the bathroom window

Title: Marked
Author: verdictlesslife
Characters: Ben and Dan
Summary: Inspired by baggyeyes awesome "Artist"
Warnings: Non-graphic smex
A/N: For porn_battle over at IJ.

( 3:10 to Yuma, Ben Wade/Dan Evans, marked )

He came back later, after the campfire had grown to a comfortable orange; Dan heard the song before the clop of the mare's hooves. "Lost one," he said, then dropped something bloody at Dan's boots. "Got the coyote."

Dan hefted the carcass into the air, inspecting it as Wade dismounted and tied his horse next to Dan's. "You sure it only got one?"

Wade crouched next to him and prodded the coyote's open jaws with his knife. "No. Couldn't see much in the dark. But I reckon it was just one. Skinny thing, probably wouldn't have made it to Kansas anyway."

"Shit. That's fifty." Dan frowned and squinted, then rubbed at the ache in his forehead. "At least."

"Yup." Wade stood up suddenly and grabbed the coyote, swinging the long tan body up onto his shoulder, and then grinned down at Dan. "Hungry?"

There was an ocean of silence as they paused to reloaded; in the hollow quiet, Ben heard a rough whisper of instructions - They were splitting up, trying to surround him. Fools, he thought gratefully. Be easy to pick them off one by one, now, 'stead of trying to just break their wall of flesh.

The lanterns that had been spilling ineffective whiteness into the smoky storeroom swung and then disappeared as the posse separated. He counted five running east, three west; Big Jacob still stood in the door, a goddamn Goliath. Probably another one or two circling their boss, even if Ben couldn't see them. He lowered himself carefully down the mountain of boxes he'd been using as a perch, moving his boots carefully down the wood-dusty slope until he'd reach Dan's side.

"Now's our chance," he grabbed Dan under the arms and hoisted him to his feet, not bothering to explain or inquire. The rancher grunted and his sharp fingers dug into Ben's arm, staining his coat rusty red. Once Dan had propped himself up, Ben searched around his waist, took Dan's revolver. "Promise I'll give it back."

Dan shoved away Ben's hands and leaned heavily on his rifle. "Won't need it. We can get out - Here, boards are rotted. Don't even need to break 'em, just push 'em. Quietly."

He couldn't see, but Ben dropped to his knees and ran his hands over the wood wall, feeling for weakness. Two against three - at least - were odds he didn't trust, not with Dan re-painting the damn room with his blood. A test proved Dan right - The boards crackled and splinted an dropped away. They could snake through, bellies to the dust, and he could back 'round, shoot that fucker Jacob right in his cowardly back.

"Gotta hurry," he said over his shoulder. "They split up to search. Gotta get out before they reach back here."

Dan's hand clasped Ben's shoulder hard as he lowered himself to the ground. He grunted again and there was a sound of splattering, but he hurried, pushing Ben aside as he wiggled between the panels. Ben followed, sliding on the blood out onto the dirt.

Title: Lock the Doors and Close the Blinds
Author: verdictlesslife
Rating: NC-17, but not an extreme NC-17, if that makes any sense
Word count: 998
Characters: Ben and Dan
Summary: Veni, vidi, vici - But maybe not in that order
Warnings: Ben and Dan fooling around in bed
A/N: This was attempt #2 for Porn Battle at IJ, but I didn't finish it in time. Finally sat my big butt down and worked on it this past weekend. Hope you like it! The title I stole from "I Can't Decide" by the amazing Scissor Sisters, which is a total Ben/Dan song. I wanted to call it "Fuck and Kiss You Both at the Same Time," since that line's great, but I decided on something less explicit. Yay, I guess.

( It's not easy having yourself a good time. )

"I think we should take a break."

If Butterfield or McElroy had said that, they'd already be dismounting, but Doc had been the one to break the aching silence between them all, and Dan and the rest of them turn to look at him - All but Wade, who was staring across te desert. Dan pulled up beside him and followed his gaze, but he didn't see shit - No horses, no posse, nothing but sand, sand, rocks, and from-hunger trees.

"We've been riding for a while," Doc added, almost apologetically, and he turned to look at Wade, too, before appealing to Dan with an apologetic smile. "Right, Evans?"

"We should keep moving." McElroy answered before Dan could. "We ain't got time to-"

"A short break should be fine." Butterfield interrupted. He slowed his horse and dismounted, and McElroy grunted and spat into the dirt. Butterfield's lip curled in disgust, but he had won, so he let McElroy sulk away. "Evans, can you handle Wade?"

"Actually," Doc piped up again, "Actually, I'd like to examine him. If it's all right, of course."

"I'd be happy to indulge your curiosity, Doc."

Doc had probably directed the question toward Butterfield, but Wade finally decided to bless them all with his attention, and TOOK OVER the conversation with a crooked grin. Most of the swelling had gone down, and although he still had blood caked like war-paint on his cheeks, somehow he wasn't as threatening as he'd been the night before.

Butterfield gaped as Wade dropped from his horse. He tossed his reins to Dan, who caught them without thinking and then frowned at himself for doing so, and sauntered to a rock next to Doc. There he sat, legs crossed, still smiling like they were in a tea parlor.

"Dan, keep on eye on them."

Dan nodded as Butterfield turned away - Even wounded as he was, Wade was still a threat, and Doc didn't stand a chance if the outlaw's good mood faded. He carefully dismounted, watching Wade as he stepped from the saddle. Wade's focus was on Butterfield's back, but his eyes flicked to Dan's face



But McElroy was right - Wade was even more dangerous now than the night before.

Women, men, everyone is the same. They all have their buckling points. The game is in wagering how much weight it takes to drop them to the ground, to have them kneeling before him.

Dan's price is high - steeper than anyone's (woman, man) - but he still has a price. And it's only a matter of time before Ben has him on his knees.