Title: Truth or Dare - Seven Style
Disclaimer: The only way I would ever own the Magnificent Seven is if I win a rather sizable lottery. I haven’t yet, but one of these days a string of sevens WILL win. I need only to wait.
Archive: If you want it go ahead, but tell me where please.
Warnings: Very minor damage, they should be back to normal in a few days
Type: March Challenge answer for Community Zero : Give any one of the seven a hobby the other six do not know about, until events conspire to bring it to their attention. Hobby must not be anything previously mentioned in other stories...i.e. no working at a shelter for Josiah, no piano playing for Ezra, no working with neighborhood kids for Vin. You get the idea. In essence I want to know what one of the boys does with his down time, and the reaction of the others when they find out. They aren't always working.
Rating: G
Pairing/Main Characters: no slash this time, All Seven 
Status: complete
AU: ATF
Notes: The guys decide to have a game of Truth or Dare, Seven Style.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Truth or Dare - Seven Style

It was a normal weekend for Team Seven after a long, semi-harrowing case. Thankfully, the case had resulted in no injuries more serious than a slightly twisted ankle. Suffered by Nathan no less. The team was celebrating by having a pleasantly drunken weekend at Chris Larabee’s ranch. None of them could actually explain later why their behavior had degenerated into the cheerful mentality of five-year-olds, except that it had seemed like a good idea at the time. They couldn’t claim that it was the alcohol, since they were at the pleasantly ‘buzzed’ stage, where motor controls were not affected and nearly everything seemed hilarious.

That was why, after thoroughly exhausting the usual ‘party’ games, it was decided that the ultimate game had yet to be played. The game called Truth or Dare. They had tried other games with various results. Buck had proven himself an able Twister player, claiming that it was his animal magnetism and the related extracurricular activities that kept him in shape. A debate between Josiah and Nathan had resulted in the declaration that JD and not Chris had won the Pin the Tail on the Donkey game. Chris had pinned the paper donkey, while JD had pinned Buck. Out of the three rounds of Musical Chairs Vin had won two rounds and Ezra one-and-a-half. This came about since Ezra had ended up on Vin’s lap instead of the chair. That game was then retired, and since Hide and Seek was out of the question, they had tried it before, and it was too dark to play tag; it was time for Truth or Dare.

This type of Truth or Dare was unique to Team Seven, for the sole reason that Ezra owned a colorful set of eight-sided dice. Each number up to seven corresponded to a person, while 8 meant ‘roll again.’ The first die was the person giving out the challenge, be it dare or statement of truth. The second die was the number of people the challenge would be directed to. Dice were then rolled to discover who the unfortunate recipients of the challenge would be.

As the evening wore on this resulted in some unforeseen results. The conga line had been done. Chris was wearing white. JD wore panty hose knotted into a tie around his neck. Vin’s hair was in braids and blue bows. Ezra had red toenails and had been forced to do traditional Indian dances with Vin and Nathan. Nathan had run around the house four times wearing nothing but socks and shoes. Josiah had to kiss the floor of each room. JD had played Romeo to Josiah’s Juliet. Buck had to give Chris’ horse a carrot using his teeth, while wearing a dress.

Then the first die rolled a 4 and the second rolled a 7.

“What do you guys say to doing ‘truth’ for a change?” Chris asked the group at large.

“A truly excellent idea Mr. Larabee.” Ezra said with a faint frown on his face as his toes cheerfully winked back at him. Similar words, grunts, and nods signaled the agreement, and six pairs of eyes turned to Josiah for the truth question.

Josiah thought for a moment. “Brothers, I should like to know what your hidden hobbies are.”

“Well, you go first Josiah.” Buck said hurriedly.

“Of course Brother Buck. Wildlife photography has been my passion since I was twelve.”

“That’s neat.” JD said enthusiastically, “Mine is pysanky, my mom taught me. It’s Ukrainian egg decorating with wax and dyes.”

“I rent movies and do Mystery Science Theater comments all the way through.” That was a surprise, since Nathan was the last person they had expected to like that.

“And I enjoy origami and Dragon Dice Tournaments.”

“Dragon Dice, Ez?” Chris asked.

“Dragon Dice,” Ezra confirmed. “The chance roll of the dice, and the challenge of maneuvering, waging, and winning wars. A truly stimulating game.”

“Origami, Ez?” Vin asked him curiously.

“Yes, I’ve been folding a crane for each person who lost their life on nine-eleven.” Ezra replied somberly.

“I like making pottery.” Chris said to break up the heavy moment of silence that had fallen. “And basket-weaving.” The rest of the men just looked at him. That was even stranger than Nathan’s hobby.

“I like caving” came the even more surprising hobby from Vin.

“Vin, you’re claustrophobic. Wouldn’t that be the last thing you’d like?”

“Nah, Nathan.” Vin answered. “I’m closet-phobic in the city, where the walls shut out the wind. But when I’m caving I’m one with the earth…. It feels… right.”

“What do you like to do Buck?” JD asked his roommate.

Then came the statement that made Team Seven decide that they’d had too much beer and it was time to sleep it off.

“I like… flower-arranging.”