Didn't bolt
Word count: 321
Pairing: Ennis/Jack
One shot
Disclaimer: Ennis and Jack belong to Annie Proulx. No money is made from this.
A/N: After the lake side argument. From the "If only" category.
Ennis stopped his truck. He didn't get out, just sat there. Defeated, exhausted.
I wish I knew how to quit you.
What if Jack did? What if he never saw Jack again?
After a while he wondered why Jack hadn't come along. Not that he had stopped the car with the purpose to wait for him. But this was the only road down from the mountain. The horses fidgeted in the trailer and Ennis got out to look after them.
„Something wrong with the horses?“
Ennis hadn't heard Jack's truck pulling up.
He shook his head and took a long look at his friend.
Defeated, exhausted.
„What do we do now, huh?“
Jack shrugged. „Why did you wait here?“
Now it was Ennis's time to shrug. „Dunno. It's just ... his voice tapered off.
Jack, tired of too many years of unsaid truths, pressed on: „Just what?“
„I couldn't - I mean - I wanted to see ya, Bud.“
„See me? En, we just had ten days together. We said good-bye only half an hour ago.“
„What took you so long to come down here?“
Jack sighed. „Guess the same reason why you're still here.“
Ennis nodded slowly.
Jack came close. He took Ennis's face in his hands and put their foreheads together.
„You know it, Ennis, don't you?“ Jack's voice was soft. „You know why this is so hard. You know how it is called.“
„Why would you quit me then?“ Ennis' voice was barely there.
„I won't. I was angry; didn't mean it.“
„Ya sure?“
„Yes, Ennis. There are not many things in my life I'm sure of. But there is one thing that is true and for sure and forever.“ He brought his lips close to Ennis' ear and whispered the words he hadn't dared to say for so long.
Ennis didn't bolt.