he added with a sly grin.

“I brought something though,” Vin said, nodding toward his bags. “Miss Jeanie at the boarding house made some pumpkin bread and gave it to me when she heard me tell Buck I was headed out. Said she had some for you too, but you already left.”

Chris nodded at Vin’s surprisingly long speech. Pumpkin bread sounded pretty damned good to him. He let his gaze wander, followed Vin’s line of sight to the saddle bags too far away to reach from inside the pool.

Vin glanced over to him, smirking a little. “You want it now, you kin git out and get it.”

Chris shook his head no. “It’ll be good later,” he added. He let his eyes slip closed again and relaxed further into the slightly bubbling water. His head was a little chilled, exposed to the nippy air. Even if he looked silly, Vin had the right idea keeping his hat on.

Vin let loose with a contented sigh from a few feet away and Chris grinned before he could help it. Yeah, this was sure nice.

They soaked silently, letting the voices of nature fill the silence. This was why he didn’t mind Vin showing up, he realized. If it were any of the others, they’d want to talk. Be it about the holidays or the goings on in town or some other such nonsense. Vin understood that none of that mattered. Talking about it would be just noise and noise of that type set Chris off when he felt the way he had lately.

Only one thing would make the whole thing a little nicer. He cracked open his eyes and glanced at Vin. That one glance almost had him forgetting what he wanted. The look of pure bliss on Vin’s face, his cheeks a little pink from the warm water, the utter relaxation written all over him-- it was a damn attractive picture. He couldn’t help staring.

“Something I can do for you, cowboy,” Vin drawled and the words hit Chris right in the gut. Actually, a little lower down.

“Whiskey.”

Vin’s eyes slid open then and he cracked another one of those sweet smiles. The capped bottle floated between them, closer to Vin’s reach and he reached out to snag it, holding it up once he had a grip on it.

“You looking for this?”

Chris slid through the water to take the bottle. He got close enough to reach out and take it from Vin, but he kept moving closer, keeping his eyes locked with Vin’s. His gut was still a little worked up from the pretty picture Vin made and with their eyes locked, Chris knew they were having a moment. Didn’t happen too many times in his life that he felt this way. Last time was the first time he’d kissed his wife. Not having it very often didn’t make him miss what was happening though.

He moved closer still, so close he could feel Vin’s soft puffs of warm breath ghosting across his face in the cold air. He held Vin’s eyes, absolutely certain they were feeling the same thing. Before he knew it, he found himself staring at Vin’s lips. Instinct guided him and he titled his head to avoid Vin’s hat and leaned in for a kiss.

Vin met him halfway, tentatively at first, growing bolder as Chris did. He thought he should be worried that he found himself naked, kissing his best friend. The actual lack of worry worried him more than the idea of kissing Vin. Soon enough, he didn’t even worry about that.

The kiss deepened, tongues joining, lips and hands getting into the act, too. Chris held the back of Vin’s head, tilting him for the best access, holding him close and Vin’s arms came up to wrap around his shoulders. They floated in the water, backward towards the edge of the pool, Chris’ back settling against the side.

He didn’t know how, he was too lost in the kiss, but Vin ended up in his lap, straddling his waist. Chris’ blood, lazily heading south since they began kissing, rushed there now, thickening and lengthening his cock until he felt ready to burst. He got a better grip on Vin, pulling him further into his lap, settling his cock into the valley between Vin’s cheeks. Vin gave a little groan and leaned forward, so his cock was trapped between their bellies, giving him something to rub against.

They continued to kiss while they rocked together, finding a rhythm that felt right for the both of them. Chris hooked his arms under Vin’s and clasped him tight. He wanted to crawl into him, to learn his taste and feel and to never let this moment end. Too soon, Vin broke their kiss and rested his chin on Chris’ shoulder, his hot breath whispering across Chris’ ear, giving him gooseflesh all up and down his body.

Vin groaned as Chris rocked against his ass, giving a matching shove of his own. Chris didn’t think he could get any harder, not without spilling over, but he didn’t want what he’d only just found to come to an end so quick. He tried to stop pushing against Vin, tried to calm the feelings deep in his belly; the ones that would spread down to his balls and out his cock, shooting all over Vin’s ass and into the pool. The thought and vision nearly sent him over the edge and he gave a hard shove, Vin gripping him tighter and giving an answering shove.

They rocked together, no sound between them but their heavy breathing. Chris kept his eyes squeezed shut; he didn’t want to break the spell he was under and opening his eyes might do just that. They rocked together, speeding up, slowing down, pushing and pulling until Chris hovered on the edge, close to fulfilling his vision of spilling all over Vin.

“You can fuck me, if you wanta,” Vin whispered in his ear, so soft, Chris nearly thought it was his own wishful thinking forming the soft words. That the words might be his imagination didn’t stop his belly from flopping and his hips thrusting harder against Vin. Didn’t stop the rush of his blood in his ears or his balls pulling up even tighter against his body. Fuck. Oh yeah.

He tried to still his hips and pulled Vin from his lap, settling him onto his thighs so neither of them had anything to rub their cocks against. He met Vin’s eyes for the first time since they started this madness and the trust, not to mention pure lust, that greeted him did nothing to calm his blood. Did Vin really invite him to fuck him?

“What do you want, Vin?” Chris asked softly, keeping their eyes locked. It was a safe question, even if Vin hadn’t really said anything.

“That,” Vin said. “I want that.” Vin leaned forward and started kissing him again, trying to squirm back onto Chris’ lap and his cock.

Chris, ready to take Vin at his word, slipped a hand from Vin’s back and brushed it across his hole. Vin shuddered on top of him and his tongue thrust into Chris mouth, getting more aggressive with his wants.

Chris tried to slip his finger inside Vin, he knew he had to loosen him up before he could even try to push inside. Chris’ mind drifted to Lydia, then, and how she wanted him to take her from behind, telling him she wanted him a place not given to other men. She was a friend and he wasn’t just any customer. The memory of how tight she was back there and the way her ass gripped his cock had him almost too worked up to actually get there.

He rubbed small circles around Vin’s hole, getting whimpers out of Vin that shot straight to his dick. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t just shove his dick in and start pumping.

He broke the kiss and pulled Vin back onto his thighs, meeting his eyes again.

“I want that too,” Chris said when Vin looked like someone stole his only Christmas gift. “But not here.”

They stared at each other, hands still exploring as they reached a decision together.

“Think there’s a tree around here we can use as a shelter?” Chris asked softly. Talking too loud might break the spell they were under and he sure as hell didn’t want that.

“I can do ya one better, cowboy,” Vin drawled, breath still coming out heavy and hot against Chris’ face. “Gonna be a might uncomfortable getting there, but it’ll be worth it, you’ll see.”

Chris was already uncomfortable, his dick and balls so heavy with need, he was almost ready to finish it then and there. They could do more, later.

But Vin slipped further off his lap and glided to the opposite end of the pool, where he’d left his clothes. He couldn’t quite reach anything but his gun and he stood in the shallow pool, leaning and bending over to snag what he was after.

Vin’s ass just above the water, Chris’ couldn’t tear his eyes away. Full, muscular cheeks, strong thighs just below, skin tinted a pink hue from the warmth of the water and small indentations from where Chris gripped him harder than he remembered. His dick jumped again and he palmed it, holding it down from floating in the warm water. The way he felt, just the natural bobbing motion of floating in the pool would set him off.

Vin turned around and slipped back under the water, robbing Chris from studying his front side. He wanted a look, strange enough. Vin’s masculinity didn’t bother Chris, but he put that thought aside. Time enough for that later.

“You think you can stand a short trip across the snow?” Vin asked him, not moving closer.

Chris nodded and swallowed, clearing his throat so he could form words. “I think I can manage,” he said, lips quirking into a half-grin. “Might even help the state I’m in.”

Vin returned the grin and gave a tight nod, letting Chris know a trek across the snow would calm him too.

Chris glided across the shallow spring, to where he’d left his clothes within reach. He didn’t plan to dress, just to get his long duster around him. As he picked it up, a picture of Vin, wearing nothing but his coat made Chris’ dick jump, again. He held up his coat to Vin and asked, “You want to wear this?”

Vin shook his head slightly, then gave Chris another one of those sweet, half-crooked smiles he had. “You maybe want to carry me?” he asked, arching one brow.

Chris couldn’t help smiling back. “Think I’ll pass. Your coat is short, is all.”

“I’ll live,” Vin said, chuckling a little. “Wait ‘till you see where we’re headed. It’ll be worth a little discomfort.”

Chris nodded, then leaned out of the pool to gather his things. Purposefully gave Vin an eye full of his ass while he was at it. Saddlebags, gunbelt and coat in hand, he stood in the pool, turning to face Vin. His dick was high and hard against his belly, proud and anxious.

Vin’s short inhale made Chris grin, though he tried to hide it. Chris hadn’t seen too many men in the state he was in right now, but the ones he had seen, he knew he more than measured up. Vin thought so too, if his breathing heavy through his mouth was a sign. Chris took it as a good sign and called, “Vin,” to get him to look up from his groin and into his eyes. Once he had Vin’s attention, he said, “you lead and I’ll be right behind you.”

Vin gathered his things as well, then glanced back at Chris one more time before stepping out of the pool and into the snow. He quickly wrapped his hide coat around himself, covering him almost to mid thigh. Chris looked his fill, the knowledge Vin was bare and waiting for him just under that coat getting him worked up again.

“We can tend the horses later,” Vin said over his shoulder. “They’ll keep for now.”

Chris nodded to him and readied himself to step out of the pool and onto the cold and rocky ground. Vin took off running, keeping an eye on the ground. Chris snagged his boots and started running too. His skin still felt warm and tingly from the warmth of the spring, and Vin, but he knew it wouldn’t last long. Questions about what the hell he thought he was doing sprung up, but he shoved them back down. This felt too damn right to question.

It didn’t take Chris long to catch up with Vin and jog alongside him; he had plenty of incentive to get him moving quick. They didn’t have far to go, but it was still damned uncomfortable, between the sharp rocks and the frigid air.

A short distance from the spring, a few outcroppings of rock toward higher ground, Vin disappeared into a small hole in the rock face. A hidden cave, Chris realized just as Vin disappeared inside.

Chris cautiously followed Vin into the darkness, nearly running into him where he’d stopped just inside the entrance.

“Welcome to a little slice of heaven,” Vin breathed out and spread his arms wide.

The cave was small, but plenty big enough for two men to fit comfortably and give them some room to move around, too. And it was surprisingly warm. Chris glanced at Vin, not trying to hid his surprise at the unexpected warmth.

“Nice, ain’t it?” Vin asked as he headed toward the back wall of the small cave. He dropped his saddlebags near the wall and motioned for Chris to join him. “Spring that feeds all the pools hereabouts sources from this cave. It gets a mite wet over on that wall so we’d best get comfortable over here.”

The first thing Chris noticed was how warm it was in the cave. The warmth came from the wall Vin pointed out. The heat coming from the underground spring, along with the moisture in the air, turned the small space into a comfortably warm steam bath. Chris glanced over at Vin, busy rearranging their things, and decided he’d done enough standing around.

The cold outside had gone a ways to calming the blood rushing through his body, but he wanted that feeling back. He joined Vin and between them, they had blankets spread out , a lamp lit, and food unpacked in short order.

He had no regrets, about either what they’d already done or what they were about to do. “Now,” Chris said as he pulled off his coat, “where were we?”

Vin gave a small smile and dropped his coat next to Chris’. “A little further along than this,” Vin huffed out as he stepped right up to Chris. “We can take care of that right quick though.“ He gave a wicked grin, then glanced downward. He took both their cocks in one hand and wrapped the other around Chris’ shoulder, tipping his head up so Chris could meet his lips.

Chris had only two inches or so over Vin in height, so meeting his lips was easy and comfortable while they stood. He let Vin pace the kiss, let him work their cocks. It didn’t take long for Chris to come up hard again, not long at all since he was still about half hard to begin with.

He liked what they were doing well enough, but it could be much better. He steered Vin toward the blankets and put a little pressure on his shoulder. Vin got the hint, letting go of their dicks and dropping to his knees. He stared up at Chris from the ground, question on his face, plain to see.

Chris nodded. Oh yeah, he’d like that a lot. Before Chris could brace himself, Vin’s hot, wet mouth wrapped around his cock. All thought left him then, leaving only sensation. He spread his legs a little further apart, getting more comfortable and rested his hands on Vin’s slightly damp head.

He lost time as Vin sucked on the head, worked his shaft and fondled his balls. Sensation began to pool, deep in his balls and he started thrusting into Vin’s mouth. Vin sucked dick like he had a lot of experience behind him and Chris shoved that thought away. He didn’t care where he learned it, just that he was damned good at it.

Too good, and Chris had to pull Vin off his dick if Chris was going to get his unexpected Christmas present.

He tilted Vin’s head so he could look him in the eye. Almost forgot what he was going to say, with Vin’s lips so red and puffy and the way his eyes seemed to show all the feelings he normally kept to himself.

Chris dropped to his knees and pulled Vin to him. He dove in for another kiss and Vin met him, hard and aggressive. He wanted to rub his cock all over Vin, across his belly, against his cock, over his face and into his mouth again. He pulled back from the kiss, both of them heaving like they’d just finished a hard ride.

“That offer still stand?” Chris asked.

Vin nodded, his eyes going wider.

“Need something to make it easier,” Chris said. He leaned into Vin, pushing him a little so he would lie down. Chris crawled on top of him, resting his lower half on Vin, while holding himself up by one arm. He reached out and flipped open his saddlebag, rummaging around for the saddle oil he knew was in there somewhere.

Vin’s hips moved in lazy thrusts, keeping both of them ready for more. Chris settled down on top of Vin and latched onto his mouth again. While he got them ready, they could do more of that kissing.

Pressed together, head to toe, Chris rested his weight on Vin. Vin wrapped his arms around Chris’ back, holding on tight and giving him leverage to rub against Chris. They moved together, getting a rhythm down. Chris didn’t break the kiss to open the bottle of oil, just kept them humming along, rubbing and kissing.

He dumped the oil all over his hand, not caring if he wasted the whole bottle. Once he had his hand covered, he slipped it under Vin and Vin raised his hips so Chris could reach his hole. Vin shuddered at the first pass Chris made over the tight hole and Chris deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into Vin’s mouth.
“How do you want it?” Chris asked, before it was too late to find out.

“Like this,” Vin said into his ear. “Face to face.”

Chris dove back in for some more kissing while he got Vin better prepared. No matter how prepared he got him, Vin would probably still feel a little discomfort. He’d just have to make sure it was short-lived.

“Wait,” Vin said, pulling his mouth from Chris’ and resting his chin on his shoulder, breathing hard.

Chris stilled the fingers he’d worked inside of Vin. He didn’t know what he waited for or how long he could wait.

“My coat,” Vin said.

Chris grabbed it with his free hand and held it up. Didn’t take Vin long to arrange it under his hips, raising them in the air, giving Chris better access to him. Chris went back to working his fingers inside of Vin and his tongue in his mouth. Vin’s hips rocked in time with Chris’ fingering him and Chris couldn’t wait any longer.

“Raise up your legs,” he whispered.

Vin held his legs by the back of his thighs, his body nearly bent in half, open and waiting.

Chris lined himself up and pushed slowly in, fighting his need to shove in hard. Instead, he took his time, pushing in bit by bit. Vin breathed heavy, steady and deep breaths in and out.

Chris tore his eyes away from his dick sliding into Vin’s body before the sight alone made him finish before they started. Hell, he felt like a kid with a hair trigger.

He glanced up at Vin’s face, surprised to see his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth open, pink tongue peeking out one corner. Looking at Vin’s face would set him off, too, so he closed his eyes and let himself feel. Chris worked his dick in a little further, slowly in and out until the tight entrance would accept his cock. Took longer than Chris wanted, longer than he thought he’d be able to stand, but soon enough, he could glide his dick halfway in and out. It was enough that he didn’t need his hands any more.

He bent over Vin, taking his mouth in another demanding kiss. Vin grabbed onto his back again and Chris worked his hips, pushed into Vin until he was in him to the root.

The little moans coming from Vin were nice, even muffled as they were by Chris’ mouth.

They built a rhythm together, getting to know each other’s bodies, likes and wants. Each time Chris thrust deep, Vin let out one of those moans and met him. He and Vin didn’t need words in this, either. Didn’t surprise him, since they didn’t need words for anything else.

They fed off each others signals, letting their bodies talk for them and before he knew it, Chris’ hips took over for his brain. Each hard thrust was met with a matching one and Vin’s low moans had become one continuous sound.

He wanted to make this good for Vin. It was damned good for him-- fair was fair. He braced himself on one arm and reached down to take Vin’s dick in his hand. Smooth, hot, hard, it fit just right. He jerked in time with his thrusts, making Vin pant and moan.

“Harder,” Vin whispered and Chris obliged, slamming into him hard enough to move him higher on the blankets. Chris took his dick in a firmer grip and stroked him harder from the outside as well as the inside. Chris opened his eyes, watched Vin’s face, could tell when he was about to spill, long before he felt his cock jerk and his hands and chest get a bath in Vin’s fluids. Chris kept thrusting as Vin came, making Vin moan even louder.

He’d never forget that sound, resolved to hear it more often, now he knew the power of it. He’d held back, wanted Vin to have his due before he got his, but as soon as Vin stopped jerking in his grip, Chris raised Vin’s hips even higher and worked him some more.

He locked onto Vin’s mouth for another kiss, working his mouth as hard as he worked the rest of his body. It didn’t take long, at the new pace he set and he could feel his balls pull up against his body. He spurt long and deep, coming so hard, he saw stars. He didn’t pull out once his balls emptied, he enjoyed the aftershocks, thrusting with each one. Before long, he couldn’t stand the sensation and pulled out, still half-hard.

He rolled onto his back and settled in next to Vin, arm over his face. Vin rolled on top of him and kissed him again, a quick one, then rolled back over to lie beside him.

Took what seemed like years before he could open his eyes, before he calmed enough to feel anything but complete satisfaction.

He felt and heard Vin get up and move around, but still didn’t move. He didn’t think he could, yet.

“Hungry?” Vin asked and Chris grunted a reply.

Vin started chuckling and that made Chris crack open his eyes. Vin lay on his side, staring at Chris, a package wrapped in the linens from the boarding house between them.

“I’m not feeding you, so’s you’d best sit up if you want to eat,” Vin teased, small smile playing across his features.

Chris smiled back and raised himself up, not bothering with any kind of covering.

Vin tossed him a small, wet towel and he wiped down his body, then his hands before reaching out for a piece of that bread Vin’d already made a dent in.

He felt decadent, laying there naked, well fucked and now well-fed. Made his heart swell with feelings every time he sneaked a look in Vin’s direction. Vin looked about as satisfied as Chris felt. Made those feelings swell even bigger.

Vin looked around them, looking for something and Chris glanced around too. Vin, on his knees, grabbed the bottle they’d left a few feet away.

“Grab a new bottle while you’re up, would you? We killed that one.”

Vin nodded, that grin still taking up most of his features. It was a far sight better than the pinched look he’d been wearing lately. Chris nearly crowed with pride from being the one who put that look there.

“Anything else?” Vin asked as he rummaged through the bags, looking for the bottle.

Chris let out a little wistful sigh. “A little eggnog splashed into the whiskey would be pretty damned nice. You didn’t bring any, did you?” Chris asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice. That really would be too much to ask and Vin had already supplied them with a near feast, when all Chris planned to eat was tinned beans and pork and hard biscuits.

Vin’s back stiffened and Chris picked up on his body language right away. Chris hit a nerve there, but he had no idea which one. Vin went back to rummaging quick enough, but Chris knew what he saw. When Vin raised himself back up, holding the bottle by the neck, his expression had almost returned to the one he’d been wearing the past week.

Vin held out the bottle and Chris took it without a word, breaking the seal and helping himself to a sip as Vin got comfortable in their nest of blankets, stripping his coat and covering himself, instead of lounging naked. Made Chris want to pull the blanket right off him and look his fill. They had a few days to kill until the holiday was over and he *thought* Vin planned to spend it just like he did; getting to know each other even more intimately.

Chris let Vin brood, hell, it’s what Chris set out to do in the first place. They could brood together. As long as they did more of that kissing, too.

Chris drank his fill from the bottle, enough to make his belly warm, then handed it in Vin’s direction. It took him a minute to shake wherever he’d gone from his head and take the bottle. He sipped silently too and the comfortable silence actually started to get uncomfortable.

“Sorry,” Vin said after a few more minutes.

“Something wrong?” Chris asked, surprising himself at how much he wanted to know the answer to that question; wanted to know thoughts Vin usually kept to himself. He normally respected a man’s wish to keep his council, but with Vin, he wanted to share more than surface talk and comfortable silence. Should have scared him, the wanting, but it didn’t.

“It’s stupid and selfish,” Vin said, looking up to meet Chris’ eyes.

“I’ve been stupid and selfish enough for ten men, in my time.”

A little ghost of a smile flitted across Vin’s features before he turned serious again. “Traditions,” he said, as if that was an explanation.

Chris waited him out. He’d talk, Chris knew that. Even though they’d been as intimate as two people could get, this seemed more important, and if possible, more intimate.

“JD and Buck been talking about their traditions nonstop the past week or so. Everyone else has too, even Ezra and that man don’t have a sentimental bone in his body. I know it’s stupid, but… hell, I can’t explain it,” Vin said, looking away again. It took him a few minutes to compose himself before he met Chris’ eyes. “I ain’t never had any and I been filled up with envy, listening to them talk. Stupid, huh?”

Chris took some time to think about what Vin said, to really think. It took a lot of courage for him to say those words, he could see that plain as day. Time he took a leap, too.

“Vin,” Chris said, getting Vin’s eyes to meet his again. “It’s not stupid.” He didn’t know what else to say, so he left it there, keeping their eye contact. He meant it. It wasn’t stupid; it hurt. He knew hurt well enough.

“You know my ma died when I was ‘bout five, right?”

Chris nodded slightly.

“After she passed, I had no one to look after me, she didn’t have no family and my pa died of fever when I was a babe. So after she passed, I was all alone in the world. Didn’t understand it then, but I got used to it.”

Chris mentally slapped away the picture of Vin as a five year old, with no one. It happened often enough, parents leaving their children, taken away by a death too easy to find out west.

“A family took me in, but I always knew they only did out of a sense of Christian duty. Soon as I was old enough, mebbe thirteen or so, I lit out of there. Ended up living with the Kiowa and Comanche until they was herded up when I was ‘bout sixteen.”

Chris nodded, listening to Vin while imagining what his young life was like. It wasn’t any kind of surprise and he realized he was right; he didn’t need Vin’s history to know who he was. It felt like he already knew the story, even though Vin hadn’t said a word before this.

“All this holiday talk in town lately brought out a side of me I didn’t know was there. I been full of envy, listening to everyone talking about their traditions. I ain’t never missed nothing I ain’t had before and it’s put me out of sorts. I never stayed in one place long enough to know people well enough to hear about their traditions.”

Chris nodded. He did understand. He’d had and lost, but Vin never even had that. And when he wasn’t hating the whole world for his loss, he remembered the good times, the times when he was more happy than he’d ever thought possible. He and Vin could have that together; he knew that instinctively. And he more than wanted it.

“Vin,” Chris said, waiting until Vin met his eyes again to speak. “I think we might have a pretty good start on a tradition of our own right here.”

Vin took a minute to work through what Chris said and the surprise on his face when the words hit him was almost comical. The surprise turned into a bright smile and he edged across the blankets to lean against Chris, tilting his head so their lips could meet. The kiss was long and drawn out and if he wasn’t already wiped out, Chris would have been ready for some more of that intimacy.

Vin pulled back after a time and whispered softly, “sounds like a plan, Chris.”


*****

END