Nathan's POV
The doctor shook his head. "No disease, nothing terminal—but before I continue, I need to check whether you're comfortable having this information discussed within earshot of those two."
When I heard that it wasn't a disease, I instantly let go of the tension I'd been holding. I could've cried in relief. The family wouldn't have survived it—another one of us ill like Melly? No. Just no.
"I'm fine with whatever you have to say in front of them. As long as it's not about anything terminal, I don't mind."
He nodded and continued. "Well, from your results, you're in fairly good health. You do need to eat more, though—you're slightly underweight and anaemic. I'd suggest increasing your food intake and taking a Vitamin B supplement, as your levels are a little low. Other than that though, you're good. There is something interesting, though. You actually scored on the ability-user test as having both esper and guide tendencies. They're quite low—barely above normal human parameters—but it's still rare to see both together."
I nodded. "I know. But I was told I was below F-rank—basically the same as a normie."
He looked up, meeting my eyes. "That would usually be the case, yes. But I suspect you might have a rare attribute. There are incredibly rare individuals who, when possessing both tendencies, can act as a kind of energy storage and conductor. They can store the energy from espers and guides and then circulate or conduct that energy back to others. Only a handful of such cases have been recorded, and the last one was several decades ago."
I stared at him, stunned. That didn't make any sense. How could someone with the lowest ranking be anything even remotely useful or powerful? When I first tested, there wasn't even a need to register properly—I was so far below any threshold.
The doctor continued, "To use a metaphor: you could be a storage facility and a conductor in one. You store the energy both are giving you, and then redirect it back to each of them. You're simultaneously guiding and being guided. That could explain why you're experiencing the same kinds of reactions as registered ability users. For this to activate though, you'd need to come into contact with a strong enough energy source—usually someone around B+ or A-rank."
That made Elliot and Gabriel both go tense. The energy in the room dipped slightly, the air suddenly heavier.
But I couldn't stop thinking about it. "Did I always have this? Or is it something that only started when I came into contact with someone strong enough to trigger it?"
He nodded. "You've had it since your tendencies first appeared—it's just that the trigger conditions weren't met until now."
Gabriel spoke up. "So you've never been in contact with any high-level ability users before?"
I nodded again. "Yes, I only have an uncle who's C-rank, but I hardly ever see him."
They both looked mildly relieved at that. There was always a massive divide between normies and ability users—we didn't live in the same areas, didn't mix socially. Entirely different worlds.
The doctor made a note on his clipboard. "There is a test that could definitively confirm if you have this ability. It might be uncomfortable, though, so I understand completely if you choose not to take it. Essentially, we'd have to place you back into a heightened emotional and physical state to monitor the reaction."
Oh.
I glanced up at Elliot and Gabriel to gauge their reactions. The previous incident was completely unplanned. I wasn't sure they'd want to risk that happening again. They shared a silent look, then Gabriel asked, "If it's alright, could we have a private chat?"
The doctor nodded. "Sure. I'll be back in a few minutes. Let me know what you decide. The test is quick—about five minutes—but the effects may last until... completion."
With that, he stepped out.
Elliot was the first to speak. "This is entirely your decision. No pressure."
Gabriel nodded. "That's true. But you should consider this: working in the Association means you'll constantly be around higher-ranking espers and guides. After what happened this morning, you've seen that one of the side effects of your ability is... the need for release. While nothing went too far, there's a high chance that if someone stronger discovers your ability, they might force you."
I felt the blood drain from my face. Just the thought of not being able to keep my job—of being in danger—set off a dread I hadn't felt in months. Everything had only just started to fall into place.
Gabriel went on, "But, if you were marked, it would only work with your markers."
That part gave me pause. "I can't lose this job. What am I going to do?"
They exchanged another look.
"There are other options," Gabriel said gently.
I looked at him, hopeful. Maybe there was a way out of this that didn't involve total disaster.
He smiled. "If you're worried about contact with random espers and guides triggering a reaction, but still want to work here, you could work with us instead. We get certain privileges because of our rank—we're based in a more secluded area of the Association, the pay is higher, and there's private lodging. You wouldn't need to worry about unexpected encounters. And we're both used to managing contamination—we can control ourselves. We can work out what everyone's comfortable with regarding the side effects."
I understood what they were offering. If another ability user found out about me, there was a chance I could be hurt, used. If I quit this job, I'd be back to juggling three part-time jobs, and we still wouldn't be able to afford Melly's treatment. Debt would swallow us whole.
I tried to focus. "Wouldn't I be getting in the middle of your relationship, though? I know what happened this morning was unexpected... but you two already have a high match rate."
They both nodded. "We do— which normally means being sexually compatible. But we're only friends. We've known each other for years. That really warm, euphoric feeling you had? We've never felt it with each other. It takes prolonged exposure by holding hands to get even a quarter of what we experienced with you in ten minutes. If you agreed to help us—it would be a huge help to us, too."
I nodded slowly. "What kind of contact would you want?"
Gabriel answered immediately, "Whatever you're comfortable with. We won't lie—we're both attracted to you—but we'll go at your pace. If you draw a line, we won't cross it. We can agree to limits, and keep to them."
I honestly wasn't sure what my limits were. I'd never had the chance to date, never had any physical experiences. But one thing stood out.
"You mentioned a pay increase…" I said, barely above a whisper and embarrassed that I was even mentioning money in a situation like this.
Elliot replied, "It would at least double. That doesn't even account for your ability though, which is incredibly valuable to us. I don't know what price to even put on that. I know it's early, but... do you have a number in mind?"
I did. I'd been thinking about it ever since Gabrielle mentioned the word "raise".
"Would... $10,000 be too much?" I asked hesitantly.
Gabriel replied without hesitation. "That's fine with us. We can always get it in writing with all the limits later. Shall we ask the doctor to run the test?"
I nodded.
But Elliot had one more question.
"With the after-effects... what level of contact is acceptable before anything happens?"