"What do you want Sam?" The large man's face was still healing up from the other day. He was fidgety and stuttering as he tried to voice his request. It must have been something important if he was asking for something before his wounds were fully healed. Usually he was wary until they were at least no longer noticeable.
"I-I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date this Friday?"
That was surprising. The man was still black and blue and now he was asking about a date. Ricky rose one brow and put his phone down to properly look at Sam.
"You want to go out on a date with me?" that was the last thing Ricky had expected.
"Yes, I know it is a little short notice but I just want to have a nice time with you that day." Sam didn't want to say why. He knew Ricky would react weirdly but he couldn't bring himself to let the anniversary pass without a little fanfare. Sam knew he shouldn't be caring about those things but despite Ricky's treatment of him, he was still a sentimental dumbass.
Ricky wasn't dumb. He looked at the date on his phone. Friday was the 12th. Was this man for real? This was the 3rd year in a row Sam tried to sneakily celebrate an arbitrary anniversary. It was the day he gave Sam his ring so no mother fuckers would approach him at the gym. Ever since he got it 4 years ago he tried to go out on the date every year.
Ricky played ball even though he was in a bad mood it was the only way to give Sam a win without letting him know it. "Yeah yeah, we can go out as long as you're looking better by then."
Sam smiled and nodded excitedly. "No worries I'll be fine by Friday."
Dumbass excited to celebrate an anniversary with him... it made Ricky feel even more like a piece of shit.
Sam skipped off and that's when Elisa who was wiping down windows nearby put down her spray bottle and approached the you man she had known almost his whole life.
"Ricky, please don't ruin this for him. He tries so hard to be happy here. Don't take away the little moments." Elisa pleaded. Sam had spoken to her about the upcoming anniversary. She was his only confidant. Similar to how Ricky ran to her every time he wanted to share a small moment of happiness in the hellish place that was his father's home. "He wants you to be happy with him too, you could be happy with him. You have the power to change things and just enjoy being with him."
Ricky sighed. "How? Do I even have the right? Things started so fucked up between us how do I even change things. I don't even think I can change I'm just like that fucking bastard."
"You can change. You want to change. Your father didn't want to change. He loved who he was and loved people fearing him. You don't though you struggle with it every time. Please just try before you lose him." Elisa knew the sweetest little boy was still in there.
"I, don't know."
