I blame this ficlet squarely on Lumina and Karen. I was reading their posts about favorite Ezslash pairings when this and an E/JD came to me. It's all their faults. All their faults, I say. <BG>

Follows Fine Line, which can be found in My Seducer - but can stand alone. ie If you haven't read Fine Line - don't worry about it. <G>

Ezra blew into his hands for the hundreth time that afternoon trying to warm them. Lord, how he hated the cold. Particularly the cold in mid-December, when he didn't have a decent pair of gloves. His favorite and best pair of gloves had been ruined the prior week when he ended up helping Widow Johnson untangled her milk cow from a coil of barbwire. One glove had been ripped badly, while the other was covered in a foul-smelling substance. So now he had to rely upon an older, threadbare pair of gloves that he'd intended to throw away a long time ago.

He sighed as he nudged Spade with his knees, guiding him from the stand of trees he'd taken temporary refuge in. He really did hate the cold. Even more, he hated riding patrol in the cold. Well, the sooner he finished the patrol circuit, the sooner he could get back to town, the warm saloon, and the company of his friends and his lover. He sighed again wishing, not for the first time, that they could be a little more open about their relationship. But such relationships were rarely tolerated in large cities, much less little backwater towns like Four Corners. Their friends knew and were happy for them, but the rest of the town was a different matter.

The sound of hoof beats approaching had him looking towards town. He smiled at the sight of the rider. When they were side by side they kissed sweetly. A soft pressing of lips that spoke of a contented relationship with a slow passion burning beneath it. Pulling away after a moment, he smiled into the warm chocolate eyes of his lover, his love.

"What brings you out this way, Mr. Jackson?"

"Thought I'd take an afternoon ride, Mr. Standish," Nathan replied with an easy smile, reining his horse, Healer, into step with Spade.

"Just an afternoon ride? No other reason?"

"Supply wagon came in today," Nathan said in reply. Ezra raised an eyebrow at the non sequitur.

"Yes, it usually does on Thursdays. What of it?"

"Well," Nathan said as he reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a wrapped parcel. "These were supposed to be for your Christmas present, but I figured you could use 'em now."

Ezra brought Spade to a halt so he could open the parcel. Inside was a pair of fur-lined suede gloves. He stared at them then looked up at Nathan in wonder. "How?"

"I'd seen that your other pair weren't keepin' your hands as warm as they should anymore, so I got you these. It was just coincidence that your other pair got ruined."

"No, I meant how were you able to afford these?" Ezra looked back down at the gloves so he missed the flash of hurt and anger in Nathan's eyes.

"I didn't steal them, if that's what you're asking," Nathan said angrily, "and I didn't steal the money to buy them. I ain't a thief."

"What? No!" But Nathan had already kicked Healer into a lope. Ezra urged Spade faster to get ahead of Nathan and stop him. "Nathan, wait. That wasn't how I meant it either."

"Then just how did you mean it? Speak plain, Ezra so's the poor Negro can understand."

"Stop it, Nathan. Stop it," Ezra demanded, grabbing his arm to prevent him from leaving. Nathan glanced away from the pain and concern in Ezra's eyes. "I asked because I know you don't have a lot of money and I would much rather see you spend it on the medical texts you need, or instruments for the clinic, or medicines. You and this town need these things. I do not need to have a pair of new gloves. You shouldn't waste your money on me." Ezra finished quietly, his hand dropping from Nathan's arm as he looked down once more at the gloves in his lap.

"Oh, Ezra," Nathan said softly. He reached over gently grasping Ezra's chin and lifting his head to meet his gaze. "Buying you a present is not a waste of my money, and yes, you do need those gloves. The ones you're wearing do nothing to keep you warm. As for where I got the money, about a month back a man came into town just after you, Chris, and Vin left to deliver that prisoner to Red Creek. He was in a bad way, thought for sure I was going to have to amputate his hand. In the end I didn't, though he did have some paralysis in it. He was just so happy that he hadn't lost his hand he paid me ten dollars. Said if I'd been a doctor in a city I coulda charged him triple that for what I did."

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know about that, but I did know exactly what I was going to do with that money. These gloves were part of it. I love you, Ezra."

"I love you too, Nathan," Ezra replied, swallowing past the lump in his throat.

Nathan smiled and drew Ezra closer so they could kiss again. A gust of frigid wind had them shivering and they moved apart with a smile. Nathan dug into his saddlebags again while Ezra quickly stripped off his old gloves and slipped on his new ones. He let out a soft sigh of satisfaction that had Nathan grinning. He handed Ezra a small mason jar and a cloth wrapped bundle. Ezra took them with a quizzical look, feeling the warmth through his new gloves.

"Some of Inez's soup and a fresh round of bread from Mrs. Potter. Don't want you to catch cold."

"Thank you, my love," Ezra said, leaning over to give Nathan a quick kiss before opening the mason jar. His eyes closed in pleasure as he sipped at the steaming liquid. "Mmmm, heavenly."

Nathan laughed at the rapturous expression on his lover's face. "I'll be sure and tell Inez you said that. Now hurry up and finish your patrol. I'll see you back in town."

Ezra watched Nathan ride away, a warm feeling in his chest that the soup had nothing to do with. He truly was a lucky man. Sipping at the soup some more, he nudged Spade into a walk again. Suddenly it wasn't such a cold winter's day.

~Fini~