Fic: May Be. 1/1 Magnificent Seven
Title: May Be. Author: Lopaka Tanu Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven. Characters: Chris, Vin. Words: 884 Prompt: For Kim. Fandom: Magnificent Seven Pairing: Chris/Vin Rating: Adult Warnings: Language. Summary: The gettin's good. Author's Note: For the one who quests for it, there is always a special message. ______________________________________
It wasn't the leather strapped bedroll, so much as the person carrying it. He shouldn't have noticed such a thing with anyone else in town, but there was something off about Vin carrying it. An ordinary bedroll would not stand out under any circumstance. Chris just had a bad feeling about it.
He waited until the sharpshooter was halfway down the street to the livery before he tossed away the smoke. The moment they were in step with each other, he nodded.
Vin returned the nod, not making his eyes.
"Where ya headed?" Chris felt, more than saw the other man react. It wasn't anything visible.
"Don't likely know." It was an honest answer.
Unfortunately, Chris wouldn't be satisfied with just that. "You got business callin you else where?" When Vin didn't respond, he nodded again.
They continued on in silence. Once they reached the barn, Vin took the lead and headed for his horse's stall.
Hanging back, Chris watched the other man move. Despite the sheer amount of clothing, his body was still visible through them. It could be a real shame. "We don't get paid 'til Tuesday."
"It's fine." This time Vin's response was a complete lie. To cover it, he worked extra hard at getting Peso saddled.
Chris leaned back against a post. The brim of his hat pushed up, he watched the other man for a reaction. "This about last night?"
Vin tensed. Slowly, he reached up to set the saddle down upon the riding blanket. There were several minor, unnecessary adjustments made before he was satisfied with the placing. As he bent down to grab the buckle under Peso's belly, he paused mid motion.
Coming up behind the sharpshooter, Chris set his face in stone. There wasn't a real point to this. If the other man was leaving, he wouldn't make a scene. "That all you got to say?"
"It weren't meant to be." And finally the truth came out. Standing up, Vin left the buckle and strap hanging loose. He trailed his hand over Peso's back, stroking lovingly along his mane. "You've gotta know that."
"I ain't interested in what's meant to be." Chris snatched Vin's hand free of the saddle. Squeezing it, he waited until Vin turned to him before leaning in. There were now mere inches separating them, he could smell the other over the leather and hay. "You're not gettin away without a reason."
Vin snorted. Still, he returned the reassuring gesture through their now clasped hands. "Reason's for preachers and thinkers, we ain't either, Larabee."
"Then I guess you're stayin." It wasn't a question. He wasn't going to give the other man a chance to answer it either. Reaching up with his free hand, he gripped the saddle's pommel. Before he could jerk it off the horse, a calloused hand covered his own. Looking to Vin, he raised his face in question.
The sharpshooter seemed pained for a moment. Swallowing, he glanced about the barn several times before settling on Chris' face. "I can't take the risk."
"You're riskin it all just breathin the air in here. They keep Canaries in mines, why not..." Chris didn't get the chance to finish as Vin had crossed the short distance between them. Letting the other man take the lead, Chris simply reacted to the kiss, opening his mouth slowly. But nothing else happened.
Pulling back, Vin licked his lips slowly to savor the taste. He took a shuddering breath. "You're worth it." The hand he had over Chris' tugged the other man free of his saddle horn. "That's why I gotta go."
"All right." Stepping back, Chris released Vin's hand. His face went slack as he turned away. If that was the way it was going to be, then it was going to be. Instead of heading for the exit, Chris walked over to the row of saddles hanging from the hayloft.
Vin, who had been watching Chris, frowned. "What are you doin?"
Chris didn't respond to the question, choosing to pull his saddle off the wall instead. He didn't have to look to know which stall his horse was in. The dark animal knackered at him as he drew near. Setting the saddle down on the stall wall, he turned to go back for the blanket.
Blocking the gunfighter's way, Vin held up his hands to cut off all routes of exit. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Headin out." Chris grinned at the other man's gritted teeth. There was a few words he could say on that, but chose to continue on his path. "You speakin on it made it sound tempting. Think I'll try it myself." With that, he pushed passed Vin to the blankets Yosemite kept along the wall.
Standing there, Vin kept watch. After a few minutes of watching Chris saddle up his horse, he felt ready to respond. It wasn't what he had expected of himself to be doing. Vin headed back to Peso's stall. Reaching under the horse for the buckle, he snatched it up and locked the saddle in to place. "You best bring a blanket, it gets cold at night."
Chris knew the grin splitting his face was silly on a man his age. He didn't care. "Some how, I don't think that's gonna be a problem."