Outdone and Outwitted

Tony isn't a farm boy. And for the most part neither is he. Steve and his Ma moved out to the Murphy's Farm when he was nine years old. They had been evicted from their Brooklyn apartment and they moved in with the other Irish family and helped out with the farm. The fresh air did him a whole lot of good.

Tony on the other hand was not only city kid through and through, but grew up with a silver-spoon at that. His family was very wealthy, ridiculously so. There was a lot of things the man didn't know or understand where it came to farming and the farming community.

But the man was charming and extremely intelligent. The man knew how to fix things or just created his own way around a problem.

Tony had bought some acreage adjacent to his nearly two years ago after being held hostage and tortured over in Afghanistan, looking for somewhere to recover and relearn himself. As a good neighbour, Steve took it upon himself to help Tony get a hang of looking after his land and livestock.

It was knowing all this, knowing Tony, that he knew that this wasn't going to go down well. Tony wasn't a farm boy.

Brock had challenged Tony to a bull ride down the local pub, the prize: the right to Steve (which he didn't agree with in the slightest). And Tony had accepted.

Tony didn't know how to ride a bull, even if it was an animatronic one. It took a while for Tony to get a hang of horses, he was worried about how he'd handle the bull.

He didn't love Brock. He was just his sleazy ex from his time serving in the army. Steve had thought he made it clear that they were over completely back then, but Brock kept showing up and eventually bought himself some land close by.

Steve had admitted that he was scared for Tony. And that he loved him and didn't want to see him hurt. That he didn't love Brock, and only had eyes for him. But it was no use, Tony had felt the need to prove himself to Steve and the local Community. To show them all that he was worth Steve. To defend Steve against Brock.

They had fought. Steve wasn't some prize. But Tony reasoned that it might let Brock get the message that Steve didn't want him. With a man like Brock, he didn't think that was going to matter.

But in the end he had decided to stand by Tony. If the man got himself hurt and Steve hadn't help him in the slighted, he would never forgive himself.

Steve gets a beer from the pub and sits down next to Tony. The crowd cheers as Brock walks up to the bull. The man blows Steve a kiss. Steve frowns at him and turns away.

Tony rests his hand over Steve's across the table and Steve gives him a worried smile. Steve wishes they were both anywhere but here right now.

For the most part they ignore Brock's turn on the bull. He and Tony chat about the farms, and their projects.

The crowd cheers and whistles as Brock slips of the bull. The man sits on his knees at the base of the Bull, his arms wrapped around the ride to keep his balance.

"Wow, I sure am dizzy" Brock cries exaggeratedly, "I could really go for a kiss about now" The man gives him a large wink and the crowd laughs.

Steve scowls but doesn't respond. He turns to Tony who is glaring at Brock and the Bull.

"Your turn, pup" Brock says, guesting at the mechanical bull. "Don't worry, we won't laugh too hard when you fall off, right boys?" Another cheer from the crowd.

He wants to tell Tony to forget about this, that this was all ridiculous, but they had had that argument before and Steve didn't want to have it again in from of this crowd.

Tony stands up without a word, still glaring at the bull. Steve fists his hands under the table as Tony walks over to the bull. Steve sets down his drink and watches uncomfortably.

Unexpectedly Tony crouches down beside the bull and takes a look at the mechanics.

Brock growls at Tony's turned back. "Cheating isn't gonna work, pal, so don't even think about" the man says.

Tony laughs at him and points at the bull. "Well, it seems like you had already done that and I wouldn't want to be known as a copycat, much less a copycat of you."

The crowd gasps in shock and whisper to one another. Steve sends Brock a glare.

"I didn't cheat, stop lying. Lying isn't gonna get you out of this. Steve is mine, got that? You lost." Brock shouts, the muscles in his neck straining.

Tony turns to the crowd, gesturing wildly "Fun fact, because I am sure we would all love to hear one right now: I have 23 masters degrees, most of them are in engineering. I know what I'm looking at here. And this ride was untouched when I got here." Tony turns to look Brock dead in the eyes. "You are both a cheat and a liar"

The pub goes silent. Brock looks around for support but doesn't find it.

With an enraged cry Brock comes at Tony. Steve jumps up to his feet and dives in. The crowd floods in too and pulls Brock back from Tony.

In the end everything worked out for the most part. Tony had a black eye and a sore shoulder. Steve got a few licks in on Brock. Brock was banned from the pub and Steve was given a warning. Tony is looking into restraining orders for them. Nobody had come in-between Tony and himself, and it look like no one will soon either. Tony feels more excepted by the local community.

All in all, everything is good.

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THE END

For the MHEA Harlequin Hoopla, Suspense Prompt - Feb 28th: Rodeo