by Kit Fortier
Fox walked Jake past a series of metal lockers that held gear of all kinds--tools, rope, office brooms, mops, all the extra items that wouldn't fit in the two housekeeping rooms that bisected the lodge on both floors. The two stopped in front of a floor-to-ceiling metal box. One door stood between Jake and all the breakers to the building. Fox held out an open hand, indicating the end of the line.
"Here you go," Fox said. He opened the metal door completely and stepped back while Jake stepped forward to examine the situation.
"When was the last time you guys changed out the breakers?" Jake asked.
"The electrician Dad hired did it when he came a couple months ago. Though that's not saying much. We bought the breakers he was supposed to use," Fox replied.
"Judging from the number of circuit breakers, I'd say he missed a few, which burned out a few," Jake said.
"Shit," Fox groaned.
"I suggest starting fresh," Jake said. "There's a strong possibility the other electrician might have slipped in some bum breakers and kept the ones you guys bought."
Fox breathed deeply.
"Sorry," Jake said. He looked genuinely apologetic for the foibles of the other electrician.
"No need to be," Fox replied. "It wasn't your fault. At least you're here, helping us fix this damn thing," Fox said with a smile. "It looks like it's gonna be worth it, trading services for a room."
"When I'm done, you'll have to remind me what you'll give me in lieu of that military discount," Jake said with a wink. Fox's eyes widened, followed by a furious blush that blotted him up to the tips of his ears. Even though he managed to avert his eyes, there was a grin on his face that Jake was sure to notice.
And he did. The man was an arm's length away, standing there, grinning back at him. Fox drank in the sight of Jake's broad, rounded shoulders, the wild, dense thatch of salt-and-pepper hair that poked out over his collar. His forearms were similarly hirsute. The buttons on his gray shirt struggled to hold the two sides together-yet by some miracle, they did. Against his almost olive complexion, it made Jake look like some kind of adventurer. Like Indiana Jones. But beefier. And with eyes meant for staring into. He'd never seen eyes so pale blue they were almost silver.
"Earth to Fox," Jake said. Fox was surprised at the feel of the man's breath against the skin of his face.
All Fox could do was mumble incomprehensibly.
Jake smiled. He seemed to be drinking Fox in as well. The tension in the air dissipated slightly as Jake stepped back.
"Aside from me, do you guys have any guests right now?" Jake asked.
"Nope. Why?"
"I'm going to need to shut off the main for a little bit, which means that there'd be no power to the building," Jake replied as he counted the breakers. "We're going to need thirty of these things," Jake said, tapping on a breaker into the circuit box.
Fox nodded. "Think you could be done before four o'clock?"
"That depends on how far your nearest home repair store is."
"Five minutes by truck," Fox fired back.
"It's one o'clock now, so I'd say it's a safe bet," Jake said with a smile.
*** Jake
True to his word, Fox parked his truck in front of the local hardware store where his father bought the breakers from before. Jake mused that he had barely put on his seatbelt when they arrived. Fox hopped out and met Jake at the back of the truck.
"Those breakers should last for a long time," Jake said. "Decades, actually. But just in case, you could probably invest in keeping some spares."
Fox nodded. "Let's go to it."
The two men entered the store--the scent of all things home repair wafted through the air. Lumber, metal, garden fertilizer, and a number of other smells lightly brushed against Jake. It was a fairly big store, but not a chain store like Jake had been used to.
Fox darted off, and a moment later, came back with a young lady with a green apron on. She led them to the electric hardware section. With her help, they picked out the components which were the best fit for the lodge. With Fox's approval, Jake practically emptied their supply. With a swipe of the Foster family's business credit card, Jake and Fox were on their way back.
Light conversation about the math Fox was studying filled the awkward void between them.
"I was getting my general ed stuff done," Fox said. "But math and I don't get along."
"Me either. Took me by surprise when the Air Force stuck me in electronics," Jake said.
"You didn't get to choose your job?"
"Naw. I wanted in as soon as possible. I tested high, so I guess I was put where they needed me." Jake pointed at the breakers, giving Fox a nod. "Give your guy at the front desk the call." Fox nodded and pulled out his phone.
"Hey there Evan. Mr. Barton and I are working with the breakers. Do we have any reservations?
...Good. Since we don't, put up a sign that we'll open up at four after repairs.
...You could flip the sign to 'no vacancy', but I think the sign is tied to the power box we're working on.
...Thanks, buddy, you know what to do. We'll be there when we're done."
Fox tucked his phone away. Jake began flipping off all the breakers before he hit the main toggle.
"Got a screwdriver?" Jake asked.
"Yep, what do you need?"
"Phillips-head, small one," Jake replied. Fox went to a tall tool chest and rummaged around for a second, pulling out the requested tool. Jake looked around and spotted an electrical repair desk-no, an electrostatic discharge station, grounded by a shielded wire attached to a ground plug in a nearby outlet. He pulled open a drawer and found a multimeter.
"Does your dad work with electronics?" Jake asked. He began unscrewing all the breakers in the box.
"He's done a lot of stuff here and there," Fox replied. "I don't know how he got into electronics--he was an Army medic when I was born. He's kind of a jack of all trades."
"How about you? Do you do much tinkering?"
Fox shrugged. "I learned a few things from Dad. But I was more like the guy passing--" he snickered, which pulled Jake from his task.
"Passing…?"
"Passing him screwdrivers." Fox smirked. Jake grinned and grunted his acknowledgment. He dropped the collection of screws into a nearby orphaned plastic lid for an unseen spray can.
Jake put on a show with his repairs. As he removed each of the old breakers, he handed them to Fox, who disposed of them in a large metal trashcan at the end of the aisle. Jake pretended to use the multimeter to check resistances and such-but actually troubleshooting would take more time than what he had in mind.
Unknown to Fox, Jake had already begun the alchemic litany as he ran his fingers over each of the newly installed breaker switches. Silver, focus. Sulphur, fire, calcination. Mercury, conjunction, congelation. Salt, exaltation. Silver, focus. Sulphur. Mercury. Salt . Different steps involved, different gates opened and closed. This wasn't a transformation per se, it was repair. Breaking down the damaged components. Reconnecting physical disconnects in the wiring. Alchemically undoing the damage to burned out resistors. Solidifying the connection between conductors and components. And finally, bringing the electronic circuit together whole and functional once more. Fox was distracted by conversation about math and college and tuition and the cost of the new math book he might have to buy and how he often gets hungry about now and how the diner they visited was the best place for a great chicken fried steak and Jake's occasional requests for tools he barely used. The tools were part of the ruse that Jake played into that he was physically fixing the faulty wiring.
A few minutes later, Jake secured the last new breaker, depleting the screws in the little lid completely. He flipped on the main, then flipped the breaker for the electric room. Jake stood up and pulled away from the panel. He gently kicked the multimeter and small box of insulated tools away from the door as he closed up the box.
"Is there a box with the breakers for the rooms?" Jake asked. Fox nodded. Along the
same wall where the main breakers were, Fox opened up another box. Jake sidled up alongside Fox, peering over his shoulder. Jake quietly breathed Fox in. The scent of something spicy, warm, coupled with what had to be the man's natural scent-a light, clean sweat, sunlight, a bit of ozone-like petrichor… The uniqueness of Fox's smell curled around Jake's brain as he slowly exhaled.
He could tell that Fox had locked up-as if he was stuck to the floor. Jake smiled as he heard Fox audibly gulp.
"I, I…" Fox stammered.
"You're…" Jake whispered into his ear. He saw Fox's flesh prickle up as he shuddered. The guy was easy to read. Fox turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder at Jake. "You're… in my way," Jake said with a smile.
Fox chuckled nervously as he turned around. Jake advanced slowly, painfully close. He could feel heat radiating from Fox's body. His chest visibly rose and fell with deep breaths. Jake didn't stop until they were a hand's width apart.
"Are you always this forward?" Fox murmured. There was something like fear in his eyes. His green eyes had dilated noticeably, and immediately Jake backed up slightly.
"Life can be short," Jake said, keeping his voice steady and low. The fear went away, replaced with something else, something like curiosity. Maybe even a hint of desire.
"I'm okay with forward," Fox said. "I just… It's been a while."
Jake chuckled. "It's been a while for me, too."
A kind of awkward silence blossomed between them. Jake felt like a teenager asking a boy to a school dance. There were smiles, missed looks.
"Let's take care of this," Jake said, reaching out his hand and gently grabbing Fox's shoulders to move him aside. He almost wished he hadn't. The clothed flesh he held was like velvet over stone, soft to the touch, firm beneath the surface. The thought of what the rest of him would feel like all but broke his concentration in his task.
Jake looked over the circuitry. "Can you get me the voltmeter?"
Fox nodded. He strode over and picked up the tool. When Jake took it, fingers brushed.
The pulse was there again. It was just as strong as when they shook hands the night before.
Jake schooled his face. He turned on the ohmmeter feature and checked the resistance from the main cabinet to each of the breakers to each room. He noticed the breakers were new-newer than some of the ones he threw away previously.
"Did the electrician your dad hired get into this?" Jake asked.
Fox nodded. "He spent a couple of days trying to figure it out. But what took him a few days probably would take an actual electrician an hour or two."
"So he was troubleshooting the rooms?"
"He tried," Fox explained. "For a while, we were in full gear here, so he could only douse fires at the edges, and never at the real problem. One weekend, we didn't have guests, so he switched out all these breakers."
Jake was satisfied the connections to the main were solid. Considering the amount of power that went into the main, he figured there might have been a series of loads and regulators that lessened the amplitude of the currents flowing through to the rooms' breakers--lest they trip or burn out completely. Jake flipped on the breaker for the electrical room. The room lit up completely, even with the mid-afternoon sunlight pouring through the doorway.
"Did you say there were issues in the rooms?" Jake asked.
"Half the rooms have been sketchy," Fox replied earnestly. "Why?"
"I'm going to check test points to each of the rooms. Where there's no current, or an overload, we'll have a better idea on what needs to be fixed."
Jake turned his attention to the breaker connected to the front office, flipping it on. As he'd hoped, there was a trace of current, meaning the line was whole and stable.
"Front office looks good," Jake said. "You can give Evan a call and give the OK if you want."
Fox pulled up his phone again.
"Hey Evan! We got the front--
Everything works? Great!
...Yeah, leave the sign up. We're still trying to figure out the other rooms.
...No problem. See you in a bit."
Jake smirked at him as he hung up the phone. "You know, I can do a quick sweep and tell you which rooms are good, so you can open them up sooner."
Fox sniffed indignantly. Jake chuckled in response.
"Cocky much?" Fox returned with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm pretty confident in my abilities," Jake said heatedly. He laughed inwardly at the change in color on Fox's face as a light red flush crawled up his neck to his cheeks.
A small, choked cough burst out of Fox, followed by that blush. "Yeah… Still forward."
Jake shrugged. "Like I said…"
"Life can be short," Fox mumbled with a smirk.
Jake bumped his shoulder against Fox's shoulder. "Come on. I kinda need a break. My eyes aren't what they used to be, and I could use a nap."
Fox's smile was prize winning. "Okay." He tapped his phone rapidly. "I pulled up my email. You tell me which rooms are good, and I'll send Evan a message with all the rooms that work. This way we'll have it written down."
"Smart thinking," Jake said. He was about to suggest it, but he found himself delighted that Fox was forward in his thinking.
Jake worked steadily through the test points. He wanted to use alchemy to fix any broken connections, but the work let him keep Fox around. Looking at him was sweet torture, but he'd keep coming back for more if he had the chance.
After an hour of checking and rechecking, Jake had given Fox eighteen rooms that were good to go. The other eight were also on the list, as a reference for when they fixed them later. In actuality, two of the remaining eight rooms were for housekeeping, leaving only six rooms in the dark for now. Fox called Evan on the phone, told him of the temporary plan, and hung up.
Fox followed Jake out of the room, locking it up behind him. He took the lead back to the front office. He could tell before he walked through the door that the lights were almost bright as daylight.
"Wow," Fox said. Jake had to agree. The lighting was bright as sunlight inside, giving the front office a cheery look with all the wooden wall panels and surfaces. But it wasn't that view that held Jake's attention.
Fox chatted with Evan, talking about which rooms to rent and which ones will be worked on over the next few days. Jake stood back and catalogued Fox while his attention was elsewhere. He'd seen builds like his before, particularly in the military. Fox was built like a baseball player--his skin had a healthy, pale-honey tan. He sported thick, well-muscled thighs, a youthful slope of his corded muscles that connected his neck to his shoulders, and arms that likely have had experience swinging heavy things. Jake liked the way he could follow the defined veins in his forearms through the dusting of dark red hair covering them. Jake studied the auburn hair that was Jake's messy mop. Neat on the sides, longer and a bit unruly on top. His back was broad, tapering into a trim waist, from the way Fox's shirt hugged him. Jake had randy thoughts about baseball players at that point. In that new light, he could also tell Fox was likely in his mid-twenties.
"Are you good for today?" Fox asked.
Jake snapped his eyes up. He followed Fox's eyes. They were sweeping over his body. Apparently, bells rang for him, too.
Evan coughed.
The tips of Jake's ears burned with blush. Fox had a similar reaction, trying to school himself before he turned to face his employee.
"Yeah," Jake mumbled. "I'm holding off the rest of the rooms for now. I just wanted to make sure this one works for you."
"You do work for me," Fox said. Jake smirked at the faraway look in the man's eyes when Fox realized his slip and stammered, "I mean, yes. It does. They. The room works." Fox hung his head and sighed before he straightened up again. "Everything's working."
"You out for the day, boss?" Evan said with a smile. Jake liked the kid. He also liked that Fox could be poked playfully, and he didn't fire back in anger.
"Yeah," Fox said. "If you need me, call."
&nb
sp; "No problem, sir. I can take care of things. Lucas and Tommy will be in to relieve me. I'll have them make sure the rooms we can rent are ready, but I don't think we'll have a lot of guests tonight. If we do, Gabe and Geoff can handle it." Evan tapped something into the laptop. "We need to have the other rooms set for Monday, though."
"It's Thursday," Jake said. "I think we'll be fine."
"Let's go," Fox said.
"You two have fun," Evan said. As Jake passed, Evan winked at him and nodded toward Fox who had just cleared the door. Jake gave a good natured laugh before he exited the front office.
Fox trotted up the outdoor staircase leading to the second level of rooms. Jake followed. They stopped at the door to Fox's apartment.
Like the rest of the building, the accents were all made with warm, golden brown cedar wood. The railing, the door frames, the window frames… He wondered if these touches were Fox's father's doing.
Carved into the doorframe around Fox's door were high relief carvings of foxes at play. A lot of love went into that.
"Who carved that?" Jake said, running his fingers reverently over the forest animals.
"Dad. The apartment was my college gift."
Jake realized Fox had gone quiet.
"Thank you for this," Jake said. He waved his hand down the pebbled walkway in the direction of his room. He turned to face Fox. The young man had a different distant look, somewhere between pain and longing. Jake stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "And thanks for lunch. And for the company."
Fox came out of his momentary funk. "Company?"
"It's been a while since I talked to one person for more than a day." Jake put on his most winning smile, hoping to keep Fox from falling back into his thoughts.
"Is it okay if--" Fox shaped words with his mouth, but no sounds came forth. Jake chose not to interrupt him.