Warnings: Some mild cursing. Contains several references to "Second Childhood." Nothing too serious this time... just a fun little trip for Ezra, Buck and JD. I hope I can manage to tickle your funny bone at least once. Enjoy!
Let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: Ah, if only they were mine, but, alas, they're not. Unfortunately, the privilege of ownership of "The Magnificent Seven" characters belongs to the Mirisch Corp., Trilogy, and MGM, and no infringement on the copyrights held by them is intended. I merely wish to dust the boys off and bring them out to play occasionally for the entertainment of those of us who still miss them dearly.
"The Fishing Trip" completed April 5, 2000
Once they'd cleaned the campsite up... washing the few dishes they'd dirtied and disposing of Ezra's ruined blankets... Buck decided it was high time they started having some fun. Grabbing the poles and the bait, they headed down to the pond.
"Here ya go, Ezra... this one's yours." JD tried to hand Ezra one of the two poles he was carrying, and glanced nervously at Buck when the Southerner just stared at it apprehensively.
"Ya okay, Ezra?" Buck put his hand on the younger man's shoulder and shook him gently when he didn't respond. "Ezra?"
Ezra blinked several times and finally looked at Buck. "Hmm? Oh... yes... I'm fine... it's just..." He hesitated as he looked back at JD and then at the pole, finally reaching out a tentative hand to take it. What the hell is wrong with me? It's just a fishing pole. Ezra knew they were staring at him... wondering what was wrong, but he just couldn't quite shake the feeling that this ordinary cane pole held some special meaning for him. "Thank you, JD."
JD felt a warm feeling wash over him at Ezra's quiet words, and smiled softly as pleasant memories of Christmas with their Little One flowed through his mind. "Your welcome, Ezra... I hope it's lucky for ya."
Ezra nodded and followed the two men as they continued on to the spot they'd picked out to try first. The grass covered bank sloped gently down to the water's edge and had plenty of room for them to spread out.
JD quickly fastened a worm on his hook and then held the container out to Ezra. He waited impatiently as the gambler stared uncertainly at him and then at the can. "Well, come on, Ezra... hurry up an' dig one outta there. I wanna get my line in the water so I can get a head start on Buck."
Buck had settled on a spot a few yards to the right and chuckled as he watched Ezra hesitantly stick one long slender finger in the can and poke gingerly at the squirming mass of worms. He grimaced at the slimy feeling and jerked his hand away causing JD to sigh in exasperation.
"Dang, Ezra... it's just a little ol' worm... it ain't gonna bite ya for cryin' out loud." JD forced the can into the older man's hand and walked off. "Ya ain't never gonna learn how to fish if ya can't even bait your own hook."
Buck watched Ezra blush slightly in embarrassment and took pity on him. "Come on over here, Ezra... I'll help ya with it." He knew the gambler was feeling out of his element and was a little anxious about not having his usual control over the situation. Buck realized he'd need some gentle nudging to get him to relax and enjoy the new experience.
Buck stood as Ezra slowly walked over, and after taking the pole and can out of his hands, began tugging on the bright red jacket he wore. "First of all, ya gotta get shed of this coat... you're gonna scare the fish away."
Ezra scowled at Buck and pulled away from his grasping hands, but did, after some muttered complaints, finally remove the colorful garment and carefully lay it on the grass behind him.
"Now roll up those fancy sleeves so's the ruffles don't get in your way." Buck grinned at him and waited patiently for Ezra to finally relent and comply with his request.
It took a minute and a few more choice comments, but Ezra eventually did as the tall gunman asked. "Anything else about my appearance that isn't suitable? After all, I wouldn't want to offend the fish's sensibilities with my ignorance of the proper attire for angling."
Buck stared at him, his eyes roving up and down the smaller man's form speculatively. "Well, to really look like a fisherman, ya need to pull off those boots an' roll up your pants legs, but since it's a bit nippy this mornin', we'll wait til it warms up some Œfore we make ya do that."
Ezra blushed at the other man's intense scrutiny and then frowned. "Let's not push it, Mr. Wilmington. This is as casual as my appearance is going to get." Hoping to change the subject, Ezra picked up the tin can and held it out to Buck. "Now if you would be so kind as to place one of these poor unfortunate creatures on my hook for-"
But Buck pushed the can back toward Ezra and shook his head. "Nope... JD's right on that one. Ya gotta learn how to do this for yourself. Now pluck one a them outta there an' let's get ya started fishin'."
Ezra took a deep breath, and steeling himself against the unpleasant task he was about to perform, reached into the can and reluctantly pulled one of the worms out. He stood in front of Buck trying to ignore the mirth he saw sparkling in his friend's eyes, and looked from the worm wriggling in his grasp, to the hook dangling from his other hand. "Now what?"
Buck heaved an exaggerated sigh of exasperation and grinning hugely at Ezra's obvious discomfort, wrapped his hand around the gambler's and showed him how to impale the worm on the hook. He saw the younger man's face pale slightly as the hook slid effortlessly through the soft body and felt him flinch as the creature's movements became more frantic, and instantly regretted making him do something he was so obviously uncomfortable with. "Don't worry, Ezra... it gets easier after awhile."
Ezra shot Buck a doubtful look, but managed a small smile. "I sincerely doubt that, Mr. Wilmington, but I'm determined to master the art of fishing if for no other reason than to prove everyone who thought I wouldn't do this, wrong."
Buck was proud of the Southerner and his grin grew even wider as he realized that Ezra's caring what the others thought about him was just one more little step forward he'd made since his accident. He gave Ezra a pat on the back, and then laying his arm across the smaller man's shoulders, led him over to where his own pole was propped up on some rocks.
Buck showed Ezra how to toss his line out in the water and then he set the pole down next to his. Then after settling himself back in his former spot, he smiled up at Ezra and patted the ground next to him. "An' here's the best part of fishin', Ezra. Sit yourself down here on the grass, lean back, and just enjoy the feel of the sun beatin' down on ya while we wait for the fish to decide they're hungry."
Ezra hesitated for only a second before doing as Buck ordered. Leaning back on his elbows and letting his eyes wander lazily around their peaceful surroundings, he was surprised to find himself relaxing and actually beginning to enjoy himself.
JD glanced over at the other two men and frowned slightly. Buck and Ezra sat side by side on the sunny bank, talking quietly and sharing an occasional laugh over something one or the other of them said.
"What ya laughin' at?" JD watched Buck give Ezra a friendly slap on the shoulder before grinning over at him.
"Nothin', Kid... just talkin' Œbout a little adventure ol' Ezra here had over in Eagle Bend once. Gettin' any bites?" Buck made the inquiry but didn't wait to hear JD's response... he turned his attention back to Ezra instead. Soon the two were laughing again, totally ignoring their young companion.
JD felt a sudden resurgence of the jealousy he'd experienced when Ezra was injured and monopolizing all of Buck's time. He tried to ignore it, telling himself he'd been just as eager to have the gambler come along as Buck had, but he hadn't realized how special these fishing trips with the ladies man were to him until just now. If Ezra hadn't been with them, that would have been him sitting there beside Buck.
Suddenly JD felt a sharp tug on the pole he held and his envious thoughts stopped as he stood and moved toward the water. "Got one, Buck!"
Buck got to his feet and started toward JD, but stopped when Ezra grabbed his leg as he passed and pointed at his own pole. "Um... Mr. Wilmington? Is my line supposed to be behavin' in that manner?"
Buck looked down and saw the end of Ezra's pole bobbing wildly as his line zipped back and forth through the water. "Damn, Ezra! Grab it... looks like ya got a whopper on there!"
Ezra scrambled to his knees and wrapped his hands around the butt of the fishing pole, gripping it tightly as he struggled to get to his feet. "Now what?!" He was amazed at how strong the fish was and found himself having to dig his heels into the soft ground to keep from being pulled down the bank.
Buck slapped him on the back and laughed at the combined look of delight and astonishment that appeared on the gambler's face. "Ya gotta play Œim, Ezra... wear Œim down before ya can jerk Œim outta the water. Just hang onto that pole an' let Œim swim around some."
Ezra laughed and shook his head as he felt the muscles of his arms straining against the pull of the fish. "I'm not sure which one of us is goin' to tire first, Mr. Wilmington... but I certainly hope it's the fish!"
JD finally got his fish up on the bank and grinning broadly, held it up in the air to show the other two men. "Hey, Buck! Let's see ya beat this one!"
Buck glanced at the young man and grinned back. "Nice one, Kid... but I think Ezra's gonna have ya beat if he can get this one in. It's gotta be huge!"
JD let his arm drop to his side as his smile slowly faded. He watched Buck cheering Ezra on as he fought his fish and a spark of determination flickered in his dark brown eyes. After removing his catch and tossing it up on the bank, JD quickly baited his hook and tossed it back out in the water, then waited impatiently to receive his next bite.
It took a few minutes for Ezra to wear his opponent out, but finally Buck told him it was time and with a quick upward jerk of the pole, the gambler managed to land his first fish.
Tipping his hat back on his head, Ezra stood wiping the sweat off his forehead and grinning down at his prize. Buck was happy to see that look of accomplishment and pride appear on Ezra's face... it was one that seldom graced the Southerner's countenance except when he was playing cards. "Biggest damn bass I've seen in a long time! We'll be eatin' good tonight."
Ezra watched as Buck removed the hook, and after retrieving JD's fish, strung them both on a length of rope they'd brought with them. Ezra raised his eyebrows questioningly as Buck then tied it tightly to a nearby bush and dropped it back in the water.
"Keeps the fish fresh til we get ready to eat it," Buck explained, then picked up the can of worms and held it out to Ezra. "Now get some more bait on that hook an' see if ya can catch another one. Now that ya got the hang of it, we can start the bet."
"Bet?" Ezra's bright green eyes positively glowed with the mention of the word 'bet', and the task of handling the bait seemed to become considerably less repulsive.
The ladies man could see he had Ezra's attention with that one. They all knew the best way to get the gambler interested in any activity was to somehow involve money in it. "Yep. Five dollars on whichever one of us brings in the biggest fish while were here." Buck pulled his line in, checked his worm, and threw it back out before turning back to see how the gambler was faring with baiting his hook. He grinned at how much quicker Ezra seemed to be moving now. "See... I told ya it got easier."
Ezra snorted derisively and scowled at the older man, but did manage to get the worm on and his line out in the water without any help. This little outing of theirs was becoming quite profitable. Two bets... one of which he'd already won, and the other that he was positive he would win thanks to the fish he'd just pulled in.
Taking one last look at his catch swimming around at the end of the rope, Ezra smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Looks like I've got a slight edge on that bet so far."
Buck shook his head and grinned. "Nope. That was your practice fish."
"What?! That hardly seems fair, Mr. Wil-"
"That's the rules, Ezra. ŒSides... Buck had to help ya with that one... baitin' your hook, takin' the fish off... ya gotta do it all yourself if you're gonna be in on the bet." JD just laughed at the dirty look he received from the Southerner as he jerked his pole and tossed a large fish up on the bank. "An' from the looks of this beauty, you got your work cut out for ya!" The youth held his catch up in the air and grinned over at the other two men. "Check this one out, Buck! That five dollars is gonna be mine, just you wait an' see!"
Buck ambled over, handed the boy the bait can, and then gave him a congratulatory slap on the back when he took the fish from him and felt how heavy it was. "Damn, JD... I think that's Œbout the biggest one you ever caught! Good job!"
Ezra scowled as he watched the older gunslinger carry the fish over and string it on the rope with the other two. "I thought you said we had to do it all ourselves, Mr. Dunne?"
Buck laughed and shook his head before JD could answer. "Not this part of it... at least, not since JD managed to lose a whole day's catch when he tied the damn rope around a dried out twig instead of a good sturdy branch. Them fish were gone like a shot, an' we ended up eatin' jerky for dinner that night."
JD paused in his search for the perfect worm long enough to glare at his friend. "Oh, come on, Buck... you know darn well that the only reason those fish got away was Œcause I'd caught so many whoppers it pulled the dang bush they were tied to right outta the ground!"
"Ha! Told so many whoppers is more like it! I'm the one who one the bet that trip... Œmember? Ya griped all the way home an' I had to nag ya for a week in order to get my damn money." Buck nudged Ezra's shoulder and winked as he sat back down beside him. "Ya gotta watch that boy... he's terrible Œbout exaggeratin'... don't know where he gets it from."
Ezra chuckled and stretched out in the grass, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. "Undoubtedly one of the bad habits he's picked up from our Mr. Larabee... along with his propensity for tellin' bad jokes an' talkin' a person's ear off."
Buck couldn't help but laugh as JD struggled to come up with a suitable comeback.
JD's mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally gave up and mumbled, "Oh, shut up, Ezra" and threw himself down on the ground in a huff.
Buck knew the boy was pouting because they'd picked on him and figured it was time to do a little damage control before it developed into a full blown sulk and ruined the day completely.
JD refused to look up as Buck slowly lowered his long, lanky body down beside him. He knew the adies man was going to try to talk him out of being mad, but he wasn't ready for that yet. "Go on back over with your friend, Buck... you two seem to be havin' such a good time... I sure wouldn't wanna interfere none."
Buck winced when he heard the slight note of envy in JD's voice. Lord... not again. They'd been through all this before when Ezra had been suffering from his amnesia and had become quite dependant on Buck, cutting severely into the time he usually spent with the boy. He thought they had gotten through it, but apparently some residual jealousy was raising its ugly head in the face of his and Ezra's burgeoning friendship.
"Aw, come on, JD... let's not start this again. You wanted Ezra to come along just as much as I did." Buck regretted the words the minute they were out of his mouth.
"Start what? Don't matter to me if you wanna spend all your time with him." JD glanced at Buck and then stared out across the water.
Buck heard the feigned indifference in his voice, but the glimpse he'd had into the boy's dark brown eyes told a different story. He was definitely resenting the attention Buck was giving Ezra and just wasn't about to admit it.
Buck settled in beside the boy and after a few lame jokes and a shared laugh over Ezra's rude awakening that morning, soon had him back to his usual talkative self.
They took a short break at noon to grab a bite to eat, and then went right back to fishing. Buck had made the suggestion that a nap might feel good, but quickly changed his mind when the two younger men started teasing that he must be getting old. It wasn't long, however, before Buck wished he'd followed his first instincts and opted for that nap. Ezra and JD had launched themselves into a rather childish competition for his attention and were running him ragged as he tried to keep up with both of them.
Buck finally moved his pole to a spot between the two of them and settled himself down on the soft grass, determined not to move again until dinnertime. He'd just stretched himself out and closed his eyes when he heard Ezra once more call his name.
"What now, Ezra?" Buck tried unsuccessfully to hide the exasperation he was feeling as he wearily opened his eyes and glanced over at the gambler.
"Terribly sorry to bother you, Mr. Wilmington. Don't worry, I'll handle the problem myself." Ezra's injured tone of voice wasn't lost on the older man, and he instantly regretted losing his patience. The Southerner had actually seemed to be enjoying himself, and Buck certainly didn't want to be the one to ruin it.
JD looked up and saw Ezra tugging on his pole in frustration and stood to find out what the problem was. "You're tangled around that log out there, Ezra."
Ezra stopped and turned to stare at the younger man. "Why thank you, JD, for that astute observation. I don't suppose you have any brilliant suggestions on how to remedy the situation, do you?"
JD scowled at him, choosing to ignore the blatant sarcasm in his voice, and gestured toward the water. "Easy. Go untangle it."
Ezra's eyebrows shot up as he looked from JD to the partially submerged tree branch lying several yards from the shoreline. "You expect me to wade out there?"
JD shrugged his shoulders. "It's your hook... you lose it an' you can kiss that bet goodbye."
Ezra gave Buck what he hoped was a suitably pitiful look, and then grinned smugly at JD as the ladies man sat up and began pulling off his boots.
JD's mouth dropped open and he immediately began loudly protesting. "No fair, Buck! If it was me, you'd make me go out an' do it myself!"
Buck sat with one boot off and one on and stared thoughtfully at Ezra. "He's got a point, Pard. The water don't look very deep an' it ain't that cold... maybe ya better do it yourself."
Now it was JD's turn to look smug as Ezra glared at him. "Fine... but when I end up with pneumonia, you can explain it to Mr. Jackson."
Buck chuckled as he watched Ezra jerk his boots off. "Pneumonia?"
Ezra dipped his head and grinned sheepishly at Buck as he rolled up his pants legs. "Sounded good to me." Tossing his hat behind him on the ground, Ezra moved down the bank toward the water and stopped just at the edge of the pond. He risked one last hopeful look back at Buck, and then sighed resignedly when he saw the older man grin and motion for him to continue.
JD walked over and flopped down beside Buck and watched as Ezra hesitantly stuck one foot in the water testing the warmth, before wading slowly towards the log.
Ezra reached the submerged tree without incident and had his line untangled and tossed back up on the grass in a matter of minutes.
"See, Ezra... told ya there was nothin' to it." JD called out as the gambler turned and headed back.
Ezra looked up and had just opened his mouth to agree with the boy when his foot landed on a slime-covered rock and slid out from under him. Ezra flailed his arms and struggled to find better footing, but finally lost the battle and went flying backwards into the water.
"Damn!" Buck exclaimed as he and JD raced to the water's edge to make sure Ezra was alright.
Ezra had managed to get to his feet and was standing there gasping for breath as the water streamed off of him. His look of shock turned to one of disgust as he first looked down at his ruined clothes, and then over at the two men who had collapsed in helpless fits of laughter on the grass. Moving carefully, he made his way over to the bank, but stopped suddenly when he felt his feet start sliding backwards in the slippery mud.
Ezra stood with his fists planted angrily on his hips and glared at Buck and JD as they struggled to get control of themselves. "I understand how humorous you find my suffering, but do you suppose one of you could stop laughing long enough to help me out of here?"
Both men recognized the look in the gambler's flashing green eyes and knew it would be in their best interest to end the laughter and get him on dry land as fast as possible.
They quickly stood and reached down to clasp his wrists, pulling him up out of the water and onto the bank. "Sorry, Ezra... are ya okay?" Buck tried to help the gambler wipe away some of the water that still dripped off his face, but was slapped away as Ezra moved slowly up the slope toward their camp.
"Honest, Ezra... we're sorry for laughin' at ya... but ya just—" JD stopped and stared hard at the gambler's bare legs. "Oh shit."
Buck glanced over at JD when he heard him curse softly and then followed the direction of his gaze to see what he was upset about. He moaned when he spotted what JD had seen and moved quickly after the Southerner. "Um... Ezra... ya better hold up a minute."
Ezra just waved his hand at the two men and continued on, intent on retrieving some dry clothes and a towel from his saddlebags.
Buck reached him first and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. "Ezra... wait."
The gambler turned and glared at Buck, jerking his arm out of his grasp. "What now, Mr. Wilmington... you and Mr. Dunne need one last laugh before I make myself presentable again?"
Buck glanced at JD and then looked anxiously at Ezra. "Now, Ezra... I don't want ya to panic, but... " Buck couldn't bring himself to say it and finally just pointed down at the younger man's shins and cringed slightly as he waited for the explosion.
Ezra stared at the ladies man for a moment, and then looked down to see what had him so agitated. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the slimy black shapes clinging to his bare skin.
Buck and JD watched as the blood drained from Ezra's face, leaving him as white as the fancy shirt he wore. Buck hurried to lay a calming hand on the smaller man's shoulder as he saw him start to shake. "Easy, Pard... it's just a few leeches... nothin' to get excited about. We'll have 'em off a ya in no time."
JD immediately began shaking his head and backing away. "Oh, no you don't, Buck... you're on your own with this one. Sorry, Ezra, but I ain't touchin' those nasty things!"
Buck grabbed his arm before he could get very far and pulled him back beside him. "Now you just hold on there, Kid... this ain't no different than them frogs an' lizards you an' Casey are always catchin'."
JD jerked his arm out of Buck's grip, but stayed where he was, knowing it was useless to try running. "They're salamanders, not lizards... an' handlin' those is a whole lot different than touchin' these disgustin' things. At least those others aren't gonna latch onto ya an' try an' suck the blood outta ya... hangin' on with those dirty, nasty mouths an'—"
Buck didn't believe it was possible, but Ezra's face turned even whiter as the horror of JD's vivid description registered in his brain. Ezra moaned low in his throat and began frantically digging at his legs in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the loathsome creatures.
"Oh, good goin', JD!" Buck grabbed the gambler's hands and held them when he saw that Ezra was scratching furrows in his own skin without even realizing it. "Stop it, Ezra! We're gonna get 'em off a ya, but ya gotta calm down!" He whipped his bandana off and threw it at JD. "Here... use this to grab 'em with if ya can't stand to touch 'em!"
Ezra stared into Buck's reassuring face and shuddered as he finally got control of himself.
Once he saw that Ezra was calming down somewhat and was willing to cooperate, Buck ordered him to remove his shirt and vest while he and JD began peeling the leeches off his legs and feet.
Buck glanced up and saw that Ezra's trembling fingers were having trouble maneuvering the fancy buttons. Standing up, the ladies man gently pulled the gambler's hands away and quickly unfastened them himself, then slipped the wet clothing off and dropped it on the ground. While he checked over Ezra's chest and arms, JD rose and did the same to his back... soothing the near panicking older man with his quiet assurance that they were almost done as he quickly peeled the last one off the nape of his neck.
"Got 'em all back here, Buck." JD moved around to stand in front of Ezra and exchanged a knowing look with the ladies man.
Buck saw Ezra heave a shaky sigh of relief and shook his head at him. "It's not over just yet, Pard. We gotta check everywhere."
Ezra's brows furrowed as he tried to understand what Buck was talking about and then shot up as he followed the taller man's gaze down to his pants. His voice quavered as he whispered, "You can't be serious."
It was impossible to tell who was blushing harder... Buck, JD, or poor Ezra.
"Do ya need me to... um... I mean, I'll help if ya—" Buck looked at the ground, at the pond, anywhere but at Ezra as he offered his help... and was greatly relieved when Ezra refused him.
"No!" Ezra shook his head and backed away from the two men. "I'm sorry... I just... I'd prefer to do it myself."
Buck and JD didn't think the gambler's face could possibly get any redder and had to struggle not to laugh as Ezra hurried over behind some large bushes to finish checking himself.
The two men waited nervously, staring at the bush Ezra had disappeared behind. They heard the soft rustling of clothing being removed and then dead silence. Buck looked at JD and then back at the thick foliage. "Ezra? Ya alright?"
"Good Lord..." Ezra's soft, horror-filled, southern drawl drifted across the air to the two men.
Buck and JD heard the panic bubbling up in the gambler's voice and quickly tried to calm him. "Take it easy, Ezra... just pull it off. It ain't gonna do no permanent damage or nothin', so just calm down now."
"That's easy for you to say, Mr. Wilmington! You don't have one of these odious creatures attached to your... to your... good Lord..." Ezra was quickly approaching a state of complete hysteria when Buck finally got him convinced to pull it off by threatening to come in and do it himself.
Buck and JD shuddered when they heard Ezra's sharp yelp of pain a second before a black slimy- looking object came flying over the top of the bush.
They could hear Ezra's harsh breathing as he tried to get control of himself and finally his voice again... a little steadier this time, but still holding a slight tinge of nervousness. "Would one of you gentlemen mind retrieving a change of clothes for me? I'm growing quite weary of being damp."
"Get 'im some clothes, JD... and ya better grab that jar of salve Nathan sent along." Buck moved closer to the bush as JD hurried back toward camp. "Ezra? Are ya sure ya got 'em all? I mean, ya did look everywhere... right?"
"Believe me, Mr. Wilmington... I've made quite a thorough examination and I've disposed of every one of the nasty things." Ezra was quiet for a moment and when he spoke again his voice had a distinct tremble to it and Buck had to strain to hear him. "Um... I've noticed these little beasts have left behind some rather painful red welts on my skin. They're... they're not... poisonous... are they?"
Buck was really starting to feel sorry for the hapless gambler and hurried to reassure him. "Naw... the worst they can do is get infected, and Nathan sent some salve along with us that should take care of that. JD's bringin' it with your dry clothes. Just smear a nice thick coatin' of that on all those welts an' ya should be alright." Buck hesitated for a second and then made himself ask. "Ya gonna need any help with that, Ezra?"
"Only with the ones on my back, if you wouldn't mind, Mr. Wilmington... I can't quite reach those." Ezra shivered as the sun's warmth was stolen by a small bank of clouds moving slowly across the sky. "Is Mr. Dunne comin' with my fresh attire yet? I'm beginnin' to get a bit chilled."
"Yeah, he's right here, Ezra. Can ya reach around here so I can hand this stuff to ya?" Buck moved closer to the bush and waited for Ezra to appear, frowning worriedly when he got a close look at the gambler. "You okay, Ezra? Ya don't look too good."
Ezra flashed Buck a weak smile. "I'm quite alright, Mr. Wilmington." He shivered and hastened to amend that statement. "Well, I will be as soon as I'm clothed again."
Buck quickly passed Ezra his clothes and the jar of salve. "Make sure you really plaster that on those sores... an' leave your shirt off til I can do your back for ya."
Ezra smeared the healing cream over all the welts he could reach, and then hurriedly pulled on everything but his clean shirt. Gathering up his still damp clothes and the container of salve, Ezra finally moved back out to rejoin Buck and JD.
"Here Ezra, let me get those for ya." JD took Ezra's small pile of clothes and carried them back up to the camp for him, spreading them out on the surrounding bushes to dry.
Buck took the salve and very gently rubbed it over the angry red welts dotting Ezra's back. He felt the gambler gasp and flinch away when his fingers touched the one at the edge of his hairline and immediately apologized for hurting him. "Sorry, Ezra. You might wanna leave your shirt undone for awhile to keep it from irritating these sores."
"I believe you are right about that, Mr. Wilmington... they are rather sensitive at the moment." Ezra turned and glanced back at his fishing pole lying forgotten on the bank and then looked regretfully up at the older man. "Would you mind terribly if I just watched Mr. Dunne and yourself do the fishin'? I think I've had enough recreation for one day."
Buck handed Ezra the salve and moved toward the fishing gear. "It's gettin' near to dinnertime anyway... I think we'll just call it a day an' start fresh again tomorrow."
After his offer to help was rebuffed, Ezra moved slowly back toward the camp and the welcome warmth of the fire JD now had blazing. Once Buck got the gear stowed away, he and JD made short work of cleaning the fish they'd caught, and soon the delicious smell of their dinner cooking had all three men's mouths watering.
JD was in the middle of telling one of his long, drawn out jokes when Buck happened to glance over at Ezra. The Southerner was huddled close to the fire, his shirt held loosely around him as a meager form of protection against the evening chill. Buck watched as Ezra's gaze drifted down to his lap and a mighty shudder rippled through the slender form. Buck couldn't help it, he chuckled softly at the remembered sound of that softly drawled 'Dear Lord' as it announced Ezra's unpleasant discovery.
Ezra felt Buck's eyes on him and looked up just in time to catch the older man's unsuccessful attempt to smother a smile. "You find something humorous about my little accident this afternoon, Mr. Wilmington?" Ezra tried to dredge up some anger at the ladies man for laughing at him, but just couldn't quite manage it. Thinking about it honestly, he knew he'd be laughing even harder if their situations were reversed.
Buck thought he was in trouble until he saw the smile tugging at the corner of Ezra's mouth. "Sorry, Ezra... I can't help it. I keep rememberin' the sound of your voice when ya found that last critter, it's just—"
"Dear Lord..." JD's voice floated across the fire to the two older men in a perfect imitation of Ezra's panicked discovery. Buck and Ezra stared at each other for a few silent moments, and just as JD was sure he was about to die at the hands of the gambler, the two men burst out into loud peals of laughter.
Ezra clutched at his sides as he struggled to stop laughing, but everytime he looked at Buck or JD, he started all over again. By the time they all got control of themselves, tears were rolling down their cheeks and they were gasping for breath.
"Thank you, Mr. Dunne. I believe I might just be able to sleep now." Ezra clapped JD on the shoulder as he walked towards the shadows surrounding the camp, intent on answering the call of nature one last time before settling down in his bedroll.
"Ezra." Buck tossed the jar of salve to the gambler as he turned around. "Ya better smear some more of this on those welts... ya don't want 'em gettin' infected."
Ezra glanced down at JD and pointed his finger at him when he saw the twinkle in the young man's eyes and saw his mouth start to open. "Don't push your luck, Mr. Dunne... or your liable to find a little surprise in your bedroll with you in the mornin'."
JD's mouth slammed shut at the look in Ezra's green eyes and he quickly rolled himself up in his blankets, carefully tucking in all the corners to make sure nothing could possibly get in. He smiled innocently up at the gambler, and breathed a sigh of relief when he smiled back and continued on his way.
Buck looked over at the young peacekeeper as he stretched out on his bedroll. "Smart move, JD... smart move."
Ezra soon returned, and after reluctantly allowing Buck to rub more salve across his back, climbed gingerly beneath his covers, shifting and squirming several times before he finally found a position that was comfortable.
It was only a matter of minutes before a peaceful quiet descended over the camp, broken only by the gentle snores of the three men stretched out around the fire.