Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: PG
Summary: Buck gets a harsh reminder that whereas their relationship is full of love far too long denied, Chris is also still full of fury.
Warnings: TM7 Cats AU, Slash, Established Relationships, Abuse
Word Count: 1,313
Date Written: 15 January, 2011
Timeline: Takes place while Buck, Chris, Josiah, and Nathan are staying with the native micepeople
Disclaimer: Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Chris Larabee, Nathan Jackson, and The Magnificent Seven are & TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM, and Trilogy Entertainment, not the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Any one who wants to play in this universe may do so with two exceptions: We ask that you give Queen Cindy and ourselves, Pirates Turner and Sparrow, proper credit for the creation of this AU and we require that you absolutely do not kill or greatly injure any of these characters, the latter being due to the fact that we do not want such a thing to come back and bite our sweet children. Yes, the beings who are mixed with the Seven to make this new breed of heroes, as well as the other characters, are very real and dear to our hearts. :-) They have all already been rescued from various dangers and perils in the world, and we do not wish to have to do so again nor would we ever wish such tragedy upon our loved ones. We have pictures of the kids used herein if any one would like to see.
"BUCK!" Chris thundered as his green eyes, rounded with horror, watched the bullet sailing straight toward his former lover's back. He dove out from behind the bushes from whose depths he had been tracking his best friend and ran for him, taking only a heartbeat of a second to fire a bullet into the heart of the dogman who'd dared to aim for his catman. Chris' heart lunged out of his throat and his fur stood out from all ends as he raced for Buck, the only thought in his head, in that second, that he had to reach him.
In that moment, Chris forgot all else. He forgot why he'd been so furious with Buck. Sarah and Adam actually left his mind for the first time since their murders, and he remembered how greatly he cared for Buck, a fact that had always been and only been in hiding because he held himself and Buck to blame for their other best friend's and his son's deaths.
"GET DOWN!" he screamed just as he jumped Buck from behind. Buck whirled around, his fluffed tail a flying, black and white banner, and Chris knocked him to the ground. The shoot-out continued all around them as the men gazed into each other's emerald eyes. The bullet had passed harmlessly by them, nicking a few hairs from Buck's tail but doing no further damage, for Chris had reached him just in time.
Chris blinked as Buck's loosened hairs drifted down to earth. His heartbeat was still roaring in his ears. His ebony ears pointed forward from whence they'd laid back against his head for he could now hear Buck's heart hammering just as loudly as his - and, part of him, the part that he'd been fighting so hard and for so long to keep silenced, noted that their hearts were pounding the same rhythm.
Buck's tail swished. His hands arched in his aching need to touch Chris, but fear held him back for the second. "You do care," he whispered.
"'Course I - "
Those two words was all Chris managed to say before Buck let his fears go to the wind, leaned up, and pressed his furry lips to Chris'. The black tomcat was too stunned to move at first, and then he began to succumb to the sweetness of his love's mouth that had been missing from his for far too long. Sarah's and Adam's mournful faces suddenly flared into his mind again, however, and Chris snatched himself back.
As he did so, his fist went up to protect him and slammed into Buck's face for where love had reigned just a heartbeat before, anger was now once again taking the reigns. It charged within him like a fiery mustang out of control, and he'd hit Buck before he'd even fully realized what he was doing. Buck's mouth opened soundlessly in shock, and he tenderly touched his face with one, furry paw. "Chris?" he asked.
Most men would have been yelling, but Chris was at his most dangerous when his voice was the lowest. "Don't speak to me," he growled out, his fangs flashing savagely, "you dirty, son-of-a-bitch! You know what you did! You know what we caused!"
"Baby," Buck tried to cajole, reaching for him, but Chris knocked his hands away and pounced to his booted feet.
"Don't talk to me," he hissed, his green eyes burning with venom. "Don't touch me. Just leave me the Hell alone." He turned to go when another round of bullets shot out from around the mountains. His jet black fur once again fluffed out, this time from the pure fury raging through his soul. "Figures," he snapped and promptly shot all of their remaining enemies dead before storming off into the forest.
Buck laid back against the ground, his breathing ragged and his heartbeat roaring in his pointy, furry ears. "Damn it!" he growled and dug his claws into the ground beneath him. He'd been so close to being reunited with his love, but Chris' blasted stubbornness purrsisted in standing in their way! He sighed, ignoring the looks he drew from the other males in the party. His life might have been saved, but he was beginning to think that his heart would never again be whole. Chris had saved him, but he also continued to condemn him to a life he didn't want. Josiah and Nathan had told him to give him time and that he'd come around, and although Buck had believed that at first, he was now beginning to think it would never happen.
He sighed deeply as a thought entered his mind that he did not want to hear. If this was going to be the way Chris was going to stay for the rest of their lives, Buck wished he had gone out alongside Sarah and Adam. He wondered, if he had, how Chris would have reacted. Would he have still blamed the whole thing on them? No, he thought, he'd blame himself, and he would have gotten himself killed by now. He shook his head. He'd believed for a long time that as long as there was life, there was hope, but he no longer felt so certain of that fact he'd taken for granted for so many years.
Josiah stopped beside Buck. "Need a hand up?" he asked, offering his furry, gray paw. When Buck ignored him, Josiah's white-ringed, green eyes darted to the bushes. He had to get Buck up before more of the dogmen came, and he knew just the way to do it. Hiding a sly smile and ignoring the quirks of his long, smokey gray tail underneath his poncho, Josiah whispered softly, "He's still watching." He then moved away with a smile as he heard Buck rise.
He knew the other catman wouldn't give his former lover the pleasure of seeing just how dismayed he was, and he'd also known that Chris wouldn't be able to stay away when Buck's life was in danger. He gave his head a slight shake even as his eyes met those of his own beloved mate. The boys wouldn't be able to stay away from each other much longer, but he was certainly glad that he and Nathan didn't have such horrors with which to contend. He'd never blame his sweet Nathan for lives being lost that he did not take, however, even if such was to happen to them, and he knew that, sooner or later, Chris would come to the same realization about Buck. Only then would they be able to have peace and joy and allow their love to shine again, and Josiah sent a silent prayer winging its way up to Heaven that that would happen soon, before the couple lost what little sanity they were still able to claim.
He moved into the discussion about from whence the attack had come, his mind still on his friends. He knew Chris wasn't far, and though Buck was making a show of not looking into the bushes to see if he was still being watched, he knew the spotted catman was desperately trying to figure out just how far Chris had gone this time. He shook his head sadly but then smiled as Nathan touched his arm tenderly. "They'll be okay," he whispered with a nod and drew his love into his arms.
{Peace and love,} he prayed, {hurry to them,} before returning his full attention to the matter at hand and the senseless battle that had happened just because the dogmen had wandered into their territory. He sniffed, his nose crinkling at the putrid scent on the air. His tail lashed out into the wind. Unfortunately, where there was one dogman, there was always more, but they would stand together against whatever numbers they might be able to muster and love and family would always win.
The End