514: Frozen - Magnificent Seven - Chris/Vin - Working Out

[katyastarling.livejournal.com]

Title: Working Out (For the Better)
Author: Katya Starling
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Character/Pairing: Chris/Vin
Rating: G/K
Challenge/Prompt: slashthedrabble 514: Frozen
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 472
Date Written: 5 February 2019
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.







Snow crunched underneath their horses’ hooves. Peso snorted, blowing out white air, and Chris’ steed tossed her head and whickered almost as though she was agreeing with whatever the other horse had said. Chris almost chuckled at the sight -- almost, but then he remembered why they were out on this freezing cold morning, the ridiculously low temperatures already having frozen them through their several layers of clothing.

Vin brought Peso to a stop beside Chris and his ride. “We’re gonna find ‘em.” His voice was soft and husky but full of determination. It was almost enough to make Larabee forget his ghosts, to make him forget why he’d been so loathe to allow Billy to stay with them while Mary was sick, almost enough to make him believe that everything would work out right.

Vin’s saddle creaked as he leaned over. He wrapped a hand around the back of Larabee’s blonde head and brought him closer. His forehead pressed against the other man’s, he vowed again, “We’re gonna find ‘em.” He followed up the statement by pressing his lips to his lover’s, holding his mouth over his for a long, tingling moment, and breathing into him.

When he finally lifted his mouth from Chris’, all Chris could do was slowly nod and shallowly breathe out. They would find them. He believed it for the first time since they’d realized the boy and calf had gone missing. It took them two more hours, but when they did finally find the missing two, they were cuddled together against the cold -- and still alive.

Chris and Vin swung down together from their horses, but before Chris could move toward the boy and calf, Vin reached out to his lover again. He grabbed his hand and squeezed him hard through his thick glove. “See?” he whispered. “Sometimes things do work out.”

Their eyes met as Chris considered his words with a brief, curt nod. Sometimes things did work out for the best. The strong, brave, inspiring, and beautiful man standing before him was definitely proof of that. After all, both their lives had been tragically hard -- it was a true wonder they’d survived as long as they had --, but somehow their paths had brought them together.

He leaned over and swiftly kissed Vin before nodding to the two younguns. “Let’s get them out of here.”

Vin nodded, smiled, and moved forward to collect the calf as Chris was already lifting Billy, who’d followed the calf in the first place out of his own determination to protect someone weaker and smaller than he. Vin’s grin grew as he watched Chris lift Billy into his arms. Larabee still didn’t know it -- he might never accept the fact --, but he had touched the hearts of all those around him. Vin watched with pride as he followed quietly behind him.



The End