Kados eyes tracked me as I slunk into their quarters, Esayr hot on my heels. Addric ambled after us quietly shutting the door after we'd shuffled in.

"Explain." Kados didn't quite demand it, but it wasn't a question.

"I felt it...that night."

Kados glance over the top of my head, when I turned I realized he'd been looking to Addric, holding some silent communication that only they could. It wasn't quite like Kayle's ability, something else —something uniquely theirs.

"I told you," Addric murmured from behind me.

Kados' answer came nearly before Addric's commentary, "I know."

"You knew?" My voice was pitched too high, warning me that my anxiety was climbing with every passing second.

"I'd suspected," at my incredulous look Kados amended his comments, "not for long. Really it was baseless until Addric mentioned he'd noted something in your demeanor the other night."

When I turned to Addric he was leaning against an island table in their kitchen, arms folded across his chest. "You viscerally mirrored an emotion that I was privy to," Addric motioned to Kados with his chin. "We aren't empaths, but we share a connection that's similar between the both of us, myself and Kados. If we didn't I wouldn't have even noticed it. I'd been willing to dismiss it as coincidence, but it did make me wonder--"

"Couple that with my musing from months past and it got us both to wondering," Kados continued the conversation effortlessly where Addric had left off.

"Wondering what?" I could feel the heat of Esayr at my back, more a physical sensation than whatever it was that had been assailing me of late. He'd stepped up behind me, offering support through that proximity. It didn't stop whatever raw emotions were filtering off of him, though. While I couldn't feel them myself I saw Kados stiffen for a moment and then roll his shoulders as whatever it was that had escaped into the room around us passed.

"That's quite enough," Addric rumbled from behind us, "from the both of you." From what I'd gleaned I imagined whatever Kados had just felt, Addric had also been subjected to it. "Kados, you're not helping yourself, tiptoeing around your findings. Esayr, it's nothing harmful as far as we can tell so there's no reason for the leeching. Calm yourself."

I reached for him where he stood behind me, to help settle him in the same way he always tried to himself, with those gentle glancing touches. My fingers brushed the edge of his arm and followed it down until they got to his hand. It was already open and waiting for me to interlock my fingers with his. "So, what is it you're thinking?"

"A humans or humanity in general --at least in what I've gleaned from your genetics-- is categorized by one distinct and common feature across your race as a whole, your unflagging adaptability. Humans have a predilection toward inhabiting all varieties of ecological niches --" Kados was cut off by an annoyed sound from his brother.

"You're adapting to your environment in an unusual way for usual soul binds, though the possibility wasn't completely unexpected --at least in Kados' opinion."

I felt Esayr's hand tighten in my own.

Had the situation not been so uncanny, I would have taken a moment to enjoy the look of shock on Kados face at being interrupted.

It tasted like fresh basil, aromatic and herby in that odd way that would overtake both taste and scent immediately muddling them until you couldn't tell which was the other. Without thinking, I rubbed my fingers on my left hand together, feeling the slightly tacky sensation on their tips; the product of a memory from the girl's home when the nuns had us growing herbs in windowsills when we were young, offering us the chance to watch how plants grow while we read along in our textbooks in school. I didn't know what emotion it was or if it were even just one.

Was it confusion? Was it surprise? Was it something that was a mix between the two --or maybe some other ones entirely-- filtered out between both brothers before it had hit me?

"Explain," Esayr prompted again from behind me.

Kados' gold stare left Addric to land on me and Esayr, "She's becoming an Empath or some variation of one," the sentence was clipped and by the silence that hung in the air after it I could gather we all were expecting an explanation.

When no one uttered anything, I felt the stuttering word leave me, "E-explain?" I'm what? I would think 'surely that can't be right' 'that's crazy' and yet here I am on a ship with my alien soulmate that most definitely is an Empath.

"How much do you know about mating?"

The question was directed to me and I immediately stumbled with it.

Kados' shrewd gaze took in my shocked look and the corner of his mouth ticked up into the ghost of his teasing smiles. I soothed over my frayed nerves to see something familiar, even teasing though it was. "I don't mean fucking. I mean what happens when you're mated."

I glanced at Esayr behind me and he supplied an answer, "I'd mentioned it once I believe, that your genetics would shift slightly more in line with ours. I'd understood it to be nothing noticeable." He still seemed on edge as he stood behind me, his shoulders stiff and pulled taught.

"You wouldn't have been wrong. In nearly every Temani Bercari's we have a record of on the Aarond Form, the change was nothing at all worth noting. On other Val' ships, that might be different, but that's merely conjecture," Kados' attention returned to me, "Do you know how that change begins?"

Whatever gears had been in my head, desperately cranking along to try and make sense of everything I reasonably already should have understood, were working overtime now, "I'd imagine fucking."

That got a laugh from Kados and I could have sworn I might have even earned a chuckle from Addric behind us. Kados turned and walked deeper into their quarters to their living room, "This is a longer conversation. Sit," he pointed to a loveseat while he dropped into a nearby chair.

"I'll make pomilh," Addric offered as we followed after Kados.

When Esayr and I were settled side by side on the couch, Kados finally returned to the conversation, having regained even more of his usual personality, "Fucking," he mused, "it's the fastest and most would argue the most fun way to initiate that genetic exchange, though it's not the singular way to cause changes. It's just the one that causes widespread change. All others are more localized."

Kados leaned back in the chair, his fingers were steepled in his lap, tapping gently against the fingers of his other hand while he regarded us, "You've not fucked. That you made abundantly clear, but if you'd indulge me what have you done? Or..." Kados stared at my face, kindly avoiding the notice of Esayr's hand that had settled onto my thigh as another piece anchoring us together through the short distance on the couch. "Actually don't answer that. I'll tell you what I know you've done and my thoughts."

"I honestly can't tell you which would be worse," I grumbled.

Kados' eyebrow arched up quickly a retort formed in the pull of the muscles along his jaw, but Addric beat him to it, his commentary echoing from the kitchen, "He'll only tell you what he's sure of, which is not nearly as detailed as what you're sure you've done."

Before Kados got a second to rethink his assessment I continued, "What have we done then? And what does it mean?"

"In the belly of the ship when you were in the gardens," he paused for only the slightest moment allowing me time to remember how he'd stopped us in the halls, "I imagine you've already guessed that I knew you'd been kissing since I asked for another swab of your cheek."

"You're not wrong."

"It was a guess at the time, but I'm certain of it now."

"Why?"

"The sensations you're feeling, Addy? Are they mostly centered around taste? Or maybe even smell since those two senses are so closely linked?"

Candied orange peels. Fresh basil. Cinnamon and cloves.

"I'd imagine there would be a few stronger emotions that didn't fall into that category, likely stronger ones--"

"--Like loneliness or longing," Addric finished for his brother as he set cups onto the table in front of each of us before settling into another nearby chair.

That hollowed-out ache in my chest.

Kados shot him a quelling look, "Yes, like those. Regardless...am I right?"

I sucked in a breath and let it all out. I hadn't even realized I'd reached for Esayr until I felt his hand turn on my leg so that I could hold it. I finally answered, "Yes."

"I'd thought so. A soulbind's genetics will change when there's sufficient interaction between their genetics and that of their mate. The basal cells in your mouth showcased mild changes when I collected them that day. It was --and likely still is-- localized to your mouth, but I'd be willing to bet there are changes elsewhere" his pointed look landed on our intertwined hands, "like maybe the tips of your fingers?"

That sticky feeling on my fingers.

"Or any other places that Esayr might mindlessly touch you."

The line of warm heat that slid down my spine.

"Dammit," I rubbed at my mouth with my other hand. As if in silent assent, Esayr's hand left my own and traced light fingers down my back, that same absent gesture he always seemed to enjoy. "Is this normal? For an Empath then since you said it wasn't for regular soulbinds." When I asked the question, I turned more towards Esayr hoping he would have an answer for me since he was an Empath himself.

There was heartbreak in his eyes when he finally said, "I don't know."

Kados echoed the same sentiment, "Val' born Empaths have their abilities at birth, most couldn't tell you the first time they felt most emotions, just that they've always known them.

Esayr's hand traced down my back quicker, "It's true. Empaths are notoriously fussy infants until they're accustomed to it."

"It's one of the biggest tells that a newborn might be an Empath," Kados nodded.

"What does this mean for me? Will it get worse once we're mated?"

"Will every soulbind that bonds with their mate become their Val' bloodline?" Esayr asked at the same time I did.

Kados answered us both, "I don't know. Right now, Addy is our only example. It could be a one-off. It could be that Addy might have already had similar empathetic tendencies. It could be that every human will change in the same manner and all will become similar to their mates, or something in between. It is interesting though, that humans --renowned for their adaptability-- went introduced to Val' genetics --also of similar mutable renown-- have produced something new."

"Will I learn to control it?" My whispered question was lost on Kados, who'd sunk deeper into his chair while he puzzled through something. Addric himself seemed more focused on his brother than us.

Esayr's answer was just as quiet, "If anyone can, I believe it would be you." He pulled me closer to him and pressed a chaste kiss on my forehead. "You are stronger than you ever dare to believe. When we get any spare moment we can try to refine that shield inside you."

The one that kept something of myself locked inside it. What if it's the only thing keeping the rest of this high strangeness inside of it?

"So what do we do now then?" I asked the question more to Esayr, but Kados answered instead.

"I would recommend more tests."

The sigh left me feeling deflated, "You're probably right." Something remaining unknown only left more to fear.

"And, we hope that the new female coming aboard the ship is just as forthcoming with study as you are."

We could dream, but I was willing to bet she wouldn't be.

"Until then, I can study any high traffic areas between the both of you. Swabs would likely be least intrusive for you, but a whole-body scan would be more conducive to study but would take a little bit more of your time, Addison." It was obvious he preferred the full-body scan, though how long that would take while Kayle watched over Cece was questionable.

"Yeah, I can give you some swabs," I mumbled.

Kados gifted me with a bored smile, "Perfect. I'll just need swabs of all the areas that Esayr has touched you with detailed accounts of where they were and what he touched you with."

"Christ!" The word still tasted like the soap sister Caroline had used to wash my mouth out. That at least I knew was my own creation and not some ephemeral sensation.

Kados at least seemed pleased with himself when I climbed into the medical scanner in the genetics bay ten minutes later, after having sent word to Kayle about the extenuating circumstances.

"You're a monstrous creature some days, Kados" Esayr grumbled from his place at my side. His arms crossed over his chest since we couldn't touch during the scan lest we risk contaminating the results.

"Most days," Addric corrected from the doorway.

"We'd be better off just quantifying the days that I'm not," Kados retorted from his position behind a viewscreen readout, "but at least we'll have answers to some of our questions."

"Fine," I grumbled.

"The scan is starting in 3...2..."

*****A/N*****

If I'm not mistaken, today marks 100 days of writing something every single day. I'm amazed the time has gone by so quickly, honestly. All things considered, I'm crazy proud of myself for sticking to it even on days when I nearly forgot. I've had 100 "non-zero" days, where even if it was only one word or two that I could pull out and put on the screen in front of me I did it. It's been 100 days of productivity, growth, and dedication. And each of you had a part in that. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and the drive.

Here's to hundreds more (I promise not just on this story ;p),

~Layla

On an unrelated note, if you ever find yourself in downtown Saint Pete, you should check out Valhalla Bakery. I got a ginger molasses cookie from them the other day and they were To. Die. For.