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3:50am Mar 9 2013
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Ollie yawned and pulled the stuffed dog off his face. Man, was he worn out. He glanced at Hale and laughed softly. Pulling the covers up, he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. Whatever was going to happen and what had just happened didn't matter right now. He was with Hale. That was all that mattered.
Ollie closed his eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep, smiling at the fact that Hale was using his towel. |
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4:12am Mar 9 2013
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The sea raged harder than the wind blew, but barely. Hale's tiny rowboat was hardly staying afloat, but he wasn't even paying attention. What he was paying attention to was his best friend, struggling against the current a hundred yards away. As if the storm wasn't enough, an entire school of jellyfish had tangled his legs up. He was trapped, and sinking slowly but surely in spite of his frantic thrashing. Land was nowhere nearby, and help was not to be found, no matter how Hale shouted.
Just when he believed things couldn't get any worse, fire sprung from the boat. There was no lightning, no spark, just fire, as though it had grown from the knotted wood. Though wary of the rising blaze behind him, he kept his focus on Ollie, sinking beneath the sea, too far away, too far...
Hale screamed his best friend's name. Suddenly, he was frigid. Never mind the flame at his back, he was, without warning, so cold that he could hardly breathe, let alone save Ollie. All was lost. All was gone. Unable to move well enough to stop himself from falling, Hale slipped overboard, and drifted into the salty black abyss of the sea.
Hale woke screaming, his entire body rigid with the fear of his nightmare. It took him a minute or so to realize the dream was over, and for that entire time he continued to scream. As soon as he recognized his surroundings, he stopped, and realized Ollie was sitting over him. Soon after, he realized he couldn't lift his hands, and his entire body felt stiff. With little difficulty and only a minor unpleasant sensation, he lifted his head. "Ollie, my arms--"
He stopped as he saw them. His hands were encased in ice, with sharp spikes of it jutting out in random directions, like natural formations of crystal. Thin, shimmering patterns of frost trailed up his arms and under his shirt. Though he didn't know it, they also covered his entire body and crusted the edges of his clothes. It had been quite a nightmare. Not knowing what to do, Hale put his head down and stared up at Ollie.
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4:31am Mar 9 2013 (last edited on 4:36am Mar 9 2013)
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Ollie stared at Hale, wide-eyed. "Hale... You..." He gingerly reached out to touch Hale's hand, wincing a little at the sharp spikes of ice. It was... well, as cold as what it looked like. But wait... Was it melting?
"Hale... Haley, hang on... I... I..." Without a second thought, Ollie wrapped his arms around Hale, pulling him against his body. He shivered a little, then began to feel himself heating up, and soon he couldn't feel anything but warmth. "Hale, you're shaking... I guess I am, too... What's going on with us...? First me, now you... This is too weird. I... I'm having trouble believing it... and it's right in front of me." Ollie held Hale tighter. "Just hang on. I'll get you warmed up."
Ollie had seen the terror in Hale's eyes when he had looked at him. It broke his heart. It made his soul feel weak. He didn't give a damn about what was going on right now; super powers, a mutation, some weird divine gift, he didn't care what it was. All there was, all that mattered... was Hale.
"It's okay, Hale," Ollie whispered, the frost that had covered Hale's body now almost completely melted. Luckily, it looked like Hale's clothes were drying. "It's okay. I've got you." He put his hand on the back of his best friend's head and stroked his hair soothingly. "I... I've got you..."
Ollie leaned in and, without hesitation, pressed his lips against Hale's.
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4:57am Mar 9 2013 (last edited on 5:03am Mar 9 2013)
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Hale wasn't sure when he had started crying. He wasn't sure why it didn't startle him that Ollie was kissing him. He didn't know until that moment that he didn't mind it. That he would never have minded. What he knew was that Ollie was alive, and he was so close, just like Hale wanted from the bottom of his gut, and he was so, so warm. The kiss felt good, so he kissed back, and somehow he willed the ice away and hugged Ollie, resting his cool hand on the back of Ollie's hot neck.
Hale made sure the moment didn't end until the tears stopped threatening him. When it was over, he wasn't sure what to focus on first. On one hand, what had just happened with him and the ice? It was just like Ollie and the fire earlier. What was going on? Had he done that? But on the other hand, Ollie... That kiss had felt so nice. He hadn't even known he wanted it. He felt that suddenly he was allowed to be close to him, too close, as he had never been allowed before. And on the third hand (the foot?) all of this just felt okay. Second nature. Like he shouldn't even be worrying about it. He felt so at ease, never mind that he had woken up coated in frost like a March morning and also kissed his only friend in a matter of minutes. Ollie was here. It would be fine. It was always fine when Ollie was here.
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5:11am Mar 9 2013
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Ollie put his hand on Hale's cheek and wiped the tears away with his thumb.
"I don't know what's going on," he whispered. "I'm not gonna pretend that I have any idea. But you're safe, Hale. I'm not going to let anything, ANYTHING, hurt you." The ferocity in Ollie's voice startled him, and he quickly pulled Hale into his arms again. "I don't think this is something doctors can diagnose," he said more quietly. "My uncle might know something, but I don't know if I want anyone else knowing. Maybe he has a book or.. I don't know. I feel like we're characters from some weird fantasy game. This isn't supposed to happen. This isn't normal."
Ollie kissed Hale again, gently this time. It seemed perfectly natural to him, like he'd been doing it for years. Maybe he had been in his heart.
"What happened, Hale...?" Ollie finally asked quietly. "You woke up just... screaming... and you were covered in ice and frost." |
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5:40am Mar 9 2013 (last edited on 5:46am Mar 9 2013)
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Hale didn't hesitate to lean against his best friend, trying not to revel in Ollie's strong arms, overprotective hold, and chest so near to Ollie's ear that it was making it burn -- figuratively, Hale needlessly clarified to himself. He'd seen all these details before, but it was different when he didn't have to feel wrong for appreciating them. He wasn't intruding on Ollie's space. Ollie had invited him in.
He shook his head. "I--" His throat was coarse from overuse. He cleared it and tried again. "I had a nasty dream. You-- You were dying. We were in the ocean." He paused, staring at the light blue blankets, trying to call up more to tell. "At the end of the dream, I got cold. Really cold. ...That's all I remember."
He lifted his head a bit. He didn't know what would happen if he looked at Ollie, so he rested his eyes on a purple patchwork stuffed bat across the room. He was sure they would talk about the other part of what had just happened soon. But for now, it was best to take things one at a time. The kiss wasn't nearly as worrying as this weird... What could he call it? Elemental affinity? Whatever it was that they had both experienced now.
"You didn't see where the frost came from?" Ollie shook his head. Hale thought for a moment. One other thing occurred to him. "When I wanted to move my hands, the ice went away." Silence for another moment. Hale finally looked at Ollie. "What time is it? Maybe you should call your uncle."
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5:53am Mar 9 2013
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Ollie looked at his waterproof digital wristwatch. "It's about 8:45. Uncle Ray's definitely awake. I just... I don't know about this, Hale. I know he wouldn't experiment on us or anything. But... I guess I'm scared. I... Let me try something."
Ollie stared hard at his hands and concentrated. Soon enough, sparks shot from his fingertips, then more, and before he knew it, his hands were on fire. Warily, he touched his face, then sighed in relief. "It doesn't hurt. And look, your bed's not burning. I think..." Ollie reached for a piece of scrap paper sitting by Hale's bed. He concentrated again. The paper went up in flames, dissolving into a small pile of ash in Ollie's hands.
"I... I think I can control it," Ollie said steadily. "Maybe you should try. We need to know what we're dealing with before we involve anyone else." Ollie dumped the ash in the trash can and kissed Hale's forehead. "Go on," he urged gently. "Try it." |
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6:16am Mar 9 2013 (last edited on 6:16am Mar 9 2013)
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Hale blushed. He was stunned. Earlier, Ollie hadn't even wanted to think about what had happened to him. Now, he wanted them to experiment with it? He must have been scared before, a voice inside Hale said. He must have been so scared. More than he let on. Usually Ollie could overcome anything. Usually nothing fazed him. Hale suddenly felt awful for going on about Ollie's near-death experience. He'd probably only made him more frantic by mistake.
"I don't..." he began. Then he swallowed. "Okay." Hale thought for a moment, then cupped his hands. Concentrating, he willed... something into them. Almost immediately, his hands filled with sharp shards of ice like the kind that had encased them earlier. The ice crackled as it formed. He inhaled slowly in surprise. Hale pried the ice from the mold of his fingers, then held it up in a solid chunk. He looked back up at Ollie and spoke softly. "So you control... fire." The words sounded strange coming out of his mouth. A fantasy game, like Ollie had said. "And I..." He looked back at the cluster of ice crystals, then melted it down to nothing in his hands as easily as bl.inking.
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6:28am Mar 9 2013
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Ollie grinned. "Ice. I control fire, and you control ice. Guess who beats who?" Ollie ruffled Hale's hair, then kissed him on the temple. It was like he was addicted to kissing this boy. He couldn't stop himself. Every time he looked at Hale, he got the urge.
More importantly, though, why had they both been given these strange powers? Did anyone else in the world have them? Were they going to have to go on some weird quest or something now? Was some goddess going to show up and make them her champions?
"Or maybe you're just meant to keep me under control," Ollie added, smiling. "Y'know, ice cools down heat and all that?"
Ollie had no idea what was going on, or why, but he had a feeling they were both going to find out very soon. |
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6:51am Mar 9 2013
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Gingerly, Hale touched Ollie's chin, and sent a thin, curling vein of frost running like ivy up to his temple. It was already easier, now that he'd made ice before. He could feel it getting easier. How strange. "I think we're in balance," he said, no more loudly than he needed to with Ollie's face right next to his. Who knew why this had happened, or what had made it happen now, and to both of them at once. Maybe it was for something. Maybe it was just for them. Both of them. To share. Anyway, Hale wasn't nearly as worried about it now as he had been.
"Ollie?" Hale asked. "How long have you..." How could he say it? "...I didn't know that you wanted to kiss me," as much as I wanted to kiss you, his brain finished. He hadn't even known that he himself had wanted it until it happened. But now it seemed obvious. It had been stupid of him not to realize. That was two things he'd discovered about himself today, and two about his best friend, all of them equally strange and wonderful. |
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7:10am Mar 9 2013
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In balance... Ollie liked the way those words sounded when they came from Hale's mouth. He leaned in and kissed him tenderly, and the ice slowly melted from Ollie's face. Whatever this was, they were meant to have it. Both of them. Together.
"I didn't know, either," Ollie replied once he'd reluctantly pulled away from Hale. "I mean, I guess... it's been like this for years. I've always wanted to protect you. Remember when I punched that guy who made fun of you? Got into a big fight, ended up with a black eye? But I won because your honor was on the line." Ollie brushed Hale's hair back. "I fought because of you. For you. I... always wanted you to notice me. You always made my heart feel like it was on... fire."
Oliver knew he was blushing, but he didn't care. "What about you...?" |
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7:44am Mar 9 2013 (last edited on 7:44am Mar 9 2013)
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"Notice you?" Hale laughed. "You're all I see. Ever since we met, you're the only really im.portant thing. I mean, I've got Gran, and my shows and games and stuff, but... You're different. I always want more of you. That's the way it's always been. Just forever. But I ignored it because I didn't want to... lose you." He put his hand on the back of Ollie's neck and pulled him down just low enough for a kiss. Ollie might have been taller than Hale, but Hale made up for it with age, sense, and shoulder width, and he reasserted that now.
"You really do think I'm made of glass, don't you? Here I just thought you were crazy..." Hale pulled Ollie into a tight hug. "Do you think we're safe? I mean, with this stuff we've got... You're sure you won't burn the house down or anything? If that was really all you in the water earlier... That was amazing." Strange how it had gone from terrifying to amazing. But then again, most terrifying things were amazing if you just stopped fearing them. |
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7:56am Mar 9 2013
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Ollie wrapped his arms around Hale, surprised at the older boy's strength. "Yeah..." he whispered. "I think we're safe. I think... I can control it. It's weird... It feels like it's always been a part of me. Just like you." Ollie pulled away and stared into Hale's eyes. "Hale, what's going to happen when my mom decides to move? What am I gonna do...?"
Tongues of flame flickered at the tips of Ollie's fingers, and he brushed them against Hale's cheek, trying hard to hold back his sorrow. His fear.
"We don't know anything about these... these powers, or what they're for. We just know that we're meant to have them... together. We have to keep each other in balance, right...?" Ollie's heart ached. He pulled Hale in close and kissed his hair. "I can't leave you," he whispered. "I can't..." |
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8:05am Mar 9 2013
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Hale got his arm over Ollie's shoulder and closed him into a vicegrip of a hug. "I won't let you go, Ollie," he said. "Now that this has happened, how could I possibly...? You just have to tell your mom that you can't leave. She'll understand. She won't make you. Right?" Hale looked into Ollie's eyes, his firm look laced with fear. He had forgotten about that little detail. Why oh why did this have to come now? Why not earlier? Or why couldn't Ollie's mom have decided to move in, say, another five years? Ten? Never?
The sensation of flame over Hale's skin had been warm, but not biting. Pleasant. He couldn't go the rest of his life, or even the rest of the week, without feeling it again. Without being next to Ollie every day, forever. It was hard enough when he went on day trips before. Now, after the events of these loaded few hours, Hale felt he might die. He gripped Ollie's hand and gave it a shot of frost, icing them together, as if a molecular bond could never be broken. |
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8:15am Mar 9 2013
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"I... I don't know, Hale. I know I could live with Uncle Ray. He's staying here. But I don't know... I-I can't abandon her... but I can't... leave you..." Ollie leaned in and kissed Hale slowly and deeply. He would give up anything if he could be beside Hale every moment of his life.
"I can't leave you..." Ollie repeated, kissing Hale again. "I don't care what other people think about me. I never have. You know that. I'm not ashamed to admit that I... I love you, Hale."
Ollie leaned his forehead against Hale's and kissed him gently. "I love you..." Wisps of fire danced along Ollie's arms and shoulders, but they were harmless to the touch.
"I love you... and I'm scared." |
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1:42am Mar 10 2013
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Love... Hale could feel a cold tingle racing up his spine and swirling in his stomach like a nova. Love? How his life had changed since the morning... "Ollie," he breathed, "We'll make something work. We'll find a way." He ran his hands haltingly, hesitantly, up Ollie's long, muscular arms and shoulders to the straps of his tank top, cooling the tongues of flame with a gentle wave of frost. Fire and ice. It was strange how fast he was getting used to this.
Find a way, he'd said. And they had to, didn't they? The correct solution wasn't one of the two before them, Ollie leaves or Ollie stays. Everyone had to stay. Ollie couldn't leave his mother, Hale knew that. She couldn't be without family on the other side of the country where she had found a friend to live with. Her heart needed her son by her side as much as Hale's did. So it was up to them. They had to do something.
Rather, Hale had to plan something. After a moment, he inhaled. "Here's the plan," he told Ollie, moving back to look him in the eyes. His face was business. He would not lose what he had just found himself in possession of. Whatever it took, they would find a way. "Tomorrow, we'll go talk to your uncle. Maybe we'll tell him what's going on... maybe not. If he knows something, we go from there. We can get him to talk to your mom, too. I'm sure if she just got some convincing, she'd realize it's better for her to stay here with you. We'll figure out how this happened to us, and we'll stop your mom from moving." Hopefully, Hale thought. "Tonight... Let's just rest." He reached for Ollie's hand. They needed a little rest.
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9:03am Mar 12 2013 (last edited on 9:03am Mar 12 2013)
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"Rest... Yeah..." Before Ollie knew it, he was asleep.
"Hey, Uncle Ray," Ollie said with a yawn. He'd just woken up, and Hale was beginning to stir next to him. "I, uh, have a question."
"What's up, Oliver?"
"Have you ever heard of... normal people taking on weird powers? You know, like... the power to set things on fire or... freeze stuff? With their hands?"
There was a long pause, and Ollie could hear the shuffling of pages. Finally, Uncle Ray spoke. "Aside from fantasy books, I've never heard of any actual cases of elemental wielding. I can't find anything on it, either. Why are you asking?"
Ollie glanced at Hale. "We'll be over soon, Uncle Ray." He hung up and put his hand on Hale's cheek, feeling guilty for waking the older boy up. |
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6:55am Mar 13 2013
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Come morning, the events of the previous night had the air of a dream. Hale opened his eyes into the bright midmorning sun streaming through his white curtains, closed them tightly, and opened them again. He had registered the warm hand on his face, but was having trouble processing it and the figure of his best friend over him, talking sleepily and distractedly into his cell phone. Finally, his mind gained its footing and plucked a train of thought from the swirling memories of the previous night. Yeah, that had happened.
Hale sat up. By this time, Ollie was off the phone. Hale spoke in a low voice, not strong, but not frightened. "We're telling him?" Ollie nodded. "Okay. Then that's what we'll do." Ollie's decision was as good as his, and the two had been friends long enough that they were usually in the same boat without even asking each other. And speaking of boats... The word brought a little more of Hale's dream to the front of his mind. He shook the chilling thoughts off. Was that dream what had triggered this... whatever it was? Ollie's near-death experience made plenty of sense. People gained superhuman strength in dire situations all the time. Sure, this was a little more than that, but wasn't it still plausible?
But that didn't explain Hale. He remembered a sense of panic, and fear for his best friend. Was that what caused it? His... feelings, whatever they were, for Ollie? Hale stood up to avoid letting Ollie see his cheeks turn red. Was that it? Or had it just been a coincidence? Hopefully, they were going to get some answers today. About the powers, and about Ollie's mom.
"I'm gonna get a shower," Hale told Ollie. He hadn't gotten one last night, and after all the sand and rain, he felt he could probably use one. Ollie could entertain himself while Hale was gone. Maybe he'd get some breakfast or something. Almost drowning seemed like a thing that made you hungry. And so did gaining a supernatural ability, for that matter. Conveniently, Hale's stomach growled at that moment. All right, he'd have some breakfast too. The hands on his My Melody wall clock indicated it was just after ten on the first Saturday of spring break. They had all the time in the world. With a shaky smile at Ollie, Hale left for the bathroom. It wasn't until he was already in the shower that he realized he probably could have kissed him, too.
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