All it takes is one touch.
Dan hated how his father's words from what seemed forever ago could still hold their grasp on him now. Every action his father made served as an example of the kind of person he didn't want to become as he grew older.
Magic impacted every person differently, he knew that from the tales his grandparents would share with him. When his mother died and the abilities that brought the good within the household together were taken away, his father went ballistic.
His father's way to balance out the heartache of both the loss and magic's incapability of saving her, Dan was only taught manipulative matters in magic. When his knowledge of only dark touches was brought to his grandparent's attention, the custody battle came about.
Spoiler alert, his grandparents won.
Years have past since he was in that environment consumed by such a dreadful lifestyle, yet the words and methods he was forced to endure couldn't be left with those dire times.
Emotions played a major role in how one handled their craft. During the period where anger fueled his teacher, the pressure to fulfill his idea of perfection is what ultimately made magic impossible for Dan to gain a true understanding and hold on.
Now with his grandparents as his guides, his skill set was slowly but surely improving. Every so often though, his past would halt any sort of progress acquired.
Today stood as proof of such an occasion.
His grandmother had been insistent towards bringing someone outside of the family to speak with him about his abilities, seeing as his development had such a different standing than what was considered typical.
Soon enough, she found just the person she believed would understand Dan beyond what she and her husband could offer to their grandson.
His name was Phil.
He was only a few months older than him yet the backstory he shared made it seem he was way beyond his eighteen years.
"I was six when I first realized I inherited magic like only my dad had, it was in the span of those next twenty four hours that my family wouldn't ever be the same again."
"What happened?"
"Turns out I had the amount of magic in my system equivalent to that of someone double my age, so I couldn't keep it contained like I should've been able to." Phil explained. "Long story short, I basically caused my family home to burst into flames."
"That's awful."
"Thankfully my dad was able to get us all out before it got too bad, but my brother and mother never could look at me the same way after that." he replied. "She became so paranoid around me that in order to keep her sanity she took my brother with her and left my dad..I haven't seen or spoken to her since."
"What about your brother?"
"We're on okay terms I'd say."
"How about your dad?"
"Yeah, it took time but he's in a good place." Phil answered with a small smile. "For the first year or so he flat out refused to help me with my magic, making it impossible for me to keep any sudden bursts at bay and that put a bit of a strain on our relationship."
