Unbreak My Heart (18+, ManxMan)

Chapter 2 Safe Arms

The boy turned to Liam, I figured he was one of the other boys, Brett, Jonah, Aiden?  "You hardly ever show anyone your sketches?"  He sounded almost hurt and I watched as Liam's face fell and he looked down at his feet.  After a few minutes of silence, the bigger boy finally spoke again.  "It's okay Leelee," obviously feeling bad about the sadness he caused in the small boy, "hey, I brought you some lunch.  You probably didn't have anything to eat before you left the apartment did you?"

Liam shook his head no.  Just then Benji came running over.  "Jonah, did you meet my little brother, Finn?  He's the one I told you about, just moved back from New York, he transferred to UCLA so you two will see each other on campus maybe."

"Uh, sorta, yeah, not really, not yet," he stammered.

"It's nice to meet you," I tried again as I reached my hand out.

"I'm Jonah," he offered back, a touch more friendly now.  He turned to Benji, "I brought some lunch for Liam."

"Great.  I have to get back to this game, you guys just chill, get to know each other."  Benji ran back to the group of smaller boys.  Jonah led Liam back to the table a ways away from where he had been sitting and sat him down right next to him before unpacking a small paper bag with a sandwich and a small carton of chocolate milk.  I sat back in my same spot and continued looking through the sketch book, giving the boys some space to themselves.  I could hear Jonah speaking quietly to the younger boy, while the little one looked up at him nodding and smiling.  Jonah handed the unwrapped sandwich to him and he began eating it in small bites, almost like a little bunny.

I noticed some drawings had small poems or just a few words written alongside them.  He seemed to be pretty talented in more than just art!  It was when I was three quarters of the way through that I came upon a drawing that stopped me in my tracks.  It was stunningly drawn, deeply intimate and striking in the most passionate way.  Two boys sleeping in a bed, the larger boy holding the smaller one to his chest, wrapping him protectively in his arms.  The small boy resting his head right over the other boy's heart, head to the side so that his ear was right over the beating organ; a sublime look of relaxation and love on his face.

I realized it was the first self-portrait I had seen of Liam so far, and it was obvious the larger boy was Jonah.  Alongside the drawing was a poem, much longer than the others:

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Safe Arms

Tight hold, warm touch

Your heart keeps a beat beneath my ear

Always snug, like a bug in a rug :)

Cherished, protected

Sheltered from the storm

Never scared

In your safe arms

 

Cuddled, coddled, my thoughts muddled

Enfolded in your embrace

Emboldened by your fortitude

Addicted to your devotion

Unsure of my own emotion

Always safe in your arms

 

Don't define the sentiment

Don't analyze the tenderness

Our solidarity we hold true

Brotherly love held by four

Nothing can break our bond

A pact of ceaseless loyalty

Always warm in your safe arms

 

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After I read it I quickly turned the page almost feeling like I was intruding on a deeply personal moment.  I looked up and luckily the boys had not noticed.  Somewhere in that small boy was a secret maturity, one that you wouldn't suspect looking at him now.  Jonah was still talking to Liam, who was listening entranced and letting out the occasional giggle.  I smiled at the sweet scene, feeling lucky at the opportunity to see such a beautiful moment.  I'm sure at some point in the near future I would attempt to capture this very scene in my own sketch.  Even if only to save for myself when I needed to see something pure, simple and joyous.

When Benji and I returned home that evening, Ajax was sitting at the kitchen island drinking a beer and talking on his cellphone, I was the first one in while Benji stopped at the table by the front door to look at the mail.

"They're all set and just need your signature to finalize the sale, when you're in town next you can come by the office.  It's okay, no, it will be fine, just come by the office.  Yeah, Rob's not in any hurry and it won't affect the running of the club."

Benji came bopping in behind me, causing Ajax to look up.

"Hi Boys," he said with a smile.

"Hey Babe…Sir Babe, Babalicious," Benji replied bouncing in front of the fridge while he decided what drink to pull out.  I looked at Ajax who just observed him with a slight grin.

"Hiya," I said lifting my hand in a small wave.

"I'll call you back later, the boys just got home," Ajax said into his phone before clicking it off.

"Who was that?" Benji asked.

"Ahh…just my PA, talking about some contracts and other documents that need to be signed."

"She's out of town?"

"Mhm…yeah, just a little holiday," he mumbled as he got up and started pulling things out of the fridge.  "What do you guys want for dinner?" he asked, changing the subject.