Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Ropin' The Wind ❯ Chapter One: A Night At The Tavern ( Chapter 1 )

(Author's Notes: I hope you enjoy this story. Please remember, this is has mild yaoi in it- nothing descriptive, but yaoi nevertheless. Don't know what yaoi is? Well, you should know what it is by now if you read Gundam Wing fics, but oh well. Yaoi is male/male relationships. As in, boy kiss boy, and so on. Please enjoy the story! Thanks for your time, and ja ne! ~AC)

Ropin' The Wind

Chapter One: A Night At The Tavern

The day was a day like any other. The clouds were a deep, gloomy gray that curled around the bright sun like tendrils of smoke from a cigarette, hiding the warm rays from the inhabitants of the town.

One of the men who rested in the shade of the ranch's porch, his honest blue eyes lifting heavenward, tipped back his cowboy hat and drawled lazily, "Looks like it might rain."

His companion looked up at the darkening sky, and nodded, flickering imaginary dust off of his white doctor's lab coat. "I think you're right."

"Will Joe be okay?" questioned the cowboy, referring to the stableman who had broken his leg during an accident earlier that day.

The student doctor smiled, his pale violet eyes lighting up with relief. "He'll be fine."

"That's good," was the simple, mild reply, and the blond-haired cowboy leaned back in his chair, staring once more into the cloudy sky. There was a peaceful silence for a couple minutes until the doctor spoke once more.

"You planning to head back to town tonight? The tavern is gonna be busy."

The cowboy shook his head, and reset his hat as it tilted to the side. "I aim to get a good night's sleep tonight, doc. Haven't had time lately, with the brandin' of the cattle an' all. We still ain't finished."

The doctor wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ugh. Branding. How gross."

His cowboy companion raised an eyebrow. "You eat steak. That actually kills 'em."

The student shook his head, and argued, "But at least I don't burn their asses like you do."

"It's just like getting a tattoo."

"A rather ugly tattoo."

"Are you dissing my ranch's emblem?" The doctor paused before answering, a mischievous smile crossing his lips.

"Yep." The cowboy grinned reluctantly, admitting he had set himself up for that one.

The doctor rose from his chair with a quiet sigh. "I'd better head back. The doctors are expecting me at the office before I go to the tavern."

The cowboy snorted, almost frowning in disdain at the mention of the doctors. "I don't see why they make you do all the work, doc. They're the ones who are supposed to be the real doctors."

The student doctor grinned, shrugging. "Well, pal, they do the town jobs, and I do the country ones."

"But most of the jobs are country ones," the cowboy pointed out, causing the doctor to shrug once more.

"I didn't know that when I made the agreement."

"Obviously not." With another grin, the doctor made his leave.

"Good night, Quatre." In return, the cowboy tipped his hat.

"Night, Duo," he drawled, and watched as the long braided doctor walked to his waiting mount.

. . .

The tavern was busy, as usual. The local drunks had already had their normal amount of alcohol, and two of them were about to be kicked out of the tavern at their regular time while the other drinkers watched.

"Come on," whined one of the drunks, known by others as simply Alex. He looked pleadingly at the bouncer, who had her arms crossed. "Jus' one more drink, lady."

"No." The woman's reply was flat and unyielding as she glared at him.

"Please, Une?" came the soft voice of one of Alex's fellow drinkers. The bouncer turned her glare upon the man who sat in the shadows.

"No, Treize," she spat icily, her obvious hatred for him evident in her words. "Perhaps it's time for you to be leaving too."

Treize raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled and slightly hurt. "But, Une, I haven't even begun to drink!"

"That's true," commented the other drinker about to be thrown out, Harry by name. His dark green eyes twinkled behind his glasses as he smirked at Une.

"Yep," Alex agreed, grinning a lopsided smile. "He's only had about four glasses. You know his limit, lady."

"My name," said Une through gritted teeth, "is Une, you miserable drunk."

"I'm so hurt," Alex whispered softly, actually looking distressed for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Get out!" As his companions chuckled, Alex was dragged from the tavern, all the while complaining loudly.

"Ha ha- Aw..." Harry's laughter was cut short as the bouncer returned and grabbed him by the collar.

"Don't think I'd forget you," she informed him as she tossed him out the door. "And don't come back until tomorrow!"

The two drinkers' replies were drowned out by an amused laugh as a familiar form slipped through the door.

"Une, I see you have your hands busy, as usual," he said formally, ignoring the fact that all the waitresses were swooning.

"As you can see, Mister Zechs, you are right," was the curt reply from the bouncer as she moved to let the rich banker enter.

Zechs, owner of the local bank, was the richest, and most eligible bachelor in the town. Unfortunately for the women of the town, Zechs seemed to be completely disinterested, even scornful of their advances. It was often rumored that the banker had a mistress in a nearby town.

"Getting drunk again, boy?" asked Zechs, his cold blue eyes flickering towards where Treize sat. The town drunk grinned merrily.

"I'm older than you, and I've only had four glasses so far," he informed the younger man, an impish light dancing in his eyes. "So there!"

The banker rolled his eyes and didn't reply, instead ordering a glass of expensive wine for himself. The two ignored each other, mostly, for the rest of the night.

. . .

"Howdy, y'all!" called out a familiar, cheerful voice, and most of the drinkers looked up to grin at the man who bounded into the tavern.

"Howdy, Duo?" The owner of the tavern raised an odd eyebrow towards her newest customer as she paused in her work. "You've been hanging out with that cowboy for too long."

Duo rolled his eyes as he shrugged off his doctor's coat. "His name's Quatre, and everyone says howdy nowadays, Dorothy."

The blond woman sniffed, and continued washing one of the tables, pretending that she hadn't spoken to the braided doctor.

"Why were you out there today, Duo?" questioned one of the frequent visitors, grinning. The doctor shrugged.

"A stableman fell and broke his leg. I reset it," he commented, and then called for a beer.

"And where was your little assistant? That nurse?" the man wanted to know as Duo took a long swallow of his drink.

The doctor shrugged. "Hilde's probably with the deputy, chasing after-" He stopped short, catching sight of the banker. Smiling, Zechs finished the sentence.

"Chasing after me. Yes, those two do enjoy stalking me."

"Unfortunately so," commented another voice, this time from the doorway, and both Zechs and Duo smiled.

"Evenin' Sheriff," said Duo, echoed by Zechs's, "Nice to see you."

The sheriff, his dark green eyes scanning the crowd almost unconsciously for any troublemakers, nodded, and continued.

"Thanks to you, Mister Zechs, Deputy Noin is always at the bank. Seems to think someone might rob it." Zechs laughed, a trifle arrogantly, at the statement.

"No one could rob my bank, Sheriff," he declared, with a firm nod of his head. "Or would even try, unless they were wrong in their head."

"Just like the two who robbed the bank in Thurston?" Treize wanted to know, his tone very dry. "They haven't been caught, you know." Zechs and the sheriff mutually scowled darkly.

"That was five months back, and the robbers haven't struck at any other banks. And besides, Thurston is about a two hour horse ride from here." Treize shrugged, smiling down into his alcohol.

"Just a question."

"Do they have any suspects, Sheriff?" Duo piped up, his pale violet eyes lighting up at the idea of the robbers being brought to justice.

The sheriff shook his head, sending light brown strands everywhere. "None of the tellers can even remember what color eyes either of them had."

Treize tsked in fake disapproval, and ducked his head as the sheriff once more glared at him.

Une, noting the sheriff's displeasure with the town drunk, asked warningly, "Do you want to be kicked out for the night, Treize?" Treize gave her a sunny smile as he drowned his sixth glass of beer.

"No, ma'am!" he replied promptly, raising his hand for another mug.

Zechs suddenly eyed Duo. "Say, where'd your little roommate go? He's staying with you, correct?" The student doctor grinned at the mention of his best friend, then quickly grew somber.

"Solo decided to go somewhere else for tonight," he said, breaking away from the banker's locked gaze. Treize, halfway through his latest drink, laughed merrily.

"Ah, the lovely brothel, correct?" he drawled, chuckling. "What a naughty young man that little banker-in-training is. Wouldn't you agree, Trowa? Duo?" The doctor glared at the drunk, and then, changing tactics, pretended that he hadn't heard Treize's words.

The sheriff's eyes narrowed at the mention of his real name, without the title, and the implication the drunk's words carried.

"Would you like to spend the night in jail, Treize?" he shot back, a hard edge to his words. Zechs and Duo both watched the exchange, Zechs's face expressionless, and Duo's slightly concerned. Treize shrugged off-handedly, a smile crossing his lips.

"Not really," he said, his words accompanied by another shrug. "The jail is cold. And you never let me talk."

"I think that might be the point of the jail, Treize," Duo commented, attempting to lighten the mood. The town drunk repeated his shrug, the smile tugging at his lips.

"Well, then jail isn't very fun." With that final comment, Treize finished his drink and rose from seat, barely swaying.

"Lord a' Mercy!" Une called out sarcastically. "You're actually leavin' before I can kick you out?" Treize smirked, and made his way towards the door, accidentally brushing against Zechs as he stumbled slightly. The banker ignored him, focusing on his wine.

"Sorry to break your heart, Une, but I'm through for the night," the drunk drawled, turning to smile cheekily at the bouncer before disappearing into the night.

The tavern resumed to their small talk, the entertainment over for the night. Zechs finished his glass of wine, paid, and left. Meanwhile, Duo began a drinking contest with another man, the local blacksmith, Howard. The student doctor lost miserably, losing five dollars along with the humiliation.

And woke up the next morning with an enormous hangover.