The Clairvoyant 3

CHAPTER 3:

Firon sipped the hot coffee that Clair had made, taking all the time in the world. Clair’s long legs dangled under the high chair. A foamy moustache later, Firon began, "After coffee, we’ll start writing the paper. My study or yours?"

"Yours of course, you’ve got better resources…"

Firon cut him short and said, "Not better resources just a well maintained printer."

Clair rolled his eyes and stood up arching backwards. She remarked much to his delight, "You know you have a long back…"

He drew in a long breath and replied, "Alright… I’ll make dinner…"

"Yeah! Why not! And leave me to write the whole thing?" Laughing, Clair grabbed his laptop and placed it with Firon’s bag. It would be at least a few long hours before he would get back to his apartment. Firon finished the last of her coffee and stood by the sink to wash her cup. Clair stood behind her, waiting for his turn. Firon said thoughtfully, "I was thinking… could we talk?"

"Aren’t we already?"

"No… I mean, really talk."

Clair’s voice turned hoarse as he joked, "Why? You finally decided to confess your love to me?"

Firon turned around so that her face was barely an inch from his. She said in as coy a voice as possible, "Why? Not satisfied being rejected once? By the same me?"

Clair said raising an eyebrow, "I guess I just wasn’t satisfied with the answer I got? You said it more out of depression and anger than out of love."

"Well, stalker; how about just zipping that talkative opening and washing the vegetables?"

Clair let out a grunt and said, "Ugh… I missed it again," and placing a forearm on his forehead, he said in mock- agony, "And we were so close… sigh! Alas!"

Firon made a face, stroked a line along his mandible (which always made him so struck) and walked off to place the cup on Clair’s kitchen rack. Though they stayed in separate apartments, eating was strictly with each other, because neither had a family, nor had anybody else. Socializing at the AFSC was especially under restrictions, or so she thought. Anyways, they had a lot of work to do for their final paper.

Clair’s POV:
This really gets to me you know. Her non- manicured hands that so gently trace my face. Why oh why, did I admit my feelings a month after we came. Anyways… I have changed a lot since the day I came- the return, we call it. I came back with a mentally shaken, nerve wrecked Firon. She suffered a lot because of me. Because I fell in love with her the day I met her, the day she became my lab partner. Then we started training together. Two weeks after the return, she was discharged from Tsugumi’s ward. Then I took her to our floor. Just two huge apartments with a common room and a control room. I have doubts about her feelings for me but I know someday she will tell me the truth- I want to delay it because if I come to know and if the answer is negative, I’ll be the way Firon was in the first two weeks. Man! I wish she would have never known me. Cause after meeting me, she had two options- die or become a member of the ASFC. In the second option, which she took, there were two options- become a cause- an acquired cause or become a professional after doing a course under ASFC scrutiny. Well, ASFC scrutiny is the department that handles and controls the movement of causes outside the facility. Uh… there she goes… yelling at me for not washing that damned cup!

Firon’s POV:
That young man! Idiot! I’ve been yelling for him from the past five minutes to wash his glass. Why will he listen? I am still struggling with my feelings for him. I think I like him but that fine line which more often than not disappears by the time you realize it, that line which separates friendship from love is confusing me. The day he said ‘Firon… I think I’m falling for you; I think I’m in love with you.’ At first I was pissed and shocked- I was off my hook back then, so I couldn’t reciprocate. Also I was confused, not as confused as I am now. I plan to sort things out tonight. Just coffee, just the stars, just the music and not just the two of us, cause we will be writing our ‘all- essential’ paper. Right now I’m facing his back, which is quite muscular as he washes the glass. Sometimes I don’t understand what he is talking about but others I can see clear through him. He loves me and I know that. I think I love him too but he doesn’t know it for sure. Knowing him and his desperation, he tries to read my mind every day, I know that. Not because of my power but because I know him. Oh! Look at him. He’s squabbling with me….

One Hour Later:

"Hey Firon… what do you think of the first page?"

The first page showed two words in the centre- The Clairvoyants, no borders, no decorations.

"Is THAT it?" Firon asked with a skewed eyebrow.

He showed his teeth and said, "Uh… initiators are also important you know?"

Firon took in a deep breath and replied, "Well yeah! I guess I have to do the write up then."

"I’ll help you… at least the major stuff."

Firon nodded and picked up her notepad and her pen. Tucking into her room slippers, she said standing in the doorway to the balcony, "Come on, I got a surprise."

‘Is she finally gonna confess?"

"No I’m not gonna confess…." Firon said from the balcony, reading his thoughts by the bare minimum mind reading capacity she had.

"I… I wasn’t thinking about that Firon!"

Firon grinned and whispered, "Oh yes you were; stalker."

Clair rolled his eyes and ran after her towards the balcony. Returning for his notepad, he saw Firon’s Yuver bullet gun vibrating. Grabbing it from the end, he handed it to her. The view he saw on entering the balcony was so amazing that he couldn’t close his hanging jaw till Firon didn’t pull him down, next to her. She pulled out a small device which was a rather technical excuse for a mobile. It was Tsugumi’s call, vibrating madly for the third time. Firon answered the call. It was almost 11p.m.

"Dare…" considering that Clair had left his gun in the next room (which was his own apartment), Firon added, "And Inferno here."

Tsugumi’s voice sleepy but as always high pitched said, "Hey! You awake?"

"Yeah both of us are… is anything the matter?"

Tsugumi said groggily, "Include a page about the species you would like to work with. Try to include as many species as possible. At least our Majors. Select five in minors and add that you will look forward to working with those who were left out according to the directory."

"Yeah sure… but why are you telling this when you were sleeping, we have over a week, right?

"No… I just thought that being your friend I should try to help out as much as possible," she yawned as she spoke, "Fine then my dear Clairvoyants I’ll leave you guys to work through the night and I myself will go to sleep. See ya tomorrow with whatever you can prepare. Oyasuminasai! I mean good night."

Firon said a smile on her lips, "Thanks, bonne nuit to you and Shade if she is around."

"Yeah, she had a hooky mission today. She fell asleep right after dinner. I’m tired Firon, I‘ll retire for now, bye."

"Um… bye!"