A Rose In Harlem

35

The next morning was calm, it was like the sound of waves hitting the beach in vacation. Peaceful- the most peace Chicago had felt since staying in the shelter. Chicago didn't like the shelter but the streets thought he was dead, when they think you're dead they don't bother you- they don't look. You don't have to look over your shoulder that's the type of peace he felt with Bishop. Like home, like a fresh home cooked meal after a hard day at work. A nice shower after a sweaty day. They went rounds to say the least. Even popped out his stitches which Chicago had to walk Bishop through how to redo them. Luckily he was good with a needle so it wasn't to bad- another thing that helped was Bishops aunt had gave him a first aid kit when he moved out; it was filled of a bunch of hospital supplies to cut the coast of hospital bills.

"I don't want to hurt you" Bishop complained as he kept holding the gauze to the wound. "I don't know if I can do this- isn't there someone you can call?"

"Baby look at me" Chicago spoke calmly, how he was calm when blood ran down his arm was something Bishop couldn't understand. "It won't hurt- I've been through worse- you think I had medicine the first time? Most I got is a blunt- ion do none of that other shit"

"But I don't know-

"Look at me" Chicago spoke and Bishop did that, he stopped looking at the blood or the wound and at Chicago, his chest was covered in scratches from Bishop and some from the streets both overlapping each other, hickeys filled his neck and chest also from Bishop. He reached Chicagos eyes and his nerves calmed down. "You ain't gonna hurt me- I would do it myself but I can't reach it" he informed and Bishop nodded. He took a few deep breaths then removed the gauze and picked up the sterile needle. He thought back to what his aunt said on the phone before she had gotten called into work- it seemed easy enough.

"Okay- don't move" Bishop added and started the stitch, Chicago didn't move- he didn't show any type of emotion even though it hurt more than before. He just stayed quiet and watched Bishop who was biting on his own lip. "I-I'm almost done- does it hurt?"

"No I'm fine Bishop"

"I don't like when you call me that" Bishop argued taking his eyes away from what he was doing and looked at Chicago. "You make it sound like I'm some random on the street- if I'm your man call me your man- treat me like I'm your man!" He complained and Chicago just let out a deep chuckle.

"Bis-Baby boy, your ass just left all different types of marks on my body- bruised my lip because you bit it so hard. Yo ass cussed me out in a trap house for everyone to see- what did I do? Let you. You wanna know why? Cause none of that shit phases me. If you was anyone else your ass would've been dead the first time you got smart with me"

"Oh yeah? Is that some type of compliment?"

"More than you know" Chicago held eye contact with the man who tried to stay unphased. When he felt himself blushing Bishop looked down and continued to stitch the boy up.

"Normal people just tell the person they like them, what do you do?"

"I had everyone in every trap house on T's shit looking for the person who held a gun up to you" Chicago said still watching Bishops reaction. His eyes went up then went back down to what he was doing not knowing what to say.

"They didn't hold it up to me- they shot the car, I happened to be in it"

"So they just happened to die" Chicago spoke nonchalantly on the topic and it made Bishop shift in his seat. He chewed his inner cheek shaking his head a bit before deciding to stay quiet.

"You didn't have to do that-

"But I did. The streets will do whatever- they don't care about much. But I had to make sure if they care about their life? They'd know better than to play with yours"