You'll Keep Me Safe, Right?

Happy with You

*** Three Weeks Later ***

"Is every piece here then?" Miguel asked as I lined them up. 

"One more," Isaac said coming up the stairs and laying it in my line. 

"This is it," I said nervously. Miguel wanted to look at all my workers and see what we would label this showing. Isaac kept reassuring me that Miguel would love my work, but I couldn't help but be nervous. I mean what if he didn't? He wouldn't want to hurt his rep with my bad work. Even if Isaac is his best friend. 

I watched as he looked at each one for a moment a piece. He stopped at the last one and rubbed his chin for a moment while I felt Isaac's handing creeping into mine. I grabbed it fast and squeezed it tight. 

"I love how you do have some female forms here, but I think you really have a focus of male here," he wanted make to Isaac's favorite of us. 

"Yes, the girl ones are both of my best friend. I haven't spent much time with women lately," I laughed nervously. 

"Ethan, it's good to have a focus. It shows your passionate at the moment. I mean this could forever be your passion and that's okay too. Everyone has something that want to see and I already know a lot of people who will be very please with some good male pieces. Finally," he smiled sticking his hand out to me. 

"So do I have it?" I asked sticking my hand back out. 

"The only question is would you like me to set it up or would you like too?" he winked and shook my hand. 

"Oh my god. Thank you Miguel," I smiled big turning the shake into a hug. 

"It's no problem," he smiled big. "But I will say I may just have to buy one of the female ones," he winked. 

"She's off the market, but you can certainly have her silhouette," I laughed. 

"I still might bye that one," Isaac pointed at his favorite. 

"You can buy whatever you want that night sir," Miguel laughed. 

Isaac's face changed quickly as his phone rang. He stepped aside answering it. 

"How is everything going?" Miguel asked concern in his voice. 

In the last three weeks we had two more run in's with Russo's men. Every time they failed though. One time I actually broke the guys noise. Isaac had been teaching me some boxing lessons to help protect myself. 

"It's been fine this week, but apparently Russo killed the last guy himself because he couldn't get me," I heard my voice give in a little. 

"Russo is ruthless," Miguel shivered. I was so thankful that he knew everything. I still hadn't told Jackson and Sarah. I didn't know how too and I was worried it would put them in more danger. 

Isaac walked back to us with an agitated expression and rubbing his neck. 

"Everything okay babe?" I asked rubbing his arm lightly. 

"Yeah. It's actual work this time. Idiots can't seem to make a deal and its frustrating." 

"I bet so," I kissed his cheek. "But you'll whip them into shape." 

"I always do, but I will have to go to Chicago for a few days now so I can handle this," he sighed. 

"As long as you're here in....," I looked to Miguel. 

"We'll show in two weeks," he smiled looking back at the paintings. 

"Two weeks," I laughed. 

"I will defiantly be back before then," he laughed kissing me softly. "I'm going to leave you boys to look at those though okay? Miguel will you make sure he gets home safe?" 

"Of course we've got a lot of talking to do," he smiled taking me back to the paintings. 

"I love you," I mouthed as he pulled me away. 

"I love you more," Isaac winked walking down the stairs. 

"So I know Isaac hasn't noticed this, but it's obvious your work changes as you get to know him." 

I laughed lightly knowing he was right. "He has no clue but they do for sure. Every time I paint him again I know something knew and it alters how I see him." 

"I think we should use that and put them in order. We can put the girls at the beginning and use it almost a coming out moment or that you didn't think of anyone till him thing," you could feel Miguel getting excited. 

"You really love to display them," I smiled moving the paintings around. 

"I love trying to make the story happen for the artist. You've spent so much time working on it and I want it to show." 

"You're a really great guy you know," I smiled looking at him. 

"Me? No you are," he laughed walking down the line of paintings. 

"How so? I haven't done anything," I laughed. 

"Ethan, I want you to look at your paintings and tell me what happened over time," he stopped at the end looking at me. 

"Well I guess at the beginning it was a lot about how he looked. As time went on it became more about who he was and why I wanted to be with him. That's when a lot of them turned into us. Then back to him as he let me in to his life and I let him in."

"Ethan," Miguel walked to me and took my hands. "I've known Isaac for a long time. I was there for him when he finally came out. He's been searching a long time for someone who will except him for everything that he is. You've done that." 

I could feel my heart beating faster as Miguel gave me the confidence. 

"Really?" 

"There were a lot of frogs before you Ethan and I hated every one of them. You however were the prince," he winked. 

"You're a cheese ball," I laughed pushing him away. 

"And the ladies love it." 

"I bet they do."

"So did he date before he came out?" I asked as Miguel started moving pieces around the room. 

"No," he laughed. "Everything I've gathered from his high school life he didn't then either. He was never really happy till he came out." 

"My poor babe," I sighed looking at his face in one of my works. 

"Yeah your poor babe. It must be awful to be head over heels in love," Miguel teased. 

"You better watch it," I warned. 

"Hey Isaac may be teaching you some, but I've already been taught," Miguel put his fists up. 

"You better not. If Isaac finds out you hurt me," I shook my head, "you'll be sorry." 

"You're lucky punk," he went back to organizing everything. 

I made him happy. He was finally happy. That's the way I'll always keep him.