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Waking up after being sick for so long was a surreal moment, the illness gone in a moment with clarity suddenly dawning on him.
Tango had been bedridden for weeks, his body tossing him back and forth between being unbearably sweating and shaking with bone-aching chills. His muscles ached, his throat was parched, and he had forgotten what it was like to not have a cold towel draped over his forehead for hours at a time.
Speaking of which, the rag flopped down to his lap when he sat up. Tango stretched out his arms and cracked his back, trying to dispel the lethargic weight that took up a home in his limbs. He tossed the blanket off of him before staggering to his feet, leaving the bed a mess and the rag tangled within it.
Considering the fact Tango could smell himself, he could guarantee that the sheets needed to be washed. He wrinkled his nose, feeling absolutely disgusting, and beelined to wash up and get changed into something new.
Tango passively felt bad that Scott would probably be the one dealing with his nasty sheets. Scott tended to deal with most of the inside chores and the garden, while Jimmy and Tango managed the rest of the ranch. Between the three of them and the occasional ranch hand, they were able to run everything fairly efficiently. There were a few hiccups from time to time– such as Jimmy accidentally letting some of the livestock out of their pastures or Tango dropping the chicken’s morning batch of eggs– but mistakes were bound to happen, and they always got themselves out of it one way or another.
He felt much more himself and much more awake now that his pale blonde hair was slicked back with water instead of sweat. That feeling only increased once he changed his clothes and left the building, the fresh air of the outside hitting his face. Ah, how he’d missed the simple pleasure of being able to walk outside.
Both Tango and Jimmy thrived under the sun, which was part of the reason they did most of the ranch work. Jimmy’s skin was perpetually sun-kissed and freckled, and Tango could spend (and has spent) hours admiring him and his beauty. Tango wasn’t as freckled, but he was seemingly made for the heat. He wasn’t one to get overheated easily and he genuinely loved to bask in the sun. After he finished his chores for the day, Tango would sit out on the porch until the moon started to rise. Scott would often joke that he was like a cat warming his belly in the late afternoon rays, and Jimmy confirmed that the imagery was accurate.
The familiar scent of the flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit from Scott’s garden mixed with the typical ranch scents of animals, cattle feed, and kicked up dirt. It was perfect. Tango was ecstatic to finally be out here again, that he picked up his pace to a jog. He wished to run, but he needed more time to build up energy before he could take up running back and forth between all the places that required his attention again.
“Scott!” Tango called out to his husbands, wanting to see them. He hadn’t heard or spotted them within the house, so outside was his next best bet. If they weren’t in either place, they may have gone into town. “Jimmy! Where are you both?”
Tango squinted his eyes, still adjusting some to the bright light as he continued to search. In this distance, he hears yelling that sounds like his husbands.
They must be together.
Tango frowned slightly, briefly upset at the thought for no real reason. He promptly dismissed it though, chalking it up to him simply missing them both and missing the outdoors.
All slivers of negativity were barely a memory by the time Tango got close enough to trace the outlines of their bodies. Any remnants were gone in a puff of smoke as his gaze landed upon them, starstruck by their presence.
Jimmy’s grin was toothy, his brown eyes were warm, and his laugh was joyful, making Tango’s heart flutter in his chest. Every time he existed near his rancher, it was like he fell in love all over again. However, his heart came to a complete stop when his attention shifted from Jimmy to Scott, the combined love and attraction he had for them both nearly overwhelming his senses.
At the base level, Scott looked exactly the same as he had when he was taking care of Tango, plus maybe the further roseying of his pale cheeks from the sun exposure. His strawberry blonde hair was pulled back into a braid with light blue scrap fabric twisted within it, leaving only his bangs left loose to frame his face. His artic blue eyes shone in the sun, rarely as icy as the name may suggest. Scott was laughing along with Jimmy, dimples clear on his cheeks even from this angle.
Just by looking in his direction, both of his husbands could turn Tango’s body into liquid and draw out his signature unintelligible noises with a few words– some of his sounds were akin to purrs; he was never going to beat the cat allegations– but void damn–
Naturally, Tango found both of his husbands to be extremely handsome, but something about seeing a cowboy hat nested on Scott’s head like a crown while he wore leather chaps momentarily caused his lungs to stop working. Tango had the pleasure of seeing Jimmy in the rancher attire often, often in the style himself, for they worked in the elements with the livestock. The cowboy-esque wear was practical and hot as fuck– and void knows he and Jimmy had taken breaks to make out within and against the barn– but catching Scott like this wasn’t as common.
Again, Scott tended to take more care of the house, garden, and running into town to ensure they (didn’t get scammed… again) got the best deals. The arrangement played to their interests and what they were best at, and they were all content at where they were. Chaps and cowboy hats weren’t the most practical nor necessary wear when pulling weeds, running errands, or cooking meals. That was why seeing Scott all dressed up was such a treat!
“Glowbug!” Scott noticed Tango’s presence first, abandoning Jimmy to rush to Tango’s side. He immediately started fussing, which was understandable considering he’s been in caregiving mode for several weeks now. Scott pressed the back of his hand against Tango’s forehead before flipping it around to run his hand against Tango’s mildly damp hair. “You’re awake! How are you feeling? You look a lot better.”
“I feel a lot better,” Tango answered honestly, content with basking in Scott’s attention like he was the sun. It may be selfish, but he found a sense of gratification whenever Scott would fawn over him. It was nice to be so obviously loved and cared for, though he knew he always had that whether he was in the presence of his husbands or not. His mind would have followed that train of thought longer, but it was cut off when Scott pressed a chaste kiss against the corner of his mouth.
Before he could properly respond to the brief affection, or even ask for a proper kiss, Scott stepped out of the way and Jimmy wrapped his arms around Tango seconds before lifting him up into the air. From all the work on the ranch, Jimmy was quite broad and muscular, plus genetics blessed him with being tall. He was several inches taller than Tango, able to pick up his shorter, lithe frame with ease.
“My rancher!” Jimmy exclaimed, twirling Tango around enthusiastically. “Look at you! Look at you up and walkin’ about!”
“I may not be walkificating much longer if I can’t see straight,” Tango responded in one breath, his voice going all high and pitchy. Jimmy set him down, leaving Tango to dig his nails into Jimmy’s arms to try and find stability.
“You have two husbands, glowbug.” Scott raised an eyebrow with a teasing smirk on his lips. “I don’t think anything you can do is straight.”
“Ah ha ha, very funny,” Tango deadpanned, or tried to anyway. His voice wasn’t completely toneless, seemingly an impossible feat for him to pull off. If he ever spoke without some sort of inflection to his voice, something was gravely wrong. The faux annoyance didn’t last long as laughter filled the air around them.
His love for his husbands lit his internal fire, only fueled by their affection and close proximity. The sun’s rays had nothing on them, barely creating an ember of flame compared to the raging fire they fostered. Tango allowed himself to melt into Jimmy’s arms, not bothering to keep himself upright any longer. He had just come off of several weeks’ sickness, after all. He nestled his face between Jimmy’s pecs, the possibility of suffocation far from his mind. On the slim chance it happened, Tango figured there were worse ways to pass on. Void, they would tease the hell out of me if they knew what I was thinkin’…
Scott’s perpetually cold hands slipped under his shirt, his fingertips drawing patterns against his side, right where Scott knew Tango was sensitive. Tango arched his back with the sensation as if to escape it, though he didn’t give it any thought. Jimmy laughed, torso spasming and muffing Tango’s purr-like rumbling.
“Scott,” Tango whined into Jimmy’s chest, knees jelly-like and useless.
“Tango,” Scott responded with false innocence, placing soft kisses against his neck.
When had he come up behind him? Where had his hat gone? Tango decided not to question it, losing himself to being sandwiched between them both.
Tango was grateful that his face was buried against Jimmy because he knew how red his face must be. He was already going crazy with where Jimmy’s large hands rested on his body, that only heightened as he admired the mental image of Scott in chaps! Scott almost never wore chaps– they weren’t necessary for anything Scott usually did, unlike Jimmy and himself– but he should more often because, void, was it hot. It was hot as hell! Sexy, even! Scott in chaps and a cowboy hat, and all sweaty and flushed from the sun, and–
“We should get you back inside, rancher,” Jimmy murmured into Tango’s hair, and he had a point. Tango was in no shape to continue chores yet, needing some time to recover from the sickness.
Selfishly though, Tango didn’t want to leave them alone to continue chores. He wanted them both with him, especially now that he was awake enough to comprehend what was happening. “Can you stay with me? Both of you?”
There was a moment of pause, assumingly for Jimmy and Scott to communicate with each other silently based on how they both lifted their heads. It took just long enough for Tango to momentarily forget he was waiting for a response in the first place. He was comfortable, okay with patiently waiting like this. He could wait forever if it meant being enveloped by the two he loved the most.
“A’course, rancher,” Jimmy finally answered as Scott removed his hold. Before Tango fully processed Scott’s departure, Jimmy tightened his grip and hoisted him up again. This time, instead of leaving his legs to dangle, his legs were guided to hug Jimmy’s hips and Jimmy practically cupped his ass to keep him stable. “We’ve done enough today, anyway. Don’tcha think so, petal?”
“Yeah, I think we’ve managed to catch up on everything since I’ve been helping,” Scott answered Jimmy somewhere nearby, but Tango couldn’t see him. He would have to open his eyes for that, which would be useless anyway since his head rested against Jimmy’s shoulder and he could tell Scott wasn’t behind them by his voice. “It’s been fun to holiday in your realm of chores this past bit.”
“Well, I’ve certainly enjoyed your company,” Jimmy flirted with a husky edge, implying he and Scott had certainly been up to some
fun.
Another may have felt jealousy at such a thing, but it only made him more eager to get back to his life so he could have some happy fun time of his own with them both.
They continued to flirt, but Tango didn’t pay any mind. He only jolted once he picked up the patter of Jimmy’s cowboy boots against the porch steps. “Hey, wait, I don’t want to go inside!”
Jimmy stopped walking at Tango’s protests with a soft sound of a response escaping yet never truly living on his tongue. Tango sat back in Jimmy’s hold just in time to see a brief pout form on his lips as his eyebrows furrowed with confusion.
“He has been stuck in bed for weeks, sunflower,” Scott reminded Jimmy pointedly yet not cruelly. The reminder smoothly transitioned into a suggestion. “How about we take him to the gardens? That way we’re outside without being too far from the house if his health dips again.”
“Good idea, petal,” Jimmy accepted Scott’s recommended actions, turning heel and carrying Tango toward Scott’s garden. Content with this line of action himself, Tango relaxed and leaned back into Jimmy’s hold.
The garden wasn’t too far away from the porch; the gardens bordered the side of their home. The area was fenced off to ensure none of their livestock or cattle or other wild animals would get to the plants. Scott grew a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs, including but not limited to blueberries, tansy, oregano, poppies, grapes, carrots, tulips, basil, potatoes, and strawberries. With the flowers, he would frequently create bouquets and sell them at the market, or he would take custom orders from neighbors and others in town. The plants were mostly grown in large pots and raised garden beds, which Scott claimed was to ensure their root systems didn’t get too tangled up with one another.
Scott explained how it helped and why he preferred conducting his garden in this way plenty of times before, but Tango couldn’t recall them all, especially with his head sort of fuzzy from sickness. Besides, plant care wasn’t his area of expertise! He wasn’t a gardener or a farmer; he was a rancher who dabbled in woodworking and blacksmithing in his free time. Livestock and other rancher tasks were more his forte.
Once in the gardens, Jimmy didn’t set him down nor did he let go of him, at least not at first. Instead, he lowered himself down to the ground, keeping Tango in his arms until he could set him down on his lap. Tango’s body felt weighed down and heavy, so he allowed himself to stay curled against Jimmy, appreciating the rise and fall of his chest.
Tango may or may not have dosed off again, only to wake with a start as something brushed against him. He scrambled off of Jimmy, disoriented as his body struggled to catch up. “Huh? Wha? Where am I?”
“Sorry, lovebug,” Scott apologized quickly, “I hadn’t meant to wake you. I was just putting the flower crown I made for Jimmy on his hat.”
As Scott described, a lush crown made of camellias, dahlias, and hyacinths circled the band of Jimmy’s cowboy hat, carefully resting on the brim. The red, yellow, and blue of the flowers stood out against the brown, bright and joyful. It brought a smile to Tango’s face, and that smile only grew when he noticed Scott had a matching flower crown. There was something about his husbands and flowers that was just right.
Before Tango could request a flower crown of his own, Scott removed the crown resting on strawberry blonde locks and held it out to Tango. He scrunched his nose briefly before refusing, “No, starlight, you made that for yourself.”
“I made it for you, actually,” Scott corrected, leaning forward to plop it on Tango’s head before he could refuse. “I would have given it to you sooner, but I didn’t want to wake you up just to give you one– especially since you’re still recovering. Besides, you are just so fuckin’ cute when you’re snuggled up against Jimmy. You know, you sort of purr in your sleep–”
“I do not!” Tango disagreed loudly, only mildly embarrassed. He knew he was prone to snoring and such in his sleep, but
purring?
He was going to protest more, but Jimmy’s snickering stole his attention and he shot him a glare. “Oh, you two are the worst. I hate you both.”
“Sure you do,” Scott falsely agreed, rightfully not believing Tango’s words for a second. As they talked, he mindlessly started to create another flower crown for himself. He had plenty of experience doing so and much more that he didn’t even have to look at what he was doing to display expertice. “And cows fly.”
“Ol’ Betsy has been talkin’ about growin’ wings,'' Jimmy chimed in with pseudo support, referencing one of the older milk cows he and Tango took care of.
Ol’ Betsy was one of the first livestock they managed to obtain on a rather pathetic budget when they first opened the ranch together as newlyweds. She was near the end of her prime, liked to get up to no good, and was starting to get sick, so her old owners didn’t want her anymore. They bought her off of them for a fair price, took care of her, nursed her back to health, and, several years later, she was thriving well past her previously expected expiration date. Tango would always have a soft spot for her in his heart, even if she could be defiant with way too much attitude than she should have considering she was a cow.
“Yeah, angel wings to fly to the grand ol’ ranch in the sky,” Tango scoffed, sarcastic but not malicious, “where she can frolic in endless green pastures and find pleasure in causing another rancher to go gray.”
“Aw, there’s my feisty little glowbug,” Scott cooed both lightheartedly and teasingly, unaffected and amused by Tango’s playful bitterness. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, though, love. I was worried about you– we both were. I almost went into town to go bother Doc again, but Jimmy convinced me to wait a bit longer.”
“I’m pretty sure Doc would rather sleep on a bed of nails than see our faces again,” Jimmy commented, recalling events Tango didn’t quite remember. His memory related to the time he spent on bedrest was limited to snippets of conversations, flashes of colors, and sensations of foul liquid medicine on his taste buds. “At least, if he sees us again in the next few months for medical related issues. We may need to go down the line of command and talk to Shelby next time we need something, unless somethin’ significant like this happens again.”
“No offense to Shelby– I love her; she’s a good friend– but she’s still learning. She’s basically an apprentice to medicine, nowhere near the level of expertise that Doc is.” Scott hummed as he adjusted the flower crown he had finished moments before on his head. “I would consider her more of a herbalist than a nurse, though I know she’s trying and she has improved a lot. She makes some damn good tea though. I should go visit her at some point. Maybe next time I visit my sister and her wives.”
“How is Gem doing, by the way?” Tango inquired, knowing those two kept in touch through letters even when they were too busy to travel and see each other in person. Etho made the journey for them.
“She’s doing good, last I heard.” Scott’s face brightened with pride, extremely fond of his little sister and his siblings-in-law who happened to also be close friends. “
Crystal Moon
has recently had some much-needed renovations and it looks
so much better
than it did. They were worried that Cleo may have to quit their job at the schoolhouse to help Gem and Pearl run it, but they’ve been able to make enough revenue to hire some help.”
“Excellent! We should visit,” Tango responded, genuinely meaning his words. “It’s been far too long..”
“We should,” Jimmy agreed, idly fiddling with the fringes on his chaps. “We should also probably send Doc something as a ‘thank you’ for traveling out here as frequently as he did, like maybe some extra eggs or flowers or somethin’.”
“I’ll make up a bouquet for him later,” Scott offered, already planning out what he would create in his head as he thoughtfully surveyed the flowers currently in bloom. “His office could use some color, or maybe he’ll bring it home to his husband. Ren
did
compliment my garden last time he was here.”
“Maybe we can invite them over for dinner at some point,” Tango suggested, eager to start getting social again. He was more than happy with his life, with his husbands and livestock, but he did enjoy maintaining relationships with his neighbors despite how long it took to get to them all. “Maybe even host a potluck and invite the whole town. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen anyone, and we have more than enough room here to host whoever wants to come, especially if we do it outside.”
“Crack on; let’s do it.” Jimmy straightened his posture as he grinned ear to ear. “What time are you thinking? Noon would probably be best.”
“You’re just saying that because Joel got on your ass for trying to get him and Lizzie to meet in the morning,” Tango poked Jimmy’s leg, hazel eyes gleaming with mischief, “even though you know they’ve been running a bed and breakfast for years–”
“Oh, fuck off,” Jimmy groaned with no bite to it. “Joel already gave me enough grief for that! I learned my lesson! I swear!”
Tango burst into a fit of giggles, followed soon by Scott and then Jimmy. The laughter was contagious and addicting, and they laughed hard enough that it was difficult to pinpoint why exactly they were. Tango didn’t dwell on the thought long, simply feeding off of the blissful energy and their mutual love for one another. Silly, peaceful moments like these were highlights in his life, and he wouldn’t trade it nor them for the world.