"Stalker."

Norton had finally gotten out, out of his home, his family, the mines, his life. He was free. And you were the first person to show him any kindness.

He'd been stumbling out of the forest, not coping well with how his mine was so... hidden and not acknowledged at all, when he saw you walking. Gathering his courage, and his thorn-pricked tail, he jogged his way over to you.

"I'm lost!" He shouted to get your attention, you quirked an eyebrow at his appearance as you immediately went on guard, but, he seemed genuinely nervous and lost. So, naively, you waved him over.

"I was heading back anyways, you live in town?" You had tried small talk as you offered him a few berries you packed, which he greedily accepted.

"Uh..." He nearly froze, not aware of how to respond to that question, especially now with a mouth full of berries "Uh, yeah, yeah I do!" And that was all it took.

---------------------------------------------------

Norton had been sticking around you for... God knows how long now. You saw him on your walks, which you stopped going on because of this. You saw him at work, which you nearly quit. You saw him at the market.

It was like ever since you saw him once you now saw him everywhere! It was so odd... Today however, you had decided to go to the market, you couldn't keep eating your large stash of refried beans that you avoided because of some mouse guy.

And of course... You saw him walk into the market just moments after you did... "Stalker." you muttered, speeding off to the fruit section, which was also his first stop too.

You glanced up to see him snatching berries and stuffing his face. "You really shouldn't steal." You had spoken, Norton looked up at you like a deer in headlights, ironic.

"Then the berries shouldn't be good enough to steal." He huffed