'I lost'.
Apparently I was meant to stay off the ring for a while, just to ensure I was alright from the knockout.,
Water streamed down my body from the showers, cold and heavy.
"I. Lost.".
The word felt heavy on my lips , it wasn't a first for me, I've lost before—even to normal people, but this...
It was my first time meeting another superhuman outside my family.
And he just beat me.
And then left.
Placing my hands on the tile wall, I let the water run down my body, but no matter how long I stood there, water wouldn't wash away the frustration.
I turned it off, dried myself upband dressing before leaving The Spot, this time through the Ring.
The Cheers felt hollow to my ears.
They cheered then too.
They cheered when I won.
They cheered when I lost.
I stepped out and walked past the guards.
Next time I'm here I would take my paycheck for the month, but that didn't offer me much comfort.
My head was low, covered in my hoodie as I walked.
He was strong, but I'm sure my dad could win. Maybe even Theo, If he could build enough automations before the fight.
The second I reached home, everyone was already gathered around the table having dinner.
"You're late Vicas, hurry and get ready to eat quickly"
I was already doing that but Dahlia's voice rang out after me, she definitely knew how I felt but yet didn't care enough to leave me be.
I avoided everyone's eyes as I walked towards my room.
"Wait!" As my leg touched the first step my mum called out.
She touched my hands, instantly healing my injuries.
I muttered a thank you as I climbed the stairs.
.....
My powers allowed me to read emotions and manipulate them. My whole world was changed since the day I got them.
Emotions hit before footsteps.
Heavy enough to sink a ship.
"You're late Vicas, hurry up and get ready to eat quickly", I sensed his emotions spike. Having the ability to manipulate emotions was more than just pushing and pulling with powers, regular words could affect people too.
I threw a smile at my mum, leading her to heal Vicas before he left to his room.
She definitely would have done it without my push, I didn't put the idea in her head or tug on her emotions, sometimes a simple smile did much more than all that.
'It is all in the way you understand people', that I had to learn myself.
"Vicas looks down" I said to my Dad.
Dad was another problem person, something was clearly bothering him, and he was failing badly to hide it.
"Mmhm, must have just lost a fight or something" He mumbled, not even trying to look at me.
I let him avoid me for today, I was in no rush to uncover his secrets.
"What do you think Theo?"I nudged him from under the table with my foot.
Out of all of us he was the most... "normal?".
Dad's physicality made him aggressive, Mum was withdrawn, I don't know why exactly but maybe it was because she fully understood how fragile life was and the fact that she held life in her hands.
My case was special though, living with the emotions of everyone I met... knowing how they felt before they showed it... even to themselves. It was a burden that no one should have to carry.
But ofcourse there was always a heavier burden.
"Hmmm?" Theo looked around as though just realising he was in the room for the first time.
I repeated my question. "Oh... Vicas, isn't he always like that though?, I mean when he isn't fighting or something". I didn't respond to Theo, despite being the most normal he sometimes seemed to be as mechanical as his creations.
He wasn't lying, Apart from fighting,Vicas often looked.... defeated.
The power over death.
Even with my power over emotions there was no way to comfort someone who was destined to bring death to everything they touched.
I could only watch as his power killed him from the inside out, watch as he struggled to find worth in himself outside his powers.
Surprising though, was the fact that he found, and let someone into his life again, I couldn't even tell if it was love or simply a need for peace or comfort.
Not even my powers were all knowing, and so I tried instead to get close to the girl, especially since Vicas was much too wary of me.
But then to my surprise the girl had her guard up around me too.
"Sigh....." I put my head to the table, letting out a sigh that sounded of pure depression.
Things were not going my way and I couldn't make them to, not without forcing and manipulating everyone.
"Is there a problem Dahl?" My mum's voice rang in my ear, she sounded concerned but I could tell...., her concern was not for me.
If anyone needed emotional support it could never be the girl who controlled emotions.
"It's nothing" I said, smiling. Everyone was facing issues and I was meant to fix them not cause more.
Even though all their emotions were like a weight on my soul.
Mum didn't push it, even though she wasn't convinced.
In the end Vicas didn't come down to eat.
We all went to sleep but, I made sure to check on him before going to bed.
I didn't need to open the door to tell that he was asleep.
But even in his sleep his emotions never eased.