*Unsurprisingly, I found it difficult to keep my answer to a mere 500 words. This is 514 words long (sorry - okay, not really sorry, but sorry none-the-less). I have a version that is over 700 words and counting, but decided to cut it down before it got out of hand. Showing loneliness and some kind of sex act needs set up time and that takes words... From the specs I chose Ezra/Vin - because if I went with Ezra/Buck there would be a lot more conversation because, well, Buck just doesn't shut up. Vin's quiet in his loving (using words sparingly, but actions lavishly) so I could use the words for the challenge and not so much the talking thing. Of necessity, this is the no-frills version. If the version with all the options loaded turns out well, maybe I'll post it, too, one of these days.*

Cyc, thanks for organizing the challenge. And Dail, thanks for the challenge specs, I hope you enjoy it!

The saloon emptied and closed after midnight, but Ezra Standish still sat at his table in the pre-dawn hours leisurely shuffling the deck of cards in his hands. Eight days. Vin had been gone eight days, and while Ezra was not precisely worried, he was feeling a bit lonely for the taciturn tracker.

Now, Vin was gone, and not expected back for two more days at the very least. So Ezra sat alone by the light of a single candle, putting off going up the stairs to his cold and empty bed.

He turned over the top card. Ace of Spades. The card after that? King of Hearts. Folding them back into the deck he shuffled again. Ace of Spades, King of Hearts. He shuffled again. Ace of Spades, King of Hearts. It was almost meditative. He'd return the cards to the middle of the deck, shuffle them a few times, but those two cards always rose to the top of the deck, comforting him with their consistency.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and just before his wrists were grabbed in a strong but gentle grip stilling his hands. The scent of the outdoors, horse sweat, leather, and musk surrounded him.

"Vin," he breathed, more air than sound, sliding from the chair to stand on suddenly shaky legs.

"Here." Came the answer, chucked into his ear.

A short gust of breath and the candle sputtered and died, the tip of the wick glowing brightly for several long heartbeats before fading away in a wisp of smoke. In the darkness, eager hands stripped him of his jacket before burrowing into his clothing. Soon, he stood naked in the dark, his back cooling in the night air, but his front awash in the warmth pouring off the lean tracker.

Mouth open, he kissed and licked every bit of Vin he could find, tasting the salt and sweetness of his flesh. Vin was busy shaping Ezra's body with his strong lean fingers. They fit themselves together, pressing bare skin to bare skin from shoulders to knees. One of Vin's long, slender legs insinuated itself between Ezra's, until he was straddling Vin's thigh, moving his hips in a slow circular undulation.

They traded wet kisses as they found their rhythm. Ezra dropped his head to Vin's shoulder and sucked hard on the flesh there, biting down gently as he climaxed with a soft groan. Vin threw back his head and moaned deep in the back of his throat. A new wet heat spread between them. Holding each other close, breathing slowly returned to normal. Ezra hummed in quiet contentment.

Gently, the dark form that was his lover let go of Ezra and fumbled for a light. Striking a match, Vin lit the candle, allowing them to find and gather up their discarded belongings. Taking the candle with them, they crept silently up the stairs together to fall into Ezra's featherbed. Trading long slow kisses, Ezra felt the tension from the last week ease. Ezra and Vin fell asleep curled together, breathing synchronized.

The End

Story Specs from Dail

*Preferred pairings: Ezra/Vin, Ezra/Buck* *No-no pairings: Ezra/Nathan*
*Place of fic: Saloon, after hours*
*Tone of fic: Ezra's feeling lonely*
*Ezra's body spotlight: mouth*
*The act: frottage*