New Fic: Promises to Keep, Mag7, gen, Ezra-Chris friendship

[kaethe]

Only a week late, here's my help_haiti fic for nikojen.

Title: Promises to Keep
Fandom: Magnificent Seven
Genre: gen, hurt/comfort
Rated: whatever you'd rate the show
Summary: When Ezra's plan goes bad, he and Chris have to fight to survive until the rest of the Seven can reach them.

Author's notes: Special thanks to the maintainers of Magnificent Seven Trivia

Comments

[solosundance]

Very nice! I do like holed-up-in-a-shoot-out-from hell stories and this was a great example. It's always nice to see Ezra being a gunfighter and to have him alongside Chris is extra-specially cool :) Loved this line: One good thing about being injured; he wasn't expected to go find out what Buck and JD were up to. Heh! and I love the ending and the way they express their sentiments. Thanks for a great read :)

[kaethe]

Thank you! Ezra and Chris have an interesting relationship. It was fun poking at it and seeing what fell out.

[tanndell]

Lovely! Chris being laconic and concerned and tough as nails all at the same time. Ezra suffering beautifully, but not pointlessly, while being strong and capable at the same time (he's an ideas man, our Ez)! And the refrain about not running out is beautifully used. Of course Buck and JD are playing poker, and of course Vin and Josiah got the hell out! And Nathan's impeccable bedside manner! This is all good!

[kaethe]

I think Ezra has depths hidden even from himself. I kind of loved writing the bit about the poker game because I could just *see* it, and see Chris's expression when he was telling about it.

Thanks for the feedback!

[ladybria]

Really good! It wasn't over the top or too gushy with the hurt/comfort part. Just right for this fandom:)

[kaethe]

Thank you! That's not always an easy balance, especially with guys who live in a world where macho is the name of the game. I'm glad it felt right to you!

[valiha]

I loved the story, and I loved the gunfighter Ezra! I agree that the quote about not running out was wonderfully used. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[kaethe]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! That line popped out at me when I was rewatching the pilot, and I knew it had to go in the story somehow.

[zeuses_wild]

Great story! So many things to love, especially the characterization.

"Easy for you to say," Ezra said through gritted teeth. "That shirt is worth--"

Vin didn't appear to be listening as he ripped a strip off the bottom.

"--absolutely nothing, now."

Ha, that would be how Ezra would react. Nevermind the leg wound, don't hurt the shirt. :) And Vin not caring about a shirt at all.

These men, Ezra thought slowly, were the bad guys. The ones Chris had told him to shoot.

So he brought up his gun and shot.

I love how Ezra's focus narrows so completely as the effects of his wound accumulate, right down to assuring Chris he's 'not running out' and doing exactly what Chris says. It says something that I can't articulate but you've captured very well. I've always thought Chris' giving Ezra a second chance stuck with Ezra, too.

[kaethe]

I personally see that as a defining moment for Ezra; I think it shifts his thinking from "all about Ezra" just enough that, by the end of the series, there's no doubt of his loyalty to the other guys. (Although, as he says, it's probably best not to tempt him with other people's money. *g*)

Thanks for the feedback!