Sang the Stray (Completed)

47. Insightful

 Sean retrieved some of mine and Victor's clothes, while Victor and I finished cleaning up.  Sean had offered to make something for lunch, but Victor vehemently insisted on going to bring some food back from the dining hall.  He was still gone when I came out of the bathroom and Sean lifted his arm stretched across the couch back, inviting me to sit tucked against him.  I again took notice of how clean and neat the entire space was, not that the other boys kept their apartments messy, the nanocytes for cleaning prevented that.  However, theirs just seemed more lived in.  

"I've cleared your schedule and as your doctor, I order you to rest and relax. No testing, training or even school work for at least a kai. Besides, Victor has the perfect medicine in mind," Sean told me with a squeeze to my shoulder that his hand now rested over.

"Okay," I said simply, then asked, "You and Tsee Blackbourne do not spend much time here?"

He gave a mock sigh. "I fear you've found us out.  We are indeed workaholics.  However, the sterileness of this place really has more to do with Owen being a multiple Sight talent.  We don't even use any Interface virtual decor since it can affect him.  As a rule, I avoid entering his room.  He needs some space free from the effects of Place Sight, especially."

"Oh, I see," I said remembering what I had learned about the different Sight abilities.  Path Sight is a tracking ability that isn't seeing footprints, but knowing the direction of something.  Gate Sight indicates the presence of Gates and how long they will remain open.  Place Sight is a very vague and all-encompassing sight that reveals invisible things, like auras, "the remnants of touch", which basically means the emotion left behind when someone touches something, or the way things used to look.  Sometimes Place Sight will even show stickies.  It's considered a difficult Sight to cope with: painful, with bonus nightmares.  Symbol Sight is a "specific interpretative" ability that reminds me of my injected language: see a word, and have an impression of meaning, while 'Sight Sight' is a vaguer but more profound comprehension.  They're all called 'Sight', but it's really more 'awareness'.  Combat Sight, for instance, means you're aware of creatures around you, even if they're behind walls, and gives you a strong advantage when trying to anticipate movement and attack.

This made me think of Tsee Blackbourne's private rose garden.  In hindsight I realized the other boys had avoided touching anything, while I had trailed my hands all over the flowers.  This meant I basically covered the beautiful area in my emotional baggage.  I groaned and buried my face in my hands.

"What, Pookie?" Sean asked, pulling my hands down and lifting my chin with a gentle nudge.

"The rose garden..." I cringed.

"Ah, yes.  North warned him.  Don't worry. He did not mind," Sean assuaged my embarrassment.  "Actually, most of the emotion he sensed later that evening was your admiration for the blooms.  In fact, he was in a much better mood that night than he had been in some time." Sean smiled then teased, "I might need to send you down there more often."

Victor came back into the main room where Sean and I sat on a wide white lounge. We moved to the eating area and were just finishing up when Victor received some Interface message. Sean made me stay seated as he started to clean up.

"Janet is ready for us," he said, offering me a hand to stand.

"Janet?" I asked as he pulled me up.

"She runs the Wellness Center on Level 20. I asked her to set us up," Victor smiled.

"What is Wellness Center?" I asked.

"A KOTIS perk," was all Sean would say. As he waved us out, he told Victor, "Bring her back here for Third Shift. She'll stay with us tonight." Victor blinked in surprise but nodded and then led me out.

We started down the hall and he laced our fingers, palms pressed together tightly. After only a few steps he stopped and lifted our hands. I looked at him curiously. He waited, then maintaining eye contact, he pulled our hands toward him to place his lips against the back of my hand. My cheeks pinked, but I didn't break my gaze, instead, watching the lightning spark across his eyes. He dropped our linked hands down and twitched a smile. 

"Princess..." It seemed like he was going to say more, but he just used his free hand to rake through his hair and shook his head slightly, then started back down the hall. His steps were brisk and I was rushing to keep up. The silence between us held some unsaid expectation, making me feel something between anxiety and anticipation. 

I couldn't stand it. I prodded, "You going to say more?" His steps slowed to stop in front of the elevator and he finally looked at me.

"Sang, I..." he paused, then face flushed and eyes intense, he said in a rush, "I really like you, Sang."

I relaxed, glad I hadn't done something wrong and replied lightly, "I like you, too." But maybe that sounded too casual because Victor's face only tensed more.

"I mean...well, maybe the language barrier..." He looked off to the right, mumbling towards the end. Then his face swung back to me, expression even more intense. "No, I really like you, Sang."

I blinked, glowing inside, but also feeling the weight of his words. 

He used our still locked hands to pull us closer together and cupped my jaw with his other hand. The pad of his thumb gently rubbed across my cheek. I burned with heat. 

He took in a deep breath and said, "Sang, I think may even l...." The doors to the elevator slid open, interrupting him, and revealing a mock irate Gabriel and smiling Luke.

"Oy, you were going to take her to see Janet without me, Asshole!" Gabriel accused.

Victor's forehead dropped to mine, his eyes closed. He took a deliberate step back and pulled me into the elevator, his voice painted with frustration said to Gabriel, "You clearly got the message I sent to tell you where we would be."

"Yeah, but you didn't invite us," Gabriel pointed out. The doors closed and we started moving downward.

"Sang needed some quiet time to relax," Victor stated.

"So?" Luke asked nonplussed.

"And you two are rarely quiet or truly relaxing," Victor answered irritated.

"Hey, we can be quiet...and we definitely know how to relax," Gabriel argued back.

"Fine," Victor clipped out. "But Adam and Liam are booked with us.  You'll have to deal with Fancy." Victor smirked.

Gabriel looked mildy horrified.  Luke burst out laughing.

"Wait, she is Setari, right?" I asked confused.  Was there another Flair/Fancy?

"Oh yes," Victor said.  "But like North down in Engineering and Maintenance, Fancy spends her free time helping out Janet and filling in."

"Oh man, remember the last time she.... " Luke dissolved into deep belly laughs. 

Gabriel scowled further. "That was not funny," he pouted, cheeks looking pink.

"Yeah, it definitely was," Victor's grin widened.

"Trouble," Gabriel whined. "Make them stop laughing at me."

Luke's snorting laughter was infectious and I was fighting to keep a straight face.  "Alright Meanie, but only if you tell me the story."

"Fuck no," Gabriel denied immediately, now turning a bright shade of red and causing even Victor to lose his composure.  I just shrugged smiling as Luke and Victor now clutched their stomachs.