Holly '06: All This

Vin poked the fire then sighed. He was out of things to do.

Biscuits made, water and salt and a cut of lard mixed right into the flour, rolled until dough balled up then dropped on the cast iron plate that was near as hot as the coals.

Bacon added, two pieces each.

Ezra had cut the apples, seen to the coffee.

Hours ago spent riding, keeping watch of the trail. Then prep camp and bedding down, settling the horses. They'd cooked, they'd eaten. Paced hours with the slow decline of the sun from late afternoon orange-yellow into early evening lemon to nighttime glimmer of gold slipped under the horizon.

The fire popped and a log rolled, shower of burn-bright embers lifted into the sky. They swirled and chased, sparkled like stars, dimmed and went gray as the wind carried them away.

Vin chewed his lower lip.

He tossed the stick back onto the pile and grabbed the coffee pot, handle covered over in an old bandana. He refilled his cup - only dregs and grounds left - sat back into his saddle and stared, somewhere between the dance of shadows and the dark ripples held in enamel, held to his palm.

It never felt like the right time. Vin wasn't sure such a time existed.

The coffee was lukewarm and bitter, rough against his tongue. He grimaced and slung the remnants into the fire, watched it evaporate in button-drop sizzles. They were silent, companionably so, sun long gone, streaks of her color long past, pale moonlight low wash over the desert, icy twirls of starshine scattered overhead.

They'd been riding four days. Gone because someone had to go; he and Ezra because Vin had wanted it that way, had arranged for it to be such.

He flipped the cup over his finger, over and again, watched the fire, stared out into the darkness beyond. Desert so big warped by the heat crackling from the stack of deadwood here at his and Ezra's feet. Desert so big and nothing but a cold wind and stars and silence. Desert so big and-

Vin dropped the cup. He boosted onto his heels, twisted sideways, landed on his knees. His hands were steady when he stilled then gathered the cards Ezra was shuffling aimlessly and set them aside. His hands were steadier when he fit his palm to Ezra's cheek, fit his other wrapped soft around Ezra's neck.

He leaned in, thighs between Ezra's, Vin back on his heels Ezra comfortable back to saddle.

Their lips met in a whisper, dry, chaste. Vin's eyes closed and he experimented, licked a corner, teased until he felt a smile. He held his breath when Ezra moved - waited, tense, shoulders and hands tight - released when arms came about him and the smile grew to a kiss, bigger than all this desert.

Ezra sighed and Vin fell forward, caught sure to Ezra's embrace. Their kiss deepened, taste, spit-wet, perfect, and they settled onto their sides. Easier than it should have been, just right as he'd hoped, as he'd known it would be. They kiss-murmured, laughed at last, plenty everything to do under all that starshine.

-nothing to lose except this chance with Ezra.

End