Emerson and the Lion Ch. 09

Ali had sent me home with a trusted friend whom I did not know. He seemed nice enough and I sat between him and his cub, a tall, pale, brown-haired boy a few years older than me. We raced home though I couldn't see much through the dark windows.

Dr. Hamad was waiting for me when the SUV pulled up to the front of Ali's family home. The lion in charge of taking me home lifted me up onto his lap as the car stopped. He stepped out of the car and passed me to Dr. Hamad's waiting arms. I was greeted with an oddly adoring smile from him that didn't fit the circumstances.

I flung my arms around his neck, needing to be close to Ali's blood line, my comfort and protection. He pulled me up into his chest just like Ali always did. Dr. Hamad may be older, but the family's strength training lifestyle had originated with him. He hugged me to his chest as I nuzzled my chin against his shoulder, my nose into his neck. He set me on my feet and then stroked my back, I felt him breathing comfortable words against my ear.

I didn't turn to see the SUV pull away, but Dr. Hamad paused there for a minute most likely exchanging words with the lion who'd brought me home. And then, after a wave goodbye to the men, he guided my whimpering frame into the house like a sleepy child.

I suddenly realized I was in still dressed in the bunny costume. I'm sure that was why Dr. Hamad had given me that look like he'd just watched a kitten climbing out of a tea cup.

He took me up to Ali's boyhood room. He pushed me away from his face and started talking. I sniffed back tears and shook my head to remind him that I was deaf. I looked down and saw Kadir pad in behind us with an expectant panting.

"Oh!" he mouthed with shock and then shook his head with a laugh. He held out his hand for me to wait here by the bed. He patted my head with a smile. I nodded and he left the room, closing the door behind him. My mind reeled with what had happened with Caleb. I knew they were out searching for him furiously, but Ali's things suddenly seemed like a welcome distraction.

I hadn't really spent time in there, but Ali let me peek in once before. It could have belonged to any American teenage jock, the kind of boy who'd either ignored or bullied me through my grade school years. I could never imagine being in a room like this, much less having it belong to my love, my owner, my lion.

Shelves lined with pictures, trophies, awards, it was a shrine to Ali's legacy. I looked through the frames of his teenage year pictures. He was always surrounded by guys of equal height and strength. There was not a single girl in any of them. He was always in the center, the idol, the leader of the pack.

I fingered his trophies. They were in Arabic, but the little figurines represented a wrestler, a soccer player, and some sport I didn't recognize, the man holding a long flat stick towards the ground. I wandered over to a chest of drawers. It was tall and sturdy dark wood.

I didn't worry about Dr. Hamad finding me snooping. He had told me to wait in the room, not to avoid looking through his son's things. The top drawer was socks and boxers neatly folded in expectation of a boy who would never return to claim them. They hardly looked worn, and the styles seemed to belong to a version of Ali forgotten long before I'd met him.

They were all very colorful and youthful, different from the solid colored more mature styles he usually wore with me. I took one bright neon orange jockstrap and folded it, setting it on top of the dresser.

The next drawer was old t-shirts. They were all too big for me. As he'd told me before, he hadn't been my size since he'd hit puberty. I took the smallest, a worn red t-shirt with a NY Yankees logo on the front. I changed out of the costume shirt and slipped it on over my head. I left the bunny ears on top of the chest.

The lowest drawer was pajamas. It made sense to me that his clothes would be organized in the order in which he dressed. Military-like organization was something Ali must have been born with. I found a small pair of pajama pants, blue flannel, well-worn. They must have been his favorites. I slipped off the little bunny shorts and put them on, feeling myself warm up in his aura. I slipped the jock into the pocket of the pants for later use.

Dr. Hamad returned and found me looking through photo albums. He saw I had changed out of the costume. He nodded his head approvingly, but then took the bunny ear headband from the top of the chest and settled it back into my hair. He gave me a smile and a kiss on the forehead. He didn't seem the least bit anxious about the situation.

He was holding his tablet and invited me over to the bed with a gesture of his hand. I turned to see him closing the door. Before he did, I caught sight of a bodyguard poised at the door. I swallowed back the anxiety and followed him to the bed. He stretched out and patted his chest for my head. I snuggled into his side and he slipped an arm around me as my head rested on his heartbeat.

"I know you're worried, but I just talked to Ali. Izem does have him. The boys will retrieve him soon. The police are en route." Dr. Hamad typed.

"What can we do? He's my best friend. If anything happened to him. I don't even know what I'd tell his parents. I was supposed to keep him safe here." I replied.

"It is our job to watch over the guests and cubs. Not yours. This is not your fault. Trust me that he will not be harmed much. Izem is impetuous. I have already spoken with his father. I'm sure Izem just meant to take you and give us a scare. He will be dealt with sharply. There is nothing to worry about. The boys have always fought for top dog. It is what your people would call a prank." Dr. Hamad assured.

"A prank? I don't think Caleb will think that. He is probably scared to death! How can you say it is a prank? He's a human being this is kidnapping!" I was getting angry and forgetting that I was speaking to the patriarch of the family.

"Technically, it isn't. In this country, cubs like you and Caleb are legally classified as property. You are Ali's to protect, and he loves you very much. You are the cub of my child so of course I would do anything to protect you. But legally Izem will be charged with property theft if it comes to that." Dr. Hamad typed.

"I am property?" I asked as that word pounded in my brain in swift repetitions. His arm pulled me in closer as he read it.

"No, sweet one. To Ali, you are everything. You are his baby. To me, you are my youngest child, so young and fragile, the cub of my cub. You are just as important as my own children. I would protect you like my own flesh. But to the law... it is considered theft. You and Caleb are not citizens... not native sons of Satra," Dr. Hamad typed with shame.

"Theft?? Is that a joke?? What the" I started to type, but Dr. Hamad took back the tablet.

"You are getting too excited. I am going to give you something to calm you. Your lion is out bringing back the cub, and this matter will be settled out of your sight. This is too much for you to comprehend and there is no need to get emotional. Your friend will be safe. You have my word. Go in there and take a shower, get ready for bed," Dr. Hamad took the tablet with him and left again as I padded off to Ali's old bathroom.

Afterwards, I put back on the clothes I had taken from his drawers. I curled up around the pillow and Kadir came to nuzzle my neck. I pet him and felt guilt for speaking harshly to Dr. Hamad. He came back with a pill and some juice for me.

"Sorry," I signed when I saw him and sat up. He just shook his head like it was ok and I was just some emotional box with a giant stamp across it reading "fragile."

***************

I woke up later in a different room and a much larger bed. I felt fingers drumming on my forehead lightly. I followed the arm they were attached to up to see Zaid, Ali's next youngest brother, smiling down at me. The pill Dr. Hamad gave me had knocked me out cold and I still felt very happy, peaceful, dreamy.

Zaid shoved his phone in front of my eyes, but it was too blurry to read. I shook my head no and started to sit up. I felt an arm slide across my back and he lifted me up to rest my back against his chest. He wasn't too terribly larger than me, but his size belied his strength. I felt a warm heart beating against my back.

He showed me his phone again, this time with larger and thicker font. "It's my turn to babysit you. How are you feeling?" It read.

"Good, good, good, good, zoom-zoom," was what my fingers typed for a response.

He laughed as he read it. I felt his chest shake lightly behind me. He leaned down and kissed my forehead with a wink. I wasn't sure why he was being so friendly since he'd never so much as looked in my direction. "You are drugged up! Such a lightweight little cub. My boys can take two of those and still pleasure me like beasts."

He waved a hand towards the other side of the room and I saw his two boyfriends sitting on the couch. They were large, muscled guys wearing matching pink tank tops that hugged their muscles firmly and small black workout shorts. They were both playing on their phones, likely awaiting Zaid's attention.

Zaid was shirtless and I looked down to see a pair of baggy red-black plaid boxers slung low enough to expose a pink waistband of briefs. He had on red soccer socks that came up to his knees and showed impressive calf muscles. His chest was hairless, but toned with a chiseled petite six-pack of abs that built a brick wall up to his developed pecs. I was nestled into his warm armpit with my head resting on his shoulder.

"I am not used to pills. Ali keeps me on protein shakes and natural vegetable supplements mostly," I admitted, more information that he wanted.

"He certainly likes to keep his cub clean and compliant. My boys are strong, army men. They can handle much more," Zaid beamed as he showed me what he'd written.

"Where is Ali? Is he here?" I suddenly snapped to the reality of the situation. "Where am I? Is Caleb back?"

"Calm, little cub. You're in my room. It is very late. If Ali were here, you would be in your own bed. Do you think he would ever let you out of his arms after what has happened?" Zaid looked at me like observing an idiot in his natural habitat. For some odd reason I turned to his chest and sniffed his cologne. It wasn't feminine, but not Ali's strength either. He smiled when I did that.

"Can I ask the story of why you have two lions?" I typed, feeling emboldened by my medicated state.

"I have two cubs. I am the lion. Subduing two strong men doesn't make me weak. They are just as compliant and obedient as you are, maybe more. Ali lets you speak too freely. These are my cubs," Zaid seemed.

"But they are so... strong. Army men, right? So there are three lions sleeping together?" I was confused.

Zaid laughed as he read and then typed, "You really don't understand, do you? Watch." Zaid lifted his head towards his boys and said something. They look confused, but stood. One was slightly taller, maybe half an inch. He turned to the other and put his hands on the straps of the tank top the other was wearing. He pulled his hands firmly away from each other and the shirt began to tear in half. He ripped it completely and slid it off.

The other one repeated the action on the taller boy. They then turned, bare-chested towards Zaid with expectant looks to see if their lion was pleased. He said something else and they looked slightly puzzled, but then reached their hands down to push off their black workout shorts in unison. They stood before us in matching pink briefs with ample bulges that were beginning to thicken in expectation of where this would lead.

Zaid gave another direction and I saw their hands go to the waistbands of their briefs. I put a hand up to show that I understood and they paused, looking to Zaid for further instructions.

"Sure you don't want to see more? They do enjoy each others' bodies quite well. They enjoy being directed," Zaid said proudly.

"But don't they like to um, you know, put it inside you? Doesn't that make you feel weak?" I asked.

"Such a simple mind you have. I can see Ali's deep attraction to you. Your world is very small, very black and white, man and boy, top and bottom. I enjoy them inside me, it is my pleasure. Sometimes my pleasure comes from being inside of them. It is whatever pleases me... They used to be lions, proud men. I plucked them out of the military. They were warriors, but aimless. They would have settled in with a wife and ten kids. I saved them. They are loyal to me. They do as they are told and I protect them from their capricious nature. They are my cubs."

"But Ali says a man gives, a boy receives," I said more than I should have.

"I have plenty to "give" and if I didn't think Ali would be offended, I would whip it out and show you I have ample supply," Zaid grabbed at his bulge, his boys looked over anxiously.

"And yet Ali," he typed, "a warrior man, chose to subdue a small, fragile, handicapped, American boy who clings to his chest like an infant. While I have two strong warriors at my fingers. Does this make him more masculine to choose such easy, simple prey?" Zaid seemed hurt, but still hugged me to his side protectively.

"I'm not handicapped. I'm deaf. I... I didn't mean to offend you... Ali said I can't judge other people's lives because they don't mirror my own," I typed hesitantly.

"Ali is correct. You have much to learn and yet he shields you from it. He keeps you simple like a pet. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings either. I didn't mean you were handicapped in a bad way, like mental or something... But you quote him like his word is the Quran. Do you have thoughts of your own? You hold him in such high esteem." Zaid typed.

"I have thoughts... I just. I..." I didn't know how to answer that or defend myself or defend him.

"It's ok, little cub. I don't want you to have to think too much. It might hurt your brain. I know he loves you deeply. My brother has good intentions with you. He means well for you. He means for you to be his lifelong cub. I've never seen him so protective of anyone, so weak with anyone," Zaid typed.

"Weak? Ali weak? No way. He is the most powerful man I've ever seen. I am the weak one. I don't know what he sees in me," I laughed at the suggestion, but felt sad when I completed my thought.

"You hold his heart. You hold his power. You don't realize it, do you? You have power. He went through a long time of having a different guy every night, sometimes two or three. He even had my boys one night when he was lonely and I was traveling. He was lost, missing that thing to hold his heart. You were that missing piece for him... " Zaid let out a deep breath as he finished typing.

"A different guy every night?" I typed out and felt my heart wrench. I flashed to a scene in my head of Ali bouncing his cock into a flipbook of holes. Dark, light, furry, smooth, muscled, twinkish, reddish, pinkish, my brain bounced between them, each picture putting a knife into my heart.

"Well... yeah. I mean you didn't think he was a virgin did you? Didn't you have sex with someone before him? You were a virgin?" Zaid thought I was being dumb again.

"No. I didn't. He was my first. I mean I knew I wasn't his first, he's so good at it and makes me feel so... er that's inappropriate to talk about with you I guess. but... the things we do together feel like no one has ever done them before... you know?" I said with increasing sadness.

"Yeah, I do know. It's called love. Choice led him to a silent, fragile virgin. Love let you overlook his obvious experience. Love demands he does unreasonable things to protect you. Your love makes him go out in the middle of the night to search for your friend. Yes, you do have power... " Zaid pulled me in closer to him. I turned into him so my cheek was on his chest. He smiled down at me.

His chest, though small like my own, was powerful like a younger Ali. I watched his belly button rise and fall with his breathing. I closed my eyes against his chest, feeling the sleepiness from the pill again. He stroked me slowly and I felt his hand wander down to cup my bottom like Samir had liked to do. These Hamad boys certainly felt free to explore each other's cubs. I wondered what Ali had looked like when he fucked Zaid's cubs and why Zaid had shared them so freely. Would Ali share me?

*********

I woke up with the sunrise. Ali had me balanced on his chest hugging me to him. My mouth rested against his bare shoulder. His flesh tasted salty with sweat, but warm, so warm. He was carrying me into our little house. I kept still to keep the illusion that he had successfully transported me without waking me. I knew that was important to him and he needed a win right now.

He laid me gently down on the bed and I opened my eyes to see him lumber off towards the bathroom wearing a pair of shorts. I had somehow gotten a full night's sleep and I wondered where Caleb was. But I knew that if he was here then so was Caleb. He wouldn't come home without him.

I thought back to my late-night conversation with Zaid. I tried hard to push away the image that flooded my brain. It was Ali pumping away at someone's hole while a pile of discarded men lay behind him, a trash heap of conquests. It was most disturbing because atop the pile was me, looking lifeless with blue skin and purple lips.

No, I shook my head. That wasn't right. Ali came out from the bathroom a few minutes later. He was naked with a towel slung over one dark muscled shoulder. He was wiping drops from his chest and paused when his eyes caught mine open. He smiled weakly at me looking exhausted.

He came to the bed without dressing, his thick flaccid cock swinging impressively between his thighs as though it were perfectly natural for it to be that large. He knelt on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss my wiggling toes. His cock spread out against the comforter, too exhausted to be aroused. His eyes peered upwards to meet mine. I returned his smile and laughed, pulling my feet away from his tickling lips.

"My Baby," he mouthed as he lifted his head. He crawled up the bed and laid beside me. I looked over at him and he drew me to his chest. I thought of Zaid, how he would treat a hulking, adoring mass like Ali. He would subdue him, I had no such pretense of control. Ali reached for his phone with one hand as he snuggled me into his chest with the other.

He set the phone on his chest and reached down to scratch his nuts, pushing his dark snake to the side to rest against his thigh. I reached down for it, feeling my hole begin to twitch hungrily.

"Did you sleep, my little one?" he typed and showed me, pushing my hand away from his third leg.

"Yes sir. How is Caleb?" I asked.

"He will be ok. He needs to rest and Samir needs to hold him. I'm sure they will spend the day in bed... we will too in case you were wondering. I'm sorry for what happened to him, but I felt relieved that it wasn't you," he admitted.

"What happened to Izem?" I inquired.

"We will speak of it later. Right now I need to rest and I need you here with me. You're wearing my old clothes. You look adorable in them, but what's with my old jock in your pocket?" Ali asked with a smirk. He knew I had rifled through his things. He didn't seem angry about it.

"Oh uh," I looked down and saw the straps had slid out. Neon orange is a hard color to hide. "I went through your drawers. Don't be mad."

"I have nothing to hide from you, not anymore," Ali assured and gave me a happy yawn. He pulled a blanket from the side of the bed and spread it out over us. I was sad to see his cock go, but I knew he needed sleep.

He turned on the tv for me. He put on the nature dvd that was in the player and turned the volume off since I didn't need it. He turned me on my side, pushed my stuffed lion into my chest, and handed me the tablet with my arabic lessons to work on while he slept.