08-02-2016, 02:52 PM
His voice bit harshly, and on its own it might have startled her, but the sentiment behind it was more complex. Either way there had been nothing to tell. She'd never touched a person when they were blank, let alone been focused so closely when one actually disappeared. It was just poor luck that the situation had presented itself in circumstances apt to overwhelm her when the connection was lost.
Her lips quirked a small smile, head tilted. "I just did."
He touched her, then, knowing it amplified her senses. But it was fleeting. An invitation or uncertainty? There was too much peripheral interference to be sure of the nuances, and suddenly the memory of brief discomfort swam to the forefront of her mind. Insecurity tightened in her chest. Because he knew now, that her touch stripped a soul bare. And who'd truly be comfortable with that?
Her uncle had accepted her, but he had always discouraged her from touching him, even as a small child. It was an act to be punctuated by need, not affection, because her abilities were something to be managed. Not explored. Because it was intrusive. Not that it was a rule she had always stuck to with others, at least not when a kinship was struck. She found joy in the connection, perhaps moreso because their time spent in any one place was brief. But none of those people had ever known what she was, nor what boundaries she crossed while they remained ignorant.
Elias offered with words but not with action, and his attention had already turned away. The only thing that radiated now was the burn of curiosity. The thought of rejection dropped her heart with lead, warring with the equally mortifying possibility of simply being a burden to a sense of duty.
The crowd made it so hard to think.
His hand hovered close. She could brush his fingers, bring him into sharper focus, and have an answer in seconds. But she didn't. And maybe didn't want to know. He'd stuck with her, and that was kindness enough.
"We don't need to... I mean, if it's weird."
The words tripped out stilted. "I can focus without it. It's just harder, that's all."
Her lips quirked a small smile, head tilted. "I just did."
He touched her, then, knowing it amplified her senses. But it was fleeting. An invitation or uncertainty? There was too much peripheral interference to be sure of the nuances, and suddenly the memory of brief discomfort swam to the forefront of her mind. Insecurity tightened in her chest. Because he knew now, that her touch stripped a soul bare. And who'd truly be comfortable with that?
Her uncle had accepted her, but he had always discouraged her from touching him, even as a small child. It was an act to be punctuated by need, not affection, because her abilities were something to be managed. Not explored. Because it was intrusive. Not that it was a rule she had always stuck to with others, at least not when a kinship was struck. She found joy in the connection, perhaps moreso because their time spent in any one place was brief. But none of those people had ever known what she was, nor what boundaries she crossed while they remained ignorant.
Elias offered with words but not with action, and his attention had already turned away. The only thing that radiated now was the burn of curiosity. The thought of rejection dropped her heart with lead, warring with the equally mortifying possibility of simply being a burden to a sense of duty.
The crowd made it so hard to think.
His hand hovered close. She could brush his fingers, bring him into sharper focus, and have an answer in seconds. But she didn't. And maybe didn't want to know. He'd stuck with her, and that was kindness enough.
"We don't need to... I mean, if it's weird."
The words tripped out stilted. "I can focus without it. It's just harder, that's all."