When did you become a telepath?
WHO: Nate, Cora WHAT: Kryptonite power-flux WHEN: Early Monday Morning WHERE: An island, & Cora's house, respectively RATING: PG13 for brief, nascent sexuality, & mild language
Nate woke to a strange feeling of shuddering and rolled out of bed to his feet, before splitting pain flashed across his mind. “Agh!” He was in his tent on Morrow Isle, a small spit of rock rising up outside American Waters off the coast of California. He’d decided to camp out there tonight and had been enjoying it, until now. He staggered as he came out of his tent, and saw a shimmering piece of rock, silvery and shiny. “Ow! Damn it what the hell are you?” The area around the thing was heat-soaked and splintered as if the rock had fallen there. “That was so not good.”
With an effort, Nate lashed out with his telekinesis, and then the world exploded. When he woke, a few moments later, he was floating on his back in the water, and there was nothing to be seen of Morrow Isle. “oops.” And his head, well, it hurt worse. His telepathy seemed somehow fuzzy and his telekinesis, well, he was not sure he wanted to try that again. With a groan, he started to swim for shore, and tentatively reached out for anyone he could find.
Hello?
Unable to sleep for reasons unknown to her, Cora had heard Mouse snuffling at the back door, and gotten up to let him out. She wandered out with him, and stood next to her beach circle for a moment, watching the meteor shower that lit up the sky. She was so busy looking up that she almost didn’t notice the sparkling, pinkish shard of meteor rock half-buried in the sand. Didn’t notice it, in fact, until Mister--who had slipped out of the house along with her and the Foo dog--came over and started rubbing up against her legs, drawing her attention downward.
She looked from the rock, to the animals, and back; the reached out to let her palm hover over it, feeling to see if the air was still hot. It wasn’t, but she covered her hand with her exoskeleton anyway before she picked up the rock.
The moment she did, she was positive that she heard Mouse snort, and got a distinct picture of her face, the word apple, an image of her dad towering over her, and the word tree. She glanced at the dog, her brow furrowed in puzzlement, then down at the cat, who just said, “Meh.”
“Meh?” Cora echoed. “Did you just ‘meh’ me?” But if Mister answered, she didn’t catch it, because her ears were ringing, and she was having trouble concentrating over the sudden buzz of a thousand jumbled thoughts and voices in her head. She stumbled forward, almost tripping over the edge of the kiddie pools as she stepped into the center of her double circle, and sat down--splash--in the water at the center. She closed her eyes, and took three deep breaths, and reached for Nate. For their secret place.
Nate? Is that you?
Cora? Some strain and static(!) made the contact a little less powerful, but he heard her and reached for her, too. Hey, beautiful. He was swimming, moving faster as he could toward land, and pushing himself. He wasn’t sure entirely what was going on. Are you okay?
Cora let herself sink deeper into the water, covered in blue chitin from head to toe; resting the back of her head on the edge of the pool. She wasn’t thinking about how silly she must look, or what exactly she was doing. She just wanted the water to cover her ears and muffle the noise so she could focus on Nate.
I’m okay, she said, gradually tuning out the other thoughts as best she could. It’s just...loud.
There was a moment of struggle as Nate reached out to scan her and then startlement. When did you become a telepath? Holy Hannah! He smiled as he swam faster. If you concentrate on me and only me, it might just be okay. Like… creating a tight beam through interference.”
Cora heard herself laughing under her breath. It was a wry, slightly strained sound, but it was a laugh--and she dismissed her exoskeleton in favor of strengthening the telepathic connection. Sometime in the last five minutes, give or take. I’m not sure how to concentrate on you any harder. She felt as if one of their brains was about to start giving off smoke.
"Must be a new Orange County thing." Warmth exploded from him as he considered her as a telepath. This could be fun...
“Mm.” Cora hugged herself, the combination of wet t-shirt and Nate’s excitement making her shiver in a way that was strangely pleasant. She felt the edge of her left hand brush against her right nipple as she idly rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, and it made her tingle. She caught herself brushing over the spot again, and tucked her hands in her lap, but that was no good. It just made her imagination wander--which made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Stop that! she chided herself, realizing belatedly that Nate would probably think she was talking to him.
Her request brought him to a halt for a moment. Are you okay? then he was swimming faster, employing just a little of his power to move himself faster. He felt her arousal then and blushed, and for a moment, his shields slipped, and an image surfaced of him masturbating and thinking of the feel if Cora's mind in his.
I’m… Cora gulped as Nate’s wandering mind called up memories of how it had felt to move inside his body; how some mornings even the brush of clothing made it ache for something she was too bashful to try. Those thoughts made her insides do flip-flops, and her heart pound as her cheeks grew warmer still. I’m fine, she said, dipping her hands in the cool water and pressing them to her face. Just...thinking too hard.
Me too. Sorry. Warmth and love, steady and deep flowed along the link. Hang in there. I'm coming.
Cora flailed a little at Nate’s choice of words, but it wasn’t his fault that she couldn’t stop thinking about sex. At least not completely his fault. Mouse nudged her shoulder with his muzzle, and she wrapped her arms around the dog’s neck, hugging him, and Nate at the same time. Okay. I’ll be okay.
Nate chuckled at the direction of their minds. I know. You're amazing. I believe in you. And he did, his faith in her giving him strength as it surged along the link. Almost in sight of land.
She smiled, relaxing a little, and cheering at his progress. You can do it, Nate! She knew there would be a story later, and she could hardly wait to hear it. After she put on some dry clothes. And a sports bra.
Soon, he was on the beach and staggering for the street. He startled a cabbie, and was on his way. I’m my way. Any chance for some tea and that spare robe I left?
Meanwhile, Cora hauled her silly butt out of the kiddie pool, and trudged back into the house to change clothes, flanked by Mouse and Mister. She assured Nate that yes, she still had his robe, and it would be warm and waiting for him when he arrived. She tossed it into the dryer for a few minutes to make it so, after she put the kettle on for tea--all the while trying not to wake her parents..
Luckily for her, then, that her mom and dad had worn each other out. They did not wake even as Nate arrived. I'm here.
He stood outside , having tried to use his powers to dry off, and failing. And now shivering.
Cora appeared at the front door, her hair haloed in the porch light, bearing warm towels--the biggest ones to be had--in addition to the spare bathrobe. She’d sensed Nate’s attempt to use his power, and though she didn’t understand why it wasn’t working, she had prepared to greet him properly. “Come on in.”
Nate swallowed as he saw her, and fervently stuffed his instant arousal inside a box in his head and hoped it worked better than it felt it had. He smiled softly at her, stepping in and into the towel she had put down, he smiled at her. “Thank you, dear.” He smiled and leaned in to kiss the edge of her mouth, and her nose. “You make the world amazing.”
She felt it, but she was a bit distracted, so she couldn’t quite tell if it was Nate’s thought, or her own. “You’re welcome,” she said, wrapping another towel around him as he leaned down. Of course, that put her really close to him, and made her blush, but oh well. “The robe is in the dryer, keeping warm. I figured you’d want to dry off, first.”
“Thank you. I can go to the wash area, if you'll guard me, and strip, dry off, and slip into it. Then, if you feel generous, I can toss my things in there for them to dry?” And maybe the washer, too, since they all had salt water in them.
“Sure.” She tried not to blush at the thought of him stripping--after all, she’d seen his body naked before--but she couldn’t help it. “You can shower, and stuff. You know where everything is?”
“Thanks. Yeah.” He would have hugged her, except, you know, saltwater and icky clothing.”Thanks, Cora, you’re a lifesaver.”
He smiled to her, trailed a hand across her cheek, and then headed for the washrooms.
Quickly, he stripped off, and washed, head to toe, groaning softly under the hot water, and then patting off with the towels. He slipped into the robe, and tossed his clothing into the washer, then came back out. He smiled to Cora and hugged her then, hard and warmly.
Cora perched on the living room couch, which afforded her a clear view down the hall to the bathroom and laundry room doors. She figured she was less likely to be tempted to eavesdrop on Nate’s thoughts with her surprise powers that way than if she stood right outside the bathroom door. She smiled when he emerged, bouncing up to meet him, and wrapping her arms securely around him--insofar as they would reach.
“Feel better?”
Nate sank to his knees, buried his head against her neck and shoulder, inhaling her scent and hugging her. Letting out a groan of relief may have been undignified, but he did it anyway. "Much, thank you, Cora." His voice was gentle as could be and he nodded to her.
Cora pressed her cheek against his hair, her fingers combing through the sort strands, and massaging his scalp. His voice made her knees feel wobbly, and her stomach do those funny little flip-flops again, but she didn’t actually wobble. He smelled like her home, and that made her feel warm--and maybe a little bit possessive, in a smug sort of way. “It’s okay. I’m glad to help.”
"You are the best you are the absolute best. I don't know what I'd do without you and I never want to have to find out." Nate hugged her close and smiles willing to just hug her until he felt better.
“Me neither,” she whispered, her voice catching with emotion as she held him, and hugged him tight. Having him in her arms, with fewer distractions pressing in on her, she could finally let herself relax, and let her guard down a little. Tendrils psychic energy wrapped around his mind, caressing him just as her hands stroked his face; reaching for the connection between them. “You’re safe now.”
He hugged her tight and just breathed in her, and felt so much better, the feel of her mind wrapping around his. He relaxed and smiled at her. His powers, he could feel were erratic, but hers? Were strong, very strong. He grinned at her. Guess you’re the telepath now. He showed her in his mind how to make walls, and shields, to block minds out, how to hold to his mind even if they were parted.
With you, I’m always safe.
Cora smiled, feeling a joy and peace come over her as the shields Nate helped her build clicked into place, and a comfortable quiet settled over her mind like an old, favorite sweater. Was this what Nate meant when he said that being intimate with her like this was better than sex? Was this how he felt when she trusted him to touch her like nobody else could ever do?
She blinked, and swallowed a lump of emotion that welled up in her throat; pressing her lips to his temple. ’Good’ isn’t good enough to describe how I feel right now.
Isn’t it awesome? Love and warmth and contentment, sheer desire of the mind and heart, gentle hugged her mind, and he smiled inside and out, planting a kiss on her cheek and her chin.
I love you, Cora. Mind you, he was also aroused by her and by holding her, but that feeling was so far down the list of things he was feeling for her right now that it was almost but not inconsequential to his mind.
It was amazing. Spectacular. Marvelous...she might have giggled at the Marvel bit. I love you too. With all her heart, and mind. She loved touching him, holding him like this. Embracing him inside and out. It was exciting, and comforting, and...so many things! And maybe, just maybe, one day, she’d be ready to love him with all her body, too, but that was just a speck on the horizon of a great, grand adventure.
How long do you think we’ll stay like this?
I don’t know, but I am glad to have it while we are, even with my powers haywire, as long as I can touch your mind and your heart shows through, I will never worry.
He felt like he was at peace for the first time in a long while.