★ Love Marks ★ Tythan ★

2 - The Mark on His Arm

A few months passed and the two males found themselves falling into a pattern. Despite what happened that first night, Ethan didn't further push the idea of love onto Tyler. He didn't try setting him up on blind dates, unlike some people he knew, and he didn't even mention the topic. Tyler, in turn, made sure to watch his mouth when it came to the little lines on Ethan's wrists, and things went just fine- even if as the days passed Tyler realized he was becoming more curious about his blue-haired roommates' first love, the one that ended with a tiny white scar. He wanted to ask, but refrained any time the conversation even had an opening for Tyler to begin questioning the younger male about it. It wasn't his place, even if he and Ethan were well on their way to becoming fast friends.

He hadn't meant to be nosy, really he didn't. For the first few days he didn't want to know anything about the supposed lover. He'd already decided it wasn't his business and if the blue-haired boy wanted him to know about it he would tell him. That state of mind all changed only when Ethan had a nightmare about a week into their stay together, his tossing and turning had woken up the older-taller roommate and before Tyler could muster up the strength to get up Ethan had let out muffled rendition of a name that Tyler thought was 'Alex' or 'Aryn' or something of the sort. When Tyler had woken him up, he only cast a sad smile towards his wrist and shook his head, thanking Ty for waking him up.

That was the only reason Tyler became curious about what really happened to his friend's first love. It was also the only reason Tyler purposely started making a habit of making hot chocolate before bed for the two of them, a cure for nightmares as his mother used to call it. Ethan accepted the mug without question the first time Tyler made it, and now every time he started showing signs of tiredness he would always cast Tyler a knowing look, at which point Tyler would make an excuse about wanting coca and exit to the small kitchen attached to their room. He told himself again and again that it was for the mental health and well-being of his friend.

What else could it be, after all?

-

"Come on Tyler, we have to get out of here at some point. You can't spend the remainder of your days underneath the bed sheets." Ethan told him, sounding exasperated. Tyler laughed, more because of how dirty that came out as opposed to what his roommate actually meant.

It only took a few moments for him to be through laughing, which he noted made Ethan blush and declare something along the lines of, 'I meant sleeping!' So he did realize how wrong that came out. He was learning. "I can and I will." He declared with a small smile, burrowing further under the covers to prove his point.

"This is your first time on your own and you want to spend it doing the same thing you did at home? Come on, live a little!" Ethan commanded, although he sounded entertained.

"You just want to go for a walk, how much living is that?" Tyler countered, peeking out from under his blanket fortress to look at his friend with a raised eyebrow.

"More than what you're doing. Come on, I'll buy you something." He offered, and yeah that was a pretty good bribe apparently because it was enough to get him out of bed, groaning in complaint all the while.

"You owe me." He muttered softly, not really meaning it. He grabbed some clothes from the closet, deciding that the same clothes he had been wearing for two days needed to be changed.

"You're going to have fun, stop complaining." Ethan laughed in reply as Tyler pushed into the bathroom to get ready.

A half hour later, and they were walking down the road towards the shops. Tyler had his hands shoved in his jean pockets, looking around at the people scurrying around. Mostly business men, all of whom had mastered the look of, 'I'm running late, don't talk to me' as if anyone would actually want to talk to them. He let out a sigh when he realized that he was going to be just like that someday. Did he even really want to be a lawyer?