The Seven: Wanted Dead or Alive

Title: Midnight gunfight

Prompt and Word Count: Future-655

Characters: Bankotsu and Jakotsu

Warnings: Violence

Prompt Summary: As the first shots are fired, the battle begins.

Won first place for prompt!

Certain all of the exits, besides the one he would be guarding, were covered, Jakotsu made his way toward the dresser he had moved in front of the window and took a shotgun out of the top drawer. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he began cleaning it in silence; realizing after a few minutes that Bankotsu was watching him work. “My father gave it to my mother for protection,” he explained as he began loading the gun with bullets he found in the same drawer.

“We'll need to take shifts sleeping so we will have the energy to defend ourselves when they come back. You take the first shift,” Jakotsu instructed as he got up once more and moved over to the open window; pulling a dinning chair with him. Sitting down, he watched as Bankotsu did as he had said before turning his eyes back out the window once Bankotsu had closed his own.

As he sat there, Jakotsu knew he was in for a long night and though he had no way of knowing what the future held, he did know that win or lose, tonight was going to be an important night in his history. Tonight would change him forever. Either he would be dead or he will have purposely taken a life; many lives in fact. He knew it would have to be them or him, but he also knew there was a huge difference between accidentally killing someone in a fight and making the decision to kill them.

…

Many hours had passed in silence, other than an occasional word or two when changing shifts, when Bankotsu heard the approaching horses. Knowing the simple sound meant it was time, he quickly made his way over to the bed and gently shook Jakotsu awake. “They're here,” he explained softly, nodding toward the window before helping him to stand in the dark. He handed Jakotsu the shotgun, reaching for his own pistols, and the two were about to head back to the window when he noticed a shadow passing over it.

Realizing that it meant one of the men was already there and trying to find a way to sneak in, Bankotsu grabbed Jakotsu's hand to stop him; pulling him into the shadows in the back of the room. Before he could ask what was happening, Bankotsu put his hand over his mouth and whispered so close to his ear that he could feel his hot breath, “We have company.” Understanding what he meant, Jakotsu gave him a quick nod, knowing he would be able to feel it, and turned his attention to the man that had crawled in through the window and was now making his way toward the bed.

Without a moments hesitation, the man aimed his own gun at the bed and pulled the trigger; shooting what he must have thought was Jakotsu sleeping, but in fact was just the blankets bunched up. Not about to give him any time to realize his mistake, Jakotsu took aim with his shotgun and shot the man nearly point blank. The loud noise echoed in the small house around them and the force of the kick knocked Jakotsu back into Bankotsu's arms.

Before either could say anything, shouts came from outside, “Is that abomination dead?” and though he had only heard it for a minute before, Jakotsu recognized him as the boy from the orphanage. Noticing Bankotsu was about to answer him, Jakotsu mimicked his earlier actions by covering his mouth with his hand. Making a soft 'shhing' noise, Jakotsu turned his attention back to the open window.

“No, but your little buddy is. Just as you are gonna be in a few minutes!” Jakotsu called out to them, causing the leader to scream in outrage at him an instant later. Before he could realize what was happening, shots were already being fire.