Chapter Text
Cough, cough Doc’s lungs and throat burned not only with the whiskey but with the sudden violent heaves that ravished the gambler’s body. He pressed the already blood spotted handkerchief to his lips just before the taste of rusty metal and death crept into and out of his throat.
Wyatt lay awake above the Oriental listen to the sounds of Milt closing up and the piano playing softly. He knew who it was and he also knew he should walk down to say hello, but his body was unable to find
the gumption to stand up, put his boots on, and walked down the stairs. So, instead, Wyatt decided to go down and get a drink. He pulled his boots on and headed down the stairs as quietly as possible so he could hear the piano get louder with each step.
Doc could still hear Wyatt no matter how hard he was trying to be quiet. He continued to be oblivious for Wyatt’s sake. Making Wyatt happy made Doc happy and that was something he couldn’t live without.
As Wyatt sat down he felt someone’s eyes boring a hole in the middle of his back. It was Virgil. He returned the stare with a questioning look and Virgil glanced at Doc as if to say “Is he the reason you can’t get enough god forsaken sleep.” At this Wyatt sighed and drained the singular shot of whiskey he ordered. At this moment he realized the piano stopped and someone sat next to him.
Doc sat down next to the lawman and said, between sips of his drink, “ Wyatt Earp, was that whiskey I saw you drink or has my illness caused me to hallucinate as well.” Wyatt chuckled and replied with “ never seen me drink, have you. Believe me I’m not as righteous as I make myself to be.” It was true, Doc thought to himself, he had never seen the legendary Wyatt Earp go near a bottle unless he was with Doc. “If you’re righteous then I’m a healthy man. “ Doc drawled in his sarcastic, southern tone slightly thick with the amount of alcohol in Doc’s system.
Wyatt sighed internally as he looked into the eyes of the closest friend he ever had. If only Doc could know that when he thought of them together, Wyatt’s thoughts were FAR from righteous. “ Wyatt, you’re staring again,” Doc stated and tore his friend back to reality. “Oops, I-I’m sorry Doc, just got caught up in my thoughts and r-really I didn’t-“ “Wyatt, I never said I minded” Doc chuckled with a lovingly exasperated look on his pale face. At this Wyatt startled. Did Doc just say that he was fine with him staring the way he did.
Doc watched the lawman blush from ear to ear at his comment. He liked the sight and decided he should make Wyatt do that more often. “Need I repeat myself, dear friend?” Doc mocked the still dumbfounded Earp. “No no, just wondering why you didn’t-“ Doc cut him off again with the gentlest brush of his fingertips again Wyatt’s thigh causing the lawman to shudder.
Wyatt was screaming internally, his heart hammering so hard he prayed Doc wouldn’t hear it. For so long he had pushed away his feelings the gambler. Even in Dodge City, Wyatt felt like he could be more at ease around Doc, like he didn’t have to put the big, bad, macho man persona like he had with all his other friends and colleagues. He knew he was blushing and yet, didn’t feel ashamed.
Doc smiled at the fact that, with just one fleeting touch, Wyatt was basically putty in his hands. At that moment, he realized that someone was watching this go down. It-of course-was Virgil, Wyatt’s older and slightly overprotective brother. He gave Doc a look that said, “ what in the hell are you trying to do!” Doc smirked at the older man and turned his attention back towards the man next to him at the bar. Doc knew that Wyatt was closest thing to true love he had ever had. Sure they bickered and fought, but somehow, they came back stronger than ever. “Maybe you are less righteous than I first thought you were.” Doc chuckled. Wyatt looked at him with an icy yet flirtatious stare.
“ Why would care what my personal life is like? “ Wyatt questioned with the same light hearted tone. Doc was right of course, on long chases back in Kansas, Wyatt would hold the company of other men- some of them his colleagues- when nights were cold. They meant nothing and were never mentioned, but this was different. This one had actual feelings attached to it, a person who Wyatt couldn’t- wouldn’t- live without. “ People are watching, Doc.” Wyatt commented as he still felt Virge’s eyes on his back.
“ let them stare, they’re to drunk to remember their ass from elbow anyways.” Doc chuckled back, fully aware of Wyatt’s brother seething in the corner. Just for fun, Doc ever so slightly squeezed the area of inner thigh from before. He felt the goosebumps rise from the fabric of Wyatt’s thin pants. “ Care to walk me home Wyatt?”