Vin relaxed back into the warm bath. It seemed like it had taken forever for Ezra, JD and Chris to clear out of the room, but Vin never liked to bathe with the other guys. He was too thin, his body too scarred from his years of bounty hunting, and he'd never quite gotten the hang of their bantering. He just never felt easy around any of them, not even Chris despite their otherwise close friendship.

In fact, the only one of his fellow peacekeepers Vin ever really opened up to was Josiah. Despite the fact that they'd had several of their deep, late-night conversations, it never failed to surprise him when the ex-priest showed up with a bottle of whiskey and a burden to get off his chest. The last time, though, Vin had been so distracted by the sight of Josiah's strong back and chest in the thin cotton shirt that he'd barely caught the gist of Josiah's confession, something he now regretted.

Josiah had arrived in the late afternoon, already well on his way to being drunk, and draped his long frame over Vin's bedroll like he belonged there. He'd kept downing the whiskey like it was water, talking in between long pulls on the bottle that left Vin's imagination running hotter than the late summer sun. Josiah's big mouth seemed meant for larger things, his Adam's apple bobbing as he drank.

Vin felt himself stirring at the memory and sank deeper into the bubbles, running his hands over his thighs and chest. It had been so long since Vin had been in someone's arms, male or female, and the languid heat had already gotten his blood flowing, even before Josiah'd gotten there. Just like now, at the end of an eventful day, the warmth of the air, of the bath water only heated his blood further.

Only that day he'd skipped the bath, gone off on his own to get away from the guys and their innocent horseplay. Nothing like being caught with a hard-on during a friendly wrestling match to end both the match and the friendship right quick, especially in these parts. With his body sprawled out on Vin's bedroll like the answer to his prayers, Josiah's words had melted in the fires of Vin's fantasies.

Vin had admired the man for a long time, envious of his size, his muscles, his insight and eloquence. Josiah was intelligent and sharp-witted, and filled with a conviction that Vin could only envy. He truly did regret his distraction, sure now that there was something important, something Josiah had been trying to tell him this time. He'd been talking about life after priesthood, but all Vin could think about was the way his breeches fit over his strong thighs.

Vin's hands wandered up his own spreading thighs; one cupped his balls and the other rose to tweak at a nipple. Shyness was one reason he bathed in privacy, but this was another. He raised himself up, let the cool air do the rest of the work of bringing his nipples to aching attention. His cock was already there, and he grabbed some of the soft French soap Ezra'd bought and lathered himself up.

The slickness of the soap lent the illusion of other fingers tweaking his nipples, other hands cupping and stroking him. He folded his knees under and arched his hips up, offering himself to his imaginary lover. Eyes firmly closed against lonely reality, he wandered his slippery fingers down past his balls to tease at the hole hidden beneath the water line.

Before the suds could rinse away, and before he could lose his nerve, he plunged a finger in. A low moan escaped his lips, and his legs trembled with strain and other, more visceral causes. He didn't do this often, especially not like this, where he could get caught, but the images of Josiah wouldn't be denied. Vin's desire fanned hotter and his cock jumped in his hand when he added another finger to his ass.

The stretch and burn was exquisite, and he imagined it was about what one of Josiah's thick, blunt fingers would feel like. He pumped his cock, pre-come beading on the tip, and thrust deeper, curling, seeking that special spot.

"Josiah!" he moaned when he found it, hips jerking. He was so close to coming already, and though he knew he needed to make this quick, a part of him wanted to linger over the fantasy.

"Vin," came the hoarse, gruff reply, almost a moan in itself.

Vin's eyes flew open, and he dropped back into the dubious concealment of the bath with a splash. Josiah was standing at the foot of the tub, naked as the day he was born and hard as a rock. Vin's fingers slid out of his body, a whimper escaping his lips much to his embarrassment. "Josiah, I..."

"Was it really me that got you this way, Vin?" Josiah asked, voice rough with desire. He held up a hand when Vin started to deny it, adding, "Tell me no and I'll leave, and we'll never speak of this again. But I'm hopin' you'll tell me true, an' say yes."

Vin was stunned speechless for long moments, eyes roaming against his will over the body he'd longed to see. Josiah was big all over, muscular and strong, with not an ounce of fat on him. His body was dusted with hair over the chest and legs, with a trail of thickening fur leading from his navel to the thatch of salt-and-pepper curls above his cock. Vin's mouth watered at the sight of Josiah's erection, thick and long, pre-come glistening at the tip.

Josiah's gaze followed Vin's down and he smiled. One big fist closed around his cock, pumping once, galvanizing Vin out of his shocked silence.

"Yes," he whispered, and answer or a plea, he wasn't sure which.

"Rinse off and stand up," said Josiah, bright lust kindling in his eyes.

Vin complied, rinsing efficiently and stepping out of the tub. Water ran off him in sheets to puddle at his feet, leaving him shivering with the chill, and an electric desire. He'd never felt so vulnerable in his life, pale and skinny in front of Josiah's bulk, and even though his courage faltered, his erection never flagged.

"Go 'round and brace your hands on the back of the tub," said Josiah, smearing the liquid at the tip of his cock before taking a step towards Vin.

Vin went, bending, spreading his legs without having to be told. He'd been imagining kisses, comfort, not these cold orders commanding him, the hot flashes of lust that swept through him. Still, if all he was going to get was a cold fuck, he'd take it, if only to help dispel the fantasies. Josiah came around the bath, and Vin bowed his head rather than follow with his eyes.

He expected another order, or a even the rough thrust of entry, but instead he was enveloped in a gentle hug. Rough stubble brushed the back of his neck, moustache tickling as surprisingly gentle kisses were scattered along the ridge of his spine. His damp hair caught and tangled in the short beard, but he resisted the urge to lift his hands and brush it free. He felt like he was dealing with a wild animal, an errant bit of his dreams come to life, and any wrong move would get him bitten, bring reality crashing back down.

Instead he trembled in Josiah's embrace, moaning when blunt teeth sunk into the back of his neck, agile fingers found his nipples, and the heat of Josiah's cock slipped between his legs to nestle against his balls.

Josiah reached down to cup Vin's cock and balls, engulfing the whole package in one large hand as he asked, "Can I love ya, Vin? Will you let me?"

Vin stiffened. He'd never been with a man, despite his earlier actions, and he really didn't know what to do. "Yes," he found himself saying, whispering, hips arching back of their own accord.

Whether or not Vin was ready, his body obviously knew what it wanted. He whimpered, cold and bereft, when Josiah moved away, and wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. Before that train of thought could go anywhere, though, the warmth was back. Lips capturing Vin's in a deep, hot kiss, Josiah stood at his side, one hand caressing over his chest and the other trailing down his spine.

Vin's whimper was swallowed by Josiah's wide mouth as one finger slipped inside. It wasn't as big as his two, but the sensation was startlingly unfamiliar. Both his hands were still on the tub's edge, and yet there were hands on his body, rough and masculine, nothing at all like a woman's touch. The finger sank deeper, underlining the differences, and Josiah licked a wet trail up his jaw to whisper in his ear, "You're gonna love this, Vin, I promise."

Any reply he might've made was swallowed by Josiah's kisses, deeper, harsher and more intense than the last. Josiah's finger was all the way in now, knuckles brushing against his ass as it twisted around, sending sparks of pleasure up Vin's spine. Josiah thrust in and out a few times, almost experimentally, and then pulled out all the way. He trailed kisses along Vin's shoulder, murmuring unintelligibly, leaving Vin emptier now than ever before.

He felt wanton and helpless; the part of him aching to touch the body he'd fantasized about for so long was completely subsumed by Josiah's hands, voice, and will. Vin stood and trembled as Josiah kissed him again, mouth consuming him. He'd been near the edge before Josiah had spoken, and the urgency was back, redoubled by the vision of his fantasy made real. Josiah captured Vin's cock in his hand, stroking it roughly, drinking the cries that came from his lips.

Two fingers trailed down his spine, the scent of some exotic flower drifting up from the lather slicking them. Vin gasped at the combined pain and pleasure as they worked their way into him, shaking with the effort not to finish before they'd even started. Josiah's hands grew more insistent, drawing his pleasure from him, pulling him up towards his peak with the practiced strokes every lonely man learns. Vin's hands clenched on the tub's edge as he arched, moaned into Josiah's kiss, and came.

Josiah surprised him, whispering encouragement against his lips as he deftly caught Vin's seed in his hand. "So good, Vin, so hot. I'm gonna love you now, Vin, right now," he whispered, fingers pulling out.

Vin whimpered and trembled, still dazed from his release, not sure what was happening. He looked over at Josiah, followed his gaze down to where he was spreading the creamy fluid over his cock. One last fierce kiss, and Vin felt himself embraced from behind once again, surrounded by those strong arms. This time, Josiah's cock didn't nestle; it pushed up relentless, not so much asking as demanding entrance.

They both moaned when his body finally relaxed and the head slid inside. Instead of stopping, Josiah pressed on, sliding slowly into him inch by inexorable inch. The pain was shocking; he'd never been stretched so wide, or penetrated so deeply. The pleasure that followed was more of a shock, a tingling heat that sent fire coiling up his spine. Josiah didn't stop until his balls nudged Vin's own, hips resting hard against Vin's ass.

Vin felt the trembling starting up again, overwhelmed by what was happening. Josiah pulled him closer, tugged his arms away from the tub and cradled him against his wide chest. That feeling of completion, that was the thing that grounded him, the solidity of Josiah behind him. He let out a shaky sigh and craned his head around for a kiss.

It took some work, but their lips finally met, and that completed a whole different kind of thing. Suddenly he was very aware of the cock in his ass, and of his own cock, cradled in one large hand. He'd never really gone down, but now he was hard as a diamond, and eager to get things underway. He pulled reluctantly away from Josiah's hug, bending back over and shoving his ass onto Josiah's cock as an offering and a request.

Josiah moaned like a wild animal, releasing Vin from his embrace and grabbing his hips in a punishing grip. Vin moaned right back when Josiah pulled out and slammed back in with none of his previous gentleness. Vin's hands closed convulsively on the edge of the tub, wanting desperately to grab himself but wanting more to make it last. He spread his legs wider, arching his spine and throwing his head back, eyes closed and mouth wide.

Josiah's balls slapped against Vin's own, his fingers bruised Vin's spine and his cock rubbed exquisitely inside Vin's sore, stretched ass. Vin was loving every minute of it, more alive than he'd ever felt, basking in the heat of Josiah's desire for him, and his love for Josiah. He sagged a little, head hanging low, back arching even deeper. Josiah pulled nearly all the way out before slamming back into Vin's now-lax body

Vin jumped when Josiah's cock brushed over that spot deep inside, sending a spark of intense pleasure jolting through his system. He shuddered and gasped, sweating like a galloping horse as Josiah rode him, taking them both at breakneck speed towards completion. Those sparks were coming more frequent now as Josiah's length drove into him faster, harder.

Josiah was chanting something that might've been Vin's name and might've been some random swearing, and Vin was trying to hold onto that one last thread of self-control that would keep him from declaring his love outright. Vin didn't want to scare him away now that he'd just finally gotten to have him, or be had by him more like, and he knew that when it came to love, Josiah was as skittish as a high-strung colt.

The last of Vin's coherent thoughts were shattered when Josiah released his hips, burying himself in to the hilt. He wrapped himself around his lover, one arm around Vin's chest and one hand cradling his balls, and pulsed his seed into the depths of Vin's body. Vin whimpered, skin suddenly alive to every scrape of Josiah's rough hands and rougher whiskers. Blunt teeth found his shoulder and sank in, curiously silent in his ecstasy.

Vin made up for it by yelling, screaming Josiah's name for all to hear. He was so close he could literally taste it like a metallic tang that made his teeth ache. Josiah's hands were comforting and confining at once, and Vin slid his free arm free of the tub to grasp his own cock. Josiah's fingers found a nipple, the other hand rolling Vin's balls, lips peppering soft kisses across the bite mark. Vin jacked his own cock with practiced strokes, a deft twist of his wrist, a caress of his thumb across the head.

It didn't take much; his own experienced hand and Josiah's skillful caresses combined were more than enough. A few minutes of frantic pumping and he felt his balls drawing up in Josiah's palm, felt the pleasure build and build and fracture into a thousand golden sparks. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, hard enough to keep the words from spilling forth like his seed as he came.

Josiah held onto him, supporting him, cock still buried inside. Vin let himself sag in that embrace for a long moment before he pulled carefully away. Josiah let him go and he braced himself on the tub, trying not to whimper at the final loss. He savored this feeling, the emptiness and soreness, knowing he might never have it again. He sagged a little, suddenly overwhelmed by what they'd done, and was surprised to find himself turned and gently drawn into a warm hug.

"Vin, my sweet Vin," murmured Josiah, rubbing his cheek against Vin's hair.

Vin breathed in his scent, memorized the feel of his naked body pressed against his own. He felt something prickling at his eyes and bit back a moan, burying his face in Josiah's furry chest. He tightened his arms, unwilling to ever let go, and concentrated on the moment with all his will.

"You OK, Vin?" Josiah asked, his voice tender and concerned. Vin nodded, unwilling to meet the man's eyes, afraid of what he might -- or might not -- see in them. "We... I mean... I don't want this to..."

"Happen again?" finished Vin when Josiah trailed off. His voice sounded small and strangled, even to him.

"No! God, no, Vin, I want this to happen as often as you'll let me!" he said, arms tightening as if to keep Vin from running away. His voice grew soft, almost shy as he added, "I love you, Vin. I just don't want this to come between us."

Vin blinked back unexpected tears and looked up to see the end of his doubt shining from Josiah's eyes. "I... I've loved you for just about ever, Josiah," said Vin, voice wavering.

"Good," said Josiah, sealing the bargain with a kiss. "Now, let's get cleaned and dressed before someone comes up here demanding to know what all the yelling was about!"