Beautiful Thing
A Magnificent Seven (TV) story.
Note: This is a tag-ish fic to the episode Maude (Ezra's mum) first comes onto the scene. I believe it's Season One episode 5 (?).
Enjoy!
***M7***
Buck hadn't meant to overhear Ezra and Maude's conversation, if it could be called that.
"R-Raised me?" came Ezra's incredulous voice. "Did you say raised me?" Yep, Buck thought, Ez definitely sounded upset. Very upset. In fact, if he didn't think it'd get him a verbal lashing from a mortified Ez, he'd say he sounded like he was almost in tears talkin' to his ma. He listened as Maude criticised everything Ezra was doing, staying in Four Corners, working with the six men including Buck to help keep folks safe, not conning anyone out of their livings and refusing to help her do so. As she continued belittling her son, Buck gained insight into the mystery of Ezra's behaviour. If he'd grown up being dumped on unfriendly doorsteps and forced to participate in cons since he was a little feller, than it's no wonder he acted so confusingly.
He obviously didn't have a clue about 'normal' or anything like it, oscillating between the trade Maude taught him as a button and the glimpses of pure goodness Buck and the others had been witness to since meeting the younger man. It was that apparent constant shifting of values and beliefs that bothered Chris about Ezra. To be honest, he thought it bothered most of them, except maybe Vin, who seemed to be a bit similar at times, acting differently, like with his native business and refusing to sleep in a room sometimes. Only, Vin's actions didn't seem to bother the others and create doubt so much as create confusion about the former buffalo hunter. Clearly Ezra was struggling still to figure out who he was as a man, and Buck ached at the thought of all the times he and the others had picked on Ezra's actions and been outspoken in their doubt or disbelief of him. Damn the moustached man cursed to himself, deciding right then he would try to be a better friend, starting as soon as Maude was out of the way now.
Buck slipped quietly into Molly's room, shushing the bar girl with his hand just in time for Maude to storm stridently out of Ezra's hotel room, cursing her son all the while. When she'd finally descended the stairs, Buck kissed Molly quickly on the cheek, sparing a grin for the girl who'd heard almost as much as he had of the do between the mother and son, and darted out the door.
When he got to Ezra's door, he hesitated briefly, listening. Yup, definitely upset, he confirmed to himself as he took a bracing breath before knocking quietly.
"Y-Yes?" Ezra called out, obviously trying to clear his throat. The younger man opened the door, eyes widening in surprise at seeing Buck standing in front of him. "Mr Wilmington? To what do Ah owe this pleasure?" the young man asked hesitantly.
"Heard yer Ma Ez" Buck said soberly, "Y'alright?"
Ezra sat on his feather bed, stunned at the obvious concern in the older man's eyes. He felt the tenuous grasp on his control drop in the face of Buck's questioning gaze. "Ah, Ah am m-most apologetic you had to hear my ungentlemanly words, Mister Wilmington" he apologised, eyes dipping downward to his hands after briefly meeting the older man's gaze.
Buck sighed, sitting down next to the gambler. Looking at him now, without most of his finery, he looked years younger, and Buck realised with a start that Ezra was most likely among the younger members of the seven, closer in age to JD than himself and Chris, as he'd first assumed. Those high falutin' clothes sure add years, Buck thought to himself, wondering exactly how old Ezra was. Dismissing that thought for now, he nudged the younger man with his shoulder "Not what I asked, pard" he chided gently.
Ezra worried his lip, fingers fussing with the cuffs of his shirt. Taking a stuttering breath as his eyes flickered over to his associate... hoping he was talking to a friend when he answered "Truthfully, Mister Wilmington, Ah am not certain. Ah find mahself at war within me" he confessed, hoping he wasn't making a mistake. "Mah mother... she...she"
Buck looked at his friend, from the slightly trembling hands to the eyes gleaming wetly. "Oh pard" he whispered sadly, slinging an arm around the younger man, tugging him against his side.
The empathy in Buck's voice undid the last piece of Ezra's fight for control, and a tear slide down his cheek, dropping wetly onto his hand below as he shuddered out a breath. "Ah just wish Ah knew what Ah did" he pleaded, finally turning to face his friend openly. "Ah don't know what Ah-"
"Y'ain't done nothin' to warrant that kind of talk, Ez. Y'hear me? Nuthin'" Buck stated, gripping his friend in a strong armed hug. "You've done some damned good things for this town, and that Seminole village, and I'm glad we're friends. Don't you go doubting yerself on account of yer Ma being unable to understand friendship Ezra Standish. 'Cause I don't doubt you" Buck said firmly, shaking the man in his grip a little, hoping he could follow through with his commitment to Ezra, and wondering how he could get some of the others in on it perhaps. I think I'd best start with Chris and Vin, the tall man thought. He knew Nathan was quick to see the negative points of Ezra's behaviour sometimes, and Josiah's spiritual views had gotten in the way a few times. As for JD, well the kid was just too naïve about the world still to understand that not everyone came from a loving home.
Ezra was stunned. No one had ever declared their friendship to him so firmly, so resolutely in any of his previous acquaintanceships. His heart sped up as he dared hope the older man gripping him so firmly would stick by him in his offer of friendship. He dearly wished what the man said would prove to be true. Since making that decision back on the ridge at the village, Ezra had been tentatively hoping that this group of men could become his friends. The more he worked with them, relaxed with them, the more he thought about how warped his mother's perspective of the world was. These men, they were proof of a better life, a fulfilling life, and the fact that they still allowed him to reside in the town knowing of his gambling habits of his and the issue of his history with the unfortunate Fort Laramie incident made his hart thrum with hopefulness.
When the younger man sunk in his grasp, Buck was alarmed, but smiled fondly when two hands came around to grip the backs of his jacket, Ezra's head falling onto Buck's shoulder as he let go a shuddering breath. With a voice rough from trying to contain the rush of feelings in his heart, Ezra kneaded his fingers desperately into the cloth in his grip. "Mister Wilmington, that is among the kindest thangs anyone has evah said to me" the younger man murmured, his accent thickened by emotion, "Never before have Ah heard such a declaration about mah personal self, and Ah thank you for your kindness."
Buck's hand came upward to hold the back of Ezra's neck, cradling him akin to a child despite his adult stature. "Hell Ez, it ain't kindness, it's just the truth. Wouldn't be the same here without yer, an' I reckon most everyone here likes you jist fine how y'are, even if you do use an awful lot of ten dollar words" he joked, rubbing the younger man's back. "No whaddya say we clean ourselves up a little and go grab a drink? Sure and enough Chris'll be hollering for us before long, and I for one don't want to be ridin' out on an empty stomach."
"Good lawd, no, Mister Wilmington. Indeed not, as Ah do not believe our compatriots could survive the echoing of your empty digestive system. Allow me to fix mah attire while you make use of my facilities and we may be on our way" the younger man offered, reluctantly moving from his position in the older man's reassuring embrace. As he readied himself he pondered on the shock he was feeling from this man's show of support. Never before had someone he hoped to call friend shown such a blatant display of affection. He found himself in awe of how lightening the feeling of true camaraderie could be, and desperately wished to any deity available that it would not desert him.
"C'mon, Ez, let's go down for dinner before Vin eats everything including the plates" Buck declared, swinging the door open and striding out. It wasn't much, he thought, but it was a damned fine start to helping Ezra realise he could count on someone to be his friend.
"Ah am right behind you, Mistah Wilmington" Ezra said, grinning.
Possibly to be continued :-)
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