Private Fool Me Twice

Jae kept eye contact with James, as he felt it's something his friend needed as he told his story. However difficult it was. The merteen nodded when James asked if he recalled that his parents were dead, and calmly listened as James continued to talk. It hard to resist the urge to reach out and comfort James as the story became harder to tell. He couldn't be sure if the touch would be welcome or not, and an awful part of him feared he would be burned once again if he tried.

The similarities between the two of them. . . Forced to live with distant relatives and "gifted" life-changing magic. Jae winced at the mention of their failure of a training day. Apparently he couldn't forget that day as much as James couldn't.

"It's okay." Jae said when James finished. "I get it. One day you think you're normal then all of sudden you have powers you never wanted or asked for." It was Jae's turn to look directly at James. "I have magic that actively wants me to harm others and hurts me when I don't use it. I wanted to train that day because I wanted to see if I can use my magic the way my mother's people can. And that day I learned that my magic could be used for something other than singing people to their doom.

"I'm sorry too. That I kept pushing you that day. . . But if you're a monster for your powers then so am I. So we should stick together." Jae tried to smile but it was awkward and uncertain.

Jae quietly patted the spot beside him on the bed, gently urging James to take a seat. "I. . . you're right. I need help too, you know. And I put it off because I was so used to relying on myself." When he was made to move to America, Jae never expressed is problems to his aunt and uncle. Didn't want to burden them or seem ungrateful when the move was for the benefit of the family.

Then, when he came to the island. . . He made a sound, not quite a laugh and not quite a grunt. "We could. . . I don't know, go talk to the school together. About finding someone to talk to. We should support each other through this." Jae said, both a statement and a plea.

After everything that's happened. . . Now if that wasn't the understatement of the century, but it left him feeling hopeful. "Mr. Edwin? Yeah, he'll know where to start, he's been a huge help to me." The vampire has lived on the island for a while now, and taught at the school for almost just as long. He shifted, his back hitting the bed so Jae could stare up at the ceiling.

He smirked when James mentioned his new trick, "Are you sure trick is the right word?" He joked, "Well, while you've been working on your trick I've been improving my magic. I can control more water now."