Sinner's Prayer

Flames of August

There's a buzzing heat as July bleeds into the first days of August. The barn sits with it, warm and reeking of hay. Ennis flicks his lighter, leaning against the wall of the stall on his shoulders, slumped so the lower half of his back leaves it untouched. He sits beside Jack on a thatch of straw covered by a thick red quilt.

It's a makeshift bed that Ennis frequents when nights are cool, finding comfort in the outdoors rather than his stuffy room.

He glances at the brunette, thoughts working behind his eyes as he studies the idle boy who lays, stretched out and dozing atop the bed of straw. He sleeps soundly, Ennis curls his lips in a little smile as he watches him.

Jack had come in earlier, eager for the company but dog tired behind the eyes. He reeked of the sweet smell of grass and musky sweat from a day's work, falling to the pallet with a smile as Ennis had led him to it.

"Sure is cozy," he'd remarked, settling in. Ennis found it amusing, for someone who ran on so much energy, Jack was out within minutes.

Not that Ennis could mind, he liked the quiet and simply sitting beside Jack while he napped was enough for him.

He knows there'd been service that morning, knows that Jack flutters around town afterward if his daddy isn't putting him to work at home, though it's not something Jack ever talks about. There's a silent understanding between them now since Jack had come clean about his involvement with the church and his home life.

It's a subject Jack doesn't like to bring up if he doesn't have to, so Ennis doesn't ask. Instead, he offers him escape. In the passing days since their reconnection, Jack had been a frequent face to the Del Mar residence, spending the final hours of his day in their company. Ennis can see that he's more comfortable here, and his siblings don't seem to mind. They're happy enough for Ennis to have some sort of companionship, and honestly, Jack fits in like a glove.

He watches feathery lashes flutter against stubbled cheeks, traces the blue shadow over a diamond cut jaw and wonders if Jack's dreaming behind closed eyes.

Ennis snaps his zippo shut, discarding it into his shirt pocket and reaching with a careful hand. He wants to weave his fingers in Jack's hair, to feel it soft against his touch but Ennis hesitates, still unsure. He finds the fabric of Jack's shirt instead, catching warmth beneath worn cotton, staring fondly at the shade of stony blue against the pink of Jack's skin.

He seems to embody the color, Ennis thinks, doting eyes moving to parted lips. He blushes in turn, memories working in his mind and heat fanning against him.

He glances away, noting the orange glow that bursts through wide open doors and peeks through cracks in the wood.

It's getting late, he figures, turning back to the sleepy brunette.

He nudges Jack's shoulder with a gentle hand, rousing him from sleep.

"Hey," Ennis murmurs. Baby blues flutter, blurry with sleep and a little confused before Jack comes to, a deep sigh escaping his nose as he stretches languidly across the cover.

"Hey," he slurs, muscles taunt before he goes loose against the bed of hay once more. His eyes are closed again, crossing his arms over his chest with a furrowed brow.

"What time is it?" Jack mumbles, heavy in his lethargy. Ennis cracks a little smile.

"Gettin' ta be pretty late," he says. Jack groans.

"Shit," he mutters, turning without opening his eyes and reaching blindly to find one long leg, clad in weathered denim. He snuggles up to Ennis, nuzzling his face against his thigh and encircling his arms around the lanky limb to curl against it.