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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
Words:
1,108
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
2
Kudos:
20
Hits:
1,718

Commitment

Summary:

Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Pairing: Chris/Vin
Rating: PG
warnings: sugar shock

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

Commitment
by nancy

It was bitter cold outside, which Chris felt even through the newly reinforced walls of his cabin. Thankful that they'd managed to get it all done before the cold-snap, Chris peered out the small window he'd spent a lot of money on at the snow falling heavily. Already, the ground was covered in about a half-foot of the white stuff and by morning, he likely wouldn't be able to see the barn. He turned towards Vin and observed, "Good thing you could feel the storm coming, or the horses wouldn't have had enough feed to last a few days."

Vin shrugged from his place by the fire and answered, "You were already thinkin' of doublin' their feed. One day without wouldn't've kilt them."

"Maybe not, but I'm glad they don't have to anyhow," Chris replied. "Hope Buck and JD made it back in time."

Vin's lips twitched into a brief grin as he pointed out, "The day Buck takes a chance with JD's life is the day hell freezes over."

Chris snorted and walked over to the fire. "True enough. You want some more?"

Vin held out his tin mug in answer. Chris grinned and picked up the whiskey bottle, splashing the mug about half full before topping off his own. Sitting on the narrow bed against the wall, he watched the lanky tracker for a few seconds before reaching under the bed to pull out Vin's present. He figured that half-drunk was as good a time as any to give Vin something and have it accepted.

"Hey Vin."

Vin turned towards him and just barely caught the mid-sized box against his chest. He frowned at Chris. "What the hell's this?"

"A Christmas present, what's it look like?" Chris retorted. "You open it and say, 'Thanks, Chris, it's what I always wanted.'"

Vin huffed in amusement, but set his mug on the table. Squaring the box on his lap, looking like nothing so much as an uncertain child, Vin bit his lip and slowly pulled the ribbon undone. He folded it carefully and placed it on the table before pulling the top of the box off.

Chris waited somewhat anxiously for a reaction. Mary had let slip about the writing lessons a couple months earlier and it had stuck with Chris since. He would catch Vin squinting at notices on the store wall, signs, even the liquor bottles at the saloon. It was clearly a struggle for the young man to learn his letters and Chris had the sense that it stemmed at least partly from a lack of proper materials. Not that Mary wasn't a great teacher, he was sure, but the lessons only took place when she had time and Vin was in town.

Vin turned surprised eyes to him and asked, "What's this?"

Chris pushed up off the bed and hurried over to the table. Dragging the other chair over, he pulled out the books and started showing them to Vin. "See, this one's for your letters and numbers. I got you plenty of chalk, so make all the mistakes you want on your slate. That's at the bottom, see? And you have blank paper and lots of pencils when you want to practice on real paper. And when you're a little further along, you can go into this one here, see? It's got stories and geography and all kinds of things from history. I figured with Mary's schedule so busy, it'd go faster if you could just keep going when you were on your own, you know? And, well, there's me, too. I mean, I'm not so educated as Mary, but I can write and do some ciphering. If you want."

Chris had been prepared for anything from a punch in the jaw to the cold treatment for what Vin might perceive as an invasion of his privacy. It didn't matter that they'd been sharing blankets for a number of months. Vin still fiercely guarded his privacy and his independence. What Chris got was a spate of laughter the likes of which he'd never seen grip the tracker.

When Vin finally stopped laughing, wiping at his eyes, he gasped, "Chris, you are...somethin' else, partner."

Feeling a little insulted, Chris snapped, "Pardon me for tryin' to do something nice for a change."

"No, Chris, settle down," Vin ordered, still smiling. "I just meant, that's the most I ever done heard you say at one time. I never thought I'd get you to talk and it's for this."

Chris grimaced, not really mollified. "You can learn your own damn letters, if that's how you're going to be."

Vin was still smiling as he set aside his new books and walked over to his saddlebag. He brought back a small box and held it out to Chris. "I'm not sure you'll like it, but I reckon you might. Hope so, anyhow."

Surprised, Chris took the box and opened it up. The dull gleam of metal glinted inside and he frowned curiously as he lifted what looked to be a bracelet of thick chain links. It was singularly unremarkable in every way, as though someone had gone out of their way to tarnish it. He looked up at Vin and asked cautiously, "You got me an old chain?"

"For me," Vin replied, nodding as he held out an arm. "I figured a ring was just askin' for trouble, but wouldn't no one take a second look at that on my arm. You'd know that you put it there, though, and know I'm only for you now. It's probably stupid, but I didn't have enough money for nothin' else."

Taking a closer look revealed a cunning clasp hidden in the links. He silently put it around Vin's wrist and made sure it was secure before standing and kissing Vin fiercely. Vin groaned and kissed back, just as hungry. Before they could get too far, though, Chris pulled back and told him, "This is the best gift I ever coulda got, Vin. It's perfect."

That shy, heartbreaking smile surfaced and Vin asked, "Really?"

"Really," Chris answered firmly.

Vin stole a quick kiss before telling him, "I did have enough left over for one more thing."

Curious about the flush that rose on his lover's face, Chris prompted, "What's that?"

Vin returned to his saddlebag and came back with a mid-sized vial of what looked like the herbal oils Ezra used in his bath. Vin ducked his head a little and said, "Just don't tell Ezra what we use it for."

Chris laughed and tugged Vin towards the bed. "Not a damn chance on that, Tanner."

end

Notes:

This orphaned work was originally on Pejas WWOMB posted by author Nancy.
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