Love is louder

Chapter 2

The floorboards creaked as Tango stepped out of the house and onto the porch. Eyes squinting, as he looked through Tumble Town. He had been looking for Jimmy ever since he got back from his job, but the other wasn't at his home. He could be at the Ranch, or one of the Barn buildings, so Tango made his way over there in hopes of finding his favorite Sheriff. It didn't take long before he spotted Jimmy near the wheatfields.

As he got closer, he could tell something was very wrong. Jimmy stood in the middle of the field, slightly bend over as if he were picking something up. That wasn't the strange part. The thing that threw Tango off was the fact that the other was unmoving. He seemed to be frozen in place, his face contorted in a never-ending look of horror. He ran over as soon as he noticed Jimmy was in trouble, placing a hand on the other's back and one on his arm.

"Jimmy?! What's wrong?" he asked, trying and failing to keep the panic out of his voice. Jimmy only breathed in and out faster. Tango's eyes roamed over his body, checking for any injuries. "Just breath, you will be alright," he tried to reassure. He then looked around to see if a Witch or something had cast a freezing spell on his Rancher. But he couldn't see anything off. He rubbed Jimmy back, feeling the other start to stir.

As if by magic, Jimmy unfroze, falling forward towards the ground. Tango caught him. "Oh my- are you alright?!" he asked, still slightly freaked out. "I-I...I," Jimmy shivered, taking deep breaths. He was shaking all over. Tango hugged him close. "It's okay, you're okay," he muttered. Jimmy's hands gripped the back of his shirt tight.

"I-," he gulped," I was working, then my back started to hurt. Just like my knees have..." Tango nodded. Jimmy had mentioned his joints acting up, aching a lot of times. "A-and then I couldn't move..." he whispered. "How did that happen? Any idea?" Tango asked. "No," was the way too fast answer.

Tango pulled back a bit, to be able to look Jimmy in the eye. The other didn't look back. "Jimmy, what's going on?" Fear was apparent in his voice as he desperately wanted the blonde to look at him and tell him with all honesty that nothing was happening. Jimmy did not. He just shook his head and buried his face into Tango's chest.

"I'm getting Cub to come over and check you out, alright?" Tango said, not really asking for permission. Jimmy just tried to bury his face deeper into the netherborn's chest. The other didn't let go of him as he guided him towards the Ranch. Once inside he made the other sit down on the couch and made them some tea to calm down. As he put the kettle on, he shot a quick message to Cub, asking him to come over. The response was just as quick, Cub telling him he'd be over soon.

Not even 10 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "I was in the neighbourhood," the other Hermit said as Tango opened the door for him. "Thanks for getting here so quickly," the other nodded. He moved out of the way to let Cub enter the building.

"So, where's the patient?" Cub asked with a teasing tone, moving towards the living room. "Over here," Jimmy said, with a slight grumble as he waved to Cub. Tango sat down beside Jimmy on the couch, patting his knee. He then started to tell Cub about how he had found the Sheriff frozen in place.

The Hermit dubbed doctor by his fellow Hermits, hummed as he listened, getting some things out of his inventory. He had started to keep some equipment on him ever since the others kept coming to him for medical advice. That or they would pester Doc, even tho neither was a real doctor. But they made due.

"Any idea what may have caused it?" he asked, noticing the look Tango shot Jimmy. The sheriff shook his head, staying silent. Cub made a mental note of Tango's disbelieving frown. The netherborn was already too much in his head, thinking about what had happened. What would've happened if he hadn't gone looking for Jimmy? It was a quiet part of town, hardly anybody crossed through that part. How long would he have stood there, frozen? How long had he been standing there?!