Althea

Part Ten

When I get back downstairs everyone is having dinner, scattered about the open living area of the compound, all the weight of today's fight off their shoulders as they laugh together. 

Almost immediately I notice he's missing from the room, and look out the window to see him still out by the lake so I decide to go and see him now, partially because I want to help him, but there's a selfish part of me that simply wants to be near him.
I sneak out past everyone and walk towards him, and notice he's just staring into the distance.

"Mind if I join you?" I can feel his emotions running wild, a mess of fear, anger, resentment, and when he sees me a small glimmer of light.

"Of course." He pats the spot next to him and I go to take a seat when I notice there's a small cut above his eyebrow and a small trickle of blood has dried underneath it. Without saying anything I reach forward and place my fingertips over the cut, healing it quickly for him.

It's odd how in tune we've become over these last few weeks.  I notice it mostly when we're training, but now that I think about it, in moments like these we are too. It's the small moments that really make a difference.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask.

"I wouldn't even know where to start..."

"That's okay, we can just sit here, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to." I join him in watching the lake, it's peaceful and very calming.

"I'm sure you already know what I'm thinking anyway, the whole mind reading thing."

"Actually, I haven't looked. Sometimes I can't control it and I hear them, but your thoughts are your own and I don't like invading your privacy. I can sense your emotions, but your thoughts are completely your own."

I don't expect a reply, content with just sitting here for now, but he speaks up anyway.

"I don't know how you do it. With your power you could do whatever you want, but you always put others first, you care enough about everyone to put those powers aside."

"I guess I have to be this way, my abilities in the wrong hands could be catastrophic. And if I'm completely honest with you, when we first met I did get a glimpse into your past." 

"I suspected as much, once you mentioned mind reading I knew that was going to happen. But I don't mind you knowing."

I want to comment on that, perhaps ask him to elaborate. The butterflies in my stomach were begging me to do more, but instead I just smiled and sat with him, letting a comfortable silence settle over us.

I don't know how long we were out there for, we were mostly silent, but there were moments of laughter, and small light discussion. At one stage he took my hand in his and we sat there together, admiring the beauty of the peaceful night, hand in hand.

Eventually I find my eyes slowly drifting shut. I know I should get up and go inside but I feel so comfortable here with him I can't bring myself to move. Surely enough with my feet curled up under me, head resting on his shoulder, and hand still entwined with his, I fall into a peaceful sleep.