Different

8

He ignores my question for a while, but he holds out an arm when i reach for it. I clean the scratches one by one, wrapping basically his whole arm because there were just so many.

"I'm a hybrid."

I look up at him, but his eyes give nothing away.

"Have you always been one?" He nods, and i realize the only place left to clean up is his chest and back.

"May i?" I look at his chest and hold up the cotton swab, and he realizes i need him to take off his shirt.

He nods, but his ears are pink.

"How old are you?"

"22" I avoid staring at his bare chest, but it was much better in the light, let me tell you. Gorgeous creamy skin, and while he has a soft tummy it is hard from years of exercise of some sort. 

My lips curl as worst case scenarios for that exercise fill my mind, and i have to take a deep breath to keep my hands from shaking in anger. 

"And you?"

"21" He looks surprised, and i grin at him.

"What, you thought i was a noona? Sorry to crush your dreams." He stares at me, but soon a smile creeps up his face. It's cute, and the cold in my chest feels a bit easier to swallow. 

"How disappointing." I playfully glare at him and press the swab harder, he just grins and pretends to be hurt.

"Now for your back."

"No thank you, there's no fresh wounds." I raise a brow, realizing that we had so quickly gotten comfortable.

"Okay."

He looks at me as i clean everything up, and when i'm done i do the same.

"Thank you, and i'm sorry." I'm surprised, because honestly i couldn't see any reason for him to be sorry.

"I made the choices i made because they felt right. And honestly i should be thanking you. I've never really felt so...free."

As i said it all the stress faded and i realized it was true. Now i could leave and have no regrets, and nothing was holding me back.

I think of the bird, and for a moment i almost feel weightless in my freedom. No chains. 

He nods but i can tell he feels guilty, so i reach out and rub his head.

"Hey, do you know what the best thing about the Swiss flag is?" He looks up, and he looks so bewildered i have to hold back a laugh so as not to ruin the joke. 

"No?"

"Me neither, but the flag is a big plus." His eyes blank and then he bursts out laughing. I join him and honestly it feels so good just to laugh that i end up wiping away tears as i let it blow away all my worries. 

"You'd get along with my friends really well." I raise an eyebrow as i wipe a tear, he's now leaning back on the couch, and i join him.

"You have friends, you seemed kinda like a loner no offense."

He chuckles and it's adorable. If he wasn't older than me he'd be like the cute little brother i never had.

"Thanks, but honestly they're crazy. They're like my brothers." I nod and glance at him, he's handsome, but not in a way that makes me nervous. If anything he seems so warm and approachable when he isn't locked up it surprises me.

"What's your name?" He glances at me and blinks, like me not knowing his name after everything was weird. It was, which is why i needed to ask.

"Taehyung." I smile and he does as well.

"Marillany But you can me Mari." He smiles and i switch on the TV to avoid any awkwardness.

After a few episodes of some cartoon that Taehyung had been engrossed in i realize he fell asleep.

 I get up quietly, placing my hand on his cheek and guiding him down to the pillow and putting his feet up. I grab a blanket from the extra room and cover him up before heading to the bedroom for some much needed sleep.