Everyone who Ethan kisses forgets every memory they have of him.
Ethan sighed. He played a little with his cup of coffee, just to make a mess of his t-shirt. "Shit," he mumbled, running his hand through his blue hair. Luckily only one girl saw him, and he walked over to her, cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in surprise and she stopped giggling. But soon enough her eyes closed and she became limb. Ethan wasn't shocked. He knew she would wake up half a minute later, not remembering the blue haired boy with the grey eyes.
You see, Ethan Nestor wasn't an ordinary guy. He might look like it, with the most outstanding thing his blue dyed hair, but he had a power no one knew. Or at least, no one could remember.
Whenever he kissed somebody, be it a man or a woman, they would forget any memory they had of him. Gaps would be filled up with someone else, who also got that memory. Nobody understood how it was possible. Either way, Ethan could change nature in a drastic way.
Ethan used his power to make people forget about blunders he did, because Ethan was clumsy. He had kissed countless people and erased countless memories.
He also could make fake memories, though he didn't know how. He did it once, but it was a mystery even for him.
His parents hired a man who could do the same. He had to travel all around the world to reach Ethan, telling him they were the only two people in the world who had this power.
"Look Ethan," Mark had said. "We have more power than anyone could imagine. Can you think about things you could do?" Ethan had nodded. "Good. And we should never, ever do these things. You can use it when necessary but it's not good. Only use this power for the good, Ethan."
Mark had continued the lessons about how he could control it, how he should use it.
Two months later Mark had thought the younger boy everything he could learn. He bent down and whispered something in his ear, making the boy smile from ear to ear. He nodded enthusiastically. Mark hugged him, holding him close for a few seconds. "Good luck," he shouted from behind the glass while the train rode away. Ethan felt a few tears roll over his cheeks but a smile broke through. "I won't disappoint you, Mark!"
He put on his hood and walked onto the street. He was always bored, he could control people as he wanted so nothing was a challenge to him. He kicked against a tin laying on the streets. His power was a blessing but also a curse. Nothing was ever enough for him. He couldn't get a relationship, he couldn't kiss his parents goodbye. He cursed under his breath. Why can't I just be normal, he thought at least ten times a day.
He walked towards a bench in the park, the only place he could calm down. He put on music and closed his eyes. Everything went black with the sounds of his music running through his brain.
When Ethan opened his eyes again it was dark outside. His music stopped playing. He stood up and walked home, feeling tears well up in his eyes. Everyone who knew, even his parents, treated him like a monster. (A.N. No offence to mr. and mrs. Nestor...) They would yell at him and he couldn't eat dinner with them, he had to take it to his room and eat it on his own. His little brother of fifteen would bring friends home and bully him. "Freak," they would call him.
Worthless.
Monster.
Not normal.
Ugly.
He tried not to show it but the words were like knifes stabbing him. The worst part was that he thought it was true. He really thought he was a freak, that he was worthless, a monster, not normal and ugly.
Because no one told him otherwise.
"Hey, freak!" one of his brothers friends stood behind him. Ethan turned around with a sigh, not surprised to get punched in the stomach immediately. A few others joined in. He felt ashamed of himself, not because he was getting beaten up by kids two years younger than him, but because he deserved it, or at least he thought.
The kids finished up their business with high fives, leaving Ethan bruised and bleeding on the pavement. He groaned trying to get up, but he fell down immediately. He cried out in pain, letting tears fall down. He curled up in a ball, not wanting to ever get up.
"Why can't I just die..." he mumbled, crawling towards the bridge. Suddenly a strong hand grabbed him by the shoulder, touching a wound and making him whine. "Are you ok?" Ethan turned his head to face a man, looking a few years older than him. He was very handsome was the first thing he noticed; a mop of curly brown hair, a strong jawline and warm eyes. He offered him his hand which Ethan took gladly. "T-thanks." The man shook his head, smiling friendly. "No problem. Want to get a coffee? You need to calm down. You're safe now." He wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders. "I'm Tyler," he introduced himself while they walked towards the closest coffee shop. "Ethan."
Tyler looked at the boy walking next to him. "I'm Tyler." "Ethan." Tyler couldn't stop looking at the boy. He looked so cute, and precious, and innocent...Why would anyone hurt this boy? He looked like he couldn't hurt a fly, and was extremely good-looking...the girls must swoon over him. He shook his head, the boy was heavily injured and he only just met him. Now was not the time to be swooning over him.
He ordered for them both a cup of cappuccino. "So Ethan, why are you beaten up?" The boy became a little red. So cute, Tyler thought. Straight up adorable. "I-uhm..." He felt that Ethan was becoming uncomfortable. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Let's talk about something else. How old are you Ethan?" He mentally face-palmed himself. Very subtle. "17, I'll be 18 tomorrow. And you?" "I'm 21." They continued to ask each other questions back and forth. Every now and then he cracked a smile, making Tyler's heart beat faster. The boy was so gorgeous and adorable at the same time. His brain couldn't understand why he was beaten up.
Ethan looked Tyler in the eyes. The felt like he could drown in them. He could laugh again, he didn't know how long it had been since he had laughed, or even smiled. He had almost forgotten how to do it, and this man just had to smile to make him smile too. He felt fuzzy and warm inside. He felt so comfortable. He hadn't felt this way in years, no scratch that, he had never felt this way.
They had also exchanged phone numbers, Tyler being saved under "stone-faced Tyler" and Ethan under "blue boy." Not knowing they both changed it to "Tyler <3" and "Blue cutie".
"Hey Tyler," he interrupted the comfortable silence they used to drink their coffee. "I will tell you...why I got beaten up." He swallowed. "But we do it outside...and you can't laugh at me or run away." Tyler just smiled, picking up his coffee, and Ethan, still having a little trouble walking walked out of the store.
Ethan looked Tyler straight in his eyes. He took a deep breath. "When...When I kiss people they forget every memory of me. I-I can also change memories so they make sense. The people I kiss go unconscious for half a minute to a minute, and when they wake up they-they don't remember me." He stood on his tip-toes, cupping his cheek and softly pressed his lips against Tyler's.
"Goodbye," he whispered, pulling away when the man's eyes closed. He walked away as quickly as possible, not looking over his shoulders. He felt sadder than he did before he met Tyler, but kept whispering to himself. "It's for the best. No one could love you. He doesn't feel the same."
He didn't notice Tyler standing in the rain, looking at the boy walking away, tears falling down his cheeks.
Ethan woke up in the morning. "Oh yeah, I'm 18 now." His thoughts immediately went to Tyler. Why can't I just stop thinking about him? He was my last thought before I fell asleep...
Bzz
He internally groaned when his phone went off. He really didn't feel like reading messages. The only one who messaged him was the phone company anyway.
Bzz
He groaned reaching out and unlocking his phone.
Tyler <3
Happy birthday, blue boy.
Can you meet me at the coffee shop? I need to talk to you.
His eyes widened in disbelief. "How is this possible?" he whispered. He messaged quickly back that he would be there, and got ready to leave. "Ethan! Where the hell are you going?" his brother called. Ethan smirked. "I'm meeting someone." His brother scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. You don't have friends." He just laughed it off. "Well, apparently I do. You're just too stupid to realize it." And slammed the door behind him.
He immediately noticed the tall man sitting in the front, impatiently tapping with his foot on the ground. "Hey," Ethan said shyly.
"Hey," Ethan said. Tyler, who tried to look angry, immediately failed and smiled at the boy. "Hi. Sit down please." Ethan nodded and sat down. "Now, I wanted to talk to you," Tyler sighed. "You said people forget you when you kiss them. Why did you want me to forget you?"
Because I love you but you won't love me back, Ethan thought. But he could never say that. "More importantly, why didn't you forget me?" Tyler looked in his eyes, a small smile on his face. "I don't know. But I'm glad I didn't."
He pressed his lips softly against Ethan's, pouring all his feelings in the kiss. It was a kiss that felt like him saying "I'll always be there for you." Ethan closed his eyes too, and only opened them when Tyler pulled back. "Why did you want me to forget you?" he repeated. Ethan bit his lip. "I-I love you...I know it's too fast to say it...But you make me feel better than anyone ever this...Being with you feels right...But I'm a freak. I would only hurt you."
"Did they call you names?" "...Yeah..." "What did they say?"
"Freak."
Tyler softly pressed his lips on his forehead. "Different in a good way." Ethan tinted a little pink.
"Worthless."
Tyler softly kissed the top of his head. "valuable."
"Monster."
Tyler kissed his temple. "Angel."
"Not normal."
Tyler pressed his lips on Ethan's hand. "Unique in the best way possible.
"Ugly."
Tyler kissed him on the lips, long and sweet. When he pulled away he looked him straight in his grey eyes. "Perfect."
Ethan couldn't hold his tears back. He buried his face in Tyler's chest. "T-thank you." Tyler kissed his head again. "You're perfect, angel. Don't ever think different."
"Tyler?" "Yeah?" "I love you." "I love you too, angel. Will you do me the honour of being your boyfriend?"
Ethan cracked the widest smile ever. "I would love to."
Mark bent down to the boy he had been teaching about his ability. He bent down to say goodbye. "One more thing: When you kiss your soulmate, they won't forget you. Go out there, and find them." Mark hugged him, holding him close. He hopped in the train, shouting "good luck!" from behind the glass. Ethan felt tears prickling from behind his eyes. They rolled down his cheek, but a smile cracked through. "I won't disappoint you, Mark!" he yelled, running along with the train. Mark smiled back before turning towards a blonde woman. He kissed her lovingly on the lips, and Ethan couldn't help but smile even wider.