17: A Promise of Protection

He turned slowly, and there, standing just a few feet away, was Ethan.

Unlike the Ethan lying motionless in the hospital bed, this Ethan looked strong, his presence solid and reassuring. His dark eyes held a quiet warmth, and there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Adrian's heart skipped a beat at the sight.

It took him a moment to find his voice, the emotions from their previous encounters still fresh in his mind. He looked down, his hands fidgeting as he asked, almost hesitantly, "Why do you always protect me?"

Ethan didn't hesitate. His answer was gentle, spoken with a calm certainty. "Because I like protecting you."

Adrian's breath caught in his throat. The simplicity of the statement, the way it was delivered with such genuine affection, left him speechless. He looked up at Ethan, his silver eyes wide, a mix of surprise and something deeper swirling in their depths.

"You… you like protecting me?" Adrian repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. It was as if the idea had never even occurred to him before—that someone would willingly choose to protect him, not out of obligation, but out of affection.

Ethan's smile softened, his gaze never wavering. "Yes," he replied, stepping closer. "I've always wanted to protect you, Adrian. From the moment I knew you were mine."

Adrian's heart fluttered at the words, a blush rising to his cheeks.

He had never been anyone's priority before—he had always been the one left behind, the one who had to fend for himself.

For a moment, he didn't know what to say. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, questions bubbling to the surface.

"What if…" Adrian began, his voice uncertain. "What if I wanted to become a painter? I love painting, but... no one ever took it seriously. What if that's what I want to do?"

Ethan's eyes lit up with approval. "Then you'll be a painter. I'll support you, whatever path you choose."

Adrian blinked, caught off guard by how easily Ethan accepted his dreams—how supportive he was without a hint of doubt or judgment. He had never experienced that before.

"But what if… what if it doesn't work out?" Adrian asked, his voice small. "What if I'm not good enough?"

Ethan shook his head gently, his hand reaching out to cup Adrian's cheek. His touch was warm, grounding. "You are more than good enough, Adrian. And if it doesn't work out, we'll find something else. But you should always pursue what makes you happy. I'll be there with you, no matter what."

Adrian leaned into Ethan's hand, his heart swelling with a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability. He had always been hesitant to dream too big, afraid that the world would crush those dreams as it had crushed so many others before.

He hesitated before asking the next question, his voice barely above a whisper. "What if we… can't have a child? What if we can't… have a family of our own?"

Ethan's thumb brushed softly against Adrian's cheek, his voice calm and assured. "Then we'll adopt a child—or two, if you want. We'll make our own family, however we can. As long as we're together, nothing else matters."

Adrian's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The thought of having a family, of building a life with someone who truly cared for him, was something he had never allowed himself to believe was possible. And yet here was Ethan, promising him a future filled with love and support.

"But… what if people judge us?" Adrian asked, his voice shaking slightly. "What if they look down on us for… for being different?"

Ethan's expression didn't falter. "Let them judge. Their opinions don't matter. What matters is how we live our lives, how we care for each other. I won't let anyone's judgment stand between us."

Adrian bit his lip, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. He had always feared judgment, always tried to keep his head down to avoid the scrutiny of others. But Ethan's confidence, his steadfast refusal to let the world's opinions affect them, made Adrian feel braver than he ever had before.

He took a deep breath, the questions still tumbling from his lips.

"What if… I'm not strong enough? What if I keep making mistakes? What if I… what if I fail you?"

Ethan's gaze softened, and he reached out, taking Adrian's hand in his. "You don't have to be strong all the time, Adrian. I'll be your strength when you need it. And as for mistakes—everyone makes them. It's part of being human. I don't expect perfection from you. I only want you to be yourself."

Adrian looked down at their intertwined hands, a lump forming in his throat. He had spent so much of his life feeling like he wasn't enough—like no matter how hard he tried, he could never meet the expectations placed on him. But Ethan didn't see him that way. Ethan saw him as someone worth protecting, worth loving.

"What if…" Adrian hesitated, his voice barely audible. "What if I'm too much trouble?"

Ethan's laugh was soft, affectionate. "You're not trouble, Adrian. You're a part of my life now—the boy I fell in love with. I'll gladly take care of you, all your life, if you'll let me."

Adrian's breath hitched at the word "love." It wasn't just a casual statement. It was a promise—a promise that Ethan would stand by him, through every doubt and fear, through every uncertainty that lay ahead.

"But… why me?" Adrian asked, his voice trembling with the weight of his insecurities. "Why would you choose someone like me?"

Ethan's hand moved from Adrian's cheek to his chin, lifting his face so their eyes met. His expression was filled with quiet intensity as he spoke. "Because you're you, Adrian. You've been through so much, and yet you're still standing. You're strong, even if you don't see it. And you're kind. You've shown me a side of the world I never knew I needed."

Adrian's eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of relief—tears of hope. He had spent so long feeling invisible, unwanted. But here was someone who saw him, truly saw him, and loved him for who he was.

Ethan's hand tightened around his, the warmth of his touch grounding Adrian in this surreal dreamscape. "I don't care about your past, Adrian. I care about the man you are now, and the man you'll become. And I want to be by your side, for all of it."

Adrian swallowed hard, the emotions swirling inside him too complex to put into words. He had never imagined feeling this way—never imagined that someone could care for him so deeply, so unconditionally.

Ethan took a step closer, his other hand reaching up to cradle Adrian's face once more. His voice was soft, almost a whisper, as he spoke the words that would forever change Adrian's world.

"You're my family now, Adrian. And nothing—nothing—will ever change that."

Adrian's chest ached with a mixture of love and vulnerability. He had always been afraid of being a burden, afraid of being abandoned. But with Ethan's gentle, steady presence, those fears began to melt away, replaced by something stronger.

Trust.

He looked up at Ethan, his silver eyes glistening with emotion. "I… I don't know what to say."

Ethan smiled, his thumb brushing softly against Adrian's cheek. "You don't have to say anything, Adrian. Just know that I'm here. Always."

Adrian closed his eyes, leaning into Ethan's touch, feeling the warmth of his words sink into his heart. For the first time in a long time, he felt safe. Safe in the knowledge that he wasn't alone anymore—that he had someone who would stand by him, no matter what.

In that moment, the dream world around them faded into a warm, golden haze.

When he woke up, the world didn't seem quite so lonely anymore.