𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄 | 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨

the barn that became a home [lee]

It just so happened that taking a wrong turn would let you fall upon the most beautiful piece of architecture.

'Look at that...' Lee said from the passenger seat.

'I know. It looks abandoned. Should we take a look?' You spoke out, letting your hands fall from the wheel and to the buckle of your seatbelt.

'Yeah,' your partner said, 'Yeah!' He said again, a little more excited. Both he and you scrambled to get out of the car on that blistering summer's day and escape to see the barn.

Apart from being run down, barely standing, and full of gaping holes where planks had rotted away, the shack looked cosy- or that's how the both of you envisioned it as you stared longingly; it was a rather handsome oak colour surrounded by a forest & acres of field and the only colourful thing seemed to be a dainty little flower bed to the right. Another small house was just yonder the front of this one, that of which seemed to have inhabitants.

'There's someone living in that house.' You pointed, showing Lee the much smaller building.

'Should we go and see them?' He beckoned, already beginning to walk over, and reaching behind him for your hand. A small brook was babbling to the side of the winding road & the cabin seemed to get further away, but once your partner had knocked on the door, shuffling was heard inside.

A rather shrewd & unkept looking man answered, his dog was barking in the window which nearly made him inaudible. 'How can I help you?' He mumbled with a gruff voice.

'Hi,' Lee paused, 'We've seen the barn just up the road.'

'It's beautiful.' You added.

'Yes, it is.' The man interrupted.

'We'd like to renovate and then move into it.' Lee smiled a toothy smile; that was just one of his methods of persuasion.

'As long as you don't disturb me and Kim,' whom you figured was the dog, 'You can do what you want with it. Renovate it, smash it, burn it. The only thing I ask is that I keep tending to the gardens.' He wished.

'Of course.' You smiled back. The small grumpy looking man nodded you both away & the minute he did, you leapt into Lee's embrace and ran all the way back to the car.

*

Now a fortnight into refurbishment, many long & hot days had been spent clearing out the debris and dragging in skips and toolboxes. You weren't afraid to get your hands dirty. Whilst Lee worked on sawing wood planks and preparing cement, you created patch tests & blueprints of what the interior should look like. Some days, Chuck (the grumpy old man) would bring hot tea & sandwiches whilst he kept the flowers looking pretty. He prided himself in that. As the radio sang many summer tunes in the background, you decided to take a break from decoration to help Lee.

'Like this- you just gotta...' He trailed off, concentrating with a cute expression on his face that was an anomaly to his DIY nature.

'Right, I can do that.' Uttered you. He watched you intently, noticing how you were struggling to keep hold of the hammer and nails simultaneously. In a playful way, he snatched them off you so that you'd have it done before sunset.

Quoting him, you giggled. 'You just gotta pound it into the wall.'

'Look, I'll pound you against the wall in a moment.' Lee suggestively & quite naughtily spoke, setting the hammer down and looking at you with his arms crossed. He wanted a reaction.

You held in a smirk with all your might but it just happened to escape, making your other half clap his hands together and bellow in laughter, impressed with his comment.

The night that followed was prolonged by an exhausting day of restless work. Chuck had left hours ago, and the radio was now humming softer songs. Sitting on a stool with a flask of lemon tea, you were continuing to draw room layouts for Lee to work into, starting with the kitchen. Glancing to the clock, you sighed as the bones cracked all over your body.

Although the days were hot & bothered, the nights became cold & wintery. In the shack that would soon be home, the draughts followed you anywhere. On a hunt, you searched to find him. Under a shelter, he was still chopping logs; styling an orange beanie and knitted sweater with lumberjack boots & jeans, he looked as though he was ready to venture into the Arctic in the middle of July.

'My love, it's freezing. Come inside, even though there are holes & no windows it's a little less chilly.' You begged him.

'I'll finish this one. What time is it?' Lee groaned, seeing his breath before him after resting the axe by his side. He was built like a god, standing there just holding an axe.

'It's midnight.'

He was astounded. 'Midnight?'

'Mhm.' You nodded, pursing your lips, and hugging yourself to catch any escaping warmth.

'Well, it's too late to go home, and we do have an air mattress. We'll stay here for the night.' Lee sounded sure, almost proud of his decision.

'Lee, you've got to be kidding me. We have no warmth, an air mattress...' You listed, laughing a bit at his proposal. Then again, you thought it would be fun.

Uncomfortably on the bed, you had made a makeshift blanket of sheets and tarpaulin. The mattress was slowly deflating, or so you thought, and Lee was turning down the radio. In one swift leap and after a little dance in his walk, he dived onto the mattress and sent you flying.

'Lee!'

'Sorry!' He managed to struggle between laughs, seeing the hair all over your face and the startled jolt of your body. As you got back in, now under the 'blankets' he snuggled close. Then the radio died.

'Well, this is great.' You bluntly said, feeling the wind pick up and then die again. A snort left your love's mouth. He was clearly enjoying this and thought of any song you liked.

'When we were younger, we thought everyone was on our side, then we grew a little and romanticised the times I saw...'

'Flowers in your hair!' You sang with him; just through your shared love of The Lumineers, you began to realise that home was not the barn you were renovating, but next to you, snuggled close.