Chapter 4

COMPANIONSHIP

Amir's life took a significant turn after he met Leo. The botanist's genuine kindness and open heart presented new hope for breaking the curse. Leo's presence was slowly reigniting Amir's belief in the possibility of love and his hope that someone could love him for who he truly was, not just the prince he once had been.

Meeting Leo also put an end to his endless roaming. No more traversing from pond to pond in search of a great love or someone to help him find one. Something in him was settling down. He wasn't resigned to being a contented frog prince—on any level—but he was learning patience as he waited for Leo to come up with a plan. It turned out that his botanist wasn't a ‘fly by the seat of his pants' risk taker. He didn't move or act on whims or mere desires and somehow, he was instilling the same mature resolve in Amir.

So, besides talking—Amir suspected it was so Leo could find out what exactly he was looking for in a great love—and getting to know one another, Amir spent hours watching Leo work. It was an act he found fascinating and soothing. The curse would not be broken by the kiss of the first hot guy they came across, so they did have plenty to discuss. What Amir figured out—that he was sure Leo hadn't—was that he was learning what Leo wanted out of a relationship too.

In the quiet hours of one moonlit night, Amir watched Leo tend to an obviously troubled plant. Leo knelt beside the wilting plant, his gentle hands carefully tending to its fragile leaves.

"Why do you care so much for that plant?" Amir asked, his voice filled with curiosity. "It seems beyond hope."

Leo looked up, his expression tender but firm. "Little one, every life in this garden matters to me," he said softly. "This plant deserves every chance to thrive, just as much as the most vibrant flower."

Amir watched Leo work with meticulous care, noting the hours he had spent trying to revive it. "But you've spent hours with it, and still, it struggles. Wouldn't your time be better spent elsewhere?"

Leo smiled gently, his eyes never leaving the plant's leaves. "Perhaps. But the value of a life isn't measured by its success or failure, Amir. It's about the care we give, the effort we put in. This plant may not survive, but it won't be for lack of care."

Moved by Leo's sentiment, Amir felt a deep admiration for Leo's capacity for compassion. "Your compassion knows no bounds. It's inspiring—if not a little foolish."

"What was that? Repeat it please," Leo asked. He'd heard and understood, but wanted Amir to man up to his choice and learn to live in the consequences of them. It was not going great.

"Oh, nothing important," Amir croaked, hopping to a lily pad even further away, and placing his back to Leo.

Leo placed a protective cover over the plant, shielding it from the cool night air. "In this garden, I've learned that selflessness is the truest form of love," he explained. "It's not about what we gain, but what we give."

Amir was silent for several minutes. He was honestly in deep reflection on Leo's words, feeling the weight of their truth. When he had his thoughts and words together, he responded.

"And in giving, we find our purpose, our connection to the world," he said, his voice thoughtful.

Leo nodded, his gaze meeting Amir's. "Exactly. See just being here, you're beginning to learn. You'll get there." Leo continued to put his babies to bed for the night. "Sometimes, the greatest act of love is to offer a piece of ourselves without expecting anything in return."

As Amir watched Leo continue his tender care for the garden, he realized that Leo's selflessness was not just an act of kindness, but a profound expression of his ability to love and act on it.

"Leo, your love for these plants teaches me so much," Amir said softly, his eyes filled with admiration.

The words took them both by surprise. Leo was shocked at the raw honesty he saw and heard. Amir was usually so cynical.

Amir was shocked because his mouth was operating without his brain in a non-negative fashion for once. He'd used the word love in connection to Leo and that was something he'd never thought before, no less voiced.

Leo looked into Amir's eyes. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he was seeing a shift. It was pleasing to him and that too was a shock to his system. "And you, my sweet prince, teach me just as much. Together, we grow stronger, just like this garden."

Amir hopped back closer. "Leo, can you come nearer please?" When Leo did as he was asked, Amir reached his tiny, webbed hand out to Leo's. "I want to learn to love like you do. I want to learn how to show it, how to give it, and how to receive it. Selflessly, deeply."

Leo squeezed Amir's hand gently, his smile warm and reassuring. "You are already well on your way. Every day, you show me a little piece of your heart. That counts and it's the most beautiful gift of all. In those moments you are giving of yourself."

"I never imagined I'd find solace in the company of a human again. You've shown me a kindness that I had forgotten existed."

"In your condition, I can see how that could become the case." Leo sighed, his grip tightening slightly on Amir's hand. "You're in a unique position, you know? You have gained a perspective of the natural world that no one has before. You have your struggles with people, but I have seen you with the other critters of this garden and you too display care and compassion. I've found it easy to be kind to someone who understands the language of nature as you do."

"Maybe if I'd shown that to the people in my life—to Elias—things would be different now."

"If they were different, we wouldn't be here together. I know being in that state has been difficult for you, but I don't regret our meeting, even under these unusual circumstances."

Amir, looking up at the moon, said, "I miss my family. This curse is more than just this form. Until I met you the isolation was weighing heavily on me."

Leo nodded. His dominance was evident in his steady, unwavering gaze. "I understand loneliness all too well. But you've brought a new light into my life too, Amir. Your stories, your laughter, even your endless desire for mischief and your sassy tone are like a new bloom in my garden."

"Leo, you have planted hope in my heart. I had resigned myself to this fate, but now I dare to dream of a future where this curse is a memory." Amir gave a hesitant smile, the best way his little amphibious face allowed. "Perhaps, together, we can find a way to break it. I am trusting the process and your plan. You did say you were working on one and you have helped me remember what it was like to have a close friend."

"Yes, friends. And maybe, in time, something more?" Leo questioned slyly, the last words tapering off lowly.

Amir, blushing slightly, answered. "I'm going to quote a very good friend of mine now and say, ‘Let's take it one day at a time.' For now, I'm just grateful for your friendship."

"As am I, Amir. As am I."

From the outside looking in, there was no relationship around as odd as theirs, but Leo and Amir often forgot they were man and frog. Obviously, there were things that could never be a part of their dynamic. Mostly that meant limited physical engagement. There were no hugs. No pats on the back—beyond the single digit tap—or other physicality. Yet the secret longing for the companionship that dwelled deep in Amir's heart were being fulfilled nicely. Leo was a wonderful companion.

Previously, Amir had convinced a sullen child or two to become his playmate, after doing something for them (like retrieving a special ball or other lost trinket from the pond). He'd sit at their table, eat from their plates, and sip from their cups. There were even rare times when he'd be allowed to sleep on their pillows in their tiny beds. But always they soon forgot the promises they made. They would dishonor their deals and he would be back on a lonely lily pad hoping for a change. Now, that change was here and in the dark of night, Amir was taken back to Leo's cottage to sit at his table, eat from his plate, and sip from his cup. It was when he was allowed in the big four-post bed that he knew things were changing. He needed to do something to either break the curse or confess his heart. Amir needed Leo to step up his plan and put their pact into action.

Days turned into weeks, and the bond between man and frog grew. They shared a silent understanding that bridged their disparate worlds. Leo too found comfort in Amir's company, and for the first time in many years, he felt less alone. His natural inclination to fix things took over, and he became possessed with the idea of finding a solution. Only he was thoroughly stumped on how. He found it hard to tell this to Amir, as the little frog was looking to him to make things right in his world once again.

Leo's kindness and unwavering belief in the goodness of the world challenged the prince's hardened heart constantly. After hours in Leo's company each day, Amir felt himself drawing nearer to his human self and further away from his amphibious hell. The chasm between his new life and his old was shrinking. It was the morning he awoke in Leo's bed—having for the briefest of moments, forgotten that he was still a frog and not a man—that he understood the transformation in him that knowing Leo had manifested. Could it be that the once lonely botanist held the key to his salvation?

Amir was so excited to share his revelation that he called out when he realized Leo was no longer in the bed.

"Leo? Leo? You do remember getting down from here isn't exactly something I can do on my own? Bloody hell, man! Leo, I need you." Amir's frustration was elevated and when that happened, his frog identity often won out. He began to croak. It was loud and incessant.

"Amir, Amir! Calm yourself. What has you so worked up?" Leo rushed into his bedroom.

Amir tried to catch his breath and regain his voice. When he did, he said only one word. "Pond!"