Like a Torn Cloud Before the Hurricane

Chapter 6

Ed and Stede spent the rest of the day stowing the supplies that Jake and Chris had dropped off, and clearing the brush blocking the paths around the cabin. Between that and their session in bed earlier that day, nighttime ended up just being for sleeping.

This time when they shared a bed, there was none of that separate blanket, foot-to-head nonsense like the night before. They slept well and truly tangled up in each other.

In the morning, the two fell into an easy rhythm as they went about the business of tidying the cabin and preparing breakfast. They slipped into such comfortable domesticity it was like they'd been together for years.

Before it got too hot, Ed and Stede climbed up into the attic and pushed the sodden and smelly foam mattresses out the upper window into the start of a trash heap. Then they got to work scrubbing down all the surfaces with bleach and soap to make sure no mold would take hold. Their task lasted well into the morning, and the attic started to heat up. Both of their shirts ended up coming off.

Ed stole looks at Stede as they scrubbed. It was not sexy work, given they were mold hunting. But he still found himself drinking in his solid-but-not-sculpted body, with its constellation of freckles, and the rivulets of sweat that snaked down his forehead and over his surprisngly sculpted arms. Even if the sexiness was somewhat downplayed by the fact that he was inexplicably wearing socks with his sandals while only wearing shorts.

The emergency radio that had proved a lifeline during the storm now kept them company with classic rock aka their rock, which was a painful reminder of age.

"When the hell did Green Day become classic rock?" said Stede as he gestured with a scrub brush at the radio that was playing American Idiot.

"Oh, about five or six years ago," said Ed with a chuckle. "That's not even the worst of it. This station plays stuff up to 2010."

Stede rolled his eyes and knelt down to scrub a spot where the sodden mattress was. "This is why I only listen to Spotify. That doesn't judge me and make me feel old!"

"You've never checked your Spotify Wrapped, have you?" drawled Ed.

Stede just grinned. His nose wrinkled. "Well, when you've got a point, you've got a point, Ed."

"Whaddya say to a dip in the lake before we make some lunch?" asked Ed as he stood up and grabbed hold of the rafters to unkink his back. He groaned softly.

Stede blushed and looked away, then tried to save face by quickly saying, "Wouldn't it be freezing cold? It's, what, the 21st?"

Ed wobbled his head. "You'd be surprised. It'll be warmer than the air, actually. And it might feel good after a morning up here."

Stede looked dubious. "I'll try and wade in, because I trust you," he gestured with the brush. "But if it turns into a polar plunge, I reserve the right to opt out."

Ed chuckled. "Fair enough."

Ed turned out to be right. The water was in fact warmer than the air. But given that the daytime temperature was only about 18'C, that still didn't make for the type of swim where you spent hours paddling around.

There was no discussion about swimming in the nude. It just sort of happened. That surprised Ed, since it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that Jake or another boater might take a pass around their end of the bay.

Ed ended up being quite impressed with Stede in general, both for his boldness and his readiness to trust Ed and be vulnerable in his presence. For someone who had mostly dated hard and closed-off men, it was refreshing to be let in so easily and so quickly.