The first time I ever heard the words,
"I love you"
Come out of your mouth,
It was December and everything was frozen,
But I couldn't have felt warmer.

I meant it, laying down in the fried grass.
I meant it, trapped under a jungle gym during a rain storm.
I meant it, thumb wrestling in a sand box.
And I meant it every single time in between.

You were the fearless conquerer,
The knight in shining armour who fought for me,
Even when I didn't want to be fought for.
The boy who rescued me from myself when I needed it,
And showed me how to love myself when I didn't.

You were the boy who's hands travelled like a map,
Feeling out the curves and bumps in my body,
Carefully memorizing the empty caverns between my bones.

You were the boy who never left,
Even when I did.
The one who threatened to beat up my boyfriend because he was awful,
And who wasn't upset when I couldn't kiss him after the breakup.
You were my fierce protector,
The boy who would get lost with me but still be able to find our way home.

The last time I heard the words
"I love you"
Come out of your mouth,
It was three Decembers later,
And I had never felt colder.