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

[Luvlylittlewing]

“Sirs, can you help?”  The young man was about 20, very trim, and his full, sensuous mouth looked ashen either from lack of food or water, or both!  Jack and Ennis were facing the tent, looking at their handiwork when the voice almost made them jump out of their skins.  Jack was the first to turn around and behold the young man.  Ennis saw him a mere second later, and was struck by how much the man resembled him when he was that age.

Jack wondered where the man came from, and how much he had witnessed.  Both Ennis and Jack chose the site in the highest regions of the Tetons for their rendezvous thinking that most people would be at home during the first few days of the New Year, and not out camping high in the frigid mountains.  But they were wrong!  Jack walked closer to the young man, and noticed instantly how much he looked like his friend standing right behind him.  “You scared us, Friend,” Jack spoke, gently.  Ennis walked over and stood beside Jack.  He placed a hand on his lover’s shoulder.  “You said you need help?” Ennis asked.  “What can we do for you?”

The young man told Ennis and Jack all about his layoff from his job months ago and how he had to support a wife and 2 children on unemployment.  The unemployment check was barely enough to keep his family fed, which meant that the house he and his wife saved for years to buy was lost.  Ennis and Jack listened intently while the young man pointed to a distance along the clearing.  He said that his wife and 2 children were waiting for him.  They were living in their car!  Jack was moved by the young man’s plight.  “Take us to your family and we’ll see what we can do!”  It was Jack.  The young man, whose name was Van, smiled weakly and turned to walk down the clearing.  Ennis looked back at the tent, and satisfied that everything was secure, set off with Jack.

To be Continued...

[Luvlylittlewing]

Ennis was instantly reassured when Jack whispered, “its okay, its okay!”  The tenderness of Jack’s words melted any resolve and hesitation that Ennis felt just moments ago.  Some moments ago, Ennis was apprehensive about climbing inside the tent to "see" his friend.  But how could he resist?  Just one glance at the sexy Jack Twist lying there shirtless and calm and Ennis was a goner.

Ennis never felt so free in his entire life.  He realized that he really needed, craved what Jack offered.  The sex the night before was liberating, if not a bit frightening, thus the torment!  How could he not be queer if he actually made love to a man and enjoyed it?  Ennis chased the thought from his mind.  There was nothing wrong with cuddling with a pal, was there? 

Jack’s kisses soothed him.  So very tender!  Ennis felt himself massaging Jack’s chest; holding on for dear life!  And he didn’t object when Jack moved over him, kissed him so long and sweet.  What happened next, Ennis chose to leave somewhere in the folds of his imagination.  The memory was filed away, safe, ready and waiting to be retrieved when he felt lonely and afraid.

[Luvlylittlewing]

Jack was always a romantic at heart.  He was also a very considerate, generous, tender lover.  Ennis learned this shortly after Jack cuddled him for the first time, and then loved him practically non-stop for the rest of the night.  The poor sheep: once again they had only a blue dog to watch over them.

“Stay with me awhile longer?” Jack whispered into Ennis’ hair.  “I promise you won’t be sorry!”  Ennis considered Jack’s proposal.  He would have loved to stay with his friend and surrender to his sweet lovemaking.  But he was being paid to do a job, and Jack was actually keeping him from doing it.

“I gotta go, Jack!” Ennis stated, emphatically as he pulled on his shirt.  Jack pouted a bit, but he remained silent.  Ennis noticed the tension, but Jack would have to suck it up.  “Look Jack, we need to do right by Aguirre.  I have a feeling we may need to work for him again!”  Jack couldn’t think that far ahead when in his sights was an impossibly handsome, well built man pulling on his jeans.  “Maybe tonight…?”  Jack shouted after his lover.  But Ennis had already mounted his mare and was headed toward the mountain. 

[Luvlylittlewing]

Ennis had a love/hate relationship with the Methodist Church.  It was a decent enough place with a fine preacher and a large congregation, but Ennis often felt that some of the members knew about him and Jack.  He often attended Sunday Service and winced when Pastor Martin told the flock how homosexuals would burn in hell if they failed to repent and leave their wicked ways behind!  That sort of message was preached way too often for Ennis’ tastes.  That fire and brimstone crowd was often too much for him.

A few weeks after returning from a trip with Jack, Alma announced a special father/daughter day at the Methodist Church.  Ennis pulled the Sunday paper over his face in an attempt to ignore his wife’s news.  Daddy,” Alma Jr. exclaimed after her mother had finished.  “Why don’t we all go together to the service?”  “I won’t be going, dear!”  It was Alma.  “This particular service is only for daddies and daughters and is scheduled for next Thursday night.  I won’t be going.”  “All the better,” Alma Jr. thought, ruefully.  Alma Jr. was at the age when daughters often perceived their mothers as rivals.  “Honey,” Alma began, focusing her attention on her husband.   “I told them you would sing!”  Ennis made a face like he had gas or something.  His girls cheered while Alma stared at him, smugly.  “I gotta sing?”  Ennis was beginning to panic.  He sang solo in church before and everyone really enjoyed it.  But Ennis realized that he was hardly in the mood to deliver a solo, and only a few nights away.  “Daddy, c’mon, you’ll do just fine!”  Jenny spoke up for the first time.  “I want to hear you sing “Saved by the Blood of The Lamb. Will you do that for me?” Ennis looked at his youngest and had to smile.  If only she knew what memories that hymn title conjured up.  But how could he disappoint her?

Ennis and his children were escorted to their seats by Mrs. Wolfe, a plumb middle aged woman who wore a starched white usher’s uniform.   He was rather nervous as he eyed the program, and found that he would be called on to sing after Mr. McLean recited a religious poem.  Ennis steeled himself.  He sat right in the middle of his girls and held hands with the both of them.  “And now Brother Del Mar will favor us with a solo!”  Brother Ashford was the Master of Ceremony and handed Ennis the mike.  Ennis nodded to the pianist and belted out Jenny’s favorite hymn in his scratchy, raspy voice.  He was terrified, but did well at hiding it.  When he was finished, the entire congregation stood and applauded.  Ennis returned to his seat avoiding the eyes of the parishioners as they applauded him.  “I was that good?” Ennis thought, his face red.  He took his seat and blushed again as Jenny tenderly kissed one cheek and Alma Jr. kissed the other.  What a feeling! Ennis placed his arms around his girl’s shoulders and pulled them close.  He had a feeling that his singing days were not over; not by a long shot.  And somehow, Ennis was okay with that.

[Luvlylittlewing]

“Uh oh, I sense trouble,” Ennis observed as he studied Jack’s face.  He had yet to see his lover so stricken.  Jack’s eyes were darting, washed-out blue slits, and his mouth was drawn up in a crease lined pout.  Jack averted his eyes from his man.  He was ashamed at himself for allowing his stress to show.  He wanted his time away with Ennis to be worry free: a love fest.  But Jack was fretting about a few things back home, and he couldn’t hide it.

“What is it, Darlin?” Ennis asked, concerned.  “Ah it’s just Bobby, Friend,” Jack lamented.  “Bobby?” Ennis repeated, disbelieving.  “What about Bobby?”  Jack told Ennis the whole story about Bobby being a bit slow in school and how Lureen didn’t seem to care that much.  He also went into detail about his meeting with Bobby’s teacher and her dislike for him, since he complained so much.  “You have every right to complain, Rodeo,” Ennis spoke, reassuringly.  “I would do the same if it was one of my girls.”

“What are you gonna do, Jack?”  Ennis looked at his friend, serious.  “What do you think about going home and talking to Bobby’s teacher about getting a tutor?”  Jack looked at the cold, hard ground.  He didn’t trust Lureen to speak to the teacher, but he didn’t want to cut his time short with Ennis.  “Why don’t we do this,” Jack began.  “We can eat, sleep, screw and hunt like the world is coming to an end, but I leave in a few days to see about my son.”  Jack couldn’t look Ennis in the eyes, but somehow he knew that his lover would understand.  “I’m okay with that,” Ennis stated matter-of-factly.  Ennis pulled Jack into his arms and favored him with a slow, steady kiss.  Well, if we’re going to cut this party short, we better get on with it!”  Jack shook his head in the affirmative and followed Ennis into the cabin.

[Luvlylittlewing]

Ennis walked up to where Jack was sitting on a folding chair, whittling some sort of figure from a log he found around camp.  Ennis sat down beside him and squeezed his right knee.  “Before we leave, Rodeo, I’m going to need my oil changed.”  Jack glanced up from his carving and smiled demurely at his lover.  “Well, that’s a racy way of putting it, Friend, but I suppose we can go into the tent once more before we head on out.”  Ennis had to laugh!  “Get your mind out of the gutter, fool,” he countered.  “I really need my oil changed on the truck.”

It was Jack’s turn to laugh.  “Oh, I thought you meant something else,” Jack exclaimed, amused.  Ennis pulled himself up and reached a hand out to Jack.  “C’mon, get up.  I really need to have this done before I drive off.”  Jack grabbed Ennis’ hand and allowed himself to be pulled up to a standing position.  He tossed the figure he was carving and gave Ennis his undivided attention.  “You know how to change the oil, don’t you,” Ennis inquired.  “Yeah, of course,” Jack spoke.  “I can do it in my sleep, you know that!”  “Good,” Ennis said, as he walked toward his vehicle.  “Follow me.”

Ennis handed Jack a can of oil and left to pack up the rest of his things.  He watched as Jack bent over, his toned and firm buttocks high up in the air before his entire form disappeared beneath the truck.  The sight of Jack’s buns left Ennis breathless.  He tried to busy himself to divert his mind from sex, but it was no good.  When Jack emerged from under the truck, the job all done, Ennis walked over and helped him up.  “The oil changer is finished, sir,” Jack said, saluting.  “Is there anything else I can do for you?”  Ennis couldn’t resist.  He grabbed his lover and gently lowered him to the cold ground. 

[Luvlylittlewing]

Jack really craved the silent, cozy times.  He loved the easy way that Ennis rested underneath him, never moving a muscle, tolerating the weight of a tall man atop him.  Jack rested his head in the crook of Ennis’ strong neck, and nuzzled gently.  Ennis purred, sighed, and traced a finger along Jack’s spine.

Jack placed tiny bites along Ennis neck bone but was careful to avoid giving his lover a hickey. Ennis was no longer a married man, but there was another: Cassie might see a raised love bite on Ennis’ neck and ask questions.  Jack wasn’t happy about Cassie, but he didn’t want to cause problems for his man.  Thus the tiny bites!  Ennis sure tasted good!

Ennis tightened his hold on Jack, which suited him just fine.  Jack moved his mouth from Ennis’ throat and searched out his lips.  Ennis raised his head a bit and pouted in preparation for Jack.  The kiss was sweet and a bit wet, just like the kisses to Ennis’ neck just moments ago.  Content now, Jack decided it was time for a rest before the next round.  He placed his head gently on Ennis’ chest and smiled as his lover kissed his hair. 



 

[Luvlylittlewing]

Ennis opened his closet door and glanced over Jack’s "shrine" to the bottom of the space where he kept his work boots.  Ennis selected his best pair and closed the door.  He did good this time: no tears or straightening the postcard that always seemed to hang askew when the closet door opened.  Ennis sat down on his small bed and donned his boots.  He would head out for the ranch after a bit of breakfast and a cup of stale coffee.  Yes, Ennis was proud of himself!  He managed to get into his closet without losing his composure.  He wondered how long his resolve would last.  He allowed his mind to wander to a small “document” placed at the back of the shrine: Jack’s funeral program.  Ennis stayed seated as he thought of the bizarre visit he received just last month:

He didn’t know how she knew where to find him, or even why she would visit.  But there she was – the prettiest woman in Texas, or so Jack called her – and Ennis had to agree with Jack's assessment.  She never said a word when he opened the door to the trailer, but none were needed.  Ennis somehow knew that Jack's widow stood before him.  He stood there at the stoop and observed the woman.  She was dressed simply in a beige coat and wore a black fedora on her blond locks.  She carried a large chocolate brown duffle bag that had the initials LV placed all over it.  The woman looked well kept.  She smiled at him, reached in her pocketbook and held up a folded sheet of paper.  She placed it in Ennis’ hand, and without a word, walked away to a car that was parked at the end of the road.  He let her go.

Ennis couldn’t look at the program.  He didn’t even know for sure what he was holding until he glanced at it briefly and saw Jack’s picture there.  What else could it be?  After he was sure Lureen was long gone, Ennis placed Jack's funeral program on a shelf behind the shirts.  It was still there; had been hidden for over a month, but Ennis never looked at it.  He fetched himself a cup of coffee and decided to skip breakfast.  As he left the trailer, he took one last look at the closet and allowed the thought of the program to enter his head.  Perhaps he could muster the strength to look at it one day, but for now, he didn’t have the power.

[Toycoon]

Aguirre appeared again on horseback like an unwelcome encore with news that there was some big storm approaching; Jack and Ennis had to bring the sheep down right now and that Jack's uncle Harold hadn't died after all but everything in Jack's world just had the wind knocked out of it. 

"This jus' don't seem fair! How I am gonna explain to Ennis, we gotta go... we gotta quit this thing? The money? Shee-it," thought Jack knowing full well that their 'thing', their beautiful thing, had no name? None that either man could ever find the right words for.

Jack wept as he took the last post off of the tent and rolled it up with the other posts; he wiped his eyes and face with his sleeve and only smiled when Ennis rode up on his horse.

[Luvlylittlewing]

Aguirre appeared again on horseback like an unwelcome encore with news that there was some big storm approaching; Jack and Ennis had to bring the sheep down right now and that Jack's uncle Harold hadn't died after all but everything in Jack's world just had the wind knocked out of it. 

"This jus' don't seem fair! How I am gonna explain to Ennis, we gotta go... we gotta quit this thing? The money? Shee-it," thought Jack knowing full well that their 'thing', their beautiful thing, had no name? None that either man could ever find the right words for.

Jack wept as he took the last post off of the tent and rolled it up with the other posts; he wiped his eyes and face with his sleeve and only smiled when Ennis rode up on his horse.

Gorgeous writng, Love!  Thanks for posting this; I really enjoyed reading through it.