The kid sat down on my bed. Lucas and I looked for medical supplies, and we brought gauze down to him. When we came down the steps, he was already wrapping gauze around his cut. A skin stapler lay next to him on the bed.
"What the hell," I said. "Where did you get gauze?"
He glanced at me and looked away.
"I always bring it with me."
Lucas and I looked at each other then crossed our arms.
"So, why were you following us?" I asked.
"Wasn't it obvious?" the kid said.
Lucas looked at me.
"It was kind of a stupid question."
"You want me to beat your ass again, Lucas?"
We both looked back at the kid. I walked over to my bed and sat next to him. He moved over slightly when I sat down. He glanced at me like he was analyzing a threat. His hand shook as he picked up the stapler. I reached for it and he pulled away.
"Go away, what are you doing?" the kid asked.
I opened my hand.
"I'm trying to help," I said. "I'm the one who cut you, so let me help."
Lucas scoffed and walked upstairs.
"Fine, I'm only letting you do this because I can't do it myself."
The kid slowly handed over the stapler. I knelt down so I could staple his wound.
"What's your name?"
The kid winced every time I stapled his wound.
"You know, it doesn't hurt as much if you have a conversation to take your mind off of the pain."
"Yeah, yeah my name is Kade."
"Alright, Kade," I said. "What do you want out of life?"
"I am going to get strong enough to kill my brother."
"Why?"
He became agitated.
"Why don't you fix my wound already? Just shut the hell up!"
I sent the final staple into his leg before standing. I noticed many scars littering his leg, he ripped a blanket off of the bed and tried to cover them.
"At this rate, you're going to die if you keep this up, Kade," I said. "I'll train you."
We sat there as the silence lingered.
"I'm not going to let an assassin train me. I kill assassins. I shouldn't even be here right now."
Kade stood up and walked out of the room. I followed him to the stairwell.
"I'm not an assassin, Kade," I said. "I just…used to be, but not anymore. I'm done with that life."
Kade stopped.
"Why?"
"I realized being an assassin isn't what I want out of life. I want a family and friends to be happy with."
He laughed.
"Do you really think you deserve happiness? After all of the innocent people you've killed."
"I don't think I deserve forgiveness for those things," I raised my voice. "But I think I deserve a chance to try and do some good in the world."
Kade slowly walked down the steps. His eyes calmed down.
"I still hate you, but I need you if I want to get strong."
We shook hands as Lucas watched from the top of the stairwell.
"When do I start?"
"I want training lessons too," Lucas yelled from the bottom of the stairwell.
"Have patience my children," I joked. "We will start tomorrow night after I get off of my evening shift."
Lucas looked disgusted.
"Don't ever call us your children again, okay?"
I smiled as Kade walked upstairs.
"Kade, let's leave the old man to himself," Lucas said as Kade reached the top of the steps.
Kade nodded and Lucas waved as they both left the store. I went to bed with this weird feeling in my chest. I really wanted to help this kid live a good life. I thought about seeing him in the future with a wife, a nice house, and a couple of kids running around. I grinned as I fell asleep.