Each Must Know His Part (6/6) - Magnificent 7/Highlander
Title: Each Must Know His Part (6/6)
Author: strangevisitor7
Fandom/Universe: Magnificent 7; Highlander AU
Beta: ithildyn
Rating: PG13
Characters/Pairings: Ezra Standish, Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner and Buck Wilmington Josiah Sanchez, Nathan Jackson and JD Dunne. Chris/OFC - Charlotte Sparrow
Summary: An unexpected visitor to Four Corners, forces the men to come to terms with Ezra and Charlotte's Immortality
A/N: This is part of the Aces Immortal series created by me and ithildyn,
Chapter List:
Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Epilogue
Vin had helped him bury the German and erase all traces of the battle. Ezra had claimed anything of value from Karl's things before leaving the horse in Chris' corral. He had no intention of bringing the animal back to town to raise questions about what might have happened to its owner.
Vin and Ezra headed back, and for once, Ezra was grateful that Vin was not the type to require conversation to pass the time.
It was almost full dark when they parted company about a mile outside of town. Ezra slowed Chaucer to a walk, wanting to give Vin time to slip into town before he arrived. As he approached home, he found himself lost in his thoughts.
Since becoming Immortal his life had been a bit of a wild ride. Ezra had been subjected to emotions that he hadn't even been aware he possessed. The feelings of friendship toward his fellow peacekeepers still surprised him while at the same time giving him a sense of belonging he'd never had before in his life.
And now he owed that life to Vin. It was a debt the tracker had been quick to dismiss, citing the variety of times Ezra had risked his life for them, but one Ezra knew he would be hard pressed to truly repay.
He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard someone shouting his name.
"Ezra!" Charlotte called as she ran to meet him. The others followed closely behind and Ezra smiled when he saw that Vin was amongst the group approaching.
Stopping Chaucer in the middle of the street, he had barely dismounted before he found himself with an armful of his cousin as she hugged him tightly.
"I am happy to see you too, Cousin," he teased.
She pulled away and smiled back at him. "I knew you would be successful."
A friendly slap on the back sent him stumbling forward. "Welcome back!" Buck boomed. "Knew ya could do it."
"Good to have you back, brother," Josiah said.
"Don't suppose I need to worry that you were hurt," laughed Nathan.
Ezra found himself manhandled from one man to the next as his hand was shaken and his back was slapped. He had never felt such camaraderie before and was a bit overwhelmed by their level of happiness at seeing him victorious.
"It is very good to be back," Ezra said. Charlotte returned to his side, grasping his hand, placing herself happily between Chris and Ezra.
"You done good, Ezra," Chris said, smiling at him over Charlotte's head. Ezra could see real gratitude in the man's countenance.
"So, what happened?" JD asked when no one else seemed ready to broach the subject. "You were gone a long time; was he any good? Were you hurt at all?"
Ezra had to stop himself from pulling his jacket closer to hide the bloodstain still evident on his clothing as JD continued to pummel him with specific questions about the duel.
"He was all bluster and no substance just as Charlotte predicted." Ezra met Vin's eye as he continued, "He was easily defeated."
"Did you really cut off his head?" Ezra winced at the volume of JD's question.
Buck cuffed the kid on the back of his head. "Keep it down, JD. Want everyone to know what Ez's been up too?"
JD looked appropriately chastised. "Sorry Ezra." He was whispering now. "I'm just curious, ya know."
"Completely understandable and I am happy to tell y'all all that happened." Though truthfully, he'd rather never speak of it again. Still, he owed his friends at least a cursory account. "But first I need to take care of Chaucer and then I think I'd like a drink."
"I'll see to your horse," JD offered, obviously feeling the need to make up for his earlier blunder.
"It would be much appreciated," Ezra said. He gave Chaucer a pat as JD led the horse away. He looked at his cousin. "Will you be joining us?"
Charlotte shook her head. "It has been a long day, dearest and though I want to hear all about it, I find the stress of waiting has worn me out."
"I will see you back to the hotel before joining the others then," Ezra insisted.
"I am more than capable of seeing myself across the street." She kissed his cheek. "Enjoy your friends," she added, squeezing his hand before walking away.
"Cousin," he called after her. She turned expectantly. He hesitated; there was so much he wanted to say to her. Typically, he was a man who preferred to use ten words when two would do, but he found that wasn't necessary when they were the right two words. "Thank you."
She smiled and tilted her head in an acknowledgment of the depth of feeling he was expressing for all she had done for him over the years. Without a word, she resumed her trek to the hotel.
"The rest of y'all go ahead to the saloon, Ezra and I need to talk," Chris said.
As Nathan and Josiah left, Buck hesitated. "Shouldn't we all - "
"Go, Buck, I need to talk to my future cousin and his keeper." Chris smirked as he looked toward Vin.
Buck nodded his understanding. "'Spect I'll get the whole story someday." His tone suggested he knew that whatever Ezra shared would be sanitized for them and Charlotte.
Once Buck was gone, Chris turned to face them. "So?"
"I can't imagine what you are asking, Chris," Ezra said solemnly. He had no intention of sharing the truth. Chris was already worried about the possibility of Charlotte facing a challenge. There was no way he was going to tell him about how the German had attempted to cheat.
"What really happened?" He glared at them.
"Veni, vidi, vici,*" Ezra quoted.
Chris's brow shot up in confusion and Ezra shrugged. "Vin, what happened?" the gunslinger asked. Ezra smiled knowing Chris wasn't going to get a straight answer from that source either.
"Don't know what yer asking me fer," Vin protested, "I weren't even there." His smirk was barely concealed as he dipped his head to avoid the glare.
"Not one of ya gonna tell me what really happened?"
"What makes you think something unusual happened?" Ezra asked trying not to meet Vin's eyes. The whole thing was too ridiculous. Chris was glaring at them; yet, he and Vin were on the verge of very unmanly giggles as they attempted to obfuscate quite unsuccessfully.
Chris huffed his frustration. "You two are hiding something."
And isn’t that an understatement Ezra thought as he to struggled to hold back the sarcastic reply. It wasn't helping that Vin would not stop grinning at him. The tracker was enjoying this entirely too much. Adopting a guise of complete innocence, Ezra replied, "Only the body we buried on your property."
"Figured ya wouldn't appreciate us leaving a mess," Vin added.
"You were at my place?" Ezra could see Chris found that idea a bit unsettling.
"It seemed the logical location at the time."
"Stop glaring, Larabee. Ezra won and even cleaned up after himself. What else do ya need to know? Now, I need a drink." And with that pronouncement, Vin left the future cousins to themselves.
"Guess I don't need to know the details," Chris finally admitted as he stared past Ezra to fixate on the hotel.
"No, you don't." Ezra followed Chris' gaze to the lighted window on the second floor. He assumed that was where Charlotte was ensconced.
"You'll take good care of her after I'm gone." It wasn't a question and Ezra was brought up short by the sudden turn in the conversation.
This afternoon Ezra had wondered, given Chris' history, if Charlotte's Immortality was the overriding reason the man had fallen for his cousin. As Ezra studied the gunslinger's face while he stared up at the window, he knew that Chris truly loved her.
"Of course, Chris. You know I will."
Chris seemed to be struggling to hold back more emotion than Ezra had ever seen the man reveal. Unwilling to intrude on the Chris's thoughts, Ezra remained quiet. In the silence Ezra found a new connection to the man he followed and reveled in that bond. The two stood side by side staring at the window until the light went out.
"I love her too, you know," Ezra said softly, confirming what he knew to be true of Chris' feelings.
Chris smiled, understanding the acceptance that Ezra was offering. "Yeah, I know."
*******************
*Veni, vidi, vici = I came, I saw, I conquered
Author: strangevisitor7
Fandom/Universe: Magnificent 7; Highlander AU
Beta: ithildyn
Rating: PG13
Characters/Pairings: Ezra Standish, Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner and Buck Wilmington Josiah Sanchez, Nathan Jackson and JD Dunne. Chris/OFC - Charlotte Sparrow
Summary: An unexpected visitor to Four Corners, forces the men to come to terms with Ezra and Charlotte's Immortality
A/N: This is part of the Aces Immortal series created by me and ithildyn,
Chapter List:
Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Epilogue
Vin had helped him bury the German and erase all traces of the battle. Ezra had claimed anything of value from Karl's things before leaving the horse in Chris' corral. He had no intention of bringing the animal back to town to raise questions about what might have happened to its owner.
Vin and Ezra headed back, and for once, Ezra was grateful that Vin was not the type to require conversation to pass the time.
It was almost full dark when they parted company about a mile outside of town. Ezra slowed Chaucer to a walk, wanting to give Vin time to slip into town before he arrived. As he approached home, he found himself lost in his thoughts.
Since becoming Immortal his life had been a bit of a wild ride. Ezra had been subjected to emotions that he hadn't even been aware he possessed. The feelings of friendship toward his fellow peacekeepers still surprised him while at the same time giving him a sense of belonging he'd never had before in his life.
And now he owed that life to Vin. It was a debt the tracker had been quick to dismiss, citing the variety of times Ezra had risked his life for them, but one Ezra knew he would be hard pressed to truly repay.
He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard someone shouting his name.
"Ezra!" Charlotte called as she ran to meet him. The others followed closely behind and Ezra smiled when he saw that Vin was amongst the group approaching.
Stopping Chaucer in the middle of the street, he had barely dismounted before he found himself with an armful of his cousin as she hugged him tightly.
"I am happy to see you too, Cousin," he teased.
She pulled away and smiled back at him. "I knew you would be successful."
A friendly slap on the back sent him stumbling forward. "Welcome back!" Buck boomed. "Knew ya could do it."
"Good to have you back, brother," Josiah said.
"Don't suppose I need to worry that you were hurt," laughed Nathan.
Ezra found himself manhandled from one man to the next as his hand was shaken and his back was slapped. He had never felt such camaraderie before and was a bit overwhelmed by their level of happiness at seeing him victorious.
"It is very good to be back," Ezra said. Charlotte returned to his side, grasping his hand, placing herself happily between Chris and Ezra.
"You done good, Ezra," Chris said, smiling at him over Charlotte's head. Ezra could see real gratitude in the man's countenance.
"So, what happened?" JD asked when no one else seemed ready to broach the subject. "You were gone a long time; was he any good? Were you hurt at all?"
Ezra had to stop himself from pulling his jacket closer to hide the bloodstain still evident on his clothing as JD continued to pummel him with specific questions about the duel.
"He was all bluster and no substance just as Charlotte predicted." Ezra met Vin's eye as he continued, "He was easily defeated."
"Did you really cut off his head?" Ezra winced at the volume of JD's question.
Buck cuffed the kid on the back of his head. "Keep it down, JD. Want everyone to know what Ez's been up too?"
JD looked appropriately chastised. "Sorry Ezra." He was whispering now. "I'm just curious, ya know."
"Completely understandable and I am happy to tell y'all all that happened." Though truthfully, he'd rather never speak of it again. Still, he owed his friends at least a cursory account. "But first I need to take care of Chaucer and then I think I'd like a drink."
"I'll see to your horse," JD offered, obviously feeling the need to make up for his earlier blunder.
"It would be much appreciated," Ezra said. He gave Chaucer a pat as JD led the horse away. He looked at his cousin. "Will you be joining us?"
Charlotte shook her head. "It has been a long day, dearest and though I want to hear all about it, I find the stress of waiting has worn me out."
"I will see you back to the hotel before joining the others then," Ezra insisted.
"I am more than capable of seeing myself across the street." She kissed his cheek. "Enjoy your friends," she added, squeezing his hand before walking away.
"Cousin," he called after her. She turned expectantly. He hesitated; there was so much he wanted to say to her. Typically, he was a man who preferred to use ten words when two would do, but he found that wasn't necessary when they were the right two words. "Thank you."
She smiled and tilted her head in an acknowledgment of the depth of feeling he was expressing for all she had done for him over the years. Without a word, she resumed her trek to the hotel.
"The rest of y'all go ahead to the saloon, Ezra and I need to talk," Chris said.
As Nathan and Josiah left, Buck hesitated. "Shouldn't we all - "
"Go, Buck, I need to talk to my future cousin and his keeper." Chris smirked as he looked toward Vin.
Buck nodded his understanding. "'Spect I'll get the whole story someday." His tone suggested he knew that whatever Ezra shared would be sanitized for them and Charlotte.
Once Buck was gone, Chris turned to face them. "So?"
"I can't imagine what you are asking, Chris," Ezra said solemnly. He had no intention of sharing the truth. Chris was already worried about the possibility of Charlotte facing a challenge. There was no way he was going to tell him about how the German had attempted to cheat.
"What really happened?" He glared at them.
"Veni, vidi, vici,*" Ezra quoted.
Chris's brow shot up in confusion and Ezra shrugged. "Vin, what happened?" the gunslinger asked. Ezra smiled knowing Chris wasn't going to get a straight answer from that source either.
"Don't know what yer asking me fer," Vin protested, "I weren't even there." His smirk was barely concealed as he dipped his head to avoid the glare.
"Not one of ya gonna tell me what really happened?"
"What makes you think something unusual happened?" Ezra asked trying not to meet Vin's eyes. The whole thing was too ridiculous. Chris was glaring at them; yet, he and Vin were on the verge of very unmanly giggles as they attempted to obfuscate quite unsuccessfully.
Chris huffed his frustration. "You two are hiding something."
And isn’t that an understatement Ezra thought as he to struggled to hold back the sarcastic reply. It wasn't helping that Vin would not stop grinning at him. The tracker was enjoying this entirely too much. Adopting a guise of complete innocence, Ezra replied, "Only the body we buried on your property."
"Figured ya wouldn't appreciate us leaving a mess," Vin added.
"You were at my place?" Ezra could see Chris found that idea a bit unsettling.
"It seemed the logical location at the time."
"Stop glaring, Larabee. Ezra won and even cleaned up after himself. What else do ya need to know? Now, I need a drink." And with that pronouncement, Vin left the future cousins to themselves.
"Guess I don't need to know the details," Chris finally admitted as he stared past Ezra to fixate on the hotel.
"No, you don't." Ezra followed Chris' gaze to the lighted window on the second floor. He assumed that was where Charlotte was ensconced.
"You'll take good care of her after I'm gone." It wasn't a question and Ezra was brought up short by the sudden turn in the conversation.
This afternoon Ezra had wondered, given Chris' history, if Charlotte's Immortality was the overriding reason the man had fallen for his cousin. As Ezra studied the gunslinger's face while he stared up at the window, he knew that Chris truly loved her.
"Of course, Chris. You know I will."
Chris seemed to be struggling to hold back more emotion than Ezra had ever seen the man reveal. Unwilling to intrude on the Chris's thoughts, Ezra remained quiet. In the silence Ezra found a new connection to the man he followed and reveled in that bond. The two stood side by side staring at the window until the light went out.
"I love her too, you know," Ezra said softly, confirming what he knew to be true of Chris' feelings.
Chris smiled, understanding the acceptance that Ezra was offering. "Yeah, I know."
*******************
*Veni, vidi, vici = I came, I saw, I conquered