Writing Prompts

"I Love You" Is All I Need to Hear

Sometimes, no matter the situation, hearing, "I love you" from the ones who matter most is all you need to hear.

Key

[Takes place in universe of common alien stereotypes; names are completely made up]
Crenab - Common deity in this area's religion

Jarbum - Male teenager of humankind; son of Abethia & Raybion

Abethia - Female of alien kind; married; mother of two

Raybion - Male of alien kind; married, father of two

Yandel - Male child of alien kind; son of Abethia & Raybion

     "Um, hey Mom; can I ask you a question?"

     "Of course, Hon, what's on your mind?"

     "Why don't I look like you and Dad?"

     At this, the female averted her gaze from the teenager in what seemed to be sadness, but quickly hid it in a bright smile; her three rows of sharp pointy teeth shining brightly.

     "Because everyone is different, of course! Crenab made us all like this for a reason—to let us all be unique in our own ways. But let's be honest, no one looks the same in our little world."

     Listening to his mother's words, he glanced around and indeed noticed that everyone looked really different. The one woman pushing a baby stroller down the purple sidewalk had only 3 arms when the man walking beside her had 4.

     Yes, he knew that everyone was different, he grew up knowing things like that in kindergarten, But that wasn't the case.

     You see, even if people are all different in many ways, Jarbum noticed that he looked way too different than he should've. Another thing was that his younger brother, Yandel, looked just like his mother and father. This fact made him ask questions like the one he was asking now.

     "Yes, Mom; I know, but... Even Yandel looks similar to you and Dad than I do!"

     Once again, his mother, Abethia avoided her son's gaze. "Well—you see—"

     "Abethia, why can't we just tell him the truth? You should know by now that he is more understanding and wise than most; you can trust him to make the right decision." Raybion, Jarbum's father told her.

     The four-eyed male, Raybion was the teen's father and worked for the local law-enforcement department. He was pretty strict, but it was all in good thought.

     She looked up at her husband and slowly nodded. Turning back to her son she took a deep breath.

     "A while ago, when you were just a baby, there was a robbery at the bank on cleport road. Your father and his old partner were chasing them all the way out of our orbit.

     They eventually were able to take out one of their rockets, causing the robber to accidentally turn towards a planet's orbit and get sucked in.

     So your father pursued after them, as they crashed into the unknown planet.

     When they landed, the other one had already died in the crash, taking the unknown life forms who lived there with them. Deciding to look around the area a bit, Raybion, and his partner came across what seemed to be a smaller or childlike version of the two unknown organisms. Probably their child, even.

     Your father knew that he couldn't just leave the evidence of a crash, nor the child alone, and brought them both home. The child, however; he kept for himself and his family."

     At first, Jarbum was confused. What does this have to do with me? He thought. It's not like-

     Then it hit him.

     That child was him.

     He was an alien from another planet.

     These were not his actual parents.

     Wait, yes they are, he mentally smacked himself for thinking otherwise. These were the people who raised you, fed you, and gave you shelter; my actual birth parents barely matter, and it should stay that way.

     Jarbum then noticed that he had been crying and cursed himself quietly.

     Abethia immediately noticed and started freaking out while Raybion had a sad look on his face.

     "Oh dear; I knew we shouldn't have told him!" the boy's mother panicked. "I'm sorry, Jarbum; It's just that we love you so much and we didn't want you to hate us for taking you or-"

     That was all the human needed to hear; that, 'I love you'

     Without a second thought, Jarbum brought both of his real parents into a hug and said, "I love my family more than anything. And those people from that other planet—they aren't my family.

     And they-"

     "Are you guys hugging without me?!" A voice exclaimed in disbelief from afar.

     Slightly turning his head from his parents, he spotted his little brother running as fast as he could from a few feet away, tripping over his many feet.

     Jarbum laughed and kneeled down, opening his arms as Yandel ran into them.

     "Of course not, we were just waiting for you!" He whispered, hugging the child tightly.