#im never going to stop thinking about these guys they've permanently altered my brain

[arts-and-drafts]

Home Again (Hermempires Crossover)

(In which Tango and Jimmy stargaze on the roof of their new ranch in Tumble Town, and reminisce. This one is unbelievably sweet, it rotted my teeth writing it. Enjoy!)

CW: Mentions of death

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"It's beautiful, Jimmy." Tango said, for what felt like the millionth time.

And for the millionth time, Jimmy smiled wide and flushed, shyly turning his eyes away from Tango's to the ranch he built earlier that day. Tango kept it up for two reasons; the first being that the ranch really was beautiful, and nostalgic, and the fact that Jimmy built it solely because Tango was here meant a million unsaid words.

The second reason is that Jimmy rarely smiled near the end of Double Life, and Tango missed it with an ache that surprised him. Now that they didn't have to expect death at every moment, Tango tried to make Jimmy smile every chance he got.

Turns out, when he wasn't fearing for his life, it was extremely easy. Jimmy smiled so much, and it never lost it's novelty. Not to Tango.

"I'm so glad you like it." Jimmy beamed, tipping his hat upwards to take in the cobblestone "R" at the very top. "I figured it fits right in."

"It sure does." Tango agreed warmly. He didn't feel like it was fair to attribute Jimmy's whole western aesthetic in this server to the short few weeks they spent together previously, but it was a beautiful coincidence. The ranch fit right in with Tumble Town's theme.

Jimmy's hat and badge suited him even better. Tango could tell his Soulmate stood a little taller with that title on his chest, and the responsibility fit him well. Now that he saw the person Jimmy had grown into, Tango couldn't imagine him being anyone else.

He hoped Jimmy was as respected as he looked he deserved to be. He had always deserved respect, to Tango, but the imp hoped that his Soulmate's appearance commended it from the other rulers in this server.

Jimmy was looking at him again, his smile turning shy. "What're you lookin' at?"

"Uh, nothing." Tango coughed, and turned his eyes away. "The hat is just very impressive."

"Isn't it?" Jimmy agreed with pride, readjusting it on his head. "That blue fire is something else, too, man! It's cool!"

"'Cool', you say?" Tango grinned cheekily and gestured to the frost pattern on his robes, and Jimmy laughed.

It was like sunshine, his laugh. Jimmy practically emanated light as he doubled over, hiccuping and giggling, and Tango had never felt warmer in his life.

"Stop," Jimmy giggled, getting ahold of himself and turning back to the barn as he waved an enthusiastic hand over his shoulder. "Come on, I want to show you the best part!"

Tango followed him, smiling all the way, as Jimmy started to climb a ladder propped against one of the barn posts. "I had to wait till it was getting dark."

Once Jimmy was a decent amount ahead, Tango started to climb as well, his excitement building purely from Jimmy's reaction.

Tango's head breached the trapdoor at the ladder's top, and he looked around to find Jimmy already smoothing out a blanket on the stable roof.

"Woah, a stargazing spot?" Tango grinned and climbed onto the roof to join his rancher.

"Yup!" Jimmy said, rising to his knees as he finished laying out the blanket, and turned his eyes to the sky. "It's also got a pretty good view of Tumble Town!"

Tango followed Jimmy's point and saw that yes, the part of town that was this side of the mountain was perfectly in view without strain. Illuminated by the softly glowing lanterns placed at the fronts of the buildings, it looked unbelievably quaint. If Tango didn't know better, he'd have easily believed this town had been here for at least a decade.

But he did know better, and he knew Jimmy built this whole place with his own two hands. It made the feat unbelievably impressive.

"It's beautiful." Tango said, for the millionth-first time. Jimmy's face lit up at the praise, just as before, but this time it was echoed by something soft.

"Thank you." The sheriff said, his eyes fond as they traced over the buildings. "It means a lot."

Jimmy's hand touched Tango's, and the imp curled his pinkie finger over the sheriff's and pressed their shoulders together. "Remember when you said you weren't a builder?"

Jimmy laughed, his eyes scrunching up. "I do! And I'm still not."

Tango gasped, and pulled away to whip around and stare at Jimmy like he was terribly offended. "Are you nuts?! Look at this place, Jimmy!" He waved an exaggerated hand at the sight before them, and Jimmy giggled again.

"This is downright beautiful! It's rustic!" Tango pressed, a smile pulling at his lips as he watched Jimmy's laughter. "And the way you used the stripped logs to make texture--'not a builder', I can't believe you!"

"Alright, alright!" Jimmy gasped through his laughing, pushing Tango's arm back down. "Thank you, I get it!"

Tango chuckled along with Jimmy's giggles, the two of them fading into a comfortable silence. Jimmy's hand had traveled from Tango's bicep to his hand, and he didn't pull away.

"I--I missed you." Jimmy said, quietly, and didn't meet Tango's eyes when he looked at him. His focus had turned to the stars, and Tango saw the whole sky reflected in Jimmy's eyes.

"I missed you too, buddy." Tango smiled softly, and maneuvered his hand to hold Jimmy's properly. They were close enough that the imp heard Jimmy's breath catch at the movement, and for a moment he worried he overstepped.

But then Jimmy's hand squeezed his, and a rush of a different heat than Tango was used to warmed his chest.

"Do you still--" Jimmy cut himself off and cleared his throat, staring stubbornly at the sky. Tango furrowed his brow. "...Still what?"

"We're not Soulmates anymore." Jimmy said plainly. "You don't--I mean, you don't have to be here anymore."

Tango blinked. Jimmy's hand was solid as a rock in his own, as if he had tensed it so it wouldn't shake.

"I'd argue we are." Tango said, softly, and Jimmy's gaze snapped away from the stars to look at him with wide eyes. Tango smiled in response.

"I can't feel your pain anymore, but you--the portal I went through lead right to you." Tango continued. "Can you imagine the chances of that?"

Tango squeezed Jimmy's hand gently. "I'm pretty sure that means the universe wants us together, man. And...I do too."

It was Tango's turn to look away, heat flushing his face. "If--if you'll have me."

"Yeah." Jimmy said, immediately, his voice sounding a little strangled. Tango turned back to him, and saw Jimmy's eyes were shining brighter than the stars above combined. "I would."

END.

#surprise! i CAN write things other than angst! #this was originally gonna end in a kiss but i thought it was so sweet in that final paragraph that i left it there #hermitcraft fic #empires fic #team rancher #trafficshipping #tangimmy #meraki post #tw death mention #just to be safe lol #im never going to stop thinking about these guys they've permanently altered my brain #you're honor they're home to each other #do i tag double life? it only mentions it #hmmmm