brokeback mountain one-shots and short stories

Frostbite, Cold Nights, and Christmas Lights

A/N: You can play the audio above whenever you want. It's a song called "Disney Girls" by The Beach Boys. I know it's not a Christmas song but I get that wintery, Christmas feeling from it, so give it a listen while you're reading this if you want.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my readers. Sending you so much love for the holiday season. Thanks always!  - Jackie (@jackiesbookshelf)

"ENNIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSS???!!" A long, drawn out wail from Jack in the other room.

"WhAAAAAAAHHHt?" An annoyed, but still thoughtful response, with an over-exaggerated tone, stretching out the "AAAAAH", mocking Jack's voice.

"Got a little bit of a DILEMMA over hereeeee, help me out?"

Ennis had been kneeling in front of a cardboard box, pulling a never-ending tangled string of Christmas lights out of it, when a muffled voice had called out his name from across the house. Christmas oldies played from a stereo that echoed throughout the rooms.

"Always somethin' with you, Jack..." He shook his head, shutting his eyes.

"I'm untanglin' these lights here, give me a minu- agh, whatever. Hold on."

With a slap-crack! of the lights as they hit the ground, and two heavy thuds of his suede boots as he stood up, Ennis had thrown the jumbled wires on the floor, and pushed himself up by the knees, one-by-one, off of the hardwood floor of their home.

Jack snickered to himself, hearing all the commotion, followed by the clomp, thud, clomp, thud of Ennis' boots as he reluctantly trudged over to him in the other room.

"'S'always gotta be somethin' when I'm busy, never when I'm not. You always gotta..." Ennis muttered on and on, making his way over to Jack across the house.

Jack kept laughing to himself, hearing the other cowboy's complaints. The fact that he couldn't see his face made it even funnier, leaving Jack picturing Ennis' World famous pouty "rant face" that Jack knew all too well; the same one he'd always make whenever he went off on a tangent about something that bothered him.

Jack suddenly recollected himself when Ennis appeared from around the corner, squinting eyes at him.

"The heck are you d-" Ennis grumbled, asking what was the matter, but was cut off by the sound of Jack's whiny voice and his... festive appearance.

There was Jack Twist, on the floor huddled in a ball, tangled and wrapped up in colorful Christmas lights that were lit up and plugged into the wall behind him... which wasn't even the worst part — he was decked out in reindeer antlers attached to a headband that sat perfectly on his head, a wreath with a fancy red bow around his neck... and to top it all off, a light-up red nose was pinched onto his own nose.

"Oh deer. I've got a problem... I'm head over hooves for you." Jack shrugged, expressing his urgent "dilemma".

A pause of silence and an exchanged look between the two cowboys. Then a sigh from Ennis. He rushed his fists to his hips.

"You're always screwin' around, Jack!" He threw his hands in the air. "You called me away from what I was doin' for THIS?" Ennis tried his best to keep a stern face, scolding Jack, disregarding his corny pick-up line, trying not to give any attention to just how stupid he looked in those antlers and the red nose. So stupid.

Jack stared directly into Ennis' eyes, holding that same pleading expression, antlers, red-nose, and all, but with raised eyebrows. His crystal blue eyes were as glittery as a snow globe, and a goofy smirk was plastered on his face, almost as if he were saying "Really... are you serious right now?", forcing Ennis to crack a smile, flashing a few teeth the color of the fresh snow that lay on the ground outside.