Notes: I got a treat in my inbox, totally unexpectedly (of course) from a dear lady who asked why didn't I write more, and after nearly fainting away from Shock, I let that spur me to try my hand
Notes 2: This ain't my story of Ezra Under the Cursed Mistletoe and every man in 4C's beggin' fer a kiss, 'cept Chris, who can't understand
what Yosemite can offer Ez that *he* can't, and he's about to slap leather
Notes 3: This was meant to be a humorous piece. some of the banal dialogue, thus:
(apologies to the episode "Love and Honor")
Josiah to JD:
"Now, what Chris wants to do is focus on the heart's lighter side-- the poetry of talkin' to a Southern Gentleman, bestowin' a kiss on the
silkiness of his hand."
JD to Josiah: "Huh? Ezra's got a silky hand?"
Josiah to Buck: "You explain it to him."
Buck to JD: "Chris is gonna have ta concentrate on the Purity Hidden in Ezra's Soul, you know. the Purity that shines outten his purty green
eyes."
JD blushes in confusion.
Nathan continues, "Ezra demands his lover worship him. making love to Ezra's like a sacrament."
You won't see that here. At least in this terrible thang. Onward. better yet, read some Mac Cready stuff, 'stead.

Standish-Tanner Apartment
7:23 p.m.

Ezra, pleasantly replete after his dinner of Costolette di Maiale alla Pizzaiola, carciofi al tegame alla romana, and funghi arrostiti, burped delicately behind his hand. He winked at his partner leaving his chair at the end of the table. The man shuffled over to drop a kiss upon his brow.

He tugged down gently at Vin's earlobe and sniffed at the man's damp hair. Ah. Roses and Lavendar shampoo. Ezra willed the sneeze back down into just a tiny tickle under his tonsils.

Vin had spent $5.32 on nine marked down bottles at his favorite thrift store. I may be... allergic.

Rolling his eyes, he kissed the crinkly laugh lines around Vin's right eye, then using the tip of his tongue, sampled the smeared bit of olive oil dribbling down Vin's chin.

Precious messy eater.

He looked on fondly as Vin rubbed his expanding tummy. "You wantin' dessert?" Ezra asked, groaning. Well, of course, Vin wanted some. Du-uh?

Hamming it up, he splayed his hands over his flat belly, trying in vain to rise from his chair.

"I'll git it. You set ya self back down, Sweetpea," and Vin plodded in stocking feet to the refrigerator, swiping the corn relish, chile con queso dip, the jalopeno ketchup, and the ice-tea pitcher out of his way, to retrieve the foil-wrapped dessert.

Stumbling, burping, ("scuse me"), he divvied out rounded portions of Panettone bread pudding into cereal bowls. "Sauce, Ez?"

"Aw.. why not?"

The rich, sweet, creamy mascarpone oozed. It streamed over Vin's stubble, meandered down the sleek chin, and spidered into the grooves of his slender neck. "Mr. Tanner, you're dribbling," he said, trying to leer, peaking his tongue out between lips.

"Aw, Ez, this panny tone's dee-lish, but sure don't compare with you. You're the sweetest thang I know."

Ezra snickered at the compliment, "Thank you, darlin'."

A few food-orgasmic moments later, Vin and Ezra stacked china, cutlery and glasses into the shallow kitchen sink. Vin squirted soap into rushing hot water and washed up while Ezra played with a tea-towel, concentrating on the woven picture of pies steaming in an open window.

"Ez, save them leftovers, huh? Yore Eye-talian cookin's so good, I wanna have it ag'in fer breakfast with mah aigs."

Ezra's eyes slightly boggled, but reaching into the cupboard he found the wrap and slipped foil over the remains, chucking them into the refrigerator. Vin left the sink, wiped down the range top, "Put them dishrags back in that drawer, Ez-Rah!"

Vin turned back to the corner of the counter to set the timer on the coffee-maker while Ezra furtively slurped down the rest of the grilled mushrooms, and eased the empty dish into the sudsy water, rinsing his oily fingers.

"There's one more platter," he announced, "you must've forgotten it, darlin'." He folded his unused pristine dishcloth into a perfect square, stuffing it back into the drawer.

"It time, yet, for our show?" Vin grinned, smirking. I can shoot a gnat's eyeball out o' his skull at five hunnerd yards, can't slip no dirty dishes by me, son.

The phone in the living room rang, before Ezra could find the remote control. He located it under the latest TV Guide, and ignoring it, let it keep ringing.

Vin, patiently scrubbing out sink stains with baking soda, hollered, "If that's Chris? Say I'm a-gonna be late gettin' to the ranch tamorra. Tell him we need some fence post staples, and he oughta pick some up at the feed store early on. Iffen it's Buck, tell him I still ain't wrote no poem fer him to give as Inez's birthday gift, I'm still a-ruminatin' on it some and ur... iffen it's Miz Nettie you can say: 'Miz Nettie, Ma'am, I'll call you right back.' Now Ez, you hearin' me? You listenin'?"

"Yes, every word.. my dear."

Vin chuckled.

9:59 p.m.

Vin sat up on the sofa, admiring the beauty of Ezra Standish exiting the bathroom, splendidly attired in golden embroidered emerald bathrobe and slippers. He whistled, and recited, editing slightly, from one of this year's birthday gifts.

"When as in silks my Ezra goes
Then, then methinks how sweetly flows
The liquefaction of his clothes.
Next, when I cast mine eyes and see
That brave vibration each way free
O how that glittering taketh me.. "

Ezra twinkled, "Very good, sir. And thank you kindly for the lovely sentiment." He jumped into Vin's lap, "Oof," wrapping arms around his neck, fondling the brown curls, half-heartedly squeezing back the mist beading his lashes, and so breathed into Vin's ear:

" ... I threw a penny
To find out if I might love.
Go and love, go and love, young man
If the lad be young and fair
Ah penny, brown penny, brown penny
I am looped in the loops of his hair."

Ezra wove his slender fingers among the silken lazy curls and pressed his hand against the nape of Vin's blushing neck. He eased down into Vin's lap more comfortably, to hide his cheek against the thumping of his lover's heart. Vin's hand upon his head was almost a benediction. "I cherish you," he whispered.

He flattened the palm of his hand against the straining tumescence, scraping his fingernails against the coareness of Vin's levis. Vin hardened against his hand and threw back his head upon the cushion.

"... looped in the loops of your hair, Vin."

Vin Tanner smiled and took Ezra's hand into his own, drawing the wrist to his lips and kissing all three corded veins. "You won't never be alone ag'in, Ez. Ain't gonna leave you. Nope. Never. Even if all my kin 'n friends were agin' us bein' together, I'd turn my back on 'em all to keep you, y'unnerstan'?"

Ezra blinked. "Yes."

"Ezra Standish, I trusted ya the first time I ever seen ya, in spite of ever thang mean and hateful said 'bout ya. You're my joy, Ez. My family."

Ezra's eyes were swimming in tears. "I've never..." and his voice was very sweet as he vowed, "You'll never have cause to lose that trust, Vin."

They were in their own home lying under a brilliant cluster of starry lights and a pale slivery moon gleaming through the drapes.

When Vin woke, his neck was cramped from sleeping on the narrow sofa with his man cuddled into his side, arms fiercely wrapped around his elbow. Dawn was coming gently through the windows, pearly and pink like cotton candy, muting the harsh ruby sunlight.

Yes, Lord, You set the sun in the sky and gave Ezra to me... would Ya temper the brightness this morning, and let Ezra sleep some more? Don't let it waken him yet. Not fer a little while more, Lord.

Ezra stirred a bit and sighed under the afghan, and Vin laid his palm across his cool shoulder. So dear to me.

"If all Ya give me was one more hour, Lord," he prayed, tugging up a fallen corner of the thin cover under Ezra's chin, "I wouldn't move one inch from where I'ze a-sittin'."

Vin raised his eyes to the ceiling, "Thank ya, Lord, and... Amen."