Gun and the rose

Liam

I have my job back. I can finally start making enough money for Ethan so he can live a better life, Ethan's smiling more. It's been a month; I took him to the store he didn't know what to buy. So I just bought some stuff I think he would like. I think he's getting better. He doesn't seem the one to have friends; I don't mind being his friend; I'm happy I met him on that day.

We're walking back home.

"so how long are you going to stay here, Liam?" he says quietly

"mm, how long do you want me to stay."

"oh, I don't know," he mumbles

"how about forever."
I smile as he looks at me, shocked

"I'm just kidding; whenever you feel like you can live happily by yourself, I will leave."
I regret saying that Ethan looked pretty down after that.
We walk back into the house we sleep in silence.
"hay Ethan, you up."
"yea"
He turns around

" I'm sorry about what I said back there."
He stares at me with an expressive look.

"I don't mind staying with you; I can stay here forever if you have me?."
My heart tugs a bit, seeing a tear come down his face; I pull my hand to him and rub the incision away.
He can't look at me.

"is that a yes as well."
He nods and closes his eyes; I hold him that night.

Two days after that night, I walk into the Park with Ethan, feeling merry with him. Ethan's wearing white, yellow shorts and a short sleeve shirt, and white shoes. I bought that outfit. I decided to match him but with black shorts with a yellow shirt.

We decided to go for a walk today in the park. Not many people are in this park, and I don't want people to look at Ethan's cuts on his arms.
We walk back. I have a feeling we're being followed; I look back. There's a stranger in all black following us.

"Ethan, come here for a minute."
He comes to me. I hold his hands. We're almost to the city train; I'm going to lose him in a crowd of people. We entered the train; I think it worked; I prayed it did.

"what happened? Is something wrong?"  Ethan says

"no, just, let's go home. I'm tired."
He nods, and we get off, take a taxi, and head home. We enter our home. I pull the curtains down, lock the window and door and pull Ethan down on the bed.

"Look, Ethan, I'm going give you a paper spray. Please keep it on you at all times, ok; promise me."

"ok, I will; you're scaring me. What's all this about."

"that's not important; what's more important is that you safe, ok."
" got it"
He looks sad. I hug him like I'm going to lose him.

After work, I set up two security cameras, one inside the house and one outside the front door; I give Ethan a bottle of paper spray. He's worried. I know I don't want him to worry more; I can protect him.