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PJ doesn’t know exactly what it is about his new male classmate that is so intriguing. He’s kind of loud and a little obnoxious. His hairs a little messy and his smile is also sort of gorgeous. His voice has an accent, a northern twang that is unmistakable amongst the rest of the class.
It might be a combination of all three things, really.
It might also be the fact that PJ can’t shake a feeling. It’s sort of indescribable. He doesn’t exactly know what it is, but when he’s around Chris he just can’t shake it. It lingers; almost like a second skin. Virtually unnoticeable. But it’s there, and if he didn’t have a better way to describe it, he’d say it was almost drawing him in.
And yeah, maybe it might be attraction. Because PJ is only human and damn, Chris has definitely got to be one of the most attractive guys he has ever laid eyes on.
But he’s not so sure. Because while he’s been attracted to others before, it doesn’t feel quite like this.
He could almost swear there is some kind of pull.
-
PJ decides to keep his distance, even though Chris doesn’t exactly make it easy. The boy shares almost all of his classes, except for algebra. Hell, he doesn’t even like maths, but it’s the only time he can seem to think straight.
It’s not exactly like he can help it though. It almost irks PJ that he doesn’t know what is up with Chris. Every moment he has, he concentrates. Trying to exactly discover what it is about this guy that makes him so different. It’s not simple. He can’t just go and ask someone, because they don’t exactly have the ability to sense moods or see auras. Except this isn’t even really either of those. It’s something else. Something completely indescribable.
And it’s driving PJ crazy.
-
“Pair up!”
A small chorus of groans erupt from the class. PJ can’t blame them. He hates working with others on graded assignments, especially in science. Sure he isn’t that great at chemistry himself but there are a hell of a lot of others in the class that are a lot worse than him, and knowing his luck, one of them will try and get paired together.
“PJ?”
The northern tone snaps PJ out of his daze. Chris is standing beside him, small smile on his face as he gives an awkward sort of wave.
“Hi?” PJ replies back in the same sort of tone.
“Do you want to pair up? I know he haven’t spoken much yet, but maybe you’d like to do the project together anyway? Word of warning, I’m a bit shit when it comes to anything science related.”
PJ laughs; a mix between genuine and nervous. “Way to sell yourself.”
“Business management is never going to be a subject I’ll willingly choose either.”
“You didn’t elect Chemistry?”
Chris groans. “God no. It was one of the only spots available when I transferred. It was this or physics. I thought chem would be the better option, however I’m not so sure after our last test.”
The teacher then pesters the class to hurry up. Chris gives him a hopeful look, and yeah there is definitely no way that PJ is going to turn him down.
“Can you set up the Bunsen burner?” PJ asks, handing Chris a coat and a pair of safety glasses.
Nodding Chris complies, pulling out the equipment from the storage container under the bench. He sets it up as PJ reads over the assignment.
Then it happens. The irresistible pull changes; coming off in a wave stronger than ever before. PJ freezes, movement’s still as his eyes trail upwards.
The glow is different to anything PJ has seen before. It’s bright, somewhat blinding and almost metallic. It’s red and orange with the smallest bit of yellow that almost looks gold. It settles around the wider part of Chris’ purple and blue aura, almost outshining it.
Somehow, PJ manages to avert his eyes away, blocking out the colour and starting at Chris. The brunette’s eyes are locked on the flame in front of him, burning brightly. A mix of colours similar to Chris’ actual aura.
PJ’s mouth goes dry. Chris looks at him, slight confusing crossing his face as he notices that look that PJ is giving him.
“Everything alright?”
It takes a moment for PJ to respond, as he watches the metallic aura fades away as quickly as it appeared.
“Yeah, perfect.”
That couldn’t really be any further from the truth.
-
After the first encounter things change and suddenly PJ is spending a lot more time with Chris and a lot less time to himself. In some weird way, he and Chris just seem to work. Their personalities mix and clash in some strange sort of perfect combination. There is a part of PJ that worries, that maybe this isn’t a good idea. Because he doesn’t know exactly what he feels or precisely what he saw those few weeks ago in class.
But he can’t really help it, because Chris is the perfect mix of sarcastic and sweet. His humour causes PJ to smile more times than he cares to count during the day. And most of the time, he gets this fluttery feeling in his stomach that he refuses to believes is attraction.
Because he can’t be attracted to Chris.
That is way too complicated.
And yeah, he knows he likes guys. That isn’t anything new. Sure, he’s never fallen for someone so fast, even with all the crushes he has had before.
But he can’t date anyone, because that isn’t fair. Not when he can sense their feelings from a mile away.
Even if he did concentrate on switching it off, blocking out all the colours and auras and feelings like he is usually able to do. There’s still the fact that he has to do all of those things in the first place. And what if Chris found out? He’d probably run a mile off because no matter what, being able to see what someone else is feeling isn’t exactly normal boyfriend material.
It isn’t any sort of normal material at all.
So friends is more than okay with him right now.
Even if deep down, it also kind of isn’t.
-
It takes him what feels like forever to figure out. But one day he gets it.
The feeling washes over him again, just as strong as the first time. He’s outside Chris’ door, a surprise visit because he’s bored and popping round at each other’s house after school or on the weekend is quickly becoming a regular thing.
So he opens the door without a second thought.
Chris’ legs are crossed upon his bed. Palms out an amber flame presses against the skin. It only takes a second before Chris realises. His eyes wide as the flame extinguishes itself.
“That’s not possible,” PJ breaths.
Because no one can control fire. Just like no one can see auras.
Except apparently. They can.
“I can, Peej- I can explain!” The words fly out of Chris mouth. PJ can see the hysteria rolling off him in waves. His aura changing from its beautiful red to a deeper, darker colour entwined with grey. “It was, it’s not what it looks like. I don’t, uh, fuck…it was a joke?”
Except PJ knows it’s not. Even if he couldn’t see the frantic look plastered all over Chris’ face, the auras don’t lie and neither do feelings.
“Chris it’s alright,” PJ says. “Let me show you something too.”
PJ concentrates and wills a change. He focuses on the fear inside Chris and pushes it aside, replacing it with something much calmer than before.
He sees Chris’ chest move slower, his breath evening out from the rapid state it was once in. His eyes lacing with confusion as he looks at PJ.
“I’m feeling oddly calm and I seriously don’t know why. Because I’m pretty sure I should be freaking the fuck out right now.”
PJ nods, nerves filling his own body. He takes a deep breath. “Yeah it’s uh, it’s me doing that. Actually. I’m an empath. Meaning in short, that I can control people’s emotions.”
Those words have never been spoken to anyone besides his family before and for a moment it feels PJ with a small sense of fear but also a greater sense of freedom.
“You…you’re doing this to me right now?”
“I promise all I’m doing is easing off the hysteria. Everything else is your own feelings.”
Chris doesn’t say anything for a moment. He just looks at PJ, staring directly at him.
“Uh, so. I guess that mean’s I don’t have to make up some ridiculously unbelievable excuses about how I managed to produce flames from my palms then, right?”
PJ smiles. “You could try but I’d know you were lying.”
Chris whistles. “That’s kind of amazing.”
“So is having the ability to control fire.”
And after a few minutes, when Chris offers to demonstrate his abilities, the brilliant glow of golds and metallic reds and oranges is the only thing that matters.