Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 157: City Boys on A Farm

In the morning at the farmhouse.

6:00 AM. Kim was already banging on the wooden bedroom doors.

"Wake up, boys! We’re going to have a great time today!" Kim shouted, waking them up one by one.

Nathan groaned, pulling the thick wool blanket over his head. Beside him, Zane shifted. He usually woke up early, but today he felt like sleeping longer.

Gabriel was already sitting up, rubbing his face and yawning loudly. Eli was the only one who moved quickly. He jumped out of bed, put on his shoes, and was at the door before Nathan could even open his eyes.

The air inside the farmhouse was cold, and the wooden floorboards felt like ice under their bare feet.

They dressed in the thickest clothes they had brought. Kim led them out of the farmhouse toward the main barn. The sky was a pale blue, and the sun was just beginning to rise over the hills of the Drakken estate.

Eli stretched his arms, breathing in deeply. The others followed suit. The smell of damp earth, hay, and manure hit them immediately.

"It smells nice! So fresh!" said Eli.

"Yes! Oh, I want to stay here forever," Nael continued.

They then walked, following Kim’s footsteps. Snow was still visible, though not as thick as last month.

"Kim said we will meet the cows today," Nathan said impatiently. He could already smell cow manure.

"Oh, I’m not sure you’ll like it. It’s so dirty," Gabriel said.

"What are you talking about? We can’t see it every day!" Nathan replied.

In the barn, they met the farm staff. There were men in stained overalls prepared to handle the heavy work and several women carrying large galvanized metal buckets.

The cows were lined up in their stalls, their breath creating small clouds of steam in the cold morning air.

Eli’s face lit up with a genuine smile. "My grandpa used to have cows when he was still alive," he said, his voice full of excitement. "I remember we milked them every single morning when I was a kid. Oh, I missed this smell!"

Without waiting for instructions, Eli ran toward a worker who was already positioned under a large Holstein cow. He knelt in the straw, watching the man’s hands move with a practiced rhythm.

The farm used modern vacuum milking tools for the majority of the herd, but one of the older farmhands approached the boys with a small wooden stool and an empty bucket. He wanted to teach them the manual way.

"You have to be firm but gentle," the man said, beckoning Nathan forward.

Nathan sat on the stool. He looked up at the massive side of the cow. He reached out and hesitated.

"Just grab it, Nathan!" Zane called out from behind him. Zane was standing several feet away, looking at the cow with deep suspicion. He didn’t like the mud on the floor or the way the cow occasionally flicked its tail.

Nathan grabbed the teat and pulled. Nothing happened. He tried again, squeezing harder. A small, weak spray of milk hit the side of the bucket. Nathan laughed, his face turning red. "It’s harder than it looks."

He looked back at Zane. "Your turn! You have to try it."

Zane shook his head. "I don’t think so."

"Don’t be a coward," Gabriel mocked, pushing Zane toward the stool. "It’s just a cow. It won’t bite you."

Zane reluctantly sat down. He reached out with two fingers, looking disgusted. When he finally made contact, he jumped back slightly. "Damn! It’s slimy! Why is it so warm?"

Nathan erupted into laughter, doubling over. "Oh, look at that city boy!" He said it as if he were already one of them.

Zane tried to milk the cow, but he was so tentative that the cow stepped to the side, clearly annoyed. Gabriel took over, using his strength to squeeze. A thick stream of milk splashed into the bucket, but some of it bounced off the rim and hit Gabriel right in the face.

Kim, who was standing by the door, laughed so hard she had to lean against the wooden frame. The boys joined in, the sound of their laughter filling the barn.

After the milking was finished, the farmhand led them to a different part of the yard. He showed them the large pits where they collected the manure.

"This is where we make the compost," the man explained. "We mix the waste with straw and let it sit. It turns into the best fertilizer for the crops."

The smell was overwhelming. Zane pulled the collar of his jacket over his nose. "I don’t think I need this information."

After they walked away, Zane looked at his surroundings and then at Gabriel. "You really have a cool place. I admit it."

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. "I never really thought about it before."

"Well, I’m envious," Zane said, looking around the sprawling property. "You have everything here."

Gabriel looked at the hills. "I never saw it as a cool thing. I just got used to it. To me, it was just the place where I had to do chores during the holidays."

The conversation was interrupted by a loud shout from the other side of the yard.

Nathan and Nael had wandered toward a smaller enclosure where a younger cow was being moved. Nael, being curious and impulsive, had reached through the fence.

"I wonder if their skin is soft back here," Nael said, reaching out to pat the cow’s hindquarters.

The cow, startled by the sudden touch, kicked its back legs out and lunged forward. The rope holding its halter was loose, and the animal caught the gate with its shoulder, forcing it open.

The cow charged out into the open yard.

"Aaargh!!" Nathan and Nael screamed in unison.

They turned and began to sprint across the muddy ground. The cow wasn’t moving particularly fast, but to the two boys, it looked like a monster. They ran toward the equipment shed, their boots slipping in the muck.

Eli stood in a safe spot near the fence, laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. "Run, Nathan! It’s gaining on you!"

Two farmhands realized what was happening and ran into the yard. They were fast and experienced. One man grabbed the loose rope while the other blocked the cow’s path. Within seconds, they had the animal under control and were leading it back to its stall.

Nathan and Nael didn’t stop running until they were really sure they were safe, both of them gasping for air. Their jackets were splattered with mud.

Zane ran over to Nathan immediately. He grabbed Nathan’s shoulders, his face full of concern. "Damn! What happened? Are you okay?"

Nathan took a final deep breath and pointed a shaking finger at Nael. "Blame him. He thought it was a brilliant idea to touch the cow’s butt. He’s an idiot."

Nael leaned against a wooden post, his chest heaving. "I didn’t know the rope was loose! I just wanted to see if it was friendly!"

Kim ran over from the neighboring barn, having heard the shouting. "Oh, boys! Are you okay? Nobody got stepped on?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"We are okay, Kim!" Nathan said, waving his hand. He was starting to smile now that the danger was over. But his body was still shaking.

By midday, the sun was high and the air had warmed up slightly. Kim led them to a large wooden house near the workers’ quarters. "Time to eat!"

Inside, long wooden tables were set up. Several women were bringing out large platters of roasted meat, thick slices of homemade bread, and bowls of steaming vegetable stew. The smell was incredible. The boys sat at one end of the table, while the farm workers sat at the other, talking loudly and eating with gusto.

Zane sat next to Gabriel. He picked up a piece of bread but didn’t eat it yet. He looked at Gabriel, who was already halfway through a bowl of stew.

"Anyway," Zane said quietly. "Thanks for yesterday. You saved me out there."

Gabriel stopped eating. He looked at Zane. "Which part?"

Zane shifted uncomfortably. He hated admitting he had been weak, but he knew he had to say it. "You carried me back to the house. Thanks for that."

Gabriel chuckled, a small smirk on his face. "No problem, Leinster. But don’t forget it. You owe me one now."

"I know," Zane said. He looked at his plate for a second. "And... I’m sorry about last time. When my friends hit you."

Gabriel’s expression hardened slightly. "I still don’t forgive your friends for that."

"I am really sorry for them," Zane said. "They did it because of me. Is there anything I can do to pay you back?"

Gabriel leaned back in his chair. He looked across the table at Nathan and Eli, who were busy joking with one of the women serving the food. Nathan was laughing, his eyes bright. He looked happier than he had before.

"I don’t need money or favors," Gabriel said. He looked back at Zane. "Just let me be close to Nathan. I like him a lot. He’s a good friend to have around."

Zane felt his heart skip a beat. He felt a sudden sharp spike of jealousy. "What? Do you love him?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes and let out a loud snort. "No! I’m fucking normal, Zane. I know you two have something going on. It’s obvious. I’m not trying to take your boyfriend."

Zane let out a long breath of relief. He felt his shoulders relax. "Oh. Okay."

"I just want to be his friend," Gabriel continued. "He’s kind, and he’s honest. So I’m telling you now. Don’t try to shut me out because you’re protective."

Zane nodded slowly. "Well, Nathan likes you too. I don’t have the right to tell him who he can talk to. That is up to him and you."

Gabriel looked at Zane, his expression turning serious again. "Good. But I’m serious, Zane. I like him as a friend more than I like you. If you ever hurt him, I promise I will hit you severely."

Zane met Gabriel’s gaze. He didn’t look away. "I won’t hurt him. And I’m doing everything to make him happy."

"Then we are on the same side," Gabriel said. He picked up his spoon and went back to his stew.

Nathan looked over at them from the other side of the table. "What are you two talking about so seriously? Are you planning to steal a cow?"

"Just talking about how much you suck at milking, Nathan!" Gabriel shouted back.

The table erupted into laughter again. Nathan threw a piece of bread at Gabriel, which he caught and ate. For the rest of the meal, the boys ate until they were full.

And for Zane and Gabriel, they realized they didn’t hate each other like before.