Smut on the pole

"Final goodbye"

Marks POV
The room was silent apart from Tyler's mourning wails and sobs. He held the pale, limp hand of his dead boyfriend and one of my close employees, Ethan.
It was hard to understand that he was gone, just like that, with the click of the fingers... Well, rather with the click of a reloaded gun. I guess that tonight proves the saying
'tomorrow is never promised. Here today, gone the next' to be true.
Ethan's body is flushed of any form of color or life. The only thing showing he'd once been alive was the bullet holes, the reminder of this nights tragedies. After all the drama of this night, after everything thats happened while owning the strip club... I never thought I'd ever loose one of my workers in my whole career. I thought my system was flawless, that it would ensure their safety... Guess the flaws are shinning through like the bullets that had been extracted from Ethan's wounds. Tears well in my eyes, falling down my cheeks to my chin where they descended for the ground.
This was too much to take, not exaggerating either. I just can't understand how quick the events had turned, how quick the world had killed innocent Ethan and majorly injured Jack to the point he's on the cliff of life and death. Poor Tyler traumatized and mourning heavily over his loss. He trembles and sobs, sitting down in a seat beside me. I place a hand on Tyler's shoulder, hoping to give him some form of comforting. Tyler turns to me, his eyes puffy and red, tear marks streak and stain down his face and around his eyes. New tears falling every blink he does. I give him a trace of a ghostly smile, unable to even form a fake smile.

"Ethan did well. He saved us in a way." I attempted to make Tyler smile. Tyler instead sighed, taking a breath in to calm himself down.

"He saved me" his voice was heavy with tears and sorrow. Softening his expression more, dropping his gaze from my face, fluttering it back onto Ethan. "He sacrificed himself to protect me. It should of just been me" Tyler let out another sob. Coughing and spluttering as he sucks back a sob trying to breathe. I felt horrible. Upset carrying my thoughts away with the tears that streak down my cheeks.

"Well, don't let his sacrifice be for nothing, Tyler. Ethan would want you to carry on with life, to accomplish your dreams. He will be standing here with us right now. I know he would be." I smile, placing a hand on Tyler's shoulder and giving him a little shake and pat on the back. He Tyler smiles and chuckles a little, sucking in a shaky breath.

"He'd be bloody crying with us. He always was a sensitive little guy." He laughs. I laugh with him, knowing he was right. We both laugh and cry at stories and memories we had with Ethan, but stop once a lady comes in.

"Sorry to interrupt. Im here to care for the body, so you need to say your final goodbyes before his soul and body are gone" She says. Tyler and I stand up, tears overcoming us again. We stand side by side at the side of Ethan's hospital bed.

"Goodbye Ethan. I love you, I always will. I'll never forget you and what you sacrificed for me. Enjoy heaven my guardian angel. Don't miss me too much. I'll miss you more than anything though, my love" Tyler says with a shaky voice. Taking a pause between sentences. Trying to hold in his sobs. He brushes a stray hair from Ethan's forehead, then admires his last glance at Ethan. Cupping Ethan's cheek before he places a gentle kiss on his forehead. Rubbing his thumb over Ethan's cheek one last time.
"This is my final goodbye. I love you Ethan. My angel, my guardian. I'll live everyday in memory of you. I'll work better like you'd encourage me to, I will accomplish what we wanted to do, but never managed to. Goodbye" Tyler says. Finally pulling away from Ethan. Indicating for me to say my goodbyes. But tears and upset make me unable to move. Even the lady who'd just walked in had a tear in her eye.
I finally manage to take a step forward, walking shakily with tears towards Ethan. Unable to hold back my tears.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye Ethan. You were always my most valid employee. I will ensure to make you a memorial, not a small one that no one will notice. A big memorial that everyone will see. Your heroism wont be forgotten" I look over his face one last time.
"Goodbye Ethan, till when I see you again in heaven or in another life." I kiss two of my fingers then place them on his cheek. Not wanting to kiss him but still playing my respects. The lady wiped a tear from her eye as she walked forward.

"Such beautiful goodbyes. Im sure if he were to hear them, they would of brought tears to his eyes, he'd of loved to hear them." She says as she lifts the white sheet over Ethan's face. She then turns and gives us a sympathetic and friendly smile. "We'll care for his body till your planned funeral day. For now, I will leave you with good news. Your other friend Sean has woken from his deep coma and is now in and out of consciousness. But he's classified as stable for now." We thank her and say goodbye. We wipe our tears away as we walk down the halls to where Jacks room is located. Not speaking a word, too upset to speak.