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“Better?” Tor asked, hands sliding over Jake’s stomach.

Jake nodded. “Feel like Jello.”

Tor laughed softly in his ear. “Not everywhere. Seem to have missed a spot.”

Jake didn’t even bother trying to muffle his groan as Tor started stroking him off, nice and slow. The water felt good, Tor’s hand, rough from work and hot from the shower felt better. The way Tor tugged at the ring in Jake’s cock every third or forth stroke felt fucking amazing.

Jake just went with it, moaning softly as Tor played with him, his cock hard and arching up to his belly. He groaned when Tor started licking water from his shoulders, then sucking lightly at his neck, and almost screamed when Tor bit down on his skin and one hand tugged his balls, the other playing with the ring.

“Like that?” Tor asked, voice barely audible above the sound of the water. “Like the way you feel, Jake. Like the sounds you make, like the way your skin tastes. Want to hear you again. Want to hear you come for me.”

Jake closed his eyes and shuddered as Tor did it again, pulling the ring a little harder, the palm of Tor's hand brushing over the head of his cock. Jake’s balls pulled up tight, ready to spill.

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“Soon,” Jake whispered. “God, Tor---“

Tor did it again. “Come for me, Jake.’

Jake came, shooting over Tor’s hand and letting the wall take his weight as his legs almost gave out. He opened his eyes and watched Tor lick his fingers clean, then shuddered again.

“Taste good, Jake. C’mon, let’s get you dressed. Your supper should be ready soon.”

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Chapter Thirty-three

Winter

Jake had never been a morning person, even as a young child. His mother– and later his father– always had to drag him out of bed to get him off to school. Eventually, they stopped trying, right about the time Jake stopped trying as well.

In prison he'd not had the luxury of sleeping late, the regimen of early rising impossible to escape. Over time his body had gotten used to waking suddenly, getting up and starting his day immediately.

When he got to the ranch his early mornings had continued; but where he used to line up for breakfast and wait for the proper time to shave, here he was given a little leeway, allowed to do things in the order that suited him.

Over the years he'd relaxed, and while he still got up early, still headed off to start the day's work before seven thirty, he could appreciate spending some extra time in bed.

Like now. It was almost eight on a Sunday morning and Elias was off doing the early feeding. Jake closed his eyes and let his head fall back on the pillow as Tor moved above him, thrusting into him so gently it was almost sweet.

Yeah, some mornings were better than others.

~*~*~

Sometimes Jake would just look and Tor and know that it was going to be a bad day. The set of his jaw at lunch, or the way his shoulders were tight and set. It was like a big flashing sign over Tor’s head that screamed ‘Bad Mood’. Usually, Jake would spend the rest of the day wondering what was wrong, watching the way the others worked around them, trying to see if it was the job, or the weather or what.

If it was his fault.

He never really just came right out and asked Tor; part of him didn’t want to know, part of him didn’t want them to yell at each other like they did before they got together. Most of him was just willing to let it slide, wait it out. Because moods weren’t forever.

Once or twice he’d waited until it looked like Tor was starting to let go of whatever had him all prickly, then Jake’d just sort of fit himself around his man, rubbing Tor's shoulders or his back, or maybe just bringing him something to drink.

That usually got him a smile and a nod. Usually it melted the last of the tension away.

But not always. Not this time.

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This time it got a flinch and a dark look, so Jake just sighed and went to the porch with a book, and waited it out. It’d be better in the morning. Always was.

~*~*~

Jake didn't tell Tor the first time he got mail from his brother. He wasn't trying to hide anything, he just...didn't mention it. There wasn't really a point–it was just an envelope full of religious pamphlets about how Jake's soul was condemned to Hell if he didn't shape up and stop sleeping with men. He threw them out and went on with his day.

The second time he got mail from James–more of the same–he dumped them in garbage and made an off hand comment to Tor about it. Tor rolled his eyes, called James an idiot, and they forgot about it.

But now it was war.

Jake was shaking as he slid down the wall, clutching the phone to his ear. "Jacob, calm down. Listen to me, take a deep breath. You there?"

There was sniffle filled pause, and then the sounds of Jacob trying to stop crying. Long, body-wracking breaths that stuck and caught. Jake ached for the boy, wanted to find out what James had done to him. Why his mother wasn't there, helping him.

"Where's your mom?" he asked, suddenly worried that 'Lissa was either aware of what was going on, or entirely in the dark. He wasn't sure which was more frightening. If James was playing head games with Jacob then 'Lissa should know. If she did know, why was she letting Jacob believe the crap James had been spewing?

"She's at work." He could hear Jacob moving around a little, still hear the hitch in his voice that said he was only a wrong comment away from tears again.

"Okay. Now, tell me what Uncle James said. And trust me, Jacob. I'm not going to be mad at you. Honest."

"He said you're going to go to Hell," Jacob whispered, sounding scared and sad. "He says that what you do with Uncle Tor is wrong, and that God won't stand for it. That if you don't get rid of Tor, send him away and repent, that God will make sure you burn in Hell with murderers and other people who do disgusting things."

"He's wrong," Jake said firmly. "Loving someone isn't ever a bad thing, something that God would punish."

"But it says in the Bible–"

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"I know," Jake sighed. "I know. And there are a lot of people who agree with your uncle, and most of 'em are good folk. But when…listen to me, now, this is important. Does your momma know that James has been talkin' to you?"

"No," Jacob whispered. "He said it was something between us, that women don't understand. That it was up to him and me to make you see–"

Jake interrupted. "Are you supposed to keep secrets from your momma? What did they tell you at school 'bout when a person tells you not to tell something to your parents?"

There was a long pause. "But he's my uncle."

"So 'm I."

The pause this time was shorter, but long enough for Tor to come in and see Jake sitting on the floor. He raised an eyebrow and Jake shook his head, not willing to interrupt Jacob's thinking.

"Uncle Jake? You think I should tell my mom what he's been saying? She's gonna flip when she finds out he's been calling me."

"Yeah, you should," Jake said, trying very hard to keep his voice even. "Don't keep stuff like this from her."

Tor slid down the wall next to him, questions in his eyes.

"Yeah. Okay." Jacob sounded a little calmer now, thank God. "But what he said–it's not true?"

"I don't reckon so. Some do. It's something you'll have to figure out on your own, Jacob.

Decide what you believe. But remember what I said earlier–God don't punish caring."

Tor's eyes widened, and Jake mouthed his brother's name, getting the predictable response. Anger flared in Tor's face, but Jake concentrated on Jacob until he hung up.

Then Tor wrapped his arms around him until he stopped shaking.

~*~*~

Spring

Jake picked at the label on his bottle of apple juice absently, dropping the shreds of paper on the table. "Yeah, but if we do that then we're short three guys I need on the fences," he said to Elias.

"Damn. How about if we move Kip and Bobby to the fences and get Tor and Jim to...no, that wouldn't work, 'cause Kip's the best man we've got for speed when it comes to 196

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shifting that shit, and we need it done fast." Elias took a long swallow out of his beer bottle and turned the list of hands around so Jake could see it better from across the table.

"Face it, we need another two bodies, yesterday."

Jake sighed. "Yeah, but with the Boss in the hospital and Missy not able to hire, we're stuck. The fences–"

"Hold that thought," Elias said, standing up. "Gotta piss."

Jake looked at the list as he picked the last of the label off his bottle. Even if they had one more man they could do enough overtime to get the fence line okay, and that meant they could get the rest of the hay shifted and grain brought in. He started picking at the label on Elias's bottle, mixing up combinations of men in his head. Tor was fast on the fences when he had to be, but Bobby was always faster. Kip could shift bales like nobody's business. The rest of the them, though...damn. It just came down to everyone having to be at the top of their game all at the same time.

Tor came in just as Jake set the sheet down. "Hey."

"Hey," Tor said, heading to the fridge. Then his head snapped around, staring at the bottle in Jake's hand. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Jake looked down, the label half off Elias's beer bottle. "What? Not like he'll care."

"I fucking well care!" And Tor grabbed the bottle out of Jake's hand, his eyes flashing.

Jake clued in just at Elias came back, looking from him to Tor and back again. "Uh, bad time?" Elias asked.

"You thought I was drinking?" Jake asked softly.

Tor's eyes widened and he opened his mouth, then closed it again, dropping his eyes.

"Sorry."

Jake stared at him, not sure what to say. So he said nothing.

~*~*~

Summer

Jake was almost asleep when Tor got off the phone with Becky and came to bed.

"How is she?" he asked, sliding an arm around Tor's waist.

"Becky? She's fine. So's Susie." Tor didn't move, didn't come closer to him. He was stiff, laying flat on his back.

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"What's wrong?" Jake asked, not sure if he'd done something to piss Tor off again or not.

Tor rolled over, burying his face in Jake's neck. "Momma's dying. Becky says she might have a few years, or a few months."

Jake held himself still, not sure what to do. Finally, he did the only thing he could do, just held on tight and told Tor he was sorry.

~*~*~

It was supposed to be Lego night, but Elias wound up in the barn doing clean up when one of the day hands quit in the middle of the afternoon, and Kirk was asleep on the couch. Jake would have been just as happy to watch TV or even go up to the barn to help Elias muck stalls, but he had other things on his mind.

Like the frown on Tor’s face and the dark looks he was getting that he was pretty sure he wasn’t meant to see. Tor’s shoulders were square and even sitting on the floor with Lego scattered around him Tor’s back was ramrod straight.

Jake wondered if this was one of those times that waiting would fix, or if he was in for a night of space between them in the bed and cold stares in the morning. Then he decided he didn’t care. Or rather, he didn’t care if they wound up yelling this time, ‘cause it was obviously something he’d done, judging by the glares Tor was tossing his way.

Then Tor started tossing more than glares, aiming Lego bricks into boxes, not paying any attention if they were going where they were supposed to or not. Jake knew it wasn’t exactly a huge deal, but he also knew that Tor was doing it to piss him off; not mixing the Lego was one of the stupider things Jake was insistent about, but it was also the one thing Tor could do at that moment to bring Jake’s temper to the front.

“Problem, Tor?” he asked as mildly as he could.

“Yep. But you’re not going to hear about it.”

“And why’s that?”

“My boss is an idiot. And seeing as how I’d love to tell my partner about it, I’m a little upset. Can’t seem to get my boss to leave the room.”

Ah. Jake sighed, he should have seen that one coming a mile away.

“Tor, you know—”

“Yeah, I know. Fuckwad quit, you got fences down, and I’m good on the fence breaks.

You know why I’m good? ‘Cause I fucking hate fixing them. So I do it right, and fast, and then I don’t have to go back out a week later. But here I am, going out on fences for the next two days, instead of moving the herd. Which, by the way, I’m also good at.”

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“I know, Tor, but—”

“Jesus, Jake. Stop being the boss. You’re my partner. You’re supposed to say my boss is an idiot, I never get treated right, and you feel sorry for me. Then you’re supposed to offer me a backrub, and fuck me silly.”

Jake thought about it for a moment. “Can’t tell you that. But I can tell you something else.”

Tor glared at him. “What?”

“Your boss thinks you’re hot when you get all riled up.”

Tor blinked. “Christ, don’t let my partner hear you, he’s all possessive.”

“Of course he is. Look what he’s got.”

“Good point.”

“So, you want to fuck your boss? Even if he is an idiot?”

“Will it get me out of doing the fences?”

“Nope.”

“Shit. Think I’ll just fuck my partner then. At least I know where I stand with him.”

“That works for me.”

Kirk rolled over on the couch. “Remind me never to tell you you’re an idiot. My ass is so not on the menu.”

Jake stared at him, then leered. “Honey, your ass is far too scrawny for me. You’d never survive what I’d do to you.”

Tor almost cried he was laughing so hard at the look on Kirk’s face.

~*~*~

Jake was walking past the main house when Missy came out, squinting into the sun. "Got a minute, Jake?"

He turned and nodded, taking the steps two at a time. "How are you doing, Missy?

Wedding plans coming along?"

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Missy smiled at him, a wide grin that made her look impossibly young, and even further removed from the prick-tease she'd been a couple of years before. "Yeah, slowly. Chris has reached the stage where he just smiles a lot. Momma and I are having fun, though."