"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn the life around."
- Leo Buscaglia
"Thank you once again, Mix. If it wasn't for you, we would probably try to get her out of that bear trap and then take her to the vet hospital. And that wouldn't probably end up good." Sheriff LeBlanc said as they get into the car and headed back.
It was early in the morning; the car monitor was showing 4:35. A fresh October breeze was humming quietly outside the fastly moving police vehicle.
It was pleasantly warm inside, making Mix relax into the seat, his eyes heavy. Mix couldn't wait to cuddle up in bed, Earth next to him. They will have some small talk before Mix falls into the dream world. He will sleep the whole day, throwing his sleeping schedule just a tad bit off balance.
But as much as Mix would love to close his eyes right now and don't care about the world for the following hours, this thing bugs him too much to let it go.
"I'm glad I could help, sheriff, really." Mix frowned, "but, I have one question."
Sheriff nodded, showing Mix a grateful smile, "sure, go on."
"About the bear traps...why is there so many of them in that area? Or more like, why is there any at all?"
"Poachers. We have been having trouble with them for years. Every week we do a search and put all bear traps away and every week those fuckers put the new ones there," Sheriff LeBlanc was holding the steering wheel significantly tighter than was necessary, his jaw clenched, he sighed, "I'm sorry for the language. I'm just..."
"No, it's no problem. It must be frustrating, trying to catch them for years with no results." Mix said, his heart clenching; he despised poachers — hurting innocent animals for their own pleasure — disgusting. "So those people...they put a new set of bear traps all over the area every single week? That seems excessive."
"It is. You are not the only one who thinks that. But they seem to like our forest. But I swear to you Mix, I won't retire until I catch them. You have my word."
Mix chuckled, "I'm sure you will catch them, you are a good sheriff."
"Thank you, Mix, thank you. And now tell me," sheriff lowered his voice in a conspiratory way and threw at Mix one quick look, "did you already meet the ghost of the Ghost Cabin?"
Mix shifted in his seat, gulping before looking at the sheriff, "Is there supposed to be a real ghost? Have you seen someone there?"
"Well, no, but I really don't think that your grandmother was talking to herself all those years."
Mix smiled, "well, I haven't seen any ghost yet, but if I will, I will definitely tell you." He needed to ask Earth if he would be comfortable with sheriff LeBlanc knowing about the whole thing. Only then Mix would say something.
.....
Mix ran up the stairs, rubbing his hands; creating a static warmth for his body, "cold, October is freaking cold," he mumbled for himself as he get the key out of his jeans back pocket and opened the front door.
"Finally. I was worried. Is everything alright? How's the doe. Did she make it?" Earth's voice entered Mix's ears the moment he closed the door.
Earth walked towards him. The blanket in his hands, ready to wrap it around Mix.
"Earth," Mix sighed as he lightly felt Earth's hands wrapping him in the blanket. "I'm exhausted."
"Are you okay? Did something happen to you?" Earth's forehead was furrowed as his eyes scanned Mix's whole body.
Mix shook his head and walked upstairs, to the bathroom, "I'm fine. Just really tired. I'll be sleeping the whole day. Don't get too bored without me."
"Sleep as much as you need. I'll be watching you."
Mix stopped with a toothbrush on the way to his mouth, "yeah, Earth, sure that doesn't sound creepy at all."
Earth shrugged, "I've been doing this since you came here. You didn't say that it was a problem."
"You what?" Mix almost screamed.
Earth pouted, and Mix for a second thought that he saw wrong...Earth pouted?!
"Are you mad?" Earth softly asked.
Mix pointed the toothbrush at Earth, "Okay, listen here, Edward Cullen."
"Who?" Earth looked completely lost.
"That's...ugh," Mix rolled his eyes, "that's not the point now. I'll explain later. But I think we need to get one thing straight here — you don't need to watch me while I sleep. You can do other things. Anything."
"But I like watching you sleep. You are cute."
Mix ducked his head so Earth wouldn't see the blush that spread all over Mix's face, "ehmm, you know, it's fine watching me sleep once in a while but not every night, that's...too much.
Earth looked down at his feet, "I'm sorry, Mix. I didn't realize it would be — I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with me. Ever."
Mix stepped closer to Earth, "I'm not uncomfortable. It's just, well...weird," he laughed, "but also practically a waste of your time. You are basically doing nothing just watching me doing nothing for like eight hours."
Earth looked at Mix, "nothing that concerns you is a waste of my time."
"Can you stop saying things like that?" Mix awkwardly laughed.
"But it's the truth," Earth said with a tender smile.
"You really like me, don't you?"
Earth stiffened, "I do. Of course, I do. You know that. Did something...do you regret telling me that you—"
"No, no, no, nothing like that," Mix smiled, stopping Earth's dangerously wandering mind. "I like you. I really really like you. It's was just a rhetorical question. Don't need to be so jumpy about it."
Earth's ghostly body visibly relaxed, a small smile crept its way on his lips, "ahhh, a rhetorical question."
Mix giggled, "yeah and now, go and let me brush my teeth. Wait for me in my room. I already know what you can do while I sleep."
"And what is it?" Earth asked, walking towards the door.
"I'll tell you in a few minutes. Now go, go."
.....
Mix walked into his bedroom, seeing Earth sitting on the floor, with his back leaning on the bed.
"You didn't tell me about the doe, yet. Did she survive?"
"Um," Mix nodded, snuggling sidelong on the bed so their heads were only inches away from each other. "It was her leg. It got stuck in the bear trap so we had to transport her to the hospital. That's why I came back so late. But she should be fine soon."
"Bear traps...those poachers will never learn," Earth shook his head in disappointment.
"Why didn't you tell me there are poachers in the area? Especially at times when I heard all those noises outside?" Mix furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes slowly gliding over the handsome side-profile of his ghost.
His?
Earth turned to Mix, making him quickly avert his dreamy gaze. "I didn't tell you because those were really only the wind or animals. Those poachers don't come close to the cabins. They would be risking getting spotted. They weren't here, Mix, don't worry. If they will show up here, I'll tell you. I promise."
Mix's lips were pressed together in the firm line but then he nodded and smiled, "okay, deal. But I don't like this whole poachers thing."
"No one does, Mix. But promise me, you won't do anything stupid. I don't want you to get hurt," Earth's eyes were covered with so much worry and care — it send shivers down Mix's spine.
"I'm not planning to do anything; don't worry. This is sheriff's job, and last time I checked, I'm a vet," Mix said playfully.
"Yes, yes that you are. My favourite human and the best vet ever in one. How lucky am I?" Earth said with a smirk that quickly changed into a sweet smile.
Mix laughed, boring his head in the duvets, hiding his red face from Earth, "okay, enough talking. I'm going to sleep and you are going to read while I sleep."
"Read?" Earth raised his eyebrow, "good luck with finding a book here that I haven't read yet."
"Actually," Mix grinned, reaching for a bag next to the bed, "I have plenty of those." He took out one copy of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
"Mix," Earth's face fell, "they are yours...I can't touch them, remember? How will I read it if I can't turn the pages?"
Mix's expression was soft with a little smile, "maybe...maybe we should give it a try. I think...I think it can work. Because, you know, I badly want you to read rather than watching me sleep." Mix laughed, but Earth could hear that it was forced laugh. Mix was nervous too.
Earth reached towards the book in Mix's hands. Mix's hand visibly was shaking as if the book was too heavy to hold.
And then Earth's fingers touched the surface of something that didn't belong to Praewa.
It belonged to Mix.
To be continued...
P.S. Slowly but surely our boys are getting there...kinda can't wait for them to be able to touch.🙈