Morning, Not Good, But Morning

The sun crept through the window in an angst filled quest while my eyes tried their best to remain ignorant of the blinding assault. The bed felt soft while the sheets smelled of sandalwood and gardenias. It was strange, I don't remember my bed being so low to the ground. It wasn't until memories from the night before flooded my brain, honestly how could anyone forget?

I wasn't home.

My head pounded as I begrudgingly looked around with crusty eyes. The musty smell of the air tainted the mature smell with sorrow as dust filled my nose. Ethan was nowhere to be found as the bedroom door was left shut. On the bright side next to the bed was a change of clothes, an orange hoodie and a pair of dark grey sweatpants. I got up and manically made the bed before changing into the new clothes, finding even a pair of navy blue boxers to wear. It was a bit weird how they seemed to look about my size but I was at least grateful for not having to wear the same underwear twice.

"Y/n? Are you up now?" Ethan called through the door after giving it a gentle knock.

"Yeah, I just got done getting changed." I answered his question before opening the door. On the other side Ethan was looming over me wearing a grey t-shirt and black sweatpants with wide eyes after I opened the door fully.

"Oh...that's good." He blinked and stood still for a moment before clearing his throat. "I'm happy to see that they fit you well enough. I didn't have anything else to give you, sorry." He scratched at the back of his neck.

"Its more than alright, I'm just happy to wear something comfy after everything," My face turned sour at the thought of yesterday's events yet again. "Anyways, thank you again for....everything. I really don't know what I've would have done without you."

"Well enough with the thanking, you need to eat something before anything else happens today," Ethan said while walking down the stairs. "I'll be heading out to get some stuff from the store, so tell me what you want to eat and I'll buy some ingredients." Ethan pick up some keys hanging on a cabinet near the stairs.

"Oh, you don't have to do that!" I declined but Ethan insisted.

"Yeah, well, yes I do. I mean how else would I get you to keep thanking me?" His cheeky smile was wide as he held the door handle. "And no, you don't have to come with me or worry about the price for things. Just stay here and rest."

I reluctantly agreed after a time and gave him my request that he memorized to heart. "Got it, and remember to rest. I'll take you to the station after breakfast so just settle. I don't have much to do around here but you can read one of my books I have." That is all that Ethan said before slamming the door in a hurry. Though the realization came to me after he did so about his outing, he and I were skipping school today.

A sad lump caught in my throat. 'I really am a burden, aren't I? I'll have to find a way to pay him back for everything.'

"So, are you going to continue being loud?" Jarah muttered while walking out from the direction of the living room.

"You're here?" I sputtered.

"Yeah, this is my 'home' as well. Why, am I not allowed to be here?"

"N-no, no! I just thought...you lived somewhere else."

"I bounce around," Jarah shrugged while yawning. "But I stayed here because Ethan cashed in that favor."

I remained quiet as I watched him slink off towards the living room. There is definitely something more to these two then they let on. The more time left alone the more the events played over and over again. My hand gripped the door handle as something stuck out to me, how Ethan killed those people yesterday. It was as though he's done it before. I gulped down my nerves as I thought about Jarah down stairs, what exactly was that favor?

It's none of my business, really. I could be over thinking, maybe it's because of the death trailing my life so far that's left me paranoid. No, it isn't right to be thinking that way of Ethan. He helped, no, saved me. The least I can do is not look a gift horse in the mouth but instead think of a way to repay him for literally saving my life.

"What do I do!? Ronnies gonna bust up my face now!" Ethan grumbled to himself as he stood in the ally smoking a lit cigarette. He inhaled, stopped and slowly let out a puff of cement smelling smoke. The pressure was ever present after his impulsive decision.

That night he was on an assignment, to kill the rat 'eating the gangs rice'. The money was slowly leaving the cash dump and now the problem was gone but there was another one, some  new hot shot was after y/n. From what Jarah has told him it's been one of those 'newer' customers. New as in only the past two years or so compared to the Bixby family whom they've been working with for over a decade. How much money were they dealing to out buy the Bixby family!? Or was it that they have something over our heads?

It's scary to think about, on one hand you have a hormonal psycho with an unhealthy obsession on the other...a completely unknown threat. He hadn't said anything to his oh-so-sweet employer. Was it dumb? maybe. But Ronnie probably would do more harm to y/n right now then anything.

This...has gone against everything Ethan made rules for. Rule one gone; had gone and gotten friendly with the target, too friendly. The others...shit he probably scared you more with his bloody executions.

"This is all shit!" Ethan clenched his cigarette harshly as he kicked a lose brick from the cleverly hidden stack. The trip to the corner store seemed long and gruesome for both you and Ethan but for entirely different reasons. Ethan eventually came back with a fake winded demeanor.

You where upstairs, taking a shower while Jarah sat on the couch watching cat videos on his phone.

"She's been quiet." Jarah remarked as Ethan walked by with groceries in hand.

"And? I didn't really expect her to do much..." Ethan trailed off annoyed with his 'roommates' presence. "What have you been doing?"

"None of you business." Jarah answered sharply without even batting an eye in Ethan direction as Ethan busier himself in the kitchen. The smell of pancakes eventually summoned you down but there was something off to Ethan as you looked him in the eye before focusing on the pancakes.

"Wow! These don't even look real! Are these cat faces made out of fruit?" You exclaimed excitedly as you looked at your helping while Ethan stood by the stove wearing a worn creamsicle orange apron.

Jarah's ears perked up as he slowly made his way to the kitchen. Two of his favorite things say before you on a plate; cats and sweet delicious pancakes. "Make me one." Jarah looked indifferently at Ethan as he strode over to your plate.

"No, make your own." Ethan grumbled as you awkwardly started taking slow bites from your pancake after taking slow cuts from the plate. Your eyes flicked between the two as it became hard to swallow due to the tension in the air.

"Make me one." Jarah said again as he stood next to you and watched as you ate your helping of pancakes.

Ethan remained quiet as he watched the pancake in the pan cook, adding a few chocolate chips into the pancake as he waited. It felt like forever before that pancake was flipped over and then eventually done cooking. Ethan set to work decorating the pancake before setting it down on the table, next to you and Jarah. You choked as your eyes where both impressed and laughing at the drawing on the fresh pancake. It was a decent drawing with the backside of the car staring back at you. The only reason why you knew it was a cats backside was the perspective details allowing for depth to show parts of the cats body with the cat having a smug face on it.

"This is my way of telling you to-"

"Eat shit!"

Jarah boomed as he shoved the pancake away before yanking your plate away in a huff, leaving to eat whatever was left of your meal. You where mad and already half way out of your seat to get your plate back but the sharp glare and the fact a knife was thrown and now sticking out of the wall made you sit down.

"Asshole.." you mumbled with caused Ethan to crack a laugh.

"Which one?"

You didn't laugh. You were genuinely upset that this motherfucker stole your pancake. That's when tears prickled your eyes. "I just wanted to eat a pancake! Is that so hard!?" You where now a mess again as the stress from yesterday hit you and your sensitive brain.

"I'm gonna kill that bitch." Ethan harshly whispered under his breath as he tried to consolidate you.