Tragic Magic [boyxboy]

Chapter Ten

I woke up in a similar position to the one I’d fallen asleep in. My head was on a still-slumbering Tristan’s chest, one of his arms around my waist and the other crossing my body to rest on the side of my neck. I guess he’d nodded off while still stroking my hair to calm me down.

                I glanced up at him, trying not to move too much in case I woke him. His face was completely relaxed as he breathed in and out deeply; he looked a lot more content than he usually did.

                ‘You’re staring at me ,’ he mumbled without opening his eyes, and I averted my gaze sharply.

‘Sorry.’

‘How are you feeling?’ he asked, his voice thick with sleep, and not, I noticed, moving away from me or letting me go.

‘Okay,’ I mumbled. The truth was I wasn’t really sure how I felt. Overwhelmed, I guess.

‘You’re overwhelmed,’ he said, and I looked back up at him sharply.

‘Stop doing that,’ I ordered.

‘Doing what?’

‘That mind reading thing or whatever, it’s not fair.’

Tristan chuckled, finally opening his eyes. ‘I can’t read your mind Cody, that’s not part of the package. It’s good to know I’ve got you so figured out though.’

‘You don’t have me figured out,’ I muttered, looking away again. ‘You just get lucky sometimes.’ I flushed at my choice of phrasing.

‘When else did you think I was reading your mind?’

I shrugged, embarrassed now. ‘Last night, when you said “No, I’ve never done this before”.’

‘Ah. Well. That’s different.’

‘So you could read my mind?’

‘No, but there was a pretty tangible flow of emotions. There always is when two people with powers sleep together. Couldn’t you feel it?’

‘I wasn’t really paying attention. There was some other stuff going on that I was distracted by.’

Tristan laughed. ‘You’re funny now.’

‘I’m always funny.’

‘Unintentionally.’

‘Shut up! So, when you said you’d never done it before, you meant...?’

‘I’ve never done “the ritual” before,’ he said, saying “the ritual” in a comical voice.

‘So in a way it was kind of your first time too,’ I suggested shyly.

He shrugged. ‘I guess. Kinda sad for three hundred and seventy seven, huh?’

‘Have you met a lot of people like me? Who wanted you to change them?’

‘A few,’ he brushed the question off. ‘But I bet you none of them would have laid in bed the next morning making pillow talk. Aren’t you even curious to use your powers?’

I sat bolt upright. ‘Oh my god,’ I breathed. ‘I didn’t even think of it like that.’ I paused, and looked at him expectantly. ‘What do I do? How do I make my eyes go all black and stuff?’

Tristan gave me a lopsided, indulgent smile. ‘That’s a side effect, not a mechanism,’ he told me. ‘I guess we should start small in case you blow up the house or something. Try and bring something to you.’

I hesitated, looking at him worriedly. ‘Could that really happen? Could I blow up the house by accident?’

‘Your powers are going to be really volatile for about a week or so, anything could happen. But I doubt you could do any real damage as long as you stay calm. Whatever you do, don’t get angry.’