❝ you’re safe with me . ❞
it’s been too long since lonnie showed his ugly face, so long that jonathan foolishly forgot about his existence. he was with aladdin at the grocery store, two boys grabbing produce and condiments, discussing recipes for dinner and lunch next day.
when lonnie shows up at the end of the aisle, jonathan’s smile vanishes. blood is drained from his face and his hands start to shake, so he grips onto the handle of the shopping cart as hard as he can, planting his feet in preparation of conflict.
( yes, conflict – instead of the once pathetic one-sided beating. )
then, as though luck graced him with an invisible cloak, lonnie did not see him. his abusive father did not see him. There was no cold glance, dismissive grunt, hateful slur flung at him. still, jonathan felt exposed, merely because he dared to exist in the same space as lonnie, and that he chose to be.
frozen where he stands, breath held, he stills like a statue, blood drained from his face and neck. aladdin must have noticed. probably called his name several times, too. the warm clasp of hand on his shoulder startles him but briefly, and he swallowed his vigilance with a heavy gulp.
( is the ground shaking? or is it him? )
“ — ” he wants to tell aladdin a lie, that yes, he knows, they are safe. but the truth is they aren’t, and the closer they get, the more danger they are in. so he simply lowers his gaze and starts moving again.