Set Post Series

Ch. 20: Rough

Inspired by a friend making a comment that camping is about fires, alcohol, and sex in tents

"Your dad didn't take you camping as a child?"

Vic nearly snorted through her nose when she laughed. She set the beer she was drinking on the ground and stretched her legs out.

"Um…no."

Walt took a sip from his own can.

"So, what did he do with you and your brothers?"

She smiled.

"Target practice."

Walt laughed lightly.

"Really?"

"Yep. That was his idea of quality time."

Walt shrugged.

"At least he spent time with you."

She conceded with a nod.

"True…but not very often. He was…a workaholic. The job was his life."

Walt shifted beside her and put his hand on her leg just above her knee.

"I think every father struggles with that. Most of the time I spent with my dad was following him around while he worked. And fishing. He enjoyed fishing when he had a day off."

Vic smiled.

"What kind of things did you do with Cady?"

He inhaled and let the breath out slowly.

"We camped some, fished some, she enjoyed riding horses when she was a girl. I didn't spend as much time with her as I would've liked."

Vic picked her beer back up and turned the can around in her hand. Walt's arm brushed against her as he tried to find a more comfortable position on the ground. A fire crackled away in front of them, the orange glow illuminating everything in the immediate area. The warmth emanating from it was in stark difference to the chill of the autumn air. Seasons were tricky in Wyoming and could turn quickly. One day, you were enjoying a brisk, windy day with leaves swirling in patterns or orange, yellow, and brown from the trees. The next, the hardware store had a run on people prepping for snow.

This weekend, the days were pleasantly cool and the nights were bordering on cold. It was perfect camping weather in Walt's mind. He had cajoled Vic into finally agreeing to go with him.

"That seems to be every parent's sentiment."

Walt nodded his head in agreement.

"I was trying to learn the ropes as a deputy. And Lucian was not easy on me."

She smiled again.

"I bet he was a hard ass."

Walt nodded.

"Yep. He uh…he was. But…he was also a good teacher."

"See, I pictured him being kind of an outlaw sheriff."

Walt smiled thinking of his old friend. The memories didn't hurt as much now.

"Oh…he was. Believe me. You and Lucian would've butted heads like a couple of mountain goats if you worked for him."

She shook her head at the image.

"I'd have quit. Trust me. He would make one too many comments about my ass or something and I would be forced to punch him. So scratch that. Not quit..fired."

Walt had to agree with that assessment.

"Yeah, he was from a different time."

Vic turned her head and looked at his profile.

"You know…you're from a different time, too, but you're not a jackass. If you ever had any thoughts like that…you were smart enough to keep them to yourself."

He ducked his head and Vic leaned in.

"You did, didn't you?"

She elbowed him in the side.

"Walt Longmire…were you looking at my ass?"

Walt held up one hand.

"No comment."

"Hah. You were like the other extreme from Lucian. Too closed off with what went on inside that head of yours."

His expression grew serious.

"Yeah."

"The strong, silent type."

"I don't know about that."

Vic finished off the last of her beer and set the can down on the yellowing grass. Walt glanced at her in his peripheral.

"So…do you hate camping as much as you swore you would?"

A soft look crossed her face.

"No…I don't hate it. I still think it's ass backwards to voluntarily use the bathroom behind a bush. But…this isn't so bad. It's actually kind of amazing out here."

She was right. In his mind there was nothing more stunning than the clear Wyoming sky that spread out like the most beautiful work of art as far as the eye could see. The innumerable stars sparkling overhead was like nothing he'd ever seen anywhere else. It was the universe the way it was meant to be viewed.

Perfectly.

Unadulterated.

In the darkness, his hand found her and he laced their fingers, binding them.

"Know what else is great about the great outdoors?"

Vic turned to face him.

"What?"

He stood up slowly and tugged gently on her hand pulling her along with him. The momentum sent her into his chest. He released her hand and wound his arms around her, tucking her snugly into his body.

"Privacy."

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss along her jaw. A slow smile crept across her face. She ran her hands up his chest and fingered the top snap of his shirt.

"I like privacy."

He nodded as he dipped his head again and kiss the other side of her jaw. She squirmed slightly against him and her fingers pulled the snap loose with a low pop.

"Me too."

He murmured the words against her mouth as he pressed his lips to hers in a slow kiss that she returned in kind.

Her fingers pulled another snap free.

xxx

"Are you cold?"

Vic huffed under her breath and rolled in his arms so that she was facing him.

"Mmmm…no. You are so warm."

He smiled and press his lips against her forehead. Her voice carried a drowsy and content note to it.

"Good."

She burrowed down into the cocoon of warmth that their combined body heat was creating underneath the blankets tangled around them. The tent flap was zipped up but the sounds of nature wafted in from outside.

Vic inhaled deeply breathing in the scent that was all Walt, along with the smoky smell from his extinguishing the fire when they headed for the tent. Walt's hand was combing softly through her hair. He could feel the warm spurts of her breath against the skin of his chest and neck.

"You know…I gotta say…after all that…camping moved up on my list."

His body vibrated with a quiet laughter. He was quiet but the air felt thick with his thinking. Vic shifted back a little so that they could make eye contact.

"What?"

"I was thinking about something Lucian told me once."

Vic raised her eyebrows.

"Well, this I gotta hear."

He couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"He said you can't have a good camping trip unless there is fire, alcohol, and a lot of sex in your tent."

Vic laughed out loud and then lowered her head back into the nest of blankets.

"I have to say…for once…that crazy old man was right."

End.