The Far Away Bear (mxm)

Chapter 5 - Barely recognizable

POV: Jaden

It took me stupidly long to discover that yes, I had indeed been hogging the only bed in the cabin.

Once I was well enough again to move around without risking a fall off the cliff, I took a few walks around the general area I'd been inhabiting.

My first real go at it was reaching beyond the kitchen to see what was next.

Turns out there wasn't too much else back there. I'd wandered through the small stone made kitchen lined with copper pots and pans and into a narrowing pokey hallway that branched out into three small rooms, the doors seemingly larger than necessary.

The first room I peaked into was what looked to be an office, but it's desk area was covered in carved wooden sculptures and scattered wood shavings. Around the desk on the floor were small piles of dried white wood waiting to go, the bark stripped from them.

The beautiful craftsmanship of the animal figurines that lined the shelves on the walls were so enticing I had to pick one up and inspect it closely. Each of the carved out lines of fur on the wolves felt like it could flutter in a breeze or be brushed through, and I imagined the strands tangled between my fingers.
They were delicate and truly a hidden gem, hidden in the middle of the woods.
I stepped out of the room and back into the hallway, gently closing the door back over with a quiet click of the lock.

The second room was surprisingly dark and held a large pile of bedding in the middle, which seemed to take up much of the area of the space. The one window in the room had wooden shutters latched over it, sealed with a plank of wood and a bolt, a navy blue curtain strung over an old brass pole.

It was extremely odd, and I found myself feeling like I might be intruding in a very personal place.

So I closed the door and stepped away, filled with caution.

The final door I opened appeared to be housing a bathing room. It wasn't like the outhouse outside, it had a stone bath dug into the ground and the floor was lined with large natural slab shaped rocks that all seemed to match well. There was a metal pot-like cage in the middle of the room for hot coals to sit, and a large metal basin on the other side.

One thing, however, that I did not miss and wish I had, was the mirror.

It was a small chipped up rectangle that sat against a beam acting as a shelf, a razor for shaving sitting next to it.
I eased myself over to the object, cautiously stepping into the reflection. This would be the first time I'd actually seen myself in anything other than the waters reflection for a long time, years...and I wasn't quite ready.

I'd forgotten my appearance if I'm being honest, I still had a mental image in my head of what I'd looked like when I'd left home, but it was so, so long ago now and I know by this stage I would look drastically different at this point.

When I met my own eyes I was surprised, they widened and the man I saw looking back at me was not the boy I remember seeing before I left. Heavy experience had carved it's way into my skin around my brows, there was a lingering sadness there I couldn't quite lift, and I'd forgotten how crystal blue my eyes were.

Like my father's eyes.

I remembered his face more than I remembered anyone else's from my life, and right now I couldn't help but notice...I looked an awful lot like him.

Anger built up in my chest, anger at myself. Anger that I couldn't suppress the feeling I had right now.

I was upset about my father, and I was upset about being upset.

My hands clenched into a fist, squeezing to relieve the tension and a muscle knot in my back popped between my shoulder blades, doing just that.

I sighed out the stress and let my hands hang loose again, turning away from the mirror to see Arlow appear by the doorway, looking surprised "I thought you might be trying to figure this room out when I saw the door open" he smiled and stepped in "sorry if I'm intruding" he added. I smiled and stepped over to him shaking my head "not at all, this is your place, don't mind me."

Arlow raised a brow and stopped me from walking by, his hand on my shoulder "it's yours now too, you know that." I'll never get used to this kind of generosity. Frankly speaking we don't know each other well, he's being awfully trusting toward me, an almost complete stranger.

"Let me show you how it works..." Arlow turned me back around and gently gave me a nudge back in the direction of the room.
I blushed and quickly moved back, as he followed, making space for him as he went to kneel down by the metal cage object, gesturing for me to do the same.
I knelt down beside him, eager to understand "this cage right here..." He pointed "you add hot coals to this, and it heats the base of the pot that heats the water..." His finger moved along the direction of the heat path, I followed with my eyes "...and then here, the heated water pours in if you pull this up." Arlow tugged on a wire connected to a metal latch, once it was tugged it opened like a flood gate.

It was fascinating, so much creativity to have a bath "just don't let it boil or you'll get burnt, trust me. He's not called Peaches because he likes fruit."

That made me burst out in a surprising fit of laughter, one that ended up being contagious.

"Oh, now I feel bad for laughing at that." I said through broken chuckles, my hand covering my mouth "was Peaches okay? I know some dogs get scarred from experiences they get a fright from, they never want to do them again." Arlow grinned and shrugged "poor guy never lived it down, I'm sure he's over the whole butt burn by now, but still, yikes."

We just laughed again, the cabin filled with the light and airy atmosphere.

Arlow nodded toward the bath "if you like I can collect some water for you and you can take one" he smiled back at me, and I couldn't help admiring his gentle nature. The guy was a really genuinely nice person.

"I'd love one, but you don't need to do that, I don't want to cause you any extra trouble."

"It's no trouble, Jaden."

It was easy to get lost in his features and company sitting together like this, I can never tell how long we've been staring until one of us says something!

"Oh? Party in the bathroom? Why wasn't I invited!?" Peats head had popped into the room making me jump, Arlow just grinned and glanced at him "we were discussing Peaches, and the reason why he's called that." He hummed out. I nodded to confirm.

"Shut the fuck up!" Peat whined and shut the door hard, Arlow just laughed and I sat in bewilderment "what? What just happened exactly?" Arlow continued to laugh and waved his hand "don worry about it, he's a little sensitive."

I didn't get the joke I guess.