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“I think we could stay here for tonight. I’ll secure the outside and you can check inside the barn,” Johnny directs Gyro. Gyro nods before dismounting from his horse and walking into the barn. Once Johnny has made sure the outside was secure, he rides Slow Dancer to a spot about ten feet from the barn to start a campfire.
Johnny’s head shoots up the moment he hears faint guitar playing. It’s coming from the barn, he readies his hands and calls out to Gyro. A moment later, Gyro walks out of the barn with an old guitar in hand. He strums it gently and hums. Johnny slouches, no longer needing to be alert. “I didn’t know you played guitar,” Johnny comments.
“I don’t really know how. I’m self-taught. My father was never big on music, but I would sneak away sometimes to play guitar.” Gyro stayed standing near the barn, tuning the guitar.
Johnny just nodded, not thinking too much of what Gyro had just said, instead thinking of what they were going to eat for dinner. He continued to get their campsite sent up in the meantime, usually Gyro put up their tent but Johnny wanted to give him time alone with the guitar.
“Hey, Johnny, listen to this song I just came up with,” Gyro calls out to him as he gets the old guitar ready for performance.
Johnny glances at Gyro, deciding to finish building their campfire before giving all his attention to him. “Ok, go ahead, I’m all ears.”
Gyro walks over to their campfire, leaning against Valkyrie’s side. He clears his throat before introducing his new tune, “I call this song Johnny’s Brother.”
Johnny freezes for a moment. He’s told Gyro about his brother before, bits and pieces, some stories of his dad too. He never went into too much detail about his family dynamic. Johnny’s tense now, “Nevermind, I’m not sure I wanna hear it.”
“Just give it a chance,” Gyro replies. He looks down at the guitar, making sure his fingers are in the correct position as he begins playing.
“The first time I met Johnny I could see he was bonny,” Gyro glances at him. “And when he looked at me how we did glow.” Johnny allows his shoulders to relax.
“But just as we were gazing at each other, Johnny’s brother was down in Mexico.” Johnny snorts. Of course Gyro would remember Johnny’s one off comment of his brother’s dream of traveling to Mexico.
Gyro smiles as he continues, “I went to a party with Johnny my hearty; I never felt so happy and so gay,” he winks, “But just as we were drinking to each other. Johnny’s brother was down in Santa Fe.”
Gyro stops leaning on Valkyrie, he’s standing up straight honing in his concentration. Johnny finds it adorable how serious Gyro gets about his songs and jokes, always introducing them as his own original pieces. He loves seeing him so happy about something so silly, but he’ll never tell him that.
“And down in the garden, my heart would not harden; How well I can recall those tender scenes,” He clears his throat, blushing as he continues, “But just as we were kissing one another, Johnny’s brother was down in New Orleans.”
Johnny’s cheeks heat up, he blames it on him being too close to the fire, but he can’t help to think about Gyro thinking about them kissing. Was this a confession? No way. He’s probably just messing around.
“I don’t want to tarry. My Johnny to marry, and so I got myself a wedding gown-”
“You’d wear the gown?” Johnny interrupts.
“Nope, it’s for you. Now shuddup!” Gyro replies with no actual anger or annoyance. Johnny smirks.
“But just as we were wedded to each other. Johnny’s brother came riding into town.”
Gyro walks towards Johnny and sits down right beside him, still strumming the guitar as he leans into him.
“The years have been merry. Oh very, very, very. I love my Johnny well and he loves me.” Johnny’s stomach begins churning. His heart starts racing. Johnny wants to look into Gyro’s eyes, but he can’t find the courage, instead settling on looking down at Gyro’s fingers as they dance along the guitar strings. “But all the while we’re lovin’ up each other. Johnny’s brother holds the baby to his knee.”
“Who’s baby?” Johnny interrupts again, hoping to relieve his anxiety with a quick question.
“Uh, our baby. Now, stop interrupting, I’m almost done.” That didn’t help. Johnny’s heart begins to beat even faster. What does Gyro mean ‘our’ baby?
“I’ve told you a story about Johnny my hearty: That’s how my story was begun.” Gyro takes a breath, “I’ve told you another about Johnny’s brother. And now my story is done.” His fingers dance on the strings for a moment longer, then silence. He and Johnny sit there listening to their fire crackle, they can’t bring themselves to say anything.
Johnny opens his mouth to say something but Gyro stands up before he could say anything. He already misses the warmth Gyro provided when he leaned up next to him. Gyro walks to the barn, placing the guitar next to the wall where he found it. Johnny can’t help but feel happy. His closest friend just confessed through a song dedicated to him and his late brother. Gyro walks back to Johnny with the brim of his hat pulled slightly downward to hide under.
Gyro sits back down next to Johnny, turning his head to face him, “So, what did you think? Do you think my song could be a hit? Maybe I’ll show it to Lucy, do you think she’d like it? Maybe she could sponsor my tour.”
Johnny turns to face Gyro, gazing into his green eyes. He can see Gyro’s cheeks dusted with pink, he wants to run his fingers along his cheekbones and down to his neck. He wants to hold onto Gyro and have him sing to him any song he wants. A breeze blows through Gyro’s hair, Johnny admires his beauty. “Gyro…” He whispers as he uses his right hand to cup Gyro’s face. He presses his lips to Gyro’s. His shoulders tense as Johnny pulls away sooner than he had wanted. “That was the best song I’ve ever heard. It was so good I think I want to hear it again, maybe hear more about those ‘tender scenes.’ Yeah, I wanna hear more about that, maybe you could describe those scenes to me? Or show me?” Gyro laughs, any tension or nerves now gone as he wraps his arms around Johnny’s waist, going back in to kiss him again and again. Johnny can’t stop giggling, wrapping his arms around Gyro’s neck. Johnny thinks if he were to die during this race, that he would die a happy man just knowing what it felt like to love and be loved by Gyro ‘his hearty.’