Anxious Telepath

@telepathagonist

“27, 28, 29, 30! Ready or not here I come!” Rita called, moving her hands away from her eyes. She was supposed to go on land for ‘Very serious and important things’ as Sir would put it. But of course she got side tracked and now she found herself playing a game off hide and seek with a few 6 year olds. Oh well!

She dashes around and spotted on behind the flower stand, “Haha, found you!” she said. She then found a boy near the bakery and two girls behind the candle store. That leaves the boy with red hair left.

She spots a red set of hair dash under the feet of tall adults. “Ha!” she calls and starts running after him until she runs into someone else. Startled she quickly grips onto their sleeves and uses him to pull them forward so they wouldn’t fall.

There was a child, crouching behind something much bigger than he – furiously trying to imagine himself invisible. You can’t see me, I’m not here, there’s nothing here There was a merchant, fussing over the days wares and the prices he might not get for them. How the hell am I s’posed to make a profit when- There was a young man, furiously staring at the water. Come back come back come ba-

There was a young woman, running fast and I’ve got you now!

There was a crash, and a young man falling back, before he’s yanked forward by his sleeves, blue hair flopping forward into his face obscuring his vision I lost my balance, I would have fallen, you’re listening to yourself again.

Jamie straightened and tried to blink the girl in front of him back into focus. He’d been concentrating so hard, he wasn’t even sure how much of the fall he felt was his own, and how much had been someone else’s across the city. 

“Sorry to cause you any trouble dolly, didn’t mean to honestly. I dunno where my head is today. I was supposed to get supplys and all and totally up and sidetracked myself! Speaking of…”

“It’s no worry, it genuinely was most probably my fault, I really shouldn’t have just stopped like that. That wasn’t... very smart of me.”

Jamie didn’t know a blacksmith, but the moment he thought that, his mind reached, just a little, to the nearby minds on the port. It didn’t take more than a question directed at the minds to discover there was a well recommended blacksmith tucked away behind the shipyard. Little suppressant made it easy enough not just to gleam this, but to reach to the shipyard, and check that the man was still in business.

The grin he got made him warm to Ben even more, and the smile he shot back was kinda helpless. “I suppose that would be a prerequisite of working with dragons… not being scared by the magic and the idea that something could be more powerful than you are, however small these ones remain.” 

His cheeks must have been fire truck red for how hot they felt. The honesty, and the care that he could feel… it was almost too much. It wasn’t that Ben was the only one to have a neutral reaction to them, it was that Ben didn’t have even a flicker of doubt in the corners in his mind about what he was saying. He didn’t press Jamie to show it off either and though he would have been happy to, he appreciated that too.

“See most people start to avoid trouble, not go seeking it out...” he trailed off when he caught sight of the crystal in Ben’s hands. It was like an itch on his brain. He knew that he’d seen something about it, but the suppressants worked to obfuscate  his otherwise perfect memory as well. It didn’t feel like a good memory, but lunging at Ben on the basis of a half thought about a crystal he thought he remembered seemed like a very very bad idea.

“My powers...” he was distracted, half searching through what he’d seen that day when he answered. “Different? I mean I know they’re unusual for where I’m from but...” 

The crystal in Ben’s hand was still freaking him out just a smidge too much. So despite his apprehensions, he sent a silent sorry in Ipip’s direction, before lifting her from his lap in a very unceremonious affair, and darting forward to grab the crystal. 

“Sorry, I just... let me take this I’ve got a... It’s bad.” 

“Troublesome is an…. understatement. I should, for politeness sake, introduce myself as one, so people don’t feel invaded. But, each time I do I risk a very bad reaction. I never willingly manipulate thoughts, but…” He shrugged. 

“It’s actually,” He continued, “I mean, you’re just listening to my dragon and minding your own business. There’s nothing repulsive about that.” He laughed a little. He meant every word he said- it was difficult to bring himself to be frightened of someone who looked at him so earnestly. Jamie seemed so confused by the idea that someone wouldn’t hate what he could do, and it sent a little pang in his chest to see it.

The grin he got made him warm to Ben even more, and the smile he shot back was kinda helpless. “I suppose that would be a prerequisite of working with dragons... not being scared by the magic and the idea that something could be more powerful than you are, however small these ones remain.” 

His cheeks must have been fire truck red for how hot they felt. The honesty, and the care that he could feel... it was almost too much. It wasn’t that Ben was the only one to have a neutral reaction to them, it was that Ben didn’t have even a flicker of doubt in the corners in his mind about what he was saying. He didn’t press Jamie to show it off either and though he would have been happy to, he appreciated that too.

The enthusiasm that burst out of Ben, both in his words, and in his thoughts, startled Jamie. He felt a little overwhelmed, at least for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to beam or cry at the sincerity behind the words. It’d been a very long time since he’d had someone react well to powers as intrusive as his.

“You don’t have to apologise,” he said, risking a smile up at Ben, when he was sure he’d got his emotions under control. “I’m happy to answer. I could. I could read surface thoughts now, if I reached for it. Without the suppressants I couldn’t help it.” 

Strange was a hard one to answer. “I haven’t known anything but the buzz of thoughts, so I suppose it’s my normal. It’s overwhelming, sometimes. I… never get lost physically, because I can use people around me to work out where I am.. But I get lost mentally quite a bit… especially… uncontrolled.” 

“Troublesome is an.... understatement. I should, for politeness sake, introduce myself as one, so people don’t feel invaded. But, each time I do I risk a very bad reaction. I never willingly manipulate thoughts, but...” He shrugged. 

So when Ben did speak, and it wasn’t to curse him, he was surprised. “Uh, yeah. Her mind uses female so I went with that. She’s very happy I… I can’t really feel her but her mind is very expressive. Way more than I’ve ever felt for non human creatures.”

The enthusiasm that burst out of Ben, both in his words, and in his thoughts, startled Jamie. He felt a little overwhelmed, at least for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to beam or cry at the sincerity behind the words. It’d been a very long time since he’d had someone react well to powers as intrusive as his.

“You don’t have to apologise,” he said, risking a smile up at Ben, when he was sure he’d got his emotions under control. “I’m happy to answer. I could. I could read surface thoughts now, if I reached for it. Without the suppressants I couldn’t help it.” 

Strange was a hard one to answer. “I haven’t known anything but the buzz of thoughts, so I suppose it’s my normal. It’s overwhelming, sometimes. I... never get lost physically, because I can use people around me to work out where I am.. But I get lost mentally quite a bit... especially... uncontrolled.” 

@telepathagonist

“27, 28, 29, 30! Ready or not here I come!” Rita called, moving her hands away from her eyes. She was supposed to go on land for ‘Very serious and important things’ as Sir would put it. But of course she got side tracked and now she found herself playing a game off hide and seek with a few 6 year olds. Oh well!

She dashes around and spotted on behind the flower stand, “Haha, found you!” she said. She then found a boy near the bakery and two girls behind the candle store. That leaves the boy with red hair left.

She spots a red set of hair dash under the feet of tall adults. “Ha!” she calls and starts running after him until she runs into someone else. Startled she quickly grips onto their sleeves and uses him to pull them forward so they wouldn’t fall.

There was a child, crouching behind something much bigger than he -- furiously trying to imagine himself invisible. You can’t see me, I’m not here, there’s nothing here There was a merchant, fussing over the days wares and the prices he might not get for them. How the hell am I s’posed to make a profit when- There was a young man, furiously staring at the water. Come back come back come ba-

There was a young woman, running fast and I’ve got you now!

There was a crash, and a young man falling back, before he’s yanked forward by his sleeves, blue hair flopping forward into his face obscuring his vision I lost my balance, I would have fallen, you’re listening to yourself again.

Jamie straightened and tried to blink the girl in front of him back into focus. He’d been concentrating so hard, he wasn’t even sure how much of the fall he felt was his own, and how much had been someone else’s across the city. 

So when Ben did speak, and it wasn’t to curse him, he was surprised. “Uh, yeah. Her mind uses female so I went with that. She’s very happy I... I can’t really feel her but her mind is very expressive. Way more than I’ve ever felt for non human creatures.”

“You know it?” Jamie couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. “I guess I forget that the technology itself would be foreign, we take electricity pretty much as a given where I’m from.” His expression dimmed just a little at the use of strange. Of course his powers really were strange, not just by the definition of those outside of his world, but those within as well. “Yeah uh… strange…” 

He was actually quite dragon like. That was probably part of what intimidated Jamie so much. Ben looked and talked like a human, but he’d spent enough time around dragons to pick up the habits of one. And so he felt like one. A nice one, with a very nice – fangless – smile. But a dragon nonetheless.

The disappointment at the lack of a name surprised and warmed Jamie all at once. He found himself smiling despite himself. He waited till Ben next looked up, and then supplied the name. 

“Tainos. I didn’t know it had a name till recently, honestly. It’s not as big as Athos by far, but it’s pretty decently sized? Perhaps my opinion is biased.” 

The idea of being treated well made him pause. He had been treated well, he supposed. After all, he was still here. But his powers had made him a freak amongst freaks on his planet. Did that count as not well? He’d had a loving family too. Well adoptive aunt and uncle but still.

“You know it?” Jamie couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. “I guess I forget that the technology itself would be foreign, we take electricity pretty much as a given where I’m from.” His expression dimmed just a little at the use of strange. Of course his powers really were strange, not just by the definition of those outside of his world, but those within as well. “Yeah uh... strange...” 

“Yours,” he agreed aloud, because he didn’t dare reach with thoughts. 

Ben must have thought him crazy by now – what with his half confronting him for his money and then cooing over dragons. There was probably absolutely no salvaging this situation at all, not with Ben watching him so carefully. 

But there was no harm in asking more. When Ben inevitably went running for the hills, it would be nice to have another story to muse over.

He was actually quite dragon like. That was probably part of what intimidated Jamie so much. Ben looked and talked like a human, but he’d spent enough time around dragons to pick up the habits of one. And so he felt like one. A nice one, with a very nice -- fangless -- smile. But a dragon nonetheless.

The disappointment at the lack of a name surprised and warmed Jamie all at once. He found himself smiling despite himself. He waited till Ben next looked up, and then supplied the name. 

“Tainos. I didn’t know it had a name till recently, honestly. It’s not as big as Athos by far, but it’s pretty decently sized? Perhaps my opinion is biased.” 

The idea of being treated well made him pause. He had been treated well, he supposed. After all, he was still here. But his powers had made him a freak amongst freaks on his planet. Did that count as not well? He’d had a loving family too. Well adoptive aunt and uncle but still.

If he had not been a telepath used to being pulled in forty thousand directions at any one point in time, this should have taken up his entire attention. But if he were honest, if his attention was anywhere, it was on Ben. Because Ben was still smiling, and he’d given his name even though Jamie had been acting weird, and that meant they were not-strangers now.

“Yours,” he agreed aloud, because he didn’t dare reach with thoughts. 

Ben must have thought him crazy by now -- what with his half confronting him for his money and then cooing over dragons. There was probably absolutely no salvaging this situation at all, not with Ben watching him so carefully. 

But there was no harm in asking more. When Ben inevitably went running for the hills, it would be nice to have another story to muse over.

Technically, he could just search. In fact the thought of searching alone brought a sound to his mind before he could shove it away. Be…. Ben perhaps? Well there went the opportunity to not pry. 

Weirdly enough, minds seemed to hold onto their name quite loosely. Like people thought of themselves in third person without meaning to. For that reason, Jamie wasn’t exactly in the habit of asking names. But it was freaky and generally unlikable when he used names he hadn’t been given. So now he had to ask, before he accidentally used it.

If he had not been a telepath used to being pulled in forty thousand directions at any one point in time, this should have taken up his entire attention. But if he were honest, if his attention was anywhere, it was on Ben. Because Ben was still smiling, and he’d given his name even though Jamie had been acting weird, and that meant they were not-strangers now.

“Hello Ipip,” he said softly, trying to match the performers pronunciation. “I’m Jamie. It’s very nice to meet someone as happy as you.”

His fingers shook more than his arm had, but when she didn’t immediately reject his hands on her back, his nerves seemed to settle some, as he settled into a rhythm of smoothing his fingers down her spine.

Technically, he could just search. In fact the thought of searching alone brought a sound to his mind before he could shove it away. Be.... Ben perhaps? Well there went the opportunity to not pry. 

Weirdly enough, minds seemed to hold onto their name quite loosely. Like people thought of themselves in third person without meaning to. For that reason, Jamie wasn’t exactly in the habit of asking names. But it was freaky and generally unlikable when he used names he hadn’t been given. So now he had to ask, before he accidentally used it.

Jamie found himself half reaching for the small dragon, his fingers drawn to the enchanting gleam of her scales in the late morning sun. He stopped himself at the last moment, fingers curling back over his palm, so that it looked more like a wave in the dragons direction than anything else.

“I’m not sure you’d want to get rid of them. I like them quite a bit” he said, his attention drawn to the way her tail curled around his arm, and the myriads of markings there. Had the dragons done that? Those claws would have to hurt like hell. He half lost himself in musings, until he felt the nudge of a small, female mind examining his own. The dragon, he supposed.

“Hello Ipip,” he said softly, trying to match the performers pronunciation. “I’m Jamie. It’s very nice to meet someone as happy as you.”

His fingers shook more than his arm had, but when she didn’t immediately reject his hands on her back, his nerves seemed to settle some, as he settled into a rhythm of smoothing his fingers down her spine.

Jamie found himself half reaching for the small dragon, his fingers drawn to the enchanting gleam of her scales in the late morning sun. He stopped himself at the last moment, fingers curling back over his palm, so that it looked more like a wave in the dragons direction than anything else.

“I’m not sure you’d want to get rid of them. I like them quite a bit” he said, his attention drawn to the way her tail curled around his arm, and the myriads of markings there. Had the dragons done that? Those claws would have to hurt like hell. He half lost himself in musings, until he felt the nudge of a small, female mind examining his own. The dragon, he supposed.

The money he held was going to be enough, provided no one deemed him foreign looking enough to try and rip off. Not that it was hard to tell when it was, more that he struggled to assert himself when they were. 

The performer was still giving him the funny look, the surface of his mind filled with questions. Normally, Jamie might have ignored this in favour of lunch. In fact, he absolutely would have, but he really did like dragons. So perhaps he could pause for a moment to explain..

It wasn’t until the words were out that he realised how they could be taken. The idea of going up against a man that had such control over giant magical creatures was absolutely terrifying. Hell, this guy didn’t even need the dragons, with a build that looked not unused to fighting.

The money he held was going to be enough, provided no one deemed him foreign looking enough to try and rip off. Not that it was hard to tell when it was, more that he struggled to assert himself when they were. 

The performer was still giving him the funny look, the surface of his mind filled with questions. Normally, Jamie might have ignored this in favour of lunch. In fact, he absolutely would have, but he really did like dragons. So perhaps he could pause for a moment to explain..