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It’s too hot. They talk about a rare heat wave hitting London. Zayn is sweating and his insides feel too warm. Even more than usual.
He has always been too warm; his body temperature way too high, bordering on abnormal. Having a very naked someone on top of him doesn’t really help the situation.
“Baby you are sweating so much.” The voice sounds far away, the pitch somewhat different, something is off.
Zayn isn’t feeling well. The other boy’s hands feel too heavy on him and his skin is burning. He squirms under the weight, uncomfortable.
“Wait. Uh Stop, I need some fresh air I am not feeling good.”
“Zayn c’mon. We’ve talked about this.” The voice says. “It’s okay to be nervous, just let me...”
Zayn desperately tries to get up. He really needs to use the shower or else he is going to combust.
“Please, let me get up, I am burning!”
The hands run up and down his feverish chest. It’s too much, he hurts everywhere. “Of course you are burning sweetie,” The voice says, “wait until I am done with you then... AHHH!”
Zayn tenses the moment he hears the other boy shouting in pain and immediately removes his hand from the boy’s arm. His eyes wide and fixed on the burning red mark imprinted on the pale skin.
“What the fuck!” The boy jumps from the bed and Zayn instinctively reaches to touch him but the boy flinches and steps back wrapping an arm protectively around himself, “Get away from me! What the hell was that!?”
At this point Zayn has started trembling, There’s a buzz of energy running inside of him, condensed in his hands and he starts to cry when the first sparks start to fizzle on his fingertips, small flashes of fire leaving his body and rising upwards, dying out before reaching the ceiling.
Zayn rushes to hide his hands behind his back, utterly embarrassed. His boxers are sticking to his legs and bum with sweat and Zayn desperately needs to take them off.
“Please.” He croaks, “I am hurting. I need help.”
“Get the fuck out of my house, you freak!”
Zayn does.
*
Zayn has now been at Charles Xavier’s mansion for a week but he still doesn’t feel like this could be a place where he would fit in. A bitter part inside of him tells him he’d be better off in a circus.
He constantly gets the feeling that people don’t want him there. No one ever approaches him, they just stare from afar with a hint of mistrust and fear and if Zayn has always felt like a freak amongst normal people the feeling has only increased here, surrounded by other mutants.
*
“You have to focus, Zayn. I can’t keep having you destroying my place.”
Charles has been particularly invested in training him. The week has passed quickly between flashes of fire, countless sighs of disappointment and a perpetual charred smell, and Zayn isn’t proud to admit that he is ready to give up already. His power isn’t meant to be trained. He just can produce fire but he isn’t responsible of where that fire goes or what it decides to destroy. Unfortunately, that’s something Charles refuses to accept.
He keeps telling Zayn to be calm and keep his mind in blank, but Zayn is a naturally serene person and yet he can’t make his flashes of fire hit the mannequin Charles uses for training.
“I will think of something, okay?” Charles says one day, using the fire extinguisher to put out the fire on his shoe with a patience acquired with time. Zayn bites his lips nervously and observes him. To his credit, Charles doesn’t even flinch as he takes his sock off to inspect the damages.
“Look. I know you think you can help me. But I really don’t think I can do the things you think I can do.” When Zayn says that he is expecting Charles to pat his back and tell him he is right, probably politely invite Zayn to get the fuck out of his house and stop making him lose a precious time that could be invested in training other mutants with far more potential than Zayn. Instead, Charles’s face lights up and his lips form a small oh.
“Yes! Yes! That’s it! You are a genius Zayn! He says putting his sock back on and limping towards the exit of the room, “ Tomorrow same time!” He rushes to say. Then he is off before Zayn can even ask what’s going on.
*
Niall is the first student in the mansion to talk to him and only because he is forced to do it.
“I will leave you two to work together.” Charles had said earlier, “Niall will help you, okay? I have already talked to him, he knows what to do.” Then he was off to use cerebro to find a girl who could turn into different animals.
Zayn doesn’t really know what to make of Niall at first _doesn’t really know what to say to him either so out of habit, he apologises.
“I’m sorry to be a bother; if you are busy with something else then I can just...”
He never finishes the sentences, just scratches the back of his neck and looks at his feet for a lack of something better to do.
“Are you kidding me, mate? Charles has finally untied my hands and he is letting me touch you.” Niall says enthusiastically.
There’s a pregnant silent in which Niall looks excitedly at Zayn; eyes vibrant as he silently asks Zayn to be as excited as he is.
“Uh.. what?” Zayn feels too hot again, hands sweaty and neck flushed. He takes a step back and hides his hands in his pockets, “What is exactly what you do?”
“Ha!” The chuckle reverberates through the room and Zayn usually would be annoyed to hear something so loud this soon in the morning. “That sounded weird, didn’t it? I can read and manipulate people’s thoughts!”
Zayn tenses. “Oh.” He musters all the concentration he has to keep his mind in blank until Niall adds, “I need to touch you to do it, though. Well, Charles reckons I can do it without touching too but it’s really not happening... but he still makes me tie up my hands when I am training to make me work harder on the telepathy thing. Which is quite annoying because I love to touch, wait that was weird again, wasn’t it?”
Zayn blinks a couple of times and tries to make sense of Niall’s words but before he can he say anything Niall is talking again. “Charles wants me to induct you into the right state of mind to, you know... do your thing.”
“You can´t touch me.” Zayn says it quickly, before Niall has the chance to start talking again.
“Uh...”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t.” He insists.
Niall shrugs and nods, “Yeah okay, I’m used to that. No one let’s me touch them willingly after all.”
“Niall, it’s not... It’s not that. I will hurt you if you touch me. I don’t let anyone touch me.”
“But you won’t hurt me! I can manipulate you into using your powers correctly!” He says, then his eyes twinkle with laughter and he lets out a small giggle, “And if I can’t, Harry is on watch.” He lets a few second pass for impact and adds, “He is a mutant mate of mine who has the power to heal. I have seen him practically resurrect the dead!”
Zayn watches him laugh wondering what is so funny that has Niall practically bending over himself. Ultimately he decides he likes the way Niall’s blood rushes to his cheeks. After a minute Niall dries a few tears off his eyes and stands up very straight then rubs his hands together for show. “I promise not to read your mind, okay? I know what you teenager boys are like.”
Zayn blushes and Niall takes a step forward, extending his arms towards Zayn with his fingers stretched wide. Just at the sight of the hands Zayn starts burning and he can smell smoke from where his hands have set some sparks on his trousers.
He psyches up to hear Niall’s hiss of pain and for the smell of burned skin. Instead there’s a foreign cool sensation starting on the patch of skin Niall is touching and spreading to the rest of his body. Zayn lets himself relish in the feeling of Niall’s hand over him; fingers short but sturdy, nicely heavy over Zayn’s arm.
“Niall?” He asks tentatively, “Are you alright?”
Niall looks at him, winks and smiles mischievously.
Suddenly Zayn finds himself picking his own nose then scratching his bum lazily. Then Niall starts laughing so hard that he has to stop touching Zayn, who glares at him.
“Look if you are going to make fun of me and not help, you can just...”
Zayn can’t get himself to finish that sentence. Niall is touching him again and suddenly Zayn is very relaxed and happy. Zayn can only compare this mood to those days when he would smoke weed in the backyard with his best mate Danny.
“Listen Zayn. I really want to help you, okay? I was just joking.” Niall says. Then he stops touching and Zayn regains some clarity of mind again, “You can burn me a little if you want, to be even.”
“I don’t want to burn you but I will if you don’t stop using your powers against me.”
Niall frowns at this and crosses his arms over his chest, “What? I would never use my powers against you, Zayn.”
Zayn studies him for a second, and somehow the action feels too intense for two people who have just met.
“Let’s just do this, okay?” Zayn finally says, “I am supposed to burn that mannequin over there. Just do whatever you have to do.”
*
Zayn isn’t necessarily looking for Niall or that’s what he tells himself as he walks across the different rooms of the mansion hoping to see a blonde head.
He finds him talking to a group of mutants who often stare at Zayn with distaste and Zayn considers whether he should go talk to him or not but he is left without a choice when Niall notices him over one of the girls' shoulders and raises a hand signalling Zayn to wait for a second.
“I thought you only wore that for training.” Zayn says pointing towards Niall’s tied wrists. They start walking side by side.
“In theory.” Answers Niall. “People are more inclined to hang out with me when I am wearing these.” Says he showing the ropes that keep his hands close together.
They have reached the door of the lobby and Zayn thinks he could really use some chill air to cool off. And maybe Niall can read minds better than he lets on because he opens the door for Zayn wordlessly and beams at him.
They sit on a bench.
It’s cold outside. Not for Zayn, whose body temperature surpasses 40 degrees Celsius, but cold enough to make Niall sit closer to Zayn, close enough to share body heat but not enough to touch.
“Do you smoke?” Zayn asks out of the blue, producing a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket and offering it to Niall.
Niall takes one for an answer and he looks very impressed when zany snaps his fingers and conjures a small blue flame.
“Cheers mate,” Says Niall lighting up his cigarette. “That was really cool.”
Zayn smiles at him, secretly pleased with himself, and then looks pointedly at Niall’s wrists and retorts, “That isn’t really cool.”
Niall’s eyes drop to his own wrists and adjusts the ropes over his wrists. Zayn catches sight of Niall’s skin, scratched red.
“You think people are scared to let you touch them?” Nialls voice carries a hint of laughter and Zayn might be no mind reader but he still doesn’t buy it, “Well, they would rather have you burn them than to have me reading their minds...” He shakes his head, letting out a puff of air that Niall tries to pass as laughter, then adds, “People think some really fucked up shit, you know? That I can also manipulate them is the cherry on top.”
Zayn doesn’t really know why he does it. Later he will wonder if Niall did somehow manipulate him to do it but suddenly he is untying Niall’s wrists and letting the ropes fall on the ground.
“Here.” He moves slowly, letting Niall know he is going to touch him and giving him the chance to get ready for it. He takes his hands carefully and places them on his own thighs. Niall face relaxes the moment he touches Zayn and his relaxed expression mirrors the way Zayn feels.
“Better?”
Niall spreads his fingers wider on Zayn’s thighs and beams at him, “You are a good mate.” He says matter-of-factly. Then he closes his eyes and sighs contently, “I like your mind.”
Zayn watches the way Niall’s eyelashes sweep over his cheeks and lets out a hearty chuckle. “I thought you weren’t going to read my mind?”
He enjoys the way Niall blushes and opens his eyes apologetically.
“I... shit. I swear it’s not on purpose” He says as he goes to remove his hands from Zayn. And again Zayn wonders if he is being manipulated when he takes Niall’s hands in his and keeps them where they are.
Deep down he know this is all on himself.
*
Zayn is stressed and annoyed. Charles had a bad day which has translated into loads of yelling and sighs and Zayn could not get out fast enough from the training room. Training sessions are nicer with Niall _much nicer than trainings with Charles any day. Unfortunately, Niall has his own sessions and as much as Zayn knows he would like to do, he is not always allowed to skip his own training sessions to help Zayn with his progresses.
He stomps across the hallways trying put physical distance between Charles and himself when suddenly he is literally swept off his feet. Zayn leans back against Niall’s chest and embraces the positive vibes seeping into his skin. Soon Niall puts him back down and places a careful hand of Zayn’s hip to steady him.
“I did it!”
Zayn smiles at him. He is feeling bubbly and excited and content. He knows it’s just because Niall’s hand is still on his hip and he secretly hopes Niall leaves his hand there.
“I read Louis’ mind without touching him! He challenged me, ha! Then he regretted it. You should have seen his face! He wanted to electrocute me but instead I made him dance the Macarena and he got even madder at me. He called me “fucking Irish pixie” it was awesome!”
“So my thoughts aren’t safe anymore?” Asks Zayn, suddenly feeling shy.
“Ha! They really aren’t mate. I’m supposed to learn how to control this. Like, at some point I should be able to choose which mind I want to read and when but right now I don’t really have a filter. Which let me tell you, really sucks, because people think terrible things.”
Niall keeps talking but Zayn doesn’t really pay attention because suddenly he is way too aware of the way Niall can read his thoughts _ thoughts that more often than not are about Niall. And now all that is out there and Zayn feels very exposed self aware.
Niall has stopped talking and he is looking at Zayn, probably reading him like an open book. He offers the older boy a secret smile and reaches forward to take Zayn’s hand and then Zayn is not embarrassed anymore.
“If you could read my mind you wouldn’t feel embarrassed about this.” Says Niall.
And Zayn doesn’t really know what to make of it but he squeezes Niall’s hand and smiles back at him.
*
Zayn wakes up to the sound of shouting. He blinks sleepily and tries to make sense of the scene taking place in front of him.
He is in the hall where he must have fallen asleep and the couch where is laying is burning in flames. He stands up alarmed and watches a guy walk towards the couch and produce a stream of water that immediately puts the fire out.
Everyone is staring at him and Zayn feels the tips of his fingers start to burn _ the pit of his stomach on fire. Then a hand on the small of his back is leading him towards the door and his mind goes blank, with only the order to walk. He only starts being aware of things again when Niall stops touching him. They have stopped walking.
Louis Tomlinson and some of his friends have followed them and are now standing in front of them, not looking very friendly. Zayn notices Niall taking a step forward, shielding him from the group.
“Niall,” Louis starts, “He really has to go. Shit like that keeps happening, he is going to destroy our home, that is if he doesn’t end up killing us all while we sleep.”
“That’s not very nice Louis,” Niall is quick to retort, his lips puckering up with distaste. “He can’t help it. He has improved so much.”
“Well, not enough, it seems.” Louis shoots back, “He is a danger. He has to leave.”
Zayn has had enough. He takes a step forward standing as tall as he can. “You can’t tell me what to do. This is my home as much as it is yours.”
“This will never be your home. Monsters like you don’t belong here!”
Zayn watches them take a step back and look down at his hands with fear. He realizes his hands have started to fizzle. He curses under his breath and takes a couple of steps back, trying to calm himself. He still can hear Niall discussing with them.
“You have to apologize to him, Louis.”
“Why don’t you read my mind now, Niall?”
Zayn can’t really tell what Louis is thinking but Niall’s face is red with fury and his hands are shaking by his sides curled in tight fists.
“Apologize to him.” Niall repeats through clenched teeth.
Zayn wants to intervene and tell Niall to let it go but before he really has the chance to do anything Louis starts walking towards him so Zayn gets ready to potentially be electrocuted. Surprisingly, Louis stops in front of him and bows his head dutifully. “I’m really sorry Zayn. I really didn’t mean that. I am just a jealous fucker.”
Zayn immediately looks at Niall with a raised eyebrow. Niall, who smiles at him and winks as he induces one by one every single person of the group to stop in front of Zayn , bow their heads and apologize to him. Then when the last one of them finishes he makes them walk back towards the hall.
“Thank you for that, Niall.” Says Zayn as soon as they are alone. “But you really shouldn’t have done it. Now they will hate you too.”
“Well. That’s okay because I don’t have any plans on staying here.” Niall retorts.
Zayn studies him, trying to figure out if Niall means it. “What are you saying Niall? This is our home. Where would you go?”
“Anywhere. I don’t really care.” Niall looks around him and sighs tiredly, adds, “ I can’t keep living here, Zayn. I’m going nuts. There are too many people and I can’t tune them off. I am... I am tired, Zayn. “
Zayn looks at him, really looks at him, for once feeling he can see what Niall is feeling.
“Niall." He finally says, "If you are leaving this house then I will go with you. But I suppose you already knew that.”
Niall smiles sadly, “This was never a home for you Zayn. They were right, you don’t fit here. Not with these assholes.”
Zayn takes Niall’s hand and he knows it’s stupid, trying to manipulate Niall’s feelings to make his smile reach his eyes. His free hand reaches for Niall’s face, thumbs stroking Niall’s rosy cheek. Niall looks at him, a nervous laugh escaping his lips.
“I want this to happen so much that I am afraid I might be manipulating you into doing it.
Zayn fixes his eyes on Niall’s pale lips, “You aren’t.” He decides. He breaks the space between them to kiss Niall chastely, then adds, “And if you are, I don’t care at all.” He kisses Niall more firmly then; sucking on Niall’s bottom lip until the blond lets out a breathy sigh of contentment and grants him full access into his mouth.
“Are we really doing this?” Niall asks later, slinging his arms around Zayn’s neck.
Zayn smiles cheekily and steals a quick kiss, then winks.
“Read my mind, Niall.”