Chapter Text
Jimmy threw his head back in ecstasy as Tango pounded into him, harsh breathes and pants coming fast as his pleasure built.
“Please Tango,” he gasped. “Right there, please.”
Tango leaned forward and buried his head into Jimmy’s neck, panting equally hard as the snapping of his hips became increasingly erratic. Kisses were pressed to his neck as Jimmy clawed at Tango’s back, pulling him closer with every thrust. He wanted this to last forever, knowing this would be the last time.
Hopefully the last time. He thought with a pang, but it didn’t last long as Tango kept hitting that spot.
He groaned as the coil inside him was being wound tighter and tighter until-
Jimmy’s breath hitched as he found his release, tumbling over the edge as his whole body tensed and his back arched.
“Tango-” he moaned. I love you.
Tango kept pushing in over and over, spurred faster by the moan of his name. Tango’s kisses turned to bites, tiny nips already littering his collarbone, and now he latched on just soft enough to not break skin. He reared back suddenly and took Jimmy’s lips in a biting kiss. Jimmy whimpered as he bordered on overstimulation, the feel of Tango still inside him delicious but too much . He began to push at Tango’s shoulder, but the man grew still, tensing he Jimmy felt a flood of warmth inside him.
Jimmy rubbed at Tango’s back as the man collapsed on top of him, nails dragging at his skin as he twitched in his afterglow. Tango pressed into Jimmy’s neck again, pressing lazy kisses anywhere he could reach without moving too much.
“Love you so much,” he muttered, panting and dragging a hand up to card through Jimmy’s hair.
Jimmy turned his head and found his lips, kissing him slow and unhurried, hoping that he could convey what he wanted to say. I love you.
He wanted to pause time and stay here, warm and in bed with Tango, hiding from the world and in love. Even as Tango eventually pulled out and cleaned them both up, lying there curled up together and being held as Tango ran a hand through his hair. He just wanted to relish the feeling for as long as possible.
“We’ve done so much this morning, yet we still haven’t had anything to eat,” Jimmy mumbled, laughing softly in Tango’s scarred chest. He felt the rumble of Tango’s quiet chuckle beneath.
“That’s true.”
“I don’t want to get up though,” he turned his head into Tango’s chest, nuzzling his warm skin. “Wanna stay here forever.”
Because the moment he left this bed, he’d never be able to go back. This tent felt like a little bubble of space that was theirs, a place where Tango’s fingers could card through his hair and scratch gently at his scalp, and he could trace patterns around the transition of scarred and unmarred skin on Tango’s chest. He circled a nipple cheekily, just for the hell of it, feeling Tango shiver. A hand grabbed his, drawing it up to kiss his knuckles.
“You continue that and we will be here forever,” Tango purred. He released Jimmy’s hand and kissed his hair instead, pausing there for a moment and breathing him in. Jimmy cursed his stomach for growling right then, Tango chuckling again as he patted Jimmy’s shoulder. “We’ll take that as a cue then, we can always do this again later.”
He reluctantly rolled away, grumbling as he rose and grabbed his shirt from across the floor. A quick glance in the small shaving mirror had Jimmy tying his bandana around his neck, tucking it under his collar to better hide the marks that dotted his neck. Once they were both dressed, Tango paused by the tent flap and grabbed Jimmy’s waist, pulling him close for one more tender kiss. His lips were soft and he sighed as they parted.
I love you. But I can’t.
It was like the bubble was burst as soon as he exited the tent, the reminder that the real world was there all along. The world continued to spin and time was still indeed moving forward despite his wish for it to stop for even but a moment. That guilt that had momentarily been lifted, settled back into his stomach like a fox beginning hibernation.
He took a deep breath. He could do this. Just one day more, he just had to play it cool and calm. He couldn’t let the gang know; Any slips and he could possibly be chained to another wall.
He was leaving tonight. He just had to continue to remind himself.
Returning to the real world however, meant facing the music of what had occurred the previous day. The nerves began to rise up again as they took the path down from Tango’s tent, and looking at Tango, he didn’t look too happy to be doing this either. He refrained from holding his hand.
Skizz was still by the fire as they approached. Zed’s cot was noticeably empty, Impulse also nowhere in sight. Skizz saw them coming and simply pointed to the pot sitting on a stand next to the flames.
“There’s still oats if you’re hungry.”
Jimmy sat down tentatively with a bowl, eyeing the man from the corner of his eye. He appeared calm, and not really all that upset like Jimmy expected him to be. Skizz seemed to be the easy-going type, but Jimmy was still expecting something .
“Where’s Zed?” Tango asked, sitting down beside Jimmy with a bowl of his own.
“Impulse is helping him bathe,” Skizz said, suddenly holding a kitchen knife up to the small beam of light that shone through the hole in the ceiling. Jimmy gulped as he started to nonchalantly sharpen the blade on a leather strap. “And before you ask, Jimmy, no, he’s not getting the bandages wet , Mhmkay?”
Jimmy nearly choked at the silly voice Skizz put on. He nodded, still perplexed at Skizz acting like nothing happened. He didn’t really know how he was meant to act, Skizz had kinda been in support of him the whole time. He still found that odd, but he supposed he couldn’t complain when it made life easier for him.
“How was Impulse this morning?” Tango probed, asking exactly what Jimmy himself wanted to know. Maybe Tango was as worried as he was, especially after how both men looked from their supposed brawl last night.
“He’s sore, just like you probably are,” Skizz gave Tango a pointed look. “But he didn’t have anything nice to say so I told him to take a walk.”
Jimmy stayed quiet, eating quickly both because he was hungry, and to escape talking any more. If he played his cards right, maybe he could avoid Impulse altogether. He didn’t really have time to gauge whether Zed was upset with the situation or not, but he’d been the one to rein in Impulse and Tango. The man seemed amiable, but he still couldn’t be quite sure.
Skizz came over to scrape out the rest of the oats in the pot, ladling a bit more into both Jimmy and Tango’s bowls before putting the rest in another bowl. He hefted the pot back to the small wagon that hosted Skizz’s kitchen set up, dropping it on a table by some other dirty utensils.
“Washing up’s calling your name, Tango,” Skizz said, dusting off his hands. “And Jimmy, you can take this bucket of ash somewhere and dump it, we usually go further into the cave over there and find a spot.”
Tango shovelled the rest of his food with an eye roll. “Yes, sir,” he groaned, but Jimmy could see the slight relief in the drop of his shoulders.
Jimmy nodded too and finished the rest of his own food, grateful that he would have a bit more in his belly before the uncertainty of the day ahead. He stood and deposited his bowl with Tango, returning to the fire to grab the bucket filled with old ashes that needed clearing. He hefted the bucket with his good hand and headed down towards the tunnel that led to the spring. He veered off the path before the tunnel though and ventured into a smaller cavern with a passage that led around to the left. He found a few piles of ash already there and dumped the bucket, kicking them a little with his toe to ensure there were no cinders. He turned and headed back, but paused when he heard voices up ahead, the muffled sounds still echoing off the tunnel walls.
“You should be nice to Jimmy when you see him,” Zed said.
Jimmy stopped in his tracks and pushed his back to the wall, bucket clutched to his stomach to stop it making noise.
He heard Impulse scoff. “I have no reason to.”
“You said that about me too.”
“That’s- Zed, no. That was so long ago.”
Their voices got stronger as they got closer, but they seemed to be actively moving back towards camp rather towards him.
“Maybe, but you said you were wrong about me, what if you’re wrong about him too?”
There was silence in response, and Jimmy didn’t know if Impulse was angry or accepting of that.
“Fine.” he heard the huffed reply.
“He’s smart, and could be useful down the track, and besides, he makes Tango happy.”
“I have a few choice things to say about Tango too.”
“Hey,” Zed said sharply. “Tango is one of us, I trust him as much as I trust you.”
He heard a heavy sigh. “Fine.”
“Good.”
There was the sound of their footfalls heading back up the camp and he released a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. So Zed was in his corner after all, and he was convincing Impulse to give him a chance… the day he escaped.
He swallowed. He needed to make this work or he was dead meat. There would be no chaining him to a wall, Impulse would probably shoot him dead.
…What would Tango do? He winced. He didn’t want to think about it. He was leaving, and getting away atop Canary. He’d run until he couldn’t.
He needed to.
He stayed still for another few minutes, really hoping Impulse and Zed wouldn’t see him coming back from the same direction. As he neared, Impulse was already walking off towards the entrance, axe on his shoulder. He slunk back towards the fire and put the bucket back down, looking up to see Zed talking to Tango. Tango was sat on the corner of the camp stretcher, where Zed was inspecting his bruised cheek, the doctor grimacing in disappointment as his thumb hovered over the bruise.
“You’ll live,” Zed sighed.
“Oh good,” Tango rolled his eyes. “I can see another day of Skizz’s cooking.”
“Hey!” Skizz yelped with outrage. “If I hear one more slight on my cooking, you’ll get none!”
“Yeah, Tango, don’t you know the saying ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’?” Zed laughed.
“ I like your cooking, Skizz,” Jimmy said, still hovering by the fire.
“See? Jiggles is the sane one here.”
“-Jiggles?”
“Uh oh, Skizz gave you a nickname,” Tango teased. “He’s become attached now.”
“Yeah? So what? He’s with us now, right?”
Jimmy froze. With us? He forced himself to continue breathing, and really hoping that he didn’t look absolutely terrified. No, there’s no ‘us’ here. No no, don’t make him choose now-
“Well that’s up to Jimmy,” Zed said, turning to him and making him clench his jaw. No, don’t say it-
“Do you want to join the Boomers?”
He swallowed, but his mouth felt bone dry. Tango was grinning at him, eyes full of excitement. The man had already asked him, and now his leader was asking him again. All eyes were on him, but he couldn’t see past Tango and what his disappointment would look like if he rejected them. Rejected him.
They were waiting for an answer, and they all knew there was only one they’d accept.
“Yes.”
Time seemed to slow around him as Tango shot up and embraced him, cupping his face and kissing him deeply. He smiled shyly down at Tango who was bouncing on his toes, ecstatic.
“Thank you,” Tango laughed in his excitement, hugging him again.
“Well that’s that then,” Jimmy startled hearing Impulse’s voice, gaze snapping to where the man was putting down a few small logs in the firewood pile. He dusted himself off and approached Jimmy, Tango tensing as the man stepped in front of him.
“Impulse-” Tango started to growl a warning.
But instead, Impulse stuck out a hand in front of him, completely ignoring Tango as he stared down Jimmy. “Welcome.”
He stared at the gruff man, then down at the hand being offered to him. He felt like his brain was a broken electric cable, sending off sparks. What? The bearded man was being completely serious.
In his fear, he blindly offered his wrapped hand on instinct. Impulse seemed to clock him, and loosely gripped the underside of his hand, gently shaking it and drawing back. He gave Jimmy a nod, holding eye contact and Jimmy felt… a wave of respect.
“Well this calls for celebration!” Skizz yelled, snapping them all out of the tense moment. “I’ve saved these for ages!”
Skizz broke out a crate with rope handles from the supply wagon, carefully placing it down with the sound of glass clinking, producing a dark green bottle. There were woops and cheers from the Boomers and Jimmy was still frozen, looking around him and trying to calm his racing heart.
What have I done?
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It took him a while to calm from his shock, mostly helped along by the cup of beer now in his hand. He sat by the fire as the gang kept up a good back and forth, trading jokes and stories about past jobs and telling Jimmy what he might expect on the next job. Even Tango and Impulse seemed to have forgotten their beef and were laughing with each other.
“So you may have guessed by now, but our whole thing is explosives,” Tango leaned into him heavily, already two cups down. “I told you I used to be a train engineer, well this bozo used to explode mountains and get paid for it.”
Tango was gesturing with his cup over to Impulse, who was also a little rosy in the cheek. Skizz shook his head fondly, rising to roam the circle with the dark green bottle, looking to top up cups. Jimmy was purposely nursing his, already having had his cup filled up once before.
“Then he taught all of us and now Top is the best there is,” Skizz laughed, Impulse scoffing with a ‘hey!’ Skizz paused in front of Zed, pouring only a little bit into his cup. “And Zeddle Bop is our amazing support.”
“‘Hoping not to get blown up’ should be my job title,” Zed snorted, smile betraying his sarcasm. “I just put them back together if things go wrong, well, usually.”
Zed winced at his own expense, throwing up his good hand in place of a shrug.
“But really, it’s nice to have someone like you on board, Jimmy,” Zed continued. “And again, thanks for saving me.”
“To Jimmy!” Tango raised his cup. “He’s saved two of our butts already!”
Jimmy’s cheeks were fiery red as they all cheers’ed around him, Tango’s arm slipping around his back and pulled him to his side. Jimmy tried to hide his wide-eyed look in his cup, drinking deeply as he tried to breath through the rising panic. It was getting a bit too much, and he pressed his cup into Tango’s hand as he stood, muttering about needing to pee as he slipped away from the group.
He headed towards the privy, and once he was out of view of the campfire, he sat heavily before his legs could collapse out from under him. How did he get to this? He just dug and dug deeper and deeper and now- he’d just accepted their proposition to join. He felt tears start to well as he drew his legs to his chest.
He hiccuped in fear as he realised. I’ve just joined the ‘Us’.
No no, fuck! No!
This was what he didn’t want! He never wanted to be involved, and here he was: basically playing house with a man who kidnapped him!
He heaved a breath as he fought to calm down, his good hand slapping his cheek a few times as he tried to ground himself. No. He was getting out tonight. He was leaving this all behind and- he was leaving Tango.
He desperately wiped away the fresh tears that were welling.
Stop it. He stood and took a deep breath, standing tall and blinking rapidly to rid his eyes of the moisture that misted them.
Escape. Go west. Resume search for work under new name. In that order.
He waited until he had himself composed once more, then marched back to the fire, slotting himself down next to Tango and leaning into him like nothing was wrong. Tango wrapped an arm around him and pressed a kiss to his temple before laughing at something Skizz said.
Jimmy tried to hide from the attention around him, nursing the new cup of beer that had been poured for him, and offering an answer if he was asked a question. His head was on Tango’s shoulder, but his eyes were darting around, eyeing the supply wagon and how there were a few cans of food just sitting on a rung like a shelf.
Supplies. Map. Escape route.
After about half an hour, Zed spoke up and told them to pack in, announcing that they could resume the celebration after dinner after they got some work done for the day. There were consenting grumbles and Skizz collected the empty cups, only for the man to dump them in Tango’s lap.
“Washing up’s still waiting for you, Top!” Skizz laughed raucously and turned to dance away from Tango’s responding kick. “New guy can help you!”
Tango grumbled, clutching the cups against his chest with one arm, the other side still wrapped around Jimmy. He pressed another kiss to Jimmy’s temple before standing up and offering a hand down to him. “Come on ‘new guy’.”
Jimmy rolled his eyes and smiled, accepting the hand up even as he made sure to push up himself, trying not to pull too much on Tango’s wounds. He had a suspicion their earlier activities had definitely put a strain on him, the man using his injured core to lift both Jimmy and himself more than once.
Tango made a start on the dishes, plunging the cups, bowls and utensils inside a basin of soapy water, and then handing them to Jimmy to dry after a good scrub. They worked together mostly in silence, Jimmy listening to Skizz whistling the odd tune as he peeled some vegetables.
“You’re quiet,” Tango said, keeping his voice down as he gently bumped his shoulder into Jimmy’s. “You all right?”
“Yeah,” he reassured. “Just feeling a bit overwhelmed, that’s all.”
And it was the god-honest truth right there, he was struggling to know which way was up at the point. He had seen some potential supplies, but he still didn’t know how he could wander over to the map table without looking too suspicious.
“Yeah, it’s a lot,” Tango chuckled, placing down a handful of cutlery onto a metal rack. “Why don’t you go to the spring whilst I take care of the horses, take your mind off things, huh?”
He looked at Tango, surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah,” he smiled. “Maybe I’ll come join you after.”
He winked and Jimmy cleared his throat as he dried a bowl, stacking it with the others on the bench. That was the last of the dishes, and he hung his dish cloth over the back of a chair. Tango kissed him again and bid farewell, heading off outside to tend to the horses, which he now remembered they rather hastily left after stripping them of their tack. He felt bad about that, and he hoped Canary wasn’t too salty with him when he woke up tonight.
He walked back to their Tango’s tent in a daze. Stepping inside, he was almost fooled that he had escaped, stepping back into a safe bubble once more where just he and Tango existed. But Tango wasn’t here. It was just Jimmy, a bed, Tango’s possessions, and Jimmy’s satchel in the corner.
And daisies in a water cup. His breath caught when he looked at the little white and yellow flowers. They meant ‘new beginnings’, and Jimmy still thought Tango had no idea of that, but what if he unwittingly made a premonition; One of Jimmy reaching a new beginning: free of the gang that kidnapped him.
He clung to that as he collected his book and exited the tent, entering the real world once more and making a beeline to the spring.
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He sat on the bench by the spring, a box of bathing supplies off to the left and his drying towel spread over the part of the bench where he wasn’t sitting. He was in his undershirt and jeans, letting his shirt and boots air. He was enjoying a pale patch of sunlight that cast down from the hole in the roof, a whisper of a breeze blowing through and rustling the hanging plants that encroached into the cave from above. He had finished another two chapters of his book, but he’s not entirely sure he remembered what happened, having to read a line again a few times because his mind was elsewhere.
His thoughts kept wandering to how he would sneak out, how he would stash things. What if he made noise? What if he accidently ran into someone on the way out? His stomach was roiling with anxiety and he hadn’t even stepped out of the cave yet.
Supplies. Map. Escape route.
He couldn’t let the goal slip from his mind. He wanted this. Needed this. He wanted to leave and start somewhere new. He wanted to be free of gangs, and the army, and ex-best friends with horrific ideas.
He shook his head as Grian’s face flashed in his mind. No.
He gave up trying to read and set his book to the side, just as Tango poked his head into the cavern.
“Hi,” he grinned. “You already go in?”
He nodded. “Yeah, just reading.”
“Oh, so you wouldn’t join me for a swim?” He waggled his eyebrows, already undoing his shirt buttons.
“Maybe in a bit?” he replied, stretching out his legs. “I just rewrapped my hand.”
Tango nodded and continued to strip off right in front of him. Jimmy picked his book back up and pretended to read, sneaking glances at a very amused Tango. He stopped at his underwear and grabbed up a bar of soap before sauntering to the edge of the pool and dropping in, water splashing out over the edge and back towards Jimmy. Tango knew exactly what he was doing as he started to wash right by the edge, casting his own glances back at Jimmy as Jimmy stared at the page. He wanted desperately to storm out of the cavern, get away from the temptation that was dangling so tantalizingly in front of him. He was so weak to the man in front of him, again and again falling prey to his own desire, and lack of self-control.
He swallowed as he warred with himself, trying to think of all the things he still needed to think about for tonight. Tango reached up and started to rub soap on his neck, leaning his head to the side to better reach and letting water run down his arm and over his scarred shoulder. Jimmy’s eyes were drawn to the rivulets of water running down Tango’s chest and god dammit .
He sighed and put down his book, giving up the useless rouse and pulled the bandages from his hand. He shucked out of his jeans and laid them on the bench. Tango watched him the whole time, the stupid man smirking as Jimmy sat down on the edge of the pool in his underwear and undershirt.
“Coming in, or just keen to watch?” Tango asked, eyes unabashedly looking him up and down. Jimmy blushed, crossing his arms over his chest and kicking his legs slowly back and forth.
“Just dipping my feet,” he said, looking decidedly elsewhere as he tried in vain to wrestle back some self-control. A nice breeze blew over his still damp hair, the wind blowing spray from the waterfall by the wall. The water was warm over his legs and he took a moment to relax. Tango dipped under the water and surfaced shortly after, running a hand through his hair and over his eyes. He could so easily ask Tango to come stand between his legs as he sat on the edge, and wash his hair…
Stop it. He just needed to breathe, take a moment to think and not give in. He needed to start distancing himself, but also not make it obvious. He did still need to check on Zed…
He stood before he could change his mind and dried off with his damp towel, pulling his jeans on and sitting down to slide on his boots.
“Where are you going?” Tango called, disappointment evident in his voice.
“I still need to check on Zed,” he replied. “Someone has to make sure he has his medicine.”
Tango laughed. “Okay then, see you soon.”
He picked up his shirt and bandages and headed back up the tunnel towards camp, leaving Tango behind. He stood a little taller, proud of himself for exerting that small piece of self-control that he felt he so sorely lacked recently. He just had to do that until the end of today and he was home free.
Back at camp, Zed appeared to be napping on his stretcher, and Impulse and Skizz were nowhere to be seen. He paused by the tunnel mouth and glanced over at the map table. He checked to see that no one was watching as he siddled over, pushing a piece of paper away from on top and seeing various notes written all over the map. He found Moundsville after a moment and traced a finger along the road. It looked pretty straightforward to get to the next town over, but it was still two days or so away. He wondered if he could get away with taking the map, but decided he would try tonight instead.
He was taking note of where the river bent so he would have some landmark reference when Skizz appeared at the cave entrance. Jimmy quickly stepped away, keeping his face as schooled as possible and heading for the campfire, shrugging his shirt on as he went.
Skizz laughed, throwing a quip over his shoulder as Impulse followed along behind him. Jimmy sat down on a stump by the fire, the once steady flames now red hot embers in the coals. He started to rewrap his hand as Impulse and Skizz headed past to the map table, making Jimmy swallow nervously. He tried to appear nonchalant, continuing to wrap his hand, rather badly, as he looked at the men from the corner of his eye.
They laughed and joked as they started to clear off the table, sweeping the maps and notes and diagrams to the side and placing them in a chest by the wall instead.
He clenched his jaw as he watched, annoyed that he’d have more steps to take to find the map later, but relieved they didn’t see anything amiss. He released the breath he was holding and pulled the bandages back off, scowling down at his sloppy handiwork.
“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” he heard Impulse say with a raised brow and a unsure smile. “Didn’t learn my lesson the first ten times.”
“Oh you love it, Dipple Dop!” Skizz laughed. “It’s all luck in the end.”
Skizz punctuated his sentence with a wink, but how he said it even had Jimmy unsure if he meant that.
“Mhmm, luck and counting cards.”
“No!” Skizz laughed again. “I told you once, I told you twice: I don’t have the brain for that. I’m a very smart man, Impulse, you know this, but counting cards is not something I do.”
Jimmy remembered back to Skizz’s wanted poster and how it had cited ‘illegal gambling’. Impulse must be in the same mind according to the intense side-eye he was giving the man, with no real heat behind it.
“Hey, Jiggles!” Jimmy flinched as Skizz called him. He still had no idea where ‘Jiggles’ came from. “You play poker?”
“I know how to play?” he offered. He hadn’t played in at least a year, and he was never very good at it. It had been more Joel’s thing.
“Perfect! We’re playing later and you’re invited.”
Jimmy nodded woodenly. “I ah, I don't have any money though.”
“Oh don't worry about that,” Impulse waved a hand. “We just have chips that everyone gets a share of, it's just for fun.”
“I wish being woken up from a lovely nap was ‘just for fun’,” Jimmy looked over his shoulder to see Zed rubbing at his eyes, looking rather unimpressed.
“Oh sorry, Bop,” Skizz called, Impulse grimacing. “But hey, you in for poker later?”
“Sure, why not,” Zed winced as he sat up, Jimmy jumping up to steady him. Zed smiled minutely in appreciation as Jimmy helped to stuff another pillow behind his back.
“Alright!” Skizz whooped. “Full table tonight!”
Impulse put a hand on Skizz's shoulder and said something quietly, but Jimmy was already turning to Zed and gently took his arm to take his pulse. It was an action he fell into so naturally after years of doing it for his job, silently counting the light rises of the pulsating blood vessel under Jimmy's two fingers. He drew back, satisfied that Zedaph's blood pressure was normal.
“Am I in the clear, doc?” Zedaph asked, mirth on his breath.
“You're good,” he said. “I'm going to check your shoulder now, make sure the stitches are clean.”
Zed nodded and Jimmy carefully unwrapped the bandages, trying his best with one hand as his own injury started to throb. It was adding to the anxiety already swirling in his stomach that his hand was still not better. It still pained him to move it and grip things, and not to mention he still hadn't rewrapped it. He was stupid to even get near the water and pull off the bandages again.
He blinked. Just focus.
Jimmy examined the stitches closely, wiping at a bit of discharge and cleaning up the drain that still poked from Zed's skin. Zed all the while watched closely, but he didn’t sense any hostility, but rather curiosity.
“It's looking good,” Jimmy reported as he wrapped the wound in a fresh bandage. “Clean and healing nicely.”
“That's great,” Zed smiled, but pursed his lips as Jimmy grabbed the bottle of medicine. Jimmy smirked as he poured some onto a spoon.
“You can probably go back to your tent now,” he presented the spoon and Zed swallowed it with a shiver. He was literally giving the man a taste of his own medicine. “I'm sure that's comfier than the stretcher.”
“Oh very much so,” Zed cringed at the taste in his mouth, Jimmy chuckling as he passed a canteen that rested by the bed.
And get you out of the way for tonight.
“Are you alright?” Zed asked, and it made him want to freeze up. Did he see something? “You're looking a bit… I don't know, nervous.”
“I'm fine,” he said a bit too quickly. “Just- I don't want to disappoint you, you know, joining the gang and all.”
He laughed uneasily and stood to put the medicine bottle away and start some boiling water for the dirty bandages.
“Oh well, don't be nervous! We'll teach you along the way.”
“That's mighty kind of you.”
“Hey, we help each other here. You're one of us now, and I’m glad you’re here.”
“Thank you,” he nodded his head with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“No problem, and now,” Zed carefully rose from the stretcher. “I think I’ll take your suggestion and go lie down in a tent. I have no idea how Tango did this whole being shot thing whilst on the road, no thank you.”
He watched as the doctor walked off bracing his arm steady to his stomach, disappearing into Impulse’s tent instead of his own.
Jimmy sat down heavily by the fire and waited for the water to boil, staring into it like it would bear some kind of answers that he was seeking. He’d left everything too late. The gang were getting attached to him and Tango loved him and-
No. Focus. He took a breath and tried to center himself. He needed to stop spiraling all the time if he was going to make this work. He was going to make it through this poker game tonight, go to bed like nothing is the matter, then disappear.
He could do this.
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Jimmy was not doing very well.
His poker chips had been depleted save for one last bet.
“Okay,” Impulse slapped his hand of cards down with a scowl, revealing a two and three of differing suits. “There’s no way you’re not counting cards.”
“Hey,” Skizz laughed. “We discussed this already, I tried to learn but it involves numbers so eh.”
Impulse rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his chair with an unconvinced sigh. It was hard to believe Skizz when the man was sitting in front of the largest pile of chips, the hoard also dotted with trinkets, cigarettes and actual money. Tango had already folded, watching the proceedings with bored interest as he sipped his drink, whilst Zed was keeping up with the betting and eyeing both Skizz and Jimmy critically.
Jimmy reckoned he had a shot in this hand, so he just had to play it cool. He knocked the table twice. “Check.”
Skizz took the fifth and final community card and flipped it face up to join the eight, four, six and jack already in a line. A ten.
Skizz threw a fair few chips and a nice pearl bracelet into the center for the pot, the bracelet clinking against one of the many bottles that littered the table. Zed pushed forth half his spoils, which wasn’t much, but still competed. Jimmy flicked a look down at his hand.
“All in.”
Skizz raised an eyebrow and smirked at the meagre offering. “You ain’t got a lot there, Jiggles, you sure?”
“Certain,” he gulped, but refused to look away.
“Well in that case, maybe we should make it interesting,” Skizz looked him up and down. “Loser’s gotta give me a kiss.”
“Skizz-” Tango snarled.
“Hey-!” Impulse stood from his seat.
Zed was already laughing and Jimmy paled. He had a good chance here, but Skizz was really trying to up the ante.
“And if I win,” Zed snickered. “You gotta kiss Tango.”
There were splutters across the table as Jimmy grinned, egged on by the proceedings. “When I win, you gotta kiss Impulse.”
“When did we get involved??” Impulse yelped. “Skizz, this is-”
“Oh come on, it’s just a bit of fun!” Zed laughed.
“Alright, well time to put your money where your mouth is,” Skizz smirked, holding his card hand up. “Jiggles, you should go first.”
Jimmy put his cards down, exposing the two jack cards. “Three of a kind!” he announced proudly. Zed gave a noise of disappointment, throwing down his ten and eight. He’d beaten Zed!
Skizz grimaced down at the cards and Jimmy felt his eyebrows rise in impending hope. He started to grin.
“Come on,” Tango rolled his eyes. “We ain’t got all day.”
Skizz put down his cards and Jimmy’s face fell like a brick from a window. A queen and a nine. A straight.
“Oh come on!” Impulse cried in outrage, but Jimmy was trying his best to melt into the table. All his chips were pulled across the table, but there was still one thing Skizz had yet to claim.
“Well, fair’s fair,” Zed stood carefully and planted a quick kiss square on Skizz’s lips, surprising the man and making him sit back with a dumb expression as soon as they parted. Impulse looked on with a scandalised expression, looking between the two before crossing his arms. Then, Skizz looked to Jimmy.
He wasn’t succeeding in his bid to become the table, and Tango stood with a scowl. “Okay that’s eno-”
“Oh relax, Tangs,” Zed admonished. “If he doesn’t want to then, he doesn’t want to. But Jimmy, don’t bet what you can’t deliver.”
His face must have been beet red as all eyes turned to him. Oh snap, he was going to have to do this, wasn’t he?
“Hi Jiggles,” Jimmy’s head snapped to the side, Skizz suddenly right there beside him. He was bending over and tapped his puckered lips with a finger as he smirked. “I’ve come to collect.”
His gaze flicked to Tango momentarily to see him glowering at Skizz, smoke practically erupting from his ears. He didn’t want to cause tension within the group by-
Or did he?
Without a second thought, he grabbed Skizz’s chin and pressed a kiss to his lips, lingering for a bit too long before Skizz pulled away.
“Wow, Jiggles-” Skizz breathed.
“-Hey!” Tango seized Skiss by lapel, pulling him down so he could sneer in his face.
“Stop it!” Zed called.
Jimmy wiped his mouth and sat back in his chair, watching as Tango wound his fist back, Skizz pushing him away and calling him a sore loser. Jimmy held back his smirk at the chaos, even if his anxiety was still high over the whole situation. Impulse put himself between the two and pushed them apart, Skizz putting his hands up and conceding in the face of Tango’s outrage.
It was safe to say that the game was over as Skizz, Impulse and Zed all walked away, the latter two admonishing Skizz with half-hearted jabs. But Jimmy didn’t hear most of them as Tango straddled Jimmy’s lap and kissed him passionately instead.
“Mine,” he growled.
“Yours,” Jimmy whispered, his stomach somersaulting in simultaneous want and dread.
⋆⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆈Ψ𐚁 ˚｡⋆
Jimmy had to fight to stay awake.
Tango had an arm over him, holding him to him with his back to Tango's chest. His eyes kept slipping closed, lulled into peace by the warmth surrounding him and the drink in his stomach, but he forced himself to blink and stare into the darkness instead.
They'd gone to bed not long after the poker match had dissolved, Tango dragging him back and applying kisses to Jimmy whenever he felt the need. It had already been late when they laid down, but without a way to tell the time, he was lost on what hour it was.
He waited until Tango's breath evened out, then waited some more, until he couldn't wait any longer lest he fall asleep and his whole plan be ruined. He carefully wiggled out from under Tango’s arm, Jimmy catching the limb and placing it down by the man’s side. Tango’s brow furrowed in his sleep and he turned onto his back, mouth falling open as he started to snore.
Swallowing, Jimmy slipped to the foot of the bed and put his boots and shirt on, before grabbing his satchel from the corner. Turning, he headed for the tent flap on quiet feet, spotting the gun belt that was still hanging over the chair. He carefully grabbed the holster with one hand, and the belt with the other, silently lifting the creaky leather and placing it over his shoulder.
He was about to slip out of the tent when he looked back. Tango was sleeping peacefully.
He could still go back; slip right back into bed and pull Tango to him and-
No. You’re so close now.
He exited the tent for the final time and strode into the cave, scanning the dying fire area and the tents beyond for any signs of life. His gaze went to the stretcher where Zed had been set up for a few days, but it looked like the man had taken his advice and laid down in a tent. There was only just enough light to avoid running into anything, Jimmy slowly making his way towards the supply wagon and grabbing whatever cans he could, unable to read the labels in the available light. He fit three in his satchel before turning to the table where the map was. He grimaced when he remembered it had been put away in a chest that would be far too noisy to open. Wandering over to the table, however, he did see that Skizz had never claimed his prize, the pot still sitting in a pile on the table. He plucked the few bills that were weighed down by chips and the pearl bracelet, tucking them into his satchel.
His ears were still pricked for any sounds of movement or voices gruffly asking what the heck he was doing, but the hollow sound of the cave was the only thing around. Taking a shaky breath, he started for the cave entrance, staring resolutely ahead. No backing out now, no turning back.
He emerged into the soft moonlight, his eyes grateful for the very slight upgrade to what he had in the cave. Once he left from the rocky flooring of the cave entrance, his boots began to crunch on the dirt and leaves. He froze, not liking the amount of noise he was making. His breathing picked up as he tried to tip-toe to the paddock, peering through the dim moonlight out into the field, trying to spot which shape was Canary.
He detoured to the alcove where the tack was kept, feeling around in the dark for his kit, almost falling over a saddle horse in the process. He hauled his saddle out and back into the moonlight, placing it down on the damp dewy grass and taking his bridle, slipping through the rungs of the fence in search of his horse.
Canary gave a sleepy nicker in greeting, Jimmy gasping and quickly ‘shhh-ing’ the gelding, taking his head in his hands and giving him a pleading pat.
“We gotta be quiet,” Jimmy whispered. “Come on, bud.”
Tacking was difficult in the dark and with only one strong hand, his nerves making him glance around constantly as he started to hear things that weren’t there. He felt like he could throw up from how twisted his stomach felt, worried that every creak of saddle leather, or Canary snorting, or crunch of dirt underfoot would be his undoing.
He took a few steadying breaths before mounting, wincing as he instinctively grabbed the saddle with his sore hand, gritting his teeth at his own stupidity. He urged Canary forward in a slow walk.
He looked to the cave entrance, half expecting Tango to be standing there, face livid and ready to put an end to him. But no one was there and his heart was in his throat as he thought about how easy it had been. He’d just… slipped out and away he went. Did they trust him that much now?
It did nothing to ease his guilt.
“It’s alright,” he patted the gelding’s neck soothingly, not sure if he meant it for the horse or himself. “Let’s go.”
And they walked off into the night.