Hey everybody, here's Chapter 15. Hope you like :)
Title: The Power of Love
Chapter: Chapter 15 - The Day Off
Genre: Fluffy mostly for this part/AU
Pairing: Ennis/Jack
Rating: PG 13 for this part I guess..
Warnings: Fluff, fluff and more fluff, and hints of m/m sex
Summary: Ennis and Jack have a day off from herding sheep! ^^
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters - they are the creation of Annie Proulx. The story of Brokeback Mountain is hers too - I’m just giving my version of it for no profit, just for fun and curiosity! J I don’t mean any disrespect at all ^^
Author’s Note: I’m adding parts, taking away parts, expanding parts, exaggerating parts and just plain making up some parts in this. I love the original Brokeback Mountain story so I’m not doing this to make it any better - I just wanted to do a multi chapter Jack/Ennis story and have some fun with them (again!)!
Feedback: That’d be fantastic!
Much to Ennis and Jack’s delight, the next day was a day off. They woke up late into the morning and knowing that the other ranch hands - Russ and Cameron - were taking the majority of their jobs today, they didn’t bother to get up until the sun was sturdy in the sky. Then, Ennis just about managed to drag himself out of the tent, his clothes carelessly thrown on, and cook them up some soup over the fire, this time allowing Jack to drape himself over him, a distant sleepy smile on his face. Happily, he petted his dark hair and after eating, they walked down to the river. It was a beautiful day and they decided to take the long route along the wooded path where nobody else could see them. Jack laced his fingers through Ennis’s and as they strolled along hand in hand, he sang softly to the quiet world around them, making Ennis giggle. After their experience together the night before, he felt a lot better around him, much more confident in a way. Obviously, he still was a bit wary yet something had changed between them. He wasn’t sure whether that was just a short term thing - being dazed after the intimacy of the previous evening - or a real, significant alteration but for the time being, he tried to just let things happen. At least for the day they had off anyway.
Finally though, after Jack singing many gentle songs and even managing to get Ennis involved in some, they reached the bubbling river and sat down beside it, listening for a while to its soft trickling in the afternoon sun. Jack moved a little closer to Ennis but as they saw Cameron riding along on a horse up on a distant hill, he pulled away a bit, knowing he wouldn’t see from that far away yet still not taking any risks. However, when he had disappeared back into a small scattering of trees, he rested his head on Ennis’s shoulder and put a hand on his knee, stroking little circles through the denim. Ennis smiled and placed a hand over his, entwining their fingers. ‘’ Mmm, ah like you like this, Ennis...’’ Jack muttered quietly, in response to his sudden open attitude. ‘’...maybe ah should lead more often...’’ He winked, referring to the night before. Ennis laughed gently and let them drift onto the grass together so they were lying side by side. He couldn’t be bothered to pay any attention to his doubting, scared emotions about sex or life at that moment.
But, as Jack ran his hands over his chest and legs, he stopped him from going too far and instead bounced back up onto his feet, giggling. Jack looked up and then with playful eyes and laughs, they chased each other over the field, not stopping until Jack threw himself at Ennis and they collapsed into the grass again, falling on top of each other. ‘’ Jack, why d’you have ta be so heavy?’’ he winked and Jack gasped in mock hurt, sitting up at his waist.
‘’ Ennis! Don’t be so mean!’’ he smiled but Ennis just shook his head and pushed him off, getting to his feet once more. ‘’ Where you goin’, Ennis?’’ Jack asked curiously.
‘’ Me?’’ Ennis asked teasingly, beginning to unbutton his shirt. The corners of Jack’s lips twitched again. ‘’ Ah’m gettin’ inta that river an’ washin’. Last night wasn’t exactly easy.’’ He couldn’t believe he was joking about it but Jack just laughed and hopped up, following him to the banks. As his companion started to undress further, he couldn’t resist staring at him. He hadn’t just been telling him he was beautiful the night before to make him feel better - he really was very, very handsome. Dusty blonde hair, brown eyes, gorgeous features all over him and when he did, a striking smile. Jack wished he would smile more often though. He was almost always extremely quiet and shy - even when he led during sex, he still held back a bit - so he was ecstatic about the personality change he had suddenly gone through that day. All it had been so far was playing, jokes and laughs. Jack hoped it would continue like that.
After a few seconds, Ennis threw the final article of clothing to the grass and glancing back at a slightly wide eyed Jack, reached out for him and dragged him, once he was fully undressed, into the river. As the water lapped at his bare skin, Ennis gasped aloud but Jack, being more used to the cold bitter winds up on the mountainside, didn’t sense it as much. Instead, he giggled softly at Ennis’s discomfort and then wrapped his arms around him, drawing him close. Ennis grabbed on, leeching off his body heat and slowly, he became warmer, though he still didn’t bother to let Jack go. Jack laughed again at this and moved against his companion, making him gasp once more. ‘’ Jack!’’ he cried but Jack pulled away, wading back over to the shallower parts of the river to take his jacket from the banks. Ennis watched, shivering a little now his source of heat was gone, and smiled at the memories as he brought out the bar of soap that had turned up the night before.
Jack shook his head at Ennis’s knowing gaze and instead, walked back over to him, encircling his arms around his damp body. For the next half hour or so, they washed in the river, hands running over each other’s skin and by the time they climbed out from the water, lying out in the sun to dry themselves, they had both got considerably warmer, especially due to Jack’s straying fingers and Ennis’s teasing.
Still, as they lay together by the banks, Jack’s head resting sweetly on Ennis’s chest, they cooled down a little again and in about another half hour, they dressed, Jack playfully getting into Ennis’s clothes while Ennis got into Jack’s. Ennis wasn’t best pleased about Jack stealing his shirt to start with but then after a few giggles and chases, he gave in and they started back up the hill to the woods, heading for the main camp. A little way through the trees though, Jack suddenly stopped and following his gaze, Ennis saw he was looking at a set of ripe blackberries, juicy in the afternoon sun. Smiling, he strayed off the path and Ennis was dragged along behind him to the bush, their hands entwined.
‘’ Wow, look at these, Ennis!’’ Jack announced childishly, his eyes shining. ‘’ Can we take some back to the camp? They’d be a great change from beans!’’
‘’ You sure they’re not poisonous, Jack?’’ Ennis asked cautiously, not wanting either of them to be throwing up all night.
‘’ No, they’re fine. Black berries are usually alright...at least ah think so...And they look alright, don’t they?’’
Ennis had to nod at that. Jack was right - they would make a fantastic change from beans or soup. So, in the end, they found themselves carrying handfuls of berries from the forest back to camp, giggling and smiling at each other. Ennis really didn’t know what had happened to him that day. Yet, still, he laid down with Jack back outside their tent and Jack sang to him and snuggled up as they ate, making him melt. It was really nice to spend a day just with him and no sheep or Aguirre or Russ or Cameron. Just Jack. Bubbly, grinning, playful Jack. He couldn’t believe what this mountain, or this job, had done for - or to - him.
For the rest of the afternoon, they sat around the fire, talking, and sharing stories. Jack told Ennis some more about his previous summer up on Brokeback, deliberately straying from some details about Dakota as indeed, Ennis was a little uncomfortable with that, and then moved on to things he wanted to do when he was older. Ennis hadn’t really got Jack down as a planning man and he realised that most of his dreams sounded far fetched and unattainable but he said nothing about them, not wanting to destroy the hopeful, content gaze in his companion’s eyes. But when he asked him what he wanted to do, Ennis had no idea. At his silence, Jack nodded and then cuddled up to him, a hand on his thigh. Ennis laced their fingers together and thanked God they hadn’t talked about the thing they had between them.
As the afternoon went on and evening started to dawn, Jack rose from the log he had been sitting on and looked up at the sky. Ennis glanced up too and saw that it was becoming darker, gorgeous pink shades dancing through the clouds. The sun was still there, bright and orange but it was beginning its descend down to the horizon for the night, inviting a moon to hang beyond the coloured heavens. Ennis wondered why Jack was staring at it but after a bit, his questions were answered when his companion took his arm and guided him back out of the camp, heading down towards the river again.
‘’ Jack, what are you doin’?’’ he kept asking though there was no reply or response until they came within sight of the glistening water. Here, Jack kicked his legs out from underneath him and with a surprised cry, he fell to the damp grass, exclaiming Jack’s name. Jack just giggled though and landed on top of him, pinning him down. Ennis wasn’t having any of this though and rolled over him, dragging them into a high spirited, playful wrestle right to the banks of the river. Jack stopped him before they could tumble into the cold water and managed to sit up, giggling in his usual heart warming way. Ennis smiled and joined him, his cheeks flushed.
‘’ Okay, cowboy,’’ Jack grinned, pulling him close. ‘’...s’ enough playin’ for a day.’’
‘’ Really...?’’
‘’ Oh, fer now anyway...’’ Jack laughed and then nuzzled against Ennis’s neck, his eyes closing momentarily. Ennis embraced him and looked out over the river to the vast meadows stretching out behind it, coloured orange in the setting sun. It really was beautiful that evening, the mountain almost silent except for the two cowboys and the distant bleating of sheep. All of a sudden, he understood why Jack had brought them down here and he smiled again, feeling Jack’s arms encircle his waist.
And as the sun began to drift further down towards the horizon, allowing a soft, gentle darkness to cloud the sky, Ennis willingly let Jack guide him into the grass, their bodies tangling. He was unsure at first yet his companion insisted that no one could see them at this time of evening and needing no other encouragement, he lifted Jack’s legs and entered him right then and there, concluding the blissful day they had had to themselves.
Standing on a nearby hilltop, Russ and Cameron frowned at the scenes they had just witnessed before them. Never in their lives did they think they would see something like that but the other two ranch hands - Jack and Ennis, they had a feeling their names were - had returned to the river after a long day off and been very friendly with each other, wrestling and playing right down to the water’s edge. Russ had thought that they were fighting to begin with - and indeed, something inside him hoped they were - but then they had stopped and sat up together, visibly laughing and happy in each other’s company.
He had been a little confused after that as he had never seen two men so close before yet after a short while, he understood why. The dark haired boy had cuddled up to the blonde and their arms had wrapped around another, embracing just like a man and woman would. Cameron scowled and watched as they had kissed, slowly drifting down into the grass. This was much more than he thought should happen up on a mountainside or indeed, anywhere in the world and he had briefly contemplated riding down to the cowboys and showing them there were people watching their actions. But he didn’t.
Instead, when the light became too dim for them to see anymore, he rode off with Russ and went to find Aguirre, intent on informing him what had happened down by the river.
TBC