Silas' POV:
I didn't blow up my apartment.
I didn't blow up my apartment.
I didn't blow up my apartment.
Repeating it over and over to myself is barely enough to convince me since I feel at fault. Even if I didn't do it, I know that I'm at fault, because whoever is trying to kill me blew up my apartment and killed innocent people in the process.
"Silas, are you okay?" Lincoln asks, turning off the television, but I use my powers to turn it right back on. "Stop doing that!"
I raise my eyebrow at his exclamation and physically push him away from the television using my abilities as he tries to turn it off again.
"Silas!"
"I'm watching TV. Shush," I respond, focusing on the television where they keep showing clips of my face and my burning apartment building. "Funny how they aren't mentioning that I was attacked by the killer and are deciding to pin it on me."
Lincoln huffs and decides to sit down on the floor, realizing I won't let him turn off the television. "Yeah, I'm not surprised though. You're an easy target, and Atticus' boss is a dick," he says, leaning his head back on a cupboard. "Easy to make everyone see you as an enemy so that they can try to capture or kill you, and then find the real killer and act like they made a mistake."
"His boss is a bastard," I growl, remembering the man who aggressively grabbed my arm and accused me of being a murderous animal. "You said that Atticus is keeping my whereabouts a secret?"
"Yeah," Lincoln says, getting up and walking toward their indoor theatre. "His partner, Jared, knows as well, but he's keeping quiet. We know you didn't do anything wrong, Silas."
I shrug. "The rest of the city doesn't know that. I'm never going to get a job, never going to be allowed in bars or stores... I'm basically a public murder figure."
"Come on, let's take your mind off of that," Lincoln suggests, his familiar and warm smile glowing on his face. "Have you ever watched How To Train Your Dragon?"
"No," I say, narrowing my eyes. "Isn't that a kids movie?"
Lincoln looks offended. "It may be an animated movie, but that series is the best series of movies of all time!" he exclaims, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the theatre.
He turns on the huge screen and starts playing the movie. For being a professional doctor in his mid twenties, Lincoln looks like an excited little kid while we watch the movie, his eyes wide and filled with stars as we watch.
I'm having a difficult time watching the film, since Lincoln and I are sitting side by side, and he's pressed against me. I don't know if he notices our position, but I'm so nervous I'm going to get hard or something like that.
At least then they wouldn't have to protect me, because Atticus would murder me on the spot.
"This song is the best one," Lincoln whispers when the main character rides the dragon for the first time. "It makes me feel free and nostalgic."
I can't disagree that the music is beautiful and I really do enjoy it. It at least helps me take my mind off how nervous I am that Lincoln is so close to me right now.
"Tell me about your family," Lincoln demands, scooting away from me and propping his feet up on the couch.
Well, actually, his feet are in my lap, but I don't want to think about that.
"What about them?"
"Well, I feel like if you're staying in our house we should at least know a little about you," Lincoln points out matter-of-factly. "You're from Montana, I know that, but I know nothing else."
I like listening to Lincoln talk, but he falls silent and I know it's now time for me to speak.
"Well, I'm one of six kids. I have five sisters, and I'm the second oldest. My older sister is twenty four, then the younger ones are nineteen, sixteen, and twins that are fourteen. I'm the only one with the malfunction, but they tested all of my sisters twice once they discovered I have it. Uh... my mom is a secretary, my dad is a lawyer, and they love me but they couldn't wait for me to move out because having a kid with Mistacesemia is bad enough, let alone when your dad is a lawyer and it can lose him credibility."
I sigh, thinking about how my parents offered to buy me an apartment but it was more of a push to get me away from them. They don't even invite me back for holidays; they just send me gifts and call me.
"What about yours?" I ask, trying to get over my mini pity-party.
"It was just me and my mom growing up," Lincoln says, turning the next How To Train Your Dragon movie on. "She was young when she had me, so things were kind of rough growing up. I was really smart and my teachers wanted to send me to a private academy, so my mom worked three jobs just so I could go. The main reason I became a specialist for Mistacesemia is because it was super interesting and also because we get paid extremely well so I can take care of my mom like she took care of me."
I like his story. It actually has meaning and shows the sacrifice families will make for each other. Hell, my parents would probably turn me into the police if they were here right now because they never did believe anything I said.
"Your family doesn't deserve you," Lincoln tells me, and I'm pretty sure he can see how hard I'm pitying myself. "They don't know how to accept someone who isn't identical to them."
"Thank you," I say in a quiet voice, because I'm not used to being praised the way Lincoln is praising me.
God, why is he so amazing?
Why does he have to be taken?
Why am I thinking about him like this?
He's taken, Silas! He and Atticus are dating! They're both taken and they deserve better than a Mistake! God, stop being so needy and desperate! They deserve better!"
"Silas? Are you okay?" Lincoln asks, and I realize I'm digging my fingers so deep into my legs that I've pricked them and drawn blood. "You're bleeding!"
I push his hands away when he tries to check my legs. "It's just some cuts," I tell him, shrugging. "They're fine, I just got lost in thought."
"What were you thinking about."
"Nothing."
Lincoln raises an eyebrow. "Pretty hard to get lost in thought when you're thinking of nothing, isn't it?"
"I'm special," I respond curtly, because it's better to be on edge than tell Lincoln how I'm feeling.
Lincoln tackles me and pins my arms down. "Come on, tell me!"
I blush, hoping I don't get hard because that would probably be the death of me. "You're acting like a teenager," I comment, but Lincoln isn't even fazed. "Aren't you a specialist?"
"Yes, I'm an adult and a specialist, but I'll act like a teenager if I want!" he responds, sitting right on top of my crotch. "What do you think of that makes you zone out?"
I huff, but don't bother trying to push him off of me. "Your mom," I say childishly.
"You're saying I'm acting like a teenager," Lincoln mumbles, still sitting on me.
"I'm three years younger than you," I respond, reaching up and poking his chest. "You're not being a role model for me."
Lincoln grins. "Well, Atticus is older than both of us. He can be our role model," he tells me, poking me in the chest in retaliation. "I'll find out what lives in your mind, you Walmart brand Wanda Maximoff."
"Ouch," I say, and for a brief second, Lincoln seems terrified that he actually offended me before he sees my small smile and relaxes.
"If anything I say is offensive, tell me. When I get comfortable with someone I kind of lose my filter."
Well, I could tell!
"Don't worry, I don't get offended that easily," I say, sitting up and pushing Lincoln off my lap. "What do I do, Lincoln? I'm a wanted man."
He frowns. "I don't know. Stay here until Atticus can prove your innocence, I guess," he suggests, but he doesn't seem that upset. "I like the company on my day off and I think Atticus will enjoy it as well. That is, until you're proven innocent and start working at my office."
"I'm glad you hire people who are wanted criminals," I say jokingly, making Lincoln throw a pillow at me, but I stop it in midair, making him jump up and grin.
"Wait! Hold still!" he exclaims, sprinting out of the room and returning with a notebook. "I need to take notes!"
His astonishment is both adorable and endearing. Lincoln actually likes who I am as a person, it seems, and he isn't afraid of me.
Neither is Atticus.
Since I can't have either of them as a lover, I'll be grateful to call them my friends. That is, if Atticus wants to keep me around, because if he's at all uncomfortable with a wanted man in his house, I will leave.
"How do you feel when you use your abilities?" Lincoln asks, touching the pillow as it hovers in the air. "Could I sit on this or would it fall?"
"I'm still controlling it so I would just have to adjust for weight," I tell him as Lincoln writes down a few notes. "Go on."
Lincoln looks like I just told him he won the lottery as he puts down his note book and sits down on the pillow.
He's already pretty light, and with my abilities being as strong as they are, he weighs almost nothing to me. Lincoln shrieks when I move him up higher, but he seems to be having the time of his life.
"Can you lift two things at once?" Lincoln asks, looking down at his notebook.
I use my other hand and lift up to him, making him snatch it and scribble down some more points.
"Amazing," Lincoln whispers as I set him down on the ground. "You amaze me, Silas."
My face warms up. "Uh, I'm going to watch the movie..." I say, sitting down and Lincoln sits next to me.
"Can I look at your mark?" Lincoln asks, and I hold out my arm so he can touch and observe.
Who cares if he's a doctor?
I feel as though I can trust Lincoln wholeheartedly, and the same goes for Atticus.
Throughout watching the movie, I grow tired, and I guess I fall asleep, because when I open my eyes, I'm laying on top of Lincoln with my head on his chest. A clicking sound grabs my attention and I look up, seeing Atticus standing above us with his phone.
Son of a bitch.