Playing Rough

Chapter XXII

Chapter XXII ─ Solid Ground

[ M I C H A E L   G R I F F I N ]

What a day. I thought to myself and stared at the ceiling of my room, listening to Bryan's soft and steady breathing on my bed.

I was wide awake, rummaging through all the vile thoughts in my head, reliving what had gone down during this annoyingly long Tuesday. It was only eleven or so in the evening, but we decided to bunk down early. I think the rest was very needed, especially for Bryan, we couldn't ignore the fact that we had school the day after either.

To my surprise, Bryan insisted on going back to school so soon after his sister decided to pay him an unwanted visit. A part of me thought that he only said he'd go to not hold me back and deep down I knew it was true, he felt like a burden on my shoulders and I couldn't shake that feeling off of him just yet. I wasn't going to insist for him to sit back and take a breather if that's not what he wanted, he was a man capable of figuring things out at his own pace.

Until and after he figured said things out, I'd be there. When I brought him back home I made an unspoken promise to both myself and him, I was committed to Bryan Clay. I'd be his safe space until he decided he'd had enough of me.

He needed someone he could rely on no matter what, he needed a family, a friend that would stick by his side no matter and I'd be all those things if he so wished. I let him slip out of my fingers before and it turned out to be one of my biggest regrets, this time, letting go was simply not an option. Bry could stay at my house as long as he wished, heck he could've even moved in because I was certain mom wouldn't mind his presence here, she loves the boy, much as I do.

Bryan tossed and turned in my bed, his arm found itself dangling off of my bed, he was slightly bigger than me and it was clear that my bed wasn't really big enough to contain the beast that Bryan Clay had grown up to be. I had to shake the thoughts of lacing my fingers with his own, we weren't at that stage yet, I didn't think either of us was ready for that kind of affection.

Still, I couldn't help but get these sappy and otherwise cheesy thoughts around him, it felt slightly inappropriate while he was grieving. I wanted to have his arms around my frame for no reason at all, I wanted to have my arms around him and listen to his heartbeat as we slept, I wanted to have my arms around him, period. I needed to give it time though, perhaps a few days, weeks, or possibly months, we didn't have to label our feelings just yet, that was the least of our worries.

I knew we both harbored similar feelings towards each other, I did not doubt in my mind because he told me he once loved me more than anything, however, to anyone with a pair of eyes it was evident that he was still just as hung up on me as I was him. We were treading in uncharted waters, but there was no rush.