His Chosen One

Three

Ezra

"There there..you sweet... shy... creature, you..." There is no hesitation at all in the palm that has taken to rubbing my back, the unexpectedly soothing action so very much appreciated as Nicklaus attempts to calm the nerves that had jumped to life inside of my body when faced with a focused interaction from someone other than Wendy or my family when they manage to come in sometimes to see me...

I had not expected him to take responsibility for causing me to seek shelter for my eyes... But he had and I am not sure if I am grateful for his thoughtfulness or put off by the prolonging of said attention when all I wish to do is melt back into the background so that I might eat and drink unimpeded by conversation before being led back to my room by Wendy where we could spend a few minutes laughing over where on Earth the hopeful husband in the mint colored button-down managed to find matching mint-colored shoes to go with his shirt selection before she has to get back to attending her daily duties... 

Though at the moment I have a sneaking suspicion that today's conversation will not be focused on the unfortunate fashion mishap donned by the very smiley man that has his sights set on Micha, who's room lies right next to my own... But rather on the Predator that has seemingly set his sights on me, and the gentle way in which he's chosen to go about interacting with me...

Instead of pushing myself away from him, I find myself leaning into his touch and hoping that he continues the gentle rubbing of my back, the feel of it truly offering me a steadiness I lack naturally when anyone else would have grown bored of me or felt snubbed enough by my hiding to leave me be in a way that I always without fail end up crying over later when I am left alone with my thoughts. 

At first, I had wanted to yank my body away from the stranger that had so kindly filled my teacup... But once I had recognized his actions more geared for comfort than uncalled for affection I had found myself leaning into his touch... His large palm not at all rough as it explores the reaches of my spine in an attempt to help me pull myself together enough to try and face the lot of eyes I am sure are now staring at me for the dramatics I've engaged in in my effort to pull myself away from Nicklaus's unexpected attention...

But it does not feel as though I shall be left alone to flounder under the heavy weight of the conversation I know Ms.Ezalie will want to have with me later over proper etiquette and conduct when we have guests joining us for something like today's tea party.

No... Instead, I hear this oddly intimidatingly kind man clear his throat so that the other's might look away from us and give me enough time to breathe to try and recover from the anguish that always crashes into me whenever I am faced with a new acquaintance that I have not been given a chance to mentally prepare myself for.   

It's too overwhelming...

And yet somehow for whatever reason, I find myself coaxed into untucking my eyes from the crook of my elbow where they have been held shut tight only to look up at a revealed pair of steely blue eyes that find themselves softened when demanding eye contact from me as the predator begins to speak, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Darling... Please... Won't you join us again?"

The earnest look in his eyes disarms me as he utters his soft request, the hand rubbing the tension from my back never stopping as he asks me to pull myself up from the table... Something I find myself doing after a very hard swallow and Nicklaus instructing, "Why not sit up, Love... You need not say your treat selection out loud if speaking makes you uncomfortable... If you point I can retrieve it for you."

It seems as though despite the fact that he has come to the very correct conclusion that I would prefer not to speak at this moment or likely any other moment during this tea that Nicklaus has no intention of actually releasing me from his focus... Just rather that he is adjusting himself to better the situation so that we might still be able to interact with each other in a way that does not make me want to turn away from him and wretch in the nearest bathroom with the nerves still threatening to consume me over being spoken to so very directly.

Everyone else who had been so promptly turned away from by me had taken the hint and moved their attentions to one of the other residents old enough to be chosen... Not that many of them had ever really been interested in the first place... But Nicklaus seems to be content in waiting for me to be comfortable enough to join him again, his hand still soothing me as it travels up and down my spine in long languid circles that seem to be trying to move my very soul with how warm his palm feels through my clothing.

He does not even rush me in responding to him... Instead, he releases me from having to make direct eye contact as he turns his gaze back towards the spread in front of us while never letting his hand stop so that I might take a few more moments to gather the courage somewhat privately before I find myself slowly straightening my spine out until I am once again properly sitting up, my cheeks filled with enough heat to melt the icing off of all of the treats spread before us if I were to just lean forward enough... And to my surprise...

His hand does not pull away right away, but rather pauses in the middle of my back as he turns himself just the slightest bit more towards my body so that he might wait for me to instruct him on which treat I might fancy...

Nicklaus

Ezra does not answer me right away, though I do not think I would have been able to actually function if he had with how frozen my body feels at the sight of his delicate cheeks filled with the brightest flush I have ever seen... The way he keeps his eyes trained down causing his eyelashes to quiver as he tries to steady himself combined with the biting of his full bottom lip enough to cause my heart to stop as it struggles to beat in my chest.

Of all the ways I had imagined our first interactions... This had not been a scenario that had run through my mind... I had wanted to come off as someone that would inspire thoughts of protection and safety in his mind so that he might trust me and join me of daydreaming of a life together...

But the sight of him had melted my core down to nothing but gentleness... And I think that maybe... This is for the best. If I had tried to keep myself in the hardened version of myself that I show the world just as two of the other hopeful husbands are doing i likely would not have been able to draw my Sweetheart out of his arm where he had hidden out of shyness.

The moment he takes to collect himself is one that we both had great need of...

His hand trembling with the continual shivers that keep working their way down his spine under my own palm as he raises it just enough to gesture to the platter of what looks to be chocolate-covered petit fours, a small heart gilded with tiny flowers piped onto the top of the hardened chocolate shells in frosting... Something undoubtedly considered one of the sweetest selections here and somehow so fitting when I finally come to my senses and assist him just as promised, the serving tongs feeling almost too stiff in my hand to truly release the treat onto the small plate in front of him after retrieving his chosen confection, my cheeks most likely matching his own when I finally realize that it's more than acceptable for me to remove my hand from where it has stopped on Ezra's back after I set the tongs down... Only to notice a frown unearth itself on my sweet cherub's face as he slouches just the tiniest bit at the feeling of its loss.

I almost stop myself... I almost think better of it when I look up into the face of the security team surrounding us during this timid first interaction between us outsiders to the small world contained in this secure facility who had found themselves ready to fawn over the young men that they are charged with protecting from anyone who might wish to capture or collect them with any kind of intent darker than wanting to care and cherish for them... To keep them safe in the outside world so that they might be happy and safe in the outside world with a spouse that cares for them without hesitation... 

But when no one steps forward to stop me when they see my hand raise itself again, a simple nod being pushed my way by the same caregiver that had stopped the guards when they had tried to step forward previously...

My hand finds its way back to Ezra's slight back, my chair being silently moved slightly closer so that he might receive enough comfort for him to stay with me and to banish the pout that has made itself known... The small smile I receive when he leans into my touch before hesitantly picked up the dainty dessert fork set so kindly next to his place setting so that he might carefully dig into the delightful looking treat one that makes me so very glad to have let my heart guide my decision.