TITLE: Always and Forever
GENRE: au!au
RATING: NC-17, strong language, explicit sexual scenes
DISCLAIMER: The characters are the intellectual property of Annie Proulx. I am only borrowing them and am making no profit from this fic.
FEEDBACK: Is very much appreciated. I'm new to this fandom, though not to fanfic so please be honest. I can take constructive criticism if it'll help me get better next time.
SUMMARY: Ennis gets a postcard telling him to meet someone at Brokeback Mountain. Against his better judgment he goes, but finds more than he would've thought possible.
Prologue
Ennis wasn't sure how to feel; angry, hopeful maybe even a little scared. But despite the mixture of emotions flooding his body he still found himself packing up his belongings and making his way to Brokeback; the postcard with handwriting so familiar resting on the truck's dashboard; firming his resolve every time he thought of turning back.
The night was clear but not too cold, exactly as it had been those many years ago. There was an unfamiliar car parked but Ennis ignored it. Where did he go now, the postcard had no indication as to where on the mountain he was supposed to meet this... person. The glow of a far-off fire seemed the best bet so that was where Ennis headed, forcing any hope or cynicism deep into his gut where it wouldn't bother him.
The journey got steep, by the time he emerged onto the cliff face Ennis had resorted to using his hands to aid his climb; but as he emerged into the clear night air he found himself facing a silhouetted figure; a ghost of a man lit by the vagueness of the dying embers. Even so Ennis recognized him, would've done anywhere.
"Jack Twist." The words burst forth, a mixture of joy, regret, unspoken love and a prayer of thankfulness to a god Ennis wasn't sure he believed in, but to whom he was grateful nonetheless. Charging forth out of the bushes Ennis wrapped his arms tight round his lover, eyes brimming with tears as memories of sorrowful words from drunken nights when he thought this man was gone forever flooded his mind.
"Ennis." Jack's voice was serious underneath the affection that matched his lover's, and immediately the embrace was broken.
"H-How?" Ennis's voice cracked slightly as he rubbed a calloused thumb across Jack's cheek, underneath those shining blue eyes exactly as they had been on the last day.
"That's what I needed to tell you." Jack stated, raising one hand to peel Ennis's hand away from his face; fingers tracing the pulse on Ennis's wrist as he did so, "I can't explain a lot of it, because I don't really get it myself..." As Jack spoke he started to step backwards, "...Just trust me, and know that I love you."
"You..?" But before Ennis could say any more he noticed that Jack was perched right on the edge of the cliff, the back of his boots on the very precipice, "Jack be careful or you'll..." Jack spread his arms, face calm and eyes shut, and fell backwards.
Ennis would've shouted if shouting would've helped, instead he dove forwards; fingers grasping air as Jack fell out of reach and plummeted down. Years ago they'd jumped from this cliff into the water below, it'd been like flying. Jack's fall couldn't be described as flying, it was a short plummet that was cut short as he hit the water headfirst and fell under the shining silver surface.
Without even thinking it through Ennis threw his hat and boots aside and dove after Jack. Finding him amidst the foaming, churning mass proved a challenge; and Ennis felt his lungs close to bursting point before he found a heavy figure drifting slightly below him and propelled them both to the surface. It was with a great deal of spluttering that Ennis dragged the heavy and motionless body of Jack Twist to the shore, slumping into the silt on the water's edge and hurriedly pressing a hand to Jack's neck.
"Damnit Jack." Blind panic set in when he found no trace of a pulse, trying to remember the more precise details of CPR Ennis pushed the sodden material of Jack's shirt away from his neck so it wouldn't be an obstruction and pinched his lover's nose hard, taking a breath as he prepared to breathe life back into his lifeless form.
Mouth two inches away from Jack's, Ennis recoiled as a miracle happened. Jack's dead body convulsed and a mouthful of water was spat into the ground beside them. Jack winced slightly, fingers clenching before he sat up.
"You fucker." Ennis yelled, though in fearful sadness rather than anger, pulling Jack's soaked form close and holding him tight; hard kisses pressed to every inch Ennis could find.
"'m-sorry." Jack mumbled, sounding slightly sleepy; "The stars are bright tonight."
"Why did you do that?" Ennis pushed Jack to arms length as he asked it, there some anger in his tone this time, "I almost lost you again. Why did you..?" Then Ennis returned to cutting off any circulation in Jack's body by holding him as tightly as possible.
"I needed to show you." Jack said, before yawning deeply and slumping in Ennis's arms slightly, "The stars are bright tonight." He mumbled again before falling asleep.