Introducing the "Jack with Ennis" Fan Fic Game - the BetterMost Edition

[Luvlylittlewing]

Hi Littlewing,

Despite the temperature, this story is so warm and cozy.  I love the fact that Jack and Ennis were always so close to nature.  And I understood why AP always put them out in the wilderness.  What they had together didn't fit into the cultural milieu of 1960's and 70's rural Wyoming.  But I always hated to think of them outside in the winter.  But your story makes it sound so appealing.

Gary 

Hey, Gary!  Thanks for your kind words.  I'm not even sure why I wrote this story, other than the fact that I like the idea of E&J out in the wilderness, doing their thing, being themselves.  And out of the watchful eye of an unsympathetic society!

[Luvlylittlewing]

It's great to see you posting, Littlewing.  I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better.  Hope you make a complete recovery very soon.   

Love,
Gary

Thanks, Love!  I'm feeling much better!

[Luvlylittlewing]

Stellar story, Lilttlewing! I'm glad to see you're feeling better. Take of yourself and don't overexert.

Thanks, Toycoon!  I'll remember to take it easy. 

[Luvlylittlewing]

Thanks for this touching story, Marie. How good to see that you are doing better!  I often thought of you. I'll send you a PM tonight, maybe we can talk a little about our Christmas plans.

Dagi 

Thanks, Dagi!

[cwby30]

December 1963

Holding a steaming cup of coffee, Jack looked out the kitchen window at the fresh blanket of snow covering the ranch in the early morning light, blotting out the rough edges of the land and buildings, but not blotting out the rough edges of his heart and life.  Four months without Ennis, four months without any contact, four months of enduring the stares and questions and foul mouth of his father.  Ennis would be married by now, settling into a life with Alma, while he shivered at the feeling of arctic cold running through his body despite the warmth cast by the radiators. 

Christmas Eve, and he knew he'd never get the present he wanted under the Christmas tree.  Nothing new, though, he'd hardly ever gotten what he wanted for Christmas. 

He turned away and smiled wanly at his mother, in response to her calling him to the table for breakfast.  Setting his cup and himself down, he lifted his fork and stabbed at the eggs and bacon, not really hungry but knowing he needed sustenance to carry him through another day with John Twist.  The man himself walked into the room, sat down at the table, and started eating without as much as a hello for either of them. 

As Jack finished, he heard a vehicle pull up outside.  "Must be the truck from Murchison's with the wire, best get out and see to it, if ya got the time," said his dad abruptly.  Jack acknowledged the command, got up. put on his hat, coat and gloves, and headed out into the cold past the calendar showing palm trees at some beach in Mexico.  No sense arguing, he'd lose anyway. 

The sign on the truck did indeed say Murchison's, and the wire was in the back of the truck, but the driver was nowhere in sight. "Must be in the barn putting the first away," thought Jack.  So he hoisted a roll onto his shoulder and headed into the barn. 

Entering the dimly lit barn from outside through the open barn door, it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the barn.  When he did, he saw the driver walking towards him.  Jack began, "Here's the next roll of..."  He never finished the sentence, 'cause the driver knocked the wire off Jack's shoulder, pushed him up against the inside of the barn, and proceeded to kiss him as hard as he could.  Startled, Jack at first did nothing, then started to kiss back thinking of Ennis, and then realized what he was doing and began to fight back against this unexpected assault. But, then his brain kicked into gear. What??  "I know those lips!", he thought.

Pushing away the intruder, he gasped.  "Ennis?! What the fuck...?!"

"Good morning to you too, cowboy.  You always greet the hired help from Murchison's with a kiss?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Delivering the wire your daddy ordered."

"I can see that, but what are you doing here, in Lightning Flat?"

"Got me a job with Murchison's during the week, but could use some extra money, so if ya know a rancher that needs some help, I'm available."

"What does Alma think of all this, living so far away from her family?"

"Dunno, never asked her.  Jack, I didn't marry Alma, couldn't.  Standing in front of the preacher, when he asked me if I promised to love and honor her, all I could think of was you, and I just couldn't say 'I do' to Alma when I already felt that for someone else.  So, left her standing at the altar, and had to leave town, too."

All Jack could do, was gape. "Did Ennis just say what I think he did?" he thought.

"Well, judging by the weather and the look on your face, I guess Hell froze over 'cause Jack Twist has nothing to say."

"The Hell I don't!" responded Jack, and he grabbed Ennis into a full embrace and planted his lips on Ennis' with all the love in his hear. Pulling away to catch his breath, Jack murmured into Ennis' ear, "I love you too, Ennis del Mar."

Ennis hugged him harder, if that were possible, and asked quietly, "Think ya have a need for someone full time around here?"

Jack could hardly speak, and definitely couldn't see through the tears. "Ya, I need ya full time, Ennis, wherever we are."

Outside the barn the snow began falling, like powdered sugar from a sifter.  Inside the barn, Jack and Ennis fell into each other's hearts, smoothing over the rough edges of each other's life.  For the very first time that Christmas and for every Christmas after that, Jack received the present he cherished most. 

[Luvlylittlewing]

That was beautiful, Littewing.  I was very moved by that.  What an uplifting story.  And what great advice from the old guy -- wherever you find love, take it!  Great Chrismas tale.

Gary 

Thanks, Sweetheart!

[Luvlylittlewing]

December 1963

Holding a steaming cup of coffee, Jack looked out the kitchen window at the fresh blanket of snow covering the ranch in the early morning light, blotting out the rough edges of the land and buildings, but not blotting out the rough edges of his heart and life.  Four months without Ennis, four months without any contact, four months of enduring the stares and questions and foul mouth of his father.  Ennis would be married by now, settling into a life with Alma, while he shivered at the feeling of arctic cold running through his body despite the warmth cast by the radiators. 

Christmas Eve, and he knew he'd never get the present he wanted under the Christmas tree.  Nothing new, though, he'd hardly ever gotten what he wanted for Christmas. 

He turned away and smiled wanly at his mother, in response to her calling him to the table for breakfast.  Setting his cup and himself down, he lifted his fork and stabbed at the eggs and bacon, not really hungry but knowing he needed sustenance to carry him through another day with John Twist.  The man himself walked into the room, sat down at the table, and started eating without as much as a hello for either of them. 

As Jack finished, he heard a vehicle pull up outside.  "Must be the truck from Murchison's with the wire, best get out and see to it, if ya got the time," said his dad abruptly.  Jack acknowledged the command, got up. put on his hat, coat and gloves, and headed out into the cold past the calendar showing palm trees at some beach in Mexico.  No sense arguing, he'd lose anyway. 

The sign on the truck did indeed say Murchison's, and the wire was in the back of the truck, but the driver was nowhere in sight. "Must be in the barn putting the first away," thought Jack.  So he hoisted a roll onto his shoulder and headed into the barn. 

Entering the dimly lit barn from outside through the open barn door, it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the barn.  When he did, he saw the driver walking towards him.  Jack began, "Here's the next roll of..."  He never finished the sentence, 'cause the driver knocked the wire off Jack's shoulder, pushed him up against the inside of the barn, and proceeded to kiss him as hard as he could.  Startled, Jack at first did nothing, then started to kiss back thinking of Ennis, and then realized what he was doing and began to fight back against this unexpected assault. But, then his brain kicked into gear. What??  "I know those lips!", he thought.

Pushing away the intruder, he gasped.  "Ennis?! What the fuck...?!"

"Good morning to you too, cowboy.  You always greet the hired help from Murchison's with a kiss?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Delivering the wire your daddy ordered."

"I can see that, but what are you doing here, in Lightning Flat?"

"Got me a job with Murchison's during the week, but could use some extra money, so if ya know a rancher that needs some help, I'm available."

"What does Alma think of all this, living so far away from her family?"

"Dunno, never asked her.  Jack, I didn't marry Alma, couldn't.  Standing in front of the preacher, when he asked me if I promised to love and honor her, all I could think of was you, and I just couldn't say 'I do' to Alma when I already felt that for someone else.  So, left her standing at the altar, and had to leave town, too."

All Jack could do, was gape. "Did Ennis just say what I think he did?" he thought.

"Well, judging by the weather and the look on your face, I guess Hell froze over 'cause Jack Twist has nothing to say."

"The Hell I don't!" responded Jack, and he grabbed Ennis into a full embrace and planted his lips on Ennis' with all the love in his hear. Pulling away to catch his breath, Jack murmured into Ennis' ear, "I love you too, Ennis del Mar."

Ennis hugged him harder, if that were possible, and asked quietly, "Think ya have a need for someone full time around here?"

Jack could hardly speak, and definitely couldn't see through the tears. "Ya, I need ya full time, Ennis, wherever we are."

Outside the barn the snow began falling, like powdered sugar from a sifter.  Inside the barn, Jack and Ennis fell into each other's hearts, smoothing over the rough edges of each other's life.  For the very first time that Christmas and for every Christmas after that, Jack received the present he cherished most. 

Cwby30, thanks so much for this charming tale.  I just logged on and was unprepared for this treat.  What a great christmas present to be reunited with the one you love.  This tale is very well written, and very welcome! 

Outside the barn the snow began falling, like powdered sugar from a sifter.

What a wonderful image.  This is so descriptive that I can image myself standing right in the middle of all that snow.  Thanks again, cwby30! 

[Toycoon]

Holding a steaming cup of coffee, Jack looked out the kitchen window at the fresh blanket of snow covering the ranch in the early morning light, blotting out the rough edges of the land and buildings, but not blotting out the rough edges of his heart and life.

Yahooo cwby30! What did we do to deserve such a swell gift. You really must write more often.

[Dagi]

Outside the barn the snow began falling, like powdered sugar from a sifter.  Inside the barn, Jack and Ennis fell into each other's hearts, smoothing over the rough edges of each other's life.  For the very first time that Christmas and for every Christmas after that, Jack received the present he cherished most. 

Thanks for this little AU tale, cwby30! And write more often !

Dagi

[Toycoon]

Right (52) by Toycoon

Jack started up the truck and put it into gear. "Boy, am I starved! I could eat me a camel. I hope Ma's got supper ready when we get back." Jack glanced at Ennis. "Hey, you hungry, cowboy?" Ennis nodded, 'yes'. Ennis was hungry but he was too polite to make a fuss about it. The idea of joining Jack's family as a hired hand was still new to Ennis as well as the thought of enjoying steady meals. He had become accustomed to going without. Ennis pulled a half smoked cigarette from his coat, put it in his mouth and lit it.

It was nearly dusk when they pulled up to the Twist ranch. Pink and orange clouds streaked across the autumn sky. The tattered frame and a pile of rubble was all that remained in the place where the old barn once stood. John Twist had demolished most of the barn himself, fueled by the sheer determination to extinguish the demons that plagued his childhood.

Jack and Ennis walked in the house then into the kitchen, where they were greeted by Jack's mother, wiping her hands with a towel. She leaned in to kiss Jack on the cheek and wrinkled her nose when she caught a whiff of the creek water on the two of them. "Jack, Ennis, you boys go upstairs an' wash up. Supper'll be ready soon," she said scooting them out of the kitchen. "Jack, I made your favorite, rosemary chicken." They passed Jack's father in the living room, who was dozing in his chair with his feet up on the ottoman and took the stairs, two by two.

Ennis waited in Jack's room while Jack took a bath. He walked around the room admiring Jack's various possessions: the little rifle on the wooden rack, the rope lasso hanging on the nail, the toy cowboy on the horse. Ennis picked up the little wooden sculpture and remembered the horse he'd carved as a gift for Jack on Brokeback Mountain. He left it behind when Aguirre ran them off.

Jack came back into the room wearing only a bath towel. His hair was wet and neatly combed down on his head. Jack looked so fresh scrubbed and beautiful that Ennis resisted the urge to take him then and there on the bed but settled for a moist kiss instead. "You better take a bath before my momma tans yer hide," whispered Jack, pushing Ennis back, "there's a clean towel fer ya on the rack in there." Ennis disappeared into the bathroom and Jack started to get dressed. He pulled out a pair of clean Levis and a rumpled T-shirt from the dresser. He dried his toes with the towel then pulled on his cowboy boots. Jack caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror; he jutted his chin out and rubbed the stubble growing on it. Just then, Ennis stepped back in to bedroom, his clothes in his arms and joined Jack's reflection in the mirror. Jack swung around to embrace his friend. Ennis dropped his clothes and his towel fell away then Jack sunk to his knees for a taste of his lover.

"Jack... Ennis, come on boys!" Mrs. Twisted called out from downstairs. "Supper's ready!"