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It’s a bright sunny morning when Tango wakes up, not bothering with washing up and just brushing his teeth, putting on clothes and going to the kitchen to eat something.
When he goes to the door to start his morning check-up, he takes his hat and sunglasses after applying sunscreen. First on his list are the cows who need milking, and thank god he’s happy to have a milking machine, not that he has that many cows.
“Buttercup, Azalea, Lilly, Poppy, Iris!” As he calls out to his ladies, he hears loud mooing from their barn. “Sorry Cherry, I hear you too.” Cherry being his bull, a very attention seeking one at that. He likes to cuddle with Tango when he’s feeling a little down. It does get lonely when you’re alone most of the time.
As he’s done with milking his cows, he lets them roam their giant field together with the sheep (Lincoln longwool) and some pygmy goats. After this is said and done he moves on to his mangalica pigs (fluffy pigs), giving them something to munch on and he’ll come back to also let them on the shared meadow.
While he’s walking to the chicken coop he sees a car driving on the farmyard. As he walks up to the car a man steps out of the car, making Tango very happy.
“Hello” He says, making the man jump. “Sorry, didn’t mean to make you jump. By the by, what brings you to my ranch?” Looking a bit confused, he asks the stranger his question. “I’m Tango by the way.” Giving a warm smile.
“I’m Jimmy Solidarity.” He says with a heavy sigh.
“Nice to meet ya Jimmy”
“You’re not from around here if I had to guess.”
“I’m not. I come from the USA, but for mental health reasons I bought this ranch, and I couldn’t be happier.” As a genuine smile is placed on Tango’s face.
Let this just be the reason Jimmy’s also here. “Well…, let that just be the reason I’m also here, not that I really wanted to.”
After all this happened, Jimmy’s phone goes off. “Hello G.”
“Hey Tim, did you arrive already?”
Very defeated Jimmy answers “Yes, but I already want to leave again.” Making Tango a bit sad.
“Timmy” Grian says in a stern voice. “They said that it’s for your own well being. Or did you want to get depressed like Mumbo did?”
“No”
“Then at least give it a chance."
“Okay”
Jimmy hears Grian saying to his boyfriend who is visiting for a while. “Anyway, just try and enjoy it a bit. Maybe they have a cat there.” As Grian says this his eyes fall on a cute calico kitty.
“Okay, bye.” After that the line goes silent.
“Is it okay if I pet her or his?” He asks as he walks towards the cat.
“Sure, Blossom likes the attention. Do you like cats then?”
“Yes, but never owned one. Do you have any other cats?”
“I got another calico named Sprout, a tabby called Tiger, a ragdoll named Flick and a blue-golden British shorthair named Norman. Are that enough cats? Anyway, I need to go and feed the chickens, ducks and other fowl. I can show you around if you want.”
Jimmy’s eyes sparkle with joy at the amount of cats around here. “Sure” He says with a surprising smile on his face.
As they are walking around the ranch, Tango seems so happy talking to someone ‘cause he’s started thinking he was going crazy from only talking to his animals. Now he really has someone to talk to.
The first few weeks to a month where a hell, like Jimmy had to wash his hands after everything he did, he also slept like shit until one evening Tango asked if he’d like to sleep in his bed for once.
Jimmy reluctantly said yes, a VERY big mistake, ‘cause he didn’t know how well built his co-worker was. “I can’t be attracted to him.” He thinks as he feels his boxers tighten. “I can’t, I just can’t.” How did he never see this, and why does he feel like this? He despises this fact and the way he suddenly feels.
“I changed my mind. I want to sleep alone tonight.”
“I wasn’t even going to sleep here, but on the couch. Just don’t bitch about being tired tomorrow.”
“Okay” Fuck, now he just sounds weird for thinking like that. How did he know he was falling for this rancher?
When he’s busy with the cows the next day, Blossom just comes to him, trying to be a good emotional support bull.
“Is something wrong? Because Blossom doesn’t usually come to you.”
How can he be such an asshole to Tango when he’s nothing but kind in return? “Everything is fine.” Getting a nudge from Blossom because he isn’t telling the truth.
“You really don’t look fine.” Tango says in return to the things he saw.
This just makes Jimmy break down on the spot, curling up on the ground. Blossom goes to lay with him, and Norman, his best buddy now, also comes to comfort him.
“Why do I feel so emotionally trapped?” He asks Tango in between his tears. “I just fear that I’ll never be good enough for anything. I can’t even relax in the place that is meant to do so.”
As he continues to ball his eyes out, he gets a tight hug and the words “You’re not alone, I’m here. Just let it all out and you’ll feel a little better at least.”
This does help to calm him down a little. “Why do you keep on being nice to me when I’m nothing but an asshole?” Snickering all the way through his sentence. He hates the fact that he is crying in the arms of the person he has a crush on.
“Because you need it. And I won’t stop now.”
These words just remind him of his friend he lost in that awful accident, and he just starts to cry harder again.
After a couple of rough days, Jimmy wakes to a confused Tango, and turns fire red. “Did you sleep well?”
Stammering to get his words out he says “Y, y, yeah, I’ve slept really well.”
“That’s nice to hear. I’ll go downstairs to make us some breakfast. Take all the time you need.”
How did he end up in Tango’s bed? Was he that sleep deprived? He can’t say it didn’t lay good, ‘cause he doesn’t feel that tired anymore, and he hates it with a burning passion. So when he gets dressed and goes to the kitchen, it smells heavenly.
He sees Tango standing there with his apron on, still in his sleeping shorts. He feels that damned tightness again. This time Tango also sees it.
“Do you like what you see?” He teases.
“N, n, no.” As he’s back to being the color of Tango’s eyes.
“That thing in your pants seems to think differently about it. So you’re staying? He asks with hope in his voice.
“I wasn’t planning on staying this long, but life seemingly has other plans.” This is when Norman comes to rub against his legs.
“See, even he wants you to stay. And you don’t need to say it if you’re not ready for it.”
“I’m really going to hate myself for saying this, but I do have a small crush on you.” Placing his head in his hands in shame.”
“I liked you from the beginning, so may I please give you a peck on your cheek?” He asks with a glint in his eyes.
“Sure, get it over with. Maybe I'll feel better after it.”
Tango does just that, and places a gentle kiss on the other’s cheek, making him blush again. “Now hup, go enjoy your breakfast before it’s cold.
After the first step was set, their relation and Jimmy blossomed and he started to hate this place and himself less. “This isn’t the city, but to be honest, I don’t care anymore.” As Tango only hums in agreement at their recently installed swimming pool.