Invest a Dime by Zeke Black (PG for language and implications)

[farad.livejournal.com]

Two in one day, trying to get the year off right, but also - I was fortunate to have several new stories posted this past month!

Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Pairing: Chris/Ezra
Length: about 14,000 words
Author on LJ: zekiel 
Author's website:  http://zekeblack.slashcity.org/
Why this must be read:
Zeke Black is one of the best stylists in this fandom.  Her style is fluid and easy and wonderfully subtle - not too much so, just enough.  She does a wonderful job of showing the Chris/Ezra attraction, but she doesn't shirk on the other characters in the process.  Her Old West fiction is true to the period and she loves her research, which shows - but not so much as to burden the story.

That blend of detail and characterization works perfectly in her AU stories as well. This story is a sequel to "Toss the Dice" which is the founding story to her Cross-Border Enforcement Agency universe, where Chris runs a team and Ezra is not a part of it - but Ezra is a part of Chris' personal life.  It's a good concept and she does a great job with it, and "Invest a Dime" is a perfect sequel, set about nine months after the beginning of "Toss the Dice".

And selfishly - for someone who writes C/E, she has one of the best interpretations of Vin of any Mag7 writer out there.  If I weren't already a Vin-o-phile, reading her interpretation of him would get me there.  Mostly, I think, it's because she doesn't ignore the friendship between Chris and Vin, acknowledging that they're close - which is a big part of the basis and intensity of this story.  She does the same with Buck, creating the strong relationships that was canon in the series, recreating them beautifully in these stories and her others.

Buck strode into the room, stopped at the end of the couch and stared at Dewalt. His face sagged into weary lines that made him look every one of his thirty-nine years in a way Buck Wilmington rarely did.

"Damn." He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Vin.

"Anything yet?" His voice sounded even gruffer than usual in his own ears.

Buck shook his head. "Not when I left." He looked back at Dewalt, who was regarding him with the mask-like wariness that had strung Vin's nerves unbearably tight.

Vin looked away. Not his problem now. "I'm going to grab some things and go. You wanted to take him in; he's all yours."

"We can't take him in."

Vin turned back from the door to the bedroom hallway. "He broke in here, Buck. What the hell--"

"I doubt he did."

Buck was still looking at Dewalt. Dewalt's eyes narrowed and he frowned as he peered up at Buck. Vin glanced between them. Dewalt was hard to read, but he looked as in the dark as Vin was feeling.

"Was Chris expecting you?"

Vin looked at Buck, but Buck's eyes were steady on Dewalt. Dewalt wet his lips. He didn't answer.

"Why the hell would Chris be expecting him?"

Buck looked at him at last. "Was the lock tampered with, or the alarm?"

He thought back. He hadn't been paying attention, his mind entirely on Chris. He visualized the alarm pad, the door. Nothing had seemed unusual.

Buck gave a little nod, as though to himself. "I think he probably has a key." He turned back to Dewalt. "Is that right?"

Dewalt finally spoke, broken record that he was: "I believe it would be helpful to notify Mr. Larabee of this matter."

Vin's fists clenched. The tension coursing through him only ratcheted up higher when Buck gave a low, breathy laugh. "Hell. You can drop the accent."

Vin caught himself narrowing his eyes and frowning. He gritted his teeth, figuring he was probably mirroring Dewalt.

Buck didn't shift his gaze from Dewalt. "I was in the observation room in Everett when Chris talked to you...Ezra, isn't it?"

Vin darted looks between the two of them. He hadn't thought Dewalt could look stonier than he had.

"What the fuck is going on? I want to know now, Buck."

"His real name's Ezra. Percy Dewalt was a fake. Not sure about his real last name; there seemed to be some confusion on that point." Buck turned to look squarely at Vin. "Chris knew him in Everett before the bust."

"No." He was sure of that; surer of it than anything in life or the universe. Surer of it than the ground under his feet, which had acquired a decided tilt and was making him feel queasy. "There's no fucking way Chris would be mixed up with a scumbag like Miller."

Buck sighed. "I didn't say Miller, Vin. Chris was involved with this guy, and he didn't know about his connection to Miller until the bust." Buck turned again to Dewalt. "Right?"

Dewalt didn't answer. He didn't change expression, but his eyes were thoughtful as he studied Buck.

"I thought it was over when you joined Witness Protection." Buck spoke slowly; he was frowning, too, now. "But Chris knew you were coming today, didn't he?" He paused, but Dewalt still didn't speak. "Where's the key?"

Dewalt was staring steadily at Buck. "How much did you see in Everett?"

Dewalt's mid-Western twang was replaced by a distinct Southern drawl. Vin swallowed, the tamped down fury inside him rising again with a drowning feeling, threatening to overwhelm him.

"I saw it all," Buck said. "The key?"

He didn't think at first Dewalt would answer, but the pause as he looked consideringly at Buck was no more than twenty seconds. When he spoke, his voice was as expressionless as his face. "In my jacket pocket."

"Which would be in the front hall closet, I'd guess." Buck looked at Vin.


"Invest a Dime"

Comments

[sfulton229.livejournal.com]

This was a fic well worth waiting for and I also highly recommend this; it's a great AU and this is a terrific sequel to the first wonderful story. Read both, they're fantastic!