Chapter 3 Laying Wood
LAYING WOOD
“No, no, not like that!” Strong hands caught the shaft of the axe handle before Felix could swing it.
Aspen stepped close, controlling the tool with ease and precision as he brought it gently down to rest against the log.
His scent and body curled themselves around Felix as he finished with a little chuckle.
“You’ll hurt yourself.” His mouth rested near Felix’s ear. “And we wouldn’t want that…would we?”
Felix hadn’t realized he’d stopped breathing until he was gasping for air.
He tried to cover his inability to breathe like a normal person with a little laugh, only the movement of his laugh made him realize just how close their bodies had become.
The strength of Aspen’s body pressed in on him and Felix found himself tingling head-to-toe with awareness of the other man’s muscles.
“Ummm, ah, n-nooo, we wouldn’t?” he answered with a little squeak at the end.
The barely-there rumble in Aspen’s chest grew, the vibration of it against Felix’s back making his eyes flutter shut in pleasure.
He found himself leaning back, wanting more contact.
His hands had gone completely limp on the axe handle.
Aspen’s strong grip had become the only thing keeping it upright.
And maybe, Felix suspected, the only thing keeping him upright, as well.
His insides were puddling at an alarming rate.
Aspen’s voice spoke near his ear again, instructing him in the do’s and don’ts of axe safety, but Felix heard none of it. He was so distracted by the feel far better than I would have!”
Felix rolled his eyes, “Yeah, sure.”
Aspen frowned at the self-deprecating wave-off, but was distracted from replying by the other cat shivering as he swiped snow out of his bangs. Felix sniffled. Aspen’s chest tightened in worry.
“Are you cold?” he asked the other man, tension lacing his voice.
“Always,” Felix grinned at him for a moment. “But for real, I’d be happy if you told me it was time to go back inside and not move for like…ever…”
Aspen frowned, then reached for his discarded coat, shaking the snow off & pulling it around Felix’s shoulders.
Felix flushed as the action brought them extremely close together once more.
He found he was having trouble meeting the snow leopard’s gaze and muttered something unintelligible, even as he pulled the second coat tighter around his shoulders.
Before he could stop himself, Aspen caught & tilted the chin of the other were-cat, forcing his gaze up, gently.
“You did not have to stay out here for so long. Next time, please tell me when you are getting cold, hm?”
Felix let out a little huffing laugh, but looked away from that burning, blue gaze quickly. “Sure. ‘Next time’.”
Aspen’s expression remained tight, but the other man gave him no chance to respond.
Felix simply stepped away, readjusting the second coat over his shoulders, and walked towards the front of the cart.
Aspen joined him silently, tucking his axe into the side of the neatly stacked wood pile.
He wiped his expression clean and gave Felix a clear smile.
“Shall we?” he asked as they each picked up a cart handle & began the snowy trudge back to the bed & breakfast.
A little time passed before Aspen gave Felix the excuse of ‘needing to break up the snow for the cart wheels’, and forced the other were-cat to walk ahead of him, kicking snow out of the walk.
Aspen sighed with relief that it worked.
Felix was terrible at pulling the cart. Aspen wasn’t angry about it, but he didn’t want to have to come right out and say “You suck, stop pulling.” That seemed rude.
They walked on & Aspen could actively see Felix getting more and more tired. And grumpy. The cat had added a large amount of muttered bitching with each kick of snow on the path, and Aspen suspected hunger was the culprit. He put down the cart & called to Felix.
“Shall we hunt?” he asked as the other cat walked back towards him.
“Hunt?” Felix’s confusion was apparent.
“Yes, hunt. There are many delicious small creatures in the woods for us. And I can see that you are hungry.” Aspen gestured towards the trees. Felix looked out, then looked back at Aspen, the ear flaps of his borrowed hat giving him a comical expression.
“Are you saying we should shift and go into the forest??” Felix’s voice rose in alarm.
“It is quite safe,” Aspen assured him. “I do this all the time. Where do you think the rabbit came from last night?”
“I…” Felix shook his head. “Look, uhm, that might be your thing and all, but I am not a snow leopard. I’m a house cat. You want me to hunt mice when there’s not two feet of snow on the ground, that’s one thing, but I’m basically prey out here, myself, so no thanks. No.”
Aspen stepped closer, snapping Felix’s attention around. “I will keep you safe.”
Felix flushed, but shook his head again. “No. I’m not comfortable with that. And besides, I’d freeze my ass off! I’m like 8 pounds soaking wet when I shift.”
Aspen’s mouth lifted in mirth. “Eight pounds? That’s all?”
Felix glared at him. “Don’t you dare make a size joke!”
Aspen coughed a laugh, but held his hands up in surrender. “I said nothing!”
Felix sniffed, “Fine.”
“Well, if you will not hunt, then would you consider shifting to make the walk back faster? I can go first and break the path for your little paws—” Aspen couldn’t help his laughter this time as Felix turned on him with fire in his eyes.
He backed away, still laughing as the other man pinned him against a tree, a single finger poking into his flannel-covered chest.