The Boy That Stole My Heart

CHAPTER TEN

"Dad, where's Mr Mittens?" I asked through sleepy eyes as he carried me to my racecar bed, tucking me under the blankets.
     "I'll go find him," he told me, brushing the hair from my face and kissing me on the forehead, his chin scratchy against my skin.
     I lay in the dark, staring at my ladybug nightlight and listening to the sound of him rustling around through our bags in search of my bear.
     "I thought it was in his bag," I heard my mom tell him and she was right... Until I had taken him out to play with him while they got ready.
     "It's not here."
      "We will just have to get him another bear," my mom said.
     "He's not in there asking for another bear. He's asking for Mr. Mittens."
     I could almost feel my mother's exasperation. "Then he should have remembered him and not left him in a hotel room in Rome!"
     "I'm going to check the car."
     I lay there listening to their conversation a hole opening up in my chest unlike anything I had ever know. The pain of losing my best friend, knowing I would never see him again was too much for me to handle.
    My father came back several minutes later with no Mr Mittens and the face of one who has to deliver bad news.
     "He's gone isn't he?" I asked, beginning to sob. "He protected me and I forgot him."
     "No.. no that's not what happened at all," he said walking over and sitting on the bed next to me. "I just got a call from him when I was out at the car. That's what I came to tell you."
     "You did!? What did he say?"
     "He wanted me to tell you that he had a very very important mission to accomplish but it's finished now. He will be home by the time you wake up."
      "Really dad? You're telling it true?"
     "Us Knights of  Nanthom don't lie. We always stick together, protect one another, and shield the innocent from the forces of evil."
      My mouth dropped open, my voice nothing more than a whisper. "You're... You're a Knight too?
      He held a finger to his lips, looking over his shoulder, before turning back to me and making the sign of the KON, tapping it on his chest, over his heart three times. "Now go to sleep Sir Ellister. The people need you strong and rested."
     When I awoke the next morning, Sir Mittens was right where he belonged.

     I awoke suddenly, staring into the darkness with eyes that burned with tears, unaware that the stuffed animal would bring back memories from a boy's long forgotten past. It took a second for me to gain sense of my surroundings but when I did, I instantly knew something was wrong and saw the vague outline of Logan sitting up in the bed, whimpering gently.
     "Logan? What's wrong?" I asked sitting up quickly, my hand splashing in something wet between us. The smell of warm urine filled my nose and I realized suddenly that he must have wet the bed.
     "I'm sorry," he cried, his voice so low I could barely hear it. "I didn't mean to. I was supposed to put on a goodnite before I went to bed. I didn't mean to Ellis! I brought a sleeping bag!"
     He was sobbing now and I reached out, wrapping him in my arms, holding his small trembling frame tightly against me. "Stop it. It's okay."
     "I wanna go home."
     "No. You're not going anywhere now stop worrying about it." I told him, pressing my forehead to his, the urge to kiss him almost overwhelming.
     "Why are you like this?" He asked, his voice warm against my face.
     I ran my fingers through his silky curls, tugging at them gently. "Because I want you here with me. I don't care about anything else."
     Logan went to the bathroom to get cleaned up while I stripped off my soaked clothes and sheets, tossing them all in the hamper. I put on a pair of boxer briefs and had just finished making the bed when he hopped into my room, quickly closing the door behind him and I was surprised to see that all he wore was a Tshirt and a white and red goodnite with a dalmatian on the front of it. His cheeks were so flushed they were purple and he held his damp underwear and shorts in his hand.
     "I heard something... And I forgot to pack shorts."
     I couldn't help but smile. There was no way in the world that he could be any cuter than he was right now.. or so I thought until he looked down and saw that I wasn't wearing shorts either, growing so flustered that even his neck turned pink.
     "Here," I said holding out my hand for his dirty clothes and he shook his head.
      "They're covered in pee!"
      "So?"
      I don't think he knew what to say to that so he just looked away in embarrassment and handed them to me. I felt my breath catch a bit. There was something so erotic about being able to touch his underwear and I basically had to force myself to throw them in the hamper.
     "You're a freak," he said shoving me gently as we crawled back into bed.
     I didn't speak, only reaching over to find his hand, so small in mine, and lacing our fingers together, praying that he couldn't feel my heartbeat.
     "Thank you," he whispered and I smiled.