Packing Up

Liam sighed after closing the door to his room. His gaze fell onto the bed, realizing that he wouldn't sleep on it for a very long time.

"All right! No time to think about this!" He slapped himself with both hands. This was something he had always wanted—no need to get all sad.

He shook his head, grabbed his black backpack, and started packing basic necessities like underwear, socks, towels, and some clothing, though he wasn't sure if he'd need the last one. After ensuring everything was packed, he went to the bathroom to gather hygiene essentials like a toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, and similar items.

Upon his return, he began squeezing all his stuff into the backpack, but not everything went according to plan. The bag was too small to fit everything. Liam groaned in frustration as he continued shoving his belongings inside, eventually throwing them onto the bed in exasperation.

"Forget it! I guess I'll go without towels!" he pouted, crossing his arms as his gaze fell onto the uniform.

He unfolded it to inspect it, but it didn't seem particularly special—standard gray pants with a military pattern and a plain, dark gray T-shirt.

'I hope they gave me the correct size', he thought, heading to change. But before he could put on the new shirt, there was a knock at the door, followed by his mom opening it almost immediately.

"May I come in?"

"You're already in," Liam commented, his eyes half-closed, before pulling on the T-shirt. Its short sleeves weren't long enough to cover his "tattoos."

"That's true," Ella chuckled, tossing a black travel bag at Liam, who caught it effortlessly.

"Thought you might need it," she added, watching as Liam inspected the bag she'd given him. It was well-preserved but showed signs of age.

"Thanks..." Liam said quietly. He could tell the bag had many stories behind it. He wanted to refuse the gesture, not wanting to carry the guilt if it got damaged in any way.

"Don't mention it," she said, shaking her head. She closed the door behind her and approached her son. Ella scanned Liam from head to toe, the image of the creature from earlier flashing in her mind while Liam's words from yesterday echoed in her head. It made her wonder if he knew something about it, but now wasn't the time to ask.

"Is something wrong?" Liam asked, noticing the sad and concerned look in his mom's eyes. His chest felt tight, and he couldn't shake the strange feeling that something was off.

"No, nothing's wrong," she lied, running her fingers across Liam's tattoos which were incredibly smooth to the touch. "But I came to warn you: do not, under any circumstances, reveal what you are or use your abilities."

Liam rolled his eyes at his mother's words. He had expected her to say something about how much she loved him or to take care of his sister—not another lecture about keeping his identity a secret.

"Fine," he said through clenched teeth, turning his back to his mom to continue packing.

"No, Liam. Listen to me!" Ella grabbed Liam's hand, holding it tightly. She could tell he wasn't taking her warnings seriously.

Liam felt tension where his tattoos were, straining against his control for a brief moment. He took a deep, shaky breath to steady himself. He always got angry when his family told him to keep his wings hidden, but they ignored his feelings, treating it as a necessary evil. No one understood how suffocating it was for Liam to hide his true self. It was like telling a human to stop using their hands—and he could feel the consequences. He was weak.

"I am listening," he muttered, refusing to look at his mom, "but you guys are the ones who refuse to listen to me..."

Ella sighed, barely hearing Liam's whispered words. She knew he had every right to feel angry about living in hiding, but this time, he needed to truly listen.

"I didn't come here just to tell you the obvious," she said, not letting Liam's frustration stop her from delivering her message. "You aren't the only one, Liam."

The world seemed to stop as Liam processed his mom's words. All the anger from earlier washed away. His eyes widened, and his antennae perked up.

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning to face his mother while running a hand through his hair, lowering his antennae to keep them hidden.

"You might want to sit down for this one," she said before beginning to tell the whole story.

As she spoke, Liam listened in pure disbelief, his hands covering his mouth. He didn't know what to think. He felt angry, but could he really blame the other hybrid for their brutal behavior? He might have turned out the same way if not for Ella.

Liam groaned, scratching the top of his head as he listened, feeling slightly guilty about his earlier reaction. He now understood why Ella had come to warn him again. Revealing his identity after this fiasco wouldn't just require explanations—it could mean a death sentence.

"I understand how you feel, but don't worry. Your time to shine will come. But before that, you have to earn their trust," Ella finished, ruffling Liam's hair.

She had no doubt Liam would eventually slip up, especially now with the appearance of a new kind of insectoid. But he needed to prove he meant no harm first.

Ella's expression softened as she watched Liam sigh. He was still just a kid, yet he carried so many worries. She glanced behind her, approached the door, and after ensuring they were truly alone, closed it.

"Before you go, I want to see the real you," she requested, a small laugh escaping her as Liam's antennae rose again, betraying his surprise as they twitched. Unlike with ordinary humans, reading his emotions was all too easy.

Liam didn't hesitate. He stood up, and his tattoos began to separate from his skin, phasing through his shirt to reveal four wings on his back, fully spread. A sense of relief washed over him, followed by bliss, even if only for a moment.

His wings twitched and folded against his back as he noticed Ella reaching for her weapon, which she still carried. The flashing images from earlier resurfaced in front of her eyes.

"Mom?" Liam asked, tilting his head to the left. Her small gesture didn't go unnoticed.

Hearing his voice, Ella took a step back and shook her head, returning to reality. "Sorry, I got lost in thought," she said, rubbing her temple. She tried to forget the scenes and reminded herself that Liam wasn't like them. She had never regretted her choice to save and raise him.

"Oh, look at you," Ella broke the silence, approaching him before embracing him in a hug.

Liam was taken aback by the sudden gesture but accepted it warmly, wrapping his arms and wings around his mother. She had never paid much attention before, but it made her wonder when Liam had grown so tall.

"No matter what happens, you will always be my butterfly," she whispered into his ear, patting his head.

Hearing her words, Liam realized this might be the last time he'd see her—perhaps even their final interaction. His eyes began to water, and he clenched her shirt tightly as the color along his wing veins turned a soft, light blue.