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“Arthur, light of my life, why are you wearing a t-shirt saying ‘Free Hugs Here’?”
“Well, you see, Mum… I like hugs and I’m sure other people like hugs and so this way, when they see my T-shirt, they’ll know it’s okay to hug me if they want one.”
“But right now we’re on a cargo flight to Burma! Who is going to see your shirt and 1) understand what it says and 2) want a hug from you?”
Arthur looks shyly at the door to the flight deck. “Well… I don’t know, Mum. Just in case, I guess.”
Carolyn sighs. She thought it had something to do with their captain. All morning during preparation for today’s flight Arthur had been following Martin around and not-so-subtly trying to attract his attention to his shirt. And Arthur’s shy little look was the last shred of proof she needed. “Oh alright. Have you made any coffee yet, Arthur?”
Arthur shakes his head.
“Then would you kindly go make it?”
“Oh. Right-o, Mum.”
Arthur dashes off to do just that.
Carolyn makes her way to the flight deck.
“Martin! I need to have a word with you!”
“Carolyn, can’t it wait? As you can see I’m flying right now!”
Douglas snorts. “Or something that very nearly resembles flying.”
“Really?” Martin asks.
“Heavens, no,” says Douglas. “It only resembles flying to a pilot who had to take his CPL eleven times.”
“Seven!” says Martin angrily.
“Martin!” Carolyn says interupting what could only be a squabble in the process of forming.
“Did you see what my son has been wearing this whole trip?”
“Um…”
“He’s wearing a lime-green T-shirt with ‘Free Hugs Here’ written on it in an astonishingly horrific hot pink color.”
“Oh,” answers Martin.
“Nothing to worry about, Carolyn,” Douglas cuts in. “As you know nothing as garrish and as tacky as such a T-shirt would escape the ever vigilant eye of our dear captain.”
Martin grew red in the face and looked like he was about to start yelling so Carolyn had to divert their attention (again) to what they kept diverting their attention from.
“I think he’s wearing it for you, Martin,” Carolyn says.
The flight deck goes absolutely quiet.
“What?” asks Martin. “He said that?”
“No, of course he didn’t but he was extremely obvious that he wanted you to hug him this entire trip. Now turn the controls over to Douglas and go hug Arthur!”
“Carolyn I-“
“I don’t want to hear any of your excuses, Martin. Now go!”
Martin looks helplessly from Carolyn to Douglas. And Douglas, damn him, thinks it’s a brilliant idea.
“Go on, Martin,” he says. “Can’t leave our old boy waiting for true love’s first hug.”
After a few more seconds of silent disbelief and without seeing any of Carolyn’s seriousness from her serious face waver, mutters an “I don’t believe it,” as he makes his way out of the flight deck and into the cabin where he runs into, not quite literally, Arthur.
“Oh! Hello, Skip. Something you need?” Arthur asks expectantly and almost as if it’s some kind of code between them that one of them would know exactly what the other meant.
“Um… yes,” Martin says a little awkwardly. Then even more awkwardly he holds out his arms and asks, “Can I have a hug?”
Arthur looks so excited you’d think Martin had just told him he won Yellow Car.
“Aw! Brilliant! I was hoping you’d ask me! See? Because I’m wearing this shirt. And-“
“Yes, yes alright. Could we… just…”
“Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry, Skip.”
And without further adieu, Martin finds himself being wrapped around by a very warm and solid body. If Martin had ever doubted Arthur was if nothing else affectionate, then he’s proved wrong a thousand times over by the way Arthur gently squeezes Martin closer to him. Martin encircles Arthur’s waist with his own arms a bit tentatively.
He can’t remember the last time someone had wanted to hug him. Let alone someone who actually has.
Arthur begins rubbing his back and he can feel the tension being coaxed out of him with every subtle movement. It’s only when Arthur rests his head atop Martin’s that Martin finally relaxes into the embrace.
“Skip?” Arthur asks softly.
“Yes, Arthur?”
“You know… if you wanted… we could do this again. Anytime you’d like. I don’t want you to feel lonely because you’re not. All you have to do is ask.”
Martin smiles. “Only when you’re wearing this T-shirt?”
Arthur laughs and Martin can’t help but feel pleased with himself that he made Arthur laugh.
“No, Skip. Anytime you like.”