Power Swap: Comfort, real and imagined

[Chase Campbell]

Chase honestly couldn’t word how relieved he felt when he James relaxed. As hard as the past few months had been, he was only now realizing just how much he’d missed this. Just touching had become a challenge, knowing just how much James could take before breaking that contact. But he wasn’t worrying right now. He was enjoying the fact that James was in his arms, and he wasn’t anxious about it.

The blond man didn’t know what to think about this. Sure, it was a massive step forward. But it didn’t seem real. He was so used to tiptoeing around James, and using his power against him, even to help him, was just forbidden. He had tried to be so careful, and now James had given him no choice. He’d handled it well, but with the suspicious absence of his powers, Chase was already thinking that it had something to do with it. With his powers, James was hyper-sensitive to everything. Without them, he probably couldn’t even feel him in his head. Just the effects. It was hard to feel victorious when the calm would likely only be shortlived.

They really did have to check on Niko. Chase was anxious now, hoping their foster son hadn’t been affected. He was so young. Having one power was enough to deal with it. If it had suddenly switched, or disappeared all together, he couldn’t imagine the feeling. He waited for James to stand up, his mind still working on overdrive. “I know,” he murmured softly. But there was one more thing that was weighing on his mind. He paused, glancing back at James. “Wait a second. Jamie. That thing you were cuddling, the thing you thought was me. ... Can you do that again?” If he didn’t know better, he’d guess it was some kind of shadow power. Something he hadn’t seen in a student yet, but he knew of the power. What if James had swapped? That seemed so much better than the idea of James being so stressed, his power had just vanished. “Try. Please. For me.”

[Dr. James Campbell]

James didn't know where Chase was going with this. All he had known was that his power was gone. He hadn't even really connected that the loss of his ability might have something to do with the stress from the past few months. After all, why would it have disappeared now, when he was finally starting to heal? (Or was it because his OCD, along with his power, had been waning, and that allowed him to start healing?)

"Cuddle with a...thing?" James knew that he had been holding onto something warm and vaguely Chase-like when he'd awoken, but how was he supposed to get it back? He hadn't caused it. He couldn't summon things. He couldn't do anything now.

Nervously, he stood there, arms folded across his chest, just wanting to go downstairs and check on Nikki. But Chase was practically begging him to try this, so he did. James closed his eyes, and tried to will the form of his husband into existence in front of him. He didn't see Chase's shadow rise off the floor and become solid. The shadow man behaved exactly how he expected Chase to, crossing the room and wrapping his arm around his back. He leaned into the embrace and said "I'm sorry, Chase, I don't think this is working."

Then, of course, he opened his eyes, and Chase was still standing a few feet away. He jumped away from the shadow, which dissipated instantly, since his concentration had broken. "Chase...." James looked at his husband, surprised, "Did I do that?"

[Chase Campbell]

Chase hadn’t expected James to connect the two. The trainer worked with powers every single day, with fragile students. He’d seen a lot in his years at Hammel, both as student and teacher. But never had he seen stress do this. Sure, powers got out of control under stress, but never flat out disappeared. Maybe he’d ask Clarisse, or Eli, if they’d heard about anything like this before. At least he had a couple of theories to work with. If it wasn’t stress, and something else entirely, they’d be good resources as well.

“Yes, a thing.” He didn’t know how else to describe it. A dark, weird, thing. A thing that had creeped him the hell out. Much as he didn’t really was to see the dark thing again, he had to know. James had to try this, for him.

He watched as calmly as he could when James closed his eyes. He didn’t like causing him any more stress and anxiety. They’d both seen enough of that lately. But for both their sakes, they needed to find out exactly what this was. If James couldn’t do it again, Chase would have to go with an alternate theory. That something was going on from outside their house, and he couldn’t help but jump to Gabriel. Shadow things weren’t his specialty. But maybe he had some lackey with those powers. He clenched his jaw and watched.

And then the shadow rose. Chase flinched, watching it. It was a strange feeling, to watch your own shadow creep off the floor and wrap an arm around your husband. “N... no.... it’s working.” He had to admit that he relaxed when the shadow disappeared again, and he let out a long, slow breath. “Yeah. You did. It looks like Shadow Manipulation.” Well, at least he wouldn’t have to ask anyone about stress and disappearing powers now. Just... random manifestations. That was better. ... Sort of.