Chapter 1
Do you know what it's like to read the thoughts of everyone around you? For some that would be awesome , and indeed sometimes it is , but ... Things are not that simple .
If you've ever been to a party with several people talking at the same time without any music and everyone talking loudly, you might have already had a big headache but you could walk away and go home and take a nap, in silence and in peace.
I couldn't just walk away. I couldn't sleep, in peace and silence, because all the time you could hear the crowd around me. It was unbearable, so much pain, so many feelings and thoughts at the same time... I couldn't sleep without hearing someone in my mind, without feeling some constant emotion from someone. A gift capable of reading minds and feeling emotions all at the same time.
Imagine how it must be, having hundreds of people talking at the same time and not being able to hang up, not being able to pull away and have a moment of peace...
I hate that . Some would love it, but I didn't want it. It was so hard to learn to control , I mean , I couldn't shut my thoughts , but I could at least ignore most of it and focus on something or someone , like when you go clubbing and you get to that person , you pay attention to them and ignores everything around you , but sometimes it 's so hard ...
I had to train at home, with my parents thinking and talking at the same time, sometimes it was really... Weird, and there were things I would much rather not have heard. But I, bit by bit, managed to focus on just one person and drown out the other, so that sometimes I can even hear nothing but my own thoughts, it was like drowning out voices to the point where I only heard very faint whispers, like when you you hear voices but they are so muffled that you can't quite understand what they say unless you want to hear them and focus on them.
But sometimes, someone may end up thinking too loudly, like when they are very scared, angry or excited and anxious about something, it depends on the size of the person's emotions. But regardless of that, I can still hear them very well, sometimes if the person in question is close to me, I can't drown it out, but I try not to invade the person's privacy too much or something.
I manage, from time to time, to silence a mind, so I don't hear it anymore unless I "Turn on the sound" so to speak, but there's always a but, Like I said, the thoughts sometimes get too loud.
Like now...
"I don't need to be afraid, I don't need to be afraid, they're not here, they're not here..."It was almost a prayer, a constant repetition and sometimes it changed, but it was the same kind of emotion... Fear... The purest and cruelest fear... Sometimes I saw images of what appeared to be tall, thin men, but their faces... The flashes that popped into my mind were disturbing... Those smiling faces... Me I wanted them to stop appearing in my mind , but my mind was not the origin of these things ...
"They're not here, they're not here, I'm safe, Lockheed will protect me…" I didn't need to read a mind to hear how desperate she sounded.
Illyana had it all buried in her mind. I couldn't see or hear it before because I didn't want, under any circumstances, to know what was on the mind of someone like her. You know, bullies? Usually the thoughts are always of putting others down or something like that , always the famous phrases that they were better and bigger than other people because of that or that . It was beyond uncomfortable, it made me angry.
And when I first met her, just today, when she was forced to take me to show her around, her thoughts were. "why do I have to show this hospice to stupid newbies almost every time?" That was walking down the stairs, Or later when we left "I'm the best here and I have to babysit this brat. That's not fair Lockheed" For the record, I'm the same age as her ok and it was kind of weird to hear the her psychic conversation with the cloth dragon.
"What are his powers? Something destructive or useless but he's probably terrible at controlling." She wasn't so wrong on that point. But then she said: , "How about we play a prank on him, Lockheed? It'll be fun." Her idea of fun was for me to bump into the barrier that Dr. Reyes keeps around. Not cool .
I silenced her so that I barely heard anything but a faint whisper.
Why ? I didn't want to hear her thoughts. From her first thoughts and personality, I would say she was a narcissistic and selfish person. I didn't know she was actually sensitive. At least inside, like, deep inside. And, I didn't like invading the privacy of people around me, even people like Illyana. Unless it was really necessary.
So now feels like one of those times. I sighed in frustration, hands over my ears to try to stifle it, but it was useless.
"They can't get us here, can't they..."
The images of those strange men in her mind brought with it a deep fear, and it irritated me, not with her, but with myself. Because it was like a voice told me to help, And it wasn't from anyone around me, it was my own, my conscience.
I got out of bed and looked at the wall next to where she was. I closed my eyes and then without thinking I walked through the wall to the other side. I don't know how or why Dr. Reyes hasn't given it to me yet.
Shock me through the shock bracelet on my wrist for using my powers. My guess was she was curious to see what I would do.
I saw Illyana lying on the bed facing away from me, she was curled up, arms tense. "All right there?" I tried not to speak too loudly.
She stiffened a little but stayed huddled "It's none of your business." She says and then I hear "why doesn't he go to sleep instead of going where he doesn't belong?"She said something else in what sounded like Russian, I didn't understand.
"You know I can hear you right? Like, mentally?" I say with a raised eyebrow.
Illyana sighed and then shrugged and turned to me, she looked surprised to see me there, must have thought I was in my cell and not right next to hers. She sat up quickly "how do you-"
"I can go through objects too, it's one of my skills." She looked a little surprised by this but soon her expression turned to anger.
" You read my mind ." She says and her eyes actually sparkled.
I held up my hands in surrender "hey in my defense it wasn't intentional, you were thinking too loud ok." I say but she doesn't look convinced and gets to her feet.
"I said stay out of my mind." She responded with clenched teeth and her armor appeared on her arm.
I took a step back. "I tried, I swear. Do you really think I want to know what's on your mind?" She ignored me and attacked me. I was surprised for a moment before literally walking past her and she hit the wall. she stuck the sword in the wall and then pulled it all out turning towards me and threw it towards me , once again I became intangible and the sword passed through me , I couldn't help but feel a shiver when it happened , the feeling of sword passing by me was strange, like a cold wind.
I held up my hands "Hey you wanna stop it?! Let me explain!" I scream but it fell on muffled ears and she roared before trying again and again. "Illyana, Stop! You're going to get hurt!" I say but she didn't hear me. She walked through me one last time and ended up cutting the bed in half behind me. I closed my eyes at the next blow that went through my head. I was already getting tired, being intangible was exhausting. If she didnt stop and I didnt act, Iiad end up dead. "It was accidental, I swear!" I scream at the last moment.
"I don't care! You're dead!" She screams and pulls her sword back for another blow.
Angry and tired, I walked past her at the same moment she tried to attack me, I turned quickly and I pulled her by the shoulder to the side, backwards causing her to hit the wall hard. She didn't even gasp from the impact before straightening up and trying to hit me again. She doesn't stop right?
My eyes glowed white brightly as I used my telekinesis to stop her arm already raised with sword in hand, right next to my neck. White energy like a rope holding Illyana's arm. I swallowed and looked at her "Can you stop for a moment? Please?" I asked, with great effort not to lose concentration. She was incredibly strong and angry, not to mention that I was also tired. she still looked angry, teeth clenched and no indication that she didn't want to cut me in half. I closed my eyes briefly, already feeling sweat on the side of my forehead. "Please just listen to me, a minute at least?" I ask.
She still looked furious but took a deep breath and the armor and sword disappeared. she still looked annoyed, though. I let out a sigh of relief and let go. the warm feeling in my pupils disappearing and along with it my bright eyes. " One minute ." She said through gritted teeth.
I shivered as I looked over her shoulder and then at her, who stopped. She was panting and her eyes still glowed blue. If it were at another time, I would find it very beautiful, and it really is. But now ? I was a little scared.
"Okay, look, I swore I blocked everyone's thoughts here to let you guys have your privacy, and it's true okay -"
"So why did you read my mind? Ah?" She asks still angrily.
I rubbed my neck "you were thinking too loud and too scared, I can't block when it comes to strong emotions. I don't know how. I'm not Charles Xavier, I'm still learning." She seemed to understand this despite her narrowed eyes.
"I don't care if you're still learning, stay out of my head." She says with clear coldness and takes a few steps forward until she's face to face with me. I instinctively took a step back and stopped when I felt the bed broken
"Are we clear?" She looked right into my eyes and her jaw clenched. She looked furious. With good reason, but it's not my fault. I don't know how to block all the time, I just muffle it and ignore the low whispers in people's minds.
I nodded but I was bolder
"If you can keep your emotions in check, I'll keep my powers to myself." She opened her mouth, probably to insult me but I was quicker "what are they?" I see his angry expression falter and his eyes return to normal.
" What ?"
"Skeleton men with weird smiles. What are they?"
" Like you- ?"
" Telepathy is not just about hearing voices , Illyana . I can also see images that sometimes appear in people 's minds . But before you ask , no , I have not seen your memories . And I will not see them unless you want to show me , which I doubt."
She didn't answer me, she was silent for a moment. her eyes strayed to her feet and I could detect a slight emotion, as if she was reluctant to speak, and indeed she was. "I don't know..." She says.
She looked so fragile. I felt a bit of empathy for her. Whatever her past was, it wasn't bullshit.
I looked at the wall beside her and behind her "Come, give me a hand." I ask and look at her.
She now looks at me and frowns "How is it?" I rolled my eyes and without waiting for her response, I pushed her back by tightly holding her shoulders. She stumbled back in surprise and I managed to get us across to the other side. The wall wasn't that thick. Illyana as soon as she got to the other side pushed me back and I ended up hitting my back against the wall behind me, I moaned in pain and frowned looking at her "Really?"
"Dare to touch my shoulders again and I'll cut your hands off." She threatened with mocking eyes and turned to see the bed.
"You wrecked your bed, stay in it." I say straightening up.
Illyana looks back at me
"Why did you come into my room in the first place? What did you want?" She narrowed her eyes. Does she seriously think I'm such an idiot?
"Wanted you to wake up, I'm sorry if I didn't want to have to feel your fear and the Scary images of the smiling guys while I tried to sleep." I say with obvious irritation and cross my arms, "I'm not perv, and honestly I want to get away from your mind. I've got enough mess on mine already." I reply.
She looked at me for a moment. I was tempted to know what she was thinking or feeling but I kept the telepathic shield on. She would never know if I entered her mind, but I made a promise. To the mutants here and myself. I will respect their privacy. "And what did you intend to do about it? You don't think I'd stay awake just to get you out of nightmares, do you?" She asks.
I snorted "You? No. Me, yes."
She looked at me confused "what?"
"There is a way to help you with this, with your nightmares or whatever it is."
" AND?"
"You lie down on the bed and I'll stay on the floor, I must hold your hand while you sleep and that way I'll be able to keep the fear away, Or at least I'll try." I explain.
She looks at me skeptically and I let out a frustrated sigh "I'm telepathic and empathic, I can feel emotions, absorb them. As I hold your hand, I can absorb your fear and keep away from you for a while. This will benefit you and me too. I could use a little fear later for a certain person." I say and she raises an eyebrow.
" Who ?"
"She still has the trigger for the bracelet's disgrace, But maybe one day I might not be able to return some of the pain or fear she caused in me, right?" I say with a slight smile. She knew who I was referring to. Dr. Reyes. Illyana hated her too.
The slightest hint of a smile appeared on her face "Interesting idea."
I raise my hand "so, do we have a deal? Rasputin?" I raise an eyebrow with a wide smile on my face.
She tilts her head and then raises her hand to greet me too "We have a deal, Frost."
I don't know why Dr. Reyes hasn't done anything so far. I looked at the camera and saw that the red dot was off, I don't know why. Perhaps I have unwittingly interfered with our camera circuits for a short period of time. Oopss.
But why doesn't she-
The door opened and we took our hands apart and saw Dr. Reyes and guards standing there in the doorway, eyes narrowed "What did you do?"
"Eliel." I shrugged.
"Oops?"