Smile - A Tythan Fanfiction

Secrets

We all have secrets, and we hide the for different reasons. In his eyes- Ethan had every reason to wear his mask. Everyone tells him to be 'true to you', but how do you be yourself if you're nothing?

As a child- he would crawl into the same wall in an attempt to feel something. As he grew tho- he started to copy those around him. People seem to like happy people full of energy so he forced himself to be what people wanted. Ethan did it so often that he started to actually believe the lies.

Ethan's nervous system basically doesn't work. Even if you were to slice him open- he wouldn't know unless he was looking. This has caused a few issues for him- he doesn't even know if he's dead or alive at this point.

Ethan also suffers from a pretty bad chemical imbalance in his brain. Unlike most people- he can't feel happiness. If we break happiness down- it is a chemical that makes us feel good. Ethan's brain can't make this.

When he got to ten, his doctor worked out what the issue was. Straight away, he tried to book Ethan into surgery that would fix his nerves and give him medication. But, to Ethan's dismay, his family wasn't able to afford it. He begged them, he wanted to feel alive for once but they really couldn't afford it.

At this point- the idea of feeling was long forgotten. He was now 20 and working for Mark- what was even the point? He didn't know if he liked his job but it was better than most things in his life. It hadn't caused him sadness.

Mark, other than Ethan's family, was the only person alive that knew of Ethan's illness. It broke him- it really did. To find out such a sweet blue boy had been acting this whole time in holes he'd feel something. . . ripped him apart. Mark, straight away, offered to pay for the surgery and medication. He sweared that they can work it out but Ethan declined; "If I am going to have surgery and medication- I am going to work for it"

For some 'unknown reason'- Ethan suddenly got a pay raise. In about a year, he could properly have the surgery if he saved enough money.

It was another Monday and Tyler wanted to go on another morning run. Ethan agreed, of course. He didn't know if he liked them but the feeling of better Tyler was one of the few things that broke him out of his emptiness.

"Okay Tyler" Ethan started, them jogging one either side of each other, "to that tree- three two one!"

Tyler smirked and sprinted- but Ethan is faster. He lets him run ahead anyway, it always made Ethan smile whenever he actual won. But that's when he witnessed something, odd.

As Ethan ran, he ran past a fence. The wired fence wasn't doing good and the wire stretched out into the path. Ethan didn't seen to notice and slashed his leg, it now bleeding pretty bad. But Ethan didn't even seem to notice, he got to the tree and bounced around, "Woooohoooo! See Tyler? I did it!"

Ethan turn to see Tyler looking as white as a ghost. He looked confused then saw he was staring at his leg. He looked down as it bleeds out, "Oh, eh that's fine"

Tyler rushed Ethan home and got out the med kit. He started to clean the wound. Most people would say 'this may sting a bit' before putting an antiseptic wipe onto a freash cut but he forgot, smart. So he started to clean it and- nothing m Ethan attached as if it was nothing. Tyler pushed down on the wound slightly and still- he didn't do anything.

This was really confusing to Tyler- what was even going on? Can he not feel his leg? Okay Tyler needs to test something. He got up, seeing Ethan was just playing on his phone. So Tyler walked behind him and picked his back. Most people would have spun around but Ethan? Nothing. Okay maybe he's just not wanting to react?

After a few minutes of just pocking him- Tyler concluded Ethan couldn't feel a thing. Would explain would he always tries to pull out hot trays out of the oven without gloves.

Then he moved back around, covering up the wound with a few bandages, "Good as new, Ethan. You should be a little more careful about that fence! It's out to get you!" "Sure is! Hehe, dammit fence!"

Ethan knew that Tyler would probably start working something out but he wasn't going to tell him. No- he can't. It would just be worse for him if he did. Then Tyler would hate him forever. At least, with Tyler needing time to work it out- Ethan would be prepared for Tyler saying he never wants to see Ethan again.

"Hey so, I need to go check up on Mark" Tyler said, ruffling Ethan's hair, "You take care, blue bird"

"I will, Mr grumpy bumpy" He giggled. It was kind of ironic but hey, that's just who he is.

Tyler shock his head and left. He walked into Mark's office, "Mark, something is wrong with Ethan. We just went running and he cut his leg. He didn't even realise and didn't even seem to give a dam? He didn't react as I cleaned it and I stood there for 2 whole minutes, pocking his back, just to see a reaction but I got nothing."

"Tyler, you should. . . sit down" he said, ending the Skype call with Wade. He'd call back later. He watched as he sat down, "Ethan . . . had no nerve endings in his body. He was offered surgery when he was younger but it was too expensive. He. . . he also has no way of feeling happiness. Like, actual happiness. He can't even feel uh, sexually good as he wouldn't be able to feel anything. For his whole life- he has sat there and dreamed of just. . . feeling a hug. He told me the day that he can afford his surgery, he is going to have it. He wouldn't even think about the complications- he'd rather die trying to feel than never feel anything. Though . . . sometimes he says 'it's better to feel nothing than have happiness taken away from me' "

Tyler was. . . actually horrified. When he was younger, he suffered with pretty awful depression. He knows what this is like- to feel nothing. But for Ethan, this has been his whole life. . . the poor boy.

"He can take medication to make him feel happy" he started, "But he always refuses for me to buy it"

"How much is it?"
"Tyler h-"
"How much is it?"

*~~~*

So this is one of my favourite one shots I've ever wrote. Therefore- I've made it it's own book!