[February 22] [Brokeback Mountain] Once Upon a Time - 22

[rhye.livejournal.com]

Title: Once Upon a Time - 22
Day/Theme: February 22th/A Ribbon Around Her Throat
Series: Brokeback Mountain
Character/Pairing: Jack Twist/Ennis del Mar
Rating: R

Chapter 22

It'd been a long, hard winter, but it was nearly spring now, the snow turnin' inta slush to mix with mud, white an' black makin' brown. The horses all had thrush, the days were finally getting' longer, an' Jack was finally seemin' ta show interest in things, havin' less trouble gettin' out of bed... 'cept when Ennis was in it, then Jack seemed to have plenty a trouble. Ennis still remembered those wintry months when just touchin' Jack would sometimes make him flinch, or maybe freeze up, but time had passed an' now they were almost back to their old ways in bed, 'cept Jack had always been partial to a more animal-like way, from behind an' all. Now he mostly wanted to be able ta look in Ennis's face. Ennis could understand that.

But Jack wasn't quite like he used to be. It was subtle. Maybe somethin' other people would'nt've noticed. But Ennis did. Jack's temper was shorter. He stuck 'round Ennis more at night. He didn't like people to come up behind him without sayin' so or he would jump, then get all pissy. Ennis did what he had to ta keep Jack happy. It was good Jack was bein' careful. Ennis could understand that. He missed his innocent bird, but sometimes he thought 'bout that pen knife he knew the sharpness of with his own flesh, an' thought that, as much as it bothered Jack, might be better that Jack didn't fight.

But from the moment Francie announced that she was gonna drive up an' visit, Jack had been almost back to his old self. Jack's ma was bubblin' with excitement ta get ta meet the girl she talked to over the phone. Mrs. Twist was cleanin' the house within' an inch of its life.

Jack, on the other hand, kept tryin' a suggest things Francie could do, but in the end kept admittin' that, havin' been a teenager in Lightning Flat himself, there really was'nt nothin'.

Ennis was more concerned with sleepin' arrangements. An' another detail. It weren't just Francie comin'. She said her boyfriend was gonna drive her. The boyfriend was news ta Ennis. With one daughter married, losin' the other to adulthood didn't please him too much. His name was Scott-- Scott MacDonald. It sounded ethnic to Ennis, an' he wrinkled his nose, seein' some drunkard's Irish son or somethin'. He thought it was best if Jack slept on the floor in his mama's room and Francie took their nice, big bed. Ennis could take the couch, an' this Scott could sleep on the floor in the livin' room where Ennis could keep an eye on 'im.

When the day finally came, Jack heard the truck first. He called upstairs to Ennis, who was washin' up, an' they both stood outside on the front stoop watchin' a red Dodge truck pull up inta the yard.

The boy got out first: tall, lanky, an' with a patch a red-brown hair on his head. His pale skin an' freckles made Ennis look Mexican.

Scott scampered around to the passenger side an' opened the door.

Francie was a year older, had her hair all up on her head like them moviestars, an' had a bright red scarf tied 'round her neck. She threw her arm up into the air to wave at them.

Ennis turned to look at Jack, who was wearin' the biggest smile Ennis had seen since fall.