The Goat Farm – Part 2: First Batch
Gay Stories·EN·2 min read·Published 2026-11-07, updated 2026-11-07·Part 2 of 2
The first batch of cheese was a disaster.
Marcus stood in the dairy in a hairnet and an apron, staring at a bucket of grey curds that smelled faintly of old socks. Elijah peered over his shoulder.
"It's... distinctive."
"It's terrible."
"It has character."
"It has mould."
"Only a bit."
He took a fork, scooped some up and ate it. Marcus watched in horror. Elijah chewed. His face went through four expressions. He swallowed.
"Honestly," he said, "it's not that bad."
"You're lying."
"I'm being supportive."
Marcus burst out laughing. He had not laughed like that in years. The dairy smelled of milk and herbs. Sunlight streamed through the window. He learned, over the weeks, how to cut curds, how to drain whey, how to salt. The second batch was edible. The third was delicious.
By May, the meadow was green, and the kids were bounding across the field on springy legs. Marcus and Elijah carried a picnic out to the hill: bread, a jar of honey, and a wheel of the fresh white cheese, wrapped in a cloth. They sat on a rock above the farm, overlooking the valley. Apple blossom drifted on the breeze. A kid butted Marcus's knee.
"We did this," said Marcus, looking at the cheese.
"You did this."
"I had help."
"You had a farmhand."
"I had you."
The words hung in the warm air. Elijah looked down at his hands, scrubbed pink.
"Can I ask you something?" said Marcus.
"Yes."
"May I kiss you, Elijah? Before the second batch gets cold?"
"Yes," said Elijah, a slow smile breaking. "And if you say stop, you must milk at five a.m. for a week."
"I'd do it anyway."
Marcus kissed him, warm and a little clumsy, a hand rising to his curls. Elijah kissed him back, slow and sure, tasting of honey and fresh cheese. The meadow hummed with bees. A goat bleated nearby. The sun lay warm on their backs.
When they parted, both of them were smiling.
"Green?" asked Elijah.
"Green," said Marcus. "Very green."
The farm's cheese is now sold in Boston. The label shows two stick figures and a goat. The suit hangs in the barn, as a scarecrow.
More gay romance stories: Morning Run · Night Telescope · The Tailor's Apprentice
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