The Boy Who Wont Forget

Mind Weaver tapped her fingers on the edge of her notebook, her gaze locked on Ren. He could see the gears turning behind her eyes, and for once, he wasn't annoyed. She was good at this.

 playing along wasn't as boring as he'd thought it would be.

"So," she said, leaning forward slightly, "let's talk about the memories you mentioned earlier. You said they're fading—your parents, the little details. That kind of thing can happen after trauma. But sometimes, it's more than that. Do you want to talk about it?"

Ren shrugged, glancing away. "Not much to say."

"That's not true."

He chuckled under his breath. She was damn persistent . "Okay, maybe there's a little to say," he admitted. "It's weird. I remember pieces. My mom's smile when she'd pull something out of the oven. My dad telling me to chew slower because I'd choke. Stuff like that." His fingers drummed against the armrest. "But the specifics are slipping away. I can't remember what my mom's voice sounded like. Or how my dad laughed, and every day I remember less and less, but for some reason I still remember that damn ma-" he stopped himself.

Mind Weaver nodded, giving him space to continue.

Ren exhaled. "It's like... every day, they're getting further away. Like trying to hold water in your hands. No matter what you do, it just slips through your fingers."

He wasn't lying. This part hurt more than he liked to admit. The memories of his parents were the only things tethering him to the life he'd left behind, and the thought of losing them completely made his chest ache. But that wasn't the point of this session. He wasn't here to heal, he knew he couldn't forget them, if he did his life would lose all purpose. Get back to them.

"I think that's normal," Ren added, shrugging again. "Memories fade."

"Sometimes they do," Mind Weaver agreed. "Maybe some more, unorthodox forms of therapy might help"

He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table between them. "You're good at this, you know. I bet most people leave here thinking you've read their minds."

Mind Weaver chuckled softly. "Ren why are you complimenting me when this is supposed to be about you"

"Maybe it is," Ren admitted, grinning faintly. "But I'm also serious. You've got this whole mysterious hero thing going on. The hair, the eyes, the way your quick lets you look into someone's soul" 'Ha, this is fucking fun' he thought.

He expected her to brush it off, but instead, she tilted her head and smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Ren scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. No problem."

Mind Weaver didn't miss a beat. "Does talking about your parents make you uncomfortable?"

Ren sighed—a genuine one this time. "A little."

"Because you're afraid of forgetting them?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah."

"Then don't push the memories away," she said gently. "Hold onto them, even if it hurts. That pain is part of what keeps them close."

Ren didn't respond right away. He wasn't used to people talking to him like that—like they actually cared. Most people either wanted something from him or treated him like he was broken. Mind Weaver was different. She saw him, and that made him nervous.

Mind Weaver leaned back slightly, closing her notebook. "You've done well today, Ren. You've shared more than most people do in their first session."

Ren smirked faintly. "Is that your polite way of saying we're done?"

"For now."

He stood, slipping his hands into his pockets as he walked toward the door. His mind buzzed with thoughts—about the session, more importantly about her quirk, he wanted to know its capabilities for himself. She was able to sense his emotions about his parents really well. He wasn't sure how he felt about that yet.

As he reached the door, he turned back, pointing at a stack of papers on her desk. "Hey, you dropped something."

Mind Weaver followed his gaze, leaning down slightly to check the papers. That's when Ren made his move.

He stepped closer, his fingers gently brushing under her chin as he guided her head back up. The motion was slow, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to. But she was just kinda confused. "Ren what are yo-". He went on his tippy toes.

Their lips met—hard but brief, Her breath hitched, and for a second, she didn't move. Then, as if realizing what had just happened, she gently pushed him back, her fingers brushing against his chest.

"Ren!" she said embarrassed, her voice a mix of surprise and something else—something she quickly masked. "You can't—", she put her hands in her head, 'why do i always get the freaky kids man'

Ren grinned, stepping back casually. "Couldn't help myself. Consider it positive reinforcement."

Mind Weaver blinked, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Go now!, you need to learn about boundaries young man."

"Maybe," Ren said, turning toward the door again. "But you didn't stop me right away, did you?"

He didn't wait for her response as he left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. The system notification flickered to life in his mind.

Contact Detected: Synaptic Symphony

Do you wish to copy this ability?

Yes.

Ability Copied: Synaptic Symphony

Slot 3 Occupied

Ren smirked as he walked down the hallway. Well, that went better than expected.