drabble: What if nothing is just that?
What if nothing is just that?
397 words | Charles Gen | XMFC AU
For Danielle who asked for a lonely Charles who was pushed away by everyone. This is sort of like that. Title from Love love love (love love) by As Tall As Lions.
Charles was never alone, not really.
Charles was never alone, not really. The nature and sheer range of his ability made that impossible. When he was younger the only way to get some peace was with a pair of headphones set to loud and a good book or anything else that required his complete attention and focus. When he was a little older he learned to rein it back, control it, but even that wasn’t really enough.
He knew what people thought of him, how could he not? Those who didn’t see him as strange, a freak, were constantly on edge around him.
“Are you in my head now?” Raven would ask, “what about now?”
“No, Raven, I told you,” he said, “I only hear it if you think too loud, but if I'm not concentrating I can’t hear it, it’s like chatter at the edge of hearing, you know how sometimes if you leave the TV on upstairs you hear voices downstairs but not the words?”
She nodded. “But how do I know?”
“I put my hands here when I use my ability, right?” he said, touching his temple gently.
“Now I know that’s a lie,” she said.
“I promise you Raven,” he said, finally putting his pen down to look her in the eye, “I will not invade your privacy without permission, I will not go into your head unless I tell you, unless you let me, okay?”
She looked dubious but nodded in agreement.
It was probably an understatement to say that he wasn’t good at relationships. He tried, really, but when people found out about his ability they put up walls, if they didn’t run in the other direction.
At first he just stopped telling his dates, but what was a fun trick on the first date lost its charm by the second date and they would want to know how he did it.
Then there was the sex.
It became easier to just not bother with people at all. He buried himself in his teaching, declined invitations to group outings, and even Raven found a boyfriend, a colleague of his in fact. Slowly but surely her calls became less frequent, and then stopped all together.
It was better this way, really. He didn’t have to deal with anyone, and they didn’t have to deal with him. He had his books, and his research, he didn’t need anything else.
397 words | Charles Gen | XMFC AU
For Danielle who asked for a lonely Charles who was pushed away by everyone. This is sort of like that. Title from Love love love (love love) by As Tall As Lions.
Charles was never alone, not really.
Charles was never alone, not really. The nature and sheer range of his ability made that impossible. When he was younger the only way to get some peace was with a pair of headphones set to loud and a good book or anything else that required his complete attention and focus. When he was a little older he learned to rein it back, control it, but even that wasn’t really enough.
He knew what people thought of him, how could he not? Those who didn’t see him as strange, a freak, were constantly on edge around him.
“Are you in my head now?” Raven would ask, “what about now?”
“No, Raven, I told you,” he said, “I only hear it if you think too loud, but if I'm not concentrating I can’t hear it, it’s like chatter at the edge of hearing, you know how sometimes if you leave the TV on upstairs you hear voices downstairs but not the words?”
She nodded. “But how do I know?”
“I put my hands here when I use my ability, right?” he said, touching his temple gently.
“Now I know that’s a lie,” she said.
“I promise you Raven,” he said, finally putting his pen down to look her in the eye, “I will not invade your privacy without permission, I will not go into your head unless I tell you, unless you let me, okay?”
She looked dubious but nodded in agreement.
It was probably an understatement to say that he wasn’t good at relationships. He tried, really, but when people found out about his ability they put up walls, if they didn’t run in the other direction.
At first he just stopped telling his dates, but what was a fun trick on the first date lost its charm by the second date and they would want to know how he did it.
Then there was the sex.
It became easier to just not bother with people at all. He buried himself in his teaching, declined invitations to group outings, and even Raven found a boyfriend, a colleague of his in fact. Slowly but surely her calls became less frequent, and then stopped all together.
It was better this way, really. He didn’t have to deal with anyone, and they didn’t have to deal with him. He had his books, and his research, he didn’t need anything else.