Chapter Text
Since he first heard the roosters crowing at the crack of dawn, Bob had remained awake. His throat had minor bruises from Jesse's strangling grasp on him, and his ankle was hurting. But overall? He had never felt better. Who have thought, he'd be here with the Jesse James? He heard a passing woman muttering as he sloshed cold water from the water pump across his face. She was cursing those who didn't believe in the Lord while muttering to herself. Bob ignored her until looking up as he noticed Jesse moving closer to the outside. He was dressed in his black pants, white button-down shirt, and gun belt. He appeared determined this morning when the slight breeze brushed his hair.
"Your brother, Dick, and Ed, must have gone to Kentucky. I betchu they've gotta bounty on my head." Jesse spoke, as he pushed Bob out the way so he could get to the water pump.
Bob stayed silent. He wouldn't know and he didn't know. Why would Charlie go along with catching Jesse, when just like Bob; he wanted to be apart of the gang? Last night seemed like a blur, but it did in fact happen. Jesse turned to Bob once he had done washing his face. His lower lip got wet, and he grinned. "You're just glad to be with me, aren't you?"
"Yes." Bob muttered lowering his head. Jesse had no idea how happy he was, to be with him.
Jesse looked across the empty road, searching for a car, then he turned his attention to Bob. "Is ya a fruit Bob?"
Bob has always known that he is not interested in girls or ladies. Bob didn't find it appealing to hang out with whores, gypsies, or foreign women the way Charlie did. Maybe because his head was always filled with 'Jesse James this, Jesse James that.' When Bob was seventeen, he had a friend named Tom Turpin; and they liked each other. Since all they ever did was stare at each other's naked bodies, Bob was aware that Tom was interested in sodomy. And Bob never again saw a man in his underwear after that. But he knew that he liked it. A month later, Tom was hanged for the murder of a pregnant woman and her husband.
With his silence, Jesse spoke again. "There was a couple of fruits I met when I came face to face with the Quantrell boys. There was one bastard during the war, that I liked and he liked me. We would stay up and get each other off, just to keep our sanity."
Was that supposed to comfort Bob? It didn't. Jesse was married to Zee, so what of Bob loved or had the sexual attraction to the man? Jesse would probably shoot him dead, if Bob even tried to sneak a peak at Jesse in the nude. The small talk was cut short when Jesse started making plans for them go to Kentucky. To find out what transpired the previous night, he wanted to see the group. Not that Jesse hadn't already made the connection. As they prepared to leave, Jesse used his legal identity of Tom to purchase train tickets. He and Bob boarded the train, side by side; the train seats were small carts. As the train continued, Bob yawned, scratched his throat, and then turned to observe the passing scenery.
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"Well I'll be, it's the kid! He's with Jesse!" Charlie yelled as he tossed his cigarette from his mouth and crossed over the yard.
He walked as if he was drunk, which he probably was. When came closer, Bob could smell the whiskey on his breath, and he sneered. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jesse sizing up the acreage of the yard. In the back part of the house was a broken down car, with busted windows and flat tires. Bob figured Ed and Dick had damaged the car.
"Where'd you all run off after that picture show?" Jesse laughed fakily as he shook Charlie's hand.
Bob was aware that Charlie was a terrible liar. He was his brother of course. Bob saw Jesse adjust the gun on his waist as Charlie, shrugged, laughed, and wiped the saliva from his mouth. Bob did the same and felt for his dusty old colt gun. Wood Hite stood on the porch and whistled for all of them to come inside. It was. Bob found himself taking direct steps behind Jesse, and watched the muscle in his back flex as they stepped into the home. Dick, was seated at the table with the paper in his hands. When spotted Jesse, his eyes grew wide and stood up swiftly. Knowing that Jesse had intimidated everyone, Bob suppressed his smirk.
"Jesse you still keeping little Ford around?" Dick teased, as he stood by Bob and ruffled his hair.
Bob shrugged him off, "I didn't run away." He was getting better at speaking up with Jesse.
Jesse didn't speak instead he motioned to the stairs for the upper level of the house. "Is Ed here?"
"Jesse if you thinkin' we knew about last night, we didn't." Charlie urged.
Once more Jesse didn't speak instead he bypassed everyone and traveled upstairs. There was little conversation among everyone else. Until Wood sized Bob up.
"Don't go misremembering that Jesse's my cousin. So whatever your fruit mind is thinking, he don't trust no one."
"At least I didn't run off," Bob barked back eyeing Wood with his own animosity.
Dick cackled before tilting his head to the side. "Little Ford just wants to see Jesse's pecker huh?" He never missed a beat to call and make fun of Bob, did he?
Bob disregarded him and kept an eye out for activity upstairs. Bob would assume that Ed wouldn't live very long if he were upstairs. Jesse had a strategy for each man in the home without necessarily expressing every notion that crossed his mind. Bob just prayed he wouldn't die. Since the beginning, he had remained Jesse's ally. Charlie grabbed the paper, paying attention to Bob's perplexed expression.
"That bullet on nicked your flesh Bunny, and you walk with a limp." Wood chuckled as he slid into a chair.
Three shots were fired from the second floor. The wrecked house trembled as a result. Wood, Dick, and Charlie all took a grasp of their weapons. Then one last shot was fired. Jesse made his way down the stairs. His face was lit up with a smile. Eyes fixated on Dick and Wood, fingers lopped in his gun belt.
"You do have the bounty, right?" Jesse enquired while maintaining a constant grin.
Charlie had a defeated expression, and Bob was dumbfounded by it. Bob was correct, Charlie was unaware that there was a bounty on Jesse's head. All along, it was just Wood and Dick? Frank was missing. Was he cunning enough to run and avoid Jesse's fury? Jesse took a seat at the table, motioned for a cup of coffee and Wood scurried to get it. Charlie sat too, while Dick stayed pressed in the corner.
"Jess... did you kill Ed Miller?" Charlie meekly asked.
Bob found that to be a dumb question. He sat next to Jesse, matched his position, and watched Wood slide the coffee cup to Jesse.
"See Ed just couldn't keep a straight lie, I don't like liars." Said Jesse.
Bob felt a tingle in his throat and bile fill it too. He felt something was going to happen. Jesse continued as his pointer finger rimmed the cup in front of him. "Now ya see Dick and Wood, I would expect more for you two. Tell me... has the Governor offered you a lot?"
"Offered what Jess?" Dick sweated as he asked.
He was giving himself away. Bob watched on, as the bile coated his throat.
"Don't make a fool outta me fellas. So tell me what's the reward?"
"Jesse we don't—"
Neither Wood nor Dick completed any existing sentences. Bob failed to anticipate it. He missed seeing Jesse pick up his pistol, the gunshots, and the bodies of Wood and Dick sliding limp on the ground before he realized they were dead. Jesse had fired three bullets into Wood's chest and two into Dick's head. They were dead as they fell to the earth limply, their mouths twisted open in mute screams. While Bob observed Jesse's gun continue to emit smoke, Charlie had ducked to the ground. Charlie, who was curled up with his hands over his head, caught Jesse's attention. Jesse was now positioned above Charlie and was aiming the gun directly at Charlie's eyes.
"I'll shoot both your eyes out your skull." Jesse threatened him. "On the good faith of your brother, he believes you were clueless to these two kahoots."
"J--J--Jesse I swear I didn't know. They didn't tell me anything."
Jesse placed his hand by his side, still cocking the nickle plate of his colt. "Clean this up, burn the house Charlie." He paused then turned to Bob sneering. "Gather what we can take, we heading back to Missouri."
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The Missouri train trip was silent. Charlie sat in a single cart while Bob and Jesse shared one. Bob hesitated to speak, although he knew he had done nothing wrong. Jesse patted his thigh while leaning forward and rubbing Bob's cheek with his beard. Bob grinned as he felt his cheeks flush a deep red color in response to his murmured words. Jesse may have merely been flirting a little with Bob to torment him, but Bob didn't care because he liked Jesse.
"We'll stay at the house down the road and in the morning we'll look for Frank," Jesse said as they headed up the hill to his house.
Upon the house coming into view, Bob could hear children, singing in the distance. Behind him, Charlie was licking and rolling a cigarette. Bob casted a look over his shoulder and spoke. "You're lucky to be alive."
Jesse had walked further and caught up with a little boy and girl who ran to him. Must be his children. Charlie strode by Bob, puffing away and spoke. "I have idea where Frank is, I didn't know bout no bounty."
"As I said, you sure is lucky to be alive." Bob replied reaching the level of the house.
A petite woman stood on the porch, apron wrapped around her waist, and flour on her cheek. "Are you the Ford brothers?"
"Yes ma'am." Bob answered. His attention went directly to Jesse who was running behind the kids.
Then as the children grew tired and ran to their mother, he stepped to Charlie to Bob. "Carry my gear to the house down the street. I don't want anything happening to my family."
Bob took fast direction, while Charlie tried striking up conversation with Jesse. He was ignored and soon was following behind Bob, carrying gear down the road.
As the day wore on and into the evening, all the equipment was set up correctly. Bob sat in front of the fire while Charlie went out back to cut wood. He guessed and wondered what Jesse really thought of him as he peered into the flames. Did Jesse object to Bob's unconventional preference for men? Or was Jesse only being kind to him until the time came to shoot him? When Jesse entered, he heard the floorboards creak. He could smell his cigars' sour, sweet aroma. Jesse likewise sat by the fire. He smoked a cigar, tapped Bob on the shoulder, and established eye contact with both of them.
"You're going to break some hearts, for sure."
"How do you mean?" Bob asked lowly. "I ain't sure what women like,"
"I ain't speaking of girls." Jesse spoke clearly. "You give me the feeling you want more from me Bob. Just don't know what."
There was nothing else to be said. Jesse tossed the butt of his cigar into the fire, stood up just in time when Charlie came in with the extra logs for the fire. Bob felt his heart thump quickly, his ears ringing with a certain clouded dissonance. What did he want from Jesse? He wanted him.
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Jesse appeared to be in excellent health. tactful and astute. Rooms felt warmer, and it appeared that he had perfect control over the weather. Jesse was ill, though. Bob was aware of this. Jesse sat in the washtub with boiling water as night fell. He bathed while intermittently coughing and soaking his hurting bones. A surge of expressive energy suddenly swept through Bob's chest. How to demonstrate to Jesse what he expected of him. If he expressed how he desired Jesse, would he be shot? Would he be ousted?
He observed Jesse inhale deeply as he stood in the doorway. Two lashes ran across his back, and he sighed when he saw Bob standing in the doorway.
"Go away." Jesse ordered to Bob as he cleared his throat.
"I was just checkin' on you is all..." Bob spoke softly as fully entered the room.
Jesse grabbed a towel off the chair, wiped his face, then chuckled. "You're as hot as a virgin in a whore house, aren't ya?"
"I--I... Jesse I know what I want."
"And you think I'm willing to give it to you?" Jesse asked as he stood from the basin.
His bare physique was sleek and strong, and Bob's eyes grew larger. His hips had minor bruises that ran down the inside of his thighs, and his buttocks had small lashes on them. Bob's chest grew heavy, his trousers tightened, and his gaze became fixated on Jesse's exposed skin. He turned to Bob with a mocking sneer after wrapping the damp towel around his waist.
"You ever been with a man Bob?" Jesse asked.
"No... well... no." Bob answered as his fingers twiddled with the buttons to his vest and shirt.
Jesse walked closer to Bob, his eyes were sodden and red, lips moist, and then backed Bob into the corner of the doorway. Bob's mouth twitched, lungs filled with a heated exhaustion from having Jesse slow close. They stared at each other; willingness in each set of blue eyes. Jesse reached out with his mangled hand, tracing Bob's cheek with his thumb, then over to his lips. "You never answered me."
"...What?" Bob choked out.
"You think I'm willing to give you what you want?" Jesse paused crushing Bob's body into the sharp part of the door, an 'ouch' left Bob's mouth. "The way you follow me, look at me, I know what you want."
A confident gleam of one time endurance came through Bob's mouth. "Then if you know, then you're willing."
Jesse and Bob had an abrupt, dry kiss. Bob was startled, but also appreciative and showing signs of hunger and eagerness for more. Jesse ignored Bob and continued on toward the hallway's darkness, presumably toward his room. Bob was in a state of shock, his eyes were starting to get wet with joy and excitement. Jesse had given him a kiss.
Jesse and Bob shared a bedroom that night. Across from one another, two separate beds. Bob observed Jesse tossing and turning while holding his pistol securely. The pillow coverings and bed's linens both reeked of talcum powder and mothballs. After Jesse's kiss, Bob's erection remained, his lips were still tingling, and his heart seemed to be beating erratically.
Bob got out of bed and carefully and silently moved over to Jesse's bed. Softly closing his eyelids, Jesse's eyes opened when Bob approached him. After a moment of stillness, Jesse loosened his blanket and offered Bob to sleep on his bed.
They shared another kiss. Bob engaged in instintic this time. As his lips slid down to Jesse's neck, he tasted like cigars and the lillac from the earlier soak in the tub. Jesse rumbled in his throat while patting Bob's hair with one palm on the back of his head. Jesse then halted them with another kiss. He grinned, and Bob joined him, as his cheeks began to flush as his hand ran down Bob's back and stopped on his buttocks.
"In time Bob... in time." Jesse mused before pulling Bob close, and they both seemed to drift into a peaceful sleep.