Chapter Text
“You’re not allowed to die,” Kelly tells Nathan before they go in.
Being able to touch Alisha’s hand without pouncing on her was the only proof they needed that this guy was legit, and getting paid to no longer hear everybody’s thoughts (about her, about themselves, about anything) sounded pretty good to Kelly.
Nathan wanting to sell his immortality is another story.
What if he dies? Like, really dies. It was bad enough the first time Kelly thought he was gone for good, and they hadn’t even kissed yet. Now that they’re actually together, it makes her feel sick to even imagine it.
“I’ll try not to,” Nathan tells her now.
“Nathan,” she says sternly. “I’m serious. Promise me.”
Kelly’s first instinct when he said he wanted to sell his power had been to try and talk him out of it, or even just forbid it outright. He’d pout about it, sure, but she knew he would listen to her.
Then she remembered how long it had been since Nathan had two coins to rub together.
As hard as Kelly tries to make sure he’s got a hot meal and a real bed to sleep in most nights, it could never compare to actually having money of his own — besides whatever measly wage he’s been making in that Santa suit.
Fuck knows she’s heard him thinking about it enough. Feeling sorry for himself that he couldn’t get her something nice for her birthday, or take her out on a proper date, or pay her back for all the pizza and beer and cigarettes she’s bought him.
Kelly doesn’t really give a shit about all that, not anymore — her last boyfriend gave her a diamond ring, and look how that turned out.
Romance is when Nathan spends a little longer than usual beating up the vending machine just to get her a chocolate bar, or when she’s sad and he knows exactly what to say to make her laugh. It doesn’t have to cost money.
But she knows blokes’ egos are fragile as fuck when it comes to this stuff, so she’s decided to let him go through with it.
On one condition.
“Fine, I promise not to die,” Nathan says solemnly. “Cross my heart and hope to...”
Kelly gives him a look.
“You know what I mean.” He nods to the door. “Can we go in now?”
The power dealer’s name is Seth, and he’s a right prick. Sure, Nathan’s a dickhead for demanding a million quid, but two grand? For immortality? Kelly’s not having it.
“There was a guy in here before us who could melt chocolate with his mind,” she says. “Just chocolate, not even cheese or anything. And you gave him ten grand.”
“Guess you weren’t lying about your power,” Seth responds with a smirk. “You sure you want to get rid of it?”
“Not if you’re gonna lowball us like that.”
Seth laces his fingers together on the desk. “Fair enough. Ten thousand each.”
“Thirty,” she bites back.
“Twenty. That’s my final offer.”
Kelly looks at Nathan, who’s watching their negotiation with a slack jaw and vacant eyes. He seems to snap back to reality when he notices them staring at him.
“Yeah,” he says. “Sure. Sounds good to me.”
What the fuck would he have done if she hadn’t been here to save him? Take the two grand, probably.
“Who wants to go first?” Seth asks, gesturing to the empty chair in front of his desk.
According to Alisha, all Seth had to do was touch her hand to take her power from her. It sounds simple enough, but still, neither of them steps forward.
What if I die? Kelly hears Nathan thinking. I don’t wanna go back there for good.
She’s torn between reminding him that he doesn’t have to do this, and asking him what there he’s talking about. At the same time, she’s wondering if she even wants to go through with selling her own power.
This could be the last time she ever hears Nathan’s voice in her head. The last time she’ll know exactly what’s going on between his ears even when his mouth says something different.
But before Kelly can say or do anything, Nathan heaves a dramatic sigh.
“I suppose I’ll be the gentleman,” he says, sinking into the chair. “Make sure it’s safe and everything.”
Seth reaches his hand across the desk. Nathan stares at it for a moment, keeping his own hands in his lap.
“That twenty grand,” he says. “That’ll be in cash?”
“That’s right,” Seth confirms, still holding out his hand.
Nathan still doesn’t take it. “And if I wanna buy back my power, how much’ll that be?”
Seth pulls his hand away. “Are you planning to buy it back?”
“No,” Nathan says defensively. “I’m just making sure I’ve got all the information.”
Kelly reaches to touch his shoulder. “Nathan, don’t do it if—”
“No, fuck it, take it from me!” he blurts out, leaning over the desk to grab Seth’s hand.
Kelly staggers back as a white light suddenly appears between them. It gets bigger and brighter, until she has to shield her eyes from it as if she’s looking into the sun.
It fills the room for several seconds, and then it’s over just as quickly as it started. Seth lets go, and the light disappears, and Nathan slumps back in his chair.
And just like that, it’s gone.
Seth reaches into a drawer to retrieve several banded stacks of cash, which he slides across the desk toward Nathan.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” he says.
Nathan blinks down at the money — the most he’s ever had to his name, there’s no doubt. Then he grabs it like he’s afraid Seth will take it back, stuffing the stacks into the pockets of his Santa coat.
He stands up, and Kelly puts a hand on his arm. “You all right?”
“Never better,” he says, still looking a little stunned.
Seth looks at Kelly now. “Your turn.”
She chews her lip, wondering if this is the right thing to do. As much as her power can be a pain in the arse most of the time, it’s proven useful here and there.
Maybe she should just accept that it’s a part of her now.
But then she thinks about cleaning for the council, hearing the nasty thoughts of everyone who passes her, earning fuck all just to go back to heating up freezer food and sneaking her boyfriend out of her tiny bed before the crack of dawn so her mum doesn’t know he spent the night.
She has to do this. For herself. For the future.
I’m getting a kebab for dinner, Nathan is thinking. From the pricey place.
Even if she will miss that. A lot.
Kelly’s heart is pounding as she sits down in the chair.
“You ready?” Seth asks.
She nods, placing her hand on the desk.
This won’t end well, Seth thinks as he takes it.
It’s the last thought Kelly hears from anyone before her power’s gone.