Ethan grew up in a small rural town in the north of the island, where the weight of expectations pressed heavily on his shoulders. From a young age, he was taught to follow the path laid out for him: be strong, marry a woman, and carry on the family name.
When he turned 19 however, he moved to the city for work and better growth opportunities. Sine his income was scarce he decided to share a little apartment with an older coworker, Marcus.
Ethan admired Marcus’s confidence and independence; qualities he lacked but secretly yearned for. Having the young man in his care, Marcus showered Ethan with kindness, Marcus’s kindness filled the void of affection Ethan that Erhan had somehow missed, since he was no longer around family.
One night, after a particularly hard day at work, Ethan sought comfort from Marcus. Ethan was confused and vulnerable but found solace in the warmth of Marcus’s embrace. It felt like safety but also stirred a deep conflict within him.
This was only the beginning of a life of conflict for Ethan. Strangers hurled insults, and Ethan’s world shrank into a suffocating bubble of shame and isolation. Rumors spread quickly when others noticed how extremely close Marcus and Ethan seemed. The rumors then reached Ethan's family and rather than confront him, they disowned him, blaming Marcus for “corrupting” their family member.
Ethan wasn’t sure if his feelings for Marcus were love or a desperate attempt to find belonging in a world that had turned its back on him. He felt trapped, not by Marcus but by the labels and judgments forced upon him.
He longed for freedom—not from Marcus, but from the expectations and hatred that had stolen his chance to discover who he truly was.
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