Compromise-Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw-

Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Roosters Perspective**

—— Four days before ago ——

"You're making this impossible." I joked, picking up another box I'd brought into the living room where Stitch was resting on the couch. She only smirked, her normal self much more apparent as the pain subsided. It'd been ten days since she woke in the hospital, and every day that passed I seen her liven up more and more.

"You make this impossible." She muttered mockingly, her nose scrunching a little bit as she did. I chuckled, opening the box. For the last few days we had created a system to unpack. She was supposed to be resting to give her side as much time to heal as possible, so she would sit and watch as I opened a box, then direct me on where to put it. The first two days she was a bit awkward about it, claiming she didn't want to force me to change my whole lively hood to host her, but after much reassurance, she finally accepted and let her stuff mingle with mine more naturally.

"It's not hard to pick a spot for some books." I told her. She had a few box sets, collectors items that she was having difficulty putting away. Every spot I suggested she found something wrong with it.

"They're just so special, they need a special spot." She defended as I dug into the new box. I lifted a couple small paintings out of it. Her eyes widened when she noticed what I had, and her cheeks burned a bright red. "Oh no, put those back!" She exclaimed, swinging her feet off the couch, then hissed in momentary pain from the sudden movement.

"Something embarrassing among these?" I teased, continuing to look through. The first few were of landscapes, beautiful paintings of sunsets and forest scenery. Each one was signed in the bottom right corner with white by Sadie. She marked her I's with hearts instead of dots. The next two were of dogs, a picture of the dog she was paining on the backside for reference.

"Okay seriously Rooster, put them back." She said, suspiciously eyeing the box. I pulled out a couple more.

"Come stop me then." I continued to tease, which made her sigh loudly in response, while dramatically rolling her eyes and tilting her head back. I chuckled. A painting of Daniel was the next one I picked up. The likeness was uncanny. In the background far off in the distance was a small fleet of jets. I glanced at her and seen Stitch's lips in a sad line, realizing which painting I had. I continued though. The next one made me pause. It was a painting of me. It was half finished, the background yet to be completed, though it looked like there was a cabin drawn out in pencil. Glancing at Sadie once more, I seen her face buried in her hands.

"You weren't supposed to see that." She groaned, though it was muffled from her hands.

"Why not?" I asked curiously, she lifted her head and looked at me, her face bright red.

"You just weren't." She answered lamely, I chuckled.

"It's great, though you need to finish it. When did you paint it?" I asked, looking back at the painting. She was silent for a moment, and when I looked back at her she sighed, defeated.

"Shortly after I left. I had started it anyways." She answered, fidgeting slightly. I smiled, placing the painting down, then got up and went over to her. She looked up at me from the couch, and I sat beside her.

"It's amazing Sadie." I promised, wrapping an arm around her. She leaned against me, her hair smelling like Eucalyptus. I inhaled, intoxicated by the smell, glad she was in my arms.

"It's embarrassing." She mumbled. "I had been thinking of you so much that I just needed to get the image of you out of my head." She admitted, snorting at her comment. "It didn't help though. Hex constantly complained about my gushing about you. Kept telling me to just reach out already." I chuckled.