Pairing: Chris Larabee/Vin Tanner Rating: PG13 at best; Chris has a real potty mouth? Mind? However you want to look at it. Slash tones, but no sex. Sorry folks, next time okay? Warnings: Chris POV, Tissue warning. (Youll have to trust me, but I swear I didnt kill anyone off...this time.) Disclaimer: I wish, I dont, They do, I never will. Still poor. Nuff said, on to the fic. Summary: Christmas story, Santa fulfills a promise
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Great, how the hell do I get myself into this kind of shit? First Dad gets a temporary transfer to the San Antonio ATF in Texas and like thats not bad enough, since its December and a week before Christmas, he has to drag the whole family along with him. Im sixteen and I want to be back home. All my friends and my girlfriend are back in Indiana. But noooo! Im stuck here and my Father is punishing me. He says I dont know how good I have it, that I dont know how lucky I am to have a family that loves me or what Christmas is all about. So here I sit, me, Christopher Larabee, playing Santa at an ATF party for orphans. This is supposed to show me the meaning of family and Christmas? Well see. All right, this is it! No one told me I needed body armor to protect myself. Ive been thrown up on, pissed on, Ive been kicked in the balls, had my beard pulled off so many times Ive lost fucking count and the little brats are still coming up and demanding all kinds of shit they want for Christmas. The big joke is they all say theyve been good. Tell that to my bruises kiddies! I want to dump them on their asses and tell them all they are getting is coal. Well Id really like to tell them they were getting a pile of shit, but my Father would tan my hide if I told a six year old that. Sigh! Finally! Only one more kid left and I can take a break. I just cant wait to hear what this one wants. Oh, wonderful this one is going to play shy. Hes just standing there shifting from one foot to another. If he pisses on me Im going to kill someone, I swear I will. Well damn if he isnt kind of cute. Skinny as a rail, brown hair almost to his shoulders and the bluest, most soulful eyes Ive ever seen in my life. They remind me of those sad-eyed dog paintings. I wonder why no one has snapped this little guy up and given him a home. He still looks uncertain like he wants to see me... I mean Santa, but hes scared. Why would a little kid be scared of Santa? I open my arms and the next thing I know hes right there. I cant help but smile at the little guy. I start Ho, Ho, Hoeing and he says nothing at all, just crawls up in my lap and gazes up at me like I hold all the answers in the universe. Whats your name, little fella? I ask. He stutters for a moment, then those blue eyes lock with mine and he answers, his soft Texas drawl filled with pride, Vin, sir, Vin Tanner. I cant help but chuckle at the expression on his face, his jaw is lifted, his eyes so serous for someone so young. Well, Vin, have you been a good boy this year? I ask. He swallows hard and those blue eyes start to tear up. Shit! What do I do now? Please dont cry kid, please dont. Awww! His lower lip started to quiver; hes going to cry on me. But he doesnt, he took a deep breath, almost like he was drawing strength from within, and got himself under control. Hell, this kid cant be more than five or six years old at the most. Im grateful hes not crying, but what kind of kid has that much control of himself at that age? He takes another deep breath, then he answers, I try to be good Santa, my Mommy told me to be, before she went away. I try ta learn all the stuff they tell me ta in school, but Is too dumb. I cant read yet and I always mess up my homework and have ta get punished. I dont mean ta. Its just hard and the letters dont make sense a lot of the time. I feel like Im going to explode Im so mad. His mother went away? She left him? What a bitch, how could anyone leave a little kid like this? And they punish him just because he messes up his homework? What the fuck kind of place is this orphanage? I dont even know this kid but suddenly I want to protect him. The best I can do is try to reassure him. My voice seems gruff for some reason when I answer him, You look pretty smart to me little Pard, even Santa....er....me... I had trouble in school when I was little. Oops, almost goofed there but he didnt seem to notice. I took a quick look around the room. All the other kids were gathering their stuff to leave, but I thought we had a few more minutes. Well Vin can you tell me what you would like for Christmas? I asked him. His reply had me fighting not to cry. Santa, can you please send someone to love me? My mamas gone, they told me she died and cant come back ever. They keep sending me to peoples homes, but they dont want me, Is too dumb and too much trouble to keep they say. I just want someone who will love me like my mama did. Can you please send someone? Oh, god I cant promise him that even as much as I want to. Hell, I want to pick him up and take him home with me. His mother is dead! I knew, I just knew no one would leave this little guy willingly. How could anyone not want him? Im furious at the people who treated him so badly. Vins eyes are so hopeful as he pleads with me, with Santa. My heart breaks when I hear, Santa, can you please? I know Is asking a lot. Most peoples aint goin ta want a dummy like me, but please can you find someone ta love me? I dont want nothing else fer Christmas. Im so choked up I cant say a word. All I can do is hold him close. Then it hits me, I know just what to say and I pray with every bit of my soul it comes true for this precious little boy. Ill tell you what Vin, I honestly dont know if I can send someone right away, but someday when you least expect it, someone will love you more than life itself, I swear it. You going to have to believe in me though and until the day you meet that special person, I want you to remember Santa loves you and hell be watching out for you and looking for just the right person for you. Someone who will love you forever. Suddenly one of the people with the orphanage called Vin saying it was time to go. He leaned over to me and kissed my cheek, then he gave me a huge grin and got down from my lap heading for the door and the rest of the group. Just before he walked out the door Vin turned back to me and spoke. I had to read his lips, it was just too noisy to hear him, Ill be waiting Santa I believe in you. Then he was gone. I learned my lesson, Dad. All it took was a small Texan who wanted to be loved more than he wanted anything else in the world. From this day onward I might not be the perfect son, but Ill always love and appreciate my family. Ill always remember you Vin Tanner. TWENTY YEARS LATER: In March I hired a new man as our team sharpshooter, his name was somehow familiar I just couldnt place it at the time. Yet the first time I saw him I knew there was something special about him. That, somehow, this young Texan stranger, filled with fire and courage, called to me. Within hours of knowing him he became a friend, within two weeks, he was my best friend. Six month later he became my lover. How I held out that long is a miracle. I was scared I admit it, I was afraid to ruin our friendship, afraid he didnt feel the same way about me. Then I almost lost him forever, the how doesnt matter. Suddenly it was important to find out how he felt, to tell him how I felt, that I wanted him with me as both my best friend and lover, as my partner in all things. He beat me to it, we laughed till we cried and we became a couple. No, thats wrong, its too much of an understatement. Vin and I are two halves that complete each other; I swear our hearts even beat in time together. Yeah, sappy I know but its a fact. Life was as sweet as it can get for us and the countdown to our first Christmas together had started. Vin and I had decided to go gift shopping together for the rest of the boys and the closest place was the local mall. The place was all decorated for the holiday and in the middle of the mall was a stage set up as the north pole complete with a very young Santa the kid couldnt have been any more than sixteen. I laughed remembering my turn as Saint Nicolas and turned to tell Vin about it. He didnt even look at me, his blue eyes were filling with unshed tears as they locked on the kid playing Santa. I barely heard him as he whispered, I never stopped believing, thank you! Oh, My God Vin! My Vin? It couldnt be... could it? My Vin was that little boy so long ago. I gently turned him to face me, my hand cupping his face as I spoke, Santa always keeps his promises, Vin. And I love you more than life itself, I will love you forever. He gasped in shock, his eyes widened, closed, then opened again. Vin grabbed my arm and without a word led us to a darkened corner of the mall. Only once we were there did he speak, How do you know that promise? Ive never told anyone, I never told you, Chris. I couldnt keep the smile from my face. Hell, I didnt even try. I pulled him in to my arms and kissed him, then I replied, I have a story to tell you Vin, its about someone who taught me one of the most significant lessons Ive ever learned, a lesson in whats important in life and a lesson about love. And after I tell you that story... I stopped talking for a minute and ravaged his lean body with my eyes before continuing, Well, then we are going to see just what Santa will give you this year. Vins expression held a look of wonder and his eyes were filled with love and light. He kissed me back and whispered, Lets get home Cowboy, you got a story ta tell and I cant wait ta hear it. Ive got all I want for Christmas, Ive got you!
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