Bruises

“Stop running!” Adam called after the younger boy as he broke into a longer stride, eager to catch him. It was boiling hot and the road was covered in red dirt. Adam could see the house in the far distance. The road wasn't wide enough for a vehicle so they had parked the car at the turn in. The ocean was breath taking. The blue glistened gold in the afternoon sun.

“O’Connor, stop running!” Adam was now genuinely afraid for the boy who sped up down the gritty road.

Almost at the same moment he watched as James slipped on a piece of loose gravel and fell face first onto the gravel path.

“Fuck!” Adam swore and raced towards the blonde.

The look on James' face told him everything.

“James?” Adam helped James to onto his back.

The palms of the blonde were grazed, blood beginning to seep up slowly. His right cheek too was scratched along with both of his knees.

James looked up at him and made a sound that almost sounded like a cry.

But James would never. Not in front of the boys. But the boys weren't here yet. Just him.

“Ouch” Adam gently brushed the dirt off James' skin.

“I’m okay” James mouthed. But when Adam looked up he found tear- filled eyes on him. It must hurt.

They were still a fair way away from the cottage and he wasn't sure James could walk.

“I’m okay Adam” James said.

“Get up then” Adam stood up.

James sat on the dirt looking up at him.

“Come on” Adam smiled and slowly helped James onto his feet.

Adam let go of James and took a step so he stood in front.

“Jump on” Adam said. Without a word James slipped his arms around Adams’ neck, while Adam firmly gripped across James lower thighs. And just like that Adam piggy backed James all the way to the beach cottage.

--

“I told you not to run” Adam wiped the dirt from one of James' grazed knee using a clean wet tea towel.

“You are not my mother” James said watching Adam eagerly.

“I feel like it though” Adam said as he dunked the towel into the water basin and rinsed it out.

James laughed and pulled at some of Adams’ hair.

“Hey!” Adam looked up. “Hands off the hair”

But James slowly scrunched up the hair.

“Thank you” James smiled.

This was their silent relationship. They never talked about it. But they both knew it was there. This mutual feeling of love they shared for each other.

Adam leaned into wipe James’ cheek. James leaned back on the toy chest he was sitting on.

Adams’ fingers brushed his skin.

“Listen to me next time” Adam said leaning in. It wasn't uncomfortable. It was never uncomfortable.

“Yes mum” James said smiling.

Adam laughed enjoying the feeling of James’ thigh on his.

Placing a small piece of plaster across the cut on James's face Adam leaned back.

“There” Adam said putting the roll of plaster down.

James didn't know what to do with his plaster ridden hands. So he gently placed them across his legs.

“Thank you” James said. “The boys will give me shit over this”

“Oh yes. They will. You can count on that” Adam smiled.

--

Adam woke to the spring in the mattress. It was early sunrise and he could see James’ silhouette in front of him. James climbed on to his bed. Adam made space by moving to the side.

“Nightmare?” Adam asked as James pulled his pillow towards him.

“Something like that” James mumbled.

Turning to face Adam, James rested palms on Adams’ arm.

“You are safe now” Adam smiled sleep coming back to him.

He closed his eyes but opened then when he felt lips on his own.

James’ lips.

Adam leaned in and took James’ lips. The kiss lasted a couple of seconds and that was all. Adam rested his head against the pillow he shared with James.

He opened his eyes to find James' wide eyes on him.

“Sleep” Adam whispered.

Adam placed his palm across James' cheek, being careful not to touch the cut.

He brushed his fingers across. He watched him until James fell asleep.

The taste of young James lingered on his tongue. He was tired and he too fell asleep minutes later to the sound of waves crashing against the rock cliffs.