Wilder went to see his mother about something. Coming along with him too, but not to see what he wanted her for, but to see Liv, his mother's partner. I wanted to see if by constantly opening an emotional connection with her if she could feel the same thing Wilder and I were. I was going to warn her beforehand, though. It was only fair.
She smiled at me when she saw me, stretching out her hand for mine.
"Wait, before that, I should warn you, something is going on with Wilder and me. We have been using my gift, and it's like I'm leaving some of it behind every time. He is aware of me when I am close to him and I am all too aware of him. All of him. I can even feel it when he looks at me or smiles at me. Even if I'm not looking at him."
"Lower your voice, Adler, unless you want his mother to know. Surely there is a reason you have opened this conversation with me and not her."
"You're right, but I am terrified of it. It doesn't feel right to know these things without him knowing."
"Are you sure he doesn't know the same thing you know? You said he is aware of you. Maybe it is something you are both feeling on the same level, a bond you could say?"
"I have known him for less than a week, but I feel like I have known him longer. Every time we touch and open that connection, it feels like I'm knowing him better and better on a soul level. That's the terrifying thing. When we break contact, we can still feel it linger. I felt it grow in strength. I'm not sure if he did, he said nothing, But I'm too scared to even ask him."
"Alright, Let's see if we can replicate what is going on with you two and see if it's normal."
Both of us sat down. We held one hand at first and then two; We didn't need words to communicate, feelings alone were doing it. She loved Wilder, and his mother you could feel it the most in the connection. We severed the connection by pulling our hands apart and there was no lingering; it was just like someone had slammed the door shut.
We did this repeatedly until Wilder and his mother came back from wherever they had been. We broke the connection again, and she smiled at me.
"Seems like it's not happening."
"Yes, it seems like it."
The Chief looked at me with a welcoming smile; I stood up, helped Liv up and then dusted myself off before walking over.
"Afternoon."
"Afternoon Adler."
"How are you?"
"I am wonderful. How are you?"
"I can show you..."
I took her hand light setting mine into it and pushed my feelings lightly to her. She gasped softly and looked at me.
"What a strange gift. Wilder said nothing about this. Surely you have shown him?"
"Briefly."
I waited for Liv or Wilder himself to mention the strange thing that was happening, but neither said a word about it. The Chief let go of my hand and looked at Wilder, her smile slightly faltering, but I didn't ask about it. When her hand was in mine, I had picked up on some anger and frustration. I wasn't sure, but it felt like it was towards Wilder, but not just him.
"Adler, you will have to come back soon and show me more of your gift. I look forward to seeing how well you grow into it."
Wilder didn't wait a single moment more before he set his hand on my arm, and I knew he wanted to leave the hut. I figured he was going to want to go back to his hut, but he walked right by the thing. Whatever they had talked about had not gone nicely at all. He was clearly on the edge like his mother had been when I took her hand to show her my gift.
He walked the lake, not down the path that took you there, but down a less used one. He walked slowly enough for me to keep up behind him, but he said nothing. The path led us to another side of the island and a part of the beach that was surrounded by water except for the spot where we walked out. The breeze coming off the water was beautiful, and he just sat down in sand under the shade of a single tree.
I sat down beside him, not sure what to say to him to make him tell me what had happened. He moved over slightly into the hot sand, giving me more of the shade.
"Wilder... What happened?"
"I don't want to speak about it."
"Maybe I can help?"
"Can you stop my mother from forcing her position on me? Can you stop her from suggesting I find a life partner?" He hissed, slamming his hand into the sand.
"I can't. But I'm sure you knew that." I mumbled.
Liv never mentioned that his mother was trying to give him the position of chief, and we had talked about him. Maybe she didn't know, but I doubted that.
"Why don't you want to be Chief? I can understand the life partner's choice, but I'll admit I'm confused about the other."
He turned to look at me, and his eyes were cold and angry. They softened just slightly.
"This is all because I took you in."
"This is my fault?"
"Not exactly. It's more because I'm looking after you willingly. My mother sees it as a sign that I'm lonely and need a life partner now."
"Tell her about the women? The real reason you took me in?"
"No, that will just play into what she thinks I need."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. I know that, believe me."
Forgetting about the promise I made not to touch him until I knew about my gift, I grabbed his hand to comfort him. His hand, which had been slack, tightened, and he held onto my hand.
"Your gift, it's comforting to me. I don't understand it though but I can feel it even when we are not touching, like after effects. It's nothing like my mother's. There are no lingering after-effects from hers."
"There isn't from mine either, it's only you who feels the after effects. Liv felt nothing."
"You tested it on Liv?"
"I wanted to know if the lingering effects happened with everyone. It seems to only be you that this happens with."
He nodded, but didn't pull his hand out of mine. He frowned slightly.
"You shouldn't tell anyone else. Liv won't tell my mother about it. But I don't think it's a wise idea."
"She knew I didn't want your mother to know. She picked up on that right away. I was told to keep it down unless I wanted her to know."
"I've known you for less than a week. I shouldn't care as much as I do." He murmured under his breath.
"It's like every time we touch in this way, we know each other better and better. It's scary."
His feelings were swirling around in the connection. It was almost like they were mixing with my own until the feelings became shared. No longer identifiable as his or mine.
"It feels stronger every time, too." He said.
He pulled his hand out of mine and the after-effects were indeed stronger again.
"That is what I'm talking about, that feeling right there." He said, setting his hand back into mine.
"Are you not worried about it?"
"No. Why should I be? It doesn't seem to have any negative effects on me. I enjoy knowing when you're around. I can feel you around before I see you."
I wasn't sure how to take this comment, but I pushed caring feelings into the connection. He seemed to understand these thoughts of mine, that I would do anything I could to help him.
"Is there any way you can stop her from passing on the position to you?"
"No. It's my birthright, and I've known it. I just have been avoiding it. I don't want to take care of anyone else. I don't want to be responsible for anyone else. She knows this. We have argued about this before. It's nothing new, but now she can use this thing between us to prove I'm fit for taking over the position."
"I see. I'm sorry, even if it isn't my fault."
He took his hand out of mine and stood up.
"Let's head back to the hut. I have some things to prepare for before I go hunting with the others again tonight."
"Alright."
We chatted about all kinds of things on the way back. We even talked a little about my life before here, only a week ago. He seemed mildly interested in everything I was telling him about my life. Liv was just coming out of the cloth of Wilder's hut. She smiled when she saw us, waiting for us to get there.
"Adler, Wilder, Hello. Sorry, you weren't here, but I found your bag on the plane. I set it inside, go check to make sure it's yours."
I got the hint she wanted me to go inside so she could speak with Wilder, and I respected that. I went inside; they set my bag on the floor and I never thought I would be so excited to see it. I heard the tail end of their conversation. Stopping me right in my tracks, with my fingers on the zipper, ready to pull it open.
"Tell your mother before I have no choice left but to tell her myself. You know I don't want to."
"I will. Give me time."