Valentine's Day.

Less than a week away and as yet no spark of inspiration had struck, leaving no creative way to show his lovers just what they meant to him. Flowering poetry had no doubt seen it's day; the gracefully twining words having lost the vital spark of sincerity by the simple act of being trod out by route on the one day and only the one day of the year...

Besides which, he could hardly see either Buck or JD being flattered by overly cloying bits of rhyme and verse. Not that it would be in their nature to not appreciate such an offering, rather he could wish the words be his own and not borrowed declarations from a stranger long dead.

No, flowering poetry would simply not due.

Speaking of flowering, movement coming in from the hallway broke his self absorbed thoughts. Looking up, Ezra Standish had to sigh in mixed exasperation and dismay at the large array of roses all but suffocating the young delivery boy, currently scanning the offices right and left.

No doubt praying for a bit of assisance and timely rescue from his burden of florals and fluff, the ATF agent smirked in amusement. What was it about the holiday that sent normally indifferent men to such extremes?

Ah well. As the only member of Team Seven - or anyone else for that matter - in the offices at the moment, he might as well volunteer his services. It was either that or watch the man suffocate under the pile of greenery threatening to engulf him.

"May I help you?"

"Ah, yeah, " Looking in relief to where the negociator sat, just getting up from his desk, the kid fumbled with a piece of paper from his pocket, somehow managing not to drop flowers, teddy bears or boxed chocolates in the process. "You know where...ah, these go?"

Reading the names on his list, Ezra directed him to each of the ladies desks in question, raising a brow as one of the roses, a deep red one, was placed on Josiah's blotter.

"What about..." He checked the names frowning, "Ezra Standish?"

Jerking his head up in surprise from contemplating the preacher's rose, Ezra answered, "That would be me."

"Ah...right." It was clear he was confused but he handed the single pale yellow rose with a folded scrap of paper over anyway. Ezra took it automatically, a small thrill starting to warm it's way through him at the unexpected gift. As his fingers touched the stem, it increased to a pleasant hum of happiness. "JD Dunne?"

At this, the agent knew who the gifts were from. Apparently Buck was determined to celebrate the holiday for lover's with his own lovers, despite the risk involved. And despite the fact that he was currently out of town at a three day seminar down in Pueblo.

The rest of Team Seven knew about the three of them, of course; but no one else. For safety's sake in the field, they all wanted it to remain that way.

Nodding to JD's desk, Ezra unconsciously ran his thumb repeatedly over the stem in a soothing motion. Once a minute bit of flat surface had been found, he investigated the closed linen box tied sedately enough with a cream ribbon placed amidst the clutter.

The courier got his signature and tip and happily turned to leave, JD and Josiah passing him on their way in.

"What's this?"

"I believe a Stupid Cupid delivery," the negociator told him, smiling, referring to an earlier discussion of the holiday. According to Agent John Reilly, it was only a lover's holiday if you had a lover; otherwise Stupid Cupid could just as well stay at home. "You have an offering gracing your desk as well, Mister Sanchez."

Josiah chuckled in surprise at the rose, lifting it to drink in the sweet fragrance with blissful enjoyment. "You know, we really need to get John a date," he rumbled.

JD's snort of agreement was lost as the younger man undid the bow concealing his own gift. Raising the lid, his eyes widened at what lay revealed inside before drawing toge0ther in confusion. They both knew who it was from but the why of it must be a puzzle.

Leaning in, Ezra felt his own brows drawn in tandem.

Inside the box, lying on a bed of cream silk, rested nine white rose petals, perfectly formed and plucked from their host.

Suddenly Ezra chuckled. It was clear that the clever Mister Wilmington intended, not only pay homage to their lover's beauty but to his formidable intellect as well. But, if that were the case, surely his own gift was not as simple as it seemed. Unfolding the square of expensive cream colored linen, no simple scrap of paper then, the southerner read the words neatly written and sighed. Now what was the scoundrel up to?

'Keep the rose on your desk in a vase until it's time. Don't worry, you'll know.'

Raising an eyebrow to JD, the youth shook his head and sighed.

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see, Ez."

Wonderful. Given the inclination to the romantic in Buck, it was no mystery why that did not reassure him.

But despite the vague worry, a warm sense of belonging stayed with him the rest of the day.

The following day, Tuesday, saw another such delivery, this one much smaller in it's content. Except for a couple of the ladies on their floor, there wasn't much excitement.

Stepping out from the small cantina with a fresh cup of coffee, Ezra watched as another round of floral enticements was offered, this time with much of the Seven in attendance.

Once again Josiah got a rose, again in deep red. The preacher merely chuckled, enjoying the scent and got back to work, smiling happily.

It would seem that someone had a secret admirerer of his own.

Afire with curiousity, he returned to his desk. There he found two perfect roses of his own, tied together with a soft golden brown ribbon. Of a darker yellow, these two were the color of sunwarmed honey. Again there was a note attached on the same square of linen and he read the words with anticipation.

'Long before we were lovers, we were friends. Your friendship still means the world to me. Place this token of my affection with the other.'

"What are you up to, Bucklin?"

Indeed.

The speculative mutter was edged with a youthful sigh of impatience as JD regarded his own latest delivery. Inside another cream colored box, twelve petals this time of a soft velvety yellow resting on a bed of the same golden brown silk as the ribbon holding Ezra's roses. Chewing his lower lip softly, he looked from Ezra who's wide eyes claimed he found himself as much in the dark as his lover was, to Buck's desk, suspiciously empty. The youth didn't put it past Buck to have volunteered for that seminar on purpose, just to avoid the two of them until whatever he had planned was ready.

Well whatever it was, it was clear the older man had not let Ezra in it and intended them to work it out on their own.

Throughout the day work went on around them, everyone busy attempting to crack the Carver case before Andrew Carver had the chance to break out the illegal machine guns he had smuggled into the country onto the streets of Denver. The phones rang, leads were filtered and followed, the occasional suspect questioned, and though Townsend had thrown the first punch, Josiah had had no trouble in detaining the smaller man afterwards.

However, that eye would be looking impressive come nightfall.

Through it all, both Agent Standish and Agent Dunne had a total of three more deliveries each, much to the others open amusement. Again, Buck Wilmington's absense was suspiciously noted.

For Ezra, the first had been four roses, two more like the two this morning, a deep golden yellow, two a soft baby pink again tied together with a golden brown ribbon. There was no note.

For JD, another box of rose petals, this time a mixture of soft yellows and pinks again on golden brown silk. Fifteen.

Next came two roses for the negociator, both yellow, ringed and outlined in pink on each petal. And a soft pink ribbon. They were absolutely beautiful.

There was a note.

'Ever wonder when friendship turns to love?'

Cheeks tingling, Ezra placed these with the rest, still tied together in the vase on his desk. So far he had yellow, deeper yellow and yellow and pink. If this kept in the vein he was expecting, the next delivery, and there would be one, should be...ah yes.

Another box for JD, this one, as Ezra had half expected, filled with darker yellows and pinks, rich in vibrant color contrasting richly against each other on the soft pink silk.

Twenty two.

It was clear that JD had turned his full attention to the puzzle, working his way through the various ploys and angles before giving up for now and storing the box with the others, currently lining a cleared space at the edge of his desk so that he could look at them like a lodestone as his mind wandered. Occassionaly a soft smile could be found gracing his lips as his dark eyes caught the array of colors coming from within.

The last delivery of the day came just as the unfortunate Mister Townsend attempted escape from his guards; namely Mister Sanchez and Mister Tanner, both of whom, it would appear had had enough of the miscreant's antics. A sharp yelp and the man immediately lapsed into silence, rubbing his head as the tracker smiled smugly and the preacher sighed in relief.

"Ya didn't have to hit me so hard!"

Ezra spared a moment from the report he was signing to chuckle at the poor, indignant man who was none too gently hustled down the hall. It seemed a shame that he had given up so easily; Josiah's eye did indeed look impressive. Still is was for the best. There was no telling what the big profiler would do when truely...annoyed.

Returning to his casefile, the undercover agent sighed in satisfaction. One more report finished and only...

He sighed again. Five more to go.

In the meantime, he and JD eagerly awaited their next gifts. Though the southerner would never admit it, he was as much looking forward to these presents as the younger man was. There was a certain addiction and intoxication to receiving public tokens of affection from your lover and he for one was beginning to understand such an allure.

As he had suspected, his roses, this time there were four, were all in pink. One baby soft, two darker and one a deep rose, but all in pink, tied with a fuscia ribbon.

JD received the expected box, his petals, too, all in various shades of pinks, nestled atop fuscia silk. This time there were five.

Stopping by JD's desk, Ezra looked, assuring himself that noone was about before leaning in close to breath in JD mixed with rose-scent. "Have you figured it out yet?" Not knowing whether there was more to his own game beyond the coloring of the roses, Ezra was equally baffled by Buck's tactic with JD.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the hacker grinned, angling his head up so that brown eyes met green. "Pretty sure. At least I think so," JD laughed, shaking his head in exasperation at Buck, his eyes sparkling as they again rested on the five boxes opened as if tempting him with the mysteries housed within. "How 'bout you, Ez?"

"I must admit that where I have detected a certain, shall we say pattern, to the gifts, the nature of the puzzle still alludes me."

JD leaned briefly against his hip, and Ezra allowed himself a moment of luxury to bury his hand in the dark hair, his fingers carding the strands out away from the scalp. "It'll come to you. Buck's gone through a lot of trouble to court us different but equal, Ez. May not look it, but our message is the same."

The others were returning and Nathan smiled at the fingers still running through JD's hair as Ezra reluctantly moved away from his younger lover and JD opened his eyes.

The negociator sighed agreeably. "I suppose we will just have to see what the morrow may bring, Mister Dunne."

What Wednesday, the day before Valentine's, brought were more deliveries and the others were all getting into the act. And while they didn't - quite - stand ogling over the negociator's shoulder, Ezra found he had to supress the twitch to bat them away.

Three deliveries today, all of which only brought more mystery.

And once again Josiah received a single wine red rose.

Three roses for Ezra, again all in the darkest pink, but tied with red. Twenty five petals for JD, the same color, on red silk.

Fifteen deep pink and bright red petals on red silk for an excited JD, the youth blushing a deep shade of pink himself, the dark eyes bright with hidden knowledge. They came with four roses for Ezra, in darkest pink and bright red, tied with red. And a note.

'Or when love ignites passion?'

The last, twenty one petals of the brightest red, on deeper wine red silk and the youngest agent could be found taking Josiah's path and inhaling deeply, nose nuzzling the satin texture before pulling away. Ezra received the same brilliant red, the four stems tied with another dark wine red ribbon.

Mister Wilmington was indeed matching their gifts exactly if not exactly equally.

"Hey, Ez..." Vin Tanner nodded, his eyes asking the question before his voice could form the words. "I need your help."

Intrigued, Ezra put aside his Valentine's concerns in favor of helping a friend. "I am at your disposal, Mister Tanner. What can I do for you?"

Upon hearing just what it was that the sharpshooter required, Ezra broke out into a grin, gold tooth and dimples flashing as an idea suddenly occured to him. "Well then, " the negociator smiled, an arm about the taller man's shoulder guiding him to to JD's desk an the young man sitting there. "Perhaps we may of equal benefitial assisstance."

Tomorrow was Valentine's day. Loathe as the profiler was to admit Buck's mystery still eluded him, at least if he still had not solved the puzzle by then, it would hopefully be solved for him. And now, thanks to Vin, whatever it may be, he had the perfect gift in return...

He was late.

That was, later than usual, thanks to the three conspirators staying up into the wee hours of the morning. And he had not wanted to get out of bed.

A week of enforced seperation from one of his lovers and a voluntary absense of the other and Ezra was loathe to leave the confines of his own imagination and the vivid dreams provided therein.

But leave he did, almost with a sudden spring in his step as the negociator realized that Buck would be back from his week long seminar assignment as of late last night and presumably back in the office this morning.

February the 14th, St Valentine's Day.

A bright smile having erased his earlier dour mood found Ezra stepping out of the elevator on his own floor, nodding with another smile to Carys, a member of Team Eight, who grinned and winked in his direction.

So-ho...whatever it was the indominable Mister Wilmington had planned it had already been set into motion. Good. While he was suitably fond of games and had even enjoyed this last week of guesswork and speculation, Ezra now only wanted to spend time with both lovers alone. Somewhere they could express themselves in more than glances, notes and brief touches; no games, no leading clues or hidden agendas.

He had missed them, more than he thought he would be capable of missing anyone and he still had an entire day to endure.

Entering the open office area, the first thing that Ezra saw wasn't on his desk, but on Buck's. A small, soft bean bag teddy bear in chocolate brown complete with floppy cowboy hat and red bandana tied proudly around his neck. It could only have been from JD.

Moving closer, he found the textured material to be as smooth as pebbled silk and as soft as satin under his fingers and JD had even added a bushy mustache under the sewn and threaded nose.

"You gotta admit, " Vin drawled, having sidled over to his shoulder, "Suits him."

"That it does, Mister Tanner, that it does." Ezra chuckled.

"You an' the boys still comin' to the Saloon tonight?"

"I take it you have something planned for our illustrious leader this evening?" Taking in the black turtleneck and long sleeves, he added knowingly, "Befitting a crowd of mixed company, of course."

Vin chuckled at the wry eyebrow. "'Course, Ez. Only one likely to get caught in the crossfire's me. And Edna'll be there to watch my back..."

Well, then. There was noone more formidable than Judge Travis' secretary and if Vin saw fit the need to enlist the elderly woman's protections, then whatever the tracker had in mind, beyond what Ezra knew about, would guarantee the entertainment surely be worth the trip. Not even Mister Larabee found immunity from her sharp wit or pointed barbs. In fact, Ezra had often - privately, of course, no need in courting more danger than was absolutely necessary - felt that Edna should attach a cover charge whenever she walked into a room.

Life certainly had a tendancy to became a lot more interesting.

"Of course we are, Vin. Wouldn't miss it for the world." An arm encircled his shoulders as the owner of that voice dropped it an octave. "Would we, Ez?"

Those words aimed at him instead, Ezra felt his world slip back into place and the warm feeling from the last few days returned in force. Looking up slightly into those embracing, dancing eyes, the southerner found himself smiling, "Well now, Buck...the world is after all, such a large place. But I suppose I could find the time out of my - busy - evening schedule for a soujourne to witness whatever entertainment Mister Tanner has planned for us."

"That a yes, Buck?"

"Yep, that was a yes." Wilmington told the silent, laughing tracker, promising, "We'll be there."

"Good. Cuz I can't do it without Ez and JD."

"I am still here, Mister Tanner."

"Yeah - thought you had work to do, Standish." Tanner smirked. "At your desk, maybe?"

The pointed remark reminded him that he had yet to make it that far and the sudden aniticipation urged him to nod once in Vin's direction before moving to his desk, where he saw and understood at once, just what it was that Buck had been doing with the gifts.

On top of the pristine surface lay his roses. From pale yellow to pink to red, left to right, Buck had arranged them to spell out three words.

I love you.

And suddenly he understood. Understood everything. From the first beginnings of friendship to the faintest stirring of love, to the bloosoming of deep passion, Buck had colorized each of these stages with a rose, sending enough roses each delivery until the words could be spelled out using the roses themselves as letters of the alphabet...

Letters of the alphabet...

"JD's rose petals...they spell out the same thing." Ezra accused in delight. "The number of petals in each box correspond to a letter in the alphabet."

"Told ya, Ez." JD told him, standing in close.

The deep voice smiling, Buck ducked his head until his breath huffed against Ezra's ear, "Happy Valentine's Day, Ezra Standish."

Smiling back at the warmth of love in both sets of brown eyes, fingers caressing the petals, touching the message that had touched his heart, Ezra returned, "Welcome home, Buck. Welcome home."

The day ticked by in a haze of anticipation and the slow crawl of hours that.

Would.

Not.

End.

Work, following paper trails, wrapping up reports and profile assessments, then on to the Saloon for a few drinks and a couple of hours spent laughing among friends. While normally this was an event he looked forward to, tonight it dropped almost to the level of a burden to be endured until he could usher his lovers home and make love to them, taking his time and savoring every bit of skin, cry of pleasure and moan of delight.

It was Valentine's Day, Buck was home, and he and JD had not so much as touched their lips together in all the time their partner had been gone. Not that they could not, but they had decided to wait, drawing out the anticipation in order to provide their lover a homecoming he would long remember.

Absence did indeed make the heart grow fonder and there was no fonder heart at this moment than that of Ezra Standish as he gazed across the office at the two men cheerfully arguing over the last of Nathan's freshly baked cookies. The healer didn't bake often, but when he did, there was always the inevitable rush and stampede as otherwise mature and reserved agents made sure to get at least one of Nathan's heavenly confections.

Ezra had played it smart; the wiley agent had gotten his portion early, before the others had returned from - elsewhere. And if the various errands they had been sent on turned out to be nothing more than an assortment of wild goose chases, well...he had never said that the information he had passed them all had been infallible.

Or even necessarily the truth, for that matter. His smile, very discreet, of course, turned smug. A small price to pay really for garnering his own bounty while keeping his dignity intact.

He had given Buck and JD his offering for the holiday, an original, if somewhat modest poem sparked by the notes Buck had sent to him along with his roses, just before lunch. This of course, had then led to an all too brief tease in the cantina where the few kisses and embraces the three had managed to steal had not been nearly enough. A tease that only served to enflame them all further.

There was no telling where the true gift, to be delivered later that night and in private, would lead them. Ezra merely hoped that the effect would be one of erotic sexuality rather than comedic hiliarity. Vin had taken one look and slyly assured him that they had nothing to worry about.

Mid-afternoon, JD twice sent out dedications via the local radio station the team regularly tuned into for background music to the office chatter; once to Buck and once to Ezra. The undercover agent could only admire the wide range of musical knowledge the younger man possessed, both to know what each respective lover would enjoy the most and to be able to come up with a song that would fit each of them and himself in turn.

Although in the end, due to the limitations inherant in listening to only one station, they hadn't truely been that far apart.

For Buck it had been their song, the first song Buck and JD had danced to, years ago on JD's 18th birthday. Their first step toward embracing the love that had immediately grown out of a friendship that had started four years earlier than that. JD had only been fourteen when they had met, but Buck had fallen then and there; and he had fallen hard.

As the last notes of The Keeper of the Stars died away Ezra had seen the tears being blinked back as Buck caught JD's eyes across their desks, and had been forced to blink back tears of his own.

Those two had always loved each other, and always would. Nothing, no power on this earth would ever be enough to change that. When Ezra had joined them, it had not changed, only shifted to include three rather than two.

For Ezra, while he feared something with a dreadful twang to it, JD had pleasently surprised him by the sweet strains of guitar, mandolin and violin. Paying special attention to the song itself, he was soon lost in the subtle strength of emotion the deceptively sad words managed to convey.

Like Buck, Ezra had fallen hard but thanks to the unexpected core of JD's strength and a maturity beyond his years, he hadn't been hurt by hitting the ground. And Buck's heart had been big enough for two.

Smiling at JD, Ezra let his pleasure show as his song ended. Trust the first thing he had noticed about the southerner to be the fact that sometimes Ezra needed that time to soar unfettered and to find the perfect song to express that.

"What was that lovely piece of music, JD?"

"When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek."

"It was beautiful, thank you," Ezra knew his eyes said much more than that and that JD would understand. Of course, later he would make sure that there could be no doubt as to the exact level of Ezra's gratitude and appreciation of his gift.

"Thought you'd like it, Ezra," he beamed.

"Suits ya." Buck nodded.

Struck dumb by the light shining out of the older man's eyes, Ezra swore, muttering softly. "Will this damnedable day never end?"

As the rogue and the hacker laughed at his frustration, their boss exited his office, pinned all around with a look and declared the end to Ezra's torment.

"5 o'clock quittin' time, gentlemen. I'm tired a seein' you all mope around like lovesick cows." Larabee glared. "Get out of my offices."

"Hey now, Chris. That anyway to treat yer fellow mopers?" Buck called cheerfully, eliciting a wince from Josiah, a groan from Ezra and a hissed, "shut up Buck!" from JD.

"Yes." The glare increased a notch. "Go home."

"Can't do that, brother."

"Don't you remember, Chris?" Glancing at the preacher reclining smugly in his chair, left eye shining in neon technicolor splendor, Nathan added, "we all promised to help Inez at the Saloon tonight."

"Big night for peacekeepin'," JD grinned, knowing that Chris had obviously had other plans by the tightening of his lips and the vein threatening to pop out of his head. And that Vin had plans in mind for Larabee other than those.

"We can't leave Miss Inez to handle it all by herself, cowboy." Vin stated firmly, glancing at Ezra for help.

Answering the unspoken desperation, the conman chimed in, "Indeed. I am sure there will be plenty of time for other activities - such as sleep..." Ezra added innocently, "once the first round of would be Romeo's deliver with drunken belches, what are sure to be amorous words of undying love in a vain effort to pass themselves off as the ultimate icons of romance and refinement. Someone a perfect stranger should feel priviledged to go home with. After that, surely we shall be superfluous and may retire ah...home as we see fit." That was added a trifle cautiously as the vein above Larabee's eye began to pulse.

A growl. "Ezra?"

A flash of gold as Ezra grinned. "Shutting up now, Mister Larabee."

"Easy Chris," Buck chuckled. "Before ya bust somethin'."

"Before you're supposed to." Muttered low, Vin's lips twitched.

Finally Larabee gave in. No doubt the sooner this was done, the sooner...

Grabbing his coat from the hook, the leader stalked back into his office for his keys. "Let's get this over with."

The 'getting this over with' started with everyone except Vin and Chris heading back home for a change of clothes before dinner at the Saloon, it still being much too early for any serious trouble to start brewing.

A few songs from Jason and the band later and JD was laughingly hauled up on stage to relieve Terry, the lanky blond grabbing a chair a few tables from the agents where a lovely young lady sat chatting and laughing with a couple of girlfriends.

As could only be expected, most of the songs were slow tonight, interupted by something wild and charged only when it was no longer possible to stomach the cloying ballads a moment more.

Only a small handful of beligerent patrons had needed to be dealt with, Buck, Chris and Josiah sending them safetly into the night and back into the arms of their families tucked into the back seat of a cab; their keys firmly locked in the safe behind the bar until morning.

It was a wild evening with Vin and Ezra joining JD and the band at one point so that Vin could deliever his own surprise for Larabee himself. Noone would ever forget the look on Chris' face for a long time to come when JD picked out the first notes and the sharpshooter had growled out the first line of Bad to the Bone.

Definitely wild, definitely carefree...

And only the beginning of what Ezra hoped would turn into an even wilder night.

"You did this...for me?"

Clearly stunned, the quiet voice shook slightly as large hands ran slender fingers over the glossy surface. Back at the farmhouse, the 8 X 10 photographs Ezra and JD had presented to him as their final gifts, three in all, lay spread on the coffee table, staring up at him.

"We thought you'd like them."

Hearing the slight disappointment in the words, facilitated no doubt by the fact that Buck had yet to say anything more or to pull his eyes away from their image on paper, Ezra came up behind JD, pulling him into a light embrace. Not that there was any doubt in the profiler's mind that Buck did indeed 'like them'. But then, Ezra was more adept at reading people and the blank look the man had gotten after the second photo would have been a little disturbing if he hadn't known what to look for.

Now, the third and most revealing image had left the older man struck dumb and mostly speachless.

Namely the two of them naked, twined and wrapped ingeniously - and quite concealingly - around each other so that not one bit of genital nudity was present. The form that their bodies created, woven together, was nothing less than stunning on the black and white finish.

Vin had done a wonderful job capturing them, if Ezra did say so himself.

Light and shadow chased each other, hiding in a dip of muscle there, exposing the curve of bone here. Ezra particularly admired the way the light caressed the honest lines of JD's face while the shadows played with his own expression, deepening and darkening the hint of sexual mischief displayed in his own smile.

At least that's what I remember thinking when Vin took the picture, Ezra grinned, moving closer to JD, resting his chin on his shoulder, his arms engulfing the slender body. That Buck was in serious trouble when he arrived home.

"Indeed." Amused, his honeyed voice emerged, somewhat reproachfully, from over JD's shoulder. "We are waiting, Mister Wilmington."

"These...I mean, I don't rightly know how..." Raising his gaze from the photograph, the eyes were suspiciously moist as he saw them there, waiting for his approval. "They're beautiful."

Feeling the body in his arms relax, Ezra chuckled lightly into his ear to low for anything but a whisper of air. "I told you."

Not knowing what Buck would think about such a graphic display, not to mention where he would be able to put them, JD hadn't been at all sure about the idea Ezra and Vin had hatched between them. Now, looking at the love literally shining from the soft gaze, Ezra was glad he had managed to calm his own inital nerves enough to go through with this gift.

Reaching them, the taller agent loomed gently over them both, the same fingers that had caressed the photographs now warmly cupping the kid's cheek. "You're beautiful..." Buck repeated, the timultuous smile shifting to Ezra and his eyes softened further as he breathed, "...both of you..."

Long arms circled them both, wrapping the three into a warm, welcoming embrace as Buck's lips descended to catch JD's, Ezra pressing the young man up against the lanky body in front of them with the simple expediency of tightening his own hold on Wilmington's waist. JD sighed into the kiss, his own arms happily pulling the dark head down to deepen the contact.

Groaning, reluctantly pulling away for air, Buck laughed happily, resting their foreheads together. "Damn, kid, you're gonna kill me..."

"Not when I just got ya back..."

Smiling, Buck started to lean forward for another kiss, only Ezra pulled himself and JD away prompting the older man's protest as he tried to follow.

"Ezra..."

However, the southerner was not one to be dissuaded.

A week's worth of seperation, voluntary or not had left Ezra determined to drive the mischief-making scoundrel to the point of - and then beyond - sanity. He fully intended on using every ounce of skill he had ever possessed in order to see to it that Buck never pulled another stunt like this one again in his life.

Or, to make it perfectly clear, that, next time, they would be going with him or he would not be going!

JD had agreed; more, the hacker had resolved to do the same. Together they would use touch, scent, taste, sight and sound to drive their older lover past the point of restraint. Past the point of forming any semblence of rational thought.

Of any thought at all.

"I do not believe so, Mister Wilmington." The green eyes teased, Buck looking into eyes that blazed with inner fire as the shorter man placed a single finger to the mustached lips. "Mister Dunne and I have plans. Tonight we fully intend on ravishing you." The sparkle was now gone, hidden behind seductively hooded eyes, slyly challanging. "That is, if you're good."

Buck started to protest - he had had plans, dammit! All of which involved romancing both men into satisfied and completely relaxed puddles of their former selves. He was supposed to be the one doing the ravishing!

Only to have those protests die as JD wrapped arms around his waist, the youth chuckling and nipping a shoulder blade through his shirt from behind.

The last, a mere whisper of breath, was stolen as the undercover agent in front slipped his hands beneathe the dark wine cotton to carress the smooth slope of his back. A low moan was muffled by the hot mouth on his as the deceptively civilized hands cupped his butt beneathe the dark grey fabric of his jeans.

"Are you, Mister Wilmington?" The wiley agent almost purred. "Are you good?"

Green eyes caught and held dark blue, dazed and made black with passion. Never releasing the visual hold, slowly, the hands left his jeans and his shirt was removed, brushing over hollowed shoulders, sliding down leanly muscled arms until it fell to the floor.

"Might as well give in Buck, " JD advised firmly, nose trailing down the now exposed line of Buck's spine, breaking the trance and making him gasp and shiver in reaction. "Not takin' no for an answer. Tonight you're ours."

"Aw hell..." The dark head fell back, allowing Ezra access to his throat as he bared it in submission. A wry smile settled softly on lips slightly parted. He still had his plans.... Maybe for Ezra's birthday... "Never could say no to you. I'm yours."

"Never doubt that, Buck." JD smiled, breathing into his ear.

"I think it is time, gentlemen, that we move this to the bed." Standish raised a trademark eyebrow pointedly. "That is, unless you do not mind rug burns on certain tender parts of your anatomy, Buck."

"That right?" Wilmington drawled. "Lead on fancy man."

At the amused chuckle, Ezra bit back a moan and glared, firmly clinging to his plans. As much as the negociator's knowing air and elaborate wording was Buck's weakness when it came to Ezra, simply the larger man's voice was his. Damn if the sultry, husky tone itself could not melt glass.

It would serve Buck right if he did indeed persuade them to take him there on the floor, rug burns and all.

But no, JD had planned something special for the charmer while they stopped off earlier to change and Ezra would see the look on Buck's face when he caught sight of the preparations in the bedroom.

Iin the end it wasn't difficult to persude Buck out of his clothes; amazing really what one could accomplish when the focus of one's efforts stood stunned in the middle of his bedroom floor.

Staring.

At the multitude of flickering candles JD had lit, throwing soft light and shadows around the room, highlighting Ezra's roses in glasses they had placed in singles and groups of two or three, spaced on every available surface. At the silk sheets and nothing else that covered the large bed; silently beckoning in the muted candlelight glossing and softening the slick sheen.

And finally, dusted and sprinkled across the sensuous material were the rose petals Buck had studiously plucked and sent to JD - soft, velvet texture resting atop the silk.

Even now, gloriously nude, Buck continued to stare, eyes moving from one rose to another; from the bed to the pillows, also covered in silk, piled high at the head.

"Buck?"

"yeah?" Barely managing an answer, Buck turned his head to JD only to have his lips caught in a demanding kiss, his body held imobile as JD plundered his mouth before breaking contact, keeping him off balance.

"We missed you."

Smoothly and without warning, Ezra sank to his knees, going down on him.

With a shout Buck froze and shuddered, the lanky body shivering at the warmth and suction attacking his senses. Moving behind their lover, JD held him upright, providing support by winding his arms around the slender hips, between his legs and curving his hands around his thighs.

Desperately moaning a protest Buck tried to stop them, to tell them it was too much; over too soon. A week's worth of physical denial and it was all catching up to him as the intense suction sent pleasure zapping like lightning through his body, centered at his groin.

"...JD...Ez...please!..." He whimpered, just barely remembering to keep the hands tangling themselves in the chesnutt hair gentle as his hips twitched and jerked of their own accord, lost in the stimulation. The touch, the muted heat of their bodies against his skin.

They were still fully clothed and JD used the soft texture of his flannel shirt, the rough friction of his jeans against the exposed skin, to drag more cries from the older man, rubbing and thrusting slightly. Rocking slowly, suggestively, JD nipped at his ear, firmly pressing against the slender body with his own as Buck violently shuddered again.

One finger ghosted with purpose between the bare cheeks surprising to Buck cry out sharply, and Ezra drank the last of him. While the southerner continued to nuzzle, JD rained kisses across the back and shoulders, giving the exhausted man a chance to catch his breath.

"Ambush." He accused weaklly.

"Yes."

Moving back up Buck's body, Ezra paused only long enough to kiss the panting lips before leading them to the bed. Once there, they lay him down, Buck's skin sliding, their clothing catching the silk surface as they hovered, covering him, to caress, touch, nip and kiss their fill. They wound their hands in his, tangling their fingers together, lightly restraining him as he panted and moaned, fighting to keep from crying out at the sensual enslaught. Their thumbs caressed the soft inside of his wrists while lips, tongues and teeth nipped and plundered the rest of the vulnerable body lying open and pliant to them.

Once their errant lover had been sufficiently marked to their mutual satisfaction, they released their hold, allowing Buck's hands to fall to his sides as they made sure to trail their fingers each down a seperate leg; down the thigh, past the knee, alternately blazing a trail of fire and tingling chills in their wake.

Suddenly Ezra chuckled, the velvety purr a soft rumble of menacing humor. "Damned shame I don't have my camera, Buck," he sighed, his hands marking a return trail of fire.

Or was it the words, not the hands, that caused him to shiver?

Settling down for only a moment, the gambler gazed directly into those dark eyes, knowing the effect his tone, his words, the evil gleam in his eyes was having on Buck. His hands caressed, took possession of the older man's body and he stated, "Maybe next time. But for now..." The southerner licked his lips. "I have other things I need to capture besides your beautiful body on film."

To Buck's surprise and frustration, instead of more of those addictive touches, Ezra chuckled at his protest and pulled away.

Moving down the bed, Ezra left him propped up on the pillows and reached for JD. Engaging in several deep, thurough kisses, they ignored the heated gaze for the moment to focus solely on each other. Pausing only long enough between kisses to remove a shirt here, a pair of pants there, another shirt...

And it really was a damned good thing that Ezra's pants were so well made. Otherwise JD would have had the black slacks in tatters, pieces thrown to the floor. As it was, the younger man didn't stop until they were both completely naked and he took Ezra's face in his hands and claimed his mouth, lips, teeth and gums.

Ezra could only mummph and groan in pleasure as JD was all over him, arms and hands everywhere. Both men on their knees, their bodies fitting together like two pieces of the same puzzle, in contrast to the kid's passion, the profiler's hands traced soothing, wandering trails across the pale skin of ribs, chest and hips. Breaking for breath, Ezra wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller body and JD fitted himself snuggly into the hollow made by Ezra's wide legged stance on the bed.

As dark, smoldering eyes watched from the pillows, the pair made love, kissing, embracing, until the negociator moved behind JD, turning him towards their watcher. Long, elegant fingers penetrated the tight body; probing, illiciting deep groans and lusty murmurs from the youth. After what seemed like hours of teasing, when Ezra finally entered him, JD moaned and reached back with one arm to capture and pull the smug features to him in a kiss. The throaty chuckles turned to moans as the hacker's clever fingers buried themselves in the thick chestnutt hair and their tongues dueled and twined together.

Buck kept his eyes open, needing to watch them, to burn into memory the sight of each lover's pleasure. Needing to see the way JD would gasp and arch, biting his lip, his eyes snapping open to flutter closed whenever Ezra hit that one spot. The way Ezra shuttered every other emotion aside, the conman's concentration becoming intense, intent on savoring the waves of pleasure that shifted through him whenever JD took him deep inside.

Watching them together, at their heavy cries of pleasure, the slap of their bodies rocking together, Buck felt his own body flush and tighten. Uttering a low moan as, in desperation, JD broke the kiss, gasping, Buck began to touch himself, slowly. Using the rediscovered leverage to get more movement, JD began rocking back on the older man as Ezra pushed forward, increasing their rythym.

Once again facing Buck, JD caught what he was doing. As his eyes caught Buck's, his youngest lover approved with a wicked smile and closed his eyes, once more increasing the pace.

In responce, the southerner tightened his hold on the lean body in front of him, burying his face in the muscles of JD's shoulder, his hands snaking around to curve under the strong thighs, holding JD in place.

They moved together for long moments, once more aware of the smoldering gaze. Not quite as lost in each other as Buck lay back and continued to touch himself lightly, enjoying the sight of his lovers uninhibited display, they watched him watching them. Hypnotized, caught in the seductive power of their flushed and knowing gaze, Buck couldn't look away.

The moment seemed to go on forever, intensity increasing by degrees until Ezra warned huskily, "JD."

"Don't stop, " the youth panted, his brown eyes holding, never once leaving Buck's even as his body rocked with the impact. A few wild thrusts later and Ezra cried out desperately, slowed, and then stilled, panting against his sweat-slick skin. His arms still pinned JD to him and he nuzzled an ear.

"Get him ready for me."

At JD's command, Ezra opened his eyes. The green gaze as he looked over the shoulder at Buck, their lover himself well on his way to ready, was heavy with amusement and desire, banked but by no means extinguished.

"A pleasure." A kiss to the youth's already kiss-swollen lips and the Ezra was moving back up the long body offering the same treatment to those second set of lips, wrapping heavy arms around Buck's waist.

JD settled down to watch, giving his own body a chance to cool down.

Swallowing the needy moans and pleas that the touch of his fingers, his limbs created on Buck's already oversensitized skin, Ezra made love to the lanky body, inch by inch until he once more faced their lover's arousal. Other than one apologietic kiss to the head, which ended with Buck emitting a groan and clutching the bedsheets, the younger man ignored it, focusing instead on the small hidden opening beyond it.

With slow, patient probes, Ezra used his fingers to prepare Buck for JD's possession, thruroughly working the little opening until the older man was nearly incoherent with frustrated desire. Only when Buck's head thrashed back and forth on the pillow did Ezra deem the man had suffered enough and, placing the oil aside, with another wicked grin nodded to JD.

Laying on the bed, Ezra drew Buck onto his hands and knees to straddle his hips, leaving the other man hovering over him. Their eyes locking together, Buck's expression softened into a tender smile, his lips barely brushing Ezra's as the profiler's arms raised to twine around his neck, only to slide back down under his arms and around his back. Deepening the kiss, Buck lowered his upper body to wrap the southerner up in his arms, leaving his butt invitingly in the air.

Stroking his hip gently, JD placed a kiss between his shoulder blades as he pressed inside him, sighing as Buck cried out softly into the kiss.

The overwhelming heat and pressure of one lover inside of him, the scent and taste of the other around him, left him dizzy. All Buck could do was to kiss his lover, to allow Ezra to take possession of his mouth while JD took possession of the rest of his body...

Hovering agonizingly close to the edge, it wasn't enough.

Buck gasped for more and with one last kiss, Ezra granted his request.

Pausing a moment to allow him to switch positions, JD rubbed the damp body, loving the way Buck trembled under his touch. Now, with Ezra turned the other way, his mouth under the older man's erection, the southerner could spend all the time he wanted slowly driving Buck insane.

JD chuckled as evidently, with a muttered curse, Buck came to the same conclusion. But then, two could play at that game and Ezra almost screamed as Buck swallowed him completely on the first run.

Despite Buck's earlier protest, they took the time to lazily taste and arouse each other, and JD picked up the rythym; slowly thrusting into Buck, rocking him down on Ezra until both men were leaking a constant, steady combination of muffled gasps, moans and sounds that weren't readily identifiable, at least not with the relatively few braincells JD had left.

Knowing it was almost time, he stilled, panting, reining in the rush, wanting to hold onto this moment as long as he could, needing it to last forever, knowing it had to end.

Taking advantage of the respite, Ezra turned his attention to the flesh above him, expanding his range to include them both. Licking, sucking and gently nipping both men as they gasped and groaned above him, placing a last kiss on the sweetly dangling flesh, Ezra commanded gently, "Move, JD."

Breaking the moment at the demand, with a goan JD again began to move, slowly increasing the depth and speed of his thrusts.

Moaning in pleasure at the renewed pressure and friction, Buck returned to the colomn of flesh under him, licking and sucking willfully. Sighing below him, Ezra did the same; with every bob of his head, his hair brushing, tickling the inside of JD's thighs as the younger man increased his speed, crying out as Buck shifted back to meet him.

It couldn't last and it didn't. With seperate cries, Buck and JD almost came together, Erza burying his nose as best he could into the jerking groin, swallowing greedily.

JD collapsed on top of Buck, the older man grunting a mock protest that had the younger giggling, but JD did slide off, moving over enough so that Ezra could crawl up between them. Together they kissed the southerner senseless, Buck's mustache tickling a little as he cleaned Ezra's cheek of a drop or two that he had missed, diving into his mouth to taste himself there. Pulling back out with a grin, he then offered it to JD, kissing the kid breathless and laughing.

"Do it, Ezra." The rough silk rumble drew over him as Buck finished cleaning himself off of the gambler, throwing a leg between Ezra's as Ezra was torn between touching himself and touching them. The low rumble dropped deeper, almost shy and his cheeks flushed a little darker with the plea. "I want to see the look in your eyes when you come for me."

That did it.

The sexy growl combined with a groan from JD as the younger man passionately kissed him was all it took. Gasping as the pleasure took control and the fire overwhelmed his brain, the last thing Ezra remembered was JD's lips on his as Buck's hand wrapped around his own...

The last thing he reemebered whas the three of them having fallen asleep comfortably piled and snuggled against each other - and now...

Someone was looking at him. He feel the regard as a solid weight against his skin; heavy and comforting.

One green eye cracked open.

Raising up on an elbow, Buck peered down at the conman with an expression Ezra could not identify. It was heavy but not smothering; measuring but not in the least judgemental. It was more as if the older man had realized something about the southerner and it had captured his attention. He felt JD stir beside him, one hand trailing over his hip in idle patterns.

As Buck continued to stare and JD continued to trace his skin without truely touching, Ezra was slowly and not so slowly being driven insane.

"Buck?" The question came out as a gust of breath and not at all steady as he had hoped.

But it did serve to break the older man out of whatever trance he had been in. Joining their lover's caressing of Ezra's body, Buck began placing one slow kiss after another on the sweatslick skin of his neck, his shoulders, the touch of his lips punctuated by words. "'Your friendship'." He kissed his eyes. "'Your love'." Catching his lips, Buck pulled back to look at him, Ezra suddenly breathless under the tender assault of that voice and the love that shone out of his eyes.

"'Your passion." JD added, placing his mouth in the middle of Ezra's chest, lips kissing him before resting a cheek over his heart, his arms around his waist, one hand still lightly exploring. "'In your eyes, your arms'..."

"'I am found.' " Buck declared. Green eyes wide in surprise, Buck's intense gaze caught him and wouldn't let him look away. This was his poem. The one he had given them earlier that day. "'Neither silk nor satin nor batton - could cradle my soul as tenderly'."

"'As your smile'..." He felt JD's smile against his skin, placing another kiss to his chest. "...'your heart. The generosity of your spirit'."

"'A child found in your laugh'." Buck kissed him again, mouth diverting back to his eyes, over his cheeks, the tip of his nose.

JD moved up, capturing Buck's and then Ezra's mouth for himself, a firm, reassuring possession. "'A man in your convictions'."

They spoke together. "'A lover in your body'." He and Buck moved together to touch him, blanketing his body lightly with their own; their hands caressing, both soothing and fiery trails as they returned his words to him, the wash of their voice holding him.

"'Curled so wonderfully against mine'," Buck whispered, one long leg sliding over his, the light hairs pulling, tickling the skin of his inner thigh. The husky voice chuckled right at his ear, nose nuzzling into his hair.

As JD nuzzled the other side. "'The sweet huff of your breath'." He blew into his ear, sending shivers down his body and a gasp escaping his lips.

"'Warm against my cheek in a moment of quiet celebration'." Buck nuzzled his cheek accordingly, the light stubble rasping erotically against his own smooth skin.

They were working him into a fever's pitch and Ezra was clutching the bedsheets in his hands. Almost on the edge, desperately wanting to fall but not willing to give them up just yet.

"'Electric against my skin in a moment of unbridled passion'." Ezra gasped then and shuddered, moaning as the wandering hands found his shaft, sifting and carding between his legs, around his balls and down further.

"JD!" He turned pleading eyes to the youth who smiled and kissed him again, nipping his chin before returning to nuzzle his neck.

Buck watched the dark head taste Ezra's skin with his teeth, leaving a mark quickly soothed. His voice was huskier than normal when he spoke, love and lust warring in his eyes as he watched Ezra shiver. Once again the southerner couldn't look away. He was caught by the fierce intensity he found there.

"'All of these things and more'..."

"'I have found in you'..."

"'Never to part'..." Buck told him, and the words took on the finality of a vow. Turning the negociator onto his side, facing the younger, Buck moved in behind him, long arms wrapping around both of his lovers. "'Until we find each other again'."

"'Joined as we are now'," JD brought both himself and Ezra to completion with a wild gasp of his own as Ezra cried out briefly. Buck entered Ezra with one glide and came with them.

"'Into the next life', " Ezra breathed faintly, dazed and drained by the intensity of the experience.

Curled atop sheets dusted with a scattering of multicolored rose petals, cradled and cuddled together, the three men drifted into sleep.

End

Author's note: Ezra's poem is something I wrote while working out Buck's notes and I have no idea where the words came from. Normally when the muse strikes and I don't have pen and paper handy, I lose whatever she sends, but this time the words stayed. I've added the entire poem whole here; I hope you enjoyed it.

Lover's Gift

Your friendship
Your love
Your passion,
In your eyes, your arms, I am found
Neither silk nor satin not batton
Could cradle my soul as tenderly
As your smile
The warmth of your heart
The generousity of your spirit
A child found in your laugh
A man in your convictions
A lover in your body
Curled so wonderfully against mine
The sweet huff of your breath
Warm against my cheek in a moment
Of quiet celebration
Electric against my skin in a moment
Of unbridled passion
All of these things and more
I have found in you
Never to part
Until we find each other again
Joined as we are now
Into the next life

-- Sam