*The next morning*

Nya's POV

I'm woken by the loud calls of birds from right next to me. I slowly open my eyes in an attempt to get ready for the day. However, when I don't recognize my surroundings immediately, I jump back. I reach to my side for something to use as a weapon.

Glancing down, I spot the blue cot that I was using as a bed. The shade of blue triggers the memories of last night to come back to me. After I took Jay up on his offer to stay at his house, he brought Zippy and I back to his place. Zippy was able to hang out with Wisp, and once I saw that the two were getting along, I joined Jay inside. Unbeknownst that I'm the master of water, Jay had a glass of water waiting for me.

Then, we talked for hours on end. It felt as though I had known him forever. The words just flew out of both of our mouths. We talked about our interests and where we both want to be in the future. We talked about our parents, but from how he was talking about them in the past tense, I assumed that they passed away.

When the candle was about to burn out, we decided that it would be best to go to bed. He showed me to a spare room, an awfully fancy spare room. I ended the night with my abs sore from laughing so much.

Letting out a long yawn, I stretch my arms up to the roof that is by a miracle over my head. I get out of bed and change into some of the clothes that I brought along with me. Once I'm fully dressed, I tie my hair back and leave the room.

"Sleep well? I made breakfast," the sound of his voice wakes me up completely, knocking any trace of drowsiness out of my system. He leans against a little table all dressed with a sweet smile on his face.

"I didn't know that you cook," I say, impressed. He shrugs.

"I dabble. I never had to cook because one of my friends was a master chef, but once I was on my own, I had to actually do it myself. Now, I don't think I'm too shabby," he sets a piece of bread that looks like it's full of something in front of me. He takes the seat across from me.

"What is it?" I examine it, picking it up and turning it with my fingers. I dissect it with my eyes.

"A strawberry pastry. I'm still experimenting with stuff, but I think I have all of the ratios down," he takes a sip of water.

"How much do you want?" I ask the question that I've been wondering. He raises his slitted eyebrow at me.

"What do you mean?"

"How much do you want me to pay you for the food and housing?"

"I don't need anything. Company is enough, not just any company, your company especially," he gives me a semi-sad smile.

"If you want company, why do you live so far away from town?" I ask him, curiously. His house is about an hour walk from town in contrast to the houses packed right next to it. "Plus, why were you in town that late if you live so far out?"

"My shoulder was killing me, so I went to get some pain medicine," he shrugs, taking a bite of his food. "About your other question, I don't like to draw attention. I used to talk to anyone who would listen, but now...things are different. I don't really know what to do anymore. I've honestly considered moving." He uses a light tone for a more serious subject.

"If you don't really talk to people anymore, why did you talk to me?" I ask curiously, taking a bite of my pastry.

"I dunno, it just...felt right," he looks down at his plate slightly. "You can stay for as long as you want, Nya, free of charge. I have room."

---

*1 month later*

I enter the house with a small smile on my face. After my multi-week search, I was finally able to find a job. It isn't the most prestigious job by any means. I got a job as an assistant at one of the shops in town. There, I'm going to help customers and restock the shelves.

The man hiring me is a big, burly man. His beard is dark and scruffy, yet I can see grey hairs starting to make their appearance. He had heavy sweat stains underneath his arms and let off a strong, rancid smell. His attitude was a bit condescending, but he was the only person in the entire town willing to hire a young woman.

"Nya! Can you help me with something?" Jay cheers out my name in joy. He appears to be holding a piece of metal atop one of his contraptions that he's made.

Instead of having a proper job, Jay is self employed. He creates elaborate inventions that he claims are "beyond the current capabilities of the world". He sells them to people who will integrate them into the world when "it's time" for lots of money.

Even though Jay was very adamant that I didn't need to get a job, I felt the need to contribute something monetarily back to him. I don't want to be reliant on anyone, let alone live solely off of them.

"Of course," I rush over and grab the piece of metal. My fingers brush over his as our hands switch places. The pleasant shock that always accompanies his touch makes my hand tingle. My insides heat up, but I try to keep my composure.

"I finally got it in the right place, and I didn't want to lose it," he tells me as he tightens the bolt on the machine.

"What is it supposed to do?"

"You know how it gets really hot in the summer? This is supposed to cool down rooms by increasing air circulation. I might have to invest in one myself," he wipes his brow when he's done, smiling at his work.

"Once there's a power source, of course," I add. The main reason Jay's profession confuses me is because there is no guarantee that any of his inventions actually work. While they might be mechanically sound, there is no way to know if they work because no one has been able to find a power source. However, Jay still creates machines that he is certain will work, and I don't question it. The last time I tried, he got really closed off.

"Yeah, of course," he gives me a small smile before standing up. "You know, this would be a lot less exhausting if you joined me."

"I can't join you if I finally got a job," I tell him the news. He smiles and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his firm chest. I let myself enjoy the moment, enjoying the feeling of his touch as I wrap my arms around him. His embrace is warm and comforting, a tight hold that is very fitting for him.

"I'm so happy for you! I know it's been hard for you to find one. Where is it?" he slowly pulls away but remains close, his blue eyes meeting mine and never drifting.

"It's at a small shop a block or two down from the town center. Mr. Blake hired me," I inform him. The smile on his face fades faster than a kid's when they find out the truth about Santa.

"You need to quit; you can't stay there! Alexander Blake is one of the biggest scumbags that I've ever met. He's vile and a creep and a pervert and..." Jay protests with vigor.

"Jay, it'll be alright..."

"The only reason he hires women is so he can watch them do his bidding. It's sick, so so sick..."

"I can handle myself. I'm not weak, if you haven't noticed."

"I know but..." Jay sighs before meeting my eyes again after his minor freakout, "I just don't want you to get hurt. Please, Nya, please just come work with me. It'll be fun, I promise. We can make cool things and talk and joke around and..."

His eyes, the sapphires that stare into my being, almost make me cave in. My autonomy, however, is something that I take great pride in. I strive to be independent.

"I need this for me. I'll be fine. Trust me on this."

---

*4 months later*

I walk inside and immediately slump to the ground. Today was a horrible day. First, I found out that one of my shoes had a hole in it when it was raining. My foot was suddenly immersed in mud, practically merging with it. Then, my boss kept sexualizing me and cat calling me as I restocked the shelves. He even went far enough to whisper vulgar things in my ear and place his large, stalky fingers on my waist. While I could easily take him with my powers, I don't want to start anything or let my identity out. I simply acted as if he wasn't there.

To make the whole situation even better, the customers today were intolerable. All of them talked down to me like I was either incompetent or an animal. It was sickening to hear their pompous laughs.

I was in a rush to get out of work, so I forgot the little rain shield, something that Jay refers to as an "umbrella", that he built for me. I had to trudge two miles in the rain. While I could have just pushed the water away from me, when I came in drier than the desert, it would raise questions. Now, I'm wet, cold, tired, and frustrated. I'm exhausted. My head falls to my knees as I break down in tears.

The agitation takes over, and I need to monitor myself to keep my powers in check. I try to count slowly to myself, but it doesn't work, and I'm left a giant ball of frustration.

At his touch, I feel the negativity simmer down. He sits next to me, leaning against the wall, and wraps his arm around me. He pulls me into his side, and I rest my head against his chest. He rests his head on top of mine. This has become a normal occurrence after work since Mr. Blake has been increasingly disgusting in the past month.

"Shhh, it's okay," he runs his hand through my hair as the tears cascade down my face. "Did he touch you?"

"Just my waist. The things he said though..." I attempt to regain my composure. "First, he was trying to degrade me, talking down to me and telling me everything that's wrong with me. Then, he told me everything he wants to do to me in the back room."

Jay tenses next to me, his jaw clenching and unclenching. I can feel the anger increase by the second. "You told him to stop, right?"

"Yes, calmly, but it just fueled the fire."

"That's it. I'm done with him. I'm going to teach him a lesson. He can't do that! It's abuse, and I'm not going to let him get away with it," he stands up, brushing off his pants. I've never seen Jay this angry, and while he's usually far from intimidating, I definitely wouldn't want to be on his bad side at the moment. It's as if his body is sending off a warning signal to get away. I can't explain it, but the air begins to feel weird, causing my hairs to stand up by themselves, drawn to an invisible force.

"I want to keep the job. I can endure it. It's just tiring," I tell him, wiping the rest of my tears off of my cheeks. Thunder rocks the house, making me jump. Jay seems unphased as he grabs a coat.

"You still can once I'm done with him. He can't keep doing this to anyone, especially not to you," since we've gradually moved away from the door through our talk, Jay is able to open the door. Without an umbrella, he walks out into the rain. I sit there momentarily, baffled that he actually went out into the storm, before rushing out to follow him. It's an hour walk to the city, and he's going out there unprotected.

He walks with a purpose as bright flashes flood the sky. There was no lightning when I was walking home. But now? Now lightning is striking down like crazy. It hits trees and the few houses in the area, even splitting rocks in the process. The cracks are nearly deafening.

I trail him, trying to catch up to his furious pace. I try to make up the distance as quickly as possible, slightly manipulating the water around me to push me forward and push him back6 to give me an edge.

"Jay! It's not safe out here!" I call for him, making my presence known for the first time. As he turns around to face me, a bright flash appears overhead. A lightning bolt cracks down on the tree next to me, some of the lightning bouncing onto me. I let out a scream, feeling it travel through my body. Time seems to slow as it creeps across my skin and through my muscles. The pain, the millions of knives penetrating my flesh, takes over my body before I collapse.

---

Jay's POV

Everything is still in that moment. Her body seems to levitate when part of the bolt strays from the tree. She lights up momentarily as her scream fills the air, destroying my heart, before she collapses. My eyes water as I run over to her body that lies on the ground, unconscious.

I never intended for the bolts to hit anyone. Honestly, I didn't even realize that I was doing anything. It wasn't until she got hit that I realized that I let my powers get out of hand. I subconsciously took advantage of the atmospheric conditions to let out some of my rage.

"Nya!" I kneel down beside her, instantly bringing my hand to the side of her neck. When I feel a steady, yet a bit weak, pulse, I'm able to regain my composure slightly. With my hand on her skin, I notice that there's a surplus of electricity running through her system. Slowly as to try to make it as gentle as possible, I extract it from her until her body is back at regular levels. A steady stream of electrons, emitting a bright light, leave her skin and enter my body. A wave of relief floods me when her pulse strengthens.

To check for internal damage, I create a microcurrent and send it into her body. I manipulate it to bring it up to her brain. It explores all of the major brain areas, the hippocampus, occipital lobes, and cerebellum among others, and I pick up no trauma. After exploring the rest of her body, everything else seems alright.

"I'm so, so sorry Nya."

---

Nya's POV

Groggily, I pick up on the sound of rain. A dull pain welcomes me from my rest. Slowly, I'm able to open my eyes. I find myself wrapped in a cocoon of blankets in front of the fire. The flames shoot up before my eyes, flickering back and forth, swaying in a dance. When I roll in the other direction, I see Jay sitting behind me. His legs are tucked up to his chest, his chin on his knees. His face is one of worry and shame.

"What happened?" I ask softly. He jumps slightly out of shock before a small smile appears on his face.

"What's the last thing that you remember?"

"We were both on the ground here."

"I got mad when you told me about Mr. Blake, and I decided to go confront him. I went through the storm, and you followed me. You were struck by a stray current of lighting that bounced off of a tree, and you passed out. I checked that you were alive before I brought you back here. I've been waiting for you to wake up," I can hear his guilt, making me frown.

"It's not your fault."

"It is. I should've listened to you," he sighs before he meets my eyes. "I was so scared, so scared that you died. I've never been that terrified in my entire life, and that says a lot."

"Everything is alright now. I hurt a bit, but I'm sure that it'll subside."

"I got you some clothes, but I didn't change the ones you had because I couldn't get permission," he gestures to the pile of clothes next to him.

"Thank you. I'll change now," while I'd usually just draw the moisture from my clothes, I can't now. Instead, wincing as I get up, I grab the clothes, and start to leave the room.

"Wait, I have a question," he sticks a hand up to try to capture my attention.

"Yeah?"

"The day that we met, was your left shoulder hurting? A stinging that would fade in and out of intensity?" he asks me. My eyebrows furrow. Goosebumps form hills on my arms.

"How did you know?" I ask, feeling a little bit uneasy for the first time since I met him.

Slowly, he rolls up the right sleeve of his azure shirt. More and more of his skin begins to be revealed until his deltoid is revealed. On it, there is a tattoo of a storm cloud with rain pouring out of it, a large bolt of lighting darting out of the bottom. It's identical to the one on my left shoulder.

"I was confused when the pain stopped as soon as I touched you, and recently, I realized that the pain was only on my tattoo. I also knew that there was no way that how I felt about you wasn't to that degree, and then the fact that what happened out there just matched this," he points to his shoulder. "I just put it together when we were sitting here."

"I'm confused," I admit, thoroughly shaken. Yet, I'm still drawn to him, if not more entranced than before. "Every person is born with a tattoo that's unique to them. How do you..."

"That's a lie told to people to make them happy. The truth is that throughout all of time, everyone will have a single other person that will be born with the same tattoo, just on the opposite side of their body. It's used to identify soulmates. However, since many people aren't born in the same lifetime as their soulmate, the current story keeps it so people don't waste their lives waiting for someone that most likely won't come," he drops a bomb on me. I'm skeptical though. Besides, how would Jay know about it anyways?

I walk over and look closer at his tattoo. I rub my thumb over it, and the surge of intense attraction that floods me afterwards just solidifies his point. I realize the closeness between us. I'm within a foot of him, my hand on his bare shoulder. The urge to get even closer is overwhelming.

His hand reaches up and tucks a strand of my wet hair behind my ear before cupping my chin in his palm. My eyes gently shut at the mere contact before they flutter back open. "...and people wouldn't be able to tell that they were being lied to because people with the same tattoos are typically born across different time periods." I solidify the connection in my own mind by expressing it verbally.

At this close of a distance, I take in every little detail of his face: the slope of his nose, the variation in darkness of the freckles on his cheeks, the way his eyelashes dust his cheeks when he blinks. One of my hands finds the way to the nape of his neck where it plays with some of his hair.

"Exactly. I...I just can't believe that I actually found you. I never thought that I would," tears start to well up in his eyes as his smile gets bigger. "You're all I could ever hope for."

I take this as the moment to do the thing I've wanted to do for months now. The excitement thrums in my chest as I bring my lips to his, unifying the two. It's exhilarating and full of pure bliss as our lips move against each other, our eyes shutting. With my first kiss, the knot in my stomach that makes me go wild grows more and more. In that moment, we're one.

I'm never going to let this boy go.

A/N Another chapter! I'm not feeling that good, so this'll be a short A/N.

How did you guys feel about the chapter?

Any ideas how this is going to pan out?

Thank you all so much. You're the best!