Work Text:
Now anyone with a lick of common sense who had any idea what the Gale Family Farm was knew one thing; Hunk was a troublemaker.
Now this isn’t to say he’s malicious or a bad man but simply a prankster. Hunk loved to pull harmless little pranks on his friends and or coworkers (But never his bosses, he knew the consequences of making Uncle Henry or Aunt Em mad. Just the thought of it made his blood run cold.) Even if they weren’t exactly a fan of his tricks he would still go on with the show.
If you needed anyone to testify on the fact that Hunk was a prankster, Hickory would be your best shot. For often he was the man who suffered from Hunk’s penchant for trouble. As Zeke would joke, he was his ‘Favorite Victim.’ And Hickory never could argue with the older man on that. Because everyone knew that he truly was Hunk’s favorite target.
This fact had been further proven on the day that that damn tornado swept through Kansas. Because when poor Hick tried to show Dorothy his new wind machine it immediately malfunctioned on him, causing oil to spurt all over his face and of course- he blamed it on Hunk. Of course he was going to confront him about the supposed prank yet of course the tornado came later that day and it didn’t really feel right to start yelling at him in the storm-shelter when everyone (Himself included.) was worried about Dorothy’s absence. Yet it had been about a week and Dorothy was back and well rested now so Hick had found it appropriate to finally bring up with Hunk.
—
“Hunk!” Hickory shouted as he walked over towards the cart Hunk was working on. He watched as the man hit his hand on the hammer as he startled at the call of his name. He gave Hick a playfully-dirty look as he rubbed his wounded hand. Hickory paid him no mind and leaned on the wagon before speaking to him. “Ya mind meetin’ me in the barn?” He cooed, trying not to sound furious. Evidently it worked as Hunk smiled and tipped his hat while agreeing with something like “Sure” right as Hickory grabbed his wrist and dragged him off to the barn, and maybe if Hick was just paying a bit more attention to anything other than his own anger he might have noticed the blush that dusted the younger man’s face when he grabbed him.
Once the pair were finally alone in the barn Hickory slammed the door shut and pushed Hunk back off him. Hunk gave a nervous smile until he saw the look of rage plastered across Hick’s face. Hickory walked the short distance over to his wind-machine and grabbed a wrench.
“Hunk I know you’re damn trouble but even you should have known that this was a step too far!” He shouted as he began to twist knobs on his invention.
Hickory pulled at the belt loops of his pants as he tried to ask for clarification. “Hick, I ain’t even got the faintest clue ‘bout whatcha’ talkin about!” He protested. But Hickory just got angrier with him and seemed to clutch the wrench even tighter than before, almost like he were trying not to hit something.
“Oh, You know damn well whatcha did Hunk! You’re such a good fer’ nuthin around ‘ere that you decided to waltz on over to my machine and wreck it!” Hickory looked furious with him by now. Hunk sincerely frightened by the scene by now as he stepped back and tried to make some distance in case Hunk decided to start getting physical (Unlikely as Hickory was a known pacifist)
Truth be told; Hunk did remember messing around with Hickory’s machine. Just pressing some buttons and twisting a few cranks here and there. Nothing to be hung for. As much as Hunk wanted to say it was just curiosity. He knew damn well what he was doing might have led to a malfunction in the machine and clearly it did.
And deep down Hunk knew that was what he wanted from his tinkering. Because if Hickory was mad at him, he would spend time with him. Even if that time was just Hickory reprimanding him and getting fussy with him; he didn’t mind. Because how else was a closteted gay boy supposed to get his ‘crush’ to notice him? Hunk wasn’t as dumb as he would occasionally let on. He knew damn well the consequences of confessing he was one of those queer folks to his coworker. Let alone confessing he had the hots for him. So he kept quiet and just teased and bantered his way into spending time with Hickory. But evidently he had gone too far this time as Hickory looked genuinely upset.
Like absolutely pissed.
Which certainly was not Hunk’s goal here. But here he was; in a barn alone with his crush being furious with him over something he definitely did. No weaseling his way outta this one. So the obvious next best move was to get defensive. Man up and act tough. Act like you mean what you say.
“Pfft- Are ya really blaming me for yer obviously faulty design!?” He barked. Hickory stood up and turned towards him now.
“MY FAULTY DESIGN!? You know damn well my inventions work! I’m the best inventor in this whole rotten state!”
“Ohhhhh sure. That’s why they always take ya years to finish!”
Hickory waved his wrench at him as he fumed with anger- berating Hunk for being a ‘Good for nothing waste of money’. Hunk just yelled back while trying not to let it get to him. Even though he knew damn well it certainly was. He could feel his heart rip with every word. All until the climax of their little fight.
“You just don’t darn LISTEN Hunk!” Hickory cursed, stepping ever so slightly forward towards Hunk. The younger man snapped back and crossed his arms, a mocking expression coating his face. “I don’t listen!? Well maybe I would-” He started whilst huffing a breath.
“IF YA SAID ANYTHING WORTH LISTENIN’ TOO!” He spat. Hickory began to walk forward and dropped his wrench to the ground. He pushed Hunk forward against the barn wall and stepped in between the taller man’s feet.
“Eugh, Hunk you are one of the most self absorbed men I know! You’re as heartless as a-”
Hm.
Now at this point dear reader; Hunk was at his breaking point. He was upset, he was sad and he was frustrated. Frustrated with himself, with Hickory, with the world. Because maybe this wouldn’t have happened if they lived in a world where Hunk would feel safe coming out. But sadly 1938 Kansas wasn’t that blissful for them. One thing about Hunk is however; that when he is upset. He is very very ham-fisted. So in a case as troublesome as this he had no tact or care for societal norms, No. He had his crush maybe 11 inches in front of him and a more than shitty situation.
So with one quick movement he grabbed the back of Hickory’s head and kissed him. Slotting his lips against his and savoring the taste. His right hand weaved through his hair while his left grabbed Hickory’s hip.
Now, of course Hickory didn’t kiss back. Why would he? Truthfully Hunk knew this was a dumb choice. He could feel how Hickory went still the second Hunk kissed him. Hunk immediately jumped back and covered his mouth as though he got burned. Hickory just stared at him.
In the Gale family barn on this nice sunny autumn day there was nothing but a pin-drop silence. Hickory stared at Hunk and Hunk stared back. Nobody moved and nobody breathed. That was until Hunk ran to leave the room, prompting Hickory to pin the man to the floor.
So here we are now, our two protagonists on the floor together with the inventor towering over the trickster. And, of course, Hickory spoke first.
“...Now why’d ya do that boy?” He questioned. Although it seemed like his voice was supposed to be intimidating you could feel the shock and confusion in his tone. Hunk slumped further against the floor. There was no lie that was getting this poor southern boy out of this one.
“I just… wanted ‘ta I suppose?” He whimpered. Hickory stared at him with a more than skeptical face. So Hunk figured his grave was already finished digging his grave and decided to talk more, ‘shoot his shot’ if you will.
“Yeah, Y-yeah! I wanted to..! Hickory I’ve wanted too since I met ya. I-I’m one of them darn queers okay? I’m just a-! Um…” He stutters, finally letting out the truth about his mind and letting it settle in the air. Hickory put his hand over Hunk’s mouth to finally shut him up and blinked at him in confusion.
“...You like me?” He questioned. Hunk nodded his head and Hickory adjusted his position so that now he was straddling the other man’s waist.
“I can accept ya being a queer, I mean; I am too but…Me? Ya fancy me? …Ain’t I twice yer age?” Hunk stared in confusion. Never in his 21 years of life had he expected Hickory Sawyer to be a queer! (Well he had only known him for 3 years but still.) He grabbed Hick by the collar and brought him down closer to his level.
“Y-yer queer too?”
“Yep.”
Hunk glanced off to the side.
“Well okay… B-but of course I like ya! Come on yer fit, yer kind and well um… attractive to say the least.” Hunk was starting to get nervous about the fact that Hickory’s hips were straddling his but luckily for him- Hickory didn’t seem to notice anything (Or at least he spared poor Hunk and decided to let it slide.)
Hickory gave a nervous smile as blush dusted his face. “Well, mama didn’t raise no lair. So I’ll admit I fancy ya too.” He started. Hunk could feel his heart leaping out of his chest with every word and anxiously waited for Hickory to continue. “But that ain’t no excuse for ruining my mechanism. So consider this yer punishment.”
Hickory got off of Hunk and pulled him up. Walking back over to his wind-machine and grabbing an old rag. “Here we go.” He muttered. He shoved the rag in Hunk’s hand before smiling at him and holding out his oil slicken hand. “Now yer job is gonna be wiping all the oil off’a me till I finish fixin’ my damn machine!”
Hunk chuckled and began to wipe his hand clean. “Yeah alright. Whatever princess.” He rubbed circles into his hand till it was clean and stuffed it in his pocket till before giving Hickory’s hand a kiss. Hickory just chuckled and sat down next to his machine. Hunk sat alongside him and for the next hour or so no words were exchanged in the Gale Family Barn. Just two men cleaning each other up, humming a few tunes and sharing a few kisses. When twilight came and the farmhands all clocked out, Hunk walked home with Hickory instead of staying the night in the storm shelter.
—
“Hm, Ya got oil on yer face darlin’.” Hunk joked as he rounded up the chickens into the old coop. Hickory glanced over to him, wiping the oil onto his glove he smeared it all over his lips then he grabbed Hunk’s hips and kissed him before pulling away and smiling.
Hunk spat onto the floor and wiped his mouth. “Well nows I got oil in ma mouth!” Hickory chuckled and turned away from Hunk. “Excatly, now we’re matchin’!”