Page 74 of Untouchable

“So,” he says, selecting a strip of bacon—he’s ravenous, apparently—and looking up at Harp. “I guess the plan is… whatever you want to do. More cat shelters? Maybe we could chop down some trees. Hey, maybe I could have some more of that ice cream and then spend all day crying while you babysit me.”

He grins crookedly, trying to make light of his lingering embarrassment.

* * *

Harp laughs so hardhis belly hurts. Every time he thinks he has a handle on Parker's humor, the kid hits him with something new and Harp dies all over again.

He's so fucking perfect, Harp thinks and then reels away mentally. Chill, Harp. He is perfect, which is why you need to step back.

Harp is secretly delighted that Parker isn't eager to get off the mountain today. Tomorrow, it shouldn't be a problem but... Harp isn't quite ready to say goodbye yet.

He likes having Parker here. It makes him see his own cabin through fresh eyes. Gratitude swells in his chest abruptly—for the dogs, for the land, for the company today.

"The last time it snowed like this, I did all of my normal chores but I also celebrated the snow," Harp offers.

"By doing what?" Parker asks, intrigued.

"Mostly by day drinking. Which I don't recommend we do. But if you want to join me on chore patrol, I've got a few things to take care of before I kick back for the day. I could put something good on in the slow cooker now and by the time we're ready to be lazy again, there'll be food for us."

Harp really does like taking the day off whenever significant weather happens. Half of the reason why he loves Colorado so much is because of the variable weather, and if he doesn't stop to enjoy it sometimes then he figures he moved to the middle of nowhere for nothing at all.

It doesn't matter if Parker joins him for chores or not. Harp can already tell the day is going to be good because at the end of it, he'll get to spend another night getting to know Parker.

“That sounds perfect,” Parker says happily. “Honestly, please put me to work—if I’m cooped up inside all day, I’m going to go stir crazy.”

* * *

Doing “chores”with Harp is more fun than it has any right to be. They start by checking on the animals, spreading out fresh hay and feeding them, and this turns into weatherizing the barn, which turns into fixing a fence in the back pasture, which ends with the two of them following the tracks of a hare through the pristine snow, Harp explaining how to discern different types of animal tracks.

And then, because Parker can’t help himself, as soon as Harp’s back is turned, Parker lobs a snowball at him. It hits him square in the back of the neck, and Harp makes an adorable yelping noise as snow slides down under his shirt. Parker quickly realizes he’s gotten in over his head, though—Harp’s aim is lethal, and the next thing he knows, they’re rolling in the snow, laughing and yelling and trying to shove snow down each other’s jackets.

Parker can’t remember the last time he smiled this hard.

* * *

Their breath billowingin huge clouds, Harp finally pins Parker to the ground long enough to get a word in between all of their laughter.

“Truce,” he suggests, huffing, looking down at Parker. “Please? Truce.”

Parker’s smile curls wickedly. “What’re you gonna do if I say no?”

“Don’t be a brat,” Harp says through a smile. He lets more of his weight slump onto Parker. “This is more cardio than I’ve done in a decade. You’re gonna kill me.”

Parker laughs hard and then looks up at Harp, biting his lip and seeming to weigh the options.

“Fine,” Parker says finally, rolling his eyes. “Truce. For now.”

“Thank you,” Harp says pointedly, pretending to be annoyed as he rolls to his back. The muscles around his hip are starting to cramp from roughhousing. In truth, he hasn’t had so much fun in a decade, either, but he almost feels like if he says it out loud, he’ll break the spell of having a friend he can enjoy such a simple, honest connection with.

"We didn't eat lunch. It's 2:30. You wanna break?"

Parker sits up in the snow.

"Actually.... Why don't we call it a day?" Harp asks. "I know it's early but... We didn't sleep much last night anyway. And we got everything done that needs it today. A day off might do me some good."

* * *

“Good idea,”Parker says breathlessly, and he’s thankful for the interruption. Rolling around in the snow with Harp had been a little too nice, and his entire body feels overstimulated, his heart beating wildly in his chest and not just because of the exertion.

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