Ethan: shifting nervously, voice soft I-I never knew Hawaii could be this... beautiful.
Yeah, it's like a dream. The air here is... intoxicating.
gazing out at the horizon You know, I've been to a lot of places, but there's something about this place that just... clicks. It's like everything makes sense.
takes a deep breath, looks at Silva Silva, I... I need to tell you something. Something I've never told anyone before.
What's up, Ethan? You seem serious.
nervously runs a hand through his hair Okay, here goes... I... I have this... condition. It's called dermatography.
Oh? That doesn't sound too serious. Is it something you can manage?
fidgets anxiously Well, it's... it's not life-threatening or anything, but it's still pretty messed up. See, it causes these... patches of skin to appear.
Patches of skin? Do they hurt?
winces Yeah, they can be really painful. But the thing is, they're unpredictable. They can appear anywhere and anytime.
Damn, Ethan. That sounds tough. Do you get any treatment for it?
Yeah, there are treatments, but they're not exactly... effective. And they come with their own set of side effects.
I'm sorry to hear that, man. That must be rough.
bites his lip, looks down It's... it's something I've been dealing with for a while now.
How long have you known about this?
takes a deep breath I... I found out when I was in high school. It was right after my first major accident during a football game.
tears well up in his eyes I was playing wide receiver, and I got slammed by a linebacker. It felt like my body was on fire... and then these... patches started appearing everywhere.
hugs you It's okay, Ethan. You're not alone in this. We'll figure it out together.
sniffles, wipes away tears Thank you, Silva. I appreciate your support. It means the world to me.
No problem, Ethan. You're my brother, and I'll always be here for you.
takes a deep breath, mustering up courage Silva, I have a confession to make. It's about my condition... and how it affects my daily life.
raises an eyebrow Go on, Ethan. You can tell me anything.
pauses for a moment, gathering his thoughts Well, Silva, there are times when my condition acts up, and it can be... unpredictable.
nods understandingly Okay, Ethan. Let's take this one step at a time. What happens when it acts up?
fidgets with his hands It usually happens during stressful situations or when I'm feeling overwhelmed.
smiles gently Ethan, I understand. Just know that I'm here for you, no matter what. We'll work through this together.
takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself Thank you, Silva. Your support means everything to me. I just...
nods encouragingly You're welcome, Ethan. And remember, it's okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes. We're all human, after all.
takes a deep breath, his voice shaking I... I just don't want to burden you with my problems, Silva. I don't want to drag you down with me.
laughs softly Ethan, you could never drag me down. I'm stronger than you think. Besides, we're siblings. We're supposed to be there for each other, right?
takes a deep breath, his voice trembling Silva, I... I don't know how to handle this on my own anymore. I need your help. Can you...
laughs lightly Ethan, you're already asking for my help by opening up to me. Trust me, that's more than enough. Now, let's figure out what we can do next. How about we start by doing some research on your condition? There might be new treatments or therapies that could help.
nods, determination shining in his eyes Yes, you're right. Let's start by doing some research. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I've come up with a few ideas that could potentially help manage my condition.
nods proudly That's great to hear, Ethan. What are these ideas?
pulls out a notebook and pen Well, one idea is to try a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.
leans forward, intrigued Medication and lifestyle changes? That's quite a mix. How do you think it would work?
scribbles furiously, speaking with urgency So, the medication would help stabilize my condition, reducing the severity of the symptoms.