Dead or Alive - the Captain Sneed fic part sixteen
I'm sure no one remembers this at this point. I sure didn't. I'm probably going to break @killian-whump 's heart with my lack of whump when there were so many opportunities...
This is also really short and pointless and mostly transitional. I may rewrite this because I'm reeeeeally unsatisfied.
---------
They remain holed up in the cave for four days. Much as JJ hated to admit weakness, he benefited from rest. There'd been an infection scare from his badly scraped stump, but the poultice Killian diligently applied worked wonders, and the swelling had gone down within a day. And while he still had a lingering cough, his lungs were clear.
Killian used the time to teach JJ his horse's commands. Now, he could mount on his own, a freedom he thought he'd never have again. He still didn't know how he'd tack up a horse; carrying and hoisting the heavy saddle seemed beyond him. But if he had his own saloon, he could stable his horse and hire someone to do the heavy lifting.
He guided the buckskin in circles in front of the cave entrance, marveling at the feel of freedom. Killian was skinning a rabbit several feet away; he wouldn't be able to stop JJ if they decided to gallop off.
But he wouldn't; the promise of gold was too much to resist.
Killian finished and headed inside the cave to their cooking pit. JJ dragged his eyes to the spot between his horse's ears, not wanting to stare.
The past couple of days, he'd been very aware of just how tight those black leather pants were. Annoyed, JJ urged his horse into a trot, focusing on the best way to move with the awkward stride with half his leg missing. The soreness would distract him from his wandering thoughts. He hoped.
He kept it up for another ten minutes before finally deciding he'd abused himself enough for a night. He dismounted near the cave entrance, still awkward but at least he could do it unassisted and land without his knee buckling.
Leaning against the cave entrance was a stick Killian had found, long and slightly crooked, and forked at the end. Killian had sawed off the forked branches and wrapped that end with the tattered remains of the trousers he'd nearly drowned in. It was a crude crutch, and it hurt something fierce if JJ used it too long, but with it, he could get around.
Yet another bit of independence reclaimed.
He lead the mare into the cave. Killian took her and untacked her while JJ fished out a can of beans to go with the rabbit.
"We headin' out tomorrow?" JJ asked.
"Aye, I think so." Killian had scouted the trails that morning. "Water's receded, and there's no sign of any more storms."
JJ sprawled out, gaze on the roasting rabbit. He spread his legs, absently rubbing his aching stump, unaware that Killian was trying to avoid looking at him with as much determination as JJ had avoided him earlier.
*siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh*
Well, I guess it’s okay that there’s no whump in this chapter, because this story has twice the Colin in it, and I feel like that almost makes up for it.
